The rain could be heard all throughout the city of Pluvia; it never ceased. And so, it was known as the City of Eternal Rain.

The citizens of the large city had always known the hard rains that pummeled them, but it rarely made things better. A hooded figure passed down one of the main streets of Pluvia, rain pattering off their hood, their drenched clothing, and even the rooves and streets. Her eyes lacked the luster of life, truly savoring the solidtude of the rains. Basking in the mixture of serenity and sadness, tears hidden beneath rain-dampened fur. Lifelessly she walked, trudging through streets and puddles alike.

Soon, her steps ceased, a weight consuming her. Believably a physical weight by mere appearances, but an emotional one as well. After a long pause, her gaze slowly rose skyward, rain water finding her eyes and mixing with the tears, streaming freely down her moist fur as she shook a bit from the cold. Where was hope now? Where was luck...? Opportunity...? Fotune...? And those people that called themselves FAMILY? How dare they think so much of themselves. That was no home... and it was no happiness. She HAD to leave. But... what had she now, save the clothes clinging to her defeated form?

She had never held an opinion for the rain that bathed her home city before today. But now, she could not determine if the city was as sad as she. Or, if perhaps, the skies relished this pain those below suffered. She soon sighed, which was joined with a sniffle and a wiping of her muzzle with the back of her hand, the other doing a poor job of clearing the moisture from her eyes. She hated this. It was a misery unlike any other. Admittedly, she had been teetering in that life for years. But she had finally broke. She had no home. No life. And it was those words that plagued her mind over and over again. No home. No life. No hope. No family. No love. No future. And it made her shake. Well, perhaps that and the unforgiving cold of the approaching night. Though, in truth, night held little difference to day. Always dark clouds were cast ominously above, blotting out the sun. Always.

"You look a little down on your luck..." Called another woman's voice from nearby.

The cold, wet woman's ears perked a bit at the sound that broke the monotony of the rain's pattering and her head turned to the noise. She paused as her eyes met with that of the bar woman who spoke to her, pausing long and hard before offering a lie of a smile to the woman, lightly shaking her head, "I am not... I am free... just... going for a walk..." None of it a lie, simply a stirring of the truth.

"A walk in the rain with no umbrella or proper coat? And you are soaked. Surely you'd prefer a warmer environment?" She offered a genuine smile to the younger woman and pointed a thumb back over her shoulder, "We've fine drink and food inside. Perhaps you are hungry? Thirsty even? You don't look like you're carrying any extra money on you, but... it's on the house."

The woman was a bit surprised by the offer, looking puzzled to the bar maiden, her heart jumping at the offer, her mind telling her to accept. She even took a step toward the open door with the woman in it's archway, already feeling a warmth from within the lit building, a sense of longing at such an offer filling her. Yet she stopped herself, the leap of her heart soon replaced with a weight, and the urging from her mind to accept, replaced with thoughts stating how little she deserved such kindness. Indeed, it was not kindness meant for her. Her voice dropped as she looked, ears wilting. "I... I cannot accept... I... umm... I have... I have... some place to be..." She quickly turned and began her walk, but the bar woman slipped away for a moment before moving after the cold, wet woman, holding out an umbrella. "Then take this... I'll not take no for an answer."

The wet woman stopped, glancing to the hand on her shoulder that stopped her, and to the offered umbrella, heart feeling heavy again as she spoke almost inaudibly, "I don't deserve to be dry... do not deserve warmth and joy and happiness..." Merely standing there with her eyes on the umbrella for a time before saying, "I canno-" She was soon cut off by the insisting woman, "Too bad! I can't MAKE you use it... but I can be sure you take it with you." With that, the woman hung it in the wet one's belt. "And my offer stands... should you accept." With that, she gave just another moment's pause to show she meant it. However, when the woman did not so much as move, the bar maiden turned back to the lit place and slipped away from sight.

Several minutes later, the wet woman placed her hand on the umbrella's handle as she yet stood there, offering another small sniffle of sadness as she felt the smooth steel of the umbrella's handle, speaking only to herself in a sad, broken voice. "A... a gift...? For... for me...? I... I deserve nothing..." And yet, she could not bring herself to remove the umbrella, to throw it aside or to use it. Instead, she stood sad and in awe as the rain continued to pour around her silhouette in the dark of the street.