[[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

[summerdude]

"So many opinions about so many things," Magnus says. He offers Nina a smile. "What's up? How's stuff?"

[ravkanwitch]

"I've been doing pretty well... I didn't waste away during Dark," Nina says, with a little grin, as Khitka gives Magnus an irritated little squeak at that statement. "How about you? Is Alex settling in okay?"

[summerdude]

"Alex is great," with a blissful smile. "We're both pretty much adjusted to being here, and I think she's gotten over the shock of the whole, like, attack thing. So that's good."

[ravkanwitch]

"The attack?" Nina asks, tilting her head slightly.

[summerdude]

"Yeah, you know," Magnus, who assumes everyone has heard by now, says.

[ravkanwitch]

Nina shakes her head, not sure how she missed this. "I don't! Magnus, what happened?"

[summerdude]

"Oh, there was this whole falling sword situation, I almost died, I'm fine now, it's all good."

[ravkanwitch]

"A falling sword situation?" Nina echoes, quite loudly. "Saints, that's-- How did it fall? You almost died??"

[summerdude]

"Randomly, I guess," Magnus says. "I'm fine now. I got better."

[ravkanwitch]

"But what happened?" Nina presses. Khitka looks between the two of them, sensing drama.

[summerdude]

"There was a sword and it fell into me," Magnus says, which is tremendously clear and doesn't bear any further elaboration. "I don't really remember much else."

[ravkanwitch]

"Well, I'm really glad you're okay," Nina says, relenting on the mysteriously murderous and possibly sentient sword for now. "Did you-- Were you able to heal yourself?"

[summerdude]

"Huh? Oh, yeah, of course." Magnus stretches his arms out and does a little spin, as if to demonstrate just how intact he is.

[ravkanwitch]

Nina still looks a little skeptical -- but Magnus is physically okay and he doesn't seem too worried about it. In fact, the main reason she found out about this was because he had said that he'd gotten over it. She sighs a little. "Well, aside from mysterious swords trying to tear you apart, do you have anything else new going on?"

[summerdude]

"Nah," Magnus decides. "Just the usual. What about you? Any news?"

[ravkanwitch]

"I hosted a slumber party during Dark," Nina offers.

[summerdude]

"Oh, fun!" Magnus has... a vague idea about what slumber parties are about.

[ravkanwitch]

"Gu Xiang stole Szarka. And I found out who... George Clooney is? It was an exciting evening."

[summerdude]

"Oh yeah, he's a total hott-- Gu Xiang did what?" Magnus asks, fully, deeply, blatantly impressed.

[ravkanwitch]

"We played truth or dare and I dared her to steal something from Laertes. Apparently, she stole Szarka from right under Sagramore's nose!" It was the second most impressive thing that night. She's not sure how much Tress wants the midnight spores to be common knowledge (and part of her would still hate for that information to get to a certain someone).

[summerdude]

"Damn, okay," Magnus says, in tones of deepest respect.

[ravkanwitch]

"We were all really impressed," Nina agrees. She levels Magnus a considering look. They've skirted around his history and had a conversation about their friends, but there's so much about everyone else here that she still doesn't know. "What's the most outrageous thing you've ever done?"

[summerdude]

Magnus considers this question with all the gravity it deserves — which is to say, a lot. "Depends," he decides. "Outrageous in what sense?"

[ravkanwitch]

"Outrageous in a good way," Nina says after some consideration. She's done many outrageous things but only some of them were impressive without being slightly depressing to talk about. "You were extra skillful or good or brave."

[summerdude]

"I think I've only done outrageous in stupid ways," Magnus says, thoughtfully.