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"Excuse me... would you help me, please?" It'd taken some courage for Isobel to drift closer to one of the staff in the bookstore, and more yet for her to finally work up the nerve to speak. As such her voice went a bit squeaky in places but she'd soldiered on, hoping the bright blush on her cheeks and worried fidgeting her hands was doing didn't give her nerves away too much.

It probably did, with her luck. But she was brave! She'd done so well with Gwen and Wendy, she could do well here too - right? Nervously she cleared her throat and shifted on her feet, wishing she had more than just her bag strap to fiddle with - her outfit was lovely and summery, but if she poked too much at the lace it might tear.

Tibbie gave a startled giggle-snort and quickly smacked her hand over her mouth to try and muffle it.

"The cat- it just- it just jumped!" She giggled again before remembering that her mirth might be a bit inappropriate. "Åh I'm sorry, I shouldn't have laughed, should I? It just looked so-" involuntarily, another small giggle escaped her but she quickly clamped down on it and sent him a doe-eyed look of repentance.

"I'm really sorry - did you get hurt? I've got some bandaids in my bag if you need it. They've, uh, got cute birds and cats on them but if it's just your shoulder no-one would see them anyway, right? Unless you got hurt elsewhere. Did you get hurt elsewhere?" She worried her lip and furrowed her brow as she tried to discern if he was badly hurt, one hand already rummaging around her bag for the promised bandaids.

Tibbie let the small pack of bandages she'd found fall back into her bag and gave him an awkward smile. He was being nice about her faux pas, but maybe he had to since she was a customer. Maybe he was actually really mad at her?

But... he didn't seem mad. Did he? She was slightly bewildered - her expectations of his reaction and his actual reaction wasn't matching up at all.

She didn't have more time to dwell on it before he was introducing the cute white kitty with the little eyebrow marking; and if anything could steal her attention, it was a cute animal.

"Nice to meet you, Misters Mogget and Zac," her smile was bashful, but her eyes were following Mogget greedily. A cat! She rarely got to see one so up close, none of the people she knew owned one.

And then - "Åh!" The little kitty was making an adorable noise and reaching out to her. Isobel's hands flailed, trying to contain her excitement and nervousness; "Is he - is he reaching out to me? Does he want something? He's so cute, I don't know what to do! I don't, åh, I don't know much about cats. Is he mad at me?" The idea was heart-breaking, but cats were supposed to be really clever, right? Maybe Mogget could somehow sense that she wasn't good enough. "Oh, that'd be terrible!"

"Really?" There was a great amount of hope in her voice and the hand that reached out to touch Mogget did so with the sort of awed reverence people usually reserved for religious relics.

Butterfly-gentle fingers landed on the white cat's head and the noise that came from Tibbie as they did had no description - it was simply joy. "He's so soft!" There was a sigh in her voice as she marvelled at Mogget's fur, daring to pet him lightly on his head before reaching to rub just behind his ear. "Is this the right way?" Her fingers on Mogget were gentle but awkward and worried, she glanced away from the cat for a moment to look at his owner. "I really... I really don't know much about cats. Except that they're amazing, but no-one I know has ever owned one and the ones I meet outside never want to talk to me." Much to her great sorrow. "I always wanted one but we live - well, lived in a no-pets apartment. Maybe now I could?"

Emboldened slightly, she moved her fingers from behind Mogget's ear to carefully scratch him under his chin. "Åh! I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I? I'm so sorry - my name is Isobel, but you can call me Tibbie if you want! My family does." Her smile was shy and there was a slight blush on her freckled cheeks; being called by a nickname meant that the person doing it liked you, as far as she could tell. No-one used cute nick-names for their mortal enemy, right? Or at least not un-ironically. Her mind got stuck in a loop for a second, contemplating that before she realised she was probably overthinking things.

"That wasn't what I--" she paused, looking hopeful. "Can I really? I mean, yes, I would! I think. Yes. But mum might-- no, I definitely want to see one! One for cats, please. Grown ones! If they're that specialized, I mean, kittens are cute but I'd prefer an adult kitty."

Her attention was torn between Zac and Mogget as she spoke, spending as much time staring at the cute kitty making noises as possible, yet not wanting to seem rude. Eye contact was important when talking to people, she'd heard and she didn't want to leave a bad impression - if that was possible.

And then the most amazing thing happened. "You-" Tibbie stopped her scratching motions, looking positively dumbstruck. "Really?! Like... really-really?" All the gifts of her life had come early, and the beam that she bestowed upon Zac and Mogget was sunny enough to power a whole city. She'd never, ever thought that she was going to be able to hold a kitty when she came into this store; she'd just wanted some books on magic or maybe a beginner's guide to keeping plants alive. But this was heaven, truly!

Isobel soaked in his instructions with the utmost attention; she was a good student, but never before had she been so attentive to a lesson being taught. "Right!" Experimentally, she imitated the way he was holding Mogget - sans cat, of course, it was good to be certain in what to do before the life of someone precious was entrusted to her. "Back feet.." She nodded, "got it!"

And then came The Moment where she was being offered the most adorable, cutest, fantastic white kitty to hold. Her. A bit hesitantly she reached out, trying to get a good hold on said kitty - it was different with a real cat, even if it was the same as what he'd just shown her.

"Oof!" The weight of Mogget surprised her; not because he was heavy as such, but instead because she'd subconsciously thought something so fluffy and soft would be rather like holding a cloud. It wasn't; it was a million times better than holding a cloud could ever be.

With a warm, proud smile she cradled the white kitty close to her body, making sure to properly support him even if her hands were still slightly awkward. "Look! I'm holding him! And he's soft and warm and amazing -" Tibbie laughed, softly, a slightly incredulous noise made out of sheer joy. "I tried holding one once before but it was a stray cat and I was just a kid so it didn't really like it. I've still got a little scar on my arm from it, but this is so much better! Am I doing alright?" She had to restrain herself from babbling endlessly in her excitement, nearly humming with energy and happiness as she was.

Isobel giggled at the sensation of being nibbled - a cat putting their teeth on her would normally mean they were mad, but with the abundant purring she was pretty sure that wasn't the case here.

"I'm happy to be a member!" Zac's explanation just sealed it, and she managed a proud smile to him before she had to react quickly, adjusting for the suddenly liquid Mogget in her arms. He was so happy, even she could see it. It made her a bit misty-eyed, in truth - she was probably over-reacting, but it felt so nice to be able to make an animal happy. Maybe this really meant she could get one of her own and it would be happy too! She really hoped so.

"That sounds wonderful," she smiled at Zac. "I'm glad you two found each other!" There was obvious love there and it was warming to see a cat being rescued and adored so much. "I wish all animals could find that perfect someone for them."

And then the second part of what he'd said sunk in - "really?" She'd said that a lot today. "I mean yes, that would be amazing! I would love that! Are they all strays? What are they like?" She hadn't cleared getting a cat with her mum yet, but hopefully that would be a small matter, all things considered.

Tibbie nodded furiously, listening intently to his suggestions. "That sounds good! Either, I mean - maybe we could start with kibble time? And if no-one likes me then a shelter?" Her smile was back to being shy; he'd said 'we', but she wasn't sure he really meant it. They'd only just met after all - maybe it was just a misspeak? But on the other hand it'd be really nice to have company on her quest for a cat and he obviously knew a lot about the subject. Well he'd have to, considering Mogget, but still! And maybe... maybe they could become friends?

Those were the thoughts occupying her as he led her to a book section and grabbed a book there. "You can really do that?" He was doing so much for a virtual stranger, that she couldn't help but be amazed. "And you'd let me come back if I need help? That would be absolutely lovely! I mean I'll study the best I can but I've never had a pet before or anything so I imagine there's a lot of things I don't know."