I do not know for sure how much time we spent talking. Maybe four or five hours. All I know is that the bell that announced dinner, as Uncle Desdiro told me, interrupted our conversation. We began talking about how I got there and then we talked about books and hobbies I did. When we were talking about me staying there and he offering me of teaching me the old rules, the signal was hearable. Taking my arm, as to help me walk, we joined the other ones. I recognized Kyra, Gwen and Adrian, but did not remember the name of the rest, although they had been introduced to me only a few hours before. Frustrated with myself, I took place near Uncle Desdiro and Shira.
"Are you feeling better?" She asked me.
"Yes, I can walk without much help."
"Don't tell that Adrian. He will make you train like the others." She smiled. We both looked at Adrian, who was sitting three places ahead on the other side of the table.
"I heard that and I'm glad you'll join us tomorrow." He had an arrogant, indolent smirk on his face. I remembered the man training outside and I felt my face becoming whiter than the sheet. I could not handle through that kind of work.
"Hey, don't be scared. I won't make you work very hard." I wondered why the smile he had on his lips made me think that his definition of a not very hard work was different from mine. Uncle Desdiro and Shira must have thought the same thing, because their look meant that he should go easy on me. He did not seem to mind.
I took a good look at the people surrounding me. Adrian was talking to a beautiful girl, whose hair was muddy-brown and curly and whose eyes were of the most impressive blue. I remember thinking that their relationship seemed to be more than just friendship. Shira was holding hands with one of the most handsome young man I have ever seen. I think his name was Delano. All his body shouted out hotness and sexiness. His eyes were in the same shade as Adrian and Uncle Desdiro, but his hair was even darker than the other two. When he moved, I thought of a feline moving towards its prey. His body seemed to have been made to attract any woman. I felt attracted, but I saw how he looked at Shira and knew that the only woman for him was her. The attraction faded, it was worthless to be attracted to someone who had his mind on someone else.
In the middle of the dinner, Dark Fur came. Sitting on my lap, she made a silent company to me. I was thinking that I would like that at home one could be like this, in family. At home, it was unthinkable that some could talk about what some wanted. Father was a very silent man that only once said one thing to me and it was that I should listen to my mother. Mother made all the talking alone; sharing rumours and stories she though important, as we should visit Mrs. Bourvonne, who was suffering from a severe chill, the poor thing. My sister sometimes said something, but mostly the conversation was filled with Mother's words.
*What are you thinking?* Dark Fur opened her eyes and looked at me.
"Just how I like this kind of dinners." I whispered.
*You never had a dinner as this one?* She seemed surprised. Her ears went up as though she heard something wrong.
"When Mother invited someone to have dinner with us, or when we had dinner in someone else's house, we always had to behave and where never comfortable, not even at my grandmother's house. Here I feel free and at ease." I admitted, still keep low voice.
*Really? Not even at your grandmother's house?* Dark Fur was shocked. I nodded in response. *You do have a strange family.*
I felt a bit sad. "It's the only one I got."
She laid her head again and closed her eyes. *Until now. You are now part of this, even if no one told you that. You call the Lord of Yerdoth as Uncle Desdiro and you are sitting next to him and his adopted child, the most gifted woman in the world. They accepted you, before you woke up. Even before you came out of the woods.*
"Why are you saying that? They do not know me. How can they accept someone they don't know?" I raised an eyebrow.
*As I said, Shira is the most gifted woman in the world. She saw you coming. You are part of what is coming. No one knows what it is; only Shira does and she does not want to tell no one. Not even Delano knows.*
I looked around, pausing in every face. "They're all part of this, aren't they?"
She opened her eyes. Through the expression, I understood that I was right. Everyone was there gathered because of something yet to come.
I looked at Shira and at Delano and then turned my gaze to the Lord of Yerdoth. He was talking to one of the men who were introduced to me earlier that day. I eyed Adrian and the beautiful girl sitting next to him. They looked like they were in love, so did Shira and Delano. After looking at each of the men and women sitting at the table, I excused myself. Followed by Dark Fur, I went to the garden. I could walk much better and did not need to stop that many times. I saw the forest in the background. I did not feel like going there anymore.
The garden was well organized. It seemed to be taken care of everyday. I stopped at the place where before the others have been working on. Blue flowers grew healthily there. Dark Fur sat on a stoned bench near the spot. I joined her. I looked up. The moon was yellowy white and many stars shone above. I stayed there for some time, just enjoying being outside.
*Tomorrow, I will show you around. Maybe they allow us to go to the city.*
"That'll be nice, thank you." I remained silent for some time. Then I asked. "For how long have they been here?"
*They moved here when they were between five and seven. Only Delano and Adrian joined them much later. They were both twenty-three. Shira officially moved here when she was eight, but she had already visited Uncle Desdiro and was tutored by the Lord of Yerdoth when she was only three. My mother's clan moved to the forest on the other side of the mansion when I still was not born. I met Diam when he was thirteen. He had joined the others when he was seven and still was not very fond of no one, although he liked the others, he still does. He found me at the edge of the forest, I was only three human years old and was not ready for human contact, but the moment I saw him I knew we would be friends. I am with him since then... Sorry I fell off from the question a little.*
"Don't be sorry. You seem to like this Diam a lot. He isn't here, is he?"
*No, he is not. Shira sent him to do some assignment. No one knows how long he is going to be gone. Not even Shira does.*
"You couldn't go with him?"
*He did not let me and Shira said I was needed here. Mother always told me to trust on the Gifted Woman, so I stayed.*
"You miss him."
*A lot. He is my human. I never got along with the others, because I cannot. When I saw you, I felt the same thing as I did when I saw Diam. You are also my human.*
"What do you mean with that?" I got really confused.
*Well, every creature belongs to someone and that someone belongs to the creature. It is a feeling of dedication, respect and protection that rules the relationship between the creature and the human.*
"Maybe that's what I felt." I murmured.
*Sorry? I did not understand.*
"When I looked at you, I felt something different. Maybe it was that. Just one more thing I do not get. How is it possible to you to speak? No animal does so."
*One creature only talks to his humans. And to Shira. She can talk to any creature.*
"That explains some things." Silence settled between us. Later, we returned to the mansion. Dark Fur led me to my room. On my bed, I found my belongings. Upon them, a letter was put. In a careful and beautiful handwriting it may be read:
Feel free to use the coffer. You may put your things in it. I noticed you did not own a nightgown, so I put next to your things the white gown you used while being unconscious.
Good Night,
Shira
I took the advice and opened the coffer that was in front of the big sized bed. After having put everything in it, I closed the coffer and prepared myself to sleep. Dressing the gown, I undid my bed.
*May I sleep next to you?*
"Fine with me, but I don't know if they allow you."
*They do. I just have to sleep on the sheets.*
I lay down and covered myself with the sheets that smelled as they have been washed recently. Then I mentioned for Dark Fur to get next to me. The moment my eyes shut, numbness took over me.