Kierra

We're coming up to where the land gets wild, untended, and tended both, having to go through some farmland before even getting to the outskirts of the park itself. Rock Cut State Park is huge, larger than any other in the state, clocking in at around 12,000 acres.

Always love coming out this way. Just like some of the area I'm in; it's peaceful. Many trees are showing as bald, some still stubbornly holding onto a few leaves, then there are the others, the ones that are in the pine family and bushy all year round.

The overgrowth is often so close together that it's a wall, a barrier keeping humans out. That's what it feels like at times anyway. It's so big that there are some houses within for those who help take care of the place. Most of it is kept original, but to the north, there is a large area sectioned off for camping and trails. Still curious as to how Ava got her place there with a farm plot to boot.

After passing Anna Page Park, it's pretty much a straight shot to where we're going. Telling my passengers that we were almost there, the wolf beside me is getting antsy. Eyeballing him, I let him know if he pees in my car, he will be cleaning and sanitizing it. He snorts at me.

Ava owns three horses last I knew, she had gotten them from an auction out of town. Not exactly working horses though. More or less ones that others had no use for. Lily loves horses so to teach her responsibility, she's the one who takes care of them.

I slow as we pull up to the turnoff, her 'driveway' is a dirt road like mine, only hers is somewhere under a mile long. I catch sight of Bastion in my rear-view, peering around the basket to the pasture on our right. One of the horses is running along the fencing keeping them from the road.

"I think that one's name is Shadow. Not because of his coloring, obviously, but the way he acted when he was brought here. He would follow Ava or Lily around when they were near. He's also the only male on this farm."

I'd slowed more once we pulled onto the small trail, giving Bastion a chance to see the beast. He is gorgeous, a middle-aged Palomino who has spunk and fire. He was auctioned off because his original owners didn't like his disposition.

I should show them mine.

Her vegetable plot is on our left side, a greenhouse full of herbs further back. Looks like she's not growing anything at this time. I know when she is she has a couple people coming in to help, usually kids from her friends earning money over the summer.

The horse seems to be racing us up to the house, running along the fence with Bastion smiling at it. Maybe Lily can give him a riding lesson. I look over to Asher when he sends a warning through my head.

His nose is in the air, sifting through the currents. I do the same, catching hints of something that smells off. Hard to detect under the horse manure being so strong, but I catch hints of feline. My brows furrow, Ava doesn't have cats or didn't when I was last here.

"I catch cat but there's something more. I can't distinguish what though."

He nods as if confirming something in his head.

"Big cat. Really big. I'm catching its markings along the fence line. Not mountain lion, I've come across a few of those before, this is different."

A bolt of fear goes through me. Are they alright? I pick up my speed again, only a few hundred yards from the house now anyway. I can feel my body tighten as I call on some wolf muscle. My nails elongating into claws.

I see Lily in front of the house, sitting on a tree swing hanging from the giant next to the house. Ava is on her veranda looking toward us, her curviness hidden behind one of the chairs. I forgot to call.

Oops.

Seeing them both fills me with relief though, the extra muscle and claws receding. Ava's large white house with the wraparound porch calms me, but it's pulled back from the scent of cat being a lot stronger up here. I look around warily. Lily hops off her swing as I pull up and park, a large smile on her face. Ava, however, holds back before coming down, confusion on her face.

Just as I step out the girl jumps into my arms. I hug and smile at her, then try to pry loose so I can help Bastion out. Asher stays in the front seat, his eyes on Ava. A whiff coming off Lily really is confusing, she's covered in the scent of feline.

She seems to catch on to my body tensing as she steps away, weird part is she's sniffing me, her nose wrinkling. Bastion steps out slowly, staying to my right side, slightly behind me. As Ava comes closer it dawns on me. I don't know how I never saw it before, and I've known her practically my whole life.

My eyes close, bright green orbs hiding as she gets closer. The scent of cat wasn't coming from around me, or even from them having contact. It's coming from them. Sad eyes open as she stops in front of me, her usual hug absent. Her own stricken look speaks volumes. Lily breaks the ice for all of us.

"Wulfy, I love you, but you stink."

I burst out laughing, an edge of hysteria to it. I look over at Asher, his eyes looking sad for me, knowing that I'm still mourning the world I was ripped from. Looking back to Ava, my mouth opens.

"I guess we have a lot to talk about, huh?"

She nods, still looking confused, worried. My arm wraps around Bastion as his goes around my waist.

"First though, I'd like you to meet a couple of friends that have helped me from going insane. This is Bastion. He is mine. The very large wolf over there is Asher."

Bastion's arm tightens as I refer to him as mine and Asher jumps out of the car as I mention him. He walks around and stands on my left side, acting almost bodyguardish. Ava gives the boy a smile and the wolf a nod.

"Shall we go sit so it's more comfortable? I'm guessing some serious heat has been going on."

I snort at the major understatement of that. Lily bounces back to her swing, her long hair dyed orange and red. Last time I was here it was blue and purple. Even Ava's hair, done up in some 'do right now, is dyed a black and orange.

We follow her up to the porch, several chairs spread around a patio table. I stay standing as she and Bastion sit, her across from me and he right next to me. That's my usual, not any posturing, I always stand for a few minutes since I spent enough time sitting while driving.

Asher sits next to me as well, pressing close. Probably picking up on my roiling emotions. My arms cross over my chest as I look over to my best friend, eyebrows raised.

"So, who goes first?"

I ask it flippantly, Ava winces at the sharp sounding lash.

"Kierra, I couldn't tell you, please believe me. I wanted to tell you so many times, I wanted to share the experience knowing how much you loved the idea of it being real."

She sighs and keeps going, I grab a chair and sit on the edge of it, knowing that this is probably going to take awhile.

"I was born this way. Back when we were young, you had so much going on that you didn't see how much school I missed, how many times I had to rush home. I'm a Shapeshifter and Shapeshifters that young will change with no warning. Many are home-schooled or go to a special school made for Shifters. I was almost exposed so many times, but I was being used as an experiment to see if I could control it. Obviously, I failed. Shortly after you'd left, I had left also."

Her brown eyes glaze over in memory.

"I ended up going through an experience like yours, as you know, but that wasn't all of it. Not only had he gotten away, but my shifting became uncontrollable for years after, I was home-schooled during that time. Remember when we met up at that camp thing through the counselor's trip? That was my first time out in years. Many of the volunteer camp leaders were Shifters or Weres, able to hide me whenever a shift happened."

She takes a breath as I recall what she's mentioning. It was a child abuse victims camping-like trip, going to camp Lone Oak as a weekend thing. I can't believe I had forgotten so much of that.

"That camp had helped with the shifting, so I was able to go into mainstream schools for a while. Because of my inner cat, I tend to have...random moments of anger. That combined with skipping so much of school, I was sent to Regional, which was a lot like your Skyview, but different. Most things after that you know."

She sighs, looking so heartbroken. My Ava has the heart of a lion, but she's also a soft heart. I never could stay upset with her for anything, and I'm rarely ever upset with her. Reaching forward, I take her clenched hands into mine, holding them as I offer a smile.

"Believe it or not, with all I've gone through, I know. I know you had to keep it hidden. Not just for your safety, but for mine as well. Don't be upset love, at least not till after you hear my fucked up situation."

My attempt at humor does bring a smile to her, but I can still see the worry in her eyes. I look over my shoulder to Lily.

"Lily is like you isn't she? A Shifter?"

She nods, explaining further.

"Unlike the Were-animals, a Shifter is born, not made. Not too often does a child come from a human and Shifter mix. Lily is full blood, as Ryder is a Shifter, he's from a different clan though. When it comes to Shifter Clans, many go outside of their clan to reproduce."

She laughs, drawing her hands from mine as she wipes her face.

"Just like a human, I was young and stupid. Fell in love with a visiting Clans son and I got Lily out of it. He had to leave, that was one reason we broke up. We aren't betrothed at birth or anything, at least our Clans weren't. My clan actually isn't from here either, they're much further north."

At my eager questioning gaze, she smiles. She knows what I'm dying to know, and being a pain in procrastinating about it.

"Lily and I are snow leopards. Since Ryder's visiting Clan had left, it is just her and I. Mom has gone back north."

Snow leopards. Holy shit. I guess when she says north, she means way north. My smile is ridiculously big.

"No shit? Snow mews? No wonder you were always so fond of them. Actually, really thinking about it, a lot of stuff you've done over the years makes a lot more sense now."

I can't help my excitement. I look over to Bastion and mouth the words 'snow leopard' to draw him in. He smiles, a look of wonder on his face as he looks between Ava and Lily, who has gone over to the fence where Shadow is grazing.

My smile slowly wilts, knowing she's wanting to know my side now. I draw further back into the chair. Reaching out and burying my hand into Asher's neck, he noses my leg but then looks back over to Ava.

"So? Tell me what happened with you? I know most times it's not exactly a lovely nibble with hugs and kisses. Where's Faline? Does she know?"