Darrell was in an emotional state; confused that his mother will no longer play with him, upset that bad men took her away. Watching both Joan and the sheriff revert from their fusonas, made him feel sad.
“I want furry people,” Darrell blubbers.
“You’ll meet more,” Douglas smiling; “but right now I’m taking you home and the size and mass I gain when in my fursona makes it next to impossible to drive. Plus its daylight; the town has rules that weres must obey. One of them is that you can’t be furry out in public during the day.”
Darrell pouts as he is helped outside. Seeing the police cruiser that both Douglas and Joan lead him too; their bags already placed in the trunk and back seat. Douglas helps Darrell into the front seat while Joan opts to sit in the back seat; while not under arrest, Joan felt like she was as she is separated from both Douglas and Darrell from the Plexiglas barricade. Douglas getting into the driver’s seat, he pulls out of the elder council parking lot. Driving through the wooded road, both Joan and Darrell begin to get a good view of the town ad they crest the hill to see its layout below.
As Tachibana described, Moon Lake was laid out in a wheel and spoke pattern; with emphasis on ensuring nature is preserved and giving weres access to wooded areas to slip into as they shift into their fursona. As Douglas talk about the town while driving; making sure to show them both the family friendly places; Douglas knew of the more adult oriented locations that catered to weres. One being the Were-club which he drove past without so much as a mention. Turning and giving his passengers a quick tour of the downtown core; Joan could not help but stare at the various stores. All independent and not one a big box franchise company. As Douglas passes by Awareness, Joan could not help but see that like a lot of the stores, the windows were polarized and prevented you from seeing through them from the outside. Douglas explains that these windows are like that to allow patrons who are weres to shift into their fursona without fear of being seen by a normal that doesn’t live in town.
“Are you allowed to be in your fursona at any time during the day,” Joan asking.
“At home yes,” Douglas answering; “in certain establishments and certain wooded areas marked for weres only. Other than that,” Douglas speaking; “you have to be fully clothed and normal looking when outside.”
“And nudity while furry is not something to be ashamed of,” Joan asking as well.
“Do wild animals feel shame with their privates exposed,” Douglas asking; “plus wearing clothes while furry can overheat you at times. While Awareness does make clothes that can survive a were shifting, most weres will remove the clothes either afterwards of before. It feels natural to not wear anything while embracing your animal half.”
“Can we check out that store tomorrow,” Joan asking; I would like to see what they have.”
“Okay,” Douglas answering; “anything else you want to know about our town?”
“I believed Tachibana filled me on a lot of the stuff this town has,” Joan answering; “its own college, a hospital, fresh water pools for-“
“Aquatic weres,” Douglas finishing the sentence; “plus our town’s name sake a large crescent shape lake that were-mers and were-otters frolic in a lot.
“Will I be able to be furry soon,” Darrell asking.
“When you get older,” Douglas answering; “naturally born weres don’t experience their first transformation until the onset of puberty. For most it’s around fourteen years of age, but there has been incidences where a were has their first transformation at around thirteen.”
“What about twelve years old,” Joan asking; “that when a girl’s puberty typically begins.”
“Never heard of a girl transforming at that age before,” Douglas answering; “you might want to ask Tachibana or the were-tiger rep for that. Why do you ask?”
“I was twelve when I had my first transformation,” Joan answering; “I was scared, terrified and afraid my parents would brand me a monster and hunt me down. It was only after,” Joan sighing; “seeing my parents also transform into were-tigers, did I understand that they were like me. It was also the first time I ever saw them in their fursona. They explained to me that your animal form was a gift from the animal spirits, it was also your responsibility to keep it safe and hidden.”
“Animal spirits,” Douglas looking confused; “were your parent’s part of some strange religious cult?”
“No,” Joan Morningstar answers; “they were Cherokee. I’m Native American. My parents while they left the reservation for our tribe and moved to California, they still maintain their cultural identity and wanted me to learn from it as well.”
“You’d most likely fit in with the Swinomish not far from here,” Douglas pulling into the driveway of his home; “a few of their elders know of us and could help you understand more of your heritage if you want.”
“Are any of them like me,” Joan asking; “a were-tigress?”
“There are few that are weres,” Douglas answering; “but as other were species. Like I said, the Swinomish know of us and do visit own town from time to time. Like us weres; they put great emphasis on respecting the earth and being one with nature, hell a few revere us because we are more in tuned with nature what with our animal half. In fact most Native American I’ve come across think were’s are people blessed by an animal totem or spirit or some magic and should be respected and protected.”
“They consider it to be a great honor to be one with an animal spirit,” Joan answers; “that’s what my parents said after my first transformation."
“Well lets head inside and get Darrell here settled in,” Douglas speaking; “I have fresh fish in the fridge if you are feeling hungry, I can grill some up or you can eat it raw if that's what you want.”
Joan looks at Douglas as he opens the door to allow her out; as a were-tiger she always had a deep craving for raw meat. Yet never being able to satisfy that urge until possibly now, she pulls out hers and Darrell bags and asks; “any red meat? I got a craving for some T-bones or a thick rib-eye.”
“I want cheesy noodles,” Darrell speaking up; the ones form the blue box.”
“Lets see what I have then,” Douglas chuckling as he opens up his door and lets them inside.
Douglas Cooper’s home was as he described; a small bungalow. With a living room off or the main entrance and an open kitchen looking out onto the living room; a short hallway leading to a single bathroom and a utility room holding the furnace, water heater as well as a stacked washer and dryer. With two bedrooms at the end, Darrell immediately ran to the back to check out the guest room.
“Guess the little one has already staked the room,” Douglas helping Joan with the luggage; “while Darrell is busy exploring, let me look at his birth certificate. I need to know who his father is.”
Joan silently digs through her carry one bag; fishing out the document as well as few others and the letter Alyssa had in her safe; Joan hands them all to Douglas so he can make sense of what it entails.
Seeing the letter, he reads that first; pursing his lips as he looks at it with more questions than answers.
“In the letter,” Joan says; “Alyssa said to tell you that you were right. She said you’d know what that meant?”
“I do,” Douglas sighing; “Alyssa was a nymphomaniac always looking for her next sexual release. I told her it would be her undoing one day. I never thought she would be killed by a werewolf ripping her throat out.”
“There is a letter for you in a storage locker,” Joan showing the key that was in the envelope; “you wouldn’t happen to know what that means.”
“We’ll find out tomorrow,” Douglas looking at the documents detailing investments and trusts all in Darrell’s name. Douglas silently relieved that the kid will have a sizable nest egg when he turns eighteen; Douglas puts the papers down and focuses on the birth certificate.
“Rick Fernando,” Douglas looking at Joan; “did you know him?”
“Not personally,” Joan answers; “but I did meet him once. Like Alyssa he was a wer-mer; he smelled like tuna and looked a bit fishy. I never got a good vibe off of him. He and Alyssa spent time with Darrell when the kid was still in diapers. One day I see Alyssa looking real sad as Darrell was running around and exploring like a young child does. I ask her why she was sad and she told me ‘Darrell’s father won’t be by anymore.’ She wouldn’t elaborate any further than that.”
“I can look him up,” Douglas putting the birth certificate down; “it will have to wait until Monday. Because,” Douglas seeing Darrell running back into the kitchen; “it looks like this little guy wants something to snack on and watch some television.”
“Yay,” Darrell smiles as Douglas easily picks the lad up; “Cheesy noodles!”
“That will be for supper,” Douglas answering; “but how about some fruit until then?”
“Apples,” Darrell asking.
“I do have some,” Douglas grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter and handing it to Darrell; “now let’s see if there are any cartoons for you to watch.”