Animal Kingdom- Riot by Aaron Oster

Author:Aaron Oster [Oster, Aaron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: GFS Publishing Inc
Published: 2019-12-14T16:00:00+00:00

Just as Talia had predicted, it took them nearly an hour to make their way to the market district. The city was so crowded that it was hard to move in some parts. More than once, Arthur had looked up to the flying ani-humans and Intelligents with jealously, wishing he’d have chosen a Race that could fly.

At the same time, he was looking out for Sqwak. Not that he thought the traitor would be so careless, but he just couldn’t help it. That damned bird-man would pay with his life for what he’d done.

The market was bustling with people and merchants. Smoke billowed up from more than one food stand, filling the air with a mix of mouth-watering aromas. Arthur’s stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since yesterday, when he and Hopps had come across a swarm of particularly slow flies.

Talia hadn’t stayed to watch them eat, her skin going a bit green, and she had walked away. It was only after they’d eaten that he’d remembered that she was part insect and would probably be uncomfortable watching them eat her kind. Whenever she’d become hungry, she’d just reached out and grabbed a handful of leaves, cramming them into her mouth.

“Where’s this merchant?” he asked, looking around.

“There.” She nodded her head in the direction of a booth selling various bits of armor.

Arthur couldn’t make out who oversaw the booth, but as they forced their way through the crowd toward said booth, he could begin to make out the salesperson.

It was a bug — a praying mantis, to be exact.

“Tally! It’s good to see you again, bubbeleh!” the mantis said as they approached, sounding much older than he looked.

The mantis was only about a foot long, so he’d just assumed he was on the younger side. Then again, maybe not all Intelligents grew as they leveled.

“Marty, you old scammer! How have you been?” Talia asked, a grin stretching her lips.

“Oh, you know, business is tough, especially with those thieves constantly taxing everything. But what can you do? Nowhere else for an honest mantis to make a living.”

Talia snorted out a laugh at that.

“Yeah, Marty, I’m sure they’re always getting the exact taxes they’re supposed to get.”

“Ey! Are you accusing me of cheating our illustrious Feline overlords?” Marty asked, leaning forward and shaking one of his spiny arms at her. “Because if you are, you’re definitely right.”

He let out a bark of laughter and scuttled back behind the counter.

“Alright, enough with the small talk. What are you here for?”

“We’re looking for information,” she said, lowering her voice. “Would you happen to know someone who deals in hard to procure info?”

Marty rubbed his chin for a moment, eyeing her critically and for the first time, turning his gaze on Arthur and Hopps.

“I might,” he finally said, turning his eyes back on her. “Depends on the kind of information you’re looking for.”

“The kind that the lovely kitties would kill for,” she replied, not beating around the bush.

Marty blew out a breath, the sound rattling out in a sigh.

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