Before I continue with the second chapter, I'd like to thank my first two reviewers, loves2smile and XxBlackTypewriterxX for their supportive and inspiring comments. Thank you!
I was going to delete this story seeing as how I went straight into it without any plotting or thinking but thanks to you I've decided to give it a chance. :]
"How could you embarrass me like that? Mithros, she must surely know now!" I clutched my golden locks yanked at them, as if I was to pull them out.
"Beka may be the best Dog on business but when it comes to love she's a total cracknob. You shouldn't worry yourself, Rosto. You'll get frown lines," replied Aniki smoothly. She grinned at me, though it was all teeth. Her hands were placed on her sturdy hips.
That shut me up for sure as I struggled to untangle the knot at my brow. I growled and glared at her.
"She's just so…special."
"Why her? You could have any other woman in all of Tortall, and yet you choose her. Why don't you chase after another gixie and leave the poor mott alone?" Aniki looked over my hunched figure and poked me in the tum.
"Because I could have any other woman," was my short, dignified answer.
"You're a fool, Rosto. Find some other doxie to play with."
I sighed as Aniki left the room. She slammed the door shut and climbed back down the long staircase.
"Why isn't Beka here yet? She should be coming over for breakfast."
My fist repeatedly found contact with her head. She screamed and punched me in the face.
Great Mother Moon, how did I ever find myself picking a fight with a gixie half my size?
She spun around, her leg raised and kicked me in the shoulder. I gritted my teeth and ducked just in time.
The girl with the ginger hair grabbed my braid, then cried out in pain. I punched her in the jaw, praying for forgiveness from the Great Mother.
She lunged at me, clawing at my eyes and trying to gouge them out. I yelped as she stuffed my nose in her mouth, biting down hard.
A broken nose, a bruised shoulder. I surveyed my wounds quietly. The mott with the mad hair spat out a mouthful of blood.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Red," she said with a grin.
"And your second name?" I was trying to buy myself some time to get back into my fighting stance. Surely she knew that? After all, she had to be a skilled fighter herself.
"I ain't got none."
"Why are you attacking me?" The Terrier inside me wouldn't let me drop the case.
Her shoulders rose, then fell in a shrug. "Was bored."
"Why did you threaten me yesterday?" I questioned, my curiosity evident in my voice.
Red shrugged again. "Was bored."
There didn't seem to be any immediate threat about her, although it was best to be safe.
"Have you got any family, Red?"
"No."
I slowly eased my muscles from my stance.
"Do you want to come to the Kennel? We can find you a nice home."
Her eyes widened and she ran off. I should've chased her but my bloody nose put me in a sour mood. I just wanted to go to breakfast.
Holding my nose with my good arm I set off at a run. Kora would probably be able to fix that up. I put less faith in her than she deserves sometimes.
Beka stormed in, clutching her face. The door swung open and smacked the wall behind it.
"Goodness, Beka. What happened to you?" I stiffled my gasp with one hand.
She glared at me and ground her teeth together. I could tell she was mad, 'cause her eyes sent an icy cold breeze my way. The gixie didn't know how scary she was sometimes.
"Got attacked," she grumbled.
"Whoa, that's a nice wound," Ersken said excitedly.
"Shut yer gob, she's obviously in a bad mood," Phelan cut in.
Beka smiled at him thankfully.
"Let me see your nose, Beka," I ordered. She reluctantly leaned closer to me as I sat up.
"Do you want me to fix it for you?" she visibly stiffened, her glims growing wider.
She tried to swallow. Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.
Finally Beka nodded, though she looked as if she regretted it. I wove a bit of magic around her. It took on a green glow as her broken bones snapped back into place. The gixie cried out in pain.
Beka clutched her nose and gave it an experimental twist. "Thanks, Kora. I dunno what I'd do without you."
"You put little trust in me, Rebakah Cooper," I scolded, looking up from my lashes and smiling playfully at her.
"With good reason," said Ersken.
"Oh, and what reason would that be?" I fluttered my lashes and he near about fainted.
"The reason that whenever you exceed expectations you pretend to act all high and mighty." Beka was not the only one to be in a state, for Aniki looked as if she'd been dragged through the Chaos Realms and back. The two girls greeted each other with smiles, a warm one from Beka and a stiff one from Aniki.
"Someone's feeling bitter today," teased Rosto, coming out from behind her. He smelt strongly like gillyflowers.
He glanced at Beka and his glims grew.
"What's happened to our little Beky? There's blood all over."
"I-" began Beka.
"She got attacked," cut in Ersken feverishly.
"By who?" Rosto now looked as if someone had dumped cold water on 'im.
Beka shrugged. She had quite a manly shrug, despite her feminine shoulders. "I dunno. She said her name was Red. Kinda fitting, since she had a red noll. She'd shaved off all 'er hair save one strip in the middle that she's spiked up with what I think was tree sap."
Rosto looked deep in thought for a moment before he shook his head. "Never heard of her. I'll sent my people on a lookout. How old was she?"
"I can deal with this myself, Master Piper."
"Fine, your loss."
What Beka didn't know was that Rosto would surely sent the whole city in a lookout for this one little gixie, just to make our Bloodhound happy.
I forgot to include Achoo and Pounce in this chappy. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten them, though.
I didn't have time to read through this chapter so I apologise if it's a bit rough.
THANKS FOR READING