The Village of Edgebury

The man perked his head up, and upon seeing the cleric he jumped to his feet and extended both his hands in an attempted handshake. "Yes, yes! Oh, I'm so glad you stopped in - I was afraid you would leave before coming by. My thanks do not feel like enough, after you tended to my little Jennie," he sighed, looking rather relieved. "I cannot express it enough, nor do I think I ever can. Jennie is all I have after my wife passed away, and you saved her."

Gesture taken or no, he was quick to jot something down in his open ledger and found a key with a little wooden tag hanging from it - the number 4 carved in, and offered it to her in his palm. "This is to room four - I personally cleaned and changed the linens this morning after I brought Jennie home. It's one of my best rooms, and I've already received a few gifts from others for you and had them placed in the room. Uh, I also brought your pack mule in and spoiled him a bit - I hope that wasn't too forward," he added, smiling despite the mild embarrassment he felt at having taken her animal away without a word.

The front door to the inn had been propped open to let in the wonderful spring-summer air, and a familiar fiery feline face appeared at the threshold to continue staring in judgement at the back of Viessa's head.

The man chuckled at her remark about the donkey and relaxed a bit. His gaze flicked to the door and his smile faded a bit, bringing a hand up to point at the creature at the threshold. "Is... that with you?" he asked, a little uncertain by the unnatural state of the feline. It certainly didn't look like anything he had seen before.

The look on the young woman's face was enough of an indicator that this cat was nothing more than trouble, and the owner grumbled as he rummaged about a few things across his desk on the other side of the counter. His hand came up with a small wooden mug in his hand that he drew back over his shoulder.

The cat immediate fled out of the doorway and out of sight, so he brought the cup back down. "Then I'll shoo it away. You just rest, my lady - and please don't be afraid to ask anything of me," he replied with a renewed smile on his lips.

"Absolutely. It will take some time to heat enough water, but you'll have a hot bath, ma'am."

And with that, the inn keeper made haste to bring up three pots of hot water to her room - a spacious and comfortable abode on the ground floor with a little side room divided off by a folding wall that housed a plain, wooden tub and a little chair and side table - already stocked with warm towels. The bed could easily sleep two, if not three, and was plush with a blanket and covers. Offset from where the bed was pushed against the wall was a two-paned window that was closed for the time being.

The small desk and chair in the corner of the bedroom were almost buried from view by the small mountain of gifts that had been received. There were fine garments and clothes neatly folded, food in satchels that were prepped for long travel and a few fresh dishes that were for more immediate enjoyment. There was an expertly crafted staff about six feet in length, carved by hand with intricate designs and odd lettering etched into the surface. There was a fine traveler's cloak that would prove warm on the colder nights and sleek to shed water like a duck's feathers. There was a single ring of silver with a tiny emerald gem setting, and a very strange pendant on a chain that seemed wrought of an orange-gold metal of sorts - the said pendant set with tiny, polished stones like marble and then just two similarly shaped gems of a milky white and faint pink swirl, and the shape of the pendant in an odd abstract shape. There were also children's toys and dolls, likely gifts from the kids themselves.

The day moved on with little event, save for the inn keeper showing up with hot meals for lunch and supper as well as a visit and a hug from Jennie - and a familiar, fiery face at the closed window after the sun went down and the world began to settle for the evening. The feline leered at Viessa no matter where she went in the room, and remained perched on the window frame whenever she returned to her stay.

The night was... almost peaceful. Within minutes of Viessa tucking herself into bed, there was scratching of claws on the window - and the creature began to randomly yowl in loud and long stretches, seeming quite intent on making sure she didn't sleep.

The cat scrambled desperately when the window was open and yowled in it's retreat as it tried to outrun the water - steam trailing from it's back from the few droplets that managed to land upon it's rump.

The man remained where he sat, almost like a statue save for the slow, calm breathing. He never turned a page but just seemed intent to stare at the two open before him. However, Viessa might feel eyes on her regardless of where his head was pointed.

The cat reappeared, only this time it darted quickly through the inn and skidded up under the chair of the man in red, sitting down and glaring daggers at the cleric while it's tail flicked angrily.

The masked man turned his head ever so slightly, fiery orbs in the slit eyes peering clearly at her this time - almost seeming fluid like magma in the dark spaces. A hard tone, though low, echoed behind the cover. "I have no idea to what you are referring to, woman," he replied, finally turning a page in the book.