She knew he was already beginning to have withdraws from the lack of drugs. She stretched her wings as she reluctantly departed the cave and headed for her garden oasis. Gathering up vegetables and herbs she placed them within the sack she always carried. After that she set off to hunt managing to snag a couple of rabbits and a squirrel that happened to be in her flight path. Stuffing them into the bag she landed in the forest nearby and gathered up an arm load of wood that would last them the day and that night. She headed back home grunting from the load that she carried and her tender stomach that had begun to ache. Once she arrived home she set up the fire pit and light the flames

Time blurred together and Tenebris wasn't sure how long Snow was gone. Minutes seemed to last hours, hours seemed to last days, the whole day seemed to last an eternity. At one point he had crawled to the edge of the cave entrance and threw up over the edge before crawling to the back once more. He didn't seem to notice her arrival when she finally returned.

Once Snow finished getting the fire going she placed the pot on the fire and filled it with fresh stream water. She looked back at him with a sad expression on her face as she really felt sorry for him hut knew it was for the best. She knew he had a good life ahead of him and knew he would look good once she finished cleaning him out. Shifting into her human form she picked up her knife and proceeded to clean the meat for eating. Cutting it up she added it to the pot then added the vegetables along with good seasoning. After she had that ready she pepped her tea that her and him could drink that was a detox tea. She flavored the tea with natural honey. Once everything was ready she shifted back and went to wake him. "Love I have food ready." she told him

Unfortunately he had been out of it and so didn't get to see her nakedness. When she did finally wake him, the smell of food only made his stomach turn over with nausea and he let out a soft groan. "I'm.... not hungry." He managed to get out before he cracked open his eyes to look up at her. His eyes were filled with pain for the few moments that he looked at her before closing them again.

Snow was not disappointed as she knew he probably didnt feel like eating. "At least drink the tea it will help ease you stomach and make you feel better. And its sweetened with fresh honey." she offered holding the tea for him. She knew the detox would take time and she was patient. Once he was clean she would move him out of her cave home and back to her apartment if he wanted.

He knew he should at least drink, even if he didn't want it. Being dehydrated would be worse than not eating. Very slowly he sat up, using the wall to keep himself up before reaching over a shaky hand and taking the tea. He had to really concentrate to get the glass to his lips, but thankfully it tasted good and he drank half the glass before sitting it aside

Snow nods happily as she let him rest covering him with a blanket. Walking over she dipped herself a bowl of soup and settled down to eat as she watched the snow fall outside. It was peaceful today as the birds chirped outside the cave and the over baring noise of the casino was no longer an issue for her. Her human home was paid for and there was enough money to pay the bills for at least ten years. Every once in awhile she would glance back at him to make sure he was okay.

The tea helped to ease some of the aches and he curled up with the blanket she gave him. Drinking the last of the tea in his cup, Tenebris closed his eyes once more. Sleep was his only friend in this situation, helping to give him an escape from the pain. But as he fell asleep once more, he began to make small quiet noises from the pain; a fever setting in and making him feel ice cold despite his skin burning up.

Snow noticed his condition and wondered instead if he wasnt sick. She needed to bring his fever down and now. She walked over to him and picked him up. She realized she would do anything to help him. She stripped him down to his underwear not wanting to embarrass him. Closing her eyes she began licking him cooling him down with her cool tongue. She had laid him down on a soft bed of furs next to the fire as she had done this. Not even thinking twice as she started cooling him down.

The fever made everything hazy and on the verge of unconsciousness as he tried to open his eyes to see what she was doing. But they were too hard to hold open and his mind too delirious to really comprehend she had stripped him and was licking him. He continued making the pained noises, unaware he was even doing them. But as his skin cooled and his body relaxed some he stopped making the noises.

She continued to tenderly lick him. Until his skin cooled and his fever broke. After which she covered him lightly with the blanket. The cave was still plenty warm and the outside cold air was chased out by the fire she kept burning. Soaking a towel she wiped his forehead until she was sure he was okay. She knew this was rough on him but she had a vision of him being clean and very good looking. Keeping those thoughts in her mind to keep any stray thoughts at bay. She wanted him to be the man she knew he could be.

He has a few scars on him now that his clothes were gone and they could be seen. A bullet hole to his right shoulder where it had went through the front and out the back. A knife would to his left side where someone had tried to kill him but obviously failed. Then there was the strange jagged lines across his back that was hard to tell what they had come from; a story he would have to share to understand what they were. Slowly he started coming around now and blinked open his eyes though he didn't search for her since he knew she was there. "Why are you trying to fix what is so terribly broken?" He murmured

"I dont know I guess because I see the man inside and his just wanting to come out and make himself known." Truth be told she had already begun to care about him. She wasnt sure what it was she felt as it was new to her. She honestly enjoyed having him around and her first feelings had changed. From wanting to eat him to seeing him succeed in life.

"The man inside died a long time ago." He sighed softly, giving a few blinks and finding it hard to open his eyes each time. "I think... Im ready to eat now." He said quietly, slowly pushing himself up to see he only had on underwear beneath the blanket. Should he have felt better he might have made some comment about women and not being able to keep their hands off him, always undressing him, but Tenebris felt to bad and silently accepted the new change

"No he didnt Tenebris hes merely tucked away. Only needing a reason to come and show himself again." she told him as she stood and dipped him a bowl of soup. Walking over she hands the bowl to him with a spoon inside and a new fresh cup of detox tea. "A real man couldnt have lived through what youve been through they would have died a long time ago. You have great strength in soul and soon you will have it in body too." she told him confidently.

She had a lot of confidence in him for someone that didn't know him. Tenebris didn't say anything though, letting her think as she would while he ate the soup and drank the tea. He managed to get down half the soup before setting it aside and all of the tea. Curling up with the blanket, Tenebris eased back down onto the soft bed of furs glad to no longer be on the cold floor. "Why do you care so much Snow? I've only caused you grievances, nothing worth helping me like this for."

She looked down at him before replying. "Youve shown me no grievances Tenebris everything that has happened has been my own fault. You seeing me at the casino was my fault as I knew better than to be so close to a human building that popular with people. And you falling out of the cave was also my fault as I should have made sure you werent so close to the edge in your condition and should have lite the cave so that you could see. I guess youve given me a purpose for living. You see im alone there are no others like me now." she told him

She took the blame for all and he wondered how that could be? Everyone had always pointed the finger at him, blaming him, kicking him once he was done and wouldn't ever let him get back up. Tenebris had always been the one at fault and he didn't know how to take it when someone else took it instead. Slowly he rolled over so he could look at her; a creature of myth and yet she was not. "What happened to the others?" He asked

"Im really not sure they just began to disappear. No bodies were ever found of course if they died no one would be the wiser as to what we were and we would get a human burial." she explained as she truly didnt know were they all went. The earth use to be rich with us. Then they all just disappeared perhaps they were alive and she didnt know how to contact them. "You see I hatched alone and raised myself into adulthood. Ive never had anyone." she said looking at him to be truthful she had been in a great depression and was nearly about to kill herself.

"I've never had anyone either." Though he hadnt been completely alone like her, Tenebris felt he would have been better off if he had been given that option. The people that had been or still was in his life; before she took him away, had been more destructive than helpful in any sort of way. "Maybe you'll find another, eventually." He murmured as his heavy eyes threatened to close again.

With him here she didnt feel alone anymore. She actually needed him here or her self destructiveness would return. "Goodnight Tenebris." she whispers as she watched him drift of to sleep on his pallet of soft furs. As he slept she stood and begun to quietly clean up the cave. More organized and human like as this was his home now too. She planned on spending the winter here with him. And once he was clean giving him the option of moving back to human society with her or if he really wanted alone.

When Tenebris fell asleep this time he was much more at ease. He didn't have a fever, he didn't make any noises and although yes he curled up from aches it didn't seem so violent. The food and tea had really helped him along with her care. Tenebris was able to sleep completely through the night without waking and when he did he actually felt hungry and very thirsty when he did. Slowly he sat up, keeping the blanket wrapped around himself as he glanced around the cave

Once the cave was clean she set out. She hunted and gathered wood. Once those tasks were complete she gathered her vegetables in the garden as they were dying now that winter was here. She prepared the meat she had caught along with vegetables. She had enough of both to get them through the month after that she would have to go to town. She knew of a market that was a few miles from here. She worked until almost day break before she too fell asleep. But she had prepared a fresh batch of soup and pot of tea for him if he woke up before she did.

Seeing her asleep, Tenebris didn't want to bother her. He noticed the soup and tea and while keeping the blanket around him, he got up and went over and helped himself to it. Again he felt better after eating and drinking though it didn't get rid of his aches. He ventured over to the entrance of the cave just to peer out momentarily to see winter was in full swing. Not impressed with that, he went back to the fur bed and laid down while staring up at the ceiling of the cave lost in thought

Snow awoke to him moving around the cave. Stretching out she yawns loudly. "Goodmorning Tenebris." she mumbled as she smiled at him. He seemed to look so much better today yet he seemed bored. "What would you like to do today?" she asked standing up stretching out her wings.

He looked over to her at her greeting, offering her a faint smile which was rare for him. If only she knew how rare. "Well, perhaps if I had clothes then I could say." He said but then gave a small chuckle. "I suppose even sick you still couldn't keep your hands off me hmm?" Of course he was teasing. Tenebris didn't know why she took them off, had been too dilerious through the fever to remember, but he highly doubted it was even close to the reason he teased her for

Snow blushed deeply at his teasing words. "More like my tongue." she blushed harder as she walked over and offered him now his clean clothes. Along with new shoes she thought might fit him. She dipped herself some soup along with a cup of tea. As she settled down to eat while he dressed. She looked outside while he dressed as the snow had quit falling this morning.

He just stared at her a moment. "I'm not even going to go into detail on how kinky that sounds." He said before taking his clothes and getting dressed while she ate. He slipped on his new shoes and then ventured again to the entrance. "Why not show me more of your home?" He asked, though the cravings in the back of his mind were already thinking of escape. But not from her, he just wanted another hit

"Tenebris," she said "I will show you around the valley but be warned you cant get away unless you have wings." she said knowing his intentions thats why she lived here it had been undiscovered by people because of its inaccessabilty. She lowered herself so that he could ride on her back.

"Clingy arent you?" He said trying to play off his disappointment. Clinging onto her back he gave a soft sigh. "I suppose now is as good of a time as any to admit Im scared of heights?" High, he hadn't cared. Now? Well, he hoped he didn't make any little girl noises

"Why yes I am clingy to the ones I care about when I know whats on their mind." she pointed out knowingly. She stood up slowly as she walked over the the cave entrance. "Nows the time to change your mind." she offered.

"I have a feeling I'm going to have to get use to heights. Just don't laugh too hard at me." He said as he peered over her shoulder and off the edge of the cave entrance. He made an unhappy noise before he leaned back again not wanting to look anymore

"Yep," she chuckled as she spread her wings. Dropping out of the cave entrance and into the valley. She took it slow on him until he became more comfortable. And got use to the way she flew and how she moved. If he would get comfortable he would be able to ride no matter how she moved. His physical strength would improve greatly too.

As she dropped off from the cave entrance, Tenebris instantly wrapped his arms around her and clung on while hiding his face in the back of her neck. When she evened out, he managed to peek out and realize what a good view it was. So long as he didn't look down. "Pretty amazing up here" he said before smirking slightly. "I must have taken acid or something for all of this." But he knew he hadn't, that this was real even if he was having a hard time processing that at times

"Nope this is all real and if you want it can be your life now every day. Living with me that is. But only if you want it." she offered as she flew through the valley and out of the narrow entrance at the top. She took him into the forest and over a crystal blue lake. Just skimming the surface with her wing tips and clawed hands. She was enjoying herself as she showed him the beauty of her paradise. She didnt know why she wanted to die before only figured it was nothing but loneliness.

Much like a fairytale; an escape from reality to live in a place like this. The only thing he had to give up was drugs, there was nothing else waiting on him if he returned to his old life. "Okay" he said giving another rare smile. "I'll stay"

Snow beamed with happiness as his words. "Well now thats great to hear Tenebris. Now I have something to show you." she smiled as she began her decent. She landed close by the lake and lowered herself for him to get down. She cared not about her nakedness as she was sure he had seen multiable women that way from the way he teased her all the time. Once he was off her back she stepped back and shifted into her human form. Her snow white hair came down to her waist as her bright yellow eyes looked up at him. Searching for his reaction as she cold air nipped at her bare skin.

Tenebris climbed from her back to stand upon the snow covered ground. He wondered what else there was she could possibly want to show him. Turning, he watched as she shifted and his eyes widened as she changed from the beautiful beast into the goddess of a woman. Tenebris tried to swallow his tongue and forgot how to breath for a few moments. "Y-your gorgeous." He breathed out as he couldnt help but stare at her.

Snow couldnt help the bright blush that appeared on her face and this time she didnt have feathers to hide it. "Thank you Tenebris your not so bad looking yourself." she said in her human voice. She couldnt help but think she might have served him in the casino that night if he had come there. She shifted back into her griffin as the cold was beginning to prove to much for her. A cold shiver ran across her.

When she shifted back he seemed to have regained himself. "I look like a twig." He scoffed. "So unless your attracted to trees..." He sighed softly, his breath coming out in a puff of cloud in front of his face from the cold. Slowly he ventured over to the water and peered down through the crystal clear liquid to the fish below. He had never cared about anything like this before, but this place; it took his breath away. A small shiver worked its way up his back from the cold though

"As a matter of fact I am attracted to trees else I wouldnt be living here among them and with them. Because every tree starts out small before coming out to be big and mighty. As I know you are." she stated walking up to him after seeing him shiver. She lowered herself down for him to get on her back again so that she could take him home and warm him up.

"I wouldn't get your hopes up. I've never been big or mighty, maybe sly and cunning?" He said before climbing onto her back. At one point Tenebris could recall being healthy and fit, but even then he had a smaller frame. He wasn't the buff kind, he didn't have the build for it but not all attractive guys were large.

"Who said I was attracted to big and buff. Most people that are that way also has a big ego and I cant stand that." she states as she took off towards home. Gliding quickly as she worried about Tenebris getting to cold. "Besides some of the sweetest trees are small but strong and provide the sweetest fruit." she compared as she entered into their valley.

The wind that cut at him now as they flew over the valley was chilling and he tucked himself as close to her as possible. He began to truly shiver now, cold as it went right through his pathetic clothes. He had very much enjoyed the outting but he very much looked forward to the tea and warm fire that would be at the cave

She soon arrived at their home And quickly went inside. The warmth of the cave felt good against her feathers. Kneeling down so that he could get off easily. Once he was down she added wood to the fire and place the kettle on the fire to make a fresh batch of tea. She needed to go to town soon and get him some clothes and other things she needed.

After he climbed off of her, Tenebris got the blanket and sat down curled up with it as close to the fire as he could handle. It didn't take him long to warm up like this and he finally let out a relieved sigh as his shivering finally went away. His body was already in pain and drawn up enough from the withdrawals without the extra pain from being cold. "Snow.... why did you show me your human side?" He asked a bit confused as he glanced over to her

"Because I want there to be no secrets between us. I want your complete trust and know that I am just as much human as griffin." she confirmed. She laid down beside him offering him a cup of fresh tea. She began to sip on hers as well as it warmed her body up as well. Later on after he would go to sleep she would leave for town and get him some clothes that he would need to survive the winter here with her.

He happily too the tea and drank some of it before staring at the fire. No secrets. But he had always lived life surrounded by secrets. Secrets that no one even cared to learn since they didn't care about him in generally. So lucky he was to have her before they broke him completely; while there was still good in him to be saved. "What do you want to know about me?" He asked and glanced to her again. "I'm not sure what to tell, so you'll have to ask what you want to know." He said, feeling that he should share with her as she did him.

"Alright how about the scars on your body how did you get them and why?" she asked gently looking into the fire with him. Her body wrapped around him so that he could lean into her if he wished it. Her massive wings folded against her as she rested.

He frowned slightly at her request, but wasn't surprised. After all she had seen the majority of his body while she had undressed him. "Well.... I was stabbed when another drug addict tried to take what I had." He said, the memory of that night flashing through his mind and of the burning pain as he struggled and fought on the ground with the other man for his life. "The gun wound, a drive by shooting and just being in the wrong place at the wrong time." He had been walking home when the men drove by shooting, leaving him bleeding on the sidewalk before he had gotten up and forced himself to walk the rest of the way home. "The scars on my back... I...." this one made Tenebris pause, closing his eyes tightly as he somewhat drawed up from the memory and pain and was left unable to say as he sat there quivering

Snow looked over at him and seen the pained expression on his face. "Listen if its to painful to talk about I understand. I hate seeing you in pain." she said wrapping her tail around him trying to comfort him. She had just been merely curious it wasnt a need to know situation for her. As his body quivered from the memory she almost dried herself as tears threatened to fall.

She had asked and he needed to tell her; she would be the first person he had ever told before. It would make sense on why he had sought drugs for comfort, why he was so messed up and why now was so hard for him to let them go. "I s-suppose you could say I got my addiction from my father. He was strung out on drugs and whiskey. I was four the first time it happened, I dont even know what I had done to make him made. But he tied me to his bedpost and stuffed a rag in my mouth before he got this.... this whip. I didn't even know he had one, some kinky fetish I guess. But he beat me with it until my back was bloody. He did this every time he thought I did something bad, which was always made up in his paranoid mind. When I got older, 10 I believe, he added these barbs of some kind. I never got a close enough look to really know. But they cut so deep, and it hurt so bad. Sometimes I would be unconscious for a few days and would always wake up in my bed bloody and hurting until I was finally big enough at 14 to run away." When Tenebris was finally done talking he was shaking almost violently and he had his arms wrapped around himself and his knees pulled up to his chest while squeezing his eyes shut.

While he told the story she couldnt help it that the tears began to fall as her head lowered with sadness. After he finished the story. She looked over at him as she tears fell. "Tenebris I swear no one will never lay a hand on you again." she vowed as her voice cracked. "You have me now and you always will for as long as you want me to be in your life." she told him as she wiped her tears away. She stood up and back away before shifting down into her human form. She tenderly wraps her arms around him in an attempt to comfort him.

Tenebris refused to cry; he had cried enough in his life over something he would never be able to change. The scars would forever be a reminder of his aweful life, but also a badge of survival. He words meant more to him than she would ever know; her actions the only kindness he had ever experienced in his life. When she pulled away he instantly grieved for her comfort but was somewhat startled as her human arms wrapped around him. "I'll always be broken in some ways, no matter how hard you try to fix me." He murmured softly as his pained eyes glanced over his shoulder at her.

"I know love but I promise I accept you for the way you are. I wont let you hide behind the drugs anymore nor will I let you use them to cover your pain. I want to show you what love can do." she whispered holding him tightly and drawing him close to her. She pulled the blanket over both of them as she snuggled into his back. Holding him in her embrace and offering him herself in return. She wouldnt leave him tonight as she had planned as he needed her right now. It could wait another night as they were plenty warm. With the fire going and the caves natural warmth. "I wont leave you Tenebris for as long as I live." she vowed. "Unless you want me too."

Love. He knew it was a powerful thing and just like kindness he had never experienced it before. "I hope so" he said to her vow, but he had been tricked so many times he couldnt be sure. As she curled up with him under the blanket, Tenebris shifted to find himself holding her as well, clinging to her as if she were the rays of life left on tthis earth. "I'll never ask you to leave my life. Never)

"I promise," she whispered as he faced her. Placing her forehead against his she used her free hand to gently stroke his back. She felt no awkwardness in front of him even though she was nude under the blankets with him. Yet in her beast form she was the same. She felt comfortable in front of him. Her yellow eyes peered into his bright blue eyes. The words were in her mind and yet she remained quiet.

With his emotions high and not being helped by his withdrawals, he suddenly became all too aware of her being nude in his arms. He was still a man after all; a well endowed one that suddenly felt very uncomfortable in his pants for how tight they now were. "Snow..... I... I can't handle you being human. N-not right now." He said, especially nude and curled up in a blanket with him. "I'll do something stupid." Like maybe kiss her. Tenebris was sure she didn't want any of that from him.

Snow looked up at him and saw the pained and uncomfortable look in his face. She was torn between getting up and staying there beside him and letting him have his way. Not wanting to make him even more uncomfortable she tossed her side of the blanket away and stood up. Walking over to the fire she sighs deeply and shifts into her griffin. How could she have been so stupid to put him in that kind of situation with him all torn up. She thought as she laid down by the fire. "Sorry Tenebris that I made you uncomfortable." she said as she laid her head down. Staring off into the fire as her heart hammered in her chest meeting the rhythm of his. She wasn't sure what she wanted. She knew one thing she wanted him but figured now was not the time for it. Her face reflected no emotions as her mind raced with them.