The Stars Above

Story by Axis on SoFurry

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#5 of Seeking a Place in Life

Hoo boy, this one took quite a long time to write. Between bouts of writer's block, school, work and the other 9000 things, somehow I got it finished. A small disclaimer however, as I have not fully edited this yet. That will come tomorrow, when I'm actually fully awake.


"You seem to be looking forwards to the party."

Nate looked over his shoulder at Daryl, adjusting his shirt. "Yeah, figure I'd at least try to have fun." He turned back to his reflection in the large glass window. A simple white T-Shirt was covered with a white, orange and grey plaid patterned collared shirt, matched with a Chinese dragon pendant, carved out of black-gold tiger jade. Faded black jeans hung loosely, the cuffs around his feet slightly tattered from wear.

"Never seen you dress up like that in a while." Daryl remarked. "Trying to impress someone?"

"Faith maybe, Adala no, definitely no."

Snorting in amusement, he sat upon the arm of the couch, regarding Nate with amused eyes. "Hah, can't stand her, can you?"

"Fuck no." A crisp rap at the door interrupted the two, startling Nate. "Speak of the devil."

Practically running over to the door, most likely to get a look at Faith Nate surmised, Daryl opened it with his best smile. "Hello, you must be.... Oh..."

"Something wrong Daryl?" Following behind, he peered around him, his mood souring almost instantly. "Ah. It's you."

Adala stood with arms crossed in the doorway, a dismissive look upon her face. "Yeah, it's me." She shot back dryly.

Maintaining his flat face, he resisted the urge to cross his own arms, lest she accuse him of copying her. "What do you want."

"Let's go. I'm taking you to the party."

"Yeah, no. I'm going with Faith."

"She sent me." She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. "Grab your shit and let's go."

"No."

Daryl chimed in, hoping to diffuse the situation. "Faith's going to be there anyways right? It's just traveling with her. You two don't have to talk."

"Exactly." She added with noticeable reluctance. "I don't like this much either, so let's just entertain Faith's little plot to get us on better terms and slog through it."

While Nathan had no reason to believe Adala, she had yet to lie to him. "Fine. If it'll get you off my ass, then I'll go. But if I find out you just hijacked me from Faith-"

"Relax. She told me to do this. Besides, why would I voluntarily hang out with someone I can't stand?"

"Point taken." He turned to retrieve his cell phone before Adala stopped him.

"Forget your cell phone, let's just go.'" As sharp as her admonishment was, he could tell she was biting back a more severe comment.

"Why? Is there some rule against bringing it?"

"No, none at all. You're just fucking slow" She answered with a blatantly sarcastic hiss. "And by the way, you're majorly overdressed. Just wear something you can strip out of quickly."

Her instructions brought a stifled snort from Daryl, drawing both of their gazes to him. "What? I was just thinking how wrong that would sound for someone who doesn't know you two are lycans?" Despite how irked the two were, they both managed a chuckle, somewhat lightening the mood.

"I think I'll stick to this." He answered, straightening his shirt. "We're not going to be lycans all the time right?"

In response, Adala shrugged. "Suit yourself, now lets go. Don't bring your car either; there's a good chance you'll be drunk when tonight's over."

***

Just like the last time the two drove together, the atmosphere between the two was thick with animosity, yet neither spoke. The engines of the bus hummed into the cabin, droning away as Nathan sat in silence. While he didn't want to talk to Adala, the silence between the two was killing him.

It was Adala, however, who broke first. "Just to let you know, I want to enjoy myself tonight, so I don't want to argue or anything."

"Fine by me." He grumbled back. "The less I see of you, the better."

Adala turned turned to him, glaring. "What a way to treat a lady."

"Except you don't seem very lady like."

"You parent's must be proud of you, asshole."

"They aren't."

"Really? I suppose I should have expected that. I hope they're better than you."

"They're not."

"Hah, I'd like to talk to them one day, see if that's actually true.

"You can't."

"Why not?"

"They're dead."

Adala's snide attitude quickly evaporated, her head snapping to face him. "I... Oh..."

"Thanks for asking by the way. Good start to the night." Nate growled back, staring forwards.

The rest of the ride was silent, save for a few words exchanged when then exited near a wooded area. Adala had gone from angry to unsettlingly quiet, glancing at Nate every so often. He hated that change he saw in people. As soon as his parents came up, they started treating him like damaged goods. Every time he wished he never said anything, even if it meant a half hour of her berating him over every little point she could find.

Adala stopped in a small clearing, setting her backpack down. The sun was already low, casting dancing amber shadows across the ground. The air was filled with rustles as a warm breeze blew through the boughs of the trees above. The first hoots of owls mixed with the occasional chirp of a bird.

"Let's turn over here." She ordered, presenting another vial of blood to Nate.

Reluctantly taking the vial, he set it aside as she pulled his shirt off. "So why so quiet all of the sudden?"

She pulled the remainder of her underwear off without talking, turning over as she folded her clothes neatly. From her silence, he initially assumed she didn't hear him, but her glance at him told otherwise.

His temper flaring, Nate started to turn even without the blood. His vocal chords took on his more feline undertones as he snarled at her. "Stop the fucking silent treatment."

Adala, like before, remained silent, undoing her braids and fluffing her hair.

Furious at her lack of response, he lunged forwards, taking hold of the fur at the base of her neck, slamming her against the tree. He glared at her, tugging at the tufts in his hands. "I am still here you bitch. Quit treating me like a broken piece of shit and start treating me like a normal person."

"HEY! BREAK IT UP YOU TWO!"

Before he could say more, a stiff clawed grip pulled him away from Adala. The moment he broke free, Nate whirled around to see Faith, the leopard lycan's wide emerald eyes boring angry holes into him. "You two can yell and scream at each other, but I'm not going to let you two beat the hell out of each other.."

Nate regarded Faith with an almost hostile gaze. He knew her intentions were good, but it didn't dull the fact that she was stepping in on a fight that was between him and Adala alone. However, despite the interruption, his actions appeared to have the desired effect on Adala. Gone was her timid regard for him, as she huffed in irritated exasperation before leaving with only a mild greeting for Faith. "Hey Faith."

Faith caught Adala, leaning in to whisper in her ear. He saw her expression soften while she spoke to the werewolf before returning her stern gaze to Nate. "The way I see it, you started that fight."

"Yeah, well I hate to say it, but there's more to it than just was you saw."

She sighed in disappointment before turning, beckoning Nate to follow. "If you say so. Come on. The party's this way."

The path she took led to a small grove, open to the evening sky. The evergreens along the side swayed in the warm breeze flowing through the air over the cliff that lined the far limits. Down the cliff flowed a trickling waterfall, feeding a babbling creek that bisected the grove. Across it, a congregation of lycanthropes surrounded a fire, talking amongst themselves. The chatter was gleeful and upbeat, and he could pick up fond greetings, reminiscence of the days past, and wishes of good luck between the soft tunes of a flute, a guitar and a simple drum. The view would have been perfect, save for the one person standing before the creek.

Adala watched the two approach, before speaking herself. "Can I talk to you for a sec Nate?"

"No."

"Please Nathan. Just don't fight once, seriously." Her tone was devoid of any aggression, instead even with a small note of exasperation.

The look on her face made him soften, dulling his angry response. He didn't know what to make of her body language. It was equal parts a mixture of regret and anger, restraint and irritation. Such a position was hard to respond to, and he struggled to find a good reply.

Faith, however, seemed to understand. "Just listen to what she has to say Nate." Passing by the two, she stepped through the creek and waved to the other lycans around the fire.

Adala stepping forwards, speaking in a low voice, so to keep their conversation private. "Look Nathan. I don't like you, and I sure as hell know you don't like me."

"I think that's already well established." He answered sourly as his temper flared a little, tainting his response.

"Fuck Nathan, just shut the fuck up and listen alright. You don't know how much I want to kick the shit out of you for touching me."

"Go ahe-"

She reached out, clapping his muzzle shut, her gaze smouldering. "But Faith reminded me of why I brought you here, to give you a taste of a good lycan party."

"And?"

Her shoulders slumped as she set both hands on his shoulders. "We got off on the worst possible foot, and all we've seen is just how angry we can get at each other. Frankly, as much as I hate you, I still think you'd really be losing a lot."

Nate, keeping his tone skeptical, brushed her hands off his shoulders. "I'll be the judge of that."

"Nathan..." Her shoulders tensed up visibly as she growled lowly, barely keeping her temper reined in. "Okay, look. Just for this night, forget about wanting to be human. We'll just eat, drink, dance, have fun, and keep clear of each other alright? Just ring in the new celestial cycle without fighting."

"Fine. But I'm doing this more for Faith than me or you."

She stepped aside, with an annoyed look. "Fine then, but I still think that's the wrong reason."

Nate sighed, lingering in the creek for a moment. To him, it felt like stepping through a door to a house party. His hands instinctively found their way down to straighten any clothes, instead finding only fur. He stared downwards, his usual routine interrupted as he searched for something to do, something to reassure himself that he would fit in.

A gentle push from behind made him turn to face Adala, the werewolf giving a gentle nod. "Come on, don't have to worry about them biting, that part's already been taken care of." She murmured, displaying the stitched wound in her arm before waving to the rest of the pack. "Hey guys, brought the new blood."

A male werewolf, much more burly looking than Nate, stood to grab Adala's hand to pull her into a hearty hug, clapping his hand against her back. "Welcome back Adala! How was London?"

"Awesome, good food, good drinks, and the pack across the pond is doing great." She released him, turning to Nate. "This is Trent Windward. He's our pack's archivist."

"Archivist?" Nate asked, trying not to sound rude. "I would have never thought a pack of lycans would have an archivist."

"Well we do, and from what I hear from good old Adala, you and I should get along just fine, Mister Museum Curator." Trent clapped him on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of him. "Come on. Everyone wants to meet you."

What apprehension remained was drowned out by the barrage of greetings that met him. Everyone wanted to introduce themselves, and soon Nate was forgetting names faster than they were presented. The music and the smiles soon had his spirits lifted along with theirs. A minor reprieve from the verbal onslaught came when Margaret, Trent's wife, pulled a charred rack of pork ribs from the fire, along with other wooden containers of vegetables, meats and everything inbetween. With Trent's help, she gingerly flicked embers and coals off of them before prying them open, letting the aromas waft forth.

Nathan's nose twitched violently as he inhaled the aromas of the various spices and sauces wafting off the food. "That smells amazing."

Trent gave a toothy smile as he pulled Margaret in, kissing her. "Best cook in the city. Dig in, the newest member always gets first pick."

Taking a wooden plate offered by Trent, Nate looked down at the food, then at the plate. "Right, so.... Are there any utensils?"

"It's a traditional lycan dinner." Adala said, pushing past to pluck a strip of meat from one of the vessels. "Finger food. Dig in"

***

"So, how many of you were born werewolves?" Nathan asked, holding a rib bone with his claw tips. Despite his best efforts to keep clean, his fingers were sticky with the sweet homemade barbeque sauce that coated the ribs.

"Lycanthropes, not werewolves." Adala corrected, raising her hand, along with almost three quarters of the pack.

"Whatever; the rest of you turned?" He surveyed the group, then stopped when he saw Faith, hands occupied with her food. "Wait, Faith, you were turned?"

"You weren't the first Adala turned." She said with a grin, rinsing her fingers in a small bowl of water.

"So what happened?"

"Well Adala and I met when were 6. We got into a fight over a boy and Adala bit me."

"Over a boy huh?"

When Nathan faced Adala with an amused look, Adala's face flushed red and her answer was blurted and embarrassed. "What!? I was 6 and I didn't know any better! He wasn't anything special either!"

Faith joined Nate in poking fun at her friend. "Well he was special enough for you to date for a year in grade 9."

"Faith!" Adala's face was bright red, visible even through her fur as she snapped in embarassment. "Shut it!"

Nathan laughed, stopping only when Adala punched him in the arm, making Faith laugh harder, falling sideways into a lynx's lap. The laughter of the leopard was echoed in the pack, making her ears fall flat with a defiant rumble.

Trent, chuckling, offered a pair of wooden cups to the pair. "Alright, alright, enough you guys, give the girl a break. Here, drink."

Adala quickly seized the cup, downing the contents in one fell swoop. Nathan however swirled the liquid around, sniffing it experimentally. "Is this alcohol?"

"Mead. Arthur here brews it himself." Adala replied crisply before presenting her cup with a nod towards the lynx. "Can I get some more?"

Nathan raised an eyebrow as Arthur heaved jug of mead upwards, filling the cup. "Pace yourself Adala. There's more than enough for everyone, but I don't think we want you getting drunk like last time."

Nathan took a sip of his mead. "What happened 'last time?'"

"Enough stories, shut up and drink kitty." Adala groused, deflecting the topic and downing another drink. "The way you drink, it looks like you're a high school kid."

"Oh I can hold my liquor doggy."

"Really?" Adala tipped her glass towards him. "Prove it."

"Is that a challenge?"

"It is."

"Wait, waitwaitwait!" Faith stopped Nate from chugging his drink, an amused smirk on her face. "Enough you two, you're worse than a divorced couple." When the two began to protest, she silenced them again. "Shush you two! Enough fighting!"

Begrudingly Adala huffed, sipping her drink and seemingly calming down. However, when attentions turned from her, she quickly drained it, tapping the edge of it cup insistently and shooting a defiant glare towards Nate.

It was all he needed to see. He raised his cup, smoothly consuming his share before flashing the empty cup towards the werewolf. "Oh it's on now."

****

"Alright, that's enough you two." Trent declared, pouring Adala and Nate one last drink each. "We're here to have fun, not get piss drunk."

"We're not drunk." Adala paused to burp, wobbling a little. "Just tipsy, that's all."

"Yeah, tipsy." Nathan purred, tipping back his drink again.

"Well enough you two, the constellations should be changing soon."

"Constellations changing? Wha..." Nate slurred out, looking upwards and nearly falling backwards

Adala, still retaining some reflexes through her inebriation, caught Nate. "Take a look upwards."

Craning his neck back, Nathan looked up into the black night sky, towards the motes of light the stars cast through the sky. He squinted a little, trying to see everything at once when he saw it.

It came first when the stars began to shimmer, some even blinking out of sight. Adala pointed upwards. "There, watch that constellation." Several of the stars blazed brightly, drawing a rough line with a circle on the end, hovering above an inverted triangle.

"There's the hammer and anvil." Trent said, gazing skywards. "Not gonna see it for another 6 years."

"Errr, what's going on?" Nate asked, eyes darting between Trent and the shimmering constellation. While his first assumption was that the illusion was a byproduct of beer goggles, all the others in their little party were also watching the same thing he was.

"That's the stars of the forge." Adala explained, still wobbling herself. "Remember how I told you how different people are born under different stars? This is our zodiac, in a way. "

"Yeah but what're all those lights and why haven't I heard of them before?"

"We dunno. All we know is that only lycans can see them. Now quiet, the new constellation will be forming soon."

Watching the abstract constellation made Nate think. In all his time spent studying history, earning his degrees and research done in the museum, he thought he had a grasp on everything in this world. The last few days, however, had changed all that with just a single drop of blood. If someone would have told him that lycanthropes were real, he would have openly laughed. If they told him that there were hidden constellations that only the lycans could see, He would have thought them crazy. And yet, as the stars of the forge constellation faded, all of these were true. The pack was almost like family already, and as much as he hated to say it, Adala's advice was starting to look better and better. The sense of belonging was something he had wanted for a long time

"They're gone." Nate said, furrowing his eyebrows.

"There'll be a new constellation forming soon." Adala said reassuringly. "Just takes time for the stars to come into view."

Gazing around the sky, he saw the first flicker of the stars brightening into existence, drawing a line, straight and narrow, with diamond point forming on the tip. "Those stars?"

"Yeah, yeah, those!" Trent exclaimed, drawing a shape in the sky with an outstretched finger. "The arrow, right?"

Adala nodded, leaning back to look at it. "It is. Fancy tha-oops!" In her intoxicated state, she fell backwards, flailing slightly as she did.

Looking down on her, Nate chuckled, making her shove him with a foot. "You're drunk."

"Not as drunk as you kitty. Now come on, help me up."

Together, Trent and Nate pulled her to her feet again. She clung to the cheetah for balance. "You better not fall over now."

"I won't, I won't... I hope."

While the two braced against each other, the musicians began to play once again, this time with a faster, more upbeat tune. The rhythm was a more Scottish tune, prompting Adala to pull Nate away from the fire into a more open space. "You can dance, right?"

"Wait what?"

"Come on, arms up!" She said with an uncharacteristically friendly grin. Taking his hands, she placed it on the small of her back, resting hers on his shoulders. "Everyone else is."

As the rest of the pack paired up, Nate looked around nervously. "Uhhhh..... I don't think this is a good idea dancing while drunk."

But before his protest could register, Adala stepped off, twirling the two into a clumsy spiral. In their intoxicated state, it didn't take long before their feet tangled, sending the two to the ground. Grunting as she took the brunt of the impact, Adala's grin didn't even waver despite the mistake. "Come on Nate, where's some of that feline grace?"

"It'd be a lot easier if I could actually dance."

"Really, you actually can't dance?"

Nate stood up, wavering for a moment in his intoxicated state before helping Adala up, once again finding her bracing against him. "I skipped all my high school dances if that makes it worse."

"Alright." Once again, she set his and her hands in position, giving him an almost humorously serious look. "I don't care how bad you are; you're learning to dance tonight."

****

The basics came easy enough to Nate. Simple footwork, twirls and flourishes, but that's where it all fell apart. More often than not, he had ended up dropping Adala in mid-step, making him cringe in expectation of a severe reaction. But what he received was far from what was expected. Instead of the usual snappy remarks, he could sense her patience wearing thin, but not out of anger. It didn't take long before she gave up trying to teach him how to dance well and simply told him to stick to the basics.

And so the two set off into a simple weave, moving in time to the jig the band played. As they moved, his steps became more confident, and Adala, keeping perfect pace, began to pick up speed as well. Feeling confident enough to spin her out, he released her, then pulled her back in, suprised at the expression he saw. The smile on her face was a far cry from the angry remarks he received in the forest, and it was something he couldn't help but return, making her smile even brighter.

"I thought you said you couldn't dance." She growled, stepping off again.

Following her steps, he smirked back. "You said I was a quick learner."

"You're not." Swaying with him, she pulled him closer. "But you're a good dancer."

Maybe it was the alcohol, or the atmosphere, but Nathan felt no need for a snide remark. He was silent for a long moment in thought. "You were right though. About everything."

Laughing quietly, she pressed her nose against his. "I'm sorry, what? I thought I heard you say I was right."

"I'm not saying it again." His reply was in a grousing tone, but lacked any hostility, instead amused and challenging, mirroring hers.

"Say it." Her nose pushed forwards defiantly, her feet still keeping time with the music.

Pushing back, his voice dropped, not wanting to let anyone else in on their conversation. "No."

"Say it or I trip you again."

"Go ahead and try."

With an arrogant scoff, she pushed forwards more agressively, trying to take the lead in the dance. Nate, however, didn't give her any ground, matching her pace for pace, turning and maneuvering her back into a following position. Not willing to give any leeway, Adala set a blistering step for the two, her feet weaving an elaborate pattern which he struggled to match. Despite the difficulty, the defiant energy that Adala radiated seeped into him, his grin growing with each stumble. Through each song, he clung on for dear life as she did her best to outdance him, but somehow he managed to keep up, laughing with her all the way.

By the end of the night, the pack had began to break up as individuals began to leave in groups. Faith had left earlier with a friend in tow. Trent and Margaret went around, thanking the musicians one by one. Before long, Nathan and Adala had departed themselves, turning back to their human states and making their way back to the roadway to wait for the bus, sitting upon a log and leaning against eachother.

"That was... fun...." Nate remarked, just catching his breath.

Adala laughed, panting just as much, the waft of alcohol on her breath. "That was a blast kitty."

Chuckling a little, he looked over to her. "For you maybe. I was barely keeping up."

A small poke in the rib made him twitch a little, as she smiled at him. "You're not half bad though; give yourself some credit."

"Mmm." As the headlights of the bus washed over them, the two stood, Adala still balancing against against Nate. "Come on, let's get you home."

"Hey, I'm supposed to be watching you." She groused playfully.

"Drunk watching a drunk. Sounds like a bad comedy movie."

When the two took a seat, Adala fell silent, much like she did on the ride to the party. Her silence, however, was more thoughtful instead of regretful.

It felt like an eternity before she spoke again. "I'm sorry about before Nathan."

"Sorry about what?" He asked, worried she was going to revert to being hostile once again.

"I'm sorry about being a bitch about your family."

Nate waved off her comment. "We were both angry so it doesn't matter. Besides it's not like they're the type of people who you want to be raised by."

Adala leaned into the corner of the bus, against the window, an eyebrow raised. "I'm sensing a story."

He nodded in response. "Apparently, as soon as I was born, I was taken by the government, thrown into the foster system and went from home to home."

"Bad homes I take it?"

"Hah, far from. All of them were great, but I couldn't stand them. I kept running away from them for every reason in the book. Every time I did, I always ended up at the Museum of Anthropology. I got familiar with the curator of the museum, and eventually they ended up adopting me when I was 13. "

"How did you find out about your real family?"

Nate chuckled a little at her question. "They weren't a family at all. They were a pair of druggies that just happened to spit me out one day. Apparently they somehow stayed together after I was born, and got themselves killed in a car crash. The police called me to identify the bodies."

"Shit, that must have been rough." Adala murmured, her face etched with regret.

His response was an indifferent shrug. "It was interesting to say the least, but I have no regret not knowing them. The way I look at it, they're just the two halves of the equation that created me."

"Huh. Pretty thick way of looking at it, but still, I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"It's fine. Like you said, we were both seeing red, we needed to cool off."

The topic seemed to be the cooling effect needed for the two. Much of the trip back was occupied with small talk, much like the morning after Nate first changed. While he could sense Adala tiptoeing around the subject of his upbringing, it was something he could put up with now that she knew. Despite that, the rift between the two still was there, and the topics ran out quickly, the rest of the trip spent in silence when Adala nodded off. Looking down at her, Nate found it hard to be angry at her anymore. Much of what she said about him being narrow minded at the time was right. Not one to leave something that was his fault alone, he wanted to make amends with her.

There was not enough distance though for him to think of something. Before long, the bus had reached their stop. With a gentle shake, he roused Adala.

"W...whassup? Did I fall asleep?" She slurred out groggily.

"We're up next." He said, helping her up.

While the ride back wasn't long enough for the two to sober up, it was enough for her to regain her balance. In the glow of the streetlights, she yawned turning to leave with a wave. "Fun night Nate, even if we did get off to a bad start."

Walking quickly over to her side, he smirked a little. "Trying to get rid of me?"

"You don't need to walk me home, I'm a fucking werewolf." A playful shove accompanied her defiant reply.

"Lycanthrope. And a drunk one at that. I'm walking you home."

Adala chuckled, waving for him to follow. "Alright, alright kitty, come on."

The two made the short walk over to her apartment, the building only a block and a half from his. Looking up at the windows, he counted floors, remembering the night he saw Faith when she called. The glow of light was barely visible to him, his vision lacking the acuity his feline eyes afforded him. The building itself was much like his own, a concrete and glass tower with the only real way up being the elevators.

"Thanks for coming Nate. You're really a good guy." Her smile was evident as she spoke, pushing her key into the lock on her door..

Nate couldn't help but babble a little at the comment with a bashful smile, unused to such compliments. "I... Well-"

She laughed in response, mussing his hair a little. "Relax and take the complement." The door unlocked with a click, Adala waiting for a moment to finish speaking. "Anyways see you... Sometime, I guess..." Her words trailed off.

"I guess...."

The two stood there awkwardly, neither of them knowing what to say. It wasn't like they'd never see each other again, but at the beginning of the night, they both hated each other with a burning passion. Now, with the animosity gone, all that was left was a small chill between the two. With nothing else to do, Adala gave a small wave and opened the door

The room and sounds behind it, however, turned the awkward situation into something neither of them could have salvaged. What would have been a normal glimpse at the couch inside was instead taken up by Faith, head hung back as the lynx lycan from the party nibbled her neck, the way she moaned making it painfully obvious where his hands were.

While Nate flushed completely red and looked away, Adala jumped at the opportunity to tease her friend. "So, who's the new friend Faith?"

Faith and her partner's head's immediately snapped towards the door, the two sharing horrified looks. "Oh my god! GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!"

Nate and Adala narrowly dodged the shoe sailing out, the door immediately slamming shut behind it. Adala chuckled lowly, shaking her head. "Well going home is out."

"I... Ummmm.... What... just happened?" Still redfaced and slightly mortified, Nate stood still as a rock.

Adala, meanwhile, unembarrassed, gave his arm a tug. "Come on, guess I'm crashing at your place tonight.

***

When the two reached his apartment, Nate still was visibly flustered. Flopping onto the couch, he groaned and covered his eyes, thankful that Daryl was out working late. "Oh god, I can't believe we just saw that."

"What are you complaining about?" Adala teased, leaning on the back over him. "I thought you liked Faith."

"Yeah, but seeing her naked like that?"

Her smirk grew wider upon hearing his reply. "We just spent the last 6 hours walking around butt naked in a group, dancing around together, and you're worried about seeing her naked now?"

"She had some guy giving her a handjob!" He blurted back in exasperation. "You don't just say sorry and walk away like nothing happened!"

"Yeah, but that lynx..." She growled and licked her lips. "Arthur, I think his name was..."

Looking up at her, he couldn't believe her nonchalant reaction to the entire situation. "You see your roommate having sex with some guy and the first thing you think of is how hot the guy is?"

"What? I like feline lovers. You guys are always so intense whenever you go down on someone. I can guarantee you're the same."

Seeing no way out of the topic he reluctantly went along with it. "So you'd seriously do me just because I'm a cat?"

Raising an eyebrow, her smirk took on a much more suggestive look. "Is that an offer?"

Trying to keep on topic, he quickly set her straight. "Just answer the question."

"Mmmmm.... Well as a human, being brutally honest, on appearance you're probably a 4 out of 10."

Wincing at her assessment, he continued. "And when I'm a cheetah?"

She leaned over him as she spoke in a low voice, her grey eyes shifting into the piercing amber of her lycan side. "Easy 8, probably a 9."

"Really?" Part of him was screaming against where this was going, but the rest of him quickly stifled it's opposition.

A sly smile slid onto her face. "Yep. How about me?"

"I..." In hindsight he should have seen the question coming, but still he hesitated when answering. "I dunno, never thought about it. Probably, I think... I dunno..."

Chuckling a little, she tilted her head. "So a girl is literally hanging her ass out for a guy and you haven't even figured out if you find her hot or not?"

"Hey, I haven't even had 5 minutes to think about this."

"Alright, how about this?" Without a word more, Adala slid over the back of the couch to lay atop him, placing her hands on his clothed chest, her head darting in for a light kiss. While it lasted only for a moment, Nate could swear he felt sparks jumping between their lips as they met. As the two separated, their eyes locked for a split second, Adala's bright and playful, Nate's surprised and frozen.

"One night, no strings attached." She murmured, hands guiding his to her hips before she brought them up to frame his chest. "And not as a human. I want to feel your kitty side go wild."

Once again, she had him at a loss, her aggressiveness taking him off guard. Still, the warmth of her body against him was enticing, and hard to argue with. "I... guess... No strings, no nothing if it goes south?"

Adala's answer was another kiss, this time more intense and much longer. Nate's hands gripped her hips firmer as he felt her physique shifting into that of a wolf. Breaking the kiss only for a moment, he helped her pull her shirt off, her fur already sprouting beneath it. She moved her arms to let him remove her bra, his fingers clumsily fumbling with the clasp, drawing a small chuckle from her as she reached back to help him. "Isn't that hard kitty."

"Well excuse me." He shot back with a meek smile, a touch embarrassed.

Picking up on his ineptitude, she discarded her bra and butted her half wolf head against his playfully. "How long has it been since you've had a girl in bed with you?"

"You'll laugh if I tell you."

"Long time?" She answered in amusement.

"Too long."

"How long?"

"... About a year and a half." He mumbled back reluctantly."

"Really? A year and a half?" She chuckled back, reaching down to slip a hand under his belt. "Not even a one night stand?"

The wandering digits on his length made him squirm beneath her. "Y-yeah."

"We're fixing that tonight then." Withdrawing her hand, she undid her belt and teasingly wiggled out of her pants as she slid down his body. "Shirt off or you're gonna tear it to pieces."

Realizing she wanted him to turn, he made a sour face. "Am I gonna have to drink blood again?"

She shook her head, pulling his jeans down with a sly smile and a flash of her canines. "You can if you want to. I have something a lot more fun in mind."

Even though he expected what came next, the slow lick of her tongue along his stiffening length almost made him jump out of his skin, halting his movements. Her long, wet tongue seemed to curve and slither wetly around him, retreating only for a moment as she kissed his tip. The treatment had him almost painfully hard as he shifted in the couch, the slow lapping drawing a warbling groan from him as his feline and human vocal chords mixed. His toes curled as he felt his leg muscles shifting, pulling taut under his skin as his hips bucked upwards reflexively, catching Adala off guard.

Stroking him slowly, she snickered at him. "A little pent up kitty?"

Sheepishly smiling at her, he shifted into a more comfortable position. "Try a lot."

"I hope I'm not dealing with a short fuse here."

Despite her sarcastic and joking smirk the joke prompted an indignant response from him. "You keep going like that and that fuse will just keep getting shorter."

"Hey, I'm not complaining. So long as you last longer in bed."

His counter was cut off by the pleasure of her tongue slowly sliding along his length, the warm confines of her mouth soon wrapped around him. With the length of her muzzle, she easilly slid his entirety into her mouth without deepthroating him. As she worked, he felt his tail lengthening beneath him, sliding out and restlessly flipping back and forth as Adala's head bobbed slowly. His fingers and toes stretched, fingernails hardening into claws which caught the carpet and couch, tugging at them much like a cat would. Already, the first strands of his golden fur sprouted on his belly, his groans morphing into a heated purr as he reached down to run his fingers through her hair as his length throbbed almost painfully, his restraint wearing thin.

Finally, with a deep throaty yowl, his hips bucked upwards and his length throbbed stiffly, cum spurting into Adala's mouth. Moaning a little, she kissed his base, letting him ride out his high. What felt like an eternity for Nate ended all too suddenly, leaving him panting and lightheaded as he ran fingers through Adala's hair.

"F... fuck me, that was..."

"Incredible?" Adala finished, wiping a bead of cum from her face with her thumb.

Nate purred deeply and playfully. "I hate cliches, but yeah, best blowjob yet."

"You're not the only one that enjoyed that." Sitting up, she revealed her fingers laying lightly upon the lips of her sex. "Watching you go off, that was pretty hot."

"Well come up here and let's see what I can do to help finish you off."

Smiling slyly, she stood up and wagged a beckoning finger. "How about somewhere where we won't be interrupted."

Trying not to look too desperate, he nearly scrambled to his feet, chasing after her. Catching only a glimpse of her tail as she rounded the corner into his bedroom, he quickly followed, stopping in the doorway when saw the scene before him. The room was bathed in darkness, save for the open window, the moonlight illuminating Adala, fur glowing a luminous silver as she stood on her hands and knees, tail flipped up revealing the pink lips of her sex, glistening with a slight wetness.

"Well?" Her voice was low, a sultry murmur that he never expected to come from her. "C'mere kitty."

Not even needing prompting, he climbed onto the bed with a deep purr, the sight tugging at deeply ingrained instincts as his length throbbed almost painfully. "You really know how to get a guy going Adala. Makes me wish I could skip right to the fun part."

"Then skip to it." She said with a note of urgency, her legs spreading to give him room. "I meant it when I said go wild."

Edging up behind her, he gripped her hips firmly as the impulse to mate the wolf before him grew stronger and stronger. Inwardly, he wondered what she meant by felines being intense lovers, the need for him impossible to ignore and growing stronger by the second. His tip kissed her sex for a moment as he thrust his hips forwards, making it slide along it firmly. The silky contact drew fervid reactions from the two, a throaty growl from Nate and a shuddered sigh from Adala. Her reaction grew more desperate with each motion until finally he slipped in, her silky folds tugging at him and beckoning him deeper. He growled, hands firmly upon her waist and holding her still like he owned her, his instincts wrestling to subdue his self control as he hilted in her.

Sensing his hesitation and inner conflict, she pushed back with her hips, rolling them sensually as she murmured a quiet encouragement. "Stop fighting it and let that cheetah loose Nathan."

Those words were all he needed to hear as he finally dove into his new mind, an unfamiliar yet familar feeling flooding his body. Forcefully pushing forwards to dominantly press her into the mattress, he began thrusting in deep, powerful strokes, his length pulsing as he claimed Adala as his own. The two rocked, the throes of carnal pleasure enveloping the two, turning them from humans to animals, a male claiming and mating his female. The feeling was overwhelming for him, the hot, wet grip on his member only a part of it. Each thrust sent a feral jolt through him, stirring primal instincts locked in his feline DNA. Gone was Nathan, the shy human who was having second thoughts over a night with a friend. Adala was his now, and he wanted, no, needed to make sure she knew.

"Oh fuck yes!" Adala's cry served to tug a bit of him back as her shaking arms gave out, making her fall to the mattress. "Stars, yes! Don't stop Nathan! Harder!"

Leaning down to bring his whole weight to bear upon her, he snarled wildly to her as he saw her face, a rictus of complete ecstacy. When he saw the opportunity, he claimed her lips in a rough, passionate kiss, her hand pressing them together only serving to encourage him. His thrusts picked up in speed, the tug of her sex, the desperation of her kiss, and her sweet scent driving him mad with lust and boiling his blood. When the kiss broke, he yowled, having no words to express what he was feeling as his pulse thundered in his ears, the two racing towards an unfathomable peak.

What felt like an eternity for him soon seemed to be coming to an end as his rhythm became more erratic, his cock tingling and pulsing inside her spasming depths. The two rocked as his thrusts pressed more against her with each hilt, the cheetah seeking to burrow even deeper. The wolf met his thrusts as well, no longer moaning or crying out, but instead panting and whimpering lustfully, eyes closed and fists balled up as she lost what little restraint she had left. Quicker and quicker the two moved until finally their hips met and held, his canines biting down on the scruff of her neck to hold her still as he came in her, grunting and groaning as he felt each throb spill more cum into her sex. Whether it was the bite or the building heat or friction, or the spurt of his essence inside her, he couldn't tell, but her sex locked around him, milking and squeezing every bit of cum from him as her breath hitched, mouth open in a whimpered scream.

Nate lost track of how long the two spent like that, riding out their shared orgasms, each one's pleasure fueling the other's. The twitch and tremble beneath him seemed to slowly bring him back to reality as his feral desires were satisfied. Releasing her neck from his mouth, he laid atop her, spent, but also buzzing with satisfaction he couldn't quite explain. As Adala drifted down from her high, her body fell limp beneath him, eyes closed and breath hot and panted. Unable to hold her body up, she fell to her side, taking him with her. The two found themselves as spoons, arms still wrapped together and legs entangled as they both lacked the energy to move.

It was long moments before Nate lifted his head to speak, looking over to Adala's face to see her glazed and dazed eyes, half open and starting back at him. Before he uttered a word, she met his lips in a kiss, passionate and ardent, but also tired. As she broke it, she silenced him with a finger across his lips as she smirked back at him in the moonlight. Though he wanted to say something, to tell her just how intense the experience was, somehow he could tell that she knew what he wanted to say, and somehow he knew that no reply would be able to convey it. Instead, he felt her snuggle up, her plush coat of fur mingling with his coarse layer, the wonderful warmth a perfect end to an incredible night.