#earthrunes

"You want to learn healing? What would be a first step, oui?"

"I..." A sigh as her nose is tapped "I think I'll go find a nice place for this, and then go patch my dignity, but I think I understand better. Thank you, Healer"

"Mrrp?" Whiskers sits on the path, watching Minerva and Emma, head tilted to one side. He watched the healings, and now sashays forward, stretching up against Minerva's leg to sniff at towards the pot she carries.

"Bonjour!"

"Oh, hey, whiskers" She beams at the cat "Sorry. I have to ah.. handle a plant" And she says to Emma "Bonjour," And moves out of the hut

A slow eyed blink to Emma, and he pads out alongside Minerva, weaving in and out of her legs as cats will, not trying to trip her, but he is right there.

(Meanwhile, a shirtless Adam has drifted off to sleep in Nab's arms on a lounge by the Balefire.)

"Gah Cats!" She says but doesn't kick and is careful not to. She makes it to her room, and finds a place for the flower, then flops to her bed. "Whiskers... I think the folks of this hold are determined to drive me mad"

"Mow!" He purrs and accompanies her, sniffing at the plant but not seeming interested in devouring her project or anything rude.

A swish of his floofy tail.

"I know I know... still, I was a heroine today" Proudly "And the magic..oh I can do magic, Whiskers." she strokes him "I just don't know how"

A full-body rumble-purr, and he butts his head against her hand. Proud!

"Thank you. SOMEONE is giving me praise. Oh Adam said thank you, but you could tell it was like passing a gallstone for him"

Indeed, he is making much a fuss of her - or at least, ensuring that she has plenty of fluff to pat. It is a gift, after all, to be in a cat's company.

"later I need to look up how to care for Orchids. it is a pretty flower" She admits and pets him "Then make sure that little sex dream of Adam's is okay I suppose. Really though, is he so shallow that he dreamed up a sex doll in a devil outfit? I guess she's not all bad though. Squire Tylar seems efficent. "

Look up? That means books! He washes a paw. Clean hands before going into her library, you know.

"But first, a shower" She sets the cat to the side, and begins to undress "I probably have the smell of weed, beer AND Blood in my hair. None of which I like"

He bats at a dangling bit of cloth as she starts to pull it loose, and then leaps to tangle himself in the laundry. Rolling about, he looks rather ridiculous, but don't tell HIM that.

She covers a laugh

She is free to go off the the horrible falling water chamber, as the kitty seems intent on napping on her discarded outfit now.

No peeping Tomcat he!

When she returns, both cat and clothing are gone. Someone must have shooed him away and tidied up? And the clothing left with dear Charity - knowing that if SHE cannot work her magic on the cloth, it cannot be saved at all.

"Oh goodness.. they could at least knocked" Thinking the staff is a bit over zealous

And even now she wonders Who was behind it all?

(End scene)

The next day, Zara feels much better. Nothing like an evening by the river

And might find Minerva in her Library sorting through books

"MissMinerva."

"Miss Zara," She says politely . The girl seems almost abuz with glamour and kens of odd magics, not ON her, but ones she has been through

She is sorting through the books on .. plants?

"May I help you find something?"

"I'm looking for a book on flowers... how to care for an orchid to be exact," She says "Oh, and anything about a ritual involving blood sacrifice.. not that I plan one"

Eyebrow.

"what? A girl can't have a hobby?" Dryly

Eventually everyone at Earth Runes begins to think they're funny. Something of a curse on the place

"Indeed."

"Now, I have little in the way of instructions for dark rites... this is, overall, a largely seelie hold."

"No place is perfect" She says "In truth, I don't think so much instructions on the hows, but the whos and whys"

"Mmm." She considers.

"For the flower, this should help..." A slender green volume.

She looks it over "I thank you" Minerva says. Again taht odd magic tinge about her.

Kenning?

Oh yes, this talk of dark rites. This girl came near to one, or passed trhough it. Rough hewn and unpracticed magic, but dangerous. it..smells of Samhain a full month before.

"So. What of the rite you witnessed? That may help me select a better volume."

"Did I say I witness a rite?" Almost as guarded of her secret as a sluagh. It IS hers

"It hangs upon you as a cloak."

"Thank you.. I swear, Adam was positively NUMB to it.. and the others not much better I.." A blush "Well, so much for that. Yes well, I ended up encountering some individuals of a rather unsavory sort. It appealed and yet revulsed. Appealed because it was magic, forbidden and tantalizing, it repulsed because it was twisted and bent" A pause "I am told Sluagh trade secrets and information. What would you give me for mine beyond merely book directions?"

"Mmm.. what can you truly offer that I could not hear from Tyler?"

"I..." A pause and a face "Would the Squire blab everything for no gain?"

"If not him, what of every boggan who sees their own as a hero?"