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

[Nevin]

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?"

[Nekoprincess]

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..."