The raiders were back.
They had scuttled two ships in a month and took the crews to be ransomed or sold. Serena's mother lost an expensive -- and essential -- shipment of ingredients for potions. If she hadn't been so desperate, she never would have suggested Serena and her familiar, Buffy, check into things.
"I worry about my shipment falling into the wrong hands," the older woman admitted. "So, I want you and Buffy to go up to Norco and see if you can learn anything. Just be careful. All the ships have been hit between here and Norco, so they may have more information. It is a larger town. Don't do anything unwise, either of you."
Serena kept herself from shouting with joy that her mother trusted her to do anything at all. Granted that there were reasons it wasn't safe to send the two of them out together. However, they had defeated the flying mice (never mind that they had accidentally created them), and they'd saved the babies, and at some point, they started to become competent in what they did.
Buffy, wisely, said nothing at all this time. The cat was too much like Serena and enjoyed their adventures. The cat also loved her wings which made her more than polite around Serena's mother, who was a Wise Woman of some power. They both had their wings on sufferance right now, especially since they'd destroyed a thatch roof when they were chasing a group of owls. And they had scared the village's three horses when they tried to land and ride.
They had found and herded some lost sheep back to the shepherd, though. And found one lost child.
For the moment, it equaled out.
Serena dressed in dark clothes, and the two climbed to the roof and flew away in the early morning light. Serena wore a pouch with a long cape and some food inside. With luck, they wouldn't need to show themselves at all while there.
They had about thirty miles to go, and it turned out to be more tiring than either expected. They stopped every five miles or so, and they also mainly flew inland, so they didn't draw attention from the two small fishing villages or anyone sailing near the shore. Serena preferred to avoid flying over the trees with no easy place to land, but she and Buffy both had fun startling the squirrels.
The combination of rests and flying out of view of the sea took far longer than either had expected. They arrived at Norco when the sun was almost down.
And there they found trouble.
They swept into an alley, and both landed well for a change. That scared a few mice half out of their wits, though. For once, the cat paid no attention to them.
"Did you see?" Buffy whispered. "Something big happening down at the docks. I was afraid you were going to fly straight into it."
"I could hear a lot of yelling, but they didn't sound unhappy," Serena said as she pulled her cloak over her wings.
"Maybe they caught the raiders, and then we could go home in the morning," Buffy said with a wistful sigh. "From what I saw, we won't find anywhere nice to sleep tonight, let alone anything decent to eat."
Serena silently agreed with her. She picked up the cat to hide her wings and forced herself to walk bravely out into the street. Others soon passed her, and no one paid much attention. Buff stayed hidden in the cape cloak which covered their wings. Serena didn't doubt that the locals would have heard about the flying witch girl and her flying familiar from the little village to the south of them.
In the dark, though, she went unnoticed in the crowd. They were a boisterous group celebrating something. Serena had almost gotten brave enough to ask what was happening when an unexpected shout went up.
"There he is! Norco's savior -- Pirate Vane!"
"You don't think --" Buffy said.
"Shush."
The yells went up through the crowd, and Serena could see a tall, thin man standing on the deck of a shabby boat -- but one stacked with boxes. While she watched in amazement, Pirate Vane began to auction off the crates.
Serena and Buffy watched for a while but then began to back away. Others were pressing in to join the auction but did not notice anyone leaving.
"This is not what I expected," Serena said as they took cover back in the alley. "And we do not dare get caught here. Especially since he preyed on a ship heading for our village, which means the locals don't care about anyone but themselves."
"And this is different from other humans how?"
"You can't really feel that way, Buffy. Don't you have a good life?" Serena asked -- it was mostly just to keep from thinking how much trouble they'd found. "I think we need to fly right straight home. Yes, right now, tonight."
"You need to fly home," Buffy corrected. Serena could barely see her walking out of the alley. "I have something else I need to do."
"Buffy --"
But she had darted away and on her feet, besides. Serena almost raced after her, but she knew that would draw unwanted attention. She didn't dare even call for the cat.
"You are supposed to be my familiar!" she whispered and then darted back into the alley when she heard others nearing.
What did Buffy think she was doing? Well, Serena wasn't going to leave until she found out. Serena dared fly to the roof of a tall building and watched the nearby dock. She could see the raider's ship and considerable activity lighted by torches whose smoke drifted around the area like fog.
She even saw Buffy fly to the ship and land on Captain Vane's shoulder like a furry parrot...
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