.Welcome.

[Tabitha Voguet]

The sound of humming drifted through the park as Tabitha stepped up onto the drooping end of the seesaw. Her shoes squeaked a bit on it, green skirt blowing around her striped legs in the light breeze as she clutched the stuffed, pink bunny to her chest. Humming still, she took slow steps across the middle then headed down the other side, her balance perfect despite the swift movement of the seesaw.

At the beginning of her second day in Somerset, late afternoon, she was entertaining herself at the park. There wasn't a lot for a small child to do so why not go play? She'd stowed her suitcase and clothes inside an old warehouse where she'd spent then night along with a good portion of the day. It was a bit dusty yet she'd brushed off a spot for herself then gone to sleep, her head resting on a pillow stolen from a hotel. The theft had taken a matter of seconds so no one had even questioned the small child's presence.

"One bright day in the middle of the night two dead boys got up for a fight," she sang, softly as she skipped over to the jungle gym. Her song continued as she climbed, Chomps still clutched in one arm. "Back to back they faced one another then drew their swords and shot one another. A deaf policeman on the beat heard the noise . . ." She paused to finish her climb, settling herself into a seated position atop the jungle gym "Then came and shot the two dead boys."

Giggling at the rhyme, one she'd learned from her godmother, she jumped down from the jungle gym and dashed over to the swings. She pulled herself into one then settled Chomps in her lap before pushing back and forth to make the swing move back and forth as she picked up humming.

[Diana Nox]

Diana sunk lower in her seat at the back of the bus. After three days in this disgustingly, crowded, box, they had arrived in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Even in her seat she could detect the change in the air and wrinkled her nose. It smelled of smog and filth. Like an out-house. If this was what she’d have to breathe in for the rest of her life, Diana was going to suffer. Where were all the trees? How was she going to properly hunt with so many people watching?

Nothing was ever going to be quite like Ophir, Colorado. The eight-year-old fantasized about stretching her paws into the Earth and breathing in the crisp morning air as she ran on all fours. She imagined how wonderful the sound of the crickets sounded; their music putting her to sleep at night after hearing a bedtime story. How was she supposed to sleep with all this noise?

Mommy must’ve made a mistake. She had stashed her on the wrong bus.

The were-cub frowned and felt her eyes changing. Not now. Diana shoved the hood of her jacket over her head and let her golden curls shield her face. She hated how her body instinctively changed without her permission. Blend in, she thought as if I could…

When she felt the bus come to a complete stop, she grabbed her pink backpack, and rushed to the front. The further she got away from people, the better chance of them seeing that her eyes weren’t human. Act like you know where you’re supposed to go. Without taking her eyes from the ground, Diana walked quickly away from the station. She had no idea where she was headed and didn’t care too much either.

The girl was a sight to see to those who passed her on the sidewalk. It was noon in the middle of the summer season and Diana wore a white jacket with multi-colored polka dots, hands shoved in the pockets, and an emerald colored scarf wrapped around mouth and neck. She wasn’t sure how much of her features had transformed since the bus and didn’t want to take the chance of people seeing her as a freak. Isaac warned her of humans who often forced people like her into traveling shows. People paid money to point and laugh at her expense.

The very thought of people making fun of her made Diana sink lower into herself. Before too long, the were-cub picked up the scent familiar to her nose. Trees! Taking in a big whiff, Diana let her nose guide her to a playground. They had something similar to this in Ophir, but not ever this big. It made her feel as if she had found some magical funland where she could sit and figure out what to do next.

Her eyes searched for the tallest thing in the area and smiled when she noticed a tower with a slide. From there, she could see all around her. Diana removed the scarf from her mouth and ran toward the tower without letting anything else distract her. Once on top of the tower, looking over the spacious playground, the were-cub settled nicely and took in a calming breath.

[Tabitha Voguet]

Oblivious to anything around her, Tabitha continued to swing, pumping her legs back and forth. Her pushing had gotten a small rhythm going, though her kicking legs moved the swng higher and higher. It almost felt like flying yet she kept a tight hold on the swing, one of Chomps paws clutched in the other, to keep herself from slipping off.

Finally, she grewed bored enough to drag her feet, gradually slowing the swing to a crawl. She sat for a moment longer, still humming to herself, debating what to do. The dirty toes of her tennis shoes made small indentions in the soft sand while she thought about where to go next. It was too early to go home and she'd already eaten so play was her best option, especially without other kids around to look at her funny or tease her about Chomps.

A movement in the near darkness caught her eyes. There was a person running across the park, a small person with something pink. It was the color that first attracted Tabitha's attention, the same bright shade as her sweatshirt. If it weren't for the bag and its bright color, she wouldn't have paid any attention to the figure running or climbing the tower.

"Think we should go slide, Chomps?" she asked, glancing down at the stuffed animal with an expectant look. Its sewn on eyes stared up at her, though she seemed to get some kind of sign because she jumped off the swing, bunny tucked into her arm. "We can't do that because there's no one else to play with. We have to make new friends."

There had been no children since coming to Somerset, only adults who stared. At the orphanage, she'd mostly been left alone to entertain herself-a dangerous practice in itself-though she'd still managed to play some of her games with the new ones. Then again, her games often ended with tears or a kid scared of the dark and occasionally a snack.

Tabitha crossed to the tower and tied the end of her too long scarf, bright purple, around Chomps' neck. She gave a yank to ensure he was attached, tightly then began to climb, scaling the top without making too much sound to pop up behind Diana.

"I see you," she called, quietly once she'd reached the top, still hanging off the side. "Chomps sees you, too." One hand moved the bunny to sit on the edge of the tower, scarf still wrapped around its neck. "What you doing?"

[Diana Nox]

At the sound of another person so close, Diana let out a squeak and jumped a space to the side. The hairs on the back of her neck and arms stood straight up and she felt her left eye change. Leaving her with one blue-hazel eye and one golden-hazel eye. Her ears perked up and senses were on high alert. How had this other girl get so close without her knowing? She subtly sniffed the air, detecting if this stranger was kin to her or not.

Diana’s nose scrunched up at faint smell of death and human. It was an odd scent for a little girl and she wondered why that was. Her nose twitched and wiggled as she pulled her knees in closer to her chest. She went to answer the girl’s question, but it had been so long since she had actually spoken to another person. What if her voice came out differently? There was no way to tell if her transformation actually affected the way she spoke. The were-cub didn’t want to chance it.

Instead, she shrugged and looked out to the horizon, enjoying the fresh (fresher version)air she was probably only ever going to get here. After a moment she looked back at the stranger and gave her a once over. The girl didn’t look dangerous, but Diana didn’t feel safe with her either. She didn’t feel safe around anyone who wasn’t like her. Too many ways for this to go and it bothered her.

The blonde gestured with her head as if the ask You? Hopefully the odd-scented girl knew how to play charades, because Diana wasn’t planning on speaking any time soon. The were-cub laid her head down on top of her knees and watched the other girl. She wasn’t sure why, but she definitely didn’t want to turn her back to this one. No one could be trusted in this city and Isaac would’ve thrown a fit if she willingly accepted the other child.

[Tabitha Voguet]

The jump earned a quiet giggle from Tabitha, though she tilted her head to the left to study Diana better. Her sniff of the air made her nose wrinkle, wondering about it, though she stayed silent, pleased with herself for scaring one more person. Even if it was just a kid who looked like a stray breeze would scare her.

"What you doing?" Her question repeated, she finished climbing up onto the tower and sat down, cross-legged. She carefully untied the scarf from Chomps' neck then settled him in her lap, hands folded together in a prim and proper gesture. Only a matter of inches separated her from Diana. "You shouldn't be out here alone or the monsters will get you," she whispered, a slow smile curving her lips. Her fangs were carefully hidden as she studied the other child, not wanting to send her running just yet.

The lack of response made the little dhampire frown, not liking being ignored. Her usual reaction to being ignored was a bite, though she'd just eaten so it would be a waste of good food. Better to make a friend now and save food for later. Only the shrug and head gesture made her think maybe it wasn't just ignoring her. Some people just didn't talk.

"I'm playing," she replied, simply. Her fingers plucked at Chomps' ears, eyes focused on the other girl. A moment later, her smile widened to show her fangs, perfectly pointed and white. "But the monsters don't bother me."

[Diana Nox]

Her attention focused back on the other girl and wondered why monsters didn’t bother her. It could be because she smelled like a dead animal. Diana knew she didn’t smell appetizing to her. The were-cub’s eyes moved to the small pink bunny. Mommy hadn’t allowed her to take any of her toys. She pouted, remembering that Tigger had to sleep alone at night in her bed. Isaac didn’t know he needed to be fed or liked to snuggle when there were storms. What were all her stuffed animals going to do without her?

Diana bit her bottom lip and put her head back down on her knees. It was getting cold as the sun started to go down, she was hungry, and she was lonely. What had Mommy been thinking sending her out like this by herself? What was she going to do?

’ I want to go home.’ The blonde mouthed, too afraid to speak the words out loud. At the moment, Diana’s stomach began to growl. She’d snacked on animal crackers and apple juice on the bus, but had run out of all her food just this morning. She hadn’t seen any real wild life to hunt and right now that bunny looked just as good as a real one. Diana squeezed her legs closer to her chest, as if she could hide the noise.

The girl thought about the stranger sitting beside her. ’Where are your parents?’

[Tabitha Voguet]

She waited, still plucking at the bunny's ears, eyes focused on Diana. The other child seemed in thought, though she wondered about what, noticing the attention to Chomps.

"This is Chomps. He likes to play, too," she said, oblivious to the lack of back and forth in the conversation. An interested look crossed her face as she read Diana's lips, having learned to better know what was said out of her earshot. It had helped her know what Daddy and Aunt Tabitha were talking about when they'd cast funny glances at her. "I don't know where your home is."

The growling stomach drew Tabitha's eyes down. She reached out with one finger and poked Diana's arm, noting she seemed to be attempting to squeeze herself smaller. That was a trick she'd often done at the orphanage, making herself small so no one would bother her. It worked better some days than others, though being scary was better than being scared.

"Don't have any." Her words were matter-of-fact, no explanation given for their absence. She paused in plucking at Chomps' ears and hugged the bunny tight, his head tucked under her chin. "Your stomach sounds like a monster. Are you hungry?"

[Diana Nox]

The blonde watched as the girl poked her and deepened her frown. First the girl is all creepy, smelling, and sneaky…now she was poking at Diana. The were-cub blushed at the sound of her stomach and felt her eyes alter again. Her arms started to itch and she was grateful that her jacket covered the majority of her body.

Diana was relieved when the other girl said she was alone, too. It made her feel less like a freak and on her own. However, her stomach reminded her that they’d need food and shelter. How did little kids take care of themselves without parents to feed and protect them? Diana lifted her head and nodded, answering the obvious. The blonde had never gone without a meal before. Mommy had always made sure she ate four times a day at the same time every day. According to her stomach, she was two hours late on her meal.

The girl sighed out loud and made sure she faced her company. She had been lucky enough to find someone who could read lips. The thought of actually speaking horrified the were-cub. What if her words came out to be cat meows? She’d get made fun of and have no one to hang out with. The girl bit her bottom lip before moving her lips again, making sure to go slow, so that nothing was missed.

’Do you have any food?’

Isaac would’ve demanded she hunted if she were desperate enough to eat. Asking for hand-outs from outside the pack was simple unheard of. If you couldn’t pull your weight, than you didn’t deserve to eat. Diana frowned and tried to find out what she’d have in return to give for food. The girl grabbed her pink backpack and took the first thing out she had. Diana pulled out a pink sweater the color of the stranger’s stuffed animal.

’ Food for this?’

[Tabitha Voguet]

"It's not so bad without parents. You can do whatever you want," Tabitha told her after a moment, interpreting the silence as fear. She'd gotten used to being alone, even accepted she'd been on her own since back at the orphanage. While she could eat regular food, a part of her simply preferred blood due to her raising. "Like play all night."

The little black haired girl studied her newfound friend, falling silent. She'd run out of conversation, though she hoped to get another response from the blonde. Silence was more intimidating without having something to focus on, even Diana's moving lips.

"No, but I can get some."

A small flash of excitement went through her at the thought of going stealing. It was a fun little way to pass time, plus it gave her what she wanted. No one ever paid attention to her so she could easily sneak in and out. One hand reached out to pet the sweater before she gave a nod. Trade wasn't unusual for her so she understood, immediately.

Without a word, she slid down the slide attached to the tower. She'd barely hit the ground before she took off running, Chomps still clutched in one arm. Her steps slowed a bit as she neared the strip of houses, ducking into an open window. About ten minutes passed before she emerged, a plastic bag gripped in the arm not cradling Chomps.

"The creepy undead spider came crawling in our tent . . ." Tabitha sang the song, softly as she skipped back to the park. It hadn't been a very far trip, though she raced across the park and scrambled up the tower in record time, not even bothering to be quiet. She figured Diana was expecting her return. "Soon the creepy undead spider will crawl back in again."

Once seated back on top the tower, she passed the bag containing a couple sandwiches and a bag of chips along with several drinks to the other girl. A stuffed animal sat on the top of the food.

"So you're not lonely."

She was back to sitting cross-legged with Chomps in her lap. Her hands rubbed his ears as she watched Diana, waiting to see how she liked the offerings.

[Diana Nox]

Diana wasn’t sure what made her new friend so excited. She laid the piece of pink material in her lap as she watched Tabitha slide down and run away from the park. The blonde opened her mouth to call the girl back or for her to wait up, but the words wouldn’t come out right. Instead, she made squeaky, scared, noises that faded when she no longer so the stranger anymore.

Her bottom lip poked out and began to quiver as she sat all alone on the tower. Well now she had done it. Isaac had been right. No one wanted to just give out food for free. Diana rubbed her burning, wet, eye with the back of her hand. The were-cub wiped the tears from her eyes, feeling them widening and changing her perception of the park area. She blinked several times to change them back, but felt the sharp edges of her animal’s teeth try to push out of her gums. The blonde whimpered in pain and tried to force the hood even further over her head.

She had just thought about moving to the tunnel on the other side of the jungle gym to make camp when Tabitha’s voice came up behind her. Diana jumped a spot over and hissed, baring her teeth and golden eyes, in defense. When she focused on the odd little girl, the were-cub brought up her hands—well now they were half-paws—to her mouth. Isaac was going to be so mad at her for letting a non-were see her in this state!

Her nose caught the scent of food and her eyes darted to the offerings her newfound friend had brought her. Her nose twitched and wiggled before one paw attempted to grab the animal and the other a sandwich. Diana’s bottom lips quivered again as she noticed that her hands were freakishly not human and couldn’t take hold of anything. The were-cub looked up at Tabitha, her vision blurry, and whimpered. She attempted to say something, but it only came out as cat noises.

[Tabitha Voguet]

Tabitha studied her, taking in the change to her eyes and the newly sharp teeth. She tilted her head a bit as she saw the paws, one hand reaching out to touch them with an awed look. Her limited experience with creatures left her curious yet se didn't really know what the girl in front of her was aside from cool.

"You're a monster, too, but what kind?"

The words held a curious note as she continued to study Diana, frowning a bit at her whimpers. She didn't like that sound or the thought of her new friend being upset. Looking around atop the tower, she tried to figure out what to do then settled for petting her head, almost like one would with a puppy. She could recall Aunt Tabitha would do something similar when she was upset, though she suddenly missed her godmother. She'd know what to do so her new friend wasn't upset.

"Don't cry," she ordered, still petting. After a moment, she lifted the stuffed animal and tucked it against Diana's chest, folding her arm over it so it rested in the crook. "What do you want to name him? He's yours."

She picked up the sandwich and held it out to Diana if she wanted a bite. Her strange new hands didn't look capable of picking anything up, though she wanted her friend to stay around and not cry so she attempted to help.

[Diana Nox]

Diana watched with curious eyes as the dark haired girl reached out to touch her. She wasn’t sure how to act; besides stunned, at how the girl hadn’t screamed. The were-cub looked up at her with knitted eyebrows at her statement about monsters. Diana wasn’t a monster and though Tabitha smelled funny, she didn’t look like one either. What an odd thing to say…

The blonde allowed her new friend to rearrange the animal in her lap and bent over to sniff the stuffed toy. It was a bright yellow duck with soft fur. Diana had only seen a duck once, but it was on t.v. and very briefly before Isaac turned it off. He taught them that t.v. was bad and it modernized the pack a little too much for his taste. They were beasts. Animals. Meant for nature and not for technology.

The girl would never admit, but the petting was nice. It was a comforting gesture that her mother used to do right before bed. However, a total stranger doing it was just plain awkward and condescending. She wasn’t a pet, but Tabitha was playing nice so she wasn’t going to say anything.

Diana snuggled the stuffed duck, familiarizing its scent so that she could find it if it got lost. When she looked back up with a smile, the dark haired girl had one of the sandwiches in her hand. Diana glanced down at her paws, realized she wasn’t going to be able to hold on to the food, and then leaned over to take a hesitant bite. The food slowly and painfully made its way down her stomach and she instantly wanted more. The were-cub took a much bigger bite this time, avoiding the girl’s thumbs.

After several more bites, the blonde decided she shouldn’t push her stomach to eat everything at once. She wasn’t sure when her next meal would be and wanted to save the others for later. Her eyes had started to fade back to their hazel, human, color. The right eye still felt distorted and probably had more gold flecks of color to it than the left one. Her gaze moved down to her new stuffed animal and thought about what she could name him. Isaac had taught her certain names with different meanings; it’s how their pack recognized each other in the vast area of their territory. All the families had certain names that had to do with the ‘moon’, ‘night’, ‘cat’, or ‘hunter’. None of those names felt right.

Diana wiggled her nose in thought.

’Helios.’ She mouthed and smiled, liking the name very much so. ’ ‘Cause he’s yellow like the sun.’

The were-cub attempted to wiggle her fingers in the hope of forcing them back into human hands. She looked passed her paws and noticed the pink sweater on her lap. She took both paws and grabbed at it with her palms to hand it over to Tabitha.

‘Thank you.’

[Tabitha Voguet]

"You're strange."

Tabitha watched her, curiously, no hint of malice in the words. She held the sandwich for her to eat then set it down when she seemed finished, tucking it back into the bag. Scooting back around, she settled herself a few inches away from Diana and went back to playing with her bunny's ears, legs folded underneath her.

While she still wasn't sure about the other girl, she'd already decided she liked her. Even with her weird tendencies, such as paws and strange colored eyes. She was still nicer than the kids at the orphanage and hadn't said a mean word about Chomps. In fact, she held the duck in much the same way and seemed genuinely happy to have the animal rather than viewing it as childish.

At the duck's name, she nodded her agreement. "He is pretty yellow. I didn't know what you liked so I just got him," she explained, fingers plucking at stray strands on Chomps. "Heilos can be Chomps' friend."

Although she reached out toward the sweater, she shook her head at the last minute and pushed it back. Her godmother's voice had entered her head for a moment, reminding her not to take advantage of others. If the other girl's only possessions were in the bag, she'd probably need the sweater. Besides, she had at least three others-all pink-tucked away in her own suitcase at the big, empty building she'd taken over. And that didn't count the one she was currently wearing.

"You're welcome, but now you have to play with me." The words came out a bit of an order as she stood, Chomps still tucked against her chest. A reminder went off that she didn't know her new friend's name so she said, "I'm Tabitha."

[Diana Nox]

Diana frowned when the girl refused the sweater, but was partly relieved at being able to keep it. The were-cub felt her paws become hands again smiled as she studied them. She was able to fold up the pink material and place it in her backpack. At the mention of play, Diana looked up and nodded with excitement. She hadn’t played with someone close to her age since she left home. It’d feel so good to stretch her legs after sitting on a bus for three days. The blonde checked her ears, feeling for any fur or pointiness. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary so she brushed back her hood shook the curls free.

‘Tabitha.’ She tested the words on her mouth; sounding out the name in her head. Diana smiled and nodded. ’Diana.’ She moved her lips slowly to pronounce it correctly, and pointed to her chest.

If they were going to start playing, the were-cub wanted to get comfortable. She pulled off her shoes and socks, noting that her socks now had holes in them because her feet had changed as well. The girl made a sound of frustration and tossed it all into her backpack. Maybe one day Tabitha will show her how she acquired the food and the duck. Isaac and Mommy told her that as she got older, the change would be a lot easier to control. However, she still had to go through something called puberty and that wasn’t going to be easy as a were-cub. Most of the pack-mates her age hadn’t even had their first transformation. Those who were a little older than her didn’t like it because she had been able to do it since she was a baby. They called her a freak. Tabitha had called her strange, but hadn’t made fun of her. Even said their stuffed animals could be friends.

Diana gestured to her pink pack, ‘ I ruin a lot of clothes when I change.’ She looked out over the park and then turned back to Tabby. ‘What do you want to play?’

[Tabitha Voguet]

Frowning a bit, Tabitha watched her study her hands then touch her ears. She couldn't understand the odd behaviors yet she did note the other girl looked normal once again, even threw off the hood. At least now she looked less like someone hiding.

"Okay, Diana," she repeated with a nod. The name sounded human enough so she accepted it, looking out across the park.

At the lack of playing, she looked over to the other girl and wrinkled her nose at her now barefeet. If she took her own shoes off, she felt incredibly cold so she stayed bundled up, the only explanation for long sleeves, leggings, and a huge scarf in the summer warmth. She'd always been cold, for as long as she could remember which wasn't as far as she wished. It was only a matter of years, mostly filled with memories of her father and Aunt Tabitha, occasionally one of the elders.

"Why do you change?" The words held a curious note before she tilted her head as if listening to something. Giving a nod, she said, "You want to swing? That's mine and Chomps' favorite, but you have to slide down."

She pointed to the slide then moved over to it. After getting comfortable, she pushed off and slid to the bottom, jumping off then backing away to wait for Diana.

[Diana Nox]

Her hazel eyes followed Tabitha’s down the slide and then glanced over to where the swings were. Diana tucked her backpack in a corner and settled at the top of the slide. At the last minute, she reached for Helios and held him close to her chest. It had been forever since she last slid and a rush of excitement hit her as her body flew down to the bottom. She’d even allowed a squeal escape as she landed on her bare feet. With a small laugh, her eyes found the dark haired girl, and gestured towards the swing.

Diana’s face almost mischievous as she thought about taking off running. At home, she wasn’t the fastest compared to her siblings, but Tabitha and Chomps weren’t cubs. She wondered just how fast the two could run compared to her and Helios. Without so much as a hint, the were-cub took off across the playground in hopes of getting there before her new friend did.

The wind in her face and the earth below pleased the inner beast. Her lungs weren’t even burning as much as her legs were now. Being cramped in a bus for days and no real way to let loose, it was exhausting and terribly annoying. She wasn’t used to being still for so long in her life! Not even when Mommy or Isaac punished her to the corner. Diana felt her joints loosening and the bones in the back re-adjusting. The cougar inside wanted to be let out, but she’d never fully transformed before. She wasn’t even sure it was possible or how safe it would be to do it in front of Tabitha. Isaac warned the cubs to be careful, because when they changed the animal took over. It was almost impossible to tell right from wrong when the beast had its own agenda.

Taking a deep breath, the curly blonde tried to focus. Stay. She coaxed the beast. There isn’t any danger and she had eaten. No need to turn. Her eyes, golden now, spotted the swings and adjusted like a camera lens. Though she was still somewhat of a distance away, the cougar in her was already calculating the different vantage points. Her first instinct was to jump and climb to the very top of the swing set. Sit there and look out around her from her height.

However, instead of doing what her instincts told her to, Diana leapt for the chains on one of the swings as her feet caught the rubber seat. The momentum had her going back and forth for a moment until she was able to push the cat back down. Her eyes searching for her new friend with a real smile.

”I love to run. It’s my favorite.” The blonde, without letting go of the chain, slid down to a sitting position on the swing. She let her feet push her back into the rocking motion. Helios now sat in her lap with one hand holding him. Diana thought back on Tabitha’s earlier question and made a face as if she were really thinking about why she changes. No one had ever told her what she was or why it happened. It just did and everyone in town did it. ”I just change. Mostly when I’m sad or scared or angry…or hungry.”

[Tabitha Voguet]

The laugh brought back the smile Tabitha had lost while waiting on her to slide down, one foot impatiently tapping the ground. She didn't have a lot of patience, though her godmother had always claimed she came by it honestly through her father. He'd never had patience, either, though she couldn't recall him ever getting impatient with her even when she was difficult at bedtime or hesitant during a kill.

It took a moment before she realized Diana was running; however, the dark-haired girl only shook her head. She merely skipped along, not bothering to attempt to catch up or beat her. Growing up without playmates (or even one remotely close to her age), she hadn't developed a competitive streak nor was she used to someone her own age playing. In fact, she wasn't used to really playing with anyone except Chomps.

"I don't like running." Her words were matter-of-fact before she came to a stop by the swings. Tucking the pink bunny carefully into the crook of her arm, she settled herself on the swing and pushed it back with her feet. She laughed at the face Diana made then nodded, "Okay, I won't tell anybody that you change."

Her legs kicked back and forth as she forced the swing to move, humming, quietly for a moment. She kept her eyes on the empty park around them, though she glanced over to Diana once she'd gotten the swing going high, kicking no longer necessary. Her hands kept a loose hold on the chains as her bunny was tucked tight in her arm.

"You have Helios now so you won't be sad or scared," she pointed out. "And I can find you food. I'm good at finding stuff."

[Diana Nox]

The girls swung in a comfortable silence and she thought maybe this city wasn’t going to be so bad. Tabitha said it was nice not having parents around to tell you what to do or what to eat. Diana could very well do whatever she wanted and it didn’t take long to think of some things. Isaac had too many rules and sometimes Mommy let her break a few, but since neither was here…what would she do next?

Her head turned back to her new friend and she moved her lips to ask something. When her friend didn’t respond, Diana frowned. Oh. The were-cub felt silly. They were swinging and she forgot her words didn’t actually make sounds like other people. The blonde pointed her toes down and caught the first bit of earth and slowed her momentum. Every time she came back down, her feet tapped the ground below and after a minute she was able to stop swinging all-together.

”How long have you been alone?” The girl tilted her head and took a good look at the other. She seemed awfully young, like Diana, to be on her own for so long. The blonde hugged Helios tightly to her chest and thought about how lonely it must’ve been for Tabitha. She had been on her own for three days and it felt like she was going to die. Her head laid on top of the duck’s head and she found comfort in the stuffed toy.

”You said I was a monster, too. Does that mean you are like me?”

[Tabitha Voguet]

The silent didn't bother Tabitha as she swung, taking back up her humming. It was a habit she'd picked up from a young age, her earliest memories being of her aunt's humming. That sound had always calmed her so she'd adapted it on her own. When she hummed, she felt calm and more at peace with the strange things occurring around her.

Glancing over to her friend at the lack of swinging, she dug the toes of her sneakers into the sand. A few moments later, she'd brought the swing to a complete stop and twisted the swing to the side. It gave her a better view of Diana's lips so she could read her lips.

A frown crossed her lips at the question. She thought a moment, wondering how to answer. It had been seven months since she'd been at the orphanage, though she'd had quite a few temporary guardians in the last few months. Only a couple days had passed since her last guardian's death so she shrugged.

"A couple months," she replied, moving Chomps into her lap. Her fingers plucked at his ears as she looked down to him before looking back to Diana. "I find someone to take care of me sometimes, but it's better alone. I don't fit with most people."

She hugged Chomps tight as she thought about the words then left the swing, moving to stand close to Diana. Opening her mouth, she leaned her head back so the extra sharp canine teeth showed to the other girl. Her fangs gleamed a bit before she returned to her swing, biting one hand as she waited for her new friend to run. It always happened when someone saw her teeth.

"Different kind of monster, but still a monster."

[Diana Nox]

A couple of months on her own and the little girl seemed to be doing just fine. Maybe Diana wouldn’t be so bad off. She’d have to learn what Tabitha knew to get by. She’d have to learn how to pull her own weight. The were-cub watched her friend as she came closer and titled her head up to see inside her mouth. Teeth. Sharp teeth, like when Diana started to transform. They always hurt when the pierced the tip of her gums and it made turning even harder. She wondered how her friend could look so normal and stand that amount of pain.

Her hazel eyes followed the brown-hair girl back to her swing. Diana clutched Helios as her friend brought up the word monster again. Tabitha wasn’t a monster. She just had really sharp teeth. There was nothing wrong about that. Her exposure seemed to have upset the girl and Diana frowned. Well if she was a monster and Tabitha thought she was a monster than there wasn’t any sense in being sad about it. They could look after each other and play together and just be themselves together.

The blonde stood and reached out her hand to her friend. ”We can be monsters together if you want.”

The were-cub tired of the swings and it was time to play a new game, she decided. Her eyes got wide with an idea and she smiled. ”Can you smell really good? It’s almost dark and it’ll be the best time to play hide-n-seek. I don’t even have to see very well. I can sniff someone out. Freaky, huh?”

[Tabitha Voguet]

After showing her fangs, Tabitha pushed the swing back and forth, slowly. Her teeth hadn't broken the skin on her hand, though the other was gripped onto the swing, tightly, Chomps tucked into the bend of her elbow. She was still waiting for the news the blonde didn't want to be friends except a hand was held out to her instead of running away.

She tilted her head to study it a moment then unwrapped hers from the metal. Her other hand withdrew from her mouth, a quick wipe on her skirt with only a few indentions left. The hand from the swing placed itself in Diana's with a nod.

"Two monsters are more fun," she said after taking her hand back.

Giving the swing another push back, she leaped out at the last minute and landed beside Diana. "Only if it's blood. I can smell blood really easy, but that's about it." Her head tilted to the side as she listened to the words before a grin formed, "I see really well at night. I can even see when all the lights are off so nope, you're not freaky. Who hides first?"

[Diana Nox]

Diana crinkled her nose at Tabitha’s blood hound abilities. Isaac used to make them hunt wild life in the forest every couple of days to train their predator instincts and though she absolutely loved the chase, the kill was not her favorite. In fact she always got in trouble for letting the rabbit or bird go after she caught it. Diana wanted to play with it, not eat it. If she wanted to eat meat, Mommy would fix her some.

She wondered, then, what kind of monster her new friend was. Tabitha wasn’t afraid of others like them; she had sharp teeth, and could smell blood without much difficulty. Diana tried to think about what kind of animal this girl could be. The were-cub hadn’t smelt anything particular except for the hint of decay. The smell didn’t so much as bother her as it did confuse her. She wanted to ask more about what Tabitha was, but decided it could come later.

’You & Chomps go hide. I want to see if Helios can help track your scent.’

The blonde smiled deviously and pointed to one of the posts behind her that held up the swing. She turned back around, ’That’s base. If you touch that after I find you, you get another turn at hiding. I gotta tag you.’

She remembered her friend didn’t much care for running, but this would be much more challenging than just plain ole hide-n-seek. Plus, Diana was dying to see what other tricks this girl had…and Diana really just wanted to chase after something. She was almost getting antsy to play the game. ’I’ll count to ten and then come for you.’

The were-cub turned around and covered her eyes, Helios tucked under one arm. She silently began to count, wiggling a bit in place, excited to start prowling.

[Tabitha Voguet]

"You can't. I'm super good at hiding."

Tabitha started to turn away then followed her finger, nodding as she spotted the pole. She read her friend's lips then gave a small salute, her stuffed animal tucked into her arm once more.

"Got it. I bet I make it to base before you ever see me!" she challenged before backing away.

After a few steps, she turned and began to move faster, though she didn't really run. Her movements were more of a skipping motion than running as her eyes scanned the park.

It wasn't quite dark enough for her special vision as Aunt Tab often called it; however, the stretching shadows beckoned to her. She could spot the squirrel hiding in the shadows of a tree, loose sticks that would crackle under the metal slide. A particularly dark spot existed opposite their swings, a few yards away, a fanged smile curving her lips.

Ducking down, she tucked herself beneathe the picnic table. Her bunny was hastily tied up in her scarf to avoid losing him before she peered out of the space between the bench and table, eyes focused on Diana's back. Chomps now hung against her back as she waited, breathe held to see if Diana really could find her.

[Diana Nox]

’One…Two…Three…’

Diana mouthed the count, though there was no one to see her do this. She thought it would be easier if she got used to moving her mouth when she wanted to speak out loud. If she didn’t, she was afraid most of her thoughts would be trapped inside her head. An odd way of looking at things, but it made perfect sense to the girl.

The werecub flexed her toes into the ground below. She could feel the inner beast wanting to take over. It was a challenge back home to play this game, because her pack siblings’ scent was all over the place. She never could distinguish between smells and had to rely on her other senses. Diana inhaled as deeply as her lungs allowed her to. This playground was still new to her senses. It toyed with her when things moved about and she couldn’t see what they were. Her ears perked up to a point trying to decide which direction Tabitha had taken.

’…Four…Five…Six…’

The girl’s nose twitched, secretly attempting a whiff at Helios, without making too much of a show. Her friend had touched the duck, which meant her scent was partially attached. It was difficult to distinguish between Tabitha and the other foreign smells. She thought, maybe, she caught the scent, but wouldn’t be sure until she started to search. Diana heard movement in the bushes adjacent to her position, but it sounded too small and too loud for Tabitha.

’…Seven…Eight…Nine…’

The werecub felt herself purr as she felt the inner beast start to rile up. It wanted so badly to run and chase after an object. When the cub finally made it to Ten, Diana swung her arms out and blinked several times. Her golden eyes adjusting to the light momentarily before she spun around and took a large breath of air. This time, she grabbed Helios and inhaled and then took a sniff of the air around her. Had she been able to see her reflection, Diana would’ve noticed she had reverted back to her half-state. Her pointed ears perked up at the sound of a twig being broken and her head snapped in that direction. She took a whiff and shook her head. Squirrel, definitely not Tabitha.

The blonde girl walked towards the slide, sniffing, and decided to climb up to the tower. Her strange little friend had been up their recently so her scent would be the strongest. Comparing it with other children and animals, Diana now could tell the difference. Like before, Tabitha smelt odd. She had the weird scent of something decaying and cold, but her heart beat. Blood raced through her veins and clearly she was alive. It was just an odd scent to have and Diana wondered if maybe she just liked to roll around in trash, which didn’t seem right either.

She climbed to the point of the tower, as before, and searched the playground. She loved being this far up above ground. Her senses on high alert to any sudden movement or sound. The wind shifted and Diana’s eyes went straight down. A predatorily, playful, smile sliding across her face. Without thinking about it, the werecub jumped from the tower and landed on all four. It took half a second to re-adjust before she advanced towards the other girl, barely making it back up to two feet.

[Tabitha Voguet]

Tabitha stayed crouched under her table, one hand holding Chomps close to her chest. He was still wrapped in the scarf to keep him close, though she had no clue what number Diana was on since the other girl didn't speak. Her own counting was obviously faster since she made it to ten before her new friend moved from her spot.

Deciding to rely on her night vision, she kept her eyes glued to Diana's back. Her gaze slid to small animals beginning to move about the park yet always returned to her new friend's back. It would be easier to keep an eye on the other girl's progress if she continued to pay attention to her.

The girl stifled a giggle against her hand at the sound of the twig snapping. A casual glance went to the bushes, spotting the squirrel's tail. She frowned as she watched Diana dash to the tower then begin to climb, wondering what she was up to.

Despite her best efforts to remain quiet, the little dhampire couldn't stop a giggle at the leap down. Her landing made the girl curious, though she backed up further under the table. One hand covered Chomps' mouth as she whispered, "Be quiet, Chomps, or she'll get us."

She counted to five, her eyes carefully trained on Diana's approach. Scooting backwards, she grasped onto the bench about her head then pulled herself out from under table and bolted across the playground toward the swings.

[Diana Nox]

Diana's pointed ears perked and twitched at the sound of a girl's laughter. The blonde had a toothy grin as she ran towards the set of picnic tables. She caught some movement that confirmed Tabitha's location and she tried to push her legs to move faster. She about tripped over her own feet as the other girl bolted towards the swings. The were-cub had to stop dead in her tracks and then double back.

The dark headed girl was fast, Diana admitted, but she could be quicker. She had a hand out-stretched towards Tabitha. The tips of her fingers just about grazed the girl's hair. Diana urged her burning muscles to speed up just a bit more. She almost had her...almost...

The were-cub thought about leaping forward, pouncing on her new friend, but Mother's voice resounded in the back of her mind. Though Tabitha seemed okay with the freaky features, she wasn't a cub. The playful pounce could hurt her newfound friend. Even if it didn't injure her, Tabby might see it as an attack and runaway afterwards.

Her hesitation was all it took to slow her feet in time to give the other girl a chance to make it to the pole. Diana came to a stop and bent over to catch her breath. She noticed her ears twitched as the blonde curls caressed the points on their way towards the front. Her perception had switched again from human eyes to cougar eyes. She rested her hands on her knees and saw that her nails had grown to form claws. Diana was in her half-state and bit more furry than she liked to be in public.

The cougar underneath her skin quivered and begged to be fully released. All this running around made it want to hunt. Isaac warned her how the easily excited the beast became. The were-cub felt uneasy about the thought of wanting to hunt rough out-house with Tabitha. Mother and Isaac laid into her everyday how one scratch or bite could turn into a full-blown transference of the beast. Sure, it would be nice to have another cub to play with in Somerset, but Diana wasn't positive if that would be a good thing for her new friend.

The blonde lifted her head and waited until the other girl could read her lips, “You win. Round two?

[Tabitha Voguet]

Tabitha gave a glance over her shoulder and ran a bit faster, surprised at how quick her friend could ran. It hadn't taken the other girl very long to catch up with her, though she still wasn't quite within grabbing distance.

Turning back to focus on the swings, she pushed herself to one run harder and felt a burn begin in her chest. One hand reached out and grabbed onto the pole. Her hand encircled it before she swung around the pole with a grin that showed a tiny hint of fang. With Diana, she didn't feel a need to keep her teeth hidden.

"I win, I win, I win!" she chanted, excitedly. Her dancing an twirling around the pole, abruptly ended.

The dhampire skipped back over to her friend, finally noting her bend over posture. A frown came into place as she wondered if she were okay, her eyes going to the claws except her only response was an interested tilt of her head. Her own nails were studied a minute before she reached out, touching one of Diana's newly formed claws.

"I saw a cat at the zoo with claws like you. I wanted to pet it," she said before withdrawing her hand. The nails were only interesting for so long, though she found nothing scary about them. In fact, their appearance made her more interested in Diana. "You can hide this time. I'll count."

Without waiting for a reply, she skipped back to the pole that served as base and placed her forehead against it. Her eyes closed as her hands cupped her face and the pole.

"One . . . two . . ."