[@Hokum]
A tinge of dread shot through Ren upon catching sight of the bumbling thief who managed to bump into another person before vanishing into the shadows of the village outskirts.  Anything that went out of Nadska's routine almost always spelled disaster for more than just one reason.  There was something sacred with the daily rote of everyone's task in the village:  the bakers heated their ovens at five in the morning; the guards changed their shifts at six; and the monks chanted their [i]Reshud[/i] at seven.  This synchrony of activities meant that everything was going fine, that nothing was wrong.  Thus, once something is out of place, like random theft at dawn, meant that everything else in the town was going to follow (like the murder committed in the tavern, for one).  With the guards too busy investigating the tavern, no one was there to catch the thief, and it was only a matter of time before this things escalated.

However, all of these doubts somewhat melted when the woman beside him held his arm and met his gaze with hers.  At that moment, Ren wondered how can pale lavenders be so comforting when there were so many questions dangling in the air with regard to the future of his village.  When the jolt of purple electricity ran through the nerves of his skin, Ren's eyes widened as his mouth opened in a look of pleasant of surprise.  The tiny violent fork mesmerized the musician who began to laugh in a voiceless fascination before looking at the woman again.

She had already begun talking about the town hall, and Ren only nodded in agreement.  The town hall stored a lot of information with regard to the village's status.  If anything, they might contain records of any sightings in the area.  But, Ren gulped in doubt when he realized that Devlin had the social communication skill of a babe.  Her choice of words were not exactly friendly or...  normal, should he dare place it.  She also had that righteous temper she needed to keep track of.  Diplomacy was important in the field of politics, and, perhaps, he can help her out in that area should she decide on it.  After all, he certainly did not want her reducing another person to an ashen heap with those purple electric surges of hers.

But, that can be topic for another day (or, a few hours later).

He placed a reassuring hand on top of hers which gripped his forearm.  He then began to weave a series of signs which expressed the message of 'you can always expect my help; and this church will be your home as well'.  A heavy silence already curtained the temple which served as the sign that the monks of Heren already slumbered on after an exhaustive night of prayers.

When Devlin expressed her intention to rest as well, Ren lit up as he began to lead her down the stairs where they could retire to his quarters for some well-earned rest.  But, the dreary quiet made the surroundings of the village all the more clearer.  The winds carried with them an ominous sound, almost like a cacophony of roars reverberating in the forest opposite of Nadska.  Another breach of routine.  Ren's neck snapped in the seeming direction of the noise like a prey sensing a predator.  His gaze hardened as it swept over the blanket of darkness shrouding the woodlands, and his teeth bit at his bottom lip in worry.

He opted to turn his sights on Devlin before giving her a worried smile.  He began to create his signs again.

[i]'Did you hear that, too?  I heard a roar.'[/i]

The musician turned his sights up to the night sky slowly being pierced with dawn's light.  The red streaks of the sun forking out in wispy streams as it illuminated the shadows.  He breathed in a fresh scent of air as if relishing the last few sights and scents of normalcy before everything goes into madness.  He really wished that he was wrong, but with the trend of things, the world just wanted to keep proving him wrong.

[i]'That is not what you are looking for, right?'[/i]  Ren signed.

After a moment, Ren shook his head before offering a weak grin.  He raised his hands again.

[i]'My apologies-- burdening you with such thoughts when we should be resting, right?'[/i]