FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 4 of birds and wolves.

Darkness seemed to seep through the twisting hardwoods and swaying pines of this new alien forest. The path they were following twisted and lurched through the forest with no obvious course or direction. Steel couldn't help but sniff the air as an unsettling feeling crept over him. He didn't think this was any forest he had ever visited. The shadows of this world seemed to hang in the air like a thick haze. Unlike the ancient forests of his home these trees were haunted and twisted in shape. Their dark trunks wore thick skirts of mist like a woman might wear a dress or a gown. Well, Walker thought they looked like women wearing dresses.To Steel they just looked like misty trees...

At long last the darkness of the forest unfolded before the two wolves as they continued down the path they had chosen. When the trees parted the mist seemed to open like a curtain in a play. A dreary glade appeared before the two apprehensive wolves, and in the middle of the forest clearing was a small wooden cottage. Steel guessed that this particular cottage had seen better days judging from how it appeared. The wooden walls looked like they had been recently patched up, and the roof looked like it too had received a few quick repairs.

The journey through the forest had taken longer than Walker had expected. Not only had they walked for what felt like a long time, but he hadn't eaten much food back at the mall earlier that evening. Unlike Steel, who was used to traveling long distances, Walker was getting tired and a little hungry too. "Maybe someone lives here?" Walker asked as he casually walked up to the door and knocked on the large wooden portal. Steel grabbed the cub's paw and growled at his boldness.

To Steel's surprise there was a sound like someone shuffling around the inside of the house. "Walker! What are you doing?" Steel growled and hurried to put himself between Walker and the door.

It was natural for Steel to be a little overprotective of his smaller mate, but Walker knew that a good person lived in this cottage. "Wait, they can help us," Walker whispered and looked up at Steel, "trust me."

Steel gave Walker a skeptical look and then positioned himself between Walker and the door. "I will trust your instincts little one, but we should try to be cautious when visiting other worlds." Walker didn't like Steel's tone, but he knew it was right to be careful.

Eventually the person inside the cottage made it to the door. A beam of warm light shined through the door crack as someone inside peered out at the two wolves standing in the gathering twilight. "Oh my," a woman's voice said in surprise. Walker had not thought to turn into a human in case they happened upon another human-like race. "By the sister's wings! What brings two wolves to my doorstep at this hour of the night?"

"We were just leaving," Steel growled, but Walker boldly stepped forward.

"Actually we're not from around here, and we need somewhere to stay for the night," Walker spoke as politely as he could manage with a snout and fangs.

The woman inside looked down at the young wolf and saw an innocence in his eyes that spoke to her heart. "Well," she said and opened the door, "I can't turn away strangers in need now can I," she said gently. As the door opened the light from inside spilled outwards it illuminated their host. She was a beautiful women who looked to be somewhere in her late fifties. Her long black hair was occasionally interrupted by a few strands of shining silver, but her face was as smooth and beautiful as any young woman Walker had ever seen. He might have expected a soft compassionate face on a woman who looked so strikingly beautiful, but this woman wore a stern and hardened expression that just barely broke into a deliberately softened smile before she spoke again. "Come inside little one, your guardian may come as well. You are both welcome here."

...

Walker sat in a large cushioned wooden chair at a wooden table just across from Madam Marian Elderberry, who he had just met an hour ago. After a very long dinner, which Steel had reluctantly eaten, and possibly enjoyed, Walker finished the story of how they had come to this world. Marian sat back for a moment as she digested both her food and the intriguing tale. "I can honestly say this is the first story of this nature that I've ever heard," she calmly said as she picked up her tea cup and sipped a few times before looking over at Steel. "You said that you were looking for a different world, yet somehow you ended up here on this one?"

"Basically," Steel said gruffly with a big frown on his snout.

"Well," Marian said and smiled, "It's a good thing you two found me first. I can't imagine my sisters being happy to meet strangers like yourselves."

"I told you this world was dangerous Walker. We should leave now and go back to your world," Steel said with a low growl to his voice.

"Don't misunderstand my hospitality, you are safe so long as you are under my protection," Marian said and gave Steel a stern motherly look, "however, I will not stop you if returning to your world is your main priority..."

Walker got the idea that Marian had something she needed help with. "...but there's something else you had in mind. Right?"

A sly smile crept across Marian's lips as she glanced briefly at Walker. "I know this might sound a bit presumptuous, but I thought you might be able to help me. Seeing as you aren't involved in the politics of this world, I might request that you perform a good deed in my service."

"We didn't come to meddle in the affairs of others," Steel said with a short woof at the end of his words.

Walker turned to his stalwart guardian, "while we're here we might as well try to help. Maybe Marian can teach me how to control my shape better?"

Steel seemed to weigh the prospects in his head before giving Walker a surprisingly gentle look. "I won't stop you if you want to help little one," he said and turned to Marian, "provided he is not placed in any sort of danger!"

"I believe we can reach a mutually beneficial agreement; provided you carry out your end of our bargain. I know you are not familiar with the ways of my people, but we are driven by a natural desire to follow certain laws. Our magic works according to how well we adhere to these laws. While some of my sisters believe in hiding details of their agreements with others, personally, I believe in being as straight-forward as possible."

"So what exactly do you want us to do for you?" Walker asked eagerly.

"Well, I have a simple task that needs to be performed," Marian said and smiled softly.

...

After her explanation Marian showed Walker and Steel the back of her house where she had a few guest rooms set up. The rooms were modestly decorated, but large enough to serve the needs of most guests. Walker was more surprised by the fact that there were guest rooms in the tiny cottage. He could have sworn the house seemed barely large enough to hold the kitchen where the three of them had just finished eating. Marion had offered to let them have separate rooms, but Steel insisted on staying with Walker. Once they were situated Marian retired to her own bedroom and simply stated that if she was needed she would return.

As soon she was gone Steel scooped Walker up and carried him to the bed. The large gray wolf curled protectively around the smaller red wolf and growled, ever so slightly, as the magical lights in the room dimmed. After laying still in the dark for a while Walker looked over at Steel and noticed his eyes were still open. "Steel," Walker said softly, " are you awake Steel?"

"Yes little Walker," Steel said and looked at the cub in his arms.

"Why do you not like Marian?" Walker asked in a soft whine.

Steel didn't respond right away, but after a short while he spoke. "She is neither my friend, nor is she my enemy," Steel said bluntly. "I don't trust her... yet."

"Oh," Walker said and looked at Steel, "Do you like me?"

Steel gave Walker a strange look. "Yes," he finally said. "I love you little Walker."

Walker was a little shocked. Not by what Steel had said, but by how he had said it. Did he really love Walker? Nobody had ever said that before. Steel didn't offer any more insight into his thoughts, and Walker felt like he had prodded far enough for tonight. Still though, the thought of Steel loving Walker warmed the cub's heart. Secretly he craved the older wolf's affection, but he was too proud to admit it to himself.

Steel watched as Walker slipped into a deep slumber. Walker looked so young, yet his mind was like that of an adult. At times it was difficult to find a balance between Walker's innocence and his ability to think and reason. Steel would have to be extra careful not to let Walker's appearance become a problem between them. As strong as Steel's instinct to protect him was, eventually he would have to let the cub make some decisions for himself. For tonight Walker was still Steel's little puppy. He still had those same big ears and eyes that Steel fell in love with. He still made cute sounds in his sleep like he had before he was even a wolf. Steel was still holding the little hero of his life. Walker didn't just kill a Humbaba and avenge a whole clan of wolves. Walker didn't just save Steel's life. That day in the forest, as Walker had carried him home... it had been the end of a terrible time in Steel's life, and the beginning of a life he wanted to live.

Walker had done more than save Steel from dying; he had saved him from being alone. No matter how bad things got Steel knew that as long as he had his mate he could get by. Steel slept lightly as he rested his head on Walker's and took a deep breath of the cub's scent. Having his mate close like this was what kept Steel from giving in to his instincts. If it was up to him he would take Walker as far away from trouble as possible. Maybe it was a good thing that the cub was so head strong. Ben might have been born a human, but Walker had the heart of a wolf!

...

Morning broke early over the cottage and brought with it the smell of delicious baked scones and muffins. Steel woke his sleeping mate earlier than the cub liked, but Steel wasn't letting his young mate off the hook. "It's time to get up little Walker," Steel said sternly. When the cub burrowed deeper into Steel's thick chest fur the elder wolf had to resist the urge to let him nap for a while longer. "Walker. Get. Up. Now." Steel growled, reached into the ball of red fur, and extracted the sleepy eyed wolf cub.

Walker made the cutest sound, like a neglected puppy, and shivered in the cold air of the cabin. Unlike the summer warmth back on Walker's planet, this world seemed to be experiencing either a late spring or an early autumn. There was also a chance that it was naturally colder here too. Regardless, the cold was enough to rouse the drowsy cub. He yawned sleepily as he was put down on the bed. "Just a little while longer," Walker whined sleepily and nuzzled into Steel's thick fur.

Steel smiled and bent forward, gently licking Walker's sleepy face. Not only did it straighten the cub's unruly face fur, but it tickled fiercely. Eventually Walker woke and blushed at Steel. He tried to scramble away from his mate, but Steel held him tight and finished cleaning his face. "You... never get all the food... out of your fur," Steel said between licks.

"Aw Steel... let me go!" Walker said and struggled against the wolf's titanic strength. Eventually Steel gave up on the thick brown locks and released the little cub. By now Walker was awake enough to be hungry. He eagerly hopped off the bed, landed on his foot paws, and stood as he walked to the door. "Something smells great," Walker said cheerfully.

Steel followed Walker as he opened the door and made his way into the rest of the house. They found the kitchen, having such a strong nose could be very useful, where Marian was busily cooking up a small feast of baked goodies and all sorts of other foods. "You're up early little one," she said to Walker and then looked at Steel, "I trust you slept peacefully enough?"

"It was cold last night," Walker announced as he pulled up a seat at the table and poured a glass of what looked like milk for himself.

After lapping happily at the milk Walker looked up at Steel who had taken the seat beside him. The cub had developed a furry milk mustache, and he wasn't happy when Steel leaned over and licked the milk off his fur. "Be still," Steel said and held Walker as he finished cleaning his muzzle.

Walker whined and groaned until Steel finished. Marian just laughed softly at their exchange. It was clear to her that the two had a special relationship. "I made sure to procure a guide for you. She should be here soon, and once she arrives she will guide you as discretely as possible to your destination..."

"...And then we should be able to find the man you spoke of yesterday?" Walker asked.

"Yes, I believe he should be receptive to your offer; should you consider him worthy," Marian said and smiled.

"We'll think about it when we get there," Steel said and looked wearily at Walker.

"What about you Marian? What are you going to do?" Walker asked.

"We can discuss that once you return to my home. Remember that the guide I provide can take no part in this... liberation." Marian smiled at her choice of words.

Their breakfast was delightful. The scones were rich and buttery, but the muffins were soft and sweet. Walker decided he liked the muffins the best. There were two kinds of fried meat, and they both tasted like ham. Steel preferred the meat over the baked foods, but he did eat a few scones before he was full. Almost as soon as they finished eating there was a knock on the door. Marian stood quickly and answered the door allowing a young woman inside the house. At first glance the young lady seemed to possess a striking resemblance to Marian. "Hello mother," the girl said as she stepped through the door, "I see you have the guests like we discussed earlier."

Marian led her apparent daughter into the house and gestured to her guests. "This is Raina; Raina, this is Walker and Steel. They're helping us with our little problem."

Raina seemed to possess the same striking beauty and stern face that her mother had. Her hair was black, like her mothers, but her skin was fair by comparison to Marion's. Raina was a few inches shorter than Marian, but to her credit the young lade held herself with a serene poise. If Walker hadn't know better he might have thought Raina was in her twenties, but she was actually close to his own age. "I see," Raina said and smiled politely, "I suppose we'd best get going then."

** ...**

Walker and Steel followed the cloaked young woman through the forest for a ways before they reached a series of houses that looked a lot like the one Marian lived in. The main difference with these houses was that they were all in excellent condition and obviously built with both wood and stone. The rows of cottages were arranged in concentric rings that seemed to form the outside of a small village. Walker could sense many different scents and smells in this area. His wolf instincts told him that many people and animals must visit this area regularly. "Wait," Raina said as they reached the back edge of the houses. "It might be easier to sneak around if you two turn into wolves," she said as she turned to look at Walker and Steel.

"Agreed," Steel said as he dropped to all fours and shrank considerably. It had only taken the elder wolf a few seconds to change into a wolf, but his younger companion hesitated as he watched his mate change shape.

"Um, steel... I've never turned into a wolf before," Walker said and blushed as Raina gave him an odd look.

Wolf Steel looked over at Walker and seemed to almost smile, "Just focus on the animal inside you. Clear your mind, and picture yourself as a wolf," Steel instructed.

Walker closed his eyes and slowly began to shrink. Steel was honestly surprised how small he got. In just a few short moments a red-brown furred cub stood where Walker had once been. Steel had to resist the urge to carry Walker by his scruff back to the cabin. "Aw, How precious," Raina said and bent down to scoop Walker up into a hug, "you are absolutely too cute!"

"It's not like I wanted to look this way!" Walker said and pushed away from Raina with his oversized cub paws.

Eventually Raina put Walker down and they started to sneak around the houses. Walker and Steel could both smell the signs of people living here, but there wasn't anyone around at the moment. "Where is everyone?" Walker whispered.

"Morning prayers, they shouldn't be back until later in the day... I hope," Raina replied. They both got a stern frown from Steel who would have preferred that they remain silent.

Walker didn't like the idea of getting caught by the villagers, but Marian had insisted that this was not dangerous for the two wolves. If anything, Marian and her daughter were in the most danger. As they snuck through the rings of cottages the buildings seemed to change from homes to work places and perhaps a few shops and stores. Beyond the edge of these larger stone structures was a single building that was set apart from the others. From what Marion had told them this was the building they were looking for. It was also where things got tricky. Marian had said that the doors were enchanted with... some sort of magical alarm. Walker didn't understand her explanation well enough to remember it exactly, but basically the doors would alert the other women if a human entered or exited the building.

On the other hand, there was one way a person could get around the alarms. If a person weren't human the alarms wouldn't function correctly. Steel hadn't liked the idea of inducting another member into their pack, but personally Walker was excited! If Steel bit someone else then maybe he could mate with them instead? Then they could go back to wolf world and Walker would be alone again! He might miss Steel a little, but Walker hadn't asked for any of this crazy shit to happen to him. What was wrong with living his life how he chose? If he could learn more about controlling his shape than maybe he could go back to living like he used to? This whole plan was looking like a great way to kill two birds with one stone. Walker didn't realize he was about to have more than two birds on his paws...

Raina looked around carefully before she nodded towards the door. "We should be safe for now... please... be gentle with him."

Steel went first, pushing the door open and proceeding into the darkened interior. Walker padded softly behind him, looking around the building nervously. The inside was as bleak and uncomfortable as the outside. This building had obviously not been made for any sort of leisure or social interaction. The rooms inside were plain and undecorated with little more than a few wooden stools and a single table inhabiting them. A long hallway extended past the first rooms and down the length of the building. Walker followed close behind Steel who walked cautiously through the prison. Walker could smell another person in the building. He was obviously male and quite ripe from lack of proper hygiene. Somehow Walker could tell just by scent that this human was older than him, probably in his early twenties.

For the young man inside the cell the creak of the door and the sound of two creatures treading softly through his prison were the only sounds he heard as he stood in the dim light of his cell."I was wondering when mother would send a creature to grant me release. I suppose death by claw and fang is as noble a death as she could conjure for me today?"

Steel spoke softly as they reached the edge of the cage, "I have no desire to take your life, but before we speak I have one question for you. Why have your people imprisoned you here?"

"For learning," the young man said and stepped into the pale light. He was hauntingly beautiful with long black hair and an almost effeminate, yet handsome, face. Despite his looks he was clearly a strong young man. His bulging muscles stood taunt against his pale skin and betrayed his lifetime of manual labor to the eyes of the wolves. A light dusting of black hair covered his bare chest, and the beginnings of a thick beard were visible on his face and neck. "I dared to sip from the cup of the coven, and for my bold actions I have been condemned to death."

"You attempted to learn the magic of this world?" Steel asked. "How does this brand you as a criminal in the eyes of your people?"

"Males are not permitted to learn magic," the man said and laughed softly, "we're hardly allowed to eat, sleep, and breathe without the permission of the coven!"

Walker stepped out of Steel's shadow, "are we going to help him or interrogate him?"

The young man seemed genuinely surprised to see Walker, "A wolf cub? Why would mother send a creature so young?"

Walker tried to smile at the stranger, "I'm sixteen years old, that's not too young to help someone."

"I would agree if I knew what sort of help you were offering... I am as much magically bound to this place as I am physically imprisoned," the prisoner said and frowned, "Unless you have a small army of witches to cover my escape..."

"You are bound to this place as a man, as a human much like my friend beside me once was," Steel said and began to change shape, growing both muscle and mass as he shifted. "I am no mere wolf, nor am I here to grant you an easy or fitting end."

Walker followed suit and shifted into his werewolf form. He was surprised how tired he felt. Holding his wolf shape was more draining than he had thought. "Ah," the prisoner said and smiled, "Shape shifters... lycanthropes to be precise."

"I am not familiar with that term, but it is no doubt similar to the what my people call long-fangs," Steel said and turned to look at Walker who was leaning against the steel bars of the cell, "I am under the impression that you are unable to leave because of your human shape... and that if you were to change shape then you could leave?"

"My magic is sealed while I am in this building, and even if it were not I would be unable to leave in any manor without alerting the coven."

"Then there is only one other option," Walker said and looked up at Steel.

"Agreed, if you wish to leave then we must bite and turn you immediately," Steel said and looked at Walker. "We must do it together if we want this to work."

"What exactly do we need to do?" Walker asked and looked at Steel nervously.

** ...**

Steel effortlessly ripped the bars of the prison cell from the walls. A few moments later Steel and Walker were inside the cell with the prisoner. Walker watched as the prisoner offered his arm to steel. It must have been a hard decision for the prisoner. Walker couldn't help but feel sorry for the young man; it was either die or become a wolf. He offered his other arm to Walker. "We'd better hurry," he said sadly.

Steel nodded to Walker and they both sank their four large fangs into the prisoner's flesh. Walker felt the oddest sensation as his jaw muscles clenched and he felt something like syrup pushing through his two large fangs. This must have been how Steel had felt when he bit Walker as he had lain dying in his bed back at his house. The thought seemed to stir something primal deep down inside Walker. The bite, it would turn out, was the easy part.

Walker could see the black liquid flowing through the veins of the soon-to-be long-fang. Next they would have to turn him... that meant they would need a lot of werewolf juice. "Steel... I don't know if I can do this," Walker said as they turned away from the prisoner to allow the human a small shred of privacy before his life was changed forever.

"You can, and you must. This was your idea to begin with," Steel said and put a hand-paw on Walker's shoulder. "You are strong Walker, you can do this."

Walker wasn't worried about being strong... it was the whole part about getting a blow job that made him nervous. Steel went first, presenting his sheath to the prisoner and softly instructing him through the process. Walker was a little surprised; he had almost expected Steel to mount this man like he had mounted Walker! Memories of that night still burned in Walker's mind. Before five minutes had passed Steel had finished and it was Walker's turn. It sure didn't seem like Steel had needed much help to get his rocks off...

Steel left them both alone in the cell. As Walker turned to look at the young man it was easy to see that the prisoner was starting to change. Black fur had sprouted along his jaw and on his ears, which had begun to migrate upwards, while he had drank Steel's potent seed. His teeth were partially changed, but only his longer werewolf fangs had started to develop any real length. Walker couldn't help but chuckle as the prisoner turned to him and frowned just like Steel always did. "Steel has told me exactly how far we are allowed to go... he was quite explicit in his instruction."

Why would Steel tell the prisoner what he could and couldn't do with Walker? What did that say about Steel? Maybe the wolf really did care about him, but Walker was more concerned with the task at hand than what his mate deemed was appropriate during sexual activities.

Walker blushed as he looked up at the furry young man, "Honestly I've... never... you know... I don't think," Walker said nervously.

A soft chuckle escaped the prisoner's eager mouth. "Steel said as much, but personally I have experienced both the touch of a man and a woman." The prisoner smiled slightly as he spoke. "But so far, wolves have tasted the best," he said as he reached forward and began to lightly massage Walker's sheath.

Walker couldn't help but moan softly as his wolf-hood betrayed him and peeked out of its flesh and fur home. The prisoner didn't waste any time beating around the bush in a literal sense. As more of Walker's wolf cock emerged from his sheath the partially changed human began to lick and suck gently on the emerging canine shaft. His mouth and tongue were so soft and gentle that Walker almost felt like the man was kissing his junk. The eager licks grew bolder as the man reached up and began massaging the two furry orbs hanging below Walker's cock.

By the time Walker was fully hard the prisoner was happily bobbing up and down on his shaft. The sensation was intoxicating compared to jacking off. The whole process was intimate and compassionate compared to jacking off. Walker had never messed with himself as a wolf, and in all this time his body had been just as sexually potent as always. The prisoner was rewarded for his efforts with a thick jet of pre that shot into his mouth and filled it with the taste of thick spicy werewolf pre. Like magic the prisoner sank down further onto Walker's cock as he swallowed the thick juicy pre. Walker opened his eyes and watched as the man's face pushed forward a bit and his muzzle began to form.

A long rough tongue wrapped around Walker's shaft resulting in another jet of pre. The prisoner wasn't even trying to hold himself back anymore. Either he was really enjoying himself or there was something slightly addictive about Walker's unique werewolf seed. For the next ten minutes Walker rewarded the young man kneeling before him with a steady supply of wolf pre. The longer the prisoner sucked the stronger the jets of pre became. The young man was an expert at working his long wolf tongue up and down Walker's shaft. Occasionally his tongue would even slip out the bottom of his mouth and lap at Walker's plump furry red balls. Every lick and slurp was another attempt to coax more moans and growls out of Walker. As the sexual energy in the room grew stronger Walker began to let out soft whines of lust and pleasure. The end was so close by that point that Walker's paws began to clench involuntarily and his pre began to thicken considerably.

Before Walker could stop himself he tilted his head back and was about to howl when the lips of another wolf closed over his own. Walker melted into the arms of his mate as his orgasm exploded and flooded the mouth of the human below him with his true seed. The prisoner drank heavily of Walker's thick werewolf cum and his transformation proceeded rapidly from that point on. Walker watched as the prisoner's fur thickened and his body rapidly changed into that of a powerful werewolf. As painful as it looked Walker remembered it as only a fleeting discomfort. If anything Walker felt more right than ever as his cock drooled cum into the newly changed wolf's mouth.

Once the transformation was complete a beautiful black werewolf looked up at Walker and Steel with pure admiration shining in his eyes. "This is the most amazing thing I have ever felt," he said in his new sexy wolf voice. It was much deeper than before, but his former lighter tone still rang through. Walker had to admit that this new werewolf was indeed a very handsome addition to their pack. His lush black fur was broken only by the lightest undertone of gray on his face and stomach. It was a pattern that he shared with Walker and Steel.

Where Walker had the shape and form of a cub, this new wolf was clearly both stronger and nearly an adult. A slight difference in his paw size told Walker that he wasn't fully grown yet, but he was easily seven feet tall right now. Walker felt like a runt, but the new werewolf was clearly subservient to him. He wasn't a weakling at all, but the alpha's mate was put before the other members of a pack.

"Your new name will be Black-Fang" Steel said and smiled as he reached out and placed a hand on the new werewolf's shoulder. "I'm proud to call you my brother and to welcome you to my pack as well. We are proud wolves of the gray-wolf clan. I am Steel-Fur, your alpha, and this is my mate, Paw-Walker. Soon you two will travel to my world and learn our ways, but first we need to reunite you with your mother and siblings."

"Thank you Alpha Steel-Fur," Fang said and bowed his head to Steel in respect.

Walking through the door was almost like a dream for all three werewolves, but the person who was most surprised was the girl waiting outside. She wasted no time in running to her former brother and embracing him. "Brother! I knew it was you when I first saw you!"

"I am Black-Fang now Raina, and we are brother and sister no longer," he said and looked at the girl wrapped around his muscular furry waist, "but I still love you as if we were."

"We should move on," Steel said sternly and everyone nodded their agreement.

The group made their way quickly back to the cabin where Marian waited. Walker stayed between Steel and Fang. It just seemed like the natural place to be. When Marian saw Fang she cried quietly for just a few moments before embracing her furry son. "I knew you would have black fur," she said sadly.

"Better to be a wolf running free than a bird in a cage mother," Fang replied and reached out tenderly with his clawed paws.

Walker was surprised, he had only seen one other long-fang, but somehow Fang seemed to possess the same gentle touch as Steel. Maybe there was more to being a wolf than Walker had thought? "The coven will not be happy to find you missing. We should discuss what is to become of our temporary alliance," Marian said and turned to Walker. "As I said before I could travel to your world, and with any luck teach you how to use your gift."

"I have a gift?" Walker asked in surprise as everyone in the house turned to face him.

Marion smiled before she spoke. "Without you, little Walker, none of us would be where we are today. Not only have you brought people from three worlds together, but you are likely the only one among us that can lead people from world to world," Marian said and thought for a moment before turning to Steel. "If I am going to help you return to your world then I will need to accompany you for a while. Do you think me and my children could stay with you for a while longer?"

Steel looked at Walker and frowned, "I need to teach two young wolves now, it matters little who lives in our current dwelling."

"Then we are in agreement. You will allow us to share your home until we are able to work out a more appropriate form of habitation." Marion said and turned to Raina who nodded.

"I guess that's fine if we have to go to the Wolf World as soon as possible," Walker replied, but he felt like his opinion didn't matter much.

It took Marian a while to pack, and she told Raina to gather her other two daughters. Apparently Marion had four children, of which Fang was the only son. Everyone agreed to meet up in a few hours with as light a load as they could manage. After packing Marian left her house and said a few magical words. As she spoke the house seemed to shrink into a small shack and the neatly trimmed plants and grass around it turned wild. "There is no need for my magic to continue to influence this place," she said and turned to watch as three birds landed on a fallen log a few feet away. "Goodness girls, that certainly took long enough!"

The birds seemed to fold into the shape of Raina and two young women Walker didn't recognize. They all looked a lot like Marion, but each had a different general look. One girl was quite plain, but still lovely. She had soft black hair and a bright friendly face. She carried a small pack of her belongings on her shoulder as she smiled and looked at wolves behind her mother. The second girl was much taller with light brown hair. She was clearly more fit than her two siblings, and she was a good deal taller than them both. Her hair was short and tied back into a bun. She was just as pretty as the other two girls, but she had a different sort of beauty. More than anything Walker thought this young woman had Marion's stern face. "We came as quickly as we could mother. It was more difficult than we expected to slip away from the others," the stern-faced girl said.

"Have they discovered our plan?" Marion asked and looked nervously around her at the trees and bushes.

"They know... he... is missing, but they have not decided what course of action to take; or even if you are to blame mother," The taller girl replied.

"Good, then we will have no resistance. That is, if our guide can lead us back to his world," Marion said and turned to Walker.

Everyone was looking at him again and Walker couldn't help feeling like he was being judged, "I think I can find the way back to my world," Walker said and hoped he was right.

After the two daughters hugged their werewolf brother the group set out. Walker led everyone through the forest as quickly as he could manage. Marion and her daughters had turned into birds, two ravens, a crow, and what Walker thought was a barn owl. Raina was currently perched on Walker's shoulder as he walked through the forest. Marion was on Steel's shoulder, and the other two birds were hitching a ride from Fang. Walker honestly didn't know how he knew where to go, but it was like the clearing between the worlds was calling out to him.

It wasn't until he was thoroughly lost that Walker pushed through the thick bushes and back into a very familiar place. "I can feel the energy of this place between places. It vibrates through the trees and plants," Marion said and looked around with her little bird head. "This place is not of any one world, but part of many."

Walker looked around the clearing and smiled when he saw a soft golden glow coming from the distance. "This way," he said and motioned for the others to follow him. Warmth seemed to envelop Walker as he walked down a path he thought he knew well. Before he knew it the group pushed into the field right beside the one where Walker's house sat. "Is that where you live?" Raina asked.

"Sure is," Walker said and looked at his bird companion.

"It's certainly... cozy," she said and looked over Walker's shoulder at her mother.

Steel grunted as Marion made a squawking laughing sound in his ears. "We'll make do daughters," she said as the wolves carried their passengers through the fields towards the house. Somehow Walker just knew life would never be the same now that they picked up a bunch of bird-brained magical women.