Home For A Visit (End)

[Kitty]

The little chipmunk found himself trotting down a path through the marsh. He was here on a little visit to home from the Court of Hearts and had already spent the last few days with his parents catching up on the various things that had been going on around the Marsh while he'd been gone as well as picking up any news on lowlander attacks. It seemed life had been pretty uneventful while he'd been away, but it had been nice to see his parents again ... he wasn't quite used to living away from home yet.

There was, however, one more person he wanted to spend some time visiting with before he returned to his duties ... an old friend he hadn't seen in ages. Cheerfully he made his way to the tiger's home, knowing the paths there better then the back of his own paw. After a bit of a walk the house was in sight and he practically skipped to the door and paused in front of it. He sat back on his haunched and lifted his front end up, curling his finger like toes in to make a fist he gave the door a knock, well ... a pattern that the tiger would hopefully recognize.

[Lauryn de Vampyre]

At a frantic insistence from his Mother, Lachlan had undergone the journey home. Her message had hinted that something had happened to make her a bit frantic, but the Tiger had gotten the full story as soon as he walked over the threshold to his childhood home. Apparently, some Lowlanders had raided his family's food shed and his Mother had been unfortunately enough to stumble across them. Fearing for their lives, his Mother had run to his Father and claimed she'd been attacked by a Lowlander.

Unfortunately, the end result was his Father had taken full revenge and the Lowlander was now dead. The only luck they'd encountered was the Lowlander apparently had been traveling alone, which meant there would be no one coming to avenge the death. It was only after the Lowlander had been killed they found evidence suggesting he had only been stealing food. Still, it wasn't as though the town his family lived in really cared that it was a Lowlander that was killed.

Lachlan didn't care either. To him, the story was just his family killing a rodent trying to take food. That was all. However, he'd already spent two days listening to his Mother tell the story over and over to their neighbors and Lachlan was tired of it all. He could see the sympathetic look in his Father's eyes and knew he would have to leave either tonight, or the next morning. He loved his family, but he was no longer meant to be around them for more than a few days at a time.

He'd been munching on a piece of bread when he heart the familiar soft knock on the door. Confused, curious and excited the Tiger pulled the door open and looked expectantly down towards the ground. Not let down, Lachlan's grin reached his eyes.

"Jarvis! You're a sight for sore eyes. What are you doing back in the Marsh? I'd heard you'd been hanging out at the Court of Hearts lately."

[Kitty]

He'd heard the tiger was in town and he waited on the doorstep, his little tail wiggling ever so slightly in anticipation. He knew that Lachlan didn't stay in town very long, in fact on his last visit he'd missed the other marsh lander by a few hours. His ears crept forward at the sound of paws behind the door and then it opened and .... the tiger was indeed still around! A grin crept over his muzzle as that little banded tail of his continued to move happily.

It's called a job ... maybe you should get one?

That grin of his slipped more into the realms of mischief as he eyed the larger card, his tail finally ceasing it's movements. He was quite certain the diamond would catch the teasing hint to his voice and simply moved on with the conversation.

But seriously ... what're you doing here? You're here less then I am. Mother being melodramatic again?

[Lauryn de Vampyre]

Lachlan couldn't help but miss the Chipmunk. His sense of humor constantly kept the Tiger on his toes.
Wanting to be closer to his friend, Lachlan lowered his upper body to the ground. Growing up they had strolled the town together; Jervis on Lachlan's back and shoulders. It was too easy to slip into old habits.

"I have a job, thank you very much. I'm a professional bodyguard and have had quite a few assignments. I have one starting up next week, in fact. What are you doing with your life?

At the mention of his mother Lachlan couldn't help but roll his eyes. Anyone close enough to his family knew how eccentric she could be. He loved her dearly, but he'd had to develop patience at a young age. His Father was more of the quiet type, giving her the reigns and remaining quite. He couldn't get in trouble for things he did not say. Normally.

"You could say that," he said in exhasperation. "There was a Lowlander that broke into our food pantry. She thought it was attacking her. Father actually had to kill the damn thing."

[Kitty]

At the question of what he was doing with his life he straightened himself up and took the most regal pose a chipmunk possibly could and laid a paw on his chest, grinning like a fool.

I'll have you know I help keep the Court of Hearts safe, old friend, and I rather enjoy it.

His grin widened just a bit, the tips of his unusually long, sharp teeth peeking out from under his lips. He didn't feel like he had to hide his little mutation at all from the tiger ... they'd known each other for far longer then he'd like to admit. A light chuckle escaped his maw in reference toward the Diamond's mother, his family wasn't much better when it came to lowlanders. Well... except for the fact that his mother would have taken care of the creature herself.

Care for a stroll and, maybe, some lunch besides the bread I smell on your breath?

[Lauryn de Vampyre]

Lachlan watched the little rodent stretch out as tall as possible, but he only came up to about his chest. For his friend's sake, he would not laugh or chuckle. Jarvis was a pretty good scrapper, if memory served.

"If you're so important to the protection of the Court, then how is it they could bare to have you leave?" Lachlan asked playfully, noticing as he did the long teeth of the Chipmunk. His friend's mutation was quite similar to his own, only differing in location. Lachlan's own claws were a mutation; he could unsheathe them to their full length and they would be longer than two of his paws put together. Just another similarity between him and Jarvis.

"Sounds good to me! I'm starving."

Lachlan frowned and breathed heavily into his paw, quickly inhaling afterwards. His breath didn't smell like bread! The Tiger stuck out his tongue at his friend and walked out of the house, shutting and locking the door behind them.

"You lead the way!

[Kitty]

Because everyone needs a day off ... or a vacation.

His grin broadened a bit more as he watched his friend's actions, especially when he tested his breath. No, his breath wasn't absolutely marinated in the scent of bread, but he could detect it on the tiger's breath none the less and couldn't help but mention it. He was glad though that the other man hadn't eaten lunch yet, food was the best way to get reacquainted with someone after all.

If memory serves me correctly ... there's a somewhat nice looking cafe not to far off, looks kinda shabby but the food is great ... and so is the coffee!

His little banded tail wiggled again and he turned, cheerfully taking the lead to the nearest food joint that didn't serve marsh 'delicacies'. He'd never been one for a lot of the things that some of his fellows enjoyed consuming.

[Lauryn de Vampyre]

Lachlan snorted and rolled his eyes while walking beside the large rodent. "You've got that right. I'm just glad my last bodyguard detail ended. I don't know if I could have taken more of that whiny bitch's paranoia. I swear, she thought her actual house was trying to kill her!"

Lachlan had to put up with a lot of people like his last client, but most of the time they were good folk. Easy going, mostly rich or famous in some way or another but still just normal Cards. He enjoyed his work and felt important for it. As he should, considering the small handful of lives he'd actually saved. Most of the time hiring a bodyguard was just a precaution, not a requirement.

Are you sure your memory is serving you correctly in your old age, friend?" the Tiger teased, knowing they were practically the same age (and still young).
"Mmm, that Cafe does sound delicious though. I haven't had a good cup of coffee since I got here. Mother thinks the stuff is bad for you and won't stand for any to be in the house anymore."

The walk to the nearest grouping of stores seemed to take awhile, but Lachlan didn't mind. Jarvis had been one of the few people he got along with so effortlessly in the beginning, and it felt the same way even now. Soon though, he was able to see a sparse few other Cards heading in the same direction they were and knew the town couldn't be that far off.

"I'm not going to have to pay for your lunch this time, am I?"

[Kitty]

He arched his brow at the description of the loony sounding woman ... he just couldn't imagine working with someone like that ... and not going out of his mind in the process.

Her ... house? Maybe you should have let it get her.


He chuckled, wiggling his little banded tail in amusement. He was a nice guy, and he knew his friend knew that but every now and again he just had to joke about things he'd never do. He wasn't like his sister after all, and he knew very well that the tiger didn't like her much either. And oh how she abused her sword ... it was almost sigh worthy. He couldn't imagine treating a weapon like that ... much less his spear.

Well ... if my old age is taking a toll on my mind I don't want to even begin thinking about what yours is like.

A smirk crossed his muzzle as he trotted a bit further ahead, ears perking forward when they came across other cards. So they were close, which meant he still remembered the paths through his hometown. Good, he didn't want to forget ... maybe he should try and stop by more often? They were actually close enough to see the little cafe now, and it made his tail wiggle more.

No ... unless I can count that as an offer.

[Lauryn de Vampyre]

Lachlan chuckled and shook his head. "You know I can't do that. I signed a contract saying I would do all in my power to keep my client safe, even if it means from themselves. I finally convinced her to have herself checked into a mental health facility. At least she listened to me." The woman had been a paranoid schizophrenic. Way more than he'd ever had to handle before.

The Tiger stuck out his tongue and took a swat at his friend with a very large paw, missing the Chipmunk by at least a foot. "Oh shut up.". It was nice to be among friend again, when he could just be himself.

Lachlan had loped along at a slow trot, keeping pace with his quick companion. He saw the little tail wiggle and looked ahead, quickly spying the Cafe. "Ah, there it is! It's a good thing I was here to lead us. We might have gone into another Realm if it'd been up to you," Lachlan teased, bumping into Jarvis. "And that definitely wasn't an offer. I had to pay for your meal last time. If anything you should be paying for me!"

Lachlan pushed open the door to the Cafe, a bell chiming above them announcing their arrival. The Tiger held the door open for the Chipmunk.