D4, LM - Tales, or News?

[Tewzada Star'Ti]

Well, it wasn't much of a lead. Yet here she was; Tewzada Star'Ti, ace reporter, in some small town on an Outer Rim planet, following tales of a spoopy forest. ...light, she did not get payed enough sometimes.

Still; At least the weather was horrid too so she could wallow in self pity without bright sunshine and happy birds trying to cheer her up or something. She looked out the window of the taxi she was in one last time with a sigh before paying the driver and stepping out with AC1200. The droid held her umbrella as she took a look around.

[Quinn Largo]

Quinn was there as well. Or that is to say, Tewzada might see Quinn's back as she made her way into the tavern, looking for a certain someone who ran the place.

[Tewzada Star'Ti]

Which was something quite interesting, really; Recognizing the girl from the Parsecs, Tew decided any lead was better than no lead and headed in that direction; As much to get out of the rain as to see what was up.

[Honorordeath]

Inside there were a few of the regular patrons at the bar again and Aislea was still, slowly, working around to cleaning up the floor again after the morning rush cleared out an hour ago. Rain like today kept people around inside longer. Not that the woman minded the prolonged company. When she heard the door she glanced up to see Quinn and, after giving her usual greeting, turned back to her task at hand.

[Quinn Largo]

Quinn exhaled slowly. She'd almost expected a half-eaten Aislea yelling at her. Slowly, she approached the bar and sat down, letting the woman work until she was ready to give Quinn some attention.

[Tewzada Star'Ti]

After a minute Tew entered, parking AC outside with the umbrella; No sense in bring a camera droid into a place like this. Speaking of 'place like this', it certainly wasn't much to look at. A lot of locals crowded around, stooped over drinks quietly, a sullen atmosphere making her feel like she stood out.

Well, there was the girl from the Parsecs, anyways, so Tew siddled over and took a seat next to her, ordering something hot as she sat.

[Honorordeath]

Aislea went to wave in the new stranger but her wound reminded her better of it, gripping her arm for a moment as she forced a smile. "Greetings Stranger," she said to the Twi'lek girl as she approached. Glancing to Quinn, "What can I do you both for?"

[Quinn Largo]

"I... I wanted to apologize," she said, looking at the arm.

Then she realized Aislea was talking to two people, and she looked over to her side.

Oh, crap. Reporter.

She too forced a smile. "Oh, hello."

[Tewzada Star'Ti]

"Hello there again Miss... Quinn, wasn't it?"

She gave her a brief smile before turning to the other woman, "Ah, I don't know about my friend here, but I was actually here to ask about that forest, you know? It doesn't seem the best idea to just wander into the wilderness without a map or information or such."

[Aislea Griche]

There was a joke in there that Tewzada wasn't aware of but Aislea could only grin when the woman said that, glancing to Quinn as she did. "You're right about that stranger, and I can say through no false information that walking into that forest alone without knowing what you're getting into is good to get yourself dead."

"I've spent a couple years here warnin' folks off from just walking in there on a whim. Knew it was dangerous. Wasn't till recently I got a taste of just how dangerous. Predators hunt that forest and they're attuned to it. For us, the light of the sun drops off just a bit of the ways inside, completely. Going in there you'd need some way to see but take anything that emits light and," she shrugged, "you ever seen how fast predators run to something like that? Bugs to a lantern. I wouldn't go in there without a full team, and even then I'd do whatever it is you're lookin' for and get out quick."

[Quinn Largo]

"Yes," she said with a nod toward Tew when she checked to make sure what her name was...

...and then the conversation turned to the forest and its dangers... and Quinn got quiet, looking away.

[Tewzada Star'Ti]

"No light? Is that some sort of dark side of the Force mumbo jumbo sort of thing, or is the forest just that dense?"

So far it sounded more normal than she'd hoped for; Just some dark forest with its proverbial wolves. But maybe there was more to it than that?

[Aislea Griche]

"Forest is just that dense," she said, looking the woman over with a curved brow. Shaking her head she shifted so she could move her arm some.

[Tewzada Star'Ti]

"I see."

Tew mused a bit.

"...does the town make much of a living off the forest despite that then? Like with logging or more foolhardy people wanting to see it as a tourist spot? Or do people decide to live around here for a different reason?"

[Aislea Griche]

"Some farms out that way," she indicated the direction with her left hand. "Plenty of folk need a place to come and live, eat their meals. They came here. My mother set up this tavern here back when she was my age to warn people off from the forest and give them a place to stay for when they changed their minds, people have been coming here ever since."

"I keep up the effort, and the tavern. It's nothing glamorous but it keeps folk alive."

[Quinn Largo]

"Why are you so interested in the forest anyhow," Quinn asked to draw some of the pressure off Aislea... making no mention of her own previous interest in the forest.

[Tewzada Star'Ti]

"The town grew up around the tavern, hm...?"

Tew mused a bit before turning to look at Quinn, "Maybe a pitch black forest filled with killer beasts isn't news to you, Miss Quinn, but I smell a story. And questions are the best way to test out a hunch like that. Certainly better than diving in blind."

[Quinn Largo]

"Right... right."

Why was *everyone* getting on her case? Some even without knowing they were!

[Aislea Griche]

"I don't know what you hope to find miss," Aislea chimed in, "but maybe you city folk just aren't accustomed to the fact that dangerous animals live all around us. Sure, we've got the protections we've got today but when you start wanderin' into their territory you're just asking for trouble. Afraid there's not much of a story for you there, if you're after something... new," she shrugged.

[Tewzada Star'Ti]

"I see."

Tew put away her note pad and pen as she talked, "As to what I'm looking for... I suppose I won't know until I find it. If there really is nothing but some thick trees and hungry beasts, then so be it. Like I said, the story gives me a hunch there's more to it than that. So I'll just have to go exploring, aware of the danger or not. I mean, I've reported from war zones before, so can't be too much worse."