
The man scratched his head, smiled and, after seating himself, thanked Buffy with the promise to repay her for his meal. He then wasted no time enjoying himself, sharing part of his food with Tiber. She smiled, mostly to herself, deciding to suppress her chatty nature long enough to let the man enjoy his dinner.
Between bites, the hungry Imperial opined that he either forgot his coinpurse or that it was now in the hands of a cutpurse. Buffy still suspected the later, for this man looked like everything he owned was either in his knapsack or on his back. In surveying his possessions, she noticed the simple bow slung over his chair. A hunter perhaps? She did not see a melee weapon displayed. Was there a dagger in his knapsack? Or did he rely on the obviously powerful wolf-dog to back up his bow? She found herself staring at the man’s raven tresses, then chiding herself for imagining how she might style them.
“What brings you here?” he asked when it seemed his hunger had been reasonably sated.
“Dinner,” she replied. “While one does need to guard their coinpurse down here on the docks, the grilled fresh catch of the day is well worth it.” She tilted her head slightly. “I’m Buffy. By what name does Tiber’s traveling companion call himself?