[Dedicated to EndlessHeights-]

I

Home:

"Home is where the heart is."

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          It was a hot day in the land of Satome, the sun looked down with its penetrating gaze scalding everything in sight. A sickening heat was radiating from the parched earth, leaving the air hot and humid. But just like every other day where the heat was now commonplace for the people, the market streets which were teaming with street vendors and people of the like, bustled with life.

          From his perch up above Quinn could see all the happenings of down below as well as the vivid blue of the cloudless sky above. It was a pleasant sight as the sky shrouded the town; tinted arms outstretched and fingers spread wide. The brown and grey of the building rooftops peaked as far as the eye could see leaving a stark contrast to the somewhat calm scenery.

          The sardine packed buildings blocked most of the wind from going down into the market streets but sitting there upon the grey tiles of the roof Quinn couldn't help but to hear every whisper and feel every touch of the wind that rippled through his long hair.

          He closed his eyes and let his ears take in the surroundings. The calling of the seagulls and the flitting of the roof doves; the cackling of the street vendors and the treading of passing animals and carriages. All these sounds brought a smile to his face and he let out a sigh of contentment.

          However, his moment of bliss was cut short when a loud voice called from below.

          "Hey Quinn, you gonna stay up there all day, we got somewhere to be!" Quinn begrudgingly opened his eyes and let out a sigh, he'd just thought about taking a nap.

          "Coming Toman." Standing up Quinn dusted off his pants and turned to the alley at the side of the building. He was three stories up, if only his grandmother could see him now she'd have a fit. But there was no need to worry, he'd climbed down from higher places before and this was a piece of cake compared to the rest.

          There was a window just below the roof of the building that was always left open, so using the ledge as a lever he swung down and hooked his feet on the base of the window. From there he'd have to swing down to the next window on the second floor; letting go of the roof the boy jumped to the second window, using the swinging doors to balance himself. Then came the hard part jumping onto the ledge of the building opposite. The distance between both buildings was as wide as four people with their arms stretched outwards standing side by side. It wasn't easy but Quinn could do it. Gathering strength in his legs he sprang forward, his feet kicking out as if running on air. As soon as his feet came in contact with the ledge he did a backward flip, his stomach turning slightly as his body's angle went downwards, and landed safely on his feet on the ground.

          Quinn turned to the end of the alley where Toman was waiting for him, no doubt very impatiently. He had to shield his eyes from the brightness of the sunlight as he made his way out onto the streets and as expected Toman was pacing the sidewalk with his hands folded across his chest and his face drawn into a frown. As if sensing Quinn's presence Toman stopped pacing and lifted his head to meet the boy's gaze.

          "Aye, what took you so long? Be quicker next time." The frown never once left Toman's face as he reprimanded Quinn.

          "I'm sorry Dad I won't do it again." Toman slapped him across the back of his head. "Ow, I was just joking man."

          "I have no time for your sarcastic remarks Quinn," he grabbed the boy by the back of his collar and began to pull him forward. "We have to be at the tent by midday or we'll be at the back of the line." If Quinn wasn't as tall as he was he would have surely tripped over his own feet due to the speed at which Toman was walking. "You're the one who promised to help me, remember."

          "I know, I know but hey, could you slow down a bit I'm struggling for breath here." As if just realizing that he was indeed walking really fast and that he was slowly cutting off Quinn's air supply Toman hurriedly let go of him. "I shouldn't even be here, you know this is the only day off from work I'll get for the rest of the year and I'm here like some idiot spending my precious free time with you. I should be out with some ladies right now."

          "Oops, sorry about that, I got a little carried away there." Toman slowed his pace and the frown that was on his face earlier began to straighten out. "But seriously though, it's because I know today would be your day off that I asked you to come. And come on, you're the boss, you can take as many day offs as you'd like."

          Quinn raised an eyebrow at him, "You're right, I can." Toman gave him a wide grin. Quinn couldn't help but to smile back.

(Toman:- imagine with freckles and minus the piercings)

          Both boys had been friends since they were eight years old and as Quinn walked beside Toman he couldn't help but feel grateful that he had a friend like him.

          Toman Duvale was part jinx and part blessing. He was tall and lanky and couldn't seem to gain any weight no matter how much he ate or how much he worked out. Not to mention his family owned a sweet shop/bakery. He was the oldest out of four siblings and out of them all he was quite the oddball. He didn't retain the same slightly pygmy and plump stature as his parents and siblings and because of this he saw himself as a curse more than anything else.

          The boy Toman didn't have many friends in town either due to his rather lily-livered nature but as Quinn would have it they were the best of friends. Being a coward didn't necessarily write you off as a weak person it just meant that you were overly cautious and to Quinn an overly cautious person was a careful one.

          At the current moment they were heading to a new stall that had opened in one of the popular market districts of the town. Everything in Satome was placed in its own district, this type of sorting had been come to be known as the District Principle. From the way a building was made down to the type of wares a merchant sold, each and every single thing had its own category.

          Infrastructure had four districts, each district being represented by the amount of levels a building had. District one was made up of only ground level buildings, which included mainly shops and business establishments. This district was bordered by the market district so it was one of the busiest districts. District two was made up of only two story buildings and was more of a residential area than anything else, there were however, an occasional pub or two that people tend to frequent after they had finished their daily work and were heading home. This was where Toman lived with his family and just like most of the people in Satome they had opened up their bakery in District one, the Duvale Bakery.

          District three and four were sometimes considered to be one district because unlike the first and second districts there wasn't any distinctive area that they were placed under. This district consisted of three to four story buildings and mainly comprised of guesthouses, hostels and inns. They were located relatively close to the port for easy accommodation of travelers and explorers.

          The market place unlike the other districts it fell under its own category. It had over thirty subdivisions and each was based on the things people sold. The subdivisions were called circles or squares. Due to the market being located not far from the port it was quite large and was the main area of commerce for the people of Satome.

          Quinn and Tomas were heading to the Jewelry Square. Well, Toman was going and Quinn had just promised to tag along. Jewelry Square was the most guarded subdivision in the market and it was never wise to go there by your lonesome, although stealing wasn't a big issue in Satome thieves tended to frequent the area and one could end up quite unlucky after leaving.

          As they walked along the path leading to the square Quinn couldn't help but notice that Toman looked really nervous. His curly black hair was sticking to his forehead excessively, which could not have just been due to the heat, and the splatter of freckles across his face were more pronounced thanks to sallow state of his skin.

          "Hey Toman, are you alright?" The boy's complexion was more than enough to have Quinn worrying a bit.

          "Huh?" It was as if Toman was in a daze, when he turned his eyes towards Quinn they had a glossy sheen and were a bit wider than usual. "What did you say?"

          "I asked if you were okay, you seem a bit pale." Remembering the reason why they were on this little trip in the first place it finally dawned on Quinn. "Oh my gods, I can't believe it!" Quinn almost doubled over in laughter at his friend's situation. "You are so whipped you know that right? That would explain why you're sweating so much."

          Toman averted his eyes and let out a low nervous cough, "I have no idea what you're talking about." He started playing with the buttons on the front of his shirt and Quinn knew he only did that when he was lying or extremely nervous, which in this case he was both.

          "Oh I think you know exactly what I'm talking about." Quinn was goading him. "Does the name Sonja ring a bell?" Toman's red cheeks showed quite heavily against his pale skin and Quinn couldn't help but laugh more at the sight.

          Noticing that Toman had become rather silent Quinn quelled his laughter. The boy was embarrassed as it was and laughing at him would only make it worse because of his fragile nature. So deciding not to mock him any further Quinn slung an arm around his friend's shoulders and proceeded to lead them forward.

          "Toman look, there's no need to feel embarrassed about falling for someone," they had reached the entrance to the Jewelry Square, pausing his speech Quinn nodded to the two guards stationed outside the entrance then focused his attention back on Toman. "If you love Sonja and she loves you back then don't give a damn about what people may think, me included." A little color was coming back to Toman's cheeks.

          "Besides she'll probably start worshipping the ground you walk on after receiving this gift you're about to get her." Quinn knew it was a little overstated because Sonja was not that type of girl, but he'd do anything too cheer up his friend and a little exaggeration never killed anybody.

          "You think so?" asked Toman who now sporting a small smirk.

          "Definitely." And with that they headed towards the most crowded tent in the area, the Jem.

+++++

          They had searched hours for the perfect gift and when they had finally come to an agreement they settled on a small gold chain with a beautiful pink diamond for a pendant. It had cost a fortune - you couldn't expect anything less from the Jem - but it was totally worth it to Toman. By the time they were finished and decided to leave Jewelry Square the sun was setting and people had begun to close up shop, it was then that Quinn remembered his grandmother had asked him to run an errand.

          "Holy crap, Gran's gonna kill me?" Quinn's eyes widened in realization.

          "What's wrong?" asked Toman who looked more than a bit confused. "Did you forget some-"

          "I'm so dead right now, I gotta go Tom," he gave Toman a light pat on the back then sped off down the street.

          "But what about the party tonight?!" shouted Toman after him.

          "Tell me all about it tomorrow!" He hollered back, his feet never once skipping a beat as he made his way to the Meat Circle.

          Quinn made quick work of the meat stalls upon his arrival. Most of the shops were closing up but he made it just in time to squeeze in a few extra coins to the sellers. As the satchel he carried began to get heavier with the addition of new items his pace began to slow, but this didn't deter him one bit. He was anxious to get home for his grandmother had told him to be back early and now he was way past late.

          He flicked his long white hair out of his face as he paid for the last parcel then as quickly as he could he dashed into a nearby alley and headed for home.

          Quinn and his grandmother lived in a little house in the Burbine Forest that surrounded Satome. They lived a good distance from the town so whenever they needed something Quinn would have to take the journey to town to get it.

          He reached the outskirts of town and took the familiar road leading to his house. It had grown darker so by the time he entered the thick coverage of trees the moonlight was peeping through gaps in the spanning roof of branches above. The night was chilly and the sleeveless shirt he had decided to wear did little in warming his now goose-pimpled flesh. He grabbed tighter to the satchel and increased his pace, the wind whistling past his ears in a gentle symphony. He was tempted to stop, close his eyes and enjoy the moment a bit, for this was his favorite time of the night, but the threat that was his grandmother proved to be too great so he continued forward.

          Faint barking could be heard as he got closer to home, this caused a slight smile to break out across his face. As he broke the tree line that joined the forest to the little cottage's yard, he almost got toppled to the ground by a huge four-legged animal. He had to brace himself so he didn't fall, barely holding on as he struggled under the weight.

          "Well it's nice to see you too Basra. But I've only been gone for a few hours, I think this is too much of a welcome." The animal didn't listen, it just shoved its big head in Quinn's neck, a pink tongue appearing every now and then to lick his face.

          "Quinn is that you?" a shout came from inside the house.

          "Yes, it's me Grandma." He managed to push the Morgaine off him and stand up.

          Morgaine's were wild pack hunting creatures and standing as high as a fully-grown horse they were most commonly known as 'The Dogs of the Wild'. But Basra wasn't full grown yet and was only about mid-thigh, he had gleaming green eyes that stood out against his midnight black fur and a mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth. They tended to have brown or black fur, morgaine's born with white fur are very rare and are hunted down by poachers for their exquisite snow-like coat. As Quinn rubbed a hand across the morgaine's head he couldn't help but to think how much the animal has grown since he found him.

          "Oh come on Basra, cool it." He pushed the animal's head gently away from him. "I'm probably in some serious trouble right now so I need to get inside before I get into deeper trouble."

          He brushed himself off and headed for the front door. Basra following closely nipping at his heels.

          Opening the front door, Quinn stepped in but that was where Basra stopped for he wasn't allowed inside the house. He didn't bother shutting the door but left it open so that the dog could stick its big head inside and watch him. Basra tended to scratch against the door whenever he was outside alone or not on his leash - clingy much.

          Quinn walked amiably towards the kitchen and stopped at the door peering in. He saw his grandmother at the table stirring cookie batter. He watched as she gave the batter two more vigorous beats before she turned her gaze towards him.

          The look in her eyes - oh, those beautifully deadly lavender eyes - had Quinn gulping down the spittle that had suddenly amassed in his mouth.

          He put on a smile and stepped further into the kitchen. "Hey Gran, how's the prettiest lady in the world doing today?" he was acting brave but the tight grip he had on the satchel gave him away. Carefully he unhooked the bag from his shoulder and placed it on the table. During the whole ordeal his grandmother was still glaring at him.

          "Flattery won't get you out of this one, young man." Without turning her back Quinn watched as his grandmother grabbed a wooden spoon from the wall behind her. "Where do you think you're coming from at this time of the evening?"

          Quinn's grandmother was short. However, what she lacked in height she made up for with her spitfire attitude and her stubbornness. By the time he had caught the age of ten he was as tall as she was but he knew that no matter how tall he grew he would suffer the consequences of his actions if he got out of line.

          Wary of being hit with the ladle Quinn took a cautious step back.

          "I'm so sorry Gran, I met Tomas in town today and he wanted help finding the perfect gift for Sonja and I just completely forgot everything." Seeing her dip the ladle in a pot on the table Quinn relaxed a little and stepped towards her, grabbing her free hand in his and pleading to her with his eyes. "Please forgive me."

          As fast as lightning - he didn't even see her move - the ladle came whacking down on top of his head.

          "Yow!" he yelped trying to back away from her but she held firmly to his hand, "I said I was sorry Gran!"

          "Don't do it again." She whacked him again, the cookie batter splattering all over his hair.

          "Okay, okay! Please stop hitting me with the spoon." He tried covering his head with his free hand, but he couldn't decide between that or using it to unfasten her hand from his. The latter prevailed and he tried fruitlessly to get free of his grandmother's ironclad grip. "You're messing up my hair Gran." She whacked him again; a bit gentler this time.

          "You promise?" he could've sworn he heard humor in her voice.

          "I promise, I promise, just please stop." When she finally placed the ladle down and let go of his hand Quinn took several steps backward, afraid she would come after him again. He was sure there was a giant bruise forming on the top of his head. He lifted his eyes and gave her a slight glare, she was laughing at him. He could see the mirth twinkling in her eyes and from the slight wrinkles at the corner of her lips.

          "What? Don't look at me like that." She turned back to the cookie batter and started whisking again. "It's your fault for coming home so late. I told you I needed the meat to prepare it for tomorrow but now I'll have to wake up early in the morning to do it."

          "But did you have to hit me so hard and so many times. You could have held back a little, I'm your grandson you know." He rubbed his head but that only caused the batter to stick more into his hair turning the white strands brown. "I bet there'll be one hell of a bump there tomorrow."

          "Put some ice on it after you wash up," said his grandmother as he turned to go up to his room, "and make sure to wash out the cookie batter, we're having guests tomorrow and I don't want you looking like some good-for-nothing hoodlum."

          "Okay, Gran." He replied back with a drawl.

          Quinn knew his grandmother didn't mean anything when she called him names, after his mother died she had been the only one willing to take care of him. If it hadn't been for her the poor boy would have been left out on the streets to fend for himself, all alone and helpless. That is why he loved his grandmother so much - ladle whacking and all.

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The new chapters are here guys, I hope you enjoy it as much as the first.