Quoth the Raven (Open)

[Slade]

Slade nodded, doing his best to take all the information in. He had had a vague knowledge of Konti and their reputation as seers, but had never dared to pursue the subject. Knowlege of the future was at the same time intriguing and daunting to him. Knowing exactly what was going to happen was more of a curse than a gift in his opinion. Focus too much on the future, and you lose sight of the present.

Jericho's voice echoed through his head once more, drowning out whatever Sondra had been saying.

When she took your hand, she saw something. Something about your future. And judging from her expression, it's not going to be all sunshine and dew drops.

Slade's eyebrow raised slightly as the voice caught him by surprise. He failed to notice that the Konti had somehow maneuvered him so that they were walking side by side.

I thought you were going to shut up for once? I was enjoying not having to listen to your ranting and raving.

My, my, Slade! said Jericho, his voice dripping with mock indignation. Words can hurt, you know.

Cry me a river.

Jeriho dismissed the retort with a chuckle.

Back to my point, that woman knows our future. And it's bad. If we want to change that, we have to find out what she saw.

Slade did his best to ignore him, instead trying to focus on the matter at hand. A job like this one required his complete and undivided attention. Chasing after fate would do him no good here. He already had to contend with making sure that the Konti didn't try to backstab him.

Fine, scoffed Jericho. Just don't come crawling to me when you meet a tall, dark stranger who decides to disembowel you with a butcher knife.

The pair paused when they came upon a crossroad and a small smile crossed Slade's face as Jericho retreated to sulk in the corner of his consciousness. He threw a glance at Sondra, who appeared to be contemplating which direction to go. The Kelvic's smile widened into a mischevious grin as he watched the gears tick over in Sondra's head.

"Well, if we're going to commit a crime, I say we might as well go all out. Life is short, might as well make it sweet," he said.

"One big heist. Something big, exciting, potentially life threatenng. High risk and high reward. What do you say, partner?

Slade's dark eyes glinted as he hissed out the last word. He coudn't deny it, he was excited.

[Sondra]

"I say absolutely not."

It slipped out before Sondra could stop it. She might as well finish the idea.

"And I'll tell you why. One, I don't know you well," she was counting on her fingers.
"Two, life is not short. I've got a good two-hundred years to go, and three, most of what I do isn’t a crime in these parts. It'll earn me a beating if I'm caught, but it won't stick me in the gaol."

Sondra shoved her hands in her trouser pockets.
"Big heists take time and they take planning. I've not run many, but I've run enough to know that. Can't just jump in. My life is cheap, but it’s not that cheap."
Her fingers wriggled in the emptiness of her pockets, "And they take money to start."

Choosing a direction, Sondra stepped out into the road.
"Scarecrow, Today I'll earn you back enough mizas to buy twenty loaves of bread. A medium sized game."
She began walking briskly, her head a little bowed and her cowl raised to avoid attention.
"But I'm not going to harpoon any whales with you. Despite your winning smile, I don't trust you as far as I can throw you."
She looked him up and down, wondering how much he weighed.
"Maybe less."

They were getting closer to their destination, so Sondra stopped Slade with a smooth gesture and led them to a shallow alley.
"If this is going to work, you need to be covered up."
She was slipping out of her gray cloak and tossed it towards him in a bunch. To fight the cold, the Konti stamped her feet.

"Do you have anything semi-shiny you're willing to part with? What we're going to do is I'll start reading some palms for a little coin, but eventually we're going to find a greedy one. I'll predict him meeting some figure. In this case,"
Her head tilted towards him, "You. And I'll predict something banal you have will be of great worth to him. This is where I hope you can act. You have to be reluctant to relinquish whatever it is. Come up with whatever reason you like. However, since you are so hard-up, blah blah blah, you eventually part with something that is truly useless for a hefty sum."

She shrugged, "There it is. It just takes patience, dishonest men and a few sleights of hand."

After her bursts of information and opinions, the Konti stood there rubbing her arms to fight the chill. She was a lot smaller under the cloak than one would guess. It was Slade's turn to comment on the whole matter, so her gray-blue eyes were on him expectantly.

[Slade]

The excitement in Slade's eyes spluttered and died, and his lips briefly twisted into an almost child-like pout before returning to his usual smile. Sondra's statement about her lifespan had surprised him, even shaken him somewhat. She would live to be over two hundred years. From what Slade had gathered, he would be lucky to crack forty. The fact that she would outlive him by more than a century was just a little depressing. The Kelvic cast the thought aside; it would do him no good to dwell on something he had no chance of changing.

Slade felt a begrudgng admiration for the Konti. Her plan was smart, far smarter than anything he could think up. He was still disappointed by the lack of danger but at least it was something new. The admiration faded into guilt as he slipped on the coat and saw Sondra attempting to warm herself. He didn't even really need enough money to by twenty loaves of bread, he had more than enough to buy that much already. Stealing was more of a game than a necessity to him. Evidently, Sondra was in more need of gold than he was.

Oh boo hoo, scoffed Jericho. Participating in this little act is nothing but a waste of time. We should just stab her, take her gold and be done with it.

You're a little more blood thirsty than usual today.

Must be that time of the month.

Why are you so eager to kill her any way? I thought you said you liked her?

Jericho snorted disdainfully.

Just because I like her doesn't mean that I don't want to kill her.

Slade refocused on Sondra and frowned thoughtfully, placing one hand to his chin. The other slipped into the folds of the coat, obscuring his dagger. He made a mental note to find out where she got the coat. It was surprisingly comfortable.

“You know what, Sondra? You’re a lot smarter than you look.”

Slade chuckled to himself. His smile hid the anguish he was feeling at the prospect of having to lose one of his possessions, especially a shiny one.

I kid, I kid. But seriously, the plan sounds good. I’m not too keen on giving up something shiny, but for you, I’ll make an exception. Let’s get scamming.”

[Sondra]

Sondra smiled despite herself. Being called smarter than she looked was the nearest version she'd had of a compliment in a while. She didn't count the leering appraisals of her backside fellow drinkers doled out.
Her better judgment slapped the genuine expression off her face, as she recalled the charming vision of a man missing his larynx. She had the what of Slade's sins, but not the why. Did it matter, though?

The cold made her think of Avanthal and what sins she'd buried there. Sometimes, when she clasped her hands or touched her face the memory would sweep in with sickening clarity as she read her own sins. The why mattered there.

Sondra bit the end of her tongue, using pain to rouse herself. Scarecrow and she were exploring means to ends. After this, he was another bad memory for the infernal collage.

"An exception for me?" she echoed sweetly as she reached up to adjust Slade's hood.
"What a peach you are." Her hands were arranging the cowl to hide his distinguishing features. After a moment she stood back to evaluate her work.
"Pity I don't have a better way to hide you, but if you keep your head down, it'll suffice."

Beginning her own physical preparations, Sondra pulled her fingers through her hair, and pinched her cheeks. She spoke all the while.

"There's a wall in the next open square where beggars and merchants mingle. We're near the great bazaar of Stormhold castle. Lots of people passing through. I usually make a space on a ledge."

The idea of lots of people made her a little squeamish. Her poured breakfast? dinner? had worn off entirely since all the facets of her fears were returning.

"You can find a spot near where I am and eavesdrop on me."

She took a deep breath and folded her arms.
"So, Scarecrow, what have you got to barter that's can be trumped into something meaningful? I'll need a rough idea so I can see it through the mists of time."

[Cynn]

Cynn ran round the corner, his hand on his weapon as if there was likely to be a gang of thugs there waiting to attack, seeing the two he stopped and politely asked,

"im sorry to interrupt, but have either of you seen a raven carrying a loaf of bread?"

he had been hired by the baker to slay the raven before it cost him any more money. Cynn noticed the half eaten chunk of bread and a black feather on the ground near slades feet, he awaited a response as suspisions started swirling round his mind

[Slade]

Slade's hand jerked in the coat as the Akalak appeared out of no where. It took every ounce of self control to stop his dagger from flying at the Akalak's skull. Jericho's growl echoed through the back of his mind.

You never let me have any fun.

Thankfully, Slade retained his composure. He didn't fancy his chances of winning a fight against an Akalak. Slade smiled cheerily at the midnight skinned stranger. He was in a hurry to get rid of the newcomer so that Sondra and him could continue abut their business. He briefly considered whether the Akalak would be a viable target, but thought against it. He had learned to be wary of the fierce race.

"A raven? Sorry, can't say I have. I don't really have time for any bird watching."

Slade's smile faltered slightly as he spied what was left of the stolen bread in the corner of his eye. He figured he must have dropped it as he was walking. A solitary feather rested atop the bread.

Now what are the chances of that? chuckled Jericho.

Thining quickly, Slade opened his mouth to speak again. It was best to send the fellow on a wild goose chase before he could pry further.

"You know what, come to think of it, I did see a black bird flying over with something in its claws. It was headng towards the direction of the main gates, if I recall correctly."

Slade shifted uneasily as he waited for the Akalak's reaction.

[Cynn]

Cynn listened carefully, watching the mans face, as if waiting for him to falter though he did not, though the suspicions still ran through his mind, why would this man change his story so quickly, and his tone. he replied,

"thank you for your help stranger, ill be on my way"

just as he started to turn he realised that the man had kept one of his hands out of sight throughout the whole conversation, he stopped turning,

"by the way, what would you be hiding... in your right hand? wild animals arent usually fond of humans but if you are siding with a theif, be it of any species, i shall be forced to strike you dead!"

he said this with a high level of confidence though face to face fighting was not where he excelled, killing from the shadows was his line of work.

[Sondra]

With a surprising whoosh of air and the crunch of snow, a random Akalak came bounding into the pair's preparations.

A bird? Who cared? Sondra was about to answer when Slade slipped in his diversion. He was more polite then she would have been. Then things started to get strange.

"Strike us dead?" Sondra squawked, "Are you on mirage or something?"

The Konti glanced between Cynn and Slade for a moment, quirking her eyebrow. She finally answered in a bland tone.
"Who gives a soaring shyke what he has in his hand? Even if it was fifty crows and ten loaves, you have no grounds here."

The irritated Konti was facing Cynn, her arms folded. Her stance was almost protective.
"Now shove off and quit harassing me."

[Zae]

Zae's ear twitched towards the speech. Some people were arguing... 'Ugh,' he thought, 'why can't everyone just get along?' He jumped down from his perch. *sniff* 'Hmph. I smell Kelvic blood' He walked over to the two figures, passing a disgruntled third on his way. "You guys makin' a scene of yourselves or what?" he asked, the distasteful smell of... bird... hanging in his nose. He had to resist the urge to sneeze all over this 'birdy-man' in front of him.

[Kadurro]

"Now, now. There's certainly no need for anyone to strike anyone, dead or otherwise." Kadurro stepped into plain sight, his clothes dirty, his black hair a mess, and his eyes a brilliant gold. He took a quick glance around at the motley group that had assembled; a dissatisfied Konti, a nervous human, a curious human, and a dead serious Akalak.

"Rest assured, my...very tall friend," he said, motioning towards the Akalak. "I was here the whole time, you see. I heard everything," he said, smiling at the Konti. "And so, I assure you, the raven thief you seek is not him...but!" he yelled, moving close to the Akalak, whispering so that only he could hear him. "Don't you think it a bit strange that this other fellow just happens to show up now? Perhaps he is shifting the blame so that the raven thief can escape!" Kadurro stepped back. "So you see," he said, speaking loud enough for all of them to hear again, "these are not the people you seek. In fact, they came back here in order to present an opportunity to me! Isn't that right?" He put on a snarky grin as his eyes seemed to become even more vibrantly yellow. I was a bit worried that I would actually have to get a real job, too. What luck!