FSE

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Chapter 1

"UNCLE WILL, UNCLE WILL, Wait up!" the voice yelled.

Will turned to see the rotund little three-year-old racing to catch up on legs far too short for the lad to be happy with them. Will stopped, turned toward the youngster, crouched down, and extended his arms. The lad ran into the hug, and Will picked him up and spun him around. "What's up, Little John?" Will asked.

"It's Little Jean, Uncle Will. Jean, like Jean Pierre, the alpha of your pack, not John, like Little John in Robin Hood. It's a wordplay."

"I'm okay with mispronouncing your nickname," the old wolf responded as he knelt back down and placed the child on the ground.

The lad let go of the hug and smiled. "I guess it's okay. You're never going to learn French, are you?"

"Qu'est-ce qui vous fait penser que je ne parle pas Français?" the wolf asked.

Little Jean's eyes widened. "You speak French? Then how come you can't pronounce my name right?" the little boy asked.

"Because I enjoy calling you Little John. The family started calling you Little Jean because they thought the pun was cute. It helps differentiate who they're talking to when you and Jean Pierre are together. But I'm not fond of calling anyone little as a nickname. I'm married to Oliver, remember? So, I fudge a bit and call you Little John. Little was his last name, but he was anything but little. Little John was a wordplay about that ironic difference; not pointing out his diminutive stature. So, either I call you Little John or I call you your given name, Jean Pierre. I'm not calling you Little Jean. Chalk it up to what you have to deal with to talk to the old wolf."

"The temple dogs call us all little ones," Little Jean countered.

"Look at them. Except for Nathaniel, we are all little to them," Will laughed. He paused. "Their use of the word little denotes their relationship to us. They see us as ones they promised to protect and educate. It has nothing to do with stature. It references a responsibility they see as theirs."

"So, it's okay?"

"To me it is. We are talking about why I do something. If you want to understand why they do something..."

"I would talk to them," Little Jean interjected, filling in the thought.

"Exactly."

Little Jean thought about it for a moment. "That makes sense. I like your reasons. I'll be Little John."

"Okay, that's what I will call you. Where are your fathers, Little John?" Will asked.

"Oh, I told them I wanted to visit with you, so they're taking advantage of a break in the kid-rearing department to decompress. They're off having some quality time with Lewis and Anders."

Will laughed. "So we're calling it quality time now, are we?"

"I like that way of describing it. It's true, you know. You werebeasts bond when you have sex together. Our family is stronger because of it."

"I agree. But you're the only three-year-old on the island who doesn't giggle about how much 'quality time' we share," the wolf said, making air quotes with his paws.

"Yeah, sometimes three-year-olds can be so immature," the lad said with a nod.

Will laughed. "So, are we walking?"

"Yeah, we're walking."

"Holding hands or on my shoulders?"

"Hands today, I think. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"I'm not afraid of you, Little John."

"That's weird, Uncle Will. Do you know everything that I'm going to say before I say it?"

"No. I sense your concerns before you speak them. But that's because all my family's concerns come at me pretty much non-stop," the old wolf answered.

"Is that hard to live with?" the lad asked.

"It would be if it was anyone else but my family. I've learned to filter out everyone else except as needed."

The lad smiled. "I guess it's okay then that I freak you out sometimes. You freak me out now and then, too."

"Well, it's not you who freaks me out, Kid. It's the ways humans perceive smart children that pop into my head from time to time. Remember, I lived through the nineteen seventies. There were lots of creepy kid movies where super-intelligent kids did some pretty awful stuff. The Omen, The Bad Seed, The Village of the Damned." Will paused. "Well, let's say it's a long list. I hate to admit it, but they often portrayed super-smart kids as evil."

"I'm not evil," the three-year-old said, the frustration unmistakable in his voice.

Will knelt down and kissed the lad on his cheek. "I know you're not. Sometimes brief flashes of movie history pop up in my head. What you see are those glitches in my brain. They're a disconnect. It's the difference between what you see as my protective nature of you and the fear you sense in others who might hurt you because they fear you." Will stared into the young one's eyes. "Okay, look close and use the Sight. Do you see anything that even remotely looks like I would ever hurt you?"

Little Jean looked deep into the yellow eyes of the wolf. "I see... I see... yeah, it's coming in clearer now. It's a bottle of habanero sauce."

Will pushed the boy back. "Oh hell no, you told me you could handle it."

"Uncle Will, I'm three years old. What makes you think I have a clue about what my taste buds can handle?"

"I told you I was sorry," Will groused. "Besides, you're not using the Sight. You're just teasing me."

Little Jean shrugged. "True. But I don't need the Sight to realize I'm safe in your company."

Will squeezed Little Jean's hand. "I love you, Little John. Try to ignore the Sight when it's tapping into my memory instead of what I genuinely feel. We all have stupid fears that aren't logical or even our genuine beliefs. Those gifted with the Sight have to see beyond those unfounded fears to the truth of who a person actually is." Will looked down at the child. "I'm not explaining this very well, am I?"

"No, you're fine, Uncle Will. I get it. I wanted to make sure it wasn't anything I did."

Will laughed and added, "No, Kid, I'm crazy about you. You're still freaky. But then, any three-year-old kid who is studying quantum physics is bound to be freaky, right?"

"Right. I'm okay with freaky. I don't want to be scary."

Will stopped. "You're never scary, Kid." Will's nostrils flared and his ears set up. "Your Uncle Paul is coming. Can you sense why?"

The little one closed his eyes. "Oh dear, the fecal material is about to hit the oscillating wind generation machine."

"Yep," the old wolf agreed.

Paul rounded the corner running, but he slowed when he saw the two. "Hi, Uncle Will. Do you know where your husbands are? They aren't responding to their ComLinks."

"They're spending a bit of quality time together," Will responded with a slight shake of Little Jean's hand.

"I have a problem. Kristopher came home from school with a black eye today. He has a note telling us we have to meet with the student counselor and principal tomorrow over a fight he was in."

"No way," Little Jean protested. "Kristopher would never start a fight."

Paul looked at the youngster. "I agree with you, but he won't talk about it. I was hoping Derrick might help. Kristopher seems to be comfortable talking to him because they're both shy around others."

Will shrugged. "Little John and I could go talk to him."

Paul's face twisted into a dissatisfied frown. "I love you, Uncle Will, but I'd worry that you would tell him it was good to get into a fight. You realize they didn't give you that whole Warrior clan, glow red in the dark stuff, undeservedly, right?"

Will laughed aloud and hugged the human. "I'm not a warrior full time, Nephew. Let's leave my husbands to their play. I promise I won't tell your son it's okay to fight unless you give permission first. Deal?"

Paul let go of the hug. "Deal." He looked down at the little boy. "Are you okay with coming along, Little Jean?"

"Sure, Uncle Paul. Kristopher might appreciate a little backup if all he has are adults asking questions."

Back at the house, Sarah looked up as the screen door opened. "Hi Uncle Will," she said as the werewolf ducked under the doorway and entered their home.

"Hi, Sarah," the old wolf responded. "The husbands are off being husbands together." Will picked up Little Jean's hand. "We thought we would ask if there was something we could do to help."

"You can try, Uncle. He's not talking to anyone. He says it's no big deal," Sarah said, exasperated.

Will looked at Kristopher, his head bowed on the kitchen table. He came over next to the young man and rubbed his head. "I told your dad that I would never tell you it's okay to fight. And I won't, because your dad is right. But defending the weak isn't fighting. Talk to your folks. They love you. They will understand."

Kristopher looked up, his black eye half shut with tears streaming down. "I didn't throw the first punch, Uncle Will."

"I know you didn't," the wolf answered. "Tell your folks the truth. It might surprise you who's on your side."

Sarah put her hand on Kristopher's shoulder. "Tell us, son. We have never been a family of secrets."

"There are bullies at school. They tease the weaker kids. Some of us know how to avoid it. But Max doesn't. Max doesn't get humans at all. They go after him and they tease him, but he doesn't even get that they're making fun of him."

Kristopher rubbed his one good eye. "I was okay with them making fun of him because he never understood what they meant. But today they shoved him. I had to step in and stop it. They never let up. They keep pushing it further and further. Someone had to push back."

Paul squatted next to his son. "What happened?"

"They were calling him names, and he was sitting there smiling like he always does. And then one bully pushed him. He fell on the ground and I went to pick him up. I told them to leave him alone. I said he was only a little kid and they should pick on someone their own size."

"Ouch," Kristopher's dad said.

"Yeah, I don't know why I said that," Kristopher agreed, shaking his head in disbelief. "That's when Billy punched me in the eye."

"And..." Kristopher's mother asked.

"I stuck out my hand. No one else knows what happened but Max and me. But the bullies won't bother either of us ever again. All they know is that they woke up with the wind knocked out of them."

Will sighed. "The power is there to protect, Kristopher. Until you're trained in its use, it's bound to manifest in uncontrolled ways."

"They didn't have a right to bully him. They didn't have a right to hurt him."

"No, they didn't," Paul said. "Your Uncle Will is right. There is never a time to pick a fight. But there is a time to protect."

Sarah looked at her son. "Tomorrow you tell your counselor and principal the truth, right up to where you stuck out your hand. You tell them you made sure your brother was safe, and that you did what you had to do. We will make sure that they don't press this any further."

Kristopher looked up. "You can do that?"

Sarah smiled. "Your dad's a lawyer; he's even scarier to humans than that glowing blue hand of yours."

Kristopher laughed. "Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad." He looked up at the werewolf. "Thank you, too, Uncle Will."

"My pleasure, Kid," the wolf said. He put his paw on the young man's arm. "Time to tell your folks what the bullies were teasing your brother about."

"Do I have to?" Kristopher asked.

"It's important," Little Jean replied. "He's a good kid, but your folks need to know what's going on. You have a family. You don't have to protect Max alone. Let your family help."

"They were calling him a queer," Kristopher blurted out. "They called him a queer, a worthless piece of garbage that lived on an island of fags."

Sarah's and Paul's faces darkened. Kristopher looked up at them. "Max just smiles. He lets it all run off him because he doesn't care. He doesn't argue with them because he doesn't care what they think." Kristopher rubbed his hands on the table. "And I let it slide too because they're just words. But some humans use words like weapons, and when they find they don't inflict enough pain, they lash out and become physical. I couldn't let them hurt my brother."

Paul let out a low growl that surprised even Will. "They have no right. They will not punish my son for doing the right thing."

Will put his hand on the human's shoulder. "Nephew, remember what you told me? Now is my time to say you're right. We stand down from escalating the fight. We protect our own, but we can do that without this becoming an issue on the Mainland."

Paul looked up, and his angry face softened. "I will behave, Uncle. I promise. But it will end today. Their bullying will stop."

"Your son has seen to that," Will said.

"No, I mean the bullying will stop for all the children. Those kids will only find a new target. It has to end. The children need places where they can go to feel secure. Schools have to be one of those places."

"Dad is right," Kristopher said. "If someone doesn't stop them, they will bully others who don't have a brother to protect them."

Little Jean smiled. "If I might suggest something. Punishment will only make them angrier. Bullies see punishment as an extension of exactly what they do. The only difference is that someone stronger than them is doing it. They see the principal as a bigger, stronger bully who is forcing them to bend to his will. It's a lose/lose situation. Being forced to stay after class accomplishes nothing. Expulsion? Do you think telling a kid he can't go to school is a punishment? That's insane. I say make them pay for what they've done, and by doing so, possibly kill what their lives instilled in them."

Will looked at the three-year-old. "That's a violent word to use for what you say is a non-violent idea."

"Hatred and bigotry need to be torn out at the roots, Uncle Will," Little Jean said. "If you don't, it grows back, often stronger than before. If bullies can't attack those that they hurt the first time, they focus on someone else. There has never been a time in human history when we, as a species, didn't find a group of other humans to see as inferior to ourselves. It might have been their race or religion, or any bunch of other stuff. Humanity has a huge list of things to hate about the rest of humanity."

The three-year-old's brow furrowed. "Look at the Japanese. They were a mono-ethnic group of people, all practicing essentially the same religion in a closed society. The two biggest demons in our lexicon of prejudice, race and religion, were missing from their society. Did it make them a harmonious whole?" Little Jean shook his head. "No. They created the Burakumin."

"What are the Burakumin?" Kristopher asked.

"They were jobs the Japanese declared impure because they dealt with death," his father replied. "They were the undertakers, butchers, leatherworkers, or any job where they had to deal with corpses or dead animals. These were jobs that are essential to any civilized society. Yet, by common decree, they became the lowest of the low... a group of people that everyone could look down on. You would always have someone inferior to you; unless you lived in the Burakumin ghettos."

"But if those are jobs someone had to do, why would they pick on the people that did them?" Kristopher asked.

"Because humans need a scapegoat to blame, or someone to look down on," Little Jean said. "It seems we're not happy unless we know someone else is more unhappy than us. That's what creates bullies. It's part of our evolution. Dominance over benevolence. It's hardwired into our DNA. However, where it once helped the strongest pass on their traits, now it only serves to create strife among ourselves."

"Hating a butcher seems pretty dumb," Kristopher said.

"Any dumber than whites hating blacks or straights hating gays?" Sarah asked sadly. "Or almost every religion hating everyone else who doesn't believe?"

"No, Mom," Kristopher replied. "It all seems pretty dumb."

Will looked up. "Don't forget humans hating wolves."

Paul smiled. "Well, that is totally dumb as well. I'm very fond of the ones that live on this island."

"You're not human anymore, Nephew."

Paul grinned. "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me." He looked at the three-year-old. "So, what's this idea of yours?"

Little Jean grinned. "If the bullies picked on Max because he lives on an island of fags, make them do the same. Bring them over here as a work crew. Force them to live with the creepy, freakish things on this island. And then watch as they learn who the truly creepy and freakish ones are."

Kristopher laughed. "It could work. And for the first time in their life, they would know what it's like to be shunned by the people they want to like them."

Sarah looked at her son. "What are you talking about?"

"Jan and Jenny," Kristopher said. "Uncle Greg and Uncle Trevor's daughters. They are the most beautiful girls in the entire school and there's hardly a guy that wouldn't want to date them. Both are seniors in junior high school. The two of them are like the holy grail of the girls we want to date. They're two years ahead of the bullies. Here on the island, the bullies would realize that they don't have a chance of even turning their heads. Jan and Jenny won't have anything to do with anyone that doesn't respect their fathers."

Sarah looked at her son. "And since when did you become interested in young ladies?"

"Maaaahhm!" Kristopher protested. "I'm only saying they live here on the island and they're popular."

Little Jean and Will both snickered. "You're going to have to deal with it one day, Niece," Will said.

Sarah smiled at the wolf. "I know. But happens so fast." She looked back at Kristopher and tousled his hair. "Okay, so we put the bullies into the middle of the very things they hate the most. How does that help, Max?"

"Because we're not that different from them, Aunt Sarah," Little Jean replied. "Fear comes from ignorance. You drop the bullies onto this island. You make them work alongside the people they fear and day by day, they learn there is nothing to fear... nothing to hate. The bullies die and friends are born."

Will leaned back in his chair. "You're relying on those boys being able to get past the hate they have inside and the hate they have at home. Very few bullies spontaneously generate, you know. Their parents teach most of them to be what they are."

Little Jean nodded in agreement. "It might not work. They may already be too far gone for anything to affect what they are, but it's worth a try, isn't it? If we really believe that we're part of a human family, don't we keep trying until we exhaust all our options?"

Paul smiled. "Our kids are right. If there's going to be a shot at changing these bullies' attitudes, this island is the place they need to be." He stood up. "Time to put on the lawyer's mantle, family. If we prosecute these kids under the Young Offenders Act, they could see fines and even detention time for assault. I'm pretty sure that they and their parents will opt to work on the island for a few months to avoid that."

"Actually, Will is right about one thing, Uncle Paul. It was the parents that taught those kids how to hate who's on this island," Little Jean said. "They're going to be the tough ones to convince. Convincing a homophobic parent to say yes to their children spending hours a day in the company of gay people is going to be a tough sell."

"It's surprising how quickly parents change their minds in the presence of having to pay major fines," Paul said.

Kristopher looked at his father. "That's just wrong. You don't make choices about your kid's safety based on money."

His father shrugged. "Your parents don't, but other parents do."

Will leaned forward. "So, we invite the parents to visit the island whenever they feel the need to monitor their children's safety. It couldn't hurt to have them exposed to the same things as their children."

Paul smiled. "Fair enough. So, tomorrow we lay the groundwork. Within two weeks, if all goes well, the island will have its first known bullies as visitors."

Will shook his head. "What could possibly go wrong?" he said, the verbal irony clear in his voice.

Little Jean looked up and smiled. "Oh, bunches, Uncle Will. Bunches and bunches."

Chapter 2

Two weeks later, Kristopher, Max, and Jean Pierre were getting ready for bed. Little Jean was doing his best to squeeze into a pair of Max's pajamas but wasn't having much luck. The corpulent child had taken to visiting the Carver boys more frequently as they prepared for the first visit of the mainland bullies. Dinners often turned into nights of gaming, and as the evening wore on, an invitation to stay the night met with their parents' approval.

The impromptu sleepover hit a snag when sharing a set of Max's pajamas became problematic. Little Jean struggled to put on Max's too-tight shirt over his girth. Jean Pierre flailed for a time, trying to get his arms into the sleeves when Max finally said, "Here, let me help you." He reached over, grabbed the flopping arm of the pajamas, and pulled off the top.

"Let's start over," Max said with a smile. He reached over and grabbed the top of one of Kristopher's pajamas. "Hands up in the air, Little Jean."

Jean Pierre stuck his hands up. With a quick swipe, Max pulled the shirt down over the corpulent boy's arms and head. With a tug, the top slipped across his rounded belly. "Thanks, Max," Little Jean said.

"You're welcome," the young man replied. "We all need help sometimes." Max looked over at his brother. "I wanted to thank you again for what you did. Those bullies coming here tomorrow leaves me apprehensive, but they'll be on their best behavior when they spot you. They sure turn away fast when we see them at school. Still, I'm sorry you got hurt."

"I'm sorry I overreacted. I realize you can take care of yourself. But sometimes it... it..."

"They're only words, Kristopher. They don't hurt me."

"They hurt me. I don't like hearing them call you those things."

"They're meant to hurt, but I do what I always do. I translate their meaning in my mind. I break them down like an etymological puzzle until they can't hurt me anymore."

"What's etymological mean?"

"It's what words mean and how they've changed throughout history. You break a word down far enough and it loses its power."

"I still don't like it, Max. You're my brother."

Max smiled. "I've noticed that. It's one of the best things in my life."

"Are you going to tell Mom and Dad?"

"I already told them. You were there."

Paul poked his head through the open bedroom door. "Jessica's down for the night. How are you three boys coming along?"

"Doing fine, Dad," Kristopher replied. "Got our PJs on and everything."

"Thanks for letting me stay over, Uncle Paul," Little Jean said, smiling as he tried to move his arms in the baggy pajama top. "We should be fine."

"Okay, then." Paul paused a moment as he turned toward the kitchen and looked back at the boys. "What did you already tell us, Max?"

"Oh, that," he said nonchalantly. "I told you I was gay."

Paul's eyes widened. "You did what?"

Kristopher sighed. "He told us he was gay when he was four. It was the same day he told you he was smarter than the rest of us combined."

"BABE," Paul called out. "Better come here. We have a boy that we need to talk to."

Little Jean looked back and forth anxiously. "Should I leave? I can go back home."

Paul shook his head. "No, Little Jean, you're fine. Nothing bad is going to happen here."

Sarah came up from behind. "What's going on?"

"Tell your mom what you told me, Max."

Max rolled his eyes. "It's no big deal. I've already told you both a long time ago. It won't be important to me until I'm in my twenties."

"Son," his father pushed.

"I told Dad I'm gay. But I told you that when I was four."

"The same day that he told us he was smarter than the rest of us combined. Remember that?" Paul asked.

"Actually, I do remember that, but not the part about being gay."

"Okay, I didn't use the word 'gay', but I told you I liked some of the boys on the island."

"We thought you meant you enjoyed playing games with the boys from the foster village."

"Well, I do, but I meant I liked some boys like... well, 'gay liked' them," Max corrected. "Is this going to mess up everything? It's not that important to me."

Paul looked at his son. "But it will be one day. It won't be easy being the only gay young man on the island."

"He's not the only one," Kristopher said. "I'm pretty sure Diego is gay."

"What?" Sarah stammered. "Diego? The fourteen-year-old linebacker on the varsity high school squad? That Diego?"

"Yeah," Kristopher said. "Watch him sometimes. He's got a major crush on Uncle Nathaniel."

Little Jean laughed. "He practically swoons when Uncle walks by."

"Really?" Paul stammered.

"He's gay," Max said casually. "Dalton is gay, too. The Sight for me is like gaydar on steroids. I can tell who's who when it comes to being gay. It doesn't seem to work that well for Kristopher or Jessica. But neither of them has all that much interest in using the Sight for anything, anyway."

"Still, that's only three of you," Paul said. "That can't be easy."

Little Jean looked up. "There are four of us, Uncle Paul."

Sarah laughed out loud. "Are we utterly clueless or what?"

Max shook his head. "No, Mom. You're fine. Don't make this out to be more than it's supposed to be. I'm only ten years old. I won't even have my first sexual experience until I'm twenty-five. Everything will be fine."

Little Jean looked over at Max and smiled. "I'll be eighteen."

Max broke into a wide grin. "Yeah, and we are going to have sooo much fun."

Sarah gasped. "Okay, young man. Way too much information. You understand the meaning of dissemble, right?"

"Yes, Mom. It means to hide one's true feelings or opinions; often to avoid censure from those who might object to the truth. I've done it my whole life."

Sarah's face dropped. "I thought it meant filtering what you say so that people don't get an information overload. You know, TMI."

Max's head lowered. "I memorized the Oxford dictionary last year. I could quote the definition if it will help."

Sarah slipped into the room and fell to her knees as she hugged her son. "No, Max. That's not what I meant to say. I'm your mom. I'm not sure I'm ready to hear that you and Little Jean are going to have sex one day. But I am ready for you to stop hiding your true feelings. You need to understand you can come to us with anything."

"Even what comes from the visions? Because they've been getting pretty scary of late."

Paul knelt down. "Especially the ones that come from the visions."

Max looked back up. "I like Little Jean because we help each other. He teaches me about dimensional theory and I try to show him how to use the Sight."

Paul looked at the three-year-old boy. "You're teaching my son about string theory?"

Little Jean shrugged. "String theory is naïve, but we started with the basics. It's what your son does with it that's amazing. I'll never be able to do what he does. I don't have the same Sight as him. He sees everything differently than we do. There are dimensions he is moving through that we've never even hypothesized exist. I'm afraid for him, Uncle Paul. We're kids. There is only so much we should see."

"What's he talking about, Son? What do you do?"

"I see our entire universe unfolding. From before the Big Bang until our universe dies and a new one is born. We aren't the beginning. We aren't the end. This thing we call the universe is such a small part of what's out there. We are riding on the cusp of a wave moving through time and space. Dimensions are being born and vanishing that we are never even aware of. We're so tiny. All that we believe... all that we think we understand... it's not even close to the truth. I see so much, Dad. Sometimes it feels like my head is going to burst."

Sarah grabbed her son's hand. "Show us your color, Max."

Max put out his hand, and it burst into blue light. "I'm not the one, Mom. I get that Uncle Martin is looking for him, but it's not me. He's coming, but he's vague, nebulous. He's this big thing in the shadows."

"But you said you see everything, Son."

"No, Dad. I mean, I see the infinite. The universe that unfolds for Uncle Martin does the same for me." The young boy's hand still glowed blue. "And so far beyond where his Sight has ever taken him. It goes beyond even what the Changelings have seen."

The lad's hands started trembling. "But when I narrow my vision to this world, I can see my little place in it because I'm a kid and I want to figure out what happens to me. The further away I move from my life, the cloudier the visions become. I don't think I will survive if I see it all. I don't think anyone can survive if they see everything that will happen to their world."

"I see what Uncle Martin sees, but I can't control it the way he does. The universe is spreading out in front of me and I can't stop the images. Little Jean and I tried to fix the visions, but nothing helps. I can't stop them, Dad."

Paul watched his son's shaking move from his hands up his arms and across his shoulders. "Son, I want you to pull back from what you see. Stop talking about this. Stop thinking about it. Wherever you are right now, I want you to come home. Come back to your family." He motioned to his wife. "Get Nathaniel here, quick."

Before she could tap her ComLink, there was a knock on the front door. She ran to the door and opened it. The saber-toothed cat and the badger stood in the opening. "We's here to help," Oliver said.

"How did you know?"

"Max," Oliver replied. "He's waking up. No, he ain't just waking up. All hell's breakin' loose and he's ground zero." A wave of blue light, carrying with it the sound of a sonic boom, blasted out from the back bedroom and shattered the glass windows as it moved outward.

"Do something," Sarah screamed. "You made him this way, do something."

The badger pushed past Sarah. "That's why I'se here, Sarah. I'se here to bring your boy home."

The saber-toothed cat followed the badger. "And why am I here?"

"To sees what I can't, Beast. You gots the Sight I ain't got. I can't figure out the path, but you can show me where it is. I don't know where he's heading. You finds the path, and I will finds a way to bring Max back on it."

The badger threw back the door to the bedroom. At the front of the house, he could hear Tyler and Michael yelling that they wanted their son. He looked at Paul. "You takes Kristopher and Jessica and gets out of here. Things is gonna get worse."

Paul glared at the badger. "I'm not leaving without all my children."

"Nor are we," Tyler said, defiantly pushing his way into the bedroom. "Give us our son."

Oliver grabbed Max's glowing hand and fluoresced into a bright blue badger. His small hand pushed outward and Tyler went tumbling out of the room. "You can'ts be here."

Kristopher shoved the badger. "He's my brother. We don't leave our family. Don't try to make us leave, Uncle Oliver. I will fight you." The boy's hand burst into blue flame.

"Fuck," the badger said. "I can'ts get no one to do the right thing, Max. You'se gonna have to help us or lots of your family is gonna gets hurt."

Max began shaking even more violently. His body flailed as he fell off the bed and onto the floor. Martin leaned over and grabbed the bed and threw it across the room, missing Michael's head by only inches. "Sorry, Michael. We need space here," he apologized.

"Jean Pierre, venez à votre père," Michael said, reaching toward Little Jean.

The chubby boy backed away from his father. "I'm staying here with Max, Papa."

"He stays," Oliver growled. "If you wants to stay, then stays, but don'ts get in my way. I'se gots a boy to save here." Oliver's eyes closed. "Pass me the power, Max. Don't hold it in. It will fry you deader than a frog in the desert."

Max's eyes opened up, flaring a bright blue light. "Dad, I'm scared," the fragile voice said.

"I'm here, Son. Listen to Oliver. Let him guide you home."

"Martin," an adult voice screamed from the child. "Martin, you need to see it. You need to let them know there's no other way."

Oliver's eyes opened up, shining a bright blue. "No, Max. You's just a baby. The little one needs to be a child. His parents needs him to be a child."

"Martin," the voice cried out again. "For god sake see me. Don't let me die alone."

"No, Max," Sarah screamed.

The young boy's flaming hand grabbed onto the cat's arm. "Don't let me die alone, Martin. We figured it out, but we were too late. It all ends here unless you can see me."

Martin's eyes shut. He shook his head in disbelief. "No, they couldn't. They wouldn't." he tried to pull his arm away, but the young boy clung tightly, not letting the cat move.

"Speak the truth, Beast," Oliver yelled. "The boy ain't gonna hold on much longer."

"The humans, they finally did it. They tore our planet apart with their war. Everyone is dead. Terra is dead. We're all dead. Max is the only one left alive on the island and he's dying."

"Martin, please," the voice begged.

"Who is that?" Paul asked.

"It's Max, Paul. It's Max at thirty-five. Your son and his husband figured out how to stop the coming war, but it was too late. He's lying there with his husband dead in his arms on their wedding day. The nuclear war that everyone said could never happen did."

Tyler looked at the cat. "What about our son?" he inquired.

"Dead in Max's arms, Tyler. Jean Pierre married Max hours before the first nuclear blast hit Washington, DC. New York followed. Then Montreal." Martin shook his head. "What the bombs didn't kill, the micro-drones will. They're everywhere. The entire world. They killed it all."

Little Jean's face blanched white.

"Non," Michael cried out. "Pas notre fils."

"Not our son," Tyler repeated.

"Everyone; no one on this island survived. All those in Montana are dead. No one survived on the highland. Everyone is dead. What human life is still alive will die in days from the radiation and the hunter drones. There are no bunkers deep enough to wait out what's happened to the world. The earth is a dead planet floating in space." Martin grabbed his chest. "I can't stay here, Badger. I'm doing what I can to keep Max alive, but I'm already dead here. You're already dead. We can't..." the cat's voice trailed off as he crumbled to the floor.

The badger groaned painfully. Past the burning white light of his eyes, blood spilled onto his cheeks and turned to ash. "I'm overloading Beast. You gots to tell me what to do."

"Bring him home, Badger. Bring Max home. You see the path, I know you do."

"Buts they's just little babies, Beast. They ain't had no time at all to be kids."

Max's chest heaved upward, and he fell back to the floor. The house was shaking as if it was in the middle of an earthquake. Above the badger, the bedroom light with model airplanes hanging from it swayed wildly. Oliver looked up and watched it for a moment, judging what to do. "Please, Oliver," Max's adult voice begged. "I don't want to die. I can't let them die. Please, I can't lose you all."

Max's body slumped, and his head fell to the side. "He's passed out, Badger, the boy is dying. Do it, Badger," the cat yelled over the increasing din. "Bring him home. Don't leave him there to die alone."

"Forgive me, Max," Oliver said. "And forgive me, Little Jean." The badger reached out and grabbed the chubby little boy and pulled him down to Max. He looked up at Paul and Sarah. "Please, Paul, please. Please, Sarah. Takes your family and gets out. I promise I'se gonna take good care of your baby. But he's gonna hurt you all if you don't leave."

"You promise."

"I promise I'se doing exactly what he wants me to. You gots to trust him. Don't lets him die in that awful alone. Lets us bring him home."

Martin clutched his chest and looked up at the two werewolves. "Please, Tyler, Michael, leave. If you want your son to live, you have to let them do this together."

"Swear, Cat," Tyler said with tears in his eyes. "Swear that you'll save my son."

"Max will save your son, Tyler. I'm only his guide. Trust the boy. He loves your son just as much as you."

Sarah reached out, grabbed her other two children, and pulled them toward the front door. Tyler and Michael waved to their son, and he waved back. They turned and moved outside. In the cool of the night, the Hargrove House was ablaze in blue light. The island residents were gathering as they tried to figure out what was happening. Nothing they conjectured was anything close to what was happening inside.

Oliver's eyes were still burning white and his body turned into a white light that Martin shielded his eyes to watch. Oliver put his hand on Little Jean. "Close your eyes, Little Jean. I'se gonna make you blind if you keeps lookin' at me."

Little Jean closed his eyes tightly. "What am I supposed to do, Uncle Oliver?"

"You kisses Max."

"What?"

"You kisses Max. Don't argue, Little Jean. You's wanted to do it since you was six months old. You kisses Max and you don't stop no matter what you sees or what you feels until he starts kissing back. And then you kisses him all the more."

Little Jean reached out and let the badger's small paws guide his hands until he felt Max's face. He leaned over. "You won't tell my dads, will you? They will be so upset that I'm doing this. I'm not even allowed to date until I'm fifteen."

"They's gonna forgive you. You is Max's path back, Little Jean, you has always been who he's drawn to. You's gonna save Max, and you's gonna be alive. Them's both good things."

Little Jean leaned in and found Max's lips. "I wish you were here to kiss me back, Max. You do know I love you, right? I've loved you since the first day I saw you dancing with your mom at our uncle's mating reception."

Little Jean's lips pressed up against the unconscious boy. He kissed the boy until the fear of his fathers' disapproval slipped away. The smooth skin of the older boy's lips drew him deeper into the embrace. The three-year-old boy's body began radiating the bright blue glow of the ten-year-old below.

Outside, Sarah felt the thick arm of the short-faced bear wrap around her shoulders. "They'll be fine Sarah. My husbands understand what they're doing, and your son understands what he's doing."

Sarah sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I wish I did." Her husband and children gathered around her and waited for the unknown outcome of the evening.

The crowd watched the glowing house as roof shingles burst into blue flame and flew upward into the sky. When the rafters tore loose from the house, the crowd ran for cover.

A bright white light began forming a whirling bubble that pushed slowly out past the second story. As it expanded beyond the walls of the house, it lit the grass and trees on fire. Then, in a blinding flash, the light imploded, leaving the entire island in darkness. Only the burning plants gave off any light. The house was gone.

The auxiliary generators of the hospital and lighthouse kicked in after a few seconds, adding a bit of light from a distance. The crowd stared at what little remained of the Hargrove House. There was no debris anywhere. Only the cracked foundation remained and a large pit where the boy's bedroom had once been. There was no discernible way of knowing where the rest of the house had gone.

The crowd heard movement from within the pit and watched a warm white glow moving up from the darkness. Oliver climbed out, awash in the white light, and brushed himself off. "Damn bedroom light fell right on top of me," he complained. "Son of a bitch toy planes melted all over me before they burnt up to nothin'."

Martin lifted himself out from the pit after Oliver, his normal cat-like reflexes worn thin as he stumbled forward. "Quit bitching, Badger. Write it off as part of the downside of doing your job." He grabbed the badger and pulled him up into a warm kiss. "I love you, Badger. Let's not do this again someday, okay?"

"Ain't high on my to-do list, that's for sure," Oliver said as he leaned in and kissed Martin again.

A naked man stepped out of the shadows and through what would have been the bedroom door had there been any door left. He was tall and muscular, with graying temples and a boyish grin. He shook his head, trying to get his bearings. "Well, that was a rush," he said, his voice remarkably familiar. He looked out at the crowd until he recognized the Carver family. He waved shyly. "Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. It's me, Max."

Sarah needed no convincing. She ran toward Max and slammed into the front door of the house that wasn't there. As she fell backward off the wooden steps of the house, Nathaniel caught her. "Are you okay, Sarah?" he asked, confused by what happened.

"The house. It's still there. But it's not."

Nathaniel set Sarah down on the ground and reached out, pushing against the porch railing that no one could see. A second, far heavier, but equally tall man climbed out of the pit that was once the bedroom. Bald and bearded, he looked only slightly less hairy than the beasts surrounding him. The man seemed disoriented as he rubbed his chest with amusement. "Didn't see this coming," he said with a grin.

Max looked back, "I did. Why do you think I asked you to marry me?"

The chubby man looked at him. "Because you're a Chaser, like eighty percent of the guys on this island seem to be."

Nathaniel looked at the four inside. "Okay, men, find your way out here, but be careful."

The four reached out their hands, feeling their way carefully around the invisible rooms. "Ouch, ouch, ouch," the heavyset man said as he grabbed his foot and bounced. "That would be the piano."

"Who the fuck makes invisible houses?" Oliver said as his head slammed against an unseen table above his outreached hands.

"It's not so much invisible as out of phase," the taller, thinner man said. "It's still corporeal in some sense, but not on a visual plane."

The chubby human looked at the other. "That's actually kind of cool if you think about it." Hands carefully extended, he inched his way toward the front door. When he found the door, he reached down and opened it. Watching the pantomime of a big man opening a door, Max dashed through the opening where the door once was. He ran into the arms of his mother as she began crying. "Ahh... Mom. Don't cry," the man said. "I'm okay; I just look older."

The chubby bearded man's eyes keep searching the crowd as he walked through the front door that wasn't there. He looked out at the crowd until he saw the two werewolves. "Evening, Dad. Bon soir, Papa."

Tyler and Michael looked at the man and in unison asked, "Son?"

Little Jean nodded yes. "I'm sorry that I never lost the weight you wanted me to."

The two werewolves bounded toward their son and hugged him tightly. "You look beautiful, Son," an overjoyed Tyler replied. He pushed back and looked at his son. "But how? What happened to our beautiful baby boy?"

"He's still inside me, but so is the twenty-eight-year-old me. That one appears to be the permanent look on the outside." He pointed toward the other newly arrived adult. "Max did it. I don't know how." He bowed his head. "Oliver made me kiss Max. I'm sorry. I kind of liked it, but I figured you would be mad."

Michael clung tightly to his naked son. "You're home, Son, I don't care about anything else."

"I could use some clothes," Little Jean said. "The pajamas I had on didn't fit to start with. Toss in a growth spurt at fifteen, and they were pretty much toast."

Tyler smiled and shook himself back into human form. Michael followed. "There," Tyler said.

"We have father and son matching outfits." Michael laughed.

"Best-looking outfits on the island tonight," they heard a husky voice say from behind.

Little Jean turned and smiled. "Uncle Will," he said as he hugged the old wolf.

"Welcome back, Kid," Will said. He held the man at arm's length. "You turned out to be just as hot as I thought you would. Max is going to be a lucky man."

"Uncle, I don't know what happened. There's nothing I understand about tonight."

"Give it time, Kid. The two of you will piece it together. You have time now. Max saw to that."

The heavyset man rubbed his bald head. "I love him, Uncle."

"And he loves you."

Little Jean leaned into the old wolf and whispered, "We're going to turn, aren't we?"

"Yep. I'm surprised Max hasn't already, but there's something in the mix here that's not quite right. I know he's going to turn first, and then he's going to turn you."

"I'm afraid, Uncle Will. There's still a little three-year-old kid in me that never had a chance to grow up."

"I know, Kid. It's not fair. But I tell you what. You have great dads and a pack that will be there for you if you choose to go wolf."

"I get to choose?"

Will hugged the man in front of him and whispered in his ear, "yeah, don't tell them I said so. When you don't choose to become a wolf, they're going to be wondering if I was the one that told you. But they'll get over it. You're going to be amazing."

"Do you know what I'm going to choose, Uncle Will?" Little Jean asked as he let go of the hug.

"Nah, I blocked that part out. I like surprises, but I know you're not turning wolf."

"What about Max? Do you know what he's going to be?"

"Him I know. We've talked about it since he was a little tyke."

"And..." Little Jean prodded.

"I told you I liked surprises. You're in for a surprise. I'm sure we all are. Things like this are always in flux. What he dreamed of when he was a kid might differ from what he dreams of now. All I know is you're both amazing. You'll both be amazing as beasts."

The big man hugged the old wolf again. "Will you be my best man?"

The wolf grinned. "I accept the honor. But you two aren't making it to the altar. I'm sure you knew that already. That light show probably short-circuited the Sight in you for a bit, but you don't need that to know how you feel about Max."

"So, can you and your husbands teach me how to do that whole mating ritual? I'm sure not going to ask my dads. I'd die of embarrassment."

"You want to practice with Max?"

"Can I?"

"Sure."

"You'se gonna find it gets easier to be in your body," Oliver said, waddling up to the big man. "Your older yous is gonna start remembering who they is the longer you's here."

"I'm going to miss my three-year-old."

Oliver looked up. "Me too, Little Jean. You was a good kid. I'll miss you in tai chi class."

The big man frowned. "I can't go anymore?"

Oliver grinned. "You still wants to?"

"I love tai chi class, Uncle Oliver."

Max walked toward the group from where his family and Jean Pierre's parents were talking. "I want to keep studying too, Uncle Oliver."

"Then, I'll see you both on Monday. You rests tonight and tomorrow."

Max's eyes widened. "Oh crap. Tomorrow. The bully brigade is coming."

"They ain't gonna think about pushing you no more in that body," Oliver said with a laugh.

"No, Uncle Oliver. How do we explain ourselves?" Little Jean said, waving at his body. "Max can't show up looking like that at school," he said, pointing to the man who now towered over his father.

"Homeschooling," Tyler said as he approached the four. "The Carver family, your father, and I have decided we have gifted children whose needs the public school system isn't meeting. Li Wei will tutor our sons in philosophy, Nathaniel will teach science, and Martin and Oliver will help them with the Sight."

Will grinned. "What about me?"

"If they need educating in being a smart-ass curmudgeon, you'll be our first choice," Michael said as he leaned over and kissed the old wolf. Will grabbed around Michael's waist and pulled him into a much tighter, much more passionate kiss than Michael expected. But he willingly yielded to the Iberian wolf. When they broke, he sighed. "Mon Dieu, you also do that very well. But the only ones getting lessons from you about that will be my husband and me."

Tyler hugged his burly son. "Until we sort this all out, you boys go to class here on the island."

"Really?" the overweight man said, happily clapping his hands like a three-year-old boy. "That is so awesome."

Michael smiled and hugged his son again. "Oui, that is so very awesome."

"But for tonight, let's get the Carver family some lodging they can actually see," Martin said. He gathered the Carver family around him, and they joined the expanding group.

Michael watched as his son's hand slipped into Max's. "Perhaps we should let our sons sleep together tonight. They've had a rough night and their stay over has been pretty much lost to all this," he said, waving to where the Hargrove House used to be.

"I'm not sure..." Sarah interrupted in a motherly tone.

"Babe," Paul interjected. "Your son just crossed twenty-five years of time and space to be with the boy he loves. It's time to let our son live the life he never got to. Let them be together tonight."

Kristopher giggled. "They're going to do it."

His father sighed. "That wouldn't surprise me. Every other guy on this island seems to."

"Gentlemen," Sarah said with her best voice of authority. "I don't care what my son does tonight. But if you two mention anything else that might happen, the entire weight of a mother's longing for her little boy will come crashing down on top of you."

Max let go of Little Jean's hand and hugged his mother. "Mom, I promise we won't do anything."

His mother hugged him tightly. "You do what your heart tells you to do, Son."

The man shook his mother playfully. "My heart tells me not to worry you over what happened tonight so that you can get some sleep. There's plenty of time for Jean Pierre and me to be together now. No need to rush anything." He let go of the hug and stepped back.

Little Jean stepped forward and hugged Sarah. "We'll be good, Dr. Carver. I guess I better stop calling you Aunt Sarah from now on. It could sound creepy if I'm dating your son."

Sarah laughed as she hugged the heavyset man. "Call me Mom. I guess I better get used to it. We already know there's a wedding down the line." Little Jean nodded, letting the truth he saw be unspoken for the time being. Sarah pushed back from hugging the six-foot-four bald man. "You know, you are quite the fur-ball. It tickles my nose."

Little Jean's face beamed. "I like it. I don't know who my biological father was, but I like to think of this as acquiring a few of my adoptive fathers' genes by osmosis. It's my inner werewolf popping out."

Sarah smiled and rubbed the massive chest, watching the fingers almost disappear in the flowing hair. "That's a wonderful way to look at it."

"Okay," Nathaniel said, turning off his ComLink. "Boys, you grab a room in the tunnels tonight and the rest of the Carver family is off to the Hospital Steward's Home. Greg told me he updated the interior of the house for exactly this purpose. It seems he expects our family to destroy multiple homes along the way."

Paul laughed. "He excels at advanced planning. But then where do you and your husbands go when you wipe out the museum?"

"Greg said he has that covered, too," the bear said with a smile. "We appear to be building again. He's rebuilding the General Hospital that once existed on the east side of the island. It will house any oversized beasts who need a temporary home." The bear shoved the two men together. "You get to pick out the wallpaper on the McGowan home's remodel. Seems it doesn't have a man cave and Greg insists a couple like you definitely need one."

Max smiled. "I don't even know what kind of couple we are, Uncle Nathaniel."

The bear returned the smile. "You're a couple in love. The rest will sort itself out, I promise."

Oliver reached up and grabbed Little Jean's hand. "Come on. I'll show you boys my old room. It's got a nice big bed in it. We can discuss the meaning of..." The badger's voice trailed off as he looked at Sarah. He tugged at the heavyset man's arm, pulling him down. He leaned up to his ear and whispered, "Big spoon, little spoon. I'm figuring you're gonna be the big spoon."

Little Jean chuckled. "We might take turns, Uncle Oliver. We already know what spooning is, but we have lots to figure out." He reached out and took Max's hand. "We need some pajamas, though."

Oliver looked up at the two naked men. "You boys is all growed up. You's already wearing your pajamas."

"OLIVER ERASMUS TEMPLETON!" Sarah yelled in the dreaded voice of all three names. The badger did his best to avoid eye contact as he pulled the two boys toward the tunnels.

It was three in the morning, and the quiet of the island had returned as the inhabitants slept soundly. Where the Hargrove House once stood, the sounds of the island night filled the air. The gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore melded with the chirping of crickets as the fog rolled back onto the island. On the rocky ground, the last of the embers that were once trees smoldered. The pit torn out from the house foundation where the boy's room used to be was all that remained visible of the two-story home. Life had returned to normal on Partridge Island.

The crickets stopped their night calls as a yellow glow began pulsing from the depth of the crater. A beam of yellow light shot up into the sky, spread out in a shallow wave across the heavens, and disappeared. Normal life on Partridge Island was never normal.

Chapter 3

The two new adults heard the knocking on their door. "Who is it?" Max asked.

"Derrick and Oliver," was the response.

"Hold on a minute. We don't have any clothes on."

"I know," Derrick said with a laugh. "We brought you some."

"Oh crap," Little Jean said. "He's right. We didn't have any last night."

"Is the door unlocked?" Max asked.

The door creaked open. "Yep. No one locks their doors on the island after the tourists leave," Derrick answered.

"Come in, guys. We'll stay under the covers."

The door pushed in and the two watched as Oliver and Derrick walked in. "You two's gonna need to get used to being nekkid around other werebeasts if you ever wants a social life."

"We realize that, Uncle Oliver. But that this is a big change," Little Jean said. "I mean I've only been out of diapers for two years and now you're asking me to deal with a body as big as..." He paused, "well, I don't know what I'm big as, but I'm big."

"Well, that's true," Derrick laughed. "We brought you breakfast. Do you want us to turn around while you get dressed or would you like breakfast in bed? I can guarantee that you aren't getting this kind of service for long."

Max laughed. "We can get dressed. You needn't turn around. You're right that we have to adapt to this new world of ours." He slipped out of the bed and stared down at his hard-on. "Crap. Is this going to happen all the time?"

"If you's lucky, it will," Oliver said with a grin. "Here," he said, tossing the prematurely graying man a pair of sweats. "Puts them on. I likes seeing a man's morning wood poking through his pants."

"Uncle Oliver," Max groaned. "This is hard enough as it is without you making jokes."

"Nah, Kid," Oliver said, jumping up onto the bed. "You can get way harder than that. That's just your adult body doing what it does. You is still young inside, so it seems awkward to you. But it won't be forever. Wait until you is older and you two starts playing."

Little Jean frowned. "Uncle Oliver, I'm still three years old. I may be inside this old body, but I'm a kid."

"Yeah, I knows," the badger said, leaning back onto the bed and looking up at Jean Pierre who still sat in the bed with the covers pulled tight. "I'se the one who told older Max to do that."

Max looked flustered. "Why would you do that, Uncle Oliver?"

Oliver righted himself. "Because you was just babies. You never known nothin' but being kids and it weren't fair for old Max to take all that away from you."

Derrick sat on the bed next to Oliver, in the space vacated by Max. He rubbed Jean Pierre's bald head. "I recognize it's tough right now, but you're going to be growing up fast. Not like your mother and fathers are always telling you; I mean outrageously fast." The black wolf looked at Max as he slipped into his sweats. "I don't understand time the way you do, Max. Well, not you, but the older you. You move through time like it's a river. You swim back and forth in it, but the river stays unchanged, always moving forward."

"The older Max was dying, boys," the badger added. "He had lost everyone and everything, including you, Little Jean. He had no choice but to swim back here and replace his younger self. And he knowed he couldn't let you be dead, so he dragged you back with him to where you was alive."

"But why did he bring us back with these bodies?" Little Jean asked.

"Because Oliver told him to," Derrick said. "We're werebeasts. We understand the pain that comes with a body trying to reconfigure itself to a new shape and size. Asking you two to grow into new bodies each day would leave you in agony for weeks on end. We couldn't let you suffer like that. Oliver understood that. So, he had older Max keep the bodies you already had and bring them back here."

Oliver rubbed the chubby man's chest. "He's inside you, Little Jean. There's a Jean Pierre that's all growed up inside you, and one day you's gonna wake up and be him. But I couldn't let those men take away all the joys of being a little boy from you in a single night."

"I don't understand, Uncle Oliver," Max said.

"They's both inside you. Your older selfs is there kinda hibernatin'. You's sharing the space with them and they's letting you be boys for a time. They wants you to experience what it's like the first time you walks along the beach holding hands. And one day, they wants you to taste the happiness you gets when eats something you never had before. Or the thrill of the first time you explores them bodies of yours and gives each other a blow job. One day you'se gonna decides to turn and mate, and them are days you deserve to feel inside the bodies you has now. You gots so many first times, and they wants you to live through them all. They's already had theirs. It ain't fair that you don't get yours."

Little Jean grimaced. "I'm not sure I want to give Max a blow job. I mean, I get that you guys like it, but it sounds pretty gross."

Derrick laughed. "Your three-year-old self won't want to, but we won't be able to stop your sixteen-year-old self from having Max in ways you haven't even thought of yet. Life will compress all those years into only a few months. But you'll get the chance to experience them and they'll meld with your older selves to give you a life lived, instead of a life remembered."

Max reached over and grabbed a doughnut from the tray Derrick brought in. "Is that why I know how to ride a horse, even though I've never even seen an actual horse yet?"

"It were your eleventh birthday," Oliver confirmed. "You wents horseback riding in Montana. Max went with you. You boys was already in love."

"I'm ten, Uncle Oliver. I'm not eleven for another month."

"No, you's eleven and Little John is turning four tomorrow. Today you is a couple of months older than you was last night. Your older you's lives are being lived right beside the ones you got here. Their lives is flowing into yours and you all is living much, much faster."

"Your older Max is eleven. You're already feeling his life as an eleven-year-old lodging in your permanent memory," Derrick said. He frowned. "I know. You think about this stuff too long and your head will hurt. Think of it this way. Every week, you grow a year closer to your older selves. The clock is ticking down and by the end of six months, the young you and the older you will be the same person."

"How do you know all this?" Max asked.

"Derrick's got the Sight, same as me," Oliver said. "He sees the ones with the Sight as they's being born. He sees you two the way I sees you. You's like two you's headed toward your other selves, but you gots a few months to be yourselves and makes your own memories that you can lock away forever. I knows it ain't much, but we ain't got much time for you to be the younger yous."

Little Jean groaned. "Uncle Derrick is right. My head hurts."

Derrick gave a little chuckle. "What it means is that each day you wake up you'll feel new experiences that you've never had as if you already did. But each day, you can create your own experiences together as the kids you are. You boys already know you were born to be together. Take this time to understand why you're going to be best friends for life."

"What do we do, Uncle Derrick?"

The door opened wide, and Will stood in the doorway. "For starters, you boys come with me. We're headed to Montana."

Both the men's faces lit up. "Are we going to ride horses?" Max asked enthusiastically.

"You two and Chet are riding the range today, and tonight, you sleep out under the stars you hardly ever see on this island for all the fog. Max, Little John, we're throwing both of you a birthday party tonight with your families. The bullies from your school are already on their way to the island, so we want to get you two off and running before they get here. Max, your dad will be with the kids long enough to get them settled in with their chaperones. After that, the whole Carver clan and Little John's dads will head out to Montana and join you. So, you boys hop to it. It's burning daylight out there."

The old wolf threw both boys brown Stetson hats and boots. "Chet's birthday gifts for you two. You're only eleven and four once in your life. Well, twice in your life, but that's too weird, so I'm not going there. Come on; suit up. The Red Wolf is champing at the bit." Will paused. "Okay, that's it. I've run out of cowboy slang. Get a move on it, Kids." The boys rushed to get their clothes on and dashed out the door with their uncles toward the Red Wolf.

Chapter 4

As the birthday party ended, the parents said goodbye to their sons and boarded the Red Wolf for a trip back to Partridge Island. The bully brigade, as the island residents called them, was returning tomorrow after their first day on the island. Paul was taking them through Juvenile Detention lockup on the mainland before their trip to the island as a part of their community service. He was calling it incarceration awareness day. He thought it was important to their defiant attitudes that they realize what they were avoiding during their visits to the island.

The parents and siblings of Max and Little Jean's fathers waved one last time as the boarding ramp retreated. The door closed, and the ship rocketed upward, streaking across the sky like a shooting star in reverse.

"Okay, Jefe," Chet said. "Hop onto the wagon. There are straw bales in the back if you want to ride together. We're going to camp out on the plains tonight."

Both men beamed with cheerful smiles. "This is the best birthday ever," Little Jean said, his excitement uncontrollable.

"Yeah, best ever," Max smiled. He looked at Little Jean and pushed him toward the wagon. "You go first," he said. Chet helped the big man up into the back of the wagon. Little Jean sat on a bale of hay and Max sat beside him. The two looked at each other and pushed shyly closer together. Max's hand moved to cover Little Jean's, and when they touched, both smiled.

Chet lifted himself onto the spring seat, released the brake, and shook the reigns. The draft horses shuffled forward, headed out onto the dirt road, and away from the ranch. About half an hour later, the boys saw the glowing light in the distance. "What's that, Uncle Chet?" they asked, almost in unison.

"That's a yurt. Mongolian and Turkish nomads used to make portable tents thousands of years ago out of furs. They wrapped the furs around a circular wood latticework. The design is very efficient, and nowadays they make a wonderful place for our men to stay the night. We've replaced the furs with a canvas designed by Bear Paws labs. We have quite a few out here on the plains to help manage the herds. But tonight, the boys are staying at the ranch so you can enjoy a night out under the stars, per the old wolf's promise."

When the three stepped into the yurt, the men who were still boys gave out a long "whoooa." What they saw was nothing like a tent. Two oversized beds sized for werewolves, a couch, and a wood stove filled the round canvas building. A desk off to one side had a large monitor screen and a ComLink station. It surprised the boys to see a small kitchen and even a bathroom.

Chet smiled. "We gave up roughing it years ago, boys. Riding the range all day leaves us tired. We're not throwing a sleeping bag on the ground and calling it good if we don't have to. You boys sleep here tonight. I'll sleep outside." Chet became a ball of motion as his clothes slipped away from the ever-shrinking body, and he became a red-tailed hawk.

Max and Little Jean looked at him. "You're so cool, Uncle Chet. Are you sure you want to sleep outside?"

The bird nodded.

The two looked at him. "Don't you talk when you're a hawk?"

The bird shook its head.

Max closed his eyes in thought and then opened them. "Because people would think you're a pirate parrot or something."

The bird nodded.

"We understand, Uncle Chet. We won't ask you to talk when you're a hawk."

Little Jean looked at the hawk. "Uncle Chet, could you please stay with us tonight? I know we're supposed to be adults and all, but this is out in the boonies. I'm not exactly scared or anything, but you know... four-years-old... kid..."

The whirlwind that was the hawk's transformation returned a short, naked man to the room. "Okay, but you boys have got to promise not to stay up all night talking. I have a busy day tomorrow, and I need my rest. Besides, you've been riding all day, and you need your sleep as well."

"We promise," the two said together.

"When the lights go out, the clear dome in the center will let you see the stars. On a night like tonight, you might even see the trailing edge of the Milky Way." Chet looked down. "I guess I should have brought pajamas."

"Oh, that's okay, Uncle Chet," Max said as the two pulled off their shirts. "We're all grownups here." The two pulled off their boots, socks, and pants and jumped naked into one bed together. "We're wearing our pajamas all the time."

Chet laughed. "Okay, boys, as long as you're comfortable with the Montana Ranch house attire, I won't complain."

"Does anyone wear pajamas here, Uncle Chet?"

"Nope. It impedes too many things werewolves do at night."

"What do they do?"

"Talk to me when you're sixteen. That's what? A month or two from now?"

"For me," Max said. "When I'm sixteen, Little Jean will only be nine."

Chet smiled. "Kind of robbing the cradle there, Max."

"Yeah, especially now," Max laughed knowingly.

"You two can stop talking about my age now," Little Jean said with a snort.

"I'm sorry, Little Jean. You know I love you, right?" Chet asked.

Little Jean smiled. "Yeah, I know. I love you too, Uncle Chet."

Max hugged Little Jean. "And I love you."

Little Jean hugged back. "I love you too, Max." He paused for a moment. "Would you like to have our first kiss in the middle of Montana?"

"Silly," Max said. "We already had our first kiss in the Hargrove House."

"I don't think it counts as a first kiss if you were passed out when I kissed you."

Chet laughed. "Sorry boys, I couldn't help but hear. I agree with Little Jean. Kissing when one of you is unconscious doesn't count as a first kiss. At best, it's a practice run."

"So?" Little Jean prodded for an answer. Max pushed his lips against Little Jean's, and they rubbed them gently together. The Montana night had a noisy quiet to it. The crickets chirped while a pack of coyotes called out their loneliness to the bison.

"Damn it," Max yelled. "Is this thing going to pop up every time I kiss you?"

Chet burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the yurt. "That's exactly what you want to happen every time you kiss him. Give yourself a few weeks, and those years will creep up on you. Before long, you'll be happy with how your older body responds now," Chet said as he leaned over and turned off the lights. "Enjoy the stars, you princes of Partridge Island, you kings of New Brunswick."

The boys looked up, past the acrylic dome into a cloudless sky filled with stars. "Whoooa."

Chapter 5

Two months had passed since the men who were boys first slept under the stars in Montana. Each week, their families would celebrate their birthdays. In those few weeks, they had been many places and done many things. But almost half of their parties had taken place on the Montana ranch at the young men's request. After the families spent the night sleeping in Conestoga wagons, they were preparing an early morning steak and egg breakfast.

"I hope this doesn't take you away from anything important," Paul said to Chet as the foreman flipped the steaks on the grill.

"Not at all, Jefe," Chet said with a smile. "I enjoy having the boys visit. They're growing up so fast."

Paul laughed. "That they are. I know they're young, but their other lives are catching up with them so quickly. I'm pretty sure you played a bigger part in their lives than our constricted time frame is letting us see. They're both quite fond of you."

Chet looked up. "And I am fond of them. Does that concern you?"

"No, not in the way you might be thinking. I watch the way the two watch you. I remember my days as a child and how there were men I looked up to and wanted to become." Paul paused for a moment. "You're one of those men in their life, Chet."

"I try to be a good man, Jefe," Chet said as he turned another steak.

"Oh god," Paul said. "I'm saying this all so poorly. Forgive a father for not saying things the way he hoped. I'm trying to say thank you, Chet. It's difficult for me to teach my gay son how to grow up to be a good gay man. I know all the parts about being a good man, and I'm doing my best to show Max that path. But how to be gay, especially how to be gay in the company of werebeasts," Paul sighed before continuing, "that I rely on my family to teach him. He looks up to you, and I'm grateful you're the man you are."

Chet smiled. "Thank you, Jefe."

Paul paused. "What does Jefe mean?"

"It's Spanish. It means boss."

"But I'm not your boss, Chet."

"I call you and the boys Jefe. I call others Jefe as well. For me, it's a term of endearment. I use it to say that you are a special part of my life. You are the bosses of my heart, so to speak. You can't demand to be the boss of my heart. No one can. But I can give that power to you. With your family, I do so willingly. Now, your wife, if I call her Jefe, then you know that means boss," Chet said with a laugh. "She is one tough woman. You married very well, Jefe."

Paul smiled. "Jefe, huh?"

"Yep."

"One day they're going to turn, aren't they, Chet?"

"I think so."

"You'll help them become good beasts, as well as good gay men, won't you?"

"You don't need to worry, Jefe. They hold the hearts of all in our family. We will look after them and protect them." Chet paused, closed his eyes, and bowed his head. "I will look after them and protect them with my life."

Paul reached out and hugged Chet, who froze briefly and then returned the hug. "It's been a long time since I've hugged a human," Chet said.

"I've never hugged a man that could become a red-tailed hawk."

Chet squeezed him tighter. "So, how's it going, Jefe?"

"I'm liking it," Paul said. "I may start calling you Jefe if this goes on much longer."

Chet let Paul go and smiled at him. "Are you working with the bullies on the island today?"

"Day off for me, but they're there. The foster kids are helping them with working the farm."

"How is the farm?"

Paul laughed. "It's a petting zoo, Chet. Nothing like here. We have cows and goats with names, not bison steaks on the grill."

"We are all a part of the great web of life," Chet said. "We who eat meat teach our charges to never waste and to give thanks to the ones whose lives we take so that we can live. You teach your visitors to love the animals on another level. I see both paths as being excellent choices."

"I agree with you there. We're trying to do our part to make the world a better place."

"And what of the children? Are they still bullies?"

Paul thought for a moment. "They appear to be changing. It's slow, but they're not the same kids they were when they first arrived. Time will tell how it all works out. We have another month with them. It was at least worth the effort. I'm hoping that Jean Pierre's idea works out."

"I will hope for a good return to your efforts," Chet said as he scooped up the last steaks and stacked them on a plate. "And now, here is a good return to my efforts. Esteban should have the eggs done, and the boys will have finished the toast. I say we enjoy breakfast." Chet handed a plate filled with steaks to Paul, and they headed over to the tables of waiting birthday celebrants.

Chapter 6

On Partridge Island, the weekend cleanup was going well. Oliver was overseeing the children. He found the once tiresome chore to keep the bullies focused on their tasks, and out of mischief, was growing easier. Only Billy seemed to hold tenaciously to his entrenched beliefs. Regardless, he seemed to spend an increasing amount of time with Diego. Diego seemed content to let him do so despite his daily diatribe against the inhabitants of the island.

They were inside the barn shoveling out the goat pen when Billy turned to Diego. "I don't get how you can stay on this island full of fags. It totally creeps me out."

"I don't know," Diego answered. "They're all pretty nice people. None of them would hurt you and most of them actually want to help you. Although I'm not all that sure you're worth helping."

Billy stammered. "I... I... I don't need any fixing. I'm not the pervert on this island."

Diego looked at him. "Perversion means going against the natural course of something. Your narrow point of view doesn't take into consideration that everyone on this island is doing exactly what they were born to do. The straight people on this island are straight because they were born that way. The gay people on this island are gay because they were born that way. For them, being a pervert would be if they tried to act straight. That goes against their nature. Not loving someone their heart tells them to love is what's perverted."

"That doesn't make any sense," Billy rebuked. "It's God's law. You can't be a homo."

"Well then, God shouldn't have made so many of them," Diego said casually. "Funny thing about God's laws, though, Billy. I can find you a hundred churches that say God's law is all right with gays." Diego paused. "How much have you learned about history, Billy?"

"Not much. It's boring," was the reply.

"I'm taking it you're a Christian, right?"

"Damn straight."

"Well, I'm not so sure," Diego said, "but I'm going to work with it. Did you know two thousand years ago, Romans considered the Christians perverts?"

Billy looked flustered. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Christians were new on the scene and their beliefs and practices made them the objects of ridicule all over Rome. Kind of like the way you teased Max and the other kids who you thought were different. And like you, the Romans weren't content to leave the bullying stop at words. It kept getting worse. In no time at all, it was okay to kill the Christians. At first, they persecuted them because they were sick individuals whose beliefs needed eradicating, but eventually, it became a sport, Billy. Exactly like you."

"I haven't killed anyone," Billy protested.

"Not yet, but I'm sure, given time, you're going to. If you don't change, I bet I see your mug shot on the eleven o'clock news one day. Those gay people out there, Billy; you're afraid of them the same way the Romans were afraid of the Christians."

"I'm not afraid of homos. They're just unnatural."

"There are over fifteen hundred species of animals that practice homosexual behavior, Billy. You can't use the defense that it's unnatural. Hell, there are even animals that change their sex. The only defense you have against homosexuality is that someone told you to hate them and you took the bait."

"No one told me it was wrong. Some things are just wrong. Besides, it's God's Law. God hates fags."

"Did God tell you that personally, or did someone you know tell you that's what God believes?"

"My dad taught me that. But it makes sense."

"My foster parents taught me to love everyone, including assholes like you, Billy," Diego countered. "It makes sense. You leave me alone; I leave you alone. You believe whatever you want as long as your belief doesn't include forcing me to believe it, too."

Billy fidgeted. "But... But... you know they're perverted."

Diego sighed. "I know they're loving and kind. They protect me and take care of me. I know you're a bully. Which of the two seems perverted to you, Billy?"

"They're not normal," Billy yelled defiantly.

"You're going in circles, Billy. You can't prove your arguments using anyone on this island. If I had to trust someone with my life, I would trust the ones who are true to their nature. The ones who love me. The ones who love each other. They're the normal ones. They aren't the perverts, Billy. You are."

Billy's eyes tightened. "I'm not a pervert," he glowered. "Take it back."

Diego flexed, letting his bulky muscles show through his shirt. "No."

Billy looked at the boy in front of him. "You take it back, or... or..."

"Or what, Billy?" Diego interrupted. "I'm not afraid of you. You can't hurt me. The only one in danger here is you. You're in danger of living your whole life as a pervert because you believed a lie you heard as a kid."

"What are you talking about?" Billy yelled.

Diego grabbed Billy's collar and pulled him into a tight kiss. Billy struggled to break free, but Diego's strength overwhelmed his efforts. When at last Diego felt a yielding from Billy, he let him go. Billy didn't break the kiss for a few moments after Diego let go. But then, with a forceful shove, Billy stumbled backward. "What the hell did you do that for?" he cried out.

"Because I'm not a pervert, Billy," Diego responded. "Because I am doing what is natural for me to do since the day I was born. I'm gay. I have known it since I was a baby."

"But you can't be. You're straight. I've seen you on the football team. You've got to be straight."

"Nope. Gay. Gay... gay... gay... gay... gay," the bulky youth responded. "Billy, it's not me that's got a problem with who I am. It's you. Trust me, Billy. I'm gay. I enjoyed that kiss, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Even so, I apologize for what I did. My foster parents raised me better than to kiss someone without his consent. I promise you, I will never lay a hand on you again without an invitation."

Billy's fists clenched. "I didn't... I'm not..."

"It's okay to be gay, Billy," Diego said. "It's only perverted when you go against who you really are."

Billy ran to Diego and pounded his fists into the other's chest. "I'm not gay," he screamed. "I'm not gay."

Diego stood motionless as the fists pounded into his chest. Eventually, Billy's screams of protest became sobs, and at last, he fell to his knees crying. "I'm not gay, damn it," Billy whimpered.

Diego dropped to his knees and looked the bully in the eye. "That's okay, Billy. You don't have to be gay. You don't have to be straight. All you need to do is decide who you are and then be you. Billy, I like you, but you're so full of anger. Let it go. The anger will kill you or someone else one day. I don't want to see that day. I'd rather be your friend. But you have to stop hurting others. You need to let that part go as well. You can't lash out at what you don't understand."

Billy was quiet. The minutes ticked by, and Diego and Billy sat without a word between them. Finally, Billy whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hit you."

Billy's hand reached out, and Diego took it. "Yeah, I kinda figured you were."

"I'm not good at saying I'm sorry."

"You're doing fine. I'm pretty easy with apologies. I don't hold grudges."

"I don't want... I don't want you to hate me, Diego," Billy said, squeezing the brown-skinned boy's hand tighter.

"No one on this island hates you, Billy. Why do you think we asked you to come here? We're not who you think we are. We're not what you think we are. There is so much more to life than your father has taught you. There is so much more to this world than you can imagine. But you have to let go of what you think you believe before you'll ever see it."

"Please don't hate me," Billy whispered, bowing his head.

"I don't hate you, Billy," Diego said. "I've never hated you. How could I hate the guy I could have become if life had taken a different turn?"

Billy looked up. "What do you mean?"

"I had a father once who hated fags. He beat me, he told me to straighten up." Diego made a small laugh. "Like I could ever do that." With his free hand, he brushed back Billy's tears. "I understand what it's like to live in a world where everything you are is hated and despised. I was learning to lash out, the same as my father. Everyone who ever hurt me, I would hurt even worse. I made sure I punished every boy I ever felt anything for, simply for existing as my temptation. I wouldn't let anyone close because that made me vulnerable, and I would never be weak."

Diego paused. He made a small choking noise. "A bomb took my family away from me, Billy. The end of every violent path is the same. We die. We all die without ever having lived. I don't want you to die without ever living, Billy."

Billy reached out, grabbed Diego, and clung to him. Diego stayed with his hands by his side, unsure what to do after his promise. He whispered, "I was lucky, Billy. When I lost one family, another took me in. They're good people. I can be who I am. Two gay foster parents from Korea and one from Ireland love and protect me. We have the most mixed-up family you can imagine. But it works, Billy. It works because we don't go against our natures. The hard job is yours. You need to decide what to do with your life. Please, end the violence that's shoving its way into your life before it destroys you."

"I don't know what to do," Billy said. He pulled Diego into an even tighter hug, and this time Diego returned the hug.

"Admitting that is a good place to start," Diego said with a smile. They held their hug for a time until Diego let the hug go. He looked at his watch and sighed. He pulled Billy up as he rose. "For starters, let's get cleaned up. It's time for you to go back to the Mainland." He brushed off the dust and straw from Billy's jeans. "A couple of minutes in the restroom and you'll be as good as new."

Billy smiled. "Thanks, Diego."

"My pleasure," Diego said, smiling back.

Inside the restroom, the two washed their hands and splashed water on their faces as they cleaned up. Billy looked over at Diego. "You won't go telling anyone about this, will you?"

"What? That you're kind of nice if we ignore the total asshole you usually are, or that I like you?"

Billy stammered, trying to find the words. "That... that... that I like you. Okay? That I like you."

"So, we're friends. Worse things happen to kids all the time. I mean, you could enjoy listening to K-pop boy bands or some other horrible thing."

Billy laughed. "You know what I mean."

"If they ask me if I think of you as a friend, I will not lie to them."

"I guess that's okay. I guess I won't lie about that either."

"So, what am I not going to tell them?"

"You know... stuff. Like kissing stuff."

"God, Billy, what kind of lunatic do you think I am? Do you want my reputation ruined by someone finding out I kissed the biggest bully in the school? I got Kenneth Farmington to kiss me. He sure won't do that again if he finds out I kissed you."

"Kenneth? Like senior quarterback Kenneth?"

"Yeah. He plays with more balls than those on the football field."

Billy shook his head. "I did not need to hear that."

Diego leaned over and rubbed the back of Billy's neck. "I promise. What we did was between friends. Friends don't brag about conquests because there never is a conquest. We're only two guys doing what we agreed to do."

"Thanks, Diego."

"Hey, that's what friends are for."

Billy looked at Diego. The two stood quietly for a moment. "Friends," Billy said contemplatively. Before he could say anything else, a crowd of other children and the bully brigade rushed into the restroom. They began cleaning up before the return skiff headed back to the mainland. Separated by the milling crowd, Billy and Diego never found time alone again. The last they saw of each other was when Diego waved goodbye from the wharf as the skiff set course to return Billy and the bully brigade to the Mainland.

Chapter 7

The firm paws of the werewolf shook Diego awake. "Diego, wake up. There's been a horrible accident. He asked for you."

Diego looked up and saw the Padre. "Who, Dad? Who asked for me?"

"Billy."

Diego bolted out of his bed. "What happened? Where is he?"

"He's with Nathaniel in the ICU. He slipped into a coma on the way over from the mainland. Diego, what happened today?"

"Nothing, we talked. I told him I was gay and that it was okay for him to be gay too." Diego stumbled to the closet and put on a pair of pants over his pajamas. "We didn't do anything, I swear."

"You're fine, Son," the werewolf said. "We're trying to piece together what's happened. The boy was Life Flighted over here from St John Hospital. His injuries are very serious. The mainland doesn't send people here unless the patient is beyond their helping."

Diego's face dropped. "No, Dad. Please, no. It wasn't supposed to end like this."

"Come on; let's get you to the hospital. He's coming out of the ER operating room now."

Diego shoved his feet into his slippers and was running out the door before the Padre could even catch up to him. Within moments, the youth broke through the doors of the hospital. "Where is he?" he cried out.

The charge nurse quickly escorted him through the causeway and into the ICU. Nathaniel looked up from the young boy in the bed when Diego stormed into the room. The South American lad stared at the beaten, bloodied body lying in the bed. "Por favor, não deixe que isto seja verdade," he said, sobbing. "I didn't mean this to happen, Billy. I swear I didn't mean this to happen."

Diego pushed past the red-headed doctor and toward the now comatose boy. "I only wanted you to be free. You weren't supposed to die. I should have left you alone. I didn't realize your father would do this."

Nathaniel's eyebrow raised. "Billy's father did this?"

"Yes. It has to be him," Diego said through his tears. "I told him it was okay to be gay. I told him to be true to himself. God, what have I done? We're kids, Uncle Nathaniel. How could anyone do this to him?"

Diego grabbed the bloody body beneath and hugged it tightly. The charge nurse stepped forward to pull Diego away from the patient before his hug furthered the damage. But he found himself forced back along the floor and out the door by a green light spreading from the bearded doctor's hand. The glass doors slammed shut, and the curtains drew closed on their own.

Outside, the werewolf shook his head and realized that the doctor had politely asked him to leave. Inside the room, Nathaniel pulled off his lab coat and shook into a bear. He put his paw on the young lad, cradling his friend. "Do what you were born to do, Diego. Use the gifts given to you," he said. "Now is your time. Billy is your key. Follow your heart."

Without looking up, Diego closed his eyes and concentrated. He saw the bloody body in his mind. The cracked skull and the oozing colorless liquid leaked out into the surrounding area. Eyes still shut tight, he watched the green light close the gaping wound. He sensed broken bones and ribs and he brought them back together. The torn flesh became whole as the green light flowed out from Diego and into Billy's broken body.

Diego tried to glimpse further inside the boy, but it all was a jumble of unknown parts that fit into unknown areas. He concentrated, but it was all a mystery. "Please, I don't know what they are. Please fix them," he begged, looking into the eyes of the bear.

Nathaniel leaned over the boy and put his paw against the side of the bloody body, closed his eyes, and answered the young boy's plea. In their minds, both saw the boy that Diego loved coming back from the brink of death. Outside, the nurse watched the beams of bright green light streaming through the open spaces, and he smiled.

A violent shudder swept over Diego. The bear pushed his glowing paw against the boy's shoulder, bringing the boy's awareness back into the room. "That's enough, Son. Don't use it all up. Your boyfriend will be fine."

Diego looked up at the bear. "He's not my boyfriend."

The raspy voice of Billy interjected, "But I could be." Diego turned to see Billy's eyes open and a half smile form across the bloodied mouth. He struggled to move his arm and placed a finger on his lips. "You said you had to have an invitation. Could you please give me another kiss now?"

Diego looked up at the short-faced bear. "What?" the bear asked. "You're the doctor. Your patient has asked for life-sustaining treatment. Are you're going to deny him that?"

Diego smiled and lowered his face onto Billy's, and they kissed. After a time Nathaniel considered adequate to leave both boys happy, he cleared his throat. "Okay, gentlemen. It's time that you were both resting. I'm reluctant to interrupt such a pleasant interlude for you two, but sleep is on the docket for the time being."

Diego looked up. "I can't sleep after tonight. I'm too keyed up."

Nathaniel smiled. He reached over and pushed the call button. The nurse answered, and the doctor ordered another single bed for the room. He looked at the two. "How old are you boys?"

"Fourteen," Diego said.

"Fifteen," Billy said. "I failed a grade."

"Well, that won't happen again, will it, young man?" the bear said as much a command as a question.

"No, Sir," Billy said without hesitation. "Doctor, how come you're all fuzzy?"

Nathaniel reached over, grabbed the Ophthalmoscope, and looked into the young man's eyes. "This is bright, but do your best to keep your eyes open," he said as he shook back into human form. Nathaniel looked at both eyes. "You have some damage to your eyes from the trauma, but most of it will heal over the next few days, I suspect." He bumped his arm against the Latino youth standing beside him and smiled.

"That's good," Billy said. "For a moment, I thought you looked like a blurry bear."

"Interesting, Billy," Nathaniel said with a smile. "You might have to get used to that part."

A team of orderlies wheeled in the extra bed. Nathaniel motioned them to put it next to Billy's bed. Once in place, he grabbed Diego and put him up on the bed. "Okay, you're both of an age when you're going to think of all kinds of things you can do besides kiss each other, but this is a doctor's order. Nothing... and I mean nothing more than kissing each other good night, and then it's off to bed for both of you."

Diego and Billy both smiled. "Thank you, Uncle," Diego said.

"Thank you, Diego," Nathaniel responded. "You're going to make a wonderful doctor someday."

"Really?"

"Really. Now off to bed. I will see you both in the morning." The redheaded human shook himself back into a bear. "And you know me, Diego. You boys go off doing anything other than sleeping tonight and I will know. There are some things young men are best off waiting for until they're older."

Diego laughed. "I promise we'll behave, Uncle."

"Damn," Billy said.

Nathaniel laughed. "You're going to love Diego's Uncle Will, Billy. You are two of a kind, I can tell."

When the door closed behind the bear, Billy and Diego sat in silence for a moment. Finally, Billy turned to Diego. "What happened here, Diego? I remember my dad hitting me with a cast iron frying pan. I'm not sure I should even be alive, let alone talking."

"Remember what I said about a world that you couldn't see until you let go of the one you were holding onto?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you're about to find out what I meant in the days to come."

"I'm afraid of what's to come, Diego," Billy said. "Dad went insane when I told him I was gay."

"I figured that's what the frying pan meant," Diego said. "We won't let your father hurt you ever again. My Uncle Paul will see to that."

"You have a lot of uncles, don't you?"

"More than most," Diego said. "I'm lucky that way." The two were quiet for a time when Diego asked, "remember when you said you didn't want me to hate you?"

Billy was silent for a moment. "I don't want you to, Diego. Please, don't hate me. I have been so wrong about so much."

"I don't hate you, Billy," Diego said. "I know I want to be your friend." Diego paused. "Truth is, I might even love you."

"I might love you, too," Billy said. "I don't think I would ever have told my dad I was gay if you hadn't told me to be true to who I was. The entire trip back on the boat, I kept thinking about what you said. I had to stop being perverted. I had to be true to my nature, and I knew that meant being true to everyone. Even the tough ones like my dad."

"You're a brave guy, Billy."

"Not really. I'm a coward, like most bullies, but I had to be brave for you. What I feel for you is more than anything I feel for my other friends. And that's when I realized I was changing my life so I could be with you. I can't say it was my finest hour. I tell my dad I'm gay and get clocked by a frying pan, all at the same moment."

"I'm sorry that happened, Billy. I didn't mean for you to get hurt because of anything I said."

"It's okay, Diego. Some guys need a pan upside their head before they wake up to what they should see," Billy replied. He paused. "I can't go home again, Diego. The hospital sent me here so dad couldn't get to me. I'm so afraid of what he might do if he finds me now."

"It's not easy being on the wrong side of a bully, is it?" Diego said.

"No, it's not. But it's better with you in the bed next to me. It's not so scary knowing your family is out there." Billy was quiet again for a moment in thought. "Do you think I could get a goodnight kiss?"

"I don't know, Billy. Being this close to you is tough. If we kiss, I won't want to stop. I've got a hard-on just thinking about it."

Billy giggled. "Would that be so bad? I've never been with anyone before, but I could try. I've got a hard-on too."

Diego shook his head no. "You're still badly hurt inside. You need to get better first. But even if we could, we can't, because I promised Uncle Nathaniel I wouldn't."

"How's he going to figure out what we do?"

"He knew the first time I ever masturbated."

"He caught you jacking off?" Billy asked, laughing.

"No, he could smell the cum on me hours after I did it. And that's even after I cleaned up with a washrag."

"Really?"

"My dads are worse. Their sense of smell is incredible. You don't want to mess with my family when it comes to keeping your word. They've got skills in finding out the truth."

Billy reached over and held Diego's hand. "I'm not sure what it would be like to have a family like that."

Diego smiled. "It feels great. Even those embarrassing times."

Billy rolled over on his side and looked at Diego. He pulled the hand he held close and kissed it. "I know we're kids. And I'm a major asshole that has a lot to learn, but I would like to be a part of your family."

"You mean like a brother? I kind of have enough of those."

"I was thinking more like a boyfriend with an option for something more serious down the line."

"Wow, you like to rush into things, don't you?" Diego laughed.

Billy frowned. "I guess so. Maybe because I'm afraid I'll wake up tomorrow and this will all be a dream."

"Boyfriends would be nice," Diego said thoughtfully. "And my dads taught me never to say never when speaking of love."

"That's great," Billy said with a smile. "Do you think Master Li Wei will let us work out together?"

"When you're better. And if you promise not to fart every time you raise your leg."

"I promise."

"Well, good. Then we should try to get some sleep."

The two closed their eyes and let the darkness surround them.

"Diego."

"Yes, Billy."

"Your uncle turns into a bear, doesn't he?"

"No, it's more like he's a bear that turns into a human."

"Am I going to be okay here?" Billy asked, as his eyes opened and he looked at the boy next to him.

"You're going to be fine. There is nowhere in the world safer for you than here."

Billy smiled. "Okay then. Goodnight." The medications in Billy's IV drip took effect, and his eyes closed as he nodded off.

"Goodnight, Billy," Diego said, letting the other's hand slip from his as he pulled up the covers.

Chapter 8

Billy and Diego woke up to see a doctor bear rummaging through the drawers in their room. Nathaniel looked up and smiled at the two. "Hello, boys. How did you sleep?"

Billy tried to smile. "Not very well. I hurt all over."

"I didn't sleep very well either. I worried about him all night long."

Nathaniel smiled. "Well, I expected that on both your parts. Billy's father beat him severely, and the damage was extensive." Nathaniel put his stethoscope on the young man's chest and listened. "We won't tell the mainland about your progress for some time. Boys don't go from arriving at a hospital in a coma to being alert the next day unless something very unusual happens. And we try our best not to be unusual on this island any more than we need to." The bear paused and moved toward the young man. "You know what a coma is, right?"

"Kind of like almost dead, but not quite?" Billy guessed.

"That's a good way of looking at it."

Billy looked at Nathaniel. "You're a bear. A huge bear."

"Well, that's what I look like at the moment. The truth is a bit more complicated, Billy. But for now, let's go with the fact that I'm a bear. Do you have a problem with that?"

"I don't know. I've never seen a bear that talked before."

"And I've never met a fifteen-year-old bully before. Life is full of surprises."

Diego gave the bear a disapproving look. "Uncle Nathaniel, he's not a bully anymore."

Nathaniel turned toward Billy and produced a tongue depressor. "Say Ah, Billy."

Billy stuck out his tongue and said Ah. The flat wooden stick pushed down his tongue. "Oh, that's amazing. I'm surprised how much your mouth looks like one that was calling us an island of fags only a week ago."

"I'th thorry, Dother Tetleton," Billy said, struggling to talk past the stick.

Nathaniel removed the stick. "Pardon me? I didn't quite hear that."

"I'm sorry, Doctor Templeton," Billy repeated. "I was wrong to say what I did. Worse yet, I was wrong to pick on your family."

Nathaniel smiled. "It's nice to hear it from you, Billy." The bear put up his paw. "This is going to glow green. It's won't hurt you, but I need to know exactly what Diego did for you last night, and this is like a scanner." The paw fluoresced a brilliant green.

"Holy shit," Billy said, leaning away from the paw.

"It's okay, Billy," Diego said. He stuck his hand out, and it glowed a slightly less vibrant green.

"Are you going to turn into a bear?" Billy said, backing away as far as his bed would let him.

"No, I'm a human like you. Only this," he said, waving the glowing hand, "this is a gift from his family to me."

"And if you're wondering, it's what saved your life last night," the bear said casually. "Diego seems to love you enough to put his life on the line for you."

Billy looked at the boy in the bed next to him. "Really, Diego?"

"I just did what Uncle Nathaniel told me to do. He told me to follow my heart. My heart told me not to let you die."

Billy looked down and rubbed a tear out of his eye. "No one... no one... has ever done something like that for me. Why would you risk your life, Diego? I'm not worth that."

"Well, that remains to be seen," Nathaniel said. "Diego, it's time for you to get ready for school."

"Please, can I stay here today?" Diego begged.

"Sorry, son. Billy is spending the day with your family, and your place is in school today." The bear leaned over and kissed the boy on the cheek. "We won't be easy on him, but we will be fair."

Diego looked up at the bear. "Please, Uncle Nathaniel. I love him."

Nathaniel picked up the youth and slung him over his shoulder. "As do I, Diego. Your boyfriend will be here when you return later today. And then you can spend the evening with him." He headed toward the door with the lad dangling from his shoulder. "I'll see if I can persuade the orderlies to leave Diego's bed here one more day."

The bear flung the glass door open and handed his captive to the werewolf waiting outside. "Get him to class, Tyler. My guess is that it won't be a willing trip, so watch him like a hawk."

"No need for me to do that, Doc. Chet is here visiting with the wolf pack. You want hawk eyes watching him, you've got them."

Diego groaned. "Chet? The red-tailed hawk?"

"Yep," Tyler said. "He's here to visit with Derrick and his husbands. Seems he misses the pup enough to let his father talk him into visiting. You can't pull him away from the ranch very often, but Derrick is the bait that will get him to fly in."

"On wings?" Nathaniel asked.

"Not this time," Tyler said. "The Red Wolf touched down about an hour ago. The twin twins are also here. And your fathers. It seems it might be a conjugal visit of sorts. Will and Derrick have been away from home too long and there are bears and wolves on the hunt. I'm not sure if the entire pack is here or not. I haven't seen Jean Pierre, Jason, or Lothair, but it wouldn't surprise me if they're on the island." He tapped the screen on his pad and flipped the screen with a weather forecast on it. "It's a full moon tonight. Crews are cordoning off the south side of the island. I'm pretty sure we're running at moonrise."

Nathaniel smiled. "It will be good for you to enjoy your pack for an evening."

"Are you joining us?"

Nathaniel shook his head. "I think not. It will be fun to have my husbands to myself for a change."

Tyler frowned. "Do we monopolize your time too much, Bear?"

Nathaniel shook his head. "No, not at all."

Diego tried to wiggle out from under the werewolf's grasp. "If you two are going to be busy planning how to get laid tonight, could you at least let me go back and visit with Billy?"

"I'm sorry," Nathaniel replied as he shook his head no again. "Diego, promise me you'll go to school."

"I promise."

Nathaniel's head twisted. He reached up and tapped the ComLink in his ear. "Hi, Handsome, what do you need?" There was a pause as he listened to the response. "Are you sure, Oliver? Is that absolutely necessary?" Another pause. "No, I was hoping there wouldn't be a need to deal with it." The pause happened again as Nathaniel listened. "Okay. At least Diego will be happy to hear he can stay home from school today. Where are you?" Another pause. "Okay, I'll catch you later. I'll get Tyler to take Diego over to the Hospital Steward's Home."

"Well then," Nathaniel said with a confident voice. "Seems we have a change of plans. Diego, you're staying on the island, but I need you to go to the Carters and talk to Martin. I guess you're coming back soon. We can let Chet off the hook and get him working on something more important."

"Like the pup?" Tyler said with a laugh.

"Like Pup. That boy could use a bit of time in the arms of a Montana cowboy. Will is far too busy with this island's finances today."

Tyler smiled. "Yee, Haw. Ride 'em, cowboy."

"Yep, get the two of them together as soon as you get Diego over to the Hospital Steward's Home." He leaned over and kissed Diego once more on the cheek. "He'll be fine. Diego. I promise."

"Okay, Uncle Nathaniel," Diego said. He reached out, took Tyler's paw, and headed toward the causeway.

Nathaniel slipped back into the room, where Billy was fidgeting nervously. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Billy," the bear said. "What did you see outside?"

"You and Diego talking to a werewolf?"

"Interesting," the bear said. "I'm thinking that you're experiencing a bit of residual kickback from what Diego did to you last night. I'm not sure how long it will last, but we're going to take advantage of it for now." The bear moved over to the far side of the room and leaned back against the countertop. "Billy, have you read A Christmas Carol ?"

Billy shook his head no. "I saw the movie. Does that count?"

Nathaniel smiled. "For our purposes, yes. There are a few hours before Diego returns, and in that time, you're going to be visited by ghosts if you will." He waved his hand out toward the hallway. "In reality, they're my husbands. They're not ghosts, but they're going to show you things as the ghosts did in the movie. Anyway, you'll get to meet both of them today."

"You can't do that. It's against the law to marry more than one person."

"And yet, here we are. All happily married. The law says nothing about what a bear and his husbands can do."

"But you're all guys. Aren't you supposed to settle down with only one other guy?"

"Well, I'm a bear. I married a cat and a badger, so effectively I'm only married to one of each species."

Billy shook his head again. "No, no... that's not the way it's supposed to be."

Nathaniel approached the bed. "Exactly what do you think the goal is when two guys get married?"

"To show how much they love each other."

"And if I love two?"

"You need to choose one."

"Why?" Nathaniel asked. "If they're both happily married to me and each other, why do we have to live according to human laws that aren't even as old as I am?"

"What do you mean?" Billy asked.

"First is that monogamy isn't the only way anymore. It is here in Canada, but the laws changed over in India and the Middle East after the war. A scarcity of men and an abundance of women and children led them to reenact laws that were off the books for centuries. They practice polygamy over there now, and it's legal. And If you believe statistics, only about twenty percent of the humans on this planet practice strict monogamy," Nathaniel said. "You know, that whole one man, one woman thing for straights and well, ewe, for all those gays and lesbians paring up the way they do. That means eighty percent of other humans live some other way. For all your protesting about how I choose to live my life, your idea of married life is in the minority, Billy. And face it, if you enjoyed Diego kissing you last night, your minority status got even smaller."

"I know that," Billy said despondently. "I fought so hard against what I am. Others told me it was wrong. I watched how they treated others who were wrong. Whatever else I was, I didn't want to be rejected by the only people I knew." Billy was quiet. "I'm still struggling with it, Dr. Templeton. I don't know how Diego can be so strong. He doesn't give a crap about what anyone thinks. I can't do that."

Nathaniel smiled. "Neither can he, Billy. He has people he cares about, and he cares what they think about him. But they know him, Billy. They don't judge him by a label, or an attribute like the color of his skin, what he wears, or even who he loves. They know him and they like who he is."

Billy was quiet for a moment. "I like him too."

"Well, it will be fun to watch where that goes, won't it?" Nathaniel asked. Nathaniel looked up at the room clock. "Well, it's about to strike the hour. As you know, that's when ghosts arrive in these sorts of stories."

"I don't think I'm going to like this, Doctor Templeton."

Nathaniel looked up in contemplation. "I'm pretty sure Scrooge didn't like it either. And you both were assholes, so that should work out well." The bear looked at him and smiled. "Billy, your friends are going to need your help here, and believe it or not, you're going to need theirs. You all made life very rough for a lot of kids. It seems only fair that life returns the favor."

There was a knock on the door, and the sliding glass door slowly opened. The doctor turned around. "My cue to leave. I'll catch up with you later this afternoon when I round."

Billy waved. "Bye, Doctor Templeton."

Nathaniel nodded, and slipping past the curtain, he stepped out through the sliding glass door. A few moments later, a very nervous Billy watched as the curtain slid back. He watched a small creature leading the bully brigade through the door. "Well, here we is," the animal said. "Go on in. Takes a gander at your friend."

Carl stepped forward first and grimaced when he looked at Billy's bruised body. "What the hell did they do to you?" he asked.

"They kept me from dying," Billy said defensively. "My dad was the one who did this." he scratched his hand on a chest covered in bandages. "Doctor Templeton says they may still need to operate to fix a ruptured heart valve or something. I guess my dad beat me hard enough to stop my heart. He says a lot of things I don't understand, but some of what he says scares me."

The gang of four all nodded their understanding of the fear. "They didn't tell you about your pecker, I suppose," the badger said casually.

Billy's eyes widened. "What about my cock?"

"Your dad kicked it," Oliver said as he got behind the group and pushed them all toward Billy. "He kicked it a lot. You's probably never gonna have kids." The badger paused and chuckeled. "Not that that's gonna be any big deal for you; but still, it's one seriously fucked up pecker."

"It feels fine," Billy protested.

Oliver shrugged. "That's good. Figures Diego might fix that first. A boy has gots to have priorities."

Bucky looked at the badger. "You talk funny."

Oliver stared at the young man. "Yeah, I does. Lots of folks talk funny, Kid. You's gonna meet all sorts of people in your life, and if talking funny is gonna throw you off, you's more fucked up than anything I can do for you."

Bucky looked down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean no disrespect."

Oliver looked up. "You talks funny, kid. You should have said 'I meant no disrespect.' Saying 'didn't mean no disrespect' is a double negative. Don't they teaches you nuthin' in that school you go to?" The kid looked at Oliver, and Oliver grinned back. "Just cause I talks funny don't mean I don't know how to talks normal."

Matthew scratched his head. "Then how come?"

"I'm old, Kid," Oliver replied. "I learned to talks this way and I'm comfortable with it. My family loves me enough to not pick on me 'cause I don't talks normal. You should learn a thing or two from them."

Steve nodded. "I think we already are."

Oliver looked at Carl, who appeared to be the largest of the four. "Can you picks me up and put me on Billy's bed, please?"

Carl reached down, picked Oliver up, and with a grunt, hefted him up onto the bed. "You're heavy," Carl said.

"You should sees me as a human," the badger laughed. "I'se way fatter."

Billy looked at the group. "You can see him? You see this animal guy?"

"I'se a badger, Billy. Don't show no disrespect." He stared at Bucky and grinned.

"I'm sorry, Sir," Billy said. "I didn't mean any disrespect. You're the first badger I've ever seen. I didn't know what to call you."

"Call me Oliver. That's my name."

"I'm sorry, Oliver."

"Well, you's all gonna be sorrier when I'se done here. You alls been busy today seeing and hearing stuff. And I guess if you's following along with the story, I'd be the ghost of Christmas past 'cause what's you's about to witness ain't your future. It's what you and your kind has done to little ones for centuries."

All five boys looked confused. The badger put out his hands. "I'se sorry boys, but life is coming at us faster than we'd wanted. We's got to take care of you before we takes care of somethin' far more pressin'." He extended his arms, and they glowed. "Ain't never channeled the Yellow clan. But here we goes." The paw pulsed once, and the boys fell to their knees. Billy screamed in tandem with the rest. Only seconds had passed, but whatever they viewed left all the boys sobbing.

"You figured it out, I suspects," Oliver said. "Them's the faces of all the children that bullies beat down. They's all dead because of what happened to them. Some didn't survive the beatings they gots. They didn't have no one to heal them the way Billy did. Some of them didn't have the strength to keep living, so they stopped. They ended their lives too soon, 'cause of monsters like you." Oliver stared at the group. "You's heading straight for where all them bullies who hurt those little ones are heading. They's all murderers. They's all got blood on their hands. And one day it's gonna all catch up with them. And sooner than they knows.

"But you boys gots a chance now. You seen the awful you's becoming. You seen where what you does is headin', and you gots a chance to change. This is your chance to get your life back as something other than a monster." The badger kept his gaze directed at the youths and none could turn away. "Turn your eyeballs to Billy. Look at what you becomes capable of doing by letting that hate inside you grow. His daddy gots more hate in him than all of you, but you's catching up right quick.

"Wanna know somethin' funny, boys? Billy ain't one of you no more. He's like the little ones you pick on." Oliver turned and opened the door. "Chews on that for a bit," he said as he walked through the door and closed it behind him.

The bully brigade looked at Billy. Questions reflected in their eyes. Billy shook his head. "I'm gay. I thought if I could beat it out of someone else, I could beat it out of myself. But it doesn't work that way. And when I told my dad the truth, he nearly beat me to death."

"You can't be gay," Matthew said. "You don't act gay."

"Do you know anyone on this island who acts gay?" Billy retorted. "We picked on Max because he was weak, because he talked funny, and because he wouldn't fight back. That didn't make him gay. All it did was make him different. And it made us mean. It made us the awful that Oliver was talking about."

"We... we weren't trying to hurt him. We were only having fun," Matthew said.

"At someone else's expense," Bucky said sadly. "Didn't you learn anything from what you saw, Matthew?"

Matthew was quiet. "I can't look at it. I can't let it soak in, Bucky. If I do, it hurts too much. I can't stop seeing the faces." The lad began crying.

Carl slipped to his side and put his hand on Matthew's shoulder. "I can't stop seeing them either, Matthew. But I think that's what's supposed to happen. I don't think that badger thing wants us to get over what we saw today."

Steve nodded his head. "He was right when he called it the awful."

Billy sighed. "So, what are we supposed to do? What does Oliver want from us?"

The hospital door slid open, and Martin walked through the door, pushing the curtain back. "Oliver wants nothing from you, Billy." The group of open-mouthed boys stared at the saber-toothed cat. "He was trying to give you something."

"Nightmares?" Matthew asked.

"No, you probably didn't figure it out yet, but we're not the nightmares." The cat pulled up a chair, spun it around, and sat down, spreading his legs around the back and leaning onto the top of the chair. "Ask any of the kids you meet who the monsters are on this island. Ask them what gives them nightmares. It's you guys. It's all the people like you. I may appear to be a monster, but I've never taunted another person for who they are. I never shoved anyone because they were different or I was afraid of them. And I've never been cruel because someone was weaker than me."

The cat leaned back. "So, tell me, kids. Who's the monster in this room?"

Bucky bowed his head. "I am, Sir. I realize that now."

The cat smiled. "Then perhaps you're not a monster anymore, Bucky. You were a monster. If you can realize what you are, and turn away from being that monster, you stop being one."

Matthew looked at the cat. "We're all monsters, Sir. Some of us are worse than others."

"Call me Martin," the cat said with a smile. "You can all be something else if you choose to be."

Billy nodded his head. "I'd like to be."

Matthew lowered his gaze. "Will it make the faces go away? Can it stop the hurt?"

The cat sighed. "In time. I'm afraid you're going to have to live with them for a time. But don't worry, it's not permanent. The badger might seem kind of ornery and gruff, but he loves you boys. He won't ever hurt you, even if you're hurting now."

"I don't understand," Steve said. The other boys nodded their heads in confusion.

"Sometimes we have to walk through hell to get out of it. You gentlemen were building a pit deep enough to bury yourselves in that hell. You're only feeling a bit of it because you saw the faces of those who your kind hurts. Oliver will risk dragging you through that hell if he can get you to walk out of it on your own. He knows what it feels like. But he also knows you're the ones who have to walk out from that pit you've dug. None of us can do it for you."

"What are we supposed to do?"

"I think you know the answer to that. It's not only stopping your bullying. That's the simple part you've already figured out. It's what you have to do to make things right."

Diego stood at the door, listening. Martin looked up at him. "Did he come?"

"Yeah, but he's not happy about this."

"I didn't figure he would be. But he's got to give them the chance that Max can't."

The boys' faces blanched white. "Is Max... is he..."

"He's fine. But he's always forgiven you guys for what you did. He's quite the amazing boy in that respect. His brother, on the other hand..."

The boys winced. "We're sorry," Bucky said. "Please tell him we're sorry."

The cat purred. "No, you tell him." The cat looked out the door. "Come on Kristopher. This battle ends here. Your family has bigger challenges ahead than this."

Kristopher came around the corner. Diego reached out and grabbed the lad into a hug. Kristopher stared at the bulky, muscled lad in front of him and kissed him on the lips. All the boys, except Billy, recoiled.

Kristopher looked at the boys and shrugged his indifference to their silent stares. "I'm straight," Kristopher said. "Diego, not so much, but our whole family is a huggy, kissy group. I've gotten used to it. You hang around this place for a while and you're going to see a lot of hugging and kissing. These people love each other, and that's what they do to show it."

The group sat silently, staring at Kristopher. Kristopher turned to the cat. "This is what you brought me here for, Uncle Martin? To sit and watch a bunch of bullies stare at me?"

"That's up to them, Kristopher," the cat replied.

Billy shook his head. "I'm sorry Kristopher. I'm so sorry I hit you."

Kristopher looked at the bandaged boy. "I'm sorry I hit you, too."

Bucky's eyes widened. "That's what happened to us? You hit us?"

Kristopher sighed. "More or less."

"I didn't think you were that strong," Billy said.

Kristopher glowered at the boy. "So that's why you took a chance and belted me?"

The cat was about to say something when Bucky stepped forward. "No, we hit you because we're the awful that Oliver told us about. We're sorry, Kristopher. I don't want to be that guy who thought it was funny when Billy punched you. I want to be the guy who would have stopped Billy from hitting you."

Kristopher smiled. "Okay, fair enough. You guys forgive me and I'll forgive you, deal?"

Bucky stuck out his hand. "Deal." Kristopher took the hand and shook it. One by one, the process repeated until Kristopher shook each of the bully's hands.

Kristopher looked at the saber-toothed cat. "Can I go now, Uncle Martin?"

"I don't know. You tell me. If these guys came to visit here someday in the future, would you come up to them and say hello?"

Kristopher shrugged and looked at the boys. "I don't know. If I'm doing chores at the farm, are you going to help?"

"Sure," Billy said as the rest nodded.

"Then, yeah, I'm going to say hello," Kristopher said.

"Then we're good here. Say Hi to your folks for me, will you? Enjoy your time at the beach with your brother. Don't poke anything in the tide pools with a stick, okay?" the cat said.

"I haven't done that since I was four years old," Kristopher said, shaking his head. "I would think everyone would have forgotten it by now." He headed toward the door, and Diego extended his arms. Kristopher laughed. "Okay, I kissed you to freak them out. We're not doing that again until I'm like twenty and can deal with it."

Diego laughed. "Okay. I still get my hug, right?"

Kristopher grabbed the huge lad and gave him a tight hug. "Of course." When the hug ended, Kristopher was off, racing back home.

Diego reached for the door when a large brown paw pushed forward and stopped him. The bear pushed his way inside with the badger holding his hand. Nathaniel looked at the five boys. "I hope this little adventure of yours on the island has helped, gentlemen. I'm afraid you're about to lose parts of it. Perhaps forever... or maybe only for a season."

Carl looked confused. "What do you mean, Dr. Templeton?"

"There is a part of this island that humans only see when they love the ones they're looking at. When you leave the island today, you will remember what you saw and heard, but as a part of who you were, and who you are becoming, more than an actual memory." Nathaniel waved his hand over his furry belly. "After today, you won't see us like this. You'll see us the same way you saw us when you first stepped onto the island. We'll look like you."

Steve shook his head. "No, please no. We promise we won't tell anyone."

Nathaniel smiled. "I'm sorry, Son," he said as his massive paw reached out and rubbed the boy's shoulder. "It doesn't work that way. Rules of engagement, I'm afraid. We gave you a temporary gift to see us as we are. But it's never a gift to see us. You have to earn the right to be on this island and see the beasts."

Bucky waved his arms. "How? How do we do that? I swear I'll do whatever you say."

"You have to love us."

"But we do," Steve said.

"No, you like us. You're not afraid of us anymore. Those are big steps for you to take, but there are more steps you have to take before you love us."

Matthew was still looking down. "Maybe some things are better forgotten. I like you all. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you ever again. But it might be better this way." Oliver cocked his head and looked at the boy.

"No, Matthew. We can take whatever steps we have to," Steve said. He looked at the bear. "You just have to show us how."

"Come back to the island as you planned to. Study with Master Li Wei. Pal around with the kids. Become the men you always should have been. If you do that, I promise, one day you will see us again." Nathaniel reached out his paw, and it glowed green. "Until then, young men, we will wait for you."

The boys blinked. "Okay, Dr. Templeton. We promise we'll keep coming back," Steve said. He shook his head. "There's something I was going to say, but I can't seem to remember what it was."

The bear smiled. "So, what do you think of my new scrubs? Sarah got them for me. Tie-dye... very nineteen seventies hippy."

Bucky smiled. "They're cool. You should sell them in the gift shop. I'd buy a pair."

Nathaniel laughed. "Now there's a marketing man if I've ever seen one."

Bucky scratched his head. "Is that a good thing?"

Nathaniel tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Can be. Like most things in life, it depends on what you do with the gifts you have. Are you gentlemen ready to head home?" The group nodded.

Oliver pulled back the curtains. "Okay, boys. I gots to get you all home to your families. We gots a boat waiting for you."

"Okay, Oliver," Steve said. He looked at the badger. "Do you always wear overalls?"

Oliver looked down at his furry body and then back up at the young lad. "Mostly. Although I don'ts wear them at night when I go to bed."

"Pajamas," Bucky said with a smile.

"I'se married to that doctor," Oliver said, pointing to Nathaniel. "I don't wear nuthin'. One day you's gonna understand why I don'ts."

Nathaniel pushed the boys toward the badger. "Time enough to learn everything, Oliver. For now, get them safely home."

The badger came up to the bear, and the bear leaned down and kissed the little mammal on the lips. "I love you, Badger," Nathaniel said.

"I loves you, Bear," Oliver said in return.

Bucky shook his head. "I don't get pet names. They never make sense."

"Ain't gonna call him Snookums," Oliver said gruffly. "Come on boys, we's walking here." With that, the boys left the room.

There was a quiet as Nathaniel turned to Billy. The boy looked at Nathaniel. "I still see the bear."

"And I don't see the bully. I guess we're both lucky today."

Billy smiled. "I guess we are."

"You know you're sworn to the highest level of top security secretness, never to reveal what you know."

Billy laughed. "There's no such thing."

Nathaniel smiled. "No, there's not. Actually, you tell anyone what you know, and they'll lock you up in a psychiatric ward for observation. But I trust you to keep our secret safe."

"I will, Dr. Templeton."

The bear turned and put his stethoscope on the counter. Turning back, he looked at the young man. "There are things Diego doesn't understand about the human body. He couldn't fix what he couldn't understand. Your heart has suffered some major trauma, and your liver has right-sided bruising. What happened last night with the green light was like putting a bandage on a cut that needs stitches. It stops the problem for a bit, but it doesn't fix it."

The bear turned and grabbed a model of the human heart from the counter. "The damage to your heart is here and here," he said, pointing to the model. "There are two ways to go about fixing these things. I can open you up and stitch you back together and you'll be fine in a few months. Or I could do what Diego did and heal you. But it means you let a gay bear hug you."

Billy thought for a moment. "Scars would be cool, but I would prefer the hug. Your being gay doesn't scare me anymore."

The bear reached down and pulled the boy up into a warm hug. As the body of the bear glowed green, Billy whispered, "Doctor, you could hug me even after I'm all better if you wanted to."

Nathaniel smiled and closed his eyes as he saw the damage to the boy's heart mending. "I would like that, Billy. I would like that a lot."

Chapter 9

Paul signed the paperwork and handed it back to the foster parenting agent. "So, are we all good here?"

The agent looked at the documents and nodded. The police officer extended his hand. "It all appears to be in order. The restraining order is in effect, so if he gets out on bail before the trial and you see Mr. Carpenter anywhere near the island, you call us."

Paul shook the extended hand of the police officer. "Thank you, Officer Clements."

The police officer looked at Billy and then at Paul. "You take good care of him, Mr. Carver. We can't let them keep slipping through the cracks anymore."

Paul smiled. "I agree."

The police officer looked at Billy. "And you, Billy. You don't blow this. I never want to see you again except at the island's summer picnic."

Billy looked at the officer. "The summer picnic?"

The officer's eyes glowed yellow with black pupils that seemed to have a depth beyond the police officer. "I make a killer potato salad," he said with a grin. Billy stared at the officer as his eyes became brown again. "We're always here to help, Billy. To protect and serve. It's not only my job description. It's also my duty as part of your extended family."

Paul nodded to the young lad. "Well, Billy, are you ready to go home?"

Billy rocked back and forth nervously. "Are you sure, Mr. Carver? I've been such an asshole to your kids. They can't be happy with this idea."

Paul smiled and squatted down to look the lad in the eye. "Actually, it was Max who suggested it. He thinks it would be nice for Kristopher to have a brother near his age again. Jessica seems fine with it." He paused a moment. "Kristopher is another matter entirely."

"Oh god, I'm so sorry Mr. Carver, I wish I could take that day back. I wish I could take all the days back."

"So does he, Billy."

"Will he ever forgive me?"

Paul nodded. "He already has. It's in your court now, Billy. You prove to him you're worthy of his friendship and he'll be the best brother you've ever had. But realize he's as nervous about this as you are. Keep that in mind. You both want this to work. You'll find a way."

"I never had a brother."

"Well, there you see? He already is the best one you've ever had," Paul said with a laugh. He put his arm around the young man's shoulders. "Let's see if we can catch one of the skiffs to the island before they close the park for the day."

At the dock, all Billy's old friends were waiting under the shade of the rain shelter. A rare day of sun beamed down, and the boys knew better than to be out in it for long. Billy stepped out of the car and stared at the group. Carl stepped forward. "Is it true? You're gonna live on the island?"

Billy took a deep breath. "Yeah, it's true. I'm going to be living with the Carvers."

Carl flashed a big smile while the others grinned. "That is so cool. I would love to live there."

Billy smiled. "It's a nice place. I'm lucky they're willing to take me in. I've been a total jerk to them."

"Yeah," Matthew said. "You and all the rest of us. We were wrong, Billy."

Carl nodded. "Seriously wrong."

There was an uncomfortable silence, and then Bucky asked what all the boys were thinking. "Are you really gay, Billy?"

Billy blinked a few times. "Yeah. I was gay long before I ever stepped foot on the island, so don't you go worrying about turning gay because you went there."

Carl laughed. "Nah, we weren't worried about that. It makes it easier if we know, though. We could stop talking about girls around you if that helps."

"Well, unless you don't mind," Steven said.

"We could talk about guys too if you wanted," Bucky added.

Billy smiled. "I have a boyfriend, Bucky. Diego and I will probably hang out together a lot more in the future."

Carl frowned. "Does that mean you're not seeing us anymore?" he asked.

"No, it means you're going to be seeing a lot more of Diego, numbnuts," Billy answered.

"It's hard to believe he's gay," Bucky said. "I mean, he's huge and muscular."

"Well, he kisses like he's gay," Billy replied defensively.

"Okay, you may need to tone it down there a bit, Billy," Paul said. "Your friends aren't attacking you. You just have a boyfriend who isn't what they thought a gay guy would look like. You're breaking down stereotypes, so cut them some slack." Paul looked at the group. "Diego is gay. He's also a brick wall in human form. And he's a great kid. You'll like him."

"I'm sure we will," Bucky said, nodding. "We didn't mean any offense, Mr. Carver."

"Me either, Mr. Carver," Billy said apologetically.

"None taken," Paul said. "You boys are only now learning what it means to have friends with different views and lives than yours. That's always a tough transition. But it's worth it. My uncles are all gay, and they're the best people I've ever known. You boys make your own choices and your own decisions about other people. Don't let your fears keep you from meeting someone who might become your best friend down the line."

Bucky shifted his feet. "Mr. Carver, do you think Master Li Wei would let me come to tai chi class even though our detention is over?"

"Have you asked him?"

"No."

"I think that would be the starting point, don't you?"

"Yes, Sir," Bucky replied. "Is there room enough for me on the boat?"

"There should be. It's one o'clock. That's usually a slack time for tourist transport, but be ready to go home by three as usual. I don't want your parents calling me upset if their kids are gallivanting around on the island instead of doing what you're supposed to be doing."

"I don't have the money to pay for the boat ride, but I'm willing to work on the island to pay for my fare," Bucky said with his head bowed.

"Me too, if you'll let me," Steve said.

"I'd best be getting home," Matthew said, looking away from direct eye contact with the only adult in the group. "My mom and dad don't particularly like me visiting the island."

Paul looked at Carl. "And you, mister?"

"It would be nice to go back," the boy replied. "I kind of like Adelina. Do you think maybe we could go to a movie or something?"

Paul's smile betrayed his amusement. "Why are you asking me?"

"Because you're not as scary as her fathers. Those three are tough."

Paul frowned. "I can be tough," he said defensively.

"Yeah, you can Mr. Carver. But I don't want to date Jessica. She's too young."

Paul laughed again. "Okay, boys. Skiff's arriving. Everyone on board who's getting on board. We'll see about establishing some visitation rights for you in the future. Convincing your parents will be the toughest part."

"Not mine," Bucky said, grabbing his round belly. "They love getting me out of the house. I've lost twenty pounds already."

"Mine will probably be okay with it," Steve said. "I haven't been to the principal's office in over a month."

Carl thought about it. "Mine will be fine," he mumbled. "It would help if you held church services at that little chapel. It surprised them when they visited the memorials. They didn't know you cared so much about the people who were there before you."

"Mine might be a problem," Matthew sighed. "I still hear the words I learned for gay people at home. I won't ever say them again, but I doubt my folks will ever change."

Paul looked at the young man and nodded his head. "You sometimes have to accept that changes won't happen no matter how hard you try, Matthew. But I'll talk to them. If you'd like, I'll bring my wife. Maybe that will ease their minds."

Matthew looked down. "Telling Billy's dad everything was going to be okay didn't work."

Paul looked at the child. "Do you want to talk about something, Matthew?"

Matthew looked up. "No, Mr. Carver. It's nothing like that. I'm straight. It's just now my best friend isn't. It complicates things. Oliver was right about the awful." He started walking back toward the pier entrance area. "I'll be okay. Sometimes you have to deal with things."

Paul's look of concern was noticeable, but he deferred to silence and watched the lad as he kicked a rock off the pier and into the water. The group gathered and moved to the end of the pier as the skiff pulled into the dock. As they waited for tourists to unload, Paul listened to them talking.

"You really kiss Diego?" Bucky whispered to Billy.

"Yeah, I kiss him."

Bucky shook his head and paused. "What's it like, kissing someone?"

Carl nodded. "Yeah, what's it like?"

"It's the best thing ever," Billy said. "Well, at least once you get past the first time. I think we mess up all our first times."

"Awkward," Steven said. "I totally blew my first kiss with Gretchen."

"Yeah, awkward. That's what the first one is like," Billy agreed.

"Wait," Carl interrupted as he looked at Steven. "You kissed Gretchen?"

"Yeah, a few times," Steven said proudly.

As the last of the passengers debarked, Paul rounded up the chatting boys with a gentle push and moved them onto the boat. He turned and looked at Matthew. "Matthew, we should talk. Please, promise me you'll take care of yourself."

"I'll take care of everything, Mr. Carver," Matthew replied without looking up. "You don't need to worry about me." Matthew turned and walked back to the shore. Paul gave a frustrated sigh and turned to the others as they climbed into the skiff.

"Good Afternoon, Mr. Carver," the boat pilot said with a smile. "You've got quite the crowd with you there."

"I do indeed, Cable," he said as he introduced the boys to a werewolf only Billy could see.

Later, as he watched the boys disembark and head toward Lei Wei's home, he tapped his ComLink. "Martin," He said. There was a pause. "Martin, I'm concerned about one of the boys. Do you think we might talk after they've gone home for the day?" He paused, listening. "Thanks. Oh, and could you bring Oliver?" He was quiet again, listening, and then he laughed. "Well, tell him there's a kiss in it from the straight guy if he comes." Another pause. Another laugh. "No, not on the lips and no tongue. Ask him, please. It's important." Paul smiled. "Thanks, Martin." He tapped his ComLink again and watched the boys disappear over the hill.

Chapter 10

"You're Dr. Templeton?" the woman screamed. "What did you do to our child?"

The redheaded man in scrubs stood at the door of the St. John Regional Hospital ICU. "For the moment, we've performed a gastric lavage. They sometimes refer to it as pumping out someone's stomach. What I'm curious to know is how your son had access to so many opioid painkillers and benzodiazepines. We're talking a lot of OxyContin and Valium in that boy's stomach. You both seem to be in no physical pain that requires such draconian medications in your home."

The man and woman looked at each other and then down at the floor, but the man rebounded quickly. "This isn't our doing. Our son was fine before he started going to that damn fag island."

"Your son was doing community service on that island for bullying and hitting other children. Is that your idea of fine?" the doctor asked calmly.

"He didn't try to commit suicide before you forced him there," the man yelled.

"We never forced him, Mr. Kingston. The choice to send the children to the island for work release to avoid fines was made by all the boys' parents." The doctor carded the double doors of the ICU and they opened. He ushered the two humans in and began walking down the hallway of rooms. He stopped in front of one. "We'll need to keep our voices down here; we have patients trying to recuperate. Your son included."

Nathaniel paused for a moment. "You're right. Matthew didn't attempt suicide before he started his community service on the island. He also didn't attempt suicide before he spent time at the movies, or while having lunch at school, or many other things he did. His actions weren't the result of only one influence."

"You're telling me that what happened on that island isn't responsible for this?"

"Oh, I'm one hundred percent sure that we had something to do with it," the doctor said. "I'm the chief surgeon on that island. And I'm aware that your boy was deeply upset by something we showed him recently. So, yes, I'm accepting the fact that we are a part of this." The doctor slid the door open and pushed back the curtain. "But you two are a part of this as well. I'm not shying away from our involvement. What about the two of you?"

"We had nothing to do with this."

"There is rarely a genetic link to children that bully other children. Teaching children to hate and devalue others is the most common method of creating abusive children. They learn by example."

"You won't blame this on us," the man fumed.

"Want to make a bet on that?" the doctor asked dispassionately.

"We'll sue your faggot ass and that whole damn island," the man threatened.

Nathaniel walked over to Matthew's bed and looked at the boy's IV. He motioned for the parents to step further inside the room. "Why don't you talk to your son before you talk to your lawyer?"

The parents walked in and stared at a small person sitting on the bed with Matthew. The lad looked up at his parents. "This is my friend Oliver," he said weakly.

"Oh, crap, Kid. Don't say that. Now they's gonna see me as your schoolmate, damn it."

Matthew looked at the badger. "I'm sorry, Oliver."

"It's okay, Matthew," Nathaniel said. "Oliver will be fine." Nathaniel looked at the parents. "This is my husband, Oliver."

"What's he doing here? Unless he's a doctor, he has no place being here. It's bad enough they allow your kind anywhere near him."

"Well, my kind saved your son's life without the extensive brain damage the hospital feared. My kind is also the one your son asked for when they found him."

"He wouldn't need saving if it hadn't been for you pedophiles," the angry father retorted.

"First, there ain't no pedophiles on Partridge Island," Oliver chastised the father. "That's against the law, and we don't break them laws. You'se mixing up your big words trying to find someone to blame. Stick with faggot, at least then you'se gonna be right." Oliver looked at Matthew and then back at the father. "Your son's hurtin' and all you can thinks about is who's to blame?"

"You shut up," the father retaliated. "This has nothing to do with you."

"Yes it does," Oliver protested. "I'se the one who let him sees what happened to the children he bullied. Didn't know that one of them faces he seen was one he knowed personal-like."

"What are you talking about?" the mother asked.

"Part of the children's time with us included a presentation," Nathaniel said. "We have access to the faces of children who lost their lives due to bullying. Your son and the others viewed the faces of thousands of those children."

Oliver reached out and held Matthew's hand. "But this little one saw a face he recognized. A little boy named Anthony he knowed. He found himself a newspaper report that Anthony committed suicide. He weren't lucky enough to have a doctor to save him like your son."

The mother looked at Oliver. "Our son had nothing to do with that boy dying."

"Yes I did, Mom," Matthew interrupted. "Anthony was this tiny little kid who had a stutter. His dad was in the military, so he moved all around Canada. Everywhere he'd go, he tried to make new friends. And everywhere he went, he met guys like me. Guys who teased him for the way he talked, who shoved him when he walked by, who made his life hell."

"He was in fourth grade when I met him," Matthew said, lowering his head. He was silent for a moment and then shook his head. "I wasn't even ten, and already I thought it was fun to make other kids' lives miserable. What the hell is wrong with me? He was gone from our school for years before he committed suicide, but I am still a part of what led him to that choice."

"You're not to blame," the father said. "He was weak. They can't hold you responsible for someone not being tough enough to deal with what everyone deals with at school."

Matthew looked at his father. "Don't you get it, Dad? I shouldn't have been the one making life tough for him. I should have been someone reaching out a hand he could grab onto."

His dad shook his head. "That's not your responsibility. You're not to blame for some fag kid offing himself."

Oliver looked at the defiant face of the father. "Oh, fucks this," Oliver said. His hand shot up and the yellow light blinded the room. When their vision cleared, Nathaniel and Matthew saw the parents curled up on the floor, crying.

"What did you do, Badger?" Nathaniel sighed.

"What was needful, Bear." Oliver turned to Matthew. "They ain't hurt, Little One, but they is hurting."

"I don't understand, Oliver," Matthew said.

"Your dad is a bully. You knows that. You knows the way he treats you and your mom."

"Yeah, I know."

"It was gonna get worser, Matthew. It was gonna get way worser after tonight. Your papa sees you as weak now. He ain't gonna like seeing you around." Oliver reached out and rubbed the boy's shoulder. "I can'ts let that happen again to you little ones. We ain't never meant you visiting the island to kill you."

"Dad hits, but he doesn't hurt us all that bad. Not usually."

"Well, I made sure he never hits again."

Nathaniel looked at Oliver. "Badger?"

"I showed them both their lives. When we is in the middle of something, it's easy to think we is right all the time. We ain't gots perspective. I pulled them two out of themselves and let them see their lives from the time they was little babies. Matthew's papa seen how he growed up to be a bully, same as his papa. His momma saw how she let her son be in harm's way because she was afraid she weren't good enough or strong enough to deserve better. Them two is watching their lives from the outside. When you watches the awful from that view it changes you."

Nathaniel frowned. "Was this necessary? Couldn't we have worked with them?"

Oliver shook his head. "We ain't got the time, Bear." Oliver looked at Matthew. "They's gonna be fine, Little One. You's got to trust me on this one."

"I trust you, Oliver."

"And you, you ain't gonna do something so stupid no more, right?"

"I'm sorry, Oliver. I'm sorry, Dr. Templeton. But I couldn't stand the pain. The other guys are doing fine with what you showed them. They're apologizing to the kids we've picked on. They're trying to make it right. I am too," Mathew said. He grew suddenly quiet. "But Anthony," he whispered. "I can't make it up to Anthony. I should have..." the boy's voice trailed off.

"We all has done things we regrets," Oliver said. "I'se done horrible things in my life that haunts me just like you, Matthew. But we gots to live our lives to make up for them wrongs. We can'ts walk away from them that we did wrong by. We gots to live our lives so the other's out there who needs protecting can find us."

Nathaniel watched the two carefully. His hand stretched out and a light green glow covered the two human adults. "Oliver, does Matthew have the Sight?"

"Yeah, he does. That's why he sees so far beyond what the other little ones does. It woke up when he seen them dead children."

"What's the Sight?" Matthew asked.

"It's a power that let's you see things as they really is, and sometimes it gets scary when what you sees is the awful."

"Like Anthony."

"Like Anthony," Oliver agreed. "Matthew, you gots something that can be a gift or a curse depending on how you uses it. We's at a crossroads. What we does now is up to you."

Oliver took the lad and propped him up straight. "We can make the gift go quiet-like. We can make it so you's like your friends. You's gonna know about them little kids that died, but Anthony will just be one of thousands of faces you seen. You ain't gonna have the visions, you ain't gonna hear the voices. But you ain't never gonna know when someone who really needs you is there. And you ain't never gonna know who you needs to go to when you needs protectin'."

"Like you, Oliver? Like why you called 911 and told them about me?"

"I'se never gonna stop protecting you, Matthew. None of us ever is. The day we brought you to the island, we took an oath never to stop looking after you. We will always be there. You just won't know it."

"You won't look like a badger to me anymore, will you?"

"No," the badger said with a bit of irritation in his voice. "You's probably gonna see me as a fuckin' kid."

Matthew laughed. "I'm sorry, Oliver."

"Yeah, me too," Oliver sighed. "But you won't remember the awful. You won't remember even this. Doc here can erase all that. Nathaniel is one of them that gave you the gift. He can make it go quiet. He can makes it like it was before."

"My mom; will she be safe?"

"When they comes back, I promises I will leave both your momma and your papa in a better place than were they was."

The lad reached out and petted Oliver. "I will miss you, Oliver. I don't know if I can keep seeing all these images and not do this all over again. The pain I feel; it doesn't go away. I just want it to stop."

"I understands, Little One," Oliver said sadly.

Nathaniel knelt beside the two. He took off his lab coat and shifted into a bear. The boy jumped backward on his bed, and then, seeing the smile on the bear, he relaxed. "Is that you, Dr. Templeton?"

"This is me, the way I usually am," the bear responded. "Matthew, before you decide what you want to do, I hope you understand you won't have to live with what you experience alone. There are so many who will help you. Some, like Li Wei and Mr. Carver, you already know. Others you'll meet as time goes by."

The bear reached out and put his paw on the young lad. "Like Oliver, I will back whatever it is you tell me to do, but I want you to think for a moment before you decide. People talk about whether to take the easy path or the hard path. For my money, the easy paths are most often the better choice. Life is hard enough without choosing to make it more difficult. But sometimes, as with you, there are no simple paths. Both your lives will be difficult. Whether you live with the gift or whether you let it go quiet. Your friends are changing and you are too. Growing up is tough. And you're heading into the time of life where it's about as tough as it gets."

Matthew fidgeted slightly. "It's tougher for us now that we understand what we've done."

"That's true," the bear said.

"You won't hate me if I say no to that gift, will you?"

"Not at all. You're a kid. Kids shouldn't have to make these choices."

Matthew was quiet for a time. He looked down at the glowing parents. "What will happen to them?"

"It's kind of tough to explain. The three of you will be here in this room, but there will be a gap in your memory trying to fill itself back up with a logical reason for you all to be here. That's where Oliver and I will come in. We'll replace the gaps in your collective memory with a story that helps you find your way back. Your parents will need even more guidance to come back from where they are, but I think we have an answer for that."

"Where are they?" the boy asked.

Oliver answered. "Between what they is and what they once dreamed they would become when they was little. Before the world came crashing in on them and beat those dreams out of them."

"They'll be okay? Dad won't hurt mom?"

"Not no more. I won't lets him do that no more, Matthew," the badger said. "My husband is right. They's gonna take some time sorting it all out, but they's gonna see a way out of the awful one day. Cause we's got a big-toothed cat to help us."

There was a knock on the door. "Come in, Beast," Oliver said.

Martin stepped through the door. "I recognize you," Matthew said, smiling.

"Hi, Matthew," the saber-toothed cat said with a grin. "How are you doing?"

"Not the best, from what I can tell. I tried to kill myself."

"So I hear," the cat said. "That's why I'm here. I've been waiting until I heard my name called."

"Your name is Beast?"

The cat laughed. "No, it's Martin. But Oliver calls me Beast. Nathaniel calls me Cat."

"Like I'm Bear," Nathaniel said.

"And I'se Badger. They's pet names 'cause we're in love."

Matthew smiled. "You're lucky. My folks don't use pet names. There's not much that holds them together."

Martin nodded his head in agreement. "Matthew, you'll have to trust us to do our best to keep your family together. But you still have the Sight, and I think you understand the risks in trying to help your parents make peace with their past."

Matthew squeezed Oliver's paw tightly. "They're going to get divorced before they find their way back, aren't they?"

"They have lots of options to choose from," Martin answered. "But that's probably the one they're going to choose without intervention."

"I see it," Matthew said. "It's the image in my mind, but I don't want it to happen."

"Sometimes people gots to be apart for a time before they realizes they was meant to be together," Oliver said knowingly. "But, sometimes being apart is the best they can do to end the awful."

Nathaniel stood up from beside the bed. "Matthew, what do you want us to do?"

"Could you please try to keep them together?"

"We will try."

"And I will miss you all. I know I won't remember that, but I just want you to know now before I forget."

Martin smiled. "We'll still be there in your life, Matthew. There will always be a family watching over you. One day, you might even see us again."

"That would be nice."

"So are you ready, Matthew?"

"I'm scared."

Nathaniel leaned over and wrapped his arms around the boy. "It's just a big old bear hug, Matthew." The bear pulled the little human in close and his eyes closed. The warm green glow spread from the bear to the boy.

"See the path, Bear," Martin said.

"I don't have the Sight, Cat," the bear said, frustrated.

"Yeah, but your husband does." The saber-toothed cat leaned over and kissed the bear as the yellow glow spread over him.

The badger looked up and laughed. "You twos gonna have to remember to follow that boy's path and not your own."

The two separated from the kiss and smiled at Oliver. "All done, Badger," Nathaniel said. "Now we wait to see if it works out." He laid the young boy down on the bed. With a shake, he was the doctor again as he pulled the lab coat over his naked body. His glowing hand faded, and the parents stood up, struggling to gain their footing.

"So, doctor, how did this happen?" the mother asked.

"Your son heard you two talking about divorce," the doctor answered. "He thought he was to blame. That he wasn't good enough to keep you two together."

"Are you saying this is our fault?" the father asked.

"There's no reason to assess blame here," the cat answered. "Your son is suffering. You decide what to do about it. You're his parents, and he needs you now more than ever."

"We want to help our son, of course," the father replied. "I've seen enough in my life to know what it's like to watch a family fall apart. It's even tougher when I'm watching mine fall apart."

The mother grabbed the father's hand. "What can we do?"

"There is a specialist on Partridge Island. Dr. Zhang Tao Kong deals only with children's issues. I'm going to suggest regular visits might be in order."

"Yes, of course, anything," the father said.

"There is a very good likelihood that the good doctor will suggest family therapy."

The mother looked at the father. "We'll be there."

"Matthew is very lucky to have two parents who love him so much," Nathaniel said. "I'm afraid I didn't have time to introduce myself. I'm Dr. Templeton. My associates, Dr. Casey and Dr. Welby, are part of the St. John Regional Hospital foreign exchange program. They're heading back to their own countries after tonight, but I will follow your son's case closely. He has made quite an impression on the residents of Partridge Island over the last few months. We'll do everything we can to make sure he doesn't feel the need to try this again."

The father looked at the sleeping child. "I never realized it before. My whole life is repeating itself in my son." The father looked at Nathaniel. "It has to end. Somewhere it has to end. And not the way my son tried to make it end. I don't want to lose him, Doctor."

"He's resting now," the young doctor said. "Why don't I take you downstairs for a coffee and we can talk about where to go from here?"

"That would be nice, Doctor," the mother said. "We can't thank you enough for saving our son."

"My pleasure, Mrs. Kingston." Nathaniel pushed open the door and escorted the two out into the hall. "Dr. Casey, could you please stay here the night and make sure that when Matthew wakes up, he sees a friendly face?"

Oliver looked confused. "Which ones of us is Dr. Casey?"

Nathaniel closed the door with the parents on the outside. "The one with the really cute ass."

"Oh, that would be me," the badger and cat both answered together with wide grins.

Nathaniel smiled. "Yeah, I know. I'm the luckiest husband on the planet. Cat, come with me. You good here, Badger?"

"Yeah, I'se good. Gots some calming to do for this boy. The Sight don't like going quiet even if it's told to by a Changeling." His paw glowed a faint white that shifted to green. "But someone better be waiting and willing to plow my cute ass when I gets home tomorrow, 'cause I ain't pulling the late shift without special compensation."

Nathaniel leaned over and kissed Oliver. "I love you, Badger."

"I loves you, Bear."

"Night, Badger," said the cat. "I'll see you tomorrow and ensure an appropriate compensation is ready for you."

Oliver smiled. "I'll be looking forward to it, Beast. I loves you, too." The badger and the cat kissed; and with that, the cat and the redheaded doctor opened the door and walked out of the room. They smiled at the two parents and escorted them to the elevators. Inside Matthew's room, a green glow peeked through the curtains. Oliver smiled, gently stroking the young boy's hair with a fluorescing hand. "We's gonna always be with you, Matthew. You gots family watching over you that you ain't even met yet. You's gonna be just fine."

Chapter 11

The sun rose over the Montana plains. Three naked horsemen, riding on nothing but bareback pads, broke through the buffalo herd, racing back toward the ranch. Jean Pierre pulled up his horse despite its eagerness. "I'm too much weight on your back, Thunder. Let those two try to figure out who's best. We know the truth, don't we?"

Chet pulled up his horse and pivoted it around, heading it leisurely back toward Jean Pierre. "They bred Thunder to be happy with a big man on his back," he yelled with a laugh. "Much like me." He pulled his horse around when the two were side by side and took a deep breath of the morning air. "Thanks for your help with the fences yesterday. I'm not sure that's exactly the way to spend a birthday, but three ranch hands were very happy with their unexpected day off. And you get to enjoy your family later today."

"We wanted to spend Max's twenty-fifth birthday with you," Jean Pierre said with a smile. "He's turning when we get back from the highland."

Chet returned the smile. "I am happy for both of you." He looked at Jean Pierre. "You will make such beautiful beasts."

Jean Pierre laughed. "You don't even know what our choice of beast is."

"You are beautiful men. By extension, you will be beautiful beasts. I'm sure about that."

Max came trotting up to the two. "Well, that was a quick and rather one-sided race."

"I decided my horse had an unfair disadvantage," Jean Pierre replied. "Me."

Max leaned over and kissed the heavyset man with a baldhead and full beard. "I don't consider you riding me a disadvantage."

"You wouldn't know," Jean Pierre said with a giggle. "We haven't done that yet."

Chet looked over at the two. "You haven't? I've heard you two going at it for weeks. How did you avoid..." he thought a moment, "... bumping into each other in that fashion?"

Max shook his head. "We didn't avoid it. We waited for it. I'm twenty-five, and JP is eighteen. We're both well beyond legal age. No one can question our right to make choices for ourselves."

"Everyone would agree with you on that front," Chet said. "You two have always been mature young men who give careful deliberation to things."

"Then you know that what we're about to ask you, we've thought through carefully," Jean Pierre said. He leaned over his horse and gave Chet a quick kiss on the lips. "We want you to be our first."

Chet looked at the two, stunned. "No, Jefes. Your first should be for you two alone. You two lovebirds are meant for each other. You should have done it long ago."

"In another world we did," Max said. "I know this has been a difficult time for everyone, Chet. We have the advantage of knowing how our years unfolded with you in another time. You've only known us these last few months. We didn't wait for anyone back in those days. We were at each other long before family and friends were even aware. But this time, we don't get the luxury of growing up with someone we love. We have a few brief moments, so we are trying to decide how to make them special."

"This is one of our special moments, Chet," Jean Pierre continued. "You are one of our special moments. The day you took us after my turning was one of the happiest of my life."

"Our lives," Max interjected.

Jean Pierre continued. "We had talked of it for months, the three of us. We knew you couldn't turn us because you are a bird and, well... the logistics are all wrong. But we also grew up with you. You are our best friend. Derrick turned Max because he was kind and understanding but he wasn't our first choice."

"You were, Chet," Max added. "Our first choice was you. You will always be our first choice."

Chet was silent for a long while as the horses led themselves back toward home. When he looked up, there were tears in his eyes. "I always wondered why I am drawn to you boys. Why is it that from the very first day, your happiness was so important to me? Perhaps I don't see it unfold as you two do, but my heart has always kept pace with yours. You are more to me than friends. If you waited for me, I will not question your choice. My heart is yours, Jefes."

The horses stopped in front of the hitch in front of Chet's home.

Chet slipped off the horse and tied the reins to the hitch. "Why don't we go in and get something to drink? It's already getting hot out here."

Inside the adobe building, Max and Jean Pierre looked around the sparsely furnished home. "You don't have much here, Chet," Jean Pierre said.

"There are my books and my music," Chet replied. "I need little else. I spend most of my downtime flying or sleeping."

The two bears looked around. The back room, meant to be a bedroom, had no bed. "Where do you sleep?"

Chet pointed to a wrought iron perch standing in the corner. "I sleep there. I'm a red-tailed hawk, remember?" He pulled two seats from the kitchen table. "Here, take a seat," He said. He stood for a moment and then pulled up another chair. "Friendship is difficult for me. I am a cowboy. I ride the range, taking care of broken-down fences and I watch my herd. Now and then, when all those man-juices build up, I head into town, I grab myself a werewolf, and we go at it in my current form."

He sighed. "Until the two of you, I had one truly intimate friend. I love all the pack, but Derrick is my soul mate. He and I are so content not being a part of anything bigger than our simple lives. When he and I are together, any sense of loneliness I might feel disappears, and I'm good for months."

"Well, would it be so bad to have a couple more men who do the same thing for you?"

Chet thought about it for a moment. "You are both so handsome. And I can't say that your human forms weren't a distraction on your return. Sometimes it has been difficult to remember to see you as children while you grew up."

"Understood," Max said. "But we're not children anymore, and our lives are going to get complicated soon. We want a few moments with the man we love before we need to take on those obligations."

Chet smiled. "I would be honored to be your first. You realize that the first times aren't usually all that pleasurable, right? There's pain involved in..." he paused, searching for the words. He sighed, realizing there was no delicate way to say what he wanted to warn them about. So, he pushed forward and said, "stretching things to accommodate things they don't normally accommodate."

"We've been trying to prepare ourselves," Jean Pierre said with a grin. "We read enough to realize that jumping into anal is a recipe for disaster unless you're like Will or Derrick."

Chet laughed. "For most of us, it's an acquired taste." He paused. "But a very pleasurable one."

"We've been using toys for a while," Max said. "We wanted to at least be a bit more flexible than when we started."

"And what about topping someone?" Chet asked. "You're my best friends. Friends take care of their friends' needs as well."

Jean Pierre smiled. "You bottom?"

"I'm a werebeast. I don't know any of us who, after the first few hundred years, don't both bottom and top. Sex is a wonderful thing, but over the centuries it helps to have a very big playbook of what you enjoy."

Max and Jean Pierre both laughed. "We hadn't thought about that," Max said.

"Well, you're turning in a few days, Jefes," Chet said, "you better think about every aspect of your life in relationship to living a very long time."

Max's eyes saddened, and he looked out the window. "I hope so, Chet."

Chet looked at the man with the graying hair. "Do we need to talk about something, Jefe?"

"No... not today," Max said, trying to force a smile. "Today we want to spend our morning with you making memories we'll never forget." He lifted himself off the chair. "There are six hours before noon, right?"

"Actually, seven. They expect you on the highland at noon. There is an hour's difference between here and the highland," Chet said with a smile. "There is enough time that we can go slowly..." he paused, "Well, slowly for humans. As werebeasts, I'm thinking you might find seven hours rushed for your needs."

The two men laughed as Chet looked out the front door at the horses. "I will let the hands take care of them today. I don't want to waste a moment of this day doing chores instead of being with you two."

The two nodded. Chet's face took on a look of concern. "Damn. There's no bed in my bedroom." He tapped the ComLink in his ear. "Front." There was a pause. "Hello, Jason. I have a bit of a problem today. There's no bed in my home, and the three of us need one." Another pause. Chet laughed. "You don't think that would upset Father?" The two humans stood patiently wondering about the other side of the conversation. "Okay, we'll take you up on the offer." Chet turned to the two. "Jason says we can use the master bedroom at the ranch."

Max's eyes widened. "The master bedroom?" He asked.

"Yeah, that one," Chet said with a laugh. "The family is already up on the highland preparing for your birthday party. Jason is about to leave on the next shuttle. We three will be the last Tiff and Tuff transport." The chubby man paused, gathering his thoughts. "Before we say yes to this, if we use that bedroom, there is a fabled history to live up to. Let's make sure we give them something to be proud of."

Max leaned in and kissed Chet. The kiss lingered long enough for both to stir in other parts of their bodies. When their lips slipped apart, Max said, "Why don't you fly over there and get the room ready for us? We can run the quarter mile from here."

"You can run it if you want," Jean Pierre said. "I'm walking. I'm saving all my energy for more important things."

Chet leaned in and kissed the large man. His hand slipped down below the thick waist and rubbed the growing cock. "The sooner you're there, the sooner we start."

"I'll run."

Chet pushed open the screen door, and with a flurry of spinning feathers and flesh, the red-tailed hawk rose into the air and headed east to the ranch. Max and Jean Pierre looked at each other. Max sighed. "If it doesn't work, at least today will be ours."

Jean Pierre leaned in and kissed Max. "I love you, Max. Whatever happens, I will always love you."

"And I love you, JP." The two hugged briefly and turned toward the ranch. "We don't tell him. We just cherish our time with him, regardless of what happens." JP nodded. "Race you there," Max said as he ran out onto the dirt road heading west.

Moments later, the two stared up into the cathedral ceiling with its large ponderosa pine beams and paneling. "This place is huge," Jean Pierre said in awe.

"The husbands who live here are huge as well. Will has robust appetites. He created a room capable of handling the intensity he and the bear could get into from time to time," Chet pointed toward the bed. "Now that the Kodiak and the Pup are here, it's become even more important that what plays in here stays in here."

The two humans laughed. "Is that really bulletproof glass?"

"It is. It has stood up to at least two of the husbands being thrown up against it. But worst-case scenario, it comes out as one piece. Nothing in this room is breakable, or at least nothing is dangerous once it's broken."

"What about the mirrors?"

Chet smiled. "They're nicely done, don't you think? The ones on the side are perfect for the curious bottom that wonders what he looks like being taken."

"But they're glass, right?" JP said, staring up at the two large mirrored panels that hung from the ceiling.

"Actually, they're Mylar. A very special grade of the stuff, but you smash into them, you take out some plastic and wood. The ones above us are retractable. They recess into the walls when not in use."

"Will we be doing any of that smashing into stuff?" Max asked with a look of concern on his face.

"No, you're humans. Beasts go easy on humans. We may play for longer than you can keep up with, but we are always gentle." Chet leaned over and kissed Max. "We will go even more gently today. Today, of all days, I want you two to be happy with the choice you made."

"We're happy," Jean Pierre said. "Today we will tell the man we love how we feel in a way we have never told another. Not even each other."

Chet wiped his eyes with his hand. "You are sure about this, Jefes?"

Max threw himself onto the bed and thrust out his arms. "I'm sure."

Grabbing the dark-skinned man, Jean Pierre rolled onto the bed, over the top of Max, and wound up with Chet on top of him. "We probably need some lube. Do you think they have any here?"

Chet laughed. "Will designed this room. It wouldn't surprise me if he has it on tap." He leaned in and kissed the bearded, chubby man. "But I am a beast, despite my outward appearance. Give us enough time and we make plenty of our own."

"How much time is that?"

Chet reached down between his crotch and the big man's belly, pulling up a dripping hand. "It seems to be ready now. Jean Pierre pulled the hand down to his lips and shoved three of the dripping fingers into his mouth. He smiled, licking the fingers clean. "And it's even flavored with my favorite taste... red-tailed hawk."

Max came up alongside the two. "So, what do we do now?"

Chet smiled. "Well, I know you can't handle the foreplay of a red-tailed hawk, so how about we take this morning as humans?"

"Sounds fair," Max said. Chet felt the legs of Jean Pierre below him, lifting around his torso and up onto his shoulders. The bulky bald man maneuvered himself into position until he felt Chet's dripping cock slip up against his soft, tight hole. He lay motionless. Max stood up and positioned himself behind Chet. With a rub of his dripping cock across the inside of Chet's ass crack, he made a slight chuckle. "So, on the count of three, we all push, okay?"

Chet shook his head. "I have seriously underestimated the extent of your preparation for this day."

Jean Pierre looked up into Chet's eyes. "Perhaps, but we humans will be gentle with you the first time, Beast."

"One... two... three," Max yelled, and all three pushed against their willing partner.

Chapter 12

Oliver rubbed the back of the black wolf. "You's gonna be fine, Husband. Don't worrys yourself about this."

Derrick paced anxiously. "Why did I ever agree to do this?"

Will leaned back and smiled. "He's right, Pup. You've been here before, only on the other side of a different timeline. The boy loves you, and you love him. You'll be fine."

"Max turned thirty-two five days ago back in Montana," Oliver said, trying to console the pup. 'He's almost thirty-three. And you celebrated Jean Pierre's twenty-fifth birthday right alongside Max and the rest of the family. They's all grown up." The sigh made by Derrick told Oliver that he hadn't convinced the black wolf. "All them years ago, they asked you to be the one when they come of age. Max waited for Jean Pierre so they could turns together, but they has always had you by their side. You's doing what you already done."

"I've never turned anyone in this universe," Derrick said with a whimper. "What if I mess this up?"

"So we add another to our family roster of men who fuck-up transformations," Will said with a laugh. "It's no big deal. Look how nice Oliver turned out."

"I ain't fucked up, Old Wolf," the badger said, glaring at his mate.

"I didn't say you were," Will said as he reached out and grabbed the little mammal. "I said when you turned, we both thought you were going to be a wolf and you became a badger. To me, I had fucked up another turning the same as I did with Kong. But it turns out, you became the beast I always needed in my life. I love you, Oliver." The wolf buried his muzzle into the belly of the badger and shook.

"Ahhhhh... stop it, Old Wolf," the badger yelled, laughing. "You knows I'se ticklish there."

The wolf looked up from his play. "Is there any part of you that isn't ticklish?"

"My pecker ain't ticklish."

"It is after you've cum."

"Ain't cum yet."

"I can change that, Husband," the wolf said with a grin.

"Uh, husbands," Derrick interrupted. "I'm in crisis mode and you're about to..."

"To show you how easy it is to find yourself in the arms of another beast doing what beasts do," Will said with a smile. "Come here, Pup."

Derrick walked over to Will as the old wolf put the badger back down on the ground. Will took the black wolf in his arms and bit into his shoulder. When he let his jaws slip, the old wolf rubbed the younger wolf's erection. "See? That part comes easily to you." The old wolf's paw came up and rubbed the pup's chest. "And the heart inside here is more open and loving than anyone I have ever met. This is what Max wants. This is what you've already done before in another life. Trust yourself, Pup. No man could ask for a better beast to turn him than you."

"He's right, Pup," Oliver said, tugging at the black wolf's leg. "Them boys have the Sight. They knows who their protectors are. They knows who will keep them safe, and they trusts you to guide them in the most important choice of their lives. You will always be there for them. Now and forevers. Trusts that they knows what they wants, and they knows what is right for them."

"Come on, Pup," the old wolf said as he wrapped his arm around his mate. "We'll walk you to the museum."

"And why there?"

"'Cause they's got soundproofing stuff in the walls," Oliver said with a giggle.

"I'm not that noisy, am I?"

"Not at all, Pup," the old wolf said as he nudged the giggling badger.

After a short walk, the three stood in front of the garage door of the museum. Martin opened the door and welcomed the husbands in. Max and Jean Pierre sat nervously on the side of the oversized bed. They waved hello to Derrick when they saw him and he waved hello back. "Well, gentlemen," the cat said to the old wolf and badger, "what say we head on over to the commissary and have lunch with Nathaniel?"

"Sounds like a plan," Will said. He leaned over and kissed Derrick. "You'll be fine, Husband." He looked at the two men. "You'll all be fine. Don't worry about this. Remember that whatever you become, we will love you. Let your heart tell you who you are and what your avatar will be."

The badger looked at Will. "Who is you, and what has you done with my husband?" Everyone laughed, and the badger turned to the two men. "The old wolf is right. Don't become what's you think we wants. Become what your hearts tells you to become. We loves you to pieces already. We's gonna loves you as beasts just as much."

The two men smiled. "Thanks, uncles," Max said.

"Yeah, thanks," Jean Pierre said with a nod. The heavyset man looked at the black wolf. "I guess we should get started."

There was a bustle of quick hugs and kisses and the cat, wolf, and badger left the house, locking the door behind them. The three remaining individuals sat on the bed silently for a bit, trying to work through their uneasiness. "I suppose you realize that picking the shyest guy in the family to turn you would lead to a few awkward moments, right?" Derrick asked.

"Yeah, but then we're pretty shy about this too," Jean Pierre said. "We needed someone who understood that; someone who wouldn't try to rush us."

Derrick laughed uncomfortably. "Yeah, I won't be doing that." He looked at the two and smiled. "I realize we've done this before, but in that other world, I had years to spend with you and watch you grow up. In this world, I've only had a few months. When they say kids grow up fast, they had no clue how fast that would be for the two of you."

Max laughed. "I know, Uncle Derrick. We're asking a lot of you."

Derrick nodded. "Call me Pup or Wolfy. We're going to go beyond the uncle stage today. Let's use a name I enjoy hearing."

Jean Pierre reached out his hand and touched the wolf's face. "I have always thought you were the most beautiful of the wolf family."

Derrick smiled shyly. "Thanks. You both turned into handsome men."

Jean Pierre laughed. "I'm chubbier than I had hoped, but when you get down to it, you are who you are. Better make peace with it."

Derrick laughed. "Okay, now that helped a lot. You're sounding all grown up to me." The wolf leaned in and kissed the overweight bald man. "So, I can't call you Little Jean anymore. What do I call you?"

"You can call me JP. That's what Max calls me. Or Jean Pierre. Your husbands, Will and Eric, call me that. I like both." Jean Pierre leaned back into the kiss. The kiss lingered and when they separated, Jean Pierre took a deep breath. "You know you're turning Max, right?"

"Yeah, I know," the wolf said. "But I need you to stay here with us. He's going to be your mate one day, and that means you should stay by his side during the turning, just as he will be by your side. The changes in your body won't be easy ones, and you need support to get through them."

"I understand," Max said. "We're prepared."

"No... no you're not," Derrick corrected. "You don't fully understand what is about to happen or how painful it is the first time. We never tell another before we turn them. We hope they get through it, and in the end, they will realize all the pain was worth it. But if anyone knew going in what it would feel like, very few of us would have ever made the change. But your circumstances are different. You deserve to know the truth."

Derrick put his paw on Jean Pierre's leg. "You are going to have to watch the man you love turn, and it will be painful and frightening to watch. Your choice to let him turn you is noble, but it will also be a very difficult one." The wolf smiled. "So, let's do this together. You don't sit on the sidelines and watch the two of us, Jean Pierre. You get in there and have fun with your future husband's body while the two of us prepare for the turning."

Jean Pierre smiled. "I would like that. And will you stay with us when it comes my time?"

"Of course."

"Well, then I guess I could use another one of those kisses," the bearded man said with a grin. He looked at Max. "You have to try them. This wolf knows how to kiss."

Max laughed and grabbed his partner, kissing him as they rolled back onto the bed. "Well, see what you think after the turning," he said when the kiss ended.

"Okay, gentlemen. Let's get you out of those clothes," the wolf commanded. "Time to make that turning a reality. If there's one thing I figured out, the longer you talk about it, the harder it gets to convince yourself to do it."

Max pulled his polo shirt over the top of his head while Jean Pierre yanked his tank top off. The two stood for a moment, shyly holding onto their pants. "Wrong day to go commando, huh?" Max said to Jean Pierre.

"Nope," the balding big man said with a shove downward of his sweats. "I'm thinking today is the perfect day for wearing our matching pajamas." Derrick laughed as he remembered the night the boys returned as men.

Derrick leaned in and kissed Max, rubbing his paw up against the thinner man's chest. "We go at your pace. What we do we do out of love for each other and for the unity you two will find as beasts. You've both thought long and hard about this, so now is the time to bring those thoughts to the forefront."

"I'm ready, Wolfy," Max said as he fell backward onto his back. He reached forward and grabbed his legs. "I want to be watching your eyes when you come. It will help remind me of what I wish to become."

Derrick smiled as he pushed his body up against the legs and took them in his paws. "Stay focused, Max. Keep your beast in your mind. See every detail. The color, the size, the species; remember it all. Don't let any of it slip away."

Max smiled. "I have been through this before, Wolfy. You turned me on my twenty-fifth birthday. That was seven years ago in my first life. I remember it all. I know what it feels like, and I realize what JP doesn't understand about the pain. You need to know that I'm not hesitant about this choice. This is what we both want. We know what we need to do this time. I need you to help me stay strong. Look into my eyes and keep me strong, Wolfy."

Derrick rolled forward and penetrated the human. Max grimaced. "Dang, you're big," he groaned, but the smile came back to his face almost immediately. "And that might be a wonderful thing. Take your time, Wolfy. I know what's coming soon. Let me enjoy this moment with you."

"I'm not the best top in the world," Derrick said apologetically. "I'm easily aroused, but I'll try to make it last."

"I didn't make a mistake asking you the first time, Wolfy," Max said as he pushed into the thrusting. "I'm not making a mistake this time. Take me, Pup," the human begged. "Make me a beast."

The rhythmic flow of the two bodies became more heated, and when the wolf's panting turned to a loud growl, Max knew what was happening. He had heard the growl in another life. The howl that followed would shake the museum's rafters as the warm fluid of the wolf entered him. The bright blue eyes of the wolf never left their tight stare into the human's eyes, and when the beast came, it was as it had been before. Only this time, Max concentrated even more intently on making the change to a new dream... a new avatar born of his days in a new world with Jean Pierre by his side.

Max had barely a moment to enjoy the pleasurable sensations of feeling the wolf coming inside him before the act began rewriting his DNA. The pain was incredible. Had he still been human, he would have passed out. Already his new body was overriding his human DNA. The first gene mutation increased his strength to survive the rest of the transformation. But it also meant that he was aware of the agony the change forced onto his body. He heard himself scream and saw his human lover leaning over to grab his shoulders, trying to stabilize his writhing body.

Every new follicle of hair that pushed through his skin was as if a needle was piercing him from the inside and moving outward. When the bones of his body began their reconfiguration, he lost his ability to focus on the beast he was to become. However, by then, the DNA already cued to what it was turning Max into. Beyond thought, the body sensed what to do, and it was unerring in its execution of the desired changes.

Max lurched upward in a daze as his furred, clawed arms reached out, throwing Jean Pierre across the room where he slammed against a couch. Derrick was on top of him almost immediately, pushing him back onto the bed while the reconfiguration took place.

"Stay with me, Bear," Derrick yelled. "Your mate is fine. He's dazed but okay. Stay with me."

Max looked up into the blue eyes of the black wolf and, through the pain, he smiled. "I will be strong," he mumbled. For a moment, hovering on the brink of passing out, he felt the pain subsiding. He felt the bear he was becoming, but he pushed even further. He closed his eyes and saw the bear he wished to become again in his mind. And he saw the eyes of the black wolf in his mind, reminding him to remain strong and become the beast he was born to be. The pain returned in searing agony as the backbone shifted and new bones grew into place.

With a noise between scream and growl, the bear's arms flailed. Derrick pinned them back to the bed and waited for the heaving bear to relax. Eventually, the bear relaxed and fell back onto the bed, panting. "Well, aren't you the most beautiful thing ever, Bear?" Derrick said as he stroked his paw over the bear's furrowed brow.

The black wolf helped the bear up onto all fours and stared at him with a grin. The bear with gray-blue fur growled, sputtered, growled again, and then stomped his front feet in frustration.

"Okay, Max," the wolf said, trying to calm the beast. "You need to think with your human voice. The vocal cords are still there, but you have to push past the animal to let the human speak."

"Is Jean Pierre okay?" the bear asked, halfway between a growl and a question.

Jean Pierre rubbed his shoulder. "I'm okay, Hon. Nothing damaged here that won't heal the minute I become a bear."

Derrick smiled. "Oh, a matching set. That will be fun. And there you go, Max; he'll be fine." Derrick leaned over and stroked the back of the bear. He shook his head when he rubbed across the bony ridges that felt as if the bear had three backbones spread across and down his shoulders. He shook off the concern, as he lacked any actual knowledge of American black bear anatomy to start with. "Now comes the next step in this process. You're a bear; you were a human. Somewhere between the two, you will find the werebear. He is the one who will turn Jean Pierre. Find him."

"I must have blocked the memory of how painful the turning is," the blue bear said with a groan. "Becoming a werebeast will be as bad, won't it?"

"Yeah, it will hurt. But you have to remember, you're doing this to be with Jean Pierre. He's going to be your mate. Push past the pain. The transformations will get easier with time. Stay focused on the goal. Stay with the love you have for that beautiful man over there and make the change."

The bear looked up at the overweight man rubbing his bald head. "Sorry about throwing you across the room," he struggled to say. "I love you,"

"And I love you. Ever since I first saw you," Jean Pierre said. "Change, Bear. It's time I joined you."

Max gritted his bear teeth and closed his eyes. There was a shift, and the bear pushed himself upright. He groaned in pain as the bones realigned, forming the stout legs and rounded butt of the upright bear. Muscles shifted, forming the skeleton and muscle structure beneath the fur that would allow the bear to walk upright. The bear's gluteal muscles shifted more toward their human underpinnings. That allowed the gluteus maximus to take on the responsibility of keeping the bear upright. Other muscles shifted, and bones reconfigured until the bear had both a chest and gut shaped more human than ursine. But that human-shaped body remained covered in the thick fur of the blue bear.

Jean Pierre picked himself up and stumbled toward the bear and wolf. He kissed the wolf tenderly. "Thank you, Wolfy. Thank you for everything."

Derrick smiled. "Getting tossed across the room was easy, JP. Now comes the tough part."

Jean Pierre smiled back. "I know. I'm ready if you'll stay beside me."

"I'm here for both of you," Derrick comforted. He leaned back in and kissed the bearded man. "It's time. Max is weak from the transformation and easily aroused because you're here with him. All things considered, that will go easier on your body than if you wait for him to regain his strength."

Jean Pierre looked at Max. "Are you up for this, Hon?"

The blue bear rolled backward and pulled at his genital sheath. The thick grayish-brown cock slipped out from the fur. In seconds, it was erect. "Yeah, I'm up for this," the bear said, struggling with his words.

Jean Pierre straddled the bear and looked back at Derrick. "I'm not exactly a great bottom yet, so we made a deal. I'm going to sit on him and we'll go at it that way. My weight will help slow his thrusting down a bit."

Derrick laughed. "No, it won't, but it was a clever idea." The black wolf came up to the human and put his hands on his shoulders. "He's aroused. This won't take long. If you want, I'll push down on your shoulders and help keep the two of you a bit more... grounded."

Jean Pierre smiled. "Thanks, Wolfy. You're the best."

"Did it work?" Jean Pierre asked Max.

Max nodded. "Yes, but I had to stay focused longer than I thought," he said, struggling with each word.

"You help me stay focused, Max," Jean Pierre said, touching the muzzle of the bear lovingly. The corpulent man looked at the bulky bear and smiled. "Remember what we rehearsed? We don't back down. You take me no matter what I might say."

The bear looked into the eyes of the human. "I promise. We will be one."

With that, Jean Pierre lowered himself onto the bear's cock. He grimaced and stood back up. "Okay, gonna need a bit of help here." He looked back at Derrick. "I could use a bit more lube if that's not asking too much. We fat boys aren't all that good at getting it up our asses."

Derrick laughed. "Speak for yourself. This fat boy is fine with it. But I'm here to help you. And if that requires more lube, then that's where we go." His black paw reached down and pulled at his genital sheath. He pulled a small plastic vial from inside. "Will taught me this one. You can hide a lot in this sheath." With a squeeze of the tube, Derrick leaned over and massaged the lube into the tight hole of the human. "Relax, JP," He said. "Just let it be." The wolf's teeth bit into the shoulder of the human, and Jean Pierre made a quiet whimper of pleasure. "Remember JP; push past the pain until you find the pleasure. It will always be there."

Jean Pierre felt a warm, furred finger slip inside him, massaging the thick liquid around his insides. "Okay," he sighed. "I could get used to that. The fur feels nice. And no claws. That's surprising."

"Well, we'll talk about that later," Derrick said, slipping the finger out and then back in with even more lube. "But for now, you have bigger things on your plate." He looked down at the eager bear that was stroking his full erection. "And I mean bigger."

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, Wolfy. Let's hope this works." The big man lowered himself back onto the head of the bear's cock. He let out a painful groan. "Ugh, Max, I am going to think of a cock so big you'll know how I'm feeling right now every time I plow your ass as a bear."

Derrick rubbed the human's shoulders. "Okay, JP, no jokes. We can't go having a wayward thought that leaves you with a dick dragging through the dirt here."

"Sorry, Wolfy."

"It's okay. Keep whatever it is you've rehearsed in your mind. But Max is going to be a very good bottom, so don't skimp on that cock if you can stay focused on everything else you want."

Jean Pierre squatted down, falling onto the bear's dick. With a loud painful groan, Jean Pierre took a deep breath and said, "I'm good to go, Hon. Make me your bear."

The thrusting of the bear below began as the human and bear interlocked their hands. "Hurts," Jean Pierre yelled through the pounding.

"Gonna get worse," Derrick said. "Stay focused, both of you. Jean Pierre, think about your bear. See him the same as Max. See everything down to the color of the fur, the size of him, the weight, the muscle... see it all."

"Gonna cum!" the bear roared.

"NOW, JP," Derrick yelled. "Think of the bear!"

Jean Pierre shut his eyes tightly and tried to think past the pain. When the blue bear roared through his orgasm, a smile came across the human's face. He saw the bear. There was a warmth that spread throughout his body. Beyond pleasant, it was a remembered sensation amid his intense concentration. Opening his eyes, the human saw the blue bear below him in the last throws of his orgasm. Jean Pierre realized the white fluid spread across the bear's belly was his. It was the human's last orgasm before the change began.

Derrick grabbed the human. "Focus, JP. Don't let the image of the bear slip away."

"It won't," Jean Pierre said. "I see him clear as if was standing in front of me."

"Good," the wolf said. "Now see him not in front of you. See him as you look into a mirror."

The wolf took the human and pulled him up off the spent cock of the bear and threw him onto the bed. An unbelievable pain almost immediately replaced Jean Pierre's surprise at his change of position. "Max, shake out of it," Derrick yelled. "JP needs you."

Max shook his head and struggled to get his bulky body rolled over. As soon as the bear righted himself, he leapt toward the two. "Where do I go?" He asked.

"Stabilize his head and shoulders," Derrick replied. "I'll hold his legs in place." The wolf grabbed the human's legs and the sound of crunching bone matched the reconfiguration of the shorter, stouter legs of the bear being born.

Max grabbed Jean Pierre's head and gripped it. "I'm here, JP. You're not alone. We're going to be here with you through it all."

"Oh god, it hurts," Jean Pierre cried out. The cream-colored fur began sprouting from every limb of the human.

"I know, JP, I know," Max said. The shifting of the blond bear wasn't that of a polar bear, though. Like Max, this bear was smaller than all the family's previous bear incarnations. These were both black bears, but their coloration was extraordinary.

"Take me now," Jean Pierre gasped through the change. His jaws snapped with his awareness of the huge teeth inside his elongating muzzle.

"We have to wait for the change to finish," Max objected.

"What are you boys talking about?" Derrick asked.

The half bear/half man writhing in the middle suddenly pulled away from both those steadying him and pushed himself off the side of the bed. "This," he said, as he jumped toward the blue bear, pushing the bear down onto his belly. The fully formed muzzle of the white bear bit into the back of Max's neck. The blue bear roared out in pain but did not fight as the blond bear lost the last vestiges of his human body and mounted the blue bear below.

Derrick looked on and smiled. "Okay. You're mating. Didn't think that was going to happen today, but I'm good with it." He began backing away as the blond bear intensified both his grip on the neck and the thrusting of his hips into his mate. Derrick nearly cried with happiness when he watched the blond bear do a fumbling reach-around as he played with the blue bear's erection.

The blond bear began making guttural sounds that would be the telltale sign of all his pending orgasms in the future. The blue bear growled a laugh. "I'm getting ready to come again, JP," he said happily. "Better say the words, or I'm tossing you."

Jean Pierre remembered Derrick's words earlier and tried to speak with his human vocal cords. While barely intelligible, both Max and Derrick heard the blond bear struggle. "Be my mate," he growled.

The blue bear smiled. "Now and forever," he answered. Derrick plugged his ears as the two bears roared their way through their orgasms. But the bliss that seemed to overtake the two as the blond bear lay limp on top of the blue bear was not to last long.

The blue bear pushed up and threw off the blond bear. The blond bear began circling the blue, and the blue began pacing in kind. Their circling seemed to be a pair looking for a lapse in the defensive posture of the other. "You spent?" the blond bear asked the other.

"Not hardly," the blue bear responded. "I've got a bear to mate today."

"You want me to make it easy for you?"

"Nah. I've always been able to take you. Let's go with tradition. Make me earn the right to be your mate."

"I'm still heavier than you, Max."

"True, but I have the advantage."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because you're a big softie, and you could never hurt me."

The blond bear stopped his circling and lowered his head, exposing his neck. "Damn it, you're right," he said. "I'll never be as ferocious as you."

Max pushed his muzzle against Jean Pierre's. "I don't love you because you're ferocious. You keep me from becoming ferocious. That's why I love you. I'm a better man because of you. I'm a better bear. Be my mate, JP. Make me the happiest bear in the world."

Jean Pierre nodded his consent. "I still think we should wrestle for who gets to mate who next," he said shoving the blue bear away once more.

"You already mated with me," Max said as he renewed his circling again.

Jean Pierre began a counter circling to the blue bear. "Yeah, but it's fun. The pain is gone now. It all burned away the minute I bit into your neck."

"And you're going to deprive me of that?"

"Do you hurt anymore?"

"No, but I still want to mate with you."

"Sure, come and get me," the blond bear replied, stomping his front paws down in a locked stance. And then from the back of the bear sprang two large cream-colored wings, flapping defensively.

The blue bear shook and his wings burst from his back, a slightly lighter blue hue than his fur.

Derrick looked on. "Well, my Sight sucks. I didn't see any of this coming," he said with a laugh.

The two bears turned and looked at the wolf. "Are we going to be in trouble for this?" Jean Pierre asked, his youth coming to the forefront.

"You're both beautiful. How could any of us ever be upset with you?" The wolf paused and then waved his backhand to the two. "Now, go... you have a mating to finish."

Max smiled. "And afterward, the family gets to take us, right?"

Derrick laughed. "There is that tradition. But our family has gotten pretty big of late. What say you two finish what you should and we'll save the rest for another day?"

"Then just you, Wolfy?" Jean Pierre begged.

Derrick smiled. "Okay, and maybe Li Wei. I can hear him whimpering outside the door. Those poor temple dogs can sense a mating from miles away."

Jean Pierre smiled and lowered his neck and folded back his wings. Max leaned into the bear and bit into the thick-furred neck. He paused only for a moment. With a flap of his wings, he was on top of the other bear and working to get a foothold as he probed the blond bear's bottom in search of an entry. He realized quickly that the blond bear was wider and heavier than he was. There was no way that he was holding onto his bite and entering the bear at the same time.

Jean Pierre giggled at his partner's frustration. With a flap of his wings, he knocked the blue bear off and pushed him onto his back. The blond bear looked down at the blue and straddled him in the same fashion as his turning. This time, Jean Pierre took the engorged flesh with ease. He leaned over and turned his neck toward the blue bear's jaws. "You bite me, and I ride your cock. It doesn't actually say in the mating ritual who mounts who. It only says we exchange our essence while biting the neck... or something stupid, like where people don't want to say the word cum."

Max looked up at the exposed neck of the bear. "You know how much I love you, right?"

"Yeah, almost as much as I love you. I love you a little more because I'm heavier."

Max smiled and bit into the neck. As the blond bear rose and fell on the shaft of the blue bear, Derrick quietly went to the garage door. He opened it just far enough for the temple dog to slip under.

Chapter 13

The Kodiak bear let the fat, black cock of the polar bear slip out of his mouth and wiped his muzzle. He smiled. "I bet it's Will."

The polar bear listened to the incessant beep of the ComLink. "We're having sex. Of course, it's Will." Eric grabbed his cock and pushed it forward. He squeezed it hard until a thick stream of pre-cum spilled out over his paw. "Put the camera on this and answer the call," he said with a wicked grin.

Kris reached over, grabbed the camera mount of the ComLink from off the side table, and placed it on his chest. The small device fixed itself into the fur and rotated outward toward the white bear below. "Camera on," the Kodiak said. He tapped his earbud. "Hello, Husband."

There was a moment of silence where the two could practically hear the wolf salivating. "That's cruel, you two. You know how much I miss you."

"We're not the ones calling you in the middle of sex every time we turn around."

"I don't do it on purpose," the old wolf protested. He stared at the cock hungrily. "Gawd, that looks so good."

"It tastes good too," Kris said as his head bobbed into the camera view, taking the black cock back into his mouth.

"Oh fuck, that's... you two... that's not fair."

Kris shifted the camera back to the personal view setting and wiped his mouth again. "Sorry Old Wolf. We miss you too. You know we're going to tease you back home to Montana if we can."

"Yeah, but now I got a hard-on," Will whined.

"Really?" Kris's eyes darted around the room. "Where are those specs?" He opened a dresser drawer and rummaged through it. "Here they are," he said as the camera showed him placing a pair of thin transparent lenses onto his muzzle and tossing the other pair to his off-camera mate. "Show us, husband. We miss seeing your cock."

Will leaned back in his chair and shifted his hips forward. He smiled as he heard the audible low growls of his appreciative husbands.

"I never tire of seeing that, Old Wolf," the polar bear said. "Stroke it for me."

The wolf's paw slipped over the swollen flesh and pushed the genital sheath back into his groin. He slid his paw up and down as he watched the Kodiak bear's eyes widen. The bear licked his muzzle. "Jack off, Husband," the brown bear begged.

The wolf leaned forward. "Give me a reason to jack off, Husband. You want me to come, you show me yours first."

The brown bear fumbled with the ComLink camera, pulling it from his chest. He tossed the dime-sized camera into the air, where it hovered in anticipation of the next command. The picture shifted overhead to view both bears. "Say when," he said anxiously.

The picture shifted, and the view showed Kris's backside as it moved toward the polar bear's crotch. Will groaned. "How can a top have an ass that hot?" he mumbled under his breath.

The picture shifted again, and he watched the view of the bears from the side. "Camera pause," the old wolf said as the bulky brown bear pushed between the polar bear's legs. Will's paw stroked his erection. "Fuck him," Will urged. "Fuck him and I'll give you all the cum you want."

Kris looked into the camera. "You can never give me enough cum, Old Wolf. Haven't you learned that yet?"

"Fuck me anyway, Husband," the white bear encouraged.

The Kodiak kicked out one of his legs over the top of the polar bear and used the other to force the white bear's legs together. Straddling the well-padded belly of the bear beneath, the brown bear leaned over and kissed the white bear. "He never said who has to fuck who." He rose and fell backward, impaling himself on the polar bear's upright dick.

"Bears, you are so beautiful together," the old wolf said as his breathing increased along with the pace of his jacking. "Ride him, Old Bear."

Eric needed no encouragement as fifteen hundred pounds of white bear pounded against the butt of the Kodiak above him. Kris groaned happily, scrutinizing the old wolf's masturbation in the glasses and feeling the girth of the polar bear deep inside him. His cock flopped back and forth, slapping between both bellies. He captured the swollen flesh in his paw to encourage the inevitable orgasm.

The polar bear reached up, grabbed both of the Kodiak's arms and pulled them forward. He growled lustily. "Come for me, Husband. You don't need your hands. Use me."

Kris began using the bear below as a willing toy for his lust. He ground the dripping cock deeper inside him until it found the spot where the white bear's thrusting was pushing him toward the release he craved.

"Come, Husband," the polar bear ordered. "I'm too far into this to staahh..." The words became a guttural growl that turned into a roar.

"Camera back," Will said between labored breaths. The camera shifted to the view of a slick black pillar plowing into the Kodiak's ass. White cum spilled from the hole each time the cock slipped from it and before it plunged back in.

"Don't stare at my ass too long," Kris huffed, "or you'll miss what's going to happen up front."

"Camera front," the wolf yelled just in time to watch the Kodiak's cum spiraling out of his cock. The wolf grunted and delivered on his promise as one volley after another shot toward his ComLink camera.

Both bears lurched back involuntarily as one thick glob splashed onto the camera lens. The view became a pale translucent white that flowed like a slow-motion waterfall. "Oh gawd, I love you two so much," both bears heard the old wolf pant over the speaker in their ear.

An hour later, the three were trying to slow down enough to clean up. "Stop licking him, Old Bear. It's getting me hard again."

"But if I use a towel, all that cum goes to waste," the bear mumbled with his tongue lapping across the brown bear's belly.

"Pity an old wolf," Will begged. "This was supposed to be a quick call to ask you to get the family together and come to the highland."

"You let us have sex in front of you while you jacked off, and you knew we were going to be together on the highland in a couple of hours?" Kris said, pushing up onto his elbows.

Will grinned guiltily. "Yeah. Sort of. Damn it, you two, you started it with that hard-on hello shot."

"Well, Derrick might be upset that we did all this now without him."

"He's actually indisposed at the moment. He and Li Wei have been in the museum house for the last two days with Max and JP."

The Kodiak's eyebrow arched. "Really? What's that all about?"

Will laughed. "Long story, but the short ending is we have another mated couple in our family. It's anyone's guess as to what they are, but from the sound of it, I'd say they're bears."

"Max and JP?" the polar bear asked. "When did all this happen?"

"A couple of days back. I'm afraid it's only the tip of a very big iceberg of changes coming our way. We've scheduled a council meeting in a week here on Partridge Island. We're trying to get representatives in from the Were Nation. But we're on a schedule that is rapidly speeding up. Oliver has called a family meeting on the highland."

"Oliver?" Kris said with a smile.

"My husband has become uncommonly insistent lately. I think he senses the timeline involved here more than anyone else. All I know is Martin agrees, and when those two agree, you best do what the badger says."

Kris laughed. "So, what's this all about?"

"Beats me. The three of us are going to have to be there to see it like everyone else. But bring the whole family. That includes your avian son, Old Bear."

"Chet? How bad is this, Husband?" the polar bear said, pushing into the camera's view.

"We're heading toward something pretty bad, Old Bear. But for the moment, I don't think that's why the family is meeting on the highland. Take comfort for the time being. If my Sight is working, there seems to be a very pleasant calm before the storm."

The polar bear smiled. "Well, today started pleasantly enough. We will gather up the family and see you up on the highland soon."

"Chet's about to get a call from Oliver," Will added. "You might give him a heads up. My asking you to bring Chet isn't so much a suggestion from me as an order from Oliver."

"Really?" the white bear said, scratching his head. "Then I suppose we best get cleaned up and be ready for this day before it catches up to us unprepared."

"That's pretty much what I was thinking, Old Bear," Will said. He paused and smiled. "But thanks for taking care of a horny wolf in distress first."

Kris laughed. "What else would we do, Old Wolf? Do you have any idea what seeing your hard-on does to the two of us? Now, hang up on us so we can get going."

Will nodded. "I'll see you soon, husbands." The screen went black and the two bears removed the glasses from their faces.

"I suppose it would be silly to even think we could get a shower in before we go," the brown bear thought aloud.

"Not a good idea, Husband," the white bear responded. "We told Will we'd meet him on the highland soon, not tomorrow."

Kris sighed and rubbed his rotund belly. "Yeah, I guess you're right." The bear turned into his gelatinous form and then became a bear again. He looked down at the fur void of all the cum that was there moments ago. "It's convenient," he said with a smile. "But not nearly as much fun." He leaned over and kissed his mate. "Let's go round up the family."

The polar bear shifted to his original body and back again. He reached out his paw and took the Kodiak's paw in his. "We'll get that shower as soon as we come back."

"Fair enough," the brown bear said with a grin.

Chapter 14

"Madre de Dios," Chet said slapping his head. "You know." He stared dumbfounded at the badger.

"I don't know nothing, Chet," Oliver said. "The Sight... it pushes things on me sometimes, but I pushes right back. I don't know what you gots hid, but it ain't mine to unhide. You's family, I don't pry into your life unless you asks me to." The Badger paused and looked into Chet's eyes through the camera. "All I knows, Chet, is you's gonna be asked to be a part of somethin' bigger than all of us, and you can'ts do it unless you tells your family who you really is."

"Okay, I am in love with JP and Max. Is that what you want to know?"

"Hell, Chet, we's all known that for weeks. They's in love with you. They can't hardly talk of nothin' else. That ain't no big thing. Their folks are happy for you all. This is something deeper. You knows what I'm talking about, Hawk. You's willfully avoiding it even though you knows what I mean."

"I don't think I can do that," Chet said sadly. "I have hidden it for so long. It's a part of me I don't even think exists anymore."

Oliver looked at the Native American. "You is my family, Chet. Ain't nuthin' that will ever change that for me or anyone outside waiting for you. Tiff and Tuff are coming back for the boys and the pack. You comes with them, please. Come to the highland and be with your boys. We's all here for a reason and it ain't their birthday party. It's time you let us all know what that reason is."

Chet looked over the shoulder of the little badger to the four temple dogs behind him. "Sensei?" he said as much a plea as a question.

Katashi shook his head with a small smile. "Remember nine hundred years ago I told you a day would come when you would no longer need to hide who you are?"

"Yes, Sensei."

"Today is that day. Come home, Tenshi. Your family is waiting." The temple dog rubbed his heart with his paw.

An hour later, Chet stood before his family in the middle of the highland glade. "There have always been tales of how I came to be."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Will complained. "Your papa strung me along for two hundred years thinking you were part of a pack initiation gone wrong."

Eric looked up and bared his polar bear teeth. "Will, you're either part of the solution..."

"Sorry, Chet, you know I love you," Will said with a grin. He quickly zipped his finger across his lips.

Chet smiled. "I know you do, Will. I couldn't do this unless I knew that." He looked at the family. "Some of you don't know me very well. I am sorry about that. I am a very private man and it means I have neglected time with my family."

"Does this mean we'll see more of you?" Sarah asked.

"It does," Chet said with a smile. "Provided this goes well. It has been so many years since I have been with a human family, I have forgotten how quickly time passes for you. I have missed out on too much hiding in my own shadow." He paced a bit, trying to gather his thoughts. He reached up and began unbuttoning his shirt. "I really hope my pants hold up."

Paul laughed. "Our kids are pretty used to seeing werebeasts running around naked all the time, Chet. If your pants don't hold up, don't worry. They're used to it."

The children from the orphanage all smiled and nodded in agreement. "It's no big deal," Alejandro said. "But we've all seen you as a werebeast. You don't need pants to be a red-tailed hawk."

Chet sighed. "You've seen my animal avatar and you've seen me in this form. None but my father and the temple dogs have ever seen me as a werebeast." Chet pulled off his shirt to reveal his smooth brown skin. A large chest and ample belly were the hallmarks of many in his family. Paul called it the family's preference for men that looked like corpulent monks. Others used other descriptions. Yet they all arrived at the same conclusion. The family had grown comfortable with their men being big in so many ways.

Chet looked to his father, who had stepped beside the temple dogs. The polar bear smiled. "You're doing fine, Son. There is no safer place on this planet for your story to be told, nor any more loving group to hear it." The temple dogs bowed their heads in agreement. When their heads lifted, Chet began his story.

"You have never heard my story because the story we put in place was there to protect me. It gave the illusion that I was part of a pack, and before that, a part of a tribe of Native Americans. I have never been either." Chet paused in thought. "Or perhaps I have a stronger right to lay claim to being a Native American than those who use the title today.

"Over twenty-five thousand years ago, the first indigenous people of the Americas crossed over from Asia via the Bering land bridge and migrated down from what is now called Alaska into the Americas. This was thousands of years before those we call the First Nations or Native Americans made the same migration. Moving ever southward to warmer climates, my people crossed the ice fields and settled in North and Central America. There we lived in peace for twelve thousand years.

"Through those years, our scouting parties watched as the mix of people crossing the land bridge grew ever larger. We are not a history of this land. Those who call themselves the first inhabitants of the Americas refer to us as legends. We were a blip on the historical radar, a cipher that doesn't exist in the archeological record. Before the Hopi Nation, before the Anasazi, my tribe lived in what is now Arizona.

"My tongue is no longer spoken. My people no longer live. I am the last of my kind. For all their claim to the Americas, the First Nations and the Native Americans killed the tribes that were on this land before them. My people are a part of the Hopi legends. The ones they killed to claim the lands gifted to them by their gods. When I was born, my tribe viewed me as a freak of nature. I was a giant among my people. And the taller I grew, the more fearsome I became."

Will looked at Derrick. "He's what, five/two, five/three max? How is that a giant?"

Chet's keen ears heard the question. "My people were called the Mutwajigwa; the little ones. In many tales of indigenous people, there are tales of the little people who were there first. The Menehunes of Hawaii are the most famous in legend. But talk to any tribal elder who knows the history of his people, and there will be a name for our kind. The Nirumbee of the Crow nation, the Nimerigar of the Shoshone, The Makiawisug of the Mohegan; you can find tales of the little people throughout the Americas. When we fled the persecution of the human giants across the land bridge into the Americas, we found a home like no other. We were the first of our kind to populate this verdant land. We thrived and grew, but we were always fearful that the human giants would one day find us and kill our people as they had done before.

"This is why I was so upsetting to my people. I was tall, while my people were short. I was heavyset, while my people were thin. I was smooth, whereas my people were hairy. I looked more human than any of my kind. My people eventually perceived me as a bad omen. I was the one who would bring the giants to our land. They thought the giants would look across the land bridge and see my head above the clouds. I tried to show my love for the tribe, but even then, I was a threat because of the ones I loved most. Young men that loved other young men did not produce offspring to help the tribe grow. They were a drain of resources with no benefit.

"Being seen as a bad omen on so many levels, they cast me out of the tribe, forcing me out into the encroaching deserts of the Southwest. Having nowhere to go, I sat down and prepared to die. That is when I heard the call of the red-tailed hawk. I looked up, and it was fighting the vultures circling above me. It was driving away the death that came for me in the shape of birds. When the sky was clear of all but the red-tailed hawk, it called out to me and flew toward the north.

"Day after day, I moved ever northward until I returned to the land of the frozen. The last of the great frozen years was ending, and the glaciers were melting back from all of Canada, but toward the north, the ice still held the land captive. I followed the hawk, and it led me onto a great glacier.

"I was ill-equipped to handle the cold, and each day I grew weaker. I wondered if the great hawk had brought me to this frozen place to die, to fall asleep in the cold and never wake again. Just as I convinced myself that was my destiny, the white bear appeared and took me in his arms. He held me for days in his embrace, warming my body and keeping me alive. Even so, I knew I was dying. I would not survive the cold that the bear lived in."

"How do you thank a creature that saves your life?" Chet said, looking at Eric. "How can you tell a beast that you love him?" Chet lowered his head. "And so I pressed my nose against his and shared my breath with him, as was our custom to show respect and veneration. When he returned his breath, I realized I was on a vision quest; a dream meant for me alone. When he spoke, I knew I was safe. Thrown out by my people and cast from my home, I found a new home by the side of a white bear. He told me there was a way to save me, to let me survive the cold if I would let him."

Chet's head lifted. "I heard the call of the red-tailed hawk as it flew above the two of us. It was a sacred omen, and I agreed to let him turn me. The beast I loved became man. For the first time in my life, I knew what it meant to be whole, to be completely unashamed of who I was, and what I was becoming."

Tears brimmed in Chet's eyes. "I have never known a happiness that equaled that moment in my life. I embraced my passions and let the man take me in ways I had only dreamed of. And when I heard the call of the red-tailed hawk, I looked up into the eyes of the one inside me." Chet pointed to Eric. "My vision of this beautiful man melded with the outstretched wings of the hawk that flew overhead and in a moment of pure bliss, I became this..."

Chet extended his hands from his sides and formed fists. In one mighty shake, his massive wings extended in a flurry from his back. His body grew to a few inches over six feet tall, still human and yet not. The pants didn't survive the transformation. Shredded with only small bits hanging from beneath his gut, the few remnants were enough to hide his genitalia pushing out against the fabric. His tail feathers fanned outward from his back, but it was what lay in front of the group that captivated their eyes.

The same feathered patterns as the red-tailed hawk spread out across Chet's body. His belly was white feathers dappled with brown contour feathers. The feathers extended up across his chest, becoming increasingly smaller until at the tip of his clavicles they disappeared entirely. Chet's aquiline nose now looked appropriately beak-like, but his gentle, familiar face survived the transformation.

Chet's copper-colored eyes occasionally blinked, not only top down but also left to right as the cloudy nictitating membrane slipped over the eyes. On top of his head, where once there was jet back hair, black feathers now extended out with a slight cowlick to the front and down across his back turning into the traditional rust and black feathered back of his avatar. The arms of a human remained in place covered in fine feathers, looking as if they were ruddy, thick hair. The same thin feathers covered his legs, ending in a human foot where the traditional five toes ended with the three largest displaying a short, curved talon at the end.

Chet was breathing anxiously, fearing what his family might think. His wings, russet and black on top, white and black striping underneath, gently flapped. Chet took a deep breath and flexed his wings out to their full span. The silence of the awestruck crowd worried him even more.

"He's an angel," one of the little children finally said.

"You's beautiful," Oliver said his mouth agape. "You's the most beautiful thing ever. Why would you ever hide that, Chet?"

Martin looked at Oliver. "Because he's a dark angel."

The polar bear smiled. "You see, Chet? Not only do they still love you, but some of them even understand why we taught you how to control the change."

"I don'ts get it," Oliver said. "What's it matter what color an angel is?"

"Lucifer, Son of the Morning, the dark angel who fell to earth," Paul said. "Our human superstitions mark him for death the moment his wings unfurl."

"You couldn'ts do that, could you?" Oliver asked.

"Not us," Max replied in his human form. "None of us here would do anything to hurt Chet. But Dad is right. The world would not look on him as kindly."

"But there are protections in place now," Sarah said. "There is no reason you can't be whatever you choose to be, Chet. Oliver is right. You're beautiful."

Chet looked away shyly. "Thank you. It has been so many thousands of years since I have stretched my wings. I forgot how good it feels to be free."

Eric looked at the red-tailed hawk-man. "This is my son. For longer than history records, he has been my pride and joy. I love him more than I can tell you."

Anders head tilted as he looked at the polar bear. "Old Bear, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Yes, but I have never liked those archaic terms. My love for Chet is no less or more than any other love because he was the firstborn."

"And I have never felt my father's love for me ever wavered because of those that followed."

"Why father, and not mate?" Sarah asked.

"That was my choice," Chet said. "I was dead, and the bear brought me back to life. I was reborn through him. He is and always will be my father. But my path was not his, and I would not stand in the way of him becoming the great white bear of legend that destiny held for him."

"I'm glad to know that I'm no longer the oldest werebeast in our family," Lewis said with a smile. Chet looked up and returned his smile. The white wolf extended his arms and hugged the angel. "You are so beautiful, Chet. It is good to know the firstborn came from a love understood by both father and son. Welcome home."

Darius looked at Damien and smiled. "Well, at least nothing changed in our family tree." He walked over to the hawk-man and hugged him. "Chet, nothing has changed. We love you as we always have. As a man and as a hawk, we have loved you, and we will love you as we see you today. We will love you no matter who you choose to be in our presence."

"Although the animal avatar is decidedly too small for what we were enjoying earlier in the week," Tiff said with a smile. The young children laughed and Tiff turned to them. "You aren't supposed to know what I'm talking about until you're much older."

"We know, Uncle Tiff," Diego said. "But we still think it's funny how hard you try to hide what you have never been able to hide."

Darius hugged Tiff, kissing him on the cheek. "We are who we are. I would rather they laugh at us than disapprove."

The children shook their heads in unison. "Why would we disapprove?" Alejandro asked.

Billy held Diego's hand. "Are they saying what I think they're saying?"

Diego smiled. "Yeah, they are. You'll understand it after a while. It's actually kind of neat. The Weres have a social structure that is unique to them."

Billy shook his head. "I've only lived with you three months and already I have a brother who I met when he was ten and he's thirty-five now. My whole family glows blue at the weirdest times. I've met a doctor bear with three husbands, one who has two other husbands, and those two have two other husbands. There are werewolves and temple dogs everywhere and I can't tell most of them apart. And now I meet an angel who is a part-time bird, and he tells me a bear is his father. I'm totally confused.

Darius laughed aloud. "You see? We're not the only ones."

"I'm sixteen and a human," Billy replied. "I'd kind of hoped you guys would be able to help me figure it all out."

Damien held up their notebook. "We can show you a family tree chart, but I can't promise it's going to make any more sense to you after you see it."

Billy sighed. "Okay, I'll take a look at it. But I'm still working on just getting used to my family being mostly animals."

Paul put his arm around the boy. "We're all animals, Son. They're just the pretty ones."

Billy leaned into Paul. "You're right, Dad. They are the pretty ones."

Chet looked to Max and Jean Pierre. He extended his arms. "Well, come on, you two. You've been waiting since you were little ones for us to do this." The two grown men needed no encouragement. They raced into the arms of the angel and, as the wings wrapped around them, the two gave a happy sigh.

Only Chet heard the whisper of Max beneath his wings. "I wish we had known sooner, Chet. We would have waited for you to turn us."

Chet lowered his head. "I love you both, but it was Derrick that changed you in your world. It was right that he should do so in this world. Show me what you have become." There was the sound of tearing clothes and the ruffling of the angel's wings as he moved them to accommodate the shifting bodies in his grasp.

A few keen ears heard Chet's remarks. "Should we leave you three alone?" Will asked.

Chet looked up. "And leave all the cake to the mercy of you, Old Wolf? I think not. We will find our own time to be together. For now, we have a birthday party to be a part of. But today those celebrating their birthday have a gift to give to the family." Chet's wings flared back out, exposing two bears hugging his body. "Family, meet your sons." The two bears turned toward the highland gathering.

"Bears," Will said, shaking his head with a smile. "You did it, boys. Congratulations." He stepped forward and rubbed the bluish gray fur covering Max. "So pardon me for not knowing anything about anything, but what sort of bears are you?"

"We're both subspecies of black bears," Jean Pierre said with a smile. "With deference to our uncles, we wanted to be bears that our family could hug without standing on tiptoe. We have too many humans in our family tree."

Darius looked at Damien. "Crap. We left out the Carver clan."

Sarah's laugh filled the forest glade. "Of course you did. You always leave out the Carver clan. Those poor humans don't even get a second thought until their son turns into a bear."

Damien and Darius both looked like spanked puppies. Their eyes widened and their faces dropped. They tucked their tails between their legs and their ears pinned back. "Oh crap, I'm so sorry, Sarah," Damien said. "We promise. We'll get together with you and work on both your families' genealogies the next time we come to visit."

Sarah stood unmoved. "Really? How many years was it before Paul and I even saw the Red Wolf and your husbands piloting it?"

"Way too long?" Darius stammered out his response.

"That's right, Darius. And if you think we're getting over this with just a piece of cake and some promise to look at our family tree, you beasts best think again."

"What can we do to apologize?" Damien asked.

"Well for starters," Sarah said her frown still in place, "I want a kiss right here from the offending party who took so long to let us see your world." Sarah pointed to her lips and smiled. "You, Old Bear," she said looking at the polar bear. "You kissed my husband. Time to bring balance to the universe."

The polar bear's eyes brightened as he smiled. "Really, Sarah? That's what you're putting on the table as a negotiating chip? Because I'm more than willing to oblige for the sake of our family's unity."

"Yeah, for starters, that's what I'm putting out there."

The polar bear shrugged. "Okay, any of you with delicate sensibilities who can't watch a bear kiss a lady might want to turn the other way." All eyes remained on the two as the bear approached Sarah.

The bear fell to his knees and wrapped his thick paws around the female human. Slowly, he brought his face and hers together and he kissed her. The silence of the crowd betrayed their wonderment at how the kiss would end. When it did, the bear let the female go, holding onto her just long enough for her to regain her footing.

"Wow," Sarah said. "I mean really, WOW." She looked at her husband. "Okay, new rule. You don't ever do that to Paul again." She looked up at the bear as he stood and laughed.

The Kodiak reached out and grabbed Paul pulling him in close. "Please, Paul?" the bear begged.

"Go for it," Paul said with a smile and the brown bear kissed him.

"What the heck?" Sarah asked loudly. The kiss still held. "Really, Uncle Kris?" The kiss continued and Paul's arms wrapped around the bear.

When the lips of the human and the brown bear separated, Kris turned to Sarah and smiled. He pointed to his polar bear husband. "You said HE couldn't do it again. I figured if I didn't nab the chance, you would make a blanket no-kiss zone over your husband. Really... I'm sorry... but you know... ass worth biting..."

Sarah laughed. "God, I love you men," she said. "All is forgiven. Come on; give me back my husband and we'll call this even."

Paul put up his palm between him and the bear and poked his finger into his palm toward the brown bear. "He's really good at that, Babe. I would hold out for another kiss from him if I were you."

The black, brown, and gray-streaked fur of the old wolf's arm reached out and gently pulled Sarah close. "If you have no objections, I would like a kiss before the entire Carver family puts restrictions on all of this." Sarah smiled and nodded yes. He leaned in and kissed her. When they separated, the old wolf smiled. "I have wanted to do that since the first day I saw you at the hospital in that god-awful nurse's outfit. I have never met a woman like you, Sarah. You have a strength that is unlike anyone I have ever known. Almost makes me wish I was a lesbian," he said his grin widening. "I love you, Sarah Carver."

"I love you, William Gentry. Not bad for an old wolf. Not bad at all."

Derrick squeezed Oliver's hand and smiled. "Family, Oliver. It's the best."

Oliver looked up. "Ain't never lip-lockin' with a woman."

Derrick smiled. "Neither am I. Isn't it great we have husbands who will run interference for us?"

Oliver snickered. "Yeah, I guess it is." The badger looked up and in a loud voice said, "so we was talking about our new bears before all this kissin' started."

"That's okay, Uncle Oliver," Max said. "I like it when our family does this kind of thing."

"Me too," Jean Pierre agreed.

Oliver looked at the two bears. "I still wants to know hows we got a blue bear and a tiny polar bear out of our boys."

Max nodded, "I'm what they call a glacier bear. Ursus americanus emmonsii for all you bear uncles that geek out on that sort of thing." The bear smiled. "Glacier bears are black bears with blue fur. There aren't very many of them, and their color ranges from blue-gray to all kinds of strange combinations that most wouldn't even call blue. I picked the bluest fur I could imagine that nature let me get away with. I wear my colors to honor the clan of my family and the wolf that turned me."

Jean Pierre stepped forward. "I am Ursus americanus kermodei, or a Kermode bear. Sometimes we're called spirit bears by the First Nation tribes. Unlike the polar bears whose guard hairs are actually transparent, but look white, my fur is the cream color you see. No optical illusions here. I am like Oliver and Donovan. I am a Channeler. I am a black bear like my husband, but I wear white fur to honor my clan."

"Husband?" all the parents of the two bears said simultaneously.

"Sorry. We couldn't wait. It was a promise we made to each other. If we made it to our transformations, we weren't going to wait for our mating."

"Damn it, Kids," Will said, the disappointment clear in his voice. "If you could have waited just a few days, we could have parlayed this into a week with two cakes."

"Sorry, Uncle Will," Jean Pierre said. "You can have my cake today if you'd like."

Will laughed. "That's fine, Kid. I'll survive. And I'm sure your parents will survive not watching your mating ritual if they give it a bit of thought. You boys were meant to be mated. Marriage in front of some justice of the peace was never really in the cards."

Sarah sighed. "I know, but sometimes a mother can dream of watching her boy walk down the aisle."

Michael nodded his head. "Oui, my boy has grown up all too soon. There is longing mixed with my pride in both of you."

"We are blessed with children that will never follow a traditional path," Paul said. "We just need to remember that, and all the rest seems to fall into place."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Dad," Max said. "Because we have one more piece to fall into place."

Max stepped forward as Jean Pierre retreated, giving space between the two. Derrick clenched Oliver's paw even more tightly than before. "Watch, Oliver. This is a moment we will sing of in the centuries to come."

Max closed his eyes and clenched his fists. The wings spread out from his back in a slow, effortless movement. Behind him, Jean Pierre's wings flashed out in a quick snap. There was a murmur from the crowd. Max looked up. "And these are to honor the one we love. The one who now will have a winged family to call his own."

Chet stood behind the two, staring at the wings on the bears' backs. He had no words. But his tears told the gathering all they needed to know of his feelings.

As the crowd talked amongst themselves, Li Wei leaned into Will. "Look at them, Old Wolf. One mighty and headstrong; the other gentle and thoughtful. Do they remind you of a wolf couple we know?"

Will looked up at the dog and smiled. "Haven't got a clue."

"But even more interesting," Li Wei continued, "Look to their stature and color. Both are the same height... a perfect match. But one is muscular, his weight and power are on top, in his arms and chest. The other is round in the belly. His power is on the bottom, with powerful legs and brute weight. Max has dark fur. Jean Pierre is light."

Will nodded. "Yeah. They've got a polar opposite sort of thing going on. They're like the Bert and Ernie of the furry world."

"No, Old Wolf, not polar opposites. Perfectly matched interdependent dualities. They are not Bert and Ernie. They are Yin and Yang."

"Son of a bitch, you're right. Right down to their colors."

"Yin and Yang. The forces that bring balance to the universe."

Will sighed. "Here's hoping they can pull that off."

"The Way begot the one. And from the one came two. Then the two begot three. And from the three, all else," Li Wei said, quoting Tao Te Ching under his breath. "The two have returned to save the third, and in so doing, they will save all else."

Will turned to the temple dog. "What?"

"Yin and Yang are the beginning of change. They are not the endpoint. The boys did not return to save themselves. They are here to save another."

"Chet," Will said with a smile. "The first of our kind."

"And in saving the first, they will save all else."

"Do you really believe all that metaphysical mumbo jumbo, Li Wei?"

The temple dog sighed. "In this case, Old Wolf, I have to. We have pinned our hopes on those two without even knowing it yet."

By then, the bears were hugging their family. When they turned to look at the hawk-man, he was ready with arms extended to take them both back. The wings of the bears folded gently back into their bodies, disappearing except for a faint line of ruffled fur. The two hugged the angel, and as the wings wrapped around the bears, cloaking them from the rest of the congregation, Chet bowed his head. "I was wrong. I need some time alone with my family today."

Kris approached the angel and the bears. "Nathaniel," he called out, looking back. "Come here, Son." Nathaniel carefully pushed through the crowd and stood by his father. Kris smiled. "There is a place on the far side of this highland that is sacred and beautiful beyond words. It is where my son and Max spent so many hours of their days here. It is where love has always thrived and memories fill the air."

Nathaniel nodded. He reached up and wiped his eyes. "Let me show it to you three. Max would have wanted his namesake to have a special place to visit whenever his family is here on the highland."

Chet smiled. "That would be wonderful, Ancient One."

"Nathaniel, please, Chet. We are family."

The wings fluttered for a bit. "Nathaniel."

The hawk-man turned and, taking a paw of each bear in his hands, he followed the short-faced bear into the woods. A few yards into their walk, the wings folded up against the winged man's shoulders. Chet looked back. "I expect there to be cake for all of us when we return, Old Wolf."

Will laughed. "No problem. I figure I can get into town, have a cake made, and be back here before you three show up on our doorstep again. We wish you boys a happy birthday, but we will rely on Chet to make sure it is."

"I will not fail you, Old Wolf," the angel said. His wings flared out and gently curved back around the bears.

Will turned back to see Paul consoling his crying wife. "Ahh, Sarah, don't cry," the old wolf said. "They may not have made it down the aisle together, but they are walking together across a field full of flowers. That's romantic. It's almost as good if you think about it. The ones who should be together are. This is a happy moment."

Sarah looked up. "I know that, Old Wolf. I still intend to cry. And don't get between me and the cake today because I binge eat when I feel like my babies are growing up too fast."

Paul hugged his wife from the side. "I binge eat pretty much for every emotional rise and fall, so you might want to clear a path for me, too."

"Well, that explains the ass worth biting," Will said with a smile as he hugged the couple. He pulled back and looked at the group. "Don't we have some cake we're supposed to be eating?" The crowd turned toward the picnic tables carefully set up with colorful tablecloths just outside the mouth of the bear's cave.

"And hot dogs," Greg said as he reached down and grabbed Oliver. "I have a craving to bite a wiener today." He buried his face into the badger's belly and shook his muzzle.

"Aggghhhh..." the badger yelled. "You knows I'se ticklish, Wolf." He looked over to Trevor. "Rein in your husband, Human. We gots children here."

"Yeah, we do," Trevor said with a smile. "And if I'm not mistaken, they're all going to be after your tummy now that they know where to tickle you. You're safer up there, out of their reach, with only a wolf to tease you."

Oliver looked out at the crowd. Every child was nodding in agreement.

Chapter 15

"We've got incoming," Will bellowed as he pounded on the side door of the museum apartment.

Nathaniel appeared at the rear door as a human, befuddled and naked, but able to slip through the door where the short-faced bear couldn't. "What?" he said, rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong with my ComLink?"

Will shrugged. "I don't know. But they're on their way."

"From where?"

"South Africa, out of what's left of the Kruger National Park."

Nathaniel grabbed a lab coat from the coat hanger near the door. "Damn, hasn't that pack suffered enough?"

"They're rangers, Son. They're the last line of defense for the animals against the poachers. The government is too busy fighting an uprising to care anymore about what happens to a bunch of elephants and rhinos."

"Do we know who got hurt?" Nathaniel asked as he and the wolf ran toward the helipad.

"I don't know him. I thought I knew all of Kabelo's pack, but I haven't heard of Chipo before. All Tuff told us was to bring a bariatric gurney."

Will shook his head. "A bariatric gurney for a wild dog? I don't get that."

Nathaniel tapped the medical ComLink on his chest. Nothing. He tapped it again. "What the heck?" He looked down and groaned. "Damn it. I forgot to take it off last night."

Will laughed. "There's a problem with that?"

"There is if Oliver gets frisky. He bites, you know."

"Do I ever," Will said happily. "Just one of the things I like about him."

"He bit right through the ComLink. I see his teeth marks on the thing."

The wolf yanked at his chest. "Here, take mine."

Nathaniel grabbed the link and pushed it up against the coat. "Transfer, William Gentry 5524 to Nathaniel Templeton 5528." The bear ran up the stairs at the helipad. "Thanks, Father."

"Hey, it's what fathers are for. We let you borrow the car, sneak you into R-rated movies, and let you snag our ComLinks. You know... that kind of stuff." He looked up into the cloud-covered sky. "Mind if I stay? Curiosity has the better of me."

"Sure. But if you stay, I might press you into service. You're still one of the finest assists I know."

"You ask, I'll be there, Son." He paused as his ears perked up. "They're here."

The Red Wolf broke through the clouds, pulling them along the wake of the wings. Two orderlies holding the bariatric gurney stood by, waiting for the landing. As soon as the Red Wolf landed, the orderlies rushed to the opening cargo door. A wild dog jumped out of the main door and down the boarding ramp. "I don't care what you say, you're going to see the doctor," he yelled back into the aircraft.

"I got shot in the butt, Dad," a bass voice boomed a response from inside. "It probably didn't even penetrate. I don't feel a thing."

Will's eyebrow arched. "Dad? Kabelo, when did you become a dad?"

The wild dog looked up. "Oh, hello, Old Wolf. Nice to see you. I turned Chipo three months ago. We're not mating, so he insists that makes me his father."

"Well, don't talk to Chet about it," Nathaniel said with a smile. "He would agree with Chipo." The bear's paw extended. "Dr. Templeton. I'm Will's son."

Kabelo grinned. "Son of a gun, really?" he asked, shaking the huge paw that dwarfed his.

Nathaniel nodded. "Really."

"Damn, Old Wolf, we both have big kids."

An orderly walked out from the cargo deck. "We're going to need a lift."

"A Hoyer Lift?" Nathaniel asked.

"Or a crane," the werewolf replied.

"Okay, that one's over the line," the voice from inside protested. There was a loud thud on metal and the clang of heavy footsteps leading to the back of the Red Wolf. "You can make fun of my weight or the fact that I'm big, but don't go making fun of medical equipment needs for the obese."

The werewolf looked toward the cargo bay door. "Sorry, Chipo. I was way out of line. But please, could you get back on the gurney?"

"I'm fine," the voice said. "I can walk. It was just a gunshot wound." The gurney slid down the cargo ramp and slammed against the heliport's railing. "Here. Look at my butt. Do you even see anything?" the voice asked.

"No, sir," the werewolf inside answered. "And for the record, I don't think you need a lift. You don't even need us."

"You see, Dad?" the voice asked as it grew closer to the exit. "We've got an orderly here who agrees with me. We should have never bothered these fine people."

A large foot with three short toes stomped onto the cargo walkway. The resounding next step shook the ramp as a massive beast lumbered forward. His body was mostly gray, virtually hairless, with leather-like skin that was rough and wrinkled. Will watched as each step revealed more of the beast. "Kabelo, your son is not a wild dog."

Kabelo nodded. "And Oliver isn't a wolf, and Kong is a Chow. What of it?"

"Nothing," Will answered. "Always happy to see another werebeast who can't turn a guy."

Will watched as the beast turned around the corner. His hands had the same three digits as his feet, but were better articulated. Still, Will could tell the limbs were not those of a beast who moved about gracefully. When he saw the short horn on the face of the beast, he smiled. "Hello, Chipo, I'm Will," the Iberian wolf said, approaching the upright rhinoceros.

Chipo's face brightened with a huge smile. "THE Will? William Gentry?"

Will looked slightly confused. "That's me."

"Oh my god, you're my hero," the rhino said. "I dream of being like you one day."

Will's look of confusion didn't fade, but he tried to be polite. "Thanks, I guess."

"Oh yeah; one day I want to be the biggest slut on the planet."

Will's eyes narrowed. "Okay, Chipo. What did your dad promise he'd give you if you said that?"

"Damn it," Chipo laughed. "I told you I couldn't pull it off, Dad. You still owe me the hat, though."

Will turned to Kabelo. "Really, Dog? The biggest slut on the planet?"

Kabelo reached out and hugged the Iberian wolf. "It wouldn't have worked if I told him to say the best slut on the planet... or my favorite."

Will laughed. "I will take it as a compliment, then."

"I have missed you, Old Wolf," the wild dog said as he squeezed tighter.

"We both have a full dance card of obligations, that's for sure," Will sighed. He pushed back. "Chipo, this is my son, Nathaniel. But for this visit, he is Dr. Templeton. He's the man you came to see."

Chipo shook his head. "No, it's Dad who thinks my getting shot in the ass is something to worry about."

"That was what I told you, Son. But it's not that gunshot that has me concerned. It's about what happened in that firefight."

Nathaniel leaned in. "Tell us about it, Chipo."

The rhino shifted nervously. "We had cornered an elephant poaching ring, but they came with more firepower than we had. We all knew that someone was going to get killed, and with their automatic weapons, we were afraid it was us. I turned to get the bullhorn to see if I could negotiate with them. That's when I got shot in my butt."

Nathaniel squatted in front of the rhino. "Turn, please."

"To check for bullet holes or just to ogle my ass?" Chipo said with a laugh.

"I'm a doctor, Chipo. I have spent twenty-three years in advanced studies to hone my skills as a diagnostician. That training gives me an edge over the average Terran." The warm hands of the bear rubbed a small bloody dent on the thick hide that was rapidly healing. "I can do both at the same time." He gave the butt a swat. "Your ass is fine, Chipo."

"Fine as in I'm okay, no damage; or fine, as in 'that ass is fine'."

"Both," Nathaniel replied with a smile as he stood back up.

Chipo returned the smile. "Do you hug around here?"

Nathaniel reached out, pulled the rhino in, and hugged him. "I'm glad to see you're not hurt badly. But I have a sense you've yet to finish your story."

Chipo let the hug go. "No. When I got shot, I turned, and this happened." The three fingers of the rhino's hands spread out, and the hand burst into yellow flames.

Nathaniel's eyes widened. "I'll go get my husband," he said turning toward Will. "Can you keep our patient company for a bit?"

"I suppose that just means sitting around here and talking?" the old wolf responded.

"For the time being. He certainly has a clean bill of health for things later if I understand that look in your eyes."

Will grinned. "I'm the world's biggest slut, you know."

Nathaniel leaned in and kissed the wolf. "I love you, Father."

"And I love you, Son," the wolf replied.

"Kabelo, could you come with me, please?" Nathaniel asked. "I'm going to need the alpha of your pack to make a few choices here."

Kabelo's head tilted. "You realize our pack is like Jean Pierre's, right? I'm a figurehead. We make most decisions by common consent. The only time you see me step in is when we're at loggerheads over something."

"I'll tell you a secret, Kabelo," Nathaniel said as he reached out to the wild dog. "The Were Nation has nothing to do with a hierarchical structure. I have yet to meet a pack out there ruled by an alpha. You think there's some magical mythos that you're all living about alphas and their packs. But it's the same for every pack out there. You choose a leader you trust to help guide the direction of the family. It's never been about dominance for any of the alphas that head a pack. It's always been about protecting the ones you love."

Kabelo scratched his head. "You mean that whole alpha thing... none of us are actually doing it?"

"To a beast, you never have. It's just a myth."

"Like the whole turning at the full moon kind of thing?"

Nathaniel laughed. "Exactly."

"Well, that sucks," Kabelo said. "How am I going to keep my son in line now?"

Chipo looked up from rubbing the old wolf's leg. "Like you always do, Dad; by asking me to behave."

"There, you see? The same way we've done it for millennia," the short-faced bear said with a smile. "You have no rulers in your pack. You simply have one who accepted the mantel of responsibility to be a father to the ones he loves. And let's be realistic here. We know how much control fathers have over headstrong kids."

Kabelo laughed. "That we do." He looked at Chipo. The rhino had his legs tightly pulled together. "Son, if you keep fondling the wolf, you will get hard. You get hard, and you will do nothing but frustrate my good friend who swore to only talk to you while we're gone. Could you please put some distance between the two of you?"

Chipo frowned. "Really? Now you go all fatherly on me?"

"Perks of the title you gave me, Son."

Chipo slid across the bench the two beasts were sitting on. "Damn."

Nathaniel grabbed the hand of the wild dog. "As Oliver would say, 'we're walking here.'"

"How is the little badger?" Kabelo said as they walked off the helipad.

"You can ask him yourself. He's curled up in Derrick's arms, sleeping. Martin is spooning Derrick. He's the one we need to talk to."

"Your two families sleep together?"

"It seems the most practical thing to do."

Kabelo shrugged. "That's true. Makes it tough to get any sleep, though, doesn't it?"

Nathaniel grinned. "What's sleep?"

The two were out of hearing range in moments. Chipo scooted nearer to the old wolf. "Your dad is right, Chipo," Will said with a grin. "I know what rhino dicks look like from pictures. It will be a challenge to keep my promise if you get aroused."

Chipo slipped back a bit. "Are you really the world's biggest slut?"

Will laughed. "No, your dad was teasing me." The wolf paused. "I'm probably in the top ten, but I doubt I'm number one." The toothy grin of the Iberian wolf spread.

Chipo laughed. "You don't mind being called that?"

"Not really. Not when it's Kabelo saying it. Your dad knows me, Chipo. He knows I love sex, and he also knows I love just about everyone in the Were Nation. So as long as we consent to it, he knows there's very little I won't do with my fellow beasts."

"Even me?"

"Even you. You're old enough to decide who you share that body with, and if you want to share it with me, I'm sure won't say no."

"I wouldn't want you to lose your standing in the top ten sluttiest werebeasts."

Will's hearty laugh made the rhino smile. "Thank you for your concern." The two were quiet for a bit. Will looked at the rhino. "So, is it really twenty inches?" Will thought for a moment. "Fifty centimeters. Sorry, I am very old school. I might never get used to metric."

Chipo looked away shyly. "It is in my animal avatar, but when I'm like this, it's smaller and a lot more human."

"What's smaller mean?"

"It never gets over..." the rhino did some mental calculations, "fifteen inches more or less. I only measured it back when I was first turned. You know, we all do that, right?"

Will laughed. "Yeah, we all do."

"Why rhino? Why not a wild dog?"

"The entire Were Nation knows of the human who became a Megatherium who became a saber-toothed cat. When Dad sat me down to discuss the change with me, he told me not to let who he was, dictate who I would become." The rhino rubbed his belly. "Dad is an amazing beast. He let me become this. He let me become the protector of the few remaining black rhinoceros out there by becoming one with them."

"Your dad is a keeper, that's for sure," Will said with a smile. "Can you talk with the black rhinos?" Chipo's look told Will the question surprised him. "I know they're not extinct. It's the reason you defend Kruger National Park. The last of the black rhinos are there, just as the last of the dragons are here. You're the sanctuary for the last of their kind."

Chipo nodded. "That's why I turned rhino. They needed to know that they couldn't wander beyond their little space on the savanna that they call home. It's protected the same way as all Were Nation properties. The humans don't see it, and they never see the rhinos that live on the land. To all of them, the black rhino died out in the early two-thousands."

"And you're there talking them into staying out of sight?" Will asked again.

"Yeah, in much the way you'd expect. It's not too deep. But when I tell them to stay, they stay. They know I will stand between them and anyone out to harm them."

"You're a good man, Chipo."

"I try to be." Chipo was quiet for a moment, fidgeting slightly. He looked up. "Will," he said as his hand burst into a yellow flame that gave off no heat, "what is this?"

"It's a gift from the Changelings. It was entrusted to the one they thought best capable of understanding and using it."

"I don't understand it at all."

Will raised his hand, and it flamed red. "I didn't either. My guess is you will be like all of us who have the powers. We don't want them. We never sought them out. But we will use them to protect our own."

"That's what I did."

"You didn't kill, did you?"

"Oh, no. I would never do that if there was another way."

Will breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. It weighs on a man's soul to live with that choice."

Chipo moved close to the old wolf and put his thick arm around the shoulders of the canid. "We sing of the Blinding Night in our pack. I know of your Changeling husband who became the Kodiak. We sing of the bear that blinded the humans to save them. I know of the wolf who sacrificed himself to save his alpha... his friend. And I know of your mate and what he did to save you."

"I live with two of the most amazing beasts you will ever know, Chipo. Derrick and Kris have both given more to save our people than anyone should have to give. We all have given too much."

"I am sorry you live with the memory of unavoidable acts that still tear at your soul," Chipo said. "But I am grateful that your lives are a part of mine. I will not kill if there is another way. I have learned so much from you all without ever having met you."

"So, what did you do?"

"I did as the great brown bear did," Chipo responded. "I blinded them."

"They didn't see you in the first place, did they?"

"No," Chipo answered. "I blinded them. As in, their sight was gone."

Will laughed.

"I figured they couldn't shoot at what they couldn't see."

"Okay, you were a human once, right? Humans shoot at all sorts of shit they can't see, including each other."

"True, but once they realized they couldn't see anything, all it took was a few well-placed shots with a rifle to persuade them we had the advantage."

"And the blindness?"

"A gift from Karma that they will have for a lifetime, I suspect. They seemed happy letting us take them into lockup, where they will at least feed them two meals a day. A far better life than most of our citizens endure."

Will looked out across the helipad. "They're back," he said.

The saber-toothed cat was the first to crest the staircase. "Good morning, Will. I didn't even feel you slip out of bed this morning."

"I had ranch business to attend to. I figured I would get an early start on it. You know Oliver. He wakes up horny. I didn't want to lose my few days a month with him working on the ranch instead of him."

Martin laughed. "I understand. If we need to give you more time with him, we can certainly let you take him back to Montana with you."

Will's face grew somber. "I don't think any of us are going back to the ranch anytime soon."

The cat sighed. "So you see it too?"

"Yeah, I see it coming. Don't know what it is, but it's dark."

The cat reached the two sitting on the bench and extended his paw to the rhino. "I'm Martin."

The rhino raised his hand and shook the paw. "I'm Chipo. It's an honor."

Martin laughed. "Really? That's just weird. But thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you Chipo. We have something in common."

"What's that."

The saber-toothed cat raised his hand, and it began glowing yellow.

Chipo recoiled. "It's not just me?"

"No, there are three of us," Martin replied. "There are always three of us."

"I don't think I understand."

"That's not unexpected. I didn't understand either. We are a part of a clan. In the same way that you are a part of your pack. The three of us share the responsibility of our powers, and the one who we might call the alpha for us is Anders. He's a Changeling."

"He gave us this?" Chipo asked, letting his hand fluoresce.

"No, two of his kind. They are no longer alive. They gave us their powers to continue a triad that must be in place for the powers to work at their peak."

"Then why me? To be honest, I don't want it."

"Welcome to a small club of werebeasts and humans who have a power that everyone refers to as a gift except the ones who have it," Martin said, nodding in agreement. "I don't know of a single individual who wants these powers. But I assure you that you were called because you are the best choice... perhaps the only choice... for what you possess."

"I still don't understand."

Kabelo approached his son. "Chipo, I will stay here if you want me to, but the pack needs me. You have family here. I trust them as much as I do our pack to protect you. You need to be here for a time. You need to be with your clan."

"Dad..." the rhino said, the fear obvious in his voice.

"We all have a part in protecting this world, Chipo. I am afraid you're being called to take a larger part in that than the world will ever ask of me."

Chipo's face saddened. "You won't leave me here forever, will you?"

The wild dog grabbed the rhino and hugged him. Dwarfed by his son, the dog seemed so incapable of protecting the child in front of him, but all knew the truth. "I will never leave you, Son. But the universe tasks us from time to time to do things that will separate us from each other."

The rhino pulled the wild dog in close. "I'm afraid."

"I am too, Son. I am too."

Kabelo pushed back from the hug and looked at Martin. "I am entrusting my son's safety into your hands. Swear to me, I will not regret this."

Martin put his paw over his heart. "My life before his."

"And this Anders Changeling?"

"His life before ours. I have no doubt."

Kabelo looked at Will. "Old Wolf, I entrust you with a task you are uniquely qualified for. My son has only known the affections of his pack. But he is a young man whose drives are as large as his body. I will leave his education to you on matters of sharing his passions with the Were Nation. It is time he learns the fellowship and pleasures to be found in our extended family."

Will smiled. "I will see to it, old friend."

Kabelo reached out and hugged the wolf. "I know you will, Old Wolf. Stay by his side. I trust the cat, but I know you."

"Until you're back in his arms, Kabelo."

Kabelo stepped back. "Chipo, these are your family. Work with them. Protect them. Let them protect you."

Chipo nodded.

"And when you are lonely and need the touch of another, go to Will. He will introduce you to a family of companions like no other."

Chipo smiled. "I will be fine, Dad. I have one of the top ten sluts in the world to guide me."

"And don't think that doesn't cause me a bit of concern," the wild dog said with a laugh. He gave his son one last hug and a kiss and then turned and started walking toward the Red Wolf. He stopped and looked back. "Oh, one other thing, Old Wolf. The boy makes three sharp snorts right before he comes. Trust me on this. You do not want to be under him when that happens. His legs turn to Jell-O."

"DAD!"

"We protect all, son. That includes the beast I know will have you before the day is done. He needs to know."

"Okay. I will miss you."

"I will miss you too, Son. I will return as soon as I am able. And I'll bring the pack so you can run with us in the night."

Will looked at Chipo and smiled mischievously. "You run with a pack?"

"Of course. Rhinos are great runners. We're certainly faster than humans and have much more stamina." The rhinoceros grinned. "We have a lot more stamina than humans in all sorts of things."

Will reached out and rubbed the rhino's shoulders. "Oh, young one, we are going to have so much fun."

"I would appreciate it," Kabelo said as he walked up the boarding plank of the Red Wolf. He turned and waved one last time as the plank receded into the aircraft and the hatch closed. In minutes, the Red Wolf had vanished into the clouds.

Martin motioned to the bulky rhino. "Come on, Chipo. Let's head over to the Lighthouse Keeper's Home and introduce you to the third in our clan."

"You can't wait an hour or two?" Will asked coyly.

"No, Old Wolf."

"Twenty minutes?"

"We're walking here, Old Wolf."

Will sighed. "Okay. Be safe."

Chipo looked back at the sad-faced wolf. "I will see you later today, Will. I promise I will not let your reputation tarnish because of me."

Will's face brightened. "Thanks, Kid."

Martin took Chipo's hand. "You'll like Anders. He's a Bear. Oh, and his wolf husband; he has a thing for the big ones."

"Really?" Chipo asked enthusiastically.

"Oh, yeah, he's going to have a hard time staying focused if you give him even the least bit of encouragement," Martin replied as the two began walking toward the lighthouse. "Will is right. As soon as we bring you up to speed on your newly manifested powers, we're going to have so much fun. We have to mix it up, you know. It can't always be work, work, work." He looked back at Will, standing in the distance. "Don't hold dinner for us, Old Wolf," the cat yelled.

"Bastard," the wolf yelled back with a laugh.

Chapter 16

Two weeks later, Oliver looked at the milling group in the grand ballroom of the Power Plant. He tapped the microphone and said, "I knows we don'ts call meetings of the Were Nation for nothin' but the most important things. So you knows tonight is one of those nights."

Nathaniel helped a few stragglers find seats and walked up to where Martin sat on the rostrum. He pushed the empty chair further from Martin and sat down. The chairs in the ballroom had no arms. Their pads were larger than any available elsewhere. And yet, they still couldn't account for the girth of the short-faced bear or the rhino trying to find a comfortable spot in his chair. Will stood at the back of the hall, ready to escort any other late arrivals. Max and Jean Pierre sat on the rostrum in their human forms, wearing hospital gowns.

The badger leaned into the microphone. "The awful is coming, and it's coming faster than any of us knows. Any of you who's seen the Hargrove House knows that something is happening, and tonight, you's gonna find out what. Whether we can fix it, I ain't got a clue. But this is the night we begin trying."

Martin stepped up beside Oliver. The voice of the saber-toothed cat reverberated to the back of the room without the microphone. "Most of you have met Max and JP. And I'm sure there has been speculation about what's happened to them. It's been six months since that night, and there have been some dramatic changes. We apologize to their families that so much of what has happened has come with no warning and no chance to prepare. We didn't even have time to celebrate in the joy of some of those changes." He looked at the two men sitting on the stage. "You want to tell them?"

"We asked Eric to pitch in," Jean Pierre replied. "We realize it's stupid, but we're not quite ready for all this attention."

Martin smiled. "I sure wouldn't be. You men hang in there. We'll get through this together."

The two men nodded as the great white bear stood up and approached the podium. Oliver jumped off his box and pushed it to the side as Eric watched the podium and microphone adjust to his height. "Before I begin, I'd like to offer my congratulations to the happy couple. Our family has a history of jumping the gun with our marriages, so they're both keeping up our long tradition of that."

There was a ripple of laughter through the audience. "The two held off until this meeting to introduce their avatars to you. Their family has seen them, but tonight, we greet them as part of our larger family. As a part of the Were Nation. I suspect they're worried about how you might receive them. But I've known most of you since before they were born, and I'm confident that you will be delighted to meet your new brothers."

"They have a task ahead, and all the changes they made are to prepare them for that work. Everyone, please understand these two have challenges to meet that will test all that they are and all that they are becoming. Part of the reason we are here is to show our solidarity as a family. We are here tonight to let them know we will be there for them."

There were nods of agreement throughout the audience.

Eric shook his head as he gathered his thoughts. "Only a few know what happened the night of the Hargrove House's disappearance. The rumors you hear floating about are more than likely true. The men you see before you are Max Carver and Jean Pierre Durand from a future time. These last few months have been a chance for them to live out a bit of the life they missed making the trip back. Tonight you find out why. This group, this hall of Terrans from all walks of life, and from around the globe, will decide tonight where we go from here when we leave this place. Your voice, your vote, will decide more tonight than any one group has ever chosen before."

"I am not the one to tell you what is ahead of us, but there is one who saw this day approaching long before any of us. He was my son-in-law and one of the greatest Terrans most of you only know as a chapter in the history books. He was the human that helped end the War of the Continents by brokering a peace none thought possible. He was our friend, our family, and even now, he has never wavered from trying to save his people from themselves. He entrusted Oliver with this video so many years ago. The man you will see hoped that this video would never need showing. But tonight, we hope it will help you understand the urgency of why we are meeting here tonight."

The podium retreated into the stage as a large screen lowered from above. When the screen had locked into place, curtains moved in and framed the white pane with a dark black shadow. The screen flickered, and the group saw an old familiar face to some and a stranger to others. A new generation didn't realize who they were looking at. "It's Uncle Max, Babe," Sarah said to her husband. Paul nodded and held her close.

For a moment, the man sat trying to steady the camera and get his chair adjusted. "I don't do this kind of thing very well," he said as he tried to work out the last of the details. He looked behind himself and grumbled. "I keep expecting to walk over cords; that's how old I am."

He looked up into the camera. "When I was a kid, I used to think it was so neat during a movie where in the middle of a crisis they pulled out a DVD player and put in a disc. The person on the disc would say, 'If you're watching this, then I'm dead, and the world is about to end.' He would give a rousing speech and give them the perfect plan to do what they needed to do to save the world. I don't think it's so neat anymore."

The man fumbled around again. "Damn, I bet most of you don't even know what a DVD player is. For the record, I'm using nano-crystal technology, so I'm not that old." He looked up and frowned. "You don't have a clue what nano-crystal technology is, do you? It's some obsolete way of recording video that you replaced years ago. Oh well, time marches on. But some things never change. I'm here to talk about one of those things."

Max sighed. "When you're on this side of the camera, you realize how helpless you are to be a part of the lives of the ones you love. You realize saving the day even after you're dead only works in movies. I don't know if anything I say today will help. And my fondest wish is that Oliver grew tired of this sitting around after thousands of years and he's watching it to see what I had to say. I hope he can call me a dumb-ass for not seeing the future better."

Oliver chuckled. "You ain't no dumb-ass, Max. You's as smart as they come."

The video continued. "But, if the reason for my making this video is happening, then there's more of you than Oliver in front of me. Unfortunately, the same as the movie, the world is about to end, and faster than you realize." The human fidgeted uncomfortably. "When I was alive, most of you realized I talked with Gaia. Well, we sort of talked. I never learned Changeling and sometimes she couldn't dumb down the conversation with me enough to tell me what she needed to say. So she introduced me to her closest friend."

Max looked around. "I brought visual aids with me. I'm trying to keep this from getting too boring." He rummaged through something in front of him. "Where the hell did I put them?"

Nathaniel laughed past his tears. "You never could find anything in that jumble you called an office. You're the most disorganized, organized person I have ever met." The bear reached out to the screen. "I miss you so much, Human. I miss you so much."

"And stop bitching about my organizational skills, Bear. You bought into this when you married me," Max said, still shuffling through what was below the camera. "Oh, here it is." He pulled up a picture of Earth as seen from space. "This is Gaia's best friend. You probably call her Earth, but she prefers Terra. You couldn't pronounce her actual name. There are four sounds in it that human vocal cords are incapable of making."

"Like Gaia, she understands and speaks all the languages of the ones who live here. But she also understands where we are in our evolution, and how we came to be here in minute detail. So we could talk, and her dumbing down the conversation for me wasn't as hard for her. She pretty much already knew I was dumb, and she worked with that."

Max flipped the picture away. "Yes, she's alive, and that's not a metaphor. She's a sentient being the same as us, only so much kinder, so much better. She's what we should be; what I always try to be and come up short. This universe is so much more than we have ever thought."

Max put up another picture of a small apelike creature with a series of other evolving apes that at last became human. "Think how long it's been that we've struggled with something as simple as evolution. We can't get past the idea that life is everywhere in this universe and we're only a tiny part of what is out there. Our egos won't let us be a small part of the great whole. We need to be in control of our world. We are clueless when it comes to how little impact we have on what's out there," he said with a flourish of his hands upward.

"So, if you believe we could come together out of amino acids floating around in goop that gets struck by lightning," Max said, and then paused and shook his head. "Or whether you believe the truth (which is even more unbelievable). Is it such a stretch to realize that all the elements needed for life could rest inside one great planet and evolve the same as we did? Is it that impossible to believe that they have an evolutionary path the same as we do? This isn't new age, touchy-feely, mumbo jumbo. It's what's out there. It's what has always been. Terra is older than every one of us. And that includes you, Old Bear, and any other Changelings that might be watching.

"Not every planet is alive, of course. Kind of like when you look into a tide pool at the rocks and then one of them moves and you realize, 'Oh, that one is alive' because it's a fish and not a rock. Planets are like that. Billions of them float around out there, but not that many of them are alive; any more than life on other planets is all that common. Planets that are alive and that have life on them... well, that's even rarer still. So, yeah, we're on a pretty spectacular piece of real estate here.

"In our system, only two planets are alive; Earth and Jupiter. Two of Jupiter's moons are also alive. The odds that our solar system has four living planets compared to what else is out there are amazing. I still don't know enough about the science to tell you if the other planets were alive and are dead now, or what, but I'm aware of which ones are alive now. And yeah, if you think about it, the stuff living on Terra's crust is pretty analogous to the stuff that we have living on our skin. We pay little attention to it until it causes a rash or some other obnoxious problem."

Max looked around. "Time for the next visual aid." He reached down and pulled up a large cat. "This is Mr. Kitty. Right now, he seems to be fine. No reason to worry. We can share this room and it's all hunky-dory. But one day Mr. Kitty realizes that this space we share, as large as it might be, isn't enough for him; that he needs more. And so, instead of pawing me now and then, he scratches at me to see if there's anything inside me he wants. We have more than enough food for both of us, but it's no longer enough to satisfy him, and he wonders if maybe I wouldn't taste better than what we share together."

Max continued to pet the cat. "Day after day, I do the best I can with the situation. It's obvious we don't speak the same language, but I try to tell him that things are getting out of hand. I can't stay healthy if he keeps doing what he's doing. I push back gently, trying to get him to listen to reason. Nothing I try, though, seems to change his determination to control me; to use me for whatever he thinks he can gain from my exploitation."

"He eyes me and wonders if there isn't more that he can't see. Maybe the only way he will be happy is if he controls me completely. He can tell I'm getting sicker, but it doesn't matter if I'm dead as long as he owns me. And so the attacks begin. He comes at me with unrelenting fury. I'm now forced to decide. Do I curl up and die at his hands or do I..." Max reached down and snapped the neck of the cat. The breaking neck bones made a horrible crunching sound as the lifeless body dropped into his lap. "You see? It isn't cruel. It isn't vindictive. I'm simply surviving."

The group sat horrified at what they saw. Max threw the cat over his shoulder and it hit the wall, falling to the ground. There was a gasp from the group. "I didn't have a choice. No matter how loving I tried to be, it wasn't enough. And one day I had to choose my life or the life of Mr. Kitty... insane, vicious, insatiable Mr. Kitty. Because, after he killed me, he would go out and find something else to kill. I had limited choices," Max said with a shrug.

Max reached down and pulled up Mr. Kitty, who purred when Max kissed the top of his head. "I want you all to thank Mr. Kitty for being a part of my video today. And that stuffed toy at the back of the room. For those of you who don't remember, I was a pretty good amateur magician." He put the cat up on the desk in front of him. Mr. Kitty looked into the camera, became instantly disinterested, and walked off-screen.

Max looked at the screen. "I need you to never forget that feeling you had when you thought I killed Mr. Kitty. I meant to shock you... to horrify you. Someone I love is trying to survive. In our bigger story, the insane, insatiable Mr. Kitty is us. Terra has to decide. Does she die, only to let us go out into the universe to kill even more of her kind, or does she wipe out the virus called humanity before it spirals out of control?"

"That feeling of horror you had... hold on to it. Realize what a horrible choice Terra has to make. Realize that if I am talking to you, she is there at the point of no return. Her Mr. Kitty is clawing at her eyes and tearing deep into her flesh, and she has to make a choice. And make no mistake about this, ladies and gentlemen, and gender identities unknown to me... I have told Terra that she has to defend herself at all costs. What she is to this universe is too important to let something as trivial as the human race destroy her on their merry way to wiping themselves out."

Max grabbed a tablet and faced the screen toward the camera. "I hope you appreciate this. It took me three days to make it and I'm rather proud of it." He pushed his finger against the screen and a spinning globe of the earth appeared. "This is Terra. Or at least a globe of Terra stripped down to the water and land masses."

Max paused and shook his head. "Sorry, losing my train of thought here. I don't want to talk about this stuff." He touched the screen and a red outline appeared around much of the Pacific Ocean rim. "This is the ring of fire. If it goes..." The red color expanded to cover most of the Americas and large parts of Asia. "Dramatic, don't you think?"

The portly human continued. "Toss in the current progression of global warming and we get flooding in these regions." A dark blue color flooded the globe's coastal areas and along every major river. The waters and adjacent land turned a deep purple where the red and blue overlapped.

"By the way, if it's greater than one hundred years into the future, and you're still on the island, thank Gaia. She loves her island children as much as I do. She's building up the foundation of the island to keep it above water. That's why you're still there and not wearing scuba gear to get to the hospital."

Max touched the screen again. "We're going to add Terra's ability to play with the atmosphere..." The color brown spilled over the globe. "The Yellowstone Caldera..." Violet layered over what little remained of already darkened America. "A vast set of fault lines you know about and hundreds you don't even realize are there." More colors appeared. When they dropped into place, they were no longer discernible among the expanding black of the colors as they piled one on top of another. "And well, by the time you add up all the options available to her... we get this." The solid black orb spun silently around. "I used a nice green color to show all the places where humans survive. Don't mess with Terra, Kids, because she can be one mean bitch if she has to."

Max put the tablet down. "I am going to get so much crap from her for saying that. I really should have scripted this."

Max began fumbling about again. "But my little play is missing a piece of the big picture. Humans aren't all good or all bad. And they have friends; Changelings who love them." He held up a picture of Nathaniel and himself in their tuxedos on their wedding day, their smiling faces beaming. "But the Changelings now understand the earth is alive, and according to their law, all life is sacred. They can't let one life kill another for the sake of greed or control. They swear first above all else to protect the innocent. If there is a war to come, they will fight on the side of Terra, and rightfully so.

"We are killing ourselves. We are killing Terra. I thought the War of the Continents would end the hatred and the bickering over land and resources, but I was wrong. You're watching this and that means I was always wrong. We never seem to learn." Max shook his head. "I have grown so tired of being human. There are days when I look at Nathaniel and I want him to turn me so that I can look away from who and what I am. There are days when I wish I could say I'm no longer a part of humanity; that I am something different. But I realize being a bear or a wolf won't change who I am or the species into which I was born."

Max put up a picture of him accepting the Nobel Peace Prize. "And so I fought my whole life to change my insane Mr. Kitty into something kind, something that would protect the one beneath our feet. I thought I would make a difference. But it wasn't enough. It still isn't enough. There has to be a moment when we do more than try to persuade humanity to do the right thing. There has to be a time when we step in and protect Terra.

"Fathers, Husband, if you're watching this; that time is now. I don't have the answers. I realize your choices are limited, but you can't sit and wait the way you have always done. There is a life below you that needs protection. We are the insane cat that is blindly tearing at her with no thought of what we're doing.

"Save the humans if you can. But if you can't see a way clear of their violence and unrelenting hatred, see us for what we are. We are a horror that will reach out into the universe and kill everything in its path. We are the Children of the Night for all that lays out there beyond the stars. Just as you sacrificed yourselves to stop us once, you must do it again. I will never stop trying to turn the tide, but if the day has come that the tide is washing over you all, you must fight back. You must do right by who and what you profess to be. And to the Were Nation, your time to take sides is upon you. Choose wisely. Save the one who lets you live on her surface over the ones who kill you on sight."

Max bowed his head. "That's all I have to say about that. I wish you all the best. I'm sorry I can't be beside you to help make the horrible, horrible choices you must make. But make them, you must do." Max looked up and laughed as he wiped away his tears. "Dang, I sound like Yoda." He grabbed a Kleenex and blew his nose.

Max looked back into the camera. "So, for those of you in the room who aren't my husband or the badger, could you turn off your ears for a moment and let me talk to them?" He paused. "Are their ears turned off? Okay, good. Bear, Badger, I'm so sorry that you ever had to watch this. I can't imagine how much it hurts to open old wounds you thought were healing. But know, no matter how I died, I never stopped loving you two.

"Bear, you are the one thing in my life I have never questioned; the one gift the universe gave me I don't deserve. I love you so much. Waking up with you every morning keeps me going. I can't imagine my life without you. I hope you had the sense to marry Oliver after I died. If you didn't, what the fuck is wrong with you? Go out and marry him now. Don't be the idiot I was.

"And how do I know I was an idiot? Because right now I'm struggling to get past all those years of being a human. They raised me to believe that marriage was first between a man and a woman, then later, it was at least supposed to be between one human and another. All it took was meeting the bear of my dreams to decide living with the idea of marriage being between one human and one alien was alright by me.

"And then I met you, Oliver, and you shook up everything I ever believed in right down to my core. For the first time in my life, I wasn't sure that marriage has to be between only two individuals. But if you're seeing this, it means I never found the way or the time to do what I'm trying to do."

Max stared into the camera. "Oliver, I'm so sorry I stopped at only a kiss that day when Nathaniel was drying you off. I should have taken you then and there and made you my mate, but I couldn't get past my human conditioning. We are such fragile, fearful creatures. Thank you for never leaving my side, even if I couldn't be the man I should have been for you."

Oliver rubbed his eyes. "You was my human, Max. You will always be my human."

"And like I told the bear. If he hasn't married you yet, you kick his ass." He smiled, "And if he has, you pound that ass, because that boy needs attention like no one else I know. I am so lucky he makes me a part of that passion. You hold on to him, Badger."

Max wiped his eyes again and grabbed a Kleenex from the box. He blew his nose. "How can we make this much snot and survive?" he asked with a laugh after he threw the third Kleenex into the trashcan. He looked back up at the camera. "This is so surreal. When you see this, I will be dead, but I look into that camera and see you two in my mind and I can't leave you. I can't turn off the camera and walk away when what I want is to be there, to feel your touch on my skin, to feel your fuzzy lips against mine. Husband, I don't want to go. Badger, I don't want to leave either of you. But I know one day I will. And when you watch this, that day has already come.

"You two take good care of each other. You love like crazy. Don't you ever hold back. Don't let any conventions stop you from being who you are. Marry the whole family for all I care. Let nothing stand in the way of your love. You taught me how little I knew about love when I crashed into the highland. I'm still learning every day. You keep teaching each other. If you do that, I will rest in peace. I can forgive myself for letting a badger spend his life waiting for me to do the right thing. And I will forgive myself for being human and dying in front of the bear I love." Max raised his prosthetic arm. "Goodbye, Badger. Form feet and legs. Form arms and torso. And give that bear head."

"Bear, you will always be my big spoon." Max brought his fingers up to his lips and kissed them. He placed his fingers on the camera lens. "I love you both. Be happy."

The screen went blank. The silence in the room was palpable. Oliver turned and looked at the group with tears streaming down his face. "Now we does what my human says we has to do. We saves Terra, and we tries to saves the humans."

The murmur through the audience was doubt formed into whispered words. Max and Jean Pierre stood up. "In my thirty-fifth year," Max began, "the world was at war. Not the war we're in now, but another war to end all wars. Only this time, humankind succeeded. We finally ended war forever by destroying our planet."

Jean Pierre continued. "We humans had grown so bitter, so divided. When it came down to irrevocable choices, we chose our mutual destruction rather than sacrifice any of our entrenched beliefs. We were a species that would rather die knowing our enemies were dead than try to broker peace. All it took was a pivot point to unleash hell on this planet. That pivot point was a group of hackers called the Bringers of the Kingdom. They were a religious cult that believed that their lord and savior wouldn't return until the last moment when Armageddon threatened all life on the planet. Their most knowledgeable hacked into the launch systems of India and Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. They fired all the weapons at the opposing country's borders and toward America and China."

The thinner of the two men on stage sighed heavily. "A cascading domino effect had every nation launching their weapons before they realized their auto-responders kicked in without their fail-safes in place." The crowd's shock was instantaneous. Max nodded his understanding. "Yeah, we had gone that far. It didn't matter anymore who died as long as whoever was shooting at us died, too. The only problem was that the launch of the missiles came so quickly that even Terra couldn't stop what had happened. There are so few living planets in the universe and we killed ours the day we killed ourselves."

"Make no mistake about this," Max said thoughtfully. "If we do nothing, as a species, we will be extinct by our hands in less than twenty years. We welcome your questions, your doubts, and your suggestions tonight. But one thing is certain. We can't sit back and talk about the future. If we do nothing, it will leave us all dead before our island children even experience what middle age feels like. That was my world. It is where I died. It is where we all died."

Max stepped back, allowing the crowd to absorb the reality of his words. After a few minutes of allowing them to talk among themselves, he cleared his throat and spoke. "Most of you remember us as little children. I'm sorry that we were so freaky weird." The audience laughed. "We didn't choose to be who we are, but we love you all, and we realized from a very early age where this world was headed. JP and I have always known. And we knew we couldn't let it happen. We couldn't lose you..." Max's voice broke into a sob. "We can't lose you."

Jean Pierre stepped forward and wrapped his arm around the thinner man. He looked across the crowd. "For as long as we can remember, we searched for a way to save our world; to save our family. I've been told it helps to use charts and diagrams," the heavyset, bearded man said. "So, here are ours. The two of us ran best and worst-case scenarios for years, trying to save Terra from what we felt was her inevitable destruction at the hands of humans." The screen lit up again behind the two men. A list, three columns wide, flashed onto the screen. As the crowd began reading the list, it scrolled. And scrolled. The scrolling sped up until the crowd became uncomfortable with the number of options flying by them.

At long last, the list stopped. It disappeared, leaving only two options side by side. "These are the only two that had the potential to save Terra from the humans. Not a short-term fix, but possibly forever," Max said, regaining some of his composure. "The first was for me to go back in time and talk to the Changelings two million years ago. I would ask them to back off from their protection of the evolving humans. I would tell them of the one who lives beneath us all. They needed to know why we had to let nature take its course and allow human beings to die out. We solve the problem because we are the problem. We cease to exist, and Terra watches a new world grow up around her. I can't tell you what that world becomes, but the hairless apes would not be the dominant species."

Paul looked at Sarah. "And we would never be born -- none of us."

"There are obvious downsides to this approach," Max continued. "There are the paradoxes, but we keep the humans from killing Terra. Still, we are also not here to protect her from what might evolve in our place. Our extinction could pave the way for something even more destructive than us."

"Hard to imagine that," Will said from the back of the room.

Kris turned around and looked at the old wolf with a frown. "That is because you have lived on this tiny planet your entire life, Husband. There are horrors out there that dwarf your human capacity to understand. There is a reason we tried so hard to save your kind. You have the capacity for great kindness in a universe that is, for the most part, indifferent to the survival of anything."

Max nodded as he heard the Kodiak's comments. "Uncle Kris is right. There is a universe out there totally apathetic to who and what we are on this planet. It is a universe that sees an asteroid hitting a planet and destroying all life as no different from one that brings life to a barren world. That we humans can love, that we can care beyond ourselves, is actually almost counterintuitive to surviving in this universe."

"But nonetheless essential," the polar bear interrupted.

"Without a doubt," Max agreed. "We know of only one species that travels in this galaxy hoping to find friendship. They live among us. They are our friends, our family, our lovers, and the truest example of what we could become one day if only we could keep from killing ourselves first."

"And they fucks up everything just like us," Oliver said.

The room laughed, and Max smiled. "Yes, they do, Oliver. But with one significant difference. When we fuck up this world, it has always been our lust for power, wealth, or resource that drove us. We roll over the top of those in our way because we can't see beyond our own self-interests. As misguided as some of the Changelings' actions have been, they have always been an attempt to help. And that is the difference between our species."

"We don't need to go back in time to ask the Changelings to solve the human dilemma. We are all aware that the power to remove humankind is in their hands. They can resolve the issue here and now. All they need to do is use their powers to remove every creature on this planet with a human chromosomal signature. They kill the virus to save the patient. The only two potential outcomes that guarantee that humans won't destroy this planet are to remove them from the equation."

Jean Pierre looked out on the crowd and waved when he saw his fathers. They waved back, and he smiled. "My fathers. I love them so much. I can't imagine a world without them. But the day I died, I saw that world." The bulky man shook. A blond bear tore away the hospital robe, replacing the human. The crowd murmured at the change. "I would do anything to stop that world from coming. Anything."

Max shook, and the glacier bear's blue eyes looked out over the audience. "We would do anything to save this world, but we needed a plan that saved our family as well." He pulled at the shredded hospital gown and tossed it onto the chair where he was sitting moments ago. "The guaranteed outcomes weren't acceptable to us. There had to be another way among all the options. And that is where a third option comes into play."

Jean Pierre lifted his paw, and the white glow spread over his arm. Max extended his paw, and as it neared Jean Pierre's, an arc of blue-white light jumped between the two. Max dropped to his knees and put his paws on the stage. The stage wood creaked and bent as a whirlwind of light and motion spun around his paws. Eric looked at Donovan. "Is he channeling?"

The two watched as the splintering stage reshaped into a tree with growing branches and leaves. Donovan shook his head. "No, I have no idea what he's doing. The two are sharing their powers, but none of us have ever used them in that fashion, not even the Blue clan." He paused. "No one, except Gaia."

"This is the tree from which they made a part of this stage. I'm merely reconfiguring it back to what it once was, using the DNA markers that still lie inside each cell of the tree," Max said. "I'll avoid going into the science of the change because it's not science for most of you. It's more like magic. But trust me, there is no magic involved here. It's only science you don't understand."

"Are you saying you do?" asked one of the audience.

"Yes," Max replied. "This is the outcome of being freaky weird as a kid."

The audience laughed. Max lifted his paws from the stage and waved them slightly. "I shouldn't make light of the situation, but there is so much to deal with tonight. I appreciate a break from all the seriousness."

"It's okay, Son," Paul said. "We are here with you. You take your time."

Max looked out into the audience and found his father. "Thanks, Dad. I love you." The smile that spread through the audience could almost be felt.

Max took a deep breath, and his paws moved again. This time, a blue glow moved up across the tree. Flowers sprang from the branches, the petals withered, fell off, and what remained became small buds that grew and became nuts. "This was a pecan tree years ago when they cut it down," Max said. "It is true to what it is because of the code lying within each cell that tells it what to become."

Max's hand shifted, and the tree shape subtly changed. The bark grew grayer and smoother, while leaves once forming paired lines became individual, larger, single leaves. The nuts now gone became flowers that bloomed, lost their petals, and became apples. Max looked up and staggered slightly. "All I did was alter a fraction of the code. Just a few genes here and there, like piecing together a puzzle, and the tree is now an apple tree. Hardly anything changed, and yet everything has changed."

"Are you sure you're not a magician like your great uncle?" one of the crowd asked with a laugh.

Max smiled. His eyes closed and his hands moved again. Jean Pierre's paws once more glowed white, and the arc of light between the two bears grew brighter. The tree shimmered and then shifted to a small, fat cat everyone recognized as Mr. Kitty. "It's not magic," Max said, trying to catch his breath. "I'm merely rearranging the DNA. Change the configuration; change everything. All it takes is the knowledge of what to change and the energy needed to do it." He looked out at the audience, "Although I bet it would impress my great uncle Max."

The audience laughed. With a single motion, the stage returned to its flat surface. Max looked at the group. "I realize this is a very simple example of what JP and I are going to suggest. However, we have been working on this problem since we were kids. It wasn't until years into the future that we figured out the only way we could save Terra and humankind. We had to alter the DNA of the human race."

There was a flurry of whispers in the crowd. Kris's eyebrow arched thoughtfully as he turned to his husbands who shared his concern. "Max, we tried this before. The Children of the Night, remember?"

"You're right, and strangely enough, they're the proof of concept rather than the failure you might think they would be."

"I don't see how," Donovan said.

"We understand genetics played a part in the insanity of the Children of the Night. But the real reason stems from nine months in the dark crying out for someone that never came. We learned two things from that horrible time."

"Oh, no, science gobbledygook," Oliver sighed.

Jean Pierre laughed. "No, Uncle Oliver. We'll try to keep the jargon to a minimum tonight. We both prefer this to be as simple as possible. It's actually easier for me to understand when Max doesn't fill in the blanks with theorems."

There was a collective sigh of relief from the group. Max reached for the remote and pushed it. A slide of a pastoral painting came up. "France in the middle of the dark ages. It was the last part of the thirteenth century. Uncle Lothair, could you please tell us when the birth of the first Child of the Night took place?"

Lothair shifted uncomfortably. "Twelve ninety-three."

"And how many were born before the Were Nation realized what had happened?"

"twenty-two."

"And how many girls?"

"What?"

"How many girls were born when the werewolves mated with their human wives?"

Lothair looked confused. "I don't know. No one knows. We didn't track them. The gene splicing takes place along the Y chromosome. Only the males became werebeasts. The females never caused problems. They were normal little girls."

"So, you have no record of what happened to the females born of the unions?"

"No, I suppose not. It was the times. Society didn't consider women important in the grand scheme of things." Lothair slapped his head. "Damn, that sounds so vile."

"No, not at all, Uncle Lothair," the Kermode bear interjected. "You are telling us of the times. Context is everything here. The young girls born from the unions of werewolves and humans grew up hidden from the eyes of the world. They were decent young girls; they never showed up in asylums. But as they matured into women, they didn't live quiet, normal lives."

Max pushed the remote again. The screen was filled with images of women, some easily recognized for their place in history, but mostly unknown to even the most learned. "They were remarkable women. They were on the front lines of so many societal changes. The women of the Were Nation have gone unheralded for centuries because you never even realized they existed."

Greg stood up. "Are you saying there are female shapeshifters?"

"No, and there never will be. The shape-shifting gene and almost every gene that transfers are, as Lothair said, transferred along the Y chromosome. But not all." Max paused. "I don't want to say that's because we live in a male-dominated society or that we overlooked our women, but..."

"Well, I'll say it," Sarah yelled out. The audience laughed.

"Thanks, Mom," Max said, putting his hand over his face. "But she is right. We overlooked the female children in the genealogies of the Were Nation." Max looked at his mother. He quickly interjected, "Before Mom agrees with that, it's why Damien and Darius's family tree overlooked the Carver family. At least, until a matter of days ago."

Damien and Darius looked away shyly. "Don't worry, uncles," Max said. "In another life, you were on top of it the same as you were this time when you realized the mistake. The two of us have had years to ruminate over how that part of the puzzle fits into this discussion."

Jean Pierre looked up. "Science time. Sorry Uncle Oliver. But we brought cool pictures."

Oliver laughed. "You go ahead, boys. I can always has my husbands explain it to me later."

Jean Pierre brought up a picture of two twisting bars with links between them. "Most of you should recognize the double helix of DNA. This is human DNA. There are forty-six chromosomes organized into twenty-three pairs along the double helix."

A new picture came up. "This is Terran Changeling DNA. Fifty-four chromosomes bond in twenty-seven pairs, also along a double helix. If you were to investigate the Unity, you would find a very different version of DNA. Without even thinking about it, Terran Changelings adapted their DNA the same way they adapted their bodies to this planet. They are the most fluid creatures one could imagine. For that fact alone, humans should be eternally grateful."

A new image with the two DNA strands showed them growing closer. "You're watching what happens when they merge." The moving images highlighted a series of identical bonds in glowing red. "And this is where it gets interesting."

Max reached back into his hospital gown and took out a laser pointer from the pocket. He flashed it up onto the screen. "Glad Mr. Kitty isn't here. We wouldn't have a screen for long." The crowd laughed. "This might seem complicated, but hang in there, it gets easier. For thousands of years, the Changelings knew their DNA transfers along the male Y chromosome. It's obvious why. Look at the beasts in this room. Only one sex. The females in this room are all human. But the Y chromosome spans over fifty-nine million base pairs. Those are the building blocks of DNA and represent almost two percent of the total DNA in every cell.

"Barring deviations, each human has one pair of sex chromosomes in each cell. The Y chromosome is present in males, who have one X and one Y chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes. Basic Biology 101.

"The Y chromosome contains over two hundred genes. That's over two hundred complex structures that house those fifty-nine million base pairs I mentioned. They are the parts of us that provide instructions for making proteins and trigger embryonic development. We all learned only males have the Y chromosome. The genes on that chromosome are involved in male sex determination and development. Sex is determined by the SRY gene, the one responsible for the development of a fetus into a male. For lack of a better describer, the SRY is the gene that attracts Changeling DNA."

"That's the perfect word for it," Sarah said. "Check out this crowd. Attraction to each other is your most obvious common trait."

The audience laughed again. "Mom is right," Max continued. "The Changeling DNA seeks to bond with the human DNA and it uses the SRY gene marker as a guide to that union."

Jean Pierre looked out at the audience. "How are we doing so far? Are you following this?"

Most of the crowd nodded.

Even Oliver gave a nod and a smile. "You's talking about how we was made. We may not know the words, but we knows what happened."

"Great," Max sighed. "So far, so good." Another picture came up with the Y chromosome gene enlarged. "All genes along the Y chromosome are important for many other aspects of being a man. But if you consider the difference between humans and werebeasts, there are one hundred thirty-eight of those genes that are key in the turning of a human into a werebeast.

"Not every gene of the Changelings bond with the human genes, and some don't even overlap. Our bodies sloughed off those genes as useless to the werebeast being born. That's why, even after the turning, werebeasts still have the same number of chromosomes as humans. Although there are a lot of altered genes with millions of new and altered base pairs telling our newly forming bodies what to do.

"Many genes are unique to the Y chromosome, but genes in areas known as pseudoautosomal regions are present on both sex chromosomes. As a result, men and women each have two functional copies of these genes. Many genes in the pseudoautosomal regions are essential for normal development in both males and females."

"No," Eric and Nathaniel said almost simultaneously as the awareness hit.

"Yes," Max corrected. "There is a Changeling gene that splices into the human body not along the Y chromosome, but in the pseudoautosomal region of our DNA. It's not the gene that allows for shapeshifting. Nor the ones that give us our extra strength. Sadly, not even the ones that make werebeasts virtually immortal. But one gene, one gene that unites all Changelings, bonds to the humans in the pseudoautosomal region here." Max pointed to a small line in the diagram.

"This is what you missed, Changelings. You missed the needle in the haystack. You never saw the one gene that spliced itself to both sexes in humans because of all those that didn't. And when I say splice, I think the better word might be overwrite. Our human DNA is modified, changed for the better."

There was a sudden song filling the hall as the Changelings began talking to each other. The baritone voice of the badger yelled out in Changeling and the Changelings grew quiet. "Sorry, Oliver," Eric said. The polar bear looked at the group. "We're sorry. We apologize for talking in a tongue you don't understand. Max has found something we never realized. We've been totally blind to it."

"Because you weren't looking for it," Max said. "JP and I were. And we found it because it's been right here all along."

Kris looked at the two colorful black bears. "Where?"

A piece of paper came up with Darius's hastily sketched genealogical tree. Max smiled. "This is my family tree. Going all the way back to the early eleven hundreds. Now most of you can figure out there's no way the twins could do this without help. That's roughly forty generations ago. But we cheated and asked the one lady who knew all those names: Terra. She has shown her willingness to let this plan move forward by helping us with names essential to this idea."

Max pointed out to the audience. "Mom, will you please stand up?" Sarah stood up reluctantly. "To the Were Nation, I give you the great great, thirty-six generations back great-granddaughter of Isabella Bérenger: my mother. She is the thirty-eighth generation decedent of the first daughter of the Were Nation."

The French Wolf rose. "Evrardin and Juliana Bérenger's daughter?"

"The same, Uncle Jean Pierre."

"How?"

"Gaia, Uncle. And a bit of help from the one who taught her the genealogies of all that have ever lived here. Be aware of this though. Your sacrifices... all you have been through... all your pain; it may yet save this world."

"Aside from realizing why my family enjoys kissing these men so much, what does this have to do with anything, Son?" Sarah asked.

Max laughed. "Watch the image, Mom." The laser scanner flashed out to a single line through the DNA strand. The image rotated and zoomed in on the region where the light rested. "Right here on the third pseudoautosomal region, a Changeling gene merges into our human DNA. Regardless of your sex, this one alters your DNA, while no other gene bonds with a female."

"Seems about par for the course for Changelings," Sarah said with a smile.

"Mom, this is the gene that saves us all," Max said. He paused. "Mom, Punch Dad."

Sarah smiled and punched her husband's arm. "Ow," Paul said. "This is a pretty strange exhibit."

"No, Mom. I mean, really punch him. Right in the face. Break his nose. Uncle Nathaniel can fix it. This is important. You need to punch him hard."

Sarah looked confused. "No," she said defiantly.

"The fate of the world depends on this, Mom. Hit him."

"No. I won't. I can't. He's my husband."

"Okay, then hit Uncle Will. He heals fast, and you're not strong enough to even put a dent in him. Just give him a belt."

"No."

"Why not? It won't do any permanent damage and you can save the world."

"I don't like this, son. It isn't funny."

"I know it isn't, Mom. But it makes a point."

The wings flared out on the blue bear. There was a gasp from the audience at the revelation. "This is my mom," he said, pointing to his mother. "She possesses a gene that comes from a direct line back to the first female of the Were Nation." He flashed the laser pointer to the single line on the illustration. "Call it what you will. It is one of the key genes that make Changelings what and who they are. It is what creates the Unity. JP and I call it the empathy gene."

Jean Pierre stepped in front of the screen. "Every werebeast has the gene. It is why in thousands of years, we have never had a skirmish or fight among ourselves, save the sad affair of the Children of the Night. The one gene that passed on to the daughters of the Were Nation through the mating of humans and werebeast never transferred to the males in utero. Driven mad by their loneliness, the Children of the Night lacked any empathy toward the ones they saw as their tormentors. But it is also the only gene that has for generations transferred to the human species via the original females and their progeny. And no one even realized it was happening.

"Violence is unthinkable to my mother, except to save an innocent life. Just as the Changelings will never do violence, save to protect. We are all hard-wired to be who we are right down to our very DNA. The Were Nation is the most peaceful nation on this planet. We created homes for our people, sanctuary for our lost, and a family where we turn away none. The Were Nation is everything that the best of humanity aspires to, but our own human DNA denies us. We crave the Garden of Eden, but our behavior drives us out. There is no snake to blame. There is no apple to curse. We live in a desert of our own making."

Oliver stood up on top of his chair. "Okay, I gets that Sarah is special and there's more like her out there, but we knows how beast genes affects the men folk. How comes we ain't gots lots of nice women and lots of angry men?"

"That's a brilliant question, Oliver," Max said. "The answer for that is exhibit B: my dad."

"Me?" Paul said, pointing to himself.

"You, Dad," Max answered. "Like Mom, you possess the empathy gene locked into your DNA. Your lineage differs from Mom's, but you both are decedents of the original daughters of werewolves and humans. Your attraction to each other is in part literally skin deep.

You, and so many other men like you, link to the Were Nation in the same way our women link to it. But only one gene was in play through your human mothers. They transferred it to their children, girl or boy. But without the other genes in play that affected the Children of the Night, your gestation was totally benign. The gene transfer helped form you into the man you are today."

"All that pro bono work your dad does for the underdog is because of a gene?" Will asked. "You're giving a gene an awful lot of credit."

"No, Uncle Will," Max said. "I'm giving it all the credit it is due. My father is a remarkable man, but there is an underlying reason he seeks to help others and it's as much his genetic makeup as it is his upbringing."

Francisco rose. "As an insight, this is remarkable news. But as a matter of practical application, what good does it do us? It seems as if the gene doesn't manifest in every human child born to one of the original mothers. If it did, this many generations removed from the first, every human on the planet would have the gene. We are twenty years from Armageddon. It would take generations of selective breeding before a recessive gene passes on to all your people. The destroyers of this world are already born."

"That is true. The only avenue open to us is to change the DNA of the entire human race."

Oliver stood up again on his chair. "Is you saying what I thinks you're saying?" Oliver asked. "Is we gonna turn all the humans into GMOs?"

Jean Pierre smiled. "That's what we're saying, Uncle Oliver. The only way to save humankind is for us to lose the aggression we have toward each other and replace it with a proven path. The thing that helped us gain a foothold on the African plains is the very thing that will destroy us in less than two decades. And that's if Terra chooses to wait that long."

"The Changelings proved to us by the history of the Unity that there is another path we can take. If we do nothing, humanity is extinct in twenty years. We alter our DNA to add one Changeling gene and we may see the Children of Man surviving into the next century. We have over forty generations of children to prove it. To save the humans, we have to change every human being on this planet. Only changing the gene in everyone gives the gene a chance to stay strong in future generations."

There was another audible gasp from the crowd. Donovan rose. "We can't force such a choice on a world without their consent. It is not our way."

From the back, a youthful voice yelled out. "What the hell is wrong with you people? You're talking about a choice like we have one. You do nothing and I'm dead in twenty years. It's like those anti-vaccination groups. 'Oh no, we can't do that to our children,'" the voice said sarcastically. "'Oh, our poor babies need to have a choice in this matter. The Kelfer virus doesn't kill everyone. Some who survive might even be stronger.'"

The youth stepped into the aisle. "Where are the thousands of those children now? How do we deal with those unfortunate enough to survive? What do you say to their blind and limbless children? Did they have a choice? Did the ones who could save their children from such misery do right by waiting until their children could make the choice?" The youth moved toward Donovan. "Sir, you have the chance to save me. That boy up there says he knows how. If you care so much for me, then stand out of his way and let him do what he has to do."

Max looked down into the darkness at the lad. "Bucky?"

"Hi, Max. It's been a while. You haven't changed."

Max laughed. "Actually, I've changed more than you realize, Bucky. What brings you here?"

"That would be me," said the rising red Chow. "I felt we needed an unbiased group of humans to lend their voice to the proceedings."

Will laughed. "Interesting, Kong. Who else did you bring?"

"I believe most of the locals remember the boys from the bully brigade."

The young boys each stood up nervously in the back. They waved awkwardly as the group stared at them.

"If nothing else, we can be positive they don't carry the gene," the Chow said. "I figured they had a right to hear what was going to happen."

Jean Pierre shook his head. His wings flared out. "Oh, dear. The fecal material is about to hit the oscillating wind generation machine again."

Bucky laughed. "You must be JP. I heard Max had a boyfriend." He looked up at Max, seeing the same boy he last saw six months ago. "Max, I am so sorry for what we did to you. I would have told you so months ago, but they keep you away from us like we're going to hurt you or something."

Bucky stepped forward. "We wouldn't ever. We would have, I did, but we're not the same guys. I know there are more important things to discuss here, but please let me say that I am sorry."

Max smiled. "It's all good, Bucky. I don't hold grudges. And you were right. I was gay. That's why what you said never bothered me."

"I was still wrong. It doesn't matter what you are. I was trying to hurt you. Please, I may never get this chance to see you again with the way your family protects you. Please forgive me."

"Done," Max said. "Now, about that opinion of yours."

Bucky took a few steps back. "That easy?"

"Yeah," Max replied. "End of the world stuff going down here tonight, remember? If you want, we can get all Kumbaya about it later. But for now, this group needs to hear what you want to say."

Bucky looked back at the group. "I'm not sure I understand half of what you people are talking about, or how you organize your nation. But what I know is that you have a chance to do something to save the people around you. But you're sitting here discussing it like it was whether or not you're letting your kid go to the prom. It's my life. You act like I should get to decide if I want some crazy people to end it for me. I don't have that choice. You sit back and in a few years, I'm dead. You're dead. There are no arguments to be made here. There's just whether you're willing to step up and help Max. I hope you do. I'd like to have a life where I get to get all Kumbaya with him instead of getting blown to hell."

Billy stood up from his seat next to his father, Paul. "I was one of the bully brigade, so you know I never had the gene. But I have a family now. I don't want to lose that because you can't figure out that when someone is about to step off a cliff, you need to do something drastic to save them. My life is here on the island. You are my people. I have a bear for a brother, and he's asking you for help."

Billy pushed out into the aisle next to his old friend. "Bucky might not see you as you are, but I do. I understand every word of what my brother is saying. You all need to do more than sit on your beliefs and watch us die. Worst of all, we will take you with us if you wait too long. I love you all. I love this island. Don't let it slip through your fingers. This island is too important. Not only to you. It's one of the last sane places I know in a very insane world. And that's a human kid talking to beasts, so you know we've fucked it up big time." He paused. "Damn it, I shouldn't have said fuck."

Oliver laughed out loud. "I loves that boy. And he's right. This is a seriously fucked up world. Those of us with the Sight can't see everything that's coming at us, but you best believe the bear up there when he says options are scarce and time is short."

Kris rose and shook his massive body. "I agree with the humans. Terra is going to act even if we don't. She's big, and I know what it's like to have an enormous body trying to do delicate things. We get klutzy. We break stuff we don't intend to. I doubt Terra will wait for the humans to destroy themselves now that she knows what's in store for her. I certainly won't advise her to. She is going to do what she has to, and trust me; the Were Nation will be a casualty of her efforts, regardless of how careful she tries to be."

Tyler stood up. "So, what is the plan, Max? What are you asking us to do?"

"The members of the Blue clan are builders. We create unity from chaos. Humans are chaos personified. We have gone from a world of eight billion people to one of under three billion from the wars we have fought over the last half-century. I see answers to the dilemma we face, and they can end in different ways. Only one leaves Terra, the humans, and my family alive. Please understand that this isn't the safest way. And it doesn't come without a cost that most of us will turn away from rather than face. There is no easy option that leaves humans as they are on this planet."

Max shrugged and his wings flared out again. "The only easy option is to let Terra flex. Let her shake off the dust of billions of years and start over. I cannot accept the easy alternative. I am named after a man who could never give up; one who could never stop trying to save his people. His name and his dreams are my birthright. I cannot stand down. I cannot give up without a fight for what I believe in."

Jean Pierre's wings flapped quietly for a moment. Never lifting his head, he said, "There are those we returned to save. They are our family. They are the ones we love. But there are also billions of people we have never met, but who will one day marry the sons and daughters of our human families. They will become the newborn of the Were Nation. If we must die, I will stand by my husband and die trying to save humanity from itself. Terra may take us all the same, and that is her right. But before that day, she will know that Max and I have given everything we have to save our people and to save her."

Paul rose and put his arm around Billy. "Tell us, Max, what happens next?"

"There is a way that might work, and if it fails, Terra will still be able to save herself," Max answered. "The gene that combines with human DNA is a simple thing to replicate. You watched me change a tree into a cat. That was complex. Splicing one gene into a DNA strand is so much easier."

"Unless you're trying to do it to three billion people," Michael said. "I watched you, son. You faltered each time you made those changes. If making a tree will wind you, how are you going to deal with three billion humans?"

"With the help of the Changelings and my clan," Max responded. "There are ways to generate energy. And I married a Channeler who can move energy wherever he sees fit. Uncle Oliver has the gift as well. He also has a gift that will allow us to drain this entire planet of the deadliest form of energy we have. And because he channels, he can let me use it to alter the entire human race's DNA at the same time."

"And how do we help?" asked Donovan.

"Some of you, like the green clan, will combine your forces to protect Terra from what we do. Others will be there to end it all if it goes wrong. First, we protect. And Terra is who we protect first. But if all goes well, we will have a world where humans can no longer watch each other with indifference. Once the gene becomes a part of the human genome, the world will change slowly toward a unity, not unlike what the Unity has found on their home world. If it holds, we will be millions of years out from where they are. Even so, we will take a quantum leap past where we are and land in a place where our very nature will keep us from self-destruction."

The polar bear looked at Max. "And you can do this?"

"I am confident I can."

"And what of me?" a voice said from the back. "What happens to the likes of me?"

Max looked out into the darkness. "I'm not sure. Who are you?"

The young lad stepped into the aisle. "Matthew Kingston. Bully brigade. What comes of the ones like me?"

"Most of you will simply stop what you're doing when you realize it goes against everything you feel."

Matthew continued to walk forward through the aisle toward Max. "No, Max. Look at me. See me. What happens to the ones whose life has been so wrong, so misguided that they tried to kill themselves to get away from the pain they felt when they saw the truth?"

The badger's head spun toward Matthew. He shook his head in disbelief. Kong came up from behind him. "One can find the truth through many paths, Oliver. Matthew found his truth in an Alberta paper archive while studying for a school project on bullying. That's all it took to bring back the memory."

Matthew looked at the badger and the short-faced bear. "I'm sorry, Oliver. I'm sorry, Dr. Templeton. You both tried. Mom and Dad are doing great, so I can't thank you enough. But I need to have an answer to this." He looked back at Max. "What becomes of those like me?"

"Your own nature will make you hesitate for fear that others who might need you would suffer from your death. Most like you will find help before you choose suicide as an option."

"But not all?"

"No, not all," Max replied. "Sociopaths, despots, and others who prey on humanity will fare even worse. There will be people whose lives are so swamped by their greed and lust for power that they will feel a backlash severe enough to stop their hearts. Others will go insane or commit suicide from the guilt and grief they feel. There will be a death toll that will shock us all to the core."

Jean Pierre put out his paw and pulled Matthew up onto the stage. "We will all feel pain, Matthew. None of us are guilt-free. But we will also feel a need to comfort others who are suffering. The latter will win out, eventually. But in the beginning, it will be very difficult. All that we can tell you is that the balance will shift, and in the end, humanity will be alive to try again. Only this time they will have help. They will have the Were Nation standing beside them."

Matthew looked at the two. "Thank you for being honest."

Max's face showed his concern. "I'm sorry, Matthew. I wish so much that I wasn't a part of the pain you feel."

Matthew looked down. "Self-inflicted wounds, Max. I know you didn't do this to me."

"But we can work on healing the wounds together. If it works, we will have time."

Matthew looked up. "I would like that. Can I have a hug?"

Max laughed. "Sure, you don't have a problem hugging a gay guy anymore?"

"Nah," Matthew said. "Especially now that you look like some weird winged teddy bear."

"Oh? How long has that been the case?"

"Since you told me the truth." Matthew paused. "I saw Oliver and Dr. Templeton when I walked in. I miss them, Max. I've missed everyone here."

Max reached out and pulled the boy into a hug. Matthew sighed. "We don't have to sing Kumbaya, do we?"

"God, I hope not," Max replied as he rested his head on top of Matthew's.

When the hug ended, Matthew turned and looked out at the audience, who were quietly waiting for the hug to end. "My name is Matthew. I was a bully, and what I and other bullies did to a little boy named Anthony led to his suicide. His suicide almost led to mine. You wonder if Max can do what he says. I am about the worst example of a kid I can think of. If you need to find out, I say let him change me. Let him put that gene into me and see what happens."

"Matthew, no," Dr. Kong protested.

"Dr. Kong, I need to face my demons. Here inside this building, at least I have a blue bear willing to stand by me."

Jean Pierre smiled. "You also have a fat blond one if you need him."

Matthew smiled. "Really? Do you have wings too?"

"Yeah, they're white. You'll see me soon enough if you hang around the two of us."

"That would be nice. I don't have many friends."

"I will volunteer too," Bucky said, still standing in the aisle. "Change me, Max. Prove to these people you can do what you say."

Steve and Carl stood up from the back. "We volunteer too. You could use some willing humans to prove your point. I don't know what you people are, but from the way you talk, you're not anything like what we see. But I know at least I'm human, so let him prove it will work."

Kris's eyebrow raised. "They have a point. We need to see if this will work on a small scale before we commit ourselves to an entire world."

Will shrugged his shoulders. "Not really, Bear. If it doesn't work, we're all dead anyway."

"Yeah, there is that," said the brown bear thoughtfully. "But let's say we try it, regardless."

Max nodded his head in agreement. "Come on up, guys." The crowd waited for the lads to climb up on stage and they stood by Max. "No matter what happens," Max said, "We will be here. We will not let you fall."

"Why do you think I asked you to do it now?" Bucky replied. "I figure I've got to make this change someday soon. If I go crazy, I'd rather have it here where the surrounding people will take care of me."

Max laughed. "Never change, Bucky. One day, you and Oliver will be the best of friends."

Bucky smiled a confused smile. "What do we do?"

"Close your eyes," Max said, and the four boys closed their eyes.

Billy shoved his father. "Dad," he said, pleading.

"Go, son," Paul said. "Be with your friends."

Billy rose and quickly pushed his way through the row of werebeasts toward the middle aisle. "Wait, Max," he called out.

Max looked out to see his brother running up the stage. Billy took his place next to his friends. "Are you sure?" Max asked.

"We don't leave our family in a crisis," Billy said. "These are my friends. They're my family."

Max leaned in and kissed Billy on the cheek. "And so am I." He paused. "Close your eyes, men. It will go easier if you don't see what happens."

"Like we're going to close our eyes now," Carl said with a laugh. Max's paw began glowing bright blue, and the light swirled around the fist. Some saw a boy, others saw a bear, but the one thing they all saw was the pulsing light followed by a humming all around them. Max's eyes closed in concentration. He saw the boys break down into simple cells, each with their DNA strand linking to the Changeling gene.

Martin sat at the far end of his row, glowing a faint yellow. "See the path, Boy. The change is there. Don't lose sight of it. Just let it be." The cat closed his eyes and concentrated.

There was a momentary flash of blinding light, and Max staggered backward. Jean Pierre caught the blue bear before he fell over the brink of the stage. Max shook himself. "It's done," he said.

The five boys remained upright. Matthew was crying, but the other boys seemed unfazed by what had happened. "How do we tell if it worked?" Tyler asked his mate.

Michael shrugged. "Je ne sais pas."

Nathaniel looked back at the two. "I guess we do a blood test to look at their cells."

"Ain't no need, Bear," Oliver said. "The boy done what he said he'd do."

"How can you tell, Oliver?" Nathaniel asked the badger.

"They look different," Derrick said. "They're not quite human anymore."

"What?"

"You know, Nathaniel," the black wolf answered. "They're not exactly beasts, but they're not quite human anymore. They're a hybrid. Pretty much like us, only distinctly human."

The short-faced bear looked at the black wolf. "And you see this, Pup?"

"Yep," the badger answered. "They looks like Sarah, Paul, and their kids looks like to us. Twern't never a thing we thoughts on, until today. They just looked like the Carver family. Different, but nice, you know. So, we didn't pay no attention to it."

"Okay, will you two stop answering the other's question, please?" Nathaniel said, the frustration clear in his voice.

"Sure," they both agreed.

Max knelt next to Matthew and hugged him. "It will be okay, Matthew. You'll find forgiveness one day. Dr. Kong will help you."

Matthew squeezed the bear tightly. "I know. I'm crying because I'm still alive. Anthony didn't deserve to die, but neither do I. I won't forget him, Max. I will find a way out of this, and I won't forget him."

Eric stood up. "I believe it's time we took a vote. All those in this hall who say we do what we can to save the humans say aye." There was a resounding chorus of ayes. "And those who say nay?" There was nothing but silence.

Donovan stood up. "Terran Changelings, we have work to do. Rest well tonight. Tomorrow we help Max change our world."

The five Changelings rose as the polar bear jumped off the stage and returned to his mates and son. Kris leaned in to kiss his husband. "Well, let's hope this time we don't fuck things up."

Oliver looked up and patted the Kodiak's butt. "You's gonna be fine, Bear. This time you gots us to help you fuck up everything."

Kris looked at the badger and smiled. His paws reached down, grabbed the little mammal, and put him on his shoulder. "Take me to bed, Badger. I have a need for some cuddling with a little spoon."

Oliver laughed. "Okay, I'se gonna let you get away with that tonight, 'cause we's all probably gonna be dead in a week." He paused. "Well, that and 'cause I likes the way you put your dick between my legs when we spoons."

"Me too, Badger," Kris said as he headed out of the rapidly emptying hall into the rainy night.

Out on the southwest side of the island, the yellow light broke free from below and launched toward the sky. It was almost as much a part of the Hargrove House as the broken concrete and invisible walls. Chipo sat and watched. "What are you trying to tell us, house?" he whispered. He reached out and pushed against a wall that wasn't there, yet it blocked the rhino's fist. "You're still there, aren't you? We can't see you, but you're still there." Chipo leaned back. "Curiouser and curiouser."

Chapter 17

The rain fell hard in the morning but had turned to a drizzle by the time the Partridge Island residents began gathering. Chipo listened to the commotion from where he had sat all night. He made a grunt as he tried to stand up. "Might as well go watch the show," he said. His hoof-like hand punched the side of the invisible house. "Tell me, house. There is a secret you want to speak. Tell me. I will listen." The wind whistled through an open window somewhere along the side of the house, but the words it spoke were unintelligible to the rhino.

"Come on, everyone, let's get this organized," Donovan said. "We need all the children who don't carry the gene to gather next to Oliver and Max." Ten of the children moved together as Alejandro ushered them toward Oliver.

"We're the ones, Uncle Donovan," Alejandro said.

Donovan smiled at the word uncle in front of his name. He shook his head, trying to understand how easy it was for them to adopt him into their family. "So, there are eleven of you?"

"Most of the children carry the gene already, Donovan," Kwan replied. "I suspect that might be why they adapted so successfully to the Sight."

"I would like it if we had a larger test group," Donovan said. "With Kendal, that's only twelve."

"Baker's dozen," Trevor said as he moved out from the crowd. "I married a werewolf. I never took on his genetic markers. You understand how that works. We've always mated as humans."

"Same here," Ethan said as he and Bartholomew stood hand in hand.

"We're here too," Jan and Jenny said, smiling as they stood by their werewolf fathers. "That makes sixteen."

"Don't rightly matter how big the group is Wolf," Oliver said with a matter-of-fact attitude. "We gots one shot at it, and if we don'ts succeed, Terra will end it all. She's gonna knows if it works. This is just to calm your fears."

"It's not only my fears, Badger," Donovan said as his brow furrowed. "It's everyone who said they would stand by you. We need some assurance that we've made the right choice."

"So, let's do this," Max said. "Uncle Donovan, you're going to be the outside energy source. Oliver and JP will channel that power to me. We find out if those links work and if once I have the energy, I can redirect it into changing the DNA of the island humans."

Donovan took a stance. "Humans spread out. I want you all across this island. Ethan, can I get you to head down to the lowest part of the Hospital basement behind the lead shields in X-ray? We have to make sure that this will work with every human, no matter where they are." Ethan nodded and ran toward the hospital.

Donovan looked at Kendal. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"He's my friend. He won't let me get hurt. You want to know. This will test the limits more than any other option. I'm a freediver, Donovan. Dá Lóng and I do this all the time. It's like meditating. Don't worry about us. Worry about the three trying to change the world."

Donovan put his paw on Kendal's shoulders. "You really can hold your breath for five minutes?"

"Ask Steve. I've gone down on him underwater before," Kendal said with a smile.

Donovan looked at Kendal's mate. Steve shrugged. "I'm not sure. He's doing it underwater, and I get too excited in my human form. I don't last all that long. Maybe it was five minutes. I honestly don't remember."

Donovan turned back to Kendal and kissed him. "Be safe, Kendal. Don't you or the dragon take any undue risks."

"You have our promise, Donovan. I told Steve if we pull this off, he can turn me. I have a reason to come back in one piece."

Donovan looked out at the milling crowd. "Everyone move out."

With a nod of understanding, the humans moved toward their predetermined positions. At eight minutes, Donovan tapped his ComLink. "Kendal, you and Dá Lóng make your dive now. Stay down two minutes at whatever depth you reach and then come back."

"Will do," Kendal said. "Leaving the ComLink here on the beach. The waterproof warranty doesn't hold water past twenty meters."

Donovan laughed. "See you soon, merman." He tapped his ComLink again. "Open line." He paused a moment. "As soon as we call you, everyone heads back here to the farm. If this goes as we hope, you'll have no sense of any physical change. You might feel some emotional changes. Always remember, your family is here whatever the outcome. Return to us and we'll see what's happened."

Donovan waited until everyone confirmed they understood the orders. "Brothers," he said. Ivan and Francisco put their hands on Donovan's shoulders and the colors of their clan surged brightly. The Armbruster's wolf began moving his paws in tight circles. The glow from them was almost immediate as a small glowing ball grew with each passing moment. "Okay, boys," he growled. "This is going to come at you fast and hard. Do what you need to do and give it to Max. And Max, you do what you say you can do. We're all in this together. Let's make sure we're ready."

Oliver, JP, and Max all nodded. "Do it, Wolf," Oliver said, and his eyes winced as the bright white light burst from the wolf's fists and flew straight toward them. Oliver and JP felt the power slam into them, almost like a fist. They rebounded with no problem and turned toward Max, passing the power into him with a single motion.

Max smiled, and in seconds, he looked up. "It's done. Sixteen down, two billion, nine hundred eighty- six thousand, seven hundred, and twenty-six to go."

Donovan tapped the ComLink again. "Come on home, family. We're waiting for you."

As the humans started filtering back into the crowd, everyone was asking if the change had been successful. Oliver and Derrick grinned as they looked at each of their human family returning. From the beach area, Kendal came walking back soaking wet with something that looked far more like slime than seawater. "Well, that was an experience I'm not sure I want to do again."

"How far did you get?" Donovan asked.

"Four hundred ninety meters."

Kris turned and looked at the human. "You would be dead."

"I would be if I was on the dragon's back, but Dá Lóng and I both knew that wouldn't work. Dá Lóng put me in his mouth and kept the pressure constant as he dove. He took me down to a nuclear submarine's test depth. They're currently the deepest running sub out there. No human on the planet is more inaccessible. You wanted the ultimate test. We gave it to you."

Donovan smiled. "You had no intention of doing what you told me. A freedive two hundred meters deep, you said."

"This is my family, Donovan. I couldn't let them be guinea pigs without stepping up myself. We were down only a minute before he knew the test was over. He's like a short-term biological submarine. The two of us never took an undue risk, which is what I promised. The only permanent damage is to my outfit. I love him to pieces, but Dá Lóng's a drooler."

Kris shook his head. "I am constantly amazed by this family."

"It worked," Derrick said. "Everyone of them has the gene; including Kendal."

"And transferring the power?" Donovan asked.

"I think it would be better if they held my hand," Max replied. "It would be a more direct connection and help me stay focused."

"Done," JP said with a smile. "I love holding hands with you."

Max smiled. "So we have time now to train and prepare. We change the humans as blocks of individuals, starting with those areas that are at war first. We try to intervene where it will do the most good."

"I don't think so," the rhino said from behind the group. The crowd turned toward him. "I've been watching the Hargrove House, and there's a possibility that we're ignoring a very important part of this puzzle."

Max looked at him questioningly. "What part, Chipo?"

"The one variable that affects this timeline. You and JP, Max."

"That's why we returned here, so we could have time to stave off the destruction."

"Agreed. But think this through, Max. Your alternate timelines have been keeping pace with your own growth. You and JP are only hours away from your alternate timeline wedding day, are you not?"

Max nodded. "I'm having all my pre-wedding day jitters right now."

"Me too," Jean Pierre said.

"I could be wrong, but I think time seeks to right itself with set points in the universal flow," Chipo said. "It's why the Hargrove House is out of phase. We used it as a portal to disrupt time. It will remain that way until the timeline restores itself to equilibrium."

"I can't say I disagree with that," Max said. "It's a possibility. But what does that have to do with our timeline?"

"You died on your wedding day. We all died on your wedding day. That moment is about to intersect with your current life. What if the circumstances of our deaths are also converging into this new timeline? What if, even as we speak, the crazed Bringers of the Kingdom are only moments away from cracking the launch codes and starting Armageddon?"

Max shuddered. "It might..." he paused.

"Can we take a chance that it won't?" Chipo interrupted.

Max shook his head. "He's right. We can't take a chance. If the timeline is seeking to reestablish itself, we only have moments to start the changes we've been discussing all night long."

Eric looked toward the blue bear. "Are you saying we're going now?"

Max nodded. "I am. The risk of waiting is too great." Max looked toward the Changelings and his werebeast uncles. "You all know your parts. I need you all committed to this idea. Once we start, there will be no backing down."

"And you're sure now is the time to start?" Kris asked, his heavy body shifting uncomfortably.

"It's not a matter of being sure," Martin spoke up. "Chipo is right. If we pushed the timeline forward, we can't afford a wait-and-see attitude."

Anders nodded. "You have the three of us in agreement here. None of us knows everything the young bear has done, but to err on the side of hesitating could see our deaths playing once more."

Donovan looked at Eric. "Old Bear, you are our leader. What do you say?"

"Me?" the polar bear asked in disbelief. "You're the oldest."

"And you have lived on this world longer than the five of us. Our dormancy leaves us vulnerable to missing pieces to this puzzle in front of us."

The polar bear rubbed his fist against his forehead and breathed out his frustration. He took a deep breath. "Are you ready, Max?"

"I am as ready as I will ever be. We know it can work. I need only to commit to the change worldwide."

"And can you do that?"

"Yes, Uncle, I can."

"Then we begin. Changelings, we are aware of our tasks. For Terra and humankind."

The voices of the Changelings responded in unison. "For Terra and humankind."

Max bowed his head. "It begins now," he said. He looked at Jean Pierre and grabbed his paw. "You know how much I love you, right?"

Jean Pierre smiled. "Enough to take me wherever you go?"

Max leaned in and kissed his mate. "Now and forever."

Oliver grabbed Max's hand. "You takes me with you, too, Max. There's a reason we gots so many Channelers here. JP can'ts do this alone. He's gonna need help."

The glacier bear's hand glowed blue and the light spread to the badger. "I was kind of thinking of taking him to the tunnels and pounding his butt after all this was over," he said with a smile.

"You's definitely takin' me then," the badger said, grinning. "Time to links us together."

The blue bear closed his eyes. "Come on, Max," he said under his breath to himself, "you can do this. It's easy. Save the world."

"No, Kid," Max heard the old wolf say. "Remember you can't change the ocean. You change the drops of water. Save your family one at a time. You can do that. You do that and the world will follow. Save one, save all."

"Thanks, Uncle Will," Max said, looking up at the Iberian wolf. "Keep me focused."

The old wolf rubbed the bear's shoulder. "You know the game plan. If you need any of us, you call out. We will be there. How far back does everyone need to be?"

"How about New York?" Max said as his grayish blue fur began glowing a cobalt blue. It grew lighter as the intensity of the power built inside him. His head shook in disagreement. "You need to trust me, Terra. We need all the power. And we need to remove the threat to you. I won't let them hurt you, I promise. If I see this is going to end badly, I will take us all out. You have my word."

"What is he doing?" Sarah asked as she backed away.

"The most fucked up part of this entire plan," Oliver said. "And of course, if you's gotta do something that's gonna kills us all, have the badger do it, 'cause you can blames the little guy for fuckin' up everything."

The little mammal put his paw up. "Needs your help, Husband. Gots to have a Warrior Class. Ain't gonna work no other way."

Francisco stepped forward. "Lothair and I can do this, Oliver. Let us take the risk."

The badger shook his head no. "The old wolf is already linked to me. We has been one since the day we said now and forever. Besides, you Terran Changelings are the fail-safe. If we don't make this works, you ends us all. You saves Terra."

Will's paw burst into red flame. "Where does this go, Oliver?" he said, shaking the paw.

"On my cock and balls, mostly my balls 'cause I likes you there."

"Really, Oliver?"

"If we's gonna be dead in a few minutes, I wants my husband playing with my balls when I goes. Everyone else can deal with it."

Will smiled and leaned over and cupped the badger's balls with the glowing paw. He leaned in and bit the neck of the little mammal that was now burning a bright purple as the two powers merged inside. "I love you Oliver," Will whispered. "I have since the day we met."

"I loves you forever, Old Wolf," Oliver replied. He squeezed the paw of the glacier bear. "Let's do this." His eyes shut tight. "Launching them all."

"Launching?" Paul asked from a distance.

"Your son said we needed more energy than any of us possess to do what he hopes to do," Derrick told the human. "Oliver has just launched every nuclear missile in the world. When they reach their apex, he's going to detonate them. The humans are no longer a part of a clandestine launch. Oliver took that away from them."

The black wolf pointed to the west. "Gaia is taking out every other man-made nuclear power source on the planet. Humankind is about to lose nuclear power for a very long time. It's draconian, but it was a part of our agreement with Terra to give us a chance to change the timeline."

Derrick looked up, trying to gauge something that he alone seemed to see. "Bombs, missiles, hunter drones, and other major armaments are about to be history as well. Gaia is taking them out and funneling the energy up through Oliver. As far as I know, bullets and some smaller armaments are going to survive. It's like a big net with holes. Some of the smaller stuff is going to slip through."

Derrick suddenly had another thought. "Oh... and every source of energy production is about to get a very unexpected drain. Hydro-electric plants, coal, and gas burning sites. If it creates energy, its total output is about to be sacrificed to make this happen. Oliver and JP will focus all that energy back into Max."

"But how does Max use that energy to change human DNA?" Sarah asked.

"I'm not really sure," Derrick replied. "I know Max surfs time the way we move through the other dimensions. He sees things in ways we don't. I think the universe is like a painting to him. He paints an alternate picture when the one he sees doesn't suit him."

Paul looked at the black wolf. "So we're going into some alternate universe?"

"Not exactly. He's creating a new timeline. If you create a new timeline, the old one collapses. But on the plus side, if this doesn't work, we'll never know it. I'm pretty sure Max is going into this with his hand on a delete button we don't see. At least it's a less painful end for the human race than the one Terra will use." Derrick's eyes shut tight. "The first of the missiles are coming down in Asia and the Middle East. Shields up, Healer class," the black wolf yelled. "Protect your charge. Protect Terra. Oliver and Jean Pierre will channel the energy to Max."

Ivan stepped back away from his clan into the circle of Changelings, acting as the fail-safe should things go wrong. Nathaniel grabbed his fathers' paws and the three burst into green flame. Kris's paw pushed upward and the green light followed. Above them, a green dome formed that extended beyond the horizon. Within twenty minutes, the first explosions of blinding light filled the sky overhead.

"He's confident. Whatever he's hoping to do, he sees it working," Derrick yelled. The brilliant light that had once been Max continued to absorb energy through Oliver and Jean Pierre. The sound of the transfer was as if a jet engine was starting up -- if the engine was being powered by hundreds of angry cats. "There is a physical change actually going on in the world, but to Max, this is like creating a mosaic. Three billion little canvases, and he's painting each into a picture that contains the new gene."

The din of the light show that was once Max continued for the better part of an hour. Then everyone noticed the old wolf and the Kodiak drop to one knee almost simultaneously. When both clutched their hearts, breaking their bonds with the others, the family realized something had gone wrong.

Diego ran to the glowing green bears and shoved his hand against the Kodiak's chest. He shut his eyes and saw his entire energy move through him into the brown bear. He moved it towards the bear's heart and pushed against the rupturing valve. "Heal, damn it," the boy yelled. "You're a heart. You know what you're supposed to be. Fix yourself."

There was a flash of green light, and Diego found himself dazed and yards away from the family of bears. The brown bear staggered upright again and shoved his fist back into the air. The dome returned. Nathaniel looked down at the boy. "Interesting bedside manner," he said with a smile.

The boy shrugged. "It worked," he replied. He shook his hand and realized whatever had once been there was now gone. He carefully retreated to his family and grabbed Billy's hand.

An explosion of ground from where the barn once stood blew across the field. A tornado of white light spun upward toward the sky. "They're losing it," Donovan yelled. The Armbruster's wolf pivoted toward the growing energy funnel.

"Stand Fast!" the polar bear commanded. "We do what Max told us to do."

"They don't understand what they're up against, Old Bear. Oliver and JP can draw power like none I've ever seen, but they lack control. They need more training before they understand how to move what they've collected into Max." Donovan pushed his hands out toward the energy tornado heading toward the hospital. "I will stand fast, BUT I WILL NOT STAND DOWN!" His arms drew back toward his side and the white light of the tornado spiraled toward the Armbruster's wolf.

Donovan's hands moved in circles, gathering the energy around his paws into a tight circle of brilliant light. He turned toward the group of glowing beasts. His paws pushed forward. The white light burst from the wolf, slamming into the Glacier Bear. He looked at the polar bear. "I am a Changeling. Above all, I protect. I am Terran. I protect my family."

The Armbruster's wolf turned back toward his glowing family. "Badger, Kermode, you must control the transfer. You're spreading Max and yourselves out across time. Focus!"

"There's too much. I don't know how," came the voice of three-year-old Little Jean from the white bear holding hands with Max.

"I'se got no way to control it," Oliver yelled. "I can't stops it from coming and going where it wants. I ain't got the strength to hold it."

"Badger, Bear, break the bond. You will all die if you don't get control," Donovan yelled as turned toward the erupting ground to his left. Before the tornado had even sprung from the ground, his swirling hands glowed white and pushed the power into the blue bear.

"Little Ones," the voice of a temple dog yelled out over the calamity, "Circle Stance!"

The badger and Kermode pulled away from the boy. Their feet set stance and their arms rose before forming a graceful circle between the chest and the outer reach of their paws. "Breath in," Lie Wei yelled. "Gather your chi into the circle. Feel it move into you. Remember Little Ones, one part stops, and all parts stop. One part moves, and all parts move. Feel the flow of the circle. Move your chi into the circle. Take in the chi with your breath."

Oliver's and Jean Pierre's color began returning to normal as the light swirled around their hands. "Now, grab Max's hand and breath out," the temple dog said. "Let the chi flow out to him. Push and breathe out!"

The light slammed into the bear, and for a moment, he was gone. When he returned, a ten-year-old boy stood dazed and lost between the badger and the Kermode. "Mom, Dad!" the boy cried out.

Paul's hands became blue flames, and he started racing toward his son. A large muscled arm covered in black fur pulled him up short. "Stand down, Human," the wolf ordered.

"But he's my son."

"And a beast, Nephew," the black wolf growled. "His body can take this abuse. Touch him and you're a dead man. I can't let your family sacrifice any more than it already has. Those in the fray are my husbands and the boys I helped turn. These are my charges today. Stand down."

Before Paul could protest, Martin knelt in front of the little boy and grabbed him into a tight hug. "Max, your dad is here. But I have to help you back to him. He can't come to you. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Derrick knelt next to his mate. "You don't look so good, Old Wolf."

"I'm dying, Pup. I can't sustain the drain Max is making on me."

"Then we give him what he needs to save humanity. We stay together as a family through the end." The black wolf wrapped his arms around his mate.

Oliver looked at his husbands. "We stays together, Old Wolf. We stays together forever."

Derrick shut his eyes and smiled. "This is for you, Oliver." The black wolf cradled the failing Iberian wolf on one arm and grabbed the paw of the badger with his other. "I FORM THE FEET AND LEGS!"

The old wolf looked up. "I FORM WHATEVER THE FUCK IT IS I FORM!" he yelled.

Oliver grinned. "AND I GIVES YOU BOTH HEAD!"

Derrick howled in pain as he burst into blue flames that became purple as Will added all he had to the pup and badger.

The boy in the middle of the maelstrom for a moment became the blue bear and then returned to human form. The cat shook the young boy, who was fading in an out of phase. "Max. I need you to pay attention. I know you're scared, but you have to find a blue bear. He's your friend. He will bring you home."

"All I see is fire, Uncle Martin."

"Look for the blue bear, Max. He's there. You need to find him." Martin squeezed the boy even more tightly into his hug.

"I see him, Uncle Martin. I see him. He looks lost, the same as me."

"He is Max. Do you trust me?"

"Sure."

"You've seen football before, right?"

"Yeah. Diego plays it."

"You remember the times when he would run at a guy as fast as he could and slam right into him?"

"Yeah," the boy said with a laugh.

"You need to run into the bear the same as Diego would. You run as fast as you can and smash right into him."

"Won't he get mad?"

"No, Max. The bear got lost. He sort of split in two. You're going to put him back together."

Max was quiet for a moment. "I'm the bear, aren't I, Uncle Martin?"

"Yes, Max. You became the bear you always wanted to be. Now you go smash into him and put yourself back together, okay? You have work to do as the bear. You need to finish that work."

"Okay."

Martin closed his eyes. "Run, Boy. Run like our lives depend on it."

There was a pulse of white light that knock the gathered family to the ground. When they looked up, Martin was hugging the glacier bear.

Donovan grabbed another blast of energy erupting from the ground. He spun it out toward the blue bear. "Old Bear," the Armbruster's wolf said, looking at Eric, "it's not enough. The bear will fail. He doesn't have enough energy to pull off the transformation. It's almost done, but he needs our help."

"How do you know?" the polar bear asked.

"Because Oliver is telling me. He's a Channeler, the same as me. Clan talks to clan. But he has the Sight. He sees what the bear is doing." The Armbruster's wolf looked at the green glowing bear. "The bombs are gone. Terra is safe. Our children are not. We protect. Give the order, my love. You have no time to hesitate."

Eric heard the words and let go of his son's paw. The polar bear turned to the Changelings. "Brothers, you heard the plea. We do what needs doing. TERRAN CHANGELINGS... ALL IN." The bear's fists pushed out and when they opened, the green light sped toward the Armbruster's wolf.

The Changelings all turned and followed their leader. As each burst of energy hit the wolf, he shook, but his hands stayed in constant motion. They rolled and shaped the energy into a spiraling ball that blended the colors of the clans.

The swirling light around the wolf coalesced into a ball of white light when the wolf's ears perked up and his eyes shut tight. His left hand reached out and a ball of white light slammed into Anders and Chipo, knocking them across the field. "Yellow clan," Donovan yelled above the fray. "Stand down."

Anders shook his bear body and raced back toward the tumult, his body glowing bright yellow. "We can help," he yelled.

Chipo finally righted himself and hurled back toward the gathering. Donovan's fist rose again, threatening a repeat of what had happened moments ago.

"You have given enough. Badger says stand down. You stand down." Donovan's white eyes looked at the Carver family. "Blue clan! All in!" the Armbruster's wolf yelled out the command.

Paul looked up. "Carver family," he yelled. "Flame On!" His hands flared blue, and he pushed them toward the wolf. His wife and children followed his lead, and Donovan grabbed the bolts of blue light and spun them into the mix. The Armbruster's wolf turned and his paws pushed out. The ball of blinding white light surged into the once blue bear.

The cat looked into the glacier bear's eyes. "Finish this, Max. There's no time to hesitate. Do what you have to do and finish this."

The bear's face saddened. "But, Uncle..."

"Finish this now, Max," the cat yelled. "You promised to save Terra. You've done that. Now save the humans. Take us all if you have to, but finish this."

The bear's wings sprung out from his back and folded around the cat. "Et mutationes incipere," he whispered in a voice no one but the cat heard over the escalating noise. "It ends here."

The family remembered the deafening noise that grew beyond painful. They remembered the rush that was like a wind that blew them off their feet, tossing them about like rag dolls. They remembered the light... the searing light that left the humans sunburned and the beasts smelling a bit of burnt fur. And they remembered the moment that they realized that Max and Martin were nowhere to be found. But mostly they remembered the pain. The indescribable pain of finding the four lifeless bodies where once their family and lovers had stood.