Of wolves and cowboys.

[Anubis]

The year was 1878, a small coal mining town once called Black Springs, it looked like a frontier town, just like many others. It's economy was primarily based on the coal mine, that transported coal east ward by rail, and supplemented by fur trappers, and traders. It was in a colder climate in a fairly rocky regin. Only men real men could stand the conditions or...

if you weren't really human to begin with. It was also home of the last super pack of the Dekai' ree or Dekai; meaning "children of Terra" in their ancient tongue. They were what we call "werewolves" but are nothing like the beast of legend, they do transform in wolfmen, and are sensitive to silver. However they have total control, and they are not blood thirsty monsters. However i don't suggest you pick a fight with them neither, that scuffle will be on sided and will end faster you can blink.

The Majority of Black Springs were in fact dekai. They worked in the mines, ran alot of the shops, and the saloon, they trap beaver pelts in the local area. Even their Alpha, Kane, was serif and his betas were his deputies. The humans that live there know of their true form, and in fact are friends to them. The local native Americans, worshiped them like they were gods. Will often offer up their daughters, if not anything else to please them. Weird as it sounds some of the males have found their mates this way.

======================================

Kane leaned back on his chair against the wall of the serifs office sleeping in the mid day sun. His hat covering his face, loud snores could be heard. It was a long day, and felt like he needed the rest. he broke up a large drunken bar fight when some one cheated a game of cards. before that tracked down and killed a notorious thief that likes to ambush travelers going in and out of town.

The large man sleeped until his mate, Angeni kicked him. Nonchalantly he lifted his hat to saw a soar indian woman glaring at him. "Hoddy Angi," he said with a grin.

"Don't hoddy Angi me! I come here to bring you your lunch and i find you sleeping, again!" he snarles and chucks a basket in to his lap.

"Don't be so tense dear, I'm having a long day. Alot of grumpy folk complaining about this and that, not to mention I alomst gotten shot, twice. So I decided to take a nap until, you arrive with your famous stew and biscuts" She couldn't stay mad at him, her husband's calm demenor had that effect on her.

"Damn it kane, you're such a strange man."

"I know, and I know that you love me for it." he said as he stood up the wrapped his arms around her. he kissed her, "how about we skip the main course, and have dessert." he whispered into her ear.

She punched him in the gut, not only becuase she was angry at him, also she knows he liked that kind of punishment from her. Her husband let out a suggestive growl at her. "You pervert!" she growled then winked as she walked away knowing that he was watching a sertain part of her anatomy as she left.

Kane looked at her fine hindquaters seductively sway back and forth as she left. "What a woman." he said to him self. he opened the basket, and tore into a fresh baked biscut.

He reminises how he ment his mate, she was actually a gift from the cheif of a near by tribe when he became leader. Normally he wouldn't accept believing that every one has a right to pick their mate. However something about her instrested him, once he got to know her. She rocked his world with her unyeilding spirt and free will. He grins at remembering the night they became one, he still had the scars on his back.

[Silverclaw]

A lone wolf picked its way through the stony terrain. It panted heavily in the mid-day sun; pink tongue lolling out between sharp fangs. He blended in well with the dusty ground, a mix of russet and browns. The only thing that made him stand out from any other wild wolf of the region was the black leather collar around its neck. A small brown bag dangled from it, bouncing back and forth as the wolf walked on. The wolf paused, sitting down on a boulder to catch his breath. He had been trying to get accepted into one of the local pack of wolves in the area. Real wolves, unlike himself. Sighing, he turned and licked a large gash on his shoulder; the walk had opened the wound up again and it was bleeding. 'Looks infected...' the wolf thought to himself glumly. Another scar to add to the collection. He was lanky and very skinny, even for his young age. Hunting has not been good lately. He had never been very good at it. 'Those prairie dogs are faster than they look,' he thought, looking over at his ribcage showing through his fur. His stomach growled again. Wearily the wolf pushed himself onto all fours and started walking uphill again.
As he crested the next rocky hill, he stopped dead in his tracks. Below was a town. 'A coal mining one...' he decided sniffing the air. The scent of food wafted up to him, making him drool. The last thing he ate was a dead racoon he fought the buzzards for about two days ago. Forgetting his usual caution, the young wolf trotted down towards the smells. Darting from hiding place to hiding place, he found the strongest source: a trash pit. He hated getting this close to others, but he was starving. Warily watching the close-by buildings he nosed through the rubbish and began to eat.

[Anubis]

Kane Finished his meal and started to head out to old Leary's shack. Some folks was giving him a hard time about the gold that was rumored to be in his possession.

Along the way he passed the dump being careful to be up wind from the cesspool. He found a lone dekai in his full wolf form scrounging around for food.

"Well hello there stranger, if it is food yeah want, i'll take you to a place where you can get a hot meal. Also I reacon a shower wouldn't either. That's if you and i aren't going to have a problem." Kane said in a friendly tone.

[Silverclaw]

The wolf jumped at the sound of the stranger's voice; almost choking on a piece of moldy bread he had been gulping down. As he swung his head up to look at the man, the pile of trash he was standing on started to give way. With a small yelp his two hind legs sunk through the top layer of garbage, momentarily trapping him. 's***.' The russet wolf, too fatigued to start struggling free, bared his fangs at the man instead. 'Is he talking to me?', the wolf thought, confused. There was no one else around... 'Almost like he knows that I used to be a normal human'. Obviously this was the first time he had met any one else like himself. The wolf stopped baring his fangs slowly, but continued a deep throated growl, just in case.

[Anubis]

"Now, now, there is no need for that here. Besides it is uncooth for a strange dekai ree to bare their fangs to the one who offers friendship and good hospitality." Kane paused and then continued.

"Oh, where is my manners, i forgot to introduce myself. The name is Kane, I'm the leader of the black springs pack, as well the town's sherif. Now would you kindly tranform into a form that has the ability to speech, and tell me who you are." He said still in a friendly tone of voice, however the last part sounded more like an order than a request. Sending the message that he was serious.

[Silverclaw]

'Dekai ree?' he wondered. With a surge of energy, the wolf pulled his back legs out of the decaying garbage. Before it had a chance to start sinking again, he leapt off the pile and onto solid ground. His first reaction was to run away into the forest and hide. But he stopped himself after the first few steps. 'He somehow knows...maybe he can give some answers...' The wolf shook himself, getting rid of the bits of garbage still clinging to his fur. 'I don't know if I can still transform...its been such a long time.' He warily looked over at the stranger, hoping this wasn't some sortof trap. With a small whine, the wolf closed his yellow eyes and started to concentrate.
Nothing happened at first, but after a bit, he could feel the changing begin. Paws began to elongate into fingers and his legs grew longer, into a human shape. Fur started to receded on his body and change to hair on top of his head. With a growl of pain, his muzzle began to shrink, slowly sinking back to his skull. His tail began to retracte back and his fangs shifted to blunt human teeth. It was agonizing and slow. At the end, a boy of about 16 or 17 years old was in the wolf's place. The leather collar hung loosly around his neck now. He stayed on the ground on all fours, trying to catch his breath from the change. 'I did it....' he thought. He lifted up a hand shakily, looking it over. It had been about three years since he had been in human form. It felt weird.
The change wasn't perfect; he still has not managed to transform back 100%. Russet fur lightly coated his back, his ears had pointed tips and he still had a small, naked tail about three inches long. The boy looked up worriedly to the stranger to see his reaction. "Name's Jacob..." he said in a voice hoarse from not being used in so long.

[Anubis]

((Sorry about that, I didn't have time to write anything the first time and i forgot about it. Sorry))

Kane looked as he saw a boy that looked the age of 17 that was once that mangy looking dekai. By the looks of the incomplete transformation he hadn't been in his human from in a while or isn't fully accustomed with shapeshifting yet.

"Well Jacob, why is a young pup like you living like a wild animal? Where's your family?" Kane asked sounding concerned.

There was a pause, then Kane realised what the problem might be.

"They found out that you weren't human did they?"

[Silverclaw]

Jacob remained silent for a minute. He looked away uncomfortably, not liking his past being brought up. "Yeah," he said, "Something like that." His yellow eyes seemed to cloud up as he remembered the night he was driven away from his own home. He pulled himself away from old memories and started to get up. Shakily he rose up on his two feet, having a bit of trouble balancing. After steadying himself by hanging onto a small nearby tree, he focused back to Kane. "You said something about food?" he asked, stomach growling. Realizing that he was still naked and without fur, he quickly reached down to the garbage pit and pulled out the nearest piece of cloth. Wrapping the torn blanket around his waist he noticed that he didn't transform back completely. "Damn it," he muttered, seeing he still had a tail and fur. Jacob looked back up, "So, you cursed too then?"

[Anubis]

Kane could tell that he didn't want to talk about it, and he left it at that. that meek "yes", was all he was gonna get.

When he mentioned something about food. Kane gave a friendly chuckle and he started to walk him back into town.

"Yeah, there is a boarding house ran by an human woman in town. We call her Aunt Irma she's a sweet old gal. She loves taking care of strays, and folks who are down in their luck. She'll get some food for you, as well some cloths and a warm bed for the night."

When he made a statement about being cursed. Kane couldn't help him self and struck him up side the head and grabbed his shoulders and bore into him with his suddenly furious stare.

"Look boy, since it seems you don't know who we are, who you are. I'll ignore that comment, and explain it to you in simple dumb words.

We are NOT monsters,
We are NOT demons,
And this most certainly NOT a CURSE!!!

If this is anything it's a gift, and we treat it that way. Say anything like that again, then we are going to have a problem. Because that s*** is down right offencive. We take pride in who we are, you need to as well. We are dekai, do not let anyone tell you are anything different!"

There was an awkward silence after Kane's lecture. He looked at the kid, seeing fear in his eyes. Kane took a deep breath and let him go from his grip.

"I'm sorry, i shouldn't have been cross with you. You have to understand, after all the s*** we put up with all we have is each other, and our pride in what we are."

[Silverclaw]

Jacob listened quietly with shock at the sudden change of mood in Kane. Without thinking, his four canine teeth grew longer into fangs for defense. When Kane let go, Jacob stumbled backwards a couple steps. "Sorry..." he muttered, still a bit confused. "Don't know what else you'd call it...its what everyone says it is anyways..." He followed behind Kane as he was lead towards town. The sun was setting, the sky turning darker by the minute. "So is that what yo-I'm called then? Dekai? Sounds Indian." he asked akwardly.