Darcy and Benni walked along the dirt road. The well traveled path was currently empty other than the two of them. On each side of the path were open fields, with the occasional farm breaking up the landscape.

"Maybe we should just go home." Benni said. "We haven't had a single real lead and we almost got kidnapped."

"No we have to keep going." Darcy insisted. "We just need to find an actual lead."

"Sure... In fact, maybe one will just fall out of the sky!" Benni said sarcastically. "Really Darcy, we should just go home."

The two darted off the road and hid in some bushes, startled by the sound of appro wagons. A caravan of horse drawn Varda wagons was coming up the road. The people with them had the ears and tails of cats.

"What are they?" Benni whispered to Darcy.

"No clue," she whispered back.

The cat people were dressed in colorful clothing that reminded Darcy and Benni of Gypsy clothes they'd seen when they went to a Renaissance Fair. The group was laughing and singing as they traveled. One man glanced at the bushes Darcy the Benni were hiding in.

"It's perfectly safe to come out! We're just werecats." The man called.

Darcy and Benni carefully left their hiding place and walked towards the man. He was younger, with messy dark brown hair. His ears and tail were the same color. The man wore a loose fitting white shirt and brown breeches.

"I am Rishia." The man greeted them. "And you are?"

"I'm Darcy and this is Benni."

"Where are you bound?" Rishia asked.

"We're looking for someone. Professor Irene Summerset." Benni said with caution.

Rishia's emerald eyes studied them for a moment. "That's a most fortunate occurrence then."

"How?" Darcy asked.

"My younger sister Selina is traveling with her." Rishia explained. "They went missing, however, while searching for the fabled island of fairies."

"Island of fairies?" Benni asked skeptically.

"Yes, walk with us to the Merchant's Rest Tavern. You can spend the night with us and I will tell you what I know. I want to find my sister." Rishia said.

Darcy and Benni walked alongside Rishia as they joined the traveling werecats. Rishia made them feel welcome among them as they continued their journey.

"This is Sabine. She's our groups leader." Rishia introduced them to a beautiful werecat woman.

"I'm also Rishia's mother." Sabine smiled. "Welcome."

Soon, the town of Ferndale was in view. The werecats smiled and entertained curious onlookers as they made their way to a large inn. A sign on the door proclaimed the building to be the Merchant's Rest Tavern.

The group dispersed, some entered the inn right away while others saw to the care of the animals. Darcy and Benni followed Rishia inside.

"Now, I will tell you what I know." Rishia said.