"Julius! Luna damn you, you watch where you're running and you apologize to the– " The tirade ended abruptly with a gasp. Setting my jaw, I looked down at my feet. A small, fuzzy tail was now wagging between my ankles, sticking out from beneath the hem of my skirt. "Julius" I said, "look at me." "Bark!" I rolled my eyes. The pup's bewildered, happy face soon emerged into view, ogling the sky just above my head. His look changed as it recognized me, however. Realizing his impertinence, Julius dashed out from under me with a whimper and ran toward the

I wound my way through the camp, Surry at my side, until we found ourselves approaching the center of our Pack's community. The increasingly savory scent of food filled the air, and I found myself ravenously hungry after having hardly a bite to eat earlier in the day. Our conversation paused for the moment as we both joined the commotion of packmembers. Our whole pack sprawled across almost an acre of land, and this small central area was used as a gathering place for most necessities and functions. The preparation of food and water, pack meetings, pretty much everything except bathing and personal hygiene took place either here, or in a smaller scale at a member's own living space. Most of the pack's fifty-or-so remaining members were gathered here currently; they shared food, shared chores, and otherwise interacted positively. Some vibrant colors were visib

The river seemed clear today as we paddled across, half our number at a time so as to constantly be watching the trees for danger. Once on the other side we began to move more slowly, more cautiously, as I dictated the pace. The sun could be seen clearly above from the banks of the river. It was still only a couple of hours after midday, and I planned to be back with the rest of our Pack before the sun had even begun to set. If everything went smoothly, that was. Rufias turned our party slightly north after crossing the water. I trusted fully that he knew where he was going, and wrote off his occasional pauses as purely cautionary. Without a word being shared, all of us were more on edge now. Crossing the river was stepping over an invisible boundary, now, where before it had been nothing other than an exercise in swimming. We continued for half a mile before

To Tando's left stood another male whom I recognized as Marc. Marc was similarly Shifted, but stood a head shorter than his 'Alpha', though he clearly tried to copy his posture. I didn't know the name of the other male who stood just behind them. This one wore a form more akin to a wolf than a monster, but he too had Shifted to something in-between. All three of them were quite terrifying to behold. My heart sank while I watched. Though I had never been close to either of the lesser males, I did know them from our Pack, before... before they turned on us. I had no idea what role they had played on the night of the battle, or whom they may have hurt. As far as I was concerned they were all as guilty as Tando himself. And as myself, I supposed, for truly starting it all. But it still broke my heart to see the men we so recently ate and hunted with standing beside the most brutal and cruel creature I had eve

Tando howled and went off-balance, reaching for the clinging female with a massive furred hand. I wasted no time in snapping my jaws at his arm as I collided with his stomach, sending the three of us down in a tumble, with Soiya and I on top. But before I could get a good hold on him another dark shape hurled itself at me, knocking me off of Tando and to the ground. The male I didn't know was upon me now and trying to sink his teeth into my shoulder. I rolled us to one side and swatted at his face, catching it hard, my claws leaving a bloodied gash down his nose and across his cheek. He snarled and hopped away as I regained my feet, seeming wary to approach me again. Those moments had been all Tando needed to free himself from Soiya's grip. He flung her to the ground in front of him with a snarl, saliva dripping from his jowls, as Marc took the opportunity to