Take Out and Answers

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

The curiosity and wonder on her face and lighting up her eyes made his heart melt. Being someone who truly valued learning and education, he loved being part of this experience with the girl. It was almost like he was teaching her something new, and spreading knowledge had always gotten him excited. It was just the reaction he had hoped for, and knew hew should expect from Claire but one never really know what to expect from someone else. She could have just as easily ran and hid in the bathroom out of sheer fear. Worse yet, she could have gone on one of her little rambling fits and he could have lost her completely. She took the news better than he ever could have expected, though.

"Are you kidding? I can't keep this from Chey! Well.. I mean I could if you really wanted me to. But.." He gulped, his own eyes suddenly filling with regret. She couldn't tell her sister! She couldn't tell anyone, and he was hurt that she insisted the girl needed to tell her sister. Griffin didn't dislike Cheyenne, but she didn't trust her the way he had trusted Claire, who, he was finding out, might not be trustworthy. The feathers dropped a little as his expression did, almost like they were connected to his emotions.

"Okay. What about the other Guardians? Do you know any other ones? You know.. that aren't.. awesomely cool and partially bird?" Even though Claire was excited, he was a little hurt. He suddenly felt used, like she had taken this secret and was now trying to get more information out of him regarding the Guardians. She wanted to know more, which was fine, but he knew of only the Avisaille. "No." He said softly, his feathers bristling in his uneasiness and disappointment in the other girl. As happy as he had been of her excitement, he was now wishing he had just kept his shirt on.

Maybe she sensed his disappointment, or maybe she as just too excited. He couldn't really tell, but she started to peak his interest just a bit when she began speaking once more. "Just.. here's the deal. I may have a secret of my own.. maybe it's just fair you know. Trading secrets seems like a great idea, right? Maybe just to show you how trustworthy I actually am." He didn't know what she could possibly tell him that was on par with what he'd told her. A secret so important that it needed to be guarded with one's life was not something that could be compared to any other secret.

Unless she had the same secret..

He gave her a half nod, half shrug as his wings slid to his back and lay there flat across them reaching almost the ground in their relaxed state. "Tell me.." He pleaded softly, his voice gruff with nerves as he wondered if he'd made a mistake or not.

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

"Just.. stay right there!"

Claire began to slowly back away. Unlike him, she couldn't just undress right there in front of him! Not only would that be tactless on her part but she wasn't ready to let just anyone see her naked. And considering they were just friends, no matter how trustworthy that Griffin had proven himself, that didn't change that fact. They were just friends.

Then halfway towards her bathroom she thought about it. One, the bathroom and the closet were the only rooms with doors. Two, if she shut the door she wouldn't be able to get out! Usually she'd just do it right there in the living room but then again she was usually home alone! So then she got an idea.

She hurried towards her bed and threw off the comforter, then grabbed hold of the bright yellow sheet that was on her bed, (her bed colors were yellow and orange) and pulled it off the bed and started to bring it back into the living room. Which wasn't very far. "Considering me taking my top off wasn't exactly on the agenda for tonight I'm just going to use this." She instructed as if he was suppose to know what that meant.

Slipping off her slippers and stepping on the tips of her socks she slid them off her feet and discarded them to the side. Then she rotated in a circle and wrapped herself up in the sheet. It was thick enough to keep from seeing anything important, but thin enough that the outline of her body was still seen. At least that way he'd know it wasn't some kind of trick. Although it wasn't like Claire just had a random cheetah hanging out under her sheets, plus there was nowhere to hide it!

Skillfully Claire began to pull her top over her head with one hand all the while holding onto the bunched up sheet to keep it around her, loose enough so she could wiggle around but tight enough so that it wasn't falling down too much except for the back. Next, she unbuttoned her pants with a little less tact, squirming and moving around and then had to hop around to try and get them off one handed. She discarded them the same way as her slippers and socks, kicking them off to the side. Her shirt had also landed in that pile.

"I know this probably seems weird.." Claire said and her cheeks were turning red as she started to squirm a little. But she couldn't unhook her bra with one hand! She'd tried and practiced before in the past but it never seemed to work. She she shuffled her way closer to Griffin, her eyes trailing over his wings again, still in shock about them. "Could you lend a helping hand? Either hold this up or unclip my bra?" She held the bit of sheet out to him but was partially sideways so that he could take his pick on which he'd rather do.

"And just one question, ever heard of a Therianthrope?"

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

"Just.. stay right there!" The apartment was little, and he was topless, so there wasn't exactly any place he could go, but he nodded anyway, watching her quizzically. What on earth was she doing? Claire was a mystery. Most of the time he enjoyed the mystery, but right now he felt unsure about it, mainly because she said she would tell her sister what he was after he asked her not to and he had no idea how to tell her again that she simply couldn't. She clearly didn't understand the importance of a secret of this magnitude, even though she had spoken so clearly of the ramifications of it getting out only moments before. In a sense he felt crushed, but he was patient, allowing her the opportunity to show him whatever it was she needed to in order for her to prove he could trust her after all.

He watched her buzz around from here to there and then finally going to her bed, pulling off the sheet. "Considering me taking my top off wasn't exactly on the agenda for tonight I'm just going to use this." He had no clue what she meant, uncomfortable with her talking about taking her top off. She had no wings, he knew this. He'd seen her without her top before. Well, she had been wearing a bathing suit, but he'd seen the better part of her body in the past, but now he felt bashful about her talking about undressing and it showed on his face.

His eyes watched her curiously as she took her socks off and then wrapped the sheet around around her body. when she obviously began to undress under there he felt himself grow tense, and his wings were a tell tale sign of how he felt. Griffin could easily hide how he felt with his face and body movements, but his wings were like giant signs. They twitched and ruffled when he felt uneasy, which was exactly what they were doing now, the feathers making a gentle flapping noise as they hit one another.

"I know this probably seems weird.." "It does.." He said a little too quickly, trying not to make eye contact and looking anywhere else, but she was soon standing next to him, practically naked under a sheet and he didn't know what to do. He had never been so close to a naked woman before and felt mildly anxious about it.

When she asked for his assistance he gulped and looked at her, his eyes scanning her bare shoulders before looking away shyly. He reached for the sheet, never having unclasped a bra before, and not wanting the task. What if he screwed up? He was sure he could handle holding a sheet though, despite how nervous he felt.

"And just one question, ever heard of a Therianthrope?"

His eyes widened and he stared at her. He had. Of course he had. His brows furrowed and he stared at her wondering. Could she be? "No.." He said out of disbelief that she could be one, not that he hadn't heard of them. "I mean, I have, but.... Claire?" He asked, his eyes widening as he looked into hers, forgetting how naked she was at that moment. "You're not saying... Are you?"

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

"You're not saying... Are you?"

Claire's wide eyes looked up at Griffin and a smile formed across her face. So he had heard of the Therians, he just apparently hadn't knew one. Or he hadn't actually known he knew one! The idea of changing in front of him was both weird and exciting at the same time. When he grabbed hold of the sheet she used that time to unhook her bra and tossed it over to the pile of clothes that was building over to the side. That way she didn't have to go running around trying to find each piece of clothing when she was done.

"Keep holding it, okay?" She didn't answer his question but anything except for that smile that she had given him. She then shimmied down a bit in the sheet so she could grab the elastic band of her underwear and start to pull them down. That's when she realized that there was nothing but a sheet covering her naked body and she began to get a little nervous herself. She just hoped he didn't drop it! Her panties she kept in the sheet with her and stepped on them with her foot. She was just going to slide them over to the pile inside the sheet. She didn't want to be tossing her underwear everywhere!

"Okay I got it." She grabbed the sheet back from him and started to scoot her way towards the center of the living area again. The distance was a good idea especially for when she shifted. When she was able to get her underwear to the pile she loosened the sheet a bit, letting it fall a little behind her and expose most of her bare back. It wasn't as if her back was facing him anyway.

"So.. it's kind of interesting.." She started saying, knowing there was no way for her to truly describe it. "..well, okay. When I said that it would be hard for me not to tell my sister, it's because I tell her everything. That and because we've got more in common than you'd think.. you know what? I'll just show you."

Claire grabbed the sheet and pulled it up and over her head, crouching close to the ground. With the sheet around her blocking her view it made her a little less nervous. If she couldn't see him it was like she could just pretend he wasn't there for a second so she could concentrate on shifting.

She didn't shift the way Cheyenne did. She knew her sister went out to the tree and would hang out high up on one of the limbs. Claire couldn't do that. One, being naked in public was definitely out of the question for her. She could barely be naked in her own apartment! Sure, she'd walk around and dance in a t-shirt and a pair of underwear, but that was as naked as she got.

Taking a deep breath she shut her eyes and let her instincts take over, her hands that were touching the sheet began to change, fur replacing her smooth skin. Her bones began to change and realign themselves as her legs went from human to those of a really large feline. Her face stretched and her nose became a snout. It didn't take long before the girl who was hiding under the sheet was now gone and replaced with a full sized Cheetah, tail included. Something you'd expect to see in Africa in the wild, or maybe even a zoo if you were lucky.

Claire was still aware and knew everything that was going on in her feline state, and realized that maybe hiding under a sheet wasn't a good idea. Because the cheetah began to have trouble trying to get out from under it, beginning to spin around and run into the table. But then she stepped on a piece of the fabric and it slid off of her, exposing her in her new form for Griffin to see.

The cheetah turned its head and with its fierce eyes looked up at the Avisaille. Although she was a dangerous creature, her tongue stuck out a bit as she panted from the little sheet workout. Then she began to slowly walk back and forth in front of him as if to show herself off. Almost like she wanted him to know that it hadn't been a trick.

Luna, never did like when Claire shifted. Perhaps that was why Claire didn't do it often. The cat hissed and then scurried across the wooden floor and slid under the bed and hid there, only its yellow eyes to be seen in the darkness.

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

Her smirk wasn't a true answer, but he wondered if what she was hinting at was true. he'd assumed they had been myths themselves, but he was starting to second guess that theory. He continued holding the sheet until she had taken it back, watching her with intent eyes, wondering if she was going to do what he thought she would do.

"So.. it's kind of interesting.." She started and he listened and watched as he had been, unsure what he could say or ask. He all but forgot he himself was topless. The wings comforted him, making him feel safe, like friends. They tickled his back which felt nice as his chest heaved in an out with every breath, moving the wings slightly.

He was glad she finally said she would show him. He was waiting in anticipation for what he thought was to come! Claire...a Guardian! Could she be? The thought excited him and he'd all but forgotten his previous accusing thought that she was trying to use him for information regarding the other Guardians.

He'd never watched anything so carefully as he had in that moment that Claire went under the sheet. His eyes widened as the shape of the girl quite obviously changed and she went from hunched over to the ground, standing on all fours. He could very easily tell that it wasn't the girl under there anymore. Well it was, but not in the sense he knew her in.

When the creature stumbled around beneath the sheet he took a step back, surprised by the size of it. Finally, the sheet slipped off and he could easily see the red fur and black spots.

His eyes widened even more in fear and wonder as he took a could of cautious steps backwards, staring at the wild animal he was having a difficult time coming to terms with was actually Claire. It was a cheetah, not the lovely girl he knew! Only deep down he knew it was her.

His knees felt shaky and he sat on the couch, his fingers over his mouth as he simply gawked at the feline. "In all my travels, I've never seen anything so magnificent." He told her with honesty, though being so close to a predator made his instincts go haywire. He tried to ignore them, even if his wings didn't. They bristles out, the feathers puffing up and making his wings look larger than they already were. He licked his lips and put a hand out hesitantly to pet the fur, admiring her beauty.

This changed everything.

"I knew you were special, but Claire... I...I don't even know what to think. It's... I'm speechless." He gulped and jumped suddenly when there was a KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK on the door. He stood suddenly, staring at it. Their supper!

"Oh no.."

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

The large animal moved closer to Griffin and when his hand went out she nuzzled her head into the palm as she did a walk by, her back arching and allowing him to pet all of her back before she stopped and dropped to her side almost like she'd just gotten lazy the way Luna would. Her tail moving, hitting the floor and then going up in the air only to hit the floor again. She was calm. It was so strange for Claire to be sharing this with Griffin but she trusted that he wouldn't be like the boy she'd told when she was still in school. He wouldn't run from her, although his wings appeared to be his tell, since they moved and rustled when she had gotten close. It was clearly instinctual.

The cheetah sat there looking over at Griffin and then there was a faint scent in the air. The scent of food.. Chinese food! Her ears were sticking straight up and pointed to the door just as the deliveryman began to knock. This could be bad! But the feline got up on all fours and crouched down to grab the sheet in its mouth and started to walk around, backing up and then walking forward to try and get it over her. When it was successful the Cheetah began to change shape once more and the fur receded, leaving the only red left to be on Claire's head as the naked girl stood up on two legs instead of four now and brought the sheet with her.

She was a bit frazzled and her hair was a bit of a mess as she tried to wrap the sheet tighter around her and held her hand out. "Money!" Claire said quickly and when Griffin handed it over she nodded towards the other end of the apartment. "Go in the bedroom.. area. You can't see it from the door." She instructed and waited for him to do it, knowing that her answering the door was the best bet, even if she was only wearing a sheet.

When she was positive that Griffin was out of site she opened up the door and with big bright eyes she smiled. "Hi!" She told the deliveryman who looked her up and down before his jaw dropped. "Yeah.. decided to get a quickie in before the food got here. Thanks and keep the change!" She told him playfully the way that her sister might have. She didn't know why she even said that, but figured that's what it looked like anyway. She handed the money over to the Chinese man and took the bag of food, all the while being sure to keep the sheet covering up all her private parts. When she was sure she had everything she quickly shut the door and dead bolted it.

Then she went back to the living room and set the food on the coffee table, took a deep breath then just began laughing. She couldn't believe that their food had interrupted such an important moment! And the fact that it could have gone a lot worse made her feel good and she just started to laugh. Her eyes finding Griffin and she shook her head. "..food's here!" That was all she could say. She wasn't sure what to say about what had just happened. She was a Therian and he was an Avisaille.

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

In a panic he threw his wings behind him, trying to put them out of sight, but without the harness they were easily visible. The harness was great at what it did; the wings got folded in such a way and were pressed so tight to the body that they hardly showed. He'd had to fix the one for Flynn a little so that it did this better, but he was excellent at working with the harnesses, so it hadn't been a big deal at all, but for now he had no clue how to hide himself from the man on such short notice!

"Go in the bedroom.. area. You can't see it from the door." Claire had instructed, and Griffin looked at her a little startled. When had she turned back? He looked her over in her sheet and then just nodded, moving quickly to the spot she had told him to, sitting down on the edge of the bed most hidden away from sight. He slid his elbows on his knees and cradled his chin in his hands as he listened to Claire talk to the take out man.

"Yeah.. decided to get a quickie in before the food got here. Thanks and keep the change!" He raised a brow, familiar with this "quickie" term he'd heard before and then sighed with amusement. Only Claire.

"..food's here!" He knew it was safe to come out, but he peaked cautiously anyway before joining her in the living area. He cleared his throat, seeing that she did, in fact, look as though she had just finished being intimate with someone. He liked the way she looked at that moment, her hair a little tousled, the sheet wrapped around her frame, tight at the top and flowing at the bottom. He liked it more than he cared to admit, which was precisely why he looked away. To look would be disrespectful.

"Why don't I get this all set up while you get dressed?" He offered, wanting to put his own clothes back on. It was far more comfortable to be free and open like he was, but he was still unaccustomed to sharing this part of himself with anyone, and he felt very self conscious. He reached for the bag and gave her a nervous smile, making sure to look in her eyes, and only in her eyes.

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

"Why don't I get this all set up while you get dressed?"

Claire had almost forgot that she was wearing nothing but a sheet during her little fit of laughter. She was such a dummy sometimes and this was definitely one of those times! "Right! Because... I'm still in a sheet." She stated the obvious in an awkward little way that only Claire could muster.

The girl swooped down and gathered up her clothes before trailing towards the bathroom, one arm full of her discarded clothes and the other full of sheet to make sure it didn't fall off her. Once she made it into the bathroom she shut the door behind her, let the sheet drop around her feet and began to instantly redress herself.

It wasn't until she was fully clothed again and looking in the mirror that the realization suddenly sunk in that she'd shared her secret with Griffin. Staring at her reflection, seeing the familiar redhead with a mess of hair and a lost look staring right back at her seemed to only make it all the more realistic for her. That's when she realized that she hadn't thought it through entirely. Maybe she shouldn't have shown him so quickly!

Hanging around in her bathroom with nothing but her own thoughts was a bad thing in that moment so Claire opened the door, pulled up the sheet and tossed it onto the bed. She'd wash it later on. Then she made her way back into the living room and looked at Griffin to see just what his face would reveal.

"Okay, so.. this has been a nice little turn of events, huh?" She said right off the bat and gave him a big, nervous smile.

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

His male instinct allowed his eyes to wander after Claire as she moved to the bathroom, turning beet red when she was halfway there and pulling his gaze away from the blanketed nude form of the girl. He felt embarrassed that he'd looked and a little ashamed of himself. He tried to shake it all off as he reached for his harness and slid it back over his shoulder, adjusting his wings into it.

As he tightened the laces his mind wandered back to what he'd just seen. Claire was a Guardian. He'd shared his secret with a fellow Guardian. It was fascinating, terrifying and exciting! He had questions for her, but was now afraid to ask any of them. Would he be inappropriate? He couldn't allow his curiosity to get the best of him. He had never dreamed she would be a Therianthrope and tried to think back to if she had given any clues

This brought on a whole new complication with the kiss, as well. Was she alright with what he was? Did she still want to persue someting with him? Did she ever want to? Did he?

His mind swirled with ideas and thoughts and all the while he had almost forgotten that he'd just spilled the beans about himself. What if things became odd? Would she ask her own questions? Was it okay to answer them all? Did she find him at all disgusting?

He was so lost in thought he hardly heard her coming out of the bathroom. "Okay, so.. this has been a nice little turn of events, huh?" He turned his head and reached for his shirt , sliding it over his shoulders and then reached for the food which he had failed to take out of the brown bag.

"Yeah.." He said with a nervous smile, a little breathy. He gulped and looked her way. "It is nice, right?" He asked, putting one of the white cartons down and reached up to button his shirt since it was still open, exposing part of his torso. "I...just didn't expect.." He licked his lips and looked down at the food. "I know this is going to sound strange, but I'm relieved." His face turned slightly to the side so he could look at her. "I know I can trust you now. Just...are you alright with me? What I am?" He asked, his throat feeling dry. "I didn't frighten you, did I? I know it's probably a bit much to see when you never have before.."

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

"Are you kidding?!" All the questions that Griffin was asking, she could tell that he was both nervous and worried. It was as if he thought that she would look at him differently now that she knew he was an Avisaille. Well, he knew she was a Therian so it seemed like a fair trade!

"I mean, if you're going to be anything, Avisaille is pretty awesome." She plopped down on the couch and then leaned forward realizing she had to get her food! She waited for him to pull everything out of the brown bag before she found her container and some paper wrapped chopsticks. She tore at the paper, broke the little sticks apart and opened up her container of food. The smell nearly made her mouth water. Although she was still distracted and didn't start eating just yet. Just let it sit there in her lap, the chopsticks between her fingers and waving them around while she talked.

"At least you're not a goat. Or a Gorilla! I'm pretty sure a Gorilla wold be kind of scary. Then again, when I was little I was chased around by Cheyenne and I think she beats a Gorilla any day." Although she hadn't meant the words to be so mean towards her sister, she knew that's the way they came out. So she decided to just stop talking about her. It wasn't like she wanted to talk bad about Cheyenne! She just left out the part about Cheyenne turning into a lion which took her words out of context.

"I told someone what I was before. There was this boy I liked when I was in school?" Claire said and her voice started to soften a little bit. "Well it kind of scared him.. to the point that his parents decided to send him away to a special school because they were afraid he'd lost his marbles. And when I say special school I really mean an institute. So.. I have to say I'm relieved. At least you're not going to run away."

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

"Are you kidding?! I mean, if you're going to be anything, Avisaille is pretty awesome." Her compliment made him grin bashfully, a small chuckle slipped from his lips. Following her lead he reached for one of the containers, knowing it was his sushi. Griffin absolutely loved sushi.

When Claire mentioned at least he wasn't a goat or gorilla, he chuckled again. He wondered what Cheyenne was, since Claire had hinted that her sister, too, was a therianthrope. He then wondered if he inadvertently given away Flynn's secret. Would it matter? Claire was a fellow Guardian, and he decided maybe he would tell his good friend that he may have spilled the beans about her accidentally, and then if she became upset he would share Claire's secret. Would he need her permission? She didn't seem to think she needed his to tell her sister.

"We must be grateful for the little things." He teased, also glad he was neither a goat or gorilla, or really anything but him sense for that matter.

His eyes grew when Claire explained she had told someone once before. He had never, unless he had the distinct feeling they were a fellow Avis. It was often easy to pick their own kind out of a crowd. Avisaille were all very similar in personality, but of course there were those who strayed from the norm. He and Flynn were not so. They were the ideal definition of what the Guardians had been for what Griffin could only assume was the beginning of time.

"Goodness.." He said softly, a little surprised as he took a bite of his dinner, chewing slowly. "I would never run off." He assured with a mildly mischievous grin. "I might fly off, but I would never run." His smirk was kind and innocent and he shook his head. "I'm joking. I wouldn't fly off either. At least I wouldn't without telling you first. Then if you wanted to join me, you could." His smile was kind as he looked back down at his food.

"Honestly, it's comforting. That you're, you know...you. I've never been able to have a relationship long term with anyone other than a fellow Avisaille. It's refreshing knowing that through the years I could, hopefully, be able to turn to you and receive a perspective other than one of my own kind."

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

Their little dinner date was going much better than Claire had anticipated. Not that it was a date! Definitely not a date. But it was fun anyway. She dug into her food with the chopsticks and took a decent size bite. She knew that a lot of women were petite eaters around guys they liked or if they were just around anyone. But not Claire! She loved food, and because of her increased stamina she was able to burn it off quickly. Which was why she ate a lot in the first place. If she didn't she'd get hungry often.

"mm! I know what you mean!" She had to lick the side of her mouth feeling a piece of rice stuck to her face and got it on the first try! Score! "I mean, it's hard. Like getting a roommate? I could definitely use one but it's complicated. Not everyone likes cats and that right there is going to be a definite no." She laughed at that, since she was a big cat herself at times!

"Plus full moons? We have to change. We can't stop it even if we wanted to. That's one of the perks of working at the museum. Have a day shift and if a banquet lands on a full moon I tell Frank in advance that I won't be in. I tell him I have to go visit family or something. Not like he knows any better." Claire told Griffin, as if she were trying to teach him about what she was without actually giving him a lesson. She was pretty sure he didn't come over to learn about the Therians and their ways.

"Is it hard? I mean, I'm sure you're used to it but is it hard having wings? They're not exactly invisible. Summer has to be a pain."

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

Claire was so easy to be around. He allowed himself to relax now that the air had been cleared and they were sitting there, just two Guardians enjoying supper together.

She had his full attention as she went on about the struggle of being a Therianthrope. Shifting by force at the full moon sounded terrible. They all had their drawbacks, though. He, for instance, could never go in public topless. Not that people often went topless, but it would be nice to go to the beach in the summer and play in the water like everyone else. He would never be allowed such luxuries. Not in Scriptor Bay, anyway. Perhaps in a deserted beach on an island far, far away where no human eyes could land on him. How he would love to dive freely once more into the cool ocean water. He'd done it on his ten year leave a handful of times, and each time had been more magnificent than the last.

"Finding a roommate is certainly a difficult task." He agreed with a little nod. Griffin had never had a roommate and he knew a handful of Avisaille in case he ever did, but answering a personal ad just seemed like something he could never do. For a moment he considered telling Claire she was welcome to stay with him, and she and Luna would be, but he knew it would be weird considering the relationship they had. He wasn't sure how Claire felt about him, but he knew he had his own complex feelings stirring around about her. Feelings he'd never had for another person, one he wasn't entirely sure how to explore, or even if he should.

"Is it hard? I mean, I'm sure you're used to it but is it hard having wings? They're not exactly invisible. Summer has to be a pain." He contemplated the question before, not having really thought of it as difficult, but he could imagine t those who didn't have them, they would seem to be.

"Wings so large take a great amount of care." He explained putting the sushi down and giving her more of his attention as he spoke. "The feathers needs to be groomed and with the harness they are susceptible to breaking. The harness is a whole other thing. At first they're very uncomfortable. Imagine having, say, your legs roped up and tied tight to your chest. Forget for a moment that it would inhibit your mobility. At first it would be suffocating, unable to stretch a part of you, but after a while you would get used to it. It's a long process but eventually it's not so bad." He rolled his shoulders. "But watching people at the beach can be difficult. I often feel left out and I won't lie, I yearn to be in the ocean, to swim freely. It can be very difficult at times since it holds me back, but in the right place it also allows me to be truly free." He explained reclining a little.

"Do you find it difficult? Is it painful at all?"

[CLAIRE MCLEESTER]

Claire tried to imagine having a part of her bound and immobile. Her legs was sort of a hard thing to imagine, but she did think about it being her arms. She was so animated and sometimes she just needed to have her arms to talk! The thought of having them tied down at her sides was suffocating for her! The thought made her wiggle her arms around a bit and shake her head to show she didn't approve. "That's tough. I can see how that would take a while to get used to. Eck I wouldn't want to!"

She started to feel bad for him. Sure, it would be really cool to be able to fly but his uniqueness was so.. it was so apparent! Sure, Claire's eyes seemed to resemble a cat a bit and her clumsiness wasn't as bad closer to a full moon, but that was pretty much it for her. It wasn't like she had a tail all the time! She could still put on a bathing suit and go to the beach. The thought of him not being able to go into the water with a crowd was sad to her. They'd never be able to go swimming together. Not unless they went during winter and froze. Nobody went swimming when it was that cold!

"Do you find it difficult? Is it painful at all?"

Claire looked at him and her nose scrunched up a bit, thinking about the question before hesitantly shaking her head. "No. Not really. I mean, when I was younger it was. The first time it happened it was scary and painful. But over time your body adapts and gets used to it. We don't actually 'turn', I guess you could call it, until we're usually in our teen years. I hated it to be honest. I was so angry about it. I've always wanted to be normal and to me this wasn't normal. Well, I mean now it is. I mean it's not like I was ever normal to begin with. You know what I mean?" She chuckled a little knowing she was starting to ramble but she cleared her throat and took another bite of her food.

"Cheyenne loves it. But she's good at it! She loves to go climb up into the tree and just lay there as a giant lion. She goes high enough so nobody can see her, and especially at night with all the branches and stuff there's no way you could tell she's up there. Shoot, one time I was walking by it and didn't notice her! I don't know, she just knows how to do it." Claire shrugged and started eating again, looking at the food that was in the container in her hands.

"Wait, do you eat chicken? Or duck? I mean... is that considered to be cannibalistic to you or something? Not that.. well.. I don't really know whether that would be offensive or not! I don't know if it would be like me eating my cat. Not that I would do that anyway.. because that's not normal. At least not in America."

[GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT]

It was all fascinating to think about. His body had always been the same. Sure, he grew older and his body changed as all do as one grows old, but not in the way Claire's did. He wondered how it felt. How had it been painful? Like a growing pain, he wondered? Like a bone breaking or a sprained join? A scratch, perhaps? Was fur itchy?

He didn't ask, simply listening instead as Claire went on about not being normal and then her sister. If she didn't think she was normal, she was in good company. But who defined normal, anyway? She was as normal as any other person he'd come across. Only she cold turn into a cheetah.

He nodded at her question, deciding it was better to allow her to think herself not normal than to debate a different side. He found at times that was easier with Claire.

When she spoke more of Cheyenne's ability he chuckled. "Things seem to come easier for Cheyenne than they do, you." He said to her, picking at his food. "She's a very confidant woman, and I get the feeling that she pretends to be when she isn't feeling so." Faking confidence was easy when you were confident the rest of the time. It was second nature for Cheyenne, something Claire had not been fortunate enough to have, but it was her charm. If only she could see that. If only he knew how to show her...

"Wait, do you eat chicken? Or duck? I mean... is that considered to be cannibalistic to you or something?" Sometimes Griffin wanted to wrap her up and stick her in his pocket. She was adorable in every sense of the word.

"It's not cannibalistic." He told her, amusement in his voice as he spoke gently. "We're basically human like you, but I personally choose not to eat poultry. It just seems odd to eat a chicken wing, it feels cannibalistic even though it's definitely not. I prefer fish." He was so relaxed sitting there with her. It felt so natural now, and he couldn't understand why he had gotten so worked up. Of course it wouldn't change things between them.

"You have no idea the amount of relief I feel right now, Claire. I don't often make friends outside of my own community, knowing one day I would need to leave them behind to keep my secret safe. I age much slower than you. I'm just relieved that this hasn't ruined anything between us. In fact I'd like to believe it would help bring us closer." He said truthfully. "I've had to say farewell to friends far too much over the years. But with you? Unless something happens there's no need to ever say goodbye."