[[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]

"Ah, yes. A classic," Magnus says, only half-joking.

[ravkanwitch]

"A classic," Nina sighs. "I'll never willingly go through that again."

[summerdude]

"I think that's maybe one of the rules of outrageously dumb/brave things," Magnus says, thoughtfully. "In retrospect you're like, what the heck did I just do?"

[ravkanwitch]

"A lot of things I've done would qualify, then," Nina says, agreeing quite solemnly. She has the personality to lead people but not the constitution; she's very much an 'act first and then think about it' kind of gal.

[summerdude]

"Yeah, same. Pro tip: fighting gods? ...actually, never mind, sometimes it is worth it."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina snorts a little, unladylike. "At least your gods are real. Our Saints are... mostly stories. Mostly martyrs. Probably Grisha who did something outrageously stupid and got themselves killed."

[summerdude]

"I mean, my gods also do outrageously stupid things and are all going to get killed sooner or later," Magnus says.

[ravkanwitch]

"What sort of things?" Nina asks, curious. She can't imagine a world where those that are worshipped exist among those at worship, as much as Inej believes that Sankta Alina is a true Saint.

[summerdude]

"Rely on some dumb kid like me to save the world, for one," Magnus offers.

[ravkanwitch]

"You're not the dumb one," Nina says firmly, though she knows Magnus is probably joking about that part.

[summerdude]

Magnus grins at her. "Yeah. Like I said, outrageously stupid."

[ravkanwitch]

"Is it strange being here without any gods? I suppose you have Dionysus," Nina muses.

[summerdude]

"It is," Magnus nods. "But it's also, like, a huge relief, honestly."

[ravkanwitch]

"I'm actually supposed to be serving a king," Nina confides. "King Nikolai Lantsov. It's been strange ...but freeing to not have to worry about how what I do affects the kingdom."

[summerdude]

"You--" This surprises Magnus! "What?"

[ravkanwitch]

Nina flushes slightly. She's not sure why this is mildly embarrassing. Maybe, after months of freedom and bossing people around, it's tough to acknowledge that technically she owes sovereignty to someone else. "That's where I was before I came here. On a mission for the Ravkan crown."

[summerdude]

"I thought you were more... guerilla-y."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina thinks she can understand the meaning of guerilla in this context. "I've always been loyal to Ravka and the crown. It's the only country where Grisha are appreciated¹. Ketterdam was where I was the most... guerilla-y, I think, under Kaz? When we broke into a prison. But I've never been good at following the rules. I don't think the King is going to be too happy that we blew up a convent before I came here, but that's a problem for later -- or maybe never."

¹Oh dear, is this the first [citation needed] for Nina?

[summerdude]

"So more, like, special ops vibes."

[ravkanwitch]

She can't quite parse that, unfortunately. "What are special ops?"

[summerdude]

"Um. They do elite stuff, I think?"

[ravkanwitch]

That's not very specific, but Nina supposes she was doing elite things as well. "My nickname was the Termite," she offers.

[summerdude]

"The Termite???" Magnus exclaims. "Nina, please. Tell me more."

[ravkanwitch]

"It's because I was embedded," Nina explains, probably not too helpfully. She stifles a little giggle. "In the woods sometimes, too."

[summerdude]

"Embedded???"