[Aithe]

Aithe sat at a small table in the corner of a log cafe, staring out the window with no expression. At a first glance, someone might think she was sad...heartbroken...alone. But as many others knew, she was merely in one of her thinking states...a state where she tossed and turned subjects over, like a flipping egg in a frying pan. Indeed there was much to think about...not all happy.

The cold was welcoming to her, a very unusual thing seeing as most preferred warm weather. She had grown up in Canada, a place known for its cold temperatures. Sometimes summers there couldn't even be called summers. And being at the base of the Rockies most of her life, frost clinging to the evergreen branches was a familiar sight. Sighing, she slipped her mitted fingers through the handle gap on her mug, squeezing the china circumference of it tightly. Her eyes never unlatched from the white landscape. After a few more moments, she noislessy raised the mug to her lips, softly swallowing the scalding hot chocolate without so much as a twitch. Then it returned to the table and Aithe turned to glance at the door

Where was Laurel? She had sent a note to her old aquaintence...a note that told her to meet her here. The meeting could've been held at her electronic shop, true, or even at her house. But this was an excuse to come to the Alps for the first time...an excuse to bring back her childhood memories. The reason for the meeting had not been stated. She had decided if Laurel did not like it and did not come, then she wouldn't even see the girl...yet another secret reason for this meeting. The proposal was for Laurel to live with the dragon. Aithe had managed to find out that Laurel was one of the few that didn't have a house yet. All the rest were creatures unknown to her. There were several reasons behind this. One, since Chen had moved out, the house had become too large for a woman and her dog. Two, as much as she hated to admit it, she was getting a bit lonely. And three, Hamish needed a friend, and seeing as Laurel was a shifter, there was no doubt in her mind that she had to have some kind of animal with her. The offer seemed reasonable. It was a large house that would normally take the shifter a while to afford. Not only that, but it was fully furnished and electronic-fied. But maybe word had gotten to Laurel how...tempermental she could be. A major thing that turned a lot of people off.

Another sigh escaped her lips, her fingers drumming on the table surface. She hugged her jacket tighter around her, then returned to window-gazing

[Laurel]

Laurel, clad in white jeans instead of shorts and a dark blue heavy sweatshirt, pushed her way into the cafe, fighting against the frigid air. Her breath came in short puffs as she scanned the cafe, looking for Aithe. A nagging curiousity tugged at her, wondering what Aithe had wanted to meet her here for. Spotting her in the corner, she rushed over as fast as her frozen legs would take her.

"Hey. Sorry... I'm late," she puffed, pulling off the blue scarf that adorned her neck. "I... Had to wait... Until I... Levelled." Her words were slightly broken up between shivers as she rubbed her hands together. She wasn't particularly fond of the cold. She pulled a chair out and sat down in it, hands clasping in her lap.

[Aithe]

Just as Aithe was observing the paths of melted snow on the window (and silently making bet about which one would reach the sill first), someone burst in the door. Seeing as the cafe was almost empty, with good reason, she knew it had to be the shifter. Her head snapped sideways and her eyes sparkled. It was indeed Laurel. The girl was short of breath, nose tinted pink from the cold and some ice clinging to her clothing. Then the shifter seemed to spot her and ran over.

She reminds me so much of someone...someone...but who? she thought, but brushed it aside when the girl took her seat. The corner of her mouth twitched upwards in a small smile.

Hey. Sorry... I'm late

No...it's fine, really. I've been enjoying the snow, you see. Very beautiful. And the hot chocolate's....nice. Not as good as Daoine's I must admit. But decent... she trailed off, eyeing the girl. Now I bet you're wondering why I sent for you... Aithe had to hold back a chuckle. She didn't bet it...she knew it. Laurel's mind was confirming that. Withdrawing her hands from her lap, she set them on the table in front of her, entwining her fingers. Then a silence fell over her from both the search of words, and for dramatic effect. How would you....like to....stay with me? In my house I mean. Hrmm...like...be my new roomate and everything? The house is quite nice, you know. Maybe you've seen it? Uh...wait...you haven't, that's right. Her pale face reddened slightly at the cheekbones. Well, like I said. It's nice...fully furnished. There are two rooms for you to choose from, and a nice yard for...whatever pet you might have... she stopped before the simple proposal became a speech, then watched and waited for a reaction

[Laurel]

How would you....like to....stay with me? In my house I mean. Hrmm...like...be my new roomate and everything? The house is quite nice, you know. Maybe you've seen it? Uh...wait...you haven't, that's right. Well, like I said. It's nice...fully furnished. There are two rooms for you to choose from, and a nice yard for...whatever pet you might have...

The proposal caught Laurel off guard. She hadn't known what to expect, but it certainly wasn't this. A small smile spread over her pale face as she listened, rubbing her hands together under the table. Move in with Aithe? Get out of the corridors? Oh Xanth, yes. She nodded slowly. "I'd really like that. A lot. Thank you for offering it to me, and... Stuff." She smiled sheepishly, unsure of how to word anything. A pet? Hmm... She had been thinking... Oh yeah! "I'm buying an adult fox soon, now that you mention it. Will a fox get along with..." She mentally smacked herself, forgetting Aithe's dog's name. "Your dog?"

[Aithe]

Aithe smiled at Laurel's acceptance. Finally she'd have another roomate...perhaps one better than the last. A small scowl flickered across her features...but it was for such a short moment it could barely be seen.

Oh...you mean Hamish? she laughed and made a half-wave in the air before her. That ol' fart...he'll get over it. Maybe he'll sulk for a while, but the next thing you know they'll be best friends. Besides, we could always build...your fox a pen in the backyard. She clamped two hands on the cooling mug and lifted it to take a few long draughts. Spluttering slightly, she dropped the cup back down and made a face. Ugh...nothing worse than lukewarm cocoa.

[Laurel]

Laurel grinned, seeing the manner in which her friend addressed the matter of her dog not getting along with her pet. She nodded to Aithe's cocoa, witch she didn't seem to enjoy much anymore, and asked, "Want another?" Pushing her hair behind her ears with numb hands, she coughed shortly. No. Not sick.

[Aithe]

Aithe frowned slightly, a worried crease forming on her forhead. She decided not to make a huge deal of the matter. After all, many got colds up in the mountains...especially those who weren't used to it. She decided all that Laurel needed was warmth.

Here, she said, rising and extending a hand. Let's go back to my...I mean our house. You need some tea or something. I think I might have coffee back at the house as well....

[Laurel]

Laurel took Aithe's hand after pulling her gloves on, sliding the scarf around her neck in the process. She followed her dragony friend out of the small cafe, thinking about how it'd be pretty neat to be away from the Grove. Attila and Aeitius had died, and Nerissa just dissapeared or something, so it'd bee quiet (but peaceful, none-the-less).

[Aiden]

With three scarves wrapped around his neck, Aiden entered the warm cafe, gratefully feeling the heat of the place. He patted snow off of his leather jacket, then rubbed his numbed hands together. Who would've thought that the weather in the alps would be this cold? Having lived in the sunny coasts of an Elysian island far away, Aiden was unused to the extent of this coldness.

Taking a seat beside the frosted window, he asked the waitress for a cup of coffee and promptly received it. Surrounded by quiet conversations and the sound of a roaring fireplace, Aiden cupped his fingers around the coffee and sat in the silence of the cafe, contemplating things that remain unknown.

[Scarlett]

Scarlett entered the deserted cafe, her cheeks flushed and her nose red from the biting cold outside. She had never been anywhere truly cold before, but she had heard many things about this place, and had to confess she was impressed by its beauty.
Making her way to the counter Scarlett placed her order for a hot chocolate, for her it had always been a magic cure for everything, and the cold was no exception. As she waited she looked around the cafe, its emptiness striking her as odd - it was a shame really, she loved people watching, and apart from a attractive male situated by the window there was nothing to watch. Scarlett's somewhat intrusive stare at the male was interrupted by her hot chocolate arriving. Picking the toasty mug up, she paid the waitress and made her way to a table close to the fire, but still with a view of the great mountains outside.

[Aiden]

I really have no goals was the conclusion of Aiden's long trail of thoughts. And it was true. So far in his life, the shifter had wandered around, encountered the occasional difficulties, and just lived. And he didn't regret that. He snapped his gaze from out the window to the pretty woman by the fireplace; he definitely didn't regret it.

Lowering the mug from his lips, he pushed hias chair back and left his table, approaching the red haired woman. Choosing the table next to hers, he picked the seat that was closest to her. Setting his coffee cup on the table, he shifted sideways to face her. "I came to the alps to go sightseeing, but I didn't know it would be this freezing," he grinned at the stranger, "Anyway...do you happen to know any good locations around here, or is this the only spot?.

[Scarlett]

Scarlett watched the stranger make his way to where she was sitting, observing as he perched on a chair next to her. As she spoke she found herself staring at him, something that she found quite pleasant. That was until she realised he had spoken to her - franctically she tried to remember what he has asked. After a few moments she had gathered her thoughts and replied,
"There's quite a few places.. personally I like the Fae Forest to relax, although you have to be careful of the pixies that live there. If you want to meet people then New York's good, as is the marketplace, in particular the cosy cafe. Are you new around here then?" She finished, lifting her hot chocolate to her lips and sipping gently, over cautious so as not to burn her tongue.

[Aiden]

Smiling in memory of such familiar places, Aiden shook his head in reply. "Nah. I left on vacation a while ago and returned to find this place among the portals. So I dropped by to explore."

With a silly grin, he pointed at the scarves around his neck. "I was lucky enough to find a clothes store along the way here. I never thought the Alps would be so cold." A big mistake on his part.

[Scarlett]

Scarlett smiled, she too had been quite unprepared for the cold she might face on her travels, and as such, was dressed in quite a number of clashing jumpers and scarfs. Sitting next to the fire had warmed her slightly, and she removed some of her clothing, revealing her slender figure.
"Doesn't seem like you'll be doing much exploring from a cafe though?" Scarlett joked, she enjoyed this beautiful place, but had to confess she prefered it more when she was on the inside looking out.

[Aiden]

He shrugged in reply to her comment. "Yeah..." he looked toward the window that he'd sat by only minutes before. He had planned to hike up the trail a bit in cat form, but that now seemed like a bad idea. For one, could a leopard cub stay warm in that kind of weather?

Turning to the girl, he grinned, "But cafes are excellent places to meet people." She had taken off one of her jackets, revealing a slim figure. Extending a hand, the cat shifter said, "Aiden Roy..."

[Sanura]

A small black kitten ran through the door to the cafe when a couple walked in, startling them and causing the woman to scream, sort of. It was more of a gasp-like scream. The silver chain dangling around the kitten's neck proved her to be Sanura. Her fur was bristled up as she shivered. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come in the form of a kitten. Smart move, Sanura.

Spotting Aiden, as well as someone else, Sanura was glad this was the first place she had come after getting her cast removed. She hadn't seen her friend in a while, and she still hadn't found a suitable birthday present yet.

{{Needed somewhere to stick her, so I hope no one minds?
Edit;;
I only planned to have her sit for a bit, then leave. x3 Not interupt them or anything, but yeah. x3
She's "sort of" crushing on Aiden, so I figured that, it's in my head but it needs to be in posts.
And Scarlett? Umm... Another girl didn't walk into the cafe. A kitten did. ;;}}

[Scarlett]

Scarlett smiled, she was pleased to have met somebody new, and considering he also felt the same she felt no urge to be her sometimes prickly self. Taking his extended hand she shook it lightly, her hands still freezing from the cold outside.
"Scarlett. Pleased to meet you." She had no idea of revealing her last name, it was irrelevant, and she disliked divulging to much information to complete stangers.
"So, how long have you been in Elysia? I've never seen you before - I wouldn't have forgotten you." Scarlett smiled, she was flirting, something she had not done for a while, but it was all in good fun, and she had forgot how good it felt. Her unusual features darkened slightly as she saw a black cat enter the cafe. Wonder what thats doing here? Scarlett thought.

{{OOC : I guess thats fine.
Gahhh was having an off day yesterday - fixed now!}}

[Aiden]

"Oh...quite a while, actually. I left NYC a few weeks ago to visit old friends," Aiden explained.

Grinning, he said, "Elysia's such a large place...I'm glad we met." His ears picked up the sound of a stifled shriek. Turning toward the sound, he saw a black cat with a silver chain on its neck. Sanura...

He smiled and waved, knowing that she'd seen him. "Hey Sanura," when he thought she was within hearing distance.


((OOC: Woot! HI SANURA! No, I don't mind. ;P))

[Scarlett]

Scarlett nodded, she could understand why he'd come so far to meet people, after all she'd travelled for months to find her brother.
"The same kind of thing brought me here." She replied, not wanting to go into much detail, yet wanting him to know she understood. As she sat and took in the cosy atmosphere she was slightly suprised to see Aiden waving at the cat.. What the...? She thought, before she realised it must be a shifter.

[Sanura]

"Hey Sanura."

Damn... He wasn't supposed to see me! He looks like he's having fun--I didn't want to interupt. If it were possibly for a kitten, especially one with such dark fur, to blush, she would have from embarassment.

Trotting over to their table, but staying a few feet away, she mewed her greeting. There wasn't much she could do, anyway, as a cat.