Tame

Chapter 7: Memories

Dawn's eyes groggily fluttered open to Kalen's sleeping face. His long, dark eyelashes resting on his cheeks deceitfully reflected a defenceless innocence. But Dawn found herself stifling a humorous snort at Kalen's lip caught against bedding, revealing a definitely not innocent snaggled canine. She was pleased to hear his now more even, relaxed breathing. But froze and felt a heavy thump of her heart as she realised her positioning.

At some point, Dawn had also drifted off to sleep. She had laid by his side at a respectable distance, but that space must have further closed during the early hours of the morning and he had turned his body in towards her. Some of Dawn's hair was gently entangled in his fingers, while Kalen's other hand lay precariously over her waist.

Dawn was left startled at how close the Theron was. For a long while she just watched the rise and fall of his chest, listening to his soft sleepy breaths.

The fireplace had well and truly burnt out and the brightness of the house indicated that the sun was high in the sky. So Dawn was most certainly rather late for her usual routine of morning chores.

As Dawn tried to slowly pull away from Kalen a soft growl crackled in his throat. He did not awaken but turned further in towards her, eventually smooshing his face further into the bedding fabric before he was still again in a deep slumber.

Dawn had to build up her courage to try to move again. Although she was not outwardly fearful of him, the last time she'd tinkered with an unconscious theron she'd needed stitches. Once she was sure he would not unsettle again, as quietly as she possibly could, Dawn unhooked the rest of herself from Kalen. She let out a soft sigh of relief while stretching out a knot in her shoulder.

She hastily brushed her long hair into a high ponytail, changed into a fresh sundress, and tied her feet into her very scuffed boots. They looked as worn as she felt tired.

Dawn collected up the necessities for her morning rounds and tiptoed out the door to feed Mack his very delayed breakfast.

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Dawn had her usual busy morning. She fed, brushed, and moved Mack from his enclosed night shelter to the main paddock, replenished Mack's water trough by hiking buckets to and from the little stream closest to the property, swept the cobblestone pathways, watered the heavily sheltered plants, washed a few clothing items and hung them up to dry, reorganised and sealed up the stock in the market cart, and was tending to her little produce garden when a figure in a thin line of trees close by suddenly caught her eye.

Kalen leaned heavily against one of the trees' trunks. He was heaving out of breath, but pushed his shaking body to keep staggering towards Dawn's direction. He flopped heavily, face down, into the grass by the vegetable garden structure and extenuated a groan.

Dawn was immediately at his side to check him.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

Worry was apparent in Dawn's tone. She hadn't even noticed him leave the house which was in the opposite direction and she was surprised he already had enough strength to stand upright without assistance, let alone be up and walking. Or in this case, stumbling.

"I had to pee." He mumbled into the ground.

"Oh..." She replied awkwardly.

Kalen rolled over to try to stretch his sore muscles. They twitched in protest and there was a clicking of his seized-up limbs.

"Who knew just pulling your pants up could be so exhausting."

Dawn tried her best to be respectful and not giggle at his comment, but she could not hide her amused grin. She couldn't bear to tell him there was an outhouse much closer to the main house, so there was no need to travel all the way over to the forest.