FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

SE-02 Where There is a Will There is a Werebeast By Darrel James Vanwinkle (Writing as Ratseye) 07/11/2001

The Winter frost coated much of the trees and river bank of the Current River in the Mark Twain National Forest. The demon horse, who Dominic Bastian Vanlyone had named Damon Horse, had already been complaining about the cold weather. So, Dominic gave Damon the furnace room located in the basement of the strange mansion. And it was probably for the best, as well, because a few days later, the first blizzard of the Winter dumped three to four inches of snow on top of the entire area. It was also around that time that Dominic started having guests drop in on him.

The first was his old chum, Shane Wayne, who came by to plow all the snow off of Dominic's driveway. Shane stayed for a few hours thereafter and drank several beers. After Shane Wayne left, Dominic's sister Leia dropped in to discuss some added financial matters. It seemed that Dominic was now receiving money from different parts of the world. Dominic knew where the money was coming from, but didn't let on to his wise sister. Dominic enjoyed the life of mystery. Leia was very insistent upon knowing where (or who) the money was coming from. Dominic would only say that it was from investor friends at those remote locations. Leia wasn't impressed, but what could she do? She finally left the mansion, and the rest of Dominic's day was uneventful.

Three days later, Dominic received a phone call from the Rocky Falls Municipal Airport. Four people had flown in that morning with an urgent need to see Dominic himself. He thought this sounded unusual, so he drove into town and over to the airport. Dominic was greeted by Duffy Ryder, one of the mechanics at the airport. Duffy was about fifty-three years old, stood about five foot ten inches tall, weighing about one hundred seventy-one pounds, had gray thinning hair, light brown eyes, and always wore a suit of faded working clothes. Today, Duffy was also wearing heavy snow boots and a fur-lined hooded parka. Duffy smiled and escorted Dominic into the hanger where the four guests were awaiting. Duffy introduced them all by name. Two males and two females. Dominic invites them all back to his mansion, to which they accept the offered invitation. About an hour later, Dominic and his guests (See F1) were relaxing in the mansion's library, enjoying some warm tea and apple cider.

"Now, let's take this from the top." Dominic announced. "I want each of you to introduce yourselves to me. Then we will discuss why you've requested an audience with me."

The first guest stood up and put his drink aside on a table. He stood about five foot ten inches tall and weighed around one hundred seventy-seven pounds. He had short blonde hair and grey eyes. He looked to be in his mid thirties. His caucasian complexion was slightly ruddy from the winter chill, but his natural color seems to be refilling into his cheeks as he warmed up. He was dressed in a forest ranger's uniform with Wyoming Forestry Service patches on the shoulders, and was wearing heavy boots. He removed his hat and smiled, "I am Morgan Hershel from Wyoming."

The next guest remained sitting and more reminded Dominic of his sister, Jo Tanner, than a true lady. She appeared to be in her early thirties, looked about six foot seven inches tall, and seemed to weigh around one hundred sixty-six pounds. She had shoulder-length brown hair and green eyes. She was casually dressed in a button up plaid western shirt, Wrangler blue jeans, and knee-high cowboy boots. "Janna Stoddard. I raise horses in Montana."

The next guest was slightly distracted by all the artifacts and artwork, but he realized right away that it was his turn. Looking to be about twenty or so, this native American was about five foot eight inches tall, weighing about one hundred eighty-six pounds. He had long black hair extending down to his mid back, which was tied off in a pony tail. His crystal blue eyes seemed very unusual for his nationality, and he wore a pair of black framed glasses, as well. His clothes seemed to show his profession very well. He wore a long sleeved white dress shirt, and black slacks. He too wore a pair of cowboy boots. "Doctor Griffin Vandyke. I am a physician and a pharmacist working where ever I am able to."

The final guest smiled as she shook Dominic's hand. She appeared to be in her late twenties, quite tall (six foot three inches) for her slender size (one hundred thirty-five pounds). She had long flowing black hair, sparkling green eyes, and a beautiful Asian complexion. She too was dressed casually, wearing a simple plain white dress, and wearing high heel shoes. Her voice was certainly accented deeply. "I am Doctor Rima Whitmore, practicing psychologist from California."

Dominic smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you all. To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?"

Morgan had reseated himself and had his drink in hand again. "We are here on behalf of an 'old friend'. I think you know who we are referring to. He became concerned after reading your report on unicorns. Yes, he did tell us about that. His concern was that you didn't understand the importance on how these cases should be handled. We four acquaintances gave our accounts of encounters with different lycanthropes to your 'old friend'."

Dominic nodded his head and held up the folder and pictures. "Do you mean this accounting?" He passed the folder around the gathered guests. After Rima had handed the folder back to Dominic, he noticed that his guests were not very talkative now. "Unlike my 'old friend', I am not bribing any of you for information. You came here, on your own, of your own free will. You may leave anytime you wish. Do I make myself clear?"

The four nodded their heads quietly.

It was Rima Whitmore who spoke up first. "Mr. Vanlyone. We didn't come here to threaten you, rather, we came to ask you if you would not research the lycanthropes we gave our accounting of. Please. Those who we spoke of to your 'old friend' do not deserve to be further bothered by anyone. We would prefer for you to locate other lycanthropes for your investigative report. Consider our plea carefully."

Dominic hummed. "I do understand what you mean. Far better than any of you may think. Very well. I will not do further research on your lycanthrope friends. I will seek out others. Perhaps my 'source' will have some idea on where to find some. But now, I ask you all to spend the rest of the day here to relax and have dinner. After a good night's rest, I will drive you all back to the airport. I do have a report to investigate in the morning."

Morgan Hershel spoke up. "Please do not be offended, but we were hoping to explore this little gem of a city you call Rocky Falls. Your offer of a meal and rooms are appreciated, but it is not necessary. We had already made reservations in Rocky Falls before catching the plane."

Dominic nodded his head once again.

Some hours later, after having drove the four back into Rocky Falls and returning with a fresh supply of groceries and a crate full of beer. He put all the groceries away, then took a fresh six-pack down to Damon Horse. Dominic soon settled into his office. How am I going to locate other lycanthropes for this report? Dominic thought.

Dominic rubbed his right shoulder gently, then blinked his eyes. "He wants to see me now?" Dominic looked out the plate glass window, but there was nothing but the still winter air of the woods staring back. Dominic hummed, then fetched his snow boots and parka from the entryway closet. After getting bundled up, Dominic headed out across the river towards the deer stand he had went to a few months before. (See F2)

At about mid afternoon, Dominic arrived at the snow-covered deer stand. He noticed several sets of animal tracks in the snow around the stand itself, but as for the individual he came to see, there was nothing to be found. "If I walked out here for no reason, I will be very upset."

A whispery voice, much like the wind itself, seemed to say, "You came. Good."

Dominic looked around carefully. "Where are you?"

The whispery voice said, "Walk toward the gate. The windy air will be colder than usual, so brace yourself for a momentary cold shock as you pass through."

Dominic looked around and suddenly saw where the air was swirling in one spot. He braced himself and walked into thr cold swirling air. Dominic was instantly within the inbetween space of the gate.

The white stag said, "Dominic! It is so good to see you again. Give me a tight hug."

Dominic hugged his cervine friend, then stepped back. "I got the feeling that you wanted to see me."

The white stag replied, "Yes, although I wasn't sure that little trick was going to work. But I am very glad it did. You are now here before me."

Dominic smiled. "Now that I am here, how can I help you?"

The white stag replied, "Your next report about the lycanthropes. I believe I can help you."

Dominic grinned. "Eavesdropping again, were you? Then, I am sure you already know that I have to find different lycanthropes for my investigative report. And this time, no video camera. Sallee confiscated it. She said I abused the poor thing. I guess I will have to buy one of my own some day."

The white stag chuckled, "You did abuse it." He rubbed his muzzle against Dominic's parka. "It just so happens that I know where four lycanthropes are. No need to thank me. I am happy to help you out. You've always proven resourceful when faced with tough problems."

Dominic blinked. "Four lycanthropes. Really? What types will I be meeting up with?"

The white stag replied, "Werefox, wererabbit, werekangaroo, and wereraccoon. Don't laugh, these are serious lycanthropes. My only worry is that you have no protection against lycanthropy."

Dominic frowned at that. He hadn't considered that he'd be in danger of being infected by the lycanthropes he'd be visiting. "You're right, I have no protection. What should I do?"

The white stag replied, "For the most part, I will be there with you. But even my presence is sometimes not enough to stop an irate lycanthrope from doing damage."

Dominic hummed. "Which one would be the most dangerous to me?"

The white stag replied, "The wererabbit. I know that sounds odd, but it's the quiet ones you've got to watch. The werefox can be appeased quite easily, the werekangaroo is almost docile, and the wereraccoon can be distracted by shiny items. But the wererabbit is difficult to appease."

Dominic sighed. "Okay, who do we go see first?"

The white stag replied, "We will drop in on the werefox first. He's all snowed in up at his lair in South Dakota. And I think it's wise if we bring some food and drink. I'm sure he's hungry."

After making a quick pit stop off at Dominic's kitchen, the white stag and Dominic again passed through the shimmering gate. A few minutes later, they emerged just inside a large cavernous chamber that was sparsely furnished. Although they had arrived at the right place, the cavern looked as if it had been struck by a tornado. The white stag hummed quietly.

Dominic asked, "This is the werefox's lair? Doesn't look promising."

The white stag replied, "This is the correct location. I am sure of it." He raised his voice. "Sexen Reinhard! Hello? Are you here?" The both listened for a moment. The white stag called out again. Again the call was met with silence.

Dominic hummed. "Maybe he moved since you were last here. I mean, it doesn't look like anyone has lived here in quite a while. The furniture is broken, and there's no fire in the firepit."

The white stag replied, "Sexen had no where else to go. This is his home. I just know it." He called out one more time. "I'm going to go looking for him. If he returns while I'm gone, show him the food and drink, then explain who you are and what you want. You should be okay by yourself." The white stag vanished.

Dominic, still holding the box of food and drink, walked deeper into the cavern. As he rounded the corner, he saw the warm orange glow of light coming from just beyond a wooden door at the end of the passage. Dominic approached the door and knocked carefully on the door. The voice that replied was suprisingly sophisticated and educated sounding.

"Who is it?"

Dominic replied, "The white stag brought me to this cave to meet a Sexen Reinhard to speak about werefoxes. I am carrying a box full of food and drink. A peace offering for Sexen."

The door opened rather quickly, and standing before Dominic was the werefox in his furry form. He was wearing a long bath robe and had a pair of reading glasses propped up on his forehead. He looked to be a red fox, being approximately five foot eleven inches tall, and looking to weigh about one hundred thirty-nine pounds. His eyes were light green. He smiled, then said, "Do come in. Where is the white stag?"

Dominic entered and replied, "We saw your entrance cave and assumed you weren't home. The white stag called your name several times, but you didn't answer. He left me in the cave, and he went looking for you outside, I am assuming."

The werefox closed the door and locked it. He turned back to face Dominic. "He called my name? Oh, I was taking a long bath. When I am bathing, I cannot hear anyone. I am Sexen Reinhard." He held out his paw.

Dominic put the box on the kitchen table and took Sexen's paw in his hand, shaking it. "I am Dominic Bastian Vanlyone. I am doing an investigative report on lycanthropy. The white stag suggested four lycanthropes, and you were first on his list. Can you help me out?"

Sexen smiled. "I was first on his list? That is so sweet! He was thinking about me." Sexen looked pleased. He started looking through the box of food and drink. "A bottle of wine? How did you know I would want wine? And the food selection is beautiful. The white stag helped you choose all this, didn't he?" He smiled again, then settled unto the couch hear the fireplace. "Come on over and have a seat."

Dominic walked over and sat down on the small couch next to the werefox. Sexen pulled the quilted comforter out from its spot where it was folded, and spreads it over them both.

Sexen smiled and exclaimed, "Doesn't that feel nice? Now, what do you need to know?"

Dominic also smiled and nodded his head, replying, "I need to know if you're a real werefox or an infected human. I'll need to know how long you've been a werefox, how you got here to this location, and what your standard habits are. Of course, if there is anything you feel uncomfortable about answering, then you need not say anything."

Sexen smiled. "That's all you want? That's rich! The white stag DOES have a sense of humor." He looked to Dominic. Dominic felt the werefox's paw on his leg under the comforter.

Dominic gulped, saying, "Shall we get started with this interview?"

Sexen nodded his head, rubbing his paw up and down Dominic's leg slowly. "First of all, I am a real werefox; not an infected human. We werefoxes don't infect humans the way all the other lycanthropes do. We consider it as a gift to those who seek to join us of their own free will."

Dominic asked, "So, getting bitten or scratched by a werefox will not turn people into werefoxes?"

Sexen giggled. "Heavens no! That would make having fun so boring." Sexen's paw was now massaging Dominic's stomach gently. "And most werefoxes love to have fun. I know I do."

Dominic nodded once again. He was starting to enjoy the attention from the werefox's paw. "About how old are you, roughly?"

Sexen smiled. "Roughly, I am nearing my 235th birthday."

Dominic blinked his eyes! "How is that possible? How are you staying so young looking?"

Sexen replied, "True Lycanthropes who are able to avoid the ways of violence, such as myself, can easily live into the thousands of years. True lycanthropes have an immortality gene in our dna structures. Infected lycanthropes only live as long as the parent race. Most parent races are human, so infected lycanthropes only live as long as humans do." Dominic noticed that Sexen's paw was resting in his lap, rubbing slowly.

Dominic took a breath. "How did you come to arrive at this location? I mean, why did you choose this area to live in?"

Sexen smiled, "This could take a while to explain. And I am getting tired. Would you care to stay here for a few days?"

Dominic replied, "I guess I have time. Where would you prefer I sleep?"

Sexen slyly replied, "My home only has one bed. But I will share that with you. Unless you are phobic about sleeping with a werefox."

Dominic blinked his eyes again! "Um, no. I am not phobic at all. I am open minded about a lot of things. If I weren't open minded, I would never have met the white stag."

Sexen smiled again, standing up. He refolded the comforter, putting it away. He then placed a few more logs on the fire in the fireplace and closed it's screen door. He looked to Dominic. "Follow me." Sexen led Dominic deeper into the underground home, and passed an open doorway through which a room with a deep bath tub full of sudsy water sat. The two finally arrived in the small tight and cozy bedroom.

Sexen smiled. "You can store your belongings on that dresser. I rarely use it myself." He pointed to the dresser sitting to the side of the bed.

Dominic emptied his pockets first, then took off his parka and snowboots. He removed his boots and his socks, then removed the rest of his clothes. He took off his glasses last, then slid under the covers in the bed. He turned to face Sexen, who was leaving the room. "I'll be right back."

Dominic waited for a while, then got comfortable in the bed.

Sexen soon returned to the bedroom. Dominic noticed that the hallway was extremely dark now. The only light still on was the one on the werefox's side of the bed. "Got to preserve the lamp oil." Sexen said quietly. He then got into bed, blowing out the last light. Dominic felt Sexen's paws going around his chest and back, then the furry muzzle rested along side Dominic's face. Dominic lay there for a while, then finally wrapped his arms around the warm fox. (See F3) Sleep came quickly thereafter.

When Dominic next awoke, he was still wrapped around Sexen's warm furry body, although Sexen was also awake now, with the lamp lit up, reading a book. He smiled when he noticed Dominic's movement. Sexen reached over and ran a paw smoothly along Dominic's face.

"How'd you sleep, hon?" Sexen asked calmly.

Dominic slowly propped himself up. "Quite well, surprisingly. Did you, well, 'do anything' with me while I was asleep?"

Sexen chuckled, "Would you like me to?"

Dominic blushed a deep red. "Um, well, I." Dominic cleared his throat and looked directly at the book Sexen was reading. "Is that a good book?"

Sexen smiled. "The Call of the Wild IS a good book, not nearly as good as Playboy or Hustler, but something to sooth the nerves in a lonely werefox."

Dominic blinked his eyes! "Why are you lonely?"

Sexen sighed, replying, "Unlike other lycanthropes who can go right out and infect a victim, then claim that victim as their mate, werefoxes cannot do that. We have to ask the person if they want to become one of us. If after they become a werefox they decide not to stay around, we cannot force them to stay. That is why you rarely ever see two werefoxes together in any location. It is a sad existence, but some of us have acquired certain 'tastes' in pleasing distractions. I for example love to read classic novels, I love to take long baths, and I have a fetish for snuggling and cuddling with a friend. Someone like you."

Dominic made a mental note of this. "Are those your only habits?"

Sexen smiled. "Well, I do have another fetish, of sorts." He grinned slyly, and whispered into Dominic's ear. "I am a gay werefox."

Dominic nodded his head, smiling. "I kind of guessed that from all the moves you made on me when we were sitting on the couch last night."

Sexen smiled. "You didn't complain when I did that. For that, I am glad. You didn't complain about sleeping with me either. I am glad of that too. As for trying anything while you slept; that is just wrong. I would ask you first if you wanted to do anything. We werefoxes are like that. Proper and polite. Now that you're awake, we can get breakfast started. Later you can help me do some things that takes two people. Been waiting for a day when I could rearrange my furniture and stuff. Do you mind helping me out?"

Dominic smiled. "I'll be glad to help you out. I mean, you don't get company every day, do you?"

Dominic got out of bed, and redressed himself in his clothes.

Sexen did the same.

The two then headed back through the hallways into the main portion of the home. Breakfast was then prepared and eaten, dishes were then washed and put away.

Dominic then helped Sexen redecorate the werefox's home. This exercise took about eight hours with ease. A dinner was prepared and eaten, then the dishes were again washed and stored away. Sexen then read some poetry to Dominic for about an hour.

That night, Sexen and Dominic took a long bath in the heated waters of the deep tub. When they were clean enough, they climbed out and dried off thoroughly. They then headed into the bedroom and climbed into bed, wrapping their arms around each other as they did the previous night. (See F3)

After breakfast the following morning, Sexen and Dominic returned to bed and cover up warmly. Sexen smiled, propping himself up on one elbow. "I promised you I'd tell you how I got here, didn't I?"

Dominic also propped himself up on one elbow while facing Sexen. "I'm listening."

Sexen nodded his muzzle, then said, "I was born into a standard werefox family way back in the year 1766. We were living in the upper portion of South Carolina then. Life was good for the several young werefoxes in my family. Then, my father was killed by fox hunters. A few years later, my mother distracted some hunters so the rest of my brothers and I could flee to safety. She was killed by a lucky musket shot. I was the oldest, but I couldn't keep my brothers together as a family. At first we separated. I did tell them I was heading to South Dakota's Badlands. Several decades passed with no word at all from my brothers. Then one day, many years after I'd settled into this cave, the last remaining brother located me. He told me that separating was a very bad idea. He and I were the only one's left. That was in November of 1898. My brother stayed with me for a few decades, then we had an arguement, and he promptly moved out."

Sexen then continued, "I never saw him again. Then, round about the winter of 1959, the white stag staggered into my cave. He looked as if he was freezing to death. I covered him in some warm blankets, and fed him hot soup. I nursed him back to health, and gained a new friend from it. Not a bad trade off. He continued to visit me each year around the same time. He would bring me news of the outside world, and we would share a meal and some wine. Then, last spring, I received a werebear visitor. I misread his body language and tried to make a move on him. This angered him and he destroyed everything I had. He left and hopefully good riddance to him. I spent the next few months reacquiring my new furniture and collection of books and other nifty items. The last thing I did was to put up that door. The smartest thing I had done. I left the wreckage upstairs to make people think no one lived in the cave anymore. I had forgot that the white stag might come by wanting to see me."

Dominic nodded his head, then asked, "And you never sought out a mate of any sort?"

Sexen sighed. "Still looking. Friends are nice to have, but a permanent partner would be better. As I said before, a werefox may not force someone into such a decision. Now, I wouldn't mind having you as a lover and partner, but I couldn't force you into it. That would go against my beliefs and nature. So, until the right person comes along, I will continue to exist. Alone."

Dominic nodded, replying, "You have been a gentleman the last few days. Much different than I was led to think that a werefox would've acted."

Sexen replied, "You know the truth now. Out of curiosity, where do you call home, Dominic?"

Dominic smiled. "I have a private mansion just four and a half miles Northwest of Rocky Falls, Missouri. The only other person living there is the demon horse, Damon. And no, he is not my mate. He is a permanent house guest with his own room."

Sexen arched an eye. "You have a library?"

Dominic replied, "Why yes, it contains many many books. Why do you ask?"

Sexen inquired, "Do you think you would have room for another permanent house guest?"

Dominic blinked his eyes! "Are you asking me if you could live with me?"

Sexen smiled. "If you don't mind, that is. I mean, look at this cave. It's hardly a proper place to live. Plus, I like you."

Dominic smiled. "I think you keep a nice properly clean cave. And your bed is very comfortable. But if you really want to move in with me, we'll make all the arrangements tomorrow morning. Plus, I think we need to inform the white stag of your decision. He's probably worried about both of us now."

Sexen smiled and kissed Dominic's nose. "Thank you, Dominic."

The two idly talked and snuggled together for the rest of the day. They only got up once to have some dinner and glasses of wine. Then the two were back in bed once again. (See F3)

The next morning after a nice breakfast, Dominic and Sexen returned up to the entrance cave where the white stag was indeed waiting for them. His expression was not a happy one, but the relief in his eyes indicated that he was glad to see them both. The three talked for a while, then Sexen returned down into his home to start packing things up for the move. The white stag looked to Dominic, then chuckled, saying, "I am surprised you didn't agree to become a werefox."

Dominic smiled, "It was very tempting, let me tell you. But in the end, Sexen decided he wanted to move out of this area and into a place more suited to someone of his sophisticated and educated mannerisms."

The white stag replied, "Yes, but your place? Surely there is somewhere else he'd want to live."

Dominic replied, "He decided upon my place because I have a large library of books. Sexen likes to read, remember? Besides, there is room enough for many people in my household." He smiled. "So, what lycanthrope will you be taking me to see now?"

The white stag snorted then replied, "Trapper Jacqueline Peverell. She lives near Pandale Texas. She is the wererabbit I told you about."

Dominic blinked his eyes. "Trapper? I am assuming she's a hunter of some sort. Right?"

The white stag replied, "Something like that. She has a cabin overlooking the Pecos River, and I believe she traps rodents, and plies her extra hobby of fishing on the river itself."

Dominic hummed. "Has she seen you before?"

The white stag replied, "She's seen me twice. I only met her by accident four years ago. There is one good thing about going to see her. It is warm and dry down there this time of year."

Dominic and the white stag entered the magical gate, passing through the spectral haze rather quickly. They emerged within sight of the cabin in Texas. Almost immediately, a female indian voice surprised them, "Not very stealthy today, are you, my white friend?"

The white stag chuckled, "It would be difficult indeed to surprise a rabbit."

Dominic looked over his shoulder. The female standing there looked to be about 24 or 25 years old. She appeared to be about five foot six inches tall, and looked to weigh about 135 pounds. She had long black hair and pretty brown eyes, as well as dark ruddy skin. She wore homemade pueblo indian clothing and moccassin shoes. A necklace made of animal teeth and beads adorned her neck. She smiled and walked over the white stag, hugging him around his neck. "It is so good to see you again."

The white stag smiled and replied, "It is good to see you again, as well, Jackie." He looked over at Dominic. "This is Dominic Bastian Vanlyone. He is the reason I have once again gotten the chance to see you again. He wants to know about your being a wererabbit. Don't worry, he is keeping the knowledge confidential. You can tell him what you'd tell me."

Jackie smiled. "A pleasure to meet you, Dominic."

Dominic smiled as well. "Likewise, Jackie. If at anytime you feel uncomfortable about answering one of my inquiries, you may opt to not answer."

Jackie nodded her head. "That is right reasonable of you, Dominic. Why don't both of you come into the cabin for a while. I just got back from checking my traps and visiting my master."

The three entered the cabin. The white stag climbed up on the bed and curled up to make himself more comfortable. Dominic had a seat at the kitchen table across from Jackie.

Jackie smiled. "What all do you need to know?"

Dominic replied, "I need to know if you're a real wererabbit or an infected human. I'll need to know how long you've been a wererabbit, how you got here to this location, and what your standard habits are."

Jackie sighed tiredly. "I am definately a victim. Ever since I ran into my master, I have been trying to appease him so he would undo this curse that I am under. He is so stubborn."

Dominic hummed. "What does your master want?"

Jackie looked over at the white stag, who had fallen asleep on the bed. Jackie looked back to Dominic and said in a lowered voice, "My master would really like to set the record straight about his kind, once and for all. You could help with that. But he wants different things from me each day. Could you please help me?"

Dominic nodded his head, understanding what Jackie was asking for. "You do realize that the white stag wouldn't let me go do this if he were awake, don't you?"

Jackie also nodded her head, replying, "You will help me, won't you?"

Dominic again nodded his head. "What would you like me to do?"

Some time later, Jackie and Dominic had arrived at a small cave entrance some miles from the cabin. Jackie informed Dominic that he had to crawl into the cave entrance for about 200 to 300 feet. The cave would open up quite largely, and Dominic would have no trouble meeting with and speaking to the master wererabbit. Jackie headed back to the cabin and was soon out of sight.

Dominic got down and began the crawl into the dry cave. It was slow going as he crawled forward through the cool dry cave. Dominic heard something on occasion coming from up ahead in the cave, but he continued to press onward.

Finally, Dominic reached the spot where the cave opened up, just as Jackie had said. The chamber itself was the first in a series of what looked to be workshops, as there are workbenches and wooden shelves locate here and there. Dominic stood up slowly, looking around cautiously. He listened carefully, then proceeded to follow the sound of the hammering he'd been hearing echoing throughout the cavern.

Dominic had followed the sound through several chambers and was entering the next one, when he finally spotted the master wererabbit.

The male wererabbit appeared to stand about four foot eleven inches tall and weighing about 89 pounds, maybe more. He was in his rabbit form, and wore a leather apron tied in the back. In one paw he held a modern hammer, and in the other paw he held a tool box. The wererabbit's fur was both white and brown, although he was more brown than anything else. His long ears extended above his head a good seven inches. Over all, the wererabbit looked like a realistic version of Brer Rabbit.

The master wererabbit hammered some more on the wooden table top. He went to place the hammer back in the tool box. That's when the master wererabbit lay his first gaze at Dominic standing in the doorway. He dropped the hammer into toolbox, then said cooly, "Looks like you got the drop on me, partner."

Dominic kept his cool, replying, "I am Dominic Bastian Vanlyone and I am doing an investigative report on lycanthropy. I was told by Jackie that you could fill me in on wererabbits, far better than she could tell it. I realize you be reluctant to talk to me, so I brought you a basket of carrots and lettuce, as a peace offering. Will you help explain your side of things?"

The master wererabbit's ears twitched slightly when Dominic mentioned Jackie, but he fully turned to face Dominic when he mentioned the food. "So, you're doing some sort of report on wererabbits?"

Dominic shook his head carefully. "No, I am doing a general report concerning all lycanthropes. But one the lycanthrope types I was told of was wererabbits. The white stag was escorting me to all of the lycanthrope locations."

The master wererabbit smiled, "Ah ha. The white stag. I thought I detected his scent on you. Well, come on over and help me with this table. Two sets of paws are always better one set of paws."

Dominic walked over and helped move the table back over against the wall. The master wererabbit put up his toolbox, then escorted Dominic to another chamber, where they sat down on a woven rug facing each other. Dominic uncovered the basket of food, setting it down between the two of them.

The master wererabbit sampled the carrots and lettuce, then heartily munched upon the food.

Soon thereafter, Dominic and the master wererabbit retired to the drawing chamber. Dominic was impressed by all the artwork and wood carvings that was strewn around the room. The master wererabbit hopped up on one of the two couches, and relaxed comfortably. Dominic finished complementing on all the excellent artwork, then walked over and sat on the same couch as the master wererabbit.

The master wererabbit smiled. "Well, partner, I was born under the name of Pablo Kingston. And for the first ten to twelve years, I thought I was totally human. Then the day came (or should I say the night of the full moon in which I experienced my coming of puberty came) in which my life as a human ended and I discovered that I was a full blown wererabbit. I was scared at first, not knowing what exactly had happened to me. At first I thought I had changed into a furry, like the famous ones in Florida, but then the horror of the situation happened... I felt this uncontrollable urge to hunt and kill something. I finally gave in to the desire, and by the next morning, I was fully initiated into being a master wererabbit. My thoughts then were to go home and find out from my parents what was going on. But I was stuck in this form. So I had to "disappear" publicly until I could figure out how to change back. That day never came."

Dominic nodded and replied, "That must have been hard on you. Then what happened?"

Pablo explained, "I then spent the rest of my teenage life getting moved into this cave. I would hit the surrounding towns at night to get my supplies and building materials. One of my other teenaged friends saw me stealing some stuff one night, and I saw him. In moves that must have seemed inhuman, I was upon him instantly. He was scared, of course. I told him who I was and what I was doing. I then told him to not tell anyone he had seen me, and nothing would happen to him. I let him go, and went and recollect the stuff I was stealing. As far as I know, he kept his mouth shut. I'd love to see him again, but I'm afraid that is impossible now. A few days after I had turned nineteen, Jacqueline Peverell showed up in the area. At first I was able to avoid her, which was fine by me. I mean, she's not my type. Then, a few weeks later, she did something really stupid... she came up behind me as I was returning from one of my outings, and she grabbed my shoulder. I immediately whirled around and snarled fiercely, and bit her arm. She fell to the ground, and went into contortions and shook all over. Right before my eyes, she changed into a large rabbit. I could tell she was really upset. She cussed me out for about an hour. I tried apologizing, but in a way it was funny. When she kicked me in the face, I got mad, and stupidly said that if she could appease me, I'd change her back into a normal human."

Dominic hummed lowly and said, "And you no more know how to undo it than you knew of what you did. Right?"

Pablo nodded his head. "She will be so upset when she finds out that I can't undo it. I just wish she'd go away and leave me alone. She shows up every day asking what I want her to do towards me curing the wererabbit curse I've put her in. I'm still new at this. I don't have a clue as to how to undo the curse. But there has to be a way. There has just got to be a way to undo it."

Dominic nodded his head, "And that's where I come in, isn't it? You want me to ask the other lycanthropes I encounter if they know how to undo it, and return later and tell you how to do it. I'll do what I can, but you should be prepared for the worst." He looked around the room again. "You know, you are a really quite talented artist and repairman. I'd hire you myself to upkeep my mansion in Rocky Falls, Missouri, if you weren't so tied to this area."

Pablo lifted his head and looked at Dominic. "Would you really? You'd hire me as your repairman for your mansion? Is that an offer? I mean, it would certainly beat living in a cave any day."

Dominic suddenly realized what he just did, and rolled his eyes at the ceiling. He looks back to Pablo and said, "I suppose it was an offer. But I need to warn you... you won't be the only shape shifter living in the household. There is a werefox moving in from badlands of South Dakota, and there is a demon horse already living in the household. Do you still want to come work there?"

Pablo nodded his head, saying, "Of course! Maybe the werefox can help me with my problem. And I can do whatever you need me to around your mansion. I don't eat much, and need little space for my own personal use. What do you say? Can I come work for you?"

Dominic sighed, obviously he had stepped into a deep pool of mud and had forced himself in deeper. He looked to Pablo, and replied, "When can you be ready to move in, Pablo?"

Pablo thought for a moment before replying, "Give me about two weeks. That should be long enough. You're the only one who knows who I am, so when you return, simply call out my name, Pablo, and I will know it's you. Hopefully by then, you will have the answer I need for undoing the curse on Jackie. I think she'd be glad to be rid of me once I moved out."

Dominic spent the night with Pablo discussing art, scuptures, and animal lore. It was late when they both drifted off to sleep on separate couches.

Late in the next evening, Dominic awoke to the delicious smell of something cooking. He got up slowly and followed the delicious scent into a small chamber. Just inside the chamber, there was a porcelin bath tub filled with steaming hot water and bubble bath soap. Sitting in the tub with only his head and ears sticking out was Pablo.

Pablo smiled when he saw Dominic standing there.

Dominic understood what the scent was and seemed partly embarrassed.

Pablo laughed, as he also understood what lured Dominic into this chamber. A few rabbit stew jokes were made, then Dominic helped scrub Pablo's furry back with a large scrub brush.

Pablo then convinced Dominic to get undressed and use the tub after he was done. Then, Pablo scrubbed Dominic's back with the scrub brush. A few hours later, Dominic climbed out of the tub, and accepted one of the large white towels to dry himself with.

After a surprisingly good dinner, Dominic and Pablo retired to Pablo's bedroom, this time, where Pablo lay in bed, while Dominic sat in a side chair, and discussed art and animal lore once again. When Dominic yawned for about the third time, Pablo directed Dominic to a bedroom across the hallway. Dominic then climbed into the spare bed, under the covers, and drifted off to sleep. In Pablo's bedroom, Pablo sighed, wishing that he and Dominic could've slept together, as he drifted off to sleep, as well.

Early the next morning, Dominic and Pablo had a good breakfast, then Pablo escorted Dominic out of the cave. They emerged from a separate cave close to the cabin.

Pablo told Dominic to keep this entrance to himself, then Pablo headed back inside. Dominic walked down the hill and around the side of the cabin. The white stag and Jackie were standing out front. Dominic smiled when he saw his old friend, the white stag. "Were you waiting for me?"

The white stag replied, "I take it that our business is finished here? Can we head on to the next location now?"

Dominic nodded, looking to Jackie. "The master wererabbit told me that he needs two weeks of complete solitude to prepare your cure for you. That means you have to completely leave him alone for two straight weeks. Can you do that?"

Jackie blinked her eyes! "You got him to agree to cure me? That's amazing! Thank you very much. I will never forget your kindness. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

Dominic chuckled. "It wasn't hard. He's more reasonable than you think." He looked to the white stag. "Shall we be going now?"

The white stag and Dominic headed off to the spot where the shimmering air was and passed through into the inbetween space of the gate. It was only after they were within the spectral realm of the gate, did the white stag ask, "The master wererabbit doesn't have a clue as to how to cure Jackie, does he?"

Dominic didn't blink at all. "No, he doesn't. He's just barely past being a teenager. He wants me to find out how to undo the curse, then return and tell him how to do it. Plus, I offered him a job working in my mansion as a repairman. Before you say anything, I got carried away, and offered him the job without thinking. I admit it. I messed up."

The white stag chuckled, "Your poor mansion is going to be filled with the oddest assortment of creatures and demons if you don't start curbing your kind-hearted activities." He chuckled again. "But if you were anything less than compassionate to these people, I'd be disappointed in you and you know it. Well, our next stop is the Huxley Natural Herbs store located just North of Shelter Cove, California. The man we are going to go see is Reed Huxley. He's a natural werekangaroo who relocated to the United States from Australia, and has been living peacefully without a worry in the world. Something tells me that you and he will get along great. After I drop you off there, I will be gone for a few days. Something important came up a few hours before you showed up at the cabin, and if you hadn't showed up when you had, I would have been forced to leave you behind. Now, I can be assured that you will be with someone I trust."

Dominic looked genuinely concerned for the white stag. "Will you be okay? Would you like me to come with you?"

The white stag smiled, replying, "I am pleased you are concerned for my well being, Dominic. I just want you to continue with your project. I will return in a few days. I promise."

After the usual trip through the spectral inbetween space of the gate, Dominic found himself emerging alone from the gate between two trees to the left of the front yard. Dominic walked over to the store's door and entered the shop. A little bell rang as he closed the door.

A smooth male Australian accented voice exclaimed, "Be right with you, mate."

Dominic wandered around the small store looking at the odd assortment of natural remedies and more unusually named products. "Bat Blink Drops." "Mule Molasses." "Cheetah Extract." and "Badger Berry Jam." Dominic was amazed at the selection of products. He turned and was almost immediately face to face with the store's owner, Reed Huxley.

Reed appeared to be in his mid thirties, standing about six foot five inches tall, and looked to weigh about two hundred fifteen pounds. He had short black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing designer elastic waistband shorts, a short-sleeved flower colored shirt, and a pair of open thick rubber sandles. His body was of an athlete who worked out, from day to day.

Dominic smiled, quietly saying with confidence, "The white stag sent me."

Reed nodded with a smile, as he closed up the shop. He locked the front door, and turned the sign to read "CLOSED DUE TO FAMILY EMERGENCY".

Reed then led Dominic back through the back of the shop into the house part of the building, and offered Dominic a seat and a cold beer. Reed got one for himself as well, sitting beside Dominic. They opened their beers and chatted idly about the white stag for about an hour.

Then, Dominic sat back and said, "Did the white stag tell you what I'd be doing here?"

Reed replied, "Well, mate, 'e didn't really mention why 'e was leaving yas 'ere. Just to make sure yas were entertained. What kin Ah 'elp you with?"

Dominic replied, "I am doing an investigative report on lycanthropy, and the white stag told me that you were a natural werekangaroo. Could you tell about yourself?"

Reed nodded his head slowly. "So, that's why 'e left yas with me." Reed slipped his sandals off, and loosened his shirt. Dominic watched Reed both shrink in size somewhat, and grow out in other areas of his body. In a short amount of time, Reed completely transformed into his werekangaroo form. He was a red kangaroo in appearance, yet surprisingly still well-built for even a lycanthrope.

Dominic smiled and complimented Reed's smooth transformation.

Reed smiled, then hopped on top of Dominic quite suddenly!

"Oof! What the heck are you doing, Reed?"

Reed sat on top of Dominic not moving. He was a lot heavier than he looked as a human. "The white stag dropped yas off 'ere, mate, but 'e didn't tell me why yas were being left 'ere. Now, that Ah know, Ah am quite reluctant to tell yas anything. Instead, Ah am tempted to show yas what being a werekangaroo is all about." Reed bared his teeth.

Dominic closed his eyes gently and said, "Go ahead then. We'll let the white stag sort it all out when he returns in a few days from his_important emergency_ he had to go handle."

Reed closed his mouth, but he remained on top of Dominic. "The white stag said it was important?"

Dominic opened his eyes and replied, "His exact words were, our next stop is the Huxley Natural Herbs store located just North of Shelter Cove, California. The man we are going to go see is Reed Huxley. He's a natural werekangaroo who relocated to the United States from Australia, and has been living peacefully without a worry in the world. Something tells me that you and he will get along great. After I drop you off there, I will be gone for a few days. Something important came up a few hours before you showed up, and if you hadn't showed up when you had, I would have been forced to leave you behind. Now I can be assured that you will be with someone I trust."

Reed slowly got off of Dominic's stomach, helping him up. "Aye, the white stag does indeed trust me. Sorry Ah pounced yas, but no one is supposed to know Ah'm a werekangaroo, mate."

Dominic took a steady breath and again sat on the couch. "It's okay. If I were you, I'd have done the same thing. There was no way for you to know. I forgive you."

Reed hopped back into his chair and grabbed his beer again, "Thank ya. Ah kin tell you and Ah will get along great. Tell ya what... you 'elp me run my store, and Ah will share everything Ah know about the werekangaroo with yas. Do we 'ave a deal?"

Dominic smiled and reached over and shook Reed's paw, "We have a deal. Plus, seeing as how you run an herbal remedies store, maybe you can tell me something else too. The last lycanthrope I spoke to was the master wererabbit in Texas. He accidently bit someone and infected that person, and has no idea on how to undo it. Is there a modern way to cure lycanthropy?"

Reed took a drink of his beer, then finished it. He looked to Dominic and replied, "Cure for lycanthropy. Yes, there is a modern cure that most lycanthropes can make, but they usually charge an extremely 'igh price for it. Ah kin put together the ingredients for yas to take back to 'im, but that will wait until after ya 'elp me around the store. Ah promise you that, mate."

The next few days proved to be very educational for Dominic. He learned the names and usages of every unusual product in the store. He also learned that some of the products could induce transformations in the people who overdosed on whatever the product was.

For instance, completely eating the entire jar of "Mule Molasses" would transform the victim into a mule, but if you took the doses as specified, it would cure your stubborn attitude.

In fact, Dominic got to witness one of these unfortunate victims on the very first day.

A local teenaged boy, Damian Radford, had been coming by every morning to buy a single "Suffolk Sugared Jawbreaker". Dominic was tending the counter that morning when Damian entered the store. Damian Radford was about fifteen years old, stood about five foot nine inches tall, and weighed around one hundred forty three pounds. He had short brown hair, hazel eyes, and the tan of someone who had been on the beaches of Malibu quite often. He wore a short sleeved blue tee shirt and khaki shorts with big pockets.

On this particular morning, Damian entered the store and walked right over to the large round glass bowl of "Suffolk Sugared Jawbreakers". He saw Dominic watching him and smiled.

Dominic asked, "How may I help you this morning?"

Damian replied, "I am trying to figure out how many of these Jawbreakers I can get for $20."

Dominic pulled up his pocket calculator and pushed a few buttons. "Each one of those Jawbreakers are," Dominic blinked at the price, "that can't be right." He looked again. "Eighty nine cents for one? Those must be really GOOD Jawbreakers if they cost that much." Dominic pushed a few more buttons on the calculator. "You can get twenty-two Jawbreakers for twenty dollars and ninety cents. How's that, son?"

Damian sighed sadly. "I only have a twenty."

Dominic smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'll dig up the ninety cents out of my pocket, and you can get twenty-two Jawbreakers."

Damian brightened! "Are you serious? Really?"

Dominic dug his change out of his pocket, and took Damian's twenty and rang up the sale. Dominic then handed Damian the receipt, then counted out twenty-two Jawbreakers, bagged them up, and handed it to Damian. "There you go. Have a great day."

Damian smiled widely. "Thank you, sir. You're the best." Damian headed out of the store, got back on his bicycle, and rode away.

Dominic smiled to himself as Damian left. He dug out a dollar of his own money and got a Jawbreaker for himself. He unwrapped the wrapper, and popped the Jawbreaker into his mouth. Dominic was surprised on how sweet and delicious that the candy was. He flattened out the wrapper and read the fine print on the wrapper.

"Made from the finest Suffolk draft horse body sugar." Dominic stopped sucking on the Jawbreaker, then he continued reading. "Dosage: one Jawbreaker every four hours for an induced amount of amplified caffeine energy. Limit: three Jawbreakers per day for the safest usage." Dominic was already feeling the affects of the Jawbreaker as it dissolved in his mouth.

A definite inducement of caffeine energy was flowing through him. He felt great.

Dominic had a few more customers that morning, then Reed came out of the apothecary and joined Dominic in the store. Reed noticed Dominic's energy immediately.

"Dominic? Are you alright? You seem a little tense."

Dominic replied with alert pep, "I bought myself a Jawbreaker and popped it in my mouth before reading what it did. I thought it was just candy."

Reed pointed to the Jawbreaker bowl. "You ate one of those?"

Dominic nodded his head rapidly.

Reed chuckled, then said, "You should've been more careful. Those are hightly addictive caffeine bombs. A replacement for coffee. Don't feel so bad about it, mate. I did the same thing when I first received a shipment of those things."

Dominic, although pepped up with energy, didn't look very amused. "A teenager came in and bought twenty-two of them."

Reed's chuckle died in his throat. "Damian was in this morning? Oh lordy! We got to find him, mate. What was he wearing? How did he leave?"

Dominic told Reed everything he saw, then Reed and Dominic closed up the store and hopped into Reed's jeep and drove down to the beach in search of Damian.

About an hour later, Reed spotted Damian's bicycle. Dominic and Reed got out of the jeep and looked at the bicycle. Then they searched the area thoroughly.

Dominic was walking past a an opening between the rocks, when something caught his eye. He backed up and looked directly at what had caught his attention.

Standing in a cramped space between the tall rocks was a large tan draft horse. On the ground under the horse are Damian's ruined ripped tee shirt and shorts. Also on the ground was the remains of the bag of Jawbreakers.

"REED!" Dominic yelled. "I FOUND HIM." Dominic looked at the horse. "I think."

Reed arrived in the jeep and brought some chiesels and hammers to the site. Reed chieseled away the rock carefully, while Dominic held the horse still.

Finally, Reed and Dominic gently led the horse back up to the Natural Herbs store. Reed parked the jeep, then led the horse back behind the building to an almost hidden secondary building.

Dominic entered behind the horse, looking around the inside space of this building. "What is all this?"

Reed sighed. "This is my apothecary building, mate. No one is normally allowed in here but me, but this is an emergency. I've been trying to catch Damian for weeks now."

Dominic blinked his eyes! "You mean this horse is that teenager I saw this morning? But how is that possible? The kid looked perfectly human this morning."

Reed checked the draft horse out carefully. "He's been stealing Jawbreakers from the bowl. Remember that I told you how addictive they were, mate? Well, he's an addict. I've been trying to catch him and administer a cure before he went and did this to himself."

Dominic looked at the horse again, then sat down on a stack of "Bagged Roo Powder".

Reed glanced over at Dominic and exclaimed, "You can sit there, just don't poke a hole in that stuff. Otherwise, I will have a new kangaroo mate instead of a helpful friend."

Dominic blinked again and looked down at the label on the large bag he is sitting on. Then, he looked back over to where Reed was injecting a large liquidy dose directly down the horse's throat. The draft horse made an obvious face, then Reed led the horse further back into the building to an empty stall. Reed parked the horse within, then returned back to the front of the workshop.

Dominic's blast of energy had just worn off and he was yawning right where he sat.

Reed nodded his head realizing what had happened. "It's worn off, hasn't it, mate? We best get you into bed. You won't be worth a darned to me the rest of the day. Side effect of those darned Jawbreakers. You have to sleep twice as long to revive yourself from the forced activity that you've placed on your body during the last four hours."

Reed helped Dominic get back into the house, helped Dominic get undressed and helped the almost unconscious Dominic into the bed. Dominic was out like a light. He slept deeply and right through the rest of the day.

Dominic awoke slowly and quite stiffly. He slowly sat up, then sat up on the edge of the bed. Dominic stood up weakly and staggered slowly into the hallway wearing nothing but his underwear. He looked around for Reed, but couldn't find him anywhere. Dominic headed into the rear apothecary building, and saw right away that Reed wasn't there either. Dominic slowly walked to where the horse had been parked, as he looked into the stall at the Suffolk draft horse.

The horse, who was Damian, noticed Dominic standing there and said, "I feel horrible."

Dominic sighed. "You're not the only one. I ate a Jawbreaker too. It tasted so good at first, then it was like the worst taste ever when it wore off."

Damian nodded his horse's head. "I knew I was addicted, but I couldn't stop myself from wanting more of them. I was obsessed. Now look at me. I'm a horse."

Dominic replied, "Reed told me that he can get you back to normal, or at least, reasonably normal. For a horse, you're not bad looking."

Damian sighed audibly.

Dominic reached in and caressed Damian's face fur. "You'll be human again soon. Just try to be patient."

Dominic headed back to the front of the apothecary. He noticed that one of the "Bagged Roo Powder" sacks were missing. He looked around for it, but he did not see it. He then explored the rest of the apothecary. Dominic found a book entitled, "Herbal Transformation Myths and Facts". He picked up the book and carried it back to the bedroom where he lay himself back down. Dominic began reading the book from cover to cover.

When he has just barely finished reading the book, Dominic heard an odd crash coming from the apothecary building. He was up immediately and with book in hand, he headed back out to the apothecary building.

When Dominic entered the room, he saw Reed in his werekangaroo form fighting someone who looked like a humanoid panther. Dominic blinked as he saw Reed take a swing at the panther man, but the panther man easily dodged the blow. But the panther's dodge brought him too close to Dominic's location, and Dominic raised the book and beaned the panther man in the back of the head as hard as he could swing.

The panther man hit the floor immediately!

Reed smiled. "Thanks, mate, you're a life saver." Reed hopped over and tied up the panther man securely. "Glad to see you up. How do you feel?"

Dominic panted tiredly. "A little hungry. Is that normal?"

Reed replied, "Very normal. You hadn't eaten all day, mate. The caffeine told your body that you didn't need food. When it wore off, you were literally starved."

Dominic looked at the unconscious panther man. "Who is this idiot?"

Reed chuckled, "He's a local werepanther that I know of. He got drunk and threatened to kill me. Glad you came out here when you did, mate. The poor bloke will be better when the booze wears off."

Dominic said, "I was out here earlier." He handed the book back to Reed. "I read that. I also spoke with Damian." He looked over at the Bagged Roo Powder. "One of your Roo Powder bags are missing."

Reed smiled, "I know. You know what it's good for? You mix it carefully into water, and sprinkle it over your garden plants. Helps the plants to regain their springlike growth." Reed chuckled, "Of course, if you inhale enough of the stuff, or get too much of it on your skin, you will transform into a kangaroo, mate."

Dominic hummed as he listened to all of this.

Reed continued. "I mixed up a whole bag of the stuff into the mixing vat in another part of the apothecary. It changed the water into a tan creamy lotion. I think I mixed the stuff wrong. I can't dump the stuff because it's dangerous to anyone who gets it on them. So I have that room's door shut and clearly marked."

Reed smiled to Dominic. "Help me cart this bloke inside to the bedroom, then we'll wrestle up some food." Dominic grabbed the werepanther under his arms, as Reed grabbed the werepanther's feet. Together, they carried their load into the house and put him into a bed in another room. Reed and Dominic then retired to the kitchen where Reed began fixing some dinner.

Dominic and Reed ate dinner, talking casually.

Then, Reed got up and started doing the dishes, while Dominic headed into the other room to check on the werepanther. When he entered the bedroom, he saw that the werepanther awake and struggling against his bonds. He stopped when he saw Dominic standing in the doorway.

Dominic quietly asked, "How are you feeling?"

The male werepanther snarled, then struggled some more.

Dominic shrugged his shoulders and turned around to leave.

The werepanther panted and spoke up. "I need something to quench my parched throat and I need go relieve myself. Please untie me or the bed will be soaked in piss."

Dominic turned back to face the werepanther. "I'm sorry I beaned you in the back of your head." Dominic walked over behind the werepanther and placed his arms around the werepanther's arms and torso. He carries him down the hall to the bathroom, and sat the bound creature on the toilet. He lowered the werepanther's shaft downward into the stool and made sure the tail was lifted and clear. Dominic then stepped back and watched the werepanther carefully. "You stay tied up till I know you're sober. Or until Reed says it's okay to untie you."

The werepanther emptied his bladder and took a healthy dump as well. When he appeared to be finshed, he tilted his head and asked, "Are you going to wipe for me too?"

Dominic held up the toliet paper, and then, bent the werepanther over and cleaned his tail hole thoroughly. Dominic then hefted the werepanther over his shoulder, and carried him into the kitchen and set him down in a chair at the kitchen table. Reed smiled when he saw the activity, yet said nothing. Dominic poured a cup of coffee, and held the cup for the werepanther while the male creature drank the coffee slowly. When six cups of the coffee has been drank, the werepanther was carried back into the bedroom, and lain down into the bed once again.

The werepanther sighed, then said, "Thank you. I am not drunk. I swear."

Dominic sat on the bed next to the werepanther, rubbing the werepather's chest. "I know you're not. Lycanthropes don't stay intoxicated for very long. Maybe Reed will untie you himself. He's the one who tied you up and those knots look complicated."

The werepanther nodded his muzzle and closed his eyes. "You're the nicest human I've ever met." He fell asleep soon thereafter.

Dominic walked back into the kitchen where Reed had just finished washing the dishes.

Dominic quietly replied, "He's asleep."

Reed smiled. "Good. You want to help me clean up the apothecary? When we're done, we can get some sleep."

Reed and Dominic spent the next few hours cleaning up the apothecary. Reed catalogued his stock of unusual items, and Dominic swept the floors and stacked boxes and sorted the shelfed bottles. Reed chatted as they worked, explaining where he'd gone earlier, and of returning to the apothecary to get ambushed by the werepanther.

At almost midnight, Reed and Dominic returned inside the main house. Reed quietly untied the werepanther, then he and Dominic went into the only other bedroom and lay down in the bed together, and fell asleep quite quickly.

Dominic awoke the next morning to the feeling of something furry slowly stroking his face. He opened his eyes and saw the werepanther sitting on top of him. "Just wanted to thank you for being nice to me last night. If you hadn't knocked me out, I'd have really hurt someone." The werepanther licked Dominic's cheek then hopped off the bed and disappeared out the door.

Dominic heard Reed saying goodbye to the werepanther, followed by the backdoor closing. Dominic got out of bed slowly. He immediately noticed that his clothes were gone.

"Um, Reed? Where are my clothes?"

Reed's voice answered from somewhere in the house, "It's laundry day, mate, and it's Saturday. We aren't open today. You want some breakfast?"

Dominic slowly walked into the kitchen, somewhat blushing from being naked. He then saw that Reed was still in his werekangaroo form and naked as well. "Your friend kissed me this morning."

Reed looked at Dominic and smiled. "Relax, mate. It's just you and me today. I have some things to do in the apothecary later. I'd like it if you helped me do some things out there. Relax!"

Reed placed a bowl of Cap'n Crunch cereal in front of Dominic and poured the milk upon it. He moved the bowl of sugar close to Dominic. Reed then got himself some cereal and seated himself beside Dominic. They ate breakfast together. Dominic slowly became slightly more relaxed, but looked as if he might go through the roof if touched the wrong way.

Reed prepared some glasses of chocolate milk for Dominic and himself. He gave Dominic a glass, and they drank the sweet chocolatey milk down together. Dominic felt more relaxed almost immediately. They did the dishes together, then watched some Saturday morning cartoons on television.

At about 10 AM, Reed and Dominic entered the apothecary building and Reed headed back to check on Damian.

Damian was more human looking now, but was also still very horse looking.

Reed told Damian that in a few more days, he'd be completely human again. Reed then returned to the front, and had a seat at the worktable.

Dominic also had a seat, on top of the "Bagged Roo Powder" stack. He feels as if he was a nude model in a college art class.

For the next few hours, Reed worked on his potions and elixirs. Whenever he needed something specific that wasn't on hand, he had Dominic fetch it for him. Finally, Reed was working on the last elixir for the day. He hummed, then said to Dominic, "I need some "Dingo Extract". You'll find some in store room number two in the back hallways. Go get some for me, will you mate?"

Dominic hopped off the stack, and headed into the back hallways, passed where Damian was resting. Dominic entered through the back hallway door, then located store room number two. Dominic didn't notice the piece of paper that was lying face down on the hallway floor as he entered store room number two. Once inside the store room, Dominic noticed a slight aloe vera odor in the air. He shook it off, and walked around the large vat to where the ladder was. Dominic rolled the ladder around to where the "Dingo Extract" was stored on the far upper shelves. He climbed up the ladder and when he reached the top, he noticed that there was only one bottle left. He hummed, then suddenly lost his grip on the bottle and it fell into a bag of "Emu Feathers" on the floor.

Dominic was the next one to lose his balance on the ladder, when Reed opened the door directly into the ladder itself. Dominic lets forth a quick shout as he fell directly into the large vat in the center of the store room!

Reed quickly got around the ladder into the room. He climbed the short steps to the left side of the large vat, and using a lasso, he looped the noose around Dominic's torso. Reed hauled Dominic out of the sticky tan ooze and quickly turned a water hose upon Dominic's body, rinsing off the mixture as quickly as possible!

"Are you alright, mate?!"

Dominic coughed a couple of times, then rasped, "I think I swallowed some of it."

Reed lifted Dominic on his shoulders and rushed him into a bedroom located across the hallway. He lay Dominic on the bed and rushed out of the room.

About fifteen minutes later, Reed quickly returned and, while holding Dominic's nose, coaxed some hot liquid down Dominic's throat. Dominic swallowed it, then coughed some more, rasping, "No, Reed! I meant, I think I swallowed some of the water!" Dominic became sick almost immediately and passed out.

Dominic awoke slowly. His eyesight was somewhat blurry. He realized that he wasn't wearing his glasses. Dominic tried to sit up and fell off the bed unto his muzzle. He tries to reach up to rub his nose from this fall, then he saw his furry hand. His eyes went wide and he looked around the room. He crawled over to the object he was looking for and propped himself up to gaze fully into the mirror.

Staring back at him with wide eyes was a very large kangaroo!

Dominic screamed and again passed out!

The next time Dominic woke up, he didn't even try moving from the bed. He only lifted his hand to see if it was still furry, and it was. He moaned aloud, "How could I have been so clumsy?"

The door opened and hopping into the room in his werekangaroo form, was Reed. He closed the door and looked over Dominic with a worried look in his eyes. "How you feeling, mate?"

Dominic sighed, replying, "I found the "Dingo Extract". It fell into the bag of "Emu Feathers". You'll have to order more of it. It was the last one."

Reed nodded his head, saying, "I found it, mate. A few days ago."

Dominic closed his eyes. A tear rolled out of one eye. "Why haven't I started changing back into a human yet?"

Reed sighed, replying, "When you said you swallowed the mixture, I quickly went and prepared a heavy overdose of the cure to reverse the mixture, and forced you to swallow the whole thing. Then you told me you had swallowed the hose water instead, and then immediately passed out. That's when I realized that I had forced you to drink an overdose mixture of "Kangaroo Honey" and "Kangaroo Semen". I had mixed up the wrong cure, mate. I am terribly sorry. You've been a kangaroo for about a week."

Dominic sighed again. "And what of Damian? How is he?"

Reed replied, "Damian is completely human. I drove him straight home. I explained to his parents that he had been mugged by ruffians, and I found him and brought him home."

Dominic opened his eyes. "And what of the white stag?"

Reed placed a furry hand on Dominic's shoulder. "He hasn't shown up yet. And that worries me." He looked to Dominic. "I brought you the cure to the cure. It took awhile to make the stuff. I had to wait for a new shipment of "Homo Sapien Spirit Water". But it finally arrived this morning, and I've been working all day to make the cure for you, mate."

Dominic sighed again. "You could've left me like this. No one would have been the wiser."

Reed patted Dominic's shoulder gently. "I would have known, mate. I would have known." He opened the bottle of clear liquid. "Now, drink this all up. I'll have to make some more later." Reed helped Dominic drink the liquid, and Dominic swallowed it quite easily.

Dominic smiled, exclaiming, "That tastes like cherries!"

Reed smiled. "Good. I made it the right way. Now you get some rest. And I'll be back later to see you." Reed hopped over to the door, exiting the room, and closing the door behind him. Dominic lay on the bed examing his new body. He turned over and fell asleep once again.

Reed met with the white stag in the front yard at the shimmering gate of air at around 5 AM the next morning. Reed explained what had happened to Dominic, and of how much longer it might take to cure him. The white stag hung his head, then lifted his head and nodded.

Reed and the white stag headed through the gate back to Texas, where Reed met with the master wererabbit, Pablo Kingston, and explained how the cure for lycanthropy worked. Pablo took it to Jacqueline Peverell and repeated the information, precisely, to her. Jackie did as she was told, and applied the cure to herself.

A few hours later, Jackie was completely cured from the wererabbit curse. Pablo returned to the white stag, then pulled his packed up cart through the shimmering gate. Sexen Reinhard met up with them, as he, too, entered the shimmering gate en route to Dominic's mansion. The white stag dropped off Sexen and Pablo inside the garage next to the furnace room.

Damon Horse was temporarily startled, but after the white stag explained why the werefox and the wererabbit were there, Damon settled back into his easy chair with his beer.

The white stag and Reed returned to California. Reed then emerged from the shimmering gate, while the white stag vanished back into the gate.

Dominic awoke late in the day. He performed the normal cursory inspection of his furry self, then sighed when he realized he was still a kangaroo. He continued to do this every morning there after for the next three weeks.

Finally, one day he awoke to find himself back inside the main portion of the house in the usual bed. Dominic looked at his hand first, then immediately sat up and checked out the rest of his body. He had completely recovered into his original human form.

Dominic got up and walked into the bathroom where he did his business. After a full hour, Dominic washed his hands, and headed into the kitchen.

Reed was preparing a hot breakfast. He smiled when he saw Dominic on his feet. "Glad to see you up and around, mate."

Dominic smiled, hugging Reed from behind. Dominic then kissed Reed's cheek, then went over and sat down at the kitchen table. "You are a far better man than I am, Reed. I was ready to give up, but you didn't give up on me. I owe you my life."

Reed smiled, then hummed seriously. "You owe me your life?"

Dominic replied, "Absolutely. You not only saved me, but you restored my belief in myself. I'll do anything you'd like me to do, Reed."

Reed turned to Dominic and exclaimed, "I want you to call me your mate. Just once. I want to hear you say it, mate. I say it all the time, but I'd like to hear it from you."

Dominic blinked his eyes, then replied, "You've been like a lover to me, mate. And I thank you for being a gentleman about this whole experience."

Reed smiled and replied, "Welcome to the family, mate."

For the next few days, Dominic and Reed ran the store, had some fun on the beach, and worked in the apothecary.

Then one night, Reed and Dominic were lying in bed together.

Reed turned to Dominic and exclaimed, "I believe I promised you some information, mate."

Dominic smiled, replying, "Okay, mate. I need to know how long you've been a werekangaroo, how you got here to this location, and what your standard habits are. Of course, if there is anything you feel uncomfortable about answering, then you need not say anything."

Reed smiled, then took a breath and said, "I was born over 30 years ago in Australia to a normal enough family of kangaroos, in fact. I would never have known I was anything but a kangaroo until the night I achieved puberty. It was a full moon, and some stupid dingos attacked my family. I reacted without thinking, as the bloodlust took over my body. The dingos were rended and I drank their fluids. My family was horrified, and wouldn't let me come near them anymore. I was devastated. I moved into the city where I was educated in humanity."

"Then one day, an American businessman was telling me all about the freedom he had in the United States. I said I wished I could go there, and the businessman paid my airfare to California. He officially adopted me within a month, and he sent me to the best schools in the Silicon Valley. Then, my curse caught up with me, and some hippies saw me transform and fight some police officers. As I was trying to get away, the hippies, drove up along side me, then in front of me. One of the girls opened the back of the van and helped me into it."

"They drove me into Northern California, all the way up here to the outskirts of their community. They told me I was a lycanthrope. A warrior of the gods. They were the ones who suggested I study the natural ways. I wandered for awhile, at first, then had the fortune to communicate with my adopted father via a pay phone. I told him where I was, what I was, and what had happened. He was really nice about it."

"A few days later, he showed up and drove me to a place he owned just North of Shelter Cove, California. This place where you are now. He told me he would finance my herbal explorations, provided that I could show a profit by the time that one year had passed. I agreed to the deal."

Dominic nodded his head, listening intently.

Reed continued. "I studied herbs and spices for the first few months. Then one day, one of my hippie friends showed up and gave me some presents. They had sent me a supply of new spices, unusual herbs, and some books on herbal healing, pharmacitical processes, and a book on herbal myths and facts. The book you read a few weeks ago."

Reed smiled. "Applying all my new knowledge, I created the first of my best selling herbal cures: Mule Molasses. It was a big hit. At the end of the first year, I had not only shown a profit, but my remedies were pulling in more money than my adopted father had made with his first business endeavor. He was very impressed with me and set me up with a permanent banking account for furthering my herbal business store. As time went on, I learned to control the bad boy kangaroo inside of me."

Dominic smiled. "You've done a fine job of it, from what I've seen."

Reed chuckled. "The old me would've infected you and molested you repeatedly. I am glad I am not like that anymore."

Dominic nodded his head, then asked, "Now, mate, what habits would you say you have?"

Reed grinned then replied, "Well, mate, I enjoy good Australian beer, a beach barbecue, a night at the pool hall in town with my friends, traipsing around the house naked, and working in my apothecary. I love inventing new concoctions. And one more thing."

Dominic arched an eyebrow, asking, "And what would that one more thing be, mate?"

Reed smiled, reaching over and turning off the light. (See F5) The night passed slowly.

The next morning after a good breakfast, Dominic took a long shower, dried off, then got dressed in his traveling clothes. He then bundled up in his heavy parka and snow boots again. Reed and Dominic met the white stag out front at the shimmering gate. Reed wished them a safe journey, then headed back into his store. The white stag and Dominic entered the shimmering gate, and were well into the inbetween space. The white stag explained what had transpired with the wererabbit and the werefox, and of Jackie's fate. Dominic listened and nodded his head.

The white stag exclaimed, "Our next stop is in the Shenandoah National Park, just East of Elkton, Virginia. The wereraccoons we are going to see are natural lycanthropes who are sharing an old hunting lodge for the winter. That area is experiencing another blizzard currently, the third one in under two weeks. We are going to make another stop by your mansion so you can stock up on food, drink, and shiny presents for those you would talk to. You'd better take some extra blankets, extra thick sleeping bags, and a good supply of matches, kerosene, and firewood. After I drop you off inside the old hunting lodge, you'll again be on your own for a few days. My important business is not quite finished. But I know you can handle it."

After an overnight stop at the mansion, the white stag transported Dominic and the huge overloaded collection of supplies directly into the old lodge's central chamber, where the fireplace was located.

Dominic was immediately hit by the blast of the frigid air within the old lodge. He set about to immediately build a fire in the fireplace. Within an hour, there was a comfortable warmth within the central chamber. Dominic then unpacked all the shiny gifts first, then the warm blankets, followed by the thick padded sleeping bags.

Dominic looked around and listened to the silence of the old lodge. He wondered where the wereraccoons were? Surely they would have sensed the warmth that the fireplace was creating by now. Dominic got up and began to explore the entirety of the old lodge.

Dominic was shocked to see the front door standing wide open. He shoveled the snow out from the doorway and forced the door closed. He slid the bar into place, securing the door against the cold. He then returned to the central chamber and warmed his hands again. Dominic could definitely sense an increase in heat within the old lodge now.

Dominic then finished exploring the old lodge. He only found one window in one room with it's shutters open, which he had no problem in closing. He explored the attic, then returned downstairs, and rechecked the central chamber again.

Still no wereraccoons. Where were they?

Dominic finally had an idea. He headed into the old kitchen and opened the door leading down into the root cellar. Dominic called out into the root cellar, "Hello? Anyone down there?" He walked down into the root cellar, and as he was turning to head back upstairs, Dominic spotted the wereraccoons all curled up behind the stairs. "The white stag brought me here. Are you folks okay?"

The huddled furry mass of wereraccoons didn't move right away, then one head lifted up slowly, and he replied, "Cold. So cold. And hungry."

Dominic nodded his head. "I brought food, drinks, warm blankets, firewood, and thick sleeping bags. And, oh yes, I brought shiny gifts for all of you."

The one wereraccoon shivered and said, "Cold. So cold."

Dominic began the carrying of wereraccoons, one by one, upstairs, and into the warmth of the central chamber. Finally, Dominic carried the last one upstairs. He closed the root cellar door, then headed into the central chamber and wrapped up this wereraccoon with a thick blanket, as he has done with the rest of the gathered wereraccoons.

Dominic then unpacked the food and drink and proceeded to the feeding of his hosts.

After they all have had a warm meal in their tummies and were thawed out enough to move, the teenaged wereraccoons, three males and two females, occupied their time with the shiny gifts. The three adult wereraccoons, two males and one female, none of them related, sat near the fireplace with Dominic.

One male wereraccoon exclaimed, "You can call me Freeway! You said the white stag brought you? Where is he?"

Dominic explained where the white stag went and why, as far as he knew. He then further explained why he was there, and of how long he'd be with them.

Freeway smiled. "So, you're going to be with our little clan until the white stag returns? That's great! Let me introduce you to everyone else." Freeway patted the male next to him. "This is Rapid." Rapid smiled. "That's his mate, Glimmer." Glimmer, the adult female wereraccoon also smiled, and snugged Rapid. "The first male teenager on the right is Video, and the female next to him is his mate, Flash. The male over there playing with the glitterball is Streaky, and the female on his back is his mate, Sunshine."

Dominic nodded his head, then noticed the other male wereraccoon still wrapped up in the heavy blanket. "And who is that?"

Freeway looked to where Dominic indicated and replied, "That is Ricci Forrester. He joined our little clan back in the summer when it was warmer. I tried to warn him before he begged to join our little clan of the harsh Winters in this region. But he said he could handle it. Personally, I feel sorry for the kid. He's an infected human, as you may have guessed." Freeway lowered his voice. "Ricci is a runaway. Wish we hadn't taken him in. I'm sure he has parents somewhere who are worried sick about him."

Dominic nodded his head, completely understanding. "I need to know a few things about wereraccoons, if you don't mind, Freeway. I need to know how long you've been a wereraccoon, how you got here to this location, and what your standard habits are. Of course, if there is anything you feel uncomfortable about answering, then you need not say anything."

Freeway smiled. "I don't mind talking with you, Dominic. But we should do so somewhere more private." Freeway snatched up one of the larger sleeping bags and one of the larger warm blankets. He and Dominic then headed off into one of the other rooms, and closed the door securely.

Freeway lay the sleeping bag out on top of the old bed, then unfurled the warm blanket across the entire bed. Freeway climbed into the sleeping bag, then looked to Dominic.

Dominic arched an eye at Freeway.

Freeway smiled. "Lose the clothes and climb into the sleeping bag with me."

Dominic blinked his eyes, then did as he was asked.

Dominic emptied his pockets first, then took off his parka and snowboots. He removed his boots and his socks, then removed the rest of his clothes. He took off his glasses last. Dominic then climbed into the sleeping bag with Freeway, and zipped the bag closed up to their necks.

Freeway made a very nice comment to Dominic. "You have the most beautiful eyes, Dominic."

Dominic smiled. "Thank you, Freeway. Your eyes are very pretty, too."

Freeway proved to be about five foot eleven inches tall, but only weighing in around one hundred five pounds. He had shiny green eyes, but the rest of Freeway's humanoid wereform was covered in his raccoon fur, right down to his long fluffy tail. Freeway's age seemed timeless, as he talked and looked to be in his mid twenties. Dominic felt Freeway's paws exploring his body slowly.

Dominic nervously exclaimed, "Um, shall we get started with the interview, Freeway?"

Freeway smiled. "What's your hurry, Dominic? Savor the moment. That's what I always say."

Dominic started to say something more, when Freeway's paws went lower. "Free. Um. Way."

Freeway giggled and rubbed Dominic gently, nosing Dominic's cheeks, licking his chin slowly. Then, Freeway relaxed a bit, and said, "I am roughly 896 years old, and I grew up with the Indians in this area. Now, they knew how to have fun! And they didn't mind snuggling up against someone covered in fur. I was like one of their totem spirits. They did everything to keep me happy. I guess that's why I was so interested in having fun."

"Then, when the Europeans showed up, they brought lots and lots of shinies! I became addicted with collecting anything shiny that I could acquire from the Europeans."

"Several hundred years later, I became a symbol of freedom for the younger crowd of black and white teenagers throughout the south during the late 1800s. The war was scary! I saw former friends killing each other with shiny things, and that's around about the time I stopped collecting shinies. I was afraid I'd kill someone with the thing I collected. I gave away all my shinies I'd been collecting for centuries."

"Then, the 1900s rolled around, and the people started making super shiny things. And I quickly became hooked again. But it didn't last long. People just couldn't stop fighting each other. Three more wars and riots throughout the 1900s, then it was the late '60s."

"A subculture of peace-loving non-violent children of all ages appeared, and I once again became a symbol of freedom for these pleasure seeking people. The remaining years up until now, I became interested in finding the rest of my kind. The other natural wereraccoons."

"Then last summer, I finally succeeded in getting a large bunch of our kind together in this area. It was nice and warm, and I was surprised about how many actually showed up. A little over 320 wereraccoons showed up for the gathering. I had a blast!"

"Then, a few of us decided to stay together for a whole year. One of the couples knew about this old lodge and we decided to stay here. Ricci Forrester showed up a few weeks later. He was obviously having family problems and after he found out what we were, he begged to join our little family. We tried to explain it to him that most of us were loners. We couldn't talk him out of it. Anytime someone begs and uses the word, please, I just sort of go soft. I infected him and the summer passed quite quickly. We knew the winter was going to be harsh when we saw the telltale signs on the trees and the moss in the area."

Freeway sighed. "At that point, I knew that Ricci was going to be suffering majorly. And this lodge would not be able to convey the warmth that a former human needed to properly survive. I'd change him back and send him home, but look around you. We're in the middle of a blizzard here. I wish we'd chosen a different area to have an all year gathering."

Dominic hummed, then asked, "I got space in my mansion. It's spacious, warm, and there is a good supply of food. It's located near Rocky Falls, Missouri, but at least you wouldn't be freezing your butt off for the remaining months after I left. And from what I've seen, you wereraccoons hardly stay in one location for very long, so your stay would be temporary, at best."

Freeway smiled and snugged Dominic. "You're nice. But just for the winter. Then we have to explore the lands around us. It's a raccoon thing."

Dominic snuggled up with Freeway and they hugged each other. (See F6) The night passed warmly.

Fortunately for Dominic, the white stag returned the next morning, and Dominic explained to the white stag what the plan for the wereraccoons was. Freeway restated that the stay was only temporary. The white stag just chuckled and told Dominic that he's a nut, but smiled as he said that.

They packed up all the supplies and gear, then the white stag opened the shimmering gate.

They all passed through the gate, and were soon back within Dominic's mansion.

Damon, Pablo, and Sexen were sitting around a table playing a game of cards. Damon's response to seeing the wereraccoons... "Good God, Dominic! Why don't you just go get a zookeeper's license?"

Dominic just smiled and went over and snugged Damon from behind. "It's only for the winter." Dominic gave the wereraccoons rooms in the heated basement of the mansion.

Dominic then spent the next few hours on the computer looking up information on Ricci Forrester. He soon found what he was seeking, and called the boy's parents in Elkton, Virginia. Dominic explained that Ricci was with him in Missouri and didn't want to go home.

It turned out that the Forrester's were in the process of getting a divorce. Mrs. Forrester asked Dominic to just keep Ricci there where it was safe. Dominic and Mrs. Forrester spoke for about another hour, then Dominic said goodbye to her. Dominic retired to his office to relax.

Ending Evaluation:

Dominic was typing his final report on his trusty electronic typewriter. He still remembered his adventures around the four corners of the United States. He also glanced at the address and phone number in his address book for Reed Huxley's Natural Herbs store located just North of Shelter Cove, California. He could occasionally hear the chatting from his guests through the open doorway. A sign of relaxed and contented people.

Dominic then looked over his report.

_To Whom It May Concern,

During my extensive investigation into the curse of lycanthropy, it has been decided that the curse is actually a mixture of natural herbs and long thought extinct spices, when mixed together, and imbibed internally causes a hallucinatory effect within the imbiber. Also, it should be mentioned that the mixture itself produces a senses altering effect in anyone who inhales the fumes from the mixture. This usually happens when someone encounters the person who has drank the mixture, as the scent from the mixture causes the sweat glands to secrete this unusual hallucinatory scent. It is in my personal opinion that the mixture be studied by experienced pharmacists (of sufficient licensed skill) to discover what medical benefits the mixture itself can provide to the needy public. As the ingredients are all natural, it could create a more affordable solution to prescription drugs._

Dominic Bastian Vanlyone

Footnotes: (F1) Morgan Hershel, Janna Stoddard, Griffin Vandyke, and Rima Whitmore all first appeared in Mark of the Moon (CT-02) (F2) Unicorn Tribes (SE-01) (F3) You people are disgusting if you thought I was going to describe a sex scene in this story. If you are that perverse in mind, then imagine in your own heads what might have happened in that bed during those several nights. (F4) Read F3, except that you should imagine what did happen in that bed for the one night. (F5) Read F3, except that you should imagine what did happen in that bed for the one night. (F6) Nope, sorry. No sex this time. Feeling and touching, yes. Sex, no.