Author's Notes: Why is it so hard to find a good name for a character?
Anyhow, none of these characters are mine except perhaps Hariele, and the kitten. But you knew that.
Also, the first chapter will probably be the worst. Further chapters will hopefully be better written.
Comments and critique very much appreciated.

--

Cradling the tiny vial in her hands, Neeshka bit her lip as she approached the pile of broken crates. I need to do this carefully, she thought, glancing down at the alchemist's fire. One mistake, and I could be the one going up in flames.

Exhaling sharply, she took a few steps away from the wood, bringing her arm back into position.

She was just about to throw the flask when, suddenly, she stopped, eyes wide.

Something was pulling at her tail.

Twisting around to see what it was, she figured it might be an incredibly short halfling, or a rat, or...

...a kitten?

It was a tiny thing, with luminous eyes and unkempt fur. Smaller than a breadbox, at least. The kitten was playing a game with Neeshka's tail, jumping in the air and batting at it with its little paws. It looked up at her, then mewed, almost apologetically.

Well, it was cute, that was true, but it wasn't what Neeshka needed. "Shoo!" she whispered. "Go! Shoo!"

The kitten blinked at her with sad eyes, then padded away, looking dejected.

With that out of the way, Neeshka pitched the vial of alchemist's fire at the pile of wood, grinning as it went up in flames. As the fire spread, she ran for it, shouting, "Help! Somebody help! Fire!"

Her task complete, she rushed back to the party and an impatient Hariele.

"That took a while," Hariele observed, arching an eyebrow. "Does it really take so long to toss a vial at a pile of crates?"

"Hey," Neeshka retorted, "it didn't take that long. Besides, I had a distraction to take care of."

"Can we get on with it?" Khelgar complained. "The City Watch could come back at any moment, you know."

Elanee nodded, and Hariele began casting a Magic Missle spell.

As the turncoat members of the City Watch ran off to help with the fire, the thugs were dealt with in a matter of minutes, and the four made their way through the Back Alley with minimal problems.

Her pack slightly heavier than it had been, Neeshka aided in pushing the wagon of contraband back to the Merchant Quarter, silently complaining all the way.

What she didn't know was that they were being followed.

-x-

"I don't care about the warehouse right now," Hariele muttered, rapping her fingers on the table. "I am tired, and sore, and out of spells, and I'll do it later."

"That may not be a good idea, lass," said Khelgar. "But as long as we're here..." He grinned at his foam-topped tankard, leaning back and taking another swig.

Neeshka was polishing her twin daggers, watching as they gleamed in the light. She could swear she saw Duncan's reflection in one of them, though maybe it was just a bit of dirt--

"Mew."

Huh?

She glanced down at the floor, and there it was.

The kitten.

It seemed much happier now, though it was still slightly damp and dirty - not that it looked much different from the rest of the Flagon, she thought.

"Hey, little guy," murmured Neeshka. "What are you doing here?"

The kitten mewed in response, and licked Neeshka's tail that was hanging over the side of the chair.

"Did you follow me all the way here?" she asked, setting her blades on the table and plucking the kitten off the floor.

At this, Elanee suddenly became aware of the extra presence in the room, and turned around in her seat. "Neeshka? Is that..."

"A kitten," Neeshka nodded. "Hey, Hariele, look at him."

"Kitten. Great." Hariele sighed, paying hardly any attention to the scrap of fur Neeshka was holding.

"Neeshka, that kitten is female," Elanee indicated.

"Huh?" She lifted the kitten a little higher as it mewed in protest. "Oh, I see. So you're a girl!"

Qara looked up from her table-cleaning, her expression softening. "Ohhh, a kitten," she marveled. "Is it yours?"

Everyone took this moment to glance at Qara strangely, and she glared at them. "What?" she snapped defensively. "I like kittens. Is there some kind of problem with that?"

The kitten mewed pitifully in Neeshka's hands, locking its big yellow eyes on her.

"Hariele," Neeshka whined, "can I keep her? Please?"

Glassy-eyed and irritated, Hariele muttered something that sounded like a reluctant approval.

Neeshka broke into a wide smile, and she could swear that the kitten smiled back. "Now we just have to name you, huh?"