B & L: The “Night Market”

“I suspect she was being ironic, Johnathan,” one said.

“Like ‘five finger discount‘?” asked another.

These nobs were so green. Jakip had crept close enough to spit on one. Twice. The thief even considered voicing a few suggestions and judged it likely he’d remain unnoticed.

And clearly the eight of them could use some direction. That stall was full of nothing but petty curios. He sighed, not even quietly. Well, garbage or not, an armed gang was about to vandalize a Contracted Entrepreneurs’ shop. It was as if they underestimated the guild Enforcers. Liquid courage, indeed!

Jakip made himself comfortable.

B & L: Law Priorities

Last, the Patrolman wrapped each hand tightly in Dust-clay leathers until he wore over-large gauntlets of the same style as his girdle. “No,” he growled,  snatching up a boar spear. He marched immediately into the fog. “Vengeance.”

“Wrong answer!” As one, the circle of men turned back to the woman with violet hair between them. “I-I’ll scream. Again,” she added. “And more will come.”

“We’re not thugs,” Reynold assured her, alcohol thick on his breath. “Now, explain ‘juju‘.”

“And, quickly,” Eccin slurred, “or Brittne won’t be the only one bleeding out in a gutter tonight.”

“Err, not you.”

“Prob’ly, not.”

B & L: Amateurs

Young Johnathan hammered pins into the dull metal behind the blades. Finished ash-pole spears were laid out beside him. Hymie Blag already had a few strapped across his back. The Mirov brothers wrestled a chest down stairs and dropped it in the entry. Leather hinges creaked.

“Here’s fitting props!” Standish crowed. He grabbed a saber and swung it around, stumbling on empty rum jars.

“Sharp end first.” Igor suggested, coming over with wide leather belts.

There was the crunch of glass underfoot drawing their eyes to the gaping hole that used to be a window just as Blag jumped out.

B & L: Almost Breakfast Time

Eyes like gold rings around dark fingers touched each man and every potential exit, too. It chuffed, nose waggling hungrily at the children of hunters. They pressed hard against the walls as it’s head slowly turned. All eight froze with horror as it pivoted further revealing in it’s shadow another monstrous form. The lion itself was but half of the thing.

A boar every bit as large as the lion clip clopped into the light. Where their shoulders should have touched the beasts shared one wide, brutally stitched together chest.

“It hurts.” the boar whined.

The lion licked his lips.

B & L: Satisfy the Demon

Lord Brittne scoffed. “Rich boys leisure club, this was not.”

“Signs to the contrary–”

“We couldn’t undo what we had wrought in haste!” he exclaimed. He had not touched his drink though he stared eagerly enough in the direction of the bar. “Yes, travel began as a lark. However, it became increasingly about bringing back meat.”

“Trophies,” Big Igor snorted. “For the walls.”

“Mounted heads and the juju they provided came later. No. I say and I mean exotic meat. The lion,” he told them. “The lion was hungry.”

Something near the liquor cabinet …growled.

“And, now it’s your turn.”

B & L: BYOB

Reynold followed him through the mud room (a new addition) and was mildly scandalized when his master flung the doors open himself.

“Oh yes,” Eccin declared. “Good aquisition!” He joined some other inheriting sons in leather chairs by the hearth.

Reynold closed the doors and hurried for the bar to plunk down the crates of rum. He honked both noses of the stitched horror allowed to continue looming over the barman.

Suddenly, the doors were blown open again in what was sure to become a tired gimmick. A redfaced old gent gaped about, distressed.

“The walls! What have you done?”