@Katrina Walker

To say she felt entirely comfortable would be a lie. They had forgiven each other and it seemed like her attempt to shift the conversation had worked, but they weren't necessarily in the clear yet. What if something was said and they started fighting again? Things didn't feel as casual as they should for the way the scene looked, two friends sitting together, simply put.

She was trying to have a good time, though, or at least pretend she was for Katrina's sake. Bridget wanted things to be like they used to, and yet it wasn't so simple as ignoring the past few months and falling back into old patterns. Should she even be so quick to move on? Would it cause problems later if things were left unaddressed? Worrying about that now was draining; she decided to just ride out this meeting and figure out the rest later.

Katrina had not gone through with her idea to open a little business with her wand holsters. Would that have happened if they hadn't had a falling out immediately following the discussion? Maybe Bridget could have helped her set it up. "Ah, that's alright." It was a hobby, after all, and turning it into something she was obligated to keep up with might have taken the enjoyment out of it. Another task, another responsibility. "Mine is starting to get a little frayed," she added after a moment, stopping just short of asking if Katrina could make her a new one. Now did not seem like the time for that. The holster was starting to see wear and tear, though, and while she'd used magic to keep it in decent condition, the fixes were starting to be less and less perfect.

The topic shifted to duelling, and despite not being totally at ease with the small talk, she noticeably perked up. She shifted on the bed, straightening slightly, and her eyes were brighter. "Oh, absolutely. I've been spending the past few weeks drafting strategies, actually, for chess combat." Her duelling notebook, pages filled with numerous plans, many of which were riddled with erase marks, crossed out sections, and little notes in the margins, could attest to that. "Are you?" A few months ago, she would have been certain the answer would be a yes, but now she supposed she couldn't be quite so sure. They hadn't talked, after all, and a lot could change in that much time. Whether she would continue duelling wasn't at all in the question for Bridget, as a captain and coming off a very successful year, though Katrina hadn't had the same experience, the same duty tying her to it.