Fantasy Guardians(Leopard&Svenny)

[Galaxxies]

Ryder grinned at Adysin's smirking lips so close to her own. It would take just the smallest of movements to connect their lips. But before she could do anything, Adysin caressed her cheek and kissed her jaw. Ryder was just a breath away from telling Adysin how she wanted nothing more than to continue, just as she was flipped over and pinned beneath the girl. Ryder's cheeks flushed as her entire body grew hot at the position. Ryder's heart started to race. This was what he realized she had enjoyed the night before. Adysin pinning her down. Having the other girl's weight on top of her made her happy and comforted, and incredibly turned on. Ryder leaned her head upward to connect their lips in a heated kiss, when suddenly Adysin had pulled away and stood up, talking about food and finding Annabel. She tried, but Ryder couldn't stop the groan that escaped her and quickly turned into a needy whimper. She knew that Adysin was right, but that didn't mean she was happy about being teased that way. She started making a plan to get back at the girl. All the while mumbling about teases and blue-eyed, dirty blonde-haired women, Ryder got up from the bed, gathered up all of her lost items of clothing and made her away to the bathroom to quickly handle her morning routine. She stepped out of the bathroom a couple of minutes later fully dressed and her mouth rinsed of its morning breath, with a plan to brush her teeth as soon as she got to her own room.

 

[svenny]

Adysin glanced over her shoulder to catch glimpses of her changing in the bathroom. A smile crept over her face at the sight of her stripping and replacing her night clothes with more presentable ones. Adysin herself chose black tights and one of the new shirts, one in maroon, she had received from the academy. It was a standard muscle shirt that was supplied by the academies for training sessions. Addie knew that after breakfast she'd probably head out and train the students, so she dressed for the part. Aware of the fact that her hair was all messy from their night together, she decided that it would be easiest if she just threw it up into a loose messy bun. It wasn't extremely long, but it had grown up to her shoulder blades. It had started off at her shoulders, but through the six months it had grown a bit gangly. "Are you ready?" she asked Ryder after she exited the bathroom after her own morning routine. A smile played on her lips again as she pictured the girl beneath the clothes. She had seen it all the night before and that morning, and she could definitely picture it all clearly in her mind now. It made her want to stay in this room forever, but she knew she had to find her daughter and feed them both. "Did I ever tell you that you're beautiful?" she murmured as she leaned against the door frame, the same smile still on her lips.

 

[Galaxxies]

Ryder was full and well prepared to answer Adysin's question with a stinging reply, still a little irritated at being teased earlier. But when Ryder looked up to see her leaning against the door frame and a smile playing on her features, followed by the cheesy line, Ryder turned to putty. A blush colored her cheeks at the compliment and she couldn't help the dopy smile that formed on her lips. Ryder stepped close to Adysin and reached up to kiss her weak spot, something Ryder had discovered the night before. After kissing there for a few moments, she pulled back enough to smirk at Adysin. "Maybe, but I wouldn't mind hearing it again." The shorter girl then placed a peck onto the side of Adysin's mouth. "Have I ever told you that you're damn hot?" Ryder settled back down off of her tippy toes and gave an innocent smile to Addie. She then turned away and headed towards the door to the room. Ryder opened the door and started down the hallway, walking towards her own room. She was pretty sure that is where Adamaris would have taken Annabel. Plus, she needed to check-in and grab Zayden before they went and grabbed food for the morning.

 

[svenny]

Adysin gaped after Ryder for a moment, taken by surprise. She'd never in a million years would have expected those words to fly from her mouth. It was totally unexpected but Addie couldn't deny the shiver of delight that rushed through her body. Glancing around the room, she noticed they had left it in quite a mess with the sheets all tangled up, clothes scattered everywhere on the floor. A bra there, an underwear over there. One sock in the corner, the other all the way by the bathroom. How had they even gotten so far apart? Shrugging, she grabbed her very worn black leather jacket and shrugged it on, giving herself an extra layer in case the cafeteria was chilly. Addie walked behind Ry most of the way to her room, her eyes resting on her butt, watching the way her hips swayed to her natural gait. She had always found it alluring the way a woman's hips moved naturally. When they came to Ryder's room, Adysin almost slammed into her. "Oh, oops. Sorry," Addie chuckled slightly, wiping her dirty blonde hair from her face. It had been a while since she had lost herself in her daydreams. Recently, instead of daydreams she had been having nightmares, worrying about the what if's. What if they didn't succeed? What if there really wasn't a battle? What if none of the students showed up to their training? What if they actually did win? What would they do then? Adysin had no where to go, and had no idea what was out there for them. But today, her mind had been focused on the way Ryder moved and the memories of the night before. "I guess it's time I got my daughter," Addie gave her a small grin and motioned for her to open the door.

 

[Galaxxies]

Ryder opened the door, but just as it was barely opened, the smaller girl turned a smirk up to Adysin. "Why, Addie, you weren't staring at my butt were you?" Ryder made the tone of her voice as innocent as she could manage it. She gave a wink to her love before stepping into the room and finding a small child curled up in her bed. Two very large Guardians were laying on the floor by the bed. Ryder smiled at Zayden. "Keeping watch you two?" Ryder kept her voice low and quiet as the child was still asleep. Ryder decided to put on new clothes while Adysin got her daughter. Stepping over to her wardrobe, she pulled out a plain grey t-shirt and a pair of jeans, along with fresh underwear, seeing as hers was still somewhere on Adysin's floor. Ryder quietly stepped into the bathroom to change under the admonishments coming from Zayden. Ryder stepped back out of the bathroom a few minutes later. Her fresh clothes were accompanied by freshly brushed teeth and hair and a fresh scent coming from a small bottle of perfume she had kept with her. She turned to Zayden and spoke silently to him. "Hey, at least we are okay now. No more fighting between me and Addie. And... thank you for watching Annabel." Ryder patted the snow leopard on his head.

 

[svenny]

Addie shot her a seductive grin, "Perhaps, but you can't prove anything." As explained before, Addie couldn't fight the lure of a woman's body, especially hers. When Ryder opened the door to her room, Adysin slipped in behind her. Adamaris lifted her head from her white paws, giving Adysin a knowing look. "What?" she spoke out-loud to the wolf, who replied, I know what you were up to. Crouching down in front of her, she brought her face down onto Mar's head, placing an affectionate kiss on her head as she breathed in her scent. It smelt like a mix of forest and dog, the perfect combination. "And?" Addie replied as she moved towards the girl in the bed. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Adysin leaned over Annabel. For a moment, she just looked at her. There was a sort of innocence in the girl that Adysin wanted to keep, forever. Her blonde hair fell loose over the pillow her head rested on, and she cuddled the blanket to her body between her arms. Instead of waking her by shaking her, she placed another gentle kiss on her cheek, which stirred the little girl. Rolling onto her back, the girl opened her blue eyes up at her mother.

"Hey there, baby," Addie murmured softly, "Want to get some breakfast?"

As Annabel nodded, she outstretched her arms for Adysin to scoop her into her arms. Cradling her against her body, she savored the moment. Eventually, she let the girl slide down her body and stand on her feet. She was still in her clothes from the night before, but there wasn't anything they could do about it now. Both their stomaches growled audibly with hunger. Ryder's perfume swept over her as she stepped out of the bathroom, causing Addie to look up at her, smiling fondly at her, "I like that," she commented, "Are we ready?"

 

[Galaxxies]

Ryder smiled at the complement. It warmed her heart, dearly. She loved this side of Adysin. The sweet and caring side. The side that was willing to walk down a hallway and shamelessly stare at her ass the entire way. It made Ryder happy. It made her feel wanted. And that was a feeling she wouldn't trade. Stella had made her feel wanted, but it was an entirely different feeling coming from Adysin. She stepped over to the bed where Adysin was with Annabel. "Yeah, let's go get some food for you two growling bellies." Ryder let out a small giggle and gently booped Annabel on the nose. "I'm thinking waffles slathered in butter and syrup and strawberries! What about you, munchkin?" Ryder held out a hand to Annabel as she stepped away towards the door and opened it for all of them. "Come on, Zayden."

 

[svenny]

Adysin dropped Annabel down so the little girl could grab onto Ryder's hand. When she did, Addie moved forward, out of the door and down the hall. On her heels were Ryder and her daughter, and Mar. "That sounds yummy!" Annabel chirped from behind her. Silently, she walked down the hall until they reached the cafeteria. When she opened the door, the same way as the night before, everyone paused to look in their direction. Ignoring them just as she had the previous night, she walked straight to the food line. In line, she grabbed all the food she could, passing the food to Annabel. She kept the plate in her hands as her mother filled her own, and then lead them to a table.

 

[Galaxxies]

Ryder trailed after Adysin, Annabel hanging onto her hand. Ryder had come to adore the small child. That was a feat itself. Children had never been Ryder's thing, but Annabel was different. Maybe it was because Ryder was in love with her mother. Maybe it was because Annabel was so much like her mother. No matter what the reason was, Ryder wanted to do whatever it took to make the girl happy. So now she followed Adysin into the cafeteria. Zayden and Mar were behind them. They looked like an odd little pack. The leader, their alpha, was striding in the front. Herself and Annabel, walking in the middle. The two protectors of the pack bringing up the rear. As they face the threat that was the cafeteria. At the silent looks from the rest of the room, Ryder simply held on tighter to Annabel. When Adysin passed Annabel a plate, Ryder released the girl's hand and grabbed her own plate, keeping Annabel between her and Adysin. Zayden followed just behind Ryder, his head towering above her own to glare at anyone who dared to stare too long. When Adysin led the group to a table, Ryder sat down and started to pick at her food. "I don't like the way they all stare." Her voice was low and more exasperated than nervous or scared. She was simply tired of being the odd one out. She liked to blend. But somehow, even a room full other Masters and their Guardians, she still managed to be apart of the group that stood out. She knew it was only because they were new and this would wear off the longer they were here. Hopefully once the training classes started, it would help as well.

 

[svenny]

Addie looked up at Ryder as she commented about the others watching them. Quite frankly, she hadn't noticed, but as she let her gaze swiftly take in all the onlookers, she realized Ry was right. They did have the habit of watching them, even after they walked in. Adysin had been so absorbed in stuffing her face full of waffles and making sure that Annabel didn't spill syrup all over her shirt, that she hadn't noticed after sitting down. Fixing her gaze back on Ryder, she gave her a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, if they try anything, you know I'll kick their asses," she reached her hand out and squeezed hers. Though she doubted that they'd actually approach them, Addie knew that she wouldn't let anyone try anything. If there was one thing she hated most, it was bullshit like that. Why couldn't people just mind their own fucking business? Why couldn't she be with her family without being stared at. Adysin wasn't ashamed, but it still made her shift in her seat uncomfortably.

"Come on, lets get out to the training field and get things ready," she suggested after she made sure Annabel had finished her meal. Her daughter had slight difficulties eating the large waffles so she had cut them up into small pieces more suitable for such a tiny mouth. Grabbing both their plates, she crossed the room to the trash. This time, as they exited, the chatter continued, even though eyes still followed them. Hopefully, after training, they would respect them and actually talked them. Well, Adysin didn't make talking to her easy, she knew that.

She lead their little pack through the corridors, but remained silent. To prepare for training, she liked to take a few minutes to herself, collecting her thoughts so nothing distracted her. And right now, her mind kept replaying scenes from last night, things that certainly couldn't be on her mind when running others through drills. At the end of the hallway there was a door that she pushed open, and when she did, they were greeted by a crisp fall morning. Thankfully she had pulled a light jacket on, or else she'd be shivering, though she knew that after running through some warm-up exercises that she would warm right back up.

"Run through some warm-up exercises with me, Anderson," Adysin gave her a playful smile as she readied herself for some of the other girl's first blows.

 

[Galaxxies]

Ryder had followed Addie out into the fall air. It was a little nippy, but nothing she couldn't handle. Ryder was nearly as much at home in the cold as Zayden was. Ryder looked up at Zayden, "Why don't you go take a seat buddy?" She flicked her head over to the side of where Adysin had lead them. The large leopard nodded and stalked off. Ryder watched him plop down and lay on his belly, his tail curled to his side. Suddenly, Ryder turned to face Adysin. "Anderson?? Alright then," Ryder trailed off, she had tried to make her voice sound rough and gruff, but it wasn't working. She ended up in a little giggle fit before she finally took a stance and turned to face Adysin. Ryder thought back to all their training sessions before. While nowhere near as good as Addie, Ryder could hold her own when needed, so long as she had water and her dagger nearby. However, right now all she had was water. She could feel it close by, seeming to come from a puddle. But just for a warm-up, Ryder knew she wouldn't need it. The smaller girl pulled up her fists and aimed a blow towards Adysin's abdomen.

 

[svenny]

Though it was an unusual first blow, Addie had been so focused on the way Ryder was moving her balance around, that she had been able to predict the direction her fist would go. So, as a small fist came flying towards her abdomen, she shifted her weigh to the side while swinging one of her arms down, blocking it from making contact. There wasn't anything easy about fist-to-fist combat, but Adysin tended to enjoy the roughness of it, the chance to really get close to a target. To watch them, study them. In normal battle, she was a ranged unit, even if she could dabble in anything - swords, daggers, twinblades, and the like. Her weapon of choice was a perfectly crafted longbow, preferably made of wood rather than metal.

To the side, Adamaris and Annabel had settled themselves down next to Zayden. Mar lay such that her chest was upright and her head was watching the warm-up between the two girls. Annabel sat between them, a silent onlooker to the happenings.

After fighting back and forth for several minutes, a series of continues blows, some driving home and others blocked, Adysin dropped to the ground. "Remind me again who taught you?" Addie gave Ryder a flash of a smile, "Have you been practicing?" The black muscle tee she wore was a bit damp and clung tightly to her muscles that strained to keep Addie propped up. Ryder had gotten better since she had started working with her. In the few months they had been together, she had watched her blossom from a shy, timid girl, to a strong woman.

Her gaze drifted towards their Guardians, who were sitting protectively around her daughter. Knowing there were still a few minutes before the new trainees were coming, she laid herself down in the grass, looking up at the momentarily cloudless autumn sky. There were few days where this early in the morning, the cloud was truly just a clear blue. How peaceful it looked. Did everyone else think so too, she wondered? Addie liked something simple, as she was complicated enough. Eventually, she could hear the doors open as students filtered out onto the grass, bringing along chatter. Lifting her head, she glanced in their direction. At first only a few came through, but then there were dozens.

Quickly, she pushed herself up to her feet, lifting her muscle tee over her head, and discarding it on the ground, leaving her in just a black sports bra and tights. If had broken into a sweat just from working through some basic warm-ups with Ryder, she'd surely sweat more with the more advanced students - boys and girls alike. In a sports bra this early in the morning caused her to shiver once as a cool breeze tickled her sweat laden skin.

As she began speaking, she brought her hair up into a loose pony tail, not bothering to fix the strands that fell from it. There was no need to be neat. "Alright, those who have had either real battle experience or have had battle classes go over there," she pointed towards the right side of the field, "And those who haven't go with Ryder," Addie motioned for the woman to speak.

Her side of the field was already gathering with a couple dozen students, all around her age. The ones who joined Ryder were on the younger side, though Addie thought it was perfect. She wasn't much of the maternal type, and usually made children cry. Before turning she gave Ry a wink and turned towards her new students, the wink quickly being replaced by a more serious look.

"Okay, so show me what you've been learning," she instructed.

 

[Galaxxies]

Ryder had flopped onto the ground along with Adysin, her chest heaving with the effort of their work out. However, when Adysin had stood to welcome the students, Ryder followed. As a knot of younger students gathered around her, Ryder caught Addie's wink. Turning away with a blush, Ryder lead the students a little ways away from Adysin's group. She made sure to give both groups plenty of room to fan out.
Knowing Ryder had those that had not been in any kind of battle or battle classes, she thought back to her first lessons with Adysin. Those lessons had all been about proper stance and how to move her body around. "Okay, guys. I'll admit, not the best teacher. But! I did have an excellent teacher." Ryder jerked a thumb over towards Adysin. Ryder lowered her voice to a mock whisper. "Even if she is a bit intense sometimes." The younger students giggled and Ryder felt a weight of anxiety lift from her shoulders. She could do this.
Spacing all the kids out, Ryder ran them through some basic stances. As the kids practiced, she walked around them, weaving in to correct a placement whenever needed. She was gentle with her charges, using a kind but stern voice to direct them. As time went, she led the kids through a few punches and kicks, keeping it basic for now. As she got to know them more over the training sessions, she would start adding in their own powers. But for now, her job was to teach them some basic defense and fighting moves so they had a place to start once Addie got a hold of them.
Ryder, however, couldn't keep her eyes off Addie. She found herself constantly glancing over, watching the taller girl in her element. It was fascinating. Once the kids were all sweaty and huffing for breath, she called a break and let them all sit down for a bit. That break now found Ryder, also out of breath, and sitting surrounded by the younger students. She watched Adysin for a while until the girl closest to her spoke up.
"Are you and her together?"
Ryder looked over at the girl. She was probably 14 and had a wide grin on her face. Ryder nodded with a smile. "Yes, Adysin is my girlfriend." A chorus of "OOOooooo"s went up from the group of kids and Ryder flushed bright red. She jumped up. "Alright, enough of that. Back to work on your kicks." The teasing sounds were quickly replaced with groans, but the kids all stood back into formation and started setting their stances to work on the last kick Ryder had showed them.

 

[svenny]

Adysin's stance was rigid and intimidating, her arms crossed over her chest. In the morning light, her tattoos were definitely enough to make anyone glance twice and hesitate. And that's exactly what the students did, they hesitated, glancing in her direction. "Grab a partner and run through some exercises, using your powers," she clarified, her arms uncrossing, her hand grabbing the pendant that always hung around her neck. There wasn't anything that difficult about using powers while fighting, but it depended on each individual's gift. Her own gift was not particularly easy, as she had been blessed with a barrier.

As the students turned to face their respected partners, they began to run through similar warm-up moves she had done with Ryder. Adysin weaved her way around the pairs, pausing and making firm suggestions, her face all business. Perhaps, she was being too strict, but to Addie there was no reason not to be. When she came to two boys struggling against each other, fire sparks flying from one of the pair's hands, her gaze drifted towards Ryder. From across the field, she could see her work so gently with the younger students. A small smile crossed her face before she turned her attention back to the two in front of her. Reaching out, she pressed her hand between the shoulder blades of the boy's whose fire was crackling against his skin, reminding him to keep his position upright rather than slumped forward.

After making her round, she brought her face into her hand with a sigh. Oh, thankfully no one had weapons yet. They weren't horrible, but it was a miracle that this many students had lived through a battle.

"Okay, okay, you can stop," she finally spoke once she lifted her face from her hands. At the questioning looks of the students, she thought through what she should do next. What would motivate them to do better? "Create an order, you're all going to fight me," the idea had randomly crossed her mind, and she figured it might be a good way to light the competitive ambition within each student.

The students erupted into arguments, trying to create an order that everyone was satisfied with. Most seemed to not go first, which caused an amused smile to come to her face. They were about to get a good workout in, and much to work on. Eventually, the commotion settled down, the first student, a rather large girl, stepping forward.

"Ry," Addie turned towards the other woman, "Bring your students over so they can watch."

Turning back to the woman, Adysin rolled her shoulders back, loosening any tight muscles. A wicked grin crossed her face as the woman advanced on her, weaponless. As the woman swung at her, Adysin ducked to the side, her fist pummeling into her side. "The key is to never stop moving," she explained as she danced around, dodging whatever the woman was throwing at her, landing blow after blow.

Eventually, the woman got so angry that roots shot up from the earth, wrapping themselves around Addie's legs, keeping her in place. For the first time, Addie laughed and smiled genuinely at her, "Well, look at that," she commented, "You do have something good up your sleeve. Very good."Adysin nodded, turning her attention to the students, "On the battle field you'll want to use your powers, surprise your enemy like this," she gestured to the roots that still clung to her legs, "It might save your life."

"Whatever you say, dyke," a male voice came from of the older students.

The girl Addie had just been fighting released her from her clutches, allowing her to turn towards the male student. "Excuse me?" she asked, for a moment hoping she had misheard what he had said.

"You heard me, dyke," the large man stepped forward from the crowd, fixing his scowl on her.

"Wow, insult of the century," Addie's voice dripped with sarcasm, lifting her hands in fake offense, "I feel bad for any woman you bed, you must not be very good in bed."

A growl came from his throat and he lunged for her, in front of everyone. The students had left their Guardian's inside, but Adysin had not. In a heartbeat, Adamaris was at her side, her lips drawn back in a fierce snarl. Addie put a hand on the wolf's neck, "Stay back," her voice was barely above a whisper. Reluctantly, the wolf stepped back, allowing the man to advance again.

Adysin stood in place, waiting for him to reach her, sending a powerful fist towards her face. At the last second, a smirk came upon her. In a blink, Addie lifted her arms in front of her, sending a barrier so strong, that it hit everyone in the field. It sent the man down to the ground. Walking forward, she paused at his side, reaching out a hand, "Don't attack someone out of anger, typically doesn't end well."

The man took her hand, but when she was pulling him up, she felt herself being dragged down on top of him. In a heartbeat, she was pinned between his large body and the ground.

"And you shouldn't lecture me," his voice was menacing, but his words were too soft for the others to hear, "Or I'll make you beg me to stop." There was a threat in his words that Adysin knew too well. The strong woman they had seen a moment ago completely vanished under his threat, panic seeping into her bones.

There was a loud snarl, followed by a shriek of pain as Mar bit into the man's arm, pummeling off of her. Adysin laid there for a moment longer, completely shocked. Taking a deep breath, she struggled into a sitting position, not meeting any of their faces. Once she rose to her feet, she turned away from them, "Lesson is over," her voice was off. Numbly, Addie walked towards the woods, not bothering grabbing her shirt, bow, or calling off Mar who still towered over the man.

 

[Galaxxies]

Ryder stopped mid-kick when Addie called out to her. She nodded and turned to her students. "You are all in for a treat." She grinned widely and lead the younger kids over to where Adysin had her students. Ryder set them all up in a loose semi-circle around the area.
Ryder watched the fight with rapt attention. She had never watched Addie fight like this. It was always through the lens of Ryder being her student. Now, she was able to watch every move and counter move Adysin gave. Her body moved with such grace and flowed into each movement like water. When the roots shot up and wrapped around Adysin, Ryder gasped, but then couldn't hold back her giggle as Adysin used it as a teaching moment. When the male voice spoke up, Ryder recoiled like she had been slapped. Then she took a step closer to Adysin.
Just as Mar had leaped forward, Zayden did the same. He stood, his paws planted firmly on the ground on either side of Ryder, his head above hers, a growl rumbling low in his throat.
Ryder watched as he pinned Adysin beneath him. She went to lunge forward, to do something! But a paw wrapped around her and kept her in place. All she could do was call out to her. "Addie!" The single word was filled with rage, and the large snow leopard had to stand his ground to keep his Master from running forward.
As soon as Mar grabbed the idiot and jerked him off of Adysin, Zayden released Ryder and joined the large wolf. Ryder stood still, unsure what to do. However, as Adysin headed for the woods, Ryder followed without a second thought. She didn't even speak to her students. She assumed the message was clear. Ryder jogged until she had caught up with Adysin. Ryder had made sure to make plenty of noise, so she didn't startle the other girl. She slowed to a walk beside Adysin and stayed close, but far enough away that they weren't touching. Ryder knew what memories that must have drug up for Adysin. And while Ryder couldn't personally relate, she could remember the look on Adysin's face when she had told Ryder about her past. And that look when the man had pinned her was the exact same look from the time when they had an into Annabel's father. Ryder wanted to reach out and touch Addie, but she knew it probably wasn't wise. So she settled for speaking. Just a few quiet and soft words.
"Addie? I'm here."

 

[svenny]

Though Adysin could hear Ryder following her into the woods, she didn't quite register it. Her mind was lost in the horrible memories Addie did her damnedest to never think of. As the trees swallowed her from the view of the field, her mind was swarmed with the same feelings as though it were happening all over again. She felt just as trapped and helpless as she had all the times she had become a victim. Addie tried so hard to be a survivor, but it seemed impossible when things like this could send her spiraling back down to the darkest she'd ever been.

At first, when Ry first spoke, Addie didn't stop or respond. Instead, she just kept walking further and further away from the Academy and her new subjects. Eventually she stopped next to a large tree, her arm stretching out so that her hand rested against the rough bark of the trunk. Adysin should cry, but she couldn't. She felt too numb to let anything slip from her eyes. With her back still facing Ryder, so were her tattoos. Most tattoos had been put there after another bad episode. Perhaps it had not been the best coping mechanism, but it had given her the feeling as though she had some control over her body. It was she wanted, she had decided to put them there, she had put herself through that pain. Every tattoo, though they didn't all match a theme, meant something to her, symbolized how she had been feeling at that moment.

Truthfully, she didn't want to speak to or face Ryder. It was hard, to pull herself from this place. Adamaris appeared suddenly beside her, her lips licked clean of any blood that would have been there. Instinctively, Addie put a hand in her soft fur, fingers curling around the strands. With her Guardian beside her, she felt a bit better.

"You know, I'd lie awake in bed at night, just staring at the ceiling after being subjected to it again. I wondered if things would get worse, and they normally did. I was trapped, in that life, in that house, under him, but I dealt with it on my own," she spoke softly, still not facing Ryder, "It's what I know how to do." Perhaps she should let Ryder in, let her see if she could pick up the pieces that were Addie in moments like these, but Adysin could not get herself to make herself that vulnerable. Not yet, not so soon. She knew that she loved Ry, but these were problems that didn't come easy to her, and not this shortly after becoming a couple.

You should tell her, Mar's voice sounded in her head. The comment brought Addie's head angling down to her wolf, frowning. Should she?

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "You know how everyone whispered about my tattoos? I know they did. I heard it and saw the looks," she paused for a second, sighing, "Every time it happened, I would get one. It was the only way I felt like I had any control over my body. There wasn't anywhere I could go, especially after I got pregnant. So I got a lot in a short period of time." Adysin turned so that her back pressed against the trunk, her gaze still not meeting Ryder's. "I'm sorry, I just think I need a moment alone," she added, feeling slightly guilty. There wasn't anything the woman could do to take away her pain, to make what she was feeling any better. Perhaps her presence was enough, but it was something Adysin didn't want to learn to rely on. What if she left in the end, too?

 

[Galaxxies]

Ryder stood behind Addie as she talked. She didn't know what to say. She didn't think there was anything to say. There was nothing she could say to make this any better. She knew she wanted to pull Addie into a hug, she wanted to hold the taller girl let her fall apart in her arms. Ryder wanted to be there to hold her together, to let Adysin know that everything would be okay. But She also knew that this was not the time for that. She could tell by the way Adysinwas talking and acting that Ryder stepping in might only make matters worse. Adysin wasn't like Ryder. When Ryder was breaking down, she wanted someone there. She needed someone to hold her together and prove to her that things would be alright. She thought that was because she had never had that in her life. And she knew Adysin hadn't either. And they both went different directions with that. Adysin shut people out because of it. She was strong and wanted to stay strong on her own. And Ryder had to respect that. She had to respect her girlfriend. But that didn't mean she had to leave her alone completely.
"I understand, Addie." Ryder's voice was soft and quiet, she was being as gentle as she could. "But I can't leave you like this." As if to prove her point, Ryder moved off a few paces and settled down on the ground with her back to a tree. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her forehead on her knees. Ryder knew she couldn't be right beside Addie right now. However, she also knew that there was no way she could live with herself if she walked away and left her out in the woods like this after what had happened. So, she didn't. She gave Addie her space while still staying close enough to keep an eye on her. As she sat, she let her mind wander and it drifted to Annabel. She jerked her head up before she realized that Zayden wasn't around. She reached her mind out back towards the area where the training had been held. As if on cue, she felt Zayden's deep rumbling words in her head.
"She's alright. I'll stay here with her. Take care of Adysin."
Ryder sent a confirmation his way and turned her head to look back up at Adysin.