Furrae Chronicles: Webs of Destiny (IC) [M] {3}

[Gabi]

"Well, I can understand how that idea can be disturbing to anyone..." Gabi commented. "I'd rather not think about that now, anyway. I don't know... maybe I'm just too edgy after everything that's been happening. It doesn't hurt to learn more about those around us, in any case."

[Cogidubnus]

"Hi."

Stygian's eyes snapped open at the sudden comment, that wolf from before leaning against the wall with one shoulder and staring at him. His foot was propped up off the floor by his toes, the wolf's posture almost jovial-looking, except for the look on his face. His expression was almost cold, if nothing else, completely blank and unreadable.

Between the two was Keaton's door, and behind the black-clad wolf was another open doorway, the light from inside casting into the darkened hallway. The wolf stood on the far side of the succubus's door, and stared silently at the strangely sober bat.

[Stygian]

Ignatz blinked once, then turned his head and faced the wolf's solemn stare unflinchingly. His ears lowered slightly, and he slipped his other hand down to his pants, thumb inside his belt. 'Hello,' he replied, not giving any clues either, seeing as the wolf was not intending to pass on any of his own. 'Can I help you?'

[Cogidubnus]

 "No."

Cog continued to stare at the bat quietly. He shifted just a bit, uncrossing his arms and scratching at the bridge of his nose before returning to his previous stance. He took a breath, his ear twitching as he did so, and tilted his head just slightly, addressing the bat.

"Quite kind of you to help the girl to bed." he said, one eye narrowing beneath his shades. He paused just a moment. "Especially considering how...drunk, you... are." Cog kept staring at the bat "You had a lot of drinks. It's a wonder you could make it up the stairs yourself. And I thought I he...well." he said, his ear twitching again. "I thought you might need some help, but apparently not." the wolf stated, just as calmly, and pushed himself off the wall. He made a very slight bow to the bat, tilting forward just a few degrees.

"Have a good night, Mr. Ignatz." he said, turning softly and returning to the room with the opened door.

[Stygian]

'It's Mister Donovan to you,' the bat said, suddenly. Not loud, but much closer than Cog had expected. He moved very silently, it seemed. Not minding whether if he were invited or not, he stood in the door.
   'If you have something to say, say it. I'm not too distraught to pay a man his deserved heed,' the bat said, leaning against the door frame, his facial features darkened by the lack of light in the room and the backlight from the corridor, though still bright compared to his eyes.

[Cogidubnus]

 Cog paused, turning and looking over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. He turned, standing in the center of the room and letting his hands hang as hit sides, and gave Ignatz another slight bow.
"Mr. Donovan, then." the wolf said, his voice polite.

"You do me an honor. Heed is, perhaps, something I am sometimes undeserving of." the wolf said, walking farther into his room. He turned, regarding the bat for a moment before speaking. "You don't quite seem a person who likes to be danced around, though." the wolf said strangely, a smile tugging he features. He rubbed his nose, leaning against one of the walls.
"This is an inn, sir. The walls are paper, and I could hear you even if they weren't." he said, scratching the back of his head. "I heard a growl." he stated, simply leaving it at that.

"I'm sorry if I've been intrusive." the wolf said, looking sideways. "But...well. I am sometimes foolish, and I can hardly help hearing things like that. I assumed the worst, which is seldom the fact. My heartfelt apologies." he said, pushing himself off the wall and making a more formal bow to the bat.

[Stygian]

The bat had almost contemplated doing something even more unnerving just to get the wolf off-balance. But when Cog turned against him and merely offered a smile, it was Ignatz who was a bit taken aback instead, not that he showed it save the raising of an eyebrow. So. The wolf didn't seem to know who he was. That was fortunate. If he was not acting, of course. And it was Keaton he had been worried about.
   The wolf ended his statement, and again, he bowed. What was it with him and bowing? Westerners sometimes had such strange traditions. And judging from his sword... Ignatz searched his memory for the man's name, looking away. He had mentioned it earlier.
   'Are you a do-gooder, Mr. Mithlome?' the man asked, some of the hostility vanished from his voice, though the question was markedly rhetorical. He took a few steps in, moving slowly. 'I've met many such in my day. And in my experience they have never boded well. Least of all to themselves.' He looked up at the wolf to accentuate his words, and made a brief pause. 'Your interest in us down there was not unwarranted. But I would still advise you to... exercise caution. In this case as in any other.' The propriety of his language adjusted to match the wolf's, along with his very slight accentuation and strange timing made the bat's words sound sharper somehow.

[Cogidubnus]

 "Do-gooder?" the wolf said, shaking his head. He laughed slightly, leaning back against the wall as the bat approached. He shook his head again slowly, his voice going softer.
"No. I should think not. Not by any means."

He paused for several moments, finally speaking up again, smiling. "I cause too much trouble to be a do-gooder." he said finally, pushing off the wall. "But though I am generally loath to get involved in other's business, I will occasionally forget and stick my nose where it does not belong."
Cog paused, his face sobering, and regarded the bat. "In general, it has gotten me bit more times than I care to recall."

"I do hope you can forgive my misplaced...intrest. It's seldom I find a group about to kill each other during a victory party." he said, smiling just slightly. "And your advice is taken. But do not mistake my interest for recklessness." the wolf said, his face unreadable. "I am never, incautious."

[Stygian]

Again, the bat looked away, before walking even closer and turning to look at the wolf sideways. 'I am not a man who would harm anyone without a reason, Mr. Mithlome,' he said, neutrally now. 'And your concern for the lady does you honor. I am, however, a man who harms dearly when I do get a reason.'
   The bat stood close enough that he needed to tilt his view slightly up to look Cog in the eyes now. The wolf was probably a couple of inches taller than he was. The bat's high cheekbones, untied hair and lips gave him a more feminine streak, but he looked the more muscular of the two, and probably the heavier, though both had slender builds. And though both had a distinct, shared hardness to them, the bat seemed ominously darker.
   'Cautiousness does you no good if you have no idea what you should be looking for,' Ignatz said, vaguely. 'What are you looking for, Mr. Mithlome?'

[Cogidubnus]

 The bat was getting very close now, and Cog's fur bristled almost imperceptibly, the scruff of his neck just slightly rising. Both wolf and Iaidoika instincts didn't like people to be too close, and it was making the wolf just a bit uncomfortable. The bat was a bit shorter than he was, which somehow seemed just a bit odd - and Cog, even through his shades, found himself just a bit put off by Ignatz's ink-black eyes.

He still kept where he was, though, his face amiable. "Like I told the incubus. I'm a wanderer. And taking on the occasional odd job helps pass the time between trips." he said, smiling. "I'm trying to find someone. And doing what I do is also a good way of looking."

He met the bat's eyes. "More than that, I'm afraid I can't say." the wolf said, his tone slightly less friendly. He stood up straight, the distance between the two of them closing just slightly more, and took a deep, deep breath, closing his eyes behind shaded lenses and then exhaling loudly. The wolf paused, seemed to shrug, and leaned back against the wall.

"But you don't need to worry about it. The person I'm looking for doesn't smoke Cinder Brand Tobacco." the wolf said politely.

[Stygian]

The bat stopped for a second, narrowed his eyes at Cog, and then smirked slightly. 'So,' he said, and chuckled, looking down at the floor between them for a second. 'That doesn't tell me anything of the one you are looking for...' When he returned his look to Cog he looked both pleased and bemused. And there was even something else, something hard to define, to his smile.
   'What manner of 'man' are you, Mr. Mithlome? Only a certain kind can distinguish something like that,' Ignatz asked.

[Cogidubnus]

 Cogidubnus simply grinned at the bat toothily, inclining his head. "I am who I am, and as I ever was." he said, pushing off the wall and past the bat. He walked towards the single desk provided for the small room, and sliding out a chair he sat down, reaching beneath the piece of pinewood furniture to produce a book. He set the blue-backed thing down on the desk, and leaning back in his chair he nodded his head to Ignatz.

"I'm not an Angel or Demon, if that's what you mean, and I'm no Cubi. You've got nothing to fear from me." he said, tilting his head. He reached into his jacket pocket and rummaging for a moment. He paused, shrugged, and returned to simply sitting.

"I suppose I've been honest enough so far. I'm a Were." he said, his his face carefully neutral. He regarded the bat silently for a moment, and then grabbed his book again. "Most of the rumors you have heard about us are false." he stated, crossing his legs. "Most."

[Stygian]

Ignatz made no obvious effort to conceal his surprise. So earnest? So direct? Have I run into a good and honest man, a liar or an idiot? All three, perhaps? He chuckled mentally and walked closer.
   'I fear little, though you have probably guessed that already. Just as I had guessed a few things concerning you,' the bat said. 'Believe me or not, but I have encountered weres before. Though not under such circumstances. I thought you were all recluses.' Judging from his tone he found the whole situation quite amusing. A little prodding, a little poking... The man shouldn't be immune to it. And I have time to kill, he thought. Well, a little.
   Cog returned to his book, but soon found the bat's smirk right over the edge of it and hard to ignore. 'Still does not answer too many questions,' Ignatz remarked. 'Not that I shall try and squeeze answers out of you. But it's funny. So, are you just killing time, or what?'

[Tapewolf]

Jakob glanced at James.  He didn't seem to have heard.  "Hey, James... is that stuff ready?" he asked again.

[Cogidubnus]

 The wolf stifled a little jump of surprise when the bat's face appeared over the edge of his book, raising his eyebrows, and making a slight coughing noise put the volume back on the desk. He paused, regarding Ignatz, and resting his head in his hands he stared quietly at the bat.

"I wasn't raised among Weres, so I couldn't say." he said, his voice neutral. "Although its not a fact one generally advertises, no. But I don't really have a problem with that." Cog gave the bat a polite half-smile. "But, yes. I have heard we generally are recluses. Imagine that." he said somewhat sardonically, and again stood, crossing the distance between the chair and the window and staring out into the night.

"I prefer to savor time, not kill it. But as I said before, I'm trying to find someone. And doing what I do is a good way to look." he said, staring out the window before turning to again meet the bat's shiny, ink-like eyes.
"Which brings up the question. What you are doing here, Mr. Donovan?" he said, tilting his head somewhat.

[Stygian]

'Killing time,' was the bat's immediate answer. 'I am out of work, and I have a... personal project that I am pursuing, but which is unfortunately held up at the time.' He made a sad face and a shrug, and then leered at the wolf again. 'So, seeing as I already spent a month collecting the wolf, and then went out of my way to get him out of the demon's clutches, I figure I might as well invest more time in him and, even more, in his company.'
   The bat paused and sighed as he put a hand down on the desk, sliding back on it and having a seat. 'They're a bit interesting, somehow,' he explained, speaking to no one in particular. 'And regardless of interest, it is better to travel with people than alone.' Especially if you get the chance to exploit and kill them, he added in his thoughts. The 'Cubi, at least.
   Ignatz cast a sideways glance at Cog, and then smirked again, leaning back. 'Well, I shan't lie. The fact that Mel saw it as worth her time to tag along sort of made up my mind in advance,' he said, half jokingly.

[Cogidubnus]

 That wasn't quite what the wolf had meant, but he nodded anyway, looking down into the alleyway behind the tavern. Dark moonlight spilled out over the black, wet ground, and a few unrecognizable lumps of refuse, or possibly vagrants, filled the shadowed corridor. The wolf stared at the rather unscenic view for a moment, quietly looking, and glanced at the bat out of the corner of his eye.

"That's unfortunate..." he said slowly, feeling the cold radiating from the panes. "About the business, I mean. But I suppose I can't argue with your reasoning." Cog kept his eyes distant, hidden behind shaded lenses.

"Traveling alone..." he trailed off, musing. "I haven't traveled with anybody for a very long time." Cog paused, thinking, and turned to look at Ignatz. "A very long time. It hasn't been...practical." he said finally, returning his gaze to the alleyway.

"Perhaps not a bad idea." he said lightly, tapping his hand on the wall. He called back a question to the bat.
"Although, who is Mel?"

[Stygian]

Ignatz tilted his head and looked a little bemused. 'Why, the other girl down there. The only light-furred person around save myself,' he smirked. 'White and pure and cold as snow.' He chuckled, and got up again. Somehow, the wolf's tone and mood had changed. He wasn't entirely sure why or how. Probably, he'd meant something else or been disappointed. So what to do...?
   'If you are thinking of joining us, Mr. Mithlome, don't get too involved,' the bat said, strolling lazily toward the door. 'They seem on edge enough already.' He passed a glance and a grin back over his shoulder. 'Better then to keep your distance and speak carefully and with the right people.' Again he turned against the door, and paced out. 'For now, goodnight, Mr. Mithlome. Hope for pleasant dreams.'

[Cogidubnus]

 The right people, huh? the wolf thought, a half-grin coloring his features, and waved at the receding bat.
"Goodnight, Mr. Donovan. The same to you."

The wolf waited until the bat's steps began to fade, and then pushed off the wall, closing the door to his room and then sitting back down at his desk. His expression was thoughtful, and reaching back into his pocket he produced the business card that Jakob had given to him. Rubbing a thumb over the raised ink printed on the cardstock, he slipped it back in his jacket and picked his book back up, reading by the low light of the gaslamp provided.

They -did- seem a little on edge. But the Cubi seemed a bit excitable anyway. he mused, reading over the pages slowly. Well. Perhaps I'll just keep an eye on them. Cog flipped a page, taking his glasses off and setting them down by the lamp. "Every time you do this, Cog, bad things happen..." he said, rubbing one eye before returning to his book.

He paused a moment, and sighed. Well, I was getting bored anyway.

[Gareeku]

Helped onto his feet by Aisha and Mel, Gareeku swayed slightly as he slowly stepped away from the table. A short while later, he was being led into his room. Falling down upon the bed, the wolf immediately fell into a deep sleep, largely thanks to the alcohol that he had consumed

[Aisha deCabre]

It was a shaky walk, but manageable, as an exhausted wolf was helped back up to his feet without much more resistance or complaints.  Though seeing him so tired, Aisha wondered if she wasn't starting to feel lethargic herself, even if she hadn't had much to drink at all.  As the key was retrieved and they started towards the rooms, she certainly had to agree about the day.  It had ended rather well...Gareeku was back among the group, alive, and in a strange twist those who took him were now with them on a cease-fire.  She wondered how long that would last...but really couldn't think any more of it.  Just keep looking forward, chica.  That's all we can do.

But finally they made it to his assigned room, and as Mel had put, seemed to be placed near to where James was.  She could make out familiar voices nearby, but nothing more was thought of it.  The door to the room was opened, and the wolf led to his bed...in which he promptly and literally fell asleep.  Aisha released a small chuckle as she rolled the tension from her shoulders.  "Can't blame him.  Our fearless leader here has a lot to sleep through."

As a second thought, she carefully took his belt and unlatched his katana from it, leaning it on the wall next to the head of the bed.  She had figured he would be more comfortable without having to lay on it if he had to toss in his sleep...and lastly, the blanket was pulled over him.  And I hope he does sleep well, after all he's been through today, she added silently.

Then, with a sigh, she stood up and smiled to Mel.  "I'm grateful for your help.  All of it," the panther spared a smile, before casting one last look at the sleeping wolf.  Then, she headed out of the door, closing it softly behind them.  "Now all I need to do is find my own room and wash all of this gods-damned blood off," she grumbled, running her claws through strands of grayish-black bangs that had been tainted with a dark, congealed red.  "Normally I'm not so picky about being messy, but what the hell."

[Mel Dragonkitty]

The wolf safely put to bed Mel moved to a room at the opposite end of the hall. Once inside she cast a rather elaborate spell at the blank space of wall beside the window. A new door appeared, almost crystalline in appearance, on the formerly empty wall. The leopard opened the door and fog poured out like a waterfall. Without heed for the extraordinary indoor weather she stepped through and firmly shut this second door behind herself.

[Paladin Sheppard]

After being put to bed in room 6 across from room 11, Ephrael fitfully woke and slept. Waking up again she decided (even in her inebriated state) she needed a shower. Crawling out off the bed (literally) she stumbled to the room's bathroom, picking up her pack half way. Slowly stripping off she climbed into the shower and started the water, letting it soothe her aches and wetting down her fur and hair so she no longer resembled a flufball.   

Finishing up she toweled off and slipped into her nightclothes from her pack. Walking back into the bed area with a slightly clearer head she didn't see the small black and cobalt blue form sitting on her bed till she nearly sat on it.

"Hiya Eph!" Rex said causing Ephrael to jump and let out a loud "Eeep".

[Gabi]

Gabi's ear perked up when she heard the 'eep' coming from the opposite room.

"That was Eph," she said, quickly opening the door and peering into the corridor.

She sniffed the air, looked around and listened, trying to figure out if she was being attacked or if she'd only found a nasty bug or something. It hadn't been a scream, she realized, but something had caught Ephrael by surprise. She needed to know what it was before doing something potentially stupid.

[Tapewolf]

Jakob looked up at Gabi, torn between the fact that something was up with Ephrael and that James seemed to be in a daydream.  He snapped his fingers in front of James' face three times and sighed.

"I'll watch James," he said.  "She's probably just woken up somewhere strange or something.  Do be careful though, and let me know at once if it's anything more than that."

[Paladin Sheppard]

Ephrael glared at the warp-aci. "You could have given me some warning ya know Rex." She said as she calmed down.

"But where's the fun in that" Rex replied as it floated of the bed. "'Sides the look on your face was priceless!"

Eph pouted at the aci. "So what do I owe the honor of this visit? I thought the Captain had been pulled from this?" She asked as she sat down on the bed, this time noticing a package Rex had left there. "Oooh you brought me something!" She squealed as she stood up and grabbed the Aci in a hug.

"Yea the boss had me raid the armory...He was seriously pissed about being pulled off."

Eph released the aci and started opening the paper wrapped bundle. 

[Gabi]

Eph was talking to someone, but she didn't sound afraid or agitated anymore. Still, Gabi didn't recognize her interlocutor, and she couldn't detect a distinct smell, which she found quite unusual. She thought it would be best to check things out just to be safe.

She knocked on the door of room 6 and asked Eph is everything was alright.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Pausing her unwrapping of the bundle Eph looked at the door. "Quick hide!" She whispered to Rex, as she padded over to the door. Opening it fraction she stuck her head out. "Oh hello Gabi."

[Gabi]

"Hello," Gabi replied, rather confused.

From the sounds she'd heard it was evident that Eph was trying to hide something, but what could the reason be? At least she didn't seem to be in trouble, or in any case not the urgent kind. This reminded Gabi of how much she still ignored about the tasmanian devil. It didn't feel like it, but it had only been a few days since they'd first met.

"I..." she began. What was the right thing to say in a situation like this? "I was around here and I heard you... shout, or something like that. Are you ok?"

[Paladin Sheppard]

"N..No nothings wrong, I just gave my self a bit of a surprise." Ephrael lied. It was at this moment Rex appeared sitting on Eph's head.

"Hiya Gabi" It cheerfully waved a paw. Ephrael's face was locked in a horified look.