There was something unnerving about the woman's heavy stare and the girl shifted. Pupiless eyes turned to the man then to the woman. "Grimm.." Neither one of them were the orc she was two..three days familiar with.

Clayton made no movement from where he stood, silent and patient, a man clad in nothing more than a pair of jeans, watching the girl closely, observing her in minute. The movements, the way she held herself...that predator's grace mixed with something undoubtedly feminine, and yet with a touch of something wild as well. And then Kathryn spoke, followed by the girl...and his eyes widened in shock as he stood there, speechless, his mouth falling slightly open.

Katt's hooded head dipped into nod. "Correct. If you will let me I was asked to bring you someplace safe to rest. Here is not safe. Arthour said you were hurt.." Her eyes lowered to find the girl's arm, dingy bandage proof enough. "There will be food also." She glanced to Clayton, the first time in the longest and his reaction..well..it wasn't hard to read really...He was probably having the same holy hell whiplash she was..just on a different scale.

Lifeless eyes of the child slowly turned to Clayton who was gawking and there was no reaction on her part. Instead she looked back to the woman. "Arthour...Grimm. You will help me find Toby too?"

Clayton managed to find his senses, finally, as he stared at the young girl, but it was still a long moment before he could recover the look of surprise on his features. Toby's name on the girl's lips caused him to stiffen, just slightly, but he reeled in the knee-jerk reaction to it nicely, keeping his expression carefully neutral as he looked from the girl to Katt.

Katt's mouth felt raw when that name came up and it took every ounce of control not to lash out at. It would cause so much harm to the time line to tell the younger self that he wasn't worth it. That he was a jackass and she was better off without him. Hands curling up to her sides she glanced to Clayton. Would it really be so bad to say 'sorry kid...he's dead'" "We will see." She finally managed to squeeze out. "It was just asked of me to make sure you were safe and fed." She made a gesture with a hand and sidestepped closer to Clayton.

When the woman moved the younger self skiddishly moved back partly into the cave and when she noticed that it wasn't towards her she nodded. The idea of food was the only thing that really drew her out of the cave and she inched closer. When she was pushing her boundries of comfort she stopped and waited but while she waited she watched the both of them very carefully as if she were ready to scramble away at any second.

The turmoil within Clayton was different this time. Were it his choice, he would make sure the girl never encountered that one again...forgot him completely. Another part of him, however, wondered, were that never to happen, if the woman cloaked in shadow next to him would be his Kathryn now, if that were to happen. A faint smile of understanding touched his features as he gave her a faint nod and looked back towards the girl, speaking in his low, purring, soothing voice. "We mean you no harm, young one. Tell me...do you like cats?"

Katt was glad he understood the unspoken words..moreso that he understood her..and that he was there with her because she doubted she would be able to do this alone. It ached..horrifically at knowing all this youth would go through. Grimm made her feel guilty and selfish over it too. Not sparing this girl what awaited her...Turning she started to walk to lead the way to the dojo that Brian had left her. As big as it was there was plenty of room to hide herself in and still feel safe. Be safe..

Doll like eyes blinked slowly at Clayton and the young one nodded to confirm that she did even though she had only seen the pitiful excuses for mangy cats on the streets of Mandrake. Batosai sort of looked like a great big cat too. When the woman started to move she looked to her then back to the man.

Clayton offered her a smile as he fell back a step. "Then perhaps you would feel safer traveling with one." Another step, and he was completely in shadow, his dusky skin blending perfectly with the night. There was a faint rustling, then silence...and then a moment later, the great mountain lion stepped from shadow and to the edge o f the clearing, fixing the girl with its green-golden gaze. There he stopped and settled on his more clearly than anything, 'Well, what are you waiting for"' as his tail curled around his feet.

Looking over her shoulder to see the progress all she saw was..the great cat. Under the hood Katt's expression softened and she smiled. She had to wonder..if this..changed her past.

A look of wonderment cast over the young girl's otherwise expressionless face when she was soon encountered with the large cat. She looked to where the man went..back to the cat. Slowly she inched closer but she didn't try to reach out of pet. In fact she seemed overall cautious. After all those were some big claws and teeth. Once close enough she started to reach out to touch but dropped her hand and walked past, continuing on but looking over her shoulder to see where the big kitty was.

Clayton did not shy away from her hand - in fact he leaned just enough to let her hand just graze his fur as he stood to move with slow, languid feline grace, the very epitome of every cougar that had ever walked the skin of the world, and on velvety paws he fell silently into step beside her, his eyes focused ahead as he kept pace, just close enough to invite touch if she wished it, just far enough not to crowd the girl.

Katt nodded and turned, starting to walk again. This time she didn't stop nor did she look back. She trusted Clayton...The only time she did seem to look back was when they entered the city. She didn't stop, however, and continued through the city until they got to the very large building that Brian had given her some time ago.

Katt heaved out a heavy sigh when the youngling was out of sight and when she was rubbed into she collapsed down to her knees and threw her arms around him. She was just glad the child didn't ask her about Toby again. She would of likely said something nasty.

"(vs) I only found out about her today..sort of. The night of the ball I was approached by the one she knows as Grimm..and he went off on me calling me an unconscionable wench. He..thought I was her mother and pretty much was pissed at me. Same thing happened today but I..I struck him.." She lashed out when he called her..the child's master. Oh..that just rattled her so many ways. "(vs) I talked with Brian..and Arthour and we came to the conclusion that the youth they have been seeing is the past..me.."

She would feel a shift in his shape, and within seconds it was not the big cat she was embracing, but the man. Granted, he was stark nude to the world at the mount, but in the shadowy interior of the dojo, that would be hard to make out. Besides'she had seen him like this enough times that he was not nearly so shy about it now. He wanted to hold her for the moment, before they departed, and the big cat couldn't do that nearly so well. (vs)"I know, my love"it was"confusing at first, but then'then she spoke"and I knew?" He let out a soft sigh as he wrapped his arms around her. (vs)"I know you had a troubling youth"I never realized"how much you had to overcome to be who you are now."

Katt was surprised by the change but ever so happy to be in the arms that held her close. She knew he was naked as well and that..well..by this time it didn't bother her at all. If anything it was something of fondness and admiration. She did still tend to pinken though and now was no different. "(vs) Grimm seems to think that I am..being cruel not helping this..girl..but I am afraid to. I am afraid to change anything. I mean if I did.." Her hands suddenly clenched into his flesh and she pulled him as close as she could given their position. "(vs) I'm being selfish..I know..but I just..I don't.." She hated the guilt feeling..and above all else..she had no freaking clue what to do..

She didn't need to say anything at all to complete that sentence. The way she pulled him close said all that needed to be said. His arms tightened back around her to pull her close, forgetting his lack of clothing for a moment as he nodded, speaking softly as he held her. (vs)"You need not explain, my dear Kathryn"I know there are some things you would change about your past, if not for the way they might disrupt the present"and if that is being selfish, that I may be called selfish as well." He pulled back just enough that he could look at her. (vs)"Because I would not have you any other way than you are. Everything that happened in the past has led us here"and even if I could go back and change it, yours or mine, I wouldn't. Not any of it." He smiled, then. "Besides, my darling"you are helping her. Even the smallest kindness, to one who has known none, is greater than any riches."

She struggled a bit to keep him there but released to look up to him. He understood her..which was something Toby never did. He tried to, in his own way...maybe. Or at least learn about her..but understand her" Never. He never..understood her as clearly as it seemed Clayton did. She gave him a weakened smile and nodded. "(vs) Exactly.." She wasn't sure if the act was enough. Not in Grimm's eyes for sure. Sighing she leaned forward and stole a kiss. "(vs) I'm tired...do you want..to go home?"

One could not steal that which was freely given - the kiss was returned, and he tried to hold onto it as long as he could before she pulled away, letting out a low sigh of his own when she did. It never seemed to last long enough, no matter how long they lingered. The green-gold gaze fixed on her eyes as nodded to her with a smile. (vs)"I thought you would never ask, my love." And then he let out a purring chuckle. (vs)"Although I should probably change before we go outside again?"

"(vs) Might be a good idea..Less people get killed that way." Whatever did she mean' Who knows! He might...Brushing her knuckles softly against his cheek she leaned forward and pressed her brow to his. "(vs) I don't know what I would do without you.." Every word was meant and she reluctantly withdrew. After all the sooner they got home the sooner they could snuggle under the blankets. She would sleep tonight..that much was for sure.

He smiled, leaning slightly into that touch as he held her close, savoring every second until she withdrew again. (vs)"Nor I without you, my love." He too was reluctant to let go, but his thoughts were along a similar line to hers, and within moments of her pulling away, there before her was the great cat again, a low, rumbling purr in his throat for a moment as he regarded her with his feline gaze, then stood and started for the stairs, down towards the door.

She followed after him but did stop to open the door to the room the girl had disappeared into. Peeking in..sure enough..the girl was sitting in the far end corner with her back to the wall, facing the door and away from the windows. Sleeping..sitting up. Biting her bottom lip she closed the door and turned to follow him out. She wanted to be out of the building as soon as possible so when she caught up she swatted his tail. "Move it or I will leave you in my dust!"

He only glanced back to make sure she was following, and spied her going to the girl's door. Were he still in his human skin, he would have smiled as she did, a thought crossing his mind as he waited just long enough for her to start his way before he continued down the stairs to the door. At the swat to his tail, he looked back at her, a very feline smug expression on his features, and at her urging he suddenly leapt into a run as he turned towards home.

That was more like it! She was after him as soon as she saw him running and while she didn't cheat and shadowjump she did manage to keep up fairly decent. Home. Yeah she was looking forward to being there tonight and as far from the dojo as possible.

At least for now.