How did it end up like this?

Raven never fought for gold, gems, or vanity stuff like that. She didn't have refined taste, a couple of coins to drink cheap beer, eat anything to stay alive, and a place to fall asleep, she didn't care much about material stuff. Gold is nice. But she never had a real need for it. 

'What did I even want?' 

The thought crossed her head, she was annoyed, she didn't want to help this cub and her desire to achieve her goal. She didn't care at all if she was free from the mage's grasp. She had a hard time remembering how she started this, and how did she get to this point. But her actual goal to get stronger aligned with this silly elf quest...

'Not like other parties would even want me, they probably just want to fill an empty spot' 

"We will pay you of course!" Said the elf trying to convince her. 

And then the cat snapped. Play with the cat and get the claw. 

"I don't care about your gold!" 

Both the mage and her porter looked dejected as if they were in big trouble. Maybe they were, but they annoyed her. Well, it's not their fault, it's pretty common for people to buy loyalty with money, she had been a mercenary at some point too, but she didn't care about it. 

"I will go on one condition" She said raising one finger. 

They looked at her with hope... but also with doubts, many doubts. If you can't buy someone with gold, then it's hard to believe in the loyalty of that person, none do free work, and even less when it's dangerous work, just plain good people are the most suspicious. 

"You will owe me a favor" Raven said with malice in her voice. 

"What do you mean? What favor?" Eruru asked confused. 

"There is no need for you to know my goals, or what I'm going to ask right now" Raven said with an evil grin on her face. 

Eruru and Kayle exchanged uneasy glances. The silence between them stretched as they tried to grasp the weight of Raven's condition. Eruru bit her lip, clearly torn between her desperation and her instincts, which screamed not to trust the smirking cat in front of her.

"A favor?" Eruru asked again, her voice quieter this time. "And we won't know what it is until later?"

Raven leaned back, folding her arms with a sly grin. "That's right. Could be something small, could be something big. I'm not tellin' you now, but I promise it'll come around when I need it. You're the one who wants me to help, remember? This is my price"

Kayle stiffened, his eyes narrowing "That sounds... dangerous. What if you ask for something we can't give?"

"Then you'll have to figure that out when the time comes, won't ya?" Raven replied nonchalantly, enjoying their discomfort "Look, you came to me because no one else would take you. I don't need your money, but I'll make a deal if you owe me this debt"

Eruru's brow furrowed, she clearly wasn't used to being in this kind of position... bargaining with someone who didn't care about wealth or status. But her resolve was strong, and she knew she didn't have much of a choice.

After a long pause, she finally nodded "Fine. I'll accept your terms. If you help us with the dungeon, I'll owe you a favor." Her voice wavered slightly, but the determination in her eyes didn't fade.

Raven's smirk widened, satisfied with the outcome. "Good girl. Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Kayle, however, wasn't as convinced. "What happens if we refuse to fulfill your favor when the time comes?"

Raven's smile turned cold "Then you'll regret it" and then she smiled as if nothing had happened "Don't cha worry! Ain't we on the same team now? I won't mistreat you" Then she winked "Or maybe I will"

A loud burp from one of the drunkards dropped on the ground interrupted the moment, breaking the tension in the air. For Raven they were a strange case, she wasn't used to pretty princesses and her lackey, she couldn't understand how someone could be so devoted like Kayle, but it wasn't her problem, and she didn't want to find out. 

"So, when are we going on this little... adventure?" Raven asked going back to business. 

Eruru looked at her and sighed "Tomorrow, at mid-day" She said firmly.

"Then I suggest you go back to your palace and have a good rest, or else I will sober up and change my mind" Said the bandit toying with her dagger "and who knows? This side of the city gets more and more dangerous as time passes... maybe you won't even make it back if you don't hurry..." 

They didn't bother in saying goodbye, they just turned back and left the tavern, leaving the cat with her thoughts as she watched them leave, she knew they didn't trust her at all, but neither did she trust them, if they try anything funny she won't be the one getting stabbed in the back, and neither will she play the hero role to save their skin if they get caught in the mouth of a monster. Going back to that swamp wasn't very tempting, but she still remembered how some people told her that the dungeon was mysterious and has many different scenarios that worked as floors... the dungeon just followed one rule. 4 random scenarios of similar difficulty, then you get a fixated one. Every 5 floors everyone face the same danger. Why was it like that? She had no idea or neither she want to find out. A smile crept on her mouth. Not every day you find a naïve mage like her, and less a mage risking to get gutted on the slums to find help for a stupid test. 

"Just don't die too quickly, princess" Raven muttered to herself in a hushed tone "I'm starting to get curious about you"

The elf girl waitress brought her more booze and she left quickly before she got pulled again by the bandit. 

"Tomorrow, huh?" she whispered, leaning back in her chair and tossing her dagger into the air, catching it with ease. The dungeon was calling, and despite herself, she felt the familiar pull of danger... something about the dungeon was intoxicating to her, and a strange feeling in her gut told her that this mission might be trouble but still... she felt as if the dungeon faintly called for her. 

"Guess I'll play along" she said to no one in particular, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "For now."

With that, she finished off the last of her chicken, tossed a couple of coins onto the table for the trouble, and stood up, stretching. The tavern was quieter now, save for the occasional groan from one of the unconscious patrons, and Raven was ready to find somewhere to crash for the night... after all, it seemed like they had kicked her from her room... and wasn't stupid enough to stay for when the owned wake up. 

Raven stepped out of the tavern, the night air hitting her like a cold slap. The streets were mostly empty now, save for a few shady figures lurking in the darkness, the usual late-night crowd of thieves, beggars, and drunks... and some evil people that were far worst than her who she didn't want to cross. 

Her feet took her to a small alley and ducked into it, pressing her back against the cool stone wall. It was a known spot for her, quiet and secure enough. This would do for the night. No use paying for a room she could barely afford when the streets offered free lodging, her fingers tracing the hilt of her dagger absentmindedly.

Her eyes drifted shut as her mind circled back to the dungeon, but then she smirked, remembering Eruru's face.

"Don't die too quickly, princess," she muttered one last time before sleep took her.