As Kathleen drained her mug, the sight of movement from the corner of her eyes caught her attention. Then she heard someone speaking, undoubtedly to her, addressing the very topic of bandits she was just having. Kathleen cast a gaze toward the speaker...and was surprised to find no one; it took her only a moment to realize however the owner of the voice was in fact a dwarf. Kathleen gave her a measuring look with an unreadable expression as she digested the dwarf’s question. 

"I alone." She said simply before raising her empty mug to get the bartenders attention. As he quickly refilled it she explained. "And I don't carry enough coin to pay for sellswords. Ash Warriors don't fight for money." She added pointedly. 

The barman nodded. "Ah, quit true," He turned his attention to Sereda. "I fear you be fresh out’o luck if it's be money you seek. The Ash Warriors are kind of the de facto law around these parts, more or less. The militia prefer to keep to the towns, which leaves the only the Ash Warriors and other assorted mercenaries to deal with highway men, the uncommon stray wolf pack, and any savage- err, raiders, from the Korcari wilds." He gave an uncomfortable disarming, if not apologetic smile Kathleen's way, revealing more than a few bad teeth. Kathleen for her part ignored him. 

Just then he brightened up as if just remembered something. "Ah! That does bring my mind to somethin though! I hear that these cutthroats are led by a man named Joffrey, the 'Devil Stag' they's call him. Real rotten piece of work that one, I hear tell that he strung up five good men the king sent after him some months back by their legs to hang from a tree out in the wilds, then left them helpless prey for wild beast." He shook his head with a disgust look on his face. "Ain't no death too good for that one, but!” he added excitedly. “The king put out quit a bounty on his head he did." He nodded now as if coming on to an idea. "What was it now...AH! Right, about 50 sovereigns, alive, to meet the king’s justice, ten sovereigns for each of those men he done in. Allot of men have tried to claim it...none yet have succeeded." He added grimly. 

He then laughed and clapped his hands. "Of course, I'm sure he's no match for the likes of an Ash Warrior- No offense meant madam, but I wouldn't tangle with you!" He gave a short laugh at that before wiping an eye. "But I suppose that would be common ground for a partnership of sorts. Of course it's none of my business! Nope!"

Kathleen fixed the man with a narrow glare before taking another swig. "As I said, I prefer to work alone. Even then I it wouldn't be with a stranger." 

The old barkeep merely shrugged as he went back to wiping the counter. All the while keeping an ear to what went on between the Dwarf of the Chasind giant.