When the tiny imekari had suddenly appeared behind the Arvaarad, the Karashok had been captured in a rare moment of indecision.
He stood frozen when she touched the Arvaarad and remained that way as she began speaking to him in a light, airy voice. Hers was the voice of spring mornings, autumn leaves and winter's first snow. It was the stuff of dreams, reminding him of chimes singing in the wind. He saw the strength in her small limbs, the sharpness of her young features and the intelligence in her bright eyes.
And in that moment, the Karashok knew that this small imekari would bring nothing but trouble.
The Arvaarad stood staring at her blankly, and the Karashok watched, amused, as he fumbled to answer her. He turned his attention outward, still on the alert for the elusive spy, but was surprised to find the Arvaarad rushing by him in a manner far too similar to a fugitive escaping custody. He was muttering something about 'baths', 'sleep', and 'crazy'.
The Karashok's expression became stormy, angry that the Arvaarad would leave before the spy was found, and annoyed that he lacked the decency to close the gate behind him. Inwardly muttering about his seemingly incompetent betters, he slammed the gate shut and swung back towards the street. He almost ran into the imekari, who slinked away guiltily, caught in the act of spying into the compound.
The Karashok glared down at her, miffed by this small, unwanted distraction. She looked down at the ground, her filthy hair fluttering in the breeze that only now decided to grace them with its presence. He brought his arms up, physically voicing his annoyance. The tiny imekari cringed, folding into herself.
The Karashok's irritation at the small girl evaporated, quickly replaced by amusement and mild interest.
Afraid of the Big Scary Qunari was she?
He shifted, his amusement disappearing when she flinched at the sound, small arms moving to cover her vital areas. His eyes narrowed at the action and he watched sharply as the imekari slowly lifted her face and revealed her eyes.
His breath hitched when he saw the terror in them, suddenly uncomfortable.
This was not a normal reaction for a child.
The Karashok watched in silence as the emotions flew across her face, her eyes shifting rapidly before locking with his when she finally came to a decision.
It was then that he understood why the Arvaarad had left; these eyes, were the ones that had watched them with such intensity.
He asked her and she answered sheepishly, before fisting her hands in the stained fabric of her tunic and sputtering out a string of words so quickly that the qunari guard scarcely had time to understand. Her last words confused him and he answered them like he was talking to a child; which he was.
She straightened, fear apparently forgotten, and let loose her curious tongue. His amusement returned when his blatant refusal to answer her questions made her gape like a fish. Just as it became obvious that she was not going to give up and leave, the Karashok heard a distant sound.
The uncoordinated feet of dozens of intoxicated dockworkers felt loud to the old sentry, who had the unusual urge grab the tiny imekari and place her behind him. He warned her instead and was surprised when she whirled in their direction before he had even finished his sentence.
She could hear them from this far away?
Strange.
Most humans could barely hear their own heartbeat.
The young child turned back to him, large eyes wide and pleading as she hastily asked if she could return.
And for the second time that day, the Karashok found himself frozen in a moment of indecision. He felt an odd twinge in this chest as he looked into her earnest eyes. Who was he, do deny such a tiny, cute-
The Karashok inwardly shook himself. He was a soldier of the Qun! 'Cute' did not fit into his vocabulary!
He opened his mouth to tell her that no, she could not come back, only to find her sprinting across the open street towards a darkened alley.
"What are you called, little one?" the words spilling uncontrollably from his lips instead.
She skidded to a halt in the middle of said street, features flickering briefly in confusion, before smiling happily and disappearing like the illusion that she claimed to be.
Later, when the second shift guard came to relieve him, the Karashok was gazing thoughtfully at a spot in the middle of the road, distractedly murmuring the word 'Hissra'.