The Stray

2-17: The Witch of the... Watch

Joking around with V was one thing. Following V into the watch barracks was quite another. The place was deserted, prolly thanks to the whole mess going on. Just about the only sign of life was Cpt. Ashborne's voice coming from her office.

The place wasn't meant for heavy presence anyway, it seemed; the main area had a few desks, which looked to be shared by a couple watchmen apiece. The walls were lined with lockers, labeled with names. Most of them were unmarked, though. As they passed one door he could see into an armory that would probably have some good stuff inside, if he wasn't, y'know, tailing a cop in her lair.

"Alright, alright, stay cool, kid. Keep me informed. I'll send you someone as soon as I have a staff to spare. Gotta go." Then, in a different tone of voice, "Yes, I'm aware. I suggest you talk to the post office, not us, unless you think it was stolen. ...Can't help you there, then. Bye. Ugh...!"

"Hey, mom." V walked in, and Timothy slipped in behind her. The older dragoness gave a tired smile at her kid, and a polite nod to Timothy. Her desk was just covered in papers, what looked like a flock of small elementals were sitting on every open surface, and she had several pencils writing notes. Also, more strikingly to Timothy, her lunchbox was open, and a huge sandwich lay sadly ignored with but one bite taken out of it.

"V! Please tell me you two ain't here with a complaint."

V sucked air in through her teeth. "Well, it's not a complaint from us..."

"Well, crap. Fuck it, at least I can eat lunch while you tell me about it." She snatched the sandwich like someone was gonna take it away. "Haven't had a minute to breathe all day."

"Assuming it don't gross you out. It's kind of a weird one, ma'am."

"Trust me, kid, I'm an ex-merc. It'd take a lot to put me off my lunch." He could respect that. "How weird are we talking, though?"

"Weird enough that we might want Walker." V admitted. "Timothy's got a bit of a story for you two."

That got a raised eyebrow from the captain. "...Alright, sure. Hey, Walker!" She called. "Got something weird for ya!"

"But of course." Timothy stifled a yelp at the sudden voice from behind him. He whirled to find himself face to face with an elderly rabbit (hare?) woman. She leaned heavily on a stout cane, which looked a little... odd to Timothy in a way he couldn't quite place. It seemed lighter than it ought to be, maybe? She looked like an old grandma, at least at first glance. But her eyes were sharp and cunning, the eyes of a trickster sizing up a mark. He should know, right? Not to mention, He hadn't heard or smelled a thing, despite her 3 legged walk! "Scare ya, sonny?" She gave a low cackle. "Nothin' to fear from this old watchman." Every instinct he had said that was a lie.

"Hey, Walker." V greeted her politely. "Know anything about spiders?"

"What an odd question. I guess that's what happens when a young witch blows into town, though. Isn't it?" Timothy clocked the 'surprise, I know more than you'd like' trick instantly— after all, he'd done it himself more'n once. Well, two could play that game.

"Reckon so, Unlucky Rabbit." He thought he saw her eyebrow raise a tiny amount. Best he was getting, probably. "And yeah, it's a witch moment, if ever there was one. It's like this..."

Timothy quickly recounted the story. Walker took a position at Cpt. Ashborne's right hand, and from the non-reaction from both dragonesses, this was her usual spot. So not only a sneak like me, but she's also In Charge. Better keep an eye on her. The captain went from confused to eyebrow-raised skeptical to worried over the course of the tale, especially once V started adding her own inputs.