I'm sorry it took me so long to update. School and everything. But now that the Thanksgiving break is here, I will try to post more often! was also having problems last night as well. Disclaimer: I do not own Thief 1/2/Gold/DS/or T2X. Thanxie!! And here's the next chapter. Twistie too!


Curiosity Almost Killed the Cat
By Zaya Ayame

It was all too soon that Zaya could hope before the Pagan man grabbed her by her wrist. He growled at her. "Bes thinksie you knows pagan magiks?!" He threw her into a wall. Zaya gluped and nodded. "I do know know your magic, I j-just don't know how to use them effectively." He smirked. "Then you bes deaded if we bes see you again, manfool!" He let go of her wrist and turned. He looked over his shoulder. "You bes lucky I not deading you right this minutes." He walked off leaving the shaken Zaya to think to herself.

She sighed in relief as she knew she could breathe normally again; But for how long? The thought made her shudder beyond relief. Although she loved adventures, she knew when to quit. But in her mind, she didn't know when she would ever get the chance to go back. She shook her head and looked behind her to find some people staring at her and then walk off. She needed to start moving before she caused too much attention to herself. As she let her legs walk where they wanted to, she became aware of them many gold and silver goodies that lay out in the open and could easily fall into thief hands.

As she took control of herself and walked off, the thought occured to her just what layed in this city. She smirked and ran around, her goal to find the street name. She knew this was Eastport, but she needed to know if she was in the right area to gain her barings. As she passed a corner, and another pagan, she found the named South Quarter. " Perect! I know I'll find his home here." She snickered evilly. To think what Garrett would say if he met her. She frowned. What would Garrett say?! It was all a mystery that made it all so sweet when she would soon find out. "Now, I have to turn left here and I'll find a guard patrolling." She found a sharp corner and smirked at her intelligence of the game.

The guard turned to her and raised a brow under his helmet. "What is up? Did you see that thief again?" Zaya blinked and shook her head. "No, I'm just looking for someone. I'm ok." The guard shook his head this time. "I'll help you find where he lives. Just tell me his name." She growled softly. Now this was not going to work. If he foun out where Garrett lived, then he would surely be caught off guard and probably killed! She neded to think fast. "Um, I-I am looking for. . ." She growled and came up with a very popular guard's name.

"I'm looking for good ol' Benny!" She laughed cheerfully. The guard smirked. "I should have known. He's been known around her for his crazy and useless antics on shifts. Here, I'll take you to him." H beckoned her to follow as she sighed in relief. That was way to close for comfort! You get yourself into too much crap Zaya! She scolded hersefl mentally.

As she walked passed a man home, her eyes caught the sight of the well that led into the Pagan's territory. She had heard of the Pagan Priestess, Dyan. If she could talk to her, maybe she could learn something about the Pagans and Hammerites that no one ever knew. She smirked. It would be very interesting to say the least. But one problem haunted her presently.

The guard that was helping her find Benny.

She smirked and slowly walked away. Finding a man in the streets she told him that the guard walking off was looking for gold and hat he sheould follow him. A smirked came to her face as he fell for the simple trick, wlaking towards the guard. Now, if the guard turned he wouldn't find her but he would find someone that was with him.

She chuckled. "Paydirt one again!" She walked toward the alley and saw the bight well that supposedly led into the Pagan Territory. She climbed in the well and sat on the edge. Taking a deep breath she only had one though before she leapt into her new adventure.

I really hope I don't get killed. Oh well, Geronimo! She dropped down, the wind gliding through her hair before she landed on a soft pile of grass that was as tall as a grown man. The grass was loose as it hung in her hair. She shook her head to clear it off any debre. They really need to trim down thier grass before it grows to the top of the well!

Climbing out of the grass she came face to toe with a lanky thug. He spit to the left. "What do ya think ya doin' here girly?" She gulped and laughed nervously. "I-I'm just uh. .exploring? Heh. ." She wasn't very good at making excuses to the thugs even though they were VERY gullible. He huffed. "Feh! Just stay out of our way before wes guts ya!" She nodded and found a spot by the fire they had made in the tunnels.

She looked around and found, with her sharp vision, the silver nugget that was in the game. She glanced at the man from the corner of her eye to find them talking and made her move. She launched at the nugget, taking it into her hands and hiding it in her rags. She turned to find the thugs running after her. Her eyes widened as she covered her head. Don't tell me they SAW me take the nugget! Just as they were in attacking range, one of them knelt down. "What did ya find?!"

She blinked and looked at him. This could work in her advantage! She looked foreward back at the place where the nugget was. "I saw a shimmer and though it was gold. I think it's trapped in the rock right there." The two thugs shared confused faces before shoving her out of the way and pummeling the rock with their picks.

She grinned. Wow! My plan actually worked! She got up slowly and ran off, making sure her feet didn't step on any sticks. As she found a corner her ears heard the sound of sticks breaking and made her heart jump as she kept her body to the wall. Being caught the second you enter a territory wasn't exactly good sneaking. She held her breath and looked passed the corner from the corner of her eyes. She saw a pagan man, a shirt not present on his body and strange markings on his chest. He had a weird cover on his head; Like bones or something.

She needed to get out of his sight, but before she knew it her foot stepped on a lone twig upon the ground. She yelped softly and covered her mouth. Too Late. He heard her and appeared in her range of sight, running to investigate the slight sound. Her eyes were wide and sweat dripped from her face and onto the leaves on the ground. No. . .Please don't find me. Her prayers were ignored as the man growled at her. "What you bes thinks you doings here?!" She ran passed him, adrenaline pumping her system in fear.

Almost immediatly did he pursue after her, catching by her arm. Thrashing was her first incintive as he pinned her to the wall. "No! Leave me alone! I don't want to die here!!" Fear clutched her heart, threatening to choke her in an abyss of distress. His eyes glared at her form. "Calm down! I bes not hurt you!" Her struggling slowed down at his words. She knew she needed to trust these people if she ever had a chance at living in their sights. Her breathing was ragged but she nodded towards him. He allowed himself to let her go, and she fell to the ground in exaustion and fatigue.

He licked his lips as a beginning of a long explanation. "Now, I bes wanting to know what you bes down here for. If you bes a man, I would have already bes deading you by now." She glanced up at him an nodded. "I-I am here to explore. I just wanted to know what was down here." He tilted his head. "A cats curiosity can only deaden it. You bes know that, yes?" She turned her head and nodded.

He sighed. "Come, Larkspur bes will want to ses you." She gapsed and looked at him. "No! I don't want to see him!!" Fear was in her heart as she recalled what he said before and she did not want to test his word. "Please, I just want to explore this place, unwarranted. I promise not to steal anything! But. You can have this to test my word" She reashed in her shirt and took out the small nugget she found. He blinked. "You bes found this?!?" She nodded.

He glared at her and nodded. "I will bes not speak of the talks that bes been said here." He turned to walk away. He glanced at her over his shoulder. "You bes careful. May the Woodise Lord bes with you." He then walked off to not be seen. She sighed. "That worked out well." Getting up, she began to reach the crate that held a shadow. She growled when she saw another pagan that was looking at her. It must have been the one she just saw. He looked in the tunnel and turned around, but his hand was behind his back, beckoning her to come forth.

She raised a brow and stuck to the shadows and caught his hand. He glanced at her and smirked. "I bes have a plan to let you explore hte caves." She blinked and nodded. "What?" He grinned and turned around, catching her wrist and oinning against the wall. Distraught was she that she began to struggle. That Traitor! He whispured in her ear. "Play along and you will be taken to the Priestess, Dyan to speak with her." She blinked once again and nodded to him.

He let his plan flow into place. "I bes found a manfool Woman!" His call brought more pagans to the site of her 'capture'. They laughed as he held her in a tight restraint. "Very good Vinesweed! Will you bes deading her?" He shook his head. "No, I bes takes her to them Priestess Dyan. She know what we bes do with her." They nodded and went back to their posts.

Zaya blinked at the man's name and walked along with him, allowing him to guide her through the tunnels and waters. As they came to a gathering of pagans he begant o grow curious. "You bes not tell me your name." She laughed slightly. "I'm sorry, my name is Zaya Ayame." He stopped and many of the pagans glared at her. "Did you bes say Zaya?" She nodded hesitantly. Oh no! What kind of trouble did I get myself into now!? They glanced at each other before laughing out loud. Vinesweed let her go and untied her vine restraints.

Confusion. All she had was confusion in her gaze as they laughed. "I know that she bes not the legendary Zaya! But, bes her offspring?" Vinesweed nodded. "Bes must be. She carries her Pagan Blessing!" He lifted her hair to reveal the red mark down her eye. They nodded and knelt down to her. "Um. . .What are you guys doing?" She asked.

They looked up at her. "You bes not the Grandaughter of Dyan?" She blinked. "Grandaughter? I do not know of my Grandmother. Do you?" They glared at her and began to talk amongst themselves. "She bes not know." "What she all we bes do?" "I bes not think she is Zaya's offspring."

She growled at their chatter, annoyed as to who this Zaya was. She couldn't be the one that thwarted Malak could she? She gulped. I knew I should have said my name! She looked up at them to see Vinesweed walking toward her. Her supposed ally grabbed her wrist roughly and dragged her in the chambers of the Pagan Priestess, Dyan.

It was a surprise to see a woman in her chambers being dragged to her knees. The Priestess glanced at her and stood up as Vinesweed walked backwards away from Zaya. She stepped down from the steps of her throne and knelt beside her. "Who bes you, child?" Zaya blinked and looked up at her. She seemed to be in her 60s. Old enough to be her grandmother at least. The pieces fell into place as to the Pagans assumptions.

"I am Zaya. Zaya Ayame." The Old Priestess's eyes widened. "You bes Zaya? You bes not my daughter." Rejection filled Zaya's chest. She knew she wasn't her daughter, but the feel of her saying ti that way stung. "I know, but I ddn't know either. This was my name at birth and I'm not going to change it if that is what your going to ask." The Priestess smirked. "Why would I bes wanting to changers your name? I bes thinks you bes fine the way you bes." She nodded and was getting thrown off course by the way they were talking.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm the sea of confusion in her heart. "I-I want to leave." The Priestess frowned. "What ever for?" Zaya looked to the Pagans. "I want to explore the city I have never been to. I want to see everyone and I want to find-" "Them City-Head, Garrett, yes?" She blinked at looked at her. "H-how did you. . .?" Dyan smirked.

"If my visionings serve right, you bes from another world. And you bes curious of them city. I know you bes not my daughter and I know you bes not my granddaughter. Please, stay a while and chatters of what you bes find. I, or any of our Vine Peoples shall harm you from here forth." Zaya smiled and nodded. She got up and looked around. She found Vinesweed sighing.

"I'm glad thems Priestess Dyan is so forgiving." Zaya raised a brow. "Forgiving? What did I do wrong?" Vinesweed smiled. "Well, you did bes trespass. And sneaksie through our caves." She pouted. "That's it? I wonder what you would have done to Garret if he was here?" He smirked. "We bes deadings him, that's what we bes do." She laughed and saw Dyan raise a hand.

"Child, I bes have one request of you here." Zaya looked at her. "Yes?" Dyan stood up from her throne. "May the Woodsie Lord be with you and thems Order of the Vines protect you from them Hammerheads and thier dangerous hammers." They cheers at their 'toast' and many celebrated the arrival of Zaya. It wouldn't be long til she had to leave and they wanted to make her visite last.

I know it was short and stuff but I promise to try and make a bigger chapter next time. Reviews appreciated and Helpful Critisism wanted. Thanxies!!