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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Whizbang Dustyboots" data-source="post: 4121626" data-attributes="member: 11760">It is after dark when Hazel Sawyer knocks on the constable's door. Heath Leacher watches from his cell as she enters, followed by a kobold. In her arms is an unconscious Ebuferpaly Potentloins.She looks confused as to what's happening, but deposits the gnome on a long table as the constable's other guest enters the room, towering over everyone else."Hazel," Constable Ward Bridger says, as the other figure pulls back his hood, revealing leonine features, "This is Nargrav. He's a bounty hunter.""Miss Sawyer," the litorian rumbles, handing her a rolled trio of wanted posters, "I understand you helped in the search for Renraw Kem, Katadid Leach and Tock Chandler."Flabbergasted, Hazel stares up at Nargrav with a mix of awe and confusion. She momentarily forgets about Bufer as she drinks in the leonine features, bursting with curiosity.I bet Kat would love -- wait, what did he say about Kat?She unrolls the wanted posters and scans the images."Yes, sir, I did, for all the good it done us."Flower meekly stands in the shadow of the wall, wishing he were invisible. His eyes widen considerably at the entrance of the litorian and the mention of Renraw Kem.Having spent so long in the cell with nothing to do except make lists in his head and fume over how much work he would have to do tomorrow to make up for the lost time today, Heath is momentarily confused by the sudden rush of people. He is torn between concern for the gnome and concern for whatever the bounty hunter has planned for his son. Ultimately, his field doctor's instincts take over. He looks suspiciously at the kobold."Hazel, what happened?" Heath pries open Bufer's eyes and looks at how bloodshot they are. "Was it the kobold? Or the sisters?""We cleansed the abbey, but the abbess' ghost did something to him. I don't know what: It seemed like only a second, and then he was out of it. Couldn't get any response from him. Thought maybe you could mix something up to make him all right."And the kobold ain't like any other I met. Seems right helpful. Cheery, even.""Mister Leach!" Flower blurts out. "I would never hurt!""You want to count the headstones out there, reptile?" Heath snaps and points angrily toward the cemetery. "Huh? You want to know how many of them were put there by YOUR People? And you wonder WHY I HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION?"And just as sudden as Heath's outburst begins, it stops."So you vouch for him?" he quietly asks Hazel, his face flushed."NEVER WANTED WAS BORN THIS WAY!" Flower yells, his voice catching. "NEVER KILLED NO ONE! NEVER WOULD! ONLY WANTED ... HELP! YOU AND EVERYBODY! JUST WANT PEACE! ONLY! LEAVE ME ALONE, WARD! WITH ROGREN NOW!"Flower retreats to the corner, turning his back and sobbing violently. He fishes something out of a pouch and clutches it tightly in his claws before composing himself and turning again to the cell."The lichen, it helps with night terrors. Please use it to help Mister Ebuferpaly. He's a nice gnome."Heath stares for a moment before quietly taking the lichen. Reluctantly, he puts his hand on Flower's shoulder."Sorry, i-it's been a rough day, although I expect you've had it worse. Let me look at that leg when I'm done, Hazel. If I can get a mortar, I can grind this up and make a tea. It helped Kat when he had some rough ones. I can't find any physical ailments, but Bufer does seem to be having a time of it. He's in a deeper than any natural sleep I've ever seen. We may just have to wait and see if he wakes, but ... Well, let's just see.""I will pray for him at dawn," the constable says quietly."I'd like to sit with him for the night, if it's all right," Hazel says as she fiddles with the band around her index finger. "I expect he'll be right confounded when he wakes."She steps closer to Kat's father and speaks in an undertone."I only met Flower today, but he does seem harmless enough, even helpful, or at least trying to be. So, how come you were in a cell?"Heath flushes."You've heard your father mutter hopes about you growinf out of it, right? Let's just say that sometimes, after you do grow out of it, you grow right back. We'll talk more later."Heath darts a still wary look at Flower, who seems to be getting his tears under control. Heath dusts his hands off and approaches the constable."Ward, I appreciate the fact that I ain't got much call to ask you much, but I would be right grateful if you'd let me send Miss Sawyer out for some supplies. Wouldn't hurt to maybe call Mother Bridger for a look see herself, seeing as she's been doing this longer. If it's all right, Bufer can stay here and we'll look after him. I doubt Therurt would appreciate Bufer snoozing on his anvil given he ain't too much fonder of him awake.""Now then," Heath looks the lion man up and down. "What's this about my son?"</blockquote>

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