Back Alley Shenanigans

<--One fox's deal for poisonous herbs goes south, and leads to job opportunities-->

Place: Ferravale

Characters involved: Abbot Lorimis, Crystal, Dimas, Saja

Saja finds himself between a rock and a hard place. Or, rather, a dead-end alleyway and a trio of armed rats. It's a snowy day in Farravale, the unseasonably cold and snowy weather driving all but the desperate and foolish out into the cold. Saja isn't quite sure which of those to label himself, an amateur mistake leaving him without an exit in one of the only back-alleys the town can claim to have. The attempt at acquiring herbs of a less than beneficial nature seems to have backfired. The three rats wear tattered clothing underneath various bits of furs. The two closest are armed with long knives, and sneer through dirty muzzles and yellow teeth. The third lies bleeding on the snow, leg pierced by a bolt. From the way he howls, there might be something more to that bolt than meets the eye. The front rat advances a pace, holding the knife high. Saja, without much time to reload his crossbow, clutches his short-sword. The rat laughs.

Saja scowls in response as the rat speaks and laughs. "Hee hee! You're numbered, stupid fox! No herbs for you, we're gonna take all your money! If you cough it up, we /might/ let you live! After we cut off you leg for hurting poor Wirty back there!"

Dimas is quite the crooked head guard but his rules are simple, either be good enough not to be caught or, should he be alone, be sure to bribe him. The three rats so far seem to be failing to do either and too bad for them Dimas thinks like a criminal and a better one than them. He's spotted the alley as a likely trouble spot first time he saw it and thought it'd be a good place for an ambush and even if he weren't keeping an eye on it the howling rat was a really good give away. Dimas ordered another guard back and went to deal with it himself, his big axe resting on his shoulder as he appears in the entry to the alleyway. He clears his throat behind the rats "Think it's yer lives y'should be worryin' abou', not 'is" new head guard, new tough act but he figures the more he beats up in the first few months the more that will know to run next time.

Saja turns his single eye to Dimas as he calls out, the Marten commanding attention even over the ruffians that want to slay him. Now /that/ is a big pine marten. Almost immediately, the beast ends up on Saja's 'kill from afar' list, if it comes down to it. It might be an honor: most beasts on that list are Long Patrol hares. As for the rats, they indeed show themselves to not be particularly adept at criminal affairs. At the sound of the guard's voice, they turn their backs on their victim. Training kicks in, and Saja raises his short sword, switching grips on it. It's brought down in a stabbing motion...hilt first, into the back of the closest rat's head. The beast falls like a sack of potatoes, limp and heavy into the ground. Now outnumbered, the third does the smart thing; dropping his knife to the ground. "P...please Sir! I...it was all those two! They threatened me into it! And...and that fox was in on it!" For himself, Saja doesn't bother with a defense, instead chuckling darkly. "...Pathetic. Lie better."

Saja then shoots a glance to the marten. "All self defense, I assure you."

Crystal is slinking around, looking for things to steal, most likely, one paw close to her daggers at all times. She also had heard the screaming on an otherwise quiet day and had come over to investigate. Right now she's hiding behind a row of barrels a couple yards away.

Dimas was almost looking forwards to getting into a fight, it's one of the perks of the job. Even though he recognises what Saja is about to do to the rat though he just stands there and watches it with a small grunt afterwards. His attention turns to the third and final rat, well at least there's still someone to spread the fear and he moves to grab the beast so he can shove his head against the nearest wall and growl right in his ear while he closes his claws down a little "I'm more threatenin' than they ever were. When y'get caught jumpin' beasts in alleys y'make me look bad an' y'know wha' really makes me mad?" he raises his voice to shout in the ear "Idiot little rats makin' me look bad! I catch y'again I'll skin yer hide an' wear y'fer a coat!" and just like that he lets the rat go, with a kick out of the alley for good measure. The rat with the arrow earns a glance before he looks back to Saja "I'm aware, nicely done".

The rat shivers and quakes as he's slammed against the wall, the massive marten towering over the beast. He's shaking so bad, that his coinpurse (rather light, but still with some coin in it) falls from his trousers. The kick sends the rat scurrying away, bowing and grinning (in what he hopes) is an ingratiating way. "Y...yes yer honor! Won't get caught up with 'em again! Will be a right good little idiot rat!"

Saja, meanwhile, is already kneeling before the fallen rat he hilted to unconsciousness. A coinpurse is first plucked by the rat, and tossed in Dimas' general direction. "Good to see we understand each other. I'm sure I can trust a member of the town's Guard to safely putting away these beast's coin." Not exactly the most subtle bribes ever, but neither does Dimas seem particularly subtle. A few more valuables are found on the rat: a few silver rings, a tiny gem, and a brown package. The rings and gem are offered to Dimas. The package is opened, and the fox peers inside. A smile. It seems they /did/ have his poisonous herbs. Putting it in his robes, he stands, and peers around suspiciously as the hairs on the back of his scruff prickle, paranoia setting in. Boxes, barrels, and even the low rooftops are scanned from the fox.

Saja says, "You've my thanks, by the way. Saja Hawkeye...I do try to be competent in what I do."

Crystal eyes the coinpurse as it hits the ground, though knows better than to go out and try to retrieve it. She crouches further back into the shadows as the rat flees past her. She realizes that this fox is a bit more attentive than her usual targets, and does her best to stay back out of sight.

Dimas has a good eye for missing money anyway and that the rat dropped his money could not have entirely been a coincidence. He crouched to pick it up and then caught the one Saja tossed his way, now there was a fox who knew how to play the game "I'll see it gets t'the righ' beast" most likely whoever he's gambling with tonight. It gets tucked into a pocket along with the gems and rings, not questioning what's in the package as a result. The downed rats he leaves where they lie as Saja starts looking around. He has a scan of the area as well "Dimas Rauf, head guard..." he grunts and sits on a barrel "If whoever's 'idin' is with the rats I'd run now" no he hasn't spotted Crystal, he's just calling her bluff.

Lorimis says, "Oh my....This does not look at all pleasant...lease Summon our healers" he pauses and looks at Dimas. "That is if it is ok by you."

Saja can't shake the feeling of being watched. If this were a Job, he'd tear the place apart until he found the witness. Right now, the fox settles for affecting a knowing smirk. At best, he figures he'll make his watcher nervous and slip up. At worst, he'll smirk at air. "A pleasure. And I'm sure any little birds are completely innocent. They could've ambushed me at any time, after all." The appearance of the Abbot gets the fox's attention. Moving over to the downed rat, he takes some of the dirty furs the beast wears, and shoves it over the rat's mouth...sure to leave enough room for the beast to breathe. "Might be a little too late. Terrible weapons, these bolts. Cause infections at the drop of a tail, or so healers have told me. Best to take it out, I think." With that, the vulpine makes to yank out the bolt even as the rat struggles. "Well? Can I call upon your help, Father Abbot?"

Crystal is still hiding behind the barrels, just a few feet away from Lorimis. She has experiance with this, and realizes to some extent that the fox and the marten are trying to get her to slip up. But she recognizes that name, Dimas... Where has she heard it before?

Lorimis looks shocked at the brutality "My good Saja..is that kind of....treatment really necessary? Please my healers will be glad to help....but allow us to do so? " he does not move to intervene, this is not the Abbey.

Dimas doesn't especially seem to care that the rat is still screaming, as far as he's concerned it was deserved but the mouse is there so he supposes it has to be sorted out. He vaguely waves a paw at the two fallen rats but remains sat on the barrel "Aye, fix 'em, get 'em out of the alley" as for the beast possibly hiding in the alley, well if there is someone there they haven't tried to stab anyone so far so he seems to have given in quickly, maybe he'll turn the place over on his way out, right now though that'd mean getting back up again.

Crystal shifts position slightly to avoid her leg going to sleep, making a very slight scraping noise, hopefully unnoticed by the group.

Saja gives a glance at Lorimis. Yup, dangerous Abbot. Yet, he only moves away once the bolt is removed, pocketing it in his robes. "All yours. I'd be gentle if the good rat here didn't just try to gut me for my coin." A smile, and a nod to Dimas as he speaks. They're on the same page. "As the good Guard says. Best to get him out of here..." The scraping catches Saja's ears, and he stalks towards the sound. "Come out, little bird. You're caught."

Lorimis's ear twists toward the alley, and he glances but three abbey mice come out and beginhelping the vermin to a good bath, clean clothes and the infirmary, in that order, another mouse arriving to burn the filthy clothes "Um..Saja...that was very..harsh was it not?"

Dimas' ears also twitch to the sound, he was listening out for something. In this case though he seems happy to let Saja go stalking up to possibly dangerous beasts and instead he looks at Lorimis "I'd call it fair an' it shut the beast up. He'll get 'is wounds 'ealed, that's more than a failed thief would usually get."

Crystal curses lightly as she realizes the game is up. She draws one of her daggers and stands, attempting to look rather bored with the entire situation. She leans idly against a wall, "Why hello there." she says, knowing that there's not much they can do to hurt her with Lorimis around, not that she really needs his protection.

Saja doesn't stop the Abbey mice, instead speaking to the Abbot even as he moves closer to Crystal's hiding spot. A bit dangerous, indeed, but the fox can't deny the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He could use a good fight, denied a chance to simply finish off those who'd threaten his life. "Dimas has the right of it. I was /merciful/, Father Abbot. Beasts like these are boneheaded fools. They only understand strength and ruthlessness. Not your Abbeybeasts, with their warm hearts and welcoming smiles. Let this be a lesson. Treasure your kind companions, for most of the world's just as cold."

Saja stops several feet away as Crystal makes her appearance, and acts bored. He almost seem dissappointed. "Good evening Miss. Enjoyed the show, I take it?" He settles slightly, stance not quite so aggressive, but neither does he sheathe his shortsword.

Lorimis blinks "you have no...way of punishingthem other then pain or killing?" the mouse's muzzle drops open, he looks over to Crystal "Oh hello Miss Crystal."

Dimas rolls his eyes at Lorimis' conclusion "It ain't anywhere near tha' simple" but he doesn't seem about to explain it and instead raises an eyebrow at Crystal as she stands. Like he's really going to believe the bored expression "'ello. Y'weren't by any chance 'idin' there waitin' fer someone t'sneak up on now were y'?" his tone suggests the answer should be no and an act of complete innocence or he won't be happy with her.

Crystal shrugs cusualy at them, "I was in the neighborhood, an' heard some beast screamin' bloody murder, an' I turned up here. That's no crime, I hope?" she asks, the only thing that makes her look not totally sincere is the dagger still in her paw.

Saja shakes his head to the Abbot. "There are other ways. But none /those/ ones would understand. And it's not my job to punish besides. My concern was surviving. Certainly even you Abbeybeasts can understand that? 'Only lift a paw to do battle when the Abbey is threatened', isn't that how it goes?" The vulpine quotes, having had a peek at the Abbey Charter during his stay. With Dimas dealing with Crystal, he backs off, being sure not to expose his back to the dagger wielder until he has Dimas and the Abbot between her and him.

Lorimis says, "Oh heavens I am not...accusing or blaming anyone, it's just so sad to have some beasts not wake up and see the sun over something as foolish as coin."

Dimas snorts when Lorimis calls coin foolish but his eyes are fixed and staring at Crystal until they flick down to her dagger. He's trying to get across the thought that he knows exactly what was going on and she should put the knife away before he decides to make her business his business. It probably doesn't specifically get all that across but he does have a very threatening stare.

Crystal isn't one to be easily intimidated, and brushes past the marten to stand next to the abbot, sheathing the dagger as she goes. She looks Saja over, as if eveluating him, but when she speaks it's to the abbot, the only one she really kows, "I think what the fox s trying to say is that sometimes violence is tha only way ta deal with criminals, ruffians, an' the like, cause they're not tha type to listen ta reason."

Lorimis looks up at Crystal...a bit intimidated by her dagger "Oh my...well...perhaps...We do not take sides but never needless suffering..I should see to those poor beasts" the Father heads off towards the infirmary.

Saja holds onto his blade a moment, sheathing it after Crystal does. As the Abbot makes to leave, he gives a slight bow. Only after the Abbot's out of sight does he comment. "I don't know whether to pity, or envy that beast." Another look to both Crystal and Dimas, and both get a smirk. "This town's shaping up to be lively. Saja Hawkeye, Miss...Crystal, was it? You've quite the talent for slinking about, all mistakes aside."

Dimas watches the cat move around but so far he's done nothing but look and talk and even with the abbot gone he doesn't seem in a hurry to get up "Pity. Imagine 'ow borin' their place must be" he responds to Saja, Crystal mostly losing his interest when the knife is put away. His axe is still out but mostly he's leaning on it rather than pointing it at beasts. He assumes Crystal heard his own introduction when he was talking to Saja so he's not doing it again.

Crystal nods, though she looks none too appreciative of him so obviously pointing out her mistakes, "Yes, Crystal. I suppose if i were polite about this I should respond with some sort of lack luster compliment, but i've never been known for being polite," she says, leaning back against one of the alley walls once again, crossing her arms.

Saja gives a shrug of his shoulders. "It certainly wasn't so lively as this place last time I went. But the food and ale usually makes a beast forget that, if they're in the cook's good graces." At Crystal's less than polite words, the vulpine /laughs/. "An honest streak, then. Well, I suppose we all have our failings." A frown, and he looks back to the blood stain from the bolt'd rat. Yup, he's no less infallable, getting cornered by the trio of rats like that on a raw deal. The fact that Crystal may have seen him bartering for poison doesn't seem to bother the fox. He'd just bribe Dimas more, if it came to that.

Dimas would welcome that bribe! Justice just works out so well for everyone when they're all playing along nicely "Scrappin' against somethin' seems a bit better than walkin' int' a trap set by three idiots as far as mistakes go" he's more than happy to point out these things and a little too blunt to put them nicely "Aye though but I'd trade whatever they're cookin' up at tha' abbey fer the ability t'get int'a figh' an' not be lectured about it" beaten and killed for fighting was possibly but at least getting told off was usually little more than being yelled at briefly and he doesn't get told off.

Crystal glances back over at the head guard, "Yes, yes. The problem seems to have been worked out nicely, so yew can move along now," she says, making a slight shooing motion with her paws. She seems more interested in the fox and as far as she's concerned, Dimas is just one more witness. She still hasen't figured out where she's heard that name before.

Unlike Crystal, the fox only nods at Dimas. This one's more than ready to own up to mistakes. "You'd think I was still a pup, falling for that. Must be the cold, ruining my senses." A fuzzy brow is raised to the head guard. "I'll take free food over a fight any day. Then again, I might just be hungry." The fox certainly looks like he could use more than a few bites of free food. Moving to lean against a wall, he doesn't seem quite ready to leave, as the cat tries to shoo away Dimas. Could the feline need something from him?

"Fills the stomach but dulls the mind" Dimas replies to the fox, he's looking rather amused at Crystal's attempts to shoo him though "Lady, I've 'ad more jobs than I care t'count an' see armies chargin' t'wards me more than once, tha' ain't doin' anythin'. Now if I only 'ad a little somethin' t'spend down the tavern I might just take me lunch break"

Crystal sighs discontentedly, and reaches a paw into her coin pouch, tossing a few gold his way, "There, take it and go." she's pleasantly surprised at how easily the guards here can be bribed, and remembers to keep that in mind should it be useful in the future.

Saja idly opens his case of herbs, laying it out on two conveniently placed barrels. He picks through them, eventually coming up with a tiny wad of leafy greens. He pops them in his muzzle, chewing. "Better to be dulled for a while than to starve to death thanks to peacetime." The vulpine returns, as Crystal sets about to giving up her bribe.

It's probably not all the guards but the head one is certainly a corrupt old greedy soul and while no one's watching to rat him out he's more than happy to catch the coins thrown his way "Why thank y'fer the contribution" and he does indeed move on out, going to wave one of the coins at Saja with a grin on the way "Peacetime's treatin' me perfectly well" he has the potential to get paid three times by bribes, doing him job and being a mercenary, it's a high point in his life. However that doesn't mean he's going to pass up the chance for some possible blackmail so as soon as he's out of sight he's off inside the next building to try and find a window he can hear the conversation from.

Crystal isn't so sure she trusts him to stay quiet, but shrugs and turns to Saja, "Well then. What would you think of a little... propostition? A little extra gold on the side, yew get to do some fightin', an' the gaurds are none the wiser?"

Saja waits until the guard is out of sight, the fox closing up his case before Crystal spies anything potentially incriminating. "Care to be a little more specific, Miss Crystal? I do need a few gold to fatten myself up to decency. All depends on what you have in mind." His single eye doesn't leave the feline's as his tail sways gently behind him.

Crystal holds out her paw and extends her claws, seeming to examine them, "A little mercenary group called the Nightblades. Run by some fox named Darkwatcher. Seems a bit power-hungry to me, but if he gets outta control, that's nothin' a dagger to the back won't fix. No real jobs yet, but the pay's decent." she looks up at Saja, "Interested?"

Saja grins at the offer. "'Nightblades'. I hope what he lacks in creativity, he makes up for in skill. I'll admit, I like the idea. But, this 'Darkwatcher'. By decent, do you mean he's not likely to do something stupid, like send his beasts up against the Abbey, or 'patrollers who make their way around? I've been burned once by falling into the wrong set. But a steady source of pay would do me good. I've been far too idle. Might lose my...touch, at this rate."

Crystal shrugs, "Like i said, haven't had any real jobs yet. He's buildin' his numbers right now. An' if he tries ta send us up against tha Abbey, he'll wake up one morning and find a blade in his back, his money gone, and me on my way out of town." she sighs, "I'll put it this way. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him, but it's a good source of money fer light work, and the guards seem ta look the other way. An' if things go awry, he seems to be a bit of a pushover when it comes ta fightin'. I'm sure yew could take 'im."

Saja seems satisfied with that, the fox straightening off of the wall to offer a paw over to Crystal. "I like your way of thinking, Miss Crystal. Remind me to not cross you. It's a deal. I'll sign onto this little mercenary company. Get me a meeting with him, I'll make my own accounting of the beast. Certainly he'd like to see his beasts, after all."

Dimas finds a small partially open window just in time to catch Saja repeating the names and he almost laughs, but he does let them finish before sticking his head out the window "Is tha' all? Ha! Needn't 'ave bribed me fer tha'" he points at Crystal "I'm keepin' the money" he leans on the window sill and lowers his voice a little "Dimas Rauf, Head Guard 'ere, Heavy assault fer the Nightblades. She's righ', the pay ain't bad"

Crystal nods, shaking his paw lightly, "Alright th..." she's interuppted by the marten, who she gives an annoyed gaze. "Aye, so that's where I knew tha name from. Aaanyway," she says, doing her best to ignore Dimas, "I'll see what I can do about a meetin'. He's usually in the tavern when he's aroun' here."

Saja too gives an annoyed look upwards. "Come now. Be more professional. Shouting it to the world..." Says the fox who got cornered by three low-life rat scum. "Glad to have your endorsement." And a warrior to hide behind while he plugs beasts full of crossbow bolts. "The tavern, then. Spend enough time there myself. Miss Crystal, Guard Dimas, I'll look forward to working with you both." With that, he offers a wave of a paw. "Will give your leader a full accounting of myself when I see him. 'Till then, do take care, never know what scum is stalking these streets, hmm?" And, he's off, into the sunset! Or, towards his home, to mix up those poisons!