Today was special; Du finally had allowed her the honor of selecting their next pursuit. Nyala's nimble fingers danced over the weathered parchment pinned to the bounty board in the adventurer's guild. Her tail flicked in anticipation as she browsed the myriad of nefarious faces and hefty rewards. Finally, a chance to take the reins on a hunt. She purred softly, her excitement barely contained within her petite frame.
"Aha!" Nyala exclaimed with glee, her clawed finger tapping on a particularly crumpled poster at the bottom of the board. The ink had run in places, but the image was clear enough– roughly sketched portrait of a man bearing a gnarly scar across his face and a malicious smile. "This one, Du! Oren 'The Ox' Veldspar," she read aloud, her voice tinged with an eager edge. "Wanted dead or alive for raiding caravages—er, caravans—across the Southridge Plains."
She spun around to face Du, clutching the poster like a prized trophy, tail erect with pride.
WANTEDOren 'The Ox' VeldsparFor crimes of Theft of piggies, setting houses on fire, raiding caravans, murder.Condition: Dead or Alive, Bring proof of the deedReward: 3000 gold pieces
"The reward's 3000 gold pieces! And it says he's never been beaten in single combat; sounds perfect for us, doesn't it?" The sound of clinking armor echoed through the room as she shifted her weight impatiently. "What do you think? Can we bag this one together?"
Nyala watched Du with expectant eyes, her ears perked up as she awaited his opinion. Though she often chafed under his protective shadow, she still valued his judgment above all others. Yet deep down, a small voice whispered challenge—a test to prove that she was no longer the helpless kitten from that fateful night.
"Wh-what do you think?" she asked hesitantly, her amber eyes, wide and expectant, searched his for approval, validation or…something that would alleviate the knot in her stomach.
