Great Haven - sup

Your heart pounds as a whirlwind of emotions washes over you, yet you somehow manage to step up and help the injured hiir free herself from the shattered pot. She can stand on her forepaws, but the weight of the round itself applies enough leverage to keep her off balance. Not to mention, it looks incredibly painful.

In between the sounds of each of your labored breaths, she speaks to you a second time. "...Kid, I don't know what possessed you to leave the tower, but if you want to go out with your elders, you're gonna have to play by the rules." She pauses for a second, biting her lip. "...I need you to break the arrow so I can move, but don't pull it out. And be quick, before the archer reloads."

Break the arrow near the base.

Your arms shake as you take the arrow between your teeth, careful not to make the wound worse - it's too thick to break right now, but hiiri have a knack for breaking things. The wood splinters easily as you gnaw, and it's rough on your dry mouth - but in seconds, the fibers are thin enough for you to bend with your arms, and it snaps in two; the lurching motion causes her some visible pain, but she shrugs it off. You barely have time to be impressed. Just then, you hear the heavy thunk of another arrow hitting against stone, missing you both by a generous margin before clattering to the paved ground below. A gust of winter's chilling wind just moments before must have knocked it off course.

See where the archer is.

You look toward the arrow's source, and spot a pair of silhouettes standing guard on the tallest nearby building, though you think only one is an archer. They'll be able to see you on the rooftops... and the ground won't be much help either, as the shopkeepers are doubtlessly well aware of the situation by now, packing up their things as they prepare to defend their product. You're wide open; all you can do is run and hope they don't hit their mark.



Suddenly, your thoughts are interrupted by a snap of the fingers. "You twit, are you even listening to me?" The lump in your throat keeps you from speaking; her voice must have faded into the radio chatter of hiiri talking through the air. "Go to the roof and get inside. Listen to your clanmates - they'll tell you how to get in. And for sky's sake, keep your ears up so you can hear them."

You stare at her blankly, like an untrained pup to its owner. It hurts to keep your eyes open.

"You can't stay here. You need to leave. Now."

You choke. She's frustrated.



She slaps you. "Go home to your mother."


____





The chieftains in Arioch are a lot scarier than the ones back home. But at least they're nicer... sort of.