Citrine

Antique Shop Keeper

The bell to her shop rings as someone wanders in.

"Hello! Welcome to Port Side Findings..." Citrine's raspy voice trails as she watches the Ridgeback duck his head as he approaches.

"Citrine, I'm here on delivery." He moves closer to her, obviously conscious of his presence. Citrine looks him over again, narrows her eyes. "Delivering what? From who?"

"Information, from me." He continues to try to shrink his appearance. "I overhead something that I think the resistance might like. The-" Citrine spits out some of the mucus building in her mouth at his feet. He jumps back in surprise, yelping, "What the hell'd you do that for!?"

Citrine scoffs. "Go away. You know I don't have contact with them anymore." The Ridgeback looked crumpled. "You know I risked my life being here? I'm a public government figure! I'm practically not allowed out of Ekul!" His spines quivered. "Please, just get this to Passim, in Duskan. You're from there. It'd be easy for you."

"Easy for me? To go back to a clan that shunned me out? What's wrong with you?" Citrine lowered her head slightly, gesturing with her horn. "Either deliver it yourself or don't deliver it at all. Either way, I need you to leave." The Ridgeback stood still, watching her. Citrine growled low in her throat. "I said, I need you to leave."

"Aya was asked about the funds needed for a military invasion." He voice rang in the shop, suddenly clearer and more confident than it had been when he walked in. Citrine straightened her posture, looking at him with alarm. "Where?"

"Audale. But that's really all I know. Aya doesn't really let me know anything, I just happened to overhear this." His eyes darted around nervously still, though his posture had become more sure. Citrine watches him, trying to see if he'll say anything else without prompting.

"Anyway, if you don't want to deliver the news, then maybe I can find someone else..." He began to turn out of the shop, but now Citrine knew information that could get her hurt, or worse. Which meant that this Ridgeback was cleverer than she had thought. She huffs, then says, "Wait!" The Ridgeback looked over his shoulder at her like a lost puppy.

"I'll... deliver the news for you. But you owe me one." The Ridgeback continued to stare at her. "Anthe. I'm serious. You have my word." Citrine's voice was sincere, but her mind was spitting every known curse to this stupid Ridgeback for getting her involved.

Anthe nodded at her before saying, "Passim in Duskan. He's a brown/purple Ridgeback," and ducking out.

Once again, Citrine considers just leaving Ukall all together.


Citrine > Passim
Chapter 3.
Citrine gets a message that will send her to Duskan.