It's a nice and warm evening in the lowers. There's absolutely no way that anything at all could be bothering anyone here, right? Except that there has to be because the Iron Guard has been summoned via a complaint to come down here. Wagons bundle themselves up from the docks to the markets as they dart between the different people about. It's a good idea to watch one's pockets here, but surely no one would ever try to target an Iron Guard?!

Hickson saunters through the lowers, his brown eyes scanning the area for pickpockets and suspicious persons as is his habit. Mira walks beside him flanked by two guardsmen. "Hmmm..." mutters Hickson to Mira. "I believe this is the location of the complaint."

Warrick follows Hickson as closely as he can manage without being rude. Still beleaguered by spring allergies, he keeps his head low and eyes sharp, as bleary as they are. "Do they truly eat cats around here?" he asks no one in particular.

Merek makes his way through while doing things!

Warrick checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 28 higher.

Hickson checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 5 lower.

"YOU ATE MY CAT!" A sudden commotion breaks out between two businesses as the Guards approach. Two women stand next to one another with the smaller one shouting her head off at the taller. The taller woman has a bucket and yells back, "I DON'T NEED YOUR STUPID CAT, I HAVE FISH!" As if to show it she lifts up the bucket and throws it at her argument partner. Alas, she's got terrible aim and instead the stinking load of fish heads is flung at the pair of guards. Warrick is quick enough to get out of the way, but poor Hickson is smacked head-on with slimy fish eye-balls, kills, and tongues.

"Queen of /Death/!" shouts Hickson, as he stands covered in all manner of foul fish bits. His eyes narrow as he approaches the women. He takes a deep breath, as he does his best to wipe away some of the grime from his face. Mira, his assistant, stifles a laugh and takes a step away, her hand rising to cover her nose. "What's going on here?" asks Hickson to the arguing women, as he forces himself to try and remain professional. One of the guardsman begins asking those nearby for a towel.

Warrick catches a flash of scale at the last second and dips out of the way. He winces at Hickson, then joins Mira in a stifled amusement. If the guardsmen can't come up with anything, he'll offer Hickson a handkerchief, and otherwise await an answer from the women.

A towel? Most people hear the request and find other things to do, but an older woman takes pity on Hickson and offers up a scrap of cloth that's as thin and warn as fabric can be without being air. At least it's something?

Even the woman who threw the fish-heads doesn't seem to want the guards to be there as she scowls at them. "I haven't done anything wrong! This crazy woman keeps accusing me of stealing her cat to //eat// it."

The shorter woman breaks in, "BECAUSE YOU DID! I FOUND BLOOD AND FUR AT YOUR DOORSTEP!"

"I //told// you, that was my idiot son, he dropped a load of skins!" The shorter woman looks like she's about to throw herself upon the taller rather than actually enlist the Iron Guard for help.

Hickson GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + athletics(3) at difficulty 15, rolling 15 higher.

Hickson gratefully accepts the scrap of cloth from the older woman. "Thank you," he says warmly, and begins to remove the foulness from his hair and face. When the shorter woman looks like she's about to attack, Hickson nods to one of his guards, who steps in front of her to restrain her. "Please clam down, Mistress," says Hickson. "We're here to find out exactly what happened. When was the last time you saw your cat?"

"And what color was it? Did it have a favorite toy? We may be able to track it," Warrick says, a note of hope in his voice. He stands poised however, not overtly, but ready to spring in just in case someone else feels froggy.

One of Hickson's guards springs forward to pull the shorter woman back and restrain her. For his trouble the shorter woman spits on him even as the taller takes a few steps away now worried about the Iron Guard getting involved. "It was a gray haired female, fat, because it kept steeling my fish." There's some venom in her tone, showing that the shorter woman probably has good reason to think her cat was taken by the taller. "It's probably just hiding from her youngest terror."

Sir Floppington, the soulful hound arrives, following Rowenova.

Warrick checked perception + investigation at difficulty 25, rolling 14 higher.

Hickson checked perception + investigation at difficulty 25, rolling 22 higher.

Emerging from the shadows between structures, Sir Floppington the Soulful Hound and Scout Rowenova of the Ranging Wolves step out from where they had been quietly watching the whole time, along with street rats (the human kind and the animal kind, both).

Hickson listens to the women, and asks, "what do you mean by 'youngest terror?'" His meanwhile pass attentively over the area, and, noticing something, he kneels down to pick it up. Rising to his feet he show a rough woven collar to Warrick, Mira and the women. "Is this your cat's collar?" he asks the shorter woman. "It looks like it's been chewed off."

Warrick greets Rowanova with a stiff, on-duty nod. He looks over the collar, but his eyes catch on the pawprints leading into an alleyway. "Scout Rowanova, bring your hound over, think I've got some tracks here." Without pause, he heads straight into it.

It is almost like Warrick's words about tracking cats may have even summoned the soulful hound and the wolfy scout, who smoothly move to the indicated tracks and silently commence an intensive examination with an intense gaze.

Floppington darts towards the pawprints with a woof, but just as soon as he turns the corner there's a loud HIIS and YELP which has the dog jumping back. A long yellow haired tabby races out of the alley way right towards the trio hissing and clawing. Alas, those pawprints don't seem to be the grayhaired lost-cat. "ARE WE BEING OVER RUN BY CATS?!!" That's the tall fish-head woman, while the shoulder one jumps up and starts yelling herself, "THAT DOG IS GOING TO KILL MY CAT GET RID OF IT!!!!"

"OR DID YOU KILL IT?" The shorter woman's ire turns towards Hendrik and that chewed off collar.

Hickson raises an eyebrow. "You're accusing me of killing your cat now?" he asks the shorter woman, and sighs. He shakes his head. He and Mira turn their attention to the ally. "Hmmm..." Hickson muses. "I wonder why that tabby's so aggressive." He takes a few steps deeper into the ally, to see if he can find where the cat emerged.

"Flop, are you okay?" immediately asks Nova after that tell-tale yelp, doing so with obvious concern. She immediately darts to be between the soulful hound and the fussy feline which does not seem to really make the greying hound too happy (since she just flipped their assigned roles). "Sir Floppington would never kill any cat!" she barks back with Northern volume to the short woman! "What is the deal, are they family or mates?" she actually aims that particular question to Sir Floppers after eyeing up the pissy tabby.

"Ah... Damn." Warrick looks at Sir Floppington with a sympathetic expression, and readily steps aside to let Hickson do the leading. "Are you... talking to your dog?" he asks Rowanova, brow arched.

Rowenova checked perception at difficulty 10, rolling 6 higher.

Hickson checked perception at difficulty 10, rolling 12 higher.

Warrick checked perception at difficulty 10, rolling 2 higher.

The tabby continues to hiss at the dog, warning him away from going deeper into the alley. Hickson is too big for him to fight though, and he backs up continuing to spit and threaten. Finally he's cornered by a broken down crate. There's a faint sound coming from inside, small whimpers and mews that are so common of baby creatures. Behind them the two women have begun to argue again.

Quickly now, Nova opens up one of her many pockets and pulls out one kerchief among many others. Why so many kerchiefs? She stays back with Sir Flop, doing so whilst half kneeling beside him and gently dabbing his houndly nose. "Poor Flop, I am so sorry! I will make you your favorite dinner tonight!" She would even cook for the dog himself? She looks up to Warrick, "He is not my dog: he is my friend." People in the Lowers are cray, right?

Hickson kneels down by the crate with a smile. "Warrick and... Rowenova, right?" he says, trying to remember what Marquis Rymarr told him of the active guards. "Sounds like kittens, possibly," he says. "Maybe the gray cat hasn't been eaten after all. Maybe it's been missing for another reason. Might explain the blood too..." Hickson begins to gently move the tabby with his leather protected forearm. "Sorry, my friend," he says softly. "I just need to see if the mama cat's in there..."

With a hiss of anger the tabby scratches! 10 inflicted and Hickson is unharmed.

Warrick checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 30, rolling 5 higher.

The tabby is NOT happy at all but when Hickson reaches to try to get past it the cat scratches wildly though he doesn't manage to get much purchase on Hickson's leather armguard. It's Warrick who is more successful, scooping up the yowling tabby and holding it claws away from him. This leaves the crate open for those who want to reach in. The mewing from inside gets louder and there's another low hiss from an older cat.

Merek makes his way into the place to look around a bit, while he finds his fellow guards looking into a box with meowing in it. He blinks a bit, "What's that?" he asks, while he then takes a moment to reach for whatever's there!

"Oh, of course, your... friend." Warrick keeps his face mostly blank when he looks upon Rowanova, totally not judgmental or the least bit... concerned. He moves to aid Hickson, and hoists the tabby as gently as he can manage, grip tight around the paws. "Sorry," he tells it, "Sounds like you might've knocked up our quarry." He makes no move to stop Merek, instead looking to Hickson with a grimace.

Nova looks up with a slight nod to Warrick then peeks over toward Merek, "Hey, there might be babies, so be careful! I hope when you two have wives, you know what to do!"

"Please be careful, Sir Merek," says Hickson, and he cuckles as he glances back at Warrick after his words to the tabby. Turning back to Merek, he says, "I think they're kittens." Hickson stands beside Merek, and glances into the crate, eyes attentive for the missing gray-haired cat.

Rowenova checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 43 higher.

Merek checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 34 higher.

Warrick checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 26 higher.

Hickson checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 5 lower.

Rowenova GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + dodge(2) at difficulty 15, rolling 5 higher.

"//KITTENS?!// There is the screech from the woman who lost her cat in the first place. "I can't take care of KITTENS! YOU DID THIS!" She's clearly unhinged as she comes racing at the trio with a piece of wood. She's swinging wildly and misses most of the guards except poor HIckson. He gets walloped heavily by the board on the shoulder.

Rowenova checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 33 higher.

Nova and Flop simultaneously lean sidways as the crazy woman comes flying in with her board of destruction. Poor Hickson! Seeing him take some crime, Nova -- the undisputed champ of the fist fight of the People's Tournament -- kips up from the half kneel and then, with a mighty leap, simply flings herself at the furious woman with outstretched arms!

FLOMP. WOMAN DOWN. "I JUST WANT MY CAAAAATTTTTTTTT."

Merek blinks a bit as he steps away from the woman, watching at all the others, "Ah, thank you," he says, then his gloves are moving delicately to find a cat within the crate as well.

Hickson braces for more impact, and opens one eye to see Rowenova dive on the attacking woman. He beams at Nova, and says, "Gods! You've got amazing reflexes, Rowenova! Thank you!"

Merek checked charm + animal ken at difficulty 25, rolling 13 lower.

Warrick is not terribly sure how to diffuse any of this while he holds on to the tabby. "Your cat's fine! Surely. We can take the kittens and find them homes," he offers, wary, mostly of Rowanova, and looks expectantly at Merek. Well?

Mommy cat ain't happy. 10 inflicted and Merek is unharmed.

After the mean lady goes down, Nova simply sits on her and tries to pry the piece of wood from her hands. "As my liege often says to me," the Northerner grunts, "There is no rush. Patience, yada yada. Also, what Guardsman Warrick said might come true, too."

There is a hiss and the larger cat within claws at Merek but finally shows itself. It's the gray cat that they've been looking for. Not to be left behind two smaller bundles of fur, one gray and the other a tabby like it's daddy bundle out crying for their mother.

Rowenova is successful because the woman abruptly gives up and lets the wood go. "I'm going to report //all// of you for this!"

"KITTY!" A small boy's voice calls out and he comes running on chubby paws straight towards the gray cat. He doesn't look old enough to know what to do with kittens.

Hickson checked command + manipulation at difficulty 15, rolling 27 higher.

Hickson chuckles softly, and places his hands on his hips. To the short woman he says, "That report had better mention the fine work done by the guard in finding your missing cat. Otherwise," he says, kneeling down next to her, as Rowenova takes her wood plank, "you might be called in to headquarters for assaulting a member of the iron guard." He is smiling, and the impression he tries to give is much more that of a natural consequence than an outright threat.

Tossing aside the wooden weapon, Nova finally tells Hickson in quiet tones, "Most welcome, and thank you for saying so." She wolfishly grins but then suddenly blinks about the small boy, "Sir Merek!" she points out the new kid!

Merek blinks a bit and he moves that hand of his when it looks like the cats come to view, then he blinks at the kid while he moves to be in front of his path, "Wait, it's best you not do all that, kitties aren't happy," he says.

Warrick finally lets the tabby go and sorta' tries to guide it's flight back towards the alley entrance. "I assume that's the terror," he says in a low voice. "Just take the kittens and we'll be done with it," he tells Merek.

The boy is caught by Merek so that he can't go scoop up a small cat. Tail tucked between her legs the mother cat starts herding her kittens around, hissing and spitting at the people until it comes face to face with Rowenova's Sir Floppington. She stops, hisses once, then edges closer to the dog if it doesn't make any aggressive moves. One of the kittens goes even further and goes to sniff right at the dog's paw.

"They're very cute," says Hickson absently as he rises to his feet. "We should probably get these kittens to safety." Glancing at the boy, and then turning to the short woman, Hickson asks, "You do not wish to care for the kittens, Mistress?"

"I like kitties," Merek says, while he offers a wave when the kid is kept from messing with them also. He smiles a bit, "I was looking to make a new family of cats at home also," he adds.

Sir Floppington loves kitties, and he tries to be a supportive friend in this upsetting time with all the meddling humans all over everywhere!

Nova gets up from the short woman, and she obviously frowns about all this, "They are cute. I feel bad for them being separated so suddenly like this, but what can we do?"

The woman is suddenly tearful. "Now you're taking my cat too?! Come Yarrow!" That is announced to the young man. The lost-cat woman grabs her son's arm and they both run from the guards leaving Hickson, Warrick, Merek, Rowenova, and Floppington to take care of the cat and kittens. Abandoned, all of them.

Hickson breathes out in exasperation. "She's... not a great listener," he says. "Glad we could solve the mystery at last," he says with a grin to Warrick, Rowenova and Merek. "I'm off to take a long bath."

Mira, an assistant investigator, 2 Iron Guardsmen leave, following Hickson.