Changing Perceptions

Jesse's POV:

So that's what was going on, huh? It seemed that one phasing set off all the others to phase too. That's what caused the weird buzz. All the energy for them to transform together created a real storm. There was a lot of confusion about the new comrades. They weren't frightened at all, but were really freaked out. No wonder though. Phasing for the first time is hard. Right smack bang in the middle of the toughest time of your childhood, or maybe your life. Being a wolf isn't easy. Finding the balance between reality and the stuff of nightmares, is like finding in the needle in the haystack, when the needle is always two centimetres away. These newbies were lucky they had each other, because they didn't really know us. Still, I'm sure they would love it if someone explained everything when the opportunity presented itself.

There really wasn't much choice though. Toqua had no choice but to call the next meeting early. So we found ourselves sitting on the ground, all still in wolf form so we could communicate, facing each other with Toqua at the supposed head, us guys by his side and the newbies facing us.

Don't worry, no harm will come to you anytime soon. This place is guarded. Well actually, this place is guarded by us and eventually you too, Toqua began.

The boys flinched, some grumbled but there was definitely a mixture of confusion.

Look, I'll say it all again. You guys can phase into werewolves. This is because you are needed to protect our land from vampires. This means there are vampires coming. We are all going to be on our guard until they are stopped. Any questions?

I don't want to be whatever this is. Do I have a choice? the steel grey wolf asked.

Yes you do have a choice. You can stop phasing and start to age again. But I must warn you, this is one of the most difficult tasks for us to do. The weight of responsibility and power can corrupt your mind if you try to resist it. It will be very difficult to control your temper, especially for young boys like you who have just phased. People could be hurt. I'd advise you to join our pack and we will teach you how to control yourselves.

There was a deep grumble amongst the new wolves and some started to howl. It was getting late and they were probably worried about getting home.

Good point, Jesse. I need to point something out myself actually. If you could all settle down please.

Toqua's born alpha voice was enough to shut them up, they all waited miserably for him to continue.

I'd like to test something out. Let's see if you can all phase back.

I stood back a step and I watched as the panic spread across the little wolves' faces. I smirked.

You can't can you? I said to them. They moaned and some fell down and started to cry. You don't even know how.

Jesse, don't taunt them. All right boys, if you could just calm down. I'm afraid that the bad news is, it's most likely that you won't be able to phase back until up to a week, maybe even two. I'm very sorry. We'll make a cover story for your family and take care of you until you do phase. Then the rest is up to you.

Now it was my turn to moan. Baby sitting is not part of the job description.

It is if I say so. Now Jamie and Claud, come with me. We have to create a cover story for these guys. Jonah and Jesse, I'd like you to try and teach them something. Try and get them to phase back.

And then the three left us to baby sit.

A half hour later

For the last time, don't force it! Let the heat run through you. It's gonna hurt.

It hurts like hell, the little cream rascal said back.

That's a good thing. Keep going, Jonah the sop. I am not!

This is boring! Lets play a game! The brown speckled one said.

We have names you know, the blackish-brown one said.

Don't care, I said back.

Look, I have an idea. Let's tell a few stories! Jonah the sop.

Stop calling me that! Listen, I think it's good to tell them all the legends, they'd get to know a bit more about us.

Fine fine. Where do we begin?

How about the beginning?

Jonah and I had phased back and sat down after quite impressively starting a nice warm bonfire.

We sat round, the others still in wolf form. It was easier to tell the story if they weren't all thinking their own thoughts and interrupting.

"Ok, we'll begin with the story of Taha Aki and his spirit warriors..."

Being in human form also meant that I could think my private thoughts. As Jonah began, it occurred to me that I had the best story locked away in my room. I knew that I could really learn something if I told them about it. So I got up and dusted myself off.

"Where are you going?"

"I have a story I'd like to share, I'm gonna be two seconds getting it."

With that note, I ran home. The dark, emerald green leaves brushed past me as I sped further out of the forest. The silver crescent moon had already started to rise and it shone on the soft, dirt path, leading the way to my back yard.

As soon as I got to the back door, I hurriedly opened it. My mother was out again with "Judy" so no one would notice me as I flung open my bedroom door and snatch the green leather book off my desk. No one would notice me as I ran out of the door and stole away into the woods. No one would notice me as I ever so sneakily faded away into the woodland and phase into a large wolf with a book in his mouth. No one would notice, I had another secret night life. No one would notice, at all.

I arrived back into the clearing, just as Jonah was saying his last line. The fire was now just a few pieces of orange, glowing wood. I phased and dumped the book on the ground, to search for more fire wood.

When I returned, everyone was patiently waiting for me to tell my story.

"Look guys, I've got something to share with you. I bought this in a book store. I'll have to explain a bit. I'll begin now. This is Changing Perceptions by Emily Young. The author was called Emily Young but in this story, she is Emily Uley. I'll explain later. You see, this book is in fact a diary. I'll read what she's written.

'" The Cullens, meaning the vampire family supposedly the ones who only drank animal blood who lived on the Forks border, had come by that day. Sam said that they were teaching them how to defeat newborns. Who's crazy idea was that. As much as I respect Bella and all, she really is causing so much trouble around. The girl, it's not her fault. Trouble is attracted to her. They say that it's Victoria, the redhead. Now everyone has to go and get caught up in these stupid little revenge games, including my dear Sam. I wouldn't know what to do if he ever got harmed.

" Sam said that, James a vampire who hunted down Bella, was killed by the Cullens. Now his mate, Victoria the redhead, wants to take vengeance on the girl. Sam doesn't really think that's linked to the newborns because Edward Cullen said it was most likely the Volturi. The Volturi, the Italian head of vampires, who control the vampire world so their secret is kept hidden.

"Sam's gone off to fight today. He usually tells me everything, but today, he was silent. Not a word. He completely ignored me this morning. I'd never seen him act like that.

"I soon found out why. He came back fine, but his face was dead grave. He said that Jacob had been hurt badly from a newborn. I couldn't speak at all. The poor boy was only a child, goodness! I feel very protective over my boys, though I'm not much older than them.

" Jacob had been taken back to Billy's and Carlisle Cullen had turned up to look at him. It happened that Victoria had been lead to find Edward's trail and Edward lead to Bella. That girl I tell you, is a magnet for trouble!

" My poor cousin had been there fighting too you know. My heart really broke when I found out that she was so close to being in the state that Jacob is in now. If it wasn't for Jacob pushing her out of the way. Now poor Jacob found out the consequence of that."' I stopped there. The others had all frozen stiff. I knew they were thinking of exactly the same thing as me. Maybe she wrote it wrong. But it was very clear she had written "she" and "her". Why had she been in the fight?

'" He'd really been mangled up badly. I wanted to stay longer, but Carlisle said he'd be knocked out for a while. Bella hadn't come to see him yet so I let him rest."' It was obvious that Emily wouldn't go on anymore about "her". I skipped a few pages to look for more.

I'd found a few pages that seemed right enough.

'" I hadn't heard much from them for a long time. It was really bringing me down and Sam was getting worried about me. I really missed my cousins and Jacob. They'd been gone for too long and I really had no idea what had been happening with them. I didn't know how Bella had been doing with her pregnancy. I hadn't heard much from Sam either. He's been secretly planning things with the pack and I had a bad feeling about it all. I don't like not knowing about my pack.

"One day I just snapped, and told him he could do anything he wanted and needed to bring them back home.

"It wasn't a success. They got more angry after he sent a few of our pack to convince them. I felt so bad that day. They simply hate us now. So there's two packs is there? Leah is like a sister to me and Jacob and Seth are like little brothers to me."' There we are then. Leah, she, her, sister. Leah was a girl. A girl in the pack.

"Wow. Is that for real? It's not a joke is it?" Jonah asked.

"No this is all real."

There was a long grumble through the wolves. I'm sure they weren't as shocked as us but they wouldn't want to share minds with a girl. Or would they? The grumble was a mixture between disgust and amusement.

I also thought about the pack splitting. It was so shockingly close to that other story that Jonah told me of the day of the party.

"Jonah, what was the story that you told me at the party?"

"I thought you didn't believe that story. It's just a really funny story right?"

I thought about that for a bit.

"You know, I'm more open minded. I can believe a bit more now. I'm getting desperate." The wolves grumbled more, it sounded like laughing. My face burned red.

"Hmm..Okay. I'll tell you guys another story. It's a short one but very important. You see, it was a while after that story that a boy about Jesse's age had a bright idea. In those days, people believed in the legends. This boy, Dylan and three of his mates decided to split from the pack. They went off to start their own pack like Jacob did. Though Jacob didn't make his own pack, some of the old pack had decided to follow him. In Dylan's case they decided to follow him and invade Makkah and extend their land, for filling Utlapa's idea.

"So they ventured from the pack one night and up to Makkah they left. It wasn't long before they settled down there. They kept the secret of them being Quileute werewolves hidden so no one knew that some of the children in Makkah could phase, until they did that is. You can guess what happened to Dylan and the others when they were found out. They say that there is still another pack there now, and growing ever stronger. The legends died down after that. Rules became so much stricter and those stories became taboo. Everyone did everything they could to stop that from happening again.

"People have consequently stopped believing in the legends. We don't know if they're just stories but it's still interesting to know. If anyone found out that we've been retelling the legends we'd be slaughtered. Don't say anything to anyone.

You better hide that book, Jesse."

Would anyone find out about my book? The only people who know are the new wolves, Jonah and the lady at the bookstore. I'm sure she wouldn't tell. She probably didn't have anyone to tell it to. I was quite satisfied and as soon as Toqua and the others came back, me and Jonah were sent home and the others took over the shift.

a/n sorry I haven't been writing recently. My internet didn't work but I've got the next chapter started.