Ren knew that she had lived a very fortunate life thus far. Hardship wasn't really something that the were woman had much experience with, which some might be rather surprised at discovering - especially when one took into consideration that she and her family were in fact weres and have been for several generations. She had no past traumas, no ghosts of the past that haunted her. It was a well-known fact that their kind was not one which was looked upon with much favor or admiration. They were, as a whole, considered to be perhaps among the most primitive, and sometimes even savage, beings that existed within the world humans have mostly considered to be mere fantasy. This was something that not even she would attempt to argue against or debate. Not all weres were as capable of controlling their other form, this often resulting in human towns and villages becoming the victims of such... "beasts", as they were often referred to. And, when it came to a newly-turned were who had yet to find control in any sense of the word on those nights where the moon became full, there was not always much help to be found in regard to learning how best to control those more primal instincts. These were the were-creatures that many seemed most familiar with. These were the were-creatures both old and modern lore warned of. And, as with most more or less misunderstood things, this was why her kind was hunted and slain with seldom a second thought.

Despite this knowing that danger could be hiding in the shadows around any corner at any given time, either from her own kind or those who hunted them, the were woman hardly passed judgement on the world for the light in which they saw weres.

It had been a miracle in and of itself that her family had managed to find a community long ago that consisted primarily of were who were, in a way, blessed with the ability to control their animal side either through moons of practice or having been born were. From the stories her mother often told her as a child, it had been her great-great-great grandfather who brought together one of the very first were-villages. Safely hidden in the mountains, there was a village protected by dense forest untouched by humankind. It started out small, but soon, it grew as more and more weres seeking a place of safety and peace came to hear of it. And, as with most all things that are left alone to adapt and evolve, a small number of new villages were created, although they, too, remained within the sanctuary of the mountains far from human civilization. This growing community became something not unlike the most rural Japanese villages, living and working together in the same way, and yet without the worries that would often arise when living alongside humans, more than likely meaning the appearance of hunters and other weres that were far less keen on the peaceful, harmonious lifestyle that her great-great-great grandfather had built for those who sought it. This was how her family lived for so long, growing and thriving, knowing of the dangers outside their small sanctuary yet seeing little reason to ever think that they might wish to leave it. Her parents had grown up in this sheltered world, started a life with one another through marriage and becoming new parents when Ren was born.

Sometimes, she still wondered if her parents missed their family's village, liked to admire the family photos and imagine what her life might have been like had she grown up there. But, she knows that they'd moved away to ensure that Ren could choose the life she wanted to lead, and for that, she only loved her parents more.

The feline only purrs louder as the man looks up at her, and there! A small, uncertain smile finds his lips then! Yes, it was small, but it was a smile all the same. Again, she offers another wave of her tail, the were woman entirely pleased with herself that she was not only able to get him to smile, but chuckle as well! Truly it was the little things that could make all the difference in someone's world, make things even just a little bit brighter. He takes her paw in his hand then, but Ren is hardly inclined to pull away from him, instead enjoying the warmth of his touch, twitching her whiskers as he speaks to her in deep tenor tones. Most would talk to the feline when they saw her, Ren far from being a stranger to gentle coos as they fawned over her. And, often, she would greet them in typical feline fashion by leaning into their strokes or perhaps brushing her lean frame against their legs. But, for a reason she isn't sure of, the were woman finds that she particularly enjoys the way he speaks to her. She's been called "pretty girl", "kitty", "sweetie", "baby", and many other things in the past, but never "pretty lady". Oh, if only he knew! If she had been human in this moment, she surely would have giggled quite girlishly rather than purred in response, although this was the best that she could do for the time being. She trills yet again as he very nearly caresses her forepaw as if to assure him that she wasn't cold in the least, but she's certain that he wouldn't understand.

Part of the were woman wished that she might have the gift of telepathy which seemed fairly common among her kind so that she might say to him 'Don't worry about me, I'll be okay, but I can tell that you could use a little more warmth', but alas, no amount of wishing would grant her this desire. She would just have to use the best feline body language she could.

The hunter ushers another sigh, although this was is certainly much softer in demeanor, and ocean-blue eyes blink down at him as he settles onto the ground, tenor tones now beckoning her to join him there, offering the feline a simper that would have had Ren smiling brightly in return. Well, he certainly wouldn't have to ask the were woman twice! Gathering strong haunches beneath her, she leaps down into the man's lap. She walks a small circle there upon the hunter's repositioned legs before settling down into a sit close to him and wrapping her tail over paws of rich, dark cocoa. Her purring only intensifies at his remark of "being a cat person", looking up into his gaze of deep hazel and wondering what she might find there. Ren blinks glittering ocean blues slowly at the hunter, waiting almost expectantly for him to bury cold fingers into thick cream fur for warmth, more than happy to share what she had to offer. After all, she found herself very much enjoying his surprisingly gentle hand. While she hasn't genuinely been handled roughly, in he feline form or otherwise, there was certainly some sort of... familiarity about the way the man would touch her, as if perhaps he had spent most of his life around animals. Did he have pets at home? He certainly didn't have the scent of another cat or a dog upon his clothing... although he definitely smelled pleasant to her. Perhaps the man grew up with animals in his childhood? Ah, there were so many questions she wanted to ask him and couldn't.

Any guy who's an animal guy surely can't be a bad person, she thinks to herself then as she begins to settle further into his lap. But, still, there was something... sorrowful, even lonely about the man that had the were woman wishing that he might confide in her what it was that weighed so heavy on his heart to the extent that Ren could see it so well.

They're hardly alone for long, however, as the distant sound of another approaching catching the feline's sensitive ears, the sound of snow crunching beneath the weight of other pulling her ocean-blue gaze away from the hunter and further down the trail. It is then that she can only just see a slender figure dressed in black... wait, no, there were two figures... slowly approaching. And, what drew Ren's curiosity even more so was how they appeared to be identical. A single flick of her tail tip betrays her interest in this new face, and again the scent of a hunter reaches the were woman. That's strange... only one scent? When there are two?, she thinks to herself. Whiskers twitch as she looks back up to the man whose lap she is contentedly sitting in, carefully watching his own features. Did he know the two huntresses that were steadily getting closer? Had he been expecting company from the moment he found Ren and her tree? Looking away from him and back to the dark-haired women, she makes no motion to remove herself from the warmth of her newfound friend, but she does offer a loud meow to the two newcomers. Surely, if her parents could see her now, they would be very much concerned for Ren's safety. She as a were in the presence of three hunters, a situation that had a good possibility of taking a rather unfortunate turn... and yet, she remains ever-curious (and content, of course, sitting in the man's lap) as she simply watches the two women drawing ever closer, so much so that they were nearly right in front of the were woman and her companion.