Strays

A group of 5 children were huddled together. 4 boys and 1 girl. They had not eaten for 2 days. Their stomachs grumbled in pain and in hunger.

"This is why I said we should rob the bakery garbage. They throw out plenty of food every day." One of the kids said. He was the biggest of the bunch. Despite that he was all bones.

"No Kent. If we get caught stealing it won't end well for us." The girl said.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Another kid asked. He had a fire lit in his eyes that called for destruction. "We have begged for a long time and we still have recieved nothing. They all look at us as if we are the scourge of the planet. I can't do this no more."

"Neither can I." Another kid said. He was slightly shorter and the smallest of them all.

The final kid who had been looking around the street clicked his fingers. He was the leader of the group. He was the second smallest of the group. He was short, dark blue hair and had several scars across his body.

He pointed his finger and the others looked where he was pointing. There was a tall man with caramel skin and several freckles on his body. He was well built however the clothes he was wearing did not bring out his physique.

"No Fabian, we can't steal from him." the girl said in a desperate tone.

The boy looked at her with cold emotionless eyes. He was hungry, so was she and so were the others. Their stomachs grumbled and begged for food and who was he to let things such as fear and pride stop him from getting what he wanted.

The girl quickly closed her mouth and they all understood what needed to be done. They all nodded. Poko, the smallest of the group run up to the man.

"Excuse me sir, Could you please spare a single bronze knot so that I can buy some bread?"

"No, fuck of." Poko was not offended by the words that was said to him. There were plenty of worse words that were said to him.

He simply turned around and left. Before going back to the alleyway that the other kids were hiding in he nodded his head. This was a signal to confirm that their target was carrying money in his pouch.

Immediately Fabian who had been several metres away took of running. He grabbed the pouch of the man's torso and continued sprinting. He quickly took a look back as he had not heard a commotion like all the other times.

The man simply stood there looking at him as he ran away. He had a smile on his face.

'What a weirdo!' Fabian thought to himself. He turned around and continued running.

5 minutes later the 5 children had come together. This was the moment of truth. Slowly Fabian opened the pouch. The bright light of gold and silver hurt their eyes but that was nothing.

This was simply a small matter. They were going to eat well tonight... and tomorrow... and the day after tomorrow... and the day after that... and the entire year.

"Fabian you did it!" Poko shouted in glee.

"Way to go Fabian." Forna, the big kid said.

"I'm really hungry, let's go get some food." Rula, the hot headed kid said as he held his stomach.

Fabian was pleased. He glanced over at Uqalaka. She was half smiling and half frowning.

"The consequences are going to be dire." she said softly.

"Maybe, maybe not." A voice came from behind them. They immediately jumped up as soon as they saw the man from earlier on. He was holding a giant plate that had an aromatic smell coming from it.

He placed it down on the floor and the kids eyes almost rolled out onto the floor. "Is that... meat?" Poko asked.

"Indeed it is." Damien replied. He took the pouch from Fabians hands and placed it on his torso.

"You can keep that silver knuckle your hiding behind your thigh." Damien then walked of without turning back leaving the kids confused.

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I had spent some time walking around the city in leisure. I got a massage and had acupuncture performed on me. My shoulders had been feeling stiff lately.

I then bought all the ingredients I needed. I had bought several entire cart loads. They easily fitted inside my pouch.

I then flew around for a while and found the kids from earlier. They were all sleeping on top of a small building roof. All of them except for one. It was the kid who had run of with my pouch. A sat down some distance away hoping that he would sense me somehow however he did not.

I coughed and he turned around. He gazed at me and did not say a word.

"Did you enjoy the meal?" I asked with a smile on my face. He slowly nodded.

"Good, I have a proposition for you and your friends. Wake them up." The kid woke them up and they were all currently glaring at me.

"I am the sect leader of the Dark Purple Rain Clan. I am inviting you to join the clan." The kids mouth gaped. They could not believe it. "You will be able to learn martial arts, you will receive 3 meals a day unless you are training or it is a form of punishment. You will have a roof over your head that protects you from the rain, snow and cold weather. If you do not wish to join then I will not force you but if you do accept my offer... the benefits are self explanatory."

Truth be told I did not care about them. I was planning on making these kids the future of the clan. After enjoying the benefits they themselves should be loyal to me.

If they refused there was plenty of strays that I could pick from the streets and have them serve me.

"I'll be back later on. Think about it until then." I said. I had other plans.

What I currently needed was a master blacksmith.

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Thoughts