His last fight had truly done a great amount of damage to himself. He hadn't even felt like his last training session had done much for him, nothing against the bright energetic mokai he had met. Link, was his name, right? He furrowed his brows as he sat close next to K. on the lonely couch in the lounging area of the home, and closed his eyes. The able seemed to pick up on his moves quickly. He learned rather quickly, he had so much energy that replenished itself, quickly. Why didn't he have that sort of thing, why didn't he have the energy within himself to deal out hard blows but also control what he was about to deal out. It was hard, and he hated losing weeks of time where he could earn his K. money when they needed it, when she wanted to earn a living while her male was away. She hadn't heard from him still, and she sat staring at the few pictures she had of him. She was lonely, and Kuruk knew he could only do so much to sate her loneliness. He was merely a mokai after all, not her human, for all intensive purposes, her mate was missing, and he wished he could do more.

Kuruk stretched beside her, and he felt her hand on his back, and heard her sigh. In her other hand he could hear the distinct caress of her fingertips rubbing back and forth against the image she cradled in her lap. He was much too big for her lap now, but he was at least able to give her comfort, company, knowing that he was at the foot of her bed ready to defend, ready to greet her male when he came home. He hoped to the sun that he would return quickly, the light in her eyes faded fast when it was silent in the house, in the home where there used to be so many smiles and laughs. Now, Kuruk had begun to notice, the light only returned when she watched him, or watched him fight. The worry returned when the silence returned, or when he fell in the pit. He never wanted to succumb, never wanted to have her endure it again, but here they were. He knew what he had to do. he stretched, feeling the tension had eased a bit over the passed few days and nudged her. He opened his eyes, looking up to her, and she peered down to him, offered a half smile and he nudged her with his nose, crooned in his throat and continued to nudge her side.

"Kuruk," she went to pat him, perhaps even, silence him with that affection. But he pushed himself from the comfort of the couch and pulled on the skirt she wore, ever so slightly, with his teeth. A small tug, a wanting of her to join him. She laughed, a small laugh but it was music to his ears. She put the picture on the nearest side table and stood to walk with him. He was leading her to the training room.

They walked through the hallways, down the stairs and to the training room. As much of a journey it was to get there, he knew it would take some coaxing to get her to participate. He needed to…do things he wouldn't normally, to get a laugh from her, a smile. He would do it for her, to see her smile, hear her laugh, have her eyes shine in his world again like they had for every day until it seemed like her sun, her light and life source, had gone away. He wondered if perhaps that was what the male human was to her, a source of life, and too far apart, it drained her, made her uneasy. Now, he would try to ease the loneliness, the emotional pain, even if it was just for these few moments he could spend with her training. he would be better for her, and be as much of a man a mokai could be.

Once in the training room, she stood, with arms crossed in front of her chest watching him. He went to sit in front of her but hesitated. She wasn't dressed for training, in a nice shirt, pressed, and a skirt, still kept clean. But he, he was rugged, a fighter, a bear in his own mokai likeness. He grinned at her, side stepped one way, then the other, as if he was dancing like the picture she had of the male and her together. He spun, turned and then jumped at a nearby hitting bag and flopped onto the ground and rolled.

"Kuruk, no, not that way," but she had laugh when he had done so.

So he did it again, but this time, weaved in and out, up and down, jumped in the air, turned, landed and then swung out with his body, as if striking a pose, but also striking the nearest bag. She clapped her hands together, small giggles escaping her mouth.

Again and again he did this. IT exercised his muscles, kept him light on his paws, and he went back and forth, a type of dance, but to learn, to teach, and to heal.

"Again," she spoke looking at him.. His eyes met her as he turned, tongue lulling from his mouth, licking his lips, panting slightly. She pointed to the bag. "Again," she side stepped back and forth twice, and then stilled, and smiled at him. It seemed as if she had caught onto his game.

He shook his head and she put her hands on her hips.

"No?"

Kuruk walked in front of her then, feeling the tiredness of working his body, his agility, perhaps speed, this night, but it also helped in many others ways.

"You done?"

He stood in front of her, jumped up and balanced on his back paws and leaned against her, leaning his weight against hers lightly, and crooned.

She held him tightly, feeling the warmth of his training emanate from his body and she swayed with him for a little while.

K. knew he'd be ready soon…and that she could do this, long as they were together.

(1045)