Private Tales Songs of Alley Cats

[Noa]

Noa, despite being blind, could sense from the house cat that she seemed interested in the food that she was quickly tearing up with her fingers. Well, she did say that Ne liked to share, did she not? Without thinking much, she took a few shredded pieces and thrust her hand out— almost knocking over the lantern placed on the table and her mug of ale simultaneously— but her hand was held out quite closely to where Princess was located. Her hearing was spot on as always.

Ne was displeased but, the thing was, it was only a small morsel of food. So the peculiar tiger did nothing but flick it’s tail.

Listening to Roland’s tail, Noa could assume where it was all going. She tried to picture what the sister looked like, the only thing she was really having issue with were the colors, as usual. With her smoke she could make out shapes, although she wasn’t sure what ‘thick in the right ways and places’ meant. Thick was an unusual word to call someone, wasn’t it?

So the blind knight couldn’t help but to picture the form of a orc woman, with biceps larger than human heads and thighs that looked closer to blocks of steel than actual flesh.

“You tried to hook up with, maybe were successful maybe not, but either way you broke her heart and she broke your favorite spear?” Noa said with a raised brow. “All I’m hearing is you tried having a dick-swinging contest with her brother. You should continue before I get the wrong idea about you, Roland.” Noa said lightly. Without missing a beat she set the plate of shredded fowl onto the bench beside her for Ne to eat. The bones and cartilage she left on the plate broke easily between Ne’s strong jaws.

Roland Grayson

 

[Roland Grayson]

The man had a chuckle after his blind companion finally responded. Definitely was in the general area of what had taken place. Where she was wrong would require information yet shared so it was a good sign how close she had been without it. Slow wits had its place and conversation was not it.

"She and I did enjoy many fun evenings and morning with each other. A few times one of us would get jealous when eyes and hands wandered to other people. Had a few fights get started that way. Never was anything serious between us so no broken hearts. Naturally ended when we both mutually lost that kind of interest in each other after awhile."

Fond memories drifted through as he took another drink. Fiery hairy and temper bobbing about as eyes were focused less on a pretty face than a perky chest. Fight sparked by it. Ended with kissing and groping by both parties. Passion and affection yet not what he would call true love.

After a bit he set his drink down on the table and continued.

"Her brother hated all of it of course. As much as I'd like to claim it was because of his love of hating me, but sadly it was not. Man was like that no matter who was courting or playing around with his sister. Something that upset her greatly because I was one of the rare few who weren't and couldn't be intimidated away."

Roland shifted about in his seat. He leaned forward again. The smile on his face mostly hiding but not fully how this next part still annoyed him to this day.

"Didn't know the big oaf had the sense in him but he realized his usual scare tactics wouldn't work so he changed up his approach. Started spreading rumors about how short my spear was. Couldn't even fit a hand around its shaft. Couldn't feel a single thrust. Those sorts of things."

He picked his drink back up off the table. "Sadly it actually worked and people started to believe his slander and nonsense. Started getting called the Short Spear. Oh how he laughed about it. Wouldn't stop bringing it up and going on about it every time I was around. Easier to take a bone from a starving hound than get him to stop. Which he didn't do even after me and his sister had stopped having our fun. Can't express how annoying it all was."

The man emptied his mug. A hollow clank sounded as he a bit too firmly set it on the table.

"When I finally had enough I challenged the man to a duel."

Noa

 

[Noa]

Well, the story grew, unfurling more with each word. Noa continued to listen, her face continuing to be expressive. A raised brow or a quirk of her lips, sometimes her mouth would even pull down into a frown. The moment Roland had hit his empty mug against the grain of the table, Noa knew exactly what she should do. Ne had stopped munching on the fowl, and so without hesitation Noa leaned over to pick up the plate, remembering exactly where it had been.

With that plate on the table, she then raised a hand in the air, much like a student would when waiting for their teacher’s attention. When Ne flicked their long tail against her arm, Noa knew a barmaid was there.

“Another round of ale for us, please.” Noa said with a grin, not even bothering to ask if Roland wanted to drink more. She assumed he would need it as he recounted that duel— which, she imagined only ended one way. The barmaid cleared anything that was empty with a huff full of sass and then practically ran back.

It was a busy night in the inn.

“Right, so, you were upset he said you were lacking where the sun don’t shine and challenged him to a duel? Continue.” She said, leaning forward, placing her elbows up on the table so she could rest her head in her hands.

Roland Grayson

 

[Roland Grayson]

Another round of drinks ordered without him even having to ask. This woman was a true treat. Roland smiled knowing he had made a fantastic choice setting his sights on her for the evening. As soon as they had their new drinks in hand, he took a long swig. A moment to savor the thoughts of what was to come later.

As soon as she finished telling him to continue, a thud of a half drunk mug would sound followed immediately by the "mmmhuuuuuuuh" of satisfaction.

"So I challenged him to a duel. The troll fucker accepted and reached for his axe. But I stopped him. Had other plans in place. The goal was never just to beat him you see. Could have done that easily enough. No, I wanted to make a spectacle of it. Public humiliation for slander. Punishment fitting the divine crime."

As Roland spoke he had begun to gesture around with his hands. The signs of which being how their animation swooshed the air about. Princess, now satisfied with all her tributes, had noticed and assumed her owner was now trying to help her work off the weight such a hearty meal would give. So she moved across the table and started pawing at his fingers.

Roland idly began to play around with Princess, his focus firmly on the blind woman. His free hand continuing on helping tell the tale as he spoke.

"Place had an arena so we had our duel reserved in it. Seats were sold. Food and drink and bets all readied. A grand night of entertainment for all. The first to enter was the large fool. Metal clinked with each of his steps. Rings and plates clanking. His poleaxe swaying about in the noon time sun. A beast of ironhide and steel tooth."

Another drink was taken. Another one of those dramatic pauses he loved so much. All the while his hand the property of his prissy little princess who was actually in the greatest of moods now fed and being entertained.

"Then I walked in. A man clad only in a pair of pants and bracers of leather. A dagger and shortsword strapped to my hip. My shortspear in hand. Only my gods granted flesh and bone to guard me.... Oh how the crowd cheered...." Roland had to pause as he relived that moment in his mind.

Noa