Viktor was sitting down. That did not mean he was still. His fingers rapped against the arm rests, his knee bounced. His eyes were ever on the move dancing from one point to another. The restlessness clawed at him from the inside out, his heart even pounded in his chest as if he'd just run a 440. His eyes latched on the door, waiting. One ... two ... eyes moved again.

Cerise pushed through the door of the shop. This had been one of her haunts for her research and other things.

His eyes danced back with an almost impatient flick. His expression softened when he caught sight of his Cherry. He rose with a quick shift of weight, chin lifting in greeting as he crossed to her.

Her face softened into a smile when she saw him. She turned to meet him, glad he was here and alright so far.

He gave her a quick kiss on her cheek, fingers resting lightly on her arms. "Hey Cherry, how're you?"

She stood there gazing up at him. "Hey yourself. I'm alright. How are you holding up?"

"Oh I'm great." He let his hands drop away from her arms, a glance toward the counter briefly. "You want something to eat?" He shifted from one foot to the other, moving almost before he was done asking the question. "I think they took some cookies fresh from the oven a little bit ago."

She tilted her head as she regarded him, "I could use a bit of food." She wondered at the bit of distance.

He paused briefly, shifting again from one foot to the other. He smiled and held out his hand for hers. "Well then, come on slow poke."

She placed her hand in his, "So full of energy today. Not like your usual."

He tugged her along a little, fingers light on her hand. "I'm always full of energy." He slid his arm around her when she got close enough for him to complete the action. He nestled a kiss by her ear. "Especially when you're around."

She made a soft little sound and wrapped her arms about his waist. "I just worry, mela."

"Nothing to worry about." He smiled and hugged her in that one armed embrace. "I'm fit as a fiddle. What would you like to eat?"

She pointed out one of the gazed cherry turnovers. "And some cider"

He nodded at the girl behind the counter. "And a mug of tea, please." He smiled, his hand moving rub down Cerise's back while they waited for the girl to get their goodies.

She laid her head on his shoulder. "Have you given thought to what your friend told you?"

He drew in a breath and glanced away from Cerise. "A little, I guess. Not much."

She sighed softly, "Translation, you have been ignoring it."

"Not entirely." He indicated his jacket. It wasn't his normal coat. It was warm but it wasn't his leather.

She gave him a good look. "It bothers you, mela."

His shoulders sagged a little after a moment of watching her. He handed the girl the required money then accepted his tea. "I ... I just don't know what to believe. How to believe it. Or even if I should."

She took her cider and pastry. "It is hard to know what to believe when everything you were taught turns out to be ... wrong." She almost said lies, but didn't for his sake.

He nodded. He watched her for a moment then looked around for a place to sit. "Here we go." He pointed to a chair and table.

She nodded and moved to the table. She settled herself on to one of the chairs and set her snack down.

"I've seen things but trying to apply that to myself is a little hard." He stood for a moment then finally set his mug down, turning a little to glance around. He felt a shiver run up his spine. He forced his eyes back on her again. He sat down after another moment, shifting forward then sitting back in his seat.

She placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I know, mela. But then we are not abandoning you either."

Viktor ran as fast as he could, the wind taunting him to go faster and faster. He found it easy to keep going, to run flat out and before long he saw the house. He could smell something cooking, could smell other things he could not yet define. And he could smell Cerise's perfume. He lept onto the porch, slowing as he crossed the short span from the steps to the door. He turned as he approached the door, coming to a rest with his back against the door jam, grinning at Cerise.

Cerise shook her head as she caught up not a moment later. Still she was smiling at him as she approached. He opened his arms to her. Was that beating heart hers or his? It was hard to tell really although it didn't feel like what he was hearing was in sync with his own pulse. He blew it off and hoped she would step into the offered embrace.

She did indeed move into his embrace. She wrapped her arms about him and held on for several long moments. Her cheek lay against his shoulder and her eyes closed

He could feel it then, the beating heart was hers. He held her close as his own eyes closed. He'd never noticed that before. "Not a bad run there."

She nestled against him. "It felt good to let loose like that."

"Yeah, it did. It felt really good." He was a little disconcerted. It felt too good and he felt a gnawing inside to do it again only this time just run ... and keep running. Let the night and the wind take him to the ends of exhaustion, to feel the pure freedom of flight. He fought the desire and shifted, moving so he could open the door. His arm settled around her shoulders. "You thirsty?"

She moved a little with him, "Yes."

He poked his head inside the house and makes a wrinkled nose face. It was stuffy and ... smelled funny. "Mimi?! You around?" He didn't mind stepping just inside but he didn't want to go too far without Mihaela knowing he was there. He didn't trust everyone who lived here. Especially Red.

They heard a voice call back, "Hey Vik. Come on in." Out of the office came the aforementioned 'Mimi'. "I swear Vik... You and your nicknames."

He grinned and shrugged. "What? They're easy and they help me remember things." He stepped in farther, his arm still around Cerise's shoulders. "How're you doing, Mimi?" Cerise moved inside with him.

Mihaela smiled, "Well enough. Trying to get that new house up."

"Yeah, lots of work I imagine." He glanced around then looked back at her. "Someone burning incense or something?"

Miha shook her head, "No. Chas has been working on his distillations again."

"Oh." He glanced at Cerise then back again. "Can we get a drink? I'm parched and Cherry here could use something too." He shifted from one foot to the other, free hand moving from resting free at his side to his jacket pocket.

"Sure, There's water, soda, juice... Help yourself."

He grinned and glanced once more to Cerise. "What're you in the mood for?" His hand left his pocket to dangle at his side again. Another shift. "It's warm in here." This was spoken to Mihaela. "And it .. seems stuffy."

Cerise looked up at him, she was comfortable. "Juice will be fine."

Mihaela just gave Vik a knowing look. He caught the look and gave a 'what?' look back. "Okay, juice it is."

Mihaela shook her head and gestured to the kitchen. "Head on in, the young ones are there already."

Her words seemed to alternate between too fast and too slow, either jumbling up or slowing down to where each syllable elongated for a small slice of eternity. The floor almost wavered under his feet, shifting slightly. Colors jumped out at him from everywhere, assaulting his eyes. He shook his head, arm sliding off Cerise's shoulders. He took a breath, hand running over his eyes. He managed a pretty decent, "Yeah, okay." Then his reality shifted again and everything seemed fine.

Cerise didn't move from his side the whole time, looking worried. Mihaela shook her head, "Stubborn. Go inside and sit down, Vik."

He lifted his head, eyes sliding to Mihaela. "I am not."

She arched a slender brow, "Oh really, Just go sit down. Everyone will be gathered soon."

He started to go then paused. "Why will everyone be gathered?"
He felt a stab of apprehension. Cerise hugged him as she listened.

"The full moon is here..."

Thoughts fled, instinct took over. Viktor?s body began to change, shifting from the humanoid form he'd known his whole life into form of the beast within drawn outward by the call of the moon. His head grew more canine, body started to sprout the fur of the coyote. Clothing could not contain him and tore as his slightly larger bestial form. He turned with a wild-eyed look back at the house and then away, body almost unsteady on legs longer than he was used to. But the change was not done with him ... not at all. He felt another sickening wave of cramping muscles, heard a howl that he did not recognize as himself.

Mihaela made her way to the porch to her gathered cats. She nodded to Damon to go with them. She would see to Viktor herself. She trusted Damon to protect the others, which still surprised some, but then she got to know all of them. She waited for the cats to do their prowling before allowing the change to come over herself.

Damon felt just as restless as Mihaela but he knew his place and it was to protect. He gave her a nod that he would see to the others. A brief glance landed on the canine, his head shaking slightly. Pity that one. He leapt from the porch, the change taking him while in mid-air, hitting the ground on all fours. It was time...

She approached Viktor as she changed. The change was no less painful, just had just learned how to endure it. She watched him through those jade eyes. She hoped she was right about him.

He fell to all fours as his body finally accepted the form of the wild scavenger, black pelt sprinkled with gray. His head was down, snout almost touching the ground. His sides were still heaving. The midnight black huntress prowled towards him now. Scent was the only way he would know her.

His head lifted slightly and turned. Yes, there was familiar there. His eyes opened, head swiveling in her direction. A faint whimper escaped him as he took a step back, rear turning so he was facing her more in a defensive type manner.

She purred soothingly. She did not make an aggressive move towards him. She knew he would be confused, more so than when she first changed.

He didn't move then. His head tilted to the side, ears perking forward. She turned towards the tree line, purring as if telling him to follow.

His head swiveled in that direction, another perk the other way this time. He took a step then paused. Attention turned back toward the house, looking for someone perhaps?

The panther nodded to him. Her head turned towards the house as if asking him if he wanted to see her.

He took a tentative step toward the house, an almost whimper on that step. What would she think?

The large cat moved towards the back of the house where she had a swing door installed. Inwardly she was very pleased by this. He took another step, then another. His head perked a little and finally he fell into a lope following her a few feet behind. She had been hopeful of this and had coached the trueblood. Now was the moment of truth.

He followed the panther-cat into the house, nosing his way in through the swing door after a yip escaped him when the door swung back and bit his nose with a little swat.

The Trueblood looked up at the yip and saw first the big cat, then coyote come in through the door. Her heart ached for him. She had been told but nothing prepared her to see it. She kneeled down to see what he would do when all she wanted to do was throw her arms around him, even in this form.

He slunk in and kept his distance initially. He was almost afraid to look at her. But he could smell her so clearly. She caught his eyes, head swiveling toward her as his ears perked. A tentative step, then another. His bushy tail flicked from side to side slightly. She wasn't running. The cat got a look and then he slid toward Cerise with a cautious gait.

She watched him, it hurt her to see him so cautious, so afraid of her reaction. "(vqw) Mela." She held out her hand to him palm up, trying to urge him forward. No sudden moves, his friend had said.

He paused when her hand moved but he managed not to shrink away. His head moved once to the left and then once to the right as if sizing her up. Another step brought him close enough to sniff at her hand. It seemed perfectly natural to lick her hand. Sort of.

She smiled softly at him. "(vq) Viktor, mela." She murmured softly and stifled the urge to giggle at the lick.

He huffed a sigh and rubbed against her, trying to get into her lap so he could lick her face. His tail wagged just like a happy mutt. She wrapped her arms about his neck and nuzzled into him. This was new for her, but she was not complaining. "(vq)Amin mela lle."

He finally tucked his head in against her neck and fell quiet, just resting there. Listening to her heart. She ran her hands through his fur as she held him. She still blamed herself for what happened to him but that did not change how she felt. As nice as it felt, there was still a gnawing inside him. He resisted as long as he could but he started to shiver with the anticipation of the need to run.

She placed a kiss on the top of his head, "(vq) Go on, mela. I'll be waiting when you get back."

She got one last lick to her cheek and then he loped to the door, careful of the swinging this time. The cat nodded and followed after the coyote. Out he went, finally giving in to the twin seductresses, the moon and the wind.