<span style="font-style: italic"> Johan </span><br/><br/>Johan's appearance in the common area is immediately rewarded with a smug little smirk from Naji, as if to remind him (or maybe try to convince herself) that 'she almost had him last night'. Tayna, for her part, shifts her attention from Lea to Johan, her lips spreading into a smile that revealed pearly white teeth. Johan's own limited interaction with the strange fox put him at a bit of a disadvantage, though Rylee had mentioned her more than a few times in the past. She was what one could consider a 'spy', perceptive, had contacts, and quite skilled at infiltration. However, her true strength came from her martial abilities - using her entire body as a weapon. Far more fierce and relentless than her shorter stature might imply, and in turn, that made others underestimate her. Whilst certainly not a 'prize fighter' like Julora, she was nonetheless a jack of all trades, and a master of more than a few of them. Most importantly, for Rylee at least, was that she was loyal, completely and utterly. Also eccentric. Incredibly so, when the mood struck. Yeah, that had been something he'd mentioned more than once. 'Quirks' was about the nicest way he could have put it.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"> Stupid primal! She was quick. The fox-types always were. Yet, she was on the defensive. You swung your enormous axe once more, missing spilling her open by a hair's breadth, and she backpedaled again, always on the defensive. These weak little things didn't even know hot to attack properly, and yet they somehow commanded a presence on the battlefield?! HAH!<br/><br/>Another swing, another just-miss, and suddenly, she was lunging forwards, dipping beneath the the irreversible momentum of your mighty swing, her long, slender blade driving right into your thigh. It hurt, but more than anything, it made you mad! How in the hell had she done that?! The wound itself was inconsequential, even if she'd hit an artery, the wound would close back up pretty quickly. It was the fact she'd hit you that was appalling! A single jab, and she danced back, baiting you, urging you to swing again so that she could find another tiny opening to strike, wearing you down. Primals were annoying.<br/><br/>Good thing she was so focused on you. She never saw your own clansmate striding up behind her, his enormous axe swinging right for her vulnerable spine...<br/><br/>Thwack! </span><br/><br/>The sudden, strange flash of memory was altogether brief, a mish-mash of images that flooded across Johan's mind. Was the memory triggered simply because of Tayna's appearance, or was there something else to it? Just as quickly as it had appeared, it is gone, and yet Johan FEELS something inside of him trying to...talk? Or break out? Fight? Who knew. Yet, even that urge quickly subsides, and Johan quickly regains control.<br/><br/>Entirely in the dark of what strange thoughts had transpired, Naji draped an arm over the backside of her chair (likely to put her stomach a little more 'on display'), that smug little smirk only seeming to grow ever more...well, smug "No. She must have squirmed for hours, woke me up a few times - not that I'm complaining - but about six or seven hours in, she seemed to give up. Y'know, never thought half-orc would taste good...but I think I like it." Drumming her other hand upon her globulous middle, Naji continued, her tone turning a little more serious "You all had a rough day yesterday, and I hardly did anything. I figured I'd let you get a bit of extra sleep. I actually enrolled Yumina to go with me. Didn't entirely trust her, of course, but it worked out fine. Speaking of, the cat is gone. I offered to let her stay, or at least speak with you about it, but it seems you wounded her pride a bit when you trounced her." Patting the little pouch at her side that carried the 'general funds' for the group, and some of the smaller items, like potions, Naji smiled thinly at the clink of coinage "We're set up pretty good for basic supplies and travel, now, so I gave her a few coins to get her started. She wished to send regards to the troop for the whole...not killing her thing. Said something about finding a way to help us in the future." She shrugs "Likely won't ever see her again."<br/><br/>As Johan's hand lightly pats Naji's stomach, he indeed finds it to be still, though there's certainly something solid still in there. No doubt it would take Naji the rest of the day and well into the next morning to completely digest her meal, but she looked...different, somehow. A little less skinny, a little less sickly looking. Whatever the case, looks like 'dinner' had done her a world of good.<br/><br/>When Naji's report finishes, Tayna steps right in, her voice upbeat and melodic "Two! I think three would have made me pop. Julora kinda put me up to it, teasing me. As for helping me with it..." She flashes a toothy little smile, eyeing the hand already upon her stomach with a half-lidded gaze "...who am I to say no to a belly rub? An' yeah...these two are actually part of the reason I'm here..." Her voice suddenly turns serious, her bright mood darkening "It's for everyone's ears, though you can spread it however you wish. Big things happening in Two Rivers. BIG things. As you may have already heard, it's likely the biggest well we've ever seen, or that has ever been recorded. Needless to say, there's plenty of power-hungry people vying for it, and we got a job to claim it. A big job. A job big enough to keep the entire company in splendor for a solid five years, if not more. Buy us new arms, maybe even an official estate to settle down and train proper, a recruitment headquarters. The sum is..." She chews on her bottom lip, clearly trying to keep her excitement at a manageable level "...extreme. Part of the problem, though, is just how many people like us are vying for the same thing. There must be ten or twelve major companies there, and twice that in minor ones, hoping to be absorbed into the larger groups, or paid to run interference. Things have gotten rough." Tilting her head to the side, Tayna pulled a lock of hair away from her neck, revealing a vicious cut that ran from just behind and below her ear, down across her neck, and along the top of her shoulder "People are getting brazen. We were attacked in broad daylight by a minor company. Nothing we couldn't handle of course." Letting her hair fall back into place, she gives her stomach a little, satisfied pat, ears suddenly flattening flush against the top of her head as another shift from her stomach leaves her briefly squirming. Collecting herself, and taking a deep breath, she continued "So, he wants you to get back there ASAP. Within two weeks if you can. We have some feelers out for others who might be interested in working with us, and he'd like you to see if you can persuade a couple. We're at a time limit here....some of the big companies are eventually going to get ballsy and make a move, and from then on, it's likely to be a literal bloodbath."<br/><br/>"So. The ideeeeeeee!" Her voice suddenly cuts off in a little, surprised cry, her toes splaying out and her thighs stretching outwards...and Johan can feel why. One of the two in there suddenly started squirming HARD, a muffled voice - impossible to understand - crying out something. He can feel someone pressing out from the inside, feel them straining against the taut flesh, and it's a good five or six seconds before whoever it was finally gives back in with a whimper, leaving Tayna's face flushed with delight "Idea..." She continues, her voice sounding more like a moan than actual words. Swallowing hard and taking a deep breath to steady herself, Tayna lazily droops down a little bit lower into her chair "Ahem. Idea! Yeah. So, the idea is getting you there before things go down. Now, I've already looked around a bit, and your options are a bit limited. You could head north through the jungle...dangerous, but quick. You'd likely make it there in ten or twelve days if you really pushed it, which would give you a little time to look into things. If you go that route, you'll have to be wary of the animals. Enormous crocodiles, snakes, that sort of thing, plus there's some tribal folks in there that really dislike trespassers. Option number two!"<br/><br/>She holds up two fingers "You charter a ship. Only saw one in the harbor, so your pickings might be a little slim. Can bet it won't be free, either. I wish we had the money to pay, but camp costs and paying everyone hasn't really kept us in the big money yet. I dunno, maybe you can broker a deal with the captain, if you decide to do that. Option three, you head west and then north around the jungle...but you're traveling days out of your way. Unless you can pick up some horses, and really push it, not a chance you'll make it within two weeks. You'd be lucky to do three. Of course, it's also pretty safe out west."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"> Johan and Lea </span><br/><br/>"Ultimately, up to you how you get there. The earlier you arrive, though, the better preparations that can be made. Also, be wary of attack in the city itself. People are gunning for groups like ours, especially if they find us separated for one reason or another." Satisfied that the information she'd given was about as sound as it could get, Tayna serious demeanor instantly drops, and her face brightens up considerably, furry ears perking "I see the new hiree found you, too!" Shifting her gaze from Johan to Lea, Tayna flashes another wide grin, bright teeth glittering in the early morning sunlight that peeked in through the windows "You nailed it! I'm with the group, and...now you are! You'll be under Johan's immediate command, which is only overshadowed by something from me, Julora, or Rylee himself. Sorry I didn't get to meet you in person, but I heard about you, and your description. Easy to put one and one together! I get out alot, scout around, that sort of thing, so it's not too terribly often I'm just...IMMEDIATELY available."<br/><br/>"So, Johan. Meet your newest subordinate. Lea! You already know the drill. Everyone gets a fair say, but ultimately you have to put the general ideas from the group into context and decide on a course of action."  Lea's look was not at all lost on Tayna, and for a moment, the foxgirl once more refocuses her attention on the human girl, chewing on her bottom lip. Good gods, why could she have not been in that tent with her EARLIER?! The look in her eyes was clear, and something she'd have jumped on in a second...if she had the time "Unfortunately...I don't have the time for a bath, as much as I'd love one. Trust me. I'd REALLY love one. I'll end up sticking around for a little bit, just to relax, but I have to get back pretty soon. I haven't slept in a day and a half, and I'm exhausted - but I have to be nearby." Fishing around in a little pouch at her side, she withdraws a small, porcelain figurine shaped like a man holding a scroll. The head had been snapped off, but the body remained intact - something Johan recognized instantly. He'd seen both Julora and Tayna use them before, to get quickly to places...though they were expensive, and generally only used for emergencies. Certainly more expensive than the messenger tokens the group used to send messages - something he'd have to pick up more of, once he met up with the others in Two Rivers.<br/><br/>"A little time to digest, a nice bath..." Tayna heaves a heavy sigh "...Oh geez, I want it so much. Not in the cards today, though. An' if you'd met me before, you'd have been fine. I don't bite too hard..." She gives Lea a 'look', eyes glimmering with ill concealed "...unless I'm asked to. An' seeing as Johan is still here, I guess Naji hasn't bitten hard enough yet, either." A sudden fit of giggles erupts from the fox, and she playfully nudges Johan's inner-thigh with a bare foot "I will never understand you two, but hey...whatever is good for morale!"