A Very Intended Ambush PV: Katrina Walker

For the past year, Katrina had been dragging herself out of bed each morning to go for a run. Today had been no different. The instant students were let out of their dorms, Katrina was racing down the stairs in running shoes and bursting out to the Grounds. She went on a run, she guessed it was about a mile each way, past the lake, through a couple small groves, close enough to the Forbidden Forest to just see it, then around near Care of Magical Creatures and the Greenhouses, then back. She ran back up to her dorm to change into school clothes then caught the tail end of breakfast. The rest of her day was average, like most days. Some studying here, some dueling practice there. Then, instead of back the Room of Requirement for her now normal dueling and fighting practice, she decided to go for a leisurely walk outside.

Boomerang met Katrina at the door, she supposed already knowing what she was planning. He happily trotted alongside his witch, nose up, sniffing the slowly spring-turning air. It was a decent day for once, chilly, the rain from the morning already piddled away. Katrina debated returning to her old tree. The one she’d abandoned being interrupted so many times at. Boomerang took off and Katrina followed, it seemed he had made the decision for her.

Katrina bent down to fiddle with her shoelace that had come partially undone and when she stood up, she registered someone else standing not to far from her. She’d only been under the tree a moment. The tree that she’d spent a majority of her first year in. But Hackasplat had already made up his annoyance ridden mind. Time to make Kat’s day horrible. At least, that’s just what she imagined him saying in his mind. It’s not like she could read minds. And if she could, he would be the last person she’d ever want to mindread. Shaking herself out of her random internal tangent, Katrina easily slipped on a face of annoyance.

“You’re tree?” Katrina scoffed, “Last I heard, the trees weren’t personal property,” Having the decent day that she had had, Katrina wasn’t terribly quick to deadly annoyance. She knew she’d shaken up Hackasplat last time they’d met so maybe he was afraid of her and she could make the point to him to leave her alone. At least, she hoped she could make all of that happen. “Oh, ‘special spot’, how lovely,” A wry smile and a dose of sarcasm were served alongside her words.

Katrina mimicked Hackasplat’s crossed arms. She was just about to make a comment about slugs or something along those lines when Hackasplat started talking. Something about fun activities not being an option or something. Yeah, if she had been nicer to him. Even though it was Hackasplat who had bothered her and hadn’t left. And it was Hackasplat who had sprayed her and Boomerang with a spray bottle that first time they met. Katrina could see in some alternate reality where Hackasplat was slightly more tolerable that she could befriend him, but his simple existence was a bane to her reality.

He suddenly stumbled back. All cockiness and confidence extinguished. Katrina half expected to see Beckett behind her with a spell on the tip of her wand. Hackasplat seemed pale and shaky and Katrina recognized the look in his eyes as utter terror, like Bridget that one time with the spider. Except, Bridget had a legitimate reason to be afraid of spiders, Hackasplat, as far as she knew, had no actual reason to be afraid of Boomerang. Katrina didn’t say much, instead enjoying watching Hackasplat as he clearly struggled with what to do.

“It’s not a beast. It’s called a cat. At least, that’s what it’s called by every normal person in the world,” Katrina said in a slightly evil joking manner, “And unlike you seem to believe, cats are not devil spawn, nor are they inherently bent on ripping you limb from limb,” Katrina was biting back laughter. Suddenly, a world of opportunity opened for the young lioness. But, the least she could do is not traumatize Hackasplat permanently.

“Hey, Boomerang,” Katrina murmured, clicking her tongue. At the click, Boomerang’s ears turned and the rest of him followed. Katrina let Boomerang at her side, not holding him to give Hackasplat too much of a feeling of security. Katrina discreetly slipped Boomerang a treat from inside the zipped plastic bag her outer cloak pocket. It wasn’t true that cats were incapable of being trained. In fact, Katrina found that Boomerang was easier to train than most cats, possibly because of their magical connection.

“So you are afraid of cats,” Katrina smirked, “That doesn’t explain why you keep a spray bottle in her Merlin forsaken pocket. But it does explain some of your odd antics,”

[font=PT Sans]The face Hanako made could easily convince anyone that he had a taste of the grossest, disgusting, taste buds traumatizing food in the world. There were many things he’d like to say to Katrina. Mostly foul ones. Okay, the majority are foul. But it was only his small kind nature that was growing by the pace of a snail that was keeping his mouth shut. Although it could not hide anything on his face. “ Fine!” he barked back “ Fine. I admit it, but you lot are the weird ones for worshiping these freaky things. They jump- they claw- they act all high and haughty it’s astounding to me how you stand all that. I’m not scared of them. I’m just- more aware of the troublesome things they bring. It’s you with the weird antics, not me!” Insisted the boy who was still holding a water bottle spray in the direction of Boomerang, as if not convinced he was safe from any serious threat. The Lioness had seen the change in his behavior once a cat was mentioned so many times that it would only take a real idiot to be in denial of the so-called top secret information of Hanako Tone. Thank god he was above that. “ Odd antics?” he glared as if deeply offended. “ Now listen here feline worshiper-” he lowered down his weapon. “ As much as I love to spend my time protecting my own - sneeze - safety! Safety- from your sock smelling, fur licking beast, I have more - sneeze- important events that are in dire of my marvelous presence”. Also because the longer they stayed the more he felt his nose tickling uncomfortably. “ So hear me loud and clear when I say I will leave this area. And you and that- that thing-” he pointed to ‘that’ thing sitting innocently next to Katrina “- will do nothing but sit there and not move an inch. Absolutely - sneeze- NOTHING!” While he still held a tight grip on his weapon without his eyes taking off from the pair, he started to move backward slowly. He had enough of this cat antics. It was as if he wasn't even able to bother Katrina with that cat with her. Revenge for anothe event where his pride fell 10 levels deep was going to have to be rescheduled. And it was only when the boy had reached a good amount of feet away from them, that he would speed walk to absolute safety. But that sigh of relief will happen if he gets away peacefully. [/font]

@Katrina Walker

There was a small part of Katrina that felt guilty about what she was planning to do. She prided herself on being kind and helpful and protective a good deal of the time. So what was it about this second year that made her so on edge and sarcastic and rude. As Hackasplat continued on about how cats were wretched, sneezes interrupting ever few words, Katrina felt a little plan start to form in her mind.

"What makes you think I can completely train a cat? Wouldn't it just be too easy to just…" Katrina lifted her hand in a short motion. Her fingers splayed out. They were previously in a gently closed position with her fingertips touching. A signal to Boomerang to stay, but now that they were no longer reminding Boomerang to stay still, his every whim took over.

Her little feline companion started trotting over Hackasplat. Little nose held high, sniffing the air. There was a moment where Katrina swore she could see his gears turning. This was the mean boy. The one that sprayed him last time. That made his owner so upset. A small rumble started up in Boomerang, this wasn't a sweet purr, no, this was a growl. A warning cry. Stay away from my human.

"Cats don't tend to forget people they don't like," Katrina called out, a half serious expression on her face, "And this one in particular tends to be fairly protective. I'd recommend you leave," Boomerang's claws silently sunk into the grass under-paw, tail starting to twitch, back arching, pupils widening. Boomerang would make a false start at Hackasplat, a few swift steps towards him before turning away. If Hackaspat were to run, Boomerang would chase, otherwise, he would just make some frightening expressions and lick his paws with the claws extended.

Boomerang wasn't playing around as much as Katrina was.