Chapter 7 – Consequences

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                The clock on the wall ticked pass 2PM. 

                Gathering her stuff, Ella glanced briefly over the log book with a distracted air.  Despite the relative peace of the last few days, she was suddenly feeling on edge.  Chalking it up to her mission today, she grabbed her keys and cell phone.  With the exception of Calvin, who she no longer considered a guest, there was no one left at the inn.  She had made a conscious effort to keep it that way for the foreseeable future – she wanted the space and privacy for what's coming.  Feeling uneasy, she slung her bag over her shoulders and climbed the stairs to the guest rooms. 

                He met her in the hall.

                Surprised but didn't show it, "I'm shutting down the inn for a few hours.  You okay here by yourself for a little while?"

                He raised a quick brow of surprise before he smiled.  "What am I?  Three?  I'm going to repeat this again: you're not responsible for me.  I can take care of myself."

                She gave him a quiet look of concern.  "Try not to leave the inn if you don't have to, but if trouble comes it's twenty yards into the woods from the back door – takes you off Holy Ground pass the fence.  It's your best bet." 

                Calvin nodded and continued to look at her with an appeasing air.  "I'll be fine."

                Her eyes flitted around him a moment, as if looking for shadows.  "Just be careful."

                He made a cross sign over his heart and smiled reassuringly.  "Go.  Do whatever it is you need to do.  I'll watch the inn for you."

                "I'd prefer if you stayed out of sight."

                "Then that's what I'll do," in a placatory tone. 

                Ella frowned.  "I don't know if I feel comforted or not by your willingness to comply."  She shook her head and headed back down, fiddling with her ring.  Calvin followed her down the stairs.  "There's a darkness hovering around today.  I'd just feel better if..."  She stopped and blew out a breath in frustration.

                "Did Emma tell you that?" Calvin asked curiously.  "Does she talk to you a lot about her visions?"

                "Always," Ella replied, "It's easier to understand something when you talk it out with someone."

                "You're her sounding board," he concluded.  Made sense. 

                "Something like that," she rubbed her head, pushing away the headache starting here.  "I wish it wasn't today."

                "What?" he asked, concerned now by the thickening agitation coming off her in waves.  "What's wrong?"

                She took breath and confessed, "I'm going to see if I can get sanctuary for Pets and Chun today."  Calvin's look of joy had her stopping him with one sharply upraised hand.  "It is not a guarantee and it does not protect you so don't be celebrating prematurely; you can still screw it up if you put your foot on the wrong landmine."

                "Thank you, thank you, thank you," he said with heartfelt sincerity, going in for a hug anyways.  She let him, softening only for a brief moment before shoving him away. 

                "Stay out of trouble," she warned again.

                "You want a ride?" nodding toward his motorcycle by the side entrance under the awning.  There were no other cars around he could see.

                "I have to walk it," she explained, "The meeting is down a valley within a ring of ancient oaks; you can only get there by foot."  She shrugged when he made a face.  "It's tradition."

                "It'd idiotic to have to walk it."

                "You try driving something through the soft lands," she suggested with a smirk.  "Guarantee you'll want to walk it the next time."

                "I bow to your superior knowledge," Calvin swept her an actual bow and waved her off with a smile and the universal good luck sign. 

                Ella shook her head and headed off at a brisk pace, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that nagged her. 

                Calvin watched Ella until she disappeared around the edge of side building that housed the bakery section of her business.  His smile slipped away as he watched her agitated movement, wondering if he should be more concerned for what might happen at wherever she was heading to.  And while he remained optimistic, he couldn't help but note she's always been cautious of the outcome.  He wasn't going to delude himself at the expense of his friends’ safety – this could still fall apart.

                The phone rang as he headed back into the inn.  It was Chun.  “You guys alright?”  It was unusual to hear from him in the middle of the day.

                “Stopping for gas, we’re less than three miles away.”

                Quashing his excitement, “Remember, take the back road; don’t come through the town.  I’ll meet you there and guide you in.”  They had agreed that it would be better not to announce their arrival.  He had no idea how many in town were shifters or who might be watching. 

                “Twenty minutes tops.”

                “I’ll see you shortly,” and hung up the phone.  Shoving his foot into shoes, he was down the stairs and out the back door within minutes barely containing his anticipation.   He was finally going to see his family again.

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                Xiu caught up with Jing at the edge of the dense valley woods between town and sanctuary.  “I thought I told you to wait for me; that I’d take you to the inn.”

                “What am I, your charge?” Jing grinned cheerfully and adjusted the backpack strap over one shoulder.  “And I told you that I’d make my own way over.  I don’t need an .”

                “I asked for a favor; I think the least I can do is see you to the inn,” Xiu replied, taking her bag.  “Besides, it may not be safe in the woods anymore.”

                Jing laughed as the rest of the Beta squad caught up to them; she greeted them with her usual careless grin.  On official duty, Xiu traveled with his fellow Betas and friends: Jie, Ming and Deng.  The four man unit was more than enough force for most threats.  Shaking her head, Jing sighed and walked backward to address the serious faces.  “Maybe if I was any of the other girls you might need to be a little more concerned but I’m hardly a prime target here."

                “What do you mean?” Ming asked in his usual quiet voice.  He looked genuinely confused. 

                “Come on,” she grinned sassily.  “Most guys don’t see me as a girl.  Heck, most girls don’t see me as a girl.”

                “You’re crazy,” Deng informed her.

                “What?” Jing laughed and almost tripped – Ming caught her in time.  “You know it’s true.”

                “It’s not,” Jie replied.  "I'd never mistake you for a guy."

                “Aww…” she laughed, “You guys are so sweet.  But I don't mind.”

                “We’re not saying it to spare your feeling, Jing,” Ming replied, his face as serious as ever.  “We’re saying it because it’s true.”

                Jing looked at them questioningly. 

                “We’re not like the humans,” Deng clarified, “We don’t see with just our eyes anymore, not since puberty.”

                Jie added, “We see with all our senses, including this one,” touching his nose.

                Deng grinned and nodded in agreement.  “And this,” pointing to his nose, “tells us that you are most assuredly a girl.”

                Looking at the ring of nodding heads, Jing grinned and nodded.  "Okay, I get it."

                "And this isn't some backwater idea of chivalry," Xiu explained, all business.  "For the girls to be worried enough to send Bernice out of sanctuary tells me that this is a lot worse than they're making it out to be."  The Betas have spent the last three days running through the thought with a fine tooth comb. 

                Ming frowned, "By now, the girls have gotten good at navigating the currents of fate; changing Nicie's path off the danger zone wouldn't be that hard for them.  So this has to be about more than just Bernice."

                "And because they can't always see everything, we can't underestimate the danger and leave ourselves vulnerable," Jie clarified. 

                "Safety in numbers," Deng added. "We don't know what's out there, so let's just be careful."

                Giggling, Jing watched the boys for a moment, "All that to say that we're worried."

                The boys looked at one another before replying with an emphatically stern, "Yes."

                Shaking her head helplessly, Jing continued her trek to the inn, fully prepared to be met with resistance when she got there.  It was universally acknowledged that Ella guarded the inn and Holy Ground like a mother tiger guards her den; she roars at anyone from the clan that dares to encroach.  But this wasn't for Ella, this was for Xiu.  And despite both their insistences that they were merely friends, Jing would do just about anything for him. 

                "Wait," Xiu grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop.

                "What?" startled by the touch.  Xiu was always careful about observing personal space, even with his friends.  "What is it?"

                "I smell it too," Deng looked around; his frown was touched with concern.  "And…Ella?"

                "That's definitely Ella," Ming confirmed in that sober tone of his, "And it's fresh, less than an hour."  He turned his head, catching the breeze. 

                "I don't recognize the other one," Jie's voice was touched with tension.  "Anyone?"

                "Maybe a guest?" Jing offered with little hope.  This was serious.

                "Shifter," Xiu stated with a nod and the boys began to shed their extra layers. 

                "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but…"  Looking around, Jing wondered if they were going to get right in front of her – and whether or not she'd enjoy the show.  "What are you guys doing?"

                Deng smirked, "It's okay; we're just prepping."  Bracelets, watches, rings were all zipped into pockets as vests, jackets, scarves were bundled together. 

                "I don't like this," Xiu muttered, hesitating before dropping his phone into his jacket pocket – he really couldn't afford to lose another one.  "She didn't say anything about leaving the inn today."

                "Does she know we're coming?" Ming wanted to know, removing a jade necklace his mother had given him.  He hated being parted with it when he wasn't sure where it might end up. 

                "Does she usually tell you when she leaves the inn?" Jing asked, curious as to how sanctuary really worked. 

                "Most of the time.  But Ella hasn't left the inn in six months so this is… unusual."  Closing his eyes, Xiu allowed himself to slip pass the barrier between man and beast, his senses sharpened.  "He's following her."

                "I say we don't wait," Deng suggested, looking at the others.

                "Agreed," Jie seconded before Xiu could.  He tossed his bundle to Jing.  "They're moving toward the back road, we can catch them there."

                "Head to the inn," Ming advised, handing Jing his jacket tied inside his scarf.

                "If it's nothing, we'll catch up with you there," Xiu added as he slipped his jacket over her shoulders before helping her into her own backpack.  "And you really should be dressed better for this weather," looking up at the rolling cloud between the dense branches of the trees.  "Storm's coming."

                Snuggling into the warm jacket, heavy with his scent, Jing bundled everything together and waved at them.  "I'll see you guys there.  Be careful!" and headed off at a quicker pace, determined to be one less thing for them to worry about.

                Xiu watched Jing until she was over the bend before dropping all pretenses of calm and collect.  "Let's go.  I want to be there before he catches up to Ella."

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                Jiro looked up as Rainie left her seat by the window.  "What's wrong?"

                "Kirsten is here," as she opened the door.  The bright noon sun blinded her a minute before she shut the door.  Despite the cloudless sky, the winds were picking up, ushering in another storm.  "What happened?"

                "We're out of time," Kirsten said before handing her the two sheets of paper.  She ran her hand through her mussed hair and mentally added a rain poncho to her list of things needed. 

                "What is that?" Jiro asked, watching as Rainie's face twisted in displeasure.

                "Pets' boss emailed her yesterday telling her if that if she didn't come in today, she was fired," Kirsten explained with a disgusted look.  "Selina wrote her resignation letter, I signed it for her, steamed it in stinky tofu juice, and hand delivered it this morning."  She grinned and pointed to the ones in Rainie's hand.  "That's a copy."

                Rainie stifled a laugh before handing it over to Jiro.  "You girls packed and ready?"

                "I was ready six months ago," Kirsten said with a thumb-up sign.  "Selina says just give the word."

                "First thing in the morning," Jiro stated as he folded the sheets, already mentally preparing for the meeting.  "Get ready to move tonight."  He kissed his wife gently on the forehead.  "It'll be up to you to get them out tomorrow."

                Rainie's smile was just this side of evil as she cracked her knuckles menacingly.  "I'd like to see someone try to stop me.       

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                The first rush of air crossing the fence and leaving Holy Ground almost choked him.  Turning around, Calvin stared at the inn a moment, amazed that he hadn't felt the difference sooner.  The low dull ache in his chest eased as the world tilted a little and brightened by a few shades.  It was as if a cloud had been lifted on his entire being and he was finally seeing the world in its true light. 

                Allowing himself a few deep breaths, catching him up on the sweet scent of nature, Calvin set off at a clip pace toward the back roads that separated the valleys and towns.  The three days he's been kept indoors have not been wasted; he'd had studied every map he could find of the area; noting that the towns were old and well situated by their natural surroundings of multiple rivers and mountain ranges.  The main road into sanctuary had been the only one that didn't take him through one of the 5 surrounding towns that were probably strongholds of the five clans that protected these neutral grounds. 

                Sheer dumb luck had saved him. 

                He was a mile and a half away when he caught a familiar scent… or non-scent as it were:  Ella.  There was something particularly bland and strange about her scent that he hadn't really considered up until now.  Her and Emma both.  There was just something weird there that he…

                The gentle rumble of motorcycle engines hit him like a shower of bubbling happiness.  He ran the last quarter mile up the road in half shifter form and met the incoming bikes at the slope of the hill.  Chun cut his engine and was off the bike within seconds of sighting him.  Pets followed only a minute later.    

                Joyous laughter was the only greeting any of them could muster, unable to form words as emotions choked them.  Tight hugs were traded with a sense of relief.  And unlike the boys, Pets openly weep as she hung on Calvin, arms locked around his neck as she babbled incoherently.  Crushing her in his arms, Calvin suddenly felt at home again.  "I miss you too."

                "You've lost weight," Pets accused, mopping her face.  "It's not fair."

                "Blame it on good genes," Calvin laughed and wiped a tear from her cheek.  "You look good."

                Pets snorted her amusement.  "Yeah, nice try; I look like something the cat dragged in after five days on the road and we both know it."

                Calvin shook his head and grinned, "No, you look beautiful.  Glowing even," he mused with a frown.  But she's right; Pets should look like hell after the harrowing few days she's had.  So why does she look so stunning all of a sudden?  Like she's going through a change... 

                "Forget about us a minute here," Chun said, clapping him on the shoulder.  "How are you doing?  Everything alright?"

                "God," Calvin laughed and gave Chun a quick shove.  "Am I just now seeing that you treat everyone like you treat your sister?"

                "Given that response," Pets rolled her eyes, "He's fine."              

                "That's not true," Chun replied with a mockingly hurt tone, "I like to think that I treat my sister much better."

                "You do," Pets laughed and threw her arms around her brother's wide shoulder.  "And not to complain about the gentle care he's given me, but I'm exhausted.  Shall we adjourn to this inn you were talking about?"

                "This way guys," Calvin answered with a grin, nodding his head toward the hill.  "The road will take you all the way around."

                "Whoa, whoa, whoa…" Pets grunted as she took her motorcycle off-road.  "What's up with this squishy ground?" as her tires sunk into the soft earth.

                Staring at the piled earth in front the heavy tires, Calvin made a face.  "So that's what she was talking about…"

                "Got any more ideas?" Chun asked, pulling the stuck bike backwards toward the road. 

                Scratching his head, Calvin sighed.  "I guess we can always take the road to the edge of town and go around the…" The downdraft carried scents… live scents… several live and dangerous scents.

                Chun's head snapped around toward the wind before he grabbed Pets' arm and shoved her behind him.  Kicking the motorcycle stand down, he tossed off his jacket to free both his arms.

                "Don't be hasty," Calvin warned, "Remember that we're in foreign territory and I don't know how far neutral ground extends," but nevertheless shrugged off his open coat.  Best to be prepared.

                "Nothing hasty," Chun agreed with a nod.  "But I'm not just going to stand here if they attack."

                "They?" Pets groaned, "As in more than one?"

                "I caught at least 3 scents," Chun replied.

                "I got 4," Calvin replied and caught the flash of color out of the corner of his eyes.  "And here they come."

                Xiu recognized the man the minute their eyes met.  But business first – he can question him on other things later.  "You're trespassing on Five Lake Clan territory.  What's your business here?"

                Not sure exactly how he needed to handle this, Calvin chose the safe route.  He didn't need to antagonize the man and he certainly wasn't going to jeopardize everything Ella's been doing.  "We were merely passing through your territory.  We have no conflict with your people."

                "Merely passing through?" Deng's brow raised into his hair.  "Try again, pretty boy."

                Jie's eyes darkened.  "We followed your scent from the inn.  What were you doing there?"

                *Damn.*  Calvin offered an easy smile and his open hands.  "I'm just staying there for a few days."

                Deng's eyes narrowed.  "The proprietress of Sweet Apple Inn doesn't allow shifters," he informed him, a slight shimmer of change appearing around his iris.  "Want to try that again?"   

                Pets' hand tightened and she braced herself to run.  If a fight broke out, the last thing she wanted to be was in the way and become a liability.  First thing she learned as a child about wolf altercations was to run and hide; don't try to help. 

                Holding onto his own thoughts, Xiu shook his head but confirmed it, "He's staying there.  I've seen him," much to Calvin's relief.  It also told Calvin a great deal about Xiu's character. 

                If the Betas questioned Ella's judgment, they didn't voice it.

                "But these two," Xiu continued, "Are definitely new."  His eyes flickering to the two strangers and their obviously cross country motorcycles that showed a lot of…  His head suddenly snapped toward the West. 

                Chun didn't hear it… but he smelled it.  "Ella."

                Not waiting around, Xiu took off on foot with the Betas at his heel, half ready to shift in broad daylight when Ella's scream came to him.  "XIU!"  He caught her as she tried to break her fall coming from a too steep hill at a speed not favorable with the soft terrain. 

                "What is it? What's wrong?" looking pass her shoulder to what could have caused her reaction.  The other Betas surrounded them in seconds. 

                Gulping air, "Emma," taking deeper breathes, "Café."  She swallowed, trying not to talk and pant at the same time. 

                "Slow down," Ming advised quietly, glancing over one shoulder as the strangers caught up.  "Just take a breath and try to…"

                "No time," Ella said in a hurry as she shoved Xiu and Deng in the direction of the town.  She took another breath, "Emma is in trouble.  At the café, right now."

                Xiu yanked his shirt from his back, "How much time?"

                "NONE!" Ella yelled and grabbed the discarded shirt.  "GO.  NOW!"

                "Ming, stay with her," Xiu ordered over his shoulder and took off running.  He was six steps away when his whole body shimmered and shifted, disappearing beneath tan and black fur as discarded jeans were kicked aside and the cheetah disappeared at a full run. 

                Pets blinked, “Cat?” that was unexpected.

                Grinding his teeth, Ming caught Deng's shirt as his friend's morphed and twisted.  Fur spouted from every inch of his skin and his brown wolf took off after their leader.  Jie didn't bother conserving his clothes, he shifted right inside of it – his great black wolf tore out as he sprinted after his friends.

                "Go with them," Ella said, grabbing clothes from Ming's arm.  "They might need help."

                "But…" 

                "I'm fine," showing him the hand gun at her back.  When he still hesitated: "If you let my sister die, I'll make you regret it."

                Ming rolled his eyes and tossed her his clothes.  "Get back to the inn," he ordered her and took off; his black wolf making the transformation at mid-leap.

                "Let's go," Calvin told to Chun.

                Chun's eyes questioned it, when he could finally tear them from Ella, but he didn't do it verbally.  It was enough that it was important to Ella and Calvin.  Tossing his helmet at Ella, who caught it instinctively, "Take the bikes," and shifted right out of his clothes.  He had just enough time to his pants before fingers became claws that reduced to paws; and he was following Calvin away from the one person he'd come to see.

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                Xiu made it back to Sanctuary in record time.  The townsfolk so accustom to seeing wild animals, even ones not indigenous of the area, barely blinked at the streak of tan and black that flew through the alleys and streets.  He took the door front paws first, shifting in mid-leap.  Barely formed hands caught the handle as his body followed through the open portal, feet and legs finally appearing as he touched ground on all fours, the roar of the big cat disappearing just behind the scream of the man, "EMMA!"

                What he saw froze his heart.

                Blood spilled across the hardwood floors.  Over turned chairs and tables shoved aside in a destructive path littered with silverware dashed with crimson splotches.  At the end of the path was the pooling body of blood, still warm from the recently stopped heart.  It was caught in mid change; bristly hair still covered a majority of the body though its face had never reached complete animal stage.  Three feet from it was a crouched Emma, backed into the corner of the café and covered in splatters of blood.  Wide dry eyes showed whites all around; eyes that were still glued to the enemy in front of her.  And in her shaky hands, she still clutched the long serrated knife she had used to defend herself. 

                The others caught up to Xiu just as he tried to approach Emma, crouched low, opened palms to the ground, moving slowly.  He waved the others back, their silence a collective understanding as to the gravity of the situation.  None of them dared to breathe louder than the ticking clock on the wall. 

                “Emma?” he moved one step at a time, feet careful to step away from the pooling blood that was slowly encroaching into cleaner areas.  When she didn’t respond, her eyes still watching the body, he moved another step closer.  “Emma sweetie?"  She didn't so much as blink.  "GuiGui?  Can you hear me?”

                “Emma?” Ming whispered gently, moving slowly toward her from the other side.  He babysat her as a child, understood the gentle nature of the girl, and was horrified by the wild, haunted look in her eyes.  “It’s okay Emma.  He’s not going to hurt you anymore.”

                The Betas all moved carefully, slowly as to not startle her.  But she still screamed when the door opened again and the two grays leapt to the ground, shifting back to their human state before her voice trailed to silence.  They froze in place as she held up the knife clutched in trembling hands and gave another broken dry sob of fear.

                “It’s okay; it’s okay,” Xiu whispered urgently, trying to get her attention.  He didn't care about anything else now but protecting Emma.  “GuiGui, look at me.  Everything is fine.  Everything will be alright.”

                “You’re safe,” Jie said quietly, trying not to move, keeping his open hands low to the ground and appearing as non-threatening as he could.  “No one is going to hurt you.”

                “Emma,” Calvin breathed the name like it hurt; unable to fathom what she must have gone through. 

                The knife shook as she swung it to one side then the other before focusing on the stilled body in front of her again, her glassy eyes unable to see anything beyond the sharp bloodied edge.  “Hyena,” she gasped; her closed throat unable to form more than a word. 

                Xiu's eyes followed hers for a moment, watching the deformed face.  "He was a hyena-shifter?"

                Head bobbing, she swallowed hard.  Shaking like a leaf caught in a storm, she continued to hold the knife in front of her, unable to cry as fear gripped her very soul.  "Is he dead?"

                "Yes," Ming answered quickly.  "It's okay now."

                "Check him," she ordered, jerking the knife at the blood drenched body. 

                "Alright," Xiu's voice was gentle, soothing but he reached over and touched hyena-shifter just under the jaw.  His finger slide through broken skin and dipped into the slick cooled blood.  "He's dead."

                Emma nodded, her hands shaking ever harder as she slowly lowered the knife.  Her trembling legs gave out under her and she slide to the ground with a pitiful whimper of pain.  Her left side was covered in her own blood where claws caught her just above the hip.  The steel clattered on the polished floor as she lost her wobbly hold on the weapon and had to hold herself upright with her hands. 

                Xiu rushed to her side, taking all the burden onto himself.  "It's okay.  Everything is going to be okay." 

                Giving into her fear, the tears rushed to Emma's eyes.  "I saw it just before he came in," she confessed, her voice shaking as hard as her body as she clung to Xiu's arms.  "He slit my throat."  The image was burned to her mind.

                "Shh…" He held her tighter, motioning with his eyes to Ming to check the rest of the café.  He was not going to leave her or themselves vulnerable to an attack.  "It's okay.  You don't have to…"

                "He was going to kill me," she whispered, as if needing to justify her actions to him. 

                "I know," Xiu replied, her back.  He was trying desperately to stomp down the rising rage in his stomach.  "It's alright.  You did good."

                "I went for his jugular," trying to burrow herself into his arms, "Just like you taught me."

                Glancing at the pool of blood, Xiu nodded to himself and sighed, "I'm so proud of you."

                Ming and Deng returned to silently report that that place was clean and that they were safe for the moment.  Calvin and Chun stood by the door, unable to do anything more than watch the horror scene unfold in silence.  No one moved; no one talked; no one dared.  They were all just holding their breath… and they didn't have long to wait.

                The roaring motorcycles skidded to a halt outside the café.  Ella and Pets came through the unlocked door pulling off helmets.  Pets skidded to a halt and gasped at the carnage before her but Ella didn't see any of it in as she rushed to her sister, tossing Chun's helmet to him without a glance.  Emma launched herself as best she could without the use of her legs at her sister. 

                "It's going to be fine," Ella whispered as she gathered her sister into her arms, holding on tightly.  "Everything is going to be okay," she promised.  But the anguish look of defeat on Ella's face said otherwise.  She pressed Emma into her shoulder, holding on as tight as Emma was; trying to cling to something that was already slipping through of her fingers.  "I will take care of this." 

                Emma nodded, bumping her chin against Ella's shoulder as she stared into nowhere, her eyes glazed over as she retreated into herself.  She had worked something out in her mind in those long minutes alone with the dead man.  "I took her place."

                "What?" Xiu asked, hovering nearby, unable to do anything to ease their pain.  He glanced over his shoulder at the corpse that still had to be dealt with but Deng motioned to him, already on the phone with the cleanup crew as Jie bolted the front door and flipped the closed sign in the window – his Betas had his back.  "What is it, sweetie?"

                "I took her place," Emma repeated, finally closing her eyes to the horror of the day, tears streaming down in face.  "I took Nicie's place," she explained, "It was suppose to be her today."  She gave a broken laughter of relief.  "Thank god she wasn't here."

                Ella's eyes darted over to Xiu, panic and fear bleed from them.  She conveyed a wealth information in that one look before she closed her eyes to her own failure. 

                Clinching his teeth, Xiu held himself unbearably still, screaming from the inside. 

                "Emma," Ming interrupted softly, seeing the conflict in the others' eyes.  "Let's get you patched up.  Are you hurt anywhere else?  Do you have a first-aid kit?  Or do you need to go to the clinic?"

                "No clinic," Emma begged, moving slowly so she could see the damage.  It hurt like hell but going to the clinic meant that rest of the clans are going to find out about the attack.  More importantly, she didn't want to deal with their reactions, which could swing from one end of the extreme to the other.  "I'm fine."

                "Let me see it," Ming said, trying to separate the two sisters.  He could see that Ella was barely holding it together.  He winced at the raw wound that didn't look deep but bleed terribly.  "We need to clean this so I know for sure.  But you're going to the clinic if this is serious."

                Reluctantly, she nodded.  "Medicine chest is upstairs," pointing to the apartment that sat over the café.  "Tank keeps it in the second bathroom."

                "Then let's get you upstairs," Ming replied then simply lifted her up into his arms and headed to the stairs, completely ignoring the fact that he was still buck – too use to being in that state.  "We'll be back shortly," giving Deng and Jie a pointed look over his shoulders.  It was their job to calm their leader down before he did something stupid. 

                Calvin forced his legs to stay, but his concern was in his eyes as they followed Emma out the door .  He physically braced himself before glancing down at the trail of blood left in her wake. 

                The silence that sat on them after Emma left the room was heavy enough to suffocate them.  

                Deng took a silent breath and tried his best, "Xiu…" and was immediately cut off.  It was a useless course to begin with but he felt he had to try.

                "DAMN IT!" knocking over a chair, Xiu gave himself a full minute to rage and roar – never loud enough that he might be overheard from upstairs but just enough to startled the rest of the occupants.  Except for Ella.  She sat there on the ground, silent and defeated, her whole body rigidly expressing her inner turmoil.  Catching his breath, completely disgusted with himself for more than one reason, Xiu stood there trying to figure out what to do next.

                "This was my fault," Ella said quietly, moving slowly as she got up.  She sidestepped Chun when he bent to help, warning him with a look.  She couldn't deal with him right now; just not now.  "I'll handle it."

                "This is not your fault," Xiu replied tiredly.  "I should have taken more precautions, posted a guard on both…"

                Ella shook her head, cutting him off.  "This one was on me," she stated firmly, "You don't try to change fate and not expect some kind of consequence from it; I should have seen this coming."

                "Ella," Xiu sighed and tried to take her arm but she moved away from him.

                Pacing the room, she stepped over the hyena-shifter without thought.  "I've got to fix this before it gets out of control." 

                "This is already out of your hands," Xiu stated seriously.  "He attacked one of us, breached sanctuary; this is a declaration of war."

                "Why here though?" Jie asked quietly. "If they're invading for territory, sanctuary is the worse place to do it at.  They're inviting all five clans to the dance."

                "And why Emma?" Deng pointed out.  "Or even Bernice?  Attacking an unmated female is like shooting someone in the back.  It's cowardly."

                "A question for another time," Xiu interjected, his eyes going to the three newcomers.  "Right now, we have to get…  Ella?"

                The frustration on her face as she tried to call on her phone spoke a great deal, "Damn it…" and hit redial. 

                "Who are you calling?" Calvin asked, his mind transverse back to where she had been today.  If this compromised sanctuary for his friends…

                "Pick up, pick up," Ella prayed as she dialed again.

                "Ella?" Xiu called out, his eyes sharpened on the phone.  "Why are you calling Kai?"

                "Kai is about to walk into an Alpha meeting right now," Ella replied, dialing again.  She felt the cold hands of fate around her neck.  "We have to warn them about this if this is a potential invasion."

                "Alpha meeting?" Jie looked startled.  "We weren't told of a meeting today."

                Confessions time, Ella turned to face them.  "I called a sanctuary tribunal today."  She offered an apology with her eyes.  "They called the Alphas."

                "You called a tribunal?!?" was the shouted question from all three Betas.  "Are you crazy?" Deng yelled at her, his face a sudden motley of heightened color. 

                Xiu's eyes went immediately to Calvin, who stared back.  "Was it because of him?"

                "No," she shook her head, "It wasn't for him and he doesn't have sanctuary." 

                But Calvin could not care less about himself, "What about Pets?" 

                Startled, Pets jerked at her own name. 

                Ella nodded, "She's been granted conditional sanctuary, which has been extended to her brother."

                Calvin heaved a sigh of relief.  "Thank you," and would have hugged her if Xiu hadn't stepped right into his path.  If looks could kill, Calvin might as well be planning his own funeral. 

                "Stop," Ella said, grabbing Xiu's arm.  "Please," when he finally turned to look at her.  She was so tired now, too tired to deal with his reaction.

                "Why did you…"

                "I didn't do it for her," she explained, "I had other reasons."

                "What reasons could you possibly have for bringing outsiders into…"

                "It was important," she explained cryptically.  Now wasn't the time yet.  "It had to be done."

                Jaws tight with tension, "Then why didn't you come to me?" 

                "I needed Kai for this," she couldn't clarify more than that.  There was hurt in his eyes.  "I'm sorry."

                He reached over and held her hand.  "I know," he nodded when she looked up.  "I know you're trying your best.  I just… I just want to help."

                She nodded and took a breath, closing her eyes a moment as she regrouped.  "I need to get to that Alpha meeting."

                "I'll take you."

                Her hands tightened on his arm.  "You need to stay and protect Emma."

                "I can't just let you run off into…"

                "Hyenas don't hunt alone," she reminded him with a tense frown.  "I'm armed.  I'll take Deng and Jie with me.  But I need to know Emma is safe."  Her eyes spoke volumes as she slowly released her hold on his arm.  "She's wounded; we both bear responsibilities for that."

                Xiu's face reflected little of his thoughts but he finally nodded and looked at the other two Betas.  They both nodded their understanding and head to the door, dropping their human skins before reaching it. 

                Chun grabbed Ella's arm as she passed.  "I'm coming with you."

                For a long tense moment, Ella said nothing.  "I can't deal with you right now."

                He shook his head, "I'm not asking you to.  But like it or not, I'm coming with you."  He searched her eyes for something… anything but the wariness. 

                She held his gaze, reading the stubborn conviction there, and signed with resignation.  "Fine.  Do what you will."

                "Ella?" Xiu's loaded her name with the question in his eyes as he watched the stranger among them.  And the sister…

                "It's fine," holding him off with one hand as she turned and watched Chun shift from man to silver gray wolf.  She's never seen him in that form before and like most shifters in their element, it was breathtaking.  Shaking off the momentary wonder, "Let's go," and held the door for the transformed shifters.  "I'll meet you back at the inn later.  Stay safe."

                "Be careful," Xiu emphasized.

                The silence that followed was pregnant with tension.  Xiu deliberately avoided Calvin and Pets' eyes as he went to the cabinet by the kitchen door and pulled clothes from the bottom drawers, demonstrating his familiarity with the place.  Throwing on pants and shirt, he went to the sideboard and began to prepare a tray.

                Mutely, Pets handed Calvin the forgotten clothes in her hands once Xiu was dressed.  She didn't dare speak a word, not sure where she stood in this weird social hierarchy and suddenly feeling extremely vulnerable without her brother there. 

                "How did Ella know Emma was in trouble?" Calvin asked into the silence as he pulled Chun's shirt over his head – Pets gave him the wrong one.  "Did Emma call her?"

                Xiu pinned him with a dark look before turning back to preparing tea.

                "I'm just trying to understand," Calvin explained, "I don't know how this seers thing works.  Emma said that it was all just fragments and that she doesn't always see every…"  He stopped himself at the sound of halting footsteps on the stairs. 

                "Where's Ella?" Emma's eyes searched the room quickly. 

                Ming grabbed her arm as she tried to run down the stairs, his concerned eyes at her bandaged side.  "You cannot move like that."

                "She had to leave," Xiu said quietly, appearing to calmly pour hot water into the teapot.  But the grip he had on the delicate porcelain told another story.  "Come here, sit for a minute while we …"

                "No, no, no…" she ran for the door. 

                "Hey…"  Calvin stepped right into her path as Ming's hand swiped empty air trying to reach her. 

                "Emma!" Xiu reached over and snagged her arm, spinning her around to him.  "You cannot…"

                "You don't understand!" she yelled as she grabbed his arm.  "He didn't just know what I was; he knew who I was."  The growing panic in Emma's eyes made Xiu cold.  Her hands trembled as she clinched them tighter around Xiu's arm until was she shaking so hard her teeth rattled.  "And he knew he had the wrong sister."

                Xiu's head snapped toward the door and he physically fought the urge to run after Ella.  

                "What the hell does that mean?" Calvin asked. 

                "Go to her," Emma urged, releasing her hold with a push.  She turned Ming and ordered, "Get her back to Holy Ground."

                Torn between loyalties, Xiu and Ming traded quick conflicted glances.  "We can't just leave you here."  There were priorities… and then there were 'priorities.'  And this falls smack in the grey area of both. 

                "I'll protect her," Calvin volunteered.  He could see such overwhelming fear in Emma's eyes; it stirred a fury in him.  *How could anyone want to hurt such a helpless girl?  Such a kind soul.  How dare they?*   The rage burned dangerously from the pit of his stomach, startling him. 

                Eyes sharp, Xiu him like a wounded cornered animal.  "I don't know you from some random Tom, , or Harry off the streets.  What makes you think I would entrust you with…"

                "I trust him," Emma interjected sharply, pushing on Xiu's arm again, urging him to go.  "He'll protect me."

                Calvin took a step forward, pushing his way between the two.  "I'll make sure she stays safe," and because there was still hesitation, "I forfeit my life if she comes to harm."

                "You'll forfeit more than that if she so much as gets another scratch," Xiu growled before his eyes flashed and he turned them on the lone silent presence in the room: Pets.

                Rooted to her spot, Pets didn't react as she thought she would at being threatened.  Instead of fear and outrage, she was in a complete and utter state of shock.  Not by the threat itself but by the man issuing it.  The breath caught in refused to be released as she fought with her inner self to process what she was seeing. 

                "What?" Xiu asked, his eyes cold and unyielding… and glowing bright with the unleashed power of a shifter. 

                Pets snapped shut with an audible click and shook her head tightly.

                But she wasn't the only that having a reaction.  Calvin's eyes went wide as he stared at the man; as if seeing him for the first time.  "What the hell…"

                But the gasp from unexpected quarters caught the attention of everyone, who all turned to stared at a wide-eyed Emma… who was staring back at Pets.  What reflected on her face could have been interpreted a hundred different ways – none of the obvious or obviously good. 

                "Now what?" Calvin asked, more unnerved by the way the women were acting than he was by Xiu. 

                Emma shook head a little before giving up a pained laugh.  "Unbelievable…"  She gave another tired laugh and sat down hard on a chair.  "Of all the stupid timing…"  Sighing, she shrugged and looked at Xiu again and something flickered there.  "We'll talk later; it's not important now.  You better go.  I can't see anything right now with Ella but that could mean absolutely nothing."

                "Are you sure?" Xiu asked, already shucking his shirt.  His eyes were troubled and still glowed with barely suppressed power.  Ming followed suit without a word; warning Xiu with a glance that he was going with or without his permission.  Besides, Emma was more than likely to nag until he did anyways – exactly like Ella. 

                "Yeah," Emma nodded tiredly, waving to the door.  "Get Ella back before something happens."

                "Call Kai," Xiu instructed, opening the door for Ming as his friend slipped into his wolf's skin.  "Then go to the inn.  I want to see you there when I get back."

                "Will do," she reached for the phone as Xiu dropped and literally leapt out of his skin and clothes.  All she saw were spotted hind legs as he vanished into the sun like a fleeing mirage.  "He's so cool when he does that," she muttered as she dialed out.  "Stupid idiot," and waited for the phone to ring and ring and ring…

                Pets continued to stare at the opened door.  "His eyes were different than yours," she said quietly.  "Do all shifters have different eyes?"  She's only ever been around wolf-shifters and they all had golden eyes when they changed.

                "No," Calvin sighed and sat down, suddenly feeling like Alice in Wonderland.  Everything around here was strange and yet familiar; like he had stepped through the looking glass into some twisted fantastical reality.  "All shifter eyes glow yellow when we turn except…" and he just saw firsthand the exception.

                "Except?" Pet urged.  When all Calvin did was sit there in a stupor, "Except who?"

                Calvin rubbed his forehead, his mind reeling, "They're supposed to be extinct."

                "We're not dinosaurs," Emma grumbled as she set down the phone.  Xiu was on his way and Kai would be soon; it shouldn't be long before her sister was back on the Holy Ground and safe again.  "Just because there aren't many of us left doesn't mean we're making like the dodo birds."

                He looked at her sideways with a raised brow.  "We?"

                Emma struggled to get up; she had to get back to the inn before the others did – she didn't want to think what Xiu would do if she wasn't.  "Both my parents are Pures so it's assumed that I'd be too."

                "Pures?" Pets looked at Calvin for explanation.

                Looking at her funny, Emma asked Calvin, "She doesn't know about Pures?"

                Calvin rolled his eyes with exasperation.  "Didn't you pay attention during Sunday school?"

                "I was otherwise occupied," Pets snapped back.  "Besides, I stopped going after the fight you guys had with Tweedledum and Tweedledee my first year."

                It took a moment before Calvin realized she was referring to the schoolyard brawl that had begun the ten year open hate-fest on the Orphan Pack that extends to this day.  If Jiro and Benji hadn't beaten Rufus within an inch of his life – not that anyone thought Rufus or his posses would have done anything less to them – things might not have gotten as bad as it was today.  But then again, Rufus' inflated ego had been sorely trying on boys' nerves for years before the inevitable epic fight. 

                Patient and a little contrived, "Pure-Shifters are exactly what they sound like; they are shifters with no designation."

                Pets blinked.  "Meaning…"

                "They can be anything."

                It took a moment for it to set in.  “Anything?”

                Emma nodded to confirm.  “Anything.  Xiu chooses cheetah for speed, grizzlies for strength, and wolf for tracking.  His prefers the wolf because that’s the designation of our clan.” 

                "What kind of wolf?" Pets asked.

                "Mostly black wolves," Emma answered, watching Pets carefully.  "Not an indigenous one around here but it helps him blend better in the woods plus a few Betas are blacks."

                Calvin nodded.  "Makes sense; he can't pass for most common wolves anyways with blue eyes like his."

                "Turquoise," Pets corrected distractedly, her mind still reeling. 

                "What?"

                "His eyes weren't blue, " she explained, her heart beating fast.  "They were turquoise.

To be continued…

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Author’s Note:  Woohoo... no chararcter limits - which means this post isn't truncated or modified like the one on Winglin.  Enjoy!!!