“Alright alright, yes. I understand.” Nevin waved his hands placatingly at the couple in front of him. “She has a steady, high fever that has resisted all the standard medications, and you're both concerned someone has targeted her. Right - alright please calm down.” He sharpened his gaze at one of them, the young man, and swatted away the tail that had drifted in front of his face.

“Eteri. Please. Now. You two. I'll give you a selection of some general antioxidants to use - Eteri. Tail, back.” He turned his head to shoot a soft glare at the woman on the counter behind him.

She grumbled and sat up so she was no longer laying across the counter. She curled her legs up underneath her and shot him a small pout. “Thank you, dear. Now, gentlemen. Each night, give her a different of these serums. If one of them works, then we will know she actually has been poisoned. Until then - I would advise you wait and be patient.” With that, he stepped past the two men - and froze, his eyes widening.

“Stare!” A wide grin broke out on his face and he had to visibly stop himself from striding over to her. “I'll be with you in a moment, Stare.” She gave a single nod but nothing more. He moved noticeably quicker to the shelf he had been moving toward, and unlocked it swiftly. He pulled out a small selection of bottles and moved to the counter - swatting Eteri’s thigh when she tried to shift into his way.

“Behave, Eteri.” He started to ring up the transaction for the men, who were now swiveling their heads between the three people in the store, gawping at the catgirl, then at the kenku, then at the alchemist - until he handed them their bill.

“B-but… that is-” Her golden eyes were focused on the kenku behind him, pointing at Stare. Nevin hushed her and her ears fell flat against her head as she lowered her hand and shoved it into her lap, grumbling in Akashiman. Stare looked back with stoicism, hands cupped before her. The older man paid, with a loud grumble - and the two customers departed.

“Now - what were you trying to say, Eteri? And hello, Stare.” Nevin smiled warmly at the kenku after raising his eyebrow at his girlfriend.

Stare took a slow steps forwards, looking briefly between Eteri and Nevin. Breathing slowly she said nothing before she came right up to the counter.

“Hello,” she spoke in a calm, measured tone. “I see you have the cat on your desk.” She kept passive. Nevin blinked, slowly, and tilted his head to the side, trying to process this.

“Nevin! Nevin!” Eteri pointed to the bird. “This Stare. We helped man once. Had ah… leech uhm … symbol on his soul.” She sat up on her knees and fell backward into his chest, he had to fumble to catch her, to avoid her falling off the counter.

“Symbiote, Eteri,” Stare reminded her, and then frowned. <“It is good to see you,”> She said in Akashiman, the switched back to common. “… but honestly, you should behave more professionally in a store like this. You can always do that sort of thing in your own time. In the comfort of your own home.” Then she folded her arms. “Anyway, Nevin, when you have the time I need to talk to you about a serious matter.”

The alchemist blinked. <”Wait, you two know each other - soul leech symbiote OK what? I feel like I've missed some things here. Uh - right. Hold on. Stare, is this a business thing, or personal?”> Nevin blinked and tilted his head to the side, looking between the women for a moment before turning his gaze exclusively to the bird woman. As he spoke he righted Eteri and kept his hand against her back.

Stare looked between them a while, blinking a little before going on. “Yes, I told you when you were last in Beinost, Nevin, I knew a person of the catfolk called Eteri. It got mentioned when … well, Ventrua ...” she tailed off, a little awkward, then straightened to switch subject and language. <“When did you learn to speak Akashiman? It's not that easy to learn. Harder than kenku but … well.”> She looked over to Eteri. <“Will you please get off the counter? You're not actually a cat.”> Eteri refused and sat right where she was. Stare narrowed her eyes.

“I… Cheated. I think. I still have trouble actually speaking the language, I'm better at understanding it. Right - down you go.” To cut off the glare between the bird and cat woman, Nevin lifted Eteri off of the counter, and shifted her over to the seat he had just vacated. “And - yes. I remember mentioning her there but well - I am trying to repress that morning. She was a rather forceful woman. I - should go lock the door.” He chuckled and shook his head, then snagged up the key and headed towards the front door to flip the sign to closed and lock the door.

By the time he had returned it was obvious Stare was far more relaxed. She held her posture, standing with her back straight and careful, claws linked together. As he walked her eyes shifted focus slightly, and it was then he noticed that a short woolen cloak now covered her back. Underneath them there was a new form of lump, a small and compact but oddly shaped form.

“Stare? Is everything alright with you?” The alchemist paused and frowned. He slowly started to pace back and forth, examining what he could see. He frowned. That was - odd placement. It seemed almost familiar - the lumps were actually two - he raised a crimson eyebrow. “Uh. Do - wait this might be a rude question, I've been told off for that before.” He walked back to the counter and went behind it, leaning against it as he stared at Stare, Eteri followed him and pressed her head underneath his arm so she could hold him from his side.

She raised her brow ridge, looking at him with confusion. She gestured. “Go on, please. I've been asked a hell of a lot worse questions in the last while I'm sure.”

“Do you have wings?” His fingers twitched towards his notebook. He smiled at Eteri as she caught on and reached out, grabbing it and placing it in his hands.

Stare looked at the exchange but she looked more taken aback by his question. She looked away, uncomfortably for a moment before glancing back. There was obvious twitching beneath her cloak. “Yeah … it's … complicated. Vitruvion, he -” she cut off, her eyes glancing to Eteri.

Eteri tilted her head to the side. “Is ok...can go if need private talkings.” Her ears perked up, toward Stare. “No mind.”

Stare shifted slightly. “It's fine, the reason I came here is far more important.” She looked back to Nevin. “The attack on the Brewery happened, Nevin. Raevin was hit by … well, demon magic as far as I can tell. I've got a lot more to tell you about myself but this is what I am here for. He lost an entire leg and his flesh is … dying, but there is nothing that the healers can do.” She set her hands on the counter, her stare intense. “I need your help.”

Nevin’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “Right. OK - the corruption on his leg. Is it a localized issue, such as like a plaque on his skin or, is it more like a true infection, and it extends into his body as well?” Damn. He stepped back and spun his pen in his fingers, humming as ideas chased each other in his head. As he thought he leaned against the chair Eteri was sitting in, pen still spinning in his hand.

“What have they tried? Just curing it? Pulling the magic out? Tried simple medicines maybe?”