If he could hear her thoughts, he would have desperately tried to change her opinion of what he said. He only called her actions stupid â€" that did not equate to her being stupid. While he wanted her to pick herself up when she was down, wanted to tell her that she didn't have to do it quite as often as she was. If she was a little smarter about how she tackled any issue, she might find that his methods could be helpful sometime. But she was stubborn. She did not want to listen to his helpful advice, so he would simply stop giving it.

It wasn't a new thing for his advice to be unwanted, it happened more times than he cared to admit. But he had learned one thing, when the listener was unwilling to listen or change, his advice meant nothing. Malia would have to come to a point where she was willing to listen and take in new things. Until then, he would let her make her mistakes, tiring herself out with how she felt she needed to learn. He would simply stay close and bet there for her when she finally fell. That's what friend's did, right?

She finally joined him on the bench, after they had both been given some silent time for reflection. They were so very different in how they saw the world. Ashton wondered, if for a brief moment, if their difference would impede a friendship of sorts. He was yearning for more friends in this unknown place, but he also wanted friends that he felt comfortable telling everything to. She seemed guarded and he wondered if he would ever get past her walls. Was it even worth the effort? She claimed she was trustworthy, but could he be certain?

He was sure he had ruined the night with his honesty, something he hadn't meant to do. So he had offered her an out. He had offered to take her back to the club to dance or take her home. He expected that she might want to return to the club, but instead she told him that she wanted to finally show him something. He raised an eyebrow, wondering just what she had planned.

Ashton put back on his boots before returning the skates. By the time she asked if he was ready, he nodded. He began to follow her from the rink, glancing down at her lack of shoes, but not saying anything. Where he came from, shoes were a necessity. Snakes, thorns, and other terrible things were waiting to jump out and attack one's foot. He would not take that chance. He'd had too many close calls to tempt his fate again.

He followed her past the city lights and towards a dark forest. He looked out at the forest, wondering just what she had in mind. But he said nothing, letting her lead the way just past the safety of the streetlights.

Before he could make sense of what she was saying, she was undressing in front of him. He didn't quite have enough time to react and found that his eyes settled on her for far longer than he had ever meant. He had never seen a naked woman before, so it immediately had its effect. Soon, his eyes drifted down to the forest floor as he turned his back towards her, giving her privacy.

And yet...he could not bring himself to undress in front of her.

When he heard the yip of the coyote, he turned back towards her, his eyes resting on a canine where once had been a young woman. So this was her form. "You could have just asked what my form was..." It wasn't a secret he was hiding from anyone. While he might be reserved about who he shared his information with about being a were, he wouldn't keep secret the form he took.

But even as his eyes settled on Malia, he couldn't help but feel reservation. He had never shifted with anyone other than his family before...his pack. The action felt intimate and being the man that he was, he wasn't sure he was quite ready to share that part of himself with anyone just yet. He had just met Malia. "Malia....shifting is an intimate act, much like how a husband makes love to his wife..." in Ashton's world...things like sex only happened after marriage. He was clueless in that form of human life. "...I barely know you..." It wasn't that he didn't want to shift, but it was more than he didn't want to shift with a stranger. "I have only ever shifted with my pack â€" which I'm currently lacking." In this new place, he didn't have a pack to call his own. He yearned for that bond but he wasn't sure where he would find such a relationship. All he knew was that it felt wrong shifting with Malia. He could only hope she could respect his opinion. Perhaps one day he might feel comfortable shifting in front of her. Unfortunately, today was not that day.