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The morning sun woke Dannica the way that it always did, with the warm rays shining through the window. She'd gotten her father to move the bed right under where the morning sun shone through the window.

He'd been reluctant at first, but then he'd laughed and when he'd acquiesced, she'd heard the resignation in his voice. It wasn't like it mattered all that much where her bed was nor whether the sun shone into her eyes. The night was the same as the day behind her eyes.

She felt more rested this morning than she had in a long time, and instead of the nightmares that sometimes came with her sleep, there were dreams of her friend, Hope. Indeed, last night had brought dreams so vivid and real that she felt dampness between her thighs when she sat up with a groan. She constantly had to ask herself if the previous day had actually happened, but she knew that it had. She could still remember the touch of her friend's lips to hers, and the thought made her shudder anew.

Her crutches were near the bed where she left them the night before, right where her paws expected to find them, and she was up and out of bed without so much as a second thought. It was her second day of school, and that meant that she'd get to hear Hope's voice in her ears again in only a few hours.

But there were things that she needed to take care of first. She hobbled her way across the room to the door next to her closet and into the bathroom. She'd never woken in quite the state she was in before. On the way by, she stopped and opened the window to let the scent of her very obvious arousal out of the room so that it didn't overwhelm her father if he came in. Though it had been a while since he'd come into the room to wake her, and he gave her all the privacy she could ever ask, the thought of him coming into the room with that scent on the air was enough to make her shudder in embarrassment.

She carefully made her way to the side of the tub and sat down, setting her crutches along the edge, then reached over and found the faucet. A quick turn had the water running. Careful to keep herself on the edge of the tub, she stripped off the cotton panties that she slept in, noticing that they were soaked through with her dampness. She shook her head with a small smile and tossed them into the corner.

"Da's going to think I've gone into heat," she said quietly to herself.

She could feel the steam coming from the water and she reached over to adjust the temperature, making it nice and warm enough to fill the small room with steam. Then she pushed the little button that changed it from the bath faucet to the shower. She heard the water starting to spray out above her head and she reached into the tub, finding the seat that was there for her while her legs were still too weak to support her.

They were strong enough, though, that she could hoist herself onto the seat without much trouble. She rather thought that she'd be able to stand and take a shower by now, but she didn't want to chance slipping and not being able to catch herself. When she was a little stronger, she'd try it, but today, she was going to be with her friend again, and she didn't want to do anything that might make that not happen.

Before she was adopted by her father, she had never lived in a place where she could take all the time that she wanted in a warm shower. By the time she got into the shower back in Novvy Urengoy, the hot water was at best tepid, and on the frigid winter days, she was lucky to get water at all, and a shower consisted of how quickly she could get in, wash and get out. But it was the same for all the children there, so she never thought anything of it. Here, though, she could sit and luxuriate in the flow of the warm water. She could almost feel every drop of the streams hitting her fur, soaking with its warmth into her skin.

She started to ruffle her fingers through her fur, getting it all soaked and dripping and then reached down to work the sticky arousal off her thighs. She didn't get too far with that task, though, before she felt the same heat from yesterday rising. The touch of her fingers against her sex brought the memory of Hope's fingers there the day before right to the fore of her mind, and almost without thinking about it, her fingers curled inward, sliding between her lips and inside her.

She gasped softly with the single easy thrust and then drew them back out and up to the very cleft where she easily found the sensitive nub of nerves there. With just the right pressure and motion, she started to move her fingers against it, speeding up a little as she felt the heat growing inside her.

It didn't take long before she closed her legs together and trapped her hand there while she softly cried out in pleasure. It was nowhere near as good as it was with Hope, but it was enough to ease the pressure that she'd felt since waking, and it left her panting for a moment.

She caught her breath and then worked on soaping and rinsing her fur, and when she was done, she dried herself and made her way to the closet. Taking the next pile of clothes from the shelf, she carefully dressed, feeling the same textures as she did the day before. She'd not thought much about it until yesterday, when she'd felt the lacy texture of Hope's bra underneath her fingers, and today, she started to notice that while her father was loving and he doted on her, his imagination in clothes left something to be desired.

Still, the fact that he was able to go and pick out something for her was testament to how much he cared, and Dannica noticed and always appreciated the way that he laid everything out for her so that she could find it easily and so that she could maintain her daily routine. Because he did things the way he did, it never took her long to get dressed in the morning.

Dressed and ready, she headed out to the stairs. Again the temptation to try to do more than she had been was hard to resist, but she scolded herself and made herself call out for her father to come and steady her while she worked her way slowly down the stairs. Just the touch of his reassuring hand on her shoulder was enough today, though, and she didn't trip once.

The same breakfast awaited her when she arrived in the kitchen, and she could almost feel her father's eyes on her while she ate.

"Dannica," he said when he finished his own breakfast. "I talked to Hope's mother yesterday while she was over here, and I told her about her helping you."

Dannica steeled herself for his anger, positive that he knew what they were doing in her room, but he went on normally.

"I told her how much help she was and I offered to pay her a little bit if she'd come over every day after school to help you around the house for a couple hours."

Dannica could hardly believe her ears.

"Really?" she asked. Her excitement must have been evident, since she heard her father's laugh right after her question.

"Yes, really," he replied. "You're old enough now that you don't need your father poking his head into everything. You deserve a little privacy, and I figured that since Hope's a girl, you might be a little more comfortable with her helping you with things."

"That's great, da!" Dannica said, almost dancing in her chair with happiness.

"Her mother thought so, too, but it's up to her, so tell her that I'll give her ten dollars an hour for three hours a day after school."

Dannica must have shown a bit of surprise at the amount because he chuckled and said, "It's what I'd pay for an adult caregiver for you, Dannica. And with the way she was helping you yesterday, both at school and then coming home with you afterwards, I think she'll be better for you than some strange adult. If it's okay with you, of course."

"Of course it's okay, da. Hope is really very nice," Dannica said with a touch of heat to her cheeks.

"All right, then. You ask her today and we'll go from there, okay?"

"Okay, da," Dannica said as she finished her breakfast. It was all the more reason for her to want to get to school as soon as possible today, to give her new friend the good news.

---

The ride to the school couldn't have gone any slower in Dannica's mind and she was glad that the car was moving so that her father didn't hear her foot tapping against the floorboards. She couldn't wait to get to school and hear Hope's voice again.

When the car slowed to a stop, she heard her father's quiet chuckle.

"Looks like your friend is as impatient as you are," he said.

Dannica flushed and stopped her tapping with a guilty look on her face and she felt her father's hand on her head, ruffling her hair.

"It's all right, Dannica. I'd be a little worried if you weren't excited. Looks like Hope is good for you."

Dannica laughed and nodded, already opening the door. When she did, she could hear the clapping footsteps of shoes running against the concrete. The sound got closer and she heard a happy voice calling her name.

"Go on, Dani," her father said, and Dannica noticed that he hadn't even opened his door. She slid out the door with the help of her crutches and then turned around and leaned back into the car.

"Thank you, da," she said as she collected her backpack from the floor.

Then she closed the door and turned around just in time for a pair of arms to enfold her in a warm embrace. Hope's scent filled her nose at the same time her voice sounded in her ear. "Morning, DZ!"

Dannica stumbled a little with the force of the embrace, and fought to keep her balance, but Hope let go quickly and helped steady her.

"You ready for class?" Hope asked as she started off towards the front door of the school.

"As long as the teachers aren't horrible with the homework," Dannica asked.

Hope laughed and led her into the school, chatting about the latest gossip and all the things that she needed to catch up on for her social life to resemble anything close to normal. She didn't stop until they were seated in the first class of the day.

There was something about the other tiger that just made her feel safe and comfortable, and with her scent right next to her all day long, and the sound of her voice in her ears, she felt that she could do anything that school asked of her.

Throughout the first part of the day, Dannica sat through the second day of classes, and it seemed that every teacher had been told about her requirements, because after every class, the teacher kept her after for a few minutes with Hope so that they could modify the assignment a little to accommodate her. Mostly it was them giving permission for her to dictate papers or turn in recordings if needed. In math, it was an offer of personal tutoring as well as permission for Hope to read the questions to her and help her keep track of the equations as she was solving.

They all offered all the assistance they could give, and Dannica couldn't thank them enough for their help and their kindness.

Almost before she knew it, lunchtime had come again, and the same smells filled the hallways. She was very happy that her father packed her lunch every day, because she really didn't want to have to find out if the taste was as bad as the smell.

Together, Hope and Dannica found a table out of the way while they ate. She was learning much more about her friend.

"So I was born here and I've lived here all my life. It's kind of crappy, growing up in a small town," Hope was saying as they sat down.

"This seems pretty huge to me," Dannica admitted.

"Really?" Hope asked. Dannica could hear the astonishment in her voice. "Where did you grow up, then?"

"Novvy Urengoy," Dannica answered. She didn't expect Hope to know what the name of the town was, but she was surprised with the answer.

"All the way in Northern Siberia?" Hope asked.

"Yes," Dannica said, clearly astonished. "How did you know that?"

Hope was silent for a minute before she answered, and when she did, Dannica could hear the embarrassment behind her voice.

"I kind of spent a few hours looking at maps of Russia last night," Hope admitted. "I wanted to know where you were from."

Dannica giggled. "You looked at enough maps of Siberia that you know where my little town is?" She shook her head and reached across the table to lay her hand over Hope's. "That's the nicest thing I think I've ever heard."

"It's nothing. I've just never met anyone from Russia before is all," Hope said. Dannica imagined her friend's face blushing scarlet.

"It's really sweet," Dannica said as she slid her fingers against the fur on the back of Hope's paw.

The moment ended abruptly, though, when a hand roughly snatched Dannica's shades from her head. She flinched back and nearly fell off the table bench with surprise.

"It's about time your girlfriend saw what you were hiding," came a chiding male voice from behind her.

Dannica swiveled around and she heard Hope standing up.

"Give them back," Dannica demanded with her heart pounding and her hands shaking.

"Nah," the boy answered, "I think I'm going to keep them for a while."

Dannica stood up, holding herself as upright as she could with her crutches. When she felt a strong hand on her shoulder starting to push her back down against the bench, something inside broke and she screamed, an inarticulate roar of anger and fear rushing back from memories best left buried.

Without realizing it, her arm swung around, still holding the crutch. For the barest moment, she was back in the dark room, scared for her life, waiting for the big tiger to come back through the door, and she put everything she had into the swing.

She felt a heavy thump and a crack when her crutch hit something and another scream joined her own roar. Vaguely, she heard the sound of her glasses hitting the floor, but it was as if it was happening in another time and place.

She felt the boy moving to the side to get away from her, and she felt his weight slide forward on the crutch shaft. Still screaming, she lifted the crutch above her head and then brought it crashing down. This time, it hit something hard and she felt another crack.

Then there were hands against her, pulling her back and away and taking the crutch from her hands. She still couldn't tell what was happening, and when the crutch was ripped from her hands she snarled and started biting at the hands that held her. They still held on, though and lifted her to the table while she struggled for her life.

But a familiar voice in her ear finally penetrated the fog of fear.

"DZ!" Hope called, "Dannica, it's all right! Stop!"

Still she fought, though she started to realize that the smells in the room and the scents of the ones that were holding her were very different from the ones she experienced before.

"Let me through!" she heard Hope calling, and then her friend's scent was there, and she felt Hope's hand on her cheek. "Dannica, stop," Hope said softly right next to her ear. "You're safe, it's okay."

Finally, Dannica relaxed and stopped fighting, and when she finally came down, she could hear herself sobbing as she was held on the table. The hands holding her slowly let her go, and she curled herself into a little ball, drawing her knees up to her chest while she cried in fear and shock.

She felt Hope's hand gently stroking her cheek and her whiskers while she whispered into her ear. "It's okay, Dannica. It's all right." Then she felt Hope's arms pulling her and coaxing her off the table into a hug.

"Come with me," she said quietly. Then over her shoulder, Dannica heard her talk to someone.

"Give me her crutches," she demanded. Dannica couldn't help noticing the tone of command in her voice and after a minute, she felt the cold metal against her arms. With a little coaxing, Dannica slid her arms into the cuffs and took hold of the handles, then followed Hope's gentle urging out of the cafeteria and down the hall.

She could hear two adults' footsteps behind them, and after a few steps down the hall, she knew where they were heading.

Sure enough, she heard Doctor Stevens' voice as soon as they walked through the door. It was muffled and it only took her a moment's thought to realize that it was coming through a closed door.

"Yes, sir, that's what I said. Suspended," the voice said. "Until your son is ready to act like a civilized being."

There was a pause and Dannica could hear the anger in the principal's voice. "He's on his way to Shasta, and you tell him that he's lucky she got done with him first, or I would have had him over my desk next."

Another pause, and Dannica listened even more closely.

"You're free to do what you like, Mister Richardson, but I've got a room full of kids that all say the same thing. Your son acted like an ass and picked a fight with our only blind student. That's not something we tolerate, and you're lucky that he's not being expelled. Good day, sir."

Dannica felt her face growing red as she listened, but she was still shaking from the memories that had surfaced, and she sat heavily in the chair that Hope pulled over for her. Then she heard her friend pulling another next to her and shortly after, Hope's hand slid around her shoulder and held her close. Dannica didn't even think twice about laying her head on Hope's shoulder as she tried to control the shaking.

"Shh, shh," Hope whispered in Dannica's ear. "I've got you."

After a time that felt much longer than it should have, Dannica heard the door to the office open and Doctor Steven's voice calling her name.

"Dannica? Come in, please."

She stood up and Hope stood with her, guiding her in the door. When she found the chair on the other side of the door, she sat down, feeling Hope staying beside her.

"Can Hope stay, please, Doctor Stevens?" Dannica asked.

"Yes, she can. She's your assistant, so she should hear this, too," Doctor Stevens said.

She heard the door to the office close and Doctor Stevens' footsteps walking between her and the desk. Then there was the rustling of his clothing as he leaned against the desk.

"Dannica," he said after a pause to collect his thoughts, "I want you to understand that your father has told me some of your history, so I know about certain things that others might not."

He paused and waited until Dannica nodded.

"Now, what happened today in the cafeteria can't happen again. So I'm going to be recommending to your father that he find you someone to talk to, a counselor. But what I have to say is going to be up to you. I won't suspend you, and I won't expel you, but only on the condition that you really do go to see someone, okay?"

Dannica nodded with her head hung and her cheeks aflame. She knew that she'd be crying if she could, but that was something that the Bratva had taken from her.

"I understand sir," she whispered.

"In my opinion, he deserved what he got, and I told his father that as well. But if he ever does it again, you're to find an adult and ask for help. I think that you're stronger than you realize, and you need to learn to control yourself.

"I've called your father and he's coming to pick you up. You're excused for the rest of the day so that you can calm down and get yourself back together."

"Thank you, sir," Dannica whispered again.

She felt Hope's arm around her squeeze her gently and she stood up.

"I'm very sorry, sir. I don't know what happened," she said.

"It will be alright in the morning, Dannica," Stevens said. She felt his paw against hers and when she turned her hand over, he slid some small cards into it. "Give these to your father. They're people who deal with the things that you've gone through."

Dannica nodded and then turned to the door. "I will, sir. Thank you again, and I'm very sorry."

"Go home, Dannica, and get some rest. And I think your father wanted you to ask Hope a question by the end of the day."

Dannica nodded and walked out the door, guided by Hope's hand on her shoulder. When they were out of the office and in the hallway, Hope stopped her.

"What did your father want you to ask me?" she asked.

Dannica blushed a little and her hand fidgeted on her crutch handle.

"Da wanted to know if you would stay for a few hours after school to help me. He wants to pay you ten dollars per hour," Dannica said.

Hope let out a quiet squeal of delight and hugged Dannica close. "I'd do it for free, Dannica, but yes, I'll stay and help."

Dannica laughed as she felt her friend hopping in her excitement, moving her body against hers when she did. She shuddered a little at the feeling, but managed to keep it under control.

"I guess we have more time today," Dannica said quietly.

"Yep, but that's okay, I'll get the homework from the teachers tomorrow, and we'll catch you up. Let's get you home so you can rest."

Dannica followed Hope out the door and it wasn't long before her father's car drove down the street and stopped at the front door.

"Are you okay, Dannica?" her father asked when he got out of the car.

Dannica nodded as she heard his steps getting closer. "I'm okay, Da."

Her father's heavy footsteps stopped right in front of her and she heard the rustling of his clothing as she knelt down.

"Doctor Stevens told me a little. What happened?" he asked.

"Jared Richardson," Hope answered. "He's one of the biggest jerks in the school, and he's on the football team. He took her shades and started making fun of her."

"So you hit him?" Duke asked. Dannica could tell that he was still looking at her.

"He tried to push me down, Da," Dannica said with a shaky voice, "Like the tiger from before."

"Ah," her father said, "I understand."

She heard him standing and she got to her feet, getting her crutches under her.

"Let's get you home, and then tomorrow we can deal with things, okay?" he asked.

"Okay," Dannica said as she started forward, feeling Hope's hand on her shoulder as she stepped down the concrete stairs at the front of the building.

"Did Dannica talk to you about my offer, Hope?" he asked as they walked towards the car.

"Yes, sir," Hope answered quickly, "and I said yes."

Dannica could hear the happiness in her voice when she answered and the thought of her friend happy had a smile breaking across her muzzle.

"Okay, then," Duke said, his usual efficient self. "Come on home with us and I'll get you all set up."

Dannica heard Hope's footsteps following behind as she followed along in her father's.

The entire ride home, everyone in the car was quiet, and when they arrived at the house, Dannica was the first out the doors.

"Go rest, Dannica," Duke said, "I'll bring up some food in a little while, and we'll see about finding you someone to talk to."

Dannica nodded, and with Hope's hand on her shoulders, started into the house and up the stairs. When the door had finally closed behind her and she was settled on the bed with her crutches to the side, she finally let herself start shivering. She'd wanted to since the cafeteria, but she knew that when she started, it was going to be a long time before she stopped.

She lay curled up on her side, thinking that she couldn't even feel the sunbeams that would be coming through the window during the morning light, and she felt the bed move. Then she felt Hope's hand on her shoulder followed by her soft, familiar curves pressing up against her back. Her friend molded herself against her and draped her arm around her, holding her tightly while she shook and the sobs broke free.

Hope didn't say anything, she just held her tightly, and Dannica felt the warmth of her body against hers, the comforting arm around her, letting her know that she was safe and loved, and there was a small whisper of Hope's breath against her ears.

Slowly, she started to come back down, and the sobbing stopped first, and with the quiet whispered shushing Hope was whispering in her ears, the shaking wasn't far behind. When it finally stopped, she felt Hope's lips against the back of her neck and she sighed, finally relaxing into her friend's embrace.

Then she heard the door opening and she realized that she hadn't been paying attention, and she'd missed her father's footsteps. When the door opened, they stopped abruptly and Dannica felt Hope's head lift from behind hers. No one said anything for what seemed like an eternity. Finally Hope's quiet voice spoke.

"She was shaking really bad, Mister Wallis," she said, and Dannica heard that there wasn't a single note of contrition in her voice.

"Dannica, are you okay, sweetie?" her father asked.

Dannica nodded, though she didn't say anything.

"Hope, would you give us a minute?" he asked.

Dannica felt Hope sitting up with a nod. When her hand snaked back to her shoulder, she felt her friend giving her a little squeeze. Then the bed rocked and she heard Hope's soft footsteps walking out the door.

The sound of the door closing softly behind her came shortly before she felt the bed moving again. Then her father's hand rested on her shoulder, heavier and stronger than Hope's, but still as comforting.

"Dannica, I just need to know that you're okay," he said quietly, "with everything. With school, with Hope."

Dannica nodded while she sat up and she tucked herself up against her father while he held her around the shoulders.

"Hope is my friend, Da. She's amazing."

Dannica paused, thinking for a second before she spoke again.

"But I don't know if I'm ready for school yet. I..." she shuddered against him, "I know I broke his arm, Da. I felt it."

"Yes, you did," her father said, and he held her closer while she shook. "And his collarbone. But Doctor Stevens says he had it coming, and there's not going to be any punishment for you."

"Can I stay home tomorrow, da?" Dannica asked. She could feel the knot in her stomach when she thought about going back and facing the other kids in her classes after what had just happened. She didn't want to hear the whispers or feel the stares.

"Yes," her father answered, "you may. But just for tomorrow."

She felt him free his hand and the bed moved as he stood up.

"I'll send Hope back in, okay?" he said. "And Dannica, you're an amazing girl, no matter what. Remember that, okay?"

Dannica nodded and then lay back on the bed. She heard her father opening the door and he heard his quiet laugh when he walked through it.

"Go ahead, Hope," he said. "She's waiting for you."

"Thanks Mister Wallis," Hope said.

Then there was the thump of her feet on the floor as she took a running leap into the bed with Dannica. Dannica eeped in surprise and curled up into a ball when she heard Hope's feet leave the ground and with a massive rocking of the bed, the other tiger landed behind her and then snuggled up behind her.

"I wouldn't land on you, silly," she said quietly.

Dannica laughed and turned around to slide her arms around her friend. "I know," she said.

"You want to talk about it?" Hope asked.

"About what?"

"Why you freaked out on Jared?"

Dannica sighed and laid her head on the pillow. "Not really," she said after a minute.

"Okay," Hope said.

Dannica focused on the feeling of Hope's arms around her and her body so close, and as she was, she felt Hope's hand moving to the arm of her shades. The other tiger slid them off her face with exquisite care, slowly drawing the arms out from behind her ears.

"You are one of the most beautiful tigers I've ever met, Dannica," she whispered. "And don't let anyone tell you different."

Dannica felt the heat of a blush spreading along her cheeks and she squirmed self-consciously against her friend. She heard the sunglasses being set on the table behind her and then Hope's fingers gently touched her head, right above where she knew the scars started. She'd run her fingers over the rough skin of her face more times than she could count, and she knew that Hope was probing the very edge of the scar.

"Hope," Dannica whispered, not sure what she wanted to say, whether it was to ask her to stop, or to have her continue.

"I'll stop when you ask," Hope said.

Dannica felt her fingers starting to breach the border between the normal, healthy, fur-covered skin of her forehead, crossing over onto the rough, scarred skin. She gasped softly when she felt the other tiger's pawpads against the skin, a region that for so long had only been the realm of her own touch or that of a doctor or a nurse. And it had never before been touched without some sort of pain coming with it.

It must have shown in her face or some subtle movement, because Hope paused for a moment, fingers still gently touching the scarred skin while she whispered. "It's okay, just relax."

Dannica felt herself relaxing at the words, and then Hope's fingers began to move again. Dannica felt them sliding across her brows, and for the first time, she didn't feel pain. She barely felt anything with the nerves so damaged under the hard and rough skin, but when she focused, it was there. With the tenderness of the touch and the way that it felt when she focused, it was a more intimate touch than she'd ever shared before.

The heat stayed in her cheeks as she lay still for her friend, letting her feel the scars. She felt Hope gingerly touching her fingers against her eyelids, and she heard the sharp intake of breath directly in front of her. She took the moment to find her friend's face with her own paws, and to her surprise, Hope's cheeks were wet.

She said nothing, just continued to stay still, but she let her fingers explore Hope's face again, this time paying closer attention to the way that it felt under her fingers. The ridges and the dimples were more familiar to her this time, and she felt the familiar tiger muzzle under her exploring hands, but there was something different about the way she felt. There was a subtle difference in the shape of her face, and the way that her fur felt.

Hope must have felt the hesitation and the way that she stroked over the same place a few times.

"I'm a golden, Dannica," she said quietly.

The differences suddenly made sense to Dannica, and she smiled. "You're beautiful, Hope."

She felt Hope's lips turn up under her hands in a huge smile and she couldn't help but mimic it. Then she held her hands to Hope's cheeks while she felt her moving closer. She was expecting the touch of Hope's lips to hers, but the aim was higher. Instead of her lips, though, she felt Hope's kiss to the scarred skin at the bridge of her nose.

She shuddered with the feelings that rocked through her. For that moment, she felt closer to the tiger in her arms than she had with anyone else. The amazing golden tiger with the pretty voice that held her so close and saw all of her and found her still beautiful.

She felt Hope's fingers slipping down the scarred skin to her nose where the fur started once again, and she took a breath, letting the scent of her friend fill her nose once again. Another more familiar scent joined Hope's and she giggled.

"I can still smell me on your fingers," she said.

Hope laughed with her and dragged her fingers beneath her nose again before she wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close for a proper kiss this time. Hope's lips pressed against hers and she opened her muzzle at the other tiger's tongue licking against her. The kiss deepened and Dannica felt Hope's knee pressing against her thighs, gently coaxing them apart. She readily obliged, and after a little adjustment, she felt her friend's thigh pushing up against her.

Dannica gasped softly into Hope's mouth and tightened her legs around Hope's thigh, pulling the firm yet yielding muscle a little more tightly against her while she rocked her hips. Even through the shorts that she was wearing and the thin cotton of her underwear, she could feel the firm muscle pushing against exactly the right place.

All the thoughts of the day, all the embarrassment and the fear and the shame, they were all pushed out of Dannica's mind by the feelings between her legs as she laid in her friend's arms, safe in her embrace, all the while rocking herself until the heat started and flared.

And it grew quickly. She felt Hope's arm around her shoulders still while the other moved down her back, sliding into the waistband of her pants and her panties, and she felt the other tiger's paw splay out against her backside, matching her movements, pulling her hips harder against her leg. With every rocking motion, she pulled, and then released to let Dannica move herself back.

Dannica pulled her lips back from Hope's and laid her head on her shoulder, letting her warm breath blow against her friend's neck, hot and panting with arousal. The scent of Hope's hair again in her nose and all around her, and the feeling of her hands holding her tightly and helping her along had her at the edge in no time.

Just one flex of Hope's thigh, and it was all over. Dannica couldn't stifle all of the cry that she made, but she buried her face against Hope's neck and let it sound in the relative quiet of her friend's fur while her body rode out the tightening and the convulsing in her warm embrace.

"Now your scent's all over my leg," Hope said in a playful voice.

Dannica couldn't say anything in response, so she just giggled lightly, the laughter still muffled by Hope's neck fur. Finally, she kissed against the fur, trailing kisses up Hope's neck to her jaw and finally to her lips. Together, they shared a deep and tender kiss while they held each other in a warm and loving embrace.

"You keep this up, and we're just going to always smell like each other," Dannica said when the kiss ended.

"I wouldn't mind in the slightest," Hope said.

After a while, Dannica found the strength to move again, and she slid out of the bed.

"What's up?" Hope asked.

Dannica slid to the floor and crawled her way to where she knew the sunbeam would be coming through the window.

"Come on," she invited, holding a hand out to Hope.

She heard Hope slip off the bed and crawl across to her. She lay down on the soft carpet directly in the sunbeam and guided Hope behind her, feeling Hope's breasts pressing up against her back, and the curve of her body up against hers while the warm rays of the sun caressed her face.

"I like laying in the sunbeam," Dannica said quietly.

"Can't say I blame you," Hope said, "I could stay here all day."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Dannica said with a happy and content smile on her face.

When Duke came in later to check on them, he found them lying quietly in the sunbeam and he closed the door silently behind him, leaving the way he came without disturbing them. Dannica heard him come and go, and she finally realized that she didn't have to be concerned about her father's reaction to her new love. He'd just had it. She smiled softly and snuggled up against Hope a little more, just drifting and letting the scent and feel of her friend ground her more than she'd been in a long, long time.