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The woods wasn't really a safe place for a city dweller, nor for most forest goers either, but they knew how to cope enough not to get horribly lost, Jimmy however knew the city like the back of his hand. He could get to A to B in more then one way, he could avoid certain people and still get to his destination, he even knew about some ancient underground paths linking cellars to each other, although most were either dead ends or too dangerous to risk travelling through. In his whole life, he has never been lost in the city. Here was a completely different kettle of fish. He could be lost in one wrong turn and never be found, people like him didn't belong in the forest, it didn't like him nor want him here and Jimmy was always aware of that fact, but ignored it all the same. He needed to be out here, and no monster-boys who may be hidden out here was going to change that.

The ratcatcher stumbled over roots, branches clawed at his face, beasts called ominously to one another deep within the woods. It was a wet day, the smell of rotting and dampness hung in the air. He swore he could smell fish cooking, but that was neither here nor there, he wasn't looking for a camping party. He was looking for his cabin.

A sharp bark came from the left, Jimmy paused then walked towards it. He placed his hand on a scarred tree, he was on the right track. A flash of white in front of him vanished once more and another bark followed it.

"Good 'ole Dog." He muttered, fighting his way through the thicket until they came to a small clearing with a run down stone building with a large wooden barn looking building patched to it. The weeds and vines had already started to try and claim it back, an age old feud between nature and man and Jimmy was going to carry it on by cutting back the brambles that snuck onto his property.

It didn't look like a very homely stone building, the windows were boarded up, the weeds overgrown, yet the door was left clear and looked very sturdy. Smoke rose from the wooded barn-like buildeng, it too looked mostly neglected and boarded up, but there was a sign of life inside.

A moanful deep howl sounded like it came from inside the stone building as an old man carrying a wooden pole with a sharp metal end exited the wooded barn and was about to attack the invading flora before he noticed a figure at the edge of the woods. He squinted, his eyes not as good as they used to be for distances, and still held the pole up.

"Who are yer boy? Whatcha doin' so far out here?" He asked loudly, wondering if he was a hunter's son but wasn't going to ask that in case it led to an easier lie.

Jimmy realised he was still holding the pole at the boy, so lowered it down meekly. At least it wasn't the demon boy he met earlier. What was the chances of him meeting two demonic-possessed boys? Even so he risked a nervous glance around.

"Yer should be more careful out 'ere, son. It can be dangerous." Realising how he must look he let the pole hang, this kid didn't look - well, he really couldn't see him clearly since his eyesight and standing near the bushes and all, but he didn't sound monsterous. Gee, he was getting paranoid. Maybe it was the hair of the dog, he had that morning. He shook it from his mind, don't let it get to yer Jimmy.

"Yer live 'round here?" He asked, "Yer accent don't sound familar, where yer from?" This was starting to become a trend lately.

He grunted at the boy's reply, poking the pole at the earth. Now who else kept avoiding that question? Two names came to mind.

"Ah, tis nice ta meet yer son, me name's Jimmy. Teh bes' ol' ratcatcher yer'd ever heard of. No doubts me name has spread even ta teh deepest of forests. Am I right lad?" He smiled and winked, the boy wasn't wearing any bright or even strange looking garbs like Alex or Miss Coren had on. This boy looked pretty normal, well very tanned. Could account for his foreign sounding accent if he came from down south.

"So what name does yer go by? An' where is yer place of resy-dunce, ah can't think who could live out 'ere, meself, besides a hunter." He couldn't help it, what was that old saying? Knowledge is power? How is knowing where a kid lives power? He was sure there was more to it then that, maybe that was the wrong quote. Ah well, nice to have a friendly chat at least.

He grinned thoughtfully, "Hmm, maybe lad, but you 'ave 'eard of 'im now."

An eerie deep howl erupted once more from the same source while Jimmy gave it no heed, instead he frowned as he attacked a dandylion. "Wha? Yer mean yer live in a cottage in teh forest? Or has a campsite? Coz nobody but the beasts live on teh forest floor lad." Silly boy must have misunderstood his question.

A small tan and white terrier trotted out from the barn building, stretched and yawned. He spotted his master and, ears perked was curious as to who he was yapping to.

"Ah don't suppos' yer met Mister Alex Barrett, perhaps?" The old ratcatcher asked, scratching his chin thoughtfully, "It's been a while since ah last seen 'im, we're friends yer know, 'an ah know he left teh city." He shrugged. "Oh though I doubt 'e were foolish enough ta come out dis far out 'ere like me!" Jimmy gave a horse laugh that almost got stuck in his throat.

The terrier gave a serious of sharp yaps, startling Jimmy then got a shouting at for his troubles. He was warning his master from the strange smelling one, so settled for a low growl and a grumble at the non-human, he was dangerous, the terrier was sure of it.

"Stupid mutt, seems ta 'ave takn' a dislikin' ta everyone lately." Jimmy muttered shaking his head, before remembering what he was going to say. "Yer don't say? Alex's still 'ere? Well 'e ain't told me 'e were staying, thought 'e was movin' on ta another city. Is 'e ok?" He wasn't worried, he told himself, but couldn't fathom why Alex would rather stay out in the cold, damp woods rather then a cozy house in the safe city. He wasn't a wanted man or else the Baron would've put a bounty on his head. Why the Secrecy? And why hadn't he seen Alex's aquaintances barring Miss Coren, if the rumours were to be true, they had all left suddenly as sure as they came. A puzzle this was.

"So yer know Alex then?"

"ah so e's still hanging 'round 'ere then?" The ratcatcher shook his head and attacked some brambles, which put up a good fight. The terrier bristled at the kid, but wondered off towards a tree, glaring at them both from time to time.

Jimmy groaned and held his back. "Ah'm gettin' too old fer this, but nobody wanted teh job to de-weed this place fer me." He looked the figure of the boy over, he looked almost as weedy as the ones growing here. "Don't suppose yer wanna job, lad?" He chuckled, "Could've done wit Mister Barrett before 'e shot off, at leas' he were willin' to 'elp out."

Deciding it was time for a break the ratter, leaned against the stone hut took some tabaccao from his pocket, cut a small piece off with his knife and chewed it.

Jimmy chewed a bit before replying and patted his coat as if looking for something.

"Ah'm afriad ah'm out of nuts 'n' berries, but yer welcome ta any yer find 'round 'ere." What an odd boy, he thought, although out here he guessed it was more useful then gold. Still odd.

The same long howl erupted once more, this time Jimmy yelled a sharp 'sh'rup!" and intrupted it. He was starting to get fed up with the wolf.