Welcome to Gaia! ::

((I does the thing where I writes too! biggrin And we'll see how this goes... Haha *has to sort through posts to make 'em make sense*

And yeah, Teufel, if it's too much, don't worry about anyone 'cept who's with Amleth... It's just Titan and Alandra with him now, so that's not too much, right?

Also... J? Haha I know Nessa's a potty mouth, but can we please avoid the F-word? Pretty please?))

Dash was looking fairly amused by the time they'd arrived at the training fields. He'd only heard of this certain knight, but knew her little secret. It was reason for a lot of ridicule for the poor woman, but it looked like she really could hold her own when it came down to things. And she looked like she knew she could handle herself too.

Acknowledging her return greeting, Dash waited for her to jog over, but his attention was lost on the knight momentarily when his belt felt suddenly lighter. Frowning, he dropped a hand to his side, where there wasn't a sword. Looking a bit put out, he turned around to the sound of voices, and strangely enough, a rather whorish looking woman talking about selling his sword. "Honestly, I don't think you're a poor and dirty filthy street rat by anyone's fault but your own."

Then the Lady Knight spoke up, pulling an unexpected laugh from Dash's throat. Not only was she a fighter, but she had a sharp tongue too... Even if she DID say he had swords coming out of his a**. "That'd hurt..." He mumbled, mostly to himself. "But she's right... We're in Camelot. Keep the sword if you want to..." Though, he WAS particularly attached to the weapon. That was the one he'd gotten in Narnia after all... Ehh, he could always get another one. Maybe.

There were some things that weren't so great about leaving your stories.

Popping back to what the knight was saying, Dash frowned, "I can fight just fine..." But Lok finished explaining, and he simply stood around looking somewhat dejected and completely swordless.

"Yes, Lok's his name... You're Lady Kaelyn, right?" He hoped he had her name right. "The Big Bad Wolf here needs to learn to use some weapons. Since he declined a mace, and opted for daggers, I figured someone quick on their feet would be best to teach him." Not that he wasn't quick on his own feet, mind. Dash knew how to fight... It was just a lot easier with a sword.

"I wouldn't mind sparring with either of you though..." He hadn't been working on his technique lately... And with Titan having gotten a crack at his face like he did... Dash wondered vaguely if by leaving his stories, he was losing his pre-given abilities...

Turning back towards Nessa, he folded his arms, a rather adorable pout on his face, "Who ARE you anyway? And stop torturing the kid with MY sword. You probably don't even know how to use it properly..."

((HAAAAH POST. biggrin ))

((MY TURN. HA. HAHA. HA.

... YAAAAY!... I can hear Across the Universe from my parents room... haha. ha.))

Kaelyn raised an eyebrow at the lesbian remark. She quirked her mouth and then snorted. "Oh please. Don't give yourself so much credit, KING of Thieves." She said with a grand and over done bow. "Honestly if I wanted a woman I wouldn't pick one so NOISY. They're noisy enough as it is." She remarked. "But I will admit you're none too bad to look at."

When Nessa showed off Kaelyn looked rather unimpressed. "... That's very well and good, love, but ummm... you're reckless, you're footing is all wrong, and that's a real swell trick but when it comes down to it it won't work too many times in a real fight." She shrugged as if shrugging the woman off. "It does suit a thief very well, but not a fighter and there's no DOUBT in my mind that even as noisy as you are you're very good at what you do. Thank you and good day."

"Moving along." Kaelyn said and looked to Dash once more. "Scratch off the lady part of that title and you've got my name, blondie. Kaelyn is fine." She looked to Lok. "... The Big AND Bad you say?... Where'd the rest of him go? All I see is small and somewhat hairy." She tilted her head as if sizing him up. "He might do well in a scrap though."

She walked up to him, shoving him once in the chest and seeming to measure up his arms with her hands.

"Oy! Watch it!" The dark man said rather testily. He then rubbed at his chest. That had kind of hurt.

Though he was more upset when she grabbed his daggers.

"HEY!" He said again. "What are you..."

"Sh." She said and weighed them in her palms. "... Titan's work, no doubt about it. These suit you." She then moved forward and rather rudely grabbed his hands to look at his hands and then opened up Lok's mouth. For a brief moment she looked truly baffled.

"It's black. BLACK." She looked at Nessa. Kaelyn knew nothing of this weirdness. "And the blonde one too?" She frowned and nodded her head. "Bring this healer of yours here, if you would. The size of his package doesn't make much difference to me as long as he can heal properly." Kaelyn looked thoughtful. "I'll pay you in wine if that's what you really want... and I have some sisters I could hook your little friend up with if he REALLY wanted." She laughed and waggled her eyebrows.

Lok grunted and shut his mouth sharply. "Is it just these two... or are all the women here like this?" He half whispered to Dash.

Kaelyn only grinned. "You and me... we'll be getting down to business."

((LA LALALA. LA.))

(( I was kidding woman. D: Haha...you did see I said I'd watch myself? I'm sure you did. Lawlz. You silly child.

And I dunno what to post...so...this will be crap...but oh wells.))

Nessa furrowed her brows at the knight and prince and was about to retaliate before Sam nudged her warningly. They exchanged looks and Nessa swallowed her anger, literally.

"Are you saying I can't fight?"

"Nessaaaaa. Can't you just drop an insult for once? This isn't worth getting blood everywhere like usual...this is a new shirt my ma got for me. If I come home with blood and gore on it...she'll freak out on you again. She's already told me not to hang out with you and-"

"What. ever." Nessa growled lowly and turned around. "Let's go then Sam. Before we ruin your good shirt." Before she could leave however the knight was telling her to get the healer and what-not. Nessa only laughed and shook her head. "I can get my own wine, but thanks sugar." Her arabic accent was thick now from the frustration and hurt pride.

Sam looked at the group and back at Nessa and frowned to them. he waited for Nessa to be out of hearing shot and leaned in towards them. "I'll attempt to convince her...but...I can't promise anything." He said softly, clearing his throat. "And...sorry about her attitude and high self-esteem. She's really a nice person...honestly...she just doesn't like anyone seeing the woman side of her." After he gave a wavy laugh he spun around and chased after the female thief who was cursing in Arabic and pushing people out of the way.

They both had gotten to a small church, stained glass windows creating beautiful scenes. Nessa glowered and chugged down some wine she had stolen along the way. Sam smiled excitedly and looked around. "Let's go!"

Nessa knew he may not be here. He wasn't exactly saintly anymore, and had no longer held a passion to continue, he already ruined it with the night after returning to the city and finding each other. Even so she knew he came here sometimes...and he never stayed at their own place, neither did she. She looked into a pool of water quickly and pushed at her chest, ran a finger through her silver hair and rubbed at her lips, ridding them of wine and grub. Finally she put on an angry face and kicked open the doors as dramatically as she could. She always enjoyed making a grand entrance.

"Should you be bringing that wine inside?" Sam asked as Nessa stomped into the angelic building.

"Wine? Of course! Those nuns drink it all the time, why can't I?" She huffed and took another swig before looking around and clearing her throat loudly. "SAM'S HAVING INDECENT URGES AGAIN AND HE WANTS A CONFESSION! GET THE FATHER! HURRY!" Nessa looked over at Sam's face and couldn't help but start bursting out with laughter. He looked completely horrified. He groaned and pushed at her before scuttling backwards and murmuring things under his breath. "I was only kidding, jeez." She rolled her hazy blue eyes and made way down the aisle. As she walked she swung her hips about like preforming a mating ritual.

"Woo-hooooo. Anyone here? Or is only God for today?"


((...haha I could only think of a church... D: ))

Sam flinched when he heard Seth. The boy squeezed his hands together and rung them out nervously. He shook his head at the accusations and said nothing. If he did, those words would be twisted into the opposite of what he meant. Instead he gave a shrug and looked the other way, obviously upset. "Yes, you did." He muttered but the man continued anyways onto how he was supposed to be a horny dog. Sam only nodded as if he was listening and noticed how Nessa watched Seth. Whenever she was around him she appeared extremely beautiful, somehow...nice. Her face lightened up and her eyes were a bit more focused from their hazy appearance, the pupil a bit more noticeable. Even her body language was more relaxed and fluent aside from the frown she forced on her lips.

Nessa's eyes sparkled, though she didn't smile, not wanting to appear as if she was actually happy and excited about seeing the ex-priest. She'd never weaken her strong mask. It had only happened once, and that was the night she saw him again. That was the only night she had cried openly and had told him she loved him over and over and told him how she had missed him so much. After that she never said it again. She refused to act stupid and emotional like that.

"If he did what you said he'd end up with a whore like myself." Nessa said roughly, accent more alluring than usual. Her fingers ran through her silver hair and fluffed it seductively. She then sat on the back of a pew and watched the two males. "It always works. I don't even have to try." She grinned wickedly and looked to the side, her scar coming into full view. Sam watched it, always wondering how she had gotten such a mark. It didn't really take away from her beauty, but he knew she would have been the most gorgeous woman here, even more so than the princess, if it wasn't for her scars all along her legs and arms, and the large one on her face. He knew not to ask though, he was certain it'd result in a scar of his own.

Sam looked back over to Seth and frowned nervously. "Ummm...I gotta a favor to ask you." He glanced over to Nessa, who glared daringly at him and started to get up from her post. "We met these two guys...and they were huuu-" he trailed off as Nessa appeared behind him and grabbed hold of his shoulders, pushing him aside and placing herself close to Seth, all the while staring directly into the boy's soul. He felt a shiver run up his spine.

"I was just thinking. It's been a long time since we went on an adventure." Nessa purred, voice rich and dark near the...religious...man's ear. "Let's leave the kid and go somewhere new. I saw this one place, full of trees and soft grass. Perfect spot to lay down. Ya' know?" She smirked, hazy eyes full of strange emotions, unsettled on one certain feeling.

Sam groaned and looked around for something to distract Nessa...not finding much of anything. "Seth! Please!" He exclaimed which resulted in only Nessa pulling closer. They were both competing for his attention. Sam was losing, he had neither sexual seduction, an alluring voice, or was female. "LOOK! Someone dropped....ummmm..." He sighed loudly and folded his arms, eyes on the thief as she drew her hands along the sides of Seth's stomach. "I'll just go and give all this treasure to poor children then..." Sam finally mused and started to walk away.

The woman finally pulled off her man and snarled a vicious snarl at the young boy. "Step away from the door and give. me. the. bag."

"Not unless you tell him what happened!"

"NO!"

"FINE! Here I go! To feed the hungry and shelter the homeless!" He swung the bag around tauntingly and Nessa lunged towards it. They both fell onto the ground, kicking and tugging at each other. Of course Sam was no match for his opponent, but Nessa knew what was inside, and if she broke it...they were all dead. So instead she was wrestling him, trying to grab the bag away. Both acting like spoiled children no less.

((OMG! A MOMENT TO POST!... I'm actually doing this instead of my homework D:... hahahaha, shlame.))

Lok was angry. No. He wasn't angry. Angry wasn't a strong enough word. He was sure there had to be a more hateful and loathing word for angry.

He was soaked with sweat and panting like an animal run too hard. He sported quite a few bruises and cuts, as well as a fashionable black eye... or at least Kaelyn had told him it was fashionable.

"You'll get all the ladies!" She had litled as she struck another callous blow across his shoulders and pummeled him into the earth.

And that was where he was now, lying nearly face down in the dirt. It was a very humbling thing.

It made him all the more angry. It was hard to go from a beast that was feared and proud... to a mere man being beaten senseless by a woman. Not that it mattered much more that she was a woman, it was perhaps a little less embarrassing because she WAS a woman. She was far more cruel than any man.

Lok braced his squared hands into the dust and slowly began to rise to all fours. The only thing manly about his situation now was that he had managed to lose his shirt in the whole ordeal. His pair of daggers lay a little ways from his hands, but he glared at them. He would have given anything then for his old fangs and claws. He would have her then.

He never realized what hard work it was to be truly human.

"Giving up, Big and Bad? I'm a little disappointed... I had always figured if I had ever gotten the chance to fight you it'd be a little more like a fight and a little less like a clumsy waltz." She did a bit of a dancing step and bowed mockingly.

Lok snarled viciously and with a grunt was on his feet. In a quick flash of metal he was slicing at her. One cut after another of vicious blows.

She fought them off, but maybe not as easily as she made it look.

"BETTER!" She said as she warded him off and then turned her dark and unforgiving eyes onto Dash. "Laughing at the wolf man, are we? How about you give it a go?" She wanted to know. She was rather breathless, but there was a true challenge in her words.

Lok paused then and cast a more evil smirk than the wolf himself could have mustered.

((ONTO SETH.))

Seth grinned down at the boy. "You would do well to listen to me." He said in his most serious voice and cast his sharp eyes at Nessa. "To end up with a woman anything like Nessa would be a good woman to be with." He said with one of his smiles that echoed in the lightness of his eyes.

When Sam started to speak Seth fixed him with his full attention. "Oh? A favor? Is it a little girlfriend?" He wanted to know, but he never really did get to know. "Huuuu...?" He said after him, eyebrows furrowed. "Is that supposed to mean something to me-HEEEEELLo." The priest said suddenly with a very broad smile as he found a much more attractive someone on very long lovely legs standing very close to his general person.

"A what? No kid? Grass? SOFT grass, you say?" Seth was practically leering by now, his head titled on a jaunty angle. One of his thin eyebrows arched high on his forehead. "Soft grass happens to be my favorite type of grass. Did you happen to steal my mind when you stole my heart?"

Though, Sam seemed to really want his attention. Seth half focused on him. "Hm? Please?" He asked. "If you've got something to say, you know you could... huuur." He said intelligently at her touch. "DamnitIlovethiswoman." He might have said when he mumbled to himself. "But Sam has something to say.... but oh DAMN." He said

And he moved in to do what any man would have done then, which was to properly return that touch to a beautiful woman, but she was gone and so the only one to appretciate it was thin air.

"... Well. I hope YOU enjoyed it." He said to it rather testily and folded his arms.

Though, he quickly laughed as they began to wrestle. "Lucky kid... I wish I was doing that... only it'd be slightly more naked, but hopefully she would still be that angry." he said jokingly and clawed teasingly at the air. "Nessa would you PLEASE let the boy talk!" He said and moved to seperate them, but he quickly became distracted.

"SET! Hello there!... A problem? I feel like you never come to just see ME. It really rather hurts..." The ex-preist said teasingly and as he moved to get outside he slapped Nessa firmly on the rear. "Let Sam say what he needs to say." he said with a smile. "And apparently... we have a problem...?"

((Oainaiusdasujd OH TEUFEL I LUFF JOO. In a completely platonic way, mind you. <33333 Cort! I MISSED CORT! AND LAY. YAY!))

Dash cut his laugh short when Kaelyn paused in her beat-down of poor Lok. He had no intention of fighting with the knight, especially after all she'd been through trying to teach Lok.

"Um," He started, rubbing at the back of his neck awkwardly, "You're looking a little tired, and I'd hate to think I'd be fighting you when you're already worn out... Not very fair for a sparring match..." Oh yeah. Right. That's a good excuse, Dash. And Lok's nasty grin wasn't helping.

"See, I'd hate to fight such a lovely woman, and this sword is-" Crap. He just said he didn't want to fight her because she was a chick, didn't he? Stupid Dash. STUPID. He gave a pitiful smile (one that would have most woman in near tears, hugging the Prince around the neck, babbling about how he shouldn't feel bad, and it was okay!), "You sure you don't want to rest a bit first?" He didn't want to admit that he could barely use his hand. That would be a huge disadvantage on his part. And he honestly couldn't bring himself to want to actually win against her. It just wasn't chivalrous to challenge a woman to a fight, and win. He couldn't wrap his head around that - after all, he was the Prince Charming. It was in his blood to be old-fashioned.

With a sigh, having lost the potential argument with himself, Dash held up the sword, his injured hand tenderly placed on the hilt, stance ready. It was only his eyes that betrayed the fact he really, really didn't want to do this. "Ready when you are, Lady Kaelyn." He shot an angry, heated glare at Lok for that grin he was wearing. Stupid wolf.

((Baha. On to Set X9))

"Yes, we have a problem," Set grumbled, wishing the priest would for a moment start using his head to function instead of something a bit further south. "I dunno what the kid's talking about, but something's going on just outside Camelot." His deep brown eyes seemed to shine from under his hood, glaring at Seth, "Something is 'broken' they keep saying. A lot of the shadows seem to have trouble holding themselves solid, and a LOT of people have lost it."

As if on cue, a man went running by, buck-naked. He was screaming about fish. Giving Seth a flat look and throwing a thumb in the guy's direction, he needed no reason to say more.

Ignoring the man screaming his head off, Set's pointed ears caught a far more subtle sound, nearly hidden by the clip-clop of a horse's hooves. But, having traveled with the guy for so long, he knew those nearly inaudible footfalls, and a wry grin spread across the shadow's face. Not to mention, when it came to Lay, a certain smell followed.

"Well, you don't HAVE to come, Lay, but I think your help would be quite useful." He tugged his hood off, now that the sun was now more a red glow in the sky. While the horns on his head reflected the blood-red light, his hair seemed to absorb it. The rest of his person was still covered in the large, tattered cloak, but he didn't seem to mind. "Because we could probably use all the help we can get..." He trailed off, eyeing the two frightened men on a horse, "Good haul today. I pity the poor animal though."

((Aaaaaand Alandra! biggrin *clings to TeufeL*))

Alandra's groan could be heard even over the dwarf's loud, gruff voice. Who DIDN'T know Cort? He was one of few dwarves who would brave Camelot's crowds, and honestly, he had enough word of mouth to compensate for any popularity he wanted. No one needed to advertise that Cort the Dwarf was around.

....Scaled temptress? Alandra glared at the dwarf, folding her arms across her chest. "I'll have you know there were deliveries to be made, Cort. OBVIOUSLY we're in the middle of something..." She then trailed off. Why bother? Between Amleth's squealing and Cort's one-volume voice, she wouldn't have been heard anyway.

"Honestly, Cort, you don't need anyone to talk about you. You do that plenty when you're around. If you need your axe fixed, I'll help." Though she didn't sound too excited about it, "And you have NOT wrestled an ogre." Agh. Dwarves.

The woman leaned in to get a better look at the Dwarf's weapon, and she frowned, "How'd you manage to mess that up so badly? I thought the mountains were fairly peaceful right now..." She looked from the Dwarf to Titan, a bit of a worried look on her face. WERE things really falling apart?

((Haha okay, not sure why Cort's there, btu I'd figure he was there for fun reasons... Um, I have ideas brewing... We'll see how they work D: ))

((... OMG I POST READY GO! biggrin !!!!!!))

Lok's smirk grew much larger as the prince quickly talked himself into a very dark and dangerous hole. Kaelyn's eyes had grown quite sharp and an eyebrow was arched high on her forehead. It vanished beneath a tawny lock of hair.

"Never thought I'd see the Hero making an idiot of himself." The once wolf man said smugly. He was looking quite pleased. "I'm only sorry it wasn't me."

Kaelyn spared him a half smile, but her unforgiving eyes were on the Prince now. "A lovely woman...? Honestly, man... have you gotten a good look at me?" She said with a laugh. "Don't try to pull that one on me. I'm by far the least desirable woman in this kingdom." She was VERY unaffected by his pitiful smile. It just made her wrinkle her nose at him and take a jaunty step forward.

She held her head up boastingly. "I've been to a battle that lasted seven days and seven nights without a single wink of sleep... do you HONESTLY think I need a rest? I think I can handle myself." Kaelyn said with a smug smile and crossed her arms over her chest. "I've killed armies in the time I could have spent getting a good night's sleep... your jabs at chivalry are probably more painful than your blows, Prince. Killing me softly, you are."

When the prince finally complied she broke into a toothy smile that might have been something like Lok's, though far less evil like and more animal-esque. "FINALLY the man SHUTS his mouth and acts!" She cried as she redrew her sword and charged at him. "Let's see what our hero can do!" The young woman said as she fell into the well practiced movements of attacks. A quick rhythm of lunges and slices. She may have been tired, but she didn't let that slow her down.

Lok smirked and stood back to watch, arms folded across his chest. He didn't seem to mind so much that his eye was swollen at the moment.

((AND TO SETH! And... uuh... NO OFFENSE J! But no more characters please D:!!! THANKS! YAY! Hhahaha, this is QUITE enough.))

Seth frowned a little and then grinned as the naked man ran by. "Yes! FISH!" He echoed after him and whole heartedly pumped a fist after him. He looked back to Set with the same smile. "THAT'S the problem?" He asked of him and then looked more thoughtful as he sometimes did.

"Something broken..." He muttered to himself. "Well, maybe you haven't heard... since you live so deep deep in your angsty forest." The ex-priest flashed Set a joking smile. "But it's said the Hero has left the story... you know... and the Wolf too. I've heard rumors that something far more terrible than the wolf once was is wandering around... also those who would not so much be a hero before are taking charge of their own fates... it's actually quite..." Seth paused and seemed to smile more broadly. "Inspiring."

"Except." He held up a hand and frowned a little then. "The fact that terror reigns from all the stories... and tales are flowing into one another and mixing and otherwise being something it might not have otherwise been..." His light eyes flashed. "Is that the problem you're speaking of?"

He glanced briefly at Lay and grinned hugely. "AH! You've come to see me then?" He pouted. "How come no one ever comes to just SEE me? Maybe you Sam?" He asked as he bent around to look at him, and found himself addressed with the question he had been so set on before.

Seth paused for a moment and slowly nodded his head. "Sure. Why not... but only because you asked. WELL then! Take me to them, my good man!" He demanded of him and waved a hand at him to get him moving. "The sooner I heal them the sooner we can get moving."

((TA DAH! NOW TITAN! YAY!... I love Cort biggrin ))

Titan looked quite worried at the noise that Amleth made. "Ah! Is it really that heavy? Do you need something lighter... hm... I could maybe... that might be the lightest..." He was mumbling to himself as his eyes searched amongst the other short swords. "I could maybe custom make you something... would you like that? It would be hard to get the metal to be light enough... and the balance... and it couldn't break..." He continued on while tugging at a lock of his limp hair.

Though, Titan was quickly tossed from these thoughts quite violently at the exclamation of a very short man. He jumped a little and trailed off into a sort of abashed silence. He blushed violently around his ears.

"Ah..." He said. "I... Cort..." He was trying to say, throwing glances at Alandra all the while. It seemed to him his affections were obvious to EVERYONE except to the one who they were directed.

She didn't think much of it. He relaxed.

"Er... ARM wrestled." He corrected rather politely... and in a quiet voice. "He arm wrestled an ogre." He said even more quietly, but returned his attention to Amleth. "And an axe wouldn't suit you anyhow. No offense." He added on. "Cort just thinks everyone should use an Axe... and it is a VERY NICE choice of weapon." He made sure to say very loudly. "And he also chose a very good name for it, I think... He's really very good at naming things like that."

He tossed a look at Alandra at her glance. "Wolves." He said. "Wolves have been running around, I've heard... and the dragons of old." He nodded his head and went along the wall to remove a very small and light sheild. He handed it to Amleth. "You would do well with this too..."

He looked to Cort. "Is that right? Wolves and dragons? And I'm SORRY about not being in the shop, but as you can see, something came up." He waved a hand at Amleth. "I got sidetracked."

It was maybe that Amleth was an underdog like himself that had made him so interested in the first place... and distracted him from the rather unforgettable dwarf.

"Will that sword do?" Titan asked of the pigman, scratching at his unkept head.

((ALRIGHT. I'M DONE. YAY.))

((YES APOLLO JUSTICE. I finished it last night =D I beat it fast because I don't put it down until I finish. It's great, I love Apollo, but I HATE the new Phoenix. He's so... not the old Phoenix. I miss the old characters D8 ))

Cort snorted so loud, Amleth began to worry the man has about spew a blob of mucous on the floor. "D'leveries, bah! If'n they're too lazy to come an' get their supplies, they dun' deserve to be wieldin' no weapons! An like Titan said, it was arm wrestlin, yeah, that's the true measure of strength, a good man-to-man struggle of muscles! It was a mighty battle wif dat muscley oaf, too, it was! Ha!"

"Unh," Amleth managed. It didn't hurt to be polite, he supposed... "That's neat, uh, that you, that you managed to beat an ogre at...something like that."

There was a pause. "Er, yes! Well! He, ah, he was a mighty tough fellow, that 'un was, an' I had 'im on the ropes for a good long time, that I did, eh!"

"...I see. Err--" he fumbled for a change of subject. "Uh, oh, no, Titan, this one's fine, I just wasn't expecting it, I've just, y'know, never held a weapon before, this'll I just have to, er, get used to it, is all, you don't need to--"

"Yeh've never been blooded, eh? Wot've you been up to all yore life, boy, playin' in the dirt?"

"Well, I am a pig," Amleth grumbled.

"Well, boy, yeh've come ta learn at jus' about the right time, haven't yeh? Them monsters an' the like are all over the place, not just dem wolves, nah, but all sorts of little cretin poppin' up from their miserable holes, an' I'm here to do the cleanup. Need more people out on the battle front, that we do. Sheer number of the li'l demons wore down on me axes, lost two hatchets and a hefty one-hander on me way." He gave the store owners a look at that.

((Basically, the only reason Cort's ever ANYWHERE is 'cause he wants to fight or get drunk. Mostly fight. He's such a fantastic stereotype.))

Lay sighed and gave the screaming fellow a glance. He rather wished he weren't so accustomed to lunacy. "The horse? It's fine," he noted offhand to Set. "They're no different than people; give a reward and they'll do most anything. They're just easier to pay off." In comparison to his bounty, a few apples was small game.

The haul, however, was more interesting to him. "You'd be surprised how much work I'm getting of late. Things are definitely falling apart around here; whoever decided to ditch their plot was either an anarchist or an idiot. The jobs have been piling up lately, and fast. Without Morals Of The Story to keep everyone in line, and the Hero or whoever's not breathing down their necks, so plenty of would-be villains are taking advantage." He shrugged. "It brings home the bacon, though."

He gave Set an odd glance as he mentioned things getting 'torn apart.' Admittedly, work was keeping him closer to the city than usual, and he hadn't gotten to explore the effects of the deserters further out. He couldn't deny it sounded worrisome...

He still grumbled as Set gave his arm a small yank, and pulled back. "Stop that. Besides, I have to turn in the meatsacks..." Though if the bounty collection happened to be along the way, there was nothing to be done about it.
((I dunno! You guys have plans!))