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New Challenges
"Wait, you have got to be pulling my leg," Shadow exclaimed
as Zana Taru checked to make sure he was alright. His voice had turned from
low and dark to an almost squeak. "It just can't be! There is no way that your
mother is THE Zarrel Charmain, top notch assassin."
Zana grinned. "The very one."
Shadow waved a paw at his face to fan it off.
"I didn't even think she had any kids!"
"She does. Me and my brother."
"Another one!" He staggered to his feet and
pointed a finger at Zana. "You are going to kill me kid."
Galthur was just as wide eyed as Shadow. "I
knew there was something special about you, but I never would have guessed that.
So anyway, who's your father?"
"Kirin," she said smugly and Shadow choked.
"Sorry about that Zana, he just looks up to
them as an assassin and all."
She laughed. "It's okay."
Shadow managed to calm himself down some and
laid a paw upon Zana's shoulder. "Okay, why would you be here if your mother
is Zarrel Charmain?"
Zana sighed and told them the whole story, ending
with, "And I don't even think that she will be able to get here."
Shadow sighed laying a paw over her shoulders.
"Don't worry kid, we'll protect you."
She looked up with some amazement. "You're serious!"
"Of course I am," he said winking. "It's not
like I could just turn in the daughter of Zarrel Charmain to Jown, anyway. You
know, with your lineage, I'm sure that you'd make the most spectacular thief
and assassin. Why don't you let me make those thieves down their decide to accept
you into their ranks."
Without waiting for an answer he grabbed her
by the paw and pulled her out the door, Galthur following closely behind. When
he entered back into the thieves' main quarters, a couple stood up and stomped
over to Shadow, daggers drawn. "We already give you enough specialities Shadow,
but you are starting to cross the line. What is it with that girl you brought
here?" the speaker pointed at Zana.
"Don't worry about her," Shadow said grinning.
"You will get to know her really well soon, so just sit down before I make you
myself."
"Oh just you go and try that Shadow," he said
again, and two others behind him stepped up. "You can't take the three of us
on at once."
In a flash, Shadow pushed away from Zana Taru,
and threw three tiny silver darts that each found a mark in one of the three
creatures necks. They fell down in a heap in seconds, and the whole common room
fell silent and they all looked at Shadow who took hold of Zana's paw again,
and dragged her up onto a small stage that most of the tables faced.
"Those three will wake up in a couple of hours
with nothing more than a headache." Shadow said loudly rolling his eyes, and
some of the hard gazes softened a bit once they realized the others were still
alive. "Anyway, I have something to declare to you all." Shadow said loudly.
Suddenly, all eyes fell back down upon he and
Zana, and some of the voices quieted down. Usually the assassin didn't talk
much, so an announcement from him would mean something big most likely. "Get
out there kid," he whispered to Zana, pushing her forward. All of the eyes fell
upon her.
"I have decided, to take on an apprentice. This
young Zafara here will be it," he said and the touch of a smile started on his
lips.
The whole room broke out into an uproar immediately,
and various things were shot out at them.
"You can't just take on an apprentice you found
out in the streets this morning!"
"It's a girl, females aren't cut out for that
type of work!"
"Don't you recognize her! She's allied with
Jown!"
"Shut up the lot of you!" a feminine voice suddenly
cried out, and all were silent as a yellow Kyrii walked over. She was no doubt
a thief, and had multitudes of weapons strapped about her. However, the most
visible features on her was a long scar that ran vertically down across her
cheek and gave her an extra fierce touch.
"Greetings Kaytaloth," Shadow said giving a
slight bow, though it wasn't the mocking one he had given the Wocky at the front
and rather one of respect.
She sneered at him. "You would be the last creature
that I'd expect to do such a foolhardy thing like that!"
"Foolhardy?" Shadow said raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, I know perfectly well what I'm doing and it isn't foolhardy."
"Do you even know who the girl is? She's the
apprentice to Jown."
Zana Taru growled. "Listen Kaytaloth, if that's
your name. I am not the apprentice of Jown. Maybe I once was, but I will never,
never even dream of taking a path like that again.
"Years of experience tells us that we can't
just trust the word of a stranger." Kaytaloth said with a glare to Zana Taru.
"Shadow, they are right, you cannot just take an apprentice after just finding
them on the street. Though those creatures whom said some comments about females
better rethink their opinions," she said glaring at the audience of thieves.
Shadow wasn't even phased. "I wouldn't even
have a speck of worry about this kid. Galthur just escaped with her out from
Jown's fortress, and she proved her worth there. Besides, even if you try and
forbid me from taking her in, I'll do it without your consent."
Kaytaloth turned upon him. "Are you openly opposing
me Shadow?"
"For this kid… yes," he said, but at her growl
of barred teeth, he said just loud enough for her to hear. "This kid is Zarrel
Charmain and Kirin's daughter."
Her eyes widened for a second, but then she
reverted back to her normal look, and said loud enough for the rest in there
to hear. "I still will not trust someone on a first meeting."
"What if she can prove her worth?" Shadow said
with a sly grin.
"Fine then," Kaytaloth said. "Have the child
retrieve an item of my request and with no help from you and I will allow her
to stay! But," She turned down to look Zana directly in the face, "you, child,
must agree to this. Do you?"
Zana nodded. "I do. Tell me what to do." She
was sure that she could do anything she asked.
"Fine then. I want you to retrieve a small little
statue. It's a golden Aisha that Jown has locked up. There is a wizards shop
a little was from here called the Silver Crescent. The statue is locked away
there. Go now, and don't come back until you retrieve it."
"Are you trying to get the kid killed!" Shadow
yelled at her, but before she could reply Zana stepped up.
"I accept. I'll get your stupid statue."
"So be it then," she said. "Go Shadow, and help
her prepare, but for the actual thieving, you can do nothing. I'll have one
of my servants watching you, so don't try and cheat either and lend her a hand."
Shadow growled at her, and then taking Zana
by the paw, stormed out of the Thieves Corner without a look behind him.
"That woman!" Shadow yelled to Galthur once
they were a good distance away. "She still hasn't forgiven me."
"Forgiven you for what?" Zana asked.
"Her and Shadow used to be, erm… really close,"
Galthur said with a grin in response to Shadow's barred teeth.
Shadow turned towards Zana, ignoring Galthur.
"Well, looks like I had best prepare you for this thing, um. I still haven't
even asked your name yet."
"Zana Taru." She said, and Shadow smiled.
"A double name, just like your mothers. You
will one day make a fine assassin and thief kid." It seemed that he would still
call her kid even though he knew her name. "Well, let's stat at the top, how
much thieving do you know?"
"Not really any," she said slightly embarrassed,
and Shadow smacked a paw into his face.
"How about I say, how much do you know that
might be of some little use to you here?"
"Well mother taught me how to be silent when
I go about, and I can use my sword pretty good."
"What do you know about picking locks?"
"Only a little bit."
Shadow sighed. "Well then I'll have to teach
you whatever your 'some' needs to be able to get that golden Aisha from its
chest. We'll go after it tomorrow then if you are ready. Now let us get to work"
***
Jown paced back and forth relentlessly in his room a deep growl rising in
his throat as he awaited Dsupa. "Master Jown?" Dsupa said, at last entering
the room.
Jown didn't waste a second. As soon as the Halloween
Nimmo had entered the room, Jown jumped upon him and punched him right under
the chin. "You moron!" he screamed. "You let her get away!" He had just been
informed of Zana Taru's escape, and just when the Zafara had started looking
like a good trainee.
Dsupa took the beating wordlessly, and then
once Jown backed off he rubbed his jaw, and looked ahead. "Do not worry, I will
find that girl. I'll kill her too if you let me."
Jown growled. "Bring her alive if possible,
but if not, you can kill her."
Dsupa bowed. "I will try my best to bring her
in alive," he said even though he knew that if he saw the brat he'd run her
through. "She deserved to die a painful death," he growled. If it
was the last thing he did he would see to it that the Zafara brat would die
by his sword.
To be continued...
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