The group was people of all walks of life, changed in all sorts of reasons: there’s Lucy, the were-deer, she’s a taller, fuller bodied woman with deep and rich toned skin, long dark hair and matching dark doe-like eyes and slightly deer like mannerisms and features…there’s Michael, the were-boar, who’s a shorter, stocky, muscled man with rough dark, short hair, dark green eyes and slightly stocky, barely pig like features, generally just very burly and dressed in a similar manner…there’s Diana, who by her appearance, you would think was something like a were-rabbit or a were-swan, she’s petite, soft almost rabbit like facial features, bright pale blue eyes and long platinum hair, but apparently she’s a were-wolverine and is extremely aggressive at times….there’s Jean-Luc, the were-rooster, they’re about my height, bright ginger hair in a wolf cut, bright hazel eyes and intense makeup, dressed in that stupidly expensive “pre-distressed” clothing that made them look like they got attacked by a weed-trimmer, all topped with a neon red biker jacket covered in spikes and studs…there’s Ophelia, the were-bat, who was a taler, curvy woman, icy pale with golden blond hair down her chest, dark eyes and sharp fangs and a slightly heavy brow bone…there’s Timothy, the were-rat who is a short, erratic gremlin of a man, short messy black hair, slightly small eyes that were ink black with small, pointed features, slightly buck teeth and dressed in all dark, he mentioned that his rat form was at least twice as tall as he was, so he didn’t turn into just a regular little rat, but this hulking ten or so foot tall bipedal rat…lastly was Helen, the were-bear, she’s a taller, heavier woman with deep and rich toned skin, black hair in long protective braids down her back, dark warm brown eyes and slightly stockier features making her look stern and unapproachable, but when I said hi, she was the sweetest person I had ever met.

            Pretty much the entire group went together to brunch afterwards, whereas the party was still raging outside, there seemed to still be enough people not partying to allow various businesses and places to still function.

            “I’m sorry all of this happened” Jamie said quietly as everyone was waiting to be seated. “I…hope it’s alright if we just stop this as friends, I understand if you would rather go to a different A.E.L group too.”

            “No…friends is fine” I said, “To be honest, without all of this happening” I said motioning around me, “I wasn’t even expecting you to be there when I woke up this morning.” He laughed quietly.

            “I’m…truly sorry about accidently biting you, I lost myself a little.”

            “It’s fine, you’ve already apologized at least a dozen times.” I added softly holding my hands up, “It was an accident…and I’m entirely clean by the way, STD wise, this isn’t as bad as what I’ve caught from someone else.” I explained, he looked off a little, visible embarrassed about the fact he had accidently exposed me, “Plus, you know the phrase, “Laissez les bon temps rouler” I said with a shrug, swrapping to my…not mother tongue of Cajun French, but I learned English and French in tandem growing up.

            “How could you be so…easy going with all of this?” he asked, “I…turned you into a were-beast, I exposed you to all of this…wouldn’t you rather be back to…what was normal for you?” he asked, I sighed as I looked around as the large group was walking to the table, idly fiddling with the matching moon bracelet that was now around my wrist. Andrea had given me this at the end of the meeting, I kind of just…sat there while everyone was talking about their various issues, troubles and trifling tribulations, not really knowing what was happening, what to say or anything about what was really happening to me as I sat there, listening to how everyone else talked about the problems they were having with the time of year; the loss of people’s control, the excessive drinking and everything of that sort being trying matters for all of them with their various forms of Lycanthropy…willpower, control and fortitude are things people need to keep lycanthropy in check…the more emotional you get, the less control you use or anything like that sort causes the transformations easily and aggressively even if the moon is far…far from full. It really did feel like I was in an A.A meeting or something with how everything around me was white and beige at the meeting, the ticking of the clock, the scent of burnt coffee and people talking about these kinds of issues.

            “It…was a lot…everything you told me and everything that is around me and…all of this: it’s still processing and it might be because I’ve got a wicked hangover…but I don’t feel light rejecting any of it. It’ll be fun to learn about…this whole other world that was right under my noses.”

            “I know the phrase means “let the good times roll”, but do you consider all of this a good time?” he asked, I laughed at that.

            “Solidly midground right about now” I explained, “Buy my cut of brunch and we’ll call everything entirely even.”