Sorry to any one who read this chapter before this update, I got over excited and posted before it was ready. Realised that Fel couldn't be canine because Fel is short for Felis (a genus of the felidae family (cats) which includes the lynx and several other gorgeous felines). I had intended to introduce Mikil and Dahy to the story line a while ago, but never got around to it. They have appeared before now, the blond in fatigues and the dark haired man who found Thomas in the Beast does not control me, but they were never properly introduced.

Chapter 7

Shalimar breathed in deeply as she prepared herself for the well practised routine. Her movements, as they began, were slow and measured. Careful, though the movements themselves were made to do harm. She went through the calming motions seeking the centre of her thoughts. Hoping for clarity, or at least a moment's peace from her emotions.

She remembered the first time she had shown the meditative Kata to the empath. How surprised and pleased she had been to see how quickly Emma had picked up the technique. A born perfectionist, the shifting of her physical and mental form was second nature to her and soon she had it mastered. They had often practised together after that. And in this so often were the borders of their relationship touched upon. The beauty in everything that was that woman's body had often drawn Shalimar to her across the dojo, a move ending with them so close an intake of breath would have taken them over the edge. Into uncharted territory.

But always would she pull away, turn, run.

Shalimar dropped carefully posed arms to her side and sank into a cross-legged position on the floor, her head in her hands. She couldn't keep doing this. In every moment of every day there was a memory that brought her back.

"Well that was a dramatic ending to a beautiful performance." She turned to find Mikil, a canine feral she had come to know well over the last couple of days, stood in the doorway behind her.

"Mikil. How was your first day?" Shalimar asked, getting up. The blond canine feral sank, sighing deeply, into one of the sofa chairs.

"Tiring, and a little irritating."

"Irritating?"

"Are your guys always that communicative? I mean, apart from when we went out to the safe houses - which I'll admit was fun - all Jesse did was mess on the computer, Adam barely peaked from his lab and Brennan hid himself away somewhere. God knows where, I certainly couldn't find him."

"Yeah, well, it's not all non-stop action, but if you can drag Jesse away from his research long enough to show you how the holographic systems work you can always work out while you're waiting." Mikil smiled at Shalimar's suggestion.

"I have a new respect for you patience. But they're never going to accept me as a replacement for you Shalimar. The space you've left is a hard one to fill."

"Well at the moment you're trying to fill enough space for two of us, remember. Until they decide on a replacement for Emma things are going to be hard on all of you."

"Didn't you and Jesse used to run things on your own?" Both ferals looked up as Mikil's young feline fiancé, Dahy entered the room, seating himself gracefully beside Mikil on the chair.

"How do you know so much about Mutant X history?"

"There are people in the Pack that remember the days when it was just you two, not so long ago. You've had a huge impact on the Pack's life, many of the Pack owe you their lives."

"Yes, it did used to be just the two of us, but the mutant underground was small then. Adam was only starting to set things up. We decided we needed one more person when things started to get too much for us to handle on our own. We chose Emma because of her abilities and because they hadn't taken over control of her. So many psionics hide away from everyone else because they can't handle the amount of information they get when they're out there in the wide world. But Emma was out there taking full advantage of her powers and it wasn't affecting her at all. Something in the way Adam presented her case to us made it sound like he'd been watching her for a while, seeing where her powers took her. We were worried for a while she might not join our cause, but she did, and Brennan along with her. And Adam was so proud." Dahy frowned at Shalimar's bitter laugh.

"You know there's nothing any of you could have done, don't you?" Mikil asked, softly. "I've been completely briefed on it all and there really isn't anything any of you could have done. I'm not even sure I would have been able to track her in the dark."

"That's because you're a canine." Dahy butted in. "You're tracking skills are limited to the day, just as ours are better in the night."

"I'll try not to take offence. After you all, you are a feline." Dahy smiled as Shalimar's features relaxed into a smile and she started to laugh. "Girl, you have to smile more. You're gorgeous when you're not frowning." Mikil stopped laughing as Shalimar did, abruptly. Had she said the wrong thing? Shalimar had gone completely tense, not moving a muscle. Waving a hand in front of her eyes Shalimar didn't blink.

"Shalimar, talk to me. What's going on? Are you OK?" Nothing. Jumping from his seat, Dahy ran to fetch Onça as Mikil continued to try and stir Shalimar.

There in the distance, someone was screaming. Screaming for her to hear, for there was no one else here. No one at all. She was so lonely. So afraid. There was pain and burning. And something there in the distance. A face. A face she knew so very well. "EMMA." She called out. "SHALIMAR" She called back. She was out there. She was alive. "I'M COMING!"