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Reuben sniffed for what seemed like forever- here was such a strikingly new smell. She smelled... somewhat like his mother, but also- very much unalike. There was an animal-like fear running through her, and it excited the small-ish sized dog. But, at heart, he was a sweet, slobbery pushover, and had no intentions to harm Nita- what little instinct he had to chase and bark and growl was just that- the leftovers of a predatory survival that had long since worn out its need in his ancestory branch of genetics.

Emelyn, on the other hand, was just now realizing that Nita was the first person she had see in weeks- and she unabashedly wrapped her arms around the woman's neck with glee.

"It's been so long since I saw anyone out here. I was beginning to wonder if there was some sort of conspiracy," Em joked, knowing full well that her own desire to keep Reuben safe- plus the remnants of the terror that had befallen the island recently- had kept her away from the others. It was still good to see someone, again though.

"And... you've changed. Well, I might add. That was quite a climb."

"Well," Emelyn said, sensing that the atmosphere was one of some reluctance- the root of which she didn't understand... but wasn't willing to press, "nothing like getting chased by something unknown to bring out the instinct in all of us." Emelyn leaned down and gave the dog a scratch between his ears. "I'm really sorry about that, by the way. I haven't quite trained him to stay put when he smells something new. He's still pretty young."

"Oh, has it really been that long since we've seen each other? I've been this way for... oh, weeks." Emelyn paused, her mind rummaging through the passing of days. "Well, no, I guess that's right. It's been a long time since I've met anyone."

She still saw an almost wary look on Nita's face- or perhaps it was from the sake of the transformation, but Emelyn wanted her to be at ease, just in case it was Reuben that was putting her off. The hedgehog-girl stayed knealt down by her dog, and ruffled the brown and white fur along his neck.

"He's a sweetheart, really. His name is Reuben. Now that he knows you, I'm sure he'll leave you be if he comes across you again."

In response, the dog sniffed voraciously at the newly-furred hand, then bounded past it to plant a series of happy, spastic licks on the neck of the woman. Only the feeling of Em's arms upon him, pulling him back, ceased the slobbering onslaught. Emelyn's laughter rang as she gave the creature one last hug before righting herself to a standing position.

"I talk to him like that, too. ...It's too hard not to get into the hang of it. ...He keeps me company." She was glad that Nita hadn't asked where he had come from, although she felt guilty for not volunteering the information. It wasn't that she was ashamed of having Reuben, but the circumstances of his being with her were somewhat... tainted, for the sake of what she had done for Aubrey- and vice versa.

"...So..." Emelyn said softly, eyeing the red fur up and down, still not entirely sure what Nita was becoming. "Any news from the village?"

"New duplexes, new people... new doctor." Emelyn repeated the words softly- a masochistic mantra to repeat to herself. "Does it ever end?" Being in the jungle like she was, away from people for long stretches of time, seeing only the steady ebb and flow of the tides and the clockwork dawns and dusks- Emelyn could almost believe that time stood still, that nothing had changed. Sometimes in her dreams, Emelyn saw a snowglobe- a small, contained toy of the island in which, truly, they were all trapped- but at least, no matter how many times the petultant child that was Moreau shook his toy, it would give him no more satisfaction than to rattle what already existed inside. It was...if not a sweet dream- at least a picture that was far from the nightmare of reality. Moreau was building more duplexes, hiring more doctors- changing the lives of more people, and ruining whatever chance the existing islanders had to begin to cope with their fated lot. How can one find peace, if you're constanly reminded by the image of fresh-faced new arrivals what you were, and if you find that you relive the pain of transformation and violation of your body every time someone new experiences the trauma of it?

Emelyn answered her own question. Truly, it never would end.

Emelyn nodded, trying to push the morose thoughts from her mind. "I only go to the labs when I'm attacked, and need to be stitched up," she said, "but I'll be sure to avoid a Dr. Frost, if I come across her. ...So now they're giving out wacky pills, too?" Emelyn hadn't noticed the shudder that Nita had pinned onto the end of her words- and so she didn't guess that the girl was speaking from experience.

Emelyn looked aside at the question of attack, instead watching Reuben as he ran around a nearby tree. He'd found another lizard and was enthralled that it could run so quickly around the tree's base.

"Jamal got me pretty good... quite a long while ago, now. And a few others- it seems to me like they've gotten close. Or maybe I'm just paranoid." She exhaled, and as if it deflated her, she fell back to lean against the tree that Nita had made her temporary escape just minutes before. Her eyes were finally back to the panda-girl, and they shook as she slowly moved her head from side to side. It was look that almost seemed to garner... disappointment for the labs- as if she were in the position to dole out guilt and shame.

"I didn't know you were on Zoloft. ...That's awful, that they didn't replace them. That must have wreaked havoc on your system. And with all the changes. Are you alright?"

"I wouldn't be too surprised... if Dr. Lockheart was being kept out of the loop right now. The one time I really saw Moreau and Aubrey together- he didn't cater to her opinion at all- or ever defer to her. Now that she's injured- I don't know what that situation must be." She didn't mention the large engagement ring that Aubrey sported- or whether or not Nita had seen it or even knew about it... but somehow, she didn't feel like delivering what she felt to be some quite sobering news.

The lizard had escaped its pursuer, it seems, for Emelyn found herself suddenly in the company of the floppy-eared dog once more. He'd come to sit next to her, and look up at her and Nita as if to ask them what was to happen next. Em gave a soft sigh- it barely cleared her lips, and she doubted if it was anything more than minutely audible.

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better. ...And your tail is... well, adorable, by the way. Sorry to bring it up, but I've been staring at it. Anyway- Reub's not had anything to eat since this morning, and I have to check my fishcatch before high tide comes back in. ...Come and see me soon, alright?"