William was still oblivious to the fact that they had visitors as he continued to make his way along the sides of the house that he and Martha had bought. Leaves from the large deciduous trees that were near the house and even some pine needles from the forest beyond the edge of the property had all gotten into them and he did his best clean them out. It left his hands smelling a bit like the leaves, but that couldn't be really avoided. He had just gotten to the corner at the back of the house when he noticed Martha open the back door and come out into the yard.
"William?" she called out.
"Over here," he answered, tossing a handful of leaves to the ground, which he'd rake up once all the leaves were out.
"We have a guest that wishes to speak to you," Martha spoke as she walked up to the base of the ladder, "An Akane Tachibana... the Skulk leader."
"This isn't about the vixen is it?" William asked, "because I'm NOT defending her."
"Yvette Smith may come into it... but I think Ms. Tachibana is more concerned with the Skulk rules and your official welcome," Martha answered, "it'll probably be something similar to what Frances and Samantha did with me last night."
William sighed and nodded, "Okay... I'll be right down, will you ask her if I'd have time to wash my hands first? I smell like leaves."
"Of course," Martha said, "but be quick."
With that, William began coming down the ladder. Martha had already gone inside when he got down. He made his way in and made a quick turn to head to the kitchen where he could wash his hands. As he did so, he overheard Martha talking with someone in the living room, whom he guessed was Akane Tachibana. The sensitive ears did prove valuable for that.
"Nate is our older son, and he's already agreed to become a werewolf," Martha spoke.
"And the younger son?" Akane asked, which William felt was a heavily influenced Japanese accent.
"Eric? He's two years younger," Martha answered, "very smart and clever... His grades are actually better than Nate's, but also very shy. He also hasn't expressed any interest in becoming a were... and given the mess that that vixen put my husband through, I'd prefer it that no one push him to change his mind."
"Of course," Akane answered, "Family is important and you are WELL within your rights as a mother to have that opinion... and you seem to have a good family, and I wish you well with that. And may your sons never bring you disappointment... as Yvette Smith has for the Skulk."
William thought that the comment sounded like that of a highly disappointed parent who had just watched a child they loved do something wrong. In a way, it was probably similar to the disappointment Martha probably had him for his past extra-marital antics, but the comment still sounded interesting to him. He dried his hands and then headed back around to walk into the living room. He found Martha standing next to an elderly looking Japanese woman in a largely red business suit looking at the family photos that had been hung on the wall. She looked remarkably healthy, though and he figured she was probably older than she looked. Both turned as he came closer.
"Hello, Ms. Tachibana, I'm William Anderson," William spoke and offered his hand, "I'm sorry if I kept you waiting."
Akane turned and nodded slowly. She looked to his hand for a moment and then remembered that Americans typically didn't bow when meeting but shook hands. She then nodded again and offered her own hand. William found her grip surprisingly strong.
"It is perfectly fine," Akane answered politely, "Given what was done to you... I do not fully expect you to be entirely supportive of your new species. Gomenasai."
"I'm not really sure on what to fully think on werefoxes," William answered, "Yvette was the only one that I've interacted with that I've known to be a werefox..."
"We are not all like her, and she broke the Skulk's rules in addition to Moon Lake's," Akane answered, "We werefoxes stand stand as noble beings that enjoy intellectualism... cunning... good humor and fun... family... and excellent performance in bed."
William figured that last part out on his own, as during the completion of his transformation, he seemed to know every sort of move to provide sexual pleasure almost instinctively, but he hadn't done much research to know much more. Martha had been reading through the handbook that Nate had borrowed. He hadn't. He continued to watch as Akane straightened herself out and looked to him.
"Now... I must first ask, based on what I have heard from your wife," Akane spoke, "To whom are you bonded?"
"Martha... she's all I could see when my transformation completed," William spoke, "She's stood by me despite all the mistakes I've made. She is all I could want or need and I want to show that I am more than what I was now."
Akane blinked, and figured there had probably been some extra-marital problems that Martha hadn't mentioned, "I see... then being a werefox may be a blessing in disguise for you. The bond... and the fox in you will make that promise easy to keep..."
William had felt that, already, and was actually thankful for Yvette scratching him for that. As his bond to Martha as a werefox might just save his marriage, but he didn't want to give Yvette the knowledge that he was thankful to her. The vixen already seemed too obsessed with him for her own good. He watched as Akane took his hand in hers and then took Martha's hand and placed Martha's over William's. The elderly werefox then put her hands around both.
"I welcome you, William Anderson as a full member of the Skulk, and the Wood Street Den," Akane spoke, "and to you Martha Anderson as William's bonded mate, I welcome you as an honorary member of the Skulk and Wood Street Den. My your love flourish and heal all wounds. May your family prosper... and grow, should you choose. May you keep a focus on what is smart and cunning over brutish thoughts. And may you contribute to the prosperity of Moon Lake in your own way."
"Thank you," William said weakly as Akane finished and released his and Martha's hands. Martha also nodded. Akane's welcome was different from Samantha and Frances' welcome to her, but it did serve the same essential purpose. Both of them then watched as Akane gave a rather motherly smile to them and began to continue.
"You are most welcome," Akane spoke, "and now to deal with many of the formal rules, William, since Yvette Elizabeth Smith did not bother to inform you on that..."
"She spent most of last night bad-mouthing Martha," William said in a low voice.
Akane only nodded, "and thus why I am here for this as part of the welcome."
William nodded and let Akane continued. Martha stood by, as she figured the rules that Akane was about to mention were identical to the rules Samantha and Frances gave her regarding when and where she could change in her feline form. At home, she could change at any time, but in public, she could only transform at night, and at the functions of other were-groups, she could only change if invited to do so.
"Many of these rules go across the board for all were-beasts," Akane spoke, "At home and within the sanctity of your own walls, you may transform at any time. Outside it, things are different. We do not transform in public during the day. Moon Lake isn't a big town, but it is not so isolated that we don't have normals driving through going somewhere else. So, we do not wish to have someone from Seattle driving to Minneapolis drive through and see an fox-man on the streets... and from what I've been told you teach at the college, yes?"
"Yes..." William said slowly.
"The college does have enrollment from people who do NOT live in Moon Lake," Akane answered, "and since they are only here as part of their education, the laws that require at least one normal to be changed do not apply to students living in the dorms."
"Understandable," William commented with a nod.
"Moon Lake owns land outside the basic city limits, and we have commonly posted our city limit borders at that extended edge," Akane spoke, "and you may go into the woods for any purpose... be it to take your bonded mate for a night in the woods... or to go hunting."
"Hunting?" William asked.
"We may not be big game hunters the way werewolves, weretigers, werelions, wereleapords, and werebears are," Akane answered, "but rabbit is a fine meal and well within our range... though, you will not be allowed to raid the farms. No chicken unless you've bought it. Within your home... I'd suppose both of you will prove to be good mousers..."
William nodded, but Martha only blinked.
"Huh?" Martha asked.
"Werecats are based of the Domestic House Cat, most werefoxes are based off of the Red Fox and its various phases," Akane answered, "There are one or two based off the Gray Fox, the Arctic Fox, and other fox species... but most are based off the Red Fox... and in nature, many feed on the same prey... mice and both of your instincts may drive you to control the rodent population should they become a problem... as the Red Fox and Domestic House Cat are roughly the same size. A small cat can weigh around 8 pounds and a large cat, like the Maine Coon can weigh closer to 20 pounds. A small Red Fox can weigh around 6 pounds and can bee as big as 24 pounds. And so both commonly eat rats and mice. Some nature programs will actually show how foxes hunt rats and mice."
"How do you know all this about cats?" Martha asked curiously.
"Just because I'm a fox doesn't meant that I don't like cats as pets," Akane gave chuckle, "I've owned plenty of Japanese Bobtails over my two hundred years."
"You look good for your age," William said to her, "Like you're younger than that..."
Akane only laughed harder, "We were-beasts age very well over our long lifespans. You and Martha will find that out in time when you turn a hundred and simply keep going..."
William and Martha only blinked as Akane got control of herself and returned to the business at had.
"As I said, you may go into the woods, but if you come to edge of our officially posted limits, you must be in human form if you cross them," Akane answered, "to keep you alive and spare us all exposure. Some of the bigger farms around Moon Like may also require you to change back before crossing that line, so that you don't frighten their livestock. And all of these limits and areas should be marked... though I've heard rumors of mundane animals occasionally damaging them."
William nodded.
"At town hosted events, you may transform at the event, not while going to or from the event," Akane continued, "these include the equinoxes and the summer time holidays... though many of these events are also held at night. Some may be held during the day... but in areas that will be out of sight of normals from outside of Moon Lake."
"Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day, along with Founders' Day?" Martha inquired.
Akane nodded, "If you wish to attend City Council meetings as a fox, that is fine... but they are also a night time event, which is within the allowed time to change. The only other time in which you may change is at official Skulk meetings."
"Meetings?" William asked.
"Yes," Akane nodded, "we meet at one of the restaurant/conference rooms in a hotel owned by the Skulk four times a year. On New Years Eve, the night before April Fools Day, the night before Halloween, and on Valentines Day."
"What goes on at these meetings?" William asked.
"We commonly discuss and catch up on things that have occurred since the last meeting," Akane answered, "and plan out weddings, celebrations for the birth of kits, graduation of kits that are in school, share ideas on how mated pairs may have a good time... the biggest things might be the planning for games and "scares" for Halloween and tricks for April Fools Day... which I've found to be a most enjoyable American holiday... though the rules for these is that no game or trick is to force the transformation of a normal, no game is to threaten any physical harm, and the game must be perceived as fun for ALL sides."
"I take it we're both supposed to show up?" Martha asked, wanting to make sure that if the Pride scheduled an event or meeting that she would be able to be respectful to Akane in order to be with her own group.
"Yes," Akane answered, "Though, as an honorary member, Martha Anderson, you do have permission not to attend provided you provide a note explaining your absence. That can be done in paper or through Email. You will recieve all that information in the mail by Monday."
William and Martha both nodded.
"And of course the biggest rule we werefoxes have," Akane then began to finish, "we are always to respect and tolerate others. It's been my rule ever since I've seen people's intolerance lead to nothing but devastation. It is one of the most baka things I've ever heard of. Be smart and cunning, but also respectful. Love each other and be honest and you will do well. This will also include the rules for all the other groups. Which means, William, if Ms. Twist invites you to join your wife for a Pride meeting, you may only change if they ask you to do so. You may only change at your son's induction if the werewolf Alpha invites you to do so. Understood."
"I doubt she would do that," William said slowly, "Martha noticed when my transformation began in earnest and since she and the Twists were becoming friends, she called them for help... and Samantha came to rescue me from Yvette. I wasn't in full control and wanted to complete the transformation... and made threats I shouldn't have."
Akane only frowned, "That has baka all over it... If a forced transformation was suspected, she should have called the police, not gone wandering into the woods after you... and you should have tried to gain control over yourself so as not to make the threat."
"I know... but I can't change what I did," William answered, "all I can do is apologize and show that it is sincere."
Akane nodded to that, "Do so."
"Understood," William answered and then looked around, unsure of what to do or say to show respect to the Skulk's leader. Eventually he got an idea from an old samurai movie he'd watched as a boy and gave a short bow. Akane smiled in response to the bow.
She then began to turn back toward the door.
"That will include the official welcome and the rules," Akane then spoke, "and I wish you both well here in Moon Lake. Though I will have a warning concerning Yvette Elizabeth Smith..."
"She won't get off..." William asked, doing his best to hold his anger at the werefox that scratched him.
"I wouldn't think so," Akane answered, "and based off what the police showed to me... her guilt is obvious and brings shame to the Skulk for breaking OUR rules in addition to Moon Lake's... but her lawyer also informed me that based on conversation with her that while she may not be able to prove true innocence... she may be suffering from a hormonal imbalance of some kind."
"An imbalance?" Martha wondered.
"Normally when were-beasts have children, the child does not transform for the first time until they reach puberty, usually around fourteen as their bodies begin to mature and is noticed by entering their first heat cycle," Akane answered, "her attorney reported that she told him that she transformed two years prior to that. That could lessen the punishment she will recieve... but is not the main reason for the warning."
"Doesn't this break attorney/client confidentiality?" Martha asked, remembering what William's lawyer had said during the issues with the Minnesota coed. Thankfully in that case for William there had been proof that the sex was consensual and that the student was over eighteen. It didn't save his job, but certainly saved him from worse consequences."
"Normally, yes," Akane spoke, "and this is not to go beyond this room... not to your sons and not to the Pride, I can warn the Twists for you as a formality, but the rest of their little pride does not need to know... but what he observed in Yvette Elizabeth Smith's behavior gave him cause and reason to act for the safety of both of you. He spoke that she appears obsessed with you, William Anderson... as if she is trying to force a bond with you or that somehow a one way bond has already formed... and combined with a possible hormone imbalance, he has the concern that she may be willing to take things farther than she has. By Skulk rules and under US law, she must be allowed a proper defense... and if guilty she will be punished, but if she escapes or somehow avoids legal punishment... she could be a real threat."
"I don't want her," William answered, "the only one I wish with me is Martha. My bond is to her."
"I understand," Akane nodded, "but the threat she poses is real. Until a final guilty verdict is rendered... be careful, as you will probably be expected to be there for her trail as a witness for the prosecution... though the Mayor may wish to give you those instructions tonight... and if she does somehow escape or avoid legal punishment... she could push things further... either to kidnap you, William or kill your mate... or use your children as hostages to barter with."
"She wouldn't DARE!" William and Martha growled together. Despite all their problems, there was one thing they'd always agreed on, NO ONE hurt their sons.
"In her state... it is possible," Akane answered, "Thus why I have told you... so that you may take appropriate action. Once your elder son is a werewolf, he should be fine. As if she attacks him, he would have the right to change to defend himself and while all were-beasts are physically stronger than normal humans... werefoxes and werecats are both weaker than werewolves, werelions, weretigers, and werebears. So, so she wouldn't threaten a werewolf."
Akane then looked to a picture on the wall, which showed the Anderson family at Target Field in Twins jerseys with Nate standing next to the baseball team's bear themed mascot.
"But your younger son will be a target," Akane warned, "especially if he doesn't become a were-beast. Best to have your elder son escort him wherever he goes in Moon Lake for protection... or you stay by his side, and make sure that wherever he goes in Moon Lake there are enough potential witnesses that if Yvette Elizabeth Smith tries anything, she would be caught."
"How do we tell him this without frightening him?" William asked, "all of what she's done has already caused problems..."
"Not to mention that Eric hasn't seen us in our were forms and might fear us," Martha added, "simply for all that comes with the new us..."
"Telling him might only spread fear," Akane answered, "and I wouldn't ask you to frighten him. Maybe explain this to your elder son as a need to protect his baby brother... as werewolves can be just as family/pack oriented as we are... though their dynamic is a bit different... if the younger son gives any sign that he does understand or isn't afraid of your new forms when you show him... then maybe tell him, if only to be careful... but you must be one hundred percent sure that he won't be frightened by you. Gomenasai. Hopefully things will go well and her name and shame will trouble us no more."
With that, Akane quietly left with Martha actually gripping William in fear that that the werevixen would escape and take her babies from her, even if they were nearly grown up.