*at the forest*
The bird was sitting on the tree, I threw my knife at it and hit it, it fall to the ground.
"I caught it!!!" I said, "If I'm not mistaken, she should be a cuckoo, they say her feathers are good for arrows."
I opened my notebook and started to draw her, when I finished I plucked her feathers and wrapped her body with a fabric that was laying in my bag. I have to get a bow and arrow for next time.
*at the butcher*
"What has happened to her feathers?" said the butcher and stared at me.
"I untied them for you" I said with a smile "Think of it as a friendly gesture".
He handed me a handful of coins and said "Be careful with your arrogance, it's already gotten you into trouble once."
My smile remained on my face but my eyes stared at him blankly.
"Aww, scary as always" he said...
*at town*
What I earned was enough for a loaf of bread. And I still have some coins left, I can go to Alya and buy from her a bow and some arrows.
"Adam" shouted a boy "Adam", it were Adam and James.
"Little thief" said Mrs Omran, "Who do you think you are?!"
"We just wanted cheese" shouted James, "You shouldn't have hit him so hard!"
Mrs Omren raised her hand and was about to hit James as well, James hugged his older brother and closed his eyes, oh isn't that a nostalgic sight?!
"Wait a second Mrs Omran" I said and stepped in between them, "I will pay for what they took".
Mrs Omran raised her hand and waved it to me as if she say 'pay', I handed her the coins I had left.
"That's enough... you are lucky." said Mrs Omran, "But if I catch them stealing again I-".
"We won't" said Adam with his flashed eye, he took his and James hands to there chest and said, "I promise". Mrs Orman walked back into the delicatessen.
"Why did you stole from Mrs Orman?! do you have a death wish?!" I asked.
"We had no money" said James "And I was hungry so Adam told me he would get us something."
"But why did you decided to steal from Mrs and Mr Omran" I said "You know if she wasn't in a good mood you'd be in bigger troubles and—"
"I know!!!" said Adam "But James was hungry! What was I supposed to do?! Watch him starve?! I can't just sit on the sidelines and watch—"
"You could have hurt yourself!!!" I raised my voice in anger, "Then what would James do?!" I continued, "He's too young to take care of himself!!", they both lowered their heads. I calmed myself down, reached for my bag and gave them my bread.
"Here, take that bread, after all eating only cheese is not tasty".
James looked at Adam waiting for a signal, Adam nodded his head in approval. James approached me, took the piece of bread and said "Thank you Belle".
*at Alya's*
"So you just gave them your bread and paid for their cheese?!" Alya asked while her gaze was focused on the sword she was preparing.
"Yes" I said.
"You're really stupid, you know?!" said Alya while her gaze was turned away from the sword towards me, "Adam is already fourteen years old, he should start finding a job instead of stealing. And James is twelve, he can at least try to find something he's good at and gain some money out of it. It's not your responsibility to look out for them."
"I know but..."
"But what?" Alya said, "Don't tell me you feel bad for them because they looked to you like you and An-"
"Don't say her name!!" I burst out with rage and tears started forming in my eyes.
"Please..." Don't say her name...
"..."
"So why did you come today?" Alya asked and turned back to the sword she was making.
I wiped my tears with my sleave.
"I would like a bow and arrows" I said and took out of my bag the feathers that I had took from the bird, some peeled branches and silk threads from a Coyote Spider .
Alya approached and touched the materials "Not bad, where you got them?".
"I got them myself" I said.
"Nickkkkkk" she shouted and her little brother Nick came running with a big box in his hands.
"Oh hello Iz" Nick said to me.
"Hello, Where you are headed to with this box?" I asked.
"To the warehouse." Said Nick, "Why brought you here?"
"I came to order a bow and some from Alya and to see you both of course. " I replied with a beaming smile as if nothing had happened a few minutes ago.
"Nick why are you blushing?" asked Alya teasingly.
"I do not!!!" Said Nick.
"Yes you are" Said Alya.
I burst out laughing, "good to know Alya is still watching over you?"
"She is not!!! I'm twenty for god sake." said Nick, "I me independent."
"Yeah right" said Alya, "you are too young to take care of yourself"
"Come on Al" said Nick "Iz is taking care of herself"
"Because she has no choice" Alya said to him and looked at me with a pity look.
I didn't look back at her, I hate when she looks at me like that.
Nick immediately went to put his box in the warehouse when he read the atmosphere.
"So when can I come back to get the bow and arrows?" I asked
"It will probably be ready tomorrow morning." Alya said
"Sweet! so tomorrow morning I'll come to pick it up. " I said and walked towards the door.
"Iz" Alya said "you know if you need a place to stay, our door will always be open for you, right?"
"I know" I said with a smile "I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"See y– ho and don't be too much on the streets tomorrow" Alya shouted to me "The royal family is coming and it will be too dangerous for street children to walk around".
"got it Al" I yelled back "Good night!".