Every Day Is the Same (Lion)

[Anonymous]

"I'm bored," Saviar complained for the twenty-third time. Rivya had counted - because it was the most interesting thing to do. "I could at least knock something over. Break up the monotony," he offered hopefully, tail flicking from where he sat on the counter. He was thankfully in his normal form so she had no problem laying a hand on him to firmly push him down.

"Don't touch anything," she said automatically. "I'm not paying for your boredom."

"It's your boredom as well,' Saviar replied, nettled - but she had a point. Feeling his acceptance, Rivya lifted her hand from his back, letting it trail into the fur and hearing his momentary purr. Grinning, she leaned back, trying to stand straight and professional, critically eyeing the shelves of the store. Everything was neatly labeled and put into sections. Anything they were low on they didn't have any of that herb ready yet and the place was clean. Sparkling clean.

There was literally nothing to do she hadn't done already so, when a quick glance around the place proved that the small store was still empty of any beings besides herself and the cat-shaped creature, she leaned back against the wall, her head thunking into the wood right by some shelves. Besides the door into the store and the door into the backroom, she was standing in about the only part of the walls not covered in shelves, the other exception being a small window. "Slow day. Perhaps we can close up a little early today?"

"I think someone might be coming in," Saviar responded, ignoring her suggestion as he stared at the door, ears flicking.

Rivya immediately straightened - though it wasn't above her soul companion to lie to her, she didn't sense any sort of amusement that usually accompanied his jokes. She smoothed out her blouse and grass green skirt. She never could take a chance he wasn't joking anyway, so she put on her best polite and professional face and tried to pretend she didn't hate her job.

[Lion]

He almost had it!  He was so close, he could almost smell the Brimstone lurking at Oblivion's gate and the screams of souls burning in absolution.  A smell he hadn't indulgently inhaled in more than a hundred years.  But now this new project, this concoction he had been working on for more than ten years was finally going to come to a close.  All he needed were a few key ingredients to put it all together and finally he would be able to break through the gates of hell!

But it wasn't until this day that he suddenly became disappointed with what he had been doing.  The ingredients that he had needed were nowhere to be found.  In the daytime, he had awakened from a short slumber in a burning rage.  Every nook and cranny of the countryside hadn't a hint of the two key ingredients that were required for the completion of his spell and he was loath to think the only choice left was going into town.

Now, there were two possible reasons for this adverse to entering civilization.  One being the fact that suddenly everybody just had to know everybody else's business when they came in.  The second, if they knew just what he was planning to do with such things...well, let's just say he didn't want anyone poking around where they shouldn't be.  If he wanted to open Hell's gate, well that was his business.

He came into Arca by mid-afternoon, passing by markets and vendors eager to take what little gold he had left.  But his presence was a commanding one and people, upon seeing him, quickly moved out of his way, dashing to the side and avoiding his red-orange gaze.  Looking around, he spotted the first herbal shop he went into and by the time he went through the door, he was already in a very bad mood.

There was little time wasted when he came in, he looked around, caring little for the effort the worker made into the presentation of it.  If he had taken the time, he most likely would have thought it all a bit mediocre and tacky.  He approached the counter, slapping his pale hand onto it and looking the clerk dead in the eyes and said, "I need your help."

[Anonymous]

Saviar's tail swished smugly as a man strode into the shop. "Told you so," he told her, voice cocky. Her lips took on a thin line as she tried not to sneer at her own soul. The cat laughed mentally at her lack of reply and she pasted on a welcoming smile as he came toward them. At least this customer seemed to have some purpose in mind.

She opened her mouth to welcome the man to the shop when his hand came down on the counter hard enough to make Saviar bristle from his spot on the counter. Fur puffed up, the shape shifter climbed to his feet. Rivya ignored him, knowing his lazy nature would calm him quickly. Her eyes darted to the shelves around the store as the man stated his need. It took all of her effort not to respond sarcastically - why else did one come up to the counter unless one needed her help with something?

Instead she kept on her professional air. Or attempted to. She did stare a moment at the man's strangely colored eyes before shrugging it off. She was sure there were stranger eyes in Arca somewhere. She refocused on answering. "Certainly. Do you know what you're looking for? Common name or any other names it might be called by? Or are you looking for herbs that have certain properties? We have them sorted by section."

She paused briefly as Saviar moved, deciding to act like a normal cat. The man had saved him from boredom and he got a kick out of people treating him like a dumb animal. He purred at the man as he moved forward, rubbing his chin against the counter near the man's hand in a clear sign for 'Pet me, aren't I adorable?'

"Don't distract the customer," she snapped mentally while outwardly she began to move from behind the counter, preparing to help find what the man needed. "Don't mind him - he's just friendly."

[Lion]

Deimos wasn't in the mood for any foolishness, he just wanted what he came for and to be out of here the faster she could give it to him.  Nothing mattered but the items he sought.  He was so keen on getting what he wanted that he didn't even see the cat until he purred beside him.  What the hell!

At the sight of the animal, he immediately withdrew his hand and sniffed with disdain at it.  He didn't like cats, they were pests and bothersome.  Demon-sniffers, some people called them.  But even if that was just rumor, he didn't want any purring rodents near him at any time.  They were conniving little beasts that needed to be wiped from the face of the earth.

"Friendly, huh," he said, eyes still staring at the animal.  "So you say."  He would have made eyes with the animal further, probably even go as far as to bash it if the woman wasn't around.  Apparently this was her cat and if she thought he was okay, then Deimos really didn't have any choice but to deal with the problem.

Shaking his head, he brought his gaze back to the girl and said in a no nonsense voice, "Bring me some nightshade and wolfsbane, if you will."  He was sure that this shop would be the last he would have to enter before he could be well on his way home.  Too bad he didn't know that the two ingredients he sought were not quite legal.