"Where should we go first? Where would Echo be?" Faendal asked desperately. Despite the girl's prickly sarcasm and fiery temper Faendal was beginning to like her. Even if she didn't see anyone else as a friend didn't mean he couldn't think of her as his friend.
"Don't know. I only met her today. I'd say she's with the Companions. We should look there. If she's not then I don't know." Shadow-Killer said with a shake of his head. For all they knew Echo could have planned to lose them in Whiterun from the start. Shadow-Killer tried to think of where else the girl could have gone. He eventually gave up and shook his head.
"This could have been her plan from the beginning. To lose us in Whiterun. If it was we'll never find her." Shadow-Killer looked around again and sighed.
"Lucky for you it wasn't. Wait 'til morning or see the Jarl now?" Said a quiet voice. Shadow-Killer looked down and hugged the little Khajiit. Or he would have if Echo wasn't the type of person to point a dagger at you for your troubles.
"I'll head to the Drunken Huntsman. The brothers who run the place are old friends of mine. I'll be there or in the Bannered Mare if you need me." Shadow-Killer nodded as Echo led the way up to the keep towering over Whiterun. The guards stopped them at the gates and looked at Echo oddly in with oversized Stormcloak cuirass bow and sword. The girl just ignored them and attacked like any other child in Skyrim. Shadow-Killer told them they had news for the Jarl about the dragon and they were waved through. The only people in the great hall were servants, guards and a dunmer. She looked oddly at Echo like everyone else in the room.
"And who are you to be coming here at this hour?" She asked. Echo dropped her innocent child front. Her eyes snapped forward.
"We're here about the dragon. We were at Helgen when the dragon attacked. We have news for the Jarl." Echo told her. Shadow-Killer saw the sweat soaking the khajiit's fur on the back of her neck.
"Then have a seat. Someone fetch them some food." The elf ordered. A servant brought out plates of food. Echo began to eat without regard for manners. Shadow-Killer was more carefull.
"What time is the Jarl up at?" He asked. The elf laughed.
"With the sun. He takes breakfast on the great balcony. I'm Ireleth. His housecarl. If you try to harm the Jarl you'll have to go through me." Ireleth told them.
"Why are you still up? Any sensible person would be asleep at this hour if they weren't a guard, servant or running from the guards." Echo seemed to realise what she'd said and shut up. The housecarl snorted.
"You better not be trouble. I recently returned from a patrol on the plains when you arrived." Ireleth said.
"Ireleth, who are these visitors? Why are they here at this hour?" Asked a commanding voice from the stairs. The housecarl looked up.
"They have news from Helgen, my lord. They were there when the dragon attacked." The Jarl sat in his throne and beckoned the visitors forward. Echo stood and yawned sleepily.
"Go find Faendal. Tell him this could take a while." Shadow-Killer told the sleepy girl. Echo nodded and walked off. She ignored the guards, allowing herself a small smile as soon as the doors where behind her. The sleepiness disappeared from her face. Works every time! No one really wants to deal with a sleepy kid. She thought to herself. Go find Faendal? Whatever. No fun in going to sleep early. I'm going to have some real fun! Echo smiled evilly and headed towards Jorrvaskr. From the noise no one was asleep. Echo pushed the door open and slid in. A brawl was going on inside between a dark elf male and a nord female. Echo watched with interest. If this was the kind of thing they encouraged here then Echo wasn't going anywhere in a hurry. Eventually the nord won. Everyone cheered and cashed in bets. Echo spotted Farkas and walked up to him.
"Um... Farkas? Who do I see if I wanna join?" She asked. The nord turned around with annoyance. When he saw Echo he smiled.
"You're looking for Kodlak. He's the closest you'll get to a leader around here. Come on. I'll take you to him." He told the girl. Echo followed him into what appeared to be the living quarters. Farkas received a few odd looks from some of the other companions but he ignored them. Echo on the other hand was curious.
"Hey, Farkas? Why does everyone keep looking at us funny? It can't be because I'm new around here or because I'm a khajiit, can it?" She asked. Farkas laughed.
"No, none of that. Jorrvaskrr isn't a place for children. The last ones it saw were me and Vilkas. Our father fought in the great war. He never came home though." He told Echo
"Oh." Was all she said. They walked in silence for a few minutes. Echo had to run every few steps to catch up.
"What was it like to have a father? Or even a family? I grew up on the streets. I don't even know where I came from." Echo told him.
"That's not something I can explain. I know growing up here was as far from a normal childhood as you can get. The companions were and are our family. If Kodlak lets you join they'll become yours. That is if you also want a family!" He joked. Echo crept up behind him and flicked her foot out in a sharp kick.
"Not funny. Maybe my ideas about friends will change with time but I never knew a family so somehow I don't think I'll know if I find one." She warned quietly. Farkas nodded seriously. Farkas stopped before a door.
"Here we are. Go right in and talk to Kodlak." Echo nodded and he left. Echo was about to go in when she heard an argument.
"I still hear the call of the blood." Echo's curiosity shot up when she identified the speaker as Vilkas. Someone sighed tiredly.
"We all do. It is our burden to bear but we will overcome it." Said an old man. Kodlak. He stopped as Echo walked in.
"I'd like to join the companions and I was told the see Kodlak Whitemane. I'd say that's you." Echo said as she became more confident. The old man studied the girl.
"Step closer and let me get a good look at you girl." Echo barely stopped herself from hissing.
"It's Echo. And just to be clear that's my name and nothing else will do. Although I may tolerate it from an old man such as yourself. And I don't have friends. I also don't make them and I won't take that from anyone, even an old man like you. Clear?" Echo snapped as she stepped closer. Vilkas looked unhappy, to put it lightly. Enraged would probably be a better description.
"Watch it, girl! Your talking to Kodlak Whitemane! The Harbinger of the companions! A mouth like that will only bring you trouble around here!" He said dangerously. Echo just glared at him.
"You may be older an' bigger than me, not to mention stronger but I could outrun you any day. And if I'm not fast enough I can always hide. Oh, yeah! It's Echo! Get that through your thick skull or I hammer it in! And you might want to take a bath because you stink of dog crap." She growled. Vilkas looked shocked.
"But- What? How could-" Echo interupted him with an amused hiss.
"Your boot, genius. Aela said you have the smarts of Ysgramor. I'm not so sure." She taunted. Vilkas growled at her. Kodlak watched the whole exchange with interest.
"Hmm... Yes... She has spirit. I can see the fire burning in you just by looking into your eyes. What else is hidden by them though, I wonder?" This question disturbed and frightened Echo more than anything else she could remember in her short life. She shivered as the old man's eyes seemed to bore into her.
"She has spirit that is certain but how strong is her arm?" Kodlak mused.
"You can't seriously be thinking of letting her join? I've never even heard of her for starters. And she's only, what? Nine?" Vilkas argued.
"Eight!" Echo retorted. Faendal had said seven but how much of a difference was one year? To a street rat who could hardy count past twenty; none.
"Sometimes the famous come to us. Sometimes they come to us to seek there fame." Kodlak said wisely.
"Yeah, and sometimes they come to you 'cause they're bored, like places that encourage brawling, drinking and general disorganisation and pay money for it too! Not that that's why I'm here. Not for the latter anyway," Echo added. Why was her temper running so hot today? It couldn't be from lack of sleep or stress. She was used to that.
"Then why did you come?" Kodlak asked.
"Dunno. Nothing better to do? Free food? A roof? The way I see this place in my mind is a street with a roof, a constant supply of food, beds and plenty of fighting. If anything this place is more dangerous than any street I know." She shrugged. Kodlak nodded. He turned to Vilkas.
"Take her to the yard and test her arm. And Echo, who else are you with?" He said knowingly.
"An elf by the name of Faendal I hardly know and personally don't give a skeever's back end about and an Argonian called Shadow-Killer I care about only marginally more. If care is even the right word. From the way he looked at the companions fighting that giant he'd be pretty jealous." She added nastily. Even Kodlak seemed a bit shocked by this. Vilkas led her from the room before she could say more.
"I really suggest watching what you say around some of us. By the look of you, you'd be more suited to the thieves guild in riften than a noble band of warriors like us." Vilkas taunted casually. Echo just said something to him that sounded remarkably close to swearing. Vilkas and everyone within earshot seemed impressed.
"Where'd you learn to swear like that, Echo? Surely not by listening to guards? Not even most of the companions can curse like that." Vilkas seemed to have a new respect for the girl even if he still didn't like her.
"Not guards or by listening to the everyday stuff. I picked it up here and there. How many languages can you curse in?" She asked nastily. Vilkas thought.
"Only common." He said with admiration. Echo snorted. Vilkas led her out side. This new whelp was beginning to get on his bad side and she knew it. Vilkas walked into a practise area and drew his sword and shield. Echo drew her sword and unsheathed her claws on both hands and feet. Echo could see easily in the torch light.
"Take a swing at me. I can handle it." He told her. Vilkas watched the sword in her left hand. Echo leapt forward, striking with her right hand. Vilkas taunted her but she was concentrating on three things and three things only. The giant of a man in front of her, his shield and his sword. Vilkas swung for her ribs but Echo danced aside and kicked at his shield arm. Vilkas blocked effortlessly and counterattacked. He caught Echo on the arm. The shock forced her to drop the blade. Echo darted forward under the shield. Vilkas side-stepped and called the match to a halt.
"Not bad but to us your still a whelp, new blood. Take my blade to Eorlund up at the skyforge. Be careful. It's probably worth more than you are." He warned. Echo swore again and ran off. She may have looked like a coward. Anyone who knew her well would know she was anything but. Echo liked to run and she didn't care what others thought of it. Echo ran up the steps two at a time being careful not to trip. She got to the top and saw the forge.
"Are you Eorlund? Vilkas said to bring his sword to you." Echo handed the sword to the blacksmith, careful not to overbalance and hit anything with it. The sword was longer than her leg. The old blacksmith took the blade with a laugh.
"Careful with that, little one. I'm surprised you were able to life it at all." Echo snorted.
"It's heavy, that's for sure, but I'd say Vilkas would murder me if he caught me dragging it. Do they always send whelps or whatever they call us on stupid jobs?" Echo asked.
"Oh I wouldn't worry about that too much. They were all whelps too once, they just don't like to talk much about it. Don't let any of them order you around too much though. I'm surprised Kodlak considered letting you in. You are very young." Eorlund told her as he worked. Echo heard the sound of fighting below and went to the edge of the cliff for a look. Vilkas was practicing with someone. An argonian. That's strange, Echo thought. I didn't see any argonians in the mead hall earlier... Oh crap! It's Shadow-Killer. Echo recoiled from the edge as if she had been slapped.
"Echo, is it? I have a favour to ask you. Could you take this shield to Aela? My wife is in mourning and I need to get back to her." Eorlund asked. Echo shrugged.
"I'm going that way so why not?" Eorlund handed her a steel shield. Echo took it and ran down the stairs. She went in by the front entrance, careful not to be spotted by the argonian.
So there's chapter 4 for you lot. Hope you enjoyed it. For those of you who want to find out more about Echo strange past then you will only have to wait a chapter or two more for some details. More trouble to follow for one snarky little kitten.
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