The sun dipped low over the undercity, casting long shadows along the winding streets and alleyways. Caitlyn walked cautiously, her hood pulled up over her head, obscuring her face. She hadn't planned on sneaking into the undercity, but her curiosity had become too much to bear. It wasn't her first time hearing about the infamous Lanes, but no book, lecture, or enforcer report could match experiencing it firsthand.
The first checkpoint had been the hardest. After slipping past the enforcers guarding the bridge, it was as if the city opened up to her. The Lanes weren't as chaotic as she had imagined; instead, they buzzed with life. Merchants called out from their stalls, kids darted between pedestrians, and the occasional mechanic worked on machines whose purposes Caitlyn could only guess at.
It was raw. It was alive. It was utterly different from Piltover.
The people were rougher, their faces lined with hardship, their clothes patched and worn. Caitlyn had expected hostility, or at least suspicion, but most people paid her no mind. A few glanced her way, their gazes sharp, but no one approached her. She walked through the streets, taking in the sights, the smells of industrial grease mixed with faint hints of food cooking, and the sound of laughter mingling with the occasional shouted argument.
She stopped near an alleyway where a middle-aged woman sat slumped against a wall, her clothes hanging off her thin frame. Beside her was a boy, no older than ten, clean but clearly underfed. The boy carried a small satchel, and Caitlyn could hear their conversation even over the ambient noise of the street.
"Keep it," the boy urged, pushing a few coins into the woman's hand. "For food. For you."
The woman shook her head, her voice soft but firm. "It's for school supplies. You need to learn, sweetheart. Vander's boys are already helping me enough. Don't worry about me."
The boy looked as if he were about to argue, but the woman smiled, brushing a hand through his hair. "Go on. Make something of yourself. You don't need to waste your time on an old woman like me."
Caitlyn's heart ached at the sight. Before she could think better of it, she stepped into the alley.
"Excuse me," she said softly, pulling a small pouch from her cloak. "Take this. Please."
The woman's eyes widened as Caitlyn opened her palm and placed several gold coins into it. Her hands trembled as she clutched the money.
"Thank you," the woman whispered, though there was fear in her voice. She grabbed the boy's hand and hurried away before Caitlyn could say more.
Caitlyn stood there, staring after them. Had she done something wrong? She thought she was helping, but the woman's reaction suggested otherwise.
Her thoughts were interrupted when a hand grabbed her shoulder and slammed her into the wall. Caitlyn gasped as another hand covered her mouth. She struggled, reaching for the dagger hidden beneath her cloak, but her wrist was caught before she could draw it.
"Hey! Hey!" a familiar voice hissed.
Caitlyn froze. The grip on her mouth loosened, and she looked up to see Tarren staring at her, his expression a mixture of anger and disbelief.
"What the hell are you doing here, Caitlyn?" he demanded, keeping his voice low.
Caitlyn pushed his hand away and stepped back, her cheeks flushing. "You didn't have to be so rough."
Tarren crossed his arms. "Answer the question."
She avoided his gaze. "I was curious."
"Curious?"
"Yes," she said defensively. "I wanted to see the undercity for myself. No one would bring me, so I came alone."
Tarren sighed, rubbing his temples. "You're unbelievable. Do you know how dangerous this is? Your mother is going to blame me for this."
"No, she won't," Caitlyn insisted. "I left her a note."
"A note?"
"I told her I was going out. She won't blame you. And if she does, I'll clean your entire lab."
Tarren shook his head, exasperated. "You shouldn't have come. This isn't a game, Caitlyn."
"I'm not a child," Caitlyn shot back. "I'm about to come of age. I can handle myself."
"Says the most spoiled girl in Piltover," Tarren muttered.
Caitlyn glared at him, her cheeks turning red again. Before she could retort, they were interrupted by two figures approaching from behind Tarren.
"Who's this?" asked a boy with bright white hair and an inquisitive expression.
"Is she one of your suitors?" a girl with blue hair teased, earning an elbow from the boy.
"Ouch!" she yelped.
"This is Caitlyn," Tarren said with a weary sigh. "As her name suggests, she wandered here like a curious cat."
"Curiosity kills the cat," the girl sing-songed, grinning.
Caitlyn frowned, looking from the pair back to Tarren. "Who are they?"
"Ekko and Powder," Tarren introduced them. "And before you ask, yes, they're trouble."
"Hey!" Powder protested.
"Let's just get to Vander's," Tarren said, steering Caitlyn out of the alley.
As they walked, Caitlyn felt a mix of excitement and unease. She had wanted to see the undercity, to understand it, but now that she was here, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was out of her depth.