It was weird, but hearing him say that he only loved her like a sibling made her feel better. Maybe it was just the desire to feel loved, or cared for. But it felt strange. Why did she even want this man to care for her? God, it didn't even make sense that she wanted him to think good of her. Usually she really didn't care what people thought of her. She knew she was nerdy and sometimes rude and liked to be in charge. Everyone knew that. Sometimes she could act stuck-up, but it was very rarely. And usually it was on purpose, so people wouldn't like her.

Even his arms being around her made her feel safe. Suddenly there was noises of... probably people coming up the stairs and she let out a heavy sigh. "I really don't want to go to that movie..." Red said, taking a few shaky breaths before standing on shaky legs. She almost felt like she couldn't walk, and was glad Zac was there for her to hold onto and steady herself for a moment. "Sorry...", was mumbled before she stood on her own, trying not to look at the guns pointed at them.

Leo was in his room, trying to calm his head by pacing. Step, step, step, turn. Repeat. He thought the words over and over as he took four steps, turned and took fours steps again. His thoughts were on Kisa, and Charlotte and the painful memories that had the potential to blot out his thoughts. There was a tap on his door and he answered, "Come in." The lady from the threatre re-appeared and he let go of his breath before muttering something under his breath. "Don't say it. I'm going." He glared at the plain blonde woman and passed her as he made his way to the theatre room, where he found the tigeress from the pool.
Leo paused and than made his way to very last row of seats and pulled up several arm rests. Without ordering his body to change, he morphed into a tawny brown lion, his mane ruffled up around his royal head. He growled before stepping onto the seats and setting his head on his paws as he stared at the cover of Finding Nemo on the screen. The orange and white stripped clown fish.
"Typical tiger, choosing a movie when the main characters also have stripes." Leo thought to himself as yawned showing four inchs canines that weren't yellow, but almost glittering ivory.
Leo's thoughts than went to Charlotte, the intresting little teacher's pet that shouldn't be in his head. The girl was human, not that it ever stopped him before. Humans were easy to seduce, but somehow he was a bit fearful of the thought of using the girl like all the other human girls. He shuddered when he also started to think of someone hurting the girl. The girl was a girl, just an ordinary girl, and she had him, Leo Panthera, shaking in rage and fear if something were to happen to her. Anything that caused her pain shouldn't even exist.
Leo stopped when the ideas started to bring up real, painful memories...

"Leo, catch me!" Kisa's girly voice screamed out in joy and happiness as she jumped off the swing. A smaller version of Leo with sloppy and unkept hair turned around and his chocolate brown eyes widened as his sister crashed into him, both children falling end over end in the grass. Leo groaned in pain and confusion as he shook his head and rolled his sister off him. Kisa laughed as she got back up, scratchs ran across her right cheek but she didn't look like she was in pain. She giggled as she looked down at her brother who had scratchs running down from his temple and to the corner of his right brow. Chocolate brown hair fell down in waves down her shoulders and her intelligent amber eyes glowed with happiness. Leo got onto his knees and was about to stand when he saw two giant shoes plant themselves right in front of his eyes. Kisa whimpered just as a deep and smooth voice reached Leo's ears. "Do you need help, boy?" Leo froze in fear as his instincts kicked in. The man shuffled his brown boots, and then Leo heard his brother Zane scream out to them. "Run!"

Leo yanked himself out of the memory, his eyes red with imarginary pain. He shook out his mane before he started to groom himself.

"Paris, the city of lights. It's a great place. Every year there used to be a festival my brother and I used to participate in. Couples would appear, and the food is delicious, but if you go to the market, don't ever go alone during that time of the year. There's nothing like Paris. You can go into a restaurant and have exquisite food and not be bothered by restless tigers. That's another thing about Paris, it's practically made up of half the European pride. Tigers don't visit Paris often."

Charlotte smiled a little at him, her amusement evident. "Now what would give you the idea that I don't like tigers? Not once did I say that. Just because I come from the Moon Clan, doesn't mean that I automatically hate anything involved in the Sun Clan. All I know about your clan is the things I've read and heard, which there is no way that it is the right thing to do, to immediately believe everything I've read and heard about someone or something. I do extensive research first," she said, smiling a bit more at him.

"See you sometime later."

Abruptly, he rose and took off his face a bit pale. This caused a frown-line to crease the area between her brows. It wasn't that she didn't care, but although she knew something was wrong, she turned back to her books. it would be best to leave him alone. If he had taken off like that, he obviously didn't wish to confide in her, which was logical; no doubt to him, she was an enemy from and enemy Clan.

She attempted to force herself to focus on her studying. However, she was unable to, for her rising worry for the elder and more powerful boy-tiger was only distracting her. It was natural for her to worry about people, no matter who they were, and with a small huff, she snapped her books shut, slid her things into her bag, and made her way into the house after him.

"Leo!" she called as she walked in, kicking off her sandals and dropping her bag beside the door with a soft thump.

She peaked into the kitchen and, not seeing him there, offered the Chinese chef a smile and a nod in greeting, which he returned warmly, before she retreated from the doorway.

"Let's see here ... Where is his room again?" she murmured thoughtfully, starting towards the living room. She crossed it then began upstairs, her feet making no sound on the plush carpet beneath them, and she trailed her hand along the wall beside her.

"Kyra ... Valerie ... Johnathon ... Me ..."

Charlie paused mid-step, halfway down the hallway that held everyone's rooms, at the sound of a young voice calling to her. She turned on her heel to face the theater woman with a raised brow.

"Miss, if you will be head down to the theater room, a movie will be beginning soon and it is required that you attend," she said softly, her blank expression a bit disconcerting.

Charlotte shifted uncomfortably. "Of course," she mumbled. She scurried back down the hall, almost tripping past the woman in her haste. What a frightening, weird woman ...

Sighing a little, she made her way towards the theater, and paused just inside the doorway. Everyone, and she meant almost everyone, was sitting alone, as far from each other as possible. With a sad shake of her head, she cast her glance up and down the rows, before her eyes fell on a tiger in a row. Oddly compelled to see the tiger up close, she made her way down to his row, and slipped into it, dropping onto a seat nearest to him. She clasped her hands before her and eyed him. "Your fur looks really soft," she commented, reaching out her hand as if to touch him. It stopped a few inches away, her expression uncertain. If he was like Kyra and didn't like to be touched, he would more than likely bite her hand off. Was it worth it to chance it?

Her lips pressed together, she studied him with slightly-narrowed eyes, before she dropped her hand onto his side. Her breath caught. Not even a lion's fur was this soft. She splayed out her fingers through the fur and smiled a little. "You're so much softer than a lion," she murmured, almost mesmerized.

---

Johnathon finally pulled himself away from the pool, pushing himself out of it and up to his feet. He shook out his hair then tossed his head back, splaying water everywhere, then ran his finger the wet, black strands. He snatched up his towel on his walk towards the house, tossed it around his head, and lathered quickly to dry it.

"Sir, a movie will be beginning soon in the theater. It is a required attendance, and if you refuse, we will be forced to use ... Force," a woman said, her cold gaze locking on his. He glared back before toweling off his body, taking his time just in an attempt to piss the woman off. He could see her anger slowly building, but she continued to stare at him.

Finally, he made his way to the theater, stepped inside, and sat down in a very back row, his towel wrapped around him to prevent him from catching a chill.

Zac looked at Red in her current state. She still looked shaken up. "Guys, This young lady has been through some stuff. Her father has just died. Please let us have some time alone." Zac said. He elbowed Valerie to give her the hint.

The lead man, he was tall, his dark skin looked intimidating, but he was a resonable man. He let his gun loose on it's sling. "You Two have an hour. then you have fifteeen minutes to get to that movie or we'll be back." He said before turning and leaving. The rest of the men fell in behind him in a sort of wing postion that only taring would have provided.

Zac sighed and looked at Red. "I really didn't feel like getting shot, and I really don't like Finding Nemo that much." Zac said with a smirk. "Humans are friends! Not food!" He joked. He sat down in a computer chair in the corner of the room at a tiny desk, it had papers all over it with brainstorms, about.... A horror story.

"Okay. Either you're a physco-axe-murderer, or you're an author." Zac said with a joking and questioning look. He had always like reading despite his personality, he loved fanatssy novels. It was like when Zac read that he was transported to the setting, he loved it, especially J.R.R.T., he was his favourite, he especially loved The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. But hey, horror is just fantassy for crazy people.

Red blushed(sort of ironic, right?), unable to look up at the guards. She wasn't a very good liar, actually she had a tendency to smile and laugh whenever she lied, so as soon as she heard Zac begin to lie she ducked her head and bit the inside of her cheek. Apparently the guards just took it was a girl about to cry, since she was red-faced and shaking slightly from trying to not laugh, and they easily bought into whatever Zac said. As soon as she heard the retreating footfalls, the need to laugh faded away and the everything else came flying back.

She shook her head, trying to laugh when he made a joke but it came out forced. In a way she was almost... no she was sad when he moved away from her. But she tried to not let it bother her. Pulling a pillow from the top of the bed, she carried it down to the bottom and sort of curled up around it, now seeing everything sideways. Including Zac, who was looking at her desk. For a moment she debated telling him to leave her stuff alone, that it was none of his business, but after what he'd done for her she would feel bad. "I could be both.", Red replied with a small smile. "But I rather prefer the term author." She shrugged, knowing that the work on her desk was just another story that she started and couldn't finish. About a hundred pages before she gave up on it.

Zac chuckled. "I'm so scared." He joked. He smiled at her. She was actually kind of cute all curled up, like a cub. It brought a smile to Zac's face, reminding him of his sister before he was outcast. Now he didn't even know where she was, or any of his seven siblings.

He had only spoken to his parents after he had come from exile up north. He may have been a tiger, but he longed to see his family again. Even if they didn't want to see him. He looked at her story again and he smiled. "Very good actually, very descriptive. But possibly a little 'too' descriptive, you want to make the reader have an image in their head, not a nightmare. And also, sometimes no description at all is good, the imagination is a great tool for an author." Zac said he then looked himself up and down and laughed.

He hadn't beleived waht he just said. Him, Zachary Blake, the womaizer, the bad boy. Speaking like a literature critic. Something about it made him to cover his face in shame, another be proud of himself, and the last to just laugh at himself. He then smiled at Red. "So we have an hour to get out of here." Zac said. "Or we could stay and go to the movie...." Zac trailled off.

"You should be scared.", Red replied with a playful wink. Oh, that was weird. Winking, definitely not something she ever did. Since when did some silly boy have such a strange effect on her? It was pretty awkward actually, as now she really didn't know what to say and felt like curling into a ball to hide. Luckily he took over the conversation, actually he'd been holding most of it himself now. Another thing she had to be grateful to him for, an awkward silence wouldn't be great right now, especially with how much she felt like crying. It was so silly, it felt like she was a little kid. And instead of just being quiet or leaving her, he pretty much took the conversation for her. His words surprised her though, the... intelligence in his words surprised her. Not because she'd thought he was dumb but, well she hadn't thought he was smart either.

"I guess I'm just not really great at that, the imagination thing." She shrugged, playing it off as unimportant. "But thank you." It had meant a lot that he had liked her work at all, not many people had ever read it. Mostly because she didn't let them read it. But Zac hadn't asked. "I really don't want to go to that movie, it'll remind me of Derik too much..." The thought of her brother made her even a bit more saddened, but she didn't specify that it was her brother. Why would he care?

Zac sighed. This girl had guys troubles. One thing he had expected. He sighed and just ignored it, like he hadn't had problems with girls before. "Then let's get out of here." He said with a smile. he shot up quickly. he was used to making get aways. Mostly from girls homes though... never with the girl.

Zac pulled Red up by her arm and gave her the signal to follow him. He searched the hall carefully for the armed guards again and when they weren't there, like all tigers can (even in human form) he snuck almost completely silently, only something a dog, with the keenest ears would have heard. He looked down the stairs. no one.

he looked back at red. "If anyone sees us they'll tell those goons." he whispered to her. They continued through the house not being seen by anyone, that he thought anyway. they finally made it to the garage which he had to open with a key card. all the vehicles were open to everyone, but zac had his own car reserved all the time. He walked over to it and hoped in. it was a black and white dodge charger. he smiled and started it. "my baby." he said with a smile.

Red followed Zac, just as quiet as him, if not quieter. As she was probably forty pounds lighter, and females usually just naturally had lighter footfalls. But that wasn't what she was paying attention too, she didn't care about that. Unlike most the other characters here, she didn't care which breed was better. Faster, stronger, smarter... it depended on the person. Not the animal.

They seemed to make a clean escape. Only once were they almost discovered, by a maid that was doing some cleaning up while they were supposed to be watching the movie. Though they'd just ducked behind a wall and waited for her to go into a room before continuing. It was all way easier than she expected, then again she'd never tried to sneak out before. Never had a reason too.

As they entered the garage, a small sigh escaped her. Not only a relieved sigh, but almost a pleased sigh. The cars they kept here were... spectacular. Another thing she adored, cars. Though Zac's made the rest seem like golf carts. Her fingers brushed over the black and white exterior as she made her way around and to the passenger door. "Top-of-the-line 370 horsepower 5.7 L HEMI V8 Engine, incredible fuel economy, 3.6L Pentastar's® V6's 31 highway mpg, and the dual Variable Valve Timing..." She gently bit her lip as she sat inside the car. "Alright, you're officially my best friend."

"A girl who knows cars?... Sexy." he said with a smirk. It was his nature. "But actually.... 6 litre. And 35 highway mpg. I like to work on them. but then again.... I may have needed to get some tutors." Zac joked. he had learned from a guy in Canada how to work on cars, he had worked in his shop, and got paid a little less than everyone else. it was fair.

he looked at her and he resisted the urge to rev the engine. everyone knew when his car left, it was his signature "Peace!" to everyone. if he did it people would know he was leaving. he sighed. "She purrs like a cub." Zac said with a smirk. He pressed button down on his stick shift to open the garage and then he pressed the gas lightly and let the car roll out. it was a little dusty from his last joy ride, but it still looked sleek and bold in the sunlight.

Zac drove away then quickly in low gear trying to be silent. it worked fro the most part. as soon as they reached the end of the property after a couple minutes he revved it up and listed to his baby hum. "This is like crack to me." he said with a little chuckle. he looked at red. "later you want to re-enact that scene from transformers with Megan Fox?" Zac joked, he winked at her.

Red almost blushed at his sexy comment, but she also knew he was just teasing. Or at least she hoped he was. Anyways, being called 'sexy' wasn't exactly something she enjoyed, or even usually tolerated. It was such a demeaning and ugly word, but for now she could let it slip. If he called her it again, then she could correct him. "Really? That's more advanced that even the latest brand... and I've check." She raised an eyebrow, looking over at him. "Impressive.", and she meant it.

"I bet, this is a very nice car." Her fingers still trailed lightly over the interior, just mostly on the door but... it was nice. Really nice, and you could tell that he took great care of his baby. God, if she had this car she'd probably sleep in it. In front of them the garage door opened and again she bit her lip, wishing they could just take off but knowing that would give away their escape. "Makes my beat up Dodge Durango look like trash." But she loved her car too, and immediately she felt bad for calling her baby trash.

They reached the end of the driveway and she felt him rev the engine, which in turn almost caused her to purr with the extreme delight of being in the car. "Like a heroin addict in a room with a hundred needles, but with no heroin in sight.", she whispered to herself. That's what it felt like. She could be in the car, she could touch, but she couldn't have it. His comment about reenacting Transformers caused a short cough of laughter from her, and she could almost feel her cheeks flushing red. "Honey, you wish." She said with a smirk of her own, not even glancing at him as she watched the scenery pass by.

"Oh well." He laughed. he looked at her and smiled. She was a pleasant surprise, not at all what he had expected from her. He had expected at least four to six slaps by now, but they were met with either laughter or understanding. She was still a lion though. He despised the Lions after what they had done. He only liked a select few, maybe Red would be getting into this exclusive club?

"But if you ever change your mind, let me know." Zac said with a little laugh. He did like red now. But he wasn't really sure about all this. he was still annoyed that his fate was pre-determined. It irked him that he had no say in this. But then again so far he didn't have much protest except her kind.

"So where to?" Zac asked. "Just around town?" He asked. the town was nice, it had some parks and a nice down town. "City?" he asked, which was a little further away, about half an hour further than town which was about half an hour itself. "Or just a joyride?" he asked with a smile. he would like that. "maybe even you'll get to drive. but if you even scratch my baby, consider yourself dead." Zac said dead serious. This car had cost him $20,000 in all paint, parts, and the car itself.

It was still all so strange to her. She'd expected Zac to be this total man whore with a bunch of stupid blondes trailing after him like dogs. Well, actually she still did sort of see him like that. But then she wanted to believe that she saw this side that was so jerky and wasn't so whore-y. If only she knew that she could handle both sides of him, but she couldn't. That was one thing she could never fight. Love, jealousy, heartbreak, rejection. The lion would rather go up against a pack of tigers than deal with it all. And she had a feeling that if her and Zac went through with the whole marriage thing, he would take her on the ride of her life. All good things must come to an end though, she reminded herself. Sadly this end predicted pain.

Snapping back to attention, she glanced over at tiger who was listing off places to go. She gave a light shrug, leaning back in her seat and enjoying the comfort of the car. "Just drive, anywhere.", was said quietly. "The city means shopping, and that's just disgusting. And the town means food, and I'm not hungry." The girl didn't feel the need to ask if he was hungry, because surely he would tell her if he was. In all honesty, she didn't want to have to leave the car. So, a joyride was a perfect idea. He mentioned her being able to drive and she laughed, shaking her head. "I'd be so nervous, I'd wreck before even getting back onto the road."

Kyra was angry. She had only wanted a reason to be alone, nibble on some candy, and take a cat nap, but it's like the goddess herself wasn't going to allow it. Without bothering to hide herself in the shadows, she slunk out of the theatre room, her thoughts set on stealing some food from the kitchen and maybe go to the ballroom to dance a little. The idea gave her the image of a dark and shadow-y place she can be herself and not feel tired.
Kyra was walking pass one of the windows when she caught sight of the pool. Nervousness blossomed in the pit of her stomach of going for a swim when she was too tired to swim a few strokes. She shrugged to herself as if reminding herself she already visited the pool this morn and the dancing room needed her attention because it was familiar and heart warming. It was a place she could relax and practice the graceful steps of the tango or imagine she was dancing with a partner at a competition. It was a place she could let her walls fall and her vulnerability state show, she could stop fighting just for a moment. Kyra quickened her strides and was able to make it to the ballroom the lay below the entire mansion.
Kyra paused when she walked down the grand steps, her breath catching at the sight of the open space, the neons lights that came to life as she took another step forward and the motion sensor lights moved to put the spotlight on her. She smiled a little and her blue cat eyes became sparkling green emeralds. The maghogany floor felt right to step on as her body levitated toward the center of the room. She saw a bartender at the far side of the room, she flicked her hand at him and he left the rooom. Kyra felt the sense of rightness as music came on.
"Perfect." She purred the thought both vocally and mentally as she swayed her hips to the rythem. She rolled her head back with her eyes gently closed, her arms rising above her. She hummed just as the rythm of the song started to beat faster. She made her movements quick, her arm rolling to the side with grace and her foot reaching forward away from herself and she bent her back a little as she pulled herself back. The music slowed and Kyra twisted to the right her hair flying behind her as she threw her hands forward, her palms lying flat on the ground as she flipped forward back onto her feet. The music was almost over, but she was not. Kyra almost let out a sigh of relief when another song came on, this one was a couples song, or at least one that required two dancers.
Instead of fetching someone, she raised her hands to her imaginary partners shoulders, her feet moving forward, backward, and a step to the side. Repeat. Those were the only parts of a dance she remembered from when she lived with her real mother. She turned and moved, her face glowing with joy.

Leo watched Charlotte with comforting brown eyes, his lion face showing no hint of displeasure or fear as the girl placed her hand on his ruff. The fluff of his mane that went from the top of his head, around his cheeks and below his chin. His brown fur was more golden sand color. His tail flicked when Charlotte started talking of how soft his fur was. He made a purring sound deep in his chest as he nudged her arm away before stretching out his sharp claws and yawning showing his teeth yet again. Leo growled as he layed his head on his side, his eyes boring into Charlottes as he blinked them laziliy, a catnap would be great right now, but just then that movie came on.
Deep blueness of the ocean, the striped clown fish and his mate, the shark like creature that ate most of the fish eggs. His eyelids fell drunkenly just as the male fish held up the last and only fish egg left. That's when he unconciously moved closer to Charlotte and laid his massive head half across her lap before he shuddered, yawned once more, and let his head drop to close his eyes in a catnap.

Charlotte completely ignored the intensity of his gaze, merely returned it fully in the exact same way. She dropped her face into his fur and rubbed it against her cheek for a moment, and then sat back up once more when the movie began to play. Situated herself in her seat, she stared at the screen for a few seconds, before she was suddenly invaded by the large head of the lion beside her. She cast a glance down at him, tossed her gaze back up to the screen, and let her hand fall behind his ear, where she scratched gently.

It was only ten minutes into the movie before she finally had had enough of the depressing occurrences in it. She blinked back the tears that had been threatening to spill from her eyes, and sniffed a little, her fingers tightening a little in his fur. She released his fur so as not to bother him, and smoothed it out. She situated herself on the seat so that his head was still on her leg, but her own head was resting gently on his abdomen, her face turned slightly into the soft, silky fur that lined it. Within moments, she was asleep, her exhaustion finally getting the best of her.

---

"Really? Finding Nemo?" Johnathon a grumbled, his eyes narrowed a little as the lights died down and the movie began to play. "I am not watching this," he muttered. He pushed himself up from his theater chair, stretched a little, and then easily and calmly walked from the theater room.

He made his way to the kitchen and ducked low so as to avoid being spotted by the cranky, Chines chef, easily sneaked over to the cupboards, and removed a bag of extremely unhealthy chips. As soon as he was safely out of the kitchen, he began to wander throughout the house, seeming to not care about the repercussions that would come into effect of him ditching the movie.

However, a sound made him pause; the gentle singing of ballroom music, which flitted from the ballroom doors themselves, which were cracked slightly open. Pausing mid-step, he tossed his chip between his lips and peaked inside the doors.

It was none other than the almighty Kyra herself. Of course, this was the sarcastic name he had for her, which he used really only to make fun of her holier-than-thou attitude. In that moment, thought, she appeared far less psychotic, and more graceful instead.

When the dance for two began, he slipped silently through the doors, dropped his bag loudly on a table just inside them, before he leaned back against the wall beside them. He crossed his arms and gave her a smirking look. "Need a partner? And before you squawk in mockery," he warned, holding his hand up to stop any protests from her, "My parents forced me to take several etiquette classes, so I'm actually pretty good at dancing."

"Need a partner? And before you squawk in mockery," he warned, holding his hand up to stop any protests from her, "My parents forced me to take several etiquette classes, so I'm actually pretty good at dancing." Kyra had whipped around with her arms moving into a defensive position when she heard the thunk of a bag falling, but when she saw Johnathon she had blinked.
Instead of mocking him, her green eyes slowly became blue cat eyes. She tilted her head in a non-human way and stared at him, accessing his abilities no doubt when she was really being silent on purpose. The silence always made people uncomfortable, and when uncomfortable they always purposely walked away in the middle of the "Conversation" she was having with them. The silence would hopefully drive the man away so she didn't have to confess to never ever going to a class for dancing or even of how really bad she was (in her mind).
Kyra made a growling noise in the back of her throat after a few seconds went by. He's not going to let this go. The moment the great Kyra finds herself threatened by a mere human. She thought before realizing that she really was feeling threatened by him. He really made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Normal were-tigers or were-lions couldn't do that. "You're not normal are you?" She blurted the qustion out, unaware of how humanly odd that was for her to say that.
Kyra took a step back so she could crane her neck a little and really look at his face, his human eyes.

Leo's ear flickered like leaves in the wind for several moments, listening for the sound of her calm breathing. She was asleep. He gently and slowly manuevered himself out from under the girl as he silently walked off the couch. He shifted and placed pillows under her where his sleeping form had been before he moved. Charlotte looked calm, peaceful and at ease, such an opposite to the storm raging inside his head. He needed that type of peace too, didn't he? No, you don't deserve peace when you are still paying for the failure. He thought to himself bitterly before he shifted back into his lion form and loped out of the threatre room. Hunting a couple of deer should help calm his thoughts.

Leo made his way to the back door, in clear veiw of the pool and the forest that lay beyond it. He saw a couple of gaurds patrolling between the trees. He walked through the large doggie door in the side of the door that would allow other large cats to move in and out without having to constantly shifting. He passed the pool, and made a dash for the forest, his nostrils flaring.

His instincts took control as he started to sniff the ground, the trees, and smallest hints of tracks in the ground. He wasn't exactly great at hunting. The lionesses were made to hunt, to provide the food, while the male lions patrolled the area and protected the territory from others.

Without expacting, a doe pranced into his veiw already running away. He knew it was a loss of energy but he bolted after the doe only to be left behind in a cloud of dirt. He was too big, and it was difficult to keep up with faster prey. He panted as he watched the doe run away, long out of reach.

Guys! The RP is going to die if someone doesn't post...

((Sorry I haven't posted in like forever o.o I've been out of it on posting completely for the past two or three weeks, to be honest. I'm trying to get back into the flow of things. I've just had a lot of school and work stuff going on lately :3))



It was quite a while before Charlotte awoke, and it was only when a hand clamped over her shoulder and shook her awake did she climb out of the compelling sensation of slumber. It was one of the mansions servant's, informing her that the movie was over and she could return to her room to sleep. Although still half-asleep, she slowly sat up and rubbed at her eyes, only then realizing that Leo was no longer in the theater.

Arguing with herself on whether or not it was the best idea to try and find the boy, or animal, or just return to her room to sleep. Although it was compelling to sleep longer, she forced herself up and trudged from the large room, still wondering if it was worth it to go in search of the boy.

She shook her head a little and made her way outside and to the pool. She stood at the edge of the pool, staring down into the water, her eyes hooded so as to hide the images in her mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Come on Charlotte! Don't be such a chicken!"

Charlotte stumbled a little and grabbed onto the rope that held up the old, shaky rope bridge. She looked up at her brothers, who were both ahead of her, along with four of their friends from The Pack.

"Daddy said we aren't supposed go over the bridge. He said it's too dangerous!"

"Oh, quit being a baby!"

"But Daddy said-"

"'Daddy said this, daddy said that'. Stop being such a daddy's girl!"

Char sniffled a little and rubbed at her eyes, looking down at the river about two miles below them. She took one cautious step forward, and then another, and another, slowly gaining a bit more bravery with each step.

Suddenly, there was a loud crack, which pierced the stillness of the air. The wood gave out from under her, and with a scream, she plummeted to the river below. Her brother's shouts could barely be heard past the [i]wooshing of air flying by her head.

When she hit the water, it was hard, and it shot pain completely through her body. As she sunk to the bottom of the river, everything slowly began to grow dark. She felt the contact of her body and the rocks below, felt the pounding of the movement of the river. And although everything was going dark, she could see one thing: a shadow, that was making it's way towards her through the water.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlotte shook her head, forcing the memory from her mind, before stepping away from the water. She turned and made her way away from it, running a hand through her hair. Her breathing was a bit ragged, but she evened it out and sat in a lounging chair a few feet away from the water. She laid back and closed her eyes, folding her hands beneath her head, basking in the warmth that ran over her skin.

---

It was obvious that she was only trying to make him feel uncomfortable, which was exactly why he was determined not to let her succeed in doing so. In fact, she wasn't even close to making him uncomfortable. Johnathon fixed an amused look on her piercing eyes, a brow raised in question, until she finally spoke, as if suddenly realizing that he wasn't going to crack like everyone else undoubtedly did.

"You're not normal, are you?"

He snorted. "I can't believe you really just asked that, Miss. Big-And-Bad," he chuckled, taking several strides forward until they were toe-to-toe. "How unbelievably human of a question," he murmured, searching her gaze with hooded eyes. He easily grabbed her hands in his, took a step back, yanked her forward and against him, before spinning her out and then back in, chuckling a little. "Stop avoiding the offer. You obviously enjoy dancing, and you're surprisingly good at it, so why not?" he asked, looking down at her, his amusement evident.

Kyra glared at the man but allowed her body to do as he commanded of it, letting him spin her out and... She tripped on her own foot when he began to reel her in. She had the one second choice to stagger foward or fall flat on her face. So, being a cat and everything she didn't want to give her grace away by landing flat on her face. Kyra staggered forward and fell into John using her one hand as a claw to grip into his shoulder so she didn't bump into him then fall. "That's why I didn't want to." She snapped at him as she pulled her head away and relaxed her vise-like grip on his shoulder. That's when she smelt his scent and her body betrayed her. Her normal blue eyes faded into an emerald green. She was human. For the moment. "Now let go." Kyra growled at him before trying to pull herself away, only succeeding in straining her muscles. The human wasn't supposed to be stronger than she was. She was supposed to be stronger than him, but she wasn't.
Kyra felt fragile and weak in that moment causing fear to flood her. "Let go." She began to shake, trembling at the thought that he could crush her in this death hold. "Let me go. Please?"

Leo Panthera finished his tiny snack -- A bloody mess that had once been a domestic house cat -- and began to clean his bloody paws. Then without knowing why he trotted back to the house from the entrance and saw a car. Inside were two figures. The engine was on. Trying to leave without me, huh, he thought before running forward and leaping onto the engine. His claws stuck out and when he slipped, he left deep scratches in the hood of the vehicle. He jumped back onto the car and looked inside at the prophecy tiger and his prophecy lioness. He growled and sat down. What had they been doing? Parking? Or ready to leave this place? Leo let out a tiny roar at Zake before glaring at Red, his silently asked a qustion in his eyes: You were going to leave you best friend here by himself with humans and a tiger?

Leo Panthera growled again before lying down on the hood of the vehicle. He was making a statement just now, saying he wasn't going to allow them to leave without him. Which, he thought was a great idea. Leaving this place for the moment would be a great get away from the silent tension inside the house.

Zac sighed to himself. "Then joyride it is!" He said. He stopped holding back, This stretch of highway was almost always empty, He stomped on the accelerator. The car roared to life in a instant burst of pure masculine force, It began to go many more Kilometers faster than it had before, at least fifty, and they were already going 100km (150km=93mi) The car shot forward, gaining speed, another half km every second. until they reached 170km and Zac began to slow down.

"I could do this all day." Zac said with a smirk. He loved the open road, the smell of gasoline and oil. He couldn't resist the racing and joyriding.

Johnathon chuckled as she stumbled into his arms. What a surprisingly human thing for her to do ... When she began to attempt to pull away, and resorted to actually using polite words in order to convince him to release her, he simply shook his head. "Now, now ... Kyra, you need to realize that not everyone is out there to hurt you, and that not everyone strives to see you suffer," he murmured in her ear. Taking things slowly so as not to startle her, he gripped her wrists and lifted one to his shoulder, while settling one of his own on her waist. He gripped her other hand with his remaining free one, and began to lead her across the dance floor, seeming to glide in the process. "Just move with the flow of the music. Let it take over your body. Follow my lead; it really isn't a complicated thing to do," he said, smiling down at her. He spun her out again, and then back in, slower then the first time in order to prevent another trip and fall.



Charlotte finally pushed herself up from the seat and made her way back inside of the large house that she called her home now, and over into the kitchen. She approached the fridge and opened it, immediately beginning to rifle through the food in there. Finding nothing that caught her attention food-wise, she removed a can of Dr. Pepper and snatched a bag of Baked Sour Cream & Onion chips from one of the cupboards instead. She smiled at the chef, who had just returned from the freezer, no doubt preparing supper, before she skipped out to the living room. She flipped on the television and dropped onto the couch, popped open the chips, and began to channel surf, munching on her snack, almost greedily.

Kyra Hunter

Kyra hated this man all of a sudden. She hated him for not letting her go and doing as she said. Kyra then realized that she was being a stupid human and the anger she's been suppressing burst all of a sudden. She growled low in her throat, her left green eye suddenly going blue. She was a tiger, not a mere vulnerable human, she wasn't into humans like her mother. At the thought or memory of her mother loving a normal human guy, she regained herself. She jerked herself out of his hold, breaking it like she hadn't just been captured by it and glared at him. "What makes you think I'm suffering or that everyone wants to hurt me? I could just rip their throats out!" Kyra turned, and walked away to bar and walked behind it. She hated herself for ruining the music that so encouraged her to move. Drinking alcohol would at least numb her anger... And the pain that was just appearing.

Kyra was secretly awed at the pain, because she didn't know where it came from or why it was there. She pulled out a bottle of some weird drink that she hoped had alchohol in it. She yanked the lid off and began to sip it at first, but soon overcame her hesitation.