Eagle Slayer Wanted Part 1 or Xia get's a job hunting an...eagle? Seriously?
Suddenly a weasel comes stumbling in and trips over his feet. Faceplanting the floor, he suddenly starts shouting incoherantly. Something about a bird.
Blisa is sitting in a booth with Ferdinand and an extra 2 bodyguards, a huge hulking male fox and a female rat. They are discussing something very seriously while they sip on warm tea and the rat sharpens one of her 13 knives.
Around them the tavern is starting to wind down in activity after the lunch rush hour has come to an end. Tables have to be cleaned, drunken beasts have to be shuffled out. Nothing too dramatic. Xia sits alone at a table with her back to the corner of the tavern. The vixen has made plenty of enemies in her time as a bounty hunter and body guard, plenty who would love to plant a blade in her back if she gave them the chance.
Not that they would probably recognize her these days though. Since her conversion from an active bounty hunter to bird catcher the fox has suffered from an exceedingly good diet. There isn't a place under the vixens brown and yellow fur that is not touched by gluttony and an inactive life style. When standing the vixen's belly hangs around her lap and close to her knees. The fur of her tummy is also starting to show some skin. Despite this Xia leans back in her chair, picking her teeth clean of the pigeon she had just feasted upon. Her tail wags most happily behind her.
Scioto walks into the tavern talking with a guard, he nods as he sighs, "Well I do not know what to tell him.." The guard nods "Alright sir.." He starts to walk away and then stops "What of the squirrel that..." Yeah the guard dislikes talks like this, the chieftain shrugs "I do not know if he had family or not.." He then dismissed the guard and walks over to where he usually sits and orders an ale.
Blisa glances at Xia and wrinkles her nose in distaste. Suddenly a weasel comes stumbling in and trips over his feet. Faceplanting the floor, he suddenly starts shouting incoherantly. Something about a bird. Some off-duty guards help hi to his feet as Ferdinand and friends stares at him warily.
The fox feels her ears twitch at the word 'bird' but at that point it's pretty easy to gain one's attention when a weasel face plants it in the tavern and starts shouting wildly. It holds the vixen's interest until she get's thirsty. Draping a paw over the side of her chair Xia kicks her feet onto the table. She takes a swig of ale and lets out a very undignified belch. Living out in the woods does wonders for ones manners.
Blisa crawls under the table, past her bodyguard's feet, and is on her way to have a word with Xia when, after a quick word from Ferdinand, the male fox guard grabs her and easily lifts her above his head and puts her back in her seat. She hisses and spits and complains, but she doesn't fight because hse knows that her guards are just doing their jobs. She just pouts a little. The weasel has been calmed down by free (to him) beer, but he is still shouting as he says, "It...it came out of the sky....like a lightning bolt! It...she carried off Wimbly....poor, poor wimbly...'e was a-screamin as 'e was carried off...thew big....monster! Monster!"
Scioto looks over at all this and rises an eyebrow "What is going on now?"
Xia's interest in the weasel is starting to kick back up again. It seems the chieftain AND his daughter are both here. The fox cranes to hear the conversation but can't quite make it out. Curiosity finally getting the best of her the fattened fox picks herself up from her seat. Still carrying her own drink Xia strides slowly across the room. "I could ask the same thing chiefy. Or is this a private party?" Xia said then took a long sip of ale.
Scioto stands and starts to answer when he gets a tap on the shoulder, he almost glares at the guard , but keeps himself calm "What..?" The guard whispers and points upstairs, Scioto sighs "Ok..tell him I will be right there." He looks to the group "Excuse me..need to tend to..something" Hr then heads off.
The weasle breaks down in sobs after whimpering something to one of the off-duty guards, who immediately turns to the Cheiftain and says, "Sir, it seems that a large female golden eagle ate his companion while they were on the way here." Ferdinand and the other bodyguards shuffle uneasily, but Blisa just grins wickedly and says, "Cool."
It's a pity that the chieftain had to head out before he could hear that, and a pity that Xia was here to hear it. "You DON'T say?" The fox almost casually strolls over to the table, "Golden eagles are NASTY piece's of work, don'tcah know." The vixen leans forward, draping her free paw over Ferdinands shoulder. She offers him a toothy smile as she continues, "They come out of now where and POOF! You're nothing but bird chow." The vixen's breath smells heavily of alcohol.
Ferdinand bares his teeth and says, "Back. Off." Blisa smiles as her rat bodyguard licks the edge of the knife to test its sharpness. "Probably more aggressive than Basil," says the cat, drumming her fingers on the table top.
The vixen chuckles in reply. She leans now upon the table, crossing her arms as she does. "Then It's a good thhing that you lot have a grade A, top notch bird catcher on paw eh?" She says witha slight slur. Her tail wags slowly behind her as the table is lifted up under her considerable weight. "So why don'tcha tell me more about this bird of yours..." She says to the weasel and those seated around him.
The huge male fox bodyguard frowns in disgust and goes to gently guide the vixen into a sturdy chair. Blisa pats the bodyguard on the arm as thanks while the weasel, still badly shaken, says, "She...she came outta nowhere. Wimbly and me were walkin' down the dirt road when she swooped down, screeched, and grabbed 'im. 'E was the best fox a beast could meet. 'E never even tried to steal me things. And 'e wailed and wailed as she carried 'im off....it was 'orrible..."
Xia plops into her seat with little fuss. She twists herself around in such away that her legs are crossed off to the side and her head is resting upon her paw with her elbow on the table. "Yes yes, horribly beasty ate a fox. Now can you given us some usefull detail like..." The vixen paused. She leaned forward towards the weasel, "Wait...did you say this thing was able to carry off a FOX?" One could only imagine the size of such a creature.
Blisa nearly laughs out loud at the look on the vixen's face. The weasel nods sorrowfully, close to tears. "Near....near the ford....in the riverM...M...Moss! Whaaaa!" he starts weeping again. A nearby stoat calls out, "Oi, you're a top-rate bird catcher. Per'aps ye could stop this terror, eh? Afore it kills anymore poor, innocent souls."
The vixen quickly takes a swig of her ale even though the mug is empty. She just needs to buy herself a few moments to think. Does she realy want to go after a beast that eats foxes? She herself was loaded down with fox meat! This was probably NOT the best idea.
The ale flowing through her veins how ever made the vixen re-assess the situation. Birds = money. Larger birds =more money!
"Hey! I AM the best bird catcher around!" Xia said with a wag of her finger. Then specifically to Blisa she said, "And you know I would just LOVE to catch this bird outa the kindness of my heart, but alas, I'm afraid I just don't have the time or RESOURCES to go out after such a beastly beast. You get wot I'm sayin?" Already Xia was trying to figure out what one charges for slaying an eagle.
Blisa smiles and seems to think for a few minutes. "Tell ya what. If you come back alive from this little adventure, I'll personally see to it that you can live cost-free in the village for 4 seasons, and we will pay you....the price of 25 sparrows, plus extra for the risk involved. If you get injured, I will add half again to the price. Sound good?" She silently is doubting that the obese fox will survive, which is why she is making such a generous offer. "You could even take a couple of guards, maybe," she adds. "But you'll have to talk to Dad about that."
The fox nearly shot out of her chair she sat up so quickly. Her eyes bulge at the opportunity of a life time. Her tail thumping against the floor as it wags most happily. "You little chieftain in training have got yourself a deal." She points a claw at the kitten. "I'll hold you to that. And keep the guards, I know your reputation for getting kidnapped on a seasonally basis. You better be here to pay me when I get back in a few weeks." Standing up from the table the fox leaves her empty flagon of ale behind, "Don't you worry about a thing. I'll rustle up some beasts to help me. Just tell the tavern to keep the grill warm. We will be dining on eagle when I get back.
Thoughts filled with greed the vixen gave teh lot of them a half wave and began moving towards the door. The little voice inside her head that shouted, 'you are in over your head!' was muffled out by, 'your going to be filthy rich!' as she walks away.
Ferdinand looks at the petite cat likes she's insane. Blisa just shrugs and says, "There is no way that fox could outrun a blind sparrow, much less a healthy eagle. If she somehow survives, which I seriously doubt, she will deserve all that stuff. Besides, she's kind of annoying, so I basically don't care if she's crazy enough to go after the thing." The other tavern beasts start laughing as the ferret talks very sternly to his charge about compassion and kindness towards your fellow beast.
