just another dirty wolf in a crowd

@"Appren"

An idealistic mobster?

Adder squinted, but he also hesitated. Well, if she failed and got herself killed, then owing her wouldn't be an issue. He could just walk away.

"I was doing fine before I ended up here," he muttered, finally breaking the eye contact and carefully looking elsewhere. "The... relocation was not by choice." Adder shifted his weight from one foot to another, acutely aware of how they had felt so recently. He didn't like being cold. He didn't like being hungry.

"I'll only commit to what I accept payment for," he finally said, voice firm and body language unyielding even if he had stopped directly challenging her. If she pushed him, though, she would see just how little he submitted.

@"Appren"

Adder eyed the woman's hand for a moment, and then reluctantly shook it with the hand that wasn't busy holding the most money he'd ever had at once. "I'm Adder. Just Adder, nothing else." Technically he had a different legal name, but he had no proof of it anymore anyway. Besides, that name belonged to a child with parents and a home.

His eyes narrowed at the mention of there already being work for him, but he did his best to restrain himself. He would play the game for a while. That was it. No real loyalty.

And not that much dependence. Adder's ears flattened against his skull at the offer of housing. "I'm not trusting you that much," he said shortly and without space for argument. At the very least, he didn't want Shi to know where to find him that easily. Or to have that much clout over him.

@"Appren"

Adder took the paper and honestly just glanced at it before tucking it carefully into a pocket. He could read, but he was used to street signs rather than books and he wasn't inclined to stand there working out Shi's writing in front of her. "Where at the docks?" he asked shortly. "Wandering around giving code phrases to everyone I see seems like a quick way to get shot."

He could survive a lot. A bullet through the skull probably wasn't one of those things, and he didn't want to test it.

"What kind of packages?"

@"Appren"

Adder nodded. "I need to know what I'm getting into." If it weren't for his worn and grimy appearance, he might have almost seemed powerful for a moment there. Call it a faint reminder that he was descended from a deity, if one worshipped by wolves rather than humans.

When Shi started to walk away, Adder didn't immediately follow. He took his time tracing out the route and expectations of the job before nodding to himself. Fine. He'd go along with it for now.

Hmmmmmmmmm he should probably talk to Shi a bit more. Never know what useful information someone might slip, and information could mean safety and survival. He could move quite quickly without appearing to rush, and easily caught up with his new employer, strolling off to her side but not quite behind her.

"Do you know decent places to buy food around here?" he asked casually, playing off the new-to-the-city aspect rather than the doesn't-usually-get-to-buy-food aspect.

@"Appren"

Adder put up with the laughter with as little expression as he could manage. It was... rather successful.

"A place existing isn't necessarily proof that it's decent," he retorted with a flick of his ears. "What did you think I was asking? Even if you're new here, you've still been here longer than me if you have so much set up."

He wasn't impressed with that smirk. He also didn't bother trying to hide it, and let himself make a bit of cool eye contact. Not everyone took it as a challenge, after all, and even if Shi did this was a case of not letting himself be pushed around.