Chickens For the Taking

[Saffron]

Three days have past since the burning of Kierkgard.  What’s left of the city had been picked over, with anything useful salvaged from the ashes.  Some families lucky enough to save their beasts of burden have already loading up what little belongings they salvaged to make the long trek back to the old clan lands.  Tearful farewells to friends and neighbors have become a familiar sight.

Others are not so lucky.  They set up makeshift shelters, spending most of their time huddled around a fire, living off the handouts, wondering what is to become of them.

It is early afternoon, and Saffron stands in front of a makeshift cage in which are housed her chickens.  In front of her are three ragged men, looking hungrily at the chickens.

“No, for the last time, these chickens are my livelihood.  I am taking them back with me to my brother’s land.  You are NOT going to eat them.”

[Carac]

\"Aye!\" speaks a firm voice of agreement from behind the men. \"You don\'t want them chickens,\" Carac says as he steps further forward and points at the cage. \"Just look at them, they\'re too scrawny. There\'s not enough meat on them to make all the trouble of cleaning them worth it.\"

He turns then and points further out towards the city. \"Besides, I heard that someone\'s found another stash of the Guardian\'s down in the Wulfs Quarter.\"

[Saffron]

The scrawniest of the three shifts his gaze, assessing the situation.  “Wulfs Quarter.  Hmm.  Well I’m goin’ to see what they might have,” he says nervously, and scurries off.  But the other two stay.

“They may not have much meat, but they’ll do for a nice broth.” One of the men wipes his drool with the back of his sleeve.  “It’s been nuthin but hard bread and soft apples for three days now.  Now Master Carac, you can’t expect us men to fight the cause on an empty stomach, do ye?”  He takes another step closer towards Saffron, but the woman stands her ground.

“I told you.  They are not for sale.  They lay the eggs that I sell.  That’s how I make my living.  I am not going to sell them and you are not going to eat them,” Saffron states with finality.

[Carac]

\"Eggs that are used in that hard bread you\'ve been eating,\" Carac adds. \"Eat the chickens now and then there\'s no bread for tomorrow or the day after. Think about more than just the now, lads.\" He bats a lock of hair from his eyes. \"If your need for meat is so great that you can\'t control then take to the hills and hunt yourself up some supper,\" he adds. \"Quilum of the Wulf took down a large stag close to dawn, and I hear some of the Bear hunters brought in some game as well. There\'s food all around you, but you need to leave the walls to find it.\" He waves a hand towards the distant gates. \"Now be off with ya.\"

[Saffron]

“Leave the walls?”

The ragged man asks, incredulously.  “I ain’t leavin the walls.  Besides, I don’t know how to hunt.  I clean the walls, see.”  He gives one more longing stare at the chicken before shrugging and walking off with his scrawny friend.

Saffron stays her ground, moving her head to watch and follow their every move until she loses sight of him among the refugees making camp.  Finally, she relaxes with a sigh, turning slightly to face the young man.

“Thank you,” she says to Carac somewhat curtly and turns to tend to her chickens.

[Carac]

Carac gives a slight shrug of his shoulders. \"Was nothing,\" he replies. \"If you truly are planning on taking those chickens to your brother\'s land, then you best be leaving soon,\" he adds. \"Those birds are going to look more and more desirable the longer you wait.\"

[Saffron]

“Don’t you think I know that?” Saffron retorts curtly again, her back to the young man as she shuffles the cage with no real purpose.  “I have already lost over half my chickens to the fire.  The rest are so spooked they’ve stopped laying.  Perhaps the only thing they’re good for is to make broth.”

She sighs and stops reshuffling.  “I know what you had to do.  I ain’t saying you didn’t do right.”  She turns and faces him.  “But couldn’t you have warned us? Did you have to take everything from us?  Some of us have nowhere to go.”

[Carac]

Carac frowns and shakes his head. \"That is not true!\" he demands. \"There are places for you to go. There are abandoned buildings in the Old Village that with a little work could house many. There is abandoned Iolair a day and a half south of there, again with some work it could take in many more.

\"I am sorry that the people of the city have lost so much,\" he says honestly. \"But if they only seen the opportunity ahead of them...\" he shakes his head.