Vensa laid comfortably on her bed reading a book on magical plants and their properties. She already possessed a lot of the knowledge that was written in this volume, however she would soon be traveling with the others and a knowledge of what plants aid you or contain poison in regions unknown to her, could become useful. Besides she was bored and there was nothing much to do since everyone she knew would probably be still asleep, especially Geralt since Loredo requested him exactly at midnight. Why he couldn't pick a more suitable hour, Vensa could tell but she knew that no-one argued with that man if they wanted to be left in stayed like that for several hours, silently listening as the streets outside woke up and started bustling with life.

The cub lay snugly in her lap fast asleep. It didn't take long but Vera made sure that he had at least some food in his stomach before it happened. It was a male after all as Vera noticed when she was checking him for any injuries that he may have suffered. The more time she spent with him the more similarities she could see between him and Geralt. Both had white hair, golden eyes, a grouchy attitude when woken, and seemed very happy to snuggle into a woman's lap, though she had an inkling that Geralt wouldn't agree with her on those last two. She had been trying to find a name for him but so far came up empty. Names like Fang or Ivory were immediately rejected and although she would find it indescribably amusing it it were called Geralt, it's namesake wouldn't be as happy.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a heavy hammering on her bedroom door, starling the cub awake. He yipped in fear at the unknown sound but calmed down when he saw that it wasn't a threat to Vensa. She yawned and stood up placing the cub gently on her bed before walking towards the door. She had an inkling as to who was behind it and that suspicion soon became reality when she saw Geralt standing on the other side of the door, his hand raised to knock again. His hand dropped to his waist as he saw her, and Vensa noticed that he was unusually alert and fully dressed, something that only happened this time of the day if he had something important to do.

"You're up early."

"I was up with the sun Geralt. I was exploring the forest."

"Anything interesting?"

"Not a single monster in sight."

"Really? What about that rose garden that you were so desperate to see? Did you find it?"

"No, I got distracted."

"By what? I thought you said that there weren't any monsters."

"There weren't."

Geralt looked at her strangely but soon realised that he wasn't going to get anything out of her anytime soon if she didn't want to reveal it so he just decided to let it go. Like with most women, it was almost impossible to win an argument with Vensa and he wasn't even going to try and attempt to do so having experienced a loss before. It was humiliating not to even mention downgrading of someone who faced so many monsters and men only to be stopped by Vensa but that was just the way she was.

"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that we're going to be discussing everything downstairs including a talk with Loredo. You've been here awhile, you could be able to help us."

"Ok, I'll be there in a couple of minutes, just let me sort everything out."

Geralt nodded before making his way back downstairs towards the tavern. Closing the door Vensa picked up the book she was reading and placed it back in the wooden chest beside her bed. Reaching down she picked up her small travel bag and put it on making sure that everything she needed was inside. The wolf cub was watching her intensly the entire time as if sensing that she was leaving and started yipping pathetically the moment she got close to the door again.

"Hey it's ok. I'll just be gone for a short while before coming back for you ok?"

She petted the wolf as she said that but the yipping only started back up again the moment she stood up and gradually getting louder in volume. It seemed that it's abandonment in the forest by his mother caused him to have an issue with being left alone again. She was his new mother and he wasn't about to let her go like his first one. After a few minutes of trying to calm the wolf again, Vensa eventually gave up and gathered him into her arms. She could have used a sleeping charm however the wolf put his trust in her and she would suffer tremendous guilt by using it against him. She could have sworn that the wolf smirked slightly as she cuddled him but it was gone as quickly as it appeared and she blamed it on the light in the room. Walking out of her small bedroom, Vensa closed the doors and made her way downstairs, getting strange looks from the men standing around and the 'companions' they were after but she ignored them. Walking into the tavern, she quickly located her friends and made her way towards them. They seemed to have favourited that seat for some reason as it was the same one they sat on last night. Roshe was the first to notice her and he gallantly moved up the seat to make place for her to sit. She smiled at him gratefully.

"Morning everyone!"

"Morning lass! You seem in a cheery mood today. Did something good happen yesterday?"

"Yes, it did."

"An would it perhaps have something to do with what ever it is that you are carrying?"

"What is it?"

Vensa smiled at the men's questioning before lowering the cub out of her arms and onto the old withered table they sat around. The group stared at him in bewilderment as to how a cub managed to end up in a tavern, and the wolf stared back with and equally curious gaze. He didn't explore though preferring rather to press back into Vensa looking for safety from the large individuals before him. Gerallt was the first one to break the silence.

"So that's what you meant by a distraction. And here I thought that you finally found yourself a man."

"Keep dreaming Geralt. I found him in a small clearing when I was exploring the forest this morning. He must have been abandoned by his mother, as he was very hungry and scared."

"He's certainly a surprise. Did you come up with a name for him yet?"

"Not yet, Roshe. I was thinking up on some in my room but none of them fit. I was even considering calling him Geralt but…"

"Don't you dare."

"I'd figured you'd say that."

"Well we have to call him something. I can't just call him the wolf when I'll sing of your adventures."

"How about Iron Fist? That's a strong name for a strong creature."

"Don't be a fool Zoltan, what kind of name is Iron Fist? A name for a hammer maybe but not a living creature. How about Medell he was a strong king."

"Get your patriotic **** out of this place Roshe. What kind of person names an animal after some king."

"Well have you got any better ideas?"

"How about Avis?"

Triss interrupted the conversation for the first time that day. Vensa didn't particularly like the woman for numerous reasons however she did have to admit that her suggestion wasn't half bad. It was certainly the best suggestion said so far and Vensa wasn't going to just throw it away due to the fact that they weren't' friends. Zoltan wasn't as convinced though.

"Doesn't that mean bird? He looks nothing like one."

"That may be true but I like it. Most witches do have a bird companion after all don't they? I'll be ironic in a way, I'll still have a bird with me just not like the ones they have. How about it, Avis?"

Vensa spoke to the cub who seemed to understand every word that she was saying. He certainly understood the question as he answered with several pleased sounding yelps before exploring the table heading towards Geralt. Geralt reached his hand out and Avis approached it slowly, sniffing it first before cuddling into it. He was so much like a cat in that aspect, he absolutely loved being scratched and stroked. Geralt seemed equally pleased no matter how he tried to hide it. Getting the trust of such an animal so quickly was surprising especially since Avis still seemed slightly unsure whether to approach the other people surrounding him.

"He's certainly a fine beast, no one can argue with that. Where did you find him?"

"Close to a waterfall to the South of the town in some shrubbery. he seemed to have been here for a couple of days since he already had his eyes opened."

"You managed to get all the way to the waterfall and back without even a scratch on you? that place is crawling with monsters and the squirrels. I knew you were good but not that good."

"That's the thing though. The entire forest seemed empty of anything that would attack me. I traveled in the open and I didn't even catch a glimpse of all the monsters you told me about."

"And the scoia'tael?"

"No, none of them either. Just Avis."

Roshe sighed in disappointment. He already knew the Scoia'tael were in the woods due to the various reports and his own meeting with their leader, however it only seemed to propel him further into capturing him. A trait that he unfortunately shared with Loredo. Vensa herself was in the middle of the entire conflict trying to stay neutral. She understood why Roshe was so desperate to capture Iorveth, the man massacred dozens of people over the centuries, however humans weren't as innocent as they made themselves out to be either. She could safely say that she was neither and that the argument didn't affect her, but Roshe had been so nice over the last few days and she didn't want to disappoint him further.

"There was however someone following me."

"Really? Who?"

"I haven't got a clue. Whoever it was they kept their distance and only seemed to be observing me. That's not something any monster I know would do, so it had to be someone else most likely Scoia'tael since they are the only ones that can move so well in the forest."

"Very true."

"But enough about me Geralt, what about you? Did you reach a deal with that slimeball?"

"Yeah unfortunately. Zoltan and dandelion can live for now, but they can't leave the town until I defeat Keyran, some sea monster that's been terrorising this town."

"You don't mean the one that blocked up the port and is attacking the ships do you?"

"Yeah that's the one. Why, do you know anything?"

"Geralt, that thing is big even for you."

"I agree with the lass, you don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"I've got no choice. Letho is bound to leave Flotsam soon now that he knows that we followed him here and if we don't manage to get him soon we may never be able to find him again. I can't leave you two here to die when I leave so the monster is the only way out of this. Now, do any of you know where I can find it?"

Before any of them could answer, the tavern shook and screams erupted from the outside where the dock was located. The screams and shouts were quickly followed by a bellowing roar that caused another tremor within the building that seemed so safe just a moment ago. The members of the group glance at each other before following Geralt who was the first to stand up and run to the wooden doors. Vensa picked up the cub and followed them, only stopping when she saw the sight before her.

"Well, it looks like the monster found us."