- Nineteen: Wanted -
Okay, one more question and I swear I'm done, I said for the tenth time. We had finished eating just as the sun was hinting at rising, and all that was left of the deer was a juicy carcass. Initially I had been grossed out, thinking that the taste of blood on my chops and raw meat in my stomach would be revolting, but it turned out to be one of the finest meals I had yet to eat.
Nick made an exaggerated sigh as Dom said, What is it?
If the Head is first in command, and the Ri is third, why is there no Anax in this leap? I asked. It's amazing how quickly my brain had begun working as if it were part of the leap. Speaking the words and acting as if I was part of a well oiled machine.
Yes, well there's a story behind that, he replied, the original heir to the Ri roll was killed years ago during a hardship. A rebellion of sorts.
The young Ri, who was two or three years old I believe, was killed in a fire. Being so young, he had no time to reproduce an heir, so a search began for a proper replacement amongst the humans and I turned up, he said.
You were bitten too? I asked, stopping abruptly. Nick hissed as he ran into me from behind. David had once told me that only females in the upper ranks could be bitten to take the roles. Males had to be born into them.
Yes, I was bitten, Dom said, obviously reluctant to reveal more.
What about the Anax? Aren't they the second ranking in the top three? I asked, still confused, Why don't we have one? Or two I guess.
Same thing. The Anax pair had an only daughter who was killed in the same fire at age ten and a replacement still hasn't been identified, Dom said.
How long ago was this rebellion? I asked.
Many years ago. Maybe thirty? Before my time or yours, Dom said.
Why did the Werecats rebel? I asked.
They had -, Dom began.
Dominique, you know speak about that topic is forbidden, Eran interfered.
What? Why? I asked.
Yes, Head, Dom answered. It was strange how his tone changed depending on the person he was addressing.
Before I could continue arguing, a crack of thunder rumbled in the near distance. It startled me, but I kept walking. As the thunder died, fat rain drops began to fall and taint my black pelt.
Suddenly I heard something else. I stopped walking as my ears turned in the direction of the low buzz.
What? Asked Dom as everyone else stopped too.
Shh! I hissed, straining to hear with my one working ear, Listen.
As the buzzing grew closer, I realized it was not buzzing at all, but people talking.
"I feel bad for the child's aunt," a deep gruff voice said, "her sister-in-law and brother have already died and now her niece goes missing too?"
"Yeah, I heard the only family she has left now is the little kid. What's his name? Andrew? Andy?" Another voice said.
"Adam I think." The first man said.
The voices were uncomfortably close now and Eran hissed, get into the trees, through our minds.
Dom, Eran, Nick and David all jumped into different trees in a single leap as Willow and Misty darted deeper into the woods for cover. I, however, scraped and scratched at the trunk and couldn't seem to get any farther up.
Just crouch low and stay still. There's no doubt that they're hunters, Dom's voice whispered through my thoughts.
"Put a few on these trees around here." One of the voices said.
A tall thin man in head to toe hunting clothing appeared and was followed by an older man in the same attire.
The tall man was carrying a large stack of papers and a stapler. He took three papers and stapled them in different areas of the tree trunk. He repeated this same ritual with the other four trees around us.
"Come on, let's finish this up." the other man said. With that, they both disappeared into the ever lightening woods.
Even through the dense clouds and now rain, I could tell the sun was rising by the prickling sensation in my paws and limbs. I crouched low to the ground, waiting to be human again.
I looked down at my legs and saw the silky black fur begin to shorten. The freshly sharpened claws (which Dom had showed me how to sharpen on a tree trunk) of my paws were beginning to dull and shorten to create normal nails. I looked back at my legs too see almost all of the fur gone and human skin being revealed.
I looked up and was greated by a small tunnel of sunlight that had managed to break through the clouds and rain. I stood on my hind legs, which grew suddenly, and I could feel my feet elongating. I held my hands out and watched as the tips of my paws became long and formed fingers. Finally, my short whiskers were sucked into my face and my long tail, which reminded me of a whip, was also sucked into my body with a small POP!
I was completely human again. The only thing that remained from the great beast I had just been were my senses, which I was grateful for.
"Uh, Riley," I turned to see that Willow had changed, too. Why hadn't anybody else? "You might wanna take a look at this."
I walked to Willow as she stared down at the tree the hunters had stapled a paper to. My eyes widened and my heart immediately jumped into my throat as I tried to gulp it back down.
I tore the sign from the tree and read:
"WANTED: RILEY ELIZABETH BRUN. LAST SEEN: SEPTEMBER 14. DESCRIPTION: 5'8, BROWN CURLY HAIR, BROWN EYES. REWARD: $10,000" Underneath the writing was a photo of Adam and me at Niagara Falls a year earlier.
My eyes fogged and before I could stop it a single tear rolled down my face.
"No." I tried to speak the word, but only a squeak emerged.
I whipped my head up to see Dom's human form swallowing the panther. As soon as Dom had emerged, he closed the space between us in three quick bounds.
"Shit." He muttered as he read the paper.
They were looking for me. Aunt Kim and Adam. The only family I had left in the entire world. I had left them. I hadn't even bothered to call. They probably thought I was dead. My head was spinning and I felt Dom grab my elbow as I felt like falling.
"I- I have to see her. See them." I stuttered.
"Out of the question." Eran spat from behind me. I turned to stand face to face with his bloody gaze. He seemed to be looking beyond my eyes and into my soul, probing for something.
"They deserve to know what happened to me." I said evenly, trying as hard as I could to refrain from screaming.
"And risk slipping information about our entire world, or entire society, to humans? Petty humans? My dear Riley," Eran continued, grabbing my hand and cupping it in his in what I thought to be mock sympathy, "you must have not heard me the first time: Out. Of the. Question."
Eran turned to begin walking but before I could stop it the word burst out of me like vomit itself, "No!"
Whirling around instantly, Eran closed the space between us until we were nose to nose, "Excuse me?" He asked, venom dripping from every word.
"They- They're the only family I have left." I said, cursing myself for stuttering.
"The only family?" Eran erupted into laughter, "My dear, this is your family!" He spread his arms wide and did a circle, "We are you family now! Not those humans." Eran said the word human as if it were a disease, and merely speaking it's name would infect him.
Riley, calm down. He's gonna flip out, I heard Dom warn in my thoughts.
I need to see them, I said back.
My short conversation with Dom had distracted me long enough from Eran to make him think I had retreated. He said, "I'm glad we're in agreement, then."
As we walked in silence to the Compound, I hissed and growled in my own mind. I guessed the others were occupied with their own thoughts, too.
Yes, Head. It is out of the question. Because there is no question about it. I am going to see my family.