Oak gave his deep Aroof, and stood up slowly, shaking his fur. While Lapu could be mistaken for a large dog, as his coloring was more domestic, his brother could be mistaken for a small bear at first glance, his fur was quite long and fluffy, it obscured his well-built body. Willow though, did her name justice, she looked just as she was, a shadow brown wolf. There was hesitation in her eyes and Darryl hopped up and quickly shifted to let Lapu play, his wide playful grin splitting his face, tongue spilling over his sharp teeth and from his lips. Seeing this she looked down at herself and turned in a circle, almost seeming to chase her tail which rose high and started to wag, betraying her excitement.

Letting out a baying bark that dissolved into a howl, the three siblings sang together, giving shivers to the small search party divided around their city. This was exacerbated when a few other calls went up in response some miles to the east.

Oak and Terrance heard the questions flood their mind after the howl subsided, he briefly explained that an abandoned loner needed help, but all was safe now. His siblings were already off frolicking. He decided to join them in a rare fit of playfulness.

After a short romp, Oak let Terrance reign them in, indicating that they should head back home so they can return Lydia to her parents. Her whole body drooped but she obliged. A spark of interest creeping internally through Lydia, Terrance could feel the curiosity growing in her jumbled mind.

The three trotted back to Terrance’s home, Sara was waiting for them at the back door with 3 blankets. Lydia paused a moment when she saw her, but Darryl went right up to her. She flicked one blanket over Darryl as he shifted back.

“Watch this Sara, she shifts so slowly!” he was bouncing on his toes in excitement.

The two dark brown wolves stood nose to nose and both humans flicked out the blankets for them, ready to cover. The static slowly built as they worked Lydia back out, there was a few shutters and trembling like before to outwardly represent the battle going on in the girls’ mind, but when Darryl called aloud for Lydia with gentle anticipation, the two were able to let go and made the switch. It was still just as slow, and Terrance found himself sighing in exhaustion, leaning forward until his forehead touched Lydia’s. The blankets fell over their shoulders.

The silence was more than Darryl could take, “What’s this about me possibly having a sister?” he blurted.

Terrance rolled back on his haunches and up to his feet. “Half-sister,” he said to Darryl, holding out his hand to Lydia, pulling her easily into a stand. Her stomach growled.

Sarah chuckled, “Why don’t I take her up to get dressed and we can meet back in the kitchen? It sounds like you guys have a lot to discuss,”

“Got to contact her folks first,” Terrance said, pulling out a phone from his discarded pants, now folded neatly by the door thanks to his wife.

The phone on the other end began to ring, and Lydia cocked her head in confusion. “Don’t think I had completely abandoned you; I’ve been watching you for your whole life.” He said with a wink. “Hi, Mrs. Robin Foster?” he said politely when a tiny voice answered the phone.

“Yes, who’s this?” her voice was understandably strained.

“My name is Terrance Cove, I am calling about Lydia,”

“Is she there? Is she safe?”

“Yes, and yes Mrs. Foster, she’s right here. Looking much better. Darryl and my wife Sara are taking care of her now-” Lydia was standing in her blanket with an arm from each draped over her shoulders. Sandwiched between them. Looking much like a family just back from the pool.

“Who? Can I speak with her?”

“Yes, of course Mrs. Foster,” he held out the phone, Lydia adjusted her grip to free an arm and took it.

“Mom?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

“Darling, sweety, where are you, we’re worried sick!” this continued for a moment before Lydia interrupted.

“I am at my running friend’s house. I’m fine now, promise,” there was a pause as her mom tutted over her some more before Lydia looked Terrance then Sara in the eyes, “Can I stay over tonight?” she asked sheepishly. There was a long silence on the other line.

“Let me talk to the wife please,” Robin’s firm voice carefully stated.

“This is Sara,” she said, holding the receiver to her ear. “Yes, yes Mrs. Foster, it is quite alright, No, not a hassle at all. I promise, yes, no, okay, I understand, my address is,” she responded, walking towards the far counter to take a few notes of her own. “I’ll let her know,” she said after a minute, “See you soon, Bye.”

Many eyes were looking at her, curious.

“Your Mother said you can stay under the condition that she can come see you are safe and bring you your medicine.” Sarah announced. “I’m not to leave you alone with these boys overnight since your mother does not know them, and since she is in a right near panic, I feel that is perfectly acceptable to unquestioningly accept.” it was said as a rhetorical prod more than a question or statement.

Lydia found herself nodding without doubt. That seemed to be the anticipated response from her mother. “Well,” Sara made a single booming clap to end that dialogue, “Let’s get you cleaned up and dressed, your mother won’t find this scene appropriate in the least,” Lydia realized the state she was in and blushed, meekly letting Sara hustle her away.

Using the wet washcloth offered her, Lydia cleaned up and pulled her clothes out of the satchel, “Um, Sara?” she called meekly, holding up her mutilated shirt, “I don’t think I can wear this,”

“Of course, not dear, the boys would have had to cut it off you to keep eye contact,” she said, stepping into her closet, she pulled out a simple yet comfortable blouse. Lydia tried it on, and it felt like a rose petal against her tired skin. She smiled in appreciation at the older woman.

The two came back downstairs and Darryl was already fixing some meat and cheese sandwiches. One large bite taken from one in his left hand and his right proffered its share to Lydia. There was a frantic knock at the door and Lydia followed Sara, half eaten sandwich still in her hands, mouth chewing.

Her father was beside the car, talking to someone on the phone and her mother stopped mid-greeting when she saw her daughter, she bustled inside and entrapped Lydia within a tight hug.

“Lydia, Lydia,” she cried, pulling her back by the shoulders, looking her over, frantically smoothing down her hair before clasping her to her chest again. She suddenly pulled her back once more and her brows wrinkled in concern, “What happened to your shirt?”

“It got ruined, I am sorry,” Lydia hung her head.

“No, no, here,” her mom reassured, digging through her purse, she pulled out Lydia’s pill container and a bottle of water. Lydia felt Darryl reach over her shoulder to pull the last few bites of sandwich from her hand so she could take her medicine. “Darling, please, don’t do that again. I know you were scared, but my heart can’t take that disappearing act, I swear there were wolves out tonight, I heard them howling all over!”

“Sorry, those were mine,” Terrance said, “I breed hunting dogs and they got a little spooked when Lydia showed up.” Seeing the bit of panic cross her mother’s eyes he sat down casually at the dining room table, gesturing for the rest of them to sit and said, “Oh, no worries, they are trained to be extremely kind to humans, Not the best guard dogs, just hunting.” On an excessively cliché cue, a few ‘dogs’ let out a few audible and non-threatening barks.

Lydia stole back the last of her sandwich, finishing it as Darryl made her a second one and the adults spoke. They examined the family situation and the planned sleeping arrangements, Lydia was to sleep in the master bedroom with Sara, Terrance would take the guest bed and Darryl his own room. Lydia would need to take her medicine about noon tomorrow and needed to check in around 5pm. A plan would be made at that point depending on how everyone was feeling about this. Lydia’s father came in with a bag of some clothes for Lydia and introduced himself. He let everyone know that he contacted the police and the hospital to update them and left a message with Lydia’s Doctor.

Lydia apologized profusely for all the hassle and soon yawns were being had all over. The Fosters excused themselves after crushing Lydia in large hugs.

“Well,” Sarah said, punctuating the transition with a single clap, “Since we have all day tomorrow, why don’t we call it a night and turn in? Lydia, why don’t you take a shower while I put on some fresh bedding for us?”

Lydia took her time in the shower, looking over all the bottles and sprays the woman had in the bathroom. An extremely limited display of makeup was neatly organized on in a clear drawer system on the counter, there were bath salts with all sorts of different goodies in fancy bottles along a high decorative shelf and there were lotions, all consisting of more natural scents like lilac, rose, lemongrass and eucalyptus.

There was a similar theme in the shower and by this point Lydia couldn’t resist using a small sample of everything in the small glass chamber as she bathed. A tightness rolled off her and down the drain and she gave a deep sigh, feeling it echo inside her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, head under the shower stream.

‘Please don’t lock me away again,’ willow whispered back.

“I won’t, I promise,”

‘Every time you take that medicine, it gets more crowded in here…’ she trailed off, Lydia couldn’t reply, stomach churning for she knew it too.

The large bed was luxuriously soft and absolutely welcomed after the stress Lydia incurred over the last few hours, days even. She stretched and preened in the center of the bed. Blushing slightly when Sara entered and saw her.

“By all means! Goddess only knows how much you deserve a good stretch. From the little rundown your brothers just gave me, your everything needs a good stretch. While mind links that intense are not shared often, they are well known and yours was an experience of its own caliber!”

Lydia sat up slowly and shifted a few bits of the blanket and pillows around the bed to straighten it, but Sara just flopped down in a sprawling motion to help relieve the tension. After a moment she pulled Lydia closer and began stroking her hair.

“I’ve never turned that inward before. I knew I could, I guess I did it often as a child, but my parents, while they absolutely loved me for my imagination, the schools were concerned for my health and development and that’s when the medicine started,” Sara was silent and patient, and eventually Lydia snuggled against her and kept talking, the more floral, but still woodsy scent soothing a part of Lydia she did not know was sore. “I tried so many over the years, some made it hard to hear her, some added so much racket that I couldn’t even hear myself in the din, some just made it hard to react. But I think this new medication is the reason for all the mess. I am so ashamed I tied her down and locked her away,”

Lydia erupted into harsh tears and felt her body be pulled in tight. She heard a faint, almost buzzing voice in her head, asking about ‘Lydia’. Someone else answered and she was too upset to try and understand, but the gentle cooing in her ear eventually soothed her tormented mind into a deep sleep.