Tight Fit - Watchers 2

The group proceeded much slower than before. No more tricks and flips at the request of Somos with the exception of wind magic to help cross the larger gaps between platforms. The Watcher haedians masked their impatience at the slow pace with chatter. Both sides traded stories about life above and below ground and all the kinds of trouble they would get up to. 

The platforms would eventually become solid ground and soon they were passing some of the strangest structures the vayrons had witnessed. They weren’t built up from the ground, instead, they hung from the ledges and ceiling above. Thick iron chains kept them hovering just above the ground. Their creaks and groans sounded loud but held firm. It was then that they started noticing how quiet the hanging village was.

“Does no one live here?” Dayani asked. A quick peek through the window let her know it was empty. 

“Yeah, I haven’t seen a single person. It's probably a good thing.” Reon added.

“Most people are busy with the topsiders or looking for you but not everybody. We still have to be sneaky.” Rhia explained in a low voice. 

“Ah, sorry!” Reon whispered.

“Hey, Rogier! Where are we going?” Somos asked, having completely missed the conversation being had behind him.

“My place!” The haedian responded in a similar volume. 

“What for? We should be staying away from other haedians. We risk getting caught here!”

“Quiet!” Rhia whispered at the same time Stranger aggressively hushed them.

“Why? Talgarth will tell us if someone’s nearby.” Rogier pointed to the large haedian gliding ahead, a shadow skipping over the rooftops. He lowered his voice anyway. “And don’t worry my parents aren’t home. I have a plan to get you guys out!”

Rogier led them down the narrowest alleys he could find and although he and the haedians slipped through just fine, the vayrons were having a bit of a tougher time. 

“Come on, you guys are so slow!” Anas whined. She perched on the edge of a roof and watched each vayron clamber over a pile of someone’s junk. 

“Your neighborhood isn’t exactly built for walking!” Reon shot back. 

“We’re almost there, guys!” Rogier exclaimed. “Rhia, can you make sure my parents aren’t there?” She nodded and slipped around the corner. 

“Wait, I thought you said no one was home!” Somos hissed after finally clearing the pile. 

“I mean, they’re not supposed to be home but I gotta make sure, right?”

Once they were given the all clear from both Rhia and Talgarth, Rogier snuck them all through the front side. Bar the fact that the door hovered a few feet off the ground, inside wasn’t all that different from any other home they had been in. Rogier lit a couple lanterns hanging from the walls, illuminating the front foyer. 

“One sec!” He said before zooming down the hall, presumably to where the bedrooms were. When he returned, he held a mess of shimmering black fabric in his arms. He dropped them at their paws.

“Uh, what’s this?” Dani pulled out a shimmering piece with a claw. It seemed to go on forever!

“Disguises. No one will recognize you when you’re all wrapped up. They’ll think you’re just another visitor!” Rogier beamed brightly at his ingenious plan. 

“Looks kinda big, though.” Stranger commented after helping Dani lay all it out on the floor. It looked like three full grown pullers could fit in it. “Maybe a little too big?”

“It’s supposed to be like that. Look...” Rogier grabbed one end and, starting from her chest, began wrapping the cloth tightly around her body, covering every inch of her fur. Her mane was pressed flat against her neck and face. He even tied the long hairs of her tail together into something that looked more like a long tuft. Anas helped too, by tucking in whatever pieces hung loose. When he was done, he stepped back and flung out his arms as if an artist beholding his masterpiece. 

“Ta-daa!” He sang. 

It was true, the fabric muted even Stranger’s light coat but when she tried to take a step forward, she found her leg could barely move with how tight the fabric was around her joints. She tried the other and heard something tear.

“Uh, I’m kind of stuck?” She said under a few layers of fabric wrapping over her mouth. “And it's a little hard to breathe…”

“It's supposed to be like that!” Rogeir said, rolling his eyes.

“But it doesn’t look like yours.” Reon pointed out. “She doesn’t have a hood.”

“Ugh, he did it wrong! He’s just too proud to admit it.” Rhia said. “You two grab the jewellery. I’ll do this.” She shooed Rogier and Anas away and began unraveling the mess. This time, she draped the fabric, only wrapping it tight in some areas and pinning it down with the delicate silver chains Rogier and Anas brought. When she was done, Stranger was looking a lot more like a Watcher rather than a mummy. 

 “This feels so much better!” She exclaimed. With her legs free, she could now dance around the room. The fabric trailed behind her and the jewelley glinted in the light like stars.

“Sure if you like it that way.” Rogier mumbled and crossed his arms.

“Alright, who's next?” Rhia asked and Reon was the first to step up. 

“Make it tighter for me.” Was his request. She made quick work of him, then Dani and finally Somos. All four vayrons were clad in black fabric and not a moment too soon. 

Talgarth gave the signal that someone was coming, just as they heard someone call out to him. 

“Talgarth? What in Matriarch’s name are you doing on that roof? Get down! Is Rogier with you?”

“That’s my mom! Time to go!” Rogier said and waved them all out the back door. 

“Will Talgarth be okay?” Dani asked as Rogier quietly closed the door behind him. 

“Oh, he’ll be fine. Let’s go!” 

Now that they were all in black, they blended easily in the darkest corners and slipped quietly from one alley to another. Though the vayrons lacked the fluidity the Watchers had when sneaking around, they felt much more graceful than before.

“Almost there!” They heard Rogier call back when the houses started petering out. Soon they would be out of Watcher territory and soon they could all rest a little easier.