Chapter Nine.

The building was at least two stories high with a small tower on the top. La Lupa patted her pony as she led him up the stairs, pushing open the two aged double doors.

"The building is so old and ancient that people fear coming in here. Don't worry though, this building is stronger than it looks" she told him as they entered. The moonlight behind them gave La Volpe little idea of what the inside truly looked like, darkness surrounded them and all he saw were light, brown wooden flooring before the two doors shut behind them. La Volpe went to speak, wondering what this place was, but light shuffling to the side heightened his senses making him tense. He quickly flashed on his eagle vision and a small, blue figure went to attack him but La Volpe was quick, grabbing his attacker's hand causing the figure to drop the weapon with a yelp.

"Fox release him, Carlo that is no way to treat a guest. Come, where is the light? You know my pony hates the dark!" La Lupa lightly said in humour and La Volpe released the small figure called Carlo, turning his eagle vision back off again as the figure ran away, light illuminating the place. It surprised La Volpe how beautiful the place was, long fur rugs were scattered by the lightened fire place and, as Carlo scattered around the room lighting lanterns, La Volpe discovered other open arches leading to other rooms and he noticed several large sofas. A small boy, no more than eight, approached the pair with uneasiness, picking up his small dagger before standing with slumped shoulders.

"I am sorry Mentor" the young boy spoke and La Lupa gently grasped onto his chin, lifting it up.

"No harm was done, lovely tactic though" La Lupa softly said and the young boy frowned at La Volpe before looking at his Mentor.

"You are injured" he stated and La Volpe noticed the boy pale slightly, as if he feared for her very life.

"Yes, worry not. Call Marco for me, tell him to bring his papers too!" La Lupa told him and Carlo frowned at La Volpe again before bowing, grasping the woman's horse before going through an archway. La Volpe couldn't help but shake the feeling off his shoulders, it was as if they never received visitors here.

"We keep some of our steeds inside to prevent them getting stolen, they are there for emergency only" La Lupa explained to the thief before gesturing him to sit down. The Master Thief took a seat on one of the sofas and La Lupa left the room, returning in a matter of minutes with a bundle of healing equipment.

"Injured again! Ha, you are getting old Mentor!" a loud, deep raspy voice laughed and a growl escaped La Lupa's lips.

"Not as old as you old man! Now come, we have no time for insults, we have a guest" La Lupa playfully said back to the man but her tone turned serious as the aged man looked at La Volpe. La Volpe saw that he was a man with pride and honour, his stance was strong and his presence was demanding but, even in his aged features, La Volpe noticed a spark of youth. La Volpe couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in thought as he looked up at the man, a large scar ran across his throat and his left cheek giving him the battle worn appearance but that wasn't why La Volpe was looking at him in question, he was looking at him in such a way because he had seen the man before. He couldn't put his finger on it though, the raspy voice was obviously a consequence of an old injury to the neck making it even harder for La Volpe to figure out who the man was.

"Ah" the man rasped with a forced, lopsided smile.

"This is the man keeping you busy, no?" he continued with a tease as he took a seat opposite La Volpe, pulling a bundle of rolled up parchment on the table. La Lupa placed her healing items on the table as well, settling down next to Marco as she hid a blush.

"Marco this is La Volpe, I'm sure you know of his reputation… La Volpe this is Marco, he runs the guild here" the yellow eyed woman explained and La Volpe nodded his head in greeting, still the name rung no bells.

"It is good to see you again Master Thief" Marco commented while taking a dagger from La Lupa, beginning to cut her pants away to get to her wound. The woman scowled to the man but didn't stop him, instead she gestured to the bundles of scrolls.

"They are maps of the Borgia Tower your assassin friend plans to steal the letters from. There is also a map of the Castello but it is uncomplete as I know the place off by heart. You may keep those, you and your friends may have need of them" La Lupa spoke, hissing as Marco washed her wound.

"On the maps are some of the guards positioning… Some may have changed but it is quite recent" La Lupa continued but she loudly hissed.

"Marco quit it" she snapped at the older man who lowly chuckled, prodding her wound once more. La Lupa playfully slapped him on the head, rolling her eyes at La Volpe.

"Thank you, I'm sure these will provide handy" La Volpe softly said, accepting the maps with a light smile. His mind was slightly distant, he was trying to figure out where Marco came from. He was so familiar, it was on the tip of his tongue yet his brain couldn't link it up.

"This was not what I wanted to show you though…" La Lupa quietly said, glancing around before looking La Volpe.

"I assume you know of the Apple?" she asked him, hissing as Marco accidently pulled the bandaging on her dressed wound too tight.

"La Lupa" he lowly grumbled, his form tensing and an aura of 'danger' forming around him. Instead of addressing Marco she placed a hand on his shoulder, her eyes firmly fixed on La Volpe who eyed the woman.

Was she trying to get information from him?

Did she know something about it?

La Lupa took his silence as a yes and she gently smiled his way, a look of understanding crossing her features.

"Know now La Volpe that I have no interest in gaining the Apple for myself, I have seen its power and the destruction it can cause in the wrong hands. I know that the assassino is hunting it down, I have gather some information about its whereabouts but the information is very basic… Unfortunately the Captains of the Borgia Towers are not trusted by those who have it" La Lupa told him, pushing a bundle of ripped open letters his way.

"You can keep them, we have no need for them any longer. You and your friends may find something in them that we have missed" she added, a playful smile appearing as Marco snorted.

"I very much doubt that seeing as the best person looked through the information" Marco boasted, standing himself up after finishing attending to La Lupa's leg. La Volpe noticed that the man seemed at ease again and, silently, he wondered how much control La Lupa had over her people here.

"Now now Marco, don't let that ego of yours get too big or I'll have to give you a rematch and put you in your place" La Lupa bit back, her smile large. La Volpe couldn't help but smile to himself at the playfulness between them, shaking his head in the process of their un-meaningful argument. Marco placed a hand on his heart, his face full of hurt.

"You wound me so Mentor! You know last time I wasn't quite myself" Marco told her.

"Oh and what of all the other occasions?" La Lupa quickly asked, as if expecting such a reply.

"I-uh-w-well…" Marco stuttered, rubbing the back of his grey flicked hair.

"I-I was going easy on you" he managed to say but he darted to the side as La Lupa threw a rolled up bandage at him. The battle man laughed as he bowed, leaving the two alone.

"You two are like children" La Volpe commented and La Lupa grinned, her pain forgotten.

"I've known him since a child, he is like a brother to me. Now, do you wish to stay for the night or do you have places to go?" La Lupa asked, her grin turning into a smile. La Volpe thought to himself for a moment, he was growing tired and he was in need of a good night sleep but he had things to do.

"I'm afraid I must return to my men…" La Volpe told her and she nodded in understanding, her smile still in place.

"Very well. You are welcome to return here whenever you wish" La Lupa told him and, with that they both said their farewells as La Volpe left.