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| When Mikael finally emerged from the room, Kitty noticed he seemed to be a bit bleary eyed and guessed he didn't sleep well, but Ubergard was in good spirits so they left the Moorside Inn and began the trek across the mountains. The bracing wind of the pass seemed to fully awaken Mikael and he was back to his former self by the time they were over and back on the road to Whiterun and Castle Kitty. | | | Ubergard was unusually talkative, at least for her, as she explained what Helfer had said while they were both frozen back at Dragon Bridge. "From what she said, she had seen me in the dark and thought I was her former master, come to exact a more permanent punishment on her. So she instinctively Shouted a force command at me which hurled me from the mountain."

"It must have been_very_ dark," Mikael commented, "if she mistook you for a male!" | | | Kitty asked, "And you don't remember any of that?"

"Not a thing. Maybe the knock I got on my head that left these scars had something to do with it. But she must have recognized I wasn't him at some point since she climbed down to check on me afterwards."

"But chose not to tell us what happened. Still, she did stay with you while you were unconscious, knowing you might remember it," Mikael pointed out. "And she certainly was concerned for your well-being." | | | Ubergard nodded. "Yes. She's still a mystery. Not exactly evil, just..."

Kitty suggested, "Broken, I think."

"Yes. Broken." | | | Later, Kitty finally saw the distant outline of Castle Kitty and smiled broadly. "Home!"

"Yes. It will be good to get back and see what has been going on while we've been gone," Ubergard agreed.

Mikael just sighed. | | | "What?" Kitty asked. "Aren't you glad to be getting back?"

Mikael looked at her seriously. "I'll miss having you around every morning."

Kitty laughed, "And every night!"

Mikael didn't return the laugh and she stopped and kissed him. "Let the future worry about itself, Mikael. Who knows what it may bring? I'm not going anywhere." | | | That seemed to cheer him up somewhat. "True. And neither am I Kitty. I know you'll be busy for a few days getting things back together, but come by the tavern when you can."

Kitty hugged him again. "I will. I promise. Just give me a couple of days and I'll see you then. Want to stop in for a bit before you go back to Whiterun?"

"I don't think so, but thanks anyway." | | | A little while later, Mikael turned to head back to Whiterun itself while Kitty and Ubergard continued on to the castle. | | | They were greeted by K'rris, Udaran and Cheetah at the outer steps.

"Welcome back Kitty! Uber!" Cheetah called, jumping up on Kitty and giving her a fierce hug.

"Oh my God! Uber! What happened to your face?" Udaran asked, noticing the still livid scars on one side.

"Long story, Udaran. But I'm alright." | | | "What happened?" K'rris asked as they approached the castle door.

"I fell off a mountain basically, but as I said, it's a long story. We'll tell you later."

"Um... one thing, Kitty..." stammered Udaran in an unusually hesitant voice.

"Yes?"

"We... had a little accident while you were gone," Udaran stated as they went inside. | | | "WHAT THE_HELL_ IS THAT SMELL?!" Kitty demanded immediately upon entering the castle.

"That..." Cheetah laughed, "is Udaran's cooking."

Kitty looked at the embarrassed Udaran questioningly, while K'rris looked pointedly elsewhere and Cheetah just smiled at her.

"Well, see, Red has been at the Jarl's practically all the time, so I thought I'd give it a try..."

"Okay... so...?"

"Apparently you don't make bread by cooking flour over an open flame it seems," Udaran explained. | | | "And you don't try to put out the fire with oil either!" Cheetah added helpfully.

"Well, how was I to know that oil burns?"

"DUHHH!"

"When was this?" Kitty interrupted.

Udaran's eyes began to well up with tears, very uncharacteristically. "Yesterday. I've been trying to clean it up ever since. I'm sorry Kitty! I didn't know any better. I don't know how to cook." | | | Kitty assured her, "It's okay Udie. It's okay."

"You won't kick me out?"

"Don't be silly. K'rris, go fetch us some water and soap. A_lot_ of it. And as many rags as you can find. We'll all get to work on it..." Kitty commanded, looking at Cheetah menacingly. | |