---

 

Oh lord, where in the world do I start?

You have heard about people, read stories, where someone tells you that their life got turned upside down right?

Well let me put it this way. My life didn't only turn upside down, the fates grabbed my feet, held me off the ground and shook me till everything in my pockets fell out, then they kept shaking. I think some stuff from my head fell out then. With a few other things I held as precious. Damned fates.

This is NOT fun.

Or funny, so don't you dare laugh!

Sheesh. Why me?

Okay, I'll start just before I turned sixteen. Don't interrupt me, or try to tell me I'm insane either, I checked on all that stuff already and got a big no from people in the know.

“Hey Craig!” My twin, Chris yelled at me, killing a really nice dream I was having regarding Dana Stiles. She is without doubt one of the hottest girls in school, and for some strange reason she is only interested in that dweeb Trevor Locke. Okay his family has money, lots of it, but hey, the Harpers — my family are not what anyone would call even close to financially challenged either.

“What do you want, Chris?” I mumbled through the sheets and blankets that I invariably had bunched up around me and over my head. “I'm trying to sleep here. You know, no school today, stuff like that?”

“Come on brainiac!” My twin pulled the sheltering sheets and blankets away so I had no choice but to look at him. “It's our birthday! Uncle says it's going to be a really special one for us, too!”

“Girls get the sweet sixteen crap, not boys.” I grumbled while fumbling around for my underwear then something to put over it so I could at least be presentable when I managed to stagger downstairs for breakfast.

Uncle Patrick was in the kitchen when we got there. Now that was unusual. Not that he neglected us at all. Since our parent's deaths when we were were about four years old, Uncle Patrick had become a father for us, taking us in, making sure we had everything we needed, but never much more than that.

His philosophy was that simple. “You have what you need, what you want, you have to earn.”

So we had never lacked for anything we really needed, like clothes, stuff for school, food, drink, whatever.

But if we wanted something extra, we had to work for it.

Imagine how much that sucks, living in the house with one of the richest men in Ravencrest, and having to earn all those neat little extras that most rich kids get as a matter of course. It was kind of aggravating, but then again, Chris and I grew up learning to depend on ourselves for things we wanted without the waiting for someone to just give them to us.

And you know? I didn't resent that at all. Uncle Patrick and Aunt Cecily made sure that the siblings they had inherited at my parent's deaths never lacked for what we needed to survive and prosper.

Plus they taught us that working for something you want made getting it all the more sweet.

“Hey future valedictorian!” My older sister Carly greeted me cheerfully as she bounced into the room. Carly was the epitome of the bubbly cheerleader type, and could be really annoying at times. Especially since she hadn't been a cheerleader in school. Oh no, she'd been a straight A student and was taking courses in business management at Ravencrest College that were completely at odds with how she presented to the world with her personality. And she was doing really well in those classes too.

Morning, Carly.” I grumbled. I never was one who woke up all bouncy and ready for the day. I had to ease into things once I woke up. Something Carly and my brother Chris steadfastly refused to comprehend. I really hate morning people.

“I'm not a senior yet.” I kind of growled/grumbled at that. “I have a few years to go before even thinking about that kind of thing.”

“Oh, come on, little bro.” Carly planted a wet kiss on my forehead then smirked as I pulled back and wiped it off. “You have that aced! Your grades are the envy of every nerd in the county and you aren't even a nerd!”

Much as I hated to admit it, she was right. I was holding a pure 4.0 grade average, but participated in some sports. Mainly gymnastics and the martial arts training in the dojo my dad had started. So yeah, I was smart, but I wasn't a wimp. Some jocks who thought it would be fun to pick on me learned the hard way that wasn't such a good idea.

Tai-Kwando, Martial Tai Chi, kick boxing and Ju-jutsu pretty well guaranteed that anyone stupid enough to try picking a fight with me would end up regretting it.

It wasn't a big deal, I didn't show off, I'd just been learning the disciplines since I was four years old. Leave me alone it's cool. Mess with me, and I'd back away and try to avoid the fight you wanted. Push too far and you'd get hurt.

Simple.

The school bullies had learned that by the time we were in third grade.

Another one would come along off and on, and I'd teach him too. Without hurting him too much.

So overall, life was good. I wasn't bad looking, was almost six feet tall, and if not heavily muscled, really well toned. So the girls didn't mind at all when I asked them out. Like I said, life was good.

At least it was before the night of my sixteenth birthday.

Things kind of went to Hell in a hand basket on wheels that night.

“I hate camping.” I complained to Chris as we got clothes together for a trip into the woods that I was not looking forward to.

“It won't be camping, bro.” Chris assured me with a wink. “We have a cabin up in the mountains. I bet it even has satellite TV and internet.”

“It's still isolated and in the deep woods.” I grumbled. I wanted a real party for when we turned sixteen, not some stupid camping trip.”

“Just go with it Bro.” Chris put both hands on my shoulders and stared into my eyes. “This means a lot to Uncle Pat.”

“I know.” I let out a sigh and nodded. “He's given us so much already, and I agree it would be really ungrateful to not do what he wants us to do this weekend. But why does it have to be out in the forest? We could do it all here in town without all the traveling.”

“Because the whole family is pumped up about this, Craig.” Chris told me. “It's a big deal to them, even the girls, so we need to do it, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” I nodded and gave him a little grin. “It's our 'rite of passage or something', I've been hearing that for weeks. So, yeah, I'm going to go do it and not complain, though it is kind of weird for our family to decide we're adult at six-teen don't you think?”

“Back when our family settled here you know that girls married at thirteen and their husbands were fifteen or sixteen.” Chris shrugged. “You are the brain in the family so you should know that already. It's tradition.”

“Which is why I'm going.” I nodded with a sigh. “I know it's a family tradition, and our family has stuck by us since we were babies. I won't diminish that by not going, you know that.”

“You and the big words.” Chris chuckled but gave me a friendly, brotherly punch to the shoulder. “But yeah, that's the idea.”

“We go spend the weekend in the woods, we come back, then get on with things.” I punched him back with a grin.

“Right bro.” Chris winked at me and for some reason I couldn't fathom, I wanted to hug my twin just then.

“This is going to be so cool!” Carly told us in the SUV we were all riding in to reach that mysterious cabin that no one under sixteen ever saw.

“Why?” I asked. “It's just a party.”

“Oh, it's more than that, little brother.” My sister, who was really sexy and someone I would really think about moving on if she wasn't my sister smiled. “This night is going to show you a whole new world, and it's wonderful!”

“Why will it be so wonderful?” Chris asked.

“After tonight you'll know.” Carly promised with a gleam in her eyes that told me she wasn't telling us nearly enough. I hate it when girls know things and don't tell you.

“No clues?” I asked.

“Nope.” She smirked. “You'll know by morning.

“You know,” I shot back, “you could do a really good blonde bimbo.”

She just laughed and patted my shoulder.

“Why are you so sure this a good thing” I asked her.

''Because,” she said simply and without gushing, “what you find tonight is glorious and you'll love it.”

Okaaay... I'll wait and see.

We stopped in a clearing in the forested mountains and everyone started getting out of the cars. I did that too, then asked. “Where's the cabin?”

“About two miles that way.” A cousin I didn't really know answered while pointing up the mountain. “You can't get there with a car.”

Oh, this was just getting better and better. Not only did I have to hike up a mountain for my birthday party, I had to carry a pack while I did it.

This was not my idea of a birthday party. Nope, not at all.

Chris, predictably, didn't seem at all bothered, and my girly girl sister shouldered a pack without complaint. So what could I do? I took my pack, which held things I hadn't a clue about, and followed the rest of my family up a faint trail in the woods.

This was SO NOT my idea of a fun birthday party.

Okay, the trail wasn't all that bad, and with my training, the slope wasn't a problem either. It was kind of like walking on a sidewalk in town the dirt had been beaten down so much.

When we arrived I wasn't surprised to see a scattering of cabins, built with logs of course, and even some tents. Looking around I couldn't see a thing that appeared modern at all. “So what is this, a joke? I don't see the really cool place everyone has been gushing about all day, just a regular looking campsite.”

“Oh, that's just window dressing, little brother, things some of the family stay in when they want to rough it.” Carly giggled and pointed to a dark spot in the side of the mountain. “Our real den is in there.”

“Den?” I asked, giving the dark area a really dubious look. “You mean we come up here and hang out in a cave?”

“Technically, I suppose you could say that.” Carly grinned and started pulling me towards the spot. “But just wait till you see the inside!”

Other people, all family members though I didn't know all of them, emerged from the primitive appearing cabins and tents to give us cheerful waves as my obviously demented sister kept pulling me towards that whole in the mountain side.

“Wait!” I tried pulling back, but Carly is stronger than she looks, lots stronger, and just kept tugging me to where she wanted me to go. “What if I'm claustrophobic?”

“You aren't.” She said with so much assurance it made me nervous.

“How do you know that?” I've never really been in a close, confined space for longer than it takes to ride an elevator or grab something out of the closet.”

“Remember when you hid in the closet most of the day on your tenth birthday dodging Mary Jane and Clarissa?” She smirked.

“I try not to. Really.” I grumbled. Mary Jane and Clarissa Harper were cousins from hell, three years older than me and that day they had decided they wanted to play dress up, with me as their doll. Of course being all boy, I'd done the only thing reasonable. Hid until their teenaged, evil little, minds found something else to focus on. Carly had thought it was hilarious, of course.

“So don't worry, you aren't claustrophobic.” My sister smugly informed me then added. Besides, the inside is really roomy and comfortable, just like our house only bigger.”

“I'll believe that when I see...” I trailed off once she had opened a well hidden door within the little cave, and I caught sight of the immense receiving hall.

“Holy Shit!” I breathed, staring around at polished wood paneled walls, carpet beyond the entry alcove, at least four fire places, and well spaced furniture groupings scattered around the chamber. I couldn't tell where the light was coming from other than the fire places, which were cheerfully crackling, popping, and all the things that fireplaces do while in use. But the whole huge room was lit as brightly as a clear summer day.

“I've seen less fancy five star hotel lobbies.” I finally managed to get out once I'd swallowed my shock.

“Yeah, great isn't it?” Carly bubbled with enthusiasm. “Welcome to Harper Den! And this is just the big meet and greet room. Come on, I'll show you the rest of the place.”

“Uh, where's Chris?” I asked.

“Oh, Mary Jane is showing him around.”

“Better him than me.” I quietly answered.

“Oh, come on Craig, she isn't that bad, and has apologized several times for your tenth birthday. You know she and Clarissa had snuck into the wine before anyone noticed so they weren't really all that together at the time.”

“It's not just that.” I let out a breath that was almost frustrated. “I mean she kind of creeps me out right now and has since she turned sixteen. You know all of a sudden she went from a teasing, annoying girl cousin to that slinky, sexy creature.”

“Who has been sniffing around my little brother, you, since then?” Carly questioned quietly.

“Well, yeah.” I shook my head. “I mean sure she's hot, but my own cousin trying to put the moves on me? Gross.”

“It was just the headiness of her maturity hitting her, little bro.” I was assured. “Has she really tried anything overt since that first time?”

“Uh, no.” I shuddered when I remembered the second time I'd had to hide from that cousin. “But she still looks...”

“Girls do that to good looking guys, even cousins.” Carly chuckle then pointed out. “I've caught you looking at her, and some of the others at times, too.”

“Guess I never thought of things that way.” I admitted.

“No you haven't. But enough of that for now.” She got enthusiastic again and started dragging me through the 'meet and greet' room. “Come on you're going to love this place!”

Personally, I was just as happy to drop the Mary Jane discussion and let her pull me along.

If I thought the entry way was something... And it was hall hidden under a mountain. Wow.

Game rooms. Plural. Full of huge plasma TVs and with every game system a geek could think of let alone desire. Pool tables, lounging areas, even a full sized swimming pool in one place. I was speechless.

“Single females stay in that section, single males down that hall, married couples down that one.” Carly pointed out once I'd gotten myself together enough to pay some attention to what she was telling me. “Meeting and trophy rooms down there, and this,” she proudly informed me, “Is the Grand Hall where all the initiations start.”

And I'd thought that the entry was impressive. The Grand Hall looked like something out of a high tech, or techno fairy tale. Hunting trophies lined the walls along with other objects that were obviously trophies too, but not animal. Like the the stone tipped spear in one place of honor. There was no furniture in the room, which probably made it seem bigger than it was. The polished stone of the walls, the HUGE fireplace dominating one wall, and all the 'nests' in the place that looked as if they were a mix of twigs grass, and other things just made the chamber look huge.

What a weird, impressive room.

My room was something else, too. Wide screen tv, stereo that could shake most houses, and it was actually a small suite. With a living area, a bedroom, a separate kitchenette, and a bathroom.

Though I didn't have much time to enjoy it, since I was told to shower, get dressed at least presentably, and be ready because the ceremony for Chris and my sixteenth birthday was going to start pretty soon.

So I did what I was told, curious about that 'ceremony', especially after seeing the Grand Hall, and had just finished getting into a decent pair of jeans and a polo shirt when there was a knock at the door. “Craig, you ready?”

It was uncle Patrick this time. I opened the door and gave him a little grin. “Ready as I'm ever going to be, I guess.”

“The place can be kind of overwhelming at first, I know.” He gave me a smile and turned to knock on another door just down the hall. “Let's collect your brother.”

And we did. Then all three of us made our way to the Grand Hall.

The first thing I noticed when we arrived was that the lights were not on. The fireplace was blazing and there were torches, actual torches, burning in wall sconces that I'd missed seeing on my first look.

And the 'nests' were full. Family members, singly, in couples, or family groups were comfortably lounging in stuff you find at the bottom of a ravine for crying out loud. And all of them were waiting for something. Evidently that something was me and my brother.

Because when we arrived, conversations stopped, and everyone stood up. Uncle Patrick led us to stand in front of the fireplace and the turned to look at the gathering.

Urging us to face the crowd, feeling the heat of the fire at our backs, we did as he went on. “As the Patriarch of the family, I am proud to present to you all the two newest initiates into our true life. Please welcome Craig and Chris.”

Carly and of all people, Mary Jane moved to stand beside us, each holding an earthenware cup that really looked out of place given the general opulence of the place.

Carly smiled and gently pressed the one she held into my hands while Mary Jane did the same with Chris.

“Boys.” Uncle Patrick told us. “Drink and become men.”

What could we do? Of course we were going to drink the stuff, no matter how nasty it might be. We would be considered MEN after this instead of just teenagers.

Hell yeah, we drank the stuff.

There was alcohol in it, probably a lot, but that was hidden by the pungent taste of herbs, dirt — yes dirt — and of all things, the coppery taste of blood.

I grimaced, downed the awful stuff then waited for the punchline because I just knew this had to be a simple prank that proceeded our initiation into the real secrets of the family.

Then the cramps hit me.

Not a stomach ache, or the pain of a pulled muscle.

Every part of my body hurt, and badly enough to make me want to die so it would stop.

It felt like my bones were twisting, changing their shape and my flesh wasn't far behind. It was an agony I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

And it seemed to last forever.

I screamed, I know I did.

Nothing I had ever read, heard of or been told, could describe the pain, the sheer agony, that I went through at that time.

I prayed to some merciful god to just let me die and end it.

But not one of those was paying attention to my prayers.

I felt stretched, compressed, twisted like a pretzel, and slapped by a hand big enough to make Godzilla take note.

But I didn't die, and the pain went away.

Which wasn't the greatest thing either.

My eyes were seeing things I'd never imagined possible, with things showing varying shades of red, and my hearing was just as bad. I imagined I could hear someone taking a breath clear across the room.

Worse, nothing was right with my body.

I tried to stand up from my prone position and that didn't work out so well. I got halfway there and fell back until my arms caught me and kept me from smashing my face on the floor.

While I was trying to shake myself out of that aberration, a thin, graceful dog walked up to me and put her nose into my face.

Welcome... umm, sister. She said and I showed my confusion by falling down again.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Carly, your big sister.” She told me while it was clear she was trying to be soothing. “You've come of age now, and you have a lot to learn.”

“Why do you look like some skinny dog?” I asked.

“Dog.” She snorted in derision. “I'm no dog and neither are you.”

“Then what?!!” I was close to panic there.

“We're coyotes.” Carly calmly told me.

“What?!!”

“Pull your hackles back little sister.” Carly soothed. “It happens to all of us.

Little sister? What?

“I'm your brother!”

“Not anymore.” Carly answered and sounded worried as she did.

“What?”

“It's complicated dear.” Carly answered and I could tell she was not all that sure of things either. “Come, run with me and we'll talk.”

We did. We ran through the forest as if it was no obstacle and stopped on top of a hill (mountain) that let us see everything for miles around.

“What did we just do?” I asked my sister.

“We ran, dear.” Carly said quite calmly. “We ran and nature ran with us.”

“Meaning?” I questioned as it slowly became clear to me that I had been running on four legs for the past while. “What the Hell has happened to me?”

“You've really become part of the family.” Carly answered.

“What does that mean?”

The Harpers aren't your normal family, dear.” She answered. “We are what the mundane world calls weres.”

“What, like werewolves?”

“No, the Lockes are those, our family are coyotes.”

“What?”

“The Harper family, all of us, we're coyotes.” She told me.

“Yeah, sure.” I shot back.

“Take a long careful inventory of yourself right now.” Carly gave me a doggy grin.

Oh shit.

I was standing on all fours, and it didn't feel uncomfortable at all. My enhanced senses started to make sense then but I still wasn't quite willing to admit it.

“You're a coyote.” My sister pressed, then gave me an odd look. “And a really pretty one.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Umm, how to phrase this,” Carly did look embarrassed “You're a girl now?”

Okay, that was it. I gave up and fainted.

I came too, with the feeling of a cold nose nudging me and feeling, yes feeling, a sense of concern from someone else.

I couldn't take it all in, not the ceremony, not the pain, not the running around in the woods on four legs with hyper sensitive senses.

So I ran.

And promptly fell into a pond because I wasn't paying attention.

Eww. Wet muddy fur might smell bad to you, but try to imagine it with a sense of smell that could pick out a sniff of violet in a pile of — well — manure.

I shook myself like a dog, once I'd managed to get out of the water, and wrinkled my nose.

“I know a place with clean water where you can get rid of that nasty stuff.” Carly's — Umm — Coyote, mind voice, informed me with more than a little amusement.

“Okay.” I answered not really understanding how we could talk while in these strange forms but I'd dealt with enough weirdness today, so just went along with the suggestion. “Show me. Though I'm still going to smell wet fur.”

“Trust me, with some of the stuff in that mud, getting rid of it and smelling wet fur will be like smelling really nice flowers, my sister told me.

“Just show me, would you?” I punctuated that with a sneeze.

“Follow me little sister.” She winked and by the way, have you ever seen a coyote, or dog wink? It's weird, really weird.

But I did, and she led me to a pool of clear water that was steaming.

“Warm water, up here in the mountains?” I questioned.

“Hot springs.” She grinned at me and another thing, a coyote grinning is kind of scary. You get the feeling that you never quite know what they're grinning about even if you're a coyote, too.

“Okay,” I ignored that little worry and jumped in.

The hot water was heavenly. I just wanted to stay there once I thrashed around enough to get all the nasty mud off. But of course, I couldn't do that.

“Time to get out little sister.” Carly called.

“Will you please stop calling me that? I'm you little brother.”

“Not any more, I'm afraid.” Carly actually sounded sorry when she said that and could hear her snort out a sigh as she finished. “We don't know how it happened, but you are one of the girls now. The elders are all in a tizzy trying to figure out what happened to you earlier.”

I didn't want to hear that, and wouldn't get out of the nice warm, bubbly water. “I'm a guy.”

“Sorry, hon.” Carly reached in and gripped me by the scruff of the neck to pull me out of the water. And it didn't hurt at all, it was just annoying. “But for some reason you aren't now. Everyone is really shocked and no one knows quite what to make of it right now.”

“What about Chris?” I asked in belated concern. “Did this happen to him, too?”

“No, just you.”

“Oh, great.” I grumbled while shaking the water out of my fur. “So now he'll be calling me little sister, too. Just wonderful.”

“If he does, I'll slap him for you until you feel good enough to do it.” Carly told me.

“Oh thanks.” I know she didn't miss the sarcasm in that one, and I had a glimmer of hope. “What if I'm still a guy when I turn back?”

“Not too likely, I'm afraid.” Carly gave out a canine sigh and shook her head. Have you ever seen a coyote do something that human? It's weird, but then again, this whole night was that way so why should that be any different.

Then the moon came up.

Wow.

I was drawn to it, like it was a magnet and I was just some iron filing being pulled in.

Carly noted my rather intense notice of that and chuckled. “Gets us all that way at first. Don't worry, the really intense attraction fades in awhile.”

“So what can I do about this?” I was almost in a panic, I'd never in my life felt so drawn to something.”

“We sing to her.” Carly answered simply.

“We what?”

To answer and show me, she lifted her head and let out a series of yips, howls, and other noises I had no way of identifying at the time then gave me a look. “Try it.”

So I did.

And it was like heaven had come down and kissed me.

How else can you describe doing something and actually feeling a response from something you always thought of as inanimate? I echoed Carly's yips, howls and other noises, and the moon, the Lady, answered.

Now just how weird is that?

Wow.

I felt loved, and even — much as I hate to admit it — gently petted while we were doing it.

Now let me tell you, that one shook me as much as it made me feel good. I know I've been using that W word a lot right now so give me a break, okay? But is that weird or what?

We finally, not without arguments from me, returned to the Den.

I really didn't want all my relatives to see me like this, I mean as a female, and a pretty one according to Carly. Nope, not on my list of fun things to do that night.

But I was tired, and hungry. We hadn't hunted like we were supposed to while I was out, but between panic, getting wet, muddy and stinky, and then the moon thing, I think I can be forgiven for that.

I noticed some of the guys watching us as we returned and they were not watching as if we were just someone walking in. And they were all younger guys.

“Why are they staring like that?” I asked Carly while I felt something I'd never known before, my hackles raising.

“We're two available females, and both of us are beauties.” My sister didn't help the hackles thing at all with that comment.

“Couldn't you have just lied to me and said they were curious or just watching us come back?” I whined.

“Wouldn't make any difference, little sister, you're one sexy little coyote, you know. You aren't going to be able to ignore it, and I think you're prettier than I am.”

Oh I sooo didn't need that just then and hung my head and knew my unfamiliar tail was definitely between my legs just then. “Can we just get inside, please?”

“Sure, hon.” She answered gently and led me into the cave, which didn't seem near as scary or threatening this time around, and changed back into human form. She looked at me and grinned. “Your turn.”

“Umm, how do I do it?” I asked mentally.

“Just think of being human again.”

“Won't it hurt?” Besides, I wasn't all that anxious to discover that my newly imposed girlness carried over from coyote form to human.

“Nope.” She assured me. “It might tingle this time, the first transformation is the one that hurts, after that it's easy.”

I called up a mental image of myself as I had been before my transformation. Please, please, please. I begged in my thoughts as I felt a tingle run through my body. I closed my eyes, partially because I was afraid to look, and when Carly had changed back she was naked. I mean come on. Seeing your own sister naked, even if she is hot, is not something a brother really wants to do. Not in any normal family, anyway.

“It's okay to look.” Carly told me with amusement in her voice along with the concern.

So okay, it was 'okay to look' but to be honest she wasn't what I was afraid of seeing. I was standing on two feet again, but my balance was all wonky and nothing felt quite right. I had the sinking feeling that though I'd returned to human, it wasn't to the human I'd been that morning.

Open your eyes, Craig.” Carly demanded.

“Do I have to?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, all right. But I don't really want to.”

“Just do it.”

I did slowly, like one eye at a time and looking at my feet. Which was a mistake. I couldn't see them at that moment. Nope, this definitely was NOT the body I'd gotten up in that morning.

“Knew I didn't want to do it.” I mumbled as my vision started to swim.

Whap!!!

My head snapped back at the slap to my cheek, my eyes watered, but they stayed open. Mostly. “Why'd you do that?”

Carly, wearing a robe grimaced then gave me an apologetic smile. “Because I don't want you fainting on me here. You need to eat, clean up some, then you can pass out, okay?”

“But, but, I'm a guh — guh...”

“Girl, I know.” My sister answered as if she was soothing a cranky baby. “We'll worry about that later, okay? Now put this on, lets get you inside, fed, and cleaned up.”

I numbly accepted the robe she handed me, and slipped it around my shoulders, only to get something caught in it that tugged my head almost painfully.

“Your hair.” She helpfully untangled that from the robe and I realized the tickling along my shoulders and small of my back wasn't a leftover from changing back. Long, really long hair. Great.

Between the two of us the robe ended up covering my new embarrassing bits.
As opposed to the old embarrassing bits, you understand. It took both of us mostly because I was still not all that anxious to look down.

“Can you walk?” Carly asked.

“Dunno.” I shook my head and my new wealth of hair swinging with that motion almost unbalanced me by itself. “I'll try. Balance is all gone.”

“It will come back, hon.” Carly assured me while encircling my waist with one arm that I still thought was way to strong for a girly girl like her. “Come on, let's get you inside and around some nice hot food for starters.”

“Kay.” I answered.

An hour later, along with a whole roast, a couple of medium sized chickens, and a mountain of fries, I sat back with a contented sigh. I was feeling much better, even with the emotional quandry I was going through at the moment.

And all that stuff had been very rare. Even the chicken. Okay not the fries, but you know what I mean there. Rare chicken. Yuck. But it tasted wonderful to me.

“Better now, honey?” Aunt Cecily questioned with concern in her voice and expression.

I answered with a little belch, quickly covered my mouth, then nodded. “Umm, yeah. I had no idea I was that hungry.”

“The first change takes a lot out of you.” My aunt answered. “Most of us take care of that on our first hunt, but you didn't get that far tonight.”

“I know.” I'd been too busy panicking, running around, falling into nasty muddy ponds, and singing to the moon. “I'll do better next time.”

“Of course you will dear.” Aunt Cecily nodded with a smile.

“Now what?” I asked, fearful that the answer would be that I needed immediate immersion into girlification.

“We all talk for a bit while you digest your dinner.” Carly answered with a grin. “Wow, I thought you ate a lot before...”

“Carly!” Mary Jane, my cousin from hell chided. “She just changed, and didn't eat while she was out.”

“Kidding.” My sister answered quietly and leaned over to hug me. “Craig needs a few familiar things right now and my teasing about how much food he could put away would be one of those.”

Oh yeah. Back to earlier. Once Carly had guided me inside we were met by Aunt Cecily, Mary Jane and Clarissa, who all took turns helping me down the hall to the single women's area of the den. Then I endured a group hug. Okay that wasn't so bad, really it felt kind of good even if bits I hadn't had earlier got kind of squished while we did it.

We were in some kind of common room, but we were the only ones there. At first I thought that was odd, then had a flash of naked girls running screaming because a boy, even if it was a cousin, was in their private place. After that bit of intelligence I realized that while I was still a cousin, I most definitely wasn't a boy any longer. Then I got depressed. Which, you have to admit, is better than hysterical.

Then they fed me.

But never once, was I left alone. That was kind of sweet, actually. Umm — what did I just say? Never mind, it was nice to have someone close just then. I am not, so not, going to go all girly. Huh uh!

Now, evidently, it was time for The Talk. Oh joy. I was really looking forward to that. Not.

“Now Cynthia.” Aunt Cecily started and Carly had to nudge me so I'd pay attention to our aunt.

“Hold it.” I looked carefully at Aunt Cecily and very carefully asked. “What did you just call me?”

“Cynthia.” She said with a shrug. “Calling you Craig just won't work any more. Surely you can see that.”

“Point.” I admitted but wasn't quite ready to give in. After all losing the name I'd had all my life was pretty upsetting, especially when it got replaced with such a — pretty, girly one. “But does it have to be Cynthia? That sounds like I'm a prom queen and future homemaker of America.”

“That wasn't my decision.” Aunt Cecily shrugged and gave me an apologetic look. “The council had to start getting you some records and ID so decided on Cynthia.”

“Couldn't you call me something else?” I pleaded.

“Sure Cindy, no problem.” Mary Jane answered with a grin.

I would have banged my head on the table I'd eaten off of, but someone had taken it away. I suppose it was easier to hose it down after my eating orgy, but it would have been nice to have around for that just then. Food scraps and all.

“Cindy?” I looked at all of them then let out a sigh, which got parts of my new anatomy moving in ways I didn't really want to notice just then. I even gave them all a pleading look. Nope, they weren't buying it and even giggled when I tried the big eyed, pitiful bit. Okay, I know when I'm beaten. “Well, I guess it's better than Cynthia.”

“Good girl.” Aunt Cecily approved.

Now that I didn't really need to hear. Sigh.

“Can someone change me back?” I asked and even managed to cringe at just how plaintive that sounded. I'd never been one to let problems get the better of me and hated the way my voice sounded just then. Oh, yeah, my voice. Higher, softer, stuff like that. Grrrr.

“The council is working on that, dear.” Aunt Cecily assured me. “But it will take some time since first they have to figure out how this happened. The Women have formally petitioned Lady Moon about it, too.”

“Lady Moon?” I asked then recalled the warm, loved feeling I had when Carly and I were singing to her.

“You met her tonight.” Carly helpfully told me. “The males sing at her but she only answers us females.”

“What did she say?” I asked. The fact that the females in our family could do that left me a bit breathless. With surprise and a bit of pride. Males were stronger, faster, and all that. If I had to be a female, any edge I could get would be a plus.

“That she's looking into it, but not to get your hopes up.” Aunt Cecily answered quietly. “She told the ladies that what was meant to be will be.”

“Is that an answer?” I asked, genuinely perplexed.

“Probably, but we won't know exactly what she meant until the men finish their investigation.” My aunt told me, then patted my shoulder. “In the meantime, you need to adjust to being who you are now. And we're here to help you with that.”

“Thanks. I think.” I said in a very small voice.

“Hey, being a girl is fun!” Mary Jane tried to cheer me up. “We can get away with sooo many things just because we're girls. You'll love it!”

“Yeah.” Clarissa put in. “That big eyed pitiful thing you tried on us? Well a guy will melt if you use it on him.”

“But on you, not so much.” I let out a sigh.

“Nope, because we've all used it ourselves.” Aunt Cecily laughed. “But it was a good try, Cindy.”

I still wanted to look to see who someone was talking to when I heard that name. Probably would be for awhile. I just hoped the men — wow it was really weird (okay, okay, there's that word again. Give me a break here.) to think of them as Them. But I was.

Us was the girls.

I was getting a brain burn. Or at least a confusion malfunction.

Sheesh.

Talk about your bad days.

“Get into the tub, Cindy.” Carly told me.

I looked at the nice deep bathtub, full of nice steamy water and a lot of nice smelling oils and shook my head. “That smells way to girly for me.”

“In case you hadn't noticed.” She drily countered, and pointed at my body. “Just put a hand up to your chest.”

“But.”

“No buts, little sister.” My big sister and currently cruel taskmaster responded. “That tub is full of nice soothing oils, scents and wonderful hot water. Get in. You need a bath and soak really bad.”

Okay, I'm never one to argue with Carly when she's in 'Mother' mode. I got into the tub.

Much as I hated to admit it, she was right. It did feel good. And the aromas actually did kind of soothe me.

“Don't wash your hair.” Carly interrupted my near bliss and ruined it for a few moments. “We'll do that once you've finished soaking.”

Since she'd piled what felt like a ton of hair on top of my head and kept it there through some female magic — some hairpins and a scrunchie, actually, keeping it out of the water wasn't that hard. So long as I didn't sink too far into the tub. Though the temptation to just let my head go under was pretty strong just then. Not that I was suicidal, it's just that every muscle in my body decided to act like a wet noodle once I'd been in that tub for a few seconds.

I decided that this kind of feeling wasn't such a bad thing as I leaned my neck back into the curved piece of foam my sister called a bath pillow. The steamy water even did me the favor of hiding the body parts I'd really been avoiding taking a real look at up till then.

Carly even gently used a kind of rough sponge to clean me while I just kind of went into a trance. Okay, so that felt good, too.

Washing, conditioning and drying my hair. Took forever, won't describe it, though the brushing part at the end was kind of nice.

“Okay, little sister.” Carly told me once the steam and fog on the mirrors had cleared. “You've been avoiding this ever since we got back. Time to face the new you.”

Before I could do anything to stop her, she'd yanked the towel that was wrapped around my chest away and left me standing naked in front of a full length mirror.

“Open those pretty green eyes and look, Cindy.” She gently ordered while setting her hands on my shoulders. Whether that was for support, to keep me from bolting, or both I don't know but the moment of truth was at hand. Even if I didn't want it to be.

Like I said before, I'd never really been one to hide, or run from things before. So bracing myself for the worst, I opened my eyes to see how bad it was.

Worse than I thought.

The old me, the tall, buff, mostly good looking guy was gone. Well not completely, there was still a resemblance there in some of the features.

“Oh, my...” I never managed to finish that line.

Because what I saw standing in front of my sister in that mirror kind of whammed the breath right out of me.

I was looking at a very pretty girl. Not quite the stone cold fox Dana Stiles was, but not someone who would lose out in that department to many other girls. Oh, crap.

I was about Carly's height, meaning around five foot six, slender without being skinny, with all the right curves and bumps for making a girl attractive, my breasts stood out proudly from my narrower chest without a hint of sag, a small, trim waist with a flat tummy flared out into some really nicely proportioned hips, long smooth legs... About as perfect a package of girl as any guy could hope to see. And it was obvious that the girl was well toned. There was lean, hard muscle under that softness.

Well at least I hadn't gone soft and flabby.

Thick, dark brown hair shone with highlights as it tumbled in way too exuberant waves around my shoulders, around my — breasts — and down to the small of my back.

Body — pretty hot. Check.

Hair — Long, and actually beautiful. Check

Face — I hadn't really looked at that too closely yet.

Oval shape, small firm chin, smooth jawline, nice cheekbones, small slight upturned nose, nice full mouth that just avoided being pouty, all dominated by intelligent, and frightened green eyes that were larger than I was used to, kind of oval shaped, and framed with lashes that a makeup model would have envied.

Nuts. I looked a lot like a cross between my cousin Mary Jane and sister. And the guys were all over both of them most of the time.

I was sooo doomed.

Things started to look like they were underwater about then. All wavering and diffused.

Carly was ready for that though, and caught me as things went kind of grey then disappeared completely.

I was running through the forest in the mountains. Feeling the wonderful, powerful flow of muscle and reflex that a human really can't fully understand because they aren't so in tune with the world around them.

I could smell so many things, hear the wild things in the area as clearly as if they were right beside me, and my vision was sharper than I ever remembered it being. I was, of course, in my coyote form, and still female, but that didn't bother me at all. I was just letting myself go.

Running, jumping, smelling, hearing, seeing, and joining with the forest while I learned what I was and that it really was as wonderful as Carly had told me it would be. I really didn't consciously think about those things, they just were, like I just was. The experience was both exhilarating and peaceful all at once and was something I was sure I'd never get tired of no matter how long I lived.

Finally resting in a little clearing, I sat on my haunches and simply let my senses take in the surroundings. And found that I wasn't alone.

A wolf slowly entered the clearing. A really beautiful white female with odd blue eyes.

I rose along with my hackles. Wolves and Coyotes often didn't get along all that well, but there was no hostility from the newcomer, simply curiosity and a hint of amusement.

We watched each other for several breaths, then she winked at me, gave a doggy type grin and left with a flourish of her tail that said both welcome and see you later. I didn't follow her, it just didn't seem like the thing to do just then.

But I knew we'd meet again. And not be enemies when we did. Rivals maybe, but not enemies.

I continued to sit there, just breathing, smelling, feeling, okay, being. It was a really great feeling.

I knew I was dreaming, but if I had dreams like this all the time, maybe my change wasn't so bad after all. Oh the coyote thing was great I would have loved that no matter what, it was the girl thing I was still having some problems with. But in that state, I just accepted either that would get fixed and I'd go back to being my familiar male self, or it wouldn't and I'd adjust to my new, female self.

Wish it could be that easy in the living, real world.

As I considered those things some clouds moved in, really fast like they can in dreams, and things dimmed then became almost dark as night.

That wouldn't have been bad, coyotes love the night after all, but there were other things I noticed, too.

Gutteral growls, a bestial roar that wasn't entirely from a beast, Human screams of terror and pain intruded on my peaceful place.

But the worst thing in all those sounds? There was baby wailing in terror.

Even as a guy, hearing that would have kicked in age old instincts, but in my new form hearing that was like getting cut to the heart with a cold, jagged blade.

And a determination took shape in my mind and soul just then.

I had, just had, to save that child.