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"Not at all Sophia. Our home was built tall."
Her father responded, though he didnt explain why it was built that way. It was for his daughter more than anything, incase she was inside one night on accident.

"Oh, your lucky, I dont have any siblings."
She replied, though she really didnt sound that sad, she made herself look that way, just for affect really.

"Of course there has, Sophia. You kind are not all shut up in their own herds. Many are travelers that take part in every day life."
Shelley's father explained. Shelley herself would have done it, but her father had beaten her to the punch. She showed her discontent with that by making a pouting face at her father before looking back to the centaur.

"Yeah, we're not mean at all! Some of us are just misguided..."
Shelley responded, forgetting that she wasnt exactly classified as human anymore. She didnt care.

"Thats a good thing, Sophia. Perhaps you and Shelley could go explore the world together."
Her father offered, glancing over to Shelley to see her smileing happily.

Shelley was a bit confused, but she slow came to understand what she ment by solitary, and herd. She wasnt used to hearing that word outside of using it to bescribe animals.

Shelley's father looked outside at the setting sun and breathed a sigh, turning to get cleaned up to close shop.
"Shelley, take Miss Sophia home and get settled. Its almost bed time."
He said to her over his shoulder. Nodding happily, Shelley slid off her chair and walked over to Sophia, taking her arm gently.
"Well, come on! Its almost bed time!"
She giggled, pulling gently once before skittering off to stand by the door and wait for Sophia.

Father didnt see it though, he was busy at the work bench trying to clean the leathers so he could put them up. Shelley on the other hand was all for going for a ride, and when it was offered to her, she took it. She liked riding on the back of a centaur, how many kids got to do that?
"My homes outside the city, but not far."
Shelley told Sophia before pointing her in the right direction. She had to walk this path so many time late at night that she could do it blind.

When Sophia knelt to let her off, she jumped slightly to the ground and ran to the door, pushing it open to enter inside. But then she remembered the centaur and went back to hold the door.
"Come in! Mom'll be home soon with dinner."
She said, waiting for the Centaur to enter.

The roof was high enough for the centaur, so she didnt see a problem for Sophia, though finding somewhere to sleep hadnt occured to her as a problem.

Shelley watched as Sophia wandered around her house with what appeared to be awe.
"Mom wont mind. She will be happy to know I have a friend."
Shelley replied, very marrily in tone as it would seem. She realized that the comment was an accidental truth in that she had no friends to begin with.

Seeing, and hearing, Sophia burn herself on the flame, Shelley quickly went around getting a wet cloth out of the kitchen from a water basin. Returning she held out her hand.
"Let me see."
She said, implying he wanted the burnt hand. By that time Sophia had gotten to the instrument. She waited for the centaurs hand before she would answer.
"Its a lyre. Something dad plays when he want to make us feel better. Or for fun!"
She answered.

Taking the hand gently she tended to it like someone who had had years of training to do so. Finally wrapping the burn she let go and smiled at Sophia.
"Why not? Its not like I tried to hurt you or anything."
She replied to the comment about having human friends. With a giggle she took the instrument and pulcked a few strings before setting it down again, making sure it stood right without falling. Once that was done she found herself a seat and sat.
"We really like it. That one was given to daddy by a Centaur after he fixed his armor for very cheap."
She said, refering to the instrument with pride that should have come from her father.

Hearing the door she looked over to see who it was. And once it registered that it was her mother she jumped up and ran over to her.
"Mommy!"
She said, running into her legs and giving her a hug.
"Hello Shelley."
she said before looking up and seeing a Centaur. With a smile she re- adjusted the Wadifah on her shoulder and set her bow down near the door.
"Pleasure to meet you Sophia."
She said with a sweet voice. It would normally be hard to believe that she was a hunter. With a bow to excuse herself she walked into a door on her right that lead to the kitchen to set the Wadifah down so she didnt look so odd.

Shelley darted past the centaur into the kitchen to see what her mother was doing, leaning up agaisnt the counter to peer at the dead Wadifah.
"Unless you would like to skin this fella, there's not much to do at the moment."
Shelley's mother replied, pulling a skinning knife from its sheath at her waist.

Shelley's tongue stuck out of her mouth slightly in digust and she wandered back out into the main room away from the kitchen.

With a motherly smile she handed the knife to the centaur and took a step back, watching her for a moment before stepping away to get the kitchen ready for cooking when it was done.

When Sophia stated she was done, Sheeley's mother took a look at the work and with a smile looked up to the centaur.
"Thats a great job, Sophia. I wouldnt expect better from my husband. Speaking of, he is late."
She said, picking up the hides and setting them aside to be used for leathersmithing later. Taking a butchers knife she would begin to carve up what was left of the Wadifah for their meal tonight.
"If you want to help me cook that would be lovely, but dont think you have to."
She said, setting the knife aside and picking up some of the meat to set in the pan over the fire.

Some time later the Father entered the home, setting aside his tools and looking around the home for his family.
"Father!"
Shelley said, running over to give her dad a hug like she did mother.
"Hey there kid. I smell something good. Is mom cooking?"
He asked, trying to sneak a peek into the kitchen only to be hit by little Shelley.
"No peeking."
She said, grabbing his hand and leading him away from the kitchen so they could work.