"Fido! Heel!" Barked No-Eyes, snapping his fingers and pointing at his feet. "Sit boy!"
The dire rat skittered over to sit by him. Bellamy patted his head and grinned.
"Good doggie!"
Nhati says, "Stand down! He's surrendering!"
She turns to the Croc, and says in Polyglot, "Get down on your knees, and keep your hands on your head! Why did you attack us?"
The croc heaves a heavy sigh, gesturing the fact he'd already taken one knee with what should have been his chin. He watches Nhati, his eyes unflinching. "Really? You can't be serious..?"
Shaking his head, slowly the werecrocodile's flesh begins to ripple and warp, turning inwards on itself in the second strangest display you've witnessed this morning. Within moment, the hulking brute of a werecrocodile is replaced with a almost as hulking brute of a Mwangi human. He spits, his saliva reddish brown. His hands are still not on his head. "Better?" he asks back in his heavily accented Taldane. "That mouth ain't meant for talkin' anyways, makes me sore. Now I thinks we got off to a misunderstandings of sort, so if you'll just let us on our way..."
The other werecroc pulls himself from the water, brutalized and with a few toothy fish hanging from his burnt shoulder. He grabs one of them in anger, tossing it into his mouth and swallowing it without so much as a bite. He then realizes he's the only one left big and green... and quickly amends that fact. He stands beside Suny, arms extended in a very human (if still quite large) surrender. He shrugs a still-burnt shoulder at the elf, then belches. Suny gets a full helping of reeking fish-breath.
Ignoring the bletch the tanned waif of an Elf indicates for the fellow to start walking back towards the rest of the group, padding along bare foot behind him.
Smirking a sinister grin, Reijo laughs at the Mwangi man's ridiculous request. "Ye be a comedian, Bootsy, eh? Let ye on yer way! Ha!" Raising his cutlass close to the man's neck, he speaks to both werecrocs as the second one comes closer. "Now ye lis'n up, an ye lis'n real good. Yer gonna tell me who ye be werkin' fer, right now... else ye's gonna find out why yer name be Bootsy an' yers be Belty." The tip of his blade touches the neck of each Mwangi man as he nicknames them.
Nhati says, "I'm dead serious. We really do want to know. Speak!"
Unfortunately, Nahti is just not intimidating enough. Tai the parrot suppresses a giggle.
The brute grimaces, glaring at Reijo and Nhati in equal parts anger and annoyance. If it weren't for the blade at his throat, you get the feeling he'd take a swing at you. He'd lose, of course, but it was a matter of principle.
And at least the parrot was getting a kick out of Nhati's interrogation techniques.
"Alright, fine. Ain't no skin offa my back."
"Oi, what's bout my skin?" His partner points his chin at the scorched flesh of his shoulder.
"Shaddup! It was the bird and the hag who tolds us to come look fer ya. Spotted you lot hauling somethin' cross town yesterday and wanted yer heads. They pay, I dun' ask questions. Nothin' personal. We good?"
At Tai's chirping Suny skips over and tries to pet the pretty birdy. (^_^)
Then she glances at the talkative Mwangi,
"Wait? Ye said there were nuther birdy?" She asks, "Were it like this fine, colourful critter here? Or were it somat else?"
Nhati's eyebrows go up when he says "the bird and the hag". This description could uncharitably be applied to her.
"I echo Suny's question," Nhati says. "Which bird, and which hag? Where do we find them? And how much were they paying you? We're not good yet. We don't take kindly to ambush."
Nhati reflects that her own group just yesterday ambushed a bunch of drakes, but she doesn't share this with the werecroc.
The men exchange glances. Bhurik pops his head up from beneath his cart for the first time in minutes, obviously somewhat interested in the answer himself.
"Well, the bird was-"
"Shaddup!" blurts the leader, throwing his weight against his companion. The other man winces, rubbing his scorched shoulder with grit teeth. "He ain't know nothing. Dumb bastard." His friend looks somewhat offended by this, but says nothing. "It weren't no bird bird, but a man bird. One'a them jinx eaters. And I only met the hag once. Real old and ugly lady. Lives outta the walls, down the coast a bit. Now we good?"
As the leader gives his covering explanation, he slowly walks around the two werecrocs... and knocks the leader in the back of the head with the pommel of his sword, knocking him out cold.
Smirking sinisterly, he eyeballs the remaining werecroc and his burned shoulder. "Ye was sayin' who that bird was afore ye was rudely int'rupt'd?"
The man looks at his boss, freshly incapacitated on the docks with a growing welt on his head. "Depends. Are ye gon' hit me?"
"Ye don't wanna be askin that question, lad. Trust me on that."
He nods, considering this for a moment before speaking.
"Bird calls hisself Hyrix. Didn't get no family name. And the hag's just the hag, s'far's I knows. S'what he calls her." He gestures again to his companion at your feet.
Suny leans over... "Where's about they be livin' all 'Outside'a town'?" She asks curiously. "Outside'a town be a might big place. Can ye, maybe, narrow it down a lil'?" (^_^)
Nhati wonders if she knows anything about a hag that would match this description, or a tengu called Hyrix.
The burly man simply shrugs at Suny's questions before offering a simple "Dunno."
While the description of the hag certainly isn't much to go on, there's probably a few old, misanthropic women around Lilywhite that could fit the bill. As for those that live outside of town... you haven't the faintest clue.
As for the tengu, there's not a whole lot of them to be found around Lilywhite--despite their supposed aid on ships as 'jinx eaters'. You do recall a certain tengu taking a great interest in the footrace just a few days ago, a red bandana on his head and a blade at his side. Had the look of a sailor, but was up in the middle of town like any other spectator. He looked angry about something, but you didn't think much of it at the time. Too busy running.
Suny nods and shrugs at the fellow's response, then turns and sees about the cart and its owner.
"Well? We's a bundle ta' be movin'." (^_^)
Ol' Salty leans back against a post to relax. He takes out his pipe and sets it alight, then ponders to himself.
Hmm now we'll have to decide their fates. I wonder how that'll be turning out.
"What we be doin' about these here crocs? I don't wanna repeat the drake argument, so let's make a decision, and get on wit' it."
Suny is busy getting the cart and the cart handler/owner ready to go pick up the package that needs delivering. (^_^)
Nhati shrugs. "We can let 'em go, or turn 'em over to the town watch. I think they've learned their lesson and won't bother us again."
(Once they're gone....)
"I don't know who this 'hag' is, but I did notice a Tengu in a red bandanna during the race the other day. No idea if it's the same one. Anyway, shall we be getting this masthead to where it's needed?"
Reijo admonishes Nhati's take as naive, "They ain't lerned nuthin', y'callow addlepate. NOB'DY lerns nuthin' ever, ain'tchye lerned yet?! We lets'em go, they goes an'forms the crone an'er lil'birdie."
He then answers the remaining werecroc's earlier query with a pommel to the back of his head as well...
addlepate = fool
Reijo pommel-strikes the second Mwangi brute on the back of the head. The man hardly seems to notice, scratching at his polished scalp like a mosquito bite. "So's can I go now?" He glances up at Reijo, oblivious to the attempt to knock him out. "I done what you asked, and we was just doin' what the bird asked. I ain't gon' tell no one if ya don't want."
Standing at the far end of the whole altercation, Bhurik peers out from his hiding place at the mention of moving the masthead. "Um, so what was going where again...? I kinda forgot when these two came to eat me..." He has a single hand on his rickety cart, and looks ready to bolt at the slightest sign of trouble.
Suny reaches out and puts a steadying hand on Bhurik's shoulder, "Aye, we's gon'a go get tha' thing." She nods and smiles, even taking up the other side/handle of the cart and beginning to move the contraption along as they start towards their pick up destination.
While Reijo's paranoia compels him to knock the other werecroc out, his pride gets the better of him and he pretends he missed on purpose, opting to go along with it. "Bah. Get lost ye scurvy lizerd."
He then turns his attention to the masthead, deciding to bring up the tengu and the hag a little later... when the werecrocs are out of sight. "Aye, Rickety," motioning for the nervous boy and his rickety wagon to get to it, "Chop chop! We ain'ts got all day!"
Well now, that was a bit different eh?
Ol' Salty gets up and follows along with the crew. He notices the wounded and says "Oi, any of ya wounded be warned bout the werecroc sickness like. If ye start feelin sick, come see me an I'll help ye alright?"
Suny skips along helping the lad with the moving and steadying of the cart, happily laughing, giggling and bumping tanned hips with the feller. (^_^)
At Salty's call she looks over her tanned self, then nods happy that there's no major teeth marks in her tanned self.
"Hee he he! Every day is an adventure, right Reijo boy?" Bellamy chuckled as his giant rat 'poofed' out of existence.
Turning at Ol' Salty's words, Vik looks slightly disturbed....but also interested.
"You be meanin' we could turn into one of 'em?"
"You be meanin' we could turn into one of 'em?"
A feeling of concern washed over the crusty old man's face as he acknowledges Viktorra's question. "Aye" he said simply. He seemed to stare right into her soul, judging her interest. Naught but silence could be felt around him. Then slowly he continued: "T'aint pretty neither I tell ya. Listen well like. There be both blessing and curse in there. Ye might get yerself stronger and more powerful, but watch yerself case ye lose somethin along the way."
Your wound itches terribly, even as it slowly stops bleeding. With all the talk of curses and the like, you hope it's just your imagination...
As soon as he's released, the still-conscious brute heaves his friend over his shoulder and lumbers away. You can hear the sound of the dead weight's legs cracking against each step of the docks as the Mwangi pulls him up... when he wakes up, he was going to be sore in a whole boatload of ways.
Bhurik jumps to attention at Reijo's command, though the boy is clearly rattled by the whole experience. It takes a bit for him to wheel the unstable thing all the way to Hartha's, but it does arrive in one piece. A few minutes of lugging the masthead around later and the freshly remastered drake statuette rests safely--well, safe-ish--in the cart.
The boy has a lot more difficulty getting the cart to move now. Possibly because one of the wheels was more square than round but also possibly because the boy was little more than a twig. The lad tries to make small talk in between groans of exertion... but quickly gives up and pulls his load in silence. In twice the time it took to get to Hartha's, you arrive back on the north end of the outer docks. Iulia yawns, nodding at Ol' Salty. "Not bad, not bad at all. Better'n I expected from you lot. Maybe the Cap'n race had a bit a merit to it aft'r all." She thumbs your attention towards a small launch tied up a few feet from her. An older crewman with a bedraggled topknot and the look of one from far beyond the Inner Sea sits in the boat with a barrel of salted fish. Apparently not salted enough, since you can already smell them cooking in the day's sun. "Haggerd Han'll take ya to the Magpie Princess. Best of luck floatin' that sucker with a masthead in 'er, ha!"
Once back to the docks and receiving Iulia's commendation, Suny looks at the launch and thence back to the new mast-head.
She gives her opinion/knowledge on how nest to go about loading said skiff, pointing out that she doesn't need to take up any space. (^_^)
Nhati will also do whatever she can to help with the navigation of the launch.
"Ye might not believe what we ran inteh on the way here, Quartermaster." Said Ol' Salty. "We was ambushed by none other than two werecrocs. Seems they were hired by whats called the bird an the hag. Ever heard of such a thing?"
Bellamy reached up to his wound, but with an effort of will held his hand away.
Reijo grunts in as uninspired a tone as possible to Bellamy's adventurous tone before reaching Hartha's. Along their trip, he wonders about the pros and cons of being a werecroc... deciding, "It be a curse o'them werthless gods, it be. Ain't no bloody good come ov'it, methinks." He also keeps a steady eye on the lanky boy, tempted to assist for the sake of the masthead more than the boy's. But instead, he plays the role of the harsh taskmaster, deciding the better course would be to not help since, "That'll be growin' ye some muscle real good, boy! Keep 'er steady! That's it... that's it... don't bloody bank ye numskull! Keep it steady I says!"
At the dock with the quartermaster, Reijo listens to what she might have to say about the two villains.
Iulia chuckles quietly as Suny and Nhati finagle the masthead into the launch with the help of the Tian sailor and inept porter. She raises an eyebrow at the tale of werecrocs, but offers no greater acknowledgement than a slight nod of approval. "A bird an' a hag, huh? A lubber called me a hag once. Just once. He ain't a problem no more. But as fer a bird..." She pauses, scratching the back of her neck nervously and watching as the launch sinks dangerously low into the water. "That could only be Hyrix. Bastard tried to mutiny 'gainst the captain just about a week ago. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised he's still breathin'."
With a final shove and a splash, the new masthead rests safely in the launch and the launch rides low in the water. With careful weight distribution, you could probably even fit everyone into the boat with the masthead and the fish! It wouldn't exactly make good time to the ship, though.
Bobbing along side the launch Suny grins up at her mates.
"Is we gettin' this ta' ship, then?" She asks/calls.
"Will we be havin' time ta' be doin' both, maybe? Gettin' wood ta' ship an' gettin' back ta' find this birdy thingy?"
"I'd suggest we keep on task with the masthead and fish. Leave the bird for another day. Least he try to kill us again, mayhaps we go after him then."
When noticing the low riding launch, he says "Eh I be thinkin I'll wait for the next trip, give ye a better chance teh get to ship."
Reijo seems torn for a bit on whether to wait for the next ride or not. Part of him doesn't trust these lubbers to get the masthead safely to the ship, and he also is curious where this Magpie is after all.
But the stronger part of him is more curious to see if he can spend a little more time tracking down this birdman. Watching the barely afloat boat take off with Salty from the dock, he suggests to all remaining behind, "Wanna see if'n we can find Tweetie while them lubbers get the head onboard?" Looking off into the distance with grave suspicion, he mutters, "Me hates loose ends..."
Nhati looks at Reijo and says, "I'm also worried about the loose ends. If Hyrix mutinied against the captain we're now working for, and is sending people to attack is, it's not a coincidence. We will hear from him again. If we don't want to have to keep reacting to what he's doing, it would be worth trying to track him donw."
"Me only concern here is I ain't prepped fer another fight. Barely was last time. I'm also worried for our wounded, such as Suny, Bellamy, an Viktorra. It ain't a good move teh be chargin nowheres right now. Don'tcha thinks?"
Iulia shrugs at it all. "Don't matter to me, none. I imagine the Cap'n'd be rather pleased if you got Hyrix outta her hair, but she might just want to pluck the bastard herself. We've still got a few more days here in Lilywhite before we're ready to set sail." She points at the masthead. "That thing, though, needs to get on 'er baby before we's going anywhere. I ain't gon' tell you what to do, but I am gon' tell you to put that thing on the ship before I end up doin' it."
Suny paddles around the boat while people get ready to cast off and head to the ship. (^_^)
Ol' Salty takes a seat and waits for his otter to finally return. In the meantime he takes out his journal and writes down the activities he's had so far.
Reijo grumbles, then reconsiders. "We gots a few days anyways, best we go firs'thing in tha mornin' then ta ring Tweety's neck. Give ye ole'fogeys a chance ta regain yer strength."
To Iulia, he points at Suny already on the boat with the masthead, "We gots it, doncha werry yer li'l head ov'r it." Taking a second glance at the cheerful elf, he begins to worry himself about that boat and its cargo making it to the ship... but he stays behind anyway.
He starts walking. "Me needs a drink while me waits." He's heading in the direction of the nearest tavern he knows of...
Suny waves, splashing a bit, in responce to Reijo who's waived at her. (^_^)
With nothing happening at the moment, Bellamy stretched out in the shade of a palm tree.
He reached up to his arm again with a grimace, but forced himself not to scratch.