The Infamous Feral Ferret Flock!

From FiranMUX

WHERE: Anarinuell: Palace District -- Civic-Center Square -- The Forum WHEN: Mid-afternoon, Thu Sep 23, 26 A.U., under sunny skies

Yavernus enters the forum from the bath house.

Lianna sings lightly to herself as she moves from booth to booth, a little girl trailing behind her in a singsong imitation of her mother's voice.

Yavernus comes walking through the Forum having just come from the Baths. He glances around and decides to go check out the merchandize

Bringana comes in from the north.

"Mama, eggs?" Little Rialla asks, tugging at her mother's palla and pointing at a basket near the henmonger's booth. "We need more eggs!" To which Lianna gives the little white ovals a dubious look. "I don't know, sweetie," she replies. "I think Lady Pia is sick of pies?"

Her little brow furrows, then clears. Rialla laughs and tugs on her mother's palla again. "But eggs are fun to mix up!" she says merrily, rotating her little hand in imitation of beating eggs.

Yavernus comes closer to Lianna and her daughter and he nods his head in greeting and states, "Good evening Mes." Yavernus looks down at the lil girl and smiles somewhat.

Lianna laughs to her daughter. "Yes, they're fun to mix, but what do we do with them afterwards? Will we paint Papabear with them?" she teases, before turning at the sound of a voice. "Oh! Hello, Centurion! How are you today?"

Amberus is busily setting up his stall, setting out eggs, pausing every so often to shine an egg on his toga. The merchant pauses and beams jovially at the marketplace, rubbing his hands together. The autumn sunlight glints on his flaming red hair.

The little girl's eyes light up in delight. "We can paint with eggs?" she asks Lianna. "We can paint Papabear pretty colors!" Her little fist starts yanking insistently at her mother's palla, pulling her towards the henmonger. "We have to get eggs now!"

A young man, darkly colored enough to suggest Gold Dragon heritage, makes his way into the forum to visit the market. Jeanik pauses every now and then to examine merchandise at one of the tables, nodding or shaking his head in dismay as the quality merits.

Yavernus looks up to Lianna and smiles slight and says, "I am well Mes. Shopping I see?"

As she attempts to pry open her daughter's fist and release her tunic, Lianna laughs. "I'm trying to, but I think Rialla has her own ideas, Centurion!"

Amberus leans over the stall and beambeams at the little girl. "Oh, of course, little mes," he booms. "Best eggs in the Firan realms! Can be painted, scrambled, stirred, and even just eaten!"

"Amberus!" Lianna half-scolds, laughing again. "You're not helping! It's not eggs I need today, but maybe poultry.. "

Rialla does let go of her mother's palla, but only because her attention is now on Amberus. "Yes!" she beams, skipping over to the man's stall. "Can I have some blue eggs? I like blue! It's my favorite color! Like the sky!"

Jeanik makes his way over towards the poultry merchant, preparing to examine the merchandise...but then he notices the man's red hair, and his eyes narrow slightly. "Eggs...appropriate from one of the Chicken Clan," the man mutters, under his breath but still loud enough for all around him to hear quite clearly.

Yavernus watchs the child interact with her mother over the eggs and he cant help but grin.

Amberus's eyes twinkle. "Well, I have some of that, too!" he exclaims, glancing over to the boxes beside his stall. "Do you want your poultry still squawking or quite silent?" He appears oblivious to Jeanik. Or at least ignoring him.

Lianna doesn't appear to have heard the man, either. Or she's carefully ignoring him. "Ew! You know very well I can't butcher anything, Amberus," she protests, but her eyes are sparkling with laughter. "Would you, please?"

"Pink, too!" Rialla pipes up, grasping the edges of the stall and rising up on her tiptoes in an effort to see the eggs. "I want to color with blue! And pink, like flowers! And green, like green grass!"

<OOC: ROLL> Yavernus rolls his Perception at difficulty 7 and gets 1 success.

"Nice to see that the Cockatrice can fight back against poultry," Jeanik drawls slowly, a dangerous glint to the man's brown eyes despite his too-casual tone. "Because, Zutiv knows, you couldn't fight back against anything else."

Amberus has turned around to fetch some chicken breasts for Lianna, and stiffens. "Oh, no," he blusters hastily. "I'm not Cockatrice, see. My mother was, Unot rest her soul..."

Yavernus glances over to Jeanik and hears his comment and frowns slightly as he wants no trouble on his watch. He ignores it for now.

Lianna peers at the man who spoke. "That wasn't very nice," she reprimands him. "Amberus is a good man!"

Yavernus watchs the remarks escalate and Lianna now coming to the defense of the merchant. Yavernus shakes his head slow his frown ever increasing as if thats possible

"Sure he is," Jeanik says to Lianna, with the tone of one speaking to a child. "Him and his whole chicken clan. Talking big about saying all the Heroes are dead, making a grab for power...well, who's grabbing /now/? All the chicken soldiers fled as soon as they saw the Dragons coming!" To judge from the man's age, he's about right for military service...but with the quick capture of Sarkaran, perhaps he was denied a chance to see action. He shifts position, taking an aggressive posture as he regards the merchant; Jeanik might not have seen battle in Sarkaran, but this young firebrand evidently intends to see it here in the forum!

Amberus begins to chant, slowly, "I said, I'm not a Cock-a-triiiiice..."

"Yeah, if I were one, I'd be ashamed to admit it too," Jeanik shoots back.

Yavernus steps through the crowd thats gathering around the two men and he shoves a musican out of his path and barks, "WHAT goes on here?"

Balinda comes in from the east.

Amberus clears his throat. "Careful now, there, sir. You don't want to cause trouble in the forum, do you?" he says diplomatically, as he wraps up some poultry for Lianna in whatever Firans use for wrapping.

Lianna tilts her head, regarding Jeanik with curiousity. "You sound jealous," she says, before jumping back at Yavernus' bark. Grabbing Rialla's hand, she hastily backs up so that she's standing between two stalls instead of in front of Amberus'. Just in case.

Balinda quietly slips into the market, her demeanor quiet, a bodyguard following her along. She does not approach the others as yet but moves toward some of the merchants asking quietly. "Might you wish a few eggs today, the hens laid well and there are some surplus."

Jalachia comes in from the east.

Jeanik ignores the guard, and picks up one of the eggs to examine it. He turns it back and forth skeptically, examining it for color, imperfections, flaws or disease of any kind. After a few moments, even the foul-tempered Gold Dragon has to admit that it's a prime specimen of egg-dom. Glancing up at Amberus, Jeanik pauses for a moment, and then simply hurls the egg at the merchant's head.

Salih comes in from the west.

Lianna squeaks and instinctively ducks, folding over Rialla and wrapping the child in her palla for protection against the suddenly flying egg!

Amberus attempts to duck, which is difficult for a man of his bulk. The egg skims along his arm and splatters into the ground, landing dangerously close to a rather large crate full of fairly evil tempered goats. "All right, Dringle!" he bellows. "Them's fighting words! Or, er, a fighting egg!" He hurls two eggs at Jeanik, one in each hand.

Salih approaches the small crowd forming in the forum, sees the eggs fly, then promptly turns and sits on a park bench, far out of range.

Yavernus steps forward and barks, "MER your ..under arrest for disturbing the peace of the forum." Yavenus ducks attemtping to avoid an egg

The goats bleat in annoyance and begin milling around in their crate, pressing at each other.

Wendos comes in from the south.

<OOC: ROLL> Yavernus rolls his Reflex at difficulty 7 and gets 1 fumble.

Wendos says "hey"

Being younger and somewhat less bulky, Jeanik manages to dodge the first egg. "Ha, chicken! You couldn't hit the broad side of a baWRRFF...!" The Dragon's words are cut off as he takes an egg to the nose and gets yolk in his mouth. Brown eyes now gleam murderously, as he takes another egg...and actually climbs up /onto/ Amberus' table. Always achieve the higher ground in any military conflict! Spitting yolk, the young man adds, "Now you pay!" Another egg hurled towards Amberus, as Jeanik ignores Yavernus' cry.

Balinda's sell of eggs to market abruptly stops as she hears the bellow. It startles her so much she comes perilously close to dropping the bundle of eggs still left to sell. Eyes widen and she moves her lips as if her mouth has suddenly gone dry. Her gaze sweeps over the situation, and her poor guard discovers she seems to have decided he makes a wonderful barrier as well as a guard and she peeks out from around him.

Yavernus is unable to escape and is hit square in the chest with an egg! Yavernus barks, GUARDS GUARDS!!"

Oh, me. Lianna hastily grabs her daughter into her arms and tries to get out of the way, but her path is blocked on either side by the tables, to the back of her by the goats, and to the front by an egg-throwing man. Realizing there's only one prudent thing left to do, she does it. And immediately drops to the ground, crawling under the neighboring stall table.

Amberus growls, a growl like an enraged...chicken? Seeing Jeanik leap up on his stall, he takes a flying leap forward and tries to tackle Jeanik's legs and bring him to the ground. "Bully!"

Yavernus shouts, "GUARDS GUARDS"

Jeanik stomps rather vengefully on some of Amberus' eggs. Crunch! Crunch! Crun...uhoh. Amberus' tackle does indeed connect, and with egg-yolk under his boots, Jeanik loses his balance and tumbles towards Amberus.

Wendos says "Go!, Go!"

The commotion, of course, only serves to upset the goats further and their bleating increases, with several now trying to escape from their prison, little hooves clattering against the slats of the crate. "BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAH!!!"

Yavernus comes up behind Jeanik and attempts to capture him

"What?!?" Bringana exclaims as people start throwing eggs, she ducks and takes cover.

Amberus oofs as a Gold Dragon lands on him. He does any quick tempered red head would do in such a situation -- he hauls his fist back and gives Jeanik a good one in the face.

Bringana removes her Dark Mahogany Wooden Cane.

Salih curls his legs up around himself on the bench, fairly out of the range. It's often that eggs are thrown. Well, there is that festival event, but that has prizes; this is just messy fun. To watch. Hearing Wendos's cry, he looks over at him and gapes. He's edging them /on?/ Shouldn't he be trying to break them up? Salih just scratches his head, distracted from the entertainment.

Wendos says "Stop It!"

Lianna crouches underneath the stall table, peeking out past the hem of cloth circling it. Her eyes widen as the hot-tempered man jumps onto Amberus, and her arms circle protectively around an equally wide-eyed Rialla in front of her.

Jeanik glares up at Amberus, trying to stagger up to his feet. Now both are behind the merchant's stall, the fight coming dangerous close to the various crates of other nearby merchants. Wiping yolk from his face and spitting a bit of blood from the split lip the red-head just gave him, the Gold Dragon hauls back and attempts to punch Amberus square in the gut as he regains his feet!

Starlette comes in from the north.

The goats start yammering and bleating, their frantic moving actually bumping their crate along the ground by now.

Amberus oofs. Oof. Oof. He staggers as Jeanik's fist connects, and takes a step back, flailing his arms, toga flapping in the breeze, and trying to regain his balance. He fails...and lands square on the goat crate.

How perfect. How wonderful. Egg yolk. One of the bystanders, in proud possession of two ferrets has to watch helplessly how the cute little things wriggles out of their pouch, to dart across the forum to where the shiny, glistening, wonderful egg yolks are. The ferrets makes a nice choir of 'Dook Dook' of course, what else would they do? Conquer the egg, conquer it!

Bringana hobbles cowardly from the scene, once in safety she plops down on some benches and watches the two fight. She sighs and draws a card from Nydiam's deck of many things.

"A chicken for the goats," Jeanik sneers as Amberus stumbles backwards into the goat crate. "You go down easier than an Honoria girl; no wonder your pagan clan is so easy to conquer." He wipes at his split lip with the edge of his tunic, looking down triumphantly at the merchant.

The crate shatters with a loud CRACK! and the screams of several very angry goats who find themselvs crushed beneath the large bulk of the egg merchant! Hooves thrash and kick as they start breaking free!

Balinda is softly holding her eggs...at least at first. Then there is a 'CRACK' And some yolk and white mixture begins to drip out of the bundle. She rips her attention away from the few glimpses of the fight she hears behind the stall and quickly tries to sell what is intact, most of the attention on the sounds of the fight going on.

Bringana mutters, "Ruin Goat? Nope, done already."

Lianna acks and draws back further under the stall! "Mad goats! Mad goats!" she calls out in frantic warning. "Goats!"

Wendos looks in disgust

"Only a Dragon'd beat an Honoria girl up first!" counters Amberus, trying frantically to regain his feet, but finding himself hindered by egg yolk, crate bits, and, er, mad goats.

Yavernus glances over the stall and thinks to use his spear on the backside of the instigator but decides thats a lil to excessive. Yavernus puts on finger into his mouth and tugs at his combat gloves and removes them slowly one at a time as he mutters curses then he tucks the gloves into his sword belt as he looks up and sees the goats breaking through their crates and decides enough is enough.."Yavernus spouts, "I had hoped to not soil my knuckles on the likes of ruffians but theres a time and a place for all things" Yavenrus rushs the two men, all 200 lbs of him and he bowls them over as he jumps upon them both, armom and all

"That's not what he meant, Mer!" Salih shouts out helpfully. Naturally, he knows a few of the Honorias quite well.

This is the best day ever for egg happy ferrets. Chittering excitedly they squirm to and fro, all over, and are soon covered in egg goo. So much fun to play with! Not shy of brushing against bystanders, one of the happy pair of ferrets tries to attach itself to Balinda.

One goat grabs at Amberus' toga in irritation and gives a jerk of its head, tearing a nice large strip tastily tipped in egg yolk. Hm. Mm. Hmmm, not bad. It decides to just stand there, peacefully enjoying its snack.

"Shatter Marriage?" Bringana reads, "That sounds better, and since these two argue like they're married, it could be good... good for the republic. yea." Bringana wields her cane and wades in after the two fighters.

Wendos shouts, "Get um"

"Only a Cockatrice would..." But whatever Jeanik's brilliant retort to Amberus was, it's cut off as Yavernus collides with him from behind. The Gold Dragon stumbles forward, landing atop Amberus and the goats.

Balinda whirls around, dropping 2 stenis as goats are freed. She just did a monolog on why a mere goat is part of the fierce Chimera for a clan contest....what was it...days ago? It was enough she has a healthy respect of them and she edges away, the small woman trying to avoid trouble, and mess, and confrontations, she is about as far from a warrior type person as one finds in the market these days though no one is completely defenseless.

This does not make for happy goats. One bleats maddeningly and sinks his teeth into Jeanik's hair but immediately spits it out with a loud "BLEEEEEEAAAA!" of disgust!

"Off!" bellow Amberus. "Off, off, thrice cursed Dragon! I. Am. Not. An. Honoria."

Bringana goes into the fray after Yavernus. "Stop that you two!" Bringana shouts. "What would your mothers say?!?" "Get off each other this instant."

Lianna can't help but giggle from the safety of her hiding spot, cradling her toddler to her as they both watch the chaos.

Wonderful, wonderful. Balinda is distracted by the goats and does not seem to notice her new friend the ferret. There is nice spot of yolk on the woman's palla, and the ferret clings to the garment with all its life.

<OOC: ROLL> Salih rolls his Perception at difficulty 8 and gets NO successes.

Yavernus grabs Jeanik by the rough of the neck and attempts to stand up sputtering profane words..oh a whole slew of them as he tries to come to his feet dragging the two men with him barking, "Enough! You behavior is going to call the gods wrath down upon us! look the goats are running among us now! How ironic now..get up the two of you. Were in this together..We need unity now..

Another goat finally breaks free and bolts, head down at a dead run. This means, unfortunately, he doesn't see where he's going. Another loud "BLEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAA!!" rents the air as the goat crashes into Bringana's legs headfirst and bounces back onto its rear!

Vadim comes in from the north.

Ferret No. 2, lovingly called 'Lil' Idiot' by its owner, has had enough of the egg fun for her and instead flees from the goats. Oooooh, is there something sparkling under one of the stalls? It goes to join Lianna and her daughter with a mighty "Doooook Doooook Dooooook!"

"Really?" Jeanik snarls, trying to extricate himself and yelping as the goat yanks on his hair. "I would never have guessed! Augh!" To the goat, he adds in an accusing tone, "You /would/ help the chicken! Farm animals sticking together?"

Jeanik makes a pained yelp again as Yavernus grabs on, and flails backwards in hopes of freeing himself from the man's grip.

There appears to be a small, er, fracas in the forum. There are goats involved. The farm animal kind.

Lianna's laughter abruptly fades when she suddenly realizes there is a huge, monstrous, furry, evil face bearing down on her and her daughter, fangs bared and dripping. She immediately screams and starts scrambling in spite of her awkward bulk. "BITEY TEETH! BITEY TEETH! AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!"

Amberus tries to arise again, but remains in an awkward position. After a long moment of very deep thought (evident in his furrowed brow) he raises a leg and kicks Jeanik somewhere rather sensitive.

Little Rialla is more startled than alarmed by her mother's screaming, peering wide-eyed at the approaching monster. "What's that, mama?" she asks as she points at the chittering ferret.

Balinda's eyes widen as she feels something tugging on her palla. If it were a pickpocket taking advantage of the turmoil, they certainly are incompetent! She looks down and certainly not expecting to see a ferret. odd how to a startled young woman, it looks like an overgrown rat from her perspective, she "EEEEEKKKK, GET IT OFF, get it off, get it OFF MEE" She is steadily trying to shake it free and backing blindly away.

Yavernus glances over his shoulder as Bringana is swiping a broom in his direction he tries to duck and mutters, "WOMAn..Im t..OOFPS

Bringana dosn't even see the goat coming as it smacks into her head first. Bringana needless to say falls hard. "Owch," Bringana says as she hits the pavement, and for awhile she forgets about Jennik and Amberus. "I'll teach you you bastard son of an ugly shami you," Bringana yells to the goat, as she swings her cane and misses.

Wendos comes in from the east.

Ankur comes in from the north.

Yarrow, a lively cream coloured horse. enters with Cyrus riding.

Shalinar, a brisk buckskin horse enters with Etowo riding.

Bitey Teeth? Just because they are a bit glistening with egg goo? Lil' Idiot, the cute little ferret, wriggles towards Lianna and then veers towards Rialla. What a cute little hiding spot it is.

Vadim scratches his head.

Ankur sits down at Park Bench.

The goat easily ducks the swing of Bringana's cane and brightens. The lady wants to play a game! Ooh, fun! It starts prancing around, teeth nipping playfully at her feet as it darts in and out of reach.

Lianna's screeches intensify in pitch until they're slicing through the air. "GET IT AWAY FROM ME! AAAAAAAGHHHH!!!!"

Lil' Idiot's companion, called Tabas, the ferret, is a really tough one. Not easily deterred, the ferret clings to Balinda's palla, until a rip is heard. Oops. The quality of fabric nowadays is just not what it used to be. Instead of diving for save ground, Tabas decides that clinging to Balinda's hair is the next course of action. Shiny hairpins!

Jeanik squeaks. "You...bastard..." the Gold Dragon manages to get out, while trying to simultaneously fold down and onto the ground. As Yavernus ducks out of the way of incoming brooms, Jeanik does manage to hit the ground. Tunic and toga egg-stained, expression pained, he struggles to try to get to his feet. Then stops, as he decides that poking his head above the table might cause it to explode, due to the sheer shrillness of Lianna's screams. What /is/ that noise? Some poor creature being eaten by a Carnotti?

Salih winces as Lianna screams. She's loud, he'll give her that much.

Yavernus stands up and pulls hay from his hair and mouth and looks around to see where the two brawlers went to

How appropriate. An emit saying she feels energetic. In spite of her pregnant state, Lianna somehow manages to rocket out from beneath the stall, Rialla's arm grabbed firmly in her fist. And promptly collides with a slimy, egg-covered Gold dragon bully.

Jeanik prefers the term 'righteous member of the mighty Gold Dragon clan, reminding the pagans who started all this unrest in the realm of their proper place' to the term 'bully,' but that's a minor quibble.

Bringana swings and continues to miss the farm animal goat. Bringana however is not playing, "games are for tots, you thilthy goat!" Bringana yells. Tots like Jeanik and Amberus, whom Bringana dosn't seem to remember at the moment. She's just swinging at the goat.

Amberus cackles. "That's it, Mes!" he calls in encouragement to Lianna. "Whack him good with yer belly!"

Yavernus looks around and sees a some how familiar face ..Salih..but he is not a begger now but dress as..great Zutiv! a Priest and a pagan one at that! He calls out to Salih, "YOU there, Begger! yer gone and killed a pagan priest to get his robe I see!"

If the goat were a human, it would probably be cackling in glee. Still prancing and ducking to avoid Bringana's cane, it grabs a corner of her palla in its mouth and tugs, eyes glittering!

The hiding spot would be much nicer if Lianna wasn't screeching at the top of her lungs. Lil' Idiot is of course just a lil' ferret and wriggles away from all the noise, climbing up on Rialla's leg. That is, until there is this effect of Lianna running into Jeanik which means Rialla runs into Lianna and the ferret goes flying towards Yavernus. Poor Lil' Idiot is soon clinging to a leather military skirt. Lucky. Could have broken his neck!

Some men find pregnant women alluring, and would be quite pleased to have one land in their lap. Not Jeanik, not at the moment; his lap is still a wounded mass of pain after Amberus' kick, and he only manages to make a soft whimper as the pregnant woman collides with him. He starts to push Lianna away until he realizes she /is/ a woman, and that would be wrong. After all, one has to be honorable. "Careful...mes..." he manages, still breathing a little hard through the pain. Oh, as soon as Jeanik can stand up without staggering again, Amberus' blood will run red in the forum!

Still shrieking at the top of her lungs, Lianna doesn't try to use Jeanik for a shield. Or something. Oh, no. She's.. she's.. unbelievable trying to climb up him onto his shoulders??

Arriving on horseback are both a Republic military officer and a bonduin dressed in armour and a loincloth, an interesting pair indeed. The commotion can be heard from quite some distance away, so Cyrus knows to approach cautiously, pulling the reigns on the horse to a stop a small distance away from the commotion. From there he tries to peer through the crowd to see what the ruckus is all about.

Yavernus glances down now and is suddenly distracted as a Ferret comes flying through the air and grabs hold of his military skirt..and in a place one does not want an animal with teeth!" Yavernus appears to invent a new dance similar to a high lander doing a step dance as he tries to extracte the critter..will the humiliation never end!

Torn palla? Oh, how improper to appear in public in a TORN PALLA. The modest young woman does not even seem to notice it as the furry beast scrambles up the fabric, nearly pulling it off her shoulder with the way she is twisting and turning and trying to knock it free without getting hands close enough to its mouth to be nipped. As it seeks her hairpins she yelps, almost demandingly this time. "GET IT OFF ME!" True it is not a thug or two-legged Shami-goat, or someone attacking her yet still, surely a bodyguard should be good for something, and if she would just hold still, maybe he would be. Balinda can not hold still...well, can anyone with a ferret climbing unwanted into their hair? Her gaze goes to her clansman.

Salih slaps his head. Wasn't there some saying about tangled webs? Or was it about lying too much. Whatever. He shouts back, "I killed no one to get these robes! (Well, maybe myself, but never mind.) I worked hard for them! My name is Salih, and the new priest of Kamnestra!" Hopefully, that'll settle things for now. Or enrage him greatly. Whatver.

Amberus finally manages to heave his bulk back on his legs. He eyes Jeanik. He eyes Lianna trying to climb onto Jeanik's shoulders. He hrmphs--and trips over a goat. Oops.

Bringana is probably getting too old for this, Bringana slowly gets up, very slowly really as she is old and still sees a need to swing her cane at the goat.

Considering his aggressive actions towards the Cockatrice merchant, Jeanik takes Lianna's attempt to use him as a ladder with remarkable aplomb. Maybe it's just the Gold Dragon attitude that women can't be expected to behave rationally, or maybe Jeanik's in too much pain to care. "Pleafth tathke your gknee outh ofth my mourftth, meth," Jeanik manages to ask hopefully of the woman trying to climb him. Though hey, on the other hand, if she actually makes it up he might get a nice view...!

This is not another playful goat out to have fun. This is the very irate, cranky goat that got squashed in the first place. And is now tripped over. Bleating angrily, it kicks and thrashes underneath Amberus, one hoof catching him right where it hurts!

Amberus's eyes go wide. He collapses, landing somewhere atop the hapless goat. A bellow of pain escapes him, ringing throughout the forum.

Amberus shouts, "GOAT! GOATS IN THE FORUM! AND THEY'RE UNMANNING ME!"

Bringana's goat snickers, a corner of her palla still in his mouth. He tugs at it, almost as if trying to draw her somewhere.

All sorts of things could be under this skirt of Yavernus'. Lil' Idiot, Anarinuell's most stressed ferret, debates climbing under the cozy leather skirt, away from all the chaos and noise. He only wanted some egg yolk after all. Chittering a bit, he moves a bit higher, into immediate danger zones. If you're male and fear sharp teeth.

Yavernus grabs hold of the ferret and pulls it off the front of his military skirt. Holding it at arms length he frowns and says, "Yer lucky the mess hall already is serving the likes you!" Yavernus glances around for a place to put the critter and he sticks takes a over turned barrel and places it under neath it..

Jeanik is unable to speak, due to a pregnant woman currently attempting to scale him. Unable to see either, for that matter, but Amberus' yell brings a joyful smile to the young man's pained face. Looks like the Cockatrice got it in the...er, never mind.

No such luck. Still screaming hysterically about "BITEY TEETH!!", Lianna's arms wrap around Jeanik's head, totally obscuring his sight. She's unable to get onto his shoulders, but her legs at least manage to tangle around his thighs. "GET IT AWAY FROM ME!!"

Salih shakes his head. His words were lost. Such a pity, it was a fairly good speech. It was short, for on thing. He sits back down on the bench and watches the antics, safely in his corner.

Salih sits down at Park Bench.

Vadim opens the backpack.

Yavernus glances around now looking for the ruffian that started this brawl..He sees a woman scaling a man. and thinks to himself, 'cant see his face but he ..hmm ever seen that before..alright were did that trouble maker go'

Tapas, the ferret is not dangling from beneath a skirt, but instead has found joy in shiny hairpins. And look at those lovely earrings! And a necklace! Shock from shiny overkill. Balinda has found a new friend. If only she would see it like that too. Moving from one shoulder to another, he's hard to shake off, very hard. Would require someone's help, definitely.

Amberus tries, once again, to scramble to his feet. Managing to regain his balance, he clutches at a delicate area of his anatomy, hopping around one foot. "Anyone want goat for supper tonight?"

Basel comes in from the north.

As if able to understand Amberus' words, a Very Irate Goat scrambles to its feet and immediately sinks its teeth into the nearest backside. Which just happens to be.. the one that landed on it earlier.

From somewhere within the space enclosed by Lianna's terrified death-grip, one Gold Dragon hand emerges and waves in agreement. Hey...what do you know. Amberus and Jeanik see eye-to-eye on at least /one/ thing!

A small chorus of 'dook dook' arises from around the forum, little eyes glinting in the shadows. Oh no.

It's the infamous feral ferret flock of Anarinuell.

Fear.

Bringana finally gets up, Then she notices that there is egg yolk covering her all over, and it's slippery and messy. Bringana says "Bad Kids, Bad kids you all!" Even though most of the people here are between 20 and 40. He goat seems amused by her racket and carrying on, it tugs on her palla, and Bringana takes another spill. She starts swinging her cane and yelling "You' had better not eat that palla," at the goat, as the goat starts eating her palla.

Amberus yowls, leaping further than anyone would have thought a man of his size could. "Goat! Goat! Get it off me!"

Lil' Idiot has been shaken off, but never fear, he's not overcome yet, in his quest for egg goo and shiny things. And the IFFF, the Infamous Feral Ferret Flock is coming to the rescue. Whoa, look at Bringana, all that egg stuff! Lil' Idiot has found its most recent target. "Dook Dook Dook!" And up he climbs on the woman.

Basel glances over the Forum with a sullen gaze, then heads over to the picnic table, sitting at it.

Dook dook? Glittering eyes? This is too much for Lianna. Her shrieks now reach a pitch that can shatter glass, let alone eardrums. "AAAAAAAAGHHHHH!!!!!!" Her daughter, meanwhile, just clings to Jeanik's leg with both arms, laughing in sheer delight. "Mama, kitty!"

Basel sits down at Picnic Table.

Vadim watches in half amusement and half pity at the antics of the heroic goat chasers.

Jeanik quietly prays to Zutiv that the large hopping Cockatrice merchant does not land on him, as Lianna has him immobilized. "If you love me, Lord Zutiv," he mumbles, "please keep me from being squashed by the fat pagan." Then he realizes exactly what he's mumbling into given that Lianna has her arms around his head, and it begins to sink in that he may already have had his share of luck from Zutiv for the day. On the other hand, if he dies, flattened beneath Amberus, at least he'll die happy.

"LET GOOOO! GET IT OFF!" Balinda is not exactly careful on where she turns or twists. Her elbow connects with something but she is whirling away fast enough she does not notice what or who she bumped. In her turning she sees Salih just...sitting there, and not even helping her. She glares hard at his betrayal, not even helping her!

The eyes of Bringana's goat widens. Hey! This is HIS playmate! He drops the corner of her palla from his mouth, lowers his head, and charges!!

Barik enters the forum from the bath house.

Yavernus removes his helmet and wipes his brow before replacing it. Then he see a ferret scaling the poor woman and he shouts to the crowd, "For Zutiv's sake! someone help that woman! " Yavernus points to Lianna

Salih clamps both hands over his ears. "Somebody please get the siren to shut up, already!" he bellows over, er, into the already choatic noise in the forum.

From the perimeter comes the soft rumblings that can only be the sound of massed ferrets, an occassional high-pitched 'dook' echoing across the forum. Could it be the onrush of the IFFF, coming to the rescue of their brethren?

Amberus is hopping dangerously close to Jeanik. Hop. Hop. Flail. Hop.

<OOC> Bringana says, "IFFF?" <OOC> Jeanik says, "Infamous Feral Ferret Flock."

<OOC: ROLL> Salih rolls his Perception at difficulty 8 and gets 1 fumble.

<OOC: ROLL> Bringana rolls her Coordination + Combat/clubs at difficulty 6 and gets NO successes.

Due to the chaos, Salih is looking completely the other way, and doesn't notice Balinda's distress. Nor do shouts work, since Lianna is muting those. Sucks to be him.

All this movement doesn't help Tabas, the ferret, still clinging to Balinda. And those awful shrieks, will they ever stop. He's hanging on the necklace now, like the furriest ever pendant in the world. Yup, tough ones they are, those ferrets. And once the IFFF arrives, the scene might spiral out of control.

Bringana as the Goat charges Bringana swings her cane and misses once again. She yells, "NOOOO... Get this goat off me!!!"

Rialla oohs. "Mama, more kitties are coming!" she laughs, pointing at the ferrets. "Can I have one?" But Lianna doesn't even hear her daughter. She's too busy still trying to get as high as she can off the ground, pregnant belly nonwithstanding. "RIALLA! GET UP HERE!"

As the Goat charges Bringana swings her cane and misses once again. She yells, "NOOOO... Get this goat off me!!!"

<OOC> Yavernus says, "Jeanik you still have a woman on top of you?" <OOC> Lianna says, "Damn straight he does. :)" <OOC> Jeanik says, "Lianna's still doing a great impression of a leech, yes."

Jeanik reaches around blindly, trying to find Rialla and pass her up to Lianna. Something, anything to make the woman quieter. Whatever he can find that feels roughly child-sized nearby, up it will get lifted.

Yavernus finally gets a look at what appears to be Amberus and he shouts, "You there..stop this fighting ..look what you've done..theres going to be fines, and more fines for the pair of you." Yavernus catchs sight of Jeanik laying flat on his back with a woman atop him and he rubs his thumb and index finger over his chin and takes a few quick steps over and mutters, "Ah..good work Mes ..you seem to have subdued him"

Bringana's goat ducks in time to avoid the cane, but now he's miffed. Fine! He seems to decide, whirling and trotting off. But what do you expect? Women are fickle playmates!

A sea of squirming fur moves towards the chaos, blacks and browns are interrupted by an odd white body. They begin to cascade over some of carts, attracted by the shinies that they find.

Cyrus smirks at the sight and keeps a good distance back from the commotion. He directs Yarrow toward Shalinar's side so he's able to chat with Etowo. Though he speaks quietly, the smirk on his face shows some amount of amusement.

Lil' Idiot just has no real luck. So close to his goal of being able to get more yummy egg yolk, even if it's already drying on Bringana's clothing, the older woman seems to be assaulted to a goat. And what does a ferret with a very small head do? Climb onto the goat and hope for the best. So far, it seems to work. Off on the other side, and now back to focusing on Bringana. Egg yolk time!

Announcement: Amberus shouts "FERRET STAMPEDE!" Announcement: Amberus shouts "I always wanted to say that. :)"

<OOC: ROLL> Salih rolls his Perception at difficulty 8 and gets 2 successes.

Announcement: Jeanik shouts "Frankly, I'm more worried about the rabid, man-eating goats myself."

One phrase passes Bringana's lips as the goat leaves and the ferret's move in, "It's time to get out of here."

Little Rialla continues to giggle and clap her hands in delight, reaching out towards one of the ferrets. Jeanik's groping hands only serve to tickle her, and she squeals with laughter, falling to the ground!

Salih turns his head and finally notices the ferrets in the mess. But, then again, now that there are hundreds of ferrets approaching, they're hard to miss. In fact, one scout seems to be on Balinda who is... glaring at... oh, dear. "Balinda, come over here to the bench! Ferret attack!" He tries to shout this, gesture her towards him, and point at the furry mass that will soon carpet the forum.

Jeanik gropes around more, and manages to get Rialla -- and ferret companion -- in hand, blindly but helpfully offering both up to the woman who still has him immobilized.

Yippy skippy, in egg-yolk dippy! If ferrets could shout out their joy, Lil' Idiot would. Bringana doesn't move so frantically either, not like Lianna, and she surely doesn't shriek like that. He slurps and nibbles quite contentedly for now.

<OOC: ROLL> Yavernus rolls his Perception at difficulty 7 and gets NO successes.

Amberus hops again, flailing his arms. A goat brushes against his legs. With a screech, the plump merchant falls...on a certain Gold Dragon. One wrapped in a woman, even. And let's not forget the child and ferret.

"Zutiv keep my soul," Jeanik manages in a weak voice, just before Amberus' bulk crushes him to the ground.

Bringana stumples up, but is toppled again by a stampeeding ferret. "Yikes!!!" Bringana shouts swinging at the ferret, get it off!!!" She yells, not as actively as LIanna to be sure, but simply because she is old and also tired.

Yavernus doesnt seem to be paying attention as the ferrets canvas the Forum until they are right upon him he turns as three dart between his feet and he bellows, "Good Zutiv! Infestation!"

Jeanik is in luck. Lianna spots the now-empty egg stall and frantically scrambles towards it, knees and elbows stabbing her poor human tree everywhere. Amberus' crash into the three sends her flying with a yelp of startled surprise, cutting off her shrieks at least temporarily. She finds herself sprawled on top of the stall, Rialla howling with delight next to her.

Balinda 's agitation rapidly becomes infused with anger. All these soldiers and men about and most of them sitting or standing around and not doing a...(insert a few colorful words of choice here)...thing to help her. Men, how like a man! And there is even one mentioning 'fines. She spots a horse out the tail of her eye and with Salih blind and deaf to her distress, whirls that direction forgetting every lesson Ely and Faedrus taught her about remaining calm and low voice and controlling her movements as she yells. "GET IT OFF ME!"

At the sound of Bringana's yelp, her goat whirls around. His lady is in danger! His head lowers again and he charges, dashing to the fair maiden's rescue!

Barik heads east.

Bringana is now concentrating on the ferret. she is trying to pound it and dosn't notice any goat.

Lianna clings to the table, gasping for breath and watching the commotion wide-eyed. If a ferret dares to get anywhere near the stall, it is probably going to face certain death by crushing from a pregnant belly.

If a merchant falls in the forum with ferrets and goats all around, does he make a sound? You bet. THWACK! And Amberus topples -- with an amazing amount of grace -- right onto Jeanik.

"Dook Dook!" sounds a bit panicky now as the goat charges towards Bringana. Even Lil' Idiot knows when his time has come, and with an angry chitter, he quickly climbs down to dash under one of the stalls. Instead of coming out again, he curls up, after all the excitement. Which leaves Bringana all open for a lovely goat collision.

Not all the pretties in Anarinuell seem to stop the multitude of of ferrets, although several seem to have decorated themselves with shiny jewelry. They are on a quest, but for what? Egg goo, goats perhaps. Or maybe they have always dreamt of actually stampeding.

The goat now dances around Bringana, bravely butting this ferret and that in the side - or anything he mistakes for a ferret. Calves suddenly find themselves battered, feet are trampled, and thighs are nipped as Brave Sir Goat defends his lady!

Rialla squeals with laughter. "Mama, look!" she points. "The kitties are wearing jewelry!" And sure enough, sticky egg white combined with shiny pretties are turning several ferrets into some sort of bizarre bejeweled creatures. Her mother just moans, curled up on her side on the stall, and covers her eyes.

Yavernus jaw drops as he notices all the men standing around looking up at the sky like they have nothing better to do..He sprints over to Balinda and calls out from across the forum, "Mes I'm coming..hold on!" Yavernus finally reachs her and attempts to remove the beast ..hmm (wonders where exactly it is )

Bringana simmers, the goat is back, but at least she's rid of the ferrets, so she gets up, not swinging at the ferret, seeing that the goat is distracted by ferret whacking.

Balinda's lucky. None of the men would rescue her from the big evil ferret, at least not in time. Tabas finally has enough from swinging around on a necklace, and instead grabs one of Balinda's hairpins and dashes off, under another stall. Two ferrets out, countless others coming in, all over the place.

It's too much. Punched in the face, kicked in the groin, bitten by a goat, unable to breath due to his face having been smooshed into Lianna's breasts (not that he was complaining about /that/ one), and now he's been flattened by the fat pagan merchant. Jeanik's endurance gives out, and he decides it's better to just lay here among the egg yolk and ferrets, and pray nothing's permanently broken.

Vadim kicks at a couple ferrets that come near, but other than that just blankly stares.

The goat decides it's driven off its enemies and stops its charging, giving a satisfied little snort. (Goats snort?) Tossing its head, it trots over to Bringana and presses its side against her leg, looking up at her in adoration.

Cyrus's attention is turned to the young mes charging toward him and screaming like her hair were on fire. He smirks at her and pulls on the reigns to pull his horse back two more steps to keep her from being spooked. When she nears, he holds a hand out for her to hop up onto the horse with him, if she wishes it, though he doesn't make any outward motion to do anything other than watch. "Turn, be calm, and I will remove the creature that torments you," he says while trying to stiffle a chuckle.

Amberus seems remarkably oblivious to the fact he's lying on someone. Perhaps he's flattened Jeanik quite successfully. The merchant closes his eyes, and mutters something that suspiciously like, "No wonder people say Uf is crazy. Must be the eggs."

Bringana shivers and kicks the goat to one side, well, as forcefully as she can kick a goat. Sadly she dosn't have animal husbandry/goats.

Oh, dear. There goes Balinda's hairpin. Considering how panicky she seemed, it's best to try and make it up. He runs over to the stall where Tabas dived and leaps after it, trying to grab the rodent and its parcel out from under the stall, before he loses track of it.

"...pagan blasphemer..." Jeanik's protest from underneath the merchant's bulk is rather half-hearted, though; he's got little fight left in him.

<OOC: ROLL> Salih rolls his Agility at difficulty 9 and gets 2 successes.

Rialla gets to her hands and knees and peers over the edge of the stall, spotting Amberus. Giggling, she grabs a loose egg rolling around the top of the table and reaches out, neatly dropping it onto the merchant's red hair. "There! Your hair is yellow now!" she crows, laughing.

The goat looks at Bringana, hurt. Are those tears forming in its eyes?

Amberus cups one ear. "Did anyone hear something?" he asks. He pauses. "Must be the ferrets."

Trying to remove the Infamous Feral Ferret Flock might be akin to trying to hold back the tide, masses of sleek furry ferrets well around legs and chitter excitedly at anyone they see. If they show a few teeth in the process its inadvertent, really.

"...you're fat.../and/ you're deaf..." Jeanik manages weakly.

Bringana looks at the forlorn goat. she does take some pity on the goat after all. Bringana blesses the goat in the name of Uf, and goes to sit on one of the benches.

Salih manages to snag one scrambling leg. He pries the hairpin out from the furry little paws and then releases the beast to its hiding place. Well, better late than never... right?

Lianna is, fortunately for her and fortunately for the rest of the populace, more or less fainted by now. But one hand is tightly grasping her daughter's tunic out of motherly instinct.

Bringana closes her eyes momentarily as if in prayer.

Amberus opens his eyes slowly. "Oh. Egg yolk." He smiles weakly up at Rialla. "Always did want a dye job."

The goat sniffles, feeling a little better. A little bit. Deciding Bringana is, after all, truly fickle, he trots off to find greener pastures. The kind that appreciates its adoration.

Rialla giggles down at Amberus. "Can I have a blue egg now?" she asks cheerily, sounding for all the world like her mother a long, long time ago and far away. "I want to see blue hair!"

Balinda looks toward the stranger who has to help free the ferret from her necklace, blushing as the hands try to grab for it. When it grabs one of her hair pins and takes off, part of her hair tumbled down, something that makes the very proper young woman blush even more. She casts a mournful glance toward the lost hairpin and then notices all the other ferrets and goats. She is not about to wade through them to head toward Salih and just shakes her head. Her gaze raises toward the stranger offering to help her up on the horse, and proper young women just don't do that, go riding with strangers. And she certainly, under most circumstances would not. She does, however in this situation find that a more proper place than say...standing up on a merchant's table, or climbing up on someone's shoulders. She calls to her guard. "Don't you dare lose me in this."

Cyrus invites Balinda to ride with him. Balinda jumps on the back of horse.

Yavernus stands there shaking his head thinking, 'what am I, chopped fish cakes? ' Yavernus bemoans the life of a little knows commoner , the thankless work of a Republic soldier. He tosses his hands up in the air and stalks out to let the Guards sort through the mess.

Cyrus takes Balinda's hand when it is offered and hefts her up onto the horse behind him, who accepts the second rider with only a quick snort. "So, mes, would you be able to explain to me just what's happened here?" he asks while his eyes roam out over the chaos that is the forum.

Jeanik decides now would be a good time to pass out due to Amberus crushing him.

Yavernus has left.

Wendos has left.

Unconscious Jeanik lays there. Blessedly silent, for the first time since this started.

The sounds of dooks fill the forum now as the rampaging ferrets seek pretties and egg goo, finding plenty of both. Sated, some even curl up by the now sleeping man, using his prone form as a pillow.

Balinda murmurs a quiet 'Thank you' to Yavernus as he helps her and she regains her shortened breath from having screamed so much, enough to speak. "I appreciate your help."

Bringana heads into the bathhouse, a silght smile passes over Bringana's lips as Jeanik passes out, "Stupid dringles," Bringana mutters.

The goats seem to have dispersed, abandoning the crazy humans in search of better, more quiet entertainment. Like, say, scratching each others' foreheads with their horns.

Amberus stretches, trying to scramble back onto his feet now things have calmed down. "Oh, I'm going to feel this in the morning," the egg merchant says cheerfully. "Oh my, sweet Soli. Is that someone beneath me?"

Balinda looks down very uneasily at the ferrets and mess. "There was some sort of argument though do not know about what, and then some thrown eggs and it became a fight, some goats got loose and ferrets...and then...just chaos, one of the ferrets came after me and ...I got scared and did not pay as much attention to what else was happening after that."

Rialla peeks down at the ground at Amberus' question. "A man!" she answers helpfully. "Is he squished?"

Unconscious Jeanik is coated in egg, sporting a shiner and a split lip, and probably a cracked rib or three. 'Squished' might be an appropriate term.

Salih wades back through the sea of ferrets, precious pin held in his hand like it was a sacred relic. Of course, with a ferret being the original theft, he tries to keep it out of reach of the feral ferrets parading across the floor. And people call these things pets? Ugh! After a long, long time wading through the ferret swarming, Salih finally makes it back to Balinda and the horsemen. "Mes Balinda, I saved your hairpin." Then he looks at her ripped stola, her dishevelled hair, and her haggard look. On a horse. Get Cyrus naked and it could be a romance novel cover, if Firans had that. Instead, Salih observes, "You're a mess!"

Amberus leans on his stall for a moment. "Squished, aye," he agrees with a nod. He lowers his voice and whispers conspiratorily to the girl, "But he's a Gold Dragon. They're better that way."

"Amen," Bringana says to Amberus's comment.

Unconscious Jeanik would make a snappy retort, if he were conscious.

If the IFFF had their way, Jeanik will soon be cleaned of all signs of egg goo. Several of them set to work. Its the least that they can do.

Vadim looks at the unconscious man coated in eggs and hopes for his sake that ferrets don't enjoy the tatse of eggs.

Unconscious Jeanik is squished, /and/ a ferret snack.

Bringana would kick Jeanik now that he's down, but feels that it would be too much.

The toddler oohs. "Will he be all flat when he stands up again?" she asks, looking to Amberus with wide eyes. "Like when daddy sat on my leparos and it got all squished?"

Amberus wrinkles his nose. "I wish. Nay, unfortunately Gold Dragons are skilled at re-stuffing themselves. Usually on the remains of other clans."

Basel has left.

Cyrus continues to watch the scene with a smirk and is quietly glad he's not in the First to have to deal with all this. He looks down to Salih as the heathen priest arrives and finds himself laughing. "Of all things, a hairpin," he chuckles. "Mes, your hero has arrived."

Unconscious Jeanik would make a snappy retort, but he's unconscious and a ferret is chewing on his nose.

Yavernus comes in from the north.

Lianna stirs and groans, one eye barely opening. "Amberus, be nice," she halfheartedly scolds. Her grip on Rialla's tunic relaxs, but she's too exhausted to try to sit up.

Salih looks sheepish at Cyrus's comment. But she /had/ looked straight at him, and looked very mad; he had to do something to redeem himself.

Balinda prudently accepts her hairpin first then fiddles with the hair, smoothing it and tucking it demurely in place while looking at Salih in such a manner that it is pretty obvious if she still held any eggs, one might, accidentally mind you, fall on his head. In a dry tone she comments. "I know." Her hand slips down to pull stola in place in trying to cover every inch of leg she can and tries to make sure stola is still modestly covering everything it should cover. At Cyrus's comment, if she had any 'more' eggs, he likely would have an accident too if she could manage one without being too obvious about it. "You are just as bad as my brother Faedrus, the two of you."

Never able to stay in one place to long, nor in a cohesive mass the Flock begins to disintegrat. One seems rather take with Rialla, peering up at her with sparkling eyes. 'Dook?'

"I /am/ being nice," Amberus replies, all innocence. "I could say worse!"

Yavernus has left.

That one little, awful, ugly, scary sound is all it takes. Lianna shrieks. "GET THAT THING AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!!!"

Salih says "I'd be offended, if I knew who that was." He grimaces, but keeps speaking anyway. "I'm sory I didn't notice the ferret sooner, but Mes Lianna over there..." He points. "...was a little distracting."

Balinda asks Salih. "if anyone needs healing after this, will you find out and let me know? Maybe I can help. Not so good as Captain Wylma but she has shown me how to do a little more than used to be able to in healing."

Cyrus casts an amused look over his shoulder toward Balinda behind him. "Centurion Faedrus is my wing mate," he remarks. "I should be complimented by that." Again his gaze looks back to the forum and the, thankfully, dispersing ruffians and thugs known as furry critters.

Ooopsie. Mama doesn't like kitties, it appears. Rialla sits back against her mother, who is struggling to sit upright. "But they're pretty!" she protests, the gems sticking to the ferrets indeed making them sparkle colorfully like a field of moving flowers.

Balinda murmurs to Salih."No need to be offended, he just behaves like a brother tends to with a sister." She then graciously adds. "Thank you for helping me when you could. The hairpins are special to me, a gift for my Ceremony of Souls, so losing one meant more than just losing any old hairpin." She looks to the man before her on the horse and says. "Oh, I did not know that. I'm Balinda Garkansen, Faedrus' little sister."

That sound was enough to scare the bravest of ferrets, the little one scampering of to the protectiong of an overturned cart, distressed dooks all the way.

"They have bitey teeth!" Lianna grits out at her daughter by way of explanation, finally managing to sit upright. One hand presses against her swollen belly, as if the baby within has been gleefully kicking just to join in the fun. "Dear Eesha. Ugh. I want to go home."

"Centurion Cyrus Polymestor, of the Mighty Clan of the Gold Dragon," Cyrus introduces himself to Balinda in return, and to Salih with a very brief nod. "And I am glad to have had the opportunity to assist you as well," he remarks dryly, "In such a trying time."

Vadim noticing all the excitment has died down, he quietly departs to attend to other matters.

Vadim heads north.

Eventually, someone comes to haul the egg-spattered, ferret-gnawed and pummeled Jeanik off for healing. Pray, for the sake of his would-be tenders' sanity, that he wasn't taken to the pagan Unotian temple!

Amberus coughs into one egg-yolk-covered fist. "If I may, Mes Lianna," he booms. "I will see you safely home. I, er, don't think there's much left of my stall to safeguard."

Almost as quickly as they arrived, the flocks of furry ferrets have melded into the city. Reports of bizarre bejeweled creatures can be heard for the next few days, almost with beggers finding bits of jewelry deposited here and there.

Lianna slowly, painfully slides off the stall and reaches for Amberus' hand. Rialla herself nimbly hops off the table and takes his other hand, giggling. "You're all eggy. Mama, too! Are we going to take baths when we get home?"

Balinda murmurs to Cyrus. "Well, matters could be far worse, more trying, but when one is innocently going about the market and is unexpectedly attacked and clothing torn by toothly little beasts, it is trying in its own way." She takes the dry comment with good nature, her ire fading away with the return of her hairpin. She does not see where Salih went in the crowd but makes sure sht tries to do her part as she says. "If any need healing or were bitten, I have a few supplies and bandages with me."

Amberus waddles off with Lianna and Rianna, egg yolk and all. Hopefully not stalked by any goats.

A goat wanders through the forum and disappears down the road, looking forlornly lovesick. If one looked closely at its hindquarters it might see the words, "The End."