First Date? Part Two
Characters: Tagger, Garolyn, Robin
Location: Ferravale: Outside the Tavern, Inside the Tavern
The otter is taken by surprise as the femferret slams her fist into her brothers face. The audible bone cracking is lost on the otter. But he knows what happens when he sees it. But unlike most whimper woodlanders. He doesn't look away when the blood starts splattering. And actually has to stifler a snicker. He kinda had it coming. When she hugs him, he gives a single paw hug in return before watching her walk off. Tilting his head and staring, like most guys do. It takes a moment for reality to kick back in and he is standing all alone, next to a little bit of blood on the snowy ground. He whistles quietly as he scoots some white snow over the red. Covering it up. He then has a weird, but nice thought, and it makes him laugh. 'Damn, my girl can fight!' Though that gives him that weird feeling in his gut. Happy. But weird. He sits on the ground, against the side of the building near the tavern. Waiting for her to return. Singing quietly to himself as he passes the time, "There once was an otter... From lands far away..." in a warm baritone voice.
Garolyn is not long in returning- maybe only about ten minutes. She comes dogtrotting back, a ring of keys hanging, clinking, from her clenched paw. The one she hit her brother with- still slightly pinkish now. An extra bag is slung over her shoulder, and it, too, clinks. Her boots kick up small puffs of snow, and her breath disappears into the air from inside her veil, looking slightly dragonish. She sees Tagger, waiting for her, and waves. "Sorry! Just had to get a few things. Ye are alright?"
"Born with the power... To have, and to slay..." Tagger hums a bit more now before looking over to where she disappeared. Lo and behold, she is coming round the bend. And that smile spreads across his face again. He quickly stands, quickly wiping the snow off his rudder and butt. He bounces on his the balls of his feet, "I'm right as rain! How are you Garo?" he asks. Its not everyday you sock a family member.
Garolyn grins back at him, leaning down to pick up some snow and wipe off her glove. She rubs it over the leather, blowing off the now-pink snow and watching it settle on the ground. "I am good." Suddenly, she laughs. "I have always wanted to break his nose. That felt very good." Maybe a little odd, but it is rare that Garolyn is on good terms with Kaol. Felix, on the other hand. She got along just fine with him. But he isnt around anymore. (A story for another time.) She looks over the key ring, mentally checking to see each one is there, and then drops it into the new pouch she has, slung over her chest on the opposite side as her claymore, so they dont bump each other.
Tagger grins, "Well good!" he then chuckles, "Oh i know that feel. Though i think if i did that to my sisters. Our mum would kill me in the night" She probably would too. He quickly makes a very sharp about face toward the tavern and holds out his paw toward her, wanting her to take it, "Aright! Now that, that mess, is over" small chuckle, "Its time for dinner. And drinks and dessert. And maybe more drinks..." he smirks as he starts to head for the tavern.
Garolyn is very happy to take his paw, and she does so, giving it a little squeeze. "He shall get his muzzle fixed, but he shall think twice before governing my life once more. Would your mother really do such a thing?" She pats her pouch, satisfied with the dull clack its contents make, and allows the nice otter to lead her into the tavern. She is hungry- and drinks are always welcome. And if dessert will allow her to stay later with Tagger, she will have some of that, too!
The tavern was warm and cozy as usual. A little full of course, but there are a few tables free of course near the back. And there's a stoat here! Up on the little stage, singing along a fast paced drinking song, strumming on a lute. "Oh you can search far and wide, you can drink the whole town dry, but you'll never find a beer so brown, oh you'll never find a beer so brown." he sings out, a few beast seemingly enjoying the performance a little more than his usual stuff. The little tin cup sitting on the edge of the stage, collected a fair few coins in there.
Tagger chuckles as they head on up toward the door of the tavern, "She might. She is a scholar by trade. But she got that otter instinct when it comes to her kids. She just might drop me in a ice river or something..." he snorts and then clears his throat. Half hoping she didn't hear that. As they walk on the small porch, A lively melodic sound is heard from within. As well as many boisterous sounds. Mainly the sounds of beasts having a fantastic ol' time. Tagg smiles as he reaches for the door with his off paw, and opens the door for her, letting her walk in first. Then quickly closing the door behind them to keep the warmth in. He then hears his Cousin the stoat. Ole Robin. He grins and laughs as he looks toward Garo, "Why don't you go find a place and get comfortable. Ill get the drinks. What ye be having?" he asks with the biggest goofy smile he can spread.
Garolyn nods. "Aye. I shall find a seat, one of the empty ones in the back. I shall have whatever dark ale they have got ready. Thank you." Garolyn is a fan of the darker stuff. And no, she did not hear the snort in the midst of the other noise. She has never been to the tavern with it this crowded before! A few beasts give her odd looks and pull their chairs in, giving her space, as she walks past. As she walks to an empty table, she unclasps her cloak from around her neck and lays it over her arms. When she reaches the table, she pulls out two chairs- one for Tagger, one for herself, where she drapes her cloak over the back and sits down.
'You can drink your fancy ales. You can drink them by the flagon, but the only brew for the brave and trrrrrrrrrue! Comes from the green dragon!" Rob stomps his foot at the end before smirking at the light cheers. "Thank you, thank you." The stoat smiles before spotting Tagger move towards the bar. He can't help but grin as he sets his lute on the stool behind him. "I'll just take a quick break." he says before hopping off the stage, heading over towards the otter. "Hey Tag." he smiles. "Whose your date?" he asks, teasingly, unaware that Garolyn is actually his date.
Tagger goes up to the bartender this evening, whose a sullen looking male fox. Looks like he has been kicked in the rear to many times today, "What'ill'it'be otter..." he grumbles slurring his words together. Tagg knows him, and knows he is one of those anti woodlander types. But he has never got a drink wrong. Tagg smiles at him as he asks, "Yes. Ill have my usual mead. And then a... Dark ale of some sort. Have a squirrel ale?" The fox shows his fangs and growls, "Does it look like a place for woodlander junk?" as he works on getting the mead in a glass. Tagg shrugs and says, "What about..." the fox, "I know what you want. How bout a northern ale... Its about the same" Tagg smiles and nods placing a few coins on the bar, "Sounds great!" The fox grumbles and goes to get another glass. Leaving Tagg alone, but not for long, "Hey Robo!" and then his eyes go wide and goes slightly red, "Wut... How did... It was just... That was fast." he blinks at him, "Its... Its Garolyn... You know that one i said i I liked..." he grins stupidly looking over toward her.
Rob blinks a little bit and lets his eyes drift from between Tagger and Garolyn for a few moments. "That's her?" he hrms a little and hehs. "So you're serious then? You're actually in love with a ferret? I mean...a ferret? You're an otter man." he laughs. "Oh well, whatever. Not my business then." he grins. )
Garolyn feels like she is being watched, and she twists in her seat, finding Tagger grinning in her direction. She gives a wave, conscious of the fact that no one would be able to see if she smiled. Though she still smiles- it is becoming an automatic reaction every time Tagger smiles- he always looks so /happy!/ She doesnt know Robin, but he gets a wave, too. Her earrings clink, the sound lost in the regular noise of the tavern.
Tagger gives the stoat a smirky kinda smile and pokes him in the shoulder. Playfully of course, "I'm as serious as otter bread. I like her. I like her a-lot. I really do. And... She likes me..." another goofy smile as he waves back at Garolyn. Almost in another trance... That's when the fox returns with two rather large tankards of their drinks. One is golden with a thin light head, and the other is a dark as night brew with a large thick head. Tagg grins and rubs his paws together, grabbing the drinks, and heading off toward Garo, "Now if you will excuse me Robo. I have some courtin' to do" he is being really silly tonight. But, that's just him. Once you get to know him he will Serious up. Not really. Silly serious. He makes it back with the drinks, "Ahhhh. Here ye are. Some nice starters. I got you a nice northern ale for you. And cold southern mead for me." He grins at her as he scoots the dark drink near her. Then he remembers when she waved, "Oh! That stoat i was talking too. He was my cousin. Robin." And the first bit about Tagg comes to light.
Robin laughs a little bit and then fake gags. "Otter bread? Ych...don't give her any of that, or she'll stop dating you." he then pauses a moment. "She likes you? I think she needs her eyes checked or something." He laughs and when Tagg leaves, he watches him go back, thinking for a few moments before returning to his spot on the stage. "This is something...a little more dark than what I've done today but I think it fits one of my...family members...quite well." he grins a little bit at Tagger and Garolyn before he starts to strum along, a semi-up beat tune on the lute. "First you said you would never leave me...merry were my days." he starts, the smooth, heavily accented voice not half as bad as one would ever expect. "Then you told me love was never easy...and left without a trace. But how come I want you, like the soil yearns for the rain..." The music picks up a little speed. "Wont you light up, wont you light up my life, let my soul breathe, tell me wrong tell me right, you're my mind cage, like the mountain
like the mountains far away.."
Garolyn was too far away to hear any of their banter over the crowd, but she may not have liked that last comment about her eyes- she wont take any insults to Tagger! "He seems nice." Garolyn grins thankfully at Tagger for the ale. "Northern ale? I have not had a northern ale here yet." She takes a sip. " Woo! Lovely. Robin? How is he your cousin? He is a weasel." Then she realizes how stupid that sounded, considering she is being courted by an otter. She laughs quietly at herself, listening to Robin play. "He has a nice voice. That song isnt directed at us, is it?" She whispers to Tagger.
Tagger waits for her to take a drink first before taking one sip himself. Cold and refreshing. Just how he likes it! He puts down the glass, and smiles at his date. Crossing his arms on the table, holding the beer in one paw, tapping with a black claw in time with the music against the glass. If one is observant, you can see that he is missing his webbing between his forclaw and thumb. He shakes his head at the music, "That is one long story, that has to do with my dad. That i will tell you one day. Maybe when its not so packed in here" he grins and has a strange urge to lean in closer. To be closer. But he just gulps and chalked it up to nerves. He sighs at the music, though catchy it may be, "Aye. I think it is pointed toward us. He does that..." he laughs and shakes his head, taking another drink, "So! Tell me about yourself!" Seems like a good question to ask.
Garolyn lets him lean closer. She doesnt really care. And she only notices the missing webbing now, since he is tapping his glass. She can ask later, though. "About me? Well, I am from a place across the western deep. Very far from here. A small village, not of much import in the grand scheme of things. It was burned eventually." She pauses to take a sip of her drink, lifting it under her veil with both paws. And suddenly she is so very, very fed up with her veil at this point- Tagger cant see her smile, and it does get to be a pain having to eat and drink with it on. A thought crosses her mind- should she ask? Yeah, why not. If Tagger suddenly decides to break up with her about it, she is already at the tavern and already has a drink. So she can just stay here until morning and get very, very drunk. "Do you care that I wear a veil?" It just pops out, and she blushes. That sounded nothing like she wanted it to. But again, yet another thing she and Kaol were at odds about, so she figures she may as well ask her date about it.
