The door gave way to an impressive patio. A gazebo was set up seeming to hover over a deep pond filled with koi carp, with a wooden bridge leading towards it from both the north and south entrance. One-way windows on the east and west allowed the bedrooms to get air and light from the place while providing plenty of privacy. Small trees and shrubs lined the small pathway winding through it all, with patches of grass and flowers were laid out in an artistic design that made full use of the limited space.
The color scheme was peaceful, with dark reds and soft yellow paint used on most of the woodwork to resemble the Japanese style it tried to convey, while the plants and koi added their own palette to the area. A songbird had taken refuge on top of the gazebo, unhindered by a cage, and it didn't seem bothered at all with the influx of persons from the south.

The female chakat took all this in with a mild smile, following after her host with an amused flick of her tail. "You have a nice place here." she offered, stopping a moment in front of one of the mirrored windows and licking at her hand to brush back a rogue tuft of her pitch-black fur on her lower body. Illysandre stopped on the apex of the half-round bridge to look back with a raised eyebrow. "What is it with you cats and your grooming habits?" the centauric woman queried, but perked up and looked towards the north as the door opened. "Ah, our tea." she smiled, galloping over to the gazebo proper and sinking through her hooves.
Sheogra followed behind with a lazy stride, shrugging to the question. "OCD?" she offered, dropping down opposite the centauric noblewoman and laying one forepaw over the other. "Truly, Illy, I didn't think it was our habits that were the problem? Didn't your mate.." "My stallion?" "..stallion, whatever.. Didn't he lead the charge into that bordertown just a week ago? I heard many of the wolfkin there couldn't walk for days.. and some are showing signs of pregnancy already!"
Illysandre's cheeks turned red, and she quickly turned to the pair of otterkin servants. "Will you give that woman some tea already so she's forced to keep her smartass remarks to herself?" The otters moved to follow their lady's orders, while Sheogra grinned her canines bare at Illysandre's reaction. "Still haven't gotten used to life as a noblemare, have you?" Illy shook her head at that, while Sheogra plucked two sugarcubes from the tray and dropped them in her cup. Taking it with both hands, the chakat quickly moved it away as the otterkin servant attempted to pour milk in it. "Hey now.. I'm lactose intolerant.."
The centauress shrugged lightly. "We have soy milk?" she offered, but Sheogra's reaction was enough to send Illysandre into a gigglefit. "There's that face!" Sheogra blinked and tried to look innocent, tail flicking restlessly behind her. "Face? What face? I make no face? Well, apart from the face that's on my face.. that face.. But no other face.." she protested, while the centauress tried to calm down enough to confiscate a meagre amount of six cubes of sugar to go with her tea. "Not a word." Illysandre warned Sheogra, who stuck out her tongue. "You never lost that sweet tooth, did you?"

"And you never lost your inquiring nature." Illysandre returned, stirring her tea while the otterkin withdrew to the north exit. "Why did you come to town anyway? Not that I don't like seeing an old friend, but weren't you out on the savannah capturing poachers?" Sheogra shrugged lightly. "My cubs are getting old enough to require education. I was looking to see if our old school had a place for them." she returned, taking a little sip of her tea and purring softly at the taste. "Ooh.. this is quality growth.." Illysandre grinned proudly. "Imported from the East." "Just like most everything in here?" Sheogra scoffed, and Illysandre blushed again while shrugging her shoulders lightly. "I got more money than I know what to do with, hun.." "Well, you could give some to meee.... come on, I shared that sandwich with you back in '94." Sheogra grinned, winking her deep yellow eyes at her friend. "It was a meat sandwich." Illysandre frowned. "Hey, just because you're a herbivore doesn't mean I can't try and get you to join the cool side?" Sheogra teased, which elicited a huff from the centauress.
"Honestly, though.." Sheogra continued, "It's been too long since we last met up. When was it? '05? '06?" Illysandre pondered that a moment, while blowing some air at her tea. "I think we last met at the reunion in '05." Sheogra frowned. "Jeez.. and here you are still not having cubs of your own? What are you doing with your mate, hun?" Illy's cheeks grew dark again. "H..hey.. he's out on business a lot, and I don't.. really feel like having -his- children.. not until he settles." she voiced her thoughts. "Well.. if you ask me.." Sheogra started, but Illysandre mumbled something that made the chakat's ears perk up forwards. "What?" "I said I didn't." "Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway. That's why you have friends. Look, he's out there on the frontline. He's got girls of so many different nationalities that you should be surprised if he's not going to come back with a chimera biting his tail."
"You think too much like a cat.." Illysandre mumbled, but this time Sheogra had been listening, "And you think you're living in a fairytale. Look, hun.. we've been friends for years and years now. He's going to come back eventually, but if you really want to have some of his kids, you best take the first opportunity you have to present yourself to him. Don't wait until you go into heat.." "..you know we don't.." "..but just force him to see you for the pretty gal you are. We're not getting younger, you know? Even my little Chadro is two already." Sheogra beamed proudly, taking another sip from her tea.

Illysandre stared at her own cup, and absentmindedly twirled the spoon through it. "I just.." she started, but then closed her eyes and had to take a deep breath before she could go on. "I just thought I would be his only mare.." Sheogra pushed up from the ground and padded over to drop herself unceremonially beside her friend, nudging her side lightly. "I know, hun. But boys just don't work that way. They're crazy for every girl that wants to put out.. and there's a lot of those around, you know? I mean, remember Patty?" Illysandre perked up in surprise, her mind quickly bringing up the memories and she had to laugh. "Oh gods.. do I?? Remember when she walked into the boys' dressing room and didn't come out for hours?"
Sheogra nodded silently, swallowing some tea. "She still won't say what happened there, by the way." "Oh gods, you saw her?" "Well, I kind of hunted in her general area a couple of months ago.." Illysandre coughed uneasily at that, but Sheogra warded off her friend's unease as good as she could; "I didn't kill any zebras! Took an antilope with me to my kids, but she had it coming." Illysandre didn't seem the least bit relieved to hear that, and Sheogra looked a bit uneasy herself, reaching up to scratch an itch on the back of her neck. "It's kind of my nature, you know? Can't really help it.. I do try and pick the ones that are least likely to be missed.. much.." Illysandre looked sideways at her friend, who tried everything she could to look non-threatening, and then the centaur sighed and wafted her concerns away. "Sure, sure.. I couldn't expect you to behave any different than you did while we were growing up anyway. Just.. don't.. er.. you know.."
"Oh! Nonono.. I made a pinky-promise, remember? I won't hunt anywhere near you or your family. I'm keeping the family away from here as it is. But that antilope, jeez.. Made some nasty comments about my outfit.." Illysandre grinned up at that and reached over to pluck at the pink sweater Sheogra was wearing. "Well, she might have had a point. This is -so- last year.." she winked, and both girls had to laugh at the silliness of it all. "So how long are you going to stay in town?" Illy had to ask as they both calmed down, sipping at the last bit of tea as she looked at her friend. "Hrm.. I dunno. Couple of days.. Might want to get some new clothes for my kids while I'm here. They grow up faster than I can keep up with." "Got a place to stay yet?" "No, why?"
Illy's cheeks flushed a little and she shifted her weight before looking into Sheogra's yellow eyes with her own brown ones. "Remember high school?" Sheogra blinked, then turned red herself. "I remember one particular night, yes.." she started, tugging at the collar of her sweater. "One?" Illysandre coughed, biting her lower lip. "Ok, I remember us going steady for a while.. is that what you wanted to hear?" Sheogra blurted, staring back at the centaur. "I.. well, I.. er.." Illysandre stammered, Sheogra's tone of voice having been somewhat demanding. "Jeez.. how long have you been dry, hun?" the chakat wondered, lowering her voice and reaching up to stroke her friend's cheek. "D..don't.." "What?" "Don't be nice.." Illysandre all-but whispered, her blush deepening ever more.

The chakat grinned her canines bare and reached over to steal a kiss from her friend's lips. "Yes, I'd love to stay over. Now get your cute butt inside.. I'll give you a five seconds headstart, but then I'll come after you with my claws out." The centaur's eyes widened considerably, but she quickly stumbled upon all four hooves and raced for the southern door!
"Hrm.. she still has that cute butt.." Sheogra chuckled to herself, finishing her tea before standing up and stretching out lazily. "Ready or not, here I come!" she shouted, and dashed after Illysandre with a playful growl.