Talon
Chapter Two
Talon
Syia's eyes fluttered open, and she yawned so widely and loudly she felt as if her jaw was going to split in two. She tensed her body, not quite wanting to wake up yet, then let herself go loose, yawning again. Then she noticed she was in her bed, and she was naked. At first she began to panic, then she remembered that last night she had shifted, meaning that she had left her clothing behind. Rolling over she saw that her clothing had been washed and set out for her. She smiled a little and sighed. "Victor." She murmured. He really was a great guy. She couldn't hope for a better second in command, not in a thousand years of searching all the possible dimensions, alternate timelines and universes and she knew she would not be able to find anyone better.
She yawned and rubbed her eyes, finally rolling out of bed. She dressed slowly, her brain still foggy with sleep, then headed towards cafeteria to grab some breakfast. The smell of deep frying hit her nose the second she walked in, causing her to drool a little. At the same time her stomach gave a loud growl. She realized that she was quite starved.
She smiled at the fry-cook, a short portly catboy. "Good morning Tristian."
"Good morning boss, what will it be? As always it's on the house." He grinned, showing his long needle like teeth. "We have some deep fried mice." The orange tabby boy pointed to where the mice sat under a heat lamp.
"Oh, nonsense, I'll pay like everyone else! Mmm... I'll take a lightly toasted bun with bacon, fried egg, tomato, cheese and hollandaise sauce. On the side I'll have three hashbrowns and two of those deepfried mice. Oh and a extra large milk. Whole milk please."
"Right away boss." He said, serving up her breakfast.
"There you go."
"Thanks T." She said, taking the plate and heading off to pay.
After paying for her meal she navigated the densely packed eating room. A handsome middle aged looking man waved her over. She grinned and ran over. "Hey Talon." she said sitting down across from him. "How was the hunt last night?" she said, digging into her meal.
Talon looked up from his fruit salad and scratched his greying beard before answering her. "It went well, though I'm sad that my pack and I weren't able to stop Grimfang's pack from finding that girl. Since that bastard and his cronies are in lockup for a very long time." he paused sighing. "If she does turn she can join my pack. I mean the more the merrier."
Syia smiled at the eight hundred year old werewolf. He was one of the oldest living lycans, and due to his age had perfect control over his shifting. Of course he always looked a little wolfish, with his thick greyish beard and long hair. She chuckled a little and rested her hand on his. "Thanks Talon, I was starting to worry about what we were going to do with her. I mean a Lycan without her pack well... they don't usually last long. And I can't let her join Grimfang."
Talon nodded. "She'll always have a place in Pack Halftooth." He assured Syia.
Syia smiled then stood. "Come on, it's nearly starting time."
Talon nodded and finished up the last of his honeydew melon before following Syia down to where the young woman sat. She had a bandage on her arm, and was looking understandably shocked.
"Be gentle with her Talon." Syia said to her friend as he walked into the room.
He sat down next to her. "Hey." he said, as he sat and looked at her. She looked up at him, wary.
"Who are you?"
Giving her a warm and welcoming smile he said. "I'm Talon Halftooth." He said.
"Are you a lycan?" she said, pulling back.
He nodded. "I am, and so are you now. Grimfang bit you."
She drew back further. "Grimfang?" she said. "Is he one of your friends, you twisted beast?" she spat, glaring at him.
"Friend?" Talon said, shaking his head and looking amused. "Hardly. Grimfang and I are better described as... bitter rivals." he explained. "We are both Lycans of great age, and keep our heads about us during the time of the Goddess. However he goes out and hunts people, killing then or turning them. You're lucky to be alive. However now... you are one of us. Grimfang likely wanted you to join is pack. But you don't have to, you are welcome among my brethren and I." He held out his hand.
"So he hunts people, and what do you do?" the girl didn't take his hand yet, instead backed away further.
"I try to stop others of my kind from hurting people." He explained.
He sighed. "Listen, can I at least know your name? And come back here before you back off the edge of the bench."
She sighed and bowed her head. "I'm Logan Danny Cunningham." she blushed. "My parents thought they were gonna have a son. They already had everything Engraved with the name Logan on it. So, even though I'm a girl." She blushed.
Talon smiled at her. "I think Logan's a lovely name." He gently brushed her hair out of her eyes. "For a pretty girl." he paused.
"Tell me, how did you end up on the streets?"
Logan looked away, sighing. "Well..." she looked at her feet. "My daddy died, and my mum married again. Her new husband wasn't quite the nicest guy around and we had to end up fleeing to a women's shelter. From there I started hanging out with the wrong people and well... that was the start of the downward slope.
Mum didn't like me hanging out with those girls and I thought I knew better so... I ran away. I was starving and ended up selling my body to get by."
Talon sighed and gently hugged her. "Well Logan, that's all over now. First off, you're a Lycan and well.. that means anyone who has sex with you is likely to be turned into a Lycan as well. And now you have a family that cares about you."
Logan nodded, there was something about this man that made her want to trust him. She couldn't help it, he as so warm and fatherly. So welcoming, and very handsome. In a somewhat rugged middle aged man sort of way.
"Come on, I'll let you meet the pack." He said as he gave her his hand.
Logan reached out and took it. His big hands were surprisingly smooth, for a man as rugged looking as him.
"You know the last name Cunningham just won't work for a Lycan." Talon said, giving her a half smile.
"It won't?" Logan titled her head, looking up at Talon.
Talon shook his head. "Don't worry young Logan, you'll earn a last name in time."
Logan nodded and stuck close to Talon.
"So you live at the police station?"
"This is more than a police station, It's a compound for Mystics like us. It's been carved into the mountain. This is a city Logan."
He led her down a long street like corridor. Logan couldn't help but stare at all the beings that walked past her. Trolls, centaurs, a gryphon and many people who seemed to be human.
"You see, people aren't really ready to accept that our kind exists. So we stay in hiding here. We still have all the comforts of modern life. However having this city in the mountain allows certain members of our community to come out during the day. Such as trolls or Vampires.
"But I thought Vampires and Lycans didn't get along."
"We don't, but all those that live in this city have signed a treaty. Behave yourself, or be turfed out on your ass." He laughed, bearing all his teeth in a wolfish grin.
Logan nodded, taking it all in. She was a little too shocked to talk.
"Ah here we are, This is where the pack and I live." He said, pointing to a large old looking house. "Come on in."
Logan followed him into the house.