The Messenger

Part of the Aclidia Blues arch. Disquised as a ferret the slave Abel travels down the darker side of the city in search for answers about his long lost sister.

The city of Aclidia is a vast and wonderous city. A port harbor there is an influx of quality goods and exotic beasts from all abroad. From the gradeous architechture to the monuments, statues, and buildings the city is quite the breath taking marvel. And then there are the slums. For reasons best left unmentioned this part of the city is chronically run down, stones are missing from the roads, walls have cracks in them, and generally this part of town attracts unsavory types of all species and brutality. It is where guards travel in groups of four, and probibly not the best to be traveling alone at night.

Which is exactly what a certain squirrel slave is doing... unarmed. He looks around furtively, every shadow making him uneasy. He seriously wished Sibyl could be there...

For slums the area is rather filled tonight. Many beasts about, with the port so close many of those beasts look like sea vermin. The town seems alive as sailors from one bar move on to the next. The term seedy would not do this street justice. Although the lizard is sitting back at the mannor, most likely fattening up on Flavious gormet food still, her directions live on, pointing the squirrel to Ship Wreck Cove, prehaps the seediest tavern on the street. The stone work building is still settling and tilted to one side.

Abel takes a deep breath and approaches, and slips inside furtively, looking around. "Good grief, this place is... scary," he says to himself. He tries to pick out the messenger from among the dangerous looking crowd.

The tavern certainly lives up to its name. It is decorated like the inside of a sloop gally, and has seen enough bar fights tonight to make it look like it crashed upon the shore. In fact one seems to be going on right now! A pair of weasels are duking it out on the tavern floor to the jeers and cheers of onlookers. All manor of vermin are gathered here, pirates, brigands, bandits, thieves, of varrying species. A lone brown furred bat in the far corner seems to ignor the ruckus here, he seems to be sipping from a small glass of tea.

Abel makes his way to the bat, attempting to avoid the fight. He slips through the shadows, approaching the corner. He glances around before saying in a low voice, "You are a messenger?"

With out looking up the bat sips from his tea and asks in a gravely voice, "That all depends on if you can..." His eyes finely glance up at the squirrel dressed as...a ferret? Something is very off with this beast but, he shrugs, "I have been known to deliver messages to peoples, places, entities and organizations. Are you buying or expecting a package?"

Abel glances around furtively. "I am expecting news, on behalf of Sibyl."

The bat tilts his head to the side. Ferret, grey fur, asking for sibyl, "That lizard which I may or may not know usually comes to pick up her own packages..." He glances about the tavern and is relieved that most seem to occupied on the fight to notice the two conversing, "Are you Korudon by any chance?"

Abel glances around, unsure how to respond. Sibyl hadn't mentioned any Korudon. "Ummm, yes? Why do you ask?"

The bat doesn't seem too pleased to hear this information. "Some how the way Sibyl always described you, I thought you would be taller." He reaches into his brown vest and produces a thick envelope. He hesitates before handing it over. "I'll waver the price this time if you tell me what happened to Sibyl. It's something bad, isn't it. Why else would they send /you/ here?" The bat reflects on his own question and his eyes widen if fear. "H-hey now...what ever Sibyl was involved with I swear I wasn't a part of it..."

Abel takes the envelope then stares at the bat. "Hey...hey, calm down. I..." he glances around, then whispers, "I can tell you now, but you must *swear* you won't repeat what I tell you, understand?"

The bat is not one to argue with beasts in Korudon's line of work so he leans forward and nods his head, hoping the ferret isn't just planning to knife him in the gut.

Abel says, "Sibyl is safe, for now. Maffeo has gone insane, we all know it... We are trying to smuggle Sibyl out of the city."

The bat blinks in surprise for a long moment, "Wait...what? Whoa whoa whoa back up here..." The bat flails his arms then rubs at the bridge of his nose, "So Sibyl is in danger? What kind of trouble has she gotten herself into this time? And...what does Maffeo have to do with it?"

Abel looks around. "Maffeo ordered her death."

The bat's eyes widen dramatically. "Man, you got to get yourself away from her then. No beast gets a death mark from the Cartel unless they really did something to tick them off. They might come after /you/ just for knowing her!" The bat once again realizes his own statement and begins to get up, "Ah man...now I gotta leave town..."

Abel frowns. "Maffeo will die in time."

"Yeah, I din't plan to stick around to see how long /that/ will take!" The bat begins moving away from the table, ducking under a chair as it flies across the room. The brawl seems to be dying down.

Abel takes a chance to look in the envelope while the bat leaves.

The fight finely seems to die out as both weasels collapse into a tired heap on the floor. Disgusted with this anti climactic turn of events the beasts around them begin a new fight, started by an ermine bashing his mug into the face of a fox.

Abel reads in silence. His sister is... married? He feels mixed emotions, but most of all he wants to see her again. The fight is completely ignored.

The Squirrel may ignore the fight but the fight doesn't ignore him for long as the ermine comes flying through the air, landing on the seat of the booth the bat once occupied. A cheer raises up in the crowd as the fox lumbers over to drag the unfortunately still conscious ermine back into the brawl.

As the squirrel leaves the pair of beasts sitting behind the squirrel exchange glances. A now very terrified stoat turns to the ferret infront of him, who was only half way through his meal when the conversation began. "Dead huh?" Korudon snaps at his friend. He ignores Galyn's blathering excuses and stands up from the table. Picking the stoat up by the neck he snarls at his fellow thief, "This time... no mistakes...." he shoves the stoat forcefully back in his chair and turns for the exit. Gesturing for the stoat to follow. Tonight the assassin hunts...

Abel is completely ignorant as he makes a beeline for his home. He keeps to back alleys and side streets, but after some time the villa is near again.