From Embers

16 - Who Has Cash

The two women dragged their unusual catch behind them. It kicked them several times in an attempt to escape before Jai-Jai threw it over her shoulders. It soon quieted afterward. Although the walk back to camp wasn't long, both girls couldn't wait to be back.

Alanis watched Jai-Jai dropped their catch on the ground before she had the chance to stop her. It squealed when it hit the grass.

Everyone's eyes widened, and Twig choked on the small amount of soup she'd managed to salvage.

"We can't eat that," she squeaked. "It's a child."

"Says who?" Jai-Jai had a sly grin while looking down at the shaking elf. The green oversized jumper and brown pants, which were rolled at the heels, drowned his thin frame.

The child glared back at her. He put out a hand. "Give me back what you stole."

Jai-Jai pulled the gun out. "Do you mean this?" she said before handing it to Alanis, who pocketed it inside her wraps.

When the elf boy lunged for the weapon, Jai-Jai sidestepped and grabbed the back of his shirt. Holding him back, she handed the gun to Alanis who slipped it into the back of her pants. Panting, the boy gave up after a minute. He slumped back down to the ground, and his bottom lip quivered. It was evident that he was trying not to look at the piles of ashes, which were blown away with the wind.

"Were ye with the bandits?" Alanis asked as she knelt to the boy's eye level.

He scooted his bottom to look the other way. But when he laid eyes on the muscular tattooed elf sending him glares he turned right back around.

"What's yer name?" Alanis tried again.

"Cash."

"Cash?"

"Yes, like money. Cash."

"Petrie wasn't yer father was he?"

"Of course, who else would have been?"

"Tha' explains a lot," Alanis whispered to Twig as she stood up. "Well, what're we tae do with ye Cash? Canna leave ye out in this forest by yerself can we?"

Cash's eyes squinted as his eyes flicked over to the burnt corpse that had been his father. Jai-Jai stepped into his line of view, covering the body. "Children shouldn't look at things like that."

The child twisted his torso and watched as the grass grew around the other corpses, swallowing them into the earth. A small flower grew where each man lay.

"Why not? Am already nine and 'ave seen more than ye, probably." Cash turned back to look at the human.

"Oh? Want to bet money on that?"

"A have no cash other than my name, will that suffice?"

To everyone's surprise, Jai-Jai started to laugh. A hearty laugh that would make one's cheeks ache. Soon, all but Cash joined in the laughter. He sat, perplexed at what he'd said.

"I guess we won't be eating you today." Jai-Jai tried to stop smiling, but the corners of her mouth would not obey.

The elf boy's face paled as his eyes started to water. "Ye were goin' tae eat me?"

"Please don't cry, I was only joking," The human spluttered.

Cash ran to Alanis and hugged her. He wailed as he buried his face in her stomach. "She's a horrible witch, a know it. That woman will turn me into a frog and eat me legs for dinner."

Alanis hugged the boy back, looking to Jai-Jai who rolled her eyes. Tree branches groaned, and the boy yelled as he let go of Alanis, rubbing his hand. The branches retracted and formed Kraneia's arms. She had Cash's gun. "The child was stealing this out of your pocket. Can't trust anyone these days." she winked.