Sitting in the limo that was provided by the Mount Rainer chapter of the Luna Brotherhood; Joan was happy for the silence. Darrell sleeping in his seat as Joan looked out the window to see herself surrounded by forest as she is being driven along a quiet highway. Feeling a pang of apprehension as she wonders if these werewolves are going to do to her what was done to Alyssa; she soon breathes a sigh of relief as they pass a sign saying ‘Welcome to Moon Lake’.
“It will be about another ten minutes,” the driver speaking; “before we arrive at the Elder council building. Tachibana will be meeting you and Darrell there.”
“What about Douglas Cooper,” Joan asking; “will he be there as well?”
“I cannot answer that,” the driver answering; “I was only told to take to the council building. Afterwards, Tachibana will be looking after you.”
Minutes later the limo stops in front of a dour non-descript looking building; Joan feeling that pang of apprehension again as several men in black suits approach to open the door. Being escorted out she can tell that both men, while clearly Japanese showed no hint of malice towards her or her charge Darrell who was woken from his nap and feeling fussy.
“Joan,” one man introducing himself; “I am Daisuke Tachibana. This is my brother Yamoto Tachibana. Our grandmother is waiting for you and Darrell inside.”
I’m hungry,” Darrell slowly climbing from the car.
“There is also food waiting for you both,” Daisuke helping the child out; “Sheriff Cooper is on his way over. He just had to collect a witness regarding,” Daisuke looking at the child and then back at Joan and whispering; “it concerns this little one’s mother.”
Joan nods as she understands what the Japanese man was saying.
“Follow me please,” Yamoto speaking; “you will need to be in your fursona after entering the building. Since the child is too young to shift, an exception will be made for him.”
“Why do I have to be in my fursona,” Joan asking; “is there something you are not telling me?”
Daisuke just grins; “nothing you need to be worried about. Here in Moon Lake you are among your fellow kind. Everyone in this building is a were and proudly walks about in their fursona.”
“This can’t be the whole town,” Joan looking stunned; “A single building in the middle of nowhere!”
“It is not,” Daisuke shifting into his were-fox fursona; his suit from awareness easily handling his shifting as well as Yamoto. “Moon Lake is a large town surrounded by dense forest. It was designed in a wheel and spoke pattern to take advantage of the many were’s desire to slip into the woods from their back yards.”
“Furry people,” Darrell perks up upon seeing the two were-foxes before them.
“My grandson is correct,” a were-vixen approaching; her red fur with streaks of grey throughout and approaching the stunned looking were-tigress and bouncing child seeing another were.
“Tachibana No Akane,” placing her paw out; You must be Joan. Sorry I don’t have a last name.”
“Joan Morningcloud,” Joan accepting the paw while shifting into her were-tigress fursona; causing Tachibana to gasp in surprise.
“Your clothes are from Awareness,” Tachibana asking?
“I don’t know,” Joan answering; “Alyssa got these for me last year. I just grabbed them and put them one before leaving this morning.”
“Well,” Tachibana speaking; “there is a store here in town called Awareness. The sell clothing made exclusively for active were’s.”
“What do you mean by active weres,” Joan asking.
“Sexually active,” Tachibana answers bluntly; “clothing for ages fourteen and up.”
“Your not wearing any clothes,” Joan trying to advert her eyes from Tachibana’s naked yet furry form.
“Nudity and modesty while in your fursona is not something most were’s are concerned with,” Tachibana smiling; “if you want you can wear a robe. You just need to remove your clothes. Darrell, since he is only five, he will not have to strip.”
After complying and putting on a white robe; Tachibana led Joan and Darrell into the common area of the council building. Darrell eyes go wide the saucers upon seeing all the various were’s milling about. Feeling like a kid in a candy store he could not help but giggle and want to grab fur as he shouts “Furry people!”
“Darrell seems happy,” Tachibana smiling.
“The only were’s he has seen is myself and his mother,” Joan answering; “he only turned five three weeks ago. Alyssa and I were only beginning to discuss putting him in daycare.”
“Our town has facilities to help you with that,” Tachibana responding; “have you begun to enroll him into a school?”
“No,” Joan sighing as she watches Darrell run around meeting the various council members still about and some of the custodial staff; “Alyssa was thinking of having him home schooled.”
“She was worried,” Tachibana thinking; “that Darrell might expose the existence of weres?”
“I’m not sure,” Joan sighing; “in fact the more I think about it, the more I’m not sure about anything.”
“Can I steer the conversation back to Darrell,” Tachibana asking; “who is the kid’s father?”
“It’s on his birth certificate,” Joan answering; “I have it with me, but I also have a letter from Alyssa telling me to give to Douglas Cooper only.”
“I ask this,” Tachibana speaking; “because Alyssa has some history in this town. She was once engaged to a were-otter lawyer who she had lesbian sex with his still normal twin sister. and she had an affair with our mayor. I need to know if either person could be Darrell’s father.”
“What I know from this letter,” Joan speaks; “is Darrell’s father is not from Moon Lake. The rest I intend to keep until Douglas arrives”
Furry Joan I’m hungry,” Darrell running up to her and Tachibana.
“Then let’s get you something to eat,” Tachibana grins; “then I’ll tell you all about our wonderful town while you wait for your mother’s cousin the Sheriff.”
******
Douglas Cooper was just arriving into the town when Betty decides to speak up.
“So let’s make this clear, I’m not under arrest right?”
“That’s up for the council to decide,” Douglas answering; “why you have someplace you want to be?”
“Yes,” Betty answering; “unless of course you are going to try and arrest me for heading to the were-club tomorrow evening.”
Douglas snorts as continues driving; getting on his radio to inform dispatch he is back is en-route to the elder council building to hand over a witness regarding the Luna brotherhood incident.
******
Just before the last class of the day Zylina was milling around the area of Nate Anderson’s locker; deciding that today was the day she would make her presence known to the werewolf of her dreams. Watching Nate head to his locker to grab a text book for his final class; she approaches, her heart all aflutter; breathing heavily as she nears Nate, spooked as he slams his locker shut. A gust of wind from it carrying his scent and something else; Zylina catching the smells coming from Nate as he walks off, her heart was crushed. She caught the lingering scent of sex off of Nate as well as a lingering smell of a were-lioness. In tears and feeling inconsolable; Zylina runs off to the nearby girl’s washroom.
“How could he not know of my love for him,” Zylina sobbing; “I wanted him to be my mate.”
Sitting on a toilet and crying her eyes out; Zylina completely ignores the bell signaling the start of her final class. Sobbing and crying as her heart was shattered well before she had a chance to introduce herself.