Charlie smiled, "It's alright, I promise. I just wasn't sure if I had scared you." She smiles gently and leans back and looks over the papers. She ran her hands through her hair and inhaled quietly. She removes her jacket and gives a relaxed sigh.
Riverpaw turned back to the paper and tapped one of the questions with her pencil. "Okay, so…" She honestly didn't want to make Charlie deal with her for the few hours it usually took her to do this stuff, but she also didn't want to get sidetracked. Otherwise, she'd be up all night, and she was literally and figuratively getting tired of that. She went over the few questions they'd done to make sure she did them right.
Charlie stays beside her, making sure to point out mistakes and helping her figure it out. She had already finished her work, so she just kind of chilled on her phone while she waited for the other to finish her work. She got a text from her dad and gave a small huff of anger. Another half-assed excuse, and some money sent to her bank account. Her dad seemed to think that everything could be solved with money.
Riverpaw's ears flicked at the sound, and she tilted her head a bit when she looked and saw a somewhat upset expression on Charlie's face. "What's wrong?" she asked gently, glancing at the phone.
Charlie turned her phone off and shoved it in her pocket. She glances up and smiled a little. The anguish on her face was masked easily, but pain was easy to read in her eyes. "My dad again. He'll be gone for two months instead of one." She sighed and leaned against the bedframe, her eyes stemming with frustrated tears. She rubs at them a little and sighed. "At this point I don't care anymore."
"Oh." Riverpaw's face softened in sympathy, and she put her pencil down to scoot back and lean against the headboard with her. "I'm…sorry he's doing that to you." She said quietly, her tail brushing Charlie's leg.
She sighed quietly. "I'm used to it at this point. Now I'm just annoyed that he sends money thinking it'll sooth everything out." She ran a hand through her hair. "I'm just tired of it." She shrugged hopelessly. "Anyways. Let's focus on your homework." She smiles gently.
Riverpaw pursed her lips; she didn't want to leave Charlie to stew in these feelings the whole time, so maybe they should take a break after all. She pushed her notebook and paper aside. "Okay, nope. Let's go hang out with the animals for a bit."
Charlie looked tired, sad, and upset. It was very clear in her eyes, that storm of emotion and pain. She blinks a few times before shaking her head. "No, no. It's quite alright. You need to finish-" You know what. Maybe she did need a break. "Yeah… Let's go hang out with the animals." She murmured quietly.
Riverpaw gave a reassuring smile as she slid out of the bed. She leaned over to close her notebook, using the worksheet as a bookmark, then bent down to put her shoes back on.
Charlie slipped off the bed as well and grabbed her jacket before slipping on her shoes. She turned her attention to River. She always liked to see the animals, they calmed her. "Let's go then."
Riverpaw took her hand and led her out of the room and downstairs, stopping for a moment to tell Brightheart where they were going. Possessing wolf blood only granted her the ability to speak canine languages, but she still liked to try with other creatures. The cat simply stared at her, her ears flicking as she watched them leave.
She followed after quietly, a small hum leaving her lips as she does so. She stopped when River talked with Brightheart, her smile growing on her lips. She gives the cat a gentle pet before leaving with River to go to the other house. She was feeling a little bit better, animals always comforted her.
Like the last time, she took the key from under the potted plant to unlock the front door, then made sure the foyer was closed before opening the screen door to the main room. And as usual, she was almost immediately crowded by excited bodies meowing, barking, squawking. She giggled and crouched to say hello and embrace any of them she could reach.
"Look, your new buddy is back!" She said, looking up at Charlie as Cookie, Rhino, and Kilo went to greet the tall girl.
Charlie smiled at how cute the other was, how happy she was to see her beloved companions. She walks slowly into the house, making sure not to step on anyone. She smiled as Cookie, Rhino, and Kilo came to greet her, kneeling down and petting them gently. She always seemed happier around animals. Who could blame her though. They were all so cute.
Kilo licked at Charlie's face, while Rhino meowed pleasantly at the petting and Cookie pawed at her shoes. Riverpaw smiled and decided to go into the kitchen to check the food and water, leaving Charlie with the three animals and the other few who had joined them. After refilling the water and making sure the dog and cat food receptacles hadn't already been emptied, she went to check on the birds and reptiles.
Charlie laughed softly as her cheek was licked, her eyes shutting as she just let herself relax with the animals, each of them getting her love and attention. Yes. This was much better. She loved seeing Riverpaw's animals, they were all just so cute and sweet. She gave a relaxed sigh as she sat on the floor.
When Riverpaw came back, she stifled a snort at the sight of Charlie surrounded by her buddies. Kane was the only dog who wasn't getting too close to her, and Phantom didn't seem interested at all, but the rest of them were happy to see her and welcome her into their home. Charlie, the cockatoo, flew over to a perch by the door and squawked, "Hi! Hi!" at her. Riverpaw giggled and went over to remove one of the three cats that had made themselves comfortable in the girl's lap.
"Okay, everyone, back off. Let her up." She kindly instructed.
She was laughing and smiling at all the attention from the animals. She loved animals, they were always better than people. She smiled warmly at Riverpaw. "No, no. I don't mind. I'm actually rather glad they're interested in seeing me." She tilts her head and gently pets the cats and dogs, waving at the cockatoo. "Animals are always so comforting." She whispers quietly.
Dapper, the cat she had picked up, jumped out of her arms onto the arm of the sofa and sat there. Riverpaw patted her leg twice to get Tsunami to come to her, then went to move Kane away since he was trying to push Charlie down so he could lay across her stomach.
"Well, I-I at least don't want this guy to suffocate you or anything." She pulled him up by his forearms and waddled him away from the group, giggling as he squirmed excitedly. Kilo decided to help by nudging the other dogs and cats away so Charlie could at least stand; Cookie was the only one he couldn't move, the kitten staying put on the girl's shoulder.
Charlie was laughing and smiling as all the animals crowded around her, this was probably the happiest anyone had seen her. She beams a little bit, patting Kane gently before River moved him. She shook her head and slowly stood, making sure that Cookie was secure on her shoulder. "No, no. It's quite alright." Her smiled hadn't died down yet, but it was much more gentle and warm. She runs her hand gently through Cookie's fur.
"Okay, uh, so." She said once she'd let Kilo down. "We'll put the cats in the back yard while we take the dogs out, that way the birds can wander out here until we get back." Taking a moment to adore the fact that her kitten made a new friend, she motioned for Charlie to follow her through the kitchen to the back door.
"Where are we going?" She asks curiously as she gently picked up Cookie from her shoulder and held the small kitten in her arms instead. She didn't want the cute little kitten to fall after. She tilts her head curiously, a small smile on her lips. She was just under the impression that they were going to relax in the house and chill with the pets.
"There's a pen in the yard for the cats and dogs." She started as she unlocked and opened the back door. Beyond the pale brown deck was a large, grassy yard enclosed by a wooden fence of the same color. There was a small sand pit on one side of the yard and a cluster of stones shaded by a tree nearby. The tree wasn't tall enough for any animal in the pen to use it to escape, not that the cats could climb it well enough with their claws clipped, and there was a pastel-painted bird feeder hanging in it. There were also various toys littering the yard.
"It's completely enclosed and too high for them to jump, so, when I walk the dogs, I put the cats outside so that the birds can roam the house freely without feeling scared."
She nods in understanding before looking around the backyard, a small smile on her lips. The backyard was so cute, and so sweet. "Well then. Shall we get the kitties outside then?" She says cheerfully, turning her attention back to Riverpaw. She pets Cookie for a moment as she waited for instructions from Riverpaw on how to help.