Kaath had grown quiet as the group mingled, their eyes never seeming to settle on anything for very long, though they found an interest in the handling of the man's wound. It was something Violet has said that gave the woman pause, their gaze slowly turning to the inert, masked figure.
Worryingly, she offered little comment to the proposal to form a 'huddle' down the hall leading to their stairs. Merely an idle wave of a hand and a [color=0076a3]"Ah, yeh. Don' ya wander too far off..."[/color] with a distracted warmth in their tone, clearly preoccupied with the information they were given.

She blinked, almost jumping as Ruby approached her, their pupils sharpening with the minor shock of being snapped out of their thoughs.
While 'misconceptions' and 'misunderstandings' came with the territory, they were still tender scars best left unprobed...apologies, though, were an oddity, earning an almost confused furrowing of Kaath's brows and the tilt of their head before she picked up on the distress that the burden of their introductions must have left on Ruby with her behavior. [color=0076a3]"Iss..."[/color] Kaath began, her softer tone coming out as more of a hiss, watching the other two walk off to form the huddle presumably out of earshot. [color=0076a3]"...Iss...an easy mistake to forgive, Sssstardust~"[/color] they reassuringly cooed as Ruby turned and scurried off.

Looking back to the main chamber, Kaath could be seen rising to her feet soon after the others left and pacing over to where Kite laid. Resting their hands on either side of his head, they looked down at him, the fabric of her scarf moving as if she was saying something. After a bit, a tiny popping was heard and the woman had to pull one of her hands free of the stone; long black claws having sunk into the slab. 
Resting their hands on their hips, they turned and took a few small pacing steps before looking over to the group, meeting Violet's glance and staring a bit after before looking back to Kite and leaning in once more to say something before waiting, hanging their head and grabbing the beak of the mask to give their limp head a light shake before leaving them to rest as she made her way back to the stump and sitting back down...staring into the fire.

[hider=The Rookery and The Ruse]
[color=0076a3]"Two..."[/color] I challenged, admiring the fire and how it made dark of a fuel that produced such light. The monochrome filters meshed with the warm glow as I observed how the fragments of wood disintegrated into another swift gout of flame. This brought me peace; let me count the seconds as the humans might. My thoughts were troubled, though...and I was trying my best to reason why details would make me think these thoughts.
Two made no sense. [i]One[/i] Kite comes, gets the goofballs, and leaves before...Keepakura...

I was already pacing to the slab before the dots began to connect and it took restraint not to slam my hands down on the stone as I peered into the darkness of the Kite's Mask. I lowered my head to better catch the questionable entity's scent...it was...a Kite. Not an imposter; the stink of Velkets is impossible to mask so perfectly.

The woman is confused. There was only one...there would not be [i]two[/i]...it is not how the rules work.
[color=0076a3]"(What did you do...?)"[/color] I hiss, looking into the nebulous pools of the mask's eye holes. Drawn in, I narrowed my eyes to endeavor to pierce the shadows of their veil, seeing only wood grains...deep...deep beneath.
What would it even mean? They...[i]killed[/i]...a Kite? Because there was more than one? Are they fighting now? Is it even safe to bring this one back...

Should...should I...

I catch the eyes of the gypsy. They look away, continuing to talk, but I consider my options.
Three humans, one wounded...the tenacious one...two women, a porter and the unstable gypsy. Ten...twelve paces, the one on the left, then-

No! No, it's not like it was, before. These steps matter now more than ever...and...

I sigh and hang my head. [color=0076a3]"(If this is japery...you had best elucidate your aim)"[/color] I threaten the...corpse...though my arms shake as if eager to meet a match...but...I'm not one for mysteries. Leaning back, I jerk from my claws having sunk in while in the throes of thought. Drawing my hands free, I rest them on my hips and pace, unsure what to do.
We have the string...for [i]one[/i] Kite...whichever it was, this is what we have to work with.

There was no 'usual method'...this isn't even my story...I...
I take hold of the beak of the mask.
I...give him a playful shake, a smirk forming on my un-face before turning to return to my post.

I sit down on the stump and watch one of the fish blacken with a layer of char from being ignored, and I leave it for countless seconds before toeing it over into the coals to watch the flesh be consumed. It didn't help...I deserve answers. I've wanted answers and now here they are, but they're not for my questions.

They expect me to guide them, but they've delivered me a map I've never before seen.
How...or should I even? Should I tell them? Is the status quo to leave this Kite? Which one is this, even? Does it matter?[/hider]

Kaath sighed and used the now free, but burning, skewer stick to draw a series of lines on the cobblestone...tallies and arrows as they tried to plot out their quandary.