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"Must be nice, having that kind of certainty in life," Katriel said, her tone wistful. She took a sip of whiskey and focused on the burn to keep from thinking too much. "Thanks again for, you know, everything. It's been a while since I haven't had to fight circumstances for something nice."

"Electricity is easy to do with out--it's indoor plumbing that you really miss," she told him, sagely. "The septic tank can only hold so much. But I'm no good in a city. I tried it once and I got so stressed out and nervous--all those people and that smell--I had a fit of hysterics and collapsed. Talk about embarrassing! My nephews had to carry me through 3 blocks of rush-hour traffic--one 12 year old holding my arms and one 11 year old holding my legs--to get me to a park where I could breath again. They never let me live it down."

"I'm just about as far out as I can go," Katriel admitted as she finished her whiskey. "Maybe 15 miles to the city? Sorry--I'm usually a night owl, so the late hour doesn't bother me." She looked at him and found his nerves amusing. "What, are you worried the big bad wolf will get you if you stay out past bed time? I can drive you back, you know--I haven't had that much to drink--or you can spend the night here."

"Well, to be perfectly honest, I can't risk a DUI. If you want to check out my camper to see if you can stand spending the night here, you're welcome in," she said as she opened the door to her camper. "The pups and I are a better security system than anything money can buy."

The inside was the model of cozy disarray. An atlas and a few romance novels took up a small shelf. Old thread-bare quilts were heaped on the bed and thrown over the small sofa that doubled as a dining area. Native art and a few knickknacks dotted the nooks and crannies. Two large bows were mounted on one wall, as well as a traditional quiver stocked with modern arrows.

"I feel kind of bad for dragging you out here so you can have the bed," she said. "Don't read anything into it--I'll be on the couch and the pups Wii be on the floor. We'll all be sleeping separately."

"Hey, you're pretty awesome, too," she countered. "I'm going to take the pups out for a short run since they've been cooped up all day. Judging by the buzz I'm rocking, you should have no trouble getting to sleep. We'll be back soon."

She slipped out of the caravan. Anoki and Liluye sensed the change in her. Their meal was done and they instantly fell into step beside her. They walked out of the camp site and into the forest.

As soon as they were far enough from prying eyes, Katriel undressed and hid her clothes in a bush. She took a few deep breaths and changed. She'd heard that for the bitten, it was painful to change to wolf form. But she had been born this way, and changing for her was like stretching and popping every joint in her body. Red-gold fur rippled over her whole body, and her face stretched into a snout. When it was all over, she was a sleek red wolf.

Anoki pounced on her playfully, and she flipped him over, pinning him to the ground. Liluye just rubbed up against Katriel's body in greeting. The three of them took off into the forest for a good run. They chased rabbits and mice and each other for nearly half an hour. Then they went back to the the human-infested areas. Katriel changed back and quickly dressed and led them to the camper.

They slipped inside as silently as possible. Liluye took her favorite spot under the refrigerator and Anoki put himself exactly where Katriel's feet would land when she rolled off the couch in the morning. Since Anoki and Liluye were littermates, they wouldn't become a breeding pair, and it was obvious that without other options, Anoki had developed a crush on Katriel. Katriel tolerated it, but in another year or two, she'd have to kick him out to make his own pack.

She snuggled under a quilt and quickly fell asleep. She woke up the next morning, refreshed. The first thing she smelled was Vince, in her bed. She looked at his sleeping form and smiled. He looked so vulnerable. So much like prey.

She went to her meager kitchen supplies and looked for something to make for breakfast. Most of her non-meat supplies were bought at camping stores in their dehydrated or canned form, or things she'd gathered from her outings with her pups. She had a small box of dried eggs, some flour, and a can of evaporated milk--which added up to crepes. She also started the kettle for tea. She mixed the ingredients with some water and started up her propane stove. The first crepe she tore in half and gave to Anoki and Liluye. As soon as the second crepe was done, she slid it onto a plate and drizzled wild honey on it.

"Breakfast!" she called softly.

"I have an efficient metabolism--plus, I worked off most of the buzz last night on the run," she told him as she passed the plate and a fork up to the bed. Then she laughed, "You know, if anyone else looked in on us, they'd assume the worst. I mean breakfast after spending the night in my bed and all."

"Good thing my family can't see me now," she chuckled as she took another crepe for herself. "They'd blow a gasket! They were so into propriety and smart matches and commitment and all. Oh, want some tea? I don't do coffee, but I found this amazing Oolong blend at the last town I was in."

She poured two cups of hot water and added the loose tea leaves.

"Also, if you want a quick shower, my water tank is full--I'll just turn on the water heater now. Just don't use it all up," she cautioned. "Feel free to use the soap and shampoo. Mi casa es su casa, and all that."