Farewells and Reunions
#14 of A Slave's Tail
The party had ended rather quickly after the unexpected visit by the rebels. Zazan and Mizoo had been the last of the nobles to leave, deciding to stay and badger Darrius over the loss of the Royal Guard's horses. At last their uncle, Sir Zola had threatened to beat the pair black and blue if they didn't go. The Empress and her daughter had waited
until the nobles were gone and left, accompanied by their now horseless guards.
Later that evening Van found himself in the front study with Lord Clang. The old coyote had also invited Inga, Olaf, Gunter, Talon, and Walter to join them. The group sat around for a small while, idly chatting about the events of that evening and sipping on some fresh coffee Inga had brewed whilst the caterers were packing up. At last Darrius put his cup down and looked seriously at the group.
"I asked you all here for a reason." The nobleman announced, standing up and walking over toward the fireplace. "As you all know, I have been planning on leaving, giving the estate and all my industries over to young Van here." They all nodded. "I have already made arrangements to procure an airship, and will be leaving tomorrow at noon." There was a moment of silence. They had all known this was coming for the past three years, but somehow none of them seemed truly prepared for it, as if keeping it out of their thoughts would have somehow kept it from happening. "I shall miss all of you dearly." The coyote continued, "I think of you not as servants, nor even as friends. Over the years you have all become FAMILY to me. I have even thought about not going through with this, to stay here and continue on. But I know that I would never be able to do that. I would simply be killing myself slowly. My heart beats with the same nomadic and adventurous spirit as my noble ancestors." Clang stopped, seeming to choke up a little, "But I promise that I shall return. I will come back to visit and I will write to you. This is and has always been my home. But I can no longer allow it to be my prison as well. I do not worry for you, as I know that I leave you in the hands of a noble and kind Lord, who will continue to make me proud." The older male turned and looked at Vanamee, smiling lovingly. "I had a couple of things I wished to discuss with you all before I go." Darrius announced, turning his back to the group and looking deep into the flickering orange flames of the fireplace.
Vanamee looked over at Inga, interested to see how she was reacting. Strangely enough he could detect no signs of real sorrow on her face, only a sort of patient curiosity. The wolf turned his attention to the others, finding each and every face subdued and somber.
"Firstly I would like to tell you all that I shall not be leaving on this trip alone." At that the group paused, looking back and forth between themselves. "I will be bringing Inga with me."
"INGA?" Gunter exclaimed in shock, every face turning to the pretty mare to find her smiling sheepishly.
"I asked her earlier this evening if she would give me the honor of her company on my journey. She agreed." Darrius explained. Inga stood up then, walking over and putting a gentle hand on the noble's shoulder.
"I can think of no place I would rather be than by your side my lord." The lovely equine cooed, Darrius turning to face her, silhouetting them both in the soft light of the fire.
"But... but what about us Aunt Inga?" Olaf contested, looking very hurt by this news.
"I'll be back to visit." Inga sighed, looking over at he nephew with a kind and loving smile, "I promise. And besides, you're a full grown stallion now! You'll have plenty of work around the house to keep you busy."
"Actually..." Van interrupted, leaning forward and glancing down to the other side of the red couch on which both sat, "I've made arrangements for you to start attending the Imperial Scholars Academy." The wolf informed him, "I was saving it as a surprise." Olaf sat in dumbfounded silence, staring blankly back at the new Lord Clang.
"But father! The work..." Olaf protested, but the lupine held up one white paw, silencing him.
"I have already discussed this with your father." The wolf announced.
"Aye." Gunter interjected, "And I consent to it. Lord Clang is offering you a mighty fine opportunity here and it would be incredibly foolish to turn it down."
"But..." Olaf continued, struggling to find his words, "Why?"
"Because you are too bright to sit around here and waste away working for me." Van retorted, shaking his head, "Talon agrees. You were always the better student between us and the way you took to learning was always something I envied you for. You'll make an excellent scholar one day, but not if you stagnate here." Olaf looked down at the floor for a moment, staying quiet, "Besides," Van added, "You can board here at the manor and have Walter drive you into the city for your classes."
"I also have a suggestion to add." Talon piped up, "Since young Olaf is going to be receiving such quality tutelage, perhaps he might serve as a new tutor to young Master Clang?" Olaf looked over at the owl curiously.
"A capital idea Talon!" Vanamee laughed, "That way you can even earn a little coin for yourself Olaf." Van's friend was speechless for a moment. At last he smiled.
"I don't know how I could ever thank you enough Lord..." Olaf began, but with a quick frown from the wolf, he quickly corrected, "Van..."
"No need to thank me." The lupine answered, his tail wagging as he saw the happiness this news brought his friend. There was a general agreement from the others as well.
"I have one last thing I would like to say." Darrius exclaimed, walking over to the far, shadowy corner of the room where a large, rectangular box had sat, unnoticed for most of the night. The coyote picked the parcel up, carrying back over into the light of the fire, handing it over to the younger wolf. Van looked at the package curiously for a moment, then at last opened it, revealing a blue scabbard. "I know how much you admire that blade." The coyote chuckled as he saw the wolf's face light up, "So I went and had that made for you. It's genuine blue drake scales and Imperial steel." Van turned the lovely scabbard over in his hands, examining it in the dim light. The young noble could see the intricate pattern of diamond hard blue scales that ran up and down it, held in place by an intricate lacing of shiny steel. It was absolutely beautiful.
"Thank you uncle!" The young canine exclaimed, smiling happily at the coyote. Darrius' tail wagged behind him like a young pup as he saw the look of joy on Vanamee's face. The old noble turned, reaching up above the fireplace and taking down the masterful sword, handing it over to Van.
"I never was much for swords and such, but I supposed that since you like it so much you may want to carry it around with you." Clang laughed, looking pleased as his nephew took the blade, a look of awe on his face as he gently slid it into the new scabbard. The lupine boy looked up at Lord Clang, his smile infinitely brighter than the firelight. The group sat around for a while longer, laughing and joking and drinking coffee. At last the old grandfather clock in the downstairs hallway struck 2am and they all decided to turn in for the night.
Van went up to his room, leaving the sword and his new scabbard sitting on the couch. The lupine's white furred paw moved restlessly about in his pocket, feeling the smooth paper envelope that was hidden there. As soon as he got to his room, he turned, locking the door behind him, and lit one of the candles that were kept atop his dresser. Taking the white, flickering candle, he placed it into a small, brass candleholder and carried it across the room, sitting it down atop the wooden desk that Lord Clang had made Gunter move into the room for Van to use. The wolf pulled the envelope down, pulled over the room's lone wooden chair and took a seat. In the dim light of that burning, wax tower, he opened the envelope's seal and pulled out a neatly folded letter. The handwriting was small and impeccably neat.
"Dear Master Van Clang," The note began, "If you are reading this, it means that I have found you to be sympathetic to my cause, and more importantly a trustworthy man. I am sure you were given the chance to see the 'allies' I spoke to you of. These brave young men and women are unwaveringly devoted to the cause of ending the practice which has for so long been allowed to cast its wicked shadow over the Empire. Their leader is a young rabbit named Edwin La'Lap and it was he who first suggested that we approach you as an ally. Your uncle has long been a supporter of our cause, donating great sums of money to our cause." The young wolf paused here. Lord Clang had never mentioned anything about this to him, and while it was true that the wolf wasn't always informed about the coyote's business, he thought for certain that Darrius would have mentioned something like that to him before now. "I'm sure your uncle has kept you on the dark about these dealings," The letter continued, "being uncertain how you might respond and wishing to allow you a chance to make up your own mind. I doubt that after tonight I will be at liberty to leave the palace without arising my mother's suspicions, but I will send my handmaiden to meet with you tomorrow night. If you are with us, go to 'The Last Friendly Home', a tavern in the Rodent's Den just after midnight. She will be waiting for you there, along with Mr. La'Lap. Be careful that you aren't followed young Lord, as we can little afford to lose you or our rabbit friend. When you get there, simply tell the bartender that you are there to meet a friend of a friend! Long live the Empire and long live the Underground. Your friend, Princess Christa Talrasa."
The wolf sighed, looking over the letter a second time before finally putting it down. He sat there, silent in the dim and eerie light of the now tiny candle. He could hardly believe how things were playing out, as though they were guided by fate itself. He had certainly made his mind up to help The Underground and the princess in any way he could, yet something still dug at him from the back of his mind. The wolf kept thinking of Kura, trapped in the hands of that awful Lord Vasa, and he knew he couldn't simply leave her there.
Vanamee had a restless sleep that night, kicking and whining as he rolled about in his bed, haunted by his dreams. The wolf was in a dark place, naked and trapped inside of a cage. All about him he could see the dim outline of dozens of people, looking down at the nude, trapped wolf. Van whimpered and curled into a ball, trying to hide himself from their critical gaze. Outside he suddenly noticed a familiar face. It was Kura, and beside of her stood Zeke.
"Hey there little buddy!" The husky greeted, a terrifying and cold smile on his face, "Thought I'd bring Kura by to see you!" In his dream, Vanamee rushed up to the cage bars, holding them in his hand as he looked out at the beautiful white wolfess. She looked so small and helpless next to the husky and the look of pain and sorrow on her face made the young canine want to cry. "Want to come out boy?" Zeke taunted, walking up in front of the cage and gently toying with the latch.
"Let me out! Let me out of here you bastard!" The wolf growled, snarling up at the burly husky. Lord Vasa merely laughed at the young canine.
"Well!" The husky jeered, "It looks like you need to be taught a lesson!" The noble opened the door to the cage. Van immediately lunged at him in a rage, only to find that he was suddenly in the grasp of two of the others who had been standing around his cage. "How about we start by letting you and my friends here put on a show for our cute little Kuramee?" Zeke snickered as the other males threw the young wolf atop the cage. He started to struggle, only to find that the shadowy figures were holding his arms and legs so tight he couldn't move a muscle.
He started to yell something out, but one of the figures slunk over in front of him, pushing something warm and hard in his mouth. As the canine got a taste of hot, salty liquid, he realized that the shadow person had put their penis in his mouth. The wolf blushed a bright red and tried to pull away, but the mysterious other was holding his head, forcing him to hold still as he began to thrust in and out. The shadow was rough, slamming their throbbing shaft deep into Van's throat each time before pulling back to do it again. Meanwhile, the wolf could feel his legs being lifted by one of the other shadows. The wolf let out a moan, knowing what was coming. He could already feel the other shadow's cock tip pressing against his sensitive tail hole. The shadow in his mouth was thrusting very hard now, their black, furry orbs slamming into the wolf's nose with each powerful hump.
Just as the shadow person behind him thrust forward, slamming their meat deep into the young wolf's ass, the one in his mouth silently came, spurting hot, salty cum into the boy's mouth and forcing him to swallow. The shadow pulled back, spurting a couple more ropes across the wolf's face before stepping away. The one at his ass began thrusting their slimy cock in and out of the boy's rear, making him moan loudly as the shadow slammed his prostate like a jackhammer. Vanamee managed to sneak a small peak at Kuramee, feeling tears run down his face as he noted the look of disgust on the wolfess' face. Before he could even call out to her however, another shadow moved into position, guiding his cock into the wolf's waiting mouth. The shadow in his ass was nearly ready to blow, and judging by the presence of the growing knot on his cock, he was canine. Vanamee screamed around the shadow cock in his mouth as the one behind him finally gave one last, hard thrust forward, forcing that knot into the wolf's tight ass. Van sobbed as he felt the shadow's burning cum fill his bowels, the sensation being so nice. The lupine could feel his own cock cumming, spurting seed out onto his belly. He hadn't even noticed that he was getting hard.
"See Kura?" Zeke taunted cruelly, "What a pitiful wretch he is! Look how much he likes to get mounted by other males!" The white furred canine girl gave Van another look, her face the same sad, pitying one he remembered. Vanamee let out another scream as the shadow in his ass suddenly pulled out, ripping his knot free from the helpless wolf.
"You're right Zeke." She sighed, turning around and giving Van her back, "Let's go." The canine boy felt his heart break right then.
"NO! KURA COME BACK!" Vanamee screamed, suddenly finding himself sitting up in his own bed, drenched in a cold sweat. The wolf sat there in the darkness for a moment, panting heavily. Would she really feel that way? If and when he rescued her from Zeke's clutches, could she ever look past what the lupine had done? What had been done to him? Van shook his head. It didn't matter. He had made a promise and no matter how she felt about him afterwards, he would keep it!
The next day, at around noon, Van Olaf and Gunter stood at the front gate, waving their fond farewells to Lord Clang, Inga, and Talon (Whom had hitched a ride with the couple back to the city).
"What now?" Olaf asked, looking over at Van, the wolf's gaze still fixed on the steadily vanishing carriage.
"Now?" Vanamee sighed, turning to look at his friend, "Now I have to make a few calls. Is the extra horse ready?"
"That old grey mare?" Gunter answered, his voice possessing its usual monotone calmness, "Yes my lord. I saddled her and shoed her earlier, just as you asked."
"Thank you Gunter." The canine responded with a laugh, smiling at the horse's sudden formality, "You know, for a man who spanked me with a switch no more than a month ago, you certainly have taken to calling me lord rather quickly." The older stallion chuckled, nodding silently before walking off towards the barn.
"What exactly are you going out to do?" Olaf inquired, watching his father as he left.
"I have to stop by some of Lord Clang's business partners and the main office down by the docks, just to let everyone know that I'll be handling things while my *Ahem* uncle is away." Van told him, turning and walking toward the barn as well.
It took the next hour to reach Crown City by horseback, the young nobleman even passed Walter on his way back to Clang Estate, giving the ageing human a friendly wave as they passed along the dirt road that connected the two areas. At last Vanamee found himself marching through the massive southern gate, the imposing iron-barred portal that controlled all traffic entering and leaving the city's south side. As he rode through the gate he looked up at the tall and stately, blue stone walls that surrounded the ancient metropolis, the city guards walking slowly along it like ants atop a log. The few red armored individuals who noticed him were quick to stand at attention and give him a courteous nod as he passed. The wolf forced a smile in return and hurried on his way.
The south gate led directly to the business district, the walled in section of the old town that contained the offices of most of the major businesses and contractors, along with a few stores that catered to them and a handful of warehouses. Leave the district to the north and you found yourself in the Bum's pit, to the west was the Rodent's den, the two poorest sections of the city. But here, in this center of commerce and business, the wolf could see only opulence and masterfully built structures. Everywhere he looked he could see the elegant arches and columns that seemed to be such a staple of Imperial architecture, washed in the purest whites, reds, blues and the occasional grey, that money could buy. The office of "The Western Trade and Shipping Company", the prosperous and wealthy business that belonged to the Clang family, sat squarely in the middle of the district, on the edge of a beautiful city park.
The building was old, that was for sure, but it was no less gorgeous than any of the newer buildings down the street from it, and the view of the winding cobblestone paths and fountains that stood in the green, lush park across the street made it prime real-estate. The wolf dismounted, tying his horse up to one of the oak hitching posts that stood along the side of the street by the building and climbed the short, stone stairs that led to the double-doored entrance to the office. Inside the wolf found a large open room with several individuals sitting at their desks diligently copying and checking invoices and memos. At the far side of the room stood a long ear in a ruffled white shirt with a tight fitting red vest, adjusting his glasses and happily looking over a long inventory list. As the wolf stepped into the room he looked up, adjusting his oddly shaped spectacles with one light orange furred paw.
"Ah! Master Clang I presume?" The hare exclaimed, setting the list down and standing to greet him. The busy workers stopped for a moment, looking up to get a glimpse of the new arrival before going back about their work just as quickly. "To what do I owe the honor of your visit?" Vanamee gave a smile in reply, adjusting his suit, a smart looking grey piece that Lord Clang had ordered for him along with the one he had worn for the party the previous evening.
"I actually came here to deliver a bit of news," Van replied, taking his tophat off as he offered the lapine his hand to shake. The long ear took it eagerly, giving him a brisk shake as he looked down to the wolf quizzically. The young canine still found it odd to be looking UP at a rabbit, but reminded himself that the one long ear he had ever gotten to know was Edwin, and he had been an island rabbit. "My uncle has taken the opportunity to go on holiday and I'll be handling the business until what time he returns."
"Oh?" The hare answered, looking knowingly at the wolf, "I gather that his leave of absence is not for any predetermined amount of time?" Van simply gave a polite laugh in answer.
"I'm sure you have some experience working with my uncle Mr...?" The lupine pressed.
"Marley. Jacob Marley!" The long ear finished.
"Yes." Vanamee continued, putting on the disinterested airs that he knew was expected from someone of his station, "As I was saying Mr. Marley, you must have some experience with my uncle, and as you must well know, he is given to pursuing his fancy no matter what anyone else may think or say and his interests change as quick as the wind." Marley nodded in agreement.
"Quite right my lord." He concurred, "Then so be it." The rabbit turned to address the other workers, raising his hand for emphasis. "Everyone! Everyone! Your attention please?!" Jacob shouted, waiting until the employees had stopped before continuing, "This is Van Clang! Old Lord Clang's nephew, and until further notice, he will be making the decisions around here!" The desk workers seemed to take about as much interest in the news as they would have if a bug had crawled across the floor and went quickly back to their duties.
"Enthusiastic lot aren't they?" Van chuckled, somewhat glad for their lack of interest. He still didn't feel right holding the title of "Lord" and being expected to look down on others.
"About their work?" Mr. Marley sighed, "Very much so my lord. Not much for formal niceties and what not though." The wolf shrugged, taking a quick look over the office.
"The way I understand it," The nobleman said, "my uncle never really did much here? Left most of the small time decisions to you I suppose?" The rabbit nodded, looking over to his desk, a veritable jungle of papers, letters, and loose pens and stamps.
"Yes." Jacob admitted, "Although I must say that I wouldn't mind a more... direct sort of management in the future. Bloody hard to form a long term business plan when your employer is never here to consult." Van turned to the rabbit and nodded.
"I would imagine." The wolf replied coolly, "I'll be certain to make a habit of dropping in more often than my dear uncle did. For starters I would like you to try and procure a new boat for us."
"A new ship?" The hare quizzed him, an excited look in his eyes, "Might I inquire why we need a new one? We already have four galleons and six clipper ships."
"I just need a small one." The wolf answered, skirting around the rabbit's actual question, "An old used clipper ship will be fine. I'd like it by the end of the month if at all possible." The long ear shrugged, realizing he wouldn't get an answer and moved off to make a note of it. The wolf scratched his chin, thinking for a moment. "I would also like it if we could have someone see my cousin's business about procuring some weapons." The canine continued.
"Weapons?!" Marley exclaimed, his long floppy ears sticking up in surprise, the short orange hair on his head sticking up from the sudden movement. "What in all of Eden are you planning?" The canine brushed the question off.
"Let them know I'm well aware that they are under strict contract from the Imperial Military and I understand that they couldn't sell me any of the weapons they've already got promised to the army. Tell them I want to procure a few swords and maybe some shields. Not much, and nothing fancy." With that the wolf finished by giving the rabbit a sly smile. "I'll be expecting your word on these matters by tomorrow afternoon." The wolf turned then and left, leaving poor Mr. Marley scratching his chin in bewilderment.
The wolf spent the rest of the day stopping by the various offices and shops that his uncle had done business with, greeting them and letting them know of the situation. He could see already by the wicked glint that shone from many of their eyes that they would do their best to take advantage of the inexperienced canine. But for now his thoughts were elsewhere. It was about eleven o'clock when he left Fezzywig's tailor shop, having ordered a couple more suits and a set of leisure clothes from the badger. Van could see why the coyote had been such a faithful customer of the old tailor. The suits and dresses that he had seen inside were absolutely amazing, and the badger rightly claimed to be the best procurer of clothing in all the old city.
The young Lord Clang waved farewell as the badger shut and locked his doors behind him. The wolf walked over to his horse, unhitching it and getting on. He had made certain to bring his sword with him when he had left Clang Manor earlier that day, thinking he would need such protection when he went into the Rodent's Den, but now, as he looked at how the gorgeous blade shimmered in the light of the thin, crescent moon, he wondered if perhaps it would simply give the thieves and gangs more of a reason to mug him? With the streets now empty, it only took Van ten minutes or so to make his way to the wall and gate that formed the checkpoint between the Rodent's Den and the business district. The guards looked at him curiously as he passed, but didn't bother to stop or harass him.
The wolf found that the streets of the Rodent's Den were far busier than those of the business district, each corner packed with a few bums or gangsters, gathered around a fire they had lit with trash and rags. Oddly enough, most of the people gathered didn't even seem to notice the canine as he passed, or perhaps they simply refused to? Those that did greeted him with a furious glare. He had absolutely no idea where he was going, and at last he forced himself to stop and ask directions from an old rat woman. She was swathed in the filthiest rags the noble had ever laid eyes on, and as she gazed up at him with her craggy, wrinkled face, he could see that she was almost certainly blind.
"What can I do for you my lord?" She wheezed, sounding almost too pained to speak.
"Can you tell me which way to 'The last Friendly Home'?" Van inquired. The old woman nodded, pointing down the street to her right.
"Simply head that way and keep going till you reach an old abandoned home, then turn left on the next street. It'll be the only place with the lights still on." She informed him. The wolf reached into his pocket, pulling out three pieces of gold and tossed them down to her. She picked them up like a starving person reaching for crumbs of food, an analogy that the wolf imagined wasn't far from the truth.
"I thank you my lord." She huffed, looking at the coins in her hand, "But unless my lord is indeed MOST generous, I feel you have made a mistake."
"No mistake good woman." The wolf answered, "Keep them. You need them far more than I." The rat looked up at him, with tears I her eyes.
"What is your name good nobleman?" She asked with a cough, "Whom should I praise for such generosity?"
"My name is Van Clang." The wolf answered, "And you need not praise me for anything. I did only what the rest of the scum and villainy who call themselves nobility should."
"Sauren's blessing on you my liege!" She called after the noble as he rode off. The canine chuckled at that. Sauren was the Imperial god of charity and piety, and he was quite sure that such a deity rarely smiled on the rich of this town. After a short while he found himself on the street the old woman had told him of, and just as she had said, there was but one building with the lights still going. It was a dirty looking old tavern, the front looking as though it were held up by nothing more than sheer stubbornness and a brutal refusal to look as bad as the pitiable homes that surrounded it. The wolf tied his ride up, silently wondering if she would still be there when he came back.
Inside the wolf found himself surrounded by filthy stools and filthier patrons, all busily chugging ale out of fittingly dirty mugs. The tables in the tavern, most of which were actually just old barrels, were certainly not fit to eat off of. On one side of the room was a roaring fire, around which most of the guests were seated, guzzling their pints and talking softly. A few peeked up to give the wolf a dirty look before going back to their conversations. On the other side of the room was a long, rough oaken bar, the one thing in the room that looked as though someone made an effort to keep it clean. Behind the bar stood a short, skinny human. His features were oddly soft and his dark brown hair lay over most of his eyes, pushed down and held there by a large woolen cap. He looked up at the new entrant with a hint of puzzlement.
"H... hello there." The human greeted, looking the strangely well dressed canine up and down, "Are you lost?"
"Well actually," Vanamee responded hesitantly, walking slowly over to the counter, "I was sent here by a friend of a friend." The human seemed to perk up a little at that, and though Van couldn't see his eyes through the hair that stood in the way, he thought there was probably a bit of recognition there.
"I see." The human responded, stepping over the bar, "I think I know your 'friend'. In fact, she's waiting for you in the back with a few other 'friends'. Why don't you follow me?" The human looked rather young to the wolf, although he admittedly had a bit of trouble telling some times. He didn't have the odd facial hair arrangement that most older males he had seen possessed, and his slender, lithe body lacked the build and muscles of older human men. As the bartender waved for the wolf to follow him, the canine noticed he walked rather strangely. In fact, everything seemed strange about the man.
"Forgive my curiosity," The young lord inquired, "but I am wondering what a HUMAN was doing down here in the Rodent's Den?" The barkeeper turned about to look at him as he led the noble toward the back. Vanamee had never seen a human in the poorer sections of the city. The race was notoriously well-to-do, often considering themselves as the "True Elite" of the Empire. They were always proud to tell how it was they who were the true forefathers of the Empire, and the lupine had never seen a human that wasn't at LEAST middle class.
"Well that's your first mistake." The man answered, "Assuming you know what someone IS just by the way they look."
"What do you mean?" Van asked, finding the response rather cryptic. In answer, the barkeeper reached up and pulled his cap off, revealing a pair of tall, black cat ears atop his head. "A NEKO!" The canine gasped. He had never seen one in person before. Although mating was impossible between most races, humans were notoriously immune to that rule and seemed capable of producing offspring with just about any other race. The result was always a Neko, an old Hume word that simply meant "Half-breed". Nekos looked mostly human, but would always take some traits from the other parent, usually ears and a tail, or eyes and claws. As Van finally got a good look at the Neko, he realized that the reason he had been walking strangely was because of a conspicuous bulge in the back of his pants legs... a tail.
"Surprised I take it?" The barkeeper laughed, looking at the wolf and giving him a glimpse for the first time of the Neko's golden, slit pupil eyes.
"I... I've never met a real Neko before." The noble admitted.
"Probably because most of my kind can't make it in a city like this." The barkeeper answered, turning and continuing into a narrow hallway at the back of the building, "What with the laws against offering jobs to Nekos and all." Van remained silent. He knew that there had been a law in place for some time that prevented Nekos from being given jobs, an archaic rule that had stuck around since the foundation of the Empire thousands of years ago. Most of them did just what this barkeep did, cover their non-human features and try to pass for human. At last the pair came to a small wooden door, the Neko giving it a series of four quick knocks before getting a single knock in reply. The Neko knocked once more before opening the door, revealing a small room, lit only by the light of a couple of candles atop a dirty wooden table in the middle of the space.
Behind the table sat a familiar brown rabbit, with two dagger wielding mice beside him. The mice looked at the wolf suspiciously as he came into the room. One of them was black, having a little white star shaped patch over his right eye, Vanamee recognizing him as the one whom had delivered the princess' letter to him the previous night. The other mouse was white, having a similarly star shaped patch over his left eye. To one side sat a strange looking creature, whom at first the canine thought was simply a dirty human. It was clearly a woman, judging by the ample breasts, but of what race he was unsure. She had skin the color of coal, with bright red eyes that made his own red iris look grey by comparison. She also had red hair atop her head, but lacked any body fur to match. Then Vanamee noticed her long, pointed ears. She was an elf it would seem, something the noble had only seen a handful of times before.
"I... I can't believe it!" Edwin exclaimed, leaping out of his seat, the candlelight shimmering on the odd, tan looking scar that ran diagonally over his left eye, "VANAMEE!?" The wolf laughed in reply, rushing forward to embrace his long lost friend, only to find a pair of daggers at his throat. "Elric! Eric!" Edwin shouted, grabbing their arms and pulling the daggers away from the wolf's throat, "This is a friend!" Without a moment's hesitation the rabbit leapt forward, nearly tackling the wolf as he caught him in a tight embrace.
"It's good to see you again old friend." Van sighed, hugging the rabbit back, feeling the rough fabric of the long, white peasant's shirt the long ear wore, "It seems we have a lot to discuss."