A large murmuring crowd gathered around the Trendil Wagon in the town square of Hangra. The sun was nearly set, and a torch was driven into the ground at each of the four corners around the vehicle. Quade leapt down from the box proudly and looked all around at the eager faces that encompassed him.

“Welcome, one and all,” he projected, extending his arms outward to welcome the onlookers.

A sudden silence arose as anticipation began to build. Kora, the Great Plumed Raven thrust herself off of her elven friend’s shoulder and fluttered her colorful wings as she dipped and flipped and dove, performing many flying tricks as she soared above the heads of the audience. Quade smiled as his traveling partner invoked several “ooh”s and “ahh”s from the spectators.

Then, suddenly, Kora paused her graceful act as her crystal blue eyes settled upon the red hat of a man in the audience. With a loud screech, she seized it with her talons and delivered it to Quade.

“Me travelin’ partner’s brought me a little gift,” he laughed, accepting it and patting Kora lovingly upon her crested head.

“GIFT?!” an angry voice roared, “That’s MY HAT, you impudent dwarf!” The crowd parted as the owner of the voice manifested himself. He was a tall, brutish man with a face meaner than the insults he was shouting. “Tell yer little bird brain to give it back, or else.”

“There, there, my good fellow. Settle down. I’ll have me Kora return your crown,” Quade smiled sheepishly.

But, as he reached for the hat, Kora clamped her claws down upon it and shook her head.

The crowd gasped and laughed. The man grunted.

“Why, Kora! Whatever is the meaning of this?” Quade chuckled.

Kora cackled and chirped.

“You won’t give it back, ey?” Quade replied, “Why not?”

Kora made another series of sounds, bobbing her head, stretching out her wings, and tilting her crest.

“Oh. I see,” Quade nodded, “If that be the case, I’ll put the hat in my sack for safe keepin’.”

“WHAT?!” the man roared in outrage after intently attempting to follow the ‘conversation’ that had just taken place between the dwarf and his feathered friend.

“Well, I’m sorry sir, but it simply isn’t a good idea to give your hat back,” Quade smiled, folding his arms.

“AND WHY NOT?!” the angry man grunted.

“Well, it is the only red hat in the entirety of the crowd,” Quade answered.

“And?” the man asked furiously.

“And you are quite a tall and burly man.”

“AND?!”

“And you are wearing green and brown.”

“AND?!?!”

“And you have a bushy beard.”

Completely outdone, the impatient man grasped Quade by the collar and lifted him from the ground, causing the dwarf’s own feathered hat to fall into the dirt.

“AND, WHAT DOES ALL OF THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT YOU REFUSE TO RETURN MY HAT?!” he barked.

“Well, you see, sir, it simply puts you in danger,” Quade sung.

“In danger? IN DANGER?” the man laughed. “In danger of what, exactly?”

“Oh, something too horrendous to mention, for, at the sound of his own name, he is incited,” Quade whispered.

The crowd quieted down as the man lowered Quade back to his feet.

“There is a savage within my Trendil Wagon who is peering out of that tiny little hole there,” Quade said pointing, “If he sees a big, tall, burly, green and brown clad, bushy-bearded gentleman wearing a red hat, he will snap and come out to fight you.”

“Fight me?” the man asked mockingly, “If he’s anything like you, it would be him I’m scared for.”

The crowd roared in laughter.

“Lads and lassies, do you wish to meet the Infamous Beau?!” Quade shouted aloud to the crowd.

His ask was met with a conflicted murmuring.

“Shall I return the hat to this gentleman? Or no?” Quade continued.

The crowd was still indecisive.

“I’ll answer your question,” the angry man grinned, snatching his hat from Quade and slapping it back onto his head.

Suddenly, the Trendil Wagon began to shake. Grunts and roars could be heard from within.

“I’m afraid you’ve awakened him, sir!” Quade sang in a quaking voice.

Before the man could look up, the doors to the Trendil Wagon had flung open, and a large, orc-like man had stumbled out of it.

“Beau! Fight! Red! Hat! Man!” he screamed, staring at the hat-wearer angrily.

The man shook his head as his eyes grew large in terror. He backed up and threw the hat off of his own head and it landed upon Quade’s. Too big to fit, it settled over his eyes. Beau’s countenance grew confused as he looked from the man down to Quade, who slowly attempted to lift the hat so that he could see.

“Beau! Fight! Red! Hat! Man!” he repeated, but this time, he was looking at Quade.

Kora began cawing and fluttering her wings in a panic as Quade finally freed his eyes.

“Oh dear,” he gasped as he spotted Beau charging towards him.

Quade took off running in a circle around the Trendil Wagon with Beau close at his heels.

“Beau! It’s me! Your friend!” he panted, but the Gardinbeaufian grasped the back of his shirt and lifted him off the ground.

Kora flew off of Quade’s shoulder but stayed hovering by him as Beau turned him around to face him.

“Red hat man BAD!” he roared, then raised Quade up and threw him into the air.

As he came down, Beau kicked him, sending him skidding back along the dirt and into the crowd. Beau charged over, causing the crowd to part. Quade scampered back, trying to run, but Beau grabbed him and pushed him back into the ring around the wagon.

“Calm down, Beau!” Quade laughed nervously, backing up and avoiding the orc’s swings.

Suddenly, he tripped and fell. Beau drew his arm back and was about to deliver a fatal blow when he suddenly stopped. Kora was fluttering above her traveling partner’s head with the hat clutched tightly in her talons.

“Quade not red hat man,” Beau smiled, taking up the elf and squeezing him tightly.

The crowd seemed to exhale a collective breath, then laugh and clap as Kora returned the hat to its rightful owner.

Taking a bow, Beau collected and quenched the four torches and scurried back into the Trendil Wagon as Quade leapt back onto the box. With a yank of the reins, the Misfits of Taungoun were gone quicker than they came, Kora flapping behind with a sack full of tips from the crowd.