Change by Knight(Traveler&AparinaAkumu)

Derek glanced at the cat, but for the most part ignored it. One of the other guards saw the kitty and went to kick it, but Derek stepped in the way and put a hand on the man's chest. "Cruelty simply for the sake of your entertainment is evil, Bradley. Leave the cat alone."

The thin blond flicked his hair out of his face and laughed. "What, you a cat-lover now Beorn? Makes sense. It's the only pussy you're bound to get." He laughed at his own joke and made a rude gesture to the other guard before leaving the area.

A moment later Derek left as well; the city bell had tolled, and the guards were about to change shift. He slipped on the half-helm that was part of the uniform and began to walk briskly towards the Upper East portion of the city.

Annika felt a bit offended he mostly ignored her, and she trotted after him, meowing occasionally to let him know her presence. Though, after a while she got bored and ran past him before ducking into an alley and changing into the dark haired thief she was on nights like this.

Traveling by roof top, she followed Beorn and then laid on the roof across from the castle and the guards, barely hidden, and watched. The interaction the boys had was always funny to her, and she wanted to watch a bit of it before she would sneak in for another wonderful show.

Derek was tired. He didn't know why, but the last night's race took something from him. Maybe it was that he realize that he no longer cared about whether or not he caught the thief; he felt no loyalty to the kingdom after they had thrown him to the street, figuratively speaking, simply because some noble girl had decided that she wanted to make a point using him as the target.

That night he walked for a while, trying to ignore the cat an not dwell on the night to come. By the time he reached the guard house gate the cat was gone. Unfortunately, Derek's apprehension wasn't.

"Hey, Beorn!" One of the guards called down from the catwalk to the street level. "Did you catch that thief yet?"

"Go fuck yourself, Butch." Derek stayed far enough away from the wall to avoid anything they might spill over the edge. Like urine. "I got those two bags, what more do you want?"

"Well, Duke Simon said that the thief took something of value from him. He's willing to see you instated as his family's personal knight if you manage to catch the bitch and bring her to justice."

Derek scowled up at the knight. Duke Simon was a man of honor despite his wide girth. "How do I know that you're telling the truth?" It wouldn't be a reinstatement to the king's knights but it was a far step above city guard.

Butch tossed down an envelope. Derek opened it, noting the seal was the House of Simon's Lion, and read the letter by lamp light. Indeed, the letter was addressed to him and it stated exactly what the royal knight had quoted. "So... I catch that thief and bring her in?"

"Yep. And you're working for the House of Simon and back in the knighthood."

Derek tucked the envelope inside his vest. He had a reason to chase harder now... he had a goal. "Alright. Thanks." He glanced up at the knights and then began his patrol. He had to catch that woman.

After a while of the man ignoring her, she trotted away as if she had better things to do than bother him. She walked along the rooftops for a while until she laid down on one and watched the guards and Beorn.

This was practically saying she was a bounty now. She just sighed inwardly and began to plan her way in. Just like last night, she wandered around the outside as a cat until she found the nearest entry point to the kitchen's storage. She made very quick work to plan, and only had to watch for Beorn before she snuck in. She never took enough to be missed, but she did take more than needed this time, knowing that now someone would be chasing her. Might as well reward him for his efforts and leave him something to carry back to those pompous royal guards.

After another all-too-successful robbery, she didn't even bother to run off. She just began to walk, a small yet full bag slung over her shoulder like a child's sling and another in her arm. She actually sat down on the top of a chimney to wait for Beorn.

The night had been rather boring; nothing was happening other than the regular things. Barroom brawls, pickpockets in the markets, and the occasional man/woman argument that spilled into the street. As he was walking back to the guard gate he scanned the tops of walls and roof tops, hoping to catch a glimpse of the thief from last night. He did a double take when he saw a strange shape on the top of a building.

There, on the rooftop... watching him!... was the thief! He could have sworn it was her, and she just sat there as if she had all the time in the world.

Beorn frowned, but then he sprung into action and vaulted the wall to skip across a catwalk and the sprint across the rooftop that the chimney was on. He had to catch her; she was his ticket out of the city guard.

When he finally saw her, she jumped up and hurried back a few rooftops. "Scarface! Yer a naughty boy!" she called, "Yer late...'ere I t'was, t'inkin' yer not comin'!" she laughed. She hurried away from him though, giving him a little time to catch up every so often.

After she ran him in a couple circles, she dropped most of the goods and turned to see him. "I 'erd ye need ta catch me I 'id" she said with a smile. "Ye caint! Won't let ye catch me! Need to offer a little somethin' fer me first!" She was smiling broad as ever before she waved. "'Ope ta see ye next time Scarface!" she cooed before she stepped off the building. This time, she caught herself a bit closer to the ground, the second floor window, and she scrambled through the house before she turned into a wolf and ran out the back with the bag she still had in her jaw.

Beorn tried to catch the thief, but she was fast. She was supernaturally fast... which frustrated him even more when she taunted him. Somehow she knew that he needed to catch her, and he was not only angry now, but stumped. She said that he needed to offer her something? But... who was she? What kind of person was she, and why did she steal?

He nearly tumbled off the roof trying to follow her when she leaped off the roof. Thankfully he caught himself by the tips of his fingers and watched her as she slipped away through the window. He watched her shadow disappear and then he made his way to the ground, winded, frustrated, and... intrigued.

When the royal guards asked him how his night went he only grunted at them. He was tired. He glared at his fellow city guards when it was time to turn in. Thankfully the next day was a day off work for him, and so he could consider what he had learned so far of the thief (very little) and what he would do next.

Annika quickly got to her destination, gave food to everyone, had a little for herself, and taught some of the girls a few defensive moves. One of them had been taken into the city by a bunch of thugs, the city guards did nothing for her either, when they found her she looked like a prostitute. Annika, in her blonde barmaid form, had taken her to the bar for her father to come get her. She was still recovering, she almost never left the house if there were strangers.

Soon though, she left and was on her way through the streets as a bird when she noticed Beorn heading away from the city guard house. She swooped down a ways behind him and turned back into a cat, trotting up to him quickly. She purred against his legs as she rubbed against him, surely he'd remember the cat that followed him for the last two days?

He nearly tripped over the cat, but when he saw her family pattern of fur he smiled and knelt down to pet the feline. "Hungry?" He picked her up and held her next to his chest, gently scrubbing her under her chin and along her neck. He dug inside his pocket and found the sandwich that had gone uneaten, then he set down the cat and gave her a small piece of meat before standing again.

It had been a long night. Beorn began to climb the stairs to his flat. As usual he would go inside, open up his small window to let in the morning air, and then undress and wash before he slept. He lived a quiet, lonely life. Presently he preferred it that way, but there was a time when he sought out the company of others and would end his shift at the bar, downing a few beers and paying the bard to play songs for whatever woman was there to dance to, but so much had changed. He sighed and unlocked his door and then stepped inside.

She purred, actually enjoying the feel of him petting her. She thought his hands would be hard and rough, but they were...surprisingly comfortable. He put her down and gave her some food, but as he started to walk away again she picked up her food and followed him. As soon as he opened his door, she ran past his feet into his apartment and looked around.

She quickly found his bedroom, and stopped at the foot of his bed to eat before she jumped up onto the bed and curled up at the foot of it. For a stray, she was well groomed and surprisingly clean. None of her white fur was anything but white, and her paws weren't even muddy. She had no fleas despite her long fur.

She meowed lightly as she purred and curled up on his bed, kneading at the comforter slowly. She wondered if he would kick her out...or if she'd have a place to stay until she had to go to work.

Beorn removed his shirt and hung it on the peg in his wall.

His flat was a small thing; two main rooms and a water room. The first room was about twelve feet by twelve feet wide, with a window to the left of the door and a small fireplace to the right. Directly opposite the entry was the archway to the bedroom and the water closet. For a small flat it did have a few amenities; one water pump and a refuse hole that one would 'flush' by pouring a bucket of water in after it had been used. His bed was simple; a cotton-stuffed mattress about half a hand's width and a woolen blanket over a softer cotton sheet. The furniture was wood, second-hand and utilitarian.

He filled a shallow bowl with water and used a small cloth to wash himself off. As he took off his clothing he inspected the leather and cleaned off the scuffs, then the same with the clothes, until he was completely bare in the front room. Once he was washed he slipped on a pair of short pants and then padded into his bedroom. He paused when he saw the cat on his bed, but then the pause turned to a smile.

"I suppose there's room there for you," he said quietly. When he walked into the room she could see the rest of his body. He was strong and lean, but well-built. He looked like a man who was used to using his body, and the developed muscles showed why he was able to follow the thief as well as he had. There were scars on his body as well, ones that seemed to match the ones on his face, but otherwise he was a comely man who would draw the appreciative eyes of any hot-blooded woman. He pulled back the blankets on his bed and sat down, eying the pretty cat who had taken up a small corner of his room.

She watched him, eyeing him the entire time she pretended to sleep. She turned her head towards him when he spoke, and she let out a small "Mrow..." as she rolled onto her back then her other side and licked her paw like any cat would.

Soon, he was in his bed and she looked a moment with her big blue eyes before she trotted over and jumped onto his bed, padding up to him and purring as she curled up next to him. Was this wrong? Probably. Did she care? A little. Although, now she was feeling even more inclined to speak with him at the bar.

As Beorn laid there he felt the cat lay against his torso. He put his hand down to cup her and softly stroke her fur as he got lost in his thoughts. Most of them were painful, but there were enough thoughts that were pleasant that he could relax and fall asleep. It was odd to have the cat laying next to him, but he welcomed the company. Soon his breathing deepened and he was asleep. The sounds of the city below and the marketplace lulled him to sleep. It was when the sounds shifted later that evening that he would wake up and begin his day.

He dreamed of chasing the thief across the rooftops. He saw her holding something elusive in her hands, something that he wanted. At first he thought that it was the key to his knighthood, but then in his dream he realized that she wasn't holding his knighthood. She held his pride; his self-esteem. She held his ability to walk as a man among those who preferred to slither as a serpent. Somehow, the thief was the key to that, and in his dream he knew that once he caught her it would not be to turn her over to the royal guards.

Annika actually fell asleep after a while, and she woke up before him as she stretched and looked out the window. She'd have to go to work soon, which meant she had to get across town, get her clothes, and then get to work.

She went back to the bed and began to meow, crawling over to him and gently swatting at his nose with her claws retracted. Just the soft pads of her furry feet would hit him.

She continued this until he would wake, then she'd go over to his door and sit, meowing.

Beorn moved his face to the side in his sleep, brushing at his cheek with a hand. At the insistence of the cat he finally opened his eyes and peered at her. "It's too early," he complained, trying to turn over and ignore her, but she meowed and he sighed resignedly. He groaned and then stretched, then stood up and walked over to the door where the cat was sitting.

"Someone trained you well," he muttered as he opened the door. He scoffed as she walked out. "Yeah, thank you too, ungrateful feline." he leaned against the door jamb and crossed his arms over his hard chest as he peered down into the city streets below. It was almost time to get up anyway, he supposed. Might as well work on his fitness and exercise before he had to go and prostitute himself to the city guards.

Then he remembered; he had the day off. He smiled. Out of habit he would probably go to the same inn for a meal, but he might add to it a pint of beer and then take a walk around the harbor. Maybe he'd even meet someone who might help him to forget for a night that he hated the city and all that it represented, but was trapped here for a while.

Annika flicked her tail when he called her ungrateful, but she just went off about her own business.

Soon, she had arrived at her apartment, gotten changed, even dressed up a bit, and went to the bar. Her employer was the first to comment on her blouse, it was as low as the other barmaids instead of up where it normally was. She told him that perhaps the others were getting to her.

Sooner still, the bar opened and people came in. The usuals, a few less than usual, and Annika was more or less dodging responsibility. She wondered if Beorn would show up, having heard the guards calling him that so many times she knew it now. She didn't want to be busy when he showed up, she actually wanted to take a moment to talk with him. About what? She had no idea. But why not talk to the man who will chase her some nights?

He worked his body, using his own weight to build up his strength and keep himself fit. Beorn had seen too many solders grow soft and slow when the battle was over, and he didn't want to be one of those who let themselves go. Once he was done he washed himself and took time to get dressed. He wondered what it was about that night that was different than last week's day off, but all he could think that had changed was that now he had some hope that his time in the city guards might come to an end.

When he walked into the tavern a few hours later it was busy, but not as busy as on the last day of the week. He stood in the doorway for a moment until his eyes adjusted and then he stepped farther in. Something inside of him hoped that tonight would be different.

Annika wasn't too busy, so when Beorn came in she smiled and nodded to him, silently telling him she'd be there in a second. She waited for him to sit before she worked her way over to him and asked if he wanted his usual, she may be new but she picked up quickly what he always ordered.

"You're Derek Beorn right? I've heard about you," she said after he ordered and she smiled a bit. "Guard huh...that explains the scar," she added. Then she remembered what she said when they first met, and she apologized for it. "I hope you didn't misinterpret my words when we first met. I was teasing. When you grow up like I did, you try to keep moods and spirits light," she smiled.

The Randy Rooster was, all in all, one of the better Inns for someone with moderate money to spend. Prior to taking his meals there, Derek would stay awake after his shift and shop in the marketplace, but the lack of sleep he got was not worth the quality of the food he would procure. He’d only been eating at this Inn for a few weeks, but it had been long enough for him to notice the pretty girl with the long blond curls.

He was somewhat surprised when she seemed to remember him. It still stung when he remembered that she mentioned that he didn't seem like a ladies' man, but her smile that evening was warm. He shook his head when she asked if he wanted his usual. "No... Miss. Tonight I'm not working. I'd like to try some of the innkeep's stew and a half load of bread." His eyes took in her dress, noting the sensual and inviting way that her dress drew the eye. "And a pint of red. Please."

He wasn't sure what to say when she asked him if he was Derek Beorn. He supposed most people would think that was his name; no one called him by his surname, Jacobson, and he tended to answer to Beorn as often as he answered to Derek. More, perhaps.

"Ah, yes... I... you heard about me?" He frowned, wondering why anyone would be talking about him, and if they did, what they would have said. "I'm sorry - I didn't know how to react when you said that. It wasn't a good day." He had no idea why he told her that. "But I can forgive you if you'll forgive me." This was accompanied with a smile, something that he had only shared recently with the cat who had taken up residence in his flat.

She smiled at him, that smile was rather charming. She nodded slowly and introduced herself, "I'm Annika. I've only heard a little about you." She wrote it down and told him she'd be right back, before fetching his drink. "They ran out of stew, he's whipping up some more right now..." she said with an apologetic smile, before she asked, "How does a man with your talent end up as a city guard? I have a friend who said she saw you chasing someone across the roof the other night." It wasn't too much of a lie.

Of course, as a barmaid they're more for looking not touching, but Annika found herself wanting to get to know Derek. Afterall, she would be teasing and testing him most nights. But also...despite his scar giving him a rough and rugged look, he was rather attractive all in all. She tried not to stare as she looked to the kitchen a few times, obviously waiting for a signal that stew was done.

Annika. It was a pretty name, and he had heard her called Nika a day before. He tried her name on his tongue and found that he liked the way it tasted. "I don't mind waiting," he replied when she told him that stew was being cooked. He took a long, satisfying pull from the pint of beer and found it wonderfully sharp and hoppy; the red essences of the brew gave it a slightly smoky taste.

His smile grew more coy. "How do you know what kinds of 'talents' I have, Miss?" His eyes lingered on her pretty face, but when he went to take another drink his gaze dropped momentarily to the curve of her breasts.

It worried him slightly that he was seen chasing the thief. Had that been on purpose? Had the thief been playing some sort of game with him? Beorn looked up at the pretty maid. "If you really want to talk, you can join me on your break," he suggested. "But with you standing and me sitting, I feel like I'm being interrogated." His smile quirked up at the corner of his lips. "Am I being interrogated?"

Annika smiled, and listened as he spoke. "Well, I heard you were much higher up than a city guard..." she mentioned, then listened to the last bit he said. She smiled and nodded, before looking over and telling him she'd be a minute. She brought his stew back and told him, "I'll be on break in a couple hours. You'll probably have run off by then." She smiled softly though, and went to attend to another patron of the bar.

He thanked her for the stew and watched her walk off to tend to her other patrons. He ate slowly, drinking even slower, and listened to the bard strumming his ill-tuned lute as he sang off-key.

A few card games went by and people exchanged money as games were won and lost. Beorn had sat near the back wall, and now he rested his head against the wood as he watched the others in the tavern. He managed to make the stew last an hour and two droughts of beer another hour and a half, until Annika was told to take a break. It had intrigued him that she knew so much about him, since he was more or less a loner. He didn't mind her company either; it helped that she was easy on the eyes and seemed to have a pleasant demeanor.

Soon, Annika was sent on her break and she walked over to Derek. "Huh, you're still here?" she asked, smiling a little. She motioned towards an empty seat and asked, "Mind if I sit with you?" She wasn't sure if he wanted to leave the tavern or what but asking to sit would be a good place to start in her mind.

"Of course," Derek said, motioning towards the chair. "I waited for you." He didn't have anywhere else to go, anyway. Maybe the cat would be hanging around his apartment, but otherwise he lived a quiet life alone.

"I hope you're not worried that I'm trying to pick you up or talk you into going to my apartment," Or the alleyway for a quick romp against the wall, he thought, "I just find you interesting. Plus, to be honest, I'm curious about what kinds of rumors there may be circulating about me." He smiled. "Can I buy you some lunch?"