Eager to help means either this guy was very bored till Danny showed up, or he's looking to take advantage. Danny can't blame him either way--if he's as catlike in personality as he is in appearance, he's bound to be Looking Out For Number One, and that's sensible. Danny just needs to get over the desire to pet him.

"Well...there's this." He sticks his ring hand in his pocket and pulls out the trick coin, casting an illusion while the gems are hidden. Could get him in trouble, if someone senses the magic, but so could flashing around a gold coin in a place like this. He's gambling, looking for an opportunity.

If it does come down to trading goods, he might be screwed. He's got some American money begged and pickpocketed from various brief encounters before arriving in the Nexus, and he helped himself to a couple trinkets in the process of stealing candles and wine, but gold? Not so much.

When he holds out the coin, it does look gold. A sorcerer would probably pick up on the illusion fast, though. "My master sent me down here, honestly. He's got this friend that wanted so show him something to do with soul gems? They're off drinking wine somewhere and had me come down here to see what I could find. I'm not sure they're not having fun with me, honestly. That's the kind of thing Master Stone would do, like how they send a new worker on a construction site after skyhooks and tartan paint, his first day."

"But if you can help me out, it'd be awful nice of you."