Smut! Written for Zute for the Sugar and Spice V-Day comp in the People of Thedas comm on Dreamwidth.

Hugs to Skeasel and Sesh for reading over this for me! Enjoy :D

'

The first time I saw her was in the hall of her new peers, and she reminded me of nothing more than a cornered alley cat: all big eyes and bared teeth, needle sharp claws and a hiss bigger than herself. She was surrounded by the Bannorn who were taking it in their turn to provoke their new fellow, and she was giving as good as she got. Even as I watched, however, her thin frame shuddered and her hiss wavered between retorts. I strode over to the little huddle.

"Enough, sers. Leave the lady be."

Eyes turned on me, round and slitted, dull and quick and I stared them down, to be left faced only with hers – tiger's eye catching and flaring in the afternoon light. I smiled gently down at her and her lips flexed in antagonism.

"I do not need your help, shem," she spat, and turned on her heel and stalked out of the hall.

I watched her retreating back, caught between irritation and admiration, and vowed to win this spitfire over.

oOo

The next day I caught her in the markets, picking over produce in the stalls. I watched her, delicate fingers nimbly sorting through piles of limp vegetables. She chose what she wanted and bargained with the stall owner, then tucked them into her basket. As she turned to leave she caught sight of me watching her, and scowled.

I ambled over and offered her a half bow. "My lady."

She stiffened and brushed past me. "I am not your lady, shem."

I walked alongside her. "Does that thought so offend you?"

She shot a look at me, purest terror incompletely masked by annoyance, and I reconsidered my flippant approach. Somehow, somewhere, this girl had been hurt, hurt badly. By men - shems. By nobles, most likely, from the way she shied from me. A sudden rage gripped me and I vowed to myself to undo this hurt.

I reached out my hand and touched her lightly, fleetingly on the arm, and she froze. "I am sorry, my lady. Shianni. I did not mean to offend you. Please forgive me."

She studied me consideringly for a moment, the earlier panic in her eyes dying down. She hefted her basket, holding it as a shield between us. "Very well. I forgive you." And she continued on down the street.

I remained where I was, watching her go. Such courage! "Does this mean we're friends now?" I called after her.

"Sure," she responded flippantly without even turning back. "Whatever you want, Bann Teagan."

And she disappeared around a corner, leaving me to behind to plot how to make this alley cat purr.

oOo

Two days later the Bannorn gathered again in the hall and she was there, in her own pocket of isolation amidst the crowd. She disdained the glances of the Banns gathered conspicuously away from her, and concentrated on the words of the King. Truth be told I couldn't have repeated what Alistair spoke of; my intent was reserved for her alone. The way her slim fingers twined themselves together in her sleeves so hard that they turned white. The way her shoulders stiffened and tensed and the way her spine shook ever so slightly. She was brave, this tiny leopardess, but even wildcats had their limits.

I nodded to the lords and ladies gathered, and made my way over to her, clasping my hands behind my back. She didn't look up at me, but her hands stilled their twisting. On the dais Alistair droned away. His speechcraft was terrible, but then he wasn't raised to be a king.

"Why is it," she murmured from the corner of her mouth, "that I see you everywhere I go these days, Bann Teagan?"

"Merely a coincidence, Bann Shianni," I replied with a smile in my voice, watching interestedly as she suppressed a start at the title.

She stared straight ahead, however, and continued to refuse to look at me. I admired her determination, even as I willed her to acknowledge me.

Alistair's speech ended and he strode off to do whatever it was he did now that he was king, and the nobles around us milled and started drifting out of the hall. She clicked her tongue in exasperation as one too many brushed rudely past her, then turned and made to follow them.

"Wait."

She halted.

"Would you do me the honour of dining with me this afternoon?"

She spun, skirts flaring briefly, and stared at me incredulously. "What?"

I took a step closer, no more, and noted that she did not retreat. "Would you do me the…"

She raised a hand, cutting me off. "Yes, I heard you the first time. Why would you want to dine with me?"

I shrugged. "Because that's what friends do."

Tiger's eyes regarded me inscrutably for a long moment, before she turned away again. "Not tonight, Bann Teagan." And she stalked out of the hall and into the sunlight.

oOo

It became something of a game between us over the next several days. I'd see her around Denerim – in the markets, or in the Great Hall, or on the streets. She'd watch me approach. I'd smile at her. "Join me for supper, Bann Shianni?"

She'd shake her head, a little slower each time. "Not tonight, Bann Teagan."

She'd walk away, always turning before that last corner, and watched me watching her. And I'd walk away with her gaze on me each time, depthless eyes sparkling and weighing in the autumn sunlight.

oOo

Two weeks later we met in the Wonders of Thedas. I was choosing a gift for Connor, who was being sent to the Circle; wondering if the proprietor still had that collection of articulated golem dolls I remembered from when Alistair was a little boy. There was a subtle displacement of air behind me and then there she was, red hair glowing in the dim candlelight.

I put the toy back on the shelf and smiled, delighted to see her. Her lips twitched in response.

"Bann Shianni. How lovely to see you."

"Bann Teagan." She nodded at me.

"Please." I reached out and touched two fingers to her forearm briefly. "Just call me Teagan."

She didn't recoil, didn't even blink. "Very well. Teagan."

Her low voice saying my name brought a quick thrill to my heart. I smiled again to cover it up.

She glanced around the shop. "I've never been in here before."

I gestured expansively. "The Wonders of Thedas. Everything a mage could desire. Plus interesting trinkets brought from all over Thedas, for a reasonable price, of course." I laughed softly.

Her lips curved upwards ever so slightly. Encouraged, I took her arm gently, giving her ample opportunity to withdraw. She didn't. Exulting, I led her over to a display of runestones which glowed in the dim light, letting her touch them, feeling the magical energies spark against her ungloved hands. She giggled as the tiny, fine hairs on her arms rose and crackled in response. "That tickles!" she laughed.

We spent a happy hour in the shop, wandering from the runestones to look at scroll collections, fingering the silk of mages' robes and hefting the weight of carved demon statuettes. All the while the Tranquil proprietor studiously ignored our mirth.

She paused over a black, polished ball, nestled on a silken bed, painted in a cunning imitation of the night sky. She looked at it longingly. "So many stars," she murmured. I looked at her inquiringly, and she shrugged and walked away; but her fingertips trailed over it as she left. I marked the skyball for later.

The mood had changed, however; turned melancholy and quiet. I cleared my throat and she jumped slightly. "I should go," she said.

I was disappointed, and made no attempt to hide it. "Very well. Would you care to join me for supper, Shianni?"

She shook her head. "Not tonight… Teagan."

She turned and walked to the door, pausing with her hand on the latch, and looked back at me over her shoulder, skittish and shy. "Shall I… shall I see you tomorrow?"

I smiled. "I'd like that."

She smiled back, her whole face lighting up, and then she was gone.

oOo

The next day was hot and clear and we met in the strong noon sun outside Wade's Emporium. I was sweltering, but she soaked up the sunlight like the cat she was.

"Teagan." She smiled and nodded at me.

"Shianni." I gestured and we walked slowly through the marketplace, side by side, not quite touching. We wandered around, not really saying anything, just being in each other's company. When the heat got too much, I steered her gently to the Gnawed Noble Tavern, opening the door and ushering her in. She blinked at such courtesy, which made my blood boil briefly, but went inside.

The tavern was mercifully dim and cool; quiet conversation in the background and the scent of cooking food teasing us. I seated her at a quiet corner table and took the liberty of ordering for us both. All the while she watched me with an air of quiet bewilderment.

When I sat back down, she cocked her head quizzically. I raised my brow, waiting for her to say something. When she didn't, I cleared my throat, and she jumped.

"I am sorry, Shianni, I didn't mean to startle you."

She smiled unconvincingly. "It's all right… Teagan. I'm just not used to this."

"To what?"

She gestured around the room. "All this. To sitting down to eat in a fine tavern with a gentleman. If I'd come in here even a month ago, I would have been tossed out by the guard."

The food arrived, platters handled with care by the waitress, and she stilled. The waitress gave her a curious glance, at which she bristled but said nothing. I smiled to myself. Two weeks ago she would have snarled. "Please, help yourself."

She fell to with a will, eating neatly but quickly, as if she were afraid it would disappear. It was refreshing to see a woman eat with a good appetite. The food was excellent, as usual, but I was more interested in watching her. The way her fingers fumbled with the fork. The way she neatly dismembered the joint of chicken, the way her tiny lips closed around the morsels of food. The way she swallowed after taking sips of wine between bites. I shivered in imagined anticipation.

Finally she was replete, though truly I couldn't get my fill of watching her. She sat back with a satisfied sigh and cradled her cup. The waitress cleared away our dishes, leaving only a new carafe of wine, and we regarded each other over the otherwise bare table. She was relaxed, unguarded; as pliant as I'd ever seen her.

"So tell me," I said, "how does it feel to be the new Bann of the elves?"

She blinked lazily at me. "Terrifying, to be honest. It's not something I ever expected."

"No, I suppose not. What did you expect?"

"The usual for a woman of the Alienage. To work, and get a husband, and have children until I was worn out with it all." Her words were spoken lightly but her face was shadowed as she spoke.

"You didn't want to do that, I take it."

She shrugged. "I've never really been one for following traditions. Too fiery, my family always said. Of course, I doubt I'll ever get a husband now… Not that I want one," she added, muttering.

Ah. "And why don't you want one?" I prodded gently.

She stilled, hands gripping her goblet like it was a lifeline. "I… you don't really want to know do you, Bann?"

"Teagan," I corrected, smiling. "And yes, I do want to know."

"Teagan, then." She grimaced. "Very well."

Sighing, she took a gulp from her goblet and refilled it. "It was about a year ago now. Not long before the troubles began. My cousin was getting married…"

I sat in horrified fascination as she told me the story, about how young Bann Vaughan had strolled into the Alienage to cause trouble on what should have been a joyous day, how she'd knocked him out with a bottle, and how he'd taken his revenge on her and the wedding parties. She drank more of the wine, shaking, her eyes half closed in remembered pain.

"He… used me. Hurt me. He and his men. I thought I was going to die. The pain… But then… my cousin saved me. He and Soris, rushed right in and killed the Bann and saved me." She blinked, and tears fell onto her hand. "And then he went off with that Warden, Duncan, and I didn't see him for a year. Leaving me behind to deal with the trouble I'd caused."

I blinked. Her cousin was the Warden? The Warden had killed Bann Vaughan? I made a note to speak with Alistair about this.

"And then…" she sniffed, "… he comes back and saves us all again, and makes me a Bann, when I have no idea what I'm doing; and then he runs off into the wilds again, leaving me to deal with it all. Again."

She buried her face in her cup. "I never asked for this. I never meant for it to be this way. But I'm glad he's dead. For what he did to me. And others. Glad!" She looked up at me fiercely, defying me to defend Vaughan in some way.

I couldn't, of course. The man had been a complete ass, arrogant and uncouth. And the rumours about him had obviously been true. I sighed.

"Shianni, for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I know that probably doesn't mean much, coming from me…" I shrugged helplessly. She just sat there watching me with wide, slightly glazed eyes. I leaned over the table and touched her hand comfortingly. "I am sorry for what they did to you, Shianni."

She stared down at my hand, then back up at my eyes, then her face contorted and she collapsed into tears. The waitress started over in concern, but I waved her away and moved to sit next to my companion. She jumped as I approached, but didn't leave, and I sat next to her and put my arm around her gingerly. She was stiff and unyielding, but I held her tenderly, letting her cry.

Eventually her sobs quietened and she sat hiccuping gently. I offered her my kerchief. "I must look a mess," she mumbled, accepting it.

"Of course not," I lied. She snorted indelicately.

She heaved a great sigh and sat quietly in my arm. I didn't move, for fear I would disturb her or our new-found rapport. Eventually she blinked and realised where she was, pulling away slightly. I let my arm drop with reluctance.

"I should go," she said, avoiding looking at me.

"Of course, if you feel you must," I replied.

She stood up, holding her skirts tightly. "I think I should."

I escorted her to the door, holding it open for her. She paused on the threshold and spoke quietly, without turning back to face me.

"Thank you, Teagan."

I smiled. "You're welcome, Shianni."

And she walked determinedly back to her home in the Alienage.

oOo

It was another week before I saw her again after that. I had the feeling she was avoiding me. She wasn't in the markets, didn't go to the Great Hall with the other Banns. I stifled my disappointment as best I could, and meandered my way through the city, hoping to run into her.

Eventually she found me. I was quietly reading one night when there was a knock on the door of my suite in Eamon's estate. Puzzled, I got up to answer it. I was not expecting anyone.

One of the elven servants was at the door, and Shianni stood behind her. Both of them had their heads down, avoiding my gaze. I thanked the serving girl and bade her leave.

"Shianni, how lovely to see you."

She looked up at me shyly at that, tiger's eyes veiled by thick lashes, alluring and slightly wild. "I apologise for coming, Teagan…"

I touched her arm to cut her off. "There is no need to apologise. Please, come in."

I stood back and let her come into my suite. She gazed around with interest, taking in the shelves of books, the bench with the wine, the homey clutter of bachelor living. I closed the door quietly behind us; she didn't even jump, and I smiled with some small sense of triumph.

"Would you like something to drink?"

She looked around, and smiled. "Yes, please."

I gestured at one of the armchairs in front of the fire and she seated herself while I poured a rich, heady red into two goblets. She nodded in thanks as I gave hers to her.

I settled in the other chair. "Not to say I'm displeased but… to what do I owe this pleasure?"

She gripped her cup, staring into the fire. "I just… I've been thinking. About… well." She shifted restlessly, clearly uncomfortable. "I just wanted someone to talk to, about… that; and I couldn't seem to talk to anyone at home. They've changed. I've changed. It just… didn't seem right. They all seem to avoid me now. I guess now that I'm their Bann it was bound to happen." She looked downcast. "But then I thought of you."

She looked up at me earnestly from the depths of her chair. "We actually talk. I… like that. I feel… comfortable, talking with you. Being with you.

"I'm sorry." She blushed rosily. "I shouldn't have said that. It was far too forward of me. Andraste's ass. I always was terrible at this social stuff."

"Not at all," I said gently, smiling. "I'm glad you feel that way. Here," I put my cup down and got up. "I have something for you."

She perked up at that like a small child, all big glowing eyes and happy anticipation.

"Close your eyes and hold out your hands." And she did. Just that small gesture of trust meant more to me than I could say.

I knelt down beside her and gently placed the skyball into it. It looked huge in her tiny hands. The glossy surface mirrored the firelight, adding more stars to its curve.

"Now, open them," I whispered, looking up at her face.

She opened her eyes slowly and her jaw dropped. "Oh, Teagan," she breathed, as she ran her thumbs over the smooth dome of the skyball. "Oh, you shouldn't have." Her eyes welled and filled with tears and she let them run uncaringly down her cheeks. "It's beautiful. I can't… I can't accept it. It's too much." And she tried to push it back to me.

I folded her hands closed over the skyball with mine atop, holding them in place. "It's a gift, Shianni. Please take it."

Her eyes were shimmering with reflected firelight as she studied me intensely for what seemed forever. Her fingers flexed, catlike, under mine and her expression softened. "Thank you," she said simply.

She looked so vulnerable, so lovely in the glow from the fire. "You're welcome," I said huskily, gazing up at her.

I don't know how long we remained there, staring at each other before the hearth. Her eyes were the centre of my universe. I could count the tiny flecks of gold in her irises, the bunches of lashes darkened with tears, the soft rhythm of her breaths as we drew closer to each other. I held back, unwilling to move that final margin to her, wanting her to move to me, praying to the Maker that I'd read her aright.

I had, and she did. Her breath caught and she breathed my name and then her lips brushed mine, soft and delicate as a butterfly alighting on a blossom. She hesitated, still watching me, and then I could fairly see the decision being made and she pressed her lips to mine firmly.

She was soft and warm, her lips a guarded invitation that tasted of wine with a slight undercurrent of fear. I let her lead, let her lips soften against mine, let her lean into me; and when the tip of her tongue flicked against my lips hesitantly I welcomed it, parting them for her and letting her delve into my mouth.

She made a tiny kittenish noise of satisfaction at that and deepened the kiss. Only then did I cup her face and hold her to me, framing her jaw with my hand and feeling the silky softness of her hair draped between my fingers. Her eyes slid closed as she explored my mouth, and when she eventually pulled back for a breath she regarded me lazily through half closed lids, her eyes asmoulder.

I stood up and held out my hands to her, and she carefully placed the precious skyball on the table next to her and got to her feet. I smiled at that – so careful! – and took a step in closer to her, pulling her into me so I could feel the length of her body against mine. She was so tiny! I leaned down, tilted her head up and captured her mouth again. She slid her hands out of mine and onto my chest, the tiny palms hot against my shirt, and I shivered.

Growing bolder, she skimmed her fingers over my shoulders and down my sides, then up my back as far as she could go. There she scratched lightly, raking her nails down to my waistband and back up again, and made a delighted sound as I responded involuntarily. Encouraged, she ventured further, her hands slipping under the hem of my shirt. Her fingers against my skin gave me goosebumps and I shivered again. Her lips curved as she smiled against me, and then she pulled back, slipping her hands around to my stomach and out.

Eyes down shyly, she reached for the hem of my shirt and started undoing the buttons there, slowly exposing more of my torso, pausing to look up as if to make sure it was all right. I watched her as she uncovered me, fingers slim and nimble. After the first couple of buttons she let them roam across me and I took a breath as she skimmed across my chest. She reached up to push the shirt from my shoulders and as it fell to the floor I wrapped my arms around her and stooped down to kiss her again.

She was pliant in my arms, her hands still on my chest, caressing me. I moved my mouth to her neck and kissed there, and she threw her head back in enjoyment. I gently nibbled down the soft curve of her throat and she shivered against me. When I sucked softly where her pulse beat, her fingers stiffened and her nails dug into my chest ever so slightly. I smiled and kissed her mouth again, and she was eager, passionate.

Her dress was the type to unbutton down the back, so I gently turned her around. She protested wordlessly as my mouth left hers, but then I kissed the side of her neck and she murmured in approval. She stood waiting as I slowly unbuttoned her, revealing her slim white back. She was pale and soft, hairless in the elven manner. I brushed my fingertips down her spine, and she arched against me. I brought my hands up and started to slip the fabric from her shoulders slowly, in case she objected. She made no move to stop me however, so I kissed the tip of one pointed ear, making her shudder, and slid the fabric down to puddle at her feet, leaving her in only her smallclothes.

I trailed my tongue along the rim of her ear while I gently brought my hands up to cup her breasts. Her head lolled to the side and she leaned back into me, breathing heavily. My fingers brushed over her nipples, hardening them, and she took a sharp breath. I slid one hand down over the gentle curve of her belly, brushing over her smalls and pressing lightly against the folds of her womanhood. She gasped as I rubbed her, her hips flicking forwards involuntarily. I wrapped my arm around her while I circled against her folds and she pressed against me again, her back against my hardness.

I slipped my hand under her smalls and pushed them down over her hips, where they dropped to the floor. Stroking over her I could already feel her wetness, so I gently slipped a finger into her and brushed over her tiny bundle of nerves. She shuddered and moaned as I stroked, her hands reaching behind her and grasping my hips.

With every brush of my fingers her breathing quickened and her moans got louder. Her back was warm against my chest and as I licked slowly up the shell of her ear she arched. I circled and rubbed and her hips pressed forwards into me rhythmically. Her nipple was hard between my fingers and tweaking it made her breath catch. It wasn't long before her movements became jerkier and then she moaned my name and froze, pressing herself hard against me.

Slowly she relaxed back into me, panting softly. I kissed down her neck and brought my hand up to my mouth, fingers glistening in the firelight. She tasted of the sea and of herself, wild and free.

I spun her around and kissed her, my mouth demanding on hers. She was lax and open, returning my kiss artlessly but fervently. "Teagan," she murmured, as she tasted herself on my tongue. She ran her hands down my back and dipped her fingers under the waistband of my trousers, teasing me. Her fingers slid against my skin to my stomach, making me shudder, and she brought them up and over my chest, lightly dragging her nails over my nipples. I growled faintly and she smiled.

She made a tiny mewl of surprise as I picked her up, cradling her in my arms, as light as featherdown. I stepped over to my bed and carefully deposited her in its centre. She was tiny and pale and perfect in the midst of my sheets and I feasted my eyes on her.

She blushed as she lay there under my gaze. "Teagan…"

"Yes, Shianni?"

She looked at me frankly. "I think you might be overdressed."

I smiled. "What do you recommend?"

"Teagan, if you need help with this then maybe I've come to the wrong place…" And she lay back and smirked, just slightly, cat's eyes glittering half hooded in the dim light.

I mock-growled at her and she laughed lightly. Then watched with considerable fascination as I undid the fastenings on my trousers and pushed them slowly down over my hips, leaving myself naked and erect before her. She swallowed and the first hints of doubt flickered over her face. "Teagan, I…"

I crawled onto the bed and gently stroked her face. "Shh. I won't hurt you. Do you trust me?"

She looked into my eyes for a long moment and nodded once, deliberately. Ever so slowly I leaned in, watching her, and pressed my mouth to hers. She stiffened, then relaxed, and opened her lips to meet mine, bringing her hands up to skim over me and draw me down onto her.

I relaxed against her, my tongue exploring her mouth, and let her hands wander across me. She traced the breadth of my shoulders and down my spine as far as she could go, tickling slightly. I flinched and she giggled. Breaking away, I kissed the point of her chin and the curve of her jaw, then trailed my lips down her neck, kissing and licking. I swirled over the hollow of her throat and she flexed her fingers against me.

Moving lower to the swell of her breast, I brushed my cheek over the hard point of a nipple and she gasped, then arched into me as I took it into my mouth. Her hands fixed in my hair, holding me in place, as I flicked and teased with my tongue. I suckled on her and she moaned, pressing me into her.

I shifted and trailed my tongue across to repeat the actions on her other nipple, licking and swirling my tongue around it before sucking it into my mouth. As I looked up at her her mouth was open, panting softly, and her eyes were closed. She shifted restlessly beneath me, her hips lifting as she briefly brushed against me, sending a jolt of fire from the head of my cock up my spine, and I gasped.

Gently, I rubbed myself at the soft folds of her womanhood, taking care not to press into her. She tensed and then moaned as I stroked, and her hips twitched. She reached for me and drew me up into a kiss, wild and wet, and brought her legs up around me. "Teagan," she murmured into my mouth, "please…"

Kissing her back, I reached down and positioned myself at her entrance, then slowly pushed myself in. She gasped, eyes closed tight, and I bit my lip. She was tight and hot and wet and I had to fight to not plunge myself into her. I moved slowly, waiting for her to accommodate me, until she bucked her hips and invited me further into her.

When I was fully sheathed inside her I lay panting, holding her and savouring the feel of her wrapped around me. She looked up at me, eyes glazed. "Don't stop," she moaned, and I captured her mouth with my own and started moving.

Withdrawing was an exquisite ache that compounded with each slow thrust back into her depths. She undulated beneath me, enveloping me in her arms and legs and mouth and self, urging me on as she took shameless pleasure in me. Our breathing grew more ragged as I quickened my pace, and her moans rose, punctuated by the soft slap of our flesh together. She angled herself up, grinding, and then arched around me, squeezing tight, teeth bared and nails dug into my shoulders.

I held motionless, my arms trembling, while she convulsed and panted, waiting for her to still.

As her shudders subsided she looked up at me, eyes sparkling and face rosy in the firelight, and smiled a hazy, replete smile at me. I smiled back, and then shifted position, sliding myself out of her slowly, feeling bereft as I withdrew. She made a moue of loss and I gathered her up in my arms. I knelt back and positioned her on my lap, straddling me. She wrapped her legs around me and kissed my face, rubbing her cheek over my jaw, and slowly lowered herself onto me. I groaned as she surrounded me again, and cupped her ass, holding her in place against me, and started rocking my hips.

She moaned and moved with me. Her breasts ground against my chest as we rocked together, the hard pebbles of her nipples tiny points of heat against me. Our rhythm increased and I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold out for much longer. Her questing mouth moved to my neck and her tongue trailed upwards and caught the lobe of my ear; she nibbled on it, making my breath hitch. Encouraged, she sucked on it and I groaned and clutched her tighter to me. "Maker… Shianni," I moaned.

Her only response was to tease my ear further, driving me wild, and I slipped, lost in the feeling. I thrust up into her deeply and she squeezed around me, fluttering in time to our rhythm. I groaned and closed my eyes and forgot myself in an explosion of sensation, hips jerking and cock twitching.

As my heart slowed and breathing quietened I drew back and looked at Shianni, still wrapped around me. Her face was damp and skin flushed, and she'd never looked more alluring. I kissed her, slowly and deeply, and then lay her back on the bed, withdrawing gradually.

She tucked herself against me and breathed a quiet sigh of contentment. I kissed her forehead, her closed eyes, and listened as her breathing slowed and she drifted into a doze.

I watched her as she slept and marvelled at this kitten curled so trustingly in my arms, no longer wild but not tamed either, purring and free.