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Chapter 7 - Werecoyotes

It was a simple detection spell that all paranormal mothers knew how to cast, and they evoked it at birth along with other protection spells. The spell allowed us to identify each other, and it usually presented itself as an icon in our shadows.

I scrutinized the entire table. They were all shifters. Now the wet fur smell made sense. I let out a little gasp.

"Shifters.", I thought.

Ignorant of how relations worked between the various breeds of shifters, Tee stood up.

"What are you doing?", I said.

"Saying hi.", Tee said.

"You can't do that. We don't know what kind of shifter they are, and most shifters are territorial. They won't like that we are here in their territory. We may have to get ready to leave in a hurry.", I thought.

Tee sat down frowning. I knew how he felt. Seeing a shifter was kind of like seeing a distant cousin. They were paranormal, and they were shifters. One step away from being a werewolf. If there ever was a paranormal war, all shifters would naturally be allies. But it was more complicated than that.

"You never did pay attention to what Mom taught us. If you did you would know that shifters are territorial.", I said.

"I did pay attention, but I thought because we were kids the rules did not apply.", Tee said.

"That's true, but they are kids too. So, they are not bound in the same way.", I said.

"Oh, yeah I forgot.", Tee said.

Mother was responsible for teaching us history and lore and she told us all about the supernatural world. I don't remember everything, but I do remember that living alongside humans are all kinds of shifters. Weres or were-animals looked like the mortal animals they were named after with some differences, weres were larger, had more power, and lived longer than their mortal animal.

According to lore, when shifters were created, each chose a mortal animal as their spirit animal, which meant they would embody that animal's traits and could shift into that animal's form. After every animal on the earth was chosen, the shifters were left to live on the earth alongside all of the other mortal and paranormal creations. Some shifters maintained strong relationships with their mortal counterparts, and they lived alongside each other living and dying together. Some shifters went their own way.

When I talked about following ancient traditions, this was what I meant. We stayed in our wolf form; we lived in caves. We even allied and protected the mortal wolves from polar bears and other predators, like humans. In return, our mortal counterparts helped us guard our land, and we could call upon them in times of great need.

Over time, many shifter breeds died out or went into hiding. It was also possible that they spent too much time in their animal bodies and eventually forgot who they were. Shifters can only exist if their mortal animal exists so if an animal goes extinct, so will the shifter. This was why shifters have animosity towards humans because humans are the biggest perpetrators of extinction.

Because were-animals are territorial, they could be hostile if another were-animal was found on their territory. Technically they were allowed to punish the intruder according to their laws. That was unless the intruder was a youth. Like the instinctual tenet of keeping supernatural beings a secret, there was a tenet about protecting all young.

Technically Tee and I should have nothing to fear if we ran into other were-animals, as long as we didn't stay long. But there are no rules when the children of different were-animals encounter each other. In a case like that, Mother did not think the rules applied.  This was what I remembered, and Tee forgot.

"I think we are not supposed to trust them. The elder told us who to trust, and unless they are a verdant witch, sea wolves, or Lycos, whatever he meant by that, we can't trust them.", I thought.

"That is one way to interpret what he said, but what if he meant if we were in some kind of peril, that is when we should trust only the verdant witch, etc.", Tee said.

"Then he would have said when in peril, trust the sea wolf, etc. Just like he said when lost Lycos knows the way.", I said.

We were so involved in analyzing the riddle given to us by the elder that we did not notice the were-animal youths had spotted us. Until I happened to look up and saw the entire table was staring at us. My heart almost jumped out of my chest. This time, when I looked at their shadows, I saw the outlines of coyotes.

I had seen some shudder-worthy things in my short life, but a table of weres all staring at me without blinking has got to be one of the creepiest experiences I have ever had.

Oblivious, Tee had gone back to studying the brochures and snapped me out of my staring contest when he spoke out loud.

"Look.", Tee said.

"Don't look, but they spotted us. Use the bond, I don't trust them.", I said.

Tee flinched, but to his credit didn't turn around and after a second, tapped his finger on a picture of wolves. Slowly and painfully, I began to read what was written under the photo.

The brochure was for a place called, Vancouver Island. I sounded it out.

"Van-coo-ver Is-land. What's an is-land?". I asked.

Tee laughed out loud, and I immediately looked up at the werecoyotes who were looking at us again. I kicked Tee under the table, but he only laughed harder.

I pushed the brochure back to him in a huff. I didn't want to finish reading it. I was embarrassed. I knew he was making fun of my reading. Well, his reading sucked too. So, what if he knew a word that I didn't? He stopped laughing, wiped his eyes, and looked at me. He had a huge grin on his face and his eyes were no longer dull and dead looking but full of mischief and mirth.

Suddenly, I wasn't mad anymore. How could I be? Us sitting at this table and Tee laughing at me was like a miracle. I can't remember the last time I heard Tee laugh. I had forgotten what it sounded like. It was incredible. My heart twisted in my chest, my jaw hurt, and my eyes began to burn.

Was this happiness?

Tee put his hand on my arm and cocked his head to the side.

"I'm okay.", I said.

"I'm just happy.", I said.

"I love you Tee."

"Oh geez, why are you such a girl.", Tee said.

"For your information, I am not a girl, and I will not have you insult an entire gender.", I said.

We bickered back and forth like this with huge grins on our faces. For a minute, we enjoyed the simple luxury of having a brother fight.

Undiscovered by us, in tiny letters, under the picture of the wolf it said Vancouver Island. Home to the Vancouver Coastal Sea Wolf.

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Coyotes do not live in packs but live in family groups with a reproducing female (mommy) and her mate. Coyotes mate with one partner for life. Wolves are rumored to do this, but not all wolves are monogamous and can change or have more than one mate. As far as we know, Arctic wolves are monogamous.