Lisle's last words slapped Gerlinde blank.  Not the good, gleaming kind of blank - the purity of a canvas with manifold points of potential.  Not the calm, peaceful blank of soft dozing with Lisle puss.  Not nearly calm.  No.  This was stark, staring blank - the blank of the proverbial deer in the headlights; of a document erased.<br/><br/>Even her touches slowed, only skimming along Lisle puss' flesh.  The able and elaborate licking of Lisle kitty's tail with her fingers become the dumb slide of a dulled tongue.  Her arm cradled Lisle pussy only out of not knowing what else to do.  Everything turned on automatic.  Gerlinde just breathed.<br/><br/>Her thoughts stirred after only a narrow moment of staring.  They awoke like dead legs - all pins and needles and awkward rubber.<br/><br/><em>This is bad.  This is very bad.</em><br/><br/>There was no way she would 'fix the kitty'.  Lisle puss was beautiful.  Gerlinde's power was beautiful.  Neither of those things could be permitted to change.<br/><br/><em>Very, very bad.  Very, very...</em><br/><br/>Her color was beginning to hide behind the snow of her cheeks.  Her touches drizzled over Lisle kitty like rain on nerveless glass.  Her heart rolled down into the mess her belly had become.<br/><br/>There was no way she was going to fix Lisle puss, and she didn't think Lisle puss would survive even if she was 'fixed'.  Not with how Hicke reviled her.  And if Lisle kitty didn't survive, it meant she wouldn't be around much longer either.<br/><br/>Beyond bad.  Fatal.<br/><br/>Gerlinde Baumann felt like everything - everything in the world except for that soft tail and those green eyes - had transformed to frost.  She was living in some malevolent faerie tale, with Hicke the queen of winter, having brought the cold forever more.  Most horrible, Gerlinde was faced with the notion that the story was very rapidly coming to its end.<br/><br/>She was faced with blankness.  With death.<br/><br/>With worse.  With having to live while not being all there anymore.<br/><br/>Just like she'd forced on Lisle.<br/><br/>Gerlinde sighed and began to stroke.  Her hands said the same thing her voice and gaze did as they enveloped Lisle kitty.  It was the only thing she could say.<br/><br/>"It will be alright, Lisle kitty.  I know just how to handle it.  You will be good and warm and cared for."<br/><br/>Her eyes showed moisture before the snow of her face could freeze it.<br/><br/>"You just rest.  It will be alright."<br/>