Kierra

I hear her call out, but I run, burning hot tears filling my eyes as I bare my teeth. My anger flames hot within my belly and makes it churn, already having it clenching from the fear in her eyes. Ava should know I would never, in a million years, harm her or Lily. That I would die for them. Becoming a wolf wouldn't lessen that conviction, only make it stronger.

Rage storms within my gut. Trees whip past me as I run into the woods behind her house, long grass making that shuffled paper noise as I go through it. With already having a hot temper, mixing the rage of a wolf is not a smart mix. My eyes dry when I startle a grazing white-tailed buck.

The instinct to give chase takes over, giving my mind something normal to focus on that doesn't cause pain. I think I've hit my damn quota for the next few years. The deer streaks through the woods, dodging trees and jumping gracefully over fallen debris, weaving in several different directions trying to lose me.

The scent of prey-fear fills my nose, sparking my hunger. For food, yes, but also a need to tear into something.

To destroy.

To kill.

I change my direction, letting the buck go as I head towards the lake. The thought scared me, but I know I don't have to listen to it, the destructive rage coming from the Werewolf in me. Just have to redirect it, and I know the perfect place. A place made specifically for this reason...sort of.

Ava and I had set up an area at the edge of the water over a year ago to practice with some weapons. Nothing really serious, more a stress reliever for us. No guns. I throw knives and she uses a bow.

She had a few of those massive rolled-up bales of hay that we use as targets, several of the dead trees surrounding the area also get used. I run for it. Not entirely sure what I plan on doing, just know that going there is a good idea.

I come up on it fast, since all I had to do was backtrack a bit, the area itself isn't that far from the house. Jumping into the small clearing, the targets are still set up, just a little wet.

The water lapping at the small beach also has clusters of rocks coming up from the bottom. I head for one in particular, it juts up and out almost like a natural platform hovering a foot above the water.

Slowing my pace while I go through the empty, grassy area that leads to the setup, I trot over and up onto my rock where I plant my ass at the edge, overlooking the reflection of the setting sun on the water as my mind whirls. My heart races from my continued hurt and anger, sides heaving with my heavy breathing. Roiling through me, my body vibrates with emotion, and unable to hold it in anymore as it feels like knives dancing in my brain, I lift my head and let it out.

I howl my pain to the sky, the sound conveying both distress and rage. I let out my agony in song. From Ava's reaction, the fear for my sister, to shock and mistrust of a new and unknown world.

I sing my rage to the hidden stars, my howls weaving a story of emotion. The gift of some freedoms but the drawbacks they claim. Bastion's injustice and Asher's lost love is also expressed, since I don't know how to help them, let alone my little sister. My deep fear of failing everyone overshadows everything.

My whole heart is cried out, exhausting myself, the howls traveling up and down the lake. I get a sharp pang of annoyance at realizing I've just revealed myself again, but it's squashed with the knowledge that since it's echoing on water, it could be coming from anywhere.

I do catch a few distant howling responses, but they're far enough away that I should be fine. I shake myself hard then jump into the freezing water, my body barreling through a thin crust of ice. Luckily for me there is no undertow current.

Diving the five feet to the bottom then kicking off it to make my way to the surface, another thin layer of hardened water crystals is broken as my head pops out. The coldness of the water goes through me like a freezing lightning bolt. This was a smart idea.

I turn back to the beach, kicking hard before I lose feeling in my limbs. Wasn't out very far so it doesn't take long. I'm stepping onto the beach just as a giant pale cat collides into me, sending me back into the water.

A little dazed, I look at the feline a little blankly. Snow leopards are beautiful cats, seeing one that isn't behind bars or glass is amazing. Never realized how fuckin' huge they are though. Then again, since this one is a supernatural, size is more than likely augmented.

Light gray and white, Ava stands with her front paws in the water, ice-blue eyes glaring at me, long-ass tail twitching agitatedly behind her. I stand, yellow eyes glaring right back. In human form, she's taller than me, in animal forms, I'm around a foot taller.

I snap my teeth at her while Asher stands at the tree line, I ask him not to come any closer. Ava bares her own teeth, round ears going back as she snarls at me. Looks like she's pissed. Well, so am I.

Returning her snarls with growls of my own, my head shakes before long ears perk high, tail just as high behind me. She swipes at me with a huge paw, water flying. As her foot reaches the end of its swipe, I return her push. Lowering my head as I run into her body, shoving her back.

Instead of her being moved away, she rears back at me. A feline scream comes from her as I rear back as well. We collide like a couple of bears, her paws on my shoulders, mine on hers, both of us braced and pushing with back feet to knock the other over. She has the advantage, her back paws are on dry ground. Mine are in the mud, which moves and sinks at her weight against my own. It doesn't matter how strong one is if leverage is involved.

The slick ground under me shifts, just enough to throw me off balance. Could have recovered from that, but not the sinkhole my foot goes into. With that, I go down.

My feet have stirred up the silt, sand, and muck, which not only makes things slick but thick as well. Ava jumps back as I go down, falling into a great big mixture of ick. Talk about bruised pride.

I get back up, coat covered in mud. My head is held high though as I make my way to dry land. Standing right next to my best friend as I get back at her; I shake hard, knowing she hates mud. The feeling will be even worse since it's in fur.

She wails at me, her leap back not fast enough to save her. I give her a big wolfish grin as I stop. She comes up to me again, a paw landing against the side of my face. I take it this time as she yells in my head.

"You're such a fucking hot head! Don't you ever run away from me again. You didn't let me explain. You are going to listen now even if I have to bury you in that damn mud!"

Yep. She's pissed.

She only swears when she's angry, and she can have a very sharp tongue. Instead of being cowed, I yell right back.

"You stank of fear! You backed away from me! Do you know how much that killed me? Out of everything I've gone through since losing Faline, what you did cut me the most. You're supposed to be the one I go to no matter what, the one who gives me a path to turn on. You backed away Ava. With everything going on...Dammit. I am so tired of crying!"

I snap my teeth again, holding back those fucking tears that won't go away. Her paw had fallen from my face. This time she shoves her head under my jaw, the equivalent to a cat giving a hug.

My tail had lowered when I'd started yelling. Where I'm standing is being dripped on, too hard to really turn to mud. My head drops over hers, moving forward till my head is on her shoulder, hers goes to mine.

"Ava? Can we go back now, I'm actually getting kind of cold from all the ice water."

Coming from me, you know it has to be freakin' freezing. She pulls away and eyes me as if she's thinking it over since I'm covered in goop.

"You don't let me in, then so help me I will jump through your window and roll around on your bed."

She knows I'm good for something like that, so she leads the way back, her smile in my head. I look to the trees for Asher, but he's gone. Gotta love a man who listens. Err, wolf. Whatever.

Ava leads me to the shed in the 'backyard'. Standing in front of it is Lily holding a couple large towels. She cocks her head as she sees us, smiling like the imp she is.

"Mom had said to grab a couple of towels, but I didn't think you'd be dirty, just naked."

Bastion comes up next to her and I'm taken aback on just how tall she's gotten, and how small Bastion really is. She's over four-foot now whereas he looks to be almost half a foot shorter. There's only maybe a half years difference between them. They both have that 'tininess' to them though, their bodies so thin. Lily has always been willowy, but Bastion needs a lot more meat on him.

He's also grinning at us, the traitor. I go up to him, my nose snuffling into his neck and cheek. He laughs, hands going to my fur. He doesn't seem to care that I'm seriously dirty. Then again, the kid has seen me covered in blood.

Snagging the towels from the female imp, both Ava and I go into the shed and shift back, her transformation a lot faster than my own. I so need to practice more. When we walk back out, Asher is sitting next to the kids.

His head tilts as he looks me over. Even covered with the towel, I'm bathed in mud. I point at him and squint my eyes.

"No lip from you, sir, or I will drag you back there and toss you in myself."

His maw parts wide in a wolf grin, tongue hanging out. His touch slips into my head and gives me an image; he and I both rolling in the mud then rubbing on each other, the intention very loudly clear.

I blush bright red. Raising a hand to grab some mud from my hair, he turns and takes off fast, his laughter dancing in my head. The three others stand there and stare at me. I humph and head for the house, sticking my nose in the air. They all start laughing.

"Hyenas! All of you!"

I keep my smile to myself as I keep walking.

It's a good thing Ava has two bathrooms, she takes one and I the other. Bastion slips in beforehand and leaves my clothes. That boy has seriously taken to the whole domestic thing. He needs to be a boy; to play, get in trouble, argue with me. Actually, nevermind on those two last things. That wouldn't be good.

I shower quickly, get dressed, and head out barefoot. The hot shower having warmed my frozen toes. Before we meet up in my girlfriend's room, I get my laundry into the dryer. The food isn't done yet, but getting real close. I check on Bastion first, finding him in the den with Lily and Asher, who's laying next to the boy as she enthusiastically talks about different horses, flipping through a book. He listens eagerly, soaking up everything.

Asher opens his eyes, ear going back as he asks if anything's wrong. I shake my head with a smile as I whisper in his head.

"Checking on Bastion. How's he doing?"

"Really well, he's been smiling a lot and asking the girl all about horses and running a farm."

I incline my head, slipping out before I'm noticed, sending the wolf warmth and my thanks for watching over him before I leave. I smile as I'm sure Lily has already offered to teach him how to ride.

As I walk into Ava's room, she's lowering her window with a pointed look at me. I burst out laughing.

"I'm no longer a flight risk, but I really need you to explain what happened."

The window gets raised back up, never actually intending to have it closed, just lower it as a reprimand to me. After fixing it, she joins me on her bed, legs crossing in front of her, same as mine. A hand reaches out again to my hair, touching on the strands before pulling back.