Furs in Steam Chapter 4
"How far north are we headed, you never said," Sephera was the first to speak as they crept beyond the manor gates and out onto the wet cobblestone street. Torqariyan didn't try to meet their gazes instead he spoke low and quick as though to himself, "Not sure, I mean where it is I know but not what the place is called." "But you know what city it is in, right?" Razien asked stopping abruptly, considering if he brought enough gem to afford passage on a train for all three of them. Scratching one of his wide ears the Lynx shrugged, "It wasn't a city or isn't anymore, when I came out of the portal I was in round room of metal with the entrance closed off by rubble." "So how are we supposed to get in there, I can't bolt through rubble and Razi would have crawl through it like a worm," Sephera remarked more than a hint of irritation to her manner. With a nod Torqariyan began, as though he had thought through this problem already, "I can misappropriate the proper wares to clear the rubble, however that's if New Roya's military has hold of explosives. Does your people's military have anything of the sort?" "Lesus' father might be a military man but it's not as though I have been taking stock of what his men carry or have access to it. Besides isn't that forbidden by the edict?" Razien had to ask now aware he wasn't so certain what the edict official said on weaponry from Metrux. As though asked the question directly Sephera answered, "Not everything outlined in the edict is clear as crystal, certain things, explosives for instance, can be sold from Metrux to Verillia as well as means of using it or manufacturing it here without violating any of the terms." "Well if it doesn't go against the edict I can't say for certain the military wouldn't have it, Master Altara is fond of all types of weapons and to be honest would do whatever he could to get a hold of anything that could give him even the slightest advantage," the Wolf confessed, eyeing the banner flying high above a block far down in the city. Down there were the barracks and supply stations for the militia, one of many dotting the countryside for use in time of calamity be it caused by war, natural disaster, or other means. At times it was easy for Razien to forget that the patriarch of the Altara line was more than just a military man but the foremost director of military affairs on the eastern seaboard and command almost as much authority in the region, especially the north, as the Grand Protector of the Realm. The sudden shifting of atmosphere, rippling of the air, and far to obvious displacement of things. Torqariyan was gone the last remnant of his jumping point, flickers of black pulsing in the area, dying out just as the Wolf came to realize what had happened. Sephera had grabbed his paw and was leading him away, Razien had missed something that much was clear and seeing the look in the Leopard's eye he hadn't any intent on asking what had transpired. Instead he followed suit and broke into a casual jog, disappearing down the nearby alleyway that, like a street only wide enough for one to walk at a time, made its way all about the city from end to end. Given a moment to think on where they were in the town Razien quickly took over and lead Sephera through snaking paths that twisted about homes and through gardens, across uneven ground and over open sewer lines, and had he not known his way would have led into any number of dead ends however they were out of the city in no time, less time than it would have been taking the main streets.
Out of breath, unaware he had slashed open a paw on a grate, and that Sephera carried his hat now Razien finally spoke as they rested on two man sized stones in the meadow just beyond the city, "So where did he go and why were we running?" "He went to the garrison, he said that right before he left, and that we are supposed to meet him north of town. This is the north end right, you took us in the right direction or did you miss that too?" she juggled bewilderment with breathless in her retort. For a moment panic crossed his mind at what she had said only for a smile to grace the Wolf's muzzle, "I didn't catch a word of anything you or him said back there, Seph. However this is the north end so if he gets out of there we should be alright. How are we going to get further north though? Tor said he knew where it was even if he doesn't know what that place is called we still have to reach it." "Don't know, we'll have to see what he says when he gets here," Sephera indicated the man's hand, "You want me to bandage that or are you trying to bait Paigen out from whatever hole he lay in today?" "Shera liked that expression, used to say 'if that cut isn't covered the blood demon will come and then I'll have to put the both of you over my knee'. She was a very funny woman, caring too, I'm going to miss her," he mused watching as Sephera wrapped the paw in cloth tight to stem the bleeding. For the first time since their reintroduction the Leopard's gaze softened, "Of course, she treated you like you were own son and every boy just wants their mother to care don't they?" "Something like that, I just hope she doesn't get in trouble for all this she doesn't deserve it," Razien cut off as the space about them rippled with energy and from a gash that seemed to lead from a sprawling abyss in utter pitch lit by flickerings of lightening the Lynx dropped. A long narrow trunk was slung over his back with a belt, his clothes were newly torn and he stunk of smoke as well as something else the Wolf couldn't place, Sephera's expression hardened again and her moment of compassion faded as though never having been at all.
In heavy pants the Lynx fought to get out words only for all to fall away instead for him to try to regain enough breath to keep from collapsing. With a shove Sephera forced him to step back a few paces before drawing up her tail and patting away a patch that had been crushed and dirtied by a boot mark, "I really miss being a Badger." "Why didn't you take a Badger's form then? I saw at least one in the troupe last night," Razien interjected having wonder about it during the night. With a shake of her head, a longer lock of hair jumping from one side of her face to the other, she retorted, "Too obvious, if anyone like the Goredrinker were searching for returned Lords he would look for obvious traits in those fitting their original look. Actually I'm somewhat surprised no one has found you out, you look like yourself only younger and still with both eyes." "We... have to... keep moving," Torqariyan interrupted in huffs, "They weren't too keen... on someone... taking their supplies." "What just keep going north until you say stop? How far is it from here anyway Torq?" the Leopard started already irritated with the man. His paw hovered in the air a moment as he seemed to try to perceive exactly where the distortion came from until finally he jabbed a finger towards the mountains, "There somewhere, in the mountains, but I'll know just where it is when we get there." "Up in the Amethyst Peaks?" Razien asked waiting for a nod of confirmation to continue, "That would take a whole lot of supplies and time to reach, even if we Shren to ride it still would be further into Summer than of this season. We'll have to take the train, simple as that, come out on the other side of the tunnel and go from there." "A train? Torq most certainly landed his tail on a spike and you want us to go board the train?" Sephera was more dumbfounded by the idea than anything else. Throwing up his hands and giving a shrug the Wolf could suggest nothing more, "It will be quick and if we keep our heads down we should be able to get our tickets and board without issue. Not to mention, you could go up there and set the explosives, blow the whole thing open and we then meet us at the train station after we've reached our destination." "I don't know how to handle explosives, without help I'll blow my own ears off and of end myself to boot," the Lynx shot back his brow furrowed as though insulted. Sephera raised and eyebrow at the trunk on his back, "And you think you'll just board the train, with that on your back and smelling like you do? I'd take my chances with the explosives were I you." "Yes well best you're not me. I'll ditch the box here, follow you too to the station and once I know where you'll be getting off I'll come back and jump to there. But I am not going to set these off on my own, I'll find a path to the portal but nothing more than that," Torqariyan finally conceded stowing the thin crate between the stones where it would be perfectly concealed from a distance. With it all settled the trio returned to the town however not by the alleyways and concealed passages, they'd need to be on the main road to reach the station anyway and better they not attract suspicion anymore than they already had.
"Valerin Crossing, it will take a couple days but we can meet there and we'll have a better start, does that sound close enough to where you ascribe this rift being?" Razien asked as he hunched down on his cane with there being no more room on the bench. His right knee, or Lesus' to be more precise as he was the one to gain the injury, pulsed all about the dense layer of scar tissue that covered it. Though it served a second purpose the Wolf needs that cane time from time to support himself less that old wound, something caused by a carriage before Razien had taken the vessel would get the better of him. Still eyeing around the station with caution the Lynx mumbled back, "It's a Bear city so you know, a bit mixed with other races but majority is Bear. I can meet you there but I have other things I should be looking into so you might end up waiting for me." "Well then where are we going to meet you? We can't quite dart about all over the worlds like you can," Sephera regarded him with a scowl. Catching sight of beige coated Wolf Torqariyan ducked low and whispered, "Madam Urcen, she's a reader and teller, has a shop on the outer edges of Valerin east side if I recall it right. Meet me there if I'm not at the station when you get arrive." "What are you up to Torq?" Razien asked his gaze as hard as the Leopard's however more quizzical. Flipping his hood up, tucking his ears low, and bringing up his under shirt to cover half his muzzle he shot back shortly, "No time now, I'll see you in a few days." Creeping away low Torqariyan waited until he was a few yards from his friends before rising and trying to jog out of the station with his head low. From the other end of the loading platform the defender spotted him and began to shout all calls of which were ignored without even the slightest thought from the Lynx. As he fled from sight, just before being utterly beyond Razien's view, he saw the man round a corner into an alley and from the edge noted the glimmering black flash and silverish specs that came with one of his jumps.
Seating himself though not returning the cane to it's holster in his jacket Razien let out a heavy sigh, relief washing over him that Torqariyan wouldn't be caught and with the defender not returning to them that they were likely not connected in any way. With his absence there was also that expected dip in tension, Sephera's mood soften substantially and her usual standoffish tones were supplemented with genuine jovial ones. "Well it sounds like two or three days of just us Razi, how about that?" she said delightedly, sliding closer on the bench until her tail could nearly sit on his lap after straddling his own. But then that sense of relief, of a calm in this storm, faded with haste; he couldn't quite tell her about the oddness of it all now that they were both once again of true flesh and fur but it was there an uncomfortable aversion to that closeness. It was a long time they had in Karhan' Dharian, they were more than close and not for second did the Wolf feel any discomfort or hesitation to being with her but that was just it when they were in the world of spirits she was still herself. Razien didn't have a bias towards furs of any kind, or so he liked to think, and certainly Sephera was still beautiful be it in the storm ripples stripes of a Badger or these great grey blotches but it was an particular disassociation in his mind. Finding his tongue, finding he had been silent much too long the Wolf returned, "Yes it will be rather nice, hasn't been that way since before we set the seal has it?" "May as well have an eternity, I could feel you though amid the channeling. Even through all those others and their power I could still pick out your strand in that mess, it wasn't quite you but it kept me content. Could you feel me then?" Sephera asked with big hopeful eyes that never failed to tug at the man's heartstrings. He rested a paw on hers, his mind so overcome with the memory of the event that he had trouble putting it to words, "Yes. Yes, but it was more than that I.. perhaps it was my gift but I could see you through the haze and the blinding light, I could see you the whole time." "Lucky boy you are Razi, I'd say I wish I could have seen you all that time but... well you almost are you just as you were then," her cheek slid against his shoulder and the Leopard hummed dreamily to herself. Passersby and station attendants hadn't been much on staring before then but now as Razien looked about he could see he caught the ire of most in place. Looking to the clock that hung high over the ticket desk the Wolf realize just how much longer it would be until they could board and just how uncomfortable each and every set of eyes on him made him. For the time being all that was left to Razien was to study their train while trying to ignore all of those about him instead forcing his mind to believe it was just the two of them.