A Killing And A Recruiting

FV:Tavern

Outside a sign swings on a rusty creaking frame above the doorway of the tavern depicting a faded painting of what appears to be three rather rich looking skeletons slumped over a table around a black chalice, perhaps such a thing could be taken as a warning but it doesn't appear to work on the locals. The noise within on a normal day is usually heard before the door is even opened and only rises in volume when one actually steps inside.

There are the typical qualities of a tavern within, from the bar to the chairs and booths and the odd drunk who never seems to move it's the little details which encourage a patron to pay his tab if he likes his fingers. One look at some of the staff or customers might give the impression but the room is decorated to the fiercer tastes with bones, mostly skulls cropping up here and there to fill a gap on a shelf or decorating the walls above the doorways, fireplace and bar, a pair of axes joining the one over the fire with some signs that they've been yanked off to join in a fight a couple of times. Some of the comfier chairs are lined with fur and very rarely one might be found with a few pointed bits of bone to decorate the back. Despite the looks there is entertainment and fun to be had, some form of music usually played on a small stage in the corner and at least one bouncer usually tries to keep the peace while beasts gamble, drink and be merry.

A small door behind the bar leads out the back to the kitchen and cellars while one wall has been opened up in a wide arch to increase the space off into the next room where what seems to be a wooden fence with gates on either end has been set up as a fighting pit as further entertainment and something to bet over.

Exits: [UP] Stairs, [K]itchen, [F]ighting [P]it, [Out]

Jacen steps into the tavern, he has had one of those days where you rather scream than do much else, he sits down "Ale please" He states in a flat tone and pays for it when it comes.

Ryker makes his way into the tavern, a longbow and sword on his back as he walks in looking around "Interesting place I think." He sits at an empty table; a couple rats are with him, each with twin daggers at their sides.

Ebony soon follows Ryker into the tavern, "Hmmm..I think Patchfur mentioned this place, Ferravale."

Jacen watches the group enter and shakes his head, one never knows who will walk into a vermin tavern. He takes a long sip of his ale.

Ryker says, "This place seems boring boss, so what are we gonna do here..anything?" He speaks quietly to Ebony "A lot here maybe I could have Nails and Po pick pocket some beasts...huh?"

Ebony shrugs "We will find something to do and, sure why not there is always rewards in that, but what we need is something bigger than that"

Jacen looks over at the beasts as they chat, he takes another long sip of ale as he catches bits and pieces of their talking. "Ya beasts had best not cause trouble here, the chieftain frowns upon trouble maker beasts"

Ryker stands and goes almost face to face with Jacen, "Oh and I think you’re too much of a nosy beast who should mind their own business, or they will find something much worse to pay attention to." His voice sounds icy as he speaks.

Ebony looks over at the rat and studies him, "If I was you sir I would walk on out of this tavern, it’s only for your own good, do trust me"

Jacen goes to shove Ryker as it would be fairly easy, "Out of my face ya ferret!" If he does manage to shove him he will proceed to turn and head for the door, his back to the ferret now.

Ryker narrows his eyes as he is slammed into the bar, his ale is spilled and a bottle broken, he draws his sword and goes to stab Jacen in the back, unless of course he moves," You’ve made a DEADLY mistake my friend" He grins as he rarely misses and from this close too.

Ebony watches, her own paw on her blade as a fight would draw attention, then again this is a vermin village and most don’t pay attention to what happen in the tavern all the time, and a fight is common in or out of those fighting pits.

Jacen doesn't move and that ends up costing him as he feels the blade enter and tenses up in pain dropping to his knees, he tries to speak but can't seem to find his voice as the room starts to become hazy.

Ryker leans close so the rat hears," Oh..did that hurt? I'm sorry..not to worry the pain will end soon" He goes to yank the sword out , most likely causing more damage and more blood to be spilled. He nods to the rats with him, Nails and Po to check him for anything of value.

Ebony is not a Stanger to death, she looks back and forth as some gasps are heard and those here now pay attention, she narrows her eyes "Ryker, we have to leave will you hurry up already" She is already heading to the doorway.

Jacen hears part of what is said, the rest is lost as everything goes dark one last time and he falls to the tavern floor lifeless. He has a couple gold coins, some silver and copper and a pouch full of healing herbs and some bandages and such. He also has a small black dagger with a snake skin handle.

Ryker rolls his eyes at Ebony and waits till the others collect stuff, he then goes to follow her walking in between the beasts trying to see what just happen, "I dislike being shoved into the bar table and he was listening to use talk, what did you want us to have plans ruined?"

Ebony snorts, "Did I say that, no I DID NOT say that, we need to get out of this tavern and head elsewhere if we are going to do anything in this village this here needs to calm down some first."

Ryker makes it to the door and quickly slips out, “Then let’s go elsewhere boss"

FV:Entry

The scent in the air notably changes within the village compared to the sweet fragrant flowery smells outside the east gates. Stale air, rotting food and the occasionally not particularly pleasant smelling inhabitant all assault the nose until it gets used to things. Mercenary guards patrol the high wooden palisade wall separates the vermin village from the outside world, the only break in sight in the form of the main gate to the village to the east. North of the path one of the few stone buildings in the village stands a little run down, now an inn it butts up to the side of the tavern and boasts many beds available, at least that's probably what the sign says, much like the building it's old and the beast who wrote it has probably died of old age long after the paint was last touched up. West finally buildings begin to spring up everywhere and the path widens into a large clearing at the center of the village.

Exits: [F]erravale [T]avern, [F]erravale [Inn], [Back] to gates, [W]est

Ebony walks around to face Ryker, "One thing I don't want is to draw unneeded attention and you may of done, just that in that tavern"

Ryker folds his arms over his chest, "Half the beasts were not paying attention to just who killed him, and if anyone did see clearly they may fear an assassin coming after them." The two rats with him stay close and watch the area, 'So what now boss, plans?"

Ebony speaks "I am unsure yet. Maybe a planned robbery of that chieftain’s place, but first a shop or two as we have more a chance of robbing one of them than a major place right now."

Ryker listens "Sounds fun, what shops be best though? I have yet to truly look around this village much"

Ebony looks around, "I have yet to as well, try to act normal and keep your cloak up, it will most likely be about the only thing helping you in the whole who did what issue in the tavern"

Ryker nods in understanding, his hood was up so the only one who got a close look at him was Jacen and well he can’t ID him now that’s for sure, "Of Couse boss"

Ebony walks towards the center of the village and further from the Tavern and makes sure Ryker and the two rats stay close "Also for now we act normal, be surprised that a death happen, the we know nothing attitude always works best. We learn of the beasts here and where things are, best times to be in an area or not to be in an area and plan as a robbery won’t happen today, but maybe in a couple days’ time"

Ryker says, "Sounds wise, I can wait no big hurry and there is always pick-pocketing beasts in the market place and that can be of any time and doesn’t require injuring a beast and if one is..a little rude I will try to walk away"

Ebony says, "Yes, sometimes there is good things from pick pocking a beast"

Ryker grins "Pick pocking is fun, so is slaying a beast but if I can not then pick pocketing is fine and robbery will be even funnier when we do that"

Ebony gives him a look, "No other deaths today “

Ryker sighs but nods "As you wish boss, no..deaths..today anyways"

Ebony watches him, "Now..get back to camp I think I will stay here and...look around."

Ryker bows "As you wish" He nods to the two rats with him and they head on out of the village and back to the hidden campsite, besides he has loot to sort through from both the dead beast at the tavern and some very good pick pocketing the two rats did.

Ebony watches him leave and starts to look around in more detail of the village. ITs homes and shops and where this or that is.

Among the often crowded village streets walks Xia. The vixen is brown furred with a yellow underbelly, which she leaves a sliver exposed between her green vest and breeches. She walks with a limp thanks to the bandage around her foot paw. Using her token halberd as a walking stick Xia grumbles with each step. So too does her stomach, for a body guard with a crippled leg is no body guard at all, and with no income to her chosen profession she has gone without the simple luxuries of things like shelter, food, or a decent bath...

Ebony catches site of the limping beast and makes a mental note where she is as she studies more of the village and even watches a couple beasts for a couple moments.

The poor vixen is not the only interesting beast here today. There is another fox, a heavier set beast with brown fur. He is wearing a vest and a rapier at his side. The fox quickly disappears into a general goods store. Leaning against the alley of the general goods store however is a ferret. A grey furred beast with a black tipped tail, she wears a simple tunic made of green cloth over her chest. Her fur looks less than well groomed, mangled and dirty. She waits patiently against the side of the building until Xia crosses her path. With no one (seemingly watching) The ferret grabs the fox and drags her into the back alley. The ferret returns shortly later with a black jack in one hand and a small, empty coin purse in her free paw. With discus the ferret tosses the coin purse to the side and begins to walk off quickly towards Ebony, head held low in case any beast caught site of her.

Ebony studies the ferret and smirks, she walks over and stops close by "A thief I see, those come in helpful at times" She speaks quietly to make sure others do not hear her.

Pausing in mid stride the ferret's tail poofs outward. "Thief? Who you calling a thief? I don't see no thief..." She laughs nervously, backing up into a fence post with a small yelp. Up close it can be seen the ferret's fur tends to cling loosely to her body, perhaps from starvation or losing a considerable amount of weight too quickly. Perhaps both.

With her paws folded behind her back the ferret readies her black jack once again, a simple cloth coin purse filled tight with sand. Around her beasts walk to and from their destinations with no regard for either beast.

Ebony speaks quietly "I am Ebony, leader of the Silent blades, a thief group, we rob and steal and...things like that, and looking for recruits as well."

Oh joy, not only was she caught in the act, she was caught by another thief. Lovely. "Are you now? That's...fascinating." She takes a quick look to make sure no one is listening in. "I tried my paw at, things like that a while ago. Even tried managing a group myself once. It didn't turn out so well."

The ferret smiled weakly as thoughts of better times flooded her memory, all the wine, the good food, the fancy clothes and even a house all to her own next to the sea. It was a great gig she had over there, had those blasted hares not taken it all away with the arrest of her then current boss. "Look, I've been down this road before, on both sides of the conversation. I ain't interested, ok? I've had my fill of organized crime and quite frankly I..." Her stomach growls loudly. With a resigned sigh the ferret clutches her belly, "...I suppose I can hear you out."

Ebony smirks, " You can join if you like, there is plans for some robbing of shops...maybe" She speaks carefully and waits till no one is near" The chieftains own home"

The ferret leans back a little at this. Biting her lip the ferret thinks this over. It is clear the thrill of the hunt, the excitement of the job, is calling to her. That and she hasn't eaten in two days. "Well, I ain't gettin anywhere on my own since I came back to Mossflower..." Crossing her arms the beast replies, "My name is Meesha. I organized and recruited for a bandit named Dylan a while back, more recently a beast named Malcoda. Don't worry if you haven’t heard of either, they haven’t been in these parts for a long, long time."

"I guess joining one more gang won't be a problem." She says as she places her paws on her hips.

Ebony nods "Then welcome abroad, there is many openings to thief..fighter, even archer or assassins in the group" She waits and then speaks again "I move the camp once in a while, just in case and no one has found it yet, some squirrels got close but they seem to have left Mossflower or least wen further into it, north of here"

Meesha chuckled, "Oh I know how that goes. Keeping the camp safe can be a chore. I know some tips and tricks to help with that. You might even break up the camp a little bit, leave a back up site or a place to burry your loot in case something goes wrong." The ferret smiled, "Squirrels are annoying beasts at times, but they have some good tricks of their own..."

Ebony folds her arms over her chest "We had a leader of some painted tribe, worn feathers but his tribe came and freed him, lost a couple beast then so did they and since then they have left the area so as far as I see...I won, no more annoying funny looking squirrels to interrupt me and my group, seeing as the squirrels left the area to which I am glad of"

The ferret chuckled again, "As long as the money is good, I'm on your side. I'll see what I can-" She snapped her head around to the sound of a very loud, very angry yell. Regaining consciousness Xia stumbled out of the alley way, waving her halberd about the air, "Where is she! I'll gut that little ferret and make her into stew! I'll rip the tail from her body and strangle her with it!"

Meesha gulped, "Looks like it's time to go." She gestured for the rat to move, "Lead on fearless leader...and quickly please, I have grown attached to my tail..."

Ebony nods as she then walks off towards the entry and on out of the village, she can look around more later or send some other beast to, she slowly makes her way to the campsite with her new recruit.