The death of reasoning

[Jasyn]

A wildcat stood still, his intense green gaze gazing over the sea. A group of vermin sat huddled before numerous campfires. The night was chilly, but still the wildcate stood still. Not even a shiver moved his skin. No goosebumbs. He watched the sea, his eyes easily able to pierce the dark curtain of night and watch driftwood get beached. He was suddenly disturbed by a calm voice. Only one who knew him could be able to do that. He turned, and and appraised the weasel before him.
"What is it, Stormgaze?"
"Someone is in our camp, someone who isn't in your horde. He wants to see you."
"Lead me to him." The weasel gave a small nod and turned and led the way to the centermost campfire. He gestured to a beast who clearly wasn't there before, then left to oversee the other campfires. Markimm sat down on a dune and watched the stranger. Only he and the wildcate waited in front of the fire, so there were no unneccisary interupptions. Markimm waited quietly, patiently, for the other to speak.

[Aalai]

The half furred tail was curled around the small creatures waist. The auburn fur covered the childish figure of the squirrel, including his bright green eyes. Even if it wasn't visible to Markimm the green eyes of the squirrel had opened and promptly trailed up to the Wildcat demi-warlord's face. The odd creature said nothing and beside a slight inclination of his head did nothing to acknowledge the leader of this pitiful rabble, that he called an army. {pitiful, they didn't even all wear a uniform. Deciding he had made the creature wait long enough the squirrel lowered his tail from his face and sighed. This camp was even worse then he thought, the only one who didn't look like a complete waste of time were the two beasts sitting in front of him, and near the campfire. At least they weren't drooling, that was a improvement on the rest of the camp.

"I search for a quarter of season, and I end up with this!?"
No e wasn't speaking to Markiim. By the way his head was craned back and his velvety, if not dead voice shouted to the sky he seemed to be yelling to something out there. The moon mayhaps? The celestial balls of gas we earthlings call stars? Maybe. It was all in how Piper's head works. Of course when one steals children and expects their parents to thank you maybe it doesn't work all that well. Pity it was. This fellow probably could have used a few serving wenches, not to mention he had happened to have a female feral cat in the last band. Rescued her from a group of wood landers he had, and then sent her on her merry way , in chains on the next corsair ship he could find. they had paid him in good old fashioned food and a new captains hat. Which he now wore slanted across his right eye.

[Jasyn]

Markimm looked at the squirrel. "I agree with that sediment, sadly. My crew isn't the best trained, and there is no way possible they'll shift themselves. Stormgaze, was my best, and most fortunate catch. He would be able to give my enemies a run, all by his lonesome." The feral cat grinned, showing his sharp canines, then returned to his normal solomn mask. He resumed his ponderous gaze on the squirrel. "May I ask your name, and what business you have with me?" he sat hunched, with his arms hanging limply over his knees, yet one got the sense of a coiled spring from even that relaxed position. Stormgaze the weasel simply blinked at the mention of his name. His arms were folded across his chest as he watched the two. He shuddered at the thought of what might happen to him, if either of them decided that he was worthless, and he thanked the heavens that he was chosen as Markimm's trusted second.

[Aalai]

"Obviously. I swear that stoat just picked his snout, and wiped it on his comrade's uniform."
Well the stoat, in reality had rubbed his paw against his nose and had went back to encouraging his comrade to go talk to one of the females in the camp. Of course Piper had heard the conversation, and seen the action. Piper patted the panpipe in his tunic belt fondly. Completely ignoring the warlord and teleporting off to his own little world. Of course when the Wildcat spoke again he had returned, but delayed his answer on purpose. Testing how far the spring would be pushed down before bounding back and smacking him right in the snout. The last tiem that had happened the bounce back involved a razor and his long, once beautiful tail. Deciding the minute of pondering was long enough he turned toward the wildcat and spoke, still in his same, velvety, monotonic voice.
"Piper. You were the first camp I see that might require my services."
Piper unlike the warlord was relaxed. One hand was on his hidden dagger the other on the rosewood hilt of his whip. Lovely little piece of work it was. He took great care not to move, est the clink of the chains around his waist give him away as a slaver.

[Jasyn]

The cat stared steadily at the squirrel. "Piper, an odd name. One would think it meant something to you. You, who came to me on a mere whim, or did you? I cannot tell, but I want to know this. What services can you offer me, other then a smart mouth?" His green gaze never wavered as he waited for his answer. His tail lay coiled around his footpaws, and his hand paws were loosly curled into fists.

Stormgaze stayed as he was. He wanted to keep his reputation, as little as it was. A small breeze flew across the sea and played with the hem of the coat he wore. The grey color of it barely blended into the shadows.His shirt was dark brown, with light grey border, and his belt of black silk finished his outfit. He wore the coat, not only to be impressive(which he wasn't as much as he thought) but to hide his weapon, of which he was so very masterful. Twin forearm blades the lenth of his forarm, very deadly in a master's paws, pitiful in an amatuers, and stormgaze was no amatuer.

[Aalai]

Piper peered at the Wildcat.
"Depends on what you need. I am a musician of all instruments. Or a Jack of almost all trades. The few I have not mastered yet being leadership, and carpentry. "
Standing up from his sitting position Piper listened to the delightful clink of the slver chains , een if those heavy things would leave him bruised oh how he loved that sound! Pacing back and force he bean to thrum his fingers on hsi chin. This was the first fellow in a long time nto to ask about he being a squirrel. Had the lines between woodlander and vermin become that blurred? Horrible. Piper had used to be one of the few goodbeasts who had chosen his own destiny, even if he had been forced into it. So what? He had still had some choice, between death and leaving the goodbeast side.

"As for my name yes it does hold a rather sentimental value to me. I am a piper after all."
With a placative grin on his face he went into a string of happy humming. A tune he himself had made up, and passed onto worried mothers, who cautioned against the shadowy beast who blew the pipe. Of coursei n the song he had been turned into a fat groteque rat who glow like someone dipped into a vat of radioactive goop. Of course when you acted like a monster they made you out to look like one. Or had he done that to himself? Hard to say really. Blinking his green eyes he watched as his hat slid off his head, and fell down , and hung on his snout. Sad, he had liked that hat, looked like it didn't like his head. Blinking his childish eyes he stuffed the large hat through his belt strap and placed his old hat back on his head.

[Jasyn]

Markimm watched the actions and listned to the tune impassively. He was thinking, and watching. Two of the things that he was best at. At the end of his ponderings, he had discovered another question. One that would be answered positively, or else the Piper would be sent on his merry old way, minus a few of his valuables of course. You always need to placate the rabble of his hoard by treasure.
Markimm ceased the train of thought at once, and gazed into the fire. The tongues of flames completely captivated his mind, or so one would think. "Can you play slueth, Piper? That is what I need most. Not a musician, not a fighter, nor another officer. I need someone who is able to find a beast aided by verry little clues. Nothing but a name and description. Are you able to do that, 'Piper?'"Markimm at last turned his green eyes on the squirrel. It was very strange, that this squirrel would just, out of the blue, offer his help with no apparent motive. The wildcat would have to keep a close eye on him, without arousing any suspicions on Piper's part. Tricky indeed, but the warlord had confidence that he would pull it off.

[Aalai]

a"That I can do."
Piper replied. Now here he had been thinking it would be hard. Fumbling with the thorn necklace around his neck he listened to the hollow sounds the thorns made as they clannked dryly against one another. Of course his ears were still listening. The second he let the ornament go e had to suffice a rather unbecoming yelp. The sensitive are between his thumb like claw and his index finger felt like it was on fire. Seeing that his necklace was now dripping blood, like some well fed baby vampire he sighed. That didn't make him look very stealthy did it?Yet he could use it for hs part of the work, the deception as he liekd to call it. Piper's own green eyes met tose of the much larger wildcat, and gazed back steadily, childish or not Piper lnew better then to act like a servanr to any creature. If you did you often ended up running food for the table at their feet. Or as many slavers had learned after trying to hand Piper ovr to some warlord, you yourself end up in shackles. The part of the servant was not a part he was willing to play. Not to say he couldn't pull it off. It was more that he liked the taste of power, then the dog like whimpers a servant was forced to offer up if he lived. It wsa hard enough kissing his parents feet.

[Jasyn]

"Can you? You must indeed be a skilled beast then. Alright, first, tell me your payment. Then tell me how long you think you need. After that, I'll give you his name and description. Are you okay with that?" Markimm stood. His total height completely towering over all else on the beach aside from tents. He outstreatched a paw, and Stormgaze tossed over a fat purse. The warlord cought it and held it by two fingers. "Well, how much to I need to take from my total treasure?"
(ooc:Bleh, writers block)

[Aalai]

"No, actually. I do the job first, then request payment."
That way he knew how hard a job was, and knew how important it was to the requester. What if he requested to little?Never to much, Piper never in his opinion requested to much. Blinking his green eyes he stood up. Both of his ears priced forward for the description of the vile beast. Well more then likely the nice beast who was a hero to all others like him, so while in everyone else's eyes he was a hero to Piper he was the kind of beast that put hi m out of job. The kind that killed Warlords. So he was vile of course. Not as vile as Piper, who was at least willing to admit that he was one bad beast. Piper bent down and picked p his nondescript pack by the fire and began to rifle through it. Pulling out a light . green patched tunic he nodded, pulled his current tunic off and put on the poor squirrel's tunic, the one rifled throughout with patches.

[Jasyn]

"If you insist." Markimm decided not to argue. He threw the bag back at Stormgaze. His liutennant caught it, bowed slightly, and ran off into the shadows. Markimm watched the squirrel change disguises. Alright then, here it is. A wolverine named Sarim Blackheart. He is a head taller then I, and much wider. He is made of hard muscle. His fur is dark grey, with white at the muzzle and tail. His eyes are a brilliant shade of amber, speckled with brown. I don't know what he wears now-a-days, but his armament shouldn't have changed. A warhammer with a flat head on one side, and a chisle-like head on the other. Is that enought for you?"

[Aalai]

"Much more then I need. So Sarim Blackheart, understood."
With a cheeky girn, and a even ruder bow the newly clothed Piper was off. His bag slung jauntily over oen shoulder, and his thron bracelet clicking against his wrist as he bobbed off. First step fidn some good beasts and ask about him. They were mroe the type to gossip after all. Maybe he'd start near Reguba Hollow? That sounded as good a place as any. Upon reaching the trunk of a tree he sped up it, trying to ignore his protesting soulder, he grabbed ahold of al ow hanging branch and went off. Feet flying from branch to branch as he went. So Sarim Blackheart, that fellwo sounded like one tough customer, of course he didn't have to touch him just figure out where he was hiding, sounded simple enough.

[Jasyn]

(Finished!)