Lydia had sung softly until her throat felt strained. The air seemed thicker in the cottage. Twice she tried to leave the side of this intriguing creature and twice the tail had tightened around her wrist, preventing her from doing so. Finally, she turned a worried face toward the door and the tail, as if it were reluctant, uncoiled its grasp.<br/>Opening the door, she stood in horror at the leaping flames and noticed the air was darkening with smoke. Three bunnies and a deer with a full rack of horns bounded by the cottage and disappeared into the forest beyond. Slamming the door, as if this could hold back that the destruction that headed their direction, she leaned her back against it, thinking furiously.<br/><br/>The cottage was on a bare spot of earth, but sparks could jump to the wooden shingles on the roof. Smoke was already slithering under the door and around the windows. Soon the air would burn their lungs and they would die. He was out cold and there was no way Lydia could move him. He was much bigger than she was and she could tell from moving his arm around that his bones were heavier than hers.<br/><br/>Running her hands over his body, she tried to assess what kind of damage was left to him. The smaller cuts were gone now and the bruises were fading fast. Still that one gash was oozing and the muscle was protruding. Lydia groaned and held her hands over the area, hoping that she could generate energy to speed healing. But as she already knew, her gifts did not lie in healing. His lightly furred skin was soft to the touch and honed to perfection, but Lydia had no time for sensual thoughts.<br/><br/>“I wish you could hear me.” She pleaded, working from the cooling bowl of healing potion. “We have to leave. Are you like the man who says there is a lion in the street only to have your hand close over a snake in the wall? Please, please, please, wake up and be strong enough to leave.” She begged.<br/><br/>The smoke was coming in more heavily under the door. She scurried to the bed and drew off a pillow which she stuff into the crack at the base of the entry way.  Back to her patient, then over to a basket that she was preparing to take if they were able to evacuate. Lydia was becoming distraught.<br/><br/>One last time she checked that final gash and discovered the skin there was shiny and pink where the wound had been.<br/><br/>“Please wake up.” She begged, staring hard at his feline features, willing him to open his eyes.<br/><br/>