<span style="font-size: 10px">This was getting a little ridiculous, how could a city be so confusing? Katya pondered as she trudged through the crowd, her head hung low she began to feel defeated. This was meant to be a piece of cake, she was supposed to be ready for this, but the busy city streets of Nerys were incredibly complicated compared to the humble villages she usually ran around back on the outskirts of Byr. Pulling her hood further down over her face the young elf vanished down into a nearby alley way to rest in the shade and gather her bearings. Nerys was an impossible city! No matter which path she took it always lead her around in a circle and stopped back at her starting position, it was infuriating. Katya grimaced, if only her father could see the mockery she had become, she was a disgrace. Plopping herself down onto a crate she sat in the shadows, her form hidden by piles of empty boxes and garbage cans. The young elf pulled her legs up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them tight she rested her chin against her knee and let out a long, loud yawn. The day had almost reached half noon and she still had not managed to find the blacksmith, Katya felt ashamed. She was once a great warrior for the city of Aesic, a master of stealth taught by the most noble of elves and yet here she was, defeated by the idiotic streets of this city. No! Katya refused to admit defeat just yet, this was far from over.<br/>
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Rising to her feet, she ran her hands over her face to calm her nerves before pulling up the edge of her scarf to conceal the lower half of her face. Her bright eyes hidden in shadow, she quickly made her way back out on to the street, brushing past other pedestrians like a silent wind. With great ease she scaled the side of a nearby building and perched herself up on the edge of its roof. Searching for any sign of the blacksmith the elf bound from roof top to roof top like a stray cat, stoping every so often to check her surroundings. Her steps silent she moved along the shadows, her cloak billowing in the wind behind her as she sped across the roof tops. A soft smile pulled at her lips as she ran towards the center of town, from her position she could see almost every stall that clustered around one of Nerys’ main courtyards. This was such a simple solution, why didn’t she start like this? Because she was too excited to be out on her own for the first time in years, Katya decided. However the thought still filled her with shame as she came to a skidding stop. <br/>
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Across the crowded market place the young elf spotted the blacksmith, thanks to an unusually large figure emerging from the tiny shop it was easier to pick it out. “Thank you, Mr. Half Orc” Katya mumbled to herself with a smirk as she slid down the side of the building and touched back down onto the coble stone pathway. Her head held high, Katya made her way towards the blacksmith, smoothly stepping out of the way of passing merchants and a flock of giggling children. Pulling the package out from her bag she was able to place it on the blacksmith’s counter and duck back out of the shop before the owner returned from yelling to his orc friend. Katya grinned, glancing back at the store from over her shoulder she watched as the dark elf returned to his little shop to find the package waiting for him. <br/>
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Katya couldn’t help but feel a burst of pride as she strut back down to the center of the market place. Another successful mission! “Now maybe father will begin to trust me a little more!” Katya beamed, her head held high she almost skipped happily along the path. Now that she was done with her task Katya contemplated staying in Nerys for a day or two, maybe it would be a good idea to soak up some of the culture, maybe pick up a souvenir for her father and even get some more practice finding her way through the busy streets. Katya smiled, her arms stretching out she looked up at the sun and for a brief moment she forgot why she had to remain in the shadows. <br/>
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The air around her froze and a chill ran along Katya’s spine, her ears picking up the movement of armour and the restless unease that seemed to fill the air as other pedestrians quickly moved from around her. A horrible sinking feeling gripped her heart, this wasn’t good, Katya felt a sudden urge to fight or fly and without hesitation the young elf chose to fly. Sweeping her cloak around her Katya moved through the crowd, her eyes quick to glance over at the high elves silently making their way over to her position. Hissing a very audible curse the young elf had to make a quick turn to avoid the half orc from before running past her at break neck speed, a young boy hot on his tail. If she wasn’t in a state of panic Katya would have taken the time to comment on their situation. Making her way into a back alley the young elf became trapped by a dead end.  Turning on her heels to head back she gasped as a loose nail caught onto her cloak and pulled her hood down to reveal her identity. Ripping the cloak from the nail she tried to pull her hood back over her head, but it was too late. The other elves had blocked off the passage and she felt like a cornered mouse. Taking a stance, Katya reached for her kusarigama that had been secured to her belt against her back, white eyes searching the crowd she tried hard to formulate a plan “Forgive me father” Katya breathed, her hand clutching her kusarigama, she released it from its pouch.<br/>
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(Edited)</span>