“We've verified your story with the others who were on the street, you're free to go,” the gruff Sergeant informed me.

“What about the kid?” I asked, “are they unhurt?”

The look on his face grew grim. “The kid's unhurt, but prospects aren't good. Attacking an innocent man in the middle of a street… urmph, not good at all.”

“Can I speak to them?” I asked, concerned.

“You can, but there will be a guard present at all times.”

Five minutes later, I was sitting on one side of a table, the urchin on the other, hands chained together and connected to a ring inset into the table.

After a few moments of being glared at, I decided to initiate the conversation. “So, what's your name?” I asked.

The kid hissed viciously at me in reply, giving me a good view of their sharp canines. Now that I looked closer, I could see a pair of pointed catlike ears barely protruding from under the tangled mat of hair.

“I can't pronounce that, so I'll just call you Hissy. Is that ok with you?” A few moments of vicious glaring followed. I sighed, I had hoped that would get some response in actual words.

“So Hissy, why did you try to stab me?”

“You know why,” the kid hissed venomously. Oh good; she can speak!

“No, I don't. Why don't you tell me?”

“You tried to kidnap me yesterday!”

“Kid, yesterday I was over seventy kilometres away. Even I would find it difficult to kidnap someone from that distance,” I replied calmly.

“B, but you look the same,” the kid said, faltering.

“And what did that person look like?” I asked.

“He wore black! And had a mask. And umm... had black eyes...” the kid's voice trailed off as they stared into my silver ones.

“So you attacked me on the assumption that everyone wearing a mask was the same person. Well done! I applaud your insight! You can truly see what no other could!” I mocked them.

The urchin started sniffling, and tears tracked clear lines through the grime on their face. I instantly felt guilty.

“Now, now, please stop crying. I'm going to go speak to the guards, so stay here alright?”

I stood and walked out of the room, nodding to the guard on the way out.

The sergeant was leaning against the wall just outside the room.

“You heard?” I questioned, and he nodded solemnly.

“Right mess,” he said gruffly, closing his eyes. “Kid's been roughed up and has taken it out on you.”

“They're innocent right? No need for any punishment?”

“Unfortunately, it’s still an attempted murder. Kid will probably become a slave, and who knows how a beastgirl with an attitude like that will be treated.”

“Is that really necessary? I’m not exactly a fan of slavery.” My voice almost dripped with distaste.

He opened his eyes and looked at me for a moment before sighing. “'s not up to me, 's up to the Law and the Cap'n.”

“Could you point me in his direction then please.”

“Cap'n’s a woman, and third door on the right,” he said, pointing.

“Thanks,” I said, quickly over to the indicated door and knocking twice.

“Come in,” a female voice called.

I entered the minimally decorated room and walked up to the desk where I could see a pair of wolf ears waving over the top of a large pile of paperwork. “One moment,” the Captain called again, then after a few seconds moved one of the stacks of papers, revealing a slightly familiar face, but I couldn't quite place it. “Ah, you're not one of my boys,” she said sticking out a hand, “the name's Mary Illupay, Guard Captain.”

“I'm Lyte,” I replied, shaking it, then the gears clicked together in my mind. “Are you a relative of Lupia?” I asked.

“Eh, yes, she's my sister. How do you know her?” the Captain asked, surprised.

“Well just yesterday I was at little frontier town in the Beast Woods, known as 'The Oupost', where I claimed some land. She’s the one who wrote up the deed.”

“Good to know she's still alive out there,” she said. “So, how can I help?”

“I'm the guy the street urchin who's chained up though there tried to stab.”

“And you're looking to ensure they're punished?” Captain Illupay interrupted.

“Actually, no, the opposite. I'd like them to be released without any consequences.”

“It was attempted murder, was it not?”

“Yeah, but I barely even felt it,” I replied with a sheepish grin.

She sighed. “Well the Law's the Law, I can't do anything about that. If the urchin stays here, it's likely-” she paused, “are they are male or female?”

“Actually I'm not sure myself.”

“Hmm. Anyway, if they stay here, it's likely that they will become a slave, and murderer slaves, even if said murder was unsuccessful, tend to be treated very badly, despite the laws our kingdom has about the treatment of slaves. And that’s not to mention if they get taken out of our country. However, there's another possibility; if both they and the 'victim' state a desire for it, I may be able to get them exiled from the kingdom into the Beast Woods. Normally this would be a death sentence, but…” a glint appeared in her eye.

“The Outpost.”

“Exactly.”

“Thank you very much,” I said gratefully. “I will repay this debt.”

“It's not much, just give a hand to my sister while you're up there and I'll call it even,” she said, waving one hand airily. “Now shoo, thanks to you I have even more paperwork.”

I thanked her, turned, and walked out as she buried herself back into her work, the tips of her wolf ears once again only just visible above the stacks of paper. I smiled to myself and closed the door quietly.

I returned to the room where the urchin was shuffling uncomfortably with their cuffs and sat down in the chair opposite again.

“Ok, I’ve talked with the guard captain and you have two options; you can stay and they will enslave you for attempted murder, or you could be released into my custody and come with me. Which would you prefer?” I asked the urchin simply. After a brief moment, they looked up.

“Go with you,” they mumbled quietly.

“Ok, all you have to do is tell the guard captain you want to come with me, and she will arrange it.”

“Mmmnn,” the kid acknowledged.