From: "carina norris" <carina@norris25.freeserve.co.uk>

[Hilda and Cat, leaving the medical centre]

[from Les's post]
"If you hurry we'll still have time to make it to supper before the
dining hall fills up too much."  Hilda told her as she slipped into the
dark tunic and pants she'd brought.  "Antwin was playing when I left
and it looked as if he were set for the rest of the evening.  I asked
Roz to save places for us."

[new]
"Thanks," said Cat looking around her.

"Forgotten something?" asked Hilda.

"No, just looking for Mr Purr," she replied, as the fluffy grey cat
emerged from under the bed. "There you are!"

"But before we go, there's something I'd like to show you," said Cat, half
shyly, half proudly.

"It's not every day I get an offer like that!" laughed Hilda.

"Stop it!" said Cat with a grin, "I'm serious,"

Hilda stifled a grin. Cat in 'serious mode' was, well, hard to take
seriously!

Cat produced a small jewellery box, and opened it to show Hilda the gold
cat earrings with the gemstone eyes.

Hilda whistled softly.

"Now, seeing how I didn't see you wearing those when you arrived at
Norwall..." she said.

Cat shook her head.

"And I somehow don't think you've stolen them," Hilda continued.

Cat's lips twitched and her brow creased for an instant, but she said
nothing. To the best of her knowledge, no one at Norwall knew of her
thievish past. And besides, if Hilda *did* suspect something like that,
Cat didn't think she'd mention it in this way.

"I rather suspect they were a *present*!" finished Hilda.

Cat just grinned from ear to ear.

"I'm right, aren't I," said Hilda. "And, if I'm not much mistaken, your
last visitor was - now, let me see," she pretended to think for a moment.

"could it have been K'lvin?" she asked, with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes!" squeaked Cat.

"My, he certainly *does* seem to be serious!" said Hilda.

Cat's face dropped. "That's what I was worried about," she said softly.

"What do you mean - worried?" said Hilda. "The whole warren knows he's
crazy about you! You should have seen him when he thought you'd drowned! A
nd he's a good looking guy - I can think of plenty of girls who'd be green
with envy at you!

"You *do* like him, don't you?" Hilda asked Cat, gently.

"Yes!" she said quickly. "A lot! I think I might even ... be falling in
love with him..." she trailed off in a whisper.

"Well, then," said Hilda. "What's there to worry about?"

"I don't know what to do now" wailed Cat in an anguished voice. "What to
do,
what to say, how to act - whatever! All through my life, when a girl gets
mixed up with a guy, it only leads to two things. No, make that three."

"Which are?" asked Hilda.

"Sex and violence," said Cat, with a wry frown. "Sometimes the sex first,
sometimes the violence - whatever."

"And the third thing?" Hilda prompted.

"Heartbreak," said Cat, sadly. "You know, I've never met anyone in a
*happy* relationship."

Now a furrow crossed Hilda's brow. What kind of a life must Cat have led
before Norwall if this was her view on relationships? No wonder she was
wary of K'lvin.

"But Cat, not all men are like that," Hilda said gently.

"I know," said Cat. "I see the way Kalena and K'tarr look at each other -
all shy and gentle...."

"K'lvin looks at you like that..." said Hilda.

"I know," said Cat.  "But I'm just ..." she paused, to think of the best
words.

"I don't think I'm scared of him because I think he's going to hurt me
physically. I think it's more, well, I'm scared of losing him. Because I'm
so, well, inexperienced!"

Cat's lips twisted into a wry grin. "And that sounds pathetic coming from
someone like me, doesn't it!"

[tag Les. Cat would beg, cajole and even threaten her not to breath a
*word* of this conversation to *anyone*! ;)]

Respectfully submitted
Carina Norris
carina@norris25.freeserve.co.uk
Cat and Mr Purr - Norwall
Fabrice <& Lazara> - Keldarra
Jeneve - Telnor

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