Kierra

Ten minutes later we're all in the car and headed home, the adult male next to me wearing damp jeans. His own fault for throwing them in the mud. They'd been washed and in the process of drying when I called for time to go. Poor thing.

Was once again reminded that he goes commando, Ava had poked fun at his going to chafe when he kept pulling at the material. Snug damp jeans plus being very well endowed equals very uncomfortable. I have no pity for him and told him as much.

He'd just grinned, taking forever to put his damn shirt back on, enjoying the assorted ogling eyeballs. He’s a beautiful male specimen and he knows it, using it often to his advantage. Think the only ones who hadn't been admiring his many...assets, was Lily, Bastion, Maii, and Diego. Me, Ava, and Kani had wandering eyes with a mind of their own.

Maii, Bastion, and Rika caught my hurried look away and smiled. Raising an eyebrow at the WereHyena, she smiled and shrugged.

"I'm gay. He looks nice, but he’s not my type."

We'd laughed then all piled into my shiny new but used SUV to head home. Looking in the rearview mirror, I remind my newest passengers to the workings of my home.

"By the time we return, Shade and his brother Zypher should be back. They're both wolves. If you find yourself having any kind of trouble, you can come to me or one of the boys. I want you to be able to feel safe within my home, so if you don't, let one of us know immediately, okay?"

Rika nods, the small fox in her lap does the same before looking away. Both are still uncomfortable, but hopefully, that will pass with time. Pretty sure the brothers are going to be confused, getting back to the house and the jeep is there but everyone else is gone.

Going past the Red’s new place shows a new vehicle in the driveway. Should probably drop in and see how everything is going. That's 'neighborly' right? Squatting illegally aside. Is it called that even though I gave it to them? Not mine to give in the first place an all. I haven't a clue. Meh.

Sure enough, the big truck is already in its usual spot when I pull in. Zypher is sitting on the railing, watching me park with curiosity. His long purple hair is loose, as always, the shades looking darker than usual with there being very little light.

The only one on is inside, where I'm guessing Shade is, but I'm wrong when I see him trot in from behind the house. All white with black-tipped ears and dark blue eyes, he's quite the handsome wolf. If you like blue eyes anyway.

"Rika, Diego, the one on four legs is Shade, the other with the purple hair is Zypher. If you'd like, you can hang back a bit, if you want."

While everyone else gets out, I watch the girl and fox in the mirror. She looks down and nods, squaring her shoulders before getting out, Diego in hand. Err, arms. Either way, I smile at their bravery.

Getting out myself, I walk with them up to the older brother and introduce them. Younger brother walks up slowly to stand next to his sibling to get introduced as well. With Shade being shy, I don't see him being a bother, it's his brother that can be a bit obnoxious.

I whisper in their heads a brief rundown of what and where they came from, their eyes flicker in acknowledgment. Really thinking about it, seems all the younger ones within my home come from some sexual abuse background. Hope it isn't a trend, since I have no idea how to help the ones I have.

"Making the rounds Shade, or just out stretching?"

I leave Xavier to his shop talk with the others while I move the youngin's inside. I have two painting commissions to get done, but first things first, my new chicks need to get settled. With Diego's legs still wrapped up, he's not able to move about on his own quite yet, but Ava assures me that one more night, maybe two, and he'll be all set.

Typical mother, she made sure they were all fed, so don't have to worry about that. Speaking of mothers, I should probably get mine called and make sure she's alright. There's always something more to do, ever notice that?

Kani kicks off his shoes, hell, we all do. Rika does as well when she notices everyone else doing so, so I explain to her that it's just more comfortable, not a ‘need to do’ thing. Nodding, she glances around to the others.

First one to be out of his shoes, the WereFox goes to the fridge for some water then grabs up the book he'd found amongst my shelves that he enjoyed. Having looked over them before, he's set a goal to read them all. I wish him luck.

Bastion heads to his section of the bookshelf where he pulls out a fresh puzzle and looks back to me. Smiling, I tell him to go for it. About the only thing that table gets used for anymore. He returns my smile before looking over to Maii, who smiles and nods as well.

Don't think I've ever known boys to like puzzles, let alone two under one roof. I'm glad they do though. Looking to Chandrika and the younger fox, I'm at a loss of what to do.

"Uhh, make yourself at home. You're free to do what you like, within reason of course."

Diego yawns while she carries him to the shelves, looking at what all is available. Don't think there's much up there that doesn't revolve around some kind of supernatural critter or animal in general, even the 'romances' have some kind of paranormal aspect to them. Leaving them to it, I head for my room to change and make a call. Quick peek through my head shows Faline still working on her paperwork.

The word 'Changeling' keeps getting mentioned in her thoughts, but I'm not sure what she means by it. The same word was mentioned this morning, but I didn't think anything of it. Pulling out just as silently, I shore up my walls once more and call my mother while changing. Painting in good clothes is just asking for trouble.

After hanging up with her, having sounded as if she was in the middle of something vigorous and visual-blocking, I give a call to my Vampire. It goes to his voicemail, which is a bit unusual, so I leave a message to get back to me when he's free. I know he isn't sleeping, he damn near never sleeps. Vampire cliche an all.

Grabbing up my sketchbook and utensils, I head back out and get comfortable on my old couch. Asher's scent is still on it, and relatively comforting. Still don't have much of a clue on what to do for the diner, but an earlier idea keeps forming in my head.

The out of town requests were of anything revolving around 'Gothic Demise'. An idea I had earlier of demonic kittens batting at skeletal butterflies sounds too fun to resist, so after tossing my phone onto the small table in front of the sofa, I get to it. Most times I prefer to make sketches first before trying to ink it, easier to modify if needed.

Doesn't take long for it to start taking shape; a couple scaled and furred kittens, one looking out while the other is standing on hind legs, small leather wings out for balance while batting at skeleton butterfly-looking things. Different colored pencils add different detail and dimension while charcoals get used for in-depth shading.

Horizontally slit eyes take the place of the normal feline, assorted horn crowns adorn their heads and the tails are forked. Furred, splitting halfway down to form two distinctive sides that thin down from fluffy to scaled. Odd and disturbingly cute.

Skeletal butterflies are interesting since it's basically a long vertebra spine piece with small out-branching bones in vague wing shapes. Cobweb-like texturing gets added, torn and holey and a pain to get right. Three are put in, two fluttering above the upright kitten while the third is about to land on the other’s head. Perfect.

On finishing touches, a commotion has me glancing up. At the kitchen table where the boys are, Maii has had another freak shift. Seems to happen randomly, which is the biggest reason I'm wary of taking him out in public.

He has to be older than he looks, yet still hasn't managed to get the hang of it, so I'm not sure if it's something else or just a lack of control. Bastion is giggling and ribbing the small coyote good-naturedly, so I just smile and start on another visual picture. The guys come in at some point, but for the most part, I don't pay attention.

Since it's so late, the young coyote has chosen to stay in animal form, coming over to watch me work. With the vacated seat across Bastion, Rika takes his place and fiddles with some pieces. There's four chairs for that table, but the other two tend to get moved around by the guys.

Brand new couch, huge one at that, and they get picky about their seating. Buncha girls. Xavier keeps catching my attention with his restlessness, so I figure it will just be a matter of time before he wants to leave as well.

The thought saddens me, but it isn't all that unexpected. Sure, he said he'd stay, but he was a gypsy before coming here, a wanderer. Didn't ask for a specific amount of time that was, but I gather it was quite a while.

Might miss being around people, but then the animal in him will kick in and he'll want to roam. When he disappears downstairs, I figure he's shifting and will want out when he comes back up. Bastion or the brothers can let him out, I'm busy.

Imagine my surprise though, when he comes back up with his guitar. Zypher groans and mumbles that he'll go out for a while. I chuckle, calling him a wimp while keeping my eyes on my paper.

"You lose the ear for music when your brother likes to act as if he can sing. Nothing worse than a yodeling wolf who will also warble and screech. I'm good."

Laughing once more, I glance up as he goes out. Shade is still out there and depending on how close, will have also heard him. Poor guy. Although, I'd probably do the same if I had an annoying brother.

Err, I have done that, actually. Only with Faline, not a brother. That sister of mine loves to sing and listen to Elvis; her biggest love. Tone and pitch are fine I guess, she'd been in a chorus class when in high school.

Elvis, I don't mind, but some of the other crap she listens to is just awful. Perfect way I found for her to change it would be to obnoxiously sing along. Worked about ninety percent of the time, other ten she just shifts it to a song I don't know from her constant playing and has it going instead.

It isn't until you have a sibling that you learn little annoying things like that, just as you figure a way to get around most of what they can throw at you. Annoying, but you eventually realize you wouldn't trade it for anything at the thought of it never being there again. Feels so weird to not have her here, but not quite as much since others are around making noise. Too much at times.

Looking up again, Xavier has taken up his claimed spot at the end of the ‘U’ shaped couch. That treacherous cat of mine jumps up in front of him and meows, seeking attention. A large hand reaches out and pets him a couple times before going back to his instrument.

He fiddles with the cords for a bit, then starts playing something low yet melodious. An image pops into my head so strong and clear, that I flip to a new page immediately. Doodle I had been doing forgotten as I sketch out a brain worm.

The male gets drawn out as an anthropomorphic maned wolf, same shaded areas that he would have in his animal form. His monster form has to be huge with his long-ass legs. Bringing my head back to task, I have him sitting in a corner, guitar in his arms, much like he is now. Live models are so helpful.

The facial features carry enough humanness to them that you can clearly see him smiling at something that's sitting in front of him. Even though still animal, I put his human hair on him, having it forming about him and running down his back, darker shaded fur tufts at his elbows and the ever-present goatee.

Instead of his animal tan eyes though, amber eyes are put on the maned wolf’s anthro face. Reddish fur, black hair, tufts, and markings. The tongue lolls out in his up-tilted canine smile, looking at a chubby tabby in front of him.

Tigger gets sketched out in all his fluffy glory, a big smile on his face too, tail in motion behind him, moving to the beat of the music being played. Think during the whole drawing duration, I'm grinning like an idiot. Maii next to me wags his tail with his own canine grin, small whines coming from him as if laughing.

Before I can do anymore, I get an urge. The most annoying thing to any type of artist; the bane of having to piss. Ruffling the coyote's ears, I put the pad on the table and head out.