Asha had no idea what had happened or what was going on, all she knew was that one moment she was looking at a very nice little knife that would be perfect for cutting squash and yam then the next second some stallion she had never seen before called out and tossed a pouch to her.

Faster than she could blink as the pouch flew in the air Sefu and Verik had both made a go at her with their hands out to yank her away with mouths open trying to say something but before they could she opened her hands and caught the money pouch out of reflex.

Without batting an eye the stranger pointed at her and shouted "thief" loudly gathering the attention of everyone within earshot as a guard next to him gave her a smile that made the blood run cold.

Before she could open her mouth to say anything Verik had snatched the pouch from her hands and grabbed the stallion then used them as a battering ram to knock the guard to the ground then took off through the crowded bazaar like devils were on his hooves leaving everyone to stare.

Looking at Sefu had done no good, the moment Verik had thrown the stallion into the guard and taken off running, plowing through the crowd he had grabbed her arm so hard she flinched and without a word started running in the opposite direction.

No matter how much she called out or yelled at him even trying to slap his hand away as they ran Sefu ignored her and kept running as most attention was drawn behind them as screams grew louder and guards could be heard shouting at the locals to clear a path but there was no room.

Sefu never stopped for a second till they had reached the wagon convoy and sprinting up to Zuberi he heaved her around and towards the wagons quickly while talking a mile a minute to a started Zuberi. Behind them the other zebras that had come with them ran from the crowd and joined them, they were at a complete loss as to why Sefu had grabbed Asha and begun running.

She listened as well she could while standing there shaking and trying to piece together what had just happened as Sefu and Zuberi argued in voices almost to loud to be a whisper but not shouting.

"He did WHAT!?"

Zuberi looked at Asha a minute with a wild look in his eyes before settling on Sefu.

"Grabbed the pouch and ran, not fast runner but too many in crowd to let guard chase easily."

"You were supposed to watch them not start a riot!"

"Beat me to pouch, tried to slap it to ground and run but Verik grab before have chance."

It was clear Zuberi was exasperated by the situation as he yanked on his mane for a moment and stomped while cursing under his breath and looking around.

"The guards did not follow you yes?"

"No, too busy chasing Verik, they want dey money back."

"Hell! That thing is bad luck! I told you!" He calmed himself a moment before looking back a the bazaar. "No matter, he will either be dead or captured then beaten and sold soon enough. We need to move the wagons and you." Pointing at Asha. "You will change clothes with Ikwan there, wear his cloak so they do not recognize you."

Asha nodded and without a word Ikwan stripped his cloak off and handed it over as Asha stripped rapidly behind the wagon, in just a few seconds they had traded some cloths but Ikwan packed her "shirt" away in a box with metal bars at Zuberi's order as it was rather... "Unique."

Though the cloak was too big for her Ikwan helped and soon she was hidden from prying eyes and from the outsiders view the convoy had not changed at all, one still wore a cloak and the others were dressed no different.

"Alright, let me think a moment..."

Zuberi paced a moment before looking everyone over.

"Nothing has changed, the guards will chase Verik till hell freezes over to get that pouch back, also there will be few guards left in the market till they capture him and only then will they come looking for you two."

He pointed at Sefu and Asha.

"Until then we can continue shopping and gathering supplies but we need to be out of those gates within an hour, so intend to buy anything now is the time, step forward."

Almost everyone did making Zuberi groan.

"Fine! Fine. Alright... Asha and Sefu, you two have to stay and I will as well, Zuri, you take the others and shop FAST, very fast. Once two have finished buying they return together at once. Understood?"

Watching them all nod he gestured them to hurry up go, the gaggle of zebras were quick to gather around Zuri and with a word they raced off in a great hurry to buy whatever they needed then return.

Before Zuri could chase off after them Sefu grabbed her arm and spoke to her quickly and placed some coins in her hand before ushering her off and returning to where Zuberi and Asha stood, the former glaring at the later.

"I told you not to accept anything, to trust no one and that includes catching things..."

"Habit!"

Before Zuberi could say anything Sefu stepped in and separated the two.

"She new here, not know, but we lucky not loose her to slavers."

"Slavers!?"

The look on Asha's face was absolute fear as things began to fall into place, Zuberi watched a moment before letting out a tired sigh.

"Yes, Asha. Slavers. They roam the bazaar looking for any that catch their eye, especially outsiders like us who no one will miss, you would fetch a good price at the market, you are young and healthy, a fine mark indeed."

"Verik, he-"

"Figured things out quickly enough though Sefu had the correct notion, slapping the coin purse from the air and blending in the with the crowd would have made them scramble on the ground to collect their ill-begotten gains rather than chase you."

Asha stared at Sefu who nodded, Verik had grabbed the coin purse without thinking and just ran off with it when he could have just as easily thrown it causing a frenzy allowing them to get away. Zuberi patted her shoulder a moment then shook his head.

"Put him out of your mind Asha, he wont live very long now, once they catch him if he is lucky they execute him, if not they either sell or imprison him then sell tickets to the freak show. Either way you are safe now, they will be too busy to come looking for you two either way."

"He not dead."

Asha and Zuberi looked at Sefu as he stared off into the distance, ears trained towards the distant gate as he quietly stood on the large wagon and watched.

"Guards swarming gate, big fight beyond, Verik maybe got through and still running."

"Sefu that does not matter now! He is wanted and too dangerous! You know as well as I that he is a dead stallion the moment a guard sees his face! How many like him run around here anyway? None! If he rejoins us they will kill ALL of us!"

"He risk life for us when he not have too, could have let Asha be taken or stood aside but was quick to act, never thought, just act and run to save Asha."

"You know damn well that if we bring him with us let alone get seen with him what will happen!"

"We not leave him behind."

"Nor can we take him with us!"

"We bring."

"No!"

Sefu let out an angry snort and glared at Zuberi making the caravan master fidget.

"We bring, he come looking for us, we all he know, safe place with us, we help him. He come back."

Zuberi threw his hands in the air and walked away before calling back.

"Assuming he is even alive!"

Sefu looked back at the distant gatehouse and nodded.

"Maybe he live, maybe not, but not leave behind."

Asha had listened to the conversation with rapt interest, in Zuberi's eyes Verik was now a done deal and his usefulness had run out but Sefu had some kind of interest in him still not that she did not either.

Slumping down and squatting in the shade of the wagon she stared at the hustle and bustle of the bazaar, Verik could have left her to the slavers but without giving it a second thought had moved faster than Sefu to grab that cursed pouch and run like a madman.

He had condemned himself to death or slavery for her. For her, a landless, near tribeless and almost penniless nobody that frankly, if the Wete learned of her enslavement, many would be happy as it meant one less mouth to feed.

Why?

She looked at Sefu as he came down from the wagon and began walking a slow patrol around the wagons as they waited for the others to return, as time wore on they returned in pairs of two now and then with what little they could afford on their measly income, things were cheaper here when compared to Mjesani but not that much cheaper when one considered their meager income.

Choking out a small sob Asha closed her eyes and silently prayed that he had somehow survived and gotten away, if not... If he failed to get away from their clutches she prayed he would at least die quickly rather than be sold a slave.

Zuberi fumed as he walked around the wagons for the hundredth time, every time he passed Sefu on his own private patrol he could not stand to look at the warrior partly out of fear but also because of the others misguided altruism.

Verik was not a Wete, not that Asha really was either for that matter but she had at least been accepted into the village officially and could technically be considered one of their own. That weird "man" as it called itself had proven to be quite useful but also a massive liability.

One he neither needed nor wanted.

No doubt Sefu saw something in the thing and having known each other nearly their entire lives he had an inkling as to what it was unfortunately: a kindred spirit.

He had warned Sefu a million times that his "warrior spirit" and his so called "warriors ethic" would get them into more trouble than they could handle many times. It was better to just be logical about this and leave Verik behind, they had upheld the agreement to the letter and it was not like they were leaving him in the middle of the savannah.

However, all be damned Sefu always refused no matter how bad things could get and had chosen this particular moment to stand by his principles absolutely much to his own chagrin. If they allowed Verik back, which at this point was looking near impossible all things considered, it would mean more fights.

Verik had a "good heart," he was willing to admit that much but he brought nothing except trouble with him. He was also too proud, impulsive, acted before he thought, which was another trait he shared with Sefu unfortunately but he also had a hunch that like Sefu he shared a total disregard for how the world really worked and the subtle nuances one needed to keep the peace.

It all made Zuberi's head ache at the thought of allowing him back.

That and he had just proven he had zero respect for authority no matter how little that self proclaimed "authority" deserved it.

Juberi would be utterly "delighted" if Sefu got his way in this matter and brought this thing back then asked for him to be allowed to stay. That also meant sharing the blame no matter what happened and after loosing two just getting here, nearly loosing a third and they still had to get back...

He knew how the chief must feel.

Zuberi let out a low, distraught grumble as he rubbed at his temples, another headache was building up and they still had to somehow get OUT of the city without causing any more problems.

No doubt the guards were too busy to care but that meant the thieves would double in number and would be crawling all over the wagons, anything not nailed down would be gone in seconds. They would probably pry the nails out or at least try though.

Guards did not protect the wagons but at least they kept some modicum of "peace" in the city and the thieves held back when they were around, take too much and the guard would kill since that meant the thieves were stealing the guards share.

It was very impolite to steal from the guards before they at least had a chance to steal it first.

Why did this have to happen this year of all times?

An old zebra mare sat beside the river outside Wete with her eyes closed, robed in the trappings of a shaman she sat in silence as another mare nearby collected whatever herbs were ready for drying and storage.

Her eyes moved back and forth under her eyelids as she saw things without seeing them, as the moments passed a low chuckle escaped her at first then a long string of snickering that she failed to suppress.

"Esteemed one, what are yo-"

A hand quickly came up as if she were going to smack the nearby mare who was out of reach.

"Never call me that Subira!"

"Yes... Grandmother."

"Better, only the poor souls in the village call me that but not you."

"Yes but yo-"

The hand came back up again causing Subira to stop her line of questioning and go back to work.

"I dont care what the others say, you are my grand-daughter, call me grandmother or Nuru. Maybe both... Grandmother Nuru..." She smiled a toothy grin. "And dont say one word about what that Juberi says!"

"Why are you laughing?"

Ah, that. Nuru rocked her head and went back into her quiet state while her ears turned a little now and then listening to unseen and unheard voices.

"Poor soul is trapped, he has no idea what he got himself into."

"Are the spirits toying with someone again?"

"Yes... But this one brings his own trouble and acts so strangely it makes them prod him more. He invites it but they mean well. Very curious."

Another snicker escaped her.

"You say they are good but they love to bring misery. Grandmother."

"Hmm... True, but what is the world without a little mischief now and then? A dull, boring and dead place not worth living on."

"Whatever you say."

*Heheh* "This one is not a bad runner when held to the fire."

"They are not torturing him I hope?"

"No, no. These are not "those" spirits, this one brought it on himself though, surprised them is all. They would have lost interest quickly but now they prod him more to see what happens."

"So they are torturing him." Suberi stopped picking then stood up and scowled at her grandmother who just waved her off errantly.

"Dont worry, they wont let this one die today, too amusing. Very amusing."

Nuru's ear's twitched now and then before she sat upright and her eyes snapped open, a grin spread across her face that made Suberi flinch, she hated that smile.

"We may be getting a visitor, most interesting... He amused them so much they want to see what will happen now."

She looked at her grand-daughter and gave a toothy grin before standing and with a little help of her elaborately carved and decorated staff began slowly walking away from the river. Suberi watched her go before going back to picking before shaking her head.

"Heavens help this poor soul wherever he is."

"So what is your name?"

"Jaji."

Whatever the pre-arranged plan was whenever the guards were out for blood meant staying in silence now. Verik's "accomplice" continued to stare up and had lost interest in saying anything beyond listening.

Time ticked by slowly as they waited before the sound of movement caught their attention, Jaji just beckoned him to follow before shuffling down another tunnel into the darkness with Verik following at a low crawl.

A beam of light lit the tunnel ahead of them making them freeze before a voice called out softly and Jaji gave a quick response, from above a hand reached down and helped pull the colt from the tunnel as they continued forward.

No hand however helped him emerge, a ratty looking zebra looked him over carefully as he crawled out before tossing him a tattered cloak before hurrying them away while he covered up the escape again with rotten wood and what appeared to be a rough shelter for the homeless before laying down in it himself.

Jaji was not quick to race out but waited quietly and listened to the shouting voices as guards continued to comb the area for them, a face appeared from across the street for a moment before ducking away and a hand was held up giving some kind of signal.

Watching the signal his guide quickly turned and beckoned before racing across the narrow street and into the building before going up a flight of damaged stairs. At the top they turned and walked through a hole between buildings and continued down a hallway before going downstairs again then waiting.

They kept this up, a game of cat and mouse with the guards as they would storm past or even enter the building they were in before giving up since the stairwell that led to them was gone forcing them to take another route.

It was also clear the thieves would rebuild then tear down the stairwells to keep the guards guessing, at one point they had to climb down a rope that Jaji tossed down, seconds after landing it was tugged back up into the darkness above them.

How long this went on he lost track of but eventually they arrived at a meeting place where two waited on them, one was colorful the other a zebra and following them they quickly disappeared once more down the labyrinthine maze that made up their getaway highway.

Why were they allowing him to see so much anyway? They had no reason to trust him, only kill him at this point. After all, this could be an elaborate ruse by the guard or were the guards smart enough to plan anything like this?

Were the thieves just that trusting? No, that was highly doubtful.

Zuberi's warning of trust no one came back to mind as they entered a building then stopped. The guides turned and pulled a blindfold out but did not say a word, they did not need to.

"Going to blindfold me, rob me, cut my throat and leave me? Or maybe just leave me here to rot, perhaps turns me into the guards for some quick coin?"

Jaji was not happy with this response and neither were the other two.

"No. You want our help, you follow our rules or leave. Choose."

He had several choices but so far this one was by far the least lethal and most likely to turn out in something other than a fight.

"Alright, but any attempt to bind my hands-"

"No, only blindfold, you follow."

Quickly blinding him to the world they spoke quickly before he felt a small hand grab his wrist and tug, Jaji would be his eyes but that did not mean he would let go of the pouch either.

A low snicker from nearby clued him in that they had noticed this and found it amusing.

Round and round they walked, stalked or rushed until he had no idea which way they were facing which must have been the general idea, one building and door after another was opened, closed and either stone, dirt or "wood" floors crossed before finally they stopped and started going down.

Was it a cellar? No, it was too big for that, too long and rough.

Bending him over and patting his head as they ducked down before crawling again he listened to the sounds of objects being moved as they crawled into a passage and continued on for a time before emerging.

He was hustled into a side room and the door closed before being sat on the floor. Jaji waited before an older voice ordered him to remove the blindfold and seeing the world again made him squint at the dimly lit room.

Hardly six by five foot and five foot high the room had a single candle burning in the middle on a low lying table, it was mostly bare with only two visible exits but his audience was what garnered the most attention.

Sitting somewhat cross legged from him was a mare with a gray coat and white mane that stared at him completely un-amused.

"Welcome to my little "office," you... Whatever you are, caused quite a commotion in the bazaar."

She beckoned Jaji over and spoke quietly with him before sending him out of the room leaving the two alone together.

"I am willing to uphold the deal Jaji offered you. Empty out the pouch and let us count what you stole."

"That deal includes getting me out of the city, alive, unharmed and helping me find the ones I am looking for... Correct?"

She leaned back a moment and sighed.

"Yes, of course. We are thieves not brigands."

"So you command all the thieves in the city then?"

*HAH!* "No. Do not ask any more questions like that. You are our guest until the deal is done, no harm shall come to you unless you invite it upon yourself. Understood?"

Verik nodded and held the pouch up a moment before undoing the tie and poured the contents out. It was a very nice pile of copper and bronze with some silver mixed in but it struck him as utterly useless otherwise.

"Must not take much to get yourself enslaved in this city if this is all it takes..."

He began sifting the coins out as the mare watched his ever move with hawk like eyes.

"Mmm... Fareed's law states you must steal more than forty silver worth at one time to be sold... This is not much but better than usual."

"I take it you prey on the slavers?"

"It is not wise to ask too many questions in Alzamard but yes, they are especially... Lucrative. Too dangerous to target most of the time but you managed."

"I think Jaji already told you ab-"

"Yes but all thieves have many eyes and ears. You were seen stealing the pouch and running, luckily for you word was passed faster than you could run and thieves were waiting."

"Why?"

Verik stacked the coppers in one pile then the bronze and finally silver, each little pile held ten but there were only fifteen silver.

"Why waste? Thief or not you obviously have no love of the guards or Fareed's laws or else you would have never stolen the pouch."

"Maybe I did not know any better at the time."

"Would you still have stolen it then?"

"Yes."

"Then you are a thief and it is wise for thieves to stick together, even those who are not staying."

"Hmm... True enough."

He divided up the piles as best he could but held up the last odd silver.

"You can count at least..." The mare pulled out a small heavy knife and beckoned for him to pass the coin and after receiving it cut it in half. "Done."

"Strange... So you can cut them in half and still use them?"

"Yes, but only silver and gold ones. You must come from very far not to know that."

"More than you would ever know." He pushed a quarter of the pile to her. "One quarter now, one quarter outside."

"We already agreed to that...?"

"Maybe I dont trust you enough to say that."

"Oh please, I have lived her my entire life and never seen anything like you, if you walked outside right now they would grab you in an instant. How hard would it be to track down the only creature of your kind in the entire city? Ever."

She had him on that one which begged another question.

"True, Verik, how do you intend to get me out now that you have stated the obvious?"

"That is my problem not yours, you are paying us for our time of course but that would best remain secret for now."

"Alright but I do have some odd questions to ask."

Her eye twitched a moment before nodding slowly.

"First, your name. Second, I came here to buy some clothing today but as you can imagine... It did not go as planned, I assume as thieves you have clothing laying around I might purchase from you. Lastly, what the hell is wrong with this city and land?"

"Nimja, not that the name will do you any good. We have clothing yes, you are free to browse as we can only get you out tomorrow at dawn, your little stunt caused them to lock the gates for some reason."

Why would they lock the gates up for a petty thief?

"Lastly, you are in Alzamard, that is enough of an answer however from the look on your face you want more... Very well then."

Nimja stretched her back a little while counting out her little pile of coins before placing them in a small lock box as Verik put all but one pile back in his pouch, the last portion went in his pocket for easier access later so he would not have to recount things all over again.

"Fareed is of a long line of despots, the first took over after assassinating the sultan and his entire family, after that well... As you can see they were too greedy, if they could make a single silver by betraying someone they did. Period.

Over time the city began to fall apart but since no one has money for repairs due to the taxes and bribery buildings began to fall apart. Soon the entire city looks like what you have seen but it was not enough, Fareed's father let the slavers in and allows them to run wild across the savannah but they must pay a fee for every slave seized.

Mind you this is nothing compared to the rest but this much you have seen and now understand. Fareed poisoned his father and brother, drowned his mother, mind you she "fell in the river" while on the royal yacht but somehow failed to swim... Rocks tied to your legs tends to do that...

Now he rules, makes many laws and hires foreign mercenaries to protect himself, his own soldiers are mostly loyal but only so long as they are allowed to loot the corpses. Very unpleasant... The city guard are worse however because they are HERE. Soldiers are spread far and wide to protect his pathetic little "sultanate" from foreign invasion.

Some laws require tithes, heavy ones, others allow him to just take freely, he sees something he wants? He takes. That includes you or me.

There is one law above all however: What Fareed says, IS!

Village questions? Burned, enslaved, gone.

Village tries to defend itself? Enslaved, burned, gone.

Village FIGHTS? No survivors. Last village that tried, mercenaries used them for sport, fed to lions and hyenas in the arena.

Mercenaries are the worst however, very smart, very good at killing, very good... Too good. Led by Xerin, mercenary general. They... Uphold law and order... But they have very strong "appetites," they see something they want, they become worse than guards."

Verik raised a finger for a moment stopping her.

"Starvation and the dead? I saw a wagon-"

"Fareed seizes almost all the food and sells it, the best he keeps for himself then holds grand banquets for his friends, nobles and the wealthy merchants who side with him. He does make certain there is... "Enough," to prevent the city from dying but never enough to feed everyone but farmers grow more than enough.

You saw the shack's outside the walls yes? Good. That is where those who can not afford the minimum live, they work but can not afford, many die while working the fields, docks or whatever it is they do. Fall ill? You die. Injured? You die. Become useless? You die."

"So you thieves leave them alone while aiming for the higher marks then?"

"Yes. Guild master teaches us to help them when we can but it is a loosing battle. Lost. Long lost but insists."

"Hm. I asked someone else about this so I will ask you: Why not rebel and overthrow Fareed? If the slums alone banded together and ambushed the mercenaries and gate guards you would control at least half the city in a matter of moments. Yes there would be a great amount of death but you would force Fareed to hide in his palace, he has a palace right? You would starve him out and prevent him from sending word to his army."

Nimja stared at him in such a way it made him wonder if she would help him or not anymore, from the look he was receiving she saw him as utterly insane.

"And who would lead them? You?"

"No, right now my only interest is in getting out of here alive."

*Hah!* "Now you know!"

It was his turn to twitch.

"I am from from here but you are, why has no one at least tried to assassinate him?"

"Who?"

"You keep asking that but this is your city, yours, not mine and yet you allow things to just keep getting worse and worse. Yes, if I had a giant bomb I would drop it on his head and blow him to bloody pieces and watch him rain down over the city and LAUGH. But I do not have a bomb, hell I am having a hard time just staying alive and controlling my own life right now."

Nimja smirked and chuckled at his outburst for a moment.

"I do not know what a bomb is but now you know how we feel. What is, is. This world is not perfect but we live in it-"

"What about other nations? Have they not invaded?"

"Yes, many times, especially now... Something is... Wrong..." Nimja's eyes wandered a moment before snapping back to Verik. "However, they are all at war with each other, if one attacks another then another attacks them while they are away. Armies march back and forth but no one wins, only the buzzards."

"So, Zebrica is what... One giant war zone as various nations skirmish back and forth trying to gain... What, one or two worthless villages?"

"You catch on quickly. Fareed is now at war with Samatia but also various chieftains and smaller nations, he can not win but fights anyway for slaves and pillage, they fight back for the same, but no one wins."

"Its one giant blood sport for them? Fight for the sake of fighting?"

"I dont know, only what I hear from passing merchants now and then, my concern remains here, with my thieves, never out there" She pointed up "with Fareed and the world."

"Makes sense... But sooner or later the world is going to bite someone in the ass."

"Yes, you, today you get bit, maybe tomorrow me or someone else but we can not control that so why worry. Now tell me, why did you steal this?"

"The pouch? Slaver tossed it to a... Friend, tried to stop her from catching it but I was too late so I grabbed it and ran."

"Must be a good friend."

"Hardly know her."

"Ahhhh..."

"No, actually I dont know much about anything anymore. I just did it, it was the right thing to do."

"And coming to us was right as well? Thieves?"

"Strangely enough... Yes. Considering the nightmares above I would never blame anyone for stealing to survive and since you are clearly no friend of the guards or Fareed-"

"You pity us?"

"I do not really believe in pity but a part of me still does, however from what Jaji said I agree with your motivations and choices. Then again, the world will always have thieves so why bother despising you? Some people are just better at thieving than plowing a field or construction, its their life calling and who am I to fight them over it? Not that I will let them rob me because of it."

Nimja stared him in the eyes, boring into him to see if he was lying and after a minute she blinked.

"Strange one, pity you will not stay and be a thief but oh well, you are too obvious and would be caught."

"Well I could always be a card shark."

"A what?"

"Someone who gambles and cheats very carefully in order to win large sums of money."

*Hah!* "Shame. Time to go."

"One last question before we leave, I dont know why I am asking but... If I ever wind up in this city again and need help, how would I contact you?"

"Contact us? For help?"

"Yes."

Nimja hummed a moment.

"If you need help, look for this symbol and ask those inside for "Kafji," we will find you."

She drew with her finger on the dirt floor a moment and staring at the simple crossed diamond he nodded.

"Time to go, you still want to buy some clothes yes?"

Verik nodded and she held out the blindfold again and taking it he wrapped it around his head and welcomed back the darkness.

"Now, while we go, tell me of those you are looking for, what do they look like, how many, describe them in great detail."

"There is one, Asha, she-"

Author's Notes:

Running late so not enough time to properly edit but hope you enjoy it!