Solo A Stroll Down East Street

[Cadence Pruette]

2 Fall, 513 AV The sun was low in the sky, casting a pink shimmer across the sky, and as the sun fell below the horizon, Cadence donned her hood and walked around the corner. As she walked with a brisk pace, the air cooled and lamps where lit in buildings. The closer she came to her destination, the rowdier the people around her. She looked around at the drunks and others who called East Street home, and upon finally arriving, the street was covered in them. She slowed her pace then, scanning all of the men and women on the street warily. Pushing a fiery red lock of hair from her face, she continued walking down the uneven, fragmented, cobbled street. She eyed for any open pockets, exposed coin purses, or any other way of making a few Nilo. She walked by a group of men in an alleyway, and was greeted with sickening cat calls as she moved faster past. Turning back to the street from the alley, she saw too late the outstretched leg of a man sitting with his back to a building as she tripped over it, landing on the cement and barely catching herself. As she stood and dusted herself of, she glared at the man before continuing briskly on her way.

[Cadence Pruette]

Looking down an alleyway, Cadence finally saw what she needed, a sleeping drunk with a coin purse hanging exposed off of his belt. She looked either way to be sure she wasn't noticed, and ran into the dingy alleyway. She dropped to her knees by the man and started to untie his coin purse, and as she did so, his hand wrapped like a vice around her wrist. Cadence squeaked in surprise, and pulled her hand out from his to turn and run. As she turned, she saw two more men block the alleyway entrance. Cadence started turning in a circle, looking for a way out, and seeing none, she pulled out her dagger. As she did, the two men pulled out their own, striking a fighting pose. "Let me go." Cadence said, trying to sound commanding, and failing. "You should've thought about your safety b'fore walkin' intuh an ambush, deary." The man slurred his words heavily, proving his inebriation. As he approached, he lightly caressed the right side of her face, where her scar was. "Oh, what a shame, a pr'ty little face like yours, blemished by this ugly burn." Cadence was breathing quickly, thinking of something to do. Then she remembered the acid she had saved in case she needed it, she reached as if to put away her dagger, and slowly grabbed the vial, opening it as she did so. "What are you planning to do with me?" She asked the drunk, as he leaned closer to her. She could smell the alcohol on his breath, and as he began to talk, Cadence kneed him in the groin and threw the vial of acid in his face, as he screamed in pain, she took him and pushed him into the two men guarding the alleyway, in the ensuing panic, she dodged around the mess and began to run down the street, jumping over drunkards and dodging around groups of men.

[Cadence Pruette]

As Cadence ran, her heart pounded. She'd never felt like this before, this thrill of the chase. Her feet hitting the worn street, the cool breeze flying through her hair as her hood fell. She turned and, seeing the men chasing her momentarily distracted after stumbling into one another, ducked into another empty alleyway. She sat on the ground, breathing deeply, as she pulled her hood up over her head in order to hide her hair and face. "You lost her!" One shouted as they ran by the alley. Cadence sighed heavily, no matter how amazing, and exhilarating the chase had been, she was still relieved to be back in safety. She stood and peeked around the corner, and when she saw their backs turning a corner further up, she left the alleyway and began to walk down the street, back the way she'd come from.