Chapter 52Brandon would have described the feeling coming over him in the next few moment as fear.....if he was ever tortured into admitting it.But as Ezekiel turned on him, and stalked across the kitchen, with claws, eyes and teeth looking far too ready for use Brandon actually found himself backing away from him. But he didn't get far, before the prick of claws closing around his upper arms and the pressure of being pulled were being applied and he stumbled into the furious gaze of the Shifter."And are you insane!!" Ezekiel hissed. His voice distorted, but still smooth at the round of each word that he spoke. "Don't you ever EVER do that again?""What!?....Don't do what!?" Brandon panted trying to pull back, but it was hopeless. All he managed to do was get blood on the backs of Ezekiel's hands as he tried to push his hands off. But unfortunately his attempts to pull away only seemed to incense the Shifter more."We talked about this the other night!" Ezekiel growled. "I told you

Leaving the Mortal in the kitchen Ezekiel made his way to the front door just as the second knock sounded. He opened the door to a familiar and welcome face."Oh my God!" Erin exclaimed as her soft hazel eyes contracted to thin slits and her nostrils twitched as she inhaled heavily.She stood out in the sunlight, dressed coolly with simple boots, jeans and a red blouse and her tall frame filling the doorway. Having traveled from the middle of the village carrying a medical kit a soft sheen of sweat shown on her forehead and throat, and her short brown hair brushed her shoulders as she steeped further into the house, turned to Ezekiel and frowned. "It reeks of blood in here Ezekiel....Is all of this coming from the...the intruder?" she asked softly, almost timid.Ezekiel softly closed the door behind her as he said "Yes....the mortals bleeding pretty heavily, he seems to have popped half a dozen of his stiches and mom was busy so I had to give you a call." He explained to her, then he

Brandon stopped Erin with a soft question."Wait. Sacred Laws?" He questioned her, then he shared a look with Ezekiel. "What Laws are those exactly? And what Wars are we talking about?""Well they are the doctrine....or the codes by which all Shifter society function." Erin glossed over, not seeing the blank look on Brandon's face. "The Sacred Laws were created soon after The Great Loss and it is known throughout all seven of the Shifter Clans that these Laws were written by the Dragon Lords.""Whoa....wait!" Brandon cut in his mind buzzing with fresh questions suddenly. "Dragons...?" he asked her, not believing that he had heard her right. "There are Dragon Shifters?""What do you mean?" Erin giggled at him uncertainly. She looked at Ezekiel then back at Brandon, her hazel eyes clouding with confusion and surprise and skepticism. "Of course there are Dragons Brandon....." She laughed again, but this time the sound choked off as she turned her head and squinted at the blank expression

It was on once Brandon had walked outside into the air that he realized how early in the morning it really was.He quickly guess that it was no later than 6 am by the position of the sun in the sky and the soft dewy chill that glossed the grassy fields that stretch endlessly all before him. Far, far in the distance Brandon could make out the giant canopy of the pines that encircled the Leopards Land's and the mountains to the far north that boarded the other side of the land.He took it all in for a few seconds, then he stepped off the porch, ignoring the cool droplets that drenched the soles of his feet as he moved towards a wide gap in the far left of the mansion, where dim light poured out and the shadows of multiple people could be seen moving about.Slowly Brandon marched over to the opening and put his head into the light and glanced around.The space beyond the door was filled with various items for field work. Far too the left was a shelf filled with boots, and old clothing, a

Chapter 60The hay bales were much harder going. But as the next two hours trickled by Brandon was impressed to find that he and Ezekiel managed to burst open nearly twenty five bundles and spared them around nearly eighty percent of the farm. Ezekiel worked at a considerate pace, and saved most his breath so they worked in companionable silence.Soon enough the minutes had passed into another hour and the silence turned to thinking on Brandon's part. And to his surprise Brandon soon found that he was reminiscing back on his various and volatile interactions with the different members of Ezekiels family. Particularly the green eyed brother Lander and his more amenable interactions with Nate and Walter and even Erin and his parents.Brandon found that he wanted to avoid further confrontations until he moved on from the Leopards Clan....but he knew himself. He knew....that he had a bad habit of not backing down.....And he knew that if the green eyed Shifter came at him again...he was g