Olivia joined them at the entrance. "We should review the plan once more before dusk," she told them. "To make sure its foolproof.
Lucia nodded. "We will approach from the above. I can cover us in a disguise so we aren't noticed, the armoury is located on the border of the south district, right next to the west. "
Kristen listened intently, making sure to remember each word.
After this quick briefing she stayed in the cave like Lucia had said but found it made her more nervous and jittery instead.
'KRISTEN! Focus girl! You need to be able to do this or else the other two will definitely get rid of you.'
Kristen tried to take a nap but was unable due to all the thoughts running around in her head, filling herself with doubts.
Remove them.
What Lucia had said had deeply disturbed her, even though she was an animal now she still found it hard to hurt a human, much less kill them. Reminding herself all of the horrible things that those humans had done helped her manage it a little.
'They took hunting grounds, stole beasts and raised them on farms to be killed like some kind of slaughter factory. If I give them a chance to do that to me they won't hesitate, so I can't falter when I need to do away with them.'
She hardened her mind and made a promise to herself to not let Lucia and Olivia down.
Soon it became dusk and they prepared to leave the cave.
As the light outside dimmed toward night, Lucia stood again. "Eat," she said. "You won't have the chance later."
They shared what little Olivia had managed to gather from a distant hillside. Dried strips of meat and a few tough roots laid out in front of them. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Lucia stepped toward the cave entrance and jumped off into the night. Kristen and Olivia quickly followed her and leapt off as well.
'I can do this.'
The wind whipped past Kristens face as she focused to keep a steady pace with her wings, staying just behind her companions. The night sky stretched wide above them, filled with the dim lights of the stars.
Looking at them brought her some comfort for some reason.
The air became thicker as they passed the last cloud and the human city came into view.
'Wow.'
Though she despised humans for what they had done, it was impossible to ignore the grand beauty of their homes. Lanterns were placed along main roads, forming rivers of light in the darkness with humans moving through it.
Even in the night it was still a bustling place.
With Lucia leading the way they moved into the southern area of the city. It was a lot darker there with flickering lights and abandoned roads on every turn.
Lucia angled her wings and descended slowly. Kristen followed and did the same, heart beating wildly in her chest.
'Is this the disguise that she spoke about? Must be.'
A strange sensation enveloped her mind and then vanished.
Looking at her wings, Kristen found that she couldn't tell the difference between them and the darkness of the night.
'Guess that means it worked hehe.'
They landed on the edge of a tall stone building that gave a good view on the area, allowing them to search for the armoury with little effort.
An old aqueduct that ran throughout the district. The structure cut through the district like a pale scar, dry and cracked from neglect.
Small apartments were littered throughout the expanse, looking like they could crumble at any moment. It was quite a depressing sight if Kristen was being honest, gazing upon it made her have sympathy for whatever people were living in such places.
'Huh? NO. No sympathy for them is allowed!!!'
Shaking the pity from her mind she refocused on the situation.
Just as Lucia had said, there were fewer patrols here. Only the occasional human walked below, unaware of the shapes perched above them.
Olivia crouched beside her. "The armoury is three buildings east from here, it has a red-tiled roof and guards at the entrance. Can you see it?"
Peering across, Kristen nodded when she saw what Olivia had described. The building was larger than the others, reinforced doors at the front and small windows along the upper floors.
Lucia's voice appeared beside her. "We can go across the roofs and enter from above."
Kristen nodded, claws tightening slightly against the stone.
They moved quickly and silently, gliding short distances between buildings, landing without a single sound. The city smelled of smoke and metal, so different from the earth and grass of the wild.
When they reached the red-tiled roof, Lucia paused. Below them, inside the building, faint voices echoed.
Kristen steadied her breathing.
'This is it. Time to be a badass.'
Lucia lowered ear flat against the tiles and tilted her head, listening. Kristen strained to make out the words below, but they were muffled by thick beams and layers of stone. She could, however, hear movement, boots against floorboards and the faint clink of metal.
"Two at the entrance and at least one inside," Olivia said.
Lucia nodded. "We go through the upper vent."
Kristen followed them along the roofline until they reached a narrow stone opening built to release heat. The gap was too small for a human, but wide enough for them. One by one, they slipped inside soundlessly.
The air in the upper rafters was warm and dry, thick with the scent of herbs and polished wood. Kristen clung to the wood and looked down.
Below them stretched rows of shelves stacked with wooden boxes, silk-wrapped bundles, and sealed jars. Even from above, she could sense the faint spiritual energy radiating from some of the items. Herbs. Food. Pills.
All of it smelt like heaven itself, so good that drool would drip from any man's mouth if they entered this room.
Kristens breath caught.
Her big back urge entered her body with no warning, almost causing her to fall off and onto the floor below.
Regaining her composure she followed Olivia and Lucia as they quietly went forward.
At the far end of the room stood two men in sect robes, speaking in low voices. One leaned against a crate while the other was standing next to him.
They seemed to be having a funny conversation as they were laughing quite heartily. Unfortunately for them their humour wouldn't last long.
Lucia gestured sharply to them with one wing.
Olivia shifted to the left while Kristen moved right, claws careful against the wooden rafter.
Her heart pounded in her ears, but she felt strangely steady.
Olivia rushed down first.
The unlucky man looked up at the last minute and saw a furious shadow slashing his neck open, killing him instantly.
SPLURT!
It happened quickly. A rush of feathers, a cut-off shout.
Kristen forced herself to move, diving from the rafters toward the second man just as he looked up in shock.
SLASH!
She dove down with her claws and copied Olivia movements silently. There was no chaos or drawn-out struggle. Just swift and calculated motions.
On the outside she seemed completely indifferent to it all but inside she was panicking like crazy.
'HOLY SHIT! D-DID I JUST KILL SOMEONE? What have I don-NO! I'm not gonna feel guilty. Not anymore.'
Kristen raised her head and saw the two bodies lying on the ground deathly still.
Lucia's voice was calm and snapped her out of the panic. "Collect what you can carry. We don't want to linger."
Kristen swallowed, then turned toward the shelves and did what she was told.
She moved to the nearest shelf, claws working quickly to open up a wooden box.
Inside were tightly bundled herbs, their scent sharp and clean. Even without deep knowledge, she could feel the energy pulsing faintly from them.
"Take the higher-grade ones only," Lucia said quietly, already sorting through jars on the opposite side of the room. "We don't want weight slowing us down."
Olivia ripped open a silk-wrapped bundle and inspected a cluster of spirit stones. She selected several and slid them into a small leather satchel strapped to her side.
'When did she get that pouch? Whatever, focus Kristen.'
Kristen nodded and chose carefully, mimicking their efficiency. A few bundles of herbs, two pieces of meat sealed in clothe, a compact pouch of spirit stones.
'Should I take them? I'll sort through them later.'
She forced herself not to think that hard about it and remembered what Lucia had told her.
In and out.
Somewhere not too far away from where they were a sound echoed.
Footsteps.