Well, here would have to do. It was getting late, stars peaking through the twilight. The tavern looks inviting enough, golden glow shining on the packed sandy dirt outside, the salt wind dehydrated wood panels squeak as she opens the door and walks inside.
Holly sits at an empty table, her coat draped on the seat back behind her. Bare wood, no frills, cheap. To be expected from a lower end establishment, but that's what she needed. One must be conservative with funds when they didn't know what would be coming next. But not too cheap, or else one could lose what they just purchased to the thrushes.
The tavernkeep finally addresses her. She orders a simple meat pie and produces 5 Doron, guessing at the value.
The tavernkeep huffs impatiently. "Do you have anything else? I don't have all day."
Holly stares at him dumbfounded.
Holly closes the door behind her, the tavern's chatter hushing with it, and sighs. Apparently Doron weren't as universal as she thought. At least coats were warm and comfortable in any continent. She hugs it close to her chest and closed her eyes.
In a split moment, it rips from her grasp. Her fingertips grasp the last fragments but gain no purchase. She opens her eyes, a dark, lithe figure quickly darts through the dying end of the market walk, toward the port docks, her coat in tow. She takes off after them, clearing passersby but making little gain on the thief.
No matter how her lungs and legs burn, the figure always stays the same shadowy shape.
The shape glided down the docks, Holly notices a massive freight barge pulling away. She quickly understands the connection, watching as the shape runs along the parallel dock and and leaps over the railing and onto the internal walkway. She pushes the last pockets of oxygen from her lungs to burst forward, barely clearing the railing just as the barge pulls away. She exhales, her feet numb, and watches the shape disappear into a side door. She follows.
Weak moonlight through rows of windows along the cabin walls did little to illuminate the room, but as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she noticed the room was bare except for a few wooden cargo boxes, stacked on top of each other...a few spare nets, what looked like some broken fishing poles...and an old man, lying against a wall in the corner. He pulls the cap from over his eyes as he awakens to her sudden presence.
"Who...who goes there?" He slowly, sleepily mumbles.
"Ah...um...sorry," she scans the room further, visibility improving by the second,
"Sorry to bother you, but...have you seen anyone else here? Someone should have run in here just a few seconds ago..." Holly already understands how stupid her question sounds, after all, wouldn't the old man have awoken already? He couldn't have awoken, fallen asleep, and awoken again in just those few seconds...though she was aware certain sleep disorders that described existed. Well, she didn't know this man. They'd just met seconds ago.
"No...?" He wheezed, and coughed. "No one. Whaddya want? I'm tryina get some shut eye!" He snapped.
Holly stares at him, puzzled. "But I could have sworn..." She looked around the room, scanning for possible other exits, but none emerged. "You have to have seen them! I saw them come in here and there's no where they could go! Explain yourself!"
A large figure loomed, stepping forward into the weak moonlight. A pair of diamondlike glints and razors flashed, surrounded by a shapeless mass that slowly formed into a head, long body, muscular arms, and powerful tail. Holly gasped. A lizardfolk. And a Blackscale at that...of course it had escaped notice.
"Make your leave, girl." The old man chuckled. "If you know what's best for ya."
The Blackscale advanced, but slowly. Enough for Holly to notice its full height, about 5 hands above her own head. She looked into its face, the mixture of terror and fascination causing both mobility and articulation to fail. Slitted eyes, slots at the end of a snout, flaring...forked tongue, and hooks for claws she'd only seen the like of in her keep's armory.
"I'm...not leaving! Not without my coat!"
The old man lifted his arm, holding a brown piece of fabric, its shape and size was familiar. "Its just a wee rag though, is it really worth your life?" He said, eyeing it. "Ah, unless...unless it's not just a coat, eh?" He grinned cruelly.
"Give it back." Holly snarled.
"Oh, no, I don't think so," he said, matter-of-factly. "But the lady doth protest too much...I wonder what’s inside.”
He produces a small knife, and begins cutting into the lining. "I knew I saw the hem swing just a little too quickly, odd bulges in asymmentric spots..." He mumbles as he works. Holly just watches indignantly. Finally he reaches the inside of the hem, and reaches inside. His expectant grin turns into a scowl as he opens his fist to find a handful of bahree nuts. He rips open the side pocket with growing desperation, playing cards. And a chest pad...scrap paper.
He throws the coat back at her, glowering. "
Holly hears a rhythmic hissing sound, notices the lizardperson's chest is shuddering, and quickly realizes that the Blackscale is...laughing?
"She got you good, Robin." The raspy voice chimes. "You must be losing your touch."
Robin glares at her, and Holly watches as the old man's image begins to fade and reshape into a slight figure with dark hair and eyes, and slightly pointed ears, who immediately began to laugh. Holly couldn't stifle a gasp. "Well played." He chuckles. She can't tell if it's playful or sinister.
"She's fast, to be able to catch up with you!" The Blackscale responds.
Robin suddenly looks at Holly with interest. "Yes, very fast. Faster than most humans, at this altitude..." Even in the dim starlight, she can sense the wheels turning. "In any case, I'm sure we can find something she has worth having..." Holly looks to the porthole windows to her side, suddenly very aware of the ship's distance from the shore, and how she was now very much at their mercy, whoever they were.
"Well, Kerezi," He chirps cheerfully. "Should be a very interesting ride."
@kaelang12 @talesfromaurea @1863-project idk who else needs to be tagged, just drop me a line
baratheonpilled
discoholicmusic
tangentwithtanner
kaledo-art
prguitarman
snowghoul
andulkaphoto
