Joseph never thought to hold the child too tightly, the amount of slack in his arm as he shifted on his feet was more than apparent. Children weren't a threat, he thought. Though like plenty of the man's underestimations, it was a damning one. Not even a second after his string of mockery and questions, he was jolted at the shoulder as the child jumped. A runner, surely, he barely had time to think. If a child had one talent, it was escaping the clutches of another. His hand snatched downwards to try to catch the slippery boy, but only pawed through the air. [color=6ecff6]"Little--"[/color]

And [b]thump[/b], the boy ran straight into him. Ha! A novice and a fussock, he thought at first, before an entirely different assessment came about as he felt arms wrap around his waist. The gall of the lad! To try with him, right here? For a moment, he stood rigid upright, arms raised as if somebody had just poured a bucket of ice water down his shirt. He admittedly didn't have an immediate reaction for a move so brazen, but he'd long got the idea in his head that this boy was a thief, no question. [color=6ecff6]"Hey--Hey! Off off off!"[/color] And his arms descended, aiming to pry between himself and the child's arms in a wild attempt to dislodge him. Without thinking, the man might have given more push than necessary, though likely not enough to topple the boy. 

Just what sort of game was this lad playing? Should he have pried the child away, his hands, in a routine that looked just a bit too practiced, darted around his waistline, touching at every little trinket, oddity, or pouch that laid along the leather belt there. Coinpurse, check. Sword, check. Everything was bizarrely in place, and he looked upon the boy with an apparent sense of perplexion, though he kept his hands protectively at his waist, apprehensive. He gave Piper a bewildered look-- Definitely not the first one she'd seen from him, though snapped back to the child quickly after. [color=6ecff6]"If this is a game, then neither'a us are playing!"[/color] His tone held let off uncertainty, though with a blink and a shake of his head, he cut to the chase. [color=6ecff6]"None'a that. Think you owe the two'a us an explanation. And make it good, guards ain't kind t' thieves."[/color] 

[@Ryciera] [@Strafe]