—---------------------------------------
He sneaks out at night sometimes to snoop around the Smiler Gang’s territory. At first it was just to mischieveously and randomly rearrange things to slow them down the next day, then he would head back to the Redtooth Raiders warren. Once in awhile however, he would spot something too tempting to not swipe. Last night was one of those nights.
Was it a dream? The memory of it awakens him bringing along with it a surge of adreneline. Holding his breath he reaches under his bedroll. No! It was not a dream! It is really here! He exhales in relief.
Maybe Mother Dinvaya can show me how this works… Packing it lightly in his pocket he heads out to the chapel of Brigh to promptly lie to its head cleric.
”Look, Mother Dinvaya! Look what I found in the aftermath of last nights raid! Have you seen its like before? It must have come from the stars!”
~~~~
Weeks go by and he spends the time raiding with Redtooth and the others and learning how to use his ill-begotten Device. Afraid to be discovered by the Smiler Gang, he never used it in raids though it was a weapon, or talked about it to anyone but Dinvaya. Even having temporarily suspended his mischief in Smiler’s territory, he couldn’t remember ever being happier than he was now. Yet, something resembling a hunger in him gnawed at his soul. For this, he had no name, but often found himself gazing at the Device as he spun it around in his paw whenever he felt the gnawing.
Then one day, making his way to the kitchen one morning to hunt for a rare herbal infusion, he finds Redtooth and Dinvaya waiting for him with peanut brittle.
“Oh, what is this?! It is not my birthday? What is the occasion?” he asks taking some peanut brittle and offering them the infusion with sugar.
“The Smiler Gang’s what?” he stammers, pouring himself a second glass hoping the lavender will calm his nerves as his eyes briefly and guiltily dart in Dinvaya’s direction. “What 'Device'? I mean – they probably stole them first! And – it fits me so perfectly,” he pleads, holding out his palm and flexing his nubbin, "as if it was tailored to me! And they just –” he gesticulates wildly, his tone changing to outrage, “leave things laying around out in the open – there’s no fence or anything. How can they call that a ‘territory’ – let alone theirs?!”
[ … ]
“So, so – I have to go away and lay low for awhile…?” He tries not to stammer, a gnawing at his soul begins again, but different. This one is more of a yawny empty kind. He nods. “O.K., O.K. I’ll go. It seems like I’m not going to find more of these just sitting here anyway,” he says, trading one gnawing type for another as he spins the Device in his paws. “This is from the stars!”
He packs and makes his way to Torch. I’ll follow Dinvaya’s advice, and seek out Father Kyte.
