This story is set in the same "world" as LadyDragon623's stories about werefolk, vampires, fae and other supernatural creatures.

I have her express permission to use the "world" and characters she has mentioned in her stories if I feel they would fit into this story.

Another week passed as Callista finalized the purchase of the land and the change of title and deed.

During that time, there was one incident that came very close to turning into actual violence. It was stupid and beyond idiotic, but Vince Bailey, the guy who nearly blew his stack, got into a confrontation with another person after learning they were transgender, not bio female.

The person in question, who looked female to all appearances, had told everyone her name was Serafina. It all blew up when Vince saw a wallet lying on a table in the diner that many had been using for meals since they had been moved into the motel down the road.

The wallet contained identification in the name of Seymour James Canvers and a photo of a young man. It took perhaps a minute before Vince realized that he knew the person in the photo, yet they were known to everyone else as a female. Vince confronted Sera, quite angry.

Paul had been helping Callista, Hamish and Ed as they sorted everything out regarding the new property and getting there, and barely managed to hit the brakes in his Chevy van, stopping within a few feet of Vince who was yelling at Serafina at the top of his lungs.

Paul intervened, found out what had Vince so angry, and shook his head. He really didn't need to deal with this sort of thing.

Paul sighed and called Ed, listened and spoke occasionally, then hit the end button, shaking his head yet again.

"Okay, folks, we're going to go to a park not too far from here, where we can get some open space and still be fairly private. Follow me."

He opened the panel door, then motioned for everyone to get in, watching as each person entered the big van and chose a seat. When Serafina moved to take a seat in the back, Paul shook his head, pointed at the front and waited for her to settle into the front passenger seat.

Paul parked the big van, shut down the engine and told them all to go to the group of picnic tables about fifty or so yards away.

As the panel door opened and the people stepped out to make their way over to the tables, two more vehicles parked next to Paul's van. On the left side was an old station wagon, capable of seating seven or eight fairly comfortably; on the right, a van as large as his own.

People were soon stepping out of the two other vehicles. Paul pointed to the picnic tables as he walked in that direction.

Ed, Hamish and Callista walked beside Paul, then waited for everyone to reach the tables and find a spot to sit.

Ed frowned, looking at the still somewhat ragtag group in front of him. It was time for them to learn a valuable lesson.

Callista sighed, then nodded and began to speak. "It came to my attention a little while ago, through a call to Ed, that at least one of you here has the gall to be abusive to someone else, and that it might have come to actual blows if Paul had not arrived there at the time.

"I'm sure most of you have heard quotes about the numbers of LGBT folks in the world, such as lesbian or gay being perhaps 3 - 5 % of the total population, bisexual and things like gender, aromatic, etc., even smaller numbers, as well as transgender being about 1.5%."

Several of the people sitting at the collection of tables nodded, a few adding verbal confirmations, before Callista continued speaking.

"Well, folks, compared to them, were folk might be lucky to reach about 0.3% in total, EVERYWHERE. We are a very small community, scattered hither and thither in small numbers to keep us out of sight, and I will tell you now, every one of you is a part of that community.

"We will be living together in the wilds, on land that was put up for sale about a year ago. Every single one of us, at some point in time, whether before we get there or after that, will have to learn to work together for our sheer survival, bigotry notwithstanding.

"Some of us have skills in common, most of us don't. That means we need to be able to rely on getting whatever help is needed immediately. We can't afford to let our feelings, whatever may be the reason for them, stop us from providing that help if someone truly needs it.

"I am the Alpha, the head of our little pride. I make the rules, which are similar to those of every pride and pack I've ever seen.

"The choice is this: Put aside your bigotry or other nasty feelings, and work for the good of all of us, or leave now.

"Oh... one last thing. If you leave now, I will give your name to the Supernatural Council as being a rogue. You would be entirely on your own."

Vince was sitting at a table with several other males, listening to Callista. He was stunned that they would support the girl so strongly.

For a few minutes, he actually thought about getting up and leaving, but he didn't. He wasn't sure he could survive on his own out there. A bit more thought made him realize that he truly wanted to be part of a community, even one as odd as this one was turning out to be.

He sat there for another ten minutes or so before he decided he needed to fix the situation now, or he never would.

He walked over to the table where Sera was sitting with Chance, Saniyya, Patty and Jiang, the Chinese girl. "Excuse me for interrupting you, ladies. Serafina, would you please come with me for a moment, I wish to speak with you privately," he stated in a polite tone.

Sera looked up at him, noted that he seemed to be calm and shrugged, then stood up and followed him away from the tables.

Once they could be assured that they wouldn't be easily overheard, Vince stuttered out an apology to Sera, "I... I... I'm sorry... about earlier. I didn't have the right to judge you, I let what my parents taught me overcome me and forgot about things like simple manners."

Serafina sighed, she hadn't liked it when he was ranting at her earlier, but he was giving her what seemed to be a sincere apology.

A brief smile passed across her lips as she replied, "I will accept your apology. Good manners can make quite a difference, as you know."

Vince nodded, then said that that was all he had wanted to discuss with her, and they walked back to the tables.

Another week passed before Callista had paid for the land in full and had received all the pertinent papers.

On the Thursday evening, while everyone was eating their dinner at the diner, Callista announced they would be heading out on Saturday.

Saturday morning came, with the group gathering in front of the motel not long after the sun first showed itself.

After one final meal at the diner, they left the Seattle area and headed toward northeastern Washington.

Callista and Ed had packed three large coolers with various meat sandwiches, each one being on a foot long submarine bun. At the very least, the trip to the new property would take about seven ours, perhaps longer depending on road conditions near the site.

The trip passed in fairly decent fashion, with one exception. Paul's van developed a flat tire an hour west of Spokane.

The tire change wasn't particularly strenuous, especially when the person doing the work had the strength of a large cat available. They were back on the road within twenty minutes, and reached the site not quite four hours after that.

There wasn't a heck of a lot to be seen, a few shoddy buildings here and there, and rocky ground covered with grass patches everywhere.

Callista smiled as she opened the passenger door of the old station wagon, then strode toward the nearest building.

She stopped perhaps twenty yards away from the cars, turned to face the people stepping from the vehicles and spoke softly, yet everyone was able to hear her as clear as a bell. Perhaps it was the sound of it bouncing back from nearby rock walls, who knows?

Callista had spread her arms wide and said, "Welcome to our new home."