06-13-05 1

Characters involved: Kilhern, Keita, & Vansinnig

Halyard Tavern: Main Room

The hot afternoon is beating down on the Village, causing the new vermin residents to escape the dirt and gravel roads. This is no exception to the ferret. He pushes himself into the Tavern, his tongue rolling out of his mouth in a quick pant. He moves through the tables and chairs, pushing himself against the barledge. "Eh... col' ale!" Kilhern demands, pounding a fist on the bar.

"I ain't nevah heard so many tongues with no 'thank yous' on 'em in my life," Keita mutters, her mood apparently having gone south. Moving over to Kil's end of the bar and tugging at the restricting rope as she goes, Keita pours the required ale and thunks it down in front of the ferret, without a word.

Kilhern sneers and grabs at the mug. "Well, then here, rabbit." He starts, spitting towards her. "No thank yah!" The little play on words causes the ferret to break into laughter, the ale pouring down his gob and down his throat. Though a good deal of it dribbles down his chin. "Filthy stuff, but it'll do. Wha'? Yah brew dis wid yer ear, bunny?"

Keita stiffens as the spit lands square on her tunic. Yum. Grimacingly, she picks up a washcloth from the sink nearby and wipes at the spit gingerly - well, it's gross - and flicks an ear in Kilhern's direction. "No, actually - with m' foot. Cheers."

Vansinnig clumps into the tavern, frowning a tad. The chains dangle disarrayed on his shoulder, his arms crossed. Sitting at the bar, he scowls a bit. "Hot t'day..." He glances at Kilhern, then at Kieta. "Somethin' cold, Kieta."

Kilhern wrinkles up his snout, his lips sliding over yellow teeth and grayish gums. The ferret laughs as the hare shows disgust in his actions. "Yer foot, huh? Well, I consider meh'self lucky... 'ny bit o' yah is bedder than that ugly mop o' yers!" He growls, pointing at her face. The badger is given a sideways glance. "Hoo! Whats dis, eh? Stripeydog git stuck in th' village too? You there... yer gonna help me tear up dat knick knack store la'er. S'my new house, I think. Well, yeh'll be doin' th' work... I'll watch, eh? Harrharr!" Kilhern takes another sip. "Ugh... y'th' worst bloody brewer I e'er did see, bunny."

Vansinnig slowly turns to stare at Kilhern. "If ya wanna keep yer tongue, idiot, I suggest shuttin' that mouth a yers. I ain't wit' the village." He bares his teeth. "An' ya do yer own work, ya moron."

Keita sends a glance Vans' way, then back Kilhern's way as he retaliates, /then/ back to Vansinnig at his response. She smirks, "Comin' up." She turns on her heel and goes about getting something cold for the badger. She keeps a glance over her shoulder to see what develops. Of course.

Kilhern sneers at the badger. "You daft? Th' whole blinkin' village is full o' vermin fer ah reason. Taken over we have... eh, you jus' try an' go on yer merry way... yeh'll get more trouble than jus' me in ah bit! Harr." He swigs another bit of ale. "Hey, bunny. Git some food! Meat, roasted... mayhaps some hare 'r otter meat, aye?"

Vansinnig stares at Kilhern...before chuckling cruelly. "Aye, wit' who? Daclon?" He grins, his brow furrowed. "Yer a stupid one not ta know a new recruits." He lick his teeth before calling after Kieta. "Somethin' moderately strong, eh?"

Keita catches Vans' request, and does indeed move to something stronger. She fills a glass, and turns, setting it before her. She then looks to Kil, and with her very "sweetest" grin, she spreads her arms wide, as if to say, 'What's a girl to do?' "We don't serve food 'ere, so sorry. Y'know - bunnies 'n' all. Don't righ'ly know how t' run a propah tavern." Innocent blink.

Kilhern snorts. "Huh! Why in th' world would Daclon let ah /badger/ in?" The ferret demands. "Yer jus' ah woodlander species. Don' make 'ny sense." Kil grumbles and rolls his eyes. The comments from Keita ern him a snarl. "Look, rabbit. Yer gonna get me some food ah'fore you turn int' th' food yerself, hear?"

Vansinnig growls a bit. "Lissen 'ere, a filthy bilge scrapin'. Ye'll be at least moder'taly civil wit' Kieta." He snarls. "An' I -won't- be identified wit' a woodlander." The red badger leans forward a bit. "Unless ya wanna be on the receivin' end of a blade."

Keita stares at Kilhern for a moment, to see if he'll see the quandry himself, but eventually she just grabs ahold of the rope tied 'round her neck and gives a couple of tugs on the end that's attached to... well, something very secure. Shush. "... Bit tied up at the moment." Ahhhh, but she'll never get tired of that joke. She 'hehs' questioningly, and looks from one to the other, just on the off-chance that she's not the only one that finds it amusing. Heh, heh?

Vansinnig scowls a bit at Kieta. "Shurrup." He ain't amused.

Kilhern leans back, his eyes squinting up. "Oooh... civil t'the bunny, huh? Sounds woodlanderish t'me." The ferret only ignores Keita. "Arr'ight... tell me, y'great lump of furry mountain... iffen yeh some big bad ol' badger that's ah vermin... why you so up on defending that piece o' scum?" He asks, motioning to Keita.

Vansinnig lets a smirk flick the end of his mouth up. "I like 'er drink and talk. An' I won't be 'avin' ya killin' off me only entertaiment." He motions at Kieta. "Where's the drink?"

... Yeah, she figured as much. She slumps down onto her stool and crosses her arms over her chest, in order to be sufficiently grumpy. She's hot too, after all. She sends an annoyed glance Kil's way at the mention of scum, but keeps her silence - for once, for /once/.

Vansinnig glances down at the drink that apparently had already been served. "Oh, nev'rmind."

Kilhern gives a silent snarled look to Van as he looks away. "Yeah, whar'ever. But when th' drink runs dry... then she's mine fer th' eatin', y'hear? I tasted them... hares. Th' patrol ones we killed on th' beach. Roasted up one right on th' sand wid a few mates. Tasted better than fish an' birds put t'gether... hares 'n rabbits'r good eatin'."

Vansinnig nods a bit. "Yeah, they do." He gives a small smile, but then frowns down at Kil. "Bu' I said I'd keep 'er alive. Eat some other floppy-eared idiot."

Keita's attention snaps to Kilhern, and it looks as if she can't decide whether to be wide-eyed or glaring, and so she alternates, probably as she alternately becomes angry and horrified. The ferret could be using her ale to wash down a tasty treat of one of her friends.

Kilhern licks his lips. "Harr. Fine, fine... that'un cin live... I 'pose there are plenty o' hostages 'round, I guess. Some o' th' younger 'uns might be good fer th' pickin'." The ferret taps his claws on the bartop and hmms. "Now, you there..." He looks to Keita. "No food in th' back? Cause I can go out 'n find some lil' hare cub t' munch on, iffen y'dont."

Vansinnig doesn't seem at all phased by Kil's little threat. "Save me some, eh?" He sips the drink, smacking his lips. "I love a good roast bird once in a while though."

Keita stares at Kilhern for quite a few seconds, but finally she turns and disappears through a door into the kitchen, the rope trailing behind her. When she comes back out after a few moments, she holds a steaming plate of fish. She tosses it onto the counter-top before him, and the fish nearly slides off the plate and into the ferret's lap. Grudgingly, "Enjoy."

Kilhern holds up his paws as she returns, his fingers wiggling happily. Of course, they dart down to keep it from sliding into his lap. "Harr. I'll fergive that lil' accident dis time, bunny." He growls, ripping off a piece of fish. "Huh. Not bird... but it'll do." The ferret grumbles, sliding the plate towards Van. Hey, even Kil knows it's best to stay at least /close/ to a badger's good side.

Vansinnig smirks and grabs the fish. It swiftly disappears. "MMm, nice..." He gives a soft burp and leans back, chugging his drink. "S'good fish, Kieta."

Vansinnig glances at Kilhern. "So...yer a fighter, eh?"

Kilhern munches on his own half, little flecks of fish flying all around him. The ferret pulls it away, licking at the bits stick to his muzzle. "Eh, not as good as hare." He mumbles and shrugs. "But... harr... more dirnk. An' not that nasty ale this time... grog... y'got 'ny o' that?" The ferret glances over. "Me? Harr... not really. m'more o' a tracker than 'nything."

Vansinnig chuckles harshly. "A tracker, eh?" He picks a stray bone from his teeth. "Then who are th' killers I should be 'ssociating wit'? Names would be nice."

"Thanks," Keita mutters, though her attention is still riveted on Kilhern. Apparently not too pleased with him, is she. At his request, she fills another glass, but this time with a grog. Slightly watered down, like the ale he got before, so this oughtn't be too tasty for him either.

Kilhern grabs the mug and downs a good half before pulling it away. "Ugh!" The rat spews the mouthful of grog out and in the drection of Keita. "Blegh!" He complains, letting his tongue hang out of his mouth in disgust. "Whad in hells gates is this rubbish?"

Vansinnig growls a bit as some of the spray his hits him. "Bloody..." He wipes at his fur. "Ya idiot!"

Keita actually yelps as the spray gets her, and she jumps back, "Ya bloody...!" She doesn't finish that sentence, though, as she looks down at herself. Ew. "'Tis grog! What ya asked fer!" She sounds suitably indignant.

Kilhern pushes the mug towards Van. "Hey, don' be yellin' at me... taste this, mate. Like sea wader it is." He complains spitting out more of the stuff. "Ugh... not even strong. Ruddy rabbit." He turns an eye up and snarls. "Bloody what, huh?" He demands and wipes some of the grog from his chin. "Make it stronger, rabbit." Kil shouts out, laying his ears back. He goes back to his fish. "'Least this is halfway decent."

Vansinnig stares at the grog before pushing it away. "I'll take yer word fer it. Hate grog myself." He smirks. "I like me whiskey." He gives the hare a warning look. "Don't push yer luck, Kieta."

Keita looks quickly to Van, to see if he will taste it, buuuuut... fortunately he doesn't. In answer to his warning, she gives him a, 'What? I'm not doing anything.' look. Yeees. She glances to Kil. "I could getcha somethin' else, but I can't make it strongah. I'm outta supplies." Shrug.

Kilhern drags the mug back and stares into it. "Aye, lissen t'the badger, rabbit. He's th' only reason I aint pickin' yer flesh from me teeth wid yer bones right now." Kil grunts and looks to the glass the badger has. "Arright... some whiskey... aye, sounds good."

Vansinnig raps a claw against the table. "Aye, two whiskeys, Kieta." He eyes her. "No funny stuff now." He leans back.

Keita shrugs and turns to her work. When she turns back, two mugs of whiskey - good whiskey - are placed before the two captors. "'Ere, 'ere."

Vansinnig grins a bit. "Thank ya." He pours a glass. "I'm Vansinnig, by the way. Don't like ta be called anything else, ferret."

Kilhern eyes the hare for a moment. "Hmmp. Be'er be good." He complains, gingerly taking his mug and sipping some. The ferret peers down into the mug and bobs his head. "Huh, not bad." Kil says, glancing up at Van. "Vansinnig, eh? Well, m'Kilhern... Tho' Kil does meh jus' fine." The ferret says, raising his glass to the other. "Good t'ave y'round... bedder than most o' th' adlebrains 'round this village."

Vansinnig smirks. "Aye. I look forward ta a killin'. Don't suppose ya have any defiant captives, eh?"

Kilhern allows himself a wicked grin. "Hah! Tharr might be ah Patroller 'r two. Stubborn hares they are... won't talk 'r nuttin'. What say we go and mess wid one... y'know? pull off her ears an' that sorta stuff?" He suggests, taking a long draft of whiskey.

Ahhhh, catastrophe avoided. Keita leans against a counter and dips her paws into her pockets. For now, just listening. Sigh. She scratches at the fur beneath the rope, where it's chafed.

Vansinnig hmms. "After m' drink. Where are they?"

Kilhern turns his head, looking out the windows. "Er... they're out in th' ol' sheriff buildin', I think... locked up. They won't mind iffen he take one t'kill. Fun t'hear th' screams, eh?" He jokes, grinning. "Whad'bout you, rabbit? You wanna watch?"

Again, at the mention of patrol hares, her attention is caught again. "No. Thanks." She turns, and moves down to the other end of the bar to see to some other "customers".