*Jasper*
I watched my family leave before I looked up at her. Her slender figure was shadowed by the golden light behind her, but I still see her looking down at me. Her face said it all. Without hesitation, I was in her room. She wasn't at all surprised at me appearing almost out of nowhere.
"Are you okay? Sit down."
I led her over to the bed, my hands wrapped around her thin, but surprisingly strong arms, and sat her down. She looked pitiful, her hair and face wet with tears, and her body was crumpled in on itself, making her look small. I wiped the tears from her eyes, and pushed her hair back. Her eyes were shiny with tears, but the redness of them only made the turquoise colour or her irises even more startling. I knew from her expression that she wouldn't want to explain. I don't remember deciding to invite her to me. But suddenly, my arms were open, and she was coming into them.
The same type of undecided action happened again, and this time, Jemima ended up curled up on my lap, her head on my chest.
She held onto my jumper like a child seeking reassurance.
"Shhh..." I soothed, stroking her beautiful, soft hair.
She relaxed a little, and soon I could hear her breathing more deeply. She was asleep. Cradling her, I shifted up the bed, and lay down. Jemima moved to lay beside me, with her torso on my chest, and her legs beside mine, one slightly on top.
Her hand slightly clenched my jumper over my chest, and her leg rose a little higher on mine as she settled into a more comfortable position.
I looked down at her, "I'm sorry, Jemima."
Sliding her off of me, I got up silently, and with one last look at her, asleep on the bed, I took off out of the window, making sure to shut it behind me.
I slipped through the night to the forest. I took off through the trees, my senses alert and the ache in my throat growing stronger.
It took me less than two minutes, and a shorter distance than four miles, to find some food. Luckily for me, I found and followed a fresh trail that led to a small herd of mule deer. I brought down three before the herd tried to escape. I finished the rest, and drank more than my fill. If it eased the pain at all when I was with Jemima, it would be a blessing.
I rushed back through the forest, keen get home. My family would be wondering where I was, but now I'd hunted, I could tell them that's all I'd been doing.