Letting The Dogs Out

## Content Information

Didi was in comfy clothes, denim pants with a soft and well-loved t-shirt, waiting in the dorm’s courtyard for the two new wolves she wanted to introduce to the rest of the pack. It was time for a pack-only party at Zahra’s, but special dispensation for Pad to attend as a guest of the pack. Didi hoped it’d be something more official soon.

Suddenly blaring from Arslings phone was Knights Of Cydonia by Muse as she strolled out of a nearby exit wearing a new outfit not seen before in Arslings wardrobe. Wearing a large dark green duster and a high collar dress shirt, complete with gaudy green bowtie. She took off her sunglasses revealing her glowing yellow eyes. “Sup.”

Running out from a different exit was Lily. Spotting the flamboyant display from the person she didn’t know, Lily halted. She suddenly felt underdressed and started considering if this trip was really for her. However, just as she was about to turn, she glanced towards Didi and all doubt disappeared. Taking a deep breath, she launched into a sprint and dived towards the target of her affections, grabbing onto her arm and hugging it close. “Hi… Sorry I’m a bit late.”

DIdi smiled at both of them and returned Lily’s hug. “Lily, meet the new and… I’ll just go ahead and say ‘improved’ Arsling Broganson.” She raised a brow at the new look. “You two met on the full moon but I’m not sure either of you would remember.”

Arsling smiles adjusting her bowtie “Improved is an understatement Didi.” She offers a hand to Lily. “Nice to actually meet you Lily.”

Lily placed her hand in Arsling’s. “It’s nice to meet you too…” She glanced down at her own outfit, a basic black hoodie and jeans. “Was there going to be a dress code, or am I just overthinking this now?”

“Dress codes are made to be broken if they exist, plus bowties are cool… Oh and this duster has pockets.” Arsling sticks her hands deep into her dusters pockets giving Lily a massive toothy grin.

“Ash always dresses up,” said Didi, standing and intending to put an arm around her before once again realizing Arsling’s height. “This look is new, though.”

“I… It looks good on you, I think…” Lily replied. Arsling’s confidence only served to bolster Lily’s insecurities. “Um, are you a wolf too? I think Didi said so but…”

“Yeah I’m a...werewolf.” Arsling says awkwardly, not quite used to calling herself that, sliding over to Didi and giving a side hug to Didi. “You can thank this bundle of fur for that.”

Lily glanced between the two before realizing what she meant. “Oh! You’re the one Didi was talking about! Wait… I’ve seen you before, haven’t we talked on twitly?”

“I believe we have, she’s said only good things I hope.” Arsling gives Didi a little kiss on the cheek “If not, I’ll have to beat her up.”

“Once again, you’ve been saved from a good ass-kicking by my good nature,” Didi said, giving Ash a mostly-benign glare. “I didn’t tell her about how bratty you are, or that you’re a jester in the kingdom of a potato cat, or any of the really embarrassing stuff. Yet.”

“Hay my royal status of jester of King Boato is my greatest achievement. Are you just jealous that you don’t have a royal position?” Arsling grins. “Could be Xander's squire.”

The two heard a small snort as Lily started to laugh at the scene in front of her. Her trepidation towards the trip melted away as she realised that Arsling was as much of a dork as Didi was, if not more.

Ash’s last comment provoked Didi enough that she wrapped an arm around the redhead’s neck and pulled her down to noogie her head. “I was thinking more ‘royal executioner’... if I were inclined to pledge fealty to a cat.” She grinned up at Lily, a wolfish glint in her eye.

Arsling lifts up Didi in a kinda back suplex position but without dropping Didi on her head. “Oh yeah shortie?!” Arsling put her hands on Didi's butt before flipping Didi off her shoulders and knee first onto the dirt and grass. “Don’t headlock a wrestling fan Didi.” She winks at Didi before turning to Lily. “Welcome to the house of fun.”

“Oh fuck!” Lily exclaimed, still giggling. “Are you okay?” Lily kneeled down next to Didi and poked her face. “Maybe we should leave the rough stuff for when we can shift in peace, yeah?”

“That would be the kind thing to do,” said Didi, getting up to one knee. Then she leapt up and forward, headbutting Arsling in the gut with enough force to send the brat flying. She stood and ran a hand through her hair. “But you give this one an inch and she starts getting *ambitious*.”

“Ambitious or knows her place, who knows?” Arsling grins and jumps to her face before running at Didi and playfully tackling Didi wrestling with her on the ground and rolling with her.

Upon seeing Didi run her hand through her hair, Lily’s little gay heart pounded and she felt the telling feeling of shifting coming along. Running over to the side of the wrestling wolves, Lily called to them. “As much as this looks like fun, I’m pretty sure any more of this will cause me to change, and I’d really prefer not losing *another* set of clothes this month.”

“Why not this is fun!” Arsling says, gripping Didi's arms and pinning her shoulders to the dirt. “COUNT THE PIN!” She shouted enthusiastically her metaphorical tail wagging.

“*Ash*,” Didi growled, anger boiling to the surface. She locked eyes with the redhead, something between a frown and a snarl on her face. “We’re done. *Get up.*”

Arsling lets out a wolf whine frowning. “S-sorry.” Arsling let Didi go before standing up and looking down, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly.

“Thanks Didi.” Lily said as she gave her a hand to help her up. Turning to Arsling, Lily smiled softly. “I don’t have full control over when I change yet. I don’t quite know what sets it off yet but about eighty percent of my expenses are new clothes at this point. I’d really appreciate if you helped keep that number down.”

“Yeah sorry, I thought you meant if you joined in not just, y’know, watching two idiots roll around on the dirt.” Arsling adjusts her bowtie again and straightens her duster.

Didi stepped back to where she’d been sitting to retrieve her bag, taking deep breaths to calm herself down. Her wolf still wanted to put Arsling in her place physically, but it was satisfied for now.

“Lily has been living with… pretty much everything you were afraid of, Ash. Be gentle.”

Arsling swallows. “Right, I’m sorry, I uh, didn’t realise. S-sorry Lily, that really sucks.” Arsling says staring at the ground, ashamed of herself.

Lily reaches over and grabs Arsling’s wrist gently. “Hey, you had no way of knowing. Let’s just go meet the pack, yeah?”

“Y-yeah! Lets meet our friends.” Arsling turns to Didi and says intentionally robotically. “Take us to our friends.”

When Didi turned around, she was all smiles. “Over the river and through the woods, my big bad wolves.”

They could have taken the roads, but it was faster to cut through the woods. As dark and spooky as they might seem, this was probably the safest place within a hundred miles of Night Falls. Nearing the house, all three werewolves could smell the scent of a predator’s den -- and of pack.

As soon as Lily could smell the pack, she halted. “Give me a second?” Not waiting for a response, she ran behind a tree and started to strip.

Arsling rolls her shoulders internally wondering what the lair of the pack could be, a large cave system? An awesome super mansion, some kind of super evil looking awesome castle even though that would make no sense considering the location. She was hyped!

Didi looked to Ash, about to say something, but she could see how excited and happy the other wolf was and just smiled. She went to another tree and laid a hand against it, sniffing. “Oh no, TJ’s girlfriend broke up with them, that sucks.”

Arsling turns her attention looking confused before getting the scent message. “Oh wow that's a weird power, smell based twitly.” Arsling looks at the tree confused but curious.

“Sniffly?” Didi mused. “Nah, that’s a word already.” She shrugged and took Arsling’s hand. “Here, you should be able to say hi at least without needing any finesse. Just rub your thumb between your other fingers and then rub it on the tree around waist height.”

Arsling does as told, smelling her thumb and noticing the strange new ‘language’ smell before crudely trying to say ‘Hi Im Arsling.’ “Ok now that is a really weird superpower like, invisible ink. I could fly to england and write swears on Buckingham’s door and nobody would notice… Y’know unless the queen is a werewolf.” Arsling thinks for a few seconds. “That would explain the corgis.”

“I mean to be fair anyone could go pee on the queen’s door and she’d probably get the message,” Didi said, with a wry smile.

Lily cleared her throat, trying to get her companions attention. She had placed her clothes in her backpack, leaving a sports bra and a pair of spats as her only things preserving her modesty. Lily clutched her arm, clearly nervous. “I... Uh… I know you’ve both seen me like this before, but it’s still kind of embarrassing when it’s in person…”

Didi bit her lip. “I don’t see anything to be embarrassed about… but, ah, if you want to show up in werewolf mode, that’s perfectly okay, too.”

“You look great darling!” Arsling says trying to be as supportive as possible.

“N-No! Isn’t the whole point of this to show the pack our human selves so we can recognize each other?” LIly cried out, more forcefully then she meant to. “I… I just don’t want my clothes to get shredded if I end up turning again.”

Wincing at her own mistake, Didi went over to hug Lily. “This is fine, it’s good. If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll make Ash take her clothes off, too.”

Arsling's smile turned into a ‘yeah right’ expression at the back of Didi’s head. “I thought I was the one who got you to do that.” She said with a smug eyebrow raise.

Lily glanced over to Arsling and couldn’t help have a flash of just what that would look like go through her mind. Almost immediately, her body changed, growing taller and hairier until she was in her full hybrid form. Somehow the bra and spats not only survived the transformation, but had grown to fit the larger form.

Arsling rubs her forehead. “Ah fuck, sorry.” Arsling says feeling embaressed and guilty.

Didi stayed by Lily, holding one of her large fuzzy arms. “You feeling okay?”

Lily nodded quickly. “Y-yeah! T-totally fine! Nothing to see here, hehe…”

“You’ll feel better once you meet everyone!” Didi said. “The point isn’t just to do human introductions, but to have a nice time, relax, bond.”

“I… I hope so.” Lily said as she tried to calm down enough to change back, but everytime she did the image of Didi and Arsling fighting and taking off each other's clothes came back and made it all worse.

“So then, what is pack HQ?” Arsling hops up and down grinning in excitement.

“It’s Zahra’s house!” said Didi, gesturing to the artificial light creeping through the trees.

It was… a house. A five-bedroom house at the end of a long-dark road, with meats barbecuing in the yard, with whopping and howling inside and out. Zahra sat on the porch with a few of the others, raising a mug to the new arrivals. “Slate! Cutie! Pad!”

Didi put an arm around each of the others and replied with a short howl. “Lily, meet Zahra!”

Lily gave a short wave towards the house. Inside her mind’s eye she could see Pad running around, excited to play with the pack.

Arsling nods looking mildly disappointed. “Ah, a glorified sorority… Could be lamer, could be much cooler, maybe we need to add the front of castle Greyskull. Ooh, or a giant painting of like a pack logo or something. Oh oh or… I'm rambling aren’t I?”

“I’m only down for castle Greyskull if I get to be She-Ra.” Lily said, sticking out her tongue at Arsling.

“Damn, I’ll be He-Man but only if I get to sing hey-ya.” Arsling sticks her tongue at Lily back.

Lily once couldn’t help imagining, this time Arsling in He-Man’s outfit, which only exacerbated the issue. She quickly turned her head as she blushed, happy that her fur covered the offending skin.

Before anyone could volunteer her for a Scorpia cosplay, Didi disentangled from the two and went to sit a step down from Zahra, accepting a cool hard cider.

“Is your little rascal wearing you out, Didi?” asked the derby captain, with a chuckle. “A little payback for all the trouble you gave me when you were freshly-awakened and downright feral.”

“You must be thinking of someone else,” said Didi, with a wry expression. “I was a *good* girl.”

Inside their head, Pad tugged on Lily’s arm, snapping her out of her daydream. The wolf jerked her head towards Didi and Zhara while her tail wagged furiously. Lily could immediately tell that Pad meant ‘Be gay later, new friends now!’ though she had no idea how she knew.

Arsling snorts and giggles at Didi saying that she was a good girl threatening to break out in laughter.

“Personally,” said Zahra, looking down at Arsling. “I think you’ve been too easy on her. If you coddle a rascal she’ll never learn how to behave.”

Arsling immediately recognized that Zahra was the enormous black wolf who called herself Pitch, who had taken her on patrol in human form.

“OH! You were Pitch!” Arsling says, clicking her fingers and grinning as she made the connection. “Yeah I’m Arsling… Although I guess you already knew that.” Arsling gives a small chuckle before striding up the steps to shake Zahras hand.

Zahra reached out and got a firm grip on Arsling’s fingers, squeezing them too hard for comfort while meeting her gaze.

“Yes, but there’s still so much I’d like to learn,” she said.

Another packmate piped up, a member of the derby team with dark skin, a shaved head, and goth punk clothes, head to toe black and rips and patches. “I’m learning from her already! I had no idea that Lucky Charms was accurate cultural rep until now.”

Arslings eyes squinted slightly at the member chuckling awkwardly and nervously, offended by the joke. “I'm sorry? Last I checked I was wearing a duster and a bowtie, a jacket made by the yanks and a tie made by the Croatians. What's Irish about that other than the lass wearing it?” Arsling says frowning at them almost threatening to bare her teeth.

“Ooh, did I strike a nerve? C’mon then, packslayer--”

“Daz.” Didi said with a scowl. Until Zahra put a hand on her shoulder.

“Let them work it out,” said Zahra, and Didi hesitated just a moment before nodding.

Arsling growled at Daz baring her teeth as she felt the encouragement of her betters before punching Daz right in the nose.

The wolf gave her a feral grin even as blood oozed from her nose, her eyes brightening with delight. She was angry and she wanted to hurt Arsling, and the newest wolf had just given her an excuse. When she came at Arsling, it wasn’t play wrestling or sport.

Arsling grabbed Daz hooking her arm and dragging her to the ground, tumbling down the steps with Arsling landing atop her, her eyes glowing gold from the anger at being belittled, as well as a vent of her own unresolved personal issues. She slammed knees into Dazs ribs, her upset angry expression gaining a hint of delight.

Daz growled, but she didn’t transform. Still human, the two rolled over, trading blows. At one point Daz bit Arsling, and as their blood mingled in her mouth, she reared up.

“You would have rather died than become one of us, so why the hell are you still hanging around after the moon? You can go now.”

Arsling bit back, before lifting up and slamming Daz onto their shoulders before mounting them again. Arsling growled down at her unable to find the words for her answer, not wanting to admit to Daz it was an attempt to redeem herself. Finally Arsling gave fully into the violence biting fully into Dazs shoulder attempting to tear flesh.

“Stop it!” A yell came from behind them. Lily looked scared, as scared as a hybrid can. “W-Why are you doing this?! Aren’t you supposed to be pack?!”

Arsling’s breathing slowed as she raised her head from Daz’s shoulder, blood dripping from her mouth. As she got off Daz, her face dropped with guilt, muttering out a “sorry” towards Daz as she dropped her head in shame.

“Just a little harmless fun,” said Daz, patting Arsling on the shoulder as they stood. “New werewolf tip: invest in something that gets out bloodstains…”

Didi let out a tense breath she’d been holding in and gave Lily a look of gratitude. It wasn’t normal for a new wolf to be treated quite so roughly, but there were several pack members who were still furious at Arsling, and she came on strong. There was bound to be more blood before she found her place in the pack.

But for now, though, it was a party! Zahra stood to give the newcomers a tour of the place.

“No washing off blood in the kitchen,” she said, pointing to the bathroom instead.

Arsling ran to the bathroom. “Be back in the second!” Her tongue subconsciously licking her packmates blood in her mouth and lips, feeling a sense of kinship despite the fight she had just engaged in with Daz. “*Was that just harmless fun?*” She thought staring at the small bite on her left hand.

“Is that kind of thing common around here?” Lily asked Zahra, worriedly. “It seemed like they could’ve gotten really hurt…”

The gorgeous wolf gave her a reassuring look. “Have you ever gotten hurt? Broken bones, cuts, anything like that? We’re resilient and we heal. It’s a lot worse for the pack to let something fester.”

In her mind, Pad nudged Lily. “This is the way of pack.” She seemed to say. “Better to fight then to hate.” Lily nodded softly, still not completely convinced. “I… If you say so.”

Didi herself wasn’t following Zahra’s advice. She had some unresolved anger with Arsling, but she was also far too guilty to let it out. She just hoped the pack’s newest wolf didn’t challenge her tonight in a way that she’d have to answer with violence.

Shortly after Arsling returned, an enthusiastic, long limbed Black student ran up to the group in a black button-down shirt and a cream vest. “Arsling! Pad! It’s me, Broc! Or you can call me Isiah. It’s just so nice to have a little packmate, or --” He looked up Arsling’s body. “Not so little. Nice duster!”

Arsling was startled by the sudden approach of somebody who seemed happy to see her. That was unexpected, she gave a warm smile to Isiah. “Hey man, it's a pleasure to meet you on two feet.”

Lily waved awkwardly, still not used to having so many boisterous people around. “H-hi. It’s Lily in here though. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Good to meet you, Lily!” He tilted his head, not knowing why she wasn’t showing her human self. “And I guess I’ll recognize you in human form, too, since we all saw you the morning after the hunt.”

Lily immediately froze in place. She hadn’t thought of it before but she had shifted back to human in front of the entire pack, hadn’t she? “Y-you mean… e-everyone here has s-seen me…”

“Naked...yeah, sorry.” Arsling says awkwardly as she rubs Lily's shoulder gently. “...So Isaih hows things been since we chatted?” She said trying to swiftly move on from the topic of a naked Lily in the early hours of the twenty ninth last month.

“Mainly things are picking up with the play I’m in -- the week before we open I’m just going to be a ghost. But you should come check it out!” Isaiah readily moved into small talk, following Arsling’s lead about moving on.

Seeing that Arsling and Isaih seemed to be having a conversation, Lily gently tugged on Didi’s arm. She leant down and whispered. “Hey, can we go lie down or something? I want to try and relax so I can change back. O-only if you want too though…”

“Yeah, let’s swing by the grill and then sit and eat,” Didi replied. She seemed to be pretty popular with the pack, which made sense -- even if there were a couple of members whose respect seemed grudging, or who were clearly trying to maintain their position in the face of a wolf on the rise.

It took a while, but eventually they managed to find a seat on a long sofa by the fireplace.

“Here, if you change you can cover yourself with a blanket, if you want,” Didi said, grabbing a blanket from a basket beside the sofa.

A while later, Lily was back in human form, underneath the blanket with Didi. On the other side of Didi sat Anh, a lanky enby with warm brown skin and a puff of purple hair. Sitting sideways on the sofa, mostly in Anh’s lap but with her bare legs partially across Didi’s lap, was Abella. She was olive-skinned and spoke with a french accent, with dramatic gothy makeup and a lace black dress. The two of them seemed to be the pack’s experts on magic and the supernatural, but at the moment were gossiping about TJ’s ex.

Another packmate napped in wolf form by the fireplace, thick-bodied and grey-brown, and others came and went, with groups in the yard, chatting in the kitchen, or chatting in people’s bedrooms.

“Lily, where did you go to school before Monsterhearts?” asked Abella, stealing a sip from Anh’s drink.

Lily snapped to attention as she had zoned out during the chat about exes. “Um… I kinda didn’t? I’ve been homeschooled since I was eleven. So unless you want to know what primary school in Victoria I went to, I don’t really have an answer for you.” Chuckling awkwardly, Lily snuggled up to Didi gently for support.

Anh spoke up, then, in soft and steady tones “Didi mentioned that you found your voice this week.” They smiled and their dark eyes glittered. “I would have liked to be there.”

“Your joy on the hunt was infectious,” added Abella.

“Yeah I guess I did, though it still feels a little weird to actually be talking with Pad.” Lily says with a chuckle. “Though I think that Didi did a lot to help with that.” Addressing Abella, Lily continued. “That was a hundred percent Pad. I was out for the count that night.”

“We can thank the compulsory therapy house for that,” Didi joked, remembering the roller disco fondly. And chasing each other in the woods. And the kissing.

“It’s so interesting that you -- who have been a werewolf longer than any of us -- are the most separate, wolf and human,” Anh said, brow knit in thought.

“We don’t know that much about other packs, though, or born werewolves,” said Didi. “It sounds like the werewolves in Ireland are pretty different.”

“If Arsling is to be believed,” said Anh, their tone suddenly cold. “About people she--”

“Enough,” said Didi. “You don’t have to like her, but she’s pack.”

“How about you, Lily?” asked Abella. “Would you like to join the pack? I do hope the answer is yes…”

Lily doesn’t have to think about it at all. “Of course! Just the fact that there are so many of you around makes me feel so much safer if I lose control. I know you’d all be able to hold me back.”

Didi squeezed her hand, glad to hear that she wanted to be pack, even if Lily still had that fear in her.

“None of us have been through what you have,” said Abella. “But we are here to help. Either as pack, or just as friends.”

“Thanks...” Lily squeezed back as she smiled up at them all. “I think this is the most amount of friends I’ve ever had. Hehehe.”

Arsling struts on over, burger in hand and smirk on her face. “So y’all look comfy, can I join?” she seemed to be enjoying herself, the talk with Isiah cheering her up

“But of course!” Abella was the first to welcome her, in her deep voice that lilted with the cadence of her French accent.

“We can squeeze you in,” said Didi, pulling Lily close as she shifted the two of them in Anh’s direction to make space for Arsling on the other side of Lily.

Arsling squished herself in throwing her duster over her as a large leather blanket. “So what y’all been talking about?” Smiling at again being warmly welcomed this time by the french wolf, plus she was missing europeans.

“This and that,” replied Abella, stretching and laying down across the other four, head in Anh’s lap and feet in knee-high lacy grey socks on Arsling’s. “New friends, for instance.”

“And different kinds of werewolves,” said Didi. “We don’t know all that much about other packs.”

“Not to mention that what’s written is usually from the human point of view,” Anh added, with a frown. “And generally entirely fictional.”

“Well I know a few things about Irish werewolves. Ossory wolves, more warrior-like than… Well American werewolves. Wear their wolf forms on their backs like capes, live in the countrysides of Ireland, very secretive, hence why everyone thinks there's no wolves in Ireland.” Arsling says, recalling from memories of meeting with the heads of a Ossory faction, as well as running away from them when they requested her to join them.

“Sounds like they’ve got a lot more control. Lucky…” Lily says. “Hey Arsling, um, would it be okay if we had a talk?”

“Oh, sure!” Arsling smiles, handing her duster to Didi. “Can you look after my jacket Didi?”

“Sure thing,” said the blue-haired wolf, taking the duster. “It’s a good thing you don’t wear your other form on your back…” She hefted the leather garment. “You’d be a green cow!”

“Oh well, I’m already a cow anyway” Arsling smirks and winks before turning to Lily. “So where to?”

Climbing out from under the blanket, Lily chuckled at the two’s bickering. “Maybe outside? Just somewhere private if possible.”

“Sure.” Arsling walks towards a back sliding door sliding it open. “Let’sa go.”

Just before leaving, Lily leant down and kissed Didi on the cheek. “We shouldn’t be too long.”

Arsling led Lily a bit further away from the house, a few lines of trees into the woods. “So what did you wanna talk about?”

As soon as Lily was far from her house, her expression shifted into one of worry. “I… I really need your help.”

Arsling smiled. “Absolutely, I’m more than happy to help… Unless it’s werewolf learning stuff, because I don’t know much other than what I’ve seen.”

“N-no it’s not.” Lily said, shaking her head. “Though first, how much has Didi told you about… well, me and her?”

“Nothin, just that she's seen you around campus before the full moon.” Arsling leans against a tree and crosses her legs.

“W-well, um, like a few days ago we kinda got transported into this weird house thing? That’s not really important, but while we were inside I kinda kissed her and I think we’re dating now? Maybe?”

“Well...probably.” Arsling says shrugging. “You should ask her, be blunt as a rock.” Arsling chuckles. “...I should probably follow my own advice as well, we’re girlfriends again I think but we don’t really date.”

“Oh!” Lily exclaimed, her eyes widening. “Th-that’s great! Um… I’m probably going to ask her how that works cause I think I’m number five if we are?” Shaking her head, Lily slapped her cheeks in order to focus. “But that’s not the point. I want to ask Didi out, like on a date. But I have no idea what to do.”

Arsling chuckles. “Well obviously there’s the ‘just ask’ part, but as for what Didi would like on a date… well… we, eh, never dated… I didn’t ever take Didi out on a date when we were dating… We went to a Tex-mex place but I don’t think it was actually declared a date.”

“Well, I was thinking of asking her to go skating? But I’m pretty sure that anything we do together is going to cause me to ‘wolf out’ so whatever we do it has to be private or monster and partial nudity friendly?” Lily’s voice was quickly sounding more and more panicked as she continued, speeding up as she started to spiral. “But even if we find something to do, the only clothes I own are hoodies, jeans and t-shirts and I don’t even know how to do make up or my hair in anything other than a braid. And I really don’t want Didi to think I don’t care, but I don’t know what to do and…”

Arsling puts a finger up to Lily’s mouth. “Alright stop, if Didi loves you and likes you and wants to be your girlfriend, she doesn’t care about if you’re wearing a suit, or a hoodie, or makeup. They love **you** and they want **you,** not you wearing a fancy costume.” Arsling sighs. “You’re pretty Lily, you don’t need to dress up all fancy, especially if you’re just going skating. And if not, the fancy places are typically far too expensive. You’d need Xander or Selene money for Fantasie.”

Lily seems like she’s about to object, but pauses. “I… you’re right. But… But I really want to do my best, I guess not just for her but also myself? I don’t know… This is the first time I’ve done anything like this…”

Arsling thinks for a second. “Look I know a girl, she does fashion and she's an altruist. She’d probably be willing to help you. Maybe for a favour later, but unlikely she’d do that to you… Be warned, she really really likes pink.”

Looking up to Arsling, Lily suddenly felt light tears forming. “Thank you. Thank you so much!” Lily moved forward to hug her, but inside her head Pad had other ideas. Quickly nudging Lily forward with her head, Pad pushed her into going a little further then she intended. Gently grabbing the sides of Arsling’s head, Lily pulled her down far enough to plant their lips together.

Arsling was shocked for a second before leaning into the kiss, gently placing a hand on Lilys waist and shoulder.

On the outside, Lily was enjoying the kiss. Internally, Lily turned to Pad, shocked. “Why did you do that? We met her today?” Sitting down, wagging her tail, and looking rather smug, Pad seemed to say, “You wanted this. We both know it. Wolves take what they want. Be more confident.” She was right, Lily really did want this and it was amazing.

Arsling was more just delighted at being treated nicely. Grabbing Lily's legs and lifting her up, gently pinning her to the tree, and continuing the kiss, putting a hand threw the shorter girls hair.

Lily’s eyes widened as she was lifted up, her heart pounded in her chest and she began to blush furiously. Unfortunately for the both of them, the emotional extreme resulted in Lily ‘wolfing out’.

Arslng couldn't hold up Lily as she shifted, dropping her against the tree. “Oh shit, sorry I forgot, you okay?” Arsling leans down to help Lily up.

Tearing up once again, Lily accepts Arsling’s help. “Why does this keep happening… I… I just want to… How am I going to date anyone if the moment I start to enjoy it I turn into this?”

“Hey, hey, it’s ok. It’s not like you wanted to be like this.” Arsling hugged Lily, rubbing her back. “I’m sorry darling.” She leans into the hug.

Lily hugged her back, making sure to be as gentle as possible with her large arms. After a few moments she let go, having calmed down enough that she could shift back. Back in her normal form, Lily wiped the tears from her eyes with a sniff. “M-maybe Zahra might know how I can learn to stop this?”

“Yeah… You get the feeling that she’s ‘top dog’ too right?” Arsling says trying to slightly lift the mood. Arsling chuckles. “Y’know, I got the opposite problem. I can’t go hybrid.”

Lily let out a snort at Arsling’s joke, but quickly got confused. “What? You can’t shift? Didi said the full moon was your first time becoming ‘one with the wolf’ or something.”

“I did, but that wasn’t me, that was forced… I’ve shifted a few other times but it’s hard and it scares me and I usually have to fight off a panic attack by doing something stupid or ridiculous or just by focusing on a task… I also can’t go into the wolf on two feet form.” Arsling says looking down at the floor.

Lily gives Arsling a small hug. “I guess we both have some difficulties, but what do you mean? You’ve shifted, but not into the ‘hybrid’ form? What other forms are there?”

“Like full wolf, all four legs, practically oversized dog form.” Arsling looks up and down at Lily. “Maybe your breed doesn’t do full form?”

“That sounds really cool...“ Lily replied, feeling slightly envious. “I don’t really have anyone I can ask about that, so i have no idea.”

Arsling smiles gently. “I guess that's something we have in common; no idea how to deal with our powers… I’m sorry, you shouldn’t be dealing with this bullshit.”

“We should probably head back to the house, right? Didi might get worried about us.” Lily chuckled softly as she hugged Arsling one last time.

“Yeah lets get back.” She leans into Lily's hug before beginning to return back to the wolf dorm, straightening her bowtie in the process.

Didi was chatting with TJ, a short Asian femmeby who was clearly way drunk, flushed and gesturing widely, the two of them sitting on the floor in the hall with an empty bottle of rum and half a bottle of whiskey.

“Hey! Hey!” Didi waved the others over, and it seemed like she’d done her share of the drinking, too. “This is TJ, and ze’s totally hot, right? You’d date zir!” She patted TJ on the leg. “You’ll find somebody a lot nicer than Raina, just give it a little time.”

Lily glanced over to Arsling, giving a little giggle, before walking over and sitting down with the two. “I think my romantic situation is a bit too complicated at the moment to give any proper answers to that, sorry”

“Yes!” said Didi, with startling enthusiasm. “That’s exactly right! TJ, give it time and just be sad, y’know? No more rebounds. Feel. Your. Feelings. Forget about Gene. Er, Raina.” She nodded at her own advice, then looked up at Lily. “What *is* your romantic situation, Lil?”

“Well, there’s this one girl who I really like. They’re kinda tall and really energetic. I think she likes me too cause we kissed and played around a bit, and I’m planning on asking her out on a date soon.” Lily chuckled with a side eye towards Arsling.

Arsling gave a thumbs up and a goofy grin.

“Awww, that’s really sweet,” said Didi. “And you’re a good kisser, too, so she’s a lucky-- oh, shoot, sorry TJ!” She looked up at the other two. “We’re kinda doing post-breakup sad times. Wanna bitch about any ex--” She looked to Arsling. “Er… want some whiskey?”

Pad and Lily both raise their eyebrows inside their head and share a single thought. “Is she serious?”

“Always!” Arsling says enthusiastically to the offer of whiskey before whispering in Lilys ear. “Blunter, she's a jock.”

“What are you two whispering abou-- oh my ``gosh``, I see those furtive little glances. Tall, energetic… ha! You have a crush on Arsling, don’t you?”

“Wh-what?” Lily exclaimed, suddenly blushing. “No! I… I mean yes, but that’s not who I’m talking about!”

Arsling smirks saying louder. “Blunter than a baseball bat Lily.” Grinning at Didi, who tilted her head in curiosity.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Lily reached forward and pulled Didi into a kiss.

“Mm! Mmmmm…” The derby girl tasted like whiskey, and she pulled Lily enthusiastically down to the floor with her.

Meanwhile, TJ stood and folded her arms. “Unbelievable.” Then ze looked to Arsling. “You wanna make out?”

Arsling blushed deeply chuckling. “S-sure why not?” Arsling approached TJ nervously before kissing zir on the lips, wrapping their arms around zir, pulling zir closer into the kiss. TJ also tasted like whisky, and ze seemed happy to get to know Arsling’s lips, humming happily into her and putting a hand on her waist.

After a few moments of tongue wrestling, Lily pulls away from Didi to gasp for breath. Looking deeply into her eyes, Lily gently whispers. “I was talking about you, you ginormous dork.”

Didi looked back at her with joy and wonder, holding her hand.

“You really think I’m tall?”

Lily just stares at Didi in disbelief. “You’re taller than me!”

Didi cracked a broad grin. “You said some other things, too, didn’t you? About a crush, and some romantic intentions~”

“Yes, I did.” Lily took in a deep breath, readying herself. Pad nudged her once again, seeming to say “Go for it.”

“Didi, do you want to go out with me? On a date? And also kinda be my girlfriend?”

The blue-haired wolf wiggled on her haunches as if wagging a tail. “Yes, take me on a date!” she replied. “‘Girlfriend’ comes later, for me. But let’s go on a date and see where that takes us…” She gave Lily another kiss. “Did you have something in mind?”

“Well, I kinda was thinking of going roller skating? But I’m pretty sure that anything we do together will end up with me going ‘wolf’ mode.” Lily said with a sad chuckle. “So I think it either needs to be private or monster friendly.”

“That would be sweet, like the roller disco in therapy house… I don’t know anywhere else that has skates for werewolf feet, but…” She furrowed her brow. “It should be doable, if I can get your measurements. And I can get us into the rink overnight so we could skate in private after the janitor leaves!”

“That’d be great!” Lily says, quickly pulling Didi in a strong hug. “I can’t wait!”