[Susan Delgado]

"Who's out there?" The voice called. Dineniel stopped her horse warily but Remdil only waved her on impatiently. He went a few steps more toward the gate, then stopped and looked back at her sharply. "Unless there's a reason you can't go inside?"
She shook her head and the horse's reins and started toward the gate again. "No, it was just a reflex...I've never been here before."

"Are you two coming? It's raining and I want to go inside," Eolinda sounded peevish and Remdil didn't mention that they probably wouldn't be going "inside" any time soon.

The boy watched the three travellers pass through the gate. They certainly looked prosperous, but then why were they out on this miserable morning? He followed them as they wandered around the town. He didn't know what they were looking for, but he observed them and determined several things about them which helped him decide how they should be approached.

OOC Aside: I'm operating on the asumption that KoF's boy wouldn't be able to recognise an Elf on sight. After all, his "education", such as it is, has been very parochial. End of Aside

The older woman was obviously in charge, though the younger one seemed to be laughing behind her grim expression. The man rode between and behind the two women and seemed unsure of his place, although that could be a reaction to the weather.

The boy decided his best bet would be to approach the older woman. The man would differ to her, and the younger one was unpredictable. She might just kick him and ride on, no doubt laughing the whole time.

Eolinda pulled to a halt when the boy stepped out of the alley a little way ahead. He looked miserable, shivering, and as she watched, he stumbled and fell into the mud in the middle of the street. When he didn't get up again, she leapt off the horse and ran to turn him over. Remdil and Dineniel followed helplessly in her wake.

She gently turned him over. He was filthy and dresed in rags and she could smell him even over the rain. She looked up at Remdil, about to voice her sudden doubts about the boy's validity when he suddenly curled up and leapt to his feet. He ran, with her purse clutched in one of his grubby hands. Eolinda cried out in dismay, but Dineniel was two steps ahead. Literally. As an Elf, ahe could run much faster than a small, chronically underfed Atani child and she quickly caught him and dragged him back to the others, kicking and screaming.