Krazha The Forest Country

Nadiah Lyiecca was in the midst of admiring the craftsmanship of Svikali and Vinur as the rap on the door filled the silence of the air with a new interested atmosphere. She found the slightest effort beyond her chair to rise up to the cumbersome task of walking to the door. "It's her," Fenrir muttered beneath his breath, "things should be fine. Sounds out of breath though." Nadiah's leather and steel boots galumphed across the worn floorboards towards the door, and slowly brought her to turn the handle. As the door swung open it revealed the trodden silouhette standing at the brink of the glass lamp on the doorstep. It was Kayla Skoll all but patient in the darkness of the silver-forked rain.
"34" She muttered sheepishly bounding into the warmth of the furnace-fueled house. She took of the heavy sheepskin coat to reach inside the pockets of her waistcoat, "I count 34 hundred devral for these three bounties. Living shastyork of the Vendettas awaiting execution with the average price of 1100 resting on their head. Seem funny?" She paced to the dining room tranfering bills to the table as she hastily went to the kitchen to have a drink, "Ciarra not here?" Nadiah collapsed back into her chair. "She's out," she said lazily, "She'll be back in a quarter fort after she runs some travel errands. Back to the point though." She turned to look at Fenrir thinking over the unsettled cards Kayla had brought to a quiet house. She was not in her normal wit that would sustain her interest. "Shastyork at the total of 34." Nadiah supposed aloud to Fenrir, who then continued the thought on his own, "Of course with the infamy of the Vendettas, they'd be-"
"Tried for murder!" Kayla spat through the maroon wine in her glass, "The systems of retribution are tapered beyond the city! I'd get more money robbing the little cowards! But of course if we can hire a bounty hunter and cheat them at the lowest devral then good. They won't steal. Skoll doesn't cheat the hangman, let's send her in! Nevermind that the gravity of it is serial murder." Kayla sighed at the lack in the hefty pile of devral on the table. Nadiah returned her flintlock pistols to the clasps on her belt hook, and let them rest over the sides of her chair. "So this visit," Fenrir started, making the best attempt to look up from his pillowed bed in the corner of the room, "this wasn't a simple rant? Or perhaps another bout of astrophobia?" Kayla tongued the rim of the glass to catch any stray drops she may have missed. "As hard pressed as you'd have to be to send me back out into that tempest," Kayla said setting the glass in the copper sink on the counter, "that's not the first reason Fen'. I came because there's a vacancy for a partner on this next hunt."

The adrenaline Kayla had received from the boiling irritation of a measly bounty and the crackling bursts of thunder outside was slowly wearing out. She took in a slow breath and sighed as she placed her hands on the counter. Part of her wished she had gotten a second drink before placing the glass in the sink, but she pushed the regret into the back of her mind. Getting more would not help her explain the situation more. She lifted her head and looked between the two.

"Even if this assignment was to be a solo one, I would have a clear enough mind not to go barging into that..." She muttered, closing her eyes as she rubbed them wearily with her fingers. "If this is going to end well, I need help." She lowered her hand and opened her eyes to look at them again. With the energy fading and the wine taking effect, her expression grew a bit more submissive. "You know how much of a mess I could turn this into, and heaven knows what some other idiot could do if they helped me. You're the only two who get things right." She turned her body to lean back against the counter, and she looked sheepish again. "Ah, sorry...for, uh, storming in and taking your wine." She mumbled, sighing. "That was uncalled for."

Her body instinctively stiffened as the thunder rumbled outside, but she forced herself to move and sit down on the floor. She despised the fact that she was a sopping wet mess, but she was too tired to dry off at the moment.

Fenrir's quick scramble to the table made Kayla calmly take a step back to avoid his paws hitting her feet. She pulled out a chair and sat down at the table as the two hunters read through the tickets. Her hands raked through her tangled blonde hair as she frowned at Fenrir's questions. She lowered her hands and leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table. "They made me chase down these murderers for such a pathetic price, and now they're wanting 5200 devral for each of the masterminds behind these schemes." She answered, sighing. "I can't ignore that offer. It was enough 'bait' to have you flying to the tickets, Fen'." She rubbed the spot between her eyebrows, warding off the drowsiness that was trying to set in. "If it took almost a whole month to catch those three and the earnings were 3400, then catching these two will definitely take longer than three weeks or so to earn all that money." She continued. "It was hard enough for me to go alone on the last assignment. If I went solo for this one, who knows how long it would take me. If they have a lot of knowledge on other crime lords and enterprises, then they're going to be well hidden, businessmen or not. That's why I require your help." She sat back in her chair and closed her eyes with a sigh.

Fenrir smiled, "Well naturally Skoll this such thing's pretty appreciable. I am hooked on this idea though. Naddy I think I want this hard enough." Fenrir retreated to his heaping bed, winding past Kayla and falling with a faint crash on the floor next to the coatrack. Nadiah immediately clutched her side wincing a bit. "Careful Fenrir, that hurt," She groaned, "Wasn't ready for that. Kayla 5200 devral isn't meant for the pockets of anyone. That prize is guarded by the teeth in their market." Nadiah shifted in her seat as she thought it all through.
"There's always Dante," Fenrir suggested plainly, "I've a hunch he's here. We heard our last little blab of a target had plans to a black market bazaar. He mentioned the name Monty. That's definitely him." Nadiah thought back to remember the face that was connected to the name. Dante was a man that towered over a petit girl such as Nadiah and still had age over her as well. He had thick black hair and pale green eyes that he found to himself hypnotic. He was a thief and a friend before his bounty was pinned. Nadiah never would bring it to herself to turn him in.
"Well I suppose it's a start." Nadiah said, "Alright Kayla, I'll play this one through."

Hearing the crash, Kayla's eyes opened again to catch a glimpse of Fenrir falling down. Though she said nothing out loud, there was a hint of amusement in her gaze. She then turned her attention back to Nadiah as she discussed with Fenrir about what to do. Her tired eyes opened a little more as she listened to them curiously. They spoke of a man she did not know, which made her tilt her head slightly. Her wandering thoughts came to an end as Nadiah accepted her request. She couldn't hide the relief flooding into her weary gaze. "Thank you, Nadiah. I really appreciate this." She replied, her lips faintly twitching upward. Her gaze then focused on Fenrir. "Who is Dante, by the way?" She asked. "If we're getting involved with him, I'd like to know the person before I meet him."

Nadiah brushed her ears flat against the xenith of her mane of chestnut hair. She broke her eye contact with Fenrir and made note of the clock before gazing nowhere. "Dante is a, em,' Nadiah explained, "less than reputable friend. There's a bounty on his head I dare not collect. He's a petty thief, guilty of stealing a host of artifacts. Necklaces, sacred coins, objects that are blessed or cursed, he's got an eye for them. There's something off about him, but I don't see any more interest of his past being a walk about. He doesn't really share his ambitions. Pleasant as he may be I don't really care to have those conversations." Kayla's sleepy gaze lost its light at the sound of the last remark. Dante seemed opposingly reminiscent of someone she knew but the hour of the night had its grasp on her thoughts and held on them too tightly to read. "Well if the circumstances are best laid out to your liking then I'd say Nadiah and I are up to your tickets proposition." Fenrir sneered through his closed eyes, "Despite it having next to no base information. As interesting as this conversation is, we still need to enact this in the morning, so I'm ready to sleep."

"Give here", Nadiah demanded snapping her fingers urgently, "you can have whatever we pull off of them when we get back. Sorry Dante, there's too much risk bringing a big party." Dante shrugged and laughed shortly letting his hand drop hard to the table. Kayla shuddered in discomfort and pulled her arms closer to herself thanking her relentless luck that she would later be free of any pet names whatsoever.

"You coming here is a damn godsend." Dante smirked, "it's like simply wanting something brought an errand team to me. I'm far from tagging along. I got other shit to do."
Nadiah peered over the strange little stub of a ticket that had been fidgeted with in much the same way she saw the criminal Rowe furl his paper sanctioned wager from a boxing match. "This train leaves within the hour. Perfect" Nadiah slapped her thighs rising to her feet, "Ready Fenrir?" Though Fenrir felt his bones crack as he had no leeway of time to eat anything, he too rose quickly to start for the door. "If we have to go quickly we'd better cut through the woods," he noshed on his tongue bitterly, "Skoll since Nadiah's riding back I think it'd be a good idea for you to help yourself haul once we hit the forest."

Kayla looked rather embarrassed, "Er- no yeah. I kind of figured, but we best move now." Dante sarcastically waved the three out as they bounded out to the bandits at their wait for the train.

Kayla gave Dante a rather awkward wave as they left, just to be polite. As soon as they stepped out the door, though, she sighed in relief. "I guess I should have overestimated when you told me he was friendly." She mused. She loosened up as they headed into the woods. Fenrir's suggestion made her crack a faint smile. Despite the rush they were in, a run through the forest was going to clear her head. As she began to see the trees growing closer together, she began to run faster. "I'll be up here." She called as she dashed up to an oak.

She took a quick jump, propelling herself off the ground and onto the tree trunk. Her hands grasped the bark and she scaled up to reach the branches. She then proceeded to swiftly leap to the neighboring branches. Her eyes rapidly scanned the approaching branches, assessing their thickness and the spaces between them. Once she had gotten a good start, she pushed off a branch and flipped forward. In a matter of seconds, her body shifted to that of a wolf's. Her clothes gave off a dull, golden glow as they warped and merged into the asphodel pin on her waistcoat, which then jumped to her left ear in a flicker of light. The glimmer faded to reveal a small, brass cuff earring. Large paws hit the neighboring branch with ease. Bright white fur flickered through the thick green leaves as Kayla continued to dart from tree to tree. While her form was large, it was lithe and well-balanced. She continued to race through the woods, her paws delicately touching the branches and her gaze now focused on the train station ahead.

Nadiah watched as the last branch shook in the most elegant way as Kayla's paws rolled to the top of the train platform. She somersaulted over her tail, her boots lightly tinkering against the metal roof. They clambered down softly as Fenrir walked down. Using his Cyla he sauntered straight down off the rafters and joined them to the loading platform where the conductor and assistants made their stay creating queues to check tickets. Nadiah kept her ears flattened under her bushy hair and tucked her tail up so as not to flourish her coat. She pulled up her hood to cover her eyes lest a curious person would meet her gaze and spot her out.

"Tickets?" The collector said in a presumptuously entitled tone. Nadiah and Kayla each pulled out their bounty stubs as well as the snagged ticket from Dante. The conductor took the ticket and the stubs nodding and returning the latter. "All right where's the third person? This ticket is a group payment stub." Nadiah pointed at Fenrir, "He's with us." The collector held out his hand again, "There's a fee for bringing an animal on the train," he sorely smirked, "50 devral." Nadiah sighed and reached into her pockets pulling out a wadded mass of bills and dropped it onto the collectors hand as the three got on the train.

"Alright Nadiah do you know their tell today?" Kayla asked. Nadiah thought hard about what it was the vendettas used as a distinguishing feature that was subtle and noticeable at the same time. It changed all the time and varied from gang to gang. "No," she admitted, "keep your ears open for conversation. Look at their clothes. Any irregularities might give us a hint." Kayla nodded and they split to separate cars.

Kayla entered the train car with a neutral expression on her face. As she walked, she looked around casually at the passengers, as if she was searching for a seat. A number of people were scattered about the car, making it a little difficult to simply do a quick scan. As she "looked" for a place to seat herself, her eyes flickered subtly to each passenger. She mentally crossed out the two children giving her curious glances, and the elderly couple fast asleep in their seats. The other people nearby held no distinctive features, either.

Thankfully there were enough people to fill up the empty spaces so she continue down the car. As she approached the end, her eyes travelled to three men sitting at one booth. They were talking amongst each other as Kayla observed them. Her gaze roamed until it landed on the odd sight of their boots. The laces of their left shoes were loose, while the ones on their right were knotted up. While it was a strange and unexpected feature, it was off putting enough to give Kayla the message: these were the right men.

Two of the men looked up to see her looking, but she quickly met their gaze. Her expression turned sheepish and she looked away, allowing her cheeks to grow flush. She then proceeded to walk to an open seat, but not before patting her coat. A dumbfounded look appeared on her face and she sighed. "Where is my head?" She mumbled in exasperation as she turned back and headed out of the car. She entered the car Nadiah had entered and looked around. "Nadiah." She called simply, spotting her. She quickly caught up to her.

"Nadiah," Kayla whispered, "their boots! They knot their laces on the right foot!" Nadiah's ears perked up and swiveled around. She listened for the subtle squeak of rising boots too faint for human ears. Nadiah turned her head to face Kayla, "You're positive?" Kayla came closer to preserve the privacy of their conversation, "Two of them were bickering over having to buy another group ticket. Both had it, so I'd say it's pretty safe." Nadiah thought this over.

"If they know someone is onto them they might try two things: hide in storage and slip out the caboose or jump the train now." Fenrir explained, "Either way if we're going to do this privately we best do this on the roof above the cargo freights. Not so messy and no civilians." Fenrir sauntered silently moving to the back of the train. "I'll be up top. Nadiah knows what to do." He walked past the great pile of bags and disappeared as he rounded the corner. "Alright no one here has shifted in the cabin so I think we're fine here. Nadiah grabbed Kayla to move to the cabin prior. "You're the train authority" Nadiah's said working up tears in her eyes. "You need to 'console' me." She said slightly sniveling, because I don't know if I'm going to be safe. Now." Nadiah began audibly whimpering letting tears well up.

"Madam please I'm sorry," Nadiah cried, "but I'm certain I saw three men. And- the-... They were talking about just- I'm scared! Are they going to hurt me? Trivial maybe but I saw one with a knife and a gun!"

Kayla blinked as Nadiah began working up tears in her eyes, but she quickly out on a reassuring expression. "Miss, please keep calm." She said, her voice gentle but in control. "I will see to the problem and sort things out. As for you, take another seat in the car. I promise you will be kept safe." She gave a small smile of consolation and then patted her shoulder. With that, she then proceeded to turn her attention to the intercom system that was set for the conductor to use. No one was at it currently.

Striding over, she calmly turned it on. "Attention, this is train security speaking..." She started, her voice echoing through the cars. "I'm afraid that there are select passengers on this train that are causing 'disturbances' for others, so there will be a passenger check in each car immediately. Thank you for your patience." She paused and frowned for a moment before speaking once more into the intercom. "And to the select passengers that have initiated this security check, I promise you this will be a very thorough search. I will not fail to find you all." She added nonchalantly. Stepping away from the intercom, she quickly shifted to her wolf form.

With a shake of her fur, she entered the car where she had spotted the three men. Her presence was welcomed with a few surprised glances and wary stares, but overall the passengers kept up a calm chatter. She relaxed and began walking up to each booth, sniffing the bags and observing the people. For the majority of the time, she paid no heed to the passengers watching her as she checked their seats, but her gaze shifted upward when she heard small giggles right in front of her. Looking up from the bag she was sniffing, she saw the two children from earlier; a little girl and boy. The boy was looking at her with wide eyes and a happy grin. Before she could move, he was reaching out and grasping her ear. He gave it a gentle tug and she stepped forward a bit as he did so. His sister giggled, and their mother looked apologetic. "Let go of her ear now." She instructed. The boy looked a little downtrodden, but he let go and his smile returned. "She's soft." He said. His mother smiled and nodded before looking up at Kayla again. "I apologize. He's a grabber."

Kayla's eyes softened and she shook her head. She pushed her muzzle towards the boy's hand and gave it a gentle lick. "Children are no trouble to me, madam." She replied politely. The boy smiled brightly at her and she looked at him happily before returning to her task.

Her mind went back into focus as she checked the remaining passengers. As her back was turned to the three men, who were close to being checked, she heard them stand up. Her eyes faintly flickered back in their direction, watching them starting to leave out of the corner of her eye. Time to go...

Nadiah bated her breath as she wiped the tears from her eyes. It was easy for her to cry. There was a whisper in her head that she usually ignored. It was a near her eye where it might've guided her if she let it. There were two voices that spoke to her thought. This was her wrath and her despair and behind her golden eye she used these as a whole to become the balanced bounty hunter she was feared as.

Nadiah drew her pistols Svikali and Vinur and concentrated on the spell that she wanted. She had an overwhelming look of calm as she heard the three men subtly bounding towards her. They were a few steps from the door.

As the three men moved towards they're sanction of a doorway, the girl they had seen in broken sobs prior had emerged. She cocked and fired sending sparks out of the barrel so that they came and licked the men quite near the feet. In scrambles they turned to the ladders and fumbled to move across each other to get to higher ground. They were greeted in disappointment to the sight of a looming dire wolf and Kayla Skoll with her arms braced harshly and her hands furled with energy

Kayla allowed the energy to keep pulsing in her palms as she watched the disappointment flicker in the men's eyes. "I'm certain that I made it clear that the search would be thorough." She muttered. "Unless fear makes you deaf, that was a fruitless run. You aren't leaving the train." She shrugged and flexed her fingers, letting the energy dance at the tips. "Who's first?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

One man from the group glanced very quickly at the edge of the roof, taking in the fast-moving trees that passed by. Kayla noticed the look just as he bolted for the edge to jump. She dashed forward and got in front of him, shouldering him back. "You're a poor listener." She muttered. The man's mouth twitched in a silent retort and he swung his fist out in a quick right hook to Kayla's cheek. A growl of surprise escaped her as her head jerked to the side upon contact. She felt a sharp pain as she bit down on her tongue, and a metallic taste soon filled her mouth.

Shoulders tensing, she lifted her head and looked back at the man. She spat out a mouthful of blood, staining her lips red. Her eyes were narrowed and focused on the man with a look of pure fury. "Things might have been less painful before you did that." She growled.

Nadiah made the gaze into intense focus and drew her pistol. She fired hard right at the pugnaciously watching man and with blinding speed a bolas came out and incarcerated the mans legs as he fell to the ground. He screamed and thrashed as the loud crack suggested that Nadiah had been forceful. Fenrir jumped on the man pawing with heavy claws and using his teeth he shredded his jacket and waistcoat as the man fearfully beat his fists against the great wolfs muzzle. The third who had been so passive came after Nadiah coming to close quarters.

"Lady I was boxing champion in Whitfield. You've nothing to touch on me!" He threw a cross hook and Nadiah ducked and swung Vinur. While the gun bedded it's thorns through his jacket and foreseeably his skin, Nadiah became aware of her unbalanced stanceas her coat bundled at the ground. She tucked her tail forward for balance and made a crescent with Svikali so as to bring the mans left hook over across himself. She turned both guns to each other and fired, bringing a chain that connected the twin barrels. She wrapped them around his crossed arms clipping them at three revolutions. He flailed at her as she turned to land, her fingers touching the roof through her triggers as she brought up her feet in a kick that cracked across his nose. As the other foot landed on the ground, Nadiah clipped her pistols to her belt and dragged the defeated braggart with her. Nadiah smiled wickedly,"Boxing i'nt my style."

Kayla shied off a few pulses and struck her assailant in the chest. Filled with blinded anger, she grabbed his shirt and barreled over him kicking out his legs. He blindly swung back into her open hand, where in one twist she felt a sickening snap in his wrist. She stepped and turned on a single boot and kicked once more at the mans flailing leg with yet another horrid crack. Kayla gagged in her mouth as she walked away. Her coat flourished as she turned around keeping her eyes locked on the attacker. Fenrir dragged suit his share to the broken mess Kayla had made and finally Nadiah threw a mangled punctured man to the two that lay there stewing and drew her pistols.

"Levi and Damian Zhailov." Fenrir spat. "If I don't get a time and a place, some heads are gonna roll." The far left that Nadiah had wrung around scrambled to the side and began to rise up. He jumped back against the balls of his feet off the train. With the nonchalant ease that she carried Nadiah cocked her pistol and fired true. The shot hid his forehead, bursting his brains out the back of his skull. He tumbled and hit the ground a thudding corpse dead in the air and shot without a second thought. There were two left shivering at their fate, and only imagining the impossible odds of survival.

While the men were left shaken over the grisly fate of their comrade, Kayla was left with a look of revulsion in her eyes. The sound of snapping bones and the taste of blood in her mouth was enough to handle, but not the sight of bloody fragments of skull and brain flying out of a man's head. Her face went pale and she looked away, gagging. She quickly strode a distance away from the group and to the edge of the train cart to be sick. After taking a few minutes to compose herself, she forced herself to return to the task at hand.

"Naddy...my lord, he would've hit hard enough without you blasting him like that. Was that even necessary?" She rasped, rubbing her throat in irritation. Nadiah looked up at her, holding her pistols down. "Yes, I believe so." She replied. "As for what's necessary now, we need to get the information we need." Kayla sighed and looked down at the two shivering men. Her bright green orbs narrowed in on the man she fought with. "You're next. You better be saying names or prayers."

The man fidgeted slightly where he sat, and he looked at her with a solemn expression. Kayla's brow furrowed and she stood in front of him, leaning forward to get on his level. "Look, it's either names or a prayer. The choice isn't that hard." She muttered. The man opened his mouth, as if to speak. Instead of talking, though, he pushed himself up by his good leg and used his good hand to aim a knife at Kayla's chest. She quickly stepped back and caught his wrist in a tight grip.

"Really?" She asked, exasperated. She placed her thumb between his thumb and index finger, squeezing hard until he dropped the knife, wincing. Shaking her head, she sighed and sent a hard kick right up between the his legs. She resisted the urge to shudder as she heard a dull, sickening crunch. The man choked out a shaking cry, slumping down as he gagged from the pain. Kayla picked up the knife from the floor and stepped away, scowling. "Next person, please." She sighed.

Nadiah walked to the third man with open hands and observed Fenrir's work tearing the man leaving gashes all down his face with ribs broken and pockets that were ripped with blood all down running in small lines down his clothes. He looked up from a stupor of thought and almost smiled with a newly found smugness. "I can't find a thing to say. If you touch us you learn nothing." Nadiah sighed and fired on the second with a quick and casual draw from the opposite hip. A bolt of lightning shot out the barrel and struck the previous mans head rattling rapidly around his skull until his head pulled apart. His skull opened in many different places and shot out leaving his brain to break apart and spill out, covering the stonewaller in blood. He screamed aloud in pure shock making a weak effort at gathering his composure thinking in swears as he cursed aloud. Fenrir smiled and giggled while Kayla jumped back in disgust.

"Dammi-" Kayla started in frustration only to gag nearly retching on herself had she not bent over the swiftly passing ground to be sick, "I've just about had my fill of this interrogation!" Kayla paced around to clear her head and strived to forget that incessant hollow splitting sound that she dreaded to recall again. Fenrir approached the newly shaken man with teeth bared in a grisly smile. He breathed heavily to establish a layer of intimidation as the mans heart pounded deep in his chest. "We have a lead already." Fenrir snarled flicking his tail erratically and pulling his ears back, "we want a location. And I swear to your hell if you waste my goddamn time I'll tear out your throat and eat you heart through your RIBCAGE! ." The stupefied man looked up and stammered out his best.

"Right, Levi is in his silo on the side of a plantation just outside of the inner city in Whitfield. He was planning on going to Tridnovik to meet with Damien but whoever cracks at him dropped new recruits on him after he got three hit men knocked off." Kayla smirked vindictively at the thought that a simple week ago she had picked off these men within days of each other. It was too easy for things to be phoned in in preparation on behalf of the underground against bounty hunters and police. She reserved the thought to herself instead working her disgust into a piece of anger that she timed out. She paced out to the man crumpled on the ground and stood klunking her boots as he looked up.

"Much obliged," Kayla smiled as a scarlet orange pulse from her hand careened into the third mans skull.

It was at this moment that Monty made his grand re-appearance.

"Hey friendos," He smiled. Then he paused.
"Oh wow," He noted. "You just killed three people. My goodness. It reeks of innards. Lord Aerosol- I pray to thee."
Nadiah and monitored "Monty" closely for this... tirade. Fenrir wondered how he'd gotten here. Kayla just lowered her head in her hands. Sweet Lord Aerosol. Spray away the smells of regret.

"But yeah. I just came to tell you that a lot of times people keep coordinates to their bosses' lair in their left sock. I'm sure if you checked there, you'd find exactly where we need to be going from here."

"Oh! Also! I stole some candy from a baby earlier- 12 whole candies!! They're quite good if anybody wants some, and you'll be supporting me in my quest to end childhood obesity. I bring justice to my city," Dante smiled. He licked at one of his lollipops seductively, winking in Kayla's direction as he did so.

Such hero! What legend! Dante slurped.