Spirits of the Earth

OOC: As a warning, this thread is open to members of the Mountain Cat (http://www.spiritsoftheearth.net/smf/index.php?topic=18243.0) gang only. If you wish to join, make a character :D
Also, please realize this thread will contain mature language, violence, mentions and written examples of drugs use and abuse, getting drunk, etc.

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It was time to celebrate, and it was something long over due, for as the night rolled in, the shrouded ruins of the forgotten castle near the swamps came alive with laughter, drink and light. Naturally the place was rowdy. Get a bunch of criminals together and give them some coin and a drink and you've fueled a fire. But even their leader, the infamously serious individual- Khanna Dey, was present. In fact, it had been Khanna who declared the celebration. And as the festivities rolled on, a subtle smile lingered like a candle's flame within his eyes.

Black Powder was hard to come by, but her men had managed to steal a whole lot of it. A hell of a whole lot of it that it would blow up quite a number of ships, even a whole city (if one were careful with the placement- naturally!) But it was definitely a landmark celebration for all. Not only could it give the Cats a head over their competition, but it made them more lethal, too. And Khanna was quite the fan of that sort of power.

So as any proud leader would, Khanna watched over her gang with silent satisfaction, drinking slowly from her cup of fine, serenian mead.

Venus was at the party, of course. A celebration of this scale was something she didn't want to miss. However, she sat idly in the back for now, watching everyone else laugh and talk, with a cup full of ale in her hand.

Few people interested Venus. From a young age, she had always been alone, fending for herself, and she had grown used to it. Just because she didn't take interest in them didn't mean she didn't like being around them, though. The company was nice sometimes. After a little while had passed, she had finished her drink, and gone to refill it. When that was done, she decided to actually join in on the celebration and begin talking to people.

He didn't much feel like mingling.  A party?  For what!?  Stealing?  Isn't that what they always did?  What kind of a reward was this for something they did on a daily basis?  He supposed even cats played when the mice were away.

But for black powder?  He didn't know if he would say that was a call for celebration.  It could just as easily blow up all of the Post!  And here these fools were, dancing, drinking, singing, and smoking.  It was all foolish.

So he didn't partake, and instead, moved around the crowd in the castle ballroom where most of the festivities were being held.  They were free to drink and mingle.  He'd rather stick to the sidelines.

Keeping a watchful eye of his men, Khanna spotted one of the men he had not been unfamiliar with until recently. It was an awkward way to start any relation, but he ran a band of criminals, and most, dare he repeat it, were hardy tame men and women. The only rules were clear not to fuck with Khanna Dey, and well, that's probably why half of the party left their leader alone. But even those who were wall flowers could linger, and Khanna found herself approaching Crowe.

"Do birds not drink?" he inquired, raising a brow at the man upon his approach. "You haven't had a cup of anything all night."

Crowe leaned back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest when Khanna approached.  He glanced at him and he nodded in his direction.  "Hey boss," he said and even grinned a little.  "Just looking after the pissants.  You'd think they won a raffle with all the hollering they're doing.  It's a wonder the Serenian army hasn't heard us by now."

His frown deepened.  "I'd drink.  It's...ah, never mind.  The other Cats are havin' a good time.  That's what this is all about ain't it?"

Tomcat always enjoyed going to parties at the Scratching Post. Not only was there more booze, but also more people, such as his good buddy Khanna. It didn't take him long to track the Mountain Cats leader down amidst all the partiers.

"Avast, Khanna," he said as he approached. "It feels like I haven't seen ya in ages."

Tomcat took a swig from the bottle of rum in his hand and then noticed that Crowe wasn't holding anything.

"Where's your drink, mate," the Captain asked Crowe. "Are ye embarrassed of how lightweight ya are?"

Khanna turned his gaze away from Crowe to give Tomcat an unamused look.
Without skipping a beat, the man asked, "Who's watchin' the ship?"

"No worries," Tomcat assured Khanna. "I'm sure the ship is fine. The cabin boy's lookin' after it, but let's not make this about me. Why isn't this lad enjoying himself?"

Crowe could sniff a challenge a mile away, but he merely shrugged in response.  "Sorry, Tom, just don't feel like it tonight.  I'm content," he said with a nod.  He even offered a grin and gestured to the crowd.  "I'm enjoying myself just fine."

Khanna cut a sharp look of disapproval towards Tom. Really, the cabin boy? He trusted their second post to him? Swallowing back anger for the moment, Khanna tried to remind herself this was a celebration. And at Crowe's words, his eyes flicked over his form with mild scrutiny.

"It's a day of celebration," Khanna went on, knocking back more of his drink, which was unusual for him (for he always sipped). "We all celebrate victories in our own way."

"Well my way involves wenches and alcohol," Tomcat said. "But since there be an unfortunate lack of the former, I'll just have to compensate with more of the latter."

To emphasize his point, Tomcat finished off the rest of his rum and burped loudly.

Khanna sneered at Tom.
"You've got plenty of wenches here. Look, there's a woman over there," And he gestured to where Venus stood alone. "I haven't seen you try to charm that one yet."

"I don't have to try, mate," Tomcat replied. "It just comes naturally. I'll show ya. Maybe ye'll even learn something."

Tomcat made his way over to Venus, but not without stopping for another bottle of rum first.

"Ahoy, fair lass," Tomcat said to her. "Are ye enjoying yourself at this fine celebration?" 

At Tome's actions, Crowe just sniffed and observed the crowd again.  Celebration, that much was true.  Even if it all did seem a waste of time to him.  So he strode over toward the draft beer and poured himself a tankard and resumed his initial post by the wall.  "I suppose I could enjoy a drink.  What's the harm in that?" he said and looked up at Khanna.  "Why though?"  He looked at the Boss and tilted his head.  "I mean, you don't seem the 'celebratory' type, no offense.  Business is important after all.  We ought to keep the gold flowing."

Khanna remained quiet as he sipped at his beer.
"The celebration ain't for me."

"That makes two of us," he said and sipped the beer.  He grinned at Khanna.  "Do you ever go out?  I mean on a mark.  You organize all sorts of heists, but do you ever miss the rush of being on one?"

Khanna cut Crowe a dark look.
"If you see me on the job, you can fucking bet someone fucked up and not just the mark will get killed."

"Good to know," he said and raised his mug to him.  "I can drink to that."

When Tomcat approached her, Venus sighed. "It's more of an excuse to drink than anything else for me. Being around this many people isn't really my thing."

Venus finished off her ale and then smiled. "I suppose it's not too bad, though. It's a good chance to relax a bit for once."

"Since when do ye need an excuse to drink," Tomcat asked with a grin. "You can just drink whenever ye want to."

The Captain paused to take a swig from his bottle.

"I wish I had less relaxation time. It's boring down in Cerenis to be quite honest with ye."

"Drinking dulls the mind and mitigates your senses." Venus said, explaining herself. "Therefore, I don't drink often."

She adjusted her katana on her back a bit to have it sit in a more comfortable location for her. "I can't say I spend a lot of time in Cerenis. Is it really that bad?"

"I suppose it ain't too bad," Tomcat replied. "I just don't get to do much down there besides the odd smuggling trip."

Tomcat paused to take yet another drink.

"Say, since ye don't like crowds so much, what do you say we go somewhere more private, huh?"

Venus laughed, not to be rude, but just because she couldn't help it. "If you're flirting with me, I must say I'm flattered, but I'll get this out of the way now. I'm kind of only attracted to... women."

Tomcat broke out into a small fit of coughing as he nearly choked on his rum.

"Oh, I um.....My apologies, lass."

He took another drink, but without choking this time.

"Are ye sure you've never been at least curious as to what a man could do?"

"I tried being with a man once to find out for sure." Venus said with a smile. "It's just not for me."

Venus looked down at her empty drink with a frown. "It seems I need to refill my drink. I assume you'll be off to try your luck with someone else?"

Tomcat shrugged.

"Well, ye can't blame a lad for trying," he said. "There aren't really any other women here that I'd be interested in. I guess I'll just be drinking myself silly. Regardless, it was a pleasure talking to you, lass."

Tomcat walked back over and stood next to Khanna and Crowe, but didn't say a word. He just took a much longer drink than usual.

It was hard to tell, but it looked as if Khanna were smiling. Khanna observed his men well, and knew enough about Venus that he had been aware what he was sending the FishStick Captain off to flirt with.

"Back so soon? And here I thought you'd enjoy being out away from the sea."

"Um, well," Tomcat began, scratching the back of his head. "As it turns out, she's only into other women."

Tomcat couldn't help but be slightly irritated at Khanna. He had been friends with Khanna long enough to know that what he was doing with his face was the equivalent of a smile. He had known.

"Ye tricky bastard," Tomcat said. "You knew."

It wasn't a question. It was obvious. While most people wouldn't talk to Khanna so boldly, Tomcat wasn't afraid of him.

Khanna tossed back the rest of his beer.
"Next time, find someone who isn't a child to run your post." And he walked away to get.more ale.

"He ain't running it," Tom called after Khanna. "He's just lookin' after it."

Tomcat grumbled to himself and drank some more. He then turned to Crowe.

"Make no mistake, mate. Khanna's perfectly capable of being a complete asshole."

Venus had made her way over to refill her drink just slightly before Khanna, but she was still there when Khanna arrived. After taking a long drink out of her cup, she looked over at Khanna with a small smile. "Hey boss."

Khanna said nothing at first, refilling his glass before staring at it. He was already tipsy, didn't want to lose control, and instead of really saying much to Venus, Khanna shoved his drink into her hand. "For what you said to Tom." And he stalked away.

If there was something Nelly hated more than being ignored, she hadn't yet discovered it.

And since she knew it was going to be loud and rowdy inside the establishment, she knew she also had to try extra hard to join in the fun!

So, she came prepared. And it was those preparations that made her run a little late.

Striding into the tavern, a box carried beneath her arm, she headed over to the bar and frowned at the barkeep, who was busily chatting with someone else. She waved at him to try to get his attention, huffed with it didn't work, and set her box down on the counter. Alright, then! Guess it was time to break out the big cannons! And really, it was just an excuse to use these things, already! She really wanted to see what they would do!

And so she casually pulled a small, cylindrical item from the box, looked around the tavern, and popped the lid off.

There was a sharp popping sound and then a series of shrieking whistles before the tavern lit up with colorful lights as magical glitter and little streamers went sailing through the air.

That got the barkeep's attention, alright, as he just about jumped out of his skin and spun around with a hand over his chest to find her grinning like a maniac at him. She leaned innocently on one arm against the counter with the popper hidden behind her back.

"W-what the fuck?"

Nelly shrugged, still grinning, and pointed at the brandy he had stashed behind the counter and nodded emphatically. Now that she'd gotten his attention, she wanted to get just as wasted as everyone else, dammit!

Khanna was just about ready to hit the deck, or floor, as the case may be. But once he realized they were not under attack, he stormed clean over to Nelly and just let his shadow rest over her and do the talking. It was evident Khanna was not pleased.
But there was also something else glinting in his eyes.

Tomcat had immediately spun around and had a hand on his pistol when he heard sudden loud noises. However, after realizing what it was, he hand went back to his side. It was just some nut who had a thing for party tricks. By the looks of it, Khanna had not appreciated it one bit.

"This is gonna be good," Tomcat said to himself taking another swig.

Since the place was so rowdy (and since her ears were still ringing from her prank), Nelly didn't hear Khanna coming--but she did notice the sudden shadow looming over her, coupled with that distinct feeling you got when someone was watching you intensely.

And breathing down your neck, as it were.

Turning slowly and lifting her eyes up, Nelly saw none other than the boss himself! He didn't look pleased at all, but rather than shrink back in intimidation, Nelly just beamed her brightest, shit-eating smile up at him and signed a cheery, Howdy, boss!

Knowing full well what Nelly wanted, Khanna personally snatched up the hidden brandy and slammed in on the table infront of her, rattling all glasses nearby. Most paused to look at the pair, but the entire party had not quite silenced, as the murmur of it's antics still rolled like the ocean off in the distance. But Khanna's eyes remained upon the young, mute woman before he put his hand out expectantly.

He didn't have to speak either to get his point across. Nelly better cough up those shenanigan makers.

Feeling left out, Tomcat waltzed on over to Nelly and Khanna.

"Ye make a lot of noise for someone so quiet, lass," Tomcat commented with a grin.

...Oh wait WHAT?!

Now that was bloody low!

Nelly stared at the brandy, then back at her box of toys, then back at the brandy, then at Khanna, and her mouth dropped open as she realized what he wanted. She looked at Tomcat hopefully when he walked over, hoping for someone to come to her defense! But when he just commented on her quietness, she frowned. Oi! Didn't anyone have a sense of humor here?! Why didn't anyone appreciate her brilliance, seriously!

Flashing Khanna her most pitiful, kicked puppy dog eyes, Nelly hung her head sadly, bottom lip poked out in a pout, and gave a little huff as she reached behind her, slowly, for her box--

And snatched up another popper, cracked it open, and unleashed unholy hell yet again.

Grabbing the box under one arm and snatching up the brandy with the other, she took off running, giggling like a madwoman. As she ran past Tomcat, she grinned broadly at him. Look who's quiet now!

Tomcat didn't react and simply watched as Nelly set off other popper and bolted, giggling maniacally all the while. After she had run past him, Tomcat watched her for a moment and then started laughing.

"I like her style," he said with a grin. "She's definitely a keeper. Where in the hell did ye find her? She hardly seems like the kind of person you'd hang around with."

Probably the only thing that saved Nelly was the chaos that soon followed, for while Tomcat was amused by her antics- Khanna was not. He would not be made a fool before his men, and with knife already in hand, it was evident his method to put Nelly in her place. But before Khanna could get an inch, another young, giggling Mountain Cat brushed past him, nearly knocking the knife from his hand.

And the foolish Cat who did so was a knew recruit, still easily green around the gills as his laughter trailed behind him while he raced after Nelly.
"Hey- mute girl, you oughta learn to share! That looked fucking fun!" Clint beamed.

Nelly whipped around at the sound of a voice, and grinned widely at the boy running after her. Skidding to a stop, she held the box out to him and tilted her head in a, "Want some?" sort of gesture.

Because she was totally willing to share!

She was willing to share with people who would use these things for their proper purpose and appreciate them, dammit!

Despite it all being admittedly funny, Tomcat knew that Khanna was pissed. In order to spare the young Cats the wrath of Khanna, he decided to take action himself. Tomcat drew his pistol, took aim, and shot Nelly's box of fun as she held it out to Clint.

And just as Clint went to reach for it-
the box exploded- and he got party poppered IN THE FACE.

Aaaand there went the entire box, setting off a chain reaction of colorful explosions and screaming whistles as glitter and streamers and lights went off, and for a few moments the entire tavern was just blinded with the rainbowsplosion that was thick in the air!

And when the lights stopped flashing, there was glitter and confetti and streamers literally everywhere, plastering every wall and table and body in the room.

It would take years to be free of that amount of glitter...

And there Nelly stood, her arm still outstretched, blinking in surprise, before she sneezed out a cloud of glitter.

Tomcat had not expected the entire box to go off like it did, but his hysterical laughter was indication that he was not displeased with the outcome. After years of cannons going off next to his head, the noise and lights didn't bother him at all like it might have some of the other guests. Gun still in hand, Tomcat approached Nelly and nudged her with his elbow.

"Now that's how ye have a good time, lass," Tomcat told her. "Just be glad Khanna'll be pissed at me now instead of you."

And Clint sneezed one right back at her.
"Er.. shit, we probably should run?"
Cause he had a feeling there were goign to be a lot of really pissed off Cats!

But was surprised when Tomcat approached- and he stepped aside when Khanna followed-

Who decked Tom square across the face.

"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!!!"

Tomcat stumbled backwards a step or two, but he had been expecting such a thing.

"I was only trying to help, mate," Tomcat said rubbing his jaw.

Looking over at Clint as Khanna decked Tomcat, she grabbed the boy's arm and took off running, leaving a trail of glitter in her path like some sort of pixie. She lead them both out the door, juuuust in case Khanna was still in a murdering mood!

The knife was out again as Khanna continued to go after Tom.
"We'll see how fucking helpful you are when I fucking cut you into a million pieces and toss you into the sea!"

And as the pair went running, the second they cleared the door Clint peered over his shoulder and gave a hoot and a holler.
"WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO! Now this is my kinda party!" the boy shouted, glitter too- trailing off his form in an obvious trail of glittery rainbow glory.

Tomcat lifted his hands and took a step backwards.

"Whoa, easy," Tomcat said. "Surely you don't want to cut your best friend who only had good intentions to pieces. Think of all the fun times we shared."

If looks could cut alone, Tomcat would be dead. And one glitterfied Khanna struck out quick, aiming to slap him with his blade across his cheek- as a warning, and a lesson.
"Friends is a unique term for us," he hissed. "Find a way to clean up this mess and I'll consider not killing you."

Tomcat managed to duck out of the way of the slap, but not his new assignment.

"That could take awhile," Tomcat said examining the mess. "Have ye considered just flooding the place to flush it all out?"

And Khanna's look was even more venemous at his suggestion.
"Flood out my post and you'll be even more dead, Tom."

Nelly laughed at Clint and thrust her arms in the air in victory, sending more glitter fluttering through the air. Then, still grinning impishly, she held her hand out high and nodded at him, hoping he'd understand she wanted a high five!

This kid was new, a kitten she'd not really gotten to know yet, but she already liked his style! And there was safety in numbers because Khanna couldn't murder them both! Right?

Not knowing Nelly was mute, but understanding the gesture for a 'high five!' he gladly accepted, and soon those pale green eyes of his were looking over this glittered down beauty. Slicking his hair back, and thus cementing more glitter into his own blonde hair, he puffed out his chest and asked her, "So... got a date for this evenin'?"

"Fine, fine," Tomcat replied. "I'll figure out some other way."

Before Khanna could say anything else, Tomcat went off after the two trouble makers that had caused all this in the first place. He had a few words for them.

Fortunately he knew where they had run off to, and they were obliviously engaged in a little conversation of their own. Apparently the boy was trying to make a move on the mute, but it was about to rain on his parade.

"Ain't you a bit young to be dating, lad," Tomcat asked. "I'd like a word with the two of you."

A date? Really? Nelly looked at him in surprise, and then snorted another laugh and, grinning, shook her head. The kid looked younger than her, but a "date" didn't have to mean anything at all beyond hanging out with someone, and he was rather fun! So she decided to humor him and besides...no way she was going back in there! Not while she was high up on the shit list!

And then grinning even wider, she held up her bottle of brandy and winked at him, then pointed toward a path leading off into the swamp. They could have their own party away from all those fuddy duddies!

But just as she turned to head that way--there was Tomcat, and Nelly froze on the spot, her eyes widening in a classic OH SHIT expression.

She quickly hid the brandy behind her back and swallowed hard.

"Fork it over," Tomcat told Nelly. "I know ye've got it. It's the least ye could do for me saving your sorry silent ass. Besides, you're too young to drink anyway."

"Hey!" Clint barked, stepping in between the two of them. "That ain't no way to talk to a lady!"

Tomcat backhanded Clint across the face.

"That's no way to talk to a superior," Tomcat shot back. "I could kill ye right now and not lose a single second of sleep over it, so I recommend that ye behave yourself."

Tomcat then returned his gave to Nelly.

"Now you. Brandy. Now."

And that's when Clint did the stupidest thing possible-
for as he gave a cry, he threw himself at Tomcat and latched onto his back, trying to cling to him like some sort of suctioned on fish- and to Nelly he shouted,
"Run! Take that brandy and run, girl!"

OOC: Looooooooooooooooool
I might have to draw this XD
Clint ont he back of Tomcat as if Tomcat were some wild horse he's trying to tame looool
(or at least a bull that he's trying to hold back from murdering the lot of them XD )

"Ye little bastard!"

Tomcat reached back, grabbed two handfuls of Clint's hair, and tried pulling him off. In addition, he also walked backwards and started slamming Clint into the wall behind him while he pulled.

And Nelly, not wanting Clint's sacrifice to be in vain, clutched the brandy to her chest and took off running down the path leading deeper into the swamp!

Clint let out a grunt of pain, but clung on like a stubborn hang nail.
"Come on, Tomcat- is that all you got?" he goaded with a laugh. "YEE HAW! Look at me- ridin' the captain of the Fish Stick!"

"Not quite, ye scrawny bilge rat," Tomcat replied.

Tomcat then pulled out a dagger and tried for a stab at one of Clint's legs.

"Woah, Kia's fuckin' tits, Tom. You bringin' a knife on me now?" the ball hollered out, still clinging relentlessly to the the captain.

Tomcat was getting really tired of the games. Deciding to try for a different tactic, Tomcat grabbed on to Clint so that he couldn't let go. He then jumped as high as he could and landed on his back, right on top of Clint.

Nelly didn't have the heart to leave Clint. Not when she heard all the commotion behind her, and how bad it sounded. And so, after she'd safely stashed her brandy half buried in the mud and behind some bushes, she headed back to make sure he wasn't dead.

And saw that nope, he was still alive, but pinned beneath Tomcat, who was crushing him under his back! And he'd pulled a knife on him!

How unnecessary!

That was when Nelly made a choice.

A rather stupid one, but hey, she was feeling left out of this brawl!

And so she came rushing on it with a wordless yell before she came down on Tomcat hard with an elbow straight to his gut!

When Tomcat saw Nelly charging in and about to pounce on him he held out his knife to give her something nice and pointy to land on.

And that's when Clint bit him on the arm.
That would show him to try to knife a lady!

Thinking fast, Tom cat rolled himself over so that Nelly's elbow would hit Clint instead of himself.

"AH!"

And Nelly went smashing right into Clint instead, her eyes wide with horror.

Nelly wasn't the only one screaming, for the second CLint's breath returned to him from such an impact, he was curled up and howling in pain.

Tomcat took the opportunity to throw Clint off of himself and get to his feet. He then aimed a kick at Clint's ribs.

"Ye just had to make it difficult," Tomcat said.

Horrified that she'd hit Clint instead of her intended target, Nelly went to check on him--but Tomcat kicked him first! And she let out an affronted sound and aimed a kick for Tomcat's shin, the intense glare on her face clearly saying, Stop that!

And with that Crowe slinked off to be somewhere else.  Anywhere was better than here.

Crowe wasn't the only one that exited stage left. Though luckily for him, the man had missed the glitter-splosion, but he'd perhaps see the aftermath as Khanna sulked off towards the well, and began cranking up a bucket of water and then dipping his whole head into it in hopes to get off at least the sparkles glued to his face.

Tomcat took a swing at Nelly as well as she kicked his shin. It looked like this was going to go from friendly talk to a beating. It was a shame really. Tomcat's normally such a reasonable guy, just not when he's angry.

Nelly rolled away from Tomcat's swing and sprang back to her feet, glowering at him and shaking a finger at him, her other hand on her hip. She pointed at Clint, then glowered at Tomcat again, then threw her hands up in a what the fuck! sort of gesture.

"Ye brought this on yourself, lass," Tomcat told her. "You just hand me the brandy and have a friendly chat. Well now it ain't going to be so friendly no more."

Tomcat drew his pistol once more, cocked it, and pointed it at Clint.

"Ye have three minutes to bring me that brandy or the lad dies. Time starts now."

Crowe wasn't paying much attention.  People drank out of the water well all the time, it wasn't really a big deal.  So he stayed in the gargoyle's roost, hidden from view and just sketched in his notebook.

And while the Crowe roosted, Khanna dumped his head back in the bucket again, while fervently rubbing his hands through his hair and across his face. But it seemed no matter how hard he scrubbed, the sparkles were endless.

Nelly's eyes went wide, and her face paled at that. It had been all fun and games just a moment ago, but this was escalating really quickly!

Now, legitimately afraid for Clint, she held her hands out, palms showing, in a signal of defeat before she turned and made a mad dash down the path she'd taken before, and when she came back a minute or two later, her knees and hands were muddy.

And she was also carrying with her the bottle of brandy, which was likewise covered in mud.

With a frown and a sheepish look, she held it out to Tomcat, and hoped he wouldn't notice there was a bit less in there than there was before.

Tomcat took the bottle and took a swig to make sure it was indeed the brandy.

"Coming to help ye is a mistake I won't make again," Tomcat told her.

Brandy in hand, Tomcat went back inside to join the glitter-infested party once more.

...Okay.

Now she just felt bad.

Guilty, rather!

Tomcat had saved her neck, even if he'd exploded all her fun and stolen away her brandy and beat up her new friend, buuut...she probably would have been in real bad trouble if not for him. He'd taken several punches for her, even! Several punches from the boss man and a lot of abuse!

She winced, deflating, and looked over at Clint with a defeated look.

Yeah...alright...so she'd kind of been being a total brat...but...she hadn't meant things to escalate like that! And then she'd just sort of gotten way carried away herself.

Biting her lip, she huffed out a breath and then made a decision: she swallowed her pride and bolted back into the place against her better judgment, following on Tomcat's heels. She wasn't even sure how she was going to articulate this apology, but it wouldn't hurt to try, and as she caught up to the man, she tapped him on his shoulder--

And then bounced back several steps, just in case he was angry enough to start swinging.

Tomcat turned around when he felt a tap on his shoulder only to find Nelly.

"You again," Tomcat said. "What do you want?"

Nelly took a deep breath when he turned to her, then looked toward the ceiling for a moment in thought. Alright, now that she had his attention, how to get her point across...

So first, as a long shot, she took the easiest route for her: she met his eyes and signed at him, her gestures large and expressive to try to emphasize the importance and sincerity of her words: I'm sorry.

Tomcat merely raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

"If ye being trying to tell me something, just write it in the glitter on floor. There's definitely enough of it."

Nelly let out another huff that sent her white bangs fluttering. Then, looking down at the glitter spread all over the floor, she shrugged and dropped down onto her knees and began to drag her finger through it.

When she came back up, her hands and knees were covered in the stuff, and I'm sorry was spelled out in glitter. She looked at Tomcat then and made puppy as at him, hoping short and sweet worked, because  the longer version would be a pain!

Looking down at what she wrote, Tomcat scratched his chin.

"So you're sorry, are you," Tomcat asked. "How old are you?"

And Nelly's cheeks colored at that question.

She was quiiite aware that she'd been behaving like a child.

She pressed her fist to her mouth and coughed lightly, then looked back up at him with a sheepish look. Then, after an awkward pause, she held up her closed fist, then slowly opened and closed her hand three times, her fingers spread out to show all five, and then a fourth time. But on the fourth time she only flashed four fingers. Hopefully, he'd understand that she was trying to communicate that she was 19.

"Nineteen, huh?"

Tomcat took a sip if the brandy before continuing.

"I had thought about asking ye out because you seemed like fun and are kinda cute, but I'm not so sure now. Plus, ye probably aren't too interested seeing as how I threatened that lad's life for brandy, but the two of ye asked for it. I had just wanted to talk."

And now Nelly's ears were really burning, because oh shiiit, had she blown it. She had really blown it! He had wanted to ask her out?! Out in what way?!

Because Nelly had no tongue but she sure as hell wasn't blind, and Tomcat was a rather dashing guy that had stood his ground against the boss for her! Letting out a loud groan, Nelly smacked her forehead at her own stupidity, then looked back up at him and shook her head quickly, waving her hands, and then huffed in frustration because she didn't have the bloody words! Why didn't more people know how to sign, dammit!

And she really didn't feel like doing more glitter doodles!

So looking back at Tomcat, she pointed at him, then at herself, then made a talky motion with her hand and nodded vigorously.

"Um... Are ye saying that ye would go out with me then," Tomcat asked. "Or am I reading ye wrong?"

But before he could get a response, a very banged up Clint limped onto the scene, and oh so stupidly placed himself between the pair.
"Her answer is No," Clint informed him , matter if factly. "Because she's gonna be my girl." And he gave Tomcat the biggest of grins.

That made Tomcat laugh.

"I don't think that's your decision to make, lad," Tomcat told him. "Besides, what do ye even have to offer her? You're just a boy."

"What?" Clint barked. "I ain't no child!"

"How old are ye then," Tomcat challenged.

"Sixteen!" The boy declared with a puff of his chest.

"Then you're still a child," Tomcat told him.

Crowe just kept drawing nonchalantly, oblivious to anything really.

Nelly sighed through her nose and stepped between the two, spreading her arms wide to try to separate the two. Poor kid! Maybe she'd sent the wrong signals! He was way too young for her, so by "date" she'd just meant sneaking off to split the brandy with him! With a slight shake of her head and a rueful smile, she pat his own head, shaking out more glitter, then took a couple steps back to end up next to Tomcat.

Clint was taken back, rubbing his head lightly where she pat it.
"Huh? What was that for?"
And why was she standing next to Tom?

"I think she's lettin' ye know who she chooses, lad," Tomcat told him.

Hearing the scratching of pen to parchment, KHanna lifted his gaze towards where the shadow of a figure remained perched up above. It didn't take her two seconds to know exactly who it was. ANd seeing as the man had no glitter on his person made Khanna sigh heatedly through his nose.

Using a scarf that had been tucked away to wipe off most of the watera nd glitter from his face, Khanna proceeded to ball up the clothe before launching it at Crowe- hoping for it to land and spread the godawful glitter on whatever the hell it was he was working on.


Asshole!

The clothe ball just fluttered and drifted to the ground uselessly, as cloth generally did.  Crowe didn't seem to notice, as he just sat back to back with the gargoyle sketching.  And when he did, he looked back at the finished drawing and snickered at the sketch of Khanna looking like he had a ton of acne.  It was hard to draw glitter.

Seeing how his attempt was 'thwarted', Khanna moved to pull the lever that would make the gargoyle split open to reveal a staircase beneath it. But Khanna was hardly there for the secret pass, he wanted the gargoyles movement to knock that damn black bird from its shoulder.

Crowe heard the shifting of stone and moved to sit on the gargoyle's shoulders, stepping upward nimbly and watching Khanna below.  Same old same old.  He continued to sketch.

Nelly looked at Tomcat, then at Clint, and nodded in agreement with Tomcat's words before giving him a sympathetic look. Poor kid! But he had to realize he was like way too young for her for a real date!

But with a devious smile his way, she reached into her pocket, looked at Tom and put a finger to her lips, making a "shhh!" sound, before creeping closer to Clint and handing him another popper.

They hadn't all been able to fit in the box...

She motioned to Clint then, and then his pocket, and nodded, trying to convey that he should save it! You know, for a rainy day. Probably not now when everyone was all murderous! Then she gave him a playful hair ruffle and a kiss on the cheek.

She stepped back over to Tomcat and gave him a sweet smile, and raised on her toes to give him a cheek kiss, too.

Tomcat put his arm around Nelly.

"I ain't covering for you if and when ye set that off," Tomcat said. "I'm already on Khanna's 'To Kill' list because of the two of ye."

Clint got more ruffled than a coop full of spooked chickens.
"Hey! I ain't takin' no popper over a girl! We should fight for her! See who really deserves to have that lady on his arm!"


----

And elsewhere, Khanna was getting the hint Crowe's thwarting his attempts to rile him up were on purpose. So he folded his arms across his chest to glare up at him.
"You know.. I've killed men for less," he growled. "Why are you here if you're not gonna party with the rest?"

Crowe blinked at Khanna below.  "You're out here," he pointed out. 

"Yeah, well a fuckin' cat decided to bring glitter to the party." He sneered in observation that yes, Crowe had been able to get away- sparkle free.
"I'm not exactly big on sparkle, unless it's returns from a heist."
And spotting his reflection in a nearby puddle, he stomped on it angrily and returned to the well, and proceeded to furiously try to remove more of the obnoxious glitter from his face.

Tomcat laughed at the boy's bravado.

"Ye think you can fight me," Tomcat asked. "If it weren't inappropriate to beat up a child in front of a lady I would."

Though in all honesty, Tomcat didn't give a damn about politeness. He just wanted to piss the boy off more.

Nelly let out a long-suffering sigh, though there was a bit of amusement in her eyes. Well, she'd never been fought over before! That was kind of nice! Though also a bit irritating, as though a fight would determine who she wanted to "go out" with!

Besides...Tomcat had the brandy...

Leaning into Tomcat, she folded her arms over her chest and gave an impatient little huff.

Tomcat looked at Nelly after she had huffed.

"What?"

Looking up at Tomcat, Nelly jerked her thumb toward the tavern door and gave a little tug on his arm. Maybe they should leave, before Clint got hurt more or Khanna came back around to finish the job!

Tomcat looked at the door and then back at Nelly. Apparently she wanted to leave.

"Well, lad, it's been fun, but it appears that's it's time for me to depart," Tomcat said.

He then turned to Nelly and gestured towards the door.

"Ladies first."

As soon as Nelly would have her back turned, Tomcat would be sure to give Clint a sly grin to rub his victory in the boy's face even further before following behind Nelly.

And Nelly was quick to fly out that door, eager to get away from there before someone got killed! That someone being Clint, no doubt...

Of course, in her hurry she completely missed the look Tomcat gave Clint.

Clint's ego deflated as swiftly as a pin prick would pop a balloon. And in that moment, he could only stand there, staring at disbelief at what just happened before swearing through his teeth.

"Fuck!"


And elsewhere outside... Khanna could hear only parts of the conversation from the garden. Over hearing Tom Cat sweet talking to Nelly made Khanna even more irritable. So while trying to brush off the crumbs marring his ego, he simply stepped forward and disappeared down the spiraling stone staircase he had opened just moments ago.

Now satisfied that he had crushed Clint's hoped and dreams, Tomcat followed after Nelly. He didn't know where she had been off to in such a rush, but it was probably anywhere but here. Maybe he would get some action out of this party after all.

Now that that was over with, Crowe decided to go back to his drawing.  But it was largely finished anyhow, so he crumpled up the piece of paper and sent it hurtling down into the well.   He slipped down from the gargoyle and peered down the darkened steps where Khanna had run off to.  Well, seeing as there were all sorts of nooks and crannies he'd yet to discover, he might as well see where the Boss went.

[[OOC: Hope it's okay that I jumped in! Hope I read the current scene right.]]

Late to the party again.

The gold-and-black furred marten lolloped into the now mostly-abandoned scene a minute or two after Tomcat and Nelly snuck out. It sniffed at the glitter wafting around the floor and, well, everywhere before the creature turned from a marten into a scruffy, dusty-looking woman with shaggy, short-cropped brown hair.

Flitch brushed some glitter that had transferred onto her clothes already, then pushed her bangs out of her face. She looked at Clint, left embarrassed and alone, with a mix of pity and amusement.

"Tough night, eh, kid?"

Embarrassed someone had seen it (and that someone was another, smokin' hot lady!), Clint's face grew even more crimson.

"Yeah, you could say that again. Some girls just don't know how to have real fun," the boy went on with a proud and defensive puff of his chest.

Even though Flitch was feeling a bit sympathetic towards Clint, his display made her snort out a little laugh.

"Aren't ya a bit young to know about how t'have 'real fun,'" she laughed, but good-naturedly. But she couldn't help but laugh at the puffed up little boy!

Whew! Once they were a safe distance away from all that awkward, Nelly spun around to face Tomcat, flashed him a smile, and exaggeratedly pretended to flick sweat from her brow. Then she looked at him, head slightly tilted as she studied him, and realized with a flash of frustration that he couldn't understand her signs.

She'd have to figure out another way of communicating.

Motioning him to follow, she headed for the edge of the swamp, and with a flick of her fingers, drew water from it with her magic. Fingers moving as the water hovered in the air, she shaped the blob into the crude shape of a bottle, and then eyed Tomcat knowingly, pointed at it, and waggled her eyebrows.

Yeah, she was still after her goddamned brandy, dammit!

So she was a mage too? That was certainly interesting. Tomcat watched as she shaped the water and it soon began to resemble a bottle. She must still be after the brandy. Tomcat grinned slyly.

"If ye want the brandy," Tomcat teased. "Ye'll  have to give me something in exchange."

Nelly raised her eyebrows with a short laugh and gave Tomcat an oh REALLY? sort of look. Give him something, eh? Well, she already knew he wasn't a fan of the poppers! So, maybe he'd be up for the second best thing.

With a flick of her hands, she let the water splash to the ground, and then she strode over to Tomcat, grabbed him by the front of the shirt, and crushed her lips to his. Maybe now she'd get her bloody drink!

Tomcat was relieved that Nelly could take a hint. It would have been awkward to explain what he had been after. Tomcat put his hands on Nelly's waist so that he was in control of how long this kissing lasted, and he wanted a good ten second makeout session, and given his experience, he was a damn good kisser.

Once he was done he let Nelly go and thought for a moment as if judging if it had been drink-worthy.

"Not bad, lass," he said handing her the bottle. "Something tells me that wasn't your first kiss."

Well! That was a pleasant surprise. Tomcat was, actually, a great kisser! Nelly liked to think she was, too, for what she had to work with. She was a little limited, considering she had no tongue, but she still had her lips and her teeth and she made do! Of course, it was always awkward when someone learned the reason she was mute because they tried to go for tongue, and, weeell...that produced some interesting results now and then. Maybe she should have warned him? But he wasn't freaking out, so she considered it a win.

With a smug grin, she only shrugged and winked when he correctly assumed it wasn't her first kiss, and then she snatched up the bottle and took a swig. Not her first by a long shot.

Something sure tells me that wasn't yours, either, she thought, and after taking another long swig, she held the bottle out to him with a raised eyebrow, because she was willing to share.

Tomcat took another turn with the bottle before offering it back to her.

"So, how did ye ever lose your tongue," he asked casually.

...Awkward. Well. Alright. So he'd noticed. At least he wasn't being weird about it!

Nelly took the bottle back and took another gulp, sighing as it burned going down. Then she cleared her throat and tilted her head, thinking for a moment on how to explain. It was a complicated story. It would be so much easier to tell him if he understood her signs. All of them should know signs, anyway, dammit! Her own gang, before joining the Mountain Cats, had used hand signals to communicate when they needed to be silent, and some of her closer friends had learned her more complicated version with her--especially Krisa, who had found her the deaf woman that taught her.

Maybe he'd understand the simpler version?

So, after a thought, she signed to him slowly, using the simpler version of her language, the more tedious one that spelled the letters out.

Can you spell?

Tomcat watched the signs she made carefully. He was able to get the gist of it.

"Can I spell," he repeated. "Of course I can. I maybe a pirate, but I ain't dumb, lass."

Nelly rolled her eyes.

Didn't call you dumb, dummy, she signed, and went a little faster, trying to gauge how quickly he could put the letters together. Well! She hadn't even been literate until she'd been forced to learn! She'd been lazy as fuck and hadn't seen the point--until the incident. Nothing was a more compelling motivator than losing one's ability to communicate, and the desperation that came with trying to gain it back.

However, this was good news! And after that little bout of snark, she thought a moment, thinking of how to condense the story (because it would be a lot to spell out!) before she started again.

A soldier cut it out, she signed. That was the bare bones version, indeed!

"A soldier cut it out," Tomcat translated. "Why would he do that? Ye probably could have done amazing things with that tongue."

 Clint's face went beet red as he gave her a fierce glare.
"I ain't that young for nothing!" he snapped. "You challenging my manhood?"


----

And elsewhere, Khanna was attempting to rid himself of the chaotic, glitter infested party which, only now, he was regretting throwing for his gang, when he froze at the bottom of the stairs and grit his teeth angrily. Did Crowe really follow?

Nelly let out a sad sigh at that, because she had lost her tongue long before she'd ever gotten to kiss with it, or...do other things with it. But she just gave another shrug, and signed again.

I was a thief. I was caught. I mouthed off. So he took my tongue instead of my hand. She lifted her chin. I don't need it to be amazing.

"Oh you don't," Tomcat said with a grin. "I would very much like to see how."

Words--or letters, as the case may be--weren't needed here. Nelly looked at Tomcat and raised her eyebrows, lips curled in an amused smile, and crossed her arms beneath her breasts in an Oh, REALLY? sort of look.

Nelly didn't need to make any signs for Tomcat to understand what she was saying. Tomcat crossed his arms and chuckled.

"Yes really," he replied. "That is, if ye thinks ye can handle the captain of the Fishstick himself."

Should Khanna look back, he wouldn't find Crowe lingering in the stairway.  He'd spied a crawlspace and wriggled himself inside of it.  It was a small, unconstructed area and circumvented around the chamber where the staircase led.

Flitch clucked her tongue, but she was obviously smirking at Clint. "Can't challenge somethin' that ain't there yet, kiddo." she chuckled, shaking her head.

She withdrew a cigarette from the inside of her worn, dusty brown leather jacket and lit it on one of the stubby wax candles lighting the bar. She took a drag, then tried to look 'reasonably' at Clint.

"All I'm sayin's," she said, "why not find a girl young like you? You'll stand a better chance an' she won't expect more'n holding hands or whatever it is kids do."

Khanna did look for any signs of 'Black Bird', but finding none, he grumbled irritably before closing up the secret pass. The man ought to know better if he were in here, but either way, Khanna couldn't shake the feeling of being watched as he made his way back through the darkness and felt along the walls until his eyes were well enough to see, and began to make his way down a narrow and short ceilinged, damp hall.

The smell was musty, metallic even in smell, as the sound of running water trickled through the mossy stone of the walls. Large cracks and holes littered the path, and in some spots, stepping was quite slippery. But he had been this way numerous times before, and his boots were always more than adequate to keep himself from slipping.

At the end of the hall he peered down into the darkness, before stepping out and down onto the other side.

Nelly laughed at that, amused laughter, and took another swig of brandy. Tucking the bottle beneath her arm, she made a "pffft!" sound and signed, Think? I know!

Though her "words" obviously lacked inflection, she made up for it with the expressions on her face.

"Really now," Tomcat replied. "Show me then."

This was turning out to be worth the trouble of the whole glitter incident, just went he thought this party was going to be dull, too.

Crowe, too curious, really, for his own good, did follow the boss.  He was always up for exploring new parts of the hide out, and he followed along the sounds of footsteps through the darkened hallway, lighter than a cat's step.

He crawled back out of the crawlspace, just long enough to see Khanna slip through the darkness.  And there to, did he follow, clinging to the walls.

Clint was hardly happy with that response, and his chest puffed up while his feathers ruffled.
"My age? Hold hands? You think relationships are about all that? Hell no! I want me a feisty one, one who I can really have fun with!"

---

And elsewhere, Khanna's path lead the man to a small, underground water way, where water fed out from one side of a crack in the wall, and the pool appeared just a few feet deep. The place was hard to get too, even for Khanna, who had to press himself up real tight and contort his body a bit to fit through, but there it was, a private 'spa', or so it seemed, and Khanna wasn't about to waste much time removing the glitter as he began to work at the laces of his boots.

At that point, Khanna completely disappeared and Crowe silently cursed to himself for having lost sight of the boss.  It was just as well.  Crowe considered turning back, but then he cut his eyes back up to the rafters and the old nooks and crannies of this run down section of the ruin, and immediately his mind started to map it out.  He moved toward a crack in the walls, brushing away cobwebs and dust and followed the path though the wall downward.

It was curious how the ruin bent toward what seemed to be a cavern of sorts, possibly left there from the first constructions of this once great fortress and Crowe imagined the possibilities of it could've been used for.  The path around the pool circumvented around it and Crowe studied the archaic construction, stepping over old rat corpses and other such pests.  He heard water nearby, but couldn't find any and soon he spied a crack in a stone wall.

It didn't take long for Khanna to strip down to his under clothes, tossing his glitter infected attire into the cool waters before stepping in himself. He flinched, but only momentarily as he eased himself into the waters before completely submerging himself. And beneath the waters he would stay as long as his breath would keep him and his fingers kept finding glitter as he scratched away and rubbed at his flesh.

Moments later, he submerged, hair a blonde mess about his face and suctioning to it, obscuring his features and hiding his eyes. The waters seemed to help getting most of the glitter off, but as his hands and eyes accessed his body, he pauses to realize his straps had come loose. And with a curse, he worked quickly to bind the assets he concealed well from.the world that would have anyone questioning just who he really was. After all, despite Khanna being born female, to him, he was all male and wanted it to stay that way.

The view through the crack in the stone was narrow and hard to see through, but Crowe could make out a small sliver of light coming through from the other side.  He put his eye to it and tried to get a better look at the other side.  He heard the sloshing of water and could see dim lighting coming from it.  Whoa....

Crowe took his head back, seeing what looked like a naked body.  A real naked body, but he couldn't make out too many details just yet, so he put his eye to the sliver again.  Was that an ass?  Yes...yes it was.

Thankfully, Khanna had his back to Crowe, so more or less all he'd see was an ass. Well, until he stepped back into the waters again to rid himself of.a.few more pesky sparkles that just wouldn't come off!

That was an ass!  He knew a shape like that anywhere.  Or well, he thought he did.  It was a nice one at that.  He got a little more fascinated with the stranger hanging out in the waters, and he moved into a crouch, watching the waters slide off this slender form.

And that was about as much of a show as Crowe would get. Khanna knew the party was still going on, and despite his hatred towards sparkles, he also hated not being there to keep charge. And after an incident like that? Those damn cats would need it!

Slipping out of the water, Khanna made quick work to wring.out his hair and scoop up his clothes. Wringing those out as well, he made as quick work as he could to rid the clothing of any further seeable sparkles before redressing and moving to exit the scene.

And just like that, that beautiful ass was gone.  Crowe frowned in mild disappointment, but resigned himself to further exploring the run down section of the ruins.  It was a curious place, but one he decided he could explore further later.

It was about time he got back to the party.  Crowe came into the bar again, crawling in from the window and landing on the floor above that overlooked the bar below.  A wench came by with some beer and Crowe took it in hand and drank heartily from it.  His eyes lingered on her ass when she walked away and he found himself smiling.  And below music began to pick up, and dancing had begun.

"Pah!" Flitch blew a puff of smoke at Clint, shaking her head at him. "What'd you even know about havin' 'fun' with a girl? I bet a handful of gold you wouldn't even know what to do if you got one."

Flitch was smirking and chuckling at the boy, who she took great amusement at. She'd been a bit sympathetic for him at first - and still was a bit- but, well, teasing builds character!

"Lookit you," she said decisively, snatching a drink from a passing bar wench, "yer not even old enough for the wenches t'take notice of you." She gestured to the one who'd just passed. "And you didn't taken any notice of 'er, didya?" She laughed again and nodded to Crowe, who was still gazing at the woman's bottom. "See, Crowe there, he knows where the goods are."

Clint snorted, his feathers still severely ruffled.
"That don't mean nothing!" he barked. "I was just distracted. After all... " And his eyes lowered to her assets. "I was checking you out, not her."

Crowe nodded back to Flitch; it'd been a while since he'd last seen her.  He finished oggling the bar wench, he took a sip of the beer.  It'd been cold, thank god, since his whole was feeling hot.  He eyed the little conversation Flitch was having with the "Kid" as Crowe was fond of calling him, since it bothered him especially, and walked over, beer in one hand and a grin on his face.

"Trying to make his chest hair grow, eh, Flitch?  Is she giving you a hard time, Kid?" he asked, his grin only growing.

Flitch actually snorted her some of her beer as the result of trying to take a drink while Clint made his sorry pass at her, half choking and half laughing.

"Oh ho, nice save, kid," she said as she wiped the snorted beer foam from her mouth and nose. "But I think I got freckles and scars older'n you are."

She looked at Crowe with a wide-eyed innocence as he approached, holding her hands up - beer in one, cigarette in the other; but the gesture was clear all the same - helplessly. "I'm trying. It's this kid who's determined t'make a fool of himself. Just tryin' to give him some advice. But what do I know, eh?" she asked, taking a drag of the cigarette. "Not like I actually am a woman or anything. Why listen to me?"

Flitch noticed someone tumbling to the bar from the dance floor, and looked sidelong at the ruffled Clint again, then got an idea. A smile grew on her face, and she pointed with the stub of the cigarette. "There y'go, boy, she's more your speed. Pretty as a peach, young like you, an' I heard - strictly confidentially, o'course - that she ain't big on 'no.'"

The girl Flitch was pointing to was certainly cute: long blonde hair streaked with red, a cute little figure, and an ample bosom. She went by Firefly and she was new to the gang, and Flitch was betting Clint didn't know her. And what Flitch knew, that she hoped Clint wouldn't, was that so sick was the buxom young thief of being constantly propositioned she was likely to belt the boy one just for looking at her wrong.

But she looked happy enough now, and Flitch hoped very much that Clint'd take the bait. She stubbed out her cigarette, brushed back her bangs, and nodded encouragingly at the stubborn boy. "Go on, then. Else I'm about to think this is all a show, and you're not after ladies at all."

With fists to his hips, and his chin held high, Clint simply replied to Crow's query with a prideful sneer.
"No," And he winked to Flitch. "She's just playin' hard to git!" But when she tried to go on about the age difference, he just smiled through it. But when she went to point out another target, Clint couldn't help but oogle the other woman's breasts. Because well..
They were just ALL THERE and nearly spilling out of the front of her dress!

Clint took a step forward, slicking back his hair as his eyes lit up at the prospect of a new piece of meat.

"I'll show you both how it's done, kitty cats. How much you want to bet she'll be rolling wtih me before the night's through?!"

Watching Clint puff out his chest like that and slick back his hair was enough to make Crowe from ear to ear.  He pulled some coin from his belt and bounced it in his hand. "I'll take that bet.  What about you Flitch?"

Flitch snorted, shaking her head. "I ain't puttin' coin on shit. This kid don't have nothing to pay up with and I wanna get something out of this!" she concluded happily.

"How 'bout this? You fail an' you have to knick the priciest bottle of drink in here for me. I saw it earlier. A fancy single malt kept under lock-and-key. I believe you can do that, kid, I'm not sure you could match my bet in coin! But if you get so much as under-the-shirt contact with that girl, then I'm really teach'ya something about women," she finished with a wink to Clint."

Flitch felt confident making that last part of the bet; surely Clint would have no luck! And if against all odds he did, well, Flitch didn't say anything about what she'd teach him.

By the time they were speaking of bets, Clint was more than ready to go as an eager grin stretched ear to ear.

"You'll see what women really want by observin' me! And maybe, just maybe, in that lesson there Flitch, I'll be teachin' you a few new tricks!"

And like a prideful little puppy, Clint begun to move after his prey...

Crowe crossed his arms, skeptical.  "You have that much confidence in him?"

Flitch shrugged. "Better a maybe he can get his hands on something than he definitely ain't got nothin' t'pay with," she answered matter-of-factly. "'Sides, if he has somethin' else to occupy himself with fer awhile, might give the rest of us a break from all those hormones of his."

Clint's swaggering approach wasn't missed by Firefly. She threw a glance his way, still half-smiling with drunkenness, then whispered something to her friend.

Crowe laughed, even snorted a little.  He didn't realize he spilled part of his beer.  But at least there was still half left to savor.  He grinned, slipping it down his gullet as he watched Clint in action.  It was amusing, watching the Kid puff out his chin hairs like the kitten he was. 

"Oh gods, the hormones," Crowe half-scoffed, remembering back to his own time and recalling it only with embarrassment.  "I'll take this distraction over all the chest-puffing any day."  He sniffed and had more beer.  "How're you by the way, Flitch?  Odd question to ask, I know, but it seems the customary thing to do."

“Hmph,” Flitched huffed, as if in heart-felt agreement with Crowe’s sentiment: ’Oh gods, the hormones.’ Though she acted as though she were in the same boat, she hadn’t had a remotely similar adolescence to what poor Clint was suffering through. And she frowned a little, thinking of it. Physiologically differences aside, when ‘Flitch’ had been the same age as Clint (by her people’s reckoning), she’d been a living ‘goddess,’ held captive by her worshipers…

She shook the memory away, and raised her eyebrows at Crowe’s question, “Oh-ho, customary! Aren’t we proper!” But she gave a shrug, and answered, “Can’t complain. Had a few good jobs lately, one or two that went a bit bad, what can’t win all the time.”

She paused to take a drink of her beer, then glanced up at Crowe. “By the way, Crowe,” she told him with an amused half smile, and tapped her upper lip, “y’got a bit of a beer moustache. If it’s of any interest to yeh.”

Where as Crowe was just getting himself dirty (since the prick was lucky enough to evade the glitter-splosion!), Khanna finally had himself as clean and tidied as he was going to be, and not wanting to leave the cats alone in the place while the potential for more crazy glitter could happen, he was already re-dressed in something else, a simpler leather jerkin and pants to match with low ankle boots with tight belted straps lining his thighs. His hair was a bit wet, and was slicked back and styled the best he could make it, but at least the damn glitter was (mostly...) gone. And back to observing he was, entering the scene again as quietly as he had disappeared.



And a not so quiet entrance was happening between another pair of cats as Clint moved his way near to Firefly, who gave the boy a wary look. From the distance where the others were, it was hard to tell what they were saying, but at first, it seemed Clint actually got Firefly to smile. But he still held that ego boosting puff to his chest and that surly curl to this lips. Perhaps she was just giggling at the way he tried to present himself?

"Oh, a beer 'stache?  I hope it looks better than the one I've been sporting!  I can't shave more n'an hour and it's back again, all patchy.  I hope I look dashing and not like some nincompoop."  He gave a laugh and posed with the beer mustache, his arms crossed over his chest all macho-like.

“Oh yeah, ‘dashing’ was exactly the word I was gonna use,” Flitch agreed readily, flicking her bangs out of her face. “Looks much better’n that patchy nonsense you had goin’ on before, though,” she added with a wink. “Now watch this,” she said, lowering her voice and leaning towards Crowe. “That girl Firefly’s whisperin’ to? Her lover. Probably should’ve mentioned that to the kid, huh?”

The giggling and glances intensified as Clint approached. Wait, was it giggling, or snickering? Was there something a bit sneaky about Firefly’s smile. Because she could tell what Clint was up to from a mile away.

“Hey there, pretty boy,” she called to him, grinning invitingly. “What’re you oggling at, hm?”

Clint took the bait like a daft fish. And his grin almost seemed to surpass his ears as he made his way before both pretty ladies, and gave the pair of them a charming grin.

"Just admirin'. Two pretty ladies, such as yourselves, shouldn't have to work all alone while the rest of us celebrate. Perhaps the boss wouldn't mind if we all.. took a break together? Had ourselves our own little party to celebrate the occasion," he went on smugly, tugging up his pants and keeping his grin.

"Our own little party?" Firefly asked, raising an eyebrow. She exuded sexuality. In fact, someone with a bit more experience might see the trap: realize that she was laying it on a bit too thick. And her eyes notably looked when he tugged on his pants.

"What... exactly... did you have in mind, hm?" her friend asked, smiling coyly.

Clint was so excited he could have slapped his knee and hollered.
"Let's find a place more quiet to talk," Clint went on, wolfishly. "There's a few cozy rooms down the way... Nice and private like."

And while Crowe and Flitch were watching the show, Khanna curiously approached the pair from behind. She had been skepitcal, wondering if Crowe somehow had followed him, but seeing how preoccupied he was, he figured otherwise.

Oh Flitch was cruel indeed, and Crowe would be lying if he said he wasn't thoroughly enjoying the scene play out as it were.  In fact he had to hold back a snort, to keep himself from laughing out loud.  He nudged Flitch.  "Oh you've got to stop him.  I mean, as entertaining as it is, this will scar him for years to come," he said, laughing still and he hoped it was clear he didn't want anything of the sort to happen.

"Shit, and let 'im think I was scared he would win his bet?" Flitch scoffed. "Not on your life!"

And just about then, Khanna was creeping up from behind them. Flitch glanced back over her shoulder and greeted casually, "Hiya, Boss. You're just in time for the show."


"Private?" Firefly gave Clint a sultry grin. She looked one arm around the waist of her lover, then let her other hand spider-crawl up Clint's chest. "What... you afraid of people seeing?"

"Yeah," the other woman agreed, smirking and leaning in towards the poor boy, "let's see what you've got. Don't keep us waiting."

Khanna folded his arms over his chest once spotted.
"Don't let me distract you from your fun. Just moving along." And as Khanna moved past them, some of the other cats had to look at him, considering more than half of the Cats there were covered in sparkles, and they all knew Khanna had been too! And now the man was all clean! But by the looks of his hair, a few people sneered. Of course the boss got to use a shower or bath for this. Either way, the party still went on, lively as ever and Clint continued to be as clueless as ever.

His cheeks were hot pink at the girl's suggestion.
"It ain't that, ladies. I just... I just don't like to share!" he went on, fluffing out his coat and not loosing one ounce of his puff.

The young women giggled at his comment, then smiled smugly at him. Finally, Firefly reached out to grab him by the scruff of his shirt and pulled him closer.

"You don't have to share," she told him sultrily, "but surely you're not so mean-spirited you won't let the others watch."

"Yeah," the other woman agreed, moving forward and running her fingers into Clint's hair, "show us what you got. Don't be stingy."

"Ugh, Great Balls of Fire," Crowe grumbled dropping his head into his hands and shaking it, trying to hide his smile at all that was going on.  He snorted a little, grinning ear to ear and looked up again.  "Are you so very cruel?" he asked, nudging Flitch.  "I mean other than watching him crash and burn, do you get any joy out of making a potential mate make a complete ass out of themselves?"

"Now that ain't fair," Flitch countered. "I'm doing that boy a favor. Better to have a tough lesson now an' actually learn it. Left on his own, that idiot'd make a fool outta himself forever. It's like pullin' off a bandage. Hurts like hell, but better to get it over with."

But, of course, it was quite funny. Once Khanna slunk out of earshot, she added casually, "Boss seems t'be in a bit of a mood, eh?"

"When is the Boss ever not in a mood," Crowe replied sourly.  He crossed his arms over his chest again and have a subtle head shake.  "You'd think he'd be a little happier over making such a score.  Black powder is not easy to come by.  But then again, I think I can understand.  Can't get complacent now. And I won't hesitate to whip a few drunk Cats into shape if I have to."

Not being complacent indeed, for Khanna continued to prowl the party like a cat, and members of the gang nodded to him as he passed. It wasn't until he found himself on the opposing side of the room and passing by a mirror that he paused to adjust his hair, slicking back a hand through it and checking to make sure that in fact, no sparkles remained on his face.

But there was a few he saw in his eyebrows, and scowled as he moved to work to rub them off.


And elsewhere, Clint was anything but complacent. In fact, he had no idea how to handle Firefly and her 'friend' as his face grew redder and redder.
"A show? You really think these other Cats deserve all that?" But his voice was strained, wracked with nerves as he tried to remain cool as he scraped at any reason to get him out of that scenario and into something well...
more private! And more to his liking....
No that he'd admit it, but it would be his first time, after all!

“What, can’tya put on a show, Clint?” Firefly asked through a lewd grin.

“Think of it,” her friend added encouragingly, her expression similarly suggestive, “as more of a preview. We want to see whatcha got.”


Flitch, meanwhile, snorted softly into her beer when Crowe said he wouldn’t hesitate to knock a few drunk cats around. “Tch. Lookin’ for a fight, Crowe? Let’em have their fun, I say. They go overboard, they’ll get enough of a knock back into shape tomorrow when the hangover hits ‘em. Tomorrow’s the day fer not gettin’ complacent. No point in havin’ a party if yer not going to enjoy it. Bad for morale. Speakin’ of enjoying it, this,” she waved a hand at Clint and the girls, “is gettin’ painful. And boring.”

Instead of interceding to help Clint, though, Flitch gave Crowe a wink then cupped her hands around her mouth and called across the room, “C’mon, lad, show’em what ya got! Don’t leave the girls disappointed!”

That got everyone's attention. And all eyes were on Clint now.

Everyone's eyes turned, and Clint was frozen in face. And to think he thought his face couldn't burn any hotter!  Khanna's eyes went to the child then to Flitch and her apparent partner in crime, Crowe. Her eyes narrowed at the two, but she did and said nothing.

And all Clint could think to reply was a sqeaked, "Hey! I ain't the public type! Gotta keep this place decent! We ain't Rats now are we?"
And he was so nervous, his heart was hammering away inside his ears when the bar tender finally got pissed off over the situation and snapped at the trio.

"Alright you three,  stop yer cat calling. Boy, get the hell away from my bar maids and Firefly, there are tables that need more liquor and a wipe down! Now don't make me ask twice!"

Khanna continued his silent observation and turned to see how Flitch and her beau would react Soon, Firefly went about her business, but not before rubbing it in to Clint. And he was left int he wake of the young ladies' cruel giggling. And soon she was back to work, and the crowd, back to drinking. As Firefly passed, Khanna's hand shot out and she spoke something to the girl, and her eyes went wide a moment before nodding, and returned with an entire bottle of brandy, which Khanna took, opened and began to sip on it by himself.

Flitched clucked her tongue in disappointment, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. "Shucks, I really wanted to see her clock 'im one. Ah well, always next time. An' with this one, we know there'll always be a 'next time.'"

Khanna's observation of the pair wasn't lost on Flitch, though, who was always looking over her shoulder. She glanced between Khanna and Crowe. She certainly didn't typically garner so much attention from the boss, and she doubted it was really her that Khanna was interested in now. She didn't comment on it, though, just made mental note.

Instead she called out to the poor, sulking Clint. "Oy, Clint. We gotta bet to settle."

Of course, the boss would be eying him.  Crowe wondered if Khanna had a particular problem with him; that much was clear from all the staring.  What worried him though was just what the boss planned to do about it.  Khanna if anything was direct, sometimes too direct.  But until then, Crowe preferred to just pretend he didn't notice the boss' attention.

Crowe stepped out from Flitch's side and pulled Clint in close.  "Look boy, you need to stop trying so hard.  Bet or no bet.  Real confidence doesn't come from chest puffing.  And clearly that doesn't garner that many results."

Clint's face wrinkled.
"Who the hell are you to critique my work?" Clint barked. "And things were going fine until her boss had to interrupt me! Figures! And I was so close!"

Khanna could have snorted, but instead, turned his back to the scene and downed more of the drink.

"Sure kid, however 'close' you think you were, a bet's a bet. An' you need to pay up. Single malt. In the back all nice'n locked up."

Flitch looked at him expectantly then after half a moment made a shooing gesture. "Off to it, kiddo. Let's see if yer a better thief than you are a pickup artist."

Clint shot her a dirty look, his lips surly. But a bet wasa bet.

"Alright, alright," and he turned away from her and rolled back his sleeves as he rubbed his chin. "Just gotta figure out where they keep those keys..."

Nelly shot Tomcat a sly look and lifted her chin before signing, What's in it for me?

"The time of your life, lass," Tom replied with a sly grin and a wink.

Perhaps it was the drink, considering he was a light weight, but it was Khanna who acted next, and retrieved the bottle Clint needed before stuffing it into hid hand. And without so much as a word, he stalked off, leaving Clint to gape.

Nelly rubbed her chin and pursed her lips, seeming to think long and hard about that one. Tomcat was cute, alright! Totally her type. But it was also just fun to play hard to get. Make them work for it, her mama had always said!

"Hmm!" she said, before signing to him, You have a lot to compete with, if YOU think YOU'RE up to it.

"I can accept that challenge with confidence," Tomcat replied with a grin. "I'm one of the best."

It seemed Khanna was intruding in just about every affair that night. And why not? As their leader, he had the authority to keep his men in line. So when he found Tom Cat flirting with Nelly, he approached the pair like a panther might do to its prey. And quietly, he observed.

"The best of what? Not keeping your ship on task?"
Khanna was evidently mad about an earlier bit of cargo Tomcat had 'conveniently' lost. The claim that the loot wasn't where it was promised was a hard pill to swallow, and Khanna wasn't even sure he believed it. Though Tomcat had never back stabbed him before, one could never be too cautious. After all, these men weren't dogs, and cats always looked out for themselves. He couldn't help but be suspicious that Tom might be up to something of his own.

"You aiming to head back towards Cerenis this night? Or do you intend to keep your boat dry of loot and money?"

If Tomcat hadn't been so used to Khanna's sudden intrusions into his affairs he would have jumped out of his skin, but he instead remained calm and spun on his heel to face his boss.

"It's getting a bit late to head back tonight," Tomcat said. "Besides, it ain't sensible to go swaggering off to Cerenis all drunk. Surely you want to enjoy my company a bit longer."

Khanna's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Not really, but it seems you've already got yourself a night's company."

"I do indeed," Tomcat replied. "But ye are interrupting."

Tomcat sauntered forward and put his arm around Khanna and spoke softly so only he would hear.

"Look. You're a hard workin' lad. There's plenty of fine young ladies inside. Why don't ye go pick one up and enjoy yourself for just one night.?"

Nelly blew out a frustrated sigh that made her bangs flutter. Khanna was totally cockblocking her there! But considering Khanna had pulled a knife on her earlier, and she had no doubt she was still in the dog house (which was no place for a cat to be, if they didn't want to come out shredded!), she decided now was maybe the time to make herself scarce as she backed away from the two slowly.

Khanna cut a sharp look at Tomcat and shoved his arm off of him
"This is a celebration. Enjoy it as you will, and I will do the same. But I still expect you to get back to your ship come morning. You're no use to me on land."

"Now that's just hurtful," Tomcat replied.

He then looked over his shoulder to see Nelly backing away.

"Hey, wait! Don't go. We're just having a little discussion. We can resume as soon as I'm, don't worry."

Tomcat then gave Nelly a wink before turning back to Khanna.

"Go enjoy yourself then, because right now your interfering with my enjoyment."

Nelly paused, but she still eyed Khanna warily. The guy was just so moody!

And as she looked between he and Tomcat, she signed to Tomcat, How long since he's been laid, you think?

Tomcat snickered.

"It's definitely been too long," he told her.

You should just pay a whore to get him off our backs, Nelly signed back, snickering, and hoping Khanna couldn't understand.

But he did and gave Nelly a sharp glare before signing, go fuck yourself. before making a moody exit. The girl was already on his shit list for the sparkles

Nelly just about DIED.

She choked, sputtered, and went very pale as a classic "OH SHIT" expression plastered itself onto her face. She clapped both hands over her mouth in horror.

OH FUCK. KHANNA KNEW SIGN LANGUAGE. FUCK.

Khanna knew the girl'd be mortified but just left her to Tomcat. The girl was a newer recruit and he had bigger fish to fry.

Tomcat scooped up Nelly in his arms and started walking in the opposite direction.

"Well, that was fun, but now it's time to go," he said quickly.

He then added,

"Far away from the boss man. With how moody he gets I swear that he's a woman in disguise sometimes."

Nelly was still frozen in abject horror when Tomcat scooped her up, and she let out a small squeak of surprise and threw her arms around his neck. But then when he spoke of getting away from the boss man, she could only nod emphatically.

Yes, yes! Way the hell far away from him before he decided to skewer her!

Once he was convinced that there was a safe distance between them and Khanna, Tomcat put Nelly down.

"Now then," he began. "Where were we?"

Nelly knew exactly where they'd left off, but she tapped a finger to her lips, cocked her head, and hummed in thought.

Then, smiling impishly, she gave a little shrug.

"Perhaps ye be needing a refresher, then," Tomcat said slyly.

He then leaned in and gave Nelly a long, deep kiss.

"Do ye remember now?"

It seemed now that the two mischief makers were proccupied, the party settled to a more manageable level. Manageable enough that Khanna could step away and hang out like a reclusive bird on top of a rampart while listening partially to the party happening below, and also indulging in the sweet smells on the winds. It smelled like rain was coming.