Toralei awoke the next morning wrapped in an array of blankets and somehow under a pillow.

"What the fang?" she muttered, forgetting the events of last night for a moment until she had managed to get out of the large plush bed and smelt the scent of some kind of meat frying downstairs.

'you mean she brought me in here last night? Why didn't she just let me sleep on the couch?' The orange were-cat thought as she glanced into the mirror, groaning when she saw her hair and fur was sticking up.

"great...this is just Purr-Fect." she muttered, licking her hand before trying to smooth her hair and fur. She had not only slept strangely on her tail, which was still numb but her fur would not stay down.

"I see you've finally woke up sleepyhead." Grace stated from the doorway, catching the young cat by surprise.

"Uh...what time is it?" the teen asked with a yawn, causing the woman to chuckle.

"three in the afternoon...you better be glad that we're still in spring break or I would probably have woken you up because I would have to go to work." Bloodgood stated and Toralei sighed.

"What do you do?" she asked curiously and the woman answered "I'm the headmistress of a school for those of us who are not...natural."

'so she isn't human after all.'

"Okay...good to know." Toralei muttered as she continued to smooth down her fur.

"you can use the hairbrush you know." the older woman chuckled handing it to her.

"thank you." Toralei muttered, still tired and sore from the previous day's events.

Grace chuckled silently at the young ghoul's moodiness as she left the room.

'I hope she's not mad at me...' she thought a little worried.

As soon as she felt somewhat presentable she headed downstairs and into the kitchen.

"I see you've finally come down." Grace teased, earning a glare from the young teen who sat down at the table.

"zip it." Toralei yawned as her tail flicked a little.

Grace only laughed softly and put a plate of food in front of the young girl.

"there eat...we're going shopping. You need some new clothes and I am sure you don't want to wear my old clothes all the time." the older of the two stated and Toralei glanced down.

"I can't pay you back..." she began and was surprised when the woman placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Toralei...you don't have too pay me back for anything I do for you or get you. I offered you a place to stay and you're my responsibility now." Grace replied and the young were-cat glanced up, green eyes meeting pale blue.

"I can't ask you...to do that. You're..." Toralei began but stopped herself.

'I can't say that...I just can't. Its probably wishful thinking. But...I can't risk hurting her.' she thought bitterly.

"You don't have to ask me to do it Toralei...I am going to do it because you are under my care now." The tall woman stated and the young feline had to advert her eyes as tears pressed behind them.

"I don't want to owe you anything..." the tabby whimpered, trying to fight emotion.

"Toralei...look at me...please and tell me what you mean." the headmistress stated softly as she lifted the young girl's chin slightly.

Toralei gently pulled away form the gentle hand and kept her eyes on the floor.

"its nothing...can you just please leave me alone for a minute...please?" the teen whimpered in reply, trying not to cry from the thoughts.

"it don't seem like nothing." Grace whispered softly though she waited for the girl to talk.

"it is nothing." Toralei retorted softly, her voice strained.

"Toralei just go eat. You can tell me when you're ready." her new guardian muttered and the young were-cat nodded as she sat down on the table and began to pick at her food.

'should I tell her?...can I trust her that much?' Toralei wondered as she glanced over at the woman.

"its just...everyone always expects something of me...sometimes when I was a kitten..." she began but couldn't finish her statement, tears about to fall.

"shh...I don't know what all this is about but I promise I expect nothing in return for anything I give to you." Grace stated as she ran her hand through the girl's hair.

"what do you expect of me then?" the girl sniffled and the woman smiled softly.

"first off that you'll trust me...I won't hurt you...or let anything hurt you for that matter." she answered and the young teen glanced down.

"I'll try...to meet your expectations..." the orange were-cat managed to say as her eyes finally spilled over.

Grace wasn't sure how to react to the girl who seemed so distant right now.

"I won't ask you any more than to try to keep out of trouble and not be too out of control." the woman replied, now moving her hand to the girl's back using a petting like motion to try to comfort her.

Toralei leaned slightly into the touch as she tried not to let her emotions out.

"Toralei...don't be afraid to cry. No one will judge you here." Grace whispered.

'no one will judge me here? Its only her and that demon horse...' the fourteen year old thought pulling away but not out of reach.

After a few minutes of silence the teen turned to the woman and added "thanks."

"For what?" Grace asked softly and Toralei shrugged then answered

"everything."

"you're welcome." Grace replied kindly as the young teen stood up stiffly and took her plate to the sink.

"aren't you going to eat?" the feline asked and Grace smiled.

"I woke up much earlier remember?" the adult chuckled teasingly.

Toralei let herself smile slightly and retorted "yeah well you get sleep on a regular schedule...at lease last night I slept well." then after a short pause she added with a blush "sorry I fell asleep on you."

"after how much you've been I am surprised you're even awake now." Grace Bloodgood retorted and the teen's smile brightened a bit.

'she's not that bad...she really is nice.' the teen thought as she, for the first time, held the woman's gaze.

"thanks again for just...helping me last night." she whispered, glancing away slightly as a blush came over her.

"I wasn't about to just let you be that upset...no child should ever be faced with that much pain." Grace replied.

Toralei glanced down at the floor, her thoughts going crazy.

'How could someone be that open to someone like me? I am nothing but trouble.' Toralei thought but only sighed.

"Actually Miss I do." Toralei stated softly, feeling that the woman should know everything.

"What do you mean?" Grace asked and the Tabby sighed.

"I'm tired of you thinking I'm just innocent...but I'm not..." Toralei admitted, despite the lump in her throat.

'she'll hate me...but I...I need to tell her everything so she knows what she's getting in to.'

"what do you mean?" the woman asked, causing the girl to flinch.

"I use to have to steal...its not because I wanted too. Its just..." the teen tried to explain but had to pause to keep from choking up.

"I understand Toralei...it doesn't mean a thing but there will be no need for you to steal any-longer." Grace replied reassuringly.

The woman had worked with children and teens for a long time and understood how the girl must have felt.

Toralei glanced up in surprise, shocked that the older monster still showed the same kindness as the previous night even though she knew the truth.

"are...are you sure?" The teen stammered, feeling that this was too good to be true.

"I do not say things I do not mean or can not keep." Grace replied, a ghost of a smile displaying on her face.

'I know I can trust her...but...how can I be sure this wont blow up in my face? How can I be sure?' she wondered.

"but why would you be so...nice to me? I've never done a thing for you..." Toralei whispered, trying to understand everything.

Grace sighed, unsure of what would show the ghoul that she was serious.

"because I have no reason to not to be and besides you're just a child." she finally answered.

"I'm no child..." the fourteen year old muttered as she thought 'I lost that innocence a long time ago.'

"do you get my point though?" the older woman asked softly and the were-cat nodded.

"I guess so." she answered, tail flicking a little in nervousness.

Toralei glanced over at her new guardian who was waiting for her to relax, though concern shone in her face.

"Sorry I spewed all of this onto you but its just..." the younger ghoul tried to explain but stopped herself, the look that the older monster gave her showed her that she understood.

"if you need to talk you can come to me...I think there is a few other ghouls that you should meet...they really have the same issue as you. I'll try to introduce you to them before spring break ends so you'll know at lease someone before you start." she responded gingerly, causing the young were-cat to look up, surprised.

"I...I would like that." Toralei stated shyly, feeling suddenly unsure.

"they are nice girls but they have...trust issues. It might be good for both you and them if you had someone to relate to." Grace stated gently.

Toralei nodded and smiled slightly.

"Thanks." the teen stated softly, being able to see that the woman was generally concerned then added "I guess we should go now...Since I slept for over eight hours."

"I was just about to suggest that." the elder of the two retorted.

Once they were at the Maul The young were-cat slowly began to search for anything that caught her eye, still afraid to ask for anything.

"see anything you like?" Grace asked, coming up behind her.

"uh...sort of." came the soft answer and the older of the two rolled her eyes.

"well take your time. If you like it get it." Bloodgood retorted with a sigh.

Soon however Toralei had a few different outfits that she had liked, still afraid to trust the woman completely.

"I'll pay for this, you can wonder around for a bit while I finish up getting some of the stuff I need. Just please stay out of trouble." Grace stated, smiling slightly at the teens Timid behavior.

"Okay...thanks." the Tabby replied in a whisper as she headed out of the door.

The fourteen year old sighed as she walked through the different stores, until someone fell backward and knocked her into the floor.

"EOW! What's the big idea!" She hissed, shoving the person off of her as she sat up.

"sorry...I'm just in a hurry to get back home. My sister is sick." a soft, frightened voice stated and Toralei sighed as she got to her feet.

"its fine." She muttered offering her hand to the other were-cat, who was still seated on the ground.

"sorry." the gray furred ghoul repeated before bolting off.

"what the fang what that about?" Toralei muttered before shrugging and continuing on her way.

However she soon regretted that choice because she could hear someone whispering, though her sensitive hearing could pick up on everything said.

"look at her...why is she dressed like that? Is she that poor?"

She was use to hearing snide remarks like that but even though she didn't show it, the comment had hurt.

'yeah well you try to live like I did...you wouldn't last two days.' Toralei thought angrily as she turned and started walking back toward the store where she had left Bloodgood.

'jeez why do I want to be near her right now?...I never needed anyone before.' the teen thought even though she knew it was a lie, she had always wanted someone to be able to turn to but had almost always received pain.

Memories began to swirl in her mind as she walked, causing her to fight back tears.

'why is it that ever since I have been near Grace I want to cry?' she thought bitterly, though in her heart she knew the answer.

"What's wrong?" a voice suddenly called her from her thoughts and she turned to see her guardian standing there, looking concerned.

"can we just go home? I really don't want to be here." the teen whispered and the woman sighed.

"of course." Grace replied gingerly, leading the way back out.