faderift | Maybe we are the damaged ones

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Maybe we are the damaged ones

WHO: Velanna, a furry guest, and YOU
WHAT: Catch-all for Velanna
WHEN: Solace 10- onward
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Content warnings, OOC notes, links to other relevant posts, etc.

i. Unwanted Companion

Shortly after Hercules's wake, Velanna can be seen walking around camp with a tiny white and orange shadow. She seems mostly annoyed the the constant presence of the animal, who occasionally meows and gets a glare directed in his direction, before she continues on with what she's doing.

Eventually she gets exasperated and turns on her heel, pointing sharply in the general direction from whence the kitten came.

"Go away, I don't want you!"

ii. Library

The cat follows her, even to the library. She's seemed to grudgingly accept his presence at this point, and while she's reading or writing the cat is curled up on the chair next to hers, enjoying the sunlight streaming through the window she likes to sit near. She still pointedly avoids looking at the cat more than she has to, and it's quite obvious she isn't touching it. He's so cute though, what kind of monster is she for ignoring that little white belly?

iii. Camp Shady

She's accepted the inevitable. The cat is now hers, it won't leave her alone, and she has tried to push it off on others. It's mother is nowhere to be found, and someone has to take care of him, so the burden has become hers.

At least he seems content to curl up on top of the furs draped over her lap while she sits in front of the fire, her book propped up against his back while he purrs thunderously, her free hand absently scratching his chin. It's almost like she likes the little furball.

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What grabs his attention is when his own furry companion meows softly as he's picking out a book and then proceeds to hop off his shoulder and onto a table. If it was just that he'd be fine, but then the little pile of fur goes running off to another side of the library.

A heavy sigh. "Nikita," he whispers sharply, but the kitten continues on. Setting the book down - not what he wanted anyways - Sam quickly follows after. He's half expecting Nikita to be 'assaulting' some poor soul who has a sandwich or something, but instead he comes to find her wrestling with another cat.

Seeing that there was someone next to the chair, Sam gives a sheepish grin and rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry. That one yours?"

Velanna is only pulled from her intense study of the book in front of her by the playful yeowling of the cats next to her, and she frowns a little to discover the first little monster is now joined by a second one. She's about ready to tell them both to get when she's approached by the apparent owner of the other cat.

"No," she replies immediately to his question. "It has been following me, but it's not mine. Do you want it?"

Sam blinks at the comment, and more at the question. A short pause, and then he's giving a chuckle. "Not particularly. I've already got two, and I'm pretty sure if I bring another my roommate will throw a fit. Well a bigger fit. Besides if it's already following you it'll probably keep doing so even if I take it."

Two cats was enough so he'd really like to not end up with a third. "Do you not like cats?"

She'd kind of expected that response. The only person she knows crazy enough to take on a hundred cats is Anders.

"I don't dislike them," she replies, a little slowly. "I am a Warden. Sooner or later I'll need to go afield and battling darkspawn is no place for a cat. I cannot care for him."

"That doesn't seem to stop Anders," he replies immediately at hearing that. He was a Warden - if he remembered right - and he took Purrelden everywhere. Speaking of he needed to talk to Anders about that.

"I can imagine that would be tough." At least when he goes on missions he has a place to leave the cats and people to take care of them when he isn't there. For now at least. "So you're looking to find someone to take him in?"

"Anders doesn't think realistically," Velanna replies immediately, frowning a little at the thought. She'd always felt that Anders was being ridiculous when he brought his cat everywhere with them during their time in the Wardens, and now.

She glances over at the wrestling cats at his question, nodding her head slightly. "It would be safer for him to be with someone who doesn't run the risk of disappearing suddenly due to the nature of their job."

The response has Sam grinning ever so slightly. He didn't disagree with that thought considering he still thought it dangerous to lug a cat around with you every where, but considering Anders' life it made some sense as well. Least the cat didn't seem to mind.

"That... is reasonable, but Skyhold and the Inquisition isn't exactly a place full of people like that." Skyhold was better defended, but there was still risk of something happening, it was still a stronghold for a fighting force.

Now that Inessa's worn out Garahel with an active day ended with a long game of fetch, she brings her tired mabari over to the fire for some spoiling. The young Warden is a little spent herself, though she perks up at seeing Velanna. It's been a while since they've spoken and not since she arrived. When Garahel plops down by the fire, too exhausted to be curious for once, she joins him and smiles at Velana. Her eyes got stray to the cat, hoping it won't freak out because a mabari is suddenly here. Garahel, she trusts to be gentle even when he's not plopped on the ground awaitng belly-rubs.

"It's good to see you again. Who is your companion?"

The kitten in all his glory barely acknowledges the dog, with a brief glance from his bright blue eyes and a yawn, because clearly the dog is Beneath Him.

Velanna offers the young elf mage a slight smile, before grimacing at the question.

"A cat that has decided I'm to be his caretaker, apparently. I've started calling him Fen, though I don't know how taken I am with that name." Fen'harel is a wolf, after all. But then he's also considered devious, which this kitten certainly is.

Garahel yawns as well and stretches, Inessa waiting until he's good and settled before giving him those much-needed belly rubs. There's a glint of good-natured amusement as she listens to Velanna, glancing to the kitten in question.

"He's beautiful--and a bit like Garahel, there. You don't really have much choice when a mabari's imprinted on you." Though in Inessa's case, she was far more agreeable to it from the start. Still, she understands that not everyone is ready for or wants such surprises. "It's a fine name, though at least he's young. If something else suits him better, there's time to get him used to that instead."

"I am familiar with mabari's imprinting, but I've never met a cat so determined to be with a person." She knows she should feel proud of that or something, but all she can feel is that it's like the cat pities her. Thinks she needs him around to cheer her up or something. It's all fairly ridiculous, and she keeps it to herself.

"He's not the biggest bother, I suppose."

Inessa chuckles as Garahele wiggles a little at the belly-rubbing, then yawns before rolling over to nap. A fond head-stroking and she'll leave him be, to dream about killing darkspawn or chasing shiny balls or both. He'll no doubt pester Velanna for petting when awake.

"Nor have I, though I can't fault his taste in companions. That stubborn streak has served him well." She smiles and stands so she can settle down near Velanna, respecting personal space bubbles but still wanting to get a look at her new feline friend. "I remember the Circle Tower had a cat or two, but they were mousers, not pets. They didn't bond with anyone like this."

Fen seems pleased that Inessa is sitting down and he stretches his paws out of Velanna's lap before standing and moving over to her lap. Clearly he knows he's adorable and people shouldn't be able to resist petting him.

Velanna for her part smiles slightly, shifting her book back down onto her lap now that there's not a cat there.

"Anders has mentioned the cats in the Circle. You might have found he bonded with them."

Mention of Anders has her perking up a little and she nods. "He was from my Circle, though we didn't really cross paths then. I was still a child when he escaped for the last time." Given what happened there, it's undoubtedly for the best. "I assumed I would favor them more, but I suppose I'm more Fereldan than I realized."

Well, at least in terms of mabari. Garahel would undoubtedly be smug if he were still awake, but that slight leg-twitching tells Inessa he's already jumped headlong into naptime. That said, she seems perfect content with feline company now, smiling and offering her hand for the kitty to sniff at before reaching up to stroke his head. "Hello, Fen. It's nice to meet you."

"He's a fine looking mabari, and they are renowned as fearless companions, regardless of nationality," Even if they were most popular in Ferelden, she had seen a few in other places as well.

Fen squeaks in response to Inessa's greeting, bodily bumping his face into her hand. He isn't shy about demanding affection.

Inessa smiles warmly at the compliment to her mabari in particular. She may always struggle with how to respond when compliments are directed to herself, but Garahel is different. "Very true. Even in Orlais, they may not have been fond of him, but they were also reluctant to antagonize." She just shakes her head. "I don't see what's so awful about being a 'dog lord' anyway. There are far worse fates."

Okay, the squeaking is adorable. Inessa's expression softens again, and she responds to that demand with gentle affection, petting wherever he seems to enjoy it. She didn't think he'd care for the lingering mabari scent on her person, but is happy to be proven wrong. "Such a handsome fellow. And confident, too."

While technically speaking Velanna was born in Ferelden, she's usually hesitant to say she herself is Ferelden. She understands the dog lord thing well, however. She'd spent several years working side by side with Fereldens, after all.

"Humans attempting to further segregate not only other races but even their own. Elves rarely get so particular," she's seen it, of course. But as they're all fairly uniformly repressed, further repression based on where one was born (aside from the obvious disconnect between city elves and the Dalish) seems foolish.

Fen is content to continue rubbing up against Inessa's fingers, flopping over after a beat, his purr practically thunderous. "Yes, he seems quite fearless."

"I've met a few who were of the 'at least we're not Fereldan' mindset, but for the most part, that's been true of my experience as well." She shrugs, more puzzled by such things than offended since, yes, repression is rather universal. Even as she's detached from many things elven, Inessa just doesn't see the point of further segregation.

That thunderous purring is a welcome distraction from such thoughts, and she chuckles, not daring to stop giving Fen attention. "Indeed. I suppose he's not as interested in belly rubs as Garahel? I'd rather not be clawed for attempting to find out."

"You know, I knew he'd eventually win this battle." Is Bethany's amused reply to seeing Velanna curled up with her cat. She's got her bag with her, and her dog ... elsewhere. She doesn't want to hurt the poor kitten after all.

Instead, she digs into her bag and pulls out some small cat toys, placing them on the ground near where Velanna is with her kitten. "What have you decided to name him?"

Velanna sighs rather laboriously at Bethany's statement, although the slight smile after shows she's not entirely unhappy with the arrangement. When Bethany puts the toys down the kitten immediately loses interest with being sleepy, his interest piqued and he climbs out of Velanna's lap, cautiously batting at the toys before grabbing hold of the closest one and flopping over with it.

"I'm calling him Fen. I don't like complicated names, and I think it suits him." Some other Dalish might balk at her naming something after Fen'harel, but he is a part of their culture.

Bethany grinned at her, and went to flop down on the grass besides Velanna. She batted the toy a little in the kitten's grip, so it would jiggle and make noise for him.

"Fen. I like it. It's simple but ... it fits him. He looks like a Fen." She pulled her knees up to her chest. "We're getting quite the menagerie down here."

Anders is smirking. Granted, it's not a rare sight on his face, but it's rare that he directs it at Velanna. He leans against a tree and smirks, watching her with the cat. Before too long it's grown into an all-out grin.

"What was that you were saying the other day? Go away, you didn't want him?"

Edited 2016-07-31 01:46 (UTC)

Velanna looks up at Anders's voice and scowls at him, a direct contrast to the grin on his face.

"You find this amusing?"

"Me?" He tries for an innocent voice, but like always, doesn't succeed. "Never. Not in the least. Have you asked him who is the pwecious widdle puddy cat yet? I find that key in interactions with cats and kittens both. He'll appreciate it."

After pushing off the tree, he comes over and sits next to her. "So, what's his name? Death to Shemlen? Sylvan Wrath? Mister Puffychest?" One of these is not like the other.

Edited (been a while...) 2016-07-31 04:55 (UTC)

If looks could kill- Well, Anders would probably be dead a long time ago. But the look Velanna is giving him now is likely one he's very familiar with. It's the one she gets when she really wants to murder someone but knows she's not allowed to.

Electing to ignore most of what he's said, Velanna chooses to just answer his question. In her flattest tone.

"His name is Fen."

He's very used to the look. He's just not used to it from Velanna, not in a long time, and the smile slips, goes crooked. The teasing's meant to be in good fun, but clearly she's not taking it that way. Is having a cat more personal than he knows? He's not sure.

"Fen," he repeats quietly. "Well. He seems... content. The purring's a, a good sign."

Only personal in that she doesn't have a great track record in keeping things that are dependent on her alive. The look does soften a little as he eases off the bad puns and she glances down at the purring ball of fur and sighs.

"I suppose so. I still don't know why he's so taken with me."

"Maybe he knew you would give in. Kittens seem to have a sort of sense of those things."

He's still a little tense. He's not used to actually angering Velanna, just teasing her to irritation. "Maybe he knew you could use another friend?"

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Maybe we are the damaged ones

Library

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Camp Shady

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