Faline

My ragtag group steps into the kitchen, gazes find us then go back to whatever. By the looks of things, the restock of food has shown up. Ushering the others to the table, I head up to my crew and help them get everything situated.

Kerry points me to the side wall counter, where a few boxes sit next to each other. Coffee pots. Perfect. I was never one to really care for the taste, but I love the smell of it; of all the different flavors you can get.

I now have an excuse to get several different kinds for my own selfish cravings. Making that annoying high pitched cat noise, I flounce over in happiness. The feeling seems to catch as others smile.

Tasha looks on eagerly while many others look confused.

"Coffee coffee coffee coffee..."

My litany has Trisha looking now. May have changed quite a bit over the years, but I'm sure she knows what these are. Annoying part here is they have to be washed first before use and go through a cycle with just water to get any inside crud out.

I may not be able to drink it, but others can and will, and I don't want their possible first taste to be awful. Well...anymore awful than the stuff already is. They get set up and tended to in record time.

So giddy about getting them going, I don't pay attention to the group of Weres coming in. I hear them, and just by that I know who they are, so I'm not too worried. There’s three coffee pots, each one a twelve-cup serving size. Just need one for now, so I quickly get it set up and wait for it to start smelling amazing.

Would appear I have forgotten once again that my senses are not what they used to be; the grounds on their own are really strong. As long as I'm not right on top of it, hopefully, it won't prove to be a bad idea.

Leidolf pressing against my side has me looking down at him. He's watching the end of one of the long tables to the group of Were-animals. Glancing up myself, I see Rafael and Zaaz with large smiles on their faces as they joke with three others.

I tap the wolf’s nose lightly, smiling at him.

"They're just pups, rowdy pups. One attaches himself to you in play and now you're going to glare at him every time you see him? Why don't you just teach him a lesson instead - since biting him doesn't seem to have been enough."

The grin in my voice has him turning to look at me. Biting my lip, I nudge him over. I see Rafe look at me and cock his head, so I know he hears me. Hopefully, he'll keep the others from going on the defensive for just a little fun.

From getting their scents now, can tell three are Weres, and two are Shifters. Two wolves, two cats, and one coyote. Could have sworn they were all Weres, but nope. Werewolves are just that strong smelling.

My wolf slinks off to the side as I go to my counters, looking over the several boxes of Smirnoff, each a different flavor. Acting as if I'm doing something with them while watching the events unfold. The room isn't extremely full but does have a good crowd.

It gets quiet as he stalks over, hard to be stealthy in a room full of animals. Rafael, to his credit, is acting oblivious as he keeps the conversation going with his buddies. Moving from sitting on top of the table to stand as if emphasizing something.

Once upright, Leidolf rushes him, jumping to collide into his back and knocking him forward. The Were hits hard, bending over the table. He keeps himself down, thankfully, as those near them scatter. His friends look on in amusement, unsure what to do. Zaaz catches my eye and I smile, winking at him. He smiles and steps back, tormenting his fallen friend in lighthearted jokes.

When I look back at the table, I have to shake my head. Putting a hand over my mouth to cover my laughter as I watch the Changeling sit on the Weres back and occasionally reach down to nip at ears or fingers. The position looks really uncomfortable too, poor guy.

The others make jokes at Rafael's expense, but that hit was hard, you could hear his head crack against the wooden table. Not actually crack, just hit really hard. Definitely had to knock him for a loop.

A dominance display I think, but I'm not sure. Leidolf snapping and growling the way he's doing has me wondering. Since the other wolves in the room don't look overly worried, I hope that's all it is.

Ears, cheeks, fingers, and head get nipped. After a while he does stand and jump off the bent over Werewolf, then turns back before Rafe can stand to give a sharp bite to his rump.

That has the Were yelping and jumping forward, knocking his knees into the table bench. Balance all off-kilter, he falls forward again and smacks his forehead onto the table. Leidolf has moved back, watching the younger man receive the entirety of his karma.

Rafael groans with a small whimper. Poor guy is going to have his face all beat up. First my bite, then my wolf’s nips, then smacking on the table. Not once, but twice.

Biting my tongue to keep from laughing aloud, I get into my fridge and grab the all essential peas. The Changeling comes trotting over as if he has no worries in the world, looking pleased with himself. Moving up to the side of my counters and planting his butt, a long tongue lolls as he watches his handiwork.

I ruffle my hand on his head before going over to the poor Were, who has hopefully gotten some sense knocked into him. The others are crowding around him, laughing but asking if he's alright. When I get close, they move aside for me.

Rafael is still bent over the table, so I move around to where his face is pointing. Short, cinnamon-colored hair is sticking up every which way, eyes closed as he groans all pathetic-like.

"Well, I think he's accepted your apology now."

My silly grin is in place as he opens his eyes and looks at me. His face is red and a bit blotchy, but he's okay. Nose looks a little worse for wear though. In the process of healing, but having it collide with the hard wood didn't help at all. I hand him the peas, glint in my eyes having him look at me warily even through his smiling.

"Do I need to write on the package that they're yours specifically for when your face has been busted into again?"

His green-hazel gaze laughs at me as he smiles warmly, taking the peas as he stands upright. They get held over his face while the others pat him on the back. One of the Shifter cats is also British, his accent stronger than Zaaz's.

It sounds really nifty, thick, but not overly so to where you can't understand him. Judging by their scents, both cats are snow leopard Shifters. Wonder if they know Ava? Probably not if the one is foreign.

That leaves the last one, the WereCoyote. He's rather quiet compared to the others but still has that same smart-assness to him as the rest do. Short black hair, yet tipped in white has me looking at him curiously.

He blinks at me as if waiting for the insults, the ice blue of his eyes giving the effect of him looking into you. The short black beard around his mouth is also marked with some white. At least six-foot-four, he's lanky and clearly toned.

"I've only met two other coyotes, one's a Shifter and a friend of mine. Doubt your hair is dyed, so I take it that's the way your pelt is colored? Maii is also different; when in animal form, it looks like he's wearing a mask that looks like a skull."

His head cocks, interest in his eyes now instead of a guarded wariness.

"And the other?"

A quiet voice, but knowing what his animal is, I can just imagine how loud he can be.

"Brown and black, which I think is normal, but I’m not sure. He was here too but left recently. You might have seen him before here in the kitchen."

By the look on his face, he's going back in his head and replaying everything. He nods a few seconds later.

"One of those that you wanted escorted out."

I nod. The way he said it though makes it sound like a bad thing. This guy isn't bad, but he's not exactly...warm and fuzzy either. Little disconcerting, really.

"Don't mind Domino, he tends to bite first and ask questions later, but is otherwise harmless."

'Domino's' eyebrow raises as he looks at Rafe, his movements almost lazy as he leans forward and flicks his friend's red nose. That gets them into a shouting match that makes me nervous at first, but by their expressions, you can tell it's all in play. Shaking my head, I work my way out of the group and back to my own.

Tasha had been given a plate at some point, thankfully. Have to warn her to slow down so she doesn't inhale anything. The smell of the almost done coffee smells so amazing that I have to close my eyes and hold it to me, inhaling deeply and filling my lungs with it.

Many others are looking at it in interest, so I motion for them to go ahead. Getting small containers out for sugar and milk. Didn't think to ask for creamer. Oops.

I'm also nice and warn them that smells are deceiving; that the liquid itself is bitter unless sweetened. The others fall back when Trisha moves to it. Her face mirroring my own at the smell.

I hand her a mug with a smile, letting her do it by herself as I step back and watch. Right out of the pot, it's going to be hot as hell. She adds exactly three spoonfuls of sugar and a small amount of milk. Oh yeah, she knows coffee.

The smile on my face can't possibly get any bigger at the expression on her features. The pure bliss of getting a caffeine fix after years of a dry spell. Everyone else watches her curiously, their own various expressions in place.

She walks away with her cup clutched in her hands, but not before I catch the shimmer in her eyes. Can't feel bad for it though, since it looks to be a happy wetness and not the opposite. Turning away myself, my smile is still on my face as I go back to my counters.