Post by Zachary Crosstree on Aug 19, 2007 16:27:12 GMT -5
Stars bounced across the sky, glimmering magnificently and flying across the open space. The moon hung in the dark sky like an orb of light in the distance. City candlelights shone down on the streets. There was no noise in the streets - the humidity was disgusting and after a hot summer's day, the children of the city were now sleeping. Near the Dock, there was still one place open and ready for business. In between the Fort, the center for the Guardians of Mossflower, and the vermin-infested dock in the Western Settlement, was the Tavern, or as foreign creatures knew it: Taberne. It was humid and warm, but the stillness of night calmed down the usual bustle and hustle of Mossflower in the afternoon. Summer evenings usually went by this pattern.
The Tavern was empty. The barmaid, an ottermaid by the name of Sivellsa, was scrubbing the mugs and flasks and humming an old tune to herself. That was the only noise in the room. It was dreary, and she glanced up with her soft brown eyes as the door creaked open slowly. The Tavern in the Western Settlement was a mess - cobwebs, barrels, empty flasks, and all the grimey objects that could plague a tavern were there, but the Tavern, believed to be organized by the Guardians of Mossflower, was different. In the corner were stacks of barrels, neatly kept and organized. The plate-glass windows were cleaned often and the bars were kept tidy, as were the large tables surrounding the wooden floor. Sivellsa smiled away, still humming and cleaning her flasks as the stranger entered.
It was a new face, though still hidden under the hood, she could tell it was unfamiliar, but friendly. The figure was rather small, and built like a squirrel, and under the hood the barmaid could see two soft brown eyes. Taking off the hood, the highland squirrel nodded and grinned. "Ah've heard that there ditty. Where did yah learn it?" Trying to spark conversation, Zachary sat down on a tall stool at the bar. "My mother, she was big on those kind of things. But it's a family tune, how do you know it?" Crosstree chuckled, half-laughing and half-sighing as he tried to remember where he had heard the noble tune. "Ah believe ah heard a wee bit o' it when mah ma's friends came; they were otters." Pausing, the squirrel scrathed his head. "Is yah last name Strypewave, lassy?"
Chuckling, the ottermaid put down a cleaned mug on the bar near Zachary. "Aye, 'tis my name. Now, what d'you want to drink, Guardian? There was a deep respect for the friends of the Tavern, Guardians of Mossflower, all through-out the woodlands. Blushing, the squirrel looked down at his moccasin boots. "Ah'm not really a gaudian yet, lassy. Ah'm just a private, an' put meh down for some Elderberry Wine." Sivellsa grinned and poured some Elderberry Wine, a very tart drink, into a small mug for the squirrel. Crosstree nodded his thanks, and shrugged. "Well, friend, a guardian is a guardian to me, no matter what rank. Ye soldiers 'ave done us a lot of good over the years, and even saved my tavern a few times!" So, Zach thought, The Guardians are more revered than ah thought.
"Well, ah'm lookin' ta make a name for mahself, so ah'm starting an optional adventuah, y'ken?" The ottermaid nodded. "Well, hopefully, some of yer friends show up before the night is done. When are you plannin' to leave?" Zachary took a sip of the wine, licking some of the liquid off of his lips. "Dawn." That was all he said as he took another sip, and wiped some of the excess wine off his fur with his tunic's sleeve. Placing his bow on the bar table, he took off his archery eqiupment, including his quiver, but left on his long hunting knife. "It gets a wee bit uncomfortable, y'ken?" The barmaid nodded, and happily went back to her job of cleaning off mugs and flasks, still humming the tune that she had been humming when the squirrel entered.
Now all Crosstree could do was wait for his comrades, drink some wine, and plan his upcming adventure. Hopefully, the same comrades who had gone with him to the Lost Fortress would come. Raiden, Nadia, Finnerator, and Sandegar were good friends with him, even though he was rather new. The squirrel hadn't planned on making being a Guardian his life-time thing, aiming for officer positions and the like. However, Zachary didn't want to leave his comrades too soon, so if the opportunity came before his departure, he would gladly take it. Still waiting, the squirrel glanced toward the oaken door. He could not help but notice how well kept the Tavern was, especially for a tavern. But alas, it was linked with Guardians of Mossflower, thus probably kept by a code of sanitization. Crosstree liked this place - maybe he would stay for longer.
Maybe...
The Tavern was empty. The barmaid, an ottermaid by the name of Sivellsa, was scrubbing the mugs and flasks and humming an old tune to herself. That was the only noise in the room. It was dreary, and she glanced up with her soft brown eyes as the door creaked open slowly. The Tavern in the Western Settlement was a mess - cobwebs, barrels, empty flasks, and all the grimey objects that could plague a tavern were there, but the Tavern, believed to be organized by the Guardians of Mossflower, was different. In the corner were stacks of barrels, neatly kept and organized. The plate-glass windows were cleaned often and the bars were kept tidy, as were the large tables surrounding the wooden floor. Sivellsa smiled away, still humming and cleaning her flasks as the stranger entered.
It was a new face, though still hidden under the hood, she could tell it was unfamiliar, but friendly. The figure was rather small, and built like a squirrel, and under the hood the barmaid could see two soft brown eyes. Taking off the hood, the highland squirrel nodded and grinned. "Ah've heard that there ditty. Where did yah learn it?" Trying to spark conversation, Zachary sat down on a tall stool at the bar. "My mother, she was big on those kind of things. But it's a family tune, how do you know it?" Crosstree chuckled, half-laughing and half-sighing as he tried to remember where he had heard the noble tune. "Ah believe ah heard a wee bit o' it when mah ma's friends came; they were otters." Pausing, the squirrel scrathed his head. "Is yah last name Strypewave, lassy?"
Chuckling, the ottermaid put down a cleaned mug on the bar near Zachary. "Aye, 'tis my name. Now, what d'you want to drink, Guardian? There was a deep respect for the friends of the Tavern, Guardians of Mossflower, all through-out the woodlands. Blushing, the squirrel looked down at his moccasin boots. "Ah'm not really a gaudian yet, lassy. Ah'm just a private, an' put meh down for some Elderberry Wine." Sivellsa grinned and poured some Elderberry Wine, a very tart drink, into a small mug for the squirrel. Crosstree nodded his thanks, and shrugged. "Well, friend, a guardian is a guardian to me, no matter what rank. Ye soldiers 'ave done us a lot of good over the years, and even saved my tavern a few times!" So, Zach thought, The Guardians are more revered than ah thought.
"Well, ah'm lookin' ta make a name for mahself, so ah'm starting an optional adventuah, y'ken?" The ottermaid nodded. "Well, hopefully, some of yer friends show up before the night is done. When are you plannin' to leave?" Zachary took a sip of the wine, licking some of the liquid off of his lips. "Dawn." That was all he said as he took another sip, and wiped some of the excess wine off his fur with his tunic's sleeve. Placing his bow on the bar table, he took off his archery eqiupment, including his quiver, but left on his long hunting knife. "It gets a wee bit uncomfortable, y'ken?" The barmaid nodded, and happily went back to her job of cleaning off mugs and flasks, still humming the tune that she had been humming when the squirrel entered.
Now all Crosstree could do was wait for his comrades, drink some wine, and plan his upcming adventure. Hopefully, the same comrades who had gone with him to the Lost Fortress would come. Raiden, Nadia, Finnerator, and Sandegar were good friends with him, even though he was rather new. The squirrel hadn't planned on making being a Guardian his life-time thing, aiming for officer positions and the like. However, Zachary didn't want to leave his comrades too soon, so if the opportunity came before his departure, he would gladly take it. Still waiting, the squirrel glanced toward the oaken door. He could not help but notice how well kept the Tavern was, especially for a tavern. But alas, it was linked with Guardians of Mossflower, thus probably kept by a code of sanitization. Crosstree liked this place - maybe he would stay for longer.
Maybe...
