Barflies and Brawlers (Back Room Log)
Barflies and Brawlers
Stubb, Hactor, Unspoken, Tux
Sagebrush Inn: Back Room
This room looks like a mistake. Irregularly shaped, dank, unfinished;
everything points to a builder's error. That hasn't stopped certain shadier
elements from appropriating the space for their purposes. Large crates and
boxes have been shifted into position along two of the walls, forming an
L-shaped sitting area. An old table has been hauled in to complete the effect.
There is an odor of perpetual dank that colors this room. Paired with the dim
lighting, the entirety of which filters in through little more than a gap in the
wall, it produces a very squalid atmosphere. All but the eastern wall of the
room are constructed of unadorned rock and clay.
Exits:
[O]ut
(Stubb enters from the common room.)
Stubb slips into the nearly lightless room, painting a shadow across the far wall. "Oy! Anyone in 'ere?" he calls. "Looks like it's quiet, mate." He crosses and takes a seat on a crate.
Unspoken has arrived.
Hactor looking aroun sits on a crate across from Stubb and said, "So do we ave a deal?"
Stubb shakes his head slowly. "Oi ain't convinced yet, mate. Oi need t'see money first. 'Sides," he says, taking a swig. "'Oo else y'go' on y'r soid?"
Stubb room-pages, "Sorry, that's 'who else you got on your side', if it wasn't clear.".
Hactor growled an easperated growl and from a pocket in his tunic retrieved a small bag. It jingled as he threw it to the weasle saying, "Is that enough eh? And as for whos on my side well... Why elle would I be goin around Inns asking who needs work?"
Unspoken peers into the room from a tiny sliver in the door, the tail 'peering' too. The hood looks down at it for a moment and the tail shrinks, lowering itself and taking its place behind him, even giving a 'huff' of frustration! The squirrel keeps listening...
Stubb's eyes widen at the jingling bag, almost enough to be visible in the darkness. He clears his throat loudly and starts to speak. "Well, mate." He nods several times in rapid, nervous succession. "Tha'll do me, oi think. S'not my usual wage," he says flatly, "bu'... Oi think you've go' a friend."
Stubb looks up at Unspoken. "'Oo's there, eh? Sta'e y'business, mate!"
Hactor Stood, his hand on his sword hilt and growled a low growl.
The squirrel figures he's been found out and enters through the door, at just about the time Tux gets done with the lizard and is looking for him. Luck? At any rate, it slips into the back room, and stares at the two. It shakes its head, and as it does so, the tail comes up and seems to examine the fox and weasel as well. It swings around behind the entity and checks out the other beast. It walks forward and the tail motions something like 'go on, go on... I'm just listening here'.
Stubb frowns up at Hactor to gauge how the fox will take the intrusion, and to follow his lead. For better or for worse, Stubb's with Hactor now. Discreetly, he slips the bag into his vest pocket.
Hactor hand still on hilt practcally roared, "State why you are eves dropping on my busnnes! Speak!"
The tail comes up and points to its owner's 'mouth' and turns back to face Hactor, 'shaking its head'. The hood looks at the fox and gestures towards the tail, nodding. It looks at the weasel next, briefly, before waiting to see what the fox's reaction will be.
Hactor mumbled to himself, "Ah I see. Well If ye be friend nod if not leave or I'll cut you in two!"
Stubb drums his claws on the table. Easy gig, so far.
The creature nods, and so does the tail... they pause to look at each other, and resume nodding.
Stubb shakes his head disdainfully. "Nought so queer as beasts," he says, drawing deepling from his glass.
Hactor hissed, "Well I don't know what or who you are but you may stay." He then turned to Stubb and said, "Now then my little friend, your task will be to find me vermin."
For the first time, what can only be assumed to be paws come up against the robes and shake, along with the hooded figure shaking its head, gesturing what could be a 'no thanks'. The tail points towards the door, as the squirrel bows to leave. He heads towards the door, about to leave...
Stubb throws a final, wary gaze at the oddball squirrel, then attends to business. "Haha, you mus' be dreamin'... Er, oh, o' course, mate." He gives a sober nod. "Oi'll ge' you yer vermin, then. No' so good a' makin' friends, me, as y' saw, bu' oi'lllearn, I expec'. The coin'll 'elp, leastways." He rises with a wink.
At that moment, Tux barges in and grabs the beast by the throat, "No ye don't, you freakish robe with a tail! I'm going to find out who you are and then I'm going to kill you, you mute, stupid wretch! How's it feel, huh? I hope it hurts!!" Tux fumbles with the tail as it wraps around the arm holding the beast's neck, as he walks the squirrel back into a stack of crates. He notices the other two, "Don't mind us..."
Hactor unsheathed his sword exclaiming, "Whats this?!"
Tux was about to unhood the beast when he sees the sword come out. He pushes it into the corner into some crates, and positions himself against the third corner of the room, drawing his short sword. "I came in here for this'n... not for you. Y'can go about your business after I teach him a lesson... er, what was that about getting vermin?" The squirrel suddenly seems interested not only in the other squirrel. He narrows his eyes.
Hactor narrows his own eyes. He said coldley with clenched teeth, "That is none of you're affair. Now I suggest you deal with him and make haste!"
Unspoken struggles and gasping is heard, and the tail struggles as well, wrapping around the arm of the soldier and pulling at it. Before it can free itself, it feels itself being thrown back against the wall, and crashes into the crates in the far corner, lying there, afraid to get involved in the fight.
Stubb takes the soldier's advice, raising his paw in a casual expression of neutrality. He moves easily, though still a bit unsteadily, disengaging himself both from Hactor and the conflict that is not his. He raps a finger upon his vest pocket. It jingles, announcing his egress.
Stubb has left. (to the common room)
Tux chuckles, "Well now, I would have... but maybe it's a good thing I overheard ye.. maybe it's /you/ I need to deal with - after all, I didn't come here for him. I came here to figure out what was goin' on that shouldn't be goin' on. Lucky me, I found somethin'..." He advances.
Hactor stood with both hands on the sword, With a snarl he too advanced ready to block or strike.
Unspoken takes full advantage of the distraction and bolts out through the door!
Unspoken has left.
Tux circles around, awkardly in the triangular room, to gain a better position... suddenly he lunges forward and his legs come apart in a striking stance, to balance the sword which comes out in front of him down towards the fox!
Hactor swiftly dodges aside but his arm is caught by the edge of the blade. It isn't a deep wound but it stings all the same. He howls in pain and advances swiping at the squirrels side with the long sword.
Tux luckily catches the glancing maneuver with his blade, bringing it down and out against the fox's blade and taking advantage of the position to kick out at the fox's chest, giving a yell as he does, "Arrrgggghhhhh!!"
Hactor feels the squirrels kick and flys into the crates. He stands up and yells, "You little retch! Why can't you mind you own affairs!" He decided not to advance but to stand in a defensive pose.
"Hah! Whatever involves vermin /are/ my affairs, fox! I represent a force greater than you can imagine, that is scouring the entire area with the intention of wiping your kind out. Prepare to die!" He lunges forward, weilding his sword like a scythe about to reap a stalk of wheat!
Hactor expected this and uses his own sword to block the squirrel's out of the way. He then grabs him by the throat and throws him. He said mockingly, "I know what force you work for. That pitiful king Nildorf isn't it?"
Tux is thrown back into the wall, and his sword in the other direction! He goes for it, but doesn't figure he can make the distance before the fox can... he clutches his throat, "May...be... why, is that who you plan to try and kill with this little band of vermin you're trying to find? Hah! Truly pitiful... you can kill me, but you'll never get within a league of His Majesty, there are so many around him. Fool!" He chuckles, and suddenly the crate he's on collapses, but he still chuckles, breathing heavily and leaning against the wall.
Hactor then sighes and suddenly.....sheaths his sword!? He held his hands out in a gesture of peace and said, "You think that's my plan? My dear chap please retrieve you sword and sit with me."
Tux narrows his eyes and shakes his head, "No. Never!" The squirrel's specific job is to report, and so he doesn't bother retrieving his sword and fighting the fox, but scrambles up from the heap of wooden splinters and staggers out of the room and into the main area... turning around only once, "You... you won't fool me, and you won't fool the king! You're all dead!" The squirrel bids a hasty retreat.
Tux has left.
Hactor has left.
(Continues in the Common Room)
