| Rina proceeded to walk away from the table, leaving the two as Irai paused in her eating. "Hmmm?" A small smile broke his face, calming the uneasiness created from his initial expression. "Think we could do a little talking.... talking about your were-form?" Irai immediately tensed up at the few quick memories before she shuddered. Tears began to swell up in her eyes as the thoughts proceeded deeper as the Arena became strong in her vision. Finally she closed her eyes to stop the tears as well as the images as she shook her head. Tears eventually broke through as she felt an arm wrap around her. She pushed herself into his embrace, burying her face into his neck as her feelings burst out. She felt his hand rub her back gently, trying to ease her as Irai continued to cry into his neck. After what seemed like an eternity, her eyes felt dry as the tears slowly came to a stop. She started at his neck while his hands continued to work gently, forcing a small purr out of her. She nuzzled and licked his salty chest before she looked up to him with inquiring eyes. "Why.... why do you want to know about that Ren?" "Because.... it may be best if you were able to control yourself. If you knew how to control it.... nothing like what you did would happen in the Arena again." A faint glimmer of hope started to push the despair that clutched her heart away. His words stuck to her as the thoughts continued to flow endlessly through her mind. Eventually she sat up on his lap, smiling slightly as Irai wiped away the remaining tears from her eyes. "I would do almost anything to stop.... what happened in the Arena. Ren.... I don't want to kill...." Ren smiled in return, gazing into her eyes. " As long as I'm with you, I'll make sure you won't. We still need to control your powers, however." Irai licked his face happily, her purrs growing stronger. "If you don't mind.... I'd like to start tomarrow if possible. Today.... I just want to look around." "Go on ahead." She leaped off his lap with a smile, hugging his head tightly before she scampered off to explore her new 'home'. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Irai basked in the sunlight, laying in the grass yard well behind the mansion. The sounds of the city were faint as the peacefulness around her felt like a warm blanket. She occasionally rolled around in the grass, enjoying the feel of the blades against her fur. Her gaze shifted to the shirt and pants on the grass near her before her eyes returned to the light blue sky. Her thoughts were interrupted as a few hacks and coughs came from nearby. She sat up and looked around before her eyes were set on the old man who was working on the garden not far from her. Irai's hands reached for the clothes as she partially buttoned the shirt on before she pulled the pants up her legs, zipping and buttoning them. Eventually she stood up, walking over to the old man's work as he noticed her presence. "Hmmm..... what brings you here, hmm?" Irai looked at the hands of the gardener. "Curiousity." A grin crept into his face. "Curiousity killed the cat ya know." "Well I don't intend to die.... but what are you working on?" "Oh...." the old man shrugged. "Just the vegetables needed for Rina and her wonderful cooking. Just look around, you'll see many different kinds of gardens." Irai's eyes proceeded to follow where the old man pointed to. Her eyes gazed upon each garden, each holding one or two different kinds of vegetables. Her eyes continued to look around past the gardens as she also noticed a few trees, holding apples as well as other fruits. She smiled before her eyes returned to the gardener as he continued to work. "Wow.... do you take care of all of the plants by yourself?" He nodded to her. "If you don't mind to hear an old man groaning, it's a lot of work for me daily. I wish I had some help." Irai's face lit up. "I'll help you." Another larger grin appeared on his wrinkled face. "Well then get closer and I'll show ya what to do." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Irai brushed her arm against her forehead, panting as she finished the last of the work in the garden. Her shirt remained buttoned together by one button near her chest as the rest remained loose while both exposed fur and clothes showed marks of her toils. The old man smiled approvingly to her before he noted the sun that still resided in the sky. "Thanks to you, I managed to finish my work early. Yer welcome to help out anytime." Irai smiled in return, bowing slightly. "Thanks, it was fun." The gardener proceeded to walk back to the house as Irai waited patiently for him to disappear. As he faded from her sight, she looked around for anyone nearby before she stripped down completely and returned to her spot on the grass. The cool feel of the grass blades against her hot body brought out a soft sigh from her throat. Slowly, she closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her. For moments on end, she did not hear a sound as a more erie peacefulness set around her. She waited patiently for a sound. Irai didn't even hear the sound of a lone bird as the silence persisted. The silence was broken when the sounds of grass being crushed under foot entered her ear. Gentil.... yet swift..... Irai immediately heightened her senses as her instincts slowly kicked in. She opened her eyes and stood up slowly, looking around for the creator or creators of the sounds as the silence set in again. Her eyes failed to see anything before they rested on the nearby tree. "Come out, come out. I know you're here." Her predator stepped out from behind the tree as she recognized him immediately. A low growl set in her throat as a second assailant stepped out from behind another tree as Irai looked at her former Arena escorts with pure anger. The two proceeded to stand together, facing her as one merely spoke to her. "We're here to take you with Master Stavan." "NO! You will never take me with him nor to the Arena ever again!" was her sharp reply. Irai glanced behind her, noticing the other two appear from behind her as the backyard of the mansion remained empty of witnesses. Irai turned herself side ways to both duos, keeping her eyes on all four as best as she could as her foes prepared to stop her. The pairs split apart even further, forming a circle around her as she found herself looking around frantically to keep all four in her sights. Without a word, the four men moved down upon her quickly as Irai broke into a run at the one directly in front of her. With a large push, Irai jumped at her first attacker, planting her feet in his belly while her hands grabbed for his shoulders. She slammed him hard into the grass floor before she rolled over, contuning with her momentum and her run. She looked back behind her for a moment, noticing the other three men gaining on her slowly as she found herself surprised at their speed. She glanced at the mansion, guessing that she would get caught if she made a direct path as Irai veered for the closest tree. Like a squirrel, she climbed up the side of the tree for the first few feet before she grabbed a branch and continued with her ascent. Like a pack of hounds, the three men trailing her waited around the base as the fourth soon joined in. They waited patiently, staring at her furred form as she slowly continued with her ascent. Eventually she sat down on a branch, more than fifteen feet above the ground as she waited patiently for the four to move. Soon she found herself looking around for anyone from her tree as the four continued to wait at the base. Worry filled her heart as the backyard remained empty, save her attackers. She looked down again as malicious looks were returned to her. Irai sighed, wondering what she would do now. I don't want to return to the Arena.......... |