Kierra

One good thing about Wisconsin; it's known for its abundance of different wildlife. Even sightings of wild wolves fly around. I know this from my father having relatives in one of the hard to pronounce towns. Never bothered to remember the name since his family refuses to acknowledge my existence.

That part didn't bother me so much till his death and the total absence of my name, his firstborn, on anything. I had to look up his obituary online because no one had told me he had died till weeks after the fact. Wouldn't have known then but for one of his friends contacting me.

If you haven't guessed, my mother and father are not, and never were, an item.

Coming up to the small clearing before a highway, I look out over it as my thoughts continue to wander.

I miss him, my father, he and I didn't have enough time. Funny how there's always more time till abruptly there isn't and you wish for more. I didn't know he was my father until I was thirteen. On and off through the years after that, he'd make some appearance or another, but I would always push him away.

It wasn't till years later that I took the time to get to know him, even lived with him for a year, hanging out with his then-girlfriend and her kids. I never got to the point of calling him 'dad' or 'father', which made things all the harder when I found out about his death.

That year of living with him did allow for some bonding, but it was other stuff that got in the way and had me moving back to Illinois from Wisconsin. We stayed on good terms, but didn't really keep in contact. Only a call every now and then to talk to the kids.

I shake myself mentally as I feel the burn behind my eyes. No more fucking tears, dammit. Blinking them away fast as I look over the four-lane highway in front of me, sad memories can wait till I get home and can hide in my room.

Coming up on midday, lunchtime, it's very busy. Shit. There's a bridge further down to go over the Rock River, but it looks like a sheer drop. Staying to the taller grasses, I go see if there's an easier way across.

A shiver goes through me as I take a look over the suspension bridge. I hate this kind. No good. There's a drop directly under it, but backtracking a little will see me down to the thin strip of mushy land that goes across to the other side. Awesome, now I don't have to cause a pile-up of rubberneckers.

Heading back, then down, just to come around to the same area as before, just several feet below. And when I say thin strip, I mean almost nonexistent. Mud squishes between my paws as I try to stay as close to land as possible. Further out, the water is moving fast. I don't want to fall in and get caught up in a current, this puppy would rather not drown, thank you.

Directly under the bridge is a surprise. So much so that I almost turn around and go back. Plenty of room, sure... Also a few people. The whole width of the under-bridge is an open space, housing, it would seem, several homeless people.

I don't see how they can stay this close to the water and not freeze, but I haven't lived on the streets. This could be like a five-star hotel to them for all I know. No one has spotted me yet, but I had to push through some taller grasses to get this far, moving them anymore can chance drawing attention, so it's either try to turn and fall in, or just keep going through.

I'm sure they've seen many wild dogs come through here. Here's to hoping they didn't eat them. My feet have sunk deep into the muck, sliding closer to the freezing water. Pulling them free none too quietly, I get onto a drier patch of ground.

The noise didn't call attention to me, but the barking does. I sigh. Someone here has a dog, and it's caught my scent. Wind tunnel effect or not, it managed. Stepping further in softly, I make to go right through and ignore everyone.

So of course, I draw everyone's attention. Fuckin' hell. The spirits are playing with me, I swear, or there's a Puck following me around. Drawing in a deep breath, I keep going, this time a little faster. I'd run, but there doesn't look to be much ground purchase on the other side either.

A sharp inhale catches my attention, causing me to freeze when I see who took it.

"You..."

I mentally kick myself for reaching out, but he had already known about me when he'd first seen me. The very dark black man just looks at me, I can't read his face. Looks a little different from last time I saw him, but that was also in the dark. I may be able to see in low light, but things can still appear different in brighter light, not to mention a different angle.

The homeless man I first met when he went after Bastion with a knife, is looking at me from a small tent-like structure. Dark brown eyes are wide, but not in fear, just as shocked to see me as I am of him. I cock my head.

He returns the motion, which randomly makes me smile. The weirdness of stress presents itself in unexpected ways. Can't see my smile, but the gesture is in my head, and I send it to him.

Just like last time, he may be homeless, but he doesn't smell like garbage or any other scent you'd attribute to someone on the street. I walk up to him slowly as he comes out of his shelter, attempting to be a lot more friendly than I was last time.

Ignoring the looks and sneers I'm getting from the others, my attention is actually focused for once. I sit down within a couple of feet of him as he sits with his legs crossed.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were in Rockford?"

He doesn't even blink at my telepathy, but his eyes roaming over me makes me a little nervous. I like my coat where it is, thanks. Shrugging, his hands clasp in his lap. Fingers thick and knobby from hard use.

"E'er since yous came through, there's been unrest on the streets, talk of change and trouble. Yous been causin' quite the stir in the Night People's world. Figure I get out while gettin' out was good."

I tilt my head again. I've been causing a stir? Oh. Shit. I look over my shoulder at my pelt. Dammit. This whole silver thing is the problem, not me. Looking back at the old man, I start in with more questions, since he seems to know more than anyone else I've been able to talk to.

"The silver thing, huh? Yeah, I don't know what everyone is freaking out about, it's caused me nothing but trouble. What things have you heard?"

Now he starts to look nervous. Okay...maybe I won't learn much from him, still need to try though. Asher can only tell me so much without putting himself back in the community. I don't want to put him through the hell of that, I've caused him enough trouble. The old man fidgets, but answers.

"Jus' that a big power is comin', change is happenin', and many of the bigger fish ain't happy about it. Yous burnin' down that house seemed to be a trigger. Many Night People an humans alike came through the streets alookin' for answers shortly after."

How did he know I was the one who'd burned it down? Was going to ask but it doesn't seem to be that important when measured against everything else.

"Bigger fish? Do you know who they are? No one was hurt were they?"

Not so much worried about people being hurt, but if they were, it would let me know what kind of people I'm dealing with. Recall Asher saying once that a lot of supernaturals are in the offices of the 'higher-ups'.

"E'eryone knows of the big fish, but not who they be 'pecifically. There was two factions that went throughs, 'good' and 'bad', both lookin' for a strange wolf that was light in colors. By the time they comes around, yous smell went away, so theys couldn't track and finds yous."

That brings me up short. At that point, there'd been no reason to hide my scent. Might be how I keep being found though. He had stopped for a moment, but continues with his story.

"Some spots been found with smell, but twas mixed with the other's smell. When they wanted to know 'bout the pale colors, yous had come to mys head, but I said nothin'. I couldn'ae be sures though, yous was covered in...stuffs. I said nothin's though."

He looks as if I'm going to blame him, but I'm not, I know that even if he had said anything, he was trying to stay alive. I can't fault him for that. The other smell they caught must have been Asher's. I send the older man an honest smile letting him know that I have no grudge against him.

"They said light colors? How did they know to look for someone with a specific coloring?"

He shrugs. A ragged and tattered brown coat gets pulled tightly around him, bulging with multiple layers underneath. His pants look thin, well worn and old. Scuffed shoes have no laces, the treads on the bottom all but gone with holes forming.

"None said. If'n I'm to guess though, same way cops finds people. The traffic cameras."

Well shit, I thought we had avoided them all. Obviously not. I give a deep sigh that moves my whole body, lowering till forelegs are stretched in front of me.

Hold up.

In any of those cameras, it would have been too dark to get a crystal clear picture of me, and he said nothing of Asher being seen. Someone saw me, but not him. If someone had though, why not follow me when they first saw me? Why wait?

Too many questions, never enough answers. My front paws are right next to the man, he doesn't seem to mind. I can just imagine how we look to the others; old man talking to a giant canine as if they were conversating. My projected thoughts are only going to him.

"When did you leave the city? Have you been here long?"

He shrugs again, looking around. The handful of other people mill around and keep an eye on me.

"I take it they know what I am and know that I'm the one being looked for?"

A small incline of his head is my only answer, his eyes on me.

"Theys fear yous, but don' wanna admit it. They're but a few who has lost their spots. I suspect theys has an idea to who yous are and be angry."

I nod as I look around, not able to blame them in the least bit. Getting to my feet, I stretch. Rear end going high as front legs reach out. The mutt that had barked earlier is keeping its eye on me. I'm more than twice its size.

"I don't want to bring you any more trouble, so I'll be on my way. But first, can you tell me how far I am from Rockford?"

His shaggy brows draw together as he focuses inside for a moment before he nods.

"If'n yous follow the river south, with all the twists, yous about twenty-five miles. We's be in the north parts o' Beloit."

Put in short, I'm a long way from home. I had said Rockford since it's bigger than Loves Park or Machesney, so I have a few miles less than the twenty-five, but not many. He'd stayed sitting when I stood, now he stands. I incline my head to him and start back on my way.

He calls out to me just as I'm about to go through the long grass on the opposite side I'd come from. Turning my head back, he's walking towards me, a slight limp in his gait.

"Yous be careful girl, some thems people out lookin's for yous is bad news. Some Night People be good folk, you seems to be one, but others're not. The boy that was with yous, him's safe?"

I nod my head, sending him a smile and a picture of me curled around Bastion in our nest. The old man smiles, nodding his own head. I give a last parting 'gift', I guess it could be called.

"If they come calling on you again, tell them which way I've gone. Don't put yourself in danger because of me. I've been fighting them off for days now, and I don't mind a challenge."

I can feel my brain kicking me, but if I'm honest, I'm getting tired of crying and running from everything. Past time I should be fighting back. The dark man gives a nod of his head, a conspirator's smile being shared between us as he shoos me off.