Chapter 7: the Town.

Pebbles crushed underpaw as Celestyn walked into the unfamiliar town. The buildings were dark, wooden, and a low dust refused to settle over the ground. It's clear this was once a busy place, but no hustle, nor bustle was happening now. "Are you hungry, Alistar?" Celestyn broke the silence. "hu-Huh? . . Uhm . . . nnNo i'm good, thanks. ." Alistar said, but his belly growling shortly thereafter betrayed his true feelings. "Let's see if they have a tavern." Celestyn decided aloud, "okay.." Alistar gave in. Looking around, Celestyn scanned the building signs. 'Bank', 'General Store', 'Jailhouse', 'the Dog and Cat'. Sounds like a tavern name, i guess Celestyn thought, and walked over into the building. The wooden porch squeaked under his paw. Opening the door with a low, drawn out creak, Celestyn found the interior lowly lit, the glowering, glowing gazes of all the people inside, reflecting the candle light, was locked on the two newcomers. Celestyn felt Alistar duck behind him. "how-- Howdie . . folks . ." Celestyn managed to croak out, before walking over to the bar and sitting. Alistar sat beside him, glancing back toward the Townsfolk. The Bartender, who was cleaning out a glass, ran his gaze over Celestyn and Alistar, "You're new here. That's fer certain." the Bartender said gruffly. "What tickles yer fancy?" "uhm . . Well, uh . . ." Celestyn tried to think, what do Canikin drink again, and blurted out the first thing his brain could return. "Whiskey. neat." the Bartender raised his eyebrows slightly, clearly not having expected that. "coming right up." he said, then turned, to pour the whiskey. Celestyn looked back toward all the Townsfolk, who had turned away by now, then back to Alistar. "You going to order anything, Alistar?", "Uh . . . nnNo . .", "You want me to ask if they've got any food?", ". . . Yeah . ." Celestyn turned back to the Bartender, just as he placed the glass of whiskey infront of him. "Four silver." Celestyn pulled his bag to infront of him, and pulled out four silver, handing it over. "Oh, uh . . Do you have food?" "Bread." the Bartender replied, tursely. "Just bread?" "Bread." "Uh . . . Loaves of bread?" "Yes." ". . . Two loaves of bread, then . ." the Bartender placed two stale-looking loaves onto the counter, "Two silver." Celestyn handed him the two silver, put the bread into his bag, and took the glass of Whiskey. He looked down at it nervously. Steeling himself, he brought it up to his lips and took a drink - his first drink, despite being of age. It flooded his mouth, burning. It was like liquid fire in his mouth. Celestyn gulped it down, like a slug of liquid metal in his throat. He fought the urge to cough with all his willpower, eyes watering slightly. the Bartender cracked a smile at this, "Not much of a drinker, eh?" "nn.. not particularily, no . ." Celestyn croaked out, then stood, looking around as the burning in his throat cleared. He spotted a table near the back, which appeared to be empty, and walked over to it, Alistar following. Celestyn sat, and looked around at the dark-lit tavern, still feeling slightly uncomfortable about the whole place. "Hello there." a gruff old voice came from across the table. Celestyn felt Alistar jolt against him, and snapped his head toward the voice, spotting a dark figure across the table. "uh.. so-Sorry, we didnt know this was your table already, we'll find another . ." "No, no, it's fine. You can sit here." the darker person reached up onto the table, to the candle, and placed his fingertips on the wick. "What are you-" suddenly, the candle lit in a flash of flame. Celestyn felt Alistar once again flinch slightly, as the other person licking their apparently burnt fingertips. Looking back up, Celestyn saw the person's face now. They were a Duskin - the bat kin of the God of Destruction. They live in the vast overgrown forest to the south - Megalotis, Celestyn recalled. Certainly not known for good will. "So, what brings you here?" the Stranger spoke, eyes clearly falling on Celestyn's quintuple eyes. "Oh, uh . . . We're just passing through . . You?" "Just about the same." the Stranger nodded slightly, then looked at Alistar. "You're awful quiet. Why don't you tell me who you are?" Alistar snapped his head up, gripping the fabric of his shirt. "m.. Me?" "Who else would I be talking to?" "Uh . . My name is. . uh, Alistar Everwyn." "That's a nice name. You?" the Stranger looked back to Celestyn, ". . Celestyn . . ." he racked his brain for the fake name he used earlier, "Linwood." "Hm. Celestyn Linwood. Interesting name." the Stranger put his hand on his chin, thinking. "That last name certainly fits the . . Environment. Considering it's the name of the forest just to the west. But Celestyn is an . . . Interesting name for a Canikin. and those eyes . ." Celestyn and Alistar both tensed up at the same time. "Oh, don't worry, little friend. I won't rat you out to the Guards. any Northern influence isn't my business." Celestyn felt Alistar relax, but he himself didn't. "Where are you going after this, hm?" "Uhm." Celestyn hadn't thought that far ahead, yet. "Probably south." "Hm. That's where i'm headed, actually. You don't mind if i accompany you, do you?" "Uh . . Sure, you can come . . . I guess . ." "Mortemis. Mortemis Endyre." "Nice to meet you, Mortemis . ." i Alistar slowly ate his small piece of bread, glancing nervously at the Duskin. Suddenly. "Hello there!" Celestyn felt Alistar startle against him, and both snapped their heads to the source of the noise - a strange golden-furred woman. A Canikin. "I'm Pepper! Pepper Louise Mcfall! Your clothes tell me you're not from around here! Who are you? Where do you come from?" she spoke fast. Fast and loud, her tail wagged behind her. Celestyn flicked his eyes over her clothes - she was wearing a tan tunic with an emblem over the chest, over which laid a chainmail byrnie, the rings lit slightly ablaze by the flickering candlelight and trailing down the sides, one side lifted slightly by a steel sword at her hip. Beneath, she wore padded trousers. "I am Mortemis Endyre." began the Duskin, "You, my golden-furred friend, speak rather fast. Mind slowing your speech?" "Oh! I apologize! I've been told i'm very excitable" the Female Canikin continued - not slowing her speech even slightly. "Uh-- Ms. Canikin, would you mind telling us what exactly you want? - past of course just interest in us . ." Alistar spoke up, "Oh, well . . You lot look awful tired - i'd like to offer you to sleep in the room i paid for for the night!" "uh-" Celestyn began, "That's really nice of you, but - I don't think we can take th-" "Gladly, ma'am." Mortemis cut him off. "Wonderful! I'm very happy to help!" Celestyn glared at Mortemis, but said nothing. Mortemis got to his feet, "Lead the way." he said, as Alistar stood, Celestyn hesitating before standing aswell. The three followed the Golden-furred Canikin up the creaking wooden stairs. Paintings sat on either wall of the staircase. Paintings of great canikin - kings, it seems, from the golden crowns sat upon their brows. At the top of the stairs, they took a left, down a short hall, into a door, the number '22' etched into it. Walking inside, it quickly opened up into a large, dark room. Celestyn could see red and gold carpet, before Mortemis lit a candle, lighting up the room with its dim warm light. The room was large, certainly. At the end opposite to the door was a large, soft-looking bed, trimmed with gold. Next to the door was a smaller, rougher bed. At the west-most wall was a makeup table - surely not used by Pepper, she hardly seemed the type. "It's certainly not a cheap room . ." Celestyn said - suddenly hyperaware of his dirty slops. Looking over to his side, he saw that Alistar was gazing at all of the glimmering golden trim with a sort of amazement. "You know - for a guy with a sword, you're awfully lacking on protection," Pepper cut in, looking over Celestyn's dirty farmer clothes. "Huh? Oh, yeah, i don't exactly have any need nor enough gold to spare for armor." "Well, we can't have that. You'll lose an arm!" Pepper walked over to the bed, crouched and pulled a case out from underneath. She dug through it, before coming back over and practically throwing a plated arm-harness at him. "Oh, uh . . . Thank you . . This is a right arm-harness though, and i'm . . Not right-handed." ". . Okay? You can just use it to block or deflect or whatever." "Fair enough." he put it in his bag. "Where'll we sleep?" "Well, one of you can take the small bed - but i suppose the other two will have to sleep on the floor, if you don't want to share." "Hm. Well, we should probably give it to the newest to the party, Mortemis." Celestyn spoke. "No. No, let Alistar take it." "m-Me?" "You're the smallest. And Frailest." Alistar looked down slightly, "Yeah . . ." before slowly sitting on the bed. With a long yawn, Celestyn laid on the carpet - next to the door, just below Alistar - and slowly drifted off to sleep. This carpet is far more comfortable than any tent, he thought, as he faded into unconsciousness.