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Apala was really interested now. Who would of thought it? She stayed as still and as quiet as she could so that none of them would pester her. She didn't feel like listening to their stories and hearing their excited tones.

"How-how old are you?" Artair asked, still trying not to burst with anger at what was going on right now

"Very impressive, using an innocent front to get close to a target is one of the most useful skills you can have, if you use it right." She told the kitten, speaking from more experience than she'd ever admit to. Lucia caught her attention and she blinked at him. What could he want? With a shrug, she followed him, hoping he wasn't going to try anything stupid. She'd rather not have to kill the one she found the most bearable of the current group.

Once out of earshot, Lucia turned to the woman.

"I'm not sure whats going on here, but I know that Miss Hot Temper over there is prolly off her rocker. ANd the few dealings I've had with cults never ended well... And if our employeer is suddenly all smiles and going into the camp?... I'm just saying maybe it'd be more profitable to take a more direct route to all this. You're like me, money and survival are important. And I wouldn't think twice about snuffing otu someone as dangerous and loco as..." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder.

Marisanthia grinned at the suggestion. She liked the way this Lucia thought, though she wasn't as positive as him that Pendulum was properly out of earshot. That cat seemed to have really good hearing. "I wouldn't think twice about it either, if that dangerous crazy person weren't my employer." She said quietly. "Unless she turns on me, dismisses me, or refuses to pay, I'll go along with pretty much any insane mission she can cook up. You would too if you knew how much she was paying. She doesn't seem to want you to know that though, so I'll just say it's not the amount of gold anyone normally carries around on their person. She probably has it stashed somewhere, so killing her wouldn't net us nearly as much as working for her. Besides, if she used to be a member of a group like this, she is not someone I want to pick a fight with. One on one or even two on one combat would probably be suicide."

She considered for a moment, then made a counter-offer. "Though if you like, once the job is over, I'll happily team up with you to eliminate Artair. That guy just rubs me the wrong way. You could have his cut of the reward even, so long as I get the corpse."

Lucia shrugged. "If dying was an issue with me I'd be scared to death right now. But as it turns out, I'm not that worried. Little sicko assassin children just rub me the wrong way. Money also isn't a big problem with me, that's why i haven't bugged her about it. I just enjoy beating up not-innocents. Given where I come from, I don't get that chance often."

Lucia actually laughed at the next bit. "Big bad and barky orders? Knocking off that one would be a treat. However, everyone serves a purpose, one way or the other. Although... If you're interested in the corpse that leads me to believe..." he tilted his head and looked at her, a thin smile growing on his face. His eyes flashed silver for a brief second. "Oh... very interesting. We're more alike than I thought."

(forget this post)

(No we left teh carraige several posts ago. -points at previous posts-)(No metagaming please T_T )

Leads him to believe what, exactly? That line made her think mentioning wanting the body was a pretty bad slip of the tongue. He couldn't possibly know she wanted to absorb it and she'd never heard of another thing like her. What did humans use corpses of their own for? Hanging up and scaring people off, for a start. Occasionally eating them, though it seemed to be frowned upon in the culture. She supposed, technically, that's what she wanted to do, so did that mean Lucia was, and thought she was also, a cannibal? Not much else it could be, except something that the mere thought of would have made her stomach convulse if she'd actually had one. If that was his thought, she wanted out of the conversation fast.

"Not sure what you're thinking, Lucia, but I really doubt we have much in common." She told him, though she did share some of the views he'd mentioned. Not liking money, going after people that had it coming, thinking Artair's head on a pike would be a treat. "Anyway, we should get back to the carriage before the boss yells at us to hurry up. Unless you want to test her dangerous and crazy personality." With that, she headed back to the group, hoping Pendulum hadn't become irritable again in their absence.

"I really doubt we have much in common."

Lucia tilted his head and grinned a bit. Then he shrugged. "If you say so... But I do look forward to working with you in the future."

He gave a wave and turned back to the carriage. His hand, while waving, had shifted to a black, three fingered claw, then back to a human's hand. Lucia walked back to the carriage, Noticing the figure on the top.

"Hm..."

The young cat sang to Artair, "Eleven years old!"

At that time, Pen left the commander's tent sorely disappointed-- She hadn't exactly been in the carriage for quite some time. "Tch. Well, that was boring. We can get him later," she groaned as she made her way back to the carriage. "I've been informed that he's gone to Fort Pale for a business meeting with the Lower Circle."

By business meeting, she meant 'plot to kill anyone who stood in the way of them robbing a town blind'. But that was implied.

"Young Cousin," she told the kitten, "Your job is finished. Your employer is marked for death." The kitten hardly seemed fazed.

"Will you kill me too, Cousin?" he asked in the most curious tone.

"Perhaps later," she told the young one, "But not today." Whether or not she was serious... It was hard to tell.

"Mmkay," he said with a smile and a prance right out of the carriage.

"What have they done to these kids?" Artair asked watching the young girl run off. "I'm almost sicken by all of this..."

"You haven't been out in the world very much have you?" Lucia said, leaning against the carriage and looking up at him. His arms were crossed and he was subtly looking around, areas of advantage, cover spots, ambush spots. You know, just in case h needed them.

"sorry, but I have. I seen people use kids, but not like this...I heard stories but to actually see it..." Artair shook his head.

"What's the plan then, boss?" Marisanthia inquired, climbing back into the carriage after the kitten had left and dropping onto the seat. "Moving onto the next mark on your list, or heading to this Fort Pale to wipe out the Lower Circle? The second option sounds a bit crazy, but hey, I'm always up for a challenge."

(psst. I call cookielurv. You can have the glorious cookie. I sooo have dibs. ...anyway, elsewhere.) Donoma sat bored at an overglorified golden chair wrought of solar design. a craftsmans table had been moved into the hall to the dismay of old dukes, and Donoma lazilly spun a globe. "Let's find out." a small stretch of divination reached for the party in question, and a finger dragging the sphere slowed rotation until identifying approximate global locale. from there, the sun was an eye for entertainment and progress. Meanwhile, odd figures came to and fro. A white tiger man, dressed in deepest violet, daresay black armor grumbled over his dismissal, and a taloned man with saurean tail and flames for hair was told to calm himself and do something more.. Constructive, which apparently translated to the hemisphere away temper tantrum that showed as a distant light show. So, for now... Just watching while handling other affairs.

(The Glorious Cookie is not up for offer.)

After Marisa asked her question, Pen thought about it...

"Well, now, there are several marks within the Lower Circle," she thought out loud. "Why not? If we collect their heads, we might be able to grab some extra bounty gold from the next town over."

To Artair, she said, "I have told you what they do to these children, but my words seem to go in through your left ear and out through your right. Trained. To. Kill. From. Birth. Death and pain is all they know. They are no more than heartless, soulless husks of children. That little boy, when I told him I was going to kill his employer, did he look like he cared? No. Did he show fear when I told him there was a chance that I might kill him? No."

"Those children will all grow up to be as easy to anger as I am and unlike me, they will not hesitate to kill anyone who so much as disagrees with them, even if they have been the best of friends with that person. He was taught that his life is meaningless. That the lives of his friends are meaningless. That life itself is only a test to see if you may join the Great God and that slaughter is the only way to pass this test. They are not afraid of death; only afraid of dying in way that would be dishonorable to their god."

She finished, "If we meet another member of the group, they will be killed. Child or not. If you disagree with this, feel free to leave the group, but know that I will mark you for death if you do leave."

"They are different. They are children." He turned his face away, looking out the window. "are they disturbed, yes, but can they be turned back to normal children, I believe they can, so let us keep going and deal with these problems when they come..." he turned his face to look at Pen. "And if you do ever try and kill me, I may not be able to kill or hurt you, but I will make it a hell of a time for you." This is not worth 10'000 gold...

Pen grinned. "No, they can't. Do you really think you're the first one to think of trying? If that is so, you are more deranged than these kids are."

His last statement got her laughing. "It's much better if you're killed by those children you're foolishly trying to save than if I do it myself." Once again, that sickeningly giddy tone of voice came back.

She shrugged. "But we'll do it your way, as long as you know one thing. What these children do is now your responsibility." Her bored, flat tone of voice came back just as quickly as the giddy tone had... "It will be your duty to take care of them then, starting now. I suggest you grab one of their carriages. Oh, try not to worry about whether or not they'll follow you. They will if you drop the name Cousin Rist'sha."

"As I see it Pen" He said her name a bit annoyed "The best we can do now is finish your list. Then yes I will do what I can, but not until those who are doing this are stopped. It would be like tiring to stop the bleeding of a wound that won't stop. You have to stop the source before you can fix the problem. Now may we go?"