Instinct.......

Characters-

Tsen- Theo (older)
Arch-D- Nicholas
Amriah- Amriah
KINGFROSTY-Julias Frost

IT'S FESTIVAL DAY! The towns people are celebrating the turning of the seasons. Music and streamers fill the air as the townspeople gather around the various stalls examining the traders wares, and purchasing treats from the vendors. A single fountain placed in the center of the town square sparkles as the sunlight reflects off of the waters surface. You are a visitor from out of town, and are instantly swept into the celebration by the crowds of people. As you work through dancing and singing crowds your instincts pull you to an isolated alleyway away from the crowds. You come upon a stranger...

The stride of a king couldn't be ignored, despite the fact that he was wearing the plainest attire that one could imagine. The strange presence beckoned the youth over to the lonely alleyway, despite all logic telling him to stay away. His instincts lead him away.

"Who's there?!" Theo shouted, glancing around as he continued to walk. "What do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything from you," Amriah replied with a frown. Her wings ruffled and her tail twitched. "I followed someone else down here, and they'd better show themselves to me." She shouted this to the shadows. "Or else."

"You tell me to show myself, yet you were following me?"
The reply came with a distinct snapping sound, a small flame lighting the face of Nicholas, from the darkest corner of the alley.
"I came here for some peace and quiet." Though his words were honest in his hunt for peace, Nicholas' face reflected that of stern man.
A stern man who's conjured flame burned even brighter with his words, suddenly catching on some extra festivities that the good folk had left in the alleyway, turning his entrance into an explosive one.

Rufus sauntered through the crowds of people, his rider, Julias, absently chewing on a maple treat in his saddle. There was a loud whistle as a spray of multicolored lights flew into the air. The fireworks popped and the people erupted into cheers. Julias, however, was confused as to why anyone would set off fireworks when the sun was still in the sky. He steered Rufus over to the alleyway.

“Well, what do we have here?” he said, as he came upon the group of “colorful” visitors. His answers would have to wait however, as nearby a door exploded from its hinges as a hooded figure ran through the new opening.

“Thief!” a voice shouted from the building.

“Well now,” Julias said with a smirk as he watched the hooded figure run away with a small bundle, “that’s interesting.” Julias glanced at the group, "Name's Julias." He snapped Rufus' reins as he prepared to give chase. "Shall we?"

Theo stumbled back onto his feet, still shocked from the impact of the explosion. Still coughing from the residual smoke, he asked, "Wh-what's going on? I -cough- couldn't hear or see what happened at all."

"I'm not sure if I really want to get involved with this either," he thought, just wanting to enjoy himself for one day out of his otherwise busy year. What was it they said? A thief? What's a petty thief to him? Someone else could take care of that.

But his good natured heart told him something ill had happened and he just HAD to help. He shook his head at his indecisiveness.

Amriah watched the others chase the strange thief, still confused about this Julias' explosive entry. Why did she care about a thief? Then again, she thought, what was some stranger in an alleyway? The instinct to hunt prey kicked in and whispered to her to follow. She unfolded her wings to take flight then decided against it as another firework sailed into the sunny sky. People would be looking. Best not to attract more unwanted attention.

"Why not?" She gave a chirp of a laugh and ran after the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves charging down cobblestone.

Nicholas quietly cursed as he caught the scent of powder, the loud crackle of fireworks had distracted him. His mistake had him nearly missing Julias' entrance completely, and he would have missed the name being said, if not for the equally explosive entrance of the thief. Upon hearing the call to action, a smirk crept upon his face. His hand quickly met with Theo's back, a strong pat of reassurance and farewell, as he followed through with the chase.