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

[Larynx]

The sun was bright and warm. The soil underfoot was still damp from a previous rain, yet still yielded enough scent to follow a faint trail to little morsels that scurried and squeaked in their dens. Before she could stop herself, little black paws were carrying her after it, nose to the ground at intervals to check her progress. Except..she paused and turned back to the meadow. It stood empty besides the bees about their all important nectar gathering and the sun filtering through more strongly now with afternoon in full. Perhaps she should wait for her teacher to return. The feline gave an unapologetic huff at that. He had bounded past her in sheer exhilaration it seemed, bounced up to her with that gargantuan mouth and barked at her of all things before disappearing away into the forest to some unknown destination. Not a very dignified invitation to...whatever it was supposed to be.

Very well then. She took the time to examine how this really felt. She could feel the feline quivering and urging her to abandon anything else but the sheer delight of animal instincts. Somehow, she knew this, though if asked would not be able to describe just how she knew this. It was like another piece of consciousness that was with her at all times, there in the back but just as distinct as another person.

Lowering her haunches to the ground, she watched as the canine returned, form slipping from the trees to the meadow with surprising ease. He must have been all over this area in both forms. That sort of ease with which he had led her off this morning and now moved about the meadow was only gained from familiarity. As well a confidence in his own ability. The canine seemed surprised not to find her where she last was. That nose of his would probably find her before his own blue eyes did, so she was content to have this moment to herself to watch another of her kind move about in its other suit. He was definitely not as bad looking this time as the last time she had really gotten a good look at him, nose turning up to the air to catch her scent. He was a tall dog, long pale legs covering the ground with equal strides as he angled about to let his nose do the work. She wondered just how easy it would be to let herself fall into this part of her and let it take over. How...fun it could be to lead the dog on her own little chase through the forest and put him to work this time. Knowing he would not be far behind made it very tempting and the cat agreed eagerly. It was not fond of being coddled, which given her newness to it was surprising to her. Perhaps he underestimated the instinct that seemed to pound with glee at the thought of leaving him behind and surrendering to the wilds. Even as she saw him pad slowly forward and ever closer to her, she crouched. It would be very easy indeed.

Edging from beneath her low bush of cover she met those blue eyes with her own. Peering at him a low and excited chirp escaped her. Her muscles tightened, and before he could be upon her with that great big nose of his she leaped forward and away into the forest. The forest sweeping past in swathes of green and brown she ran, letting the cat take her wherever it wanted. Darting around and through brush she ran, letting her dark pelt momentarily conceal her in their depths before springing out just out of the following dog's reach, only to dart away again. It was glorious knowing that this body was hers and was seemingly infallible. She sent herself through brush and up fallen logs without hesitation. Bounding through, up, or over any obstacle that popped up during this chase, she quickly gained distance on the canine. Leaping up onto a rocky outcrop she paused. Pounding heart, the quivering of muscles beginning to tire, and the blood rushing through her, all while the forest continued its soft sounds of life that made her almost ache to run after them...This...felt alive.

Heavy footfalls and rough panting caught her ears long before the dog actually managed to show up. Not very well acquainted with dogs and their behavior, she could tell Mason seemed irritated. Lowering her haunches to the cool rock though, she was content to stay above him. She was not about to be scolded for indulging herself to the same reaction he had only minutes before, either. A soft meow was all she released, a happy, tired meow.

[AgroShadow]

It wasn’t difficult to find his way back to the little clearing he had left the feline in moments ago. He could easily catch her scent in the breeze. It was so different than the other scents that he was so familiar with here. However when he trotted in, he didn’t see her at first, but her scent led him toward a bush where he could see some movement. Before he was able to get closer than a few feet, some sort of chirp was released from her and she took of. Oh, so this is what it was going to be. Letting out a bark of excitement, he took off after her. While he could smell her the whole way, his eyes lost track of her when she darted into the shadows of the forest. she kept things interesting by coming just within reach of him, but before he could act on it, she was gone in a flash of fur and paws. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he pushed himself harder, his legs bunching and propelling him forward with every powerful stride. Gods she was fast. No matter how much he pushed himself to try and match her speed, his large body would just not match her. It was odd being bested at something. He had lived in these mountains for years and it had only ever been him, no one else to challenge him the way she did. She seemed at ease, leaping over the fallen trees and rocks with nothing but a whisper of her paws leaving the ground. So she enjoyed this. He caught the gleam of the thrill in her eyes when she was close enough. If anything she would learn how to enjoy this second form she could inhabit.

He caught the sound of her steps slowing and he pulled himself up as well. He spotted the feline sitting atop a nice rock outcrop. Too high for him to reach in this form. One of the things he would never master as a canine, climbing. He let out a low growl of frustration between his panting. After the run it left his tongue lolling. Lacking the ability to sweat in this form was unappealing. He caught the little meow released from her. It sounded like she had thoroughly enjoyed her little romp through the area. For good measure he gave a low huff at the feline before plopping himself down in the shade and cool dirt.

It had been awhile since he had had that much fun. The excitement of the chase left him giddy and happy despite not being able to catch her. The breeze picked up for a moment and he lifted his head into it, savoring the feel of it rustling his fur. His nose twitched as it caught the scents it brought with him. However one hit him and he stood up abruptly. He knew that scent. It was faint, but recognizable. Forgetting about the feline on the rock, he padded toward where the scent had been carried from. It didn’t take him long to find it. A fallen tree was wedged up against another one, creating a little lean to that had what looked like a makeshift bed in there for some sort of animal. Sticking his head in, he moved the vegetation around with his muzzle to stir the smells up even more. It had been quite a few days since they had been here, the scent just now starting to fade. Maybe close to a week ago. Letting out a soft snort, he pulled his head away and turned back around to go back to where he left the feline. He didn’t know if the owner of the scent was still around, but if they were, he was sure they would make themselves known once they realized he had returned home.

Once he was back with Arianna, he flicked his tail slightly and trotted past. They needed to get back to where he had left his stuff and they still needed to check the snares before they got back to the cabin. However his mind was still lingering on that scent he had caught. It was enough to leave him wondering where the owner was and if they were still around. Also, why is it they came here when they had so many other places to go? Sighing, he glanced around him and noted he still had a ways to go before they reached the stream. He hadn’t realized they had ran so far away. His ears twitched slightly, picking up the sound of little paw steps following after him. He hoped that when they got back she’d be able to shift herself back. Best scenario would be she could do it tonight, worst would be a couple days. It would be another test she would just have to overcome. The sound of the stream broke through his thoughts. Once he could see where his stuff was, he willed himself back into his human form. His muscles were sore from the run and transformation. Stretching out his body, he glanced back at the feline as he re shouldered his backpack and rifle. ‘We should head back and check the snares as we head back down to the cabin. I don’t expect you to be able to shift back quite yet, so take your time on that.’

[Larynx]

The ears twitching forward and back again let her know that she was either not at quiet as cats were supposed to be or, he was trying to make sure she followed. Choosing to believe the latter, she kept some distance between them but withing view as they made their way back to the first stop. The afternoon was growing warmer as they made their way back down in elevation. She had not realized that had gained as much as they did and was thankful that this form did not seem to mind the work going back down took with shorter strides and smaller paws. It was still very much causing her to stop and stare off after a bird taking flight at their strolling by or the frantic rustlings of smaller forest dwellers in the undergrowth. It urged her to forget following after the man and discover even more wonders of being a predator in this prey-rich world, the undergrowth and their shadows lending well to her success in capturing such prey. It would be an easily forgivable romp, it cooed. More than once she found herself padding away opposite their intended destination, only to pull herself away back to the path and bound after man to catch up. There would be more time for it, she told the feline gently and it growled back but retreated.

Happy at the cooperation and the quieter urging, she padded up closer to the man as he now bent to check what they had set up earlier. She wondered where he had gone while she sat up on the rock. It was something important with the way he had reappeared soon after and immediately indicated to head back. He now seemed preoccupied, going about the snares and starting to retrieve the unsuccessful ones, pausing for a moment and then having to remind himself to continue. Watching the thin wire whip through the long grass as he pulled it up and away into his pack for another day, she meowed softly. She hoped it sounded like a questioning of why they had had to come back so soon. Summer meant there was still some hours left until dusk and still later until full night took over the forest. At the mention of the darker hours of night the feline within gave an excited trill, but she pushed back, thankful it complied. What a temperamental side of her this was. Looking up into the man's face, it was difficult to interpret what she found there. As a feline, now the features and body language was less distinct but she would guess with confidence that he had something he would rather not on his mind. It was there, hard to read, but there. If it were important to this excursion she hoped he would be polite enough to let her know. She had no experience to draw off for how to protect herself this way or how to even really act around others. Sure maybe like a regular old black cat, but she was not just a regular black cat. Every other cat she'd been around had never run from her, even the feral ones that lived, died, and fought in the streets back home. They had peered at her with their golden or jade eyes as if expecting her to join them. Perhaps they were. It definitely made more sense now that they would sensed she was more like them than she ever thought to know. She watched him move steadily along the line to the next one, growing farther away with each, trying to better get to know him and his movements.

The forest gradually came back to its normal sounds as they remained quiet and slow, the birds ad small animals going back to their habits as the more obviously threatening human moved away. Wind rushed softly through the leaves above and the birds still active gave their calls. The soft rustlings caught her attention and without a second thought she crept forward, body lowered to hover just above the ground, and inching cautiously forward. Gaining the cover of the closest but still decent bush, she peered about eagerly for the source. Movement in the shallow depression below some overhanging pine branches caught her attention, and she was surprised to see a bird moving about. A crested head and very brown, it looked about, small dark beak pulling off the needles of the pine. Praising how silent she actually was, she padded forward as quickly as possible, only halting when the bird paused to check its surroundings. Inch by inch she stalked, gaining the distance between them quickly. The bird resumed foraging once again and she took the opportunity. Small black body launched forward, claws extended and sinking deep into the bird's plumage and into beyond into flesh. Her pounded in her ears, and the blood rushed through her excited body. Feathers and soil flew about, but she did not waver, even as the bird turned to brush her with its wings in defense. Twisting the fragile thing's body toward her, she sunk her fangs into its neck, cutting off its rough squawk of surprise and horror.

With the bird dangling pitifully from her mouth, she trotted proudly out from the brush past the man. She set off toward the cabin. She did not know what the man's cooking skills were, but she was immensely proud of herself for having successfully caught something with her own ability and being able to contribute. Long black tail arching overhead, down the slope she went. She was surprised at herself to feel relief when the cabin and its clearing came into view through the trees. Heartbeat winding down and the adrenaline firing her nerves dissipating, Arianna looked forward to the idea of a nap in a good patch of sunlight. In this form or her human one, it sounded delicious after a nice late lunch.

[AgroShadow]

Finally reaching the area that they had set the snare, he could already see some still grey bodies laying in the soft tufts of grass. So there were at least two that he could see. Hopefully there would be more as he worked getting the lines in. Two little rabbits would not be enough for the both of them, seeing as his stomach was already making some noises at the thought of some sort of sustenance. Bending over, he untangled one of the bodies from the line before wrapping the snare up and sliding it into his pack. He could hear the soft sound of small paws wandering the area behind him, turning to look, his eyes met with those of the feline. The soft meow that had come from her was cute in a way. Quiet and kind of questioning. Glancing up toward the sun, he noticed that he had started bringing them back down sooner than they could have. "Sorry for the early way back, something came across my mind and I just wasn't paying attention. Feel free to explore... and do whatever cats do?" The last part came out more questioning than he would have liked, but what exactly was it that cats did when they were off on their own? He had never found the need to study them, and in fact they posed as more of a nuisance to him more than anything. He knew they were opportunistic, just as he was. But they managed to be more sneaky about it, swooping in when you least expected it. Picking up the catch that had been caught by the snare, he moved on to the next one. This one was unsuccessful, but Mason never left any traps out more than a day unless he knew when he could go back and check them in a timely manner. He owed it to these animals in case the trap failed and didn't go as planned, he could end whatever suffering they might be in.

As it so happened, it seemed to be the case as he came up along the next snare. He could see the wire was pulled taunt and as he approached it the wire wiggled, telling him that there was something on the end of it and still alive. Kneeling down close, he noticed a wide eyed rabbit with it's back leg caught in the snare. It somehow managed to slip enough through the loop to avoid it's neck and end up on it's rear leg. He quickly reached for it, his hand wrapping firmly around the base of skull and the rest of it's body. With a quick jerk of his arm, the rabbit stilled. He placed the body with the other one in the grass, and he kept moving along the line. He hadn't heard the little feline make another appearance, so he assumed she had run off to do whatever it was she wanted. In a short amount of time, he had finished cleaning up the snares they had set out. Overall there was five rabbits that they would be able to clean up and eat, which was decent for the day. It would leave them with full bellies and some pelts to use for later purposes. Just as he was wrapping up the last of his snares and setting in his pack, some movement caught his eye. Turning to see what it was, he caught sight of something wonderful. Letting out a low chuckle, he couldn't help but be slightly impressed that she had caught something. The bird swayed back and forth as she set off down the rest of the mountain with a knowing prance. Shaking his head slightly, he followed after her with all of the rest of the catches they made today.

They walked in silence, her paw steps much quieter than his large feet. But what was there to say to something that couldn't talk back to him? Not only because she was feline, but because of the bird dangling from her maw. After walking for awhile, he could spot his cabin nestled down in the meadow.
It was a welcome site, even after being there for a full day already. He had not realized just how much he had missed it since he had been gone. Dropping into the meadow, he wandered over to where his fire pit was. Placing the rabbits down near there, he looked over toward Arianna. "If you want, I can cook that up for you, or you can eat it as is like that. But it's up to you." He lowered himself toward the ground while pulling out a flint and knife, sparking up a small fire to start cooking what they had caught. Once he was sure the flame was going, he picked up a rabbit and began skinning it rather efficiently.

[Larynx]

It was not long after they were within the cabin's clearing that the man set to preparing their catch. She watched him move to a fire pit, not having noticed it before but she chalked that up to being more focused on the start of their in an entirely new place. Perhaps from now on she should make more of a resolution to herself to be more observant. Small ears went back at the thought of relinquishing her own catch still firmly in her jaws. This was solely hers, wasn't it? She had done all the work in utilizing what quiet paws and keen eyes and ears could do. Found and wrestled with the thing that had wanted life as much as she did, in either form. Flexing her claws, she decided that sharing was a better option. Better to be this way now and try and train the feline to do her own wishes when asked. Cooperative would serve better than combative. Trotting up to the man's off side, she set the bird to the ground, which did not go without protest but it ebbed away as large eyes followed the man's movements preparing the rabbits.

She watched with interest, inching forward to get an even better view as the man's fingers moved a knife deftly through the animals fur and skin, to reveal the structures underneath. They gleamed red with the shine of fresh blood int he afternoon sun, quickly staining the hands that now moved into the body cavity to remove internal organs she guessed were not fit for their human consumption. The organs were set as far as the arm could reach, and for that she was glad. Their scent was nothing short of distinctive and although the feline was interested in checking them out to eat, her human nose recognized them as unfit for safe consumption. The flies attracted to the small but growing pile confirmed her desire to ignore them and she returned to watching as muscle segments began being peeled, pulled and cut from the body. It seemed easy, but she knew better now than to assume that were the case. Even as she continued to watch dinner's progress, she could see the calm concentration on the man's face as he separated what he could from the rabbit's gradually diminishing body. The larger muscles groups from leg and middle were driven through hand-sharpened wooden poles and placed over the fire, the flames licking up at them as their juices dripped down into it. Nostrils flaring as she took in their scent, she almost reached out a dark little paw to snatch one of the smaller bits yet to be placed over the fire. It seemed to wake her stomach to give an insistent grumble about being empty. And she thought she had been peckish earlier. A fluttering object caught her eye and almost without thinking she turned and grabbed at it with her paws, forcing the object to the ground. Peering closely she realized it was a feather. Barred in shades of white and brown. The bird was being prepared now, feathers being plucked as quickly and surely as Mason's fingers could go, sending some up into the air, some back her way and a few towards the fire where the caught quickly and went up in a short burst of bright orange. Releasing the feather beneath her paws, she was almost disappointed it remained there as if defeated.

Looking back toward the cabin, she knew it would be easier to communicate in human form. Easier to maybe even help him with this without four claw-tipped paws instead of more dexterous hands and fingers. Thinking of shifting brought all the reminders of the pain it would bring before emerging with two legs instead of four. As much as a cat could grimace, she could feel it on her face and she could not hide it. Even the feline remembered and tried to croon the lure of rushing through the late afternoon shadows and feeling the power of being a predator gave. They would run before you, cower in their nests, and there would be victory in the taste of warm flesh and the thrill of another hunt. It was...alluring. Yet this was part of it, being able to deny these urges, these callings, when she said to. A low, plaintive meow escaped her jaws, a physical manifestation of her frustrations as she moved to her feet. She jumped up the steps and found herself in the living room.

Setting herself out of sight she tried to start the process she could never look forward to it. Something the tied herself to the human piece of her, he had said. A memory, a feeling, something unique to a human versus an animal. Keeping herself calm, even as she could feel her anxiety rising at knowing what was about to happen, she sifted through her memories. Ah, there it is. She let the memory replay and with it she could feel the snap of bone beginning to shift. Gritting her teeth, she felt every dark hair retreat into her skin, blinding jabs of pain as they did. Watching her paws before her she saw claws pull back into the blunt and useless ones of a human, sending dull pounding aches through her as they did. She had no choice but to contort into uncomfortable shapes as the transformation took over now, more surely and steadily then when it had first started. The clicking and scraping of bones and tendons into their new places sent her into waves of blackness from passing out, only to be greeted with a new wash of agony as it continued into the last remaining feline elements. Breath hissing between fangs that shrank at an eon's pace, she could not back the muffled cry. Almost too soon she snapped her head up from the worn wooden panels, aware that there was no longer any trace of a small black cat. Breath a little ragged, she rose to her feet, grateful they were steadier than she thought they would be. She was happy to see that this time somehow, she was fully clothed.

The layer of sweat that now clung to skin grew irritating. Quickly she went to dampen a clean cloth from the rudimentary kitchen and went to change. It seemed to linger, all that pain and feeling of being in limbo. Wiping herself down, she took deep breaths to get herself back down to feeling decent. Newly dressed in plain jeans and a white t-shirt, she returned to the kitchen sink and rinsed out the cloth again. Setting her face into the damp cloth, she let herself rest there for few moments, relishing the cooling feeling. She suddenly wondered how the shower set up was. Really hoped it was indoor or at least attached, even if it was one of those "solar shower" or whatever they were. She liked to be able to step right back into her room to get ready for the day after. Hadn't he said there was an outhouse? She grumbled to herself and her hope for a nice shower set up faded. Other than the doors to the rooms, there had been another two off the kitchen she hoped was not just storage.

He was done with everything already, apparently. He was turning the poles every so often, reaching over from his chair to poke the smaller bits on a sort of grill just over the fire on its other side. The smell was even better now, reaching her and making her stomach grumble again. He seemed relaxed this way, the motions came easily and practiced, his focus on the meat and feeding the fire. The transformation must have taken longer than she thought as late afternoon had dipped into the start of the sun starting its slow descent. "How...long have you lived out here?" She asked, taking her seat in the chair beside him and pulling her knees to her chin. Jeans were a good idea, it was still summer but it was going to be a cool summer night.

[AgroShadow]

It was almost a mindless activity for him to skin and prepare the small game meat in front of him. Knife sliding through the layer of skin, his fingers easily separating the skin from the carcass in a sift movement. Once the pink bodies were removed of the outer layer, he could slice through the abdomen wall and carefully remove the innards. With the size of his hands being on the larger side, he could only use the tips of his fingers to slide through the chest cavity to grab the pluck of the animal. That part took concentration due to if he were to pull to sharply, he would leave some of the pluck behind, whether that would be part of the esophagus or trachea or even if he was in a hurry he was known to leave the heart and lungs behind and have to go back into grab them. With each small animal skinned and gutted, he wiped whatever blood and fur that remained on his hands onto his shorts in a quick movement before skewering the mammal and placing it over the fire, just out of reach of the red and orange flames.

Movement from the corner of his eye caused his attention to shift toward it. He watched as the small cat placed the bird near him. He gave a small smile as he picked it up and began plucking the feathers from the small body. This was not going to provide much of a meal, but at least it was something to add to the small pile of food. Pulling the longer feathers were the easier of the two tasks, when it came to the shorter, softer down feathers, they floated in the air longer than liked. Tickling his nose, it took all the concentration not to suck the feathers up his nose. He kept his mouth closed and pushed air forcefully through his nose to dislodge the ones that stuck there. He gave a small chuckle as he noticed a dark blur of fur dart and jump after the feathers that were still floating through the air. Focusing at what was going on in his hands, he hadn't noticed that she had taken off toward the cabin until there was a curdling scream from that direction. The bird body hit the ground as he shot up from his sitting position. Eyes wide, he stared toward the cabin, the thought coming back to him that she didn't shift easily. A muscle feathered in his jaw as he clenched his teeth together. He wish he knew why that happened to her, but in his life as a shifter, he had never encountered anything like it. Slowly, he lowered himself back to sitting down. There was not much he could do for her, as he found out the last time it had happened. Glancing at the bird in the dirt, he sighed and picked it back up. Brushing the debri off, he finished what he had started, occasionally glancing at the door of the cabin.

Once all the animals were sizzling over the fire, he watched the flames as the world started growing darker around him. Bugs began chirping and flitting about, replacing the song of the birds during the day. The sounds from the cabin had stopped awhile ago, but he didn't want to intrude on anything that she might be dealing with. Glancing up at the sky, he decided that if she wasn't out within the next 15 minutes or so, he would go check on her. Turning the poles and flipping the meat on the grill, he was making to stand up when a dark figure made it's way out of the door. He let loose a breath he didn't know he had been holding in as the sound of her footsteps got closer. The male watched her out of the corner of his eye as she sat down and pulled her knees up to her chest. He could not even wonder what she went through everything she shifted, but he knew it had to be unpleasant. When she spoke, her voice was raspy, as if the shift had taken it's toll on her.

'I've been up here for 5 years. I made the move after I lost my family and living situation in a city. Decided I did not want anything to do with people. Took some time to get used to supplying everything for myself, but it was the best decision I could have ever made for myself.' As he spoke, he removed some of the meat from the fire, seeing that they were done. They would have to let it cool before they could eat them, unless they wanted to burn the roof of their mouth. However the scent wafting from the meat set his stomach to growling and his mouth watering in anticipation. Even though the crackle of the fire was comforting, he wanted to know a bit more about his new companion. 'What about you...? How did you get to be where you were at?'

[Larynx]

The sun was dipping below the horizon, the last of its light leaving quickly. The point of a sunset was past and night was falling into place, the first of the early stars popping through the deepening sky. A whole day of...this, had passed and already the sun would rise on a new day. A whole day. Shifting her gaze from the sky back down to earth she instead followed the fire's flames lick occasionally at the make-shift grill and their fresh caught dinner. It's heat and size was gradually falling, the glow still strong though against the shadows falling in around them. The smell coming from the sizzling bits was strong, even with her now human nose. She watched hungrily as they were tentatively checked, yet placed back on the grill. It made a small rumble echo through her stomach. Ignoring it was easy, she had gone hungry before many a time, a few minutes more this day would be no different.

"That must have been some work to get everything together." Most people would have probably have said a vague apology for having had to do everything alone. But that was stupid. Why offer an apology for having the capacity, the intelligence to have pulled everything together just how one wanted? Especially as the man seemed to have implied, he was willing to put in the work towards something needing to be done. "I...am sorry to hear that it was not your first choice." She added softly, not sure really how to respond to that tidbit of information about family. How much were they allowed to ask about that? That had not been discussed in the contract although, when it was drawn up, this sort of living arrangement had not entirely been discussed either.

Glancing over at him when the familiar rumble of an empty stomach also came from him, she could see that he was not looking at her but into the flames as well. "I graduated from college, told my parents that I wanted to begin a company helping other children in the system. They already are pharmaceutical giants in their own right and with their help in the beginning... My headquarters are here in Pennsylvania and we are now an independent organization that provides training to social workers, funding to various agencies..." This was not an unknown fact among her own circle of friends, family or colleagues, or even the general public if one looked for it. This information was easily found and validated. Here in the dark, watching the fire and the soft sounds of crickets hidden away in the grass, it felt more personal. "I have to be honest and tell you I still am not sure why I aid yes to any of this. I know I seem strong and accomplished, successful, but I do not really feel that way here right now." Stopping herself, she looked away.

Drawing her knees in tighter, she settled her gaze on the flames flickering down in the now smoldering coals.

[AgroShadow]

Was it wrong to ask about such things? Afterall, it seemed that they had just only a teacher-student relationship. Or that's the way he was supposed to see it, according the discussion they had before coming out here. He couldn't help and wonder if knowing some things about her, might help them figure this whole thing out. Her apology seemed heartfelt yet also as if she had no idea how to approach it. He wasn't upset about what happened in his past, it had gotten him to be who he was today. The only thing he wished that could have been changed, were the lives that were lost. But that was a story for another time. Besides, it felt as if that was almost too personal to share to someone he had just gotten to know recently. Her soft voice seemed to coincide with the sounds around them, a nice soft melody with the hums of the insects around them. While he listened to the small facts about herself, he removed the meat from the flames, deciding they were probably cooked through. She was no stranger to working hard and fending for herself it sounded like. Where she was able to stand her own in the business world, he could stand on his own in the natural world. With her way of thinking and his skills, he was sure they would make a decent pair of people. It didn't hurt that she had a pretty face to go with it all either.

He placed the pieces of her bird on a plate with smaller chunks of rabbit. Handing it to her, he gave a small shrug to her statement. "I don't know why you said yes either. But here you are. It sounds like you've done well in what you're familiar with, this is what I'm familiar with so it only make sense you feel uneasy here.' He began making plate for himself as he continued, 'I don't want to force you into anything you don't feel comfortable with. You are more than welcome to leave if that's what you wish... but if you want to stay, there will always be a room for you here. Sometimes just adjusting to something new is the hardest part. Gods know I wouldn't be able to do what you do everyday.' He smirked slightly getting a visual picture of himself in some high end suit, with his hair cleanly cut and with a close shave on his face. The thought of having to deal with people everyday though... a shiver went down his back at that thought. No thank you. Glancing over at her, he felt for her, he really did. It seemed she blossomed late in her life when it came to her shifter abilities and she had already had such a nice set up with her life that he was sure this threw quite a wrench into.

Although he would respect any decision she would make, he would be lying to himself if he would say that he wouldn't miss her. It was nice to have someone to talk to and share experiences with. While he did enjoy solidarity that came with being out here, just having that one person made it that much more enjoyable. Granted, she had not done anything to piss him off quite yet, but as for now, it was ideal. It didn't take long for him to clear his plate of the small meal. But it left him satisfied and tired. The fire was beginning to die down into glowing coals. Since it was starting to get late, he didn't want to place another log on the fire since they probably would be turning in for the night soon. In fact the yawn that forced it's way from his lips just managed to prove his point. He figured they could sit here until the fire was completely out though, so he stirred up the coals and what was left of the wood in there until it ignited into a small fire once again. He didn't expect it to last longer than a half hour or so, but that should give them enough time to converse to where they could figure out what it exactly is she wanted to do.

[Larynx]

Cautiously, she took a small piece of the steaming meat between her fingers, testing the temperature. Bringing it to her mouth she found it pleasantly warmed, but not it enough to burn and cause any sort of pain or a curse word. Maybe it was just a hungry stomach from nothing but this for a busy day but the small game had turned out delicious. Just enough time on the grill had kept the meat moist and tender, yet just enough blackened on the outer bits. An appreciative sound escaped her lips before she could stop it. It was a small surprise to herself that she actually enjoyed it so much. This was certainly not the kind of entree she was used to or would treat herself to on a regular basis. There had never really been a limit as to what could be on the menu since being adopted into the family and grown up in for the last decade. Listening to the man's response, she chewed thoughtfully, savoring the meat's freshness.


"Thank you." Simple, but still very true. She looked over at the man more seriously now, really wanting to get a good look at him. There was really no obligation for him to offer more than what they had agreed upon and this struck her as a generosity she had not expected, especially from someone who obviously did not have all in the world to share or even offer. It did not go unnoticed that part of letting her choose what she wanted to do, whatever it might be. How much of that was truly him being genuine, or letting it slip that he would prefer being here alone to his own devices. It did not appear that Mason was much of a people person. It did take certain kinds of people to build their own cabin and live what she would bet money on, a pretty self sufficient lifestyle. She watched as he stretched long arms out to the fire, the cords of lean muscle moving deftly under the skin. Doing so, she noticed that it had gone down quite a bit, the last tongues of bright orange barely peeking over the rim of the pit. Oh. It must be later than she would guess. As nice as this was, she was relieved to see that instead of tossing another log onto the thing, he simply stirred the coals back to life, shifting the less burnt pieces back into the flames. Hungrily they took to the wood, and it threw more soft orange and yellow aura once more, but not as large as before. This, she estimated would last for an hour or so. One thing her grandpa had taught her well on those nights were how well, and how long, a fire could keep the frost from settling in your toes. Smiling to herself at the thought, she was pleased to suppose she would at least be alright at keeping herself warm on any cold nights here. She would not his help on that.

She took a bite of the bird. Looking at it, it was not really a flavor she cared for. The cat gave an unimpressed snort. She had liked it just fine when it had been fighting for its life and its fresh, hot blood trickled into her mouth. Wings trying desperately to buffet her away, and little heart beating rapidly with fear...claws sinking deep beyond the feathers into flesh and her teeth closing mercilessly around its throat seeking its stillness. And now the meat's juices rolled in her mouth....yet she gagged, almost spewing up what little of it she had already eaten and the rabbit, too. Her stomach clenched, and she tried to set the plate onto the grill only to miss from unsteady hands and it tumble into the dirt. Holding her sides, she remembered that she had an audience. Flushing with embarrassment, she grimaced.

"I....think the cat and I do not agree on some things." Brushing up the bits back onto the plate she tossed it back into the fire. Leaving it out would attract pests and problems, and they did not exactly have a dog they could toss it to. The thought made her chuckle despite her discomfort. Settling back into her seat,"My grandpa would say that that's "To the dogs", but I don't think you'd be willing to morph for that, would you?" she explained between her chuckles, hands over her eyes to avoid looking at him. Would he even laugh or think that stupid? Maybe she really was tired, she had never really cared much about what others thought of her like this. Probably because, she tried to reason with herself, this felt much more important than dragging money out from behind old men's golf memberships.

[AgroShadow]

Mason didn't miss the gag that came from her when she placed a bit of the bird meat into her mouth. The corner of his mouth tugged up slightly at the amusement it brought. She was just now discovering how much the other half of you could disagree on things. At the sound of the plate hitting the ground, he actually turned to look at her to make sure she was okay. Even in the darkness of the night, the fire was able highlight the redness that crawled up her the back of her neck to the front of her face in a magnificent blush. However, it was the words out of her mouth that broke a deep laugh from him. One of his arms wrapped around his middle as his stomach muscles contracted to an uncomfortable tightness from the laughter escaping from him. Shaking his head, mirth danced in his now tear rimmed eyes. 'Oh no. Bird is not my forte, but thank you for the offer.' Grinning he casually picked up the meat that had fallen onto the dirt and tossed it into the fire. The flames eagerly ate away at the meat before burning it until they were indistinguishable. 'You'll find that the animal part of you will eat other things that you would never even think about putting into your mouth otherwise.' A memory crossed his mind when his canine ate some rather unmentionable things. He spent the next week with terrible stomach pains and a taste in his mouth that even the most delicious food could not remove. Sighing and rubbing the back of his neck, he found the fire dying down a little quicker than he had expected. Today was productive, for sure, but he had to figure out what exactly she wanted to do tomorrow. Granted there was loads they could do for food preparation, but maybe a trip to the lake would serve a better time for everyone. Taking a longer stick, he separated the last few of what was left of the logs in the fire. It quickly and quietly died down to a point of no light, only soft smoke was that left. 'We best get some rest, I've got a plan for us tomorrow that's not quite so much work as today was, but loads more fun.' He gave a wink her way before standing up. Casually he offered his hand to help her up as well. 'It'll be a little bit of hike, but I promise it will be worth it.' Once she was standing, he lead the way back to the cabin. While it was dark, he knew the area around here like no other. Cracking the door open, he reached to the right to the little side table and found a small lantern. With quick work, the room was swathed in a soft light cast from it. He decided he would leave it on for the night, it wouldn't hurt anything and he had plenty of fuel for occasional nights like this. Opening the door to his room, he looked over at Arianna. 'I'll see you in the morning. Take your time getting up, just know the longer you sleep, the warmer the hike will be.' With that, he made his way into his room and stripped his shirt off before collapsing on his bed in a great sigh.

--TIME SKIP--

The sound of birds chirping broke through the dream that was filling his mind. Cracking open an eye, he could see the soft light of first sun had started to light up the room. Groaning, he rolled over onto his back and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He listened for a moment to see if he could hear any other movement in the small cabin of his. Satisfied that he hadn't heard anything, he draped his arm over his eyes again, shutting out the light. The canine in him gave a nonchalant yawn in response, more than happy to have a couple more hours of sleep. Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you lazy thing. At the thought of his canine being more content to have more sleep, it forced him to pull himself out of bed. No way would he get that satisfaction. Making his way into the tiny kitchen, he set up a small kettle to boil, pulling out his little hand crank for coffee and began grinding the beans down. Pulling out two mugs, he placed small filters over them and then placed the ground coffee beans inside. Leaning against the counter, he waited for the kettle to heat up enough to produce the familiar high pitched whistle that let him know the water was boiling. This is where the waiting really began when he poured the hot water over the grounds to let them drip into the mugs.

While it may have taken a while, he always enjoyed this part of his mornings. Just slowly getting things together and taking the time to just enjoy the smaller things. While he let the first part of coffee do it's thing, he ran outside to quickly relieve himself of his ever persistent bladder. Once back in, he noticed it was round two for the hot water to drip over the grounds. Hopefully by the time the second round of water had dripped through, the coffee would be strong enough for both of them. However, he wasn't quite sure just how she liked her coffee. He knew she drank it, as she had it the one morning he was at her place. He just didn't know how she drank it. At the sound of movement, he was pulled from his thoughts and looked up to see a sleepy eyed woman appear from the door way to the spare bedroom. 'Morning. Afraid I don't have much in the way of breakfast, but there is some coffee if you want it and...' He popped open a cabinet and pulled out some powdered creamer and packets of sugar, 'creamer and sugar if you want it.' All at once, he became aware of the fact that he was shirtless and she was not wearing much in the way of clothing to sleep it. Coughing, he grabbed his mug without adding anything into it and went to stand on the outside porch. While he knew it was not unusual to share such small areas with another, there was a certain thing about seeing her that way that sent him into wanting something more.