Talrid leaned back in his seat, amethyst eyes lowered to stare at the
wooden table, golden paw clutching a mug of ale with disinterest, the
second paw rubbing at his temple, a small sigh escaping his lips. He wasn't
close to being intoxicated yet and he had scarcely taken several sips of
his ale before he lost complete interest.
Seated across from him was Eroket, in a slightly better mood then his irritable companion.
"Remind me again why we're stuck here, Eroket?" Talrid replied softly, his head inches away from resting upon the wood of the tavern's table.
Ero's golden amber eyes rolled slightly. "Honestly, Tal.you really don't need to complain every few minutes.this could be worse."
Talrid's head lifted and his bleary gaze turned to his companion. "You keep saying that.at least a battle wouldn't be boring.no beast around here needs anybeast found, saved or killed.meaning we're out of luck and there aren't any jobs."
Ero sighed. "Yeah, I kinda noticed that, Talrid.not much we can do about it.Kalis-"
"Hell with that, Ero." Talrid growled, his tail flicking slightly, paw tapping against the table's woodwork surface. "Kalis coulda ordered us someplace where we'd have had a decent amount of work.instead our only client has his throat slashed."
Ero rolled his eyes. Leaning back in his seat, he lifted his mug to his lips, hiding the placid grin playing on his handsome features. "Tal.I honestly don't like it any more then you do but it can't really be helped.speaking of our dead employer I can't help but wonder if Boney's around here."
"Eroket." Talrid sighed, "She's probably long gone by now.why are you even talking about her right now?"
Ero took a fond look around at the tavern. "About three years back.I met here in this town."
"Ahh." Talrid nodded, his violet eyes lighting up slightly. "This I remember.that was your first solo, wasn't it? What was that fox's name...?"
"Something like Halftail, or Skinfang.some real ordinary."
"Right, I remember.he led that gang? Killed a few beasts and the such?"
Ero nodded, "Yeah, that's him.so, anyways.Kalis sent me to deal with it.alone."
"Strange beast, Kalis is.clearly not rational."
"He suggested you as my partner and said I could learn quite a bit."
"Clearly, rationality is so overrated. Continue, please."
Ero allowed himself a small laugh, taking a sip of wine to wet his throat. "So I find what I can, I kill one of his beasts and he begins doubling back, thinking there are more Calpathions out there. So, here I am, wondering how I'm gonna go after this guy.I'm taking a run through the woods after him, when a dagger flies past my head, barely missing me."
Talrid's laughter was quickly joined by a second voice; A clearly feminine one. "That's jus' what 'appened, Erry! Tell 'im about 'ow you nearly attacked me when you thought I was one o' 'is beasts."
Both Eroket and Talrid's heads turned to the source of the voice. Standing near the tavern door was a familiar female ermine dressed in very revealing clothing, her long headfur tied into a single tail. Her scimitar hung from her belt next to her two favorite daggers. A grin that was charming, friendly and seductive at the same time. "Don't leave out th' best part, Erry!"
Talrid and Eroket both frozen for a moment as Boneflower walked over to them and pulled out a chair from an empty table, seating herself next to Eroket and Talrid, grinning cheerfully.
"Boneflower, what are you doing here?" Talrid replied with a slight sigh.
Boney shrugged and threw a comradely arm around Talrid's shoulders, her sapphire eyes sparkling as she raised her free paw. "'Ey, Barkeep! I'll 'ave an ale iffen y'don't mind!"
Turning her smile to Eroket she replied. "'Ow's about you buy that for me and I'll pay y'back when I 'ave the money?"
Knowing arguing with Boneflower would border on futility, Eero removed a small gold coin from his pocket, flicking it to the bartender who plucked it from the air, nodding in approval and pouring a glass full of ale, passing it to Boney who grabbed it and took a large gulp.
"C'mon, Erry! Keep goin'!"
Eroket's amber eyed tried to narrow but the situation was too humorous for that. Instead he laughed, shaking his head. "Fine, fine.So, who threw that dagger?"
"Me!"
"Rhetorical question, Boneflower." Talrid replied, irritation having ceased. Instead Talrid had returned her attentions, placing an arm around her waist and was eyeing her intently.
Ero nodded. "Yeah.so to make a real long story short, Boney and I had a brief fight.I guess I thought she was working for the fox.until I realized by her saying it was her bounty, that she was doing the same thing.long story short, we agreed there was enough gold to go around from this bounty and decided to work together."
Boney took another gulp of ale, her face slightly red by now as she nodded, eyeing Talrid, not seeming opposed to his affections at all
"How old are you two anyway? Talrid questioned.
"Twenty." Eroket and Boney replied at the same time.
"I see. Please continue."
Ero nodded, rolling his eyes at Boney and Talrid. "I finished off two- one with a thrown dagger and another with a sword slash. I then told the gang members that there were other Calpathions on the way.they decided it was best to give up their boss then die."
"Hey, Erry! Remember I got one of 'em with my dagger!"
"Yes, Boney.How could I have forgotten that?"
Boney reached out with her free paw, rapping Eroket on the forehead playfully. "See that y'don't forget again, Erry!"
Eroket grinned. "He attacked-not a bad swordfox either, managed to give me a scar on my side-Boney put her sword in his chest and finished the job, though."
Talrid nodded, his attention more devoted to the very beautiful female ermine sitting close to him. "And then?"
Ero shrugged. "You know the rest.Boney kept trying to seduce me.we went back to the group and she refused an offer to join.said she liked going on her own.we've seen each other quite a bit since then.such as three days ago."
Boney nodded. "When y'cost me my bounty!"
"Look who's talking!" Ero snapped good naturedly. "I'd say we're square."
"Oh, fine..." Boney replied with a grin as she drained the last bit of her ale, setting the mug down on the table as she nudged her chair closer to Talrid's, resting her head on his shoulder. "We 'ad fun though.didn't we, Erry?"
Talrid grinned. "How come Eroket gets to have all the fun?"
Boney poked him, sitting up. "Oh.didn't know you wanted to have fun, Tal.Don't mind, do you, Erry?"
Ero rolled his eyes, rising to his feet and shrugging. In truth he was relieved Boneflower's affections were off him for the time being. There was another feeling though that nagged at his mind.
Jealousy? No way.couldn't be.
He gave a charming smile. "Have fun."
Boney grinned and winked, leaning up to give Talrid a light kiss.
Talrid took the opportunity, kissing her back with greater passion before standing with Boney and began walking to his room, Boney at his side.
Eros a back down and drew up Talrid's ale mug before drinking a toast to the world's strangeness with himself before he put out the candle and left the tavern to the night.
Seated across from him was Eroket, in a slightly better mood then his irritable companion.
"Remind me again why we're stuck here, Eroket?" Talrid replied softly, his head inches away from resting upon the wood of the tavern's table.
Ero's golden amber eyes rolled slightly. "Honestly, Tal.you really don't need to complain every few minutes.this could be worse."
Talrid's head lifted and his bleary gaze turned to his companion. "You keep saying that.at least a battle wouldn't be boring.no beast around here needs anybeast found, saved or killed.meaning we're out of luck and there aren't any jobs."
Ero sighed. "Yeah, I kinda noticed that, Talrid.not much we can do about it.Kalis-"
"Hell with that, Ero." Talrid growled, his tail flicking slightly, paw tapping against the table's woodwork surface. "Kalis coulda ordered us someplace where we'd have had a decent amount of work.instead our only client has his throat slashed."
Ero rolled his eyes. Leaning back in his seat, he lifted his mug to his lips, hiding the placid grin playing on his handsome features. "Tal.I honestly don't like it any more then you do but it can't really be helped.speaking of our dead employer I can't help but wonder if Boney's around here."
"Eroket." Talrid sighed, "She's probably long gone by now.why are you even talking about her right now?"
Ero took a fond look around at the tavern. "About three years back.I met here in this town."
"Ahh." Talrid nodded, his violet eyes lighting up slightly. "This I remember.that was your first solo, wasn't it? What was that fox's name...?"
"Something like Halftail, or Skinfang.some real ordinary."
"Right, I remember.he led that gang? Killed a few beasts and the such?"
Ero nodded, "Yeah, that's him.so, anyways.Kalis sent me to deal with it.alone."
"Strange beast, Kalis is.clearly not rational."
"He suggested you as my partner and said I could learn quite a bit."
"Clearly, rationality is so overrated. Continue, please."
Ero allowed himself a small laugh, taking a sip of wine to wet his throat. "So I find what I can, I kill one of his beasts and he begins doubling back, thinking there are more Calpathions out there. So, here I am, wondering how I'm gonna go after this guy.I'm taking a run through the woods after him, when a dagger flies past my head, barely missing me."
Talrid's laughter was quickly joined by a second voice; A clearly feminine one. "That's jus' what 'appened, Erry! Tell 'im about 'ow you nearly attacked me when you thought I was one o' 'is beasts."
Both Eroket and Talrid's heads turned to the source of the voice. Standing near the tavern door was a familiar female ermine dressed in very revealing clothing, her long headfur tied into a single tail. Her scimitar hung from her belt next to her two favorite daggers. A grin that was charming, friendly and seductive at the same time. "Don't leave out th' best part, Erry!"
Talrid and Eroket both frozen for a moment as Boneflower walked over to them and pulled out a chair from an empty table, seating herself next to Eroket and Talrid, grinning cheerfully.
"Boneflower, what are you doing here?" Talrid replied with a slight sigh.
Boney shrugged and threw a comradely arm around Talrid's shoulders, her sapphire eyes sparkling as she raised her free paw. "'Ey, Barkeep! I'll 'ave an ale iffen y'don't mind!"
Turning her smile to Eroket she replied. "'Ow's about you buy that for me and I'll pay y'back when I 'ave the money?"
Knowing arguing with Boneflower would border on futility, Eero removed a small gold coin from his pocket, flicking it to the bartender who plucked it from the air, nodding in approval and pouring a glass full of ale, passing it to Boney who grabbed it and took a large gulp.
"C'mon, Erry! Keep goin'!"
Eroket's amber eyed tried to narrow but the situation was too humorous for that. Instead he laughed, shaking his head. "Fine, fine.So, who threw that dagger?"
"Me!"
"Rhetorical question, Boneflower." Talrid replied, irritation having ceased. Instead Talrid had returned her attentions, placing an arm around her waist and was eyeing her intently.
Ero nodded. "Yeah.so to make a real long story short, Boney and I had a brief fight.I guess I thought she was working for the fox.until I realized by her saying it was her bounty, that she was doing the same thing.long story short, we agreed there was enough gold to go around from this bounty and decided to work together."
Boney took another gulp of ale, her face slightly red by now as she nodded, eyeing Talrid, not seeming opposed to his affections at all
"How old are you two anyway? Talrid questioned.
"Twenty." Eroket and Boney replied at the same time.
"I see. Please continue."
Ero nodded, rolling his eyes at Boney and Talrid. "I finished off two- one with a thrown dagger and another with a sword slash. I then told the gang members that there were other Calpathions on the way.they decided it was best to give up their boss then die."
"Hey, Erry! Remember I got one of 'em with my dagger!"
"Yes, Boney.How could I have forgotten that?"
Boney reached out with her free paw, rapping Eroket on the forehead playfully. "See that y'don't forget again, Erry!"
Eroket grinned. "He attacked-not a bad swordfox either, managed to give me a scar on my side-Boney put her sword in his chest and finished the job, though."
Talrid nodded, his attention more devoted to the very beautiful female ermine sitting close to him. "And then?"
Ero shrugged. "You know the rest.Boney kept trying to seduce me.we went back to the group and she refused an offer to join.said she liked going on her own.we've seen each other quite a bit since then.such as three days ago."
Boney nodded. "When y'cost me my bounty!"
"Look who's talking!" Ero snapped good naturedly. "I'd say we're square."
"Oh, fine..." Boney replied with a grin as she drained the last bit of her ale, setting the mug down on the table as she nudged her chair closer to Talrid's, resting her head on his shoulder. "We 'ad fun though.didn't we, Erry?"
Talrid grinned. "How come Eroket gets to have all the fun?"
Boney poked him, sitting up. "Oh.didn't know you wanted to have fun, Tal.Don't mind, do you, Erry?"
Ero rolled his eyes, rising to his feet and shrugging. In truth he was relieved Boneflower's affections were off him for the time being. There was another feeling though that nagged at his mind.
Jealousy? No way.couldn't be.
He gave a charming smile. "Have fun."
Boney grinned and winked, leaning up to give Talrid a light kiss.
Talrid took the opportunity, kissing her back with greater passion before standing with Boney and began walking to his room, Boney at his side.
Eros a back down and drew up Talrid's ale mug before drinking a toast to the world's strangeness with himself before he put out the candle and left the tavern to the night.