<blockquote><div><cite>Kaelen wrote:</cite>"Tonight has been an...interesting...night, although I suspect that you already knew that. There was a full demonic incursion during the portal ceremony, and this wasn't a chance occurrence: I saw through the portal briefly as it was forming, and the demons that assaulted us were ready and waiting on the other side. We secured a lone wounded archon after the fight and were in the process of transporting here, but a group of Alley Cats attacked the carriages. They were apparently meant as a diversion to allow another of their group to slip into our carriage unnoticed and abduct Elona. He also managed to subdue Captain Vignar and poison him with shadow essence, but he is recovering at Guiding Light temple, as is the surviving driver. As if that weren't enough, during the attack a pair of figures were tailing the carriages. I'm not sure that they were friendly, but they didn't help the Alley Cats when the fight turned against them."</div></blockquote><br/>Kaelen's companion listens patiently to his summary of recent events, frowning slightly and nodding at intervals. If any part of the herb merchant's story surprises him, he doesn't show it.<br/><br/>"Interesting indeed," he agrees, after a long pause. "And most enlightening as well. Your report verifies a suspicion the Guard has held for some time. We've been keeping a close eye on them for some time, as I'm sure you're aware, and had reason to think that the cats would make a move of some sort during the festival. However, the full extent of their plan was a mystery to us until tonight - and perhaps even still. Particularly the matter of the archon's disappearance..." The constable pauses, glancing around to make sure no one else is within earshot, and moves in closer to Kaelen before continuing. "If your report is accurate, then this attack was a deliberate grab for Elona - a target who, to our best knowledge, did not exist until several minutes prior. For the cats to be aware of her presence at all is astonishing, much less prepared for her arrival. The implications are... troubling to say the least. As for the identity of your 'figures,' we can say little, save that you are not the first to notice their presence. Our agents have reported other groups of similar figures moving throughout the city, but we have yet to determine their origin, or their purpose."<br/><br/>"The Guard is not yet ready to move," he concludes, "but we must move soon nonetheless. For the time being, you are to remain with your present companions and wait for our signal. This may be useful to the former end." The constable presses a small, linen wrapped bundle into Kaelen's palm ,and withdraws. In a louder voice, clearly meant to be heard, he adds, "Thank you, Mr. Locasta. Your assistance is much appreciated by the Watch."<br/><br/><br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Dagnyr wrote:</cite>"I'm sorry, sergeant, but during the ride here we were assaulted by Alley Cats, they killed one of our drivers, wounded another badly, almost killed Vignar and made off with Elona," he says. "We suspect the Alley Cats themselves were a distraction, however. They only attacked us, something or someone else went for Vignar and Elona, silenced the cabin and slipped in while we were busy."</div></blockquote><br/>"Busy," Sgt. Ananda repeats, glowering at Dagnyr. The color seems to have returned to her face, although most of it is in the form of bright red. "And what exactly were you and your companions 'busy' doing, constable? Stuffing your face with cat meat?!" The Sgt. takes a threatening step toward Dagnyr, only to think better of her action and turn away, fuming.<br/><br/>"No," she says. "They were toying with you, the way they've toyed with us since the first of them slunk out of the Narrows. Rrghhh... Damn these ankle-biters! We've lost our lead,<span style="font-style: italic">and</span>one of our top officers, and<span style="font-style: italic">this</span>is all we have to show for it!?" She makes a sweeping gesture toward the unconscious catgirls, punctuated a loud, clattering stomp from her steel-shod boot on the stone. A second stomp follows, less enthusiastic than the first, accompanied by a heavy sigh as the last of Sgt Ananda's head full of steam vents itself. "This is my fault," she mutters. "I should have insisted on riding along with Captain Vignar. If only I had been there to cover him... maybe this would have ended differently..."