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The last words of the confrontation died away as Kemry approached the marketplace. A quick glance between the tall boy and the merchant told her all she needed to know. Smiling, she danced up to the two like a playful child. The merchant looked taken aback as he caught sight of her, and his look quickly formed into a glare as she began to appraise his stall, practically empty at the early hour.

"You'll be needing-" she began but was cut off by the merchants swinging pole. Ducking easily, she took a few steps back still smiling.

"Get away from my stall wench, Brion has told me all about you and your thieving ways." he glared mencingly, "He's one of yours, isn't he? I bet you sent him to rob me blind! Well, too bad I'm too..." Kemry tuned him out as he rambled on about his superiority. She had heard it all before from other merchants. Turning around to follow the unfamiliar boy and his little bird she ran off. Catching up to him she spoke genially.

"That old man's a big windbag, besides, no one buys any of his muck. Seth tried selling it once and even his baby doll face couldn't convince people to take it let alone buy it. He's definitely a grumpy old toad." pausing Kemry glanced for a reaction and then continued, "You look hungry. Lucky for you I'm out shopping, care to join me?" she waited for his reply for a moment before walking down the road, slightly ahead of him.

Kemry paused in the middle of her darting steps, pivoting around to watch him stalk away. She cocked her head, resting her hand on her hip as he turned down another street. She laughed to herself, good thing huh? Sleeping alone on a merchant's doorstep wasn't exactly her definition of the term. She couldn't help but notice the protective way he carried his bag. Following him at a distance, she was careful to keep her footsteps out of sync with his own so he'd know she was there.

"I am way too curious for my own good." she breathed, her hand hanging carefully by her long dagger, close enough to grab without making her weapon obvious. "Let's just hope Mr. Temper doesn't try to kill me."

He kept walking, knowing he needed to find breakfast soon or else he might throw up. He hadn't ate in nearly three days, and although there was plenty of water to find, his stomach was eating itself now, and his pride had gotten in the way of that last opportunity for a meal. Why were you so mean to her!? She might have given you some food. Why do you do this to yourself? He kicked a stone near him and turned around slightly.

He thought he saw something, but wasn't sure. Shrugging it off, he kept walking.

"We haven't had much luck finding food so I hope you're not too hungry." She frowned, red splotches appeared on her cheeks. It was her fault that everybody was more hungry than usual. She smiled as more orphans started to wake up and stretch their stiff limbs.

Kemry sighed inwardly, she seemed to be doing that a lot today. She had lost her nerve when he had turned and kicked the stone angrily. Quietly darting into the shadows of an old building she had waited for him to walk away again before returning to her pursuit. What's wrong with me, she thought, I'm jumpier than a rabbit! She kicked her own stone and froze, but nothing happened. He was already too far away to have heard her.

Still following him she looked around at the increasingly larger buildings. She hadn't realized they had come this far. Small shops were becoming the larger houses of the lesser nobles. She debated turning tail and leaving the boy to fend for himself like he obviously had been. She flinched, still walking, as she remembered the same thing happening to her. She had been lucky, getting away with only a warning since she had been so little, but it was still a trying memory.

Cautiously she called out to him, a faint clatter of armored shoes on the cobblestone road distantly approaching. "Hey, wait up a minute!" her voice trembled slightly as she heard a pause in the approaching sound. She didn't wait for him to turn before continuing. "Listen, I'm sorry for being so obnoxious but I really don't think you want to go that way much further. Why don't we head back to the marketplace? You never gave me a chance to answer your questions!" Her heart pounded as she waited for him to turn, to answer her. Every muscle in her body was screaming for her to run and get out of there, but her feet remained firmly planted to where she had stopped. The clattering footsteps that caused her panic grew nearer every second, a booming laugh now echoing in their wake.