[[open post: a new friend!]]

[ravkanwitch]

After speaking with Sagramore at the dance, Nina now has her heart set on finding a pet of some sort. She isn't necessarily lonely, not with so many friends, but sometimes when she lays in bed alone at night and thinks about her past, her memories, and her worries, it all feels... a little too quiet and empty-- alright, maybe she's slightly lonely. But only at night. And only when her mind gets away from her. That's why after her morning walk, she's planning on going to ask Aziraphale about producing a rabbit for her.

Is a rabbit right for her, though? She considers this as she takes one of her favorite routes through the forest; it eventually leads to a small waterfall and she's enjoyed watching it slowly freeze into ice and then slowly start melting again. She doesn't mind the cold too much, not with her Ravkan blood and Fjerdan tendencies, and this forest is starting to feel like home. Only on short, ambling walks, though. She enjoys her solitary walks and the feel of the wind and sun on her face -- but at the end of the night, she wants to be in a soft bed with silk sheets.¹

Perhaps rabbits are too skittish, too terrified of loud noises, Nina thinks to herself. She is a loud talker. She does like to talk to herself and sing terribly. Right as she considers these thoughts and as she makes her way past a large pile of rocks, she hears a low wuffling sound emerge from it. She pauses. A rabbit?? A small squeak emerges that is distinctly not rabbit-like. She walks towards the tumble of rocks as it squeaks again, and she stoops down to peer into a crevice followed by another. On the third try, small beady eyes stare back at her. She offers her hand to it, tentatively. In a flash, a small furry blur streaks out and up her arm, ending up on her shoulder. She screams -- stifling it and feeling slightly silly when she realizes that the definitely-not-rabbit is just sitting on her shoulder and not attacking her. She slowly turns her head, meeting eyes with a very self-satisfied, mischievous little face.

"Hi," she says, cautiously reaching up to touch it. The ferret makes a soft dooking noise. "Aww," she says, petting its head, at which point the ferret gently nips her and then makes a dash for her jacket pocket, making a huffing laughing sound. "Ow! You rascal." Nina's already gone. Head over heels. What a perfect little creature. As she makes her way back out of the forest and indoors, anyone is welcome to meet the newest resident of the mansion.

¹Nina Zenik, you would love glamping.

Comments

[sagramore]

"Do you?" as he catches up with Szarka, whose tail is beginning to wag slowly. "What is it?"

[ravkanwitch]

Nina reaches into her pocket, scooping the ferret up with both hands. She's already discovered that the ferret enjoys being coddled and squished and stashed away in pockets. "Ta-da!" She says, holding the creature out to Sagramore in both hands. If ferrets could have skeptical expressions, this one would. She gives him a questioning dook.

[sagramore]

"Christ, is that a polecat¹?" as he inspects it. "Where did you find it?"

¹Görény, referring to the European polecat.

[ravkanwitch]

"I believe she's a ferret," Nina says, as Khitka now squeaks inquisitively at Szarka from her hands. The Shu Han domesticated the creatures and some of the richer residents of Ketterdam kept them as pets. "I was thinking about a rabbit and wondering if maybe I was too loud to keep a rabbit as a companion... and then I found her in a pile of rocks in the woods!"

[sagramore]

"This place loves to provide, doesn't it? Has she got a name?"

[ravkanwitch]

"I've decided to name her Khitka," Nina says, firmly. It's decided now. "It's a Ravkan name."

[sagramore]

"Does it mean something, or is it just a name you like?"

[ravkanwitch]

"A khitka is a bloodthirsty and malicious forest spirit," Nina tells him cheerfully. "Sometimes they disguise themselves as beautiful women to lull you into a false sense of security." Khitka squeaks in agreement.

[sagramore]

"Oh, excellent, that seems well-suited." Szarka, at his feet, gives a little whine and puts her paws up on his knee. "No, my sweet, I don't trust her. She looks fierce."

[ravkanwitch]

"Szarka, you're a good girl," Nina tells her solemnly. "This, so far, is a naughty girl. I don't want you learning any bad habits from her."

[sagramore]

"There thou hast it, by her own word. Down." Reluctantly, she sits down. "Does your naughty girl like liver jerky?"

[ravkanwitch]

Khitka tilts her head at the prospect of Sagramore addressing her. Nina brings her closer to her chest, to hold her more steadily. "I'm not sure. I think ferrets are omnivores, though."

[sagramore]

He always has something in his pocket, and he fishes out a few squished pieces of jerky. Szarka looks openly betrayed as he offers them to Khitka.

[ravkanwitch]

Khitka sniffs it over carefully for a second, then snatches a piece from Sagramore's hand, chattering her happiness as she takes small bites of it. Nina laughs a bit. "Poor Szarka. I think she's about to emancipate herself."

[sagramore]

"Oh, Szari-- up," patting his knee. Szarka immediately jumps up, her front paws on his thigh -- she's bigger than she was when she first learned this trick. He gives her a piece of jerky as well. "There, that's as just as I'm going to be about this."

[ravkanwitch]

"She's getting so big," Nina comments, as Khitka gives Sagramore a speculative look, wondering if she's due for yet another piece of jerky as well. "When I first met her, she was a little ball of fluff."

[sagramore]

"I know! She's growing like a weed. And she's learned so much already." He ruffles her ears, and straightens. "Down. Good girl. -- How hast thou been? I haven't seen thee since the party."

[ravkanwitch]

"I've been... good. Good but confused. My whole life has been excitement after excitement, with no time to rest, so sometimes this place feels a little stagnant. Maybe she'll help change that," Nina adds, offering Khitka her hand and getting a small nip for her troubles, as Khitka's attention is still laser focused on Sagramore and the prospect of More Food.

[sagramore]

"Not enough trouble to get into?" fondly. He has opinions about some of Nina's excitements, but he's determined not to lecture, at least not now. When he realizes Khitka is staring at him he starts digging in his pockets again.

[ravkanwitch]

"Well," Nina allows, "there's trouble¹ and there's trouble². I'm not sure rest is a bad thing, but I'm still not used to it."

¹Heist time!
²Getting hauled away on a ship to be burnt at stake...

[sagramore]

"We could create some trouble of our own," as he presents a new piece of jerky to Khitka.

[ravkanwitch]

"What kind of trouble?" Nina asks, a mischievous glint in her eyes, as Khitka pounces on this new piece of jerky.

[sagramore]

"I don't know yet, we're devising it! What kind didst thou most enjoy? Thievery?"

[ravkanwitch]

Nina thinks. The actual theft (whether person, money, or item), that's Kaz's domain. Lockpicking and slinking around always makes Nina a little nervous. "Revenge," she says, tentatively. "Being part of a larger plan-- The adrenaline of putting on a persona and fooling someone? That's three different things, sorry. I guess Tally would call it doing things that are bubbly-making, but I'm not climbing to the roof."

[sagramore]

Sagramore considers this. There are a minimum of people he dislikes here, and even fewer that he wants any kind of revenge against, but his thoughts do stray to Aornis telling Laertes about his sister. He immediately discards the idea -- he's not getting Nina involved in anything that dangerous.

"We'd have to forego the first part, but we could do the latter two."