All we have lost

Ch. 2 the delight of a hyena

      As they neared the woods where they'd meet up with Mitch and Abraham, Jackson said, "we may need your help tracking them down; if the woods are really big". Mercedes nodded simply before drumming her fingers on the steering wheel, "alright". 

   Jackson knew the Change hurt and it was even painful to watch Mercedes undergo it but that didn't change his opinion of her. "I'll need you to hold my navy uniform however, so" Mercedes paused and winked at him, "I can have something to change back into". She also hoped that should they encounter any hunters, that the hunters would stay clear of her whilst she was in hyena shape. Not that she lost all control it was just, Mercedes didn't like new people in that form and she wasn't in the mood for a confrontation.

   When they got there, Jackson waited for Chloe who was in the Chrysler sedan before the small group proceeded into the woods.

   Once past the tree line, Mercedes sighed through teeth and unpinned her jacket. She handed that first to Jackson, followed by her pants, shoes and everything else. The Change began, first Mercedes' pupils became small as could be, next her bones began to snap and rearrange themselves. A half human half hyena cry of pain came out, spotted fur of a slightly darker brown color, replaced skin the color of cocoa. When it was all over, a darker colored hyena rose to her paws and cackled at Jackson and Chloe, her way of showing them that she was alright. 

   "Mercy"? Jackson asked. Wise honey brown eyes locked with his green ones, hyena-Mercedes nodded. She turned and led them on a small ish walk to where Abraham and Mitch were standing beside a injured wolf, Rose Dawkins beside them. The woman's blond hair was down, almost reaching her shoulders as she pursed her lips.

    Mercedes cackled a greeting and sat promptly on her haunches, looking at the wolf with sympathy in her eyes. Jackson scratched her behind one of her big ears and smiled to himself; the expression that Mercedes gave him was one of slight amusement. 

     "Where's Evan Lee"? Asked Jackson. Mitch made a sound, "actually he was just here. Had his... foot on my back and stuff". "He took off running" Abraham added and for a second he was glad that Mercedes hadn't been there. She'd have pelted off after the death row inmate as though he was an impala or some other hoofed prey animal. Mercedes flicked her ears and swished her scraggly tail over the ground; "I shall go bring the SUV" said Abraham. He went off into the woods with one of the net guns, Rose had the second one. 

   Mercedes stretched, laughed loudly and sniffed around. Evan Lee's scent was disgusting to put it that way, he'd rolled in that damn deer Chloe had tripped over (which in Mercedes' eyes was a bit funny. Not that she'd admit that to the others though) and he smelt of cigarette and fuel. 

   If hyenas could gag like humans, Mercedes would've done so by now. 

Abraham returned with the SUV, some kind of beige Chevrolet Tahoe and opened the back doors. Mitch and Jackson loaded the wolf into the back before Jackson turned to Mercedes, "I'll take her back in her Challenger. Are we meeting up at the hotel"? 

   "That's what's .... planned on yes" Mitch said as he took the driver's seat of the beige Tahoe, starting it up. Rose rode with him but cast Mercedes a small look. The hyena tilted her head but looked after Jackson back to her Challenger, covering the ground with big mile eating strides. Jackson got open the passenger seat and smiled, "in you go". With a show of teeth in a 'hyena grin', Mercedes hopped into the passenger seat of her prized Challenger. Jackson shut the door, got into the driver's side and then drove back to the hotel. Mercedes had gotten out, changed behind a few scraggly and wily looking bushes (it seemed to her that the hotel hadn't cared too much about gardening) and took her Navy uniform from Jackson with a mumbled "thanks"! 

   Now back in human form, Mercedes gave her back a painful crack. Just to get rid of the last effects of the Change. She slipped on her shoes, the black business shoes thatd come with her uniform, and followed Jackson into the hotel.

  Mitch and Rose carried the wolf up in a old blue tarp, which surprisingly didn't earn as many looks as one might think it would. Mercedes padded over, "anything I can do—-". Rose cut her off, "take it easy if I were you" the other woman dropped her voice so no passerby would hear, "you just changed back. So, go with Jackson up to the room, or to the bar". Even if Mercedes had been human, she would've still heard Rose's words, "bar"? Rose grinned, "yeah, down the hall and to the right". Mercedes had her wallet (a new one, of purple and silver leather) in hand and a child's grin on her face; after all, alcohol (booze especially and some whiskey) was a hyena's delight.