Morgana wracked her brain, trying to think of a good way to promptly thank Zuri and Kweli for writing and ask any follow-up questions she might have. Mail (especially by owl) just took too long when you were writing to Oklahoma from Washington. She considered e-mail, but she frankly had no idea what the Fort Hyde Pack's stance on computers was. Different werebeast packs had very different positions on utilizing human technology. Few went so far as to set up wi-fi in their homesteads. And even if the Fort Hyde Pack DID use e-mail, Morgana had no idea what Alpha Zuri Mwangi's e-mail address was.
"Hi, Mom," Vivi said, coming in from the back room. "We're in luck! I just found a crate full of bottles of the werefox inhibitor potion in storage out back."
"That's wonderful, Vivienne," Morgana responded, snapping out of her reverie. "Renata and Kristi will be delighted to hear that, I'm sure."
"You looked like you were thinking about something, Mom," Vivi observed. "Anything I can help with?"
"Alpha Zuri Mwangi of the Fort Hyde Pack just wrote back," said Morgana. "Besides a soul binding potion for Taylor to use to commune with the Fort Hyde shaman and some blueprints for a homestead, there's a letter for me and a rather fat one for Selena. It's my intention to write back, but owls take so frustratingly long."
"Could you use your scrying pool like you do with Kyūri Sensei?" asked Vivi.
Morgana considered that. "I could easily use the pool to see and hear anyone in the Fort Hyde Pack. The thing is, there'd need to be a flat liquid surface on their end for them to see or hear me. It's worth a try, though. Thanks, Vivienne."
Morgana headed for her scrying pool in the back room. She whispered what she wished to see, adding a command to seek out the nearest flat surface of liquid. Soon, an image of the interior of Shaman Kweli Mchawi's hut materialized in the scrying pool.
As Shaman Kweli stirred hir pot, she was surprised to see the image of Morgana Faye the witch appear in hir brew. "Morgana? To what do I owe this honor?"
"I wished to tell you and Zuri that Hermes has returned to me and I have read the attached letter," answered Morgana. "Be sure to tell Alpha Zuri that we'd be honored to receive hir daughter into the Stokerville Pack. I still remember the generous hospitality I was repaid with when I saved your Alpha from werelions when you still lived in Africa, and I will always consider the entire Mwangi family very dear friends of mine... even one as challenging as Kibibi."
"I hope Selena feels the same way," laughed Kweli. "I guess you heard what shi did to Enzi Njenga?"
"Castrated hir according to the letter," answered Morgana. "Nothing too serious, I hope?"
"Well, hir actual penis is just fine," said Kweli. "Hir scrotum and its contents are completely gone, though. Shi's completely sterile, and hir lack of a sack's really noticeable to hir peers. It's really a shame; Enzi used to have such a fine, enormous ballbag, and now it's just... gone. Kibibi tore it right off with hir claws while poor Enzi was lying prone, already bested. Kibibi isn't normally that big an asshole, but something comes over hir when shi fights: a sort of bloodlust that takes a little time to wear off. When shi's in the grip of hir battle frenzy, nothing's too vicious for hir. You understand how serious it is to take a werehyena's balls, right?"
Morgana nodded. "I think most of them would rather die."
"The only thing worse for us would be to lose your dick altogether," Kweli agreed. "Tell Selena and hir pack to be very protective of their junk when sparring with Kibibi. Shi's never gone quite this far before, but we can't risk a repeat offense."
"I think I may have some werehyena cock armor stocked," said Morgana. I'll see to it the Stokerville pack's supplied with some.
"Cock armor?" Kweli repeated. "Our pack doesn't have anything like that."
"It's an innovation of the Egyptian and Middle Eastern packs," said Morgana. "You should consider asking Zuri to have a few sets forged."
"Good idea," said Kweli. "Enzi's been beside hirself with grief since Kibibi took hir nuts. Shi barely shows hir face anymore. I think Zuri asked if you know any way to regrow Enzi's jewels. Any luck on that front?"
"I think so," said Morgana. "I have reason to expect that Stokerville's magical community shall soon be playing host to a tanuki. Their semen has numerous magical applications, among them being the key ingredient in a testicle growth potion I'm acquainted with. Once the tanuki arrives, I'll send for Enzi. It's best if shi comes here; the potion spoils easily, so I'd rather make it fresh for hir rather than risk shipping it."
"That's a relief," said Kweli. "Oh, another thing about Kibibi. Shi thinks it's cultural appropriation for a white girl to learn the ways of a werehyena. I assume Selena Lyall's white?"
"A pale, freckly redhead," Morgana confirmed. "Shi comes from several long lines of Celtic and Germanic werewolves."
"I was afraid of that," sighed Kweli. "Shi'll have to work three times as hard to make Kibibi Mwangi respect hir as a werehyena alpha. This may sound weird, but Selena might want to consider having you turn hir into an African-American girl, or maybe an Arab or an Iranian. South Asian works, too. Hmm, I guess being Jewish could work if Selena doesn't want something too extreme; there's a couple of Israeli packs."
"I'm not sure that's the best idea, Shaman Kweli," said Morgana. "Most of the pack's members are living with their human (or werewolf) families. I placed some geises like any responsible witch would, but two humans and all the werewolves proved resistant or immune. They'll notice if their kid changes race, and the secret of the new pack will be out."
"Ah, I see," said Kweli. "Well, it was just a suggestion. Maybe Selena can promise to do it later, when shi has hir own territory. Just tell Selena to stand up to Kibibi's insolence; that's the important thing."
"Don't worry," said Morgana, "I'm sure Selena'll be ready for hir."
"Speaking of being ready," said Kweli, "I have an update for you. Besides Kibibi and hir mate Asanti, we're sending you four other new pack members. A group of four Middle Eastern werehyena refugees came to us asking for a home after their pack was wiped out by overzealous Saudi monster hunters. We didn't really have anywhere to house them, so we sent them to join Selena's pack. Their names are Isra, Najma, Basma, and Qamar. Don't worry, they seemed much sweeter tempered than Kibibi."
"Then I'm sure Selena will be delighted to have them," Morgana smiled.
"On the subject of people tagging along with Kibibi," Kweli went on, "please keep an eye out for Asha and let us know the instant you find her. Amani's worried sick."
"I can promise you that," said Morgana. "Contrary to bigoted rumors, most witches want nothing but the best for children. Did you know that 'fairy godmother' is just a mortal euphemism for a helpful witch? Trust me, most fairies are too alien to give a damn about someone else's kid. But I shouldn't be rambling about anti-witch propaganda when there's a missing cub to find. Can I have a physical description of Asha?"
"Of course," Kweli nodded. "She's nine years old, but she's tall for her age. She has dark, coffee-colored skin and vivid red hair that spills down to her mid back in thick curls. She also HATES wearing clothes with a passion, even by werebeast standards."
"Red hair, you say?" Morgana asked, puzzled. "That's rather unique in a girl of African descent, isn't it?"
"Very," said Kweli. "We think it's a token of her werefox ancestry. Nobody in our pack looks quite like Asha. Just look for a naked black girl with a mop of fiery red hair. She hasn't shifted yet, she'll be in her human form."
Morgana smiled wryly. "Do you ever worry she'll turn out a werevixen when she finally shifts?"
Kweli laughed humorlessly. "Only every time we see her! Speaking of werefoxes, are you aware that there's a skulk camped near Stokerville? The spirits warned me of them."
"Thoroughly aware," Morgana nodded. "A young werevixen named Ruby Reynard has been visiting my shop with her girlfriend Renata in tow. Renata desired to be a werevixen herself, you see."
Kweli wrinkled hir nose in disgust. "I don't know what's worse: a werevixen finding a new heart to play cruel games with with or someone actually wanting to BECOME one of those nuisances!"
"It's not as bad as you think," said Morgana. "Renata Hamilton is happy to take the werefox inhibitor potion to override her new species' mischievous impulses."
"That's good, I guess," said Kweli. "The important thing is that Selena be informed about the skulk's presence in hir territory so shi can start preparing to get rid of them as soon as possible."
"Shi may not have to evict them," said Morgana. "I have a good supply of the werefox inhibitor potion in my shop. If Selena can convince the entire skulk to start taking the potion, they should be able to live peacefully alongside the werehyenas, werewolves, vampires, and humans. The only problem is getting all of them on board. Some werefoxes are infuriatingly proud of their kind's troublemaking ways."
"Unleash Kibibi on those assholes," laughed Kweli. "Shi has a special knack for 'persuading' people to see things hir way... usually with hir muscles and claws."
"Whatever works," Morgana chuckled. "Any other questions?"
"Well," Kweli began, "I would like to know if my potion made it into Taylor's hands."
"I just sent my apprentice Dani to give it to hir," Morgana answered. "They're old friends."
"Good," said Kweli. "I'll commune with hir tonight. For our first session, I'll go over our theology, the basics of our worship rituals, and how to make the spirits visible and audible. Over the next few weeks, I'll go deeper into things like how to celebrate our holy days, werehyena weddings and funerals, our coming-of-age rituals, making remedies and potions, driving possessing spirits out of people, how to invite a spirit into your own body, leaving your body to visit the Summerland, that kind of thing."
"I'm sure young Taylor will be relieved by your instructions," said Morgana. "Shi's been quite fretful about not being qualified for hir position. Shi has a lot of enthusiasm for Earth-based spirituality, but not a lot of practical experience with shamanism. Shi's dabbled in Wicca a bit, but nothing like your tradition."
"Have no fears," Kweli smiled. "I'll enlighten hir. I can't wait to meet hir and the rest of the pack in person. Meeting through a vision's alright, but it lacks the personal touch of meeting someone face to face in the flesh. It's not unlike the thing humans call 'Zoom calls' in that way. When do you think the pack will be established enough for Zuri and me to meet them in person?"
"If you're referring to the construction of their homestead," Morgana answered, "Selena doesn't plan on beginning that until the pack's graduated from high school, so that's about a year and a half. If you're asking when they'll be large and formidable enough that the werewolves won't be as much of a threat, I'd give it two or three months and see how they're doing then. With the Ring of Embraces at hir disposal, Selena can transform eight people in a day."
"Understood," said Kweli. "Well, I'd better go and relay everything to Alpha Zuri. I'm glad you thought of using your scrying pool. It makes communication a bit simpler."
"Happy to help," Morgana nodded.
"Goodbye for now, Morgana," said Kweli. "Remember, there's some Arabian werehyenas headed your way, and a you have a stowaway cub to look out for."
"I'll make sure Selena knows the next time I see her," Morgana responded. "Goodbye, Shaman Kweli Mchawi. May we meet again soon." With that, Morgana dismissed the image of Kweli's hut in her scrying pool.