I stared out at the rain. The pit-pat of the raindrops striking the cobbles below was comforting and helped me relax. I loved storms in the Lower City. It seemed to wash the streets clean like nothing else could, erasing the dark and gloomy past of the people who lived there. The smell of fresh rain tended to cover the stench of the gutters for at least a few hours and the rain cleared the muck from the streets, making the Lower City almost pleasant.
The rain was welcomed in Corus where it had been in short supply for the past few years. Judging from the enormus thunderheads banking in the sky, change was coming. It would change the fortunes of many, wether for the better or the worse. Personally, it wouldn't affect me any, just make watch a bit more damp and uncomfortable. Still, that was worth the good rain would bring.
A pigeon landed on the sill. As I looked down I recognized him as White Spice, his feathers pooling water beneath him. He hopped into the room, landing with a flutter and a spray of water on my desk. I sighed. I would have to spend time drying the papers out that night, time I didn't have. Curling my toes under in an attempt to warm them I paced the short expanse of bare floorboards.
Glancing back out into the rain, a flash of color caught my eye. Looking down I saw Rosto, Kora cradled in his arms and Aniki at his side. I knew from his gait that something was wrong. I didn't bother closing the shutters. If that idiot pigeon managed to find his way back outside while I was gone, all the better. Pulling a pair of breeches on beneath my nightshirt I raced out of the room.
I jumped down the last few stairs and threw open the front door, ignoring the rain that soaked me. I really don't mind the wet and the rain tickled my skin. As soon as they were inside, Aniki sagged against the wall, her face white.
"Take her up to my room," I told Rosto without hesitation. His face grim he nodded, starting up the stairs. Aniki started after him, wincing each time her foot touched the ground. I closed the door, shutting out the storm and hurried after them. On my way up the stairs Pounce passed me going down. He cast a baleful glance at me as if to say, Your friends seem to get into a lot of trouble. I rolled my eyes at him and dripped my way into my rooms, where I found Kora lying on my bed and Aniki resting in the desk chair.
"What happened?" I asked anxiously as I locked the door. I didn't want to be disturbed, and I was sure the others felt the same. Aniki grimaced.
"Ambushed by three coves and two mots. Didna see 'em comin'," Her voice was strained. Her hair was disheveled, straggling down the sides of her face and partway down her back. Rosto spoke, his voice low.
"They was like shadows, faster 'n anything I ever saw."
"Faster th'n Rosto the Piper?" I asked, gently teasing. He rolled his eyes.
"What's wrong wi' Kora?" I asked. Ersken would be worried frantic and I wanted to be able to answer his questions well enough. If I couldn't he'd be anxious all through watch, and that was never a good idea.
"Wore out. O'er reached herself and passed out. Should be fine after a decent nights sleep,"
"And what of you?" I asked Aniki. The blonde smiled weakly.
"Twisted my ankle. Fell in the gutter." Rosto grinned as he remembered.
"Good thing 's raining so hard, lest the stench would be worse." She elbowed him but he leaned away. All was silent for a moment until that idiot pigeon fluttered from the desk to the ground, alerting all to his presence. Rosto stooped and caught him up, then threw him out the window. I saw the bird spread his wings and land in an alcove across the street.
"Shall I let you know if I hear sommat?" I asked. Rosto shook his head.
"You shan't, we didn't manage to douse a one." This surprised me. Even with five against three, two without Kora, they should of managed to get at least one of the folk as ambushed them. Something about that didn't sit right. Not considering Aniki and Rosto were both known as good fighters. The more I thought about it, the more that seemed odd to me.
"Not one?" I wanted to make sure I'd heard right. Aniki answered this time.
"Not a one."
A/N: I'm revising this, and this used to be the first two chapters, minus some. I realized how awfully short and odd it was, and so I'm going to re-write this whole story. Same plot and stuff, but better. Hopefully. Tell me what you think! Is it better or worse than the original??
