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// 40 - Cutting a Deal// Story: Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone// by David Silver//------------------------------//

"Afternoon, father," came a new voice from the dark as a match of sorts was struck and a lantern lit. "We don't often get the pleasure." The figure was tall, and green, with jagged tusks in his mouth. His voice was low and rough. "What brings you to here, where the sun does not often shine?"

Redtail spread his hands, and the two met in a firm, but brief, embrace. "Wanug, you scoundrel. It's good to see you're still alive and well."

Wanug gestured past Redtail to his new companions. "And you're moving in strange new company. What're you doing with ponies?"

Redtail raised a brow. "I hadn't expected you to know much about them."

Wanug rolled his shoulders. "Ugly is not the same as stupid, father. They come from beyond the impenetrable Pontyd forest, or more commonly through Kadiston. Most don't venture past either." He looked down at Fast with a smirk. "And look at you, armored up for a war. A druid." His eyes strayed to Tree. "And what is this, a monk of some kind?" He finished at Maud. Suddenly his eyes jerked to Paul. "Another friend of yours, or theirs? Father, you're never a boring visit."

Fast stepped to Redtail's side. "Pleased to meet you, Wanug. Paul's our companion and ally. We'd go into more detail, but there are pressing matters at hoof."

"Good thing I don't have one of those." He fixed his gaze on Redtail. "What's the deal?"

Redtail gestured over the lot with a sweep of a hand. "They've lost something to the underside of the city, something I'd like returned to them."

"Yeah?" Wanug frowned. "You wouldn't be here if it was just some memento. How big are we talking here?"

Paul stretched his hands out wide. "About this big, in terms of importance an' all."

Wanug laughed, a deep belly jiggle of a guffaw. "That is quite large indeed, but the scale matters."

Redtail drew out a metal charm of a sun. "The sun itself would see it returned to them."

"Now that's specific." He smashed a fist against a dangling bell, making it ring our roughly. "Boys, we got a job ahead of us." His eyes darted back to Redtail. "Usual commission, I gather?" Redtail nodded, and he grinned, showing off his other teeth, not as massive as his tusks, but formidable enough. "We'll get it back, or least find it then. Tell me what it looks like."

Fast quickly launched into a description of the lost crown, holding her hooves out just far enough. "I could wear it without difficulty."

Redtail nodded. "It's difficult to miss. Its link to the sun is clear and unmistakable. These ponies, and their human companion, are on a mission of the gods themselves."

Wanug shrugged that part off. "Yeah yeah, we're all doing divine work. You want it back, Redtail, we'll get it back. That's what friends do. You don't need to drag your sun into this." He slapped Redtail on the shoulder roughly, sending the man staggering a few steps. "Boys, extra bonus to the one that sets eyes on it first, and I'll spread the wealth to everyone if you get it done before that sun of his sets." With a rough cheer, there was movement in the edges of the light, then the sound of doors opening and closing. They were gone.

Fast raised a brow. "I mean no offense, but we're standing in a thieves' guild, aren't we?"

Wanug snorted at her. "We prefer to think of ourselves as protectors of the common man."

Redtail held up his hands. "He means it. Compared to many others, his presence is a net positive for his community. He keeps out far worse elements. Yes, he does demand some recompense for his efforts, but even that is... reasonable."

Wanug looked to his guests. "That's the way it is. If it weren't me, it'd be something else. There isn't such a thing as a city without the underbelly, just a matter of if you can live with it or not."

Tree pointed at Wanug. "If you're totally in charge of the thieves, who made off with our crown?"

Wanug leaned towards her. "That's a fine question. Weren't one of my boys, or I'd already know. That means some right ass is trying to muscle into my territory, or just thought your crown was worth pissing me off to get. Either way, I'd like to know who the smart ass is, and remind him who owns this city." He slammed his hands together with a loud slap and cracked his knuckles. "I run a tight ship, which means no outside interference is needed, or wanted."

Paul rubbed behind his head as he looked around in the gloom. "Ain't never been to no thieves' guild before."

"You don't look the type." Wanug sized up Paul. "Probably best you stick with your ponies, they tend to deal straightforward."

Tree wandered off and spotted a curious device that looked like it was designed to be held in a mouth, rather than human fingers. It had many bits of metal and tools that she couldn't quite figure out. "Wanug, man, what's this for? I don't grok it at all."

Wanug glanced over. "By the hells, you would find that." He stepped towards her. "Used to belong to our last pony member, but that was years ago. No more ponies, no more use for it."

Tree picked it up with a hoof, looking it over curiously. He leaned over her. "Do you know how to pick a lock?" She shook her head as she slipped it into her mouth and tried wiggling the little tools about with her tongue. She could see how it was made for a pony, but didn't know how to put any of it to work.

Wanug gave a low whistle, and several men hurried in. He pointed at one of them. "Lockjam, show, uh, hey, what's your name, pony?"

"Tree Hugger." She nodded to both of them. "Nice to meet you."

"Right, Tree Hugger. Show her how to use that without hurting herself."

Lockjam whipped out his own tools. "Come wit' me, show you how to bust a lock."

As they went off together, Paul leaned towards Fast. "Is it okay for her t'be learnin' that kinda thing?"

Fast waved if off. "We're adventurers. Varied skillsets are in the job description. No harm in her learning something new if she wants to. Better than just standing here waiting, like the rest of us. Good initiative on her part."

Wanug snorted as he returned. "Sure, but she doesn't look the type that'd be a natural fit for the job. I wouldn't trust her around a trap more complicated than a snare, but once she knows the basics of the tool, she'll at least have doors open for you." He raised a brow. "Ain't much difference from adventurers and thieves, they say. One just doesn't get people angry at them on the simple matter of the owners already being long dead, and no one gives a fart about what some skeleton thinks."

Maud sat on her haunches, but said nothing. Her thoughts were tightly held.

Paul rubbed behind his head. "Suppose there's a little truth to that if ya think about it long enough. But the fact there's no one bein' hurt by it is a big difference, don't ya think?"

Wanug waved it off. "Sure sure. People don't get hurt by me much. Play by the rules, everyone's happy. My boys get paid, they don't have to worry about random muggings in the street." His features wrinkled in a new frown. "Or stolen from by random perps in the damn street. I got a special 'welcome' planned for them once we put our hands on 'em." He raised his hands, both slowly clenching as if closing around something tough.

Redtail raised a hand. "Peace. Perhaps they are simply new in town. A few words, before you execute them, would be kind."

"Father, you're too good for this world." Wanug slapped Redtail relatively lightly. "I've dealt with more of these than you. I'll give them a chance, but they probably won't take it, then me and the boys get our entertainment."

A man came hurrying in, breathless and panting. "Boss... They're trying to skip town!"

Wanug scowled. "That's a shame, for them. Tell them which way, and they'll take care of this."

The man pointed to the north. "Heading for the mountains, straight shot. They're kicking up all kinds of dirt, shouldn't  be hard to trail."

Fast turned for the door. "Right. Tree! Time to go, we have thieves to run down. Redtail, do you need to get back to your church?"

He nodded. "I'm afraid this is true, but at least you know where to find them. Please, if you come back, do stop by." He clasped his hands together in that circular shape. "Sun shine on you and your quest."

"May it shine on you as well." Fast dipped her head. "Tree!"

Tree Hugger came trotting out from the back room, tucking her new tools away. "I'm here, I'm here. You should have seen it. I looked into the aura of the lock and it was so obvious what I had to do, once I knew what I was doing. It was so trippy..."

Paul waved to the door. "Time to go. Our crown's bein' run out of town. We gotta get our horses and get movin'."

They said quick parting words with Wanug and left as one, hurrying back to the stables, retrieving their horses and mounting up. Maud waved at them. "Let me go ahead. I'll slow them down." She was gone before they could argue, leaving Tree to speak gently to her horse and coax it into motion alongside Paul's mount, and they were hurrying to catch up with their speedy monk.

Maud was as the wind. Everglow had been kind to her, showing her how to move, and to use the power that lived deep within her stony heart. The words of her wise friend came to her, encouraging her to place her hooves where they needed to be, to breathe as must be breathed, and to keep her eyes on where she must be. Faster than any horse she'd seen, she ran. The wind almost tore at her. Her frock flapped wildly in the breeze with every galloping step. Her mane and tail whipped. There was nothing but her. She was everything.

Then there was something else. It had been several long minutes of strain, but she could see them. Her chest ached for breath, but she could see them. Three men were running their own horses ragged, trying to flee the city as quickly as they could. She didn't see the crown. Any of them could have it. She might only have one chance for it.

Forcing herself forward despite the protests of her weary body, she caught up with them, trailing behind them. One of them saw her and shouted something in surprise. The others glanced back, and they started to split, just as she feared. She had to make a choice, so she did. She jumped forward and crashed into one of their horses, knocking it and its mount to the ground in a rough landing that might very well cripple the beast for life. She winced at the sound of its heavy body crashing beneath her, its rider crying out in alarm before he was crushed under its bulk. They came to a stop with a skid, and things became quiet.

