During the time wheon was a wealthy mining y- earthquakes were something of a on thing. As the isnd was being hollowed out by the mining- weak stone would occasionally give in to colpse that would send a vibration through the isnd. The earthquakes were weak and most couldn't tell when they were happening. But a man known as Mastiff had a silky smooth long beard that shakes with the slightest vibration. He would know when the quakes were happening- and thus he was niamed Mastiff the Quaking Beard. Finding the ting, Mastiff opened up one of the first taverns ion and The Quaking Beard.

  It is in this tavern that three individuals sit at a er table with a lounging cat.

  “Damn- that's such shit luck. I’m surprised Lion's Maw chased you for three weeks straight.” Carrion says. “And then what happened?”

  Daveed takes a sip of his drink- his tongue is a bit looser than before. He still takes g the cat, but much less so.

  “Well, he destroyed our masts with a spinning artifact, killed nearly half the crew, and then gutted [Captaion.”

  A [Maid] with a bowl of milk arrives with a smile on her face. “Your order- warm milk.” She says happily. She pces the bowl down in front of the cat and even gives it a . Daveed freezes at the physical dispy- and then rexes whe purrs from the touch.

  “Is there anything else?” The [Maid] asks.

  “No, that's all. Thank you.” Daveed answers. His ay recedes further as the cat begins lig the milk.

  “Call if you need anything else.” The [Maid] says and walks away.

  “What's with the cat?” Emma asks. “You look scared of it.”

  “Screw the cat,” Carrian interrupts. “tihe story. What happened ?”

  Daveed clears his throat. “That’s the thing. As soon as the [Captain] died, the Lion’s Maw just up a. He was only ied ions bounty. Right after he left, another ship. A frigate showed up.”

  “The Timbergrove.” Emma adds.

  Daveed nods. “Yes. They boarded us and told us to surrehe [First Mate] refused to surrender so we fought. About half of us died before we gave up. After that, me and the other survivors worked for the netain] until we reached Breston. Then we’d be free.”

  Carrion leans back. “Damn, that's actually a pretty good deal. Most [Captains] would’ve gutted you if not ht sold you to [Svers].”

  “Trading [Sves] is illegal ion.” Emma adds.

  “Illegal without bribes.” Carrian adds. “I’ve worked on these ships and you’d be surprised by the number of [Sves] and money ging hands in the middle of the night.”

  “And the [Lord] does nothing about it?” She asks.

  “He ’t- not enough [Guards]. I heard he’s trying to expand the number of [Guards] so he crack down on this shit, but rumor says he’s waiting on a rge shipment of armor and ons.”

  Daveed’s eyes widen. He g the cat- who gnces bad gives a small nod.

  “Um, I think that shipment was supposed to be supplied by Menstron,” Daveed says. “The Immi Huntress hold is filled with ons and armor.”

  “If that’s true, then we should tell the [Lord],” Emma says excitedly.

  Carrian snorts. “Right, like the [Lord] is going to listen to us.”

  “Not us, but my dad. Dad occasionally gets rune work at the castle. Retly he was hired to create arified floor under carpet.”

  “Is that Daveed?” A voice yells across the hall. Eyes turn to watch a rge man with a bd gray brigaroll into the tavern. Behind him, two more men follow with eager grins on their faces. The tavern only hushes for a moment at the new voice before tinuing on as though the new arrival isn’t anything hy. But the man cares not. He strides towards the three.

  “Shit, that's the breaker gang.” Carrian curses.

  “The breakers? You know the breakers?” Emma asks Daveed.

  “I-.”

  “The breakers are the reason Daveed had to join with the pirates,” Carrian expins. He reaches at his side to make sure that his knife is avaible. He then looks at Emma. “No matter what happens, don’t fight and don’t say anything to piss them off. Call the [Guard] if you get away.

  The man arrives at their table with a grin. He grabs Daveeds cup, downs the tent and then sms the cup down. “Daveed, I hope you haven't fotten about me.”

  Daveed swallows. “N-no Biron.”

  “Are you sure? Because, if I remember right, you disappeared aboard a ship right when we o get paid.”

  “I think there's a misunder-” Carrian tries to stand up, but Biron is faster. His arm tches on Carrian and pushes him back down on the seat. “Stay quiet,” Biron orders.

  “Now, Daveed.” Biron grabs the bowl of milk right from the drinking cat and then pours it over Daveed. “I hope you realize that that payment is still going to o be paid either with or broken bones.” He leans down to Daveed’s eye level. While he does, the cat hops off the table and disappears into the rest of the tavern. “Normally, the pn was to mangle one of ys and turn you into a cripple that sends a message about not getting payment. But now, after all this time, you owe us i. I think both arms are going to be an acceptable payment.”

  “Are you seriously maiming him for mohe [Guards] won’t let that happen.” Emma excims.

  Biron shifts his gaze at her and grins. He looks her up and down. “You know, I’ve heard some of you stone freaks lived ion- but I didn’t think you’d look so fuckable.” He points a fi Daveed. “I might be willing to leave a funal arm if you follow me to my pce afterwards.”

  “Well look at that. Birons dick must be so mangled he ’t feel anything unless it's made of stone.” A nasally voice yells from across the tavern.

  Biron turns rapidly around. “WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT!” He roars, sileng the entire room.

  “Wow, that must be quite a mangled dick.” An older voice from a different area of the tavern excims.

  Biron turns to the void singles out an aged man sitting with two others.

  “What the fuck did you say?” Biron asks and starts walking towards the man.

  “I feel bad for any woman that has to deal with a mangled cock.” This time a woman's voice.

  “Bitch.” Biron turns to the fused [Maid]. He starts walking to her.

  “Wow, even the [Maid] feels bad for him.” Another voice, this one younger and much closer.

  Biron turns and puhe man in the face. The man, a [Sailer] drinking with his crew, staggers from the punch. He falls off his stool and almost nds on a cat. At the same time as the man falls, one of the [Sailers] at the table punches Biron in the jaw. Then Biron’s friends join the fray, followed by the rest of the [Sailors]. The fighties further until half the tavern is trading punches.

  As the violence happens, a cat returns to his table The turns towards ongoing violence.

  “Daveed.” The cat says resolutely, startling all three.

  “Y-yes.”

  “My milk has been spilled, Daveed.” The cat raises a paw at Biron. “By that man right there.”

  Daveed swallows.

  “Do you want another one?” Daveed asks while his two panions are still reeling from a talking cat.

  “No, Daveed. I no lohirst for sweet Embrosia.”

  The cat watches the fighting- fixated specifically on Biron.

  “Now” The cat begins slowly. “I thirst for blood, violence, vengeance, and war. Biron will die, but not until everything he cares about lies dying at his feet. For that, these breakers are now my prey. I will hunt them down and sughter them like the milk spillers that they are.”

  The cat's coat seems to puff up and make him look ber and feral.

  “They will be butchered like cattle and hounded like mice. I will rip their throats, cut open their bellies, and feed upon their lifefortil all of their corpses litter my path. None will escape my wrath.”

  The cat grins to reveal sharp teeth.

  “But Biron- Biron I will toy with. I will slice, I will tear, I will rend, and wheime is right, when his screams bee coarse, I will rip his head off and bathe in his innards!”

  The cat turns to Emma. “Women, close yaping mouth and take me and my mount somewhere safe so that I may prepare the sughter.”

  “Um.”

  “Less with the gaping, more with the moving!” the cat urges.

  Emma looks at Daveed, who gives a slow nod.

  “O-ok.” She gets up. “e to my home.”

  “The cats…” Carrian begins but is interrupted by Emma urging him up.

  The cat hops up on Daveeds shoulder and the group rushes out of the Tavern.

  ____________________________________________________________

  When Emma returns home, thankful that her father was not home. Pg her hand on the runed lock, she maniputes the mana within. The door clicks. She opens the door and pushes everyone ihen she closes and locks the door.

  “We’ll go to my room.”

  She leads them up the stairs and into her room. She grimaces at the liness of her room. Her father had clearly takeime to make her bed and anize her room.

  “Huh, this looks kind of normal.” Carrian ents.

  “Were you expeg something else?” Emma asks.

  Carrian shrugs. “Kinda. I thought since you’re not human, your room would be different or something.”

  Emma snorts. “I grew up around humans, not Gemma. So of course I'm going to be more like a human. My father already tells me I should act like a premma- whatever that means.”

  She walks to her bed and sits down. “If you want to see what a Gemma’s room looks like, then I’ll show you my dads room ter. But first,” she looks at the cat on Daveeds shoulder. “What's with the cat and why it talk?”

  The cat hops off of Daveed's shoulder and nds on her dresser. While on top of her dresser, the cat stares at her rock colle.

  “Nice gems.” The cat ents. Its rge beady eyes assess her rocks with a nod. “Ruby, topaz, amethyst, emerald, sapphire, and a damn big diamond. You’ve got an iing colle here.” The cat raises a paw and looks as though he’s about to swat one of the rocks off the table. The grimaces and lowers its paw.

  “Stupid instincts.”

  The cat seems to reorient itself and then y down on the dresser.

  “Your dresser feels like shit.”

  “Who- or what are you?” Carrian finally asks the question.

  The cat yawns. “Me? Oh, I'm just a pletely ordinary cat.”

  Both Emma and Carrian frown at the cat's words. They look at Daveed, who seems muted and silent.

  “I’m going to have to call that a btant lie.” Carrian says.

  “Same.” Emma agrees.

  “It’s not a lie. I’m really just an ordinary adorable kitten.”

  “Cats don't talk.” Carrian says.

  “Nor do they pn to kill people.”

  “Bah. Kill is such a- nice way to put it. I prefer sughter. Dismember works too.” The cat's tail swishes softly. “As for the talking, you’ve clearly never spoken to a real feline.”

  “I’ve met cats- eveen some.” Carrian says while getting a raised eyebrow from Emma. “None have talked.”

  The cat waves a paw. “Pathetic imitators ag as though they are of my species. Clearly inferior es.”

  Emma snorts while Carrian pihe bridge of his nose.

  “Fine, whatever.” Carrian points at Daveed. “Who are you and why is my brother scared of you?”

  The cat releases a sigh. “What has the world e to for peasants to request things of me.” He shakes his head. Theands up and sits on his but. “Fine, I’ll humor you, but only because I am a very le member of my species.”

  The cat clears his throat.

  “You two are standing in the presence of the illustrious [Captain] Quasi Eludo.”

  “You’re a [Captain]?” Carrian asks.

  “Of the Timbergrove, yes.”

  “You’re the one who captured the Immi Huntress!” Emma says in realization.

  “How does that… You have a Job. A Css?” Carrian asks.

  “Yes and yes. But enough about me. It's time to talk about something more important, like this breaker gang. I o know their and structure, numbers, csses, jobs, and location.”

  “Wait. What of my brother?” Carrian asks.

  “Daveeds my mount until I leave Breston. Once I leave, he’s free to do whatever. Now, back to this breaker gang.”

  “Are you really pnning to kill them?” Emma asks.

  “Sughter,” the cat corrects. “And yes, by the time I am dohey will be un-alived. But before that, I need information. You either provide it or I’ll have to search for them with Daveed.”

  “You’re not putting my brother in harm's way!” Carrian excims.

  “It's fine.” Daveed says. “I’ll help you Quasi, just don't involve my brother. Please.”

  “Daveed?”

  Daveed shakes his head. “It’s fi’s better this way.”

  “Fuo it’s not. Why even listen to this mangy cat?”

  Daveed swallows. He g Quasi, but the cat acts as though it didn’t hear the insult. “[Captain] Quasi sughtered the [First Mate] and three others while surrounded. I have to help him or I’ll be killed.”

  “Yup.” the ods. “He’s miil I leave Breston. If he refuses my orders, then I’m obliged to end his life. Unfortunate for a young man, but it would look bad on me if I didn’t follow my threats.”

  Carrian looks at Daveed and the. The thought of taking his dagger out and stabbing the cat crosses his mind, but only for a moment. If Daveeds words are Gehen it’s best not to risk it.”

  “Fihe me take my brother's pce. I know about the breakers better than him.”

  “Carrian”, “Brother.” Emma and Daveed excim in surprise.

  “Look, it's fine. I know where they hang out and they have no beef with me.” Carrian expins. “I just o help you find them, right?”

  The ods. “For the most part, yes.”

  “I’m going with you.” Emma says.

  “Same.” Daveed adds.

  “No.” Carrian shakes his head. “Too dangerous.”

  Emma folds her arms. “I don’t care. I’m not leaving you aloh a bloodthirsty kitten.”

  “This is my problem, not yours. I o take responsibility!” Daveed urges

  “Damn Daveed.” The cat interrupts the three, “You’re really lucky. You’ve got an older brother that's willing to put his life on the line and a stone woman who refuses to abandon him. Now that's rare.”

  Daveed blushes at the praise, Emma smiles resolutely, and Carrian grimaces at the other two.

  “It will be dangerous.” Carrian ters weakly.

  “And that's why we’re going. If we’re in a group, it will be safer.” Emma expins.

  “I’m not abandoning you.” Daveed says resolutely.

  Carrian groans for a moment, and then sighs. He looks at the cat. “I hope this is fih you.”

  Quasi shrugs. “It matters not if I have one or three mounts. So long as you lead me to the breakers, then I don't care.”

  Carrian steps bad leans on the wall with a frown. “We lead you there, but only during the night.” He looks at Daveed. “It’s too dangerous during the day sihey’ll be looking for my brother.”

  “The night is fine- preferred actually.” Quasi informs. The cat hops off the dresser and nds on the bed. It walks to the pillow, twirls in a circle and ys down. “In the meantime, I'll cate sleep.”

  The three watch, amazed as Quasi’s eyes close and breathing softens.

  “I still had more questions.” Carrian whines, but the cat does not stir.