Louie was back and her plans could forge well ahead. An empire they'd wanted to build together, based around contracts and riches. They would have it but first they much grow and gain items. That's where she came in! Her expertise with thieving and her charisma would be a big help. Right now she was just looking out for things to gather but so far she had come up nill. Well, unless you counted the small vine she had wrapped around her hip with the primitive, tiny spear pushed through as a sort of hilt. That was certainly something and freed her forepaws up to do other things.

For now the little mongoose scurried about on her four paws, searching through this and going through that. For a while she was perfectly fine looking through things but then the thought occurred to her. Shouldn't the Queen of Thieves have multiple faces? Or multiple coats of fur? Wouldn't it keep the travelers guessing at who she really was and what she looked like? Hmm... it sounded like an excellent idea to her! One that caused her to smirk with joy.

She concentrated on her magic but soon that smirk was wiped off her face as she began to itch all over. The mongoose gave a hiss of frustration as she threw herself onto the ground, writhing and squirming with the agony of the itching. A growl wracked through her maw as she tried to stop the itching until finally she threw herself into a puddle of water. Instant relief flooded over her as she sighed and stayed there. The puddle wasn't very deep but for her it submerged her almost up past her eyes as she lay on her back. Sweet relief.

---

The Queen just lay in the water, not moving a muscle as she let the coolness flow over her and relieve her itching body. It wasn't until she heard the sound of shuffling paws and the voice of someone very familiar did she lift herself up into a sitting position. Just as she thought she laid silver eyes upon the fisher that she'd competed with at her birth. Oh how times had changed now! Of course, she felt the rush of joy at seeing the creature so like herself but she knew now that she had responsibilities. She couldn't simply rush off and compete with him again, there were items to collect and things to do. "Fishy!" She hopped out of the water and rushed over to him. Maybe her responsibilities could wait...

The vixen stopped short before she hopped onto to him. Gee, this guy looked absolutely terrible! What had happened? "Nevermind what I'm doin'. What happened t'you? Ya fall outta a tree or what?" Her voice was teasing but she certainly was serious about finding out what happened. Was there a creature lose in the caves she should worry about? "Need me t'rough someone up for ya? I got no problem sendin' The Fire after'em, she can take care 'a anyone." Surely that would raise some questions. How would little Fang rough up anyone? Why should she care? And who on earth was Fire? Those were all questions she could certainly answer and be glad to do so. It gave her a chance to brag on herself if she told him about The Fire and how she'd come into some power.

The mongoose wasted no time in walking around poor Fisher. Examining his form and noting the cracked gem and the scars all over his body. What ever had gotten a hold to him had done so with a vengeance. She stopped her examination back at his head and gave the little crooked grin of hers. "Don't worry though... Ya still look as cute as before, Big-Noodle." She winked at him, unable to hold back her flirting for even a moment.

---

If there was a type of guy that she did like it would probably be the bad boys, the ones that got into fights and acted tough. Fisher fit this bill perfectly for those wounds must still hurt. Yet he still walked around and talked as if it were nothing, just how she liked it. If there was one thing she couldn't abide it would be a whiny punk that couldn't take a couple of knocks and keep going. The young mongoose nodded her head approvingly, smile never fading. "Now that's what I like t'hear. Glad ya showed that bird who was boss!" Hmm, bird? She'd stolen a couple of things from a bird before. Was it perhaps the same bird he was talking about? Nah, there were plenty of birds around the caves. Still, it couldn't hurt to find out. She'd be sure to mention it to him.

She would have to ask him a little later though for he asked her about the fire power. Now it was her turn to gloat. "Well... Since ya last met me I've been a bit busy." She leaned forward and spoke in a low conspiratorial voice. "Y'see, Fire ain't a power. Fire is a big friend 'a mine." The mongoose leaned back, throwing her forepaws apart wide to try and emphasize the word "big". She sat her paws on the ground as she sat on her haunches like a cat. "Y'see, Fire's a real loyal sort. I'm quite fond of her actually, her an my other large buddy. They're both very loyal to their Queen an' I can appreciate that. The Queen of Thieves loves loyalty." Now her mouth stretched into a toothy grin. "'An I believe I'm quite deservin' of their loyalty, don't you?" Here she burst into laughter because if he hadn't picked it up before that the "queen" that she had been speaking about was herself then it would be a lovely reveal now. However, she calmed down and spoke again. "Got a whole group behind me, two huge creatures to answer to my beck an' call. Can ya believe, Fishy?"

---

The vixen snickered at his comments. A lil' stealer? She supposed she was both of those perfectly. Her white paw waved in the air dismissivly when he told her not to steal from him. "Pfft, don't worry about it. I won't steal from my friends. 'Specially not the cute ones." True enough. She had to have some sort of honor code and so long as the fisher didn't go pissing her off she was happy to leave his stuff alone... whatever his stuff was. "Well, so long as you don't got any awesome treasures or nothin'. Might have to make an exception then, even for a cutie." By her tone it was obvious she was teasing... for the most part.

As much as she didn't like to admit it, he was right. Fang was tiny and likely would always be that way she it was absolutely imperative that she had others to help defend her. The reason she went out with a vengeance to find new gembounds to coerce into following her. Then he went on to tell her about his huge friend which caused her eyes to widen in slight surprise before she reigned the surprise back in but putting on a nonchalant look. "I'd be more than glad t'show ya around my friends and my queendom. Just pop by Monoceros whenever ya want! Just make sure you mention my name to The Fire... She gets a tad bit iffy about visitors that she don't know." Then she looked distinctly interested about the Father of Noodles, leaning forward slightly. "You'll definitely hafta show me this Dad of Noodles. Think he'd like t'help the Queen of Thieves?" Anything that was big was distinctly interesting to her. If she could put it to use then she would.

"Hey, Fishy, that bird ya mentioned earlier... Was 'e a big thing? Reddish with an ugly little beard on 'is beak?" That subject came right back around as she again thought of the one she stole from. Her questions must be answered. A queen must know all about the outside world if she was to keep her status.

---

Tribute, eh? She could do tribute easily. A couple of mice some shinies, she'd have this Father of Noodles eating out of the pad of her paw. Really though, what wasn't there to like about her? She was charismatic, talented, and so gosh darn cute! If anyone wanted her as an enemy then they were just plain stupid and unlikable... at least in her opinion they were. "Then I might be payin' Noodle Dad a visit real soon. Tributes are easy t'come by... 'specially when you're me." Yes. She'd just scrounge around for a bit, maybe scrounge around in someone's home and find something to give this fellow.

Sure enough they were talking about the same bird. Seemed as if he'd gotten on her friend's bad side and roughed him up pretty badly. Fang didn't appreciate that. If she had friends then she wanted them to stay in tact. So long as they were amusing to her then she didn't want them getting beat up on. She liked scars but not when induced by a mutual enemy. Her tiny head nodded, sharp muzzle dipping up and down in her assent. "That's the one!" Loud, screamy bird. Though when he was screaming at her it was to tell her to stop taking things from his home. Pfft, as if she'd just stop and let him capture her for stealing. No way!

"I'm glad ya beat 'im down but would it make ya feel better that I met this fellow a while back an' took somethin' right from under his nose?" She grinned cockily. "I saw 'im in Canis last, when I was swipin' a couple of his precious bones. Also managed to snag a pretty pink gem." Oh yes, that day had been fun. She'd followed some impulse to sneak in and take something and discovered her one true talent. "I plan on goin' back there pretty soon. Wouldn't mind takin' somethin' else... maybe find a tribute for Noodle Dad too." Here the mongoose looked over Fisher as if she were evaluating him for something. "Say, have you ever tried your paw at stealin'? How about I take ya on a run with me one day? We could go t'Canis together and take somethin'! That would show that grimy bird who's boss once an' for all!" Plus, he'd taught her how to hunt when she'd first been born. Why not return the favor?

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