A Little Disoriented PV Moretti Finished

Kaegan scowled as she clapped her hands together, and then immediately critiqued his performance in the bushes. "Oh, my apologies. I didn't know you were so experienced in the art of catching feral cats. Shall I serenade it with rose petals next time?" he snarked. "Anyways, it seems like my approach was more effective than mewing at it, hmm?" the boy added, supporting Heather's weight as she stood up.

A slight pain reminiscent of a burn sliced through his cut, and Kaegan winced softly. He noticed that Heather had cut herself off mid-sentence, and was now asking for the cat. With a look of disgust, he dropped Misty into her arms, brushing stray hairs off the front of his shirt with his spare hand.

"I think I have a handkerchief. Just a second-" Heather said, moving closer to him in order to wipe at his cut. Kaegan stepped away with a scowl, putting her at an arm's length. "I'd rather bleed out," he snapped satirically.

Suddenly, something like a feather seemed to tickle the back of his throat, and the boy sneezed into his arm, averting his face from Heather as the sniffling continued.

The boy's arm wavered slightly, and he pulled it back up, knowing that if Heather fell then the cat fell with her, and he wasn't wrestling with it twice. The sudden fit of wheezing had prompted his cut to drip blood faster, and he felt a trickle run over his lip and onto the front of his clothes.

Wonderful. Now not only do I look like a shag rug, I look like a bloody shag rug as well.

Kaegan bent over so his hands were resting on his knees, managing out between coughs: "I think I"m al-allergic to y-your ridiculous p-pet." He could swear the cat had a smug expression in its beady eyes as it regarded him from Heather's arms.

"I should have left you in the bushes," the boy spat out at the animal, straightening up and wiping at his watering eyes. "Well, come on then. Every extra minute of this is time I could be spending enjoying myself." Kaegan strode in the direction Heather had indicated, reminding himself to stop every few minutes for the sake of his infirm companion.

The foliage grew denser, and the boy couldn't stop himself from getting slightly suspicious. There were no signs from his slip in the mud earlier, and he was certain he'd come from the direction of the castle. A tree branch whacked him right where the cat had done its worst damage, and he inhaled sharply, wondering how Heather would react if he knocked Misty into one of the muddy ditches they passed.

Suddenly, Kaegan pulled to a halt.

He was standing in an airy, open, strangely familiar clearing- and when that he looked closer at it, he could tell that it was exactly where they'd been a few minutes ago. The boy's notion was confirmed when he spied the trampled bushes that had briefly concealed Misty.

Kaegan turned, looked calmly at Heather, and then dropped his supporting arm to his side with a mocking, annoyed smile.

"I see your sense of direction is failing you today," he said sarcastically.

Ignoring Kaegan's remarks, Heather took Misty under her arm, cooing at the cat's spoiled expression. "Here here, who's a good kitty? You are, you little diva!" She smiled down at the pet, pampering it with sweet words. Even though when the Gryffindor took her from the bushes Misty didn't hesitate to attack the boy, in the blonde's arms she was sitting comfortably, purring in satisfaction. Now that she thought about it, the Ravenclaw liked spending time with pets; even though she didn't have one herself, the girl loved playing with her housemate's cats, owls, and sometimes even tarantulas in the common room- maybe it was time to start saving up for one to call her own.

Though, her happiness at the prospect of getting a pet was short-lived; as Kaegan's voice had her stop in her tracks, just as she wanted to help him.

"I'd rather bleed out," the boy spat out, stepping away as if he felt like Heather was not worthy to actually touch him. Furrowing her eyebrows, the girl crumbled the piece of cloth in her hand, before letting it fall to the ground. Forget about her good intentions- she was actually worried for him and his wound and he kept on disrespecting her like that? Who did this guy think he was? If he angered her a little more, she was going to be- Positive. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Heather tried to calm down. She had to stay positive.

After a few moments, controlling herself once more, she turned to look at Kaegan, a fake smile plastered on her face. "Fine by me," the girl finally managed to let out through gritted teeth. After all, why should she care if a stranger got hurt? And such a mean stranger at that. If something else happened to the Gryffindor, Heather swore to herself that she was going to enjoy seeing him suffer. As if on cue, the brown-haired boy let out a set of sneezes.

Oh? It seemed like someone was allergic to cats!

While Kaegan turned his head, trying to stop his reaction, Heather gently massaged Misty with one hand, looking at her and grinning. She felt like the cat knew what chaos she caused- and Heather assumed that she didn't mind it at all, since the pet let out a loud and prolonged meow. "I think I"m al-allergic to y-your ridiculous p-pet." Kaegan managed to say through coughs. "I should have left you in the bushes," he continued his rant, attacking Misty.

Instead of worrying for the boy, like she previously did, Heather let out a small smirk, even bringing the pet closer to her chest; as if she tried to get it closer to Kaegan. Looking down at the cat, Heather shrugged, feigning innocence. "How can you be so cruel to Misty? I get that you clearly have no desire to get along with people since you're oh-so-almighty and better than anyone," the girl replied ironically, though her tone was laced with annoyance, too. "But to hate animals too? Who hurt you that bad in the past and made you so heartless?"

Shaking her head in disbelief, Heather decided that the Gryffindor was a lost cause. As much as she usually liked to meet new people and get along with them, Kaegan's hostile attitude only made her sick to her stomach. From now, she was going to be quiet and to stop trying to get along with him- instead, the Ravenclaw supposed that she should pour her energy in a much more important matter: finding the way back to the castle. For a while, the silence between the two kids was broken only by Misty's small occasional meows... which could be considered unimportant, at first glance. But the girl took them for good and used them to guide both her and Kaegan through the maze of trees. Though, it seemed like her luck ran out; after a few more minutes spent walking, they found themselves in the same place they were only a few moments ago.

Feeling the blood run out of her cheeks, Heather turned her face away from Kaegan's scrutinizing gaze, trying to act unbothered. "I see your sense of direction is failing you today." She could feel the smug smirk plastered on his face when he said those words, and, when the boy suddenly left his supporting arm down, Heather almost fell to the ground. There's no way this is happening right now.

Swallowing, the Ravenclaw turned around, a worried smile crossing her features. "Well, I must have made a small confusion a few minutes ago, when we turned right. Yeah, now that I think of it, we should have taken the left." Laughing awkwardly, Heather's smile paled as she noticed Kaegan's annoyed gaze.

Damn, he was creepy.

"Look, if you don't believe me, you can leave! I can and will return back to school by myself. As for you, I really don't care where you end up."

It was a bold statement, and the last thing Heather could resort to; if her desperate plan failed, and Kaegan truly decided to leave, she was surely going get back to Hogwarts by the early hours of the morning... is she managed to return at all. But, if her confidence fooled the boy (which she hoped it did- after all, her mother's acting skills were supposed to help her in life) then she would have another chance at returning back to safety. Either way, she was far too stubborn to tell him the truth yet.

Kaegan regarded the girl with contempt as she wobbled unsteadily, stripped of his support. Had he really decided to trust her- alone in the woods, letting out pathetic meows in vain to find a misplaced animal? His mind flashed vaguely back to their earlier conversation.

"Fine by me," Heather said curtly, discarding the handkerchief to the ground in a crumpled ball. Kaegan barely heard her next sentence through his ensuing fit of sneezes, snippets of words along the lines of "oh-so-almighty" and "who hurt you that bad" floating up to his ears. The girl shook her head, and Kaegan scowled at her. If anyone needed to reprimand their fellow peers, it was him. After all, he wasn't in the woods for an entirely ridiculous reason, and consequently, he wasn't holding out on directions back to the castle. Putting up with Heather for any longer would surely drive him insane.

Kaegan had always felt strong dislike towards silly, frivolous girls, and his current companion seemed to fit the definition with a cookie-cutter accuracy. The conversation dwindled as they stalked through the forest, permeated by quiet mews from Misty. Why the boy had ever agreed to locate the mangy ball of fur for Heather, let alone rescue it, was beyond him, but if it meant he was out of both their company then he was willing to go further than that.

The familiar clearing loomed ahead, and Kaegan saw his accompanying partner go pale, turning her nervous face in the opposite direction. He may have imagined it, but the boy thought he heard the cat let out an audible gulp as well, like it knew they were suddenly thrown back at odds.

And now they were standing there, apart from each other, tension gathering thickly in the rapidly cooling air. Kaegan raised a brow at her unsteady posture, wondering how they'd managed to get anywhere with a limp that severe. "Well, if anyone's 'oh-so-almighty' at the moment, it's certainly not you," he snarked derisively, making a mocking gesture towards her ankle. Heather had slowly spun back around, smiling shakily as she stammered an excuse. "Well, I must have made a small confusion a few minutes ago, when we turned right. Yeah, now that I think of it, we should have taken the left."

Kaegan's scowl slowly dropped into an arrogant smirk as her forced certitude withered slightly. "Aren't you clever? I'll do just that," he sneered, assuming a tone of sarcastic optimism before turning to disappear into the surrounding forest. Heather's voice echoed behind him, daringly stating her claim of returning to the castle on her own. Yes, perhaps she'd be able to drag her injured ankle and her feral pet through the forest floor and miraculously end up at Hogwarts in a few weeks. Kaegan let out a condescending laugh at the thought. "Oh, yes, have fun with that," he called patronizingly over his shoulder.

Misty's faint mews blended into the natural ambience of the forest around the boy as he moved further away, brushing past overhanging trees and piercing his surroundings for recognizable landmarks. The temperature had dropped even more, and he found himself shivering slightly in the unforeseen chill. Unsurprisingly, Kaegan didn't regret leaving Heather and her hostile cat in the clearing- there was only so much foolishness the boy could put up with before even his capacity for retaliation hit its limit.

Any thoughts of his former companions were dispelled immediately, however, when the Gryffindor spied the first stone arch of Hogwarts breaking through the canopy of green. He let out a smug sigh of relief and strode towards the opening in the forestry, heading towards his discovery, when suddenly the boy stopped.

He could swear he heard the... cat? It had to be his imagination.

Kaegan pressed his lips together in a bitter scowl, taking another large step towards Hogwarts, before circling back around in the direction he had come. Bloody hell, he'd have to go get her or he'd go absolutely mad.

The Gryffindor resentfully stalked off, away from the castle, following the slight indentations his footsteps had made before he reached the clearing once more. Shoving aside brambles and ducking underneath a low branch, the boy re-entered the circle of woodland, cast a cursory glance around, and then snapped:

"Luckily, one of us knows how to walk in a straight line. Get up- I'll act nicer if you'll act smarter on the way back."

"Oh, yes, have fun with that," the Gryffindor replied, just before he... left her alone. He really turned around and, with the knowledge of all the dangers lurking in that forest and the girl's injury, still decided to leave her there and, probably, hope that she'll find her demise one way or another. Heather's worst fear actually came true, and, just as quickly as her last hope disappeared in a matter of seconds, the girl's façade broke down, an overly-worried expression crossing her face. The entire night she had tried her hardest to keep Kaegan next to her, to have the assurance that she will get back to safety. She put up with his mood, with his sarcasm, she accepted so many things just for the sake of being nice, and what did she get in return? Nothing, besides the biggest humiliation in her life, up until that moment.

The previous fear felt by the girl started turning into frustration and anger. Frustration because she was now alone and had to struggle to get back to the castle by herself, and anger directed towards the boy. It wasn't the first time Heather had encountered sarcastic people, who weren't easily fooled by her sunny exterior, but she never had any ill intentions in the first place! Was it really that necessary for the boy to act that mean?

In a way, the Ravenclaw was thankful that Kaegan left. At least now she didn't have to keep that smile on her face anymore. Cursing loudly, the girl dragged herself towards the left, through the path Kaegan had taken just a few moments ago. Hopefully, that was the right road, and in the best scenario by now he would be already at the castle and they wouldn't cross paths anymore. Shivering slightly, Heather blamed her past self for choosing to wear such thin clothes under her robe. Previously, the throbbing pain in her ankle seemed to dull a little, but when she tried moving forwards it shot up once more- this time it hurt so bad that the girl had to stop every few seconds to regain her breath. For a moment, the thought of jumping on her uninjured leg crossed the blonde's mind, but it was quickly dismissed. It would be impossible to do that, with Misty who seemed to become more feisty, struggling against her grasp and its claws marking her skin just like she previously scratched Kaegan's face.

On top of that, the cat's wailing meows echoed in the forest, but the blonde was too exhausted to care anymore. If a teacher or a prefect heard the sounds and found her, then so be it; if she got lost in the forest and her injury would aggravate, she didn't care anymore; everything was better than having to spend a few more minutes with that kid- their previous interactions played in her mind in an endless loop, and the girl's anger only grew. How could someone the likes of him get sorted into the best house, while she, who was constantly mistaken for a Gryffindor, got into Ravenclaw? It wasn't that she hated her house, Heather loved everything about it, but she never fully got over her initial dream.

Just before the girl left the clearing, pain shot through her ankle once more, and she fell down with a thud. It didn't help the fact that, while the commotion happened, Heather decided to hug Misty, keeping her close so she couldn't escape instead of using her free arm to protect herself. She had no doubts anymore- if her ankle wasn't broken before, by now it was. Adding to that the twigs that were tangled in her hair, her hands full of scratches which hurt like hell, and her frayed robe- she looked so pathetic at that moment. Biting her lip, Heather felt hot tears pooling around her eyes, ashamed that she let herself get in that situation, but she quickly swallowed them down; she couldn't cry. She never cried. So, instead of moping around, the girl struggled with all her will to crawl towards a tree in order to support herself on it, so she could stand up. Too lost in her own misery, the all too familiar voice that rang in the clearing took her by surprise, making her jolt up slightly.

"Luckily, one of us knows how to walk in a straight line. Get up- I'll act nicer if you'll act smarter on the way back."

Looking incredulously to Kaegan, Heather widened her eyes, trying to comprehend the meaning of his words. Did he really come back to help her? While her initial instinct was to accept his suggestion, soon she remembered how he treated her the whole night. How he acted like she was a dumb toddler, how he laughed at her when she was in trouble, how he managed to make her so embarrassed, to feel so, so small. With her anger bubbling up once more, Heather decided that she was done playing nice- especially with Kaegan. She wouldn't let herself be humiliated by him once more. Placing a hand firmly on the tree trunk, the girl used all the power she had in her arm in order to stand up, and with a grim expression, she faced the brown-haired child.

"How dare you even come back? Didn't I make myself clear before? I don't need YOUR help!" She sneered towards him, but instead of holding herself back, like she did the entire night, this time the Ravenclaw continued on with her rant. "Do you really think that, after everything you've done to me, would I step on my pride once more and accept your help? I never did anything wrong to you, yet all you did tonight was to continuously attack me! I tried, again and again, to act nice, but I'm at my limit! What the hell is your problem, anyway? Actually-" Taking a deep breath, the blonde clenched her fist. She needed to calm down, otherwise, she wouldn't be the only child with broken bones tonight. "-I don't wanna know. I just want you to leave, I'd rather rot in this forest than to ever let you help me again."

Through her mind was clouded with anger, the girl still took notice of the boy's smug face when he came up to her- and judging by his calmness, it was easy to assume that the path he took really was the way back to the castle. Dragging her ankle with newfound strength, she passed Kaegan, feeling angrier than she had been in years. Heather was moving slowly, but at least she was moving by herself.

"You think you're the superior one, and that everyone should bow down to you, but you know what?" the girl said coldly, without turning back, "I never even knew the road back home in the first place. I only told you that so you could find me the cat and get me back to the castle."

This small act of using him was nothing to be proud of, but it gave Heather somewhat satisfaction. It didn't sit well with her to get along so badly with someone, but no matter how nice she tried to be, she had her limits too.

And, Kaegan Chase had officially crossed them.

@Kaegan Chase I apologize for the late reply! Real-life has been so hectic lately, I barely had any time to write

Wind whistled through the trees as Kaegan stood on the edge of the clearing, a bored expression on his face. Heather looked like a mess- she was covered in twigs, scratched horribly by her ridiculous cat, staggering around with a clearly painful limp, and yet she was still adamantly refusing to accept any offer of help. The temperature was dropping swiftly like it knew exactly what kind of scenario the two were in, leaving the forest gray and foreboding as trees whipped angrily in the gales. There'd be frost on the ground by morning, and if Kaegan had any luck, he wouldn't be blanketed in it as well come daybreak. However, at the rate Heather was going, that seemed mildly unlikely.

He disliked her, and he'd disliked her from the start. At first, she had seemed like someone he could simply take advantage of, someone who could be easily charmed and used and then discarded. Of course, the Gryffindor had every right to think that- she'd seemed so naive in the woods, meowing after a lost cat, peppered with twisting brambles attached to her clothing from the thorny undergrowth and affected by a twisted ankle. Any girl, Ravenclaw especially, would have leaped at an offer for help, any sort of kindness that could be extended to them, muddy and helpless as they were. Yet clearly, Heather wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, was she? She'd seen through the attempt he'd made at flattering her and didn't let it slide, persistently retaliating every sarcastic comment. Stubbornly, she'd insisted on finding that ridiculous cat, even if it meant staying in the woods overnight, injured and alone.

This diatribe, however, was leaving out her sudden changes in mood, the thing that irked Kaegan the most. How did she go from enamored to ferocious in the span of a second? Did she expect him to take her handkerchief after she'd cheekily told him off for mishandling the animal she'd never have been able to capture initially? It was incredible how she could switch demeanors in a second, how one word could send her into a spiral of rage that quickly digressed into an urge to make amends. She looked like she blamed him for not treating her as if she was royalty, but if she knew what it was really like to be around her, maybe she wouldn't demand such fine treatment. Of course, Kaegan didn't deny that he wasn't the most accomodating person, but now he had a reason, for a change. They might look back and laugh, realizing they started off on the wrong foot, that if maybe he'd been more pleasant and she'd been more willing they could have gotten along, but at the moment, Kaegan sorely wished he'd never have to interact with her again.

Because, after all, he'd helped. He'd offered her support, he'd wrestled the mangy animal she loved so dearly out of the bushes, he'd even returned, after every annoying, headstrong comment she'd thrown out, to guide her back to the castle. The Ravenclaw was in her worst state yet- she was practically on a downward slope, one that would only worsen- and yet she was still too proud to accept anything that came from him. It was ridiculous, how he'd walked all the way back, through heavy woods and hanging trees, freezing from the chilly air, and expected her to retain even an ounce of gratefulness. If the roles were reversed, he would have been overjoyed that someone like him would even condescend to look over and take notice that she existed, let alone offer her assistance in a time of need. But really, the Gryffindor thought, he was partly responsible. What better could he expect from someone who obviously never knew how to distinguish her superiors, the purer wizarding race? Someone who knew nothing of proper respect? Heather's head was too far up her-

"How dare you even come back? Didn't I make myself clear before? I don't need YOUR help!" she snapped, furious. Kaegan didn't know an appropriate response at this point, an adequate rebuke to this apex of sheer idiocy on Heather's part. He could let out a mocking laugh, continue to stare disinterestedly, or glare back, each reaction seeming perfectly fitting yet, at the same time, entirely futile. The Gryffindor opted for the latter of his options, scowling angrily as she continued to rant. It was almost funny to see her try to drag herself through the trees in the direction of where he'd emerged, like an invalid escaping from the sick room. "Do you really think that, after everything you've done to me, I would step on my pride once more and accept your help? I never did anything wrong to you, yet all you did tonight was to continuously attack me! I tried, again and again, to act nice, but I'm at my limit! What the hell is your problem, anyway? Actually-"

Kaegan gave up the endeavor to hold his tongue with a scowl, cutting in bitterly: "Don't let it go to your head. Some of us happen to have common decency." Heather was still going on, but the Gryffindor had stopped listening, using all his concentration to keep himself from turning and making his way back to the castle. He knew that Heather would just become even more flustered, no matter what he did, so he might as well take the opportunity to do what irked her most. And, though he disliked the girl greatly, the consequences for letting her rot in the woods would surely be severe, if not bordering on expulsion.

He followed her as she limped into the woods, passing him. It was clear she was livid- suddenly she'd found enough strength to propel herself forward, heading towards the small exit he'd cleared. Kaegan clenched his jaw and lengthened his stride, easily finding himself able to catch up. Heather's adrenaline, while proving effective, still didn't make her entirely capable of proceeding at a normal pace. "Look at you," he spat out sarcastically, his tone cold and reserved. "You're finally able to walk instead of bawling on the forest floor. Aren't you a big girl?"

She still hadn't turned to look at him, saying icily instead:
"You think you're the superior one, and that everyone should bow down to you, but you know what? I never even knew the road back home in the first place. I only told you that so you could find me the cat and get me back to the castle."

Kaegan stopped in his tracks, eying her contemptuously with his teeth gritted, her comment breaking through the wall of mild self-restraint he'd fortified. "Are you out of your bloody mind? They say ignorance is bliss, but I find yours rather disturbing. I would love nothing more than to leave you here, but I happen to have a functioning brain, which is clearly what sets us apart." His scowl deepened, the nagging side of his conscience that had spurred him to return for her fading into background ambiance. Hogwarts was right around the corner, yet he'd resolutely decided he wasn't about to tell this girl, this absolute, utter waste of his time, how to return.

"You think I'm ruining your evening? Please, watch me pretend to care," the Gryffindor snapped, every syllable dripping with venom. "A bloody apology would greatly help your case as to why I shouldn't let you stay out here until graduation, although I'm quite sure no one would miss you."

@Heather Blair Moretti No worries! Life gets busy (:

Through Heather's angered state, she barely heard any of Kaegan's replies to her outburst, but she still didn't bother to listen. It seemed like he didn't understand that the biggest help he could give right then was to leave her alone, though; despite her efforts to shoo him away, out of the corner of her eye, the blonde was quickly met with the boy's form. Rolling her eyes, the girl huffed, not bothering to hide her displeasure anymore. At that moment she wanted nothing more than to just hit Kaegan, to rip that smug expression off his face. Glancing down at her bruised, bloodied hands, Heather grit her teeth.

A small movement in the dark caught the Ravenclaw's eye and she looked up in surprise. What? Is that... an otter? For a moment, a small pang of guilt engulfed her, and a look of sadness crossed the girl's face. That was dad's Patronus. Was it a sign that he was watching her at that moment? He would be so disappointed to see me so angry and spiteful. Averting her gaze, Heather clenched her fist once more. No, there was nothing out there, just her imagination; she wasn't even sure that otters lived in that area! But, even if they did, her father still couldn't see her- otherwise, he would have helped her a long time ago.

When she'd finally told Kaegan the truth, Heather expected that he would push her down and hex her- that being the worst case. In the best, he would simply storm off away once and for all. But, to her surprise, he did neither of that- instead, the Gryffindor chose to throw another venom-filled sentence towards her way.

"Yeah, yeah," The Ravenclaw said, tightening her hold around Misty, "your insults seem to be getting a bit too mundane, don't you think? I mean, I think it's the third time this night you've called me dumb. Which, I won't deny it-" She puffed, "-even I question how the hell I got sorted in Ravenclaw, considering their prestige of having 'smart' students. But, as stupid as I am, I still made you find my cat for me." Heather continued limping forwards, not caring anymore where she was going. If Kaegan really wanted to follow her around, without giving her any directions, then they would get lost again, and he would have just as much to lose as she did.

"You think I'm ruining your evening? Please, watch me pretend to care," The dark-haired boy spat, eyeing Heather with an exasperated expression. For a moment, she glanced back to him, and suddenly, the urge to laugh hit her. She knew that she didn't act exemplarily tonight either, that her emotions were spurring out of control, and that the promise she made to her father, to always act nice, was getting harder and harder to keep, but at that moment Kaegan had no right to act as if he was better than her. Who was he, anyway? A child, barely eleven, who acted like he was some kind of feared wizard! The only power he held was the power she allowed him to have, the power of letting his words reach out to her.

And then he said it. "A bloody apology would greatly help your case as to why I shouldn't let you stay out here until graduation, although I'm quite sure no one would miss you." Stopping for a moment, Heather's breath hitched. She didn't dare to turn around and to face the boy; instead, she struggled to continue on with her pace, trying to hide how his words hit home.

It didn't happen often, but whenever Heather thought about what would happen if she were to get hurt, or worse, what she envisioned didn't warm her soul one bit. One of her sisters ignored her, the other two hating her so much that they even refused to talk to her at all; her aunt, although she loved her nieces, had too many problems on her mind to care about her anymore. And her mother... her mother treated her like a stranger.

Despite the fact that Kaegan said those words out of anger, despite the fact that Heather had just promised herself moments ago not care about what he had to say anymore, this time the boy had hit the bull's eye. Shaking her head, the girl advanced through the woods, keeping Misty a bit too tight under her arm. She felt her nails dig into the palm of her unoccupied hand, leaving small half-moons engraved into her skin.

'You're talking as if someone would actually miss you if you were gone,' She wanted to say, but instead settled for keeping her gaze turned towards the front. Ignoring the Gryffindor, at this point, would be the best thing to do. Otherwise, her emotions would surely get the better of her, and things would spur out of control. Heather didn't dare to turn and look at Kaegan- despite the fact that she usually hid her feelings very well, the boy's words cut too deep not to visibly affect her.

Kaegan's sneer got deeper as they walked through the beaten path he'd carved out, him behind her at a leisurely pace, easily keeping up. They'd been in the woods much longer than necessary, and darkness was falling over the shadowy trees, blanketing the pair in a muffling dim. Heather didn't seem to be listening to anything he said, her head shooting up and looking through the tendrils of moss hanging from the gnarled branches that surrounded them. Kaegan's green eyes flitted in the direction, and he could swear he saw a flash of brown streaking through the undergrowth. Probably a small animal, some sort of rodent or squirrel, but the boy couldn't help but imagine it to be something large and threatening- perhaps cat-eating. Then he'd have an excuse to leave her here, an alibi of pure, unrestrained fear that spurred him to sprint away.

For now, his conscience was still nagging at him, for reasons he couldn't explain. This Ravenclaw was nothing but a headstrong nuisance, far from worth his time, and her feral pet wasn't the best companion. Maybe it wasn't guilt or shame about letting someone injured remain alone at night, with just the forest's shadowy trees to guide her, but instead, a fear of the repercussions lest another student found out. Now that the Gryffindor considered this, it was easy to believe, and almost refreshing as well. He'd been worried, if only slightly, that he was letting his guard down, becoming too familiar with people, even those he strongly disliked. Every sign, however, pointed away from this and to a primal worry of being reprimanded. After all, what shame would it bring on his family if one of them were to be expelled?

He'd expected Heather to be more irate when he spoke, furious even. After all, every action Kaegan made had been out of spite and self-gain, even his return to retrieve her from her helpless position in the clearing. If she hadn't lied about knowing where the castle was, he wouldn't have bothered assisting her in the hunt for Misty, and that wouldn't have escalated into the bitter argument they were engaged in at the moment. Everything had been for a purpose of his own and then, irritatingly, gone sideways. He clenched his jaw, the anger at Heather returning in full force with this revelation. If she hadn't falsely claimed she knew directions, if she hadn't insisted he find Misty, if she'd been careful enough to refrain from breaking her ankle even, he'd be at Hogwarts, not stuck with two disagreeable companions on a cold, unlit evening.

"Your insults seem to be getting a bit too mundane, don't you think? I mean, I think it's the third time this night you've called me dumb. Which, I won't deny it-" Heather was saying, conceding her shock at being sorted into Ravenclaw. Kaegan's pride grew momentarily at this, some pleasure derived from her confession of inadequacy. Yes, he'd found her cat, but what was the score? How many times had she said something ridiculously foolish in retort to one of his sarcastic remarks? Who was the one lost and hurt in a deserted clearing, attempting to retrieve an animal she'd never find? And even in their studies and daily lives, it was clear, in his opinion, who was educated, and who was an average, frivolous girl.

Suddenly, Heather pulled up short, the amused expression that had begun to dawn on her face falling quickly away. Something he'd said, though he wasn't sure what, had struck her more than it looked like she'd like to let on. Her quick pause lapsed into a steady pace again, but Kaegan had caught the slight moment of affliction, and he smirked smugly, satisfied that he'd managed to finally get her to a state of silence. The rest of the walk would be tolerable, if not enjoyable.

However, the Gryffindor's small victory hadn't changed much in the ways of his conceited annoyance- annoyance at Heather, at his surroundings, at the yowling cat, even at the people he'd heard talk about the Great Lake and how quiet it was there, how well it contrasted to the noisy chatter of the Great Hall and the way they'd sold it, made it seem like a place he wouldn't regret visiting. No, the feelings of irritation hadn't subsided in the slightest, and he made a split, rash decision to push his luck.

"Ah, fantastic. I found the mute button."

He opened his mouth to say something equally scathing, before getting distracted at the sight of a looming tower protruding from beyond the sea of greenery. One arched window was lit with a lantern, high against the night sky, almost like a twinkling star. There was movement reflected on the walls- portraits visiting each other, drowsy students passing by to their common rooms, full from a large meal, ghosts floating aimlessly through the crowds. Comparatively, outside the temperature was frigid, the grass was beginning to frost over, and Kaegan's breath hung in white plumes around his head. During their trek back, the surroundings had become a deep, tar-colored black, permeated only by dots of light from torches scattered about the castle's stone walls. Tall, imposing doors appeared in the Gryffindor's line of sight, still flung open to the icy cold- it couldn't be past curfew, then- and the forms of wizards and witches strolling comfortably through the hallways, unaware of the rapidly chilling outdoors, began to take shape.

He approached the entrance, turning to Heather with a degrading glance at the state she was in. Now that they were both safely at the castle, he didn't feel any remorse of leaving her to her own devices. His voice interwoven with contempt and ridicule, the Gryffindor lifted his chin superciliously and said: "Perhaps invest in a leash for your cat."

Without waiting to hear her response, Kaegan turned and walked arrogantly down the warm, bright corridor, eying the Great Hall long enough to note that they'd missed dinner. The long rows of tables were empty and devoid of plates; there weren't even any professors sitting at the candlelit head.

Kaegan, as he made his way to the dormitories, was patronizingly indifferent to whatever Heather decided to do. She had found every possible way to provoke him, and he severely wished they'd never have to stumble upon one another in the future. However, in the end, she was just an irksome, irrelevant girl- one he'd forget, but doubtfully forgive.

Fingering the searing cut on his cheek, the boy scowled bitterly. Hopefully, she'd lose that mangy cat for good.

"Ah, fantastic. I found the mute button."

Kaegan cruelly noted. The taller girl, though still refusing to look at him at that moment, could feel the smirk he wore right then. How proud he must feel, to feel like he had the last word. But, despite the fury she was feeling, despite the pain her ego was experiencing, Heather continued to ignore him. She was too emotionally tired; and besides, that otter, as strange as it sounds, it made her think about her father. Even though he wasn't there, or anywhere else on the world for that matter, he would have been disappointed to see her letting herself be angered by Kaegan.

Speaking of the Gryffindor; he opened his mouth, preparing to say something else, and Heather instantly shut her eyes, tightening her fist in order to brace herself for yet another attack to her already wounded pride, but somehow, the said attack never came. Instead, when she opened her blue orbs, Heather was met with the sight of the castle- which, at that moment, seemed to be the paradise. The trouble she had found herself in, at the start of the evening, was finally past her; and, as a small way of compensating for the hell she had to go through, she was back on time, too. So, thankfully, this night could be locked under key in one of her memory drawers, and no one would have to know about it. No one, except Heather... and Kaegan.

As the duo finally found themselves in the confines of the castle, miraculously in time and, more importantly, alive, the Ravenclaw supposed that it was time to part ways. Letting Misty down, sure that now the cat wouldn't run away anymore, she turned towards Kaegan, expectantly. After the whole ordeal they went through, they should at least tell each other some parting words, right? Well, Heather wasn't going to apologize, she was far past that point, and she didn't expect Kaegan either to do so. But still, she hoped. Hoped that he would prove himself to be, at least in the last moments of their impromptu adventure, a better kid- that he'd apologize, or try to excuse his behaviour. Anything, to show that he wasn't as cruel as he seemed, that he still had a bit of soul in him. But, instead of something like that, the brunet turned around to face Heather, a mocking smirk plastered on his face. "Perhaps invest in a leash for your cat." And, just like that, he walked away, smugly.

"Perhaps invest in a book about improving your communication skills!" Heather scoffed curtly, but she doubted that he'd even stayed long enough behind to hear her. Not that she cared. Hopefully, that cut left Kaegan with a permanent scar- so that, in the future, others wouldn't be so easily deceived by his looks like she was.

"Dammit! Dammit dammit dammit!" Now alone, Heather lost it, hitting her fist repeatedly against one of the cold walls, despite the throbbing pain. What was wrong with her? To be so affected by someone else's words- Heather didn't like being and acting so weak. In the course of a couple of hours, Kaegan had managed to snuff out the life out of her, even worse than a dementor would have. He had managed to strip her off her mask of happiness, and without her act, Heather was just a stubborn, volatile child. And she hated it.

A small meow startled the blonde. Looking down at her feet, the Ravenclaw realized she had forgotten about the cat, who had no care in the world. She just had to be saved, feed, and saved again. What a great life.

"Yeah, Misty, I know you're tired- Let's get you back to your owner." Sighing, Heather took the cat and started limping towards the Ravenclaw common room. She needed medical help, that was very much true, but first, her ego needed to be tended to. And, some empty praises coming from her housemate would be the perfect cure.

Heather leaves, exiting the thread.

THREAD FINISHED