Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

"I guess," he says, bitterly. 

[Varric]

"Far as I can tell, she's not aware of you. Not idea if she's... how she'd react and such if she was told, just that... she hasn't been given the chance to decide. Anyway. You two head off to bed, you have class in the morning."

[Carver Amell]

"Yes, dad," he says, sarcastically -- but with a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. 

[GamesMaster]

While making dinner, Bethany spies something moving in the backyard, via the window overlooking said yard. A few minutes later, she can see it again, more clearly: black-and-white fur, green eyes. Miki. Why?

[Bethany]

"Carver," Beth calls out, switching to elven. "Your pervert friend is lurking in the bushes. Be a dear and ask him why?"

[Carver Amell]

"On it,"  he says, charging from the dining room (where he was pouring over a worksheet) through to the backyard. A few minutes later, he comes back, poking his head in the back door. 

"Hey, have you seen Niko in a few days?"

[Bethany]

Beth pauses a moment. Why would Miki look in our back- oh duh. He was just trying to get to us without... "No, I haven't. And tell him to just walk up and knock, Dad wouldn't care. More likely to snipe him if he seems someone lurking around. Actually, just invite him in."

[Carver Amell]

"yeah, okay," he says, popping his head back out. A moment later, he and Miki are returning, Carver standing by the door as if to stop Miki escaping. 

[GamesMaster]

Miki smiles, giving a nod as his whiskers twitch. "Ah, Beth, yes. Tell Miki, seen cat-cat? Mayh'p hid cat-cat?" His distress is clear twofold: one, his accented Common is more heavy, and two, he doesn't bother complimenting her appearance.

[Bethany]

"No clever cat-cat, just pervy cat-cat," Beth replies in decent catfolk. "When did Niko get seen last?"

[GamesMaster]

Gratefully, Miki switches languages: "Clever cat-cat went on job, two, three days ago. Three. At night. Big job, much meat." From learning from street gangs, of course Beth is aware that 'meat' here is slang, referring to any take from a job. "No come back. Thought he was hidden, mayhap laid low, waited for tracks to blur. But Hunt Leader didn't and his Littermate didn't and virile cat-cat didn't, and now Healer and dog-cat didn't, so, really really hope Enemy didn't and dog-men didn't." The implied verb likely being 'see Niko'. 

[Bethany]

"Niko went on a job three nights ago, a big one. No-one's seen him since, tribe or gang," Beth explains to Carver in a murmur, worry in her eyes. Turning back to Miko, she asks, "anyone go see big job place? See if Enemy lurking around? More guard?"

[GamesMaster]

"Yah, yah. Big job in Skysong, yah?" The district name sounds strange coming as it does in the middle of a series of much more feline noises. "No Enemy, always guard."

[Carver Amell]

Carver frowns, nervously drumming on his belt, where a sword might hang if he were armed. "Do you think he got caught?"

[Bethany]

"It... honestly, at this point, I almost hope so. Better to have been caught by guard than Coalies," Bethany says with a drawn expression. "Do... do you think we should ask Dad for help?"