hair, both neatly trimmed.
Red scratched his chin. “Geez woman. I ain’t that ugly.” He grinned, showing perfect teeth. “Come on over here and we’ll talk a bit. Been a while since I had decent company.” His voice rose as he finished the sentence, prompting a shout from another man a few shelters away. The undecipherable reply didn’t have any visible effect on the Felis, who motioned me over to the side of the tent.
“Malcolm there been grumpy for days. Says it’s the full moon. I say it’s the bad meat he pulled out of that Dumpster.” Red chuckled. “But here I am, not introducing myself.” He extended a hand. “Red.”
“Rebecca.” My fingers disappeared in the calloused knuckles. He gave a light squeeze, nothing more than a love tap by Felis standards.
He frowned. “Nah. You look like a Susie.” He released my hand and jabbed a thick index finger at me. “Susie.”
I smiled. “Okay.”
Red gestured toward the side of the tent. “I got some tea here. Might be a bit strong.”
I followed him to a small clearing where a dark blue coffeepot sat over a small fire.
“Don’t want to get the place ablaze.” Red sat down on one log. “Get the firefighters here and they’ll clean us all out.” He looked toward where Malcolm was. “He done got us out of here once by setting fire to his damned tent. Don’t like losing everything and having to start from scratch.”
I sat down on a tree stump. He busied himself with two metal cups, obviously survivors from an ancient camping set.
The tea was dark and strong, searing my lips both with heat and taste.
Red grinned as I took my second sip. “A bit rough. Been stewing for a bit.”
“Nice,” I rasped.
“So.” He Changed in front of me, so quickly it took my breath away. “Let me see ya.”
The red tawny fur on his face offset the black and white in his beard and short hair, giving him a somewhat comical appearance. He smiled, displaying his sharp incisors.
I almost gave myself whiplash looking around to see if anyone had noticed. Malcolm, thank God, stayed in his own little world.
“Well?” Red leaned in.
“I—I can’t.” I cupped my hands around the metal mug. “I can’t Change.”
He frowned. “Whattamean?” He tapped his claws on the side of his mug, the clanking sound ripping at my ears. “You’re family. You’re Felis.”
“I can’t Change.” I tried not to sound bitter. “Haven’t been able to for years.” I didn’t want to even try and explain how I’d managed a Change here and there, usually when my life or Bran’s was in danger. Better to let that sleeping cat lie.
“Huh.” Red sipped his tea, accepting my disability without comment. “You’re an odd one, Susie. But you’re family.” He Changed back, the fur and claws disappearing within seconds. “Bet you were a looker when you could, eh? Have all the young boys sniffing after ya.”
I felt my cheeks burn at the compliment and smiled, despite the situation. “Thank you.” I took another drink, letting the acidic tea scorch my throat. “What Pride are you with?”
He frowned. “Now that’s a good question.” He dug in one pocket of his jacket and came up with a half-eaten energy bar. “You want some?”
“I’m good.” I watched as he nibbled on the dark brown square.
Red drank more tea, then took another bite.
I waited.
“I came from the east. By the big water.” His forehead furrowed. “I think. Been so long that I forget if it was a dream or not.” He tapped his temple with the half-wrapped bar. “Got a bit addled after a car accident. Started walking and ended up here.” The energy bar swept across the compound. “Home sweet home.”
I wasn’t sure what to make of his claim. If he was truly off the grid he was an anomaly, a rogue from his Pride. It was more likely his Pride knew exactly where he was and allowed him to live his life as he wished as long as he didn’t risk exposing the family. They should have
Red scratched his chin. “Geez woman. I ain’t that ugly.” He grinned, showing perfect teeth. “Come on over here and we’ll talk a bit. Been a while since I had decent company.” His voice rose as he finished the sentence, prompting a shout from another man a few shelters away. The undecipherable reply didn’t have any visible effect on the Felis, who motioned me over to the side of the tent.
“Malcolm there been grumpy for days. Says it’s the full moon. I say it’s the bad meat he pulled out of that Dumpster.” Red chuckled. “But here I am, not introducing myself.” He extended a hand. “Red.”
“Rebecca.” My fingers disappeared in the calloused knuckles. He gave a light squeeze, nothing more than a love tap by Felis standards.
He frowned. “Nah. You look like a Susie.” He released my hand and jabbed a thick index finger at me. “Susie.”
I smiled. “Okay.”
Red gestured toward the side of the tent. “I got some tea here. Might be a bit strong.”
I followed him to a small clearing where a dark blue coffeepot sat over a small fire.
“Don’t want to get the place ablaze.” Red sat down on one log. “Get the firefighters here and they’ll clean us all out.” He looked toward where Malcolm was. “He done got us out of here once by setting fire to his damned tent. Don’t like losing everything and having to start from scratch.”
I sat down on a tree stump. He busied himself with two metal cups, obviously survivors from an ancient camping set.
The tea was dark and strong, searing my lips both with heat and taste.
Red grinned as I took my second sip. “A bit rough. Been stewing for a bit.”
“Nice,” I rasped.
“So.” He Changed in front of me, so quickly it took my breath away. “Let me see ya.”
The red tawny fur on his face offset the black and white in his beard and short hair, giving him a somewhat comical appearance. He smiled, displaying his sharp incisors.
I almost gave myself whiplash looking around to see if anyone had noticed. Malcolm, thank God, stayed in his own little world.
“Well?” Red leaned in.
“I—I can’t.” I cupped my hands around the metal mug. “I can’t Change.”
He frowned. “Whattamean?” He tapped his claws on the side of his mug, the clanking sound ripping at my ears. “You’re family. You’re Felis.”
“I can’t Change.” I tried not to sound bitter. “Haven’t been able to for years.” I didn’t want to even try and explain how I’d managed a Change here and there, usually when my life or Bran’s was in danger. Better to let that sleeping cat lie.
“Huh.” Red sipped his tea, accepting my disability without comment. “You’re an odd one, Susie. But you’re family.” He Changed back, the fur and claws disappearing within seconds. “Bet you were a looker when you could, eh? Have all the young boys sniffing after ya.”
I felt my cheeks burn at the compliment and smiled, despite the situation. “Thank you.” I took another drink, letting the acidic tea scorch my throat. “What Pride are you with?”
He frowned. “Now that’s a good question.” He dug in one pocket of his jacket and came up with a half-eaten energy bar. “You want some?”
“I’m good.” I watched as he nibbled on the dark brown square.
Red drank more tea, then took another bite.
I waited.
“I came from the east. By the big water.” His forehead furrowed. “I think. Been so long that I forget if it was a dream or not.” He tapped his temple with the half-wrapped bar. “Got a bit addled after a car accident. Started walking and ended up here.” The energy bar swept across the compound. “Home sweet home.”
I wasn’t sure what to make of his claim. If he was truly off the grid he was an anomaly, a rogue from his Pride. It was more likely his Pride knew exactly where he was and allowed him to live his life as he wished as long as he didn’t risk exposing the family. They should have
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