Ei felt something thunk against his head, and he looked down at it as it rolled away. It was an orange. Alis was standing before him with a handful of fruit and vegetables, and he smiled.

“How did you get those?”

Alis said, “I stole them.”

Ei grabbed the orange and said, “But you didn’t really answer my question. How did you steal them? How did you not get caught?”

Alis took a bite of a carrot and explained, “I found that cat, threw it at a vendor’s face, and then grabbed as much as I could before I ran away.”

Ei snorted and asked, “What?! Are you being serious?”

Alis smiled and said, “I am.”

Alis' smile was warm, completely standing out in the cold alley. It didn’t belong there, and it definitely didn’t belong next to someone as dark as Ei. Ei looked away and said softly, “You should stop this. You’re going to be hated by the whole village if you help me.”

Alis said, “I’m pretty sure I’m already hated, since I stole a bunch of food. I’m sure rumours are spreading about a beggar elf.”

Ei frowned, and Alis asked, “Are you feeling better?”

“I’m not sure,” Ei said.

Alis sighed and asked, “Well, what do you do during the day? There doesn’t seem to be many things in this village that you can do for fun.”

Ei said, “I sit here.”

“All day?”

Ei nodded, and Alis asked, “Doesn’t it get cold?”

“Sure it does,” Ei said. “But the humans don’t bother me when I’m down here. So it’s better than anything.”

Alis crossed his arms and thought, “There has to be somewhere else that he can go. He’s going to freeze to death once winter comes.”

Alis stood up and left the food by Ei’s side.

“I’ll be back,” Alis said.

“Feel free to not do that.”

Alis smiled a little and walked out of the alleyway into the bright, sunny streets. The alley was like winter in comparison to the streets, and that fact alone strengthened Alis’ resolve. Alis looked around and saw people gathered in buildings, and apartments littered the streets where the shops were. Once he ventured down a neighbourhood, he found where the houses were, and they were quite impressive. They weren’t as extravagant as Mr. Keller’s house, but they were far more structural than his home back in the forest. Alis knocked on a door and waited for a while until someone answered.

Alis asked, “Could you allow me to stay in your home for tonight? Or do you know where I could go for shelter?”

The person hesitated and asked for someone behind them, and Alis waited for their response. He heard the other person say, “No way.”

The person said with a sorrowful expression, “No, sorry.”

Alis said, “It’s okay,” before walking off to try another house.

“No.”

“Sorry.”

“Try that house over there.”

“I already have too many things to take care of, sorry.”

…

Alis returned to the alleyway to find Ei in the same spot he left him, and a good portion of the food was missing from the pile. Alis sat down next to Ei, and Ei stared at him.

Ei asked, “Where did you go?”

Alis looked away and said, “Nowhere.”