In the Shadow of the North

News from the West

Earth gestured to the package tied to her midriff, and Kelbek stepped forward to untie it with his deft hands. Earth always admired the use of their- what was it, thumbs? But they had nothing on a foxes speed.
It was only a small envelope containing a thin bark of Redbirch, upon it scorched in fire were words that Earth did not have the capacity to understand.
Kelbek read it, and then announced it aloud to the meeting room.
'Three days after the waxing moon, send two escorts at midnight to the sewers beneath the Third Quarter.' Kelbek looked up, 'that's it, that's all it says.'
Muttering broke out in the room and a Grïll Earth didn't recognise stepped forward.
'How in Sul's name do they expect us to get to the Third Quarter! We have enough trouble getting through our own Quarter- let alone one two Quarter's away!'
Some Grïll muttered agreement, and the room got suddenly loud.
'Quiet!' Ren commanded, and the dark furred Grïll stepped forward, foxes and Grïll alike parted to let him through.
'You came here because you want to fight back. They don't care how we get to the sewers, all they care about is that we do. Now if you want to leave, do so. I shouldn't have to even think that at this point.'
No one moved.
'Right then.' He said, and slipped back into the shadows of the room. No one could see him, but all were aware of his presence.
The Sul in the room glowed unconcernedly, and offered a barely noticeable slice of warmth.
'So,' Krelbek began, 'the question is- how do we get to the Third Quarter unnoticed?'
Again, the room broke out into discussion, and Earth whipped her tail. The room shuddered and all quietened.
'I know these streets- me and Jre. You won't find someone someone here who knows them better. We'll go.'
Krelbek looked at Earth with an unreadable expression.
'They'll be expecting Grïll. They won't trust foxes.'
'Then I'll go with them.' A young Grïll stepped forward and all turned to look at him.
'Ilrêsh!' A woman's voice called, but he ignored her.
'I trust one Grïll is enough?' Earth said, and Krelbek nodded.
'It'll be four days before you should meet them. Make sure you know how you're getting there before that day comes.'
Earth nodded, and Ilrêsh smiled over. She returned it.
The meeting concluded, and the foxes that had attended the meeting were lowered back down to the ground floor.
They left one by one, each checking no foxes were in the streets outside. Finally, it was Earth's turn, and she bid Jre farewell.
She set out upwards toward the centre city, and left the poverty of the Lower City behind. Even the poorest foxes didn't compared to the slums of the Grïll.
Earth hung her head with fatigue as she plodded back to her home where she lived alone.
It was a thin building, but quite tall. A life of a thief bought her that much. She was once part of the Lower City herself- Jre still was.
She squeezed herself between the small gap that was her doorway and removed the cloth from the Sul.
Most foxes used traditional mock-anbaric, but she had always found the soothing yellow glow of the Sul plants to be much more comforting. That is, as long as patrols never found them. With rumours of the Third Revolution already reaching Collenhar, any fox remotely connected to Grïll would undoubtedly be questioned.
But she ignored such thoughts for now. There was little use dwelling on the future when she could live it. So she laid down, satisfied that all was well, and she whipped her tail. She directed the force of her personalised earthquake towards the cloth that was precisely balanced above the Sul plant, which teetered and fell down- covering the yellow glow. Thus the room was plunged into darkness, and Earth tucked herself up into a ball, unaware of the pair of eyes silently watching from the corner of the room.