08-16-2016, 03:23 PM
“So they’re like fox people, are they?” Charles asked.
“Coyotes, the report said they refer to themselves as Coyotles,” Mallory responded before asking, “You did read the report right Charlie?”
Charles pursed his lips together and blew a raspberry, “Nah, s’why I got you, you fill me in on all the nitty gritty.”
“Course you didn’t read it,” Mallory sighed and pulled his phone from his pocket, “you never read the reports.”
Charles laughed and waved his hand-cannon in the air, “I’m the muscle, you’re the brains, ain’t ya?”
“Yeah whatever.”
Above them the sun began to slowly set, casting a ash-choked red haze across the Ashen Steppes. Still, even as the sun ended its daily journey, geothermal activity provided more than enough heat to the verse. Short of the Underverse, this place was the closest to hell you could get. Slowly the shadowy figures and animal-skin tipis grew ever closer as the bounty hunters trudged forward. Soon enough the animalfolk took notice the approaching hunters. Several warriors, striped red and carrying massive blades, collected around the edge of the camp. Despite Ahanu’s almost naive acceptance of outsiders, the warriors readied themselves for blood.
“Looks like the natives are restless, aren’t they?” Charles asked, casually pointing his gun at Mallory.
“Jesus Charlie, careful where you point that thing,” the other hunter responded, “and yeah, they’re generally a peaceful group, but the ones with red stripes are part of a warrior caste.”
From behind the crowd of onlookers Ahanu stepped forward to greet the newcomers. His ruddy cloak of scales glowed in the evening sunset. The elder smiled vacantly and smoked a pipe, releasing verdant vapors from his muzzle with every puff. Warriors clustered around him, no doubt acting as bodyguards for their venerable leader. Soft murmurs and rumours cascaded through the crowd, offering varied explanations on just who the outsiders could bring. Whispers of the empire hung in the air like a bad joke.
“Greetings!” the sage exclaimed, “I am known as Ahanu, and these are my people.”
“Neat,” Charles responded in a mocking tone, “I am known as Charlie, and this bloke is my better half Mal.”
“Yo,” Mallory said without looking up from his phone.
“Well you certainly both look weary, we’d be more than happy to have you both as our honored guests this evening,” Ahanu offered, spreading open his cloak and extending his arms in a gesture of goodwill.
“Well, about that,” Charles began to speak, pulling back the hammer on his pistol. His companion glanced upwards and scanned the crowd for a moment before putting his hand on Charlie’s gun. Mal pocketed his phone and lowered his companion’s gun.
“Ehhh, can we have a moment?” Mallory asked, draping an arm over his gun-toting friend and pulling him close.
“Take your time,” Ahanu nodded.
In an almost cartoonish fashion the smaller of the two bounty hunters pulled his companion away from the crowd. The hulking Charles muttered a few profanities to himself as his stockier companion dragged him. After a moment of silence between the two Charles finally asked, “Thought we were gonna go in gun-bam style?”
“Did you see how many of them had weapons, no chance,” Mallory said.
“Bah, me friend here would’ve sent them running, he would.” Charles responded, waving his massive pistol around.
“Look, I say we stick around as guests, get our bellies full, and take their leader as a hostage,” Mallory schemed, “we trade that Ahanu fella for our mark, and get the hell out of here, sound good?”
“Sounds devious,” Charles let a dry grin stretch across his weathered mug, “I'm in.”
“Coyotes, the report said they refer to themselves as Coyotles,” Mallory responded before asking, “You did read the report right Charlie?”
Charles pursed his lips together and blew a raspberry, “Nah, s’why I got you, you fill me in on all the nitty gritty.”
“Course you didn’t read it,” Mallory sighed and pulled his phone from his pocket, “you never read the reports.”
Charles laughed and waved his hand-cannon in the air, “I’m the muscle, you’re the brains, ain’t ya?”
“Yeah whatever.”
Above them the sun began to slowly set, casting a ash-choked red haze across the Ashen Steppes. Still, even as the sun ended its daily journey, geothermal activity provided more than enough heat to the verse. Short of the Underverse, this place was the closest to hell you could get. Slowly the shadowy figures and animal-skin tipis grew ever closer as the bounty hunters trudged forward. Soon enough the animalfolk took notice the approaching hunters. Several warriors, striped red and carrying massive blades, collected around the edge of the camp. Despite Ahanu’s almost naive acceptance of outsiders, the warriors readied themselves for blood.
“Looks like the natives are restless, aren’t they?” Charles asked, casually pointing his gun at Mallory.
“Jesus Charlie, careful where you point that thing,” the other hunter responded, “and yeah, they’re generally a peaceful group, but the ones with red stripes are part of a warrior caste.”
From behind the crowd of onlookers Ahanu stepped forward to greet the newcomers. His ruddy cloak of scales glowed in the evening sunset. The elder smiled vacantly and smoked a pipe, releasing verdant vapors from his muzzle with every puff. Warriors clustered around him, no doubt acting as bodyguards for their venerable leader. Soft murmurs and rumours cascaded through the crowd, offering varied explanations on just who the outsiders could bring. Whispers of the empire hung in the air like a bad joke.
“Greetings!” the sage exclaimed, “I am known as Ahanu, and these are my people.”
“Neat,” Charles responded in a mocking tone, “I am known as Charlie, and this bloke is my better half Mal.”
“Yo,” Mallory said without looking up from his phone.
“Well you certainly both look weary, we’d be more than happy to have you both as our honored guests this evening,” Ahanu offered, spreading open his cloak and extending his arms in a gesture of goodwill.
“Well, about that,” Charles began to speak, pulling back the hammer on his pistol. His companion glanced upwards and scanned the crowd for a moment before putting his hand on Charlie’s gun. Mal pocketed his phone and lowered his companion’s gun.
“Ehhh, can we have a moment?” Mallory asked, draping an arm over his gun-toting friend and pulling him close.
“Take your time,” Ahanu nodded.
In an almost cartoonish fashion the smaller of the two bounty hunters pulled his companion away from the crowd. The hulking Charles muttered a few profanities to himself as his stockier companion dragged him. After a moment of silence between the two Charles finally asked, “Thought we were gonna go in gun-bam style?”
“Did you see how many of them had weapons, no chance,” Mallory said.
“Bah, me friend here would’ve sent them running, he would.” Charles responded, waving his massive pistol around.
“Look, I say we stick around as guests, get our bellies full, and take their leader as a hostage,” Mallory schemed, “we trade that Ahanu fella for our mark, and get the hell out of here, sound good?”
“Sounds devious,” Charles let a dry grin stretch across his weathered mug, “I'm in.”