Jacob and Leah slowed down as they approached, the scent of new wolves making them tingle as they padded towards the hidden pack. Soon they smelt other wolves tracking them, and came to a stop in a clearing and sat down, copying the poses Swarhi and Jonty had adopted when they first met them. For several moments nothing happened, then the foliage parted and three large wolves walked towards them, all three were a copper-red with black-tipped ears. The lead wolf dipped it's head in a unmistakable bow.

Greetings, we wondered when we'd hear from you Her voice came clearly to them as she raised her head, a smile underneath her friendly tone.

Um, greetings. Jacob sent back We've come to see Mari

Everyone does came the response follow us. The wolf turned and began to lead them back the way they'd came, Jacob and Leah falling into step either side of her so what shall I introduce you as?

I'm Jacob Black, this is Leah Clearwater

Good names. I'm Anya, these are my cousins Jeff and Jim. The other two wolves growled briefly in greeting Welcome to our pack the trees parted and showed a large community before them, wooden houses built in a sprawled pattern and people walking around, children running and playing and a bonfire in the middle that smoldered as a woman dressed in a red shirt poked it as the sun began to set. But what made Jacob and Leah stare was that amongst the people ran wolves, bounding along, carrying things, one even had a child riding it; giggling in abandon as it grabbed clumps of fur and the wolf winced.

Wow. Jacob thought.

I know. Leah sent back.

Anya smiled and led them into the throng, people making way and watching them curiously as they were led towards a hut.

Phase in here, we'll meet you outside.

Jacob and Leah phased quickly, putting their clothes on in a slight state of disbelief.

"How is this place real?" Jacob intoned quietly as he buttoned his shorts

"I don't know, but I like it" Leah said with a slight smile, and led him out to where the three red wolves waited for them, along with the woman in the red shirt.

"Hello" she said with a warm smile "its good to finally meet you, I'm Mari."

She sat them down by the fire and listened as they explained about Swarhi and Jonty and their small pack. Mari was a tall elegant woman of around 50, with greying hair pulled back into a long dutch braid and an oval face. She listened expertly, pulling out the information she needed. The three red wolves had vanished back into the crowds, and as Jacob and Leah finished their story Mari leant her head on a long fingered hand.

"I will send a medic to Swarhi immediately, I did wonder if I should have insisted that she and Jonty stayed here, but those two will never stay in one place." She looked over her shoulder as a thin pale wolf passed and called it over.

"Aponi!" The wolf walked over and butted her hand in greeting "these two are from the small pack south of us in Forks, Swarhi and Jonty are with them." There was a whine from the wolf and Mari nodded "Exactly. I need you to go and help her." The wolf nodded and with a long look at Jacob and Leah left. Mari turned back to them with a reassuring smile.

"Aponi a very experienced midwife, she'll know what to do."

"How do you know where our pack is?" Leah asked

"We've been aware of you for eons Ms Clearwater, since the cold ones first attacked you."

"Then why haven't you tried to make contact?"

"You're out of our territory, and we can't go onto the cold ones land. We've seen you run past, and we heard the big battle you had last year, but we couldn't touch you."

"So how much do you know about us?"

"We don't know much." Mari admitted "You're small, comparatively speaking, only one female," Leah nodded "and you've got some sort of truce with the cold ones...?"

"They're the Cullen family." Jacob supplied " They're 'vegetarians', only eating animals. Our treaty was that they could stay as long as they didn't bite any humans."

"So what happened?"

"The 'youngest' son fell in love with a human-"

"Your human?" Mari asked suddenly

"What?"

"You loved her." Jacob went quiet and pink, and Leah took over the story, giving Jacob's leg a brief reassuring squeeze, making his ears turn pink too.

"The human was a magnet for danger, and had all sorts of other vampires after her. We had a big battle with a red-headed female after they killed her mate, and her newborn army, we helped the vampires fight and won, and then this girl and the youngest son got married."

"I see."

"She came back from the honeymoon pregnant" Leah continued "with some sort of hybrid that killed her from the inside out. In order for her to 'survive' the Cullen's turned her, breaking the treaty."

"So how is your relationship with them now?"

"Strained." Jacob said "They don't trust us or we them."

"You know that they may see Swarhi and Jonty's arrival as a threat?"

"What?" Leah said, confused.

"What would you think if they started building up their numbers? They may try and attack you." The pair went quiet and Mari watched them through dark eyes. After a moment of contemplative silence she stood up and dusted off her jeans.

"It's getting late, I suggest you join us for dinner and stay the night. You can head back tomorrow."

'Dinner' turned out to be a very communal affair with the entire tribe sat round the fire in various forms. Sometimes a human leant against a wolf; sometimes it was two humans or a family of wolves. Jacob watched amused as very young wolf cubs were kept entertained with a game of fetch form a bored looking older brother. Food was passed round and nobody batted an eye at the sheer amount eaten, and at some point somebody started throwing pinecones into the fire, giving off a woody scent that permeated everything. Leah seemed to be getting on with the new tribe splendidly; currently she was talking in an animated way to a group of young women about her age, gesturing with her hands. Jacob's hearing just about picked up her exultation at finding other females and conveyed how difficult she sometimes found it in her own pack. He studied her posture, she was sat leant back, her weight on one arm as she gestured and talked; she had never looked that relaxed with them. She was happier, more relaxed, talking to other women seemed to help her somewhat, and in the light of the fire her skin took on a slow glow that was most becoming. Jacob frowned as an unwelcome thought came into his head. If she was so happy here, would she ever want to leave? This sent an unpleasant jolt down his spine, and getting to his feet he slunk off; she didn't even notice as his form vanished into the trees.

Jared and Paul were on patrol when a new scent approached them. They had been told to look out for someone from Mari's pack to help Swarhi. A thin pale wolf with a smaller wolf beside her appeared before them.

We're here to help Swarhi Came a voice. Paul just nodded, and turning led the pair towards the reservation, leaving Jared to continue patrolling the perimeter.

The thin wolf phased into a willowy woman and likewise her apprentice (a very plain girl who gave them a searching look) and with a very brief nod to when he answered the door. The whole pack had been subdued; he looked upon the pair as a blessing. As he let them in he felt a chillr un down his neck, and looked around outside. There was no one to be seen; and frowning Sam shut the door. Downwind from them Edward turned to his brothers, who answered his questioning gaze with a simple nod. Below them Rosalie sighed, and they leapt off into the night.

"Why don't you just tell her?" Jacob started. Looking around he spotted Mari coming out of the trees near him, bare feet walking almost silently on the leaf litter.

"Tell who?"

"Leah. About how you feel." Jacob scoffed

"Ch'urh."

"Mr Blackwater," Mari smiled in a knowing way he assumed Swarhi had learnt from her. "I have seen situations like this before. You're scared."

"I am not!" Jacob protested

"Then why aren't you doing anything about it?"

"With respect, I don't think it's any of your concern..." Mari regarded him for a long moment. the long necklace she wore moved slightly in the breeze; three feathers hung from it.

"Very well." She said eventually; Jacob felt as if she had dug through his mind before deciding not to say anything more. "I'll leave it to you, but I warn you that she wont wait for ever."

"I know." Jacob said as Mari merged back into the trees "I know." With a shiver he pulled his shorts off and phased, he felt better in this form, and padded back out to the fire.

Leah noticed him with a warm smile. He sat down next to her and almost naturally she leant against his side, her body heat permeating through to his skin. He listened to the conversation, staying silent in his phased state. a few others were phased as well and he vaguely picked up a warm foggy feeling emulating from them.

"How're you doing Jake?" Leah said quietly a while later, sensitive to his hearing and how close she was to his ears. He nodded and pressed his head into her neck where she giggled, he felt it travel through her body and smiled inside. pulling back he licked her ear and she laughed

"Jake! Urgh!" but she was smiling, and after regarding him for a moment leant back onto his side. "I like this place" she murmured "its...easier here." Jacob frowned but didn't move, letting Leah remain against his side until they were showed to a cabin and to bed.