I was bitten when I was six-- I'm sixteen now. I have to change once a month every month. It's . . . not fun. But it's easier now that I'm among other werewolves. Can your entire family change?
[He shakes his head and leans forward, taking the mug of tea.]
I was, yes, insofar as I . . . yes. I was a cub, or puppy, or whatever you'd like to call it. My mother used to sit with me. They'd have to chain me up, but-- she couldn't stand me being alone.
[He shrugs and glances down, his cheeks coloring a little.]
It's nice to . . . to have somewhere to belong. To know that I'm part of something, that I can rely on them for things that my other friends-- though I love them dearly-- can't understand. I've never known any other werewolves before, let alone ones who enjoyed their lycanthropy.
[He rubs his face.]
And Derek . . . he protects us. Tries to keep us safe.
Mm, well, even werewolves are rare. Most shifters are werewolves, then it goes down the line - rats, birds, cats - big ones and little ones - and it's genetic. We can't spread it by bite.
You know I thought that was pretty standard, but the more wolves I meet here, the more it occurs to me that it's kind of unusual.
[She takes another sip.]
My father was a Khan - that's a tiger - and so was my grandfather, and my great-grandmother - and so on, and so forth.
Oh! [He chuckles, at that.] Well, I'm not sure if that's really such a magical reaction... you sound like a very typical child to me, just rather more... wieldly.
[He smiled at him, thinking that story incredibly sweet, in fact. His parents must be proud indeed.
Granted, he colours directly after.]
A-ah. Yes, a poet by study and trade, though-- though I can't promise I am really very good. Are you sure you'd want to read that?
Absolutely! I'm sure you're better than you think-- and anyway, I can't write any at all, so whatever you create is better than anything I could come up with. Please? I understand if it's-- if you don't want to, I mean it's deeply personal, but I'd love to read it if you're so inclined.
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