“AAARRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

What felt like minutes later, but was actually close to 10 hours, a massive howl rang through the makeshift bedroom making Foxy and Jake sit straight upright.

“What is that and how do we make it stop?” Jake shouted.

“About time you 2 woke up!” came Wolfe’s angry voice through the thick door. “Now, would you let me in while your breakfast is still warm?”

“Umm” said Jake looking around at the cum and sweat stained cushion across the generally “used” state of the room, “give us a minute”.

After about 5 minutes hybrid Jake, back in his shorts, unlocked and opened the door to reveal the room. The blankets had been gathered folded and placed on the soiled cushion, which was now sitting by the door. Foxy too was back in her red garb and was zipping up their bags. One whiff of the air made wolf cough slightly and look at the obvious source. Rolling his eyes back to Jake, and with a exasperated sigh Wolfe handed the tray of food he was holding to Jake. He then picked up the blankets and cushions and after informing them he’ll be back in about half an hour he disappeared back out of the door. After 15 minutes, when the couple were done washing down their breakfast of ham, bacon, eggs, toast, and a blend of fruits and berries with juice, they did their best to tidy themselves up before they would be introduced to their hosts. Jake had no idea what he was in for, but a good first impression works wonders. Foxy on the other hand had the expression of Jake’s imagination of what a dwarfling would look like getting ready to explain why they had dulled their father’s best battleax by using it to burst a barrel of his favorite mead over the living room rug. As such, Jake sat back on the sofa, and asked Val over to him, and spoke to her as calmly as possible.

“Foxy, you know I love you and that I would do anything for you. But you also were the one who told me I needed these people and the lessons they teach. It doesn’t take a beholder to see that you are terrified to the point a lose/lose is your best-case scenario. Please tell me. What do I not know? Why are you so scared?”

Foxy’s ears drooped. “I’m not sure what I am expecting. I’m probably more scared than I should be I admit. But you’re right, you should know why since there is a slight chance it’ll negatively affect you.”

“It was around 6ish years ago I think. I was gathering supplies to craft something, my first longbow I think. Either way, I was gathering supplies when I was attacked by a fox. I used what I could to try and fight it off, but it was all over me. I threw it off a dozen times, each time it came back for more. Eventually, I managed to draw my dagger and deal it a mortal blow. You can imagine my horror when as soon as the mad fox hits the ground it becomes a dead male half-elf with my dagger in his heart. From the little I knew at the time, I pieced together that he was a lycanthrope. Even so, I’ve never been on the best terms with the authorities in my home town and a civilian was clearly lying dead with my weapon in his chest from a blow I had dealt. I ran as fast as I could. I bought gear at the next town over and kept running. Two days later was my first full moon. When I woke up naked in the closet of the room I had rented, my pajamas were in ribbons, and there were scratches covering the floor. I was smart enough to put 2 and 2 together. My race was revealed to me that first day. Because of that, I was able to keep my mind the next few times I transformed, even when I had no idea if I could control it, never mind how.

I started looking for any rumor I could find on lycanthropes. Apparently, I was seen, I never learned how or by who, but it doesn’t matter. I got closer, but so did they. I was … kidnapped, though I guess apprehended also fits, and brought here. I don’t know how, but I can imagine some type of poison was involved. Anyway, when they realized I was had only killed the one who bit me in self-defense, and I was only looking for them so I could learn more about what I was, and could do they were thrilled. A few month later, I knew all I needed to know. When there were rumors of an unknown lycanthrope in a neighboring town, I volunteered to make contact and was sent out. It was supposed to be a 1-month mission, but”

“But, we don’t hear anything from you in 5 years. To many of us, that alone is enough to label you a traitor to your race. Why didn’t you report in?” Wolfe interrupted reopening the door.

“I had nothing to report!” Foxy snapped back in desperation. “I couldn’t find the warehare! I don’t know where he was hiding or why! All I know is that he’s dead now, and before he died he bit Hare. Fortunately, I had fallen in love with the new lycanthrope, so I was able to bring him here! I am sorry I didn’t shut down the shop you knew I had for 2 weeks a month just to say ‘I still can’t find him’ repeatedly! I remade my promises in the Zone of Truth that I mean no harm to any of us that doesn’t wish harm against me and that I’ll keep our secrets! What more do you want?”

“How about the truth!” raged Wolfe. “As you yourself said, the fox is the natural predator of the rabbit! You should have had everything needed to find him! Instead, you just ran away! The only reason you came back is because your little boy toy over there got bitten and needs training only we can give! Admit it!”

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Shouted Jake, over both. “Now look, I admit I don’t know most of what happened, but here are the facts as I see it. Foxy made some mistakes. Exactly what the mistakes are is irrelevant, but she’s sorry she made them. Wolfe is furious, but you didn’t bring us here just to lock us in your entryway. Now, rather than shouting at each other for endless hours, over 5-year-old mistakes, can we move on to whatever it was that’s supposed to happen next?”

After a small pause and another sigh, Wolfe spoke up, “If it were up to me, you guys would not have gotten this far. Fortunately, I’m not in charge, I’m just security. And you’re right. It’s time to get moving, assuming you are ready.”

“To talk to someone other than you? Absolutely!” Foxy replied lifting her bag as Jake did the same. “Is there another stop, or is it time for Hare to meet the old man?”

“Not to worry, he’s waiting for us” said Wolfe, who looked just as ready to leave Foxy. “After you” he added, opening the door behind him, revealing Gina waiting to lead the way.

The four some walked through a small chamber to another door behind which was a square chamber. The only thing in the chamber was a staircase going down against the right-hand wall to a landing at the corner before turning the corner and continuing down in a steady spiral into the darkness broken by torches at each landing. Gina was already on the first landing with Foxy behind her when Jake started downward, Wolfe bringing up the rear. After they had gone down about 3 maybe 4 floors by Jake’s estimate they came to the end of the stairs. The stairs ended in a well lite stone floored room similar to the one at the top. Opposite where the stairs joined the floor, was a wide arching doorway, with a pair of thick stone but mostly undecorated stone slab. The only “decoration” if it can be called such was a large circle with a diameter roughly the length of Jake’s arm at about head level which was right in the middle. Once all 4 creatures were on the landing, Wolfe reached out and pressed his hand upon the slab on the right below the circle. After a moments pause, the circle glowed cream and revealing it to be an image of the full moon. A line then appeared in the center of the slab, starting at the top and quickly spreading down, bisecting the moon, and continuing down until it reached the floor at which point the line glowed and the slab started to move. Each side of the split slab slid inward like what it truly was, as set of double doors magically sealed against intruders.

Once the doors finished opening, and Jake’s eyes became adjusted to the light beyond, his jaw dropped at what was revealed. There, at the bottom of a stone ramp, hidden yards below the surface, behind strong enchanted stone doors lay a small town under what looked like the glow of the sun. Looking up puzzled, Jake saw what looked like a large glowing orb in a grey-blue “sky”. It was obvious this was not really the sun and sky, but the effect on the town was obviously no different.

“Come on”, said Foxy grinning at the look of awe on Jake’s furry face, pulling him to the stairs.

At the bottom however, Wolfe hollered “STOP”. In response to Jake’s confused look, and Foxy’s annoyed one, he continued while taking the last few steps down, “The old man insists on seeing all new faces personally. As for you,” he added looking to Foxy, “you’ll only be allowed to stay based on his judgement.”

“Then lead on” Foxy said suddenly more somber than Jake’s seen her in a while.

He lead them down the main street. Passed a few shops and side streets, until they came to a rather odd area. It was somehow a cross between a city hall and park. The walls and rooms were all open to the extent if a breeze could occur down there it could be felt through the entire area. Each room had at least partial roofs, but on some it was only a frame around the top of the wall. There were various desks and file cabinets mixed in between trees, and bushes. Wolfe lead them through the “hallways” until they made it to the center of the room. There, in the middle of the area was a semicircle of trees around a small pond. Sitting there, with his back to the trees, facing the pond with his eyes closed was a man. The fur on his head, and exposed lower legs and lower arms was dark brown, almost black in places. The round ears sticking out from the top of his head, and short snout made it quite clear his animal was a bear. His dark green robes were a little on the tight side in his hybrid state, but they would likely be comfortable in his human form. When they had approached, the robed man somehow sensed them and opened his brown eyes before breaking into a beaming smile.

“Wolfe! Glad to see you, and it would appear you found a nice wolf to join you. Wonderful!” said the man in a rough yet clear voice. “Foxy? Is that really you after 5 years. Welcome back! I hope you have quite the story to tell. And you… Rabbit? Bunny?”

“Hare actually” Jake clarified.

“Ah, Hare! Yes, that certainly works very nicely as a name. Nice to meet you my cub! They call me Grizzly, or Master Bear. I understand you are here to learn about being a lycan.”

“I absolutely am Mr. Grizzly”, Jake answered.

“In that case, Wolfe, please begin arrangements for a residency for Hare. First however, I require a private chat with our lady in red. Please wait outside.” Grizzly concluded waving Foxy over to him.

Wolfe, Gina, and Jake left the room leaving Foxy uncomfortably walking up and sitting cross-legged as well next to Grizzly. Jake had nothing better to do than wait by the door, as the other two walked away. A long time had passed when Grizzly and Foxy came to find Jake, sitting with his back against the wall opposite the door, fast asleep. After Foxy gently woke him, the 3 went to find Wolfe, who was now at one of the desks by what passed for the front door of the mostly open town hall, Gina keeping an eye out from a lying position at his feet.

“Made your decision, sir?” Wolfe asked.

“Yes, I have.” Grizzly said with no expression at all. Foxy on the other hand was down in every conceivable way, including her ears drooped, and her furry tail between her legs, she even hung her head throwing her face into shadows. Wolfe couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face as her head started bobbing with quiet tears. “Stop filling out that paperwork right now. He won’t be needing it.”

Wolfe almost laughed with glee as he replied, “You’re not just kicking her out, but both of them?”

“Of course not, but houses for 1 is different paperwork than paperwork for more than 1” Grizzly responded with his own grin as Wolfe’s changed to confusion matching the one on Jake’s face. “Assuming it’s ok with Hare of course. It was Foxy’s idea for you two to live together, but I won’t force you”

Jake’s confusion, evaporated quickly with those words. He was going to get the training he needed and start a new life with the woman he loved. Speaking of which, her reaction to this news was baffling, until she lifted her head back with a gasp and roared with laughter.

“OHAHAHA! YOUR FACE! HAHAHA! Sorry to confuse you Hare, but the look on Wolfe’s face was beyond worth it! I just wish I could keep it together as well as Grizzly did. HAHAHAHAAAA!” Foxy added having to lean on Jake just to keep standing.

Glad, once again, nobody else had the same view of Foxy he was enjoying, Jake was just curious about what the next step was, which when he brought it up, Grizzly replied by activating his mentor ability with 2 fingers on his forehead, his response to which prompted such a bombardment of messages and information Jake passed out, and woke up the next morning, behind locked doors, unclothed, in a comfortable queen-sized bed in the bare sleeping embrace of Val … not Foxy. The messages left behind by yesterday’s decision did make it easier to determine what happened.

CONGRATULATIONS

LYCANPUP (TRAINER) HAS REACHED LEVEL 1

MENTOR: Gerald “Grizzly” Barpalm

Attribute Increase:

PERCEPTION +2

SHAPE CHANGE +5

ENDURANCE +2

WISDOM +2

NEW SKILL:

SHAPE CROSSOVER 1 BACK FILLING MENTOR BONUS…

CONGRATULATIONS

LYCANPUP IS NOW LEVEL 2

PERCEPTION IS NOW 47

SHAPE CHANGE IS NOW 20

SHAPE CROSSOVER IS NOW RANK 4 APPLYING SKILL PSYNERGY …

HUNTERS TRACKING +4 NEW SKILL ACQUIRED FROM PREREQUISITES:

PREREQ: ACQUIRE 5 TRAINER CLASSES

ACQUIRE 1 NON TRAINER CLASS REQUIREING MULTIPLE TRAINER CLASSES

DIVERSE CORICULUM RANK 1

EFFECT: BLANKET EXPERIENCE BOOST TO ALL TRAINER CLASSES

BACK FILLING EXPERIENCE… LYCANPUP IS NOW LEVEL 3

THUG IS NOW LEVEL 5

APPRENTICE IS NOW LEVEL 3

ApprenticeArtificer IS NOW LEVEL 3

TRACKER EXPERIENCE OVERFLOW …

SCOUT IS NOW LEVEL 5 NEW SKILL ACQUIRED FROM PREREQUISITES:

PREREQ: ACQUIRE LEVEL 3 IN 5 TRAINER CLASES

ACQUIRE 1 NON TRAINER CLASS REQUIREING MULTIPLE TRAINER CLASSES

GRADUATION BOUND RANK 1 (MAX)

EFFECT: GAIN INSIGHT ON GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CLASSES YOU ARE WITHIN 1 LEVEL OF

DISCLAIMER! YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH OTHERS WHO DO NOT POSSES THE SKILL