Ike Penworthy

Chapter |~ 3

           

Three days later, Cloud and I are maneuvering our way through Sunsville, ignoring the scoff of superiors and the greedy eyes of those poorer than me. Of course with a Lýkos by my side and my broad air of knowledge and freewill, no one even dares to think I'm as poor as the dirt they trod.

I don't like Sunsville. It smells of fresh slaves and has the look of a town running on the whims of a stupid man, who can be bought and changes sides as quickly as a flipped coin. Thankfully no one in Sunsville is cautious of me. If they recognize my "trade" they don't care. I'm just another person to be sucked into this money-eating vendor.

With Cloud prancing beside me no one bothers us as we part the crowds, looking at everything but looking for nothing. Now that we're in Fantasy, meat is fair game and Lýkos have permission to hunt anywhere. The bread of the bakers is the only thing that tempts me, but first I'd have to sell the few jackrabbit hides I've collected, and here in Sunsville they're worth less than me.

"Looking for something, Ranger?"

I stiffen at the male's nasally voice to my left. From the corner of my eye I can tell he's not talking to me but to a tall, hooded person. Rangers always have me worried. Doesn't help that they're all looking for me as much as I'm avoiding them.

"No." Answers a female voice, gruff around the edges, like most Rangers are.

Cloud grumbles in her throat, her upper lip rising for a challenge. She remembers people better than I can, recognizing their voice and smell. I touch the rising stiff furs on her back, willing her to calm. She sidesteps away, avoiding my touch, and towards the Ranger. Now I'm alarmed. Only once has Cloud ever disobeyed a silent command from me and that was also with a Ranger. It's what lead to me leaving Fantasy and losing Tye.

The Ranger turns, revealing a rough face. Tempered brown eyes harden and fading, murky brown hair sticks out around her face. My legs start moving before I've even processed who it is. I run. Fast and deadly, deep into the crowds. Cloud pants at my side. She whines, soft and worried. The last time we ran from a Ranger, we were separated for nearly two days.

There's a harsh, jagged command that creates an aisle around us leading to the center of town, where I will be effectively cut off from escape. There's no going anywhere else. People fear Rangers more than they fear the glare of a girl and the steady tearing of a wolf's teeth. The alley they have created will stand until I've sprung the trap.

True to it, I reach the center and find myself stuck. The buildings form a wall and only the road I entered on and the road across make for any escape. But there's a Ranger behind me and the gliding dark hoods coming toward me tell of the sprung snare. The people part, leaving only room for the Rangers to descend and capture their prey.

I ground my teeth in frustration, wanting to smack myself for being so stupid. Why did I run? I could have kept moving along, completely ignored the Ranger and Cloud's response. But instead I ran, because that's what I do. When fighting for freedom is useless, I run.

My hood is grabbing from behind by the female Ranger as the two others stop and reveal themselves fully armed men. Red hair spills out in an array of tangles and knots.

"Lyn Dell." The female spins me about by my shoulders, grabbing my wrist as it goes flying to slap her. Her cold features are recognizable now. She's chased me down twice before. The last time being when Tye and I were separated. She hadn't captured me then, like the first time, but now I'm stuck.

Clouds appears in the air for a second before a thin coil snatches around her head and shoved her into the ground with a tight pull. She doesn't whine, but twists herself up and bounds at her captor. Another rope wraps around her neck, pulling her again into the ground. I watch, feeling dread as she's strung between the two men, snapping and snarling at them, but unable to attack either.