Kanin & Anika: Staying One Step Ahead.

Kanin watched as the pair stopped at a stand selling bread and other baked goods, but looked rather shabby. Curiously watching the pair take a seat on the fountain’s edge. Feeling Anika try to look around him to watch the strangers as well.

“What are they doing?” Anika asked.

Kanin put a finger to his lips. “Shhh, I’m trying to listen.” he said in a hushed tone.

“Oh…” Anika said, closing her mouth.

Most of the conversation was mundane and mostly pointless, complaining about the pretzel he’d bought her telling him he could just get another, but then the conversation moved to tracking. The conversation made him nervous. He’d underestimated the dark haired man. Though listening longer the man didn’t sound confident he could actually pull it off, and that he was a novice. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad situation after all. But he couldn’t be sure.

He couldn’t be sure of the situation and he didn’t like it. But based on how the two carried themselves they didn’t look like that type to attack in a populated area, not like other mercenaries the girl's father had sent. Kanin took the time to look around to see if anyone else was watching or seemed to be watching the area, but saw no one else meaning it was just these two he would have to deal with.

He checked that he and Anika were both covered fully in their cloaks. “We have to go.” he told her, taking her back in the direction of the Inn they were staying in. “When we get there, get your things quickly. We’ll need to get to the next town before they manage to find us.”

As they walked Anika pulled on Kanin’s sleeve. “Will you have to kill them?” she asked.

“Not if I don’t have to, I won't.” he said. “Only in self defence.” Kanin assured her.

Seeming to understand, Anika just said “Okay.” she didn’t know why but she didn’t feel like those two people were the same as the men her uncle had sent, or the ones at his manor. They looked fancy, wearing robes like wizards in story books. The lady looked pretty normal for an elf, the man looked a bit odd, but not scary or threatening, but Kanin probably knew best about things like that.

They didn’t have much in their room at the inn, and what little was there was mostly Anika’s. A pair of shoes for walking on the dirt roads that were more suitable than her fancy shoes she favored, extra socks, and a change of clothes. In the room she pulled off her ‘town’ shoes and put on the walking shoes. Even after a few days with him, she couldn’t understand how Kanin could walk everywhere in bare feet. “Well he was a rabbit man and normal rabbits didn’t wear shoes so maybe it makes sense.” She thought of tying the laces off in ugly bows. Then she shoved everything in the bag Kanin had gotten for her to carry her things.

Kanin watched her crumple it all and forced it into the bag. “Either fold it or don’t complain about the wrinkles later.” he told her, not intending to sound like a scolding father.

Anika puffed out her cheeks and gave Kanin the stink eye “Fine…” she said before pulling it all out and folding it neatly, returning it to the pack.

“Good,” he said. Checking out the window to see if the robed figures were in the street. “Doesn’t look like they’ve followed us yet,” he said.

Anika clomped her boots a little making sure they weren’t going to slip around and cause blisters. “Why don’t you just talk to them.” she said with the innocence of a child. “My mother taught me that if you have a problem with someone you should talk it out. It might not solve the problem but at least you could know the situation.” she said.

Kanin was going to say something about how in a situation like this was a good way to get yourself killed but held his tongue and decided on a lighter touch with the topic. “Tell you what.” he said. “If they want to talk first, I’ll gladly talk, but I’m not going to seek them out for a chitchat.” Kanin promised her.

“And you’ll only defend and not attack? Cross your heart?” Anika asked.

“And needles in my eyes.” he replied.

Exiting the inn Kanin looked up and down the streets again checking for watchful eyes, but saw none; the only odd thing he saw was a young woman looking around seemingly very lost. “Not my problem” He thought. But watching her for a moment something seemed off about her, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He could feel himself gawking at her but something kept him from pulling his eyes away. Then it clicked, she was open mouth breathing, that’s why she looked so odd just standing there with her mouth half agape.

At some point Anika must have figured out what Kanin was transfixed by. “That lady has really big eyes.” she pointed out. “Like a fish.”

“Don’t be rude.” Kanin chided her before pulling her along down the road in the opposite direction towards the South Gate.

“I wasn’t being rude…” Anika pouted. “You were looking too.” she informed him.

Stopping to chat only for a moment with the guards about their leaving and if they planned to return soon. Kanin led his charge down the dusty pebble-covered road, looking over his shoulder back into the town one last time catching sight of another strange group. They all wore silvery chest plate armor and white mantles with all white clothes. “Must be magic in those clothes to keep them so white.” he thought. Turning forward once more he spotted another group of those same men walking in their direction. “Great.” he thought to himself, recalling some saying about a frying pan in a fire.

It wasn’t long before the groups intercepted on the path. The only choices were to cut off the path and try and go around, or deal with the issue ahead.

“Halt. I am Sir Brenium, and I would like to have a word with you.” he said, flashing a symbol on an amulet that Kanin didn’t recognize it but he could tell based on the shape and metal it was the marker of someone important and with more power and resources than Kanin wanted to deal with.

Then his promise to Anika drummed in his ears. A promise of conversation before killing. “Just…Great…” he groaned in his head.