She had been very young for such a curious kender - barely six years old. She'd finished her chores early that day so she may explore the streets. A kender couple had rented rooms, but left before Dreamflight could speak to them. Hoping she might find them, she explored down alley sand streets. However, her mind kept wandering (as it was apt to do), as did her fingers. She paused at a store in the street selling wooden trinkets. Absently, she picked up a toy boat, admiring it. A sight caught her eye and she began to wander off… Until a strong hand grabbed her roughly.
"Thief!" the vendor shrieked. "Give that back, you dirty kender!" Blushing, she gave it back and stammered for an excuse. The vendor's hand rose to strike her, and she twisted away, dashing down an alleyway. The vendor took chase, catching her eventually, and beating her. She cried out for help, crumpling beneath his fist, and curling into a ball. She waited for the blow that would surely dash her brains out…
"Hey! You! Stop that right now! Leave that poor child alone!" A shrill voice resounded. The vendor's attention shifted from her.
"She yours?" he demanded. There was a pause.
"Well, no…"
"Then shut up and mind your own business!"
"Kender are our business…" This was a softer, more feminine voice. "Unhand that kenderchild before you knock her senseless!" Dreamflight heard muttered curses and, then, the vendor's retreating footsteps. Strong, small hands picked her up…
"She doesn't look too good… My! Would you look at this? She has wings!" Softer hands caressed her tattered, disheveled feathers.
"How special! But we'll worry about that later. She's quite hurt."
"I wonder where her parents are…"
"Isn't she the little one we saw at the Inn? Perhaps they're there." There was movement again. Dreamflight opened her eyes a bit and saw the face of a kender and kendermaid, carrying her and fussing over the injuries. "She looks about Tas's age, don't you think?" The man nodded. "Funny, I didn't see any other kender around the Inn. I wonder…"
"Humans," Dreamflight whimpered. "The… keepers…" The two adult kender stopped and glanced at her.
"Humans?" the man repeated. "The Innkeepers? They raised you?" She nodded wearily and shut her eyes again. The throbbing in her head would not cease. There was another pause and she could feel that they had started walking again.
"The poor child…"
"She could use more kender influence. Who knows what those humans are teaching her."
You know, Tas could use a playmate… And she does have such nice wings. She'd be the envy of Kendermore."
"No, no… We are not taking an orphan back with us. Admittedly, she is a charming child, but… She has parents here."
"Human parents."
"Parents nonetheless." They remained silent after that until the return of her to her parents. Clutched feebly in her hand was a whistle that had 'fallen' out of one of their pouches.
"Give that back," her mother scolded gently. "It's not nice to steal." The kendermaid laughed.
"It's fine," she giggled. "Let her have it… Who knows? It may come back to us anyways…"
"Thief!" the vendor shrieked. "Give that back, you dirty kender!" Blushing, she gave it back and stammered for an excuse. The vendor's hand rose to strike her, and she twisted away, dashing down an alleyway. The vendor took chase, catching her eventually, and beating her. She cried out for help, crumpling beneath his fist, and curling into a ball. She waited for the blow that would surely dash her brains out…
"Hey! You! Stop that right now! Leave that poor child alone!" A shrill voice resounded. The vendor's attention shifted from her.
"She yours?" he demanded. There was a pause.
"Well, no…"
"Then shut up and mind your own business!"
"Kender are our business…" This was a softer, more feminine voice. "Unhand that kenderchild before you knock her senseless!" Dreamflight heard muttered curses and, then, the vendor's retreating footsteps. Strong, small hands picked her up…
"She doesn't look too good… My! Would you look at this? She has wings!" Softer hands caressed her tattered, disheveled feathers.
"How special! But we'll worry about that later. She's quite hurt."
"I wonder where her parents are…"
"Isn't she the little one we saw at the Inn? Perhaps they're there." There was movement again. Dreamflight opened her eyes a bit and saw the face of a kender and kendermaid, carrying her and fussing over the injuries. "She looks about Tas's age, don't you think?" The man nodded. "Funny, I didn't see any other kender around the Inn. I wonder…"
"Humans," Dreamflight whimpered. "The… keepers…" The two adult kender stopped and glanced at her.
"Humans?" the man repeated. "The Innkeepers? They raised you?" She nodded wearily and shut her eyes again. The throbbing in her head would not cease. There was another pause and she could feel that they had started walking again.
"The poor child…"
"She could use more kender influence. Who knows what those humans are teaching her."
You know, Tas could use a playmate… And she does have such nice wings. She'd be the envy of Kendermore."
"No, no… We are not taking an orphan back with us. Admittedly, she is a charming child, but… She has parents here."
"Human parents."
"Parents nonetheless." They remained silent after that until the return of her to her parents. Clutched feebly in her hand was a whistle that had 'fallen' out of one of their pouches.
"Give that back," her mother scolded gently. "It's not nice to steal." The kendermaid laughed.
"It's fine," she giggled. "Let her have it… Who knows? It may come back to us anyways…"
