The air smelled of salt from the nearby coastline, it pricked at her nose as she sat cross legged in tattered clothing, utterly bewitched into a game of cards with two much larger creatures amidst the busy streets. Caita was a merchant city, rich in life and economy. The docks were always a hub for comings and goings, all species and creatures coming to shore for a few days to make an easy profit. Travellers oftentimes found themselves wrapped up in the tides of people and it was easy for a little critter to get lost. Duskycloud, Dusk to friends, was one such lost critter. She had taken up residency after her coastal village was raided by strangers and her people, Gelfling, had come to this hotspot of wealth and life. She worked for a local sailor, through pity mostly.
Smart, blue eyes regarded the two men before her as she slammed her cards down with a victorious 'aha!'. They were considerably larger than her, great hulking beings and she was almost sure one of them was a city guardsmen. She drained her drink and dusted off her robes.
[+blue "Lovely working with you gentlemen!"] She said with a flourished bow, a few stray hands fiery red hair caressing her face as she gave a cocky smirk to the begrudging losers. She tucked her winnings, a few silver coins, into her pouch and took her leave before things could get ugly. She ducked and dived between passing patrons and busy shop keepers, dodging a few stalls. She had learned the skills of not getting trodden on underfoot, being just short of four foot means she had been stood on and trampled a few times in the rush of the crowds.
Red hair was mostly braided back from her face, easier to manage that way and her clothing was nothing spectacular. Dusty blues that were worn with time and the odd scuff mark here and there. She found a familiar alleyway to take a moment of refuge in and flared her wings, a trait familiar to females whereas the males usually sprouted twig-like antlers. She kicked up from the ground and the moment her wings relaxed, the city bells started clanging and shouts erupted from the docks. Dusk squinted for a moment, trying to see what had caused commotion. Drawing into the dock with tall black masts were several large ships. That wasn't anything good, she was about to flutter on home when she dodged a fiery mass headed her way and she shot down to the ground, landing hard on her knees. The tower above her hit. Crumbling stone and rock cascaded like a shattered waterfall and Dusk rolled out of the way. She scrambled to her feet and looked wildly around, smoke billowing as more fiery spheres struck buildings.
The calls and screams were deafening, the crunches of force on stone hurt her ears and the city guard was trying to move people to safety. The old man would be at the docks, maybe his stall selling the fish and she looked back towards the docks. She couldn't abandon him, right? The docks were engulfed in flames, men in metal and brandishing swords spewing out of the ships and Dusk, for the first time, was glad she was small as she managed to take some refuge behind some barrels as some passed. She couldn't hear what they were shouting about but they cut down any man who stood in their away as if they were swatting a fly aside.