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Thought I'd share one of my recurring characters here. I've been spending most of my time writing original works, probably why I don't do matchups that often. Anyway here is the first adventure of Farah. Because she's a ferret, and this is Magnetic Ferret. Feedback welcome, bear in mind I wrote this back in 2015 and it was me trying to figure out a new character so not the best or most groundbreaking material, and hopefully my writing style has improved since 2015. I'll probably get some furry hate for this but I don't actually care. Okay here we go. Farah sat at the back table of the tavern, her keen eyes taking in the whole room. She raised a flagon of ale to her muzzle and knocked back the amber liquid. “Ah,” the female ferret exclaimed as the liquid traveled down her throat. She set the flagon down and drummed her clawed fingers on the table. Her nose twitched at the scents of cooked meat, alcohol, and pipe smoke. Farah always felt the most at home in a tavern. The ferret had spent most of her life in the cities, getting by however she could. A tavern was always a way point for her, it’s where she went to unwind and where potential employers would seek her out. As fate would have it, one such person had just entered the tavern. He was a rat dressed in a tunic and leggings, with a dagger at his side. The rat looked about the tavern at the rowdy patrons before his eyes settled on Farah. Purposefully, he walked to her table. Farah shifted in her seat, a hand resting on her small hand axe she affectionately called claw. The rat stopped at her table. “Greetings. My master sent me to find someone with talents such as yours.” Farah’s small rounded ears went back as she tilted her head. “What skills,” The rat looked around before muttering in a low tone, “Thieving.” Farah opened her maw and placed a hand to her chest, “Sir! Just because I’m a ferret you think I’m a thief!” “I… uh.” Farah cut him off, “I am highly offended! Away with you.” The rat bowed, “Of course, my apologies.” Right as he turned to leave Farah broke into a fit of giggling, “Forgive me! I’m merely having some fun. No, I am the one you’re looking for. Please sit.” The rat clucked his tongue before sitting opposite her. “I suppose you thought that was clever,” he chided. “I did. The look on your face was priceless! Now introductions are in order I believe. I am Farah, an expert locksmith, if you will.” The rat nodded, “I am Tetius, I was sent to bring you to my master. He will want to give you the details of the job personally.” Farah stood up from the table, “Time is precious. Lead on.” Nodding, the rat stood from the table and gestured for her to follow, Farah pulled back her lips in a grin showing her sharp canines. He led her out of the noisy tavern and into the streets of the city, it was night but the city was still brimming with activity. Farah’s nostrils twitched as she took in the scents and her eyes reflected the fires of the lanterns that lined the street. She pulled her cloak closer to her as a pair of wolf watchmen padded down the street armed with halberds and truncheons. Farah shifted her shortsword she called Fang from the small of her back. She didn’t know if she was wanted for anything recently or not, best to be prepared. The wolves just stalked by with only some unfriendly glances. The two arrived at their destination, a large manor house. They passed through a grand hall and up a spiral staircase to a large chamber door. Tetius held a hand for Farah to wait as he knocked on the door.“Master,” he called. “Enter,” a booming voice replied. Tetius and Farah entered. A figure sat cross legged on the floor before a floating, shimmering ball of light before it winked out. A growl came from the figures throat. Farah thought he was a leopard at first, but his spots were all wrong. The figure cast a glance toward them before standing up to his full height and turning. Farah surmised two things about him then, he was a jaguar and a sorcerer. He was dressed only in a loincloth and his fur was adorned with brands of magical symbols “Ah, so this is the thief,” he rumbled. “May I take your cloak,” Tetius asked. Farah handed the garment off, beneath the cloak she wore a leather vest that covered her torso and had thick straps that covered her shoulders, but left her gray furred arms bare. A pair of vambraces covered her forearms and a set of throwing darts were strapped just above her left elbow. A silver and crystal pendant hung around her neck, which the jaguar narrowed his gold eyes at. She wore leggings and of course her sword and handaxe were belted on within easy reach. “Welcome. I am Vespious, a master of the mystic arts.” Farah bowed elegantly, “A pleasure. I am Farah a master of the thieving arts. I must say you are more muscular than most spellcasters." Vespious chuckled at that. “Physical fitness is a discipline just as magic is. Now, how do I know you’re qualified for my task?” In response Farah held up a broach. "That’s mine,” Tetius cried out. “Hehehe,” Farah chuckled as she tossed it back to the rat butler. The sorcerer flicked his tail, “I see you have mastered sleight of hand. That matters little for this task though.” Farah shrugged her ears twitching back and forth, “What’s the task then?” “I need you to go into the catacombs and retrieve a tome for me.” “Oh, is that all?” “Everyone I’ve sent so far has failed to return.” Vespious rumbled. “Amateurs,” Farah remarked, “But forgive me for asking the obvious, why have you not gone to retrieve it yourself? You are a sorcerer.” The jaguar growled and bared his teeth, “Because wards were put in place to protect the tome in its resting place. Wards keep those like me out, but they do nothing against a thief such as you. Will you do it?” Farah’s tail swished back and forth as she thought, “The catacombs are a vast labyrinth.” “Yes,” Vespious rumbled. “I need some form of navigation. Even I have only ventured so far into the catacombs.” “Done, I’ll cast something to guide you,” Vespious said. “And I need to know what I’m looking for, the catacombs go back centuries.” Vespious gestured her to a seat, “Make yourself comfortable, and listen to me very carefully. The tome I seek dates back three centuries. It belonged to a powerful sorcerer named Bargas. It’s filled with all manner of incantations and forgotten knowledge of centuries past. I, however, am not the only one seeking this tome. I have many rivals and they too wish to acquire it for their own use. I will not be cheated of it!” He fixed Farah with his gaze, “Bring it back to me. I will reward you.” Farah leaned back in her chair, “How much?” Vespious chortled in his throat and brought out a large burlap bag. He flopped it on the table as gold coins spilled out of it. “Material wealth means very little to me. Power is the only thing I care for. Bring me the tome and this can be yours.” Farah sat forward rubbing her palms together, “I have one last condition before I say yes.” Vespious bared his fangs, “What would that be, ferret?” Farah leaned forward her silver eyes gleaming, “You’re not the first magic user I’ve encountered, though you are the most handsome. I know a few things about the rules of magic, I want you to swear an oath that you will honor our deal.” Vespious flattened his ears, he raised a clawed hand but then lowered it, “You drive a hard bargain thief. I see now why you’ve been so successful. Very well, I, Vespious of the Order, swear by the laws of magic that I shall reward you Farah.” “Reward me how,” Farah prodded. Vespious chuckled, “With gold.” “That will do.” The thief stood up and clasped the jaguar’s hand, “Deal!” Vespious grunted, "I should warn you thief. If you attempt to cross me, the consequences will be most… dire. That pendant may protect you from spells, but I can still harm you indirectly." Farah shrugged, "Spare me the threats or I'll work slower." After an hour in preparation and travel, Farah crouched a few feet from the entrance to the catacombs. Three large gray rats armed with staves and dressed in black robes were milling about. Farah didn’t know who they were. A cult? Street toughs? Hired goons employed by one of the mentioned rivals? Regardless of who they were, they were in her way and she wasn’t going to stand for that. Farah crept forward on her toes as her tail swished behind her in excitement as she drew one of her throwing darts. Rounding the corner suddenly, she let fly with one of the darts striking one of the rats in the neck, her target squeaked in surprise and pain. He moved forward a bit before passing out as the sedative laced dart did its work. The other two shouted and rushed the ferret thief. Grinning broadly, she threw a second dart, striking an exposed hand. The third, hit the rat in the thigh. Farah ducked a swipe for her head and dodged past a second as she skirted around the two angry rats. She grinned the whole time. “That’s right boys. The more you exert yourselves the faster the toxins work,” she cooed. The two quickly succumbed to the sleeping agents and were soon lying on the ground. She preferred to incapacitate her foes, rather than killing or maiming them. It was less trouble that way. Farah promptly searched the bodies and came up with thirty five gold coins and an emerald between them. She quietly slipped these into her own purse. Her ears pricked forward, Farah moved into the tunnel entrance the rats had been guarding. She took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkness before moving toward a flight of stairs set within a square hole in the stone floor. Farah’s heart was racing, not from fear but excitement. Placing a hand on her double edged shortsword, she descended the stairs into the catacombs. She didn’t know what challenges awaited her, but she couldn’t wait. This is why she did what she did. Not for the money, which she liked, but for the thrill of the heist. Alright that was PT1 if anyone is interested I'll post PT2 later and maybe some of her other adventures I wrote. Art not by me, but a friend on DA. My DA MercenaryBlade - Hobbyist, Writer | DeviantArt Reedsy M B - Writer on Reedsy Prompts