[u][b][color=ed1c24]Franz[/color] [color=aba000]Kaufmann[/color][/b][/u]

Zeke went through the bar, beckoning them to follow, and quickly cut through a walkway into the taxidermy shop. Franz followed, with the others along behind him.

"Been a long time since I heard a voice like that," he says over his shoulder as he walks between a large bear eternally stretching to its full height and roaring and an eagle perched and staring at the counter which Zeke made his way to.  The counter is thick old wood, heavy looking, littered with receipts and order forms and some sort of Silver Dollar looking shop coin.

“Oh yeah?” Franz answered him, feeling a prick of curiosity at what the man was getting at.

"Name's Zeke, Zeke Ritter.  My parents you see, they were from Germany too," he pulls out a flyer announcing the bounty and slips it over to Franz, not paying much attention to anyone or anything else in the room for the time being.

That was interesting. He’d only ever known the big cities of Europe. It was hard to imagine a person from near his country to live in such an area. He decided to ignore the man’s association of Austria with the rest of Germany and keep it cordial. How could he know the difference? “I come from Austria. It’s interesting to see Germans out so far.” He remarked.

"Come to America for a new life," he turns back to appraise him but seemingly seeing something agreeable he continues,

"I fought for the Union you know.  You got that look about you too.  Hard to see sometimes, like that feller you saved?  You know he was a Rebel?  Well a Reb Deserter but a Rebel jus' the same." His right hand, resting on the table shakes until with concerted mental effort he steadies it.

Franz nodded at his hatred of the rebels. “I fought in a couple wars too. Power hungry Prussians separated my country from other Germans.”

"About your money though," he counts out $50 dollars lining them up in two lines across his counter, pushing some of the coins out of the way for room.

"Now then as you can see the reward offered were fifty, but since y'all only killed the one..." he gathers one line and returns it to the register.

"Them critters been botherin' the town fer some time now.  You and yer boys go out and hunt the other'n and I'll give the rest of the money, even though I'd say now with just one a them damn things the town could probably handle it...but I'm gonna offer you a deal"

Frowning at the man’s lack of directness and desire to not give them their due upfront, Franz simply said “Shoot.” in response

"I'll work my magic on this here kitty, you let me display her here for a few month, and then you can have it.  That's free taxidermy now and I ain't no slouch."

His works were indeed impressive. The bears roared, the fish flopped, the pumas screamed, but he wasn’t sure if the deal would quite suit their purposes. Carrying a stuffed big cat the rest of their journey wouldn’t be easy, though it would be a hell of a souvenir. He was about to say so, when the man continued.

He gestures out at his shop, "Don't answer yet now.  Take a look.  It's a good deal fer both of us why you'll get a beautifully stuffed critter and I'll..."

A commotion broke out with a waitress. Constantin got into his usual trouble beating up the perpetrator. Other men were stepping in, including a sheriff. Scheiße this was trouble. Last thing they needed was for Constantin to end up in jail or worse.

"Shit, I figured this day were comin' but she were my best waitress yet.  Fine specimen too."  Zeke says with a whistle after Lilly heads off on her way.

"Anyway, what do you say?  I know a few folk in town would be willin' to go back out there with you and get that puma's mate.  Another $25 in it for y'all.  Me an' you could talk about the old country, share stories.  Ain't too many make it out this far."

Franz felt like he could detect a note of longing in the man’s voice, and he could understand. America seemed to have a lot of opportunity, but lacked the culture and grandeur of Austria. It wasn’t always for the best. Vienna’s obsession with the past stifled some opportunity for him, but it’s excesses were a part of what made it home. “Sounds good, Zeke. I’ll try to come back sometime for the cat.I’m not sure I’ll have the time for the other one. We’ve got our own mission, checking out this land’s magical oddities. Especially the ghost rock. But if I get an extra day or two in town, and I don’t run into the cat on my own, I’ll take you up on that deal. And I will tell you all about what’s been happening in Germany.” 

He shook Zeke’s hand and made his way over to the others. It looked like they had avoided jail and gotten some help from the Sheriff and a pretty, local woman. "Oh," the Sheriff said with a grin, "More prospectors out to make their fortune?  How droll.  The woman, I believe she is referring to the Father's friend.  Had a claim out someways, suppose it's lost now.  Not sure what he found, but he didn't seem quite as excited as I would have expected."

"Aveline," he calls out in an unnecessarily loud voice, "Be a good girl and show these men to the Father won't you." 

He looked towards Aveline expectantly, eager to hear what she had to say about this mysterious prospecting.