Okay, you're just going to have to forget everything you've read about how the gang met before Scipio as a matter of fact, just forget everything. It's my take on the Thief Lord so I'll be pumping lots of action and drama into the original scenes, Yes I know, I'm sure you're already searching for the exit button. But for the small amount that may stay and read, I hope you enjoy.

Hornet

I've never been so cold, I thought I'd arrive in a sunny dreamland but I was greeted with frost and snow. But Venice's beauty was still there.

I was in St Marcos square by the Basilica, next to a group of American Tourists. It was odd, there was this boy, skinny quite short with spiky hair and crooked teeth that I kept seeing. Round the corner of alleyways in the shadows and the darkness. He'd sometimes be with his friend, a black boy, muscular quite tall.

I saw him again when I was in the square, standing next to the group of tourists. His friend was with him, he winked at me then I could have sworn they took a wallet which was hanging out of one of the Americans backpack.

I looked around checking that nobody had seen them and when I looked back, they were gone. This thought troubled me. I didn't like the idea of stealing, but I didn't have much cash left and I was already sleeping in the darkened corners of the Venetian alleyways.

I got up feeling odd and out of place and walked over to the group of Americans and saw that another one of them had a wallet sticking out of there bag, I looked around to check nobody was watching, my mouth was dry and I was shaking as my hand grabbed for the purse. I must have been too obvious because the tourist turned around and saw me with the wallet in my hand. I turned and ran. I could hear shouting but I didn't want to look back just in case he was right behind me. I ran down the alleyways turning and scrambling round corners and I could hear the padding of feet slapping against the ground metres away and suddenly just as I was skidding round a corner someone pulled me into a dark doorway.

Riccio

I'd found someone finally who was like me. His name was Mosca, very muscular and tall, He said he was fourteen; I lied and said that too. Well I'm nearly thirteen and I didn't want him to think of me as young. The company's been nice; I mean after I left the orphanage, I regretted it. I hadn't really thought it through, not much money and not many clothes. It's nice to have someone to take charge and tell me what to do so I'm not so on my own.

But I've been seeing this girl around; she's got olive skin and two black braids in her hair. I've seen her asleep in the doorways and I told Mosca to tell her to hang around with us but he says we have hardly got enough food for ourselves without having to get her food and stuff too. I get what he means but today we got a wallet with enough money to last us a week which is good. We saw her in the square today, while we were taking the wallet. And as we want through the alleyways we saw her running with a wallet in her hand and a man running not too far behind.

"Mosca, come on, we've got to help her out." I said. Mosca rolled his eyes.

"Fine." He sighed.

We went inside one of the small dark alleyways.

"Shhhh... wait." Whispered Mosca.

And as we saw the girl scramble round the corner, Mosca pulled her into the dark alleyway hidden from view.

Mosca

I've come to like having Hornet in our gang. It's good to have someone on lookout. We've already pick pocketed more than we need to. But it's harder at night, finding somewhere to sleep, we have to be more careful because she's a girl and we don't want to hang around anywhere where people will give her hassle for a snog or something. We've been through days when we've had no sleep.

Hornet still hasn't told us about her past; I mean it's probably really upsetting because every now and then I see tears in her eyes. Riccio was beat up by his dad before he went to the orphanage. He won't go into too much detail because he wants act all tough.

Riccio soon made a very stupid mistake that turned out to be not so much a mistake after all.

We were by the Grand Canal and it was packed. There was hardly any room to walk. Hornet was counting all the money we had down a side alley and Riccio was looking for a target.

"Mosca?" Riccio said nudging me.

"What?" I snapped.

"What about that guy, in the long coat?" Riccio said pointing to a boy, looked around seventeen, but he looked rich as well.

"Okay, I'll watch, you go. It's your turn." I sighed.

Riccio crept up behind the boy and checked to see if anyone was watching. He was almost knocked over by the crowd of people going the opposite way. He slipped his hand into the boys pocket and came back with a wallet.

"Look Mosca, it's loaded." Riccio said.

Then Riccio jumped as a hand fell onto his shoulder. I looked up to see the owner of the wallet behind Riccio.

"I think you'll find that's mine." The boy stated.

Then he pushed me and Riccio into an alleyway with a dead end.

Hornet had obviously noticed what was going on and quickly stepped in.

"Please Signor; we're sorry he took the wallet." She said grabbing it from Riccio and giving to the boy.

He was obviously taken aback.

"How many are you?" He said.

"Just us three." I said.

"Where do you live?" He asked.

None of us said anything.

"Orphans, come with me." He said.