The overturned table and the commotion in the inn had served Avery well. He was consciously intent on following the lovely Lightning to the castle, since food<i>and a warm place to sleep</i>were things that he had not had in a handful of days.  He jostled into several patrons in the tavern in his attempt to keep close to the lady in silver, and by the time he exited the building and spotted her again his pouches were fuller and his pockets were filled with rolls of soft bread, trinkets, and small things of interest.<br/><br/>It was rather easy to stay in the background and allow the others to talk. One tended to learn more by keeping their mouth shut and their ears open, and Avery felt as if being quiet and observing was a normal part of his life.  As he followed the steadily growing group, his fingers examined the new items in his pockets.<br/><br/><i>A ring, much too big for the finger it had previously graced... Hm, felt solid.</i>A few coins that he hoped would be welcome when it came time to buy another meal were counted by nimble fingers.<i>A hard hairy thing... </i><br/><br/>He frowned.<i>What in the world was that? </i><br/><br/>Avery pulled the thing out of his pocket and looked at it.<i>A rabbit's foot?  Really?  Who in their right mind would keep a piece of a long-dead animal in their pocket?  </i><br/><br/>He tossed it aside and then continued rummaging through his things as they walked.  It never occurred to him to wonder why a soldier (which he assumed he had been) would find it second nature to relieve people of the things they were obviously not too fond of.<br/><br/>If they were fond of those things they would have secured them better, right?