He's glad she was able to hear him, but her reaction took him by surprise, as well as the.. strange makeup of her mind. it was almost as if part of her thought.. like an animal. Her yeall comes in almost too loud, forcing him to close the connection or risk being deafened for a while. She stormed in as he shook his head from the slight headache the amplified yell had implanted on him.<br/><br/>He almost expected her to yet at him, judging by the emotions that roiled off her, but instead, it all melted into relief, as she crumpled before the bed, and broke into crying. "It's okay, Malin. I was not that badly hurt. And you did an excellent job with my wounds." he said, reaching over to stroke her hair. That's when he noticed them. Her ears. They had.. changed. He slowly reached for one, but she caught his hands in hers before he could touch it.<br/><br/>He chuckled softly at her question, until he heard her mention something. Something that made him stare wide-eyed at her. Mating. That must have been what she was trying to explain before. '<strong>Oh Stars. She's coming into heat.</strong>' he thought. But that meant, she was not what she appeared to be. Her ears, her cute little nose. Those were clear proof of what she was likely been trying to tell him.<br/><br/>A little wry grin came to his lips. "Okay. Answers, in order. No, you were not dreaming. Yes, I spoke into your head. I have some.. mental abilities, which I've tried to train over many years." he said nodding a bit. "I'm still a little weakened by the blood loss, but I'm otherwise fine." he said, then looked at her closely, trying to catch her gaze. "Mating, hmm? Is that what you were trying to tell me before?" he said, gently freeing one of his hands to lightly stroke at one of her ears, fingers running through the little tuft at the end. "You're a feline shifter, aren't you? A tigress, if I remember my facts right.." he said, looking at the color of her ear fur. He sounded curious, rather than accusing. He felt.. relieved, and a little amused, actually. "That explains so much.." he said softly, a tear escaping his left eye.<br/><br/>He also now understood about the collar. It probably had some silver spikes or blades on the inside, to prevent her from shifting into her animal form. Now more than ever, that thing had to come off. But who could he call? He did not have the skills to safely open that collar himself..