Looking back down at the children Astrid said, "You guys can go play."
Lily scrambled out from under the table. "Momma said - 'scuze me, Cal- Mom said not to leave you alone."
Astrid smiled at Lily, reminded of her little brother, Rek. "I'm not gonna try to run, so I don't need guards."
The one with reddish hair, who must be the one named Cal muttered, "I'm not a guard for some Girl."
Astrid snickered, "Oh reaaally?"
"Yeah Reaaaally." Cal said, with a sneer that couldn't really be mean, and he trying Soo Hard.
"Ok, tough guy, Then what is it your doing right now?"
Cal was at a lost for words and just stood there, an expression of irritated befuddlement shaping his sweet face. Astrid chuckled.
Lily looked back abd forth between both of them, "Why? why's that funny? Cal, why is that funny? What Are we doing?"
Cal turned to all sweetness as he explained slowly to Lily, " Whatever this lady says, we're not being guards. We're... uh..."
The dirtiest child poked his head out and in a wispy voice and a crooked smile, "Suicide Watch?" Astrid's every hair stood on end and her eyes bugged out. The snorts of laughter coming from under the table set her back at ease somewhat.
Looking down at the surprisingly morbid child she realized that this one wasn't as young as she thought. The dirtiest child, who they had called Hound, was in fact just very thin... like Hiccup- the bones showed too easily in the arms and legs.
"Come on up, Hound."
Hound did and sat on a stool, legs apart and facing Astrid, their eyes locked. Astrid saw a older woman sitting there, eyes that were too practiced, too prepared for such a young face.
"How... how old are you?"
Hound pulled back the long bangs that obscured her eyes as she thought and Astrid recoiled slightly. Hound cleared her throat and in a higher, definitely more matured voice than the other two said, "I'm twelve."
For twelve, Hound was so small. she was constantly hunched over and in the grey light of an overcast day you could see she was honestly very short for her age. She would look like an eight year old if only for the eyes. A damp wind whistled in from outside, bringing with it the smell of burning wood and cinders of coal. Then Hound started coughing and lifted up the grimy scarf around her neck over her mouth. Astrid's eyes popped open. "I..."
Hound looked at her, her expression stilled into a mask.
Astrid's recognition came tumbling out of her mouth in shocked whisper, "I shot you."