CLUES FOUND

CHAPTER 5: CLUES FOUND

Coarse grain made his gloved fingers stutter as Jayne ran them over the wooden exterior, trailing behind the slow squelches of his boots that trudged through the watery mud of the ground. The dull orb of a sun was far below the horizon, yet the moon was still barred from shining as clouds continued to hang in the air. Even at night, the small city was far from silent as low-burning torches illuminated the interior of the building the boy stood beside. With a small poke of his masked visage over the rusted edge of a green stained glass window, the life inside threatened to spill out into the rest of the town beyond.

The place was bustling with people of any and all shapes and sizes. A woman with long ears and limbs gently caressed the back of a burly man with leathery wings for arms as they drank from large mugs. A group of men with flat noses and various sized beards sat over a small table and played a game with bones and rocks while they laughed with flushed cheeks. Around another table sat a gathering of people with more feathers than flesh as they sipped at small circular orbs with their thin beaks. At the far end of the wall was a long counter headed by a few people with similar tusks, tufts of thick black hair atop their heads, and frilly red aprons that clung to their forms. Others leaned against the counter and were served various containers and cups by the people with aprons, each one filling the item with different colors and viscosities of liquid before it was handed over to the patron with a gentle smile.

With a small skip he left the edge of the window for the front doors, the sign above it had squiggly penmanship around a frothing mug. A gentle glow of the three orbs flickered on and off behind the boy's mask and turned the markings legible.

'Wallews Whetted Whistle Welcomes Wallowers'

Jayne stood still before the front doors, the light and laughter leaked through the cracks between the old wood frames as he paused. He reached for his mask, his gloved fingers outlining the circular edge of the pearl white covering. They stopped at a small indent on the side, a tiny metallic orb protruded from the mask and was pressed firmly against the striated skin beneath.

The boy sighed from the depths of his being.

His hand then covered the front of the mask as the three blue orbs shot to life once again.

The pearl mask slowly began to rot. The center turned a sickly dark green below his palm and quickly spread to the rounded edges of the covering in an instant. Flakes of brown scattered into swirls in the air, and the mask dissolved into nothingness.

In time with the loss of their covering, the orbs darkened.

Beneath the small streams of light still pouring out from the apparent tavern, Jayne patted the dust off his rosy cheeks and short orange locks. He also accidentally nearly poked through his glove with one of the sharp tusks protruding from his mouth in the process.

Shouts, cheers, heckles, and conversations directed at others assaulted his ears as he pushed through the pub doors. The cacophony staggered his steps as he made his way towards the bar, occasionally having to dodge a stumbling drunk as he went. The boy's blue eyes briefly caught the gaze of a middle-aged man that was sitting against the left wall, nursing a small cup while the rough looking group around him rambled on without his input.

The man had a flat nose that twisted as he squinted at the boy, his stare never breaking away despite the redhead's eyeline already being diverted back towards his intended destination.

"Hey, Thestern? Paper call for Derk Thestern. Anybody hooooooome? Helloooooo?"

The rat-like young man next to Derk waved his hand in front of his friend's face and caused a scowling look in retort.

"Hey now, you alright bud? Don't tell me married life's already gotcha down, eh?"

The man chortled with jest as he lightly nudged his elbow into Derk's side, who could only shake his head and take another swig of his drink before replying.

"It's nothing, Sal, just my head playing tricks on me."

Whiskers upturned with his mischievous smile, Sal stood up and banged his half full mug against the wall.

"Everyone! May I have your attention please!"

"Sal, what are you doing? Sit down!"

The whole tavern marginally quieted down as Sal drew upon their eyes and eyes. Despite that Derk whispered for his friend to do the opposite.

"Thank you kindly, everyone! Now, I won't take up much of your night, but I promise it'll be worth it!"

Sal raised up Derk by the arm as he spoke to the crowded tavern.

"See, my good friend here just got married!"

Woos and cries sounded out from the patrons as they raised their drinks to the two standing men.

"And he's got a little one on the way!"

Even the bartenders got in on the cheers that time. Derk's face was beyond red.

"Yet, the sad truth is that they have yet to think of any names for it!"

"We were going to wait until they arrived..."

Derk sheepishly responded to the resounding 'aw's and 'boo's that rung out.

"So, Gertha my dear! Keep a record, will you!"

Sal gestured to one of the older ladies behind the bar.

"Whoever gives the best name suggestions gets free drinks courtesy of my good friend here!"

Sal wrapped his arm around the shorter man's shoulders and grinned widely as more cheers sounded off. Derk could only laugh as he raised his mug high.

"Y'all better think of some damn good names!"

The whole tavern burst out in laughter with Derk as the contest began.

Jayne watched on with a small smile on his face as the tavern immediately grew in energy.

***

In minutes, the first blackboard Gertha grabbed had been filled up with possible names, and three more by the time the sun began to rise beyond the walls. Most of the crowd had either left by then or were fast asleep in a drunken stupor. Gertha rang a small bell mounted on the wall when she noticed the sun above the neighboring roof, and the employees split into teams of helping the drowsy patrons walk home and cleaning up after the night.

Derk effectively carried a crying Sal out of the tavern.

"Why didn't you pick any of the names I gave! I thought we were frieeeeeends! I was gonna get drunk enough for the both of us!"

He could only laugh at the pouting young man as they slowly trudged through the early morning streets.

A few carriages and wagons were being drawn by their horses or mules through the town. The smell of fresh bread wafted through the warm breeze beside the gentle chatter of children already up and about making mischief.

Sal was fast asleep with limp legs dragging behind him when Derk knocked on the domicile door. The small house was built into the side of a wide blacksmith shop, a tall chimney grew out from a huge iron furnace that connected the two buildings.

A young boy with round cheeks hid behind the door as he opened it, only giving a small peak to the two men before the door was fully opened by an older boy who had rushed up to the entrance.

"Oh, Mr. Thestern! Thank you so much for taking care of Uncle Sallel!"

Derk nodded with a gentle smile as the dark haired teen grabbed the drunk body from him.

"Good to see you Ravere, and you too lil' Qiaren."

The short man laughed as he patted the child's head and ruffled the blonde mop of hair atop it.

"Do you want anything to eat before you head back? Qiaren made some really good salt cakes~!"

Ravere called out the invitation to Derk as he flopped Sal onto the small straw bed in the corner of the main room. The short man put on a shocked expression to match the hands on his hips as he looked at the little boy.

"Really now?"

The child just put his hands behind his back and shifted in place sheepishly as Ravere brought out a small dish to the man. Soft disks of golden brown batter had a warm and buttery scent that wafted through the air with the warm steam still rolling off it.

"He's been learning from that new couple down the street. Apparently the owner considers this lil' fella a test run for when he has his own kids."

Ravere smoothed back the boy's hair as he spoke. A proud toothy smile shined on the teen's face.

"Well I guess I have no choice but to try them, now don't I?"

Qiaren giggled as Derk grabbed one of the fluffy disks and took a huge bite out of it.

"Oh this is delicious!"

Derk cried out as he savored each mouthful he had until the whole disk was gone.

Qiaren laughed maniacally at the spectacle his uncle's friend was putting on, running off into the other room with joy.

"He's a good kid."

Ravere smirked as he took in the small scene.

"Takes after his brother."

The short man reached up to pat the teen on the shoulder, and stole another salt cake in the process.

"Hey!"

"My wife would be upset if she didn't get any! Take care of Sal for me!"

Ravere shook his head and shut the door behind him as Derk walked back to his own home.