“Why did you just charge in like that?”

Thryss looked towards the voice, roused from her tavern musings. A blonde miqo’te woman appeared to be arguing with a rather indignant au’ra male twice her height. Lover’s quarrel, the adventurer thought with a wry grin to herself. The Quicksands never failed to provide a spectacle.

“Why didn’t you follow my lead?” The au’ra man countered with annoyance, looking down at the cat-eared woman, “we could have taken the whole pack if you’d just kept up. It was the fastest way to get you to your goal.”

“I didn’t hire you just to have you fight at any provocation!” The miqo’te said angrily, “and we didn’t make it, did we? We’re lucky to be alive!”

Ah, business quarrel, Thryss amended mentally with less interest and another sip of ale.

“Because you wouldn’t keep up,” the man said, throwing his hands up in frustration.

Thryss just shook her head in mild amusement. New adventurers were always coming through the Quicksands. Momodi, who happened to run the Adventurer’s Guild as well as the tavern, was usually pretty good about matching up groups, but sometimes those groups just can’t work together. Adventuring was a high-risk proposition at the best of times, and required a group to be willing to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses to succeed. Edda’s ill-fated end was still spoken of as a cautionary.

“I release you from our contract!” The miqo’te said with finality, “I’ll find someone else to help me.”

“Good luck, kitten,” the au’ra said derisively, “I’m the best you’re going to find in Ul’dah,” and stomped off in a fume.

Good for her, Thryss thought as she sipped her ale and returned to more sedate introspections and people-watching.

Lost in her ruminations, she didn’t hear the polite cough at her side. Thryss looked around, and then down to find Momodi at her side, looking up at her sweetly. And the selfsame young miqo’te adventurer that had been arguing a quarter bell earlier was standing behind her. Thryss groaned inwardly.

“I heard you were out of work,” said the diminutive barkeep with mischievous innocence, “so I found you some.” And with that sauntered off, leaving the two women to size each other up.

Thryss kept her expression neutral and gestured for the other miqo’te to have a seat. The blonde woman sat down with a wary look. The scarlet-haired miqo’te offered what she hoped was a reassuring grin, “so, you’re looking to hire a bodyguard?”

“I don’t need a bodyguard,” the blonde woman replied with annoyance, “My mission simply requires more than one person.”

“Ah,” Thryss said, “you need a partner.”

The blonde woman brushed back a lock of her long hair considering the words, “I suppose I do.”

“I can be that. I’m Thryss Moonwhispers,” the scarlet-haired miqo’te said, offering her hand across the table.

With a tentative smile the blonde woman gave the other’s hand a quick shake, “I’m Z’anne Pennubrae