Rosy:
The ride back to the Homestead is fraught with tension, several times Steven had cleared his throat nervously as if he was going to speak but had thought the wiser of it and remained silent. There is a hard lump in my chest making it hurt to breathe or swallow, tears burn at the back of my eyes and I can't get the memory of their mingled scents out of my mind. Stunned disbelief has me mostly numb but I know when it begins to wear off then I will feel real pain.
Steven hurries around to open my door when we park in front of the Homestead and I get out on steady legs but inside my entire body feels as if it is trembling, about to shake apart in epic proportions. I pass several slightly blurred individuals as I walk inside and head straight for the room I had left Terry in. I hear the faint murmur of voices behind me as I reach out to stroke his silky hair. Sometime between now and when I left earlier he has returned to human form. I force myself to look where his arm used to be, the limb has gone completely. The amputation was done at the shoulder joint with the incision and surrounding flesh looking clean and neat.
"He's doing really well," Chris says softly right beside me. "Both Doc and your Uncle are pleased with his progress."
I want to nod, I want to acknowledge I heard what he said but my body feels stiff and wooden and does not want to respond to what I ask of it. Suddenly the room feels too enclosed, the soft concerned whispers in the hallway are too intrusive and I need to be away by myself for a bit. I force myself to look at Chris, force myself to see him.
"Can you stay ... with him ..." My voice doesn't want to work and it is an effort to get the words out.
My body feels almost alien as it takes my consciousness out of the house and up the slope to where three orange trees create a small shaded area. I sit on the wooden bench placed there and look down at my hands where they twist and entwine together on my lap. My right leg is bouncing slightly and when I manage to make it still my left leg takes up its movement.
I smell Malcolm as he sits beside me on the bench, I force my body into stillness but he puts a strong arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side. He wraps both arms around me and I feel my composure shatter as he hugs me tightly. My sobs shake my entire body as I bring both of my arms up and cross them over his arm holding it against my chest.
"I need Micah ... to hold me ... and be strong for me," I sob with rising panic as I turn my face towards his chest.
"I knew a she-kitt once," Malcolm says softly and exhales with sad sound. "She was always pushing away anyone who wanted to help her. Always running off to deal with things by herself. One day she ran off, wouldn't let others help her ..."
I feel Malcolm rub his cheek against the top of my head as a sob rumbles up in his chest.
"What ever happens ... promise you won't run away this time," Malcolm says and gives me a shake before pulling back to look down into my face. "Promise! No matter what!"
I try to manage a crooked smile as I meet his worried eyes. It dawns on me with a sensation like that of the trickle of warm honey that the she-kitt he was talking about was me, I had run off repeatedly and the last time ... I lift fingers to trace the scar that disappeared into my hairline.
"I promise," I whisper and manage a small smile.
"Okay. Good," Malcolm says and removes one arm to reach for something.
I glance down at what he places on my knees, it takes me a few moments to recognise the cloth wrapped book before I place a hand on it, my fingers instantly feeling for the etching beneath the cloth.
"Sasha said she hasn't opened the book," Malcolm says quietly. "I thought it could keep you company while you had some time to yourself. If anything changes, if anything comes up, someone will come get you. Okay?"
I nod my head, my entire upper body moving slightly back and forth with the motion. "I'll be here,"
"I wish I knew what Micah was feeling," Malcolm mutters quietly. "What he was thinking. Chris told me how Micah hovered over your little she-kitt while she changed, how he comforted her ... then to come here to this ... " Malcolm sighs heavily and I turn my face away. I don't want anyone to offer a defence of what has happened.
I sit and listen as Malcolm gets to his feet, he takes his time before turning and heading back down towards the homestead. I glance past him and I can see several of the toms lingering around, glancing up towards us in an almost casual way. I wait until he is almost down at the buildings before I carefully unwrap the cloth and gently stroke the leather bound cover. The pages want to stick slightly as I gently open the book, the first page clings to the inside of the cover for a moment or two before falling open.
Jeddah Black
I turn the page, and stare at the images in the two photographs that look back at me. The first photograph has two women and a preteen girl in it, there is a strong resemblance between the three of them and I study them closely. The oldest woman sits in a chair glancing down at the young girl sitting on the ground who is looking up, head tossed back, a delighted smile curving softly parted lips. The woman who stands slightly to the side and behind the chair has a bemused expression on her face, her eyes slanted slightly downwards to check on the girl.
But it is the second picture that draws and holds my attention. A white edged colour portrait of a woman who must be in her late teens, early twenties. She faces the camera straight on, black hair cut in a feathery pixie style to chin length that holds a glimmer of deep auburn highlights where the sunlight hits it from the left.
It feels eerie to look into the face. Her eyes are a deep indigo blue, almost navy in their deep intensity, her skin, her colouring, hinting at something more than Caucasian in her blood.
My mother. I am so like her, yet so different. She has the sharper, tending towards slightly masculine features more like my brothers and Kurt Black while my face is softer, more full and rounder. I glance up to the top picture and I can see traces of facial features I have inherited from the woman who must be my Great grandmother.
"Hallo Jeddah," I murmur looking at those eyes so like mine in shape and suddenly it is as if I am not alone. I can almost feel her presence in the very air around me.
I turn the page and look at the neat writing on the page. I don't read each entry just let my gaze skip over the words, falling where it will.
A week from today is my birthday! I will be fifteen!
Mount Warning is singing and I am going to go play in the bush on the slopes
Mum wants to take me to town to get a dress for my party but Mother Rosa told her days like today are for running wild in the hills
I don't think mother likes the idea but all of my brothers will be there plus Kurt's partner Trell and Blackie's partner Albie.
I can't wait to be on the mountain
.........
I'm grounded for a month! It is so not fair! If either of my younger brothers wonder off in town its no bother! But when I sneak off to go to a movie by myself it's a MAJOR crime!
... ... ...
Someone was up on Mount Warning ringbarking trees, doing burnouts and donuts on the grassy patches. I told Dad and Mom the Mountain was crying but no, no one listens to me . . .
... ... ...
Went to town today. The Darnel brothers were in town and Creepy Creeperson was following me around town. Talk about pathetic! Kurt snorted coke out his nose when I told him my nickname for Vaygar the Vulgar aka Creepy Creeperson
... ... ...
I HATE MY BROTHERS!
Trell and I were making out until my brothers found us and Kurt dragged Trell out of the barn in a headlock!
I mixed a triple dose of senna into Kurt's brownies before cooking them. Teach him to meddle in my life
... ... ...
Dad grounded me for a month! Said if I don't stop harassing my brother for doing his job he is going to shackle me to the kitchen table for the summer
... ... ...
Mother Rosa read my tea leaves today she was sighing a lot and not saying anything which made me nervous so I giggled and said It can't be all that bad!
Mother Rosa said I shake my cuppa too much and make the leaves fly around like a ghost cat disappearing into thin air
I think Mother Rosa put too much Irish whiskey in her own tea
... ... ...
There's a new guy at the service station Harry Caruthers
He has the cutest smile
... ... ...
I hate my family! I need to go up on the Mountain but no one wants to take me. All my brothers are sick of going up there camping every other weekend. Maybe I can talk Kurt into finishing that little shack up there
... ... ...
Going to the big Alpha meeting Dad says there's some fancy American cats that have come over to see about moving over here
I'll get to see Marissa my bestie
Kurt will be there sucking face with Beth every chance he gets!
Talk about double standards! The boys are encouraged to get out there and get some every chance they get but let me be caught kissing some tom and I don't get to go anywhere he might be for the entire summer!
Wouldn't Dad and the Bro Brigade shit themselves if they knew about me and Harry
... ... ...
I close the book with a sigh, careful to keep my place with a finger between the pages. Harry. Harry Caruthers. His image comes up in my mind and I give a slight shake of my head as I open my eyes.
Was Harry her first boyfriend?
Was there more to the break up of the marriage between Ray McIntosh and Jeddah than most knew about?
My stomach protests it's empty state noisily and I realise it is time I ate. Carefully wrapping the book I get to my feet and head towards the house at an easy pace.
Micah:
I drive straight to the Quarters and head inside. The building is deserted, everyone is out doing one thing or another. I head straight for the bathroom intent on showering away any scent that may be lingering from last night or have been reapplied with an accidental brush against me as we left the hotel.
I strip and toss my clothes in the washing machine before walking to the bathroom without a stitch on. I reach for the soap as I step beneath the spray and begin to scrub my skin in an effort to remove all trace, all memory of the blunder of last night. After a very thorough shower I dry off with a towel before quickly pulling on some jeans and a t-shirt and heading to the main house at a trot.
A quick knock on the doorframe precedes me before opening the screen door and walking in through to the bedrooms. Mitchell pops his head out of his office beside the nursery and looks me over with concern.
"Kali ..." Her name leaves my lips as I try to ready what is behind the concerned look on his face.
"In here Micah," Jazzy calls from the nursery and I hurry to walk through the open door. I immediately look at the two crawling kitts. Cameron is bigger and more solidly built than Kali and he crawls fast to keep out of her reach but Kali has a determined look on her face as she pauses watching him, swaying back and forth on her hands and knees.
"Watch it Cam," Mitchell says with a laugh. "Kali gonna getcha!"
"Bub-bub-bub," Cameron says in his little-boy voice and I have to smile as a definite growl comes from Kali. She grasps a chair and pulls herself to her feet as she watches Cameron crawling rapidly away from her.
"Jazzy had a long talk with Beth Black," Mitchell says and I glance his way.
"And?" I prompt him.
"Beth said Kurt and all their children felt whatever that was yesterday," Mitchell says seriously.
"Beth said it's not odd Kali changed so young," Jazzy says and chews her bottom lip for a moment. "Jada had her first change a few days after she turned eighteen months and according to Kurt ... Jeddah was only about twelve months old when she had her first change. The Black females change early,"
"Dad-dad-dad-dad-dad!" Kali's demanding call has me looking her way. There is a frown of concentration on her face as she wobbles towards me with determined steps.
"Come on Kali! Yay!" I cheer her on as she finally reaches me without plopping onto her bottom and crawling the rest of the way.
"You are so clever!" I praise her as I swing her up into my arms.
"You didn't answer your phone when I called to find out what was going on," Mitchell says with a hard thread to his voice.
I look down at Kali in my arms, she is cuddled into my chest and making happy contented noises that sound surprisingly close to purrs.
"I didn't think to grab my charger," I admit and glance at him. "Have you talked to anyone?"
"I called Mikkarl," Mitchell says, "I knew Chris would be helping patch up whoever was hurt. Mikkarl seemed to think you would be back here last night, that you'd fill me in,"
"Stuff happened, I needed to get my head straight," I say on a grunt as I turn away. "Any chance of a coffee? I think we all need to sit down." I admit as I head for the kitchen. Once we all have a coffee and are seated in the lounge room watching Cameron and Kali playing I begin.
"That older American Tom, he went rouge. Must have planned it, picked his time ..." I take a deep breath, "Sasha was clawed up on her upper arm, deep, that major vein was exposed. Terry was having surgery, Lilly ... her thigh was ripped open, femoral artery opened up but Annushka done some kind of voodoo or mojo or something. Then dropped dead. Ed says Rosy and Kia pulled the tom down and went pretty close to rabid on him. Rosy has her scalp ripped open on that scar. Malcolm and I ended up getting into a fight and Rosy ordered me to get away from there."
There is silence from Jazzy, Mitchell and I for a minute or so as they digest what I have told them while Cameron and Kali chatter to each other in their toddler talk.
"Annush and Lilly are dead?" Jazzy asks huskily in disbelief.
"Annushka, yes. Lilly is alive but in a bad way. Sasha had her arm sewn up," I say and rub a hand over my face. Rosy has her scalp ripped open on that scar.
"How is everyone this morning?" Mitchell asks on a hard note.
"I don't know. I wanted to come back here and make sure Kali was okay when Rosy told me to get, but it was so hard leaving them all. I needed to be here and see Kali, I needed to be at Rosy's side but she didn't want me there," I give a loud sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose to try to combat the ache in my head.
"Well first thing ..." Mitchell starts but his phone starts to ring and he pulls it from his pocket as Jazzy looks his way.
"Bet it's an update since no one here has called them this morning," She says with a frown my way.
"Yeah," Mitchell says as he answers the phone.
"You wouldn't believe it but we have another female werecat!" Malcolm's voice rings with excitement. His words are followed by an enraged growling roar from a cat.