Impulse
Something short and sweet to show a quick look at a random and important day in Theo's young life. I need to get back into my writing more seriously.
Gasping to catch his breath, Theo ducked behind a barrel in between the tailors shop and the pub. He pushed himself against it as much as he could, all the while keeping both ears piqued for sounds coming from the street.
"Where'd you go you little bastard?! When I find you I'm gonna beat your bitch ass raw!"
Theo held his breath as he listened to his father storm by, awfully close to his hiding spot, spewing semi-drunken swears and vulgarities every which way as he looked for his son. When Theo was reasonably sure his father had moved on past his hiding barrel, he cautiously stepped out from between the buildings and made off at a run in the opposite direction. With his slight size, it was no issue for him to dodge around the people in the street only stopping after he made it to the central market and ducking down beside a fruit vendor to catch his breath once again. He was afforded about thirty seconds before the vendor gave him a swift kick and a "Move yer ass, runt." And so Theo found himself wandering market. With no money to his name he could do nothing but window shop, staring forlornly at the nice fabrics and shoes that far outclassed his ragged and patched trousers and shirt and highlighted his bare feet.
After earning a few more kicks and a swat or two from vendors that he wandered too close to, Theo found himself around the merchant wagons that arrived that day. His natural curiosity led him to jump up on one and peer into the crates to see what the merchants were bringing into town. He was just about to lift the lid on the third crate, (the first two had leathers) when he felt a tug on the back of his shirt and suddenly he was airborne before landing flat on his rump. Looking up Theo discovered that he had run afoul of one of the biggest Tigers he had ever seen, and he looked none too happy to find the grungy ermine peeking into the goods he was to be unloading.
"Get your grubby paws outta here before I decided to teach you not to touch what don't belong to you." He grunted before turning and lifting one of his crates off the wagon. Not one to test the good graces of someone like the Tiger, Theo turned around to leave and made direct eye contact with his very angry, and still drunk, father from across the market. Thinking fast Theo turned and ran into the group of wagons, he found one still covered in a tarp he crawled up under it and moved as far up to the front as he could and perked up his ears to listen.
"Get yer drunk ass outta my way, you rodent." That was the Tiger again. Theo didn't quite catch what his father replied with, but he couldn't repress his little grin at the faint meaty thuds he heard a few seconds later. He decided to hide in the wagon for as long as he could, just to make sure his father had left the area. He had no way to track the time passing as he laid in the wagon but after what seemed like an hour he heard the Tiger again, and someone else.
"I found Miles, boss." That was the Tigers gruff voice.
"Finally! Where is he? We need to get on to Graddin as soon as we're unloaded."
"He...uh....He's kind of arrested...sir."
"HE'S WHAT?!"
"I guess he kinda...drunkenly assaulted a serving girl and he's...in jail. These small town lawmen are hard on that I guess."
"Shit! Well he's fired, I can't afford to stay here any longer." Theo jumped as there was a loud bang on the side of the wagon. He assumed the second person had just punched it. "Well, lets unload the last of this stuff and get on then."
Suddenly Theo's eyes were assaulted with the midday light as the tarp was pulled back from the wagon. Blinking repeatedly to adjust his eyes, Theo came face to face with the large Tiger, again, and a Wolf he could only assume was the boss.
The Tiger growled, "You. I'm gonna beat your pretty face black and blue, runt."
Thinking fast again, Theo did something incredibly impulsive that would forever change the course of his life. Looking the Wolf next to the Tiger in the eye he asked with a confidence he didn't feel, "I heard you have an opening on your caravan. Can I apply?"
The Wolf looked dumbstruck for a second before he broke out into a big grin. He looked at Theo for a minute before answering.
"You ever assault anyone, boy?" "No sir." He shook his head.
"Ever drink to excess?"
"Never sir."
"Good at lifting things?"
"Yes sir."
"Well then," The Wolf smiled more, " I do need the help, at least till we get to Graddin. You steal anything and I will let Bryce here rip your legs off. Understood?"
Theo just nodded, very taken aback that his gambit actually seemed to have worked. The Wolf nodded, "Very well then. Help Bryce unload this wagon and we'll take you with us to Graddin."