[Torayasha Kage]: 755 (Top Index)

I hated the full moon. Not only was it the one time I had no control over my powers but I also was forced to hide from everyone. It didn’t help that this night was also the night of the gathering. Cowled appropriately I’d still be a foot and a half taller than normal. Plus the cowl wouldn’t hide the wolf snout or legs.
“It had to be a werewolf,” I muttered. “It wasn’t already bad enough that my mother was a Niragana-human-Esuna hybrid and my dad was a Yekasha-elven hybrid. Noooo, I had to get bitten my mangy half Wutayo.”
I arrived at the gathering and headed for my spot among the flame folk when I was intercepted by a Yu – a non elemental assigned to making sure the elemental stayed where they belonged. This one I knew. It was Mez. I growled irritably and spoke “Mez you know I hate the full moon. Now you know the other half of the reason.”
“A thousand apologies Flame,” said Mez “I thought you to be Wind.”
“When you see Wind tell him I want a word,” I said. I quickly took my place at the south point. Water was seated at the north point. She gave me a sympathetic look. Earth was there as well. He and his sister Water were Wutayo-human-celestial hybrids. Wind as usual arrived last. He was a Yekasha-elven-Wutayo-mingana hybrid.
Tonight was the night of Flame. I stood. “O, great being of Flame tonight is your night. Bless this world with your cleansing power and allow your children to survive the season of Water.
Next stood Wind “O, great being of Flame tonight is your night but soon ends your season. Please allow your brother Wind to take your torch.”
Water gracefully stood. “O, great being of Flame tonight is your night. Your sister Water thanks you for allowing her children to live and promises to protect your children.”
Finally Earth stood “O, great being of Flame tonight is your night. Sleep well.”
The beings departed
“So, Sharon what did you want to speak to us about.”
Donna asked.Now that the ritual was over we were again ourselves.
“Why in the adle pated heavens do I transform and I am not even a werewolf.”
“Well that may be true but you were bitten while I was in werewolf form.” Jesse replied, “And further more both your dad and your grandparents are purebloods.”
“My father is a Yekasha- elven crossbreed. Half cat demon and half elf. My mother is a human-esuna-niragana crossbreed. Half living vampire, a quarter werecat and a quarter human.” I said flatly
Jeremy also said “My father is a Wutayo –Mingana. Half werewolf and half werespider. My mother is Sharon’s aunt on her dad’s side.”
Jesse said “Well I am half werewolf, a quarter celestial and a quarter human.”
“Enough with the lineage recital!” Donna said. “Why is it the less werewolf blood you have the more frequently you’re forced to transform?”
“Impossible as it may seem could it be that it has to do with the full moon and not the blood amount,” Jeremy suggested “Anyway it’s getting late and our powers are dampened by the full moon.”
With that I headed home. I wasn’t tired. Charged with the flame I couldn’t sleep and besides that until dawn I was helpless as a kitten to detect intruders. Inevitably someone always tried kill me on July’s full moon. Last year someone had taken control of Jesse’s mind (what little he had) and had him try to kill me. The year before that someone told a vampire hunter that I was a vampire. The year before that a demon had tried to make me his bride (that involved cutting my still beating heart out). The year before that a vampire had attempted to take my territory. The first time it happened I was 11 and my Cousin Jeremy’s grand mother on his dad’s side had tried to make me for dinner. I hate spiders.
For five years someone had tried to kill me. At first I thought it was a coincidence but after try three I was positive someone was behind it. I called them “D” for “Dirt bag” or “Death” depending on my mood (and X was too cliché) Whoever D was I wasn’t interested in letting them have the satisfaction of killing me. It was 9:15 after sunset and the sun didn’t rise until 5:15. Jeremy broke up our little pow-wow because we would’ve been totally exposed if we stayed there.
 Secretly I wished he hadn’t because he lived with two others who weren’t going to let him come to any harm. Donna and Jesse could take turns on watch but I had to be alert because the other in my house showed no signs of power and was too young anyhow. A huge cat leapt through the window. “Well at least it isn’t a seven foot tall bipedal slavering wolf this time.”
It lunged at me “Somehow I think I’d have preferred Jesse.”
I broke its neck.
“D is really getting on my last nerve if I live to be 16 I am gonna teach them a thing or two.”
I went back to my book.6 hours later the sun rose. Relieved to at last have back my powers I cast a spell to dress myself and then walked over to the mirror. I tapped the mirror and said “Jeremy”
“Yes?” a sleepy male voice said
“Any news” I asked
“I got attacked by a large pissy cat and its five am on a weekday” Jeremy glowered “Yourself?”
“You can not accuse me of being paranoid anymore.” I said. I waved and tapped the mirror again “Donna”
“Yes?” Donna sounded awake
“News?”
“None. You?”
“Jeremy got attacked by a large pissy cat and year six try six happened.” That was odd. Jeremy and I get attacked but not Donna and Jesse. Why? D? Or was it something even more troublesome. I considered. Perhaps my long standing friend Naomi Phillips would know. If not Amy would or Nekko.
“Morning Fox-san.” I said as I flumped down
“What do you want?” he responded
“Some help with a perplexing problem.”
“A problem?” Nekko asked.
“Well for the sixth year in a row someone’s tried to kill me,” I said “Last night someone tried to kill me and Greer. Question is why?”
Nekko was a kitsune and thus was cleverer than most. “ Hmm, well I can think of many reasons to want to kill you but not Greer. Any common enemies?”
“Shit loads of them but they’re common for all four of us not just Greer and I.”
Nekko gave a sigh and said “I don’t know then.”
I sighed as Naomi walked in with her uniform on. She was pure blood Niragana. “Morning Phillips. Question why would anyone target two of a circle?”
“Are you still det ermined someone is trying to kill you?” she asked.
“Sixth time in a row. Besides when a big slavering werebeing attacks you they generally aren’t playing.”
“No, I don’t know. You seem to think we vampires know something you don’t.”
“I don’t know about us vamps but you are a black mage. Just a reminder I am a fourth Niragana. If you know something I don’t it has nothing to do with race.”
Naomi showed her fangs and left. Amy I found half asleep on my backpack. She was a human. Fortunately or un- she was also the daughter of the hunter who tried to kill me.
“Amy-sensei,” I said. Her love of pointy things and fire was somewhat scary to me.
“Hmm?” she responded. She was a hunter in training. Lucky for most of us she was bounty hunter. If she couldn’t ferret out my problem she could find someone who could.
“Try six,” I said, “this time they attempted Greer too. I don’t think it’s after the Mcmorrisses.”
“My guess is someone with a grudge against the Clark clan who only recently discovered that Greer’s mom was a Clark.” Amy had switche d to alert mode. “As to why the night of the full moon, your lack of telepathic abilities.”
“Possible,” I said
“Attempt parameters?” she said
“Grandma Clark in werecat form. Lethal force necessary.” I got an eerie feeling that she was right.
“Almost certainly a telepath mage,” Amy said. “I’ll see what I can dig up. Where’s Nerves?”
I pulled a cat out of a pocket and showed her to Amy. Nerves was six months old with Siamese markings and blue eyes. : Where pray tell could I be but with Flame? And why do you insist on calling me that ridiculous moniker. I told you my name is -: A sound no human could reproduce echoed in our minds.
I sighed. Fridays were the pits. Considering that I had to go to my grandmother’s. Then it hit me. That thing could almost certainly not have been my grandmother. My grandmother was pure blood cat demon. I reached along the spider thin steel hard mental cable to Jeremy’s mind. : Question did your so-called ‘pissy cat’ change form? :
: Yes it changed form into my mother but it couldn’t have been her.:
: Thanks: I cut contact and considered texting Donna.
“Miss Clark, what is the first amendment”
“Freedom of speech, religion, press, peaceable assembly and the right to petition the government.” I recited
I decided it would have been imprudent to text Donna then and there but I could attempt to get a hold of Jesse who would tell Donna. : Jesse: I called
: Huh?: Jesse had little to no training at all
: Both ‘pissy cats’ took the form of a female relative. Do you know of anything that can do that? :
: Nah I’ll ask Donna though.:
Last bell rang and I texted Donna PISSY KITTY CHANGE 2 GIRL FAMILY NO ANYTHING LIKE THAT
Five hours later she replied Y?
BCAUSE 2 OF THEM ATTACKED CIRCLE LAST NIGHT
Donna’s response was instantaneous and somewhat frightening TELL YOU 2MARROW
Puzzled I finished my homework and packing and went to bed.


Jeremy was already snoozing in the backseat when grandma picked us up. I was somewhat relieved to see she had an unbroken neck. Nerves pounced and landed on Greer’s head. He opened his eyes and sighed irritably. Of the four of us he was the only one without a familiar. I had two. Three technically. : Morning Wind: Nerves sent: Bountiful mother earth what did you do to your hair? :
“I was just going to ask the same thing but as always my kitten beat me to it.” I grinned “Gremlin green isn’t your color.”
“Shut up.” He growled. Nerves had already crossed the leather seats back to me. As we arrived at Donna and Jesse’s I got an eerie feeling something was watching us. Donna climbed in next to me with Jesse’s familiar and her three familiars. Kristy bounded over to say hello to Nerves. Tcuz and bitsy as well as Fern were there. That’s why I said I had three. Fern was mine as well. And my other one? A humongous dragon paced us to Gail’s. Firemane was very protective.
“So,” I said “answer time.”
“ A Gintala is a werebeing with no set wereform i.e. it takes on that of another werebeing.” Donna said “I did some research and some of them can seem like someone you know.”
“Seem?” I asked. Nerves and Bitsy had settled on Jeremy and were sound asleep. “I wondered but I didn’t think about it till later”
Donna grinned and whispered “It’s kind of like Jeremy’s hair. By the way what the hell did he do to it?”
I shrugged “Nerves commented on it. Gremlin green isn’t his color. Jesse what do you think?”
“Heh nice try but I’m staying out of this one.”
“Yes,” Donna agreed weather she was agreeing with me or Jesse was unclear.
At our grandmother’s house we headed upstairs. Firemane landed on the roof.
“So a Gintala,” I said. “Speaking of dark things, my friend Amy has a theory on who or what might be attacking me and attacked Jeremy.”
Donna who had been lounging near by sat up. Jesse and Jeremy paused and looked in my direction.
“Amy thinks that the attacker is a telepath mage with a grudge against the Clarks. I believe she is at least partially correct.” Donna nodded but said, “How could she know that? I thought you said she was human.”
“She is. She’s training to be a Hunter. A threat/bounty Hunter before you panic.” I grinned grimly
Jesse looked thoughtful, a rarity. Jeremy on the other hand laughed “Right! Then how come they didn’t simply take control of our minds and have us commit suicide.”
“You dolt,” I said irritated. “Anyone with half a brain knows that telepaths can’t control telepaths. Furthermore if thy even made an attempt to do so we would know their identity. Finally this person only makes one attempt a year. That’s out of twelve or more possibilities. Not all telepath mages are sane. We could be dealing with a very deranged person.”
Jeremy shut up. While my knowledge of werecreatures was small, I knew a great deal more about magic and mind magic. The silence was broken by my cell phone ringing “Ja?” I said
“Sharon where are you right now?” It was Amy.
“My grandmother’s,” I answered. “Why?”
“There is a werecat stalking the general area. It’s lost in blood lust. Be careful. I don’t know how dangerous it is but I do know that before it escaped it said it was going to kill you and Greer.” Amy hung up.
I cursed softly. Not good. :Firemane ?: I sent hoping he hadn’t dozed off.
:Yesss: he hadn’t
:There is a blood crazed were cat whose after me: I told him hoping he’d use his brain.
:A-: Firemane’s mind voice was cut off
“Shit.” I said “Well it’s here.”
At that moment a sleek looking werecat appeared. It was an old friend of mine. “You’re better than I gave you credit for.” She said. “At first I thought it was a fluke. I must admit I was shocked to learn you and Greer were of the Kevnasha clan. Such a shame.”
“I have no earthly clue what you’re talking about,” I said calmly “As to my abilities or lack there of…” I shrugged.
Jeremy looked a bit uncomfortable but now was neither the place nor the time to ask.
“Oh do stop pretending Clark!” Dezi exclaimed. “Kevnash to the core aren’t you?”
“White, I’m only going to say this once, I don’t know who or what the this Kevnash is, but if that’s why you’ve been trying to kill me…” I was seething. For the last four years I’d been friends with her and for six she’d been trying to kill me. Talk about nerve.
“Oh I’ll admit I wasn’t sure you and that dratted Flame were the same person,” she said. “I have no grudge against you personally, but a promise is a promise and I swore to my mother I’d avenge her after what your father and your aunt did.”
“Sorry no can do,” I said creating four magic shields. I chucked two at Jeremy and one at Donna and Jesse each. I was pissed a all hell. She could have had the decency to not be my friend or call off the vendetta.
“All right Dirtbag let’s do this,” I pulled off the magic band that controlled how much magic I pulled in at a time. I summoned for a unicorn as I cast a magic missle spell. Flames shot from my fingers. I felt rather than saw Dezi’s magic power being sucked dry in her efforts to protect herself. Just as they finally broke I finished summoning my unicorn
“Being of light the evil from this one, please.”
The unicorn spoke in my mind: For this deed I require a service of you.:
“Got it,” I replied. The unicorn lunged forward. I gasped as a black shadow fled from Dezi.
:Done:
“Alright,” I said. “What do you want:
The unicorn tossed its head. If I didn’t know better I’d have said it was embarrassed, :Well I guess…. I have this awful itch right along the shoulder blades, scratch it please:
I scratched.
:Aaah…:the unicorn sighed :Thank you. My name is Star Hoof:
I grinned “Star Eye and Star Mane’s colt?”
:yep: she was embarrassed now :Mom asked me to go see how you were. When I felt the summon tug I thought I needed to get someone else:
Jeremy got up. It’s kind of amusing when I fight for everyone else. “Coolness, cuz,” he commented
Jesse and Donna glanced at each other. I suddenly slumped with exhaustion “Eight hours of sleep after forty eight hours of being awake and then a mage battle.”
Donna grinned, she knew I bitching to bitch. But I was bone tired.
“Alright Jeremy,” I said, “Now would be an excellent time for a damn good explanation. What on earth is Kevnash.”
“While we’re explaining things Sharon,” said Donna, “Care to explain these four.”
Amy was seated on the windowsill with her Naomi and Nekko dressed in a trenchcoat holding Brittany. “ Six,” he corrected as Momo and Josh showed up.
“Trade?” I asked. Donna and Jesse would owe me information down the line.
“Yes. Donna and Jesse have information as well.”
“Alright,” I sighed. “ As you know I am a representative of the Unseen. What this means is I know the names, what kind or kinds, ages, addresses and the like of 95 percent of the supes. Nekko is a kitsune.” He bowed formally. “Brittany is not a supe as far as I know .” She grinned. “Momo is a Nekomata.” She bowed. “Josh is a supe but I can’t say what. Naomi is a Niragana.” She politely showed her fangs. “Amy is a hunter. The reason five out of six of them showed up is they’re reps for their races or creeds. I don’t know about Brittany. As reps they’re required to aid any member of the Unseen that’s in danger.”
Amy nodded. I could tell she wanted to say something so I nodded. “ Besides tonight is the gathering of the Unseen. Here.”
“Guess I have more to explain. The Unseen are those that don’t exist. Each town is called a nest. The town reps are called a council. A gathering is an entire states councils. Our group is called a hub,” I sighed. “ We’re the state hub. There are ten hubs at the moment and tonight we decide who is the state hub for another ten years. If we keep the state hub we go to the unth, which is a gathering of state hub. A national hub is chosen. That hub goes to the world gathering where a planet hub is chosen once every other millennium. The last one was Bethlehem.”
Jeremy, Donna and Jesse glanced at each other. Finally Jeremy spoke, “The Kevnash clan is a clan of supes who are considered the leading house. They’re a Yekasha clan.”
Donna sat up slightly. “They don’t get along with the Roths clan of werecats. They declared a blood feud and killed each other. Until today I thought they were wiped out.”
Jesse just gave an I-have-a-toothache smile.
“Joy,” I said sarcastically. “See you five tonight.” I turned back to my cousins and Dezi. “ There is something else. Our hub is one short. We have no spirit or ether or whatever you want to call it. As it stands we can’t even be called a hub. The spirit never showed up. Instead she’s been trying to kill me.”
Dezi chose that moment to float into conciousness.
“Afternoon,” I said
“Look I can explain,” she said desperately. “I-I didn’t know. The hub my mom belonged to held two Kevnash. I don’t know why they tried to kill her and I , well, tried to kill you.”
“Blood hatred,” I said, “Your mom’s a pureblood. My father and aunt are half-breeds. They smelled enemy. You, a half-blood had the same weakness. We didn’t because we’re quarter-blood and part were ourselves. I’m an eighth werecat. He’s a quarter werewolf and werespider. I forgive you. Now what say the five of us get ready for tonight?”
Dezi nodded. Whatever the reason the feud was over. We were prepared by dusk. Brittany did not show as expected. I’d have to ask Nekko about that one sometime. We were the hosting hub. The other nine hubs sat neatly in two rows. The councils began to seat themselves. We sat in our places. The diagram I had drawn earlier that day helped a lot.
As senior member and rep I sat in the middle of the group. Dezi sat a little to the left and behind me. Jeremy and Donna sat behind her with Jesse behind them. To my right sat the reps in a line.
A tall burly guy headed the council for Denver. He was everyone’s superior. Only the state hub leader was more powerful. As on tonight he was most powerful when there was no state hub.
“Brothers and Sisters of the Unseen, tonight we choose our state hub.” Already we were behind because we were the youngest hub.
The hubs each extolled on the benefits of choosing them. None of them mentioned what they could do. I saw out chance. Bonelessly I stood. “I’ve never been much for speech making but I can say that what we lack in age we make up for in enthsiasm and understanding. Our youngest member is a telepath, psychic and a farseer. They are a Knowledge hunter, Banekeeper and Oath-called. We have an empath, farseer, hunter and Banekeeper. We have a telepath mage. We have a World-keeper and Tale-teller. I myself am an empath, bard, healer, mindhealer, Lightstalker and oh, yeah I was bitten by a werewolf. We’re all telepaths and farseers. Now would you rather a person who beats around the bush or someone who tells you straight out what they can and can’t do.” I sat down. There were a few murmurs.
The man stood, “Hubless councils choose.”
One by one the head of each council stood and spoke. We were choosen by all but Denver and Greely. The man bowed. As quickly as mist evaporating the gathering was gone. Dezi sighed. I wasn’t sure if she thought I was bluffing or not. The answer was I wasn’t
“So what’s the big deal about hubs?” asked Jeremy.
“They govern the supes but more than anything else they’re our version of democracy. At the national level it’s less democratic more liberal. We’ll be with the best of the best who’ll underestimate us because of our age.”