The Castle [03] (Remba, but don't let it stop you)

[Aisha deCabre]

Ah, here we go, Aisha thought to herself, hiding another slight gulp with a sip from her drink as the bear made his way towards their side of the bar.  She had to hand it to Bambi, she was good at acting nonchalant; perhaps too much so with an intimidating figure looming over them.  The panthress at least always looked a little stern in expression herself, off-setting the too-cheerful demeanor.  The fact that she was an adventurer was probably obvious due to the sword strapped to her back.  But she just hoped that wasn't a grounds for suspect.

She looked the towering ursine over briefly, then put on a polite smile of her own with a nod.  "Officer," she greeted.  "Yes, we're fine, thank you.  As much as we can be hiding from your lovely weather."  She kept the sarcasm in her voice to a humorous tone, but her eyes passed over her comrades nearby.  Juuust try to keep it calm.  "Just stopped here to rest."

Aisha took another gulp of her ale, then tilted her head in a casual fashion while leaning back on her chair.  "Speaking of which, what brings a lawman out on such a day?"

[Sunblink]

Again and again, Keaton habitually fidgeted with her marble, the different blends of melted colors rolling and churning within the glassy sphere, as though she were allowing every bit of nervousness that didn't seep into her expression to channel into her marble as an outlet. Undoubtedly, Rynkura would notice how unskillfully she was attempting to mask her emotions and how her body language was radiating barely-restrained fear and tension, but she tried to distract the sagely felid from any observations she may have made.

"Yeah, I don't really mind the rain, since I like it and all, but when you've been walking through it for a while it kind of becomes a pain" -- she could've said something much more vulgar, but refrained from doing so-- "and, uh..."

For a moment, she pondered if she should indulge Rynkura about how Stygian had mercilessly devoured the Cubi woman in the town. All manner of gruesome predictions of Stygian turning on them next and tearing them to shreds flew through her head, making a barely noticeable tremor run down Keaton's spine. After a few seconds of playing mental ping-pong with her emotions and thoughts, Keaton spoke with surprising steadiness to her voice. If Stygian were intending to eat all of them, he probably would've done it a long time ago. But just in case, she would remain diligent, analyzing his movements and springing on the first opportunity he showed even the slightest sign of treachery.

Surely he couldn't fight against all of them, could he?

"Nothing interesting happened."

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Stygian]

The bear waited, making it seem as if it was a test of patience to hear the girls out, before speaking again.
   'Watching the people is every lawman's duty. If you leave your duty behind at your desk, you're unfit to be an officer,' he said, sounding almost lecturing. 'As for me, it takes more than a bit of rain and wind to make me huddle up indoors. You need to be especially watchful nights like this. All sorts of strange people think they can get away with things they usually won't in the dark and the rain.' His gaze was focused on Aisha now, even though he had shown a degree of surprise at Bam's outburst. 'We're used to slightly odd things around here, but that doesn't mean we don't keep our eyes open.'
   Slowly, the ursine placed his huge, beefy paws on the table, and leaned slightly on it. His gaze shifted to Gina.
   'Now, I'm not meaning to be nosy, but might you tell me what brought you ar...' he began, as the door opened for a short while, a man in a soaked overcoat stepping in. Then the flapping of wings interrupted him, and the next moment he was staring at the very sudden and inexplicable raven that had landed on Aisha's head.

- -

While Cog sat down again, Stygian sighed. There was a long silence, the smattering rain and a single, soft peel of thunder from far away the only sounds in the darkening room.
   'I've been an idiot to you all the time we've been here,' she began. 'And that's my problem, I know. I do that to everyone I like. Because...' She bit down and swallowed, but the pain had dulled to a mild throb by then. If she was going to get anywhere with this, then honesty and directness were... Get anywhere? Am I even hoping to get something out of this other than getting to whine for a while? A shoulder to cry on? Since when did you ever need that, asswipe?
   'I had a... bad time growing up,' she said, beating down her thoughts and slowly lifting her head to look Cog in the eyes. Hers were dark and deep and terrifying. 'My own family hated me for... for being an Angel. And my other ancestors, the ones who built this place, abandoned me. I was... tortured. I managed to escape, but not before they took my wings.' The memory was painfully clear in her mind. 'And even after that, I've had so many things happen to me that...'
   She paused again, listening to the smattering and emptying her mind of everything but darkness, before continuing.
   'Everyone I ever thought I cared for or loved has turned their back on me. Doing what I do, one cannot possibly believe in such things as friends, even less loved ones. And being what I am...' she said, and sighed. 'I've gotten used to the idea that no one could possibly like me.'

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"Jinkiies, Officer... We are here to solve the mystery of the Blue castle.." says Bambi, as the raven caws from Aisha.  Trying to ignore the thing.

PBH

[Cogidubnus]

Cog listened quietly, not interjecting, and letting the long pauses draw out before the bat began again. He waited until he was sure Sebastian was done before speaking, his words soft.
"I understand." he said, his eyes sliding over the room. He crossed his legs, leaning on his elbow as he spoke. "Betrayal..." Cog stopped over the word. "Pain, is not descriptive enough. It hurts, but it numbs." he said, turning to look at the bat. "It hurts you, but more than that, they hurt you. Being close to someone, when they do that - well, whips hurt...but physic yet could never reach, the maladies that thou dost teach...whom first the cramp of hope dost tear, then the palsy shakes of fear..." Cog said, intoning some long-forgotten rhyme. He stopped suddenly, a slightly apologetic look on his face.
"I'm sorry. But...I think...it doesn't matter." Cog sat straight again. "Nothing, could be farther from the truth." Cog looked at her, and and met her eyes. "People are always people. But not everyone betrays."
He stared at her for a moment longer. "And...well...I like you. A great deal. I could no more turn my back on you than myself. So..." Cog smiled, his eyes sad. "Perhaps people liking you is an idea you should get used to."

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel's simple steak dinner was served quickly and she was definitely feeling pressure to not linger over her meal. But she understood why from the chatter she caught as the nearby kitchen door swung back and forth. The news of the murder had made it this far and the mouse family was more than spooked by the news.

When she was done and settling her bill Mel asked for directions to the grocer and butcher. Besides the fact that she doubted anyone else would remember to shop amidst the excitement of the afternoon she wondered how fast the rumors were flying. Luckily the two shops were on the road out of town. A short walk and she found herself in the butcher shop, and facing the man from the alley, the one in the bloody apron.

[Stygian]

The man, a glum-faced bulldog, eyed Mel from almost even height and raised his eyebrows over small but surprisingly clever eyes.
   'Yes? How may I help you, miss?' he said, his voice not quite gruff but bothered nonetheless. 'I close at six, so if there's anything you want readied there's still time.'

- -

The bear, glaring at the intruding bird with the utmost disapproval, paused for a second as he heard Bam's words. Then he fixed his gaze solidly at her, his stare blank and yet intense.
   'So.That's the way things are, huh?' he said, after an awkward pause that seemed like a whole minute. 'Well, if that's the case, you should follow me down to the station for your own good, adventurers.'

- -

'You sound so certain,' Stygian replied, looking at Cog steadily. 'I wish I could be the same. But I'm very glad you... like me, even in spite of...'
   She sighed and shook her head. Ass. Stop talking. He's feeling awkward and he wants to leave. What are you messing around for? she thought. He's being a nice guy, that's all.
   'Thanks,' she said hesitantly, and gently put her hand on his shoulder. 'I've been longing to hear those things. Maybe not exactly, but... You've helped me. A lot.' She squeezed gently, but still with surprising strength. Then she sighed and turned away, sitting back on the bed with a still somewhat sad expression.
   'If you want to leave, go ahead. I'm going to stay here. Nothing much else to do but fix this place up,' she said.

[Boog]

There, Jeremiah finished his picture and looked at it critically. The cubi woman, looking slightly away from the viewer and smiling distractedly as though someone off the page had just called for her attention. She wore a sweater and a skirt, but the most effort and detail had been put into aspects of the woman herself rather than her attire. Her wings, her hair... However, while equally detailed, the face hadn't inked. He hadn't noticed it until just now. Hell with it, may as well leave it be for now. He made sure the ink was dry before he put the sketchbook away, and his other supplies with it.
Checking his watch and finding that yes, he had time before he was supposed to meet with the others, Jeremiah walked off looking for someplace where he could get a meal.

[Cogidubnus]

 Cog quirked an eyebrow as the bat suddenly quieted, opening his mouth uncertainly as she leaned back. He stared at her for a moment, comforted by her words, but unfooled by them. Her eyes were still as sad as he'd ever seen them.
He stood, leaving a wet patch on the bed after him. He sighed, and taking a look out the window saw the barest hint of the dusk beginning to set. He paused there for a moment, thinking, before turning back to the bat. His eyes were soft, and there was just the slightest grin on his face.
"I have no desire to leave, really. The night is young, and I have nowhere to be. Unless you need me to get gone." He added as he sat in a chair. He took out a small bottle of oil from his jacket and fished out a small box beside it. The bottle was steel, and the little case was also made out of some kind of metal. They both shone in the dim light.
"I mean, after all." he said, untying the cord that looped around his belt and to his sword, "I could leave, and possibly go read a book or something. But here..." he slipped the sword from his belt, and set it down in front of him. He slipped a small oiled rag out from his case, and unscrewing the cap on the bottle held the little rag to its mouth. He tilted the bottle to the side, the room suddenly filling with the scent of cloves. He set it down, and drew the sword sitting before him, holding it vertically in front of him.
"There's such a lovely view." he said smiling, not really looking out the windows. He ran the cloth up and down the blade carefully, the cloth wrapping around the back of the blade to the front. Soon, the sword glittered wickedly in the dim light, the edge fairly glowing.
"And not that you need it..." Cog said as he polished the blade. "But, if you want, I could help you fix the room. The chest there doesn't look too heavy..."

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha had tried to stay as calm as possible while the bear spoke.  She could literally read his emotions from the way he stood, and she could tell that he was just testing his own patience with them.  Still the panthress nodded during his psuedo-lecture with solemn understanding, acting as if she hadn't noticed the suspicious glance her way.  She usually knew how to deal with authorative types, in all of her days past.  But this situation was getting to be a little too stressful, for all she wasn't too prepared.

Despite the look that the officer was going into, as he mentally and near-physically cornered the females at the bar, Aisha was ready to give a casual answer as to the question of why they were there.  But that was when something landed on her head, startling her nearly enough to make her jump out of her seat, with pure surprise.

"Ah!  What's...?" she grumbled and waved an apology to Greene while taking the bird from her head with minimal complaining squawks.  As an ebon feather fell from it and crossed her field of vision, Aisha inwardly groaned and stared into its crimson eyes with her own.  Whatever the deal with you is, it is NOT what I needed right now... the look told it, and she looked back up to the officer with a chuckle.  "I'm sorry, I found this raven stranded a while ago and it seems to want to follow me," she answered, mostly truthfully, as she stroked the back of its neck.

But when she was about to say more, Bambi interrupted with an outburst of her own.  This time, Aisha lost all patience and cast the felid a very dark glare.  They didn't need to know our intentions.  Aisha turned back to the ursine, slowly as she heard his words.  Like she had heard many times before, he spat the word "adventurers" almost like a curse.  Or with similar emphasis.

Her eyes narrowed, and she sat up straight, her look turning serious.  "Hold on, Un momento," she held her palm up in a civil fashion, just briefly.  She didn't stand up, but the heel of one foot was, beneath his notice, lifted from the ground and weight shifted to it...ready to dash if need be.  "Don't we have a right to know exactly why you want us to follow?  Forgive me my impudence.  But we've never intended to do anything, nor have we done anything except drink.  A little too much for some," she added with emphasis, glancing at Bambi, then back to Officer Greene, with hopeful reasoning.

*     *     *

Rynkura glanced up from her reading once in a while to glance towards Keaton thoughtfully.  She noticed still some of the tension in her actions, but she still paid attention to her words and nodded with a chuckle.  "So rain can be.  The plants may not think so," she said, turning her gaze back to the book and turning the page.  This one had one with pictures of amulets and rings, all old-time relics of enchantment.  "But then, just as one doesn't always question why the sun gives life to all, plants may never question the rain like other creatures may."

Getting caught up in her sermon-ish thoughts, Rynkura's gaze turned back to the jackal with a warm smile as she, with surprising calm, relayed that nothing interesting had happened down in the town.  "Well, good," she admonished.  Her gaze seemed to show more than what she was letting on, when it came to giving up on the subject.  But alas, the tigress still didn't push.  Perhaps nothing was really wrong, and that the rain and darkness just made her uncomfortable.

"As long as the others come back in one piece.  I have enough faith that Aisha will, and some of those with wits..." she laughed.  "But, though you may not know me well enough to believe it, I can be told otherwise if something is wrong."  She paused, and then lightly shrugged.  "And perhaps Sebastian can be told as well.  It is in his gracious presence all of you stay now."

[Angel]

Ketefe had headed to the inn, calmly as she could, explained her situation to the owner, and gotten her stuff. Thankfully, it was all still there - three or four spare outfits, some money, a map and some paper for letters. She packed it all carefully in a black drawstring backpack and slung it over her empty shoulder.

But just as she was tipping the owner, she smelled blood. A lot of it. And heard the whispers of people outside. She glanced out the window to see a crowd gathering. She started to go outside, when she noticed Aisha sitting in the tavern, drinking. Then Bambi and Gina burst in, looking frightened and hurried. They ran to talk to Aisha, so Ketefe walked over to listen. She knew, instinctively, that this had something to do with the crowd.

She was right. When Bam rushed off to find Mel, Aisha asked Gina what exactly had happened. Apparently, Stygian had fed off of someone. I knew it, she thought grimly. But the bat had had no choice, she guessed. And though the doubt struck her for a second, she knew he wouldn't have killed Keaton. But what was a succubus doing in town? Maybe she was feeding. In which case, Stygian did something good. Don't assume anything immediately just because someone's dead.

Mel appeared a bit later, with Bam. She told the others she was going to leave, and Ketefe prayed that Bam wouldn't drag them too deep into detective work. Cops, she guessed, wouldn't really trust a masked cat carrying a sword. Luckily, Bam agreed not to drag them into the case, and Ketefe sighed in relief.

That sigh was cut short when the bear policeman walked in and began talking to them. Bam kept up a pretty good facade, and Aisha remained impressively calm, even when a raven landed on her head. Ketefe was just starting to think they could all go home with no trouble, when Bam blurted out that they were adventurers.

It took all her willpower not to start banging her head against the table. Aisha began to explain, and Ketefe showed minimal surprise at the fact that being an adventurer was a problem. Surely he'd realize that they had nothing to do with any of this...

[Stygian]

'Why?' the officer said in a hard voice. 'Because it's the better for the both of us, that's why, missy. Unless you've noticed, things aren't exactly all well around here.' He stared them down, scolding. He was still leaning on the table, but his hands were clenched into fists now.
   'Now, if you're smart,' he continued, leaning lower and speaking more quietly, 'you'll come down to the station with me and be real quiet about it. I'll have an easier time with these folks and clearing you of charges, and I'd be saving your hides at the same time!'

- -

Stygian looked up, and this time there was a smirk on her face.
   'You think you'd need to help me with moving things around?' she said, voice slightly murring with bemusement. 'If you need the exercise, I won't stop you. But...'
   Standing, she moved over the floor with soft steps. It was cold and hard. They needed to bring up carpets; she would remember that. Calmly she walked around the bed to face Cog and leaned on the end of it.
   'I'd rather wait with that, actually. Or at least catch a stiff drink while doing it.'

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha's eyebrows quirked in response to this slightly unexpected turn, observing the bear's demeanor with her arms crossed in a small gesture of defiance.  The raven she had placed gently back upon her right shoulder.  Her head was tilted just slightly, unintimidated by the way he was swiftly losing his calm with them in lieu of impatience and rising anger.  Yet, he was speaking as if he were avoiding the curiosity of the bar's other patrons, to just the four women alone.

He wants to clear us of charges and save us?  She thought with suspicion.

"Hrm," Aisha hummed finally, leaning against the bar herself, looking back to the bear's hard and serious face.  Her own voice was also kept low, and she only hoped the others would do the same thing.  "I'd wish to know why you'd trouble yourself to such a gesture on a bunch of strangers...skilled adventurers at that, who can tackle any trouble they come across," she smirked...

...Then the dark panthress nodded, deciding to give in...if only for the courtesy of keeping to the law in an unknown town, which they knew little about anyway other than living under the rumors of the castle.  Her arms uncrossed.  "If you're so insistent on this point, sir, then I guess we've no choice but to follow along."  She looked back to the others for their assertions on the situation.  The panthress would be ready should it lead to more trouble for them anyway.

[Sunblink]

In the past, Keaton had compared Rynkura's headstrong composure to that of her mother's. After this conversation, she almost unquestionably decided that this tigress was much more pleasant and preferable to socialize and interact with than her mother. As sad as it was to admit. While normally not one for cryptic conversation, Keaton found something soothing about Rynkura's countenance, unlike the stoic, no-nonsense demeanor her dearly departed matriarch carried.

Eternally thankful that Rynkura had decided not to interrogate her despite how painfully obvious her discomfort was, Keaton mentally uttered a grateful prayer in her head, restricting a relieved sigh. "Everything's fine," Keaton repeated, knowing that it wouldn't deter Rynkura's knowledge, and that she probably was aware that something was amiss. "I..."

Oh god. It hit her. Stygian. He could kill her to protect his secret--some sort of secret that he was a man-eating, monstrous hellbeast. He explicitly knew that she was spying on him, and that she had recognized him five seconds before he fled... was Cogidubnus in danger as well? No doubt--oh shit...

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Cogidubnus]

 "Need to?" Cog said, voice mellow. He turned the sword this way and that, checking that the oil had gone on evenly - the sword sparkled wickedly, light running up and down the blade as he turned it. He peered at it for a few moments before making a face, and murring something under his breath as he passed the cloth over it again. "No, I don't think you need help. I do think I saw you throw a bookcase once." he said, grinning. "But just because you don't need the help, doesn't mean I don't wish to help you."
Cog peered at the sword one last time, before placing the rag back into the tin case, and sliding the sword back into the sheath. The blade glittered wetly, the oiled metal noiseless on the wood. He placed the bottle and the case back into his jacket, and leaned the sword down beside him.
He smiled. "But a stiff drink is always nice, the large objects be damned." He stood, looking around the room. "You have something here, or does it need fetching?"

[Stygian]

The bear actually seemed a bit taken aback when Aisha agreed, but quickly stood straight and adjusted his coat with a gruff motion.
   'Right then. If you'd be so kind as to come along...'

- -

Calmly, Stygian strolled past the wolf, around the back of his chair, gazing out the windows. Carefully, she drew in whiffs of air into her nostrils without directly sniffing, testing the scent of the place and of Cog himself. Why was he feeling insecure? Polishing his sword all of a sudden was a clearly unnecessary action to take his mind off things.
   'I don't have much up here at all. But don't worry. I'll be back in short order,' she said, and reached down to put his hat on the back of the chair and ruffle his hair quickly. Then she took a step, and Cog felt a brief chill and heard some sort of seething sound.
   It only took a minute or so before the shadows began thickening in the other end of the room. The dark shifted and took form, crawling shapes that slithered and entwined and quickly took form, and shifted shape and color back into Stygian, holding a silver platter with a shaker, a lime, ice, a pair of highball glasses with ice in them and a set of bottles on it. She set it down on a table slightly to the side of Cog's chair.
   'Start off with something easy?' she said, already starting to mix. She handed him a clear, fizzing shot with just a single cube of ice, and took one for herself, taking a hefty gulp immediately.

[Cogidubnus]

Startled, Cog took the glass from Sebastian's hand and peered at the clear liquid. He flinched once as a bit of the cold fizz bounced onto his face, and shrugging took a careful sip. It tasted like limes, with a hint of orange - he raised his eyebrow and sipped a bit more. He felt it start to warm him up, his body and clothes still a little cold from being outside in the rain. He brushed a misplaced bang out of his eye, and looked at the bat, grinning.
"This isn't bad." he said, sipping a bit more out of the tall glass. "Rather good, really. Not exactly a shot of whiskey, but that's not necessarily a bad thing." Cog swirled the liquid in the glass just slightly, the ice cube bobbling around. He took another sip, drinking quite a bit deeper this time.
"Thank you." Cog sat back down into the chair, taking care not to displace the silver tray set down beside it. He looked out at the storm and the dimming light, suddenly for all the world relaxed. He sipped a bit more of the drink, the citrus in the liquid making him smack his lips, and leaned back for a moment, listening to the rain. He felt just a bit more warmth start rising up through his body, and took another look at his drink, raising his eyebrow.
"No, not too bad at all."

[Prof B Hunnydew]

Glupping the last of her food, Bam nodds "Okay okay, I want to finish my wine first, and pay the bill before you arrest me of skipping out on a bartap.  Oh First, If I may ask sir... Your badge please just to make this offical, so we know, who we are dealing with.."  As she drinks the last of the wine in her cup.

PBH

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel awkwardly half-smiled at the bulldog, happy that he didn't just toss her straight out. "I guess I am looking for a bit of everything," she stalled as she tried to figure it out herself. She didn't have any idea of anyone's preferences. "Perhaps a ham and would you have any tuna steaks?"

Once the meat was chosen, paid for, and stowed in the market basket she had thought to magically produce before entering the shop she headed for the grocer. The grocer's shop was just a few doors down. Before entering she looked up and down the road, which lead back to the castle to see if any of the others were on their way.  She spotted Jeremiah walking down the road. "Hello Jeremiah. Would you like to help pick what to buy for supplies? I pay, you carry?"

[Stygian]

Another frown flashed down at them from above before the bear reached into his coat and pulled out a heavy leather pocketbook, flipping it open and revealing a heavy, golden badge. He held it there, as if to assure that they got a good look at it.
   'That good?' he asked pointedly.

- -

The bat snickered and sipped her drink. Far more potent than it looked and felt. In a way she could relate.
   'It's called a "Kamikaze". You might want to take it just a bit easy. But I catch your drift,' she said, and walked over to one of the chests. Putting a hand to its front, she pushed it back with ease, and then cleared away the cupboard next to it. Sitting down on the chest, she finished the drink in her hand and looked at the wolf.
   'Whiskey it is next then. Let's see...' she said and walked over to fix some more. 'You know, I was thinking that we could invite the others to drink later. Maybe that would ease the tensions around here...' The next drink seemed to be a tawny brown. She only had a few ingredients to work with, so triple sec and lime juice went into this one as well.
   'Try this,' Stygian said, pouring herself half of the finished result and then putting down the mixing glass. 'It's a "Lynchburg Lemonade".' She chuckled. 'If you want more, I know plenty I could mix up. I've worked as a bartender, see.' She sipped the new drink much slower. She wasn't one to get drunk easily, but that first shot was a quick one to get a buzz. 'You can tell a lot about people from the drinks they choose, you know?' she said, and looked at him, smiling. 'You, I think, seem like the kind of man who'd enjoy a Mudslide. Or a Blow Job.'

[Boog]

Jeremiah was jerked out of his vital contemplations of the deep, innermost nature of where one can find an inexpensive meal in this cruddy town by Mel. He grinned at her cheerfully. "Sounds like a plan. As a matter of fact, considering my limited cashflow, my staying the hell out of the 'buying more things' area of the equation sounds like a brilliant plan. Lead the way."

[Cogidubnus]

 Nodding his head, Cog took a long drink of his liquor as the bat spoke. He coughed at her last words, then again, eventually erupting into a fit of coughing. The lime and citrus wasn't doing him any favors - just a slight bit of that citrus down the wrong pipe, and what was a mere clearing of the throat got rather out of hand. He spilled a bit of his drink on himself, and as his eyes teared up, he made a show of looking for the spot where he spilled it, his face reddening.
Truth be told, he could care less about spilling the drink on himself. He was still rather wet, and the Kamikaze on his lap was just another drop in the bucket. He'd figured out what the bat meant, but by now the damage was done. His face continued to redden, and he suspected the bat wouldn't think the drink entirely to blame.
He leaned back into his chair with as much dignity as he could muster, and took another, rather long drink, tilting his head back. He sighed as it went down, his mouth again smacking involuntarily. "Ah...well, I must admit, I'm rather ignorant of drinks. I mean, I tried a Full Moon once, back in Senchal..." he looked sideways out the window, muttering something under his breath before continuing. "Whatever you recommend, I suppose. I wouldn't know heads from tails there." he said, draining the last of his Kamikaze and setting it down.
He tried a grin, and reached for the lemonade she proffered. "What kind of drinks do you like, then?" he said, swirling the drink around in his hand. He waited for her to speak as he tried a sip. It tasted like a light whiskey, somehow, with almost a sprightly feel, and a slightly bitter taste. It fizzed in his mouth.

[Aisha deCabre]

Rynkura still kept an ear turned towards Keaton while reading, occasionally switching concentration from one side to the other.  It was quite obvious that the jackal was insistent on keeping something to herself.  Not a very healthy thing to do, the tigress thought.  As she made her point for the third time that nothing was wrong, and then had started to say something but stopped, Rynkura looked up again and tilted her head.

"Pardon my forwardness, but for someone who insists so, you look somewhat fidgety," the tigress put as-a-matter-of-factly, then chuckled.  "Perhaps you should relax?  Sit and read, take your mind into a curiosity," she offered, waving a hand around the temptation of pages offered by the rest of the library, then lowered it again.  "Or you could get something to eat or drink, if only for the taste instead of sustenance you may not need regardless."

She hummed.  "It's a sad world when too much time is put into one's concerns rather than the better ways to banish them."

*     *     *

Aisha rolled her eyes beneath the notice of Bambi as she asked for the bear's badge.  She stood up slowly from her seat so as not to startle the bird on her shoulder, placing coins down on the bar in payment for what she had eaten and drank.  The gold-plated piece of proof shown to them of Greene's status was certainly enough to convince them, if his disciplined demeanor already didn't.

She straightened her cape and belt.  "It should be," she answered with a slight laugh.  "Legit and to the point."  The panthress made a gesture with her head for the others to stand as well, then made a polite nod his way.  "Lead on then."

And let's just see what happens.

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"oooo Shiny " Says Bam starng the barge and then suddenly Hugs the Bear tightly  "Thank You".  Quick let goes of Officer Green, she gives the barmaid her credit card.  And Pays her bill  "Ready Gina, lets go officer, sir"

PBH

[Angel]

Ketefe watched the others deal with the cop, and stifled a sudden urge to giggle when Bam hugged him. She stood as the others did. "Okay, then," was all she said. It occurred to her that she hadn't spoken for a while. Hope that doesn't make me seem suspicious.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

The grocery store was a large old building, the kind where the wooden floors were grooved from generations of shoppers and modern items sat uncomfortably next to reminders of the past. Mel was glad to see it was a combined grocery and general store so they should be able to finish off the shopping without hunting up yet another shop. It was also quite busy considering the weather. "Grab whatever you think we're going to need for the next few days," she told Jeremiah as she jiggled a shopping cart loose from the line. Produce was nearest so she began picking fruit and vegetables from the neat piles. "Make sure I don't forget lamp oil. And soap, the soap has petrified into unlatherable rocks," she grumbled. "Any suggestion of things I might not have thought of?"

[Boog]

"More snack foods?" Jeremiah suggested with a shrug, "I was looking through what Sebastion brought in earlier, and none of it's really something you can just grab and eat if you're hungry; all ingrediants, nothing you don't have to prepare. Oh!" the frog raised one finger to the classic 'aha!' position, "Flashlights. Most of those lamps are rather firmly affixed to the wall, and I want to go down the hall without worrying about stubbing my foot on anything."

[Stygian]

When suddenly Bam hugged the policeman, a rather comical sight as the small fae barely got her hands around his huge form, the bear's eyes widened and he blushed before his face set in an expression of absolute perturbation.
   'Could you please come along then, ladies? The sooner the better,' he said, absentmindedly pawing his pockets to check for any pilfered and thus missing items. Satisfied at last with that there were none such, he stood aside to give the girls room to move, one hand constantly hovering around his left hip.

- -

The bat hid her sudden smirk by raising her glass and sipping deeply. That reaction at least confirmed that she wasn't entirely mistaken. It allowed her to understand the measure of the wolf's experience in that field, and for her to adjust so that she would keep just enough ahead of things for it to be enticing for him and interesting for her. The question was just...
   'I like a good Earthquake, or a Jägerbomb. I like drinks to shake me up, which is hard to do,' she said, and sipped again. Would she be as mean as to mention a Sex on The Beach, or a Hairy Virgin? All in the name of fun... 'I mean, it's not that easy to get to me, in spite of what impression I may have made.'
   Slowly, she got up and walked over by the table, a sway in her step, filling up another drink, this one with some amber liquid from a can and some whiskey. She took an ice cube, then bit down and crushed it in her mouth, and then swigged from the glass.
   'Aaah... Tennessee Cowboy. Try it,' she said, speech slurring just a bit from the ice, and strolled over, propping herself on the arm of Cog's chair and proffering him the glass. 'So. Senchal. Not a place I've heard much about, save through business.'

[Angel]

Ketefe moved past the bear first, holding the strings of her bag and looking at Officer Greene's hand over his holster. She wanted to tell him that they weren't going to hurt him, but something told her that would be a bad idea. She looked away and turned her head over her shoulder to the others.

"Ready whenever you guys are," she said quietly, waiting for them to follow.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel just shrugged at the frog. "You can be in charge of finding snacks then." Done with the fresh produce she piled more rice and pasta into the cart. Her selections were limited to more basic items like milk, eggs, tea, coffee, honey, and sugar, allowing Jeremiah his choice of the convenience foods. She stood in the spice section quite a while, both to pick a good variety and to listen to the gossiping women in the next aisle. News of the murder was traveling quickly despite the weather.