Zhi's mouth twisted to the side, feigning physical pain for her loss as those around them shouted their approval. A few hands reached out to slap her shoulders and upper back, mixing encouragement and sympathy together with their tumble of insults for her loss. She let them buffet her, ears going sideways and back. They ignored her, and she ignored them as she stared across the table. Free drink was always mollifying, and she let its promise lull her as the two wenches on duty set about ferrying drinks to the numerous customers.
Once she'd gulped the rest of the cheap swill she'd bought during a previous hand, she sat up and leaned forward, elbows on the table. "This y'first trip t'the city?"
Some of the crowd surrounding them had started to drift away without immediate promise of another game forthcoming, and drinks to boot. Some of those that remained reacted with snorts or suppressed (as much as drunks can suppress laughter) at her near-insult. Gadabouts weren't normally welcomed at Scuttlebutt, were usually looked down on and viewed with suspicion if they won too frequently -- but it was typically obvious when such tourists wandered in. It was a risk to make the assumption of this man, when he seemed to have made himself so cozy and comfortable, not a hair out of place. Maybe it was that attitude of his what set her fur on end and made the risk seem a right joy to take.
She showed her teeth in another smile, this one a sight more sleazy than the last.
Once she'd gulped the rest of the cheap swill she'd bought during a previous hand, she sat up and leaned forward, elbows on the table. "This y'first trip t'the city?"
Some of the crowd surrounding them had started to drift away without immediate promise of another game forthcoming, and drinks to boot. Some of those that remained reacted with snorts or suppressed (as much as drunks can suppress laughter) at her near-insult. Gadabouts weren't normally welcomed at Scuttlebutt, were usually looked down on and viewed with suspicion if they won too frequently -- but it was typically obvious when such tourists wandered in. It was a risk to make the assumption of this man, when he seemed to have made himself so cozy and comfortable, not a hair out of place. Maybe it was that attitude of his what set her fur on end and made the risk seem a right joy to take.
She showed her teeth in another smile, this one a sight more sleazy than the last.
