Dusk perks his ears up as he hears the noise behind the tavern. He looks over to Morgan "Did you hear that? I'm going to check what's happening behind the tavern." 

With a slight motion of his paws, he brings them together in front of his body in a sort of praying position. He closes his eyes and mutters something, then opens his usually yellowish eyes that are now black with an inky darkness. (He casts pass without trace). Shadows start to cling to his already dark fur, blurring his features and silencing his footfalls. He hides (32), then proceeds to Shadow Step silently behind the tavern, to see what is going on there.

The wretched looking man finds a half eaten Bocicne in the trash bin and dusts it off. "Ahhhh" he says, giving it a joyful sniff before taking a small nibble. His eyes roll back in his head as if he'd never eaten anything so delicious in his life. He lets out a strange, choking, cackling laugh, then puts the morsel in his pack for later. He then begins collecting the trash from the ground and tossing anything back that isn't edible. "Mustn't waste. Good food, friendly staff. Mustn't be rude. Mustn't be..."

He stops and slaps his head a few times, clearly frustrated with himself. He searches in his pack and finds a very smooth gray rock that would be perfect for skipping along ponds. He frowns when he looks at it, as if trying to come to a decision. Ultimately, he decides to set it down nicely on top of the bin lid, as if to leave payment for the lovely dinner. He looks a bit sad to leave the rock behind. "It's only fair. Only fair. Mustn't be rude."

Hearing the ruckus herself, Morgan hardly notices as Dusk casts his spell, but she certainly senses the magic take hold of him and watches his appearance shift with the clinging shadows.  For a brief moment, she wishes she could cast a spell that cool, but then quickly refocuses as the sounds from the back of the tavern continue.  She'll also move as quietly as possible in the approaching gloom of the storm to try and see what's going on.

Stealth: 15

The darkness very much also clings to Morgan (he decided to cast it on her as well; ooc: your Stealth is 25). Dusk sees her, and steps over close to her. "I think it's a raccoon person. I'll ask him if he wants to go inside, he can't stay outside. That's sure. The storm is already approaching fast."

 Morgan listens quietly to Dusk's summary of the situation once she catches back up to him.

*Understood.  I'll wait here to back you up if anything funny happens.*

"Thanks, I appreciate that very much.", Dusk nods and proceeds to get closer to the 'raccoon person'. Then he raises his voice, trying very much to sound kind (Persuasion 23, Harmless Appearance).

"Hey, dear friend. I see you're very hungry. And in need of some comfort. Why don't you come in? We'll make sure you're well fed, and properly cleaned up. And don't worry about payment. We are happy to help. Really." 

The door barely swings as a tiny figure slides into the bar. At his table , Nine-While-Nine stands abruptly, tension written in every line of the slender Kenku’s frame. A low hiss escapes his beak, and through the shadows a black clad little shape approaches him. The figure’s black cloak is made from a length of thick dull sackcloth, matte black and reflecting no light. The little hood is thrown back , and with a quick bound the shape is standing on the table, carefully out of reach of the trembling Nine. 

Nine is confronted by a Kobold, white scaled with a smear of black across the right eye. The scales are thicker and more pronounced than is common, and the Kobold’s horns are longer and curved more sharply than most. The taloned hands raise and rest in a martial stance, as a gruesome grin bates all the sharp little fangs.

”Nine. How have you been, featherhead?”

Nine-While-Nine can make no sound. Shock is written in every line of his body

Spotting the sudden tension over by Nine's table, Cloud quietly slips a little closer to the table, giving a quick nod of goodbye to Yerandell and Hob. She meets Nine's eyes and gives him a reassuring nod. She's got his back if he needs it.

The Kobold does not miss Cloud’s movement, tipping a wink of one silver eye his way. “Easy friend, this beautiful blackbird and I are old comrades. I just came because he seems to have been avoiding me for awhile. I missed him so.”

Nine shakes his head furiously at the words, and the voice that spills from his beak is a woman’s death rattle filled with hate,

” Faceless Nim, you run to damnation with a smile”

Cloud narrows her eyes. It would seem he doesn't share that opinion.

Nim spreads his hands sheepishly, keeping one eye on Nine at all times. 

“What can I say? Friends lose touch for all sorts of reasons. Nine and I may have had a rough time together last we met, but I didn’t come to harm him. “

He turns to Nine and takes off his cloak, dropping it to reveal his gray wrapped form, a strangely ornate belt double wrapped about his waist. He carries no weapons and wears no armor but bracers at his wrists. “You and I left things unsaid. You may have taken the wrong impression from what you saw. “

For a moment he seems genuinely saddened, “I didn’t hurt her, Blackbird. I swear it. “

Insight 21

Cloud frowns. I think you should get off the table and stop intimidating him. This is a place of rest, not fighting, and certainly not antagonizing others, even if you have a history.

Cloud moves closer until she's right next to the table. She plants herself right next to Nine, and watches the kobold carefully.

Nim stares at Cloud, but addresses Nine without looking at him,

“It fascinates me, how such a wretched thing as yourself always has these people spring to your defense. “

He turns back to Nine and his smile is cruel and wide, 

“ Of course, the last time that happened you wept so hard I could almost hear your heart breaking. Don’t worry my boy, one day soon, you will see Avery again. “

”I can send you there soon enough”

With that Nim lunges at Nine, before vanishing from the tabletop in a clap of thunder and flash of light.

The force of the blast shatters the chair behind Nine and sends the Kenku flying, clothing and flesh shredded and torn. 

Outside the door, there is the stench of brimstone and dragon fire as Nim darts into a Planar Gate.

"I hope you are comfy now old timer if you'll excuse me." Yerandell leaves the fellow at his seat and goes to join the situation at Nines table. "Hello, fine sir. Welcome to this splendid and, may I stress, peaceful. Why don't we chat it up at the bar over a cup of stew and ale, or cake." With a wink and a smirk to cloud.

Nine struggles up to one knee, gasping for breath. Blood drips from his ravaged chest and arms and one hand reaches blindly for nothing.