[Introduction: Samuel Knowles] So I stood for a moment and pondered my case...

[outsidethegrain]

Sam always got antsy before a new show. It was silly, he knew, and he even already had buyers emailing him constantly, wanting to purchase this piece or that piece before they even went up on display. The day before, and the anxiety and shower of comments and last minute changes was starting to overwhelm him (as it often did and still nobody

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[betapack]

Erica is sitting in a window seat on the third floor. She enjoys looking out at the wintery scene beyond the panes of glass, and has a blanket thrown over her feet. With her lycanthropic metabolism, she rarely gets cold, but her toes are freezing. Maybe she's run too far in the snow earlier.

She's leaning against some pillows, reading a book. She looks friendly enough.

[outsidethegrain]

Sam has given up for the time being on finding anything familiar and he'll wander into a room on the third floor, this time with a pad of paper and pencil in hand. If he's trapped, at least until the weather clears, maybe he can clear his head as well.

He sees another strange young woman, spares a thought for how he has yet to really see the same person twice in this room yet they all seem similar (it's the books), and folds down in a chair to sketch.

[betapack]

Erica notes the stranger. She makes a habit these days of cataloging people's appearance and scent. She doesn't recognize his smell, which probably means he's new. She'll close her book and walk over. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you're new." She doesn't know to be in his line of sight, so she might not be at all.

[outsidethegrain]

She isn't, but her movement alone gets Sam's attention and he looks up from a very basic sketch of the room at large with a smile.

"I'm sorry?" He's human, he's new, and he's wondering why there are so many women here. Not that he minds of course...

[betapack]

"I said - you seem new. Like you just got here?" Erica says, figuring he just wasn't paying attention at first. She pushes her hair back over her shoulder.

[outsidethegrain]

Sam smiles slightly and nods. "Yeah. Just got here. I'm still ... reeling a bit. I'm Sam."

[betapack]

"Well, Sam, I'm Erica. Nice to meet you," she grins. She looks over her shoulder when she next speaks, not realizing he can't hear her. "So you need a tour or taking a break from one?" She's gesturing at the stairs.

[outsidethegrain]

Well, that doesn't help. Sam waits for her to turn back, then smiles again.

"I'm sorry. Could you please look at me when you speak? I can't hear you and need to be able to read your lips."

[betapack]

Erica's eyes jerk to Sam's face, to his ears and then to his mouth. "Wow, you read lips well, I had no idea you were deaf." She's keeping her mouth where he can see it, and will make a point to do so from now on. "I had asked if you'd like a tour or if you're taking a break from one?"