Submission (#2515) Approved

Deep into the Strynhalde region the mountains were littered with small trapping villages.  Most villages were a scattering of houses and a Main Street with shops and a postal service office. Many of the snowy villages would use teams of dog sleds or reindeer to bring goods back and forth along with the weekly mail. Many of these teams would courier packages and even transport other nins through the tough terrain.

Even in the dead of summer, many of the higher towns still held thick blankets of snow which made traversing the land on foot dangerous at best and deadly at worst. Where other areas may get rain, the higher peeks would get snow or worse blizzards.

Kittoms would enjoy snow forts and snow nins year-round and found their only way away from the snow was either in early summer when the sun was hot or travelling down the mountain and around Eyre.

The village where Boreas lives was on the larger side. It was nearer to the bottom of the mountain villages and tended to be a better location for tourists to visit. His parents had abandoned him at an early age, and he was sent to an orphanage out in Strynhalde. Of course, he hated it and decided living on the streets to be more favourable.

He lived in the alleys tagging along with another boy named Ares. Together the duo was like fire and ice. Boreas was cool, calm and collected. Ares was hot headed and brash. He would jump into a scheme without thinking first. To eat each day the boys would pickpocket from the local tourists.  Not a lot, but enough to buy a meal or two.

That day in late summer was exceptionally cooler and the boys felt it in their paws. “Looks like the cafe has a hot chocolate special.”  Boreas exclaimed, his purple trine tails shifting slightly. “No money.”  Ares motioned to his pockets. “No money, no treats.”  Boreas turned to him. “We could always work for the dough.”  The two erupted into laughter, Ares nearly fell back off the garbage can he perched on.  “Yeah yeah I know. There just hasn’t been many marks the last while.” Boreas searched the small crowd past their alley. Many were locals, and locals were not to be trifled with. Locals recognize. Locals remember. “Well we have to get something quick. I’m starving.”  Ares had jumped down and was next to Boreas rubbing his stomach as it groaned.

“You better quiet your *dog* before I find a mark or it will get us caught.”  Boreas was the leader of their little group and usually the mastermind in their plots. He chose the mark and Ares distracted them. “See right there. Coming out of the flower shop. They ain’t locals.”  He eyed and pointed out an elderly lady and her grand daughter. Both seemed to be tourists, looking at the local shops in the village. “Now’s our chance get going.” 

As Ares did, whatever he did, Boreas took to the side streets, climbing up the log buildings and following from above. Just as he was about to jump down and pick pocket the two, he felt his paw give way on the edge of the building sending him tumbling down and into a snowbank making all three of the elnin (and many towns people) look over.

“Are you okay??”  Okay the girl hurried over and helped him up. His knee had twisted so walking seemed like it would be a challenge. “What in Yggdrasill’s name were you doing up there young man?”  The grandmother asked sharply. Ares had vanished, leaving Boreas alone as he hobbled over. “I-I uh..”. He studdered. “Speak up I don’t have all day.”  “Grammy stop. Can’t you see he hurt himself. Come on let’s get you to somewhere to warm up.”  The three walked over to the cafe and sat inside. Inside the grandmother ordered a coffee for herself and the two hot chocolate specials and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. The café had a special hot chocolate which brought in many of the tourists and towns people alike.  It was made with rich milk chocolate and the perfect temperature of warm chocolate milk.  It had many spices.  Just above the drink there were a dozen mini marshmellows toasted to perfection and then a dollap of rich and creamy whipped cream.  “Thanks.. but I uh.. don’t have any money.”  The grandmother eyed him up and down and noticed his tattered and dirty clothing.

“Young man, why were you on that roof?”  He looked down and then up at the grandmother and her grand daughter. “I uh..” “And don’t lie to me. I have lived in this village nearly my entire life. I know street kits when I see them. Only good for thieving.”  “Grammy!  That’s rude!  You weren’t trying to steal from us… we’re you?”  Boreas couldn’t talk.  He threw himself out of his chair and got out of the cafe. Tears he didn’t know he was shedding matted the fur on his cheeks. He couldn’t get the sadness in the young kits eyes out of his head.

The pain was eased in his knee, only briefly by the adrenaline. He ducked into alleys and then found a dark one. Ares would have stolen some bread by now and gone back to their little makeshift home. The sun was starting to set when Boreas finally pulled himself up, grabbing a stick to lean on when walking, and bobbing back to his space. His stomach growled and his face was still damp.  As he stepped out of the alley to get to his own when he felt a paw grab his jacket and he turned around. It was the girl.  Her peach coloured hair and white fur looked sad. “I looked everywhere..”. She shoved a bag and mug into my paws and ran the opposite direction.

Boreas looked down at the items and into the bag. 3 still warm cookies and a nice semi hot cup of hot chocolate with melted marshmellows and sad whipped cream. On the bag she had written him a note. “You shouldn’t steal. It’s gonna get you into trouble. You also left without having the snack. Please make sure to keep off your knee. It needs to heal.  -Eos.”  “Eos?”  Boreas said her name out loud and pulled out a cookie. It was a chocolate chip cookie in the shape of a snowflake. Boreas shoved it into his mouth before taking a mouthful of the hot chocolate.  Maybe he shouldn’t be doing this anymore.