Chapter 6: Official

I awoke blearily sometime in the night. The silence that was once unbearable was now a mocking comfort. My eyes and throat were sore, my limbs stiff and heavy lead. I must have fallen asleep on my mother's chest.

I pushed myself up into a sitting position, careful to not disturb my mother's body. I sat at the edge of the bed, facing the door. I scrubbed my face with my hands and let out a laugh in disbelief. It sounded strange to me, almost crazed as if I had lost my mind. But I hadn't. I shot a cool look towards my mother's still form. My whole being was numb. The sight of that wilted flower couldn't move me to feel anything, a switch had been flipped off within me.

I stood on my feet unsteadily. The dull throb of a headache signaled I had needs that had to be tended to, so I pressed the palm of my hand against my temple as I made my way down the stairs to alleviate some of the pain. This time, the creak of every step did not bother me as it had in the past.

The kitchen remained the same, though merely moonlit rather than the warm sun shining through the windows. The night was cold. I got myself a glass of water and downed several glasses, maybe if I drank enough it would make me feel something. Once the water issue was taken care of, I glanced to the clock. One o'clock. I blinked in surprise. That's right, there was a bonfire going on with the strays. I stared at the half empty glass of water before dumping it out once I made up my mind. Since I was already dressed, I laced up my boots messily. They only needed to not fall off my feet.

I unlocked the door and slipped out into the night in search of the bright glow that rivaled the sun. My hands remained in my jacket pockets to avoid the biting cold my face could not. I didn't mind the cold either.

-

The stray headquarters was an abandoned building by Burnsley. Although it was an old building that would be dust by now, the strays take care of their own. Those who have any mind to care will always find something being worked on in the stray house. I followed the worn footpath to this house and stared up at its imposing black face that was shrouded by a blinding light behind it. Taylor had outdone himself again.

Tugging the collar of my jacket close, I followed the shadows of the surrounding trees into the backyard where hoots, hollers, and animal calls filled the silence over the roar of the fire. Strays ran wild across the yard, bodies illuminated by the firelight that truly gave them the justice of imps in the night. Standing above the whole works on the pallets that were ablaze, Taylor danced and called back to the strays who playfully jeered up at him. His expression was almost wicked with his hair pushed back with a crown of woven sticks, he looked like a cat walking a fence that was smug enough to know the barking dogs couldn't reach him.

Those light brown eyes shone red in the firelight and caught my own, narrowing in a sinister smirk. He threw his arms out as if holding the sky from the flames licking at his clothes as a knowing laugh rang through the night.

"Finally! We have another to join us tonight, Jinn has come to us with that look in his eye. Welcome him nicely."

The seething words had hardly left his lips when every pair of eyes sought me out, their illuminated eyes were odd to look at but not intimidating. Taylor dropped down from the flaming palates and strode over towards me. He stopped a few steps before me, smelling so strongly of campfire that it was almost overwhelming.

"Have you been abandoned now, like the rest of us? Are you ready to accept your place?" his hand reached out to me, blackened with charcoal.

I stared down at him solemnly, speaking with a cool bite to my words, "What place is there for me to accept?"

Taylor blew an amused breath through his nose while looking around, "The one you are meant to have among the strays. Stay the night and see. We will care for her in the morning. There is no need to worry now."

His eyes had softened from being away from the firelight, but the shadows still brought doubt to my mind of his intentions. Taylor used his blackened fingertips to smear charcoal over my face. He began by using his thumb to give light swipes at my chin and cheeks before smearing a line across my forehead, just below my bangs.

"Come, you said Odis would be here. I have a mind to pick a bone with him," a grin flashed across Taylor's face while he withdrew his hand, "That is, unless you came alone."

"He would be here. They are strays too, even if they don't live in the house," I tipped my head in the direction of the stray house for emphasis.

Taylor gripped my wrist and turned to lead me somewhere, "Then let's look. Tonight you will not be alone."

His words sounded brash, but in the end they kindled a feeling within me akin to gratefulness. We cut through the strays with ease, all the faces began blurring together the further we moved from the fire. Taylor's grip on my wrist was my only grounding as we sought out Odis or his sister. Taylor had also been asking the crowd if they had seen them as we passed by. The answers didn't matter to me. I would follow Taylor wherever he led me.

A firm hand grasped my shoulder and yanked me down in an odd angle, "Jinn?"

I blinked and sought out the face of the voice, finding Charlotte. Her eyes stared up at me fiercely, an irritated expression fit over her pretty face.

"What are you doing?! Blindly following the tom and looking pale as a ghost. Come with me, Odis is waiting," Taylor had paused to watch the scene while we talked, Charlotte grabbed my free wrist and led us in another direction.

We entered a circle of strays where Odis was hanging around. He made his way over to stand by my side once Charlotte released my wrist with a stern glare as if daring me to wander away. She had always been a tough cookie. I looked down to my wrist and let out a hum.

"So you're officially a stray too now, " I lifted my gaze to meet Odis', his expression looked tired as well.

We had both known what was to come, but it was different for the fear to become reality. He stood by my side and seemed to finally make eye contact with Taylor as well.

"You didn't have to call him out. He's still in shock," Odis berated the tom with a scowl.

"I know. Though, I've found it is easier if the transition is sped up," a smirk danced across Taylor's face as he released my wrist as well to walk up to Odis, "We all know it is for the best. I've done this job tenfold, I know what I am doing. Besides, he is my friend too."

There was a heated tension between the two before Odis broke the eye contact with a huff, "That is true, just be kinder."

Taylor glanced at me appraisingly, "He will be fine. Now that I found you though, I'd like to speak elsewhere."

Odis sent me an apologetic look before agreeing. They both watched the crowd with shifting eyes, searching for onlookers.

"Go on, " I encouraged the both of them with a bland smile, "I will just stay with Charlotte."

Upon hearing her name, Charlotte shot me a curious glare. The two thanked me before hurrying off somewhere. I watched them until they disappeared into the crowd. There was definitely something odd going on between the two of them. Charlotte poked my side to get my attention.

"Well, we might as well go disappear too. I know a good spot, " her hazel eyes that matched Odis' were bored looking, but it may have just been the dim light.

"Alright, " I agreed and allowed her to lead me away once more.

We followed a lesser traveled footpath that cut through tall grass between the foliage of the trees. The moon was out tonight, but it couldn't penetrate the thick canopy that arched over us. The soft chirping of crickets followed us into the forest while her dress caused the grass to hush us. She forcefully halted my movement at an open field with grasses well past our waists.

I gazed up at the sky where the stars winked down upon us. I felt Charlotte hesitate to take my hand before entwining her small fingers with my own. My hand instinctively enclosed around hers, I then glanced at Charlotte to see a grief stricken glow to her eyes. She looked to the grass and pulled me along closer, this time facing me to watch. As we parted the grass with our first few steps into the sea of grass, lightning bugs rose from their hiding places to light up the clearing. The view was spectacular and momentarily stole my breath away.

Charlotte gently smiled up at me, "It is okay to grieve. But you are not alone, we grieve together. As friends, as family, and always as strays. To be an official stray is not something you should loathe. Taylor speaks the truth but it can be too blunt and harmful, his actions are those that should be admired. They speak volumes of his person. You already know that."

A small giggle left her lips, causing a fond smile to find its way creeping over my lips, "I do. Thank you, Charlotte."

I embraced her small form by pulling her to me by our entwined hands, my thanks meant more than I could voice at the moment. I gazed out at the lit field with its mesmerizing, flashing lanterns. After a long beat, I rested my head against hers and enjoyed the moment of warmth. Her arms encircled around my waist beneath my jacket. It wasn't just body warmth I felt, but the kind that bloomed from within your chest even if it was faint. The night wouldn't be cold after all.