Join the guard TODAY and help build a NEW CLAIS! Any species welcome!

— Claisian Guard Recruitment Poster

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Fletcher stood by a creek on the outskirts of Clais, pacing back and forth before his companions. One of his arms was bandaged and held against his body as if it were broken.

“So Fletcher…” Foster the ibex said slowly, scratching his horn thoughtfully, “if you didn’t give her anything, why did she let you go?”

“I’m getting to that,” Fletcher snapped back. “She didn’t ‘let me go’ for your information. I had just escaped the undeath in her cloaks — a world surely summoned from beyond the Coils by agents of the False Empress...”

Nash, the bison, mumbled something, but his face was entirely bandaged after being slammed on the ground by Veera. Cecile, the swan, was barely paying attention, more concerned with the bugs she was having for lunch. Her neck was immobilised by with some planks of wood.

“Don’t interrupt, Nash,” Fletcher said, giving himself time to conjure up the next part of his story. “Anyway, where was I? Oh yes. I climbed out back into the world, dagger in hand, ready to take on that witch! But the experience left me disoriented — who wouldn’t be? Her realm of distortion was unlike anything you can imagine.” Fletcher searched for any approving looks, but Foster was still scratching his horn and Nash kept mumbling.

“And so we fought — for hours we clashed blades. She was stronger, yes, but I am far more agile. Her blade only had to find me once to put me down and she knew that, but that made her sloppy—”

“Wait, ‘she was’? You killed her!?” Foster blurted out.

“I… No! But…! She was tired, injured. She retreated. I was victorious, and immediately went to find you all,” Fletcher said proudly. “Good job getting out of the underground on your own. I wish I could have helped.”

“When did you break your arm?” Cecile asked, laying on her back.

“Pardon me?”

“When did you break your arm, you dillgobbler?” She repeated.

“Yes, when did I break your arm?” Veera said, standing just behind the Fletcher as if she had appeared from thin air.

Fletcher jumped, Cecil froze, Foster looked confused, Nash pointed and mumbled as if he had been trying to warn them for a while — he had been. They all paused, stared at each other, waiting to see what would happen.

“Wait!” Foster said. “That’s the lady from the underground!”

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Cecil went limp as if she had given up.

“Are you here to finish the job, pretty scales?” Fletcher said from atop a branch a few meters off the ground.

“No,” Veera said. “I have a proposition.”

“No, no, no, no. No. We are done working for wizards and witches. Look at the sorry state of my company!” Fletcher said. Veera sized up them, unimpressed.

“There will be no violence involved.”

“That doesn’t make it better!” Fletcher said, hopping down from the tree. “I want my dagger back!”

Veera reached into her cloak and they all held their breath. She pulled a string with several beads of Amber Fingers and Jade Palms. Fletcher’s company took a collective breath of relief.

“Payment in advance.”

Fletcher gathered an informal consensus from the expression of his group. “Go on.”

“I require transportation. Minimum distance will be Proxima Isle in the Evening Isles, maximum is Safe Port in Cajuara,” Veera explained.

“You want us to escort you there?” Fletcher asked.

“Only you,” Veera said. “The rest of your company is superfluous.”

“Who are you calling super fluid!?” Foster said. Fletcher motioned him to calm down.

“No chance. We are a group deal,” Fletcher said. The others seemed more convinced by the presence of money.

“The payment I offer is several times the fee for such a service,” Veera said.

“Wrong, lady,” Fletcher said. “You are paying this much because you have no other options, do you? I can see it in your eyes — I’ve fled from the guard for days on end before. This look of exhaustion, glancing back over your shoulder. Yeah, you can’t fool me. You’re in big trouble and need us.”

Veera scowled, but Fletcher held his ground. This anger only confirmed that he was correct, and it meant he could press the matter further.

“I want double that, my dagger back, and also—” Fletcher begun but Veera turned to leave. “Your loss.”

A few seconds passed until Fletcher felt a hoof over his shoulder. It was Foster, looking like he had been straining his mind with basic reasoning.

“Boss, it would be nice to be able to afford some medicine for me and Nash,” he said. Nash mumbled in agreement.

“And I’m tired of eating bugs. I want oats and rainbow weed — with bugs!” Cecile added.

“Alright, fine, fine! I will sell out for you guys because I am a good boss,” Fletcher said. “Lady! Wait!” Veera stopped, turned. “You have a deal. I’ll take you to Proxima or Safe Port or what have you.”

Veera walked back to Fletcher and his group. Seeing her approach made them all shiver.

“Very well. We meet—”

“But I don’t have a boat and I won’t buy it with what you’re paying me. You are buying the boat.” Fletcher defied the intense gaze.

“How much?” Veera asked.

“Six jade fingers for a boat and supplies — with my finder’s fee already added,” Fletcher said.

“Don’t push it,” Cecile whispered.

After a tense moment, Veera spoke, “Acceptable.” She reached into her cloak and offered the Jade Palms in her open hand. When Fletcher went to grab them, she closed her claws over his arm. “You will meet me at sunrise in two days on the Cradleside Bastille. I will forego threats. I find you intelligent enough to understand what will happen to you and your company if you are not there at the appointed time.”

Fletcher gulped and nodded, and only then did Veera release his hand. She left without another word.

“So, we running out of town, or are you taking her?” Cecile asked.

With a tired sigh, Fletcher sliced off his arm bandage and turned to his crew. “I’m going. There is no reason not to. It’s a long job, but pretty easy. With this money we can get a place to sleep and food for a while, maybe open a shop… I trust you three to figure it out. I’ll be back before winter.”

Nash and Cecil nodded. “Thanks, boss,” she said, and he mumbled.

“Boss!” Nash said. He had been in deep consideration for several seconds now. “Your arm! It’s healed!”

Fletcher took a deep breath, ignoring the comment. “Let’s get something to eat, and then I’ll go find a boat.”