Werewolf Chronicles

by Traci Briery

  "Like your singing, you mean."

  "And your dancing," Tamara added. "Anyway, to push a clichi, the pack became my family, and it was a real close one. Almost unbreakable bonds."

  "And… ?"

  "I guess it just came down to that I've always liked people," Tamara said. "I've always been pretty gregarious, even if I didn't really know how to get close to people, with family or to have really close friends. Know what I mean?"

  "Yeah."

  "Sure, I learned how to really, really open up and… well, bond, I guess, with the pack, but they really had a bad attitude about people. Like humanity should be blown to little bits so the werewolves can run and hunt all they want. And we all started human. I guess I just never forgot it. I also did miss my real family, in time."

  "So you went back to them?" Loraine asked. "You didn't tell them, did you?"

  "I did," Tamara said. "Can't say much for their reaction. To this day I don't think they believe me, even though it's obvious that I haven't exactly been aging along with them."

  "Not aging?" Loraine said. "You mean that werewolves don't get older?"

  "Not to my knowledge. It could be that we age so slowly that it takes centuries for us to get one gray hair. Unless you're already a gray wolf," she added with a smile.

  "I have… I think I have brown fur," Loraine said. "It's always so hard to—I can't believe I'm talking about this! I'm wanted for murder and a jailbreak! You expect me to stay here and work on my dancing because some dog inside of me wants me to? I gotta get outta here!"

  "Then you might as well go back to the pack, because it's safer to run in a group than alone," Tamara said. "And if you're threatened, they'll protect you to the end."

  "I don't want to run," Loraine said quietly. "I want to… I just what all of this to end. Couldn't I just wake up, and find myself back before I even went to Wisconsin?"

  "And then what would you do?"

  "Live a normal life, for one thing."

  "A 'normal' life," Tamara said wistfully. "I wanted one, too. Kind of boring, though. I don't think that creative people can live 'normal' lives, though. It goes against the whole definition of creative, doesn't it?"

  "Boring is better than this."

  "Is it? Please understand that I'm not belittling the life you had before," Tamara said. "Roxanne's death was senseless. It was a cowardly act committed by a coward."

  "Gee, thanks."

  "You didn't do it, hon," Tamara said, holding her by the shoulders firmly. "I don't know who did, but it was not you. The wolf knows your friends and loved ones; it won't hunt them. I know this from experience."

  "So do I," Loraine said distantly. "I'm not sure how I know, but I didn't do it."

  "It's talking to you," Tamara said. "Don't fight it. Or I should say, don't fight her. The wolf is always the same sex as you. Someday you might find out her name."

  "They have names?"

  "And why wouldn't they?" Tamara said with a smile. "Look, I can't lie to you. I really don't know if there's a cure. At this point I wouldn't want to look for one. Accepting Song has been the best thing for me right now.

  " 'Song?' "

  "That's my wolf's name."

  "Makes sense, I guess," Loraine muttered.

  "Running away from all this would make Roxanne's death meaningless," Tamara said. "That is, right now it is meaningless. Staying here to prove what really happened would give it meaning. It would… avenge her."

  "Find the wolf that actually did it, you mean?"

  "Yes, unless you want to join the pack."

  "I don't think I'd like that right now."

  "Someday you might, but for now…"

  "What do you mean by that?" Loraine asked.

  "I mean that, while they may not be seeking you out anymore, they'll always be waiting for you," Tamara said. "You left on your own; they didn't exile you. You'd always be welcome to join them, if you wanted."

  "Is that… the same deal you got?" Loraine asked warily.

  "I left on my own, so yes, I did get the 'same deal,' " Tamara said. "You can feel it now, can't you? That feeling here?" she added, pointing to her head, "And here?" to her chest. "I've been away for almost ten years, but I can still feel it. The bond with the pack. I'm not ready to go back, either. I may never be. You may never be. But isn't it a wonderful feeling, knowing that you always could?"

  "Yeah…" Loraine said, feeling her chest. "Yeah, it is." Her head shot up. "They exiled Roxanne's killer. They said he was a coward. I remember that. They cut him off completely, then, didn't they?"

  "Let's just say he doesn't have that 'welcome' feeling that we do," Tamara said.

  "We can't find him that way, then, can we? Or me, I mean," Loraine said. "I can't get you messed up in this. You're a celebrity, for Godssake. The press would eat you alive!"

  "If I don't eat them first," Tamara said, licking her lips. She slapped Loraine's arm playfully. "Chill out, girl, I'm joking!"

  "Oh, thank God."

  "Seriously, don't worry about me. I'll find ways to help," Tamara said. "If you've made your decision, that is."

  "I'm scared," Loraine said. "I'm scared shitless!"

  Tamara held out her hand, which Loraine took. They both were motionless for a moment, until Tamara pulled her into a long, tight embrace. Eventually she rocked Loraine back and forth slightly as she hummed Loraine's favorite ballad. Loraine's fear melted away; she had never felt safer, but the feeling was doomed to end. Why waste the moment, then? She held on as if it would mean her death to let go.

  Tamara had to all but pry Loraine's arms from her before they could part. She pushed away some straggling hairs from Loraine's face.

  "Ready for a hunt?" she asked.

  Loraine looked down briefly, then closed her eyes and nodded.

  "When I'm done with the guy that did this," she said, "he'll be sipping his doggie biscuits through a straw."

  Tamara smiled.

  * * *

  Scanned by Highroller

  Proofed by PointEars