Playing with Abla.

[Zilnafa]

"Ohhh. Whew." Zilnafa felt a rush of relief. "I thought I almost word vomited. I didn't know if Micheal wanted me to tell you. He is a nice guy. The perfect boyfriend if you ask me."

She paused. "Well actually, don't ask me. I know nothing about dating."

She caught sight of a green tail waving triumphantly as it made it's way back to Jory. She laughed when Abla lept on to his lap with her wet paws.

[Jory Addison]

Everyone knew about Michael and Dare, so Jory couldn't see any reason Michael wouldn't want someone to know. He opened his lips to reply to her next words but was interrupted by the tiny, slightly wet body came onto his lap. "Good girl," he cooed, reaching to pet her with long strokes before scratching at her ears. "You fetch better than most dogs," he continued in a voice that was notably higher than his normal one.

[Zilnafa]

Zilnafa could hear Jory's voice go up an octave. She thought she might know what it was about but she really wasn't sure. She should ask.

"Are you okay?"

Abla thrilled with the attention she was getting played it up. She rolled onto her back and squirmed showing off her slightly lighter green stomach and rrrrring.

[Jory Addison]

Jory looked over at Zilly and felt heat spread up his neck to his cheeks when he realized what he had been doing. "Yeah, sorry, I talk funny to animals." He always had, he hadn't been able to help it. He quickly moved on, trying to distract her from it. "So you've never had a boyfriend?" he asked. That was hard to believe.

[Zilnafa]

Zilnafa laughed.

"I talk to them funny too. It makes me feel better." Sh admitted. So far she was the only one who talked to them funny that she knew. But Jory had conceded that he baby-talked them too. She wasn't alone.

His voice jolted her back and she answered his question. "I haven't had the time for them. Besides, the custom in Africa isn't what you look like or who you are, it's who you're related too. And since I'm an orphan, no boys have ever looked at me like that."

She didn't want to tell Jory that she hated the way she looked. And she knew boys didn't like the way she looked either. She wasn't pretty and she had a terrifying look that made boys think something along the lines of, 'She might be better at sports then me. I can't talk to her.'

[Jory Addison]

"Well that's stupid," Jory said, his eyebrows coming together. "You're really pretty and nice. If you were a guy I'd so ask you out." He grinned and his mind moved completely from the original topic of conversation to the current one. He didn't think she was terrifying, and really the only point there had been anything weird had been her laughing at him that one time.

[Zilnafa]

Zilnafa blushed from Jory's comment but noticed that what he had said had returned his mind to the original conversation. She wanted to get him away from that. He didn't need to think about that now.

Abla must have sense his mood change as well because she sat up and mewed at him in her scratchy cat voice.

"So..." Zilnafa searched for a topic. "You know that Draco means dragon? It's my favorite constellation."

[Jory Addison]

Jory hadn't been thinking about their original conversation, he had been thinking about how much a shame it was that Zilly had never been able to have a boyfriend. "No," he said, then moved on. "You're not allowed to change the subject like that. You should have a boyfriend." He didn't consider that it might take her away if she did get one.

[Zilnafa]

Zilnafa flinched away from Jory when he snapped at her. She didn't like men yelling at her. It brought back memories she didn't want.

"Sorry." She whispered.

Abla hissed at Jory puffing to twice her size and backed away towards Zilnafa. She kept growling until she sat on Zilnafa's shoulder and even then she watched Jory warily. It made Zilnafa feel better that at least Abla would still stay with her.

[Jory Addison]

"Sorry," Jory mumbled. "I didn't think I was doing anything wrong." He certainly hadn't intended to snap, he thought he was being matter-of-fact. He must have sounded completely different than he thought he had to get such a reaction. He really hadn't done anything wrong! Had he? His eyes focused on his back of chocolate chips that he soon closed and set on the ground in front of him so he could pull out his marbles to keep his hands busy.