Heart within the beast

[Ricia]

Rhea smiled at Kuragon, "Why do you go back to your wolf form... just curious?"

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan tilted his head and nuzzled against her arm. He let out a long breath, one of his dog-sighs. He didn't want to shift again so soon unless he had to.

 

[Ricia]

Rhea smiled at him and then opened the book, "Ok we'll read some.. then I need to study some." She told him. She had been falling on her studies lately with everything that had been happening. So she started to read a few chapters, it was only lunch time, but with all that happened in the day they needed something to help relax... well Rhea did. Drawing was fun, but nothing beat reading a book for her.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan's ears twitched every now and then as she read through the story. Her voice was . . . calming. It allowed him to forget about what had happened over the last couple of days and let his mind drift to calmer days . . .

 

[Ricia]

When Rhea was done it was nearly the evening and she shut the book softly. "Ok... time to study a bit." She said quietly. She peeked over the dog to see if he was still awake. if not she was willing to just let him sleep... his injuries probably still hurt.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan was indeed asleep as she stopped. His breathing was slow as his sides rose up and down slowly. His tail twitched every now and again, as if in a happy dream.

 

[Ricia]

Rhea smiled and let out a soft sigh and reached for her medical books to start her study again. She often questioned why she studied because she did not have enough money to even get herself to college...

 

[Ixidor92]

Over the course of the next week, Kurogan's injuries healed at a rapid pace. He hid the fact that some of his organs had been damaged, but did not strain himself as they healed. He would see Rhea off every day, then try to have something hot for her to eat when she came home. He continued doing as he had over the last month when she was away, but occasionally there would be a drawing of some sort laying on the coffee table when she returned.

 

[Ricia]

It was not till Sunday morning that anything actually 'interesting' happened. Rhea did not have work that day and slept in a bit instead of getting up so early, she was tired and she actually needed the rest, she was trying to avoid actually getting as sick as last time. A few days earlier she had gotten an angry phone call from Sage when it hit on the news that a rapist actually broke into the house and tried to attack her. Rhea did not know that it had hit the news... Though she did apologize to Sage multiple times for not telling her sooner. Rhea was expecting the girl to show up later in the afternoon today for a small visit.


It was around 10am that Rhea finally meandered out of her room, though she felt refreshed from sleeping so long, she still looked a tad sleepy and had a rather adorable bed head. This usually happened when she slept in instead of getting up first thing in the morning. As she walked into the kitchen quietly and pulled her hair out of her long braid and let it it lay in small waves, deming she will fix it after something to eat.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan had woken up with the sunrise, as he had every day since he was just a child. He had remained in his wolf form overnight, as was usual for now. He peeked into Rhea's room after he woke up, noting her soft breathing and letting her sleep until much later than usual. She needed to let herself rest every so often.


"Morning."


He offered a smile to her as she groggily walked into the kitchen


"I didn't know when you'd be up, so there's something to heat up in the fridge."

 

[Ricia]

Rhea smiled back at Kurogan, though it was a half asleep smiled, "Morning. Sorry I slept so long... I hope you were ok." She said, though she reached into the fridge to pull out the food he had left for her to put it into the microwave. Gently she pushed a few buttons and then watched the machine come alive. Slowly she smoothed her hand over the top of her head to try and flatten any stray hair.

 

[Ixidor92]

"You don't need to apologize. The body needs sleep to function."


He smiled as he ruffled a hand on the top of her head


"That's quite the fluff-ball you've acquired."

 

[Ricia]

Rhea blushed, "Yeah... trying to get it under control... of course you helped me an incredible amount just now." She said, there was a tad bit of sarcasm in her voice, but mostly good humor and a smile. Gently she tried to smooth her hair again after he ruffled it up. When the doorbell rang Rhea looked up. She was not expecting anyone... well except Sage. Maybe she was early... "Be right back I need to get dressed... please don't answer it." She told Kurogan and she quickly ran to her bedroom.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan nodded quietly as she ran to her room. If it was Sage . . . well, there would likely be a lot of explaining to do. For now, he fell on to all fours, black fur sprouting from his form as he shifted into his wolf form once again. Though now that he though about it . . . she probably wouldn't be as surprised as one might initially expect.

 

[Ricia]

When Rhea was back she gently called out to the door, though she did a small double take at Kurogan because she thought he would stay in human form. "Coming.." She said, before opening the door and looked up at a women in a dress suit. Next to her were two men in similar business outfits. Rhea looked at them, and the women opened her mouth to speak when Rhea suddenly slammed the door on their faces.


Very... un-Rhea like.


"W-wait one minute Miss Rhea... Please let us just talk!" The woman's voice said.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan jumped a little when the door slammed. What surprised him more than the noise was the fact that Rhea had done it at all. She never raised her voice or lifted a hand against anyone in such a manner. He made he took a peek outside the window at the arrivals before trotting over to Rhea's side. Whoever these people were, she clearly wanted nothing to do with them . . . though at least the woman seemed to know her. And why "Miss" Rhea?

 

[Ricia]

"Please leave.... I don't want anything to do with you guys..."​

Rhea said quietly, though loud enough to be hured by the other people. She leaned down and wrapped her arms around Kurogan.






"Miss Rhea... we really do need to talk... We don't want to take legal actions to speak with you, but we need to, this is important... for your own health and future."

The women said again, she sounded like she was actually trying to do this for Rhea's benifit.



"Go away... please. I don't want your help."

Rhea said again.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan growled through the door, loud enough to be heard quite clearly beyond it. It only went on for a few moments before he shifted back, putting one arm around Rhea and resting his hand on the back of her head. These people knew her, but what was their purpose? And why did she not want to interact with them at all? So many questions were brought up in his mind as the woman spoke

 

[Ricia]

After the growl there was some silence and then a few mumbles before another voice came from the door.


"You heard the girl, scram you bunch of scavengers." The voice said, "Don't come back till you have legal proof you can talk to her, that or I'll call the cops on you."


Rhea waited for a moment till the foot steps were gone and there was a kick at the door, "Rhea open up their gone now." It was Sage.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan let out a sigh when he heard Sage's voice. Say what you would about her personality, she was tough as nails when she needed to. He took a short look down at Rhea clinging onto him before he reached out with his open hand and grabbing the door handle. He pulled it open slowly, running his hand along the back of Rhea's head in comfort

 

[Ricia]

When the door opened, Sage kind of just stared, an eyebrow raised. She was holding two bags of groceries. She seem to look to Rhea and then to Kurogan, then to Rhea again. Gently she reached for the door and shut it, then opened it back up again. When Kurogan was still there, Sage took two steps into the building, shut the door, put down her groceries and then took his ears into both her hands then tugged on them.


Rhea took a few steps back when Sage came in, a little wide eye'd.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan winced just a little when Sage tugged on his ears, though he gently let Rhea go as she stepped back.


"Ow."


He reached up and gently grabbed Sage's wrist, pulling her hand away


"Got that out of your system?"

 

[Ricia]

"Yeah...." She said staring the guy down.


Rhea stayed quiet, if she knew Sage she was either going to explode or pass this off as nothing new.... more likely the second option, but sometimes Sage could be slightly unpredictable.


"You know what... I am not even surprised. First you pick up some random massive dog to smart for his own good, then you almost get raped, then that flippin lawyer shows up... and now... werewolf man." Sage said, gesturing to Kurogan. Leaning down she picked up the groceries and walking into the kitchen, "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"


"Uh... er... no... just about to.." Rhea stuttered, looking up at Kurogan.

 

[Ixidor92]

Kurogan ran a hand through his man of black hair nervously. Well, that went about as well as he could have hoped. Sage had already told him to his face that she didn't believe he was a dog. He looked over at Rhea, offering her a small smile before running his hand on top of her head again.


"It'll be fine. Come on."

 

[Ricia]

"Ok Dog man, sit and explain yourself right now." Sage said, pulling out Rhea's breakfast and handing it to her, "You're next, so eat." Sage said giving Rhea a small glare, warning her to do as she was told.


Rhea nodded and took a bite of her food, then looked at Kurogan and shrugged.