Krynn yawned as she walked alongside Hastings, groggily munching away at the sausage in her paw.
"So where'd ya say we were heading?", the otter called ahead to List as the marten walked around a bend in the road ahead of them.
"Further inland, towards the city of Bulwark.", List answered, scratching Floki underneath his chin as the little dragon sat on his shoulder.
"Where's that?", the otter asked, looking around at the forest about them.
"It was once a prominent military center, providing defense on the border before we pushed the woodlanders back.", the marten answered. "Now that duty has passed to the recently founded Neo Terra further Northeast."
"Eep!", they heard Krynn squeak behind them.
They turned around to see what looked like a few mushrooms fleeing from the startled vixen.
"Just a few Dweomer Caps.", List explained. "Completely harmless."
"This place is so strange.", Hastings commented as the mobile plants disappeared into the forest. "There's nothing like this back home on Green Isle."
The party rounded another bend in the road, passing by a pole set in the ground, carved with the likeness of various woodlanders.
"Relic of the former inhabitants.", List explained as they looked up at the decaying cedar, admiring the shaped timber.
"Who were they?", Krynn asked.
"I believe they were a tribe of shrews.", the marten answered. "I've read they worshiped eels and made sentient sacrifices to them."
"How awful.", the vixen gasped, placing a paw over her mouth as they continued on their way.
"What are we going to do about those hares and that squirrel?", Hastings asked. "I don't think they're going to just stop chasing us."
"Especially not after biting the big one's fingertips off!", Floki chuckled as he leaped off his perch and snatched up a beetle he'd seen crawling along the ground.
"Hmm from what I saw during our fights with them, the three of them seem to be spell casters of some stripe.", List mused, as the three of them crested a hill. "And there's Bulwark."
The marten pointed at the city on the hill, its high walls and tall towers standing out imposingly, a grey island amid a sea of green.
"Race ya!", Floki laughed as he dove over the beasts' heads, flapping towards the city.
"What do I do when we get there?", Hastings asked. "Think my appearance will fool them like the last two settlements?"
"I see no reason it would be different in the city.", List answered.
The three beasts strode up to the gates, looking up at the city walls.
Hastings looked up at the battlements, taking note of the more than two score archers station along the wall.
They walked through the gates, List acknowledging the two foxes flanking the entrance, the sunlight glinting off their plates and pole arms.
The guards nodded in return and the party passed through the gates unhindered.
Hastings looked around in amazement at the crowd around him, having never seen so many beasts in one place before.
"This place is huge.", the otter said, looking out towards the keep in the center of the city, its white-washed walls towering over its neighbors.
"Beautiful isn't it?", an albino ferret standing next to the said. "New in the city?"
"Yes.", List answered.
"The Tower of Ulin, named for the wizard who defeated Belladonna of Brockhall in the fifty-fifth season of the confederacy.", the ferret said, looking up at the impressive structure with admiration.
"Interesting.", List replied. "Where can reasonable lodging be found at reasonable prices?"
"If you asked me, Otik's Inn is where I'd go.", the ferret answered. "Well, nice seeing ya, best get back to work."
"Ah, one more thing.", List asked. "Where'd be a good place for an independent traveler dabbling in alchemy to set up and make a few coins?"
"Down on Pave Nymph Row I should think, if you wish to stay out the local guild's way.", the ferret replied as he walked off down the street.
"Well I see the sign.", List said, gesturing towards a sigh a ways down the Main Street.
"I do hope the name is not descriptive.", Krynn said quietly as she followed her friends down the street.
"Why, what do you mean?", Hastings asked as they weaved through the myriad of beasts milling about as they shopped and haggled. "What is a pave nymph?"
"A more colorful name for that profession.", List answered, gesturing towards a half-dressed vixen escorting a dog fox into a doorway.
Hastings wrinkled his nose in disgust as he detected a specific odor prominent in the alley.
"Hello handsome.", a stoatmaid said as she approached them, her scandalous excuse for clothing making her intent obvious.
"I've no time you.", List said, pushing past the female as he headed towards a public stall at the end of the alley.
"Perhaps y…", she began, before Hastings' glare silenced her.
"Heh-he.", Floki chuckled as he watched from his perch over head.
"What about you, little thing?", the stoat asked, stroking the mortified Krynn's headfur.
"Grrr.", Hastings growled at the strumpet, his scars seeming to expand.
The stoatmaid panicked at the sight of Hastings' visage, fleeing out of the alley.
"Thanks.", Krynn said.
List went into the stall and quickly scrawled 'Alchemy' on the chalkboard affixed to the front of the structure.
"What should we do?", Krynn asked.
"Go and try to find gainful employment for yourselves and meet me back here as dusk arrives.", List answered as he set up his lab.
"Okay.", Hastings said as he and Krynn turned down the street, leaving the marten to his work.
"What should we do?", Krynn asked nervously. "I've never had to work for a wage before."
"Me neither.", Hastings replied. "Doesn't look like there'd be much call for a fisher beast here."
"You don't suppose there's hospital near by?", the vixen asked. "Maybe we could ask him?"
Hastings looked at weasel in full plate walking down the street, a stylized depiction of a bulwark etched onto his breastplate.
"I suppose we could.", the otter said, walking towards the weasel.
"E-excuse me sir.", Krynn whispered as they approached the guard.
"Yes girl.", the weasel said. "What can I do for you?"
"You wouldn't know where a healer could find work, would you?", the vixen asked.
"I should think Saint Agatha's over on Rose Row could make use of you.", the weasel said, gesturing with his sword over his shoulder. "Just head up Jay Way and turn right when you see the sign."
"Thank you sir.", Krynn said as she and Hastings headed down the street.
"What was your life like before you found yourself on the road?", Krynn asked, curious.
"What makes you ask?", Hastings replied.
"Just curious.", the vixen asked, fiddling with her hat nervously.
"I'm from Green Isle.", Hastings said. "I'm the son of Radd Streambattle and Vallisneria of Wavedog Holt."
"I never knew my parents.", Krynn said. "I was found on the doorstep of Canini's Temple when I was a baby."
"There's the sign.", Hastings said, pointing at a couple signs announcing the street names.
The two walked up the whitewashed building, looking up at the painting of a snake coiled about a staff above the arched doorway.
"How may we help you?", asked the graying old stoatmaid at the door as she adjusted her blood-red robe so that it did not obscure the silver holy symbol hanging from her neck.
"H-hello, my name is Krynn.", the vixen began. "I'm an oracle of Canini."
"Ahh, I suppose ye are looking for work?", the stoat asked. "And coin."
"Yes ma'am.", Krynn said.
"Well we could certainly us you.", the stoat said, looking over her shoulder at a battered rat being helped onto a bed. "The fighting pits have opened up again, I swear why beasts beat one another to a pulp for coin is beyond me."
"Umm…'for coin' you said?", Hastings asked, an idea coming into his head.
"Yes 'tis over on Red Alleyway.", an amber-furred vixen said as she walked up behind the stoat. "What do these two need, Jasmine?"
"The girl, Krynn, is looking for work.", Jasmine answered. "Said she has the life mystery."
"Well, we're short-staffed.", the vixen said. "Can you start right now?"
"Yes ma'am.", Krynn answered.
"Then follow me.", the older fox said.
"See you this evening.", Krynn said to Hastings, then hurried after the vixen.
"Good luck.", Hastings said as the girl disappeared into the temple. Now to find this Red Alleyway.