Everything I Do For The Thistle

Written by Yurifury

"Look, this bounty hunter has been after me, OK? I don't know what to do," the Rat sputtered frantically. "Six days he's been on my tail. Six days! I haven't even had time to contact my crystal dealer. If I lose that connect, I'm out of the game. Out." His ears looked like a pair of wings struggling to break free from his head, Raven thought. He lost track of the conversation trying to discern some pattern out of the spasms, but maintained a sympathetic face.
"I'll check in during a better time, Rat." A pang of nausea. Raven turned to leave.
"But wait," a copper hand rose and then fell, the soft clink of metal on metal. "Aren't you gonna help me?"
His thoughts went suddenly to Orovinn, to the sky above Shepherd's Gate mottled black with the wings of Death, crows come to peck the flesh off the corpse dangling low. Low enough that every addict and dealer in the city would see and remember. The eyes were already missing when Raven passed beneath the giant gateway. He was on his way to visit his family's hawkstrider ranch.
A cool flush feeling worked its way down Raven's body as the memory flooded his receptors, stung his eyes, made him see things that weren't there. Find your fix, spoke the black thing standing beside him. Find your fix or you will wither and die.
A thin volute of green smoke danced away from the fag as Raven tossed the match. He took a drag and passed it to the Rat. "'Kay, but only because your thistle's the best."
The Rat grinned. "There's no better, baby."