Improper Conduct 1
The dusty brown cougar female sat meekly while pulling her large hood lower as she leaned against the seat rest. The rest of the metro cart was nearly empty and the rail sounds muted by the soft cries of a female singing her sad song from the ear phones she wore.
A large male leopard walked past and she self consciously tucked her hind paws further under the seat. The few other passengers of the cart where two gang members and one passed out male. That was all that ever stayed on the train this far into the rundown areas. Their filthy scents burned her sensitive nose but she didn't dare let it show, any movement would bring attention to herself and she did not want that.
The last time a male had attacked her she had been twelve and too "scrawny" for him to rape. But now she was seventeen and body curved, unconsciously she sank deeper into her seat. Then immediately berated herself for moving but thankfully no one seemed to notice. Wrapped in an oversized pullover, the hood was up and covered her face. Stained jeans with the knees ripped out swam below her belt. The entire ensemble working to make the tiny female look like a male. Thankfully her breast weren't large like some of the females in her apartment and with an adhesive bandage she could flatten her chest.
The train screeched and the brakes came on roughly, the momentum pushing her light weight around but she readily clutched the paw rail tightly. The doors opened and quickly the small feline exited as the train never stayed long at this stop.
A group of teenaged males passed her and her eyes noted the red and green armbands they wore. Part of a local gang that was well known for raping and murdering on whims. Clutching her book bag closer to her she hurried up the broken stairs and into the empty streets.
*Please don't be there.* She prayed silently but the immortals were not merciful to her that night.
A group of three sat on the stair to her apartment building; there was not any other way in since they had destroyed the fire exit ladder a month ago.
"Shi!" one in a crimson sweater called out and the other two looked towards her, both grinning widely.
"What's in the bag?" crimson sweater asked while he wrapped an arm around her slim shoulders.
"School work." was her low reply as one of the sitting males yanked her bag from under her unwilling but weak arms.
"I need that." her tiny voice protested but was ignored as they rummaging through the bag before spilling everything on the stairs.
When her belongings settled they dropped the bag and three sets of eyes looked towards her expectantly.
Preparing herself, Shi knelt down and began to quickly pick her possessions up and put them back into her bag.
The first blow did not hurt too much but the second was a kick to her stomach and Shi jerked with a cry. Viciously they kicked her for fun, enjoying her pain while she blindly grabbed her things and stuffed them into her bag. They knew she needed her books and supplies for school and they kicked items away, prolonging the beating.
Just has the last item was shoved in the bag the leader grasped her scruff and yanked her back, down the concrete stairs.
Curling up she clutched her bag over her head for protection. When they stopped hurting her she began to crawl away but a paw lashed out and yanked her back.
"Shi. I've been thinking. You're really cute looking." crimson sweater casually announced while the other two males laughed, closing in around her body.
"But... I'm a guy!" Shi cried out, her body trembling with fear more then pain.
"No big deal." he replied easily and snaked a paw to her loose pants. Crying out she began to jerk around trying to pull away but she was too weak to stop him. All three laughed and cheered as he yanked her worn belt off and tugged her pants low.
When he went stiff Shi lunged forward, grasping her bag and whirling to hit him with it as hard as she could. The other two laughed on, clearly under some kind of drug influence while he cursed wildly. He fell unto his backside and she dashed off, hearing his low mutter.
"She's a fricken girl."
Shi slept on the train that night curled up in a tight ball with her face buried in her arms.
The train was clean of graffiti and rough looking individuals since she transferred over and over, moving to a part of the city close to her school and hours from her once residence.
What had been her only home was gone.
Shi had lived in a horrid place as a young kitten, she had run away as soon as she could from her foster family. With nowhere to go she had found her way to the rundown part of the city where people did not ask her where her parent where. The apartment she stayed in was disgusting but it was roof over in the cold nights.
Prostitutes who lived there had taken care of her occasionally; feeding her and making sure that Shi never told anyone she was female. Not understanding but trusting the first female who had briefly watched her for a couple days, she never allowed anyone to ever discover that secret.
After her attack at twelve she immediately understood the reason. Acting the part of a boy became everything. From the way she dressed and walked, working hard to keep the feminine swing out of her hips. But now they knew, one of those teenagers was the landlord's son and he would tell his father. Then the older male would come looking for her. Any female could easily make money for him by selling their bodies. Willing or not had never mattered to him or his clients.
She rocked herself to fight the cold fear running rampant through her and thoughts of the bleak future ahead.
Dai ignored the chattering going on around him while he ate a quick breakfast. His slightly elder sister and her mate where eating with him rather than their own kitchen upstairs as they did occasionally. Chat had come over as normal and as normal was talking up a storm, ruining the occasional peaceful atmosphere of the kitchen. The eggs where dry and the toast burned but Dai had long ago accepted cooking was not his forte, nor anyone else he dined with regularly.
"I've tried everything but that blasted kitten won't smarten up. I had hoped he would, he's a smart one, and it's a shame to pull him from my class." Chat commented with a sigh that said the still new teacher struggled with throwing skippers from his class.
"If we missed more than four classes without excuse then you have to remove him."
Anandara stated without pity, if a student wanted to mess up its future it was not her problem. Dai mused that students feared him for his intimidating looks but his sister was actually far harsher than him.
"Sure, sure." Chat waved a paw at her and looked over to Dai.
"What do you think, do you have any skippers?" he asked the stoic male.
There was only one that came to his mind immediately: a tiny thing with second hand books and too big male's school uniform. The only thing the maybe female maybe male had beyond books was an mp3 player. When he was not giving lectures or talking she was constantly listening to the little noise maker.
Over the three quarters that had passed of the second semester she had twenty two unexcused absences. But she claimed to not own a phone and the female, he guessed, worked hard to make up for every lesson she missed.
Usually Dai would have removed her like his sister had said if she did not attend then it was her own fault. In the early mornings though, before class while other student socialized she sat in her chair quietly. During those times Dai had caught the scent of poverty on her, drugs and alcohol clung to her clothing but not her actually body.
"Well?" Chat pressed and Dai blinked at him, hesitating to bring up the female who he was sure they would want him to remove if he mentioned her.
"Please, you think Dai would keep a delinquent in his class?" Anandara laughed and Chat shrugged but relented trusting the rumors about how hard he was on his students. That was another thing about that student too, she was utterly brilliant and her marks would be the highest if she could manage a more regular attendance.
"We're going to be late." Dassous commented and Anandara went off to gather her work while Chat trailed after her, still pestering her for advice.
"You were right about that student." Dassous spoke lowly to Dai who picked his plate up and took it to the sink, cleaned it without comment. He felt particular about the situation, it was similar to Chat's and Dai felt protective over the young feline. But she was just a student among hundreds and to single one out went against common logic for a teacher.
"I've got witnesses from her other teachers and students that sit near her, she has come to her classes beaten black and blue regularly." Dassous was the councilor at the school, while he did not often deal directly with students he did do his best to help any of them when they clearly needed it.
It was Dassous who kept the school free of the rising problems with drugs and violence around the city. The outstanding male had been offered a job as principle a few years back but had denied since he intended to mate claim a teacher, Anandara, which he did a few months after. A principle's higher position forbid them from have mates among staff members.
"Let's go then!" Chat called from the front door and the two males moved silently. Both understood that the female would have to be taken into custody while her problems at home where dealt with. Dai did his best to shake off the feeling he was failing her by not dealing with her more directly.
Chat was unusually quiet on the train but the reason was obvious. The cart had been strangely empty but once they were seated it was obvious why. Sitting in the far corner of the cart was a tiny male. He looked ragged and his face was hidden in an oversized hood.
In his youth and most of his early life Chat had lived in his own personal hell. There were a lot of scars on his body and soul, some his close companions were not fully aware of still. When he had gotten out of that darker life and moved on he had met Dassous at college and the two had become friends. Anandara and Dai eventually came into the picture as well. The brother and sister had inherited a large Victorian house from their deceased parents and for a few years Chat had lived in the spacious basement.
Currently he lived on his own, made a good living as a teacher and was far from his childhood horrors. It wasn't often that anyone would see a worn down kid like the boy in this part of town and it tore deeply into Chat.
Leaving the other three he casually crossed the empty cart and sat beside the curled up ball. Anandara frowned furiously while Dassous and Dai minded their own business, respecting Chats choices.
"You in trouble?" he asked the small thing and the head shook in negative without looking up.
"You look like it." Chat commented but received no verbal reply. Sighing quietly he shook his head and pulled out his wallet, all he had was sixty. Across the cart Anandara was glowering heatedly at him but he ignored her, she could never understand this sort of thing. Rolling up the bills he slid them under the curled up fist on one knee. Fumbling around in his briefcase he pulled out a snack bar and opened it. The smell reached the little male and his stomach growled. Chat chuckled softly and balanced the bar on the knee of the hungry feline. The head lifted slightly and green eyes peered at the food. Blood and bruises marred his face but Chat knew if he made a big deal out of it the boy would only pull away. Reaching into his briefcase again he pulled out a handkerchief and offered it as well. A small paw reached out and took them before they fell, a barely audibly "thank you" was whispered.
While he ate quietly, Chat noticed that they would arrive at the school shortly, he wanted to stay with this boy but knew he could not miss his classes. Hopefully the feline would be on the train when the day was over, Chat had spent days on end riding these lines when he was younger and he hoped this male would copy that.
"I'm Chat, you are?" the small face looked up at him and a sharp turn by the train made his fall back his hood sliding back. Immediately the little female pulled it back into place as Chat felt a new type of pity twist with in him. He looked up with a frown and feeling of protectiveness when Dassous suddenly stood and approached, the male's eyes on the tiny female.
"Shi?" he accused more then asked and the petite form went ridged.
Hours had passed since Shi had first arrived at the school with her councilors paw firmly on her shoulder. Now she sat quietly in Dassous Kerner's office as the male had stepped out moments before. Trying to sneak away was impossible for she could hear him talking just outside the door and the window was too small for even her to squirm her way through. Proper care and finding who should be looking after her, he had stoically told her she was going to have a far better life from now on. But Shi knew his words were false, nothing was going to get better, just worst.
A soft turn of the door knob sounded before the male who had introduced himself as Chat on the train clamored in, balancing a full tray of food.
"Hello." he greeted her with a bright smile and Shi allowed their eyes to briefly meet. He took the gesture well and seated himself beside her without being to close. Wordlessly he set the tray on her lap and grinned when her stomach growled at the delicious smells.
"Hungry again are we?" he teased gently, his voice soft and non-aggressive.
"Dassous is going to help you." Chat told her after she had eaten most of the meal, watching her he noticed that her expression barely changed and it seemed more negative than positive.
"What's wrong?" moving a touch closer without crowding her, he leaned forward to catch her eyes. The two stared back and forth for a moment, obviously the female was unsure if she wanted to tell him anything and Chat tried to be as approachable as possible.
"They'll send me to my original caretakers?" she asked softly, at seventeen she still had a legal guardian and she knew who it was.
"Yeah, well find them." Chat replied with a smile but it faded at her apprehensive look.
"They were no better?' he suddenly asked Shi, surprising the female.
"I've been where you are. I know how it is." Chat assured her quietly as his eyes reflecting a far away pain.
"So if we bring social services into this you think they'll help? You want them around?' Shi shook her head negatively at this; they had never believed her as a child that the family had been hurting her so why would they now.
"Then what?" Chat asked. What else could she do?
"I'm almost done." was her tiny whisper, her voice a mumble.
"Done?"
"Here, at high school, I have scholarships, I've been accepted into college, all my scholarships will pay and then I'll be ok. Everything will change, I'll be my own caretaker and I won't live like this anymore." there was a fierce hope in her voice that cut Chat. He had done the same thing and used education to escape. Now he lived a good life, where he was happy and free from his past, he had made it, why not her too?
Right now he knew that forcing help onto her would only break her, she needed to do it her way.
"Chat." Dassous frowned at the male with his best scowl as they stood outside his office hours later.
"She's almost done this semester; she'll graduate and go off to a college far from here. Scholarships will fund her, I've checked Dassous, she's got plenty of them, her grades are top notch and everything, she can do this. One more month and she'll have graduated and moved on, she's so close." the argument was even enough, the female could very well make it on her own but that was not the problem.
"Social services will find her a home, she can't stay with you." Dassous calmly tried to finalize.
"Dassous' right, you can't afford to keep an adolescent kip in your home, your apartments tiny enough with just you." Anandara tried to reason with him, it was obvious that Chat was seeing himself in the female but this was too much. He really couldn't afford to keep her on his wage.
"Dai, you've got to see what I'm saying." Chat pleaded with the male, his opinion was rare and taken seriously. Right now he needed some back up to push Dassous into seeing just how key it was to let her succeed on her own.
"You can't afford it." Dai replied calmly and Chat's shoulders fell, he had prayed the male would see what he was trying to get across. Dai had always understood him when he really needed it.
"You need to find her somewhere else to live." Dai additionally tagged after a breath and Chat looked up with a puckered brow.
"Where else could she possibly live? I don't know anyone well enough to give her my word...unless..." Chat trailed of and gave Dai a measuring look.
"Oh no, Chat we are not taking her." Anandara cut in with a growl as her fur rose on her neck.
"Why not? You live on the second floor with Dassous, it's build to be a house in its own and the basement is nearly the same! No one's been using it since I moved out and you're not trying to rent it or anything." Chat argued fiercely, he had known his place was not the best option but their home was. He also knew it was a lot to ask but Shi deserved a chance.
"It's only until the end of the semester, two months at the most." Anandara shook her head negatively and Chat turned to Dai.
"Come on, Look at her! She's a shy little thing, she'll be barely noticeable!" he pointed to where Shi was seated down the hall with her ear phones on, completely oblivious of the conversation. The female was small, her height was minimum and her body frame lanky. Even with her adhesive bandage removed and her heavy sweater off her breasts were not really noticeable. Small tipped ears were pressed low in a submissive gesture while her green eyes stared meekly at the floor. Long strands of light grey wavy hair fell passed her shoulders down to her waist, wisps of it free from her pony tail and falling into her face. Every so often her eyes would glance over towards them and then back. When she glanced over and saw she was being watched she immediately froze and then slumped her shoulders and nervously tucked her tail.
"No." Anandara finalized not giving Shi a look but Chat noticed Dai did.
"You don't own the house." Chat snapped and turned to Dai, Anandara was the eldest but the house had been left in Dai's name while the possessions in it to Anandara.
"Dai she needs to do this on her own, if you force help on her she‘ll never be able to move forward. She has to takes those steps and she‘s trying to, taking that away will be like kicking her while she‘s down."
It was obvious that it meant a great deal to the male and if denied then the female could end up cramped in Chat's apartment, putting him in a financial bind. Dai already knew he felt defensive over her. The strange stirrings he had felt before had quickly become a strong protective feeling when he heard her story.
"Two months." he agreed and his sister began to argue but Chat just grinned, Dai never went back on anything he agreed to. Dassous frowned but said nothing, deducing quickly that Dai had some reason beyond Chat to put himself out.
"You'll like it here." Chat promised merrily has he escorted the small female into the large house. It was in a fancy neighborhood full of massive old styled houses and idyllic lawns.
"These stairs here lead up to Anandara and Dassous place, they're not so bad once you get to know them." he promised as he passed the wide stairs with a paw carved paw rail. At the top was a looming old wood door with intricate patterns carved into it.
He pushed open another door at floor level that was made of stained glass but covered with a dark green fabric on the other side. Shi marveled at the floral shapes and small designs carefully placed into the frame.
"Come on, this is where you'll have to come up to eat." he walked in easily while Shi trailed behind hesitantly, they passed a large set of closed dark oak doors that were also very stylized with carvings and a pair of antique glass doors sprawled open to revealed a spacious kitchen. Everything was made of old oak and the handles were all painted gold. Carvings were everywhere and the floor was made of a stunning stone tile. The table sheet, curtains and wall fixtures were all covered in a forest green silk. Just looking at the house from outside, Shi knew it would be expensive inside but she had not idea it would be this glamorous. Everything looked so expensive she knew if she ever broke anything she would die from humiliation.
"Amazing isn't it?" Chat asked with a grin, his first reaction to the home had been the same look the female wore.
Turning from the kitchen he walked down a bit further to the end of the hall. The wall was thankfully plain looking with a simple coat of pathos green paint. At the end though where three heavy looking elegant paw carved doors.
"This is the back door." The mixed male announced touching the door at the end of the hall.
"It stays locked normally so don't use it unless you really have to, if you come home late or something Dai would prefer you used the front. He sleeps right here." his paw jumped to the door on the left. Another heavy oak door that seemed very intimidating to her and across from Dai's room and on the right side of the back door was a less intimidating but still gorgeous looking door.
"This is the basement. It has everything but a kitchen." Swinging open the light door, Chat paused to show her a lock on the inside and where the light switch was. Descending the stairs, Shi saw a spacious room with furniture and carpet. The room was painted a deep crimson with gold stencils along the top and bottom. There was a long narrow window with heavy curtains above a huge poster bed with a heavy blanket and silk sheets tucked away in one corner. Another corner held a bookshelf full of books, a desk with pens and paper and various little writing items along the next wall. A couch with a TV and stereo system wired all around the room and two more rooms pushed against the farthest wall.
"That room with the gold door knob is your bathroom, the other in the laundry room. Dai will come down once a week to do laundry, most likely while your upstairs eating or bathing." Chat announced has he circled the room letting her look closer at everything.
"He'll leave you alone Shi and even though he's an intimidating male he won't hurt you. I swear he won't. If you pay close attention you'll see that he's harmless enough." The admiration was not overlooked by Shi but she merely nodded her head and looked around. Whatever this Dai wanted of her she'd obey completely if he would allow her to stay here for the rest of the semester. This place was not anything Shi could not ever even imagine herself living in
"So settle in for your first two weeks here, the second one you'll have to stay with me or upstairs with Dassous and Anandara." curious Shi looked at Chat with question but never said a word.
"Dai's going into heat, it'll last about six or so days."
Heat, he'd be aggressive and territorial during that time. Shi doubted he'd seek out her bed for mating since his breed mated for life and he didn't even know Shi.
His breed was the same as his sister's Shi guessed, Anandara Kerner was an instructor at the high school and a panther.
Who Dai was Shi wasn't too sure but she was not going to sum up courage to ask a question she would learn soon enough. Still peering around the room both she and Chat's ears peeked at a soft sound upstairs.
"That's Dai, come on up and I'll introduce you." Following Chat upstairs, Shi was ready to face any type of male. To promise she would do any and everything to be able to live here without mishap.
But the last male she expected to see was her history teacher. Chat made introductions and the male went along with them, not mentioning that Shi was his student.
Dai stood tall, she barely reached his shoulders. Like his sister he was defiantly a panther in powerful build and dark fur.
"I've got to run now." Chat muttered while looking at his watch. He glanced up at Shi and it was clear he didn't want to leave her just yet.
"Thank you." Shi whispered and bowed deeply to the male. Chat had understood her well and had worked hard to help her out.
"No problem." Chat replied and moved to the hall with Dai behind him to show the male out.
"I'll be here around seven tomorrow morning to go to the school with you both. Try not to scare her too much Dai, think of little kittens or fluffy bunnies and the like." listening to the door close Shi stood in the kitchen unsurely and meekly looked towards Dai when he returned.
"Are you hungry?" he asked her and Shi gave a start despite looking right at him.
"Well?" the male pressed slightly when she made no reply.
Shi nodded her head with her eyes down and watched him approach with a measure of trepidation. He walked around her though and pulled open the fridge.
"We'll eat pasta." came his announced and Shi reached out a paw timidly before pulling it back.
"What?" the panther asked the small female, living with Chat while he had been closed off had taught Dai to read silent body language well.
"Can...I?" was her meekly stutter and Dai frowned.
"Can you what?" he prompted in a calm tone.
"Cook?"
"Can you cook?" Dai allowed her a bemused look but the female nodded her head quietly, her eyes downcast.
"Do you know how to cook pasta?" was his inquiry and she nodded her head quickly. Giving her a measuring look Dai finally moved towards the heavy oak doors on the one side, they led into the same room as the other set beside the main entrance.
"Call me when it's done then."
Pasta took about two hours to make. The small student in his kitchen had been at work for five hours.
Dai growled his irritation lightly before pulling off his sleek reading glasses. Pushing back his chair he stood from his father's old desk cluttered with his own work and made his way to the kitchen.
Grasping the door handle he pulled the door open and walked into the kitchen and Shi who seemed to be working up the nerve to call him.
Surprised by the sudden contact Shi jerked back but wasn't agile enough to keep her balance on the tile floors. A large paw closed on her upper arm and pulled her back up right, but also lightly closer to her teacher. Horridly embarrassed by her clumsiness she apologized softly and asked Dai to seat down to eat.
She had prepared everything Dai noted immediately, dishware, silverware, and pots for the food. Even the garlic bread sat on a cutting board Dai had not seen in a few years.
Garlic bread?
"Where did you find the bread?" he asked while sitting, noting he did not have any he was aware of.
"Uhh, I made it." she muttered out while she sat across from his in a quick meek movement.
"From scratch?" Dai blinked and watched the female nod her head quickly.
Taking a helping of the food he noted she waited for him to take what he wanted before she followed suite, a very submissive action. The bread was from scratch and so was the sauce and the various extra ingredients added to the meal.
"Where did you learn to cook like this? And fine the cooking supplies." he asked, still rather surprised to have a full course meal over his usual simple made dinners.
"I worked in a restaurant before and me and Chat when shopping earlier, he bought way more then I needed but he insisted."
"How long did you work in a restaurant?" the male pressed, knowing the female needed to talk and listen to him to ever become less afraid of him.
"Since I was eight until they closed when I was sixteen. They let me eat free means and paid my school bills in return." Across from her the male paused but made no comment as he glanced up at her. She was eating small bits with a very nervous nature about her. Dai did not want to upset her by pointing out that she should have made much more money than that. Silence fell again but this one was less tense so Dai focused on the meal rather pleased with it.
"How old is Chat?" the small female meekly spoke up about half way through the meal.
"24."
"That young?" Shi replied, not covering her astonishment.
"He's already a teacher too...he said he grew up in a place like where I live."
"Lived." Dai corrected his voice a bit rougher then he intended, it bothered him that she was still trapped by her memories.
"Sorry." was the low reply and the female immediately pulled back.
Shi didn't try to talk after that and Dai did not want to bother with conversation after giving her a minor scare. He knew he had blown it when he let any type of aggression show. Still the female needed to understand that her life was not going to be the same. The sooner she accepted that things could get better the more she would open up. He was curious about her and wanted to know more about her life and what she was planning for her future. The panther had been interested in her since she had first shown up in his classroom; she had always stood out for some reason. But he knew she need time to open up and he had to be patient with her.
Dinner finished and Shi cleared the table and washed the dishes while Dai had watched, knowing he should offer to help but the female seemed determined to prove herself so he let he be. They had eaten late due to Shi's timely preparations so after the dishes were finished she excused herself to go to her new room. After sitting down at the desk and doing what work she could without any text books or notes she went to bed. Laying on the silky sheets that felt like heaven on her fur and the mattress that cushioned her sore body she felt surreal. Part of her wondered if she was going to wake up and find herself only dreaming.
At five am her alarm sounded and Shi jerked awake not used to the odd noise it emitted. Usually she had gotten up on habit since she never had an alarm before. After fumbling with it she pulled the cord and spent a few minutes on learning exactly how it would turn off with being yanked from its power source.
Showering and dressing with a quickness that was habit, she then wandered up stairs. Noting Dai still in his room she peering at the intimidating door that resembled its owner for a moment, before she eventually went to the kitchen and began breakfast.
Dai was surprised when he smelled her cooking after just stepping from the shower. He dressed and found her making a full morning meal. Classes did not begin until eight and Dai usually did not eat until later but obviously the young student was making an effort to be useful.
Besides the food smelled much better than anything he threw together.
Sitting down at the table he looked up when Shi began to hum lightly to herself. Turning to reach something on the island across from her she gave a jump when she saw him.
"I...I didn't hear you come in." she stuttered out.
"Too busy humming." Dai replied evenly, usually most did not react well to his occasional teasing but she broke into an oh-so-slight grin. The first one he had seem her ever give since she walked into her class half a year ago. Looking away from the intriguing female he noticed a small stack of paper from the desk down stairs lying neatly on the table. Reading over the top page without picking it up he noted it was an assignment his class was due to paw in today, a very poorly done assignment.
"It's all I have." she said to him with her back still turned.
"I had a better one but I left it in my old place." Shi had worked hard on the assignment and had been proud of her work. But her pride was not worth chancing a trip back to her old place.
"Why not get it." Dai asked quietly seemingly oblivious to her thoughts.
"I don't want to go back."
"How far is it from here?" Dai pushed her, she needed high marks to keep her scholarships and Dai was not going to give them out of pity. More so she needed to face that place one last time and let her fears go.
"From here on the bus? About forty minutes or so." Shi guessed quietly, praying he would leave the situation be.
"After we eat we'll go over and return in time to meet Chat." his tone did not leave it open for discussion and her own fears kept her from voicing how desperately she wanted to discuss it.
In the end she was not able to work up the nerve to tell him she would not go so now they were walking up the crumbled steps of the station. At this time of morning mostly everyone was asleep in the general area. Hopefully she could get through this without more humiliation the necessary. Approaching her old building, she spotted one of her text book and quickly retrieved it. At the steps her bag was still laying there, her work still scattered all around, her male school uniform was torn to shreds as well. Without glancing at the male behind her Shi knelt and picked up what was salvageable. The movement caused slight pain in her ribs, her early aches staring to be felt though the pain killers Dassous Kerner had given her to take each night. Standing up again she looked up at the building, why did her teacher have to come along? Now he could see what her life was like just a day earlier.
There was trash and graffiti everywhere, broken and dirty windows with old tape and blankets hung up over them. The building itself was falling apart with cracks and old peeling paint. Worst yet, all the buildings around them where the exact same or worst. The walk ways where covered with cigarette butts and needles laid about casually in various places.
The scents where far to vile for her to even think about as she forced herself to move up the steps. Pushing open the main door she gave a slight jump when the door fell off its hinges. Embarrassed and ashamed the small female waved her paw to clear some of the dust the door had caused to fly into the air. Leading him without looking back they walked through rotten floors and foul smelling halls going to her room. The door was kicked in, meaning someone had come looking for her.
Praying that they had gone she breathed a sigh of relief to find the place vacant when she pushed the door open completely.
The room was a single area with a mattress in one corner and a cracked toilet in the other.
Her little kitchen or found furniture where sad looking but well cleaned. The wallpaper was ripped and peeled in most places with various posters and magazines plastered over the faded walls.
Someone had come in and looked around, the mattress was pulled halfway from its spot, draws where pulled open, and a chair had been kicked over. Whoever it was had rummaged around, looking for any hidden money it seemed.
Walking around the overturned mattress she tugged the side panel of the wall and it came off easily enough, revealing a stack of papers and some books. Reaching out a paw she gathered it all up and hugged it to her body. The female said nothing of explanation, not wanting to admit the room was often broken into and she had to hide what she cared about very carefully.
When a low malice filled growl erupted in the room Shi went completely stiff and whirled around.
Dai was staring a little ways passed the door way with his ears down, fur up, and tail lashing.
Standing beyond the broken door with a dark look directed at her was her land lord.
"I knew you'd come back." he sneered at her, eyeing her up a look that told her he knew she was female. When he spoke Dai gave a low snarl but neither seemed to hear it.
"They always do." the tiger spoke on as he ignored Dai's clear growled warnings.
"You've lied to me for years you little bitch." the violent male spat out and walked towards the much smaller female. Shi did not turn away or look around for any escape, Dai was forgotten in this males terrible presence.
There was no way out now, she knew all too well what he was capable off, had seen other fail time and time again to get away.
Staring at the tiger as he approached she knew what he was about to do to her and that she could not escape him.
It was disgusting, a filthy place reeking of sex, drugs, and alcohol. How any kitten could grow up here was impossible to see much less anyone like Shi. But she had somehow managed to raise herself and even find a way to enroll in the education system. Even more, she did it without becoming a whore, drug abuser, or alcoholic. The same could not be said for the stinking male tiger who had just entered the room. He spat at Shi and began to stalk towards her despite Dai's clear growls. The tiny student of his sat there with horror frozen on her face. But more than that was a look of submission, of giving up immediately when she had fought so hard previously. This male had to have done something gruesome to be able to inspire such dread so instantly. The male tried to simply slip passed Dai and the panther immediately let his paw fly to show the male he was not getting by. Catching the scruff of his neck he harshly yanked him back into the wall beside the door.
"She belongs to me!" the male snarled at Dai, still not looking towards the panther.
"Like hell she does." Dai hissed back as he moved to step in between the small female and the tiger.
When the male made no move towards him, Dai glance back to Shi.
"We're leaving now." he snapped and in a glimpse saw her eyes, still locked on the tiger male, widen.
The small warning gave him the seconds need to tense his body otherwise the male would have knocked Dai over. Turning back he snarled at the claws digging into his ribs while leaning back to avoid fangs aimed for his neck.
Allowing them to fall back suddenly the tiger was not ready and Dai quickly kicked him off and into the wall. Rolling back up he frowned at the male who stayed down passively.
Without looking away he held out a paw towards Shi and the female immediately grabbed it, still staring at the fallen male.
Dai had only meant to beckon the female but accepted her paw in his as her trembling fingers gripped his with all their strength.
The panther stared the tiger down until they he and Shi at the doorway. Slowly he turned his back to lead Shi though the halls and leave.
He heard the male rise and carefully he caught the sound of something being lifted. Immediately Dai pushed Shi forward and ducked clear before whirling towards the male.
With the memento he raised a paw and struck the male in the chest. His claws dug deep as the tiger screamed in pain. Twisting his fingers down the panther ripped his paw free, the action creating four gapping slashed on the male's chest. He stumbled back and fell heavily against the wall with blood already seeping at alarming speed.
Frowning down at him Dai wondered briefly if he was a little too animalistic at times. He supposed he should sit down and think on that sometime in the future, right now he could not care less about it.
Turning he grasped Shi's elbow and led her from the room and then the building for good.
The entire time he never heard a single sound from her beyond her unsteady breathing.
"Do not speak of this to anyone." he said to her quietly once they were on the train together. The feline nodded her head once and watched as he pressed a paw to his side. The claw marks where not deep enough to cause concern but they still stung like hell. Putting down the papers and books she had never stopped holding to her chest she very carefully moved a tiny bit closer to the male. Biting her lip she reached up to her shoulder and unsheathed her own claws. With ease she cut her sleeve and then tore it free, sliding it from her fur. Silently she offered it out and Dai took it without comment, aware of her eyes on him despite her timid condition.
They arrived at the house and Dai went straight to his room, closing the door. Taking another shower he cleaned the wounds from the male's claws and bandaged them before redressing. When he came into the kitchen Chat was already there talking lightly with Shi who had changed her clothing to get rid of the scents. Sitting down Dai made up another plate of food as if he not eaten earlier, accepted Chat's greeting, and went about has if nothing was out of place. The little cougar silently played along as she spoke softly to Chat.
For the first time in her life Shi had someone who had stood up for her. The little female was never going to forget what her teacher had just done for her. Beyond protecting her, beyond helping her, the panther had defeated the male she had feared her entire childhood. He had overpowered the fears that had held her all her life. No matter what the small female would do everything in her power to show her gratitude
Letting Chat talk Dai tried not to think too hard on the events of the morning. Still he had to accept he had crossed a line, a teacher would not have done something like that. Dai should have immediately called the police after the fight. But then he knew it would most likely end with Shi being taken into custody. The tiny feline was desperate to avoid that and Dai knew he did not want her leaving either. She was young and he understood that but he also recognized in the short time she had been here his interest in her was not entirely proper. Pushing back any other thought on the matter he focused on the conversation at hand.
Neither of the two acknowledged it yet but the air between them had changed completely and was a possible foreshadow of what would happen between them yet.