"Trouble?" I don't know the meaning of the word "Trouble!"

[Rykanis Dakshata]

A rat? Why the petch did he care if the thieving kelvic had killed a rat? He was not here about rats. He was here now, to restore his honor. This kelvic had repeatedly tried to steal from him, even if in the end he had his things. And while Rykanis was a passionate person, unlike his other side, he also was able to feel anger, and could get into a rage. Not like his other side, who did not even understand the concept of anger that well, beyond what he had been able to explain. In this case, he was in such a rage, he did not even notice Syrah's face, her expression, or her attempt to assuage him, to deter him from his path of anger. But finally, it was to much... He slipped up... His other side had slipped in while he was distracted, slipped through the rage, and took control. And Rykanis was left in his own head, raging, trying to take control, to no avail... For really, deep down, he knew it was safer for him to not be in control... It might be without feeling, but his other sides decision would be cold and logical... And a small part of him was allowing his other side to slip in and take control, if only subconsciously. A sudden shifting would occur to Rykanis. His entire body shifted a bit, tightening up, becoming a bit more rigid and precise... His face would suddenly drop from one of anger, to one of neutrality and apathy... And his eyes... Once so full of emotion and feeling, were cold and controlled... Rykanis was no longer the one in the drivers saddle... In a flash of motion, exact, as if it had been practiced a dozen times, he reached with one hand to pull out his lakan, and with the other snatched at the body of the kelvic. He would try to yank it off of Syrah, and then would slide the curved blade up to its neck, dangling it off the ground. He spoke to the kelvic, in a cold even tone of voice, without anger as his earlier words had been. "Now, shift back kelvic, or I give my word I will slice open your throat. And no trying to scamper off. We need to talk. Twice you have tried to rob me. I am well within my rights to kill you here, like the feral beast you are. I am also within my right to drag you in front of the council, and let them choose justice for us. Unless you can convince me otherwise, one of those will be the path I choose."

[Syrah Steele]

Although Syrah was not paying much attention to Ryk, and more attention to her pet she did notice his change. Before she had been only slightly afraid of the Akalak, she thought she knew him well enough to know he wouldn't do anything to hurt either of them. She saw Rykanis as an honor driven, but kind man. Not someone to hurt anything really. But she saw his body tighten and she glanced over, pausing her praise of Lewis, she looked up into his eyes and saw them turn from rage to cold, which in someway, frightened her more. Even his eyes had the emotion foe rage, now they looked as if he was frozen, she couldn't read it. It wasn't happy but it wasn't angry either. She was petrified, and thats how she let go of Lewis so easily when Rykanis snatched him away.

She spun towards him, her fear clear in her eyes. But now she wasn't afraid for herself, she was afraid for her friend. Her little pet who had a knife to his little throat and a beast yelling at him. She stood helpless, unsure what to do. If she tried to pull him away it was possible Rykanis would push the blade into Lewis, but if she did nothing she could die that way as well. She was thinking all this when she felt warm liquid on her face. Confused she wiped at it and looking down at her hand, saw a clear liquid. Thats when she realized she was crying. It took her a few seconds, about the same amount of time it took Rykanis to finish speaking, to realize that. She hadn't cried in years, she couldn't even remember the last time. She never had a reason to cry, she was happy. But now as she saw her only really true friend here in Riverfall being threatened, she freaked out.

With the warm tears still flowing down her face and in a more rushed manner she cried out to Rykanis, "Rykanis, Ryk. Don't do that. He didn't do any harm to you I mean, he doesn't deserve this. Just give him back to me, I'll take care for him. Just...just don' kill him, he's my friend. Like you are sometimes. He's my friend..." Her words were fast and breathless, begging him for mercy before anything went wrong.

Anyone who knew Syrah at all knew she didn't have many friends. Most people here didn't think she had any. She never said she did, she never really went out with anyone, for fun, outside of work. They all knew she was here for the work. But you actually had to be her friend, and her to know that you are her friend, to realize she cherished friends. She treated them well, gave them advice and was overall a decent friend. It was her outward personality that would shoo everyone away before that happened, but it was people like her friend Waheed, back home and now, Lewis, that brought out the best in her.

It was hard enough to leave Waheed behind, it was like she lost him. They neer wrote each other. He knew she was busy with the grapes and she knew he was busy with the deliveries. He would be there when she got back, she told herself. But that was the only thing that brought her down nowadays. Now she was faced with losing yet another friend, the only one she had here. She couldn't stand the thought, even though she only found out that they were friends a minute ago, of losing another friend.

OOCGuys I am SOOO sorry. But I am back from my long vacation and back in business, so lets finish this then? Sorry for the wait guys.

[Dex]

Dex changed form right in Rykanis's grip. A flash of light, and there stood a 6' naked man, what everybody wanted to see on their side lawn. "Don't gut me! It'd stink terrible! I would know, I've eaten rats guts. And I'm much bigger than a rat, and so I would stink more, because I'm bigger. Trust me, people say I stink normally, well sir, this would be a lot worse. And than I'd ooze all over the place, and bleed on the grass which is actually a good thing because you need water on grass for the grass to be green, except for when you don't want it to be green, then you shouldn't add water to the grass, especially not messy icky water like my guys." Dex said all of that in about two breaths, with a quick rapid fire responses, partly driven by a little bit of fear, a little bit of wanting that shiny pointy thing back, and another little bit just because he's a ferret. He really did want that shiny pointy thing. It was such a good shiny pointy thing. It was ... a good shiny, and a good pointy. As he looked down at it against his neck, he involuntarily licked his lips in anticipation.

[Gossamer]

. Character: Dex Experience: +1 Observation, +1 Hunting, +1 Weapon (Lakan), +1 Evasion, +1 Persuasion. Lore: Syrah must be sick getting between him and Rykanis, Excitement makes me hyperventilate. I am easily distracted. Character: Rykanis Experience: +1 Observation, +2 Tracking, +1 Stealth, +1 Brawling, +1 Intimidation, +1 Leadership, +1 Persuasion, +1 Rhetoric Lore: Dealing With Kelvic Thieves, Evasive Maneuvers! Character: Syrah Steel Experience: +1 Observation, +1 Persuasion, +1 Brawling, +1 Interrogation Lore: Kelvics are annoying, Loosing One’s Temper, Rykanis has a temper. Additional Note: Dex, I think you portray a Kelvic Ferret well. Nice set of stones stealing a Lakan from an Akalak. You are lucky he didn’t kill you or do what he threatened to do which was drag you before the Council. They would have killed you. This thread had a lot going on, but it was executed well. I particularly enjoyed Rhykanis’ role in it and Syrah’s snooty attitude.  .