Wolves Collide

[cor]

Being alone was nothing new for Crystal. Ever since she had become a werewolf hundreds of years ago she has remained alone. Her fear of making friends came from the fear that as a wolf she would recognize the scent and hunt them down. Then they would know who and what she was. But worse, if you make friends you make enemies too. There lay another fear, a fear that her wolf would take care of her enemy for her. That her wolf would kill whoever it was that threatened her in any way. It was her fears that drove her, but for once she let her curiosity take the better of her.

Stumbling upon a strange scent hadn't been intentional, she had only stopped to fill up her dodge challenger at a gas station when a sharp dog scent hit her. It was unlike any she had ever encountered before, and of course after living for as long as she had it caught her attention, and warranted her concern. Crystal could also smell the vampires in the area, and that only aroused her suspicion more. How could this scent mingle with vampires? So doing something she had never done before, Crystal decided to stay. She had found a small, cozy inn nearby and rented herself a room. After unpacking her small supply she cleaned herself up, ate dinner, and dressed to go hiking. The smell seemed animal-like, close to another werewolves, but still very different. Woods seemed like a good place to start.

Each knife was in place when Crystal set out for her walk. This town, Forks, was small and friendly. Everyone seemed to know one another, and that bothered Crystal greatly. They would notice the newcomer, word would spread that she was here, and if any of the Volturi were associated with the vampire smell she would bolt. She could defend herself well enough against one vampire, but she had no desire to bring attention to the Volturi. Not when Caius believed the wolves dead. She would be on the run again. Something she had no intention of doing.

Finding the woods was simple, Crystal found a path easily enough, but decided against it. The smell she found wasn't on paths, but scattered throughout the woods. Her body tingled, and she looked out into the sky. A full moon was coming in a few days, and he wolf side itched to run in an area like this, but she couldn't risk it. Not until she knew what other creatures resided here. A shame really, it was not often she found somewhere that the wolf truly liked. The two were the same, she knew that the wolf was her, but at the same time it was it's own creature. She had come to accept this, and was actually very happy she contained no memories from when the wolf was in charge. That way she felt no guilt when the animal did the things she only wished she herself could do.

The scent growing stronger caught her attention and brought her mind back to where she was and what she was doing at the moment. The smell was certainly wolf, but this particular one was... female. Something inside Crystal rose, and she felt her senses sharpen on a higher level. This "wolf" was around somewhere, and if Crystal could smell her, surely the "wolf" could smell Crystal as well. Something bothered her about this, sure she was strong, the only creatures to ever out power her had been vampires, but what if? She shook off her fear, and braced herself. She would not fall victim, especially not to something so similar to herself. She had lived to long to die now.

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[[Tag: Leah!]]

[Leah Clearwater]

Leah walked out of the woods, while pulling strands of grass and random twigs from her hair. That annoyed her, the never appearing clean because she rarely got timely showers. However being annoyed over something was just normal now days for Leah; so it fair to say she was in a causal normal mood today. That mood was why she was no closer to not phasing then before. She could not get over the anger and bitter, and the annoyance. And the fact that she could not get over that and not phase only annoyed her more.

Walking from the woods and into Forks were she was going to buy something cooked to eat for lunch, Leah froze. What the hell was that?! The scent was old, but still new enough to be fresh, and it made every hair on her body stand up. It held the scent of being dangerous, and wild. Almost like her brothers and her, but something was off with it. It held a almost predator hint to the scent that came at her.

Walking along the side walk, Leah was following it. She stopped out side an inn and looked in. The older heavy set woman was smiling a younger more fit man. They appeared calm and in the middle of an awkward flirt.

So it was human in appearance!

If it had been the animal the scent suggested then the people in side would be frantic. Leah was about to follow the scent (which was getting slightly stronger) down the sidewalk more, when she saw Charlie Swan walking up her way. He had not seen her yet, as he was talking to someone beside him. Leah turned and cut across the street quickly, doing her best not to be seen. Charlie was dating her mother, and if things got to much further, and he married her mother then Leah was looking at becoming related to the leeches by marriages. Needless to day, Leah encouraged her mother to just use Charlie as a boy toy (even if it annoyed her mother when she said it).

It must have been fate that Charlie caused her to move closer to the woods, because once there she found the scent very fresh and very strong. Leah had JUST came from the woods so they had to have JUST missed each other.

Leah paused there for a moment, thinking before she acted. Should she go get some else? The scent wasn't something that smelled safe. It had a wild edge to it, made the animal side to her react strongly. So should so go alone? She wouldn't get Seth, he was safer in a plastic bubble, but Jake or his goofy side kicks, Embry or Quil?

Leah walked into the woods, shaking off that idea. She wasn't exactly a back down girl. That might have gotten her into trouble a bit, but she was still not going to run away and go get the manly men to save her. The last time, the whole right side of Jake's body had gotten smashed in the New born war.

After a few moments of walking into the woods, she could hear the person walking around. She could not see them yet. Human. huh. "Hello?"

[cor]

It made no sense, she could smell the smell of an animal, but what came was a humans voice. She stopped moving and turned toward the voice she had heard. Female. "Hi, there." Crystal spoke softly, positive that this creature would be able to hear her even if she had whispered her reply, not wanting to be caught off guard Crystal moved. She let her body take her toward the sound she had heard and she walked until she saw a human girl standing in the woods. Her eyes quickly swept over the girl, she was a mess. She looked like she belonged in these woods, and the scent she had smelled radiated off of this women. Well, with a scent that strong why be subtle about it. "What... what are you?" Confusion swept over Crystal and that was new to her. She did not know if she should bolt and get away from her quickly, or hunt her down... eventually.

The wolf inside of her clashed, she could feel it. The constant turmoil inside her own body was due to being bitten. She was always aware of the wolf, but when the wolf had control it completely overrode her. It was as if the human was forgotten. So rare was it that Crystal had any memories from being changed, but somehow she knew, if this women proved dangerous, the wolf would kill her. It hated what she was, like it was mocking her. Crystal shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She was mad, mad that she was letting the wolf control her thoughts even now. After years and years of controlling her own emotions at least while in this form, this girl in front of her could cause such concern. It bothered her.

Then something else caught her off guard even more, the smell of vampire mingled, just slightly with this creature. So that probably meant the Volturi were not around this area, but no need to be careless. If they were, she would find some way to kill this creature in front of her and run. Make sure the Volturi found no trace of her. Her survival was the only thing that mattered to her. Everyone else she once loved was dead now, she learned long ago that pain and love only weigh you down. But something stopped her from attempting she knew about the vampires. She didn't trust this girl, what if she ran straight to the Volturi. Crystal had never been in this sort of situation before. She shook her head once more, she hated how her mind always jumped to the worst situation, but she was grateful it did find a solution at the same time. Instead of blurting anything else out though, she would wait. Wait for a response. She hated waiting.

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[Leah Clearwater]

There were no expletives to express the shock that hit Leah's mind.

It WAS human, and it WAS female. Being the only female around, Leah had never learned to tell the scents apart. Why bother. Now however, the voice that came back to her was female. (Or one very girled up guy). While Leah was banking on the first one, she wondered how it was possible. Leah was willing to bet her life (or at lest her best pair of shoes) that the scent wasn't a shapeshifter scent. But what else was there? What could mix the human and the wildness so well together? And why did some girl smell so scary?!

NOT that Leah was afraid. . . . . cause she wasn't. She was just being safe by not answering the girl.

Leah kept moving while trying to trace the scent, and as she got closer she tired to move quiter even while knowing it was almost an wasted effort. If the girl was part wolf then her hearing would pick Leah up, even if her noise didn't. Which it would. When Leah got with in sight of the she froze again. What the hell? "What the hell!?" The girl was white! Being a wolf was a Native thing! Something that ran in their blood! PURE blood! The strongest of strong! What did some white girl become some of them?! "What are you?!" Leah countered.

[cor]

Crystal felt herself growl, but cut it off. The girl in front of her was in just as much confusion as she was, obviously. Though over the years Crystal had learned that a confused creature is dangerous, and she felt her body pop, it felt danger, and with danger came the change. Crystal had to focus all of her thoughts into soothing her body, and when she felt herself fall back under control, she smiled. "No need for pleasantries I suppose. You smell wolf, but you're not like me. What are you?" Her nose twitched once more, not only was she animal, everything about her was different.

Long ago Crystal was forced to accept her change, she still searched for her maker, and prayed he was alive so she could have the honors of killing him, but something about this girl suggested she was not changed the way Crystal had been. She did not react the way a werewolf always had in the past. She smelled different. Crystal shook her head and decided she would get no where if she let a creature younger than her make the first move. "I am a werewolf, child. What are you?" Something inside of Crystal knew this girl was young, plus mostly anything except vampire was young to her, came with never aging.

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[Leah Clearwater]

Did the white girl just call her a kid?

Werewolf. They were supposed to be pure blood Native---Ooohhhh. . . . . . oh! Leah felt her self hesitate while she watched the girls. The only real time she had heard about these real wolves or Children of the moon as the creepy robed leech mafia had called them was when the Volturi had 'come for a little visit'. From the little that was said, Leah got the feeling even leeches were afraid of them. No control, and to wild or something. One of them had almost taken down the Mafia's blond leader. Point one for the moon kids.

Who lost the point by calling her a child.

"Your right, snowflake, I'm not one of you. I am the guardian of these woods." Leah told her, pride and ego clearly in her voice. Leah thought of the Cullens and wondered what the girl would do about them. While Leah wasn't a Cullen-fan, she wasn't going to let anything happen to them on her watch. Besides, Ness was a Cullen, and Leah was a Ness-Fan. "I protected everything in it." Leah knew you could smell the leeches, so she wasn't going to pretend they were not around. "Even the vampires."

[cor]

The girls name calling had Crystal laughing, she hadn't meant to offend her, but obviously she did not take well to being called 'child'. Crystal even had an urge to apologize, but the girl spoke up again before she could get the words out, and what she said made absolutely no sense. "Pardon me, but 'garden of these woods' means what exactly?" Then the vampires got brought up and Crystal's wolf rose it's hackles. She felt the animal inside of her rise, and she once again went to soothing her body and mind, and her wolf.

So this creature went completely against nature, it protected everything the wolves were against. The two creatures weren't meant to mingle... were they? All she knew was that the vampire hunted her kind, and this girl was closer to what Crystal was than the vampires surely. Once the wolf was fully soothed, Crystal sighed and recollected herself. Please, just tell me. Not the Volturi, right?" If they were here, if HE was here, she would find some way to kill him and run. That one vampire, he had kept all the werewolves on the run, and now Crystal had nobody. She could never bring herself to bite someone, and there was no other wolves to be her mate. She was alone, something she had accepted long ago.

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[Leah Clearwater]

Leah watched the girl, and wondered why she was here. So far they were only going in circles. Not one telling anyone anything, and they were just basically going to end up standing here for hours. Leah decided to play nice and explain this one time, in hopes of getting something useful out of the girl. "As in protector. I guard everything you see. Protect it from anything evil." Leah's eyes watched the girl's face. "Are you evil?" Leah wouldn't trust the answer. She would make up her own mind.

Volturi? "The Volturi are afraid to come here." Leah said, even if it wasn't true. Well, it might be true. They had run with their tails tucked last time after failing to kill Ness. "We out number them." We being the packs and the Cullens, and the numbers weren't on their favor but the stranger didn't need details.

[cor]

The girls response just made Crystal sigh. For once she was growing tired of thinking of her as a 'girl' she wanted something, a name even. Time to give some information out in exchange for some. "The name's Crystal, and what I meant is, what kind of a creature are you. You smell wolf, but you're not a werewolf. The girl claimed the Volturi did not come around her. She had nothing to fear, hopefully.

Her wolf was beginning to get restless, it wanted to run. She looked into the sky once more. There was no need to release her early, she could wait. Crystal's attention turned back towards the Indian. "Evil? No. I keep to myself. The only thing in this world I care to kill is a certain vampire..." and werewolf, but no need to share that part of her life with this girl.

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[Leah Clearwater]

Leah crossed her arm over her chest and watch the girl for a bit. Leah mind was going a million different places and thinking of a million different things. Working out just how this might go and how much she trusted the girl. It came down to the woman-Crystal-was a risk. Leah wondered what Sam would do then dropped that thought. Sam wasn't her judgment line anymore. No one was. Unlike Sam, Jake would let her make her own calls.

Leah would never call the person harmless but for the moment, Crystal's intentions seemed that way. Leah knew she either had to tell her to move along or keep an eye on her. Leah almost wanted to see of the girl could help her kick Paul's ass. Paul would FREAK over getting beat by a white girl. That thought, made up Leah's mind.

Leah looked up at the sky as if trying to remember what moon would be out tonight before walking (slowly) over the to girl--Crystal. "Honesty." Leah's voice held some of the hesitant feelings running thought her, "My name is Leah, and I am not a werewolf. I am something else." She wasn't at the moment going to share to many secrets with Crystal however, Leah had said they would be honest, but not HOW honest. "My kind runs in a pack of five at the moment, but west of here, there is a pack of allot more."

Leah -ONLY- told her their numbers as a subtle and polite threat. "As long as one of these leeches that you want to kill is not a Cullen, and your not running around town as a wolf, then I have no problem with you." Leah had gotten all the rules out of the way, up front so that there would be no misunderstanding later. "What brings you to Forks, Crystal?" It was also Leah's way of making sure they knew who was in charge here.

[cor]

So this girl was not a werewolf, and she even offered her name up. Crystal was confused, but knew the obvious. She had already known she wasn't a werewolf, though it DID shock her to find that whatever she was she ran in a pack, and more so than that there was another one not far off from here with even more wolves in it. Somehow that both excited and irked Crystal. Someone who has lived alone for so long, stumbled onto a group of creatures that co-existed so well, with others, and vampires. Then Crystal heard the threat within the other wolves voice and she had to suppress a smile.

These particular vampires had a name, Cullens. Interesting, but not important, as long as none of them were a part of the Volturi she could care less about these vampires. Unless of course they came after her first, than it was fair game. Her thoughts turned back to the wolf-girl in front of her and she thought through their conversation. So... she protected this forest, the things in it, and was warning her of the rules. Crystal gave a shrug and let it go, she saw no reason to be angry. She would do something along the same lines if she was in her position as well. So instead of being angry, she was impressed. Would Leah be so protective if she was aware of exactly how old Crystal was? Would she still give a warning out to a creature that was older than most of her vampires. Who knows.

With the next question, Crystal did let out a giggle. "What would you say if I told you your the reason I am here in Forks?" It was true, in a sense. But should she risk angering this little wolf. "To be more exact, your scent. I was simply filling up on gas when I caught wind of a unique smell, and I wanted to investigate." Crystal gave a shrug to show the other wolf it was not anything major, she wasn't here as a threat, just curious. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Leah Clearwater]

Damn it!

Leah's face didn't overly react to the news but it held the little signs of being annoyed. This scent thing was getting old. It seemed to lead in all kinds of visitors, and made it damn hard to get the drop on anyone! Still, Leah wondered how brave the girl had to be to follow in some wild scents into the woods. (Leah seemed to forget she had just done the same).

"Yeah, Febreze just don't get some scents out." Leah said sarcastically, but had not meant it as a bitter comment as she once would have. Being away from Sam, made it easier on Leah to adjust the wolf thing. It also helped she didn't have Paul in her head. Sam's kindness, and Paul's butt-head-edness, had been a combination that used to set her off like a bottle rocket. "I noticed your scent around one of the inns. How long do you think you'll be in town?" Leah wondered again, how the moon would be tonight.

[cor]

Leah's sarcastic comment amused Crystal, and she let out another laugh. For some reason she liked this girl, she was entertaining, but Crystal resented that fact. She didn't want to like anyone. She should take that as a sign to leave this place already. To get out of town, but she didn't want to. The vampires and wolves here worked together, why? how? She wanted answers, and the only way to do that was to continue to investigate, to stay here. She could avoid this female wolf easy enough, she had a very distinctive smell.

The decision to stay awhile came just before the next question. "Maybe a little while, I'm curious about this place..." Crystal looked up and saw, felt, what this wolf feared. The moon. "Yes, I'll need to change soon, I'll keep to myself when that time comes, thank you." She was an older wolf, she had some semblance of control, and the wolf inside of her growled with agreement, sure her wolf had full control during the full moon, but Crystal had just as much say in things as the wolf did when she was a human. They were a team, and they wouldn't kill a human on territory they were claiming that would just cause unnecessary bloodshed from the creatures that lived here. She understood that too well.

[Leah Clearwater]

Change soon? How soon? Leah wanted to tell her to leave, but knew she needed to talk to Jake first. She didn't know if they should try to keep her where they could protect people from her or send her else were and risk her hurting others where ever she went. It was one of them choices that Leah was glad wasn't hers to make. With lives depending on your judgment calls, Leah didn't envy Jake. Crystal seemed a nice person, but how would the wolf act?

"About this place?"Leah asked wondering what could be so special about Forks. Leeches maybe, and the locals turn into wolves. . . . ok, point made. They were a special place. "Look, I was sort of heading into town for some food. . . . " Leah watched her for a moment. "Wanna come?"

[cor]

More than anything though, Crystal was curious about this girls wolf, it was obvious it wasn't like hers. The wolf inside of Crystal almost never slept, it was rare she was alone in her own head. Even know she could feel her wolf inside of her, they were two separate identities, but this girl, she almost appeared to be the only one in control. Crystal didn't see the evidence of a struggle within ones own mind the way werewolves were. She was almost jealous, almost, except for the other identity, her wolf, was what kept her from being lonely for all these years. She had even grown to love the creature inside of her she once hated.

An offer to eat with her? Something inside Crystal froze, even the wolf was taken aback. They hadn't eaten WITH anyone in years... why would she want to? She couldn't POSSIBLY want to be friends...? She shook her head to herself, no, she must just want to keep in eye on us. With the simple truth gave her reply, "Yea, sure, that would be... nice. What were you planning on having?" The wolf was begging for some steak, and Crystal couldn't help but smile.

[Leah Clearwater]

"I dunno 'bout your kind, but mine are bottomless pits." Leah said casually. Granted she was still going with don't tell the outsider to much, but somethings were harder to hide then others. If they were going to eat, Leah knew that it would be something Crystal would either notice. If she didn't then the blond should think of dieing her hair. Leah wondered if it would be rude to ask questions about the girl when she herself didn't plan on answering to many. Then again, Leah rarely cared about being un-rude.

Leah didn't turn her back to the wolf, but she tilted her body to began the walk back to town. "So how long have you been . . . . . special." Leah could almost taste the bitterness over the word special. Leah hated being what she was, but not as much as she once had. Being in Jake's pack helped. Oh-Crap . . . Jake. Leah wondered how to get a message to him, or another wolf about Crystal.

[cor]

They never filled up? The wolf inside of Crystal growled in agreement, and she giggled out loud. "We tend to need to eat more, but I can eventually get full, for the most part." But not her wolf. She always craved more. . . meat. Predictable, but comforting. It was also what mainly drove her wolf while changed. Survival and hunger. She tended to hunt may different types of animals while in wolf form, that and just running. Even the wolf needed to stretch it's legs from time to time.

The wolf and Crystal both watched as Leah turned and the wolf noted that she wouldn't turn her back toward them. Smart. She was predator, not prey. Crystal smiled at her, and felt no harm in answering her simple question. She calculated how old she was and then responded. "Probably about 285 years, it'll be 286 sometime this year if I did my math correctly." Yes, she would never die, unless killed. Which was not going to happen anytime soon. She had become a shadow to the world, this was the first time she had shown herself in hundred's of years. Hopefully it would not be a mistake.

Then another thought. The other species, how long did they live. "And yourself?" It was obvious she wasn't much older than she appeared, but she was to some extant. They must be along the same lines then when it came to aging, but something differed, that was why this one was young. She waited for a comment and an answer as she walked alongside the other hunter to ease her tension the best she could. The two walked toward the road, toward cooked food.

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[Leah Clearwater]

Leah was not about to tell the girl how old she was and look like a baby. It would be like how she used to see Seth but times 200. A kid and there for silly and annoying. "Not the age I look." That sounded . . . . . evasive. "I'm not quite your age." She said with a shrug. Leah knew she was being rude but she wasn't going to embarrass her self by telling the truth. It was bad enough that the hair on her neck and arms were still standing up from being around this girl.

"Look, I don't mean to be rude," She did, but she didn't, "It's just, here we have learned to be wary of new comers, and any trouble they bring." Leah again wondered who would win, the white girl or Paul. She would love see Paul get his ass handed to him by a marshmallow. "Maybe we should wait to talk the personal stuff until after--" After they knew they were not going to have to kill each other.

[cor]

It annoyed Crystal slightly with the fact that the other hunter refused to answer the same question she had asked. That she no more than just evaded the entire topic, but Crystal let it pass, and she just blew out a snort, that was more wolf than human. One thing she was positive she would not have to ask the other was how integrated the wolf was within her. She could see that their was no wildness behind the girls eyes, at least not the unnatural wild that existed within the werewolves. So much to learn about this race. But at the rate the two were going it would take. . . time. Something Crystal had not given for over 200 years. Maybe some things were worth the risk.

A quick smile, and check of her mood and Crystal responded, "Yes, that's fair." Not. But she was testing this girl as well, no need to ruin it all now. Just wait. "May I ask exactly where you are taking me?" She refused to be anywhere she did not have some knowledge about it was apart of survival. It's how she had stayed alive so long. Crystal was not about to brake habit now for the sake of some knowledge gathering relationship.

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[Leah Clearwater]

Leah gave a nod of her head, "Yeah, there is a little dinner on the border of Forks and . . . " La Push, "The next town over. You pay a little extra and they don't ask questions when you take advantage of their lunch buffet." With wolves eating more and more, they could have put that place out of business. Had it not been more on the Cullen's ground then theirs, they might have.

"Shall we?" Leah asked, not planning to walk the whole way like this. Neither of them turning their backs on the other. It make for slow walking, and if they both agreed to food, they might as well get moving. Leah still needed to find a way to get in touch with others. Figures, the ONE time she would want a mind link to work and she can't use it.

[cor]

The way the girl avoided saying the other town's name caught Crystal's attention and she instantly began thinking about the name of the town on the map. . . but at the mention of a buffet she momentarily pushed the thoughts about the town behind her and decided to agree, and follow the only "friend" Crystal had in this town. . . scratch that, anywhere. She smiled at the thought and nodded her head at the other wolf.

The two began walking side by side, both tense, both ready to fight, but at least they were walking, and their pace was manageable, it would not take an hour to get to the restaurant, which was on the border of Forks and. . . "So do you live in Forks, or in the woods, or. . ." Name. Name. OH!"La Push?" The way the town name came out was obvious that she was questioning the name of the town, but somehow she knew that was the name that the girl had been protecting, which also meant it was most likely her territory. Figures.

[Leah Clearwater]

"The woods." Leah replied in a 'So There!' sort of childish voice. One that suggested she was lying and you were meant to know she was lying and she thought it funny you knew that she knew that your knew . . . . .wait. . . . .yeah. You knew she knew that you knew. . . . yeah. . . .Haha!

Leah grinned at her own thinking before looking back at the girl and watching her. Still holding her amused smile she spoke up, "I would avoid the town to the west." She did not confirm it was La Push, "Something scarier then the likes of the Cullens and my kind live there." Paul's kind! Leah and her pack (while their numbers were small) were big and bad. Paul's . . . or . . .err, Sam's pack was big in numbers and small on brains. Leah would never -EVER- think their pack was better then her's but if trouble came and for some reason or another she couldn't handle it, she would just steer the prey to the west and sooner or later one of Sam's little puppys that was way to young to phase would come across it and the whole pack would race into the action! "Lets just say they would ask the questions I was asking; just after you were 'no threat' to them." Aka, Dead.

[cor]

The threat was well implied and Crystal did nothing to hide her amusement. She was a were, a breed all of it's own. They were powerful creatures, and she had learned something many others had not. How to co-exist with her wolf, and more so how to transform at will. She, unlike many of her kind, did not NEED the moon to transform, she was just forced to come the full moon. None-the-less, having the pup threaten her almost excited her. It was silly to think that these wolves could harm a were. Especially one as old as her.

She was so old for a very good reason.

A quick glance at the other wolf, and she kept her pace even with her. "When will we reach this diner, I'm starved." Her wolf did cause one inconveniences, she needed to eat, often and a lot. And by the sounds of this female, their kind was exactly the same way.

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