The City (IC) [M]

[Kafzeil]

Jinx stared at this familiar figure for what seemed like an eternity. The figure, however, kept his amused grin plastered on his face.

"He He...What's the matter Felix? You look like you've seen a ghost!" The collie laughed.

The Assassin tried shaking his sense of panic and disbelief off. All he managed to do was hide it under a mask of calm.

"I killed you Max..."Jinx tried sounding cool...threatening, badass. However, he really just seemed like a very frightened man trying to hide his fear.

" You did, Felix. 8 years ago, you stab your first, best, and only friend in the jugular...The collie known as Max laughed some more. " Ha ha...the irony...the Leagues wanted to see if we could kill the other...I couldn't do it...told I wouldn't. Then, you plunged my own dagger into my neck."

Jinx grunted, shallowing as he glared at the bloody canine."You're not real..."The black cat stammered, in yet another vain attempt to summon his courage.

Am I really, Felix? Come on, man...after all we did together, I thought you'd be happy to see me again-

"Shut up and leave me alone!"The feline assassin yelled, getting to his feet and glaring at his long dead companion.

Max chuckled, leaning back on his chair and propping his feet on the table."Now, Felix...I thought you hated making a scene?"The canine gave his old friend a mysterious grin.

"The Hell you talking about?"

"They can't see me, Felix...to them, you're yelling at an empty chair."

[SpottedKitty]

The tension in Andrace's body relaxed after the two humans suddenly collapsed and fell asleep. A flick of her wrists pointed her gun away, then she put it back in its holster and began to stand up. "Well, that's that," she said with some relief. "Nice bit o' spellcastin', whoever did it. Now, if that's all th' excitement over —"

The lioness would never make a good Oracle, or at least one safe to be near. As if waiting for someone to say those words, the sherriff's overheated gun exploded, sending ragged fragments of almost red-hot metal flying in all directions. Andrace swore and flattened her muzzle against the bar top. Something whirred viciously past her ear, and she thought she felt a tug on her hair, then it really was all over.

She raised her head and looked around. "Everyone okay?" she called, then her ears dipped as she noticed the extra limp body on the floor. She could smell blood, too. "Dammit, someone's stopped a bit o' that. Who knows a good healin' spell?" She vaulted back over the bar, knelt to pull a small first aid kit from a side pocket of her backpack, and trotted across the room to see what she could do for the short pale-furred rodent sprawled on the floor with several bloodstains spreading over his clothes.

She paused for a moment to look at the tall, cadaverously thin black cat either having a panic attack or heading towards a screaming argument with an empty chair. Everyone's crazy here 'cept thee an' me, Andrace thought wryly, an' I'm not too sure 'bout thee...

[Lisky]

Ed was having fun with Eph, he was enjoying the little games and he knew that she couldn't be bad.  He himself downed the rest of his drink, moved his head closer to Eph's and said in a low voice, "why, my original offer was to go somewhere private, perhaps a romp through the woods... or sheets if you'd prefer..."  he gave the tasmanian devil girl an extremely amused grin while awaiting her response.

[Angel]

The fight was quick, and the two combatants were put to sleep by the teacher-ish looking woman with the living books - but not before a gun exploded. Almost in synchrony, Mykst and Black Magic swept their cloaks up to cover their faces and dove out of the way, stray pieces of shrapnel flying around them. One of them nicked Kali in her arm, and Mykst felt one graze his side, but it ended as quickly as it had begun. but now, of course, there were Payden's injuries to worry about. The housecat quickly moved to the cop, but his girlfrined stopped him.

"I'll take care of him, you make sure that other guy's okay," she said. This wasn't her being controlling; Mykst knew enough healing spells to help, but since healing magic wasn't his natural affinity, he wouldn't be able to do much for Payden. As he moved to go help the rodent, Black Magic answered the question everyone seemed to have and added one of her own.

"We know some healing spells, but just in case, are there any more advanced healers in here?" As she spoke, she couldn't help glancing over at the wiry-thin black cat who appeared to be having a bout of schizophrenia. The shouting itself didn't bother her, and she did her best not to stare, but what got to her was that the cat looked the tiniest bit like Mykst.

[Boog]

Moze winced as the gun exploded and glared down at the two unconscious people furiously. From the sounds of things, they'd injured someone in HIS Inn... But all the other patrons had already swooped in to fix things. The orangutan grumbled and put the shortsword back on the counter. Hearing the troll's offer of assistance he thought for a second, and then jerked his head at Giles. "Fine, you get the heavy one. Just give the rest of 'em a minute to finish seeing to the other one before I throw his ass out and I'll tell you outside. You know how their hearing can be." This last bit was in a low, low whisper, jerking his head at the demon girl behind him.
Jezebel, meanwhile, had raised an eyebrow at Jinx. Usually you didn't get ones like this until their second time into the City proper.

Gareeku and Aisha had been walking awhile before they finally began to see the fence surrounding the City in the distance. Topped with barbed wire and with warning signs in every language on the way, the relaxed, overweight, half-asleep rat in the guard booth seemed like an almost comical contrast to the severity of the place's reputation.

[Myr]

"Right," The wolfish Mythos said in a somewhat laconic tone before turning to the former crusader -he'd been eying the injured 'roo-rat with mild interest until the innkeeper spoke. Small, injured, and appetizing; why did all the interesting things have to happen just as he made his mind up to do something?

Remember your manners, Raek reminded himself as he reached for Giles, wait and see if he survives or not first. Very economical way of thinking there...for a troll. Besides, he reasoned, if he lives he seems likely to hire me. Or maybe the two felines....That other with the longish ears, not sure about him... A pale eye rolled to focus on the Nictari thoughtfully.

Still, in respect to the armored man he was told to move. . This would be easier if he wasn't laying on his belly, then I could just carry him over my shoulder, he huffed as he grabbed the man's arms and began pulling him up.

"Hai-yup," the canid grunted -it'd been a long time since he'd gotten to carry something this heavy! Though it wasn't beyond his limit, thankfully. Besides, he welcomed the chance to work his muscle a bit.

Finally-with a bit of grip shifting and at least a little clatter of metal- he managed to get Giles off the ground with a hand under each armpit. "Where do you want him?" Raek asked Moze. There was that, wasn't there? The simian hadn't told him where to take the human. "Outside?"

If so, that'd work out nicely-he'd be able to just drop the chap on the ground and get on to learning about that female ram-demon.

[Teh_Hobo]

"I don't actually know, but judging by the sign on that last place... likely not. I'm just lookin for a place for me to ah, practice my trade, and earn me some money to live on for a bit. I'm wagerin there'll be people in there," he gestured towards the City. "an' where there are people, theres money."
His eyes kept wandering back to the rifle. The more he looked at it, the more he remembered. The more he remembered, the more the madness threatened to surge back. He blinked as hard as he could, and forced himself to look away from the gun.
"So, er, you headin in that direction? I wouldn't mind the company, if you are. And if you don't object."
Why, why did I say that?? The closer I am to that cannon, the more...
He felt in his pockets. There it was. He closed his hand around a small pocket knife. It wasn't anything near big enough to be useful in a fight, but he gripped it as though his life depended on it. After a few moments he released the knife back into his pocket.
I'll be fine. It'll take a lot more than that to set me off this time.
He stared at the fox, waiting for his reply.

[SpottedKitty]

Andrace knelt beside the injured kangaroo rat, and immediately began checking his wounds. "Easy now," she said reassuringly, "I'm here t' help y' — just lie still, an' I'll be done in no time." Frig it, what a snafu, she though, hip's messy, but it don't look too bad — whatever hit 'im kept on goin', I think. Shoulder's nasty, looks like somethin' got chopped up in there. Stomach's th' worst, though, needs fixin' up right now.

She looked up at the grey-furred cat who'd come up beside her. "Thanks f'r th' help, kid," she said with a tight-lipped smile, "sit y'self down an' start wi' th' hip, it just needs healin', I think. Th' other two got stuff inside needs t' be dug out first, though." She hoped the youngster had done this sort of thing before, and wasn't about to suddenly discover he was allergic to blood (in its splattered-all-over form) in the middle of casting a healing spell.

Andrace took a soft cloth pad and a large pair of tweezers out of the first aid kit, pulled the rat's shirt up for a better look at the wound, then leaned down to speak quietly into his ear. "Hope y' can hear me, I got t' poke about a bit, an' it's goin' t' hurt. Get ready, I'll do it on th' count o' four, one, two, I lied." As she spoke, the lioness clamped her left hand firmly on the rat's chest and picked up the tweezers; now she poked them into the oozing stomach wound. She fished around for a couple of seconds, drew her hand back, and pressed the cloth pad hard against the wound. A sharp-edged chunk of metal, dripping blood, clattered on the floor at her side.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

When the gun exploded Sister Alex felt some of the smaller bits tugging at her voluminous robes as they passed through the fabric, but was thankfully far enough away that her clothing was the only casualty. Others were not so lucky. The damaged bystander quickly gathered two attendants so she went to check the loud sheriff. He was badly burned but the byproducts of the exploding gun seemed to have largely bypassed him. Not being from one of the nursing orders healing spells weren't one of her strong skills, but the Gutenbergs traded expertise with such orders regularly. Her staff was one such item. She carefully laid the tip on Payden's chest and let it work it's magic.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Ed was having fun with Eph, he was enjoying the little games and he knew that she couldn't be bad.  He himself downed the rest of his drink, moved his head closer to Eph's and said in a low voice, "why, my original offer was to go somewhere private, perhaps a romp through the woods... or sheets if you'd prefer..."  he gave the tasmanian devil girl an extremely amused grin while awaiting her response.

Looking around at the results of the barbrawl which she had been ignoring, despite the short burst of violence it was pretty much the norm. When Ed made his offer Ephy smiled. It seemed no matter where she went someone wanted into her pants, not that she minded though. "Mmmm that sounds like fun..." She whispered back, "But for the moment I think just a walk, I came here hearing about the City and some of the loot you can find in there."

[Lisky]

Ed nodded, his smile changed slightly, but he was still amused... the offer had been half harted, but she looked like she would have been fun.

Although still getting feelings from around the bar, Ed had been more or less ignoring everybody else.  He grinned, then nodded to Eph, "perhaps you'd care to team up and get a head start?  I doubt a stroll through the outskirts of The City could hurt... besides, it'd give us a chance to find something valuable before anyone of these other dungeon crawlers get going... what do you think?"

[Noone]

Kyirri's sight was blurry, and his hearing was somewhat fuzzy as well. He let out a soft groan, he almost immediately tried to get defensive when he saw someone coming over to him, skeptical that he would be receiving genuine help. Dire straits, and difficulty moving his limbs forced him to stay still, if not entirely relaxed. He tried to mentally brace himself for three unpleasant bursts of pain, albeit not very successfully.

Kyirri yelped out in pain as the largest piece, still very hot, was removed from himself. He tried not to move his arms around too much, but put his left hand on his chest wound after the piece was removed. He made some soft sounds that were barely comprehensible. His senses weren't very coherent either, the remaining pieces of superheated metal still stung, and burned. He closed his eyes, thinking that it would help him endure if he didn't have to see what was being done to him, not that his vision was particularly sharp at the moment anyways.

His breathing was slow. Blood continued to ooze from his wounds.

[Aisha deCabre]

As he heard Aisha coming up from behind, and hear her speak, Gareeku quirked an ear under his hood and smirked back.  "I don't mind competent company, no.  I can't blame anyone for wanting to get out of there either.  If the others want to stay and pick fights, it's their loss."

The panthress chuckled in agreement and turned her gaze back to the road in front of them.  "Glad to be welcomed, mi amigo.  This place will be easier and less dangerous to navigate with more than one person anyway, I think."

As the wolf and the jaguar continued down the darkened road, they did indeed notice the warning signs, becoming more fervent in ordering travelers to turn back with every step.  So many languages--only two of which Aisha could read--said the same things.  It certainly had an effect; the more dangerous it felt, the more interesting it seemed, and the more curious the adventurers were.

Both had their hands carefully at the ready on their weapons by the time they reached the barbed-wire gate that marked the border of the place.  Strangely, there also appeared to be someone guarding it, a rat sitting almost too relaxed in a booth.

Aisha narrowed her eyes, wondering about the situation.  "Think we should just go through?  I wonder if it's closed."

"Only one way to find out..." the wolf murmured back, glancing at the barbed wire.  "We shouldn't have to cut ourselves first.  Somebody really wants to keep people out."

They went up to the booth, in full sight of the rat so that their intentions were known...it could be seen they were warriors, from the way they carried themselves and the weapons hidden partially under their cloaks.  It probably wouldn't hurt to make themselves known anyway...and if they wouldn't be let in, well, there were other ways to enter.

"S'cuse me, señor," Aisha said with a polite inclination, rapping her knuckles slightly on the side of the window.  "Not a toll to get through this place, is there?"

[Angel]

Mykst was a little tense around Andrace, but nowhere near as much as he had been around PaydenShe was being friendly, and she reminded him the slightest bit of Kali's mother - much younger, of course, but similar in looks and personality. He nodded at her advice, studying the kangaroo-rat's wounds. The hip-wound, at least, wasn't that deep and had nothing stuck in it. It should be easy to heal. He spoke in a quiet, low voice to the rodent. "This is going to feel a little strange, but it won't hurt. I need you to stay still, okay?" That being said, he focused his hands around the wound; he wouldn't need his staff for this. "Lux sancta, sana hoc vulnus," he said, a white light emanating from his hands. The wound would feel a bit warm, and might itch as it healed, but true to the cat's word, it didn't hurt.

Black Magic, meanwhile, stood near Payden as the squirrel examined him. She intended for herself and Mykst to stick around until he was fuly healed. He was a bit of a jerk, true, but he had offered to help them, and they would end up needing it if Dyixaz's stern warnings were anything to go by. The liones could only hope that when he came to and hopefuly still wanted to aid them, he wouldn't freak out about one of their contacts for home being a half-demon.

She watched the woman's staff heal the cop, and turned to look at her. "Holy magic, or something different?" she asked.

((OOC: Feel free to fix my Latin. I always wanted to take it for real, but never had the chance.))

[shadowterm]

Sam was till trying to figure things out. Okay, he thought. A gun, two unconscious humans, people fixing it. Right, time to stop messing around. I know where the city is, and it isn't going anywhere. I have supplies, not much, but enough. Sam walked out of the inn and headed off in the direction of the city.

[techmaster-glitch]

   Traxen saw that the "fight" was indeed already over, and some of the patrons were apparently dealing with the aftermath. Traxen couldn't see any way he could help, but he did want to talk to the bartender.
  As Traxen started moving the van back towards the bar, he remembered that the motors and turret were still at "combat" capacity. He quickly rectified that, "Pamcawv, stand down all systems to normal operation."
  "A-fir-ma-tive."
  Traxen pulled the van back up to the bar and began recalling the flying drone when he noticed Sam exiting the bar and heading in the direction of the City. The bar is bleeding adventures... Traxen noted. The more people left on their own, the smaller any team would be. Traxen wanted to take advantage of all the people and stick with the largest and most competent group, but that seemed like less and less of a good prospect. Still, Sam was an interesting and seemingly competent enough guy. Worth keeping an eye on. In fact...
  Traxen finished recalling the small camera drone, and turned from the wall of monitors to open up a large blocky storage unit inside the van. He fished out a medium camera drone and set it down as he rummaged around for a few other things. He picked out a small communication headset; basically a universal adjustable earpiece with a small antenna and microphone attached. Traxen had four such headsets, he had made them on one of the last times he was with a group of adventurers to keep them in communication. As long as the headset was in range of the van, it would work. Traxen got some wire and jury-rigged the headset to hang off of the disc-shaped drone. He then turned it on, went to the back of the van, opened the door a little, and unceremoniously tossed the drone out. He returned to the wall of monitors, and set the drone to start following a distance behind Sam as he headed off. Traxen then looked at the almost-forgotten screen showing the view of the drone that had followed the homeless human. He would have pulled the drone away then, but the man with the large gun seemed interesting enough to continue watching. Still, if only he hadn't lost that white wolf and black jaguar... they looked like they meant business.
  To finally talk to the bartender, Traxen redeployed the spider-drone from earlier. It scuttled around the bar, back in the open window, skirted around the minor devastation area, and began to seek out the bartender.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Ed nodded, his smile changed slightly, but he was still amused... the offer had been half hearted, but she looked like she would have been fun.

Although still getting feelings from around the bar, Ed had been more or less ignoring everybody else.  He grinned, then nodded to Eph, "perhaps you'd care to team up and get a head start?  I doubt a stroll through the outskirts of The City could hurt... besides, it'd give us a chance to find something valuable before anyone of these other dungeon crawlers get going... what do you think?"

"Sounds like an idea" the Tassie Devil said with a evil grin (with oh so many sharp teeth). As they headed out the door Ephrael grabbed her traveling cloak and bag of tricks.

[Lisky]

As he walked with the girl, Ed started taking in the view of their surroundings, and as they headed towards the city, he began noticing the warning signs, and as such, he figured there was no real point in hiding what he was any longer...  Edaric grew both sets of wings, and flexed his back wings to their full length he then folded them around his body, and let the cloak partially cover them.  Looking slightly down at Eph, he said, "you know, most beings are downright terrified of the cubi race, and i'm pleasantly surprised that you're giving me a chance.  The fact that you knew what i was, and was still willing to go along means your probably familiar with my race... any chance you'd be willing to let me know the story there... or at least perhaps what gave me away as a cubi?... no one seemed to notice besides you, so i'm very curious as to what gave me away..."

It was at this point that the incubus flashed mischievous smile of his own, complete with needle sharp fang, and razor sharp teeth of his own.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Alex looked at the young lioness when she spoke. "Holy magic. A trade with our sister order since we aren't the best at healing. But the staff seems to have done it's work." The burns on the sheriff appeared healed. She couldn't break the sleep spell to be sure while the armored human was being dragged from the building. Shifting the staff slightly she held out her hand to the lioness. I'm Sister Alexandria." As an afterthought, since no one seemed to recognize her robes, "Order of St. Gutenberg."

[Cogidubnus]

Nobody seemed particularly worried about the former Paladin's state as they checked over Payden and the unfortunate bystander who'd been injured. Giles, however, didn't seem to care - unconsciousness bringing that oft-absent peaceful temperament the blackguard was missing so much.

No-one, however, had bothered to pull the red-hot spear from the floorboards. Blue wood-smoke curled up as the floorboards caught fire and spread quickly along the spilled booze and other detritus.

[Kafzeil]

"Felix, you're making an ass out of yourself, just sit down, take a deep breath, and act casual. The Last thing anybody needs to the reassurance they're sleeping in the room next to crazed assassin."

The feline bit his lip and closed his emerald eyes. You know you were having one of those days when what could either be a ghost of a hallucination was the voice of reason. He pulled the chair back and sat down in it.

"Good on you Felix...now...what is Kafzeil wants from this wretched Hive, Felix?"

Jinx quickly glanced at the letter."...Big surprise. Science. Doesn't want the treasure...he says he just wants to know if the local legends how some weight..."Jinx grumbled. The Angel was planning something...Hell, the assassin had known about it since he was hired on by Harkonnen...he had even asked him about it, but all Jinx got for an answer was a mysterious grin.

"Tread carefully Felix. Kafzeil doesn't like you. For all you know he could be spending you off to a death trap.

"I I know...I know..."jinx mumbled, looking around the bar. He hated working with people...they were unreliable, and often just became an extra load for Jinx to carry.

Got to stop thinking like that Felix. This ain't no Commission, an extra set of eyes will do you good.Max chuckled, scanning the bar as well as he grinned, revealing a set of pearly white fangs.

Jinx weighed his options: He somehow felt...some kind of connection to the young feline boy...on the other hand, him and Payden seemed like they'd be at each others throats...and Jinx wasn't sure of his opinion of Weres was all that positive, and if Jinx was somehow ousted ...

Though, the former Paladin...battle experience, a hardened warrior...and able to use magic in out of the box ways. However he seemed...psychotic when his buttons were pushed-

Jinx realized they had a bit more in common, after looking back at Max again.

[ShadesFox]

"Where am I heading?  To the city eventually.  Though I was hoping to find a place to sleep first."

Ben shruged.  This man seemed a bit uneasy, and was fiddling with something in his pocket.  No matter, all should be fine in the end.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

The lone wanderer wandered up to the town, stumping his way along the streets to find someplace actually open, out of the weather, and supplying a beer. It'd been a couple of weeks he'd been jonesing for a drink, now, and it was never pleasant staggering along in the middle of nowhere - although it wasn't too bad, at least you didn't have idiots bothering you.

He noted the various groups of folks wandering around; the armoured vehicle was unusual, but apparently not bothering him. He glanced at the sign over the door - Last Chance - and stumped up to it, just as it opened and an ape-like being threw out one of the denizens. Witt nodded up at the bouncer, if that was what he was - probably either the owner or his brother, so it didn't pay to be too miserable to him until after he'd started paying for drinks - and shoved through the door. He took three steps inside, unzipped, and put out the fire around the spear with a hiss and a sigh.

"Aaaaah, been waitin' for that."

He zipped up, pulled the spear out of the now damp - and smouldering - wood, and stumped over to the bar. Reversing the spear, he balanced it against the bar, parked himself on a stool, and slapped a coin down onto the wood.

He raised one eyebrow at the girl behind the bar. "I'll have a drink, if yer're not busy."

Against the bar, the liquid dripped down the spearhead onto the handle, and made it's way to the floor.

[Boog]

"Just follow me, I'll show you where to leave 'em." Moze waited until the others were done seeing to Payden before finally hoisting the human over one shoulder and bringing him over to the entrance, beckoning the troll along behind him. He heaved the man next to the dumpster, dusted his hands off, took a swig from a flask he pulled from his pocket and offered it to Raek. "You're a good kid, helpin' me out like this." To Moze, most people who couldn't remember when a soda was half a dollar was a kid. Even if they could've been around before soda was invented. No exceptions. "So, demon girl. Answers to Alice. She showed up with her leg like that, from what I hear she's looking for someone. Gets to rambling about her old art teacher when she's drunk, and never sounds too happy about the man."

Jezebel hadn't noticed the flames until Witt put them out and winced. Dad wasn't going to be thrilled about that, but he HAD just put out the flames and since the fire extinguisher was empty from the incident last week she had to be a little grateful. She set out the beer, trying her damnest to keep a straight face as the little robot skittered up to her. "Well hello there... Hon," inwardly she nodded to herself. Sir or Ma'am was right out, but it was hard to go wrong with Hon. "How 'kin I help you?"

"Whut? A toll?" The rat looked up from the magazine he had with him, with a cover that forebode further scrutiny by polite company. He laughed wheezingly, "Nah, just safety regulations. After all, it'd be irresponsible to let folks into a thrice-cursed hellhole. Lose our town charter. 'Course, it'd also be irresponsible to let you know they keep forgettin' t' get a new lock for the gate. After all, no adventurers able to get in and we lose some good business." The rat gave a guffaw and settled back in his chair, pulling his hat down over his eyes. "'Sides, I never seen nobody sneakin' in. All a good city official has to go by is his own two eyes, this day and age."

[techmaster-glitch]

   On the van's external cameras, Traxen noticed another couple leaving the bar. These two, however, didn't look like much, so Traxen didn't set anything to tail them.
   Inside the bar, as the spider-drone scuttled around, Traxen suddenly noticed a small fire starting to spread as the little robot's camera caught the event. Groaning, he was just about to recall the drone again, when someone entered the bar and put the fire out with a rather... unorthodox method. Traxen's head titled as he tried to process that one. Eventually, he just shook his head and continued guiding the drone around.
   It climbed up the bar counter, and made its way down until it reached one of the orangutans. The girl, unusually enough, acknowledged the drone. Traxen spoke into his headset, the drone broadcasting his voice. "Yeah...uh, you work here, right? Have you worked here long enough to know much about that City over there? Specifically, what sort of dangers a visiting scavenger could expect? I've heard some stories about the place, and while there may be stuff in there of interest to me, it also sounds like it's infested with something, and I want to know if there's anything in particular I need to keep an eye out for."

[Noone]

With the largest piece of shrapnel out, and his hip wound closed, Kyirri was a lot more calm. His breathing became more steady, his vision was better, his hearing was alright as well, his wounds were still bleeding, but were a lot less painful. He looked up at Andrace and Mykst. He let out a soft groan, his mind still focused on trying to mitigate the pain he was in. He opened his eyes, his face was eerily relaxed. He tilted his head towards one of them.

"Th... th.... thanks... for what it's worth..." He said to them. He let out a deep breath, with a small sigh of relief.
"I... didn't deserve your kindness." He closed his eyes once again, but decided to stay on the ground, waiting for them to help with his other injuries. He was worried however, he had little he could do to repay them.

[Myr]

Pity Raek hadn't been able to stay around and witness what happened- when you're holding up a fella that, in your opinion, weighs about as much as a partly grown Clydesdale horse you tend to be more interested in depositing that weighty responsibility as soon as possible.

Still, at least it was good exercise, one could say, as he followed the simian being outside with his somewhat clanky cargo.

Huh, the canid Creature thought as he noted the armored van finally-in passing, of course-, What were those things called again? Fei, not important right now. His tail twitched a little as he obediently followed Moze. Once the chap had put the other human down, the lupine troll grunted as he debated rather briefly on simply dropping the paladin like a piece of luggage or setting him down gently.

The first, he had to admit personally, was rather appealing at the moment...considering the fact that Raek felt this was the one that'd set him off with the fire. But alas, he had dedicated himself to at least trying to make a vaguely good impression. So it was that he set Giles down against the dumpster itself.

"Thanks," He said carefully at the compliment once the simian started talking-though he shook his head at the offer for a drink. There were a few good reasons he didn't drink, to be honest...and not because he didn't like being drunk. It was how his body tended to metabolize the stuff that was the problem. Note to the wise...don't stand downwind. "You're not bad yourself, innkeeper." Or was it barkeeper? He wondered.

No matter; either title would work in this situation. Still, the Mythos chuckled in a somewhat guttural tone that sounded more like an ominous rumble. "Didn't try and get those adventurers to prod me with a meat-sticker or two." One could swear, perhaps, that he did have a slight bit of contempt for adventurers with the stress he put on the word-but then, who wouldn't when they tended to stab or cast first without considering the fact that he might not be the villain they were looking for?

Still, the troll-wolf couldn't deny that working with them was fun at times, should he get lucky enough to be hired on by a few.

"So, Alice, huh?" His head panned slightly as he leaned against the same wall the dumpster was set by while he processed the information. And honestly, he didn't mind being called a kid; Raek didn't even know now...or more precisely, really care about his age. If Moze thought he was young, it was his opinion. "Looks tough, anywhat..." The fellow paused for a moment, as if remembering something. "Name's Raek, by the way. I hire myself as a fighter to those that'll take me." Few that those were...

[Aisha deCabre]

As they listened to the rat's answer, Aisha and Gareeku exchanged a quick glance.  This guy seemed rather strangely upbeat for someone guarding the front door of a rumored "hellhole".  By the way he acted, one could easily mistake it as playing up a carnival-of-horrors tourist trap.  One of those haunted places that indeed makes money off of its reputation, whatever hid behind its history...with no regard for the history itself, but with regard on how to take advantage of it.

Then he mentioned losing business from adventurers.  An amused smirk played on the panther's face, what could be seen of it beneath the hood...and the slight hints that the gate was unlocked.  Well, he knows his target demographic at least.  Must have seen many adventurers pass through before us.

When he finished, Aisha chuckled with a bit of mischievousness to her tone, taking quick look at the gate itself.  "No lock, huh?  Well, isn't that a shame.  And far be it for us to play into irresponsibility, sí?  I guess we should be on our way then, Gareeku."

"Yes, a real shame," the white wolf roughly agreed, a smirk on his own features.  "Whatever is in there though, I'm sure a couple of skilled adventurers could handle it."  His voice turned a little more serious.  "But just out of curiosity...what would you say someone sneaking in would expect to find in this place?"

Aisha meanwhile had tentatively put a hand on the gate, peering through and slowly pushing it open.  Amid the quiet, she thought that she could hear more people in the distance behind them.  Some of the others in the tavern having decided to check it out early too, she guessed.  In front, the silence just seemed to stretch in the ghost city.

[SpottedKitty]

Andrace grabbed the injured rat's flailing hand and placed it over the cloth pad on his stomach wound. "It's OK," she told him reassuringly, "got that one done, now just hold on t' that while I see t' y'r shoulder. Th' kid here'll fix it up proper soon 's he's done healin' y'r hip." She nodded approvingly to the grey cat as she watched him cast a healing spell. One of the holy light-based ones, it looked like, and definitely a lot more powerful than her own best effort. She pulled another pad from the first-aid kit and held it in her teeth while she shifted her stance to crouch over the shoulder wound.

Her ears perked up as the rat seemed to recover a little awareness. He still didn't look all that healthy, though: a closer look at his pale skin and fur, and odd eyes, made her think she'd seen better-looking Undead. She snorted quietly, though, when he spoke up. "That's nothin' y' need t' worry 'bout, not yet at any rate. Just sit still, we'll be done soon."

The lioness flicked an ear as she pulled the jacket and shirt back from the injured shoulder. This one looked nasty, the sort of nasty where she didn't want her patient wriggling around too much while she poked and prodded at his insides. Maybe her own healing spell would help here; it wasn't very strong, but one thing it did do well was make things hurt a lot less. She murmured a few quiet words and made a grabbing gesture with her free hand. A soft green light appeared, flowing like thick syrup between her fingers. She let it drip into the ragged gash, and watched with satisfaction as it sank into the flesh.

"Hold still now," Andrace said in a businesslike tone, "this's the last bit that'll hurt real bad," She put one knee gently but heavily just above his elbow to immobilise the arm, and laid her hand flat on his chest again. Her probing with the tweezers took a lot longer this time, but finally she came up with a thin, sharp sliver of metal that had done a good job of slicing up the delicate internal parts of the rat's shoulder. "That's th' lot, I think," she said to the grey cat as she clamped the second pad over the shoulder wound. "Watch it when y' fixin' this one, though, it got chopped up real... good..."

Her voice trailed away as she realised she could smell something burning. A quick glance around the room revealed the floor around the red-hot spear beginning to catch fire... and also revealed a new arrival putting the flames out in an... unusual way. The lioness grinned toothily and suppressed most of a thoroughly disreputable-sounding snicker.

[Paladin Sheppard]

As he walked with the girl, Ed started taking in the view of their surroundings, and as they headed towards the city, he began noticing the warning signs, and as such, he figured there was no real point in hiding what he was any longer...  Edaric grew both sets of wings, and flexed his back wings to their full length he then folded them around his body, and let the cloak partially cover them.  Looking slightly down at Eph, he said, "you know, most beings are downright terrified of the cubi race, and i'm pleasantly surprised that you're giving me a chance.  The fact that you knew what i was, and was still willing to go along means your probably familiar with my race... any chance you'd be willing to let me know the story there... or at least perhaps what gave me away as a cubi?... no one seemed to notice besides you, so i'm very curious as to what gave me away..."

It was at this point that the incubus flashed mischievous smile of his own, complete with needle sharp fang, and razor sharp teeth of his own.

Ephrael in answer to his question reached down the front of her top, and pulled out a glowing gem on a necklace. Smiling she took the chain off and handed it to Ed "It glows near shapeshifers like cubi and Were's, but it becomes cold near Were's and warm with cubi." She tilted her head to the side and flicked a bang of her fiery red hair from her face. "And as for the lack of concern? Well I spent some time in the company of a member of Clan Shep'Pard, he taught me all sorts of ways to deal with cubi...and most other creatures." She added with a twinkle in her eyes.