[ Heavier conversations - along with boring ones - were some of her least favourite kinds. She knew that there was some level of necessity for the former, but she'd already had too many over the course of their last "vacation" that she had decided she'd had enough of them for a while. ]

I suppose. [ But then Catherine, Shamir and Judith come to mind and she can't help but chuckle at the thought of them reacting to being called nurturing. ] Although I know plenty of women who wouldn't pick that word to associate themselves with.

[ She nods. ]

Well, kind of. He was already at the Academy when our year arrived and just hadn't really gotten along with anyone until I started working with him. [ She can't help but muse as she gives Waffle a pat. ] Maybe he thought he needed to take care of me because I didn't want anything to do with him at first. [ She looks towards Kyle again. ] Did you do much animal handling when you were home?