At Zefla's second knock, there is the sound of a lock opening and then the door opens a crack.  It is still held by a chain, and from the other side you can see an older, tired looking woman in commoners clothes holding a candle.  "What is - " she begins before stopping short.  She looks down at Zefla then at the rest of the crowd.  She sees the two Wachter boys, though with one of them slung over Burr's shoulder she doesn't seem relieved.  

"What is going on here?  What has happened?"

Zefla gives a bow to the woman, "Sorry to disturb you at such a late hour, but these boys, which I believe live here?  Well, they got themselves a little inebriated at the tavern, and we thought we would help by making sure they got safely home.  Nothing bad happened, just well, they drank a bit more then they probably should have."  

The woman slowly nods, this story obviously starting to make sense.  "You can leave those boys with me.  The house is put to bed for the night but I can get them inside and looked after.  Shame you folk had to be put to trouble like this.  I can tell Lady Wachter you've done a service, seeing the twins home safely.  Who shall I tell her she has to thank?"

She unchains the door and ushers Karl inside.  She lets Burr lean Nikolai on a small cloth-covered bench just inside the door but doesn't allow anyone further inside than that.

" Zefla and Associates.", Burr answers with a slight grin.

Soren continues placidly eyeing the mansion and the opened door with his brown horse-eyes.  The druid part of his brain tries and fails to make sense of why the servant seems so indifferent to the fate of the Wachter boys, or is it indifference to the Wachter family in general, including Fiona Wachter?

Insight:  5 (natural 1)

Unfortunately, being rusty at Wild Shape, Soren has lost himself a bit in the horse's mind, and completely loses his train of thought as well.  Being a humanoid in horse form, he begins to wonder if now might be an appropriate time to ah... relieve himself.  He certainly does not remember to revert back so he can ask whether now is the time to bring up the invitation to the book club.  (And perhaps it isn't, anyway).

Zefla smiles and laughs internally when Burr says Zefla and associates.  She's good with that she figures.  She follows Burr in and answers as well, "Yes, I am Zefla, Zefla Shadowquick and we are staying at the Blue Water Inn.  Thank you, and goodnight."

She takes a quick look around before leaving the house.

Perception  9

Giles stands to the side nodding and smiling as Zefla finishes, but he doesn’t really listen to what she has to say.  Instead he is focused and concentrating on the house, listening for anything that he can hear inside, anything that he can spot behind the woman.  He grips his coin in his hand and maintains his focus as he’s listening.  When Zefla bids goodnight to the woman he walks away, sharing anything he observed.  

Perception : 20

Burr shrugged and followed the others.

Zefla:

 Father Giles:

 "Very good.  I will tell Lady Wachter of the... service you have done for her.  And I'm sure the twins will appreciate it as well, once they sober up.  Thank you," she says in parting as she closes the heavy door behind you.

You once again find yourselves alone in the dark, empty streets of Vallaki.  It must be close to midnight by now.

Unless otherwise directed, Soren, the brown draft horse, lets out a soft whinny, then begins slowly walking back to the Blue Water Inn, his hooves clopping against the cobblestones of Vallaki.  Even in half-elven form, understanding the noble houses of Barovia is beyond him.  More so as an equine.

Soren does not object to giving anyone a ride back.  Or not.  He mainly just wants to get back to somewhere he (as a half-elf) can sleep.  On the Sword Coast, that would ideally have been outside the town walls, sheltering in Silvanus' palm.  But that being too dangerous here in Barovia, a bed will do.

Zefla also heads back to the Blue Water Inn and unless someone says elsewise, she heads up to bed.

Giles walks beside Horse/Soren, Zefla, and Burr, heading back to the Blue Water Inn, musing over the conversations tonight, the Wachters, and the creepy house they just left.  “Something is really bad there.  I sensed evil in that house, it was strange.  A feeling like the house almost… hated itself!?!  Reminded me of the house we were in when we first came here.  Something isn’t right there.  We need to be careful.  I’m tired.  This is enough for one night….”  He trudges on, back to the Inn.  He doesn’t seem to have his usual vigor and mischievous nature, he just seems flat out tired.

Returning to the Blue Water Inn [Horse will need to become Soren again to come back inside] you find that much of the crowd has departed.  There are only a few stragglers here still nursing their drinks.   Danika is busy putting out some of the lanterns, dimming the lights and sending a subtle 'closing time' message to the more stubborn patrons.

You have a pair of guest rooms, each with two single beds, two dressers and a night table with a lit candle.  Each room also has two small windows... locked shut with iron bars that can only be opened from the inside.

[Are we all retiring for the evening?]

" I'm going to bed.  Zefla? You want to bunk in with the priest, the ruffian or the horse?"

GIles looks to Zefla, saying “Up to you.  I will be asleep when my head hits the pillow…”

Zefla checks out one of the rooms and when Burr poses his question, she turns around on them still in the hall and responds, "None!" and slams the door on her friend's faces.

A pause later, she opens it back up mirth all over her face, and overhears Giles, "Sure, come on, you can have that bed, its not as soft."

Having turned back into a half-elf upon nearing the doorstep of the Blue Water Inn, Soren grins at Zefla, fairly sure that he got the joke this time!

He himself is asleep within a few minutes of entering the room he is to share with Burr.  But not before closing his eyes for a moment and concentrating.  Nettle the owl re-appears (Wild Companion) with a brief flutter, alighting on the sill of the shut window.

Greeting her with a brief forehead-to-forehead nuzzle, Soren politely asks her if she would graciously watch out the window and listen for anything unusual at the Inn (using owls' Keen Hearing and Sight).  Knowing it will only be for the next hour.

Nettle looks slightly miffed to be assigned such a task but settles in nonetheless for her hour-long vigil.

Burr snores his way through the night, though hopefully not loud enough to disturb Sorens rest. He keeps his weapons nearby....not fully trusting the room......the inn......the village.....the entire whatever this world was.

True to his warnings, Giles barely sets down his shield and takes off the essentials of his leather armor, easing into the slightly firm bed and seems to fall asleep mid sentence.  “Good night, my good friend…” is all that he manages.  He has fitful dreams, as if he’s closed into a wall and looking through, a tiny window on the outside world, where everything is hidden and unclear… and then he wakes up.