[M] You Are Not Alone {1x1 AgroShadow, Larynx}

[Larynx]

The morning began as before, cool and fresh, the soft breeze coming in through the window smelling like pine and the readily recognized scent of just dirt, good dirt, but still dirt. Looking herself over in the small mirror on the dresser, she was not displeased with the reflection looking back. A face that appeared to have gotten enough rest peered back at her with cool brown eyes, catching the morning light filtering softly in through the window. Dark hair fell down behind her, its normally wavy texture more pronounced now that it had been a day without a shower or real brushing. At least the air was not too dry or much moisture as she would prefer not to also have to deal with the frizz that came with that. Digging through the bag she had been able to bring, she ran a brush gently through the dark strands, taking her time to be gentle and de-tangle anything she came across. Her mother had been a vain woman, never one to criticize what was wrong with an outfit, but she had dearly meant well in instructing the best ways to take of your hair. After all, she had said great hair was like a great crown for a woman. Muttering about how she had been right, Arianna took the time to quickly but thoroughly make sure that her hair at least looked presentable enough.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she padded quietly into the kitchen. Of course, he was already up and and moving confidently about the kitchen. Surprised flashed through her at realizing there was a bare back and a bare chest there. Before she could react or comment, there was already an offer of a semblance of breakfast. No surprise this time. "Two cream, one sugar." Voice soft from sleep, she almost wasn't sure she had really said it but he moved away almost as soon as the offer was given. Watching the man stride away and out the door to the porch, she was suddenly aware that there was more of her exposed and shown than yesterday. Black, as usual but a simple tank top and pajama shorts were what had been donned for the night. There had been no little voice that reminded her she was not alone in this house and to respect that fact. Looking back out to the porch, she was unsure whether to follow or just get ready for the day. He seemed content out there, sipping his coffee with one hand, other resting on the railing. She was not too far to notice there was the definitive curves of lean muscle there beneath the skin, moving smoothly as Mason turned slightly to look across the landscape. Taking a sip of the coffee, it seemed to help her decision making and deciding it was not worth it, she went and draped a light cardigan over herself.

"I cannot ding your coffee choice, actually." The air was much cooler outside, being still quite early, the sun had just fully come out from behind the edge of the world. Golden light was splashing out across the yard and them but it brought little warmth this early and she inhaled softly. Leaning against the rail, what skin she had exposed pebbled up, nipples pressed though her shirt. Cupping her coffee, she began to think that this late summer was closing in on fall sooner than expected. She was very aware that there was a half naked man just across from her but she refused to look over that part of him. That was not what they were here for. Sipping on the liquid and letting its warmth seep through her body, she leaned into the light as she could feel it slowly gather more warmth in its rays. Looking out across the yard, instead there were quite a few small flocks of birds, eagerly foraging in the grass still damp with dew. They hopped in and out of the sun bars, scratching at the dirt and happily twittering their morning calls as they were successful in their breakfast hunt.

"How much land do you have here?" She asked softly, still not willing to really look at him more than a glance. From the plentiful trees came other calls, most she could not recognize. A woodpecker's drumming for his own breakfast, the more melodic calls of what she could only assume as songbirds, and a light buzz of some insects. It was quite...nice actually and she found herself letting a soft smile pull at her lips. The air smelt even fresher out here than inside and she found herself looking forward to this hike to a lake. It could easily replace her usual morning run, and was probably better.

[AgroShadow]

There were sounds of things waking up with the sun. Birds. Insects. Mammals. The small rabbits that darted across the dew covered grass at his arrival usually would catch his attention, but his attention was elsewhere. Even though the cooler air was a refreshing feel against his bare skin, the images in his mind ran rampant. Seeing her in just the tank top and shorts left not much for his imagination, but his mind couldn't help but wander. It wouldn't take much to just casually remove those with a few swift movements. A muscle in his jaw feathered as he clenched his jaw and shook his head slightly, trying to clear his head. That was not why she was here. A soft voice caused him to glance back toward the door. He could see that she had dawned a light cardigan over her shoulders. The canine let out a huff of slight defeat that the view had been covered. It took a second to realize she had asked a question. 'Uh, well I own this whole little meadow and about another 10 acres behind it into all of that forest stuff. The place I'm going to take you to today will be on the outskirts of my property...' He paused for a moment, as he glanced over at her, 'I hope you like it, not too many other people have set eyes on it.' With that, he drained the last of the coffee from his cup in a smooth motion. For a second he thought about making another cup, but the thought of having to go through grinding more grounds seemed like a task he was not quite up to again. Unless... 'Do you want some more?' He motioned to her cup with his empty one. He had seen her sipping on it while she had been standing here but had not tipped it back like it was quite empty yet. She had mentioned something about his coffee choice not being terrible. Well that was good, seeing as he had loads of it out in the shed in the back. There was a deal he couldn't pass up on that one. Just sacks of the beans for a cheap price. And who knew coffee beans would keep so well over the years.

Satisfied that she was still working on her own cup, he went about grabbing a couple things to prepare for their hike. He had left a backpack on the porch from yesterday, picking that up, he emptied out the snares onto a nearby chair and darted back into the cabin. He grabbed a couple water bottles, and filled them up before shoving them into the pack along with a small first aid kit that always came with him and some collapsible soft reusable bags. While they were up there, there was a wonderful blueberry patch that always seemed to grow throughout the whole summer and they were going to start really picking up here in the next week. Mason liked to grab as many of those as he could for canning and also snacking on when they were ripe and ready to go. It was honestly one of his favorite things to do in the late summer and early fall. The thought of shoving his face full of berries and their sweet sticky juice made his stomach rumble slightly. The thought of throwing on a shirt crossed his thoughts, but it felt like it was going to be another hot day and besides, he'd be taking it off anyway when they got to their destination. Double checking that he had what he needed in his pack, he grabbed his rifle that had been leaning up against the wall next to the front door and came back out onto the porch.

Setting the things down and lowering himself into a sitting position, he grabbed his shoes and slipped them onto his feet. 'It's a decent hike, but when we get there, there's loads to do and there will be a few things to eat, but it's up to you if you would like to bring some extra food. There's dried meat and fruit slices in the cabinet. I've got water and there's a spot to refill halfway if needed. And I'm ready to head out whenever you are.' Looking over at her, the corner of his mouth tugged up slightly at the thought of showing her such a wonderful place. A thought crossed his mind and he stood up, leaving the pack and rifle where it was. Trotting back around the cabin, he pulled up a layer of moss to show a small door. Lifting that up made for a chilly air to waft into his face. Without a second thought, he dropped himself into the hole, falling a few feet before catching himself on the ladder that was against the side of the hole and lowering himself further down. The air got colder as he went, the light fading farther away. Soon he felt his feet touch hard ground and he shuffled around for a minute before finding the lantern he always left down here. Lighting it, soon a small underground room was illuminated. There were slabs of meat and limbs of animals hanging from the short ceiling, all still frozen. His breath curled in the air as he grabbed a slab of deer meat and hauled it up to the fresh air again. While they were gone, this could defrost enough to where they should be able to cook and eat it. Closing up his small permafrost freezer, he went back around to the front of the cabin and back inside. Over in the kitchen, he had a small box which looked like a small fridge sitting under the counter. He put the meat inside there, knowing full well not to leave meat out in the open where bears could smell it. It was a problem here he had not quite been able to avoid, but he had learned how to work around them. Moving back over to the porch, he leaned against the railing, waiting for his hiking partner.

[Larynx]

Lacing up her shoes to conform comfortably to her feet, she found herself looking forward to this little trip. Mason was clearly wanting to show her this, his voice tipping up with excitement as he described it. Vaguely, but she could not blame him for wanting her to be able to experience it in all it's apparent glory, without any spoilers. Why would this place be so special to him? Most of them really weren't much different from each other. At least, the most she had ever really found special about them were too drunk college kids, too many boats clogging each other up, and beer cans and a random bikini top floating by and getting stuck on the beaches and too much trash getting caught in the reeds. There would definitely be none of that here, for which she was grateful. Rising to her feet, she could see Mason had slipped back in and was at the kitchen counter for what felt like seconds before popping back out to the porch again. Slipping an arm through her backpack's loop, she followed him back outside, the soft thuds of her boots on the planks giving her away.

Seemed like when things were decided he moved fast. She watched him swing his own pack across his back and motioning for her to follow, head off into the forest. The man's strides were sure and quick as they moved beneath the pine trees, their long sloping limbs filtering the light into pretty streaks across their trail. The air was still cool and fresh, the soft morning breeze pushing through the forest feeling refreshing against a lightly sweating back and forehead. As they moved deeper into the forest, she could feel the breeze fade slightly, being blocked off by the forest itself, the trees growing taller, closer together, and the brush also growing denser and reaching onto the edges of the trail with their leafy runners. Overhead the birds called loudly, but quieted as they moved by, starting up again when they were deemed a safe distance away. Inhaling deeply, she could almost taste the smell of the pine resin, the damp undergrowth, and the seemingly inherent scent being outside held. It was actually quite pleasant, and she found herself smiling softly to herself.

As they moved quietly forward along the trail, she could feel the other half of her growing increasingly aware of their surroundings. Arianna could feel it giving soft pushes to give in, to let herself feel the speed of four legs, the sharp senses of animal eyes and ears instead of her pathetic human versions. To feel the rush of bounding through the underbrush, at home in the shadows on silent paws equipped with daggers tough enough to bring down game that would soothe a hunter's instinct and satisfy a hunger worked up in the purest of fashions. The forest called to her,the pockets of shadows deepening with the allure of making them hers, the rustling of the small wild creatures begging to be found and caught and sent down her gullet. The ridges rising up beside the trail called to have their caves explored and claimed, the boulders to be lookouts high and unreachable by others. Fighting against herself was difficult. Despite telling this part of herself no, her feet seemed to move on their own, off the trail and towards that tingling call of the forest. Gritting her teeth she fought.

This was not as hard as that house. Or the nights spent clutching her stomach from the pain of not having had anything to eat for days, little sister sleeping quietly beside her but unknowingly having been given the last peanut butter sandwich.The long nights of studying to finish early. Campaigning for funding to help others like her. This was a part of her now but she would not let it consume her. She growled into the feline's face that this was not the way. This could not be demanded of her. Nothing would ever be again. Overwhelmed moments ago, the feline shrank away quickly retreating with a yowl of anger and surprisingly, fear and hurt. Oh. Inhaling sharply at the sudden vacant feeling, she moved herself back onto the trail. This was no longer pleasant, the forest around them seeming to have lost its charm and those dark shadows no longer alluring but dull, the rocky ridges reverting back to just looking like impassable heights. Slowly the forest regressed to normal forest sensations. Suspecting that this was the first of many, a rush of pride filled her at having come out the victor. A fight she could and should win, she thought. A precedent had been set.

A soft rustle not of bird wings or tiny paws, but fabric caught her attention and brown met blue. "I..think I won that." She breathed, moving to catch up to him. Let's get going. I want to see this special lake of yours." And she meant it now, this was not so much of a reward but she had been worried that the trip would be ruined by this very entity taking over. She could learn to accept it was part of her but not ruling her. A true cat, she was not. Moving past him she could see that the ridges were no longer ridges but had turned into high walls as the forest grew denser, pushing against the trail, throwing rippling shadows out along the trail. It was not long before she could hear it, the easily recognizable rushing of water over rock. Forging ahead eagerly, she reached it.

The trail came to an abrupt halt beside the stream heard before, the water moving steadily around large grey boulders dotted along its banks and across to the other side. The canyon reached overhead on one side, shading that side of the stream and as she followed its course out, she inhaled softly. It was pretty. The canyon walls fell away on both sides and there sat the lake, the early morning light bouncing off the softly rippling waters. The perimeter was less beach and more of the same smaller, grey rock, smoothed by the years of water rubbing against them, larger boulders strewn about. The forest also fell back along its edge, the trees growing inward creating small shaded overhangs close enough to sit on a boulder with your feet in the water in some places. Closer she went, moving along the bank. Only to pause again at the sight of a waterfall. Two! waterfalls. That must have been what she heard before, she realized. The stream would have been too quiet for it to have been heard so far away. They were not very large waterfalls, about as high as she was tall but many gallons of water were rushing over the perfectly placed dark boulders. "So. What's so special about this place, huh?" She whispered, a smile pulling at her lips.

[AgroShadow]

The further they trekked into the forest, the more at ease Mason felt. He could feel his shoulders loosen with every step, his stride lengthen despite the slight incline of forest floor they were on. The sights and smells wrapped him in the warm embrace of home. This was his home. It had been awhile since he had been here, and the way his body and mind craved it, he could tell he had missed being here. Despite having been gone for months, it was still the same. The same smell of pine and other trees, freshly sprouted spring grass. The sounds that filled his ears a mixture of nature, songbirds singing to each other for mates, the sound of buzzing insects and the wonderful symphony of wind blowing through the different pine needles and leaves on the aspens. Sweat rolled down his bare back and chest in tiny beads as he worked to keep the speed he was at. He was glad he had decided to keep his shirt off, to provide even a little relief on this trip that seemed to be pushing himself a little hard. So far it sounded as though Arianna was keeping up rather easily. He could tell she did things to keep herself fit, but he just didn't know how far she could go. The familiar steady sound of footsteps that had been behind him suddenly stopped after taking a few steps off the dirt path they had been on. He wouldn't have picked up on it, however the canine filled himself with the sudden urge to whip around.

Tilting his head slightly at the feeling, he turned around to watch what exactly had happened. Arianna had taken a few steps off into a direction that had no marked trails, standing there staring off into a distance he could not see. Slowly, he removed his pack and kneeled down quietly. The sudden feeling of air on what once was covered flesh provided a small relief of cool to brush his still bare skin. He pulled out one of the water bottles he brought and pulled a few large drags from it. Once he was finished, he put it away and stood back up while shouldering the pack again. When he was fully standing up again, her piercing gaze met his. His breath hitched slightly in his chest at the sudden attention, but the words that followed from her mouth made him loose the breath that had got caught. A small smiled tugged at the corner of his mouth as he responded, 'Eventually it'll get easier and you don't have to cause such a ruckus. But you best keep up or I'll leave you behind.' He winked as he set off at a slightly quicker pace than before.

His calves burned with the effort he was throwing into his strides, but it wasn't long before a long figure surpassed him. A chuckle escaped his him as he watched her keep going. Shaking his head, he let out a sigh and pushed himself a little harder to go after her. He almost ran into her when she stopped suddenly, the roar of the waterfalls drowning out the sound of both their footsteps and breath. He pulled up beside her and took in the scenery for himself. This place always made him hold his breath for a split second as he tried to take it all in. It never lost its beauty. As many times as he had been here, it was always so beautiful. Grinning at her statement, he dropped his pack and rifle to the ground and ran past her. 'Besides the fact that this is all for us?' As he ran, he popped his shoes off between strides before leaping off a boulder that was jutting out over the water.

He hit the surface with a large splash. The water rushed past his ears, drowning out any sound other than his own heartbeat pulsing in his ears. Opening his eyes, the water was murky except for the sunlight streaming above him. With a strong kick, he pushed himself toward the surface. Breaking above the water, he shook his head and sent water droplets in every direction. Glancing toward the shore, he spotted a familiar figure standing there. 'The water is fantastic, but I know how kitty cats are about it.' Grinning, he continued, 'There's a blueberry patch above the falls if that's more you're style.'

[Larynx]

She had followed the male make no hesitation to dive into the lake, eyes following the fuzzy form of him moving about under the water before popping out above the surface. An eye roll was all he got for that response and his showing off. There was no need for him to show her just how fit he was, hiking several miles, gaining some elevation and now leaping and swimming. "I am sure you know how sharp kitty claws are too." She replied quickly, grinning back at him. Now that it had been said she knew that this was the man's style of jokes, she would never hear the end of feline related jokes. As long as she did not become known as 'Kitty' then she supposed she could tolerate anything else, even if it bordered into dad-joke level humor. There would be no harm to him if he could refrain from that and the nickname. Letting out a soft huff at the man's 'pleased-with-myself- smile, she moved along the bank, taking her time to come closer to the edge of the water and to him. She found plentiful tracks of deer, right up to the water's edge, and various distinctive 'x'-shaped bird tracks, but nothing that really caught her attention.

Watching the man out of the corner of her eye as she moved along the bank, she realized that as she watched him, he did the same to her. They both knew little about each other, and she suspected he had given her the choice to join him or the berry patch knowing full well that it was more likely of her to choose the berry patch seeing as how she had not given any indication of joining him in the water. Arms crossing self-consciously, she wondered which would really be better. This was a new area and it would not be very wise to go gallivanting about to this berry patch atop the falls. If anything were to happen here it would be tougher to get a response team or medical help here than within the city so many miles away. There was also the possibility that she was overlooking the fact that if he had offered it really was probably a mild hike around to it. She could even see the top of the waterfall and most of the surrounding area not blocked by stands of what she thought were cottonwoods, their leaves rustling gently in the slight breeze. Sighing softly to herself at the thought of how nice it did sound to just do her own thing and enjoy the area, she also knew that remedying their not knowing each other well would be the better action. Quickly she peeled off her shoes, socks and her pack. Setting them on a boulder high enough to keep them out of reach of the lake and any sudden water level rise, she also bent to unzip her pants. This was as good a time as any to make use of their convertible feature.

Wading into the lake, she inhaled softly at the cool liquid against her toes and her knees as she continued further in. It was almost the perfect temperature and was quite refreshing actually. Easily balancing on the smooth rocks on the slippery bottom she pulled herself up onto a boulder close to where the male was treading water. Letting her legs dangle freely in the water, she leaned back against the rock, enjoying the sun beginning to warm things up. "When did you start living here?"She was not sure how to go about getting to know him. She was not known for being overly charming outside of the boardroom. People in general, she just did not make much effort to make friends with if she did not need to. She had the friends she had and that was what she had always needed just fine. But they both needed to know each other enough in this to build rapport and trust. It would be nice just to not feel awkward around teacher. Maybe the could even be friends after this, seemed like he could use some and she was never opposed to beneficial relationships even if it was not quite friendship. Turning to lay eyes on him, "When did you first find out about shifting yourself?"

[AgroShadow]

She moved with sureness around the shore, picking where she put her feet carefully. He could see her question his invitation of joining him swimming in the lake. Understanding that they weren't all that well known to each other made sense as to why she didn't just leap in. He traced her movements to the boulder he had leapt off just a few moments earlier. Swimming just a bit closer, he was able to feel the soft bottom of the lake with his feet. Bracing himself in a decent position, he tilted his head slightly to the side at her question. It just seemed out of the blue, but if this relationship of them was going to work, then he supposed that they would need to know more about each other. 'I lived in the forest for a few years in canine form before I found this area... There was an older guy who owned the cabin before me, I stumbled upon him and there was just something about him that kept me around...' He trailed off slightly as the memories resurfaced all those years ago. 'I stuck around, he fed me, not knowing what I really was. Just kind of an unspoken thing we had. Occasionally I would bring him game when his hunting had failed. And one day he was out and took a bad fall off a ridge. I had been following him when it had happened. He broke his leg and a couple ribs... I couldn't see dragging him like a carcass back to the cabin, so I shifted and helped him. I was lucky he was kind of delusional with pain, when we got back to the cabin I left him there and I was back to my dog form as soon as I could. But he knew. Talked to me a lot more after that, asking me questions even though I never gave him answers... Anyway, eventually I got into a scuffle with a bear trying to prove something to myself. I got injured, bad. When the old guy had found me I had panic shifted back into my human form. So he helped me without any questions or requirements. He taught me a lot about living out here, where all the things were to be self sufficient all that stuff. He passed away and left it all to me on the condition I never sold. And after being here for so many years, I could never imagine doing that.'

He knew the land would gain a lot of money if he ever did sell, but what was the point when money had no value to him? He loved this land and all around it. It was still far enough away from cities that he never had problems with people despite the occasional hunter coming through the area. He stayed quiet while she digested what he had just said. It wasn't meant to be a sad story, just a story as to why and how he got to where he was in this particular area. The next question brought a full new range of emotions coursing through him. He hadn't thought about that era of his life in a long time. But he figured it was something she would like to know.

Swallowing hard, he spoke softly, 'Young. I was young. Ten or eleven, I can't really remember. It happened all of a sudden. I was emotional at the time it happened.' The dingy walls suddenly appeared in his mind. The sound of his mother screaming at his father to stop. Mason yelling and pulling on his dad's arm as he raised it to strike her again. His dad threw his arm back, slamming Mason into a small side table. His dad was yelling as he went to grab the iron fire poker, Mason was trying to get his vision to stop swimming. There was the sound of his mother wailing and then a few sickening thuds as something hard collided with something much softer. The crying stopped other than the soft sobs coming from himself. He could see his dad clearly now, seeing what he had done, standing there like it had not just happened. Mason made a soft gasp and his father turned around toward him, clenching the fire poker and coming from him. There was a flash of bright light and what used to be hands suddenly turned into paws. His jaws closed around his father's neck and with a quick and strong squeeze, a sudden flood of iron taste coated his mouth.

The roar of the waterfalls brought him back to where he was. He could feel the coolness of the water wrapping around him, the soft laps of the water pushing him back and forth. The feel of something holding him was almost too much. With a few short movements, he pulled himself up onto the rock with Arianna. Laying down, he glanced at the sky as he continued, 'I was trapped in canine form for a couple weeks before some other shifter figured out what was wrong. I spent the days wandering the streets trying to get people to pay attention to me and talk to me. She was able to talk me back into a human form, and even then I didn't talk for a little more than a year. I stayed with her until I was ready to leave...' Thinking about that kind shifter gave him an idea. If things didn't work out with him, maybe he could track down that kind shifter and see if she could be of any help Arianna. He wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the whole story of how that happened. It felt like he would be opening up a little too much to her. Glancing over at her he asked, 'So what is it that made you so successful in your job? Besides being so cunning and resourceful?'

[Larynx]

She listened closely to the recounting of the land passing from one man of the wild to another. No wonder he felt so at home here, it was more than just having been conditioned to prefer being away from others, this land had been truly given to the young man. It was more than just a thank you from the older man, it was a gift to someone he had felt would need it as well as enjoy it with all of its remote harshness and occasional beauty only a wilderness could give. The isolation could be the death of some, and the savior of others.

The emotion that came next took her by surprise. It was clear that this was hard for him to share, and she found herself sitting up to better look at him. That hard swallow, soft voice, and the faraway look that crept into his eyes... That self distancing language too. There was a memory there. A painful one. She found herself wanting to comfort him, to let him know that whatever past he had revisited was not where he was now. She knew better than most that painful pasts had a way of popping up unexpectedly and could hurt just as much ten years later as they did the day they were burned into memory. The water rippled around his still body, belying the ripples of emotion within him. Before she could even open her mouth however, he was pulling himself up beside her onto the rock. Before she could stop herself, she flinched away from his sudden movement and his suddenly being so close. Water splashed up across the rock and onto her, dark streak now across her shirt. But she was already on her feet, she was ready to take that backwards step into the water to get away when she realized all that had happened and that he was now asking her a question in return.

Slowly lowering herself back down, she wondered just what he had thought of that. The speed with which he had already reached her from the water was impressive, now that she could tell herself to stop being so jumpy. You would think by now if the man had wanted to ambush her he already would have. "I go after what I want." Clearing her throat she slowly unfurled her legs to reach toward the water again. "I was determined to use my parents' wealth to do something good." A shrug brushed across her shoulders. "I guess I felt guilty too. I did not like me and my sister being labeled lucky for having been adopted by people who do love us as their own." She was not certain just what he wanted to hear for the answer to that. She could appreciate his description of her though. "Why do you think I am 'cunning'?" She had not heard that before, and she had definitely met with business people who did not take too kindly to a young person who was also a woman rank higher than them. She was aware that she did not hold the knowledge of everything and was open to constructive criticism for a business that was considered a fledgling in many circles.

[AgroShadow]

He didn't miss the flinch and jump away from him when he hopped up on the rock with her. He slowed his movements slightly as to make his movements a little more predictable. What had caused her to be so jumpy was beyond him. He hoped it wasn't him, but seeing as how he just brought her out into all this land with no way of communicating to the outside world... Well that could explain it he supposed. She slowly settled back down, if not hesitantly. He was going to have to watch himself and slow himself down if that was the case. While he was one to move first and think about reactions later, he could tell she was much more cautious around people she didn't quite know. Hopefully the more they got to know each other, the more they could get comfortable with each other. As she started talking, her body language eased up slightly as she started to get more comfortable. While she spoke, Mason watched the clouds slowly trailing over the sky. Their small white fluffy bodies pushed forward by a wind that could not be seen.

He figured she had come from wealth. It was difficult to get to where she was starting at nothing, especially at a young age as she was. He tilted his head at the mention of her sister and adoption. A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth when she asked about the description he had given her. 'You have a way of adapting quickly, it seems hard to surprise you with something but even when something does surprise you, you are able to hide it quick. Almost as you had planned it. You haven't quite told me what you want from me other than helping you figure out how to help you with your shifting, and the contract I signed, you know how to make things work in your favor.' Manson had no problem with helping her out, but he could not remember much from their discussion from those few days at her place. Even if this was just a contact agreement, what is it that was supposed to benefit him while doing this? 'I assume people don't take kindly to a younger person being their boss. Let alone a younger woman. You had to do some things to get there, and I'm sure you did a great job doing it.'

He couldn't help to admire her driveness and adaptiveness. She worked hard to get where she was, despite her family background. Remembering the mention of her sister, he glanced over at her. 'You mentioned you had a sister. Do you know how she's doing? Shifting sometimes runs in the family. And since you two were adopted it could leave the possibility open that she has the ability too unless you were able to contact your biological family.' The sun was warming up the rock, quickly drying off his body. He ran a hand through his damp hair as he glanced back up toward the sky again. The clouds had moved on further, new ones replacing where the last ones were. Sighing, he sat up to let the remaining water roll off his body.

[Larynx]

"Thank you." She was not sure how to respond to the praise form someone who barely knew her. It still felt very good to have traits not attached to looks or body be pointed out. That was not something she got very often if not from friends or family, or suitors trying to get into her pants. The complaint caught her attention sharply. While true she had not outlined much, if anything, that he could claim to gain of benefit, he had signed it. "You did not exactly question signing a legally binding agreement either, though." She pointed out, chuckling softly to herself. "You're much more of a sign my life away, deal with the consequences later kind of guy. Might get you in real trouble if it hasn't already you know." She hoped he knew she was speaking truthfully but teasing at the same time, not wanting their chat to turn into an argument or fight over something stupid.

"She is not my biological sister." They had stepped out of the car and there had been someone she had not expected there, a little girl half her age peering out from behind her father's leg at the newcomers. The first month or two were fine but it gradually gave way as the facade it had always been. "My mother fell for his charm," Arms crossing over herself as she continued. "She...did not make it past the drugs. My sister and I are still very close, and I do not think she would be keen on shitting on all we've been through for something like this. She can be a real grade-A-flake but she has a good heart." Looking over at him, she was made aware once again that the male was without a shirt. Before she could stop herself, her eyes trailed along his well-formed shoulders, down his chest and noticing those hints of a washboard set of abs. Beads of water trailed down the curve of a well shaped arm, and across the planes of a face dotted with very light freckles from the sun around those blue eyes. Hair darkened to a lovely shade of deeper brown, and with the light still holding on to some of that early morning glow...he was attractive if she let herself go down that road. She was human and not immune to the male gaze, of which she had not been lacking, but she also knew well how badly things could turn.

Looking away before she could let herself feel embarrassed for looking, she slipped down off the rock. A soft splash and an inhale at the sweeping cool feeling that washed over her, she began making her way back to the bank. "Afternoon is coming and I am hungry. Let's get back to the cabin and we can see what nice lunch of jerky and fruit we can whip up." She called, teasing him again for his minimalist eating supplies. Must not have dinner parties very often, she thought, chuckling to herself. Reaching the bank she quickly got everything together to head back down the trail and to the cabin. Knowing he would catch up soon enough she set off for the trail-head. When she reached it, she paused to turn and give the area one last look. She lingered, one hand on the same tree as before to steady herself. Watching the gentle laps at the banks, the soft roar of the waterfall rushing down, and the birds coming back to flit along the surface for bugs... It was very unlikely this would be their only visit. From her observations this had been a good starting point for whatever relationship from this agreement they were going to have. Even so, she wanted to safely keep this as one of her happier memories and she found herself looking forward to their next visit. "Thank you for bringing me here."With that the turned and hurried off down the trail, stomach rumbling softly.

The afternoon sun threw much more light across the trail and with it, much more heat. It was a good five degrees warmer, at least and Arianna could feel the sweat starting to build up on her scalp and skin. A nice long shower sounded great but knowing their setup, it was probably going to be cut short to five minutes or less with some sort of outdoor shower. Or, and she would not be surprised this time with what she had learned about him, one of those other doors had been a complete, perfectly designed bathroom with all the luxury amenities people like her were willing to pay well for. Soft, fluffy towels to wrap herself up in after a nice long bath were what she was thinking of when they reached the clearing just before the cabin. The sun was well up in the sky now, sending out strong light in all directions across the now empty meadow. Most of the wildlife had learned long ago in their evolutionary crawl that midday was the best time to stay out of the sun and attend to young or naps, or calling from well shaded areas. Stepping out into it, she wished she had been wiser this morning and grabbed her hat. Thankfully she never really did burn very much. "I am looking forward to what you surprise me with for lu-,"she began only to drop into silence.

It was the same matte black with that stupid New York Yacht Club sticker in the back corner. Three years later and he had still not had it removed despite no longer being a member. Worse, she realized that it was directly parked behind her own car blocking any attempt for it to leave its own spot. She could feel her mouth go dry, and hands begin to shake. This was the last thing she had ever expected out of this day. Shaking hands clenched into fists she strode farther into the meadow, fury mixing with fear stirring within her. She did not get far before she was stopped by him appearing on the porch, arms crossed and jaw set. "I never thought I would find you out here among this...."The man's voice grated on her ears, as he gestured rudely to the cabin and when he laid eyes on her companion, a harsh laugh escaped him. "Is this the kind of man you turn to? Was I not enough for you? I can show you again just what you're missing out on baby." He was looking her up and down, waiting for her response but all she could force out was, "What are you doing here!?" She could feel herself standing there, fists clenching and un-clenching as she stared at the man she had never wanted to set eyes on ever again after that night. "Oh I thought you would be happy to see me? I missed you and thought I would check up on you." Before she could react he had stepped down from the porch and into her space. She tried to push away, slamming her hands into his chest but all she did was stand there looking up at this face and remembering that he was handsome.

"If you wanted to come all the way out here to a cabin, all you had to do was tell me and I could've found such a nice one for us." A backhanded compliment that did not register as fear and confusion began to overtake fury. She could remember that Nathan had always been charming, always ready to say the right thing that made her feel better in the moment only to be analyzed by friends as manipulative. "How did you find me?" She managed, trying to look away from his gaze and failing. It would be easy to slip back into those familiar arms. "What's important is that I found you and am ready to take you back to where you belong. Something must be going on if you came all the way out to the middle of nowhere." That...was not untrue. She did need help with this. She could feel him reaching for her hands, and beginning to lead her to his car. "Let's get you the help you need and back with me. We can start fresh, no need for this guy to ruin what we still have."

Yes, she needed the help from trained professionals not some man she barely knew living out in the forest. As he turned, the small silver circle he always wore caught the light and everything came crashing back. The rough sheets, the red light of the computer tower, his grinning face caught in its light and the silver necklace falling forward out of his shirt and bouncing against his chest as he forced himself into her..."NO!!" She cried,snapping out of her stupor. Adrenaline, confusion, fear, anger, despair were all zinging through her as she tried to slip her hand out of his. Tears were beginning to flow down her cheeks as he turned and tried to sling her over his shoulder.

[AgroShadow]

Mason gave a slight shrug at the mention of him signing something without really thinking of the consequences. 'Well you're not wrong there. But I have yet to be caught for it.' He gave a small chuckle at the thought of being in trouble for the few things he had signed in the past. He tilted his head slightly while she talked about her sister. Ah. That made sense now. Well at least he wasn't going to have to worry about two people dealing with their new found shifting abilities. His attention was drawn back to her as a small splash came from her direction. He watched her make her way toward the shore. The words that came out of her caused him to release a laugh. Well she wasn't wrong. It wasn't going to be quite jerky and fruit, but it would be pretty close. 'If you're not careful, I'll feed you the oldest dryest jerky and some very tart and sour fruit that isn't sweet yet.' With that he pulled himself off the rock, following her back toward his pack and rifle. Shouldering his pack, he watched her make her way back toward the trail here. When she turned back around and took in the view. He could feel his lips pull up in a slight smile as he took her in. It was nice to see she had enjoyed this place as much as he had. He didn't show this area to everyone, but some people just needed it in their life.

As he started walking toward her, he caught her thanks. 'You're welcome here anytime. It's a place that deserves to be shared with some.' Mason was careful who he shared this area with, knowing some people would take advantage of it. He had a feeling Arianna would be one who didn't do that. She seemed genuine and seemed like someone who just needed to find herself. He began his trek back down to the cabin after her, letting her lead the way. It was pretty easy to find your way back once you had made the journey there. The weather was a lot warmer than what it had been when they started, and it didn't take long for his body to slowly start sweating to try and cool himself down. He found himself longing the feel of the cool water of the lake again, just anything to remove how uncomfortable the heat made him. Glancing up at the figure in front of him, the easy hike back made it easy for his mind to think of other things. There was a lot of work they were going to half to do to make Arianna comfortable with this new part of her. A lot of it was going to have to be her own battle, but Mason just hoped that with him there they could speed up that process. It was good that she was able to win a little fight with the feline earlier today, but she was going to have a lot more urges that were going to be much more difficult to control. It was definitely something he could help her with. Although he was unsure just how much more stubborn felines were compared to canines.

A slight breeze brushed past them providing cooler air and also something else. Suddenly Mason was alert and looking around, the canine perking it's ears. Drawing in a deep breath, there was a scent that had not been there when they had left. A mixture of gasoline, rubber, cologne and testosterone. The sound of a female voice reminded him that she was there. 'Arian-' The sudden scent of anger from her smacked his nose hard. She was still standing in front of him, his view obscured as to what caused her mood to change so quickly. As she continued walking, he kept a few feet behind and the view hit him. A black car, one that was not there before and the man so nonchalantly standing on his porch. Immediately the canine bared his teeth, his fur rising on his hackles in an impressive mane. This was his territory, and there was someone improaching on it. Mason reeled the canine back slightly, his own jaw feathering as he clenched his teeth. He wasn't sure why this man was here, but with the way he held himself and how he gestured at his home it was everything to not just shift right now.

The amount of emotions rolling off Arianna were difficult to miss. He could smell her anger from standing this far away, but he could also smell a sense of claiming from the other male. He didn't miss the jab of being some low life that she had turned to, but it was also something he was used to. Sure his life wasn't glamorous, but it wasn't for anyone else but him. Things happened so quickly in the next few minutes, the man coming off the porch, grabbing Arianna's hands, pulling her to the car, her slowly following him as in a trance for a few feet before digging her heels into the ground and screaming no, and the male turning around to grab her over his shoulder. Without even thinking, he pulled the rifle from his shoulder, cocked it and aimed it at the man. 'Hey! Now I don't know what you're doing on my property, but you are not welcome here. And I believe she said no.' He waited a few seconds for the man to register what he had just said. When there was no hint of him letting Arianna go and when he shifted his weight to really grab her, Mason fired a shot into the ground next to his feet with a thud and dirt scattering from where the bullet hit. The sound of the gun going off echoed in the small meadow. 'I said you are trespassing, and my patience is wearing thin bud. My next shot won't miss.' Mason pushed the next bullet into the chamber with a swift movement of one hand. His gaze never moving from down the sight of the gun.