Flame had wondered if perhaps Aidan would ask to sleep apart from her, since he would be much warmer now that he had proper clothes. But he didn't, and she somehow couldn't quite bring herself to bring the subject up. As painful as the inevitable thoughts that came with it were, the touch of another person, whatever their race, was something she found she craved badly. So they slept close together that night, and on many nights to come.

Her front door was installed just a few days later by a cheerful dwarven craftsman. Her home was much warmer after that, and she found herself shifting to human form more often. She wasn't too cold, and hands were useful. And with Aidan she found she didn't quite care so much about the need to wear her true form. He knew what she was, and it didn't seem to bother him at all.

After a few weeks she couldn't resist asking him about it. "You don't seem to think it odd that I'm not really a humanoid," she said.

Aida shrugged. "On the world where I was born there is just one sentient species. Only one. And they fight so much about their tiny differences!" He shook his head. "I always thought that it was pretty stupid. And after getting used to the dozen or so species they have here, getting used to a sentient cat isn't much. I learned a long time ago that how somebody looks doesn't really matter." He grinned broadly. "And I've always liked cats. They're beautiful creatures."

No one had ever said her true form was beautiful before. Though I suppose he just said cats were beautiful. But I'm a cat, so I'm going to take it as a compliment meant for me. Flame smiled warmly at him.

His bruises had healed, and he was no longer quite so thin, though it would probably be months before he was completely back to normal. His black hair, washed and combed, had proved to be straight and fine, with a tendency to get into his eyes. His eyes were a clear sky blue, as intensely blue as Flame's were green. He was much, younger than she, and not of her species, but... he wasn't hard to look at. And he was good company. He did what work he could with his broken wing and was always happy to talk to her. He was intelligent, and seemed much more educated than she, despite his youth. In fact she soon had to admit her total ignorance in one particular area to him.

"You can't read?" He seemed shocked at the idea. He had suggested that she get a few books and learn some of the skills she might find useful while living alone. She had told him that books wouldn't be of any use.

"No. Firecats haven't got hands. We have no written language. I'd only dimly heard of such a thing from the Ssifith back on my home world. I didn't actually see writing until I came here. We pass along our history by spoken word. I was one of my tribe's historians, in fact. I can tell you all the ancient stories, all our clan stories, all of my tribe's stories, and even a few stories from other tribes and clans. But I don't know how to read or write."

"That makes sense. I'm still used to my own home world, where nearly everybody reads and writes. I know it's less common here, but you're so intelligent, I guess I assumed that you would know." He paused, then added, "Would you like to learn?"

"Yes! I always meant to, but there was always something else to do, and I know it's something that takes a lot of time."

"Well, the snow is starting to fall in earnest now," said Aidan, "And time is something we'll have plenty of in the coming months."