Tristan looked slowly around at each knight's face, seeing mostly confusion, but no small amount of fear. It had taken rather longer than any of them would have liked as a result of certain complications, but they were now assembled in Arthur's room. After three days, they were anxiously waiting for both news of Codi's well-being and an explanation concerning her rather unexpected new talent. Tristan hesitated, unsure of how much to say, how to say it, and where to begin.

"Well?" Arthur asked, a trifle irritably.

"Codi will be--she won't die any time soon," Tristan assured them. "I've been giving her mixtures to help with dehydration."

"Yes, and..." Arthur prompted, eyes narrowing.

Tristan sighed. "You all know my hawk isn't just a bird and Codi's wolf isn't just a wolf, aye?" Seeing nods all around, he continued, "Well...it's something in our blood—or perhaps our souls, I don't know—that calls to us. An emptiness that can only be filled by the gods. There are three gifts—or four, if you count the animal itself. I myself have only the gift of Healing. Codi apparently has the Sight and the Change, as well."

"So she can turn into a wolf at will?" Lancelot asked, looking slightly alarmed.

"Er—that's how it's supposed to work," Tristan said uncomfortably. "I think circumstance may have brought it on prematurely. She still seems a bit...not there. Nightmares and such, you see--"

"Tristan, what are you trying not to say?" Arthur asked apprehensively. Tristan had always been extremely direct and to the point simply because he normally didn't like to talk much. If he was trying to beat about the bush now, it must be something bad.

"She can't seem to control it quite yet," Tristan said resignedly. "She keeps popping back and forth while she sleeps. Sometimes even when she's awake. And—and she doesn't seem to have any...humanity in her when she's a wolf."

"Well—if she's a wolf, then--"

Tristan cut Galahad off with a curt gesture. "It's not supposed to be like that. Morgaine Changes and she always said she retained a knowledge of self. What was it she said? She said she simply knew things both as a raven and a woman, but was still Morgaine. Codi doesn't have that."

"So," Arthur said slowly. "We have a delirious girl who involuntarily changes into a wolf and has no idea who she is."

"When she's a wolf," Tristan clarified. "When she's awake—and human—she knows exactly who she is."

"Does she realize that she's turning into a wolf?" Arthur asked, suspiciously calmly.

Tristan shook his head miserably. "She thinks she's dreaming. I hadn't the heart to tell her otherwise."

The knights were silent for a moment. Then Galahad spoke up, saying what they were all thinking.

"So what do we do?"

Blank stares, all around.

"Perhaps...Morgaine?" Gawain suggested tentatively.

Tristan blinked. Why hadn't he thought of that? Because you wanted to care for her yourself, a little voice in his head informed him. You want to keep her for yourself. Tristan shook his head irritably.

"That's certainly an idea. I'm not sure what she could do, but it would do no harm, at any rate. I'll send my lass straight away."

Tristan turned to go, but Arthur stopped him.

"Tristan--" Tristan turned back. "You've kept her locked in, haven't you?"

"Aye," Tristan nodded. "And no one but Brenna or myself inside—and the wolf. I thought he might help."

"Good."

Tristan let himself into Codi's room and locked the door behind him. Turning, he let out a cry of mingled surprise and frustration to see Codi, wolf-shaped and lying pinned beneath Shasa's weight amid a pile of torn pillowcases and scattered feathers. Enough is enough, he thought grimly, and marched over to the pair. Shasa released his erstwhile mistress and sat, giving Tristan leave to speak his mind.

"Listen here," he began, roughly gripping Codi's head between his hands. The she-wolf seemed too surprised to protest. "That's enough, Codi. You're human. Even if you're shaped as a wolf, you're still Codi. A woman. And if you can't even manage that, you might at least act like a wolf, not a naughty puppy."

Suddenly he found himself holding a much smaller head with markedly less fur. Codi's eyes, once more blue-gray instead of yellow, looked mournfully out at him from between his palms. Tristan sighed and sat back.

"Why is this happening?" she whispered. "I can never tell whether I'm dreaming or—or--"

"I know," Tristan said softly. "It's not you're fault."

"Then something's wrong with me," Codi said simply. "I'm warped—twisted—"

Tristan resisted the urge to pull her into his lap and comfort her. "There's nothing wrong with you," he told her. "We'll sort this out."

Shasa whined and nuzzled her ear in agreement. Codi slung an arm about his neck and buried her face in his ruff, heaving a sigh.

"Why is there always something going wrong?" she demanded, voice muffled by Shasa's fur. "Why can't I just be normal?"

In spite of himself, Tristan's mouth twitched. "Codi, you're a time traveling knight who has prophetic dreams and can turn into a wolf. I think anything approaching normal is out of the question at this point."

"I could at least be a freak without complications," Codi muttered. "And my dream—singular—wasn't prophetic. It was showing me what was happening in the present."

"Don't split hairs," Tristan said lightly, and pulled her to her feet. "How do you feel?"

"Still tired," Codi admitted. "But it's more because I'm afraid to fall asleep than anything else."

"Gawain suggested I send for your mother," Tristan told her. "Do you want me to?"

"No!" Codi said with startling vehemence. She looked down and muttered, "I—I don't want her to see me like this. I don't want her to think--"

"Codi," Tristan said softly. "It's not your fault. Your mother wouldn't think less of you for it. She could help you."

"Not yet." Codi shot him a pleading look. "Give me a few more days—then call her."

Tristan looked out the window at the setting sun. "You should try to get some sleep. You look half dead."

Indeed she did. She was pale and gaunt and had dark circles beneath red-rimmed eyes. She swayed slightly as she stood before him, even with Shasa supporting her. Tristan nodded toward the goblet of medicine and small bowl of soup on the table beside her bed. Codi still couldn't keep down much, but she couldn't live off of salt and sugar forever.

"Try to finish that and then get in bed," he told her, and turned to go.

"Wait--"

Tristan looked back to see Codi open and close her mouth as if she wanted to say something but couldn't quite get it out. He waited patiently until she blurted,

"Could you—could you stay? I know you," she explained hurriedly. "When I Change—and I know who I am, too, when you're there."

Tristan blinked. "Aye—aye, of course I'll stay."

"Thank you," Codi said, relief evident in her voice. She drank the medicine Tristan had made her as quickly as possible and made a face of distaste. "Urgh. That stuff's nasty."

"The soup tastes better," Tristan assured her, settling in the armchair across from her bed. "Or it should, anyway."

The soup did taste better. After nothing but foul medicinal mixtures for days on end, it was nothing short of ambrosia. It was warm and tasty and filling, and left Codi drowsy and satisfied. She crawled into bed and let her head fall back with a sigh. Without opening her eyes, she draped an arm over Shasa's side and asked,

"Tristan, how did you find me? And where was I, anyway?"

"The priest's private 'workshop'--meaning dungeon and torture chamber—below the church," Tristan said grimly. "As for how—Brenna found one of his acolytes and we, ah...persuaded him to lead us to you."

"Very politely, I imagine," Codi said with a sleepy smile. "You're always such a gentleman."

"Oh, to be sure," Tristan agreed. "However, I had substantial help from Bright-Eyes, there. And my bonnie lass, of course."

Shasa thumped his tail smugly as Codi hugged him.

"You know, I must have been awake for more than twenty minutes before I thought to call you through Ashai," Codi told him. "I felt so stupid."

"Aye, well, at least you can admit it to yourself," Tristan said philosophically. "They say that's the first step to recovery—admitting you have a problem."

Tristan caught the pillow Codi hurled at him and laughed.

"Beast," Codi muttered. "Give me back my pillow."

Tristan smirked. "Not a chance."

With excess ceremony, Tristan fluffed the pillow and set it behind his head, sighing dramatically and crossing his arms. He cracked an eye open, still smirking.

"Good night, witchling."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Codi awoke with a gasp, heart pounding. Had it happened again? Was she human or wolf? With the moon obscured by clouds, she couldn't tell. Codi let out a small whimper of fear as she felt her consciousness begin to ebb. She was rapidly losing her sense of "Codi"--the knowledge of who she was. Shasa licked her hand reassuringly. Hand, not paw. She lifted her hand to her face, feeling carefully. All human.

With a sigh, Codi licked her dry lips and froze as something sharp pricked her tongue. Carefully, she ran her tongue over her teeth and shivered. Two tiny fangs curved down from her gums. In her panic, she nearly lost herself. No, she thought fiercely. I will not give in—I won't! Fight, she told herself. Fight it.

Without realizing it, Codi suddenly found herself tumbling out of bed and staggering toward Tristan, who jerked awake. He moved to get up, concern etched in every line on his face. The moon had come out, Codi observed dizzily, and collapsed at his feet.

Tristan pulled her to her feet and held her tightly as she clung desperately to his shirt. Codi turned up her face to look into his and caught her breath. Tristan. So wild and yet human. I know him, she thought feverishly. And he knows me. I know me. So wild—he's wild. Like me. Codi slowly reached up and traced the scars on his cheeks. The the moonlight, he was all shadows and angles—he was beautiful.

"Tristan--" she whispered. "I need you. Make me human again."

"Are you sure you want this?" he asked softly, smoothing back her hair.

"I need it," Codi said raggedly. "I need you."

Tristan pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm right here."

"Make me human," Codi murmured. "Please—I need to feel human."

In reply, Tristan lifted her gently and carried her to the bed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

Yay! Tristan gets some! woo hoo! sorry I didn't go--you know, more in deapth, but I don't do smut. Sorry.