Chapter Three

Cody sat by Penelope's bed, watching the whelp rest. She never thought she would feel this good about it. She watched as she moved her red orange hand over her face to scratch an itch, and her dark brown locks framed her face when she moved, she noticed how the child's hair framed her horns, how her teeth added to her face in a way that showed beauty. No fear, no pain, her face was calm. Everything about her screamed "innocent" nothing made her look like a monster. Cody felt like she could sit there forever, watching the child. She didn't even notice Faith standing at the door.

"Hey Cody, Jaggars here to 'talk' to you." She said.

"Ugh, again? I thought I made it clear we are never getting back together!"

"Welp, guess he can't take a hint."

Cody groaned and stood up, she walked out the door, carefully closed it behind her, and walked to her living room to see a muscular man with tan skin, black hair, and a pleading look in his brown eyes.

"Cody, darling, I am so sorry! Please just listen, I-"

Cody raised her hand to cut him off. "First off, You do not get to call me 'darling' you lost that right when you SLEPT WITH ISABELA! Second off, if you think I buy that you're 'sorry' for it, you don't know me at all!"

"You never wanted to! What did you expect!" shouted.

"I expected you to respect me and not treat me like I'm in the wrong for not getting those urges, or wanting to act on your urges! And if you weren't okay with it, I expected you to break it off first, or at least say something!"

Jaggar's mouth opened and closed like a fish, his face turned red, sweat came down from his brow. He raised a hand and finally spoke.

"I am so sorry for that, I admit I made a mistake, it was foolish and I just want you back," the desperation in his voice was pathetic.

"Too bad, We are never going to get back together. Not after what you did. You lost my trust," she pointed to the door and said through her teeth "Now get out. Before I make you."

He let out a grunt and left. Cody smirked as he did.

"Did you see that? I think his tail was between his legs," Faith said with a laugh. "You were great."

Cody turned to her roommate. "Well, I'll admit it, some people just deserve a high five, in the face, with a chair."

They both let out a laugh, okay, Faith wasn't bad. Cody heard a groan coming from Penelope's room. She walked over to it. She saw Kizer perched on the bed frame, building a nest out of strips of fabric. It took a moment to realize what it was from.

"Kizer! That is for Penelope! Don't tear up her blanket, or use the fabric from the pile on the nightstand, that's for Penelope to eat!"

"Gee sorry!" He shouted and flew to her shoulder.

Cody looked at Penelope, her auburn eyes were open, she was rubbing her leg, just under her knee.

"Why won't it work?" she asked.

"Oh Penelope, I'm looking into it. I'll see if we can fix it okay?"

"Okay," Penelope said quietly.

Cody noticed she was arranging her food in a way that looked like a tree.

"Do you like art?"

"Art?"

"Like painting, drawing, and sculpting."

"Oh that. I love watching kids do it, I want to."

Cody smiled at the child, she picked her up and held her close to her chest. Penelope buried her face in her shoulder.

"I can teach you." She whispered into the child's ear.

Penelope's head shot up like lightning. "You can?!"

Cody sat her in a chair, and looked for her sketchbooks and pencils.