Northern Winds [NC-17] (IC)

[Boog]

Richard had no illusions about his ability to repair himself. Thus, it would be easy to notice him favoring one leg as he returned down the stairs. He neither slept nor really needed the room for anything other than privacy; nobody wants to see an undead stitching himself up. The handful of magical repairs he knew how to use were also not to be completely trusted, but he figured it was what he had. He decided to head to the cafeteria, on the basis that everyone else seemed to have already had that idea and if, by some blip on the far curve of probability, this place had meals catered to the undead he could enjoy himself a bit.
Naturally, the talking feral bats caught his eye.
"... Not gonna ask. So, how'd things go with the jaguar?" Richard willed himself to look away from the oddity and ask Stygian, "Guy looked almost worse than me when you carried him in."

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel finished her tuna steak dinner in silence, enjoying the view from the bank of windows. The cubi, Edge, had entertained her for a while then flitted away as a little bat to Ignatz's table. Ignatz did not seem impressed. She wondered if he was one of those cubi who would give her a problem if he found out her race. He hadn't met the inn's owner yet, so she'd see how he reacted to Mr. Morkesorm. She was just pushing the plate away when she heard Ignatz give the option of discussing the next step now or in the morning. She crossed the space from her table to his. "I'd prefer to hear it now."

[Stygian]

When adressed, Stygian turned his head slowly, first toward Richard and then Mel. He took a bit of a sip of his wine, keeping silent for a few moments. Then he set the glass down and leaned back in his seat.
   "He's fine. Just fine. Which is more than can be said about you..." he said, setting his eyes on the baboon. Not that it was really possible to see where he was actually looking, with the both of them being all black, but... "Care to be rid of those stitches?" He wasn't too sure of how or why to explain what they were up against. But he had to be honest with them about the situation at hand, at least.

[Boog]

Richard looked down at the stitches. On the one hand, who doesn't want skilled repairs? On the other, he didn't know this guy too well and Marya was the only one who had ever repaired him. Bah, I can't very well go and see her about it tonight.
"Alright," the undead finally replied hesitantly, pulling up a chair next to Stygian, "But I don't want to find anything added or removed; I've seen too many people get stuck with messed up muscles because some necromancer was more exuberant than useful. The main damage is the ribs and leg. You need me to do anything? Make sure I'm not carrying cold iron, lie down, anything like that?"

[Gareeku]

Deciding that he had been outside for long enough, Gareeku walked back inside, making his way to where the others were dining. Sitting down at one of the tables, the wolf waited to be served by one of the waitresses.

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha nodded politely to the llama waitress as she brought her food.  She was appreciative still of the hospitality at least, however uneasy it seemed.  The panthress would make sure to leave a tip for later.  She had enough coins to spare anyway...what she felt like most was just eating her food.

As she dug into the savory meat and the rice especially, Aisha watched with some relief as others started appearing in the restaurant.  She glanced at Richard with a little amusement.  The adventurer had never run into many undead, and if she did, they were never trouble to her despite the rumors.  She wondered really how he could fit into the group.

Then she glanced up on seeing a few more wander in, among them a black fox and a bat, all soon converging on Stygian's table after Mel had.  The panthress simply shook her head and continued her meal, though keeping an ear just slightly quirked to their conversation.  She hoped that whatever would happen would wait until tomorrow at least.

The last individual she then spotted was Gareeku, whom she regarded with a nod from where she sat.  Though still her friend, he was one of the more mysterious ones, now that she had time to think about the battle before.  And a long time gone without a word...

Aisha allowed herself to finish her meal, then looked around for a moment.  There was little for her to be involved in now (especially with much caution regarding Stygian still), and also little wish to fall asleep.  With an inward shrug, she stood up and left payment and a tip on the table next to her empty plate, and strode over to the wolf's table.

"Waitress might take a minute, so I hope you don't mind my company, amigo," she chuckled and sat across from Gareeku, tilting her head.  "You just looked a little pensive."

[Stygian]

Immediately, the llama walked up neatly and tidily, up next to Gareeku and looked down at him.
   "Umm... What can I get you, sir?" she said to the wolf, her hands folded together before her skirts. Both of her long ears were laid back over her head, together with her short, neatly cut hair, and a pair of small glasses adorned her pretty, though not quite beautiful face. Neat and tidy. Those seemed the perfect words to describe her, contrasting the hyena from before rather sharply, even if the both did wear the same outfit.

   Stygian didn't wait or say anything, just reached out a hand and laid his fingertips on the baboon's chest. And something very odd happened. A feeling rushed through the undead, something that wasn't physical, but which he knew wasn't just a trick of his mind either. It was uncomfortable, and eerie, and pleasant all in the same. It was chill and discomfort, trickling into his mind along with some sort of darkness that made him feel burdened and gloomy, but at the same time... good, somehow, and stronger. And that was a very simple explanation of it all. For a moment, he could see something too, but it was too faint and passed too fast.
   Quickly, the bat tapped Richard's leg too, and then turned back to his glass. The baboon couldn't really feel anything, but it wasn't imagination that he seemed somehow to stand straighter and more steadily. And a whole lot of that wear and tear from before seemed just to have vanished. In fact, he might even have passed for living, had it not been for the unnatural pallor of his skin and the raggedness of his looks overall.
   "Ah, well... Now that people are here to hear, at least..." Stygian said. "We can tell the others later." He cleared his throat, and then settled with his hands folded before him.
   "From the names and the name of the club, and judging from how this was all probably just a big distraction meant to convenience... It's clear that someone is trying to get our attention. My attention more than anyone else's, for the moment. Someone whom I know from way back." He made a short pause. "Her name is Astaroth. And I think she's set a trap for us all and we've sprung it. And we have no choice but to go right into it to have a chance to walk away alive."

[Boog]

Not a word of warning, nothing, the guy'd just reached out and suddenly he felt something. For a dead man this is strange to begin with. The feeling itself was a thing of paradoxes, both familiar and opposite unfamiliar sensations rushing into him as his ribs were repaired. There was less of a reaction for his leg, but still...
"Whuhh..." the baboon stood up, hearing the slight stretch and creak of newly repaired undead sinew, "That's not bad," he rolled his shoulders back and (had he a face that allowed for it would have) smiled at his voice being back to its usual rasp rather than that damaged gurgle, "That's not bad at all. Alright, not the previously mentioned type of necromancer. Been trying to fix whatever that was in my lower back that kept making that twanging noise whenever I leaned back for a while. Hell, this could last me all-"
Then Stygian mentioned traps, and charging into them, and an individual who could call up these sorts of forces for a mere distraction.
"-Week," Richard finished, slouching back to his usual posture and sitting back down, "If I'm lucky. There a reason she's pissed with you?"

[Stygian]

"A few. Breaking her heart, killing her lifelong dream, leaving her in darkness and without the slightest hope..." Stygian counted off, rather indifferently, it seemed. "Of course, that's nothing compared to what she's done. And I did spare her life, for whatever that's worth." It had been a complicated situation, and in truth he would have killed her any other day. But again, his wanting to prove a point had ultimately proven a mistake.
   "I won't blame you if you choose to take off, you know?" he said, now looking directly at Richard for a moment. "You for one still have a shot at getting out of this. As do you, Gareeku," He nodded to the wolf. "And you do too, Mel. You didn't come into this until after. And I doubt that Ash would have counted on me calling you up. She placed too many signs."

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel shook her head. "If these ambushes were indeed a test then observers have already taken everyone's description back. I can easily shed this form and name but there is always a  possibility of being traced. I don't want to find myself a loose end at some later date. As much as I hate this sort of thing I think I'd rather face it head on."

[Gareeku]

Waiting for a waitress to approach to take an order, Gareeku looked up to find that Aisha was taking a seat at the table he was sat at. Listening to Aisha speak, the wolf smirked slightly.
"Not at all." he replied, his voice low and calm. "Pensive...it's just who I am."

It was then that Gareeku looked to the side to find that a waitress had approached him.
"I'll have beef, with rice." the wolf replied in the same low and calm voice. The waitress would almost certainly take notice of the demonic eye that he possessed. The sight of it would no doubt send shivers up one's spine. Turning back to Aisha, the wolf smirked slightly once more. "I know what you're thinking. That I am different from before. Well I am. People change, Aisha. That's life."

It was then, however, that Gareeku heard another voice. Turning to the side, the wolf found himself being addressed by Stygian. Listening to what he said, Gareeku's facial expression was that of grim seriousness.
"I am not getting out of anything." the wolf replied. "Nobody threatens we without facing the consequences. Whoever is ultimately responsible for these attacks will pay."

[Aisha deCabre]

As Aisha awaited Gareeku's reply, she leaned her arms comfortably at the table, though still keeping ears rather than eyes focused on the conversation taking place around Stygian.  The eyes were on the wolf, watching his demeanor as he spoke to her, then to the waitress.  She waited for her to leave, then listened to his words while taking note that she too recieved a shudder from seeing that eye.

"Your smirk didn't change," she smirked back and shrugged slightly.  "You think I didn't know that?  Life is nothing but change.  But you certainly can't blame a feline for being curious of how you did," she chuckled.  "Change or not, old friend, at least you're alive."

She put much meaning into that last word, for it was certain they all could remember back when that word could have meant nothing...

Suddenly she followed Gareeku's gaze to Stygian's table, also upon hearing the bat regard the wolf and the group in general about the option of leaving.  Aisha quirked an eyebrow at that.  For herself, she didn't seem to have a choice, unlike some of the others.  But that was remedied...it was still her choice to keep going.

"Like their brothers and sisters with their blood painting the lawn outside, they shall pay indeed," Aisha said with a hint of danger in her voice and a glimmer in her crimson gaze.  At this point and time she seemed to have lost her caution and could declare her opinion.  The adventurers in the room were on the same side.

She glanced back towards Gareeku with a laugh.  "Your determination didn't change, either."

[Gareeku]

Listening to Aisha's reply to what he said after he had spoken to Stygian, the smirk slowly diminished as he thought of what the feline had said.
"Yes...alive..." the wolf replied softly. "...How fortunate..."

[Stygian]

Stygian regarded Mel's expression for a second. Firm and solid, just as he had expected. And as always, as cool as ice. Something to be appreciated, he guessed. The next few moments he spent his attention on Gareeku and Aisha, and their conversation, though his face didn't change, and if his eyes did move, it wasn't visible.
   "Allright then. Maybe some of the others will have the sense to jump ship while they still can in the morning. For now..." he said, his fingers bunched and almost to his lips as he leaned forward. "For now, I think that I shall rest."
   Slowly, he stood, slipping the cork for the bottle of wine in between his fingers and pressing it down a bit, and then took it. He looked around, and then set his gaze on Edge.
   "Someone keep watch on him. And if you don't want to, send him up to my room. He won't run if he's too scared to move," he said, with the slightest bit of a smirk, and then walked off, heading for his room and bed.

[Boog]

The morning, Richard simply sat and thought. Should he stay, should he go? There were many reasons supporting either course of action, but which was actually a good idea? On the one hand, he wanted out before his name ended up on a hit list. On the other hand, it might already be there, which meant not seeing this through would put him and those around him in even greater danger.
"I'll keep an eye on him. Don't sleep anyway," the undead volunteered absently, half-lost in his own contemplations.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel tossed money on her table then wandered back to the reception desk to get a room. She hoped to find the owner and see if she could negotiate a deal on the room. She was trying to place his name, hoping it wasn't a family that Grandmother had a spat with. Not that she could keep up with the ever shifting ups and downs of the grand one and her relationships with other families. No one was in reception when she got there so she took a moment to look around. The building seemed built with taste and quality and to be well maintained. No wonder Mr. Morkesorm was a bit peeved to have his garden plowed up.

[Tezkat]

Once it became apparent that Mel preferred to eat her meals in silence, the black fox simply sat back to watch the sea, quietly sipping a mojito. Perks and twirls of his pointed ears betrayed his interest in the activity around him in the restaurant, however. The strange black-and-gold bat took off from Stygian's table with the wallet in its little claws and landed in his lap. Nobody saw anything further from it for the rest of the night.

When Mel returned from her conversation with Stygian to pay her bill, the vulpine Edge got up.

"Please. I did offer to treat you." He raised a hand and smiled. "I insist."

+ + +

Still in bat form, Ky flew after Stygian up to his room. In the absence of directions to the contrary, it located a comfortable perch to settle down for the night.

+ + +

After the others left, the fox sauntered over to the Undead, who had apparently volunteered to be his chaperone for the night.

"I don't believe we've had the pleasure." He extended a hand. "You can call me Edge. Your friend procured my services to... ah... help him get to the bottom of his little problem."

[Boog]

Richard extended one hand to the fox, "Richard. Lucky you; that friend procured my services by possibly involving me in his little problem," were it within his ability the undead's grin would widened marginally, "Nice to meetcha. So, I'm assuming you were amongst those involved in that fiasco outside?" Might as well learn something. Besides, might find out who was responsible for that damn arrow.

[Tezkat]

The fox wore a violet shirt and dark slacks--chic yet relaxed business casual with no visible weapons--but he had the poise and build of someone who knew how to handle himself in a fight.

"That's how it is, isn't it?" Edge chuckled. "To tell you the truth, I haven't had the chance to survey all the damage outside yet. He didn't bring me into the fold until after the fighting was over. I've had some past dealings with the man who hired those goons, you see." He leaned back against one of the tables. "But I suppose I didn't know quite what I was getting into, either. Callous businessmen are one thing. Women scorned are something else entirely."

He clapped his hands together. "Well, looks like we're stuck together for now. What say I buy you a drink before they close the bar?"

[Aisha deCabre]

As Aisha heard Gareeku's soft reply to her words, she couldn't help but note the doubt in his tone, and it only made her all the more curious.  The panther could only imagine what could have made his countenance so dark...but something told her that it was best left unknown for the time being.

She glanced back at Stygian as he spoke up again, and only gave him a curt nod as a farewell for the night, with a softer one for Mel as she too left.  Aisha then felt a bit of relief as Richard volunteered to watch over the black fox, whom she presumed was their...prisoner of war, so to speak.  Not that she counted their situation as a war...but at that time of night, a better term couldn't be thought of.

Once that was settled, she looked back to Gareeku again with a smile.  "It is indeed fortunate.  A chance at life--and especially one in which you have a greater degree of control, I'm guessing--is too precious still to be taken for something unfortunate.  Take it from myself, yourself, and everyone else who sees death all too regularly," she finished with a sort of knowing sincerity.

After a moment, the panthress stood from the table, hiding a slight yawn behind her hand as she passed Gareeku and laid her hand on his shoulder.  "I'll leave you to your meal, then.  Night."

Starting towards the doors of the restaurant and trying to remember which room she had claimed, Aisha figured that perhaps sleep wouldn't be too difficult after all.  At least she certainly hoped.

[Boog]

Richard's grin would have broadened. As it was, Edge's words seemed to have a noticably positive impact on a certain dead man's disposition, "I say 'yes, please.' Seems I'm meeting so many interesting people willing to keep me drunk. I should have gotten myself involved in the dealings of obviously dangerous thugs ages ago. As for the damage outside..." Richard shrugged, "People with firearms, irate spellcasters, and some bastard named Illat packing the apocalypse in a bottle, so the local real estate value's probably shot." A sudden look of dismay crossed the baboon's face, "Hope the car we took here isn't scrap, that'd be inconvenient."

[Stygian]

Rauth was returning down the hallway where he had spoken to Kiri, when he looked up, or rather down, to see Mel walking toward him. Meeting her straight on, he noticed her gaze on him, and stopped.
   "Yes? Was there something you wanted, miss?" he said, as gently as he had with Kiri. It seemed that was his way at all times. But he didn't exactly need a harsh tone to have a commanding presence.

- -

Stygian walked past doors, all of whom hid the entrance to rooms that he could feel anyway, heading into the left wing of the tavern. He passed a whisper of Keaton's unmistakeable scent, made clearer through moisture and warmth. Apparently she had taken a shower. Another, this one calmer and much cooler than the low, heated, almost boiling scent of the jackal, but with a different sort of edge to it, was much fainter from another door. He paid it no mind.
   Almost at the end of the corridor, he found his room and slipped in. He would have showered, but saved that one for the morning instead. Setting his glass down, he slipped out a little notebook from his coat pocket, poured himself some more wine, took off the coat and shirt and reclined on the bed, getting ready for sleep, stretching his arms a bit every now and then.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel smiled up at the larger dragon and in her native tongue responded, "I was hoping to get a room as well as negotiate my part of the damages. Not that I'm responsible for anything but a bit of frost damage." She paused and smiled some more, "Of course the area I may have damaged was subsequently blown up, so I shouldn't owe much at all."

[Tezkat]

"Whose car was it?" Edge asked absently. "Ah... nevermind. I think that you'll find that dealing with dangerous people can be quite profitable. Or at least entertaining." He smirked. "And there won't be a shortage of booze. Come on. I'll bet that a nice inn like this one stocks the good imports."

The fox made his way over to the bar and a night of relaxed drinking.

[Stygian]

Rauth smiled, and replied to Mel in turn, his voice a low murr.
   "I think it's quite allright. And I know that you will be able to pay the bulk of the damage straight away. But let's leave some to your friends, allright? It's the principle that matters," he said, and chuckled. Discretely, he slipped his hand into his pocket, and then fished out a shiny silvery key attatched to a small metal clip with the room number on it. He took her hand, slipped it into it, gently closed it and then turned it over, kissing it.
   "I will look forward to meeting you again, miss Icewing. Enjoy your stay," he practically purred. Then, he straightened with that same smile, and slid off, tail snaking behind him.

- -

The night passed quickly enough, though even if they had all gone to bed more or less early, they all seemed to sleep rather long as well, despite the sun inching over the horizon ever earlier as it was closing on summer. There was something with the wind and the sea air that just seemed so fresh and relaxing that it was impossible not to enjoy the early morning. The morning was cold, but not too cold, as even these lands were warmed by the sun, even if the ocean did not bring warmth until later in the year.

   For Stygian's part, he slept in a bit as well, keeping the balcony door open to chill the room to perfection. After some pondering, he rolled over in the silky sheets, slowly inching out of them so as not to spoil the comfort of it, and then got out on the floor, closing the door, stretching and working out the stiffness in his limbs. A quick shower and some readying later, he got in order, still thinking about how well the evening before had turned out, in spite of things. He went out when the sun was already somewhat high, and slowly made his way down toward the restaurant.

[Cogidubnus]

 As Stygian descended the stairs and entered the restaurant, he saw the black clad swordsman from earlier already sitting down and staring out at the dawn, a mug of something dark and steaming in his hand. He turned to regard the bat, and made a slight grin. "Morning, sunshine." he said, sipping his drink. He turned his attention back to the sun, already a little high in the air. He sat there quietly for a little while, drinking his coffee.
He seemed to murmur something under his breath, and then spoke again to the bat. "Coffee here is good, if you care for some." he said, suddenly standing. His cup was empty. As he returned to get a refill, he again regarded the bat. "I assume we figured out where we were going?"

[Tezkat]

The still vulpine Edge sat by the window, picking at a fruit plate and a sipping a mimosa to take the edge off the previous night's festivities. The black fox had exchanged his casual dress for a crisp, black-shirted white suit, ready to attack whatever business the day had to offer. He nodded to acknowledge Stygian's entry, then returned to his breakfast.

[Stygian]

Walking over and leaning on the counter, Stygian squinted somewhat in the sunlight, his eyes somehow turning from the gleaming black of before into a rather normal dark bluish gray. He closed them and rubbed his temple a bit, shielding his face from the light for a bit and muttering something about polar opposites, before getting a cup for himself.
   "We're going to a club. It's called the Red Sands," he said, after he'd filled his cup and added a hint of milk and sugar, lifting it to his lips and pinching his nostrils together against the vapors. "I hope you know how to handle yourself. And on the floor; not with a sword." He took a long draw and sighed, looking out against the beating waves and the nearly clear-blue horizon. Then, quickly, he turned and looked at the wolf, seriously but a little more pleasantly.
   "That is, of course, if you are actually going. I won't say that it wouldn't be nice with a bit of backup in there, but if it's unneccessary to put anyone in danger, then..." he said, leaving the sentence unfinished, and returned to sipping his coffee.

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha awoke surprisingly peacefully the next morning, with the sunlight brightening the shadows of her eyelids and quickly warming her melanistic face.  Her dreams had not been disturbing, nor were they even bordering on nightmares as what usually happened.

She blinked a few times to bring her vision back into focus, and laid eyes upon a room bathed in light and hope, as it at least seemed.  The dawn rose over the ocean from her window's view in brilliant white-azure colors and a gentle-scented breeze.

The panthress's head hung in thought as she sat up and stretched.  Contrary to her fears, her sleep had gone undisturbed, and she still had her life.  Another night survived, another blessing to count.

With a yawn, she stood up and dressed into the clothes that she wore the night before, guessing that she would have to grab her adventuring attire after breakfast.  She heard few sounds from the hallways, nor many from some of the rooms.  Some were either downstairs or sleeping in, she discerned.  But a silent morning was perfect for her.

She made her way back to the restaurant just as she heard voices beyond...though the panthress only caught the last of the conversation...enough to know where they were going next, at least.  Her ears pinned back to her skull for a moment...then, Aisha simply shrugged and passed through the doors.  She was still a bit tired and too hungry to argue with much.

"Well well, the early worms are here," the panthress smirked to the others with a slight nod of greeting and started to browse the breakfast menu.

[Gareeku]

Listening to Aisha before she left to head for bed, Gareeku said nothing, merely nodding his head slightly before finishing his meal. Unlike the others, the wolf did not go to bed, but stayed up for the night, drinking ale as he sat at the table where he had eaten his meal.

The next morning, Gareeku was now drinking a glass of water, having stop drinking ale for a few hours. Watching the others arrive, the wolf turned back to the glass of water, finishing it off as he contemplated ordering something else to drink; namely, ale.