Overgrowth Role Play

[Ragdollmaster]

Inferti turned to answer Wyit quickly. "Not quite, her clan of assassins might, but assassins in general stay to themselves. Mostly they pretend other assassin groups don't even exist." Drawing his dagger, he moved back a little and asked, "Why did you try killing the bartender downstairs?" The lioness said nothing, her eyes darting around the room looking for any possibility of escape. "I was paid by my clan." she said shortly, not looking at anyone in particular. "Obviously." Inferti said coldly as he stood up. "I believe I asked why." Before they could say another word, they heard a commotion from below. Inferti turned his head away to the stairs, keeping his eyes on the lioness. "Back-up, huh... you two stay here. I have some business to take care of." Inferti sheathed the dagger horizontally behind his back, over the case of his sword. He moved down the stairs and saw the scene below. One rabbit lay bleeding on the floor, while all the other patrons in the bar (not including the bartender, no where to be found) huddled in a small circle on the floor as three lions cloaked in black tunics tried asking each of them where the barkeep and the lioness were. Crouching unseen and drawing a throwing knife, Inferti waited for the right moment... then he grabbed a mug from the bar counter and hurled it across the room. It shattered and the lions all looked towards the door before Inferti hurled a knife at one in the middle and then ducked behind the bar counter. He crawled very quickly to the other end; as he expected, a lion came over to the bar to check it out while the other tended to the middle's wound. He flattened himself against the counter until the lion was right on top of him, then back-flipped and slammed the lion in the face, sending him stumbling back. The lion shifted that momentum into a flip and fired a crossbow bolt that Inferti narrowly dodged as he drew his sword and rushed forward, giving the still-in-air lion a hack to the throat. He leaped into the air and came down hard on the lion who had checked on the injured one. Knocking him and the wounded one out, he called down Malek to help him drag the two living bodies up. The patrons were shaken. "If you're just here for a drink, go home. If you're staying here, I advise you to find another place to stay." Malek said. The two lions were placed in a separate room from the lioness and bound with metal chain. Wyit and Inferti kept watch over them while Malek returned to the other room to interrogate the lioness a little further.

[Lotus Wolf]

Malek entered the room where they had left the lioness tied up. "So," Malek said. "You still haven't explained why the bartender had a mark on his head." the lioness just starred at the ceiling. "Woman, if you should know one thing about me, it's that you should avoid angering me." Malek said. The lioness turned to look him in the eyes for a moment, then spat in his face. Malek wiped the spit from his face, then kicked the bed onto its side, dumping the lioness onto the floor. "I'll ask again, why were you to kill the bartender?" Malek said, voice slightly raised. The lioness just starred into the air. Malek sighed. "You're not gonna make this easy on yourself, are you?" He asked. The lioness remained silent. the red tint in Malek's eyes grew brighter, and he hauled the lioness off the floor by the upper arms and slammed her against the wall. With her legs dangling in midair, Malek asked again. The lioness brought her legs forward in a weak attempt to daze Malek. Her feet met his stomach, but had no apparent effect. Malek roughly threw her across the room and into the other wall.
~in the next room~
Inferti and Wyit heard banging from the room. They looked at each other then continued watching the others.
~back in the room~
Malek was now holding the lioness against the wall by her throat. "Ready to talk?" He said loudly, the red in his eyes still growing brighter. The lioness made to spit at him again, but he moved his head to the side, then dropped her flat on her face. "I don't like it when people like you test my patience." Malek said slowly circling her. "and silence, at this point, is probably your greatest enemy." Malek delivered a kick to her stomach then sent her sliding a few feet. the lioness released a hoarse scream, one that probably didn't reach two rooms away. Malek picked her up again and held her to the wall. "SPEAK!" He yelled. the lioness was still silent, so Malek brought the back of his hand across her face. "I'm gonna count to three, and if you don't say something, i'll snap your neck and start on one of your friends in the next room." Malek said coldly. "ONE!" He Threw her across the room again, this time splintering planks in the wall. He crossed the room. "TWO!" He grabbed her and tossed her up to the ceiling. she fell back down and let out another hoarse scream. "THR-..." "WAIT!" the lioness screamed. "Wait..." She said. "Inferti." Malek called, Inferti opened the door and walked in. "She's ready to talk."

[Ragdollmaster]

Inferti's teeth gleamed in the late dusk sunlight coming in through the window; the town was close to deserted on the streets. "I heard the banging; hopefully you didn't bash up her brains too much... and, you could've saved some of the fun for me..." Inferti strode over to where the lioness was laying sideways on the floor, and noticed she was bleeding from her head, arms, and stomach, but she didn't show any sign of pain. "Malek, keep watch through the door way." Inferti requested, and the coyote nodded as he backed up to the frame of the door, watching the room Wyit was still in. "Now tell me... why was there an assassin's bounty out on the bartender, Robert? (Oh and as this is a little older of a time, his name would be pronounced Row-bear)" The lioness shifted a little on the wall and then said, "My assassin Pride had sufficient reason to believe that he ran a secret assassin business of his own, possibly in Jerring, which-" "Resides within the territorial boundaries of the East Myoko Assassin Pride, yes. That alone isn't a reason permitting an attempt on someone's life, they're usually beaten or detained... meaning you must have been payed by somebody to do it." Her mouth contorted into a small frown. "Perhaps. I'm curious as to how you knew about my Pride just from the location. Judging by your attack downstairs, you must be an assassin yourself." Inferti neither denied nor confirmed this for a small moment's pause, then said, "The hybrid Magsay assassin clan. Now... who would do it? Someone who wanted revenge because one of Robert's clients had killed an acquaintance?" The lioness' temper returned. "How should I know? It was a payed deal and that was enough for me." Inferti gave a low growl and bared his teeth. "Obviously, somebody gave you that money! Cut the crap and get to the part I can use or die!" he said drawing the dagger and pressing it up hard against the lioness' throat so that a thin red line appeared on her neck. "I don't know exactly who, but I know he wasn't native to Jerring. An older gentlemen, maybe 50 or 60. And... and he had two scars above his left eye, and used a cane." Inferti withdrew the blade. "That's a little more helpful. Are your two little lion friends going to talk?" Her eyes narrowed. "Two? There were three." Inferti grimaced. "Yes, there were three. The one with the crossbow- what was his name?" "Kerim..." "Well, Kerim's throat ran into my blade, if you understand." Her throat rumbled with a savage growl and she tried kicking Inferti with her clawed feet but only succeeded in him grabbing the foot and flipping her over with it. Her stomach to the floor, Inferti put one foot on her back and drew his sword, letting it hang casually two inches from her neck. "Kerim was my brother, you bastard." she said, but rather calmly. While she felt the instinctive pain, her training told her not to show it. "Yeah? Well, I was someone's brother, too. If he had killed me instead, we'd be in the same situation, wouldn't we? Now, answer the question- will the other two talk?" She mulled it over in her head. "The one with a longsword- Okati- he may talk. The other one, Jonas, is headstrong and will most likely die before he gives you any information." Inferti nodded, then hauled her back up and threw her onto the bed. "Wyit, your turn to babysit the lioness." The fox came from the other room and sat down against the wall opposite of the bed. "Malek, you might wanna come with me... you seem to be a better interrogator; take the one named Jonas, won't you?" Malek grinned. "If he's anymore headstrong then she is, I may just have an 'accidental' fatality, you do understand?" "Maybe, but he's useless otherwise, so just try." the Mara replied.

[Jimmy Jazz]

(shouldn't cachiporrin be back be now?)

Wyit walked to the corner. as Inferti and Malek walked out. Wyit leaned on the wall. "stay where you are." Wyit said as the lioness started to get up. "stay on the bed" said Wyit. he clicked his katana out just in case he needed to pull it out quickly. the lioness' eyes started darting around the room most likely looking for an escape route. "don't even think about it." he said. but her eyes continued to dart around the room.

[Count Roland]

Ogier awakes, makes himself breakfast, and heads off towards the mountains again.

[Lotus Wolf]

Malek paused in the doorway. "If you try to escape, Wyit will be more than a match for you in the state you're in. and should you succeed in an attempt, i promise you will be dead before you reach the edge of town." With that he turned and entered the room Jonas was tied up in. "I'm already in a bad mood, alright? so it would behoove you to cooperate with me." Malek said, and underlining his statement the lion caught a flash of red in the coyote's eyes. Yet still the lion was silent, and had an air of unintelligent brawn. "Damnit..." Malek said. "I had hoped i wouldn't have to mutilate you like i did your pretty little lioness friend." The lion growled low and angrily, but said nothing. "I'll say it one more time," Malek began. "Shut your mouth!" the lion yelled. "Oh, he speeks..." Malek taunted. "Your voice is foul, and your words mean nothing to me." The lion said. "Then maybe you will understand this better." Malek said. He let fly a punch than dislodged the lions jaw with a sickening crunch. the lion moaned loudly. "Oh, let me fix that for you." Malek said. He wrenched the lions jaw back into place with a pop. the lion whimpered. "Ready to tell me anything?" Malek asked. The lion was silent. Malek sighed, then hauled the lion to its feet then ran him across the room headfirst into the wall. Wood splintered and Malek tossed the Lion backwards. The lion made no noise. "Still nothing?" Malek asked. He picked up the lion and threw him with all his strength against the wall again. this time the wall gave way and the lion sailed through into the room Wyit was in. planks of wood fell to the floor along with the lion, and Malek stepped through the wall. "Excuse me Wyit." He said grabbing the lion and hurling him back through the hole in the wall. Malek stepped over him and drew his sword. "I tire of this game." he said. "Tell me something now, or die slowly." He said leveling the sword with the lions chest. the lion raised its chained hands and raised his middle finger to Malek, who flicked the swordto the side, removing the finger from the hand. "That was rude." He said. "Inferti, he wont talk, shall i end him, or leave him to suffer?"

[Ragdollmaster]

Inferti growled. "I'll have a turn with him then. You can interview Okati, he shouldn't need much head bashing." Inferti stepped into the room to find that the lion's finger was on the floor bleeding. He cocked an eyebrow. "He was making rather rude gestures with it." Malek said with a devilish grin as he went over to Okati. "Alright, your turn with me." Inferti said with a grunt as he lifted up Jonas. He wasn't as brutally strong as Malek was, but what he lacked in pure power he made up with intelligence and technique. Taking a few running steps while holding the bound lion, he jumped up with his right foot then hit the ground rolling through his left shoulder and let go of the lion, who was sent flying from momentum into the wall. Inferti shot off from the ground upside-down with his hands as the lion bounced off the wall, and sailed 180 degrees vertically before he landed feet first on the back of the lion, crushing his breath out. He didn't stop to give him a chance to talk, just flipped him onto his back and took out his sword, dashing it back and forth and leaving a myriad of long cuts; none of them were deep at all, as the farthest one was only about a centimeter in depth, but they caused much pain, especially in large quantities. Any actual harmful injuries would send the lion into surreal pain where he would numb from shock, making him temporarily more resilient. The lion grunted and grimaced before he rolled suddenly, yelling "Leave me the hell alone!!!" as he shot up from the ground and rammed into Inferti, who reacted within half a second and stopped the momentum in a second with a slanting grab that sent the lion over his back. "Alright, you don't want any pain? Talk!" Inferti said at the lion. "Fine! Fine, I'll tell you everything..." Minutes later, the lion had basically repeated the story that the lioness (named Nadiria [Nye-dear-e-uh]) had said before, only he added details like that the lioness was the leader of the small group, and that they were one of the top five assassin squads from the Myoko pride, which was a fairly large one. He also got a name- Johanne, the man who Nadiria had described as being the scarred man who used a cane. Inferti propped the lion up against a chair and left the room, meeting with Malek outside. "What'd Otaki say?" he murmured. Malek shrugged. "Nothing important, just small little details. What about Jonas?" "He'll have a few scratches and bruises, and that finger, which can easily be replaced by an assassin blade." Inferti replied. He checked on Wyit, who was watching the inactive Nadiria lethargically. "I could get some sleep... foxes have a lot of burst energy, not so much stored energy." he said. By now, dusk had turned into twilight, which had turned into deep evening. Inferti nodded. "I'll watch them this first night. But... it's unsafe to stay here. I don't know where Robert went... we'll go to my fort." Inferti said. "A fort, you say?" Malek said. "Temporarily. There are weapons, supplies, food, and the like, it's well defended and there are beds. It's tucked away in the mountains." Malek pulled Wyit and Inferti aside and said in a murmur, "This could escalate into a war. This Robert and Johanne characters... they're rivals, people using the Myoko to cover up their efforts. They're both warmongers, soldier-suppliers, mercenary and assassin dealers. If the official states of Lugaru find about this," Malek said lowering his voice even more, "we might have the pure-bred rabbits, including Raiders, along with pure wolves, cats, and many of the native ruling forces getting involved. Maybe the thugs, hitmen, and worryingly, the Assassins. You know yourself, Inferti, that the Assassin are global- there are many tribes and clans, totaling up to probably millions out of this world. Who knows how many underground connections there are? This is a lot bigger then a plot to kill a humble bartender." Inferti slowly nodded. "Yes... but, I don't know where Robert is. I have always assumed he sleeps here, as I've never seen him leave. We might need to alert the Assassin as quickly as we can. One of us, and I don't mean the elites like me, can sever a whole company of raiders or wolves within minutes. They are a powerful ally. And... the assassins band together during times of war. We forget our rivalries. Focus on slaying those who deserve it." Wyit gave a sigh. "Man, do I hate wars... everything gets so out of whack, so many people die... ahhh... looks like I'm involved even if I don't want to be."

[Lotus Wolf]

Malek wiped a bit of blood from his sword (from the finger) and then sheathed it. He took a few deep breaths then closed his eyes for a moment. when he opened then, the red tint had died down to a slightly noticeable shade, and he had calmed himself. "If we're going to your fort we should just leave them here." Malek said. "They'll be extra baggage and they'd give us away any chance they get." "Then lets leave." Inferti said. They all gathered themselves up and headed out, leaving the three assassins. Malek allowed himself to feel with the environment, letting the air warn him of hostility. "About how far is your fort?" Wyit asked. they were past the edge of town now, and walking off toward the mountains. "Quiet." Malek whispered to them. "There is a rat in hiding." He whispered. "Let it stay there. if its following us, it probably already knows where we are going." Inferti said.

[Ragdollmaster]

Inferti took a turn through a short-cut, by the stream where he'd killed the bear. He sat down and motioned for the others to mimic him. They sat, apparently resting, for about a half an hour when Inferti pretended to drowse off and the others followed his example. They did this for about two hours when they heard a rustle as a rat stepped out of the bushes and lightly tip-toed over to the three. When he was about 10 feet away, Inferti shot off the ground and grabbed the knife the rat had been holding, hurling it into the stream. He broke one of the rat's arms and tripped him back onto the ground. "Sorry, I'm a very light sleeper." Inferti said as he shoved the rat over onto his stomach while Malek got up and snapped his neck without further ado. "Nothing more we needed to know, he was trying to kill us. Probably just a thug." They left the body and a ten-minute trek later, they were at the base of Inferti's fort. He ignored the front entrance, a tall segmented tower with stone gates, and walked around to the secret side. He lifted up some moss and pushed some brick in, causing it to fall in and reveal the passage. As they moved slowly along while he deactivated the traps, they eventually reached the clearing and moved downstairs. "Bed..." Wyit groaned as he sank into the nearest one and fell asleep almost immediately. Malek decided to follow his example. By now it was very late night. Inferti went back outside and made sure their scents and tracks were eradicated; then he too went inside and slept for reserve energy.

[Lotus Wolf]

Malek was well trained to hold up without rest for hours on end, but his bout with the lions had expended much of his energy. he gratefully sank into one of the beds and slept like a corpse. Malek woke before the others. He got up and walked around a bit, then sat beside the small pond. he took some incense and a small bowl from his pouch, and lit the incense after crumbling it up into the bowl. the smell filled the air, a wispy tang of citrus and licorice. Malek sat in lotus position and began meditating. he drew energy from the air, the water the earth and the strange incense, storing it away deep inside himself. it was unacceptable for me to have started today without filling my stores. i could have used the extra energy for the journey here. that was all the thought Malek allowed himself. the pungent perfume of the incense filled the air, and would soon rouse the others. He felt his stores of energy filling and the strength he felt retuning to him. he meditated a while longer then uncrossed his legs and lay back. "Whats that you've got there?" Wyit said, getting up. "Orange Tseng." Malek said. "Powerful mixture of herbs, good for relaxation and meditation." Inferti said. "Yes, and it it contains a strong ergonomic, for quick energy regeneration." Malek finished. He cuped his hand over the bowl and the incense was extinguished leaving its scent behind. Malek poured the remaining powder back into the pouch, then placed the bowl inside as well. "Its refreshing to wake to such a vibrant smell." Inferti said. "Yes, and i feel a lot better too." Wyit said. "I try to burn some every morning, keeps you very healthy." Malek said.

[Jimmy Jazz]

"so what now?" Wyit asked as he walked over to the humanoid targets. un-sheathing his katana. and Quickly brought down his katana on the mid arm of the target.
using the momentum from his first cut his swung the blade over to his other hand and cut off the other arm. then kicked to the stomach to knock it over.

[Ragdollmaster]

Inferti sat down on a log and scratched his head slowly. "Well... I suppose I'd have to speak with the assassin leader of my clan, he'd check out a few sources and if it turns out that there's sufficient reason to believe a war will start, he'll band together the other assassins and any allies, and we'll prepare for war." There was an eerie calm and silence between the three, like there is right before a storm. "So... are we off to your assassin clan's temple?" Malek asked Inferti, who nodded. "Behave yourselves... I think they may ask me to use this an outpost if war breaks out, so we might return. I'd still advise you to take all your things- we might be asked to be active soldiers." Wyit sighed. "The assassins are all powerful enough to take down a few hitmen, aren't they?" he asked. Inferti frowned. "Not exactly... we're not trained for direct combat, many of them use hand-to-hand as self-defense. Their peak abilities all involve stealth, which is possible in covert areas, but I'm afraid not too good in an open battlefield. Take mind they can fight fairly well, it's just they don't have much experience with it." Closing down the fort, they left and walked through the city and past Damas, several dozen miles without stopping, before they reached the Imperial city of Zebule. All the buildings were made of white-washed concrete, and lightly colored plants and adornments made the large city seem to emit a glow. They saw a castle-like temple high up above the main city. "It's about a half a mile's climb up-hill, just so you know." Inferti said as they walked past the boundary of the town.

[Count Roland]

Ogier reaches the mountains by sunset and prepares to bed town in a tiny cave, however just as he is ready to go to sleep he hears a sound outside of the cave shuffling out of the cave there is a massive impact at the back of his neck, which nearly knocks him over except he raises both his arms up behind his head, grabs his assailant, and allows himself to fall over than dropping into a combat roll and throwing the attacker off. as he stands up and brushes himself off he sees a mountain lion's front leg grasping at the top of what was apparently a cairn before the unfortunate creature flew head first into it. Ogier slowly walks forwards as the mountain lion gets up hissing and spitting, the lion than bats Ogier in the face with a hand as he draws near knocking him spinning to the ground, however Ogier puts his arms out and goes into a pushup position before jumping upright and aiming a roundhouse kick at the lions head, which is easily intercepted by the lion, however anticipating this, Ogier puts his left hand out and drops down onto it, raising his other foot up to kick the lion in the back of the head, knocking it over, he ends up on its back and begins to bite at it's ears while pummeling it about the head with his fists. the lion stands up with the capybara still clinging to it's back biting at it's ear, and as the lion raises a hand up to swipe the nuisance off, Ogier pushes off with both feet while still maintaining a grip on the ear, resulting in a cruel ripping sound as he goes into a back flip with an ear in his mouth, and the lion stumbles forward. turning around Ogier sees it's fur standing up and realizes it is truly angry now as it draws a cudgel from it's waist he says "we can settle this peacefully you know." the lion simply stares in amazement, "You bit off my ear! the only way this will end peacefully is with your remains peacefully decaying in the cave." "decaying?" questions Ogier, "quite the fancy vocabulary for one who refers to themselves in the second person singular. Of course, I suppose you had to make up for the way you look with something, and a good vocabulary would probably be a natural way to make up for the poor genetic material." at this the lion charges Ogier, cudgel held high, however as it draws near he takes three steps forwards and headbutts it in the stomach knocking it's breath out of it, and grabbing it's arm he breaks the wrist and throws the cudgel off the mountain. Now even further enraged the mountain lion assumes a fighting stance, Ogier assumes a mockery of it's fighting stance with his feet placed ridiculously wide and his arms held in front of him curled up into fists he's twirling around. "c'mon put your dukes up!" says he while hopping up and down and licking his shoulder. The lions takes a step forward and punches Ogier right in the face, seemingly unfazed Ogier says "oooh look at me I'm a lion" and with that proceeds to windmill his arms at the lions face. after accumulating multiple bruises the lion seizes his chance and pivoting from the hip, kicks ogier straight in the chest knocking him over and back several yards. Ogier gets up, coughs out blood and upon seeing it, exclaims "Why you mangy house cat! Nobody makes me bleed from the mouth unless they're a baby rabbit with a soiled diaper!" and with that exclamation charges forward jukes around the mountain lion, grabs it around the neck drags it into the cave, grabs his falcata and imbeds it in the lions skull with a sickening thunk, before breaking the lions neck and twisting it's head all the way around. he pulls out the falcata, wipes it off, and goes to sleep.
Edit: Edited once to make it more interesting, twice to tell you what I edited.

[Lotus Wolf]

(nice post)

Malek had been silent for most of the journey, thinking of the war that was likely to erupt around him. "I found my adventure..." He whispered to himself. "What was that?" Inferti asked. "How steep of a climb is it?" Malek asked. "One for the skilled and for assassins." He said.they reached the foot of a slope that gradually became a cliff. "Will you guys be able?" Inferti asked. Malek nodded, and so did Wyit. They started off, trudging up the slope until it began to level off vertically. "Time to climb." Malek said under his breath. He grabbed hold of a strong vine, many lined the side of the cliff, and began hauling himself up. He reached a tree the grew out of the cliff then curved up to the sky. he looked back to find Wyit close behind and Inferti about level with him using his arms to jump from handhold to handhold a few meters to his right. He looked up, finding himself about a third of the way there. Instead of climbing the cliff, he climbed the tree. when he reached the top, he leaped out at the cliff and caught hold on more vines. he continued hauling himself up, then looked back to find Wyit. Wyit was at the top of the tree, ready to jump, Malek paused to watch. Wyit jumped out to the same spot Malek had, but this time, the vines didn't hold on to the cliff. Wyit yelped, and began to fall, not quickly, as the vines he was holding onto were tearing from the face of the cliff slowly, but falling. Malek let go of his vines and fell fast down to where Wyit was. He caught part of the vine Wyit was holding, and with his other hand, grabbed a handhold in the rocks; they both stopped instantly. Wyit bagan to climb the vine, then grabbed onto a handhold, and Malek then let the vine drop. "Watch your step, the vines might not be best after i go up on them." Malek said. "Thanks..." Wyit said, rather frazzled. Malek began climbing again, and he saw Inferti at the top looking down at them.
~a little while later~
Malek and Wyit pulled themselves up over the edge. "You're one brave bastard." Inferti said to Malek. Malek grimaced, then turned to Wyit. "Like i said, the vines probably wont hold two people at the same time."

[Ragdollmaster]

As they turned and started up a stone path, two assassins came forward wearing the standard white tunics. "You, there, do you have permission to come up?" said one of them. Inferti laughed a little as he walked straight past and said to the other one, "New guy, huh?". Malek and Wyit followed close behind, the questioning assassin left below them with a quizzical look on his face, his compatriot laughing at his confusion. They soon reached the main gates of the Magsay Headquarters, guarded by both assassins and Imperial Lugaru rabbits wielding Halbreds. "Greetings, Inferti." one of them said. "Pass through with your companions." Several hundred feet later and they had reached the main building, which served as a focal point of the occupying assassins. "Follow me." Inferti said as he ran up a small wall and flipped onto a balcony to avoid traffic. "Right, we're going up to the Master, Opius." Inferti said as they climbed further up a stairway. "After we give him the story, he'll make the decision of who to contact. Obviously, the other assassin clans, and probably the Imperial Lugaru forces." He slowed down to say a few final words before they reached a door. "Best-case scenario, in terms of peace-time: all the local Lugaru assassins and the Imperial Forces banding against these two organizations and wiping them out. The most probable scenario is the Lugaru Imperial Forces banding with the assassin forces, world-wide, against these two organizations, which, as they probably ship soldiers in and out, will have support of other countries. The worst-case scenario is an all-out war against Lugaru... it might be good that we caught this early, and it might mean our destruction. Let's go."

~The Master's Room~

They entered into a circular office after passing two more assassins, where a Jaguar robed in a crimson tunic sat in a chair studying a book. "Good evening, Master Opius." Inferti said with a bow; Wyit and Malek bowed as well. "Hello, Inferti." The Jaguar said without looking up from a book. "Your prescence is, as always, celebratory. However, you usually only come here with extremely good news... or extremely bad news." He looked up, his emerald green eyes focused on the Mara like lasers. "Which is it?" "Maybe neither... but I have good reason to suspect imminent war." And so Inferti told the story of the past few days. When he finished, Opius closed the book in front of him. "This is most troubling. I will have to send messenger birds to all our allies, and I'll need all of the scholars investigating what you have said. If this truly is a time of war, then this will become a stronghold of our forces and we will need to prepare the assassins. For now, you and your companions may retire to the High quarters. I will make an announcement soon." The High quarters was a section of rooms designed for the assassins residing in the temple; they could each about a dozen people comfortably and had weapon storage closets, as well as quick accsess to the roof, windows, balcony, and the bottom floor.