Chapter 21: May I Take Your Coat?

Chapter 21: May I Take Your Coat?

As soon as we got back to Probet, we headed for the tanners store, proudly carrying our one rabbit like it was a great accomplishment. Which it was for us, so not surprisingly we felt a little pleased with ourselves.

The tanner soon brought us back to earth.

We dont take the whole thing, just the skin. He was outside his shop, slicing up a stiff looking piece of leather that had come from some huge animal. Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

How do we skin it? Maurice asked. The fact someone spoke other than me was an indication of how far wed come. At this rate, wed hit normal in a couple of months.

The tanner paused long enough to give us a disparaging look, then continued with cutting the leather with an incredibly sharp pair of shears.

If you show us how to skin this one, I said, you can have the skin for free. It seemed a fair trade. We wouldnt get any money (although Im not sure wed be able to buy a whole lot with one chob), but wed have learned a new skill, and that was much more important in an RPG. Yes, I still felt this was a game.

The tanner, like merchants everywhere, was hardwired to never turn down a good deal. He leaned back and called out. Miri, come her a moment.

One of the girls from the back of the shop came running out. She was small and looked to be in her early teens. Her brown hair was tied back in a simple ponytail, revealing a serious face. His daughter, his assistant, his wifehard to say. Maybe all three.

She made a face that could have been disapproval, or just annoyance that we were taking up so much of her time. To be honest, with its long snout and pink tail, the rabbit looked more like a large, long-eared rat. Its not surprising thered be a similarity, since rabbits are rodents, but still, not the most appetising thought.

If you want. You have to gut and clean it first.

And how do we do that?

She gave me the same look Kizwat had when I asked him which way was east. But she took the rabbit back and put it on the ground. She stabbed it in the chest and dragged her knife through the body. Then she pulled the incision apart, cracking bones as she opened it up to reveal the innards. Bunny Hunter 2. This time he wants whats inside!

She flipped it over and everything fell out in a big red mess. She used her knife to scoop out the last of it, slicing off the attached parts. The smell of blood and shit cut through the already acrid air.

Miri handed me the rabbit. Wash it properly. Anything else? She said it in a tone that suggested the answer should be, No.

No, I said. Thank you.

We all felt a bit queasy after seeing the rabbit peeled and gutted like that, but I assumed we would eventually get used to it. We left her to her work and set off back to the shed. We still hadnt made any money, but we had dinner sorted.