In the Dark of the Night

[Khei]

Khei Harumphed and stood with her arms folded, glowering at the cat.

"I'm used to dumb animals being left outside.."

She sniffed the air before wrinkling her nose.

".. and I don't like this lil beast.. it smells familiar. VERY familiar.."

Despite her attempts at restraint, Khei couldn't fully stifle the low growl in her throat.

[Guest]

Thea jumped at Khei's growl. She nearly smiled and her heart sped up erratically. One of the perks of her other self, Thea thought thoughtfully to herself and she smiled to full bloom.

Thea hadn't miss Khei sniffing the sir, catching a scent. She had noted this before.

"Familiar?" Thea questioned. She shrugged. "I've never seen this cat before in my life." She edged closer towards the cat and stroked him.

[Ashven]

The tabby seemed pleased by Thea's stroking as it leaned into her hand, purring contentedly and flicking it's tail to and fro. The one good eye squinted as it seemed to, very much, appreciate the attention.

[Khei]

Khei further wrinkled her nose as Thea stroked the cat. It seemed to be a simple cat yet Khei couldn't ignore the instinctive loathing she had for the little beast.

"It's him.."

She almost had a distinct hiss to her voice, her glare never wavering from the tabby.

"I don't know how it's him, but I know that scent anywhere."

She remained where she was, arms folded, with her head cocked ever so slightly, as if wordlessly demanding an explanation.

[Guest]

There could only be one "him" that Khei was referring to.

"Khei, that's impossible...Ashven is probably on a ship somewhere going after his gemstone." Though now she thought about, it could be possible. And Khei of all people would know when something is up. "It can't be him...it's just a cat..."

[Khei]

Khei shook her head, her brow furrowing. She didn't even understand it but she was sure she was right. Somehow.

"Well it reeks of him. It's connected to him somehow.. It has to be."

She thought back to the incident at the tavern with the wolf they had followed to the docks.

"First a dog and now a cat.."

She sighed and relaxed. The world was, indeed, turning out to be a very strange place. Maybe Thea knew better than she did. Perhaps Ash smelled like animals rather than the other way around. Still her instincts told her otherwise..

She shook her head and joined Thea by the table.

"I don't know.. Maybe you're right. Maybe my nose is playing tricks on my mind.."

She narrowed her eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with it's eye anyway?"

[Guest]

Thea didn't doubt Khei, it was just she found the whole idea of Ashven being a cat and a wolf a bit problematic. She had never encountered magic or anything otherworldy what-not before Khei.

Khei's quiery triggered a memory of earlier today. Ashven...beaten...bloody...swollen eye...

It was him.

"Ashven, had received a swollen eye from his beating," Thea replied. "Khei, I'm glad you're following your nose, as the good ole saying says, because that right there is no cat."

[Ashven]

The tabby almost seemed to smile.

"There's no fooling you two now is there?"

It jumped off the table and shifted into the form the two would recognize from before.

Ash rested his hands onto the table and smirked, his eye clearly swollen, but not so pronounced in human form. He regarded the women before speaking again.

"Oh. Thank you for the wine. It was quite good."

[Khei]

Khei openly hissed when Ash revealed himself. She didn't bother with concealing her growing disgust with the man as she pointed at him and growled.

"You! You bastard! What are you trying to drag us into!?"

She turned to Thea, her face a mixture of anger and panic.

"I say we throw him out and let whoever is after him have him!"

[Guest]

"I agree," Thea said, crossing her arms. She glared at Ashven. "He seems to create more trouble each moment we know him."

She turned on Ashven. "Why are you dragging us into your messes?! Leave now with your nefarious purposes, or unless you have a reason to be here, I'd think you'd better leave."

[Ashven]

Ash straightened and put a hand to his chest as if offended by the accusation.

"I'm hurt that you'd think such vile things about me after all we've been through today."

He looked to Khei before returning his gaze to meet Thea's.

"I assure you I know nothing about the men your friend was referring to."

[Guest]

"Well, they seem to be after you." She uncrossed her arms and kept them firmly to her sides. "By the way, shouldn't you be in search of your gem?" And not here, she added in her thoughts.

[Ashven]

Ashven nodded, relaxing a little.

"Well I would if I knew where to begin. Unfortunately the man you told me to find didn't know much more than we do. All he knew was that the ship headed southwest when it departed."

He sighed and shook his head.

"I don't know this world like you do and didn't know where else to go and I'm out of money. So.. well I came here."

[Khei]

Khei's hateful glare never wavered from Ashven as she listened. She was clearly unimpressed.

"Honestly I don't care what sort of issues you have. You shouldn't be HERE. I don't want anything more to do with you or the men who are after you. I don't think Thea wants to be any more involved than I do."

She paused briefly.

"You or your magic." she added, growling.

[Ashven]

Ashven narrowed his eyes at Khei, his smirk fading ever so slightly.

"You've got a lot of nerve to complain to me about magic while you wear those."

He nodded to her bracers.

"Those things reek of it."

His smirk returned as he straightened again.

"And they do nothing to hide, from MY eyes, what you REALLY are."