Snippet #1893228

Ri'Jiish was hungry. He had been quietly appraising the market from a roof-top for solid marks for a few hours now. Unfortunately, there seemed to be more guards around than usual. This wouldn't normally be a problem, except for the fact that he had been trying to lay low for the last few days. He didn't need any extra attention drawn to himself. A bustle of movement caught his eye. The guards were heading off in the direction of The Great Library. As their numbers in the market diminished, he took his chance. Making his way to the edge of the roof, he swung himself down onto the ledge of an open window. From there he dropped several feet to the alley below. Wrapping his tail around his right leg he headed out into the square. His cloak billowed behind him, but he kept it clasped tightly around his body to stave off the chill in the northern air. It was twilight, the grey clouds above outlined with a soft pink hue. Nearing the closest stall (a fruit-seller's) he deftly snatched an apple and the purse of the fat nobleman perusing its wares. He hurried away before an alarm could be raised and silently tailed the guards. They joined a small contingent and a knight in black armour. They were all heading towards the Library, he was sure of it now.
His interest sufficiently piqued, but ducked into an alley-way and clambered silently up onto the roof-tops. He knew the way with little thought. From up here he could see the Library easily enough as it was. Munching his apple, he leapt across the gaps between the houses with no effort at all, making good time. He wanted to reach the building before the guards, so as to get a good look at the apparent situation before they arrived. He reached it in good time, and hoisted himself up and through an open window. They always made it so easy for him. There were no rooms per-se, simply hundreds of shelves piled high with tomes and scrolls. He hopped soundlessly from the tops of the shelves, towards the centre of the building, where he could see a small crowd. From his vantage point he could see that they were staring at a child. He smelt her before he saw her. She was filthy. He clothes were ragged and covered in grime and dust. With a sudden pang of protective guilt, he saw that her hands, feet and head were bleeding. This child needed help, whoever she was. He dropped from his perch and began to make his was towards the crowd, intending to thread his way through to the youngling. Suddenly his ears twitched. The tramp of steel boots signalled the arrival of the guardsmen and the knight.

Ri'Jiish shrank back, flattening himself against the nearest shelf and melted into the shadows. He watched the guards sweep past and through the crowd to stop directly infront of the child.
"Good evening child. What are you doing here? Where are your parents?"
Something was off about all of this. Ri'Jiish had the feeling that this was not simply some lost child. He decided, and decided quickly, that he didn't want the guards to get their hands on this youth. A distraction was needed. Making his way silently through the shadows he approached two men, one obviously a noble, the other of significantly less stature. He removed himself from the shadows, appearing behind them like a ghost, and bumping into the pair of them, at the same time swiping their purses. Mumbling an appology he swiftly headed around the side of a book-shelf and clambered up to its summit, threading his way along until he was closer to the crowd, the guards and, most importantly, the child. Settling himself, he waited patiently.

Suddenly, as if on cue a cry went up from the direction he had just come. The nobleman had likely accused the lesser of taking his coin, and the lower-classed human had obviously taken offence and said the opposite, for it sounded to Ri'Jiish as though something of a brawl had broken out. It was getting louder. No-doubt the nobleman had called out to his guards, and the not-so-nobleman had tried to attract the attention of his own friends. Hopefully that would draw the guards away long enough for him to grab the child and run. Sure enough, the crowd started to turn heads in the direction of the brawl. Ri'Jiish prepared himself to spring as soon as the guards were distracted.