Giggling brightly at his playful nip, she let him take her hand and idly rested her head on his shoulder for a moment as they walked, fingers linked and arms pressed lightly to each other. The contact felt good...friendly, innocent, her instincts calm with the truth as reassurance and the common thread of shared heritage allowing her to be less guarded.

"Thanks, but I was twenty." she soothed, squeezing his hand right back. Strength, he was strong, too. She didn't have to worry about holding his hand too tight. "I killed the one that did it, and I have another dog now. And a cockatoo. Hulk Hogan and Happy Jack, respectively. They get along surprisingly well."