Sioni looked at Caitlin, with her stubby nose and freckles and tears and he wanted to just hold her and say he was sorry and to kiss away those tears. He also wanted to give her a good slap and tell her to stop being so damned selfish. He couldn’t do either, though, so he sighed and listened.

“But, I...I just...I can't be what you want. Not anymore!"

“Trouble is, you never could, and that was the mistake.” He said quietly. But when she turned and headed back to the castle he just let her go. As much as he wanted to run after her, or call her back, he couldn’t bring himself to do either. With his fist pressed against his lips he stood looking across the lawn toward the Lake, not seeing anything, really.

Girls were all insane. Caitlin for not letting him say he loved her, Espa for disappearing and then coming back, Whitley… well, Whitless was the daftest of the lot. Certifiable. Take that time she’d tricked him into believing she was Esperanza just so she could make love to him.

Sioni walked toward the Lake his head a whirl of disjointed thoughts. Whitley. He’d wanted to stay mates and she…. She had to go and…

She’d felt the way he had about Caitlin, isn’t it? That’s why she’d tricked him. Because she’d loved him? Could that be right?

Oh, mewn y ffwrn. Whitley and him; him and Caitlin. It was the same thing. He looked over his shoulder at Caitlin’s back as she disappeared through the front door.

“Bugger.”

Turning his back on the castle he walked toward the Lake. He’d make it up to her, like. Maybe after he’d beat her in the next Quidditch match. No, she’d be to defensive then, see? Well, sometime, like. Not now. He still felt like slapping her. Silly bitch.

Sioni smiled. No, you couldn’t be a Kitten-claws and a bitch at the same time.

“Physical impossibility.”

Picking up a pebble he threw it out over the waters of the Lake.



Not Getting Any Younger