The Normal Life
By Didi

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters that are recognizable and I certainly don't own the show. Don't sue me cause all you're going to get is lent, and not much of that either.

Note: Went on vacation, didn't get any writing done. Apologies for the long delay.

Rating: R for restricted under 17.
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-Kanin's POV-

I use to love watching the Twilight Zone with my father as a kid. It often fascinated me to see the possibilities in life, or the imagination, and pretend that I was part of that wondrous life. Every week, we entered the Twilight Zone where fantasy took us away from the dullness of reality.

Now I'm living in the Twilight Zone.

Who ever said waking up with animalistic sense was like coming alive for the first time was lying through their teeth... or just plain never done it. It was more like coming out of sensor deprivation for six hours and feeling the bleak coldness of the world around you. It has like having a hand smash into your guts and rip out your spine from the inside. It was like someone poured gasoline on you, lit a match, let you burn until you want to die then dropped you into the artic ocean.

In other words, it was that bad.

Than those beautiful silver gray eyes turned to look at me. *John?*

And the world just stopped on its axis. *Am I dead yet?*

The soft giggle of delight told me that I wasn't. *How do you feel?* her hand brushing against my side tickling the soft fur on my underbelly.

*Not too great, Honey,* I answered honestly, working my limbs a little to make sure I was still in one piece. A piece of what was the question now since I could clearly make out fur and paws, not to mention I can see my nose pretty clearly and had the most insane urge to lick the coldness from it.

*The pain will ease with a little time and everything else will fall into place,* her hand stroke my muzzle again, and I turned my head in pleasure... just in time to see Sherman Blackstone and Vivian Cates come through the door. For the first time since I met the old coot, he seemed completely without sarcastic comment. For a moment, I was tempted to make a smart-ass remark, and then I saw Vivian Cates's face. *Okay, it's never good news when you people have nothing to say.*

They exchanged glances, not muttering so much as a word. Then Sherman shook his head, "Boy, when you decide to make history, you go all out don't you?" Coming to the bed, he reached out a hand to touch me then pulled back when I took a quick nip at it. "Hey now, didn't anyone tell you that that's impolite?"

*No,* I replied with all seriousness. *I didn't grow up with a mother that expected to teach you the proper manners of a cub.*

*How do you feel?* Vivian asked, her eyes lighting in the dim room.

*Like I caught a ride with the devil on a school bus and just got dumped on my ass,* I replied, shaking out the stiffness in my body and getting up on all fours.

"Nice to see you are recovering," Sherman sat down on the bed and looked at me with that god-awful grin. For a moment, I thought he was about to start with me again, but there was something in that man's eyes, something almost... almost fearful. "Can you move all right?"

I kept watching him, watching those steady eyes that seemed to say something and nothing all at the same time. *I can get around if need be, why?*

"Sheriff Donner is going to need back up," Ruby explained as she shed her dress, uncaring of her nakedness in front of everyone. She rolled her head back, her body dropped to beneath the bed, a soft groan escaped from her lips as he body doubled over and contorted. Watching her transform, it was so... so beautiful. So natural. Her icy blue eyes stared up at me. *He backed me, now I've got to back him.*

*We,* I pointed out gently, leaping from the bed to land beside her, carefully keeping Blackstone and Vivian Cates within my view. No telling what is going to happen if I let those two get too close. One was dangerous in her own rights... and the other could drive me insane. *'We' have to back him on this cause 'we' are definitely in this together.*

"Of course," Vivian Cates stood, her heavily beaded dress dropping to the ground with a heavy thump. "We must always back our Alpha; keep the clan united. No matter what the future brings into our lives."

Something about the ways she said it, the way she was watching me with her unwavering eyes that made me think that she was speaking to me... warning me... threatening me. But now was not the time to analyze what bizarre things are running through that woman's head. I didn't need the headache right now, not with everything else that's going on. And I can see from Ruby's eyes that something bad was happening.

This night just keeps getting better and better... God help me, I'm almost getting use to this crap.
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-Donner's POV-

There was nothing like the metallic taste of blood on your tongue to remind one that life was a struggle, especially for us that were born of the blood. And especially now. Creed, the little arrogant bastard, was smarter than he looked. His trail was full of his little lackeys, knowing that they would slow me down and wear me out. And he probably also know that I wouldn't kill them, not if I want to keep this pack thriving. Of course, that's not what he had in mind for me and mine.

Catching Clive Forefield on the flank, I forced him down and kept him down with kick from the hind legs to his noggin that would have him seeing stars for days. *Spread out. He's got to be close now. Find him, flush him out, but remember that he's mine.*

I watched the shadows around me danced as we moved in semi circular fashion, widening the search perimeters. Our instincts are very human in nature, we calculate and apply what we know. Doesn't necessary mean we see everything but we different aren't that different from those we shelter our lives from.

*Feels like the old days, doesn't it?* Freddy asked, his eyes glittering in what little moonlight could be seen through the fog.

*Too much like so,* I wanted this done. Though I hate the fact that I may very well have to kill tonight, if push came to shove then that's what I have to do. My guts churn at the thought. Some leader I turned out to be, first night and the entire pack is in chaos. Oh why couldn't have just picked someone else... like Vivian.

God, a part of me wishes she were here. No matter what's been said and done, she's always had the ability to talk me around and inside out until I was sure of something... whatever that may be. I needed that right now, some kind of certainty since everything was going to hell in a hand basket.

*Two o'clock!* came the warning that I knew was going to be too late as I caught the sudden change in the air current without my nose. Knowing that it would be wiser to catch the hit with my shoulder instead of letting whoever get a chance to hit the soft side of my body, I turned.

The streak of white, blending in with the dense fog, caught my eye just before my enemy realized what had happened. A crimson streak followed the two grappling bodies in mid air just before the big gray hit the tree trunk with a thud. That had had to hurt... bad.

Not giving him a chance to recover, the white was on him, powerful hind legs that was use to leaping over forest grounds delivered a blow that would make the Raider's kicker proud. Turning, the blue eyes focused on me for a moment. *Dad, you all right?*

I think I blanked out for a moment. No, I'm pretty sure I did. I had expected Ruby. *Sophia?*

*You expecting someone else?* she asked, tongue licking the coldness of her nose. *Oh wait, you thought I was...*

*You're suppose to be safe and...*

*Dad, can we not do this right now? Cause in cause you haven't notice, there are a lot of people out there right now and you're embarrassing me.*

*Embar....* I turned and watch a big gray grapple with a smaller one. But where are the big one had strength, the little one had agility. *LUKE!*
*One second,* came the reply from the smaller of the two grays. A vicious clamping of jaw against bone and the bigger one was down. Trotting over while licking blood from his face, Luke seemed rather chipper for someone I was about to tear to pieces. *How's it hanging!*

I swear to god he was grinning like a manic little puppy that I just know he is. *What the hell is Sophia doing here?*

*Hello? Am I even still here?* my little girl was nothing if not a modern woman of decisively forceful attitude. *Why does everyone insist on talking over me like I don't matter?*

*You matter,* I touched my muzzle to hers, fearing for a moment that she was going to disappear with the fog that shrouded the woods... just as her mother had disappeared from me. *You most assuredly matter to me. Which is why you have got to get the hell out of here? This is no place of you.*

*But it's okay for you to be here,* sarcasm did not become her. *Forget it.*

*Sophia, I don't have a choice in the matter here. You do.* I swung, watching the shadows danced. More of my people are here, taking some of the heat from those that have fought with me so far. *I want you to leave. Let me handle this without the extra worry that you are going to get in the cross fires here.*

*No freakin' way am I just going to turn tail and run like some scared little girl... er...pup.* She turned her head, head high and hose sniffling the charge air that seemed reluctant to let this night go. *You stay, I stay. We're family and we fight together on this. Remember...* her eyes turned back to me, sure she'd got something on me. *I'm part of this pack now too, remember?*

I knew I was in trouble when I saw that same manic grin on her face as was on her boyfriend's....Luke's. Damn.

The stubborn look on her face, even in her wolf form, was clear. And contrary to what she believes, I do know my daughter pretty well. Turning, I track the movements of the night. *Stay behind me and you get the hell out of here at first sign of anything that you cannot handle, we clear on that?*

*Crystal, Daddy.* If I turned around, I could probably see her twinkling at me.

*Luke...* I began.

*I got it, I got it. First sign of problems, I cover Sophia's back and get her into the next county.* He probably would have saluted me if he still had his human arms. Smart ass kid.

The shadows danced closer to us until I could make out their intentions. *We found Creed.*

*Good,* I wanted this over with. *Anyone heard anything about Ruby or Kanin yet?*

*Not since the howling stopped,* Jake answered, looping up behind me. *Think he died?*

*Think Sherman saved him?* Frank asked.

*He can't do that.*

*Sherman has a funny way of seeing the world.* I replied dryly. That old goat had a strange way of dealing with the world.

*Yeah, but even he won't be so...*

I gave a howl of attention as I caught a familiar scent. *Enough. Sherman will do what he has to, he's the Keeper and not under our rules. And at this point, I won't be surprised at anything.* The scent was getting stronger how. *In the mean time, we have unfinished business with Mr. Creed.*

TBC...
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