Gunnar and Pela walk towards the Market Bazaar, passing a few shops shutting down early. Pela, as always, feels uncomfortable around Gunnar because of his rudeness towards half-breeds like herself.

“Um, Gunnar, why do you dislike Lone so much?”

Gunnar looks up at Pela, pauses and then replies. “’Cos he’s an idiot.” Pela nods at that but doesn’t crack a smile. Gunnar continues, “And I am not a fan of white-backs either.”

This takes Pela back a bit. Her arms start to heat up again, this time travelling up her arms until her upper body is flushed with heat. Trying to calm down, she reminds herself that Gunnar doesn’t see her in the same light as Lone, even though they are both half-breeds. He is a weird Dwarf!

They walk in silence until they hit Residential Road. Ripple is padding next to Gunnar, while Beltram—distinctive with his profoundly curved bill—flies above.

A few passers-by stare at the size of the cat, being nearly half a metre high and a metre long, but mostly at Ripple’s shape and silky coat. Western Forest Cats are a rare breed, not often seen in the cities.

Gunnar halts their progression and turns to look at Pela. “Where is the building?” Pela points over to a side street. Gunnar jumps up and pulls her arm down. “Don’t point, just tell me!”

Rubbing her arm, Pela says in a wavering voice, “It is over there. We just need to take that side street.”

“Good.” He starts off again. “Um, sorry about the arm.”

Pela shrugs. It’s not the first time a brute has laid hands on her. Ignoring him, she starts to move towards the building.

Gunnar trots up next to her, reaching up to her midriff, so his arm blocks Pela’s way. “The deal is I go in, then you follow me. Ripple will stay with you as a backup, and I’ll have Beltram.” He swirls his arm around in the air, and the large raven flies down and lands on his shoulder. “If Ripple growls and hisses, you get out of there!”

“I’ll be…”

Gunnar interrupts her. “Your answer is yes, I don’t want an untrained getting into trouble. Halfy will make my ears bleed with all his yabbering if you get hurt.”

“No, I will be going with you, and that is final. I am no wilting violet. I was raised in a Halfling Caravan—do you think we were never attacked by bandits?”

Retreating from her gaze, Ripple hisses a bit at the exchange. If she hadn’t known that Pela was a friend, Ripple would have gone for the jugular.

“Fine, but stay next to Ripple.” He looks at the large cat. “You protect Pela and make sure she’s safe.”

Ripple lets out a meow which rumbles in her throat, finishing with a flick of the tail and a purr. Beltram gives a harsh, nasal croak. Gunnar takes the lead, with Beltram on his shoulder and Pela and Ripple following

As Pela and Gunnar step into the decrepit building, Ripple stops, and Beltram digs his talons into Gunnar’s shoulder. Pela keeps going, not seeing the reaction of the two animals, but as soon as she takes a breath, a hacking cough starts in her throat.

Gunnar quietly calls to Pela, “Come out here.”

Still coughing, she hears others inside the building hacking as well. Her eyes have started watering. “What is that? As soon as I went into the building, something irritated my throat.”

“There could be some sort of bad air.” Gunnar starts to shift through his pouches and finds three herbs. Breaking them up in his hand, he mutters a prayer to the Green. As a green paste forms on his palm, Gunnar motions to Pela. “Duck down, I need to apply this to you.” She comes over and bends down to Gunnar, who chants, “Mela, Mother and healer, imbue this blessing to protect us from the unknown.”

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With that, Gunnar dips his finger into the green paste and dabs it on her forehead, then does the same for himself, Ripple and Beltram. “That should do it. If you still have issues, just tell me.”

Pela sees a green tint to the air now. “What about Lone and Joan?”

Wiping more on Beltram’s beak and talons, Gunnar replies, “Beltram can do it. Just needs to peck or pierce their skin.”

“Oh, okay.” Pela looks a little worried. “Is it safe to go in?”

Gunnar nods, and they both walk back inside. Gunnar notes mould, and rat leavings are quite evident. The only one who seems pleased to be here is Ripple, as she pounces on a fat rat, snapping its neck with one bite.

Gunnar whispers, “Drop that, Ripple. We’re busy, you can grab a feed later.” Pela is still behind him. Gunnar keeps his voice low. “Come up next to me, let's look like we’re inspecting the place.”

Pela nods. “Where do you think they would hole up?”

“Either the top floor or the basement. Because there’s no lookout here, I’m guessing it will be the top floor. Typical thugs.”

They start to climb the stairs, which creak and groan under their weight. The only one who doesn’t make any noise is Ripple, who still has the rat in her mouth.

Gunnar tries to adopt an appearance of not sneaking. Pela takes his lead and says, “What do you think of this place, hun?”

Taken aback by her question, Gunnar quickly recovers. “Um, not bad. Better than our last place.”

Pela lets out a tantalising giggle, like pure honey. “Oh my, yes, it is. I wouldn’t mind checking the top floor.”

They continue to climb the stairs, wondering when someone will stop them. Once they hit the second floor, most of the doors are open, and people are slumped against the walls or lying in their own filth. In the dim light, Gunnar notices that a few have a bluish tinge to their lips and fingers, but a ruddy redness to their face and exposed body parts.

Gunnar realises this is a drug den, keeping most people on the higher floor to make sure the Watch doesn’t investigate. The pretence of looking for a place flies out the window.

“Pela, this isn’t a safe place. If something happens, go outside and find the others.” She looks like she’ll protest. “I mean it. One of these Slip-suckers might just jump us.”

With that, Gunnar pulls his axe and sickle out, and Ripple drops her rat which gets scooped up by a small, dirty child. Pela has tears forming in her eyes, but at the same time, her body feels like it’s dipped in flame. The pressure builds, like a kettle ready to whistle.

As they move through the second level floor to the staircase, two of the inhabitants look like they are in a stupor, their faces flushed like they’ve been coughing, and bloodstained snot dripping from their noses. Even then, swaying on their feet, both thugs rise with blades in their hands.

Gunnar and Ripple ready for action and move towards their foes. Beltram takes a flight down the staircase. “Run now!” Gunnar yells.

Pela stands there like she’s frozen, but not from fright. Her body is shutting down because of the heat rising from her toes. She feels alive with warmth and energy.

Gunnar ducks a noticeable swing and counters with a hack to his assailant's knee, finishing him off with a slice across the throat. Ripple jumps up and bounces off the wall, her two and a half centimetre claws out. The unexpected movement takes the thug by surprise, and Ripple’s talons dig into his throat. She then rips her talons across the man’s face and rakes her bottom claw over his chest and stomach.

Pela is now shaking, and Gunnar swears as two more people rush down the stairs. “Ripple, guard!”

With that, Gunnar reaches into his pouch and pulls out a piece of vine with a handful of dirt. Ripple is jumping left and right, clawing at the uncovered legs, making the two new enemies jump back. The slower one has enormous gashes on their shin.

Gunnar starts to chant, wrapping the vine with spit and dirt. “Oh, Green Mother, please come to the aid of your faithful servant. May the grounds well up and burst forth.”

His hand glows a shade of green, the vine becoming spectral and wrapping up his arms. With that, he yells, “Out, Ripple.”

The cat springs away with surprising agility for an animal its size. She slashes the air to keep the enemies at bay. Gunnar throws the vine and dirt mess at the two gang members, and as it leaves his hands, the vine unfolds and turns into a mess of vines and thorns. Wrapping around each of the thugs, it pins them to the staircase. The barbs piece their bodies, and they cry out in pain.

Holding a glowing green fist, Gunnar approaches the men. “You have two choices: either fight and die or surrender and give me information.”

They look at each other, and Gunnar tightens the vines. Blood starts to run down their chests. One of them tries to yell out and then drops into a coughing fit. After the fit ends, he says, “Fine, I’ll talk!”

Gunnar looks over at Pela, with Ripple rubbing up against her. Bloody Trinity, that cat loves it once she’s had a real fight. Pela is still standing there shaking. Gunnar knew it was a horrid idea to let her tag along.

“Then talk.”