The Willow Tree was a club comfortably settled within the scenery of Mossdeep. A stubbornly enforced neutral ground and owned by an equally stubborn man. Physical escalations would end as quickly as a single Malamar could manage. Conflict within the boundaries of the club wasn't allowed, the staff was well cared for, and the dancers closely watched for signs of discomfort. Of course, security would step in if anybody tried to do anything with the dancers.

Night was a very particular type of person, he ran a tight ship and expected the best of his employees, but he wasn't cruel. He knew what was happening within his club, knew the people that would come in, and knew when there were new faces among the regulars. He only ever had two rules, and they never changed.

'Don't Start Problems', and 'Don't Bring Trouble With You'. So imagine his surprise when he heard the quiet rumors snaking their way through the club. Someone had come in with a Bounty on their head. Well, it certainly was enough to have a headache brewing in the back of his skull.

"Phobos." Night sighed, drawing the attention of the Malamar waiting at the edge of his desk. "Keep an eye out no doubt a bounty will draw in a bounty hunter... The kind of trouble I have no time for. Deal with it as you always do."

The bright pulses of the pattern atop Phobos' body were enough to display the Malamar's enthusiasm, the strange gurgled purr an unnecessary response as it drifted its way from the office to tuck back into the shadows. While the darkness wouldn't hide it entirely, it was enough to give the faint reflections of the lights against its beak and allow the flickering glow of it its body to pulse with an unheard rhythm.

---

Cade Atreides