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Finding an unoccupied spot at the aged wooden counter, Kieran lowered himself onto a stool and let out a sigh, the tension of the day slowly ebbing away.
He ran his fingers through his minty blue fur, his gaze fixed on the assortment of light blue glassware and bottles lining the shelves behind the barkeep.
The tavern’s lively patrons, lost in their conversations and laughter, formed an almost comforting backdrop to Kieran’s thoughts. He beckoned the bartender, a robust swift fox woman with a friendly grin, and ordered his favorite whiskey—a drink that never failed to bring warmth to his heart and clarity to his mind.
“Surely, surely, order coming right up, sir,” the swift fox looked him over for a moment with curiosity, seemingly analyzing his attire. “I recognize that type of clothing. Here to save the day, bounty hunter?” she said with a giggle.
Kieran stared at her with a subtle smile. “Yep.”
The bartender winked at him. “I won’t bother telling you to be careful, you look well and fit enough for the job, mister…?” She trailed off, inviting him to introduce himself to her.
“Kieran,” he raised his hand up and then back down to the counter. “Kieran Dravenholm.”
“I’m Isabella,” she responded warmly. “Nice to meet you, mister Dravenholm.”
Kieran nodded curtly, not quite in his element as he socialized with the swift fox girl. “You too.”
As the bartender busied herself with Kieran’s order, a sudden ripple of excitement seemed to sweep through the tavern. Curious, Kieran glanced toward the source of the commotion and caught sight of an unexpected presence. A short dark blue fox girl, her ethereal aura setting her apart from the crowd, had entered the tavern accompanied by a small, fiery dragon perched on her shoulder.
Kieran’s interest was piqued as he observed the celestial fox girl, her vibrant jade-green eyes scanning the room with a mix of curiosity and confidence. The intricate patterns of her wings hinted at a story untold, an otherworldly elegance that intrigued him. She also wore a pair of fancy, gold-colored goggles atop her head.
With a sense of intrigue, Kieran’s gaze lingered on the girl’s companion—a diminutive fire dragon, its flickering flames casting a warm and comforting glow around them. It was a sight both mesmerizing and enchanting, as if a slice of a magical realm had materialized within the walls of the tavern.
Both of them seemed to ignore all the eyes staring at them.
As fate would have it, their paths converged as the celestial fox approached the counter. Kieran’s gaze met hers, and a subtle recognition passed between them—a shared understanding of the mysteries that lurked beneath the surface of their respective journeys.
She was not a local, she was a traveler just like him. Judging by what she was wearing, Kieran thought she might also be some kind of bounty hunter like him.
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‘But… she’s so small,’ he reasoned with mild concern. ‘Could she really be a bounty hunter?’
With a gracious smile, the celestial fox took a seat beside Kieran, her presence radiating an energy that seemed to light up the space around her. “A drink for the weary traveler,” she quipped, face-planting onto the counter with a hand raised for the bartender.
Her little dragon looked at Kieran curiously, gently sniffing at him from a distance.
Kieran’s lips curved into a faint smile. “You seem like you’ve traveled quite a distance,” he replied, his curiosity piqued by the starry aura that seemed to envelop her.
The girl chuckled softly, her gaze playful yet genuine. “You could say that. The road has its surprises, doesn’t it?”
Kieran’s eyes widened for a moment in agreement. “Indeed, it does.”
Their conversation flowed effortlessly due to the two sharing a wavelength, a mixture of anecdotes and shared experiences exchanged over glasses of spirits. The tavern’s ambiance seemed to shift, the world outside fading as a newfound connection took root. They learned each other’s names, and Kieran did quite like hers; it was Tessa Hawthorne.
Tessa ordered a vodka for herself, which was surprising for the bounty hunter given her size and gender. “Isn’t that strong for you?” Kieran asked.
“N-no,” she said through coughs as she sipped. “It burns, yeah, but I like the tougher things because they help harden me. It tastes really good too, though! It’s got orange and cranberry in it, my favorite flavors.”
Kieran gripped his whiskey glass and swirled the liquid around in a circular motion. “If you say so.”
A moment later, Tessa beckoned for the bartender again who came over with ears perked attentively. “Hi, yea, I’d like to order a flame-brand tequila, if you’ve got it, ma’am.”
Kieran had been taking a sip of his whiskey when she said this and he damn near spat it out at hearing this.
“Yes, miss, I’ll get that for you as soon as I can,” Isabella said politely, but no doubt thinking the same thing as the minty blue fox. This was proven when the swift fox and Kieran locked eyes with each other in concern for a moment before she went off to fulfill the order.
Kieran could not get out any words and just stared at Tessa with shock.
She glanced at him, smiling, beginning to pet her fire dragon. “What?”
“Um,” Kieran raised a brow. “I mean to each their own. You are one tough apple pie.” He took another swig, looking away from her.
Tessa giggled, honestly rather cutely. “Oh, that’s not for me, silly!” she said, scratching under her dragon’s chin. “That’s for Perseus.”
“Perseus?”
“My dragon.”
Perseus, her little fire dragon, looked over at Kieran and seemed to carefully watch him. Now that he thought about it, Tessa’s pet had been staring at him the whole time as if on guard, often out of the corner of his eye.
“Wait, wait… your dragon… drinks?” Kieran asked quietly. “I heard that correctly?”
Perseus wagged his tail much like a dog at his question.
Tessa nodded. “He likes it spicy.”
Kieran’s astonishment slowly morphed into a mixture of amusement and disbelief.
He shook his head and let out a hearty chuckle. “Well, I’ve seen my share of unusual sights in this world, but a dragon that enjoys tequila is definitely a new one. Perseus, huh? Quite the fiery companion you have there.”
Tessa beamed with pride, her eyes sparkling as she continued to pet Perseus affectionately. “Oh, he’s not just fiery in taste preferences. He’s got quite an adventurous spirit too. We’ve been through more escapades than I can count. Right, Perseus?”
The dragon responded with an enthusiastic chittering sound, almost as if agreeing with her. Kieran couldn’t help but be charmed by the dynamic duo before him. He extended a hand towards Perseus, offering a friendly gesture to the little fire creature.