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Post by The Jenn on Dec 29, 2007 20:09:58 GMT -5
Only about two tables away from them, the Avington falcon and her Villa canine companion were sitting down to a hearty, meaty meal. Both of them seemed to be carnivorous enough breeds that they would enjoy the platter of dead cow that was set in front of them, and which they dug into with relish. "Good, but could be better," the man offered with a sigh, then gulped down another strip of beef. The falcon nosed her beak at his cheek briefly before ripping at her own piece. She didn't seem inclined to say very much and they ate in relative silence for a few moments.
Drinks were refilled by a passing server and he asked if they were doing fine, then swept off to another table. It was busy for dinner.
The male suddenly stopped eating, ears twitching up and then back. A dog's whining noise could be very faintly heard outside of the inn, almost a whine-howl. His ears flattened and he growled a little. "Stupid Lowland pups. Can't even run a simple errand without me holding their furking paws. Hon, I'll be right back." He nosed at her cheek and stood, stalking through the tables and out of the door. From the way he moved, it was obvious that this was a man used to action.
Sighing in annoyance, the falcon continued to pick at her food, glancing up and looking around herself. Her eyes eventually wandered over to the bright Yarrow colors, eye-catching in a sea of blues and whites, and that Josiggy that had caught her eye earlier.
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Post by seraaches on Jan 2, 2008 11:56:08 GMT -5
Shinrai wasn't entirely certain if he'd caught the right conversation right until he head a man's voice state, "Stupid Lowland pups. Can't even run a simple errand without me holding their furking paws."
Well, well, well. It was nice to have that confirmed. He made a sudden decision, pushing up from the table and wandering over to where the falcon now sat alone. "Your dinner date has abandoned you," he noted in low tones, glancing towards the main door which had just closed behind the canine. "Could you be such bad company as all that?" He sent her an expectant, if amused glance. "Perhaps you'd like to join my-" He just barely hesitated over word choice, a pause that might not even really be noticeable. "Companion and I at our table?"
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Post by Bee on Jan 2, 2008 13:18:06 GMT -5
Mnem was slightly startled when Shinrai abruptly stood and made his way to another table. She thought it might have something to do with the word "Lowlander," which tended to make the stallion...extremely disagreeable. They were close enough that she could hear without needing to rise also, so she listened.
He was talking to the falcon, the one Mnem had spied earlier but not given much attention.
Perhaps you'd like to join my companion and I at our table?
And it appeared they were going to have a guest. She didn't quite know why Shinrai was inviting her over, but she supposed it would be nice to have someone else to talk to. Especially if she knew something about the monsters Mnem had so recently heard about.
She waved an arm and cheerfully called, "Yes, darling! Do join us. Dining alone is a terrible bore."
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Post by The Jenn on Jan 2, 2008 20:46:31 GMT -5
The falcon looked up in surprise from staring at her shredded piece of meat on the bone, eyeing the equine with a moment's intense distrust before calming slightly and adopting a more neutral expression. A Josiggy equine and a Yarrow canine in a Lakeland bar. How very strange a combination. And interested in her. They might well be competition.
"How very good of you," she murmured, wings tucking in close, attached to her arms. They were a beautiful, vibrant green with a cream underside. Most of her front was cream as well. She stood and moved to slide in next to the canine, carrying her plate, eyes flicking from her to her 'companion'. Interesting word choice. "Pleasure to meet you, of course. I'm Jada. Your names would be? And what brings you to this wet wintery wonderland? I must admit, you're quite the odd couple."
Her posture was relaxed, but it almost seemed deliberately so. They could see some tenseness in her muscles if they bothered to look closely enough.
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Post by seraaches on Jan 5, 2008 21:12:22 GMT -5
Shinrai gave a low, easy laugh, hiding a flash in his gaze of a deeper emotion that he certainly didn't want to share with either woman. So he didn't. "Couple isn't quite the word you're looking for," the stallion replied in a good-natured manner. "Companion would certainly be closer and a great deal more accurate."
His eyes caught the flashes of cream beneath her arms, and for a moment his eyes stayed too long on her form, before slipping away again to continue to check the crowd in an almost restless manner, though his body was loose beneath his cloak.
"I'm Whip," he introduced himself in equally easy tones. "You have the air of one who's been in the area for long enough to really get a feel for it. Wot do you think of the Lakes?" He would let Mnem introduce herself this time; no reason to make them seem like more by doing wot could be considered an intimate thing.
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Post by The Jenn on Jan 5, 2008 21:30:18 GMT -5
"Leland and I were 'companions' once upon a time," the falcon said with a faint snort. "Ten years later and I'd say we're something more now. Good luck with that."
She saw him looking and wondered what to make of it. Not 'interest', no, she'd seen enough of that before. What was he after here, she wondered? The same thing they were? Competition, perhaps? How much should she tell them? It was quite a serious question and she took a moment to consider it.
"We've been in this area a few weeks," she said at last, "and it's an interesting place. A bit cold for my liking, a lot of water and precipitation, but when the skies are clear it's a great place to fly. The locals are pretty friendly to outsiders, which I'm sure we can all appreciate. Not at all like some other places I've been. What in particular are you looking to find out, Whip and company? What are you here for?"
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Post by seraaches on Jan 5, 2008 22:13:58 GMT -5
Rai gave another low laugh at her words, brushing off her wish of luck with a small shrug. "That sort of 'something more' isn't going to happen." Then he pushed through it to address the rest of her words.
"Well, Selkie -Lakes-; one would expect quite a bit of wetness here." he smiled lightly at the woman with a lightness belying his earlier intensity at her scrutiny. "And we're here simply for some tourist type of activities. I have a tour guide business back home; had to come scope out the competition." At least partial truth.
"It sounds like this may not be the best time, though," he put on a face of concern. "Rumours of monsters in the Lake." His grey-green eyes went curiously to Jada. "A few weeks you've been here? Have you and Leland run into anything like that?" The stallion showed no fear, simply interest.
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Post by The Jenn on Jan 5, 2008 22:43:06 GMT -5
"Oh, not yet," the falcon said breezily, "but we're working on it. Trying to find the creature, whatever it ends up being, and claim the bounty. Mercenaries... does that surprise you? If that yappy little thing at the front counter hasn't changed, I'm sure he mentioned more than the monsters. If not, I'd be surprised."
She smirked her amusement as best she was able with a beak and ripped off a few pieces of meat, always alert despite her preoccupation with the dinner. It wouldn't do to let her guard down, not now and not ever. That was how you got killed, and fast, and maybe not just you.
"I'll tell you what, though, that monster's more than a rumor. You think we'd be here on a rumor? There's something there. We just have to find it. And kill it." Her smirk widened. "Not anything tourists like you would be interested in, unless you're the adventuring sort who gets a kick out of danger. Or waiting around for nothing to happen. Both are quite likely in this line of business."
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Post by seraaches on Jan 5, 2008 23:05:14 GMT -5
Rai leaned back slightly at her words and regarded her with a seriousness he had, to a degree, been masking behind lightness. Well, well... "Our very kind host did indeed mention something about the monster and the hunters here. A few gruesome tales of missing people and found limbs, but nothing truly concrete." Useful and interesting was Jada, thus far.
"I can say with alacrity that neither my companion nor I are overly adverse to danger," he continued easily. "Especially if seasoned travelers, such as yourself and your companion, might be willing to take us under your wing, so to speak." His word choice amused him greatly, though he only smirked lightly in response. "I'm well used to hurrying up to wait for something to happen--" No need to mention that this was caused mostly by rushing to Queen Serafino's side and waiting for the man to get around to telling him why he was needed. "And Mnem here likely only less so."
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Post by Bee on Jan 5, 2008 23:39:02 GMT -5
Well, thank you very kindly for acknowledging that I have a name, Mnem thought sourly, though she tried to keep her irritation from showing. It was not as though the conversation wasn't interesting to listen to. It's just that when there was something being talked about that involved her, she was generally accustomed to being a participant. But that was just like Shinrai. Men.
She cringed at the wing pun, and then said, pleasantly, "A kick would be one way to put it. I write and photograph for this lug's business. It's fun work. Mercenary sounds like an interesting career route to follow, though." And a very fun one, actually, but she had probably not say that aloud. "If you've been looking here for a few weeks, what sorts of things have you found out?" Her voice dropped a level: "Have you seen any bodies?"
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