Rune Harvest Crossing [IC]

[SammyGirl]

Judging from Savas' reaction, the situation was every bit as dire--or at least as strange--as Amon had made it out to be. For a moment, Sammy eyed the paper warily, then wrapped her fingers around the glass that had been served to her. She took one brief look at the liquid, and then lifted it to her mouth and drank as much as she dared in one big swig. It was a little sweet, a little syrupy, but with that lovely sting in the back of her throat and the sharp aftertaste.

She took a breath, then another quick swig, and set the glass down.

"I watched a documentary on Eden Forge some years ago, while I was still in high school. They were talking about all these different places that were just like paradise, and Eden Forge was at the top of the list. They said it was a rough trip, and that it was disconnected from civilization, but that it was a utopia of sorts. Apparently people even think it has some sort of magical qualities. I've heard some people even think that this is where the fountain of youth really is."

She laughed at herself.

"But they uh...they never said anything about...." She eyed the barkeep strangely. "Well... you." she managed a smile, as the warmth from her drink started easing her mind a little.


At that moment, the door chimes rang and in stepped none other than Amon. He immediately saw Sammy at the bar and sighed in relief. At least she had gotten here okay. He hurried over to the counter and pulled up a seat.

"Hey. So I see you met Sammy. Did she ask you about the old abandoned farm yet?"

"Abandoned?" Sammy looked a little concerned, her eyes darting from one strange creature to the other.

[thenameofchange]

"Yes, I volunteered to walk her over after I close the bar. I'm curious as to who would've given her that place. I certainly wouldn't want to live there. It's been abandoned for years; I'm sure there's spiders everywhere." Savas' tail flicked restlessly, and he began to scrub the bar, removing nonexistent specks of dirt. The fox kept the bar clean, and was proud of it. "Sammy, they usually keep us out of documentaries and such. We request it. If everyone knew of us, curious people would flock to Eden Forge. All the people would turn this place from such a beautiful area to one filled with the pollution and waste that comes with tourism. Most of us like our disconnected status as well." To Amon, he said, "Oh, d'you think Miki would mind playing for me occasionally? I think music would liven the place up a bit, and I know my babies would adore it. Oh, hold on just a minute, let me check on everyone. I'll be right back."

Savas excused himself from Sammy and Amon, and made his way around the room. Customers low on drinks promptly received refills, and Savas answered any questions about the new human that he could, fending off the questions he couldn't answer yet for later. Of course, everyone was quite curious about Sammy; why wouldn't they be? Savas himself burned with curiosity to learn more about her.

Frisk followed him about the room, purring loudly when Savas picked him up as he approached the bar once again. "Sorry about that. Oh, this is Frisk. He's quite an annoying little bugger, but I love him. If you give him any attention at all, he'll never leave you alone."

[SammyGirl]

A shudder ran through Sammy's body as she tried to envision a creaky old house abandoned for years, full of spiders and cobwebs and....yeesh. She quickly took another swig of her drink and turned to Amon. The alcohol made him seem a little less overwhelming a person, but it was still hard to grasp the idea of these anthro...people.

"Miki would probably be delighted to play for you on a regular basis, Savas." Amon's cheerful voice interrupted Sammy's thoughts. "I mean, I can't speak for her, but I'm sure she could use the money if you hired her on. And I have to agree with you, she really does liven this place up a lot with her tunes."

A crocodile came up to the bar for a closer look at the human, and Sammy noticed him from the corner of her eye. She shivered a little, but tried to smile at him. He grinned back with a hauntingly toothy grin. Sammy looked away, and suddenly found herself looking right into the eyes of a little black cat as Savas introduced her to the critter.

Though she'd always been more of a dog person, there was something about this cute kitty that caught the woman's attention. Maybe it was because he was the only NORMAL animal in the room. Sammy reached for him and started scratching behind his ears.

"Hi, Frisk. You're a doll, aren't you?" She laughed as the kitty started purring loudly. Almost at once, Sammy felt herself begin to relax. "He's wonderful."

Amon chuckled. "Yeah, it's all a show. Once he wins you over, he'll get into all your stuff and you'll never know what hit you." He smirked. "Anyways, that abandoned farmhouse probably isn't in very good shape. Nobody's lived there since the last farmer disappeared."

Amon shifted uneasily. "I mean, I don't want to scare you or anything, but the locals will probably all tell you the place is cursed. Weird stuff happens over on that property from time to time, you know."

The young wolf rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "But listen to me going on. There's probably nothing wrong with the place, other than it's gonna need someone to fix it up."

"Oh." Sammy said, inviting Frisk into her lap, and trying to process what she was hearing. The idea of sleeping in a dilapidated old house that might be cursed did NOT appeal to her, but what choice did she have. "Well, I guess I'll hang out here at the bar until it closes. Then maybe you guys can show me to the place."

She looked at Savas quietly for a moment. "I'm sorry if I've been rude.... It's just. I'm a little overwhelmed. I do like your place here. It's pretty nice. Definitely better than that horrid airship."

[thenameofchange]

"Don't worry about it. I traveled the outside world before. I know how different we are." Savas smiled to soften his words. He watched Frisk enjoy the attention Sammy gave before flicking his eyes to the crocodile that had come to so rudely gawk at the newest resident of Eden Forge. He offered the croc a drink, then inclined his head. The crocodile took the hint and left.

"If you need a hand cleaning the place, I don't open till six tomorrow night. I've got some stuff that should keep the spiders away, and I don't mind helping. I'm sure Frisk would love to come along as well. Any mice that might've taken residence would not be there long. To Amon, he said, "I'll have to ask Miki next time I see her. I can close a little early tonight. I'm sure Sammy's tired. Just give me a few more minutes to give everyone a final call for drinks."

Savas stepped around the bar, into the center of the room, and cleared his throat. "Everyone, I've got some things I've got to tend to tonight, so this is your final call for drinks. You've got five minutes to get a drink a get out. Because I'm cutting your time short, I'll give you a little gift. Lots of love from the black fox! Final round is on me!

For the next few minutes, Savas busied himself serving the last round of drinks to his customers and telling them goodbye as they left the bar. When the last customer left, he walked back to Sammy, Amon, and Frisk. "So, you guys ready?"

[SammyGirl]

Both Sammy and Amon answered at the same time.

"Yes." They said, and then looked at each other awkwardly.

Amon laughed and got up, motioning for the two to follow him. Sammy shouldered her bag and scooped up Frisk in her arms, deciding to carry him along. Just in case there were any mice running around the place when they got there.

Outside it was pitch black, except for the main road lined by softly glowing streetlamps. Crickets chirped their songs loudly from the shadows, and the dark shapes of retreating townsfolk drifted slowly from Sammy's line of vision. Amon checked his pockets to be sure he hadn't left anything, then he waited for Savas to lock up. Once they were all ready, Amon decided to lead the way.

"It's a bit of a walk." He said, "But not too bad, and the property is right on the river. It hasn't had crops growing on it in a long time, so the soil is probably well rested, but there's bound to be a lot of weeds to clear. But like Savas said. We'll help you do that tomorrow. For now, let's just get you settled in for the night."


They reached the property sometime later, crossing over a bridge to reach the open fields. The house, solitary and almost melancholy in the bath of blue moonlight, rose up from behind the hills before them as they approached. It looked alright from far away, but as they got closer, Sammy could see that it was indeed rather damaged. The roof was falling apart in places, and the stone foundation seemed to be crumbling on one side. It wasn't a good sign, but then Sammy supposed she should have known better than to just rush into something without looking into it more.

Oh well. If she had fully thought this through, then maybe she wouldn't be here in the first place.

"It's awfully dark...." She said quietly.

"Aww, no worries." Amon strolled up to the front door and forced it open when it resisted. He pulled a match from his pocket and struck it, then lit one of the wall lanterns by the door. "There you go. This place is pretty old, but maybe we can get it wired with electricity, at least for lamps and an icebox. But we'll worry about that tomorrow. Do you think you'll be okay here tonight?"

"Yeah." Sammy light with a faint moan. "I...I guess I will."

Amon furrowed his brow. "Hey. It's okay. We'll come over first thing in the morning, alright. And at least the storm is over. Your roof won't leak on your head."

"Ha." Sammy laughed wrly. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Sammy sighed deeply as Amon bade her farewell, and then she tried to find a proper place to sleep. There was an old, dusty bed in the corner, and it was certainly NOT what she would have called acceptable accommodations, but she was really tired now, especially after the drink she'd had, so she just set her bag down on the floor and laid down on top of the blankets to get some shuteye.


The next morning, the sound of birds singing and the warmth of sunlight on her face woke her from an uneasy sleep. She pushed herself up out of bed slowly, her aching muscles protesting as she did, and then she stood up to stretch and head for the door.

[meowitsmiki]

That morning, Miki was bustling with energy. She even let Scraps tag along at her heels, waddling around like the little dork he was. Going into town, she stopped at Old Man Carter's place to bid him good morning. Miki felt that Carter was probably the only resident she felt truly comfortable having a conversation with. She had known him since she was a kit. He even taught her a little of his blacksmith skill, which she quickly disliked. However, she loved to watch. The Smith's shop was steamy as usual. Miki looked over where Carter had on his usual pair of goggles, banging away at a new shovel, probably for the farmer down the street. He put his tools down and smiled warmly at Miki, taking his goggles off. "Long time no see, dear!" He said in his husky voice, tinged with a southern charm.

Miki smiled and lifted a paw in a small wave, saying, "'Mornin', Carter. Who's that for?"

"Farmer, again," Carter said. "He always needs a different sized shovel every time he starts a new project. It's a bit crazy, but he keeps me in business."

"Yeah," Miki said. "So have you heard the news?"

"What's that?" Carter asked hoarsely.

"There's a human moving in here at Eden Forge," Miki told him. "She arrived last night. Real strange girl."

Carter made a little hmph. "She won't last long. None of them do. Us furry folk scare them like no other."

"I dunno," Miki said, "She didn't seem...scared. Just a little shocked. I mean, in the human world, snow leopards are flesh eaters."

"We'll see," Carter said. "Only time will tell."

Miki noticed Carter trying to reach another hammer high up on one of his shelves. He groaned as his joints creaked and Miki, being inches taller, rushed over to help him. "Thank you, dear. You know, I've heard from other townsfolk that you can be rather abrasive," Miki blushed. Carter continued, "I think you're a good kid, though. You should make some new friends. An old coot like me isn't going to be around much longer."

Miki shook her head. "Don't say that," she sighed. Then she looked at the time. "I'm gonna go see if Servas has opened up yet. Don't work too hard, old man." She gave him a small hug before leaving, and Scraps licked his ankle kindly.

She turned to leave the shop and headed for the bar, hoping to get a chance to learn more about this mysterious new guest.

[SammyGirl]

**Abandoned Farm**
Beyond the dusty old door of the farmhouse, the sky was a brilliant blue filled with birds on the wing. The air smelled sweetly of flowers and tropical fruit, and maybe a hint of mist. There was a faint chill from the dampness, but Sammy could tell vy the way it was already warming that today was going to be a hot one.

Slowly, she moved down the front steps and onto the dirt path in the front yard, hands on her hips as she looked around. There was an old log pile nearby, but the logs were worthless and rotting. Some old farm equipment sat by a run-down shed, overgrown with vines and various weeds. In the daylight, the young woman could tell just HOW overgrown the place was. The fields were completely overrun with wild grass that had to be waist high at least.

Everything else was falling apart in one way or another. With a heavy sigh, the young woman started walking over the property, trying to figure out what on earth she was going to do.

"This place is an awful mess." She said to herself. "No wonder it was so cheap." She shook her head. "Who am I kidding? I don't know the first thing about farming. This is going to be a disaster."

Slowly, the young woman slumped to the ground and sat on a rock, resting her chin in her hands.


**Blacksmith**
Amon knocked at the door before casually throwing it open and strolling inside, strutting like a bigshot. It was just for fun though, and after a moment of the play, he stopped before Carter and grinned.

"Good morning sir." He noticed Miki, and was surprised to see her there. "Huh. And hello to you, Miss. I have something I'd like to ask you, but first thing's first." He turned to carter. "You got the gun I ordered? I can't wait to see 'er."

[meowitsmiki]

Carter smiled and reached to the cabinet behind him, pulling out a fancy new rifle that he had been working on for weeks. He hoped so much that Amon liked it. Carter admired the wolf. He was so bold, and friendly too. But Carter couldn't help but notice Miki's uneasiness around him. Maybe this was the abrasiveness that everyone talks about. But Miki was always okay around him, why would she be this way around a good guy like Amon?

He handed the gun to Amon and said, "You like it, son?"

***********Miki********

Miki was taken by surprise as Amon strutted happily into the shop that morning. He seemed surprised to see her. Her anxiety swelled as he mentioned a question he had to ask her.

The gun Carter made was nice. She knew Amon would like it.


(sorry for short entry, I am facing a plethora of distractions xD)

[SammyGirl]

Amon took the weapon carefully and looked it over, running his hands over the polished metal and studying the weapon closely.

"It's great." The Enforcer beamed. "Just what I needed. The perfect accompaniment to my handgun. Now all I need is a nice scabbard to carry it on my back, and I'll be set." He carefully set the weapon down and extended his hand to Carter. "Thanks man." He shook it. "What do I owe ya?"

The young wolf reached for his wallet and pulled out some money--more than what he thought the weapon was worth, since he really admired Carter for all his years of service. The old man needed the support, and Amon actually really liked the guy. He understood the old man's pain at least--not having your family anymore was a hard thing to deal with. Yet, Carter never let his loneliness get in the way of his work. He always did his best. And Amon hoped that he could always do the same.

[meowitsmiki]

Carter gaped and looked at the money in his hand, "This much? There's no way, Amon! Take some of it back." Though Carter will admit the funds were getting a little low. He needed new metal, new supplies, and he wanted to make a birthday present for Miki, who hadn't even thought about her birthday in years.

But Carter was flattered at the amount. He put a lot of heart into making the gun as good as he could for the noble Amon. Carter knew it would shoot for a long time, made out of the best metals he had and a sturdy wood.

******************Miki*****************

Miki wasn't surprised when Amon handed over the amount he did. Amon was one to be generous, especially to the old dog. Miki knew very well that Carter needed the money. She wished she could contribute to him more herself, but she knew her being a musician didn't bring in loads of cash. She considered learning something new or at least maybe helping Savas around the bar. She'd have to ask him about that.

Miki looked down at Scraps, licking eagerly at her ankles, and turned to leave.