Mason and David exchange concerned looks before rushing to catch up to Valorie, allowing them to all arrive at the field where the game is being played together. Mason immediately starts looking for Kaycee among the players while David and Valorie search for Katherine and Nancy. A large group is running zigzags along the far side, following a honey brown wolf, that is clearly either Kaycee or Katherine, holding the keep-away-disk in her jaw. Suddenly the wolf leaps up into a tree, allowing Mason to spot the flash of white under the wolf’s neck as she takes off jumping from tree to tree, with only a few of the shifted large cats being able to follow her.
“Unless Katherine has a line of heryt, white, under her chin, the neare sie mueliel, wolf in the trees, is Kaycee,” Mason points out to David and Valorie.
Looking for Kaycee, Valorie sees her jump onto a branch that breaks, dropping her to the ground where she quickly rolls and takes off again across the field. “She’s moving strangely for a wolf.”
Mason laughs at Valorie’s amazement before explaining, “She uses her spectyr, magic, as an extension of herself. If she sees a movement she wants to myfelow, mimic, she works with her spectyr to do so.”
“That’s a strange thing for an Omega to do,” David commented, his focus entirely on Kaycee as she avoided losing the disk to the other players with fluid ducks and leaps.
“She’s not really like other Ometha’el,” Mason comments as she spots another honey colored wolf pacing Kaycee from one side, a white patch on her left shoulder. “Is that Katherine,” Mason asks as she points her out to Valorie, who nods in confirmation.
They watch the twins run side by side for the first time in wolf form. Katherine could easily keep up with Kaycee, moving to touch shoulders and try to grab for the disk. Katherine suddenly pushes ahead and cuts Kaycee off only to be bowled over as Kaycee fails to anticipate the blocking move. Kaycee ends up losing her grip on the disk as she hits, causing it to roll away and be snatched up by a Werecat who drops down to grab it, taking off away from the twins. Kaycee quickly gets up and shakes out her coat to get the dirt off, her scent catching on the air around her. “Sorry about that,” Kaycee instinctually mind links to the other wolf before taking off after the disk.
Katherine freezes as Kaycee’s voice sweeps across her mind, not to mention her nose also catching the lemon-cedar scent on the air. Looking off after the honey brown wolf, Katherine couldn’t help but notice how similar the other wolf looks to her own. Watching the game in confusion, Katherine couldn’t help but be amazed at the agility of the other honey colored wolf as she chases after the Werecat who had taken the disk. How did she mind-link me? Katherine wondered as she watched both the cat and honey brown wolf jump into the branches of the tree. She knew Weres’ are only able to mind-link in wolf form, with others who are shifted from either their kin or pack. Uncle David was the only other wolf from Fox River here, and the honey brown wolf was definitely not him, so the wolf should not have been able to mind link to her since she came of age and became a part of Fox River, not Blue Moon. A random thought, of the dream from this morning, crosses Katherine’s mind as another cat grabs the disk, and tugs back and forth with the cat who had originally taken it. The other wolf couldn't be Kaycee...could it?
Shaking off the strange feeling of familiarity with the other wolf, Katherine stands and glances around to try and spot her younger cousin. Nancy drops out of a nearby tree to land on top of Katherine’s wolf in her auburn colored fox form. Katherine, not expecting to have Nancy drop on top of her, startles and twists attempting to knock the younger Were off of her until she recognizes the dogwood scent of her cousin. Glaring over her shoulder at her cousin who has hung on yipping in laughter at being able to surprise Katherine, “That wasn't funny, Nancy,” Katherine growls playfully through the mind link, as Nancy jumps off of her back.
Nancy gave a foxy grin, nipping at Katherine’s ankles softly before taking off after the group following the disk. “I thought it was. Anyway, let's work together to get the disk.”
“I’m assuming you have a plan?” Katherine questions as they match pace towards the back of the group.
“Um… no, not really.” Nancy sheepishly replies
Shaking her head, Katherine notices the honey brown wolf as she jumps to grab ahold of the disk and let momentum pull it from the Werecats’ jaws before twisting to land on her feet to take off towards the group. Nancy moves to try and grab the disk. Kaycee seeing the smaller Were grins around the disk, slowing down slightly, as she starts to pass Nancy, allowing the Fox to grab the disk. Being larger and stronger, Kaycee’s wolf ends up dragging the Fox along a short distance before turning to tug the disk back and forth with Nancy. Kaycee loves the fact that, despite being fairly smaller than the others, a Fox has joined into the game and wants to make sure she is included. Never tugging hard enough to really dislodge Nancy from the disk, Kaycee maneuvers them both to keep others off of the disk.
“Kat, Help.” Nancy pleads broadly, her plea reaching Kaycee’s mind as well as Katherine’s.
Kaycee shrugs it off, figuring Nancy’s Fox was probably just a new pack member she hadn’t met. She watches to see who Kat is in the crowd, figuring they are another Fox. When Katherine moves forward looking for an opening to help Nancy, Kaycee watches her in confusion. She looks like me, she thinks lightly, struggling to catch the other wolf’s scent while retaining her hold on the disk. Katherine could smell Kaycee just fine but chose to ignore the scent. It wouldn’t do to lose focus when Nancy is asking for help. Deciding the best way to grab the disk would be to move up Nancy’s side, Katherine makes her attempt to help, latching onto the disk. Kaycee, on the other side of the disk, is surprised at the move and almost loses her grip as Katherine digs in her paws to the ground and pulls with Nancy. A wolfy grin blooms on Kaycee’s wolf as she realizes Nancy has called for help from the honey brown wolf who she assumes is a fellow pack member to the little Fox since she knew the Wolf wasn’t a pack member.
The rest of the players all pause, sensing a strange tension in the air. One by one they all shift back, watching carefully. Mason, David and Valorie move closer to the group, Mason’s pack members moving to allow their Alpha to press through to the front. David is surprised when reaching the front that Kaycee barely looks to be bracing while Nancy and Katherine are both pulling hard trying to dislodge the disk. Valorie looks over Kaycee's wolf and grins as she recognizes her stance as one David and Jonathan had often taken when playing like this before Gloria had returned to mate with Jonathon. It was a stance that was seldom overpowered, even when outnumbered. Taking hold of her mate’s hand, she leans her head on him with a small smile even as she begins to worry as to what will happen as the game ends and the twins shift back.
Kaycee has noticed Mason approaching with the strange Alpha and another woman. Figuring the Alpha was her uncle she inferred then that the Werefox was most likely his daughter thus being her cousin, remembering that her mother often told her about Valorie being a Fox. So that was why I had heard the plea a few minutes ago. Grinning Kaycee decides to mess with Nancy.
Opening her mind-link completely, so she didn’t have to focus on directing the thought at Nancy, Kaycee grins. “Hey Foxy, your dad is watching.” Kaycee teases. Nancy freezes a moment trying to work out who was mind linking her, the voice is eerily similar to Katherine’s.
Katherine, having heard the teasing link and realizing what Kaycee is trying to do barks softly through the disk to bring Nancy’s focus back to the game. She still couldn’t figure out why the other wolf could mind-link her but figures the wolf heard Nancy earlier and was using the surprise to her advantage. “Don’t let her take away your focus Nancy.” Katherine links to her cousin, making sure its focused so only Nancy could hear her.
It takes a moment for Nancy to register that it is now Katherine mind-linking her and not the strange wolf. With that recognition, Nancy gives a slight nod and focuses on Kaycee. “Not going to work. Just cause you can mind-link me doesn’t mean I’m going to let loose.” she projects towards Kaycee.
Kaycee’s wolf chuckles as she pulls harder on the disk moving the group a foot in her direction before just bracing again. “Sure, like I’m really worried about your focus little cousin.” Kaycee barks playfully.
Nancy exclaims, "Huh?" and ends up letting loose of the disk in her confusion, causing Katherine to get pulled another few feet.
Not wanting to lose the disk, Katherine braces harder and tightens her grip on the disk as she tries to work out what to do. Based on the fact the others have stopped trying to move in on the disk meant this was likely the final tug battle of the game. The wolf across from her is very strong, maybe stronger than her. And skilled too. She remembers watching Kaycee’s wolf jump into the tree, crimson rainbow aura shining brightly as the strange wolf moves through the branches like a cat. Wait, not like a cat. Like a Wiccan who has matched her power to her fighting style. She was using magic. So maybe if I try to, Katherine thinks to herself glancing around to gauge what was available in the area. Noting a hose on the ground, she focuses her magic all along it to where it is hooked up to a maintenance water line. Katherine uses air to turn on the water, then focuses on the water now coming from the hose to take it under her control.
Kaycee yips in surprise as Katherine soaks her with the water, but keeps her grip and holds her ground refusing to release the disk. When Katherine lets the water go, Kaycee growls at her. “That was so not cool." Kaycee thought at the wolf, not expecting a reply but not feeling the growl was enough to vent her frustration.
Katherine’s wolf grins tightly around the disk. “Really? It looks so refreshing,” Katherine teases hoping the strange mind-link would help throw the other wolf off.
Kaycee freezes, her eyes locking with Katherine’s, surprise causing Kaycee’s Wiccan side to push forward, as winds start twisting around the two wolves. Katherine notices Kaycee’s aura brightening and becomes confused by the other wolf’s reaction, not certain if it is because of the water or something else. “Um... are you okay? It was just a little water.” Katherine links to Kaycee.
Hearing Katherine’s link, Kaycee’s wolf glances around at the whipping wind before focusing, by taking a deep breath, to calm it. Having also noticed in the glance that most of the other players have shifted into human forms, Kaycee assumes the game is over and releases disk so she can shift back. Unlike when other Were shift, Omegas do not have a crunching-rip or any pain. Instead, their forms flow almost gracefully from one to the other. Thus Kaycee, once fully shifted, is left standing at her full height looking at the other wolf with a frown.
Katherine freezes in shock upon seeing Kaycee in human form. Her gaze sweeps across Kaycee. Marking each of the similarities she could find to her own human form; dark honey brown hair, though much shorter than her own, tanned skin, slightly darker from being outside more than inside. Upon seeing the scar from where the seax knife had dragged across Kaycee’s chin, Katherine locks gazes with Kaycee once more, dropping the disk and shifting just a gracefully, one thought in forefront of her mind. She has chocolate colored eyes.
Hazel eyes, Kaycee thought as she registers that the woman standing in front of her is her mirror image. The pack surrounding the two has gone still in the reveal of the similarities of the two women. Kaycee sweeps her gaze across Katherine’s body seeing more of the differences that set them apart. Long, Honey brown hair that lays across Katherine’s shoulders loosely. Katherine is softer due to a difference of lifestyle, but there is still strength in her build; hidden muscles that will only show themselves under exertion. Catching sight of the scar from the seax knife on Katherine’s left shoulder, Kaycee begins to feel panic move through her body. What’s going on? Kaycee thinks as she starts to shake, her breathing heaving as she feels herself start to lose control, stumbling away from Katherine. Her aura strobes in brightness as she tries to focus between the shock and her control as she feels her energy begin to fall from the adrenaline rush.
Mason quickly moves forward and pulls Kaycee’s gaze off of Katherine trying to calm Kaycee before the Omega loses control over her powers again. “Wylanurn, Kaycee. Ju xy tyrso. Nytroqu Wylanurniel A’testhazeve,” Mason recites to Kaycee, grasping her cheeks so to keep her from looking back at Katherine.
Kaycee gulps to breathe, her panic building from the shock and energy drop, despite hearing Mason’s soothing tone telling her to breathe deep to help her calm once more. The world feels as though it is spinning around her. Only stopping the panic from linking into any of her powers seems to break through the panic. The sight of Mason’s face become blurry as Kaycee’s muscles begin to grow too weak to hold her weight. All through this Kaycee has anxious thoughts whirling through her mind as if on a projector screen. I’ve lost it. I’m projecting Katherine on someone else. I can’t calm down. What if I hurt someone? I can’t hurt anyone. Why can’t I stop this? What is happening? I was doing so much better. I can’t breathe!. Help me! Someone, please help me! I can’t! It's not really Katherine! She’s dead. She’s dead! In trying to stop her racing thoughts and control her powers, Kaycee loses all her remaining energy. Her eyes close as she loses consciousness, sagging into Mason’s arms.
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