Thieves
Chapter 12 - No Heroes


In the morning, Sis awoke first. He felt quite relaxed and found himself nestled comfortably into the warm pelts, especially his back was warm. He ran a paw over his face and noticed that Jack's arm was still draped around his midsection. The human, yet asleep, had snuggled himself onto the fox, hence the warm back.

The small window, through which Sis had slipped in last evening, allowed a little light to shine in and lighten the room somewhat. Sis took his companions arm from him and stood, stretched himself and searched for the waterskin. He still had a certain taste in his maw.

He took a sip and looked out of the window, into the narrow street which was still quiet. The sun stood already high in the sky. Sis let Jack snore while he got dressed, he'd rather be undisturbed while he did so.

The cord of his pullover was secured tightly, since the look outside had shown a new layer of snow. The fox hoped, Jack would be generous enough to get him a new set of clothes, once he got hold of some money, or at least a few more pieces for the trip. If not, he knew a good way to convince him, by now. He approached the human and gave his shoulder a shake.

"Hey! Wake up, Jack."

The man grunted and pushed his face into the pillows. Soon after, he started to raise, rubbing his eyes and stretching his arms out. A long yawn escaped him, "Mornin', foxy."

"Don't call me that," Sis reminded him as he passed the canteen over to the human.

Jack took a few sips and eyed the fox over, "Already ready to leave, huh?"

"It's already bright outside," Sis explained, "I thought you said we'd be leaving once we got up? And besides, we'd best not waste any time. Winter's not waiting on us."

"Urgh," Jack grunted as he climbed out of bed, "No need to hurry. I highly doubt we'll be able to leave St. Curson before tomorrow, unless you want to start at nightfall."

As much as Sis had hurried to get his clothes on before Jack woke up, the human had no such desire. As he stood he stretched once more, proudly displaying his maleness as he craned his arms back. The fox couldn't resist looking once more at the little worm between the human's legs. Slack it really didn't gave away much of his actual size. He wondered if he coul-

"'Njoying the view?" Jack interrupted his train of thoughts.

The fox found Jack smiling at him. "Please, put your pants on," he begged, covering his eyes dramatically, "You're so shameless."

The man chuckled as he finally covered himself. Once finished, Jack loaded his backpack and went for the door, while Sis climbed out of the window. The two met again in the side alley and headed for the town's exit. It was still a strange feeling for the fox to walk openly through the streets.

At one point, after a right turn around a corner, Jack produced a fine looking piece of pastry and offered it to the fox. "Here...," he muffled around a bite of a second piece he held in the other hand, "they're still fresh."

"How did you get these?" Sis asked, accepting the biscuit.

Jack took another bite, "Imma fhief, howd'ya fhink I got thefe?"

Sis passed over the comment and ate. It was a sweet, circular biscuit, soft and fluffy, and on top of it, embedded in the dough, was a thin layer of some kind of fruity cream. He couldn't quite identify what it was, but it tasted really good.

The way to St. Curson was indeed rather short. It took them only about two hours until the city came into view.

It consisted of wooden buildings in the outer rims, much like Kononoano did, but in better condition and larger. In the middle, even taller buildings, made of stone, rose up. Two towers, standing a good distance apart, loomed over the city. One seemed to be the god's hall of the city, the other one, though, Sis couldn't quite identify. It looked wider and sturdier, and it had no spire but a flat roof and battlements.

Still a good distance away from the town, Jack stopped and rummaged into his backpack. "What're you doing?" asked Sis.

"Uhrg, you won't like that," he answered as he pulled the rope out, "St. Curson isn't like Kono'. You can't just run around as a short one here."

Sis had a good idea of what Jack had in mind while he made a loop into the rope. He normally wouldn't agree to this, but, as Jack said, they needed to go through the city to get the new equipment and to resupply. But the more important reason why he was willing to do this was, that he trusted the human by now enough to know, that he wouldn't pull anything on him. He took the loop from jack and put it around his neck.

"It won't be for too long," Jack assured him. "Just let me handle the things and behave like a... well, I guess you know how to behave, right?"

"Yeah," Sis snorted and went on.

"First I need to see a contact man. Then we'll be looking for a place to stay," Jack explained as they were heading into the town.

The rim of the city was occupied with its regular inhabitants - big families, the poor, workers and farmers - living a simple life in their clusters of wooden houses. The atmosphere here was much friendlier than in Kononoano. The streets were full of people doing their business, numerous conversations could be heard and kids were playing in the streets.

The look of a stranger and his slave entering the city was nothing new to the people, Sis and Jack got barely noticed. Further into the city, where the muddy gravel streets gradually turned into paved walkways, the more wealthy society could be found. Merchants, with small shops under their apartments, Blacksmiths in their noisy workplaces, saddlers, ropemakers, carpenters, tailors, tanners.... All kinds of people could be found, even some short ones. All of them wore a metal or leather collar and most of them seemed to be rather busy. Many people, with a good running business, who could afford it held a slave or two to do the low duties.

Sis didn't know the place, but it seemed Jack wasn't heading for the town center. They held their general direction and neared a place clear of houses. From the distance the building-free region looked like a square, but once near enough Sis could make out tents, stands and booths. The air was full of smells and noises. Traders cried, praising their goods. Animals cackled and grunted. The fox's fine nose made out the strong smell of fire, damp hay, fresh bread, the scent of hundreds of people and so much more.

As soon as they entered the market area, all kinds of people tried to gain Jacks attention. "Finely woven blankets for the winter," one man shouted, holding up a neatly folded brown wool blanket. A young boy crossed his way, holding out a stack of paper sheets, "News of the day! Direct from the printing press!" he called. "Shovels!" another cried, "Shovels! Winter or summer, snow or sand, those will do the job!"

This continued throughout their whole walk over the place. All Jack had to do to get rid of them was to say 'no interest', or simply ignore them and once they realized he wasn't going to buy anything, they went on to the next person.

At the back of the big market area, behind the general market district, was the slave market. Sis recognized the setting immediately. Stacks of cages of steel upon wagons, filled with the latest hunt's poor victims to be sold. The constant sound of rattling chains in the background. Small pedestals were build, upon which the 'short ones' were presented to the audience, for everyone to see and bid on. The smell was of cold iron, filth and dirt and blood. And the air carried a certain sadness and hopelessness. A cold shiver run down the fox's spine as he and the human entered the slave district.

The role Sis played - the role of a slave - crept into the fox's behavior more naturally than he wanted. His whole features slackened, he tucked his tail in and dropped his ears, his eyes concentrated on the ground before him.

Whenever he saw up he looked into the resigned eyes of slaves sitting in their small cages, barely a cloth to cover themselves, in the freezing winter air. Most tried to stay warm by sticking as close to one another as the iron bars allowed, others just waited. Waited to be sold, or waited to freeze to death. However, the slave traders kept an eye on them to prevent this - a dead slave meant no money.

While Sis couldn't avoid to look at the sight, he remembered the time when he himself was captured and cooped up in one of those cages. His was barely big enough to contain him. He had to remain in a sitting position, with his arms around his legs, for the whole time - several hours! The cage was actually designed to contain kids, but all other cages were full, and so he was put into that one.

The slave market here was much bigger than the small trade post where he got sold to the slave camp in Eesonon. The biggest difference was the way business was done. In the trade post the people sold and bought what they could get, here the slaves were praised like a blanket for the winter, or a shovel for the snow.

"Here, folks, here! This is the best slave you can buy for this price!" A man called into an audience, circling around a wolf in chains, standing on one of the pedestals. "He's been worked in good, won't do you any problems! Here! Look at his muscles," he said lifting the wolf's arm with a stick he held, "Isn't this a strong worker?!"

Just like the traders in the general market district, the slave traders too counted on the direct approach of potential customers. And so Jack was offered countless bargains. "Ah! Good sir, don't you need a second short one? I've got just the right one for you!" one offered. Another tried it the other way around, "Oh my, what a sturdy exemplar of a fox you got there! I'd make you an offer you can't turn down" he promised. Also other goods and services were offered here, as one trader insisted that such a well-kept slave deserved to wear one of his handmade metal collars. And for just a little more he could attach a nameplate with Jack's preferred words, name or insignia on it.

The whole situation made Sis uncomfortable and he got a step closer to Jack.

The human noticed Sis' tenseness and, had he just known the town any better, he wouldn't have taken the way directly through the slave market. He hoped the little fox wouldn't resent it. All he could do now was to go through this place as fast as possible.

After they had left the market area, Jack directed Sis into a more peaceful district of the town, though this region didn't feel any safer. It was - what else - a district occupied by criminals and scoundrels. A rundown place, consisting mostly of bars. And just in one of those Jack sought for his contact man, it seemed.

At the front door Jack halted, "You need to wait here. Short ones ain't allowed inside. I won't take long." And then he went inside.

Sis waited patiently next to the entrance. The rope, he still wore around his neck, seemed enough for all by passers, to identify him as someone's property. For them he was just another slave, waiting dutifully for his master's return.

"What did you want from that contact man?" Sis whispered up to Jack after he had left the bar.

The human scanned the surroundings before answering, "Needed some information for the job tonight." Then he took the rope back in his hand and walked off, Sis in tow.

To get where Jack knew a place to stay could be found, they needed to cross a part of the slave market again, much to his disdain. And so, the slave traders started their game for attention anew. Jack glanced down to the leashed fox. Sis didn't seem to take the bustle well, tail tucked and head down he slouched beside him. No wonder, even to him this place had a bitter taste, and he never had to experience a slave's being. He damned himself again for not taking a better route. However, the situation promised to get much worse soon.

At a narrower way through the market, which Jack chose to get out of the area, a trader approached him. "Wait, sir! I've got just the right fit for your fox there. Here," he yanked a vixen on her metal collar from behind him and presented her to Jack. "She's the best deal I got today! And don't they match perfectly together?" Jack waved his hand in rejection, but the man didn't let himself be stopped, "She can clean, cook, work and once she's bred you'll have a whole bunch o' foxes to sell on your own! It's a win-win-situation! For the both of us!!!"

The vixen, roughly dragged in front of Sis' nose, was a red fox, just like himself. Her fur was, considering the situation she was in, clean and in a good condition. Over it she wore only a long shirt, worn and with holes in it, covering her at least somewhat appropriately. You can say what you want about humans, but at least they're almost always prude enough to provide cover for their slaves' private parts. Not that the gossamer linen shirt would keep her warm in the winter snow, but as long as her owner didn't have to shiver, all was fine.

The little, frightened female dared to take a look at Sis. Her green eyes told of helplessness, sympathetic compassion and of the pain of her past. She had such a beautiful, slender, soft face, it hurt to see this expression on it. She and Sis locked their eyes together for some time. He just couldn't take his gaze from her.

"No interest," Jack said emphatically, finally ending the eager slave trader's efforts. The man pulled the vixen back by the collar and retreated. "Come on," Jack said to Sis and went on.

But Sis stayed. He watched as the fox girl got dragged back and he couldn't do anything. Anything but watch as it happened.

"Come on!" Jack ordered harshly, hoping it would remind the fox of his disguise.

It did not. Sis took a step closer to where the vixen stood just seconds ago. Now he couldn't see her anymore. All that remained of her was the stacks of crates and cages that she had vanished behind. Nothing else.

Jack, in the absence of better options, gave the rope a light tug, then, as Sis still didn't move, another one, firmer this time. If this wouldn't end soon they would raise attention.

Sis felt a tight grip around his neck. He brought his hands up and found a rope slung around his throat. He clawed at it, trying to get it off. He was no slave and no one would make him one again!

"Sis, calm down," Jack spoke and gave the rope a hard pull.

All Sis felt was the sling tightening around his neck. He pushed against it with all his might, but it didn't let go, it only yanked him back. And suddenly everything else rushed in.

All these eyes looking down on him, the smell of rusty iron and filth and dirt, the taste of the cold winter air carrying the sting of smoke. The dark scent of tanned leather, leather used for whips, leather used for collars. The cages, those cold cubes of metal rods, piled up taller than anything else. The humans. Hundreds of them. Hundreds of scents of filthy, shitty humans, spitting down on him, beating him, hurting him. And that rope! That yanking piece of men's work pulling him back into this life.

He couldn't take it anymore. The furious fox clawed and pulled on the rope. He bared his teeth and growled from deep within his chest. He jumped and bucked and tore the rope in every direction.

It had happened. Now they were raising attention. If Jack wouldn't do something quickly, it would be too late to back out of the situation. Already people started gathering around the wild fox. Knowing what to expect for a disobedient slave, they awaited punishment.

Before more people could gather or, even worse, before some guards got attracted to the spectacle, Jack did what he had hoped to prevent.

He gripped the rope tight and with a mighty pull, sent the much smaller fox hurling backwards. He grabbed the leash short and shoved the still fighting fox through the crowd, finally away from the market area. Sis punched and kicked at his friend, but the bigger human had an easy game pushing him further, into a side alley away from prying eyes.

Once ascertained that they were alone, Jack grabbed the struggling fox's shoulders and pushed him against a wall. "Sis! Sis, calm down!" he cried as he shook his eyes open. It finally seemed to work somewhat. "Sis, it's me, Jack. It's okay now."

Once the rope finally released him, a hard shove brought his eyes open and he found himself in a dark place. He drew in a rasped sniff and noticed that the terrifying smells from the slave market were replaced with the cold, wet, moldy smell of old masonry and a smell he knew well. Jack.

The fox finally soothed. As his eyes found their focus again, he started shivering.

Now, that the struggling subsided, Jack reached a hand around the back of Sis' neck and scratched him slowly, "It's okay now, Sis. I'm sorry."

He could hear Jack's voice. He was here. Sis looked up and saw into the human's sympathetic face. "Jack...." he said weakly and felt a teardrop run down his fur. He leaned forward and slumped into him, crying.

Jack caught the fox and held him tight. He felt his tiny paws dig into his sides. The little creature was sobbing bitterly, still not breathing even again, and Jack tried to comfort him and rubbed his back.

"I-it's... jus... jus' so... un-unfair..." Sis wept. The warm hand on his back helped him to calm down. "I-I just saw 'er an'-an' I... I wan'ed to 'elp 'er an'.... Everythin' c-came back an' I could't do nofin' 'bout it..."

Jack hugged his little fox fondly, "I know, foxy, I know. This place is wrong in so many ways. But," he lifted Sis' chin and looked him in his wetted eyes, "we're no heroes. You had luck, that you could escape this life. Many, many people don't have that much luck, but there's nothing we can do about that. You can't help everybody, Sis." The little fox in his arms still sobbed. It hurt to see him so miserable. He took him firmly into his arms, "Don't be sad, foxy. I tell you what: When we're done with the job tonight, got our money from the fence, bought the equipment and still got some money left, then I'll buy that vixen free for you. But stop crying now, foxy. I can't see you crying like this."

Sis sniffed and looked up, "You'd really do that?"

"Yeah. But cheer up now." Sis wiped the tears from his eyes and Jack released him from his grip. "C'mon, we'll look for a place to stay for a while and then you can rest some." Sis sniffed again and placed the rope in Jack's hand.

An old barn, at the outer rim of the city, served as their quarter for the moment. While Sis and Jack hid in the hayloft, the animals beneath made enough noises and had a strong enough scent, that not even short ones would be able to detect them with their keen senses, if they kept quiet. The hayloft offered enough places to hide even if someone would come up there. It was full of dry straw and hay, in heaps and in bound form.

Jack was about to hide the backpack under a thin layer of straw - well hidden, but easy to grab and be gone if necessary. "You wait here," He said. "I'll be gone, checking some last things for the job. I'll be back soon and then it starts at dusk. Stay hidden and make sure no one sees you here. Got that?" Sis nodded and Jack sneaked out of the barn.

Sis was happy that they hadn't to hide down by the animals. Their smell was strong. The hay at least made it bearable. The first thing to do was to search for a good hiding place. A big heap of straw at the front, leaned onto a supporting beam, seemed fitting enough. He shoved some of it aside to form a hole inside then laid some straw to the side to be ready to cover himself. That way he just needed to jump into the heap and cover the hole with some straw, should someone enter. All he had to do now was wait for Jack to return and keep a keen ear pointed towards the barn door.

He thought briefly about the situation at the slave market. He found it stupid, that he got carried away like that, but he couldn't help it. Thanks god Jack was there and got him back. And that vixen.... She was so beautiful. He got sad again as he thought of her in that situation, chained, in the cold and with that mean human. The only hope he got for her, was Jack's promise, that he would buy her free, if enough money was left. IF enough money was left.

He didn't know what kind of job Jack meant and how much it would bring him in. He also didn't know what kind of equipment Jack exactly needed. He remembered him mentioning a tent, and food they'd need too. About the prices of slaves he also wasn't that well informed. He knew, that they were quite expensive, likely more than a tent and provisions, but still, it was a chance for her.

His hopeful calculations were disturbed by movement, he detected just outside the barn door with his perfect hearing. Was Jack already coming back? All scents got drowned by the animals, so he listened closer. ...Talking. No, Jack wouldn't talk, he'd sneak in just as he sneaked out. He heard the barn door swung open and quickly jumped into his hiding place, putting the prepared straw into place. Sis leaned back, against the supporting beam, to prevent the straw from rustling too much.

"Get goin' boys," he heard a voice say, "Ya two feed da beasts, ya clean da shit. Get t' work!"

The next thing he heard was the quiet toddling of little feet, likely paws. That meant, the voice must be a human, and the 'boys' would be slaves. But more importantly: he said feed the beasts. That would bring them up here. And only that he had finished the thought, he heard the paws climb up the creaking ladder.

Now he could only hope to stay uncovered. Jack wasn't here and, even if he were, he couldn't just come in here and pick him up. The only option, should he get detected, was a small window he'd seen just under the hayloft. He would fit through, that he knew, and he had the surprise effect on his side. In the sudden confusion his detection would cause, he could make it. The backpack, though, was another matter, he'd need to leave it behind. Jack would kill him. He would not only be found and have lost Jack's stuff, but they would have a hard time finding a new place to stay, if the guards were looking for a runaway. Not to speak of the job, Jack mentioned. And no job meant no money, which meant he couldn't buy the vixen.

The two sets of paws had reached the hayloft and started working, picking up straw and hay and throwing it down for the animals. The problem was, they were doing it right beside Sis! In that moment he wished he'd build his perfect hiding place further back in the loft.

"Hurry up, boys! Ah ain't got all day," he heard the man below bark at the slaves, whose pace immediately increased. And just as fate would laugh at him, one of the slaves seemed to work in his direction.

All he heard was the rustling become louder and louder as he closed his eyes and prayed for a miracle. It was left unheard. The slave picked up just the same bunch of straw Sis had covered himself with and revealed his head.

He looked into the face of a startled mouse and forced a smile, hoping a fellow sufferer wouldn't give him away. The mouse turned his head, looking for his master and Sis feared the worst. But the rodent turned again and held a finger to his snout. Then he laid the straw back down and moved to another heap, picking up straw and throwing it down like nothing had happened.

The fox's heart had stopped for a moment. And as he realized, that he had been saved, he let out a sigh not even he could hear.

Soon enough the two sets of paws scampered the ladder down again. Nevertheless he kept ready to leap out of the window at every given second. Chances were, that the mouse would tell the human about his found.

Once again luck was on his side. A few minutes more and the busy movement below eased off and soon the barn was empty again. He still waited another minute, before he left his hideout.

Jack came back only a few minutes later. It was already dusk outside, so Sis knew he would go on his 'job' soon.

"Okay, I'm done with prepping," Jack said as he pulled the backpack out of the straw. "You sure no one saw you?"

"Yeah," Sis answered, though he really shouldn't keep the incident from him, "except that one slave saw me."

"What? When?!" he panicked.

"Just a few minutes ago," Sis explained. "But it's alright. He didn't give me away."

"We gotta go. Now!"

"B-but what's wrong?" Sis asked while Jack already had his backpack on his back and made ready to leave.

"Listen," Jack spoke, "the city isn't like some small village where the slaves don't betray each other. In this place, everyone just thinks of their own. And if that guy could take advantage out of giving you away, he will do it. In fact, I believe he already did, so get going. It's either way best not to take the risk."

"Okay, okay. But I don't think...," in that moment the fox's keen ears heard something.

"What is it?" Jack demanded.

"There's someone outside," he whispered. "I guess they're coming in."

"How many?"

Sis listened closer, "Three at least."

"Great," Jack sighed as he searched for something in his bag. He protruded a little ball of bound up paper, it seemed, and his matchbox. He lit a match and ignited a fuse, poking out of the ball. The fuse sizzled and Jack threw the ball towards the barn door. Immediately a dark smoke cloud emitted from the ball, quickly obscuring the entrance.

Jack extinguished the match and grabbed Sis' hand. "Hurry now!" he said as he dragged him down the hayloft and to the door, which must have been open by now, considering the coughing behind the smoke. Sis held firmly onto the human's hand while Jack pushed through the smoke, past the humans in front of the door and then they were running in the open, dark air to find a back alley to hide in.

The men, first startled by the smoke bomb, soon chased after them, but with Sis' accurate hearing they managed to escape them easily.

Out of breath the two leaned against a wall and had a breather. While Sis heard into the streets, which were quite empty at this hour, for potential pursuers, Jack only laughed, "Hahaha! Oh damned, that was tight. Haha, Wish I could have seen their faces when the bomb went up."

"Where in the hell did you get smoke bombs anyway?" Sis wanted to know.

"Once, I almost got caught by someone who used them. And I realized that these things would come in handy, should I need to get out of somewhere without being seen, one day. So I was looking for someone who could make them," Jack explained.

"So," Sis asked, "what do we do now?"

Jack took a gauging look into the sky, "It's about time we start doing business."

"'We'? You don't expect me to take part in your criminal activities, do you?"

"I do," Jack confirmed.

"I told you before that I'm not a thief," Sis clarified. "I don't want anything to do with this. I won't steal from others."

Jack looked over the pouting fox, "Just what kind of thief do you think I am? I ain't no pickpocket, foxy. I only take from those who can afford it. And tonight's 'customer' sure can."

"It's still not right," Sis defended.

"'Not right'?! What about what this people did to you? Was that right?" The fox flinched. "Look at it that way: you can finally pay them back for the things they did to you. I ain't no saint, I know that, but these people are far worse. You'd merely endanger their existence anyway. This could hardly be described as a crime. And also," he added, "I could use that fine ears of yours."

"So... those guys we'd be stealing from... they keep slaves, yeah?"

Jack nodded.

It was actually quite ironic. He'd have to steal from one slave keeper, to buy a slave from another one. He smiled as he thought of the vixen. He had to do it, for her. Without this job they wouldn't be able to buy her free. "Okay," Sis complied, "I'll do it."

"Good," Jack remarked, "but since you chased us out of our hideout, we'll need to improvise some."

Sis followed Jack into a narrow, dark lane. Without windows, doors, or much space for that matter, it was barely more than a gap between two houses. Now Jack put down his backpack and went through his stuff. "Here take that," he said and handed the woolen blanket to Sis. Than he took a few of the tools from it and stored them in the bag he always wore with him. The backpack was shoved into the darkest corner and Jack led the way, "We won't travel the big streets, and it's dark anyways, so I guess we can leave the rope. Just stay close."

Sis nodded and followed him out of the gap. "Is it smart to leave the backpack behind?" he asked.

Jack waved a hand, "Ah, no one's gonna find it, and we need to be light and silent. And besides, it's nothing in there we wouldn't be able to replace tomorrow. Now come on and be quiet, foxy. We've got a job to do."

Sis rolled his eyes at the nickname Jack seemed so fond of for him. Then both disappeared into the dark streets.
