Welcome to Gaia! ::

Karloff smiled, "See? I'm not bad. I'm sorry, if my visage bothered you." His voice was that low purring that he typically had. "Let me help you up, are you okay? The kittens?"

Lucian watched how easily Karloff interacted, it was something he had always lacked. Only with Karloff were the voices silent and he was content. But times like this, he realized how much he was different. Karloff could interact, he could prove that he was good. His easy smile warmed you and his purring voice helped too. But he felt wary, he didn't know how to interact with others or show emotion. He didn't FEEL as others had. Karloff was trying to help him with that, but it was coming slowly. First he had to pretend the emotions, and one day, Karloff had promised, the emotions would be real.

Karloff smiled sheepishly as he helped her up, "I've not met them yet. Not really, so I'm afraid I couldn't tell you." He stepped back to give her room, "I'm Karloff. And this is Lucian, my son."

Lucian nodded his head, still keeping his distance. He didn't want to get too close, he knew that he came off different and he'd rather not be judged.

Lucian was taken back at her reaction to him, it was surprising and rather kind. He could feel a soft blush come to his cheek, the only ones who'd shown him such familiarity had been Karloff and Ailbhe. It was nice to see that though others saw he was different, that they could at least in some way accept him. "It's nice to meet you." He nodded his head.

Karloff smiled proudly at Lucian, he was learning to interact better. It was progress. "Yes, it is. Aren't you afraid to be out here alone?"

Karloff laughed. "A few days after I was born, I was terrified. And I lived in fear and anger for....longer than I like to think about. But at a point, you do get tired of being afraid. You're stronger because of it."

Lucian tilted his head, it always amazed him how Karloff felt fear. It was intriquing. As a child, he had thought Karloff was like him, beyond the emotion of fear...but he learned that along with joy and happiness that Karloff did experience fear. It was because of this that he helped Lucian to see how you reacted to it. It had been hard to feel at first, but sometimes...he thought he did now.

Lucian spoke for the first time, "I do. I'll...lead the way." He skirted her warily, a bit uneasy at putting anyone behind him. However, he continued on through the forest at an easy pace.

Karloff walked beside her, "I hope your mate won't be alarmed with us. How long until the kittens come?"

Lucian ambled along, his senses heightened and wary as he sniffed the air for any scent of blood or anything. However, the world around them was free from danger it seemed. He closed his eyes as he walked on, and let his other sense heighten.

Karloff chuckled lightly. "I hope so. It'd be wonderful to be with family, to have them all see the kittens." He sighed for a long moment, "Hopefully they won't come early. These are your first?"

Lucian turned his head back, stopping abruptly. "You mean you're not going to pop?" He just stared at the very extended belly of the mare.

Karloff let a small hiss out, "That's rude Lucian."

"I'm sorry, but I really don't understand. I mean, she looks like she's about to explode," Lucian questioned again.

Karloff shook his head for a long moment, it was useless to try to deter him from this.

Karloff laughed a bit more easily now, "I'm sure it's not THAT bad."

Lucian tilted it's head. "Is it...are they moving? It looks like you ate them."

Karloff's eyebrows shot up alarmingly high, but Lucian wasn't paying him any mind at the moment.