The Soldier and The Thief

"Hey! Get back here kid!" A couple soldiers, clad in light leather armor chased after a small blonde boy that carried a load of food in his arms as he ran, dropping a roll or slice of bread every now and then. He tripped right before an ally and tumbled to the ground, all the food in his arms spilling on the ground. He whimpered and tried to collect all of it as the soldiers gained on him.

A redhead smiled widely at the scene before her and stepped out of the ally. "Need some help Carter?" She smirked while the boy went rigid and turned around.

"Audrey! Help please! I know I was supposed to do this alone bu-" The redhead, Audrey stopped Carter's rambling with a laugh.

"It's fine. You made it to me, that's all that matters. You pass, now gather this up and head back to the hideout while I take care of these idiots," Carter nodded and gathered all the food quickly, running into the ally. The group of soldiers stopped before an innocent, smiling Audrey.

"Where's the boy Red?" One of the older looking soldiers demanded.

"Really Grayson, must you call me that? I believe that I have a name and not just a color," Audrey smiled slyly, her eye catching a younger boy of the group, probably two years older that her. Seventeen, eighteen at the most. "Ah, I see you got a newbie Grayson. Is this his first time out?"

"It is, he's my son, but I don't see why that's any of your concern, Red." Audrey feigned hurt and layed her hand over her heart.

"That hurts Gray... it really does," she hung her head, "I thought we were buddies."

Grayson let out a dry laugh of disbelief. "Me and you?! Buddies? Ha! Why would a soldier like me even consider a thief like you a buddy? To even say something so... so impossible, it's crazy!" Audrey smiled widely and thumped Grayson on the nose.

"I'll remember that while I'm eating your family's amazingly baked bread." Grayson let out a shout of anger and made a grab for Audrey, who simply jumped high in the air and came down on Grayson's head, sending him, face first, into the ground below. Audrey dodged the other soldiers with ease and stopped before Grayson's son. She flicked his forehead and smiled. "See ya later kid." With that said she ran into the ally, disappearing through a door that was broken off its hinges.

Tyrel Grayson hissed as the girl took off at a run. He started to go after her but another of the soldiers put a hand on his arm.

"Don't try. When she gets away, she gets away. That girl is like a ghost." He replied.

"No one is like a ghost." Tyrel replied as his father got up.

"Damned girl, I want to lock her up for good!" His father hissed.

"Cause she stole food!" Tyrel said. "We have bigger issues to deal with, theifves are for the police, not us."

"To bad you can't catch me, huh Gray?!" Audrey called down to the soldiers from the top of the building she had ran into. She stuck her tongue out and pivoted on her heel, running to the edge of the building and jumping off. She landed with a thud and turned back to the group. "Almost forgot to collect!" She smiled and ran at them all, snatching the small pouches of money off all the soldiers but Grayson and Grayson Jr. She smirked and cocked her head to the side. "C'mon Gray, you know the drill. You must not want to look bad in front of your son huh?"

"Eh, I wouldn't let you take my money even if my son wasn't here." A large raven with striking red eyes suddenly perched itself on Audrey's shoulder, a heavy tan bag hanging from his beak. "How did y-" Audrey cut him off with a wide smile and a light laugh.

"Pleasure doing buisness with you, Gray," she smiled and turned, running into the bustle of the large town.

Tyrel hissed and looked at his money pouch. "I'll be back." He said to his father turning and running through the crowd watching th egirl running in front of him. He caught up with her when she was turning a corner and he grabbed her arm pulling her back. "Your fast." He said absently.

"Obviously you are too. Suprised your bulk didn't stop you." She replied trying to pull away.

The raven, Haimon, squaked angrily and pecked at Grayson Junior's hand while Audrey tried to pull out of his grip. She finally gave up and shooed Haimon back onto her shoulder. There was probably only one way to get out of this. With a small smile Audrey turned quickly and slammed the boy into the building wall beside her, pressing her body against his. Her small smile turned into a seductive grin as she pressed her face into the boy's neck. "What's your name, Soldier?" She asked in a whisper. She was going to make him let her go one way or another.

Tyrel rolled his eyes and pulled her off him and twisted her arm behind her back. "Not going to work missy." He said pulling her with him. She stepped in front of him again. The smell of her was driving him up the wall.

"Come on, Soldier boy." She smiled. He narrowed his eyes and lowered his face to her's.

"Listen, I have no reason to let you go." He said. "So either give me on egood reason, or your coming back with me."

Audrey smirked coyly, looked at his through her eyelashes, and slowly pressed her lips to his. He suddenly let go and she pushed away from him, winking with a wide smile. She licked her lips and put on a thoughtful face. "Y'know, I love cinnamon." She smiled and turned, about to run. Right before taking off she looked back at him. "Pleasure doin' buisness with you," and, with that, she took off through the town once again.

Tyrel hissed and clenched his fists. He turned and walked away and found the others.

"Couldn't find her." He hissed.

"Told ya, that girl is as slippery as a snake." His father replied. "No one will ever find her."

**Think of their hideout at the tree in Peter Pan where Peter and the Lost Boys stay... lol*

Once outside of town Audrey ran into the forest, stopping at a huge tree with a door. She opened the door and stepped in, sliding down the slope and landing on a pile of sheets. She and her older brother had made this after her parents died when she was five and her brother was ten. Sadly though, her brother was gone. He was decapitated when Audrey was eight, making him thirteen. Ever since then Audrey took in all the homeless kids and rebelled against the townspeople, turning all the homeless children into thieves. None of them, however, were caught thanks to Audrey. She'd saved them before they had even got close to being caught, like she had saved Carter earlier that day.

"Hey! Audrey's home! Audrey!" A group of children, ranging from two to fourteen ran into the main room, instantly hugging a laughing Audrey.

When Tyrel got off patrol he mounted on his horse and rode off into the woods his dog following him. He took a deep breath as he raced through the woods. He stopped in front of one of the bigger trees and dismounted walking around. He was glad to be out of the city, away from all the problems, and away from the memory of that girl!

Audrey patted one of the younger kids on the head as he ate one of the bread rolls, and climbed out of the hideout, onto to be greeted by a huge horse. She almost screamed in fright but held it in, more entranced by the horses appearance. She closed the door behind her and ran a hand gently down the horses neck, smiling at the feel of its mane. "I wonder which soldier you belong to. You're quite well taken care of, I can say that much," the only reason she knew it was some soldiers horse was the fact that it had a soldier insignia engraved into its saddle.

Audrey smiled and swung up into the huge tree, crawling out on one of the low branches. She was going to get more money for her 'family' no matter what soldier it was.

Tyrel came back to his horse and shook his head. "Is my family the family you want to steal from the most?" He aske.d She screamed falling out of the tree. He caught her and set her down.

"W-w-what are you doin ghere?" She demanded.

"I'm being bored and walking around." He replied. "I'd arrest you, but I'm not on duty." he smiled.

Audrey glared and stuck her nose in the air, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's not like you could hang onto me long enough to actually put me behind bars." She smiled crookedly and sent him a mental image of what had happened earlier that day. "And to answer your question on me stealing from you family, the only reason I steal the most from your family the most is because your father killed my brother eight years ago." He didn't even seem slightly phased by what she said. "So, Soldier, you gonna tell me your name or should I just start callin' you Grayson Junior."

"It's Tyrel." He replied. "And I heard about your brother. THat was an unfair killing." He replied.

"You don't say!" She hissed. He just shrugged.

"So, you hide out homeless kids." He replied leaning against the tree.

"Who said that." She hissed.


"I'm not stupid. "

"Could've fooled me," she spat, "And... they're not homeless anymore. They have a home and it's here. Almost all of them have lived here most of their life, if not all of it. They consider me their mom, even though I'm a few years older than some of them, and they call each other their brothers and sisters." As if her point had to be proven a three year old, carrying a doll that Audrey had sewn up over and over again, came out of the hideout, sobbing as she held the doll's left arm in her hand.

"Momma! Bromley tore Anna's arm off!" The girl sobbed. Audrey sighed and squatted down to the girl's level.

"Addison, how many times have I told you to keep Anna away from your brothers?" Audrey scolded, taking hold of the doll.

"I-I did! I had her in m-my pocket and I was going to come ask you t-to tell us a story before bedtime, but Bromley took her and started throwing her around the room with Brackston. Morgan tried to get her back for me but they ripped her arm off and stomped all over her!" Addison continued to cry.

"Okay, okay. Tell them they aren't allowed to go into town until I say so. I'll tell you a story tonight while I sew Anna back up okay?" Addison sniffed and nodded, thanking Audrey before running back inside. Audrey stood back up after putting the doll in her pocket and glared at Tyrel. "As you can tell, my points been proven, now, if you'd so kindly leave from around here I'd appreciate it." Audrey felt a strange blush creap up her neck and spread across her face. Why was she embarrassed?! She had no reason for it! None at all!