From Embers

21 - Morning Mishaps

Darkness had started to slip away as orange and pinks bleed into the sky. Sen absentmindedly fiddled with the gun in his pocket while mulling over the happening from that night. He hoped that the twins had been more successful in their adventure.

Eyebrows knotted together and shoulders tensed he stilled, focusing his senses. Sen kept one ear to listen out for approaching humans, the other for the twins.

If they don't turn up soon, Sen thought, they'd better hope they were captured if I have to look for them.

"It's morning, shouldn't we have bid our adieus to this Gods forsaken place by now?" Jai-Jai grumbled.

She stood from her crouching position and stretched. Sen's ears pricked at the sound of her spine cracking.

"I've already answered this question."

"Well, you didn't give me an answer I liked. The twins are late, that's on them. We," her pointer finger wagged between the two of them, "should be leaving."

Sen rolled his eyes. "Why are you so antsy to leave? You've been on your toes for the past several hours."

"Excuse me if I seem a tad eager to leave. I am head-to-toe covered in soot while wearing putrid-smelling garments. Muscles that I didn't know I had ache, and all I want is to sleep. Anyway, your smart idea to scout for information from these drunken idiots failed. This ash mound of a city has buried its secrets, and we are too late to find them."

Not wanting to spark an argument, Sen turned his back to her. Throttling the human wouldn't be beneficial – for the mission. But, for him, there would be no greater joy than to see the spiteful woman take her last breath.

"We're sitting ducks here, just waiting to be found," Jai-Jai continued.

"Well, my feather-brained acquaintance," Sen said sarcastically, "if we move from the agreed-upon rendezvous area, how will the children find us?"

"Are ye call me a child Fangs?" A new voice spoke up. "Just because ye're a bonnie looking old man donna give ye the right tae be calling people names an' such." Rhistel stuck her tongue out. Both the twins' faces were red from cold and they panted, trying to catch their breath — the air leaving their mouths freezing instantaneously, creating small puffs.

"Sorry, we're a wee bit late." Rhistel winked.

Alanis clenched a hand to her side. "This stitch in my side is killing me, but oh do we have news for ye."

"Save the stories for the journey ahead." Jai-Jai had already taken off, turning the corner. "Let's get out of here."

Rhistel nudged Sen. "She's as cheerful as always."

He pulled a grim smile and nodded before following the human.

The four ran silently, leaving footprints in ashes that covered the ground.

"Why're we in such a rush? Those humans are well asleep and will no' wake up until next week, if at all." Rhistel held her hat to keep it in place.

"There are plenty who are sober enough to skewer your behinds. And we don't want to be inside when the mud humans find a dead man at their gates."

"The undead leaving a trail of death behind him." Rhistel snickered.

Sen growled. "Not entirely undead, just immortal."

"Yer heart canna beat, can it? A can't think of a better definition for someone bein' dead."

"I breathe."

"Not properly. Yer lungs only expand because ye force air into them. Ye donna need tae breathe. While we're on the subject, why do ye force yerself tae do it? Ye were born with fangs, no' created. Been wonderin' fer a while now."