Nazia Khanli's Story

She followed the lad, keeping an eye over her shoulder. It wasn't until she was in the diner she realized who it was. A small smile formed on the corner of her lips, but she let her mind keep it's peace. 'He's probably forgotten by now.' She thought to herself.

The patrons in the bar were the sort she was use to around this area. She listened in to the chatter and even laughed slightly when one asked him where he was. She knew, at least. "I thank you, kind sir." She said with a smile.

A wide, wolfish grin spread across her face as if she had gotten away with the motherload. "I was wondering if you could recognize me, Mr. Neb. It has been a while, and as expected.. You've not changed one bit." She laughed softly. She still kept her hood up over her head, but her posture seemed to relax, if only a little.

"I erm. I guess you can say I'm in town and not necessarily for the light side of the power. But I have to walk that very thin line between what's right and wrong if I'm going to figure out the truth of it all.." She murmured. Her accent was as thick as ever and her skin tanned by the sun.

"But enough about me.. How have you been? Have the seas been fair to you?"

Nazia sighed and laced her fingers together so that she could lean her chin on them. "You are a worse liar than I am, Mr. Neb." She said, her eyes sharp as she stared at him from under her hood. But her voice was never the less friendly.

"Ah, just a quest I follow in order to break lies that my old guild master has weaved into his plot.." She muttered. "But that is a long tale, my friend."

She smirked, the shadow hiding most of her face now. "I knew not to say such things as soon as I knew it was you, lad." She said.

Men started coming down to the docks where the diner was located. Nazia caught glimpses of the wandering men and turned her chair away from the window slightly. She then pulled out a leather pouch and tossed it to Neb. It would be quite heavy, for something so small. "Keep that safe if we get separated. They will chase me, not suspecting you may have that item. If we do get separated, lad.. Meet me on the forest border in two days at high noon." She murmured, pulling her hood down lower.

Like a shadow, the woman walked along the shore with her hood drawn over her head. The sound of the waves coming in kept the sound of her foot-steps from being heard and the very weather seemed to know what kind of mood she was in. Light grey clouds lined the sky in threats of a light drizzle, and the breeze billowed her black cloak lightly. Underneath, she wore equally dark clothing, a sash at her waist and dark leather boots that covered up to her knees. She too, was muttering a song, but the words were lost beyond hearing past being right beside her.

She took a deep breath and tossed something into the water that sunk to the bottom with a heavy 'plop'. "Good bye, dear friend.." She muttered.

Nazia turned slightly at the barking, a slight smile upon her lips. "Hello my friend.." She said, kneeling so she could greet the black dog, scratching his ears as soon as he came to a stop. "If you're here, Neb can't be too far behind.."

She would wait there, scratching at the dog's ears until Neb caught up, the same smile upon her her lips. "Hello, my friend.." She said, her accent thick with the same desert dweller tone that most of them kept. "How have you been?"

"I have been well." The woman sighed, although it wasn't all true. Physically, she was fit considering her age and injuries she had sustained through her youth. But there was still something off about her.

"I am back for a time, my friend. And it should be quieter than my last stay.." She murmured quietly.

"It seems so.." She murmured, sitting down on the sand. "It seems that I keep getting drawn to this place, although I had intended to leave it for the last time each time.." She sighed. She too, looked out towards the water. "Like I've not done something I needed to do the first two times.." She chuckled softly.

Nazia shook her head slightly. "I don't know. But I have a strange sensation that if I don't do it right this time, the angel on my shoulder will start using an hammer instead of strong hints.." She laughed slightly. "I keep running into you, and the ocean every time I come into the city. Like clock work." She murmured softly. "So I'm able to take a hint."

She shrugged slightly. "I don't know. I just know it involves you." She said softly. "Aye, so it is.." She murmured, gently reaching over her shoulder where she knew the scar was. She had been maimed by that captain of that cursed ship. "Haven't seen it lately, have you?"

"And how is he going to do that while he's in jail, Jesse?" She asked quietly. Still, she nuzzled against his hand, which was a lot warmer than she was.

The door opened again from upstairs and another woman slowly walked down. Jesse would recognize her almost instantly. His new 'roommate' walked over, her eyes glowing slightly in the darkness.

But what seemed interesting, Rei seemed to recognize her as well. A deep, animal-like growl rumbled deep within Rei and seemed to vibrate the cage around her. Re'Altarm began to spit curses and insults, anger in her eyes.

Nazia clicked her tongue. "Such a dirty mouth." She said. "Jesse, you done here? You're taking a while. Time to go."

Rei began to bang on the bars and shake at them. "Get away from him."

"Hey, hey," Jesse said as he grabbed hold of one of Re'Altarms hands through the bars to try and calm her, and to turn her attention back to him. "Look at me. It's okay. I'll be fine. Everything's going to be fine."

He turned his head to get a look at Nazia.

"She needs to get to a hospital. I can clean up the external injuries here, but I don't have the right equipment for anything else, and I'm not a surgeon."

Rei took some coaxing to look away from Nazia. She was panting heavily and looked on the verge of fainting. Still, anger lined the rim of her irises.

"Not my problem." Nazia said. "You'll have to bring that up to Rowan himself." The woman sniffed. "She's nothin' but trouble, though. Don't know why you care so much about a common street rat."

Still, she shrugged and handed Jesse her cellphone. "Still, my orders were clear and I am suppose to make sure you're.. happy. His number's the fifth one in there if you have the balls to try to call."

Jesse grit his teeth against Nazia's remarks as he flipped through the numbers on the phone until he found Rowan's. A moment later it started ringing.

Rowan picked up on the second ring. "Yes?" His smooth voice came over the speaker.

"Rowan?" Jesse asked. "It's Jesse. You said Re'Altarm wouldn't be harmed if I cooperated. Your people beat her like an animal," he growled into the phone.

"She nearly killed one of my pack. They only reacted as it was normal. You cannot blame them." Rowan said calmly. "I'm sure Baron and his pack would have done the same. And besides, she's still alive."

Jesse grit his teeth again, knowing full well that Re'Altarm wasn't unprovoked. He knew Rowan wouldn't hear of it. "She needs to get to a hospital. She has internal injuries that I can't treat here, and I'm not a surgeon."

There was only one werewolf surgeon in the city, and that was Cornell. Given his valued skillset, his clinic continued to maintain a rare privilage of neutrality that all of the packs respected.

Rowan was quiet for a long time, but Jesse could hear mumbled conversation on the other side. "Fine," he finally answered. "But Nazia and Jason will be escorting you." He said before the phone clicked silent.

He gave the phone back to Nazia before turning back to Re'Altarm. "We're going to get you to Cornell's. I need you to not do anything stupid."

She likely knew exactly what he meant by the look he gave her.

Nazia sighed and started dialing another number, walking away.

Rei winced at Jesse. "I'll try not to.. But it is always tempting when I'm half dead anyway." She grinned teasingly, which looked more like a grimace.