(215 words. It's actually "accidental street urchin acquisition", but close enough.)
"Kid's still following us," Billie said, glancing briefly over her shoulder.
Daud shrugged, not even pausing in his stride. "You gave him money. Might as well have fed scraps to a stray wolfhound."
"I gave him a measly few coins after I nearly broke his arm for trying to pickpocket me first. I didn't think that would endear me enough to earn a tagalong."
"You could always start a gang," Daud said drily. "That's what I did when street kids started following me."
She gave him a shove, but he barely even stumbled, which made it less than satisfying.
Another glance back saw the kid stop in his tracks and take a sudden interest in the fruit stall they'd just passed. He had decent instincts for tailing, and his quick hands might have even found their prize if it had been someone else's pockets, but if he didn't learn to pick his targets better, he was going to wind up floating face down in the river.
With a heavy sigh, Billie turned sharply around. "Can at least teach him enough not to get gutted in an alley," she muttered to herself as she headed for the kid, who immediately froze in place at her approach.
She ignored the sound of Daud laughing quietly behind her.