Jori opened the door to a stranger.

“Hello,” the woman said, tilting her head and flicking snow-white ears. Her hair fell around her face, as white as her ears and long enough that even the locks over her shoulders reached her waist. “May I come in?”

Jori didn't move.

“I'm Gwyneira,” the woman offered. “Blythe's mam.”

“But I thought Meredith was coming?”

“He's busy.” With a flash of mischief in her golden eyes, Gwyneira leaned in and whispered, “And it's not a good look for council members to help kidnap children, even ones who arranged it themselves.”

Jori spluttered a laugh and stepped aside to let her in. “You're Blythe's mam, all right.”

“Oh, I'll say.”

<Mam?> Blythe trotted around a corner and reared up into human shape. “You're early!”

“Compared to your father, yes. Does he normally stay the night, or should we leave right away?”

“Mam and Da will want to meet you, at least,” Jori said. “Meredith usually stays for dinner.”

“We should leave early tomorrow morning,” Blythe added earnestly. “You get out of breath faster than Da, so it'll take us longer to get home.”

“Not that much faster,” Gwyneira grumbled. Blythe elbowed her. “But good thinking.”

“Jori?” Mam called from somewhere else in the house. “Is that Taran?”

“No, Mam! It's Blythe's mam!”

Mam appeared in the doorway. “You're early. Is Meredith alright?”

“A bit busy, is all.” Gwyneira waved a hand. “I'm Gwyneira. Nice to meet you, can I help with anything?”

Mam shook her head. “No, you're a guest. Don't worry about it. You'll be staying the night, I assume, Jori can show you to the guesthouse.”

“It's warm enough I don't mind sleeping outside,” Gwyneira offered.

“You’re a guest,” Mam said again. 

Gwyneira laughed and held up her hands. “Thank you for your hospitality. I see Meredith wasn’t exaggerating.”

Mam beamed. “I hope you like deer steaks.”

“I love them.”

Jori barely slept that night. Before dawn, she slipped from bed, scooped up the satchel she’d packed last night, and glanced around her room. Was there anything else she needed to take?

Reaching for the pencil and paper she’d borrowed, she scrawled a note for Elowen and their parents. Though she couldn’t read it in the darkness, she’d been rehearsing the words for hours.

Elowen, Mam, and Da,

I’ve gone to seek my fortune. Morcant is too small for me, so I’m going to travel the world like I've always wanted. I’ll love you always, but I just can’t stay here anymore. I hope you can understand.

Jori

She set the note on her pillow and shifted to the balls of her feet, easing the door open. Avoiding the squeaky boards, she padded down the hall.

Blythe and Gwyneira would be waiting for her outside. Once she got to them, they could all shift and run southward towards Amane.

Creak.

Jori froze, weight still on the creaky board. Every instinct screamed for her to run. Her ears stiffened, listening for any sign of movement.

She heard Mam shift in bed, letting out a snore. Jori let out a breath. Still okay.

“Jori?” a voice said softly. “What’re you doing up. …And dressed?”

Jori swallowed. “El… Why are you awake?”

“Had to pee.” Elowen’s footsteps were as soft as Jori’s. Softer, even, she was better at avoiding the creaky spots. “What are you doing?”

“Gotta pee too,” Jori tried.

“So you got dressed?”

Jori sighed, shoulders dropping, and half turned. She still couldn’t fully face Elowen, staring down at her hands and fidgeting instead. “I… I’m leaving, El. With Blythe and Gwyneira.”

“What?” Elowen’s voice pitched higher, breaking out of a whisper. “Why?”

“Shh!” Jori’s ears swiveled nervously. Light, please don’t let Mam and Da have woken up! “I’m– El, I’ve got to. I can’t stay.”

“You weren’t even going to tell me?” Elowen sounded broken-hearted, betrayed. “Jori…”

Jori’s own heart felt like it was shattering in her chest. “I– El– I didn’t want you trying to keep that from Mam and Da–”

“You didn’t trust me.”

Jori couldn’t even deny it. It was true. She hadn’t told Elowen, because El had never been able to keep her secrets. “El, please. I–”

“Is this because I spilled that you and Blythe were dating?”

Jori shook her head hastily. “No! El, I swear it’s not that.”

“Then what?” Elowen’s eyes brimmed with tears, tail tucked between her legs.

Jori fought back her own tears. “El, please, can we have this conversation outside? I don’t want to wake…” She stopped, heart dropping to her frozen feet. “...Mam and Da.”

Both their parents stood at the end of the hall, just having left their bedroom.

“Jori? Elowen?” Mam frowned, rubbing sleep from her eyes. “What’s going on?”

Jori’s eyes widened, her grip on her satchel tightening. Now or never. She had to run.

Her feet felt like they were made of stone.

“Were you going to run away?” Da demanded. Anger laced his voice, making Jori’s shoulders go tight. “With Blythe, I assume?”

How did he know?

“No!” Jori denied desperately.

“Go back to bed,” Da snapped. “We’ll discuss this in the morning.”

“But–”

“Bed,” Mam said, even more sharply. “And if Blythe and her mother are waiting for you outside, you’ll be in trouble for lying and Blythe won’t be invited back next year.”

“No!” Jori’s feet finally unfroze. “Mam, you can’t!”

“Can’t protect our son from running off and getting himself hurt or killed?” Mam snapped back. “We’re your pack, Jori. You’re our son, we’re your family. The only ones who will always love you.”

“That’s not true!” Jori shook her head, nose stinging from tears trying to escape. She took a step back, and another. “You’re not my pack! You don’t love me!”

She froze at the words that had spilled from her lips unthinkingly. But they felt true.

Both Mam and Da recoiled. Elowen only stood frozen, one hand stretched towards Jori, ears pressed to her head as a low, sorrowful whine came from her throat.

“You don’t love me,” Jori repeated, starting to cry in earnest now. “Just your son.”

“You are our son,” Mam said, softer than she had been. “Always, Jori.”

She wasn't. She never could be, and there was no way she could force herself to tell them. Jori shook her head, turned, and ran. The floor creaked under her feet for just a few steps before she reached the door and flung it open. Seconds later, she was a wolf, jaws clamped around the satchel as she ran to the guesthouse.

There was someone behind her. Jori skidded to a stop and spun, dropping the satchel, preparing to defend her choice.

<Jori?> Elowen said. Her ears were low, tail between her legs, a picture of a submissive, apologetic wolf. <Please don’t go.>

<I’ve got to, El. I– I’m sorry.> The words were so pathetic, but they were all Jori had.

If only she could invite Elowen! But Amane had to stay a secret, and Elowen had proved time and again she couldn’t keep those.

<But… why?>

Jori took a breath and braced herself. <I’m a girl, El. Mam and Da won’t ever treat me like one, but Blythe said that where she’s from, people will.>

<But you could just stay a little longer. Two more years?>

<I’d rather tear all my fur out with my teeth,> Jori said bluntly. <I can’t stay a boy one second longer, El.>

Elowen’s ears twitched. Then, she lifted her head, fixing her eyes on Jori’s. <I’m not leaving Mam and Da alone with this,> she stated. <But I’ll keep your secret, if you want me to, for two more years. Then either you or Blythe come back, or I’ll come find you. I’m not going to lose my sister.>

Jori darted forward to nuzzle Elowen. <Two years,> she promised. <And then if you still want to come, I’ll come get you.> If Elowen could keep Jori's secret for two years, Jori could convince her to keep the Darkness's longer.

<You’d better write.>

<I promise.>

They stayed like that for a moment, cheeks pressed together, before Jori heard Blythe’s soft, questioning yip behind her. Then she pulled back, gave Elowen’s face a quick lick, scooped up the satchel, turned, and loped towards the two wolves waiting on the hill.

As they neared Amane a few days later, Blythe asked, <Have you thought about what you’ll call yourself here?>

Jori tipped her head. You’re a star. What does any darkness have for you to be afraid of? <I was thinking… Seren.> A lone star, for now, a wolf without a pack.

<It’s a beautiful name.> Blythe bumped her shoulder into Seren’s. <Serennnn.>

Seren stumbled, tripping over her own paws as she bit down harder on the satchel. Seren. That's me.

She liked the sound of it.

Meredith was there, waiting for them with two dark-skinned teenagers. One human, dark hair cut short. The other was a golden-haired lion felivir, round ears perched in her thick curls.

Seren leaned close to Blythe. “...Don't girl leoviri usually have short hair? And boys have long hair?” Or was this lion like her?

“Usually,” Blythe murmured back. “Jasmine's different. She likes long hair.” 

“Blythe!” Jasmine called out. She closed the distance, hugging Blythe tight, then turned to Seren. “Jori, I'm guessing? I'm Jasmine, that's Amron.”

“Seren,” Seren said, ducking her head. Her tail flicked nervously. “Er, if that's–”

“A pleasure to meet you, Seren,” Amron interrupted, grinning. “Blythe's talked about you a lot, you know.” He smiled slyly.

Blythe's ears flicked to the side. “You don't have to matchmake, Amron, we're already dating.”

Seren couldn't help but giggle as she took Blythe's hand and squeezed it. “I'd hardly complain.”

Blythe's birthday was coming up. Seren had been working on a surprise for her for a month now, but it still wasn't right. Maybe Amron and Jasmine could help give it that final touch it needed.