-----"Oh!" Mirian moans as she comes out the door and sees the body. Garrison then begins ushering her back inside.
-----Lovan simply peers up into the descending rain.
-----"Ah damn!" Sol yells, strangely a note of pain in his voice. "Romney, yes get everyone back in and tell Roderon about this. Blast it!" Surprisingly, Sol begins to search the man's body with a feverish pace. "Raven, can ye tell which directions th' arrows came from?"
-----Raven quickly moves to the body of the dead man and then scans the area. Raven points to the south towards a building, but then says in low tone so that only the closest will hear him, "From the northeast between those two small buildings." Raven crouches down over the body to inspect the arrows and dead man.
-----Raven glances up at 'Mr. Daisy' to make sure he isn't doing anything hostile.
-----The look Sarah gives anyone who tries to herd her back inside with the 'women' should be hostile enough to dissuade them. She walks over to Sol's side and peers at the buildings with her enhanced vision. "Roderon, do you know this man?" She asks, indicating the body.
-----Before Romney can make it back inside, Roderon appears and hears Sarah's question. The ranger's jaw drops open as he sees the dead body and his eyes instantly focus on the three 'gentlemen' staring into the darkness with their swords.
-----Just then, Sol jumps up and runs in the direction indicated by Raven. Lovan, seeing the young warrior react, raises his warhammer and, with a shout of "Strator!" runs after him toward the two buildings. In a few moments, Sol can be seen searching the ground by the structures.
-----"What do you know of this?" Roderon yells at the trio of finely dressed men.
-----Still searching their surroundings with their eyes, one of them, a blond haired fellow answers, "The peasant was laying face down when we came out here, just as you see him now."
-----Rinda stands over Raven and draws her bow. She looks around covering those nearest to her.
-----"Damn!" Roderon suddenly exclaims, "The assassin could be inside now!" He then turns to hurry back inside.
-----After a brief look around, Sol appears to have given up and looked to be heading back but has first stopped to speak with Lovan quickly.
-----Chessie shivers and shakes his body releasing his own torrent of water from his feathers. The drops splatter Sarah's hair and anyone else close enough to the small animal. The owl then stares at his mistress with his huge eyes featuring an expression Sarah would interpret as apologetic.
-----"I say we follow our host back inside," Romney says, encouraging everyone back into the tavern. By this time, the three fancy-dressed men begin walking away from the tavern; their mannerisms still showing alertness to the weather and the darkness.
-----"The night seems silent, my love," Rinda says over Raven's shoulder, "and I think it will be hard to track in this weather."
-----Sol quickly makes his way back over to his friends with Lovan trotting along behind him.
-----Sarah giggles and kisses Chessie's feathery cheek. "Don't worry about it baby." She soothes her owl. Then she remembers how serious the situation is and starts glancing around again. "If the assassin is inside...Lord Howrun...." Sarah gulps and hurries back inside.
-----Sol also heads inside, indicating to any that stay behind that they should do likewise. Only one disappointed glance is spared for the three men who now make their way from the tavern.
-----Raven calls out to the three fancy men, "What say you? Do you want to finish our discussion?" Raven moves closer to them, "You threatened me back there in the bar. Are you going to follow through and try to kill me? If not, then I want you to ask my wife to forgive your rudeness." Raven shakes the rain from his hair giving him a wild look about him. Raven has not drawn any weapons, but his hands grip his swords.
-----The man spins with an angry glare at the hunter. His two friends turn also but their expressions belie impatience. "Fool!" the man spits, "You will have your duel, but not here when we could be interrupted by an assassin's arrow. Name your time and place!"
-----Just then Roderon returns with four other men and they turn their attention toward the slain man. At least two of the men react as if they are familiar with the deceased.
-----Raven shrugs his shoulders, "The time is now...the place is here. If you are fearful of shadows and death, then we'll let the fates decide our next meeting. I will not waste any more of my time on you. Unless you say otherwise, I'll say goodnight to you." Raven takes his hands off his weapons and looks like he is ready to return to the tavern.
-----The man simply snorts at Raven and leaves with his two companions stalking off through the rain.