Trax Tavern {Storm's a-brewin': Check events}

[shruikan]

 

[Zeren the Morph]

"Pffft. Pants are so overrated." He somehow blew a raspberry, despite having a beak. "Uhhh. Lemme think... Nope. I didn't see anymore when I ran by the kitchen... Want me to wait that table in particular? I don't mind takin' some heat from a pissy customer." He suggested.  

[DarkWolfLove]

Larka was at least relieved to see that her staff was enjoying the increase of work. The she-Wolf just wasn’t the openly social type. These guys – Zeren, Square, Shrui, and her Mate – were the only ones she allowed herself to get close to. It was all her heart could afford. The big bad wolf was temporarily shoved aside and the pup beneath it all shined through. She hugged the octopus from behind as she chopped carrots. Zeren got a friendly pat on his rear. And Square… Needed trout when there was none. “No more trout, it was eaten up with the breakfast rush. But we have char, I believe….” The small white canine disappeared into the cold closet and reappeared with decent-sized fish that even looked a bit like trout. “Should be able to fool the fool,” she remarked with a smirk. She set the fish down by Shrui’s many moving arms and said to the octopus, “Filets. If they’re too small, do a rice dish and layer small flakes of fish on top.” She only partially realized the irony in having the aquatic cook fish, but hey octopus liked fish too. Maybe not cooked though.

Larka scrubbed her paw pads with a damp towel and scooped up a couple finished dishes to help out with the load. Breakfast was dying down, but now it was time for lunchers and snackers. Zeren would be a bit busy at this point as well, so when she caught his eye, she nodded her head back to the bar. The point was also to get him out of the way of gawkers and petters. It was less easy for them to touch him when he was behind the wooden slab of counter. Didn’t mean it stopped them, but it certainly happened less often than if he waited tables. He could usually quiet a fussy table with his shifting capabilities, and it was appreciated that he was so quick to stand up and volunteer, but he was needed elsewhere. Specifically, behind the bar. To emphasize her point, the canine shoved a thumb in the direction of thirsty customers.

“I’ll handle the ruffians,” she growled with a grin. The she-Wolf couldn’t help herself. She didn’t want anyone bustin’ down her tavern, but she did love a small brawl. She pushed up her imaginary sleeves and headed over to the table of boisterous farmers. Most of them knew her and had enough sense to quiet down when she came near. The one she guessed as the loud mouth did not. At the silence of his buddies, he turned around to face the short, white beast and gave her a lopsided grin. “Heya, cuteness, where’s yer mama? We need the manager here because I ordered trout, but the big scaly fuzzball is hard o’ hearin’. So could you be a darlin’ and go grab yer pole and catch me some lunch?”

 

[Zeren the Morph]

He nodded at Larka, slipping through busy tables and back behind his usual station with little notice. He may be dressed like a stripper, but he moved subtly, almost swimming through the crowded room. Indeed, his usual clientele had gotten a touch parched, and he resumed mixing drinks. Odd how busy they were, that night. Mostly, things were slow or at least, predictable enough for him to wander off from his position a bit. He wondered if a trade caravan was traveling through town or something.

Perhaps even odder was how handsy they were that night. Someone else pawed at him, the demon inside him so very tempted. No matter what, however, he would not regress, tonight. He popped that hand, shooting the creature a stern look. His own fault, Zeren's. His nature was a demanding one, often manifesting itself into an aura that made the people around him rather... Rowdy. It was difficult to control the beast inside, when it hungered.

He distracted himself in his craft. He took his mixology seriously.  

[Coyote Master Brutus]

Brutus poked his head in to the tavern, "H-hello?" his ears perked up as he swung the door open and stepped inside shivering softly, his fur standing on edge. He walked towards the bar, his tail wagging softly as he contemplated his order. The coyote slowed his pace, looking for a friendly face.  

[Zeren the Morph]

Coyote Master Brutus

Zeren motioned a welcoming gesture, indicating to a free stool by the bar while he wiped a clean mug absentmindedly with a hand towel.

"Welcome to Trax, home of the Whopper. Well, not for another few centuries, but hey! Alcohol, buddy! Can I get ya somethin'?"  

[Coyote Master Brutus]

The coyote wags his tail, feeling welcomed. "I'd love something to drink, you got anything special for me?" Brutus sat happily and leaned onto the bar, shivering slightly.  

[DarkWolfLove]

The coyote that passed by her didn't phase the she-Wolf. He came in with a bunch of other canids behind him, so she assumed it was a large party. Her focus was centered on the bozo who still motioned his hands for her to get a move on catching him more ******** trout. "You've got to be kidding me," she sneered. She leaned forward, her claws digging into the wood of the table and chair and inched closer to his boozy face. It was only lunchtime for goddess's sake, and this human was already drunk off his a**. "Listen here, pinky. You see this building? Filled with all sorts of furry and scaly creatures. Most of them with claws and fangs that could rip the skin from your bones before you even got a squeal out that would put most actual piggies to shame." She bared her teeth in a show of what she herself was packin'. "And I'm the baddest of them all. Not so big, but I make up for it." She pressed her nose against his as he flinched away. She grabbed his shirt roughly and pulled his ear closer to her mouth. "Now, either buck up and apologize to my friend Square there, or get your a** out of here before you end up the day's special." She moved away and patted him on the head with a grin. "Hop to it, furless!" The man scampered out of his chair, fell over, and rushed to Square with his buddies laughing at him. Larka turned to the rest of the table and they immediately ceased. "Bring him in here again in such a shape, and I'll serve the rest of you up as side dishes." They all mumbled 'yes ma'am' as they bowed their heads and looked away from her gaze.

With a heavy sigh, the canine moved back to the bar and chose to help out Zeren. She couldn't stay cooped up in that kitchen after the near rumble. She was just too damned antsy. She looked up at a coyote that appeared quite friendly and offered to serve him, even though Zeren got to him first. It was good to see a friendly face that didn't want a paycheck from her. "Something to warm you up from the coming rain?"

 

[Zeren the Morph]

Zeren thumbed the tip of his beak, in thought.

"Hmm... Looks like you can use something warm. Perhaps a nice cinnamon cider?"  

[Coyote Master Brutus]

Brutus rubbed his nose and scratched behind his ear. The coyote was indeed quite cold, but the warmth of the staff warmed his heart, he found himself wagging his tail. "Do... do you have something a little stronger?"  

[DarkWolfLove]

Larka grinned and grabbed a bottle of brown liquid from beneath the counter. She grabbed a couple of small glasses and poured the canid four shots of the stuff. "This should set your bones on fire," she said with a wink. It was cinnamon whiskey, aptly named Fireball. She couldn't stand the stuff herself, too sweet. But it did give a nice burn on the way down.

 

[Coyote Master Brutus]

The coyote thumps his tail and growls excitedly, "That sounds just about perfect!" Brutus reached for a glass and held it to his nose, swirling it and taking in a long smell. He raised the glass and smiled to the apparent bartenders, "To new beginnings?"  

[shruikan]

Square peered out from the small window that showed the main room. She could see her boss conversing with that fat redneck ******** who had simultaneously hit on her and insulted her. It was times like that that really made her wish she could bite out the throats of customers. But of course you can't. Killing was wrong... blah blah blah. Well, that and if you kill everyone, who's going to give you money? She snorted as she watched him try to butter up Larka.
I hope she breaks his face. She thought darkly.
"Square! Foods ready!" Shrui happily chirped.
"Eh? Oh right..." She turned, her thoughts interrupted.
She examined the finished plate that Shrui presented to her. She had to admit, it did look delicious.
"Shrui, how come you don't cook more often? This looks wonderful!" Her mouth watered as she took in the aroma of the dish. Shrui just shrugged 3 of her shoulders and adjusted her apron.
"I'm not really a good cook. I can do simple things, mostly fish. I prefer reading more than anything."
"Could've fooled me." Square said as she picked up the plate and placed it on a tray.
"I don't really have a need to cook. I prefer my food raw, and sometimes still kicking." She laughed at her own joke and began to prep vegetables. "Besides, it wasn't something necessary to do back home."
Squares ears perked. Shrui never talked about where she came from.
"Really? What was that like-" Square was cut short by the sound of a sudden sound coming from the main floor. "What the...?" Distracted, Shrui grabbed her tray and stepped out into the main floor, almost walking right into the fat moron whos food she was now carrying.
He was on his knees, she could tell he had just fallen and he was still pretty tanked so he was struggling to stand. He looked up in shock and then saw it was her and then immediately began to apologize.
"I'm so sorry Lady! Dinn't mean a thing I said before... I dont even really want the fish. I dont even like fish!" He badly lied.
Square was a little shocked. She didn't know what to expect when she emerged through the door, but it certainly wasn't this. She stood there for a moment, looking at him.
"Uh... sure. Not a problem. I have your food ready though..." She tipped the tray slightly to show him.
"Oh! Oh dont worry about it! I dont want it anymore!" He looked scared for a second then added quickly, "I-I'll pay for it, of course!" He stumbled back to his friends who were getting a real kick out their work mate getting his a** handed to him. Larka had quite the rep and as soon as he had realized who he was dealing with he got scared.
Maybe he's not as stupid as i thought.
Square took the tray and set it on the edge of the bar, unsure of what to do with the freshly prepared food.
She looked back over to the table of men and said loudly, "Well that was very kind of you, my boss will take your check and help you boys out." The man paled a little when he realized he wasnt done with Larka just yet. Square grinned to herself and made a small salute to Larka, thanking her. Then she melded back into the fray, taking the last of the orders from this lunch rush.  

[Zeren the Morph]

"As there always are, friendo."

Zeren took the bottle from the boss lady and poured himself just a little. He'd already had a drink, here and there, so he did a light shot. One thing he didn't do was to get drunk on the job. It's unprofessional, for one, but it's also a lot harder to contain the beast inside when you're having hard enough of a time just standing up.

He eyed Larka. "Always the connoisseur of mid-shelf liquors, aren't we?" He asked coyly.  

[DarkWolfLove]

Larka was just about to toast the man with her own glass of clear liquid, just water. But then the scumbag she sent away whimpering came back. Just as pathetically as he left. She caught eye of Square waving to her and the she-Wolf nodded back. Upon returning her attention back to the fool, she noticed how desperately he clung to the bar, as it seemed his legs weren't working right due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed. He flailed a fist in her face and she was about to punch him, but his hand opened and out fell several shiny coins. She immediately perked up and gave a sincere grin. "Hope to see you again real soon!" Once he turned for the door, she pocketed the coins, intending to give them all to Square, and scowled at his back. "Sorry 'bout the interruption. Just some business that needed taking care of... Where were we... New beginnings? I'll toast to that." She smiled again, grateful for the good customers that made her want to continue doing what she did, and clanked her glass against the male's.

As she knocked back her own glass of water, she winked at Zeren's question. "Only the best for you folks," she retorted wryly.