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Due to popular demand... it's back: The Blacke Letter |
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The Blacke Letter
Over a darkened port, blacke, threatening clouds hung like shredded ribbons, casting about an eerie glow of silver through the streets. Not one single star’s feeble light penetrated the ominous mask; all was dark. Even the great twin discs of light of the planet’s two moons could not be seen. There was no light at all…
Bright golden orbs pierced the darkness like an arrow loosed from a bow. The wide dark slits of pupils darted nervously to and fro, navigating the darkened alleys even before the rest of the body would do the same. From these ocher eyes, if the sharpest of observers strained their own eyes to a dangerous extent, they might trace the faintest of shadows around a thin curving line, no break at all in it’s smoothness, and finally see the shape of a crouching cat in the shadows of an enormous freighter docked close by.
It wasn’t a cat at all though… those were long since extinct. This…creature, was a hybrid species; a human with the likeness of the ancient feline. Large bat like ears swiveled forward and backward at the tiniest of sounds that weren’t even there, and a short, narrow flattop snout, ending with a keen nose detected the subtlest of scents long driven into the pavement, perhaps years ago. A long lashing tail curved up and back into the tracing line to complete the sleek circuit.
The catlike creature: the Markien, slunk forward in one smooth, graceful movement upon silent paws on cold, weather-beaten stone. It started as a sleek sliding puddle, gliding silently over the stones, then into a rougher polygon of sorts to dash headlong into the nearest alleyway. There, it remained.
As one moon dared venture forth from the clouds, spilling brilliant beams of light that lanced downward to strike the port like spears, another dark shape crept along the fronts of closed shops and docks. This creature wasn’t at all like the port’s earlier nighttime visitor; it walked in jerky movements, hindered by great leathery wings, folded at her sides. The same bat ears stood rigid atop the violet haired head, not troubling themselves with movement at sounds that were not there.
The large bat walked on steadily, continuing her jerky advance in her odd, irregular gait. The wings folded at her side; where her hands were, were used to help plow herself more easily forward like a Neanderthal grinding his knuckles into the earth to move forward like a gorilla. Those wings, the way they folded and stood at her side when the bat was still, like twin dark pillars holding the burnished gates of Hell in place, framed her in a frightening picture of ill omen.
Shinara walked onward, toward a dark alley that she only knew was there by occasionally letting out a sharp shrill whistle that would return in seconds with the picture for her. She knew the cat was there, and she knew that it would probably be sleeping. Shinara had taken long enough, having to walk. The port security was efficient, but not fool-proof. If Shinara flew, she would be caught. If she walked, she would not be caught. Simple and rather effective for airborne enemies, but the port guards had completely disregarded a ground assault or attack.
Now that Shinara was approaching the alley entranceway, the Markien was awake. In silence, she leapt away to blend in with the shadows deeper in the alley.
When the terrifying figure stood before the entrance, silhouetted by fading moonlight as the moon shrunk away fearfully, the Markien stepped forward.
I was not thrilled at having to be here at this hour; on a school night. It took all of my willpower to get my legs to move forward, even though it was still an automatic, awkward shuffle that betrayed my anxiousness.
I slipped from the sash at my waist, a small burlap pouch, that jangled with the sound of coins.
Shinara’s harsh, hissing whisper cut through the air like a whip to lash at my delicate ears. “Were you followed?” was all she asked.
I shook my head, certain that she could see me as well as I could see her.
“Good. Have you got it?”
I nodded this time and set the pouch of coins on the ground before me, lowering myself to all fours in a polite bow that I hoped that she could see. I dared not look up to her face.
When the bat crouched to pick up the pouch and count the coins, she was eyelevel with me; almost. With a careless flick of one claw at the base of one wing, the twine came loose and spilled the glittering garnet coins upon the stones with a clatter. Shinara counted the money silently, and although I did not move my eyes to her face, I watched deft, tiny claws counting the money. When she stopped abruptly, I knew that she had not miscounted.
One boney hand clamped around the back of my neck and I went rigid, but did not make a move to free myself. “You’re short some, kitty,” she hissed angrily, but deceptively calmly. “why?”
I winced as I was lifted off the ground by the scruff of my neck to be face-to-face with the blacke-eyed bat. “Why?” she repeated in my face when she got no reply.
I lowered my ears and eyes and swallowed hard. Whispering, I told her. “I- I didn’t have enough time.”
I cringed again as I expected a swift telling off or a quick beating, or both. Nothing happened. I looked into her now thoughtful face. Suddenly, the fierce grip that held me died, and I fell to the ground. Skillfully, I landed on all four paws in the same position. “Then, perhaps, I should give you more time.” she spoke carefully. I was confused and startled by the bat’s comment. This was not like her, but I asked nothing. “You have until this time tomorrow to get me twice this.”
That was impossible! I opened my mouth to protest, but one bat hand was clamped over my short muzzle, preventing any noise from coming out. “No exceptions.” Shinara hissed dangerously into my face, blood scented breath stinging my nose and eyes.
I found myself pushed backward out the other end of alley by my nose. I backed out of the darkness obediently and into the last ray of moonlight before it vanished completely. With a careful effort, I stood upright on two paws and ran away from the main part of the port as quick as I could.
 Wolf of Winds · Sun Oct 15, 2006 @ 05:46am · 1 Comments |
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