Cast your bet {Jeri}

[Sanr]

Oh the great city of Carden how it’s crumbling streets and waving vines that give it a certain air of… being the perfect place for debauchery. Pirates roamed the streets arms around whores and mead and beer flows freely from taverns for those with wn0ough coin in their pocket to keep the taps open. The best swine and swindlers from all over Cadere flock to the city in droves to taste of its sweet riches and wares of the darkest quality. Simply walking down the street you could find forbidden magical artifacts to a knife in your back and a hand in your pocket. The place was a dirty man’s dream. And a dirty Nivali.

Silvantongue was decently known in these parts as being the creature to find when you wanted to place a bet on something, anything. He would even bet on how long he could keep from urinating after drinking more than his fill at the pub. The beast was a ceaton to say the least with charming words and a sweet smile he could wiggle those long ears of his and convince even the manliest of his slender furred kind that he was a sweet darling female in the wrong place who had heard of making a few coins in the betting rooms. He would lose a few silver nothing too big and let then widdle their way in to his little trap until somehow he magically began to win.

The Nivali was a master at odds and numbers and with a few cranks of the gears and cogs locked away between his ears it was hard for him to ever actually lose. And what of the manly furs that thought of taking a few coins off of a pretty little girl? Well Silvan would continue to play his little game.. losing and winning losing and winning until his purse hung heavy with metallic chimes. Even after that he would keep the game playing whimper about having naught a place to stay.. perhaps frightened of being around so many burly men and males without protection of strong arms and the weasel would find his way in to a warm bed for the night tucked in the arms many of his companions unawares of his true gender until it was too late. A few who finally found out were quick to leave, might even threaten his life but so many others Silvan convinced to stay.

After so many tries at this game the few who did not know his secret were getting a little harder to find so lately the Navali had turned his attentions to more obvious games. Betting on cards on dice and a few snerf fights here and there and that’s what the little beast was up to now. Perched in a tree behind the betters shack known as “The silver tail” Silvan hung calling out bets as men shouted up to him. Below thundering and bellowing at each other lay a scuffle of two large male snerfs one with a brightly green pained mane and another with stark black. Seeing the brutes fight was sure a sight for ones eyes the beasts rearing up on to their heavy hind legs and flinging punches at one another with their callused knuckles. The noise created form each strike was enough to shake a watcher’s bones.

“That’s ten silver on the green from the man in the feathered hat! Six from the gent with the cane and hand. Keep your bets rolling my friends keep them rolling step foreword and put them in the bag” Silvan would swing in the tree artfully away from the battling beasts with a canvas bag in hand collecting bets and keeping mark of them with notches in the woods with one of his long claws. Many more scratches over the trunks and branches could obviously show that he or others had done this many times before “Place your bets place your bets hurry up me compadres before the fight is finished!” The purple silk shawls lay tucked tightly around his slender ears the beads dangling noisily about his face as he moved.

[Obelisk]

He hated Carden, despised it for being what it was; a breeding ground of lesser people, those content in wallowing in filth from cradle to grave. Jericho may have thrown in his lot with the roaches that skittered around festering wounds of civilization such as Carden, but he did so only when the benefits outweighed the costs. The costs were many; every time he stepped foot in Carden or Howe, he was reminded that many viewed him on the same level as they did these cretins. Today, however, Jericho was in desperate need of information. That need had driven him to adopt his persona of Leewe and enter the littered streets of Carden.

It had been brought to his attention that one of the rivals he thought dead was very much alive. This was a source of anxiety for Jericho as, said rival, had the annoying little desire of wanting to kill Jericho. There had been an argument, a scuffle over who had earned the bounty over a mark’s head. Jericho ended up as the victor and burning the pride of another assassin never went without consequence. Death was a familiar dance partner but Jericho was not yet willing to dance that final waltz. He heard through various channels that Fredrick, or ‘Toad’ as he was known by, was last seen stalking the streets of Carden.

His method was to go straight to the source of those rumors and sift through hearsay to find the truth. Jericho had realized early on how important it was to get the first strike in. Being proactive was sometimes the only thing that could save a man’s neck from the blade of his enemy. Jericho would find the Toad and squash it before it had the chance to return the favor.

Loose ends really were a nuisance.

The commotion of an arranged fight caught his attention and he moved to investigate. Jericho cared little for fights between animals and beasts. Their lives meant little and their deaths were of no consequence. Their corpses could be tossed aside like rubbish. He much preferred to watch a battle between two humans or folk – between sentient beings. The knowledge that they truly understood what was at risk, that they might never see their loved ones again, made the event that much more interesting.

A single eye scanned the audience for familiar faces. He noted the presence of a few ruffians he had the misfortune of knowing and began to determine who would be worth approaching for information. Toad was well-liked among his peers and likely had eyes and ears out serving his purposes. Movement in the tree stole his attention and Jericho’s eye narrowed. There was a Nivali gathering bets from the spectators. He surmised that the Nivali might hold some information of use. Organizes and participants in local fights tended to know who came and went.

He approached the tree and waved the Nivali over. “Twenty silver on the black-maned beast.” He stated and tossed the coins over. “And there will be gold in it for you, should you agree to talk.” Jericho proceeded carefully. Snitches were often gutted in the streets and many were too fearful of retribution to talk.

[Sanr]

When a tall pepper-haired human approached Silvan took little notice of him picking bets smiling and talking as charming as he could form his position in the tree. He dangled for a while from a branch his shirt hind legs wrapped about the base of the branch while he hung haphazardly upside down just out of the reach of the battling beasts his arms outstretched to collect coin. The shawl about his shoulder hung near the ground as well did his feminine girly ears flicking as the grass tickled them. When the human placed a bet though the Nicali’s interest spiked and his eyes shot over his teasers letting the bag weigh heavy with his coin “ Heavy bet from my good friend One eye for the black… Is anyone still open to match?” With some re arranging of his legs Silvan swung close to Jerico’s ear for a moment whether he saw the movement coming or not and whispered for him only “Aye my Optically challenged friend but after the winnings are dished out to the populace.” In the next second the furred creature was back in the tree narrating the fight for those in the crowd unable to see all that was going on.

“Green takes a left hook a right, black stumbling back oooh that’s a hard rap with his tail at Green’s legs.. look at these beasts rumble.. who will fall first!?” The Nivali’s words only seemed to energize the crowd even the few who could see the fight with their own eyes cheered at his narration. “Who will draw first blood which creature sill parish? Will one of these massive males stand down or die for it’s masculine pride?” Another cheer and a shout came form the crowd as Silvan let out a cheery cackle. He called for the last bets and swung mildly from the tree once again collecting the coin the happy metallic clinking in his bag. At times like these Silvan wished he was more of a thief.. but if he up and ran off with all this silver he could never return unmarred, unscared or even alive. What he Could do on the other hand was lean things a little more in his favor having put an extensive amount of coin himself in the favor of the black maned snerf.

With a bit of slight of hand unseen to the spectators who’s eyes were trained on the fists of the beasts with one low swing from the tree a handful of spike pods and cent them rolling under the feet of the green maned snerf. The seeds had been plucked from trees deeper in the forest and appeared like round balls covered in spikes with a single stem like a cherry attaching a few together. One thing you learned about snerfs is that they hated the feeling of foreign objects wedged in the fur between their toe like hooves. Such was shown by the Green snerf letting out a snort shaking his hind legs a small distraction taken advantage of by a swift left hook from his opponent. Should the pods be found there would be no argument to why they were in the past of grass behind the betters tavern. The forest grew wild in Carden and things like this were often found out of place. The green snerf stumbled once again with a snort and Silvan disappeared back up in to the tree to watch finally falling silent his fingers drumming over his crossed arms.

Not much more time passed and the fight was over. With a hard kick from the black male the green lay out cold in the grass, lucky to be none the worse for ware but a few cuts and bruises. The Nivali had seen these sorts of fights take a deadly turn. Snerfs in deed were dangerous beasts to be reckoned with. Soon many of the patrons approached the tree taking their winnings gladly from the hands of Silvan, though he did keep a small fee for arranging the fight. He had paid off the owners of the beasts with a few bronze coins and had left them drunk in a tavern down the road. The profit then being solely in his white furred hands.

He wanted patiently still secure in his perch for the men and women of Carden to slowly disappear back in to the betting hall the two snerfs not stumbling about the streets in search of their masters and a good place to lick their wounds. When all were gone but a few mumbling drunks Silvan beckoned Jerico closer dumping a pile of silver coins in his hands when he neared “Here we are my friend thirty seven silver.. your winnings counted and weighed for you.. with a small cut for the house of course..” He chuckled softly as he slid to a sure footing in front of the human.

He was a good head taller than the man but it was a common thing for his species being the long skinny poles that the Nivali were and she short fleshy bodies of the humans. This though did not lure Silvan in to any false sense of security by any means, this human’s demeanor spoke confidence and strength. Two qualities he loved to see in a male of any species. With a flick of his whiskers and a quirked smile he introduced himself taking a low playful bow in his direction “Silvantoung the bet keeper at your service my friend.”

[Sanr]

{Bump?}

[Obelisk]

Jericho watched the proceedings with disinterest as he was more concerned with who was among the spectators. Paranoia was a natural trait within practiced assassins and mercenaries and he was always careful to keep an eye out for his enemies – which were plentiful in Carden. He was distracted, but not enough to miss something very odd about the fight. It had been a subtle ploy but Jericho was adept in subtleties.

The crowd dispersed and Jericho melted into the background, inconspicuous as he waited for the Nivali to show. He eyed the creature suspiciously as it neared and pocketed the winnings immediately. “Interesting trick you pulled.” He noted, confident in his assessment of the fight. To the Nivali’s bow, Jericho offered a slight incline of his head. It was a sign of acknowledgment and little more; he did not offer respect until it was earned. There was a cold and calculative appeal to his nature and though his confidence was apparent, Jericho’s natural charisma was dialed back in favor of a strict business attitude.

“You may call me Leewe.” It was as true a name as the one he was born with. “I’m looking to find a dear friend of mine. Perhaps you’ve heard of him? He goes by ’Toad’. I’ll pay a premium for information of worth.” A feral eye met the Nivali’s gaze and Jericho’s lips twisted into a sharp smile. “And I’ll cut your tongue out should you offer lies or attempt to lead me astray.” Toad’s accomplices were many; Jericho no longer had a solid list of who worked for him. If the Nivali should try to double cross him, Jericho would enjoy exacting his retribution.

“Your move, Silvantoung, and I suggest you make it a good one.” There was something inherently dangerous in Jericho’s demeanor. He seemed coiled and tense – a predator readying for a hunt.

[Sanr]

Silvan’s eyebrow would quirk and he would let out a bit of a mantic giggle. He was always amused when he was caught in one of his little acts even more so when the person who caught him had no interest in calling him out on his little games. This was an interesting human after all. Not the usual grumbling macho act-manlier-than-I-am you usually see wandering around Carden. He was glad to see his bow was at least met with a small motion and not completely ignored. His eyes shot over this man’s form taking in his scent as he sniffed as well. One word filled his mind as he took in this mans demeanor…Hard ass.

He stayed in his low bow even after he received the movement from The human before slowly straitening out his long body taking a slow curve as his yellow eyes focused down in to the man’s smirk. “Mmmm wealth is something I will always gladly partake in… though the removing of my tongue would be quite unpleasant… you see I would need a new name at that point… I can’t quite be Silvantongue without a tongue now can I?... no no I can’t.” he shook his head slowly the beads about his face clacking together before his eyes fell in to focus again. It was a little obvious that the Nivali before Jericho was not all right in the head… if not it was an act. It could be hard to tell.

“Looking for one called Toad… mmmm… like rabbit?... little fat green hopping creatures that eat bugs…. Disgusting unless fried up just right…Mmmm I have known of a man… a human… with the blotchy looks and acts of a creature you such ask… nasty man to the point you would assume he partook in the diet of his namesake… Toad.” With a few curt nods Silvan took a nonchalant position against the tree at his back eying the human in front of him. Strong… oddly beautiful in his own masculine way…

With a twitch of his whiskers Silvan reached out his palm expecting a bit of payment before he went on his yellow eyes leveling on to Jeri’s bright green one more clarity in his features than there had been though the entire conversation before hand.

[Obelisk]

It was impossible to miss just how off Silvan acted. Jericho had encountered his fair share of lunatics and eccentrics over the years. Madness was a constant bedfellow of crime and destitution, and Silvan’s behavior was enough for Jericho to play it cautious. The Nivali babbled on and Jericho afforded it a bored look, impatience worrying at the edges of his expression.

“I’m going to assume that was a ‘yes, I’ve seen him’.” He drawled and dropped a heavy bag of coin into Silvan’s clawed hands. It was always odd to do business with Nivali as dealing with one made Jericho think about Baxley’s chosen profession. Silvantongue had a healthy pelt worth a lot of gold on the black market. Fortunately for the Nivali, Jericho had little interest in the skinning trade. He was an assassin and little more.

A duo of men paced by and Jericho watched them out from the corner of his eye. A sense of awareness hit him and he was suddenly on edge. Though tucked away under the shade of the tree, there were eyes and ears everywhere. Instincts told him to find safer ground. “I think a change of scenery is in order.” He suggested though it came out sounding more like a command.

“Somewhere quiet. Out of the way.” He assumed Silvantongue, as was his experience with most Nivali, had some sort of safe house or small area designated for such sensitive exchanges. Allowing Silvan to choose their environment may have been opening himself up to a trap, but Jericho was confident in his abilities. The art of escape was on his résumé.

[Sanr]

When the bag his paw Silvan’s long ears twitches likely to have perked if they were not so absurdly long for a male of his species. He turned down his whiskered nose and opened the bag tipping in a finger to stir up the contence. Good payment for his words if not more than he usually got placed in to his paw pads, A twinkling eye shot a glance up at Jericho and Silvan tucked the sack in to the satchel on his belt. “Well then Mr. Leewee looks like everything is in order.. yes it is…..”

When a change of scenery was requested Silvan let out a small grin. The man was nervous and suspicious of the world. Which was a pretty right way to be in a place like Carden… people willing to pay a heavy coin for information and people willing to receive it keeping their ears wide open for sellable information. Something Silvantoungue usually excelled in. He was appt at giving out the right information to the right people and being a babbling idiot to the others. It was more an act of instinct than an act of thought.. and his instincts tingled with the human in front of him. With a curt nod Silvan turned from the tree and started walking back behind the many buildings rotting and falling apart from the onslaught of the forest. “Come come my companion lets retire to my home”

It was not that far of a walk before Silvan stopped at the back door of a crumbling house and drew one of his long daggers from his belt. He sunk it between the door and the frame and with a few movements managed to saw the lock from the very wood it was set in. “welcome home” he nodded and smiled up at the human as he strode in leaping on to a chair. Now it was more than obvious that this place was in fact not Silvan’s… human boots sat by the front door and articles of male clothing were strewn about the place in a very bachelor pad like fashion. And since Silvan did not wear boots or pants once could only assume this place was not his, if him breaking in the back door was not a hint.

Silvan lounged about on the broken sofa in the dark room the bag of coin back in his hands as he counted it to himself “make yourself at home… please… help yourself to anything in the kitchen I don’t mind at all!”