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His cries of pain mingled with the sound of gurgling his blood echoed in the confined space. The silver badge that once symbolized honor now gleamed with bitter sorrow as Hans crumpled to the stone-cold ground, his life extinguished.
Blood that appeared black in the lack of light ebbed from his body, thickening in his fur, filling his mouth, and drenching his fangs. His red eyes dimmed as his life force faded, remaining blankly open.
Kieran felt a surge of anger and sorrow. Hans' sacrifice for truth was met with a savage response, a stark reminder of the ruthless undercurrents that pulsed beneath the veneer of order in Dawnbreak. As the lifeblood of the slain guard stained the cobblestones, Kieran clutched his dagger, torn between a desire for justice and the necessity to keep moving for the sake of his quest.
As much as it angered him to let these evil pieces of horse dung go without punishment, he knew it was the right choice; he was outnumbered and was responsible for Tessa’s safety. Before he was seen, he backed away from the scene, and when out of earshot he burst away at high speed toward where his temporary companion was hidden among the lumber.
Kieran gripped Tessa's arm, pulling her away from the gruesome place; she remained quiet, knowing better than to give away their position, but he could tell that she was very afraid. The scent of the murder lingered in the air, metallic and sodden.
They moved swiftly through the outskirts, away from the city's heart where corruption festered like a wound. The minty blue fox’s mind was a tempest of conflicting emotions, a tsunami of unanswered questions.
The bounty hunter and the starry girl made their way hurriedly out of the city.
As they reached a rocky sanctuary on the plains, Kieran couldn't shake the image of Hans’ lifeless eyes from his mind. Once he felt they were far enough into the plains to not be watched or overheard by any sapient threat, he turned to Tessa, his voice carrying the weight of their grim reality.
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“The guards of Dawnbreak are corrupt. They just killed their own for finding out the truth, that they let Malachai escape,” he said with heaviness.
Tessa covered her mouth in shock, very upset by this news. "What do we do now?" she asked, her voice steady but with an underlying tremor.
Kieran put his hand on her shoulder, attempting to give the star fox comfort. “Stay out here for a bit, then come up with a plan going forward.”
Tessa nodded, loosening up a bit, clearly feeling at least somewhat safe with the minty fox around to guard her. “I’ll follow your lead… but, please, let’s hurry up and get to a hiding place, I hate being out in the open when such threats are around.”
Kieran took her hand and led her through the dewy plains grass toward the dark gray rocky terrain on the horizon. There they’d make a home, for now, in a place that was unlikely to be sought out by undesirables.
Kieran's knowledge of the natural world and survival skills drove them to a secluded spot, nestled amidst the craggy formations.
It would provide enough cover to keep them both hidden, but it also would shelter them from the elements. The rocks were a shade of blue-gray under the black sky, its texture, and details, muted in the cover of night.
Kieran and Tessa set to work under the big outcropping, efficiently assembling his tent; they didn’t need it, but comfort was well appreciated where possible. It would provide them with an additional layer of privacy, too, which Kieran assumed was important to Tessa as a woman… especially one staying with a man she was not romantically involved with at all.
The ground was a mix of rock and dirt, so they chose a spot with the most dirt to put up the tent.
Kieran reached into his bag and pulled out a blanket, handing it to the blue star fox. “Here. Sleep inside.”
Tessa took it, feeling its softness. She looked at him gratefully. “Thanks. You really are a gentleman.”
To be honest, Kieran hadn’t spent much time around women in his life. He was completely unused to this whole “gentleman” thing, but he was acting on instinct alone. A woman needed a comfy place to stay, and protection by a strong man… any man, it didn’t matter.
“I try,” he said, facing away, busying himself with the set up of his own bed outside the tent.
Kieran didn’t know if he was attracted to her particularly, or if he was simply just feeling a sense of primal duty which was leading him to feel attracted solely because she was a female. He hadn’t seen or interacted with a girl in months, at least, before arriving in the Highland Plains city of Dawnbreak.
This was natural for a guy, either way, but he chose to ignore it. The minty fox had to keep this professional, for one, and as nice as mating would be after the stress he’d gone through the past couple of days Tessa was not the right choice… not after what she had just experienced, and certainly not after what she’d said in the coffee shop.
She did not fully trust him, which was completely understandable, so he needed to show her he was a good man.