Singing echoed in the bright sunlight and the warmth of the sun's rays rested on her face. She listened to the sweet singing and the wind moving through the leaves. Her body savored the quietness and time alone as it recovered from her latest task. She hadn't realized how tiring it was using a fossorial species' abilities and maintain that form until the task was finished. Her skin was still cooling off from all the energy she burnt up and the wind helped to lower her high body temperature.

"Kara."

Holding back the frown, she opened her eyes and found both Leon and Joseph standing on the other side of the courtyard. Both of them did not look pleased with her work or the risky move. She took a deep breath and sat up slowly.

"What on earth do you think you are doing?"

Keeping silent, she rose to her feet and brushed her faded jeans. Some of her blonde hair fell in her face and she brushed it behind her ear with a flick of her hand. Staring back at Leon, she could see his temper in his hazel eyes and waited for him to get his point out.

"You are too young to be attempting such tasks. If something were to happen to you, your mother would kill me."

She didn't hold back the roll of the eyes and sighed "She wouldn't do anything since she isn't here."

Leon stopped talking and stared back at her slightly surprised. Usually she lets him get his lecture over without a word but this last year she had become harder to discipline. He turned an exaserpated look on Joseph and found the man leaning against the wall of the courtyard watching the scene with the same bored look on his face.

"You talk to her."

"I'm not her guardian."

"No, just her protector."

Being talked about in third person when she stood in front of them as always annoying and she bit her inner jaw to keep from screaming. She wasn't a four year old child anymore and she hated being treated otherwise. It had been a decade since she had her life torn apart and she had learned to raise herself and she was tired of being treated like a child. Joseph caught her gaze and level his black eyes with her.

"What were you doing?"

She knew he was questioning her just to please Leon when he really didn't care as long as she was safe and she was grateful. Originally she despised having him as her protector but his from a distance approach worked out for the both of them. They didn't communicate to each other in person but he always knew what was going on with her.

"Working on the fountain."

Leon looked back at her and said "That thing has been dried up for ages."

She frowned and said "Only because the underground water supply was blocked."

"Why would you want to waste your energy on it?"

"It's personal."

Leon stared at her evasiveness with anooyance and glanced back at Joseph. The man would understand what she was getting at and when asked, he would explain it. Sweeping his hazel eyes around the place, he couldn't see what drew his granddaughter here most afternoons but then again they were not any closer than when they first met. He was busy making sure she was safe and sending out word to others of their kind to begin their return home. The training Kara went through was monitored by Joseph alone and he was informed when he inquired but no other time.

Pushing his thoughts away, he focused on some of the improvements occurring with the shrubbery and looked back at his granddaughter. He knew she was very special because of her two bloodlines but he didn't believe she could actually revive this entire place to its glory alone.

"If it's okay, I'd like to go get cleaned up and go find something to eat."

He looked back at his granddaughter and nodded. She walked from the courtyard without a sound and Leon looked at Joseph.

"Keep an eye on her."

"I always do."

Leon frowned and said "It's going to become too risky to let her out of here without supervision now that word is out."

Joseph walked to the hall entrance and asked "What do you want me to do?"

"Stay by my granddaughter's side at all times."

He rolled his eyes and said "She won't allow it."

"Why not?"

"Doesn't trust me."

Leon stared into the black set of eyes and said "Then earn that trust. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Meaning?"

"You two are very similar. The only real difference is your pure line to her mixed."

Joseph turned to face him and growled "You know what happens when my kind gets that close."

Leon shook his head and said "I know you can control yourself. She is only a child compared to us."

"You are pushing us down a path that is too risky."

"We don't have a choice. Keep her safe, at all costs."

Staring at the elder man, Joseph felt the weariness of the task he was being given weigh heavily on his shoulders but he held his tongue. Without a word, he left the courtyard and walked down the hall. He followed the faint trail to Kara's room and stared at the skin cover that had been hung up for privacy not long after her mother left. She had taken largely to being left alone as she adjusted and he gave her that privacy for most of the day. He pushed the cover aside and looked around the chamber.

When she was about eight, she had moved the bedroom into the side room on his right and turned this room into an open meditating room. He had caught her in here in thought many mornings after her bath. They had set up some rugs made of prey fur to sit on and she had carved out another firepit. He studied the walls and found a few carvings slowly being engraved into them and he studied the designs. She had Leon explain some of the old symbols throughout the temple and was taught the language.

He found one carving behind him above the entrance of a wolf surrounded by flames and he looked at the bathing chamber. Each year she understood more about what she represented to their species and she withdrew even more. She was only fifteen but was far older in the mind. He never heard her grieve her lost parents and never personally experienced any raw emotion out of her when she was aware of his presence.

"You know I can smell you."

Stilling his thoughts, he watched her leave the bathing chamber and found her completely dried off for the hunt. She had pulled her hair back in a braid after letting it hang loose all day and her dirty clothes were now a newer pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. Kara settled her hazel eyes on him and he watched her walk into her bedroom. She was almost up to his shoulders these days and was still very lean. A few more years would put some muscle into her structure with her growing skills and then she would present a problem.

As long as she looked like a scrawny teenage pup she would be safe from any wandering male. He was not looking forward to the day he had to start chasing off lusting males. He had always kept his cold nature from her to ease his presence on her but eventually she would have to experience what his bloodline is capable of and why he is her protector. Finally he watched her return in a pair of shoes and they left her quarters.

"You've been busy in there."

They walked down the hall and she said "When I can't sleep."

"It's been happening a lot these days I take it."

She glanced up at him as they left the hall and descended the stairs from the temple into the large courtyard. He always knew what was going on and she hated him for that to some degree. Restless nights were her problems and she didn't need someone fussing about it.

"Just don't say anything to my grandfather."

He looked down at her and said "Only if ordered."

She hated when he said that but couldn't argue once he shifted. His black wolf form was always magnificent and strong compared to her form. She still took a white wolf form but lately it was turning brown except for her legs, chest, throat, and face. Joseph led the way through the waterfall and they ran from their home. He scanned their surroundings as they began the hunt and kept an eye on her.

She always hung back a few paces for personal space and he watched her stop. Her ears went up and he caught the distant scent as she began tracking it. She had become a proficient hunter for her age and he had recently began hanging back and letting her catch the prey without his aid. When she found the burrow at the base of a treet she stopped and checked the area. Crouching out of sight, she closed her eyes and let the sensations grow through mind as she found the rabbits inside the burrow.

She had practiced using this connection with the other species to ease the feelings she felt when she had to hunt and kill. It took longer to hunt for herself but it was easier on her when she didn't take the first animal she cornered. She felt one rabbit coming to the exit and flexed her pads in anticipation. The rabbit darted out in a blur and she took after it. It led her away from the burrow and she followed while absorbing the emotions it flooded her with.

She chased it into a rock alcove and it looked up at her with defeat and acceptance. She put it out of its misery quickly and settled down to eat in peace. Hunting was something she felt two entirely different emotions about. She loved the rush it gave her in the chase but hated taking the lives of other living creatures. Her grandfather could probably tell her if she was strange or if everyone in their bloodline underwent these emotional connections but she didn't want to talk to him about it.

Cleaning up her meal, she licked her mouth clean and trotted over to a nearby stream. She took a cool drink and looked around. Joseph was around somewhere, she felt him, but she knew he was letting her be until she was ready to head back. Looking down into the stream, she looked at her reflection and closed her eyes.

Help!

Her eyes flew open and she felt the fear overwhelm her. Looking around, she tried to locate the source and could hear the racing pulse.

Somebody help me!

Bushes rustled up head and she crossed the stream. Running quickly, she tried to locate a trail and came to a skidding halt. A wolf pup was caught in a snare and was shaking in fear. Brown eyes looked up at her and she lowered her head.

I'm not going to hurt you.

His eyes grew larger at her response and he grew still as she drew closer. She examined the snare around his leg and looked down at him.

Trust me.

The puppy let out a whimper and she shifted. She rested one hand on his leg gently and felt him jerk in response.

"Easy."

His whimpering stopped and he watched her slowly loosen the snare. She pulled his leg free carefully and he climbed to his feet. The puppy stared at her as she jerked up the trap's base and let out a sigh.

"Hunters."

The puppy slowly drew closer and she set the trap aside as he stepped up onto her leg. Running her hand along his neck, she watched him adjust to the touch and heard a soft sigh come from him.

Kara!

Her head shot up just as a large brown wolf jumped at her. A paw swiped her face with its claws and she rolled onto her side. The wolf stood between her and the pup and she wiped blood from her face as it blurred her right eye's vision.

Stay away!

"I meant no harm."

The wolf growled and lunged at her. She saw the black body knock the wolf off track and onto its side. Joseph stood in front of her with his hackles up and his fangs bared.

"Joseph."

He ignored her and watched the wolf rise to her feet. She stared back at Joseph, returning his growl as she guarded her pup. The wolf didn't back down but did glance back at Kara. Her bleeding was slowing and she sat up.

"His leg was caught in a hunter's snare."

The wolf's growling stilled and she looked down at her son. He nodded and she looked back at Kara. Joseph was still protecting her with a low growl rumbling in his throat and she stared hard at him.

"You."

Hearing the voice not coming from her head was a relief and she watched his hackles stay up. He lowered his head and fixed her brown gaze with his black one.

"I should kill you."

"You don't belong here."

"We have every right to be here."

The wolf growled and snapped "Humans aren't allowed in this area."

"Then you shouldn't be here either."

"We gave up that life many years ago."

"And we haven't."

He looked back at Kara and saw the bleeding almost stopped. He had to inspect the injury before he took her home and wasn't about to lead this wolf there. She cast a quick look at the puppy hiding behind his mother and he poked his head around. Taking a deep breath, she shifted again and followed Joseph away from the two. He took her back to the stream and sat down.

When he shifted, she could see his jaw tighter than usual and could feel the temper flaring in him. It was rolling off him in powerful waves and she carefully took a spot in front of him. When she was human again, he tore his sleeve and wet it in the cool water. Carefully he wiped the blood from her face and studied the red cut along her eye.

"Who was that?"

He ignored her as he wiped the cut clean and finally said "Someone that use to be one of us."

She felt the pain starting to settle in and asked "Isn't there a way to speed this thing up?"

"No."

"Leon is going to be pissed with me."

He stared back at her and said "Not with you."

She looked down at the stream and said "I couldn't ignore his cry for help."

"I'm surprised you heard it."

Her hazel eyes snapped back at him and she said "It's you."

"What?"

She stood up and said "You're the one that talks to me, aren't you?"

He looked away and sighed "You aren't supposed to have that gift."

"Why can't you just talk to me like that in person?"

Standing up, he looked down at her and said "It's better for everyone if we don't talk."

His eyes grew cold briefly and she watched him look behind them. The wolf was back with her son and she sat down in front of them.

"I didn't realize it was you living in our old home."

"You're one of us?"

The wolf looked at Kara and said "I don't even remember what I used to look like. My family and I fled twenty years ago when the government came."

Joseph studied her canine expression and said "I'm not the one you need to answer to. He's at the temple."

The wolf nodded and looked back at Kara. She approached the girl and nuzzled her hand.

"I am sorry."

Kara didn't move as the wolf led her son across the stream and didn't let her breath out until the two were gone from sight. She had felt her skin warm to the small affection and felt the pull connect her to them.

"We need to get going before your grandfather gets even more annoyed."

She looked up at Joseph in time to watch him shift and cross the stream. Taking a deep breath, she shifted and followed him through the woods. They didn't run and she was grateful as the pain began to increase around her eye. She needed to rest and let it do its healing overnight but now her thoughts were spinning with the new arrivals. They reached the waterfall at dusk and she followed Joseph into their home.

Leon was standing on the steps into the temple and the wolf and her pup were sitting at the bottom in front of him. His eyes rested on them as they approached and he quickly approached them when he saw the mark on her face. She shifted just in time to stop him from inspecting it for himself and saw him turn a burning gaze back on the visitors.

"She was protecting her son. She didn't know any better."

"She struck you."

Kara took a deep breath and said "I'll be fine."

His eyes turned to Joseph and he growled "Where the hell were you? How could you let this happen?"

The man stood silent and held Leon's heated gaze. He couldn't inform the man of his granddaughter's unique skill or it would make it a whole lot worse for her.

"Leon, I barely beat him to her. He was seconds behind me. I overracted."

Leon turned to face her and said "That doesn't give him an excuse."

The man glared back at Joseph and snapped "I told you not to let anything happen to her and to stay close. She should not have left your sight!"

"It won't happen again."

The man growled and said "If it does, I will kill you myself."

Holding his tongue, Joseph watched the man turn to Kara and study her injury. She was no longer bleeding and it was beginning to heal.

"Go to bed. I will check on you in the morning."

She cast a brief glance at their guests and walked up the stairs with Joseph behind her. The walk to her room was silent and she entered with a sigh. Her face was killing her but she hated to wonder what her grandfather was going to do to that mother. Joseph entered behind her and she turned to him.

"Don't let him harm her. She was just protecting her son."

"He won't."

"You're sure?"

The man nodded and said "She was acting on instinct."

Kara sat down by the fire pit and asked "Will you be in a lot of trouble?"

He shook his head and said "Probably but it isn't anything I can't handle."

Biting her lower lip, she looked up at him and hated knowing it was her fault. He had warned her in time and she should have been paying attention. If she hadn't lowered her guard, then she wouldn't have gotten cut and he wouldn't be in the trouble he was. He would be in worse trouble if her grandfather found out her ability to talk like him.

"Why did you not tell Leon?"

"He doesn't need to know everything about it."

She watched him walk to the exit and said "It's nightmares."

He looked back at her and asked "What?"

Slowly she stood up and said "I haven't been able to sleep lately because of nightmares."

"About?"

She shrugged and said "Everything from the past to the future."

He stared down at her in silence and she watched him disappear out into the hall. She knew he wouldn't say anything about it but she wished he had said something. Walking into her bedroom, she pulled her hair loose and slipped into her sleeping clothes. She climbed into her bed and curled up in the middle of it. Glancing at the firepit across the room, she took a deep breath and watched it light.

Closing her eyes, she let the soreness pull her into an ocean of sleep. Her mind spun as she drifted into a nightmare. Her thoughts were blurred together as her emotions rose in panic and the power filled the room. It pulled her protector into the room to check on her and he studied the burning fire. It was raging in the firepit and he looked over at her.

She was still but he could feel the power pressing in his head and its bleakness threatening to devour him. Taking a deep breath, he shifted into his wolf form and hopped onto her bed. He walked up the bed to her pillow and settled next to her. His warmth eased some of the emotions coming from her and he watched the fire slowly settle down as the nightmare faded.