We joined our guests in our common room. Everyone was talking in excited whispers. It was hard to concentrate on one conversation.
Councilwoman Cassie came over to me. "Lets go feed Mom."
I nodded.
Paddy kissed my cheek. "I have Pearl, go before she is hungry again."
"All right."
I left with my other children. We went to the spiral staircase and hunted along the ridge. I feed on two deer to the delight of my children. I think they were a little worried up until then.
We moved swiftly along the ridge running back to the cave.
We entered my quarters to find our family with Wilbert and Mikalia everyone else had left. Gen was holding Pearl, she was cooing to her. "Your skin glows like your Mama's." Pearl smiled.
"Good now that you are back," Shaun said to the four of us, "The Councils have decided to build log cabins along the river and in Manimal Keep. It is to provide extra protection for the cave. The families in these log cabins will rotate with the ones in the cave."
"Like we did before." I said.
"Yes Kylie," Shaun nodded, "The Councils feel with this extra protection we might be able to stop some of the people with their creature trackers."
"I will be doing the same with my family as much as it saddens me. Our family will have to spread out across Europe and Asia." Wilbert told us. "We are very concentrated in Leon. It would not be hard for anyone to find us."
"It seems the Councils feel the same way about the cave." Shaun said.
"How many cabins does the Councils want?" Cory asked.
"I am not sure Cory. We will be having a meeting about that later this week." Shaun told him. Cory nodded.
"You are always talking about log cabins Cory, may I see one?" Wilbert asked.
"Of course Wilbert, I will show you the Vampire Councils' cabins on the lake." They left for the lake.
Colleen was holding Pearl. "Mikalia you have not held Pearl yet." Colleen placed her in Mikalia's arms. Pearl turned into a kitten. Mikalia gasped. "What did I do?"
"Nothing Mikalia. This is normal with shapeshifters babies. There is always someone that will make the baby shift." Colleen told her.
"Oh that is so exciting. Now I understand why everyone is so anxious to hold her." She nodded.
"It is never the same person." Shaun said.
"Oh my!"
Pearl started sucking on her hand. "Kylie she is hungry again."
"All right Mikalia." I took her and went into my bedroom to feed her. I looked at her closely she was only six hours old but she looked like a month old. She was growing as fast as her brothers and sister.
I walked out of my bedroom a few minutes later. "Mama we are going to feed with Mikalia." Councilwoman Cassie said.
"All right."
Paddy and I walked behind the group that was feeding. Pearl wiggled her arm out of her blanket and pointed at the stars. She giggled.
As our family and Mikalia started to feed on their kill Pearl started to smack her lips then her eyes turned gold.
"She smells the blood." Paddy said glancing at her. I nodded then waited for everyone to be done feeding. Paddy held the deer while I held Pearl at its neck to feed. She took a mouthful then stopped to taste it. A few minutes later, she gulped down several mouthfuls. She hummed when she was full. Paddy and I looked at each other smiling. She smacked her lips then snuggled into my shoulder and fell asleep.
We returned to our quarters, I put Pearl in her cradle. Whenever I came to check on her I could see the slight changes in her. It has always amazed me on how fast shifters grow.
Pearl slept for twelve hours. She was very hungry when she woke up. I nursed her then Paddy and I took her out to fed. This became our routine until she was able to walk and run with us.
At two months she was the size of a six year old. Pearl started going with her brothers to feed. Missy had gone with them one time when they returned Missy quietly walked up to me, "Grandma," she purred. "Aunt Pearl does not change."
"I know Missy, she is too young yet. She will soon."
"How soon?"
"In the next few months when she is as tall as you." Missy's eyes sprung open. She looked at Pearl then me then back to Pearl. "That fast Grandma?"
Quinn walked into the kitchen. "Yes and just like you." He told her.
"Really Papa?"
"Yes really." He kissed her forehead.
"Can I teach her how to change?"
"Maybe it depends if she has trouble shifting."
"Oh." She stuck her lip out.
"Missy what is wrong?" Her father asked.
"I want to teach her something."
"You will give her time. I am sure there will be something to teach her eventually."
Shaun walked into our quarters. He poked his head into the kitchen. "I have something to tell everyone. Come into the common room please."
We followed him into the common room.
"All right I have just come from the Council chamber. They want us to go to Europe in the Spring. They have spoken to Pedro about his ship. They are very pleased that it will only take a month to cross the ocean. The plan is to be gone three months. Two will be for travelling and one month for visiting Europe."
We all cheered.
While we waited anxiously for Spring to come Pearl grew into a fine young lady. We also started building log cabins that the Council want for our extra protection.
Pearl started shifting when she was ten months old Paddy, Quinn, Missy, John, Council members Cassie and Samuel and their children Ramon and Patricia were helping Pearl shift into different animals. It was good practice for her.
I could see she was becoming frustrated. Paddy noticed also. "Pearl what is it ?"
"None of you have shifted into what I keep seeing in my head."
"Oh?" Paddy held my hand. He smiled at me. "Can you tell me what it looks like?"
She closed her eyes. "It has talons of an Eagle, huge wings of an Albatross, scales like a Snake with a long tail."
"What colour are the eyes?" Quinn asked smiling.
"Gold." She whispered.
"Come to the main square." Paddy said to her. He never let go of my hand, my body was becoming quite warm by the time we reached the end of the corridor. I was sweating. "Ready?" Paddy whispered. I nodded as we embraced. He finished the process of shifting me into a dragon. Paddy shift too.
"That is exactly what I keep seeing." Pearl said excitedly pointing to us.
I bent down and picked Pearl up in my claws. She squealed with excitement. "Mama how...I did not... I do not understand." I placed her back on the ground.
Paddy and I hugged each other as dragons. He shifted us back. I collapsed onto the floor. Paddy picked me up. "It has been a long time." Paddy said.
"Almost seventy years." I whispered.
"What is wrong with Mama?" Pearl asked worriedly.
"She is not used to shifting." Quinn told her.
