Thar Shaddin

The fuck -- ?

Boulder leered at the dangling breasts while Leni turned away from both boy and savage in disgust.

"Leviathan," Boulder said with reverence, "Changer's get, aye, like to be the best hunt in untold years. They'll be singing!"

Leni pulled at the collar that pressed tight to her throat, broken nails scratching skin. "Kill it like y'kill anything else. People, magic, weapons. Get enough of any of 'em, with skilled hands to direct 'em, and the beastie will fall. Changer's get or not."

She glared at the savage woman, unable to divert her eyes too long from those drooping titties. They weren't right. And what was she doing flopping them on everything? Leni felt scorn for the woman, while at the same time sinking into a vast feeling of superiority. She drank down her alcohol, and shifted her eyes to Boulder as he spoke.

"The beast is big, bigger than any ship in the harbor. Maybe bigger'n the city isself. The details? Yeah, not many living to tell. Some say it's a serpent, while others say it has tentacles like a squid or octopus. We'll bare it to the light when it's dead. Y'wanna come?"

His eyes slid from boy to tits, to the savage's face. Leni watched the process with grand amusement, the alcohol slipping slowly into her blood relaxing her by degrees. Fuck Scraps anyways. Overbearing kid could go get fucked and take the rod out of his ass. She deserved to let loose every once in awhile, and standing next to a sign was fucking degrading. She'd once been hailed as one of the best. Chain her up to a sign? Fuck off.

"Beast's deadly t' ships. It's a job for the brave or stupid." Leni was looking at the woman as she said it, some stupid need to prove herself the dominant in her eyes. Challenge in her words, in her sneer.

The boy was engaged in what she told, bright eyed and adventuring in his mind, hungry for whatever more she or the other woman had to say. It was strangely invigorating, perhaps because it had been some time since any person had paid much attention to her beyond business and the occasional curious individual. He was a standard boy, one that looked like the ones who were always in the way and always finding something to get in trouble over. She might have been a bit charmed in that mothering way by his presence if he didn't look so normal.

Man and woman spoke of the monster, the creature that Ika doubted was truly a monster. The Leviathan was a legend passed from generations; she had never heard the name until she herself had been hired to fight the thing. She believed it to be an animal, like the famed vouricores of the Tapurian sea. Some had been so large that it was said it had swallowed an island many centuries ago. It was the belief of the people that a tribe their ancestors had originated from had made their home on that island. Vouricores were known to exist; they had been found once or twice beached on the eastern side of the main island. Leviathan probably existed too, but Ika wondered just how large this beast was, and just how much magic it had retained from the Changers' gifts.

"Ownlee becuss I am here to hunt the k-reetur," she said, partially in a proud response to the glares and stares she could feel on her. She didn't know why they were uncomfortable, or even if they were uncomfortable. She assumed that they were threatened by her presence. Most people tended to act that way around her.

The empire had sent for her for a reason. She was good at very few things, but her strength in understanding her animal counterparts (and enemies) could be useful for the team that was to hunt the Leviathan.

Jeeko wondered at his fortune for having already, by chance alone, run into three people who all seemed to have a part in the hunt. But then again, perhaps it wasn't all fate, considering that Jeeko'd been directed to this tavern by another involved in the endeavor. And if they're really paying so much, there'd surely be hundreds of young men staying around here, waiting for their share of the adventure, he reasoned. It was strange, really, that he hadn't heard the news earlier.

And if they're sending Corezan women, "they're probably mages..." The trailing end of his thoughts drifted from his lips in a mumble, though Jeeko didn't seem to notice, too preoccupied with his excitement. Leaning back on his heels with hands planted proudly on hips, Jeeko grinned at the rest of them. As usual, he spoke with unwavering confidence, despite the lack of depth in his voice. "Reckon I could make me'self useful, an' I ain't scared'a nothin'. When d'ya set sail?"

Sam couldn't help but overhear the conversation happening in front of him. The odd group before him spoke of monster hunting and riches to be made. He had not yet contemplated the idea of taking up a job to earn the money he hoped to use to feed his people back home, but it was understandable that he may very well need to do just that. Nobody just gave away money or food with nothing in exchange. Such things needed to be worked for. It was hard work that kept a village alive.

He stood up from his table and made his way over to the others.

"I'm sorrei to bother you but I could not hep but hear that you are hunting some kind of sea creature, for a profit." He spoke with an accent that relied heavily on his 'r's and dropped or overshadowed many of the vowel sounds. "If you do not mind I think I woud like to offer you my services."

Leni was right ready to show some not so good natured sneer the way of the flop-tittied bitch when the conversation twisted two ways. She got caught in it, mouth opened on a jeer that was outpaced before she could voice it, and she retreated into her mug as Boulder's joviality expanded.

"All are welcome! Sail's t'set any day now, soon as the roster fills proper. Let's get the lot of you signed -- "

"With me." A quiet voice interrupted, and Leni turned to look. Her fingers loosened on her mug, but before she could drop it Boulder plucked it out of her fingers with a mutter and put it on the bar. Despite the alcohol, Boulder moved like he was stone sober.

"'Hoy, Scrappy-bo, you growed a dick yet?"
"Leni," Scraps replied, but Leni didn't look at him. She looked at Sam, instead, pretending she didn't see Scraps walk towards them on silent feet, a stern face presented to the small cluster of folk. He looked hard and dangerous, and not a whit amused. He was a predator on top of his game, not a fuck up like Leni. He owned her collar. He wasn't scared by Boulder.
"What services you got to offer?" Leni asked Sam, ignoring Scraps.
"I asked you to get me food," Scraps said patiently, deadly quiet. Amazing she could still hear 'im over the din of drinking grubbers. "This isn't part of the job."
"Fuck off, boy, we're grabbin' tinder for the fire. Shut up and back the fuck off, and you lot come on." Boulder stood to go, gesturing to the rest of the group. "Call me Boulder, that's what I'm known as, names?" He moved as he spoke, deliberately shouldering Scraps as he walked past. Scraps, for his part, stood as if he hadn't been touched.

Scraps stared at Leni, and she rose quietly without looking at him. "Call me Leni," she said, all mirth gone.

Ika, of course, had already been technically signed on long before she had even entered Corezo, hired by some high-class individual of the Eyropan empire who had heard rumor of her talents. Else, she would have had no reason to have come here. She certainly wasn't here to sight-see or buy property. People here spoke with accents and in strange languages that she had never heard before, or maybe it was just a single language that she was incapable of picking up on. Whatever the case, it was strange that a bunch of individuals were here to sign up for the hunt. She didn't know if it was coincidental or not.

She stood up straight from leaning over the table and began finishing off a second otter while trying to figure out what it was they were all saying. Two new men entered the inn, one with pale skin like he had long ago drowned and another she could have speared in the throat without much hesitation. Something about Scrap's eyes bothered her. She couldn't place what it was.

They spoke quickly, too quickly for her to catch, and with an attitude that made it sound like they were tripping over their own tongues and flicking them like snakes. Something about "fire" and then "names." Ika blinked.

"Ika," her face was pricelessly bemused, not a hint of understanding in her eyes.

Even through all his daft social ignorance, Jeeko could tell that the situation had taken a turn for the potentially dangerous. A fight was fun, but he knew this kind of unsettling tension meant one should tread carefully, so he decided to try keeping out of it, for the most part.

Boulder and Leni introduced themselves, and Ika spoke what might've been her name or perhaps some foreign word equating to "The fuck are you on about?", considering the look on her face. "Jeeko, at your service," was the boy's cheerful response, before he turned expectantly to the man with the poor skin.

Alcohol, egos and sea-faring people were a dangerous combination. It was impossible to mix the three together and not end up with some form of trouble. Sam had no idea who this new guy was or what his connection to the others might be, but it was painstakingly obvious that there was some kind of bad blood between him and the others. Even the strange, topless girl saw it.

Corezo may not have been his home, but as far as he understood it, such feeling of ill contempt were not restricted to Pretana alone. Conflict arose when those of different opinions let go of their self control, either willingly or through intoxication. The only way around it would be taking on the role of 'the bigger man', and not letting words get the better of you.

For Sam, that meant not getting between the woman and this new man. If they had a problem with each other it was up to them to work it out or fight it out. He would not be the cause of it escalating.

"I am Sam," he spoke after being asked for his name. "In Prretana I fish forr a living an hunt smaller sea monsters."

"Les all git ourselves t' the office, then we'll sign up proper for a ship," Leni said, but the ego that'd buoyed her words had got so sharp it'd sprung a leak. Her posture changed, and soon enough she was the ass of the Society again, all stooped shoulders and cutting tongue with nothing left to prove herself.

Scraps, for his part, looked right pained. He should, the jetsam, the latrine leavings, but knowing she'd caused yet more disappointment in him took the fun of playing hookey right out of her. Leni hated him. She hated how he always showed up just in time to see her mistakes, how he'd been alongside to watch her take a tumble when Spade was murdered by them foul monsters, and for all the little things, little decisions that were so meaningless but still wrong. Leni was right tired of being the wrong one, of people talkin' all hush quiet and clammin' up when she got too close.

So she pushed her back straight and ignored the twinges of old wounds that'd never heal right, and she looked Scrappy-bo set in the eyes, and she told him, "We'll have a talk later, jes you and me."

Bastard gave her a twisted up smile, disappointment touched with strict rigidity flaring up around him with every move he made. "Yeah, that's fine. Just. . .fine."

Boulder'd already reached the door, and he propped it open. Everythin' looked small and dainty next t' the man, and what didn't still seemed shriveled compared to the big life in him. "You lot're slower 'n slugs inna salt maze! Burnin' daylight!"

Leni nudged Ika on the shoulder with her forearm, jerking her head towards the door. To Sam she asked, "What sort of monsters?"

Words passed over her, accented words with little parts of them reaching her, like "sea monsters." She wished that she had learned Eyropan more before she had come here, as it was quite a lonely thing to be the only one who didn't 'get it.' Still, she knew that with time more of the language would come to her. It wasn't that complicated, it was just near impossible to understand any of them with their accents. For many of those she'd met, their accents were so thick that she had to wonder if it was their second language or not. Maybe there would be a person on the ship who spoke with no accent; she could sort of understand unaccented Eyropan.

While she was standing there, she was nudged toward the door by the woman who didn't appear to like her. Ika liked Leni. She had this permanent chip on her shoulder, which really just meant that she would loosen up with a few circle dances. She likely had wisdom that she wouldn't tell, as was the case with many men and women who pretended to hate the world and all its infinite complexities. The Punye-keke tribe elder had been a lot like that; she'd had an intense stare and liked to be left alone, but she had been wiser than the trees and knew the language of the wind.

Ika followed the line of troopers out of the little tavern, leaving the sticks she had used to roast the otters on the messed table along with a few of their entrails. Outside, the sun poured onto her dark skin. Twenty feet away, a tempfirus bird was tied around the belly and neck to a stable, and the boy tending the stable looked very unhappy with this addition. Ika grunted and tilted her head up for a moment, moving one of her hands over her mouth briefly. The large bird cooed to her. Ika grinned, following Sam to the "office," which was one of those words she'd never heard before.

Jeeko's growing excitement at the prospect of hunting sea monsters was briefly overshadowed when he spied an unusual beast tethered by the stables. He'd never seen a bird like that before. It was incredible, and he didn't miss how it responded eagerly to Ika's signal. His eyes were almost as wide as his grin, and he almost forgot the company he was keeping as he absently interrupted their conversation.

In a voice of youthful wonder that belied his age, he asked loudly and suddenly, "What is THAT?"

Although the question was obviously directed at Ika, Jeeko's gaze never left the creature. New sights always caught his attention, like a moth to a lantern, though he made sure to keep following the group as they continued on to wherever it was they were going to be starting their grand adventure.

Sam was lead out of the tavern by the mismatched group of supposed monster hunters. While he had little doubt as to the qualifications of the large, gruff men and the foul-mouthed woman, he worried about the decision to bring a couple of children out to sea. He hoped that whoever it was that was organizing this hunt had enough common sense not to risk the lives of ones so young over something so dangerous.

The boy in particular had a ways to go before he could be seen as mature enough to handle such a task. His childish sense of wonder and excitement seemed to imply that he may be even younger than he looked, far too young to be putting his life on the line. The way in which he stared wide-eyed at the exotic bird, his mouth hanging a gasp, it was almost painful to watch. It was painful to think that this child would willingly give up all the years he had ahead of him so that he could help bring down some monster.

He had known many good men who had lost their lives at sea. Each time they left the safety of shorelife to enter into a world that was not their own, they risked never returning.

Sam only caught the tail-end of the question as he was too caught up in thinking of the boy. Monsters. "Yes, monsters, small ones. Slippery bastards, sharrp teeth, wicked claws, about the size of a man's arm and just as likely to tear through a fishing net as to shrread flesh from bone." And to further prove his point he rolled up his sleeve to expose old gashes running down his forearm from some of his luckier experiences with the things.

Jeeko's voice made Leni's shoulders just jerk up towards her skull in an instant and souring loathing. She hated kids what couldn't keep their yappers shut or in a decent sort of quiet. Boulder'd probably been like that as a kid, all loud and messy and the wrong sort of indecent that made the rest of the world decide never to have children. Proved wrong for most -- it was like some pregger epidemic to youngsters, no matter what sort of precautions was recommended by wiser adults -- but Leni'd never fallen into that trap, oh no.

It was her distraction with the bird and Jeeko's right irritating voice that made her miss most of what Sam'd said. Not that Leni really cared, since the whole purpose was to put Scraps off until forever. Though, considering the heap of company she was current slummin' with, there'd be no replacement to glue herself to. Stuck with Scraps, like that should've been any surprise.

Adding to her distraction, Boulder'd scrunched up some to sling an arm around Jeeko's neck, half lifting the boy by the neck as he straightened. "Yore a ripe one, ain't you? That's what I like t'hear! Gotta demand the answers right off the tit of the world, you does, else you'll never be ripe for monster huntin'!"

Leni looked back at Sam. She'd lost nearly all of his words (he'd said yes, right?), but she'd caught the flesh from bone bit, punctuated by the scars he showed. Leni whistled straightaways, impressed with this new evidence. Sure, he talked right funny and didn't look like no fisherman she'd ever known -- not with that pale skin -- but a badge of honor like that boosted him up past 'clueless villager' and into 'proper bait'.

But, of course, different words escaped her mouth than the ones that filled her head. "Sure you're good enough for the task? Hate t'see you get all gutted up cos you're so used t'small fry."

Scraps snorted real quiet behind her, but loud enough she could hear it. He had no right t'judge. None at all! Bastard. Still, she was suddenly quite a bit more self-conscious of her missing finger, not to mention her other scars.

Naturally, as the group walked, the two who seemed to be youngest broke away for a moment into their own conversation. Or, at least, what might be called an attempt at conversation. Jeeko, who couldn't have been much older than Ika, stared with wonder at the tempfirus. People had always been curious about the bird ever since she had left with Nukani from her homeland. Most people had never seen one before, especially in the northern half of Eyropa. Those that had been seen were often untamed, or tamed primary for circus sideshows and other less useful purposes.

Nukani, on the other hand, was a riding bird and valuable hunting companion. Most people had never so much as touched a tempfirus, nevermind ride one.
"Nukani. He iss... temp-fee-ruhs. Mai f-rehnd, we cawll nakakanita, mai people. It mean 'fire wahlk-er.'" Ika's voice was heavy with accent. She could hear it, in a way. Eyropan was so difficult for her to speak that is was incredibly obvious and very frustrating to not know the words for things. She knew that to a native speaker, she must have sounded ridiculous. Her frustration, however, was produced solely by being unable to get her point across easily. She didn't care how other people thought of her, not even if it meant they treated her poorly.

As they walked, several people passed them going the other direction on the road. One of them was trotting on a black horse. Ika pointed at the horse and leaned in toward Jeeko. "He hass poh-nee, I hahve Nukani!" Her smile was broad and always toothy, shining starkly against her skin. Jeeko was obviously from a different world. Even so, she rather enjoyed the company.

"Wow! Fire walker!" Jeeko exclaimed, a little disappointed that they wouldn't get to play with the bird anytime soon. "You can ride it? I never seen--"

His declaration suddenly broken off, Jeeko felt himself almost lifted off his feet mid-stride by Boulder's grip around his neck. He coughed as the man let go of him, but laughed it off. He was used to getting pushed around -- even when it was actually hostile, he didn't always realize it -- so it was almost comforting in a way.

"Yeah! I want'a hunt monsters," Jeeko exclaimed excitedly. "Jeeko," he paused briefly, realized he'd accidentally dropped a pronoun. "... uh, hasn't seen many monsters before. Wow, a Changer's monster... sounds amazing."

He silently reminded himself that blurting out your every thought wasn't really appreciated around most people and looked around at the group again. These people were so awesome. His attention quickly drifted back to the foreigner, and he asked, "Where's Nukani from? Setkhantos?"