Long Night

It was late and the owls were singing their usual song. Shops were closing and stalls were locking their wares away. The guards were swapping their posts with the night shift. Autumn was in the Recluse, as always she was alone, well besides Shano sleeping on the bar. The last of the crew of the Recluse has left a few hours before.

She didn’t mind them leaving, it gave her a quiet place to think or perhaps sing if the mood suited her. Autumn mopped around the floor making sure she had gotten every single spot she could in the Recluse. She wiped the sweat from her brow and smiled at her work. Autumn made another round to double check her work and smiled as she was finally finished.

She pulled out her pocket watch and checked the time. “Two in the morning,” she sighed “better than I usually do I suppose.” She walked up to the bar and gave Shano a small scratch behind his ears. He woke up and slowly raised his head to look at her “Time to go little one” Autumn said smiling. Lazily he hopped onto her shoulder and draped himself across it. “You are such a lazy cub...” She chuckled as she walked out the door of the Recluse making sure to the lock the door behind her.

She began walking home instead of riding her carpet she had neatly tucked into her bags. As she walked she looked at the stars and said hello to a few of the night shift guards she knew.  She got to the entrance to the city when she heard a voice yell from behind her “SISTER!” Autumn blinked and turned in time to see a young girl tackle her to the ground in a huge hug. Shano jumped from Autumn’s shoulder and landed next to the two with a confused look on his face.