The armor's helm creaked slightly as it nodded in affirmation to Eve. The spirit was not typically so accommodating, but it wasn't as though the restless soul had anything better to do for the rest of the night.

The air was cool with a gentle sea mist breeze, and was steadily getting colder. With the sun completely gone at this point, the waxing, nearly full moon in the clear, star-filled sky provided enough light for a human to see the beach and the illuminated water fairly clearly, but it was still only enough light to make the shadows of the thick forest contrast to near blackness just a few feet in. A few pieces of driftwood, rocks, and seashells were scattered around the sand on the empty beach. The sounds of rocking waves and rustling leaves filled the air. On the visible crest of the forest, close to where Tora had pointed out the nearly invisible web, another web suddenly became quite visible at an unlucky brown bat flew into the trap, tangling instantly with a screeching panicked struggle.

The creature tugged and struggled pitifully, but it served little save for getting it tangled further. It shook like a worm on a fishing line, and appropriately the bait lured in the predator. The branches above creaked with weight, a long spindly leg slowly reached out of the shadows, probing ever closer to the bat. A slight high pitch voice squeaked out "Meep, help me!"

Eve sat down and watched mortified at the sight. She looked at the others. "So what what happened in town? I know you people attract attention like a moth to fire, but we are missing half our team, and taking on random people."

"Some random half-witted amateur spilled a trove of coins onto us out of nowhere." The armor pointed a finger angrily at the half-elf, a hollow rattling sound accompanied the gesture. Removing his right 'hand', Zigor shook loose a stray coin lodged in his gauntlet. It fell silently into the sand by the majority of the group, gleaming a shiny silver. On it was a crest, a jeweled trident on one side, a bundle of wheat on the other.

"The other half-elf started  scrambling for coins and was taken, not sure about the other two. Either way, hopefully their absence solves our problem."

Behind the group the bat was getting wrapped up in the web like a parcel to be taken away by the spider, it made sounds, proving it was still alive, but they were slowly getting muffled by each layer.

Eve picked it up and turned it back over in her hand a few times. The coin was petty in her eyes and seemed to have caused enough trouble for the group. At one time a coin like this would have been spare change to trade off as she pleased but she no longer could see it as that. This could buy bread, well at least in any town that would accept it and not assume it had been stolen. She shrugged and handed the coin off, "Nothing special about it." Part of Eve had been grateful it was not a Hawk and rose symbol.

Feliph had been sorry to see the bat fly into the spider's web, but she'd had to train herself to keep interference in the way of nature to a minimum. After all, if she saved the bat then the spider would starve instead, and even if she found bats cuter than spiders it wouldn't feel totally right to her.

Then the bat actually spoke up, though, which changed things quite a lot. Defending sentient life was something Feliph took seriously. "What-- hey! Come on, let's help that bat!" she urged the others, but she didn't wait for their response before speeding toward the web with Hamilton. "You leave that bat alone!" she said, on the very outside chance that the spider was intelligent too, but since it probably wasn't she used some low-level body language to try to indicate that she wanted the spider to back off, too. She quickly brandished her quarterstaff to try to put it between the predator and its prey, figuring it would be dangerous to just try to grab the bat while it was wrapped up like that.

The spider hissed, spraying some sort of mist from its mouth at the pair and whomever else followed in close enough range. The king crab sized arachnid then reared up and quickly skittered back into the forest. Clearly it was more of a passive predator, lying in wait to abduct something trapped in its web.  "Mmmmphmphm!" The bound bat made a muffled noise of what seemed to be appreciation at Feliph.

Tath had been lagging behind, the thief still rightly paranoid that they would be followed. Her rapier had been sheathed, however, and she seemed confident enough to keep her guard up only for the denizens of the forest, now that they were out of sight of the town. Fortunately for her, witnessed Feliph's defense of the bat. Glaring the spider's way, she stalked around the edges of the fire's light towards the bat. She canted her head at the little thing, before unsheathing a claw and carefully carving a slit for it's mouth, as well as a slitted opening. Just enough to give the bat a chance to wriggle free, perhaps.

After all, Tath was a woman of sport and chance. That. . .And she wanted a chance to speak with the bat before it flew away. "Hello," She purred, dropping to a sitting position. "Tell me a little bit about the forest, friend, and I might just letcha free."

"Hahhah..." The bat took a moment to catch its breath before chirping excitedly, whether in gratitude or fear, "y-yes, of course! There's lots of stuff in this forest; right behind me, a few flaps away there's a glade with the yummiest peaches ever, they're as big as me, and sweet as spring nectar... My home is close too, it's warm, big, and safe from the spiders and owls, you all are welcome to stay with us! Oh and there's a grove of cherries right by it, and if you're traveling to the village are these pear trees further along, oh and if you go across the sea a little bit there are these mangoes, and..." The bat prattled on, but only seemed to have fruit on its mind.

Eve had managed to get up and wander over by the time the Bat had recounted its knowledge of groves and orchards. "Well at least we won't starve." She muttered as she looked at Tath.

Tora had stood back and watched the whole affair unfold, not wanting to be too close as she was cautious of an ambush/trap. Once it seemed clear that wasn't the case, she comes closer. She frowns at Eve's comment. "Fruit alone isn't much better starving..." She WAS a large carnivore after all.

Eve nodded realizing her mistake. The others weren't so easily satisfied by fruit, but she could easily live off of it. "Where there are orchards, there are usually game living near, if not birds and squirrels. That should help keep you two happy for a bit."

The bat wriggled uncomfortably at the talk of meat. The web was a bit looser from Tath's claw, but it still seemed to be trapped. "Umm, could someone let me free please? I-I don't mean that I'm scared or anything, some of my best friends drink blood... It's just really sticky in here. I'd be glad to show you all around the forest as thanks, especially for the ones that rescued me. If the spiders spit on you, we need to get you somewhere safe before they come back."

"Hmmm..." Tora looks at the webbing a moment then chants a few quick words. Her claws are then covered in blue and white flames. "Cold should help with the stickiness." She then carefully uses her claws to cut the webbing.

Feliph coughed as the spider sprayed its mist, but still managed to knock the bat loose and get it away from the spider before she tended to herself. She left it in the others' care for the moment as, eyes watering, she murmured a few simple incantations to purge the poison from herself and then Hamilton. She would have done it the other way around, but she didn't want the poison to intensify and interfere with her magic.

"Tath, don't be silly, we're going to free the bat regardless," she said, but as it turned out Tora cut the bat free by the time she made it back to the group. "Oh, thank you Tora. So, were you poisoned, little bat? And what's your name?" She wondered at that spell the impressively furred girl had used, but kept that to herself for now.

Tath grinned as her companions spoke in a way only a predator could, canine teeth peeking out from the feline's lips. Her glee at being in control of this little bat was dampened, however, by the sudden glow of blue flame. She winked at the freed, talking thing, before slowly drawing herself to her feet, scratching idly just behind a twitching ear as she laughed half-heartedly.

"Oh, but where's the fun in letting them know right away? Flappy here coulda had some buried, shiny goodies ripe for the picking." She half-pouted, half-teased. Cleaning the sticky web off her claw with a cloth, she took stock of the situation. "Some fruit, maybe a spell or two to keep unwanted visitors out, clanky on watch all night. . .And it just might be cozy here."

Beat.

"Maybe after we get away from the spiders who want to eat you. How 'bout it, flappy, know a safe place?" She queried towards their new friend, putting an idle hand on the pommel of her blade.

The small furry creature's tiny eyes bugged out a bit when Tora's flaming claws closed in on it, but its mood immediately improved upon being freed. IT looked at the large tiger-woman appreciatively, then at Feliph. "No, I'm fine, thanks to you." The bat stretches its now free wings and gives a little flap. "My name is-" Instead of a word, it makes a couple of high pitched bat sounds, "In this language, there is not really a word that I know for it... it means the scent from a peel of an orange."

The bat flaps a few times and takes off into the air, staying  low enough to remain in reach. It looks around and makes a few sounds in each direction to get it bearings. "Our home is that way" The flying creature says pointing its small pink nose to the northwest, into the forest and off the path the group had been following. "It isn't far if you want to come. We have always been safe inside, the spiders don't come close unless you are in a web or they can spit down on your head. It's the owls I'm more afraid of..." The creature landed back near the group, shuddering in fear as a light hoot echoed in the distance.

Eve stood off watching the creature. Safety it seemed from the spiders would aid them but she wondered what other unseen dangers they might come across with a bat as their guide. She had never much cared for the flying mice.

"Well, isn't that a nice name," Feliph said with a smile. "Well then, how about we follow our new little friend, everyone? It sounds like a pleasant place to visit at least, and fairly safe." She looked back up at the bat. "Is it safe for you to fly now? I could carry you."

Hamilton sneezed a couple of times and shook his head violently, then seemed to regain his usual good humor, prancing around the group and sometimes sniffing at them.

Tath's tail swished back and forth, though whether it was idle happenstance or restlessness with Feliph's pet around was unclear. Surveying the surrounding area, it was only when she had a good sense of her immediate surroundings that she looked back to Feliph and the bat. "Either way, we should probably get headed soon. There's a lot more than owls and spiders out here that can get us."

"Thank you, but it's safer if I lead you. A lot of times it's not good to use your eyes in the forest. Some things aren't what they seem to be." The bat said mysteriously before hurrying into the forest. "Come on! This way!" The bat was quick, but it stayed only a few yards ahead of the group, fluttering into the small glimpses of moonlight that peaked into the upper branches as it used as it used echolocation to scout the way ahead.

The forest seemed to be almost as dark as a cavern beyond the shore outskirts and the cut path. Overgrown brambles and twisted roots wove across the ground, it would be a difficult journey even without the crafty predators to worry about.

Eve retrieved her bag and nodded. She was tired, but safety sounded nice after the days events.

Tora follows along as they follow the bat.

"All right, thank you for the help then," Feliph said warmly to the bat. A quick gesture to Hamilton led him to quickly fall in with her, and the two of them set to following their new friend.

As they walked, she looked between Tath and Tora and smiled. "So, are you two perhaps related somehow, or are you actually different sorts of creatures? If you don't mind my asking."

Tath glanced at Tora, shrugged, and gave Feliph another grin. "Her story to tell, Cutie, not mine. But nah, we're not. I'm catfolk." She said, taking to following the bat alongside the curious girl.