A Cricket Chirping

[Rob (Cast)]

Timestamp: a cold evening late in December
The back door of the Watering Hole creaks open, letting some snow in. A young man wearing a thick, plaid poncho, a smile, and footwraps instead of shoes skips into the inn. His eyes both look blackened but he hums cheerily as he greets anyone there and goes to warm up by the fire, grabbing at any bread or meat laid out as he passes. He absent mindedly digs around in a pocket and throws a rough to whoever is minding the bar.

[Verbena Domitia]

On the other side of the inn, Verbena pushes the front door open with her back, shuffling in and kicking it closed. Both of her hands are occupied; she's put on her cloak backwards and is using it as an apron to carry in a load of kindling from the woodpile. Depositing the wood next to the stove with a loud clatter, she claps the snow off her mittens, unclasps her cloak, and pins them both up on the line to dry. A shiver runs through her at the change in temperature, and as the first flecks of melt drop from her cloak to sizzle against the stove top, she turns to survey the evening's company. Noticing the new arrival, she arches a brow as a quizzical smile spreads across her face.
"Cricket? What are you doing travelling at this time of year?" She squints. "And in such inadequate footwear. You'll lose your toes." Verbena pulls off her toque and shakes it out, revealing an untidy muss of hair.

[Rob (Cast)]

'Evenin'!' Cricket chirps. 'That's what people tell me. They're still on though!' He starts counting his toes but can't get past four. 'Oh right! I was headed to Town West but thought about it and remembered you guys were having a festival soon. Made it to the Junction before I headed back... the city's too big for me anyhow.' He tips his head. 'Uhm, whasyer name again, lady?'

[Verbena Domitia]

Verbena smiles and speaks while pinning up her hat. “Verbena.” Her hat secure, she sits next to Cricket. “Of Holdfast.” She pats her hair in an attempt to flatten it. “Well, we have some small merriment here to celebrate the Solstice. Or do you mean Potato Day? I find myself completely at a loss with regards to the Dwarven calendar, but I suppose it must be coming up before long. I imagine the tournament would be very much to your taste.”

[Rob (Cast)]

'Maybe potato day?' He takes a big bite of bread. 'I forget. Ya, the tournament though! Dunno if I'll be around for that, but I'd like to be.' He thinks for a moment, stuffing more food in his mouth before he is finished chewing. 'It's getting colder, and I think I need more money to keep inside places. Since people here like paying for teaching, I thought it would be a good place to work my way back from before headed... er... home? Where I usually live. Well, not live. But ya.'
Cricket continues chewing but shoves a vegetable in his gob. He starts at Verbena suddenly. 'Oh ya! Who needs teachin'?'

[Lexicus]

Lexicus' looks up from across the inn. He seals the scroll he had been making. "What sort of things do you teach?" Lexicus asks curiously. "And what's this about a tournament?"

[Rob (Cast)]

'Hi!' Cricket snaps his head over to Lexicus. 'What's your name again? I'm Cricket!' He shuffles over in his seat. 'I can teach boxing stuff and how to be tough and stuff! I'm pretty good at that. And I'm always on the road so I know lots about how to fend for myself. Uhmm... I'm good at lifting and swinging heavy things around? Not so good at book things. I'm not an interlectual.'

[Rob (Cast)]

He keeps chewing. 'Bugs! I know lots about bugs!'

[Krond Thuliaga]

Heavy footsteps can heard making their way to the inn. As the door opens, a tired and weary Krond steps through the door; Gram proudly on his backside. As he makes his way to the tables he places Gram up against the wall and removes his poncho; brushing the snow off it as he does. He then hangs it up to dry and sits down the grab some food.

He acknowledges both Verbena and Lexicus with a “hey guys” and then turns to Cricket. “What are you still doing here Cricket? I thought you took off already.” He asks. Krond then takes a swig of his drink and plates some food for him to consume.

[Rob (Cast)]

'Hi... Krond? Krond!' Cricket beams. 'I did! But I came back. Decides against Ner Batin this season. I made it to the Junction to deliver a thing.' Emboldened by Krond's plate and lack of payment, Cricket grabs a piece of meat and tears off a big chunk. 'I don't know how long I'll be around... depends on when you guys have your festival. Where is that anyway?'

[Krond Thuliaga]

Impressed by Cricket’s sporadic bursts of enthusiasm, Krond swallows the food he was chewing on and replies, “well if you’re referring to potato day it sort of depends on the crowd. Last year we had it in Applevale but the year before that we had it here in Holdfast”. Krond takes another swig of his drink. “Honestly if your looking to join the festivities your best bet is to stick around until we decide where to go. Though it won’t be until another couple months.”

Krond sets his now empty cup down and places his hands on his knees, leaning forward and facing Cricket. “In the meantime, Degren has given me some tasks to fulfill in the wilds away from Holdfast; so I won’t be around much in the next little while. Normally I’d do these things myself but winter has set in earlier than I expected. I’ll likely need help.” Krond then hoists himself up and makes his way over to the stove where he hung up his poncho to dry and checks it’s progress; not very dry still. He sits back down and says “though I don’t know if the rest of the guild members are quite as adept at traversing the wilds”. Krond places his hand on his beard and strokes it inquisitively. After a few moments his eyes widen as I if struck with an epiphany, “hey Cricket, aren’t you familiar with the forests around these parts?”

[Rob (Cast)]

Cricket seems to nod with his eyes. 'Well, sure, I can be familiar with woods just by lookin' at them. Never been up on the ridge though, that would be exciting... why?'

[Krond Thuliaga]

“Maybe you could give me a hand. I’m confident that no one in the guild knows as much about the woods as you. And if I ask Degren he’ll probably be willing to pay you. It’ll take a few weeks though so if you’re not up for it then that’s ok. But it’s just a reconnaissance mission.”

[Rob (Cast)]

'Ooh! Oh! I've heard of those!' He sits up excitedly. 'Soldiers do that, right? Sounds like fun! Do I get food too? For... recascence?'

[Kez Shiras]

Kez jauntily steps into the inn and begins to pin a notice on the board. Whistling to himself, before he turns to leave, he notices the group of people in the inn. "Hey, what's on the go guys?" he says, before walking towards the benches.

"Oh! Cricket!" he exclaims, turning to him, "Sorry, if I'm interrupting something, but how are you? It's Kez. Did you end up... delivering that thing for me? If not, that's okay, it's a lot to ask, but I just wanted to know." An eager grin from ear to ear spreads on his face.

[Rob (Cast)]

Cricket waves enthusiastically, and disproportionately to his distance from Kez. 'Hi, Kez! I'm hungry! And ya, I did. Made sure I routed to the Junction for that. It took me some doing, cos I don't know if I remembered the name right, but I figured it out.'

[Kez Shiras]

Kez giggles, being incredibly amused by the disproportionate wave. "Oh my gosh, thank you so much. I went to visit him a little while back, but he never mentioned anything about the letter, so I wasn't really sure. Anyways, thank you so much, this means the world to me. Is there any way I can pay you back?" He quickly pats around his pouches and pockets to search for something to give to Cricket.

[Rob (Cast)]

'Ya! People have been paying me in gems, but food is good! Beets or jerky if you gottem?' He looks confused sudenly. 'Wait, you went to the Junction too? The milk there is AMAZING.'

[Kez Shiras]

“Unfortunately, I’m super broke right now, but I’m hoping to change that soon. I totally have plenty of food I could give you! I brought tons and tons and tons of porridge from home, and it’s pretty easy and free to heat up water, so I could definitely give you a few sacks of porridge if you wanted!” Kez rummages around in his side bag, and pulls out a few small sacks- single servings of dry porridge.

“As well, yeah! Oh my god, the milk there is outstanding!! How is it so perfect? Next time I head back I should bottle some specifically to bring home. I wasn’t paying tons of attention to anything around while I was there, but it still certainly made the walk back a lot better.”

[Kuromori, Taka]

Taka quietly steps into the inn and sweeps her heavy wool cloak off her shoulders to adjust to the warmth. She takes a look over the small crowd chatting and sits down to a slice of meat pie.

[Rob (Cast)]

'I'm gonna bottle some too!' Cricket shifts back towards Krond. 'Krond! When do leave? Do I have time for a nap?'

[Krond Thuliaga]

“Most certainly. We don’t leave until first light tomorrow, plus I have to talk to Degren anyway and ask if it’s ok that I take a non guild member with me for help. Eat and sleep as much as you need. I appreciate the help.”

Krond finishes whatever food is left in his plate, picks up Gram, and bids the people of the inn a ‘good day’ before huffing it outside in the winter air.

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