Erik kneeled down next to the bear, pulling arrows from its hide. He judged each one, and kept the useable ones, while discarding the broken ones. The bear was sufficiently dead it seemed, a dozen arrows later. He stood up, brushing his hands on his thighs, and putting his bow over his shoulder. Erik turned and smiled. "[color=39b54a]Lazuli, if you would be so kind, and help me.[/color]" Erik said politely. The large rock creature turned to him slowly, and walked over. He stooped over, and grabbed the bear in one gigantic hand, lifting it up to his shoulder, and placing it there.

Erik walked around Lazuli, and grabbed the rope around his waist, hoisting himself up, climbing up and Large stone man's back. He tied a rope around the bear to secure it, and then sat on the other shoulder, feet touching Lazuli's chest. "[color=39b54a]Onward! My friend![/color]" Erik cried out, happily. He reached into a belt pouch, and produced a pipe. Lazuli started the trek towards the city, made much quicker with his longer leg strides and nearly limitless stamina. Erik put a pinch of tobacco into the pipe, and fumbled about his pockets for a match. As he did so, he asked. "[color=39b54a]Tell me my friend, what song would you like to hear today?[/color]" Erik found the match, struck it, and lit the pipe taking a long draw. 

Lazuli started to shrug, before realizing it would likely crush the bear and Erik. Where Erik's voice was similar to honey, Lazuli's sounded like Gravel grinding together. "[color=8493ca]Something nice.[/color]" Erik pondered for a minute, as he reached around for his Lute. He strummed it a few times, and then began to sing. "[i][color=39b54a]Let me tell you about a maiden most fair, who had a smile as warm as the sun.[/color][/i]" Lazuli clapped as the two friends traveled through the forest, a thunderous sound preceding the two.

Within a few hours the two had made it out of the woods, into more civilized land, and finally to the city proper. Erik had long ago put the pipe away, and hung his lute from his backpack again. He climbed down from Lazuli's back as they approached the gate. Erik and Lazuli's presence in the city was still not very common, so many people gawked, and the guard waiting for them was already on edge. Erik reached into a pouch to produce two passes. He handed them to the guard, stating that he was with Iron Mountain. When the guard would shuffle to the second pass, he'd find a handful of coins. The man would look up at Erik, and hand the passes back while pocketing the coins. Erik would just smile his toothy grin, and bow lightly, breaking into a small fit on laughter. 

"[color=39b54a]Lets go Lazuli! Market district![/color]" He said aloud as he climbed onto the Golem's back. Erik was pleased, today was payday, and they were going on an exceptionally large quest which should promise a healthy paycheck. Erik leaned down. "[color=39b54a]Let me know if something catches your eye, I have money to spare. Flute or Lute?[/color]" He asked. "[color=8493ca]Flute please[/color]" Lazuli responded, as musical notes followed the pair through the city streets, people parting ways for the stone man and giving a wide berth. 

While the navigated the market on the way to their destination, Erik would climb down three times. Once to buy a skin of wine, twice to buy a meat pie, and third to buy a small wooden dwarf that Lazuli liked. Erik placed the Dwarf in the small bag on Lazuli's back, it had other knickknacks in it, small things he liked. Finally, they arrived at the Tannery. The man had asked them to acquire a bear pelt. Erik undid the ropes holding up the bear before climbing down. "[color=39b54a]Laz, my friend, if you could lower the bear.[/color]" Erik said as he walked into the open front stall. Erik smiled. "[color=39b54a]My good man, I have gotten you what you wanted, and much more![/color]" He said turning to gesture the bear corpse lying in the street. 

The man was large, bald, heavy set and strong. He had built a layer from eating well, but you could tell there was muscle beneath it. "[color=ed145b]What is this?[/color]" He exclaimed. "[color=ed145b]I just wanted the pelt! Not the whole bear![/color]" He turned to Erik, and pointed at the bear. "[color=ed145b]I should have gone to Iron mountain! They'd have gotten me just a bear pelt! What do I do with a whole bear?[/color]" The man yelled, red in the face. 

Erik put his hands up. "[color=39b54a]Whoa, Dieter, Whoa. Calm down my friend. You can sell the meat! You can make a profit on this! Get the butcher involved, or sell it yourself! This is a boon![/color]"

Dieter was furious. "[color=ed145b]No! That is so much extra work! And I barely make enough to stay afloat. I should have gone to Iron Mountain! They'd have gotten just the pelt! I can turn that into something in a few days! But this, takes me so long to skin it! To cut the meat and sell it if I do! You know Iron mountain doesn't like freelancers, Erik![/color]"

Erik pointed at the man. "[color=39b54a]Half what we agreed on Dieter. Sell the meat to the butcher. Don't go to Iron mountain over this.[/color]" Erik hadn't told them he was doing this job, he didn't want to forfeit all the pay. At half price he was still making a little more than he would have through Iron. 

Dieter looked at Erik for a moment, but licking his lip. "[color=ed145b]Alright Erik, but if you ever do this again.[/color]" He said as he produced a bag of coins. He opened it up, and removed half, before throwing it to Erik. "[color=ed145b]Now get out.[/color]" Erik caught the bag, and bowed his head, waving his hand around. "[color=39b54a]Suit yourself. Friend.[/color]" He said as he turned and walked out, climbing onto Lazuli's back. "[color=39b54a]Lets go to the dock, got people waiting on us. I'll play a song later, not in the mood anymore.[/color]" Erik muttered as they cut through the crowd, feeling the heat from the sun on his forehead, and a slowly brewing anger on his neck.

By the time the two had gotten to the Dock, he had mostly calmed down, drinking from his wine skin, and finishing the meat pie. He saw a halfling and an Antsy boy waiting for them. Erik climbed down from Lazuli's back. "[color=39b54a]Lady Vekk[/color]" He said politely. Erik turned to Percivale and nodded his head. "[color=39b54a]Sir Erik Volker, Free knight, bard, and adventurer. Slayer of all things big and small, at your service.[/color]" He said embellishing and pointblank lying about being a knight. He turned slightly, open palm to Lazuli. "[color=39b54a]And this is my friend, and traveling companion...[/color]" Erik trailed off for Lazuli to finish. "[color=8493ca]Lazuli. I'm Lazuli. I've never been on a boat before.[/color]"