Severance: Sword and Fang

Sword and Fang {P.V}

"And what about you? You wouldn't 'appen to know your way 'round these catacombs, by chance?"

The crossbow dwarf scoffed at her companion's troublesome lack of manners. She lowered her weapon from Saaryn's face, but still cautiously held it at the ready, finger near the trigger.

"That's no way to introduce yourself to strangers. Even ones that sneak up on you. Greetings, friends." Her loud ranting timbre from just a moment ago parted for a much softer and gentle tone, as if she were speaking to a pair a friends she had known for a very long time.
"My name is Lady Mariam of house Weylan, and this is my honorable warrior companion Jarvin."
Jarvin snorted and smiled broadly. "Come on now, I come from a house too."
"I am not saying that name."
"Is it not rude to introduce me only by me first name? Those are manners unbecoming of a lady from such a prestigious family."
Mariam, annoyed, huffed. "Jarvin of house Feckerheim."

The dwarf burst into laughter, banging his fist several times into the statue of Ethireih. When he realized that no one else was laughing with him he quickly regained his composure, first wiping a tear from his eye.

"Right. Well, and you are?"

Cerysipha stepped out from behind Saaryn and took a step in front of him. It was her turn for unrequited bravery.
"I am Lady Cerysipha Iváneth of Cilenthia, or simply Cerys if it pleases you. And this is my good friend Saaryn..."
"Just Saaryn." He finished for her. A scowl crawled across his features towards the phrase 'good friends' but didn't protest the subtle innuendo. It mattered little in their present situation.

"It's a pleasure, Lady Cerysipha Ivaneth and Saaryn Just Saaryn." Jarvin of house Feckerheim bowed low, surprisingly similar to the manner of nobility, if a little too heavy on the right foot. The sorceress returned the gesture with even more grace. Mariam cleared her throat.

"May we ask what it is you two are doing here? Surely you haven't come to replace the flowers and dust the statues."
"The same reason as you." Saaryn answered without delay, "Here for the werewolf."
"Ha!" Jarvin yelped. "Did the noble lady drag you down here as well?"
Mariam scowled again. "I do apologize for his rude outbursts. He doesn't equip himself with the best of manners."
"Oh that's quite alright." Cerysipha chimed in. "I enjoy good and proper conversation. You'd find better luck bathing a cat than getting this one to speak. And yes, as a matter of fact I encouraged Saaryn to investigate the catacombs. His original plan was to simply wait for the werewolf to find him."

"You see? I'm not the only one with that brilliant plan." Jarvin mocked his companion, happy to be supported by someone else. And a human, of all species.

Saaryn was beginning to grow anxious of standing around and bantering. The catacombs were beginning to make him feel uneasy. A tingling sensation had started to creep up the base of his spine, like something was watching them from the shadows. Something malicious.

"We noticed you were lighting torches along your path." The mercenary spoke up before Mariam had a chance to rear on Jarvin. "I take it you knew where you were going. At least until now?"
"Unfortunately that's wrong. The torches served as a path back to the entrance should we find ourselves lost. Which, as you can see, we have."
"Great." Saaryn squeezed the bridge of his nose with gloved fingers. "So you don't know the way."
"Jarvin claims to be an expert way-finder, which I've recently begun doubting. But yes, for all intents and purposes, we are lost."
"Aye, I am an expert. I was a Green Cloak for more than a decade. No one knew their up, through, or around the mountains better than us. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't know your way back either. It was my idea to light the torches, remember."
"We heard howling earlier. That didn't give you any indication of the werewolf's location?"
"Oh, that wasn't any beast howling. A brick fell from the ceiling and landed on Jarvin's head. He threw a tantrum like a child."