Pitch makes up with Shaurria

Shaurria padded out into the Park, then stopped when she saw the now-familiar black shape. She started to turn back, but then she saw his ear twitch, and knew it was too late. "I see you," Pitch sang out. Shaur rolled her eyes and sauntered over, passing by the other druid to sit in her favorite sunny spot. As she expected, Pitch followed her and sat nearby.

"How are you today?" he asked politely. Shaur thought about ignoring him, but knew now that it wouldn't work; he would keep pestering until she answered. With a sigh she shifted out. "Why are you always so cheerful?" she asked him irritably. He shrugged. "We're both alive and well, and this is a perfectly gorgeous day for winter," he replied. "What is there to be grumpy about?" She stared at him. "You're weird," she said finally. "I think you established that as fact yesterday," he immediately countered, and she couldn't help giggling a little. "D'ya always use big words like that?" He cocked his head to the side. "Sometimes. If I want to get a point across, people usually listen to big words. As if the words mean that I actually know what I'm saying." He smirked, and she laughed again.

Three ran up to her at that moment, meowing loudly. She picked him up and started petting, then glanced back at Pitch. He had unshifted when she looked away, and was now sitting cross-legged, watching her. "You really don't like me much, do you?" he asked suddenly. She blinked at him, then started to say, "No." She stopped herself though, and thought for a second. Finally she shrugged. "Not much." "Why?" he responded. "Well... you act funny. People think you're rude. I don't even know what you're talking about half the time." "Mmhmmm," was all he said.

Shaur looked down at her kitten, who was rolling in her lap and batting at her hands. "Why do ya act like that?" she asked without looking up. "All... weird 'n stuff?" He didn't answer for a bit; she guessed he was thinking it through. "You're a cat most of the time," he finally said, and she looked up in surprise. "Why is that?" She narrowed her eyes. "Don't want t' tell you," she said. "S'private." "But it's a part of you, right? It's who you are." "I s'pose so," she said, more thoughtful now. Pitch nodded. "This is who I am," he said simply. "I couldn't be any different and still be true to myself, any more than you could give up your catshape." Shaur blinked at him, considering, then nodded back. "S'pose that makes enough sense," she said, and he beamed at her.

Shaur looked down at Three again, then hesitantly she asked, "That stuff you were talking bout last night, was it all true?" Now he blinked at her. "Uh, what part?" "Y'know, about the demons 'n stuff." "Hyjal?" he asked. "That was all true, yes." "But did the demons really mess everything up?" she pressed. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "Yes, the fel taint spread out and caused a lot of the damage. Some of the damage is caused by the creatures corrupted by the taint, though." Shaur gripped Three a little too tightly at his words, and the orange cat mrewed and struggled free, dashing across the grass and into a bush. Both druids watched him go, then Pitch looked back at Shaurria, his gaze sharpening for an instant. Shaur didn't notice, still watching after her cat. "What... what was it like?" she asked softly. Pitch didn't answer, and she finally looked over. He was studying her intently. She frowned. "What?"

Finally he spoke. "You weren't at the battle, correct?" She shook her head. "Was too little. M-my mom took me off safe, and... and my d-dad stayed and helped with th' healin'." "So you've never seen a real battle." She shook her head again, and he nodded slightly. "You're still young, little cub, and some things can wait til you're a bit older, yea? Suffice to say that it was a horrible experience, and one I'd like to not see repeated." She frowned at him, but let it drop.

Pitch abruptly changed back to his cat form and stood, stretching. He padded over and flopped at her side. "Now if you're done asking questions, perhaps you'd like to scratch my back again? You do a good job." She tried to keep a grin off her face, only partly succeeding. "I ought to, I get enough of it," she quipped, then started scratching down his spine. "Ooooooh, that's the spot," Pitch practically purred. His hind leg started twitching. Shaur grinned and scratched harder, fingers digging through his thick coat.

She scratched for a minute or two, then stopped, giggling to herself. Pitch looked back at her, faintly disappointed, then stood up and shook himself. "Okay, my turn," he announced, and she peered at him, suddenly wary. He stepped away, then turned back and dropped to a crouch, tail lashing. "Better look out," he said mischievously, then charged at her. Shaur yelped, changing to cat in an eyeblink and racing away. Her yowls and his laughter echoed through the Park.