Blood Promise (pt1)


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Title: Blood Promise: (pt1) Traveling to Zantula
Number: 35
Date: May 22, 2008 at 7:42 PM
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Divinatas – May 22, 2008 at 7:42 PM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=88]Kasimira

“You understand that if you choose to speak out against us at the next council meeting, you will be labled as a traitor to the tribe, bring shame upon your family, and ultimately be put to death.” It was a statement more than a question.

She met his gaze with a cold glittering strare. How dare he threaten her, after all that she and her family had done for their tribe. Accusing her of being a traitor when [u]they[/u] were the ones pulling strings to put money and power in their own pockets. She didn’t reply.

“Your silence speaks volumes. Make your choice wisely, Daughter of Alkaios.”

Why she thought of that moment now, she couldn’t be sure. She had just pulled herself and some dinner out of the river, currently watching the fish fry over the fire. Perhaps it was because she imagined Councilman Hytar roasting in a black pan, squealing for mercy he most certainly didn’t deserve. His threats hadn’t frightened her in the least. Kasimira wasn’t afraid to die, and one couldn’t shame a family that was already passed on. In fact, up until the very morning of the tribal meeting, Kasimira had fully intended to stand up in front of her clan and reveal every single dirty, dishonorable, despicable thing that the Tribal Council had been up to in the past several months since the death of their chief.

But she didn’t. Kasimira chose and the very last moment to throw her things in to a pack and leave. Why? Kasimira had never considering herself superstitious or spiritual. There was just this [i]feeling[/i]. An overwhelming thought that speaking out would have been a mistake, and that she needed to go.

Now here she was on her way to Zantula, wondering how running away like a fugitive was going to save her clan from those vipers. Kasimira poked at the roasting fish with a stick. Only time would tell.

[/solid]

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Ric – May 23, 2008 at 12:14 AM

[b]Re: Traveling to Zantula[/b]

[dashed=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=3&pictureid=84]
[B]Kabrin Brancin[/B]

[I]”Oh, dear lord…Brancin, is that you? All that blood…how did you even make it back? We’ve got to…”[/I]

[I]”None of it’s mine. Job’s done. I want my pay.”[/I]

Kabrin mentally swore to himself. It had taken him [I]forever[/I] to get all that blood out of his hair. And his claws – er, nails – [I]still[/I] had bits of dried blood under them. He snarled softly. He needed a drink. Badly.

Luckily enough, he was in a part of town that had plenty. He wandered a bit until he spotted one he’d never seen before. [I]Anzweir?[/I] he thought. [I]Unusual name, that…wonder what the place is like?[/I]

Heading inside, he noticed the…unique…atmosphere in the bar. It seemed more…calm…than most. He was going to stick out like a sore thumb, large fellow that he was. Finding the bar itself, he started over towards it, taking note of the barkeep studying something on the bar counter, out of sight. He plunked himself down on a stool near her.

“A barkeep who doesn’t watch the bar. Now that is original.” [/dashed]

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Alina Redd – May 23, 2008 at 12:27 AM

[b]Re: Traveling to Zantula[/b]

[dotted=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=2&pictureid=32]
Peri didn’t look up when the door opened, she hardly ever did. It was always apparent with in seconds as to whether a customer would cause trouble or not. Those were the ones she looked up for. The rest, well, they could be patient while she finished the page she was reading. To be honest, which she usually was, her education was more important than the customers that came in. Even if their patronage did help her pay for it.

The fact that she did not look up for Kabrin was unusual. Peri had all ready deduced that he could be trouble but their air in the room wasn’t electric enough that he would. At least not yet.

[I]”A barkeep who doesn’t watch the bar. Now that is original.”[/I]

“I figure what are they going to do, unbolt the tables from the floor and take off with them?” She smelled human, she looked human, and the only thing that looked even slightly abnormal were the bright green colour of her eyes and the look of knowing in them. Peri was an artist at being a human.

A glance was given over her shoulder as she took in who else was here. Nothing but two of her regulars who wouldn’t question anything. They kept to themselves, she liked that, customers who asked a lot of prying questions bothered her. Closing the 18th Century text book and pushing it to the side, she looked to Kabrin. “What’s your poison?”[/dotted]

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Ric – May 26, 2008 at 2:12 AM

[b]Re: Traveling to Zantula[/b]

[dashed=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=3&pictureid=84]
There was something…off…about the barkeep, Kabrin decided, that he couldn’t quite place. She had a whiff of canine about her, but that was common enough – most people in this city either owned a dog or lived with someone who did. With a shrug, he made a mental note to figure it out later. Instead of thinking about it, he half-grunted, half-chuckled at her joke.

“I wouldn’t put it past some people.” He angled his head around to look at the title of her text book. “Studying the War Years? You just keep getting more and more interesting. I didn’t think they even taught that anymore. Read about the Karreshir Scouts yet? Or the Vaspenheim Brigade?”

“As for my drink of choice, hmm….” He trailed off as he studied the various bottles and taps behind the bar. “You have Sangwine here? I didn’t think you could even find that outside of the Blood Lands. How’d you get ahold of that? Regardless, I think I’ll have a pint of whatever beer you’d care to reccommend.”[/dashed]

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Alina Redd – May 26, 2008 at 2:27 AM

[b]Re: Traveling to Zantula[/b]

[dotted=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=2&pictureid=32]
“The eighteenth century in general. I adore history. It’s my major.” Peri slid off the stool and made her way around to the other side of the bar so she could reach everything better. “Karreshir Scouts were last week’s topic of discussion. I’ve read the entire book before though. This is my second time going through the text.”

Peri was not prone to tells, years of practice had perfected her ability to bluff. However when he mentioned the Sangwine she flinched. The bottle was not supposed to be on the back display like that. It was supposed to be kept under the counter and served discreetly. Not that many humans actually knew about the blood wine, it was still better safe than sorry.

Peri remedied the oversight of whoever it was that had placed the bottle on the back display and put it back where it belonged next to the protein powder it often got mixed with under the counter. The stuff was handy to sate blood lust, at least temporarily, and mixed with the protein often gave wolves the ability to stave off their needs for an extra few hours.

“I have a good dark on tap.” Peri tilted her head to the side slightly, giving him a once over. “Yes, you’ll like it.” She grabbed a glass and filled before setting it down in front of him. “So, what brings you here?”[/dotted]

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Divinatas – May 28, 2008 at 7:42 PM

[b]Re: Traveling to Zantula[/b]

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=88]Kasimira

Kasimira entered the bar escorted by a fat balding little man, who could barely contain his nerves. She was trying not to grit her teeth as he practically scampered across the floor to an empty table, motioning a hand for her to sit, as his eyes darted around the room looking for perceived dangers. He reminded her of a mouse that had sneaked out from it’s hole in to a room full of hungry cats. Taking a seat, sitting stiffly straight and folding her hands on the table, she didn’t take her eyes off the little man. When he plopped in to his own chair, he signaled for drinks and didn’t dare to speak until he had swallowed more than half of the mug.

“Aaah…” he gasped after a long gulp. “Better, better. Now, about this job. I told you I am a carrier, but this job is just to – just to much for me to handle by myself, you see.” She didn’t fail to notice how his hand was shaking so badly, it was sloshing the beer in his glass. “You get the largest percentage for delivering it, of course, but I can’t agree to allow you – it – to go unguarded.” The sudden scowl across her face must have made her thoughts clear as he quickly adjusted his statement. “I mean, it takes at least two for delivery for one must carry it and the other would handle any dangers or problems that might come up as it would be a disaster were it damaged in transit, and of course were I not so- so- so old I would accompany you myself, of course!”

Kasimira was just barely holding her patience, understanding full well the man didn’t want to go himself because he was apparently frighted out of his frazzled little wits. However, after a moment or two of tapping her fingers against the table, she finally nodded. “Reasonable enough. So whom am I supposed to take with me on this little voyage, or have you not figured that out yet?” She was doing well not to sound overly sarcastic.

“Well, I- Here is a good place to find freelancers like yourself, it’s why I brought you here, of course.” he stammered, darting his eyes around the room again.

“You expected me to ask a random stranger in a bar?” Kasimira replied, alarmed. Clearly the man was insane. If she had any sense, and weren’t in such desperate need for money, she would have walked out right then.

The fat little man looked appalled and almost fearful that she was about to crack something over his head. He quickly shuffled to his feet. “No, no. I mean, I will ask someone, of course, of course!” He didn’t wait for a reply before he practically ran to the bar to speak with the bartender. “Madam Peri, I need a freelancer to help delivery a package.” he glanced worriedly back at Kasimira. “You always know who to recommend, and I need one straight away!”

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Ric – May 29, 2008 at 1:15 AM

[b]Re: Traveling to Zantula[/b]

[dashed=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=3&pictureid=84]
“With your stock, I wouldn’t be surprised if you have the monthly meetings of the Sons of Karreshir here on occasion. You’ve got all their favorite drinks.” Kabrin winked at Peri, acknowledging the mistake and indicating that he would keep his mouth shut.

He accepted the beer wordlessly, paying his tab in advance, as he always did, with a pair of gold thirteen-mark pieces and nodding to Peri. He took a swig of it and smiled. It had to be the best beer he’d ever tasted in Human-controlled territory. Continuing to sip it, he shrugged.

“I hadn’t been in here before. Thought I’d see what it was like. I rather like it here, actually. It’s a nice place you run. And, ah, I have a bit of an interest in history myself. Or bits of it, at any rate. Look into the Valsin Irregulars, if you ever get a chance. Not in many history books, bit of an embarrassment to both sides.”

He heard the fat man and his companion walk in, and if he’d had cat ears at the moment, they’d have flattened. The man was shaking so hard Kabrin could hear his joints rattling. He fell silent and returned to his drink.

When the fellow came up to Peri and asked about freelancers, he didn’t wait for Peri’s response, and instead responded without introduction.

“Where is the package going? And you’d best have payment in gold or platinum, or copper if you’re particularly hardy, as I don’t trust silver or notes of credit.” [/dashed]

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Divinatas – Jun 11, 2008 at 7:08 PM

[b]Re: Traveling to Zantula[/b]

[soli][b]The Shaking Man[/b]

The quaking man was startled to have someone interested so quickly, and the look on his face suggested he was entirely too suspicious of the fact. “I… yeees.” he started slowly, seeming to take his time in deciding on whether or not he planned on speaking to the stranger rather than Peri.

“There- there is a town not too far outside of Zantula. Ganbesh. I pay in gold 60%. The rest is given when the package is delivered. A fair d-deal, a fair deal indeed.” he stuttered. “Sharing payment with the package holder, of course, of course.” He stole a glance at Kasimira again who was giving him an impatient stare.

[/soli]

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Ric – Jun 18, 2008 at 8:41 PM

[b]Re: Traveling to Zantula[/b]

[dashed=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=3&pictureid=84] Kabrin arched an eyebrow. “Sixty percent up front? That’s unusually high. Normal escort jobs are more on the order of thirty…keeps the escort from getting too curious, if you know what I mean. High up-fronts means there’s something you aren’t telling. Still, if you’re offering, I don’t take jobs that pay less than twelve hundred. Even ‘simple’ escort jobs.”

He drained the rest of his beer stein and plunked it back down in front of himself. “And if you don’t mind, miss, I’d like another stein. Just keep it coming until either my tab won’t pay for more,” he pointed at the coins still on the counter, “Or until you decide I’ve had enough.”
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Masquerade – Jun 19, 2008 at 1:24 PM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

If the man who had chosen that precise moment to burst into the bar had been blind, he never would have been able to dodge the hard end of bread chucked angrily at his face.

If he had been mute, he would not have been able to belt out the more embarrassing version of “My Bonny Lass” at the top of his lungs.

If he had been deaf, he would have missed the business transaction doing on right under the pretty barkeep’s nose.

No, he was none of those things. So how did he miss the obvious glares of contempt? The derogatory remarks about his ancestry? The way the folk looked at the half-healed claw marks on his exposed chest or eyed his wolfish grin? Perhaps he was sound of body, but based on his exuberance, perhaps he was not entirely sound of mind.

Garren spun himself into a seat, fished out a few coppers to plunk on the counter, and winked cheerfully at Peri. He hadn’t seen a pretty girl in weeks now, and although he was more or less a gentleman when it came to those matters (or at least he paid first and screwed after), it was nice to have the option to appreciate a lass. It seemed that on this side of the river, mostly it was pretty humans to be had, judging by the aforementioned barkeep and the cute blond standing a few paces back, as if the taps might be infected.

Ooooh, she was cute even with that vague sneer on her face. What an armful. Bartenders were always spicy, but they never took to flirting unless you had gold, and he was fresh out at the moment.

He might not be the smartest were in the forest, but he knew a client when he smelled one. The pretty blond one was watching the shaking sack of flesh like a hawk– she was probably his job, or at the least his employer. Time to make friends.

“If you’re looking for an escort or something, you’ll want more than two hires unless you’re staying close by, and for hire number two, I’m definitely the man you want.” He grinned at Kasimira and dusted off his pants with exaggerated care. “What’s the job, anyway? Looking to get back home? I can bet I’d undercut Mr Shaky over there and do a better job, too. ‘Specially if you’re looking to cut to the far of the river. I’ve been on this side too long, so I’ll be more than happy to see you there. ‘Course, a job’s a job so if you’re headed further this way I could do that too. No one holds truer to a taken job than Garren Ulfgürd. My word’s better’n gold, and harder to steal even when the other side is choice, if you know what I mean.” He winked at her jovially.

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Alina Redd – Jun 19, 2008 at 3:28 PM

[dotted=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=2&pictureid=32]
“60 upfront means you have to go through Zantula.. which means there are going to be normally peacefuls that want to rip your heart out to stop you from getting to Ganesh. Whatever is being delivered has enemies that want it.” Peri grabbed the stein and filled it again, setting it down infront of Kabrin before the door burst open and in came another obvious were. “You people need to learn to hide yourselves better.” She grummbled under her breath as the man set the coppers down on the counter.

“As for who I’d suggest, this one,” she gestured toward Kabrin, “has a good head on his shoulders from the look of things. The other one however, needs work on his cover. And as always, grandfather, I am at your services. I can afford to hand the bar over for a few weeks if I need to.” Ther term grandfather was used more as a sign of respect for the old man, they werent related by a long shot. Of course now it would be obvious that she wasn’t human at all, but that was beside the point by now.

Peri ducked under the counter for a moment, producing a beer glass and a jar of powder. She poured what looked like two tablespoons into the glass before going to the nearest tap and filling it the rest of the way before setting that one down infront of Garren. “Keep your eyes in your head, sweetheart, I ain’t interested.”[/dotted]

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Masquerade – Jun 19, 2008 at 3:49 PM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

Garren’s ears, human or not, twitched a little as Peri spoke. His indignant cry of, “Cover, what cover?!” was run roughshod as she went on to tell him to keep his eyes to himself. He drank the concoction with a growl of appreciation, licking the edge of the glass before setting it back down on the counter.

“First up, I make no pretenses, missy, ‘cuz if you’re not yourself then who do you think you’re going to be? And second, I can’t help that you’re pretty.” Now that she’d made herself more obvious, he wondered how he’d missed it. She was [i]good[/i], but all the effort she put into the disguise just made him sad and angry all at once. She was beautiful and felt that she needed to hide it, just because some people took exception– that should be made a crime in itself.

“Don’t worry. I don’t touch where I’m not welcome when it comes to women.

“Hey!” He turned in the general direction of Kasimira and the old man, eyes lighting up. “Woman on a trip’s a good asset, ‘specially if it’s like she says. An’ she looks smart, so she’s probably right somehow. Woman looks less threatening, and if [i]I’m[/i] right she’ll be a good companion for the other one. Y’know, even the odds…” He was a little vague on this last point, but he’d traveled with enough caravans to know that women preferred to travel in groups and never left a single one alone with a male.

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Divinatas – Jun 19, 2008 at 7:48 PM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=88][b]Kasimira[/b]

The shaking man didn’t seem to have a problem with Kabrin’s pay request. In fact he nodded his head up and down quickly. “Yes, yes. That’s reasonable. Of course, you have to split with her,” he pointed over his shoulder at Kasimira, “In-in fact two thousand total. Figure out the share between yourselves.”

The door burst opened entering a figure, and the shaking man nearly jumped right out of his skin at the sight at Garren! He even did a double take seeming to have noticed something the second time around, and looked all the more eager to rush! His mouth dropped open in horror when the intruder spoke directly to Kasimira as loud as he pleased.

“Don’t talk to me.” Kasimira stated flatly to Garren, not taking her eyes off Mr. Shaky. This man was a were, and he didn’t even have the shame to hide it. If they weren’t in neutral territories, and if she didn’t need this job so badly, she might have very well stuck a knife between his eyes and put himself out of his misery.

“Shush… shush! You stupid beast, someone will hear you!” Mr. Shaky hissed at Garren! Mr. Shaky was now shaking so badly, he could hardly reach in to his pockets to pull out a small package. He shoved it in to Kasimira’s hands almost dropping it in the process! “Th-this is the package! Don’t ever open it, and take it to Rever at Graden Hollow in Zantula.” Digging in to his other pocket he had a pouched, of which he gave to Kabrin. “First part of the payment.”

With that, Mr. Shaky practically ran out of the building as if hell itself were on his heels! The door made a loud slam behind him!

Kasimira placed the package in a bag she had hung over her shoulder. “I’m ready to leave. Now.” The sooner they left, the better.

[/solid]

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Masquerade – Jun 19, 2008 at 10:11 PM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

“Hey, I got it the other way around. Heh. Sorry, guess I’m used to pretty girls looking for saving. And, you know, he was doing all his own talking and all. Moneybags don’t normally descend to talk to folk themselves.” Garren chose to ignore both Kasimira’s order and the man’s frantic chastisement.

“Buuut… it looks like I ended up right anyway, since you’re the one holding the money!” He beamed and straightened his jacket. “So. Zantula’s on the far side of the river, where I’m wanting to go, and I’ve done runs all over this area so it turns out I’m a pretty ideal choice. Take the big one to scare off brigands and the pretty one so you have someone to talk to, and we’re off!”

Garren patted Kasimira absently on the head as he looked around. “And we should go soon, too, since now that the real moneybags left everyone knows what you’re holding. Don’t worry,” he added with another smile, already sliding into a lower stance, “I’m a good guy to have at your back.”

[/solid]

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Alina Redd – Jun 19, 2008 at 11:10 PM

[dotted=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=2&pictureid=32]
Peri grabbed the jar and set it back down under the counter with a heavy thud. This pup was starting to piss her off and she was wondering how the hell he’d made it this far into the human city limits without being shot yet. Of course at this rate she was willing to shoot him for everyone else. A low warning growl was starting to emit from her throat. Peri hadn’t used her advantage as an alpha in a very long time but she would in order to put this man in his place.

“We aren’t leaving until we have provisions and weapons. I also need to make a few calls and hand the bar off to someone else for the time being.” She banged a bottle of water down infront of Kasimira. “Drink it. You need it.”

Finally she looked to Garren. “And as for you….” She leaned in close and lowered her voice. “You will control yourself until we are outside of city limits or I will control yourself for you. Am I understood?” Her eyes narrowed. “You are so [I]fucking[/I] lucky none of my human customers are in right now.” With that she gave Kabrin a look before moving herself down toward the other end of the bar where she kept the phone to make a few calls. [/dotted]

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Masquerade – Jun 20, 2008 at 12:01 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

“Hn. She really thinks she’s that hot.” Garren refused to sit– too many people had either seen or heard gold being exchanged, and it wasn’t safe no matter what the female said. And he’d seen men with a lot more swagger and a lot less manners than he had getting away without people pouncing on him from all angles. Talk about the short end of the stick. Even his own were against him, it seemed, and they were really within neutral bounds.

Technically. When there were enough people to uphold those boundaries.

Well, there was him.

He eyed the exit wistfully and held his ground–his boss was the one with the goods until she said otherwise– and sang under his breath. “Well my bonny lass has a red, red dress…”

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Divinatas – Jun 20, 2008 at 12:22 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=88][b]Kasimira[/b]

With the bartender’s reaction to that obnoxious were, Kasimira suddenly realized she was the only human in the place. Worse yet, that fleeing coward had hooked her up with another bloody filthy were as her travel companion… and now she’d be surrounded by them? Kasimira was going to walk out then and there to deliver the package on her own, but the man had given the [i]money[/i] to Kabrin!

It was a struggle to keep her attitude under control. A job was a job, she reminded herself. She was not in Stanislava and they would be going to territories that weres freely roamed and even controlled. If she couldn’t keep her distaste to herself there was going to be more trouble than she needed. And she really didn’t want to draw attention to herself.

That didn’t stop Kasimira from snatched the bottle of water from the bar and shoving it in to Garren’s hands. “Be [i]quiet[/i]. Your chatter is offending my ears.”

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Masquerade – Jun 20, 2008 at 12:30 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

Garren preferred water from the river still skin-numbing with icemelt, but this would do as well. He let the bottle sit idly in one hand for now, though, and smiled at Kasimira despite her chilling scowl.

“I’ll shut up for the next candlemark if you give me a kiss. Just on the cheek, you know.” His grin broadened. “With your lips, mind. None of that playing with words stuff. Besides, if you kissed me with steel, I’d have to think you didn’t want to be friends.”

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Divinatas – Jun 20, 2008 at 12:46 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=88][b]Kasimira[/b]

“I’d sooner kiss a scorpion.” Kasimira hissed. For second it looked as if she were going to pull a weapon on him, or stab him in the face, or perhaps something worse. But she turned away.

She rest her hands on her hips, clearly not caring for Peri’s need to gather up supplies and take care of her business. She tapped her fingers. “I want to leave now before this stupid animal causes any trouble. Unless you want to hand over my share of that money and let me leave. Frankly, I don’t care for nor need any escorts, and if you already have your money, there’s no need to bother me.”

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Masquerade – Jun 20, 2008 at 1:02 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

“Well, the offer will stand.”

Garren was more concerned over the gold and the goods right now. It might be something stupid, like the shaking man’s favorite pair of boots, or it might be something very important, like a rare piece of technology or ore. Whatever it was, that was a bigger mark than he for all it was a fraction his size. The money would be where that was. He wasn’t particularly smart, but he knew enough to figure that bringing it to its destination and then ransoming it for better payment could be a profitable venture.

Of all the people here, she sat well with herself. She seemed to be a bit stiff and prickly, but she hadn’t simply made off with what was obviously a valuable parcel and that spoke to her honor.

Whatever was going to happen, he hoped it would happen soon. He always felt better with a destination in mind. “And I’m not an animal,” he added mildly. “Although I confess that I might be a bit slow.”

[/solid]

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Alina Redd – Jun 20, 2008 at 2:02 AM

[dotted=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=2&pictureid=32]
Slamming the phone down she came back over to the others, about ready to grab the pup by the scruff and send him sailing across the room. A glower was sent toward Kasimira. Reaching under the counter she pulled out another bottle of water and slammed it down infront of Kasimira again.

“Sure you don’t need escorts. You want to be dead by the end of the day the moment you cross the safety line. I know. You have death wish written all over you. Unfortunately something tells me we don’t get paid completely unless you’re there to deliver it for some reason unbeknownst to me. Hell if I even know why you’re the carrier. Fucking humans, can never keep things to themselves.”

Almost like lightning Peri reached out and grabbed Garren by the throat. Her eyes were glowing a dangerous colour. “You will calm down now. I will not tolerate having to break a puppy the entire time.” If he seriously didn’t not respond to a dominate were at this rate, she’d shoot him by the end of the night. Once again she thanked the gods that the only two patrons in the bar were also weres who knew her well. Unfortunately a human could walk in at any moment, roles needed to be established now.

After a few moments of staring Garren down she let him drop the ground and moving to Kabrin’s side. “Is there anything you require specifically for this trip? I can get pretty much anything and if everyone can be discreet enough we can stop by my flat a few blocks away.” [/dotted]

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Masquerade – Jun 20, 2008 at 7:38 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

Garren laughed.

“Wow, talk about the pot calling the kettle black.” He could almost smell the desire to change all over her. And to top it off, it looked like she was another supremacist– maybe the tendency ran in females. “Don’t worry, I come housebroken and everything. But you’re not my boss. At the best, one of them is.” He pointed out Kabrin and Kasimira.

“The big guy could give me a kiss like the female, but I doubt he’d want to. In his case, gold would do just as well. Unless we’re going already.”

He took the bottle meant for Kasimira and gestured with them, coming closer to her to murmur next to her ear. “If they want to come they’ll follow you, but if they don’t… swear me compensation and I’ll see you to your mark even if the hells boiled over tomorrow.” She was right. The big one had the gold and could easily split it between just their two.

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Divinatas – Jun 20, 2008 at 8:07 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=88][b]Kasimira[/b]

Kasimira didn’t like her tone and she didn’t like her attitude. She wasn’t easily stared down nor did she take to being treated with such a blatant disregard, that her fingers were itching to pull out the knife she had hidden under her shirt. That heathenish little bitch dared to-

“I’m going ahead. Catch up when you’re finished.” It was a flat out order. The were said so herself – there was no delivery or complete payment without Kasimira delivering the package. The sooner the little beasts realized who was actually in charge, the easier this trip would be. There was no need for her to explain her skills just to put a were in her place. And if they decided not to follow and keep the money, it would have been worth it to be rid of them.

Kasimira turned on a heel and walked out the door, leaving Peri and Kabrin at the bar. She didn’t bother to speak to the obnoxious one that had decided to trail after her like a lost puppy until she was at the road.

“I don’t like you. But I dislike you less than her, so if you make yourself useful like a good dog-” she eyed him carefully, yes he was the wolfy type wasn’t he, “I might, [i]might[/i] consider paying you instead of nailing your corpse to the nearest tree.”

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Masquerade – Jun 20, 2008 at 4:10 PM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

He was right. She was feisty!

“You’d have a hard time of it, but you’ll see that I’m useful enough. And I wish you wouldn’t call me a dog. I don’t go around calling you a monkey. Can’t we just hug and make up?” He gave her a goofy, hopeful grin, but her scowls weren’t getting any warmer. He sighed.

“Or at least shake hands?” She, at least, seemed comfortable with herself, if not with other people. There would be time to coax her into warming up later. She’d appreciate his tenacity later, when the nights got colder and heavy with approaching winter snow.

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Divinatas – Jun 21, 2008 at 5:54 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=88][b]Kasimira[/b]

Kasimira stopped at the road and waited. She would allow those weres to make arrangements, but she wouldn’t wait for long. This one here now needed to understand his boundaries. It was much easier to establish without raging interference.

Snagging his collar with a single finger, she pulled him down to eye level. Kasimira didn’t grab and jerk like Peri, need to growl or flash her teeth. She was fluid and smooth, speaking softly but with all the command of a queen. “You’re loud and draw too much attention. Do nothing that will bring attention to us. No singing, dancing, loud voices, bragging, flirting or other nonsense. If you ever manipulate or betray me I will hurt you. Do as I say without question and I will protect you.”

Releasing his shirt collar, she pulled a gold ring out of her pocket and held it out in the palm of her hand. “You wanted gold.” She closed her hand quickly. “Promise that you’re mine and you can have it. I suppose I’ve always wanted a puppy.”

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Masquerade – Jun 21, 2008 at 7:24 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

He liked her. Quick, clean, assertive. She kept looking at him that way, though, like he was dirt that learned how to talk. That had to be stopped. Dropping the easy grin, he tilted her chin up with a finger for a moment.

“I like to sing and dance and, most of all, laugh. But there is a time and a place, and even if I don’t know much, I do know the difference. To spare your ears I will try not to sing so much,” here a glimmer of a smile returned, but faded quickly, “But I am a person and not a slave. You cannot buy me without my consent, and certainly not like a puppy in store.”

“You will swear to me that ring is a promise and not a collar, and I will swear to you that I will follow you without question to your destination, and I will do all I can in my power to see you there safely. I would never betray a friend, and my word is as good as a golden ring, for it can’t be taken or lost.”

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Divinatas – Jun 21, 2008 at 7:47 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=88][b]Kasimira[/b]

Kasimira tilted back away from his finger and frowned. The were was not as stupid as he made himself out to be. He had struck her with an insult to her honor even if he didn’t realize it. Hatred for his kind or not, she didn’t intend to keep him as her property, regardless of what she called him.

“I don’t keep slaves, Wolf.” Wolf instead of puppy. It was a drastic difference. “I won’t pretend to like you. Don’t expect me to do anything but tolerate you. And I am most certainly not your friend.” she opened her hand and offered him the ring. “I promise. I am not your owner, just your boss.”

She waited for him to take the ring, and cast a glance back towards the bar to see if those other weres had bother to emerge yet. If she could reason with this one, perhaps it wouldn’t be too difficult to handle the other two as well.
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Masquerade – Jun 21, 2008 at 8:04 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

Better, but not ideal. He took the ring from her and slipped it on his littlest finger, wondering what he’d done. He hadn’t even really taken a pose, like the one in the bar, but she’d upgraded him from a cute puppy to a dangerous wolf. And didn’t she know that allies were good, but friends were better? He decided to back off that topic altogether. There were times when a temporary retreat was the best action.

“If the one in there follows, you might want to go back to calling me Puppy or you’re like to get us mixed up.” And, he thought wistfully, she actually wanted a puppy. “I don’t mind if it’s you saying it. But what should I call you? Boss? Mistress?” He grinned at her, all tail-wags and goofiness again.

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Ric – Jun 25, 2008 at 12:15 AM

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Kabrin slipped the bag of gold into a pocket and sighed, rolling his eyes as he continued to nurse his beer throughout the argument. When Kasimira stormed out, he grunted, rolled his eyes, and carefully set his stein on the counter before turning to follow her. As he exited the bar, he gave Peri an exasperated “one minute” hand gesture.

Outside, he caught up to Kasimira and, grabbing her ’round the waist, slung her over his shoulder before turning to return to the bar. Ignoring her protests – and the wolf pup’s – he tromped back inside and set her roughly down on a bar stool next to his. Then, as he sat down himself and picked up his stein again, he spoke.

“We will leave when I finish my beer, and not a moment before. That should give Miss Peri enough time to make the necessary arrangements.”
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Divinatas – Jul 6, 2008 at 11:37 PM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=88][b]Kasimira[/b]

Kasimira was so stunned as she was flung over the man’s shoulder, that she could hardly sputter more than a few ‘whatareyou-!’ and ‘whatthe-!’ phrases before she found herself practically thrown on to a stool back inside that bar. To say she was furious would be a gross understatement! Kasimira was reaching for her back, with murder as her intent.

But the bar door splintered apart, a body having been literally thrown through it.

There he was, Mr. Shakey their quivering employer. His face bloodied, his arm chewed on, and he was most obviously dead. That alone was enough to make everyone take notice, but making matters worse several figures waltz through the shattered door, stepping over the splintered pieces of wood and Mr. Shakey’s body. Had it just been men, or just rogue weres it might have not been so outstanding… but this group was a combination of both! Full fledged furry weres, baring teeth and claws, men looking all too pleased at the thought of upcoming blood shed.

A unseen figured from outside was heard. “The package hasn’t left the building yet. Take it and kill all inside.”

Kasimira having forgotten her previous fury, repositioned her bag so it couldn’t be easily taken and pulled a long thin knife from somewhere at her pack in one fluid motion. It wasn’t fancy, it wasn’t new, but it was solid and clearly a good weapon. She climbed quickly on top of the bar to better defend.

“Three wolves, two lions, one bear and six humans!” she shouted out, having counted quickly. If they were going to live through [i]that[/i], the rest of them needed to know.

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Alina Redd – Jul 7, 2008 at 2:14 AM

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“Sure you don’t need escorts.” Peri was all ready tired of this and was now even more pissed that she had to pay for repairs on the property. If the damn human would stop being so snooty and acting like she was better than everyone else and the damn cub would stop mouthing off she would be fine. Of course things hardly ever went Peri’s way as was evident by the fact that she had a dead were and a bunch of soon to be dead people in her doorway.

“I am getting so sick of this shit. Seriously.” With that Peri sprung over the counter as if it were nothing, the only thing on her body shifting was her nails and her teeth. Both became longer and sharper, everything else looked completely human except her eyes. The startling green color was becoming more neon and feral looking with the second.

Peri did not place herself directly in front of Kasi, in all honesty she didn’t really want to protect the woman, just what the woman carried. Besides the woman would probably take it the wrong way, which, from the look of things, there wasn’t much the woman didn’t take the wrong way. However there was no doubt that Peri was ready to spring on any of the ones who decided to make a wrong move and give a helping hand to whoever needed it.

“Bring it fuckers.”
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Masquerade – Jul 8, 2008 at 10:04 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

Garren was already on the verge of shifting, stalking after Kabrin with anger in his eyes. If this man, bigger than him or not, thought he could simply manhandle his hitherto unnamed employer with no consequences just to mollify some upstart…

Well, he had another thing coming. He was in the middle of piecing together an impromptu challenge, getting about as far as invading Kabrin’s personal space with his teeth bared, when the door exploded open.

Kabrin may have insulted him, but these people were going to kill him. And, likely, Kasimira.

“Haven’t seen company like this in a while.” He laughed, the noise becoming garbled and rasping as his bones popped and muscles creaked and groaned with his transformation. He emitted a piercing howl as soon as his throat settled, even while his skin rippled and writhed, scrambling to over his extra mass.

His exposed throat and the lunatic howl were too much for one of them– a werewolf launched prematurely at Garren, jaws snapping at his tantalizingly exposed throat. Garren let it happen, the howl ending in a snarl as he twisted to savage his attacker, pivoting with the momentum and letting the other were pull out fistfuls of fur as it swung into the bar and skidded down the care-worn surface towards Kasimira, displacing drinks and empty glasses in its scramble to get back up.

That was one separated from the group. He turned back to the rest of them and barely had time to pick another mark. He charged through them and sprang over a table to tackle the figure closest the door, slamming a human and a half through the debris near the opening and clear out to the other side. The ‘half’ nonetheless tumbled into the street and bounced back up, taking the time jerking a dislocated shoulder back into place. Garren backed up half a step, keeping them both in his field of vision.

This was more like it.

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Ric – Aug 10, 2008 at 4:32 PM

[dashed=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=3&pictureid=84]
Kabrin gave the wall behind the bar an annoyed look and resisted the urge to bang his head into said bar. All he’d wanted after that last job was a quiet drink. And here he couldn’t even finish a beer.

The human girl was kind enough to outline the composition of the forces against them, and while he appreciated it, he rather wished she’d given a little more information. Like where they were. He grumbled to himself and picked up his stein for one last drink before he joined the fray. As he brought it to his lips, he heard the pup egging on the wolves against them, and, as he turned a quick gulp into draining the stein, a thump and screeching shatter told him the pup had been successful. He grabbed the unfortunate wolf’s head with his free hand as he slid past, pulling him off the bar top with a yank, and, shoving his thumb into the jaw joint to force open the wolf’s mouth, slammed the wolf mouth-first into the edge of the bar, effectively embedding his teeth in the hard surface both top and bottom, and trapping his lower jaw against the wood. He further lodged the teeth in with a firm, but casual, blow of the stein on the muzzle.

Then, standing up, he shifted subtly, more so even than Peri – the only visible changes were his pupils, which had become the slits of a cat, and the faint ripple of his hair as it strove to become a full mane.

He turned, and launching himself off the front of the bar at the Bear were, let loose a roar truly befitting the King of Beasts…from his apparently wholly human throat. The bear, of course, trusting his superior mass to win out in such a contest, trundled forward to meet him. As if he’d been counting on it, Kabrin kicked off a table just as he flew over the edge, subtly changing his angle…just enough to sail over the bear’s head. A reach down, and he grabbed the bear’s chin as he passed, twisting in midair to throw the bear off his feet.

Regaining its feet, the bear lunged, despite being off balance – only to be sidestepped as Kabrin grabbed its jaw again, this time finding purchase behind the bone, in the soft flesh, and pulled, opposite to the bear’s charge. There was a loud snapping noise, and a tearing, and a spray of blood – and Kabrin held the bear’s head independent of its body.

He turned to regard the nearest opponents – the two lions, as it happened. A male and a female – a mere girl, who looked to be only a teen, and scared shitless to boot. He roared again, this time a challenge, and the male sprung forward to meet it – only to be casually sent sailing across the room, knocked out of the air as Kabrin swung the bear head like a mace.

He let the shift take him, and then, in his full leonine glory, he pointed at the girl. “You, girl,” he bellowed, his words laced with a snarl of authority. “You belong to me now.”
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Divinatas – Aug 13, 2008 at 10:10 PM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=88][b]Kasimira[/b]

There was a distinct advantage to being small and looking harmless. Men made the unfortunate mistake of assuming she was an easy mark. Kasimira was so light on her feet, she dodged any flying weapons in a fluid grace. The activities of the others were none of her concern, as she remained focused on the ones that came her way.

A hand grasped her ankle and Kasimira moved quickly, dropping herself off the bar to land piggyback on his shoulder’s. Holding him captive with locked thighs, the soft [i]shhhick[/i] was the only sound she made as she thrust it in to his neck. As his body fell, she rolled under a table doging the swing of someone’s sword.

At the first unfriendly pair of legs she spotted, Kasimira rolled again from under the table, twisting her legs around one of his knees much like a snake until she dropped his body to the floor and swiftly delivering another fatal knife to the neck. Human men that called themselves warriors were so use to fighting face to face with fists and metal… it was much too simple to stay low to the ground like an animal. Though, had she thought her movements were like one, she might have opted for something more combative.

The leonine were’s claim to that female was a temporary distraction. She snorted with disgust, muttering under her breath about Lion culture until Kasimira sighted one of the human’s pulling a small stick of something from a pocket and lighting up the end.

“Your lovely building is about to go up in flames with us in it, Madame Were.” Kasimira shouted with a sarcastic sort of humor. Staying close to the ground and creeping under tables, she was already moving for the exit. “West side, square table, golden hair, dynamite holding human.”

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CrashingChandelier – Aug 14, 2008 at 1:05 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=20&pictureid=191]
Marie strolled casually down the lane. It was a shadier part of town, but she’d gotten a flaky pastry to soothe her nerves. She clutched the parchment it was held by with one hand, a thick volume perched precariously on her other hand.

She hummed, oblivious to anything but her barest periphery, which was even further blunted by wire-frame glasses sitting unevenly on her nose. She hadn’t bothered to adjust them in a block and a half because this tome was just getting to the interesting part about how the ancient civilizations used to mix powdered plants to achieve a trance-like state…

She had no time, or even a snowball’s chance in hell, to dodge the flying door and subsequent airborne body that crashed squarely into her. Tumbling headlong after the flying mass, she came to rest with a groan. Marie blinked, the world had gone fuzzy.

“Drat!,” she exclaimed, those were her only pair of glasses, and without them she couldn’t read; a fate worse than death! She blindly felt around the soil and hit a wooden step… ‘Ah!,’ she thought, I must have lost them in this establishment. The commotion was disorienting as she crawled past scuffling pairs and trios of pugilistic confrontations. “Ah, there you are!,” she said a little too brightly for someone wallowing about on a now less than immaculate bar floor. Grabbing her scuffed spectacles she looked up, just in time to see a were, a lupus garrus to be more precise, turn and glare at her in the most terrifying lather of madness.

She let out a small squeak before her vocal cords tied themselves in tight little knots and her elbow lost it’s ability to hold her in a siting position. She slid back supine and watched in horror as the raging canid reared back on his hind legs, paw raised high in a coup de grace that would easily end the fragile little human…
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Alina Redd – Aug 14, 2008 at 1:55 AM

[dotted=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=2&pictureid=32]

“Since when did my bar become the middle east?” Peri was glowering at what would be the suicide bomber as she lept from the bar clear across the room at the dynamite holding idiot. There was no way she was going to lose her bar over some stupid moron who couldn’t add two numbers together. Idiot probably thought 1+1=7.

Bowling the man over as she deftly grabbed for the hand holding the dynamite she managed to land with him pinned underneath her as she doused the fuse between her thumb and forefinger. A small yelp emmited as she did so but that was the closest thing to revealing pain she let out. Mother fuck it hurt like a bitch in heat though. No matter what anyone said, putting out a fuse with your fingers hurt.

The next moment she was baring a full set of teeth at the human as she pinned him down. Giggling as his eyes filled with fear until she got a good wiff of something. “Did you seriously just piss yourself? Oh that is so gross!” She slammed his hand holding the dynamite against the floor until he dropped it, throughly crushing the hand in the process.

A moment later she was up and pointing to the exit. “Get the fuck out of my bar before I either remove you myself or get my shotgun to do the removing for me.”
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Masquerade – Aug 14, 2008 at 2:51 AM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=149][b]Garren[/b]

Garren plowed his way through one stupid human, opening a wound on his chest big enough to cause problems unless the man found help soon. The second didn’t even stay long enough to help his companion, but scrambled away as soon as he heard Kabrin’s triumphant shout. It was around then that he noticed two things:

1) Smoke. A lot of it, and from no single direction he could determine.
2) A very foolish and very young girl wandering into the bar.

Well, it was about time he joined the others anyway. Bounding in, he leapt at the first thing that moved– another wolf, towering and half-mad, going for a kill. Garren’s dive threw him into the other were high, and he heard a sharp snap as his opponent’s extended arm caught on a sturdy table. He dug his claws into the floor to kill his momentum and shook himself, shifting back long enough to grab Kasimira and whisper urgently in her ear, then bounding off in a very woflish lope despite his acquisition of arms and legs, heading for the door.

Along the way he scooped up the girl and, as an afterthought, her book as well. He didn’t know too much about letters (and had to read with the aid of his index finger) but he knew that books were a reasonably precious commodity.

The human from before was back, armed this time with a sword. The smoke was thick now, and the village was buzzing with activity as people tried frantically to rescue possessions and loved ones and douse the rampant flames. Garren had run out of patience for the whole ordeal. He wanted to wash the foul blood off his hands and out of his mouth, he wanted to eat a nice meal and clear the stench of burning flesh and timber from his nose, and he wanted to take a nice nap by the river with the prospect of seeing his pretty new employer across the fire come dawn.

“Out of my way,” he growled. The man wavered for a moment, but refused to move. Garren shifted the girl higher on his shoulder, holding her braced with one arm like a babe.

“Out. Of. My. Way.” His flesh and bones rippled, his frame expanding as he reinforced his threat. They needed to leave. Now.

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CrashingChandelier – Aug 14, 2008 at 8:55 PM

[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=20&pictureid=191]Scooped up by yet another shifter, Marie was whisked out of the bar. She couched, the sweet-acrid stench or burning wood wafted through the ever-thickening air as she squirmed against his grip. But her efforts were in vain as her hip was securely fastened against his by way of an arm, seemingly made of iron for all poor Marie could do about it. In her current predicament all she could think to do was complain meekly, as if perhaps he would see the reason in her resigned jeremiads.

Unfortunately that was not the case. In fact, as her luck would have it, things went from bad to worse. The mans body quaked and rippled as muscled and tendons rearranged themselves with a terrifying ease. Marie saw the claws growing from underneath his cuticles and realized the cover of her book was in mortal danger!

Mustering up her courage, Marie managed to find her voice in defense of the precious faction, “Ah, my book…!” She reached for it feebly; her struggle became Sisyphean as the strength of her captor increased.[/solid]

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Divinatas – Aug 19, 2008 at 7:24 PM

[dot]Someone shouted at the female leonine were to kill the enemy, but he clearly had no idea of lion customs! Though she had spirit and spunk, she was too young to even consider defying an order from the one that had now newly claimed her. There was a submissive growl from her as she backed off from the fight, lingering close to Kabrin and ready to follow his commands.

Outside things were taking a turn for the worse. The strings-puller, the ring-leader, the big man in charge… He was watching patiently from his spot of safety. Though the attempt at acquiring the package was turning out to be more difficult than he anticipated, that stone look never left his face. At a motion of his hand, his waiting men outside had moved in to town, setting explosives and burning buildings. What he was seeking was more important than the lives that were being destroyed.

At first glance, it seemed that Peri’s direct order was being followed when several of the men were scrambling fast out of her bar. …But a loud explosion from the back kitchen, alert that the entire building was about to come down with them and everyone in it!
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[solid=http://space-kitten.org/forum/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=88][b]Kasimira[/b]

Kasimira had wanted odd jobs to make a little money and stay low profile until she figure out what she was going to do with her life. This was NOT low profile. If she weren’t already associated with this damned packaged, she would have handed it over to them weres and said ‘Good Luck!’. Now she was stuck in something that was starting to look much bigger than she desired to be involved with, and the entire thing was pissing her off.

And if they didn’t leave [i]now[/i], she suspected they’d all be slaughtered before figuring out what was so damned important.

Kasimira slipped out a door, making sure those two weres inside saw her leave, but made sure to keep herself well hidden outside. Those weres had her scent and would be able to find her quick enough, if they were smart. The town was now screaming with chaos, those men destroying everything they go their hands on. For a brief moment, as Kasimira was quickly dashing off towards trees for cover to make her way off for the meeting place Garren suggested… she thought she saw a familiar face! But now, just getting out of that doomed town alive was top priority.

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(This might have come off really weird, but I’m trying to swiftly transition us on to the next scenes… >>; )

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