* Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Lycans/Vampires or their powers as depicted in Underworld. However, every character in this story (save two that will come up later) are of my own creation. Please do not steal them.*

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Evolution

The next morning, Arienne awoke to find her parents asleep in chairs at the foot of her bed. Rubbing her eyes, she mumbled, "Mother? Father?"

Rigel stirred immediately and woke Diarra. "Arienne, we need to ask you what happened last night?"

"Mother, I'm hungry," she said, rubbing her stomach.

"Rigel, let's get her some food and then we'll talk about it." Diarra stood, hoisted Arienne into her arms and carried her to the kitchen, Rigel following close behind.

As Arienne gobbled down bread, Rigel asked her again. "Honey, what happened last night?"

"I remember changing with everyone and running after, but when I stopped to catch my breath, you had all disappeared."

"So you did become a wolf?"

"Yes. Mother told me that if I got lost to follow the moon back to the house, so I did. When Catherine found me, I had turned back." She sipped some cider and looked up at her father with wondering eyes.

"But…" said Rigel, his brow furrowing, "how did you change back? Did you make it happen?"

"No, I don't even remember it. But… I suppose it might have been that tingle I felt."

Diarra glanced at Rigel. "Dear, can I speak to you for a moment?" She led him out into the hallway while Arienne sat munching away. "Do you suppose she can only transform for a limited amount of time? What if she doesn't transform at all for the rest of the full moon week?"

"Didi, I think it's bigger than that. She was the first girl, and her eyes are rumors all their own… Perhaps she's also another first?"

Diarra stared at her husband in wonder. "What do you mean?"

"Maybe she can change at will," he said, peeking through the crack in the door at Arienne. "I remember a nephew of mine that would change whenever he got angry or scared, but only partially. But his body couldn't take it – not only did he change with his emotions, but he was forced to change during the full moon like us. He didn't last ten human years. The strain of it all killed him in the end, I suppose."

"Killed him?" cried Diarra, looking more worried than before. "We can't let that happen, Rigel! Not my baby!"

"Didi, shush. Don't worry. She doesn't seem too tired, and she didn't stay in her wolf form the whole night last night. We'll watch her tonight. If she doesn't transform with us, maybe there's hope."

"And if she does?"

"Then we watch to see if she changes back sooner than we do. It's fairly simple, we just have to stay close to her tonight."

As Arienne munched happily on her table scraps, Catherine entered. "Miss Arienne, are you feeling well?"

"Yes, of course I am. Why wouldn't I feel well?"

"Begging your pardon, miss, but I was worried for your health seeing the events of last night. Why do you think you changed back?"

"I'm not sure, but I can hear Mother and Father talking about it outside. They think I might be able to change on my own."

Catherine's eyes widened. "On your own? Truly? How is that possible?"

"You know more than I know; you've been around longer."

"Yes, but nothing like this has ever happened before." Catherine stared at Arienne and saw that she didn't want to talk about it anymore. Stepping closer to where she sat, Catherine leaned in and whispered, "Miss Arienne? When I'm turned, would you teach me to… to harness my powers?"

"You mean transform at will? How do we even know that—"

"No, I mean my behavior and how to sense certain things that humans like me can't. Would you help me with that?"

"Of course," said Arienne matter-of-factly. "Why wouldn't I help you?"

"Some of the other servants have told me that during their transformation, no one celebrated, and no one helped them. They were just welcomed into the clan and that was it." Catherine smiled a bit at her and said, "But you will teach me; thank you! If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know. That's what I'm here for."

Catherine left instantly after that. Arienne sat pondering why the servants were treated so differently from the rest of them, but before she could come to any conclusions, her parents entered. "Arienne? Tonight, while everyone's changing again, your father and I will be keeping a close eye on you to make sure you're all right. Do you mind?"

"No. I understand. I'm going to the library room to read a little. Excuse me." Arienne jumped off her stool, passed her parents, and went off in search of a good book.

"Do you think she heard us outside?" asked Rigel.

"I think she hears more than we do."

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That night, as Catherine locked the door to the outside, Arienne stood between her parents. They walked down the steps to the garden and prepared for the moon's arrival. As they loosened fastenings and ties, Diarra leaned down to Arienne as she had the night before. "If you don't change with us, I want you to watch us for a moment and then try to change on your own if you can. If you can't, then tell your father or me before we run off, and I want you to stay here with Catherine."

"Yes, mother." Arienne sat on the ground, watching as her parents prepared. "Do you think there might be something wrong with me?"

"No, no dear. There's nothing wrong. Whatever is happening to you is exactly what is supposed to happen. The world has its ways of making things work," said Diarra.

Rigel rolled his eyes a bit behind her. "Now you just do what we said and we'll fix everything by morning. Don't worry, baby." He knelt down and kissed his daughter's forehead and took a step back.

The sky darkened from a dull gray glow to a deep navy blue and Arienne felt the familiar tingle of the moon's glow on the back of her neck. She watched the clan transform in front of her, then she looked at her own body and saw no difference. She looked back up at the moon and felt her eyes begin to tear up as she realized that she wasn't going to change that night. She moved solemnly towards her parents and wiped her eyes, showing she was still unchanged and felt the anger rise in her again.

"It's not fair!" she cried. "I don't want to be different! I want to be like you!" She kept shouting, and the more she shouted, the more her words became like snarls. The entire clan stopped and watched her in half amazement, half horror. By the time she'd finished yelling, she was panting hard on all fours. She heard something make a purring noise and looked up at her father's wolf face; he seemed to be smiling. She looked back to her hands and saw paws; she had changed, but only when she was angry, and she hadn't felt a thing. Filled with elation, she jumped around, climbing up trees and onto her parents' backs, showing everyone she was capable of changing on her own.

Thinking again, 'Maybe I could change back and forth,' she tried. It occurred to her that each time she'd changed, she had been highly emotional. Trying to harness that, she felt that familiar tingle she'd felt the night before as she transformed back and forth. Her parents nuzzled her with their snouts to show they were proud of her. Arienne was so excited that she couldn't help bouncing to and fro around the clan. Some of the older Lycans howled their praises, echoing throughout the countryside. Arienne couldn't help thinking that every creature for miles heard their roars and could sense what they meant.

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*Coming soon: "Foreseen and Unforeseen".*