The street outside Nevin’s shop was in chaos. People were running back and forth between buildings and between carts and cages that were scattered along the road, trying to capture and corral a staggering variety of animals. Birds were shrieking from rooftops, side by side a few small primates, sheep, goats, and ponies were trying to make breaks for it, charging and bowling over the unfortunate individuals who tried to get in their way. Nevin slowly looked back at his shop, wondering just how good the sound-proofing in his walls was that he had not realized the chaos going on out here until he was literally outside observing it.

Several of the people involved in trying to catch the run-amok animals were wearing very similar clothes to each other - an identifying uniform. Nevin spotted one individual in the outfit who was currently stopped, bent over, and trying to catch his breath. The Alchemist strode over to the man, who looked up with a distinctly unhappy expression on his face.

“We’re sorry about the disturbance sir, we’ll have the animals in hand in the near future, no need to concern yourself.” Nevin folded his arms across his chest, raising a crimson eyebrow as he stared at the man for a moment, then shrugged.

“I was actually coming out here to ask just what had happened.” The man scowled at the question, and for a long moment the two stared at each other - Nevin, impassive with one eyebrow raised, the uniformed man glaring angrily. Eventually the stranger deflated and waved his hand in the direction where Nevin could hardly shouting about catching the bird still echoing.

“It’s that Thayne be-damned bird we picked up a week ago. Ahem. We’re a traveling circus and menagerie, we take care of a variety of uncommon animals and show them off, trying to encourage people to travel by showing what's outside the borders of their little village. A week ago, one of our bird-spotters came back in with this big bird. Thought it was a crow or a raven at first but there's no way it's one of those, so we have no idea what it is.” The man’s scowl deepened.“No crow or raven I know of that is that large, and it certainly isn't an eagle. They also don't have that coloration, black with what looks like rust-colored tips to their wings.”

Almost as if speaking of the bird summoned it, there was that black and red blur zipping into the torchlight of the crowd of frazzled men and women. Again Nevin heard that high, flute-like sound. It was like someone who was playing a set of pipes was giggling madly as they played. The bright, chiming notes zipped past, growing louder and then fading - though there was a moment of hesitation to the playing, like a sudden unexpected breath being taken. Then it was gone, as the men with the nets ran by, one of them clipping Nevin on the shoulder with the end of the long stick his net was attached to.