His breath felt hot, burning his lungs with each sharp inhale as feet flew across the ground, almost silent as he ran through the crowd. Many cries of outrage could be heard in his wake as Luka barged through people, knocking some to the ground in his haste. But there was no time to stop and offer an apology or help. Even further back his keen ears angry shouts to move and a clanking of metal as guard weapons clanged against other pieces of their gear. They were far enough behind that he couldn’t see them if he looked back, but close enough they were able to follow the trail of confusion and chaos the boy left behind him.

His deep, sharp, blue eyes scanned the buildings rushing past him as his feet practically flew across the ground, his speed hindered only by the people in his way. There were few gaps in the crowd, no alleyways in sight. No place to escape. The bright noon sun was beaming down upon him, sweat dripping from every pore in his body as pain continued to radiate from his side. He couldn’t, or perhaps didn’t want to, think about how long he had been running. Suddenly his eyes widened with surprise as up ahead of him he saw a small gap in the crow, not much but just enough to offer a small chance at maybe a rest.

Quickly the boy darted through the gap that led to a small building, probably a shop, he suspected. Bursting through the door he slammed it behind, breathing heavily his eyes scanned the room he had just entered before they landed on a young woman and they widened in fright. With lightning fast movements he dashed forwards and took a hold of her upper arm in one hand, which had a strange, wet feeling on it and placed the other over her mouth to stop her from crying out.

“Please,” he managed to gasp out between ragged breaths. “Just… be quiet. I’m not… not going to hurt you.” His eyes flickered to the side for a moment, towards the door and he fell totally silent, holding his breath despite the burning urgency in his lungs as if he was listening to something. However there was nothing to be heard outside, just the usual hustle and bustle of the city. However after a minute or so he seemed satisfied with whatever he was waiting for and took a long gasp for air before returning his attention to the girl before him, which he now realised he was intimately close to, their bodies practically touching in places.

“I’m going to move my hand away.” He said softly, searching her eyes for some kind of sign as he slowly peeled his hand. “Please… don’t scream.” Releasing her and taking a few steps away Luka stood rigidly, his entire body tense like a deer that sensed danger and was ready to flee at a moment’s notice. All it took was one shout, one call for help and people would hear and with the guards so close they would be upon them within minutes. There would be little chance for escape.

Luna had been in the back of the shop working on jewelry. She had been taught early in life how to make exquisit jewelry that any one would want. However no one was looking for it anymore. The world had turned to war and wanted blades. She had lost interest in jewelry and had began crafting her own blades. Life had become redundant as of late. Her father had died just this year leaving her to tend to her mother.

So as the other villages seemed to be taken into a slight disturbance she began walking towards the windows only to be attacked by a boy whom held her to keep her at bay. She had her hand at a hidden dagger in an instant. However, her curiosity got the best of her as he seemed to be holding his breath waiting to see if anyone would knock down her front door. He must have been the one to cause the ruckus

Perhaps she would find out what had gotten him to this point. As he removed his hand she stayed still and spoke softly. Her dagger flashed in the light in warning. In truth he could probably beat her. She was not experienced. "What have you done to be hiding so?"

Luna had been in the back of the shop working on jewelry. She had been taught early in life how to make exquisit jewelry that any one would want. However no one was looking for it anymore. The world had turned to war and wanted blades. She had lost interest in jewelry and had began crafting her own blades. Life had become redundant as of late. Her father had died just this year leaving her to tend to her mother.

So as the other villages seemed to be taken into a slight disturbance she began walking towards the windows only to be attacked by a boy whom held her to keep her at bay. She had her hand at a hidden dagger in an instant. However, her curiosity got the best of her as he seemed to be holding his breath waiting to see if anyone would knock down her front door. He must have been the one to cause the ruckus

Perhaps she would find out what had gotten him to this point. As he removed his hand she stayed still and spoke softly. Her dagger flashed in the light in warning. In truth he could probably beat her. She was not experienced. "What have you done to be hiding so?"

Luka’s eyes flashed to the dagger as it became known to him and slowly he raised both hands, one covered in a thick, red blood that had rubbed off when he had grabbed her arm. The source seeming to be from the wound on his side, where a large red blood stain could be seen. But he made no move other than showing he was unarmed and meant her no harm. The more in control and safer she felt the less likely she was to make too much noise or draw attention to herself. He felt slightly confident he could overpower her if she tried to attack him with it, but doubted that was the intent.

She didn’t seem scared, her breathing and heart rate were normal and he caught no hint of fear in her voice or eyes. It was more like she was showing she was ready to defend herself if he threatened her, a mentality the pair of them shared. However the question made him roll his eyes and shake his head slightly. “I didn’t kill anyone. If that’s what you’re thinking.” He stated, a hint of disgust in his voice, his breath still heavily laboured as he winced and dropped one to his stomach, where the sizable patch of blood had stained his shirt.

His head snapped up as there was a crashing sound in the back room, as if something had toppled off a shelf and fallen to the floor. Luka watched as a small blue, cat like creature, though leaner than most would be casually strolled into the room as if it owned the place, jumping up onto the counter and looking at the girl with the knife, blinking its large black eyes. “Hey!” Luka hissed, causing it to turn its attention towards him, still with a slight air of indifference about it. “What do you think you’re doing here?” The cat-like creature blinked at him for a few minutes and eventually made a strange, soft whistling noise at him, which seemed to quell the boy’s annoyance and he sighed softly, letting his head fall again. “And you’re sure no one followed you?” Once again it whistled at him as it sat down and began licking its paw, a soft pink tongue running along the fur before it ran it over its head much like any normal cat.

She glanced down to her arm as she saw that it was red where he had touched her. Her eyes were then drawn to his hand that was covered in the blood. She finally noticed the thick red pool forming around his feet on her clean wooden floor. "You fool that will stain." Her eyes seemed to catch fire as she sheathed the dagger and gestured to her back room. "Come let me mend that or you will be dead in a matter of hours. Those guards use a poison that does not allow the cut to heal easily killing whom they are looking for...." her voice caught as she heard the loud crash from her back room. "What in the hell..." She strided towards the entrance only to see the cat like creature come strolling out. Luna had a broom in hand ready to bat at the creature until the boy began talking to it. "You have got to be kidding me."

With a soft sigh of disdain she grabbed his arm and began tugging him towards the back. "Hurry up you fool they will be checking places soon once they can not find you." Luna made him sit upon her work bench and she cut the cloth away that was around the wound in his side. She began washing and disinfecting it. She put a salve over it once it was clean that would draw the poison out. While they waited for the salve she went off to the bedrooms to find a new shirt for him. One of her father's old ones. She set it aside as her hands went to work gently wiping the salve away so she could stitch him up. Once he was stitched up she placed long white strips of cloth around his torso to cover the wound. "Change shirts while I clean up the blood." With that she left him to go and clean up the puddle and place a rug over it.

“Excuse me for getting stabbed.” Luka grumbled before she suddenly grabbed him by his arm and began dragging him away. “Hey! Let me go!” The boy hissed angrily, but found himself sitting down all the same. He glanced at Endi as the cat sauntered into the room, seeming curious, yet slightly amused by the situation the boy was in now. “Not a word you!” He warned as the girl began tending to his wound. His entire body was tense as she worked, as if this was one of the most terrifying things in the world for him. And in truth, it was.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so close to a human, let alone let one touch him and it not result in something extremely painful. So it was a combination of shock, terror and logic that allowed the girl to perform unopposed. His mind repeating over and over again that if he let her he could get out of here all the faster and that if anything suspicious happened he was fairly sure he could overpower her. Then again she was greatly underestimating him, but that was to be suspected. She had no way of knowing. When she moved to leave he turned to Endi once more.

“You heard the pushy lady, they’ll be looking for me soon, you better get out of here and I’ll meet up with you later alright?” The cat looked at him hesitantly but eventually did as he asked and leapt up onto the bench and out the small window she had entered through. When the girl returned and demanded he get changed she was met with another defiant look. But he had to give it to her; she didn’t seem scared at all. It was an odd change. Luka wasn’t entirely sure if he liked it or not. Either way he slowly took off his jacket and removed what remained of his shirt after she’d ruined it. Putting on the new one and pulling the think brown jacket back on over the top as he began planning on what he was going to do next.

That boy was and odd one. He did not handle contact well even through she was helping him by rights. And he talked with that cat thing like it understood him! She snorted as she gave this some consideration. In any case at least now he would not be leaving a trail of blood behind.... With that thought she swore when they back tracked it was likely they would see blood leading into here. Just as she began rising from the floor men burst through the store front door. "Well hello what are interested in today? Necklaces, rings, bracelets, perhaps even a crown?" While she was speaking her feet carried her towards the back of her store. She drew daggers which caused them alarm. She threw one having one man caught against the doorway where her dagger pierced through his clothing and into the wood. The others ran at her. One caught her and put a knife to her neck. The man spoke then. "Come now boy. You come with us and we will let her go."

Luna raised a slight brow in response to the man's words. She was no damsel. She stomped her foot down hard on his foot. Then thrust her arms back to send him hurtling into her merchandise. He threw his knife sending it into her shoulder causing her to cry out, but she kept up her momentum. More men came at her. This time she knocked over a coldron of steaming water that gave a big shroud of steam to give them just a hint of time. She ran through the back room and opened the back door. "You out now." Pain was causing her to slow and lose her wits.