((Intro is going to be a bit long. Expect responses to actions to be alot more curt and to the point. ^_^ ))<br/>((As for your question, i'll be posting the enemies AC...so, you will know if your confirmation is a yes-or-no. I will likely be rolling most spot/listen checks, though!<img alt=":)" src="./images/smilies/smile.gif" title="Smile"/>))<br/>The Singing Donkey. The Tavern and Inn had seen better day, that is for certain. It's name came from a running joke that had been going around town during it's formative years. It had a little bit of everything, it seemed. Entertainment. Good food. Good drink. Decent rooms. All on the cheap. For years, it had never seen an empty night.<br/><br/>This night, though, it had exactly that. It was on the exterior of the town, all the more vulnerable to whatever creatures roamed during the darker hours. The constant threat of attack, of being mugged - or devoured - in the streets on the way home had made many choose a far, far dingier place to hang out and spend their quickly-dwindling coin.<br/><br/>The interior of the place was roomy and spacious, though the slick sheen of spilled alcohol covered a great deal of the tables, and more than a few pools had been deposited on the floor. Even so, the single server scurries from table to table, dodging the slick spots to bring the handful of patrons more booze and more food, eager to keep them happy. The thick smell of tobacco (and other, far more exotic herbs), hangs in the air, a stench cloying to those whom have sensative noses.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">&lt;&lt;Inside the Singing Donkey&gt;&gt;</span><br/><br/>Tensions were high. That much was apparant. The dwindling supply of food, the constant increase in the cost of goods and services...it was a nightmare. They were prisoners in their own town. Stay - perhaps be embroiled in civil war, when things got bad enough. Leave - and perhaps be attacked and captured by slavers, robbed by brigands, devoured by the tribe of Lycans that roamed the countryside, or perhaps even fall prey to the incredibly-large animals that had been springing up here and there.<br/><br/>A sort of hush hangs over the normally cheery bar, everyone too absorbed in their own problems to care to converse or make attempts at being friendly. The silence is only broken by hushed whispers every now and then, or perhaps the odd bit of laughter - a strange sound in the sullen atmosphere. As more and more drinks are imbibed, however, the gloom begins to lighten, and a bit more buzz begins to circulate. A handful order only one drink the entire night. Others order far more than they should have.<br/><br/>Mirana is kept busy. Undol remains perched safely on the serving-girl's shoulder, though many a hungry gaze had been directed towards him over the course of the night. Yet, with Mirana, he is safe...well, relativly. Already once this night he'd visited her mouth, and likely again he would before the night was over. However, she'd never swallowed him, and judging by the amount of opportunity she had to do just that, there was likely any intention beyond the mouth-trips she'd given him beyond simple playfulness. She busies herself with filling two more tankards "I don't think i've ever had my butt slapped so much.." She complains to Undol, looking at him as he sat in his little spot on her shoulder "Ugh, i wish they would just leave. The place is normally soooo much more lively. Ugh..." Picking up her tankards, she begins to make her rounds.<br/><br/>"From the wolf there, miss.." She says to Sherani, placing the frothing, full tankard down on the table on front of her. Sherani would know the exact one - the wolf sitting against the far back wall. He was handsome enough, his single good eye a emerald green, his armor pristine and in wonderful condition. He'd been eyeing the Shifter for quite some time, though had never gotten up to speak with her. Yet, this was the second drink he'd ordered her, whether she seemed interested in the first or not. Every few seconds, he will lean over and whisper something to the only other one sitting at his table - a young fox, likely no more than twenty.<br/><br/>The old, human bartender continually peers across the near-empty commonroom, seeming a little perterbed by the lack of customers this night "Mirana? A bit more to Calia there, would you?" He motions towards Calia's table, where she sat alone. Mirana quickly scurries over, placing the tankard down "Ahh, sorry. Here you are!" It had not been a good day for the Giantess - she'd been hounded all day. Mercenaries. They'd never openly confronted her, but she knew this particular band - it was the same one that had been following her for a long, long while. They'd stayed clear for now...but a confrontation was brewing, sooner or later.<br/><br/>Ureck also occupied the Tavern this evening, relaxing after a long, long day of work. Things had been getting progressively more difficult for him - harder to hide his secrets, harder to plot the eventual downfall of the makers of the Granger Pact. He was still helping them - and one by one, people were getting devoured, thanks to his aid.<br/><br/>Lilium and Rak also occupied the bar this evening. Her fox's surprizingly expressionate face was wearing what one could almost consider a frown. The young fox  - the one whom was sitting with the one-eyed wolf - at the back of the bar had been eyeing her all night, and it was slowly but surely getting on his nerves. The fox's voice pipes into Lilium's head, snide as always<span style="font-style: italic">"I swear, if that grinning ball of fur comes this way, i'm going to eat him. Oooh, lookie...the little man..."</span>He draws her attention as Mirana strolls by, Undol on her shoulder. The smugness in his voice was practically dripping<span style="font-style: italic">"I dare you to eat him. I so dare you to. Look at him - he's tiny. He *BEGGING* for it. I swear, if he ever falls off, i am going to be on him and out the door before that catgirl even knows what hit her."</span>He licks his lips in anticipation, just WAITING for the small creature to fall off.<br/><br/><br/>It was uncommon for Spike to be in such an area. However, his worst fears had been confirmed - Espen was falling apart. A simple stroll through the streets at night was dangerous. Despite the overpopulation, rarely was anyone out at night - other than those whom had less favorable things on their mind. Already, the Orc had been forced to apply some quite liberal boot-to-tail when he'd come across a pair of rabbitfolk tormenting a young mouse-girl. He'd learned her name was Talia - she'd seemed incredibly grateful for the assistance. Now, at the tavern, he was able to relax...though the Barkeeper had given him more than one look, given he had not ordered food nor drink.