| Loam blinks, caught flatfooted for a second, then smiles when a sudden
mischievious thought flashes through his mind. Hopefully, Fred won't be
TOO mad at him for doing this. It was for his own good....prevented bridges
being burned while crossing them and all that rot.
"I accept, Frederigo D'Honaire," Loam says in a very formal voice before
the Pack breaks out into an uproar. "I will do my best as Pack Leader Pro
Tem to do what I can that is in the best interest of the Pack."
Several Pack members lean over to those people who look like they still
want to protest Fred's leaving and explain what "Pro Tem" means. Fred himself
freezes for a second at Loam's last words, and then forces a smile as the
emergency meeting winds down.
As the last werefolk leaves, Fred's tail begins to thrash about in agitation
as he stomps up to the grinning werewolf. Alicia is suppressing a grin,
because she has a feeling what Loam's about to say here.
"Fred," Loam says calmly. "Before you say anything silly, listen to
what I have to say."
Fred's mouth snaps closed, and then leans back and gestures for Loam
to say his piece. Fred is still clearly angry at Loam's unexpected verbal
maneuvering.
"Fred," Loam says in a soothing voice. "Let's think about what's going
on here, shall we? You may have questions about whether you can do the
job as Pack Leader. Frankly, what I've seen of you denotes a person who's
MORE than qualified to lead men.
"And quiet frankly," sighs Fred. "You wouldn't be satisfied at being
a follower. That's why you rose up to being an officer in the Navy. That's
why you rose up to lead the Pack out of danger. Now, you might be able
to get back to being human....bring a cure back to the Pack. But, by your
nature....in your heart of hearts....you want to reach out and lead because
you feel....in your heart of hearts.....that you must. Don't burn your
bridges here and unilaterally cut off your chance to lead man if you CAN'T
find a cure. We want you as a leader....the norms might have reservations
about following a lycanthrope. Think about it."
With that, the silver werewolf shifts into wolf form and bound off into
the forest. Alicia suppresses a chuckle as Fred looks after Loam in befuddlement.
"Well....shit," Fred says quietly. "Why is it that he can see through
me so easily."
"Because he's Loam," Alicia chuckles. "His insights show his sharp mind.
It didn't keep him from keeping his mouth quiet back in Gelda....but ....."
She shrugs. Her thoughts had followed Loam's line of reasoning, and would
have brought up those points herself with Fred in private, but now she
didn't need to do that.
Fred chuckles, and shakes his head ruefully. He turns to Alicia, looking
into her (temporarily) amber eyes, and smiles a wolfish smile.
"Care for a run, Leaping Stream?" Fred asks quietly.
"Love to, Swift Foot." Alicia whispers huskily, brushing up close to
her husband, and feeling him getting....eager.
Strange how certain parts of the body's anatomy had become more.....animal
like....in a male's transformation, Alicia playfully thinks.
Fetishes and leather headgear that styled after the original test subjects
that Minestus had gathered from that northern continent accross the sea
from the Kingdom and had worked it's way into the culture that had developed
into the Pack, our werefoxes change into their animal forms.
They run, a pair of smiling red foxes. Though they now have human intelligence,
the foxes still feel alive and free as they feel the night air whip through
their fur. The air....the very NIGHT is alive for them! It's good to be
alive!
Tomorrow will bring complications and obligations. Tonight, it's time
to play.
|
