B2 Chapter 162: Deadacre pt. 7

The stairs leading to the entrance to the Dusty Stables were wide things that tracked up the side of the building, shading the various pens that were set into the building at street level.

A sign hung over their rise, showing off not just the name of the establishment and its insignia—a crisp painting of a weather-worn stable—but that also stated that all trained and bonded beasts were welcome inside. As long as they were polite, that is.

“Well, I suppose we should make our entrance. Though, let me grab something from our bags first.” he said to Porkchop, before approaching his side and pulling a coin purse from within their dimensional bag.

Sliding their earnings into a spare slot in his potion pouch, Kaius ascended the stairs and entered the tavern.

It smelled…clean and homely – of saddlesoap, clean fur, and well oiled wood. Scents that made him feel more relaxed, far more than any other place in the city at least. He smiled, taking in the interior as Porkchop craned over his shoulder to look in himself.

The space was wide, with a long bar stretching two thirds the length of the room directly across from him. Behind it, a long cabinet of liqueurs was set off just to the side of an entrance to a bustling open kitchen, four men hustling as they cooked and prepared all manner of foods, some of which were decidedly odd. Like the one who was dicing fruit, only to toss it in a bowl of freshly cut grass.

Kaius cocked his eyebrow at the sight.

Perhaps even more befuddling than that was the general furnishings of the establishment. It had the usual trappings: tables, chairs, booths, and padded benches. There were also other, stranger things. Wide, boxy stools set at knee height that were almost big enough for him to lie on, as well as odd backless daybeds scattered around the place.

The purpose for the strange furniture was readily explained by the absolutely massive cat that lounged on one such platform, curled up in front of the roaring fire that dominated the wall to his right.

Hearing their entrance, the cat’s ears perked up. Lifting its head from its slumber, it focused on him, but only for a moment before it locked its eyes on Porkchop behind him. Pupils dilated, ears flicking up quickly before the cat gave a large stretch and slunk to its feet.

He tensed, only for Porkchop to butt him in the back of the head with his nose.

“He’s friendly.” his brother assured.

“You’re sure?” Kaius asked with a frown, watching the cat silently pad across the room towards them.

“Honestly, Kaius, I know you’re a little traumatised from the last two cats, but the thing’s fucking purring. Pull yourself together.” Porkchop chuckled.

Looking back at his brother in surprise, Kaius whipped back to the cat and actually listened. Porkchop was right, a deep rumbling resonance was coming from its chest, deep enough that he more felt than heard it. Sighing in relief, Kaius forced his apprehension down. Porkchop was right, he was being ridiculous, and it was likely he could handle the cat if anything happened anyway.

Afterall, he doubted an innkeeper did much delving, and even if non-combat classers could level from working in line with their class, it was mighty slow unless you were some world-leading expert.

Without the slightest care in the world the cat, tall enough to meet his waist, slid right around him to wind its way around Porkchop’s legs. His brother bent his head down to give the cat a curious sniff, who promptly smushed his face with its own. Much to Porkchop’s surprise, judging by the way his ears suddenly flicked.

Kaius chuckled, before a booming laugh drew his attention back to the bar. One of the men who had been in the kitchen, rather tall with dark features, had drifted behind the counter. He was watching Porkchop’s interaction with the cat with an easy smile, resting his weight on the bar.

“Not often Yong takes such an interest in someone, especially not one so much bigger than him.” the man said with a deep and gravelly voice that filled the room. At his words, Yong’s ears perked up, and the cat trotted across the room to join him by the bar.

“Ay, I don’t have any treats for ya, you big fatty.” the innkeeper said affectionately, rubbing Yong’s head as the cat yowled pleadingly. The man’s will didn’t last long, as he flicked a scrap of…something out over the counter. Yong chased after it in a mad scramble.

“Ahhh, can never stay stern with him for long. Name’s Hensch, by the way, owner and proprietor of the Dusty Stables.” Hensch gave a small bow.

Kaius smiled at the sight, while at first he had been worried about how accommodating an inn could truly be for a creature of Porkchop’s size, those worries had fled as he watched the man’s interactions with Yong.

“Kaius, and the big lug behind me is Porkchop. Ro pointed me here, said you’re probably my best bet for lodgings.” he said, introducing himself.

Hensch chuckled, lightly slapping the countertop. “Met Ro, did ya? She’s a feisty one, but she’s not wrong. Not many places in this city that would be happy to deal with a warbeast of that big boy’s size, bonded or not.”

“How’d you know he was bonded?” Kaius asked, tilting his head slightly.

“Well, for one, you’re a mite evocative with your body language.” Hench pinched his fingers, exaggerating the motion with a squint of his eyes. “Bit of a give away with bond skills, the link goes both ways after all. For two, I haven’t heard a peep from any of the other customers about an ornery warbeast around town. No way in hells some bear-thing straight from the hells would be so calm if it couldn’t tap directly into your mindstate to know everything was at ease. That, and Porkchop there’s got none of the rigid restraint you see from trained beasts, and ye didn’t leave him in the stables.” Hensch explained, ticking the points of his fingers one by one.

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