The first to see him was the vendor at the spice stall at the north entrance of Valdris.
A bat.
It flew over the entrance arch at normal speed, in a normal direction, with nothing in particular to distinguish it from any bat on any night.
She followed it with her eyes until it disappeared among the rooftops and went back to her work.
---
The guard on the north wall saw the next five.
Together, flying in the same direction, with the kind of coordination bats don't normally have.
He frowned.
Followed them with his eyes.
They disappeared toward the center of the city.
Weird.
He mentally noted it and continued his rounds.
---
Aldric was finishing the report for a quest when the guard entered.
"Sir Aldric."
"What?"
"Bats."
Aldric looked up from the paper.
"How many?"
The guard hesitated.
"Before I left, there were... a lot."
---
