Willian states his case

"Fred and friends," Will whispers weakly from his bed. "Pardon me for not getting up,but....." He raises his eyebrows and smiles gallantly, despite his pale and his clammy features

"I've told them about what we discussed awhile ago, Will." Alicia says quietly. "You need to tell them, because......"

"Because it would look like a desperate woman clutching at any straw," Will says softly. "Well, listen up. You especially, Freddy!"

The others listen as Will explains.

"Well," Will begins. "I hope that you will not discount this as the rambling of a fool who hasn't thought out the consequences of what I'm asking you to do! I've given it much thought before this happened, so don't discount what I say. If the lycanthropy wasn't the way that it was, but still as powerful in it's regenerative properties, I'd ask you to do this. Death has a dignity all it's own. I and all those who take up the sword seriously know that we may eventually die by a sword, but I for one would rather continue on if an honorable way presented itself.....as it were.

"Fred," Will continues. "You and the other 'manimals' are not monsters or anything of the sort! One so called 'monster' has given everything she can so that the humans around her can live. I've seen her grieve at the grave sites of those who she couldn't save. Now, Malachi might be a dragon, but she's more 'humane than some humans I've come across. Yes, I speak of your father, Fred. He made a grab for what was left of Astra's land for his own greedy schemes, and would have killed Astra if I hadn't gotten lucky with that Slipgate I stumbled across in the woods. I needn't tell you of what he's capable of. Now, compare your father, who is human, and Malachi, who is a dragoness. Who is the better person?"

"Malachi." Fred murmurs.

"Right," the man in the bed sighs. "Now, you are afraid of the changes that you've experienced. You fear what it means when you fox nature shows through. You shouldn't. I've talked with Synizn about the deeper nature of the Pack's lycantrhopy. Now, even under the best of conditions, such a diverse group of people plopped down on an isolated place shouldn't have bonded so closely. In fact, I'd say it'd be a fair bet that battles eventually break out due to differences in culture and beliefs. I know that even though I and Astra love each other dearly......we got into a few good shouting matches! But, you and your Pack are more in tune to your surroundings! You can feel on a subconscious level where the other were- folk really is coming from, for lack of a better word. It allows such a diverse people to meld, and fuse into what is the Pack. It shows in the way you are more of a family than a collection of individuals."

"The 'Truename' is an extension of that magical nature," Synizn explains. "It allows those who know your Name know who you are and what you are feeling. A couple who knows the other's name......well, let us just say that they gain a deeper and fuller understanding of the other than what is humanly possible. The spell that Minestus used to transform you is.......Well, while a bite from say a werewolf will create another werewolf, that's not how the castable version works.

"It looks into your personality and turns the victims body into what his or her personality most mirrors in the animal kingdom," the were-bear explains. "I'm not exactly sure how this works, but that's what happens. The lycanthropy brings forward the buried parts of ourselves to the front, and sometimes.....those parts express themselves by......causing us to act or like things that the animals we look like. Things like a desire to be free and to roam would account for the reason why were-foxes and were- wolves like the feel of the wind through their fur as they run! It denotes freedom!"

"Exactly," sighs Will. "The very animal nature you rail against isn't really nature......it's your desires expressing themselves in new ways. Your subconscious is closer to the surface in this new form than it was in human form....and thus is much harder to repress sometimes. Doesn't make you a monster, just denotes that you're different.

"As for Truenames......that is a gift from God......what ever god you follow," Will smiles. "No overgrown lizard could have arranged something like that, I'm sure. Which brings me to something else......

"Fred," Will says. "You need to ignore Father Rivera's teachings. He was a bigoted man who hated anything that wasn't of Allaria.....the Kingdom. He especially hated non-humans. Saw them as Devil spawn. I've met some of those 'spawn.' Fred, they're not monsters. They have different ways of thinking and doing things, but they are PEOPLE. You won't go mad even though you now belong to the realm of the supernatural and magical. Charles was already mad when he tried to turn himself into a fire elemental. Magic didn't cause him to go mad, he was already that way. You won't become a monster even if you don't find a cure......you still will.....be......one of......God's children....." Will lapses into silence, sleep having overtaken him.

The were-folk and Astra leave to let Will rest. Astra then turns and speaks to Fred directly.

"Fred," Astra begins, then swallows a lump in her throat before continuing. "Please help him. You won't be cursing him, you'll be saving his life. And....if you do help him.....let me join him in his new form.... please let me be a were-fox. I.....married him out of love, and wish to stay with him, please.

Fred, understanding, nips her. Then he walks up to Will's bed and nips him.

"It will take a day for the lycanthropy to take effect," says Synizn as they leave for the upper decks. "But when Will and Astra said that they felt their blood burning......well, they'll be okay."

News soon spreads through the boat of what has happens. When it is revealed as to why it happened, not a voice is raised in protest, for.....it was to cure a man of a grievous.....mortal blow. A blow that would make Will an invalid even if he recovered. Not one of these humans who came along can fault Fred for helping in the only way he could. Nobody faults Astra for following Will into the realms of lycanthropy, either.

Latter, as Alicia and Fred stand on the deck, wind whipping through their fur, they hug each other. Fred has a look of thoughtfulness, and then.......

"Alicia," Fred says. "I hope you will forgive me for what I said. I'm.....afraid. But I had no right or reasons to call you and I what I did. I still wish to be human......and I'll try to find the cure on this trip. However, I.....won't hurt you like I did last night. I was wrong to call us monsters. Minestus and those Lizards......and my father are monsters, not we."

"I'm glad you understand," Alicia whispers. She sees that Fred is no less determined, but now at least something has finally gotten through to him about himself, her, and the Pack. Form matters little, it's the choices one makes that makes him a true monster. Everything else.....is window dressing.

1. Miles behind the boat, a humanoid jackal drags his waterlogged self ashore. Natthias is unhappy, but needs to recover.....before trying again...... So, while the were-jackal recovers, the boat sails on down the river!

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