Something to Care For

Writers: Elaine, Yvonne
Date Posted: 21st December 2005

Characters: Rialine, Mariss
Description: Rialine gets help from Mariss trying to find a kitten.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 9, day 9 of Turn 3

Rialine was on one of her first adventures to the Hold. One of the other girls at the hall had mentioned someone had a new litter of kittens at Amethyst Cliff. But once she arrived she wasn't sure who to ask about them. She decided to poke around the headwomen's office, hoping to find someone that may be able to help her.

Her wishes were granted when a young woman about her own age sped by the Headwoman's door, stopped, and stepped inside. Mariss was frowning - why was there a strange girl in Vivvi's office? "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, thank you," Rialine said, thankful for finding someone, somewhat approachable looking. "I'm- I'm new, from the Vintner Hall," she said, pointing towards the outside. "I had heard that there might be a litter of kittens at the main Hold?"

"Kittens?" Mariss wrinkled her nose as she thought. "Possibly. But Vivvi wouldn't have them. When did you arrive at the Vintner Hall?"

"Few weeks ago," she said for the umpteenth time. "I arrived with my father, the new healer posted there."

"Oh! I'd heard that there was a new Healer at the Hall, but not that he had a daughter." Jio must be pleased - the last time she saw him he was lamenting the fact that he had to do his research via correspondence. "Where are you from?"

"The Healer Hall previously. Both parents come from families of healers," she said, quite proud of her families background.

"It must be a big change for you, then." Mariss stuck out her hand.
"My name's Mariss. I don't know where the kittens are, but it won't be hard to find out!"

"Rialine," she said, grasping the offered hand. "Yes, it is a bit of a change. And I'll appreciate any help, of course. Where do we start looking?"

"Outside." Mariss grinned at the other girl's expression. "Unless it's someone's pet feline that gave birth, all the kittens will be hidden in the barns this time of turn. Are you wanting a new pet?"

"Yes, you see, most days I do stay around our cot, taking care of things. I thought a little company would be nice." she giggled.
"Maybe I want something to mother and care for."

So Rialine was one of _those_ girls. Mariss nodded politely as she turned her steps toward the doors outside. "Kittens will let you mother them, but full grown felines aren't always as... cuddly. One of my friend's felines is a terror. It jumps out and attacks your legs."

"Well, a little personality wouldn't hurt, although attacking...Hmmm." Rialine replied, temporizing. She had a feeling what she had said previously hadn't come out right. **Oh well.** "I like that cats become more independent, they seem to have more personality then canines."

"I don't know about that, either," Mariss said with a grin. "I think that canines just have a different sort of personality, rather than less of one."

"Perhaps," Rialine responded, thinking. "I just feel like, I can have a conversation with a cat, not so much with a canine, they're always so earnest. Either pet me, pet me, pet me, or feeeeeed me, or isn't that shoe a play toy?"

"Mmmm. Maybe I'm spoilt - my father has a firelizard." Mariss gestured for Rialine to wait, popped into a door, and returned with a coat. "Trouble's the best of all worlds, plus he's not mine so I don't need to feed him."

Rialine's eyes widened. "A firelizard?! Yes, I think I would call that spoiled," she replied in a light tone with a laugh. "That does sound like a good situation, but firelizards aren't that hard to feed once they no longer young, right?"

"He pretty much feeds himself now, but you wouldn't know it to see him at the dinner table." Mariss rolled her eyes. "He's getting fat, but Da won't stop feeding him. He's absolutely shameless and acts like he's starved."

Rialine giggled, "He does sound a little like Trouble." She sighed.
Who wouldn't want to have a firelizard.

"He's certainly earned his name." The Steward's daughter led the way down the steps and out the front doors. The air outside was bitingly cold and made her wish for a scarf and mittens, too. "The stables aren't far, and if the beastcrafters don't know where there are kittens, no one will."

"Oh, that's a good idea," Rialine said having not thought of asking the beastcrafters. She blew cupped air into her hands, and then slapped them to her face. "Its a bit chilly. When does it get warmer in these parts?"

"Never!" Mariss grinned, then laughed at the expression on Rialine's face. "Around month one or two the snow melts and it warms up. It's not bad in the winter, but do expect to get snowed in."

"Ooooo" Rialine whined, disappointed. "Snowed in?" Rialine didn't like the idea of being caught, perhaps alone in the cot.

"Snowed in," the other girl confirmed. "I hope that you have a good shovel!" They passed a small shed and suddenly the stables were there before them. Mariss picked up her pace a little and crossed the threshold, and was immediately assaulted by the scent of runners and dry hay. "Hello?"

"Hello?" A man with a large white moustache leaned out of a stall and leaned up against his pitchfork. He grinned at the two girls and his face melted into a morass of wrinkles. "Why hello, Mariss! Is this a personal call, or does your daddy want something?"

Mariss grinned at him and stuck her hands into her pockets. "It's a personal call, Master Omek. This is Rialine, from the Vintner Hall.
She heard that there were kittens somewhere at the Hold?"

The beastcrafter smiled. "There's a litter of five up in the hay loft, as a matter of fact! They're well old enough to leave their mum, and a pretty girl like you, Rialine, is more than welcome to the pick of the litter."

"Master Omek, thank you!" Rialine said with a bow of her head, looking up into the hay. "You mean I can really climb up there and take one home with me?" She had brought her small stash of marks, just in case, but she wouldn't mind hording them for a bit longer.

"That's what I just said, didn't I? Just mind that you keep it warm and don't let it run off into the snow. It's a cruel season for animals." The Master Beastcrafter shook his head. "Mariss, be so kind as to show our guest where the ladder is. And be careful, the both of you. Your daddy will have my head if you fall."

Mariss smiled and took Rialine's elbow to guide her down the corridor between the stalls to where the ladder was. "Don't worry. Da won't dare say a thing if I say otherwise!"

"I don't doubt that at all, missy!" Omek said, chuckling. He picked up his pitchfork. "Mind you come see me when you're done, you hear?"

"I wouldn't think otherwise! Come on, Rialine. Let's go get you a kitten."

"Alright," she responded, carefully placing her feet on the ladder rungs. She was a bit slow in getting up, Rialine was quite nervous about her balance on ladders. "Oh, there they are!" Rialine said as she found the kittens playing nearby their mother. They were all short haired, with different patched coloring patterns.

Mariss scampered up as soon as Rialine cleared the top of the ladder, her knees exposed where she'd tucked the hem of her skirt into her waistband to keep it out of her way. There was only herself and Rialine, and really, if a stablehand spotted her knees and made an issue of it, Master Omek would have his head. And if he didn't do anything... well, it didn't matter then! She joined the other girl kneeling in the hay beside the litter and picked up a tiny tabby.
"They're very sweet."

"Yes," Rialine replied, distracted as she viewed the kittens. She finally picked up one of the more playful ones. The kitten was mostly white, with grey splotches. It protested when Rialine checked, confirming her gender. "This one likes to talk, what do you think?"

"He's certainly noisy! Or is that a she?" Mariss picked up a piece of hay and dangled it in front of the kitten's nose. "Nice coloring, too."

"Its a she," she replied watching the little kitten bat at the straw, yipping a bit. "I think so too." She picked up the kitten again, this time made a waving motion with her paw. "Say bye kitten." She began inching towards the ladder again.

Mariss tucked the tabby back beside its mother and followed Rialine.
"She'll make you happy, I'm sure. What are you going to name her?"

"Patches," she said, giving her a few more pets. "do you like that?
Patches?" she said to the kitten.

The kitten meowed, Mariss was smiling, and it seemed that Rialine's first adventure out of the Hall had turned out to be a successful one.

Last updated on the December 24th 2005

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Something to Care For