Rothenburg's Streets

Falling down from the sidewalk's border she had been busy balancing on, Juniper held her stomach with both hands. The strange feeling of uneasiness was still very present in her, and it showed no sign of receding. It was far form the only thing upsetting her stomach, though. Hunger, she was used to.

She looked up at the plaza she had just arrived in. In the middle of the day, it was so full of life. People of different social classes were just walking around, minding their own business. The richer were shopping for quality fabric, others for food. It was as if everything was normal, probably as it used to be before. 

By this time, everyone knew of the city's 'scourge'. Early in the evening, streets were emptied almost completely. Only a few souls walked the streets at night, and those were mostly her own people - those with nowhere to call home but the street - guards, a few souls braver than most and drunkards. Also, Hunters. As far as Juniper understood, they had been appointed by the King to see to the problem they had. No one knew exactly what was going on, but the small people were not blind. Rumours circulated. Vile things stalked the nights, killing loved ones, abducting children and all manner of evil deeds. Such were the rumours, anyway. 

As the day went by, she kept wandering the streets of the city seeking anyone willing to let her give them a hand in exchange for food, clothing or anything of the sort. Since heavy manual labours were too much for her, she usually received most of her stuff from people pitying her and gifting the child with what few they could dispossess themselves. It did not sit well with Juniper, but it was better than stealing - which she refused to do. 

At some point in the late afternoon, as she was sitting down at the entrance of an alley close to the street, she witnessed a group of uncommon looking persons walking towards one of the gate of the city. By the look of the populace who witnessed the same thing, she guessed as to who it might have been - especially since they left as the sun was setting. Hunters, most likely. 

Her eyes fell upon their attire and weapons, and the feeling within her suddenly doubled. It felt as a needle in her body, but it couldn't be described as painful. A sort of Phantom Feeling, something she could not describe. The macabre scenery of a few days ago resurfaced in her mind, and she brought her knees up upon her chest in an subconscious effort to hide from it. 

[i]Just what had happened that night?[/i]