Author's Note: the-PBG helped write this with me, and it's taken a while to proofread this story... mostly because it was about 60 pages long.

Boy, did we write a lot back then when we RP'ed this.

Anyway, enjoy.

Full Moon High: Talbot Pack Crusaders

Chapter 1: Passing the Torch pt 1

4 Years Later

Everett, Washington

Penreal Sports Center

Ice Rink

Early August

Early August was a scorcher, the summer sun would press down onto the town of Everett, and for a brief period, forming a break between the torrential rain and the long drawn out melancholy weather that persisted along the banks of the North West pacific. It was during these times that people often needed that special break from the warm sun by having a little diversion.

The Penreal sports centre had a very good reputation, it was clean, well-managed and situated along the river band that separated Everett's older wealthier outer houses and the city suburbs edging closer towards the coast. Its ice rink was a popular attraction at this time of year and saw more varied use than its usual training for the local hockey team: and today a very special girl was on the ice.

"Natalie slow up!"

Natalie giggled to herself as she effortlessly slid from one to the other, allowing her skates to gently scrape the icy floor, carrying her great distances with little effort, as she zoomed across the ice. She was a young thin girl, with light blonde hair cut back to bellow her ears, parting into two long curved bangs, which brushed against her sky-blue eyes. She would flash her trademark whimsical smile: she liked to smile a lot, especially as she skated, holding out her arms and gliding like a tiny blonde swan across the clear sheet of ice. She was the very picture of a youngest daughter, small, adorable and excitable: but as she insisted that was not to last much longer. Natalie was only fifteen, going on sixteen years old, no longer a child, but not a woman, as she regularly told. But despite her youthful confidence she knew coming next week she would have to restart again and become a real woman. School, adulthood, her first real boyfriend, all these things awaited her and she was relishing the chance to meet them. The excitement within her was palpable at the prospect, but for more than you would expect. For her this skate was her last chance at childhood and she was excited to drink in every aspect of it; but yet there was more to it, or rather one big reason in particular, and when she thought of it, she almost felt herself burst: and in this instance playfully stuck her tongue out at the girl who was following her.

"Better catch up Ashley," she cooed in her high pitched voice, her giggling barely constrained as she spun around on the ice, weaving past two bystanders, and began to effortlessly skate backwards. "Oh come on sis," she goaded, spotting Ashley a while's back down the rinks white, cardboard boulevard, "it's not that hard."

Ashley was an older girl and the very picture of an older daughter: especially for their father – or adopted father as the situation was. Ashley was not the tallest for her age of eighteen, but stood at a respectable 5'8ft. Like her sister she was blonde, but unlike her she was matured. Her hair fell down well past her face in two long bangs that parted at the centre of her head, the strands flowing down to the small on her back. She was also graced with an athletic figure, with a noticeable bust, wide shapely hips, which all sat atop a pair of long dancer like legs: that the thick layer of clothing she wore in the cold rink did little to hide. Still despite her looks and bright sky blue eyes and long lashes she looked rather silly crumpled up on the floor as she uneasily attempted to stand on her skates that seemed to continually slip out from under her. Even as she tried to prop herself up with the boulevard running the edge of the ice, she was still the image of a desperate soul.

Thump!

Ashely hit the ice for the fourth time. Her hands raced to rub her bottom and looked solemnly up at the toothy grin of her sister, clutched tightly between the white scarf and black woolly hat she was wearing. Ashley smiled back, trying again and finally managing to get her feet firmly on the ice as she desperately clung to the plastic railing.

"You know, it's not nice to laugh at others," she said in a firm tone, her sparkling eyes narrowing as she shot her sister a slightly annoyed look, but soon found herself smiling as well.

"I know," Natalie giggled pushing away from the edge of the rink and skating around her sister as the older sibling began to take her first tentative steps into the ring. "It's just…" Natalie looked around making sure no one else could hear them as she slid in close, "Considering you're a werewolf, I thought you had really good balance."

Ashely went to shake her head at the comment, but found herself forced to wave her arms frantically to maintain her balance: Natalie jumped away, sliding back a few meters to give her some room. Still Ashley managed to catch herself and stand upright; she still smiled at her younger sisters consistent questioning of her 'gifts.' She mentally smiled at herself for calling 'condition' such a thing: because despite what Hollywood would lead you to believe there were certainly more perks than you would expect.

"It's the tail really," Ashley then explained beginning to try and skate with some difficulty, Natalie slowing down to skate alongside her. "I mean it gives you balance, it has a life of its own, you can sense your surroundings a bit with it and - "

"It looks super cute!"

Ashely felt her smile creep in a little more, "I meant to say it can help keep you warm… but yeah, it is really cute."

The two parted as a skater headed right at them, Ashley took time to glance back and make sure he was out of earshot. "But seriously, Natalie, being a werewolf is dangerous," her tone began to become a hushed whisper as she looked down at her overexcited sister. "There are hunters, monsters who want to hurt us, and who knows what else facing us, it is not an easy life."

Natalie smile did not falter as she slid in close and hugged her sisters arm, "And that's why I want to 'elp you," she stated with a little croak as her voice cracked sharply, its tone jumping several octaves before dropping to a lower tone. Natalie covered her mouth, "Oops," and Ashley shook her head.

It wasn't long before Natalie was asking a new question though: "so tell me about how my body will change."

Up in the stands two girls sat spread far apart, one holding a pair of binoculars, and another fiddling with a small radio, with three sets of headphones positioned around it. Both girls were wrapped up tightly in the cold and both of them were wearing two of the headphones.

"Ask her about the boobs," the girl without the binoculars whispered quietly towards the radio, with a sense of urgency in her voice.

The other girl snorted as her head turned to follow the two skaters around the ice, "You're so childish."

As if in response the larger of the two girls puffed out her pudgy cheeks as she firmly said back. "Oh, come on, Diana! I know you're curious too." Indeed the girl called Diana now looked at her friend as her expression shifted to that of a small whimper as her pale cheeks began to grow increasingly red, before her hands rushed to her face.

"You're impossible, Stacie." She cried, but after her cheeks died down Diana lowered her head towards the radio's microphone and whispered: "Natalie ask after the physical changes again…" she paused as she tried to restrain herself from laughing, which caused her young face to look very severe. "And ask about the boobs."

"So… umm Ashley," the voice then came through the headsets awkwardly, "After your changes… did… umm… your chest get bigger." There was audible laughter from Ashley over the radio.

Not Far

Diana and Stacie were good friends of Natalie, and had been right alongside her for years. So when the Natalie found out that one of the werewolf heroes of Everett was her own older sister, the trio had jumped into a quest to find out as much as possible.

Diana was the taller of the two: her voice carrying a very clear eloquent accent that was still marked by the occasional squeak in her speech. Already at sixteen, she was quite demure around 5'5ft in height and, possessing a very thin elongated body bought on by a very young growth spurt. She possessed long flowing almost white Platinum blonde hair which grew down her back, and despite her bright green eyes giving her a mature glare she still had a little fat around her face giving her noticeable rosy cheeks.

Stacie meanwhile was shorter at 5ft, and rounder: a lot rounder. Her voice was squeaky, almost impossible high and when she got excited she sounded like a mouse. The girl was by no means obese but a diet of sweets and sugary snacks had left the young girl rather squat for her age, with a very round almost baby like face, that possessed very messy, ear, length ginger hair that was matted in every single place: although no one could currently tell from underneath her green bobble hat.

Indeed, both were tightly wrapped in puffer jackets, although Stacie's green one seemed to bulge out that extra few inches, while Diana's blue coat was long enough to go down to her knees.

Absently Stacie popped a small jam tart into her mouth and began to chew as she listened to Ashley's conversation.

"Well in all honesty, we're not sure why it happens," Ashley explains, "I mean one of our members who knows magic says it's the magic making soace within our bodies. But personally, I'm not sure why it happens… but I am complaining about the obvious perks."

Both Natalie and Ashley could be heard giggling as Stacie spun to face Diana. "Did you hear that!"

Diana looked at her coolly and gave Stacie a dark smile, "I don't see why you are fussed, I mean you eat enough sweets that your boobs are already bigger than your head."

Stacie scowled and looked away, taking another bite out of her jam tart. "I'm not fat," she said, before chewing once again.

"Hey guys. What are you up to?"

Both girls looked up and saw a boy their own age walking towards them. Like them he was sixteen years old, he had dark scruffy black hair that stuck in all directions and stood around 5'4ft with his very light frame. He wasn't the tallest or biggest kid, indeed next to the large Stacie he looked almost anorexic, but he had dark eyes which would dart between the two reading them like a book. Unlike the others he left his black puffer jacket undone and exposed the skull faced motif on his black t-shirt and torn jeans underneath. This was Zeeve Leads, a former member of a radical street hunter gang-turned-friend four years ago.

"Umm we were," Diana began, before Stacie cut her off.

"We were talking about boobs, Zeeve!"

Zeeve looked at the large girl and then at Diana, before looking back to Stacie. He shrugged, his young mind not getting the point, "Sure whatever… why are you so obsessed about them anyway?" He asked as he sat down taking a sip from the steaming paper cup in his right hand.

Zeeve like the two girls was a friend of Natalie, however he had known her since they were in kindergarten. The pair had shared a history for most of their lives up until two years ago where Natalie's obsession with werewolves had struck a chord between him and her. Where Natalie had seen them as cool heroes, Zeeve had bitten into the anti 'freak' rhetoric and years of monster movie propaganda along with his brother, joining the vigilante group 'Fang Alert.' However a year ago after a series of misadventures Zeeve and her brother had seen the errors of their ways and ended the group, and he had made up with Natalie – much to Diana's chagrin.

As if to show this mutual tension Diana sighed, ignoring Zeeve and went back to looking through her binoculars at the pair, as Zeeve pulled on the third pair of headsets and sat down on the raised row of benches behind them.

"So you get really hungry as a werewolf," Natalie could be heard saying to her sister.

Even from the stands all three of them could see Ashley nod "Of course," her muffled voice said into their headphones, "Your body metabolism goes into overdrive and you want to eat like crazy to make up for all the muscle and fat you'll put on." Diana briefly glanced over at Stacie. "You need to eat a lot, but don't worry. I and some friends will set aside some food for you," Ashley continued with a small laugh "… it will certainly be better then what happened to me."

Natalie's next question caught them all off guard, "Ashley, what's a metabolism?"

The minutes began to roll by as did the questions. Natalie asked after werewolf lifestyle, how it was like to have fur, if she could only eat meat: she was sad to earn that it was a no. Still as it dragged on Zeeve began to grow steadily more agitated, "It's like she wants to turn into one," he muttered sourly causing both his friends to turn to him with rather severe looks in their eyes.

"You don't?" Diana asked curtly, or as curtly as she could as her voice squeaked as she finished.

Zeeve didn't answer and the pair looked back at Natalie adjusting their headpieces. In truth a lot more was said without any words passing at all. Zeeve had never said he regretted what he had done as part of his brothers 'neighborhood watch group.' Fang Alert had aimed to protect the people of Everett from the dangers of what went bump in the night, it was a noble goal if highly inaccurate. In reality, he and a dozen others had spent their evenings bumbling around going after creatures who not only posed them no harm but if they hadn't show restraint could have likely snapped many of them in two. It was due to that his brother, the 'chairman' of the group, had disbanded the organization and Zeeve had to own up to being an idiot: Something which was very hard to do with friends who were as nuts about werewolves as these three were.

Zeeve crossed his arms as he watched Dina reach for the radio and whisper, "Ask her about Sage."

Then again, the three of them had had very different experiences to werewolves then him, they had been saved by the werewolf super heroes that were apparently running around the town, or thats was they had told him. Diana had apparently gotten hurt when a gang of thugs had gone after Natalie to get to her father, and the werewolves had saved all three of them. It had also left Diana with an odd obsession for the wolf who had saved her: Sage.

As if in response, Stacie tried to push Diana off, and wrestle her headset free of her as she tried to yell "Ask about Alpha," the apparent leader of the werewolves, only to have the lanky platinum blonde push the larger girl off.

"Oh come on, Natalie. Ask about Sage," the white haired girl almost demanded, although all three of them knew it was Diana's way of asking 'nicely.'

Zeeve could not restrain the urge to roll his eyes as he saw the toughest of three girls suddenly begin to giggle. For Zeeve, apart from talking about this Sage and Alpha, Diana had never giggled: mockingly laughed but never giggled. As for Stacie's obsession with Alpha he had no idea where that came from.

"Umm… Sis," Natalie began to ask, the awkwardness hardly masked by the crackle of the radio. "Can I ask about the werewolves who saved me and my friends… you know back before…." Stacie raised her mouth to stifle a giggle while Diana glared back at her.

"You knew werewolves were real?" Ashley asked briskly.

Natalie didn't respond verbally but Zeeve felt he could see her nod out on the ice.

Ashley audible sighed and began to explain, "Well I'll introduce them when I can, but suffice to say they are both good friends of mine, so if you want to thank them I am sure it is doable."

All of them could tell Natalie was sweat dropping as she said the next bit, "gee sis… thanks."

Stacie giggling could be heard quite clearly now as a few people on the stands turned to look at them, Diana though growled out under her breath. "Shut up."

Meanwhile

Out on the ice a cry went up. "Out of my way!" a very fierce but very high-pitched voice could be heard yelling down on the ice.

Turning her binoculars to look at the person Diana visibly gasped. "O M G" she spelt out as she spoke, "Josses is out there today!"

Zeeve at first froze, and then raised his fingers to go and rub his eyes. "Dear..." for a lack of swear word he slammed his fist into his chairs arm rest. "poo."

Josee Lemieux was a big deal, or that's what she kept telling everyone. She came from a family of media moguls and had gotten everything she had ever needed and then some. Puppies; ponies; full athlete training; the latest fashions; Josses had never wanted for anything in return for being pushed to her limits since the day she was born. She got the best and was expected to be the best: and here and now she was the centre of attention on the ice. Here, the sixteen-year-old athlete could show the world her expertise for her age. The young blonde girl jumped and glided her way around the rink, each footstep carefully calculated, each movement refined and pushed to the extreme of what her young body would allow: and then, as her parents had taught her, she would push it a little more.

Jumping into a spin, arching one leg up and another pointing down she spun five times before landing smoothly on the ice, gliding backwards and then spinning on the spot and halting with barely a scratch on the ice.

Subline, perfect, refined. All words for her, words which told the world who she was, what she could do and why they should be looking at her.

The problem was they weren't.

Passers-by and other skaters seemed to glide around the girl, giving her the space, she needed as she practiced. But only a few glanced in her direction and only for a moment. She did catch one person clapping for her, and he promptly gave her a thumbs up but it was not enough: there were dozens of people here and they caused her mind to snap as she thought 'why are they not looking at me!'

Inside her mind Josses began to fume, like a kettle left on a furnace for just that little too long, her thoughts darkened as she looked around the room to vent her frustration and she saw it: Natalie Norwest, skating backwards as usual and laughing all the way.

Josses lips twisted into a snarl like smile, her words seemingly happy and cross all at the same time as she said two words. "My rival!"

"So when do we do it," Natalie asked as she and Ashley began to head towards the exit, Ashley still not quite keeping her poise as Natalie began to glide around her once more.

Ashley's question was direct but it carried a weary tone as if to test what she thought her sister was asking, "do what?" The little giggle from her sister was all the conformation that she needed, but her sister answered anyway.

"Oh come on, when do I turn?"

Ashley nodded as if in acknowledgment of an inevitable question, "next weekend, when the moo…"

"NATALIE NORWEST!"

The two sisters spun around to see the young sixteen-year-old glide up to them, effortlessly getting into Natalie's face, while jabbing her finger into the teens chest and using those few extra inches of height she had to try and tower over Natalie to no avail.

Natalie's reaction was to blink and look at her sister as their motion had them skid into the boulevard along the rinks edge.

"Hi, Josses, you're looking happy as usual."

Josses scowl seemed to darken at Natalie's very genuine comment, not picking up that Natalie was trying to reach out to her with anything other than what she expected: which was loathing.

"I told you this is my rink, you little squirt!" The taller blonde jabbed her finger into Natalie's puffer jacket for the sixth time, as her eyes narrowed, getting close enough for their noses to just touch.

Natalie however tilted her head and raised her hand to touch her chin in thought. She reached back in her memory to the last time she and Josses had met, about a month ago and recalled their last conversation.

'Bla bla bla, I am great! Bla bla bla, I am rich! Blab la bla, pride! Blab a bla family honour! Blab la bla eternal rivals! Bla bla bla!'

Shaking her head Natalie had to admit her memory was a little foggy on the exact specifics: she always felt conversations with Josses blurred into one.

"I remember I asked you if you wanted to come round and play," Natalie truthfully answered, remembering that she had asked Josses that a few times, whenever this girl came out of nowhere and blindsided her. Although that may have been the time before that, 'wow these conversations really do blur together,' she thought seeing Josses normally controlled expression get angrier.

Before she could react though, Ashley's arm flew between the girls and with the firmest push she could she sent Josses flying backwards, but she didn't purely separate the two with a firm scowl. Anger could be seen welling up in Josses eyes even from the stands, and as she relented, skating away her high but refined voice tried to boom out, but cracked a lot as she spoke.

"Do you have any idea' who I am! Who my 'ather is!" She declared almost seeming to charge as she spoke. "This is my rink, you little brat!"

Ashley placed herself between her sister; her eyes flashing yellow sending out a wave of 'power' which stopped the girl dead in her tracks. "Do you have any idea who our father is?" The young woman stated with a cool and controlled tone that caused the young teenager to slow to a snails pace. "And by that extension, do you know our father owns this rink?"

Josses stopped, a dead pan expression crossing her face. She hadn't really cared for what Ashley had said, almost everyone in Everett knew who the Norwest's were, who their father and head of the family was: a man so rich that he could probably buy the whole town and have money to spare. He was the great CEO of Biotech Corp, and philanthropist extraordinaire, loved by all… even by Josses's parents. But that wasn't what had stopped her, no in truth Josses didn't care; Natalie was just in her way, always in her way, even now just by being here she was in her way. But something about her sister had struck her to the bone, that one look had gone right through her and seemingly frozen her solid.

"Well?!"

The words shocked Josses back to reality. Ashley eyes now glared at her with an intense coldness, but whatever power in them had seemed to have faded. Josses felt the urge to go on, but something just made her feeling like the bottom had dropped out of her stomach. But she knew how to beat a retreat. Huffing she tilted her head up and back and spun on the tips of her skates and went back to the rink with barely a backwards look. But deep down Josses knew something that she would never admit, not even to herself: Natalie's sister was scary.

Ashley let out a long held in breath and shook her head as if blowing off a daze, she turned to her sister with a smile and began to head back to the exit. "So what were we talking about?"

"When I will get turned," Natalie managed to say, almost in awe as she looked up at her big sister.

"Ah yes," the big sister said taking her little siblings hand, "Next weekend on the full moon. On your birthday. I promise."

"You promise?"

Ashley slowly lessened the grip on her sister hand and wrapped her smallest finger around hers, "pinky promise."

To which Natalie laughed.

Out on the stands Diana and Stacie were hugging each other in joy, "Yes. Stage one is complete," Diana said with pride looking extremely happy by her standards.

"Yeah," Stacie cried out, "Now all we need to do is get Natalie to bite us!"

"Without her sister finding out!" Diana said with her severe expression which counted for smiling.

Zeeve however seemed to freeze as he consider what had just been said. "N-Natalie's going to become a werewolf?" And as he spoke a sense of hesitation entered his voice, something he could not quite explain.

Outside the sports centre the heat of the sun seemed to scorch the very earth, the bright yellow light burnt like an industrial furnace and caused ripples of heat to rise from concrete and metal in the distance. It was a lovely day, the sky was blue, the grass was green, and sense of laziness seemed to hover all around it, and people were flocking to the sports centre to cool off in droves.

Natalie and Ashley however were leaving, having changed out of their wintery skating clothes and into brighter summer wear, Ashley clad in a pair of green gym like shorts and white sleeveless spaghetti strapped top; while Natalie dressed in a small white skirt and T-shirt, with a logo of some pink wolf howling spread across her very small torso, she also wore a black headband with two small triangular wolf like ears on her head. The two hauled their gym bags down the ramp leading into the centre as Ashley gave a quick call to the chauffeur to come pick them up.

"He will be here in a few minutes," Ashley explained, before catching Natalie was gone and spinning around in fright to look for her. Soon she saw her a few meters behind jumping from a series of decorative pedestals with a small growl with each one. Ashley rolled her eyes with a dry smile and walked in close holding out her arms and Natalie jumped into them, her sister lowering her to the ground.

"Natalie, you know mom wouldn't approve."

Natalie giggled as she began to skip away, "doesn't stop you doing it each nighy, 'Queen'," she teased giving a small curtsey with her skirt and dancing away; the mention of Ashley's superhero persona, 'Queen' not escaping her as she raced after.

"Oh come here, you little pup," she teased clasping her sister and pulling her into a hug which the two shared for a few moments before a Natalie broke free and soon began to clamber up a lamppost pointing out towards the car park with a stern look on her face.

"I, the great sister of Queen, declare all this under my protection!"

Ashley laughed, but wearily looked around to make sure no one had heard. "Come on Natalie come down," she said firmly, "You'll get hurt."

Natalie shook her head and grinned, "No! I am a great hero and I must do my duty!"

"Oh really?" The duo soon turned around and saw a familiar face.

"Maria!"

Natalie leapt from the lamppost with a smile of joy and ran madly towards the arms of a puerto rican girl. Her warm honey coloured skin glowed in the summer sun, alongside her wood brown hair. She gently hugged Natalie closely to her, her rather stern expression softening briefly into a slight smile.

"Maria," Ashley said striding after her sister a big smile on her face, reaching out and hugging her friend as well. A small shadow soon covering the two. "Oh, and Arthur," she exclaimed as she looked up at the tall white-haired giant of a eighteen year old blocking out the sun.

"Ashley. Natalie," Maria bluntly exclaimed, her tone remaining firm and level as she spoke.

Arthur however closed his green eyes and nodded his head slightly, almost bowing as he did, "Ashley, always a pleasure," he walked up beside Maria and his smile grew warmer, if that was at all possible. Natalie staring up at the huge figure at 6'5 ft., he was very large, and with his tight white sports gear she could see he was insanely muscular.

"Woah!"

Arthur smiled and bent down on one knee and grinned, "Hey Natalie," he reached out and ruffled the young girl's hair, his eyes lingering on the small wolf ear headdress.

"Hey don't do that!"

Arthur however laughed as Natalie angrily pushed his hand off, her pout making her rage appear minute compared to how adorable she looked. Still the giant of a man looked back at Ashley and Maria as they began to chat away.

"Heading to the gym I see. Is this part of your schedule?"

Maria nodded, "Of course, me and Arthur always go today. We decided to do some weightlifting today." To which Arthur nodded but remained silent. "So what are you up to?" Maria's eyes turned to linger on Natalie who looked up at her with a smile bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. "You seem excited?"

Natalie nodded and reached for Ashley's hand hugging it closely to her chest, "me and sis have big plans this weekend. I have my birthday coming up and sis has promised me a very special present."

"Oh so your becoming a werewolf then."

Everyone turned to look at Arthur who was smiling quite happily to himself before he noticed the look of shock from Ashley, the simple raised eyebrow from Maria, and the look of utter astonishment from Natalie whose mouth was hanging open like a giant Venus' flytrap. Arthur looked between all three of them shrugging to convey his confusion, "what?"

Maria however just rubbed her eyes while Natalie took a step back with suspicion. "H-how did you know that," the young woman asked, "How?"

"Because their werewolves too," Ashley groaned rubbing her eyes as she took in a deep breath, "also Arthur do you mind saying that any louder!"

Arthur looked around the relatively empty parking lot and shrugged again: "I don't believe anyone heard us," he admitted matter of factly before turning back to Natalie and smiling. "So I guess you will be joining us soon. When do you get bitten?"

"Oh I bit her three days ago," Ashley admitted with a wave of her hand.

However as Ashley said that Natalie clutched her ear and winced in pain, causing Maria to turn back to her again as Natalie began to root around in her ear, ignoring Ashley's last few words.

"You were already bitten and you didn't tell us," Stacie screamed into the microphone as Diana tried to wrestle it out of the young girl's hands.

The three friends were not far, currently in one of the offhand corridors with a view of their friend and her company out on the parking lot.

After all hearing that last statement Stacie had bellowed down into the microphone causing three passers-by to look at them oddly as Diana tried, and continued in vain wrench the microphone to the radio from her friend. Diana moaned as Stacie held her head back with one hand, while Diana in vain reached after the small stand that Stacie had dropped after Diana had slammed into her. The passers-by did not stay to watch as the pair fell to the floor struggling after the microphone to make their own calls. Although Zeeve took a step back and removed his headphones.

His expression was blank and his footsteps heavy as he walked a short distance from the squabbling pair, before slowly pressing himself against the glass and leaning on the rain that ran the length of the hall. He breathed out slowly and looked out across the parking lot to Natalie, his mind ticking over. "So Natalie had already gone ahead and done it. She is a werewolf.'

"Wait so-o, your both werewolves," Natalie asked, pointing her finger at both Maria and Arthur in turn, Arthur nodding with a warm smile.

"I am surprised you do not remember."

"Remember what?"

"Us… so to speak," the white-haired athlete admitted scratching the back of his neck as he looked awkwardly at Maria.

The puerto rican girl bent down to Natalie's eye level and leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "Remember when you had that incident with Roland and his gang?"

Natalie nodded, "Yeah they tried to kidnap me at the cinema."

"And you were rescued by two werewolves," Ashley said with a small smile.

"A brown and a white one if you remember."

Natalie of course did indeed, she recalled intently her first experiences with actual werewolves, how they moved how they fought and how the pair had taken down Roland's thugs with no problem. She also remembered their names: and now looking at Maria, and then slightly past her to Arthur she saw their silhouettes pictured against them in her mind's eye. Frantically she began to point at both of them speaking loudly before quieting down. "Oh my…. Oh my god, our Huntress and Sage!"

"And your sister is Queen," Arthur added nodding in appreciation.

Ashley however glared daggers at Maria's boyfriend as she glanced around to check the coast was still clear. "Thanks Arthur," she commented sourly, "but yes they are, and we are all in the same pack with Alpha."

"You mean Peter," Natalie said with a sly smile.

"How did you!"

"Trade secret," Natalie laughed, not daring to tell Ashley that she could just tell by the way he acted and how he had been coming around a lot more often in the last few months, which had all pointed to him being their pack leader. "Still it's so amazing. My sister, her friend and her best friend and her best friends' boyfriend are all… all… all werewolf superheroes it's so cool."

Ashley placed her hand on her sisters' shoulder and gave it a sharp shake, "Natalie!"

"Huh?"

"Keep your voice down!"

"Oh sorry," she giggled as she watched Ashley rub her eyes.

"Anyway, we need to get going," Maria said simply an amused smile crossing her face as she looked back at Arthur who locked hands with her, "lots of training to do."

"Yeah see you," Ashley said as she and Natalie waved goodbye.

Striding away from the gym for a second time Natalie began to skip freely to herself humming a tune as she went, Ashley following casually behind her, as she smiled down at her little sister. The two hadn't been forced to walk that far before Ashley managed to spot the tell-tale signs of one of their family's black limos that their father always sent whenever they asked: it only took a second for the driver to spot her and the madly waving Natalie. Rolling up Ashley waved at the chauffeur to stay in his seat as she walked around back and loaded her bag into the trunk casually calling the man by name and thanking him for coming.

Natalie though was quick to feel a spark by her lobe ear and heard the voice of Diana whisper loudly, if that was at all possible, into her ear. "Natalie Norwest, we need to have a word." Natalie sighed and wanted to snap back at her friend asking if this could wait but Diana beat her to the punch. "No, no, no. You don't get to wiggle our way out of this one. Just tell Ashley and say me and Stacie asked to meet with you at the mall for drinks. Understood?" Natalie sometimes hated how official and almost military Diana could be with her tone of voice, even if it sounded strange coming from suck a squeaky high pitched girl.

"Okay," Natalie muttered spinning around to face her sister. "Umm Ashley, I just got a text from Diana and Stacie, they want to meet up at the mall."

Ashley looked up and smiled at her sister, "oh that sounds nice, mind if I come."

'Umm' Natalie instantly started to grasp at straws. "Well its sort of a girls thing… you know how it is."

Natalie instantly took in a deep breath as her sister raised her eyebrow at her, seemingly intrigued by the statement, peering at her over the top of the black car she had half climbed into. Despite Natalie's dread her sister just shrugged and finished getting into her seat, rolling down the window to talk to her sister. "You need a lift?"

"No, no I will be fine."

Ashley nodded accepting this and pulled on her seatbelt. "Okay Natalie, just give me or mom a call before it gets dark." Natalie nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, yeah. Love you sis," the young blonde girl said, gently waving at her sister as the driver began to head off, Natalie's waves gradually growing steadily more wild and more extravagant as the vehicle began to grow steadily further and further away.

Once it was out of sight however Natalie stopped and sighed, picking up her sports bag before feeling a gentle tap on her shoulder. It was Diana and she looked cross.

"Natalie dear: may we have a word?"

Next Chapter: Passing the Torch pt.2