THIEVES FOR HIRE



It's a dark and stormy night and the tavern is full patrons exacping the cold wet weather. Every kind from rich to poor, shop keeper to streetrat have come in, all of them drinking, eating, or just skulking around the room looking for potential victims for profit or fun. In one corner, a group of foxes talks quietly amongst themselves about who knows what while a young rabbit plays innocent while a towns guard watches. The room is hazy from the tobacco smoke and the scent of stale ale and whiskey fills the air. About that is colorful are the bar maids winding their way through the crowd delivering drinks to the customers and avoiding the piches from the more lusty patrons.

Maahes enters, shaking droplets of water from his apparel and approaches the bar, "Barkeep! Some ale! And not that watered down swill you normally serve to the commoners!"

Davey swiftly and silently enters the tavern. Moving like a shadow as he weaves between tables and tavern patrons, he occasionally cuts the strings on the purse of a random patron and sets it in a random hidden pocket, but staying away from the loud patrons and the guard. He moves into a dark corner and gazes around the room, occasionally staring down a fur who tries to sit too close to him.

The Barkeep looks up, stubbing out his cigar, grumbling out. "Sure thing."

Dar'sal sits in the darkest booth he can find, looking as menacing as he can so that he's left alone. His gaze misses little while he scans the room, seeming to tag others for possible torment later or other ideas he may have.

Maahes growls low and tosses a coin, clattering onto the bar, "I'll expect a refill for that later!" then makes his way to an open chair with his back to a wall."

A tired looking waitress, walks to Maahes table, Sitting his drink down on his table. "Hey you go hon."

Davey smirks as his eyes take into account the various rogues and hoodlems in the room. He flags down a waitress and orders a drink before settling back in his chair.

Maahes eyes the wench, and accepts the mug, sipping carefully, rolling the brew over his tongue and fangs, "Tis acceptable... barely..." and almost smiles and nods to her, turning his attention to the crowd filling the tavern, looking from face to face.

Dar'sal eyes the waitress as she takes the wolf's order then nods to her slowly before she leaves. He waits until after the drink has been delivered before he stands and shoulders his way to the wolf's table, making sure to keep out of the guard's line of sight at the same time. Once there, he snarls softly so only Davey can here him, "So, you finally decided to show."

The waitress, wanders back to the bar, collecting up the fresh drinks, dropping a bottle off on Maahes's table as she takes Davey order to him.

Maahes eyes the waitresses backside approvingly as she goes past, then tops off his mug.

Davey arches his visible eyebrow and smirks, taking his drink from the waitress and downing it in one swallow before paying her. His other hand remains ready to pull a poisoned knife from his sleeve as he looks Dar'sal over. "Yes I did."

Dar'sal smirks at the wolf, "Don't bother, I'm half dead already." then takes a seat at his table, "What took you so long getting here? Our meeting was for this morning."

Maahes peers over his mug at a few new faces, looking for subtle nuances of facial expression and gestures, his drawn to a certain wolf and panther Davey's eyes narrow and he growls softly, "What are you talking about? I have no business with you and if you heard otherwise, tell me who told you so I can remove their heart."

The waitress slipps off her apron, sliding into a empty booth "Charlie, i'm taking a break.

Dar'sal turns his full gaze on the wolf and smirks, "You /are/ Davey, aren't you?" then leans back in his chair and chuckles darkly, "how quaint, that you'd forget so easily. You were to meet with me earlier today for a mercenary job." His eyes travel over the wolf lightly then just smirks before nodding to one of the foxes at the back of the room.

Maahes licks the foam from his lips, averting his eyes but not his attention from the two.

The barkeep grunts, firing up another cigar.

Davey growls softly again, this time freeing his knife and resting his hand on his thigh. "I never forget business that I have and if you suggest so again, you'll be more than just half dead."

Dar'sal smirks then leans over near the wolf, "Who struck you with the feeblemind spell?" then just takes a good sniff. As he leans back, he smirks letting his paws rest lightly on the table.

Maahes changes the mug to his off-paw, raising it to his lips as his other paw goes out of sight, under the table.

Davey growls loudly and in a flash has his knife resting against Dar'sal's neck, not caring who's watching. "One more word..."

Maahes takes a deep draught from his mug, then almost setting it down on the edge of the table, letting it teeter and fall to the floor with a loud clank.

Dar'sal raises a brow then reaches up and grabs Davey's wrists and twists, "Next time, you loose your life, little wolf." Slowly, he stands, towering over him by several feet and glares at him coldly, "I suggest sitting down before I call on my men." He motions to the group of foxes talking near the back of the room with his chin then smirks.

Davey looks over to the fox's and seems to laugh, even though his face remains blank. With a flick of his wrist the knife vanishes back up his sleeve. He shakes his head and sits down, putting his hands behind his head. "Fine then, I have no wish to get into a fight I cannot win, although it would be quite a fun way to go."

Maahes never looking at the fallen mug, Maahes mutters, "There are more here than just some foxes that has a vested interest in that panther sirrah." Dar'sal flicks an ear in Maahes direction before he sits down, just as slowly as he stood. As he sits, he reaches into his coat and pulls out a wadded piece of paper and sets it on the table in front of the wolf, "Is this your writing and signature, or has someone decided to set both you and me up?"

Davey smirks and looks down at the paper then shakes his head. "It is not. I already told you, I keep my promises when it comes to business and I take offence when someone says I don't."

Dar'sal flicks his eyes about the room, looking from one patron to another. his gaze seems to rest on Maahes a bit longer than the rest before he turns back to the wolf and hrms, "Then you, as well as I, have been set up. This came to me two days ago though the network." He narrows his eyes slightly as he looks at the wolf, "I take my business seriously enough to not let just anyone hire my services."

Maahes smirks at Dar'sal as he gets up, approaching slowly, his arms lax at his sides, "Which is why I sent it. I have a business proposition for the both of you. Either of you interested in 1,000 gold sovereigns a piece?"

Davey arches his visible eyebrow and smirks but remains quiet as he looks Maahes over.

Dar'sal raises a brow while his eyes narrow. Without saying a word, he looks Maahes over then sends a signal to the watching foxes. Finally, he snarls lightly, "Seeking to end your own life?"

Maahes pulls up a stool and eases himself onto it, keeping the two equidistant, the wolf on his right side, his paws flat on the table, "Not at all sirrah, in fact I value my life rather highly as some have found out to their personal loss thereof."

Davey smirks. "Playing tricks on fur's trained to kill shows otherwise... sirrah."

Maahes rumbles, "Bet there is someone that I would like to have 'eliminated' and there is a matter of his affianced whom I have a great deal desire for... More for her family inheritance I mind you, than for her person"

Dar'sal hrms softly as he growls at Maahes, "Fool." He doesn't stand or leave the table, but listens instead before commenting, "No female is worth the 1,000 gold for any reason."

Maahes smiles casually, "Tis the work for a blackguard such as yourself, not to touch the paws of someone of my stature," looking at Davey, "What's wrong? The bloodmoney not high enough? I'll double it..." looking back at Dar'sal, "Oh she isn't worth it... it's IS the inheritance that makes it worthwhile."

Davey arches his visible eyebrow. "Whos is this female?"

Dar'sal nods, "Yesss, who is the wench?"

Maahes looking at Davey, "One Morgana LeFey... One of a very influential family hereabouts that you should know of already."

Davey shrugs. "Perhaps I do, perhaps not. Why is it so important that you get her inheritance?"

Dar'sal arches a brow then smirks, "If you mean the one affiliated with the bastard lord of this little burg, then you're as feeble minded as the guards."

A drunk guard grumbles in the corner "duh... heard that..."

Maahes chuckles, raising a silk handkerchief to his mouth, "Why does wealth, land and power ever need more reason to lust for? She is quite comely, but I find her money much more appealing. And there is always the future possibility of another task for you if you succeed if or when I tire of her. Unless you are too squeamish about offing a wench. As for why hire someone such as yourselves? Yes, I do not desire to be more connected to the deed than the two of you. If I trusted my own servants, I would have sent one of them, but The Le Fey's have eyes and ears everywhere."

Davey smirks. "Is there any special way you want her killed?"

Dar'sal grrfs then draws his jartgun and shoots the drunken guard. Grumbling, he turns back to the table, "Another one for the slave pits..." He puts the little weapon away and hrms, "Killing her would be suicide, unles you plan on offing most of the kingdom at the same time."

Maahes looking back at Davey, "Just her fiance for now and no. I have no preference. Call 'artistic liberty' if you wish."

Davey looks over at Dar'sal. "I agree with him, this would most likely be suicide, even if everything went perfectly."

Maahes smirks dolefully at the dying guard, "With resistance like that? How much of a problem would it be for two seasoned veterans such as yourselves? I'd call it easy money. I only wanted two to make sure the job was done right."

Dar'sal nods and smirks, "I know about the LeFey family. If you could get past her guards, you'd still have to deal with her pet, then the wrath of those that would avenge her."

Davey smirks and nods. "Besides, how do we know you won't try to kill us after the job is done as well?"

Maahes rumbles, "You aren't dealing with the LeFeys directly, just her affianced and 2,000 gold sovereigns can take you far away from here to settle comfortably wherever you go... Or am I still talking of too low a sum? Everybody has their price. I just want someone who can pull off the task at paw." smiles and looks to Davey, "Assassinate the assassins? Always a good plan, but why throw more money after that? You would always run that risk in job like this and the way I see it, you'll end up kicking on the end of some hangman's noose soon enough for other deeds without additional expense or effort on my part"

Maahes rumbles, "I might do something like that with one of my servants, but not with you. I have no desire to have to watch over my backside the rest of my life if I were to fail in that deed"

Maahes looking explicitly at Davey, "Or my frontside for that matter..."

Davey smirks at Maahes. "Trust me, you won't know where I'll come from." He looks over at Dar'sal. "It sounds fun, but I know nothing of the Le Fay's. Unless you're willing to teach me what you know I'll need your help to do this quickly."

Maahes nods to Davey in understanding, "Ability and knowledge. Tis why I seeked the two of you out for this job."

Maahes rumbles, "I do apologize for the method of bringing the two of you together, but I wanted to see both of you before showing my paw in this matter."

Dar'sal glances over at Davey then looks over at Maahes and smirks, "Rich, and a fool." He settles back in his chair and pulls out his jartgun again and plays with one of the darts loaded on it and smirks, "There isn't enough gold in this world to make it worth the effort. First off, Morgana LeFey has a strong alliance with the bastad lord of this burg, and second, she's friends with several furs you don't want breathing down your neck." He glances over at Davey and chuckles darkly, "Trust me. I know who would come after us, and him if she were harmed in any way."

Two of the foxes move away from their group and drag the knocked out guard to the backroom, but they don't return. The rest stand and start to wander towards the table where Davey, Dar'sal and Maahes are, forming a loose circle around them.

Maahes glances towards Dar'sal, "All you have to do for your part is provide the knowledge. I think Davey is more than able to handle the real work if you would prefer not to?"

Davey smirks and watches the group warily. "I'm going to have to say that if he doesn't think it can be done, then it can't be done. Whether or not I have the skills doesn't matter. He has a knowlage of the Le Fay woman and that seems to have him a bit scared."

Dar'sal glances at Davey and smirks, "I'll let that slide this one time." then looks at Maahes, "You don't know the furs you'd be dealing with. One of them, will have to be removed first, and that one is mine."

Maahes tut-tuts, "Fear is not something I'd not expect from Dar'sal? And what truly good thief doesn't appreciate a challenge and a chance for lots of money? Maahes rumbles, "Petty thieves the two of you are not...."

Maahes leans back on his stool, his paws still on the table, "Then you name the price if you feel the price per throat-slitting is too low?"

Davey smirks and shakes his head. "Petty thieves would gladly throw their lives away for money... They're fools. I'd like to think I'm not a fool so no amount of money is going to get me to throw my life away."

Maahes rumbles, "If it were the job for a fool, I would not have come to thee...."

Dar'sal lifts a brow as he glares at Maahes, "That, sir lion, and I use the term lightly, I won't let slide." He rises from his chair and aims the jartgun at Maahes and growls.

Davey smirks and leans back in his chair, hands still crossed behind his head as his fingers close around a pair of poisoned daggers.

Maahes barely raises, kicking his stool backwards into the foxes behind him, the rapier slipping out of its ring and resting at the groin of the seated panther under the table, "Much rests on this effort, much more than what you can easily perceive, and I may lose my life, but I know another that will join me at the gates of hell if you prefer..."

Dar'sal chuckles darkly as his finger starts to pull on the release to the little gun. Behind Maahes, the foxes move out of the way of the chair while they draw thair own weapons. The panther towers over the lion, smirking, "You wouldn't be the first to try, fool."

Maahes rumbles, "I came to the only ones I thought who were capable of performing this task and I didn't do so without making the appropriate preparations beforehand, like having enough paid off guards posted outside if I do not come out unscathed"

Davey smirks and scans the area for a fur who could make a good shield if it comes down to guards bursting in.

Maahes rumbles, "There's nothing illegal about hiring guards... there is to hire assassins."

Maahes watches Davey's eyes, "They are not to come in... so killing me will be no problem great problem, but I will sell my life at as high a price as possible Dar'sal smirks, his finger quivering as he holds the release, "Yessss, but you don't know exactly who you are fooling with. I'm not among the best mercenaries for nothing."

Maahes grins toothily, "Your reputation is the very reason why I came to you." Davey smirks and begins to get bored. "I hope one of you kills the other soon, you're not putting on a very good show for those of us who are sober enough to watch."

Maahes looking over to Davey, "and you, the one with the artfulness to do the things that require the more subtle touch..."

Dar'sal glances at Davey, then laughs evilly. He turns his attention back to Maahes, still chuckling then lets go of the release, letting the little red dart fly straight and true to its victim. All Dar has to say as he sits back down and lets the foxes take over is, "He'll make a perfect slave, once he has been broken."

Davey smirks and watches the show with interest, although his grip on his daggers never loosens.

Maahes's eyes go large as he feels the impact of the dart on the chainmail under his outer clothing, and the spreading numbness, his right knee slowly buckling, "... name your price... I'm worth much more to you being hired, than as a slave..." as the darkness swirls over his eyes slumping limply onto the noisome tavern floor.

Davey looks at Dar'sal and arches his eyebrow. "Are you planning on making me your next slave?"

Dar'sal smirks then spits on the fallen lion, "Damned fool." He nods to the foxes as they pick up Maahes and start to carry him to the back room to join the guard. Slowly, he turns his attention to the wolf and slips his weapon back into his coat, "Now, what to do about his hired guard... hmmm....?"

Davey smirks. "Is there another way out other than the front door? Or would you like to use your foxes as fodder?"

Dar'sal hmms and examines his claws a moment, "Actually, I was thinking those guards as fodder, but there is a back way out."

Davey smirks. "How many do you think there are?"

Dar'sal hrms then glances towards where the foxes went before looking towards the door. After a moment, he answers, "Probably four, maybe five."

Davey smirks and his eyes narrow. "Why don't you distract them while I sneak around and slit their throats? Or would you rather do it? Either way I figure we'd each get two or three."

Dar'sal raises a brow then chuckles evilly, "They'd be dead regardless, and we'd suffer a few cuts at the most."

Davey smirks. "Anything but a frontal rush, that's what guards are trained against." His eyes follow a particularly buxom waitress. "How about we pay her to get one or two of them inside? That way we'd suffer no cuts most likely."

Dar'sal hrms and follows the wolf's eyes then sneers, "A devilish plan if I heard one."

Davey grins, or at least comes close to it. "Thank you. Anything you'd like to contribute to the plan?"

Dar'sal mmm, "The deadly force." then stands and walks over towards the door, taking up a good spot just out of sight of it and to the side.

Davey smirks and stands. He moves over to the waitress and whispers into her ear, slipping a few coins into her hand and then running out the back, keeping to the shadows on the side of the building. The waitress fixes herself up and walks outside. She talks to the guards for a few mintues and then walks back inside, two of the guards following her eagerly.

One of the guards looks about then shouts, "Where's Maahes!!!!"

Dar'sal waits in his little spot with his jartgun ready, then as soon as the guards pass him, he fires the deadly bolts one after the other as quickly as he can. He slips out the door to encounter the rest while he slips the weapon back into his coat. Both guards slump to the floor.

Davey smirks at the shout and moves before Dar'sal. He runs out from the shadows and throws a dagger into one guard's eye, the dagger in his right hand moving forwards quickly and catching another in the stomach. With a few quick twists the guard falls down dead, disembowled.

The sounds of commotion float in through the doorway, muffled shouts and clipped screams can be heard, but they are not unnatural in this part of town.

Dar'sal walks out causally, not even sparing a glance to the fallen dead. He peers at the last one, giving just an amused smirk as a fox slips out of the shadows behind the guard and slits his throat. He slowly walks down the street, looking as if nothing had happened this evening, though the evil gleem in his eyes is far brighter than it was.

Davey walks over to the guard with his dagger in his eye and pulls it out, smirking when the eye comes with it. He removes the eye wipes the blood off both daggers on the guards shirt before slipping them back up his sleeves and walking over to Dar'sal. "I take it our business is done then?"

Dar'sal nods slowly, "Unless you have need of a mercenary of my talents."

Davey smirks and shrugs. "Perhaps I shall, and I hope I am not on the recieving end of those talents one day."

Dar'sal smirks then heads on his way, "Then don't do what he did." He makes no farewells as he melts into the rainy night, leaving only a few traces that he was ever there.

Davey smirks and shrugs again before melting into the shadows and vanishing into the night.

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