Tim
Persephone eyed the male back with more curiosity then anything. His gaze did not bother her, but as another new face, she found herself unsure about him. Of course the neko trusted Skout and his judgment. But with recent aquatintists', she found herself questioning the company he kept. But soon as they began to walk, her gaze was dancing around once more, taking in everything around her while her ears quickly moved to take in the sounds around her. It was skout's voice that bought the distracted female's attention back, as a questioning gaze moved over her features as if to ask 'are you sure?' Before dropping the subject all together. 

As they moved further into the city and farther away from the crowds, the neko's attention seemed to slowly return to her companions and the conversation at hand. It was usually in places such as this things often went sideways for the pair. And as they moved into the empty building, Persephone found herself quickly eyeing the exits before tuning back into the conversation at hand. "Who?" She asked softly looking to skout knowing the question was not aimed at her. Soon the neko fell back into silence, finding herself to be no more then an observer for the time being. But whoever it was, both men seemed troubled by her absence. 

Lazily settling against a windowsill, Persephone took to listing to the house and everything around them. She may not have been the best fighter or most skilled thief. But she could be a valuable set of ears when need be. As Skout spoke about them once more, the slender creature nodded, knowing they could easily set themselves up somewhere. She had been getting rather good at pickpocketing. It wouldn't take more then an afternoon to set them up for a few nights.
Tamatha
The house they were talking in was a shell of a thing, home only to transient vagabonds and thieves, the doors missing and the windows broken, but as the two men conferred together, it would slowly become apparent to Persephone that they were not alone. The ceiling above was ruined and broken much like the rest of the place, and after a time through a jagged hole there, she realized that she could see a person stand there, lean and slender, dressed in blacks to blend into the shadows much like Skout. The person was not focused on the two men in the room with her, but Persephone, those scarcely-seen eyes unerringly watching her until they silently disappeared for a moment in a blink, followed by the barely-seen gesture of a hand beckoning for her to join them.

"Catch me up," Skout had initially planned to keep it short and retreat to an inn, but now seemed invested in hearing his old friend out, his attention fairly focused, leaving Persephone to explore the possibilities that this observer might have to offer.

It did not take catlike reflexes to get up to their position up there; there was a pair of stairs that were only half-ruined down a short hall from where they met, and the figure waited for her to approach at the top. It was a young man, perhaps slightly younger than her, with bright blue eyes and a smug, knowing grin. "You're not from around here," He said in a soft, appreciative tone as she drew near, but that was merely subterfuge, for the real greeting was woven by his fingers in the thieves' cant that Perse had learned. ~Very pretty. Want to ditch?~ was accompanied by a tilt of his head toward the rear of the house where part of the wall was broken away, allowing for a rooftop exit onto the neighboring house. He was young, lean, and attractive, with short dark hair and a tanned complexion on his face that bespoke of much time outdoors in the sun. 

Persephone could see and hear Skout below, and she likely knew that he had seen her wander off and hadn't stopped her. Maybe she was being allowed to experience this for herself?
Tim
It was the sound of soft footsteps that caught the neko's attention first. A velvet ear quickly turning to meet the sound even and quiet as it was. Soft grey eyes quickly followed, peering into the darkness above as her stomach lightly churned. They were not alone. Quickly her gaze moved back to skout, who didn't seem to care or perhaps notice. Though the latter seemed a bit far fetched in the slender female's mind. And with that her gaze returned to the darkness of the floor above. Slowly pushing up from windowsill, she took careful steps till finally her eyes adjusted, just in time to catch the figure above. With the quick invitation from the stranger above, Persephone looked to skout once more with a bit of uncertainty. But the rogue still seemed not to care in the least about the stranger above. And so, the neko's curiosity began to get the better of her. 

Wandering back though the hall towards the sketchy staircase, she checked once more with the rogue. With no response, it was assumed she had his blessing and so she cautiously began up the stairs, taking care not to fall though any stairs that seemed rotted or missing. As Persephone spotted the stranger at the top, her ears tilted back and she found herself stopping about half way up. She curiously looked the male over, taking him his greeting before quickly reading his fingers. He seemed nice enough, and skout hadn't bothered to stop her. Perhaps there was nothing to be worried about. And she was curious about the city just outside the dilapidated house. 

**Where to?** She wove quickly with her fingers a bit clumsily, but still legibly before finishing her climb up the staircase. It wasn't long till she was following the male out onto the rooftop and over to the neighboring home. Though still she kept a safe distance between them. "Who are you?" She spoke finally as they entered the second home, stopping just inside the broken window they had climbed though. Skout didn't seem to have a problem, but Persephone had grown decidedly less trusting then she had been only months before. But not so untrusting that she wouldn't follow an interesting stranger out of curiosity.
Tamatha
Skout glanced at the ceiling where his sensitive hearing could make out the sound of two people exiting the upper floor, and he shot Gunfrey an uncertain look.

The old human shrugged in non-concern. "He's a g' kid, keeps an eye on maid'ns twice 'is age. Best be careful if ya've a mind to keep the lass though," He chuckled. "Got a way with the girls. 'Is name is..."

—-

"Priam," The energetic young man introduced himself with a grin as he paused near an open doorway. This house wasn't like the one next door where she had left Gunfrey and Skout behind; the open window still had its leaden glass panes, and had been pushed open to allow them access, but it was clearly an occupied dwelling, and after peering through the open doorway into the hall beyond, the young man returned his attention to the room they were in— and the young female with him. "Priamber, but nobody really calls me that." He took a long moment to look her over from head to toe and back again, those bright blue eyes finally lingering on her ears. "Are those actually real? They're very cute. Makes me wanna scratch behind them, like a cat.." 

He was grinning, cockily teasing and flirting all at once, but meanwhile he moved to a nearby wardrobe and his hands had begun to rifle through it, searching for items of interest. What those hands found and liked got deposited into his pockets like distractions. "Her name was Lilith by the way," He explained casually. "Who they were talking about. Our former leader, Skout's former... Well, they were together, I hear." He shrugged as if it were of little difference to him.
Tim
Persephone eyed the male curiously as her large black ears twitched this way and that, listening closely to her surroundings. But it wasn't long till her eyes began to wander to the space around them, quickly realizing it was occupied and they would likely not be welcome. "Nice to meet you Priam." She nodded "I'm Persephone" She introduced herself, taking a few soft silent steps to get a better view into the hall beyond, and to listen to the rest of the home, searching for potential occupants. 

As he questioned about hear ears, they quickly flattened once more to blend back in with her hair. A look of surprise and embarrassment moved over her soft features having realized she had forgotten to keep them hidden. "Ugh..:. Yeah..." She muttered softly, unsure if she had just made a big mistake or not. But the young male seemed to not be bothered by them. And slowly she relaxed a bit once more. "Thank you" She smiled soon following his lead to swipe a few items she and skout could use to buy lodging later in the evening. 

The neko's movements were quick and quiet, allowing her to quickly shift though things with out calling any attention to herself. The house didn't sound currently occupied. But that didn't mean no one was there. "Hm?... Lilith?" The slender female turned to look over her shoulder at her new companion with a questioning gaze. "Why are they both concerned about her?" She questioned assuming the vast majority of people skout associated with could take care of themselves. The fact that skout and Lilith had once been an item didn't bother the little neko. It seemed the rogue was a lady killer of sorts and she was far from the first Persephone had heard of. "What are we doing here anyway?" She questioned pocketing a few trinkets and jewelry from a near by nightstand before turning to look over Priam once more.
Tamatha
Priamber chuckled at the Neko's temporary embarrassment, and after finishing his thievery, he returned to the door and disappeared through it, talking as he moved on. "This is an old fisherman merchant's house," He explained as he found another bedroom and began sacking it for valuables. "I searched it before old Gunny brought you here, nobody is home."

"As for Lilith," He continued with a shrug, "Nobody seems to know what happened to her. Seems she and Skout had dinner sort of disagreement, and she left just before he did."

He finished with a dresser, then paused, his attention caught by something he saw on her, and he padded over to her on quiet feet to reach out one hand to the thin black collar around her neck, hooking a finger beneath it to tug lightly. "She wore something like this, too," He noted. "Are you a slave? Or is this a fashion accessory where you come from?" He was half-grinning as he asked, as if only one of his answers were even possibly serious.
Tim
Persephone followed after Priam, glancing around the place curiously as she followed him into the next room. "That explains the smell then" She spoke in a soft tone, more to herself then anything. As they moved into the new space, she stopped in the doorframe, idly leaning against it as she watched her companion continue to take what he would. "Wonder what they were fighting about... Honestly could have been anything knowing skout" Again her voice trailed off as she let out a lazy sigh. She would have to ask him more about it later. 

As Priam moved toward her once more, Persephone stood straight, still not fully trusting the male. Her brows knit questioningly as her ears pinned back against her head once more. As he reached out to grab her collar, she took a half step back before feeling herself stopped by the familiar pull on the item in question. "Why would she wear a collar?" She questioned pulling back a bit in a polite effort to free herself. But his hold kept her in place. 

His question brought a soft pink to her cheeks, that honestly struck her as odd. She had never felt embarrassed about her status. But somehow Priam and this new world made her feel uneasy about it. "Why does it matter?" She questioned letting her grey eyes meet his challengingly.
Tamatha
Priam chuckled quietly at her display of embarrassment, letting his finger slip free from the collar after seeing her try to step back. He shrugged. "I've seen the slaves that come in from the jungle, wearing metal collars. I wouldn't want anyone to mistake *Me* For a slave." He shrugged one shoulder as he spoke in an offhanded tone, clearly not understanding that she actually *Was* A slave and that the collar actually *Wasn't* An accessory.

It didn't take long for the contents of the second room to become disinteresting to him, and he paused at the doorway, leaning against the frame, arms folded over his chest, watching her as she continued. His eyes explored all of her bodily assets and clearly enjoyed what he saw.

"As for Lilith? Who knows. One thing is for certain: she was definitely no slave of his. Supposedly they argued quite frequently. Some of the ladies in court wear them, but they're dainty, thin cloth types of things. Looks good I guess. Draws attention to pretty little necks." He shared another charismatic smile.

"So where do you fit into all of this, cat girl?" He asked with an arched eyebrow. "An apprentice of the scary master Skout?" His voice was exaggerated, as though he did not believe the stories that he might have heard regarding the man.
Tim
As his finger slipped free, Persephone pulled back with a soft huff "I can understand that. It's not an easy life" She shrugged idly going though a few items on top of the dresser. Things were certainly different in skout's world. It almost made her own seem so simple. But her had been closed to the possibilities of being a free woman then. Many things about the previous meek and blindly subservient neko had changed. For better or worse, new possibilities were open to her all because of the collar around her neck. 

"People here wear it as a fashion?" Persephone looked openly confused by the idea. This was certainly not something people did where she was from. Nor had she seen the accessory used purely for fashion. "Boy this place is strange..." She mused swiping a ring before idly settling against the dresser. Her grey eyes looked him over more fully before finally settling on his gaze. He was quite handsome. Even she couldn't deny that. And as he spoke once more she found herself pulled out of what ever fantasy she had let her mind slowly wander off to. 

"Hm?... Me?" She questioned with a look of surprise, narrowly missing the question all together. "Something like that" She chuckled shaking her head "Though I don't think he's quite so scary. But I wouldn't underestimate him if I were you." Perseohone let a sigh, unsure if she should reveal the true meaning of her collar. And as she pondered it, she cursed the soft churning of her stomach " I belong to skout" She stated simply, now furrowing her eyebrows as she wondered just why she danced around the subject "I suppose i should be thankful he found me when he did. He has taught me quite a few useful things" She smiled folding her arms over her chest as she remained idly leaned against the dresser.
Tamatha
The abrupt change from being vague to a direct admission to being Skout's property caught the young rogue by surprise, and it showed on his face. "*Belong* To him?" He echoed her words back to her in the form of a slow query, frowning as though disturbed. " Like... You're his property? That's no way to apprentice." He shook his head. "Who says? Does the king say he's allowed to own a cute little girl with cat ears? And where's the line form to sign up for them?" He asked in another half-laugh.

Eyeing her skeptically, he shook his head again. "I think someone is playing you for a fool sweetheart. C'mon, let me show you something." Turning from where she leaned against the dresser, he left the room and exited the house by the same way they had entered, but this time he climbed up unto the roof of the second building, then peered down to ensure that she was following.

It was not a long trip. He crossed two different rooftops to the corner of a building beside a huge granite gargoyle with its lion-like paws reared up in warning, and pointed down to the street below. It was a crowded market square, easily two or perhaps three times larger than the market in Tidehaven, completely flooded with people. "Take a good look around down there, kitty, and tell me what you see."

He gave her a moment to join him and look, even reaching out to put a protective hand on her waist as protection to keep her from falling. "Look closely," He said in a quieter voice, closer than before. "You won't find any collars down there. Cretaine is a free city. You won't see people walking about with slave collars on. Not human folk, anyway."
Tim
Persephone sighed softly as she looked over at the flabbergasted male before giving a soft nod of her head "I do" She confirmed his question standing up straight once more as she listened to him continue. She let his questions continue without an answer. Truly one wasn't needed. But as his cheeky grin game back with a playful quip, she wondered if he was actually taking her seriously. "I suppose if you wish to make the trip to Kizeorion yourself, you can have a genetically modified neko of your very own" She laughed at the thought before shaking her head. 

And as Priam confirmed her suppositions, she found herself following blindly once more. "No one is playing me for a fool" She assured him following close behind. As they moved her own movements would remain remarkably silent. This largely due in fact to her bare feet, but also to her nature and teachings from skout. As he moved she easily kept up. Though balance still remained a weak point for the slender female, she seemed quick and sure footed as she followed behind. 

As he lead her to look down over the market, she knit her brows, unsure just what he wished for her to see. "Ugh... People?" She questioned looking back at him with a bit of uncertainty. And as he directed her to look closely, she did her best to let her grey eyes focus on more details though still could not see what he was getting at. It wasn't long before he revealed the answer for her. A soft smile worked over her features as she realized what he was trying to say. But still he couldn't understand her situation. "That may be true Priam. But I am not human" She stated simply. "While you see my collar as a cage, I see it as safety and freedom in itself... I can't imagine you would understand" She shrugged knowing for a mortal in a mortal world it would be difficult to understand.
Tamatha
Priam's eyes squinted up in utter confusion and disbelief. "You *Want* To be his slave?" He shook his head slowly. "Why?" Was all that managed to come to his lips. "You don't have to answer to anyone here. The city is yours for the taking!" He gestured out around him with his free hand while his other still remained at her waist, which seemed to become more comfortable there. 

"Skout's a proper rogue, I'm sure, or at least so says Gunny and some of the others who knew him, but that doesn't give him the right to *Own* You, and if you really need to be owned... Sounds like you're just being a bit of a chicken, really. Wake up and smell the potential of what the world has to offer you. The Iron Maidens live like lords in this city, and this," He tapped a metal emblem of a silver crown at h is shoulder. "This means we're sanctioned by the king himself. Who's going to fuck with us?" He grinned.

Finally, he stepped back, his fingers sliding almost regretfully from where they had lingered at her waist. "You should come find me tonight. I'll be up there," He pointed to a cathedral tower about a block away, another story above where they stood, already two stories up. "Don't be afraid. I won't bite... But I might kiss." He grinned roguishly, his eyes gleaming. "I'm a thief, after all... So don't expect me to pay attention to who *Owns* You." 

With a final flash of a grin, Priam took another step backward and seemed to drop off the side of the building, but a quick glance down would reveal that there was a balcony below, but by the time she could look, there was no sign of him to be seen.
Tim
"The why is my own business" She stated simply, looking back at him "Besides, this city is a stranger to me. Who would even bother listening to a neko?" She giggled at the thought, still somewhat stuck in her old ways "Besides you said it yourself: only people have the luxury of not being owned around here. Don't worry yourself. I'm doing just fine" She laughed softly knowing it would be difficult for the male to accept. "Skout is a good man in his own right. I wouldn't be too worried about it Priam. Besides, I'm not an Iron Maiden. I'm just a neko with a few new tricks up her sleeve" She shrugged stepping back from the ledge as she felt his grip on her loosening before falling away all together. 

Grey eyes quickly looked to the cathedral tower then back at him once more. A soft giggle escaped her at the sheer stupidity of his words. But still, she was warming up to him. "And how do you know I don't bite?" She mused shaking her head "Wouldn't dream of it" 

And as her companion left her in what would seem like magic, the neko looked over the ledge for a brief moment before abandoning her short lived search to return to skout on the main floor of the dilapidated home. 

Amused by Priam, Persephone seemed to be in as good of a mood as ever as she wandered back into the room where the two older men continued to chat with one another. Still silent as ever, she found a quiet spot back on the windowsill and waited for the pair to finish so she and skout could continue out to the city.
Tamatha
By the time Persephone rejoined Skout and Gunfrey, the serious part of their conversation had long since finished and the two had descended into more pleasant conversation. Skout greeted her with the invitation of a welcoming arm, which he wrapped around her waist and pulled her in against him. He smiled at her as if to say he knew she had wandered off and that he was okay with it, but said nothing to her about it then and there.

"I think perhaps it's time for us to make our exit," He announced to the older-looking man. "I'll poke around and see what I can find," He promised.

"And I'll let ya know 'bout the researcher you're lookin' fer," Gunfrey agreed with a nod. The old man turned and began on his way out the back side of the building, while Skout began to lead Persephone back out the front as they had entered.

Only then did he cast a second knowing look at his neko. "Have yourself a bit of fun, did you? I hope you didn't wander off too far. Let's go find us an inn. It seems that we have work to do, darlin."

The inn in question turned out to be a very small place tucked away at the back of narrow street that butted up against one of the outer city walls called Quilt and Spindle. It wasn't much of an inn; Skout had certainly chosen better places to reside, but it *Was* Quiet, and he was quick to point out from the bedroom window that it not only provided an excellent view of the street outside the inn, but also access to the rooftops on either side of the meandering street. 

"Doesn't do us any good to be seen coming and going from the front door if we're trying keep a low profile while we're here," He explained as they peered out the window together. Standing behind her, his hands roamed up her sides, teasing just short of tickling as his fingers explored her. "We have some time to kill before it gets dark," He admitted with a small grin, "And I'm not exactly feeling tired just yet..."
Tim
Persephone remained in her place at the window until skout beckoned her closer. She smiled softly, quickly getting up from where she was idly leaning to trot over to his side. Feeling herself quickly pulled in, she happily closed the distance to rest her slender frame against his. Skout's silent communication was not lost on her as she gave a playful wrinkle of her nose as if to playfully validate his silent statement. 

The little neko perked up at the thought of leaving the house to venture out into the city. But what each man would be looking into or for what purpose remained a mystery. 

With all current business concluded, the neko happily left the house with skout to wander down the street once more. "I did" She confirmed with a nod, stopping momentarily to look into a shops window before abandoning what ever curiosity had caught her eye, to catch back up to her companion. "No, we didn't go too far. I'm sure I would have gotten lost in a city this big" She joked, now back to her bubbly mood as she explored the unfamiliar scenery. "Do you know Priam?" She questioned curiously, wanting to know more about the young male. 

It didn't seem to take long till they were at the inn. The neko knit her brow at the less then impressive place. But it wasn't the first time the pair had stayed in such accommodations. And as they finally made their way up to their new lodgings, it became more apparent why skout had picked the place "I see. Guess there's a lot more for me to learn" She giggled looking out the window to get acquainted with possible escape routes. 

As she felt his fingers move over her sides, a shiver of delight moved though her slender frame. She hummed happily, glancing back at him over her shoulder as her hands remained at the windowsill "Then I suppose we should find a way to kill some time. " She cooed in a playful tone.
Tamatha
"Only that Gunfrey said he was a good kid," Skout answered regarding Priam. "What do *You* Think of him?"

 His armored jacket came free with the unbuckling of three straps, and after shrugging out of it, he left the rest to her while he focused on removing hers. "I think I still owe you for the last time you stole from me," He growled warningly as pulled her naked form down onto the bed beside him, and his arousal at the mere sight and touch of her was quite evident. Rolling atop her, he grinned down, teasing with his mouth at her mouth, neck, and chest. "Tell me I don't need to keep you leashed in Cretaine, Perse," He said in a slightly worried tone in the moments when his mouth wasn't occupied with her flesh. "This city seems to devour people..."