Rise of the Night/Run of Night

Lyla woke hours later, stirring awake slowly as she stretched. She reached out for Shadow and didn't feel him. She opened her eyes and found herself alone. Looking around the safe house didn't produce him either.

"Shadow?" she called out. Silence.

Slipping out of the bed, she pulled her clothes back on. As she stood and tugged on her pants, she noticed her knife was missing. She frowned and dug around for it.

"Shadow... Where the hell are you and what the fuck are you up to?" She muttered. How was she supposed to keep him safe and out of sight if he went running off? "Dammit..."

By now it was getting dark, so she slipped her hooded jacket on and made her way out into the night. She had no idea where to start looking for him but she knew that once she did find him, she was likely to give him a good thwack upside the head for running off.

She started by slipping down to the edge of the roof where they kept a small hidden radio. She picked it up, giving the call button a test couple of pushes.

"All out to the dash," she said into the speaker. Heads up all runners. "Big up in the air, feet to the floor." This is Lyla, stay low. "No barking yet, but the shadows move." No word on how long, keep an eye out for Shadow. "Sing to the wind if you're in the dark." Let me know if you see him.

She leaned back and sat cross legged in front of the receiver. Any runner in the city that was near another of the radio receivers would hear her message. All she had to do was wait and hope one of them spotted Shadow.

It didn't take as long as she was expecting. The radio crackled twice before the voice came through. It sounded like Luke, the Shiva to her Congo.

"Barking at the red lights, big up," he said. Saw him in the red light district. "Damp in the river, dogs on the dry dock." At the Wet Whore, Congo and Shiva nearby. Lyla frowned. Shadow would normally have little reason to be at a brothel, even less considering what had just happened between them.

She flicked off the radio and made her descent to the street. She was careful and quick, now worried there might be some sort of trap. The four biggest leaders of the Diamond Dongs in one area seemed like a very bad idea. Still, she pressed on to the seeder part of town.

The Wet Whore loomed before her and she paused outside it with a disapproving look on her face. She sighed and walked in anyway.

She was surprised to see Shiva standing near the door, her arms crossed as she watched the spectacle playing out in front of the brothel's bar. A man lay moaning on the bar, his legs twisted at odd angles and blood flowing from his nose. The railing on the second floor above the bar was damaged. Lyla noticed Congo first, his broad back was to her, tense and standing tall. She immediately knew something was wrong. Congo was always very relaxed in his body language and anytime he tensed meant someone was being punished.

When he moved slightly, Lyla could see Shadow standing there, holding his hand to the left side of his face. The telltale glow of his magic swirling around his fingers. When he dropped his hand, his cheek and eye were already swelling. He must have been icing it with his magic.

"Good timing," Shiva said pleasantly. "They've only been at this a few minutes."

"The hell is going on?" Lyla asked, worried.

"Your little magi decided to blow cover to beat the shit outta Vellix. Congo's not happy with him, as you might imagine," Shiva explained. "Hey, isn't he the one that got it on you a few years back?"

Lyla frowned, ready to snap something back at the older lupus, but Congo turned and looked back at her.

"Ah, Lyla. Perfect," he said, though his serious expression didn't match his jovial tone. "When I'm done straightening out this one, it's your turn, pup."

Lyla instinctively took a step back, surprised by the look Congo gave her. He was going to punish her, that much was for sure. But she dared not leave the brothel. Running from him was a bad idea. Instead, she stepped forward and went to Shadow, who looked like he was about to start it up again with Congo.

"Are you alright?" She asked, getting a good look at his face. "Did he do this?" She looked back at Vellix.

"No," Shadow growled, his eyes locked on Congo.

Lyla looked between the two men and suddenly understood. She'd interrupted Shadow's punishment. "Shadow," she gripped his forearm. "Don't do this, please. He's your friend."