In the bustling streets, of a city he didn't know the name of, Reilis stood in a darkened corner next to a building, staring intently at a blank wall. There were plenty of onlookers watching the creature, whispering curiosities of what he could be doing. He ignored the muttering and chatter of any passerby. Reilis' long ears twitched as he grew in frustration. His paw tapped the ground impatiently as he waited. He finally broke his silence and startled a few of the people watching.
"SEROS! Seriously. Are you ever going to come out of your shadowy place? It's getting really boring out here and we're drawing a crowd." The pale yellow foxling crinkled his nose as he plopped on the ground. If he was going to have to wait on his friend, he was going to be comfy, despite everyone watching their every move.
"I can't! There's too many of them." The shadows spoke from every direction, further frightening the onlookers. They couldn't tell where the source was coming from. Reilis, however, did not move. He grit his teeth and thrust his hands towards the wall. "Seros, if I could pull you out of there, I would do it in a heartbeat. Now, come on! We're not going to get anywhere if crowds scare you. Besides, there's only..." He paused, turned around, and counted the villagers who stood there, nearly quivering. "A dozen of them. Most of them ran or moved on a while ago. Now get your shadowy ass out of that wall so we can leave! You're making me scare people!"
"Really? I think they're nervous because you're yelling at a wall." The shadow retorted.
"SEROS."
"Fine! Fine. Alright, you win." A dark face appeared in the wall, causing a few people to faint, as a body crawled out from the shadowy slate. It was a second foxling. He was dark as the night and the complete opposite of his angered friend. A scream went from among the villagers, causing the two of them to stand on edge. "THIEVES!" Cried the woman who screamed, attracting attention to the scene as she pointed to them both. The multiple beats of hooves hammered the pavement soon after as three guards made their way towards the source.
"We should leave." Seros stammered as he took a step back from the noise.
"You think?!" Reilis answered as his long legs took him on a heavy sprint through a mass of people. Seros took after him without a second thought.
"Why did you have to hide in the shadows anyway?! You know that attracts attention!" Reilis panted. "We REALLY need to strengthen your bravery! Honestly! What would you do if you couldn't find a shadow to hide in?!" The pale yellow foxling turned his head back for a second to give a scolding face full of disappointment.
"I know! I know, okay?! I just-" Seros stopped mid-sentence as an older gentleman with a pushcart wheeled out a mere few feet in front of them. "Watch out!"
It was too late. Reilis' leg caught the side of the cart at full speed, sending him spiraling over it and landing hard on the path a few feet behind. Laying there in a daze, he groaned as the wind tried catching up with him. Seros turned face and saw the guards drawing closer. They didn't have time for this! He leaped over the, now turned over, cart and grabbed his comrade, covering him with his body as he quickly glanced for shadows that would fit them both. It was a long stretch, but he located one a few dozen yards away. He held tightly onto his winded companion and bolted as fast as his thin legs could carry them.
The guards shouted something and an arrow shot forth, nearly hitting them in the line of fire. Seros made sure Reilis' head was covered and dove for the shadow, headfirst, forcing them to both disappear from view. The guards stopped where the foxlings disappeared, dumbfounded at what happened. The leader of the three sent his followers in opposite directions. He was dead set on catching those suspicious creatures, though they would never be found.
After several minutes of traveling through the darkness, Seros burst out from a shadow covered spot of earth. They were well beyond the city limits now, and certainly shouldn't have been followed. There was another city they couldn't go back to because of people portraying the skittish character as a thief. He set Reilis on the ground and fell back next to his friend.
"Why didn't you think of that the first time?" Reilis wheezed, not bothering to sit up any time soon.
"Honestly? I didn't think it would work. I've never taken anyone into shadow with me before."
That made Reilis twitch. "You mean...you ran me skull-first into a wall with you...and you didn't even know if it would work?!"
Seros looked at him nervously. "Pretty much. But it worked! And we're out of there now! I don't think I could do it with a bunch of people, though. I mean, I spent enough energy trying to pull just you through. Other people aren't meant to swim through shadows."
The two of them just laid there, catching their breath for a while and enjoying the breeze brought by fresh air. Reilis' ears perked. He heard something. It was a voice. A lovely, womanly voice. He swiveled his head towards his friend. "Seros. Did you hear that?"
The black foxling was already sitting up, ears on end. "I did." He reviewed what the words had said and turned his turquoise eyes towards his golden comrade. "Should we follow it?"
Reilis nodded gently. "You bet." He tried pushing himself up, but only made a few inches before falling back to the ground. "But...a little later."
"SEROS! Seriously. Are you ever going to come out of your shadowy place? It's getting really boring out here and we're drawing a crowd." The pale yellow foxling crinkled his nose as he plopped on the ground. If he was going to have to wait on his friend, he was going to be comfy, despite everyone watching their every move.
"I can't! There's too many of them." The shadows spoke from every direction, further frightening the onlookers. They couldn't tell where the source was coming from. Reilis, however, did not move. He grit his teeth and thrust his hands towards the wall. "Seros, if I could pull you out of there, I would do it in a heartbeat. Now, come on! We're not going to get anywhere if crowds scare you. Besides, there's only..." He paused, turned around, and counted the villagers who stood there, nearly quivering. "A dozen of them. Most of them ran or moved on a while ago. Now get your shadowy ass out of that wall so we can leave! You're making me scare people!"
"Really? I think they're nervous because you're yelling at a wall." The shadow retorted.
"SEROS."
"Fine! Fine. Alright, you win." A dark face appeared in the wall, causing a few people to faint, as a body crawled out from the shadowy slate. It was a second foxling. He was dark as the night and the complete opposite of his angered friend. A scream went from among the villagers, causing the two of them to stand on edge. "THIEVES!" Cried the woman who screamed, attracting attention to the scene as she pointed to them both. The multiple beats of hooves hammered the pavement soon after as three guards made their way towards the source.
"We should leave." Seros stammered as he took a step back from the noise.
"You think?!" Reilis answered as his long legs took him on a heavy sprint through a mass of people. Seros took after him without a second thought.
"Why did you have to hide in the shadows anyway?! You know that attracts attention!" Reilis panted. "We REALLY need to strengthen your bravery! Honestly! What would you do if you couldn't find a shadow to hide in?!" The pale yellow foxling turned his head back for a second to give a scolding face full of disappointment.
"I know! I know, okay?! I just-" Seros stopped mid-sentence as an older gentleman with a pushcart wheeled out a mere few feet in front of them. "Watch out!"
It was too late. Reilis' leg caught the side of the cart at full speed, sending him spiraling over it and landing hard on the path a few feet behind. Laying there in a daze, he groaned as the wind tried catching up with him. Seros turned face and saw the guards drawing closer. They didn't have time for this! He leaped over the, now turned over, cart and grabbed his comrade, covering him with his body as he quickly glanced for shadows that would fit them both. It was a long stretch, but he located one a few dozen yards away. He held tightly onto his winded companion and bolted as fast as his thin legs could carry them.
The guards shouted something and an arrow shot forth, nearly hitting them in the line of fire. Seros made sure Reilis' head was covered and dove for the shadow, headfirst, forcing them to both disappear from view. The guards stopped where the foxlings disappeared, dumbfounded at what happened. The leader of the three sent his followers in opposite directions. He was dead set on catching those suspicious creatures, though they would never be found.
After several minutes of traveling through the darkness, Seros burst out from a shadow covered spot of earth. They were well beyond the city limits now, and certainly shouldn't have been followed. There was another city they couldn't go back to because of people portraying the skittish character as a thief. He set Reilis on the ground and fell back next to his friend.
"Why didn't you think of that the first time?" Reilis wheezed, not bothering to sit up any time soon.
"Honestly? I didn't think it would work. I've never taken anyone into shadow with me before."
That made Reilis twitch. "You mean...you ran me skull-first into a wall with you...and you didn't even know if it would work?!"
Seros looked at him nervously. "Pretty much. But it worked! And we're out of there now! I don't think I could do it with a bunch of people, though. I mean, I spent enough energy trying to pull just you through. Other people aren't meant to swim through shadows."
The two of them just laid there, catching their breath for a while and enjoying the breeze brought by fresh air. Reilis' ears perked. He heard something. It was a voice. A lovely, womanly voice. He swiveled his head towards his friend. "Seros. Did you hear that?"
The black foxling was already sitting up, ears on end. "I did." He reviewed what the words had said and turned his turquoise eyes towards his golden comrade. "Should we follow it?"
Reilis nodded gently. "You bet." He tried pushing himself up, but only made a few inches before falling back to the ground. "But...a little later."