#djeid

                “However, if there’s anyone with a chance of knowing it’d probably be the new arrivals upstairs,” the tender said, still wiping up the vast alcohol spill on the counter. “One’s a Garran, the other’s a human kid. ‘Spect the Garran will know more. They’re in the room behind the blue curtain.”

                “Thank you,” he smiled, feeling relief in his heart. He turned away from the bar and to the worn wooden stairway, slowly climbing up the scratched and stained steps. Would he finally get some answers? Part of him doubted it would answer everything, but a start was a start.

                The second floor was much like the first; dirty, drafty, and with the faint smell of spoiled milk and paint. The doorways were covered in a dull rainbow of tattered fabric. Voices floated out from behind the curtains, curling out with smoke and the clinking of glasses. He went down the hallway, quiet as a cat, before he found the purple curtain.

                Taking a deep breath, he pushed the purple fabric aside. “..Hello?”

                “What the fuck,” a slim silvery haired Garran turned his head to fixate bright eyes on him, his body blocking the small cot that laid on the floor. “Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?” The garran’s tail swept over the floor quickly, the chair he sat in groaning.

                “T-there’s no door,” he mumbled, abruptly feeling a prickle of fear skittering up his spine as the Garran stared at him. “M-my name’s Collin, and I heard you might know something about those silent soldiers? They’re all over the Abraxas Line so I’m sure you’ve uh… seen them…”

                The garran’s eyes narrowed at Collin as he turned around in his chair so his entire body faced him.

                “Uhm…” Collin shuffled completely into the room. “The bartender said you’d know…”

                “Mmm, did he?”

                “Y-yes, what’s your name, by the way?” Collin gave the Garran a friendly, albeit forced, smile.

                “Why do you want to know?” The Garran’s lips were pulled back, but Collin knew enough about garrans to know that it wasn’t a smile.

                “Well, it’ll make things easier… if… if I know your name.”

                The Garran brushed his long hair back behind his ear, a dangling earring tangling in a few of the silvery threads, “if you need to call me anything, Agite works,” he said with an annoyed sigh. His expression immediately softened as something dark haired head laid itself on his lap. “How’re you feeling?”

                “Ughh…”

                Collin looked at the head, which turned so it could face him. A pale child’s face with gray eyes stared up at him, “who are you?” She asked with a yawn.

                “My name is Collin, I’m just looking for some answers, what’s your name?”

                “Her name is Kelsjerak,” Agite said, once again with the not-a-smile on his face.

                “No it isn’t,” the girl coughed, looking up at him.

                “For now it is,” the Garran said, pushing her head back down onto the cot. He turned his focus back on Collin. “I’ll make a deal with you, since you’re kind of cute for a human.” Collin felt his face turn red as the Garran stood up, closing the space between them in a single short step and towering over him. “I pretty much spent all the money I had left on this gross little room, and I don’t have enough money to get food for A-… Kelsjerak. She’s sick, so I don’t want to leave her alone for too long to go scavenging either. ”

                “So you… want me to buy food?” Collin  said.

                “Oh, cute and smart!” Agite said in a squeaky voice with a mocking smile, ruffling Collin’s hair. “Awww, yes! Three days’ worth at least. We’ll be leaving about that time anyway.”

                “Th-that’s a lot…”

                “DO YOU WANT INFORMATION OR NOT?” Agite snarled, leering over Collin who quickly took a step back.

                “O-okay! Food, got it! I can get it,” Collin squeaked.

                “Good!” Agite smiled, “I’ll be expecting you back by tonight.”