"Ya sold me garbage, Chodok!" The grizzled, dirty looking man rasped at the master crafter. "Ya said it waz dis fancy new c'traption and instead it broke right'way." The man had missing teeth and a matted disgusting looking beard. His eyes were shifty and full of malice. He was leaning over the counter, spitting away his, as far as he was concerned, righteous indignation. "Now yer gonna fix it, and yer gonna fix it right an' not aks a penny of me or oy'll..."

	Before he could finish his rant there was a shift in the air and a slender tabaxi form had wrapped itself around the stubby, blubbery creature. [color=DAA520]"You'll what, Jarkyt?!"[/color] Shem'et hissed menacingly at the old fool. She had twisted his left arm behind his back and her right hand had seized the man's throat. Sharp claws extended from her tabaxi fingers, grazing the dirty skin of the neck. Shem scratched the claws across the skin to further make her point. Not hard enough to break the surface, but still enough to raise some nasty looking red welts. Her feline eyes flicked between the interloper and her master and she saw the warning in the old man's eyes. Shem'et fell silent but did not relinquish her prey. Instead she followed with her eyes the movements of Chodok, who calmly stood up from his stool.

	"Now, Jarkyt..." He began at length. "I'm sure you haven't forgotten our agreement upon your purchase of the item." The old artisan opened a drawer of his work table and produced a folded parchment. "But just in case you did forget, I have the thing to jog your memory." Master No cleared his throat and started reading the note aloud. '[i]I, Jarkyt the Leech Collector, agree to purchase this prototype item only under the promise that I will wield it carefully and gently as it is a delicate implement. If I fail to do so I forfeit the right to seek recompense from its inventor. And should I damage the prototype as a result of misuse I must pay for any repairs necessary out of my own pocket.[/i]' Chodok raised the paper at Jarkyt's eyelevel. "You sealed it with your own blood." Chodok stated calmly. "And should you try to deny that fact. I'm sure the Lady Lucilia can clear this matter for us."

	Jarkyt, still held firmly by Shem'et, paled visibly at the mention of Underhave's vampire leader. He gulped audibly, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down frantically, causing the tabaxi's claws to dig deep enough to draw blood. The man yelped pitifully and his demeanor changed even further. He went from raging mad, to meek and obedient in seconds. "Oy'm sorry, master No. Oy meant no 'fence. Oy'll pay fer da r'pairs miself!" Jarkyt whined and felt himself released from the hold. His right hand immediately went to his throat and when it came back it held a few drops of his blood. Jarkyt gulped once more and made a side step to get further away from Shem'et. He'd hoped to catch the old tinkerer on his own and bully him into fixing the item free of charge. He knew damn well it was his own fault for the bloody thing getting broke. Jarkyt remembered too well the agreement he'd signed and that he wasn't s'posed to handle the implement roughly and knew he'd been public enough in doing just that. So with full knowledge of this violation he'd went to Chodok's shop hoping that damned tabaxi apprentice of his wouldn't be there to protect the old sod. His gamble hadn't paid off and now he was going to be forced to pay for the damned repairs as he needed the tool.

	"I'm glad we understand each other." Master No smiled graciously. "That'll be five silver for the repairs and you can come back for your implement in three days."

	"Yis, thank'y, Master No." The grubby man replied defeated, throwing a hateful glance at Shem'et.

	"I swear, girl, the way you move sometimes!" Chodok exclaimed once the two of them were alone in the shop. "If I had to speculate, I'd have to say you had some military training in the past."

	Shem's feline face scrunched into a frown. She didn't like to think about her past much. To this day none of her memories had returned to her and the woman had resigned herself to the fact. Plus, she was happy where she was and with what she was doing. Crafting was honest work and she also got to work on fanciful inventions with her master teacher. She didn't much care for her past or what she'd been back then. And it irritated her slightly when it was brought up. But she respected Master No way too much to ever say it out loud.

	[color=DAA520]"I would think every living being would go for the jugular."[/color] The tabaxi smirked. [color=DAA520]"And with these..."[/color] She extended her claws, which had retracted as soon as she'd released Jarkyt. [color=DAA520]"One could assume that going for the jugular would be even more to my advantage."[/color]

	The old crafter shook his head. "It's not just now. I've seen you move like that on many of occasion. Fluid and practiced like. Not just something that can be attributed to your innate tabaxi agility. Almost like... Like muscle memory." The man mused. "Like how if I ever lost my memories and was handed crafting tools, my hands would make the movements on their own even if I needed to be shown at first."

	Shem shrugged. [color=DAA520]"Regardless... I'm happy with how my life is now. I don't care enough to know what I was to go trying out fighting moves and stances."[/color]

	Chodok sighed. "I know you feel comfortable with apprenticing for me, lass. And I've come to love you like a daughter. But the past has a way of haunting us." The artisan put a hand on the slender tabaxi's shoulder. "You're a good, kind lass. Of that I couldn't be more sure. But we all have some skeletons in our closets. I just don't want yours catching you unprepared."

	Shem's eyes softened and she hugged the old man. [color=DAA520]"Thank you, master. I know you say this out of love. I'll try to be prepared if such a day should come."[/color] She stepped back and looked Chodok in the eyes.

	"I can ask you nothing more than that!" He nodded firmly. "Now!" He clapped his hands. "I do have some errands I would ask you to run for me. Would you mind terribly fixing that fool Jarkyt's tool? And then we'll make him way two extra days for being such a rude git!" Chodok chuckled at that. "And once you're done with that, would you run over to Bookie at the mines. Whatever's happening there is delaying our iron supply and we're already running low on ingots." Chodok scratched his stubble pensively. "See if you can help them with whatever is keeping the mines closed. Our business will be ruined if we can't have fresh iron to work with!"

	[color=DAA520]"Of course, master."[/color] Shem hesitated. It wasn't rare for old Chodok to relinquish repairs of his own inventions to Shem'et, but he generally liked to do those on his own. '[i]It’s a matter of crafter's pride![/i]' He often said. So her curiosity was peaked when he delegated the repair of this invention to her. [color=DAA520]"May I ask what you're working on?"[/color]

	"It is still too early in development." Chodok shook his head. "I'll tell you when the time is right." He nodded firmly, his eyes becoming distant with thoughts of his new project. "Yes, when it's time!" He confirmed and scurried to the depths of the workshop.

	Shem smiled. If her master said he'll tell her when the time is right, she didn't doubt he would. The two of them often worked on inventions in tandem. And even if they both had their own projects, they would always share what the other one was working on. To get opinions and ideas.

[hr]
	As soon as Shem'et finished repairs on Jarkyt's tool, the tabaxi ventured outside of Underhaven and headed for the Black Mines. She caught sight of the tall Firbolg and approached in her quiet feline fashion.

	[color=DAA520]"Good day, master Bookie."[/color] She greeted with a smile. [color=DAA520]"I come on behalf of master Chodok to inquire about our shipment of iron ingots. We are running low and with the mines closed off, the master is worried our business will suffer. If there is anything I can do to help resolve the situation? Talk to someone? Offer my skills? I may be a crafter, but I know how to use these quite well."[/color] Shem demonstrated her sharp claws. [color=DAA520]"And I'm very agile and stealthy!"[/color] She finished, looking hopeful.