Sounds assaulted the urchin's ears, pulsing with the rhythm of her pounding heart. Her shoes clopped against the cobblestones that paved the well-to-do lane, the fabric of her pockets stretched and whined that they might tear, and the worst of all, a pair of footfalls close behind her. Charley didn't glance back, only putting on a burst of speed to get farther away from whatever grown-up was about to snag her collar.
The tug on her vest nearly sent Charley sprawling, and she jerked hard the other way to keep upright. Her head snapped with a glare and growl for the would-be captor, only to find a face and body her size staring back instead. No, not quite her size, her head still craned back and inch or three to take in the boy's curly mop and the harried look of his face. She knew that look and didn't hesitate at all when he gestured down another path.
And none too soon! The urchin didn't need a look back to mark that shout. Stamping feet, shouting voices, hot on their tail? Had to be the fuzz!
Rushing air against her cheek warned her of the boy's bustling form, heading down the stairs he pointed out. Charley followed after only a second, nursing the pit in her stomach that grew worse with each step they descended. No, no, no, no, No, NO! This was all the wrong way, he was leading them straight into trouble. She had spied enough muggers and baggers funneled down this passage to know what awaited them in the closed courtyard at the end.
Swallowing so hard she could feel it in her toes, Charley surged forward with all her energy. She covered the ground between them with some to spare, yanking hard on the boy's ear or collar, something with enough give to make her start as it slipped from her fingers. Then she was off, angling through a tight corner at the bottom of the stairs that led to more open avenues and close-together rooftops they could climb to.
An eyebrow cocked as she pointed up, passing her wordless intentions on to the boy. She nearly stopped for a second to ask if he could climb, not that the urchin had any breath at all to ask it with.
Oh well, she decided and hurried on to the first building with enough cracks in the mortar for footholds. He'd learn fast if he wanted to avoid getting collared for real.
The tug on her vest nearly sent Charley sprawling, and she jerked hard the other way to keep upright. Her head snapped with a glare and growl for the would-be captor, only to find a face and body her size staring back instead. No, not quite her size, her head still craned back and inch or three to take in the boy's curly mop and the harried look of his face. She knew that look and didn't hesitate at all when he gestured down another path.
And none too soon! The urchin didn't need a look back to mark that shout. Stamping feet, shouting voices, hot on their tail? Had to be the fuzz!
Rushing air against her cheek warned her of the boy's bustling form, heading down the stairs he pointed out. Charley followed after only a second, nursing the pit in her stomach that grew worse with each step they descended. No, no, no, no, No, NO! This was all the wrong way, he was leading them straight into trouble. She had spied enough muggers and baggers funneled down this passage to know what awaited them in the closed courtyard at the end.
Swallowing so hard she could feel it in her toes, Charley surged forward with all her energy. She covered the ground between them with some to spare, yanking hard on the boy's ear or collar, something with enough give to make her start as it slipped from her fingers. Then she was off, angling through a tight corner at the bottom of the stairs that led to more open avenues and close-together rooftops they could climb to.
An eyebrow cocked as she pointed up, passing her wordless intentions on to the boy. She nearly stopped for a second to ask if he could climb, not that the urchin had any breath at all to ask it with.
Oh well, she decided and hurried on to the first building with enough cracks in the mortar for footholds. He'd learn fast if he wanted to avoid getting collared for real.
![[Image: bZbZdaH.png]](https://i.imgur.com/bZbZdaH.png)