“Hey, there.”
“Hey, yourself.” Jacinth rose on tiptoe to kiss him, then dropped back to her heels. “Douglas, this is Naomi.”
His arm dropped away from Jacinth’s waist, and he reached out to shake her hand.
“Good to meet you, and welcome to the madness,” he said with a laugh.
He was a little on the tall side, with sun-streaked brown hair and tan, as if he worked outside a great deal. His eyes were a cool aquamarine. His grip was firm, his expression friendly, but guarded. She could hardly blame him, and in fact, felt far more comfortable with that hint of wariness than with the open acceptance she’d gotten from everyone else. His caution was merited, in her opinion, and she respected him for it.
A teenage girl ran up to them, barefooted and soaked to the skin, her long black hair streaming wet. Giggling, she pulled Jacinth into a full body hug. Naomi was interested to note that rather than pull back, Jacinth embraced the girl tightly, laughing merrily. A moment later she pulled back, and Naomi’s jaw dropped. Both of them were perfectly dry! Clothes, skin, even the girl’s hair, which flowed in a straight fall of black silk down her back.
“Talya, this is Naomi, that we’ve told you about. Naomi, our adoptive daughter, Talya.”
This, then, would be one of the group of women and children rescued from Morocco. Naomi smiled warmly at the girl.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
The teenager’s gaze was frankly assessing, and brimming with curiosity. “I never saw a clouded leopard before. How is it different from a regular leopard?”
“Well, for one thing, we’re not as big,” Naomi told her. “We’re not much bigger than Cat’s Maine Coon cat, but we’re a lot more muscled. We share most traits of the larger leopards though. We’re nocturnal, and built for climbing. Also like our larger leopard cousins, we tend to be solitary.”
Talya’s face brightened. “Caracals are climbers, too. I love climbing, though I never got a chance… before.”
“I grew up in Miami, we didn’t have any opportunity for climbing there, either,” Naomi told her. “I haven’t had a chance to Change yet, and go explore the woods here, but I’m betting it’s going to be amazing for my cat.” Amusement bubbled up. “And with all the piles of leaves, it’ll be extra fun!”
The teenager nodded vigorously, then looked at Jacinth, a little hesitant. “I’d love to Change and go running and climbing sometimes. We weren’t ever allowed, there in the compound. Since we got here, my cat’s gotten more insistent about wanting out. She wants to run and play, and jump, and climb.”
“Oh, honey, you never said.” Jacinth sighed, stroking the girl’s cheek. “Of course she does. I should have thought of it myself. How about if I talk to some of the other shifters, and we’ll set up a… a play date of sorts. I’m sure some of the others are experiencing the same need.”
Talya jumped up and down in excitement. “Yes!”
Jacinth laughed at her eagerness, but sobered, laying her hand against the girl’s cheek lightly. “You have to learn to let us know, though, when there’s something you want or need. Okay?”
Talya bit her lip, and nodded. “I know. I’m trying, I swear. It’s just…”
Her voice trailed off, but Jacinth pulled her into a warm embrace.
“It’s just you’re not used to being able to ask for anything. I know. It’ll come in time, I promise, and we’ll never, ever punish you for asking for anything, even if it’s something you can’t have.”
Talya nodded, then darted off to re-join the children playing in the pasture. Jacinth looked after her with a troubled expression. Beside her, Douglas pulled her into him, his lips on her forehead.
“Patience, love. It hasn’t been that long since they were rescued. She’s come a long way already.”
Jacinth sighed. “I know that, here,” she said, pressing her fingers against her temple. “But here,” and she moved her hand to rest over her heart, “I want her betternow.”
Naomi looked around as she heard Tamera call out, “Kester!”
Tamera’s Chosen strolled up the drive, two strangers in his wake. “Hey, everyone! Look who I found!”
He paused to slide a covered tray onto the picnic table, then gathered Tamera into his arms for a lingering kiss.
“Jacinth!”
The tall, blonde woman who’d been behind him came rushing up, dressed in what Naomi privately dubbed Bohemian Chic, in a long, flowing broomstick skirt topped with a loose tunic caught at the waist with a wide leather belt. Ignoring the fact that Jacinth was in Douglas’ embrace, the woman pulled her into a huge hug.
“Douglas, go back to your barbecuing,” she ordered. “You get Jacinth all the time, and I haven’t seen her for ages!”
“You saw her just last week,” Douglas protested mildly, but turned back to the grill, winking at Naomi as he did so.
