She was not sure how long she had sat there watching the pot, but the pot was boiling when the sound of the cabin door being thrown open made her jump and she spin on her heel, falling to her rear as the man entered, grabbing the edge of the door, clinging to it as if his life depended on it and he shoved hard against it, forcing it closed against the buffeting winds and relatching it before he stumbled into the room. He was snow covered, cold and wet, frozen, a blade in his hand as he looked around, seeming to not notice her at first, but then she moved and his eyes locked on her as she slowly rose, her hand resting lightly on the chest for support as he raised his sword towards her, his bright blue eyes glaring into her deep brown, his hand wavered and she could see the blood pooling against his shirt, he was injured, badly. "Just you stay there," he growled as he looked around stumbling towards the fireplace and the standing water.

"Please," she started and stopped when he looked at her again, his sword moving towards her once more and she took a step back, in what little room she had as he grabbed the hook pulling the water kettle out and sniffing at the contents before rehooking it.

"Who are you," he snapped at her as he stumbled to the window as she watched him, "why are you here?"

"This is my home," she answered softly watching him, more relucentent to give up her name and he glared at her, rising that blade once more.

"You lie," he growled and approached her once more.

"I never lie," she answered softly, watching the silver blade glint in the light, despite the blood staining its edges.

"Your kind always lie," he growled and lunged at her. She screamed jumping back, he tried to fallow her, but came up short, his wound must have been worse then even she had realized, because a minute later he was gripping his side and collapsing, his blade falling useless from his hand.

She stood in the corner, hands folded against her chest fearfully, then very slowly when he did not move she drew slowly forward and reached out towards him, carefully kicking the sword from reach before kneeling at his side, her hand resting on his chest, feeling the low beat of his heart before moving his uniform jacket. She looked at the seeping wound and sighed softly, slowly reaching out to hook the man under his arms and with much effort she started to drag him towards her bed. It took a fair amount of time and ingenuity on her part to finally heft his body onto the bed and catch her breath before she started to work free the buttons of his uniform jacket. How she hated soldiers, they were horrible people sent to kill her people, but as she examined this man in his sleeping state, his ruffled blond hair, his youthful features, the muscle curled over his chest and abs, she could not help see the beauty and feel her heart catch, if only for a minute.

She turned to his wound a deep sword cut in his side the blade badly. She slipped away to retrieve the kettle and dug into the chest to find cloth, and proceeded to clean the wound and tend it as she had been taught to do by her people . He may have tried to harm her, but she couldn't leave him there to bleed to death, that would be wrong.

The Lady Shadow tended the soldier day after day, his wounds healing slowly, and he watched her with much interest. Here was a woman he had taken oath to slaughter without thought on other wise and she was caring for him, tending him as if one of her own. His wounds had been dressed in herbs and fresh bandages and he had spent the last few days on his back.

He had watched her tend to the house, tiding up unseen messes and seeing to meals, as the holidays approached he wondered if the woman would celebrate at all. When no decorations went up he figured not. He wondered if this race had anything in common with his as the days passed, other then language that was, for she spoke his word flawlessly.

It was eve on the longest night of the year when he woke very late his eyes focusing on where the woman had made her bed, it was empty and worry struck him as he realized he was alone in the insufferably hot room. He slowly pushed himself up on his arms, gritting his teeth against the pain that struck his side where he had been stabbed, she had said something about injured ribs. He slowly sat up, putting his feet on the floor and carefully leveraging himself to his feet, worried that he may have made a mistake, she was probably off getting someone to finish him off.

He moved to the frost framed window to look out, he had expected to see nothing but darkness. What he saw sent a shot through him, a longing that he had not felt in months spent in the armies.

There framed in the light of the full moon was the form of the Lady Shadow, the light illuminated her as if in day light, bouncing off the snow to frame her perfectly exquisite body, fully naked and on her knees, head turned up to the moon, hands in the air, reaching towards it, the wind gently caressing her body and lifting her long dark locks. What could she be doing out there in that cold snow?

Nathan woke slowly the feeling of Lady Shadow's body against his as his mind grasped at what had happened the night before, memory flooding him. Had that all really happened? He thought over what had occurred the night before, the passion that had filled them as she had rocked over his hips, consuming him in so many ways.

It had been as if she was someone else, someone different so changed, she had been as if more animal then human, her head thrown back in howls of delight. Was he dreaming? Or where her teeth fang like, her eyes rounded as if containing the wilds of wolf blood. He had never seen anyone like her or felt anything like it.

He slowly slipped from the bed pausing in thought, he couldn't remember coming back to the cabin, how had they gotten back inside? He searched his memory as he stoked the fire, letting the flame start to warm the room, his mind reeling with the thoughts and memories. What had happened, she had been so desperate so passionate and hungry for him, he looked back at her and his thoughts grasped at something.

No surely that had been a dream, they were far from anyone or anything, yet he was sure they had been being watched, surrounded by so many eyes, but he had been so wound in the pleasure and beauty of the woman on him to care, he had taken her as any man should. She had been crying her pleasure, she had looked at him. Fangs, yes he was sure he had seen fangs, and her ears, her eyes, no that was impossible, he was sure that his last memory was of that of a wolf on top of him, just before he blacked out.

Nathan licked his lips nervously before slowly standing and heading back to the bed reaching out to her as he sat. His fingers brushed lightly over her lips before he leaned into her kissing her softly, urging her to wake. She did just that slowly, her eyes focusing on his and a sweet smile swept the corners of her mouth before she reached up and drew him down to her, deepening the kiss as she rolled to push him to the bed, once more straddling his naked hips and began to urge him back to a state of arousal, and to take him into her once more.

Shadow Hawk looked up into his eyes, her own not at all happy, but she had no choice, he was involved now in many ways and she nodded. She moved to dress as he did and he cleaned the table as she put water on to boil and began to tell him. The tale was long with many twists and she had never needed to tell it before, so she tried to keep it in order.

"In times when man was very young and still had yet to discover many things like fire and light, creatures existed that were adapted to the living. Big and covered in thick fur, awesome hunters and smart beyond reason, they befriended humans protected them, raised with them.

For years they hunted together and protected one another, even after the harnessing of fire and the beginnings of creating their own shelters. Some small tribes of men decided to befriend these creatures deeply, some even grew to love them and so a mating began, and cubs were born. Human in appearance but with the ability to change, governed by instinct during certain times, phases of the moon.

There was no escaping it, it was a trap in itself. They went into hiding though when some became jealous, those who could not change, and started to slaughter the others in search of the gift. It was a massive slaughter that was left with the belief that all were dead.

They were wrong, some survived, and remain hidden to this day. And during certain times of the year they return to the wood to find more of their kind so when the phase comes and it is time to breed, they have their own kind to breed with. But this year because of the war there are less of us, and then you showed up. I tried to get to the meeting place, but I must have turned back to you, I knew you were here, and you would accept me."

"Breeding," he muttered, "you mean?" He pointed at her stomach and she nodded, "oh boy," he dropped into the seat behind him and looked stricken.

Winter broke slowly that year, taking its time the snow slowly receded from the land to uncover the fields once more. It was a slow process that took even longer in the forest. The little cabin remained covered for a few weeks before the warm sun finally turned ice to water. Nathan had spent months in the cabin, recovering from his wounds and slowly falling in love with Lady Shadow. Shadow Hawk too was falling in love with the gruff soldier as the baby with in her slowly grew, rounding her petit belly after only a short couple months.

Nathan walked out of the house, pausing to stretch, his heavy boots sinking slightly into the soft earth and he smiled as he opened his arms to the sun. "What a beautiful day," he stated and looked back into the house where Shadow was bustling about, tidying up. "Come on my sweet Lady, step out of the shadow and enjoy the warmth."

"I really have to get this done," she muttered and he turned to look at her frowning before he reentered the cabin to sweep her off her feet. She cried in shock and looked up at him as he took the cloth from her hand and tossed it on the table, "Nathan, put me down," she growled playfully.

"Nope," he grinned and headed for the door, "were going out into the sun."

"But the cabin," she motioned to the room as they stepped out into the sun.

"Screw the cabin," he stated loudly and with a grin on his face.

"Nathan," she admoshed immediately.

"I'll build you a new cabin," he laughed, as he set her on her feet, "look around, its spring time, everything is in bloom and perfect, how can you turn that down, hmmm?"

She did look around then smiled, "Alright, but only for a few minutes," she let him lead her towards the field, believing they were the only two in the world, it would be deadly mistake.

The man stormed into his room in the barracks that house his arm, his army, men who did his bidding without question or fail. Smiling darkly he threw his saddle bags to his desk, hearing the thump and the whimpering cry from within, reminding him of his little captive, the pup that had been so violently ripped from her mothers womb. He showed his teeth and snarling smile as he approached the bag and tore open the top yanking free the trembling ball, looking it over.

Eva as she was soon to be called was a small thing of course, not meant to be born yet she was a tiny blood stained creature who's eyes had not yet opened. Her fur though unseen at this time was a beautiful splash of golds and blacks and brown, and she would have pricked ears once they grew a little. Her baby teeth had yet to cut her gum and she mewled in cold protest as the man looked her over.

He was a cruel man, big and broad over the should, dressed impeccably in his uniform, his fingers curled tight into her fur. His men called him Sir, or General, but his name was Culback, and he had no friends, at least not here. He derived pleasure from hurting the helpless, cutting apart women and leaving them to bleed to death as he stole their children from them. He would torture the children in front of their fathers with out remorse, and he surrounded himself with men who were just as cruel.

He sneered at the pup as he thumped her onto his desk top, holding the crying thing to the table top as he reached inside his desk and pulled out an old leather watch strap, strapping the read make shift collar around her neck. It just fit her and he seemed pleased with that as he once more picked up the tiny thing to look at it. It was an abomination, but it was his abomination, and he would teach it to do exactly what he said. He tossed the pup aside as if he had lost interest, the tiny wailing ball of fur landed in a heap near the fire place, the only thing that probably saved its life that night, as the man stomped out of the room shouting for a meal.

Dancing Shadow had begun her life, not with fan fair and love and acceptance like most babies, but with death, hatred and abuse, and it was not by far over, as the whimpering pup curled in a ball near the fire and promptly fell asleep.

Every night the maid bundled the starving pup from the room feeding her goats milk from a spoon being careful to tend her. Such kind treatment soon ended. As Eva grew the man watched her, as soon as she could stand and move around on her own he chased the maid out, warning her to never approach the beast again. He turned back to stare into those bright eyes of the tiny pup that trembled in fear of his touch he approached it with menace, dragging her off the floor by the scruff of her neck, her already much too tight collar was biting into her neck as he examined her, lifting paws and lips and looking her over like a slave master would a labor slave then threw her to the floor.

Eva landed with a yelp and trembled as he drew closer to her looking down at her, his boot moving to nudge her tiny stomach, "Time you learned to hunt for yourself I think," he growled, "Tomorrow we will load you on to the slave ship, you can hunt the rats or starve to death," he grinned and walked away from her. Eva slowly lifted her trembling body from the floor and scampered to the fire place, laying down before the flame watching him with sad eyes as he went to his desk to eat the supper the maid had brought.

He offered her none and spilled nothing before he had a servant come in and remove the tray, and went back to work. A short time later he headed to bed. It was very early morning when Eva found herself being slung roughly into a cock cage meant to house chickens and roosters for long trips. The Lord headed down tot he stable, handing the cage to one of his men, "Take her to the ship, put her below deck, let her hunt the rats," he growled, "no one is to feed her, understood?"

"Yes sir," the man nodded and saluted before taking the cage and heading out. Eva whimpered and cried at the ride to the docks and soon found herself deep in a slave ships bowels, let free to roam the darkness without any light by which to see. Soon enough the ship left port and it wasn't long before the pup became a daily amusement to the men. They pummeled her with what ever they could find on deck to see her scurry to get away, they would bring her on deck, tie her to a rope and toss her over to see how long she could swim beside the big vessel before she would start to drown.

One man was caught carving his initials in her side, he was properly punished with a sever whipping, she was thrown below deck. For three weeks she was on the ship as it sailed, thrown from one end of the vessel to the other in the waves of bad weather, she did manage to catch a few smaller rats here and there, but mainly survived off bugs and knowing on lose pieces of decking. On their fourth week the crew stopped in Rhy-Din, the men drunk within hours of port fall. Sometime through the night the pup found herself in the game of being thrown over board with a bunch of drunk sailors.

She found herself under water, drowning from the weight of the rope when the knot let go and she finally made it to the surface. It would days before anyone would notice the missing pup as the waves carried her to shore, longer still before her old master would find out. By then the tiny pup had found her way to the steps of the Red Dragon Inn, and the sweet smell of food. She was a mess of blood and clumped filthy fur, the collar now so tight it had begun to cut into her skin, her body so thin her ribs protruded and were easily counted from a distance. She did not know what she was, but she knew she was hungry as she limped her way up the stairs and into the inn and what would prove to be her salvation.