They hadn't completely lied to the gate guard, because Aulix, Taron and Arya did stop for some cheap ale and cider. They were on the outskirts of Flea Bottom, which were the slums of King's Landing. Aulix and Arya used animals to check out the area. Aulix was airborne and Arya was a dog first, then a cat. She went to see the forge and smith where Gendry had grown up and learned his trade with. Aulix saw that it was a maze-like group of narrow streets, run down buildings and dark alleys. There were multiple tanneries, brothels, low-class inns, alehouses and pot-shops offering stew. Flea Bottom was located partway up the eastern side of Rhaenys's Hill, starting below the Street of Flour, where they'd delivered their bundles from Rosby, for the bakeries. At the bottom of the hill, the human waste flowed down pipes from Rhaenys's Hill and Aegon's High Hill, to the gutters. He could guess that it would overflow when the rains came. Aulix saw Taron at one of the inns and decided to return to his own body. Arya came back to her body, shortly after too.

"I bought us two rooms for one night. Tomorrow we should look for the people Gendry mentioned."

"Where are the horses and pack animals?" Arya asked.

Taron replied, "a near-by stable, if it could even be called that. I sold the pack animals, since we don't need them. The horses can be left there our entire say in King's Landing. If we ride out for the day, but come back to the same place at night, we tie these red pieces of leather on their bridles. It's pretty smart."

"Don't trust your surroundings at any time," Aulix warned.

"Our rooms are side by side, also an extra precaution," Taron added. "If either of you plan on a mind excursion, make sure one of us is present."

"Yes mom," Arya teased. "Or if Aulix comes back drunk and farts up a storm, you can sleep in my room."

That made Taron laugh, "you know us well."

"You two don't smell like flowers either, after drinking. Especially Ari after trying to drink ale again," Aulix reminded.

"Shut up!" Arya groaned.

Going into their respective rooms, made Arya discover her room had a hole in the wall, stuffed with what looked like an old shirt. Taron was able to loosen some floor boards, to store their swords under, so no thief could find them.

"I'm hungry, so let's go eat and drink," Aulix said pulling out the shirt from the hole.

That's what they usually did when entering a new territory. It also gave them a chance to listen to town gossip, without anyone the wiser. The food was barely edible; some kind of mystery meat in a brown slop stew, with slightly stale bread. Taron joked it was probably dog or cat meat, which made Arya gag and pass the rest of hers to him. She ended up drinking more cider than originally intended, but still wouldn't let herself relax until they went back to the inn. Aulix and Taron drank plenty of ale, but also worked to get as much information from the patrons of the bar, as possible. Most seemed to hate Queen Cersie and anyone associated with the crown, to the point of spitting on the floor, whenever a Lannister name was mentioned. Leaving together, Taron and Aulix put on a show acting all drunk, but they quickly realized Arya was really feeling the cider. She came into their room, practically being carried by them. Taron tried to stop her from undressing, until she pulled a knife on him.

"Let her do what she wants, there's no harm in it. Probably needs to unwind, because we're so close to finishing that list." Aulix chuckled and sat down on the sleeping mat.

Arya didn't take off her leather pants, but had unlaced her top. She demanded Taron to take off his shirt too, then sat between her partners in crime. Pulling Aulix by his neck to her, Arya kissed him with pent up passion, trying to undo his pants. Next she kissed Taron. Everyone shared kisses for a while, until Aulix sat back and just watched for a bit.

Taron ended up stopping everything. "This can wait until your list is done. I'm taking you back to your room."

"Don't bother, I'm going to check out something mentioned in the tavern. I'll just sleep in her room tonight," Aulix said getting up.

They didn't see him until the next morning, when he knocked on the door. When Arya let him in, Aulix gave her a jug of water, and a loaf of sweet bread. Taron got the cheese, to slice into three chunks.

"Since you didn't eat much last night, I figured you'd want a recognizable meal today."

"This is so good, thank you!"

'Some time today, I need to go airborne to find where Byt and Tam are, for later. I can't do a partial connect, because I'll be covering too much area with my full attention, in a short amount of time.'

'I'll stay with Aulix, you go look for those friends Gendry mentioned.' Taron finished talking with his hands. Next he tapped his ears and then the wall, signalling to watch their words around here.

Arya nodded understanding and said out loud, "I think I'll go check out the rest of Flea Bottom and surrounding area. See you two later." She left and they locked the door.

Taking to the back alleys of Flea Bottom, Arya followed the path which she'd taken when in the mind of a cat, the day before. There were two people she was looking for. One was a woman named Dirna and a man that went by Danwe. According to Gendry they hated the Lannisters for killing their entire families and often tried to stir uprisings against the crown at King's Landing. Danwe had become a dagger-for-hire, as per the street kids they'd met previously. He frequented the worst part of the slum, located almost at the end of Rhaenys's Hill, by Gin Alley. They didn't know Dirna, but Arya knew she was a tavern wench.

Meanwhile Aulix was leaning against the corner of the wall, eyes white as his mind wandered. He was not just searching for Tam and Byt as he had told Arya, but checking all the ways in and out of the Red Keep, which was the castle of King's Landing. His mind was split three ways; as hawk, cat and a mouse. He was no amateur, however it did take a toll on him. Few could even attempt a dual split, let a lone multiple animals for long periods of time. He found Tam and Byt much easier than expected. Via the cat he found all the entrances and exits to the castle, but it was the mouse that showed him the most valuable information. Through those tiny eyes, Aulix saw Qyburn's room of experiments. No wonder he was stripped of his maester's chain. Now he understood what kind of man he was, but he'd need to come in contact with him, before they could learn how to kill The Mountain; Gregor Clegane.

After leaving the mouse and cat minds, Aulix used the hawk to look into the bedrooms of the castle. He saw the gossip about Cersei Lannister was true; she preferred young blonde men in her bed. Probably because they reminded her of a younger Jamie Lannister, her brother and lover. But she liked to maintain control, so a younger sexual partner meant she was the boss in bed. None of it shocked Aulix, it was very common with royalty. Circling towards Flea Bottom, using a down draft, gave him the location of Arya on her search for Danwe and Dirna. Finally he returned to his own body.

"Here have some water," Taron offered his partner.

Aulix rummaged through his pack and pulled out a glass vial. He put two drops of clear liquid on his tongue, before accepting the water. Sighing as he had instant relief from his throbbing headache.

"Is that from Byt?"

"Yes, but it's my concoction. She's tweaked it, so I don't pass out after taking it." Aulix gave Taron a wink. "I dated a Lysene once, who not only was fantastic in bed, but was a skilled poison maker."

"From Lys? That's a free city off the coast of Essos and south of Pentos right?" Taron asked, since Aulix was sharing.

"Yes. They've got the best pleasure houses and have the rarest poisons."

"Are they better at making stuff, than Byt?"

"By herself yes, both of us combined, no." Aulix yawned and then added, "Tam use to work on a mercenary warship under Salladhor Saan, who's also from Lys. That's how I met him."

Taron wanted to know more, but Aulix had fallen into a deep sleep. He looked down at the head cradled in his lap, and moved hair off Aulix's lips. It wasn't often that a multi-animal mind connect was used and rarer still for Aulix to share information about his past. That mysteriousness, was one of the things that drew Taron to him, yet sometimes was truly irritating.