Meanwhile, at the tavern!

There was a sober air in the tavern this night. The cheiftain of the town had just been attacked just a few days earlier. Those who liked the chieftain had a quite look about them. What would happen to the village if the chieftain died? Who would rule them?

There was another atmosphere brewing near the fighting pit though. Shouts of mirth and laughter decorated the room from the beasts who had crossed with Scioto. been thrown in jail by him or what ever other wrongs they could imagine slighted against themselves. It was an odd mix of celebration and quiet mourning.

Bandit was right in the middle of the room by the bar. The pudgy fox had slimmed down somewhat from his adventures but a persistent pot belly still remained firmly fixed to his waist line. He had received the new cape but had left it elsewhere, still choosing to wear his mouse hide vest. He quietly turned a gold brooch in his paws. One that had the symbol of the towns arms on it.

Oakenpaw comes out from behind the Bar, a picture of ale in paw as he trips and the whole pitcher goes flying toward bandit.

Zaram is already here writting in a jornal he keeps with him and nibbleing on a simple bowl of veggie soup and drinking some water.He turns a page and writes some more with his quill pen.

The fox looks up in time and raises a paw before calling for his ale to hurry up. Instead he gets a face full of ale at high velocity speeds. Enough that his fur droops around his face and chest fur. His paw is still raised as he gives the hare a deadly glare.

Bandit lowers his paw and says simply, "Thanks...I needed that." In a way that suggests that he did need the ale...just not all over his face...

Zaram looks up and watches the hare and fox as he speaks in broken common, "Ya zurrs did be careful there, de Tavern owner wouldn't want any ale to go to waste good zurrs" He ajusts his glasses as he closes his jornal and puts away his quill pen in his left vest pocket and folds his paws on the table he is sitting at as he looks between the hare and fox.

Oakenpaw looks up "Terribly sorry Bandit Chap...that one is" he chuckles "on you." he goes to get more ale and looks over at Zaram "Ello there..new ere arn't ya?

The fox lets out a groan at the hares deadly use of puns. "I can see that. Bring a rag with the next one would you?" He sits there, wet and dripping. "Blazes I had just bathed this month too..."

He gives the mole a side ways glance. He hasn't seen one in so long he had forgotten what they look like. He offers a friendly smile but it only lasts a moment until Bandit goes back to being wet, waiting for his rag, or maybe towel...

Zaram frowns, he is not sure where the towels are and looks for one in a knapsack he has and sighs when he finds none and "Sorry zurr I have none tee give. And de tavern owner be out elsewhere."

Oakenpaw tosses a heavy towel at the Fox witch is amed right at his muyzzle "Well it's nice to have a moler in ere, I make a decent Deeper then deep beet root pie if you like?' he brings bandit alarge ale

Bandit leans back in his chair as the towl connects with his muzzle, making a loud THWAP noise. "Blazes Oak...you got somethin against foxes tonight?" The fox says with a growl but his heart is not in it. He tries to dry himself off, leaving his fur with a sticky mussy look. Giving up the endevor as lost Bandit sighs and reaches for the ale. He drinks half of it in a long steady gulp.

Zaram shakes his head at the offer of the pie "Noo thanie zurr, I like me zoup." He in fact finishes his soup and takes the last couple sips of water as he looks at the door and stands to put the bowl and cup behind the counter top and sits back down.

Oakenpaw nods but looks concerned at bandit "Bandit, is somethin wrong? I did not actually mean offense but you seem upset...it is not this moler is it?

Bandit squints his eyes at being implied to be a speciest. The hare is just digging his own hole tonight isn't he? "Well Moles always did smell a bit funny..." He admits out loud. "But no. It's just the mug of ale to my. face. I guess I am upset about." The fox chuckles half heartedly and leans back in his chair, arm drooped over the side, "I just got a job and I have the feeling I am about to loose it."

Zaram asks, "What job be that zurr? I have recently gotten recorder job me self.Also part time umheealer""

Oakenpaw says, "welll I am a Full time healer and yer not going to lose ANY Job bandit....I am going to see to that" the Hare movesover with a bowl of water and some towels andbegins grooming the fox fur "So youer a Moler healer, I nevermet one o them"

The fox tries to shove the hare away, "Back! Back you crazy hare! Ye are just making it worse!" The fox nearly stumbles out of his chair trying to escape Oaken paw. "And if you think you have a tough job mole at least your head isn't on the line when the chieftain almost get's assassinated the day you become head guard!" Bandit buries his face in his paws, "I had the job for barely ten minutes and BAM! The chieftain almost get's himself killed! Great start I'm off to eh?"

Zaram ajusts his glasses and takes them off to clean them with his sleeve and places them back on "Zurr Scioto is ok and resting at home. Marek tried to go after the two beasts involved but they escaped into the crowd. Zurr Scioto has some bruises and cuts but tis other wise ok, he be very luckly."

Oakenpaw begins giggling like a mad hare "why ye daft lop eared Vulpine ninny" he laughs "yernot gonna get FIRED, it's a MEMORABLE start yer off to..part o a LONG history....and I will ave you know I am a HEALER hare, and PART of that is to be an expert with fur and groomin, and it were MY mistake I wet ya down, even if you DID need a bath...but I will stop if ya wish..yer me friend..and this Moler ere...is one interesting fellow Wot?

Bandit looks horrified at the combination mad hare and the word bath. He leaps behind the mole, trying to use him as a mole shield to keep the hare at bay. "You're crazier than a march hare Oakenpaw! Crazy! Back! Back I say!" He looks at the mole he is hiding behind, "Oh and pleased to meet you yes. Now back! Back with yer cleaning ways!"

Zaram tilts his head and frowns, ok the hare has lost it and he stands slowly keeping an eye on Oakenpaw and backs away to the door, always watching the seemly little insane hare right now, "Ohh..oi umm..errrr..gots te goo Zurr" Yes he is talking full mole as he is a bit afriad of the hare and then is out the door and leaves rather quickly.

Oakenpaw asks, "but it IS March isn't it?"

Bandit watches the mole leave, leaving himself vulnerable, "Oh blazes..." The hare is of course right. Which would explain a lot actually. He gulps. There is no telling what a march mad hare is capable of doing!

The fox then thinks about this. Oakenpaw isn't just any hare though. he is the healer hare...and a bar tender. "How about you just top off my ale and pass me some pie and we will call it even...ok?"

Oakenpaw asks, "only if you chear up" heoffershis paw "Deal/ Wot?"

Bandit looks at the offered paw like he is being offered a snake...which he only recently found out there actually is one in town. A disturbing thought to say the least.

Shaking paws with the hare he nods his head, "Alright then. Deal."

Oakenpaw brings the requested ale and pie "ave you lost weight?

Bandit gives his own stomach a pat with both paws. "Aye. I have. I took a job to lead some beasties up north. Settlers or some other fool hardy errend. Between the walkin and the starvin on account of them not being prepaired for winter, I think I shed a few pounds." The fox takes a stool and sits down.

Oakenpaw sits with the fox "it really is good to see you, and head Guard too from wot I ear"

"Yeah, for however long that lasts." The fox said with a dry chuckle, "The attack happened so fast the chief didn't get to introduce me to the guards so less than half of them even know that I am their supperior officer." The fox leans forward and picks at his pie. One arm is propped up to support his head, "I can't even get close enough to scioto to see how he is...not if his body guards don't know me...

Oakenpaw says, "lad I am tellin ya, I aveteh Cheiftians ear..yer fine"

Oakenpaw says, "ifyouwantto see im you should ave said so..them Body Guards get in my way I have a snake to set afterim"

Bandit smirks as he finishes his pie. "Thanks...but not tonight. Tonight I am drowning my sorrows in ale and pie. Tommarrow I can play the part of head guard and try to make some sense of this thing." He slides a few coins onto the table, "Here. A tip for the pie and the extra ale. Sorry it's not much more but I havn't been paid yet either."

Oakenpaw says, "it's onna house fer the fur wetting and fer a friend"

Bandit is ok with getting free food and pie. A younger Bandit would have milked the situation for what it was worth. Older...well, slightly less young Bandit took his well earned pie and finished it with out complaint. It's funny how the thought of a beast eating snake lurking about town helped one to stick to keeping themselves from growing fat and meaty. Yeah, that must be it.

Oakenpaw says, "you look nice actually Bandit"

"You mean covered in ale?" The fox says with another chuckle. Finishing his drink he leaves the empty bottle on the table. "Thanks for the drink...minus the one to my face...and for cheering me up. I should be getting out of here before it get's dark. I might not be the head guard for long but I while I am, I'm not going to be found belly up in a tavern come morning." He nods to the hare before taking a step for the door.

Oakenpaw smiles "you have agood night me friend and rememberto come by the Infirmary fer yer check up

Bandit laughs, "A check up? Me? HAH I'm fitter than a fiddle mate! Keep your fancy herbs for someone who needs..." The fox pauses, a few seconds before running head long into the wall. Perhaps...perhaps he has had too much ale for one night. "Have a good night Oak." The fox says before departing the tavern.