Cheesecake, My first fan-fic. Options

[Dire Cheesecake]

The moons hung high in the sky as Delila locked the door to the bakery. It had been a long day and she found herself nodding off as she walked down the deserted streets to her home. Not really paying attention to where she was going, she was suddenly jolted awake when she tripped on a lose cobblestone. A sharp pain shot through her ankle and she nearly fell flat on her face, barely catching herself on the wall of a nearby building. “Ouch.” She complained, as she looked down at her foot. It didn’t seem as if it were broken, probably just twisted it the wrong way. She sighed, “What a way to end a day. At least I made some good business.”

She glanced up at the full Masser. As the clouds that had been covering Secunda from view moved aside, she spotted a strange silhouette atop a building ahead. She couldn’t make out much, except that the shape looked somehow bestial. Then suddenly, it moved. What seemed to be its head turned to face her and she heard a faint sniffing sound. That was enough for her and she ducked into a nearby alley as quickly as the pain in her leg would allow her.

She leaned against the wall, her heart racing. “Ok, calm down, Delila, that was nothing, you’re just hallucinating from overwork. That’s right, you’re just….going insane…” she shook her head, “Ahg, I need sleep.” She pushed off the wall and started limping down the alley, despite her rationalizations she couldn’t bring herself to step back out into the main street. Suddenly she heard it, it was just a whisper, yet somehow she could make out the words. “…hunger…” She stopped again and looked around, but she saw nothing. Shaking her head, she continued onward, reaching the end of the alley. Clouds had once again covered the moons as she peaked out onto another large street, looking both ways before stepping out of the alleyway. Just then, she heard a sound behind and above her, and she quickly looked in the direction. There, poking over the edge of the roof of the building behind her was a massive, furred head, with large ears, and eyes that glowed with an eerie white light.

That was when Delila panicked. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she broke into a run. Ignoring the agony in her left ankle, she dashed for the alley across the street, after this, it was only one more block until the gate out of the Market District. “If only I can make it that far-” her thoughts were cut short when a massive shape flew over her head, bounced off the right wall of the alley, and landed in front of her. She stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the creature, though she found that in the dark she could make out nothing other than the shape of a large head, those glowing eyes, and pearly white, six inch long fangs coming from its mouth. It had in fact opened its mouth, and it uttered in a deep, growling voice; “Hungry.” Delila stood frozen with fear, despite a small voice in the back of her head, screaming at her to run, to do something, she was no warrior, or mage, just a baker’s assistant. She felt a strange sensation, and heard a rushing in her ears, as the world seemed to dim, and her legs started to shake. As darkness claimed her, she saw the face moving towards her.

[Dire Cheesecake]

Here we go, thanks to Tulustan's story for giving me the idea to set mine after Oblivion.

V
“Hide here, I’ll be back.” Delila said to the massive Khajiit as she took a key from her pocket, and approached one of the many doors surrounding them. They were in a small grassy area, surrounded on three sides by two story apartment buildings and on one side by a stone wall with an iron gate in it, somewhere in the Temple District.

“Who… are… you? …Really…”

Delila paused, the key in the lock. “I’m Delila Eclise; I’m a baker’s assistant.”

Be’Ghir growled softly behind her, his tail flicking violently. “You… do not… trust… me?”

She felt a pang of fear and slowly turned to look at him. It seemed that she had misjudged him; at least he was not a stupid oaf, as she had taken him for. “Alright… The truth is I also have a small side job; I obtain certain items from those with no need for them, and redistribute them. However, the guards don’t particularly like the way I do things.”

The movement of Be’Ghir’s tail became gentler as she he listened. “You... are… a thief…”

She frowned, “Please don’t say that, it’s not as if I pick people’s pockets on the street. I’d like to know what you’re doing here yourself.”

Now it was Be’Ghir’s turn to frown, or at least do the closest thing his kind did to frowning. “Do not… know… master… cast… a spell… there… was… a light… then… was… here… Where is…here?”

“This city is the capital of the empire, if you can still call it that without an emperor. Heh, I used to think things were bad back then… So you’re a mage’s apprentice or something?” There was clearly a hint of skepticism in her voice as she asked the question.

Be’Ghir’s head moved up and down in an odd sort of nod. “Yes…” he exhaled sharply, “Hrmph… hrm… strange…”

Delila turned back to the door and left the Khajiit to mull over whatever it was he was thinking about. She was going to have to leave the city after this. Even if they had no proof, the guards would still probably arrest her. And while they still didn’t know where she lived it would only be a matter of time now that they’d seen her face. She definitely couldn’t go back to work in the Market District. She took a traveling pack from her closet and started filling it with everything she thought she would need, or couldn’t easily replace. She spent a while trying to decide what clothes to bring, finally coming upon a form fitting black leather jumpsuit with an opening in the front. “Well, I guess I should get changed, I can’t go out looking like this.” She stripped off her battered and torn clothing and, remembering her sprained ankle, took a bottle from her shelf and applied some of the contents to the area. There was a sort of sizzling sound as the fluid immediately absorbed into the skin and soon she could feel the muscles healing. She stamped on the floor a few times to make sure the healing was complete and then started to clothe herself again, this time in the black jumpsuit. Suddenly she heard a tapping sound and looked up to see a large catlike face peering through her bedroom window.

Half clothed, Delila jumped back and crossed her arms across her chest embarrassedly, her cheeks reddening. Be’Ghir however only seemed surprised by her reaction. Still covering herself, she walked to the window and threw it open with one hand; “What are you doing? I’m changing!”

“Guards… coming.” Was all Be’Ghir said in reply before dropping back down to the ground.

Delila quickly returned to the room and finished dressing. She could now hear the telltale sound of armored boots on cobbles, and it was quickly growing closer. She hurriedly replaced the stopper on the bottle of healing ointment and tossed it into the bag. Hastily, she found the rest of her gear and donned it. Boots, fingerless gloves with padded knuckles, her tool belt, and of course, her mask. It was a rather silly idea she’d had, wearing a masked hood over the top of her face that resembled a cat’s face. It of course was how she’d gotten her nickname, the Black Cat.

She had taken too long and now she noticed the guards were entering the courtyard, Be’Ghir was no where to be seen. She could only hope he’d hidden on the roof before they’d come. Then she heard a familiar voice.

“Captain, I can’t believe this! Delila wouldn’t-“

The first voice was cut off by a second, one that sounded very exasperated “Guardsman Heris, we have a picture! You identified her yourself! She’s the Black Cat, and not only that but she somehow has a large beast assisting her. If you really want to help her, you can get her to come quietly so that she isn’t harmed. Otherwise, this conversation is finished.”

Delila was struck with a wave of guilt, “Oh no, not Steffen”. She had to get out of there, now.

“Which apartment is it Heris?” She heard the captain say.

Delila moved to her back and took out a grappling hook with a long rope attached to it. Leaving the end of the rope in her backpack, she slipped the bag over her shoulders and rushed to the window. She poked her head out and looked up at the roof. It wasn’t all that far, but she couldn’t have reached it if she’d had to jump. She quickly glanced down into the courtyard one more time before heaving the hook up and onto the roof. Giving it a couple tugs to make certain that it was secure; she leapt out of the window and started climbing hand over hand up the side of the building, while pushing against the wall with her legs.

“She’s up there!” Came the voice of the captain. Delila looked down for just a moment to see a number of soldiers staring up at her. Then she reached the top. “Damn! Does this building have roof access? Seggius, Talbot, get me a ladder!”

“You… took… too… long…” said a familiar voice. Delila turned to she the Be’Ghir getting to his feet.

“I’m sorry, thank you for waiting; we had better leave now huh?” She replied.

Be’Ghir again gave his funny looking nod. “Yes…”

Looking back as Be’Ghir carried her away, Delila whispered; “I’m sorry Stefen…”

This post has been edited by Dire Cheesecake: May 7 2007, 01:54 PM