Alanna was quite pleased with herself for making Liza giggle, so much that even her inner chipmunk was beginning to calm down. Her eyes continued to scan the room, true, and she was very aware of exactly how long it would take her to get to the nearest door... but that was just part of how life was for Alanna. She always knew those things, no matter who she was with. And when it was someone who was at least part-predator? A lot more than a chance chat would be needed to keep her at ease. But she's nice! And I need more friends here.
"Oh, that's alright," Alanna said, giving a weak smile. "It's how you were born, yeah? Only natural for you to not give it a second thought." She had conversed with enough born weres - Jamie included - to know that shifting for them was as natural as breathing. It was just who they were. Thinking about when she was turned, though, Alanna's gloved hands tightened around her cup and she bit down on her lip, eyes downcast. "A year ago, I guess," she mumbled, not looking up. It was nowhere near a pleasant memory and she wished that she could just forget it. But things like that did not just go away because one wanted them to. "It doesn't hurt so much anymore when I want to." When she did not want to was a different matter entirely, but those memories were fuzzy, entire nights and one day completely gone. "It's no big deal, I've just got a problem once a month. Well, twice since I'm a girl, but you know how that goes." Alanna looked up with a smile, hoping that her lack of enthusiasm for what she was would not set Liza off. "Luckily the two haven't gone together so I'm not a PMSing rodent because I'm pretty sure that's a horror story waiting to happen."