Stare watched with some amusement as her new apparent friend took down all six or seven of the dwarves in successive, seemingly easy blows. Leaning back she observed with the impressive attitude of a lordling, feeling very much like a Vitruvion as she relaxed there, ale in hand as others did her work.

Naturally her earhole shad caught the words.

"One of your patrons gave our men a little too much trouble the other night. So half of your protection is keeping him as our guest."

By their description, dress and style they had already singled themselves out as Brer's kidnappers. Now the sentence confirmed that these were the men Stare was looking for. As Felicity strode towards the last one - that disgusting little imp of a halfling who seemed their leader - the kenku swung off the bench, landing her clawed feet on the ground. She gripped the floorboards with small cuts into the wood, then stood up, raising her beak. Slowly, as she started to walk over she pulled her titanium, clawed gauntlet that was attached to her corded belt and began to tug it on.

It was then the halfling suddenly chortled - then vanished in a flash of light. Stare blinked past it, her eyes only momentarily suffering as an effect as all others around her groaned. He hailed himself as 'Hunter Thornbush' before he left, and she hissed darkly as the redhead claimed back her sight and sanity. The kenku made the rest of her way over, her wings bristling with apprehension and anger, shoulders hunched as if she stalked prey. Her eyes swept wide, and suddenly gone was her feelings of grandeur and pleasure.

"You alright?" she grunted as she caught the barbarian-like warrior. Catching her shoulder with her non-gauntleted hand she helped the girl to steady before swinging her eyes over to the barman.

"You. So that man ... Hunter Thornberry or whatever. He runs your tavern?"

"We - we do not have any trouble from anyone else."

Stare still held onto the redhead but raised herself higher. "Where does he live?"

The barman's eyes widened and he shook a little. "I - I cannot ..."

"If you tell me, then we will rid you of the entire gang," Stare said, "what is more, if my search gains the safety of my friend, I will guarantee you protection for a much smaller price, from a group of highly trained mercenaries." She paused, "plus cheap services from the Grand Celestial Brewery."

The barman blinked, "the - the large brewery out of town. How can you-?"

"I work for the man who owns it," she explained quickly. "Now, can you tell us where to go?"