My room was... better than it should be.

There was a nice sized bed, and it didn't even stink. It wouldn't be long before my own scent was all one could find upon it.

A decently sized window loomed over a large desk, where I was currently sitting. Right now it was too cold to open it, but I knew during the summers it was probably wonderful to open and sit before it. I could already imagine the breeze, as I read a book or wrote something while sitting there.

Another table sat near the large dresser near the window. The table was empty, and the dresser wasn't much different. Amber had said she'd go with me to buy some clothes but we've not been able to do so yet. Too cold.

And then of course, a few paintings. When I had first stayed here, the first night, there had been only one. A solemn scene. Now however, there were five. And each one was fancier than the last. Happy. Bright colors. One was a very detailed beach scene, with sea animals jumping from the waves in the distance.

I didn't know who put them in here, but I assumed it was Lughes. He was... odd, especially when it came to these paintings. He took so, so much pride in them...

Smiling at the room, I hoped to enjoy it for as long as possible.

This was what I was looking for.

Or at least... if it wasn't, I wasn't sure I'd ever find it otherwise.

After all, how could there be anything better than this?

"May this last forever," I whispered.

The bell dinged.

My ears perked, and I listened intently to the sounds from below.

Everyone was home. Amber and Lughes had left in the morning, to pick up some of their paint supplies, but had returned not too long ago. Crane rarely left, and as far as I was aware Shelldon was in the basement, and hadn't left it in years.

Normally someone entering the shop at this time wasn't that strange. Customers came often, and we also had people deliver supplies occasionally. Yet lately the only people, who came since the snowstorm started, were the young boys in the morning delivering fire wood, and one of Crane's human friends who sometimes visited in the afternoon for tea.

Yet there were two voices beneath my floor. Two I didn't recognize.

Customers possibly? Glancing to the window in front of me, I noted the haze on the glass, and the ever growing layer of ice and snow on the other side.

"Surely not," I said, and stood from my chair. This was no time to be shopping, especially for paintings.

Opening my bedrooms door, I noticed the footsteps above me. Light pitter-patters. Crane was walking to the stairwell on the floor above me.

Exiting to the hallway, I closed my door slowly. As I did, I watched the nearby stairwell. Sure enough Crane appeared, as she descended to this floor.

"That sounds like Vim," she said to me as she rounded the stairwell, to head to the first floor.

Did it? I could hear voices, but it sounded like Lughes and Amber. There was another voice, but it sounded young. Childish. A little girl.

Smelling the air, I realized I couldn't make out their scents. There were several fireplaces in this building, but only one was currently being used. The large one, near the kitchen on the first floor. That fireplace ran through the whole building, releasing warm air throughout it. The many pieces of wood inside it were most likely fresh, based off the smell. Because of that I couldn't smell much of anything else. Other than paint and wood.

Heading to the stairwell, I walked slowly. I wasn't too worried over meeting this so called protector... Especially since they've been talking more and more about his inevitable appearance... but it was strange. They somehow knew so little about him, yet trusted him completely. With not just their lives, but everything. Their homes. Their families.

It seemed... odd to me.

Why was he so secretive, when he was supposed to be the one who protected us?

Was I the weird one? Was I the one who was strange for finding it odd?

Maybe it was because I was a predator, and none of them were.

Either way... it was still exciting. Interesting. It made me anxious. Each step down I took, my heartbeat became heavier. My ears and tail a little more stiff.

Another member of our kind. To meet so many, so quickly, was... almost disturbing.

Was this all a dream?

Either way I needed to tread carefully. Not only was he a male predator, possibly far stronger than I, he was also...

Lughes and Crane hadn't outright said it, but the cold truth was plain to see. Especially for me.

They had been waiting on his arrival, to further judge if I was truly safe enough to keep around. It was why they hadn't really revealed much about the Society yet. I didn't blame them for it. Not at all. But now it was time.

He was here. I was here. So it was...

"Indeed so!" a loud Lughes laughed, and I paused at the middle of the stairwell to enjoy the sound of it. He sounded ecstatic, happy beyond reason.

Any doubt one had about the legitimacy in the trust they had for this so called protector was washed away with that heartfelt joy. It was too pure. Too real.

Amber sighed, and I noted the deepness of it. Was she annoyed?

"Poor girl!" Crane's voice was the next to be loud, but unlike the previous... sounded hurt. As if someone had just plucked a feather.

I found myself hurrying down the rest of the stairs at the sound of her discomfort. That hadn't been simple annoyance, but actual pain. Had something happened?

Reaching the hallway, I rounded to the front of the store. They were at the front still, not too far from the door.

"Don't strangle her now," Amber complained.

"Is she even strong enough to do so?" a man asked. A deeper voice than Lughes.

Reaching the storefront, I hesitated. It was odd to see a group in the store. There was barely any room for them, amidst the shelves and bookcases.

Yet... for as cramped as it looked, I felt as if I was suddenly looking at a new painting.

One that somehow fit in amongst the rest of the paintings. One of many. Yet special in its own way.

Amber and Lughes stood closest to me, with their backs to me. They were watching Crane, who had bent down to encompass what looked to be a child in a great big hug. She wore some kind of heavy duty cloak, and looked somewhat troubled by Crane's embrace. Not so much in pain, but worry.

Standing behind the clasped pair, was a familiar man. One I had never met before, yet somehow knew.

One who looked exactly like Amber had depicted him.

It was almost weird that he looked exactly the same. Was that the same set of clothes hidden beneath that coat? Even his hair looked the same, as if it had never grown an inch since Amber had painted him.

And he was looking straight at me.

Heavy eyes studied me, as I realized no one had told him about me yet. Was it wrong to have come down without a hat on? Without hiding my traits?

Amber noticed Vim's glare first, and coughed. "Vim, this is Renn. She showed up a little over a month ago," Amber said quickly, pointing at me.

The man's eyes never left my own, as Lughes turned to look at me. "Ah! Yes. Come here, Renn, this is Vim and little Lomi," Lughes gestured for me to join their little scene, and I felt almost embarrassed.

Did I really have a place in such an odd scene? Although Crane was seemingly crying, as she continued to hold the girl, the rest looked... happy. Joyful.

"Renn," Vim spoke my name, and it caused my foot to pause mid-step. I gulped as my back went straight, as if I was suddenly in front of my father.

Quickly tossing aside such an embarrassing thought, I glared back at the man who was looking at me as if I was some kind of enemy.

There was a heavy silence for a few moments, and then the man smirked with a nod.

"What?" I asked, and wondered why he was smiling like that.

"You're one of us. Now, Crane, please let her go. She might bite you if you don't, I've yet to break her of her nibbling habit," Vim said, turning away from me as if I was no longer a concern.

A little bothered, I watched as Crane laughed as she released the young girl. Who was as young as she looked. She had a strange smile on her face, but was also obviously bothered. Unsure of herself.

"I'd not bite her!" Lomi said with a complaint, looking back at Vim.

The gentle smile on the man told me he had indeed been just teasing. It made me wonder if...

Then her hat fell off, thanks to her cloak's hood falling off. The earlier hug must have dislodged it.

Revealing familiar ears.

Or at least, somewhat familiar ones.

Blinking at them, I almost stopped breathing for a moment. They had almost looked...

But no. They were a little too scraggly. A little too auburn in color.

A little smaller than my own.

She was similar to me, but not the same.

Before I finished calming myself down, I watched in awe as the young girl then ran up to Amber. The dark skinned woman hesitated for a moment, but returned the hug she got from the child.

"Nice to meet you too," Amber said as she and the girl spent a few moments in their embrace.

It was a nice gesture, even if the young girl looked a little awkward. She was smiling, but it looked forced... as if she was doing her best to not cry.

"Oh my, oh my!" Lughes grew excited as the young girl separated herself from Amber, then went over to give him a similar greeting. This time her hesitation was plainly visible. Did she think she had to give each of us a hug?

Lughes accepted the hug gratefully, he even bent down onto a knee. I saw the girl's ears twitch as his beard brushed against them. I knew that although his beard was mostly wool, and probably soft, it was probably ticklish beyond measure.

Pitying the poor girl, I went stiff when she finally released Lughes and stepped towards me.

When she did, she hesitated. Finally looking up at me, for the first time.

Her little red eyes went wide, and I knew it was because she noticed the ears on my head.

Quickly lifting my tail, and bringing it around to show her, I smiled gently. "Similar, in a way," I said to her.

The girl studied my tail, then smiled. A real one, full of joy. "A tail!" she stepped forward, and paused a mere inch from grabbing it.