A Sorry Excuse for an Outpost

[Atreyo]

If that Dealings broad had read in the cards that a bunch of strangers would come knocking on her door, Nivellen would probably have laughed to her face. Now it didn't seem all that funny: first Frederick hid from the bad weather, and this very afternoon two more people were waiting outside. The weird part was that she hadn't told -anyone- about how to find her cabin; people just...showed up. It wasn't difficult to remember this encounter, especially because her bandaged ribs still hurt like a bitch.

"Yes...?", she opened the door to peek at the poised pair watching her.

"A woman", said a man with whitish hair, armed to the teeth.

"Hello", completed a green-eyed woman, no less well-equipped than her companion.

Soon they asked for a cup of tea or something to help fight the cold, even though the pair could easily have killed her and sold the parts to underground wackos if they wanted. A bit of chit chat and all names were exchanged. Though Nivellen couldn't exactly remember them, it sounded something like Artis and Abby, both starting with the same sound. When they asked if she could fight, why did she say yes?

Of course she could, but the roulette of bad days had Nivellen's number on that occasion, and that was quite clear when they descended the cold stony steps leading into an atrium that smelled like vinegar. All she remembered was the wjhite-haired man evading a green maelstrom of energy that hit her square in the face; everything from that point was a blank. Apparently there was a fucking wizard (Ash-stalker, is that what they said?) who got pissed at them dropping by unannounced. As soon as she was all patched up, she'd like to go back and shove her boot up his ass on account of that lucky strike.

Right now, though, it was time to take it easy. Nivellen noticed her cabin was quite the last stop before a long stretch of wilderness and peril to the south: even though there was a weird gem-incrusted tower nearby, there were no neighbors and the closest place one could get a bite to eat was still on the other side of that big Foundry store.

So it struck her: "why don't I leave some quick grub outside?". Sure, she couldn't cook for shit, but these people were famished, and life had taught her that you'll swallow anything if you're desperate enough. Thus, she tried her hand at the stove and hoped she had gotten the seasoning right.

The box was outside, lined with clean fur to help stave off the cold; laughable food and booze in it. She was satisfied, though: who knows if people would take her to go see places and unwind? Surely there were plenty around in serious need of butt-kicking.

Nivellen cast one last glance around and closed her cabin's door, a sorry excuse for an outpost.