Trollbane - Part 10

The stink of the alleyway roused Reven from his sleep. The smell of human excrement mingled with the powerful scent of last night's ale made his stomach churn as his eyes struggled to open against the power of the morning sun. He brought one his hands to his face to cradle his head as he pushed himself upright, trying to remember how he had got into the alley in the first place. Still half-drunk he knew that last night had involved ale. The blood caked on his knuckles told him there had been violence. The general mess he was in told him that whatever had transpired it wasn't something he would be proud of. Another exercise in excess that had left him asleep in a shit-stained alley. Wonderful!

Shuffling down the streets of River Rise, trying to find his bearings he was pleased when the marketplace came into view. He would return to The Rest in the hope that Fang would have made his way back. As he pushed through the crowds of people, many of whom turned their noses up at his heavily scented passing, a commotion at the side of the market square caught his eye. Familiar stalls that he passed yesterday came into view as did a large contingent of the city watch. A crowd had gathered to gawk at the watchmen as they went about their work. Reven made his way through the onlookers until he stood at the front of the crowd. As he looked upon the destruction in front of him, the events of the previous night started to slowly fall into place.

Gap Tooth's animal stall had been smashed to pieces. Empty cages and splintered wood littered the floor. Tables were overturned; animal bedding, faeces, and feathers were spread around adding to the chaotic scene. The animals themselves were missing. The vague recollection of drunken anger washed over Reven. This looked like his work, his style of raw primal anger unleashed. His face flushed as he looked upon the destruction he had wrought. He struggled to remember when he had done this, it must have been whilst drunk. He had brooded over the deaths of Gap Tooth and his fellows and the way he and Fang had snuffed out their lives all of the previous day. He had wondered about the fate of the animals that were caged at their stall. The scene before him told him of what had transpired. In a red-hued fit of kindness, he had decided o set the animals free. Releasing them into the night so that it may envelop them in its embrace and help them find much-deserved freedom.

Whilst he stood musing over yesterday's mistakes, and small victories, he had started to draw attention from some of the watchmen who were casting sideways glances in his direction. The blood caked over his hands and his general demeanour made him stand out and he couldn't help but think if he were a watchman he would want to question this wastrel. He drifted back into the crowds before the watch could act, melting away into the hubbub of the market place. Head down, he marched back to his lodgings at The Rest in the hope he would be reunited with Fang and they could be away from the city before he started any more trouble.