Before Abera could speak again though, a man walked through the door. He looked first at her, a warm loving smile- the kind a man reserves for the woman he loves- and then he turned to the Doctor and Rose.
"Hello," the man smiled at them now. He had light blue eyes, so light they almost looked white.
"The Doctor and Rose," the Doctor repeated. "We must be going."
In truth he was having an awful time thinking at that moment. He had thought his desire for water had been strong, but now he was hungry. No, hungry didn't cover it. He was starving. His stomach would be rumbling if he would allow it to do such a thing, and his wolf was offering him tempting snatches of a warm blooded scent.
He glanced at Rose, who too looked like she was about to run off to the woods and snatch a furry creature from the trees.
"There is a ban on travel until the passing of the moon is over; you are welcome to stay here."
The man seemed kind enough, but that wasn't going to work for the Doctor. "We need to find something."
He wondered if they had squirrels on this planet, he could go for a squirrel. All furry and bite sized. It would be finger food…and... oh, he was in trouble.
"We are about to have our meal, please join us and we can discuss it."
It was Abera who suggested it, and Rose was nodding eagerly. Well, he did want to check out their back room anyway, and if he didn't do something he would be trotting out in the woods searching for furry creatures to eat.
They would eat here, hopefully something of the meat variety, and then they would go. They had to go.
It wasn't long until the table was set for the afternoon meal, well, more like evening. The days during the passing of the moons were apparently shorter.
It would be night soon.
They were each served a large helping of an animal known as the Link, and the Doctor had to fight to not just dive in. The family was settling, five children in all.
They started to eat, and he kept an eye on Rose who devoured her leg of Link in seconds. She licked the grease off her fingers, and then seemed to come back to herself, blushing a little.
"Sorry," She told the table.
The Doctor couldn't respond, his own mouth was full.
It was one of the best things he had ever eaten, though he doubted if he didn't have a little wolf parasite in him, he would think that. It was greasy and heavy in the stomach and it was exactly what he needed.
"Don't worry, dear," Abera told her. "The first days are always the hardest."
"First days?" The Doctor asked, trying hard, but failing to not lick the grease from his own fingers.
Their plates were refilled by Abera's husband, Abe, and they both began again. Though much more controlled now.
"Of the change," Abera looked like she thought it was odd he wasn't following the conversation. No, she looked like discussing becoming a werewolf was dinner conversation.
"How did you know?" Rose asked, after swallowing a mouthful of the meat.
Abe looked at them, "A wolf knows another wolf, at least you will when you have your first real change."
"Last night wasn't it?" The Doctor asked, genuinely curious. He could remember what happened last night, after the bite.
"No, there wouldn't have been any transformation the first night. It takes time for the venom to change you enough."
"That' why we need to get to my…spaceship," the Doctor explained. "Rose and I, we don't…"
"Want to be werewolves," Rose supplied. He had been trying for tact, but he would have failed anyway so at least that was out of the way.
"Why not," Ama asked quietly.
"We have a life, we travel, can't be changing every time we stepped into the moon."
"Why not?" She repeated.
He sighed, "It's complicated."
Rose finished off her second helping, looking more in control. "Is everyone werewolf's?"
Abe nodded, "By now yes. Well, except for the children. No child is changed."
"The last time I was here," the Doctor told them. "these Dark were just myths, stories, what happened?"
Abe leaned back with the air of the man with a tale to tell, "That's what we all believed Doctor. Then they're starting to be disappearances, and then more and more. "
"We passed an empty town." Rose chimed in.
Abe nodded sadly. "The first days are the worst," he repeated. "And those first changed didn't have experience or a support system. Sometimes they went too far."
"They are dead?"
Abera looked over at the children. "It's time for bed I think."
The children rose without complaint. The oldest a ten year old boy, grabbed Timber and they left the room.
"Yes," Abe said. "At least most of them. It was tragic, but we have learned since then."
The Doctor sighed. If they wanted to be werewolf's, and they weren't out killing innocent people he didn't really care. To each their own. But that didn't mean he wanted that for him or Rose.
"We have to go," the Doctor told him.
"You can't."
"Why not?" He knew he was getting angry, and his anger was being fueled by an animal passion. He heard the low growl in his chest, and a whimper from Rose.
Animal responses. He sat down again and took her hand. He wasn't trying to scare her, he was just worried for her.
"This was a gift to you both Doctor."
"How do you figure that?"
"She is your mate, now you can be together forever."
Rose looked at him, eyes sleepy and half closed. She looked beautiful.
"Can we have a room?"
Abe nodded, looking pleased by the lack of argument. He instructed them where to go, giving them only one room. The Doctor didn't argue about that either, Rose could sleep, he could try to find the TARDIS. It would be safer for her there.
He turned to see her asleep at the table, head resting in her hands. He smiled fondly. He felt a surge of something inside that wasn't the wolf. He cared for her so deeply. If he wasn't a coward he might say he loved her, but he was one.
He walked over to her, lifting her into his arms. Ignoring the looks he was getting from Abe and Abera –what did they know?- he carried her up the stairs.
She rubbed her cheek against his chest, and even without extra senses he would have been able to breathe in her soft, warm, scent.
Rose smelled like forever.
He gulped, pushing away the thought, and laid her gently on the bed. He covered her with a light blanket, his own eyes feeling heavy. That must be the wolf in him, because Time Lords didn't need much rest.
He didn't even make the decision to brush back the blond hair to kiss her temple, but he did it. She smiled slightly in her sleep, and he smiled too.
His Rose.
He waited, listening to the sounds of the house, waiting for silence to reign. Looking out the window he could see the rest of the town, bathed in darkness. No moon.
No moon for five days.
They were being made to stay until the change was complete.
When it was silent, he crept from the room. He searched everywhere, even the back room, but there was no sign of the TARDIS.
He opened the front door, as quietly as he could, preparing to step out when he felt a hand on his shoulder stopping him. He spun around.