I reach for a soot blackened kettle hanging above the fireplace.
A mistake.
My fingers immediately let go- I hiss,bringing them close and blew cold air to cool the burn.
"Damn it!"
A minor burn, yet it hurt like hell
The steaming kettle rolls round its base,clanking aganist the hard stone floor.
Steaming.
I give it a quick sniff, savouring its herbal and minty fragrance
"That oughta do it,"
A sigh escapes my lips
I grab the metallic handle- with a rag this time- and carefully pours the concoction into a canteen.
Some spill as bouts of grating-wet coughs interrupt my focus.
My gaze sweeps across the room- No, a stone hovel is more fitting.
Calling it a room would be an overstatement- bearing its current state in mind.
Yet this is where I call 'Home' - it has been for as long as I can remember.
It more of a shack, just with solid stone as its walls.
On my far right, an assortment of herbs hung aganist a metal spike pinned onto the wall.
Next to them lay a bunch of half tanned skins- acrid and stinging to the nose.
The hanging herbs did a great deal in supressing their pungent and choking smell.
Besides from that?
There was nothing noteworthy- save for two beds and a bundle at the corner- Lum's work tools.
Within that said corner bed lay an old man, wheezing as he struggled to sit upright from his back.
I carefully place the canteen at the foot of the bed and move to help the struggling man.
"Ahh" he winces
Resting his back with the head of the bed; his head supported by the stone wall, he gives me a look
~Cough~
"Ptui, The state I'm reduced to!"
He rasps, wiping a smudge of blood laced sputum from the corner of his lips.
I lean over, picking a clay mug at the foot of the bed.
Reaching for the canteen, I pour some of the brew into the mug, shakes to rinse and discard it onto the floor.
The mess is quicky absorbed by the earth.
I refill the mug and extend it to Lum, the old man.
He gives it a sniff, savouring its herbal essence and takes a swig- pausing upon noticing my gaze of 'pity'
"Fret not ...son. I'm already getting bet-"
~halts, and releases a grating Cough, then another, and another soon after~
"See? Its starting to work already!"
He forces out a smile, yet clutching his chest with his free hand, his face suppressing a painful wince.
Unconvinced, I wipe my brows,
Lum's state said all there was to be said; even a blind person could 'see' a man at the end of his rope.
"I'm about to head out."
I intone, whilst refilling the mug, emptying the canteen.
"I have to gather mushrooms...for tonight's meal."
The old ratkin nods, twitching his whiskers.
Gestures at an unlit lantern hung between the beds,
"Take this."
He pauses, noticing my hesitation
A piercing gaze locks onto me.
"Rain, I will not listen to your excuses,"
I sigh, relenting - its not like I would light it anyways- just to make him calm down.
The lantern did nothing my eyes couldn't- and it was tiresome to carry around.
Not to mention broadcast my location to anyone watching.
My eyes were quite decent in the dark- unlike the ratkin who could barely see a few feet beyond their whiskers.
Lum would hear nothing of the sort.
I sigh, draping the unlit latern on my arm- grabing a satchel on my way out.
We both knew the lantern wouldn't be lit.
~~
Lum sighs, releasing the breath he'd been holding, winces- coupled with bouts of coughs.
He stares at Rain receding back, until he disappears into the darkness beyond.
Life had given him a sour lemon-though he wasn't complaining.
"Heh! Serves me right "
He rasps with a self depreciating chuckle
Retrospective- he'd savoured and immersed in his craft with reckless abandon.
These were the consequence of his labour finally catching up to him.
Was it worth it really?
Damaging his lungs for his craft.
Back then, he was a renown craftsman.
Who didn't know Lum- the best leather craftsman to live?
Praises were sung, sonnets composed.
Heck! A city was even named after him.
But now?
He could barely get by... If not for Rain
The kid he took in,many cycles back.
He couldn't help but curse the timing- for he knew...
He knew, deep down- his kin would cast out the boy, as soon as he took his last breath.
~~~~
Outside, it was not as dark as Lum would have us believe- not that far off in his claims nonetheless.
The sky glowed with an etherial green hue- no sight of stars though.
One couldn't hope to catch a glimpse of those here- bearing in mind that Lum's burrow was a subterrenean hold.
A society of ratkin and those brave, or insane enough to live under tonnes of overlying rocks.
Nevertheless, the city carved out a legacy of its own- within solid stone and still thrived.
A blend of ringing bells from merchants advertising their wares, women haggling for produce in the market below, constant clanking of hooves of beasts of burden- all signs of the hustle and bustle of a busy city.
That fact carried weight, considering it was night-time, yet still the numerous activity.
My steps carried my further on, lost in thought.
The city's hum no longer stirred me-desentisized by living within, for as long as I can recall.
Of my origins?
I couldn't begin to imagine.
I have been with Lum for as far back as I can remember.
Him being my father?
Not really.
More of a guardian...our looks vastly contrast.
One wouldn't confuse us for father and son
Heck! He is a ratkin for crying out loud.
As for me?
Well, I don't even know!
Not human, yet close....same skin texture no fur...but thats where the similarities ended.
Hillfolk? Not them either- I had long ears like them yet no more similarities with the elven kin.
I had longer limbs, green eyes aand-
"Oi ! GREYSKIN!"
A high pitched voice yells, almost comically
I pause, lazily looking around- for I recognized the voice
"Well, welll , well!...look what we have here! "
I stare back, resisting the urge to facepalm.
The source of the voice finally showed - after his botched up attempt at being domineering and mysterious.
He steps closer, followed by a group of lackeys- the mutts he 'commanded'
"What did I tell you about showing your filty gray face here...hmm?"
An experated sigh escapes my lips
"Rowan, I'm not in the mood to play your childish games today."
"Frankly, I'm sick and tired of your never-ending antics."
"Childish you say, eh? BOYS ....GET HIM!"
He sics his mutts at me, a smug smile tugging at his lips.
His lackeys-beings the mutts they are-lunged at me.
A sidestep had them tackling empty air.
They yell circling, trying to cut off my escape routes
They re-position, and pounce
Seeing through their motives, I ducked, avoiding their extended arms.
The dodge- almost effortless.
The result of their 'attempt' was nothing close to what they envisioned.
Rowan and his lackeys ended up bumping heads, landing face first onto the stone pavement.
Grunting and groaning .
I barely regard them as I vault over a stall of wares, blend in with the crowd and disappear.
Snarls of anger almost drown out the marketplace noise.
"You can't get one person? Disappointing! "
"How can you claim you are better, yet can't hold down a greyskin, huh?"
Rowan hisses, admonishing his 'incompetent' followers
"He's too fast boss!"
(Sighs)
"He'll come back, Don't embarass me again!"