An Icy Prison

Chapter 8

It was nightfall a few hours later. I wandered around the streets, who said Aureus had any right to talk to me that way? And to bring up the whole parent thing? Who does that? That was an offlimit topic everywhere, nobody brought that up, ever, we were more sensitive to that considering we were all raised in an orphanage.

I bet her parents were just lying about that. Besides I don't care. Why should I care? Parents were overrated anyways! Sure some kids got it nice and easy and smooth sailing but not us.

I saw Aureus already making some friends with some of the dragons from the town. I steered clear of them, I figured I would get myself hired for work maybe? I'm not a thief. Nor was I going to put up with Aureus's games.

I walked over to a hiring poster and found my way over to the pet shop. It seemed like they needed a worker, I could probably get some cash here, they just needed me to clean some cages, how hard could it be?

"Hello! I would like to get a job here," I chirped trying my best to sound like peppy Aureus, though my muscles were already hurting from smiling. I didn't smile much, there often wasn't much to smile about so why should I smile?

"I'm sorry, mam, but aren't you a little young to be out here?" asked the storekeeper in a bored voice.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to act mature now before adding, "I think I can clean cages, don't you?"

The storekeeper muttered something I couldn't hear and gave me a cage cleaning tool and told me to get to work. I glanced around the shop looking at all the cages holding disgusting pets.

I began cleaning all the cages regardless, when I stopped at a rather peculiar cage, holding a rather peculiar creature. They looked like monkeys without hair, there was only one swath of hair on the top of them, they wore clothing that resembled dragon clothing.

"Hopeless mimics," I snorted looking down at them as they squeaked upon seeing me. I was just about to open the cage and place them in a bin as I cleaned it when I heard a voice behind me.

"Careful with them critters, they are smarter than they look, here put them in here," said the storekeeper gesturing to a different cage with a small smirk on his face, "They are real troublemakers!"

I nodded my head not feeling like arguing despite not thinking they were that smart, such small heads, how could something so small be smart? They don't have much headspace.
By the time I was done moonlight was filtering through the windows and my stomach was growling. I collected my pay, it wasn't much, just enough to get a meal if I were to bid right from the cheapest places. Still a meal, if Aureus made up with me maybe I would even share, besides it not like she would starve if I didn't. I glanced down at my dirty talons and went to find a pool to clean them in.

"Hello," said Aureus obviously uncomfortable but dipping her head towards me as the usual greeting most dragons knew instinctively, we may have been raised off the edge of the map but we were taught manners.

"Hello Aureus," I said returning the favor swishing my tail slightly in similar discomfort, as Icewings we were especially expected to uphold the proper gestures and manners because Icewings were cultured, and because if anyone was going to adopt Icewings well it was Icewings and like i've said Icewings are cultured.

We stood facing each other for quite some time as we glanced at each other warily not wanting to break the icy and delicate peace we had seemed to have found.
"Look what I got!" squeaked Auerus happily digging in her small pouch that she must have been given, found, or bought most likely the first, before presenting 30 shiny gold coins, "Apparently I appeased a rich family today and they gave me these! Aren't they pretty! Look 15 for each of us, did you get anything?"

My measly 5 copper coins seemed worthless compared to those as I shrugged, "No,"

"Greedy," said Aureus in a strange tone, not really too strange, actually just hard to read, I couldn't tell if she was serious or joking, or if that was just some offtalon comment.
Peace was still a fragile thing, it always was, true peace was rare, I didn't mind that though it was just a fact of life. Aureus would come around probably even if it took a while, I could be patient.

Still I'd take the fragile peace over the fight we just had as I finally started to feel a little more comfortable for two reasons, Aureus and me had peace and the sun had Finally gone on, it was strange how in the desert it could go from blistering hot to freezing cold in a matter of a few hours.

"So should we get some food orr..." shrugged Aureus turning her head towards a restaurant as I agreed and we walked into the restaurant the only problem? This was the Sandkingdom.

Which meant any restaurant at this rough town was going to be eventful...