[11th August]

When, after nearly a year, Tamara had been called to another crime scene with a dead shifter she was excited and fully expected the Beastlord had returned. She could barely conceal her disappointment when she realized it probably was a 'normal' murder. But since she had no lead whatsoever for the other case she could as well take this one - maybe she had more luck with it.

This time the dead shifter had a name, a social life. He wasn't one of the tribe but belonged to the cat clowder of the next city.

Tamara looked at the pictures that had been taken at the crime scene and wrote down all they knew. The victim had been a regular at the 'Madnights' and the 'Afterparty'. He had been beaten - probably with baseball bats. But what killed him had been the shots in his head and chest.

All that meant they had ambushed him because if he would have been aware he would have shifted. Ocelots may not be strong fighters but they are pretty fast.

Both nightclubs - among others - had reported growing incidents of humans trying to provoke shifters into violence or trigger a fight. Well that couldn't be that hard in Tamara's opinion. But was the shifter killed by them? Had the hate become that strong? In the end she had posted within the Tribe Chat group asking for volunteers spending the evening in one of the multiple clubs - in groups for protection. She got a handful of conformations - even Ben announcing he would do 'Madnights' and bring a date. Scoffing Tamara called it a night. Ben and a date? Never!

[12th August]

"Thanks for doing this, Anya." Ben, wearing dark slacks, a white t-shirt and over this a dark red button-down shirt whose long sleeves were rolled up, was leading his friend to the 'Madnights' club entrance. "You know I like hanging out with you… why not help out your friend the same time." Anya shrugged. She had opted for blue jeans and a dark, long-sleeved shirt which let her shoulders free. It was warm so she had pushed the sleeves up. Since she disliked purses she had her phone in one of her jeans pockets and some cash and her keys in the other. "What do we keep an eye out for?" she asked and Ben answered "Humans looking for trouble…" He shrugged but Anya nodded "The 'you see it when you see it' thing?" She suggested while Ben opened the door for her and led her inside with his hand on the small of her back "That's a good way to put it… evening is on me by the way." He made clear.

Inside they went for the bar to order drinks and while they waited for their order Tamara Rixley approached Ben but froze and looked at Anya "Oh my god, Logan. I thought you were joking when you said you bring a date!" she exclaimed and looked Anya up and down again, like she had never seen her before and ignored her completely afterwards. "She is human… How could you bring a human into this?" she hissed.

"Tamara, you remember my friend Anya, we work together?" Ben introduced to force Tamara to acknowledge Anya's presence "And what the hell is your problem?" he asked and a little stare-down ensued between the two shifters before Tamara looked at Anya "Not sure what he promised you for this… 'Date' but it is probably not enough to bear his presence." She hissed "I'll call Aaron and we go for the 'Afterparty'" and with this she left them to go for the other club to observe.

Anya just looked after her one eyebrow risen "Drinks and a place on your couch? I think I made a good deal…" she shrugged grinning "She really doesn't like you…" she stated and sipped from her drink which Ben handed to her.

Ben became suddenly insecure if bringing Anya had been a good idea or being too dangerous. On the other hand that would mean they should stop hanging out completely and that was just rubbish.

"We never got along…" Ben shrugged taking a sip of his own drink and waved it off "Come on, let's have some fun…" he smiled.

While Ben and Anya were doing their thing and enjoying themselves they in turn where watched too, out of a corner.

"I found today's victim, guys…" Sean sneered, hatred in his eyes. This would be the last time this shifter stole someone's girl.

It was after one in the morning when Anya and Ben decided to call it a night and left the 'Madnights' for Ben's place. The wind had freshened up unexpected and Anya started to shiver slightly. Ben slipped off his button-down shirt and put it onto Anya who blushed "Thanks…"

"I just don't want you to get sick and leave me alone with next week's deployment." He had put an arm around her shoulders grinning. Anya giggled. "Foiled my secret plans again…" she slipped her arms through the sleeves.

They had just reached the bridge over the River dividing the city when suddenly one of the two men they were about to pass, grabbed Anya's wrist and pulled her away from Ben who was hit by a baseball bat from a man who had walked some paces behind them and closed up suddenly. "Fucking Shifters…" the attacker grunted and the other one, who had walked beside the man now grabbing Anya, suddenly had a bat too.

"Ooof…" Ben held his head and tumbled against the railing "Anya…" he looked around but the guy aimed for another hit which he could barely block.

Anya twisted her wrists trying to get free, but her attacker grabbed her other wrist and forced her to look at him. "Remember me, Beautiful?" he sneered. Anya frowned and decided she didn't need to and thrust her forehead right on his nose. He yelped and lost his grip on her. She tried to follow up with a kick to where it really hurts, but was hit by dizziness. What a stupid move to head-butt him, she cursed silently. Her foot connected painfully but not enough. Before she could clear her head, his fist smashed full force on her cheek, sending her to the ground.

Distracted by her crying out, Ben took another blow with the bat full force which sent him flying over the railing.

"BEN!", shocked Anya saw Ben fall into the rivers dark water. Without thinking twice Anya scrambled up, scaled the railing and jumped after him, leaving their attackers behind. The cold water washed away the last bits of tiredness which clinging to her after the attack.

Looking feverishly around she eventually found ben who struggled to stay above the surface but losing the fight. As fast as she could she swam to him, dived and fished for something of him, finding his arm. With burning muscles and fighting the urge to breathe she pulled and flailed her legs until they broke the surface.

The flow of the river dragged them downstream. While the stream did not want to drown them anymore it did not want to let them go either. Each time the bank came closer, a gush pushed them away. Finally with shaking hands and chattering teeth, Anya managed to drag Ben to a riverbank. Wheezing and panting they crashed on the soil which was covered with pebbles and grass.

Ben lay on his back, coughing, Anya next to him. She managed to turn her head towards him. "You ok?", she asked still breathing hard. "Alive…", Ben answered between coughs. They managed both to sit up. "Thank you… I… can't believe you… jumped after me…", Ben breathed.

"If I can't get sick… you can't die.", equally out of breath, she grinned at him then looked around "It is pitch black… I can't see anything." Anya stated "And I have no fucking Idea where we are." She added with a sigh.

"I guess your phone is as fucked as mine…", Ben had gotten up too, hand on his ribs because they still hurt. "I can see a bit thanks to my beast… but I'm not sure it's enough I can navigate us anywhere.", he turned around. "There is a cave.", he noted. "Let's see if we can't start a fire, warm up and stay until dawn.", he suggested. "You sure you can walk? You took quite a beating.", Anya worried but Ben waved it off "Already healing.", he calmed her. "The moments I envy you shifters.", Anya sighed and took Bens offered hand to lead her through the darkness

Shortly after they sat inside the small cave and Ben had managed to start a small fire. They had shrugged off their clothes, spreading them out on stones to dry - they had not much hope for their phones though.

Anya and Ben sat in their underwear, listening to the crackling of the fire and the twitching flames. As a shifter, Ben was used to being mostly naked around others, for Anya this was something new but since she knew Ben close to a year now and she liked and trusted him, she wasn't shy either.

Both sat in silence for a while. Bens Tattoo was restless when he gently put a finger under her chin, tilting her head "He got you there…" he noticed the faint blue shimmer around her cheekbone "Sorry."

Anya raised an eyebrow "And how is this your fault?" she wanted to know

"They attacked us because I am a shifter…" he reminded her

"Still not your fault." Anya insisted "You didn't hit me." She smirked "And he did because I kicked him - I wish I had kicked harder though." She admitted and sighed "I'll never understand that shifter hate…"

Ben shrugged "I guess our beasts scare them." He tried to explain "Or that they enhance our strength and health…"

Anya frowned "You always call it 'Beast'… No name?" she asked "I mean you spend so much of your life together…"

"No, we don't usually name them… It's not like we can talk with each other." Ben answered "It's more I know it is there and feel its emotions. It knows what I think and sense though." Anya could see the tattoo shifting around for a moment.

"Not happy?" Anya asked and Ben looked at her curious "Right… how you know?" he wanted to know "The way your tattoo just moved… gives me unhappy vibes." She shrugged.

"I think it does sometimes feel unappreciated…" Ben admitted looking at her for a moment "What would you name it?" he asked making Anya think "Snow." She finally said, making Ben scoff "What a cliché…" he stopped, sighed "But it likes the name…" he laughed lightly "So Snow it is." He agreed.

A light breeze made Anya shiver "This is gonna be a loooong night." She hugged her knees. Ben put an arm around her shoulders rubbing her arms and Anya leaned in but she still shivered. "I'm not much warmer on the outside…" he sighed

"Idea…" he let go of her, pulled off his boxer shorts "I'll change. My fur should warm you." He explained and the next second a snow leopard stretched out at the fire. Anya cuddled herself into the huge cat and Ben put his tail around her for additional warmth. "This is awesome…" Anya relaxed "Thank you." She added and all the exhaustion from the last hours made her fall asleep. Ben blushed when he noticed even though it was hardly visible in his snow leopard form. Finally he fell asleep too.

When the first rays of sun illuminated the small cave Ben stirred first, gently nudging Anya awake. "I fell asleep…" she yawned and got up, shivering again slightly. The bruise on her cheek had gathered a nice shade of blue within the last hours. While Ben changed back Anya checked on their clothes which where a bit damp at places but dry enough to be put back on.

"You good?" Ben asked Anya while they dressed "Thanks to you. Slept like a baby. Nice and warm." She smiled "You?" she asked "Fell asleep too." He gave her a smile too. For a moment there was something between them, making them both blush. "Did one of our phones miraculously survive?" Ben cleared his head and the moment was gone. "Nope…" Anya tried hers and Ben shrugged too "Same." He sighed "Let's gather our stuff and try find the way to the next street." He suggested and Anya nodded "We can't be that far away from home."

It didn't take them long to stumble onto the next road and determine the right direction. They only walked for a minute until they came across a signpost indicating they had been drifting about two miles.