Fifth: Dread

 Misty spent most of her time sleeping or with Velvet. I looked at the moon as she sat with Velvet playing poker. Once the moon was full, tomorrow night, she would transform. After that, depending on the werewolf that had bitten her, she would either transform every full moon, at times of desperation, or at will.

 Venom was with me, curled around the railing of the balcony. We stared up into the starry night together. 

 Do you think she's warming up to all of this?

 After a lifetime of lies you must be patient, Dread.

 I know.

 She'll understand, even better if-

 -I can't

 She can be trusted, and Misty needs to see that she isn't a monster now that she's been bitten.

 I know.

 Then bring her to the pack, and don't ever interrupt me again, boy.

 I snickered. Looking down at Venom I could feel that he was glowering at me. He didn't have eyelids or eyebrows but he always found a way.

 I'll bring her in the morning. I don't know how Tamsha will respond, though.

 Tamsha hates royals, but she loves her people. Misty is trained in speaking with potential enemies.

 I sipped my wine. I looked over the valley where Tamsha's pack resided. I could see the cloud of smoke from their bonfire.

 Suddenly I heard my bedroom door close and I turned to see Misty. She shut the door behind her, took her robe, and wandered into the bathroom where she shut the door. It was hard to not imagine her nude body submerged in hot water.

 Have some respect.

 Stay out of my head.

 He hissed. I held out my hand and he wrapped himself around my arm. I walked into my bedroom and shut the door behind me. I lit Misty's favorite incense; lavender, and I sat before the fireplace.

 When Misty emerged before a thick cloud of steam she wore her white robe. She tousled her hair with her towel once more before throwing it in the hamper. She walked to the dresser and took a bottle of moisturizer. She began applying it to her arms.

 "Can I ask you something?" She didn't answer, she simply turned to me and tilted her chin upward once as she began rubbing the moisturizer into her neck, "Would you feel comfortable meeting a pack of werewolves?"

 Her hands stilled and her eyes widened, "Are there any here?"

 "No."

 "No. Please don't bring them near me."

 "They won't hurt you; you're one of their own. I'm close friends with their leader. She is strictly against violence."

 She fell silent. I could see disbelief in her eyes. She moved to sit on the side of the bed. She rubbed the last of the moisturizer into her hands. She crossed her legs. She looked to Venom. He gave her his full attention. I watched as he bowed his head up and down. I'd never expected him giving a nod to look so funny.

 "Fine," She surrendered. She avoided my gaze as she shyly added, "Don't leave me alone with them."

 "Of course not."

 "Thank you."

 She slipped under the covers then. She was uncharacteristically restless. I felt the urge to hold her and stroke her hair. I wished I lived in a world where taking her in my arms would make her feel safe. Instead, Venom slithered under the covers and moved about her body, his contracting muscles messaging her as he moved. 

 In the morning I awoke to Misty setting a coffee down beside me before she grabbed her handheld mirror and makeup case and took them to the bed. They had belonged to Velvet but between Velvet and my mom they had more than enough to spare.

 I sat up and sipped the coffee. It was rich and strong with only a dash of milk and a hint of chocolate.

 "What would be the appropriate attire?"

 I suppressed a laugh, "Don't worry, you'll be overdressed."

 She cocked a brow and eyed me, "What do you mean?"

 "Many of them are nude."

 Her eyes widened. Her mouth hung open, "Are you joking?"

 "The guards have to be prepared to shift at any time, the same goes for those that shift at random. The children are unable to shift yet, so they wear clothing, as do those that shift at will or during the full moon. They wear furs from their kills. They pride themselves on respecting animals; ruining their hide would be seen as sacrilege."

 She returned to applying her foundation, "Is there any other customs I should be aware of?"

 "Tamsha, the leader, is a brash woman. She's very modern, as well. She's not a woman of tradition."

 "I'm going to hate her, aren't I?"

 "Well, the bar is low."

 "What's that supposed to mean?"

 "You're not exactly welcoming."

 "I've been perfectly nice to you."

 "Aside from the longing glances toward any knife in the same room."

 "Your mother has great taste in cutlery."

 I laughed, as did she. I watched as she began her eye makeup. Her body was relaxed; her legs were crossed and her back slouched. I'd never seen her to have poor posture before.

 "Where do you get your things?"

 "The black market."

 "Oh, Gods. And you expect friendship from me?"

 "Is corruption reserved only for humans?"

 "No... We simply do it best."

 Again I chuckled. I finished off my coffee. I stood and pulled off my shirt as I walked to my closet. 

 "What are you doing?" She shouted when I removed my pants.

 "Getting dressed."

 "I've never seen a naked man."

 "I'm not naked," I argued as I pulled on a pair of pants.

 "I've never met someone with less respect for the crown."

 "You're about to."

 I pulled on a shirt. I then applied cologne and sat back down before the fire. I watched as Misty continued her makeup.

 "You look beautiful."

 "Thank you," She paused as she lightly applied copper lipstick. Almost inaudibly she added, "You look good, too."

 She finished and put away the makeup and mirror. She then lightly applied her vanilla perfume and turned to me. She wore floor length golden dress. The top layer of her hair was braided and curled around her head before flowing down her back.

 "Are we travelling by horse?"

 "We could, or we could fly."

 Curiosity sparked in her eyes. She looked out the window where the sun hung high without a single cloud in sight. She turned to me.

 "I think I'd like to fly."

 She followed me onto the balcony. Venom wrapped himself around her neck. I fastened my arm around her waist and pulled her close. She held her breath, her eyes wide. Her arm laid across my back and her other hand cupped my shoulder. I held my arm behind her knees and we took to the sky. Her hand tightened around my shoulder and her shaking breaths were heavy. She leaned closer to me. 

 "Tell me if we need to land."

 She didn't answer. She was silent as we flew past the mountains and over the valley. Eventually her body relaxed. She leaned her head against mine.

 "It's so beautiful," She hummed.

 We landed before the clearing. I set her on her feet.

 The tribe lived within a fenced circle that was a mile in radius. To the left were rows of homes, to the right were buildings dedicated to education, training, and agriculture. In the middle of the clearing was a tall bonfire that stood before Tamsha's mansion. On the front balcony of the mansion was where her throne was displayed. When the guards let us through and we passed the bonfire we could see that Tamsha was sitting atop her throne. She raised her goblet when she saw me. I lifted Misty and flew to set her down before the leader.

 Tamsha wore a red fur dress. Adorning her body were bracelets and necklaces of bones and rubies. Atop her head sat a crown of dogwood and ruby. She eyed Misty who stood stiff with her hands behind her back.

 "I know you didn't bring the princess here."

 When Misty's jaw locked and her breathing stopped I put my arm around her. She relaxed against my side.

 "She was bitten."

 Tamsha set down her goblet. She leaned back in the throne.

 "And?"

 "I thought she could benefit from meeting you."

 "I'm sure she would."

 "I'm no danger to you," Misty swore, "I promise. Having said that, I can leave if you'd prefer."

 "Sweetheart, you're in my territory; I am a danger to you."

 Again she stiffened and moved closer to me.

 "Tamsha, don't," I snapped.

 "She would kill both of us in an instant."

 "I swear to you, she is an ally. Do not antagonize her."

 Tamsha stood. Her slight frame was equal to that of Misty. She motioned for us to follow her and we entered the mansion.

 The walls of the dining hall were lined with fur, as were the chairs and the table. Tamsha sat down across from Misty and I. She took a wheel of cheese and began eating.

 "How did this happen?"

 "I was attacked. I don't remember anything else from that night, just the wolf biting me."

 "Nothing?"

 "No, nothing."

 "What do you want to know?"

 Misty paused. With hesitant fingers she plucked a grape from the platter. She sat back and laid it onto her tongue. She looked to me, her gaze hopeful.

 "Can you tell her some of your history?"

 "Meaning?"

 "History of werewolves."

 "We don't have all day."

 "Come on, Tamsha."

 She gave one cackle and began, "Well, the first werewolf was an exile. Some say he was framed, some say he was guilty. He had to survive off of the land for weeks. Eventually, dehydrated, ill, starving, and exhausted, we wandered into a wolf den. He fell to his knees. He stared at the pack. He prayed for salvation. As he did he felt his body grow cold. To his surprise he woke in the warm embrace of the wolves, to further his shock he found that his body was not his own. Over the years he lived with the pack. He found a woman with whom to breed, and the pack expanded. He's spread lycanthropy to those susceptible that attacked him."

 "Do you think I can hide it from my family?"

 "If you can change at will, yes."

 "I know this must be hard for you, due to who I am. When I return I'd like to send you supplies."

 "No."

 "I understand."

 Tamsha paused, weighing Misty's offer under the guise of simply eyeing the truffle she held, "I should warn you, however; we have reputations for being mindless killers. This is untrue; we're hunters. There are packs we've been at war with, some factions that conduct organized crime; trafficking, assassinations, etcetera. Your attack might not have been random."

 Misty turned to me with wide eyes. My hand cupped her knee. She interlocked her hands together on her lap. Looking at her I could tell her mind was buzzing. I squeezed her knee and some of the clouds dispersed.

 "What should I look out for?"

 "Anyone acting strange around you, changes in position, death in the family," Tamsha took a pen and book from her bag. She opened it and drew a large symbol and slid the book across the table to reveal an X with a serpent curling around one of the lines, "This symbol. We're unsure what it means; the pack is obviously secretive, but we think it means safety."

 "Where would I see it?"

 "The back of the neck, or in hideouts. I'd recommend you look at the place you'd been attacked. If they hadn't burned the place down, though, of course, if they have then that's your answer."