Chapter 17: Spark of Imagination
Chapter 17: Spark of Imagination
The next morning.
Renno wakes up and rolls over. The mat where Minetz normally sleeps is empty. He sits up and stretches. Downstairs a cold but liquid bowl of vegetable soup sits on the workbench accompanied by a note. He expects to gain little from it. '_Renno.'_His name scribbled in Minetz's handwriting.
"Kyra?" Renno calls out.
Her corner is empty.
Where is everyone?_He opens the door to the back alley. The stars twinkle through the thin smoke left by torches and fireplaces. _At least the weather may be nice today.
Nervously he walks the streets to the square. The Anorans act around him like they normally do generally ignoring him. A few seem to a little more curious. One woman, in particular, he recognizes from before. He catches her looking at him from across the street her curiosity getting the better of her. Once caught she quickly averts her eyes minding her own business.
In the square a group of Anorans making their way from one of the smokestacks towards the fountain. An Ieza jumps up on one of the stone benches near the fountain. Nervously Renno approaches the group. The Ieza standing on the crate has not yet begun to address his audience. As Renno joins them the men step away from him and look him up and down. Not with any sort of contempt just curious their gaze seems to tell him everything he needs to know. 'What is this thing, and why is it here?'
The Ieza on the crate is a young adult maybe only 16 to17 years old. Renno isn't sure. He hasn't quite formed the capacity to judge Anoran features yet. Renno gets as close as he comfortably can to the group and the fountain enjoying the warm steamy air while he can.
The Ieza on the bench begins to talk. "Okay, let's see, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen... Alright, that's good I think. Give me groups of three."
Murmurs spread as the Anorans sort themselves accordingly.
"Excuse me." Renno's voice barely penetrates the air. He tries a second time with more confidence. "Hello. Sir?"
The Ieza looks down at him. "Yeah?"
He speaks up as clearly as he can. "I'm here to help, Keeta sent me."
The young Ieza drops his face into his paws and shakes his head. "Of course she did." After his theatrics, he adds. "Okay well, then what? Can you climb."
"Yes." Renno nods.
"Can you break ice?"
Renno turns his paws pad up. "What with my paws alone?"
The Ieza responds in a friendly but disapproving tone. "No, what are you stupid? With a hammer."
Renno. "Right, well, I don't have a hammer but I'm sure I can get the job done."
"Let's have at it then show me." the Ieza takes the hammer off his belt and tosses it to Renno. "Up that tree over there."
The group of workers have turned their attention to Renno now making him feel uncomfortable.
Renno turns around and looks behind him. A pine tree weighted down by ice its branches sagging. The steam of the fountain doing its worst. Here goes nothing. He briskly walks across the square. Once at the base of the tree he re-ties his pawns, puts the wooden handle of the hammer firmly in his sharp teeth and looks up to the top of the tree. I can do this.
The little Pine Marten leaps into the lower branches. He claws into the bark where he can and scurries his way up the tree. Ice and snow batter him in the face as he climbs but he closes his eyes. His fur helps protect his face and a mental map of the branches made with the occasional blink helps him quickly reach the top. The entire act takes him seconds.
Once perched at the summit of the tree he takes the hammer out of his hand and begins to hammer away. The ice breaks off in clumps. Below he can hear shouting.
"Don't break the ice off the bristles, you don't wanna kill it understand?" The Ieza holds up a block of frozen pine needles that fell out of the tree.
Renno nods and continues to work. He makes quick progress able to hold on easily to branches with his paws able to wrap tightly around them and hold with his claws. Then as all seems to be going well the hammer slips from his fingers. Out of instinct, he lets go of the branch falling a few feet, he catches the hammer as it bounces off one of the branches. He grabs tight with a single paw and is able to hold on to the tree. A few seconds later he's back in a position working on the ice like nothing happened.
Once finished he drops down to the ground. "Well, how did I do?"
The Ieza smiles and grabs Renno around the shoulders. "I think we found a new crewman what do you say, boys?"
The others murmur in an upbeat tone to one another and nod in agreement.
The Ieza lets go of Renno. "I'm Jeron I run this crew if you can believe that."
"No, you don't." A snowball sails past Jeron a few inches from his head. The workers roar with laughter.
Jeron puts his paw back on Renno's shoulder. "Don't listen to them. That was quite the impressive work you did there. Very quick. What are you some kind of Notol?"
Renno shrugs. "No idea, wish I was but I lost my memory. I don't know what I am."
"Oh, sorry to hear that. Well, you're one of us now." Jeron pats him then pushes him into the crowd with the others. "Look, I can't say this job pays well. I can't really say it pays at all. We break ice off and clear streets and the merchants either tip us or they don't. At the end, if there's anything in the pot we split it. I can guarantee you a hot meal. Keeta sees to that. Keep the hammer, I'll grab another. Just pair up and let's get work."
Renno turns around and bumps immediately into a Stained Ieza-Rohean mix of a man. "Oh, um, excuse me." _No bracelet._He thinks to himself as he looks at his fur.
"Yeah? They'll let anyone in won't they." He stares down his nose at Renno.
"S-sorry, I didn't mean-" Renno backs away from him.
The stained bursts out laughing "I'm kidding, Ollin, good to meet ya." He grabs Renno by the paw and shakes it before towing his arm around his shoulder. "Come on, me and you."
Renno nods. "Didn't he say groups of three?"
. . .
Later that night.
The workshop is dark and empty. The air bites of a bitter cold. The fire is out The stone and wooden floor of the workshop are chilled to the core no one has been home all day.
"Hello?" Renno stumbles through the darkness and collapses, exhausted onto his mat falling fast asleep.
Some hours pass as watchers rest comes and goes. Renno wakes from his sleep the floor is warm. He listens as voices emanate from below.
"I'm going to get you! Rawr." Minetz wiggles his tail in a prone position before leaping in Kyra's direction.
She dodges him and runs around the corner of the workbench. "Oh no, the scary Ahttan. Don't eat me!"
Renno props open the hatch just enough to peer through and watch from above.
"It't too late now." Minetz raises his paws over his head and stretches them out mimicking swiping motions.
Kyra backs up defensively. "You wouldn't want to eat me, I'm sure I wouldn't even taste good I-"
"It's no use now, I have all the spices I need to turn you into a tasty treat." Minetz closes the distance between them one step at a time.
"Oh but, I-" her words are cut off as the little Thono propels himself into the air, she catches him and they fall playfully to the floor together rolling around. She tickles him and he sequels with delight.
When finally Kyra emerges she finds Renno standing over them. "You-" She springs to her feet and dusts herself off. "What are you doing here." she says in a demanding tone.
"Oh, I didn't see anything I was just going to the alley to take a pee I didn't see anything unusual here at all."
Kyra frowns at him.
He attempts to change the subject. "Yeah I um, So I got a job today."
The frowning persists now with arms crossed.
"I was you know, I break ice in the square now. I met some people."
Kyra entertains him. "Oh, you did now."
"Yeah um, Ollin and Jeron. They were very nice."
She rolls her eyes. "Oh, those two idiots."
"You know them?"
Kyra replies. "Know them? Of course, I know them. I work in the square all day."
"Well, I didn't know that I didn't see you there today."
"I was busy taking Minetz for a bath at Whitehall. Which I'll have you know is the only reason why-"
Renno interrupts her. "Look, don't worry about it. I understand you don't need to explain yourself to me. So that's where you've been? All day?"
"Well, I had to take him so Keeta could bathe him before dawn and wait till the sun went down to come back."
Renno looks at her with doubt. "Really? Is it that bad to be seen with the poor little guy?"
From behind Minetz leaps toward Kyra and bites playfully into her hip.
Startled she screams and wheels around.
Minetz stands there with an enormous grin on his face. "I got you good that time."
Kyra pounds her paw into the floorboards and stomps her way towards him. Minetz backs away slowly at first before turning and running full sprint towards the closet.
"I'll show you who's the real predator, You're going to regret that!" She chases him around the workbench.
Minetz slides around the corner of the bench past Renno to the end of the banister kicking off it for support and into the storage closet.
Kyra pushes Renno aside on the second pass close behind.
The door to the storage closet slams shut barred shut from the inside. Kyra pounds her fists on it. "I can wait! Your stew as soon as you come out of there mister. You got that!?"
The only response is faint childish giggling from the other side of the door.
Renno can't help but laugh. He sits at the workbench and Kyra joins him.
"So, Kyra."
Kyra's attention is still fixed on the door.
"Kyra?"
"That really hurt you know." she rubs her hip.
"Oh, he was just playing. Besides,"
"Yeah I know," She turns her attention to him, "so how was your first day of work?"
"I think I did okay. After my um, other experiences, I was surprised by how nice everyone was. I think I really impressed them with my climbing skills."
"So you _didn't_fall out of any windows then." she replies.
Renno shrinks back on his stool. "I um, yeah. You remember that."
"Don't take this the wrong way. I wouldn't hang out with those guys too much if I were you."
"No? They seemed like a bunch of alright guys to me."
"Yeah, you would think that. All of them common thieves and beggars. I don't think there's a single bracelet among them." Still rubbing her hip from time to time.
He looks at her with a dose of healthy skepticism. "Really. Is that so."
"It is."
"Don't take this the wrong way but, I don't recall you having a bracelet either." He prepares himself for the worst from her.
Kyra, on the other hand, takes a moment to formulate her response. "It's not like that."
"Explain it to me then, in your own words."
"Well, I didn't have mine taken from me. My parent's they..." She looks around nervously before continuing. "I won't get one next year when I turn sixteen. It's not my fault."
Renno tries to comfort her. "Keeta and Tharen both told me as much. It doesn't seem fair if you ask me."
"It's not fair. But, Miran..." Her words trail off as she contemplates.
"What are you going to do about it?"
"I don't know."
Renno raises an eyebrow.
"I work, I work all the time. Surely Miran can see that, can't she? I'm a good person I know I am. It's not fair. It isn't." A tear rolls down her face from the corner of her eye. "I don't know what else I need to do. I don't even know why I'm telling you all this."
"Kyra..." He reaches for her paw but she pulls away from him.
"The teachings are clear. We are strong and independent. I can prove myself I just, don't know how."
Minetz slowly creeps out of the storage closet. "Kyra?"
She turns to him. "Not now, make your self some dinner."
Minetz nods and carries out her request.
Kyra sighs and shakes her head. "You wouldn't understand. I feel like, like, I'm not doing enough. There has to be something more. I thought, maybe if I could help you or Minetz it would be enough. But I don't think the watcher cares. Maybe if I could complete a hunt I could show Miran I'm worth it. But there's no sense in that. It's outlawed. I would have to be chosen."
Renno asks. "Chosen?"
"It's a tradition. The hunt. During the seasonal holiday in the capital the greatest warriors are chosen to hunt. It's a right. Miran says so."
"But it's illegal isn't it?" Renno maintains a cautious approach.
"Not for the chosen. The next one is in a few days on the shortest day of the year."
"And you're going to try to be chosen?"
She looks up at him, the idea absurd to her. "Of course not it's like, a month's journey to the capital what are you stupid?"
He throws his paws up. "Hey, I don't know these things give me a break."
"Sorry." Kyra backs down. "I know the Arbiter means well her mother had to do what it took to end the war. But clearly, she must recognize the will of Miran."
"You think the Arbiter will lift the ban?" Renno nervously scratches the tabletop.
"Of course, Anora is a great leader, I'm sure it's just a matter of time."
His curiosity gets the best of him. "Tell me, if her name is, well, not 'Anora' Why do you call her that?"
"It's tradition. Every Arbiter takes the name of Anora. There is great power in a name."
Minetz approaches him and offers Renno a bowl of hot vegetable soup.
"Thanks little guy."
Minetz smiles back at him and takes a seat with his meal.
Renno finishes his soup. "Well, I'm going to get some rest. Got work in the morning."
Kyra adds to that. "You too little guy."
Minetz protests. "Aww, I'm not even tired."
"Too bad, bedtime, oh and get me my book I want to take it with me." Kyra says.
Minetz nods and returns with tome in hand.
"What's that one about?" Renno asks.
She turns and says to him sternly. "None of your business, and no touching the rest of my books either."
Renno clears the table. "It's not like I could read them anyway come on. Was just trying to make conversation."
Kyra hugs the book close to her chest and solemnly adds. "It's personal."
"Suit yourself. I'm going to bed. Think I'll see you in the square tomorrow?"
"I doubt it."
"No work? I thought you said-"
"Yeah well, Keeta isn't letting me off the hook so easy. She's forcing me to work around The Table so she can keep an eye on me as punishment." She looks towards the balcony.
Renno asks. "For getting hurt?"
"For trying to be responsible I guess, how does she expect me to be respected then I become an adult if I can't prove myself now. You know she expects me to stay at White Hall?"
"I thought you like staying at White Hall." Renno comes off skeptical though, unintentionally.
Kyra turns back to him waving her paw, pointing at her chest. "I do but she shouldn't make me. I can take care of myself."
"Taking care of yourself is what got you laying on the floor for a week."
Kyra gives him a long hard stare.
"I didn't mean it like that. Just, look," Renno tries to back Kyra down.
Her expression remains unbroken.
"I just meant let her help she really cares about you."
Kyra closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "I know. It's just," she sniffles and takes a long drawn in breath to collect herself. "I wish I had a real mom."
Compelled to comfort her Renno reaches to give her a hug but she steps away from him.
Kyra deflects from answering for her actions. "I'm leaving now. I'll see you later."
One by one the boys snuff out the lanterns around the shop and stoke the fire for the evening. They share few words until Renno finds himself standing in the loft before a bookshelf full of unmarked books. A spot remains open just the right size to match the tome Kyra took for herself earlier.
"Kyra said not to touch those." Minetz startles Renno having crept up from behind.
"I know. I just wonder what they are." He carefully picks one up off the shelf and flips through it. It contains no drawing or illuminations. The pages are written with an unsteady hand. Some of the pages are smeared by long dry drops of water.
Quietly Minetz says. "I know what they are."
"Yeah?" Renno sets the book back down on the shelf where he found it.
Nervously he speaks up. "It's her parents. She writes about them."
"Kyra, wrote these?"
"She writes everything about them. Everything she can remember, even little things like what they wore and what things smelled like. Kyra says 'I have to write it down, if I forget them they won't be real anymore.'," he pauses for a long time. "I think she knows they aren't coming back."
Renno sees the shimmer of a tear in Minetz fur. He picks him up and holds him in his arms over his shoulder.
After a moment he hops down to the floor.
"Okay, well time for bed." Renno lays back down on his mat and shuts his eyes."
Minetz puts out the last of the lights.
In the darkness, a dragging sound disturbs Renno. He opens his eye but before he can get out of bed he is knocked on the head. "Ow, what was that."
Minetz lay opposite of him the tops of their heads touching. His ear flops down across Rennos face before he excitedly describes his plan. "Do you think if we fell asleep like this we could share our dreams?"
Renno brushes aside his ear. "No, I don't think it works like that."
"Awe come on. You gotta try, Kyra says its best to try everything as long as it's not dangerous. You think that maybe some-"
"Okay stop. We can try just be quiet so I can get some sleep."
Minetz shuts his mouth and holds his breath.
Renno pulls on his own face with his paws. What have I done?
. . .
"Renno come on! Bet you can't catch me, it's your turn. You're the predator now!" Minetz yells from across the workshop.
"Not now Minetz I'm trying to learn to read?" Renno studies the book not even sure if he's holding it right side up. He lowers the brim to see Minetz standing on the table in front of him. "Get down before you break something."
"No."
"Don't 'No' me get down come on Kyra will be back soon."
"No no no no no no." Minetz grins and stomps his feet on the workbench.
Renno closes the book and sets it down. "Come on stop it."
Still stomping as if to march in place. "Gotta catch me first."
Renno pretends to ignore him before swiping at his feet.
Minetz hops over his swipe kicking a bottle of ink over in the process it pours across the tables, the plans, and Renno.
"Look what you've done!" Renno stands up from the table and looks at his clothing now stained. He brushes himself off to no avail. "Stop it!" He swipes anger at Minetz.
The Thono dodges him and runs across the table through the ink.
"Stop it, your making a mess!" Now shouting Renno runs around the table after him.
Down the stairs and around the lockers they run. The make the full loop before Minetz goes bounding back up the stairs squealing gleefully.
Renno claws into the steps to climb faster nearly catching him near the top.
Minetz manages to avoid him and goes running towards the workbench Renno close on his tail. He leaps and runs back across the table through the ink and onto the floor on the other side. A trail of paw prints now canvas all parts of the floor.
Renno frantically tries to gain control of him but he simply is not fast enough to keep up.
Then a slam of the door startles the both of them and they freeze. A furious Kyra marches to the top of the steps.
"THAT'S IT! Both of you!" She stands at the top of the steps glaring a hole straight though Renno to Minetz who cowers behind him. "Minetz, to the loft now."
"Yes momma Kyra." He sulks his way towards the ladder.
Her gaze does not follow him. It stays fixed on Renno. "And you, how could you let this happen?"
"I-"
"You're the adult you have to be more responsible." She hands him a bucket and a mop.
He finds himself crawling on the floor cleaning the paw prints but it is of little use. They have stained the wood in perfect form. He scrubs harder and harder but they remain. Kyra looms over him at all times. It feels as if Kyra might claw into him at any time.
He reaches for the bucket and clumsily knocks it over. Frightened he turns to Kyra her paw already coming at him claws extended!
"No don't!" He sits up from his mat yelling into the darkness. "Kyra, I-" A loud bang startles him further. He spins around to find Kyra picking up books from the floor of the loft.
Kyra says. "You startled me, I just came in to get some of my things before heading to the market."
Wearily Minetz sits up from his sleeping mat. "Wh- what's going on?"
"It was a dream." Renno talks to himself. "A dream all along. The paw prints." He turns to Kyra. "I had this dream, you were in it, I, you," he struggles to get the words out. "Minetz made a mess, knocking over his ink."
Minetz rubs his eyes. "I did?"
"Yes, well, in the dream. Anyway, I tried to stop him but he stepped in it and left paw prints everywhere. Kyra you, you came in and yelled at me for it. You were going to claw me in the face, then I woke up."
She looks at him with some amount of skepticism. "Too bad." she smirks. "It couldn't have been a bigger mess than his stencils usually make. I hope at least the paw prints came out clearly." She sarcastically.
Renno's eyes go wide he turns around and grabs Minetz. "The paw prints the paw prints." He shakes the little Thono.
Minetz voice tremulates in sync with the shaking. "What paw prints?"
Excited, Renno lifts him from the floor kicking the hatch open. "Come on, you're going to love this." He puts him back down and jumps down onto the ladder. "You too Kyra, your a genius."
"I am?" she says.
Minetz and Kyra follow behind to the workbench.
"It's so simple." Renno grabs a stained sheet of paper from one of Minetz failed stencil tests. "You're going about it the wrong way. Look." He flips the paper over to the blank side and lays it on the table. Renno grabs Minetz and stands him on the stool beside him. "Give me your paw."
Minetz looks at him still weary from being awoken abruptly.
"Come on, come on." Renno grabs his paw with one hand and an inkwell with the other. He dumps a small amount of it out on the table.
Minetz protests. "Hey don't do that, I need it for my tests."
"Shh, watch." He presses Minetz paw into the ink then down onto the paper and let's go.
Slowly Minetz lifts his paw leaving a perfect impression. Even the strands of fur between his pads can clearly be seen. He looks at his paw confused.
"Don't you get it Minetz?" Renno grabs the paper and holds it up. "Look."
At first, he seems confused and gazes blankly at the sheet, but as he makes the realization he snatches it from the air.
Renno proclaims proudly. "Don't make stencils. Make stamps. That's the answer!"
Minetz drops the paper to the floor and looks down at Renno with a huge grin on his face and perhaps for the first time in his life speechless. Just like that he collapses downward into Renno's arms hugging onto him.
Renno laughs. "Come on, you got ink all over me." He sets Minetz down on the floor.
As they celebrate Kyra picks up the piece of paper and examines it.
Minetz looks up at Renno. "I'm going to get started right away."
Kyra looks at them. "I... I have to admit. You may be onto something."
Minetz runs over his inky paws extended. "You really mean it momma Kyra."
She grabs him by the shoulders before he can embrace her. "No, you just get those paws away from me. I don't need any more spots I have enough already.
He flails trying to reach her giggling like its a game.
Kyra can't help but smile.
End Chapter 17