Erine

    Kaz was busy. Very busy. Busy enough to have Erine out every night either collecting kruge from runway customers or following someone for information. By now Erine was a master of stealth, no one but Kaz ever saw her coming or going, and she liked it that way. And if she ever was caught, people only saw yellow eyes, felt the scratch of a dagger, and caught a glimpse of a leather belt.

Tonight She was told to follow a member of the Dime Lions to one of Pekkas clubs and see what games were going on inside. Overall nothing exciting, but nonetheless she was happy to be wandering the streets. ' Maybe I'll knick some star charts on the way home' she thought to herself as she prepared to report back to Kaz. Unfortunately the university district was way too far away to visit this late in the evening without Kaz knowing. He didn't like to be kept waiting. So the little Panther made her way back to the crow club. Now Kaz's office. Ever since he took over the Crow Club Kaz had moved his office to the upstairs loft there. When she asked he said " it's more convenient this way".

Climbing up the wall of the club, Erine couldn't hold her excitement. She had a feeling that tonight was going to change things for the pair, how she didn't know. She opened the window just enough to slip her tiny body through, except a piece of her untamed hair got caught on a nail trapping her to a wall. Surprised by the slight pain she let out a yelp, and started to panic, she hated being trapped. " It's alright" said a  voice from the chair in front of Kaz's desk. It was soft and smooth, the exact opposite of Kaz's. Looking over she saw a young girl, older than her by a good five years but still younger than Kaz, start to get up from her seat. The girl walked over to Erine and kneeled directly in front of her "May I?" she asked in a caring manner. Erine looked over at Kaz for assurance, finding he was watching the interaction, to which he gave a nod. Erine looked back at the girl, looking into her eyes she saw nothing but kindest and concern in the warm brown hue of them, Erine nodded and moved her head to the side.    

The girl, who had brown skin and raven hair, the traits of a Suli, gingerly moved her hands to untangle Erine's hair. " My name is Inej," she said with a smile. Smiles are not common in the barrel, so Erine was happy to receive one. " What's your name?" Inej asked as she finally untangled the young girl's hair. As soon as she was free, Erine scurried off to her little corner in the office and rummaged through her box of knick knacks. Finding a toy ghoul she had stolen months ago, she ran back to Inej and held it out to her. The poor Suli girl just gave Erine a confused look. "It's her way of saying thank you" Kaz said, noticing the confusion " and her name is Erine". Inej looked back at the girl and took the toy, " well, it was my pleasure Erine" she said. Being satisfied with no longer owing Inej for freeing her, Erine turned to Kaz 'I'll wait at the slat for you, I'm tired' seeing him nod, she left.

Kaz

    Looking at the Suli girl in front of him, the crow couldn't help but marvel at her beauty. Kaz Brekker refused to believe in saints, but if he did he would think that this girl is the spitting image of one. Kaz had met Inej when he visited the menagerie. Kaz was looking for some new blood to help him with his Crow Club, and for more information on slavers. Inej had eased into his discussions with Tante Heleen and offered her service to him, which he foolishly denied that night.

    Now Kaz was paying off her indenture to the Menagerie and Inej was working for him. " Is she like me?" Inej asked as she took a seat back in her chair. " Are you buying her out as well?" Kaz gave her his famous glare " No, she isn't. No one is like you." he told her. It was true, Kaz had a thing for finding one of a kind. There was only one Erine, and there was only one Inej. But he wasn't going to let his mind wander to all the ways she was different from the others, to him there were too many. " Then why is she here? She can't be more than 10?" " nine actually, as of 6 months ago" He corrected, " I didn't hire you to ask questions about my Panther, I hired you to be my eyes and ears along with her, can you do that?" he said, focusing on the business at hand. " yes... but I want to join the Dregs, fully, not just under you Brekker" she stated.

    Kaz looked at her with a questioning glance " Are you sure? Once you do there is no going back." he warned, that was true even if she was technically employed by him being in the dregs meant she was a part of a gang, not just some hire that could walk away after the job. " yes." she said in the most firm tone he had ever heard from her.  Kaz smirked, a girl with ambition indeed. He knew Inej Ghafa was dangerous, she was dangerous to not only him but to any man around her. " Well then Miss. Ghafa, it's time you gained your own name" Kaz said sinisterly. A name in the barrel was crucial to survival, Dirtyhands was the monster people feared, Panther was the creature everyone avoided. If Inej wanted to thrive she would need a name. The young suli girl looked at the ghoul in her hand and smiled. " Wraith, that's what you can call me" she said. " Welcome to the dregs, wraith" Dirtyhands smirked as he extended his gloved hand.

That was when The Crow found the Wraith for his Panther.