"I'm ready," Rachel managed, curious at how both Isabelle and her mother had their were forms based on the Domestic Shorthair, with the only thing that really differed them from each other and from Rachel's form was the color of their coats.
A part of her figured that the Domestic Shorthair might be the most common because as a "breed" of cat, it was used to identify something akin to a "mutt" among dogs. It was then something that would provide for a wide variety of colors and patterns. Though, she also knew there were a large number of breeds of domestic cat and thought that there would have to be plenty of werecats that were based on those other breeds. However, that wasn't quite something that Rachel felt she could ask on at the moment, partially because it didn't relate to the questions she had that related to control and everything else.
"And trust me, dear," Angela spoke, "how you became a werecat won't really affect who you are, particularly if you were already at least bi, if not a lesbian."
"Well... that is one of the things I've worried on," Rachel said slowly as she followed Angela and Isabelle through the house toward the backyard, "I mean... there have been some urges that have been there in the back of my mind ever since I changed. I mean... I was never a big fan of mice, but after I changed... at times some of the jokes that ended up getting made by my sisters in relation to them seemed to trigger more... hungry feelings rather than grossed out feelings. And watching at songbirds also seemed to raise elements of hunger...."
"That's all part of the basic instincts that come with all weres, and particularly predatory ones," Angela nodded, "and cats are predators. Man really didn't domesticate cats in the way he did wolves. It's more that cats followed their prey, rats and mice into human granaries and ate them, which humans then accepted because something was eating their pests. And in time, it's more, humans began purposely feeding the cats to keep them around and the cats decided it all worked for them."
"So... cats domesticated themselves?" Rachel mused.
"And humans in their most ingenious ways," Angela laughed, "and that instinct will be there for any werecat, and mirrors werewolves, werelions, weretigers, wereleopards, and even werebears going after deer in the area around Moon Lake. But it's also the least "intrusive" instinct that every new were gains."
Rachel nodded. She'd felt those instincts but hadn't been pulled by them as much. The things that she'd worried on were more in relation to how she'd become a werecat and whether or not she'd end up becoming like Leslie. Though, as she looked over her shoulder to find Jessica following after them. The girl was younger than Isabelle, and Rachel figured she was also only in elementary school or the first year of middle school. She had the scent of a werecat, which told Rachel that she would become a werecat when she grew up, but as a younger sister to Isabelle, that would make sense. In the back of her mind, she figured that in marriages between weres that were different were-species, the gender would then determine who they took after. Isabelle and Jessica took after their mother and became werecats and if they had any brothers, they would take after their father, who Isabelle had said was a werefox. That said, Rachel also wasn't sure if it would be right to tell someone so young as Jessica on how wrong Rachel's induction into were society was.
"The most intrusive one would relate to sexuality... which among werecats will mean either being bi like me or being lesbian," Angela continued, "which often leads when people who are gay or bi move to Moon Lake, they're often urged to join us because our orientation as werecats wouldn't change anything for them. For when we have had some women who were straight become werecats and then had their whole sexuality change..."
"That isn't a problem for me," Rachel answered and noted Angela nodding in response.
"Yes, from what Isabelle told me... your greatest challenge is going to be more in line with the fact that you weren't born a were and weren't aware of weres being real until after you were turned," Angela said carefully, with her own eyes glancing to Jessica, "which meant you were unprepared for a lot of things. That's where I think Linus and Julia can help you the most. As they were both normal humans when they came here... both were bi. Linus became a werewildcat and Julia a werecat. They can explain how they adapted to things from a position more like yours than it would for myself or Isabelle."
They walked along and Rachel was able to note the fine, if dated, decor of the Victorian home. It raised some questions on how old Angela and her husband might be, given that she had learned that weres could live for a very long time, provided they weren't killed by something, but that wasn't why she had come. And eventually they came out through a back patio and into the backyard of the house. The lawn was well kept, and the first stars of night were coming out reminded Rachel of the strong night vision she'd gained as a werecat. The lawn was well maintained and looked fairly green for August, though the fall weather hadn't been cold enough yet for grass to go into its winter hibernation. At the same time there were a few electric lamps that were mounted on the wall, and they illuminated a few wooden picnic benches that were set up. She could also smell the food that was laid out on those picnic tables, chicken, fish, some ham, and even beef and turkey. It all smelled good. There were also a few things that looked like salads, macaroni and cheese, and other side dishes. She also spotted a red and white igloo on the ground that looked like it was full of bottled water, sodas, and a few sports drinks as well.
The thing that caught the most attention was the group of people that were seated at the various tables. There were six other people there, the first was an adult werecat, who's were form seemed to be based on the Maine Coon with a largely brown and black tabby pattern. Her fur was also long enough that it poofed a little bit where it met pink cotton V neck shirt. The second was also an adult, and held the hand of the first, but like Rachel and the Richards, her all white were form was based on the Domestic Shorthair. The third was Isabelle's age but had more of a tuxedo cat coloration with her muzzle, neck, chest, hands and feet having white fur and the rest being black. Rachel also noticed what almost looked like a splotch of black fur at around her clavicle that almost looked like a bowtie. The fourth was a little bit older and had the typical green feline eyes that all werecats had, but with her bluish grey coat, and the fact that as she turned to Rachel and gave a sort of smile with her lips closed, Rachel had the sense that this werecat's were form was based on the British Shorthair.
The last two really caught Rachel's attention. Part of it was that the last two were the werewildcat and werecat pairing that Isabelle and Angela had mentioned. Both had red hair, the color of which was fairly familiar to Rachel, though she couldn't quite picture where she'd seen it before, though their were forms were very different. The werewildcat, Linus, had his were form based off the Serval, with white fur around the lips, neck, and likely going down his chest, which Rachel couldn't see under his polo shirt. The rest was a tannish yellow color with black spots on them, and his larger ears poked through his red hair. His wife, Julia, had her were form based on a Domestic Longhair, and her fur poofed a bit at her neck where she had a gold-colored necklace that had an image of the moon on it, and a year engraved on it. From what Rachel could see, that year was at about the same time that her parents had gotten married, but she didn't think either of them had any connection to her family, so it was all a coincidence. Her fur was an all-white coloration, which with her long red hair contrasted with.
As Rachel took all of this in, Angela came forward and opened the discussion, "is everyone here?"
"Most everyone is," the Maine Coon werecat spoke while looking to Rachel, "though, I got a text that said to get started... they'll show up when they can."
"I was hoping everyone would be here," Angela mumbled under her breath but then collected herself, "everyone, we have a guest for tonight's meeting. She is a new werecat to the area and one that was abused by a rogue. So, I would ask that everyone remember their manners and answer any questions she has honestly and politely. Everyone, this is Rachel Covaks."
Rachel slowly raised a hand and waived.
"Rachel, meet my pride," Angela began and then began to introduce them in the order that Rachel had noticed them, "The Maine Coon is Sadie Hymar. The White Domestic Shorthair is her wife Margaret, or Maggie."
"Silas is my family name," Margaret spoke politely.
"The Tuxedo Cat Domestic Shorthair is Sarah Warden, she's my girlfriend," Isabelle cut in, "and with her is her adoptive mom, Martha Warden."
"I took my mom's family name," Sarah smiled.
"And the last two are Linus and Julia Wesley," Angela completed the introductions, "they might be able to best help you answers regarding how one inducted into were society gains full control."
"It was forced on you?" Rachel found herself asking.
"No, our transformations were quite willing," Julia answered, "but I was pregnant with our daughter when we first moved here and thus I couldn't become a were until after I'd given birth and my daughter was transitioned over a to a bottle. So, Linus had to become a were before me."
"But we're both bi and have had a fairly open marriage, and werecat and werewildcat fit for us," Linus answered, "so we began looking for the werewildcat and werecat groups that could handle our conversions and, naturally, the situation that related to Julia's pregnancy at the time."
"And the one who turned you was another Serval based werewildcat?" Rachel asked.
"No, his were form was based off a Caracal," Linus chuckled, "it's another African small wild cat... and while neither of us have ever been to Africa... that's how our forms came about. It is one of those things that people in Moon Lake haven't fully figured out the how or whys. It's just one of those differences where werewildcats turn into any species of wild cat from the subfamily of Felinae, with the exception of Cheetahs, Domestic Cats, and Cougars... or Puma... or Mountain Lion."
"While we werecats can take on the form of a multitude of breeds within one species, the Domestic House Cat," Julia added.
Rachel nodded.
"But... anyway, unlike the rest of the pride here, who were all born weres, we didn't get the years of preparation and training that born weres grow up with," Linus spoke, "so... it did take us a little longer to fully gain control over things like that. But Angela and her pride here have been welcoming to me and helpful to my wife... and we trust each other on nights when I go out and hang out with the werewildcat pride I'm also a member of."
"You'd do that for me?" Rachel asked.
The weres she had met after her transformation had been helpful to a degree, and admittedly, even those that had been more confrontational with her, like Mace, hadn't been bad. It was more protective of Moon Lake than it was the kind of things that Rachel feared. While she was still adapting to things, figuring out control, and mentally dealing with the fact that Leslie had betrayed her trust and raped her in Florida, she was finding what help she'd gotten in Moon Lake, from Cynthia to Monique and even now Isabelle and Jessica to do a lot. She hadn't gotten all the answers she'd wanted, but she was at least getting some further confirmation that all werecats weren't like Leslie, and that put her more at ease.
"Of course," Julia spoke, "going from normal human to were is a big step... and can be very big for humans moving to Moon Lake and aren't aware of weres. All sorts of instincts and control... particularly around those you may be attracted to... these are things that weres like Isabelle here get a lot of warning and preparation for... be it exposure to their group's meetings or some other lesson. In some ways, growing up as a were lets them master things quickly, even if they aren't old enough to transform, yet. For us... we didn't get that, and it took a bit of practice and work with our pride. Though, because our transformations were quite willing, we had every reason to accept becoming a werewildcat and werecat, respectively."
"And it did help us raise our daughter and comfort her that while we weren't normal humans and she was a normal hum... a Moon Lake normal, if you will, she wasn't in danger around us or around any other were in Moon Lake," Linus answered.
"And what about her? Your daughter?" Rachel wondered.
"She's in college now, still a normal human, and due to graduate in May," Julia said with pride, "but she's a great helper and there for anyone needing it. She does a lot of work as an RA and to help freshman students adapt to college life. It keeps her busy, but we're very proud of her."
"Well... it's a pleasure to meet you all," Rachel said weakly and finding her black furred tail twitching a bit behind her, unsure of what she was to do next.