• Graded • A Pirate At Port (Open)

[Noth]

Ashan 7, 717

Scum were plentiful. For many Arcs there had been those who had taken part in vicious raids against their foes, stealing their treasures, and murdering their families in order to suit some need to serve their country. Others had decided that they would rather take the goods without any obligation to their countries, and those had become the many bandits and robbers of the world, murdering without cause other than their greed. Some had determined that they would rather avoid the violence, but still gain the many treasures offered them, and those had turned to the night and become thieves. Still others had decided to take all of the many advantages of the prior ideologies, and to set forth onto the great blue seas. Those ones became pirates. They held to their codes, though those were constructed from ship to ship. They took whatever it was they desired with bloodshed and force, and all the while they avoided the prying eyes of the authorities by remaining beyond their jurisdictions. Effectively, they had perfected a craft that had been in practice for centuries, though realistically they were just another rebranding of the same criminal motivations.

Pirates also had another advantage over the common robber, and that was that they could bring in many valuables and treasures from overseas that may have otherwise never been taken. Gold and gems and jewels were common enough for the sea wolves, and there had always been stories told of wealthy captains who retired to their mansion homes and personal lots.

Those captains who were still attempting to garner such funds would occasionally send their exhausted raiding bands back to shore for rest and recuperation so that they might continue their violence fully energized. Naturally, when those very sea robbers returned to shore, they had some difficulty in finding places where they might be welcomed cheerfully with mugs of ale and warm beds. That was why some of the local captains had begun to organize small speakeasies burrowed into the sides of nearby mountains or hidden within quiet caves.

Naturally, any organized event wherein more than two or three people were involved would inevitably become leaked to others who paid attention to such news. Noth was one such bird, and though his network of informants was fairly limited, he at least had a few occasional individuals who thought it beneficial to bring him knowledge so long as they were allowed to keep their lives whenever they trespassed upon his land. There were even a few who had started to exchange stories with the monstrous hybrid in return for information, and the Avriel was more than happy to comply so long as the knowledge was useful in some manner or scenario.

The law enforcement agencies would be closing upon a shoring pirate band soon, but Noth had been assured that there was at least one trial left before they decided to enact their raid. The sea wolves were likely to have stored away some amount of valuables before endangering themselves with such a recreational landing, and the plethora of information that they might possess made the adventure more than worth it for the hybrid.

Feathered fingers lastened on his hauberk, ensuring that it had been placed appropriately, and for once he took no regard to the idea of having Etzori emblems engraved into his iron greaves. They would provide a fair amount of protection to his calves when entering into the den of predators and it also served a dual purpose by broadcasting to the beastly fellows within that he was of their ilk, that he had no qualms in stripping a corpse bare of its belongings and using them for his own needs. Honest folk had no business entering into the pirates’ home, but perhaps someone like himself would be welcomed into their ranks in exchange for entertaining and violent stories laden with glory and detestable acts. The fingers reached within the possession pile that he kept nearby, and withdrew the heavy adamantite mace which had become his primary melee weapon. He tested the weightiness of the hefty weapon for an instant before placing it at his side. His bow would be of little use within a cave, and so it was left behind. Finally, a well-fitting bronze helmet was placed upon his head, ensuring that he would not be domed in the event of combat. It seemed highly probable.

With a final wave to Vern, the twilight hybrid departed from his own cave in search of one nearby.

The trial would certainly be interesting.

[Danielle Tobelle]

Had she approached this place arcs ago, it would have been glaringly obvious that she did not belong. The den of filth was a whirling pool of the dredges of every race. The pirates she passed side-eyed her and the black bird on her shoulder. Maximus stood proud, talons digging into the fabric of her thick coat. Concern for the material was nonexistent, considering she had already tossed dirt and sand upon it make it look like she belonged. To them, she must seem like a round-faced child wanting to join their ranks. That was the point, was it not? To pretend to join them to get to know what they knew.

All the mixed blood had on her was an unreliable hunting bird and a small knife. Danielle had come to understand that her choice was reckless, but what did it matter? If she was wrong about getting so much as a tidbit about what may have happened to the Dancer here, it would have all been for nought, anyways. And even at that, she should have been dead. If she met her end here, maybe she would find her father in the other side of life. Perhaps the Immortal of Death would lead her back to her family. Her fist tightened around the compass in her pocket, grasping the navigational instrument hard enough for her knuckles to pale and metal to dig into her palm. Anger rushed into her anew, propelling her forward faster.

The faked swagger in her step was exaggerated with her emotion. The crafted sneer became that much more genuine as her steps carried her further. What she lacked in weaponry and skill, she had hoped to make up for with preparation. She had not the great advantage of well made connections. It was only through misplaced whispers that she had even found this place. She’d pitched her tent far off, perhap too far off but that would be a matter of if she needed to run or not. The young woman stomped forward, heavy boots meeting rotting wood.

Her fingertip itched a she stepped through to the cavern tavern. The shift in attention was not as immediate as she might have thought. Others had entered in behind her, shoving her smaller ( in one case, larger ) frame out of the way. With her to the side after their arrival, a few of the patrons crowed their own greetings before some looked to her. Soft, sweet; fresh meat. Despite the grime and sand rubbed over her skin darkening her complexion further and the slick of tar in her hair, they knew. And they fell for it.

Now it was just a matter of her convincing them that she was of no real threat. At least, not yet.

Common | Other

[Noth]

The senses that a person possessed were incredibly valuable for understanding their environments, and were very clearly the things that allowed an individual to live. Each had their assorted uses for analyzing someone’s surroundings, but there was little doubt that some were more useful than others. Most people relied upon their eyesight to report any new activities in the area, and that particular sense also provided the ability to learn information about areas quite far from the body. Closely following eyesight in the scale of usefulness was the sense of hearing. There were those who had honed their hearing until it stood on par with bats, and they could navigate their surroundings almost entirely using just their ears. Of all the five senses, Noth had only really heard of the prior two being used to detect anything of actual worth. The rest were mostly devoted towards pleasures and identifying whether foods were delightful or not.

That was why it came as a shock when Noth could smell the gathering place before he could either hear or see it. The wind carried with it a message, one of alcohol and charred oak. Had the pirates been fermenting their own drinks, or had they simply stumbled upon fresh barrels of the stuff? Either way, the smell carried outwards from the gathering place like a beacon, and the twilight hybrid nearly decided to rely entirely upon his olfactory senses to guide him.

There were surprisingly few security measures taken to protect the cavern, though crimson eyes settled upon the form of an Ithecal armed with a curved scimitar guarding the entrance. The twilight hybrid walked confidently past him, casting a backwards glance to ensure that he wasn’t about to be attacked for breaking some manner of unspoken rule. The Ithecal’s eyes followed him in the same manner as the sea breaks upon a shore; that is to say, they followed him for about half a trill, sank lazily towards the ground, and then snapped back to their original position. If he were in charge of the crew, he might have recommended that they not place a hammered snake as their watchmen, but he had more important business matters to attend to, and so it was dismissed.

He wandered through a couple of dimly lit corridors before arriving in a large central room where someone had taken the liberty of erecting a makeshift bar and several stools had been arranged in the room of large rocks. Torches were scattered about the main room, providing light, and pouring a steady stream of wispy smoke outwards towards the cave entrance. Thankfully, it was little enough that it was unlikely to be detected by wandering law enforcers, but nonetheless, Noth felt somewhat hurried at the apparent lack of security given by the pirates.

Despite the drunken guard standing watch outside, most of the indoors pirates seemed to be fairly lucid, and they gathered in semi-circles around a few colorful characters with scars and battle wounds which seemed to have been taken directly out of children’s storybooks. He saw an eye-patched man discussing how his eye had been speared out by a vicious Mer, and another fellow who elicited a series of chuckles after showing off a particularly harsh knife wound on his arm and then stating that the culprit was his own spouse.

All in all, for a gang of murderers and robbers, the pirates were a fairly cheerful, and surprisingly accepting group. The Avriel found himself getting drawn into the semi-circle, and listening to the strange tales that were told, of places far and wide, and of adventures ending in glory and blood. Some were very clearly fake, such as the story by one captain who had lost their ship to a giant sea monster sitting just outside of Etzos. Others were far realer, and the information learned about the coasts of Audrae and distant Rynmere captivated his attention for far longer than he had intended.

A predatory sense tingled about his neck, causing several of his feathers to stand on edge as he cast his crimson eyes about the room, taking notice of a fellow avian perched atop a young girl’s shoulder. Those same fiery orbs took notice of another feature that had almost gone hidden; a particularly nasty looking fellow with the disposition of a lurker and a scrounger who couldn’t keep his eyes off the poor lady. He elbowed his crew-mate, whispering something into his ear and sparking a sharp giggle from the fellow, who joined in on observing her.

They were pirates after all, and pirates were well known for their dispositions towards the weak and the vulnerable. Still, she wasn’t nearly as cleanly as a lady of Etzos might have been, and so that hinted at a fairly poor economic status. Perhaps she was also a pirate from a rival crew, and the pair were planning on jumping her in order to spite their opponents? There were more nefarious deeds that crossed his mind as well, but they were shelved for the moment, instead allowing him to focus upon observation instead of hypothesis or motivation.

It wasn’t his business, but he supposed it would be easier to drag something out of the pirates if they were alone, and so he kept a gaze hungry for knowledge affixed to the lady, waiting to see if the scum made a move.

It wasn’t oft that Noth could play the hero and still ply his trade, but he was willing to let his reputation take a slight hit if it meant there would be monetary reparations.

[Danielle Tobelle]

"And I says to him--" Danielle did not bother to hear what one slick-bearded, crooked toothed pirate had said to another, moving from the circle the storyteller had drawn in. Nothing thus far had been useful. Just boring tales that she could hardly believe were real told to entertain others. A sigh left her as she scanned the tavern again. Perhaps it would be best to start heading for the less favorable looking characters. They eyed her much the same way she eyed them and she reconsidered the idea. A lump formed in her throat, feet heavy as each step drew her closer. No time to get scared now. After a break or so of listening in on light-hearted and exaggerated tales, there was no point in dallying any further.

Almost there, she was halted by two pirates stepping into view. One was rat-faced, beady eyed with teeth like one, too. The other was just as unremarkable, though less appealing than the first. They wore toothy grins as they looked down upon her. Deterred only for a trill, she attempted to side step them. It appeared as though they would move aside, but again they barred her way. Frustration heated her cheeks as she took a step back. "You're as much a rodent as you look. Move aside, rat-man." Not the greatest comment to leave her lips, but it was a lot tamer than what went through her mind. Rat-man exchanged a look with his comrade before bursting off into laughter. Either man hooked an arm over her shoulder, forcing Maximus off of her and turning her around.

"Y' got sum fire to y', don'cha li'l one," Rat-man laughed. He guided her down to a stool in front of a bar, a rough pat on the back of her neck. The skin he made contact with burned, felt like it had been dirtied more than she could have done so herself. "But y' don' have enuf to be playin' wit the big keds." Sure enough, he was right. She might have very well gotten herself killed if she walked over there. She could have done just the same walking in here, and so far she had survived. Danielle felt more so compelled to take her chances with "the big kids" than stay with Rat-man and his friend.

The two seemed to working on some silent agreement. She had seen similar looks between her father and mother whenever they attempted to hide a present from her. Their closeness did not make her suspicious, but the sly glances her way did. "So kind of you to be worried, but I think I'm ready for the big kids." As she rose, she was forced down onto her seat once more by the man's hand on the back of her neck. A drink was placed before her as they sat to either side, closing off escape routes. Rat-man's friend gestured towards the drink with a grimy looking grin, teeth coated in the remnants of tobacco. His breath smelled like it and whatever he'd had to eat before, an acidic mixture that left her gagging.

Danielle had not seen when, but a finger drifted up to play with the coils of her hair. She froze, gaze intent on the drink in front of her. Don't do it. Should she draw her knife now, it could spell trouble. She had also not gotten any sort of information she'd desired from any of the pirates here. She had to get to the one's in the back, the aforementioned "big kids". Starting a brawl now would fill the tavern with chaos and she would lose her chance. Or worse, she would be caught in the middle of it all and everything would end. Perhaps she should have flashed some coin at a passing pirate to do her bidding. Was that not what they were loyal to, after all?

She could not, however, do so now. She was stuck between two predators that were surely attempting to figure a way to evenly divide her between themselves. Maybe flashing a metal of a different kind would be needed, after all.

Common | Other

[Noth]

Another story ended, this one involving an army of marauding Mer, an underground city made of corrals and reefs, and a great sea beast that was worshipped within its center. That all seemed terribly unreasonable, but the authenticity that reeked out of the man’s voice, and the way that his eyes glazed over when he recalled each scene added greatly to the believability of the mariners tale. A few heads in the gathered crowd bobbed up and down, as if though remembering the individual losses they had taken at the hands of the Mer.

“For the ones we’ve lost to those sea serpents!” Someone indistinguishable shouted from within the crowd, and the call was reverberated throughout the small crowd gathered, mugs flying upwards into the air, and in some cases, their contents as well. A haggard man standing beside the twilight bird lost nearly half of his drunk as it was sent airborne. The droplets hung in the air for a brief instance before crashing back down towards the ground, and promptly landing atop of his feathered crown. A low and rumbling growl forced itself from his throat in an irritated fashion, and the older fellow looked sidelong at the Avriel.

“’Pologies guv. ‘Ere, have one of the ‘ouse.” He slurred, his tongue having fallen victim to the inebriation that plagued the remainder of his body. A fresh bottle was pressed into his hands, and he popped the top before handing it over to the Avriel whose expression immediately brightened.

“It’s no problem. To the lost!” He spoke, joining in the cry and raising the bottle to parched lips, allowing the scented drink to flow down his throat, feeling the burning against the innards of his throat as it was gulped down. He returned the topper to the bottle after he had taken a swig, and felt drawn in once more into the circle of storytellers, apparently having been branded as a fellow mariner by his willingness to join in their toast. None asked which crew he was a part of, because no one truly cared. There was an assumed air about the place that everyone belonged to some ship or another, and that helped to keep the rowdiest of the criminals in line. It was a language they all spoke; mutual threat.

He lazily scanned the group again, peering at his selected target and taking notice of the pair of scummy pirates who had decided to block her path. They stalked after her like wolves to a lamb, but he knew they were nothing like him, they wouldn’t add up to his style of predator. They weren’t idiots, despite their looks, and Noth took notice of how they would stay together lest one of them not be enough for their attempts. Immediately, he knew that they would be trying something soon, especially once the ratty man forced her down onto her seat.

He arose from his seated position, passing a gentle and friendly pat on the shoulder to the fellow who had rewarded him alcohol, and began the trek across the cavern to the group. Roughly, he shouldered his way past the first ratty man, knocking his fingers loose from the young woman’s hair, and earning him a scornful grimace. He met the grimace with a steady gaze, fiery crimson eyes glaring into the man’s own and immediately cowing him with their apparent ire.

“Do you know the difference between a predator, and a scavenger?” He questioned, immediately raising a finger to hush the response.

“Don’t speak. The difference is that a predator is strong enough to hunt down its prey, but it expends effort in the process. A scavenger, on the other hand is far weaker, but it wastes less energy, and is less likely to be hurt in its attempts at grabbing food.”

“Do you know what that means to you?” He asked, this time opening his palm and allowing the fellow to speak.

“Yer some kinda animal doc?” The rat-man answered, apparently confused by the analogy.

“Not quite. It means that I get first pickings of this lovely lady, and afterwards, you can have her.”

“Oi, that ain’t right. We saw ‘er first!”

“Quite. I’m sure we could fight over her, if you’d like.” He snarled, glaring hatefully at the rat, and once again cowing him with his frightening visage. His feathers stood on end, and he immediately appeared somewhat more monstrous than he had before.

“Nah… nah. We’ll just be ‘round.” He conceded, dragging his fellow rodent away from the pair and returning to their position where they might spy upon their prey and her newly found predator.

Noth leaned in closer to the girl, appearing from the outside to whisper sweet nothings into her ear.

“Why are you here, girl? This is no place for you.”

[Danielle Tobelle]

Danielle had not dared to look up at the approach of another person, eyes still trained on the untouched drink. The fingers had been moved from her hair, but the relief that should have followed did not come. Rat-man and his ever eager pal were likened to scavengers and the new stranger remarked that had first go at her. The hairs on the back of her neck rose as dissent was voiced. Would they really fight over the chance of assaulting her? Perhaps she could slip away in the chaos that would ensue.

No such luck would meet her. The pair acquiesced, backing away from the other pirate. They'd be around, Rat-man had said. Her stomach knotted as she was left with the predisposed victor of the confrontation. If two men, likely armed and skilled, were afraid of him, it was unlikely that she had much chance. She recoiled as he leaned in, stopped only by his words. She had already been marked for an outsider, but she had assumed it would remain an unspoken thing. Danielle didn't expect the man to ask for her purpose here. That would have been pointless in light of his previous words.

She turned to look at him and her fear mingled with revulsion. Feathers lined his visible features and eyes a few shades brighter than blood met her own. Of all the creatures to run into, it had to be an Avriel. Her jaw clenched and she considered withholding her reply. She owed nothing to this man; it was not like he'd saved her. She was merely passing from the grimy hands of the earlier pirates to his feathered digits. "None of your business is why I'm here," she spat. She stood, choosing to favor the side devoid of resistance.

Danielle's gaze never left his as she moved away; perhaps only once, at most, to get a feel for the exit once more. She would leave, try again another day with some paid help. That was, if she could make it out of here. As she had gotten to her feet, so had her would-be assailants. Maybe they thought the man would give chase or force her to less open spaces. They might try to ambush him when he least expected it. They might even just watch. "And tell the scavengers they can't have me, oh great predator." Provoking him was the last thing she should have been doing. But provoke she did, giving him a deep, sweeping bow before turning and heading for the way out. The aforementioned scavengers were soon on the move as well, skulking after her.

Common | Other

[Noth]

Noth had paid fairly close attention to the girl throughout the conversation. He could see when she had felt anxiety, observable by the way that she recoiled away from him as he leaned in to whisper his words. He imagined that it would be somewhat terrifying to have people fighting over you as if though you were simply cattle, but then again, hadn’t certain stories begun in the same manner; a hero and a villain clashing over a maiden’s hand? She certainly wasn’t the typical maiden, especially not with the dirt and grime covering her outfit, but there was little doubt that she didn’t belong among the ruffians and scum of the pirates.

Nonetheless, the twilight hybrid cast a glance around the area; looking for any prying eyes other than those of the rat-like man and his friend, searching for anyone who might have claimed the woman as part of their crew. There were only the occasional glances that passed over him, ensured that he was causing no trouble, and then proceeded back to their merrymaking.

Crimson eyes refocused themselves onto the woman, taking immediate notice of the fearful revulsion in her features. It might have stung the pride of a different type of person, but Noth enjoyed the feeling of being feared, and he could read it as clearly as one might read a book on her face. He observed as the fear vanished slightly, and her jaw clenched itself, apparently deciding whether or not to reveal her reasons for being in the den of vice and sin. She decided against it, instead stating that it was her own business for being present, and implying that he not interfere in it. She carried a particularly harsh tone, and he very nearly growled at her for her impertinence.

She arose, and the twilight hybrid slowly followed, lifting himself upwards from the stool, and leaving his drink upon the counter. He doubted that he would be gone long from it, and made a mental note to retrieve it before abandoning the place completely. Free drinks were terribly difficult to come by, after all, and this one wasn’t nearly as terrible as others of which he had partaken. The woman never allowed her stare to leave his own, and he wondered whether or not she subconsciously perceived him as the predator that he had spoken about being, of whether she thought he would pounce if she looked away.

Who knew, he might if he saw weakness.

Curious eyes glanced backwards towards the scavengers, running over them for a brief instant before returning to the woman’s face. She spoke of warding them away, but he simply smirked and shook his head at the idea.

“Darling girl, I am all that keeps them back. If you will not work with me, I shall not work with you.” He hissed, gesturing towards her for an instant before withdrawing his hand to his side.

“Fret not though, I search for information, not the vice of flesh. Work with me, and you shan’t be harmed.” He spoke, speaking in as soothing a tone as he could manage.

He walked with her towards the exit, glancing back towards the scavengers and wondering what mindset she would take.

[Danielle Tobelle]

The Avriel was right, and that was likely what set her off most. More than him calling her darling girl or that arrogant tone of his. She chanced another look away, scowl deepening. No feathered heathen was going to tell her how things would work out. She had come here on her own and she would do what she must just the same way. And while the prospect of working with him was only a touch better than being left to the metaphorical and somewhat literal wolves that watched them now, she wasn't ready to take it. No, he would need to work for it. There had to be a reason he approached her, and be it for the purpose of pleasure or business, he would not find this reason actualized easily.

Her steps seemed to falter, a falsified sign of apprehension. The toe of her boot dragged along the floor before she came to decisive halt, only to step forward once more. It was her turn to invade someone's space. He had an inch or two on her height wise, but that was no matter. She reached and curled her fingers through the closest feathers visible to her. Pulling was a satisfying action, one she thought would bring some form of pain to the feather nuisance in front of her. "You've got quite the testes on you to even think I would work with you," she hissed, words pushed through a vicious smile. "Then again, do birds even have balls? Do you? So, assuming you've been endowed with great big honking balls, why did you come to me and not the other way around?" Beneath the anger and general disgust with having her fingers make contact with any part of the Avriel, she was indeed curious as to why he had approached her. If it was information he needed, he could have gone to someone who looked like they belonged.

But, he had come to her and this was what was begotten of that decision. "Why should I work with you? I could outrun those two and be on my way in no time. That would make you no more than a gelding horse, you poor feathered ball-less bitch." Her words were followed by a mirthless chuckle, light and mocking. Who was to say he wouldn't just give up any notion of working with her that instant. It would add on more enemy to the count. Not to mention the small number of pirates that were suddenly interested in what the two hybrids had to discuss. Danielle released her hold on the feathers, mostly glad to remove her digits from his person.

"Why don't you prove your worth--right now." A taunting whisper to follow up on the relentless insults to the stranger's pride. What better way to get someone compliant. Another step was taken to further close the space between them. "You prove to me that you're not just showing off your feathers like some kind of ritual mating dance, and maybe I work with you. Only appropriate, I think, given the place you want information from and the further risks I will likely have to take." Statement made, she retreated from his space. She had not planned for this, but if Danielle was to have the avian thrown at her by what Immortal wished to forsake her, so be it. She would see it work out her way, or not at all. Danielle had already begun to formulate a plan should he comply. If he should not--well, instigating a brawl would do well to permanently down him. Or at least occupy the pirates in the vicinity long enough for her to make an escape. But, either way, he'd make himself useful.

Common | Other

[Noth]

There was a brief instant where Noth felt rather confident that he had convinced the young woman to work with him. That would be incredibly beneficial, because she could act as bait and assist him in drawing some of the less protected pirates away from their brethren where they could be properly interrogated for information on any treasures they might have attained. The slightest hint of a smile began to perpetuate itself on his face, despite the relatively somber euphemisms that might accompany those thoughts of interrogation.

Attention was returned to the girl as she stole another glance away from him, and a scowling expression seemed to cross her face once more. Any vestiges of happiness disappeared from the twilight hybrid’s visage as he recognized the early signs of dissent, and began considering how he would deal with her if she refused him once more. The most natural plan seemed to be to allow the two scavengers their fill of her, and then interrogate them when they were at their weakest. He could also intervene before they had actually taken advantage of her, but there was little incentive to do that other than the ethical and moral ones which could fairly easily be shirked.

She stumbled forward very briefly, getting quite close to his face in an apparent attempt at discomforting him. The hybrid simply snorted amusedly, leaning in himself and lessening the distance even further. Crimson eyes glared into her soul in an attempt at breaking any resistance she might have had, though it seemed unlikely that she would falter at so late a stage in her defiance. Her hand caught him somewhat by surprise as she plucked a small tuft of feathers from his head, sending a gentle surge of irritant pain through his nervous system as his glare intensified. Afterwards, she commenced with a rant that seemed to focus mainly upon his anatomy, and less upon what he had actually offered. He reminded himself that she had covered herself in trash in order to ‘fit in’, and so her intellect probably only dealt with such trivial things as anatomy.

She questioned why she would work with him, and stated that if she desired, she could simply outrun the pair of scavengers. He should have intervened, but he was fascinated by what other heinous arguments she might pull forth from the ether, and so he allowed her to continue her monologue on how she was so high and mighty. He had seen her kind of arrogance before, and while sometimes it was warranted in the case of the nobility who actually possessed many things, typically it simply ended with an expedient shanking to the stomach, and the quiet gurgle of those too proud to scream.

Her voice was harsh and venomous, ordering him to prove his worth to her as if though he were a pointer dog and she his master. Hateful indignation gradually rose up within his innards, boiling through his blood with the pulsing beat of an enraged heart. The twilight hybrid glanced to his side, avoiding eye contact for an instance in an apparent act of mock obedience. It was just as he feared; others had begun to lay eyes upon the quiet dispute, though his opponent had made a fatal mistake. She had whispered to him her complaints which meant that anyone watching from across the room had no idea why she had yanked feathers from his side nor scowled so heartily at him.

His plan formulated itself almost instantaneously within his mind, and a harsh and mirthless grin spread itself across his face. His words were as equally venomous as her own, and his tone was kept quiet so that he might utter a single phrase before his theatrical performance,

“I share one similarity with those scavengers, and that is that I do not need your compliance to use you.”

He immediately jumped backwards away from her, an accusatory finger pointed at her. He thought of her words and the dishonor she had attempted to heap upon him, and his feathers began to ruffle and rise in a natural reaction to anger. That same emotion painted his voice in a different manner than his whisper, though it still retained its harshness.

“You mer-loving skank!” He yelled at the top of his lungs, allowing the anger to flow through him.

“I offer you work, and you turn around and rat on us to those cursed sea snakes!” His story was completely fictitious, though the genuine anger surrounding it gave it far more credibility than it might otherwise have held.

Already, assorted members of the piratical gathering had begun to take notice of the escalated dispute, and the cross expressions and whispers that circulated throughout the establishment seemed to hint at scandal and disgust. Noth was not a talented actor, but his emotions assisted him in his performance, as did the alcoholic inebriation of his audience, and the relation that he claimed the girl held with their anathema was certain to draw ire.

“I think it’s time I taught you a lesson.” He muttered ominously, snapping his fingers at the pair of scavengers who had been observing with mild curiosity at the event. A grin quickly settled across Ratty’s face as he realized what he was being offered, and he rapidly nudged his companion from his seat and began to take off towards the girl.

The idea that she might actually be able to escape from them had crossed his mind, and without another thought, he leaped forth once more, attempting to snatch her wrist with his feathered fingers and lock her in place until the scavengers could arrive and carry her outside.

If they succeeded in their kidnapping, he would politely stalk them outside.

[Danielle Tobelle]

It was often said that Dani had a temper much like her father’s. The stubbornness and blind rage, when worked up to it, was much the same. Perhaps the main difference between the two was that she never quite had as much tolerance as he did. Of course, given all circumstances, there might not be a chance to compare to two when all was said and done here. The Avriel’s words were not all that she had expected. She watched, bewildered, as he leapt back from her and proclaimed her a mer-loving skank, of all things. Fire burned in her veins, but her own retort was cut off as her gaze slid over the patrons of the tavern.

The fucking bird had turned them on her.

Wide eyed, her vision was flooded with red and anything smart she might have had in mind to say was replaced by simple directives. Kill him, kill them; run. As per that inherited disposition, her limbs moved to fulfill the first order as opposed to the last. Her hand flew to her knife, puny and unimpressive in the sight of larger cutlasses and blades that loomed on the belts of the pirates. Already the muscles in her leg tenses, body ready to spring into action. This was no game of bandits and knights; her body, however, would treat it as that and much more. But, with her inexperience with an actual knife, she fumbled and the trill that passed was a precious one lost.

Her lunging for her accuser had made her capture easier for the ratman and his friend. Their arms hooked around her once more, yanking her back and towards the exit. She didn’t realize when it was that they disarmed her, but her knife was soon lost in the scuffle. Weaponless, she was evidently of little threat, save her endless thrashing. The mixed blood girl could not boast an exceptionally thin frame, making her attempts to wriggle out of their hold all the more difficult.

Rather than the two men attacking her, it was the Avriel that remained on her mind. She would kill him, skin him and use his feathers to make a blanket. Maybe as decoration for hats that she would sell to fund her boat. She mount his head on a wall in her captain’s quarters as a nice center piece to tie the atmosphere of the room together. This, though, was shared quite openly with the onlooking crowd and the feathered arsehole himself.

A lesson would indeed be taught, but she was determined to be sure that she would be the one teaching it.

Common | Other