Kierra

You'd think watching over a wolf, a maned wolf, a coyote, an ocelot, a young snow leopard, and a small boy would be easy. But is it? Of course not, they have to be all over the place. One Silver Wolf and one mama snow leopard just aren't enough to corral them all.

It’s even sadder when you think of the fact the small human boy is having better luck than we are, and it's after dark. Has to be for the small ocelot to be out since her other 'form' happens to be a Vampire. My sister Faline, the newly made undead, who also has the ability to shapeshift into a cat.

While she had become a Vampire, I was morphing into what I am; a Werewolf. As if all that wasn't bad enough, we both happen to be the 'Harbingers of Great Change', or so says a couple prophecies that were written centuries before we were even born. My silver-colored pelt and my sister’s ability to calm those around her are what have damned us both.

A couple days ago we were told of these foretellings, the short spattering of words being the reason for the constant death threat over our heads. Sounds like a charmed life, now doesn't it?

Wolf Prophecy:

Pale/Silver one who will

Bring Change, good or bad

Finding those who are lost/hidden

Born of a long line of Magics

Hand in hand with one born from Darkness

Vampire Prophecy:

Lost dark child will spark

Life into being

Bringing vampire and animal together

While calming inner beast

Back to back with one of Light

And that's it.

The words that make it so no matter where we go, we will be hunted. So why go anywhere else? Well, we did kind of go somewhere, but we're not running. Think both of us are tired of doing that.

Right now we're at Ava's, my best friend that I've had since we were both really young and in kinder school. Had to come over so we could be all domestic in between kicking supernatural ass. In other words? I'm doing laundry.

Just because we now spend half our time in the shape of our inner beasts doesn't mean we can go around naked. Although I'm sure Xavier wouldn't mind. Xavier is the WereManed wolf loner that I seem to have adopted, even though he’d originally been hired and sent to kill me.

Didn't work though, I'm just too charming.

Riiight.

More like the Werewolves and wolf Shifters have a thing for Silver Wolves, since we're super rare and all 'mystical'. Supposedly a wolf harming me is a big taboo, yet that didn't stop it from happening.

When Xavier had realized who and what I was, he couldn't go through with it; instead throwing his lot in with mine. Even went as far as helping me save Faline, who’d been abducted by the Vampire who converted her. Since then he's stuck around, the once loner now part of my ragtag group of misfits.

The wolf, Asher, is also a self-made loner. Black as pitch and cursed to boot. He can no longer take human or 'Garou' form. Garou being the knockoff term for the over seven-foot killing machine that you usually see depicted for Werewolves.

He’d been cursed by a Vampire who took a fancy to his wife, who then ended up dying from the Vamp’s attempt at claiming her. That was over twenty-five years ago. Asher is in his fifties right now, but you wouldn't be able to tell, even if he could take human shape.

That's one of the drawbacks, or perks, of being a Were, because just like the undead, you become immortal. Best way I've been able to figure it is to think of Wolverine from X-Men; his self-healing having him living a very long time from his body regenerating all the signs of aging. Just magnified in our case.

The only aging done is if you're turned when young, then you age till what would be considered the peak 'breeding' age. For males, it's their thirties while females stop in their early to mid-twenties. If turned when you're already past those ages, the signs of time passage will soften or fade.

It's possible for Weres to breed, just very rare since we're so long-lived. Werewolves can't breed with wolf Shifters, but can with humans and natural wolves. It's all sorts of weird magic hoo-doo. Don't know if it would work for wolves with other canine breeds like coyotes or maned wolves, really don't plan on finding out either, thank you. Vampires, however, stay at the age they're converted and become barren. No baby Vamps.

Another little canine that has come into my home by way of Faline, is a young Shifter coyote named Maii. After looking it up, I've learned the word 'Maii' means coyote in the Navajo language. Not sure if it's his real name since he doesn't speak.

He's not mute, since when in coyote form he does make noise. He doesn't even speak telepathically, which all Weres and Shifters can do when in animal form. They're also long-lived, but not immortal.

From what I've heard they can live up to and over eight-hundred years. Maii is young, not sure how old exactly, but we figure between fifteen to twenty, since Shifters usually have control of their shifting by their twenties, and he doesn’t. Whenever one of us shifts around him, he automatically does so. Real funny to see him and Ava's daughter, Lily, pop back and forth.

Friends are both Shifters as well; snow leopards. I didn't know this though till recently. Was upsetting at first, but then it's easy to see why nothing was said. The supernaturals aren't out in the open, so knowledge of them can put them all in danger. It was a miracle Ava wasn't exposed when she was younger since her family had her in public schools instead of the ones specifically for her kind and Weres.

The last one of my little group is the human boy; Bastion. After killing his step-father who was a pedophile and 'renting' him out, I took him in, keeping him as well since he has no other family. His mother had been killed in an auto accident and no other family to speak of. Well, there is one man who's claiming kinship, but he's one who’d 'rented' Bastion, who became a favorite of his due to the fact he looks so young.

My Imp is twelve years old but looks younger from genetics and malnutrition. Since I rescued him a few weeks ago, I've been able to fill him out a bit. He's even gained a little weight and a couple inches from his original height. Considering the average height for a healthy boy at his age is just over four-feet, he has a ways to go yet. I had to look it up, so I knew what was healthy and what wasn't.

Because of how he was 'acquired', taking him to the authorities could have been disastrous. He also refused to see any type of counselor or therapist. Since I've been through the system myself, I can't really blame him. I know he needs to talk to someone though, from what I've been able to glean from Asher, they do talk on occasion when nightmares and memories get too close. I'm not sure if I'm helping or hindering.

Right now he's all smiles as he chases Lily and Faline around the backyard of Ava's farm. I've asked my dear friend to look into the Shifter school her daughter attends to see if they'll take him in and teach him since he knows of this underworld. Also have one of her friends making up papers for him since his had more than likely been destroyed before I got to him. Same for Maii. They're both taking on my last name as well. I'm a little reserved about the young coyote but no one seems to know where he came from. Faline had met him at the bordello she had been a prisoner in and was given to her to take with when we saved her.

Luckily, because of his unpredictable shifting, he wasn't 'used' within the place, but I can just imagine the things he's seen. Biggest reason we're all running around now is because this is the last night my sister will be with me. She'd made friends within the brothel and wishes to return to make sure nothing happens to them. If I heard right, the Mistress of the place is fond of her. My biggest problem with that is in being able to share my sister’s mind, I know the woman had killed my sibling once.

Well, almost killed, obviously.

She had been drained so much that she'd been fading before others had been brought in to replenish the volume of blood she'd lost. Being so newly converted, it could have killed her. If she were a few years older, she would've just been a bit rabid till a decent meal was consumed. Don't know about you, but that doesn't scream fond to me. Faline is convinced she's in no danger from her though. I guess we'll find out one way or the other.

When I had gotten her home and after she saved my life, my heart was about torn right back out when learning that she not only fell in love with the bastard who had abducted, raped, abused, and converted her, but that she wanted to go back. Not necessarily to him, but to the people she left behind that she promised she'd protect.

Another problem with that, of course, is being the child of their prophecy to bring change.

There are factions out there on just about all sides that don't want that change to happen, or want to control it, so her going back there is akin to tossing her out to sea with only an inflatable tube to keep her safe.

Bastion chases her right to me, so I pounce and cover her body with my own, crouching low to keep her from getting free too easily. Since she'd been looking behind her, the smallish cat didn't see me coming. Her zombie sounding yowls of protest have me wiggling atop her with a wide canine grin.

She does eventually poke her head out from under my rear, which she's letting me know weighs a ton. Doing her version of the cat saying 'no no no' with her pitch is quite freaky. Really not wanting her face in my ass, I lift enough for her to pull herself free.

Because of some weird quirk, she can only speak telepathically with me, everyone else she has to use body language with. Think it only works with me since we can slip in and out of each other's heads. So far, distance doesn't seem to be a factor.

We had started developing the psychic link right after she got her first blood exchange and my first shifting. Everything had been delayed because of my being drugged, but when it caught up...it let us know. Both of us ended up sharing painful experiences with the other without intending to. It wasn't till an exchange was made between her and I directly that the link really connected, so now instead of seeing bits and pieces and just sharing pain, we can see through each other's eyes, talk telepathically, feel emotion, see, and read memories. We've been working on keeping up a block so we do have some privacy from the other.

After having my sister see some of the, uhh, 'erotic' dreams I've had, we both decided that the bond isn't such a good thing when nothing is private. It won't even have to be a conscious effort when we slip into the other. We did find one perk though, she can taste things through me.

Thanks to being a Vampire that can only take in blood and a minute amount of water, she can no longer eat. The biggest blow for a female, of course, being the loss of chocolate. Since her taste buds have been augmented, nothing tastes the same as it used to for her.

First, we found that there are some fruity alcohols that can be tasted with no problem, as long as it's just rolled on the tongue. If too much is swallowed, or if anything food-related is taken in, it's violently removed. Not a very fun event for either of us in the learning of that. In sharing my mind, however, she can get the sensation and 'taste memory'. It's a good thing I can run as a wolf to burn off all the stuff she's been making me eat. I'm thick enough, I don't need her help.

When Bastion falls onto his back in the snow with a puff, I go over and nose at his face, whiskers ticking over his skin.

"Your nose is cold!"

I sneeze at him before taking a few steps away, front feet getting to work as I dig and kick the snow out at him, he’s squealing in no time. Snow flying onto my back has me looking over to see Asher and Xavier teaming up to kick it back at me, the boy hiding behind them and laughing. I get the last laugh though when Ava and Lily join me in tossing it back.

Faline, who could have been a tie-breaker once Maii joined the boys, takes the time to practice her dodging technique. Her biggest challenge is against the snowcats who have the larger paws than even the two oversized timberwolves.

Fun and games get called though when I smell all the sweat under Bastion’s clothes. Don't need him getting sick. He's also trying to hide the fact that even with all the moving around, he's cold. The attempted pouting fails when Maii, out of nowhere, shifts to human. Poor kid goes wide-eyed in surprise. Shifters, more so than Vamps and Weres, view nudity differently than those who start out as humans do, so his surprise isn't from suddenly being in his birthday suit.

All the stigma of being naked in front of the opposite gender or in front of others period has no bearing on Shifters. Unless raised primarily around humans, it's just viewed as an everyday thing, nothing to cover up or be ashamed of. Both Ava and Faline have been working with me about it.

My sister knows what's what just from spending so much time around the animals that call the bordello home. After several years even Weres will get to the point that nudity is no problem. The only 'problem' being when one looks at another with bodily intent while the one being pawed at isn't interested.

I may be getting more comfortable with others being nude around me, but I don't think I'll ever be able to be nude in front of others without embarrassment. The only ones having done so since our initiations into this new world being my sister, Ava, and Asher. Him only because of the shifts at the beginning, the violent exchanges with Faline forcing me into human form.

Don't think Xavier has seen too much since most of the time if he's seeing skin I tend to be covered in blood. Him though, I have seen nude. Can we say Oo-la-la?

So far every Were I've seen has been very defined in the muscle department. Understandable when fighting is a part of life. With Xavier though, he started out buff, having been in the service and serving his country, then later going into Special Forces that was specifically a supernatural animal group. His scars are numerous, but most are old and faded.

My most recent one is the hole punched into my ribs that sent bones into my lung and liver. Probably would have died from that one if it weren't for my sister almost double killing me by sharing her blood. Because I’m a 'Silver Wolf', or one who has high magic-filled blood, Vampire fluids don't mix very well with my blood, causing extreme mood swings and blackouts. One of these days I'm going to have to do a painting of the road map that is my body. I had lots of scars before becoming a paranormal freak, I've just continued to add on to the amount.

When Vampires heal an injury, all trace of it is removed, Weres, on the other hand, will scar if the injury is bad enough. It fades over time and can be helped along further if a Vamp steps in, their saliva containing a healing agent that can repair any damage done. Thanks to a friend, I've found that their saliva can be used to lessen the severity of older scars as well.

I find it kind of amazing that while in wolf form I don't have bald patches from tissues being twisted and thick. Even in my Were form, they're only spider-webbed lines under my fur. No, there's no bare skin showing when in that form, we're covered in our pelts.

Once everyone gets back to the porch, the humanoid boys get the back door open so the rest of us with non-opposable thumbs can go in. All our clothes are inside in one room or another. I've talked to Ava about putting doggy doors in at my home.