Fang

I need to speak to Ian alone without Jane so I enlist the help of the triplets and while they keep her busy at the den just being their usual busy little self’s I head over to the lab.

Ian is not all work all the time and I find him outside with a stick drawing in the sand. He is strange and lives in his mind most of the time but I have learned to accept him as he is and even love him as my uncle and pack brother.

Each time he sees me I see a shadow move over his mind in remembrance of his siblings. I know I have much of my mother’s look in me and from pack memories I can see some resemblance between myself and Quinton. I still hesitate to ask about him not wanting to open any soul wounds that might be too fresh for Ian to handle at the moment.

The long lives the Werewolf’s lead still confuses me. Ian is old much, much older than any wolf I know yet he still seems as young as WildHunt in many ways. I do not know what to make of it. He has tried to explain it to me of course but concedes that I will understand better in time.

I come to him now with some questions of my own and before he can start off with a list of things he wants to show and teach me I interrupt him quickly.

“Uncle Ian I’m worried about Jane.” I get right to the point.

Ian gets me in ways no one else does and taking the most direct route when talking to him saves both of us time.

“Where is she?” He asks concerned.

I don’t know what I would have done had Ian not felt as protective of my Jane as I do. They are two of the most important people in my life and I need both of them equally.

“I left her at the den with the kids. I wanted to talk to you about this alone. I think if she knows she will be mad at me.” I admit sheepishly. “I have been with your pack now a full three moons and . . .” It is hard for me to ask what I need to know.

“Out with it lad.” Ian says throwing the stick down and turning his full attention to me.

“Jane hasn’t been in heat in all that time.” I blurt and if I was in human form I know my face would have been burning the way it did sometimes when I had to ask or do something I felt self-conscious about.

Self-consciousness must be the worst human thing I have learned since finding out I’m partly human. It is also the reason I chose to stay in wolf form for this conversation. In this form I do not need to feel anything but concern about my Jane.

He stares at me for a while then burst out laughing. I growl in frustration. If I had known he would take my concerns so lightly I wouldn’t have bothered asking him. Jane had shown me how to use the google thing and even though little existed of truth on it at least it wouldn’t laugh at me. I turn to leave considering my options.

“Jessie wait!” Ian huffs, chasing after me. “I’m sorry you just caught me by surprise. Please wait.”

I stop but don’t turn to face him. After the birds and the bees talk he had with me I know he has the answer I seek.

“Can I ask why this worries you?” He is genuinely sorry for his outburst and I can’t stay mad at him for very long.

“When I came of age in my old pack DenMother gave me knowledge to use concerning the health of pack members. She didn’t just give me facts about male members but detailed facts about female members too. There are many different reasons for females to stop going into heat each month. Apart from being pregnant which I don’t think Jane could possibly be. If a pack is underfed or there is an especially bad drought or . . .” I take a deep breath about to admit one more reason I am worried about it my hopes for a small pack of my own to fill our big empty den is honestly my strongest motive for asking.

If for some reason she couldn’t have pups I would accept it we have the triplets after all and in time I hope more would join our small packbut if she is sick I need to help her she might not even know she is sick. What would I do if she was sick?

Ian interrupts my internal struggle. “There is no need to worry Jessie. As with the difference in life span Werewolf females have more control over such things compared with human and wolf females.”

Just like that he puts my fears to rest and I relax. Ian smiles knowingly at me and for the first time something about him bothers me.

“Uncle Ian, why don’t you have a small family pack of your own?” I blurt out.

My question makes him very uncomfortable. He wants to answer me but hesitates, an image of Jenny flickers then fades. “I haven’t met my Jane just yet.” He answers turning back to the drawing he was busy with when I arrived.

“Why don’t you come and help me with a little project.” He invites pointing to the ground.

I stare down at a picture of the main eating hall that is used by most of the single members of the pack and run by Grandmother. She frequently invites me to eat with the younger pack members here but I haven’t yet accepted. The drawing shows two entrances one in the front of the building and a smaller one at the back. Above the main entrance is a balcony and it is here that Ian is embellishing. I count five buckets with rope attached standing on the edge of the balcony. Next to the drawing is a list of different things like water/milk/syrup the last crossed out. What on earth is Ian up to?

“It’s Aprils fool’s day tomorrow.” Ian qualifies then reconsiders and explains in more detail noting my expression. “It’s human tradition to play pranks on others on the first day of the month of April. It’s a lot of fun would you like to help me?” His excitement is infections and of course I agree to help him.

After much deliberation we decide to use a mixture of water and flour in the buckets that will be launched by us over the balcony rail onto the unsuspecting lunch goers when they pose in front of the building for a photo Ian arranged to be taken. In this way he plans to not only play a prank on them but also have a photo to commemorate it.

Jane is very curious about how I spend my day when I finally return to the den but I simply avoid telling her Ian’s plan by saying that Ian had some more tests for me. She doesn’t ask for details and I’m glad for that.

Luceel has decided that we should all have a movie night watching her favourite ‘Finding Nemo’. The boys protest vehemently opting for ‘Batman’ and ‘Superman’ we settle for ‘The Lego movie’ a favourite of all three and afterwards take the kids to their home for bed.

Beds are fascinating furniture and I would still like to try and sleep in one but the opportunity had not presented itself and it is oddly enough the only type of furniture Grandfather had not made for us yet. He simply grumbles when I ask about it and avoids the subject.

The next day I anxiously wait for Ian and when he comes to pick me up for our prank I find myself feeling very nervous. Since meeting the triplets I had not shielded myself in order to keep tabs on them I wish I had when Jane sees what we are planning to do.

“Uncle Ian you’re supposed to teach him and be an example not get him into trouble with you.” She growls.

In the end though seeing she will not be able to deter us she joins us in the Land Rover and even helps fill the buckets when we reach the eating hall. Everything is set up perfectly and I itch to push the buckets over the edge when everyone gathers below for the photo.

“One, two, three, NOW!” Ian counts down. The three of us jump up and push. Nothing happens.

The gathered group below moves out of range looking up at us and starts laughing. Then a storm of small bright tiny unknown stuff falls from the roof of the building completely covering the three of us.

“Glitter!”Luceel squeals delighted.

I look up into the triplets faces with a very satisfied Grandmother standing behind them.

“Gotcha!” A yell goes up from the gathered crowned.

Grandfather’s laugh is the loudest and Ian is stunned. “How did you know?” He yells down.

“It wasn’t me.” Grandfather yells up pointing at the roof.

“The triplets read your thoughts.” Jane laughs at us feeling very proud of the little ones.

I can’t help feeling proud of them too. At first Ian is very put out about the whole thing. I see in the pack memory that he has been the only one to play pranks on the rest of the pack for years on this day and that this is the first time that the tables had been turned on him. Then he too joins in the laughter.

I am glad for this simply day of fun and laughter dreading the next couple of days. Grandfather and by default that includes me now heard that the Tribunal member would show up any day now.