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Preview Excerpt

A gust of wind rocked the sign about on its one remaining ring holder. The others had long since rusted off from years of neglect. Even so, it was easy to make out the faded caricature of an anthropomorphic rodent puking into a latrine. Words carved into the moldy wood appropriately identified this establishment as the 'Vomiting Rat.'


"Cute," was all Karen could offer as commentary. During her initial survey through town, this particular building sure looked like a cesspool for rats. In fact, she had initially considered such a place abandoned. Its brick foundation looked chiseled by the elements to the point of collapsing in on itself. Most windows on its ground floor were too caked in grease to make out anything going on inside. And yet, straining an ear to the door, she picked up some usual bustle of commotion befitting a tavern.


The shattering of what was undoubtedly a beer bottle made her jump back. One hand shot to her hip, undoing the clasp of her sword on reflex. Most of her ex-knighthood instincts were saying to avoid what troubles might be beyond this portal, but sadly her goal was worth a little brawling no matter how slim chance salvation could be found.


Taking a deep breath, she forced her hand from weapon hilt to door handle and entered. Both hands promptly shot to cover her ears against an assault of shouts, curses, and the playing of a very loud violin. None of which had been remotely distinguishable from any of the windows or doors.


It really was like stepping through a portal into another world. High marble beams had been placed around to keep the roof aloft, while the walls were reinforced with freshly painted plaster and all manner of tapestries. Even the air smelled fresher if thick with alcohol.


Karen needed only a moment to collect herself before spotting the source of everyone's attention. Several square tables had been pulled together to form one large platform for a large number of patrons to gather around. Peering over the tops of heads, she could see this extra space was made for two creatures to duke it out as a makeshift death ring. Currently, some sort of rabbit with a scorpion tail and pincers was trying to get a chicken with a thick serpent's tail to compliment the scales of its underbelly. Every time the later clucked there spewed forth a rush of green flames that kept the furry stinger at bay.


Summoned creature fights were a rare sight indeed. Karen recognized hearing about such spectacles, despite never seeing one before. A rather handy way of hosting gambling fights without the waste of using live roosters, as well as leaving little evidence of events if authorities should happen along. Such creations were usually made by extracting raw magical energy from the outer planes and forcing them to manifest physically as the caster saw fit. Once killed, they simply dispersed back to either without a trace. Such a feat required at least one or two people exceptionally knowledged in the arcane.


Looked like she might have found a lead in this sinking pit after all. And God's help her for having to meet the weirdo that wanted to create a chicken-dragon.


Unfortunately, none of the patrons paid her any mind when she tried flagging some for questioning. Tapping shoulders only got her hand rolled off, and shouting into ears got rather threatening glares when they realized she had no intent on pedaling money for this fight's outcome. Deciding it best to wait things out, Karen made her way to the bar. Only one of the twenty stools was occupied by a corpulent ferret man. He had, apparently, decided mid-drink that the marble counter would make a nice pillow.


“What’s your poison?” snapped a lanky man before Karen finished sitting down. Brown eyes gazed suspiciously at her sword behind a tangled mess of red hair.


“Cider and rum, please,” she said trying to sound non-threatening and robust at the same time. Mentally she cursed her, well, curse. There were still some hours before she needed to ingest another Azuchroma flower, but that did not stop an occasional craving for juicy apples or a thick patch of grass now and then.


When the drinks came, she added a gold piece on top of the demanded fee inclining her head to the large crowd. “Thanks. Also, I’d like to know the mage in charge of that.”


The bartender took her coin scoffing at first. His eyes glanced over to the tables in consideration while a chorus of cheers and boos intermixed. Sounded like one of the fighting creatures would be dead soon.


“Out for our resident alchemist, eh?” the bartender gave Karen another scoff. “Does he owe you something or did someone send you to break his legs?”


“Pardon!?” the question stopped Karen dead, so promptly she almost spilled cider down the front of her leather vest.


Her proprietor chuckled softly, going back to his routine of pretending to wash clean glasses. “Sorry, you just look and act with a purpose. Military, or Ex considering you haven’t done anything to bust up that ring.” Karen nodded, even though it had not been a question, before knocking back her rum. “Well, most out of towners don’t seek that bastard unless it’s over a debt. And let me tell you, he likes to pile those. WE tend to tolerate having him around, mind you. Seeing as he helps keep the children nice and healthy.”


“So, they’re here?” Karen forgot her composure under this man's incessant vagueness, nearly scooting off the edge of her stool to get closer. “I assure you, I have no interest in harming your...doctor? On the contrary, I may wish to employ his services."


“Yeah, he's here. Keep your bloomers on, young lady. I’ll introduce you soon as he’s done with his current business. Oh, fancy that!”


Another loud roar came from the crowd, this time leaning far toward negative. Looking over her shoulder, Karen retched at the sight unfolding. The scorpion-rabbit was laying belly up on the table, while the lizard-chicken still hobbled around with its wings reduced to bloody stumps. Both soon poofed back into the ether while large stacks of coins exchanged hands among the crowd.


Karen could not help but smirk as more than one fist fight broke out. Quite a few people must have been betting with money they did not have. Many were chased out the various doors, pursued by others drawing saps, clubs, or just grabbing whatever blunt object sat in reach. Two humans and what looked like an anthro fox with blue fur looked especially unlucky. They were being escorted out slung over the shoulders of towering half-orcs. They barely made it out the door before Karen started hearing a series of splashes dotted with pleading yelps.


Part of her conscious tugged at Karen to get up and help, but she talked it down with the knowledge one mercenary against a drunken mob was not good odds. Especially when she had no intention of hurting anyone without due cause. Cheating was still cheating, even on an illegal bet.


“Welp looks like your guy is freed up now.”


“What? Oh!!” Karen had gotten so lost in surveying the chaos on display that she almost forgot her reason for being among it. Her eyes quickly scanned around the tavern expecting to see some robust figure dressed in cheap formal clothes being revealed behind the parting crowd. “Where is he?”


“I’d guess the rain barrels again,” the bartender said with a chuckle. At Karen's confused look, he gestured to the door the half-orcs had just reentered from. They looked mildly wet, yet extremely satisfied about something. “Take that exit and turn to your right. Just look for the tail.”


“Great,” Karen said with drastically diminished hopes. She paused only to finish her cider and excused herself past the towering thugs to get outside.


Turning right as instructed found exactly what she was looking for, sadly. The two humans she had spotted earlier were slumped against the wall of an adjacent building; black-eyed, soaking wet, unconscious, but alive none the less. Several barrels set up under a rain catch had been turned over, but the one closest to Karen remained upright.


This was significant only because it had the rear end of an anthro creature sticking out of it. Burlap pants hung loosely on scrawny looking legs but were cut roughly at the knee to make room for huge canine paws socked in black fur and dotted by yellow pads. Dangling off to the side was a rich furred tail almost fit for a blanket. It’s deep blue color only broken by the bright white at its tip.


“Great,” she repeated while inching for a closer look. A few bubbles bobbed to the surface, reassuring her this poor creature had yet to drown.


Karen yanked on the anthros submerged belt, only needing one tug to hoist the rest of it out of its water barrel home. Today just seemed full of surprises for the wandering mercenary. Not that Karen was unused to anthros, but one with blue fur was notably rare. Even more curious was when she got a chance to inspect the rest of him; dripping wet and trying to squeeze water out of his thick, black bangs. Placing his species was particularly hard. The big paws, narrow muzzle, and sock-glove markings suggested perhaps a fox or wolf. Yet the extreme lightweight, overly large tail, and jittery movements felt more akin to a rodent, specifically a squirrel.


It took a few seconds of fanning out his open red vest, the only other article of clothing on him, before seeming to notice Karen. His expression split into a toothy smile, showing off many white fangs and a yellow tongue.


“If that was to save me, thank you fair maiden,” he said but added with a glummer expression. “And if I owe you something, please don’t knee me in the crotch.”

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No time to be horsing around! Read this story and more months early on my Patreon for just $1

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Art credit: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/jakkal
Start of a Really REALLY long project for  Paulrevere1991 involving his TF cursed adventurer Karen and an alternate Universe version of Desmond as a reward of my patreon commission tiers. Considering the outline I've been given to work with, there's going to be a lot of TF fun to be had of the horse variety this year. X3