Listen To Orders Or Else
The Black Gull - Tavern
An ever present combination of smells greets any new arrival upon entering the Gull. Various ales and grogs, rums and wines; of course, the scents and aromas of liquors would be there. It's a tavern. But along with those airs, the underlying odor of unwashed bodies and unclean boots can be detected. It is this joining of scents that gives the Gull a very well-loved and oft' visited personality.
That, and the state of the inner commons, as well.
The scuffed floorboards beneath ones foot paws will guide any beasts' eyes to the simplistic layout that the Gull was designed in. The east wall opens, narrowly, its mouth for a well-lit vestibule to settle uncomfortably. Light, both from the outside, and the two lanterns hung there, casts a revealing glow upon the entrants, giving the patrons within a rather decent visual. Slipping further into the Gull, the light grows dimmer, and far less frequent. With no windows to the outdoors, the tavern is held in the palm of eternal dusk.
Across from the entrance, the bar has been placed upon a, slightly, raised platform. Being open on either end, it's not uncommon to see the tavern's wenches and 'tenders hustling about, passing one another as they go about their duties. Reflecting, poorly, the goings on about the bar is a large, dusty old mirror. A few beasts have traced various crude pictures in the gathered dust around the border, but for the most part the mirror (the middle of it, at least) remains clear. Cracks of time and stains from thrown drinks stripe the looking glass in a few places. Various racks and shelves with bottles, labeled and not, settle on either side of this mirror above casks. Two doors, abused and slightly battered, rest behind the bar; One faces the west and to the barn and paddock, while the other, North-facing, gives way to the kitchens. To the south is a platform consisting of drenched, copper-brown wood (mainly from spilled blood, one might assume).
With the season changing once again, the open hearth nestled against the northern wall, along with a staircase, has roared back into life. A steady fire can almost always be seen and heard crackling lazily over dead wood. A few run-down garlands are strung about the mantle; some beast’s attempt at making the Gull a little more festive, perhaps.
Exits: [Ki]tchen, [O]ut the [B]ack [D]oor, [O]ut to the [D]irt [R]oad, [U]pstairs
The gull is busy this time of day and has a selection of strong ales as the rat stays close to what appears to be a smaller rat, “Well...go..now and do as I said"
Caleb frowns as he has his grey cloak and coal dust missed in his fur as he scans the room and gulps. Great...he slowly walks up behind a ferret and gets a coin pouch and backs away, then turns and heads back to Kyran with it.
Kyran gets the pouch and sneers “Very good, your learn I am sure as you know the results of not learning"
Plunderfur notices the crime happen and frowns at Caleb and Kyran and exclaims, "Hey!"
Caleb frowns and blinks at the rat who enters, it's clear he dislikes this place but keeps that to himself.
Kyran glances over at Plunderfur as he snorts slightly “Now Coal..watch an expert" He walks up and -bumps- into a ferret and frowns "Oh my I am so sorry" The ferret just pushes him aside and walks elsewhere as Kyran dusts off and shows off a gold chain, "Course this sort of thing is more advanced but able to be done once learn how to dechain a necklace and works best in a crowd."
Plunderfur snarls angrily and moves to snatch away the chain, yelling to the ferret that their chain was stolen.
Kyran keeps ahold of the chain and glares at the other rat, it is unclear how the rat was seen. The ferret by now is out of hearing range and other vermin look over and shrug, hey it’s a vermin bar so stealing is not unheard of here, and it’s a risk and sometimes a game. “Do back off I took it first, it is now mine"
Caleb backs off and frowns as he stays a few feet away
Plunderfur suddenly holds the ring of the weasel next to him. He throws it onto the weasel's plate, smiling smugly at Kyran.
Kyran raises an eyebrow at his fellow rat "Well that is interesting" He pockets the chain and looks to make sure Caleb is still with him.
Caleb keeps the frown, he stays where he is within Kyran's vision and sighs softly, he has not had the best past few days.
Plunderfur taps the shoulder of a nearby stoat. When she turns around, he has her drink in his hand. He hands it back and waits for Kyran's move.
Kyran has no clue what the other rat is doing as he goes to stand beside Caleb and make he stays by him "Your one very odd rat, take something and hand it right back to a beast, what does that get you hm?"
Caleb rubs his arm and tenses as Kyran holds onto his arm but he stays beside him either way and tilts his head so he can better see the other rat.
A nearby sea rat enjoying some ale suddenly finds himself without a sock and shoe after a few seconds of feeling cold spilt ale on his foot. He looks up at his food to see both objects thrown into his cup by Plunderfur.
Kyran shakes his head "Yes let’s go Coal...now" His voice is stern as yes he means it
Caleb nods his head and speaks quietly "Yes sir." He then walks alongside Kyran
Plunderfur slips in front of them. "First, give back that chain and that coin purse!"
Kyran tilts his head and starts chuckling coldly "I don't do that , and why would you care are you not a rat..a vermin or are you some vermin wanna turn good see that’s frowns upon most places like this." He grins and a couple weasels look over at Plunderfur, one even has a sword out as the rat speaks “You see they hate woodlanders here and friends of them as well. Sure a woodlander is fine...as a slave"
Caleb watches Plunderfur closely, a fight is the last thing he wants to see or deal with as he looks to Kyran and whispers "I...don't know how to fight..."
The short rat breaks down and laughs. "stealing is about honor, you know."
Kyran smirks, "Honor? What an interesting way of putting it, stealing is fun and helps one gain power and the thrill of having something not your own. It helps one have things for free" He looks to Caleb and back to the other rat" Like the lad here is slowly learning..working for me is a good deal...as in better than death and the cold"
Plunderfur asks, "Say, how did you even get that lad there?"
Caleb just stays silent, he rather be elsewhere as he glances at Kyran and mutters "We..can leave right? What about...Cynthia where is she, you said you tell me if I listened to you?"
Kyran smirks as he answers Caleb" She's dead." He says as if it's that simple, why should he have to say something else.
Plunderfur is intrigued. He says "who's Cynthia?"
Caleb gasps and backs away,"N..No..you didn't" He then is either brave or stupid on his next move and goes to kick Kyran in the leg,"Murderer!"
Kyran eyes come alight when he is kicked in the knee. He can act fast also and he grabs Caleb tightly by the arm and slams him into a table with a dagger suddenly at his neck as a snarl forms, "You DO NOT do that child and yes she is dead, I killed her as she didn’t listen, she talked back as you are right now..maybe I don't need a new brat to train I CAN FIND OTHERS!"
Caleb whimpers as things happen too fast and he tenses up as he is slammed to the table..."No....please.." Why oh why did he follow her, he should have stayed home.
Plunderfur moves very quickly towards the table to flip it over , then attempts to kick Kyran away from Caleb. A small crowd has now formed around them, full of jeering vermin.
Kyran uses his paw to make a slice at Plunderfur as he keeps a foot paw on Caleb . The table doesn’t flip over that easily. The vermin around them look to be either bored, cheering one of them on and oh look a couple are placing bets on who will win!
Plunderfur dodges with skill and tries to kick Kyran again, mostly acting to isolate Caleb from Kyran.
Caleb closes his eyes tightly and just says soft, but enough to be heard "Sorry..s....sir"He opens his eyes as they were closed before.
Kyran narrows his eyes and speaks to Caleb" Move and die boy" He is deadly serious as he moves to fight Plunderfur and slices towards the other rat's arm "The boy is mine...do back off"
Blood drips on the table as Kyran makes an indirect hit on Plunderfur's hand. Full of adrenaline from this sudden pain, he moves even quicker than before when trying to stab and kick, as well as punching, Kyran. The crowd seems to be mostly entertained at this point.
Caleb knows he was told not to move but he does slightly to get out of the way of fighting.
Kyran chuckles almost insanely, he sees blood now. A lucky stab is made on his arm and some red blood trickles down his arm as he grins "Oh my you got me...well that’s not the best idea is it?" He watches Caleb but doesn't go to make him get back on the table as this fight is fun, well to him.
Plunderfur catches a stab on his ear, which is sliced clean off. He screams in pain before lunging at Kyran, full of more power than ever before.
Caleb watches from under the table. Fighting this close is not the best thing for him to watch
Kyran smirks "This is fun, but fun is wearing down now and seems you have lost an ear." He twirls the dagger and sidesteps in hopes the other rat will crash into a wall as he goes to grab Caleb by the scuff of his neck "Come brat!"
Plunderfur screams in rage and lunges straight into Kyran, but a passing rat catches the blow full force and, wandering for a few seconds, Plunderfur lunges at Caleb instead, accidentally, due to the confusion and blood everywhere around.
Caleb struggles as he is dragged out from under the table, but his fear makes him not talk back either, he gasps and screams as he ducks the oncoming rat who manages to bump into his shoulder but not fully into the young beast.
Kyran glares at Plunderfur and chuckles as he goes to drag Caleb off, "Say goodbye..let’s go boy enough of this for one day" The crowd parts just some as Kyran and Caleb head to the door.
Plunderfur has terrible luck and ends up crashing behind the bar after the crowd of vermin carry him on their arms and throw him with force. He looks back, with a smashed bottle of ale on his head, shouting "I'll come after you!" And waving his fist at the retreating Kyran. The crowd laughs at the vermin behind the bar .
Caleb has tears going down his face as he is forced to follow Kyran, he looks back at the gull and frowns.
Kyran could care less, he makes sure to keep a grip on the young beast for a good while before letting go, "Now lesson number one....you don't get dinner or to lay by the fire tonight, do have a good night and maybe tomorrow will be better, or not but that’s up to you. Kick me again and back talk again I won't go easy?" This is going easy" I slay you and walk away like that" He snaps his fingers and then goes to sit up camp.
Caleb nods in understanding and will sleep away from the rat, still close but he hardly feels he fire's warmth.
Back at the tavern, Plunderfur parts the crowd and steals his ear from a stoat child who had taken it from the ground as a souvenir. He pats the child on the head and gives him a toy apple from his pack before leaving the tavern through the now dispersed crowd, although there are a few snickers thrown at him now and again. He stares at the rutted road, staring at every marking, before distinguishing that which a large rat and a disguised mouse he was pulling along would have went. He went that way, tucking his ear into his knapsack and sighing.
