Watchers

Wednesday has come around again and I’m happy to present this week’s flash fiction.

Adrel stalked through the alley, leaping over murky, chilly puddles. In the scant light, eyes tracked her movement from the fish pile as she set her paw on the broken crate. They watched but did not advance. Good. Adrel settled in to wait.

Boots thudded down the ally, hitting the puddles she’d dodged. Droplets of frigid water struck her fur splashed to a stop in front of her.

“Gah, the stench,” a voice complained. Even Adrel’s vision couldn’t discern his features in the darkness.

“The stench is why we’re here.” The second shifted his load which groaned pitifully. “It’ll hid the smell for days.” His gagging cough belied his words. “Move, before we’re spotted.”

The first one advanced swinging a shovel as he approached the refuse pile. Hissing greeted his movement. He stepped back from the glowing eyes. “W-why’re the cat-ts w-watching?”

“Because they’re cats.” The second man’s growing irritation was obvious. “Scat.” They darted away from their feast as he dropped his load. The two quickly shifted the pile making an opening and stuffed their offering into it, before exiting the alley as noisily as they had entered it.

Adrel darted from the crate, abandoning her borrowed form as she moved. With human hands, she pulled the bundle from the pile, a man wrapped in cloth which she yanked from his face and recoiled. Blessed, they’d beaten Vendal badly.

Summoning her powers, she seeped healing into his body. He groaned, eyes fluttering. She leaned closely whispering, “Where is the prince?”

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Be sure to check out the other Wednesday Words authors’ take on the prompt.