Looking for Help in Spirit Again

[Than]

The black horse neighed lightly as it pushed it's way out of the forest onto the outskirts of the field that stretched out before the main gate to Spirit. "Calm Nightshade," it's rider whispered in the horses ear as he slide off of him onto the ground, "My clothes." A young elf then rushed up with a few things they had pillaged on their way. "Very good," the night elf said as he put the clothes on. Nothing to fancy, merchant garb in a light purple hew. "I won't be long, I just need to check on some things, be quick and hasten to the Tangle," he breathed. "Yes m'lord," the elf said before returning to his cart towards the back. "Move out," he said as he saddled the horse once more and rode off across the field towards the city. The wind blew across the field and migmatines crumpled beneath the horse's hooves as he made his way towards the gate.

The horse came to a walk as it approached the wall and it slowly opened. The night elf nodded to the guards as he slowly rode into the city and fell into a pace with the masses. He scanned the sides of the road, looking for the shop he had spied on his last visit. There, Amber Sweet: Shapeshifter for Hire. Well now what about Nightshade, ugh, he took a turn down a narrow alleyway, above which a sign read "Stables", and followed it till the end. Sliding off of the horse he tossed the reins and two copper coins to a stable boy, "The name's Than, you can call the horse Nightshade."

He sauntered out of the alley and turned towards the stand. "Hello miss," he called inside. "I'm in need of some assistance," he called again as he looked around for anyone that may be watching, the Song could be anywhere.

[Duci]

“Hello miss.”

Ooh! That sounded like a customer! Duci poked a head out of her little both. She was in her true form, with long golden hair, navy blue wings, black eyes, and the most innocent expression one could imagine. Her mental shield was thrown into place, preventing her thoughts and emotions from being read. Only her pure innocence showed through, amplified by the soft pink gown she wore.

The shifter laid eyes on the night elf and smiled. Wasn’t he a cute one! Then she beckoned for him to enter. Duci had learned that many of her customers did not want outsiders to know their business. Inviting them into the privacy of the canvas tent made them feel more comfortable. “Please come in! Tell me what you need.”

It was strange to think that this innocent looking young lady could be master thief, expert assassin, sneaky informant, and shameless whore all rolled into one. It kept her out of trouble. Nobody expected it of her. When the blame started getting kicked around, she was kept well away from it all.

The shifter withdrew into her tent and sat on a pile of silk cushions. Another pile of silk cushions was available for her guest.

[Than]

"Thank you," Than said as he walked beneath the tent and took a seat atop the cushions. "I am in need of a few things, just minor ones," he said as he fidgeted with the colar of his shirt, "You may have already heard of me by this time, I was in the city earlier and noticed your booth." He then took a deeep breath, "I am Than, and I am in need of your services to aid me in a revolt against the Fae Council. What connections do you have in this city, and would you be willing to journey with me to the City and aid me in a deal with the King of Thieves?"

[Duci]

Interesting. Very, very interesting. A night elf revolting against the fae council? This could have some serious potential; both for good money and for some very bad fortune. Duci considered. “I have quite a few connections in Spirit as well as among the City of Thieves,” she murmured. Not so much the latter, but whatever. Connections were very easy for her to get, so she might as well say she has them.

“I charge one silver per day I am held in your service. Additional charges will be set for high risk jobs and I expect to be compensated for any job-related expense. So long as you keep paying, I will keep working. Those are the only conditions of my employment. So yes, I am willing to travel with you to speak with the thief king. Should my conditions be met, I am willing to do…anything.” That last bit was a little suggestive. But hey. The shifter pretty much sold herself into slavery. Why not hint at certain jobs that would be enjoyable for both of them?

Not that this little crusade of his would not be fun. Duci rather enjoyed high risk jobs. They got her adrenaline pumping and her blood hot.

[Than]

"Good, I am willing to meet all standards of payment, and if all goes according to plan there may be something extra in it for you," he said as he reached into a small pouch that hung off his hip, came with the outfit, and retrieved two silver coins. "I believe this will cover today's expenses," he said as he handed them across to her, "Now the matter of your first job..."

He then rose from the stack of cushions, "I have Need of a few things in Spirit, one of my informants is working inside an organization bent on destroying me, I would appreciate it if you went and spoke with him. He will be in the Dragon's Wing Pub very soon, his name is Lot. He is a raccoon changling, bring back anything he says to you to me on the north side of the city. I'll go about getting you a horse, thank you."

He then exited the booth and came out onto the street and down the narrow alley where Nightshade was being kept, "Good evening, I've come for my horse, his name's nightshade," he said as the stable boy ran off to get it. He then turned to the stables adjacent to the others, out of the view of the young stable boy, "Hmm, why hello," he said to a dark chestnut horse in the first stable, "What's your name?," he said as he reached behind his ear to get a small tag that had been tied around the reins, "Maris," he whispered. He then reached down and unlatched the stable door walking in and running a hand down the already saddled horse, his owner must have only left for a second, this would have to be quick.

In a second he sat atop the saddle the reins in his left hand, then made a clicking sound with his jaw causing the horse to walk forward slightly. Suddenly he whistled and Nightshade came rushing down the aisle to him. The black mount stopped just before him and waited while his owner changed mounts before he took the chestnut horses reins in his hand and rode off down the alley, narrowly avoiding a knight waling down the passage who turned and shouted something about that being his horse. Than then turned left back towards the southern entrance, it would be best to circle around the city and avoid throngs of people with the power to stop him.

[Duci]

Ooh, he gave her two silver coins! Duci liked this man even more. This job would pay her well. And he was getting her a horse? This was a lucky find for Duci. She gave her happy consent and smiled at him as he left her booth. After putting the coins in her money pouch, Duci shifted into human form. Her long golden hair shortened and turned into a color closer to auburn. Her pale skin became more gold toned. She grew taller, curvier, sexier. And her wings went away.

To complete her new look, Duci slipped out of her pink gown (which was now too tight and rather uncomfortable) and into something a little more…interesting. It was enough to cover up her intimate parts anyway. Pale cream lined in real gold. Duci owned some pretty fine clothing. It said a lot about her skill. One could not help but wonder. Did she steal them? Or buy them? With Duci, it was difficult to say.

The meeting with Lot went well enough. He was an interesting fellow to be sure. Duci was not sure if she liked him or not. But he was cute. It took forever for her to convince him that she worked for Than, but everything went smoothly after that. Now she wondered through the part of the city Than said to meet in, looking for Than (and hopefully her new horse!). He probably would not recognize her in this new form and guise, so she would have to be on the lookout for him.

[Than]

Than sat atop Nightshade watching the people pass by as he held onto Maris with his free hand, his other placed around his own mount's reins. He scanned the crowd for anyone who even slightly resembled the shifter he had met earlier. He listened intently to the chatter of people and the movement of the crowd to see if there was any sign of the meeting between Lot and the shifter going sour due to the Song. He also scanned the crowd for any of the song members he had met along his journey. Rodi, the leader, whom he had met the last time he had been in the city and Winter, whom judging by Lot's description was the second in command and next in line for the throne, and most definitely the man he met in the Boil.

He shuffled slightly and the horse brayed as his owner adjusted to get a better view of the passer-bys. The northern gate wasn't far off, his second means of entrance he had just recently passed through it after circling the city on the outside so as to prevent a confrontation with one of the member of the Song who knew him. He was now just off of the main crowd staring as they moved in and out of shops and from booth to booth, "Where are you shifter?," he said to himself as he scanned the crowd.

[Duci]

Horse! Nope. That wasn’t Than. Horse? Nope. Not him either. Duci’s black eyes, the only part of her that stayed during the shift, scanned the crowd in search of the night elf. She counted about a dozen night elves wandering around the packed streets. Oh, come on. Didn’t they have somewhere else to be? She kept seeing one out of the corner of her eye. Then she would get all excited for nothing.

Oh! There he was! Duci grinned to herself. In this form, her grin took on a seductive charm rather than the innocence of her other form. It was as though Duci was an entirely different person. The shifter walked through the mass of people, heading straight for her employer and…Was that her horse that he had with him? Awesome. Two silver coins and a new horse. This was certainly a good day for the shifter.

“Well hello there, Stranger,” Duci said with a wink when she finally reached Than. She ran an appreciative hand over the extra horse. He was quite the handsome fellow. Then, before he got all violent or angry with her, she decided to say something that would let him know who she was. “I talked to your friend. Very interesting man, that one. You gotta special place for us to talk or do you want me to do it here and now?”

That was the funny thing about secret conversations. Talking in a crowd could be just as secretive as talking in a secluded hidden spot. It was easier for a spy to hide amongst a crowd, but it would be harder for that spy to hear. Each way had its pros and cons and Duci did not particularly care which technique was used so long as she got paid. Which she had. At the moment, the fallen celestial was more interested in her new horse.

[Than]

"We best be moving, the Song is everywhere," he replied as he released the reins of Maris and took both of nightshade's reins into his hands, "there's a meadow not far from the city, I have another associate who will meet us there and ride with us to the Northern Tangle." He then scanned the crowd again looking for any song members, "Also we got lucky with your horse, his owner must have been a trapper," he said as he undid a saddle bag and pulled out a hand full of red feathers, "these are Canicus feathers, they produce a great amount of heat, there seems to be some Nyeene wool in the other pouch, these could be worth a fair penny when the time comes."

He then returned the feathers to the pouch and spurred the horse forward into the flow of outward born people. The gates weren't far off, but there was still a steady flow of people entering, not to mention a street show that was causing people to stop and turn to watch. He then reached into his own saddle bag and removed a handful of green powder. Passing by the performers fire pit he tossed a hand full into it and laughed as the red flames turned green in a puff od sickly green smoke. "Come on my lass, we must be on the move," he said as he pushed against the crowd towards the gate.

[Duci]

As her new employer spoke, Duci mounted the horse with ease. Curiously, she dug into the bags to see for herself the things that Than spoke of. He was right. They were there. That also confirmed another fact that she had guessed. The horse was stolen. Well, she had no qualms about that. The owner should have taken better care of the stallion. Now he was all Duci’s.

The shifter tilted her head to the side and studied the elf. He was nice considering his goals. So far, Duci approved of his treatment of her. She vaguely wondered who this associate would be and the curiosity made her anxious. She wanted to move faster, get there sooner, but that would be impossible in this crowd. The shifter was forced to content herself by riding in silence.

Should she make small talk with him? There did not seem to be much point. What could she possibly say that would be of interest? Duci was never all that good when it came to small talk. A brief image of a handsome werefox popped into her head. Kenyon is easy to talk to… Oh, not now! The shifter brushed that image out of her head.

[Than]

"Here, this meadow shall do well to discuss what Lot has to speak of," Than said as he pulled Nightshade's reigns lightly and stopped him before a little stream, the black horse bending it's neck to drink from the stream. He then dismounted and moved to one of his saddle bags opening it and retrieving a small bottle, "Rum?, " he offered before taking a swig, "So what did Lot say, I know the Song are grouping, they want me dead, I'd want me dead too if I were them. They want to protect what little honor and morals the Fae Council have, ha, there's nothing they can do to stop this revolution, it will sweep the forests, and it won't stop till the Fae have a stronger government, they need a leader and a government that will protect them all, a government that will pay them back, they need a government where you can make your own choices."

[Duci]

They reached the meadow soon enough and Duci was content to look around while Than went on a semi-rant. The place was peaceful, the birds were singing and the air was comfortable. The stream added extra aesthetic pleasure. “I was under the impression that the Song was more neutral,” Duci replied thoughtfully, “One of their leaders is human, after all.” She paused, thinking back to what she learned from Lot.

Silently, the shifter dismounted. “They’re planning their assault with the information Nightingale brought back. Nothing has been decided yet, as far as he knows. They’re at some secret location discussing it and no further information has been released yet.” Duci scoffed. “Doesn’t seem to be a very capable spy, in my opinion. But maybe I am judging him too soon.”

She fell quiet for a few moments, staring into the water as her horse drank greedily. Did the fae, the whimsical creatures of creation, truly take away the individual’s free will? Duci did not agree with Than. Nor did she feel any particular love for the fae creatures. This was a business transaction to her and nothing more. Let the elf see the world as twisted as he wanted.

“So, who are we waiting for?” she asked curiously.

[Than]

"No one, we may continue if you like," Than said as he mounted his steed, "we must hasten to the Northern Tangle." He then turned his horse away from the stream, "Let not the human sway you, they are there to protect what they see as injustice performed by the humans, they are to narrow minded to see the truth. It's survival of the fittest, if we are unprepared to fight off the enemy then we die, if we are strong enough, unified, we thrive, so is the way of this world. Living in the Northern Tangle thought me many things, one being that we can not hope for others to save us, we must fight. The Song has no chance of saving all of us, all they can do is wait for the storm to hit and hope they have a roof to protect them." He then kicked Nightshade's flank lightly and caused the horse to begin a steady walk towards the fringe of trees on the northern side of the clearing, "Lot may not know what they're planning, but he knows how to read the faces and reactions of the others, he know when they're scarred or hostile, it's a skill he picked up from years of thieving."

[Duci]

Duci blinked. They were not meeting anyone there? What about Than’s associate? Apparently he wasn’t important. Duci brushed the thought away and returned to her horse. She was sad to be leaving the pretty meadow, but duty called. Once mounted, the shifter fixed Than with a thoughtful gaze. She still thought his logic was flawed, but that was not important. She was loyal to her employers when they treated her well.

“I cannot be swayed,” she told him, “My thoughts are my own.” That was a truth about Duci. Duci truths were rare things that should be treasured. She did not like to talk about herself, her nature, her memories…Nothing. Even something as trivial as that was a rare thing for her to share. Duci liked to play mysterious sell sword and innocent half wit. The more people knew about her the more dangerous her game.

This was something she felt she could share with him. He was paying her, and he therefore earned her loyalty until the job was through. Duci was not a greedy thing. Her loyalty did not belong to the highest bidder. It was first come first serve. And Than got to her first. Duci would not be swayed.

[Than]

"Let them be, they're yours after all," Than said as he led Nightshade through the trees, "I heard some odd discussion whilst I waited for you." He continued riding neither slowing nor speeding up, "The faery princess has gone missing," he chuckled lightly after this, "Poor sweet Lyra all alone in the world leaving her darling mound free for the taking. Those fools who run the council will have no way to defend themselves." He led Nightshade around a tree and over a log, "Now all we have to do is rally the thieves."

He continued to ride through the forest towards the Tangle where his men awaited him, all sixty of them, so what if it was smaller then he hoped, he had his plans. "Also, it's reached my ears that the shifters have been removed from their island by a volcano, pity really, they'll have nowhere to go with the boil tearing itself apart, such a sad end." He then stopped, "But my fight is not with them, what they do is of no business to me, I have my eyes set on something else," he then spurred his horse on in a slow walk.

[Duci]

"Let them be, they're yours after all,"

Duci gave him a sideways glance, certain that the statement was a manipulative one. Surely he would not have responded thus had her statement been less on his side. No matter. She kept her mask up and he emotions mask. Than would read nothing from her but the slight curiosity she allowed to show on her face.

As Than continued to talk, Duci urged her horse to follow along beside his. She felt entirely neutral regarding the subject matter that he discussed. The fae were not her concern. In fact, she was technically their enemy at this point in time.

The news regarding her own people did catch her off guard, however. Duci froze, but this was hardly a problem because her horse continued to walk. The volcano erupted? She was not overly concerned about this. It happened at times. That was why they had a leader there, to make sure that the signs were read and everyone got away safely. They were not her concern anyhow.

Yet…Something like sympathy seemed to stab her when Than mentioned them not being able to find refuge in the Boil. Perhaps it was a response to the callous and uncaring way Than spoke of the ordeal that sparked this strange feeling within her.