fandomhighdorms | Main Campfire, Saturday morning

Karal had a small fire going, and there was a large pot of tea keeping warm next to it. And plenty of cups. And a kitten. And a Firecat. And a deer.

Vashti (kitten) had been acting strange all morning, fluffing up and hissing at nothing when she wasn't hiding under the bed. Right now she was standing under the deer (actually Evey), who was sniffing delicately at a bowl of tea. Altra (Firecat) was sitting on a log, watching the fire because Karal was, but he looked tense.

Given how many people's friends and girl/boy friends had suffered animal transformation, Karal thought it might be nice if they could get together and support each other. To this end, there was a sign:

Is your girl or boyfriend (or your friend) an animal? Have some tea and share with others who will understand.

It's possible he hadn't thought the wording of that through as well as he could have.

[ooc: open, of course! I've been trying to get time to do this all week, 'cause the idea of all the people with their people-who-are-currently-animals in one post makes me giggle.]

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Karal smiled up at him as Altra turned to stare at the bird. "Many more, I'm afraid." He nodded at the deer. "The deer is Evey, but the kitten is just a kitten. Who is that?" he asked, nodding at the bird and pouring Lee a cup of tea, which he held out.

"Adah," he said. "I think you two might know each other."

He took the tea and settled down, keeping the bird on his knee. She started pecking at his knee almost immediately.

Altra's whiskers twitched in amusement and Karal gaped. "I, yes, we do. Umm, we had a robot child together at one point." His surprise had his mouth working without him thinking. Karal shook off his surprise and poured Lee a cup of tea, setting it down next to him. "How long has she been a bird?"

"We're hitting a week right now," he said. "And right, robot child. I heard about you. Adah wanted me to punch you for a few days and then took it back. I think she was kidding."

"...she wanted you to punch me?" If he took a few steps away, it was hard to blame him. "Why?"

"I can't remember," he laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not going to punch you. She was kidding."

At least, he was going to tell Karal that.

The look Karal gave him was extremely dubious. "I'm sure she wasn't kidding," he replied wryly. "Adah is not at all fond of priests. And I was avoiding the bird more than I was avoiding you. Her beak looks very sharp."

"It is," he said, wincing at a particularly sharp poke. "She hasn't stopped pecking me since she changed. But, she was going to kill me beforehand so I guess her being a bird isn't so bad."

Karal watched Lee through Altra's eyes for a moment, rapidly coming to the conclusion that he was one of the bravest people he'd ever met. "Do you think she'd like a cup of tea of her own?" he asked. "And, if it's not too nosy, why did she want to kill you?"

"Uh, she might," he said, looking at Adah while she pecked him. "She's been drinking water lately because I didn't know what to give a bird. And...she wanted to kill me because I ended up in the clinic after getting into a fight."

Wincing in sympathy, he poured anther cup of tea and set it next to Lee, hurriedly backing away. He did not want to feel what it was like to get pecked by Adah.

"If you wish it," he said to Adah, then to Lee, "I think they eat insects, mostly, and dead things, if she is like the crows in Karse." She looked a little like a crow, at least, only bigger. "So perhaps meat of some kind?"

"Mmm." He watched Adah look towards the cup of tea. "I might try that later. The pecking doesn't hurt after awhile, I promise. She's been doing it since last Saturday."

"I'm suddenly grateful that Evey turned into a deer and not something sharper, and has shown no desire to kick me," he said, settling down out of bird reach. "I hope they turn back soon. It's been over a week for most people, now." He paused. "And hopefully her urge to kill you will have worn off by then."

"Did you listen to the radio last Friday?" Lee asked.

"Umm, no, I almost never listen to it," he replied. "Should I have?"

"Well, if you had, you'd know she's not going to forget," he said. "If she does, I'll be shocked."

"Oh dear," he said, trying not to laugh, and rubbed his temple. "She's that upset that you got into a fight?" Which, considering she'd wanted Lee to punch him at one point seemed slightly unfair.

"It was bad timing," he admitted and got pecked hard for that. "On my account."

"I see." He considered them both for a moment, watching through Altra's eyes. "Adah? Wouldn't it be better to save his punishment until you can deliver it properly? With words? After all, he said the pecking doesn't really hurt anymore." Not that Karal expected it to work.

The bird looked up at him and then just pecked at Lee's knee harder. Lee shook his head.

"Nice try but I think she enjoys this by now," he laughed. "She can't fly, so she pecks."

Karal shook his head and couldn't help a chuckle. "I didn't really think it would work," he admitted. "But I had to try."

"And I appreciate it," he laughed. "I'll deal with her now and when she's back and human shaped and pissed."

Main Campfire, Saturday morning

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