FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

-Powerful Silence-

Evan had been driving for an hour to get back home; The radio weather report had been talking about the sudden temperature drop with freezing rain, and to be aware of downed power lines with the obvious auto accidents.

Knowing full well the disastrous nature of such a weather extreme, he still left to run his errands after eating breakfast.

His little Subaru Justy was perfect for this type of weather, but it really did not matter at this point; home was only twenty more minute away. He had his thick, dark blue cordura jacket on, the one he was not allowed to wear on the job.

Evan worked as an onsite heavy equipment mechanic for a logging outfit in Fairbanks, where high visibility orange or yellow jackets, and helmets were required. The outfit did not fall trees, they searched out already downed logs at river jams and anything else that could be extracted by helicopter or crane.

The drive out to where he lived off the Chena highway was long at first, but after commuting for four years, it seemed to go by quickly in the hardly ever changing landscape of rolling hills and ampule amount of trees without end with the occasional thin spire of smoke coming from a home hard to see in the thickly forested area. The journey only felt longer when Evan had to run errands, but he was on vacation for the rest of the year.

It started taking too long to get generators and other equipment warm enough to achieve ignition. Thick, cold engine oils,with hydraulic fluids could breach seals, and seize pump systems if not brought up to the proper operating temperatures.

By the time they got everything running it was already afternoon, which did not work out when dusk started around four pm. It was life this far North, work hard and quickly during the almost four months you are graced with, then concede to the cold of rapidly approaching winter.

Evan had stopped at the Fox Road spring as the freezing rain started to come down in abundance to fill up his four, five gallon water containers. It made the Justy ass heavy, but with four wheel drive, it just made the vehicle handle better in adverse conditions, especially with a months worth of groceries in the back on top of the water, and the folded down back seat.

He was hoping the Butcher's delivery driver was going to deliver his two full Caribou, and Moose to fill his freezers in a couple of days. He would hunt during his days off, then deliver the kills to a local cold storage to make sure meat was abundant for the long winter months.

Evan lived a reasonably simple life out in the Chena area; his house was payed off, and all he had to do was pay for food, fuel, electricity, and service tax. Other than that, his home was nice and well kept with plenty of books, music, videos, then tending his garden, and a powered sled to entertain ones self with in the dead of winter.

The rain had been really coming down with the caking effect of sleet, it was a good thing he had invested in the same windshield wipers that the Rally Racers used on their Pro cars; they were a double blade design with a flushing sprayer for really muddy conditions, and were also heated to quickly melt trapped snow or start the thawing process while the car warmed up.

The drive time seem to move quicker as Evan fidgeted with the radio for something else to listen to, he kept thinking that he should have invested in a new stereo as well, being stuck with only a radio definitely had its down falls, but volume was up and the song was 'Boston Rag'. Most definitely better than nothing at all with a good song playing.

Evan noticed a figure in the distance knelt down like they were making and attempt to cross the road defending something from the torrential and deadly freezing rain. He pulled on the steering wheel leaning forward to get a better look.

'Better see what this is all about.' he thought slowing down.

The figure started to collapsed right as he pulled up.

He pressed the hazard flashers and pulled over and offer assistance. When getting out, he had to pull his hood up from the sweat shirt worn underneath the jacket to shield himself from the precipitation coming down in sheets. Evan came around to the passenger side of his car to help the collapsed person; They laid on their side shivering with what looked like dark blue thin fabric plastered over them from the frozen precipitation.

He couldn't peel the layers of fabric off a person. The material had tighten with the moisture, and ice forming on it. It had become difficult to see the difference between a seam and fold.

Evan picked up the shivering individual and carefully took five steps to his car. After a couple of times with the two finger hook technique on the door latch, he was able to get the door open and carefully putting them into shelter. Doing his best to quickly shake off the build up on his hood and coat, Evan almost slipped before getting back into the car.

Shutting the door quickly, but gently, he was in the driver's side pushing the four wheel drive button on top of the shifter, then let the car roll for a moment before speeding away to his home.

His passenger was shivering a lot. Evan flipped the heater fan on full as speedometer was rapidly climbing through each shift as covered ground quickly towards the single level house off the beaten path. With the amount of heat in the cab, the sheet was starting to dry a bit in a couple of the tight, folded edges, but the shivering continued to get worse.

He tore off down the Chena Highway waiting to see the mail boxes that were the marker for the right hand turn to get to the side road, as Evan sped on the straight, he heard an infant start crying under the cloth.

“Oh, shit." he said still watching for the marker to the first ninety degree corner only so many seconds away.

He found it, riding the clutch and brakes while down shifting, the Justy started to slide. Evan rotated the steering wheel as far right as it would go, then dumped the clutch while push the accelerator to the floor raising the RMP's before shifting into second gear to get the Justy to pull the front end to the right. Narrowly missing the deep ditch, he let the steering wheel glide through his hand rolling left to let the car straighten as it began to rocket forward on it's narrow twenty two inch tires.

After taking care through a few more abrupt corners, he pulled into his driveway and hastily made his way to get the passengers to more hospitable accommodations. Evan noticed a bit of smoking coming up from the gaps in the hood. A gasket had paid the price for sure, but it did not matter with the moment at hand.

Carrying who ever they were into the house, Evan carefully laid them on the kitchen floor and pulled out his hunting knife to cut them free of the tightened fabric in order to not waist time. It was a very crucial moment to preserve life as the remaining fragments of ice fell to the floor.

To his surprise, he saw a pelt less Female with dark brown hair that looked almost black, her skin was a smooth ivory color starting to turn bluish, and cold; the infant was crying at the top its lungs for warmth from under her wool sweater. The Mother was still breathing, but unconscious from fatigue and showing signs of exposure.

“What are you?" he asked aloud.

Evan started to remove the stranger's wet clothes to realize his freezing guest was Female.

Her infant was half nude with only a tiny shirt and no bottoms, the child was a Female to. Scooping up the crying baby and laying her on the broke in seat of his easy chair, he began to wrapped her with the wool blanket that was draped over the back, then carefully picked up the Mother and took her to the bathroom and started to run warm water in the tub and set her in it. He went back to his chair and picked up the crying girl to take her to the tub to get warm as well.

The water soothed the baby's crying after ten minutes, but the Mother was still not conscious. Evan finished drying the little girl off and wrapping her up in and old shirt with a dish towel diaper. As he dried the Mother, he couldn't help but look at her body. She looked so different, but had that same body of any Female he knew, just lacking one other appendage, and no pelt except in the most private of areas.

“Quit staring, it's unbecoming of a Male to do so." Evan said to himself.

Laying her next to her Daughter on his bed, Evan pulled out old clothes and a couple of electric blankets. After dressing her in a few layers of sweat trousers, sweat shirts, and socks; Evan laid her on one blanket, and covered her with the other, and set the blankets to half heat, then covered her up with the quilt.

He picked up the little girl and took her towards the front room to figure out how to get the groceries out of the car, he stopped and turned up the heat in the house. Using the old wool blanket pulled off the back of his chair the first time, he wrapped the baby up and set her in his easy chair reclined, the started to run back and forth to the car to get all of the provisions out and in the house quickly.

Fifteen minutes later, everything was in the house; then came putting everything away. After that, Evan went back into the bedroom with the baby to check on the heat of the blankets, and a pulse. Her Mother was alive, but still needed rest; the underlying problem was making sure the infant was able to feed. Evan's Mother had taught him about Females getting tired and needing their Mate to help with feeding by laying down and holding their infant and Mate in such a way to ensure the child could feed with their resting Mother.

Evan was apprehensive at the idea, but his Mother had ingrained in him the importance of a Male helping his Mate in every aspect of raising a child, especially feeding.

This Female was most definitely not his Mate. He knew that if a Female of his people enlisted his help, it would be acceptable. This strange Female may not feel the same way if she awoke.

He laid the little girl down with her Mother, and then proceeded to lock up the house and turn off the lights except the one in the hallway; she may need to use the bathroom and it would be rude not to be accommodating.

Evan had already seen his guest nude… But it did not help the feeling of trespassing with pulling up the layers of three shirts to expose her breasts for the sake of her child feeding.

He removed his jacket, and crawled into bed and situated himself with the infant girl and his right arm under the Mother's shoulders pulling closer keeping the little girl between them for support, then waited for nature to take its course.

The sounds of the infant suckling were drowned out by the oil furnace roaring to life. Evan started to drift in and out with being relaxed and the ambient temperature of his home almost reaching something that resembled the tropics.

After almost twenty minutes, he heard a tiny cough; the little girl was done and had gotten a little too much on the last draw. He carefully moved over to get off the bed and picked up the baby and made sure she was not choking. Evan pulled her Mother's shirts back down and felt her head for perspiration to see if the electric blankets were still needed; little beads of sweat started to form, he turned the down blankets to medium low and covered her back up then put his jacket back on, then wandered into the front room again. Evan laid the little girl in his chair for a moment to fetch a large glass of water to put on the nightstand incase the Mother woke up thirsty. Getting diapers was going to be priority, and locating the other stash of hand towels. As he changed her, she kicked and wiggle around; Evan smiled and wrapped her back up in his wool blanket, then sat in his reclining chair.

Once comfortable, Evan picked up his book and started reading as the roar of the furnace sounded off for another round of heat. Within minutes, she was sleeping in the comfort of her small time hero.

Yana awoke from a bad dream to realized she was covered up in blankets and dressed in dry clothes; about to silently sigh in relief, she realized her baby was not in the bed with her. Panicked, Yana quietly slide out of the bed feeling stiff from exertion.

She notice the well kept room with the provided water that sat on the stand. After taking a few sips, she slowly walked out into the illuminated hall way running her fingers down the maple panelling.

Feeling overwhelmed with taking in the sights of the strange house, Yana feeling the heavy weave carpet under her feet, almost jumped out of her skin with the loud roar of the furnace starting its cycle again.

Using the loud noise to her advantage, Yana crept down the hall passed a couple more open doors.

Carefully checking each one for anything that might be lurking slowly making her way to the front room. Yana stopped where the hall ended to see a wood stove in front of a curtained windows to the left. Past that was shelves with an old television in the corned with what looked like a dark wooden cabinet below it.

The kitchen was divided from the room by a bar that had shelves filled with books and video cassette tapes. It was strange that she heard no one, but decided it was safe to proceed.

Stepping out and turning right, she was confronted by another sight that almost made her jump.

A silver pelted Wolf head with a man's body dressed in a dark blue jacket, jeans and boots, with pulled back hair that was almost a light blue, sleeping with her baby bundled up in one arm and a book turned pages down resting on the opposite knee. Her mind was racing as she started to shake a little with fear. The Lupine's ears started to twitch a little and move as it picked up on her panicked breathing.

The Lupine's free hand slowly reached down and pulled the lever to set its chair upright, as soon as Yana saw the yellow eyes looking back at her, she covered her mouth like she was screaming, but no sound came from her except rapid breathing. She looked around the room for anything she could use as a weapon and saw an old fireplace log poker to her left and darted to it and had it her possession threatening the Wolf headed man with it followed by rapid motions of 'give me my child'. As the Lupine slowly stood up, Yana realized it was only a few inches taller than she was, but much bigger. That was really no comfort, it felt like a lucid nightmare in a well kept house.

She motioned again; the Lupine motioned back with its free hand for her to calm down and situated the baby to carefully hand her back. As soon as Yana thought she had a hold of her child, she struck the Lupine in the left arm as hard as she could. Yana heard a pained grunt, and just as quickly the poker was in its hand, so was her baby. She back away and bolted down the hallway to end up trapped in the bedroom, then dropped to her knees with tears running down her fear ridden face, shuddering in a corner waiting for the Wolf to come for her.

Evan was furious for a few seconds from the pain; the Mother made sniffling sounds, but that was all. He put the poker back in its cradle, walked quietly down the hall, and slowly entered the room, turned on the light, and looked at her very concerned with what had just happen. It was obvious that she was really frightened by him and probably thought he was going to hurt her.

Yana watched him intently and waited to see what he was going to do next.

The little girl had soiled herself again and a ripe smell arose; she saw the expression in Evan's face and realized her baby was in need of a change. He walked into the kitchen to grab another towel and wipes and came back into the bedroom.

She watched as he sat on his knees in front of her and carefully laid the little girl down and unwrapped her from the wool blanket, then proceeded to change her Daughter. The nightmare had just turned into some kind of strange comedy, and the funny part was, the baby was cooing and smiling at Evan. After he wrapped her back up, Evan took a long look into the dark brown eyes of the frightened Female, she was looking back at him with the expression of 'please forgive me'.

He leaned forward and held the little girl out to her and gave the nod of 'go ahead'.

She showed apprehension and fear; Evan repeated the nod again and leaned in closer.

Yana trembled, but carefully lifted the infant out of his hands and held her close still keeping eye contact with him. He rubbed his arm where Yana had hit him, tears ran down her face again; Evan motioned with both hands for her to calm down. She motioned back with a clenched hand and moved it in a circular motion over the center of her chest twice.

“It's all right, I won't hurt you." he said.

She slowly nodded and started to stand up as Evan did; another tense moment between them until he stooped down and picked up the soiled towel and dirty wipes. Evan motioned for her to follow him. She watched the sweeping motion of his tail as he walked into the hall to dispose of the used wipes in the bathroom's toilet. Tossing the soil towel in the utility sink next to the washing machine. Yana stood there waiting.

Evan motioned again to follow in the front room. She stopped next to the wood stove watching him as he walked passed her to gather her clothes from the kitchen to start a load of laundry. He took a few minutes to rinse the soil towel out before adding it to the washer. She had not moved seeming still in shock keeping an eye on what in her world would be an apex predator.

After adding the detergent, Evan shut the lid and started the wash cycle.

Looking back down the hallway, he noticed the Female had not moved from where she stood. Disappearing into his bedroom for a moment, she saw him come back out with a large wool blanket.

Evan motioned to her to sit on the couch if she liked, or his chair, Yana made her way to the couch and sat into the left arm and back, then pulled her feet up into the paisley patterned black and white velour cushions.

Evan offered the blanket to her. Yana accepted it and made a motion from her mouth with the tips of her finger to her palm up and hand extended out to him.

Evan gave her a deep nod and walked into the kitchen to look to see what might be good for a really late supper.

He walked back into the living room to ask his guest if she was hungry; she had pulled the blanket over her and the baby for a feeding.

“Are you hungry?" he asked.

She looked up at him a bit confused.

“Can you hear me?" he asked pointing at his ear then to her.

Yana nodded, then motioned to her throat while shaking her head 'no'.

“You do not speak…" Evan said returning her gesture.

Yana put left index finger on her nose.

“Do you understand anything I am saying?" he asked motioning from his mouth to an ear, and pointed to his head then to her.

Yana raised her left hand and made a small space between her index finger and thumb.

Evan made a motion to his mouth then rubbed his belly in a circular motion, and pointed at her.

It took a few seconds, but Yana figured out he was asking her if she was hungry.

Her reply was her fingers tapped her chest just below her collar bones and made a gesture from her belly to her chin with a nod.

Evan nodded, then went back into he kitchen to prepare a meal for them.

Forty-five minutes later, he brought out a folding tray and supper for her.

Evan had made some leftover moose and cabbage soup with olive oil and basil toasted bonemeal and millet bread, then a mashed baked potato with gravy, and a dash pepper with a large glass of fresh Fox Spring water.

Yana made the motion from her mouth to extended flat palm to him before laying her Daughter down and getting situated for her meal. He sat down at the kitchen table to give space to the strange Female as they both ate.

After they finished, she made the motion of 'thank you' to him again followed by a gesture of a full stomach and a satisfied nod. He smiled and took the tray; Yana did not know what to think, she never imagined a Wolf smiling the way he just did, or having one make a meal for her. Evan did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen up.

Yana had curled up on the couch with her Daughter and started to fall asleep. He kneeled down to her and touched her hand to get her attention; she looked at him as he made a motion with his head laying on his hands as they were pressed in a side ways prayer manner, then opened his hands to her and the baby and pointed to the bedroom. Following that, he motioned to himself, then pointed at his chair.

Yana realized he was giving her the bed, and he was going to sleep in his chair.

She made a motion that looked like it asked Evan if he was sure.

He nodded to her and offered to take the little girl and help her get up. Yana waved him off and sat up on her own. She picked up the blanket and handed it to him, then got up.

Evan sat the blanket down on his chair and followed her into the bedroom; he placed his hand on her left should to get her attention as they passed the bathroom. She flinched away.

Evan looked down and away for a second, then gestured to door. He figured that she would need to use it sooner or later. Yana nodded and continued forward to get into bed and rest as Evan stopped at the washer and started to transfer the washed clothes and towels to the dryer.

He checked on Yana after he started the machine, she was under the covers with her Daughter getting comfortable; they made eye contact for a few moments, the Evan nodded to her and walked back into the living room to get some rest in his easy chair.

She laid under the covers thinking about everything that had happened; flashes of fragmented memories that lead up to this moment, then the seemingly kind Wolf Man she injured. Evan was a lot to take in, if he knew what she had managed to survive; would he blame her for the reaction? How could she explain it to him? He seemed pretty intelligent and was picking up on her Signing faster than anyone she had been around before, maybe a pen and paper tomorrow to see if they could communicate better.

Evan awoke to the little girl crying as Yana came out to the front room looking rested after a good night's sleep.

He noticed that she had shed the other layers of clothes, the black long sleeve shirt hung loose on her thin frame, and it looked like a foot of drawstring hanging down from Yana's waist line, pulling it as snuggly as possible.

She motioned to Evan that the baby need to be changed and his wool blanket was wet. Evan smiled sitting up as he folded the blanket he used, then went into the kitchen to get wipes, and another hand towel. He offered to do the changing again, but Yana motioned that she would do it. Evan nodded and motioned back to ask if she was hungry, she nodded; he gave her a deep nod, then pulled off his jacket and hung it on the coat rack as he walked into the kitchen to make breakfast.

Yana noticed that Evan had a long, thick braid of hair to the middle of his back when he turned is backside to her; she only saw long hair on Men if they were some kind of musician or tribal, she guessed that he was a Native in this place. Strangely enough, it made sense to her; how many more like him were around here, was this world dominated by his people? If this was the case, if any of those creatures came though, it could mean a fighting chance.

Yana still had to figure out how to tell him… Then it dawned on her; she could use her skills ash an Illustrator. Before all of the madness unfurled, Yana did illustration work for commissions, and drawing examples of things she had seen might be enough to tell her story quicker.

The house was filled with the smell of pancakes, eggs, and venison; she was intrigued with the choice in food as her stomach growled a bit.

Evan finished cooking and brought out the same tray with her breakfast ready; there was buckwheat and bonemeal pancakes covered in gravy, eggs sunny side up, venison cut into strips, and mint tea.

Everything was hearty as it was flavorful, Yana loved jam or maple syrup on her cakes, but the gravy was really good. Something she would have not thought of.

Glancing over at Evan as he ate at the kitchen table; his looked was of being in deep thought, Yana was curious as to what these thoughts could be.

Evan chewed his food looking through the small side window next to the pantry door; the curtains were still drawn shut on the big main windows, his interest was in the ice coated wonderland outside and going out to get more supplies for his guests, and the breached gasket somewhere in the engine of his car.

Yana set her plate and glass down on the table, then sat in the chair next to him. Evan looked at her and smiled. She pointed at her head then to him.

“You want to know what I am thinking about?" he asked slowly pointing at his head so she might understand.

Yana nodded then made a motion of writing on an imaginary pad. Evan instantly put his right index finger up asking for a moment. He got up and went into a spare room and brought back an eleven by eight inch note pad with a pen and pencil holder filled with various writing utensils. Yana had a big smile on her face when he sat them on the table and offered the too her.

She took out a pencil and started to write down a few sentences, then showed it to him.

He looked at it, and it read; 'Hard understand for I, tell you things must. Thank you kindness.'

Evan wrote down his name then pointed to himself, then said his name aloud. She nodded then started to write her name, but was having a difficult time putting the letters together he could understand. He saw her write a backwards capitol 'R' then 'Ha'.

“R..ha?"

She shook her head 'no' then acted like she was vocalizing her name and over emphasizing her lip movements for each syllable, then started to yawn intentionally while mouthing her name. Evan stared to mimic her vocally to see if he was getting it right.

She wrote it out another way 'Yna'.

“Whyna?" Evan asked.

Yana looked down for a moment smiling, then started with the overemphasized mouthing motions again.

After about five minutes of both of the looking a bit ridiculous, he finally said it right.

“Yana…?"

She put her finger on her nose.

He started laughing.

“Oh my, I must have looked pretty dense. It was there all along."

She really did not know word for word what he was saying, it sounded like 'I must look stupid with obvious things.'

“Hello Yana, I'm Evan." he said putting his hand out.

She looked at his pelted hand and slowly accepted his handshake, to her surprise, he felt a lot different than she expected; Evan was very gentle with his grip.

Yana started to write something else on the pad, then showed Evan; it read; 'Monsters could here, place I came out destroyed.'

“Monsters?" he asked.

Yana nodded and started to draw a picture; she finished and showed him. Evan saw two planets, each had their names above one with an arrow pointing to his planet from hers.

He thought for a moment that Yana was telling him she was an alien; she illustrated a doorway that an arrow traveled through, then drew a saucer shaped ship with an X over it.

“You came through a door?" he asked.

Yana nodded, then drew a character of a Female with child falling into a black void.

Evan had read enough Science Fiction to know the reference she made; Yana told him that she and her Daughter had come through from a parallel world. He watched her flip the page over and draw a creature that was nothing short of horrible; she really poured it on with the detailing like a portrait, especially the strange teeth. When Yana finished, she let Evan take the pad for a closer look. After a couple of minutes of going over the very detailed drawing, his first instinct was to kill it, whatever it was. Once Evan's fixated gaze broke free, he looked up to see tears trickling down her face.

Evan pointed to the monster, then flipped the page over to the first one and pointed to her world.

“Destroyed by them?"

She nodded.

“You are afraid that they followed you here?" he asked pointing at the monster then flipped the page again pointing at his world.

Yana nodded and made the motion of 'I'm sorry'

Evan reach over and put his right hand on her left shoulder to assure Yana that it was going to be all right. She flinched away.

“I apologize." he said. “I wanted to give you assurance, that's all."

Then drew a crude example of the creature with an assault rifle aimed at the head of the monster with X's through its black eyes.

She wiped her tears with the sleeve of the shirt and smiled slightly.

He wrote down a few sentences for her, it read; 'You are safe here, Yana. I have weapons, stay as long as you need.'

She read the note, and made the motion of 'thank you'. Evan smiled back as he stood up to use the phone; right as he did, Yana stood up and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Evan was a bit surprised. What just compelled her after flinching away from him, and the fact she struck him with a fire poker only seventeen hours ago. Evan returned the gesture, then carefully wiped her tears from her cheeks when she looked into his yellow eyes. The baby started to get fussy and Evan made a motion of holding imaginary breasts in front of him the pointed to her; Yana's eyes got really big for a moment until he finished with cradling an infant and pretending to feed. Her Daughter cried out from the warm confines of her blanket on the couch.

As Yana hurried to her; Evan picked up the phone and started to dial out.

Yana overheard his conversation with someone he kept referring to as Carolyn. After ten minutes of what seem like arguing and laughter, Evan started reciting a list of things he needed; said goodbye, and hung up the phone.

He approached Yana as she was feeding her Daughter.

“My Sister coming with things for you and your Daughter." he said.

She processed what he had said, then motioned for the writing pad. He brought it too her and watched her write. It read; 'sister is coming?'

Evan nodded then wrote down; 'coming with warm clothes and diapers for you and baby in a couple of days'

Yana made the motion of 'thank you' and smiled.

Evan smiled back and offered to bring her breakfast too her, she nodded.

He went around the house cleaning various thing and vacuumed the carpets; after that, Evan cleaned up the kitchen and brought out her dried clothes and a towel. Yana signed 'thank you' and went into he bathroom with her Daughter to bathe.

Evan soaked the soiled wool blanket from earlier before setting up for a gentle wash cycle waiting for her to come out with the clothes she had borrowed.

Yana took her time relaxing and washing both of them; it had been sometime since she was able to thoroughly soak with the ability to unwind and enjoy a long bath with her Daughter. Evan heard the tub drain then fill back up three times; it struck him odd that she bathed like a Female of his people, but the familiarity of those sounds in his home brought a strange comfort. Evan started to make lunch; leafy greens with sliced boiled eggs, and pine nuts. The pulled Caribou was heated in a cast iron skillet while the dil, millet, and rye bread slowly toasted with salt, pepper with sun flower seed oil on a griddle. He pulled the mayonnaise out from the refrigerator preparing to make sandwiches for them both. A strange and very tugging sensation filled Evan as he finished making the meal. Grandmother told him of a time that his heart would feel compelled but the sensation was going to be a strange knot in his stomach. Her analogies of things in life could be cryptic at times as a child; this on the other hand was like the rewarding feeling of finding that elusive puzzle piece that should have been easy to find due to it's uniqueness.

“Nail in a pine needle bed." he said to himself.

Yana had a rhythmic energy Evan could feel, even though she was still a bit wary of him.

She came out dressed in the same bed clothes with her daughter, both freshly bathed. She could smell the meal he had prepared as an odd feeling swept her as Yana handed her naked Daughter to the silver pelted Male who stood before her hoping Evan would know where the items that he had been using as diapers could be found.

He looked into Yana's dark brown eyes briefly as he received and lifted the naked girl to eye level.

“I suppose you need a fresh change." he said with a smile.

The infant girl grabbed his moist black nose smiling.

“Fair enough." he said pulling another towel out to wrapped her up. His reactions to her Daughter when she needed attention was like second nature with no burdened resentment.

When she smile or cooed at him, his heart lifted. The little girl did not know what Evan was, still, she liked looking at him and touching his soft face when giving her neck a sniff. He indulged her smiling as she would pull at his cheeks and try to chew on his whiskers

Yana received her Daughter with Evan digging up another blanket to replace the soiled one. Once the Baby was bundled up and being fed, Evan continued to ready their meal then set the tray up right where she sat on the couch. She smiled, it was an uneasy smile. Evan read it for what it was, Yana was still making sense of everything around her, but did not want to tread on his feelings either. Evan did not take offense to her uneasiness, rather he welcomed it. Yana wasn't weak; she had her sights on him and anything else that might want to harm her. The nigh before was different in her attitude because of fatigue and not being attacked after attacking. Good things were far and few between… Still, to her; this man was so reserved for the most part in how he interacted with her. Evan was awkward, but knew how to care for her baby.

When she finished feeding her Daughter, Yana ate her meal as Evan ate his staring out the same window thinking. After he finished his meal, Evan rinsed his plate then proceeded to put his dark blue coat on.

She was curious as to what he was doing but decided to stay indoors and rest. Yana rinsed her plate and decided to wash the small amount of dishes before looking around.

She was intrigued by Evan's book collection. Some covers where bland with big bold letters pressed in sliver or gold in different fonts, others had captivating and vibrant covers with futuristic cityscapes and star ships. A couple of box sets had castles and beautiful back grounds as the cover art continued on the back to show a Lupine maiden with her knight, or a depiction of a battle field with people engaged in combat. Then of course, the stunning goddess like Shield Maidens riding Dragons.

Even with all the greatest stories ever written about impossible situations with strange, and terrifying beings; they were a far cry from her experience. Now the question was; how long will this part of my experience last?

He carefully chipped away at the ice build up on the Justy's hood to get it free. After a couple of firm tugs, the hood broke free. Evan propped it up on the support rod and started looking for leak that cause the smoke.

The top of the motor looked clean, and he did not see anything on the upper exhaust manifold.

“So far, so good.' he thought until he follow manifold down to the dump where it connected to the pipe.

There it was, the transaxle was leaking from the seal between it and the motor.

“Could be worse, but at least it's still drivable for now." Evan said to himself walking to his shed behind the pump house.

He opened the heavy wood door and pull the light switch string to see how many bottles of transmission fluid he had left to be sure it would be enough to get the Justy back to town so he could use the shop to replace the gasket. Seeing three left, Evan pulled them from the shelf and turned off the light.

After freeing the driver's side door, he put the bottles down in the rear floor board behind his seat, then returned to the house to clean the kitchen and see if Yana was in need of anything else.

She was startled when Evan opened the front door.

“Still jumpy, that's alright. He said shutting the door and pulling his coat off and hanging it up on the old wooden rack. “Did you find a good book?"

She smiled a little and returned the novel to its place on the shelf. She jumped again when the phone rang.

“So, Cynder and I got a whole bunch of stuff for you and I was thinking that we should come over this afternoon."

“If you want to, but the roads are probably still bad from yesterday." Evan said.

“Well little Brother, the supplies you requested has our curiosities piqued." Carolyn said. “Besides, this hasn't stopped me before.

“I need you to understand something, this situation is a bit strange, and she is very jumpy."

“Did something happen to one of your neighbors?"

“Uhn, no. Yana and her pup had a rough ride coming here… Look, I will explain everything I know when you arrive, and with that being said; I really need you to take it slow with her." Evan told his Sister.

“What's going on Evan?"

“It's strange, but I found them on the side of Chena highway in the freezing rain yesterday afternoon." he did his best to explain.

“What, was she hitchhiking?" Carolyn asked.

“No, from what I gather, running from something."

“It sounds like something went bad with her Mate."

“That is the other thing even stranger." Evan said. “She isn't pelted like we are, neither is her infant."

“I don't understand, is she ill with mange?"

“No, she isn't of our people." Evan told her hoping it would click without anymore details.

“Evan, why are you being so cryptic?" Carolyn asked.

“Look, my gracious Sister, you will just have to come over and see what I am talking about. But, I need those supplies." Evan said doing his best to not get snippy.

“I will bring the care package, and tell them to be mellow." Carolyn assured her Brother.

“Who else is coming with you?" he asked.

“Cynder, and that is because she helped put the care package together, then Vivian."

“No one else Carolyn, this situation is very sensitive." Evan told her.

“I have my reasons for bring those two, no one else Evan. But you and I need to have a talk when things settle."

“I will be ready to listen when things settle, but if you all could hold off until tomorrow I would appreciate it."

“All right, we will see you tomorrow morning."

"Thanks for understanding." Evan said before telling Carolyn to be well and hanging up the phone.

Yana had been watching him converse while feeding her Daughter.

“My Sister will be coming over tomorrow morning with some friends."

Evan could see the apprehensive look on her face.

“It's all right, I promise."

She signed. 'You sure?'

He watched her finish and paused thinking about what she tried to tell him.

“I have a feeling you will like them." he said before excusing himself to the bathroom.

Yana was still standing there when Evan came out, she was looking at another book. He decided to sit and check on the little girl to see if she needed changing. Yana gave an inquisitive expression when he looked up.

“She's alright, another forty minutes maybe." Evan said grinning.

She was still processing how Evan looked when he smiled. It was almost comical because of the depictions of animated anthropomorphic characters in children's show still engrained in her mind. Evan didn't look like that at all, it was different because of the genuine expression, not the maniacal, or devious smiles often associated with wild and crazed Canids in stories.

Yana wanted so much to have a more fluid line of communication with him, to tell Evan in detail what happened, to explain her apprehension with his family and friends coming to meet her. She was not afraid of them freaking out, Yana did not want them to get hurt by what might have followed.

Evan picked up a small white remote and activated the thirty-two inch television sitting in the corner at the end of the bookshelf. It had been so long since she had heard the ploomp and whirring sound of an old tube screen warming up. She decided to pick up her little girl, sit with Evan, and watch. He was viewing what looked like the news. Yana gently nudged him and motioned to the television.

“You have never seen one before?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes and looked displeased. It was the first time she had shown a bit of attitude towards him.

“All right, sorry. I'm learning to." he said. “I am watching the periodicals and updates. If anything is wrong, this might tell us."

Yana nodded putting together 'information broadcasts?' on the tablet.

He nodded.

Later on, he got up and prepared more of the sandwiches for supper. This time, Evan heated up part of the left over Moose and cabbage stew which was almost nothing more than broth. He had unknowingly made a French Dip meal for both of them. The plan was to have a soup with sandwiches, sit on the couch, and watch the broadcast. Yana showed Evan another way of enjoying this meal; soggy bread and fixings would be added to his menu of things to cook after watching her clean the bowl of broth out with the last absorbent chunk of the edible sponge. Right as she was about to offer to take the dishes into the kitchen, her Daughter woke up fussy.

Evan got up to take the dishes to instead be handed the infant. Without hesitation, Evan let Yana take the dishes and started to check her Daughter's diaper, and it was a good one.

Another soiled blanket and right up the back.

He took the little girl into the bathroom to rinse her off and the soiled towel, and blanket. A few minutes later Yana peeked around the corner of the bathroom door while the furnace ran and watched Evan talk with her Baby as he dried her off; it was one of those moments she wished for a camcorder, but her memory was going to be enough watching the little girl being entertained by him.

'He must seem like large stuff toy to her.' Yana thought as she crept away to the kitchen to finish washing.

They both returned to the front room. Evan decided to tell Yana how proud he was of that mess, it meant that she was going to be strong when she grew up. Yana picked up on 'her shit is huge, they might be bigger when she grows up'. He watched as her dark brown eyes followed him shaking her head only seeing her smile from the intermittent break from the rise of the hot water's vapor pluming from the sink.

For the rest of the night, they sat on the couch and watched for signs that might say whether or not anyone or anything else might have followed. Yana managed to stay up a bit later than Evan watching the cast repeat for a few hours. She eventually got up to use the bathroom and see if her Daughter needed to be changed. When that was settled, Yana returned to see Evan getting up and crawling into his chair. She was going to coax him to his own bed as she took the couch; deciding that would be better left alone, Yana laid her Baby down on the couch for a moment and took one of the quilts from the bed and laid it on him. After that, her Daughter and she retired to the bed with Yana hoping to see another morning into the next. Sleep was restless at times for both of them through out the night. It wasn't until the early morning hours that both found rest, all the while, Yana's little girl slept soundly. Her eyes popped open suddenly to a loud pulsing beep sound, it was Evan's phone. Yana heard him groggily conversing with someone as she walked out into the front room with the Baby in arms.

“It's fine Carolyn… I know, but like I said, this is sensitive. I am not going to go into it any further… Wait; that's traffic. Your on a carphone? Whatever; where are you? Coming off of College onto Airport? Alright, just make it here safe."

Evan hung up rubbing his thick ears for a moment to turn and see his guests.

“Sorry, Carolyn likes to keep me updated."

She just smiled sitting on the couch to check on her the little girl for changing. Evan took the opportunity to use the bathroom before getting the tea going and starting breakfast.

Like the morning before, she could smell the delightful food being prepared. To her surprise, Evan made omelettes with shredded potatoes.

After eating the hearty meal, Yana returned the dishes to the sink and rinsed them off thinking that if Evan kept feeding her like this, she would easily gain thirty pounds within a month. It might not be such a bad thing though; being that the last few weeks before coming into Evan's care, food was scarce and she had her Daughter to feed. 'Who do I have to impress anymore?' she entertained in thought of being more portly knowing her metabolism probably wouldn't allow for it until she was much older. Besides, Katerina needed a roll model to keep her healthy and fit for what may lay ahead. It was time to bathe and get dressed.

An hour later, Evan heard a vehicle pull up to the house; It was Carolyn with a couple of their closest friends, Vivian and Cynder.

Yana had just put a fresh towel on her Daughter and wrapped her back up as she heard other voices in the house. When she walked into the front room, Yana saw Evan, a taller darker pelted lupine Female, a Malamute Male, and a Mephitidae Female standing in the Kitchen talking with each other.

All of their attention was on her, Yana Timidly waved her left hand approaching them thinking that she must have entered one of the many stories she had read about animal people to fill in illustration concepts for the Authors and Publishers both.

“Do me a favor, please do not overwhelm her; she has been through a lot." Evan emphasized to them.

Everyone agreed to take things slow and let her get used to them.

“Everyone, this is Yana." Evan said. They all said hello to her in a laid back fashion per the request. She was surprised with how much difference there was between Carolyn and Evan besides gender.

She stood four inches taller, had a darker grey pelt and blond hair with ice blue eyes; Carolyn was dressed in a red long sleeve sweater, jeans, and white snow boots.

Vivian was about the same height as Evan, just slightly bigger; he had the traditional pelt lines of a Malamute on his face, and light grey eyes. He was dressed in a black snowboarding jacket with a black hooded sweat shirt underneath, dark blue cargo shorts, hiking boots.

Cynder was very different from the others; she was black with a single strip of white from her nose, between her deep blue eyes, and disappeared under her rich lavender hair that was trimmed to eyebrow level on her bangs to an inch and a half back from her eyes, then went to long and flowing past the hood of the white coat she wore, and down her back.

Yana noticed her beautifully embroidered, pleated black paisley skirt that road just a few inches below Cynder's knees. She had very similar boots to Vivian's, and that majestically thick, long tail. When she hung her jacket on the rack and turned around, Yana could see more white from her neck that that split and went down and under her shirt.

Evan pulled out a chair next to the bigger window in the kitchen for Yana. She sat down and noticed four bags and a couple of boxes.

“These are for you and your baby." Carolyn said presenting them to Yana.

They watched her expression change to tears; Cynder sat next to her and rubbed her back gently with her right hand. Yana flinched at first, but sank into her comforting gesture.

Evan offered to take her Daughter and let her look through the care package. Yana nodded and handed her over to Evan.

“What's the pup's name?" Vivian asked Evan.

“Oddly enough, I do not know… Would you go into the front room and grab the note pad and pencil off the couch for me?"

“Sure."

Vivian came back with it and set it on the table as Evan was changing the baby with a real diaper as Carolyn was digging through a box for Onesy pajamas. Once Yana's Daughter was changed and clothed, Evan asked her what the little girl's name was.

“Cynder, Vivian, Carolyn." he said pointing at each one.

She nodded and pointed at her self and Signed her name as Evan said it aloud, then he pointed at her Daughter still resting in his left arm.

Yana pulled the note pad and pencil towards her and kept writing down the name figuring out how to express it so they could understand.

“Oh, Katerina." Vivian said.

Yana put her right index finger on her nose.

“How did you figure that out so fast?" Evan asked.

“A couple the we live next to, they are from Sebira, they've been taking some time teaching me to recognize certain letters from their text along with names." Vivian explained.

Yana was extremely pleased that Vivian figured it out so quickly.

Evan held the little girl up and looked at her.

“Hello Katerina." he said before holding her to his chest and rubbing her back.

Carolyn smiled at the sight of her younger Brother being so tender with her.

Yana smiled, as every one else did.

“Careful, You won't let go of the pup if you do that too much…" Cynder teased.

“What makes you think I am going to?" Evan said smiling.

Yana watched the exchange between them and wondered what it had to do with Katerina.

Carolyn slid the note pad over and started to look at the odd transcript that had been written and drawn the previous morning.

“She's not from here… What is that?" she asked showing the drawing of the monster.

“Something that Yana is deathly terrified of. She is afraid that it might have followed he here, what ever it is." Evan said.

“Can I look at it?" Cynder asked.

Carolyn handed her the pad, both Vivian and she looked at the well drawn portrait of the creature, then the crude drawing that had the assault rifle pointed at its head and the thin X's through the eyes.

“Those teeth are just… Horrid." Cynder said feeling chilled even with her morbid curiosity.

“Nothing I want to find in a dark alley." Vivian added. “But I am willing to bet you want to find it and kill it. Don't you?" Vivian finished looking at Evan.

Evan looked up at Vivian and slightly smiled, he had never been someone who took a lot of shit.

“It's funny you say that, that was the first reaction I had when I saw the picture." Evan said.

Yana listened intently to them, she watched Evan eyes as he continued to rub Katerina's back as she started to drift off to sleep.

“I don't know what they did to you when you where in Armed Service, but… something has been different; like you have no qualms fighting everything you don't like…" Vivian said.

“Again, funny you would mention that too; the only real difference between now and then is that I am skilled enough to take down everything in my peripheral field." Evan said narrowing his eyes.

“Brother, all I am saying is, you just do not have the fear. That creature scares the shit out of me." Vivian said.

“Imagine how she feels; eventually we all have to face it and make a choice." Evan said referring to Yana.

“Alright, knock it off. Evan, what's the deal?" Cynder asked.

“Yana is not from our world; she is not an alien from space, and what ever that thing is, it had something to do with the destruction of her world. The kicker is it, they, might have come along with her to ours."

“Oh, great…" Carolyn said resting her face in both of her hands with elbows on the table.

Yana picked up on enough of their conversation to know they where talking about the monster. She kept motioning with her fist circling the center of her chest repeatedly.

“What is she doing?" Vivian asked.

“It is her way of apologizing." Evan said.

There was a knock at the door, almost every one jumped. The meat order had been delivered.

Evan lifted Katerina up, she was not very happy about being disturbed from her warmth, and handed her to Yana before getting up to answer.

He walked out and shut the door behind him.

“Got your full delivery here, where did you want it?" the driver asked.

“Go ahead and leave it on the porch, I have company and it would be an inconvenience to cart it to my freezers at the moment." Evan said in an apologetic tone.

“No problem… It's still thirty degrees out here, should be good."

“Thanks, most appreciated." Evan said as he tipped the driver two crisp hundreds for being ahead of schedule in the shit conditions he had to deliver in before stepping back in.

“So if she is here then where are they?" Carolyn asked.

“Shhh, quieter. Please?" Evan said listening for the delivery driver. “Look, I can't answer that. Maybe nothing followed her here."

“Yeah, and what if your wrong?" Carolyn asked in a hushed tone.

“One or two of those things aren't going to pose much of a threat; I mean Yana and Katerina are the only ones of their people that made it through." Evan pointed out walking back to the table.

“Could it be possible that more of her people actually were out there, but she was the only one to find help before the weather got super nasty?" Cynder asked.

Yana was getting confused due to the speed they communicated with each other. She continued to listen hoping some of the fragments would make sense.

“Should we go look and see?" Vivian asked.

Evan sat down and pulled the writing pad to him and wrote as simply as he could. 'were there any others like you?'

Yana carefully read it. Then posed her own question to clarify. 'with me, here?'

“Yes." Evan replied.

She shook her head 'no' followed by 'how I am here is miracle.' written on the pad.

“So, if anybody else had been with her, they would be standing here right now" Evan summarized. “It, under normal circumstances, would be safe to say that that creature, and or creatures didn't come through either. However, that is solely an assumption and can't be relied upon."

After he finished his thought, they all heard a honk as the delivery driver slowly rolled out of the drive way.

“To clarify, all of us should treat the situation like those monsters are here?" Vivian asked.

“Yup, pretty much. In the Service, that is how we treat the unknown if we do not have the vital intelligence or data on situation. You can't leave it to chance." Evan finished.

“Shouldn't we call the Authorities about this?" Carolyn asked.

“No." Evan said firmly. “You know as well as I do they will take Yana and her baby away to be interrogated and researched on. That would include us as well"

Yana looked at all of them as if she knew exactly what had bee said.

“Look, let's drop it for now and release the tension in the room." Evan told them as Cynder slipped past the group.

“Two whole caribou, and moose; wow, you are a hungry boy." Cynder said after poking her head out the front door.

“Please, it's not like I don't entertain every once and awhile, I feed you all when you come over."

“So… You're saying lunch is on you… Right?" Carolyn rolled the question into a trap.

“Sure, but first… You, Cynder, and Vivian get to load the freezers; you also get your choice cuts, and please do not forget about us." Evan said referring to Yana, Katerina, and himself.

After some more heckling from his Sister and friends, they went out and started toting in the delivery.

Yana watched as they brought in the boxes of venison; Evan started to go through the refrigerator and pulled out various vegetables and started to rinse the off before setting up to cut. Cynder came back from the freezers with the cuts that they wanted and some extra for Evan and Yana.

She approached Yana and smiled.

“May I hold her?" she asked with her arms out.

Yana slowly stood up and carefully walked around the table to Cynder to hand Katerina to her.

There was a little fuss, Yana watched as Cynder's tail came around and up to her left side. She used her right arm to cradle the end of her tail and Katerina too her. She was enveloped on a soft and warm blanket of fine, long pelt; as soon as Katerina's little head rested on the top of one of Cynder's plushly soft, D-cup breasts, she nuzzled for a second, then was out again. Yana was impressed by how Cynder held her Daughter, she thought it was quite beautiful.

Evan turned to see the little girl in the arms of Cynder.

“Careful, holding that pup becomes addictive."

“Oh, I could live with that." she said smiling.

“When are you and Vivian going to have your own?" Evan asked as Yana came up beside him and offered to help with cutting vegetables.

“Someday I figure; I mean it's not like we don't make a good effort." she replied.

“I bet your children are going to be cute." Evan said smiling as he set the meat cuts into a four gallon stainless steel boiler pot of warm water to thaw.

“I would like to think so. We are all wondering when you are going to finally settle with someone? What ever happen to that one Female you were palling around with?"

“Uh…, well, let's just say it was not going to work out other than being friends." Evan said with a strange look on his face.

“Right…, there are plenty of good Females still around." she said with a sarcastic tone. “After a while, you are going to have to get up on a hill and howl your ass off to find one if you don't settle soon."

“Thank you very much Cynder, I feel so much better." Evan told her glaring.

“Hey, three to five ratio up here in the territory." Cynder poke at him.

Yana had caught some of the conversation and continued to cut up the vegetables, it brought back memory flashes of being at home doing the same thing with… She excused herself to the bathroom. Vivian and Carolyn noticed the look on Yana's face as she hurried passed them in the front room.

“Is she all right?" Carolyn asked Evan.

“I think she is starting to deal with a few things now that her stress level is coming down." Evan said.

“Do you think she will be all right?" Vivian asked.

“Don't know; all she needs right now is a safe place to pull herself together, I think she will be with enough time."

“How long are you going to let her stay?" Cynder asked gently rocking Katerina.

“That is entirely up to her." Evan said “The safety of her child is priority."

“Have you told her that?" Carolyn asked.

“Yes, but… Perhaps I should re-affirm that with her later this evening." Evan said as he continued to prepare lunch.

“Do you think one of us should check on her?" Cynder asked.

“I don't think we will have to." Vivian said as Yana walked back into he kitchen signing 'sorry'.

Carolyn walked up to her with open arms and gently hugged her, within seconds everyone heard Yana silently sobbing. After a few moments, she was back to helping with lunch; Evan turned to her and put his right hand on her left shoulder, they made eye contact, then gave her a thumbs up. Yana returned to gesture even though, in her world it could have been mistaken for something rude. He noticed she didn't flinch.

An hour later lunch was served. Everyone dug in to the salad, sweet potatoes, millet and bonemeal bread, and the fine cuts of Moose meat served with a sweet and spicy tea. Cynder handed the fussy and hungry Katerina back to her Mother.

Yana motioned her left hand's fingertips from her lips to extended palm up towards Cynder.

“Yana said thank you." Evan said.

Cynder told her she was welcome with a smile. Yana stood up to excuse herself, until Evan's left hand guided back to her chair; pushing his plate aside, and moving hers in front of him; he proceeded to cut her venison into bite size pieces and make the rest of her meal manageable for one hand free. Yana looked at Evan confused, more so when he placed her plate in front of her with everything prepared. He motioned like he did before to say 'feed the baby'. She was apprehensive to start breast feeding in front of everyone, until Evan took her fork and pierced a piece of meat and offered to feed her. Yana was beside herself, the others continued to eat and converse while she and Evan were figuring things out for table manners. She slowly lifted up her shirt and held Katerina in position as she kept looking at everyone expecting to be scrutinized.

Her Daughter started suckling and no one except Evan was paying attention.

Evan had a strange yet soft look as he slowly advance her with the bite of venison from his right hand with is left hand under her chin incase if anything fell. She took the first bite and slowly chewed as Evan pick up a napkin and waited to see if she needed it.

Yana kept staring into his eyes noticing they only shifted slightly when hers did. She looked down for a moment with her head swimming; she looked up with and expression on her face that produced a concerned look on Evan's face, still, he offered her a bite of salad. Expressions and conversations ensued; at a point, Yana started to get into a rhythm of motions, Signing, and writing on the note pad. She was included even as Katerina fed. A Mother feeding her child was not taboo in their culture, rather than being just accepted, it was honored.

With this realization, she had a small grasp on why Evan fed her; what she did not know was, he being the Alpha of the household, his duty was to her, to be exact, Yana was the privileged among the rest because she was Mother. She did not know that it was a Matriarchal society they lived in; not perfect by any means, but not Male egocentric. A Female with child was precedence over any other affairs. Evan was now hers as long as she resided in his home, even though she did not know it. As the afternoon went, Evan fed the nursing Mother her meal; he went to wipe her mouth and got met with a bit of opposition from Yana. Every one else giggled when she snatched the napkin from his hand and wiped her mouth and handed it back to him. The somewhat stunned look on Evan's face was priceless, Yana had shown some humor as she returned the napkin to Evan and held up Katerina to have her face dabbed. After Evan made sure the little girl was clean, he picked up Yana's plate and put into the sink and went to use the rest room. She felt like her joke backfired when he left the room.

Cynder leaned over and whispered into her left ear.

“He likes strong Females."

Yana understood word for word, but was puzzled as too why it had anything to do with her, or what she had just done.

Evan came back out and went to the front porch to start toting in firewood to refill the log cradle in the front room; he finished after a couple of minutes, then worked on starting a fire.

Yana could smell the start of wood burning in the house, it brought back warm childhood memories of sitting in front of the open fireplace reading and listening to radio programs.

Evan went and put the furnace on standby, then returned to the kitchen to finish his meal.

The conversation moved into the front room as Evan started to clean up and do the dishes.

Yana changed Katerina, then asked if Cynder wanted to hold her again; the little girl was back in the warm softness of her tail, content.

Yana went into the kitchen and offered to help Evan clean up. He smiled and told her it was alright, that he had it. She looked a bit disappointed that he would not let her contribute; Yana turned away to walk into the front room until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Evan wrote something down on the note pad, and it read; 'You make supper?'

'Really?' she wrote back. Evan nodded and started to show her everything in the pantry and refrigerator, then returned to finish the chore

Yana was thinking with a smile of making them a nice, hearty meal. Once Evan finished, he handed her the white parka that was part of the care package and motioned for her to follow him outside. The exited the covered part of the porch and stepped down to turn right and walk past the pump house and four small windows to a part of the house she had not been in. They stepped through a small door into a room that was roughly eight by eight feet. Evan shut the door and waited for a minute before opening the interior on to enter the green house. It felt like summer in the fifteen by twenty-five foot room with the full spectrum lights hanging above. The scent of warm soil, plants and humidity filled her every breath while looking around at the lay out. Above ground planting boxes arranged to optimize the use of growing space, a hot water heater in one corner with a pipe that ran under all of the planters in a circuit, a couple of shelves with various fertilizers and tools. She noticed the gravity fed irrigation tank made from a sixty gallon drum on a stand with a sprinkler timing device on top to release the lower valve feed to water the garden.

There were two small heater units on opposite ends of the green house aimed towards each other but off set by twenty two point five degrees; if you stood in the middle of the room with both heating units running their cycles, the one you faced would blow hot air at your left front while the other blew at you right behind creating a circulation current to ensure that the heat was distributed evenly.

On the same timing system was and overhead four bladed ceiling fan to push the hot air down and force the cooler air up to help maintain the temperature of eighty eight degrees

Yana saw a variety of vegetables and herbs growing in his atrium. Evan handed her a wicker basket and motioned for her to take her pick of what she thought would be the ingredients for their next meal. Yana carefully picked the items and sought Evan's approval for some of them to make sure she was not taking too much of his food stores.

After they came back in and put the basket in the kitchen, Evan had her follow him to the freezers to pick out what cuts she wanted to use for supper. All of the components were in the kitchen and ready for Yana to work her culinary magic.

Conversations continued on as Evan walked over to a beautiful dark wood cabinet below the television, and opened the top of it and fidgeted with something recessed down a bit from view. The sound of big band music started to emanate from all around them at a low volume. It had the classic styling with a more progressive beat. Yana remembered a time where the big band sound came back, especially swing blended with a punk rock aspect that would break into a new age ska sound; both grunge, and reggae.

It was very popular for a while, and fun to see people lined up outside of local venues dressed like they had just walked out of the nineteen-forties.

The music changed genre every few songs to things she recognized to other things she had never heard before with the occasional station break, but no commercials.

Dusk was setting in and the first snow started to come down in big flakes; Yana kept looking outside watching the soft white blanket building up on everything. She decided to get on with making supper for everyone. Carolyn asked if she wanted any help, at first, Yana waved her off, but then recanted. They both started rinsing and cutting up vegetables and herbs while the venison thawed in the warm water. Even though their conversation was one or two word spoken per sentence and Sign, the note pad helped with their conversation. The more they communicated, the need for Carolyn to speak to her Brother became stronger.

Evan was poking the glowing log pieces in the fireplace to make room for more wood. After that, he went into the spare room and brought out a well crafted red stained wood, polished brass, and glass box on wheels out to the front room and opened it up. Yana looked up and saw a drink cart being set up. Vivian rubbed his hand together waiting to taste that aged single malt Scotch, as Cynder was looking to see if Evan had gotten more Gin.

“What do you want to sip, Sis?" Evan asked.

“Uhm… How about a lemon drop." she said.

Evan made drinks and served them to each person according to their taste. Then asked Yana what she would like. She made the motion of feeding Katerina and shook her head 'no'.

He wrote down on the note pad; 'perhaps after you feed?'

She thought about it then nodded showing her right thumb and index finger with about an inch of space between them. Evan nodded and decided to empty the trash.

The smell of the meal slowly simmering filled the house; Yana and Carolyn finished cleaning the kitchen and set out dishes on the table for everyone, then went to relax in the front room for the next sixty-five minutes until supper was ready.

Cynder had to use the bathroom and handed Katerina off to Evan. He held her and looked into her light brown eyes wondering how she perceived him, then a puttering noise came from the little girl with a big smile; Evan grinned and got up to change her.

Yana watched Evan with her Daughter, the way his eyes would light up, and both of their expressions towards each other. She kept wondering why he was so “Johnny on the spot" with her and seem to never complain about having to do what most Males in her world would do their best to get out of, i.e., changing diapers.

Cynder came out from relieving herself and sat next to Yana, she turned and looked at Cynder with an inquisitive look and pulled the note pad and started to write a question as Cynder took a nice draw off of her Gin and lime, it read; Evan not seem minding the change with Katerina?

Cynder had to think about a simple answer moment then replied; 'It is his duty'.

'He owes me not, I owe everyone.' Yana protested the notion.

Cynder shook her head 'no', then wrote; 'You are Mother, you are priority. It is his privilege to be of service to you.'

Yana nodded after taking a moment to digest what she had written. It was a very different idea than what she was used to; Yana did not want to burden any of them, yet, she was very thankful that they treated her so well.

It did make more sense now why Evan was the way he was with her and Katerina… like a dream come true in silver. A fairy tale fancy of a teenage Female that had no idea how the real world was; not to say there wasn't any good, just not as she had dreamt. Dreams… What little Yana had left had been shattered by the nightmare she and her Daughter escaped from. Things started to feel overwhelming again as she shuddered; Cynder noticed the reaction, for what ever reason, the Mephitidae Female scooted closer to Yana and looked her the eyes as she pushed her long, dark brown bangs out of her face.

Cinder's deep blue eyes had her captivated, Yana could feel Cynder's hands caressing her face taking a long look into the pelt less Females brown eyes, then gave her a nice tight hug.

Yana felt odd at first with the way Cynder touched her face, it was very intimate.

“You have been through a lot… Maybe you will find peace here." she said softly to Yana.

She did not exactly understand word for word what Cynder had said, but got the meaning. Yana nodded with a half smile as Cynder put her right hand on Yana's left shoulder and smiled back as she stood up and asked for another drink.

The evening carried on with more conversation and heckling between siblings and friends, then supper was served. Yana had done her best to make Borscht out of what Evan had provided, and waited to see the looks on their faces after the first bite. Everyone dug in and were enjoying the medley of flavors Yana and Carolyn had prepared.

Nods and compliments filled the dinner table as they ate; Vivian had dished up another heaping portion with a smile.

After everyone finished with supper, Yana got up to relieve herself with the intention of coming back to do the dishes and clean up; when she came out, she saw Evan and Vivian cleaning up and washing the flatware and utensils with food already put away. Carolyn had just change Katerina and was holding the hungry girl until Yana was ready to feed her.

After her feeding was done, Evan offered Yana a drink of her choice; she carefully looked through the small collection of distilled spirits and found a bottle of spiced rum. Evan pointed to the different flavors of syrups and seltzers, Yana shook her head 'no' and watched Evan pour the rum into a crystal tumbler until she said stop, then he put three ice cubes in it for her.

Yana sat on the couch with Katerina, as her little girl starting to nod off while sipping her drink.

Evan sat on the ottoman sipping his bourbon looking out the bay window in the front room as the snow kept coming down like down feather curtains being dumped everywhere.

“Well, it looks like we are going to have to shovel your car out…" Evan said feeling the light buzz picking up.

“Well… I was thinking… That is, if Yana and you do not mind, we could stay over and worry about that in the morning." Carolyn said hinting to her Brother for another lemon drop.

Evan looked over at Yana, then to Cynder and Vivian.

“Does anybody have any objections?" Evan asked.

Yana looked a little confused as Cynder and Vivian raised their glasses for another round.

After Evan refreshed drinks, he started to turn the overhead lights off and set the lamps at low intensity so Katerina could sleep easier, and everyone else could see the torrent beauty of the swirling snowfall outside.

Yana sipped her rum feeling the buzz getting heavier; she made sure Katerina was all right, the got up and sat next to Evan on the ottoman to watch the snow.

Carolyn had a big smile watching them sit together; Vivian nudged Cynder and pointed to them briefly with a smile of his own.

They saw the broad shouldered Evan next to Yana who was thin enough to be petite, but tall enough not to be; his long, thick bluish braid, and her medium length dark chocolate brown hair. Strangely enough, they seem to fit… A very presumptuous notion for them; except, Carolyn knew something that Evan had long forgotten… Something Grandmother told him, and knowing her Grandson's mind was elsewhere; she ask Carolyn to remember for him. It was not that she never believed the stories in a literal sense that their Grandmother told them of the old ways, mysticisms, and legends in their history, she always took them as a metaphor for how to live and be to one another; this was the first true manifestation Carolyn had witnessed. Now the problem was the next manifestations that was told of… The reason Carolyn did not want to leave and brought their closest friends after the call she received; Evan was the only way they would survive because of his training, but he was not the only one among them who was lethal.

“Hey little Brother… Show us how fast you can strip and re-assemble your assault riffles." Carolyn taunted.

Evan Turned around with a 'what the fuck?' look. Yana had a puzzled look on her face recognizing the request of rifles.

“Yeah! You told me the you would show me how to do that." Vivian reminded him with enthusiasm.

Cynder giggle a bit because of posturing display it might turn into.

Yana put her right hand on his left shoulder and Signed 'what?'.

Evan had not seen her make that particular motion before, but knew what she meant.

He put his index finger up to motion 'give me a moment' and got up to get his rifles out to instruct Vivian.

Evan brought out the first assault riffle. It looked old and well kept, he set it down on the coffee table, then went back in to grab the next one; as Evan pulled it out of the safe, he heard the familiar sounds of the first rifle being dismantled with expediency. Evan poked his head around the corner to witness Yana re-assembling the rifle, inserting the clip, pulling the slide twice and catching the shell that got ejected on the second draw, dropping the clip and inserting the shell, then pushing the clip back in. Everyone in the front room was wide eyed with disbelief at what they saw; Evan walked out with a really big grin. Yana turned to see him toss the bayonet to her, with in seconds of catching it, she had it locked in place with the sheath off.

“Wow, try this one." he said handing her the second rifle.

They exchanged weapons and she looked it over, again, Yana started to pull it apart and inspect the components carefully, then repeated her actions from the first one then set it down on the table. Evan brought out another one, this time Yana had to really look at it. The design was very different and did not seem to have a clip, it was his service rifle. Evan sat next to her and watched Yana do her best to figure it out. A few more seconds, and she ejected the clip which slid out of the stock horizontally and found an exposed tab that presented its self. Upon closer inspection, Yana found that the tab released the slide… Within moments she had it all laid out and started to put it back together, but took her time with it to full understand how it worked; she was amazed, it was the first electronic fire weapon Yana had ever seen.

Evan gave her a big thumbs up and smiled.

“I think you should have her show you how to do it." Evan said to Vivian.

Both Carolyn and Cynder started to laugh. The evening progressed as both Yana and Evan showed Vivian how to strip and assemble the rifles and another round of refills, except for Yana, whom was more than buzzed sipping away at her rum.

Weapons got stowed and locked as everyone was showing signs of being sleepy.

Evan directed Cynder and Vivian to his bed, then pulled the hidden bed loose from the couch and offered it too Yana and his sister.

Carolyn smiled and shook her head.

“I will take Fathers chair for the night." she said before wandering off to use the bathroom.

When she returned, Yana motioned to use the bathroom and handed Katerina to Evan.

He checked her diaper and found she needed to be changed before bed. After he finished, Evan went around checking doors, lights and shutting curtains except the bay windows. He wanted to watch the snow a little longer before sleeping.

Yana came into the front room to see Evan sitting with Katerina in his arms. She crawled into bed and got comfortable before he handed her Daughter; he then took the spare blanket and pillow to the floor before sitting down to remove his boots.

Yana sat up slowly and watched him realizing he was not sleeping in his chair because Carolyn was already in it passed out; instead, Evan chose to sleep on the floor to give Yana and Katerina the bed. He got his boots off, then pulled off his shirt before standing up to use the bathroom himself. She carefully laid Katerina down on a couple of pillows and decided to pull his bedding up and lay it out on the bed for him. After five minutes, Yana heard him come out; Evan had changed into a pair of white sweat trousers and was tending the fireplace before laying down.

The crackle and intense light from freshly caught pieces of wood filled the room; Evan looked down to notice his bedding was not where he left it, instead it was on the bed ready for him. Yana motioned for him to lay down; Evan put his hands up and motioned it was all right.

She motioned again, Evan just stood there looking at her for a moment; he understood she was willing to share the comfort of the bed with him, but he did not feel comfortable invading her space. Yana did not see it that way; she did not want to be a burden and keep receiving kindness without being able to share. She motioned for him again then pulled the covers back and waited for him to get in.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and stretched out for a moment, Yana watched his pelted back rippled then relax. She looked at his tail as it swathed a bit when he twisted from side to side, he felt her touch it and turned around to see a Yana smiling.

Evan laid down and pulled the covers part of the way up, the put his hands up to rest his head in his laced finger to end up brushing Katerina and upsetting her a bit.

Yana reached for her Daughter and consoled her as best she could, Evan motioned to Yana to hand the fussy little girl over to him.

“I'm sorry for waking you, pup." he said softly laying her down on his warm, pelted chest.

Yana was laying on her side using a couple of pillows to prop her self up with as she gently rubbed her Daughter's back.

Evan rolled his head over and smiled at her, then pointed to the peaceful view of the snowfall and bight pink sky. They watched it together until they drifted off to sleep.

Yana woke up with a strong urge to relieve herself and Carolyn getting a drink of water. She had been pressed up against Evan staying warm after the fire barely had enough coals to glow red.

Carolyn waved at her before resting in the chair again; Yana checked on Katerina to see if she had been warm the whole time, sure enough, nice and toasty between the blankets and her personal silver pelted heater. The temperature drop in the house was really noticeable going to the bathroom, after she finished, Yana quickly made her way to the front room to get back under the covers and press back up against Evan to get warm again and noticed he was up tending the fire.

She got back underneath the covers and checked Katerina to see if she needed to be changed, and she did. Evan wandered off to use the bathroom, and within moments, the furnace roared to life. He came back out and closed the curtains to the bay window and went for a drink of water, then came back with a glass for Yana. She thanked him after she finished, and set the glass on the end table, then rolled back to her side as Evan picked up Katerina and laid her back on his chest. Yana worked her way closer to Evan to get his warmth; he slid his right arm under her pillow and pulled her even closer. Yana brought her left arm across his stomach feeling his pelt. Evan chuckled a little at the sensation of her slender fingers. Warmth for Katerina, and Yana.

Everyone slept in for a bit as the morning became brighter reflecting off the thick snow that blanketed the land around the house and thought the trees. Evan got up and started to cook breakfast as Carolyn returned from the bathroom and started to get the coffee going. Cynder came out stretching as she sat on the adjacent couch to the folding bed to notice Yana was breathing rapidly while twitching in her sleep.

She was caught in a nightmare. Yana was struggling to evade the monsters as she had done before coming into their world. She could feel that awful vibration that was the signal of more coming through. Continuing to run through the darkness, Yana lost her Daughter somehow and frantically did her best to find Katerina. She ended up getting cornered by the nasty creature she drew for Evan.

“Hey, Yana is kind of shaking and moving around over here." Cynder told them.

Both Carolyn and Evan swiftly went to see what she was talking about.

Yana's breathing change pace as she rolled over; with eyes still closed writhing to coordinated motions of defending herself moving away from something until the back of the couch acted like a barrier for Yana's retreat. Evan reached out and touched her shoulder to end up with Yana's arms poised to defend herself in his direction.

“Yana, you are safe, Katerina is safe, wake up."

The shock of the moment of sudden conciseness caused her to roll into a fetal position facing Carolyn.

“Is she going to be all right?" Vivian asked happening to catch the last part as he came out of the hall.

“I think so." Carolyn said laying a freshly changed Katerina next to her sobbing Mother. “Hey, I think your Daughter is hungry."

Evan returned to the kitchen to make sure breakfast did not burn. Vivian followed him to fetch a cup of coffee for Cynder and he as she and Carolyn were tending to Yana.

“What happen?" he asked Evan.

“Very bad nightmare, it looked as though she had been cornered." he said watching his sister help with covering Yana with the blanket with Katerina.

Cynder walked into the kitchen following the scent of fresh coffee in the percolator pot.

“It's alright, she feeding her pup."

Evan nodded and continued to get breakfast ready for everyone.

It was like a small buffet, all you had to do was put you plate together. Yana had not really moved from under the blanket after everyone was seated at the table prepare to dig in. After Evan nodded and walked into the front room, the rest of his Family held hands and bow their heads for a moment, then started to converse as they ate.

Yana slowly looked up shortly after the rich smell of food was drawn in. She saw the folding stand from the first night filled with the morning's delights. Sitting up with Katerina nursing, Yana saw the riches of scents in a cup; hot and black.

“Sorry about earlier." Evan told her as he sat.

Yana signed to tell him it was all right.

Smiling, offered her a bite of breakfast. Yana smiled back signaling 'no' as she carefully laid Katerina down and gently took the fork from Evan's hand taking the bite. The little girl started get fussy and wriggle around on the bed.

“I will watch her if you want, so you can finish your breakfast without interruption." he said with his hands ready to receive.

Seconds later, Evan was opening the curtains to see three and a half feet of snow on the ground as he burped Katerina. It was bright outside with the intermittent strands of sunlight streaming through the small gaps in the heavy and low overcast.

Yana looked at the thickly blanketed landscape as she chewed another bite.

'If the time is good, a portrait will be of this memory.' she thought taking in the sight of Evan with Katerina in front of the picturesque landscape. 'Definitely this memory.'

Yana continued to eat and sip the coffee while her mind wandered feeling that for this long moment, she could relax.

After finishing the meal, Yana brought her dishes into the kitchen and stared to wash them. Evan had turned to assist her, but Carolyn caught his attention and shook her head 'no'.

He gave a confused look.

“Lets take a look at my car and see how much digging needs to be done." she said to Evan. “Let Vivian watch Katerina for a moment."

Evan and Yana looked at each other for a few seconds, before he asked if it was all right. She nodded as she finished rinsing the last plate before getting to the silverware. Vivian receive the baby girl, then sat with Cynder at the kitchen table.

The snow had really come down. In fact, for this time of year it should have only been four inches at best.

Carolyn's car needed to be dug around then dug out. She followed Evan to the shed behind the pump house so he could get the snow blower up and running to clear the driveway.

“So, you wanted to tell me something?" Evan asked unbarring the shed door.

“I know that Mother and GrandMother raised you well, I know that you are doing what is required for Yana, but you should let her do somethings for herself."

“I don't want to come across rude or inconsiderate." he said.

“I know, and you are doing great little Brother, but letting her do things to help is also good. Yana will get more comfortable by allowing her to contribute." Carolyn said to encourage him with a bit of guidance. “She also is of Pack, contribution is her way as well." Carolyn told him.

“She shouldn't feel obligated, but I understand; I don't wish to take her strength from her." Evan said checking the spark plug and wire coupling.

“I think you compliment her strength with the way you are with Yana's pup."

“Yeah, your right." he said with a big grin. “I sure do like Katerina, and how much she can fill those diapers." he said.

“You are just strange." Carolyn told him smiling. “What I really came out with you to discuss was what Grandmother had spoke of years ago about the signs of a coming change."

Evan started priming the engine pushing the clear rubber nipple with a slighted glare at his Sister. Carolyn smiled at first, then it slowly melted into a look of possibly crossing a boundary with him.

“I remember, maybe not every detail, but I remember." Evan told Carolyn. “Why do you think I enlisted into the armed services?"

“I know you have been driven to prepare for something, but Grandmother often thought that you lacked the attention to certain details and had asked me to keep those for you when the time came."

“I know, Yana and Katerina are the precursor to what is supposed to be coming." he replied.

“But do you remember what Grandmother told you about her place with you?" Carolyn asked.

“Puzzle pieces…" Evan said looking up at his Sister. “Yana is supposed to be that last piece of the puzzle, but it would be foolish of me to think that she would even consider a Male outside her own people."

“Time will tell little Brother; she has been through a lot and needs to heal her wounds, but consider this, Yana has you now to look after her and Katerina while they are here. I, myself, and our closest friends with us now have noticed how she looks at you. Deep down inside I think she feels it to." Carolyn told him. “That is all I have to say on the subject. I'm going back in to let you get to clearing the driveway."

“Better hope the city lets Terry drive one of the plow truck home to clear the road. I don't have enough fuel to make even one cut to the highway."

“I'll make lunch; what do you want to eat?" she asked.

“Soup and sandwiches sounds good." Evan replied.

Carolyn nodded and walked away to get started as he fired up the snowblower.

Yana had taken the opportunity to dress and figure out how to fold the bed back into a couch. She was sitting at the kitchen table peering through the curtains watching Evan clear the driveway with his blower. Cynder noticed Yana looking and decided to open the curtains to allow all the natural light to illuminate the room. Evan was coated in white from the blowback out of the machine and wind.

'None of this is that simple. I don't see what Carolyn is taking about; how she looks at me… I frighten her. Katerina isn't frighten, but how does that matter?' Evan thought as he continued on his task. 'I already feel bad enough seeing her without clothes even though it was necessary. All I am to do is keep them safe and in good health as decreed by tradition.'

Yana turned to see where Carolyn was wandered off to after returning from the outside, she made her way to the back freezers. Yana waited in the kitchen

watching Carolyn approach with a roast in hand.

'Is your intent for supper?' Yana signed.

“You don't approve?"

Yana waved both her hands, then motioned for the pad and pencil. Cynder had gotten up and handed the pad to her.

For supper? the message read.

“Planned for lunch; you have another idea?" Carolyn asked.

To cook longer will have flavor, more selections? Yana wrote.

“No on the roast?"

She pointed her left hand's index finger up to claim a moment.

'Good on parcel in hand. Supper, other selections for Evan?'

“Evan said soup and sandwiches."

Yana pulled the boiler pot out and filled it with water, after that, the roast went in and was set on medium low. Salt, basil, pepper, and a bit of dill followed.

'What else can we do?' she wrote.

“Follow me." Carolyn told her motioning in the directions of the freezers.

Yana motioned towards the refrigerator. Carolyn watched her rummage through it finding various items including the container that held the leftover borscht. She separated the meat from the soup, then with the addition of various things, it simmered. The left over meat that had been cooked was added to the meat that was not added to supper the night before into a skillet and set on low to blend the flavors.

After everything was ready, she took Evan's home made mayonnaise to spread across slices of bone meal millet bread with finely chopped up meat from the skillet, sweet relish, mustard, and something like sauerkraut with the reinvented vegetable medley. Soup and sandwiches, lunch was almost ready for every one.

Evan finished clearing the driveway out, after putting the blower back in the shed, he pulled out a series of poles and a bladed item.

Once assembled, Evan used it to pull the snow off the roof of the buildings to relieve the load weight incase if it snowed again.

After everyone heard the sound of him beating the snow coating loose from his clothes on the covered porch, Evan came in and shed the rest welcomed by everything that was the scent of food.

He sat in his recliner for a moment and pulled his boots off, which was almost a chore. The vibrations from the blower had played a trick with the feeling in his finger like they had been subjected to an anesthetic. Pulling the lever back, Evan reclined and closed his eyes for a moment breathing deep. A few moments later, Yana brought a cup of hours old coffee to him.

She was skeptical about not brewing a fresh pot, but had been assured that it would be fine. He was used to it being a mechanic on the road, the difference was that it was still reasonably hot from being on the stove rather than lukewarm from being in a thermos for eight hours.

Evan pulled the lever to be upright and received the cup from her and sipped leaning forward over his knees. She waited to see if was going to displeased. He continued to sip and looked up a couple of times, then signed 'Sorry'.

Yana was confused, but understood that he might be tired from clearing the driveway. She went back into the kitchen to see if the soup was ready.

Cynder approached Evan and handed him Katerina so she could go relieve herself. Moments later, his chair was reclined again and both the little girl and he were napping. Carolyn went to the side of the couch pulled the small blanket out to cover them.

Yana looked a little confused doing her best to reason why he started to nap after drinking the coffee.

'Evan feels all right?' she wrote down showing Carolyn the pad.

“Yes, the warmth of the drink has settle him down."

Yana pointed at the percolator.

“Non caffeinated." Carolyn replied. “Placebo?"

She recognized that term; Yana had heard of a coffee that was not coffee, she nodded knowing why, and went back into the kitchen thinking of the portrait she wanted to create earlier now adding to the list. The image in her mind as she sat down to eat had to be a portrait.

Thirty minutes later, Katerina started to fuss into a cry.

Evan woke up instantly, the recliner was in an upright position as he stood up and proceeded to put the little girl on the couch and give a big sniff and recoil with a smile.

“Are you enjoying yourself Evan." Cynder commented.

“Told you she is fierce." he said reaching up as Vivian brought wipes and a diaper over.

In minutes, Evan changed her and had Katerina bundled again tuck in his arms sitting down. Right as Evan was going to pull the lever to recline, Yana sat the folding tray down in front of him. Both Katerina and he rose to upright position to greet her. Offering to take her daughter, Evan declined. The little girl was just getting comfortable. Yana did a slight nod and returned to the kitchen to see if there had been anything else needed tending.

"Yana, how do you say beautiful?" Carolyn asked.

She looked into those piercing blue eyes and made a motion over her face with her left hand. Carolyn mimicked the motion and repeated the question in short; Yana nodded with a smile and pointed at her repeating the motion. Carolyn returned the gesture then pointed at Evan and Katerina while he was introducing the soup broth to the little pelt less Female. Her arms would reach out to feel his face while the legs kicked.

Katerina was paying attention to the spoon as it came around. Yana watched how Evan gave her broth; with the reaction of the playful growls and nostril blows. Katerina waited for the broth; her wriggling after the tiny sips would have filled the room with laughter had it been possible. Yana could not broadcast contentment like that. Then see her Daughter with Evan learning milk isn't the only sustenance; your personal stuffed toy showed you that life had so many things waiting.

She was intently watching him with Katerina. Her Daughter reached out and pulled on his whiskers like she was demanding more soup. He took his time eating and entertaining the little girl.

Cynder and Vivian had been observing Yana's expressions.

“Hey Yana, Cynder and I were thinking that we should finish cooking dinner tonight." Vivian said pushing his chair in.

The look of switching gears was on her face before she reached for the note pad.

'No bother, halfway finished.' she wrote.

“Please, we would like to contribute. You cooked for us twice." Cynder said walking to the refrigerator to fill her glass with spring water.

'You are sure?' Yana asked.

“Yes, please go and relax." Vivian said smiling.

She nodded and went into the front room to see if Evan was ready to have his dished removed. He was not finished quite yet.

Yana decided to pull the ottoman over and sit with them as Evan introduced Katerina to drawing the broth from his sandwich bread. It was unknown to them what the little girl really thought about the flavors, but her expressions spoke clearly enough of enjoying the moments.

A vibration could be felt from the floor as it built up filling the house. As things chimed and clanked, Yana had a wild eyed look of fear as she quickly stood up.

“Are you all right?" Evan asked pushing the tray aside and standing up.

Shaking her head 'no', the rest could see her trembling.

The vibration subsided for a few moments, then came back stronger.

“It's just Terry, he is using the blower truck to clear the road." Carolyn said looking out the window.

Yana sat back down with her eyes closed; had it not been for the dream, and the familiar sound of the world falling apart, her reaction might have not been so strong. After twenty minutes or so, the vibrating noise and sensations subsided as the truck continued on up the road to rest.

The magnitude of her suffering had been comprehended by all present with the bad dream from the morning, but now it had become more realized with her reaction to the sounds and sensations of a blower truck clearing the roads.

'It must be close to what she heard before coming here.' Evan thought hoping Katerina did not remember any of it as he looked down at her, in his mind it would be wrong for the little girl to have retained any of her and Yana's misfortune.

“Can I take her for a bit." Carolyn asked with arms open.

“Sure." Evan said pulling the lever and slowly standing up with the chair coming out of its recline.

As they all were; if Katerina ever read the story of Little Red Riding Hood, she would most likely burst out into laughter and see the supposed villain in a different light. Carolyn gently cradled her and started to sing softly.

Yana slowly turned in Carolyn's direction and listened as the melody continued.

“Brave little warrior, listen for the lessons of Mother Earth and Father Sky.

A tribute to our lives as we help to make our Families thrive. Peace be with you as you say with a howling call, listen for your lessons to live free and tread on none at all…"

It was something she had not been able to do for her Daughter; Katerina's world of sound until this point had been terrifying and the silence of the places they hid. She was born only three and a half months ago; a week after their world fell to the consuming darkness.

A bit later, Yana started to yawn. Evan offered her the recliner as he needed to use the bathroom. She accepted getting comfortable in the already warm cushions.

Carolyn brought Katerina to her so she could be fed as they both rested. Once settled, she helped get the blanket over them.

Evan returned to see Yana resting while feeding Katerina, and decided to inventory his arsenal milling over the conversation he had with his Sister earlier.

Vivian decided to sit and flip through channels hoping to find old reruns of an old macabre mystery style television show playing to satisfy he and Cynder's morbid curiosity. Carolyn continued watching over supper cooking as she leafed through the tablet they had been using to communicate with Yana pondering when the change was going to occur.

Evan continued inspecting every weapon and the ordinance for the particular firearms, clips, pouches, straps, and scopes. He had intended on getting speed loaders for the revolver style pistols he had, but didn't see a need for them until now. Still, anybody with a quick hand and good coordination could load a revolver drum quickly enough to be effective.

The hunting riffles would not be so easy except the lever action thirty-thirty, the rest were tube magazine. It was too bad that the military did not let him keep a couple of mortars or claymores, but Evan was able to have three grenades; A flash bang, high incendiary, and a fragmenting. As strange as it sounded, if he ever got called to duty; his service rifle, clips, uniform, boots, helmet, armor, and the grenades were what he had to show up with.

Everything else would be provided depending on the sortie. The idea was that if a force, or dissident showed up locally and wreaked havoc for what ever reason, any soldier had enough to mobilize and circumvent to problem; if in any case, which did not happen up here where nature and the elements could easily kill on their own.

Still, the first of the sign Grandmother spoke of had come, now the rest to follow would be on its way.

'Not to be disrespectful Grandmother, but I hope you were wrong about the last part.' Evan though feeling she might be standing next to him in spirit.

A few more minutes and he was done with the inspection and loading of the weapons at hand, all the ammunition boxes were out for easy access.

He heard a light knock at the door and jumped a little being in deep thought.

Evan turned to see Yana signing 'sorry'.

He smiled and got up to approach the displaced Female. Reaching down, Evan gently gripped her hands looking long into her eyes; then in an instant, his hand let go and slide up to the inside of Yana's arms to her back and gave her a firm hug. With no apprehension, she returned his gesture burying her face in his pelted neck.

Evan felt her shudder and sniffle a bit.

“Let as much out as you can, I'm here." Evan told her rubbing her back with both hands.

A few moments later Evan walked out of the room as Yana went to use the bathroom. He saw Cynder and Vivian entertaining Katerina while Carolyn was setting the table.

“It's snowing again." she said as he entered the kitchen.

“Good, it means that things will slow down a bit." Evan said thinking he should get more wood for the stove and plug in the vehicles parked outside incase a cold snap hit low enough to pop the engine block freeze plugs even though it was warm enough now to precipitate.

When Yana came out Vivian offered Katerina to her. After accepting, she went into the kitchen to see how supper was coming along.

Evan came in with small stack of fire wood, then made two more trips to fill the wood cradle to its capacity.

Like the evening before, everyone carried on listening to music, but no drinks this time other than water or tea.

Supper was grand; seasoned roast with carrots, potatoes and gravy, and leafy green salad with a light vinaigrette dressing. Praise was given, then their meal began with more conversation.

“I plugged your car in just in case the temp drops really low." Evan told his Sister before taking a bite of potatoes and gravy.

“Thank you, I appreciate you thinking ahead." she replied before eating a cooked carrot.

Yana chewed on a bite of roast savoring the flavor of the seasonings, then got a bit of salad ready.

“Are you enjoying your meal?" Carolyn asked Yana.

She replied by putting her fork down then with the following motion pointing with her right index finger from her lips then away pointing out at chest level followed by both hands slightly cupped, right above the left with finger tips pointing opposite of each other, knuckles up with a small space between them as Yana touched her chest with both thumbs towards her body.

“Do you think that means she does?" Cynder asked.

“I believe Yana approves." Evan said as Yana looked at him and nodded.

“That's a relief, I thought the meal might have been lacking." Carolyn said with relief.

Yana picked up on what she said and wrote down on the note pad 'really content' followed by to signing motions she made before when the original question was posed.

“Thank you." Carolyn told her smiling.

Yana nodded deeply once and smiled.

An hour later, every one finished their meals and cleared the table.

Now it was time to feed Katerina as Evan and Vivian put away leftovers, did dished, and cleaned the kitchen.

She noticed that he would glance in their direction while holding a conversation with his friends, and Sister.

Yana was curious as to Evan's thoughts when he looked at them. Her thoughts trailed back to the moment he initiated his embrace in the firearms room, then the way Evan was with Katerina as share his lunch with her. She understood what they had told her about the being of his charge and service as long as she resided in his home. You are Mother, You are Priority.

Guilt started taking hold, the last memories for Yana's little girl's Father, her Husband… When their world fell to them; the creatures, he was at work on the telephone telling them to stay inside before she heard his terrified cries of pain before the line was dead. Yana kept tapping the receiver in Morse Code in hopes Oleg would somehow reply. Dead silence is all she got; then the blur of events that lead her here, warm, safe, among new and strange friends.

Evan glanced again. Yana returned it with a smile as Katerina had finished getting her bell full.

She wished now that staying here was what their fate would be so as long as the darkness did not follow. Perhaps they all would be lucky.

Evan brought Yana water and asked if Katerina needed to be changed. She check the diaper; not as of yet, Yana conveyed with motion. He nodded and went to the utility sink to get the soiled ones out of the soak, and rinsed for their wash.

Carolyn decided to make the fire this time.

“Do you remember how to do that?" Evan asked his Sister jokingly from the utility sink.

“Funny, I remember learning it before you did, and when you did it for the first time; you almost burned the house down." Carolyn replied.

“I was four years old trying to show Father I could do it to; with the barbecue too close to the house, but I did it."

Both Cynder and Vivian snickered a bit.

“Oh, we know, and that is why Father had no problem letting you set fire to the brush piles to make lye for our neighbors."

“I remember, they needed it to make soaps." Evan recalled. “I still remember everything they showed us in the process."

Yana also knew a few of the ins and outs of making soap. The mention of lye had her thinking of a class she took that was extra ciricular while at the local University. The soap Yana made was very designer with the use of lavender oil, petals, oatmeal, pressed almond and walnut oils for the main fat being used to created the reaction for the lye catalyst.

The similarities were undeniable in her mind between peoples.

The evening continued as the warmth of the fire filled the front room as did the heckling conversation while the four of them played a card game. They wanted to include Yana, but Katerina was getting fussy. She needed to be changed, but even after that, the little girl wouldn't be so easily consoled. Evan offered to hold her to see if he could help in the effort of comfort.

As he did, Evan could feel something strange for a few moments while Katerina continued to fuss. It was like a weight was upon them both, heavy and cold. It seemed like no one else was bothered as they continued to chat and play the card game. Yana was rinsing the soiled diaper to the utility sink, and starting to feel the pressure. She noticed the washer completed its cycle and decided to swap the load to the dryer; right as she activated the machine was thirty seconds after Evan experience the odd feeling. The hum of the dryer negated what ever it was for her. Returning to the front room shaking the feeling off, she noticed her Daughter had quit fussing and slept comfortably in Evan's warm arms.

Yana took a place beside him and watched the game play out until its end.

Everyone retired to where they slept the evening before bidding each and all a good night.

Carolyn asked Evan if he had one of their Mother's old night gowns in the second room closet so she did not have to sleep in her clothes for the second night in row. He answered yes as he helped Yana straighten out the hidden bed and got everything laid out with the extra blankets. After Carolyn returned from changing, Yana went next.

“I think we are going to head out tomorrow and go back into town after breakfast." Carolyn said pulling the blankets over herself as she got comfortable in the recliner. “Are you three going to be all right?"

“I don't see why not." Evan replied adding more wood to the fire and giving is a good stoke before shutting the door. “I mean, as long as both of them are happy, and feel safe."

“Given time, I feel she will, and something else may come along."

“What might that be?" Evan asked his Sister with narrowing eyes.

“Tell me what it is when it happens; good night little Brother."

Evan shook his head looking down thinking of their conversation earlier.

Yana came out and checked on her Daughter before laying down.

Evan turned and smiled to her before going to change into his bed clothes.

She was in thought of many things when he came out and started checking the front door, pulling all of the curtains shut, then cramming more wood into the fire before sitting on the edge of the bed. She waited for him to lay down and get comfortable before getting his attention.

Evan looked at Yana after she put her left hand on his chest.

“Do you want have Katerina lay on me again?"

She nodded, then helped move the little girl to warmer accommodations.

Evan smiled gently rubbing Katerina's back.

'There many things I in wanting to express. Someday perhaps communication has become fluid with us you will understand our story. Until that place is arrived, we will start new one in your graces.' Yana thought looking at him.

Evan rolled his head left to see her gazing. She signed 'thank you' with her left hand.

“Katerina and you will always have a home here if you choose to stay."

Yana replied with her left index finger pointing at Evan with eye brows raised inquisitively followed by the same finger retracting to her left eye brow, then down to almost her lips and chip with a half point in his direction asking 'you sure?'.

He looked at her for a few seconds thinking.

“I am very sure, you are home."

Tears rolled from her eyes with the memory of Oleg and leaving that world behind, someday she would tell Evan; she had to, but now it was about Katerina and the home she would raise her in. The little girl would know Evan, the silver pelted man as Father.

Their looks into each others eyes had become long and gravitating. Yana knew that he would care for them both in this world. For a moment both of their hearts race a bit… Until; Pffffttttttd.

“Oh, Spirits." Evan said hearing Katerina expel. “No more soup for you until you are done feeding from your Mother."

If laughter was one of the few things Yana could vocalize, every one would have been awoken. Evan fanned the blankets, than sat up to check for a deposit in Katerina's diaper. Just gas; he looked at her Mother shaking his head with a smile.

“I told you she is fierce."

Yana just nodded red faced from the humor.

A when they settle a few moments later, Yana was pressed against Evan left side with her head laying in between his shoulder and chest as his arm pulled her close for warmth. When she finished rubbing her Daughter's back, her hand gently rubbed Evan's belly then lengthen to grip as she pull on his right side before settling.

Some little girls do get their dream like silver laden Knight, but not without a heavy cost.

Yana breathed in his rich scent thinking of how Katerina might come running up to him not knowing anything else, just happy to see Evan when he came home from a long day.

She asked, he was sure.

She pulled up a bit then bravely caressed the right side of his face with her left hand.

Evan looked into her eyes as she did his; he returned the gesture with his right gently feeling her bare skin on the left side of her face.

Yana felt soft velvet like lips and reflexing whiskers move subtly on her forehead with firm, but gentle pressure. His padded fingers were slightly rough from work, but the machine oil had kept them softened enough.

When Evan's lips separated, Yana directed his muzzle to her lips.

Evan shied.

She motioned 'come, come to me'.

Pushing her dark hair away from her face caressing her cheek, he slowly shook his head 'no'.

“That is to be earned. In time we will settle with those notions, until then…"

She was almost disappointed with his refusal of her gesture after his.

Something awakened; Yana realized that a kiss on the lips was for a Mate with their people. Evan had not earned that from her, although she thought differently, but it was due to the social aperture that was for affection in her world.

Continuing to caress his soft cheek with eyes fixated to his, Yana returned his gesture in kine by firmly pressing her lips to his forehead.

Evan smiled, the returned a signed gesture she didn't expect. Fingers slightly apart, across his face and down, then pointing at her.

Yana nuzzled his neck after seeing it. You are Beautiful. Faery tales often give into the notions of the silver laden Knight being of the Hero, which they are; then there is the reluctant Shield Maiden unsure of her place, until…

Carolyn's eyes opened slowly to see her Brother up looking through a small slit in the curtains with his service rifle shouldered.

“Evan… What the hell…." she got out before he gave her the index finger across his throat, then the motion of 'come here quietly'.

He backed away from the slit to let her take a peek; it took a moment to get a fix of what he was looking at.

“Do not panic, make a sound, or move the curtain. I have been watching for an hour, and there are more." Evan whispered in Carolyn's left ear.

She was looking at the creature that Yana had drawn, then another. Carolyn slowly withdrew from the curtain and whispered to her Brother.

“What in hell are we going to do?"

“I am waiting for the first gun shot from the neighbors to go off and draw their attention, then waking everyone up so we can fully arm." he whispered.

“What if you are the first shot heard?"

“It's going to be a real mess either way." he said peering through the curtain again.

Evan had noticed the creatures had very little coordination when moving around together, the snow and caked ice layer at the bottom from the freezing rain also made it difficult for them to move effectively, or so it seem. Evan heard Katerina start fussing, not an opportune time; he got Carolyn's attention and pointed to the little girl.

His Sister quietly hurried to the bed and started to check on Katerina. Yana's eyes slowly opened to seen Carolyn changing her Daughter. She motioned to Yana to be quiet then pointed in his direction. She saw Evan with his service rifle shouldered looking through the curtains.

She knew it; they did come through, and now they were hunting this world. Both Females quickly moved to the bathroom and got dressed, then approached Evan; he turned to look at her and circled his chest with his right fist. Yana nodded and looked down as she said 'sorry' to.

He put his right index under her chin until they locked eyes; Evan whispered in her ear, then handed her his service rifle after he kissed her forehead. He walked into the first room and started to pull out the other riffles, the shot gun, and a few pistols with more than enough ammunition to level the sparsely populated neighborhood. Cynder came to the front room rubbing her eyes.

“What in he…" she got out before Evan told her to whisper into ears.

“What the fuck, Evan?" she whispered in his ear.

“We have got trouble; Yana's monsters are outside. Go wake Vivian, tell him to keep quiet, and get dressed."

Cynder nodded and quickly moved down the hallway to get her Mate up and ready to move.

After ten minutes, they were all in the front room waiting to see what Evan had planned.

Vivian had gotten a peek through the curtains and did not like what he saw.

Yana had sat down to feed Katerina while everyone else was getting situated with weapons; their whispering was interrupted by foot steps on the porch and a strange unrhythmic knock at the door.

Evan motioned to everyone to stay quiet and approached the door.

“This is private property. State your business."

“I apologize for the minor inconvenience, but you have something we have lost and want to have back." the strange distorted voice said.

“Really… You have the wrong house who ever you are; leave now!" Evan said aggressively

“Come now, give use what we want and we will leave peaceably."

“Funny… I don't do peaceably."

“Well then, perhaps your neighbor could convince you." it said with raspy, sinister chuckle.

“Evan… They killed Terry…" a female voice said starting to sob.

It was his neighbor Shara from a quarter mile up the road.

Evan looked at everyone in the house and pointed towards the door, then his eyes, then aimed his rifle at where he thought the voice might be. He then set the rifle on the floor after ejecting the clip, and pulled out his black forty-four magnum revolver quietly cocking the hammer.

“All right… don't hurt her; I am opening the door."

“Wise decision." the distorted voice said.

'Wise decision indeed.' he thought as he motioned to the rest to aim their weapons in his direction before he pulled the door open and had the revolver in the creature's face in a split second and fired; there was a spot dripping down the wall of the covered porch the size of the being that threatened them, at the same time a bigger creature had Shara by the arm and was about to bite her neck. His attention was already aimed at the other assailant's head as was the revolver… Time stood still for Evan; right as the creature coiled to strike, Evan, smiling with a very ominous but focused stare, then emptied three rounds into its head. The dark blood and chunks were all over her from the precision shots. He grabbed Shara and pulled her in to the house and barred the door and tossed the pistol towards the coffee table, picked up his rifle and put the clip back in.

“Reload my pistol, please." he said watching tears run down Shara's face as she trembled.

Carolyn started to reload and Vivian came over to guide the freed hostage to the couch to rest, then went into the bathroom to provide her a towel to at least wipe off some of the carnage.

Yana saw a tall, dark cream and white Malamute Female covered in spatter who was very pregnant crying on the couch saying something about her Mate being murdered, then Katerina started making a fuss and caught Shara's attention.

“They wanted you…" she said sobbing. “… and your infant…"

Yana kept Signing 'sorry' until Cynder stopped her hand.

“What is she?" Sara sniffled.

“A pelt less Female named Yana, and her Daughter Katerina." Cynder answered.

“Why did my Mate have to die…?" Shara sobbed looking at Yana.

With tears in her eyes, Yana Signed 'I don't know'

“Is she stupid, or damaged…?"

“No, Yana is mute, she speaks with her hands, and pictures. Shara, Terry's death is not her fault; even if she was not here, they still would have come." Evan told her.

Shara looked down and covered her face crying.

“Oh shit, there are more coming!" Vivian said loudly.

Yana; after pulling her daughter free from her breast, stood up and handed Cynder Katerina as Evan was putting on his tactical armor, she then stood by the door waiting just incase something decided to break through while he prepared. Vivian kept watch at the curtain with one of the older assault rifles as Cynder picked up a forty-five with long clips, and the lever action thirty-thirty hunting rifle fully loaded. Carolyn grabbed the ten millimeter pistol and as many clips as she could cram in her pockets, holstered it, then picked up the single barrel shot gun that she and Evan's Father used to own and its shell pouch. The plug had been pulled to give a nine shot capacity before reloading.

Horrid sounds started to emanate outside the house. Evan listened closely to see where they might be going. The porch started creaking with the weight of multiple creatures approaching the door; more of those sounds went back and fourth between them.

“Vivian… get away from the window now." Evan told him realizing the creatures were communicating and had seen the two he had just killed. The smart thing to do is draw attention then hit from behind at the weakest point which would be the bay window; in less than a second, a vehicle slid to a stop in Evan's driveway then tried to back out quickly and got the attention of the creatures. The horrid sounds turned into shreiks turned into loud roars that seem to giving the vehicle chase; then the sounds the car hitting the ditch and repeated gun fire.

Evan was at the door pulling the bars off to get outside.

“What the hell are you doing?" Carolyn asked her Brother.

“I am going to do something about this shit right now!" he yelled paying no mind to the carcasses as he made it out to the driveway leaving dark fluid footprints in the snow.

The sound of gun fire erupted along with the unearthly squeals and screams of rage and pain from the creatures. Yana had put on the white parka that Carolyn gave her and ran outside with Evan's service rifle to assist him in the fight. Vivian looked at them both, shrugged and then pursued them to help.

The vehicle was a patrol car that their friend Richard drove, Evan laid down suppressing fire to back the monsters off of him. Richard did not hesitate to get clear of his car running to get behind Evan and Yana as they tore through the minimal ranks of their assailants.

The way Evan's rifle felt when she fired was like a dream; Yana had fired the roughest of assault rifles and still hit her marks, but the electronic fire was smooth, no recoil. After two shots, Yana synced up with the accuracy and hit everything in the sight.

Vivian came up behind Richard and almost got shot. Shaking his head, Vivian smiled and started to join them in the fight. After what seem like and eternity; which was really a matter of minutes, everything was quiet. Evan and Yana started to go by the numbers and sweep the house's parameter for anything that could be hiding as Richard and Vivian went to the patrol car and started to pull his gear out and running it into the house quickly. Evan took the lead as she followed him to sweep by the pump house first, then down the length of the green house. They stopped at the corner getting ready to run right at the end.

He motioned to her to keep a line of sight from his four o clock to nine while quickly sweeping the right. She nodded and did just that. Holding fast for moment, Evan surveyed the perimeter, then motioned her to follow. They stopped at the end of the building repeating the same maneuver as Evan took the right corner again. Once both of them were on the long straight on the other side, Evan motioned for Yana to keep the rear ninety degrees covered and he took the front while the crept up to the front to the house. Noticing how precise Yana was with her sweep, and that she adapted to the rifle like it was second nature; under the circumstances he couldn't be more pleased.

Before they entered the house from the porch, he tightly hugged Yana, she was more than he expected her to be; a fit match as an Alpha combatant.

Cynder was holding Katerina as she consoled Shara as best she could; Carolyn was at the front door waiting to shoot anything that looked like a monster. A few minutes after they came in, Evan was barring the door looking at everyone.

Richard was staring a Yana for a moment trying to figure her out; she watched him remove his State Trooper hat, he was a Fennec.

“I know this is a stupid question, but it's protocol; is everyone all right?" Richard asked.

Evan never said a word, but the rest confirmed they were as all right as they could be for the moment.

“What is that?" Richard asked in strained and concerned tone looking at Yana

“That Female was the second one out of the house to save your pelt Richard, and her name is Yana." Vivian said.

“I apologize Miss, I meant no offense." Richard said.

“Do this for her." Cynder said showing him the Sign for 'sorry'.

Richard spoke aloud and made the motion to apologize for his outburst.

Yana Signed 'thank you'.

“Richard, I am curious as to why you are here." Evan asked.

“I was just starting my shift and calls started coming in from all over about those creatures and something about strange sounds in the sky. I came here to get your help. Then I saw them all over your place, and thought they had already got to you." Richard explained.

Yana picked out bits and pieces of what he said and picked up the note pad and started to draw different dark circles with different things in the middle of them, then illustrated a sky scene.

“What is she doing?" Richard asked.

“It looks liked Yana wants to show us something." Carolyn said.

She handed the pad to Vivian and pointed up. After everyone looked the new drawings, Richard saw something that looked familiar because of a call dispatch had taken from the western side of town. Shara excused herself to the bathroom as they were making sense of the current situation outside of what they had just dealt with.

Evan was a couple of seconds behind Shara in the hallway and could hear her crying behind the bathroom door. He gently knocked on the door.

“I will be out in a minute." she sniffled waiting for the water to get hot enough to clean the death from her.

“I am just letting you know I am here just incase…" Evan said. “Take your time."

After five minutes, Carolyn poked her head around corner to see her Brother standing by the bathroom door.

“What are you doing?" she asked Evan.

His right hand's index and middle fingers point at his eyes then motioned towards the door, after that, made a motion of a big, round belly.

Carolyn gave him a thumbs up then disappeared around the corner.

Three minutes later, Shara emerged from the bathroom with her pelt looking flush from using a soaked towel to wipe off the black fluid, and puffy eyed from crying.

“I can only imagine what you're going through right now, but I need you to pull it together and stay sharp; I feel this is not over yet." he told her.

“Evan… my Mate is dead… I don't know what to do now…" she said doing her best to keep composure.

“You survive, and make sure your child survives." he said giving her a firm hug. “I will not stop until this is settled; believe me."

“How are we going got get through this? They are… without any conscience." Shara asked.

“We fight; besides, Yana and her Daughter managed to make it here from their world and…" Is all Evan got out before hearing the loud creaking and cracking sound of a thawing ice field, then the ground shaking roar of something huge.

“Fucking hell!." Vivian yelled from the porch watching trees being splintered by something massive and menacing.

Shara and Evan hurried to the front room to see what it was that made them jump. Another sound erupted from Richard's patrol cruiser being thrown into both Evan's and Carolyn's cars; the cruiser came to a rest on the pump house, which looked like match sticks and insulation now.

The beast was eighteen feet tall and probably weighed as much as the delivery truck that brought Evan's meat to him. In the distance, small arms fire could be heard as well as the aggravated sounds from the beast being hit. It was Petra and Chet, the Pardus couple that lived just up the hill sixty yards away from Evan shooting as fast as they could at the creature. Right as the monster turned to confront them, Evan came out and started to lay in to it with his rifle.

Snow started to fall again as the late morning air was warming up from the frosty twelve degrees it was when Evan first woke up. His rounds were hitting the head and right shoulder until it turned to see him and almost made his heart stop when it roared and started to lumber towards him. Right as creature looked like it was going to charge, Yana had snuck around to left side of the house and started firing from that corner of the kitchen.

Vivian came out to Evan's left side and was about to engage until Evan told him to get something that was about to make massive holes.

“Vivian, grab Frigg right now!" he shouted.

Vivian ran into he house quickly and blew past every one into the room to grab the absolution of death out of a barrel. Frigg; Evan's sixty-eight caliber arm cannon of a sniper rifle.

When Carolyn saw what was in Vivian's hands, she knew it was bad and followed him to lend a hand. As soon as Vivian knew Evan had a hold of Frigg, he started to fire his rifle to get the creature's attention off of Yana; Petra and Chet had finished reloading, then continued their assault. Evan wound up the strap around his right hand and laid down on top of his wrecked car to draw his shot. Right as he was about to squeeze the trigger, Evan noticed more of the other creatures coming out of the tree line across the road where Richard's patrol car had been.

He took the shot and hit the larger one on the shoulder, it was as loud as the creature's pained bellow. Black fluid was flung everywhere from the gaping wound. Evan lined up another shot then noticed Chet and Petra were about to get over taken, he swerved the barrel and yell for them to drop; another round of death was released, the catastrophic beauty of shell impact followed by the shockwave that decimated the attackers. Three of the minor creatures had been hit directly and four others fell demise from proximity. Yana had come back around to cover Evan and Carolyn. Vivian had made his way to Petra and Chet to get them up and into the house. Sounds of the shotgun could be heard from inside, Richard was by the door incase anything tried to get Cynder, Katerina, and Shara.

Another loud crack ripped into the head of the monstrous creature followed by huge ground shaking thump, everything in the house rattled. A few seconds later Chet and Petra came into the house and dropped to the floor still trying to recover from what little of the shockwave they felt when Evan helped them. The sounds of the three assault rifles and a shot gun made it hard to hear anything until another loud ear shattering roar erupted in the distance. It was absolutely titanic smashing thought the trees towards them. This monster was about thirty-four hundred yards off and closing with more of the minor creatures with it.

Evan lined up for a headshot and noticed that the Aurora Borealis was an odd color of blue, like a ribbon of another sky. He squeezed the trigger and hit the fifty-six foot tall beast where the heart should have been; through the scope, he could see the hit and the hole it left, but it still kept coming like it was unfazed.

Evan swapped clips and drew another shot for the head; one of its many eyes. He took the shot for the one that looked closest to the brain and squeezed the trigger. It was a direct hit, and all it did was anger the giant more; the minor creatures where upon then squealing and shrieking as they converged on them, Evan fired again for another eye, missed but got in its maw before it hurled a truck filled with oil drums. The truck fell short but the containers still had kinetic flight towards them; Evan got struck by a half empty sixty gallon drum. His left shoulder and fore arm had multiple fractures; he could no longer fire his rifle, but still had his revolver.

Carolyn had emptied the shotgun and could not reload it fast enough; she resorted to the ten millimeter pistol and started to empty clips at the oncoming wave of smaller creatures. Richard came out with his service pistol and started firing to give some help as Yana emptied the service rifle's last clip.

Cynder could hear the yelling outside and looked at Shara.

“Hold her, I have to help!" she said knowing Vivian was going to run out of ammunition as well.

Right as she came off the porch with more rounds to replenish their weapons, Cynder saw the giant reaching down for her Mate and friends; it was too late, she could do nothing but accept their fate, hers, then everyone else in the house. Still, she kept pumping rounds out at everything that was not of their world until the hunting rifle was empty, then resorted to the pistol she had.

Evan could not reload his revolver.

“Yana!!! Run!!!" he yelled.

She did not, instead she stood in front of the massive hand that was about to have them in its grasp.

'Run you stupid Female…' was the last thought Evan had before going black.

Everyone else stood in horror until what looked like a distorted ripple in the air shot out and tore the hand, arm, shoulder, a third of the chest, with the head off the giant.

Shara came out of the house to see the destruction while holding Katerina firmly to her.

Richard ran to Evan to see if he was still alive while the rest were getting their bearings. Chet and Petra were standing at the kitchen windows looking out holding themselves upright at the giant body flopped around spewing the dark blood in a flood through the trees, all over the driveway and road. Vivian and Cynder ran back into the house to grab more ammunition so everyone could reload their weapons. Carolyn was stunned for a few seconds, then called to Yana to help her move her Brother. Yana waved off Carolyn from her objective, they needed a stretcher and more people to do it without causing his injuries to be worse. Vivian and Cynder returned with ammunition boxes and sat on the porch steps; while he started reloading clips, she was on the ground doing her best to pick up all the ones she had dropped in the snow. Richard picked up every clip he could find on the ground and handed them to Vivian, then per request of Carolyn, went inside to grab blankets to cover Evan.

A strange noise arose from everywhere. The look on Yana's face was unsettling as she looking in every direction with fear. Cynder and Vivian worked faster to get everything loaded up for the next attack. Yana suddenly ran into the house and looked for a big, sturdy bag. Finding a black duffle in Evan's gun room. She started dumping every loose round and boxes she could into it with the spare empty clips. Once satisfied, Yana found the pen and tablet, then ran back outside quickly writing something down and handing it to Cynder.

It read, 'It is happening again, we are leaving.'

“Oh shit."

“What?" Vivian asked.

“Everyone, something is about to happen and we need to group together right now." Cynder said loudly.

“Inside or out?" Carolyn asked checking to see if her Brother was still breathing.

'Outside, structures too dangerous when happens.' Yana wrote quickly.

“When what happens?" Richard asked feeling a tremor like vibration under his feet.

Carolyn turned to Yana. “It's how it happen before, isn't it?"

She nodded, and signed 'I'm sorry.'

Carolyn nodded back.

“Richard, get Chet and Petra out of the house; everyone else, grab what you can and stay close."

The sound grew louder. When everyone was doing their best to protect each other, the ambient light looked like it was starting to eclipse into blackness. A soul shattering cracking sound filled them, it was the sound of their world being torn apart.

Yana sat on her knees with Shara while she still held her Daughter. Carolyn sat with them and handed Evan's service rifle to her fully loaded with three clips ready. Richard, Vivian, Cynder, Petra, and Chet hurried to get as many weapons fortified as possible, then shoved the rest into the large duffle. Before the light faded to blackness, they all crowded Evan hoping they would be ready to fight of what ever happen next.

Vivian took the empty revolver from him, then relieved him of Frigg. Cynder had managed to load three four round clips for the sniper rifle. They would have to wait on the revolver until they could see again.

The tone they could hear was shaking them with it's wobbling oscillation of a thousand electrical generators, suddenly all of their eyes hurt from the eerie red light that filled what space they occupied.

“I feel sick." Cynder said on a slow distorted voice.

“Everything looks strange, what's happening?" Richard said with the same drawn out distortion like his voice was deep.

“Why does everything look like a negative?" Carolyn said before vomiting.

Shara kept her eyes closed shivering.

Yana looked around, it was like before when she entered their world, but instead of an almost florescent greenish light in the negative, it was red this time with rippling waves like heat displaced air on blacktop from a distance.

“Are we in hell?" Vivian asked looking sick to his stomach.

The flickering started to happen, every second that passed the pulsing picked up speed to the point of strobing; then nothing but darkness.

It felt like they were on muddy ground, the scent was different. As the light gave way to something resembling dusk in a desolate area.

Yana heard footfall from two figures approaching at a run.

“Shit!" Carolyn said loudly picking up the shot gun.

The two people stopped dead in their tracks fifteen feet away from the group and big debris piles seeing a lot of weapons aimed at them.

“Whoa! Hey, we're here to help." the Male who looked like one of Yana's people said with his hands in front of him palms out.

“Where did you come from?" Vivian asked aggressively. “Answer, right now!

“Up there." the gold haired Mephitidae Female said.

“What?" Carolyn asked confused.

“Our ship is in orbit, we called for help." The Male told them.

Just as he finished, those unearthly vocalizations the new arrivals knew all to well could be heard from every side.

-Distress Doubled-

Phyllis and Michael had seen what some would have described as a strong magnet next to a CRT television. As fast as he could, Michael pulled out the video recorder to capture the new anomaly. The distortion looked like a black hole causing the landscape to ripple like a water drop disturbing a still body of fluid around. Everything looked like a backdrop they would not be able to walk past short of moving the vale aside to see what ever was behind it.

“Michael, what is that?" Phyllis asked sounding very uneasy.

“I don't know, but look at what it is doing to everything around it." he said increasing the zoom. “Wait, there are people; this is one of those anomalies!"

“What should we do?" she asked.

“We don't want to get too close yet, it could work both ways." Michael said still catching video.

A moment later, the anomaly was gone. A mess of debris made from vehicles, what use to be a standing house, and displaced people were left behind.

Both of them ran towards the group activating their emergency beacons to summon help from above.

It was just transitioning to the early morning from night when the alert was sent out to the drop crews. Keece was first to the bridge to figure out why the ship wide alarm had been sounded.

“What is the report?"

“Both Michael and Phyllis trigger their distress beacons simultaneously, with that, another EM disturbance has occurred." Jehn told him. “Crews are prepping as we speak."

“Where are they in relevance to the anomaly?"

“Keece, they are smack dab in the middle."

“Dammit!" he said running out of the bridge.

The drop crews were assembling at their ships with prep crews helping the load outs. It was hard not to run into someone or thing by accident. This was the first time they had two full deck shifts working together at once.

“What the hell is going on?" MAK asked as Keece approach the Soyokaze.

“There is another EM disturbance; both Phyllis and Michael's distress beacons activated within a minute of it."

“You think they are there?"

“Jehn just told me they are in the middle of it right now." Keece told him. “We need to make haste, who knows what caused them to set both beacons."

“Do you think more of those creatures came through?" MAK asked.

“I am requesting two Gunships as escort just in case."

After he said that, both were helping load the portable MedBay while Sahvina and Camille were walking quickly through the running crews to meet with them.

“Jehn just told us what is going on, do we need to have another drop ship come with us?' Camille asked Keece.

“Yes, please inform Bryan that we need him, and have two Gunships crews ready to go."

“Got it." she replied waving down a couple of Deckhands.

Camille and the pilot for Azure communicated during the load out of both vessels. They were going to use the Hotdrop method to make sure they could reach the beacon zone with the utmost expediency. This was a huge risk for them because four ship were committed to the idea and if anything went wrong, it could be four ships stuck on the ground, if not destroyed.

“Up there." Phyllis said said.

“What?" Carolyn asked confused.

“Our ship is in orbit, we called for help." Michael told them.

“Michael, did you hear that?

“Yeah…" he said turning around to get a bead on what had the surrounded.

“They came through, fuck us all…" Cynder said with a frightened tone while checking her weapon again.

“Would someone like to explain what came through?" Michael asked them while pulling his assault rifle free from his pack and approached Carolyn.

“Monsters." Richard told him.

"These things are vicious, and those are the small ones; the bigger ones are hard to kill." Carolyn explained quickly noticing Michael looking at Evan.

“Is he all right?" Michael asked her.

“He's my Brother; he really needs help."

“I'm a Medic for my ship, tell me what's wrong with him."

“He got hit with a sixty gallon drum." Carolyn told Michael.

“One of the giants threw a truck full of oil drums and Evan took one on his left side." Vivian said keeping a watchful eye to the outer perimeter.

“A giant?" Phyllis asked almost humorously.

“Yeah, a fucking giant! Are you not listening?!" Vivian yelled.

“Hey! Just settle down. Are there more injured in your group?" Michael inquired.

“A few minor things, but Evan is in need of serious medical attention." Carolyn said. “And Shara is almost due to give birth."

“None of you have any reason to trust Phyllis and I, but listen; we activated our emergency beacons together. That is now telling our people there is a dire situation. I don't know when our Family will be here, but when they arrive I assure you that they will attend to Evan and everyone else."

“That's all well and good sir, but until they show; what in hell are we going to do about our immediate problem?" Richard asked.

Yana walked up to MIchael and started to make motions.

“Infant… Pregnant… Protection?" Michael said back.

She nodded then displayed Evan's service rifle to let him know she was ready to fight.

“Make a perimeter, defend it, Phyllis and I will do the rest."

Yana pointed at the black and gold Female she saw.

“Yes, Phyllis." he told her.

Yana nodded but couldn't quit looking at his eyes. It was a bit unsettling to her that Michael's eyes were similar to Evan's.

The vocalizations kept getting louder with the light receding over the horizon.

“What have we gotten into?" Phyllis asked.

“A wonderful mess." Michael replied. “Get piles of anything burnable ready everyone, looks like these cowards are going to try to bit us with the cover of darkness."

As fast as everyone could move, piles were built. Carolyn went to the busted shed attached to the pump house to get the gas and diesel cans out of the wreck to pour on the splintered structures that would soon be bonfires.

“Uh, Michael; right?" Cynder asked.

“Yes Ma'am." he replied.

“I don't think any of us have matches." she said.

The eerie sounds seem to creep closer.

“Understood." he told her.

Seconds later a burst of orange flames shot out from his fingers and ignited the first pile. He chose the second one to be opposite of the perimeter to even out the range of sight. Another burst flew out and made ignition.

“Everyone who is willing to move should start taking anything you can to get the other piles started." Michael told them.

“What is out ETA?" Keece asked Camille.

“Fifty two minutes at best." she replied.

“We need to go faster."

“Keece, if we go any faster we'll burn up." she told him.

“So be it" he said.

“No."

“Do it now."

“Look, this is my ship and I am in command. I will not sacrifice our crew for your notions. I care about Michael and Phyllis as much as you do, but we will not be any used to them if we are dead. We are at our maximum velocity, and the hull is already hot. If we manage to get back to Phalanx without support, I'll be surprised." Camille told him.

He said nothing after her statement. Camille was right, any faster and they would be a shooting star.

The scent of their antagonists had given away their approach. Even the new arrivals could smell them. The cold weather had suppressed it before, but their sterile scent was abundant now.

All five piles were burning and the last of the ambient light folded into darkness.

“How are we doing this?" Vivian asked.

“Easy." Michael said pulling out a canister from his pack. “This is a reflective material I am applying on myself; if it doesn't look reflective, shoot it." he said handing the canister to Phyllis. They put four dots on their chests, two on each shoulder, then did another four on each other's backs.

“This is crazy Michael." Phyllis told him applying dots on his back.

“It's all we got as long as the fires burn."

“You trust them not to kill us?" she asked.

“They have to trust us to do our job, now get ready, and do your best… Because it's all we got." Michael said as he walked to Carolyn and Yana setting his pack down next to Evan.

“As soon as this is finished, I will help your Brother." he said.

“What if you die?" Carolyn asked.

“You won't let it happen." Michael told her putting his assault rifle in her hands. “Six clips on the sides of my pack, this is something you have not shot before, but don't worry; there is no recoil, just put the green dot on what you want to kill."

“How do I reload?" she asked.

“The clip will eject automatically from under the stock, it will be intuitive after that."

“What are you going to use?" Vivian asked.

Michael pulled his combat knife out with a slight smile.

“I hope you are as good as Evan with knives, 'cause after what we have seen…" Richard started to say before the first creature sprung out into the light.

He moved like lightening. Michael pulled on something from the hilt of the blade that glowed and intense ultraviolet. He had caught their assailant with the glowing line through part of the torso up to the right side of the neck.

Two haves of the creature fell before them dead.

“Snap to it people!" Michael yelled advancing to see what was next.

Within moments gun fire started popping, Phyllis was off to his right slightly behind pacing to find her target as he took his next one down.

The new group realized they were running a circle around them making a larger perimeter to shave off the attackers that manage to elude the main group's shots.

Phyllis had one charge her; she had almost forgotten what it felt like when the blade cut through flesh. She decided to use her sword instead of the rifle in her pack. Michael encouraged her to leave the weapon with them. It had been a while since the last time she got to work out with it. Michael looked gracefully insane with how he used the glowing filament to cut down the swarming attackers.

It took a moment for her to warm up, but once it happened, she exploded with ferocity. While taking their shots, the new group watched as the black and gold Mephitidae fought like a war Goddess from some outlandish fantasy film along side the strange Male with his weird filament weapon.

The group took their shots as they kept an eye on the reflective bodies in order to strike down the correct target.

“Am I the only one seeing this? I mean, look at those two go!" Vivian said doing his best to wrap his head around them making what looked like light work out of what had them pinned down before.

“I think they're soldiers of some kind like Evan." Carolyn said firing as she witnessed Michael punch one of the creatures that stood four feet tall in the head so hard it flew back and hit the ground convulsing before he descended on it crushing its head in with his heal. The mass kept coming at them. Phyllis started to do a spinning flail to maximize the amount of damage she could deliver.

'I hope you are seeing this Nadzieja, because we could use your help.' she thought feeling the growing fatigue.

Michael looked like he wasn't going to slow down.

After ten minutes of hit and run with cover fire, a ground shaking thump got their attention, another, then another. This did not stop the advance of the initial forces fighting their way through to get at the people who came through.

The bonfires reveled how many of the smaller creatures were surrounding them.

“Michael, I'm starting to cramp really bad. I keep going as long as I can, but I won't be able to keep it up for much longer." Phyllis said with frustration in her tone.

“Phyllis, retreat to the middle of our new friends, get your rifle back, and move to the highest point you can and hold you position." Michael told her.

She did not hesitate as he followed.

“I need everyone link by holding hands, then one or more grab my legs; make sure someone is touching Evan." Michael told them holstering his knife.

“What's going to happen?" Cynder asked scare out of her mind.

“Make a chain of all of you touching each other then me now or this won't work."

He started to rub his palms together while saying something that none of them understood accept Yana.

“This is going to hurt."

She did not fully understand why Michael said it, but the intensity was building as they could see their enemies circling them.

Suddenly a burst of orange fire shot out in a ringed shockwave five fee tall in all directions with the sound of a sonic boom that shook the group to the core but left the encroaching forces laid over burning as brightly as the bonfires. A loud roar sounded off and the pounding footsteps coming towards them vibrated all the loose material laying about.

“We are in deep shit." Vivian said reloading.

“The big one you mentioned?" Michael asked.

“Not as big, but big enough." Carolyn said.

“Good, I don't hear anything else coming." Michael said walking out to where the creature could be heard.

“What in hell are you doing?" Phyllis asked him.

“Getting to it before it gets to them."

“Michael, don't do this. It would be better to fight it as a group." Phyllis said.

“Maybe, but if it gets any closer the group may not be able to take it." he told her right as they both heard something much bigger.

“What was that?! she exclaimed.

“Oh no, not another one, please, anything but…" Cynder cried out right as her voice was drowned out by the deafening roar ripping towards them.

The minor and the major were lumbering towards them.

“You want your gun back?" Carolyn asked.

“Nope." Michael said digging into his pack's sub pocket producing a grenade. “This will do just fine."

“You are fucking nuts." Vivian told him. “Which one are you going to hit with that?"

“The little one, I figure it will give the big boy something to think about."

“These things don't think, they kill." Carolyn told him.

“You're looking for your death; aren't you?" Phyllis asked.

“I had been considering it, but this is not about that. There is an infant and one about to be born; these people are in bad shape, and need help. This is about buying time until our Family can get here, at any cost. This is what we are supposed to do, this our duty to them and everyone else that comes through."

She didn't know what to say, Phyllis still felt like he was looking for his end to be with Nadezjia.

“What do you want me to do?" she asked.

“Make sure they have enough of their weapons loaded to mount a fierce defense, get the pregnant girl next to Evan and get the rest of them to protect them. I will do everything I can, but if I fall short… It will be up to you." Michael told her as another roar boomed out.

Phyllis nodded, then went to it. Michael ran out into the darkness to fight the smallest one. The first minute of a commotion in the distance was strange. The sound of the big one's heavy foot fall loomed closer, then all of them saw Michael hit the ground back first and slide ten feet from one of the bonfires.

“Alright you miserable beast." he said pealing himself off the dry and rugged ground and ran towards it again.

The light of the fires made it fully visible from twenty yards away.

Suddenly Michael jumped up and had his hands in its mouth with his fingers between the writhing teeth ripping them out. The creature roared out and threw him again. A strange low emanating growl could be heard coming from Michael, something Phyllis had never witnessed with him before. Slowly he pealed himself off the ground then started to sprint towards it once more, jumping up and planting both feet into its chest knocking the wind out of the creature making it stagger. Michael took the opportunity to get his hands back in its mouth and started spreading the jaws past their limit.

“What is he doing?" Richard asked.

“I don't know… Getting eaten?" Cynder replied.

“Oh shit, he is about to tear its head off." Phyllis said cringing.

“Bullshit, there is no way he could…" Vivian said looking through the sniper rifle's scope.

Michael pried the mouth open while getting gouged on his back until a consecutive five loud cracks could be heard. Vivian watched as he pulled the pin with his mouth and let the spoon fly before shoving the grenade down the throat of the creature. Michael got thrown down as it was fighting to choke out the explosive until a loud but dampened pop with a sudden glow through the flesh happened from the detonation. Like before, the large body hit the ground spewing the dark fluid everywhere shuddering its last throws before death took its toll.

Another shattering roar came from the major coming for them.

“Does anybody have anything like and explosive? Don't care what it is, just need it now." Michael said walking towards them looking beaten up.

No one in the group could give him his request while the thundering steps got closer.

“Carolyn, right?" he asked.

“Yes?"

“I need my weapon; how many clips are left?"

“Maybe half of one… Sorry." she said.

“Fuck!!!" he yelled turning around to hear another foot fall.

HIs back was tore, the fabric of his shirt soaked in blood, and caked with dirt as were his trousers.

“Anything, give me anything I can make big holes with." he said. “Start moving your people back, I'll do my best to cover you all."

Yana handed him Frigg, Michael looked at the huge rifle with the tank like flash suppressor at the end of the barrel.

“How many shots left." he asked her.

She showed one hand with all digits up and the fifth shell in her other hand.

“Will it be enough?"

Yana shook her head 'no'.

“Grab everything you can and everyone else, I will do what I can." he told them. “Move!"

“Michael, I'm coming with you!" Phyllis exclaimed.

He noticed both she and Yana were standing there with him.

“Both of you need to go, I'll buy the time."

They did not budge.

“What about your baby?" Michael asked Yana.

She motioned a round belly, then pointed ears on her head.

He knew what she meant. The pregnant Female could take her Daughter and continue to feed her if the worst happen. The memory of Pehl taking Kelee as her own before Agnes was born flashed in his mind.

Michael looked at Yana as his eyes welled up with a single tear rolling down his left cheek.

“You're sure?" he asked.

She nodded.

“I'm not going to bother to ask you." he told Phyllis. “But I would suggest running right now."

“Kiss my ass you self righteous jerk!"

“So be it." Michael said pulling the big rifle tight to his left shoulder getting a bead on his target.

The cracking sound exploded from Frigg as the huge fiery flash illuminated the ground from the muzzle vents. Michael hit the giant in the throat following the sound of the bolt being pulled.

A gurgling roar erupted as the second shot was fired an inch lower.

The sounds became worse, but did not stop the giant from advancing.

Yana did her best to hit his marks with her rifle following what he was aiming for. The shots were to break the neck, or to sever the spinal cord to either kill the creature, or cause paralysis so they could subdue it.

Michael fired the last three shots he had in between the first two he had marked while Yana emptied the last of her rounds. It kept coming.

One more round.

Michael manually loaded through the open chamber and shut the bolt. He fired again hoping that this would be the kill shot. To no avail.

“Both of you need to go now." Michael said rubbing both of his palms together then quickly shoving his arms out to the side, the repeating the palm rubbing.

Yana and Phyllis noticed stones started to rise up from the ground with a strange glow. The brighter the glow, the more both realized the stones were heating up. Michael unfurled with a more focused burst of orange fire with the superheated stones hitting the giant. The Creature swiped at the air after being hit spinning with every thunderous heel drop dealing with the pain of being burned from the inside by the stones that managed to penetrate its body. Still, it wasn't enough. Michael pulled his combat knife out and poised to fight straight up. Phyllis wanted to follow the others, but just stood there not knowing what else to do.

Michael took off with the ultraviolet filament out and made an attempt to take chunk out of the beast's shin. Carolyn kept digging around in the black duffle bag for anything that could help. Michael was now getting swatted at as he continued to carve at the giant's legs.

“Hey you, with the gold hair." Carolyn shouted at Phyllis.

She turned around to see a grenade of some type in her hand.

“Can you get this to him?" Carolyn asked.

Phyllis did not hesitate. Plucking it from her hand, she ran out to Michael as he managed to cut a part of the right thumb off the giant.

“Michael, she found this." Phyllis shouted as she ran up to him.

He looked at it quickly to see the label that read 'High Incendiary'.

“It's going to have to work." He said looking for a spot in any of the shredded shins to place it.

For a split second, Michael entertained the idea to let it grab him so he could shove the grenade in its mouth.

An opportunity opened up as Phyllis came around the back and thrusted her sword into the left leg below the calf muscle. The giant bellowed out in anger, turned around, and tried to step on her.

Michael saw the wound and pulled the pin running up. The spoon flew and he shoved it in the hole she made as deep as he could.

“Run Phyllis, get away from it now!" Michael yelled.

Barely getting clear of another swat, she and Michael ran towards the group while they were still doing their best to move away.

The grenade ignited. The sounds the giant made in pain were deafening. When it fell, Evan's damaged house finished collapsing. Some of the bonfire piles, and burning bodies flattened out from the ground shaking.

The giant creature rolled over and gazed in their direction, the way the remaining fire's light danced gave its face a very sinister look of intent as it started dragging its self towards them.

“No,no,no…" Cynder cried out.

Every one who could stand looked in horror as it kept coming.

“All right then, at least I can get to your head now." Michael said with drained glare.

Phyllis knew he had to be feeling the pain of his injuries, and how he could keep going was nothing short of amazing, but even he had limit and this time he might find out what they were.

“How are we doing this?" she asked Michael as he pulled his filament weapon out again.

“The hard way…" he trailed off as the both watch the ultraviolet light fade to nothing. “Oh crap… Grab people and start moving them!"

They might have a chance if they could out run it, but how long could they all hold up? They approached to debris pile to see Yana standing on it still. Michael turn and looked to see how fast the beast could still move injured.

Phyllis noticed Yana had a very unsettling look on her face, a death look; not one of accepting death, it was the look of one about to deliver it.

There was not sound, but the action could be felt. In seconds the giant's head and the upper chest had become a black mist. It was a mess as the body did a thunderous flop. Guts and fluid ran out of the huge corpse.

Michael turned and looked a Yana, he noticed blood running from her right nostril. When they made eye contact, he just nodded then started walking to the rest of the group to get his pack so he could do as he promised and help Evan. Before he could kneel down to rest for a moment, Michael heard the cry of a newborn. The way it saturated him, the cry of new life in the midst of all of this. It pulled at his heart knowing what his true intentions had been, and what his actions had done made him rethink a few things. Those thoughts would have to be for later, another life needed to be saved.

Evan woke up to the immense pain of his broken shoulder, forearm, and ribs; he could feel tight pressure in various spots, then realized someone had temporarily set his breaks with straps and wood. The air smelled different. As he looked up, Evan saw what appeared to be one of Yana's people with yellow eyes looking down on him before shining a light in both eyes for a few seconds a piece.

“Yana… Where Yana…?" He wheezed out from the pain.

“She is resting with Katerina… Your friends are all safe, and there is a new addition; Shara had her Son twenty minutes ago."

“Where we?" Evan asked.

“We are in a high desert at the moment, but rest assured our Family is on their way to take us up to the ship to get you the best medical care we can."

“Michael, is he alright?" Phyllis asked cutting his shirt off.

“Seems to be at the moment, can you get me the anesthetic out of my MedKIt?"

“Sure thing." she replied getting up with the freed blood and dirt ridden material.

“What happened? Last thing remember getting hit… Giant monster… Kill us."

“I think your Sister would be better suited for that information; Phyllis and I had seen all of you come through… With those creatures as well, but we were able to help excommunicate them before any one else got hurt." Michael told him as he injected Evan.

The last thing he remembered seeing before succumbing to the anesthetic was the incredible blanket of stars in the night sky. As Phyllis sprayed Michael's back with an antiseptic; Carolyn, Cynder, Richard, Vivian, Petra, and Chet sat around fading bonfire still doing their best to make sense of what happened.

Phyllis carefully wiped his back off before applying the orangish coagulant while listening to their discussion.

Yana awoke to Katerina fussing from needing to be changed; Michael approached her and offered her a diaper and wipes that had been brought out from the remains of the house. She was still captivated by his eyes and a bit horrified by the wounds all over his upped body. Still, he smiled at her assuringly.

After changing her Daughter, she motioned to Evan.

“He is stable for now, but we must get him to the Infirmary."

Yana did her best to put together what he had said, then made a motion of a pen and pad.

Michael grabbed his pack and pulled out his digital pad and activated it, then showed her the letter keys. Yana poked at them, the message read; Evan live?

Michael nodded, then slowly scrolled through the language profiles until Yana pointed at something very familiar too her, Cyrillic.

He spoke to her in his Father's and Mikelys's language.

“Communication has difficulties when it seems no one listens, correct?" he said in Russian.

Yana nodded, then wrote back; 'Evan must have medical attention of hospital.'

“I know, Mother will be here soon to help. How long have you had power?"

'Unknown, it only happens when in trouble; It's why they want me, why people died.' she wrote. '…How long have you had power?'

“Sorry, not of your fault, there is something bigger at work. As my ability, I can Source the energy field here." Michael said as a familiar sound came over the horizon.

Everyone looked up to see Soyokaze, and her sister vessel Azure coming toward them.

Camille followed the beacons to Phyllis, and Michael setting the ship down twenty yards from them; seconds after Soyokaze set down, Azure did as well. Faolan and Flamberge circled looking for any residual assailants; primarily the bigger entities.

Bryan kept giving twenty-second reports on open Comms. Both the drop ship loading ramps came down, then the teams started to get to work. Sahvina rushed to her Son and the new group that came through.

Michael and his Mother hugged tightly, she felt the thick drying coagulant on his back. Looking at her Son, she realized that he was in bad shape.

“You need attention." Sahvina told him with a pained look.

“Later, there are others who need it more than I." he said declining respectfully.

Yana was a little confuse. She expected to see more human people, but they all looked more like Evan and the rest.

“Yana, this is my Mother, Sahvina. She is going to help Evan." he told her.

She looked at his Mother. The dark grey Lupine Female smiled and nodded, Michael's eyes were the same as hers. Yana had read fictional stories about unions that produced Hybrid children. Now, it was no longer fantasy. Michael was reality, and so were Evan and everyone else. Yana was almost overwhelmed with the idea, but after what she had survived; it being the second crossing, anything was possible.

Carolyn and the rest of Evans friends approached them as they carefully got him on a stretcher.

“What is going to happen with what's left of our cars, and the house?" Cynder asked.

“The teams will go through and collect as many salvageable personal items they can and return them too you. Everything else that is destroyed will be recycled for the benefit of our Family." Sahvina told her.

“What do you mean by the 'benefit of our Family'?" Vivian asked.

“It means that your needs and our needs will be met by the ability to reuse the unusable, and that you are Family." Michael said.

“Uhm… Alright." Vivian said.

“For some, it takes a little time to adjust, but no worries; I have a feeling your anxiety will go away quickly." they heard behind them.

They saw a figure dressed in combat armor with a pelt less Lupine head, it and illuminated blue eyes looking at them, then the helmet's faceplates open and retracted to reveal another one of Yana's people looking at them.

Jett and Convey walked up to them to see if anyone else need assistance.

“It's been awhile, Michael." Jett said offering to take his pack.

“Yes Sir, it has." Michael replied accepting his gesture.

“Are you coming home?" Convey asked.

“Yes, we both are." Michael replied getting read to lift Evan.

“Good, we have all missed you both; now, let's get them home." Sahvina said as she started to lift her end of the stretcher.

Michael started to falter until Convey intervened to help.

“Let us take it from here Michael, you look like you have done enough work today." he told him.

“Your right Sir, thank you."

As Cynder and Vivian entered the Soyokaze with everyone else, Phyllis notice her pelt fluxing from the exhilaration of what she was seeing. Richard was in absolute awe of everything he gawked.

Petra and Chet, just wanted to rest and figure things out later.

“Hello, I am MAK." a Human Male said to her and everyone else. “Please, come this way and take a seat."

He guided them to the forward hold where the portable infirmary was set up. Yana walked over to it to see Evan being transferred to a gurney.

She placed her right hand on his right shoulder after they cut his coat and shirt off after they released the makeshift splints Michael had made.

“Are you his Mate?" Sahvina asked her.

Yana gave her a confused look.

“She speaks Father's language." Michael told her.

“I see." Sahvina said.

“This is your Mate?" Michael asked her.

She didn't say anything, but something in her eyes seem to speak for her; Yana looked so unsure of her thoughts on the matter.

Carolyn came up behind Yana, the rested her hands on her shoulders.

“You speak to her, don't you?" Carolyn asked.

“Yes, she is of the Slavic people like my Father and MAK." Michael said.

“Can you tell her something for me?"

“It would be my honor."

Michael told Yana that Carolyn wanted to thank her for saving all of them, and that without her, they may have not survived the first attack. Yana nodded and gave Carolyn a one armed hug and asked Michael for the tablet.

Yana wrote back; without your Brother, Daughter and I would be dead from exposure. Thank you for your kindness. I gladly do it again.

Michael read her message to Carolyn, soon after tears started to roll down her face as Carolyn asked Michael to say one more thing; 'You are Family to us, please know that, and never forget. '

They exchanged hugs again as Shara and her newborn got rolled up on a gurney. Sahvina went to attend to the new Mother as Michael and another Medic prepped Evan for their flight to Phalanx.

“You should go sit, we will be departing soon and the ride can be bumpy." Michael said.

She handed him the pad; 'where are we going?'

Michael pointed up and smiled.

“We are going to dock with our ship in orbit."

Phyllis came up to them with both her's and MIchael's gear.

“Hello." she chimed. “I am going to get our gear stowed see if there is anything else that needs to be done before we go."

“Alright, I am almost finished here; as soon as I check in with my Mother, I will be right with you. Could you escort Miss Yana and Katrina to a seat?"

“Sure." Phyllis said smiling.

“Please go with Phyllis, she will find you a seat." he said to Yana.

She nodded then Signed 'thank you' before she followed Phyllis.

Yana was intrigued by the black and gold Mephitidae Female that guided her to a place to sit especially the three interconnected rings on her tail.

'I wonder if she holds babies the same way Cynder does?' she thought looking at Phyllis as she started to interact with the crew and start helping with various tasks. Camille walked into the portable infirmary to check on the status of their new patiences before getting underway. While making her rounds, she came across Yana and her daughter.

Yana was in awe of Camille's stature, and could not help looking at the towering black pelted Lupine Female as she walk toward her.

A Human Male started to walk with her looking things over; when they finished going over a list, Yana saw them kiss briefly before going about his duties. Camille approached Yana and kneeled down.

“Tablet.. I have, no fluent yet. Daughter very beautiful." Camille said in Russian.

Yana motioned for the tablet and did what Michael showed her with language selection.

It translated- 'Thank you, you are Goddess…'

Camille wrote back- 'You are too kind, just big girl. Have a little girl to.'

'Must be tall like Mother.'

'I hope so; Naomi is adopted Daughter, still very small.'

'Loving her will make her grow like you.' Yana replied.

Camille nodded and smiled as she stood up, then handed the tablet back.

'You will meet her; have to fly the ship.' the text said on the screen.

Yana went to hand the tablet back; Camille motion for her to keep it as she pointed at her mouth then the tablet.

She nodded and Camille went forward to warm the Soyokaze up before ascending to Phalanx.

After ten minutes in flight, Yana walked into the portable Infirmary with Katerina to see Evan.

Sahvina looked up to see her looking at him; Yana's expression was one of sorrow at the sight.

“He will be all right." Sahvina told her.

Yana nodded, but could not help feel that it was her fault that Evan was injured and lost his home. Of course, he would have something different to say about her notion of guilt as would Carolyn.

'Is your Son all right?' Yana scribe on the tablet.

Sahvina looked at the tablet and pressed an icon.

“As he is stubborn; Michael will get treated once we are home." she said as the tablet translated her statement into Cyrillic text.

'His injuries are severe, we watched a big creatures try to tear him apart when fighting' Yana type in reply.

“Michael, like his Father, is a very special Male. Both are able to take tremendous physical abuse."

Yana read the translation and nodded. She figured that all would be revealed in time, and what wouldn't be was still left to be discovered by all of them.

When they docked, the medical, and salvage teams started to unload both ships and guide people to the Infirmary. Michael had requested Pehl's presence to help communicate with Yana. When she entered the room, Pehl caught all of their attention, another Mephitidea Female, but very different in coloration.

'Hello, is everyone alright?' she asked.

Yana was intrigued with the fact she heard Pehl in her head.

'How odd' Yana thought.

'You will find a great deal of things odd here, but it is not to worry; you are in good company with us.'

'You hear me?'

'Yes.' Pehl replied. 'Michael asked me to help communicate with you.'

“You're telepathic." Cynder said.

“Are you the only one?" Carolyn asked.

'No, Lyla is as well, and possibly Yana.' Pehl said.

“Yana? Well, it would make sense after what she did; why is she not speaking as you do?" Cynder asked

'It seems she learned to speak with her hands because there was no one else that was telepathic in her life.' Pehl explained.

'True, it was rare that anyone with extra perception have surface in world I lived.' Yana said as Pehl interpreted for her.

After the examination of Yana and Katerina had been completed, Pehl took them to the Dining Hall to get some nourishment and talk a bit more.

Yana's mind was on Evan, and his condition during her meal. Pehl decided not to pry too much and let her eat. She couldn't help looking at Pehl, her pink and grey coloration was very different from Cynder and Phyllis.

Petra and Chet were still in the Infirmary while Sahvina probed their ears; the shot that Evan fired from Frigg had deafened them, not permanently, but enough to make communication difficult until they healed. Lyla helped with their communication.

Shara rested as comfortably as she could with her new Son feeding. The twinge of pain still ran through her at the loss of her Mate Terry. The guilt of him not seeing his Son born filled her, but more so the knowing that little Nicholas would never know his Father, except through stories Shara would tell him when he was old enough to understand.

The rest of the crew went through all of the wreckage brought up with Azure and started to organize the salvage from the recycling.

After Yana finished eating, Pehl guided her and Katerina to their Quarters.

'Where is Evan going to stay?' Yana asked Pehl as they entered her's.

'After he recovers, he will have his Quarters assigned.' Pehl said as she increased the illumination of the key pad. 'Your feelings are mixed with him.'

'Yes.' she replied.

'He frightened you… You injured him trying to get Katerina from… Evan was no threat… Just a strange man who saved you and your Daughter… Telling him everything you could with a warning of the others… Family, friends, and meals… ' Pehl said as she saw the images from Yana's memory flash.

The next flash was of them sitting together watching it snow out side sipping drinks and the feeling she had at that moment, then cuddling for warmth with Evan as Katerina slept soundly on in his chest followed by their intimate expressions to each other on the second night they share the bed. After that, Yana's mind closed for a moment. Pehl understood, the next ones would be of the event they survived before being expelled to the world below them.

'I understand, It was a very similar experience for Brian and I.'

'Really? Is he Wolf too?' Yana asked.

'No, he is like you. We were in a very bad accident after being pulled through; our saving grace was not having to fight off those creatures.' Pehl said triggering the door to Yana and Katerina's new quarters.

A sudden flash of the fight stirred in Yana's mind, Pehl saw the biggest of all the creatures as it came down on them.

'Oh my… They get that big?'

'Yes, it almost killed Evan until…' Yana said thinking back to what she did before they got pulled into the void.

Pehl felt a rush as she witnessed Yana's ability unfurl, and tear the flesh off the beast with what felt like a scream that could not be heard with a firm pounding pressure in Yana's head.

'You're Telekinetic.'

'I guess; it only happens when things are very bad.'

'It happened at the right time, but we can discuss that later. I am sure you need your rest.'

'I should really be watching over Evan, it's what he would do.' Yana said.

'I know you want to be there with him, rest assure he has his Sister's company, you should rest and feed your Daughter' Pehl said assuringly.

'But…'

'Evan is going to need you at your best, and that requires nourishment, and rest. I was told that once; now I pass it along to you. Rest my new Sister, if anything changes I will get you myself.' Pehl said assuringly. 'Besides, I am a Mother as well, and know that our children come first.'

Yana nodded in agreement; a quick flash filled her mind with Keele and Agnes.

'I have a curious question.' Yana said wanting to ask why she did not look like the other Mephitidae.

'I am Albino.' Pehl replied with a smile.

Yana nodded looking at her red irised eyes. Then made the motion over her face to say 'beautiful'.

After a few unspoken moments, Pehl bid her 'good rest' and left her in peace and went to tend to her Mate and children. Yana walked around the small room looking at everything feeling out of place. Even after her first encounter with Evan, his place felt more like home than this.

It was not of being unappreciative she felt like this, more of the sterile feel of these accommodations, and the unfamiliar hum of the ship. She entered the divided area where the bed was and saw an open top container care package filled with diaper changing necessities.

A few minutes after going through the items, Yana found the door next to the room with the bed was a bathroom with towels, soaps, and a few other provided items for their comfort. After a relaxing bath together, Katerina and her Mother settled in bed. Yana's mind raced around while feeding her Daughter just hoping to sleep; thoughts of Evan and his Family remained in her focus until she could not fight the fatigue any longer and drifted off.

Sahvina finished cleaning and stapling Michael's back, then gave Phyllis a check up before releasing them from the Infirmary.

“You two wandered for quiet a while; how is it that you found our new editions?" she asked them.

Michael nodded at Phyllis to answer feeling the anesthetic's heaviness working through him.

“We had been in the big desert for a month following the source of the river we found the first couple of months out." she said.

“There was an anomaly we had been watching. We captured video of it, and had come to a point where they had been pushed through with those beings." Michael added looking real tired.

“I noticed that both of you strained your selves; was it a hard fight?"

“It was hard to keep them off of the others, but they still put up a fight, even Yana fought to keep everyone protected." Phyllis told her.

“Well, I am glad all of you are well, and safe; make sure you report to the Captain after you rest." Sahvina said handing a package to Phyllis with sterile strips, ointment, and surgical tape. “I need to help finish checking everyone else in. Please Take this to Michael's Quarters.

“I can do it myself." Michael said slowly getting up.

“No, you are going to rest here for now."

“Mother, I am fine." Michael started to argue

“Michael Escher Volkov, I am your superior Officer and Mother. I need you to stay here, and before you say anything else, I get enough disputation every time your Father gets injured."

“Yes Ma'am." Michael replied in a deflated sigh laying back down on his stomach.

“I'll see you after I get some rest." Phyllis told mim

She bid Sahvina a late good morning, then left the Infirmary walking to his Quarters to drop off the package of supplies.

Upon entering, memories flooded her mind of the time they spent together after Nadezjia died. Phyllis became angry thinking of the underlying truth that he really meant to die out their. She knew that he still carried the grief and rage of his Mate passing away.

“How can you be so selfish to leave us behind?" she asked aloud as if someone would answer in the empty room.

“His heart has changed."

“Oh spirits!" she said startled seeing Nadezjia standing in front of her. “Love doing that don't you?"

“Would you be any less surprised if I knocked on the door?"

“Suppose not." Phyllis answered. “What do you mean his heart changed?"

“Michael isn't searching for death anymore."

“After what I saw, I have my doubts about that notion."

“Of course you do. That is because you Love him and you are afraid he will be gone before he will Love you just the same." Nadezjia told her. “That is going to change now."

“Why? I mean, you are his Mate, and his heart longs to be with you."

“That truth will always be there; you see, I was his first. You have yet to discover what that can mean to someone, but you will." She told Phyllis. “Everything that happened in the last fight has changed his direction."

“I don't understand." Phyllis said.

“I will leave you with this to ponder. The value of Life has been restored in his heart because of you and the people saved. The infants Phyllis, they restored his purpose, they, with you, restored his lost hope."

With those words, Nadezjia fade from the room as Phyllis found herself crying as she sat down on the end of Michael's bed.

She asked for help on the surface, but had no idea the answer would hurt more than the physical pain from the fight. Nadezjia confirmed what she had feared and made her face the fact that she was being selfish to.

Phyllis, even after hearing that his direction and hope had been restored, did not feel convinced. It might have been only because her emotional state and physical fatigue.

“I need to bathe." she said not bothering to wipe the tears from her face.

Phyllis got up and left Michael's Quarters to find Ben and Silvia walking towards her on their way back from the Dining Hall.

“Phyllis! You're back!" Silvia exclaimed.

“You had us worried, you crazy girl." Ben told her with his arms open to her.

“Yeah… I uh, I'm back." she said still dealing with being exhausted and the visitation she just had as Phyllis hugged Ben.

“Where you just checking on Michael?" Silvia asked. “He did make it to, didn't he?"

“Yes, but he is in the Infirmary resting. His Mother had me drop off some supplies to his Quarters for his injuries."

“You don't look feeling very good about things." Ben told her.

“Uh, just tired." she said.

“Come on, we know you better than that."

“Look, I know you both are genuinely concerned, and want to heard all about it. I just don't have the energy, and I would really like to bathe."

“Ben, would you mind waiting until a little later?" Silvia asked.

“Sure, I can wait." he said smiling.

“I will be home soon and make it up." Silvia told him.

“Three Silvia." he said smiling before he kissed her cheek.

“Right. You never make it to three." she taunted watching Ben continue to their Quarters.

Silvia sat in the bathroom with Phyllis as she bathed.

“You don't have to be here."

“I know, but you have us a bit concerned, and we haven't seen you in months" Silvia told her. “We missed you."

“I'm sorry I just took off like that, but I had to." Phyllis explained. “It was that he had, I uh, If had not been there with him…"

“There was no guarantee those people would have made it." Silvia said to finish the thought Phyllis was struggling to get out.

“Yes, but there is more to it than that. Michael was going out there to find his end, not come back."

“I see, and you felt like it was your responsibility to make sure he did come back?" Silvia asked. “Look, both Ben and I have seen you fall hard a few times with Males you had interest in. You seem to have a knack for finding the ones that hurt you."

“That was when we were back home Silvie, this is entirely different, and yes, it was my responsibility to bring him back or die trying."

“Who gave that charge?"

“Ylva asked me, but more importantly… Nadezjia." Phyllis told her Urocyan Sister.

“Be for she passed on?" Silvia asked.

“No, after. It was part of the message I had to deliver to the ship about leaving orbit and living down on the ground below us." Phyllis said.

“I see. So what did she say about Michael?"

“I am to follow him, to keep him." Phyllis told her.

Silvia would have normally call a notion like that out, but the way she said it was that of a person that fully believed it was the path they were to take.

“So, what was it like spending all that time with him? Did Phillie girl lose her virginity?" Silvia teased.

“No! Of course not." she told Silvia. “Not for a lack of trying."

Silvia saw that devious grin and started to giggle.

“Well, I got something to tell you, but you have to promise not to say a word because Ben wanted us to tell you together, and you have to act surprised when we do."

“You got Married!"

“Nope." Silvia giggle. “Not yet, but soon."

“Then what, did you finally just agree to be his Mate?"

“You ready for this?" Silvia said drawing out the tease.

“I'll splash you if you don't quit dragging it out." Phyllis threatened.

“I'm Pregnant." Silvia said with a big smile.

“You filthy, Vixen whore! When did you give your virginity to Ben?"

“Around three weeks after you two left the ship." she told Phyllis with and amorously confident look. “Now we can't keep our hands off each other."

Phyllis flashed back to the teasing in the corridor about the number three.

“Three times a day?" Phyllis smirked.

“No, three times, three times a day."

“Oh my spirits, how in hell is that even possible?"

“It wasn't like that at first. After the first time, it became once a night, then once in the morning, then again at night. My Mother told me that if I got Pregnant, I had better find a Mate with stamina."

The continued to carry on about Silvia and Ben's new found sex life as Phyllis stood to rinse using the shower. Silvia waited in the kitchen giving her privacy to dry off and dress before they continued to talk.

Phyllis came out in her purple cotton nightgown and began to brush her hair sitting on the end of her bed as Silvia took a seat in one of the dining chairs.

“So, not for a lack of trying?"

“It was an odd moment." Phyllis explained. “I told Michael I loved him."

“Who started it?" Silvia asked smiling.

“Both of us, but I pushed it further by mounting him and guiding his hands to my breasts."

“Oh… Who's the filthy whore?" She teased Phyllis.

“I know, but in all seriousness I felt so hot and bothered, it was like I was about to lose control." Phyllis regaled. “Michael asked me to stop."

“That must have hurt a bit." Silvia sympathized.

“No. Even though I was ready to give myself to him, I was relieved. I was scared because I had not gotten that close before. I tell you Silvia, that night might have been perfect, but it would have been wrong. Michael was still grieving."

“Wow, I don't know what to say. I mean all joking aside, it sound like it was very sweet and romantic, but awkward."

“It was all of that, even when I told him I am still a virgin." Phyllis said with a slighted smile.

“What did he say to that?" Silvia inquired.

“We have all the time in the world, then we held each other."

“You know, I thought that you pursuing him was a bad idea." Silvia said looking at Phyllis with an assuring smile. “After hearing that, I think you two will make good Mates for each other."

“I really hope so." Phyllis said. “I want him to be the one."

“You dirty girl, for your sake I hope he is."

“Tell me something Silvie, what was it like your first time?"

“Oh no, no details dear Sister. The last thing I need is for you to tease Ben." she told Phyllis.

“Oh my spirits, he was a virgin to!"

“Shut up, I am not going into it any further, and I admit nothing!" Silvia sound off.

“You have to tell me one thing, then I'll drop it."

Silvia narrowed her bluish green slitted pupil'd eyes at Phyllis.

“What is it?"

“How bad does it hurt? I mean, losing it does hurt, right?" she asked in all earnest.

“It does, but the pain does subside. When it happens, take it as slow as possible. After a little time, it gets better. The biggest part I feel is that both people being in love helps. Ben and I started to really make love after the first few hours." Silvia explained.

“Thanks for telling me that, at least I have an idea now."

“Yeah, and lucky you if you get your hearts desire." Silvia started to giggle. “You'll have a Male with experience."

“Was it that bad?" Phyllis giggled.

“No, I'm glad Ben was to, and he did good by me. Don't you dare tell him I told you any of this."

“I won't." Phyllis promised.

They got up and hugged each other tightly for a moment.

“I love you Phyllis, and both Ben and I are glad to know you are all right."

“I love you and Ben to." Phyllis told her. “Sorry for making you two worry."

Silvia left to let Phyllis get rest. She laughed a bit on the inside replaying the last part of their conversation. Now it was time to make her Mate live up to his taunting about three.

Carolyn waited with Cynder while Vivian was being examined when Richard came out of his partition.

“How are you two holding up?" he asked sitting next to them.

“Good for the most part, just a few pulled muscles and a dislocated thumb." Carolyn said.

“I came out all right, just going to be sore from exertion." Cynder told him.

“I am still in awe of how we survived. It feels like a crazy dream, just waiting to wake up." Richard said.

“The part that feels like a dream is how that Michael guy managed to fight the monsters. I mean, Evan is one of the toughest Males I know, but…." Cynder said. “That was beyond anything any of us could do."

“How about that fire pulse he pulled off." Vivian said after listening for the last few moments leaving his partition. “Who the fuck does shit like that? Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for both he and Phyllis showing up, but seeing that was surreal like reading one of Evan's fantasy novels."

“I think we need to take time with all of this and relax, I mean look at Yana; she's mute, yet can destroy things with a scream that can't be heard." Carolyn interjected. “For what ever reason we are here, a debt of gratitude is in order for our being alive be it to the Spirits, and or these people who we now share our lives with."

“That is a very pleasant sentiment." they heard as a brown pelted Lupine Female dressed in a dark burgundy uniform said stepping out of Shara's partition. “Hello, I am Ylva, the Captain of this ship."

“Ma'am." Richard said quickly standing up and saluting.

“That is not necessary, but thank you. How are you all feeling?"

“Disoriented in the manner of a lot not making sense." Vivian said.

“Same here, but happy to be alive." Cynder followed up.

“Worried about my Brother and Shara, very tired with the urge to get really drunk so I can sleep for an entire week." Carolyn said. “Hoping Chet and Petra won't be deaf… Wondering what happen to our home…"

Ylva nodded in acknowledgment, then looked at Richard for his input.

“I really can't say anything that hasn't already been said at this point." he said.

“Well, I assure you Shara and her son Nicholas are doing well and resting, as for Even, he is stable and will recover after an extended period of time and a couple of surgeries. Chet and his Mate Petra are in good health. They will recover their hearing in full after a couple of months." Ylva told them. “Now, if you have anything resembling and appetite, please follow me to the Dining Hall and have something to eat before getting some rest."

-TO BE CONTINUED-