Helping Hrsk

Raziel gets a...rather interesting assignment from a pair of lizards, in an attempt to make ends meet. But as with most things, not everything is as simple as it seems...

Spring is in the air. The birds are chirping, bugs are starting to flutter about, and the woods are alive with activity. For those who do not care for such happy and joyous things The Black Gull offers a refuge for the sullen and crafty sort to gather. In its poorly lit walls the bar is home to several vermin today. An overworked feline mans the bar and in the back there are two red scaled lizards.

Raziel would love to be outside, enjoying the finer things in life - unfortunately, to afford most of the finer things, he needs coin...which has been in either short supply, lately. The cat can't even afford a mug of milk... So, the wildcat has resigned himself to sitting in a corner of the tavern, tapping his claws on the table in mind-numbing boredom.

The two lizards sit across the far corner of the room and appear to be sharing a meal, or perhaps a feast. The well dressed Dylan Locke is too busy stuffing his gullet to take notice of Raz. The reptile looks healthy his scales shine and he has a bit of a paunch growing on his middle. The second lizard is much leaner and his clothing is tribal. He wears a sash at his waist and a bead chest piece. Neither seem to notice the wild cat.

Raziel, likewise, fails to notice them, too busy drifting into a half-waking slumber. No one has paid him for anything recently - mercenary work, bodyguard work, the odd fetch quest - nothing. The cat is so bored that it's actually a chore to stay conscious...the tapping of his claws slowly fades away, as he rests his head on his paw, and closes his eyes...which leaves him oblivious as his spear starts slinging from where it was leaning on the table, clattering to the floor...

A few heads turn to the noise. A pair of foxes at the bar, an ermine and a rat at two separate tables, even the lizards. Dylan is the first to take notice. He waves his claws in the air. "Raz? Razy! Hey over here! Raz!" The second lizard turns his head to the commotion. He peers at the wild cat and his jaw drops in recognition. He can only stand there gasping in fearful shock.

Raziel is immediately snapped awake by the sound of his own spear falling to the floor, his tail bristling in alarm before he scoops the weapon back up. He looks at Dylan blearily, trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes - though there's no mistaking the lizard who took him in when he was wounded and left to die in the snow. The other lizard...looks familiar as well, but the wildcat can't place him. Raziel shrugs to himself, and stands, walking over to the bandit. He doesn't even have to worry about being robbed; he has nothing to lose!

While Dylan waves cheerfully at the approaching feline the second reptile slinks down further into his chair until only his eyes can be seen over it. "Raziel! Been a while eh? Come sit with us! Pull up a seat."

Raziel raises a striped eyebrow at the other lizard's odd behavior, but pulls up a chair on the other side of the table and sits down, leaning his spear up against the edge. "Hello again, Dylan. How has business been? And, uh...who is your friend?"

Dylan grins deviously. "Funny you should ask. I am out of the bandit business thanks to the Militia." Dylan practically spits the word, "But I have a new job now so life goes on. Speaking of which Hersk...hsrk..." The second lizard rolls his eyes nearly under the table, "Hrsk..." With a laugh Dylan continues. "Ah right thanks. Hrsk here was about to hire me for a job."

Raziel digs his claws into the table at the mention of the Militia, though he does his best to keep his expression neutral. His pale eyes light up at the mention of a job, however. "I see...I've been rather in need of work myself, lately. What does this job entail? He looks to Hrsk's barely visible head. "Also...you seem familiar. Have we met...?"

The lizards eyes widen. "You mean...you don't...but..." He leaps up from his seat, hitting his snout on the end of a table. After a few moments of cursing in reptilian hisses he shoots a heated glare at the wild cat. "How could you forget!" his words have a bit of a hiss to them. "You and your allies slaughtered nearly a hundred of our peoples! And then you doomed our tribe!" He flails his arms as he speaks.

Raziel blinks at the sudden change in demeanor, but he doesn't make any sudden movements. "Oh...I didn't recognize you. And, uh...sorry about all that. It was nothing personal." The wildcat was under the impression that their old king was kind of a jerk, anyway. "'Doom' wasn't...really...the intention."

The lizard twitches an eye then snarls ready to leap at the wild cat. Dylan nonchalantly forces him back into his chair while saying, "Really Raz? Ive done some bad things before but, doom an entire village?" He chuckles as Hrsk finely settles down crossing his arms and turning away from them. "Maybe I should take over the explanation part. Hrsk here is...was the ruler of a tribe of lizard folk after some kind of incident killed off their last king. Apparently because he let the" Hrsk hisses, "Soulless murdering monsters..." Dylan nods to the interruption. "Right, since he let you and...who ever else that was go his people saw Hrsk as weak and his younger brother snatched power away from him."

Raziel guiltily rubs the back of his neck. "Oh..." Perhaps they could have retrieved the ring without killing /everyone/...or at least handled the situation a little better. Oh, well. No changing it now. "I /am/ sorry about that. I needed a job, and that was all that presented itself." He mutters under his breath, "Much like now..."

The heavier set reptile smiles again leaning back in his chair and kicking up his foot claws on the table. "/are/ you now? Then we might be able to just help each other." Before Hrsk can complain Dylan continues, "We are trying to put good ol' Hrsk here back in power. Having one of the beasts that beat up their tribe a while back come in and help might prove just the advantage we need." Hrsk grits his teeth but says nothing letting the other lizard continue once again, "I won't force you into anything Raz but I could use a paw here. I'm still setting up shop here in Mossflower for my...new employer and help is a little light at the moment."

Raziel scratches his chin, looking at Dylan, then to Hrsk. "I wouldn't normally ask for payment to fix a problem that I caused, but...I literally don't have the coin to stay at the inn another night. I will help Hrsk, but I'll need some coin in return, Dylan. Business is business, as I'm sure you know..."

Dylan claps his claws together, "Capital! Now Hrsk, tell the good tiger what you need him to do." Hrsk for his part turns to them both. He shoots the wildcat another glare then sighs, "Sure, why not? It's only because of the otter that was with you I managed to get free..." Dylan snaps his fingers together, "Oh right, almost forgot. Rorgan is alive by the way." Hrsk rolls his eyes again, "Right, only because of Ro-gun that I was able to escape. But as I was saying...we will go to my people, I will challenge Trsk to a duel and the cat will defeat his champion in armed combat while fighting in the pit of judgment." Dylan nods, "Sounds simple enough."

Raziel blinks. "Yes, it does sound simple enough...almost too simple." He seems to recall the majority of the lizards from Hrsk's tribe being small, and not...exactly...all that skilled. "And Rorgan is alive? But...how?" The cat had hoped he was alive, but he honestly didn't have too much faith in it. Not many people survive falling into underground rivers...even otters. "Wait...he ended up /there/ after he was swept away? Small world..."

Dylan shrugs, "That's what I said...well after a few moments of freaking out and such." Hrsk chuckles at that. "He was most helpful at helping me escape. Its..." He struggles to find the words to relate the story and finely gives up. Dylan once again picks up the slack, "Anyway it's a bit of a walk to Beggars Pass. We leave first thing in the morning. Until then..." Reaching into his vest pocket the lizard produces a small burlap bag and tosses it to the end of the table Raziel is sitting at. "This should cover any expenses you may have for the trip."

Raziel catches the pouch, and makes sure that the money inside is actual /money/. He's had beasts pull that stunt on him before...but it's just good to finally have some coin. "Indeed. There's a considerable trek ahead." The wildcat stands up, nodding to each of the lizards in turn. "I shall see you in the morning. I have several meals to catch up on..."

Dylan nods to the departing feline. "Remember Raz. Bright and early. No cat naps!" Shaking his head the lizard goes back to his meal. He has a few to catch up on himself and now he has gold to do it with. Hrsk for his part turns back to his own meal, picking at it lightly. Oh how far he has fallen to be stuck here in some lowly tavern. His time in Mossflower hasn't been a kind one with winter and the concept of currency has not yet been embraced by his people. He was shocked to learn that the pile of shiny objects his tribe has literally discarded into one large pile under the throne is in fact valued by these top dwelling so called /civilized/ beasts. And value equals power...assuming they all live long enough to acquire it..."