To Love a Stray Ch. 12

"Let me go! I need to go to her," I demand.

"Let him go, they need to work it out," Marissa tells them. Wade and Baxter let go of me and I hurry to Rosy where she sits pressing the towel to herself.

"Put that thing away before you come near me," Rosy growls savagely in warning and I realise I have not tucked my cock away.

It is still too swollen to fit into my jeans comfortably and when I look her way again she snarls and flicks me viciously with the towel. I am stunned by her reaction and suddenly not sure what to do so I retreat back against the wall out of the range of her towel flicking.

"You're not coming near me like that," Rosy warns.

I sit down to wait while she eyes me anxiously as I wait to go limp so I can put myself back into my jeans. I watch as Rosy hastily pulls her own jeans on before getting to her feet. She glances at me once then walks over to where the toms are standing uneasily. Sam and Mitchell both greet her with hugs and consoling pats, but when the others get near her there is a lot of sniffing.

I growl angrily as the others get close to my girlfriend while I am not allowed near her. Rosy glances my way as I manage to tuck my cock into my jeans so I can do them up. When I look at Rosy she smiles, gives a slight nod and I get to my feet to hurry over to her.

"You okay Rosy? I didn't hurt you? I never meant for that to happen, you all right?" I ask in worry as I cuddle her close.

"I'm fine, better than fine," she smiles up at me.

"Well why did you refuse to let me near you?" I ask worriedly.

Rosy doesn't answer; she just looks away from me. I decide not to press the point as I drop a kiss on her temple.

"No more touching my belly if you're going to try that every time you do," Rosy says after an uncomfortable silence. I laugh softly in relief and drop my head to nuzzle around her ear.

"I suppose the leash can be left off except for when you are outside in the open, just in case," Wade says and I tense as I lift my head to look at him.

"The leash is better than the cage," Rosy tells me and I look down at into her face for a few seconds. I see her fear of the cage and vow to myself not to let her be locked up again if I can prevent it.

"Ok but Rosy will need to be able to shift every week or so," I tell Wade firmly.

"Maybe we can work something out," Wade says after a few minutes and I relax slightly.

"We might go and leave you lot to your selves," Marissa says moving between Wade and myself.

I am silent as I watch Wade, Marissa and Doc leave. I remind myself I will have to go and speak to Doc about how safe sex is for Rosy before he leaves.

"I thought you said you were betting on Rosy being up high in some tree where no one could get her down?" Steven laughs drawing my attention. "You didn't expect Rosy to make a move on you!"

I release Rosy to move several steps away as I take in the glare Mitchell is sending my way. I miss what Dwayne says but laugh as he gives me a shove that sends me towards Sam who thumps me on the back roughly. I glance back at Rosy but she has moved to the lounge where she is stretching out on her side comfortably. I am not surprised to see Baxter hand Donny a blanket to tuck around her as she closes her eyes.

"Who wants these so they know exactly what happened out there today?" Steven asks loudly and I look his way to find him holding a pair of dainty lacy knickers above his head.

* * * * *

I watch as Wade, Marissa and Doc leave. Micah releases me as the toms, led by Steven, start harassing him about mistakenly thinking I had tried to run away. I take the chance to retreat to the lounge and sit down, put my legs up on the lounge and settle myself comfortably. I find myself yawning several times as I relax. My eyes grow tired and I close them for a few moments as Micah tries to get hold of Steven who has my underwear and is offering them around for smelling.

I open my eyes sleepily as I feel a blanket settle over my shoulders but Donovan merely smiles as he tucks it in around my body and I close my eyes once more and yawn tiredly. I am dimly aware of the noise being suddenly hushed at some time but I am too tired to open my eyes and check why the toms have quietened down.

It is some time later that I wake with a soft cry of distress and it takes several long moments as I look around before I realise I am not still in a cage. I bury my face in the blanket and roll to face the back of the lounge before dissolving into tears.

"It's all right Rosy, it's all right," I recognise Donovan's voice as I feel a hand stroke my back between my shoulder blades but I still flinch beneath the light touch.

"I had a horrible dream," I say and try to swallow back a sob but it escapes and I turn my face into the blanket once again.

"Shhh, Shhh," Donovan croons softly.

I feel a warm body cuddle up to my back and an arm reach over me to allow a hand to clasp my hand that holds the blanket in a hard knot against my mouth as I try to smother my cries. Donovan begins to sing some faint song and slowly my terror starts to fade away until all that is left are the occasional hiccuping sobs. I allow him to pull my hand down from my face as I close my eyes and begin to slip back into the welcome darkness of sleep.

"What's the problem?" Steven's voice startles me and I open my eyes abruptly as I glance around with a frightened cry.

"Rosy said she had a bad dream. Where's Micah?" Donovan asks.

"Wade made him go to pick up the van parts. Hey Rosy, how you doing sweetie?" Steven asks as he helps me to sit up.

"I was back in the zoo cage," I say and burst into fresh sobs. Steven cradles me against his chest for several minutes and is talking to someone but I can't hear him over my own body shaking sobs as he holds me close and rubs my back.

It is not the first time I have woken crying from dreams of being back in the old zoo cage where Sam, Mitchell, Dwayne and Alex found me, but it is comforting to have strong arms around me and a heartbeat beneath my ear when I finally manage to bring the sobs back to an occasional one.

My nightmares had been much less frequent over the course of time until Wade locked me in the cage. Then the nightmares returned with a vengeance, waking me several times a night.

"Ok you two, lots of pillows now," Steven says quietly as he rubs my back. I feel his breath ruffle my hair and strands of hair are brushed back from my damp face.

"Anything else?" Donovan asks.

"A nice thick soft blanket, one that feels like fur," Steven instructs.

"Ok Rosy, I'm going to put you on the mattress on the floor and we're going to build you a nice cosy nest. How would you like that?"

I nod my agreement but what I really want is to stay in his arms because I have learnt that the dream invariably returns when I go back to sleep if I don't have physical contact with someone. Steven carries me the few steps to the mattress on the floor and he puts me down on the mattress. Immediately he hands me a plump pillow to cuddle before tucking several down along the front of my body. He places a soft fuzzy blanket over me and I cuddle it close as I tuck a corner under my cheek, I close my eyes as he begins to tuck the blanket in around my body.

"Ok Donny, come here and cuddle into her back like you were on the lounge. Just cuddle up to her and hold her when she has a bad dream. That's the best thing you can do when she has them," Steven says quietly. I feel the pressure of a warm body against mine and a faint sigh escapes my lips as I snuggle down into the nest of pillows and blanket made for me.

"See," I hear Steven say, "Rosy's going to relax and will be able to go back to sleep now."

I yawn and wriggle to get comfortable. A hand brushes the hair back from my face and I yawn again as a calming warmth settles in my mind. The soft background noise fades into a comfortable blur of sound, and I realise I am falling asleep when I am only aware of my own breathing. I wake fully with a start before closing my eyes and relaxing once again.

I become aware of footsteps as people move around either the lounge room or the kitchen. I open my eyes slowly and can tell immediately by the dimness of the room I have slept past lunchtime and it is now late afternoon. I roll onto my back and glance at Donovan who had been cuddled up to my back, but he is asleep and his arm still rests across my lower ribs on top of the blanket. I decide to chance waking him and reach my arms up over my head to stretch. I arch my back up and curve my body slightly from side to side. I feel Donovan's arm move off my ribs and I glance his way and smile when I see him watching my stretching with a grin.

"Hey guys! Rosy's awake," Donovan calls and immediately footsteps come from the kitchen and I turn my head to see who is standing behind the lounge. Steven takes one look and smiles when he sees I am awake and feeling good. He nods to himself before heading back to the kitchen.

"You okay Rosy?" Sam asks as he comes into the lounge room followed shortly by Mitchell.

"Now I am," I say with a grin.

"I looked after you," Donovan says proudly. I look his way and notice the worry beneath his bright smile.

"Yeah I know you did. Every time I woke up I knew none of the bad memories were real because you kept talking to me," I tell him.

"Steven told me to cuddle you but I talked to you so you'd know it was me," Donovan tells me seriously.

"You're a good kid," I tell him and see the disappointment on his face before he turns it away. "By the time you're as old as Micah and Dwayne you'll be a great tom."

Donovan snorts in disbelief but I don't miss the smile he quickly hides. "You hungry? You slept through lunch and supper isn't quite ready yet but I can make you a sandwich or something," he offers.

"I just want to lay here if that's all right with you," I tell him. I don't mention the fact I feel off in the stomach as well as very sore from my earlier activities. I know that if I mention it, all of the toms will worry and fuss and make me feel worse.

"I can get you a drink if you like," Donovan offers hopefully and I have to smile.

"A small glass of juice then," I give in to his coaxing. I look at my brothers when Donovan hurries off to the kitchen on his mission.

"You alright? Micah didn't hurt you?" Sam asks and Mitchell gives a low-pitched growl.

"You mean am I sore? Yeah and no I don't intend to let 'that' happen again if I can help it," I say before rolling onto my stomach and looking at the tv. "But I have to admit it sure was one heck of a fun way to end up so sore," I say and bury my face in a pillow as I laugh. It feels surprisingly natural and right to be talking to my brothers about what has happened.

"You little minx," Mitchell exclaims and both of my brothers laugh.

"We only got mixed breakfast juice," Donovan tells me in concern as he hands my drink to me.

"Thanks Donovan. This'll be great," I say and take a mouthful of juice, "Who is cooking what for supper?"

"Steven, Malcolm and Mikkarl. We got instructions from Marissa what kind of food you need to eat. And Micah said there's got to be steak and chicken so you can pick which one you want. Mikkarl is doing stir-fried vegies, they're really good and not too spicy -- Marissa said nothing too spicy in case it upsets your stomach," Sam informs me seriously.

"This is so completely different to the way things are done in the human world. The husband / boyfriend /father-to-be generally either comes home from work or waits for the pregnant girl to come home and then asks what is there to eat. Males of the human species willing to look after the woman are few and far between," I tell them seriously.

"Yeah us cats are pretty special," Mitchell agrees as he stretches out on the mattress beside me taking Donovan's place while Sam stretches out on the other side of me. Donovan surveys them a few moments before sitting on Sam's back and grinning at me.

"Oi Donny boy, you're getting a bit big for that now," Sam tells him but makes no effort to make him move.

Apparently the other toms have been staying out of the lounge room leaving me to sleep because now they begin gathering with amazing speed. They all come carrying their mattresses and soon everyone is stretched out on the floor around me with only Malcolm standing in the doorway of the kitchen and Mikkarl in the kitchen itself, but their mattresses have been carried out for them.

"What do you want for supper? A nice big thick steak or roast chicken?" Dwayne asks.

"Chicken. Is there any stuffing or gravy?" I ask hopefully.

"No stuffing. Don't know how to make it but we got gravy, lots of it," Dwayne says and he is looking me over with unusual interest then I notice all of the toms are, including my brothers.

"I suppose I'll have to either teach you lot how to make stuffing or do it myself in future," I say.

"And those muffins you made, Timny and Malcolm have tried to make them but theirs didn't turn out so great," Chris tells me.

"What about those biscuits Pete claims you made for him? Micah and I got into them when we were there and they were awesome," Steven tells me.

"Anything else?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, how many children you planning on having? It's got to be at least five or six? You'll keep going until you have a little girl?" Dwayne asks seriously.

"Yeah," Justin chimes in, "we want a lot of them running around."

"And you didn't seem to mind Mi..." Steven clamps a hand over Donovan's mouth and pulls one of his ears making him snarl beneath the hand covering his mouth as he cuts off Donovan in mid word.

I look down at the empty glass in my hand thankful that Donovan was cut off before he could say something that made me feel more uncomfortable than this sudden bout of questions is making me.

"Can I just concentrate on getting this one out alive and healthy?" I ask without looking at any of them.

"Yeah I suppose so," Dwayne answers. "And then the next one and the next one and so on."

I concentrate on not crushing the glass I hold. When this does nothing to still my rising flood of panic, I get to my feet ignoring everyone around me. I head for the toilet and shut myself in it sitting down trying to stop the panic I can feel making my stomach churn uneasily.

"Why's Rosy taking so long?" I hear Donovan ask after I fail to head back out to the lounge room.

"I think I might have upset ... hi Micah," Dwayne says.

"What's going on and where is Rosy? Or should I just ask who the hell has her hiding away instead of being out here?" Micah demands his voice a low angry rumble. I hear the meaty sounding thud of flesh meeting flesh and I hug myself unhappily as a whispered account of what has been said is given to Micah.

"Haven't you worked out by now Rosy knows next to nothing about our way of life? How can I work things out with her if you lot go scaring her into thinking she has to produce baby after baby?" Micah demands in a low angry whisper. I hear his footsteps heading my way and sit watching the door nervously.

"Rosy needs to be allowed to know the way we do things so she can make her own choices. You can't make all the choices for her," Mitchell tells him. I hear Micah's steps stop and then move away from me before the sound of another thud and a low angry hiss.

"I'll give you that one but if you hit me again the gloves are off," Mitchell hisses.

"We tell her what she needs to know so when the time comes she is able to make her choices and isn't forced into a panic over what she should do," Sam says in a low tone.

"Do you have to scare her into running?" Micah demands.

"We're here and Rosy is wherever she is. Wade made us install bars on all the windows so we know she hasn't panicked and run away because she went up the other end of the quarters. She's off by herself thinking what she's going to do. We never meant to scare her but what are we expected to do? Be a defence force with nothing to defend because Rosy is too delicate to be allowed to be normal?" Steven demands.

"Fuck you and what you want Steven," Micah growls low in his throat. "Push Rosy too far with that damned collar around her throat, have her change to a cat and it'll kill her. Or didn't you think of that!"

"You're not the only one who cares about Rosy! But we have to give her the chance to face things for herself," Steven says.

"Go to hell," Micah growls and I hear him heading my way again. "Rosy? Rosy where are you?" he asks softly as he pauses by what must be Sam and Mitchell's room. His footsteps resume heading my way, pausing once more as he calls me again before he heads towards where I am.

"Hey Rosy," Micah says softly outside the door. After a few moments the doorknob turns but I already have my feet up and when the door comes to rest against the resistance of my feet, he stops opening it.

"You going to come out and eat supper now?" Micah asks softly. I don't answer while I keep my feet in place in case he decides to try to open the door further.

"You need to come out and eat. Either you come out on your own or I can drag you out to the others. Now I'm going to go dish up my supper and if you're not out there by the time I'm ready to eat I am coming back," Micah warns me.

"I'm not hungry," I say sulkily.

"Well you will come out anyway and see if there is anything you would like to eat. You don't have to eat a lot but you do have to have a bite or two," Micah says firmly.

I listen to him walk away and I hear the momentary silence of the others before they resume whatever they were doing, only this time they are more restrained with their jokes and laughter. I give it another minute or two before I open the door and walk out taking my time to wash my face and hands before heading out to the kitchen. I pause in the doorway when I see Micah dishing out two plates of food.

"I just thought I'd get you some supper before all the best bits were taken," Micah says evenly when he pauses to grab cutlery from the pile on a tea towel on the table. I notice that one plate has decidedly less food on it and I am relieved to know he isn't going to try to force me to eat a large meal.

"Is the meat chicken," I ask as I stand in the doorway watching him.

"Yeah I made sure he got you chicken," Steven tells me.

"Good," I say as I turn around and head for the lounge room. I settle myself on the lounge and when Micah hands me my supper I study the food on it silently for a few moments before using my fork to taste the stir-fried vegies cautiously. Finding it to my liking I begin eating the vegies while they are still hot and fresh, enjoying their crunch and sweetness of the sauce on them. I finish the vegies on my plate and eat some of the moist succulent roast chicken before putting my knife and fork down and looking for someplace to put my plate as my stomach starts to feel uneasy.

"You all right Rosy?" Dwayne asks.

"Can someone take my plate please? The smell of the food is starting to get to me," I say as my need to get away from the smell starts to get more demanding. Micah all but snatches my plate from my hand and I jump to my feet and hurry to the window where the breeze is coming in, bringing the sweet smell of the trees with it. I stand in the breeze for a few minutes before finding myself a place to sit where the flow of air can keep the smell of the food away from me allowing me to still remain in the room.

"You lot keep eating," I say when I see everyone is watching me worriedly.

"You're okay now?" Micah asks in concern. I am about to brush off his concern but something stops me and I shrug uncertainly.

"I feel a little bit off and I am type of okay as long as I don't smell the scent of the cooked meat for too long," I admit.

"We can sit outside once I've finished eating. How's that?" Micah asks.