With a wry smile and twitchy fingers Casidey waded through the thick crowds that congested the stone streets of Canyon City. To anyone in the crowd she appeared to be an average shopper, perhaps looking for a piece of jewelry to accent her eyes, a rug to be placed at the entrance of her home, or even a gift for a sweetheart. She could have been looking for anything at all really, but very few would guess that she hunted for coin purses. Her intentions masked with casual glances at wares and a quick smile for any whom looked her way, the thief systematically scanned the people near her, always looking for the perfect prospect… And there he was.

The man was a bear. A thick, grizzled beard covered the lower portion of his scowling frown while one comically large eyebrow, formed into an angry V-shape, sat above condescending, scornful eyes. He was no smaller than six and a half feet and able to see over the head of everyone within eyeshot on the street. He walked at a constant pace, the sword strapped to his belt slapping his tree trunk of a leg rhythmically, and with a purpose that apparently caused his vision to cloud to the point that he couldn’t see anyone around him, running them over as he was. A wake of angry people were left behind him, muttering curses and staring daggers into his back as they rubbed away the pain caused by being rammed by the brute.

Casi moved in to intercept him. Even with the constant low roar produced by those around her she could still hear the zen gangling in the man’s pocket as she neared. The sound of it was slightly intoxicating as it demanded her attention and lured her in closer, much like a fox following the sound of an injured rabbit, knowing a free meal was soon to come.

Finally she lined up with his left side, the pocket on that side bulging with coin, and slowed her pace just a little. Only a few feet away now she turned her head away from the man and glanced at a small stall off to the side, trying to seem intent on it rather than where she was going. She waited for the jarring blow to come from the man as he plowed his way along. When it came she let the momentum of the hit to her shoulder turn her about while her left hand shot out like lightning from a bottle into the man’s pocket. Her grimy little fingers snatched up everything they came in contact with and transported it to her own pocket; the task only taking a heart’s beat to finish. When she had spun around a full 180 degrees she threw up her hands in anger, for theatrics’ sake, and yelled, “Watch where you’re going, Asshole!” with as much conviction as she could muster.

The pick itself had been easy, the man did most of the work himself, but it was one that few would have attempted. That was due mostly to the man’s intimidating presence. He could have cleaved Casi in two with that huge sword of his if had had the mind to, and probably would have if he had known she had stolen from him. That in itself deterred all but those with a dangerous lack of fear. And that, as much a curse or blessing as it may be, was something that Casidey Moore had in spades. Fearlessness had gotten her in trouble more than a few times, and she had the scars to prove it. She remembered being constantly afraid when she was small and alone back in the slums of Sky City, after the only family she knew had been slaughtered. Then one day, as odd as it sounded, it just stopped and she couldn’t remember a certain case when she had been frightened after that point. She had always thought that it was just something that naturally manifested with age. If you’ve already done something before why would you be afraid to do it again, right? For all her quick wits and street smarts she was completely naïve that it wasn’t normal to not feel fear, or at least not be able to recognize it; Even when there were signs everywhere that her “theory” on fear was completely wrong.

The beast of a man glanced over his shoulder at her with a mocking sneer and then continued on his way again. That’s when Cas broke out in wide, self-satisfied grin now that she had a fist-full of money weighing down her pocket and the victim remained unknowing. Now, she thought as she headed off towards the Crow’s Nest once more, she had enough money to have some fun at the inn.

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