Life on the road ~ Closed ~

Taykala wasn't like the others of her kind. She was a pure bred, yet some how her fur was more of a light bluish purple color instead of the deep dark blue. Hair was the deepest blue and white anyone as ever seen of her breed and eyes were like looking into a crystal, so pure and full of life.

Her race were of the spotted foxes where they were mostly red or brown in nature with really fluffy tails. Most either had golden or green colored eyes and no one knew how Taykala became the way she is. Some say she was a half breed, but what the other half would be is anyones guess.

Taykala was very skilled in being the hunter that took most of her years to perfect. At one point she did have a black tiger as her companion, hunting partner and friend that she grew up with. His life ended when she came across a race she has never seen before. Taykala herself took all cautions to not be seen and thought the tiger had done the same. He was well hidden until a pack of hounds found his scent and started howling, barking as if to tell this strange breed of men that they found something.

Soon many men on horses with bows and guns came tearing up the path chasing her one and only true friend. He would have been fine if it was just the hounds, his massive size could kill any animal. It was the men that killed him with their guns. Taykala only got caught because she ran after them, killing some of the hounds and two of the strange men with her own bow. One of them snuck up behind her with a net, trying to catch her. Talking and laughing of how much they could gain from such a female. Or how they would take her and tame her then sell her. In the very least find out if she was a virgin or not, if she was the price for her would be far more worthy.

He would have succeeded if she didn't claw his face through net which did prevent her from running and soon another one of the humans grabbed the rope and started to drag her behind the horse. Taykala was too strong willed to let them take her like this, never once screamed out or cried from being dragged, feeling the pain of dirt and rocks. Instead, she cut through the ropes with her last dagger, rolled out the net and started running. Behind her she heard the sounds of the few hounds left and the shouts of men chasing her. Taykala wanted to look back, yet knew she couldn't. Looking back would only slow her down.

Tears silently fell as she ran to an abandoned castle she knew of deep in the woods. Despite the fact that she was being chased like some creature, all she could think of was the death of her long time friend. Taykala only knew of this castle through stories. It was deep in the thick part of the woods. Some stories claimed it was haunted, who ever entered it never came out. A few times she came to find it but, never fully entered it. The tiger never allowed her to. Taykala figured if her own stories claimed the castle to be haunted, perhaps the same stories ran through this strange race that was following her.

Only one way to find out...

Taykala thought to her self as she pushed open the gates. It was strange, this castle hasn't seen life in years and yet it was still in good shape. The outside wasn't so inviting, but the walls and structure of it all seemed to be well kept. Taykala stood on the inside of the gate just looking at this place with amazement and new found curiosity.

"She went this way!! FIND HER NOW!!"

Shouts were gaining closer and startled Taykala back into reality. Looked back just in time to see the hounds and the men.

"THERE SHE IS..."
"We can't go there! What does she think shes doing?"

They stopped at the gates, the hounds and horses seemed scared of the place just like her tiger would be. They were trying to coach her to come back and not go in. Instead, Taykala backed up a few more feet just staring at the men before she turned and ran inside the castle. It didn't even phase her that the heavy door was opened slightly as she vanished into the darkness behind it.

Stood in the dark door way, knowing the men couldn't see her anymore and smiled to herself as they rode off in anger. At first she was going to leave then, until her curiosity snuck in. Being a fox it didn't take her sight long to adjust to the darkness. For a moment she thought she saw a candle flicker in the darkness and soon she was moving towards it to find out what it really was.

He followed the crowd, he was curious to know what was going on. Evan Hardy, he was from a small town in a very rural town, full of hunters and gatherers. Wasn't much to do here in the town of Grainsinville. Evan was a butcher and somewhat of a hunter. He followed them, a small group of hunters that were chasing something, seemed like a mob with torches and pitchforks to him.

"Hey... what the hell are you guys doing?"

Some of the crowd saw Evan and told him. Evan shook his head and did not believe them. The heat must be getting to them.

Evan: "No way... get out of here. A furry... really..."

He than noticed some of the hunting dogs that were badly hurt, some even dead. What the hell... he than saw the mob had moved on, saying they caught the beast. He ran off and saw the net was broken, something had the strength to break out and he saw the drag marks on the ground. He shook his head.

Evan was good at tracking, but he did not have to when he came to the castle, a place where fear was the number one feeling everyone felt when they came any where near here. There were so many stories about this place, ghosts, demons, cults, evil. Evan just shook his head, he pushed his way through.

"What the hell is going on? What did this to your dogs?"

He looked to the two on horseback and saw there anger in there eyes, but the horses seemed uneasy and Evan backed off. The mob soon left and Evan was the only one left. He had his rifle slung on his back and his handgun at his side. He shook his head as he walked through the gate, every thought was telling him this was a bad idea, but he was not afraid, he did not think this place was haunted.

He crossed the front of the castle and reached the doorway. It was still open, he pushed it open more and headed inside to find it was dark.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

As he was clear of the door, it slammed shut, Evan rolled forward and drew his handgun and aimed it at nothing.

"What the hell..."

He felt his heart beat faster as he did not know what was happening. He had no light source, he pulled his cellphone out and turned the flashlight app on, he looked to the screen and saw he was running low on battery.

"Shit..."

He than saw something move in front of him down the hallway.

"hello, please I am not here to cause any trouble, I just want to see what hurt the dogs, I mean no harm to the owner here."

He holstered his handgun and than moved toward the hallway.

Taykala is born and raised to be wild in the secluded mountains that most humans wouldn't dare to venture. She had left home about two weeks ago in search of others like her. That is until she ran into these human hunters. They were strange to her and she couldn't understand their use of the animals. It appeared that they kept them as slaves instead of companions and she watched from a window as they ran off into the distance.

The light she chased had disappeared when she reached the stairs and almost headed up to the next floor when looked out the window again. Movement had caught her attention and within seconds, a voice echoed through the halls, shortly after that another light glowed off the walls. Looking upstairs with curiosity, then back out the window to see the humans had left the area, she crept back down to the main floor.

"The houndsssss helped kill my frrrriend.... I did not wissssh to kill them. No other choice."

Her words were a mixture of purrs with a deep accent of a cat. She barely understood his language, though a friend of hers had taught her the basics of their language. Taykala kept to the shadows and out of his sight, avoiding the strange light in his hand.

"Mussssst leave this place, it isn't safe..."

She sniffed the air in his direction and could smell the hunter in him, he had the scent of death all over him. There was another scent that she couldn't quite place and it attracted her attention. Shaking her head, she couldn't get distracted now and needed to get rid of this male somehow before she can leave.

"Why kill my frrrrriend? He was good!"

She hissed and growled the words out as she slipped passed him to hide in another corner, her tail brushing against the back of his leg in the process. Taking a glance out the windows along the stairs, she didn't realize how late it is getting and found it strange that despite the windows allowing you to see outside, the inside remained dark. Something she didn't pick up on until now as she wanted to leave, yet she couldn't with him following her.

"Why you ssssstill hunt me?... I not go with you, I fight you.."

He can tell that she struggled with his language, it wasn't natural for her to speak it and some of the words were very difficult for her to say. Though, she did get enough out to get her questions out.

"Please come out, I can't see you. You do not need to hide from me."

He looked to where he followed the sound of her voice. She moved right by him and he could feel something fluffy brush against his leg. So it was an animal, but it could speak? She had very broken english, he spoke slowly.

"My name is Evan, I had nothing to do with your friend getting killed, I just want to know what I am talking to, I will not harm you, I swear. Here."

He took his holster belt off and rifle and set it on the ground in front of him, he spun around so she could see he had nothing on him.

"See, unarmed, you can come out."

He looked around the room and did not see her, he even lowered his phone and turned the flash light off, he was going to run his phone dead any ways.

"No light."

He went and sat on the couch.

"Please let me see you."

He waited.

Sniffing the air and watching him closely as he tossed his weapons to the floor as he spoke. A deep growl came from the corner when he claims he didn't kill her tiger. It was his kind that killed him and he was with the group of hunter, in her eyes he had everything to do with it. By all rights she should kill him now while he is vulnerable and revenge her friends death. Sadly, something about this one intrigued her and found no real desire to take his life.

He moved towards a couch where there is very little light, just enough for someone to see the outline of furnitures and a hint of patterns. Taykala crouched on all fours and crept out of the corner, sniffing the weapons on the floor, though never picking them up. After what she has seen, she didn't like guns all that much and not to mention, they were loud for her sensitive ears.

"Why you want to see me?"

She finally asked after leaving his weapons and slowly worked her way towards him. Not once did she close to him, however, she did eventually move to where a flicker of light broke through the darkness. She wore no clothes since her fur is all she ever needed, her ears were lowered, though flicked at the slightest sound. The blue cat eyes seem to glow within the darkness, a long tail flicked with anticipation and her stance told him that she is in fact ready to defend herself.

"I not what.... I Taykala... Where you take my frrrrriends body? I wish to have him back!"

Taykala didn't take her eyes off him while the tiny voice of her mind told her to just rip him apart now, she did refrain from doing so. So far he held no real threat and until he did, she would just remain on guard and watch his every move.

He did not even know they killed anything, must have been the group that seperated .

"Whoa, I can get your friend back, I just want to see what I am dealing with. I will not harm you, I promise."

He looked her over, she was a sight to see. He had never seen anything so beautiful before.

"So beautiful... oh wow..."

Evan could not take his eyes off of her.

"Taykayla is it? My name is Evan. Where do you come from, I have lived here my whole life, and I have never seen anything so beautiful and enchanting before."

He saw a flicker of light down the hallway, but he gazed at her.

"I will help you with what you need, please do not be afraid of me. I am not like those other men. You can trust me."

He smiled at her.

She watched his expressions and looked for any possible sign of threat. Instead he said a word she did not understand and growled at it thinking it was meant to be an insult. The look in his eyes told her that the word wasn't an insult and her ears perked slightly. After taking a couple of moments to study him, eventually realizing that he is poses no real threat and the other men didn't dare enter here, she relaxed a little.

"What is 'beeeutiffful'?"

Taykala sat back on her heels in a kneeling position and kept sniffing the air, always on guard for potential danger. Also, there is just something about his scent that triggered her curiosity. Other than the men that attacked her, she hasn't seen a human up close before.

"I go south to moonrrrriver islands.... seeking more like me."

She didn't want to tell him where she is coming from since the others that raised her still remained there. Against her better judgment she didn't want to tell him where she is heading either. Although, she didn't know if anything is actually out there.

"Frrriend was rare tiger.... how you get him back for me?"

He looked to her as she asked what beautiful was. He smiled at her and he slowly moved closer to her.

"Is it okay if I show you, please know that I am not going to harm you, please trust me... okay."

He watched her body language, he could see she was a bit still on edge, he knew she could rip his throat out, she could kill him with out even trying. But he had to get close to her.

"Please, I am going to get close to you... now slowly."

He moved slowly so he could sit next to her, he let her watch as he moved his phone out for her to see.

"This is a cell phone, it also allows pictures to be taken, or even video, it will not harm you."

He showed her and pressed the button on it so it used the front facing camera. She could see herself.

"You see, you are beautiful. Taykala, you are beautiful."

He let her see herself.

"Moonriver Island... you cannot go there, there are a lot of people there, people that would want to see you captured... no... not a good place to go. So you want to find more of your kind?"

He saw that she was lonely. Especially since her companion was killed...

"I know where they will take your friend, we will wait till after its dark and than I can take you and get your friend..."

He saw the light again, he shook his head.

When he made a move towards her, she tensed up and almost bolted away from him. That is until she watched him pull something from his pocket and heard how soothing his voice is. Taykala remained on edge as he did something with the phone and her ears perked up when seeing herself.

Very carefully she reached out to touch the image on the phone, realizing quickly that it copied her every move. She thought of it as magic and wanted to know more about how he did that. Then she heard that she couldn't go where she wanted to and the sad expression she gave told him she didn't approve of that.

"My kind... deep in mountains... they not... like me. I different to them..."

She held up her tail and showed it to him.

"Fur not like them... I seek ones like my fur..."

Taykala sighed and looked at the phone again to see just how different she really is compared to the race that raised her. She didn't know what to name colors, at least not in his language. Then the flicker of light caught her attention again along with a new scent in the air.

"I.. I smell food!!!"

Naturally she didn't think of it as being a trap, it has been a couple of days she last ate and her gut growled. She didn't know if he smelled the same thing she did, but whatever it was, it called to her.

Slowly she started to stalk the flickering light and moved away from him towards its direction. She wanted to know its source and didn't seem to care about the dangers that may follow. Just like a cat, her curiosity is getting the best of her. Her ears were twitching everywhere to catch the faintest sound with her nose in the air following the new scent.

He smiled at her and when she mentioned food, his own stomach growled. He could not think when was the last time he had a decent meal, but the smell was of food. He saw her take off.

"Hey... wait, don't leave me..."

He did notice she had one hell of a body, large breasts that she did not cover, toned stomach, nice shapely ass. He felt his cock twitch in his pants as he saw her stalk the scent. He followed her, his eyes not being able to part from her ass, he gulped as the scent of food grew stronger. They both were being led to the dining room, where a table for two was set.

"Hello...?"

He looked around and did not see anyone.

"What the hell is going on here?"

He saw Taykayla and he looked to her.

"Let me go first, I will check things out and let you know if it is safe. Okay?"

A small burst of light shot out from the table than and shot right through his chest and than through Taykayla, it was so fast, there was not time to think. Evan hit the ground, on his knees as he breathed deep, he looked to himself and than to Taykalya, he didn't know what had happen. He sighed as he stood up and he went over to her.

"Hey... Taykayla, are you okay?"

She could understand everything he said, loud and clear, none of his words being unfamiliar. She had perfect understanding of him. He looked to her as he looked her over to make sure she was okay.

"I don't know what that was, but if you are okay, let me help you.

He put his hand to hers and he did this slowly and he touched her paw, so soft, so smooth.

"Wow..."

Food appeared on the table than, fruits, cheeses, wine and water. Evan moved with her to the table.

"Food... have you ever had any of these before, wine, cheese, I know you have had fruit."

He handed her some fruit and cheese.

"Grapes and chedder cheese."

He ate some for himself as he sat in the chair. He did not know what that light did, but Taykayla could understand him, could feel him, something happened alright.

The light struck in her in many different ways and as she regained herself a little more, the first thing she noticed is her body didn't feel right. He smelled different than before and some kind of connection to him that wasn't there before. Almost as if they are a mated pair all the sudden. Which triggered what her body felt... The need to mate. She has been in heat once before, luckily she managed to hide from the world during that time. Here and now, there isn't much she could do to hide.

"I am fine.. I think."

Shaking her head and feeling the sudden wetness as she walked. All she could do is pray he didn't catch the signs of her being in heat. She wasn't ready to be mated yet, she wanted the freedom of life more. To mated meant to be bred and pump out litters of pups... No, she didn't want that kind of life.

"I mostly eat meat.. meat that I hunt. But yes, I have had fruit."

Her speech was still a little off considering she hasn't been speaking it for very long. However, it is smoother than it was moments ago with a better understanding of his language. Taykala looked over the table and sniffed at different foods, some of it she scrunched her nose and shook her head in disgust.

"How do you know this is safe?"

After getting hit with that light, she questioned the motive of this free food. Picking a few things after seeing him eat, then suddenly seeing a nice juicy steak appear. She wasted no time going after the meat, using her claws to cut it up before eating a chunk.

Her scent started to carry into the air as her desire to mate grew more intense. Despite her trying to deny being in heat, there were hints in her body language that told him as much. Her tail curled between her legs to hide the scent, her nipples became hard and begged for attention. Even her blue eyes had a lust that wasn't there before.

He gladly ate the food, it was delicious, and best of all ot was free. He smiled as he ate the grapes and sliced apples, best thing was, it kept appearing. Suddenly a man appeared, ghostly white, but human form, wearing a grey suit, like a butler would wear. He served more food and bowed to Evan. He spoke, "Young Master of the house, anything else you desire?"

Evan looked to him, not afraid. "Who are you?"

The bald butler smiled, and said "I am Harris, Master servant to the Lord of the Mannor, Manor Farwise."

The name struck at his heart and a flood of memories filled his head and heart. Evan stumbled back and fell back to the ground.

"No... stop..."

He blacked out, last thing he saw was Takayla...

Taykala watched the interaction between him and this man servant. For now she ate her steak happily and drank some of the mead that she found she liked. Then suddenly she saw him panic about something, though she couldn't see what this servant did. Only said a name and she didn't see the big deal about a name, nothing that would cause anyone to panic like he did.

Then he dropped to the floor like a ton of bricks and yelp in fear. At first she back away from the servant thinking he did something.

"What you do to him? Tell me now?"

She growled at him and then moved towards Evan, crouching over him and hissing at the strange man. She couldn't understand why she did this, she felt no obligation to protect this human. Yet here she is, in a protective stance above him, ready to strike this man servant down.

With one hand she felt to see if Evan is still alive, feeling for his heart and putting her fingers at his nose to feel his breath. Luckily he is still alive and that was one less worry.

"Get away from him!"

She hissed, clearly not trusting, nor understanding the situation.

The butler looked to Taykayla and smiled.

"Please calm yourself miss, Master Evan, he will be fine, he is just shocked to learn that he is master of the manor. It has been a long time since he has been around here, it was a dark time, a time I wish he would not have to remember, but he has come back, if would seem the warding spells have no affect on him... oh... how old is the master now?"

The butler Harris looked and scratched his bald head.

"The young master has to be 25 now. Oh... has that much time passed. He was only 4 when that dark time happened. Oh my..."

Harris walked towards Taykayla and phased right through her as he disappeared. Evan could only see darkness, he heard a woman crying, screaming at someone or something not to take her little boy. A man shouted, saying leave my son alone. As Evan lay there, tears fell from his eyes, it all weighed heavy on his heart.

Harris came back and laid a wet towel over Evans forehead.

"He must miss his best friend... she was like you, her name was Analiesse, the young master adored her. Are you related to her?"

He looked her over.

The warning and protective glare she gave the butler turned softer, then became a look of confusion as he passed through her. She has heard of spirits trapped in this world, left with unfinished things to trap them here. Yet, this spirit didn't seem as though he was trapped for those reasons. She sat back on her heels looking down at Evan as her ears remained low, but a little more relaxed than moments ago.

"I do not know if I am related to her. My kind did not raise me, it was another breed that took me in. I was just a pup when they took me. I know nothing of my true breed, or family."

She wanted to do more to help Evan come back to reality, seeing the tears creep down his cheeks, sadly she knew of no trick to wake him.

"What do you mean he adored her? I know the stories and warnings. His kinds hunts my kind, they slave us, take our furs, treat us like animals... He is no different I smell death of his hunts all over him."

With that her guard started to build up again, after hearing her own words she, herself came back to reality of her own situation. Shaking her head and stepped away from Evan, looking at the table of food and soon the fear took hold of her. The white fur began to glow as more fear gripped her.

"This is to trap me isn't it? This is all a trick? Bring my guard down... This isn't..."

She looked down at Evan expecting him to spring back to life and laugh at her. Or expecting whatever poison was in the food to take effect soon. Taykala couldn't think straight as she backed up more until the wall prevented her from going any further. Here the panic set in and she felt as though the walls were closing in around her.

"I can not stay here.... I am so foolish..."

After shaking her head again, the white fur glowing brightly now as she found her feet and ran towards the front door.

Harris watched as Taykayla ran off. He shook his head as he looked to Evan still on the ground. The door locked and suddenly the room seemed to turn itself around so when she was running, she came right back to where they were. Harris pleaded.

"Please... you have no idea what Master Evan is about, yes he is a hunter, but he hunts to survive, he does not ever hunt for game, but he hunts for reason. He never wastes anything."

Harris walked around her.

"Please, I am not here to hurt you, and neither is Evan, you don't understand, there is already a bond between you two. If master did not go through what he did, Analiesse and himself probably would be a happy married couple, they were so close, born for each other, soul mates, and I saw the look in his eyes as he looked at you, he feels something for you. Please she was everything to him, a gift from his mother, and his mother helped take care of her family. I do not ever lie miss, he needs you and you need him."

He pleaded.

Her ears laid flat as the door locked and she found herself facing the room she started in. A low growl emerged as she found no way out of the manor, at least not right away. Panic had her heart racing faster than she has ever felt it beat, it didn't pound against her chest this hard with the hunters chasing her. Now it felt as if it would break free from her chest.

The white fur glowed against the blue fur, indicating how stressed she is becoming over the situation. Truth is, she knew nothing of humans, only the stories she has heard as a kid. The clan that took her in moved far into the mountains to remain clear of humans and they tried to keep her from traveling.

"I need no one.."

She lied of course, he can see it in her eyes that she felt some connection just as Evan did. A connection she denied having, although the way she protected Evan moments ago proved there is something there. Even now the way she glanced towards him laying the floor sparked some unknown feeling. Taykala wondered why he is still laying here instead of springing to life and capturing her.

Slowly she moved along the wall away from the locked door until she cornered herself in the room. Ever so slowly she is calming down, though her tail wrapped around her as if trying to hide from his sight. Her ears remained low while thinking over what he has said to her. It still didn't seem right to her as she watched him closely, ready to strike if he did anything, though she couldn't hurt a spirit.

"What are you? And what do you mean this Analiesse was a gift? I do not understand what is happening. I just want my friend back before it is too late, I do not want to be a burden here. All I wanted to do is go find my true clan.. He promised to help get my friend back... Will he do that? Or is he telling lies?"

She slid down the wall until she is sitting on the floor and curled her knees up to her chest with her tail curling around her legs.

"What happened to Analiesse? Will the same thing happen to me if I stay?"

Harris looked to Evan and than to Takayla and he sighed.

"When the master was sent away, Analiesse could not go with him, she wanted to, but it would not be good for the master, they were separated, ripped apart... as time went on Analiesse grew more and more sad. She did not want to keep living... she died... died of sorrow, sadness for her lost lover..."

Harris looked down.

"She is here... here spirit still is here... maybe you can speak with her. She will not speak to me."

He sighed.

"Call to her, find her... for the masters sake, maybe you two can become one?"

She looked at him confused, questioning why anyone of her kind would ever fall for a human. Everything she has heard about humans were bad, they were destructive and cruel. Portions of the forests have been cleared out because of them, they hunt for sport rather than food. And their homes are strange to her, like this manor for example is nothing like what she knew back home. Then he spoke of becoming one with a spirit and here she tensed up, curling up tighter into the corner.

"Spirits are not to be messed with. To summon one is risky and then to allow it to become one with me? Are you insane?"

She shook her head and refused to do as he asked. There is no way she would ever allow any spirit in her, in fact she has learned to ward off situations. Her soul is protected as well as her body from other spirits of the other side. Knowing what he speaks is most likely true, the white fur started to change color. A violet hue as she began to protect herself from spirits in the other realm, wanting none of that.

"I know the risks of playing with the other side. I do not know why you are here, but I will not allow any spirit to possess me. I am sorry that had happened to her, but I do not know her. I do not even know you, or him.. What kind of promise can you give that I can trust? How do I know I am safe?"

Looking over at Evan again, wishing he would just wake up and was almost tempted to go towards him again. Although her legs refused to move, the lack of trust filled her eyes as she looked back towards Harris.

"What is wrong with him? Why will he not wake?"

Harris saw how she was warding herself.

"In time you will understand, I do not expect you to trust us, at least not for right now. It is not your way."

He went over to Evan and looked him over.

"He is like this now, because he remembers everything now. How he saw his parents killed, how people ripped him away from this place, how they took him away from Analiesse, how he ran away and was adopted by another family... how he never saw his soulmate again... it is all very tramatizing to him and he is in shock of it all. He will come to, please it calms his mind to have you near him."

He looked to her.

"I cannot give you any promise, I am not part of the living world, I will tell you that Master Evan is a kind soul, he is not a liar, if he told you he would help you, than he will do so, I am here because of him and I will serve him till he wishes my service no more. I am bound to this place, and now that the master is back, he can restore this place... oh how it will be so grand to see the sunlight back in this place..."

He flew around the room, smiling and spinning.

"Life can pass through here again... oh... I understand, if you do not wish to speak with her, she would not posses you, she too is very kind, she is one of you, I feel her now, she senses... oh my..."

A light shined from around Evan and a form took shape, one that looked just like Takayla appeared and laid next to Evan, looking down on him, stroking his chest. Her form smiled and than looked to Takayla and smiled at her.

She watched the two ghosts with some amazement and fear. None of this made sense to her and she couldn't for life of her comprehend what is happening. The things that he mentioned echoed in her ears and she watched as he spun around with joy, then looking back at Evan on the floor. With a heavy sigh she eventually crawled over to him, paying no real attention to the ghost at this point. In fact they were making her think she is losing her mind, here she is talking to ghosts of all things, who in their right mind does that?

After a moment she looked around and her paws had a green hue to them as she stood up, Evan lifted off the ground and she placed him on the couch. There was a blanket that sat on the back of the couch, dusty and old, but she took it and shook it out some before placing it on top of him. Before too long, she curled up on the floor next to the couch and watched over him for a time. For the most part she didn't think she could be his mate, even if she wanted to be. He would look at her and see this other female, he would never see her as his mate. Taykala shook that thought away, placing those questions for another day, if she ever had the nerve to ask them.

The day had been too much for her and this whole situation ended up being far more than she can process right now. The chase from the hunters alone was exhausting, then the loss of her friend ripped her emotions into a million directions. Now this strange human and these ghosts, it all was mentally exhausting to her. The whole time Taykala was silent, lost in her own thoughts as she watched him. Without knowing how much time had passed, she eventually fell asleep herself.

As Evan lay there, the spirit of his soulmate watched as this new comer took Evan and laid him on the couch. She smiled softly as she lay beside him, but on the ground. Evan's hand fell to rest on Takayla. He felt more at ease, now that Talayla was near him, but also because of the feeling of Analiesse. His tears stopped, his breathing calmed, all seemed fine, his hand even started to pet Takayla's soft fur.

"Together again..."

He muttered as he still lie there on the couch.

Taykala didn't have pleasant dreams as she went into a deeper sleep. She jumped when feeling his hand touching her, though in the dreams it wasn't him. That single touch made her dream of many hands reaching out towards her, grabbing at her and watching over and over as they tore her away from her beloved tiger.

The dreams didn't end there, she watched as they slaughtered the tiger, skinning him for his beautiful snow-white fur and simply doing everything stories have told her humans do. Sometime in the middle of the night she woke up to the sounds of the tiger roaring. It took her several moments to fully wake up and when she did, she was terrified.

First she had no idea where she was or who was in the room with her, especially after the dream she had. Then she heard the loud roaring again and she panicked, without thinking she ran towards the door. Finding it still locked she began clawing at the door and its frame frantically trying to get out. His roars sounded painful and full of stress as they echoed through the forest. Once more her white fur began to glow, this time it was a faint orange color indicating her own stress.

She clawed at the door hard enough that she could easily hurt herself if she kept clawing. Her own pain is the last thing that is on her mind though, all she wanted to do was get to him.

Time did pass, when Takayla was frantically trying to escape the house, Evan was coming back, bruised, beaten, bloody, limping, but he was dragging something on a cart. It was covered, the gate to the mansion opened slowly for him, closing as he came through. He smiled as he looked to the place.

"I am home... Mom, Dad... Ana... I will make this place grand again... please lend me your strength, I know you sent Takayla to me, please let her be my friend..."

He pulled the cart and the door opened for him as he pulled the cart in.

"I'm home..."

Harris rushed by Takayla and went through the doors she was trying to scratch her way through, the doors were not even the doors that led to the outside. Harris saw Evan and the shape he was in, he wept as he could do nothing for the young master of the manor. Evan pushed the cart in and saw Takayla.

"I got your friend, just like I promised..."

He coughed up blood and took his hand from his side as he was bleeding pretty bad from what looked like a broken arrow or bolt. Evan just smiled and put up the peace sign to her and he sat on the feinting couch, he looked to her.

"I kept my promise, you see... I am not a bad guy... Ana..."

He was fighting to stay awake, he again saw Ana and how she was worried.

Ana: "Oh... no Evan... why must you always go and get in fights... my word... Harris do something!"

Harris looked to them both and shook his head.

"Madam... there is nothing I can do... I cannot treat the living... maybe the young miss can help him... miss?"

They both looked to Takayla.

Takayla pounded her fists on the door before sliding down to her knees in tears, paying no attention to the ghosts. Blindsided by her emotions as she heard his roars grow weaker. Several moments later she began to catch both their scents in the light breeze that came from a window. Within seconds of that, she heard Evan say something and saw the now unconscious body of the tiger in the cart.

Her first instinct is to run towards her friend and disregard Evan. Somehow, she refrained from doing such after seeing the condition he was in. The tiger wasn't in any better shape, just as bloody and the wound from the hunters looked angry and on the verge of infection. Takayla looked around before catching he said Ana, glancing back at him she felt the sting of jealousy. An emotion she couldn't explain very well, nor could she accept it either.

Without wasting too much time, she helped Evan into the cart.

"Lay down and sleep.."

She didn't say anything more and made him lay down while putting her hand over his eyes so they close. Truth be told, she isn't really magical and she rarely does use the powers she does know. Healing isn't her thing either, it takes up too much energy and she hates how it drains her. Although, in this case, she had no real choice, if something didn't happen fast, she would lose them both.

Leaving them both in the cart for a moment, she hunted through drawers and threw a bunch of papers into the fire pit, mostly old newspapers. Next she searched for anything at all that would produce a flame, even a spark would work and after finding a couple of stones, she began working on a fire. Takayla uses the energy of nature to get what she needs, similar to what a druid would do. With the fire, she used both the spark and the breeze in the room to get the fire going, tossing in an old log that was nearby.

After the fire grew strong she went back towards Evan and the tiger, crawling in the cart with them and knelt between them with a paw over their hearts. It wasn't long before she went into a meditative state, looking like a statue as her breathing slowed, no other movement came from her. Within moment the white fur pulsed a hue of pink as she matched their heartbeats with her own. The light breeze in the room picked up and reached for the fire, sending it into a whirlwind within the fire place.

To the eye of any other person, it would look as if the fire went out of control. However, the whirlwind flames tunneled in around her and turned to a very faint blue-white flame. She seemed to absorbing the flames and they were transferring through her paws to heal both of them at the same time.

It took a good few moments before the healing process was done and everything ended quickly. The flames died along with the breeze, leaving the room as it was before she began. Even Takayla faded from reality in complete exhaustion and fell forward as her eyes rolled shut. She has never used that much energy on one spell before and it depleted all of her own energy. Her fur went back to normal, not even one white spot glowed and almost made her look lifeless.