Samhain

Samhain opened her cider orange eyes to watch the next patron enter the Grinning Kitten. She was hidden in one of her many favorite spots, in the rafters of the inn, and the minute she caught the scent of her favorite dish–roasted, herbed chicken–she knew she had to have some. 

Below, the wooden chair creaked under Beren as she sat, mead and meal in her scarred hands. She removed her pack of supplies from her shoulder and it hit the ground with a heavy thud. She sighed, rubbing her aching shoulder. This was the first break she’d had in months. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d had a warm meal prepared for her. These long weeks, she’d had to make do with what she found during her travels. 

She took a long pull from her drink, and sighed. Years of bounty hunting had left her tired and more haggard than she’d like to admit. She’d dropped her sword off at the Grinning Kitten’s smithy, and she had at least a couple of days to herself to explore the nearby towns and relax while it was repaired. 

Her last bounty had taken much longer to track down than she’d anticipated. But all of that was over now; she’d turned the Halfling in for his thievery. She could take a deep breath, relax, enjoy her hearty meal, and then sleep for as long as she could. 

Beren started cutting into her chicken, but paused when she felt the weight of someone’s gaze. Now on high alert, she glanced around the tavern. As far as she could tell, no patrons were paying her much mind, most of them were busy chatting or reading or playing board games. Then why did she feel so exposed? 

The answer came seconds later, when she caught sight of something dark in  her peripheral vision. She waited a few seconds, and then grabbed the scampering creature, who emitted a squeak as Beren lifted it flailing onto the table. 

“Oh, it’s one of you,” she said with a smile. “Did you think you could pull a fast one on this bounty huntress, little barbarian?” Beren asked. “You thought you could steal my food?”

Samhain mewled and squirmed. She was eager to get away from Beren’s searching gaze, but she couldn’t deny what she’d been after.

Beren chuckled and removed a piece from the thigh of her chicken. “I think your boldness shouldn’t go unrewarded. At least, not this time.” She offered it to the nervous kitty.

Samhain hesitated for a moment, and then as quick as a wink, grabbed the meat in her mouth and then quickly scampered away to enjoy her treat in the safety of somewhere dark and hidden.

Beren chuckled to herself and returned to her meal, no longer worried about being watched. As she dug in, she didn’t notice that one of the wings of her chicken had gone missing nor that Samhain had left little greasy paw prints on her table as she left.