With Attitude

Amrea stiffened at the words. She turned and stared daggers at the dwarves.

"What did you call me, half pint?" she asked loudly. The laughter and jeering died down suddenly as all the dwarves at the table were suddenly staring at her. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the bar man had become very tense. He was idly polishing the same spot on a glass over and over again as his eyes darted back between her and the group of dwarves.

"Mind repeating that Missy?" one of the dwarves slurred out in what he thought was a menacing tone.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said sarcastically, "I didn't realize you where all deaf as well as ugly." Even as the words left her mouth, she realized she was probably making a mistake. She felt that she had many fine qualities, but an ability to easily take insults wasn't one of them.

"Well look what we got here boys," an older dwarf with some gray growing through his reddish beard exclaimed. "An uppity elf." He then sneered back at her "Not even a real elf at that. A drow." He almost spat the last word.

"Hey fellas," the barkeeper said nervously, "I don't think she meant any offense. I'm pretty sure she was just having a laugh. Let's not let this ruin your night"

"You stay out of this man-ling," one of them barked. By this time, all the dwarves had risen from the table. Though some where a little wobbly on their feet, they all seemed pretty sure of themselves. Amrea was becoming less sure.

'That's a lot of dwarves,' she thought to herself. She began to calculate the odds in her head before one of them walked around the table and crossed his arms.

"We wont be takin any guff from some dark skinned knife ear." He said gruffly, "If you apoligize, and if you really mean it, you might walk out of this place uncsathed."

Before she could stop herself, Amrea blurted out, "Fine, I'm sorry the mountains decided to take a shit one day and mold them into dwarves. I'm sorry soap never made its way to the mountains. And I'm especially sorry that you're women have to grow beards just so they can trick you into thinking they're one of your friends so they can get a poke once in a while. There, was that sincere enough for you?" Amrea realized that her heart was pounding in her chest and she was sweating. Had she really just said all that?

"Oh, you're a funny one aren't ye?," said the dwarf with the grey in his beard. "Got quite a mouth too. Maybe its time someone taught you some manners?"

Now all the dwarves where moving around the table to stand in front of her.

"Oh shit," she thought, "I've stepped in it now. Guess this happening," And she began to summon her power.