The boy who stepped forward looked to only be five or six himself. Eponine hurried over to him and got on her knees so she was looking him in the eye. She remembered Gavroche was always more receptive when she spoke to him that way.
"Do you know where my brother is, it is very important that I find him" she asked in a soft voice. The young boy looked up at the leader who has watching the exchange attentively and after a moment nodded his sign of approval. "Where is my brother" Eponine asked again.
"There is a Gavroche who runs with Tyce" the boy replied.
"Where can I find this Tyce?" The boy fell silent at this question, Eponine couldn't tell if it was because he didn't know anything or if he was too scared to say.
"He usually spends his nights in the alley behind the tavern called Chiot de Combat, it is a little less than a mile east of here" said the leader.
"Thank you" Eponine said, as she got up and started to head in the direction of the tavern. As she was running away Napoleon called after her.
"Be careful, Tyce can be rough." She turned around and nodded her thanks and appreciation to the boy before turning around and running faster than she had been before. Her brother was close, she could feel it. As she neared the Chiot de Combat she started calling her brother's name. When she arrived at the alley there was no one to be seen, only piles of empty crates. She continued calling her brother's name until she was practically shouting, "GAVROCHE, GAVROCHE."
A boy a couple years older that her climbed out of the shadows and ran towards her wielding a small knife. "Shut up and get out of here now, you'll upset the innkeeper".
"Tyce?" she questioned. He didn't respond, instead he just lunged at her with the knife, she backed up. "Please I'm just trying to find my brother, his name is Gavroche." She looked around some more, wondering if there were any other boys hidden in the shadows. She heard some rustling and saw a little boy's face for a moment before it was pulled back into the shadows again by what seemed to be protective hands. She recognized the face immediately, it was her brother.
"Gavroche" she yelled, running in his general direction. The boy ran in front of her waving his knife around and more boys immerged from the shadows ready to fight. As much as Eponine wanted to see her brother she knew that this was a fight she could not win, at least not now. She was exhausted from her day's search and she didn't want Gavroche to get hurt.
"I don't want to hurt, anyone I just want to see my brother, Gavroche, Gavroche is my brother." She took a step forward and so did they.
"Please I just want to see him." She pleaded.
"Not a chance" Tyce responded back. Eponine tried to step forward again and the boys responded in part until she was surrounded. Although they were threatening her Eponine could tell that they were just trying to protect each other and was relieved that Gavroche had been taken in by such a loyal group. She realized then that as bad as she wanted to she would not be able to see Gavroche tonight; she needed some time to come up with a plan. As hard as it was she raised her hands in defeat and took a small step backwards. The boys relaxed.
"I'll come back tomorrow," she said.
"No you won't" Tyce responded.
"Yes I will, he is my brother and I will not abandon him and if you don't believe me I will bring something to prove my loyalty." At that Eponine turned and ran off into the night. She had completed her task, she had found her brother. Now she just needed to find a way to be reunited.