Shem listened carefully as Bookie explained the situation with the mines. Her hopeful expression disappearing with each word.

	[color=DAA520]"I see."[/color] She nodded pensively, all hope now drained from her features. [color=DAA520]"It is good you have supply enough for ingots and trade, but should the mines stay closed indefinitely, that would be quite unfortunate. I hope the mayor realizes that the mines are an integral part of the town not simply for trade, but for a number of businesses within our community. If operations in the mines should close down we would all suffer."[/color]

	Shem'et was about to leave the Firbolg to his business and return to master Chodok with the bad news, when Bookie's next words stopped her in her tracks. She turned around and gave him her full attention. And you could see the hope return hesitantly on her feline countenance as Bookie spoke. An iron sand deposit in the cedar forest. And no one had bothered to send explorers to investigate the viability of this opportunity to obtain raw materials?! After all wasn't that what being on the frontier meant. To explore further than the borders of towns and villages. [i]Well, I can certainly help with that![/i] Shem thought. Master Chodok had given her this errand after all.

	[color=DAA520]"Thank you, Master Bookie! I shall gladly undertake this endeavor."[/color] The tabaxi assured him, accepting the crude map and listening carefully to his instructions. Once she was sure she'd understood where she needed to go and what she needed to do she parted ways with the miners' foreman and swiftly headed back for the Underhaven. She would need some supplies for this task and she preferred to deal with the Lady Lucilia, rather than Barthem, the merchant.

[hr]
	Shem walked into the inn with quiet steps and looked about. The patrons of the establishment were nothing to talk about, but Shem'et knew not to stare too much, so her eyes didn't linger for too long on any of them anyways. It was better this way for everyone concerned! And Shem wasn't here for any of them as well. No. She had business with Lucilia, the proprietor of the establishment and the de facto leader of the Underhaven.

	Shem's cat eyes scanned the dusky interior of the bar until she spotted a familiar figure. Unfortunately it was only Selena, lady Lucilia's daughter. Shem'et approached the young vampire with neutral expression on her feline face. It was not that she didn't like Selena. She just didn't care for her delusions of grandeur and riding on her mother's coattails like that.

	[color=DAA520]"Lady Selena."[/color] She spoke respectfully just the same. [color=DAA520]"Would your mother happened to be here? I was given a task and am in need of some equipment. I should like to purchase a number of items from her."[/color] Shem fell silent looking at Selena. Two sets of glinting predator eyes locking onto each other.