Back in Town! (Phazzy, Faizah)

[stealthy]

It had been weeks since Nyx last walked among these streets. Leisurely, she wandered among the houses and shops, nodding to the people she passed, her brown cloak flapping behind her. There was no danger here, no need to glance over ones shoulder every few seconds to make sure that rustle in the bushes isn't a bear.

The girl stopped in the shade of a building, and leaned against the cool stones. Her blue-green eyes turned towards the mountainous peaks that loomed over the village, and she couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't out there as usual.

[PhazonDragon]

The weyr’s now normal lock-down mode didn’t stop the historian from heading into town. He technically wasn’t a part of the weyr, and thus didn’t have the same restrictions as a weyrling or rider, but the German was always self-conscious of this fact as he watched the weyr from the rear-view mirror of his car. And at the same time, he wondered how anyone could live being cooped up in one place. Surely, if Rafael was any proof, one would get annoyed with their surroundings.

On the road, Rafael shrugged. He didn’t have much of a say in the matter of the weyr. He was just there because of all the ‘pretty old scrolls’ and books that wonderfully portrayed Pernese history. It was hard to believe that humans had really gone that far away, and somehow made it back. Rafael’s eyes glassed over as he thought about this, but his instinct and reflexes kept him on the road until he drove into town. The bookstore was calling, he could feel it.

The car’s passenger seat suddenly chirped, and Rafael looked down at the pale headed Totenkopf--briefly. The brown fire lizard tilted his head at the historian, opening his mouth. The greedy little thing was hungry... Again. “Hold on, Totenkopf,” he said, taking one hand off of the steering wheel to scratch at the flitter’s chin. “I just want to take a few minutes to look at some novels, then we’ll head back, and I’ll feed you.” Ignoring the fire lizard for a moment, Rafael parked the car alongside the road, and proceeded to try and stuff the brown into his bag.

“I can’t leave you alone, just so you know... You’re coming with me. Now stop complaining. I’ll feed you...” the German pleaded, sending soothing thoughts to the tiny creature. Totenkopf protested, but the mention of food persuaded the flitter to be quiet. Satisfied, Rafael slung the messenger bad around his shoulders, and stepped out of the car, wary of drivers passing him on the street. He crossed onto the sidewalk, and glanced around for the bookstore.

There it was, just a few stores down. He nodded, and started walking, all the while keeping a hand on his bag to make sure Totenkopf didn’t turn around and try to sneak out to explore the town. Not that he would ever disappear like that, but... With a scowl, the historian glanced down at the bag. Totenkopf’s marked head was peeking out of the bag, and the brown crooned softly at the German, as if satisfied with his current position.

“Bad Totenkopf!” Rafael muttered, his hand instantly shooting down to push the flitter back into the pocket. He sincerely hoped that no one, other than him, saw that odd creature hiding in his personal possessions.

[stealthy]

Nyx's attention shifted from the mountains to the car that came rattling down the road. The loud roar of the engines had always annoyed her, for it easily drowned out other sounds. Had the car been slightly less loud, the hunter would have heard the chirp that came from within.

Nyx's eyes idly followed the historian as he left his car and began walking towards the bookstore, which lay across from where she was standing. She gave no thought to the fact that he was careful to keep his hand on his bag, until a little head popped out. She leaned forward, her sharp eyes picking out the creature among the fabric of the bag. It looked like a miniature of the great dragons that lived in the mountains.

After glancing swiftly to the right and left, Nyx crossed the street. Half way across, she slowed her pace just slightly so that she would arrive only a heartbeat before the man did.

[FaizahPandora]

Ammon walked down the street towards thd book store. He had already been to the post office, where Anubis disappeared between from Ammon's truck. Now he had parked a ways up the road on his way to pick up thd novel he had ordered weeks ago.

He spotted Rafael ahead of him. No doubt the historians brown was in that bag. The retired military man remembered when he had Impressed his own brown. Thankfully Anubis was much calmer.

[PhazonDragon]

Distracted by the irritating brown flitter (that he had accidentally bonded to, none the less), Rafael didn’t notice the figure that crossed the street, intent on reaching him. Rafael’s mind was divided between reaching the bookstore, and keeping the fire lizard hidden. That was definitely a bad idea. He should have left Totenkopf behind... Frowning, the German reached the bookstore with little protest from the fire lizard, apart from the fact that he nipped at Rafael’s finger, at which Rafael scowled. Moving his free hand, the historian pulled open the door and stepped into the familiar store.

Passing the cashier, Rafael lifted his hand in a friendly wave towards the employees. He was nearly a regular here, by now, with how close it was to the weyr, and how often he visited Rocky. “Evening!” Rafael grinned, hand still working to keep Totenkopf from peeking out again. Once the German was safely in the aisles among the shelves of books, he risked checking on Totenkopf. Taking a look around both ends of the aisle, the historian confirmed that there was no one around before he slightly opened his messenger bag. “Totenkopf,” he reached into the bag and stroked the fire lizard’s pale head, “Good boy.”

The flitter opened his mouth without a sound, willing to cooperate now that Rafael acknowledged him, and the fact that he was going to be fed for putting up with this. “Just a couple more minutes, okay? You know I couldn’t leave you behind in there,” Rafael finished in a low whisper, unable to be heard by anyone else but himself and Totenkopf, and started to close the bag once more. The sounds of the door opening made Rafael’s head jerk upwards. He glanced around. Still no one else near him, he was sure, not to mention that no one followed him into the bookstore.

Rafael nodded and slipped out of the aisle, now noticing that it was full of cook books. Oh. Odd. He definitely wouldn’t go there for one, but that fact that he choose that location made him chuckle. But now, on to the history section... His feet knew the way, and Rafael was lost in his thoughts once more as he walked between the shelves, and made his way to the historical fiction. He already owned and read a number of these, but occasionally there was a new release that caught his eye.

[stealthy]

Having entered the shop about a minute after the historian, so as not to arise suspicion, Nyx was unsure where the man had gone. She weaved weaved through the aisles for some time, and then saw him turning into the section on History books.

As discretely as she could manage, Nyx followed. She kept stopping at random intervals, and feigning interest in the books before her. Every now and again she would remove a book from its place on the shelf, open it, and scan over the first page. Little by little, she made her way closer to Rafael.

Although she kept her body turned towards the shelves, her eyes kept darting to the side. She absorbed all the information that presented itself to her, but mostly she concentrated on the bag. Any movement, whether it was caused by the creature within or the man shifting his position, attracted her attention.

[FaizahPandora]

Ammon walked in behind the woman, chills breaking out along his arms. He glanced at the girls before him. There was something off about her. And did she seem... Almost too still and watchful? Yes. That was what was wrong about her. Ammon was sure of it.

He sent an image of the girl to Anubis, asking the brown to quietly follow after her. The brown appeared on the bookshelf right above her head, keeping himself hidden from her. Anubis knew the need for secrecy. And the last thing Ammon needed was Faizah skinning his back about his brown being spotted.