06-21-05 3

Characters involved: Noxtooth, Vansinnig, Taeura, & Keita

Halyard Tavern: Main Room

Noxtooth comes walking into the tavern, her tunic still dripping water from her recent swim to the shore. She had managed to find a few coins, her paw clenched around them tightly. She doesn't know the tavern is now the prison. She is here for a drink. Looking around, licking her lips slightly and making her way over the bar...

Vansinnig sits at the bar, lounging about and being lazy. He doesn't look happy, but, then again, does he ever? Also, the fact that there is no strong drink in his paw as of yet is not helping his mood. Noticing Nox, he scowls a bit and mutters something under his breath.

Taeura steps up to the two that approached the bar. "What do yas want?" she says as she rearranges the leash on her neck so that its behind her.

Vansinnig looks at Taeura. "'ho're you?" He grunts a bit. "Eh, I don't care. Get me some whiskey 'r somthin' equally strong." He glowers. "Don't dally 'bout it."

Keita is washing dishes at the sink at the opposite end of the bar, though at Taeura's question, she glances down that way and sees the two "customers" Wiping her paws off, she turns and heads down that way, to see if the vixen'll need any help. She nods to Vansinnig, "Evenin'."

Vansinnig smirks a bit. "I thought only woodlanders were stupid 'nough ta get captured 'ere." He motions at the fox. "'ho's she?"

Taeura reaches under the bar, the glasses tinkling as she grabs on and pours a pale browish liquid into it and slops it down on the bar in front of the badger.

Vansinnig grunts a bit at the vixen's display of less than friendly service. "Oy, watch ya don't spill it on me." He quickly downs the drink, lets out a soft sigh, and smirks. "'Nother, an' this time, wit' a smile."

Noxtooth looks at Taeura, watching her adjust her leash. Speaking up alittle, "tied to your work yes?" Tilting her head alittle and then looks at Vansinnig, smirking at his words. She quickly drops the coins she found, hopefully it is enough. "yeah, give one for me too...er make it a double and be snappy about it..." Throwing her head back alittle, running a paw through her head fur to smooth it out.

Taeura grits her teeth, as she pours another glass.

Keita quirks a brow at Van, "Why doncha ask 'er yerself? She's right there 'n' all." But then... Tae doesn't seem to be talking much, sooo... Keita rolls her eyes at the badger, "Jus' some new slave they put back here t' help me out. Ain't got m' usual bartends 'n' all."

"Good girl," Van flicks red eyes at Nox. Eyebrows raise for a moment before Keita attracts his attention. "'Ow she workin' out fer ya?" He smirks again, licking his teeth. "'ope she's behavin'. If not, I'll teach 'er some humility."

Taeura grabs a second glass and pours a "double" for the rat. She places the glass down in front of her, then turns to the badger, "I hope you choke."

"Don't make me kill yer, vixen," Van mutters as he drinks.

Noxtooth smiles alittle, smirking alittle as she wraps her fingers around the double and lifting it up and moving to down it quickly. She glances at Van and giggles alittle, "Don't choke now" She then slams the double back, swallowing quickly and putting the glass back down on the bar, "Another..." Licking her lips...

Keita sends a sidelong glance Taeura's way, and 'hehs'. "Ahh, she's workin' out jus' fine, thanks." Pause. "Righ' great, actually. Be rathah unfortunate t' have t' show a brand new workah how t' do everythin', so in the best interest o' the bar? Don't eat /or/ kill the bartends." The doe grins, and looks to Noxtooth. "Sorry, what c'n I getcha?"

Taeura sighs, and hands Keita the bottle. "She wan'ts this." She turns away from the bar hiding her face from the customers as best she can.

Vansinnig gives Nox a sidelong glance, then looks up at Keita. "A captive ownin' a slave, eh? Sounds ironic ta me."

Scratching his chin, he 'hmms' and leans back a bit on the stool. "I wonder 'ow ya can sleep in this dingy place, Keita. So many bodies lyin' round, snorin' and movin' all night." He motions for another drink. "Nothin' like a nice soft bed in town."

Noxtooth looks at Keita and then down at her tunic, running her fingers along it...perhaps alittle nervous. "I ah...I would like, I want..." Pausing, "Rye bread and some stew...do you serve those things here?" Starting to smack her lips. Then leaning, reaching a hand out quickly...tring to swap the bottle Taeura just gave to Keita, "y-yes, I want that as well.." Looking at Vansinnig as he speaks of nice soft beds...

Taeura picks up a dirty looking rag and begins wiping the counter.

Noxtooth asks, "Where are the nice soft beds?"

Keita allows Nox to take the bottle, with a small look of surprise. She then sets a mug down in front of the rat, in case she wants to pour herself some of it. She then glances to Van, and smirks ever so slightly. "I wouldn't exactly say I /own/ 'er. They kinda jus' decided t' put 'er here, so now she's here." Pause. "Soft bed? What, 'n' abandon m' deah tavern? Nevah. I'd rathah sleep on rocks, thanks."

Vansinnig snorts at Noxtooth. "Who're you?" He ignores her question completely. Again, Keita snatches his attention. "Yer a bit a sentimental one, ey? Wot, did'jer father build it 'r somethin' and then passed it ta ya before he died?"

Taeura throws the towel on the counter and snarls, "No one /owns/ me. This is only a temporary situation." She glares at Van.

Vansinnig barely spares the vixen a glance. "Ya wanna start somethin'?"

Noxtooth takes the bottle, leaning back alittle to take a deep deep swig. Some running out the corners of her mouth and she puts the bottle back down on the bar. "AAaaaah..." Smacking her lips again, "Good stuff, good stuff..." Looking like she is going to speak to Van, but sees Van is easly distracted. She looks at Taeura. She smirks sly, "Hey you...slave you missed a spot..." Then with a finger tips the bottle she was just drinking from over...

Noxtooth says, "Opps..."

Keita grimaces as Nox tips the bottle over, "Well, there goes more o' m' supply..." Sigh. And then, she looks to the other two. "Woah, woah... no need t' be startin' nothin', eh? No blood on m' bar, eh? Eh?" She hehs, hopefully.

Vansinnig glares at Keita, a sort of stay-out-of-this look.

Taeura staring back at Van, "I can't rightly do that now can I. All's I got is my anger..."

Keita sighs, and takes two large steps /away/ from Taeura... "Fine, fine... just more t' clean up latah." She looks to Nox, and waves a paw dismissively at the other two. "Can't be civil, can they? But whatcha gonna do, eh, ratty ole thing?"

Vansinnig smirks. "Apparently." He motions once more for another drink. "If'n ya can't do anythin' 'bout yer anger, ya shut up." He leans forward a bit. "Got it?" He lifts his eyebrow at Keita's comment about civility, but doesn't comment.

Noxtooth has decided that...that did not go over nearly as well as she thought it would...instead, she just wasted some good drink. Quickly moving to pick the bottle back up, tring to save what is left and then greedly drinks the rest. Slowly, putting the bottle down as Keita speaks of ratty ole things...

Taeura picks up the bottle realizing she is going to get no help in this and pours Van another drink.

Vansinnig smirks. "An' wot's yer name, snippy fox?"

Keita reaches out a paw for the bottle Nox has just set down. "Now, if ya /want/, 'n' if ya /promise/ not t' spill it all again, I'll trade ya fer anothah glass."

Taeura picks the rag back up and begins wiping up the spill Nox made. "Taeura." she answers somewhat still 'gritty' sounding.

Vansinnig flicks a claw up and waggles it. "That weren't very not-angry soundin', vixen." He chuckles, sipping at the drink. "Oy, Kieta, she's got a temper all right. Ya sure ya won't let me teach 'er a lesson?"

Noxtooth frowns alittle as Keita speaks about promises and such. She nods her head alittle. "I want another bottle..." Looking between Vansinnig and Taeura...

Keita nods to Nox, "Righ', then!" She pours a mug for the rat, and sets it before her. "There ya go, then!" She sends a sidelong glance Vans' way, and shrugs. "Well, it wouldn't be my inclination - fer ya t' teach 'er a lesson, that is."

Taeura puts her hands on her hips, "I was told I had to work the bar, not that I had to be cheerful about it."

Vansinnig grunts a bit. "Yeah, I know ya wouldn't like it." He chuckles as he tips the glass to his lips. "But, yer a woodie, affer all."

Keita shrugs, and grins easily enough. "Well, y'know, I /did/ try t' see if'n I couldn't grow up t' be a weasel or somethin', but it didn't quite take. Tail's too short or somethin'."

Noxtooth picks up her mug, drinking from it and then drinking from it again. She smiles, showing her teeth. "Yeah your a woodie...know your place..." Another drink from her mug and then puts it back down on the bar. Shakes her head, "a weasel, why would you want to be one of those smelly things"

Vansinnig stares at Keita for a moment, before laughing. "Yer a riot, ya know 'at?" He sips at his drink, muttering something about weasels.

Taeura shakes her head and goes back to washing the bar. Her teeth clinched, not looking at anyone or anything in particular.

Keita looks to Nox with a brow quirked incredulously. The doe's only reply to her question is, "Ya evah tried growin' up a /hare/?" The incredulous look is then sent in the laughing badger's direction.

Noxtooth drains the rest from her mug, standing up slowly...stretching slightly, "So...ah...where can someone find a place to sleep?" Looking at Keita as she speaks...

Keita looks to Nox with a brow quirked incredulously. The doe's only reply to her question is, "Ya evah tried growin' up a /hare/?" The incredulous look is then sent in the laughing badger's direction.

( Noxtooth drains the rest from her mug, standing up slowly...stretching slightly, "So...ah...where can someone find a place to sleep?" Looking at Keita as she speaks... )

Keita's look is met with Van's irritated glare. "What?"

Well, his laughter doesn't last very long. Keita shrugs, "Nothin'." She then flicks an ear in Nox's direction. "Out t' the entrance, through the door on yer righ', 'n' up the stairs. First door on yer righ'."

Noxtooth smiles alittle, nodding her head alittle, scratching her chin. Has fleas for sure. Heading towards the entrance...

Noxtooth heads for the entrance.

Taeura watches the rat leave. Letting her ears fall and her frame relax some she turns to Van, "Need another?" she wiggles the bottle.

Vansinnig licks his teeth and grabs the bottle. "Yeah." He takes a healthy swig and sighs happily. "Mmm, 'at's nice. Very nice." he seems looser, more animated. "'ad ta watch ov'r the captives. Their fixin' up stuff an' buildin'...somethin'." The badger leans forward. "The sun's so bloody 'ot though."

Now that one of the customers has left, Keita relaxes, leaning back against a cabinet. She hms, intrigued. "Somethin', eh?"

Taeura smiles, "Yes, it is quite hot...a hard workign badger like yerself would get parched out there...now wouldn't ya."

Vansinnig scowls hard at Tae. "Ya startin' wi' me again, vixen." He looks back to Keita. "Yeah, but..." he rubs his head. "Don't remember what."

Keita looks just a teeny bit exasperated. "What d'ya mean ya don't 'remembah'?"

Taeura shakes her head smiling, "No, you taught me a good lesson, I need ta be nice to the customers." she says with a twinkling in her eye that wasn't there before. She arches her shoulders back to stretch her back before grabbing a rag to dry off a few glasses.

Vansinnig glances at the whiskey, then blinks up at Keita once. Smiles. "Er. Bad memory, ya see." He fingers the glass before lifting it to his lips. "Ask one a th' workers. I'm sure they'll tell ya."

Taeura shrugs and works her way to the other end of the bar to tend to some cleaning of some other patrons mess.

Uh... /huh/. Keita tries not to show her displeasure. She turns away from Van, and towards Tae to whom she grins. "So, vixeny type, what should we make t'morrah's special?" She's messing around, of course, buuuut. It keeps her sane.

Taeura smirks and starts to say something but cuts herself off abruptly. By the look on her face, you might guess it had badger in it somewhere. She chuckles, "Wha'd we have to work with?"

"Lots o' greens on their way t' browns, 'n' some rottin' meat," Keita replies chipperly.

Vansinnig gives Keita an odd stare. "What 'r ya talkin' bout?"

Taeura smiles, "wonderful! we can add in some snails and I think there's something quishy under the back steps we can use fer flavorings.."

Vansinnig is suddenly very glad he doesn't eat here.

Keita glances back over her shoulder at Van, but quickly returns her attention to Tae. She does reply, though. "Ya don't think they've been /restockin'/ us, do ya?" The doe snorts, and then nods to Tae. "I /definitely/ think the snails'd be a nice touch."

Vansinnig makes a face, letting his tongue stick out somewhat comically. "Yer not helpin' me appetite." He downs the whiskey. "Remind me ne'er ta eat 'ere."

Taeura holds her paw to her mouth trying to stifle the laughter. "Oh dear, if we add the snails we must leave the salt out of it. You know what that does to em. Now, if we could just get a good sized number of crickets..." she lets that one trail off.

Vansinnig perks. "Ya 'ave crickets?" A small smirk of his own crosses his muzzle. "Now, if'n ya have some honey, we c'n make some honey-glazed crickets an' 'ave ourselves a treat."

Keita hmms... and then leans in closer to Tae, and nods her head over her shoulder at Van. "D'ya s'pose he'd lend us 'is ear wax fer a spice, since we can't be usin' the salt?" Her eyes, they are a-twinkling.

"Not 'nless ya want yer head twisted off, hare," mutters Van.

Taeura giggles quietly, "Naw, it might gum things up a bit too much, maybe we could add some dregs from that old vinegar keg. I think that'd go rightly with the snails.

Keita grins, glances back, aaaaand... sees Van leaving. She looks back to Tae, and cracks up. "Well, that worked well 'nough."

Taeura nods chuckling, "It looks that way..." She puts the glass down and tosses the rag over her shoulder. "I'm not dealing well with this am I." she says.

Keita sobers, and gives Tae a long look. "Well... if there's one thing ya need t' keep in mind, that's how t' straddle the line between fightin' back 'n' keepin' yer head, y'know? Ya want t' keep yer head."

Taeura nods, "I'm just not used to be being treated like a piece of meat." she says as she's restocking the glasses at the bar. "How do you handle it?" She takes the rag and off her shoulder to wipe the last of the spill that the rat had left at the far edge of the bar. She has to pull the rope around her neck tight to reach it.

Keita shrugs lightly. "Well, t' be honest, sometimes 'tis hard... Ya just have t' keep an eye on how growly they're gettin'." The doe smiles, faintly, and pats Tae on the shoulder. "You'll get the hang o' it... When in doubt, jus' smile 'n' nod."

Keita grins and shrugs. "Aw, don't worry about it. Jus' try t' be nice t' the badger, eh? He might be helpful, if we keep 'im on our good side, mm?"