“Oooohhh.” Miriam stirred against the bare wooden floor, trying to take in her surroundings. She held her head and winced at the sharp pain; she felt like she’d been binge drinking for three days prior.
“Urrrggghhh,” came the human-sounding moan from beside her. Diane was back in her human shape, crumpled against the wall. “Where…aw, shit, my head…”
Miriam was about to ask Diane how she was, when a slight knock on the door made them both grab their heads in pain.
The door opened a crack. “You decent?” Through her agony, Miriam recognized Wild Hawk’s voice.
She saw a robe across from her, and grabbed it after draping one across Diane. “Yeah…come in…just be quiet.”
Wild Hawk opened the door gently, and stepped in with two trays of food. “We thought you might like breakfast. Oh, and there’s an herbal tea that should help your headaches.”
Miriam and Diane nodded painfully, sitting up to take the offered repast. “How did…”
Wild Hawk motioned for her to be quiet. “Eat, and I’ll explain everything.” He took a chair and spun it around backwards, leaning forward over the back.
“Do you remember what happened last night, in the vision quest?”
“Sort of,” Diane grumbled. “I remember getting really horny, and mating with Miriam. I saw this woman for a second…she looked a lot like…”
“…like one of you, but more so,” Wild Hawk finished. “That was the Tigress.”
Miriam blinked. “Is she a Goddess or something?”
“In a way. She is present in all weretigers. Some interact with her more than others, acting almost like Shamans.”
Diane swallowed a bite of scrambled eggs. “So why haven’t we seen her before?”
“You haven’t really delved too far into your other selves. You’ve been too preoccupied with changing, with enjoying, that you haven’t really focused on understanding your tiger sides. Don’t feel bad; most shape shifters never do.”
“So, you were trying to introduce us?” Miriam took a sip of the hot tea, snapping to attention as the ginseng played across her palate. “Mmm, that’s strong stuff.”
“Thanks, it’s my own recipe. But, yeah, in a way. You see, we’ve been trying for years to help lycanthropes of all types become more in tune with their powers. The closer you get to the Tigress, the stronger you become. You gain more control over your emotions, and can shift more easily, and in new ways.
Recently, one of us received a vision, of a weretigress whose connection to the Tigress could become stronger than anyone ever imagined. The Great Tigress would be nearly immortal, and could never be separated from the Tigress. Under her leadership, the Black Dogs…those are the Hunters you’ve been dealing with…would never be able to force their will on anyone ever again. She’d also teach her fellow weretigers to control their powers and instincts. They’d never infect anyone who didn’t wish to join them again. We can help her harness her powers, but first we must find her and bring her safely to our keep.”
Miriam shrugged. “So, who is it?” She motioned to Diane, who looked excited. “One of us?”
Wild Hawk shook his head sadly. “No, I’m afraid not, though you may both grow in power with time and practice.” He paused for a moment, deciding whether or not to tell them. Finally, he judged them as worthy of knowing, and spoke. “The one who will become the Great Tigress is…”
Sun Jun 2 17:39:02 2002