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WARNING\cf0 : This story contains sexually explicit material involving adolescent children and incest. This story also contains mild violence and profanity. If such content is illegal to view in your area or you are not of legal age to view such content, close your RTF reader now.\
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Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.\
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\f1\b\fs36 \cf0 Masala Chai
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\fs28 by IndigoNeko and TaintedThylacine
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\f1\b\fs28 \cf0 Chapter 4
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\f1\b \cf0 Saturday, January 24th, 2016
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This time, Alex led the way through the halls of Prairie Flats General Hospital towards the maternity ward where hir mom was staying with Nick and Kate. The tigress was looking forward to seeing if hir siblings\'92 fur had grown any more. It seemed like every day they came to visit, the cubs had grown a tiny bit bigger. Eventually shi reached hir mom\'92s room and tapped hir claws on the door. A moment later the door opened.\
\
\'93Hi Mom,\'94 Alex said, holding out a brown paper bag full of supplies. \
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\'93Hey, kiddo,\'94 the older tigress said, accepting the grocery bag and stepping back inside the room. Raenne stared at her daughter\'92s snow-white hair as shi stepped into the room, glad that her husband had warned her ahead of time about the change. It was eye-catching as hell, but it did look pretty good. Especially in contrast with the black clothes shi was wearing. \
\
Alex bounced into the hospital room, going straight to the incubator holding hir baby brother and sister. The two cubs were sleeping right now, rather than squirming around like they normally did. They were definitely a little bigger, and looked more like a proper pair of tiger cubs. The shapes of their muzzles were slightly more pronounced and it looked like their arms, legs, and tails had grown slightly. Even better, the stripe patterns in their fur were starting to become visible, rather than just a nondescript brown and grey. \'93They\'92re 
\f2\i adorable
\f0\i0 ,\'94 shi whispered.\
\
\'93They are, aren\'92t they?\'94 David said quietly, walking up next to Alex. \'93Look at those tail tips. It looks like someone dipped them in ink.\'94\
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\'93It does,\'94 Alex said, purring quietly as Mom came up behind hir and gave hir a hug.\
\
\'93Did you throw out your entire wardrobe and replace it with black skirts and hoodies?\'94 Raenne asked. \'93It seems that it\'92s all you\'92re wearing when you come to visit.\'94 The tigress gently ran her claws through her daughter\'92s mostly straight hair; she was slightly envious; her own hair had a mixed texture to it that made it seem unkempt when she grew it out, if she didn\'92t use product.\
\
\'93Nope,\'94 the younger tigress replied. \'93Well, I mean, I\'92m wearing skirts at school, but with the polo shirts we have to wear. I usually wear capris and t-shirts the rest of the time. But yeah... I like wearing black. Besides, you\'92re one to talk; you\'92re always wearing flannel and khakis.\'94\
\
The older tigress glanced down at her pants. Her daughter was right, actually. They were comfortable, though, so she was going to go right on wearing them. \'93True. Also, I like the white hair. It\'92s striking. I think I\'92ll go with black though, myself.\'94\
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\'93That would look good too,\'94 David said, glancing over at his wife. \'93I\'92m going to just keep mine short. I like the striped look.\'94\
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Both Alex and Raenne looked up at him. \'93Yeah,\'94 Alex agreed. \'93You\'92d look funny with long hair.\'94 Shi smirked, adding \'93Funny-er, that is.\'94\
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\f1\b \cf0 Monday, January 25th, 2016
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Ten minutes after school got out, Alex sat down at hir usual seat on the bus, the same seat shi had been sitting in since the beginning of the school year. Since Azalea had moved outside of town and no longer rode the same bus, the young tigress had the seat all to hirself. Five minutes later, the bus drove away from the school, beginning the forty-minute trip from Prairie Flats to Winter Creek. \
\
Dad had finally relented and agreed to let hir start riding the bus again, on the condition that shi go straight home after getting off the bus, lock the door, and stay there until he arrived home from work. Alex would still have to ride with him on Wednesdays, to get to and from hir therapy sessions. It was good to talk with the bus-stop gang again, though they\'92d been full of questions that morning since shi had been missing for three weeks and Azalea hadn\'92t been there to fill them in. At least now the conversation had changed to other topics.\
\
\'93Okay. So I know it\'92s a little early,\'94 Jerome started, the mountain lion turning around in his seat and looking back over the few rows where his friends were seated. \'93But Mom wants to know who all is planning on going to the Imbolc meet this year. She said to find out so she can be sure she makes enough cookies this time.\'94\
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\'93Me!  Me!  Me!\'94 Jason called out, the hyperactive beaver bouncing up and down in his seat.\
\
\'93I am. No choice this year. That brother of mine \'91volunteered me\'92 to take part in the men\'92s groups opening ceremony,\'94 Steve grumbled. The polar bear rolled his eyes in disgust.\
\
\'93Well, you know I\'92ll be there, then,\'94 Cindy said. The raccoon smirked and looked up at her boyfriend, adding \'93With a few blankets and buckets of water just in case. You\'92re not that good with the fire thing, fur ball.\'94\
\
\'93Awww. We won\'92t get to see a giant flaming marshmallow this year?\'94 Brandy joked. The skunk squirmed in her seat, trying to get a bit more comfortable. \'93I nearly peed myself laughing, last time.\'94\
\
\'93Umm\'85 So is this another one of those religious orgy things, or are you just having \'91s'mores?\'94 Alex asked with a smirk from the back of the group, looking up from hir geography homework. Shi couldn\'92t resist the urge to poke fun at the older kids.\
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\'93Religious orgy? What the heck? Why wasn\'92t I invited to that?\'94 Brandy asked, wide eyed.\
\
\'93They\'92re not orgies,\'94 Steve replied, a blush tinting his fur a pale pink. \'93I really didn\'92t do a very good job of describing what a meet is, did I?\'94 he asked, glancing down at the raccoon girl who was sitting in his lap as she started giggling.\
\
\'93No, you didn\'92t,\'94 Alex replied, brushing hir white hair back from hir face. \'93But I\'92m pulling your tail. I talked to Star Dreamer around New Year\'92s, about all that pagan stuff. I was gonna ask him about the meets, but I forgot.\'94\
\
\'93I hope he did a better job of it than I did. As for meets, I\'92m not sure you\'92ll understand them unless you go to one yourself,\'94 the polar bear boy said, hugging his girlfriend. \'93There\'92s a lot of things going on at a grove meet and it\'92s kind of hard to explain some of it.\'94\
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Alex raised an eyebrow, looking at them. \'93Are you suggesting that I go to a religious orgy with you, Steve?\'94 shi asked with a straight face, raising an eyebrow.\
\
\'93No\'85 that\'92s not what I meant at all. I only \'85\'94 the polar bear boy began to protest, trying to defend himself before he heard the tigress snickering. Dropping his forehead onto his girlfriend\'92s shoulder and shaking his head slowly he added, \'93I\'92m never going to live this one down am I?\'94\
\
\'93No,\'94 the tiger cub replied, giggling. \'93So what\'92s this particular meet for? Could I go? Or is there going to be anything that, umm... that Mom and Dad might object to?\'94\
\
\'93Well, grove meets are open to anyone, so you can go,\'94 Cindy chimed in. \'93As for objectionable stuff... Most, but not all of them, have a designated \'91clothing optional\'92 area.\'94\
\
\'93Yeah, but some people kind of ignore that rule if there\'92s good music and dance skyclad around the ritual fire pit anyway,\'94 Brandy added.\
\
\'93But\'85 but that\'92s the fun part,\'94 Jason piped up wide eyed. \'93That\'92s the only way mom and dad let me dance naked.\'94\
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\'93I\'92ll have to ask Mom and Dad, then,\'94 Alex said, pulling out hir phone and typing out a text. \'93That\'92s the only thing you think they might object to? The \'91skyclad\'92 dancing?\'94\
\
\'93Well, that\'92s the most likely thing,\'94 Steve said furrowing his brow a little. \'93From what George told me the vendors are the usual group, so nothing strange there. The classes and stuff are mostly geared towards younger people and the newer members of the coven.\'94\
\
\'93Yeah, they usually do the simpler stuff in the early part of the year, give newer people a chance to kind of learn some stuff before the bigger celebrations come up,\'94 Brandy added, climbing across the aisle to grab the beaver boy and holding him down. \'93Sheesh Jason, you\'92re driving me crazy bouncing around in the seat like that. Sit down and chill out.\'94\
\
\'93Anyway, things should be kind of calm for this meet,\'94 Steve said. \'93I know Star will be there and last I heard Priestess Sharleen will too. It may be a decent chance to get some more information and better answers Alex, assuming your folks are okay with you going.\'94\
\
\'93Who\'92s Priestess Sharleen?\'94 the tigress asked, looking up and brushing hir hair out of hir eyes again, waiting for one of hir parents to respond to the text shi\'92d sent.\
\
\'93She\'92s the high priestess of the coven, basically the leader of the entire group. Well, along with Star. Though he really takes more of a paws-off approach to things. She generally leads the ceremonies and prayers. Everyone really likes her. Kind of hard not to like a strong female like her,\'94 Brandy replied, pinning the jittery beaver boy to the seat. \'93Jeesh Jason, seriously! You\'92re making me woozy with the bouncing dude.\'94\
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A ding from hir phone took Alex\'92s attention off the skunk girl wrestling with the beaver boy. Glancing down shi raised hir eyebrows at hir dad\'92s response. \'93Well, I guess Dad\'92s okay with it, though he\'92ll be coming too. But no naked dancing for me. So\'85 when and where is this meet thing, and how do we get to it?\'94 shi asked.\
\
\'93I can text the directions to you, if that would make it easier,\'94 Cindy offered with a grin, pulling out her flip phone.\
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\'93Okay,\'94 Alex replied with a shy smile.\
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\f1\b \cf0 Tuesday, January 26th, 2016
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Kalu brushed aside his half-finished homework, scrambling to find his ringing phone under the pile of papers on his desk, barely managing to flip the old cell phone open just before the call went to voicemail. \'93Kal here. \'91Sup?\'94 the elephant said, trying to keep his voice deep and manly, hoping it was one of the \'91African Trio\'92.\
\
\'93Hey. Um, it\'92s Alex,\'94 the person on the other line said.\
\
\'93Oh. Uh, hey,\'94 Kalu said, instantly changing attitudes as he realized he was talking to the tiger cub whose grandparents had been murdered. He still wasn\'92t quite sure whether to treat them as a boy or a girl, knowing they were neither. The elephant quickly turned around and picked his jacket off the cheap IKEA chair next to his desk, tossing it on the floor next to a pile of empty energy drinks cans and a paper cup. He gingerly sat down in the chair, hoping it would still hold his weight now that one of the two supports had split. The chair creaked, but held. \'93What\'92s up?\'94\
\
\'93So, I, uh... I need some advice. I got some plushies a couple weeks ago. Picked out ones that looked like my grandparents and their, uh... bodyguards? All the people I met. The ones who died,\'94 the tigress said, sounding uncomfortable.\
\
Kal had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew that the kid was traumatized, which was why he\'92d offered to talk with them if they needed it and it sure as shit sounded like she... He? They? Like they needed to talk. \'93Go on...\'94\
\
\'93I, uh... I modified them to make them look like they did when they died. Used some scissors and red dye and stuff. My girlfriend found them and told my Dad, who told my shrink,\'94 Alex said, then sighed.\
\
Kal blinked as he listened. \'91That\'92s some fucked up shit\'92, he thought to himself, \'91not gonna lie.\'92 He held his tongue though; he didn\'92t want to drop the f-bomb around a ten-year-old kid again. He\'92d realized just how foul-mouthed he\'92d been the first time they\'92d talked only after the fact. \
\
\'93The shrink told me to make a, uh, diorama. A doll house, basically, showing how they died. And bring them in for the next session. That\'92s tomorrow. I\'92m not really good at working with cloth and dolls and stuff, so I decided I\'92d make a painting of what I saw instead,\'94 the tigress continued. \'93It\'92s really good, actually. I had help from Mrs. Stanton to get the perspective right and all...\'94\
\
\'93Yeaaaa... Your shrink probably wants to take those creepy-ass plushies away from you. I know 
\f2\i I
\f0\i0  would,\'94 Kalu said, unconsciously slipping into the Jamaican accent of his childhood that he\'92d tried so hard to get rid of, looking up at the Gorillaz and Bob Marley posters on the wall above his desk. \'93So... you wanna know if you should take de painting to your shrink instead?\'94\
\
\'93Uh-huh,\'94 Alex confirmed.\
\
\'93Take dem 
\f2\i both
\f0\i0  to your shrink and give dem to him,\'94 Kalu instructed. The elephant leaned forward. \'93You put some seriously 
\f2\i bad
\f0\i0  juju into those plushies and that painting. You gotta git rid o\'92 dat. Whatever you do, do 
\f2\i not
\f0\i0  keep dem.\'94\
\
\'93But... how else am I going to remember them?\'94 the tigress asked, obviously distraught.\
\
\'93You remember what dey look like, right?\'94 the elephant asked, thinking rapidly, trying to come up with a solution. \'93Why don\'92t you paint another painting, from 
\f2\i before
\f0\i0  dey died. Like, in de day-time or somethin\'92. When dey looked happy. Paint somethin... like you\'92d give to your mother. To hang on her wall. Somethin\'92 with 
\f2\i good
\f0\i0  juju.\'94\
\
\'93Uh... Okay. I think I can do that,\'94 Alex said, pausing for a moment. \'93Thank you.\'94\
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\'93Your welcome,\'94 Kalu said. \'93Anythin\'92 else? You doin\'92 good in school? Nobody be bullyin\'92 you?\'94\
\
\'93Yeah. School\'92s fine. Thank you, Kal.\'94\
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\'93No problem. Later, Alex,\'94 the elephant said, waiting for a moment before folding closed the small black flip phone and tossing it back onto the desk. Kalu looked around his messy desk and room, realizing just how filthy it was. He sighed and pushed himself out of the chair, then reached down and picked up his jacket, walking over to his closet to hang it up before he started cleaning the rest of his room.\
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\f1\b \cf0 Wednesday, January 27rd, 2016
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\'93Welcome back, Alex. David,\'94 Everett said, gesturing for his patient and hir father to enter his office. \'93Your eye is looking better. And I like how you\'92ve done your hair. It\'92s fitting,\'94 the skunk added.\
\
\'93Thanks,\'94 Alex replied as they stepped into the psychiatrist\'92s office, carrying a cardboard box full of plushies and a stretched canvas painting. David set the box down on the coffee table in the middle of the room while Alex propped the painting against the side of it. Both of the tigers took their usual seats at the small couch while the pot bellied skunk took a seat at the computer chair in front of his desk, then spun to face them across the coffee table.\
\
\'93I expected a box, but I didn\'92t expect you to bring a painting. Now I\'92m curious,\'94 the skunk said. \'93What is it?\'94\
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Alex looked down at the floor, not exactly wanting to meet the doctor\'92s bespectacled gaze, since shi hadn\'92t done exactly as he\'92d asked. \'93Well... I know you said you wanted me to make a diorama, but I figured that was just an excuse to have me bring in those plushies that Dad \'91found\'92, so you could take them away from me,\'94 the young tigress explained, glancing up at him. \'93I\'92m not stupid,\'94 shi said as an expression of surprise flickered across the skunk\'92s face.\
\
\'93I never said you were,\'94 the doctor said, attempting to placate the child. \'93And you were completely correct about my intentions. I\'92m sorry I attempted to mislead you.\'94\
\
\'93You can have them, but I\'92m going to get replacements,\'94 Alex said, cutting a glance at hir father, before staring defiantly at the doctor across from them. \'93I don\'92t want to remember how they died; I wish I could forget it. But I do want to remember them.\'94 The tiger cub lowered hir gaze as tears formed in hir eyes and eventually spilled down hir muzzle to drip onto the capri shorts shi was wearing.\
\
\'93Anyway, I\'92m shit at sewing and modelling, but I\'92m pretty good at painting and drawing. You said you wanted me to make the diorama so that I could get it out of my system,\'94 Alex continued, holding up one hand to prevent the doctor from interrupting as he opened his mouth to speak. \'93I know that wasn\'92t exactly what you said. Whatever. I did it my way. You can keep this along with the stuffies.\'94 The tigress picked up the canvas and flipped it around, walking over to the doctor and holding it out.\
\
Everett carefully took the edges of the painting, holding it gingerly. It was a stunningly well-executed painting of what he instantly recognized as the scene of the Kaminskis\'92 deaths. The bodies of the two tigers, along with three of their bodyguards and one of the assailants lay in a rain-soaked street dotted with potholes, illuminated from overhead by a yellow-tinted street-light. A black Cadillac Escalade and a rusty gray Buick were parked across the street next to a chain-link fence in front of a graffiti-tagged brick building with boards across the windows. A crescent moon hung in the night sky above, partially obscured by dark clouds.\
\
Most children painted in a very abstract fashion, with colors that were too bright or vibrant, and had a terrible eye for proportions and shapes. Apparently Alexandrea had no such problems; if he\'92d taken the two-foot tall painting and shrunk it to the size of a polaroid, it could have been a photograph of the crime scene. It was better than some of the thousand-dollar paintings he had hanging on the walls here in his office and at home. If not for the content, he would have been proud to have it on display. He was probably going to wind up hanging it at home somewhere, regardless. His wife would just have to deal with it.\
\
\'93My God. This is incredible,\'94 the doctor whispered, looking up at the two tigers as Alex sat back down next to hir father. The white tiger smirked at that, a look of pride on his face. He clearly knew exactly how talented his daughter was. \'93How long did this take you?\'94 he asked, looking over at Alex.\
\
The tiger cub shrugged. \'93I started it on Friday and finished it last night. I had help from my art teacher, Mrs. Stanton, and my friend Azalea and her mom, Cora.\'94\
\
The doctor immediately recognized the names of two local artists that were fairly well known in Colorado. \'93Kelly Stanton and Cora Winters?\'94 he asked, raising his eyebrows. He actually had a painting hanging in his living room that had been done by Cora Winters, who was known for doing portraits of interesting individuals, especially hybrids of unusual pedigree.\
\
Alex nodded. \'93Azalea helped me with the base colors and Mrs. Stanton helped me get the perspective and shapes right on Friday in class. Cora helped me with the shading when I spent the night at their place over the weekend. I finished up the details last night.\'94\
\
\'93Do you mind if I make a note of that on the back?\'94 the doctor asked, spinning slightly to pick out a soft graphite pencil that was sitting in a jar on his desk along with several other writing implements; he knew better than to use a pen or sharpie on the back of a canvas. \'93And would you be willing to sign this?\'94\
\
Alex shrugged.\
\
The skunk used the least pressure necessary to write down the details on the back of the canvas, noting that it was a collaboration between Azalea Winters, Cora Winters, Kelly Stanton, and Alexandrea Andreyev, finished January 26rd, 2016, depicting the deaths of Viktor and Dina Kaminski and their bodyguards in Philadelphia on January 5th, 2016.\
\
Everett flipped the canvas around again and held the pencil out towards the young tigress. \'93Please be gentle, so you don\'92t stretch the canvas. This is a work of art,\'94 he said, knowing as he said it that he was stating the obvious.\
\
Alex gave him a strange expression, then stood up from the couch and walked over to take the pencil. Shi knelt on the floor in front of him and carefully signed hir name on the back of the canvas, under the note he\'92d written. \'93I didn\'92t know you liked art.\'94\
\
\'93Oh, very much so,\'94 Everett said. \'93I actually have a painting by Cora Winters hanging in my living room.\'94\
\
\'93Cora did a painting of me when I was over at their place over the weekend, just after I bleached my hair,\'94 Alex said, standing up. \'93We had a group painting night. It was pretty fun, actually.\'94\
\
\'93If she\'92s still got that painting of you, I would be thrilled to be able to hang it next to this one,\'94 the skunk said, smiling. \'93And let her know I\'92ll pay full price.\'94\
\
The tigress nodded, then pulled hir phone out of hir pocket and started tapping away.\
\
Everett turned to Alex\'92s father, sitting on the couch. \'93I\'92ll tell my secretary that all of Alex\'92s sessions are free of charge. You don\'92t know how hard it is to get a Winters original.\'94\
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\f1\b \cf0 Thursday, January 29th, 2016
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A hundred-pound dumbbell hit the cement floor with a dull clank, dropped from less than an inch off the floor. A second dumbbell hit the floor a moment later. David looked across the garage from the bench where he was sitting, watching his daughter finish hir last set of bicep curls using the twenty pounders. The white tiger stood and walked over to the dry erase board on the wall and put a check-mark in the last box on the list. He went down the list: Squats, calf raises, back extensions, crunches, lat pulldowns, shoulder press, bench press, inverted row, shoulder fly, side leg raises, tricep extensions, and bicep curls. A note at the bottom mentioned grip squeeze.\
\
He was proud of having come up with a list of exercises that worked nearly every muscle in the body. That wasn\'92t all, technically; there were variations to many of them to work slightly different muscles in the same areas, like doing lateral arm raises instead of the shoulder fly, or deadlifts instead of squats. Deadlifts were tricky though; it was easy to throw your back out if your form wasn\'92t perfect, and a real possibility when deadlifting over six hundred pounds. \
\
\'93Well, that\'92s that,\'94 the tiger said, looking up at the cheap clock hanging on the wall. \'93Let\'92s get these weights racked and go get some grub. Want to go to Mel\'92s?\'94\
\
Alex\'92s eyes popped open at the thought of one of those delicious hamburgers. \'93Can we?\'94 shi asked, excitedly.\
\
David laughed. \'93Of course,\'94 he said. He certainly wasn\'92t in the mood to cook right now and the diner was just a five minute drive away. It was strange how little their lives had changed after Raenne had told him about The Stash. But it had definitely changed, in small ways. Like eating out at restaurants more frequently and giving Alex an allowance for doing chores around the house. Being able to pay cash for all the minor expenses like lunches and gasoline was already making an impact on their finances. All the little things added up.\
\
Half a minute later, they\'92d finished cleaning the garage and stepped out the \'91front\'92 doorway next to the garage door. David followed his daughter over to the SUV, his breath steaming in the chilly evening winter air. The cool air felt wonderful in his warm fur after a hard workout. He turned and locked the door as his daughter headed over to the car.\
\
Five minutes later, David pulled into one of the angled parking spaces that lined Main Street, then shut the engine off. The two tigers stepped out of the little Nissan Rogue and shut the doors before heading across the street to Mel\'92s Diner, which glowed with red neon lights. While his wife preferred exotic foods from all over the world, he was content to have hamburgers, pizza, or tacos for almost every meal. And there was nothing better than a thick, juicy hamburger after a workout.\
\
The bell hanging on the door jingled as he and his daughter stepped into the restaurant. It felt like they\'92d stepped back in time to a diner from the 1950s, with black and white checkered flooring, red leather booths, and white formica tables. It was pretty full, as he expected, but not packed to capacity like it would be on a Friday or Saturday night. He and his daughter walked over to one of the two empty booths and sat down, waiting less than a minute before a beaver in a red dress and a white apron walked over to them. \'93Hi Nadine,\'94 David greeted the waitress.\
\
\'93Welcome back,\'94 the beaver said with a smile, showing off a pair of orange incisors. \'93Let me guess: Two hamburgers, one double, one single, both medium, plus two drinks, one fry? Or something different?\'94\
\
\'93That and a black cow,\'94 David said. He was impressed that she remembered what they\'92d ordered last time, and made a note to leave another twenty for the tip.\
\
\'93Shake or drink?\'94 Nadine asked, raising an eyebrow.\
\
\'93Shake,\'94 David confirmed, nodding.\
\
\'93You got it, hun,\'94 Nadine said, grinning. The waitress quickly scribbled a note on the pad she was holding before stepping away.\
\
\'93What\'92s a black cow?\'94 Alex asked, confused.\
\
\'93In this case, it means a chocolate milkshake,\'94 David said. \'93You\'92re still skinny as a rail, love.\'94\
\
The young tigress sighed and rolled hir eyes. Not that shi would ever complain about having to drink a milkshake, but ever since shi had gotten back from Philadelphia it seemed Dad was constantly trying to get hir to eat more. To be fair, shi could still see hir ribs under the fur of hir sides, but shi also liked being able to see muscles when shi flexed in the mirror. Not that shi would ever admit that shi did so, any more than shi would complain about a milkshake.\
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\f1\b \cf0 Friday, January 29th, 2016
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The chalkboard in front of Mrs. Stanton\'92s classroom read \'91Free Choice Friday\'92, exactly as Alex expected. The tigress walked over to hir usual seat next to Azalea, noticing that the field mouse sitting at the next table had dyed her hair emerald green. Shi wondered if it was in response to having bleached hir own hair white. After shucking hir backpack, Alex leaned over and planted a kiss on Azalea\'92s fuzzy cheek on a whim.\
\
The half-squirrel turned to stare at the tigress as a blush formed under her fur. \'93What\'92s gotten into you?\'94\
\
\'93Nothing. I just wanted to give you a kiss. You looked very kissable today. I\'92d kiss you again, but we might get in trouble for \'91Public Displays of Affection\'92,\'94 Alex said, pulling hir colored pencil set out of the backpack along with the spiral-bound drawing pad shi used for most of hir doodling. Neither of them caught the nasty glare that the field mouse with green hair was giving them. \
\
\'93Also, my therapist really, really liked that painting you and your mom helped me with. He was super-excited when your mom agreed to sell that portrait of me to him, too,\'94 Alex said as shi flipped the drawing pad open. \'93I want to do another painting of my grandparents when they were alive. I\'92m not in the mood for painting though...\'94\
\
\'93Let me guess, you want to use colored pencils, like a peasant,\'94 Azalea said haughtily. \'93And here I was trying so hard to teach you about fine art...\'94\
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The tigress frowned, then opened the pack of colored pencils, pulling out black, white, orange, and grey pencils. \'93You don\'92t look so kissable anymore. You look more like a spoiled princess.\'94\
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\'93Ewwww,\'94 Azalea said, looking like she\'92d eaten an especially sour Warhead. \'93I was joking, but if I ever do act like a spoiled princess, feel free to bap me or something.\'94 Azalea sighed. \'93I don\'92t want to be spoiled like that; only spoiled with smooches and tiger fur on my shirt.\'94\
\
Alex smirked at having successfully slain the haughty artist persona. \'93Smooches I can provide. And tiger fur.\'94 The tigress quickly drew out an outline of hir grandparents as shi remembered them when they had been standing together at the zoo, nuzzling each other. Shi couldn\'92t think of a more loving moment that shi had seen them in. It would make for a beautiful portrait.\
\
The half-squirrel smiled as she leaned over and kissed the tigress on the cheek, sneaking a glance at what Alex was starting on before getting started on a doodle of her own. The drawing looked like it was going to be something nice this time. She smiled, glad that it looked like her girlfriend was getting over the whole \'91fascination with death\'92 thing.\
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\f1\b \cf0 Saturday, January 30th, 2016
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Alex glanced over the railing from the reading nook that overlooked the great-room. Dad was currently sitting in the overstuffed chair next to the fireplace, reading a book. The tigress smiled and quietly padded back to the guest bedroom where Azalea was currently playing Forza 6 using a racing wheel they\'92d borrowed from Jason Myers for the weekend. The tigress walked over to the console and picked up the remote, turning the volume up two more notches before walking over to the leather sofa-bed and flopping down next to Azalea. \
\
\'93I don\'92t think this thing makes racing games easier.\'94 Azalea said, struggling to get used to the racing wheel. \'93Alex, how do you do it?\'94 she asked, leaning against the tigress.\
\
\'93Practice,\'94 the tigress immediately replied. \'93You have 
\f2\i no
\f0\i0  idea how much money I\'92ve spent at the arcade over the last three weeks, now that I\'92ve got an allowance. I\'92ve been going over there after school for like half an hour almost every day.\'94\
\
\'93So 
\f2\i that\'92s
\f0\i0  why you\'92ve gotten better. You\'92ve been cheating on me, going to the arcade without me.\'94 Azalea nudged her playfully as she kept driving around the race track.\
\
\'93Nooo, it\'92s like that,\'94 Alex protested, then lowered hir voice. \'93Mom and Dad won\'92t let me hang with friends during school nights, but they\'92re okay with me going 
\f2\i hiking
\f0\i0  if I\'92ve got my homework done.\'94 The tigress smirked. \'93It\'92s only a fifteen minute walk to the arcade.\'94\
\
\'93It was a joke, you goof. I know you\'92d hang out with me if you could,\'94 Azalea said, leaning forward, getting a little more into the game. \'93I miss living so close to the arcade. I would love to go there with you more often.\'94\
\
\'93Why don\'92t we start going to the arcade on the weekends? Like, as a regular thing?\'94 Alex asked. \'93I\'92m sure one of your moms would be okay with driving us to the arcade... I think they\'92re open on Sundays as well as Saturday. After we have a sleepover, we could hit the arcade the next day or something.\'94\
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\'93That sounds like a good date to me. I will text mom and toss the idea at them,\'94 Azalea said, managing to finish the race in third place. \'93Wooo! I didn\'92t come in last.\'94\
\
Alex leaned over and kissed the jerboa-squirrel\'92s muzzle. \'93Nice. You\'92re getting better at this. I think you deserve a reward,\'94 shi said, reaching over and rubbing hir paw along Azalea\'92s jean-covered thighs, inching towards her groin.\
\
\'93Alex!?\'94 Azalea squeaked as she felt the paw run along her zipper. \
\
\'93Shh! Keep your voice down. Dad\'92s reading,\'94 Alex interrupted, taking the racing wheel and setting it on the floor.\
\
\'93I\'92ll try. You just don\'92t get too loud either,\'94 Azalea teased, pressing herself into the tigress\'92 paw as she poked her tongue out.\
\
The tigress smirked and pulled Azalea\'92s zipper down, pulling the front of her jeans open. \'93May I?\'94 shi asked, looking up and meeting Azalea\'92s gaze. \
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\'93May you what? Be a cute, lewd kitty?\'94 Azalea smirked. \'93You may.\'94\
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\'93Oh, yay,\'94 Alex whispered, then rubbed hir fingertips over the cotton panties until the half-squirrel\'92s length started to harden. The tigress swung hir legs over the rodent\'92s hips while turning to face her. Shi straightened hir black skirt out, covering what they were doing just in case Dad came in.\
\
\'93So naughty and cute,\'94 Azalea muttered, biting her lower lip as Alex settled onto her. \'93You must be horny if you want to risk it. Or does the risk make you more horny?\'94\
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\'93Hush,\'94 the tigress said, pressing a finger against the jerboa-squirrel\'92s lips as shi began grinding hir lycra-covered pussy against Azalea\'92s panty-covered dick. \'93Less talking, more humping.\'94\
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Alex spent the next minute rubbing hir pussy over the last few inches of the jerboa-squirrel\'92s dick, causing both their pairs of underwear to grow damp. The tigress began to pant as hir arousal grew, focusing on grinding hir clit against the tip of Azalea\'92s dick.\
\
The half-squirrel squirmed and panted as well, trying to keep from making any noise that might alert the tiger cub\'92s father. The last thing she wanted was to risk his wrath. He could probably yeet her into outer space. The slick warmth of the tiger\'92s nethers against her panties was rapidly growing too much.\
\
\'93Al... Alex, I\'92m getting close.\'94 Azalea struggled to keep from moaning as she warned her partner of the impending ejaculation.\
\
\'93Try not to make too much of a mess,\'94 Alex said, smirking. It was only fair to make Azalea cream her panties after she\'92d done the same to hir last week.\
\
\'93Al\'85.Alex, I don\'92t have panties to change into,\'94 the hybrid whined, humping against the naughty feline, biting her lip as she did her best to hold back her orgasm.\
\
\'93You can borrow some of mine,\'94 Alex said, reaching up and holding Azalea\'92s muzzle between hir paws and planting a kiss against her lips. The tigress ran hir tongue against the jerboa-squirrel\'92s lips, purring loudly while shi continued to grind against her.\
\
\'93Alex!\'94 Azalea started to moan, stopped only by Alex sandpaper-rough tongue slipping into her mouth and dancing along her own. The hybrid\'92s hips bucked hard as she started cumming into her panties, cock twitching hard enough for Alex to feel each pulse.\
\
The tigress didn\'92t stop, rubbing hir vulva over the rodent\'92s throbbing penis while hir tongue writhed within Azalea\'92s muzzle. After a few seconds she could feel the wet warmth of the jerboa-squirrel\'92s cum seeping through the fabric covering their crotches. Shi pulled back from the kiss. \'93Mmm, there you go. I can feel your cum all over my flower, squirting through your panties,\'94 Alex murmured, finally coming to a stop, positioning the head of Azalea\'92s penis against the entrance to hir vagina; shi liked the idea of Azalea squirting inside hir, and this was as close as shi could get right now. \'93Mmm, right there... let it all out inside me. Give me your cubs.\'94\
\
\'93Al.. Alex, no,\'94 Azalea whined in sudden terror at the thought of having children, the tip of her member poking at Alex\'92s vagina. The only thing keeping her from going inside was a thin layer of cotton and spandex, and she knew semen wasn\'92t stopped by that at all. She wanted to stop ejaculating but she couldn\'92t, and she couldn\'92t push the heavy tigress off. \'93Alex, I\'92m not ready to be a dad- a mom,\'94 she huffed frantically, her hips bucking uncontrollably a few more times, her cum seeping through the fabric between their hips.\
\
Alex leaned forward, nuzzling Azalea\'92s cheek. \'93Too late,\'94 shi whispered into the jerboa-squirrel\'92s ear as shi resumed grinding against Azalea\'92s length, their crotches squelching from the mess of fluids between them. After a few moments shi felt the familiar tensing behind hir navel, and a few seconds later hir own orgasm hit, sending quivers from hir neck down hir spine all the way to the tip of hir tail. The tiger\'92s tail thrashed and twitched like hir insides did as the orgasm washed over hir. After a few moments shi went still, letting out a deep sigh of relief.\
\
\'93You\'85 you're the one that has to deal with your dad and morning sickness,\'94 Azalea retorted, masking her fear with arrogance. She bit her lower lip as she felt Alex cumming as well, soaking their panties even further. It was strange, feeling the tiger\'92s nethers flex against the tip of her penis. It continued for several seconds before eventually slowing and coming to a stop. Her girlfriend sighed and leaned against her chest for a few moments before pushing hirself upright again.\
\
\'93I think we\'92ll make cute cubs together. Purple stripes on orange fur... Don\'92t you?\'94 Alex said, rolling off the jerboa-squirrel and flopping onto the sofa with hir legs pointing at Azalea. Shi lifted hir skirt and spread hir legs, showing off hir thoroughly soaked undershorts and the firm kitty cock and pussy hidden under them. They were covered with a film of cum that had seeped through Azalea\'92s panties. It was obvious that much of it had managed to soak through fabric covering hir girl-parts. \'93Damn, you made a mess. You must have been pretty pent up.\'94\
\
\'93Well, I have a sexy girlfriend. That will cause that,\'94 Azalea retorted out of habit, panting while laying back against the sofa. The rest of her mind was laser-focused on the dreadful idea of having to deal with raising cubs while still in middle school... if Alex\'92s dad didn\'92t outright kill her. \'93They 
\f2\i would
\f0\i0  be cute, but you\'92re going to be raising them by yourself. \'91Cause your dad is going to delete me,\'94 the jerboa-squirrel said, sitting up and looking over at her partner. \'93I\'92m going to have to go on the run now.\'94\
\
Alex reached between hir legs and scraped some of the cum off hir lycra shorts, then licked it off hir fingertip. It tasted faintly of tea and juniper. \'93Huh. You taste strange. Kind of like tea and pine or something. No need to run though; Dad won\'92t find out, I promise. Let\'92s go get some fresh clothes on,\'94 the tigress said, rolling off the sofa.\
\
\'93Alex, I know you\'92re smart and all, but how do you think you\'92re going to hide a pregnancy from your dad and mom? It\'92s not like you can just cover it up with a hoodie. Like, you\'92re smart, but I think your dad is way more smarter,\'94 Azalea said, getting up and following Alex across the hallway and to the tiger\'92s closet. The cum on her exposed panties was rapidly growing cold and slimy.\
\
\'93Won\'92t need to. I\'92ve got Paragard; I can\'92t get pregnant,\'94 Alex said, pulling her closet open and pulling a pair of panties out, tossing them to the half-squirrel, then pulling out another pair of lycra shorts for hirself. \'93Too bad, \'91cause purple and orange striped cubs would be 
\f2\i super
\f0\i0 -cute. I\'92d snuggle the 
\f2\i heck
\f0\i0  out of them.\'94\
  \
Azalea sighed in relief at the realization that she wasn\'92t going to have to deal with cubs yet, or going on the run to keep from getting murdered by an angry tiger dad. \'93I'll get you back,\'94 she grumbled, pulling off her jeans to get out of her messy panties and \'91accidentally\'92 smacking the tigress with her tail fluff. \'93I\'92m thinking a glass of hot water and your paw would be a good combination. Oh, or maybe bleaching more of your fur.\'94 She prattled on, listing payback ideas as they finished getting cleaned up and changed.\
\
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\f1\b \cf0 Sunday, January 31st, 2016
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Nick\'92s fur was even softer than Alex had imagined it would be. Shi gingerly accepted the swaddled kitten from hir mom, being more careful than shi had ever been in hir entire life. The knowledge that shi quite literally held the tiny cub\'92s life in hir hands was almost too much to deal with. He weighed a little over five pounds now, exactly how much he should weigh considering his birthday wasn\'92t supposed to have been for another week. For preemies, he and Kate were exceptionally healthy. Healthy enough to come home this week, apparently.\
\
Alex gently rocked hir baby brother and sang  in Russian while Raenne nursed Kate, grateful that the cubs didn\'92t have any problems breastfeeding, as was so common for premature babies. The older tigress had long since learned to ensure the infants were fed immediately after waking up in order to avoid them making shrill cries and growls. Luckily they still hadn\'92t fully developed their vocal chords yet, so the noises were tolerable, but Raenne was dreading the noise they\'92d start making in a few weeks. The smells they were making now were bad enough.\
\
\'93Here, I\'92ll trade you,\'94 Raenne said as Alex\'92s song came to an end, covering her chest before setting Kate in the rocker next to her. \'93Did your Dad say where he was going?\'94 the older tigress asked as Alex handed Nick over.\
\
\'93To the restroom and to get a snack,\'94 Alex said, carefully holding out hir baby brother. Shi stood and watched for a moment as hir mother held Nick up to her chest for his evening meal. \'93What\'92s that like? It doesn\'92t hurt does it?\'94\
\
\'93Not yet. It will, though, after their teeth come in,\'94 Raenne replied, looking up at her daughter. \'93That\'92s a few months away, but milk teeth are painfully sharp. I had to switch to bottles when yours came in. It\'92s annoying to have to use a pump and keep the milk refrigerated, but I didn\'92t exactly have a choice. Your teeth were so sharp they\'92d make me bleed. I have no idea what purpose it serves from an evolutionary perspective.\'94\
\
\'93Oh,\'94 the young tigress said, frowning as hir mom pointed at a towel hanging off the edge of the bed.\
\
\'93Throw that towel over your shoulder, then pick up Kate here and hold her against your shoulder, patting her on the back,\'94 Raenne instructed. \'93It\'92s called burping. When they feed, they swallow a lot of air at first, so you need to help them burp it up. Sometimes they spit up some of the milk too... which is why you need a towel.\'94\
\
Alex followed hir mom\'92s instructions, adjusting the towel before picking Kate up and holding her against hir shoulder, unaware that shi was about to get a first-hand lesson in just how messy infants could be.\
\
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\f1\b \cf0 Monday, February 1st, 2016
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The Grove was a surprising distance from town, a much further drive than the land that Charles Weynesmyer had leased to them for building the Dojo. Gravel crunched under the tires for nearly a mile before giving way to packed dirt, and eventually ended at a wide flat area where several dozen cars were parked. Despite the lack of painted parking spots, the vehicles were parked in surprisingly straight rows and evenly spaced. David pulled his white SUV into one of the empty spaces and shut the engine off as another car pulled into the spot next to his. \
\
David waited a moment for the other car to finish parking before he pulled the handle on the door and pushed it open, stepping out of his little Nissan Rogue. It was only a half hour \'91till dusk, and he looked around, trying to get a feel for the area while there was still enough light to see by. As he adjusted the collar of his bomber jacket, his daughter hopped out of the car as well, dressed in capri shorts and a hoodie despite the sub-zero temperatures and the snow on the ground.\
\
A young lioness and polar bear in their late teens or early twenties, dressed appropriately for the winter chill, stepped out of the vehicle next to theirs. The lioness smiled and nodded at David as she strode past him, taking the polar bear\'92s paw and heading towards the far end of the parking area. The white tiger blinked as he walked around the back of the car where his daughter was standing. \'93Guess we should follow them, huh?\'94 he asked, nodding in the direction of the two young lovers.\
\
Alex shrugged. \'93I have no idea. I could text Cindy and ask,\'94 the young tigress said, pulling out hir phone. Shi quickly tapped out a text message before following hir father, avoiding the patches of ice and snow. Lanterns, both electric and oil, hung on wooden posts at the far edge of the dirt parking lot.\
\
The young tigress held hir phone up as it dinged, checking Cindy\'92s response. Apparently the Grove was further into the forest, past the vendor stalls. \'93Cindy said to look for the big oak tree surrounded by stones, past the vendor stalls. That\'92s the center of the Grove,\'94 Alex said. \'93There\'92s another clearing next to it with a bonfire where Star Dreamer\'92s going to be, telling stories after sundown.\'94\
\
\'93Huh. Okay,\'94 David said, glancing down at his daughter for a moment as they reached the edge of the dirt parking lot. There was a bit of a walk across a small grass field before they reached the trees, where well-worn paths had been marked with more lanterns. As they headed into the forest, they could smell burning wood as well as incense and cooking food. It wasn\'92t long before they reached the first of several clearings with small bonfires in the center and vendor stalls around the edges. There were a lot more people out there than David had expected to see. This one clearing had easily twenty people, and they could see several paths that led to other clearings. \
\
The pagan community here in Winter Creek must be enormous, David thought to himself. Pagans made up less than half a percent of the U.S. population from the little research he\'92d done, but he guessed at least a hundred people were here already and even more were still arriving. \'93Stay close to me, please,\'94 he asked as they made their way around the clearing. The flickering light of the lanterns, torches, and bonfires danced off the bark of the trees, giving the impression that the trees themselves were moving.\
\
The stalls had a surprisingly large variety of goods on display, including hand-made soaps and candles, wood carvings, dream catchers, bundles of herbs, polished crystals, pottery, and more. David stopped next to a vendor that was selling dried meats, including sausage and jerky, sealed in glass jars. He handed over a tenner in exchange for a surprisingly large bundle of elk jerky that the seller pulled out of one of the glass jars and wrapped in waxed paper before handing it over. David thanked the man before continuing on, handing his daughter a piece, then chewing on a piece himself. After the initial burst of sweet and spicy flavor, he noticed it definitely had a \'91gamey\'92 flavor, but not quite as strong as beef.\
\
By the time David and his daughter reached the end of the vendor stalls, it was noticeably darker out, almost dusk. Together they walked into the heart of the Grove, where an enormous oak tree stood, its surface carved with runes that seemed to glow in the torchlight. The oak tree was surrounded by a ring of smooth stones covered with offerings of flowers, feathers, and crystals. A woman in a white robe standing near the stone altar pulled the hood of her robe back and started towards them. David stopped and did a double-take when he saw her face; it was rare to come across other tigers. Alex stopped as well, taking hir father\'92s hand as the priestess walked up to them.\
\
\'93My, what a surprise. I didn\'92t expect to meet any other tigers here,\'94 the Bengal tigress in the white robe said, holding her paw out. \'93I\'92m Sharleen Mittendorf, head of the Winter Creek coven.\'94\
\
David took the woman\'92s paw and gave it a shake. \'93David Andreyev. This is my daughter, Alex. My wife would be here too, but she\'92s at the hospital right now.\'94\
\
\'93Hello, Alex,\'94 Sharleen said, smiling down at the surprisingly cute young tigress and holding out her paw as well before glancing up at the handsome, white-furred Siberian tiger. \'93If I may ask, why is your wife in the hospital?\'94\
\
\'93Mom\'92s taking care of the twins,\'94 Alex said, answering the question while shaking the priestess\'92s paw as well. \'93They were born premature, so they\'92ve got to stay at the hospital.\'94 \
\
Sharleen smiled at that, looking back down at the younger tigress. \'93Well, congratulations on the arrival of your new family members. I hope you enjoy the Imbolc festival. Most of the other children are just down the path over there,\'94 she said, gesturing to one side. \'93Star Dreamer is going to start telling stories in a few minutes, if you\'92d like to join them. Just don\'92t go over that way.\'94 The priestess pointed in at another well-worn path. \'93There\'92s signs saying that it\'92s a private area.\'94\
\
\'93Thank you, and don\'92t worry, we know about the \'91clothing optional\'92 area,\'94 Alex replied. \'93I told Dad about the skyclad dancing before we got here.\'94\
\
The priestess raised an eyebrow in surprise. \'93Oh, so you know a bit about the festival, huh? Are you two pagan as well?\'94\
\
\'93No,\'94 Alex replied, shaking hir head. \'93But some of my friends that live here are. I talked with Star Dreamer about it too... about the Horned God and the Goddess and the Wiccan Rede and stuff. It sounds pretty neat.\'94\
\
\'93Really?\'94 Sharleen said, even more surprised. It wasn\'92t often that she found out that Charles had a hand in bringing someone into the fold. Usually the old polar bear was content to let the Goddess take care of things. \'93If you\'92re interested, I can provide you with some reading material to help you understand a bit about our beliefs. If you decide that you agree with them and are still interested, give me a call and we can talk it over. There\'92s an initiation ritual for people who want to become official members of the coven.\'94\
\
\'93If you don\'92t mind, I\'92d like to read about it as well. I\'92d like to know a bit more about what my daughter here\'92s getting into,\'94 David said, meeting Sharleen\'92s gaze. \'93If you have a few minutes, maybe we could talk about it. I\'92m only vaguely familiar with this festival as Saint Brigid\'92s Day and Candlemas, as they\'92re called in the Catholic Church-\'94\
\
\'93I\'92m going to go find Steve and Cindy,\'94 Alex interrupted; realizing where hir dad was leading this conversation. Shi had no interest in \'91comparative theology\'92, or whatever Dad called it, at the moment.\
\
\'93Okay, love. Keep your phone on you so I can find you later,\'94 David said.\
\
\'93Oh, um...\'94 Alex paused, looking up at the priestess. \'93I saw a white-furred tiger boy, like my dad, but my age, at school earlier. In the upper-class halls. Is he your son?\'94 shi asked, peering at the older tigress and tilting hir head slightly.\
\
For the third time in as many minutes, Sharleen raised an eyebrow in surprise. \'93Uhhh, no,\'94 the Bengal tigress replied.  \'93Here in Winter Creek, there\'92s my family, the Mittendorfs. Down in Prairie Flats, I know about the Smothers, whose daughter Barbara is around fifteen, and the Donaldsons. But your father here is the only white tiger I\'92ve ever seen or heard of,\'94 she said, looking up at the older tiger. \'93Do you live here in Winter Creek or down in Prairie Flats?\'94\
\
\'93Winter Creek. On the northeast side of Aspen Glen,\'94 David said. \'93We moved here from Oregon, about six months ago. We were looking for a place that was a bit more open-minded-\'94\
\
\'93Dad, I\'92m gonna go find Cindy now,\'94 Alex interrupted for the second time before shi got stuck listening to yet another boring adult conversation.\
\
\'93Okay, love,\'94 David said, waving at his daughter as shi headed down the path before turning back to Sharleen to continue their conversation.\
\
Another twenty feet down the path, Alex finally found the bonfire that Cindy had mentioned. Two dozen kids, ranging in age from six to sixteen sat on logs that had been arranged in a semicircle around a large bonfire, several of which were wearing hoodies. The orange light from the fire illuminated the surrounding trees, completely bare of any leaves at this time of year. \
\
\'93Hey Alex!\'94 the tigress heard one of the children call out. After a second shi spotted Cindy waving, sitting next to Jerome, Jason, Steve, and Brandy. Shi quickly stepped past the outer ring of log benches to where they were all seated, and sat down between Brandy and Cindy. \'93Hey guys,\'94 the tigress said as shi sat down, noticing that several of them were holding odd trinkets, four-armed crosses made of woven reeds with each arm slightly off-center.\
\
\'93Here, have a cookie,\'94 Jerome said. The mountain lion held out a tin can filled with cookies that his mother had baked.\
\
\'93Thank you,\'94 Alex said as shi took a cookie, which looked like chocolate chip. A bit of chocolate wouldn\'92t be enough to make hir sick, but it was something shi always kept in mind. After shi bit into it, shi realized immediately that it was oatmeal raisin, but softer, sweeter, and far more delicious than any oatmeal raisin shi had ever had before. \'93Mmm. Thath good,\'94 Alex mumbled through the mouthful of cookie.\
\
\'93You missed the opening ceremony,\'94 Brandy said. \'93We came in with a bunch of candles and lit the bonfires around the Grove. Oh, and we made these Brigid\'92s Crosses.\'94 The skunk held up the woven reed cross in her hand.\
\
\'93Here. I took a video of the ceremony,\'94 Cindy said, from Alex\'92s other side, holding out a smartphone. She tapped the screen, showing a video of several people wearing white robes and carrying candles. They walked up to a bonfire and held their candles out, waiting until the bonfire was lit before standing back. There was chanting as well, but Alex couldn\'92t make out what they were saying. It didn\'92t sound like English. \
\
Now that Alex knew about the white robes, shi spotted several of the children around hir were wearing them. She\'92d assumed they were white hoodies. The robes looked pretty comfortable, to be honest, like something shi might wear around at home if shi wanted to be cozy. The tigress looked up as the kids around hir went silent. Star Dreamer stepped out from behind the bonfire, walking to the middle of the semicircle of benches, taking a seat on a tree stump there.\
\
\'93Tonight, I would like to tell you an old Scandinavian folktale,\'94 the polar bear said, having settled himself. \'93It\'92s called \'91Saving Spring\'92. It takes place in what would normally be early summer, the month of July. The trees would be green, the bees would be buzzing, the flowers would have bloomed. Only this year, it was still frigid and overcast. The tops of the mountains were still covered in ice and snow. The rivers were frozen, and the fields where they would grow crops were still barren and hard as stone. For you see, Old Man Winter had kidnapped Spring and was holding her prisoner in his castle made of ice, far to the north...\'94\
}