Aramora

Chapter 13: No One is Innocent

"Maybe just try backing up against the tree a bit," he suggests.

"Back up against th' tree!? What th' bugger dae ye think is behind me, the pumpin' Recharn Sea!? Ah can't shift, ye pumpin' Bawbag! What, dae ye expect me tae just morph through the pumpin' tree!? Yer bums out the windae, ye asinal cunt!" She speaks too fast and her accent seems to get heavier the angrier she gets, and the harder he laughs.

Trying to bring his laughter back down again, he hears movement approaching through the dark of the night. His attention instantly goes on alert and his eyes search the darkness, briefly allowing them to shift to glowing golden slivers that comes with having the blood of Expiryvus course through his veins.

Approaching from the tree line in the distance are two men cloaked in black with tails swaying behind them as they make their way towards the tied-up duo.

Lavern stops all laughter and lowers his voice. "Nesosa. Shh. Be quiet," he whispers back to her.

The centaur scoffs. "Excuse me?! You've gone and gotten my blood boiling and now you're telling me to be quiet?! You've gone and right pissed me off, so you're going to have to suffer me being agitated! So you shut yer puss, ye fuckin dobber!"

Lavern shakes his head. "No. I'm serious. Someone's coming. Looks like more of those people from earlier," he says sharply.

Nesosa looks out through the darkness. "Ah don't see anythin'. Are ye just trying tae get me tae shut up?"

Lavern shakes his head. "No. They're over there. Be quiet," he keeps his voice hushed and waits as the men close the distance between them and stand in front of him with swords drawn.

The elf nods his head. "Gentlemen. May I help you?" he says with snark. Nesosa glances back over her shoulder to see the men he's talking to.

One of the men, with a brown tail speaks. "We have been informed that you are in possession of the Schism Fragment. This one demands that you give it to him," the Tus'Felnis states. Lavern grumbles and rolls his eyes irritably.

"Just getting straight to the point, aren'tcha? That's no fun. I was hoping we could have a nice chat. Maybe a few mugs of ale. Doesn't that sound nice?"

The other man, with a grey tail, glares at him. "Do you have the fragment or not?" he rumbles with a heavy Tus'Felnis accent. Lavern shrugs with restraint.

"Maybe I do. Maybe I don't. What makes you think I do?" he questions, keeping his cool and masking any and all fear with the confident smirk of a professional Cle.

"Your little friend back at our camp told us all we needed to know. The only question is: did she lie to keep the old man alive?" the brown-tailed man says.

Lavern looks down and silently curses. At least he now knows where Naomi and Malachi are, even if she did sell him out. If Malachi's life was on the line, it's understandable. Kind of. But it still hurts a little. But his ego is anything but fragile.

He looks back up at the men. "What if I don't have it?" he asks.

The grey-tailed man chuckles. "If you don't, and we find out that the little one lied, then they will be killed. So tell this one, do you have the fragment? He will not ask again," the Tus'Felnis asks.

Lavern sighs and slightly shifts to feel the leather pouch on his belt that holds the fragment. "...Yes. I have it," he mutters. Nesosa gasps and glares back at him.

"What the bugger dae ye think you're daein', Lav?! We can't give it tae them!" she snaps threateningly.

The brown-tailed man nods and holds his hand out. "Give it to this one. And do not delay, as we are expected to return within the hour or else your friends will be punished," he orders. Lavern cocks a brow and stares at the cat's hand.