The walk from the library toward the lunchroom was relatively brisk, as the periods that Moon Lake High set for lunch and the study halls wasn't all that long, but Melissa kept close pace with Rachel. There had been some odd rumors that went in some of her other classes, that Melissa couldn't fully keep track of, but then her mind had also been more focused on what Rachel had told her before school started. That whole "guess what" sort of thing that had attracted Melissa's attention, and the conversation during their study hall period eased some of that curiosity. And the answers eased some of the problems that Rachel had already said was there, as if Richard Van Direstag had become a werelion, the Mandatory Were Law was met and Rachel would have all the time in the world to make her choice on what were to be, if she wanted to be a were. The report that Rose had gotten attacked by a Mountain Lion was worrying, but Melissa also remembered what Trevor had told her about being attacked by a bear when he was young and being rescued by his mother.
"So... yesterday afternoon was busy," Melissa said to Rachel as they walked along.
"Well... my dad's "accident" was more in the evening than afternoon," Rachel answered, "but yeah, it was busy. And Megumi was very helpful with regard to information on werefoxes."
"And she got to play with my cousin, Aaron, too," Megumi spoke up with a smile, making Rachel blush again as she heard Melissa give a few discreet sniffs.
"Just be careful," Melissa said eventually. Rachel was still a normal and didn't have any scent that would indicate that she was on her way to becoming a werefox, but she'd learned enough about Moon Lake to get some recognition on what "play with my cousin" could mean. She'd also had the sense that Rachel was a bit more rebellious than she was, and that combined with how fertile weres could be would mean that getting too wild would risk bigger consequences than just becoming a were, "as you still have to talk with Jack, right?"
"Right," Rachel nodded, glad of not getting any "lecture" from Melissa, "what I decide on will then have to go from there... and since my dad changed, I have time. Which may be needed to get him to even go along with letting me willingly join... because of... well... all the sex stuff that relates to becoming a were."
"I can help with that after school," Melissa promised.
"Wouldn't you be having fun with Trevor?" Rachel asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well... immediately after school, he and the others have practice for the school's academic team," Melissa answered, "sort of like team Jeopardy."
"Sounds like fun," Rachel commented.
"Yeah... but Trevor and I can't do anything until their practice ends," Melissa explained, "So... maybe I could help talk some things through with your folks."
"And maybe see your transformed state," Rachel commented.
"Fursona," Melissa corrected, "but that too..."
Rachel nodded as they reached the cafeteria and made their way in. There was already a line formed and their group made their way to it, though as Rachel scanned the dining area, she caught sight of Gloria Stone seated at one table with a tray of food and seated next to a muscled male teen to her right. She guessed that was the werebear, Jack, that Gloria had promised to get Rachel in contact with. Rachel even noted that Gloria noticed her arrival and waved from her seat and pointed the teen seated by her. Rachel in turn nodded and looked back to Melissa.
"And Jack is here... so I should be able to get the information I need on werebears... at least that which goes beyond what the book says," Rachel told her friend.
"And hopefully it helps," Melissa answered, "you can tell me how it goes after school, as I don't think they'll be enough time in the day to discuss it during class."
Rachel nodded and they went through the process of going through the line. Things moved fairly efficiently, which Rachel did find better than things that had gone on in Michigan with regard to the school's lunch program and she collected her tray with some breaded fish fillets, tater tots, and some green beans. She also picked out a chocolate milk to drink and then waived Melissa off as she moved to sit and eat her lunch with Trevor at a different table while. From there, Rachel made her way to the table where Gloria and "Jack" were seated. She moved to an open spot opposite them that Gloria had saved by laying her feet across the space under the table so that her feet rested on the bench. As Rachel approached, Gloria moved her feet back.
"Hey, Gloria... and Jack, right?" Rachel spoke as she set her tray down.
"Jack Thrummer," the male teen said with a deep baritone voice that made Rachel jump a little bit, as his voice was deeper than Trevor's. She wasn't the best judge of sizes, but she figured that Trevor looked bigger and stronger than Jack did, and yet Jack had a deeper voice, and Trevor's voice was also rather deep for a High School Sophomore. "Gloria told me you were interested in werebears?"
"Well... yeah," Rachel answered, "the town's guidebook gives some good information on what a werebear would look like and some basic information on them... but I was hoping for something a bit more detailed."
Jack nodded, "Yeah, that guidebook is pretty basic and introductory... and even with basic information, one would think that every werebear's fursona is based on the Brown Bear. Now, most werebears are based on that species, but there can be werebears that are based on the American or Asiatic Black Bear, the Spectacled or Andean Bear, the Sun Bear, the Polar Bear, the Sloth Bear, and even the Giant Panda."
"Wait..." Rachel said slowly, "the Panda is a bear? I thought scientists grouped them in some area between bears and raccoons..."
"No, the Panda IS a true bear," Jack answered, "perhaps not as derived as other bears, but it is a bear nonetheless."
"Interesting... and you're..." Rachel began.
"My fursona's based on the Brown Bear, specifically the Alaskan Brown Bear subspecies," Jack shrugged, "though if you were to become a werebear and I were to turn you... that wouldn't necessarily mean your fursona would match mine. That's one of those things that no were can predict."
Rachel nodded, as some of that last bit of information was similar to things that she'd already heard from the others. "So... what can you tell me about werebears, beyond being built like a champion wrestler? The strengths and weaknesses and so on."
"Well... just about all the predatory weres, at least those based on major predators, wolves, mountain lions, leopards, lions, tigers, and bears are going to be built like champion wrestlers," Jack managed a small chuckle, "it's something that reflects that those animals are all major hunters and that wrestling is either something that helps establish the social hierarchy or goes with hunting. Though... we werebears aren't into it as much as the werelions and weretigers are."
"Not as big?" Rachel said slowly.
"They got a whole "king of beasts" thing going on," Jack gave a grumble, "too proud, if you ask me. And it's a waste of time to get involved in that kind of rivalry. A werebear might enjoy the match, if purely for sport, but we aren't going to go out and use it as a means to say how great we are, which is something I think werelions and weretigers get into a bit too much."
"Oh..." Rachel said slowly.
"As for other things..." Jack returned to a less irritated sounding tone of voice, "the greatest strength werebears have is that we can be fairly relaxed... looking for the "bare necessities," as it were..." Jack paused as Rachel let out a small giggle at that part of the answer. "And from there keep our focus on what is important and work toward what IS important."
"But wouldn't that be a strength for anyone?" Rachel wondered.
"It can be... but for werebears, it's more that sort of instinctive thing that is unique to them," Jack answered, "sort of like how werefoxes and their bonds and how skilled they are in bed are unique to them. Every werebear will hold its focus on what is important and won't go around like a peacock trying to show off, male or female. Most other things would be something that would relate to what an individual likes. I like football... and will be working with regard to being ready for the Thanksgiving Day game... One of the few times when Moon Lake has any school sports, though it'd all be within the school."
"I can get why on the last part," Rachel commented, "I mean... my family's come Ann Arbor, Michigan. A good many weres here, even in our grade, look like they could beat the guys in the Wolverines' starting line up."
"Yeah... that's a whole "were secret" thing," Jack nodded, and then took a bite of his lunch before continuing, "as for any weakness a werebear might have... I'd generally have to say that many times our greatest weakness is also our greatest strength. That a werebear might find something "unimportant" or "annoying" and either won't do it or won't do a good job as a result... because they don't find it within their self interest. Sort of a "I do what I want to do and nothing else" kind of thing. Though, that's also something that can be handled with having good self control... and that's probably the case with any and every were group."
"But wouldn't there be diet restrictions... or?" Rachel wondered.
"Not really," Jack answered, "those that might be based off the Giant Panda might end up being more interested in fruits and vegetables … but then bears are generally omnivores to begin with. So, much of what you'd want to eat probably wouldn't change too much."
"And do werebears get along with others... in town, I mean?" Rachel asked.
"We generally do," Jack nodded, "some may prefer to have cabins that are outside Moon Lake's main built up areas, but a lot of that can be personal preference more than anything else. Shoot, even the weretigers and werelions, despite all their supposed rivalry actually get along fairly well. So it isn't as though weres are prone to fighting with each other on an instinctive basis... and any fight would likely be something that has come out of more... shall I say... human reasons for such actions."
"Interesting," Rachel said slowly, though was unable to say much more as the bell rang indicating the end of the lunch period. She glanced down to her now empty tray and sighed, "well... I'll need some time to think things over as it were, as I'm still going over things with regard to my choices. Would you mind if we have Gloria be something of a go between... as I don't think we share a class..."
"I don't mind," Jack answered, "and yeah... I don't think I have you in any of my classes, either. One of those odd cases of scheduling. And with my November afternoons busy... we wouldn't be able to talk more after school."
"So I guess that means I can't get sick or anything," Gloria chuckled as they got up, "but I don't mind..."
Rachel nodded and was glad at that, though there were all plenty of reasons to think over various points, and there were plenty of things to think over. Some of the single minded determination that Jack described fit in with some of her own interest that she'd put into her YouTube channel, but the fact that it could also mean not focusing on other things if they didn't like was also something to be aware of. The point on "self-control" was helpful, but a part of Rachel knew that she'd already had something of a rebellious streak as it were, which made her a bit jealous of Melissa in some ways. Rachel had always figured that between them, she'd be the one to lose her virginity first, and then found out that Melissa lost hers before her family arrived in Moon Lake, but Rachel also figured that potentially having that rebellious streak added to by a werebear's instincts for its own interests.
Though as she looked to Jack as he stood up, there were a few other carnal thoughts that floated in the back of her mind. For while Jack wasn't as big as Trevor in terms of muscle mass, he wasn't small either. Broad chested for a teen and well balanced, Jack had a sort of ruggedness to him that was fairly attractive and very different from the other male weres that Rachel had met, even in their human forms. Trevor certainly looked stronger and larger, but Rachel had the sense that he wasn't going to be that good at wrestling or anything that would make him have to make quick turns. Aaron was lithe and trim, and was probably stronger than he looked, but he wasn't carrying a lot of bulk muscle. Jason and Roy were relatively close, but were a bit smaller than Jack was. That left her with a lot of things to think about...