• It was her first day at this new school and already the American’s Federal Agents had found her. They knew who and what she was, but it wasn’t as if she didn’t stand out with her sun bleached short brown hair that stuck out everywhere, her amber eyes with pupils that flickered from a human’s to a cat’s, or her average sized, wiry body that only hinted at the amazing muscle underneath.

    When there was a call for her to bring her things down to the office she stood up and began to put her stuff away, but stiffened for a split second as two of the boys, Max and James, were called down as well. She sighed inwardly, but led the way out. Once in the hall she found her long time friend, Nasuma -- or as the humans new him, Train-- waiting for her. He too stood out since he was tall and handsome, but looked threatening at the same time with his dark green eyes and black hair. Nasuma bowed his head in greeting and then they began to walk with the boys following. After getting a good ways away from the classrooms so as not to be heard she turned and looked first at James, the tall jock, then at the slightly shorter black clad Max, and said, “When we get into the office your parents are not going to be there. Do not say a word and no matter what you see do not do anything. I’ll explain later, but for now just listen. This is Train, and if push comes to shove either keep close to him or me. Got it?”

    They both looked like they were going to protest, but a glare from Panther – Lina – silenced them. She turned and strode the final steps into the office and found two men sitting casually in the waiting chairs. They both had shades on and as the small group strode in they both stood up expectantly. One was slightly taller than the other and looked far more menacing with bulking muscles under his long sleeve shirt. There was no one else in the room and Panther smiled. “Where’s our lovely secretary? Shouldn’t we sign our names before we leave?”

    Both men smiled evily back and the taller one said, “That won’t be necessary, they stepped out for a moment. You’ll be coming with us. Please do not make this difficult, Miss.”

    Panther shrugged and gestured for them to lead the way. They walked out to the parking lot and loaded the teenagers into a large silver car. Max and James sat split between Panther and Nasuma and both looked uncomfortable for the full hour long ride.

    The car pulled into a hotel parking lot and next they were being bustled through the back entrance and into a large hotel room. Both men sat down on one of the beds and Panther leaned back into the couch from the floor. James and Max sunk into the cushions on either side of her head and Train remained standing.

    Panther leaned back into the couch and said, “Go ahead and ask your questions, gentlemen.”

    The shorter of the men turned and pulled out a laptop from a bag at his feet. Panther waited until the man asked, “How old are you?”

    She smiled and answered, “A little older than three thousand years. Way before your flimsy government was put into place.”

    Both stiffened, but the man with the laptop typed down the answer and continued, “Why did you not appear before? Why have you not helped in our wars?”

    Panther’s smile was wiped off and she said icily, “If I had participated in your damn wars the human race would be completely wiped off the planet right now. You Americans cannot seem to realize what kind of power I hold and that you will not tame it no matter how hard you try. Even now I can kill you all with a single word. I do not wish to associate myself in the wars, when to me you’re just children fighting.”

    The tapping of the keyboard stalled for a moment and then continued. The tall man now said cockily, “I believe that you will help us with this new addition to the situation.”

    A large group of men in black stormed in with something being carried between a few of them. Inside a kennel was a young black bear. It swung around in circles growling for help, but threw itself at the cage door when it saw Panther. She turned and said calmly, “I would release him if I were you. If I see or smell his blood, you’re all dead. You agreed to leave it with just us. No others were to be involved.”

    The man without the laptop set an evil grin and said, “You don’t seem to realize the situation. We have the fire power to kill these boys and your bear. You may be immortal, but they are not.”

    Somewhere among the men there was a *kachak* as he fixed his gun into a ready position. Panther made no move, but suddenly there was a rough human hand reaching through the bars of the cage and pushing the door open. A wiry muscled teenager with black hair and brown eyes climbed out and stood straight in his ragged clothing. All guns became trained on him, but he just grinned and growled in a husky voice, “Mind if I have some fun, Panther?”

    Panther smiled back and nodded. “Just don’t kill anyone, Ransh.”

    His grin grew and then he was a whirling blur as man by man fell. Soon only laptop and big mouth were left and Panther said, “If you try to harm my people again, I will hunt you down and the outcome will not be pleasant, yes?”

    They both nodded and Panther walked to the door around the unconscious humans. Her friend followed and after a moment the boys sitting on the couch trailed as well. They grabbed their bags and once out in the hallway, Panther said, “I’ll answer your questions as well, but first we need to get somewhere more private . . . . Sorry for disturbing you, Ransh. Please give my regards to Nightstorm.” The boy nodded and then was suddenly gone. The group remaining continued to the door, but Panther stiffened as they reached the parking lot and growled, “Nasuma, take James and Max to our place and wait. I’ll catch up soon.”

    Nasuma nodded and then the boys were gone in a blur. Panther let all facades drop and as the black armored van pulled into the lot, she spiraled through the air and smashed the front of the vehicle with her fist. She jumped back lightly and all the bullets that came in reaction glanced off her skin without making a scratch.

    They had one of her own in that car and she was getting it back. She stalked around to the back door and wrenched it off its hinges. Inside another cage was a grey wolf pup that was no older than a year. It attempted at a pitiful growl, but stopped when it saw her. More black clothed men inside began to rain hell on her, but still the bullets had no effect and Panther gracefully leapt into the van. She kicked and threw all that got in her way and when she reached the pup there was a nine year old child sitting in its place. She swept him up into her arms and shielded him as she jumped out of the car. Anger swelled from her chest, but as she suppressed it, the feeling swarmed into a new form. Black wings sprouted from her back and tore large holes in the new school uniform, but she didn’t care. She was airborne before the fighters that were still conscious could even react and her wings swept at the air powerfully, making her rise higher with each stroke.

    In seconds she was past the city’s big buildings and was heading towards the small suburbs. She hovered above the designated house and after checking to make sure there were no witnesses she folded in her wings and dropped through the open roof window. The drop was a good two hundred feet, but she made no sound as she landed lightly in the middle of the living room where her guests were waiting with Nasuma. They both jumped and stared at her while she continued to hug the small boy in her arms. She turned and sized up the thin jock and the dark boy as if they were threats and after a moment Nasuma sighed and said, “Put him down, Panther. He needs to go to his mother and you need to calm down. No one is going to hurt the Furlen here.”

    Panther stared at him blankly for a moment and then put the child down. He turned back into a wolf pup and ran down a set of stairs into the basement. Panther continued standing and after a moment James said, “You said you’d explain . . . . Can you explain why there don’t seem to be any personal items in this house or why those men were threatening us, Lina?”

    She sat down on the ground and Nasuma stood behind her. She sighed and answered, “To begin with, my name isn’t Lina, it’s Panther and this is Nasuma . . . . This is a house that we use as a cover so teachers and others don’t wonder what our life style is like outside of school, but it is not our home. We live in a much less human infested place. Being here is not within my best wishes, but I have my reasons for making Nasuma stay here with me . . . and as for those men, they’re trying to manipulate me into making this country dominant. I’m sorry that they brought you along, but they seem to have a source telling them why I’m even in public and what you two have to do with that. I have a pretty good guess who, but until further notice this is all I can tell you. Any more questions?”

    James spoke again and asked, “What are you?”

    She smiled grimly and answered, “Everything.”