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LYKOS

Third Age

Chapter 18

(Blood and Honey)

Few teenagers, given the choice, chose to be morning people. Part of it came from their natural rhythms. Part of it came from the strict routine required by primary education creating a sort of resentment. It wasn't until the opportunity came to appreciate the morning that perspectives changed. Rich golden light spilled through the two story tall windows of the multicultural building, soaking the small coven of young men that had gathered for no reason other than enjoying each other's company.

Curtis lay reclined on one of the university couches, his fur lined hood bunched up around his shoulders like a collar. His fingers strummed a hypnotic melody that filled the cavernous space that served no other purpose than to be a meeting ground. Amadeo sat, still half asleep, in one of the oversized chairs with his legs spread wide and his boyfriend, Yale, sitting contentedly on his lap. Yale smiled ear to ear, eyes closed but still seeing the sunlight through the lids. He had one arm languidly coiled around Deo's shoulders while the other slowly raked through the fiery carrot colored hair of the werewolf.

The two radiated the afterglow of their frequent mating. Deo had never been so satiated and Yale was reveling in the feeling of having another man's seed inside more parts of his body than any other male on campus possessed. Curtis seemed to take it all in stride, feeling his own flutter of affection for Thackary. The truth of the matter was he was tempted to spend all his free time at the coffee shop but he couldn't afford more than a cup a day. He also didn't want to get Thackary in trouble doting on him either. His fingers carried on the tune until it reached its natural conclusion, though he still drew it out a little until the notes drifted away through the myriad glass panels and wood sculptures that populated the building.

"Now that's talent." Deo said after a long moment.

"Thank you kindly." Curtis said, pantomiming a tip of an invisible hat brim.

"I hope you don't mind that I got you up so early, I know you've got a full night ahead of you." Yale said to Deo. Deo's eyes popped open, the natural cool hues tinged with a flicker of gold.

"No babe, you're amazing! I'll spend every moment with you! Besides, we can have a pretty busy night together, right? I mean, you could probably take on the whole pack now if you wanted to." Deo said, though his reddish-brown eyebrows furrowed, "Unless you don't want to. Maybe we could find some place quiet, just you and me. I can defend you." Deo said. Curtis slowly swung his legs out and sat upright on the couch, slipping his guitar to his lap.

"And I thought this thing was tightly strung." Curtis grinned. Yale put his hand on Deo's chest, his nails slowly sharpening a little. As he looked into Deo's eyes, the color drained from his irises until they shimmered like the ring of the moon during the eclipse.

"Whatever we do will be fine, my love." Yale said. Deo seemed to relax at once, settling back into the chair.

"Whatever we do will be fine." he repeated, feeling deeply comforted. Yale bit his bottom lip a little at that, still trying to get the hang of his new body. He glanced over at Curtis.

"How were they able to keep all this a secret this long? I feel like it's constantly trying to crawl out of me." he said softly. Curtis shrugged, reaching into his bag to pull out his best attempt at replicating the edible flower wraps he'd stolen from the party. He bit into it, not minding the sogginess at all as the rich and unusual flavors blossomed across his tongue.

"Don't ask me, I just go with the flow. Of nature." he grinned. Seeing Curtis start to eat, Yale couldn't suppress a rather distinct, rather loud gurgling from his exceedingly hungry stomach. Deo's eyes snapped open again.

"We should go grab breakfast, babe." Deo said, leaning up to kiss Yale's cheek and then nuzzle his ear affectionately. Yale let his eyes drift closed, feeling the morning sun soak into his skin.

****

Marco sat in stillness, feeling warmth seep into his hands from the coffee mug, inhaling very slowly. The scent of the coffee took root in his brain, blossoming into rich aromas of lemongrass and clove. Marco lived in that moment, filling his lungs with the floral scent before his eyes opened very slowly, gazing down at the Tuscan brown ambrosia that had been so lovingly prepared for him. There was, of course, coffee available on campus but as Marco's taste for it had grown, he found what the school provided to essentially be little more than bitter bean tea. As far as he was concerned, he had come to the right spot.

Thackary chuckled to himself from behind the counter, watching Marco enjoy the coffee before he'd even had a sip. It clearly looked like he needed it. With his long black hair and bushy black beard he seemed to be a Hispanic Rip Van Winkle and the dark rings under his eyes showed he was truly in need of some caffeine. He was, as usual, the sharp contrast to Fletcher who was slowly rotating his stool from side to side with his feet, his eyes wide behind his rectangular glasses, his beanie slipped back to reveal a fringe of his shaggy light brown hair.

"Do you think the coffee is so good here because of the beans or the process? Oh, or is it secret Keeper magic? Special exotic ingredients sprinkled in?" Fletcher asked.

"The only special ingredient... is patience. Here is your chestnut praline caramel frap." Thackary said, setting a clear cup down in front of Fletcher that looked like a geological study on the sedimentation layers of savory sweetness.

"Mine should be a bit easier, even if it's still special." Rodrigo said with a sleepy smile. Even with the loss of the perpetual tiredness that came with his Tanuki powers, Rigo was not yet a morning person. He looked quite at home sitting at the wood bar, his tawny tan skin complimented by his dark mocha brown hair. Thackary smiled and nodded, moving to the back wall, reaching up to the glass shelves. While most of the shelves contained flavored syrups and drizzles necessary for the Echo Creek Coffee Shop to function, the top shelf had been filled with purple glass bottles. No label had been applied to the thick glass, but the mold it had been poured into had embossed letters 'ECCS Beast Brew' sitting beneath a raccoon peering at the full moon. Fletcher's jaw dropped half way open.

"What... is that?" he asked curiously. Rodrigo tried to pop the top but grimaced.

"This would have been easier with claws..." He muttered. Marco reached over, concentrating a bit. His werewolf claws had practically been like switchblades that could be brandished in an emergency. His tanuki claws were shorter and sturdier but they took a moment. His fingernails darkened and curved out, sinking deeper into his fingers. Marco hooked the edge of the metal cap and tilted until it popped off. Rigo shot Marco an appreciative smile.

"That is Beast Brew. We're trying our own energy drink. Black cherry, fig and a hint of passionfruit. Rigo was helping me taste test-" Thackary hesitated.

"Before the attack." Rigo replied, "But after tonight I'll be back in my prime and in need of all the energy you can provide." he said happily. Thackary smiled in turn at that.

"So you're going through with it? Getting your groove back?" Thackary asked, glancing at Marco, "I've heard it's more complicated than just a bite."

"Oh, it is. I've been trying to read up on it. There's more homework than there was to be a werewolf, and even less written down about it." Marco said, sipping from his coffee before he let out a long, slow moan of appreciation.

"It's a bit physical, it's a bit magical." Rigo smiled sheepishly.

"It'll be even more magical beneath the full moon." Thackary said with a grin, moving to clean the counter.

"What about you? Are you going to be helping with the campus pack?" Fletcher asked. A slight blush colored Thackary's cheeks.

"Actually, Curtis and I have plans..." Thackary said. Rigo looked up with a smile.

"You're going to hang out with the zoo pack?" he asked.

"We might get around to it after our date." Thackary replied. Marco and Fletcher, however, had seized on an earlier statement.

"Zoo pack?" Fletcher asked. Rigo looked a little embarrassed.

"Yeah, uh, bats and wolves and foxes... I guess they just named the group chat the 'Zoo Pack' and it stuck." Rigo said with a shrug, lifting the neck of the purple glass bottle to his lips and tipping it back. He took a few swallows and then murmured with appreciation.

"Good?" Thackary asked.

"Good." Rigo replied. "If you have enough, can I buy two more? I want Marco and Beck to have enough energy for tonight." Thackary gave an accepting nod, though his ice blue eyes darted up as the bell jingled from the entrance to the shop.

The new arrival was tall and lean, his head shrouded with slate black dreadlocks, his skin a pale tan like sun bleached driftwood. While still young in a general sense, he looked a little older than most of the students that frequented the shop. Marco had only seen Tychon in formal wear at the party. Now the vampire's familiar was wearing athletic leisure clothes; a green heathered stretchy athletic shirt with black ribbing down the sides and gray pair of track pants that tapered along with the contours of his legs. A few days of stubble had grown out to give Tychon a faint mustache.

"Good morning! What can I get ya?" Thackary asked. Tychon moved over to stand at the portion of the counter that lacked any stools.

"Two Egyptian coffees, please, with honey instead of sugar." Tychon ordered. Thackary grazed his teeth over his bottom lip as he recalled the method of making such coffee.

"It'll be a few moments. Care to take a seat?" Thackary offered.

"That is most kind but I enjoy stretching my legs." Tychon replied. Thackary gave a nod, making sure his bleach blond hair was properly tied back before he moved to start gathering the dark beans to grind and step them the right way.

"I didn't think you'd be getting coffees in the morning in your line of work." Fletcher commented. Tychon glanced up, giving Fletcher a polite smile.

"Coming off the end of my shift, but there's still a little work to do. I can see why Mister Saeed chose to invest in Echo Creek. It's quite an amazing town with quite a few amazing people." Tychon said with a smile.

"I imagine that you've seen quite a few interesting people in your line of work?" Marco asked. Tychon gave a slight nod.

"More than a few werewolves and vampires. The Otherkin have been reluctant to reveal themselves in the same way, but I suppose it is only a matter of time now." Tychon shrugged.

"Well, in the interest of time, two Egyptian Coffees. It didn't take as long as I thought. The ingredients were right up front." Thackary said with a smile, setting them on the counter.

"I am most thankful. Long nights, long days." Tychon said, swiping his card through the reader at the register. He looked up with a smile to the others, "Enjoy the full moon, boys." he said before he headed out of the coffee shop, the metal bell announcing his departure.

"I don't think I ever asked what a Vampire's familiar does." Rigo commented once Tychon was out of earshot and part way down the street.

"The life of the supernatural isn't always black and white... Safety for one can come at the cost of another." Thackary said with a wizened weight to his words. While it was not often spoken of, Thackary had been the first line of defense for the city against any hunter that wandered into town asking too many questions. Fletcher, however, shook his head.

"Yeah, but it has to be different for the vampires these days too. I mean, werewolves can go off to a cave or a backwater in the woods and do their business without disrupting anyone, that's easy. Vampires, though, they have to have gotten better at sourcing their food. Donations, blood banks, willing donors, animal products..." Fletcher said.

"Hard to go vegan." Thackary smirked.

"I am just glad that Tanuki don't have any pesky dietary restrictions." Marco said, lifting his coffee mug to his lips. The rich brown ambrosia spilled across his tongue, the warmth radiating through his ample body.

****

While Grand Mesa University covered its brochures and posters with pictures of happy students as any other college would, the most misleading aspect had to be the weather. The golden light of the morning was beautiful, but it came at the cost of being absolutely frigid. It didn't help that there were few buildings on Grand Mesa's campus that were further apart than the multicultural center and the Wooton Commissary. Despite his affinity for warmth, Yale found the frigid journey strangely invigorating. It certainly helped that Deo's hand had slipped under the waistband in the back of his pants and his boyfriend was getting a palm full of ass meat.

After his transformation, Yale had cleaned up quite well. His dusty brown hair was nearly done up into a bun again with varnished wood hair sticks. He'd worn a loose purple t-shirt over a more form fitting black long sleeve t-shirt beneath. He'd opted for harem pants that were loose and airy and he was wearing one of Deo's old pairs of underwear out of necessity given that his own briefs no longer fit after his recent transformation. He simply had too much to carry down there... Another benefit of the harem pants was the fact that the long legs hid that he was barefoot. Yale couldn't express how good it felt to connect with the Earth beneath him, to feel every texture, even if that texture was frozen high traction cement. The fire of Deo's body more than made up for the ice of the ground.

Deo reluctantly extracted his hand from his boyfriend's pants in time to be a gentleman and open the door to the cafeteria for him, the two greeted by a wave of warm, savory smelling air. Yale made a small sound as his bare foot stepped onto the warm linoleum tile in the cafeteria's entryway. Deo leaned over and gave Yale's ear a kiss and an ever so faint bite to the back of the lobe before he flashed his lover a warm grin, a hand drifting to rub Yale's arm through the multiple layers of clothing.

"Babe, I gotta piss like a racehorse. Go ahead and get started without me, I'll catch up." Deo said. Yale practically buzzed at the way Deo looked at him.

"I'll miss you." Yale replied. It was cliche, it was sappy, but it still felt so right. Deo leaned in and gave Yale one last kiss before he jogged off into the bathroom. Another rather audible rumble in Yale's stomach encouraged him not to linger in the moment so he presented his student ID card to the food services employee acting as sentry and wandered into the cafeteria, his almond colored eyes surveying the options at hand. As tempting as the food was, however, a different sensation began to coil and constrict in his gut.

Anxiety was nothing new for Yale Morgan, but it had been an ever present white noise wrapping around him before. In the last week and a half it had fractured, burned away in the heat of love and lust and adventure, only to return as the fluttering of butterflies in his stomach as he walked through the cafeteria. The reason for his nervousness was easy enough. The last time he'd been in the cafeteria he had eaten enough for three people, wandered outside, stripped his clothes off and walked into the creek where he turned into a Naga. It had taken his roommate's friends to track down his wallet downstream and he wasn't sure his social security card would ever be quite the same... but he couldn't avoid the cafeteria forever.

While Yale's selection of breakfast was almost back to normal, he couldn't help but add three boiled eggs to his plate. There was something irresistible about them, something carnal in his reptilian brain. If he ever met his mysterious benefactor again he would have to ask if that was a Naga thing. Yale also found his taste in beverages had shifted to something a little more tart, his cup full of grapefruit juice. With one last breath to steel himself, Yale stepped out of the serving area and started down the long hallway that ran along the dining area.

"Bro!" The shout cut through the air, reaching Yale's sensitive ears. Yale hesitantly turned, seeing Ryan and his miniature pack all crammed in at a table. The frat boy waved Yale over, gesturing for Kevin to pull over an empty chair for him. Yale reluctantly moved over, his bare feet finding the carpeting in the dining area surprisingly soft. Yale stood at the end of the table with his tray, giving a bit of a doubtful smile.

"Hey, uh, dudes?" Yale said.

"Aren't you going to sit with us, bro?" Kevin asked, his dark mustache only framing how his lips seemed uncertain whether they wanted to smile or frown.

"I wasn't sure if you wanted me to since things... I mean, since I didn't turn out to be a wolf." Yale explained. Ryan cracked a grin, showing off canine teeth that were just a bit too long.

"Hey, you don't have to have fur to be a bro... The important thing is that you make Deo happy, and that makes us happy." Ryan said.

"You make Deo very, very happy." Kuro commented without looking up from the rice he was eating with chopsticks.

"You're good for him, and I think he's good for you... aside from the fact that you two haven't come out of your room all week." Ryan said, "I'm glad we caught you today, though. We wanted to invite you to the full moon party in the box canyon."

"Really?" Yale asked, finally sitting down in the empty chair they offered, setting his tray on the table.

"Yeah, of course. I mean, we thought about inviting you before, but Deo didn't want to risk us breaking you. Plus, we didn't really get a good look when you went swimming last week. Might be nice to see the real deal." Ryan said.

"Thanks for finding my clothes and everything, I owe you." Yale said.

"We were happy to do it. I kind of wish my transformation came with such a memorable public display." Ryan smirked, "Anyway, I promise we'll try to behave as much like gentlemen as we can tonight. I know we may have a boys will be boys attitude, but that's no reason not to be gentle and tender... if you're into that sort of thing." he offered.

"Ryan is running a betting pool on whether you or Deo are the top in your relationship." Kuro said bluntly, lifting the yolk of a boiled egg from his rice to his mouth.

"Fuck, dude..." Ryan muttered in mock disappointment. Yale, however, seemed to ponder.

"I don't know if you can call it a top. What is it if you're sort of on top and bottom and all around him all at once?" Yale asked. Ryan and Kevin both seemed to drop their jaws at the metal picture Yale had painted. Kuro, however, let out a small sigh.

"It is called living the dream." Kuro said wistfully before he returned to eating his rice.

"You dudes done salivating all over my boyfriend?" Deo asked with a grin as he strutted up behind Yale, his hands slipping across Yale's chest and stomach as the ginger haired werewolf leaned down to kiss and nibble at his partner's neck. Yale leaned in, his eyes fluttering shut, his harem pants clearly rising to a rather prodigious tent.

"I'm not sure you could tell with all of your drool dripping off of him." Ryan commented, taking a large bite of his bacon. Deo's smile nearly glinted as bright as the sun.

"What can I say, I'm a very lucky man, and a very bad boy..." Deo smirked before he grabbed another chair from the vacant table next to them, sliding it over next to Yale and sat down. Yale looked over with concern at his boyfriend.

"Aren't you going to get anything to eat?" he asked. Deo's grin shifted from one of pride to one of barely masked shagrin.

"I'm still stuffed from before." Deo replied. Yale looked confused as he tried to remember the last time they had eaten until he realized just what Deo had filled up on instead. A blush colored the artist's face before faint purple scales emerged from his cheekbones and chin. Deo grinned, putting a thumb on Yale's chin to hold his head steady as he leaned in for a kiss. Their tongues were tangling without hesitation. Kevin let out a shuddering huff.

"Some dudes get all the luck..." he said, leaning back, trying not to get too pent up from being in such close proximity to such obvious lust.

"It is not luck. It is the cosmic balance of destiny." Kuro said, finishing off his rice before he reached for his tea.

"Destiny?" Ryan asked, peeking over his sunglasses at his roommate. Kuro nodded.

"For someone to share so much love, they deserve the richest love of all themselves." Kuro replied. Ryan frowned slightly.

"Is that from your poetry class or your philosophy class?" he asked, taking another bite of bacon. Kuro tilted his head to consider.

"I think I thought it up when I was supposed to be studying for calculus..." Kuro replied, though his attention shifted as Deo slipped off his own chair, arching one leg over Yale's to sit down on his boyfriend's lap and straddle him. A drop of drool leaked out from the corner of Kevin's mouth, the saliva running down parallel to the black strip of facial hair that descended to the point of his chin. Ryan leaned back in his chair slowly. Deo had truly been an unquenchable party animal. If Yale was anything like his boyfriend, this was going to be the best full moon of their lives.

****

The frost frozen blades of grass crunched beneath Beck's heavy boots as he walked through the small garden on the backside of the athletic building. The young man's incredibly lanky frame was supplemented by an olive green army jacket that seemed a few sizes too big for him, though his black jeans were still form fitting and his pale knees peeked out from holes in the denim. Beck zigged one way, then the other, pausing every few feet. His long coffee colored braids slipped back and forth across his shoulders as he seemed to search for... something. The curiosity eventually got the best of Curtis and he broke his silence.

"Whatcha lookin for?" The shaggy haired freshman asked. Beck inclined his head to see Curtis sitting cross legged on a boulder, his palms upward and resting on his knees in some sort of meditation position. Beck ran his tongue over one of his teeth.

"You haven't happened to see the perfect leaf around here, have you?" Beck asked. Curtis' fair fallow eyebrows arched slightly.

"The perfect... leaf?" he repeated. Beck shrugged, a movement exaggerated by his over-large coat.

"Yeah, I want to find the perfect leaf for Rigo's ritual tonight. I know it's not the right season and I can't exactly go to the street corner pharmacy for a last minute leaf and a box of chocolates... Do you think they have leaf delivery online?" Beck asked. Curtis couldn't suppress his bemused smile. He closed his eyes for a moment, completed one last movement of his arms before he hopped down off the boulder. Beck sized up his shorter compatriot, "Aren't you cold?" he asked. Curtis shrugged.

"When you're one with nature, you can't let it get to you." Curtis smiled, "I'll help you look." he offered.

"Yo, that would be so amazing..." Beck said with a grin. Curtis nodded politely as he started walking around the garden. The deciduous trees had long since gone bare and the leaves that had fallen on the garden grass had been mowed over several times, pulverizing the detritus to dust. Some desiccated and decayed leaves had collected along the chain link fence that protected one from falling into the creek but they had been turned into holy tissue paper or soggy seaweed by the elements.

"Are there any rules for the leaf?" Curtis asked. Beck shook his head.

"It's like a focal point, I guess? Symbolism about the changing seasons and all that. The leaf itself doesn't have to do anything." Beck paused, his fair lips frowning, "I should have gotten him something carved out of wood or stone."

"You still can as a gift for later, that sounds like a great necklace." Curtis smiled. Beck looked reassured at that. Curtis didn't know Beck all that well, but the gangly kitsune had seemed fairly carefree like tumbleweed. To see him this invested in his partner was rather sweet. Curtis had almost reached the far end of the garden when he paused, a shock of color catching the corner of his eye. Curtis turned, looking into the icy water of the garden's small pond. Resting at the bottom was a three pronged maple leaf, sunflower yellow near the stem and tangerine orange across the ribs.

Curtis rolled up his sleeve, took a few breaths to steel himself before he plunged his hand down into the water and plucked out the leaf. Beck watched in amazement as Curtis extracted the perfect leaf from the pond, the water pouring off of it like molten silver. Curtis held it upside down so the leaf didn't have to support its own weight while it dried out, but it seemed remarkably intact.

"The cold water must have helped preserve it." Curtis said with a smile. Beck did not respond, however, lowering his head just enough to peek over the rim of his yellow glasses. Following Beck's gaze, Curtis looked at the leaf, his own eyes widening as he watched it regenerate. The three tiny holes that had formed in the leaf slowly closed up as the veins seemed to plump slightly. While the colors had remained rich while submerged in the pond, the leaf seemed to regain a bit of its natural waxy luster as if it had fallen fresh from the tree. "I-I'm sorry..." Curtis whispered.

"Sorry for what? That was amazing! I've never seen nature magic before! That really IS the perfect leaf now!" Beck said with great cheer. Curtis looked over at Beck, smiling from his infectious enthusiasm.

"It's okay?" Curtis asked. Beck laughed, slinging an arm around Curtis's shoulder.

"What better leaf to symbolize Rordigo getting his Tanuki's powers back than this one? I owe you big." Beck said. Curtis merely smiled, looking at the leaf, feeling as if he was lighter and more alive than he ever had been before.

****

The heavy door to the Keller dorms clicked loudly as it swung open, barely able to clear Marco's mass as he came out at a fairly energetic page. A comfortably thick burgundy Grand Mesa sweatshirt hugged his broad shoulders and the belly that seemed to be swelling ever so gently as the evening's activities approached. The hood had been pulled up over his hair but his beard hung down, ruffling in the slight breeze. His sandal clad feet moved with ease as he stepped off the sidewalk into the roundabout, following the curve of the street until he faltered.

A look of displaced concern crossed Marco's brow as he looked up at the parking lot. It was a sight he'd seen many times before over the last year and a half. The campus werewolves and keepers were filling their vehicles with food and drinks, blankets, heaters, and anything else they would need in order to occupy themselves during the full moon. There was playful banter being slung back and forth, smiling faces, and yet Marco felt as if something was squeezing his throat, his heart and his stomach at the same time.

Rising percussion filled Marco's ears, adding to the distraction until he realized it was his own rising blood pressure. He didn't understand what was going on until he noticed that some of the werewolves packing up were as solemn and stressed as he was. Their shoulders were tight, their heads downcast. It all came clicking into place in terrible realization as a frown crossed Marco's lips and his own shoulders drooped. The last time they had gathered like this had been a few months prior. They had all traveled to the box canyon in the foothills of the Grand Mesa, and it had been there that Futurza's mercenary squad had kidnapped them for experimentation.

Marco's own pack had spent their first full moon together in isolation, away from the memories. He had heard from the campus pack that they'd spent their first full moon split up into different camp sites in cardinal directions away from Echo Creek. It made sense when paranoid about being found again ran high, but splitting the group up like that meant there was the risk of alphas rising to each sub group and rivalry forming on campus... but then again, Marco was no werewolf. He looked down at his beard and belly, at the darkening shades of his fingernails. He was a Tanuki, the leader of a different kind of pack - his own Zoo Pack in a way, though not as diverse as Rodrigo's. Maybe they were the Petting Zoo pack. That thought made him smile, at least until a hand touched his shoulder and he jumped.

"Sorry! Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you." Fletcher said with a blush. Marco grimaced a little and shook his head.

"It's alright, I was too far in my own head." Marco admitted. He looked back across the parking lot, catching sight of Tobin. He had lifted a red and white cooler up onto one shoulder with seemingly no effort, leaning over to give a quick kiss to one of the wolves in his pack. The twists of his dark hair were longer, hanging out over the shaggy remnants of a fade that had been decimated by the coming full moon. What had been a long goatee days prior was now the formings of a full beard, his upper lip coming along nicely. The afternoon sunlight glinted off fingernails that were a fair bit longer than common society embraced. Catching sight of Marco, Tobin's face cracked into a warm grin as he gave a nod of respect to his predecessor.

"Looks like someone remembers that illusion magic from the party." Fletcher said, reaching down to adjust himself through the fabric of his pajama pants.

"When I showed him what kind of alpha he could be, I didn't think he'd try to take to it so fast." Marco considered, "I almost wish I could watch him tonight."

"Ah, but you'll be taking part in an ancient, sacred ritual with your own pack to act as bodyguards." Fletcher said, sliding an arm around Marco's waist, "Getting to show off those Tanuki powers of yours." he added, standing up on his tiptoes to kiss Marco's bearded cheek.

"I'd be less nervous if I knew what it involved. I'm going to be following the lead of the person I'm passing the powers to." Marco said. Fletcher gave a fair shrug.

"So the master becomes the student of the student master..." Fletcher said. Marco's brows furrowed again.

"That isn't how the movies go." Marco said. Fletcher merely shrugged again, pulling the keys to the Mazda out of his pocket to unlock it remotely.

"What can I say, we make our own adventures." he grinned as he walked off to get the car ready for their own full moon sojourn.

****

A soft exhalation left Ren's lips, the water vapor in her breath turning to steam in the clash of temperatures after the sun had set. She pulled one glove off and then the other, rubbing the palm of one hand across the back of the other for a bit of warmth before she reached for her thermos of tea. Unscrewing the lid, she lifted it to her lips, sipping the sweet, mildly warm liquid. She had taken a good swallow before her eyebrows quirked slightly, sensing movement. She calmly returned the lid to the thermos and set it down before standing up to stretch her shoulders. She was met with a gentle chuckle.

"You already knew I was here." Atsu's formal accent broke the quiet. Ren turned to meet his gaze, giving a slight incline of her head.

"I may not be as young as I once was, but I still have a duty to perform." Ren said. Atsu smiled and bowed his head.

"Of course, of course. I was wondering, if perhaps, I could help you perform that duty and pass the time with you. I do not normally have the opportunity to socialize with others beneath the stars." Atsu said. Ren shook her head slightly.

"I am here to perform a function. I am here to protect the campus pack. I can't fail them, not-" Ren froze mid sentence, her jaw unwilling to release the last word. Atsu's smile faded, his eyes recognizing the sorrow.

"Not again?" he asked gently. Ren said nothing, still unable to grapple with it. Atsu pursed his lips as he considered his words before he held up his hands, "In my lifetime I've known many werewolves and many keepers. I've even been to the sacred temple in Japan and walked the labyrinth of Torii gates. I know this need not be a solitary profession. Aren't all of the other Keepers guarding the perimeter telling each other stories and sharing snacks to stay alert and awake?" he asked.

"You walked the temple gates at night? Many souls have been lost in there forever." Ren said suspiciously. Atsu reached up to rub the back of his head.

"In all honesty, I did get lost for a time... I was in a realm with three moons and lakes of cherry blossoms with only the whispers of the mushrooms to keep me company." Atsu admitted.

"And yet you found your way out again?" she asked. Atsu shrugged.

"If I had not, you would be talking to yourself right now." he replied. Ren made a muffled grunt with her closed lips at that. Atsu smiled, reaching into his pocket to withdraw a small bag.

"I have some chocolate covered pomegranate if you would care for some." he offered.

"You sweet talker." Ren replied, though there was something in her eyes; a bit of a challenge. A mirthful look crossed the vampire's expression.

"Are you going to invite me in?" he asked.

"In?" Ren asked innocently. Atsu held out his free hand and a milky translucent ripple formed in the air, spreading outward from where it brushed the edge of an immense invisible bubble of magic. Ren's shrewd eyes studied how his hand interacted with it. "I could sense you, but you could sense the shield. Can all vampires do that?" she asked. Atsu shook his head.

"Practice, experience, and a fair amount of natural talent are required." Atsu replied, taking a bit of a breath, "You already know I desire your company this night, and I sense you crave something more nourishing than the pomegranate. If you so choose, we can pass the evening by me answering any and every question you have."

"Any and every question? About what?" Ren asked. Atsu smiled more.

"Anything and everything." Atsu replied. Ren smiled a little more broadly.

"That could take some time." Ren warned.

"I have all the time in the world." Atsu replied.

****

A soft hiss came from the propane tank as it was turned on, feeding its gas to the outdoor heater. Four had been obtained and set up at the corners of the makeshift campsite. The tall metallic column hesitated for a moment before there was a sputter, a cough of flame and then warmth began radiating outward. Even before the attack at the box canyon, campfires were deemed too much of a security risk and had proven fairly inconvenient for a group the size of Marco's pack along with their two guests. The hatchback of the Mazda had been left open, acting as their snack table, though the raw meat had been set out on a tarp to keep from contaminating the common fare.

Rigo stood at the far corner of the camp, his dark mocha brown hair a little wild from sleeping in late, his tawny skin looking a bit healthier after his continued recuperation. He pulled a jumbo sized marshmallow from a bag and popped it into his mouth, chewing steadily as he watched the horde of handsome men preparing for the night ahead. Artyom, Duncan and Udo were all showing signs that the moon was about to breach the horizon. Their hair had grown unruly, their facial hair filling in. Their muscles were swelling and they all seemed to have added on several pounds in the hour since they had arrived at the campsite. As impressive as they were, the other three were just as enticing to look at.

Beck had demonstrated yet another worldly skill he'd kept in his back pocket, assembling two of the heaters by himself and ensuring that the other two met specifications. He stretched his lithe, lanky form to its limits to check the top housing of the last heater to turn on. He rubbed his thumb across his fingers before splaying them, summoning a flicker of kitsune fox fire that ignited the propane and lit the last heater. While Beck generally let his kitsune out quickly, he had taken a page from the werewolves' book and was changing at a slower pace. His pants sagged down, making room for two very fluffy dusty brown tails to wag behind him. His fox ears quirked from the top of his head and the dark marks curved down from his greenish gold eyes.

Looking at Fletcher, Rodrigo knew even less what to expect from him. Was he taller than he had been a few minutes ago? Rigo thought so. Fletcher had discarded his shoes and his supple toes were tipped by curved, sharp feline claws. His normally well groomed face was framed by thick, wild sideburns worthy of a comic book character. The black frame glasses he usually wore were left in the car and his upper lip seemed to be swollen, making room for some downward pointing fangs to emerge. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. Perhaps it was that contrast that made Marco's familiar form all that much more comforting.

Rodrigo knew personally just how elastic Tanukis were. Whether it was conscious or subconscious, they had an ability to shape themselves and those around them. In the last few weeks he'd seen Marco nearly human, as big as a werewolf Alpha, and full figured. Whether it was the idea of returning the gift to Rodrigo or being with his pack beneath the full moon, Marco's figure was fuller than it had been yet. The air was warming rapidly thanks to the heaters and Marco was warm enough to discard his sweatshirt. He pulled it up, catching the t-shirt underneath along with it. As the material fell away, his full, thick belly was revealed, acting as a shelf for his heavy pecs to rest against.

"Vse prosto ukhodit, i ya chuvstvuyu sebya khorosho..." Yom murmured, looking at Marco, wincing a bit as he felt the bones in his pelvis shifting and reshaping from the pull of the rising moon. Fletcher looked over at him.

"What does that mean?" he asked. Beck crossed his lanky arms behind his head.

"The literal translation is something like... everything falls away and I feel good?" Beck asked.

"You know Russian?" Fletcher asked suspiciously. Beck grinned from ear to ear but said nothing.

"You don't mind the extra pounds, right?" Marco asked Rodrigo hopefully. Rigo smiled.

"Most Tanuki are big boys and girls. I don't know why I stayed so small. Maybe I'm just a kitt or something." he shrugged, "But it suits you. You like it, don't you?" he asked. Marco nodded a little.

"I once had a vision of what it would be like to be this big as a werewolf, but that had a sort of different culture behind it. I like it a lot more as a Tanuki." Marco said with a smile.

"So, how's this all going to work... exactly?" Beck asked, leaning against the back quarter panel of the car.

"The werewolves don't really have a choice on how they're spending the full moon, but Rigo and I will do whatever it takes to pass the gift back to him." Marco explained. Beck's eyes lit up as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small metal case. As he slid the top open, a perfect maple leaf was revealed from within, looking as lustrous as the day it had first grown but showing all the colors of fall. Rigo's jaw dropped as he moved over, fingers brushing the edge of the case.

"Beck, it's perfect!" Rigo said. A rosy warmth came to Beck's cheeks as he leaned down, tilting his head to give his boyfriend a soft and tender kiss. Rigo wrapped his arms around Beck's neck and hung on, lingering in the moment. Marco watched with a smile, at least until he heard Udo make a soft moaning noise near one of the other heaters. Marco turned and saw that the moon had finally crested over the landscape around them, the light crashing over his blond companion.

It was hard to believe how far Udo had come since his freshman year. He had been a reclusive Goth that had been an omega for the campus pack. He'd been so slight that Fletcher had mistaken him for a Keeper on their first full moon together, but now he dripped with confidence and contentment. Udo's eyes remained closed as the color began draining away from his hair, leaving it a pristine white. When the eyes opened again they were a vibrant amber, as rich as polished stone. He reached out and took Duncan's hand, pulling him into the moonlight as well.

Duncan murmured in contentment, his breath warmer than the outdoor heaters, passing over lips as they parted to reveal sharpening fangs. Artyom wasn't that far behind, cracking his neck to the right and then left as his ears ached. Yom's hearing fell away, muffled as the folds and ridges of his ear migrated up along his skull, taking on points as they climbed before reforming into their animalistic shape. Marco couldn't help but reach down and massage his own groin in appreciation, watching his men mutate before his very eyes. Yom had been encouraging them to grow their beards out without restraint, but the moon seemed to be coaxing even more wildness out of them.

"Wow..." Rigo whispered, leaning against Beck as he watched the trio continue to shift. Duncan threw his head back, rotating his arms and flexing his shoulders as the muscles rippled down his back, his flanks and his legs. The well groomed sides to his hair grew out unruly, though he shivered as Udo reached up with dark claws, holding him in place as he leaned in to kiss him. Their lips met, their tongues began to wrestle and bearded face rubbed against bearded face. Their lips seemed to have a magnetic pull on one another, their skulls stretching into muzzles as they made out in the moonlight.

Yom closed his hands and opened them again, flexing as his claws emerged longer and sharper than before. The fingertips swelled into paw pads as thick patches of fur erupted from the backs of his hands. Arms and legs grew dark with their hirsute coating, growing into the forests that covered his chest and filled the dark spaces beneath his arms already. Swept away by their changes, the men had nearly forgotten that time was limited to remove their clothing. Ydo and Duncan hurried to shed their shirts and pants and shoes. Yom, however, merely flexed his arms, pressing the muscles to their limit until seams popped, stitching snapped and his shirt split out.

"He's just showing off." Marco apologized to beck and Rigo.

"Let him..." Beck said in wonder, lowering his circular glasses to the tip of his nose so he could get a better look. Clothing fell by the wayside, revealing one erection after another. Each of them were plump, full and strained. They continued to throb as they stretched longer and wider, pushing to ten inches, then eleven. All three grunted and growled, falling against each other as their hips and knees and ankles shifted, enabling them to move as easily on all fours as standing upright. Their biceps enlarged, then their triceps. Uncomfortable pops and snaps came as their spines expanded and their ribs pushed outward in every direction. Artyom's fur was a dark brown, nearly black. Udo's was still an unspoiled white, leaving Duncan somewhere in the middle with a light brown shade.

More disquieting sounds came as their faces extended into muzzles, their noses darkening and taking on canine features. Udo kissed Duncan again, then Yom, then Duncan again, using his arms to pull them against himself in a tangle of fur and muscle. Their necks widened several inches, their shoulders broad and their hips slightly tapered. They winced and growled in discomfort as their tails grew out, expanding rapidly and bursting with fur. The virgin fur was incredibly soft at first though it grew stronger as it filled out. They towered over the others, pillars of strength and vitality. Their kissing grew needy and messy until they fell over, collapsing into a heap of tangled flesh and fur.

"Ten out of ten, really top shelf." Beck murmured. Rigo was wide eyed in wonder seeing it all so close and first hand. Marco looked at their wonder and felt a bit of a pang of envy in his heart, remembering what it had felt like to come under the sway of the full moon.

"Impressive, if you don't mind pepperoni pizza and hamburgers without cheese..." Fletcher said, pulling off his t-shirt to reveal his modestly fit chest and arms before he tried to tug off his pants, stumbling a bit before he tossed them clear. He kicked off his shoes, laced his fingers together and stretched languidly.

"What is he doing?" Rigo asked in a whisper. Marco grinned sheepishly.

"I think he's trying to show off. Just go with it." Marco replied. As they watched, it was almost as if Fletcher was getting air pumped into him. His pectorals pushed away from his flat chest, soft pillows of abdominal muscles emerged, his arms defined and grew shapely and his butt cheeks rounded into more squishable shapes. Even his calves bloated out, giving the gamer a physique worthy of a runner or a college wrestler. The sideburns that had already grown thick and wily began to crest out longer, curving back a little, but it was only the beginning.

It started like a fine mist of precipitation hitting a parched stone. Soft downy fuzz sprouted from Fletcher's chest, his shoulders, his arms and legs. It was indefinable at first, almost like peach fuzz before it started growing out longer and thicker all at once. The hair framing his head grew out in all directions like a mane. Fletcher rolled his lower jaw, adjusting and making room as the pressure grew in his face before the nubs that had formed began to descend as full blown saberteeth, curving over his mouth and curving down toward his jaw line. He tilted his head a little, his ears twitching as they stretched into points, growing tufts of lynx-like fur at the tips.

A flex of a hand brandished razor blade sharp claws that erupted from his fingertips and the trilling of his bare toes on the ground produced an equal reaction. Another twitch of movement came from behind Fletcher as a feline tail extruded out from his tailbone, descending down behind his legs before coiling around one slightly. He continued to stretch, arching an elongated back and tilting modified shoulders forward. Fletch was still clearly humanoid, but it looked as if his joints were hybridized to allow him to run on all fours if he so chose.

"Dude, I totally thought he'd be a ginger... You know, cause orange cats are crazy?" Beck asked with a grin. Fletcher's furry brow furrowed in disappointment at the response.

"Well, I thought it was cool." Rigo said as Fletcher moved over to insinuate himself into the doggy pile that had only grown more intimate and graphic. Marco clapped his hands together and rubbed them a bit.

"That leaves us then." Marco said. Rigo blushed a little and nodded.

"Right, of course, the ritual." he said, trying to tear himself away from the wild frotting happening mere feet from them. Beck gave Rigo's shoulders a gentle rub before he sat down on the bumper of the car, the metal case containing the leaf next to him. He'd be ready when the time was right, but it didn't really feel like his place to insinuate himself. Marco slowly shed the last of his clothes, looking down at his very long, very fat cock resting over nearly grapefruit sized balls.

"A good start, but I know you've got more 'nuki in there." Rigo said, reaching up to caress Marco's long beard. Marco shivered a little, feeling that weight of expanding his circle. He'd fucked other werewolves before, doing what he had to do for dominance and for pack well being, but this felt so much more personal. Rigo had stripped down to a t-shirt and his underpants, though after petting Marco's beard he shrugged those off as well. Rigo swept forward again, his hands rising to start massaging Marco's ample chest, kneading each like bread dough before he leaned in, wrapped his lips over one of Marco's nipples and began to suckle.

As the lips compressed and the tongue slurped, Marco was hit with a sort of pleasure he hadn't known before. He knew there were people into nipple play, employing biting and pinching and toys, but this felt... gratifying. His hand came up and held Rodrigo to his chest, looking down at his messy hair, his tanned skin. In many ways, he looked more like Marco than any of the pack did, almost like a son... Marco threw his head back and groaned, his ears pushing out rounder and fuller as fur bristled across the backs of them. The hair in the center of Marco's chest fanned outward, joined by expanding fur leaking from under his arms and around his groin. The mere thought had triggered his transformation.

So much of the pleasure in turning into a werewolf was rooted in strength; becoming taller, larger muscles, faster reflexes, sharper teeth. Marco murmured and moaned as he sank into the pleasure of becoming a Tanuki - a pleasure rooted merely in the concept of bigness. Rigo continued to suckle from his chest, hands massaging and pressing against his round, full belly. Marco's already large manhood was swelling and bloating rapidly. He moaned, feeling the base of his beard brushing Rigo's head. His hair slipped down over shoulders that were growing thicker, broader, fuller. His ass was practically inflating and his balls hung lower, rounder, plumper by the second. His thighs widened, his ankles broadened and pops and snaps came from Marco's feet as they stretched. Marco was panting, feeling a sheen of sweat across his brow. He'd felt Tanuki illusion magic before, but this was no magic. He was simply growing.

A soft wet pop came as Rigo pulled off of Marco's left nipple, the areola swollen and the nub puffy. Rigo looked up, a hunger and need in his eyes. He looked up at Marco's face, seeing the dark rings around his eyes, the raccoon ears jutting out from the sides of his head, but it wasn't enough yet. His mentor had to be complete. Rigo leaned in - not to Marco's other nipple, but into the space under his arm. As he rooted deeper and deeper, he inhaled Marco's manly scent. He kissed and rubbed his cheeks over the puit fur, letting the aroma soak into his hair. Marco's jaw hung open in shock at that. When Rigo emerged, he smiled broadly before he latched back onto Marco's other nipple and began to bite and tug on it with his teeth.

Having gained so many pounds in a short period of time, Marco felt unsteady as he took a step back. He wobbled and started to fall, though a sudden rush of movement and fur erupted behind him, allowing him to brace his fall as he landed on a very full, very thick ringed tail. He winced a bit uncomfortably, rolling to one large butt cheek so his tail could fling free behind him before he sat down properly. He had to spread his legs wide to make room for his immense sack and his hard cock rose up before him all the way up to his nipples. Marco shuddered in such a strange rush of sensations as dark brownish-gray fur filled in across his cheeks, his forehead, his nose and arms. Every bit of flesh disappeared beneath the coating.

"There, very nice..." Rigo said with approval, having remained standing when Marco toppled back. Marco blinked a few times, realizing that even sitting down, he was nearly eye level with Rigo.

"I see what you mean..." he murmured, finding his voice even deeper than it had been moments before. Marco glanced over, realizing that the three werewolves had paused in their fucking - or rather, they had continued to fuck but were now watching Marco with intent golden eyes as they did so. Marco shot them a quick look, not wanting the voyeurs to spook their guest. Rigo didn't seem to mind.

"When I heard about the bite of the werewolf and what it could do, I was surprised. There isn't anything like that in Tanuki culture. It's just the chance to pass on the gift is rare, even if you're trying to." Rodrigo said, wrapping a hand around his cock. He stroked it rapidly, looking at Marco and everything he had become, "But my gift became yours, and now you mean to share it with me again. I know it'll work, and my nature will be restored." Rigo said. He licked his lips, still tasting Marco on his face. His shaft was quite hard and honestly impressive for a human, but compared to Marco's massive Tanuki shaft it seemed quite small. It was only at that moment that Marco realized Rigo hadn't explained how they were supposed to... do it. He was too big to fit in Rigo's ass. Maybe it was an oral thing? The idea of filling him inside and out with Tanuki cum DID seem appealing, but then again that was a fantasy that-

Marco inhaled sharply as he felt his urethra spread open by the entrance of Rigo's cock. Marco had grown so large as a Tanuki that there was little resistance to being sounded. In fact, it felt oddly fulfilling to have another man enter him, filling the passage with his own shaft. Rigo reached down, gently rubbing Marco's immense cock head, then the tight skin beneath, then the shaft. Rigo began to slide forward and back slowly, using Marco's own pre as lubrication. Rigo closed his eyes, breathing through his mouth, his small chest rising and falling faster and faster.

Yom licked his muzzle where he was sprawled over Duncan, his own cock buried in the other werewolf's ass, watching Marco's huge girth take in another male. There was something so strange and profound about it and soon the wolf was fucking his partner even harder, grinding like mad as he watched their Alpha turn another. Marco began digging into the dirt with his raccoon claws, moaning as his balls seemed to swell and swell, growing fuller and rounder, spreading out across his lap. Rigo was the perfect height to continue his thrusting, feeling squirts of pre come gushing out around his shaft, the clear liquid running down to coat his balls and drip to the ground. Rigo was writhing harder, his toes flexing and relaxing over and over again.

Beck bit his bottom lip, his hand frantically working his own pointed fox dick as he watched, his twin tails thumping against the inside of the car as he jacked off, watching. As much as he wanted to relish in the masturbation, though, he was waiting for his moment in the ceremony, watching for when it all began. Rigo moaned out louder as he felt new muscles in Marco's cock start to massage on his, tugging and pulling, practically milking him. Rigo felt so much better about the change this time, feeling like he was surrounded by friends and lovers. He moaned louder and louder.

"Fuck! Give it to me, I need it all!" Rigo called out hungrily. Marco felt his body crackle with energy as he suddenly came, sending a thick flood of cum upwards. He expected the pressure to hit Rigo like a carbonated drink being corked, but both of them inhaled sharply when the semen hit Rigo's cock and began to pump into it. A faint purple energy began to appear like vines, spreading outward from where their members met. It spread down Marco's shaft and across Rigo's groin. The two remained linked as Marco came and came and came, his orgasm propelling his seed back into Rodrigo's body. The Tanuki cum altered the flesh it passed through, changing the passage, his prostate, and eventually his balls as the magic took root.

Rigo's head fell back, his messy shag of hair brushing the nape of his neck. The skin under his eyes darkened rapidly as if he'd grown exhausted. His skin tone grew healthier, his freckles got darker. The cracked painted enamel on his fingernails was supplemented by growing claws as they ruptured through toughening fingertips. The purple swirling vines snaked around his stomach and up between his pectorals, looping over his shoulders and dipping down his back. As Beck watched, his boyfriend's ass cheeks plumped up, parting a little to make room for a rubbery black ring that seemed to pulse needily - at least until a new racoon tail began to descend to cover it. The appendage was whip-like at first until dusty brown and black ringed fur grew outward, puffing up easily.

Drool leaked from the corner of Marco's lips, running into his beard as his eyes glazed over a little. He could FEEL Rigo's body as an extension of his own, feeling the young man's cock swelling longer and fuller, his balls plumping up to double, then quadruple their human size. Rigo's ears rounded, growing a fur coating as whiskers pushed out of his cheeks and his nose darkened, becoming black and moist. The purple energy had spiraled down his legs, tight around his ankles, feathering outward across his feet as they developed their claws and paw pads. Fur swept down his arms as they were wreathed in the magic and, as the pressure began to grow almost to be too much where their manhoods connected, the purple energy started climbing up Rigo's neck, his cheeks, heading towards his forehead.

"Oh, shit..." Beck muttered under his breath, extracting the perfect leaf from the metal case. He hoped down and stumbled over, his own fox cock wobbling before him. He waited as the tendrils of energy began to come together across his temples and around the orbit of Rigo's eyes, heading towards his third eye. Before the energy could connect, Beck places the lead in the center, letting the waxy membrane almost adhere itself to his skin. Rigo and Marco's eyes both snapped wide, glowing with a rich purple light. The lead seemed to pulse with energy, almost glowing before there was a snap in the air. The glowing purple vines were gone, but the air suddenly smelled as fresh as spring. The grass beneath their bodies grew lush and long, undiminished by the winter freeze.

Rigo fell backwards, Beck catching him in his gangly arms. As the two men separated, Rigo's fat cock erupted with the last few involuntary sprays of his human seed before silkier, more copious tanuki cum fountained into the night air. Unrestrained by Marco's cock, it grew inch after inch in length and width equally, bloating to become a club-like member that stood proudly over over-sized testicles. The furry sack swung low beneath his cock, pendulous orbs containing great magic. Rigo grinned weakly, looking up at Beck before he craned his neck to kiss his boyfriend, their lips locking as their tongues began to tangle.

Marco looked at them with fondness and relief, glad to be a part of Rigo's healing. He'd felt such guilt at taking his powers by accident, but now he'd restored that pleasure to him and made him whole again. Marco smiled happily, although he heard a strange scuffle to his side. Turning his head, he saw Artyom scooting along the ground like a pet wanting forbidden treats. Duncan had collapsed after Yom's orgasm only to have Udo take him, the white wolf pounding his ass relentlessly. Marco reached out, using a clawed finger to scratch the bottom of Yom's muzzle. The wolf growled happily and scrabbled over.

"Oh..." Marco moaned as that rough werewolf tongue began to lick and lap across his huge Tanuki cock, savoring the salty brine he'd produced. Yom opened his feral werewolf maw as far as it could go before coming down, surrounding the appendage with dangerous teeth. Marco winced a little but didn't stop. In fact, he grabbed Yom between the pointed ears and began to push him deeper. Yom growled happily, putting his forepaws on either side of Marco's hips. The huge brown wolf began to bob his massive head up and down on his Alpha's shaft. His tongue slithered and slurped before it found the stretched urethra. The wolf's amber eyes glinted with a devious pleasure before the tongue slipped down inside.

Marco groaned at that, panting harder, growling. He tried to hold on, to contain himself, but he couldn't. The barriers had already been broken. He came again quickly and easily, though he began to use his illusion magic to augment the situation a little. Yom greedily gulped down Marco's seed, feeling it coat his throat and fill his belly. Gulp after gulp, more and more and more. Yom began to feel the pressure build in his stomach, the semen seemingly never ending. His belly began to distend and stretch, sinking down from his ribs. Marco moved his fingers, petting Yom's fur, watching it grow shaggier and fuller as his belly grew and grew, rounding until it was distinct. Yom's eyes watered with glee and pleasure, rapturous in the excess of his lust and love for Marco.

With the last of his energy, the flow finally subsided. Marco collapsed back onto the ground, sprawled out. Yom reluctantly pulled his maw from Marco's spire, licking the last semen from his lips before he curled up and laid against Marco's side, fat and content. One dog-like arm spread across Marco's leg, holding him as best he could. Fletcher shook his head in amusement at the demonstration and moved to Marco's other side, sitting himself down before flopping over against him, sending sloshing ripples across Marco's own belly. Marco surrendered himself to the moment, knowing that before the night was over they'd try many more positions and combinations together. Whatever happened, he knew he'd brought a little bit of magic back into the world.

****

The rich, warm aroma of coffee had faded from the coffee shop, replaced with the faint tang of antiseptic cleaning supplies. Thackary's normal methodical approach had nearly become a frenetic one as he tried to wrap everything up in time for his date. He'd had to close the coffee shop early, a bit of a financial hit, but every other keeper in town was occupied and there wasn't exactly someone to take over for him. He glanced at his watch, ten past five already. He brushed a blond bang behind his ear as he looked around to do triage and decide what could wait until the morning, at least until he heard the bell of the entry door. Had he really forgotten to lock it?

"I'm so sorry, we're closed-" Thackary said, turning to face the door. In that instant, the entire world tilted. He was facing the wrong direction, the light outside had darkened suddenly, but most of all his body felt wrong. His heart was racing and ineffective at the same time. His skin was pale. There were spots in his vision and his mouth tasted bitter and metallic. In fact, his tongue felt too large for his mouth. Echo Creek's poison expert had been poisoned. The irony was a dull salve as he stumbled the length of the counter to get to his supplies.

Thackary tried to crouch but fell onto his knees instead, fighting the urge to let his head droop. He swung open the cabinet door and reached inside, his fingers going numb. He wanted to scream, to yell, to howl, but one of this particular poison's many attributes was a paralytic that affected the vocal cords as much as anything. Unable to exercise the fine motor controls, he knocked all the bottles onto the floor, his shrinking vision helping him scan the containers for a counter agent. It didn't help that each one was disguised as esoteric baking ingredients to keep it from prying eyes. He picked up one bottle, using his fingernail to pop the cap before he tipped it back, letting a yellow powder fall into his open mouth. He kept his lips closed, allowing the powder to melt in his saliva as he looked for the second container.

The spots had welled into black holes in his vision, their gravity pulling darkness in from the edges. His veins had started to discolor beneath his pale skin. He couldn't even feel where his knees had impacted the concrete floor anymore. Had his heart skipped a beat, or was he just not hearing it anymore? Thackary made a soft sound as he thought he found the last element needed for an antidote. He popped that cap, letting it topple to the floor, bringing the rim to his lips before he tipped the brown container back. An inky, gooey bluish black oil oozed into his mouth and met the concoction that had been brewing in his drool.

Thackary swished it around inside his mouth, coating his tongue and teeth in the effort before he forced himself to swallow, then swallow again, then again. The coffee shop had fallen behind the veil of darkness and Thackary fell with it to the floor, landing in a crumpled heap amid the herbs, extracts and oils that were his profession as a Keeper Assassin. Staring blankly up at the ceiling with eyes that did not see, he raised his hands in an effort to invoke one of the only magical acts he'd ever been able to.

As the barista's fingers moved in complex ministrations, a sad smile crossed his lips. He had always been terrible at magic, a failure that had led to his current line of work. He'd killed several hunters that had come to town looking to uncover the secret. He was a killer, a murderer. The thought of Curtis being out there all alone, waiting for a date that would never arrive was a wound in Thackary's heart, but it all seemed so obvious now. He didn't deserve to have the love of an innocent soul like that... Maybe it had always been his destiny to die by the same poisons he dealt out. Whoever had done it had stolen minutes of his life away, along with the memory of who had done it.

Thackary's blind eyes closed, his fingers finishing the motion that had been drummed into him by the older keepers. There was a fizzle of golden-copper colored sparks where his hands met, like the last moments of a firework on new years. As the barista's arms fell to the floor by his side, the sparks rose higher and higher until they were just above the height of the counter. The flickering flames pulled suddenly inward, compressing and constricting into a single point of light. For an instant, it hung there, a pearl of illumination before it erupted outward in a massive shockwave. Sparkling ribbons of the golden light swept out of the windows of the coffee shop, spreading out through town in every direction.

****

Another cool breeze blew through the trees, carrying the distant barks and howls of a large portion of the campus werewolves. Somewhere in that animal song was the hissing of a newly minted Naga enjoying the companionship of his new furry friends. It had been an easier choice on when and where to protect the wolves when they all gathered in one spot, but now Ren had chosen where to go based on protecting the largest number of people. The branches of the leafless trees rustled and creaked under the wind before falling silent once more. Ren's honey brown eyes gazed into the distance as if she could see it all from her vantage point, though it played in vague terms in her imagination. Atsu couldn't help but smile as he watched her.

"You love them very much." he said, more a statement than a question.

"I do." Ren replied, her smile soft and rich at the same time, "I never knew my heart could hold so much love."

"A warrior and a poet." Atsu replied fondly, trying to deflect the fact that he'd felt the draw to her increase ten fold in that moment. Ren shot him a sharp smirk at that before her face softened once more as she returned to the flow of history they had been exploring.

"It started as a duty, one of family. It grew and expanded. I worked with other keepers, traveled, honed my skill, and returned here. Four years is such a short time to know these souls before they move on to live the rest of their lives." Ren said before her eyes widened in realization of what she had just said. She turned to look at Atsu in apology, "I'm sorry if that was insensitive." she amended. Atsu shook his head with a sad smile.

"No, it's quite alright. It is such a short time." he agreed, leaning back in the folding camp chair that Ren had provided. "I have seen lives cut short by wars, conquest, plagues, and inquisitions. There is never enough time with the ones we love." Atsu said. The moments they had been sharing had been precious, but his statement felt as if someone had unearthed a gem that had been hidden beneath the dust.

"The Spanish Inquisition?" Ren asked pointedly. Atsu hesitated slightly before he nodded an affirmation. Ren didn't let go. "Were you involved only on the religious side, or did you interact with the werewolf underground?" she asked.

"It was a hard time for any of the otherkin. I helped as many werewolves as I could to escape persecution." Atsu said. Ren's breath nearly caught in her chest.

"Did you use blood moonstone?" Ren asked. Atsu's eyes widened a little, the brown in his eyes taking on a reddish tinge in the pale moonlight.

"I did. It was a precious commodity until it ran out." Atsu replied. The statement had been made with as much earnestness as all the rest. Ren's honey brown eyes gazed into Atsu's blood red ones, weighing the truth of his soul against every lesson she had ever learned on reading people. She had to know if he was involved, if he knew something that could help the investigation. She was about to ask another question when she felt the muscles in her stomach suddenly tighten. Ren rose to her feet, turning her attention back towards town. A faint fizzling of golden energy was rising above the treeline from town. It was a warning, a flare, a beacon.

****

The frown crossing Curtis's pert lips had only grown more intense over the last fifteen minutes. He sat on an insulated picnic blanket, his back resting against the fallen trunk of an oak tree. Every passing second made the idea of their date beneath the full moon feel more idiotic. It was freezing cold and Thackary wasn't a therianthrope. Their date on the mesa had been romantic, but had this been a feeble attempt to recapture that magic? What if Thackary had gotten lost trying to find the stupid grotto that Curtis had picked out?

"Okay, as soon as he shows up, we'll just take the Dandelion wine and go back home and-" Curtis stopped as he heard a branch snap at the edge of the trees. He sprung to his feet in eager anticipation. "Thackary, I'm so sorry I dragged you all the way out here. It was a stupid idea..." Curtis apologized. There was another twig snap, then a crunch of dried leaves. Across the clearing the boughs slowly parted as a long, narrow muzzle emerged from the darkness.

The leathery black nose at the end of the muzzle was scarred and torn, tapering back into fur the color of old rust. Black lips were torn and weeping around uneven yellowed fangs. Curtis worried for a moment that one of the feral werewolves had gotten out from whatever their pack was doing, at least until the rest of the creature's head emerged into the moonlight. The flared cheeks, the tall narrow ears, the slender neck... it wasn't a wolf, it was a fox. Large black paws tipped with wicked sickle-like claws padded down into the grotto as the over-large, lean torso slipped out of the darkness. The rib cage was too big, the hips too small. Eyes so black they looked like liquid pools lifted upright, looking directly into the young man's soul.

Curtis slowly started to back up, mindful of the fallen log. He stepped over it carefully, retreating. The fox only advanced faster, ensuring that the distance between them continued to decrease. As moonlight fell across the rest of the monster's body, Curtis could see that the fur was slicked and dripping. What should have been white fur was tinged with pink froth and the red fur was stained. The long, puffy tail drooped. Curtis recalled stories the others had told him about how the direwolves had been before the eclipse. Whatever this creature was, Curtis would have named it a direfox.

Fear and anxiety were natural warning systems to nearly every living thing triggering fight or flight instincts in most. Curtis felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck, but the hair was soon joined by fur as it sprouted across his shoulder blades. More soft fur erupted from around his wrists, his ankles and blossomed across his chest. A familiar pressure and irritation built in his forehead until the skin on his temples ruptured. Two boney nubs emerged, unspooling from his skull. The antlers extruded with a smooth grace that was belied by the jagged way they split and curved into additional points and prongs.

Curtis could feel his feet shifting inside his shoes, toes fusing into cloven hooves as his dew claw emerged just above his heel. Even his pants rumpled as his flag of a tail emerged. The transformation had taken mere moments and the spectacle had seemed to serve as a distraction, slowing the direfox down. Its menage, though, was clear. The blackened lips pulled back as a guttural growl came from the dripping maw. The creature was too big, too disproportionate, an anomaly of nature - the very nature that Curtis felt a connection to. The two beings looked at each other over the distance between them, bathed in the ample moonlight.

Silence, stillness. The two only breathed in and out. Curtis could see his breath in the air, but the direfox's breath ejected from his nostrils like smokestacks, the heat roiling inside the creature immense. Both beings had a hair trigger and anything could set it off. The moment shattered as a single tendon tightened on the fox's right paw. Curtis spun on his heels and was running with inhuman speed, bounding and leaping over branches and logs, ducking down under limbs. The woods began to crack and splinter behind him as the fox followed. Vibrations ripped through the soil under Curtis' feet, but even when he managed to touch the ground he was back off again, springing with legs that were designed for rapid escape.

There was an energy flowing all around them. Flowers that had gone into hibernation for the winter began to awaken as Curtis approached, regaining color and vibrancy only to wilt and fade as the direwolf passed them by. Curtis had elegance, the direfox had sheer tenacity. The only flaw came in the fact that Curtis did not know where he was running to. The options began to narrow in as rock outcroppings cut off potential escapes. Curtis began to head to his left, his path becoming more and more predictable. His eyes watered as he strained to see up ahead, managing to spot city lights in the distance. If he could get to someone, anyone, he might be able to get help, to hide, to defend himself.

A deafening crack came as flames erupted before Curtis, igniting the frozen branches into curtains of fire. Curtis reared back, skidding and falling onto his deer tail. The flames cracked and creaked, wood snapping from the sudden change in temperature. Curtis rolled over to spring to his feet, only to be side swiped by a wiry, muscled arm. He crashed through the brush, sliding along a muddy, mossy slope until he came to a stop on an open patch of grass. His chest rose and fell as he panted for breath, looking up to see the fox... but it wasn't on all fours anymore. As he watched, it stood upright. BNones creaked and cracked, cartilage popping. The body seemed to be contorting and reshaping itself until it was upright like the dark wolves. The creature reached a long clawed hand down and extracted something from a leather satchel on its hip.

Curtis saw the moonlight pass through the translucent red blade. The fox strode towards him, drool still dripping from its uneven fangs. Curtis' expression darkened as he flung an arm upright. The ground trembled and broke before vines shot up, ensnaring the fox's left ankle. Another gesture brought vines to wrap around the right, then the creature's wrist. The fox snarled in indignant rage before it bit and slashed at the vines with its sharp teeth, cutting through them and freeing itself. The huge form lunged, landing right next to Curtis. Curtis prepared to roll himself out of the way of the knife but as he did, he rolled into the creature's left paw.

Huge, clawed fingers wrapped around his midsection, lifting him like an action figure. Hot, putrid breath blasted Curtis' face as the direfox held him there, looking into his eyes. From the bumps, bruises, abrasions and cuts he'd gained just from running from the beast, the sudden blossoming sting in his stomach almost went unnoticed at first, at least until Curtis began to feel the loss of nature all around him. He no longer felt the comfort of the trees, the beckoning call of the mosses and the grass. He couldn't feel the heartbeat of the planet itself, and the sudden isolation brought the pain fully into perspective. Curtis whimpered, trying in futility to break from the monster's grasp.

The direfox's breathing had changed, holding the youth with one hand and the knife with the other. The weeping gashes in its hide began to heal and close, the fur gaining a luster and health the longer he held the knife in Curtis. The young man's face began to pale, his head aching and throbbing. It felt so heavy... The proud prongs of his antlers began to wither and dry out, getting lighter and thinner until they began to flake away to dust. The fur shed from his shoulders, his tail reabsorbed into his body and bare human feet dangled from the merciless grip.

The direfox exhaled a gratified shudder of pleasure before it withdrew its blade, ringers uncurling from the vice that had kept Curtis aloft. The young man dropped unceremoniously back into the moss and dirt with an audible splat. The fox looked up at the full moon in the sky, exhaling a cooler breath. Its red and white tail twitched and flicked behind itself before it began to walk away, disappearing back into the burning trees. Curtis listened to the crackling woods, wincing at the pain in his gut. His mind was swimming in memories, in hypotheticals, in what could have been. Maybe it was good that Thackary had been late for their date. As long as Thackary was okay, that was what mattered.

****

Of all the thermal insulators ever invented, few were as adaptive as a heap of werewolves creating a lying fur blanket. Fletcher felt like the most delicious meat center of a burrito, wrapped in the arms of DUncan, Udo and Yom. They smelled of wood and spice, of masculinity and pleasure. He'd retained his saberteeth and pointed ears from their fun, as well as a liberal helping of cum inside his gut. His paw-feet twitched a little as he reconfigured himself slightly.... But something was wrong. At first it was a minor discomfort but it soon blossomed and grew. Fletcher winced before his eyes snapped open.

"Ungh..." Duncan murmured, his muzzle gritting fangs together as the guardian spirit crawled out from his armpit, surfacing from the dog pile. Fletcher looked around before meeting eyes with Marco. The tanuki had risen to his feet, sniffing the air.

"I sense it too." Marco said, "Can you tell which way?"

"Yeah, it's coming from over there." Fletch said, jumping down. Despite their initial reluctance, the three werewolves rose to their feet and shook off their lethargy like unwanted rainwater. Seeing the sudden shift, Rodrigo sat up from where he'd been napping, his pointed ears flattening against his shaggy hair.

"Should I come?" Rodrigo asked. Marco shook his head emphatically.

"Duncan, get him to the closest pack and keepers." Marco commanded. The white wolf gave a nod and moved over, escorting Rodrigo with a large paw on his back. Yom sniffed the air before grimacing.

"There's a fire." he said softly, his voice barely audible from his lycan form.

"Let's go." Marco said with determination. Fletcher broke into a sprint, taking point with Duncan and Artyom behind him. Marco had a harder time keeping up, though it seemed he had plenty of stamina despite being the slower of them all. Fletcher's furry sideburns ruffled in the wind as he moved, navigating the terrain. Marco focused on summoning his powers, holding up a clawed hand. The trees ahead of them began to sparkle, lighting the way. Despite being an illusion, the light served to show furrows, raised branches and other obstacles that would have slowed them down.

Saying nothing, the group exchanged glances as they passed the empty camp site. Fletcher saw the blanket, Duncan the picnic basket. Marco saw the bottle of Dandelion wine, knowing who it belonged to. His heart quickened, propelling his body as fast as it could go. Yom and Duncan started to see evidence of a rapid pursuit, seeing hoofprints mixed with huge paw prints. The way forward had been demolished, breaking every branch and twig. Until the ground itself became so saturated that Fletcher started jumping from log to log.

An unnatural fire burned brightly ahead, reducing the trees to ash. The flames were a greenish tinge, coming from seemingly nothing. It was unlike any sort of fire Marco had ever seen, but it also wasn't what they were looking for. As Fletcher, Duncan and Artyom poked at the perimeter of the fire, Marco turned around slowly. He looked at the signs of a fight, back at the path they had come from and then out into a small clearing.

"Over here!" Marco exclaimed, moving out of the trees and sliding down the banks. He fell forward onto his knees as he landed in the mud, coming up to rest against a strange mossy, flower strewn heap. It wasn't until he was right on top of it that he saw Curtis' head poking out of the top. His limbs had been wrapped in the vines and a bed of flowers rose up over his chest.

"No, no no no..." Marco murmured, leaning down to listen if Curtis was breathing. Marco nearly choked before he took a deep breath and reached down, resting his large hand on top of the flowers. Applying no pressure, keeping his fingers hovering over the surface, he felt the flowers rise up imperceptible to touch his palm before dropping again. A tear rolled down Marco's cheek. Curtis was using whatever strength he had left to heal himself. Marco turned back towards the others, "Go get help, get the best healers, hurry!" Marco commanded. Duncan nodded and bolted off as fast as he could manage, dropping to all fours. Fletcher moved over with more care and grace than Marco had, though even he stumbled a little bit in the sticky mud. He looked at Curtis, eyes wide in a bit of wonder.

"From the smallest seeds grow mighty trees." Fletcher murmured. Marco looked at him expectantly, making Fletcher stammer a little, "I-I mean, if Curtis has whatever nature magic the Cernos have, he might be able to regrow it from whatever little shred was left. This plant stuff might be some sort of defense mechanism." Fletcher explained. Marco considered for a moment, thinking back to the way he'd played with reality. His magic wasn't exactly real, but its effects certainly acted as if they were. He'd given Tobin the ultimate body for several hours, he'd felt his pack as amazing beasts. Marco kept his hand over Curtis's stomach, his fingernails stretching back into dark black claws.

Fletcher watched with curiosity as Marco sank deeper into his Tanuki form. The long whiskers emerged from his cheeks, his nose darkening and tilting up into a moist button. His ears fanned out and twitched and his ringed tail unfurled behind him, wagging over his full, ample ass. Marco's breathing grew slow and shallow until it matched the weak breath Curtis had. Marco's dark ringed eyes were clenched shut as he focused, imagining and willing the power of the forest around them to feed its life energy to Curtis, to nourish him, to let that spark of life grow stronger and fuller.

With effort, Marco breathed in deeper, willing Curtis' lungs to do the same. The mound of flowers rose higher, dropped, then rose higher again. It felt like blowing on the embers, willing them to consume their tender and become a robust flame. Color slowly started to return to Curtis's cheeks, though he and Marco winced at the same moment. Marco felt a jagged pain in his stomach - no, Curtis's stomach? He redirected his mental energies there, imagining that the wound had missed the vital organs, that the flesh was stitching itself up and healing. Every change grew from small seeds.

Fletcher shivered a little as the cold breeze picked up, blowing across his naked arms. The green flames were dying down where they had consumed all their fuel, but many of the trees remained untouched. One of the trees had been holding on to one last desiccated leaf. The brittle, brown, spike tipped thing finally snapped free of the branch and fluttered on the breeze, twirling and spinning, sailing like a kite until it smacked squarely onto Marco's forehead. There was a snap of power as a rush of copper light swept outward from Marco's forehead, sweeping down his body and into the ground before them.

Curtis gasped suddenly, eyes snapping open in surprise before he collapsed back, groaning in pain - pain, but most certainly alive. Marco grinned in relieved surprise, eyes rolling into the back of his head before he passed out. Fletcher grunted in shock as Marco fell against him, using every bit of his strength to guide his boyfriend down into a more dignified position. He looked up at Artyom who stood guard, the two of them completely uncertain as to what they had just witnessed.