You opened your mouth, but said nothing.
How dare she? You're speechless. Gertrude has been acting like an equal for some time but now she's acting like she owns the place; telling you what you can and cannot do with your prey, with the people who wronged you, and now she's interrupting you and making you look bad in front of micen from your own colony.
Anger clouded your mind intensely. You were about to smack the mice off the counter with the back of your hand. But you remember something else your daddy taught you. Do not act on thoughts when angry. You held your fist behind you. The other micen's gazes made you feel embarrassed. You're angry enough you could bite the head off a mouse. Then you realized, you can. Kert. You had nothing to say to Gertrude and Uschi, so you didn't. You just left.
Jason sat down across from Vanner. The long table was set so that there was only two plates of food on cloth. His first time meeting Claude's son and he doesn't seem to be in a good mood. Jason tried his best not to notice his behavior, and decided to pay attention to his plate with bread, some mashed potatoes, and even a slice of cooked meat. "Why aren't you eating?" Jason asked when he saw Vanner's food untouched.
"A woman the other day," Vanner growled, twiddling his fork on his potatoes, "came in here running a muck. It was embarrassing, she tried to intimidate me in front of my own guards."
Jason finished some of his food, "Where is she now?" Jason asked, as if he didn't already know what's left of her in in a rat in the basement.
"She dropped a gold bar and straight up left." Vanner scoffed. Jason almost choked at the sound of her actions. Vanner continued, "Actually she gave us two bars in total." Jason at this point was full on coughing on his food. "Guess I can't complain. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Jason tried telling himself, soon he was able to stop coughing and asked, "Where did she get gold bars from?"
"Her friend, Solace." Jason was glad there was nothing in his mouth to choke on this time, but at this point he's not impressed anymore. Inface, Jason is rather calm hearing this, it explained everything. Vanner started mimicking a woman's voice, "Oh don't mess with me, my friend Solace is pretty big. She could eat you alive."
"Swallow you whole," Jason corrected him nonchalantly, taking another bite of meat.
Vanner looked up, concerned, "What? You know of her and her friends?"
"I don't exactly know the other leonas, but I do know Solace. And if she knows of you and the wonderful establishment you have here-"
"Oh, whatever!" Vanner motioned his hands for the cup-bearers to come in and pour some drinks, "I have almost a hundred guards. I think I can take on a single mob boss. How many do you think it'd take to kill one of your so-called leona warlords?"
"Fifty? Sixty?" Jason shook his head realizing what he just said to a powerful stranger, "Wait, you aren't actually suggesting we kill a leona, are you?"
"What if I am?"
"Are you mad?" Jason stood to his feet in alarm, causing a hooded guard to draw his needle. He remembered the ancient legends from generations past, and how killing the cat's can cause mass extinction. He must've stood up too fast, as now his equilibrium was off and he slumped back into the chair.
Vanner raised a hand, making the guard put away his sword, "Jason, I don't know how your conversations went with my father, but I will have you know that I will not be insulted at my own dinner table." The cup bearers gave the goblets to the patron and the king. Jason noticed newly formed scars on her bare back. "Never mind, you're our guest and we will be delighted if you could join me in a toast for everlasting friendship."
"To everlasting friendship." Before he drank, Jason sniffed the bottle. This wasn't wine. The scent was unfamiliar. He believes that just from the whiff his head is starting to hurt. He placed it back down, "Not to make accusations, but I think I could smell the drugs you put into this thing."
Vanner took a sip, "In this? This is Stray-Dog's. It's the very definition of 'fine-ass whiskey'. To tamper with this would be a crime against nature. But you shouldn't worry, see, it's the potatoes that were drugged."
Jason was unable to move. An attempt to stand up made Jason fall out of his chair. Jason was conscious, but completely paralyzed.
Vanner drank all his whiskey and started to tread towards Jason, shaking his head before grabbing his guests cup and drinking it. "With the gold she gave us, we won't be needing your services anymore. Sitchol, put him in holding. The rat will want to feed soon."
Jason heard there was loud thudding, muffled to the point that is couldn't have been in Kert, but rather far outside. It wasn't ear shattering, though it was enough to be audible. But what could be making it? Jason was able to see that Vanner heard it as well. His fur bristled on end, he looked almost scared.
"Impossible," Vanner muttered, "Sitchol! Get someone to check on the Monolith!"
The damn door was locked! Of course, the room was abandoned a few years ago. You twist the knob and pushed the door in, hoping maybe the lock could show some signs of budging. It was futile. You glide your hands through your hair and find a bobby pin that you used to attempt to pick the lock. You growl and rest your forehead against the door.
All you want to do is munch on a micen and now, moments away from a belly full of micen, a freaking door stops you. If it wasn't for you being upset, you'd feel like a videogame character.
A tap on your shoulder made you jump. You turn to see a face that you haven't seen in a long time. Geeaness.
"What's up, Solace?" The orange cat's soothing Britannian voice was a welcome muse. His brown fancy combed hair did little to hide his bent right ear. You kind of cringe when looking at it's lifeless flab hang, and shudder at what you've done. But you always suppress your emotions towards him. He deserved a broken cartilage after kissing you that one time without permission. His green eyes shuffled between you and the door.
"Well, hello Geenie." You did your best to not sound enthused. "You scared me, for a moment I thought you were someone important."
"Mmm. It seems you want to break into an apartment. Last I checked, that sounds like it's a little illegal. Maybe a smidge, I could be wrong. May I ask why?"
You rolled your eyes, "What will it take to get you to shut up?"
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