<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/c/cc/Kathra.jpg)</div><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Kathra Brighthammer</strong></span></span><br/><strong>HP:</strong>12/12 AC: 15<br/><strong>Spell slots:</strong>1: 2/2<br/><strong>Spells prepared:</strong><em>cure wounds</em>,<em>grease</em><br/><strong>Effects:</strong>Magical Tinkering 2/2<br/><strong>Actions:</strong><br/><hr/><br/>"Rat it is, then," Kathra said after just a momentary pause, still fixing him with an appraising gaze. "My, what a colourful metaphor," she continued in Dwarven, "but no doubt apt. I take it that you've come to know her well... oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take the metaphor in that direction." She switched back to Common. "I do feel safe. Knowing that my family is looking out for my interests, and with a guide and protector so familiar with the city, I should feel safe. And not just safe! Also excited to see all that the city has to offer."<br/><br/>She glanced at Collin's holy symbol and nodded in approval. She fancied herself a good judge of character, and only a fool would wear the symbol of Helm unless they intended to live up to his ideals.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>"Matchmaking? Me?" Kathra placed her hand against her bosom and made an expression of mock offence. "Perish the thought! Well, perhaps you have me dead to rights... but not when it comes to you, dear Clara. I know you have no interest in Mr. Right, only Mr. Right Now." She moved her gaze from Burdock to Collin, giving the latter a friendly wave. "Just telling Clara what a good bodyguard you are, dear!" she called to him.<br/><br/>She giggled merrily at Lynnara's gentle blush. "Oh, I know what you mean, lass. It's even worse when it's your<em>job</em>to make sure that animals mate. Let me tell you that the 'randy goat' reputation is a generalization - I've been reduced to staring at a pair of goats and shouting 'just have sex already!' It's undignified, but that's animal husbandry for you."<br/><br/>As they approached the bend in the road, she set down her knitting - she had been knitting just as Clara had hinted, though a scarf for an adult this time - and snatched up her bullwhip, cracking it to the right of the oxen. "Come about!" she commanded them, steering them carefully around the bend... and then "Hold!", with a whip crack ahead of them, when she saw the obstruction on the road.<br/><br/>"Well, that's a pain," she grumbled, as only a dwarven mother could. "Yes, we'll have to clear them off the road - there's absolutely no way this wagon is going around them. This'll take some muscle."<br/><br/>She could sense the change in Lynnara's demeanour, and of course this was a common way for bandits to ambush travellers, so even if she hadn't noticed the movement in the thicket, she knew that they were in danger. Collin was already approaching the obstruction, which meant one of two things: he was a fool, or he was flushing out an ambush. And in the little time they had known each other, she had become certain that he was no fool. She didn't reach for her shield, or for the javelins stowed behind her seat, lest they trigger an ambush before they were ready, but she was tense and ready.