[from the tavern>>>
   Looking around noted Ja'sha'a speaking with Parker again.

      Any idea as to what we do first?
   Jack leaned against the wall If we are just walking into the forest how do we make sure we don't go back the way we came here? I really don't trust those trails any farther then I can throw one.

The dwarf strolled out onto the porch, and let out a long, out of key call to max. "OOOOOOOH MAX, MY DARLING! Where are you, for I must show ye me new friend ... heh hehe hehehehehe" he said, after spotting max, and striding over to her gracefully (or atleast as gracefully as a dwarf can).

As he comes out of the Tavern, he pulls a glove onto his burning hand, covering the flame.  As he sees Max, he smiles and blows her a kiss.  Stepping back out of the way and allowing the dwarf a clear avenue of approach to her.

Max had considered repling to Aubria with words of warning.  It was a dangerous little game, particularly for one who wasn't willing to kill their playmates, but she didn't.  Perhaps she didn't have to as she watched the dwarf and Cinder exit the building.

Her eyes met Cinders immediately, ignoring the dwarf, and for the first time their was a tinge of genuine smile as he blew her the kiss, rather than sheer annoyance.

Her eyes cast down to the dwarf and she bent to more his height. Silently she thanked Aubria for her clean up spell. With a glance cast to Cinder, she spoke quietly to Hargarth,

The porch was getting a bit crowded for his taste, he steps off and out onto the lawn, saying a few words in the ancient tongue of Dragons as he goes.  With another word and a gesture, he again calls forth the floating disk, jumping up onto it and taking a seat.  "Ja'sha'a, if you would like to speak further, come join me out here.  If not, I wish you the best of luck."

Hagarth did a half-turn, and glanced at Cinder, giving him a 'you wish you were me' sort of look, and then turned back to max. She had whispered to him, and in response he said,
This message was last edited by the player at 18:58, Thu 11 Mar 2010.

Ooh kay... What on Earth is she doing? Aubria raised an eyebrow, becoming confused by Max's actions. She half wondered if Max had a rather dark, back-alley kind of profession wherever she was from.

Cinder steps over to Aubria and speaks to her softly. 

He leans back and watches, making some minor adjustments to his body.

Max frowned, whispered once more to the dwarf.   She then shot Cinder a withering look.

Hagarth eyed Cinder, or more accurately the gun hanging around his shoulder

Max paused, clearly considering.  She looked over to Cinder then to the gun and back to the dwarf. For no one was this about the rewards... well, maybe for the dwarf.  This was about the tug of war and there was always a point in tug of war where it seemed most befitting to simply let go of the rope.

With a laugh, Max stood tall, all of her long limbs seeming all the more gangly as she struck a crooked, challenging pose.  For a moment she had to wonder, did either of them realize what she was? That she wasn't human?  Perhaps not.  Was it fair to tell them?  Probably.  Not that she was going to.

Well then...tis my heart you want. She looked at Cinder, amused suspecting that his desire was not figurative, but probably more literal.  The way humans want a good steak with a nice glass of wine.

And time alone with me? Her amused attention shifted to Hagarth. then may the best boy win. You kids want to play. Win me. She challenged.

Aubria simply rolled her eyes and spoke to Cinder in a whisper.

As she watched the occurrings, her level of respect for the woman dropped some more. Yes, Aubria knew Max's proposal to the dwarf was common in many places, but she'd never do that sort of thing with a stranger.

He says something softly to Aubria before stepping over towards MAax.   Cinder steps over to Max his smile gone, his hands held out slightly away from his body, the fingers curved.  He didn't know if the protection of the Tavern extended out here, best be prepared just in case.  He may like the guns, but he in no way needed them.

"I see ya for what ya be.  I don't think I wud survive time alone wit ya.  I think neither of us be survivin that.  But that wasn't the bet.  It was for him ta stick wit ya until his luv be consumated.  I gots nothin to do but sit back and watch to see where you be puttin yur boundries."

He looks serious.  He and Max may not like each other, hell she had a very strong dislike of him to say the least, but he did respect her.  He never even glanced at the dwarf, this had never been about him.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:54, Thu 11 Mar 2010.

Max's eye narrowed at Cinder's words.  She may not like the man and take some pleasure in annoying him, but she'd accept his word on some things. One eyebrow raised as he went on. Perhaps. She conceeded, thinking of all she met in this odd place, he was the one she wouldn't really want to fight. The odds were to fair.  After a beat, she turned her attention back to the dwarf.

I'm sure my friend here, she walked toward Hagarth, had a misunderstanding.  No doubt confused by my charms. She said with gritted teeth, bending to be in Hagarths face.  I'm sure our discussion only involved my meeting up with him later to chat, and his bet with you was to win my love.... a misunderstanding, right? She gave a threatening look at the dwarf.

Hagarth smiled obliviously. "I believe i win. The lady is obviously in love with me, Sir Cinder. I would like my gun now." he said, as he did his best to hide a bag full of all of his money ... 100 coins, as he slipped it to Max.

"And well, a deals' a deal then, Cinder me boy." Hag said, itching his rather plump buttox.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:51, Thu 11 Mar 2010.

The draw is fast, any who blinked missed it.  The auto is out, but Cinder only smiles as he spins the gun around once and then flips it to grip the barrel.  "Yeah, you be arctic.  But the bet be you stay with her til it be consumated.  That means sex ifn ya didn't know.  Love has nothin to do wit it."

He never even really looks at the dwarf, instead watching Max.

Hagarth's face turns red, and persperation drips down his face. He turns up to Max with a gulp, and whispers in her ear.

Hag's gaze returned to Cinder. He was a pretty grimy looking dude. If Max wasn't willing to do the dirty with Hagarth, she probably wouldn't do it with him either. But hey, who knows? Maybe Max has a thing for dwarves ...

Shut up. Max snapped at the dwarf, her eyes stayed glued on Cinder's. She of course had  no intention of having sex with either of them, the mere thought made her queasy.  But Cinder's desire to keep his gun made her desire to take it from him stronger.

Consumation is with a kiss in my world, Fireboy.  You give the dwarf the gun and we'll 'consumate' this my way, right here, right now.  She challenged.

She followed Parker off the porch to his disk, ignoring the happenings of the porch behind her.  Perhaps she had chosen poorly in her companions...  She had hoped to avoid such childish antics.  "So this child is a spirit of the wood, rather than an actual being?"  Her quest was becoming more complicated by the moment.

His smile does not falter.  "Eh Gatinha, like any wager, it must be won before payment be made.  Ifn ya want to play it that way, kiss the toad and prove yur love and be done wit it.  Mayhaps he turn into a prince fur ya.  An don't you worry that false face o yours, I live up to any deals I be makin."

   Jack followed the Lady off the porch, listening to her conversation with the little Dragon Parker.

Max studied Cinder for a minute, trying to decide the next course of action.  Kissing toads, while not high on her list, was better than some other things, and the witch had made him temporarily... almost presentable.  It was deciding if Cinder would give up the gun, and if he would give it up, than did it hold any appeal?

If he would so freely give it up, she no longer had interest. On the other hand, there was now some other game brewing. Something else about him, she was now curious about.  And the currently evolved situation, was she thought, oddly amusing.

Love has nothing to do with this. She answered him.

Max glanced down at the dwarf and back to Cinder. Squating to the dwarf's height, she said pointedly, You get the gun and you leave every woman in the forest and tavern alone. You stop being a pig to them or I shall slit you from end to end and knit with your innards, even if I have to hunt you across the worlds to do it. She told him confidently looking into his eyes.  Clearly she meant it and clearly she believed she could do it. If noted, something within her look or tone would indicate this knowledge was born of experience.

With a firm grasp on his collar, she pulled the dwarf to her, giving him a deep, passionate kiss, before releasing him with a bit of a shove. And I'm a slow knitter.  It can take me many knots before I get it right. She added, wondering how long it took a dwarf to bleed out.

Hagarth embraced the kiss, and during the entire endeavor, tried desperately to grab her butt. Sadly, his arms were way too short, and so he just sort of grasped the air. When she shoved him, he looked like he was hidden under a haze of glory. His eyes were glassy, his cheeks were flush, and his lips were dripping with saliva. "I ... teehee ... o-tay." He said to Max, waddling off towards the tavern, completely forgetting his sack of money and the gun. Hag was currently so prideful, that he wasnt even trying to hide the erection that was beginning to form in his pants.

Max gave a slight shudder, then stood getting right up in Cinder's face. Gun. She demanded.

He again flips the gun around to hold it by the grip.  With a well practiced move, the clip is ejected.  He ticks the bullets out into his pocket before slamming the clip in place again.  "Oy, toad.  Ere ya go.  It be an 11mm.  I ave been having the shells refilled cause I aven't been able to find new ones."  He offers the gun to the stumblin dwarf.   He stands with his trench coat open, the butts of two other pistols showing on his hips.  He also draws another pistol from the small of his back to replace the one that he removed from the shoulder holster.

He looks at Max with the same smile.  "It wuz me least favorite piece.  Knew he wud have to pay ta get any action, but never figured you to take the money. Never figured ya for that type of 'lady.'  But we both knows that aint the right word."  The smile is gone and he shakes his head.