<span style="font-style: italic">The raccoon's demeanor is improved by two levels relative to Yasha, whose 9 gets a raise. This raccoon, like many NPCs, has a custom edge which raises the TN when using social checks improved by attractiveness, 'Pragmatic'. Although she is theoretically interested in all genders and species, she considers the attractiveness of strangers less important than how they might benefit her. Thus, with a TN of 6 on those rolls invoking charisma, only Celrie's overwhelming charm manages to get 2 raises and increase the demeanor by 3 levels.</span><br/><br/>Yasha's bold statements come as a surprise to the striped-furred female. She cocks her head to the side and for a moment seems angry - but a practiced eye like Yasha's thinks she's much more nervous about all these prying questions than actually insulted. "W-what do you mean 'concrete', squirrely? The damn bridge is out! It's... it's fallen down, or something! What's to tell? Who am I? Who are YOU?"<br/><br/>The name 'Redtail' seems to make something of an impression on her though. "Redtail? Like the... ahhh-" she stutters a moment then shrugs. "Well it don't matter, we're just here to help you out anyway! And sorry for not introducing myself proper - it's Maribel, Maribel Fenton. Lot of my kin are making a stop here for trade, and, y'know, to help the owners out with this and that. Fixin things, findin things... Oh! And did I say we had more information? Ahhh.... well... oh, right, I remember now! There was a flood, the bridge got flooded! Isn't safe to go over like that! Just hunker down here for a lil' bit and I'm sure it'll pass by mornin'!"<br/><br/>The raccoon's eyes then bug out as she takes a good look at Celrie and hears of her plight - she is stunned for a half-second and even at such a distance, her gaze is full of worry and guilt."O-oh! Of course! I'm so very sorry, m'beauty!" she says sympathetically, folding her ears in contrition. "You just wait there and try and keep warm, I'll have some proper furs out to you in a jiff, and, uh, I think maybe I can go ahead and get that barricade cleared, since we've given you our warning now! In fact, I bet word that the bridge is clear will be coming any minute now!" 'Maribel' immediately takes off running in the direction of the train hangar, skipping lightly over the uneven terrain with long bounds and sometimes even leaning forward to use her hands to scamper over tree-stumps as well.<br/><br/>However, the particular route she chooses takes her past the train - and in her haste, she nearly runs right into Sairif and Cassandra, whom she'd overlooked while tossing glances back at Celrie. She skids to a halt and her big ringed tail hits the ground with an audible thump. She's quite speechless for a minute in response to Cassandra's forceful demands. "Who are - what -" despite being well-furred and adapted to the cold, Cassandra detects a shudder running through her. Being from among frontiersfolk, a demand voiced in quiet confidence is jarring to her. She looks Cassandra up and down, but doesn't linger - the bat and her courtier have the impression she's more frightened and curious than won over by them. Already rattled by Celrie's charms and Yasha poking her story full of holes, she takes a big gulp. "Listen, you... I... I can't just go and answer that, exactly...." she says, trailing off. "Ohhhh! HELL! Okay, okay, maybe I will - just... tell your friend Redtail to stay calm, and you do the same!"<br/><br/>Maribel scampers back over to where Celrie and Arcea are standing, flicking her tail nervously. Alexis gives a very hard look to Arcea. "Grrr... What's going on here? You'd better not have anything to do with this, kitty-cat!" Her tail visibly bristles and her cute face furrows in anger. Maribel focuses on Celrie herself though. "Ok, when I said we were workin' for the trading post owners, that wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth neither. See, we came to a little understanding with them to look the other way while we, ahh, do a little unauthorized tax collecting and salvaging. Parts from hovertrains, jewelry, tools, whatever we can get. Sometimes one or two we figure we can get a ransom for. Ohhh, damn it, damn it!" she stamps her feet in the snow nervously, backing away from the group once again. "I'm gonna catch hell for telling you all this! But I'd hate to see a rare beauty like her get hurt in the crossfire... and for that matter, I don't want our clan to get a reputation as dirty bounty hunters for taking out a pirate captain. We try to abide by honor among thieves as far as we can! In just a few minutes though, my cousin and uncle are goin' to be coming on out here. I'll try and convince them to back off this time, but if I were you all, I'd just blast that blockade out of the way - the bridge is fine, that was all a lie."<br/><br/>Maribel tosses a nervous sidelong glance over her shoulder back at the station. "I wouldn't stick around for the 'hunt' if I was you all, an' I don't just say that cause I don't want my kin walking into an ambush. There's a lot of us - er, of them - and we came loaded up pretty heavy... and in fact it might already be too late. Five minutes was what they gave me. Listen, why don't you just send me out with a few valuables and trinkets from in there and I'll tell 'em you paid us off to avoid trouble, but you're still pretty well-defended? I reckon I could get them to listen to me!"<br/><br/>Meanwhile, Sairif and Sevana keeping a sharp eye out proves warranted - in both directions, from the north by the treeline and the southeast by the train station. Sairif spots a couple of smallish, roughly 4-foot tall figures wearing cloaks perfectly dyed to blend in with the white-and-brown terrain dash out and take cover. After a pause of five seconds, a couple of larger figures, also in camo, start crawling their way stealthily out of the station on all fours.<br/><br/>Where Sevana's eyes swept across the treeline, she was pretty sure she saw a few rustles of movement in the underbrush, but they were subtle... at first, at least. Then there was a distant crunch and something huge (at least 10-feet tall) moved. Sevana didn't have a clear line of sight, but she could see flashes of thick limbs covered (or made of?) rusted metal. Like those by the hangar, they seem to be inching their way into position... between the figures in the forest and those advancing from the trading post, these assailants have both directions of train track covered.