For long enough now she had been waiting for the faun. Waiting, frustrated, getting more and more bored. Right now she was on her second tankard of good, stout beer, and that was almost gone. A last few dribbles remaining and now she was thinking about quitting and leaving altogether.

But no. Her orders were to warn the faun, and get rid of this latest report of the Bounty Hunters Guild alongside her. What had simply started out as a general quandary by Vitruvion had now become a systematic hunt of every Guild hideout that they found near anything of interest. The paper they had managed to gather from the one between Radasanth, the Celestial Brewery and Harbour Town were detailed in showing a map of where they were. And every time they had taken over more (or at least found it) they had found more locations. So far their number stood at fifteen, with more expected. In fact there was one known in an area north of Beinost itself called the Bane Wood, and a switching command had been stationed in the road leading there just to keep and eye on them. The major problem with the Bounty Hunter Guild was that they had been the ones to kidnap Stare, then when she had freed herself along with Nevin, had revealed that there was another half-sibling of Vitruvion's on Althanas, one with dark intentions ...

A great sigh and then - now - a furry body dropped into the seat opposite her. Grey eyes and violet hair pulled back into a tight plate. She had a gorgeous body and a curious look on her face. Beside her an awkward man was standing, one that Stare only knew by sight and reputation.

"An's balls," Stare murmured as she looked up at the young man with the curls of strawberry-blonde hair. "Tarrimar, in the flesh."

Tarrimar's mouth flickered into a smile and he bowed. "Lady Stare. We never actually met but I have heard of your reputation."

Her reputation. The kenku swallowed back an amused laugh, then looked over at the faun opposite her.

"Sir Elssmith sends his regards," she greeted her. "Best wishes, all that."

Philomel raised her brows but nodded her head the smallest level. The last time, and only time, of course that the two of them had met was to rescue Philomel's young daughter. Her heir, who had been kidnapped and sold off in an illegal, secretive child-slave auction. Thankfully they had managed to sabotage it in time, and Stare had actually been the one to barter for the child in the end but ... It had been hard. Stressful for crow and goat humanoids.

"I'm sure he does," the Matriarch of the Gilded Lily murmured. "And I guess ... I send them back."

Stare blinked, knowing exactly the sorts of thoughts were running through the faun's head - the horror, fear and hatred she had felt when subject to the Hollow. She nodded, thinking of them right there and then. There was a slow emergence of a presence in her mind, as if someone waking up from sleep.

Hmm?

Lady Philomel sends her regards, Stare sighed to her god.

Right, Vitruvion grunted, then she had the image and sensation of him flopping back down to the bed. His bed, thankfully. In the mansion. Get rid of the Guild house near hers.