Night settled onto Moon Lake... and as it did, many, even the weres, went to sleep... and with that... subconscious thoughts and other worries dwelled on the minds of those that slept and dreamed.
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"You're just like her!" a voice rang out in the darkness, making Megan Decrux look around, seeing only the reflected light off of countless eyes looking to her.
"Man user!" another voice rang out.
"No..." Megan said weakly and shrunk back away from the crowd before her.
"Your mother made a pass at my husband!" a woman's voice rumbled at her.
"But I'd always argued against that behavior!" Megan insisted, "I am not my mother!"
That didn't matter as the figures came into view. Most were male wereraccoons with narrowed and angry eyes while there were a few female weres of varying kinds that also looked angry. A few of them were likely the mates of men that her mother had seduced and turned over the years. The female's glares were more hurtful than the males'.
"You're just like her!" one male wereraccoon chittered at her and bared his teeth, "one's first time is supposed to be special... instead your mother gave me Love Potion Number Nine... said it would make me feel good and before I knew it... I'd lost my humanity! Thankfully I was able to get custody of the child... not spreading more of your mother's hate around!"
A chorus of "yeahs" followed before they began to rush forward... making Megan scream and run...
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Megan Decrux awoke with a start and found herself in the guest room of the Moon Lake Police Detective, Miles Lukasky, and soon remembered why. The threats on her life made by someone on her life on the assumption that she was like her mother, Alice Decrux. It started with just a random phone call in the night, but then the next day graduated to someone blowing up her car at her own apartment. It frightened and scared her, and that was what had her presently staying with the detective.
For Detective Lukasky and his partner Denny Miles had surmised that the most likely culprit of both cases was either someone that her mother had wronged in the past and felt that Megan was part of her mother's schemes or was one of the various children that Alice Decrux had given birth to and either raised or put into a boarding school away from Moon Lake. This child might have wanted something out of the will that Alice Decrux had left to Megan. And while Detective Lukasky had shared some of the things that they'd found so far, they had no way fully confirming who or how things had gone.
For the security tape that they'd spent hours reviewing had revealed that the one who'd put the dynamite on her car was a wereraccoon because he was transformed when he put the dynamite on her car, but because he was transformed they couldn't use it in court because of the were secret. The tape also only confirmed what Miles and Lukasky already suspected that whoever was threatening her was either a man that wanted revenge for Alice's actions or a male child that wanted the inheritance money, likely also as revenge for what Alice had done. There was even some suspicion that Alice's lawyer might also be involved in the case, but they didn't know for sure, yet, as there was a lot that would have needed to be done...
And until they had more answers on the case, Megan had to stay at Detective Lukasky's home keep a low profile. This only reinforced the terror that Megan felt... at being threatened over the actions her mother had taken. The detective was kind to her, which was nice, but Megan was still filled with some measure of fear, as it reflected all the same problems that she felt her mother had caused over the years, and trouble that could well expand beyond just herself but to others as well. And as such, the nightmare had made her tremble as she lay in the guest bed that had been provided for her.
"It was just a nightmare..." was all Megan Decrux could think on.
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The woods were lovely, dark, and deep as Richard found himself walking through them. But despite the fact that lions were more of a plains animal, Richard actually felt quite at home as he walked and could relish the crackle of the leaves under his paws. It was something natural and homely. In a way he felt more at home here among the trees than he did in his house, and his werelion eyes could easily see in the low light levels and his ears could hear the slightest rustle among the leaves. As such, it wasn't like the evening in which he'd become a werelion, and things seemed to be much calmer in other ways as well. Particularly as he felt a warm and friendly hand on his arm.
"It's calm tonight," Richard spoke to the owner of the hand that was looped through the crook of his elbow.
"Yes... yes it is," came Rose's voice making Richard to see a stunning werelioness beside him as the two walked through the woods. Rose's form was based more on the Barbary Lion and had a light tawny color to her coat, which was slightly different from Richard's. And it had been a bit of a surprise to some, given that the Barbary Lion was considered extinct, at least in the wild. But a friend of the family surmised that however a were's specific fursona was determined was based around what was around when the "were-virus" first came into existence or would include possible animals in captivity in addition to the wild population, given that there supposed accounts of some zoos having Barbary Lions in their collections. Though, Richard really didn't care, so long as Rose was happy and healthy. "And has been for the past few centuries, don't you think?"
"Probably because so many things changed... and not just us," Richard answered as he reached across the front of his body to rest his hand on Rose's.
"Though our changes were most enjoyable... ultimately," Rose replied and rested her leonine head against Richard's shoulder, "the Mountain Lion attack wasn't good... but everything after... even with the recovery time... all of that was good. We have our pride... our kids are happy and healthy... our grandkids and great grandkids are happy and healthy... and we stayed together as a family."
"That last bit is the best part," Richard smiled to and nuzzled his muzzle to hers...
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Richard found himself waking up in the middle of the night with a short stretch, feeling relaxed and healthy, all things considered. The dream had been one that was better than some of the dreams he'd had prior to becoming a werelion. Having Rose by his side and in a calm atmosphere was preferable, and the idea that she might still become a werelion specifically seemed to make him feel happy. Of course as he blinked his eyes a bit, there was some realization that it was only a dream. For he was in his human form, underneath his sheets and Rose was not beside him. She was still in the hospital recovering from the Mountain Lion attack.
"Hopefully someday," Richard softly and rolled over to go back to sleep.
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"You look splendid!" a cheerful Rachel Van Direstag said to Melissa in one of the small sort of "office" area behind the main chapel in Moon Lake's small Methodist Church.
Moon Lake did have a church for every Christian denomination. They weren't necessarily the biggest buildings in the town, but given that Moon Lake was originally settled by weres that had come across the continent from the US, it made sense that Christian Churches would dominate the small town. There were Jewish, Islamic, Shinto, Buddhist, and Hindu residents in the town, but so far as Melissa knew they conducted their ceremonies at home. Much of the reasoning for this was that constructing more large structures would risk consuming up the natural land that Moon Lake had set up around it to be a sort of natural haven... something that weres liked. And over the years, as a werecow, Melissa had found that she kind of enjoyed that kind of peaceful wilderness that surrounded the town. It was something that helped hold Moon Lake through some tough times.
"I know..." Melissa smiled as she twirled in her wedding dress, a long white gown that fit loosely around her hips and bust with a pair of shoulder straps that helped hold the garment up . There wasn't much lace to it, but the dress looked fin all the same and Melissa loved it, and had said as much to the fitter, "you know... when we were first growing up and imagining our wedding days... you remember that?"
Rachel nodded as Melissa finished twirling and faced her.
"I'd originally figured that I'd end up wearing my mother's wedding dress, you know?" Melissa mused to her friend, her thoughts happily drifting to Trevor who would surely be waiting at the alter.
"Given your J cup chest and all that muscle you got," Rachel commented, "I don't think even your step-mother's wedding dress would fit you... let alone your birth mother. Better to save that and keep it as a memento."
Melissa chuckled and nodded, "True... but still... I'm so excited. Trevor's been so good to me... kept me safe... stood by me... and we've had lots of fun together. And now we'll tie the knot. Man and wife... bull and cow... forever and ever. It just feels so special and I can't wait."
Rachel looked back over her shoulder to the door that lead off into the entry way to the church. There was a small window there, but she could see just well enough that guests were still coming in and Melissa's father had not yet come in to walk his daughter down the aisle.
"You may have to," Rachel reminded her friend, "as all the guests aren't in and your dad isn't back here, yet."
"I know... but I'm so excited," Melissa answered, "were you like this with Aaron?"
"In some ways..." Rachel answered with a smile, "of course... as I'm sure you remember... my first encounter with Aaron was ultimately rather sexual. Not all out sex and I didn't become a werefox, and thus I could still make my choice..."
"Yeah, I remember," Melissa commented, "I think I also remember telling you that most people don't jump into bed with a guy after just meeting them. It took me and Trevor about a week of research and friendly conversation to get to where he would turn me... and you meet Aaron and end up groping him in a matter of minutes..."
"It wasn't THAT fast," Rachel rolled her eyes, "but yeah... it was quick. I was surprised to learn that he'd bonded to me as a result of that. Now it didn't change the were I became... as you know, but apparently that bond forms... or starts forming when something sexual happens between a potential bonded pair."
Melissa nodded and looked to her friend, who had grown up a lot since high school. She was a bit taller, had better muscle tone, and built like practically every other female were in Moon Lake.
"The area where the most excitement was... was actually between Aaron's grandmother and my father," Rachel commented, "dad wanted a Christian ceremony while Akane no Tachibana wanted a Shinto ceremony. Thankfully Aaron was able to offer the compromise that allowed for two ceremonies. And I was happy to have both... A lot of which, I'd also have to give you credit for, Mel."
"Me?" Melissa asked back, "but I wasn't there for all the debates on your wedding," Melissa pointed out, "or when Aaron told you that he'd bonded to you..."
"True," Rachel nodded, "but given all the weird stuff that went on when we moved in... a flat tire on the way in, finding out you were different, dad going nuts over the Mandatory Were Law and everything connected to it... I was seriously stressing over things back then in those first few days. And if hadn't been for you and the others being calm and comforting and urging me to be patient and careful... what happened with Aaron could have been trickier. I mean I came within an inch of becoming a teen mom and that was even with you, Megumi, Alice, Roy, Trevor, and Jason urging me to keep calm and a level head on my shoulders. If I hadn't and learned that my dad was seriously planning something... I might have panicked and ended up a teen mom just to avoid becoming a werewolf."
"Well... I'm glad I was able to help there," Melissa commented, "as I also worried about what would happen and if I'd done enough to help you..."
"Always looking out for your friends," Rachel smiled and hugged Melissa for a moment.
At the same time the door out to the entry area opened and Harold Jenkins stuck his head in, "I believe they're ready to start..."
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In her bed, Melissa happily smiled as she dreamed. She didn't know if it was a prophecy dream or not, but the notion of Rachel being happy and that she was able to make her choice on what were to be made her hopeful that it was a prophecy dream. Then she could tell Rachel that everything would be fine. What little part of her conscious mind functioned as she dreamed wondered who "Aaron Tachibana" was or even what kind of were Rachel became... but as Melissa's dreams moved on... she couldn't quite think of it at the moment.