30. Pretty Birdy

“Here it is,” Kiren said, coming up on a tight alley. “This is the last one, far as I know.”

Lace entered the alley behind him. She couldn’t help but drag her steps a bit.

So far, they had visited more than half a dozen clinics. They had found neither hide nor hair of Hyena or Snapjaw.

Maybe we were wrong in assuming they would seek healing, she thought. They could have left the city entirely, for all we know.

A squat building made of greying wood had been squeezed into the alley ahead, forming a dead end. Part of the thatching had come off, and unchecked greenery choked the open windows. It even spilled out onto the outside walls, tough vines creeping up the facade.

“What is this place?” Haden asked. “Hardly looks inhabited.”

“It’s open,” Kiren said confidently. “This is the most reliable doctor in the Slog. Maybe the only reliable one, considering her competition.”

The previous ‘doctors’ they had interrogated were mostly charlatans. The rest were undertrained, bumbling fools who would amputate a limb as soon as dress a wound.

Tommyn walked at the back of their little troupe, seemingly deep in thought. Rats scurried along the muddy street beside him and small songbirds crowded the roofs of the buildings surrounding them.

Lace dug inside the pouch at her side. Gantho had given her some new toys developed for her gale-staff, metal bullets designed to be fired out the front, as well as vials of powder dye which could create large clouds of colored smoke.

Her fingers found a bullet, and she let it rest in her hand. Her right hand gripped the staff tightly.

Kiren stepped up to the splintering door and knocked. A few seconds later, a woman opened.

She was dressed in a light, linen gown. She wore her hazelnut-brown hair in a loose ponytail, streaked with grey. Her face was soft and round, with fine laugh lines, giving her a motherly appearance. She was heavy-set, with wide hips and heavy bosoms that rested atop her rounded belly.

She was ready with a smile as soon as she opened the door, but it quickly faded as she looked them all over.

“Yes?” she said. “What is it? I thought I told you I wasn’t going to pay tribute to the Thieves’ Guild. I have protection.”

“Wrong guild, I’m afraid,” Kiren said. “We’re with the Heroes’ Guild.”

The woman blanched. “Oh. Oh.” She took a step back, licking her lips. “Listen, I haven’t done anything. I keep out of trouble. All I want is to conduct my business in peace.”

“I’m sure you do,” Haden said, stepping forward with his thumbs tucked into his belt. “We’re not looking to disrupt that. We just have some questions to ask you.”

Kiren gave Haden a dirty look. “What he said. Will you let us in?”

The healer contemplated for a moment, then sighed and stepped aside so they could enter. She introduced herself as Kit.

The interior was cramped, with most of the available space being taken up by plants of different kinds. There were meticulously balanced pots placed on every surface in the house that would receive sunlight, some even stacked precariously on chairs or piles of books. A closed door led into a back room.

“I would offer you a seat,” Kit said. “But, well…” She motioned to the chairs in the house, all taken up by overgrown flowers, everything from dandelions to violets to red roses.

“We won’t be here long,” Kiren said. “We just want to know about two Villains. Hyena and Snapjaw, they’re called. I’m sure you’ve heard of them.”

“Yes,” Kit said, moving off to tend to a flagging tangle of vines. When she placed her hand on one of many reaching tendrils, the brown leaves flared up with green. “I know of them. They’re those robbers everyone tells stories about.”

“We’re wondering if you might have seen them.”

Kit looked up, shaking her head. “I haven’t, no. Sorry. Only heard the stories.”

“Did you hear the one where Hyena and Snapjaw fought an A-Rank Hero? Hulda Ludenhaas. They escaped with their lives, but only barely. How about that one, hmm?”

Kit blinked. “No. Didn’t hear that one.”

Kiren raised his eyebrows. “Really? Everyone’s talking about it, like you said.”

“I don’t get out much.”

“You must get patients through. They’ll talk, just like anyone else.”

“Business’s been poor.”

Kiren nodded, pursing his lips thoughtfully. “I see, I see. So you’re sure you haven’t seen anyone matching the description of a large, furry animal and a giant turtle?”

“Positive,” Kit said, fixing him with an intent look. “Now, if you aren’t in need of treatment, I suggest you leave the same way you came. All that sharpened steel is making me nervous.”

“Of course,” Kiren said. “We don’t have any other questions.”

He motioned for everyone to leave, and Lace followed everyone to the front door.

“She’s hiding something,” Haden said as soon as they were outside.

“I agree,” Lace said. “She knew more than she let on. Why did you give up questioning her so easily, Kiren?”

“Because I’ve got a better idea how to learn what we need to know,” Kiren said with a grin.

*****

Kit let herself slump as soon as the Heroes were out the door.

Lying to them could have turned out badly for her, but what choice did she have?

She waited a good minute or two until she could no longer hear any footsteps or voices outside, then took one of the potted ferns and headed inside the operating room, making sure to close the door firmly behind her.

The room contained a cabinet to the right filled with her medical supplies and surgical tools. Three low cots had been disassembled and put to the side to accommodate her current patients, and a series of potted plants had been rearranged to make room. A large window on the back wall let sunlight stream into the room, and a door leading outside stood next to it.

The two giants crouched in the back of the room, hands over their mouths. They breathed out when they saw her and let their hands fall.

“Did they leave?” Snapjaw asked.

“They did, but they didn’t seem fully convinced. They might be back.”

“Shit sandwich,” Hyena muttered, settling back on his behind. “I didn’t expect anyone to be concerned about us, what with everything else going on.”

“Not to worry, gentlemen. As long as you’re in this clinic, I’ll do all I can to make sure you aren’t found.”

The two men—if they could be called such—had been mostly healed, the rest of their wounds dressed and bandaged. It was several days ago that Snapjaw had come to her, carrying his partner in his arms. Hyena would have bled to death if they hadn’t arrived when they did.

“Let me see your chest,” Kit said, walking up to Hyena.

The furry man put his arms to his sides and settled back so she could comfortably reach his chest. She set the fern down and peeked underneath the bandages wound around his torso, finding that the wound was closing up nicely, with almost no blood staining the gauze. He would have a noticeable scar for the rest of his life that could cause him some pain, but it was a sight better than dying.

It had been a challenge, to say the least. The amount of biomass required to heal him had been tremendous.

She reached out and touched the fern, absorbing its life force. It started to wilt and wither, leaves turning brown and falling off. She channeled that life force into Snapjaw’s chest, and as seconds passed the oozing wound closed up just a little bit more, new skin knitting together at the corners. Another day or so, and it would be nothing but a scar.

Snapjaw had been easier to work on, but there had still been some substantial lacerations. Luckily, he was all better now.

How they’d gotten these wounds, she didn’t know. She hadn’t asked, either. The less she knew about them, the better. They were patients, nothing more. Their reputation as career robbers meant it was probably nothing good.

That black-haired Hero had told her that they had fought the A-Rank Hero Hulda Ludenhaas, but that couldn’t be right. How could these two fools have come out of a fight like that alive?

The back door came open and Kit stiffened.

A man entered the room, raven-haired and pock-faced.

She let out a sigh. It was only Magpie.

He wore a large cloak that shrouded his whole body apart from his head, decorated with the black-and-white feathers of his namesake around the shoulders, a clear mockery of the Hero known as Eagle-Eyes.

“Hoy, sis,” he said, raising a hand. He glanced over at Hyena and Snapjaw. “Who are these jokers?”

“Patients,” Kit said curtly. “Close the door!”

Magpie shrugged, feathers fluttering on his cloak, and did as he was asked.

“Why the paranoia, dear sister?”

“Heroes. Just left. Did anyone see you come in?”

Magpie shook his head. “No one.”

“Are you—”

“I’m sure.”

Kit nodded to herself “Okay, good. That’s good.” She straightened herself out and chased away her lingering fears. “What brings you here, brother? You didn’t go and get yourself hurt again, did you?”

Magpie held up a pale finger. “Hold on, now. First things first. Why were there Heroes at your door? I want to know if I should be worried.”

“Because of them,” Kit said, nodding towards the two robbers.

Magpie squinted at them. “And why might that be?”

His eyes widened with realization and he threw up his hands. “Hyena and Snapjaw!”

“Wild Lads, at your service,” Hyena said sullenly.

“I heard you fought Hulda Ludenhaas all by your lonesome. Almost beat her, too. Is there any truth to that, or is it all drunken ramblings?”

The hyena and the turtle looked at each other.

“Well, parts of it may be slightly exaggerated, but—” Snapjaw began.

“It’s all true!” Hyena said with a sudden grin. “We got some good hits in, that’s for sure.”

Magpie pushed out his pocked cheek with his tongue, nodding. “Huh. I never would have guessed. You know, once, the people of the Slog saw you as a joke. Setup and punchline. Now they hail you as their very own heroes.”

Snapjaw’s beak-like mouth fell open. “Th… They do?”

“Oh, yes. I’ve been making rounds of the bars, and they’re all talking about it. Personally, I’m ashamed I didn’t recognize you two as soon as I saw you.”

“Brother,” Kit said, putting an urgent tone in her voice. “Tell me why you’re here. You can chat later.”

“Oh, right,” he said. “I brought you a little something to keep your operations running. You must be running low on funds, caring for these two absolute specimens.”

“You’re not lying there. I had to buy a whole cow just to drain it.”

Magpie grinned, shaking his head. “Not fucking surprised.” He produced a coin purse, tossing the rustling bag between his hands. “Well, my last job saw me pretty well off, so I’ve got plenty for you.”

“Where’d you get the money?”

“Doesn’t matter. What matters is that it’s going back to the people of the Slog.”

Kit hesitantly reached out her hand.

She felt dirty taking his money, but there was no helping it.

He threw the purse and she caught it. It was heavy. She looked within. Silver gleamed amidst the coppers within.

Suddenly, the purse was snatched away from her by an invisible force. It flew straight into Magpie’s waiting hand. He let it dangle of his forefinger by the drawstring.

“And when you get gifted something, you say…”

Kit looked down, grinding her teeth. She worked her tongue to try and force out the words.

“Thank you, brother.”

He gave her the purse once more with a friendly smile. “Much better.” He turned to Hyena and Snapjaw. “Now, gentlemen. I think I may have a proposal for you. Just like you, I am the business of…” He made a vague, searching gesture with his hands. “Relocating assets.”

“What’s that mean?” Snapjaw whispered.

“Dunno,” Hyena whispered back. “I think he’s saying he trades donkeys.”

Snapjaw frowned deeply, his face becoming a mess of wrinkles. “What’s that got to do with us?”

Magpie rolled his eyes. “Boys! Listen up, will you? What I’m trying to say is I’m also a robber. Take from the rich, give to the needy, that kinda thing. I’ve been staking out a big job, one that would shower the people of the Slog in riches, but I can’t do it on my own. I need some…” He gestured to the criminals. “Extra muscle. Looks like you’ve got that in spades.”

“Uh, right,” Hyena said. “So, what are we getting out of it?”

“Good question, good question,” Snapjaw whispered.

“We’ll split everything down the middle,” Magpie said. “You two get one half, I get the other. You’re looking at a big payoff here.”

“Like, what, silver?” Snapjaw asked.

“Forget silver!” Magpie made a grand flourish, raising his arms and twirling a full circle. His cloak fluttered dramatically. “We’re talking gold, boys.” He grinned, showing crooked, yellow teeth. His eyes gleamed with desire.

Hyena and Snapjaw looked at each other, eyes going wide. They began whispering in each other’s ears.

Kit considered stepping in, but she knew it was no good.

She needed Magpie. There was no getting around that. To mess up his business would be to mess up her own.

She noticed a little brown bird sitting on the windowsill on the other end of the room, checking its wings for parasites.

How long had that been there?

The bird looked up, fixing her with its little black eyes.

It cocked its head slightly and stared at her.

What is it doing…?

There was a loud hum, and all of a sudden the door behind her was cut in half.

The back door burst down, making way for the blond and black-haired Heroes who had questioned her.

The room exploded with motion.