The Ottern house is quiet for a long time after Finley’s cannon fires.
Eveline lays with her head in Alastair’s lap, still quietly sobbing. His face is stoic, horrified for what had happened to his daughter, so quickly, so soon. Riley and Sparrow lean against each other with tear-stained cheeks, each stroking the fur of one of Finley’s bunnies. Thaddeus locked himself in his room, and Milo stands outside the door, trying to coax the youngest Ottern out.
Nobody speaks. There’s nothing left to say. And in the silence, everyone can hear the dissent beginning to build up outside.
It’s Riley who moves first, goes to check outside the window of the Otterns’ apartment above the shop. “Guys?” she says, her voice breaking a little. “You’re gonna want to see this.”
Ten is alight in pandemonium.
There were not many people in Ten who did not know Finley Dove Ottern. She was a staple in Ottern General, always perched on the counter or helping customers bring things to their carts. Favourite customers would occasionally be gifted a little note or drawing of them or one of their pets (usually an animal: drawing people was hard).
So it was no surprise that when Finley died, so suddenly and sadly, that Ten’s people filed onto the streets in a rage. It wasn’t a violent protest, no literal pitchforks in hand, but everyone stood in the street in front of the Justice Building, shouting their dissent.
One by one, the Otterns filed up to the window, watching the crowd down the street. Watching as they, one by one, held up a three fingered salute to the sky. Watched as the Peacekeepers shoved into the crowd, attempting to disperse the crowds. Watched as they fought back.
Thaddeus comes out last, stretching up on his toes to see. “What’s goin’ on?” he asks.
