For There Was One

Pack Mentality (or I think that bus is ruined)

Rose stirred slowly, warm and comfortable on a soft, dry surface that smelled of oak and pine needles. It was only the strange sense of loneliness that prompted her to sit up and look around her. She was at the back of a small cave, the same one she quickly realised, that she had woken up at the mouth of on the morning of the last full moon. The soil floor of the cave was covered over with soft pine needles, the greenness of them showing how recently they had been placed. Where she had been lying there was a faint depression in the ground, and next to it, on the side closest to the entrance, was a larger disturbance and a faint smell of someone or something that was almost familiar, but just outside the reach of her memories.

Rose frowned to herself, trying to remember how she had gotten there. The last time she had woken in the Preserve she had felt surprisingly calm for being in the middle of the forest rather than her bed where she had gone to sleep. But in that calmness, she had not questioned anything aside from generally wondering what was wrong with her. This time, she had faint recollections of panic and reassurance, and now she felt lonely like there had been someone else with her who had now left.

Her hand froze where it was rubbing her forehead as she remembered the only clear thing she could. The reactions of her brother and his best friend when they discovered what she was. It was this reaction, one of terrified horror, that Rose had been hoping to avoid.

What would they think of her now? Some monster to be gotten rid of or killed? It wouldn't be difficult if Scott found out that his girlfriend's father was a person who killed things like her for, well, probably not for fun, but certainly as a pastime. She didn't even notice that she was building herself into a panic until she heard a low whine leave her throat, which cut off abruptly when upon realising the origin of the noise.

Deciding that if anything was going to happen, she was going to face it head on, rather than creeping around, avoiding people when she could and trying not to draw any attention to himself, Rose got up, walking back through the forested preserve towards home.

~{•.•}~

It was midmorning by the time Rose got home, and her panic had settled to form a nauseous, heavy weight in her gut. The lack of a car on the driveway of the house told Rose that her mother was at work, taking the shift that she had swapped for so she could see Scott play his first lacrosse game. Rose felt a brief stab of guilt that she had missed the match, but that was quickly smothered by the anxiousness she felt. It was fortunate that it was a Sunday and so she was not missing school, because then her mum would definitely know something was wrong, rather than only possibly having been told something by Scott and Stiles.

Rose was thankful that she was the pyjamas she had changed into the previous night consisted of a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a soft cotton shirt in the winter months, so she didn't look too out of place walking up to the front door of her house. At least, as long as no one noticed she didn't have anything on her feet or that her shirt was a little too thin to be worn without a jacket in this weather. She was also glad that a spare key was kept in one of the hanging plants, or she would have to start keeping a key around her neck in case she appeared in any more strange places.

"Scott? Stiles?" Rose entered the house warily, calling out to see if either boy was in. Not getting a response, the curly-haired were stopped to listen, picking up the sound of two heartbeats, soft breathing, and the swishing sound of someone waving for quiet in the front room. She sighed, thankful that it was only the two boys, who both smelled more of worry and curiosity than the sharp tang of fear, and trudged towards them, knowing that they would probably have questions.

Rose had barely gotten a foot in the room before Stiles opened his mouth to fire questions at her, but, expecting something from him, she interrupted,