Catnip's an Herb, Right? {Rainee, Open to 1 more}

{Open to one or two other people}

Nevin set the last of the ceramic jugs back down into the windowsill, stretching out his shoulders to work out some of the kinks that had developed as he was working. He'd just finished up a fresh batch of herbal potions, and putting these last few into the sun to heat up was the last step for them. They'd be ready to go right away, but if they had the time to sit in the warm rays they'd be...mildly more effective and wouldn't taste anywhere near as bitter.

That done he headed back to his counter and started rearranging the items on the countertop. One of his customers, a mother who had come in looking for something to help her colicky infant, had suggested he get or make 'treat' pops for children. She had taken the potion that he had offered, but the suggestion of making 'candies' that were treated with honey that contained ingredients had sparked a fire in him, and he had done just that. Over the course of a week he had created three different new products, a 'hard' candy that was for a child over a certain age to suck on that would soothe a sore throat; a soft syrup that was for infants, babies and toddlers that contained a very mild sedative to help the child sleep; and finally, one item that was actually several: Hard candies that had been flavored with natural ingredients and honey, that contained a trace amount of mint and a numbing agent to make the kids mouth's feel funny and tingly. It was, in all honesty, not a medicine at all, but he had been highly amused when parents started giving their children a little pocket money to come in and get some. Right now he had one that was primarily flavored by the mint, one by the honey, and one that was actually flavored by some wild strawberries that he had found growing in the woods.

Setting up the displays for them hadn't taken much time at all, and the treats and 'candy' medicines were fairly easy to produce. The parents certainly were thankful of the sedative syrup – apparently a lot of small children had problems getting to sleep, and even some with older children were asking after it. It wasn't the way he'd initially imagined he'd be turning a profit here in town, but he had no qualms with expanding his products. In fact, sitting in a small glass display case on one end of the counter was where a small selection of medicines that had been designed with Kenku were sitting – just in case his friend came by once more.

Still, he couldn't just putter around all morning, he had to open the shop at some point in order to get the day going. He took a deep breath, taking in the silence once last time, then made his way to the front of the shop to unlock it and flip his sign around to open.

"Mommy! Why do we need to go shopping for potions? Can't we get something to eat instead?" Mylie whined loudly. Her little tail was twitching with impatience. Her lovely green eyes bright and shining, ever the little cat-girl ready to make mischief. Or to be bluntly honest, to eat any yummy treat she could find. Her little paws were tugging on the sleeve of her mother's shirt. The bright chocolate hue shiny, almost begging her mommy to change the errand she was running.

Rainee's soft white ears twitched irritably beneath the hood of her cloak. It was a lovely blue morning. The sun shining like a bright beacon overhead as mother and daughter pattered over the cobblestone streets. The older anthro's figure was relaxed, though their was slight tension in her posture from the way her daughter was begging for her needs to be met. As they passed quiet shops slowly opening their stores up for business. The cat mother took a deep breathe of the fragrant air. The was filled with the rich scents of herbs, of baked goods, and stew that were slowly being cooked and prepared. It made the slim kitty girl's stomach rumble, reminding the white tailed anthro that they had left Grace Manor without breakfast.

Pursing her lips, Rain looked at her eager little girl and said lightly "Honey, how about a deal? You let mommy run her errands and I"ll let you get whatever you want for breakfast, ok?"

Mylie's chocolate orbs lit up in delight, her tail wagging enthusiastically as she exclaimed "Sure mommy! I"ll take you up on your offer! Come on mommy! Lets go buy your potions!" the little troublemaker then tugged on her mother's sleeve vigorously, leading her down the street as she looked at the shop's various signs. Her eyes lit up when she saw what looked like sweets in the clear glass panes of one of the opening shops. Her tug grew more energetic as their was a plea to her voice as she whimpered "Candy! Look mommy candy! I want some please!" she pulled her mother closer to the shop, and stared intently at the sign. A squeal escaped from her as she murmured "It sells herbs too mommy! You can get your potions here! Can we please go in here?"

Rainee's walked over to carefully read the sign, a sigh escaped her lips as she answers "Alright darling, but be good! and no problems!" her face was stern after she said this, making sure her rambunctious daughter got her unsaid message.

Mylie meows softly, her tail still as she responds quietly "I"ll be a good girl mommy! Trust me!"

With a nod, the pair then made their way to the shop's door, opening it a bell jingled to let the shopkeeper know they had arrived. In a loud voice Rainee called "Hello? Are you open for business yet? I"m here to buy some healing potions if you have them! And," with a glance at her little girl she finished "My daughter is interested in the candies you are advertising in your window!"

Nevin looked up from the text he was working on at the moment - this one was in a slightly more archaic variant of the language he was used to using, so it was taking some time to decipher the writings. His greeting froze on still lips as he processed the two.... individuals... who had entered his shop. Mental processes skidded to a halt as his eyes scanned the two newcomer's, at first thinking it was some kind of costume, but the way the appendages twitched and flared...

Cat-human hybrids. That's a thing. OK, no, sure, there are sentient birds walking around, so why not cat people, it only makes sense. Crimson, that's an entire category of medicines I can't make for people like this - that plant causes intense allergic reactions in felines, that one causes emetic distress.... Wait she said something about - Nevin's thoughts roared back into gear as he realized she had mentioned a child. His dark eyes scanned the shop, trying to figure out where the daughter was - and he spotted her, still and quiet beside her mother. The man smiled and studied her for a moment before pushing the tray of flavored candies to the fore.

"Indeed madam, I sell a variety of healing potions. Are you needing a general restorative, something to help with skin issues, an intestinal fortifier, or perhaps given the locals' main source of income, something that works on lungs? And for the little one - honey, mint, or strawberry?" Nevin was trying very hard at this point not to snatch yo his notepad and graphite to start writing down notes about these two. Cat-hybrids was an interesting concept - they would likely be more inclined to alchemical concoctions that had some kind of fish base - not something he worked with often, but he knew at least one medicine that called for fish eggs. And there were a couple of plants that had different effects on cats than on other animals - his eyes widened and he scanned the shop, trying to remember if he had any poultices or dry compounds that had been made with catnip.

Rainee inhaled the scents of the shop deeply, she could smell fresh herbs, various concoctions made from herbs and pure water and other elemental ingrediants. Her ears twitched methodically as she moved from potion to potion examining them intently. When she had left Grace Manor that morning her mind had been on buying restorative potions. The anthro knew that trouble would find her again at some point during her journey. She still needed to clean up up the bandits that still haunted her from her past and while her magic was potent, she still didn't have enough healing spells to suit her needs. Pursing her lips as she examined a light blue potion that had little herbs still floating in the clear glass bottle. She sniffed it and her ears twitched as a familiar scent came to her nostrils.

Her tail begin to twitch as her mind thought Catnip? Some potion in this shop contains catnip! I haven't had any in so long. The cat-mother knew she shouldn't even think about giving herself a little stress relief. But between taking care of her rambunctious kitten, keeping her and herself out of trouble, Rain felt that she deserved a little break.

"Mommy! I want my candy! Look it looks so pretty!" Mylie chimed out loudly, interrupting her mother's examination of the various mixture's in the shopkeeper's store.

the cat-girl's ears wiggled slightly, as she joined her daughter at the counter containing the candies. Examining them herself, the anthro could smell the freshness of the ingredients used to make the candies. Knowing they were safe, she asked her little one quietly "Which flavor do you want honey?"

Mylie giggled her small little tail wagged happily, as her ears were wiggling due to her excitement, in a happy voice she asked "Can I have the mint flavor mister?" she looked innocent enough to the shop-keep's eyes, but her nose was twitching as well from the mixture of aromas permeating the shop. The little kitten wanted to explore ever nook and cranny of the shop to see what she could find. But first, she wanted her sweet treat!

The petite cat-girl then went back to her examination of the clear blue potion with floating herbs, swimming around in the clear glass bottle. The scent grew stronger to her as she realized this was the mixture that kept calling to her. It had to contain catnip! A grin appeared beneath her cloak, as she gingerly picked the bottle up. Holding it carefully, she brought back to where her little girl was still waiting for her delectable treat. A smile was on the cat-mother's face as she placed the bottle gently on the counter. She then removed the hood of her cloak to reveal her gentle features on her face.

A warm, happy smile was gracing her lips as she said, a purr to her voice "I'd like to purchase this bottle please. It contains a special treat that I can smell, also to answer your question I would prefer restorative potions! Always handy to have in case you find yourself in trouble!" her silver eyes then fell on her daughter, who was starting to become restless while waiting for her candy. She could see the curiosity in her kitten's eyes as she sighed and whispered under her breathe "Mylie dear...you said you'd be good! No mischief ok?"

Mylie looked at her mother and meowed, a look was in her chocolate brown eyes, a look Rainee knew all too well. The little one begin to bounce from foot to foot as she said softly, but a note of impatience was in her young voice "I picked my candy flavor now mister! Can I have it please? My mommy will pay for everything! She's good at that!"

Rainee groaned, a sheepish grin replacing her warm smile as she said apologetically "Don't mind my daughter sir! She can be rambunctious sometimes...."

Nevin chuckled, a far warmer sound than most of the people who knew him at this point would believe the alchemist capable of. He scooped up one of the month hard candies and placed it on the counter in front of the now energetic little girl. "There you are little one, one mint hard candy. Now it does have some honey in it for a little extra sweetness, as well as a special ingredient that will make your mouth feel weird for a little bit." His eyes shifted to her mother, pausing again as he took in her features, and he smiled politely. "An analgesic, it will make her mouth go slightly numb. Not enough to affect anything else,
but her mouth will feel tingly and strange for a while as she enjoys the treat. Now then, what potion is this."

Nevin's gaze flicked down to the bottle in Rainee's hand. He had almost said that that was not a healing option - but he knew, looking at it, exactly which potion it was. And it confirmed his curiosity - feline humanoids apparently did like catnip. That was one that he had only done a limited run of - and in fact kept in stock because one oddball client loved to come in and get a catnip treat for her veritable horde of pet cats. Last she'd told Nevin, she had thirty seven of the rat-catchers running around her home. He forced his expression back into a neutral, pleasant smile, and nodded, beginning to tally up the things she'd requested

"The ah, treat potion in your hands is certainly available. General restoratives, I currently have five in stock up here - three are potions that will increase your body's ability to heal on its own, two are salves that can be applied to wounds such as cuts in order to directly stimulate faster healing in that site." He finished writing down the totals and spun it around for her to examine. The salves were slightly more expensive than the general restoratives, while the potion she was holding in her hand and the candy the young girl now had were only a few coins each. "If you're interested I so have a much more potent restorative potion available, but that one is more expensive than the other products in the store." With a nod of his head he indicated the glass cabinet behind him, where a pair of vials were holding a red fluid that seemed to catch and reflect the light more vibrantly than most of the things in the shop did.

Mylie squealed with delight as she took the mint flavored hard candy from the countertop the shop-keep had placed the sweets on. Putting it into her mouth, she giggled as the sweet flavors of honey and mint swirled on her tongue. She felt the numbing effects of the candy take hold and meowed softly in surprise. Her voice sounded softer as she squealed "Mommy! My mouth feels funny! This candy is yummy, but it has a funny effect!" the little girl's tail wagged with happiness though at the candy's divine flavor. Her eyes were shiny as she squealed out "You make a yummy candy mister! But it has a silly effect! I can't feel my tongue!"

Rainee laughs as she pulls out a large coin purse, taking out the sum she needed to pay for her daughter's treat and her own indulgence, she smiles as she murmurs "Thank you for the info sir, and the explanation on your healing restorative, I'll take whatever you have left of each one along with this one!" she said holding up the shimmering catnip filled potion. Her eyes then fell on the glass case behind his visage. Her nose wrinkled as an interesting mixture of scents came to her keen nose. Her tail twitched as her mind begin to fill with thoughts What potions could he have behind that glass? Its red, it smells almost like blood. What kind of potion-maker is he?

Her soft silver orbs begin to study Nevin's appearance, he was tall, she guessed close to six feet, his hair was short and shined a bright crimson color, his eyes were dark, a glistening red the exact same color as the potion that glistened like beckoning secrets behind his glass case. He was clothed in a long sleeve shirt and black gloves, she couldn't see any other curious things about him except that she could see a bit of his flesh peeking from the top of his shirt. Her nose wriggled again though as the strong scent of plasma still hung in the air.

Her questions for the man would have to wait, for now she wanted to taste her little treat that she had gotten for herself. Placing the necessary payment on the counter for the shop-keep to scoop up. She then uncorked the cork protecting her potion and begin to happily drink from the bottle. The pleasure immediately hit her. She felt light, airy, all her worries, her fears, the thoughts of the dark path ahead of her immediately vanished under the sweet taste of earthy mint, catnip and other light delicious flavors that had been mixed into the potion she had just drunk down fast.

Her tail begin twitching fast, as she first went near her daughter and gave her a warm hug saying lightly "You can have another candy if you want honey. The funny taste is just a numbing sensation like the shop-keep said! It'll go away in time!" she then padded over to where the shop-keep was an asked in a sweet voice "What potions do you have hidden behind the glass case? They smell quite different from the other wares in your shop!" her ears were wiggling as the change in her demeanor was obvious as the cat-nip potion begin to take effect in the cat-mother's body.

Nevin had an amused smile on his face as he watched the daughter bounce around, her tail wiggling about as she enjoyed the hard candy that she had chosen. Children were usually a lot more pure than their parents were, and he often liked dealing with them more. Watching the way she messed about with her tongue while she couldn't feel it was adorable. He bowed to her slightly when she complimented his candy, then went back to wiggling and twitching at the sugar rush. Then his attention was dragged away from the amusing spectacle to the fact that her mother was studying him, silver eyes flicking up and down his body before focusing behind his head on the glass cabinet.

Then she drank her potion after her nose twitched, and he watched as she shivered all along her body, tension visibly flowing out of her shoulders as she relaxed. He hadn't had time to tell her that that was meant to be sprinkled or sprayed around an area, not drunk. But he hadn't placed anything toxic into the mixture so he didn't think it would be detrimental - and then her eyes snapped open, a strange glimmer was shining in their silver depths. Nevin felt an ominous chill run down his back as a strange smile curved her lips. Her tail began moving quickly, and then she suddenly scooped up her daughter in an engulfing hug, before focusing her attention back on Nevin. The sweet voice that she used to ask a question did nothing to encourage him out of that niggling feeling of concern.

"I... they are specially crafted potions, madam. I'm an Alchemist, not an Herbalist. Those potions were crafted with mammalian parts, including, yes, blood." Ok. So she was able to smell the blood in his potions. That was fine - he had always, always claimed to be an Alchemist, not an Herbalist, and Alchemists were well known for using whatever they could get their hands on in their alchemy. There shouldn't be any reason for her to get suspicious of them, right? It's not like she could actually smell that they were almost entirely blood mixed with only a few herbs - they were in glass vials inside a locked case, surely not? Inwardly he was glad that his dangerous Essences were still locked up tight.

Rainee placed a finger against her lips, her face was thoughtful, her eyes squinted in concentration as she absorbed the shop-keep's words. Her tail was twitching as the potion's effects was flowing through her body. Her curiosity was high, she really wanted to know what was locked behind the glass case. Without bothering to ask, the cat-girl leap across the counter, her white soft tail banging against a small bottle causing it to crash to the floor with a resounding THUD. Not even noticing the bottle's demise, the anthro padded over to the locked case and begin to sniff it intently.

She could smell the plasma, strong, pungent lingering inside her nose, she could also smell the clean scent of the herbs mixed in with the blood. But it smelled extremely strange to her keen sense of smell. Her ears twitched rhythmically in tune with her hands touching the glass carefully. Her instincts were telling her something was up, that this shop-keep was hiding something. Her silver orbs then scanned his shop methodically, roaming over the various potions in their clean glass jars and bottles.

Meanwhile, her little girl was bouncing on the pads of her paws, the sugar rush was effecting her body making her much more hyper then normal. The fact that her mother was acting unusual, made little Mylie lose what little self control she had on her mischievous nature. Her little tail begin to wag like a metronome as she traipsed over to the tray of candies, her little chocolate eyes were soft almost shimmering as she made an extremely cute innocent face as she asked loudly "Can I have more candy mister? I want to try both the honey and strawberry! You make yummy, sweet treats!" Her paw then reached for one, almost as if she was expecting him to give her permission to take as many delectable goodies as she wished.

That niggling feeling, that their was more to the shop-keep was still coursing through her veins, since she was right next to him, she got close studying his face, his eyes his whole body. Her silver eyes narrowed to slits as she opened up her sense of smell to sniff him. His scent was human, but she could scent more, something darker deeper was coursing through his veins. Her nose twitched as she could swear that she smelled blood on him. Her examination returned to his face, her orbs still squinting as she thought He isn't injured? So why do I smell so much blood? Who is this man? What is going on here? This just seems like a simple potion shop, but why does the shop-keeper appear so strange?

She begin to circle around him energetically her hands reaching out to examine some small little bodies filled with bluish fluid. These just smelled like herbs, almost earthy like the forest she used to play in with her brother back before the bandits that had torched her village had made her life hell. She checked a lime green potion, this one smelled minty, almost as if it was used as a perfume to smell good. Seeing that her daughter was starting to act out, she paused in checking each potion to say lightly "Mylie, be good! Don't cause trouble!!" her voice was sing-song though, not strict like before, as she went back to exploration of trying to solve this mystery.

Seeing that her mother wasn't really scolding her, the little kitten just waited expectantly for the shop-keep to give her more candy, while her paws hovered out ready to reach for one, once she got permission.

Nevin blinked once, twice, three times, his eyes going wide as he stared in shock at the woman who had just vaulted over his counter and was now sniffing at the display case. He shot a glance at the bottle that had been knocked off of his countertop - thankfully it was one of the sedative syrups so it wouldn't be a large hit to replace it but still what in the name of crimson was she doing?? He strode over sharply and interposed himself between the sniffing woman and the cabinet just as she turned away and began looking at the rest of the shop.

"Mada-MADAM. Madam this side of the counter is not for customers please get back on the other side!" His attention was jerked to the side when the little girl started bouncing in front of the candies and asked for another, and his eyes widened as she made a grabbing motion at them, clearly just barely restraining herself. "I thank you miss but MADAM! CEASE AND DESIST!" This was directed at the cat-woman who was now extremely close to him, her nose twitching rapidly as she sniffed at him, her eyes narrowed into tiny gaps where the silver was barely showing. He rapidly backpedaled, bumping into the wall as he started to blush a faint red. Before he could gather his thoughts and try to forcefully remove the woman from behind the counter she darted off to one side and began examining potions that he had here in the back - one an herbal tonic that was good for mild fever, another that was an experiment that he had not been intending anyone to see yet. Then the silver-eyed woman called over her shoulder at her daughter, which made the girl pause for a moment before keeping her paw ready to snag a candy.

"Ri-right. Mylie, you can have another one, the yellow one on your right is the honey, the pink colored one is one of the strawberry flavored ones." What Nevin missed in his disconcerted state was the fact that the doorbell had chimed as another guest had come in - and now he saw, from the corner of his eye, an elderly man and woman standing near the front, smiling widely at him. He gulped and started making grabbing motions at the woman, trying to get her out from behind the counter as he sent a nervous grin back at the front. "Ah, sorry, I'll be right with you - would you please get out from behind the counter there are people here!" This last part was directed at the woman he was trying desperately to get out from behind his counter. Hopefully the reminder that she was in a public place would bring her to her senses. He heard the old woman let out a gleeful cackle.

"No no, no need dearie, we'll come back for Rinaldo's medicine later. You have fun with your wife and little one! The ladies of the town will be so pleased to here that you actually are settled down, oh ho ho." Crimson's sake. It was Madam Maratin, a notorious gossip in town. Before he could correct her, the woman had dragged her husband back out of the shop. Nevin took a deep breath and redoubled his efforts on trying to catch the cat woman and get her out from behind his counter.

Mylie squealed with happy delight as her little paw reached for a yellow colored candy. Holding it carefully, she put it on top of her tongue and begin to suck on it. Feeling the sweet yummy honey begin to flood her senses, she meowed in happiness. Sucking on it still for a couple for minutes, she begin to feel the tingly, numbing effect happen and she giggled. Turning to look at the now flustered shop-keep who was chasing after her extremely hyper mother. Her tail wagged giddily as she chirped "Misterl! You make the best candies ever! You blend the flavors perfectly!" with her tail twitching nonstop, she turned to her mother and shouted "Mommy can I have a bag of his candies please?"

Rainee was smiling, her heart felt light as she nimbly dodged the shop-keeper's attempt to grab her so he could escort back to the proper side of the counter. Her silver eyes were shiny, she was having fun, letting herself loose from her strict manner she ran Mylie's and her life normally. With her tail swishing back and forth, she felt the end of her tail nip another bottle. This one just wobbled a bit and tipped on its side. She then ran against the other side of the cabinet, her eyes locked on the shop-keeper's as she asked curiously "You seem so nervous now? What is it your hiding? Is it because I asked about these potions here?" She put her hand on the shiny glass of the locked cabinet.

He really must have something to hide! He wouldn't be sweating bullets if there wasn't something he didn't want me to know! Her eyes then scanned over the shop-keep's lean body again, the scent of blood was still quite potent to the anthro's keen sense of smell. This caused her brain to go into overdrive to connect the dots of why the aroma of plasma was so strong. Even as the old couple entered the shop, and sure heard the elderly woman's musical voice tease the shop-keep about her being his wife and Mylie his child. A giggle escaped her lips as she says softly again "Tell me if you want me to go back to the regular store? What is behind these potions? Something smells funny about them and I really want to know what?"

Mylie now that her body was full of sugar begin to prance around the store looking for anything interesting. She found a pretty pink potion, that was floating with green herbs, it had a very sweet floral aroma. Her curiosity got the better of her as she asked excitedly "What is this potion mister? It smells pretty and looks lovely! Is it perfume?" her little paws went to grip the almost too big bottle. She looked comical as she carefully teetered over to the cash register and lightly placed it down for the shop-keep to look at. In a sweet, almost purr-like voice she chirped "Tell me! I want to know!"

The leaving of the elderly couple didn't even register to the mother-daughter pair, as the cat mother really wanted an explanation to the blood she was keenly smelling and the little one just wanted her questions answered in a way she could understand.

Nevin could feel his eyebrow starting to twitch as he switched his gaze back and forth between the two feline-humanoids. He felt that if he looked away from either of these two for too long things would begin breaking, rapidly - though at least the child, Mylie, was polite and complimentary towards his skills. Maybe if this alchemy thing or the blood magic bombed he could take up a profession as a confectioneer and make his way like that. For now though, he had to try to corral the two girls; one who was hopped up on slowly rising levels of sugar, the other currently bouncing around because of catnip. Nevin knew it was only a matter of time before a crash happened for one, or both, of the felinoids, and he was actually starting to get concerned about it happening while they were around copious amounts of glass bottles and clay jugs.

The woman dodged him again, her white tail bobbing just between his hands to avoid the grab, and the alchemist felt like she was actively teasing him, trying to get him to grab her. As her tail darted away from him, it clipped another bottle on the countertop. The bottle spun around wildly for a moment before tipping onto its side, filling the shop with the warm smell of honey and chamomile as a thick syrup oozed out of the now open bottle. Nevin groaned inwardly - it would be a pain to clean up the colick medicine from the counter, he'd have to scrub at the wood with sandpaper to get it all out. Then the woman grinned mischievously at him and started accusing him of being nervous while placing a palm against the display case where the vitality potions were. He drew himself upright, trying to regain some measure of his dignity as an Alchemist.

"Madam. I am nervous because there is a strange woman behind my counter and now some of my customers think you're my wife! I don't even know your name please get back on the other side madam." Damnnation she was NOT letting the healing potions go. Thank goodness that the daughter came up and asked about another vial - barely able to heft it up onto the counter top, and he quite studiously turned his gaze away from the mother, to the daughter - hoping that being ignored would frustrate her into giving up. He doubted it though, even as he did it.

"Sweetie, that's a medicine for when people's tummies aren't feeling good. I make it smell and look good so people don't get angry about having to drink it all - I never liked it when my mama made me drink yucky medicine, so I decided mine would taste good whenever I could manage it." There had to be some kind of convention on warfare that prevented cuteness of this level - he felt that Mylie could practically weaponize being adorable. He could feel the woman's silver eyes on the back of his head, begging for answers - and he was very, very glad that he had the daughter to act as a shield in this situation, giving him someone he could safely focus on.

Mylie giggled cutely after the shop-keep's explanation about the pretty-smelling pink potions. Her chocolate brown eyes were big as she said giddily, the sugar rush evident in her voice " A medicine for upset tummies mister? Interesting!" her little tail wagged like a rocket as she continued chirping happily "It's pretty and smells good! Your very good at making potions mister!" her shiny brown orbs then darted to the sweet treats just within a arm's grab reach. She could already feel her tongue all tingly and numb, but her body was aching more sugar. It had been a long time since the kitten's mother had allowed her to indulge in such a delectable goody. Her little ears twitched as she asked sweetly, her hue's just drowning the shop-keeper with a gaze of cuteness, "Can I have one more candy? Strawberry this time? My mouth is numb but the sweetness tastes sooooo good!" She then put her little paw on the tummy-ache potion and whined at her mother " I also want this potion mommy! In case my stomach gets upset!"

Rainee meowed loudly, her own white tail twitching rapidly as the scent of honey-chamomile filled the air. It mixed together with the strong scent of blood the anthro was smelling from behind the locked cabinet. Her silver eyes widened warmly before a light laugh escaped from her lips. Holding out her arm, mirth was in the cat-mother's silver hues as she said with a soft purr note in her voice "My name is Rainee sir." her hues examined the shop more before another giggle escaped and she whispers "I'll pay for any damage to your potions, and what would your name be kind sir?" To her daughter she softly stated "We'll add that potion, to the list I'm buying OK sweetie?"

Mylie let out a meow of happiness, as she left the too large potion bottle by the cash register, the kitten herself nimbly climbed over the counter and went to hug her mother about the waist, for everything she was letting the little nekojin purchase.

There was a warmth inside Rain's chest, a comforting feeling that she had not felt in a long time. Even though she was causing mayhem to this poor shop-keep's store, she didn't feel TOO guilty about it. She knew she had more then enough coin to pay for any broken bottles or containers. With this thought in mind, her voice was soft, almost like wine pouring into a clean glass as she once more asked softly "Now that you know me, can't you tell innocent little old me why your potions smell so funny? Remember sir," she moved closer, dragging her daughter with her gently as she continued her voice soft like honey "I'm a healer too, I know a bit about potion making and I know mammalian parts, especially blood or only used in certain herbal remedies. These" her soft hands pointed at the clear glass, the glistening crimson mixtures glowing almost in the light of the shop. her honey voice finished up "Smell stronger then they should, so I know there is something more to them! Can you please inform me what secret these potions hide?"

Mylie let go of her mother, her chocolate eyes big and bright as she meowed at the shop-keep "You know mister! My mother won't give up once she's curious about something! You should answer her or else she WILL keep bugging you!"

Another chime, and some old ladies giggling before another chime rapidly followed, and as Nevin stared at the two feline females staring at him with cute or distracting eyes, and the alchemist knew that the rumors would never stop. He lifted one hand and rubbed his temples, a deep breath inflating and deflating his lungs as he sighed. Cobalt, he hadn't expected a non-human with enhanced senses to come in - Stare hadn't had enhanced olfactory abilities so he hadn't accounted for it. Add on to that the fact that she was a healer herself?

Nevin sighed again and opened the bar that separated the back of his counter from the rest of the shop - at least for normal people - and walked to the front door. The sign was flipped to closed and the door locked, no need to have more people coming in on the three of them. That done, he walked back over to the counter, picking up one of the strawberry candies from the tray. His feet carried b him back behind the wooden barrier, and he pulled a key from the pocket on his tunic and unlocked the cabinet that the glass vials were in.

One was removed from the shelf and the cabinet was locked back up, and Nevin turned to the two cat girls, his face now strangely blank as he tossed the sugary treat to Mylo. After she had caught it, he looked to Rainee and held up the vial, wiggling it slightly. "At your insistence, I shall tell you. However, the child must not hear - it is information not suited to a young one." Even if he had technically been young when he was first exposed to it, he was not about to subject another to it. That said, he gestured to the back room of the shop, through the open door could be seen a small kitchen and table, and a writing desk pushed up against one wall.

Mylie's chocolate brown eyes grew larger, to the size of saucers upon hearing the information was not meant to be heard by her young ears. Nibbling on the delicious sugary strawberry confection, a sigh of happiness escaped from her lips. She then bounded up to the young shop-keep and said in a soft meow "But mister! I WANT to kn..." a yawn interrupted her hyper question. As she stretched her eyelids feeling heavy, as another little meow escaped. Turning to look at her mother with now droopy chocolate brown hues, another yawn escapes as her little body wobbles as she reaches for her mother.

Her sugar-high had finally reached the level the little kitten's body could handle, and now she was crashing. Her steps were shaky as she whimpered and mewed out "Mommy I don't feel good, my body feels sleepy and my energy went bye-bye!"

Rainee sighs, a little giggle escaping from her own lips as she was still running on the pleasure she felt from her cat-nip potion treat. Turning to scoop her daughter up. She hugged her precious angel to her as she whispers soothingly "Just sleep sweetie. Mommy is right here, if the shop-keeper says he's secret isn't for your ears, then its time for you to take a nap!"

Mylie snuggled into her mother's warmth, a pout was on her lips though as she whined with her last bit of energy "BUT MOOMMMY! I WANT TO KNOW!" her body gave up its fight with staying awake though, as the little neko-jin was soon snoring away in her mother's arms. Her little fingers were curled around her mother's wrists, as her little tail was tucked against Rainee's tummy, she was quite the adorable sight to behold.

Hefting her daughter's weight up a little higher, the cat-mother carefully made her way into the back room's of the shop-keeper's shop. Her silver orbs examined the shop-keeper's small but cozy living space. Padding her way to the simple oak table, her tail brushed against the well-worn wood. Carefully adjusting her little girl's weight, she gingerly sat down in one of the padded chairs. A sigh of relief came from her soft lips as the chair did not buckle under the combined weight of the mother-daughter pair. Now that she was settled, she quickly looked over the rest of the room, seeing the writing desk crammed full with pen and papers, she was sure this was where he did his writing for the potion mixtures he created.

A smile came to the nekojin's lips, as a slight purr could be heard in her voice as she commented "Your living quarters are very cozy sir. Now before you tell me your dark tale, may I ask your name please?" her soft white tail curled around her waist as she snuggled with her daughter deeper into the warmth of the chair as she finished 'What my little one said to you earlier is true. I wouldn't have stopped bugging you until you answered my curiosity about that crimson potion. Its my natural nature to not give up until I know the answers I seek!"

Nevin had watched quietly as the girl, Mylie, complained to her mother about wanting to know what he was going to say - but he would be resolute on that point, the child would not be exposed to what he was going to say if he had any choice in the matter. Adults tended to react negatively enough as it was, he didn't want to see a child being afraid of him. Thankfully though it proved not to be an issue - the small cat-girl fell asleep, tucking herself up in her mother's arms like a small kitten falling asleep on its side.

Once the girl was asleep Rainee carried her into the back of the shop and sat down carefully at the kitchen table, looking very much like a mother sitting down at her own dinner table after a long day. Nevin raised an eyebrow at the turn his own mind had taken before shaking it off and walking over to his cupboard and pulling out a pair of glasses. He filled one with alcohol - briefly wondering if he was in danger if becoming an alcoholic - and looked over his shoulder at the two. He shrugged and opened his ice box, pulling a bottle of juice and one of milk out from inside. He set the three bottles on the table and the empty glass in front of the mother, and sat down holding the glass of potent grain alcohol in one hand.

"My name, Madam Rainee, is Nevin. Would you care for a drink?" He gestured to the three bottles. His own preference was clear as he slowly drained the cup of alcohol and poured himself another, showing no signs or reaction to the liquid. "And as for why I fought not to tell you, it's simple. Where I grew up, the talent used in making these potions would have seen me at the very least out cast, if not hunted down." As he said this, the alchemist began to idly spin the vial of crimson fluid on the table between them, making the contents swirl I'm strange patterns.

An eyebrow arched high on the nekojin's heart-shaped face. Her lips curved into an amused smile as she saw him get out choice drinks for her to choose. A laugh couldn't help but escape her lips as she saw the available drinks to choose from. Looking at the clear white liquid, she could smell it was fresh, her giggle grew louder as she couldn't help but ask softly "Milk Nevin? Really? I know i'm part-cat but that is an obvious choice for me to drink! However, I haven't made my choice yet!" Her eyes then fell on the sparkling clear purple liquid shimmering in its glass bottle.

Her nose twitched cutely as the scent of fresh grapes reached her nostrils. Her ears twitched ever so slightly as the juice smelled extremely fresh to her keen sense of smell. She looked at Nevin another question escaped her lips before she could stop it as she asked interestingly "Did you make this juice yourself?" a little smile came to her soft lips as she finished "I"m asking because it smells so fresh!" she then paused to nuzzle her little angel, a warm mothering look come into her eyes as she shifted her little girl so that she was resting more comfortably with her little head against Rain's shoulder. Stroking her daughter's hair, Rain's silver eyes fell on the strong smell of alcohol permeating from the bottle Nevin was gripping himself.

Shaking her head, but offering Nevin a small smile she explained "Much as I love an occasional drink, now is not the right time for me to indulge Nevin. I want to be alert when you tell me your tale, and..." her silver orbs went warmly to her little angel as she finished up "I need to keenly ready for my little one when she wakes up from her sugar crash. She won't be happy she missed out on your story and i know she'll pepper me with questions about your mystery potions! So I need my energy to ward her off!" Kissing the top of her slumbering kitten's head, the anthro then shifted more comfortably in her chair, so that her and her little girl's weight was better situated.

Looking at the milk and the fresh-smelling juice, the cat-mother giggled again as she exclaimed "It'd be too stereotypical for me to ask you to serve me the milk! So i'll take the juice instead!" her silver hues then skimmed over Nevin's living space, as she complimented him softly by saying "You have a very cozy little home Nevin! Plus your potions shop is so clean, you aim to please your customer's don't you?" her hand then skimmed over the oak wood of the kitchen table, her digits not picking up one speck of dust! A meow escaped her lips as she made one last comment "Let me ask also, you love to keep both your shop and your home clean don't you?" she showed him her clean finger, not a trace of dirt on it as she pursed her lips and murmurs "Sorry for prying so much, its just well..." she looked down as she said softly "Never-mind, just tell me your tale please! Its why I made such a fuss in the first place!"

Nevin honestly hadn't been thinking about her feline nature when he pulled out the milk and the juice to offer her - his mind had already been off on what he was going to be talking with her about, and so he had just grabbed what he had in his ice box at the time. Still, she didn't seem upset that he had set some of the dairy product down on the table, just amused, so he wasn't going to panic about putting it away. He was running an index finger along the rim of his glass in thought when she asked if he had juiced it himself, and he nodded.

"Yes, I juiced the grapes. I originally intended to use them in the making of candies much like what your daughter sampled earlier, but in the end I decided to start the experiment with just the three flavors, and see if the children of the village would be buying them. Perhaps in time I will expand to other varieties." One gloved hand reached out and picked up the bottle of juice, and he poured a measure into a glass and pushed it over to her. Even if she herself wasn't going to drink alcohol, she would soon start feeling the aftereffects of the catnip she'd taken earlier, and having a cold drink would help perk her up. He thought she might regret not drinking some of the alcohol by the time he had finished - but then again, he had been blindsided the last time he laid out his bloody history.

His dark eyes flicked down to the child currently nestled in her mother's arms, curled up and slumbering away peacefully. It was a peaceful sight, and Nevin was glad that the girl wouldn't hear this. He shook his head slowly. "i would advise again not to let her know. It's not a pleasant tale, and while I am no parent so I cannot tell you what she is ready for, I would prefer no child ever have to hear what happened. It's.... well." But then she gave him an out, asking about his shop and his living quarters. He looked around, and one side of his mouth quirked upwards.

"You're not wrong. Tidying up and cleaning up soothes me after I've been working on potions and the like, so I tend to keep the place quite clean. It's no imposition to ask - most people don't think about the fact that an Alchemist's shop should, at least in my opinion, be kept clean at all times. Too many things we work with can have adverse reactions with each other, so if one was to leave spilled potions staining the floor, at some point you would end up poisoning not only yourself but everyone who even came into the same building. Far too much hassle - just keep the place clean ahead of time and keep after it. Ah. My apologies." Nevin grimaced, realizing he'd gone on a bit of a rant there. It was one of the odder topics for him to go off about, usually that was strictly about chemical reactions but... well, in a way, this was still about reactions.

But, he couldn't keep putting off her explanation forever. At some point little Mylie would awaken again, and then he would be clamming up, refusing to answer, which would likely cause the woman to come back to his shop alone later - which would just make the rumors about her being his wife worse, he just knew it. So, explain now, and if she wanted to come back that wouldn't be hanging over her head. That decided, Nevin pulled his gloves off of his hands, setting the black leather gloves down on the table beside his glass. The warm candlelight danced across his skin as Nevin flexed his fingers a few times.

They were pale, dreadfully so. It was clear that his hands rarely saw the light of day - but despite that, they looked healthy enough. No, the real problem would be the vibrant crimson lines that snaked across his skin, an intricate network of 'blood' that pulsed with an inner glow. The lines followed, as Rainee would figure out as a healer, the lines of the veins and arteries beneath his skin, but even then there were nearly three times the amount that should be there if they were just mimicking his blood carrying pathways. The man turned his hands over, showing that the lines ran along both sides of his arm. Crimson trails snaked up beneath the arm of his shirt, disappearing from sight. He smiled - but there was no joy in the expression.

"These are the remnants of a village cult, a cult that was a village, I don't know even now how to describe it. The entire village, from the elders to the...child... were a part of the cult, a cult that worshiped blood. I survived what they tried to do, but it changed me. I had a talent for magic naturally, not that I would have ever known that back home, but that talent was.... expanded, changed in direction. In short, Miss Rainee, I am a blood mage." And he picked up the bottle of alcohol, drinking directly from it. He didn't think he could stand to see her reaction. And he was not about to tell her the full tale - no need to burden the poor woman with the history of his mutilated soul.

"That's a good view to have Nevin." Rainee responded softly to Nevin's explanation about why he kept his living space and shop so tidy. Her slim fingers traced the rim of her glass of freshly made juice. She for a brief moment was lost in thought about a time when she had gone to a mad scientist's shop with another anthro friend and her fur had temporarily turned blue because of unkempt nature of his shop. It hadn't helped the cat-mother much that the scientist who had hired the pair of girls was a pervert, a lech who had angered Rainee to the point where she had punched him square in the gut sending him flying into his potions. Potions that in essence had spilled quite messily all over the floor. Turning her fur blue as a bright sapphire.

A little smile graced the nekojin's heart-shaped face as she explained softly "I want to tell you a story, a few years back, when my daughter and I visited the region of Alerar, with a young anthro named Jineh, we saw an add to work in a scientist's shop, to help him with his experiments. I thought it'd be a good way to earn some money and my companion was interested because she liked to tinker and make machines and contraptions. But..." Rain pursed her lips as she concluded her story saying saying softly "The whole thing turned into a fiasco, my fur turned blue, I was annoyed because of the scientist being a lech, the experiment was finished despite all the problems, but I learned a valuable lesson.... never trust a scientist that greets you with a smirk on their face and, roaming eyes." her ears twitched as the last words of her story left her mouth.

She then took a small sip of her juice, beginning to feel the hyper excitement of the cat-nip potion leaving her system. Her silver eyes lost some of their glimmer, as a small yawn escaped from her lips, covering it with her hand she meowed out "Excuse me, I think some of the energy I got from the potion I treated myself to is wearing off..." her nose then crinkled as she begin to smell the strong scent of blood again, she still felt tired, but her curiosity about Nevin's condition perked her up slightly.

Readjusting her daughter's weight so that she could learn forward, her silver hues roamed over the crimson lines crisscrossing their way through Nevin's arm. Following the pattern and absorbing his story intently. Rainee let out a gasp of shock as she fell back against the padded chair. Her lips were formed in an O as she exclaimed lightly "I can see why you did not want my daughter to hear your tale. It sounds horrible what the cult used you for, they created you to be a construct for evil correct?" the anthro begin to stroke her daughter's hair comfortingly to help keep her angel asleep as she begin to talk softly "I"m asking because it sound terrible to be raised to only be an outlet for an evil being. To have a soul but to not be loved or cared for by the parents that raised you...." biting her lip, Rain's hand slowed moving through her daughter's thick tresses of hair, pausing Rain sighs as she murmurs "I'm not shocked or horrified by your story, because I know evil exists in this world! HELL, I'VE LIVED THROUGH EVIL! WAS MARRIED TO A BASTARD WHO DRAGGED ME TO HELL!" anger was in the cat-girl's silver orbs before she yelped, throughly embarrassed now as she muttered softly "excuse my outburst...please, continue with your story Nevin...."

Blue fur - depending on the hue at least - would be an interesting sight on the woman in front of him, and Nevin could see why, even from his casual observation, a lewd man would find it hard to keep his eyes to himself. However, as a practitioner of Alchemy and a proprietor of a store, he could not stand the thought of someone doing that to a guest or an employee. It grated against his sensibilities a fair amount, and he forced himself to stay silent as she finished reminiscing.

As she finished speaking about that, Nevin watched as she seemed to droop all over - her ears relaxed a bit, her tail ceased to flick about with the same frantic motions, and her eyes stopped sparkling the same way as she yawned. The alchemist nodded as she explained that the dosage was running its course - probably a good idea that she had chosen the juice, the alcohol might have made her fall asleep as well.

It was after he had spoken that fire returned to her eyes - but different from the sparkling happiness that had been there before. Her guess was scarily on point it what he believe the cult had been working towards - a construct meant for something. He still did not know what that was, but even then... Nevin's head drew back and his eyebrows raised as the smaller woman spat out angrily, fire and venom in her words as she referred to her husband - in the past tense, Nevin noticed.

She didn't say what the man had done - for all he knew, the feline female was being quite literal, he had heard of stranger. But the absolute fury and hatred in her words were unmistakable, that much was certain. Nevin nodded once, slowly. If she had not already rejected his offer of alcohol, he would have given her some of the spirits in the bottle. As it was, he pushed her glass of juice closer to her slightly before continuing.

"Not much else to say, really. The cult performed ritual sacrifices, and in one of them they made me. Then they tried something else, a massive ritual,
but I sabotaged it. The village was, from what I can tell, wiped out after that failure, and I've been wandering ever since. Settled down here, and have been keeping my abilities quiet for the most part. You're the second to find all this out." And perhaps because she hadn't seen his soul, Nevin felt less... Raw afterwards. He certainly hadn't partaken of nearly as much alcohol.

Rainee could feel it, the anger, the raw hatred for Kedx coursing through her veins. As she felt the cold rim of her glass of juice being nudged into her hand. She let out a sigh, her hands tensing against the coolness of the glass. Lifting it up to her lips, she took a long, soothing sip. Placing it back on the table with a gentle clink. Her thoughts then drifted back to the reason why her venom was so intense. I never realized why my trust in people lessened...it was because I pushed the red flags I saw away. I believed Kedx still loved me, that he wouldn't abandoned Mylie and I to a fate of being alone, but no! He was nothing but a selfish, worthless prick! Only interested in the power that he could gain,so willing to toss me aside, to drain my life to gain true power! UGH! her tail twitched back and forth rapidly, as due to her nerves she once more snuggled her sleepy kitten closer to her. Comforted by the warmth, she giggled slightly as her little angel gripped her shirt tighter as her slumber continued.

A little meow of surprised escaped the cat-mother's lips, as she heard her little sweetheart mumble sleepily "I want another cookie mommy! Please? I've been a good girl and I haven't caused any trouble! the little cat's voice was heavy still with sleep as she was obviously shouting about something she wanted from a dream she was currently having. Her little fingers flexed instinctively against Rainee's shirt almost as she was trying to be adorable in her slumber to convince her mother to get her the sweet treat the little one was craving.

The nekojin shook her head, the smile leaving her lips. Ruffling her sleeping baby's hair one last time. The anthro looked at Nevin softly, her mouth curved slightly as she mutters "Your a very patient man, to listen to my outburst, and not get shocked by it. Let me just explain it to you simply, the man I thought loved me turned out to be a monster, he just used me and never truly cared for me! I had to learn that the hard way, because I still held hope that he'd return for Mylie and I, but instead..." she felt silent as she couldn't bring herself to explain the rest. Using the silence for a moment to down the rest of her juice, she let out a loud meow as she placed the empty glass on the table. Her silver eyes then fell on Nevin's cup of alcohol, she then groaned as she murmurs "It sounds like we've both had terrible paths, you with your insane cult! Me with my horrible ex-husband, and..." her eyes lowered even more as she continued "My childhood isn't much better either Nevin. My birth parents were killed when I was still and infant, then when I was a teenager my adopted family was slaughtered before my eyes by terrible bandits! So I'd say we have both had rough lives, yet...we survived! That shows we both have a great deal of inner strength to make it through rough times."

She then nudged her empty juice glass towards Nevin, nodding her head slightly as she finished up 'Plus you disrupted the cult's awful ritual and probably saved a lot of innocent lives in the process! I'd say that calls for a toast and juice won't cut it! Plus, I feel like I need it, it has been awhile since I found someone I could talk to. Plus, you didn't put up with my crazy antics and not throw me and my daughter out!" a wry smile graced her soft lips as she grinned and said softly "Any normal man would have thrown the crazy cat-girl out for causing such a huge ruckus in their shop!"

Rainee was visibly getting angrier as something burned in her mind. Nevin couldn't tell what it was - he was not a mind reader, just a blood mage and alchemist - but he could see that the fur across her body was standing on end, spiking up with rage. As she took a drink of the juice - a good idea on his part to push it to her - she relaxed slightly, but her tail was still lashing back and forth until Mylie suddenly piped up, begging for a cookie sleepily. The alchemist blinked twice at the small child as her mother cuddled against her, then watched as the adult feline female calmed back down. She took a deep breath and sighed before looking back to him and speaking. Nevin listened, tilting his head to one side - he caught the glance she shot at his alcohol and wordless poured some into her glass, mixing it with the remaining juice - until she finished speaking.

He had not.... expected several things here, and his shoulders sagged as he took a deep breath. He had not anticipated her accepting his magic without even blinking an eye, had not thought she would spill some of her story to him, including being abandoned by her husband. He took a long swallow of his glass of alcohol and sighed, firming his shoulders up ramrod straight as he looked at her. A heartbeat passed, and he shook his head to himself. "A man who'd abandon you carelessly is not worthy of the description 'man'. Now then." He poured more alcohol and drained it. "I was born in Salvar. You know of their views on magic, I take it?" It was hard for people not to, with the virulent violence that the country responded to magic with. "I realized early on that I could not abide by that - I was too fascinated with alchemy, and wanted to become more than just a glorified alchemist. So, I took to wandering, and eventually slipped over the border. I came upon the cult - they had actually become a village. There was a boy there, a boy who was born after his 'parents' performed a ritual. He was the first infant to survive. They performed more and more rituals as he grew up, until I stumbled upon them. Of course, I didn't know they were a cult, and fell into their trap. The boy and I both were used in a ritual, that combined us into one person. It was a later ritual that I sabotaged, using memories from the boy. He gave a mirthless smile to her, then flicked his eyes down to Mylie, and the dark orbs softened.

"Take heart in that you have something good that came of the events, at the least. I have my magic, which I have to hide. But yes - inner strength, and we both have risen beyond our pasts. The masks we show the world are strong, strong enough to hide the cracks and pains we bear. But that is the point of a persona, no?" He grinnned, the smile lacking joy and he rolled his shoulders. Then his smile turned a bit soft as he looked at Mylie. "And there was no way I would throw you two out. You started as customers, and have at the very least heard what happened to me and accepted it. Throwing you out before this would have robbed us of someone who we could share a drink with, right?"

Rainee gave Nevin a half-smile, her eyes warming a bit as she purrs "Thanks for the sentiment Nevin. Men should stand up and stand by the woman they choose to be with. Not..." her orbs grew distant for a second as she remembered the path Kedx had chosen. Her tail twitched in irritation as she finished her sentence "abandon his family for power and glory. He wanted magic similar to what it sounds like your cult uses. Power at sacrifice, cost, no matter what it is!" meowing as she finished her quick explanation. Her hand automatically reached for the bottle of alcohol that was on the table, grasping the coolness firmly, she poured her glass full. Taking a swig, she felt the bitter grain rush down through throat. Welcoming the heady warmth as the liquid flowed down her throat into her stomach.

Looking up at Nevin, she once more traced the rim of her glass, staring at the clear liquid now swirling slowly in it. Raising it she exclaimed softly "To living through hardship!" she then took another hearty swig, the glass now only half full, as their was a notable tone to her voice now as she murmurs "I can't believe that your cult would go through such lengths to form a construct...a construct that they thought would bow to their will, but! You turned out to be a strong being, opposed to their views and beliefs!" her daughter stirred slightly against her chest, almost as if something fun was happening in her dream, as little mewps and cute meows could be heard from the little one, her own little tail twitching almost as if she was chasing a ball of yarn now in her dream.

The cat-mother giggled softly, momentarily distracted by her daughter's adorable nature. Nuzzling her warmly and lovingly, Rainee finished her voice growing softly as her next little treat was beginning to take affect in her system. "Your a strong man Nevin, I can understand why you'd want to follow your own path. I feel that strength is what caused you to go against the cult Nevin, and disrupt what they hoped would be a successful ritual!" she then turned slightly in her chair to get more comfortable her voice softening even more as she murmurs "What are you plans though? How are you going to succeed against the cult? I'm guessing your gift of blood magic came from the ritual the cult performed upon you and the boy?" her tail moved slightly in curiosity after she asked this question. She knew she was prying letting the drink and her trip into fun, causing her to ask these questions.

I'll blame this little trip for potions on finding catnip. This was supposed to be a normal shopping trip! But instead I'm seated in the shop-keep's lovely little home. Asking him obviously private questions, I should be reserved, but now I just want to know! I thank god though that he didn't throw me out for imposing on him! Nevin really is quite the patient man! She couldn't help but smile at him as she finished up her round of questions politely saying "Also after all this, I still want to purchase my potions from you Nevin and pay for any damages me or my daughter might have caused..."

Nevin capped the alcohol off and slid it away from the table, instead filling up her now empty glass with more juice. While he himself would be drinking more later, Rainee had a child to look after so he would keep her from drinking any more of the spirits. Instead he listened quietly, fully believing that the man who had married her must have been one of the bigger idiots to walk the world. What was the point of power if you had no one to share it with? No, sacrificing others for power was simply stupid to the blood mage.

He kept quiet about the reason the cult's attempt at making a construct had failed. The boy had been fully incorporated into the church, so if they had done things properly it would have worked out beautifully for them. But they got greedy, and tried to all see the future they were building. No, Rainee didn't need to know how close the cult had come to succeeding. Instead he rolled his finger around the rim of his glass.

"Well. For my plans, I simply intend to change the opinion on blood magic. The cult itself was, I believe, wiped out on the night of the failed ritual. And yes, as I said, my blood magic skills started there, though that was just the ability to work it. What I have done since then has been of my own volition. My potions used for healing, in Alchemy, for example, is not something the cult would have considered. I think of every day where I do thinks with my gift that they never would have done as a victory against their memory." He didn't mind answering at this point. She knew of his power and didn't care, so telling her of their demise didn't bother him.

Then she tried to say she would pay for things, and Nevin waved her off. "I'll take payment for the medical potions you sought, and one of her candies -
the rest is no matter. I'll need to clean up the spilled sedative potion a little, but that's the worst of the situation, so I don't mind." And in truth, finding someone who accepted his blood magic was worth a few spilled potions.

The feelings of the alcohol was flowing through her system, giving the cat-girl a warm, sleepy relaxed feeling. Another yawn escaped her her soft lips, as a little meow followed suit. The cat-girl was hearing Nevin's explanation, about how he followed his own goals in both alchemy and nurturing his gift with blood magic. Hearing that more then likely the cult had been wiped from existence on althanas, made Rainee very happy. In a soft, sleepy voice the cat-mother murmurs "I"m glad the cult no longer exists, that your strength wiped them out from existing on althanas. It means that other young children like my daughter Mylie are safe from being used as pawns in their horrible sounding rituals!" she then hugged her little girl tightly against her chest, her mind wandered though to other dangers that always seemed to stumble against her naive little girl's path.

My little angel always seems to find trouble, no matter how hard I try to keep her safe! Her own natural curiosity puts her in harm's way! Hence why I have to keep a hawk's eye on her and never let her wander out of my sight! Otherwise, I know from experience the minute she wanders away from me, some evil being snatches her up to use her to gain magical power! Or against me! the sleepy-feeling was growing stronger inside the typically energetic cat-girl's body. Instinctively she begin to stroke her daughter's hair again, a mother taking comfort and pride in the little one that she was raising to be strong and know what needed to be done in this world.

Little meows and cute sounds was humming occasionally from Rain's mouth, meant to soothe and comfort her still sleeping kitten. In a loud a voice as she could manage the tired anthro purrs softly "Are you sure Nevin? I have more then enough coin to pay for the potion spills I caused. I don't mind at all paying for them because my tail caused them to tip over!" she then yawned again loudly, the sound echoing from her lips.

Feeling more groggy still, Rainee reached for her glass now filled with grape juice and begin to sip it quickly a small smile on her lips as she whispers softly "I think I overdid with the cat-nip AND the alcohol Nevin! I"m starting to feel quite sleepy!" a exhausted smile was on her lips, as she continued to drink the grape juice, letting the fresh sweet flavor soothe her now overworked mind and try to stave off some of the after-effects of both the cat-nip potion and liquor intake she had consumed into her body.

Nevin had frozen stiff as Rainee spoke, the the sluggish and somewhat sleepy cat-woman didn't seem to notice. How did she know-? That's not - no one could - wait, calm down. She's thinking they died in the aborted ritual. Not.. not that. As she continued speaking, the Alchemist's back relaxed, his spine unwinding from the sudden bolt of worry that had shot through him. Instead he calmly poured himself some of the milk that his guest hadn't wanted, and sipped on the beverage as she spoke, nodding. The cult is indeed dead, so far as I'm aware. I could be wrong - but I sincerely doubt it. I saw most of their corpses myself the next day - and enough carnage to account for the missing ones. Whatever they unleashed that night.... it was thorough in sating itself before vanishing."

He watched, quiet, as she comforted the small kitten-girl in her arms. It was a warm, comforting sight, a mother caring for her child. A bit strange considering they were in what was essentially a stranger's kitchen, but Nevin had no ulterior motives on the two - now that Rainee had demonstrated that she did not care about his blood magic, they could come and go as they pleased, much the same as his friend Avis could. Instead he just shook his head slightly, knowing that she wouldn't see the motion as her attention was enraptured by her daughter.

"There's no need to concern yourself overly much. As I've said, I gather the ingredients for the potions myself, so at worst the damage I could not replace myself would be my time, or a glass bottle if one had broken, and none of those did. I shall merely lose out on a little time as I gather ingredients next time, which I will have to do anyway to restore my stocks that are depleted in the course of normal business. One advantage selling wares you make yourself has,
one has almost no overhead costs." The redhead shrugged slightly, his shoulders rolling smoothly with the motion. It was true - all making his potions cost him was ingredients and glass - even the clay pots that some of his solutions resided in were made by his hands. Really, all the costs he had now were the glass bottles for the more expensive potions or the more popular ones, and time. Neither of which were a true imposition to give up when compared with finding someone else who accepted his magic without any sign of a qualm.

As she struggled to stay awake, Nevin frowned. The woman was trying, but he could see that she was having problems with maintaining consciousness even now, as she sipped her grape juice. Without a word, he stood up and slipped up the ladder, and shortly a rain of blankets and quilts came down the hole, landing with soft fwumps on the ground, and then a set of pillows came after - obviously mismatched, and hand made. Nevin dropped down ontop of the pile, bouncing slightly, and stood up before brushing himself off. He bowed and swept one hand towards the pile of linens.

"For your use, if you feel you cannot safely return to your abode. If you desire, I can retreat to my workshop down below and you can make a bed atop of the door to ensure nothing untoward happens. And don't fret about me - I have a cot down there that I sleep on quite regularly as it is."

Sleep, rest sounds so good right about now. I a small hand covered her mouth as a loud yawn escaped from her lips. Holding her hand gently against her mouth to stifle another coming yawn. The cat-girl stretched and looked at the extremely comfortable looking bedding that Nevin was hopping down a ladder with. Or more precisely onto as she heard him land on it with a soft THUMP onto the plush pillows and blankets that he was offering to her and her daughter to sleep on. A small small came to her lips, as she could feel her silver eyes growing heavy with tiredness.

In a soft voice she meows out "Very kind of you to offer my daughter and I a place to rest Nevin. Your hospitality will not be forgotten! To be honest...I think I overdid it with both the catnip potion AND the alcohol! So, I will not be able to make it back to my home tonight!" She then rose up her daughter still held gently in her arms, carefully she placed the small kitten onto the chair, balancing her out so that she would still remain asleep while placed momentarily in the chair. Shuffling towards the bed, she smiled warmly at Nevin murmuring "Thank you so much Nevin, for sharing your past with me and listening to me vent my own woes. We might have just met, but I think this is the start of a friendship!"

She then bent down to pick up the blankets and pillows and moved towards the door murmuring "I do hope the cot you sometimes sleep on is comfortable Nevin, and once more thank you for letting us borrow your home for the evening..." she then got to work, doing what any mother would do best, make a place of rest cozy and inviting. She expertly placed both her pillow and Mylie just perfectly against the wall, next she used a combination of the sheets to make a sort of springy mattress of cotton to rest on, then she placed the comforter for her kitten and her to share on top of the sheet mattress. Looking at it she nods her head murmuring "This will work perfectly!" she then waved at Nevin, another yawn escaping from her lips, as her soft white tail jerked from the exhaustion wracking her body.

Sluggishly, Rainee ambled over to where her precious angel was still dozing away, picking her up gently, she slowly shuffled back to their bed for the night and carefully placed her little angel's head against the pillow. Leaning down she gave Mylie a soft kiss on her forehead, then pulled the comforter snuggling around her little sweetie's sleeping form. Tucking her in for the night, she turned to Nevin and murmurs "Good night Nevin, I can't thank you enough for this! I would have collapsed on the street...if you hadn't let us stay!" she then snuggled into her side of the bed and without another word, the cat-mother was soon sound asleep, her tail twitching gently as dreams overtook Rainee's mind, the culmination of events of the day causing the anthro to sleep quite heavily even though she was not in her own home.

Nevin watched the two for a few moments, then shook his head softly. He agreed with Rainee, it would seem he had found a new friend in her, and he wouldn't mind seeing her again. And that she had indeed overdone it on the imbibing, but considering their topics had gotten a hit raw, poking at barely healed wounds in the psyche, he couldn't blame her.

For now though, he went about securing the place, making sure all the windows were locked and the doors barred. This would be quite possibly the worst time for someone to break into his shop because he was forgetful and left something unattended. Once he was sure everything was locked up, he wrote out a quick note to Rainee, explaining what had happened, where she was, and where he was in case she needed him when she awoke. The note was mainly in case the alcohol and catnip rush had an adverse effect on her memory. The final line was a warning not to let Mylie down into the basement where he was - it was his primary workspace, and not safe for a young girl to be.

That done, he opened his hatch and headed down the ladder, closing the door firmly above him. Normally he did not awaken early, but with the... Unexpected house guests, he would need to make an effort to. So instead of puttering about in his workshop, the Alchemist doused his lights and stretched himself out on his cot, trying to calm his busy mind so he could sleep. It was strange though - this was the first time he had fallen asleep with someone else in his house... In quite a long time. He sighed, turned over to stare at the wall, and forced himself to lay still and not think of anything until he fell asleep.

~Fin~

Name of thread: Catnip's a herb, right?
Judgement type: No Judgement

Nevin receives:
1440 EXP
160 Gold

Nekoprincess receives:
1430 EXP
150 Gold

Being smart as a whip includes knowing when not to crack it.
Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
Robert A. Heinlein

All rewards have been added.