You gotta learn somehow (Riki)

[Murdoch]

11th Day of Spring, 511 AV

The streets of Riverfall weren't known for being terribly dangerous, but that didn't mean there weren't occasional problems. It was inevitable that one of those problems would find the newest denizen of the city, no matter how careful he was of his unscrupulous activities. Everyone was a gods-damned critic.

"Gentleman," a low and charming voice echoed out of one of the alleys near the docks. A passerby would, if he looked, see a rather nondescript man standing with his hands up in a placating motion, smiling warmly to the two men who faced off against him. Sailors, those two men, and easily identified - they were dirty, poorly dressed, and covered in some very explicit tattoos. "I do believe this is just a simple misunderstanding. Now, if you'd like we can take this up with the proper authorities--"

"Ain't no chance of that, you petching cheat," one of the sailors growled, drawing a knife from his belt. "You and that silver tongue of yours ain't gonna talk your way out of this one. We'll be takin' our money back, and whatever o' yours we feel like, and if you don't like it we'll just cut yer throat and do it anyway."

The man continued to smile, though there was something dangerous sparkling through those muddy hazel eyes - and one would notice that when he smiled, his teeth were made not of ivory, but of dark ebony. "Come now, you lost that card game fair and square. You can't win every time, my friends, and it does no one any good to be a sore loser, does it? So why don't we just call this a day and walk away, hmm?"

The men growled, and the unarmed one moved forward to grab him while the other raised his blade in preparation of stabbing him but good once he was wrestled into submission.

Unfortunately for these men, Murdoch wasn't one to stand by and just get stabbed.

The first one reached for him - and then drew back with a sharp yell, blood spraying from his arm. Doc now stood, the same easy smile on his face, but a wickedly sharp little dagger was clutched in one hand. Before the two men could recover, it was thrust forward and found a home in the shoulder of the man with the weapon, which was quickly dropped in surprise. The first sailor swung a wild punch, and Doc grunted as he took it to the chin. He spun against the wall, feeling blood fill his mouth from the cut of his teeth against his cheek, and spat out both blood and a harsh curse. The man swung another punch at him, but this time Doc dodged under it and sank the knife into the man's thigh, twisting it viciously and ducking back as the man went down. Which just left the other, who was gaping at the sudden bloody mess this had turned out to be.

"Should've listened," Doc smirked - and just socked the man as hard as he could in the face. He crumpled, used to being a ringleader and not on the frontlines.

Doc stuck the knife back in its hiding place and shook out his hand, feeling sure there was something broken there. "Vagiks," he muttered, scowling down at his already-swelling hand and spitting another mouthful of blood on the ground as he started for the opening of the alleyway.

[Riki Stormheart]

Riki hummed quietly as he slowly brushed Glow's back. His last chore for the day before his break was to groom the mare to make sure she was clean for when she finally gave birth. He had taken to humming (and sometimes singing) songs and lullabyes from Endrykas. They were as close as he could get to home for the moment. "You are going to look very beautiful for your foal Glow. Although it will be quite the feat if you stay looking so pretty through your birthing." He spoke quitely to the mare as she chewed on some oats that were laid out by a previous employee. He was excited to help her give birth. It was a chance he had never had before. He had helped with some dog birthings but never a horse. He was not skilled enough to help deliver the Striders. When he was finished brushing glow's pelt he looked up at her with a smile. "See, I told you I would make you look beautiful." The horse simply continued to feast on her oats, only offering him an idle flick of her tail in thanks. Riki looked down at Sadie, his loyal canine companion. "Women..." Sadie simply shook out her pelt and looked up at him with loving blue eyes. She was expecting something. He had worked and now it was time for him to take her out. Sadie was quick to learn the rhythm of the Sanctuary. "Okay Sade. Let's take you out." Sadie knew the word out. It was a good word! It meant she was going to run around and chase leaves! She let out a playful bark and began to romp around Glow's pen. Glow was begining to get scared and Riki could see it. Quickly he scooped up Sadie not wanting to scare the horse so close to having her baby. "Sorry Glow! It won't happen again." Once outside Riki set the wrigling dog down in the grass. "No Sadie! You don't do that around the horses! You can scare them. You almost made Glow go into early labor!" Sadie simply looked up at him and cocked her head confused. She had no idea what Riki was saying. She let out a little bark and started to scamper around the grass waiting for Riki to come and play with her. "No Sadie, come with me. We are heading into town." With a huff she scampered to his side and the two began to walk. "Sadie, if you keep acting so crazy in the stables you can't come with me anymore." Sadie was not listening though. Her attention was on a passing butterfly fluttering around her head. Riki looked upon the town of Riverfall in close proximity for the first time. He had not gone much farther than the Sanctuary since he had made it into town. He walked slowly with Sadie following closely at his side. As he made it farther into town he could hear voices and they didn't sound to happy. He walked forward, his curiosity taking over. When he reached the alley where the voices were coming from he saw a man spitting out... what was it? Blood! Riki ran to his side, his Opal clan need to heal taking over. "Sir, are you..." He stopped midsentance noticing he had slipped into his Pavi. He shook his head. "Sorry, you okay?" He was still not fantastic with common, although he had learned a great deal at the Sanctuary. He looked down to see the man's hand was swollen. Without even asking he reached out, placing his hand on the man's. He felt Rak'keli's power flowing through him healing the man's hand but not completely fixing it. His power was not strong enough to fix broken bones. "I am sorry, that is all I can do." Riki was never very good at conversations, especially those in languages other than his native tounge. "I am Riki. We have seen each other? At the Sanctuary?" He was a little more relaxed since he had met the man previously. Even if it was for a short time. "I like your story. You did this to you?" He motioned to the blood staining the ground and pulled Sadie back as she tried to sniff it. "Are there others hurt?" He was a bit embarassed about his obvious language barrier but he needed to know. If there were people injured he needed to fufill Rak'keli's wishes and help all those who needed her touch, even if it was though one of her followers.

[Murdoch]

Murdoch ground to a halt when Riki appeared as if out of nowhere, surprise clear on his face. "Hey, you're..." he muttered, recognizing him - but then the man grabbed onto his wounded hand and did something. It hurt less, that was for sure, but he suspected it wasn't completely healed.

"Petch me. Thanks," he murmured, looking down at his hand. "Rak'keli, then, huh? Good to know. Oh, hey," he said, slinging an arm around Riki's shoulders when the man started to look further into the alleyway. "Nah, I wouldn't worry about them. They'll be just fine without your intervention, I promise." He said it so confidently, with such a convincing smile, that it might just be true. "Just a couple of ruffians who thought they'd get the jump on me. Come on, I need to go tell the local law. They may need to talk to you," he said, steering him back out towards the docks where there were several Akalak patrolling the area. "What're you doing here anyway?"

[Riki Stormheart]

The man couldn't be serious! Riki couldn't just leave the injured men laying there. He made sure that the man was secure on his shoulders but instead of following his orders to go alert the authorities he walked toward the men laying in pain on the ground. "Appologies. I have to heal good and bad. It is my promise." He walked slowly, making sure the man did not fall off of his shoulders until he made it to the first man. He knelt down and placed a hand on his cheek but as the healing power moved from his palm to the man's body Riki felt the man stir. Although he had to heal all those who were injured it did not mean that they would be kind to him. The man looked up at him as Riki's healing touch reached the extent of it's power. He smiled down at the man and to his pleasure the man smiled back. "See, he isn't..." Riki's speech got cut off by a hand slamming into his wind pipe. Riki was a tall man although he was not exactly heavy. It was not hard for the newly healed man to shove him up against a nearby wall. He looked down at the man, his heart racing. Even in this posistion he had wished he could have helped more of the men although it was better in his position that he had only healed one of them. He did not know the man's name but he attempted to call out for him. "Sir, help." He felt a bit embarassed at the fact that the man got the better of him after he healed him. He had to help them though! A few broken bones and a black eye would be better than upsetting a Goddess. Although, with these men there was a good chance he could get killed. Beside Riki, Sadie growled at the man and nipped at his legs trying to get him to let go. The man was not phased in the slightest though. Instead he mearly kicked Sadie away, letting her crash into the ground. Riki was angry and he would have fought back if he knew how. Instead he tried kicking the man although with his slowly depleting air supply it was hard to direct the kicks. Added to that of course was the fact he had no idea how to fight. He would make the man pay when he was freed. Well, he would try. One could only pray the Gods favored Riki in a fight with his obvious lack of muscle and fighting skill. He hope was in Murdoch who he was more than a bit afraid to face. The man had warned him not to heal the men and he had not listened.

[Murdoch]

Murdoch just gave a long-suffering sigh when the man punched Riki in the throat. He'd warned him, hadn't he?

He slunk against the opposite wall, one careful, silent step. The dog did its best to protect its master, and got nothing but a kick to the ribs to return. Not very nice.

Another quiet step, trying to be as silent as possible. The dog taken care of, the man had turned all his attention to choking the life out of his savior. Who was making a rather sad attempt to defend himself with a completely uncoordinated flailing of limbs. It was a bit amusing, truth be told, the way his eyes bulged a little from the man's grip on his throat.

A final step, boot squishing a little in the blood from the man's original wounds. Then he raised the wickedly sharp assassin's dagger and, with a swift slam, buried it in the man's spine just at the base of his neck. He gave an aborted cry and then crumpled to the ground like a bag of sand, releasing Riki as he went.

Doc just looked down at him, and then yanked his dagger out and wiped it on the man's shirt.

"Told ya so," he said, as casually as if he'd asked for a cup of tea.

[Riki Stormheart]

Fear bolted through Riki's body. The man was going to kill him and all he had wanted was to help him. "At least I will die serving Rek'keli." He tried to think positively about the situation even if he was about to be killed by some brute. He did not want it to be the end but the end seemed to be staring him right in the face. The man did not kill him though. In fact, he seemed to be facing death far before Riki was going to. When the man fell to the ground Riki simply stared at the space where he had been a moment prior before sending a prayer to Rak'keli. He looked at Murdoch with wide eyes as he tried to start breathing again. "Thank you." He was embarrassed in front of the man. He had told him not to heal them and he did not listen. He could have lost his life over it and Sadie had gotten hurt. Riki ran to Sadie's side, running his fingers over her body. She whimpered as his fingers ran over her ribs. "You are okay sweetie. He didn't kick you too far. You might have a few bruised ribs though." Riki looked up at the man. "Sorry, I should have listened." He wanted to help the others but it was best to get the authorities and heal the men after they had been contained. Otherwise another person could die. "We can get the law now. Then I can heal them after the law has them." He felt like he had betrayed his goddess. He believed it was his fault that the man had died. If he had not tried to kill him he would have been injured and in pain but he would not have been dead. "Which way is the law?"

[Murdoch]

While Riki looked after his dog, Doc methodically went through both the sailors' pockets without any real attempt to hide what he was doing. Wasn't cruel about it, made no effort to punish the still-living attacker, simply checked his pockets and belt pouches and took anything he found. "Don't worry about it," he said as he did so, finally straightening up and tucking the pilfered goods away in his vest. "That's the one thing you kinda have to learn on your own - bad guys are almost always gonna be bad guys. Best to call the guards first if you want to heal one, so they can hold him down when he decides to be ungrateful. So!" he said with another dark grin and a clap on Riki's shoulder. "Let's go grab a few blue boys and tell 'em what happened, and then you can work your magic and we can go get a drink, whaddya say?"

With that, he once again steered the Drykas out of the alleyway and back towards the docks, only this time he made sure they actually made it there. As soon as he caught sight of an official-looking Akalak, he raised his (still-wounded) hand to wave to him as he approached.

"Sir!" he said with a dry, half-apologetic smile. "I'm afraid I have to report a crime. Some sailors I was playing cards with last night cornered me in an alleyway right over there and tried to call me a cheat. They threatened me, and one brandished a knife while the other tried to grab me. I managed to wound them both and was on my way to report it when this soft-hearted fellow here found us and made to heal both myself and my attackers. The one he healed immediately tried to kill him, as you can see from the marks on his neck, and I'm afraid I had to dispatch him permanently," he said with a sad shake of his head, as if he greatly regretted this. "His compatriot, however, is still lying in the alley. My friend wishes to heal him of his wounds as well, but you can imagine that we're both a bit more hesitant about our own safety should that come to pass. And since I'm newly arrived in your glorious city, I'm afraid I'm not quite sure what the protocol is on my end of things. I certainly don't want to get in trouble or upset the peace you keep here," he said with a shrug. "So, if you could tell me what needs to be done, I'll be happy to comply."

OOCI'll have one of the ST's step in for this part!

[Baku]

The large Akalak looked down at Murdoch for a moment, studying his face silently before looking at one of the other nearby guards, giving a subtle nod as the Guard began moving his way towards the mentioned Alleyway. “Your friend doesn’t have to heal the other, we’ll have them taken to the medical center for that.” The Akalak said. “For now, we’ll need you to remain confined to the city until this gets sorted out. We’ll take statements from you, your friend here, as well as the sailors.” The Akalak then slowly stared towards the Alley, watching as the other guard came out, dragging the Sailors behind him. A steely gaze then moved back down to Murdoch and Riki, not one really of intimidation, but one that was common among City Guards when they were on duty. “Once everything has been compiled, we’ll leave it up to the Council to decide. Be prepared, however, if the Council doesn’t make a ruling in favor of you or the sailors, they will likely have all of you move your dispute into the Arena to decide.” The Akalak then explained before looking to Riki. “Both of you.” “Where are you both staying right now?” the Akalak then asked of both of them.

[Riki Stormheart]

The Drykas was still a little uneasy about leaving the men on the ground but he kept telling himself the same thing over and over again. "It is all for the best. They will not die this way." He nodded simply as he looked at Murdoch. He wanted to look brave in front of the man but inside he was scared to death. He worried if he went to drink with the man more trouble would follow. More people would die and more blood would spill, or at least that was his fear. He did not want to get choked again either. He absentmindedly rubbed his neck where the man's hand had been. "Why did I even leave the Sanctuary?" Riki bit his lip as he looked toward the fallen men. He was just a bit more nervous when the tall Akalak walked up next to them and informed him he wouldn't even be able to help heal the man. He opened his mouth up to claim that he had to heal the man but when he spoke up all that came out was a little murmur of "I need to help them." His fear got stronger when the Akalak continued to talk though. He was nervous that his broken Tukant and his very basic common would get in the way of taking to the man. He simply nodded and looked to Murdoch to do most of the talking. He seemed to be the bolder of the two. A feeling of wanting to cry washed over Riki when the Akalak spoke. He couldn't go to the Arena! He didn't know how to fight! He could do a little with Archery but he was completely useless in a fight. He looked nervously at Murdoch before looking back at the Akalak. "I am at the Sanctuary. I work as a healer." He nervously held his hand out to the man, showing him the opal mark from Rak'keli. He did not think that the mark would be enough to get him out of a fight but he hoped it would prove that he did work with the Sanctuary.

[Murdoch]

Semele's sparkling tits, was this kid seriously about to cry? He bloody well looked like it, and Doc couldn't help the disgust that painted itself across his face. "Pull yourself together, boy, shit. How do you make it through the day if you fall to pieces over something little like this? You didn't even do anything to get sent to the arena. Even the council could see that just by looking at you. This goes south, it'll be me having to stick a knife in that murderous vagik. Syliras was better about crime sometimes, they'd just stab whoever was causing trouble outright. None of this dueling stuff, just a quick stick of the blade and the streets are safer. Good ol' days and all that." He grinned, shrugging a little as if it didn't really matter to him in the least. He turned back to the Akalak, though, and did his civic duty. "I'm staying at the Kulkakan Inn, if I'm pronouncing that right. Just ask for Doc, they'll know who you mean. Sorry for the mess, though, and you'll forgive me if I hope not to see you anytime soon," he laughed.

Riki was then, deftly turned about and nudged into a walk towards the nearest tavern. "Maybe you ought not leave the Sanctuary anymore," he muttered. "Shyke, never seen a man get all weepy like that. You gonna be all right?"