[Center][h1]Moss[/h1][/center] [hr] She couldn't remember her grandparents. Being the youngest of a large family and only a baby when they passed, she could only remember the vaguest impressions of warmth. It was a comfort she clung too when life brought anything but. That wasn’t to say her own parents did not dote upon their youngest and smother her with all manner of affection. But there was always a certain sort of love that only came from the parents of the parents. She would yearn for it in later years, when she grew up with her older siblings’ children and her own parents became grandparents. She would be an aunt to nieces and nephews that could be sisters and brothers in age. Such was her lot in life and with aging parents, she could only see that ache in her heart grow. So she made a vow. A stalwart promise to herself, to the very gods- She would have no children. It was a contradiction to say the least. Yet she had no desire for growing offspring and no desire to be a parent to them. She saw how her siblings had struggled and the great tolls that were placed upon child and parent alike. If she could have, she would have skipped parenthood and gone straight to being a grandparent. Luckily, she wouldn’t have to be. Once her nieces and nephews began to have their own children and then those with their own(Goblins were prolific, after all), she knew she'd be the best great aunt. If she ever came back. [hr] The body slumped into the puddle with a splash, churning the water dark in that rumbling sky. Rain pelted the landscape in thick sheets that drenched to the bone but even that wasn’t enough to stop them. Moss rolled to the side, avoiding the blade as it cut through the water and hit the puddle where she had been. It was a sloppy strike, overreaching and she took advantage of that by slicing her dagger across the beastman’s sword arm. He let out a great roar of pain, cursing. “Goblin bitch!” he swung again, letting anger take over. She leaned back, avoiding the strike and then using his momentum to her own advantage by parrying his sword away with her dagger. He staggered to the side and with her other dagger, struck true into his chest. A wet soppy noise, like air being squeezed out of a waterskin, escaped the beastman. He clutched his chest and staggered backwards. Moss twirled her daggers. Always stay in motion while in a fight, even if you couldn’t move. That’s what master Aish had always said. The beastman’s eyes began to glaze over as the malice left his maw. He coughed blood and his sword dropped into the mud. Then he fell backwards with a splash beside his companion. Lighting rippled across the sky. Moss prowled forward and slid down onto the corpse, straddling the beastman as she pilfered through his inner pockets. The brown cloak was heavy but she managed to secure a few coin purses and a leather-bound satchel. She almost opened it before realizing it was still raining with a well timed boom of thunder. She had grown numb to the cold after removing her cloak and shirt. Now the only thing keeping her bare from the dreary world was the wet wraps around her chest. Only a miracle by mighty Galaxor did they stay in place, not that she cared about solemnity. She laid a palm on the beaver-man's chest and pushed off of him. Then she went and inspected the other. Some sort of creature he had been, with green scales along the ridges of his face and pale white fur down the middle. Moss shook her head, unable to place what he was, besides dead. She had gotten him in the throat and now his dark eyes stared up at ceaseless rain, unblinking. She found nothing on him of value after a quick search. With a grumble she stood. The two bandits were novices at best and fools at worst. Their mistake had been letting her remove her shirt but perhaps that was the inherent problem with men. They didn’t always think with the head on their shoulders. “Should have stayed home.” She murmured to herself as she retrieved her discarded things. Her shirt and cloak were soaked through. Putting them on wouldn’t be pleasant but she did so anyway. The thrill of battle was beginning to fade and with it, the warmth in her limbs. The rain was cool and it just kept falling. So Moss placed the coin purse and leather satchel in her pack and hefted it on. Pulling her hood over her head, she began to walk. She left the bodies where they lay. [hr] “Mistress!” Rahdayo called, waving cheerily from where he sat once he spotted her in the small crowd along the dusty path. The youth got up, his packs full of cookware clattering to life as he bound his way over to Moss, who had stopped under the shade of a tree. His floppy white ears bounced up and down with every step. It seemed he had been waiting for her outside the town. Sweetdew was its name. A nice cozy nook in the middle of nowhere. Only a passing merchant, who just happened to sell maps, had pointed it out to them. At the time, Moss had other errands to run without the need for others and the bandit encounter only brought her relief at that fact. It was good she sent her pupils to meet her here. Rahdayo held out his arms as he approached and before Moss could stop him, he gave her a big hug, squeezing tight. She returned it gingerly, scrunching her nose at the smell of spices coming off him. The once gangly youth had been shorter than her but now, it seemed he had hit another growth spurt. He still lowered his short cropped white hair to nuzzle into her face and she sputtered, “Rah! Watch the horns.” He pulled away, unconsciously touching the two goat-like horns sprouting from his head. They were a grayish color and beginning to curve outward at the sides. “Sorry mistress, I keep forgetting.” he said sheepishly. Which was, of course, ironic. Since he was part goat, after all. Not with any beast blood that was, but modeled after- “Talyr be praised, mistress!” Rahdayo beamed a smile, it was infectious. “I’m glad to see you. After all, you missed your rendezvous point! I was about to set off to find you but Teefee insisted we wait another day.” he frowned at that, his unique horizontal eyes ringed with gold, glancing at the ground. “I should have gone.” he muttered. “Nonsense. You did well Rah.” She placed a hand on his shoulder, then murmured, “What have I always said?” “A day late means wait.” he grumbled. “And after that?” “After the second, you better get to checkin’.” he said, mimicking her voice. Moss shot him a look and the Talyrian winced, before breaking into a toothful smirk. “And where is Teefee and Zafrina?” Moss asked, placing her hands on her hips. Rahdayo blushed, his old habit of looking around when trying to be avoidant was all too apparent. She knew something had happened. So she just sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose before asking once again, “Where are they?” “Teefee’s at the pillory.” he whispered. “Zafrina is… Occupied.” Moss felt her face furrow with annoyance. A moment later, Rahdayo was leading Moss into the town. The bustle and hubbub of trading hours were in full swing. Beastfolk, goblins, humans, even an elf or two- mingling about and bartering. Sweetdew was far away from the region's capital, Ahdor, but still well within its protecting influence. There would always be bandits prowling after the unsuspecting but Ahdorian soldiers patrolled the well worn roads and streets within the Kingdom. Hence the pleasant atmosphere. Past Sweetdew however, there were only the wilds between nations. No man’s land, prowling with all sorts of people and terrors. It didn’t take long for Moss to notice Teefee. In the bustling town square, off to the right side, sat two raised platforms. Weather beaten and stained, a crowd stood around and gawked. On the highest platform sat the empty gallows but beneath that sat two pillory boxes. The one left of the gallows was empty but the right one held Teefee. The beastkin girl had her arms and head in the pillory and she was facing the floor. Her once pristine white hair was stained with bits of fruit and… Well, Moss didn’t want to guess. “I told her not to do it.” Rahdayo whispered vehemently. “And then I tried to get her out but the guards wouldn’t have it. Said she was a thief and the punishment could have been worse.” Teefee’s cat ears twitched. “And Zafrina didn’t do anything?” Moss looked at him. The goat boy paled. Then he gritted his teeth. “Zafrina has been…” “Mistress?” Teefee called out. “Mistresssssss?” She pouted louder. The crowd's eyes began to wander and then fall upon Moss as Teefee tried to crane her head up to look at her. “Mistress! Teefee is sorry! Please help Teefee!” She whined. A few guards wandered over and one shouted at Teefee, “Oi! Quite you.” Teefee hissed, before a low growl emanated from her. The guard didn’t seem to care much, he was a big burly fellow and a lad no older than Rahdayo sauntered up beside him. Moss craned her neck to look up at them, noting how the burly guard favored his right leg and had a relaxed grip upon his weapon. The younger guard’s eyes shifted nervously, the grip upon his spear firm. “This one yours?” the burly guard asked, nudging his head to indicate Teefee. “Unfortunately.” Moss said. “What’d she do?” “Stole ribbon from a merchant this morning. Tried to run but became distracted by some chickens.” Moss didn’t let the disappointment show up on her face. “How much?” she sighed. Once Teefee was freed from her confinement, she had attempted to hug Moss but the goblin held her off. Teefee was a sorry mess and she smelled. She began to lick herself in earnest before Moss yelled at her to stop. Then there was a stern talk between master and disciple. About the proper getaway technique and that becoming distracted over chickens was the dumbest thing she had heard of and that Teefee had done a lot of dumb things. She told Rahdayo to go help her clean up at the creek just outside of town and that she’d be there soon with Zafrina. She just had to get her first. As with all vices, she found Rahdayo’s older sibling in the tavern. Not just in the tavern but in a room she had to bust the door in on. She was met with an all too familiar sight. A reeking room. Strewn out on a thin mattress, with a thin sheet covering her lower torso, was Zafrina. Her long black hair was a mess of curls wrapped around her back facing horns. Her ears were cropped, unlike her brothers, and went straight out on either side of her head. Like goblin or elf ears. She snored softly, not even deigning to wake with the intruder in her room. But oh, the man she had been sleeping with had not only woken but had also stumbled to the floor and was sluggishly putting on his clothes. Moss took note of the wrapped bundle leaning against a corner of the room and tension she hadn't been aware of eased off her shoulders. “Ma’am.” the man said, stumbling past. At least he was pleasant on the eyes. Moss flashed a knife at him and he picked up his pace after blinking a few times. Then she took out her water skin and poured it on Zafrina’s face. The talyrian sat up with a gasp, a knife coming up with her. She jabbed at Moss, who caught her wrist and bent it at an odd angle. Zafrina cursed and dropped it. Her pupil seemed to accept her fate, not even trying to fight back any further. Moss frowned. “You’d be dead if I meant to kill you.” she chided, letting go of Zafrina, who by now, registered who her would be assailant was. Her blue horizontal eyes rolled and she sighed, flopping back down. “To what do I owe the pleasure, mistress?” She said sarcastically. “That was sloppy, even for you. Was it the drink or the fucking that addled your brain into inaction?” Moss said, putting her arms behind her back. “Both I guess.” Zafrina said nonchalantly. Moss gritted her teeth. “You guess?” “Yes, mistress.” Zafrina put her arm over her eyes, as if to avoid the light streaming in through the hallway. “Why is it the gods decided to saddle me with an incompetent thief, a lazy pleasure seeker and her golden boy brother whose choice of weapon is a ladle?” Moss goaded, judging Zafrina's face. At the mention of Rahdayo, those blue eyes grew cold. She sat up and said, “You can give me all the shit you want, Moss.” She waved a finger at the goblin. “But even you know how stupid it is to talk ill of my brother.” Moss smirked. “And what are you going to do about it, pupil?” “We've been down this road before. I'd rather not get my ass beat right now.” Zafrina sighed and laid back down. Moss nodded, satisfied. “Well, at least you're learning and that hot-headedness of your youth is tempering. Not get around, we're leaving Sweetdew.” “And why are leaving?” Zafrina asked.”Teefee?” She nodded. “Teefee.” [hr] They found Rahdayo dripping wet as he brushed the very dry (and somehow clean) hair of Teefee as she self groomed in a patch of sun, eyes shut. Rah was humming a simple tune, focused on his work. The water on him gleamed in the light beside the gently flowing creek. In the sand next to the water there seemed to be signs of a struggle. Still, Teefee’s purring was audible as she licked her hands, as were the ways of her kind. When Moss cleared her throat the two looked up.Teefee's fluffy tail swished at the sight of them while Rah flushed red from embarrassment or perhaps shame, when he saw Zafrina. His talyrian sister had, perhaps unconsciously, begun to twirl a finger in her own hair. “Save the brushing for camp tonight. We need to start out.” Moss said, folding her arms. Teefee stood, a full two heads taller than the goblin, her pale yellow eyes but suits. “Teefee is ready to go!” She exclaimed before taking her back from Zafrina, who had luckily kept it with her. Rahdayo stood after a time, putting a hand through his hair and shaking the excess water off. Moss was surprised at how long he had been able to endure water. Talyrians, and costs in general, hated water. Perhaps it was the more humanoid part of him? As he began to grab his things, Teefee spun and went over to him, before placing a kiss on his cheek. Rah froze as Teefee giggled, running off in the wrong direction. Once more Rah blushed, turning red as Zafrina walked over to him. “You'll comb my hair tonight?” It was a question but more of a demand. Moss rolled her eyes. For someone who had forsaken children, she somehow ended up with three teenagers. “Talk as we walk.” Moss chided and began walking in the opposite direction of the catgirl. “Teefee!” She shouted and the cat changed course. In a moment she was beside Moss, walking backwards to face her. “You owe me you know.” Moss said to her. “But mistresssss.” She began to whine, a pouty look on her face. “No buts. We add it to your debt as usual. Looks like you're sticking around even longer.” The goblin grinned. Teefee folded her arms and huffed. “Once we get to Teefee’s homeland, mistress will be paid and Teefee will be free! Mistress will see. Then Teefee will get to see big sis Shah and papa Kah! Mama Imara will have been worried and all the others will ooo and aww at Teefee's tales!” She outstretched her arms and spun on her heels. “Then Teefee will be sold into marriage and have a family of her own! Mistress will see!” She had an aura of triumph about her. Moss was about to point out that being sold into a marriage wasn't very free but thought better of it. Would the girl even understand? Moss grimaced as Teefee caught herself from falling. Just from walking. Gods be praised she found her when she did, otherwise Teefee's tales would have been cut very short. So instead she said, “Whatever you say, Teefee.” Then a mischievous thought popped into her head, “But,” She smiled widely as Teefee looked at her, “But what about Rahdayo?” She half whispered, glancing at the two siblings behind them. They seemed to be in deep discussion about something. “Rah?” Teefee asked, befuddlement plastered on her face. She paused and Moss saddled up beside her. “If you are sold into marriage, Teefee dear, what will happen to Rah?” Moss asked with feigned innocence. Teefee’s left eye twitched. Moss could see her mind making sense of it, coming to some cat reality with each passing moment. Moss began to walk on, the siblings getting closer. The only thing she heard from Teefee was a low hiss, before the cat girl caught back up to her. “Mistress does not know everything.” She then hmmphed and walked on. Moss began to whistle. Then she looked back at Zafrina, to the cloth covered item she carried at her back. Her eyes caught Zafrina’s and she looked back at the road in front of her. “Don’t worry, old friend. We’ll find answers.” Moss murmured to herself, as the road went ever on. [hider=Summary] Wherein we meet a group of nobodies on a vague quest to somewhere. [/hider]