[Amanaduial the archer]

Motioning for Telson to follow, Callath turned to Adeline, patting her gently on the arm and leaving it there for a second, smiling encouragingly and giving her a faint wink. "Good luck, Adeline - not that you'll need it of course." Nodding to her, he paused to murmur in Calnan's ear as he left.

"And I'll be needing a wee word with you later, Cal." The attache grinned in return, mirroring Callath by raising an eyebrow as the stable-hand left, followed by Telson.

~*~

As they left the Snifter and Song, all three of the boys were feeling much less ominous than before, pleasure of the fine food and drink of the Inn. Callath began to whistle quietly between his teeth, his eyes turned towards the stars of the clear night as he walked, when Calnan interrupted his reverie.

"I don't know why we're walking back. Why don't we find a carriage or something?"

Callath grinned at him. "Why, then I wouldn't be able to question you about your sudden and expansive knowledge of breaking and entering, master Calnan!"

The attache adopted an expression of mock-innocence and hurt and Devon laughed before replying to Calnan's comment with a sigh. "Anyway, what are the odds that we're going to find one tonight, especially with the new laws?" Devon said.

The familiar sound of a horse's neigh and hooves made all three spin around, startled. Devon looked delighted, if surprised and Calnan raised his eyes skywards, tipping his forehead with a finger jokily. Callath grinned at his friend's gesture, but behind his relief, the stable-hand's street sense was moving. Something didn't seem right...it was all a bit too neat...

But Devon didn't appear to have any reservations, raising a hand as he stepped out into the road, making to carriage slow to a halt, and addressed the glum looking, heavily wrapped individual at the reins. When the man assented to giving them a ride, he beckoned his friends and jumped aboard, followed by Calnan. With a shrug, high on the cool calm of the night, Callath followed...

The man's fist struck Devon's chin with such force that Callath and Calnan couldn't move for a second, so startled they were, and it was a moment that cost them dearly - the struggle was brief. Callath went down fighting, a hand over his mouth and a fist against his jaw silencing him finally...

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 4:46 PM December 21, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]