Mustering Forces

Hactor, Stubb, Dangeon, Amos; NPCs: Bitnose, Flintfang, Sage, Dune

Location: Sagebrush Inn: Basement and Common Room

Hactor enters the basement noding to Stubb saying, "So any news then?"

Stubb creeps softly along the corridor, one paw holding out a lantern to illuminate his path, the palm of the other pressed against the wall, as if feeling for a crack or chink in its surface. He startles as Hactor suddenly arrives down the stairs and nearly drops his light to the ground. Quickly recovering, he stands in a posture akin almost to attention. "Ah, mornin', 'Actor." He nods his head eagerly. "Ay, ma'e. Oi've... coaxed a few more ta join up wif us. Easy work, when ya promise dem 'riches'." He raises his free paw into an air-quote that seems almost malicious. "Still ain't seen 'ide nor, er, scale o' tha' lizar', tho'." He bites his lip worriedly.

Hactor nods grinning at the news. At the mention of the lizard he raises a paw and replies, "Ah don't warrie about him. He won be any trouble." He then looked asked quitley, "So who are these recruits of ours? Are they any good?" He thinks to himself how Anba said he had connections. He wants a few connections of his own just in case.

Stubb shrugs, "Tha's yor job, ma'e, tellin' if they's any good. Oi'm jes' seein' to tha numbers." He winks, then looks at the wall again, seeming a bit distracted.

Hactor nods, the weasel was right after all. He alsoe notices Stubb's gaze go to the wall. He walks next to the weasel and crouches facing the wall saying, "Stubb... penny fur your thoughts?"

Stubb clears his throat. "Oh, er, it's nuffin'," he says unconvincingly. "Jes' pokin' abou', seein' if dere's more ta this inn 'n mee's the oiye. Though' maybe there'd be a... close' or somefin'." He shrugs, then moves toward the stairs.

Hactor suspiciously eyes the weasel but shrugs it off, and follows him to the stairs. He asks, "So my lil wasp, when do I meet these so called troops?"

"Whenever suits you, boss," replies the weasel. "Bunch of drunkar's, the lo' of dem, had to ply most of 'em wif drink." He jingles the coins in his pocket. "Dis 's come in moighty 'andy. Anyway, I 'xpect tha's where dey'll be at, up in tha commons or a' bar." He jerks his head upwards.

Hactor nods and barks his laugh saying, "Ah drunkards, easy to pay not so easy to train. But I'll wip em inta shape ... perhaps literally." He looks up the stairs and sayes jokingly, "Well I think you should intraduce us."

Stubb carefully puts down the lantern and begins up the stairs. "Now," he says over his shoulder, raising a paw. "Dis is jes' tha star', moind. Oi go' moi eyes on a coupl' a... more sui'able candida'es. Dis is jes'... rank an' foile."

Hactor nods and replies following, "Deuly noted, now lets see these sacks of scum."

Stubb's laughter comes out as a snort. "Ay," he says, nodding derisively.

They ascend the stairs to the ground floor.

Upon reaching the head of the stairs, Stubb scratches his haunch then stretches out his scrawny limbs. He looks back to see Hactor following him from the basement. "You know tha way," says the weasel, who strides into the common room.

They enter the common room, where…

Dangeon didn't wake up long ago. And has woken up with the fuzzy head pain that accompanies a good night prior. Best cure; more of the same. And thus she's more stumbling than sauntering as she enters this room. "... Why mus' birds sing so loud... Wretched things do 't on purpose, 'm sure..." She complains to no one, as she seats herself at the bar.

The common room looks fairly empty this evening, except for a few "regulars" at the end of the bar away from Dangeon. Two beasts, one weasel and one ferret give Dangeon a side long look before returning to their various drinks and whispering and talking quietly among themselves. Amos stirs, his head pounding and he pushes up from where he was hidden and laying on the bench oposite the table. He squints, bleary eyed and groaning as he looks about. He remembers leaving last night, not so much in how he ended up here again. Checking that all his belongings are in order, he blinks and notices Dangeon. Composing himself somewhat, and trying to seem in control he moves off the bench and slinks over to the hare, "Buy you another drink friend?" He grins.

"Gah! Keep 't down, will y'?" Dangeon winces as she startles. "Creepin' up, then yellin' at a gal with a bad 'ead... Aye, y' better be buying me another drink t' make up for that scare." She flattens her ears, rubbing at her forehead. "Where'd y' come from anyway? Didn' hear n' door go after me..."

Amos drops a few coins onto the bar, orders what the did last night and moves to sit besides the hare. Still somewhat dazed and confused from waking up in strange places with the usual hangover, he at least seems to be a little better off than her. Still he smiles, turns to face her, "Eh, fell asleep on one of those benches, " He gestures behind him, "So does that mean you'll be taking the job eh? You do remember our agreement?"

"I remember drink and something about money... I'm in, from what I r'member, bu' dunno what I'm 'in'... Did we even talk 'bout it?" The doe lowers her head onto her arms. "Cuz, y' know; I dun remember discussin' wot this job was, even..."

Amos chuckles, "That isn't important is it? You agreed that if I payed for more than one of your drinks, you'd do a job for me remember?" He shrugs, smirking, "We're friends after all... and you said yourself that you could use the money, and the booze."

Hactor and Stubb enter from the entrance.

Hactor enters the common room following Stubb. He was looking forward to seeing these troops. And he was /really/ looking forward to training them.

Dangeon nods. "Hmph. Aye. Guess I did." She agrees, twitching her nose. Even if she doesn't quite remember it, it does /sound/ like her... "Bu' I can't do y' job unless I know what 't is... I'm gonna have t' marry anyone again am I? Because I'm done wi' that aft' the bloomin' rat..." Her head is on her arms as she nurses her head, so she misses the entrances of others.

Stubb fumbles with his lip a bit. "Mm..." He looks over at the ferret and weasel at the bar, entirely disregarding Dangeon and Amos' presence. "Dere's a coupla dem, drinkin', as oi though'..." He swings his head over the room. "Sacks a' manure tha' dey be, oi 'xpec' the rest'll be sleepin' at dis 'ar." He finally looks at the wildcat and hare mooting at another end of the bar, then points in their direction. "Go' moi eye on tha pair a' dem next," he says in an undertone. "Moigh' be a bi' trickier, as dey've still go' some brains lef'." He smiles wickedly, then calls to the sorry looking troops: "Oy! Oi need a coupla salu'es 'ere fort'wif!"

The ferret and weasel cast a surly sidelong look, almost in unison, in Stubb's direction, then return to their drinks.

Hactor walks over with a false grin to the wesael and ferret and asks, "Well me boyoss I hope yer enjoyinn yer drinks." He then suddenly grabbed both of them by the throats and practically threw them across the room roaring, "Becaus they'll be the last drinks ya have! Now on yer feat before I get angry!"

Stubb grins again, keeping his distance and watching from afar as Hactor disciplines obstinate pair. He notices a half-glass of something and, after giving it a cursory scrub against his vest, downs most of it.

Dangeon winces as people yell and are thrown. She has only an unconcerned glance back. It's a tavern, after all. "Noisy blighters.." She mutters, returning her head to her arms.

Amos quiets down from his chuckling as he turns in his seat, attention shifted to the new arrivals. Still he does answer Dangeon if somewhat distant as he watches the scene. Drinks arriving, two. One for the hare, and one for him. He slowly sips at his as he watches the yelling and throwing, "Yeah, and no ya wont have to be marrying any beast... ain't think anyone would want ya anyway, " He teases, shrugging, "Nah, just need you to do what you do best... and I don't mean drink, " He laughs. Still half eyeing Stubb and the fox curiously.

The ferret sat up and rubbing his head replied angrily, "Oy! We was jus aven a few drinks is all. Na need ta be knocken us abow." He looked to his companion hoping for back up.

The surly weasel subordinate tumbles into the leg of a table, and a pewter pitcher topples over onto the floor, nearly striking the hapless beast on the leg. Instead, he's subjected to a healthy spritz of stale beer that coats his flabby hide. Angrily, he flicks some of the moisture off his arm and rises to his paws. "Who the bloody hell do ya think ya are!" Observing the fox's much greater stature, the weasel keeps his distance, clenching and unclenching his fists.

Stubb watches with growing amusement. He throws back the rest of his pilfered beverage and takes a seat from which to observe.

"...Und'stood." The doe replies, quietly, then beams as her drink arrives. She seems to feel better even at just it's presence. "Here! Whadya mean, no one'd want me?! 'E was a flamin' King, th' last un, remember... 'E wanted me." Note of pride there with her indignation. Finally, clutching her drink, she spins to watch the rest of the tavern. "We bettin' on this?"

Hactor smirks saying, "I'm Hactor, and you be my new troops!" He walked over and picked them both up by thear collers saying, "Now... give yar General a proper salute, or I'm sur I can fined a better use for yer greasy hides!" He barked his high pitched laugh for added effect.

The ferret who saw the uselessnes in their situation, emdietly saluted saying nervously, "Er a pleasure."

The weasel follows his compatriot's lead, not exactly snapping to position, but evidently not relishing a confrontation with their new supposed general. "I'm Bitnose. Bitnose the fourth," he adds with a hint of pride. He gives a half-hearted salute.

Stubb snorts. "Yer jes' Bitnows 'ere, ma'e. 'Bitnows, sir!'"

The ferret quickley said, "And I be Flintfang... eh sir." He was begening to wonder if whiskey and a few coins was worth this.

No brawl after all? Hm. Dangeon slowly spins back to rest her drink on the bar again. Her ears are back up though; better to listen to the rest of the room.

Hactor grins putting down the two vermin. He said wickedly, "Welcome to me horde then. If ya got any question stow because I don't care right now." He then walked over to Bitnose and said, "Well Bitnose the fourth, what can ya do then?"

"I can fight. Sir." Bitnose pulls back his tattered cloak to reveal a sheathed shortsword, a rather flimsy and sorry-looking device. "It was me grandfather's," he says, again with a slight tone of superiority.

Bitnose burps.

Hactor grimaces at the sword and looking to Bitnose replies, "Hmmmm. We'll see ow well ya fight in a bit." He the turned to Flintfang and asked, "And how about you?"

"Eh, guess not, " Looking somewhat disappointed as well, but continuing to look on if focusing more of his attention back on the doe, "So, you up for it?" He grins, turning back to her fully, "You'll be paid well, ya just gotta do what I tell ya to do and you'll have all the monies and booze you can handle." He chuckles, leaning in close, "Ain't like it isn't anything you've never done before either, is your trade after all.."

Flintfang looking up to the fox said, "Well oy got these." He pointed to his belt to show two daggers rusted beyond measure. The ferret continued, "I cans foight a bit meself sar."

Stubb stands up and stands near the wall. He angles himself the better to eavesdrop on Amos and Dangeon, having lost interest in the practicalities of army building. A wink to the barmaid indicates his interest in a fresh drink. "Tha ushal," he mouths.

"I have a few trades, ol' cat..." She reminds him. And sips at her drink. Slow start, enjoying the beverage. "Sounds lucrative already, though, eh?" And manages to resist the 'wot' so popular with her kin, barely.

Hactor looks down on the two vermin with distain and sayes, "We;; I got me work cut out fur me then." Seeing Stubb do his job, he decided that he would begin traing these flea bags later. He continued with a glint in his eye, "I'll continue with you two later. In tha meentime return ta yur drinks, but /don't/ get drunk...er."

Flintfang emedietly returned to his old spot on the bar stool and ordered another ale. He was hoping that this /training/ wouldn't be the death of him.

Libbie hands Stubb his drink. He sips it. Other than his ears, which he keeps perched and open, his whole body is casual, slouching, the better to not engage anyone's suspicion.

Bitnose follows suit hastily. "This better be worth it, mate," he says into Flintfang's ear.

Hactor himself whent to the bar and sat next to Stubb. He ordered an ale and sipping it said to Stubb, "Well they're a bit stubborn but loik I said, I'll /whip/ tem inta shape." He chuckled to himself and quietly thought of the futere.

Amos turns back to face his drink, finishing it off quickly enough before digging for more coins which he sprinkles onto the bar top, "More! Two more for the doe, that'll be enough eh?" he turns towards her, the others in the room having lost his attention for the moment, "Aye, I remember well your many skills... all which will do me a bit of good, but I was mostly thinking of your skills for pain and torture, " He grins, "So what say ye?"

Flintfang glared at Bitnose and replied, "Well I neva knew there was gonna be a big fox involved," He looks at his drink, "tha Stubb fella said good pay fa warkin fa a Lard er somethan."

Stubb listens with growing impatience. He laps at his drink a bit, acknowledging Hactor with a grunt. His attention is briefly diverted by the arrival of a couple of stoats: one tall and wiry, the other short and rather bulky. "Oy, dere's a coupla recrui's, ma'e." He sloshes his drink. "Uh... Don' remember dere names, bu' oi don' s'ppose tha' ma'ers much."

Hactor nods and downs the amber liquid. He then walks over to the stoats and sayes, "Well than lads, ya must be here fur pay am I right?"

Dangeon blinks. "Ain't done that in a while... Y' after information, then." Not a question. "Now... Who could possibly be unfortunate enough f'r you to want somthin' they know..?" Ears swivel. "Hey'p, 'e's employin' near all th' blighters in here... Not much entertainment, 'm guessin'. So, y'r two drinks are probably goin' t' need to be added to, Catty."

Two more drinks put down before Dangeon, but the wildcat doesn't put down coin for any further, "In due time, you'll get as much as ya need, finish what'cha got so far though, " His ears twitching in slightly annoyment at being called "Catty", "Is just as well as ya call me boss from now on, since you'll be working for me eh?" He chuckles, "As for who, you don't need ta know and it isn't just a one time job. You'd be long-term in my employment."

The largest of the stoats said, "Aye. I be Sage an this be me brother Dune. He's mut so don't expect much out him." Dune nods to Hactor. Sage continued, "A weasel told us ya needed some soldiers well, I'm good with this," he pointed to a short sword at his side, "And Dune be good with a boow an arrow."

Stubb slips between the wildcat and his new hire. With a suave smile and surprising grace, he winks at Dangeon. "Now, you ain't goin' 'a le' 'im keep ya thirsty loik tha', are ya?" He grins up at Amos. "Sure is a big fella, ain' 'e. An' strong. Bu' don' le' 'im bully you, even so, m'lady." With a scrawny paw he hammers on the bartop. "Another drink f'r tha missus," he demands. "An' somethin' for the big guy, too. Can' be le'in' anybeast go wifou', eh?"

Hactor Hactor looked at the two stoats up and down, thinking, 'Now this is more like it!" He then said to Sage, "Well ya be the best pare I've seen yet. Welcome aboard." He then got a big grin and said, "Only two rules, obey me and ya do yur job well, ya get payed."

The two stoats saluted and then walked over to a table in the far corner of the room.

"Boss? Y' gotta be joking." She shakes her head. "Y'll always be Catty 'r Old Cat, t' me, Amos. And now y've got me intrigued... Long term? This a long con, or y've got multiple targets? Ne'er known y' to put such glee into summat. Must be well worth it, eh?" And. Er. There's a Stubb. "Now 'ang.. Oh, more drink?" She shrugs, alright then. "Er, wot's wrong wi' y' eye?"

Sage looke to his brother and said, "Well looks loike wer'e back in tha killin busness Dune me lad." Dune made tapping noises on the table with a dagger too which Sage replied, "Don't know what they want. Though tha Stubb said somethin about a 'Red fort'." The two stoats grinned wide evil grinns.

Amos strains a smile and his ears twitch as Dangeon calls him Catty again, he really does dislikely that nickname but in the interests of business he tries to remain civil, "Drink up, " He half turns as Stubb approaches, not looking too pleased and emitting a low growl, "Talk fast."

Stubb drops a coin on the bar in payment. "Now, wha' is i' tha's go' the pair a ya talkin' so close?" His slow-dawning smile reveals sharp teeth. "Woul'n' 'ave nuffin' ta do wif pain an' torcha, now, woul' i'?" He touches the coin with the tip of a claw and slides it around a bit. "Jes' wond'rin'... cause oi moigh' cou'd fink of a arrangemen' wha' cou'd prove... muchally beneficial."

Hactor notices his 'lil wasp' at work and sits close by at the bar listening in.

Dangeon drops into her hare voice. A little too easily really. "Bally rude ta be eavesdroppin', doncha know. Top notch of ya t' be getting the drinks in though, eh wot." Defense mechanism. Pain and torture? What can he mean? She exchanges a wary glance with Amos as the weasel speaks of things that could be; it's Amos' show, after all and she doesn't want to jeopardise her earnings.

Hactor stands and whispers to Stubb, "I'll be headin off. Expect me tamorrow." He then waalked to the door and turned saying, "Linr up you miserable retches!" The two stoats, and the weasel and ferret obeyed. "Hactor continued, "Tomorrow you'r traynin begins, and beleave me you'll wish ya were at Hellgates by the tim I'm done with ya so... sleep well!" He then turned and exited the room witha loud cackle.

The weasel has his attention, his own defensive mannerism dropping in a wide toothy grin, "Aha, business I see... pay no mind to my associate, she works for me and ya got something to say ya speak to me, " He sizes up the weasel, "Can't say we're up for any fighting or so... ain't what we do, so let me just say that much at least, " He watches the fox approach close enough to whisper something to the weasel, waiting for a moment before he has his full attention again, "so, what did'cha have in mind?"

Stubb addresses his full attention to Amos. "She's wif you, y' say? Good ta know..." He seems to make a mental note of it. "Oi'm jes'... specula'in. We cou'd use a big fella loik y'se'f... No' for foigh'in', if that ain' your... for-tay. Bu'... as a second-ary force, p'raps..." He clears his throat. "An' wha' do we offuh?" he anticipates the question. "Numbers, ma'e. On the roads, even a wileca' go' ta watch 'is back. An' booze, o' course, all you loik, 'long 's you don' go makin' a ruckus."

"Only works f' y' if y' keep th' drink an' money comin', Ol' Cat." Dangeon reverts back to her previous accent. "Don't even know what 'm meant t' be doin' f'r y', yet, really..." She mutters, and returns her attention to drinking. Though, she's still listening in of course.

Amos is turned toward the weasel, gaze level and locked with Stubb's , "Ya, we ain't after any fighting and dying. E're after more lucrative offers, " Full of teeth that grin of the big ol' cat, "So, tell me about this secondary force of yours, what exactly does it do?" He ignores Dangeon's muttering for the moment.

"...prob'lee a decoy t' get shot at 'r summat..." Dangeon mumbles into her drink.

Stubb hems and haws a bit. "Well, ma'e, we do tha brainy work. The 'ard bi's, you know. Ehh... ge' supploies an' tha like." He clears his throat. "Now you jes' le' me know when you'll be needin' more drink, both a ya." He nearly snarls at the rabbit's flippancy, but he manages to turn it into a savvy smile. "Nah-o, nao, nao," he says, waving a paw. "You'd be wif me, ma'es. An' do oi look loik tha type 'd put 'isself in 'arm's way? No, we're more on the, eh, tactical end."

The doe's ears perk slightly. "Tactical..." She looks the weasel over. "True 'nuff... Tactical d'sn't sound too taxin'." She swirls her drink, almost pouting as she's thinking. A guarded glance offered across to Amos though. "Numb'rs an' booze... 's all very good, b' coin g'ts y' booze and 's a little easier t' carry a larger worth, I'd say..."

In the back of his mind, he knows Dangeon is going to be trouble but continues to ignore your muttering and mumbling. Even chuckling about that bit about getting shot, "Ya mean stealing supplies and the likes I reckon, and drink enough sounds good but you'd be obliged to keep her loaded, " He gestures to the hare, "With ya eh? I don't know about that, I was thinking we'd more independent, walk away whenever's we likes I ain't looking to join no army, I's only looking to make more coin than I gots."

Stubb scratches his neck. These cats aren't quite as pliant as the rest. "Oi know jes' 'ow ya feel, 'bou' the in-de-pendence bi'... Er, wha's yer name? 'Ere I am ge'in' all matey wif tha both a ya, no' knowin' yer names."

Sage looked to his brother and said, "Stay put. I'm gonna ave a talk with Stubb." Dune tapped a reply with his dagger and Sage continued, "Don worrie yaself. Ya heard the fox. We do are job an we get payed." He then stood and walked over to the bar sitting next to Stub and the other.

The hare chews her lip. "Jane." She gives, with a smirk. "Na, 's not a real name, but c'mon, we -have- jus' met. Shady types f'r shady dealin's. Y' don't want m' real name, and I'm sure it's bett'r I keep 't underwraps."

Sage winked at the barmaid who currtley gave him and ale and left. He then turned to Stubb and said, "Stubb ma brother be a bit warried about ah... tha sanity of are employar." He lookes over to Dune who is trying to stabb a fly. (Personally he didn't think his brother had room to er... tap."

His mouth a little dry, he finally touches his drink and pulls it towards his maw as he watches the approach of Sage. Getting a long mouthful before answer, "Am Amos, don't'cha worry about the doe.. I'll take care of her and just as long as we gets the job done I reckon ya don't need ta know much beyond her skills if she ain't too comfortable."

Stubb does not take well to being interrupted. "La-ter," he replies in a dark tone to Sage, rapping Amos' back to denote his own busyness. "Stubb's moi name. Well me', both a ya. Did oi ferge' to mention money. Silly ol' weasel oi am. Dere'll be plen'y of loo' fer all of us, no doub'." He raps the coin on the bartop. "Fac', you can keep keep tha change from this lo', jes' to loine yer purses."

"Works f'r me... Aye. Jane Doe. 'S nice t' meet y', Stubb." Dangeon's turned to the bar again, the end of her sentence meeting with the edge of her drink. She twitches an ear at Sage while she sips, an eye taking him in... Interesting colleagues, perhaps.

the large stoat growls a low growl, but decides to just patiently drink his ale. Dune on the other hand is sitting still as a statue watching the fly. When it finalley lands on the wall a loud THWAP is heard. Where the once living fly was, is now a dagger stuck in the wall.

Stubb's head darts round to see the dagger still vibrating from its impact. Not such a bunch of fleabitten louts, then, after all.

Amos quickly disappears the coin, grinning, "Eh, is a pleasure Stubb and I think we'll enjoy doing business with'cha, " Pausing again to laugh at Dangeon, but his head turning to look at what the weasel is looking at before sitting back more straight in his seat.

Hactor Sage looks over to Dune and sayes, "Oy! Wha did I say abow freaken people out!" Dune glares at Sage and rapidly taps something with a spoon. Sage sayes irritaded, "I'm /not/ translating that."

Stubb gives a curt nod to Amos and doffs an invisible, gentlemanly hat to Dangeon as he takes his leave. "Oi think you're roigh', ma'e. Glad to 'ave you on board, then. We'll discuss brass tacks la'er."

Sage looks over to Dune and sayes, "Oy! Wha did I say abow freaken people out!" Dune glares at Sage and rapidly taps something with a spoon. Sage sayes irritaded, "I'm /not/ translating that."

Dangeon throws a lazy salute to Stubb. "T'a f'r the drinks, an' let many more be comin' our way." A little smirk at the dagger play and the tapping. "Why? 's he bein' rude?" She asks Sage, though still facing bar-wards.

The stoat chuckles, "More or less. The blessing tha me brother be mute, is the fact ya want here half the stuff he wants ta say about ya." Dune in the meen time stood looking sower, and retrieved the dagger from the wall.

Drink in paw, sipping at as he's still half turned towards Stubb as the weasel makes his leave, "Sure sure, see ya laters."

"So. Workin' f'r y' means takin' merc' jobs 's well? Guess it's better wi' a crew than m' solo thing..." Dangeon ponders aloud to Amos, nursing her next drink.

Stubb saunters across the room, his job accomplished, and to the fly stuck through with the dagger. He smirks approval, then goes back toward the basement.

Sage watches Stubb goes then nods to his brother. They both stand, and follow.