Kith is like evil chocolate cake to necromancers. Everybody wants a piece!

Sooooo creepy! Awesome job on that heeby-jeeby-ladies-horror-fest post! Adedre AND Morgana *tugs at collar*

P.S. I bet they have incredible baubles

“Are you alright, Little Kitten?” Ch’dau asks as Kithran takes his hand and allows him to help pull her to her feet.

“Yes, of course, did you see,” she continued in the same exasperated breath as Aranwen’s song crescendoed on the other side of the room, “I just murdered a man, yet you are still going to insist on calling me a little kitten?”

“Good,” he snorted, dismissing the end of her reply, “I will return for you in a moment.”

“Return for me?” He stalked toward the table the archer had pinned Kithran down from, “Return for me?” she climbed over some of the rubble to search the body of the man she, a tiny, little, 5’10, baby, dagger kitten, had slaughtered, “Well make sure you remember to bring my bonnet and silk slippers when you do, Sir Prince,” she muttered to herself as she dug into the dead man’s pockets.

She found only a few coin pieces which she pocketed, his shortsword, which she tossed in the direction of the cat-beast snapping the woman’s neck, a ri-

“Are there any others, Samuel is here!” Kith grinned at the hand she pulled the ring off of and shook her head at the gusto of “Samuel”.

"Might be one guy at the base of the stairs.” The Sylvari called down to Ch’dau, “Another fell on him though, so he might be knocked out or playing dead." The silver cat prowled swiftly to examine the corpses at the foot of the stairs while Kithran made her way to the two he had just finished demolishing.

She earned a few more coins and baubles for her troubles, ignoring the squeaked-out pleas behind her, and was about to move on to the those Ch’dau had just finished off, when the shortbow caught her eye. Her eyes narrowed in irritation with it at first, but then Aranwen appeared at the top of the stairs again, and she glanced over at Ch’dau as well. In their upcoming battles, Kith would likely move to a more supportive role among these two incredible fighters. That was definitely fine with her, she thought as she reached for the bow and winced slightly at the tug in her shoulder from where the arrow had sunk in. This would likely aid her in such a role.

Kithran hadn’t played with a bow in a few years, but she had been a decent shot back when she had. Sometimes the bow would get caught on things while she would be sneaking around and lead to some very awkward interactions, so she had ultimately tossed her old one, but perhaps it would come in handy this go around.

She finished buckling the quiver to her back as Aranwen joined her and Ch’dau, "I recall you mentioned wielding two blades?" she asked the Kazari and handed him the blades.

“Oh, did either of you encounter a dagger from any of these thugs?” she padded her lonely hip, “I am on the prowl for a replacement.”

His new blades stowed, Ch’dau carefully grasped the tip of the blade she had given him and held the handle out to her, “If you are in need of a second blade kibibi, you may have this one back.”

Kithran shook her head at the dagger, “That old thing? No, thank you. That’s yours.” She grinned and turned to the Sylvari, “Any luck with the lot upstairs?”

“I believe I parried a blade up there that would have been much more potent in your hands.”

“Wonderful!” She patted the bladesinger’s shoulder, “Nice cloak, by the way,” and she bounded up the stairs to retrieve the dagger. It was plain and a bit dull, but nothing a little love and care couldn’t remedy.

Aranwen’s golden eyes were light as Kithran returned and she couldn’t help the preemptive grin she could feel forming on her face as she rejoined them. Their bladesinger seemed to be feeling much better. This Kithran could handle.

"So much for not being followed, huh?" The Sylvari chuckled, and the half-Sylvari shrugged sheepishly.

“Even Saina got through our defenses, Aranwen, we need to try harder.”

"Well, we'd better move. No need to get bogged down explaining ourselves to the town guard and be sitting targets for another wave of mercenaries." Kithran nodded in agreement and folded her arms as she listened to the bladesinger.

"Now then... if they were told you were wearing a black cloak, Kithran, I'll go first out the front door. Decoy. See if I can't draw the attention of onlookers and lead any pursuers away if they expect I'm you and therefore that Ch'dau will be following, relying on you to scout ahead," She looked passed Kithran, to the kitchen beyond, "There's probably a side entrance for receiving food from the market there in the kitchen. The rest of you go that way. Get some medical supplies from that apothecary."

"Any questions or things to consider?"

“Yes, if there are more of these louts out there and they think you are me, they may try to attack you. What happens if you are ambushed? Not that I don’t have faith in your abilities of course, but say they ambush you with a lot of louts, or one of Adedre’s horrid monstrosities? Why don’t we all go out the back here?”

She sighed at the look of confidence on the woman’s face and knew she often bore the same look in the face of worse plans that were questionable at best, “Or fine, it was just a concern but if you are set in this plan, where do you propose we meet up? I know the city alright so I can lead these fine gentlemen anywhere you’re familiar with. I'd prefer we don't meet at the wine cellar to avoid compromising them. And anyway, they already think I am a good, kind, valiant person. I'd hate to know what they'd think of me if I brought home a cleric."

Old enough to party.

I had my soul genetically modified, so I don't feel feelings anymore, but my punches do radiant damage, so it's all good.

YES

OMG whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!?!?!?!

Hooow whyyyyy noooooooooooooo!

Imagining a fleshy iPad case now.

I always enjoy those creepy Adedre posts! I think I have a type and I'm concerned

RE Book: Ooooh I was wondering myself what might be on those pages!

Cause no PM inbox is safe around here!

HAHAHA JK I'm not taunting the DM. I'm just . . . ah . . . taunting myself! Yeah, that's it! I sure better watch out HAHAHAHA

Is this the best time to mention that even before Kith was #Taken, Olan was slipping into my PMs with vague, creepy threats to my girl? They ramped up as we entered the cave and man, the psychological torture should have been enough to scare me away. But the Stockholm Syndrome has really got its clutches in me.

You know what? Sure, bring on the chains of screaming. Wouldn't be the first time, and knowing me, probably won't be the last.

Thanks for the behind the scenes! I'm looking forward to my re-read with that all in mind

*sweeping Kith under the rug*

Oooo, sorry, ya just missed her. Come back never. Kthnxbai.

Ah, yeah, ya know, I might just be referring to your casual threat to STAB MY GOOD GIRL FOR AMUSEMENT.

I told you, we are on vacation. The kid needs it.

Fun Fact: in How I Met Your Mother, the episode is called Chain of Screaming.

@Eol: hopefully soon, Big Kitten *ear scratchies*

Beautiful beautiful end to the Lost's Journals.

Wtf

Deeeefinitely been there, Raven. Good luck staying awake in your crazy meeting marathon!

How cool Aranwen is.

I have some responses in mind, including talking about a rendezvous point, but I am also passing out as I'm writing this so have a good night, and thank you for the bedtime story!

Ooooor . . . 

Teamwork makes the dream work 

P.S. I've also laughed both times I got to Mosic thinking of Kith as "a fart in the wind" bahahaha

All that bravado from Samuel

I am thinking he did

Pretty sure we just figured out where Kithy got her shortbow too

okay okaaay, we're not a part of their system, maaaaaan! Haha thanks for setting me straight 

Bring on the blades and hairballs!

thanks cat dad!

@Ara: I did think about the armor thing . . . Just don't get hit! . . . Sorryyyyyy

@goons: 3 dorks coming up the stairs at ya. I figured they're just low-level dudes, you guys are bad asses and have a suprise cleric, EASY PEASY. If that seems like too much though I can revise. I'm not entirely fluent in this system or anything so correct me if I needs it!

Kith has only put down one. Downstairs there's only the big dude and the shortbow lady vs the 4 of us.

"I do not fear death," the bladesinger murmured softly, "I dance with death every time I draw my blade in battle. But to walk the road without them feels... lonely."

She seemed to be coming back to herself, and while Kithran was grateful for it, she also felt frustrated.

Maybe not frustrated. But . . . .

She didn’t know what to do. She wanted--no, no, needed--her to feel better. They did need to move, after all. But something tugged at her too, and it was making her anxious.

Aranwen grabbed her attention with a smile, "It's alright,” she began, and Kithran was not sure at first if she had recognized her anxiety, “I'm not so fragile that a piece of cloth will see me undone. Else I wouldn't have offered it; you can use it, if you wish. But, thank you, Kithran."

You just came undone at the priest’s mentioning of it, she wanted to roll her eyes, and the new frustration relieved a bit of her anxiety. She gave her a small smile back instead, “You’re very kind, Aranwen. Thank you, but I cannot.” She stepped toward the door and her small smile turned back into her grin, “Perhaps I can go find one though!” She opened the door and slid out, wriggling her fingers at the cleric, “Forgive me, Father.”

“I’m not a--” but the door closed on the Cid’s words and Kith made her way back to the front of the inn.

She reached the end of the hallway and hugged the wall as she turned the corner, sighing when her hands went to her shoulders and for the second time that morning grasped nothing. She gazed over the crowd as she descended the stairs. The inn had grown a little fuller since their departure into the cleric’s room, and Kith spotted a few cloaks that may need a new home before thinking better of herself. It would be better to grab one off the street. The fresh air would be nice anyway, and perhaps she could find some new weapons for Ch’dau, or pay the nearby apothecary a visit for Aranw--

A group of three men shoved past her as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She turned to glare at their backs only to find they all briefly glared back at her as they passed, the last of whom looked to someone behind her and nodded, then continued up the stairs.

“Shit.” A hand clamped over the thief’s mouth and waist and pulled her toward the door. One of her arms was trapped, but the other reached for her blade. She did roll her eyes this time as she again grasped nothing in the place Ch’dau’s dagger had once resided. Instead, she jammed her elbow into his gut at the same time she bit into his hand. His grasp loosened as he swore in her ear and Kith threw all of her weight straight down.

She rolled and bounced up and away, before shouting up at the hallway, “SAMUEL, ARA--” an arrow grazed her shoulder and stuck into the wall behind her. Kithran looked toward the back of the room, where a woman stood on a table while the patrons began to scatter toward the door, readying a second arrow in her shortbow.

Out of the corner of her eye, the larger man began to make his way back toward her and Kithran jumped into the swarm of people at the door. She slithered through the crowd and crouched down low as she came out the other side of the pack. These two would either try to follow her out if that’s where they thought she went, or follow the others to try to subdue the legendary creatures upstairs. Whichever way they chose, they would have to turn their backs to her. It was only a matter of t--

“Well, hello there.” Kith turned around and a darker, swarthier character shifted out of the shadows. Before she could move or attack he called out to the others, “Hey, she’s over he-OOOWW!” 

The man instinctively tried to hop away, but the dagger through his foot was lodged tightly into floorboards. Instead he cried out and swung wildly down at Kithran, who easily dodged the attack and jumped up to headbutt him under the chin.

An arrow did stick into the back of her shoulder then and she stumbled forward into the man before her, dropping down before he could get a good grasp on her. She pulled the graciously shallow arrow out just as the man above her landed a kick in her side. She bounced a foot or two, but as his foot dropped back to the ground, she lunged at it, jabbing the arrow into his achilles. He cried out once more, but it was short-lived, as she wrenched the dagger from his foot and struck up at him. The blade, as was her way, lodged into his throat, where his neck met his jawline. Instead of slicing down and flaying it open as she preferred, further ruining the floorboards, Kithran pulled the blade out, then hopped behind the figure, holding him up to take the next arrow from the woman on the table.

Kith glared at her, and noticing out of the corner of her eye that the larger man was finally able to wade through the dwindling crowd, she ducked down, away from the volley of arrows. She moved around the room, keeping as much furniture between her and her opponents as possible. When she felt it would take more than a few seconds for the beast man to get to her, she tipped over a table to crouch behind and pulled the smaller knife out of her boot.

She took a deep breath and quickly popped her ponytail up, feeling the arrow fly by it and stick into the wall in front of her. She grinned and hopped up, drawing her arm back to throw at the shortbow twat, but as she was about to release the blade, a chair crashed into her, throwing her to the ground and causing the blade to go wide.

Kithran could hear the footsteps of the large man growing closer, but then, from her place on the floor, she could also see a legendary Kazari and bladesinger at the top of the stairs.

Hope you don't get tired of me loving your work so much!

Love this again, Reralae