I will try to fix you

[Jude Iverson]

The new litter of kittens were the cutest, most adorable things that Ivy had ever seen ever in his entire life. Of course, he thought this about every new animal he came across. And of course, he thought this in particular about baby animals. Kittens, puppies, you name it and Ivy adored it to its core.

"You're soooo cuuuuuute~!" Ivy crooned as he gently stroked one of the fuzzy little kittens with two fingers.

There were six of them in total.

Their eyes were barely even open at this stage.

"So?" said Beverly, a stout older woman who worked at the animal clinic. "Do you think you can do it?"

"It's the first time I've ever fostered," Ivy admitted. "But yes. I really think I can do it."

"All right then. They're all yours for the next few weeks. Remember everything we talked about. The rest is in that folder."

She nodded toward the folder on the counter. Ivy smiled as he took the folder and slid it into his satchel.

"Maybe I can use them to make a new book," he said thoughtfully, hefting the box of kittens in his arms. After he exchanged goodbyes with Bev, he turned to head out the door--and instead he ended up face to face and box to chest with somebody coming up behind him.

"Oh! Sorry. Didn't see you there..."

[Rholy]

Coming across a small animal that she had never seen before had her jump, she let out a yelp and then realized it was hurt. She ran into the house to get a box and a few towels and ran back out to the little thing. "Oh, you poor thing." She said as she put a towel over it so she could grab it without being bit by it and put it in the box.

Making her way to the animal shelter to see what to do with this thing she found she busted through the door her box bumping into someone else's box. "I'm sorry!" She said as she looked up and smiled at him. "I shouldn't be running into building blindly." She laughed.

She let out a gasp and opened her box to make sure the little rat thing she found was okay. "You're okay!." She said with a sigh of relief. "I found this poor thing, I think it's hurt." She tilted the box so he could see the creature she found, maybe he knew what it was.

Rune looked up at the man with his black beady eyes his heart was racing. This was not good, he had shifted and been snatched up. He just needed a moment alone to gather his thoughts and change back. He didn't need this unwanted attention he just wanted to go home and forget this happened. His little body shivered he tilted his head to the side his little noses wiggled.

[Jude Iverson]

"It's okay," he said gently, although he was also checking his own box to make sure the kittens were all okay. They seemed like it, although one did let out a protest which resulted in a chorus of the others joining in. Aw, that sound. It melted his heart.

"I'm afraid I don't," Ivy said, looking over the little animal in the woman's box. While he had a soft spot for animals and he fostered kittens in his spare time, it didn't mean that he had some special knowledge of this animal. Or actually...

"Hm," he said, believing it to be quite a popular animal in the woods around here. Before he could say anything, Bev was rushing over to check.

"It's a marten!" she squealed. "Awww, poor thing. What happened to it?"

While Bev fussed over it, Ivy studied it. Sensing something strange, he looked over at Bev.

"Do you mind if I take it?" he asked.

"It's a wild animal. It could hurt you."

Ivy smiled. "I have a feeling it won't."

"Well..."

After a few minutes of persuading, he finally was able to move the shivering marten into the warm box with his kittens. As he made his way over to his car, he peeked in at them. Not usually a great idea, sticking helpless kittens with a marten but...

"Don't worry," he said, "I'll keep your secret."

[Rholy]

After a while, the man was able to talk his way into taking Rune home. Rune was moved to the of kittens before he even made it into the box he had all 5 kittens sniffing and pawing at him. When the man opened up the box he looked right at Rune and spoke to him. Rune looked at him and blinked a few times then nodded his head to let him know he understood him.

This was the first time Rune had been caught and he was a little embarrassed. How was he going to explain this, he was being dumb and that's as all he would admit. He heard the car start and they were off driving. Where were they going? All Rune could do is think of who he was going to get out of this. The drive didn't seem to be too long but being stuck in a box with five lively kittens wasn't easy. Rune had to fight them off as they played with him.

[Jude Iverson]

That poor shifter. Had he been a real pine marten, Ivy might have been a little wary about putting him into a box full of tiny kittens. However, he--the shifter--seemed to patiently tolerate the kittens while they rolled and mewed all over him. Ivy smiled to himself.

When he pulled up to his apartment, he took out the box and brought it up to his place on the second floor. Once inside the apartment, he set the box down on the ground in his spare room and then began preparing it for the kittens. Once they were settled in, Ivy carefully picked up the marten.

"Are you okay?" he asked, half at the shifter and half to himself as he examined him for a moment. He wasn't a veterinarian nor was he working to be one, although he did have an acquaintance who was. Maybe he could help.

"Can you shift back?"

[Rholy]

Rune was picked up out of the box and asked if he was okay, his eyes got pouty and his eyes shifted to his front left leg. Rune managed to come face to face with me mean Chihuahua that thought he was a rag doll. Rune managed to fight his way free from the rat dog and made it to that ladies door. At that time the adrenalin was pumping and he didn't feel the pain. Once he calmed down enough the pain rushed to his leg. He hoped that it wasn't broken but it was very painful to move it.

As to the next question he was not sure if he could shift back. He didn't see why not. He nodded his head hoping he would be left alone for a moment.

Monroe was going to be beyond pissed if he found out he was shifting to steal again. Rune was not all that great at lying so when being questioned about what happened to his arm would be a little difficult. He was hurting for cash and was in need of a shopping day so he thought if he could get a credit card or two he would be able to fill his needs. Monroe didn't understand, he wasn't a shopaholic. Rune just got these urges to shop and he was only given enough money for things he needed not wanted and he happened to like pricey clothes and shoes.

Not knowing how he was going to explain what had happened to this stranger, it was going to be very odd asking for his help. Rune had no clothes, cash, or phone. He would need something to wear and to use his phone to get ahold of Monroe so he could get a ride home. This certainly made Rune question his life and what he was doing with it. All this to go shopping!

[Jude Iverson]

Honestly, the shifter could have been anybody. He could have been just a marten for all he knew. Was he even a pine marten or was it something else? The only kind of marten that he even knew about was the pine marten so maybe he was just making assumptions.

But he knew he was a shifter when he laid eyes on him. That was because of his awareness of shifters in the world around him. It was also because there was something in his gaze. Well, that and Ivy's strong ties to nature. There was something a little... twisted about the feeling or aura of a shifter. Not a bad feeling, exactly. Just... different.

"Oh, ah. Let me give you a moment," Ivy said, bowing his head slightly in apology. "I'll find you something to wear."

He quickly left the room to allow the shifter to change.

[Rholy]

Rune had no idea who this guy was or what he was but he knew he was a shifter. The way he acted he didn't seem to be a hunter but who knows he could be hiding it. But he couldn't help but trust him, this guy seemed...nice.

It was the moment of truth, Rune was about to see how bad his arm was and have a conversation with the nice kitty guy. He cleared his head and shifted back into human form. Looking around the room buck ass naked for something to cover himself with before kitty guy came back with clothes. He grabbed a pillow and hide behind the door.

"Um, you look a lot bigger than me." He yelled through the door. "But I am grateful to not be naked any longer than I have too." A robe would be better than nothing. "Thank you, by the way!"

[Jude Iverson]

"A-am I?"

Ivy didn't know what to think of that. A person who shifted into a pine marten could look like any regular person. It wasn't like when he shifted back into human form, he'd have marten features.

Quickly, Ivy sprinted into his own bedroom and quickly opened up the closet. His heart beat faster, both from the exertion and the idea that he did sort of just let a stranger into his house without even so much as talking to him first. Him? Or her? No, that was a male voice on the other side of the spare room door.

Still unsure about size, Ivy decided to grab pajamas. Since the waistband of his sweats utilized a drawstring, the man could adjust it accordingly. And a t-shirt was a t-shirt. He chose one of his larger sleeping ones, then remembered that the guy thought he was bigger than him.

Hm. He chose a smaller one, just in case. Then it was underwear. A little pink faced, he chose a pair he thought he hadn't worn often, a newer pair. Then he hustled the clothes back to the spare room. He knocked before entering however.

"Is it all clear?"

[Rholy]

"Well, I don't know for sure but some would say I am a stick." He yelled back to the stranger with laughter in his voice. This was as awkward for him too to be naked in a strangers house. Rune rather be with him than at the shelter and maybe put down for being a wild animal.

"Yeah," he said as he opened the door slightly and peeked his head out the door. He kept his body out of view, "Hi, I am Rune by the way." He said with a bit of an embarrassed smile on his face. He took the clothes and shut the door. "I'll be right out." Throwing on the clothes quickly he was relieved not to be naked anymore.

It was a bit of a struggle to get the t-shirt on with his arm being wounded but he managed. The clothes were a bit baggy and Rune's thin figure, he tightened up the drawstring on the pants so they would stay up. Opening the door to the room ready but not wanting to explain what happened to this stranger.

(I love this, you are so fun to write with, brightened up my day RAZ)

[Jude Iverson]

"Um."

Ivy blinked as the door closed again once the shifter who'd introduced himself as Rune took the offered clothing. There was rustling behind the door, indicating that Rune was changing. Ivy turned away from the door, pink faced, even though the door was not glass and he couldn't see through it.

"I'm Ivy," he said back still to the door. "Well, I'm Jude, actually but people call me Ivy because of my last name. It's..."

He waved a hand even though Rune couldn't see it. Realizing he was gesturing for no reason, Ivy tucked his hands beneath his chin and stared down at the faux wood tile beneath his feet.

When the door squeaked back open, Ivy looked up and turned toward Rune. It was the first time he was getting a real look at the human form and now that he was, he could see that he'd been wounded. Ivy's gaze landed sharply on the wounded arm and he immediately moved forward and held Rune's arm to look it over.

"What happened?"

[Rholy]

With his free hand he rubbed the back of his head, he thought he would have more time to come up with something but he jumped right into it. "About that. I was shifted, I mean you know that part. But I was out exploring and this rat dog came after me. It was going to kill me but I fought it off. And the little dick left me with this." Looking down at his wound. "I have never wanted to kill, but that beast needs to be put down." Rune's face told as much as the story as his words.

"Sorry, I am rambling. I do that when I am nervous." Rune sheepishly looked away from Ivy. "I just need to clean it but I am sure I will be okay." He tried to assure Ivy. He didn't want this to be a big deal. He needed Ivy to pretend this never happened and pray Monroe doesn't see his arm and question him.

He let Ivy look the wound over without a fight. He tried not to make a face as he turned his arm for Ivy to get a better look. "It looks a lot worse than it is, you know with the shifting and all." Forcing a smile on his face and kindness in his voice when all he wanted to do was cry.

He took his arm back unable to ignore the pain any longer. Rune pulled his arm in close and gave Ivy a laugh as he lowered his head to where his eye covered his eyes to hide the tears that were forming. His chin quivered and that is when he about lost it. He stood there in front of Ivy with a rush of emotion that hit him out of know where.

"I'm fine really am."His voice carried a little whimper as he fought the tears.

[Jude Iverson]

Rat dog. Ivy blinked and nodded slightly, dazed. The story sounded like a typical one, though. For the smaller shifters, things were difficult when they couldn't shift back in time. Thankfully, even though he'd been too weak to change before, that woman had been kind enough to take him to a vet.

However, Ivy would be better than a veterinarian for him.

Rune seemed to be quite an emotional child (Ivy didn't know how old he was but since he seemed so vulnerable, it was easy for him to believe he was younger than he was.)

"Hey, don't cry," Ivy said. "I can help, if you'll let me."

[Rholy]

Rune felt very weak at this point but the emotion overcame him and cried. "I'm sorry." He apologized he was being a bit dramatic but a lot was going on. Rune was under a lot of stress and he wasn't thinking clearly. He was lost and didn't really know what he was doing with his life. For the most part, he didn't care he was lived each day never worried about 5 years down the road. But he was 20 now and it seemed like he was just 18 and sadly he was in the same place when he was 18. Two years flew by and he was still acting like a child.

Rune wiped his tear from his eyes and looked up at Ivy with hope. "Can you really help?" He asked, unsure what he meant by help. But for a second he thought Ivy was saying he could help him with his life, the life that he was just questioning that caused him to become so emotional.

Rune just wanted to feel like he was part of something important and in order for that, he needed to make something of his life. Was this the turning point for Rune? Had adulthood made it's why to Rune? Or would he soon forget what had happened and go back to the way he was living?

[Jude Iverson]

"Of course!" Ivy chirped, smiling at Rune as he reached over and gently wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

"I'm a witch," he confessed. "That's why I knew what you were."

Somewhere nearby, he could hear the little kittens in the box, stirring. One mewed and the sound of it wrapped around his heart. Everything had a habit of doing that. Out in the living room, his familiar--a sun conure--could be heard chattering to herself. The entire apartment was filled with a sense of peace. Plants were everywhere, from hanging pots to most of the surfaces and shelves in his home. There were tall plants and itty bitty plants, giving the entire place an earthy scent.

The spare room wasn't quite as decked out as the rest of his home, since it was meant for guests and he didn't want to impose those things on his guests. There was, however, a tall plant in the corner and one sitting under the window, its green leaves arching toward the glass.

"Do you want me to heal you?"