4 was sitting about in a tree watching the river as she draws the clouds in the sky and enjoying the sunshine as she leaned against the trunk of the tree she was sitting in. It had taken her a long time to find a tree that didn't have birds in it but now she had her tree and she was drawing so good...till the flapping noise...she looked up and a crow...came into view....and settled a few branches above her in the trees. She froze and pulled her sketch book close....how to get down....But then a few blue jays settled in the branches under her...She frowned and felt tears in her eyes...she was trapped...stuck here with no way down and small chickadees were slowly settling in other branches around her...She made the only noise she could which was a scratchy whimper like noise and looked about nervously.

Dracal was walking down one of his favorite paths in the park, taking in all of the sights and sounds from all around him. He sniffed the air every once awhile to see what he can get. His ears flick tothe sounds of flapping sounds before glancinf around to see what was going on. He narrowed his eyes towards the sight of a female that seemed to be cowarded in fear. "Hey! Stay there! I will get you down!!!" He called out to her. He runs towards the tree while yelling at the birds, getting his sword drawn out.

4 looks down to see the male cat coming towards her tree with a sword. Her eyes widened as she thought he was coming to kill her! Was she in his tree! Was she in danger from the male cat too! She freaked out and looked around nervously as she tried to figure out how to get away so she would avoid the male with the sword and the birds....how could she do both!! She scrambled out towards the end of the branch trying to not be easily accessible.

Dracal growls as he jumped onto a rock then into the nearest tree branch. He swings towards the birds that were closest to the girl. He moved the sword to where it wouldnt touch her or harm her. "Get the hell away from her!!!" He said before getting onto the next branch to swing at the rest of the birds, wanting them to be gone. He glanced at her to see if she is ok.

4 looked around as she watched him scare off the birds. They were not happy about it but she didn't care cause they were all leaving now. She looked over at him as he looked at her. She whimpered sadly again not sure what to think about him. She looked over him as she carefully held the branch and wrote on her paper. 'Are you going to hurt me?' she wrote and showed it to him and hoped that he knew how to read...

Dracal glared at the stubborn birds as they finally flew away. He flicks his ears at the sounds of writing and looks towards her. He shook his head and smiled slightly. "I would never hurt a lady at all. You are scared. That is why i am here, miss."

'your...going to save me?' she wrote and showed him as she scooted a little closer. She wasn't sure...she hadn't met many new cats since nick had dissapeared...she missed him greatly but it wasn't something she could help now...She scooted a bit closer again and looked at him as she tried to figure out how they would get down.

Dracal nodded with a smile on his lips while sheathing his sword so she wouldn't get hurt on it. "I will get you out of this tree as well. Come here and get into my arms, miss. My name is Dracal. No harm will ever come to you in my presence." He opened his arms towards her.

Tucking her sketch pad under her arm and her pencil into her sweater pocket again. Pointing at herself and then held up four fingers. She moved closer to him and carefully let him take her into his arms. She blushed....she had never been close to anyone like this but Nick and her friends John and Ruki so she felt odd but she wanted out of the tree...

He nodded as he says, "Your name is 4?" He gently takes her into her arms and clinches her body against his protectively before jumping onto a lower branch. It would only take a few moments to get her to the ground.

She nodded and held onto him as she tried not to feel too weird being close to someone she didn't know. She didnt' much like being touched at the best of times but it was better then getting stuck in the tree with birds again. She looked over him before looking over her shoulder and at the ground wondering what she would do when they go to the ground again.

He gently set her down onto the ground once he jumped down. "There we go. No more birds and whatnot. If you want, miss 4, we can go to my place for a drink to settle your nerves down." He could sense her nervousness at the moment as he tries to be gentle around her. "Forgive me if i made you uncomfortable, miss 4."

She smiled softly as she stood up and looked at the male. Holding up one finger she took out her pad and pencil again and wrote. 'i don't see others often and don't have much contact. My boyfriend disappeared and so i haven't been close to someone like that in a long time.' she said as she thought about his question for a drink. She bit her lip as she pushed her glass's back into place and nodded. 'i think one drink would be nice...I don't want to be outside any more right now.' she wrote to him as she looked over the sky nervously.

Dracal tilts his head towards her, mewing softly. He was indeed curious about the female. "Forgive me for being so bold but I must ask you this.. Are you a mute, Miss 4?" He nods gently. "It is quite alright. You are always welcome to come around here. Just try not to get into the trees or the birds will come to you again." He watched her think a bit as he smiled. He then offers her his hand. "Then.. come on. I won't bite." He winks at her.

4 nodded at his question and pulled her sweater down just enough to show some scars on her neck. Cuts that were from her human experimenting on her and cutting her vocal cords so that the neighbors didn't hear her cries. 'my human was...not nice...he did bad thins to me.' she said as she rubbed her arms over her sweater still feeling the pain from it all. 'i will remember thank you. I haven't had anyone around to help me for a long while.' she wrote to him with a small smile.

Dracal frowns at the sight of her throat, tightening his form a bit. He hated humans that would hurt any animal especially his own species. "... I am glad that you are able to get away from... the human." He frowned softly. "My sister lives in the university.. I can easily ask her to get some information on a language for you. It is called Sign Language." He bows his head slightly at her. "You are very welcome, miss." He tilts his head at her. "You are not alone anymore. You have me as your friend now. You have a spot in my home whenever you need it."

4 smiled happily as she nodded and tilted her head a little. 'sign language? What does that mean? I just learned how to write recently. I know pictures!' she said as she opened her sketch book and showed the art she did. Fields and flowers and trees. Other cats and rivers and frogs and things. All done very well in charchol and pen and pencil. Different colors but all soft and beautifully done. 'Where do you ive?'

Dracal purred slightly as he smiled. "Yes. Sign language. It is a language for the deaf and mute. You can use your hands to make signs to be able to communicate with others." He looked down at her art and widened his eyes. "Oh, my. They are so beautiful." He glanced around to see where his home would be and points to the cute cottage that was built within a redwood tree. "That is my home."

4 looked at him and at her fingers. Her fingers could be used to talk with people with out writing things? That sounded interesting and helpful. Sometimes she couldn't find new pencils to use when she cut hers down too small. She looked at him as he lead the way to his house and she smiled a she looked at it and wrote 'oh wow its so pretty! You sure you don't mind me coming here sometimes?' she looked around it all and was sure she would draw it sometime soon.

Dracal smiled when she looks down at her fingers. "Yes.. Your fingers. I have seen various conversations between two humans.. They are really interesting. I even want to learn. Now I really have a good reason. You." He walks down the path to his home. "Thank you." He beams. "My Sensei helped with the building of it. He lives some ways away from here with his mate." He then nods once again. "You sure can. My home is open to those who really need some help in life. They are always welcome to stay here as long as they need to or even want to." He opened the door for her. "After you, Miss."

4 walked in slowly and looked uip and around at everything. It was a cute house and she liked how comfortable it felt. 'your mentore? What is that?' she asked as she sat in a chair and smiled as she settled. She hadn't been in something this comfortable in a long while. She had had a placd with Nick but it felt too big there when he went away. She pushed her hood back now that she was inside and her blond hair floated about her head. She had some small violet streaks in it too from her friend Horus.

Dracal glanced around his home before turning to lock his front door once they were both inside. "My mentor is what you call a teacher. He guided me through alot of bad things that happened to me in my life. He taught me how to mediate and do Tai Chi. I also know how to do martial arts." He says gently, moving to get some tea going. He caught a moment to glance at her when she took her hood down. "I like your hair. It makes your eyes pop out." He smiled.

4 looked over him and did not know those words that he used. She didn't know how to spell that stuff either. She smiled as she looked at him and pushed the longer side of her hair back and smiled. She looked up at him and blushed though as she realized that he had complimented her. 'oh yes i like my hair...i don't know those other things you talked about...are they like fighting?' she wrote as she curled her little half tail into her lap and pulled leaves out of it.

Dracal moves to get to his chair besides her and set the tea cups and tea jug down onto his coffee table. He looked towards her. "Just realized what I said, eh? What are you thinking about that made you a bit... well far away, miss?" He tilts his head and laughs softly. "Oh, yes.. Martial Arts is fighting but with honor so to speak. Tai Chi is a way to control your well.. Chaktra." He glanced at her tail then at her. "Forgive me for all of the info dump on you."

'Lots of words i don't know...i dont know a lot about most things. I don't...im not stupid though im very smart im sure. But i don't know words or how to spell big words. I was just thinking about...well the nice thing you said about my hair. Nick used to like talking about my hair too.' she wrote with a smile. 'what does it control? Can you show me how to spell these words?' she asked as she leaned forward and took up a tea cup and sipped it happily.

Dracal sips his own cup of tea and sets it back down. He gestered to the notepad. "May I, please?" If he was allowed to do so, he would write down various words of martial arts and Tai Chi, explaining them to her. "These words are easy to write down and actually say. But in your case, just think of how it would be spelled. I would understand you regardless." He smiled. ".. Nick? I am sorry if I am moving onto a sensitive subject for you, sweetheart." He softened the tone of his voice out in concern for her.

4 smiled and noded as she looked over as he wrote and watched him write the words and talk about them. She listened to what he said about them and nodded as she under stood now. She smiled as she nodded and took the pad. 'thank you. i will work on understanding them more. And Nick was my boyfriend' she frowned and shook her head. 'its not sensitive just sad. i dont know where he went and hes been gone for over a year now...i miss him but i don't think hes coming back. Maybe Santa took him...Nick was really good and liked Santa a lot. He was Santa to some of us cats in town...' she wrote with a small smile.

Dracal sips his tea once again between the writing to help her learn various things. "Anytime, 4.. Anytime." He then flattened his ears at her words, frowning softly. "Santa wouldn't take anyone away to make someone sad, dear.." He reached up to touch her on the cheek. "I am sure that he is fine but just unable to come back to you. Would he want you to be sad like this? Live life as your heart and soul tell you."

4 smiled a little and nodded. 'id like to watch you do this stuff. I don't have the coordination for that kinda stuff but i'd watch. i like watching. and...well maybe Santa wanted to have him there to help with presents to cats all over the world...im not sad if thats where he went...he loved santa and im happy for him if hes with santa!' she smiled at him as she shrugged and blushed. 'im not sad. I miss the attention. i had just gotten used to the closeness with him. We never...well...did stuff or anything but i liked being with him and thats not something im always comfortable with'

Dracal tilts his head as he smiled at her. "You'd be surprised, Ms. 4. I can teach you." He nodded softly. "Who knows.. Who knows." He listened to her every word and emotion within them. "Think about it this way.. You just may get attention from the last place you would think you get it from.. Or person that is. You have my full attention and patience." He offers her a cup of tea once it was done brewing.

4 smiled at him and nodded as she took the tea. she settled in the chair and sipped it a little as she looked over him. Taking up her pad of paper again she wrote slowly. 'mister Dracal are you trying to flirt with me?' she asked softly as she blushed. She wasn't sure if thats what it was or if he was just being really nice. She knew she was different, and knew a lot of people might not accept that about her. She knew this male was very nice but she didn't want to think he was flirting with her if he really wasn't.

Dracal moves to make his cup of tea and adds a spoon of honey to make it sweeter for it. He glanced towards her before blushing slightly. "Um.. " He hadn't realized if he really was after being so alone for so long. ".. I .. um.." He glanced down at his cup and sips it. "It has been far too long since I held someone in my heart. I'd been alone all of this time, Ms. 4. Forgive me if I was flirting with you. You are a young and beautiful woman. Whoever doesn't think so ought to get their eyes check and their asses kicked." He flattened his ears. "I offer you my home for a few nights. Feel free to stay here and learn anything you desire." He gulped softly and nods. ".. I think I was.. " He'd said it more to himself to show that he was ready to admit that he likes her but to what extent.. He didn't know.

She blushed and hid behind her soft hair as she fiddled with the edge of her writing book and she didn't know what to say. She was not used to being called such nice things. nick had accepted her cause he was pure of heart and had accepted her but he had never been much for calling her names like beautiful, he just showed tht he thought it with his actions and his kindness towards her. She smiled and nodded. 'i will happily stick around. But i might be shy about the flirting tilli know...for sure how i feel in return. I do not mind it im just not used to the attention. Thank you.' she wrote happily as she sipped her tea again.

Dracal offered a smile as he didn't know what to say for a bit. He mews slightly, watching her as he took in everything all around him like he always did. He sips his tea once again. "By all means, be yourself. I welcome the shyness. I was shy at one point." He moves to the door that would lead to the spare bedroom. "This is your room as long as you wish it to be. I have spare clothes in the closet. I fear they may be a bit baggy on you." He started to get the tea pot and plates into the sink, growing a bit quiet. He felt a bit awkward at the moment, uncertain for his own heart.

4 watched him and slowly got to her feet and moved to the bedroom he showed her and looked around. she walked to the bed and put her drawing pad on it and took the tools out of her sweater pocket. There was a small pocket knife in there among the pencels, and charcol and pens and markers that came out of the aparently large pocket. She had used it once when fending off a small racoon that had tried to get into the burrow she had inhabited a while ago but she didn't not use it for much more then sharpening things. 'thank you.' she wrote on the small pad she used to talk to others. she would need a new one soon. She looked over the male and smiled. 'i'll try to be my self but sometimes its hard to. I don't like to be weak so much but i am. I cant help it. Never needed to be brave much.' she wrote with a smile.

Dracal watched her for a few moments, wondering why he felt the need to be close by her. He gave her a smile. "You are more than welcome. Here, you don't have to rely on bravery for yourself. Just let me be the one that is brave. Use your art talent to find your strenght, Ms 4. That talent alone will help you through. Everyone has a strenght within themselves. Sometimes, it takes awhile to find it." He moves to clean the dishes gently. "To me, you are not weak. If you were weak, you wouldn't have let me help you out of the tree.."

She took her sweater off cause she was getting warm inside the house, she hadn't been inside a house for a long while. She was slim build, thin but not unhealthily so, with a small chest but managed not to look like a teen age child. She had on a tank top in a pale blue color that had white ruffles around the neck line of it. She sat in the chair in her jeans and watched him. 'do you want me to help with things? And that was a moment of weakness...i couldn't get out and i was scared of more birds coming back...' she was sure it was silly to have been scared of the birds that were doing nothing to her and were not going to hurt her but she couldn't help the reaction.

Dracal would finish with the dishes and set them to dry as he listened to the sounds of her moving around. He moved to the door of her room and leans against the door frame. "I do want to help you however I can. But only if you are comfortable, Ms. 4." He shakes his head. "There is nothing bad about being scared of birds. Everyone have a fear of something. It is natural." He tilts his head once again. "If you want a bath or a shower.. go right ahead." He points down the hallway. "It is the first door on the right. I have warm water that you can use." He gave her a warm smile.

4 smiled and shook her head. 'im ok. I don't like water unless i really need to. And im not messy right now. Ive been staying clean over winter living in an abandoned building. I wash up every few weeks' she wrote. She didnt much like to see her scars on her belly. With the sweater off the lines of scars along her arms that followed the shape of her muscles was obvious. Down the inside and out side of the arms. across ehr shoulder. A few around her neck. Across her chest where the tank top didn't cover. She had grown used to others seeing them but she did her best to not notice them but her stomach was worse and she didn't like seeing it.

Dracal nodded softly as he finally took a moment to examine her without fully intruding her space. He furrowed his brows at the sight of her scars. A thought popped into his mind. "Who dares to hurt her...?" He then speaks outloud. "Water cleanses the soul and reenergize it at the same time. But I do understand why.. " He gestures to the scars. "Whoever.. did that.. to you.. " His hand tightened into a fist. "Lets just say that my quiet nature would not be around.." He whispered. "Just remember.. You are not alone now, dear." He fought to get his body to relax as he moved away slowly. He knew that some felines with rough childhoods would have a hard time accepting others into their heart. He vowed to help her however she needed him to. No one.. would hurt the beautiful feline ever again.

She looked at her arms ad blushed a little, rubbing her arm as she frowned. Picking up her pen and writing again 'the human...that took my voice.' she said touching the vertical scar that ran just down the side of her throat. 'he wanted to know what i looked like inside so he looked.' she wrote as she bit her lip a little and curled her tail into her lap. 'I was awake for it, only a little pain med was used at the time. They are worse on the rest of my body...and i don't like them so i don't wash often.' she wrote as she watched him seem upset by all of this. 'its ok. hes dead now. The house burned down the night i got away.' she smiled a little, she had set the fire when the male had accidently killed her mother while he had been using her body to see what she looked like too. She did not miss him and was glad he was gone.

Dracal glanced towards her once again. "..The human.. di.. did all of that to you? I don't care what the scars looks like in my eyes. But the pain.. I can see it.. It still lingers in your eyes." He whispered towards her before going silent at how the human had done things to her. He felt his body going tense at the very details. He moves slowly towards the bed and sits down. "Come here, please." He nodded. "Good.. That b*****d won't ever hurt another kitty ever again."

4 watched him and then looked at the ground. She nodded as she played with one of the marks on her inner arm. It was raised more then the others, it was one of the first ones that the man had given her. It was not straight and it had scarred more then the others, but she liked touching it to remember shehad survived. Her pale eyes looked up at him and she realized that she had tears in her eyes at how much he seemed to care about it...her...She moved to him and sat on the bed and hugged him tight as she hid her face in his shoulder and felt the tears. It was nice to know someone cared about her still.

Dracal watched her body movements closely as he flattened his ears. He noticed the scar quickly and whimpers slightly. He reached out to rub it gently, caressing it as if he wanted to try to heal it some how. He looks into her eyes and smiled very slightly. "....." When she had hugged him tightly, he quickly put his arms around her protectively but softly at the same time. He nuzzled her lightly. "Shh.. I am here.. I will always be here, beautiful.." He whispered in her ear. "Cry if you need to.. Let out all of the pain onto me. I will take it all away little by little."

4 cried softly as she clung to him and held him close. She liked the comfort he offered her. She liked the smell of him and the closeness of him after so long of being with out anyone. She saw her adopted fathers often and sometimes but not too much and they wer not overly cuddly cats. But this was nice. She took a deep breath and sighed softly as she tried to calm down, letting him touch the scar on her arm as she cuddled into him. She was not used to osmeone wanting to make it all go away. It couldn't go away of course, and never would but she liked that he cared enough to want to.

Dracal frowns as he listened to her crying, nuzzling her every so often. He dared not to let go unless she wanted him to. He would slowly start to purr to see if it would help her settle down. He had a feeling that it was the first time that she had let anyone get close to her. "I know.." were the only words he would say in her ear. His hand moved to rub her back gently and slowly.

She sniffled and sat up so she could write. 'why do you want to be so nice to me? You hardly know me? You...your so nice and i have done nothing to have you be so nice.' She wrote and looked at him as she dried her face with one hand. She sniffled as she looked at him and knew she liked it here but she was nervous that he might go away too. That she would be alone again and she didn't want to be alone again.

Dracal reached up to cup her chin as he frowned softly. "Shhhh.. It is alright, 4.. Because I know what it is like to be alone.. I know what is like to want to be hugged.. to be cuddled with. And I know what is like to be with nightmares.." He kissed her cheek and nuzzled her. "It shouldn't mean for you to do anything for anyone to be nice to you. I am nice to you because I want to. I am wanting to protect you because I want to. I want you here because.. No one deserves to be alone.. at all."

4 blushed at the kiss as she had never really had one before...she dated Nick yes but she was so shy about getting close to someone and he was so inocent about a lot of things in life that they had never done much more then cuddle and hold hands...well they had fallen asleep in bed before but always with clothes on of course. She looked at him and sniffled softly as she nodded and looked over him. She knew she liked him...it had just clicked hearing him say that he didn't need any reason to be nice other then cause he wanted to. She leand in and kissed him softly as she blushed and wrote. 'thank you. I am glad you saved me today. Im glad i found someone who wants me around. Thank you...i would like to stay here with you then. Since you said it was ok.' she was still blushing as she looked up at him happily.

Dracal gave her a smile, watching her as he tilts his head. "You are always welcome here, sweetheart.. Always. I want you to remember that." He then sighed when she kissed her. He hadn't been kissed in a long time due to the time of getting over the loss of his first love. He nuzzled her once again before looking into her eyes. "I would always want you around." He purred the words out, seeing the beauty in everything within her. He had a feeling that he was starting to like her. It was something that he knew that he had to take a risk. One that he seems to want to take completely.

She smiled softly as she kept blushing, not sure how to think about being around someone so much in the days to come now that they both kind of knew they liked each other. She smiled and asked for the chance to take a nap. Over the coming days she enjoyed the time in a real home again and she enjoyed the time with Dracal. She drew him and the house often. When he woudl train in the yard she drew him. She learned some of the easier moves for yoga and tai chi that he could teach her. She didn't mind it but she liked watching more and drawing him. She cuddled him often and learned more about him when she could. She liked spending lots of time with the male and was glad to be here.

He nods gently and would go off to clean up since he didn't have a chance to earlier. He kept an ear towards her like always, making sure his newest friend was safe. He took chances whenever he could to learn about her and cuddle with her. He wanted to help her feel more comfortable and safer in her home. He always made sure that there were no birds around in the yard for her to sit outside to watch him do his tai chi and mediataion. He mews slightly between the moments, glancing towards her. He rarely left the area only to get berries nearby and some things for the fireplace for a few moments.

She was touching uip one of the drawings she had done of him. One that was of him sitting cross legged and meditating. The sunlight around him and the grass at his legs. She had seen him go collect things earlier and she was happy that he was someone she could trust now and be around. Someone she was growing to care for....and wished to be around always. She look forward to when she could let her self be with him as more then a friend. But she wanted to move slowly. She had never felt like this with Nick, though she had cared for him greatly. She knew that with Dracal she could have something that was sure, solid and would last for a very long time. She wa leaning against the side of the house as she enjoyed the sunlight, she hardly put on the sweater unless it was raining or chilly out side. He liked her how she was so she didn't bother with melting in the warm sunlight with the sweater on.

Dracal often checked on her between his training, meditating and tai chi. He grabs the bo staff that he uses for his training and began to tense his body up for a bit. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He began to use the various fighting stances, swinging the staff as if he would to hit someone. His attention on his training was so severe that all he could hear was her heartbeat and the nature around them. He would focus on her heartbeat to be used to keep him calm and focus. He did this for a half hour, feeling his body sweating more and more over time. He pants softly as he slowed his body movements down til he was able to get into a normal stance. "... Phew.." He stood there and smile, realizing that she was the chi that he may need in his life. He pants softly and slowly walks over to her, putting the staff down. He never wanted any weapon around her as he didn't want her to have any flashbacks or bad episodes because of him.

She smiled up at him and tried a little bit of the sign language she had learned from the book he had gotten her. 'you did very good. water?' she asked as she held up a glass of water that was sitting next to her. She was slow with the signing and was making sure that he was learning what she knew so he understood her. She smiled as she tried not to look over him too much...he had a nice look and a good body and she didn't know she could like someone like this and want to keep watching them work out with no shirt on. She was sure even if they were together forever and had children she was hardly ever going to let him see her with out her shirt on more then a handful of times. She did not like her back or belly and she would not want him more upset to see those.

He pearks up at the sign language book that she was holding. He did the sign of water near his chin since it was the proper way to do it. "You can do it, hun. I believe in you." He says gently to her, purring a bit. He tilts his head at her once again. "I think you are getting more and more brave to show your true self. I am proud of you for that, sweetheart." He gave her a proud smile, wanting to encourage her to be who she wants to be. As time wore on, he felt his heart pulling her into it as a permanent spot on it. He knew something was growing between them and he was loving it. He reached up to caress her while doing the sign for beautiful girl. "4.. I know you don't want me to see the rest of the body but.. those scars are the reasons that you are here with me..You are a survivor..."

4 blushed as she let him touch her and sign that she was beautiful. She was trying to get used to hearing that as much as he told it to her. She laughed as she looked at him and signed to him 'i do my best. slow. but learning' she said. She was having a hard time remembering how to form all the sentances. But she didn't mind using it to help comunicate better with out writing. 'ugly. bad scars. you don't need to see.' she said softly as she wrapped one arm around her belly. She wished they would just go away but knew that would not happen. So she would just try to hide them as long as she could.

Dracal couldn't help but smile at her signs. "It takes time, dear.. You think I got good at Tai Chi overnight? Or good with the staff? No.. I got hit in the groin and face several times. Did I give up? Nope." He grinned before frowning at her words. "Ugly? What did I say about your scars, hun? What have I told you about them?" He cups her chin to get her to look at her. "Your scars are part of you...They aren't a bad thing. The memories of what caused them are.. But don't focus on that, dear." He moved to rub her on the belly gently. "Trust me.. Nothing you have on you or in your skeleton closet so to speak would scare me away if that is what you are thinking."

She looked at him and watched him touch her belly. She blushed and gently pushed his hand away and fidgeted with her shirt, but kept it down and secure over her belly. 'dont want to make you sad. you look sad like me when you see them sometimes. don't want you sad too.' she signed to him as she looked at him and nuzzled the hand touching her face. 'please...maybe sometime but i don't want you sad.' she said. She knew that she cared for him, that she could love him given time. But she knew that she needed time before she could show him her other scars. She needed time to get used to the idea of love and being in a real relationship with someone that could be more then what she had with Nick.

Dracal flattened his ears as he had never seen her like this.. so scared to show something sacred to him. He frowned softly. "I can't help it when I see them, sweetheart." He wanted to tell her how he felt so much but didn't want to overwhelm her. He nods slowly as he hugs her gently. "Come.. Lets get inside. Want some ice cream or something?" He had to get her mind off of the scars and the sensitive subject that they were heading to. His tail flicked slightly behind her. "I am sorry if I sounded pushy..." He whispered, looking away for a bit.

She nodded, she felt like she was hurting him too by not showing him the scars but they were so numerous...so worse and raised. they made her ugly and showed how much she had really been through...the arms were nothing. With how often he had opened up her belly or opened up her back to see under the skin see her muscles. She didn't know what to do about how she felt about them but knew soon she would get over it. She just needed time. She nodded and stood with him to go inside. 'ice cream sounds good. and no. Not pushy. is ok. i did not mean to keep this from you. I just...don't like it my self..don't want you to be more upset too.' she signed slowly, looking at him with a small smile.

He stood up onto his feet as he looked to her. He didn't want her to go over the memories but he wanted to see more of her beauty. He didn't understand how he was drawn to her. He didn't care what got him to her but was glad that it happened. He remembered times of living in the forest, nearly as a feral. He had nearly lost who he was during those times. Times of where he felt like he was the one that was the trouble.. That he didn't belong with anyone. He moves to open the door for her as he smiled. He signed to her. "I know.. I don't like seeing you so scared like this. I may be upset but it is never at you. Gods.. It is never at you, hun. It is towards the one that hurt you.. the one that took your childhood.. everything away. I want to give you everything you need and want..Just to enjoy life again. Just to smile for no reason. To laugh.. I know you'll find your voice somehow.. It may not be from your throat but in other ways. And you know what?" He grins. "I'll help.. I know of felines to help us.. And no.. I am not taking no for an answer. Your life is gonna get better no matter what the cost is, hun.. Your happiness is my heart."

She blushed and giggled a little as she took his hands and kissed him softly on the lips as she smiled. 'you make me happy. i have never been happy like this. comfort...comfortable.' she signed, stumbling over the signs with the longer word. She looked at him and smiled. 'he might have yes. but i have you. its better now. you made better.' she signed to him as she smiled. 'i enjoy lots now. never had such reasons to smile as often as i do. You are all i need. i will show them event...evntually. i care a great deal about you Dracal and i wont let my shyness upset us too long.' she said as she smiled. 'help? help how?'

Dracal glanced towards her and smile. "I am very glad that I make you happy. I can tell by the way you draw that you are happier now, my dear." He then signed with some trouble. "We will make memories together as this.. is your permanent home if you wish it."He hugs her gently. "I can teach you how to defend yourself if you need to. My sister can teach you how to dance to strengthen your legs. My brothers can teach you music.. Everyone has something to teach, my dear. One day.. I hope that you can meet my family, hun." He then looks into her eyes. "I think you would know the reason why."

4 smiled at him and nodded. 'I want to see them too. I have no family left. And i will stay here. I want to. want you.' she said with a smile as she blushed. 'We will meet them. I look forward to it. Please i...really like you. We will make all this work.' she said as she smiled and took his hand. 'food? eat?' she signed at him as she took him inside so he could rest from his work out and she could make him a snackk. She loved being here, she liked him and this house. She would happily stay here with him forever and let her be his for always. She wanted that, and was sure he would give it to her. As long as he knew that she was his she hoped that he knew he had her.