| By now, Roshan likes to think that he has a pretty damn good idea when his days aren’t going to pan out like he thought they would. The moment that a note is thrust into his grasp by a random stranger in the dark lit alleyways of the Solterran marketplace was one of those times. His telekinesis snaps to attention as the note is pushed unceremoniously his way, a flourish of hair carried with the scent of sand before the stranger is gone and he is left scrambling in her wake. The note flutters for a moment, as he was almost embarrassingly unprepared, but inevitably he catches it before it drops to the sand-packed earth below. Holding the note, Roshan glanced over his shoulder after the woman, but she was already gone. Interesting. This wasn’t the first time he’d received a note in such a fashion, but that girl hadn’t looked like one of Vendetta’s couriers. Mahogany eyes focused back on the mysterious note, turning it over with a scrutinizing eye. He frowned at it’s blank surface, barren of any sort of ink or charcoal. A ridged texture on the paper, however, let him know that it was not just a blank note. One last glance over his shoulder and Roshan was moving once more, ducking into a far more empty alleyway. He shifted the note around, holding it upright, until his peering eyes could finally make out the words. ’HAWK’. A pale brow arched in confusion but he read on. The note was simplistic and deceptively vague, letting him know that whoever wrote it did not want to be known. It was signed from ‘a friend’, and he knew immediately that it wasn’t from Vendetta. She would never insult herself by saying she was his ‘friend’. If it wasn’t from Vendetta, though, then who? Regardless, he was always one for interesting games and underground methods, and this pulled at his curiosity in all of the right ways. Reading it once, twice, and then three times to ensure memorization, the young thief followed the final instructions on the paper. Passing by a hearth left blazing to ward of the lingering chill from the autumn night, he dropped the note within the flames and lingered long enough to watch the paper curl and crumple as it was reduced to ash. Step one complete. ’We’re actually gonna go?’ Bandit’s question took him by surprise. Mahogany eyes glanced upwards to where the ferret-dragon was perched upon his brow. The young thief grinned ruefully. “Yep.” Why not? This was tempting, and Roshan wasn’t one to ignore a tempting deal before at least hearing the terms and conditions. Ducking out of the alley, their journey began. The note said to meet at the Canyon at dusk, and so that was what he intended. It would still be a bit of a travel, however, but one that the young thief was ready for. Curiosity was a constant ally as he and Bandit flew the distance between the Day Court capitol and the Elatus Canyon, the scenery of Solterra passing by beneath them without an ounce of appreciation. There was too much running through his mind to be captivated by the sights of the desert. Who was the letter from? What did they want? Did this have anything to do with Raum’s sudden claim to fame? And even then, why would it concern him? Regardless, Roshan kept his theories to himself. There was no point in pondering when he had so little information to go off of. Gradually the yawning chasm of the Elatus Canyon came into view, but he remembered the details clearly and so altered his route, flying towards the borders of Denocte. Descending, the painted stallion lands upon sand and stone without issue, his gaze roaming the canyon itself. At first nothing seemed out of place, except… Stones, situated like an arrow, lay near the base of the canyon wall. Curious. An ear tipped forward, Roshan ambled along in the direction that the arrow pointed. It wasn’t long until he spotted another, and a paranoid thought of ’what if this is a trap?’ bounced around in his head. Even if it was, well… He’d had a good run. Death was inevitable anyway. One didn’t make it very long in his line of work if they weren’t willing to take a few risks every now and again. Together both equine and ferret-dragon journeyed along the canyon floor as the sky grew darker, the autumn chill beginning to chase away the stifling daytime heat. Occasionally he would hear a shuffle from above, and every time, the thief would halt in his tracks. Mahogany eyes would dart upwards, peering up at the rocky outcroppings through a narrowed gaze as he tried to spot what might have made the sound from above. There was a constant feeling in the back of his mind as though he were being watched, but never did he see anything. Letting out a slow, measured breath, Roshan continued on. This better be worth it. Night had long since fallen by the time he arrived to where the arrows had been guiding him. Above the yawning maw of the canyon, Roshan could see the twinkling of stars amidst a backdrop of black and blue. His breath left him in a visible exhale, and for a moment he lingered. A cave. The arrows had been leading him towards the dark mouth of a cave situated in the side of the canyon. An ear tipped backwards as Bandit shifted about on his head. Did he dare step inside? Did he risk it? What if he didn’t come back? The worry was answered by a bitter truth; no one would miss him. While the very real thought left a sour taste on his tongue, the young thief smiled against it, brazen, cocksure, and defiant. It was all or nothing. Drawing closer to the mouth of the cave, he peered inside, spotting the faint flicker of flame. It wasn’t enough to illuminate the inside, and swallowing hard, Roshan straightened up and stepped inside. As his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, he could hear the sound of fabric and the clink of metal. “That was one hell of an invitation,” he said out loud, more or less to break the lingering silence. From there, he waited, all grins and self-satisfaction. ”Where’s the party?” |
