Chapter Sixteen

Armand decides its time to tell their Packs about the strangers living in the forest.

    I almost added after introducing Quetzal “the one you put a spell upon” but I refrained. No reason to be hostile without a reason to be.

    The female with the long silver grey hair looked us all over with her large round blue eyes.

    The white haired male did too, but with his large round brown eyes.

    Then the female focused her eyes on me. “I am Shasta and this is Kyle.”

    Kyle nodded slightly. “Hello.” He had a really deep voice.

    Now I felt at a loss. I didn’t have a clue what to do next.

    “Why were you here watching us?” Shasta asked. Her voice held no anger, it was almost emotionless.

    I wanted to say the right thing. I didn’t want to antagonize these…people that looked half wolf and half human.

    Mr. Thunder, Miss Feather and Quetzal were all letting me take the lead. I’m sure they didn’t know what to do either.

    “We came upon your structure that’s not like anything we’ve ever seen before. We wanted to know who or what is in the forest, who made the structure.” I said, hoping I was as neutral as possible.

    Shasta glanced at Kyle. I watched, fascinated as her ears twitched and so did Kyle’s. Her silver grey bushy tail twitched a little too.

    I wanted to stare but forced myself not to.

    “Your answer is reasonable.” Shasta said.

    Kyle nodded as if agreeing with her.

    I sighed silently with relief. I decided to ask some questions of my own. Shasta and Kyle seemed friendly enough.

    “How long have you been here in the forest? I’ve never heard of people such as you are living here.”

    Shasta focused her round eyes on me. I couldn’t at all tell what she was feeling by her facial expression, she didn’t really have any.

    “We’ve been here.” Shasta said.

    A voice came from the odd house. Those two that looked like twins were still standing in the window watching us all out here.

    One was waving, obviously the one that had called out.

    Shasta made a barking like sound and followed that with a hand motion that said, come here.

    The two in the window left and I was sure they’d be out here in no time.

    I could see Miss Feather squirming, looking uncomfortable. So did Mr. Thunder. Only Quetzal seemed really focused on Shasta. It was clear he wanted to be up next to her, wanting to be real comfy with her.

    “Are there more of you around here?” I asked.

    “There are. Around.” Shasta said.

   The twins were out of the house and coming toward us, excited looks on their exactly alike faces, their large round grey eyes were glittering with that excitement. The hair on their heads and on their upswept pointed ears was the same color, black. I noticed as they drew near they both lacked tails but their smiles revealed a mouth full of canine teeth that were a lot sharper and longer than what Kyle and Shasta had.

    “This is Mandie and Joshie.” Shasta said introducing them.

    “Hi.” I said to them.

    They looked exactly alike and both wore really baggy loose tunics so I was unable to tell if they were male or female.

    “You can change into wolves?” Asked Mandie or Joshie, I had no idea which one.

    “Yes, we can.” I said.

    “We are part wolf and part human.” Mandie or Joshie said.

    Now that stunned me! Part Wolf and part Human! Just like I thought they looked. I couldn’t hide my surprise nor could I help wondering exactly how that came about. Perhaps I didn’t really want to know the details.

    “Wow!” Mr. Thunder said.

    Miss Feather just made a soft gasping sound of surprise.

    “Part Wolf and part Human.” I said. They sure looked it too.

    Mandie and Joshie looked eagerly at each of us. “I wish I could change my shape.” one of them said.

    Quetzal was quivering with suppressed emotions of some sort. I decided to say something to Shasta about what she was doing to him. “Could you stop doing what ever you’re doing to my friend Quetzal?”

    Without a word Shasta looked at Quetzal, moved her hands and said something very softly that sounded like a chant.

    I felt some kind of heat rush past me and Quetzal stumbled a little and shook his head. I was positive that heat had been directed at him by Shasta.

    He looked up with a confused expression on his face. “What?” he muttered.

    I wanted to ask him how he felt, see if he was back to normal but that would have to wait.

    I turned my attention back to these half Wolf and half Human people.

    “What was that all about?” Quetzal muttered. A quick glance showed me he was glaring at the half Wolf and half Human people.

    No one responded to his question.

    “Armand?” Miss Feather said to me.

    Not now Miss Feather. I need to figure out how to get out of here in a friendly way. I said to her telepathically.

    I kept my eyes on Shasta to see if I got any reaction from her when I spoke to Miss Feather with my mind.

    She didn’t even blink. I hoped that meant she couldn’t hear us with her mind. Hopefully none of them could.

    We need to get back and inform our Packs of this situation now. I said.

    A bit late now. Mr. Thunder said not too pleased sounding.

    Stop, Mr. Thunder. I said.

    Shasta, Kyle, Mandie and Joshie stood there watching us. Their ears twitched as if listening to the sounds of the forest; at least I hoped that was what they were hearing.

    I didn’t want to think they could hear us speaking to each other’s minds.

    “Where are you from?”  Mandie or Joshie asked.

    “The other side of the forest.” I answered. I was certain Mandie and Joshie were our age, just on the verge of adulthood. I just wished I could tell if they were male or female.

    But no matter. It was time for us to go. I was getting way too uncomfortable and so were Miss Feather and Mr. Thunder.

    Quetzal was just looking sick now.

    I decided just to announce we were leaving, seemed the best way out of this situation.

    Just be direct but polite.

 

 

Reviews

[Theresa]

Half humna and half wolf very creative very interesting. I wonder what the story behind that is. If they are the first of their kind or if they have been around for as long as the Wolf people. I also wonder what the packs reaction is going to be to these half wolf half humans living in the forest. Another great chapter.

[Black Cat Fever]

I think Armand and his friends telling the Packs about the Others is the best thing they can do at this point. I don't think they can handle this on their own.

[Star Wolf]

Wow! What are these people? Fascinating and mysterious.

Hmm... Hybrids with strange manipulative abilities... I would have never guessed that. I'm starting to wonder if all life in this world originated on earth and somehow crossed over into this one... Very fascinating.