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“So you’re not contagious?”  The guy with curly hair clicked his tongue.  “I mean, it’s not just me you’re inconveniencing.  When you cough all over the place like that you’re spraying your diseases all over this entire group.  Plus, we’re not from your world so basic diseases that you carry could probably kill us.”

Oh, goodness. I had never been contagious, it was just smoke damage but how was I supposed to say that without telling everyone all about it? I didn’t want to do that.

I opted for staying quiet and not looking at him. Whenever someone was irked at me, that usually made them go away fastest.

“Wait, have they discovered germs yet in your world? I’m sorry.  I thought you were being inconsiderate, but maybe you’re just uneducated.  You see, there’s these little organisms that – ”

I could not emphasise enough how much I didn’t care but if ‘uneducated’ was going to get him to shut up I was happy with it.

“Who just touched me?  Keep your hands to your-”

“I think you’ve made you point well enough.  Give the poor guy a break!”

I stiffened at the unexpected voice, then recognized the man who had been glowing. I was instantly suspicious. Why was he defending me? I didn’t need it, and I especially didn’t want to owe him.

“For the record, I’m from the same world as you, and I’m not concerned about whatever germs he might be carrying.”

So we were from different worlds? Just too late, I thought of the fact that I could have turned that fact around and told him there was a much bigger chance of him killing me than the other way around.

They’d already moved on. If only he forgot about the circumstance, I’d just to my best to stay out of his way and hope he didn’t carry a grudge.

The man with the scarred face stared at both of us, taking us in, judging. I tried to look more confident than I felt but didn’t want to look like a threat.

Apparently, he didn’t particularly care because he moved on. Good.

“So lets get the introductions going shall we? What do they call ye?”

Was I supposed to give them my name? I had a bad feeling about that. I’d just wait and see what the others did.

“I’m Basil,” the curly-haired man said.

“And I’m Misu!” the other one said.

“I’m Aydin,” I said, quietly, then realized I had spoken too quietly and they possibly hadn’t heard me or they thought I was rude or–

“Speak up, why do you always mumble like that?”

“Just Aydin?” Basil asked, rather sharply.

I nodded.  I had no tribal ties, no family ties, no ties of any kind. Not anymore. I was just myself, and it was horrible and wonderful at the same time.

”Name’s Lorcan,” the scarred man said smoothly. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Sure it was. That was just one of the polite lies of social situations. I wasn’t particularly pleased to meet him and he probably wasn’t particularly pleased to meet me either.

He rolled his shoulders back. He was taller than I was, and definitely far stronger. I made a mental note not to make him notice me. Being invisible was safer.

“Strange. I never had the opportunity to give my real name to this many people.” He let out a soft chuckle.

The small man who was missing a leg, and a crutch, asked, “Why?”

“Back home they call me the Phantom Ranger. But apparently no one here has heard of me so I don’t think it matters too much now. Its a nickname, nothing more.”

I listened absently, still watching the smaller man without being noticed. How had he lost his leg? His brother helped him along, and he managed pretty well.

”Why do they call you that?” Misu asked curiously.

“I’m an assassin with a – specific set of skills,” he answered after a moment.

I looked over my shoulder, surprised. I tried to hide my reaction, hopefully he hadn’t noticed it in the dark. An assassin? It didn’t lessen my apprehension but now I could fit him in a category I was familiar with.

“So naturally I suppose its because I frighten them. Its easier to label me as something monstrous. Than – you know. To refer to me by an actual name. Not that I stopped them of course.”

I knew that. Weren’t we called the Shadows by most people? Apparently, the Nebatan even had a myth that they were supernatural creatures who could turn into shadows and disappear. Also that anyone who saw them would die of madness within seven days. I smiled. That was so ironic it was funny.

“You can’t ever completely trust anyone. So it’s easier to have people fear you. At least thats in my book.”

Finally someone with sense. That made more sense than anything that had been said so far. I didn’t trust Lorcan, but I understood him more than any of the others so far.

I focused on the more direct problem of not dying. I slipped into the shadows and let all the others go into the lit cave ahead of me.

There was a loud, terrifying shriek somewhere in the distance, like someone was dying in agony. I shivered and glanced at the others, then saw they had no reaction. Just me, again.

The dark-haired man glanced back and his gaze trailed over all of us, silently counting.

I slipped inside, staying behind the others, in the shadows.

It was breathtakingly cold, as cold as it was in the mountains when snow fell. There was more light here, it was probably the first time the others got a good look at me. I stayed in the shadows and wished there was some way to hide the ripped edge of my cloak, marking me as tribeless.

Two girls and a man sat near a fire. One girl was small, with dark curls. Something about her reminded me of Faye, perhaps the way she sat curled up or her small stature.

The other was tall, with dark hair and piercing eyes. That was familiar too. Yikes. I avoided her gaze.

The man didn’t even look up.

The girl got up and joined the dark-haired man.

“Who are these people?” she whispered. I glanced at her, only to find her staring back with undisguised hostility. Oh, dear. This, again.  (Author’s note: He’s talking about Liorah. You know he is XD)

I was going to do the same thing as last time. Ignore her.

The dark-haired man smiled, trying to be reassuring. I was plotting to find an exit.

There was a mouth of a cave but it was even colder than here. I wouldn’t do that unless I was out of options.

“Well, all I can tell you is we have a fire and we should probably stay close to conserve body heat.”

I thought a string of words that I would not speak aloud. No. I’d rather freeze to death.

“Although if you’re not comfortable being in a group, I’m sure we can produce blankets or something,” the man glanced at me.

I met his gaze, for the first time. He looked honest, open, but not naive.

This was the second time he made sure not to force me into an uncomfortable situation or embarass me in front of the others. I appreciated it more than he’d ever know. I smiled, faintly, but still.

Whatever the intentions of the others were, there was an off-chance that he genuinely didn’t mean me any harm.

He joined the others, sitting down between the tall and slight girl.

I didn’t want to stand out but I didn’t want to get close to anyone.

I edged around the group so I was on the side closest to the cave entrance. It was the coldest side but it was nearest the exit. I didn’t want anyone between me and the exit.

I was also pretty close to the dark-haired man. The tall girl huddled against him, almost on top of him. My suspicion that they were family was confirmed.

I sat down, my back pressed against the wall. I was close enough to the group that I wouldn’t attract attention but not too close. And keeping my back against a wall was an old habit.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and pulled my cloak around me so I wouldn’t get too cold too fast. I was already numb with cold but not more than usual in winter. It would get worse though.

I crossed my arms, under my cloak. I was grateful that at first glance my right hand didn’t look different, the scar on my forearm was hidden by my long sleeves.

Even if someone had noticed, they probably wouldn’t pick up on the fact that it was paralyzed. Probably.

“I’m sorry, I never introduced myself. I’m Aydin,” I told the dark-haired man. My voice was quiet again, I couldn’t help it. I didn’t want to be noticed.

“I’m Niarok and this is my sister Yila,” he said.

I nodded, then replied automatically,

“Pleased to meet you.” I couldn’t keep the hint of sarcasm out of my voice.

__________

Y’all, I’m so sorry all his pieces are so long XD I get carried away XD

Oh, I wanted to add that ‘tribeless’ is essentially equivilant to being outlawed. (Long story XD)