Suddenly, Ash looks up hopeful... “Did you bring leathers??.. Armour?..... .. My thieves’ tools?...”, her eyes lose focus, like she’s trying to reel off a well practiced check-list in her mind, counting them off on her clawed fingers: “...caltrops, ball-bearings, crowbar, fine wire...”. Her list begins to slow, and the hope falls away from her face, as she realises no one is nodding along with her list...

"There's plenty of opportunity north of Neverwinter, though I would hazard there is even more south. Fidd will be fine, relax and eat."

To her next questions,

"Ash, I wasn't expecting you here. We can get you all of that in the village here, given this place isn't a bust."

He moves over to Korrik and says,

"Kay come help me get the horses. Ash you okay with Ess for a moment? We're going to bring the horses over."

Once they get over to the horses he asks in a whisper,

"Thoughts? As a rule I don't normally put up with people that threaten to stab me and I sense a definite stabbing coming my direction in about," he checks the sun, "fifty minutes."

Ess would nod to Ben and then fumble around his pack to find a ration. He'd hand it to Ash and say to her while Kay and Ben get the horses. "Here, um... Ash. It's just a ration, but it's all I've got. They aren't that bad once you get used to them. I am not sure what they are made from. Have you ever had one before? I think they taste like porridge. And jerky." And would continue with this type of thing until the guys got back with the horses a few mere moments later.

-1 ration from Ess inventory.

Ess would turn around and pretend he's closing up his pack and mouth the words "what the fork" to Ben and Kay.

He's never seen a Tabaxi before, and is very nervous as to what might happen when the spell wears off.

Ess perception to see if Ash has visible claws? 12

(might as well get into the PvP action, ha!)

Ash thanks Ess for the rations and tucks in, her hands clearly visible. Her feet and hands protrude from her wrist- and ankle-wraps and she sits cross-legged, so Ess can see both her hands and feet. There are no visible claws. Maybe she has no claws. Or maybe they can retract, he can’t quite tell which.

Between bites, Ash glances at Ess. She answers his questions politely and offers her own smalltalk in return. She’s seen his look before. She’s not unkind about it, and let’s him look upon her. But is there something else behind his looks? She wonders...

Insight check: 4 

Korrik watches the back and forth, letting Ben run the conversation, as he's the one who is now 'friends' with Ash, but joins the tiefling at the horses.

((As a bit of a traveler, are tabaxi common enough that Korrik would likely have seen one before?))

Ash, while you might be used to 'less travelled folk' being 'intrigued' by your appearance, Ess seems to be fidgeting a bit more than what you're used to with these kind of somewhat ignorant folk. 

((To be honest, I don't know a lot about the Tabaxi race before this game (reading project!!) and so I can't really say. My gut says no, but would you guys know if these 'cats' (haha) are at least somewhat common in and around northeast Faerun, sword coast style? If so, then yes Korrik would've likely seen one before. If not, then no.))

Ben answers Korrik quietly as they walk the horses over to tie off closer,

 Once the horses are tied up he will back to Ash and sit nearby and ask,

"Would you be up for exploring this place together? We can split shares, and if you want, you can continue with us after? Better in a team and all that. Gentlemen?"

He looks to Ess and Korrik for their thoughts on the suggestion as well.

((There are probably some tabaxi around but not many this far north. From my quick read it looks like they are from Chult or across the sea, neither of which is terribly close. Waterdeep and Neverwinter are big ports though, so Korrik, Ess and Busren have likely met/seen them in passing if not had a close relationship.))

Ess tries his best not to go extremely wide-eyed as he looks at Ben, and says. "YEAH..... Sure."

((Ess hasn't seen one before, just because that's what I've been going with here!))

"Don't mind Ess, Ash. He is a bit mousy but is working to get rid of that!"

Ash looks up and smiles, as Ben and Korrik return. When Ben asks about exploring the house and splitting what they find, she says, “Yes, of course! That’s what we’re all here for after all!... ... All I’ll say, is that the inside is a complete unknown!.... I don’t think we can rely on any of the ghost stores we’ve heard... ...I think we just need to go in with our wits about us”.

Ess says to Ben: "Ahem... right." and he lowers his eyes and would eventually also say "Ok then. So... which way do you guys and, um Ash, think is the best way to get in this place? Looks like that's the front door right over there."

Ess would point to the door that is on the south side of the house near you all, and would be ensuring that his quiver and bow are ready as well as touching his side to ensure his longsword is there as he waits to see the responses from the others.

He's thinking to himself ok they must have a plan for her when the spell wears off and starts to act a bit more "normal".

While the party discuss plans, Ash stands, and wanders back over to the southwest corner of the house, talking as she goes, "Round the back is some kind of shed. And a well I don't like the look of at all!!". When she reaches the corner of the house, she takes a short run up and stepity-steps, (claws out if anyone was interested, or watching closely enough) up the side of the building, high enough to retrieve her tiny music-box. She drops back to the floor with hardly a sound, and wanders back to the party, hanging the trinket back around her neck and tucking it inside her clothes.

She continues, "...Maybe we check those out, and the grounds, first?.... before moving inside?". She remains standing. She checks her daggers and sling, pulls her clothes roughly straight and reties the sash around her waist. Standing ready she does a couple of particularly feline-looking stretches, in preparation for exploring the place.

He gives Ess a wink before saying to Ash,

"If Korrik agrees with having you join us, I think I need to get a your word, on Nula and the Code, you will act in good faith with us, and we will swear to do the same for you. I know it sounds a bit formal, but it'll put these gentlemen at ease."

He looks over at Korrik,

"That means no stabbing and even splits of what we find."

((Okay, messages crossed there... Should be okay though?))

Ash looks at Ben, nodding, "It's not too formal at all. It's to be expected... The code requires it.... ...The Guilds deal with all kinds of people, but a job is a job. They couldn't function any other way....". She stands a little straighter and looks Ben dead in the eye... "You have my word, as a Thief of The Varied Trades: we agree to act in good faith... even split three-ways".

"I swear it in the name of Nula too, and the Cat Lord.... but believe me, the Guild Code is enough". She does a very slow blink, that makes her look more like a domestic cat than she has until this point, and nods again, signifying 'it is done'. Her tail flicks a little too, left and right, as if eager now to begin.

((Was the three way split on purpose or did Ess get cut by accident?))

((lol! No, that was an oversight by Grwobert! Ash would have gotten it correct! Please pretend she said four way split ;-) That's right isn't it?))

((Unless she would include the horses, then it would be 6!))