Firebrand and Livewire

      "Snar, this is a Neomail from Aditi," Inc said.

      Snar flared out her large ears, looking faintly surprised. "You mean the first stranger that you ever met?"

      "Also the first Lupe besides my own pack and the first human owned 'pet."

      "She influenced your life in such a big way. I didn't know you kept in touch with her."

      "That's the thing, I haven't! Wait, is that jealousy I hear in your voice?"

      "You wish!"

      The Lupe and Elephante looked at each other for a long moment, saying more than words ever could. Then, Snar gestured to the letter that Inc still held, asking him to continue.

      "It seems that my reputation has proceeded me. Aditi has heard of the Collared Greens. She'd like her fourteen year old daughter to be a Collared Green."

      "She isn't a wild Lupe."

      "I know. I'm going to allow it, just this once. One last thing, I'm so glad you're here, Snar. This new young Lupe is named Livewire."

      "Firebrand and Livewire? Life is going to be interesting."

      "Very interesting."

     ~ ~ ~

      "Hey, Adino! A new Lupe is here!" Brandi said, spotting her Uncle Inc and a young faerie Lupe, probably around her age, Brandi guessed.

      Brandi and Adino exchanged a glance. This was no wild Lupe. She also wasn't family, Brandi knew.

      "What is she doing here?"

      "This is for wild Lupes."

      "She probably doesn't even know what wild means."

      The other young Lupes had also noticed the new arrival and they were just as curious as Brandi and Adino. The Collared Greens moved forward as the pack they were. Perhaps it wasn't what it looked like? All of them looked at their alpha attentively, ears pricked forward.

      "Everyone, this is Livewire. She is the newest Collared Green to join our pack," Alpha Inc said, one hand on the faerie Lupe's shoulder.

      It was exactly what it looked like! They may not have been happy about it but none of them spoke up. Their alpha's word was accepted without question. Alpha Inc left them all alone then. Moving as one, Agam and Brandi moved forward.

      The brown Lupe was one of the oldest Lupes in the pack. He and Brandi were the official greeters for the CGs. Bringing in someone new wasn't easy and they smoothed the transition.

      "Welcome the Collared Greens, Livewire," Agam said.

      "Livvy. I hate being called Livewire," the faerie Lupe said, wrinkling her nose.

      "Livvy! Agam will make introductions and I'll be right back," Brandi said with a warm smile.

      AS she fetched a green collar, Brandi recalled when she received hers. What a day that had been! She loved her packmates and wearing the collar identified her as one of them, Aisha that she was. Getting a collar was all part of the experience.

      "Here you are, Livvy," Brandi said, presenting the green collar to the faerie Lupe with both hands.

      Livvy wrinkled her nose again, as if she smelled something rotten. "What is that?"

      "It's your green collar. All of us wear them," Agam explained, tugging lightly on his own.

      "Well, I'm not going to wear that. My scarf is so much better."

      Agam and Brandi exchanged a startled glance.

      "It's a good thing she thinks so. I much prefer the collar," Juzi said in a whisper to his older sister, Lavender.

      "I agree," Lavender whispered back.

      Sky snorted, yellow eyes glittering with amusement. If Livvy noticed, she didn't give any sign. Brandi put the collar away and came back to the other Lupes. None of them looked happy. Seeing her, Agam hurried over.

      "Brandi, I don't know who this Livvy thinks she is but she is impossible!" Agam exclaimed.

      "Impossible? How is that?" Brandi asked, raising one eyebrow.

      "She isn't wild."

      "Neither am I."

      "It's hardly the same thing! You fit into our pack. She doesn't even want to!"

      At this, Brandi flicked her ears. She let her gaze slide over to the faerie Lupe.

      "Alright, I'll talk to her," Brandi said.

      "Great!" Agam said with a wag of his tail and a happy smile.

      Brandi wrinkled her nose at the brown Lupe. Then, she walked over to Livvy. The faerie Lupe smiled at her but then her gaze slid past her and a pouty look crossed her face.

      "I don't mind talking to another civilized girl but I'm not talking to a wild boy," Livvy said, wrinkling her nose (oh how Brandi hated that!)

      The orange Aisha looked over her shoulder. Adino stood beside her, as he usually did. She was always grateful for his support.

      "Adino doesn't talk," Brandi said, flicking one ear.

      "I don't care! I only talk with other girls," Livvy said.

      "Adino..."

      The impassive expression never left the silver Lupe's face. He gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head. Then, he turned and walked away. Brandi turned her attention back to Livvy. She could see why Agam had called the young Lupess impossible.

      To Brandi, Livvy was just difficult. Firstly, she didn't want to be there. Then, to be tossed in amongst a bunch of strangers wasn't easy. Not to mention, she had nothing in common with any of them. That was an intimidating situation for anyone, especially a teenager.

      Brandi hoped that all it took was for her to reach out to Livvy to turn the situation around.

      "So, Livvy, would you feel more comfortable if we were chillin' in the bedroom?" Brandi offered.

      The word chillin' felt odd on the Aisha's tongue. It was one that she rarely used but she figured that using familiar slang would help Livvy relax.

      "Bedroom? You mean there's only one? In that big house?" Livvy exclaimed, eyes wide.

      "Well, no, there's two. One for the Collared Greens and one for my uncle and aunt," Brandi explained.

      "No, I can't sleep in a communal bedroom!"

      As they talked, they also walked inside. Brandi could only look on in shock as Livvy stalked past her and towards the front of the house.

      "Wait, where are you going?" Brandi called, following after the faerie Lupe.

      "I have to talk to Inc," Livvy said over her shoulder.

      "You will address me as Alpha Inc, Livewire."

      The two young 'pets stopped in their tracks. Inc stood in front of them. Livvy raised her head and stared at Inc.

      "I have to talk to you, Alpha Inc," Livvy said.

      Brandi heard no respect in the young Lupess' tone. She bristled on her uncle's behalf but she knew he was quite capable of taking care of himself. The yellow Lupe clasped his hands in front of him, expression unreadable.

      "I'm listening, Livvy. What do you wish to speak with me about," Inc said, inclining his head slightly.

      "I can't sleep in the same room as everybody else," Livvy exclaimed.

      "Why not?"

      "I hate sharing!"

      "Yes, so I've already been informed. Your mother shared with me many reasons why she was sending you here."

      "So you're not going to give me my own room?"

      "No."

      Letting out a frustrated cry, Livvy stomped her foot and stalked off. A door slammed. Brandi moved to her uncle's side and squeezed his hand. He squeezed back before Brandi moved away.

     With a sigh, she went after Livvy.

      The faerie Lupe was in the CGs' bedroom. Having already thought of this, Brandi knew that Livvy would not sleep across the room between two strangers, where the only empty bed was. Quickly, she moved to her own bed, Adino's beside her.

      "Here, Livvy. You can lay on my bed," Brandi said, waving one hands towards her bed.

      To Brandi's relief, Livvy complied, flaring out her pink wings and fluffing up the pillow in her arms. Brandi flopped onto her best friend's bed, comforted by Adino's scent wreathing around her. She hated that her time was being monopolized by another Lupe but for the good of the pack... Giving herself a mental shake, Brandi refocused her attention on Livvy. She was surprised to see how unhappy Livvy looked.

      "I know you don't want to be here, Livvy but can't you just make the best of it?" Brandi suggested.

      Livvy looked mutinous. "No! If I 'make the best of it', I'll have to stay here longer!"

      "OK, I get that. You sound like me when my family has to visit the Torches."

      "Who are the Torches?"

      "My cousins."

      From there, the two teenaged girls talked and talked and talked.

      "Girl, you need a makeover," Livvy said.

      "What do you mean?" Brandi asked.

      "I mean that your hair is too short and your clothes are all wrong. Short hair can't be styled well and your clothes are too plain."

      "There's nothing wrong with my look!"

      "Girls, it's dinnertime."

      The Lupe and Aisha turned and saw Snar at the door. Brandi let out a mental sigh of relief. She had gotten to know Livvy better and found that they had a few things in common. Was it enough for the faerie Lupe to relax and become pack? Brandi hoped so.

      The orange Aisha was happy to be among the joyful noise of the other Collared Greens. Having Adino sit beside her was even better. She smiled broadly at him and was rewarded with a small smile back. Dinner was quick, as it always was with Lupes. Brandi's hope was dashed when Livvy didn't interact with any of the others.

      After dinner, the young Lupes spread out, most of them giving Brandi sympathetic looks. She wanted to rejoin her packmates but she felt tied to Livvy. Difficult as it was, she couldn't give up, yet. What happened if she failed? They would all have to live with the 'impossible' Lupe; Brandi shuddered at the thought.

      Livvy and Brandi sat on the couch. While Brandi enjoyed talking as much as the next 'pet, just talking was so boring! She struggled to focus on the conversation. She found her gaze drawn to Adino. Without her to include him, he remained on the edge of the group, ever the observer.

      "How can you be his friend, anyway? He doesn't talk, you said. He doesn't look like any fun," Livvy said.

      "He chooses not to speak. He can but doesn't. He communicates just fine without words. He's my best friend," Brandi said, shifting her gaze back to Livvy.

      "I don't know what that feels like."

      "I know. I'm lucky to have Adino in my life. I also know it's hard, Livvy but if you allow yourself to get to know us, really know us, then we could become your friends, your pack. To be pack is what it feels like to have a best friend. To know you have someone else's loyalty and support. We'll accept you for you, Livvy but it works both ways. It's up to you to decide."

      With that, Brandi got up and raced towards her friends, leaping on Adino. He rolled with her, surprise and delight in his eyes as he gently pushed her away. Then, they joined in the game, as packmates did. Brandi could feel Livvy's gaze on her as well as her puzzlement and reluctance. None of the others paid any attention to the faerie Lupe.

      "Thank you for trying, Brandi," Agam said.

      "May I join you?"

      Brandi was about to respond to Agam when they were interrupted... by Livvy! The brown Lupe and orange Aisha were very surprised by the faerie Lupe's question but they didn't miss a beat.

      "Sure thing! You can go next," Agam said with a toothy grin.

      "Have you ever been bowling before," Brandi asked, now standing at Livvy's shoulder.

      "No, never," Livvy said, shaking her head.

      "It's easy to learn and loads of fun!"

      "It looks like fun."

      Brandi was pleased that she had helped Livvy get to this point. As she helped her new friend learn how to bowl, she looked forward to having Livvy as a Collared Green.

     ~ ~ ~

      Inc and Snar watched Livvy play with the other Collared Greens.

      "How did I know that it would be Brandi that would make the difference?" Inc asked.

      "You always know. Livvy isn't like the others and neither is Brandi. Our niece is special indeed," Snar said.

      "I'm glad Livvy has made the transition. You know this doesn't guarantee smooth sailing."

      "Of course not. We just have to take each day, each new problem as it comes. We can handle anything."

      "Including Firebrand and Livewire."

The End