The Little Boy

The shadows played tricks on the mind of some, but Lycosia knew all the tricks wraiths could play on the eyes. Something just wasn't right. Between the rocks came a soft whimper. Reacting instantly, Lycosia's bow was pointing toward the extra shadow in the rocks. The light slid off the tip of the bladed arrow.
"Cormac...", she said tensely.
Walking forward almost as quietly as Lycosia's own stalker, the huge man in silver armor focused where Lycosia looked.
The whole area was choked with rock dust. Remnants of charred trees smoked amidst the sandy remains of the city. Lycosia nodded and Cormac crept up on the tiny shadow. For a moment his face was focused with intent, then his face was a study in confusion.
"Lycosia?"
"Yes?"
"This doesn't look like a wraith. It doesn't even look like an Elemental."
Sheathing his sword, he knelt beside the rocks. In a moment he had fished out what looked like a spitting, howling, monkey in rags. It slashed at Cormac's armor and screamed in a terror filled shriek.
"We wont...here now...stop that..we're not going to..."
Lycosia deftly snatched the figure from Cormac's hands.
"STOP!" she thundered. Frozen in fear, the shriek stopped. It was a little boy. They all looked at each other in mystified silence. Then removing her bright blue cloak with the golden tree symbol, Lycosia wrapped the ragged, scratched, and filthy child in it.
"Where did you come from?" Lycosia asked him. The child made no sound. "Do you have a name?"
There was no answer to any question. Lycosia looked up as her feline stalker slipped past Cormac and butted her elbow. She turned to look and felt the child stiffen and shudder.
"No no, he won't hurt you, it's ok. Come here kitty kitty. Show me what you have."
The stalker, who was as tall as Lycosias knee, gave her a withering look at the title 'kitty kitty' but obediently dropped the item from his jaws into her palm. Lycosia held a charred finger bone. She sighed heavily. Their employer would be very unhappy. If the stalker brought back only this, it meant that there was nothing else he could see. All the people in this area were dead and gone.
Lycosia glanced up at Cormac who had a heavy look on his face. Slowly he lowered his face shield into place and set out to scout the way back. There were a few elementals that might still be roaming. Lycosia lifted the boy into her arms. "Well we can't leave you here. It'll be ok."
The boy's head slowly drifted to her shoulder as they walked. Cormac fell into step with her.
"Poor thing. I can only imagine the horrors he's witnessed."
Asleep, the boy twitched. In his sleep fire surrounded him. Monsters killed indiscriminately. He sniffled.