Master Chen - Shen, Nao, Mu-Jin go back tel everyone that their alive. I want Xi to be ready to see them. One of you bring me a change of clothes for Xia He and ask if someone could help her preserve those thing or some part of it.

The ten men were looking a bit strangely at the Master for a second before understanding. An attack like must be reported, and 4 monstruous wolf working together? Something's not right! And those corpse are the proof.

The three begin to return to the camp, much slower than for coming here through. The rest were beginning to lift the corps to dried them of blood, or to go to those little Xia had kill to do the same. Chen took the little titan gently and turned to walk back, the tiger to his side, often looking at the girl.

Quicly Noa returned with Xia change before going to help the other. Xia the clothes on the spine walk behind some tree. If it was another time, Chen thought he would have teased her by telling he already had seen her like that so she didn't had to bother, but he didn't. Another look at the one in his arms, with so much blood, it clearly wasn't another time.

"I hope they wont get a too big scar from this"

He turned around to the one he thought also as his daughter, to see her only looking at his charge.

"There really is something between those two. Will we have one more, or one less?"

Something in this thought saddened him. His lips, away from Xia sight, turned up a little. She really became like a daughter to him. She was already an adult but still he didn't want for her to go out of his sight. Really, life always had surprise in stock.

Show me your cheek.

She looked slightly angry at him, like a feed-up daughter to an overprotective father, he thought again, but she still turned for him to look at her left side. Nothing. Of the hole in her cheek there was nothing left she looked like always, really that regenerative ability she had was something.

A snarling Xia He - Happy can we go have her checked?

Chen just smile at her, and walk again.

The whole camp let a big sighed when then walked in. Xi, a forty something years old human, was ready to see them. There was a bit of fight because Xia wouldn't let help see her first.

Xi a bit angry - Xia listen....

He saw then how Chen was looking at him and thinking a bit, change what he wanted to say.

The earlier you let me see you, if your as good a new, the earlier I will have all my mind to see what she have. If we do thing the other way I'll still be weary of you, and won't be able to put my whole to heal her.

She looked at him angrily but let him check on her.

Xia just loud enough for Xi to her - If you were this easily distract you wouldn't be as good as are, and not our healer.

She looked a him sternly, before finishing a small smile on her lips.

But thanks

The verdict was that both were in good health. Tomoe was just sleeping, something had siphoned her energy to forcefully heal her completely. He left the last bit to Chen only, having the two girls in their caravan with order to take it easy for two days a least.

Xi - I don't know Chen. I really don't know what could have healed injury that would have her bleeding this much. Her torso should be close to have the half shred unrecognizable, or with wound so deep she would have need a month to heal at least. The only thing I can think is that she's the same as our little girl. But I didn't sensed the same thing.

Chen - Yes, I never felt the same thing to.

Xi - Another thing, I already felt she had quite a bit of mana before. You know i'm good at sensing how much someone have, compare to me. She not not quite up to mine, but as young as she is without the proper training more so, she good, really good. The village chief did tel us that no one there was a magus, she must have learned from books only, and maybe some traveler.

He didn't say anything for a while, visibly wondering how she could be this good at mana-wielding without a proper training.

Chen - So what change?

Xi - I don't know, but her mana had increased a bit. Enough for me to know without really trying. It can be she found something some sort a understanding during her fight. It's not uncommon.

Chen - But you don't think so. Why?

Xi - Something change in the way she feel to my sens. I think she will leave me behind in few small years, 5 maybe, or 2 even.

Chen - I don't really know, but you say that like it's abnormal.

Xi - No but... Even with a really good master and good sense that would have take her at least 10, maybe more. And more so that she is a titan.

Chen - And, where it does matter?

Xi - The titans aren't know for there magus, like yours. It's possible, even some really good one, but it's simply exceptional, and every one of them had quite an lot of blood from a race know for them.

Chen - So possible. But yes, I understand what you want to say. But it's not like we could do anything for her. And still she's a good girl so does that really matter?

Xi - No, I just wanted you to know. With the way little Xia was, I doubt she will part from her.

The Master left it like that, without seeing Xi having a wry smile. They knew each other for a long time, and clearly Xi had seen how much that possibility wasn't sitting well with him.

The two days after passed silently. Tomoe was eating like two, and sleeping like two too. At night they just snuggle each other, without anyone saying something again. For three days after she was in something like "in the gaz", awake but not totally, but already Xia He was chatting for the two again, and the somewhat dizzy response of her friend just send her hysteric most of the time!

On the ninth day after Chen could at last find a bit of time when Xia wasn't sticking to the titan, probably because she herself was bit, fed up with it.

Chen - So how do you feel?

Tomoe with a wry smile - Ask Xia she should now know a least ten way to say completely find, even in my language!

Chen - Bothered that much?

She laugh a bit before replying - No, ok only, but only a teeny bit. I know she was worried for me, but that's a bit to much no?

Chan crossing his arms - Just ask what you want to ask. Or I'll spank you till you can't sit for a week!

Tomoe turned to hid her face in something in the caravan, clearly trying to not bother the sleepy one. And failing for a minute a least, and that was before Chen really “spanked” her, albeit quite gently; from there she just buried her face inside whatever she found to soften her laughing fit.

A good ten minute later she could have a last a true conversation.

Tomoe - Your sure she's a tiger? Not some sort of wolf?

Chen, quite stunned by the question - No why?

Still smiling - Oh, you just sounded like her father, that...

Chen trying to hide his own smile by looking away - Oh. But on that you should know better than most no?

Yes probably. I know she wouldn't lie to me about this. And, I think I should know for sure by I still don't know why.

A bit of time passed, a lot less than before through!

Tomoe asking seriously - So. What does she really want to ask so much, but is so much afraid that I.... I don't even know of what I would do that so so afraid of!

Her voice sounded a bit angry and really hurt at the end. Making Chen thinking if he should just say every thing or not.

Chen - You don't remember her look when we found you?

Tomoe answering without even thinking - Hum? I think I remember quite well her unique and beautiful eyes staring at me, crying like a river. Did I dreamed that?

Chen with a wry, but happy smile - No, not one bit. Just that... Ask her to show you again!

He was now smile quite devilishly!

Just don't look when she goes behind the trees! Now go to sleep!

And with that he let the titan planted like a vegetable; a blank expression on her face not understanding what he was really saying at the end.

After a while, with a shrug she let it be. Men aren't something that can be rationally understood!

When she found her bedroll, Xia was still awake, clearly waiting for her, even if it was more than a hour after she left her, having taken a stroll at the edge of the sentries line. And there it snapped!

Tomoe with a harsh tone - Xia come we need to talk.

And she saw the face of her friend passing from one emotion to another like she was already seeing the worse ending. From happiness of her return, to being stunned, afraid, guilty, so sad that tears just won't come out; she got up like a zombie and followed without more of mental activity than a lobotomized vegetable! Such a sight was just what would make Tomoe hurt, and angry! So much hurt, like what was her friend thinking she was? It hurt more than when the monster was burying his fangs in her shoulder! Pushing the tears back with every bit of strength she had, she lead her now trembling walking vegetable past the sentries.

One of them seeing them just couldn't understand, thinking a bit, he chosed to call Chen. Which arrived quickly, albeit snarly, turn to worried after hearing of the macabre procession. He didn't thought much, using his stealth skill to the best, he had gone to overlook what would happened, hopping he hadn't done something irretrievable.

The girls didn't walk for long, just to be out of hearing. Turning herself, looking more indifferent that she really was, she pined he traumatized tiger with her sight.

I have enough!

She roared, and from trembling Xia begun to shake like it was the end of the world and the earth was breaking one way after another!

I don't know what I should have see, but you will show me again so I could prove that I don't care! Show me now or don't even try to talk to me again!

Xia He face was just this much away from crumbling into pieces, or beginning to rot away with the face she was making. Which in fact infuriated and wreak even more the feeling of the girl watching. Some times passed, long way to long for both, even if they would never ever be able to say how much time passed. And Xia He begin to walk away.

Stop right now! Do I understand you well, do you really don't want to speak to me again?

Xia with a small small voice, that Tomoe a to stretch her hearing to maximum to understand - No... but... I need... to... but...

I don't care! Show me right now if you move away again i'll just walk away!

She was clenching her hand enough to bleed herself, and quite frankly she knew she probably wouldn't be able to walk away. But the tigress was in so much distress she wasn't seeing anything her friend was showing. She continued to mumble about her clothes, which she didn't have another or something.

Like I care! You don't want your clothes to be in the way, so strip!

But!

No but, your a girl so I am, nothing you have I don't! And there's no one else here, so strip or not but if I have to wait more...

Quite frankly that was her limit. She didn't finish, not because she didn't want but because she couldn't! Anymore and she would just burst crying until she felt she could died!

For once the situation was so critical that none of them at that time could have any other thought. That would be until later, a few days later, thinking about it, that both would died from embarrassement! One wondering why looking at her friend in nude was affecting her so much, making her want to see more, to touch; the other asking herself the opposite, it wasn't the first time Tomoe would be seeing her nude, sometimes they had to wash when the other was on look-out. but that day, and she knew deep down for all the other time after, was so much more embarrassing! But at that time, both mind were too troubled for that!

Now the tiger girl hesitated just a few second before stripping slowly, trembling from her whole being. And an adult wolf therianthrope asking himself how the situation had gone so wrong, was going still so wrong but still going in the right track! Simply unbelievable, had to quickly buried his faces to not look a his “daughter” in the nude...

When she was at last, like when she was born, she Shifted, without growling, without a roar, still trembling so much, a freezing wet newborn kitten wouldn't equaled it! And from a large size tiger, the sight was just too much of a surprise, comical, that Tomoe just stood there; not knowing what she wanted to do what her body was teller her to do, or what she had to do. Or maybe, probably even, there were to many thing to do, that she just couldn't know what they were.

Some times passed, and finally she walked to the trembling kitten. She knelled before her put a hand between the "cat" ears and said:

Can I call you “Kitten” now?

And Xia shocked, lift her head at high speed, and looked at the titan her eye at the same level, wide eyes like she couldn't understand what she was saying nor what was that strange language!

That look, nearly killed Tomoe from laughing! She also would never know how she could keep a strait face, because every single time she remembered it, no matter were she was, what was happening, she would burst in a laughing fit for quite a while!

But at that time, she just said

huumm. You prefer kitty cat? Kitty? Pussy cat? No not just Pussy I hope!

And that last one was what made Xia understand every thing and more so that her friend was making fun of her quite harshly! So she had to fight her to death! And then she pounce, tumbling the now laughing titan, and with her paws she lift the titan shirt to attack her with the strait an short but still soft fur on her lips.

Obviously that didn't helped the other to stop laughing, and when the girl on the upper side decided to stop, the one under was just a sorry mess, had cried a lot and laugh for a year at least! And a lot of other thing "left" her, that I feel, must not be said to let her have a little bit of dignity.

A while after when she felt herself able to speak and stand again, she let go of the head of the tiger girl she had kept in her arms all along.

She just told Xia He to stay put, lift herself, made, even if it really wasn't her forte, a bit of water to wash her face a bit, and having finish what she could do now, she turned again to the tiger.

Turn back to... the other you now. I have something to say and I want to see your face to say it.

Her friend this time Shifted quickly, but had a passing thought that she should be feeling something, something special about this situation, but now she was not understanding herself with the mess that was her feeling, which wasn't much better than her friend's earlier. And just as she lift herself to face Tomoe, noting absentmindedly, had taken a step back.

Then she was greet with a big, hard, harsh, feeling powered slap in the face, which picked her so very much unaware, unprepared that she just felt on her ass, like a marionette which had all her string cut at once.

She looked at her friend, the same “I really don't understand why you have done that, nor how, when, nor anything” face.

Who do you think I am to think I would push you away for that!

And now the dam just broke, Tomoe just fell on her knew too, all but launching herself on the now “I begin to understand but let me compute” Xia who couldn't do anything else but take her crying friend in her arms to smooth her pain. The rest wasn't really understandable, in any language with so much crying, so much grief, anger, sadness, confusion, helplessness, fear, torment, lonelyness, and so much more, from that, from the way she was forced to kill, the fear of dying and every thing she felt against the monstrous wolves, she just let every things out.

It wasn't even intelligible, but somehow, Xia He felt that she understood everything. Then she was struck in how much she hurt her friend because she was just afraid, not just of losing her, but of that friendship which was becoming so much more important that everything she knew. But even then she felt she couldn't ask for forgiveness, yes she had hurt her, but what she had felt when Tomoe had all but threatened her wasn't so easy to forgive too. And her dam broke to.

A long long time later, the two were still hanging each other like their lives was on the line, they had shed every tears they had, and both look like a mess. But none wanted to speak, none until Xia He which still hadn't anything on her but a part of her friend, was beginning to understand that her body was crying out load that it was quite frozen!

Xia He with a tiny teeny voice, like she was afraid to woke up an army of terrifying predator - Ne, can I wear my clothes now?

No!

Meanie!

Under just a minute, Tomoe let her dressed herself. Then they looked at each other, to laugh at how they horrible they looked. They walked to the near lake to wash themselves, before going to sleep like log, in each other arms.