[color=96C8A2][h3]𝓠𝓾𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓵[/h3][/color]
[@Dead Cruiser] [@Bishop] [@DracoLunaris] [@Lunarlors34] [@Heckno12] [@Skepic] [@Zelosse]

A symbol bloomed in the air that, according to Xiang, signified the Adventurers Guild to which this merry bunch of bozos would be headed in hopes of finding work.  The sight of it solidified the urge in Quarel's mind, and he gave a curt nod of acknowledgment both to the succubus and to himself.  Even if this road didn't look promising, he'd give it a try.  He watched the others grab their gift as well, some with about the same lack of reservation as he, and almost smiled to himself.  One, a young female human with a spellcaster's air about her, seemed both quiet and contemplative.  Those, in combination with a disdain for the rather foolish notion of playing the selfless hero, made for a decent impression in his eyes.  After all, a real goody two-shoes would refuse the generous offering, determined to live off his or her heroic determination, perhaps.

From the underbrush sprang a small green creature who, Quarel was able to discern with glittering eyes also appeared to be a scantily-clad female, nabbed an indiscriminate amount of money from the bag and sprinted off.  He wondered why Yuji just let that happen; could it really be that she had an innocent, generous spirit?  Of course, the goblin offered to pay her back, but Quarel assumed it to be less of a grateful guarantee and more of a ploy to throw off pursuit, and obviously it didn't factor into the centaur's decision anyway.  

[i]Ploosh[/i]

Quarel snickered, his expression hidden by the feathers that made his mouth imperceptible.  [i]Good luck with that.[/i]  With Rita out of the area, the strigiforme happened to lay eyes on a fellow feathered person a few feet away, who stood apart from the crowd with her new wealth just as he didd.  His brow-tufts furrowed.  “Hmm.”  A human with a bird tail and wings on her hips?  How odd.  It seemed terribly unlikely that such a bizarre physiology could ever achieve the lift and stability necessary for flight.  Of course, Quarel wasn't one to talk, coming from a species of flightless birds himself.  The reminder turned his gaze sour.  

The bandit's bitterness fell to the wayside, however, as a warty head breached the surface of the nearby lake.  He scrutinized the beast as it rose, noting that it appeared to be a Giant Toad.  Then again, it didn't seem quite 'giant' enough...maybe 'Large Toad' suited it better.  He could not help but recall the fact that strigiformes such as he ate frogs on occasion, but this mottled monster looked pretty inedible.  “Shame,” he muttered aloud.  “Could feed a brood for a week or two if it didn't spoil.”  Xiang's comment made him wonder if these fetid freaks had the audacity to think of him, a being by all rights higher in the food chain, as potential prey.  Some appeared to be heading in the direction Daveon went.  Noting the silence, Quarel craned his neck to look around, and to his surprise nobody seemed to be in a hurry to do anything.  One -the prissy-looking girl he, having been at the back of the group, had seen run into a doorframe- looked eager for a little violence, but nobody else had so much as moved.  In fact, everyone seemed more or less unhappy and unmotivated.

Something clicked in Quarel's mind, prompting him to sigh.  A plan came to mind, and with a flourish he drew his knives.  Their alloy surfaces sparkled in the morning light, and without delay the bandit struck them together.

[i]CLANG!  CLANG![/i]

“Alright, losers!” he hollered.  “Looks like we've got some amphibious asshats who feel like makin' this crappy morning even crappier.  Things might not look bright in the long run, but we're in this together, so let's let off a little steam and dice this pond scum up.  Let's show 'em what we can do, come on!”  Of course, words were seldom enough, but Quarel came prepared to make a spectacle.  His legs tenses, and the next instant he sprinted forward before leaping into the air.  Light weight and developed muscles made for a serious jump, and with pretty good precision Quarel soared through the air.  Inverting his blades, he dove down toward the toad by the pier, aiming to land on it and buy his blades in its eyes.  

In the back of his head, he knew the stunt was stupid and would probably end with him in the water, but if it got the others moving he was doing his job.