(Pig's Foot Tavern) A Lively Chase (Malog)

[Deventur Apenthes]

Fall 4th, 511 AV

Deventur sat at the bar with a scowl that said, more clearly than the rattle of a snake, 'Stay Away'. He nursed a mug of beer as he surveyed the room. Why am I drinking this filth? he thought disgustedly, looking at the glass that would have needed a pint of paint stripper to properly clear it of filth. The beer itself wasn't much better than the glass, to be honest. As he downed another steaming mouthful, he shuddered. Oh, yes, that's why I'm drinking this bilge. I want to get very drunk and pick a fight with some petching vagik who'd be dumb enough to come after me.

It would seem that at least the first part of the plan was working out. His vision was ever so sightly blurred and the floor seemed just a tad unsteady. I think I've found the perfect fighting drunk. he thought slowly. He could make out people, but it seemed it would be possible to fight while this enebriated.

I do hope someone easy to offend comes in soon he thought crossly or I'll have to start drinking that slop again

[Malog Coden]

A quick glance across the shoulder ensured no prying eyes where were they were not wanted. Without conscious thought, Malogs left hand slipped around to the back of his breeches, under the heavy, slightly damp cloak, to check that the crude eating knife he kept hidden there, was indeed still in its place.. One can never be too sure of personal safety when venturing into such alcohol infested places, and any defensive action that could be taken, should be taken. Malog was not the kind to drink, yet wished to get some cover from the outside world as it dried up from recent down-pours. Pushing through the clearly woodlouse infested door, a sombre combination of sour looks and a smell of old urine thumped him in the face and left him feeling short of air until his lungs adjusted.. A Kelvic, such as himself could never fathom the ways that supposedly civilised people live their lives.. It all seemed like madness to him. Without pause, Malog paced over to a less smoky corner of the room, in clear sight of the exit, just in case of emergency. He pulled over an old wicker chair, which looked barely strong enough to hold his frame, and sat down as calmly as one could when in a rush to get out of the way. Malog was not looking for attention, but could not resist the occasional paranoid glance around the room. He could see the obvious regulars, the kind of creatures that could well have been born in a tavern, and fed beer as small children.. But that was being stereotypical, and Malog was trying to remain away from human vices, such as stereotyping. However, one figure did catch his eye. A lone Symenestrian sat at the bar glaring evilly, primarily, at the stale liquid placed in front of him, but also at any one who entered the tavern or even dared as talk too loudly.. This Symestrian looked like it was trying to get its spindly legs broken on purpose.. And if it kept glaring around, chances are, one of the Sunberth rabble would be more than happy to do so.

[Deventur Apenthes]

Deventur leaned back on his stool, his armor clicking together as the interlocking plates touched. As his seat moved backward, he heard the doors swing open and resisted the urge to turn and look, instead turning the glance into a natural part of his leaning. His backpack slid back and forth across his back, and the Symnestran's hand slipped inside and pulled out the Bagh Nakh inside, pushing it into a concealed position in his palm. He looks like a normal human thought Deventur But he doesn't really act like one. He's likely just a bit more cautious than usual, so I should be as well. He had eaten fairly recently, so his venom wasn't lethal, though it would certainly throw an opponent off.

Picking up his tankard with his left hand, as his right was occupied by his weapon, he moved over to the table where the newcomer had sat. "Hello there" he said slowly, his voice moving smoothly and slowly over the words, like syrup over a plate "Who might you be, my prepossessing compatriot?" Deventur realized he was probably using rather large words for present company, but he didn't really care enough in his intoxicated capacity to stop. "And why on earth would Lhex find you in such an dishabille locale?"

[Malog Coden]

Feeling settled in, Malog leaned backwards slightly and started to relax. He closed his eyes, attempting for the umpteenth time to get his thoughts straight yet failing again.. Opening his eyes he recoiled slightly at the sight of the Symenstran towering over him, ogling with his light, glassy eyes. A thick voice came from the lips of the creepy man.. It was in the common tongue, but not the most sophisticated language was used. A couple long words were thrown in, presumably picked up from hanging around with well tongued people. Needing little time to think about the Symenstrans question, Malog simply replied with "Listen, do you have anything interesting to say? If not then i recommend going back to sitting on your stool with your drink, because I really can't be bothered to rip your legs off at the moment you gangly freak! Now scarper, quick." Feeling proud of his quick, witty reply, Malog felt arrogant enough to lean forward and tilt his head to the right, allowing him the opportunity to look the figure up and down in a manor that was obviously showing his disrespect of the nosy drunk.

[Deventur Apenthes]

Deventur leaned forward slightly to get a better look at the man, contracting his pupils slightly due to the lamp directly above him. As he looked, an expression of surprise splashed across his face. The man had yellow eyes! This wouldn't have been especially important had Deventur been at home, where golden eyes were as common as stalactites, but here, yellow irises were not the norm. I knew there was something off about him. Deventur though, almost smug to have his suspicions confirmed All the more interesting to fight him.First though, let's lay down some ground rules.

The Symnestran looked directly into Malog's eyes and implanted 3 suggestions as strong as he could make them. This man is dangerous. He will be difficult to beat. I must beat him. To top it off, he smiled, his canines elongating, and elicited a small emotional response of panic and fear. Having done this, he released the djed and rested his right hand on the table. "You're not very smart, are you, you vagik!"

[Malog Coden]

The novelty of having this scummy character too close had worn thin, and the stench of alcohol and stale urine where also niggling away at Malog. He needed a way to get out of this tavern and to a quieter inn somewhere. While considering a possible escape route, this idiot of a Symenestran decided to insult his intelligence. Malog was not the brightest, and he would be the first to admit that. After all, he was primarily an animal. Yet, also, he was not one to allow insults to just slip by untested. Retaining eye-contact with the eery fellow, Malog raised himself from the chair and, in an attempt to threaten the man, got as close to his face as possible. But despite his best efforts, this was still a fair way down his long body. Noticing the way the Symenestran swayed slightly, Malog judged he was rather drunk, so was likely going to act in a very aggressive manor at the words he was about to speak. Never the less, he spoke them any way; "Did you hear me? I told you to scarper. If you do not leave me in peace, I will leave you bleeding in a gutter somewhere that even you spider-folk are scared of. Is that clear?" Not wanting to fight in public, especially not in a tavern, where he did not know his surroundings well, Malog wished that his words would do the trick and send the Symenestran running, or at least out into the street where Malog could use the area to aid his attack. His left hand slipped to the back of his breeches and pulled out the blade, before he moved it to his side as a defensive measure. He then proceeded to push past the Man but found his way blocked.

[Deventur Apenthes]

Deventur chuckled ever so lightly. It was not a pleasant sound, and it seemed unnaturally loud in the rowdy tavern. It slowly grew and blossomed into a full grown laugh. His right arm moved out as if to clutch at himself in girth, but instead of curving in, his arm continued straight, whipping toward Malog's arm and hopefully distracting him for a moment. Taking advantage of this distraction, Deventur lept toward the door, rolling as he hit the ground.

Once outside, though, the Symnestran's path was less clear. The streets were clogged with people, but with his height and stature, they would be no hiding place. His eyes lit upon the bar from which he had just left and an idea sprang to mind.

Removing his sandals and slipping them into his bag, Deventur approached the side of the building and crawled up it until he was directly above the door of the tavern, head down. He readied his bagh nakh, a plan forming slowly in his mind. As soon as the man came out, he would drop down behind him and rip out his throat. Simple, deadly, elegant. In a word; Symnestran.

[Malog Coden]

As that deep laugh emanated from the man, Malog once again caught sight of his eyes.. Those dull, yet menacing eyes.. They where all he could think about, he was drawn in.. Feeling like he would happily surrender there and then to those wonderful eyes.. A pain shocked Malog back into a state of reality. His could feel the blood pumping through his left arm as it slowly fell asleep. "Damn it!" Thought Malog out-loud. Oh, how he hated hypnosis.. "a cheap party trick" he muttered under his breath. Looking back up for the Symenestran, he found he was nowhere to be seen. Malog put his small pack on his back, then proceeded towards the exit of the tavern. As Malog began to ease the door open, his feline senses picked up on a very well known scent. A musty, bloody smell came from outside.. It shouldn't be there, and this made Malog hesitate at the door. It was the smell of animal blood lust. Sensing a trap, Malog took of his pack and murmuring to him self "Why can this coward not fight fair?" he threw it out the door, hopefully startling the Symenestran into attacking the bag, rather than him.

[Deventur Apenthes]

A brown blur burst out of the tavern, swinging the doors open. Deventur slashed at it, catching the edge with his weapon and causing the backpack to tear slightly. Clever little azo! he thought angrily, leaping forward off the building and into the crowd, and dashing toward the large cluster of buildings in the center of town. If he could get over to them, he could come up behind the foul piece of flesh and have a bite to eat.

As he ran, he tucked his bagh nakh into his backpack and pulled out his symnestran lash, coiling it in his hand to make it easier to carry as he ran. Let's see how that little shyke likes this he thought, a vicious smile coming to his lips as he lept onto the first of several tall buildings and climbed up the side about 12 feet off the ground. At this height, and considering how dark it seemed to humans, it would simply be a matter of waiting for the man to run by and he'd get his kill.

[Malog Coden]

Malog, grinning wide at the Symenestran jumping for the bait, watched Deventur leap across the way and into a crowd. He retrieved the bag from just outside the door and slipped off his clothes, receiving some rather odd looks from the patrons of the tavern, and stuffed them in the now slightly torn backpack. Hiding the bag then slipping gracefully into animal form, Malog moved to the outer walls, in the shadows, and allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark. A jaguars eyes are much more sensitive than a humans, but with very little light around and the effects of hypnosis causing a slight blur, Malogs eyes were taking longer to adjust. Surveying the nearby area, the Kelvic noted a relatively easy climbing surface on one or two houses. It seemed that the paint and stone had long since crumbled, leaving in some places, the bare timber in the buildings. Malog also noted the way that shadows seemed to be darker in some places than others. It was probably a trick of the light.. But he still had an uneasy feeling. Assuming the Symenestran had ran away to hide, Malog began to think about a route to a quiet looking inn he had spotted earlier, when, just out of the corner of his eyes, a shadow flickered up a building, and slunk out of vision on a rooftop.