Black Rabbit - Plucked from the Gutter

claim it...

the voice of the spirit was saying. it kept repeating the command over and over. Nikolai simply looked at the hidden bundle with a mix of confusion and annoyance. he knew nothing about infants and their care. but the living spirit that was imbedded within his flesh in spelled ink was insistent. it lead him into the dingy alley where the corpse of a recently murdered woman lay sprawled in the filth and grime. her arms lay reaching towards the crates in her dying moments. no doubt for the child that was hidden there before she was assaulted.

the infant was a little girl. mewling like a sick kitten, wrapped tightly in her carrying blankets. the tuft of her young fluff of black hair barely poking out into the night's cold.

claim it...

Nikolai groaned at the voice. he really had no business picking up foundlings from the gutter. what did a mid-teen bandit know about childcare? it'll most likely end up dead anyway...

claim it, Korba... it is meant for you...

"I can't keep her, Naga, you know that!" Nikolai snarled mentally at the voice. he glared at the black ink that was slithering on the flesh of his forearm in the shape of a hooded viper.

then find a place to keep it...

Nikolai rubbed his temple. still looking at the squirming bundle with a hint of distain. between the spirit's nagging and the child's crying, he very much wanted to just slit its throat and be done with the brat.

claim it...

with a disgusted sigh, Nikolai finally reached down and picked up the bundle. he was unsure how to properly carry the infant, adjusting his hold on it as best as he could, securing it into the cradle of his arm. the blanket fell from the infant's face, and the child squirmed even more as she felt the cold on her cheeks, crying much louder. Nikolai winced at the noise, his arm wanting to drop her on its own accord. but instead, he held her closer and gently patted the girl's face. without realizing it, he started making hushing noises to sooth her.

to his utter amazement, it seemed to work. the girl quieted, her crying ending in a series of hiccups, quivering in her blankets. Nikolai sheltered her more tightly in his arms, already his body warmth soothing her. then the child finally opened her eyes and glanced up at him. they were a deep blue, like the depths of an ocean. brilliant and full of wonder. Nikolai simply looked at her, his pale grey-blue eyes chilled and detached. but also curious.

here was a child unmolded by the world in which she was discarded into. pure and untouched. his mind quickly churned with the possibilities of such a find. he cocked his head to one side thoughtfully. for some reason, the girl found this amusing and gave a gurgled giggle, smiling up at him.

"meant for me, hrmm?" he mused out loud. a slight grin shadowing his lips. but the smile did not reach his cold, pale eyes. and still, the child gurgled up at him.

in time, Korba... when it matures...

the spirit's voice was patient, but pleased with him having accepted something of a gift. Nikolai walked out of the alley carrying the bundle. already thinking of places where a child can be well tended to until it was old enough for him to handle. someplace where any number of women would jump for the chance to mother the pretty little thing. but also a place where it won't be snatched up by the system and taken out of his reach. he knew the perfect place.

humming to the infant with a small, satisfied smile, Nikolai headed downtown towards Mama Meredith's brothel.

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Nikolai Korba belongs to