rope was slowly unravelling, bits of twine were twisting away and causing the line to stretch. His head snapped back to look in front of him. The other side seemed to move further and further away, with every second. The line sagged even further, and instinct took over. He ran across the line wildly, almost sure he was going to fall over onto the street below. He felt his feet touch the roof and he collapsed on to it, the water sloshed up and hit him in the face, shocking himself back to reality. Behind him the line of clothes fell on to the street below with several cries of surprise. There was a loud crash and the sound of a horse neighing loudly. He was kneeling over, his face wet with soapy water, panting heavily.
He picked himself up with some degree of embarrassment. He hope no one had seen him and that he hadn't done too much damage. But, anyway, he was on the other side, and the scent was stronger here. He picked up the bucket and mop again and he followed it across another line of uneven rooftops. He wondered how the thief had managed it, but it slipped from his mind while he concentrated on the trail. It was growing stronger as it approached the market district, but it was mixing with others, fruits, vegetables, meat, it was hard to keep his mind on any one scent.
He stopped down lower to the ground, hoping to get a better purchase on the scent, and sniffed his way along. It came up to another roof edge, but it led downwards this time. He saw a ladder leading downwards and sighed. He put the bucket between his teeth for the third time, and slid down it noiselessly.
He crouched as he hit the bottom, and stood up, slowly. He was in a dark side alley, walls to his front, behind him and to his left. They loomed over him, blocking out light and leaving only shadows. To his right he could hear the noises of the street, relentless as ever. His minds eye travelled along the gloomy alley, following the scent when it suddenly cut out. He opened his eyes and saw a door in the wall. It was quite well hidden, being the same colour as the brickwork, but his nose wasn't fooled, the scent was all over it.
He crept up silently to the door. The smell reeked from this distance, he hadn't noticed it until now, but it smelt really bad.
He heard muttering coming from inside, and pressed his ear against the door.
"...-dn't know, too crowded, too many people could have seen", said a voice from behind the door..
"You had a whole bunch of guards chasing you! I think that counts as 'seen'!" shouted a second, apparently thumping a table.
"Shhhh!", hissed a third, "You want everyone to know we're here?".
He picked himself up with some degree of embarrassment. He hope no one had seen him and that he hadn't done too much damage. But, anyway, he was on the other side, and the scent was stronger here. He picked up the bucket and mop again and he followed it across another line of uneven rooftops. He wondered how the thief had managed it, but it slipped from his mind while he concentrated on the trail. It was growing stronger as it approached the market district, but it was mixing with others, fruits, vegetables, meat, it was hard to keep his mind on any one scent.
He stopped down lower to the ground, hoping to get a better purchase on the scent, and sniffed his way along. It came up to another roof edge, but it led downwards this time. He saw a ladder leading downwards and sighed. He put the bucket between his teeth for the third time, and slid down it noiselessly.
He crouched as he hit the bottom, and stood up, slowly. He was in a dark side alley, walls to his front, behind him and to his left. They loomed over him, blocking out light and leaving only shadows. To his right he could hear the noises of the street, relentless as ever. His minds eye travelled along the gloomy alley, following the scent when it suddenly cut out. He opened his eyes and saw a door in the wall. It was quite well hidden, being the same colour as the brickwork, but his nose wasn't fooled, the scent was all over it.
He crept up silently to the door. The smell reeked from this distance, he hadn't noticed it until now, but it smelt really bad.
He heard muttering coming from inside, and pressed his ear against the door.
"...-dn't know, too crowded, too many people could have seen", said a voice from behind the door..
"You had a whole bunch of guards chasing you! I think that counts as 'seen'!" shouted a second, apparently thumping a table.
"Shhhh!", hissed a third, "You want everyone to know we're here?".
