In the Shadow of the North

Collenhar

The fox twisted in and out of the tight pillared alleyways. Her pursuers were hot on her tail, and had there been enough room for her to turn her head, she would have looked behind her.
The growls behind her echoed sharply in the twilight, and she gritted her teeth.
Collenhar wouldn't miss a few buildings, surely? But she had to do it when no one was watching, in secret. By Quin- if the word got out what she could do. Well, she deigned not the think of that.
She took a few more sharp turns, and at last cracked her tail so that the earth felt a violent shake. She cracked it once more and the tall stone buildings either side of her crumbled to fill the narrow gap as she leapt forward to escape the rubble. She could no longer hear the growls, and she emerged from the alleyway into a street. Although in truth the street was only about twice the size of the alleyways, and it felt even smaller; small stalls lined the cobbled pathway, and foxes in the hundreds milled through the rich city of Collenhar.
'Hal!' Jre called, and the fox looked over in the direction of the hail. A red fox came bouncing over, and in a low voice greeted her by her true name.
'Earth! You lost 'em then?'
Earth grinned.
'You bet, too quick by far.'
'Too quick, and too destructive. Curses, Earth! I heard that building from the end of the first Quarter!'
'I should hope so, with that hearing you brag about all the time.'
'So you got it then?'
Earth shot Jre a look.
'Would I have dared shown my face if I didn't?'
'Ren's not that strict.'
Earth rolled her eyes.
'I was talking about you.'
Jre looked affronted, and raised a paw to his chest.
'As if I'd do such a thing.'
'Tell that to El!'
'That was one time! And the scar's almost gone!!'
Earth laughed, and pressed her flank against Jre. Shall we get going? Wouldn't want to be late.'
Jre nuzzled her.
'Always time for other's, you should relax Earth. One of these days you'll work yourself to death.'
Earth grinned again.
'Always quite fancied a martyr's life.'
'Now there's some irony for you.'
Earth laughed and set off down the street.
When she was younger the city had seemed like a maze, and yet now she could feel its every heartbeat, know it's every turn.
It was still big. There was no doubting that. The first- and only city built by free Grïll. That was, before the foxes took it over. The slums were where Grïll resided now. Confined to the Fifth Quarter, they might as well be slaves.
It took them less than an hour to reach the Fifth Quarter from where they had been, and while the streets didn't get any narrower, they just got dirtier.
The sewage system was only used in the Upper City. Here, well, she doubted if the Grïll even remembered there were sewers.
The ground sloped down, and the building's seemed to get taller and darker.
The light was blocked out in the day, though it was dark now, and the dim light of Sul was barely enough to keep away the night.
Most Grïll would be indoors by now. The police foxes attacked any who remained outside after dark. Earth shivered at such a thought, and kept her eyes on the ground.
At one point, the moon appeared from behind some clouds, and was in just the right place to shine down into the small streets. Grïll were incredible architects, when allowed to build of their own design.
The moon shone a criss cross patterns on the ground, and Earth looked up to the cloudy sky.
She could just make out the shadowy outline of a net above the city, stopping any Grïll from flying higher than the height of the houses.
Earth and Jre arrived at a tall doorway, and Earth rapped against it thrice.
A Grïll opened it warily, but let them in when he saw who it was.
A second Grïll was waiting for them in the centre of the corridor, and Jre stood by her side expectantly. The Grïll gripped the underbelly of Jre, and her wings beat delicately as she lifted off.
A perfectly round hole in the ceiling was where she flew, lifting the red fox with her in the shadowy room.
There were no stairs in these houses, unlike the modified fox houses. Grïll had no need of them. And Earth admitted it did save room. It may be inconvenient for her to reach the top floors, but at least it meant no fox police could intrude upon the meetings when they occurred.
The wing beat faded into the distance above, and Earth was left standing alone in the cramped building.
Several minutes later, the sound of wing beats reached her ears again, and the Grïll appeared, foxless.
'You ready?' She said, and Earth nodded, wandering near.
The Grïll wrapped its arms around her- much more gently than one would expect of such a creature.
She felt herself ascend into the darkness above, leaving behind the small entryway. The first floor she passed was empty, as was the second. On the third she could just about see several Grïll sleeping in the dark, and the fifth was where the Grïll stopped.
The one that had opened the door flew up a little after them, and the house below them was silent.
There was a small opening in the far wall which served as a window, and the small room was filled with what counted for a merry yet anxious gathering in the slums.
There were three other foxes in the room, but the rest were all Grïll standing on two feet to fit as many in as possible.
Kelbek stepped forward, and greeted Earth with a serious disposition.
She loved these Grïll like family, but sometimes their seriousness got through to her. She understood- of course she did. But kept her own spark alight as best she could.
'Do you have it?' Kelbek asked, and several Grïll muttered anxiously.
Earth stepped forward.
'I have it.'