Unexpected Arrivals In Unexpected Places (Senshi)

He was enjoying himself when her leg moved slowly and she slid it up in between his own which caused his blanket barrier to be pushed up as she did this. Her leg rested close to the area in which he was trying to keep her from and as she stopped he felt himself want to pull that leg up closer to him but he resisted and tried to slow his not quickening breath as he hoped she did not catch onto it. He was unable to focus on her breathing as he tried to calm his own now and his hands continued to massage her back and scalp as he used the slow rhythm to sync his breathing up with and it began to work.

Just as he was returning to normal he felt her lips press against his chest and when they did he felt like jolts of electricity shot through his body and every sensory he had was on full alert at that very moment. He felt what others would call his hair standing on end and an excitement course through his viens unlike anything he had felt before. He had been in fights to the death,saved the lives of others, he even fought in a small war when he was working for his former master and none of it held a candle to what he felt when she placed her lips upon his chest.

His mind was a maze of confusion and excitement as he was unsure of how to proceed from this point but he knew that he had to do something. He slowly slid his hand up her lower back to her side and then rubbed for a moment before bringing it down to her stomach and finally allowing it to fall away. He swallowed hard as he steeled himself for what he was about to do and his mind screamed at him to stop but instincts were what drove him now. His hand slide up to her chin and his thumb swept gently under her lower lip as he lifted her head with his fingers.

He was unsure of himself and it was the first time since he had become a samurai that something had him unsure. Had he the ability his palms would have been sweating and while he could very well be shaking he was far to well trained to allow that to happen. His hand was steady as it carried about his purpose but should someone have seen his face at that moment then the look of uncerntante on it would easily be made out for what it was. He licked his lips as they had managed to dry quickly in his nervousness and he continued.

His heart was racing out of control and his breathing was quick and erratic as he leaned his own head down slowly and pressed his lips against the woman's own. It was not long but it held meaning and passion within that brief moment and then he broke his lips softly from her own as neither of them made a sound. Breaking his lips away from hers he felt his heart pounding against his chest like a war drum but it was slowly returning to normal as his other hand continued to play with her hair.

His hand was exploring.

Kimber felt as if she was going to lose her mind. Everywhere his hand traveled. Over her skin and clothes. She felt that her body came alive in ways that it never had before. She felt.. strange. Alive. His fingers came to her chin. Her heart stopped. Litterally, it stopped as he moved her chin. Started again, tripple the beats, as she looked into his eyes. Wondering if what she hoped was about to happen would indeed. He seemed the kind that would not want to take advantage. But at the same time.. she wanted to be taken advantage of.

She felt as though she were living in one of those novels that her mother used to read.

He leaned down, licking his lips. She did the same. Her heart beating so fast she swore that he would be able to hear it, forgetting that her entire body was silent. His lips fell on hers, and she kissed him back. Her hand softly raked through his hair. Letting her lips and his move softly together for just a moment before he pulled back.

His long hair. Cascaded around them. She didn't let him move away just yet. Not back to the position he had been in before. Instead, now he was almost over her. Just slightly over her anyway. Her fingers brushed his hair back behind his ear, then trailed back down over his cheek. Exploring his face, and the gentle eyes that looked down at her from above. The green in them, seemed to almost be swirling as she lay there with him silently.

Tugging him down, she kissed him this time. Soft and a little unsure of herself. He had given her, her first real kiss. Her first adult kiss, and her body was alive. Every nerve fired off completely. She felt every inch of her body and where it touched and connected with his own. She couldn't help but kiss him that one more time. It felt right, and the way that it set fire to her body she could not help but enjoy the touch of his lips, the feel of his skin against her own.

The kiss was not long, but it was perfect, and when it broke, she could only give him one of her best smiles. Her fingers ran up against his shoulder, and she let his hair fall over her arm. Her head tilted as she studied the way it flowed and fell just like normal hair even though it was not. There was something almost alive about the hair. She looked back into his eyes, and knew that they should sleep.

She knew that, deep down.

He did not know her. Did not understand her. Did not know what he was getting himself into. What if he realized later that she was a freak and wanted nothing to do with her. If in fact, they went any further than kissing.. she knew that finding out he could not be with her would crush her very soul. She was fragile, in her own ways, always afraid to truly let herself be loved. Feeling that she isn't worth it anyway, surely that someone would find someone better to be with. One that could speak. One that didn't inflict their silence upon the one that they cared for.

Kimber wished that she could tell him all those things. That he could understand just what it was like in her world. Silent all the time. It worked for now, but what if they had a real problem. She did not even know how to say goodnight or good morning in his language. Not that he could hear her if she did. She closed her eyes and snuggled into him tightly. Burrowing herself as far into him as she could. Tears stung the back of her eye lids. Besides, the fact of all of that, was the fact that.. she was not pretty like most normal girls. She was not the kind of girl that men lusted after.

She'd had two dates in her adult life, both had ended up .. going no where. She took the hint. Understood she would abe alone. She could not... understand what was so wrong with her but it was obvious something was. She wished there was a null. A null near by so that she could tell Senshi that she was not the one he wanted. Someone much better would be out there for him. Her lips lay on his chest again. As she clenched her eyes shut, to avoid the tears, and kissed it again, her hand stroking over the strangely wooden skin, not wanting to fall asleep but knowing it was most definitely for the best.

His first kiss was with Kimber, a woman who he barley knew, however deep down he felt like he had known her for the longest time. Her lips were soft and plush as they pressed against his and he could taste her upon his lips. A sweet taste and brought life to him in a way that he could not explain in words which was a good thing seeing as he could not use them at that moment. He hovered for a moment before lifting himself and moving to return himself to his previous position. His plan was halted by the woman as she reached her hand up and brushed it through his hair and over his cheek. He leaned his face into her hand and rubbed his cheek against it with a smile before she was tugging at him.

He was pulled into a kiss and as her lips pressed against his own he could not help but press his own lips against hers tightly once more. His tongue slide out to lick against her lips as he wanted to taste her once again and his entire body was alive with the fire of passion once more. He hoped that it would never end but that is exactly what it did as she broke away from him once more. He smiled in response to her own bright show of cheer but it was like a flashlight being pointed at the sun. Her innocence and beauty helped that smile become one of the best he had ever seen.

He wanted badly to kiss her again as they lay there but she suddenly buried herself against him tightly as if trying to hide. He thought that he was the reason for this but she was pressed tightly against him and her lips pressed against his chest once more and he returned to playing with her hair and scalp as everything settled in about what just transpired. He smiled as he looked up at the ceiling and massaged her scalp as they lay there but something did not feel right on his chest. Something was upon it that was not meant to be and he cocked his eye brow as he figured it out.

Water?

He looked down at Kimber who made not a sound and her face once more to look up at him. He could see the glisten under her eyes and connected it to crying but he was unsure why she would feel the need for tears at that moment. It worried him a bit and he used his free hand to carefully wipe away the wet splotches under each eye before looking her in the eye with confusion. He opened his mouth to say her name but nothing came out and he smiled before pointing to his head with one finger and spinning it. He had forgotten that when they touched he could not speak or even make a sound and in reality it did not bother him in the slightest.

What he was after now was the reason for the tears and why she felt that they needed to be shed. He pointed to his eyes and ran a finger down each cheek while swaying it back and fourth to symbolize crying. He then pointed to her and finally held his hand up with his head titled to the side and scratched it. He was asking why she was crying and he did hope that he was not to foreword with the kissing. The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable and it did not add up that he would be the reason for the tears.

Something was bothering her and it only hit her after they laid back down so it must have hit her in those moments. He was worried for her and wanted to make sure that she felt safe and comfortable as well as happy while she was with him. Whatever was upsetting her was not such a problem that he could not help her with it and he would be glad to do so. He simply laid with his eyes upon her and waited for some kind of an answer as he rubbed her back.

He pulled her back.

She looked down into his eyes and he softly wiped the tears from underneath her lashes. She gave a soft smile. Watching, in disappointment, as he tried to speak, but could not because he was touching her. Her curse at work again. He seemed to want to know why she was crying. She was not sure how she was going to explain it without being able to use a language that he would not understand. As he would not hear a word that she said. Biting her lower lip, she sighed.

Shaking her head softly.

It didn't matter. Not really. It was never going to change. Perhaps he was only interested in her right now because she was here. She was convenient. She was scared. She wasn't sure. It didn't matter though, right now she just wanted to curl up and snuggle in. Go to sleep. Enjoy the warm arms. The soft texture of his skin even though it was so hard. She wanted to enjoy the touch of his hair. Her light to his dark, twining and becoming something more.

She made the motion for sleep again and lay down. So that her head was curled up on his chest again. She snuggled in, and pulled the blankets over them. She could hear his heartbeat and she felt his hands in her hair again. Slowly closing her eyes she found herself feeling as though she was ready to drift off.

She trusted him.

It was a strange feeling. To trust someone that she could not even speak to. But at the same time, she felt that it only served to strengthen their bond in other ways. It wasn't long, before Kimber fell asleep. Her breathing was gentle and deep, but silent. She could not snore, and as her aura was released in sleep it silenced the entire house. She was out, and softly asleep in the arms of a man that didn't mind holding her. Didn't mind the silence. Didn't mind the fact that they did not yet understand each other. They were willing to work on it, and that was all that really mattered.

She only wondered what would become of the two of them when she returned home. Because, somehow she would. She had a life there, and he had a life here. She had no idea just what it was that would happen in the future. As much as she wanted to believe they would become something more, the signs of fate, pointed in a different direction.

Cleaning her face of the tears he looked into her eyes searching for some kind of clue or hint that might tell him what was upsetting her. There was nothing there except the strain of being tired and he had no way of asking at the moment. It did bother him that she was unable to tell him what was wrong because deep down he wanted to fix it and make her as happy as he could while she was her. His arms pulled her closer so that he was hugging her a moment and then he kissed her forehead again as she made the sign for sleep and he nodded in return.

She had a long day and here he was keeping her up all hours of the night with no consideration to her well being. He returned to laying upon the pillow with his back against the bed so that she could use him like a massive body pillow should she feel the desire to. Her face buried in his chest once more as they got comfortable upon the bed and with each other and soon it seemed as though Kimber was fast asleep within his arms as he absently continued to play with her hair while looking up lost in thought.

He yawned but no noise came from his mouth which he did not find weird but rather he kind of enjoyed as no noise would mean that nothing would catch his attention and keep him awake. However it also meant that someone who entered the house might not be heard and so he called out to Koutai who he spoke with mentally for a few moments and the Macaque slept with his feet against the sliding door of the room so that if anyone tried to get in it would make the monkey and also in turn Senshi.

The woodling was happy with this set up and yawned again as he slowly turned his body to face that of the sleeping Kimbers. He placed his hand on the back of her head and pulled her a bit closer to his chest before he kissed the top of her head and rested his own just above her. His eyes grew heavy and soon shut as he pictured in his mind a gruesome sight that only a samurai would understand the importance of and as he pictured it all he smiled and held the woman close before falling alseep.

Kimber's eyes slowly slid open.

She was warm, almost too warm. The blankets were down by her waist, and she felt as though she was sleeping on something, strange, some sort of pillow without much cushion perhaps. The thing underneath her shifted, and her mind didn't catch up with her sensations until a couple moments later when she lifted her head and saw the wooden man, Senshi there laying underneath her.

A bright blush colored her features, as she realized that the dream last night had been so much more than a dream. Which was both amazing, and heart breaking at the same time. She bit her lower lip, offering him a smile. He seemed ready to start the day. She had no idea what time it was, but it didn't matter, there was no way she was going to be able to get any more sleep with him gone. Or there.

She remembered the kissing from last night, but wasn't sure in the light of the new day if that was acceptable or not. So she shifted out of the bed. Her hair a startling mess of blonde. She brushed her fingers through it and rifled through her purse. Finding a hair tie she twisted her hair up into a quick messy bun and looked over at Senshi where he rested on the bed.

Leaning over, she turned the oil lamp up so that they would be able to see each other better. She bit her lower lip. Watching him. Wondering about him. What today would be like. What today would bring? What would they do? Could she get home? Did she want to.

Kimber picked up her skirt from the floor and put it around her waist, zipping it quickly up the side, before she began to tug her sweater on. The air in the house was cold, but she could smell the smoke of a fire having been started downstairs. Fixing her clothes so she hoped they weren't too rumpled she waited for Senshi. Knowing he would probably want to put his armor on, and she might could help with all the straps and what not if he needed it. Besides that, she didn't want to leave his side.

Countdown, to when she was leaving was coming, a number looming over her head, and she wanted to absorb every second with Senshi that she could knowing that soon.. they would be seperated and all the dreams that filled her mind would become memories of the past instead of moments in the present.

Senshi stirred in the bed as the time for waking approached and daylight would soon be upon the land. He was not one to waste one second of the light and while he shifted he saw the sleeping Kimber shift as well and smiled to her as she got up and began to dress herself. He watched her and that was when he noticed that there was something a bit off this morning. The blanket he wrapped around his waist seemed much tighter this morning and as he looked down at it his eyes grew a bit wider and then he looked back to her with a sheepish smile. He was unable to blush which was a good thing and so he rubbed his head with a slight laugh.

Pointing to her and then to the door he held his hand to his mouth and pretended as if he was eating something. He was telling her to get some food and as he did he pointed to himself and held up a finger to suggest that he would be down in a minute. He hoped she would go along without him for a moment and while he wanted to get up and kiss her before she left he did not want to be indecent in front of her as he was sure it would be awkward for the both of them. He had not had to deal with this kind of issue before while a woman was in the room so he was not sure how to proceed.

Nervous laughter was all that he managed to get out as Koutai being the jerk that he was known to be jumped onto the bed and began to wrestle with the blanket wrapped about the woodlings waist. The macaque was cackling its own laughter while Senshi struggled to keep it about his waist and while it might seem like an easy task no one truly understood how strong the little monkey really was. Koutai eventually gave up in his struggle and the samurai looked back to Kimber.

She was stubborn when it came to getting what she wanted and he was unsure if she would leave the room without him in toe and if that was the case then it would get awkward just because of the fact that they would be sitting in the room looking at one another. His thoughts returned to kissing her fully lips and pressing his frame tightly against her own which only caused the problem to become a bit bigger now as he shut his eyes and tried to shake the thoughts from his mind.

He gave her another nervous smile before waiting to see what she would do and the longer she stood in the room that harder it was for him to concentrate on what he needed to. Something about her was driving him wild and he could not pinpoint exactly what it was but she seemed so innocent and at the same time she seemed like she had a wild side that was just waiting for a chance to show itself. He could not take his eyes off of her as she tied her hair up and absent minded of it he did as well while he waited still for some kind of response.

Kimber watched.

He didn't move.

She was confused. As it was morning and they were both awake. She wondered if he were shy. Perhaps he did not want to get dressed in front of her. Perhaps there were another elaborate ritual, this time a morning one, that he would need to do. Her thoughts made her eyes flicker down to the bandaged hand from yesterday. It was probably a lot better now, but she wondered if he did that twice a day, once a day, or .. only when the moon was just right. There were a million questions.

He motioned that she should eat. And that he would be down in a minute. She could understand that rather well. Being that she was used to using gestures to communicate when she did not have an interpreter.. she was adept at figuring things like that out really quickly.

She nodded.

But, first, she wanted to at least kiss him. Just once. Because she felt if they went downstairs the spell that had taken over them would be broken. She wanted at least one more kiss before she let that go. Getting onto the bed she crawled over to him. Fully unaware that it was a very sexy maneuver. She slid over his chest, and looked into his eyes. She smiled softly and moved to lay a soft 'goodbye' of sorts, kiss on his lips.

But, that was not the kind of kiss she recieved at all. As soon as their lips met, she let out a silent moan. Because this kiss was unlike anything of last night. It was hard, and hot. It zinged her straight to the core of her being and made her entire body alight with tingles. Nerves appearing where she swore there had been none before. She kissed him back. Her hands getting lost in his hair. She pressed herself into him. Not thinking about the effects of such a movement. Or what this kind of kiss meant. More that, she wanted to feel like she was beautiful and sexy for one time in her life.

She wasn't using Senshi. She was eternally attracted to his quiet stoic nature. The way that he cared for her, respected her, and the way that he was not afraid of her. The kiss deepened, and she found herself letting her tongue and his dance. Something she had certainly never done befor,e and prayed that she was doing it well. That he was not thinking it a mistake to kiss her with such a passion when she surenly could not do what he needed. Little did she know that her body was rubbing slightly against him, or that it was touching sensitive places, that would only cause more passion to arise.

His eyes followed her movements as she seemed to understand what he was saying and he thought for a moment that she was heading for the door. However she was crawling onto the bed and up his body slowly which caused him to arch slightly in response to her rubbing up against him and he found his mind flooded with thoughts of her and only her. The sunlight could wait this morning as could his normal rituals because at that moment all he cared about and all he wanted was the woman who was making her way up along him. His hand ran over the back of her neck as she leaned down and pressed her lips against his own once more.

The kiss was nothing like he had been given last night and as her lips pressed firmly to his he could not contain himself any longer. The woodling pressed his own against her as he returned the affectionate showing but within his return was a passionate fire as his hand moved up to the back of her head to pull her in closer to him. She seemed more then willing as her lips parted and her tongue pressed against the wall of his lips which crumbled against her probing and his own tongue met hers as his lips parted.

There lips pressed together as there tongues danced together in exploration of each others mouths. His hand slid from the back of her head to move along her back as his other hand came up along her side and around to her rear. Both hands gripped her as he arched his back to press against her while her body began to grind against his own. He was sure she could feel now what it was that he had been hiding but there seemed to be no reason to hide this any longer as the two kissed with great passion.

Senshi had never been with a woman before and the prospect was made all the more exciting as his hands continued to roam her body and they gyrated against one another. It was not just the sexual aspect of it but it was the fact that it was her who was with him right now. He had never thought of any woman the way he thought of Kimber at this moment and he was happy that she was the first one to touch him in such a way and he decided at that moment that she would also be the last one to touch him in this way.

Her body and mind were something that he appreciated but more then that she also seemed to genuinely care for him without even truly knowing him. She had a naturally kind heart and it was something rare to find in this world and that was her most attractive feature to the woodling. He continued to kiss her deeply and hungrily as they pressed against one another and the blanket about his waist began to loosen and lower in the writhing of the two bodies.

Everything, had been heavenly.

Kimber lay in bed again. Her clothes were... somewhere. She couldn't be bothered to care much about them. She had never given her virginity to a single soul. And now, that she had, she was glad she had picked who she had. Kimbr was in a state of bliss as she lay intertangled with Senshi there on the floor. Their blankets wrapped all around them. On and off. Parts of them covered, parts of them not. She found that she was all too happy to just lay here.

Her stomach had a different idea.

While the sound could not be heard, she could feel the gurgling of her stomach, and sighed softly as she looked up at Senshi. His hair was just as much a mess as her own. Fingers had been through it countless times. They both, had soft happy smiles on their faces, their gazes filled with something more than lust. Something more than like. Something more than attraction.

Kimber softly kissed his lips. Feeling none of the urges that she had before. Well, not none, just none as strong. They would come back, she knew, but for now, she was trying to figure out just what she wanted to do with her day. Some hours had passed. At least a couple. She assumed. Because, even once they had finished their physical pleasures she and he had lay there and softly curled against one another. Playing with hair, running fingers over skin, planting soft kisses here and there.

But, it was time to get up, and she knew that. She could hear the sounds of life going on downstairs. The mother and daughter, were doing their daily lives waiting for the two guests to come downstairs. Kimber shifted, and lay a soft kiss on the very tip of Senshi's nose. Then motioned, about food, and downstairs. She didn't want to leave, but the knowledge that this bed would be returned to by them later tonight, held the promise this day could do nothing but go well.

Sliding out of the bed, she began trying to find their clothes. Finding Senshi's pants she tossed the playfully at him, and began to pull her leggings up. Getting dressed was easy, and yet regretful because of the time they had spent together, had been pleasureable and certainly memorable. She got herself dressed, fixed her hair in the messy bun from earlier again, and took his hand. Blushing softly still, as they began to head down the stairs where lunch was warm fish over rice, and she was eagerly ready to dive in. Hungry as she was, and happy as she was, she could not imagine how heartbreaking it would be to go home now.

Pushing the thought from her mind she bowed a 'good morning' to the woman who looked at them from the kitchen and sat beside Senshi so they could eat together. Blush covering her face, but, happiness in her gaze.

For the first time in his life Senshi actually understood what the word relax meant and he was very relaxed as he laid upon the bed in a tangle of blankets and limbs with Kimber. They did not sign or mouth a thing as they simply explored one another when all was said and done and exchanged longing gazes and soft caresses. The moment was one that would be perfectly etched within the memory of the woodling for the rest of his life, however short or long that may be. He lived in the moment and as it was he did not want this one to end.

She kissed him softly and he returned the kiss in a careful and gentle manner as if she was a dream that he was afraid would shatter before his very eyes. He was still very young in the eyes of the woodling race and while he acted very mature and had a great understanding of the way things worked this was one thing that had him confused and lost. He had never cared for someone the way he cared for Kimber and it seemed to happen so fast that his head was spinning. His head was trying to make sense of it but he decided that he had no need to make sense of it and he would just go with it.

As she stood before him and started to dress he watched her with a content smile upon his face. He took in her every curve slowly and seemed to commit them to memory as she pulled on the fabric that she used to cover herself. He finally stood as well after she tossed his pants at him playfully and worked his legs into the fabric before pulling it up around his waist. He ran a hand through messy hair and as he did it seemed to move and untangle itself without him even trying. At the back it grouped together tightly and he placed a band around it to keep it in place.

Moving to his armor he began to strap it to his body one piece at a time without being in any rush to do so. As he finished and placed his sword about his waist the door slid open and Koutai came in carrying something folded up in his arms. He held it up to Kimber and once she took it she would see that it was a [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] with a light fur upon the inside of it to help keep warm. Koutai had used some of the money he and Senshi had collected to pick the garment up as they were both known by the merchants around the city.

Senshi took his own kimono which he rarely wore and demonstrated to Kimber how to wear it so that should she decide to put hers on then she would know how. He followed her out of the room and down the stairs were the other two sat for lunch and a plate was already set up for Kimber while the one in front of Senshi was empty. He smiled to the woman and the child and said something in Japanese to them both before grasping a hold of the water and pouring himself a glass to drink. The woman looked between him and Kimber as she sat closer to him and offered a knowing smile.

Senshi gained a bit of a shy smile upon his face as Kimber continued to blush and the woman ate her food with a smile. Her daughter however screamed something happily in Japanese and began to make kissing noises which caused Senshi to spit out some of his water in laughter and her mother to laugh as well. Senshi pointed to the little girl and then to his head to show that she was thinking. Then pointed back and fourth between himself and Kimber before holding his hands together to show united or one. The little girl made a crack about them getting married and he didn't want Kimber to think that she was being made fun of.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The little monkey creature came into the room as Senshi donned his armor. In his hands was a passel of pink embroderied silk. It was beautiful, and her eyes widened as she took it in her hands and the different accented obi and various sashes were beautiful. She watched as Senshi put his own on, over the armor and pants that he wore. Showing her how everything was done. Kimber stripped back down leaving her sweater and skirt by her bed, leaving the leggings and camisole on.

Then she slid her arms within the sleaves of the kimono and the soft fur allowed it to slide right onto her body. Slowly, she worked at tying the knot much like she had seen him, and then twisted it around so the knot was in the back instead of the front. like it was supposed to be.

Proper shoes had also been provided.

She slid her feet into the little sandles, and walked down the stairs with Senshi at her side. Down the stairs, the women were waiting. The little girl was all too happy and was already nearly singing something in Japanese she seemed so happy. She did not know for sure what the girl was talking about, but for sure, Kimber could tell that it was something good. Senshi motioned that it seemed to have something to do with the both of them. She figured that something had to do .. with the fact that they had not left their bed until the afternoon.

Thus, it was too impossible, for them not to know things had happened.

Kimber blushed, and smiled at the young girl, who was so excited to see her brave hero have someone that could take care of him. She looked somehow regal in her kimono and the girl mentioned something in Japanese about her seeming like a princess. That was a word that Kimber actually knew and she blushed even deeper.

When the lunch was done, Kimber allowed Senshi to go into the sunlight and do what he needed to do. What she had not let him do this morning. She quietly helped the Japanese woman with the dishes, she sang and Kimber smiled warmly. They seemed to take it at face value that she could not speak and did not make her feel uncomfortable at all. It was something that Kimber didn't get to experience often, in her own actual life. It was as if she had not just stepped into a different country but a different world. One where she was accepted by those around her. At least thus far.

Finished helping with lunch, Kimber grabbed up a small pad and her pen and headed outside, the wind was brisk but the sun shining from above warmed the world just enough to take the edge off. But, it would likely be colder tonight than last. Luckily, she had warm arms to enjoy. Still, she looked around to find Senshi, and when she did, she smiled warmly. Wanting to hug him, she did not though, unsure of what the rules on Public affection were, and thus, she stayed with her hands to herself beside him. When he finished, she motioned off. Where a field covered in frost, lay. With trees, and a small ice skimmed stream ran. It seemed a nice place to take a walk together, and it would be nice after the heavy rice meal she had eaten for lunch.

When lunch was over and Kimber went to take care of the dishes he had moved out the front door to stand in the middle of the dirt path that carried into the city and off back into the forest. He soaked the sun in as he looked to the sky once more and closed his eyes to prepare himself for the official start of the day. His mind ran for a good few minutes as he set himself on the right path by picturing his death coming to him in all different directions. It was a part of the Way to be ready for death each and every day and when one accepted that they would die then they could truly start to live.

When that was done with he pulled his blade free of his saya once more and went through slow and practiced movements with it off to the side of the house. It was a ritual for him as well to practice every morning with his blade and feel that extension of himself in every muscle and every movement he made. His blade was his soul and he would attune himself to it every day before he moved on with the activities that he needed to take care of. This helped him to focus and get his body used to the movements that he had practiced for nearly twenty years now as one must strive to be better every day.

He practiced these movements until he noticed movement to the side and saw Kimber approaching him from the house. Just the site of her caused him to smile brightly as he slid the sword back into it's saya and moved to greet her as she stopped next to him. His hands wrapped around her and pulled her close to him as he embraced her before he leaned his face in to kiss her gently. No one else was around to witness it and even if they were he was not ashamed of her in any way and considered himself lucky to have not only her attention but her affection as well. He saw the pad and paper that she carried wondering is maybe she had drawn something already but she pointed to the field in the distance.

He offered his arm to her and once she took it the two would begin to walk in the direction of the field near the stream. He took in the sight of her in the kimono and could not think of a time when he had seen anything more beautiful. She wore it well and complimented the fabric with her curves and all together he found that she fit in perfectly. They walked along the stream taking their time as they did and he simply allowed himself to enjoy nature with her in silence. The bright blue sky above and the sparkling of the snow as the sun hit the surface was made all the more beautiful as he shared the moment with her.

He motioned to the pen and paper she carried wondering if she had something on her mind and offered her another smile. In the distance rested a few trees and one of the older trees had fallen over and created an almost massive bench on which they could sit and draw if she so desired it. He nodded in its direction so she would see it but left the choice up to her. He really did not care what they did so long as they were together when they did it.

They walked.

The sun was shining. There was a slight breeze to the air, but with the fur lining in her kimono she was quite comfortable. The wind snapped a few loose short strands out of her bun so they hung framing her face just slightly. With the greeting outside, the kiss, and carress. She knew that he didn't mind showing affection in public. She didn't either, but she knew that he was more reserved. Or had seemed that way, and she did not want to push or intimidate him in anyway.

Still, as they walked, she was happy. It was peaceful. It was a day that she thought she could see herself enjoying all the time. Walking in a peaceful place. Silently enjoying one another's company. She wanted to be with him. They walked for a while, before he pointed to the paper. As if he was certain she had something to say. She did, and she didn't. She wanted to.. teach him a few things. If she could. So... when he mentioned the large tree that had fallen, laying across the wilderness like a bench from Terra she was more than eager to sit on it.

They walked to the large fallen log. It was slightly damp from the melted snow and frost but it didn't matter. She sat, perched on top of the bench, as she put the paper and the pen in her lap. She twisted her body towards him slightly. If they were going to remain together, or at least try to make something of themselves. They needed a common ground. There was no reason not to teach him a few things.

She thought about how to start. Then she got the idea. She patted to the log that they were sitting on. Then signed the sign for 'tree'. Then did it again, and a third time. So he would understand. She then thought.. what else could she teach him. She decided to teach him her name. In sign language. Holding her left arm out, like she was holding a violin, she used her right hand to make the letter K and then flowed the K up and down her arm like she was playing the violin. Then pointed to herself.

She thought about what else she could teach him. Senshi. It meant solider. She was really big on names and the like. So she motioned to him. Then closed both fists, at the same time, they tapped her body. One on her chest, one on her stomach. She did this three times, until he understood that was his name, well.. sort of. Since their alphabets were different, she could not teach him how to actually spell his name.

She waited. To see if he was understanding.

Walking with her to the tree she seemed happy to go and take a seat so he followed her and sat upon it looking out over the field and taking in the sights it offered. Turning to her he brushed a few of the stray hairs that had gotten loose back behind her ear and stared into her eyes with a smile upon his face. It was the first time in his life that he actually wanted something other then to help other people. It was the first time he wanted something for himself and he couldn't help but think that she had the same feelings for him. She seemed to turn and face him a bit more directly and her posture suggested that she wanted his attention fully and he gave it to her.

She patted the log and did some sort of strange motion with her hands and arm that he was not sure about. She did it a few more times and it all seemed to crash into him at once as he finally understood. She never made a sound and never said a word and even when they were together this morning she never uttered a single moan and he finally got it. Kimber was a mute and he had to assume that it was due to some kind of magic as she was able to transfer it to everything she did and even temporarily through touch. She was trying to teach him how to sign so they could speak and she was trying to show him the sign for tree.

He mimicked her motion for tree and the first couple of times it was slow but he seemed to gain speed as he practiced it. He repeated it over and over and even continued as she signed what must have been her name. Samurai learned through practice and repetition and that was how he was going to commit it all to memory. He moved on once he felt comfortable with the sign for tree and began to repeat her name over and over again he was slow at first but by the time she pointed to him and made a sign for his name he made the sign of hers look natural.

He did the same thing with his name until he got it just right and when he did he looked to her with a look that seemed to signal that he was trying to make sure of something. Finally he pointed to himself and made the sign for his name by closing his fists and tapping them against his body like she taught him. Then he made the sign for tree in an attempt to say that he was a tree or made from a tree. He was not sure if that was how he was supposed to do it but he figured it would make sense.

He smiled and waved both hands from Kimber to him as he wanted to learn more and he wanted to be able to talk with her in a language that was her own. They were breaking through the barrier and he wanted to learn everything that he could from her so that she could ask all the questions of him that seemed to burn behind those beautiful eyes. He wanted to be able to tell her everything he thought of her and how he felt without having to draw a picture. He wanted to be able to communicate with her on a level that was appropriate and he wanted to show his commitment to her.

He was a fast learner.

She allowed him to take his time. There was no need to rush. She was not going to be capable of teaching him the entire language in a day. But, she would teach him as much as she could, as much as he wanted to learn. He practiced each sign that she gave him, the first person that had ever truly wanted to learn from her. She couldn't help but take it as further sign of the fact that he cared for her at least somewhat.

She watched as he did the sign for his name, she nodded eagerly. Then he did the sign for tree. She motioned for him to do it again, and he did. Perfectly. He was telling her something. Senshi. Tree. She knew that his skin was like a strange texture. His hair had tiny leaves within it, and his body seemed to be hard but soft. He didn't eat, and she remembered yesterday he had taken a hair leaf and put water on it. And then.. something from above.

The sun.

Understanding dawned in her eyes.

Senshi was a tree! Or rather, a tree .. person. She held up her hand. Closed fist. Her thumb and pinky finger out. The rest were fisted. Then she moved this sign between Senshi's body and the log that they were sitting on. Same. The sign meant , same; similar. She smiled brightly. He was a tree person!

She clapped silently.

He asked for more, she tilted her head to the side trying to think of what else they should go over today. She signed 'woman' and pointed to herself. Her hand completely open, palm flat, her thumb touched her chin, and then touched the center of her chest. Woman. Then, the same for man. Only this time she pointed at him, and went from her forehead to her chest.

Then she leaned over. And kissed him. Then showed him the sign for kiss. Two hands kissing, finger tips touching. Then she did it again. So that he would understand kiss. She was thinking of things he might like to know, as she sat back she motioned her hands between them like he had done earlier. Asking him to ask her anything he wanted to know.

He practiced even more once he saw the excitement on her face once he made the sign for tree and his name. He watched as she did another sign that she moved between the log and himself so he had to assume it was a shortcut to saying that he was like a tree. He mimicked her and did this a few times as well until he was sure that he understood it and then he moved on to the other signs she was doing. He practiced each of them carefully and eventually was confident in his use of the term for man and woman but the next sign rapidly became his favorite.

She leaned in and kissed him and then signed the word kiss to him and the only reason he knew that was because of the way the sign looked. He leaned in and kissed her in return although it was a bit more passionate then the kiss she gave him and his eyes remained locked upon her as he brought his hands up and did the sign for kiss only once. He was going to remember that one easily because he had a feeling he was going to be using it a lot. He did the sign for Kimber and woman and then he did the sign for Senshi and man.

A smile found its way to his face as he then made the sign for kiss and leaned in to kiss her once more only this one was very innocent and sweet. He held a finger up to her and pointed to the ground before he jumped down and offered her help in getting down. She had taught him some sign and while he wanted to learn more he also wanted to give her something in return now. Taking his finger he cleared the ground of all snow and debris leaving only a blank brown canvas of dirt.

His fingers worked as he started to draw quickly and whatever it was seemed to be rather large. Should Kimber be watching as she always seemed to be she would notice the makings of what seemed to be a man holding a woman and in the background was the sun as seen on the Japanese flag. He added some details in but not to much as he did not want to leave her standing by herself without any idea of what he was doing for to long. Standing up he looked down at it and while Kimber might assume he was done the truth was he had one more thing to add.

Placing his hands upon the ground on either side of the picture in the earth he closed his eyes and seemed to focus as his energy poured into the ground and flowed into the picture. Slowly color began to bring it to life as flowers sprung from the ground in tight groupings first seeming random but as they continued it seemed as though they were coloring in the picture themselves. The whole process took only a minute or two and Senshi stood as if everything was normal while in truth he was now feeling a bit sick from the effort.

The picture was colored in now with the petals of flowers and it mimicked them holding one another while the sun was either setting or rising. IT could have been taken either way but Senshi was proud of it and hoped that she would like it. His lips started to shake as he seemed to make some kind of connection in his mind while pointing to the ground "Me....Mem.....Memori." He had seen a video in English a long time ago and while he did not remember the whole thing he did pick up a few things when they translated it over and memory was one of them.

Kimber smiled.

He was really catching on. And, her thoughts proved right, about teaching him the sign for kiss. He signed his name, her name, man and woman, and then kiss. She laughed silently and then got lost in the feel of his lips as they came again. Today was all ready turning out to be an amazingly awesome day. The kind of day that she really wished could repeat, or never end. Or perhaps instead, she could merely chose to uproot her life in Bastion for a life here. That would be hard though, her career was on the other side of the world.

Little did she know the mute musician's absence was all ready in the papers.

Kimber watched as he hopped down and then helped her to the ground as well. He cleared out some of the snow on the ground and began to draw in the dirt. She would have let him use the paper if he had wanted to, but she watched closely, carefully as he drew the people, and the flag. She was certain they were herself and Senshi. Then, before she could compliment him on his fine mud drawing. He placed his hand there and out popped tiny flowers.

She gasped, and held her hand over her heart at the beauty. The flowers were the perfect colors of everything. The sky, the world, her hair, his kimono. Everything was perfectly colored. He looked at her, and worked a word in English out of his mouth. She smiled brightly.

A memory.

She nodded. He was right. It was a memory. And she wanted another. She could press a flower, if she wanted, and keep it for always so that even when she returned home she would always have this flower to remind her of the times spent in Japan. She bit her lower lip and knelt in the snow as she reached and gathered one pink and one of the green petaled flowers and placed them into the pocket in her inner sleeve. She was going to press them as soon as she got back to the house.

She would never want to forget today, and now it would be impossible.

She picked some of the other flowers, and adeptly braided them into a wreath which she placed like a crown on her head. She giggled silently at him, as she leaned over into him and hugged him tightly. Today was all ready proving to be a perfect day. Her legs were getting cold in the snow, so she began to stand and waited for him to do the same, wondering what else they should do with their afternoon. The sun was slowly lowering but it was several hours til sunset yet.

He watched as she picked the flowers and placed them within her sleeve for some reason and he could only assume that she wanted to keep some for later. He stood as her arms wrapped around him and his moved around her waist to the small of her back and they hugged one another tightly. She moved back and picked some more flowers before making a rather well put together flower grown for head. He smiled at the sight and bowed to her as if she was a queen and then stood once more with a laugh of his own before offering her his arm.

Once she took it he would start to walk in the direction of the house once more but they would not be stopping in as he still needed to go into the city. He had to pick up dinner for the night and he figured that he would show her what the city looked like as a kind of date. So far she had only seen the forest and the house and it would be a good way for her to get to know another side of the culture that was his home. The snow crunched under walking feet until it ended and they were back upon the dirt road.

They walked along the road and moved past the house heading directly for the city which was only about ten minutes away. The dirt road gave way to stone as the buildings grew closer together and more of the pipes that sprang up from the ground seemed to be present and they snaked from the ground through the various buildings. They dripped water and steam poured off of them into the sky as the hit pipes clashed with the cold air to produce more of the vital resource.

Another change that seemed to occur almost instantly was that people were now everywhere walking along the streets and some pulling carts as they ran from point a to point b. A lot of people seemed to regard Senshi with both respect and apprehension and as they walked it seemed as though people took an extra step to the right or left to make room for them. It was not a matter of race as other fey could be seen running about but because he was a samurai and one who's name had traveled the city over the past few days.

As they entered the market section of town vendors could be seen all over the place peddling their wares to the people that passed by. One stall was selling chickens and Senshi walked over to the woman and because he was walking arm and arm he pointed to a chicken rather then speak. Pulling his finger across his throat he then shook his head to show that he did not want the woman to kill it and then pointed to himself to show he would do it. The idea of having Kimber watch a chicken get beheaded did not seem very romantic and he decided he would do it himself when she was not looking.

They walked about the town as he picked up various ingredients that they would need for dinner and when that was done he smiled to Kimber and pointed to her eyes before sweeping his hand out over the market. Senshi did not have much in the way of money but he was telling her to look around and should she spot something she liked he decided he would do what he could to get the item for her. He wanted the day to be special for her and he wanted to give her things that she could keep to remember her time in Japan.

They headed out of the wilderness.

Kimber was, indeed, eager to see more of where he lived. Where he came from. What his every day life was like. She walked on the pathways much easier than the snow. The Japanese sandals did not protect very well against the snow, but she was making do just fine now that they were walking on the roads. The center of the city was an amazing mass of buildings and pipes. She figured that they must use steam to power many of the things that they used in their daily lives.

Such a clean form of fuel.

Kimber found herself impressed.

They walked among the stalls, and of course, they stopped at the chicken stall. Kimber was not sure what they needed here, but he wanted to buy a chicken. Kimber had an inkling, giving that there didn't seem to be large modern grocery stores here.. that it was probably for dinner. Which was only confirmed when the woman was all too ready to behead the chicken on her already bloody chopping block.

Thankfully, Kimber was spared that show.

With the chicken in a basket in hand, they continued on around the market. She helped him pick out some of the fresh vegetables that one man had, and they scented herbs together at another stall. Enjoying the time spent together. Not a single word said between them, but so far, that didn't seem to hinder what they were doing here. When all the dinner ingrediants had been found they walked aimlessly. Taking in the sights, hearing about the wares.

Senshi motioned that she could look at anything she wanted and Kimber smiled. She was content to walk beside him for a while. Until a booth caught her eye. It was filled with trinkets. Small trinkets for the house, for the home, bedrooms. There were jewelry, hair brushes, hair clips. It was like an accessory store right out of the middle ages, she supposed. Kimber paused looking over the wares, the man speaking in Japanese how the 'nice lady' had 'good tastes'. Explaining that all of these were rare, beautiful, and one of a kind.

Kimber knew none of what he was saying but there was a small piece that caught her eye. It wasn't extravegant. It wasn't jewelry and it shouldn't be expensive. But there was something elegant about the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] that she picked up and looked at. The man eagerly showed her a mirror so that she could fit it in her hair and see how it looked. Kimber placed the clip into her hair at the base of her bun, and smiled. It was lovely, but all her money was not from this country and alas she could not afford such a trinket. She had her flowers though, the ones she had picked from his memory, and those would be enough. She shook her hand in appology at the man, and put the clip back onto the table.

It would make another woman happy, but Kimber, knew, she didn't really need a trinket. She would press her flowers, and together, they would always remind her of Senshi.

Walking arm in arm with Kimber his attention seemed to be on her at all times and his eyes would drift over to look upon her beautiful face often. Some people came running up offering Senshi gifts and he turned them away with bows and smiles as he did not want to take anything from the people for the things he had done. He would have to tell Kimber about his recent fight at some point but now was not the time for such things. As they came to a stall that seemed to catch Kimber's eye Senshi stood back and allowed her to look about at everything they had to offer.

He watched her look over everything and as she did the memory of what had happened only a few dozen feet from the spot they stood now came flooding back. He saw the burning body of Yoshida upon the ground and the looks of the people around him a mix of fear and relief as the man who robbed them lay dead upon the ground. He had been the one to kill him and he had broken the wrist of his partner as well in that same fight all in the name of honor.

They had hurt the little girl who's house both he and Kimber stayed at and that was how the fight had began. Emotions had taken control of the woodling and he let them take over when he challenged the two men. He found out later that they were criminals and he had actually done a service for the city but it did not change the fact that his emotions had led him into the fight. He berated himself every day for that because he was taught to think clearly in everything he did and that day he had failed.

He was pulled from his thoughts as Kimber looked at a hairpin that she seemed to want but then set it down. He walked over and began to speak rapid fire Japanese to the man behind the stall. They exchanged fast words and when it was all said and done Senshi bowed before him and took the hairpin which he handed to Kimber with a smile. It was not the most expensive piece but it was also slightly out of Senshi's price range.

He struck a deal with the man and would be doing work for him over the next week in order to pay for the item and to the woodling it was well worth it. As long as Kimber was happy there was almost nothing he would not do for her. He offered her his arm once she took the hairpin and figured it would be a good time to head home. The dinner needed to be prepped before it could be cooked at it would take some time and he figured that it would give them time to sign some more.

Kimber waited, as the man and Senshi began to talk. She watched them, as they talked back and forth. She did not know what to think about whatever they were talking about. She had no idea. She didn't need the hair clip. It was beautiful, sure, but she was certain the price was too high. Not to mention she had not come here looking for gifts, she was not a tourist. She was here because she had somehow ended up here, and after this whirlwind ended, she still had to figure out how in the world she was going to get home.

One more night wouldn't hurt.

She would figure it out tomorrow. Today, was another day with Senshi and she was eager to enjoy that. They finally stopped talking, and she looked over at Senshi as he picked up the clip and handed it to her. She blushed severely. Not having expected, nor wished him to buy such a beautiful thing for her. But, for his benefit she placed it into her hair as she had before. When she tried it on. It was still beautiful. She was very grateful for such a gift.

While she had him close, she leaned in and pressed her lips, just softly, against his. A gentle kiss. Not passionate, just a soft thank you, without words. She smiled gently, as he took her arm. They began to walk again. Her fingers strayed to the hair clip often, a reminder of Senshi she could wear when ever she wished to. Which was something that would make it even more special.

The mere thought of leaving him behind made her heart hurt. Wounded her in a way that she felt was going to be hard to let go. She would trade home for this feeling, and yet in the opposite way, she would rather this feeling than home. What waited for her at home? A handful of friends? Her music. She could play here. There were no real large concert halls, not yet, but perhaps there were in other places of Japan. She had no real idea. But, it mattered not, she would have to get home at some point. The problem was, leaving such a wonderful thing behind.

They began to head back towards the house. She wondered what they would do there. Perhaps she could help prepare the chicken for dinner. Or help cook the rice, she was certain there would be something they could do. She could help, hopefully.

She wished she had something to give Senshi. So that he too could remember such time with her. She had to think it over. Surely there was something she could do. Draw something for him. Write a song for him. She wondered if he could read music, or if he merely sung by ear. She did not know, but it would not matter. If he was the kind of man she thought he was, then he would likely appreciate whatever she created for him.

She knew that she could write the song. Perhaps, she too, could call it "Memory".

The woodling took his time as they walked along the streets in the direction of home because in truth he was in no rush as he had everything he wanted in the form of the woman at his side. She was all he would need to be happy today and so far that was the only emotion that he had felt since waking up. She had a beauty within her that was rare and it came in the form of her caring nature and innocence that drew him in like a magnet. He looked at her like she was the only thing in the world that was untouched and untainted by the evil and corruption that the war torn world have been afflicted with.

As they walked he started to think about what he would do when they found a way to get her home and the answer came to him faster then he thought. If she wanted him to he would go with her and leave his life in Japan behind to start over at her side. He was a ronin and his job was to spread the word of the way and teach people a better way to live and because of this he could think of no better place to start then somewhere that had most likely never seen a samurai. He would have to run it past her later that evening but his mind was made up.

It would come down to if she wanted him to go with her or not because he had to admit to himself that she might not. He didn't think she was shallow or using him but that she may find it to complicated to explain him to those around her because in truth he was not exactly the most normal looking person walking the face of Terra. He would not blame her if she decided that she didn't want him to come because he truly would understand it.

For now he would simply focus on the time he had with her and tomorrow he would take her in search of a way to get home. They would go and practice the sign language some more and he would ask her if she minded him going with her to america. He hoped deep down that she would allow him to accompany her so that they could continue seeing one another because he had to be honest with himself and in all honesty this had gone beyond simple attraction for him.

They were about half way home now and he shifted the basket in his hand before turning to give her another lighthearted smile. He moved his arm from hers and placed it around her waist to pull her closer to him so that he could hold her as they walked. He wanted to be as close to her as he could because very soon he may not have the chance. He didn't want to think about the fact that she would be leaving soon and tried his hardest to focus on the here and now.

The house was in sight, but still in the distance.

The young girl was running around out front. With a few of her friends. It seemed as though they were playing some sort of samurai type thing. The boys had on swords and the young girls seemed to have their own as well. As though they were some sort of warrior princesses. It was adorable. Kimber could not help but smile. Children were so innocent. She hoped, she herself, one day would be able to have a child. But, she also wondered if she would only give her unfortunate powers to that child. She did not want a child of her own to have to deal with the same thing that she had.

Even still, it mattered not.

She was not married, she doubted children would happen. Afterall, once she left Senshi behind for home, she doubted she would find another that would really enjoy her company. As they walked, they were each lost in their own thoughts. Both of them thinking about home, and how they were going to say goodbye.

Kimber was not ready for that, but it was coming sooner than they would think. When they were in sight, the children ran up to the two of them. The boys and girls talking as fast as they possibly could to Senshi. Many of them seemed to look up to him, the great samurai. Strong and handome. Kind and confident. Kimber could not doubt that he was looked up to often, she herself found that she was looking up to him herself.

As they reached the house, the Japanese woman came out of the home, and she smiled warmly at Kimber and Senshi and how close they seemed to be. She said something sharply to the children and with a chorus of 'awwwws' they raced off to go play again, and the woman looked over at the two of them and thanked them many times for the dinner supplies.

Kimber wondered if the man stayed here often. If Senshi slept here often, if this was where he technically lived, or if he lived in the forest perhaps. Being that he was supposedly a tree, then she figured he might live or at least spend a great deal of time out there. Still, she had no way to ask... or did she. She followed Senshi to the back of the house where the chopping and de-feathering station was set up for the chicken. She began to draw while he did.. whatever he was going to do.

It would take time to pluck a chicken.

She drew a small house, quite similar to this very house. And then she drew a group of trees. When she was done, she looked up at him and showed him the drawing, and then made the sign for sleep. Pointing to each one, trying to figure out where he normally slept when he didn't have a Bastion Citizen to save and take care of.

As they drew closer and saw the kids Senshi smiled and wondered what a child of his own would be life. He didn't think he could have children but then again he never really tried so he was unsure. They all ran up and asked him if he wanted to play and asked who the pretty lady was that he was with. The little girl spoke up and said that she was his princess and that was when the mother came out and told them all to leave the pair alone. Senshi laughed and handed over the supplies with the exception of the chicken and the woman went inside as he made his way to the back of the house with the basket.

As he set the basket down he looked to Kimber to make sure she was not watching as he did not want her to have to witness it. Opening the basket he picked the chicken up by its feet as he pulled his dagger out and turned so his back would shield the sight from her eyes if she looked up. He slit the throat while holding it upside down and let it bleed out before he set the body on the chopping block. He pulled his sword out and held it it over the neck and with one clean swing he removed the head.

Placing the sword away he set to the task of plucking the chicken while Kimber seemed to be draw something on her paper. He placed the feathers in a bad for later use as they could be used for a few different things and proceeded with the cleaning of the nights meal. It was a bloody business indeed but he seemed to be comfortable with what he did and was moving rather quickly. He had been doing things like this for a long time as most of his time was spent alone and hunting for his meal.

She came over with the pad and seemed to ask him where it was he spent more of his time sleeping. He pointed from the forest to the house and then made the sign for same to show that the they were one in the same. The forest was his true home and the residence was just a place to stay from time to time and so he decided to clear things up. He signed his name and pointed to the forest and again made the sign for same as he patted his chest and moved back and fourth to show they were linked.

Next he pointed to the house and made the sign for sleep but this time he held his hand out before himself and shook it from side to side. It was a sign many people used to show half and half or some of the time and he hoped that she would understand what he was saying with it all. The forest was his birthplace and home but sometimes he stayed in a house if the forest was to far or if he needed the comfort of such a place.