for felix ( brothered )

[reclusivities]

[ Ooohhh, Bernie, what have you gotten yourself into?? she thinks to herself with a groan.

It's... not that she hates her life. Anymore, at least. Being at the monastery has been terrifying and stressful in more ways than one, but it's given her new perspectives and experiences she never would've had had she remained in Varley territory. Still, though! Sometimes a girl just needs to breathe! And be alone! Very, very alone. Which she is not right now.

Which is fine. Totally fine. They're just kitties, after all! It started with one, but then it... morphed... into four... which she has been doing her best to provide for. And just so happens to require her to go outside every now and then.

Okay, so maybe she currently hates her life a little, but it's okay! Bernadetta loves cats, and the little monastery strays are so cute she can barely take it. She's always enjoyed seeing them around the yards while walking to class, though they - and she, to be honest - were always so skittish she was never able to get near them.

One time the dining hall carried a fish dish, though. And that's how Bernie noticed the little rascals mewing pathetically outside the doors. It made her heart absolutely ache to see them look so desperate. No one around to care about them, many only seeing them as nuisances or dirty.

So that's how it started. One dish of leftover fish that just so happened to be left outside of her room and within a week, she had at least four furry little friends that expected to be fed every day. And... well, it would be terrible for her to leave them on her own now! She may not be the most sociable person ever, but she's responsible at least!

Unfortunately, Bernadetta knows she can't depend on the dining hall for food. And so begins her weekly adventure out into town to secretly buy cat food! But she definitely can't stop there - if she wants to care for them properly, then she needs to know what she's doing, of course. Her father never allowed her pets while living at home, so she's got a bit of her work cut out for her.

So her foray into town also turns into research. She puts as many requests for advice into the advice box in the cathedral as possible without the attendant giving her questioning looks, and finds herself up late at night scouring the library for information. Probably not the best idea, because why would the monastery hold the secrets of cats in their pages anyway?? No matter. She has to try, at least!

That night, she comes back on campus shortly after dark has descended. Hopefully no one was around to see her sneak back onto the grounds, less she get in big trouble. Maybe if they did, though, that person would give her mercy.

She's... gonna not think about that now. ]

Here, kitty kitty kitty... your friend Bernie has some food for you. Come out, come ouuuut.