A lump thickened in my throat to the point I couldn't swallow. "Ten thousand views?"

  "Folks can't figure out if the video's fake or not," Jayce said, scrolling the comments. "It's started a whole debate. This is like 'what color is the dress' all over again."

  John closed the fridge, then walked across the living room and sat in his recliner. He leaned forward and locked eyes with me. "Promise me you will never do that again."

  I swallowed. "What do you think is going to happen?"

  John leaned back and shrugged. "I've seen stuff like this before. Usually turns out fine. Nobody cares what color the dress is once the debate stops being entertaining. Just… promise me you'll confine your shifts to this house."

  I looked at him and clenched my jaw. "I… promise."

  John clenched his jaw, then rexed and breathed. "Look," he said, "I think you need something to keep you busy. That job at the mill. Art, the mill's G.M., said you could come by any time. Wants to see if you've got what it takes. We both know you do. Why don't both of you come to the mill today? We'll put you to work. Maybe make a little money? Keep your mind active." He looked away. "I know that helps me."

  It was as good as anything else. "Alright, John."

  He nodded, then leaned back in his recliner and looked at his phone. I walked over next to Jayce. My chest was thick with guilt and fear. I'd put everything on the line. And for what? Sun on fur? I watched John chew his lip, scrolling on his phone. Sun on fur wasn't worth this.

  "Hey," Jayce said, nudging my shoulder. "Feeling like… being human? For a minute, at least?"

  I sighed. "What do you have in mind?"

  A smile crossed Jayce's face. "An old game. One we haven't pyed in ages."

  "Oh?"

  "Hide-n-seek. Rockport edition."

  "Wait… like the whole town?"

  "Yep. Rules are important, though. All of Rockport is in-bounds, the trail, and our house."

  "You're going to go hide…"

  "And you're going to count to three hundred, then come get me. If I get home before you tag me, I win."

  I liked the sound of this game. Brought back memories of our childhood.

  "What's the winner get?" I asked.

  "Bragging rights."

  I ughed. "I guess that's about all we've got, isn't it? Okay. Deal."

  "Go change. Let's have some fun."

  I smiled and nodded, then walked to our room, beginning the process of stuffing myself into my human-suit. The pressure built beneath my skin, worse than before, but I breathed and managed to get through it once again. My head swam briefly as the pressure stabilized.

  I emerged from the bedroom wearing a hoodie, jeans, and my favorite sneakers—ones I certainly didn't want to destroy. Jayce stood near the front door, leaning against the back of John's recliner, spinning something in his hand. I walked up to him and saw what he was twirling.

  "You're going to wear this."

  "A blindfold? Seriously? Do you want me to die?"

  Jayce crossed his arms. "Dude. You're different now. We don't know how much, but if even a fraction of what you are as a lion followed you to human, you're gonna whoop my butt at this game."

  "Bro, I'm human right now. My senses aren't that good."

  "They're good enough."

  "I'm going to run into a tree."

  "You'll be fine."

  Jayce tied the bandana tightly around my head, double yering it over my eyes. Then he grabbed me by the shoulders and said, "No peeking."

  "Okay. Unless we end the game early or… I don't know, you start screaming or something."

  "If I start screaming like a little girl, you can pull it off."

  "Deal," I said.

  "Now count. And no peeking!"

  I counted. The front door opened then smmed. Jayce's footsteps thumped away from the house until the noise disappeared entirely.

  John chuckled from the recliner.

  "What?" I asked.

  "You're still gonna win."

  "You think so? Why?"

  "Because," John said, as if the answer was obvious. "You're a shifter."

  "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

  John lowered his voice to a whisper. "You don't need to look like a lion to hunt like one. Trust your senses. You'll get him."

  I stood there for a moment. Trust my senses? Then a thought. Jayce had a musk of his own. I'd always noticed it on his clothing, but I'd never thought to use it to track him. Something primal awakened inside me. I was excited, likely more than I should have been.

  My mental countdown expired. The hunt was on.

  I found the front door, groped for the knob, then went through it. Then things got real. I didn't have the yard memorized in detail, or the trail. I knew the yard was dotted with trees, each of which would eagerly knock me over without warning. I knew how to move by sight. But smell? Hearing? I breathed, trying to ignore the pressure beneath my skin.

  Move carefully. Follow his scent.

  I focused, then I realized Jayce's aroma lingered in the air like a trail, surprisingly strong. I stepped forward and almost instantly tripped on a root.

  "This is stupid. I can't do this." Then I thought. "Wait. I wonder…"

  I reached down and slipped my sneakers off. The moment my toes touched the ground, a sixth sense lit up. The earth was alive beneath me. Every creature sent small shivers through the soil. Somewhere distant a train rumbled, too far to hear, but I could feel it. The rumbles were different near trees. All I could think was the mass of the tree vibrated differently than the dirt, so areas with trees felt distinctly more solid than pces with more dirt. Rocks felt different too. The rattle was less moist. Firmer, more crystalline.

  I breathed long and slow, letting my senses stabilize. And then, I knew where I was. Exactly. I stepped forward. Then again. I knew where the trail was and I walked straight to it. Jayce's scent lingered. I walked faster as my senses acclimated, down the center of the trail. I felt the roots without touching them. I sensed the woods, though I saw nothing. Jayce's scent got stronger. Reminder for ter: tell him to shower more often.

  The vibrations changed. I was out of the tree line. Rockport must be in front of me. I kept walking. The vibrations from the distant train got sharply high pitched. I must be near the train tracks. Then I felt rock, wood, and steel ribbons pass beneath my feet; the tracks were now behind me.

  The gravel hurt my feet, so I stepped gently. Gravel or pavement, feet or pads: sharp things hurt regardless. Walking barefoot had its costs, but they were worth it.

  Then I realized I had just walked from John's house to Rockport blindfolded and didn't trip once. A wide grin spread across my face. A warm satisfaction flooded my chest. I wasn't used to this feeling, but I liked it.

  I reached Main Street and took a step onto the asphalt. Jayce's scent diminished sharply. No, he hadn't gone across the street. He was somewhere on this side. I turned to the right and kept pacing forward on the grassy strip between the street and the tracks.

  My cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I fished it out and pressed the answer button from memory. "Hello?"

  "Dude. How are you doing that? You are so looking."

  "Oh. So you can see me?"

  "You're cheating. Admit it."

  "No. I can feel everything. It's freaky and weird and amazing. And you smell. Like I can really smell you. Give up yet?"

  "Never. Come get me, Asn."

  My phone beeped. Call over. He saw me. I was getting close. I think he wanted me to win, because he could have backtracked or rolled in dirt, or done something else crazy to throw me off.

  A slight breeze tickled my skin and the scent trail vanished. I stopped, breathing deeply, spinning in a circle. Nothing.

  I sighed. "What do I do now?"

  For a moment, I was tempted to give up. I reached for the blindfold, but then paused and set my jaw. "I can do this."

  I exhaled then pressed my toes into the grass. I felt a series of thumps from somewhere. I knew Rory's Bar was across the street. I could hear locals milling about and rock music pying inside. A few rger thumps that I assumed were doors closing, maybe inside the Sheriff's office? Sheriff Rawlins could be working tonight. I decided to check.

  My feet navigated the curb onto the street. I paused, sensing. No cars were coming. I crossed, following the cracks in the sidewalk to the other side. My hand found the reserved parking sign outside the Sheriff's office. I hadn't bumped into his patrol car. Ergo, Sheriff's office was probably empty.

  Sheriff Mark Rawlins was a legend in Rockport. His trademark was his white moustache and short stiff gait. To me, he'd always looked like a frustrated walrus.

  I sniffed the air, deeply.

  "Hey," said a gravelly voice.

  I yelped and danced backward. Where had that voice come from?

  "Hey?" I said nervously.

  "Everything okay?" the voice asked.

  "Yeah. Everything's great. Just pying a game."

  "A game?"

  I peeled up the edge of the bandana. The voice belonged to a man who looked to be in his mid-forties. He was short, balding and had old sneakers that were split at the sides due to his excessive weight. He wore a faded white button-up shirt that had grayed around the colr. Confusion was pstered across his weathered face.

  He stared at me. The silence got awkward fast. I extended a hand. "Hi. I'm Alex."

  "Alex," he said. "Wait. Alex?" I saw confusion turn to recognition. "Is your dad John?"

  "Kind of. Why?"

  "I'm Art."

  Art? John's boss? The mill's General Manager? Talk about bad first impressions. I smiled, but inside I was dying.

  "What are you doing stumbling around Rockport at night?" He looked down. "Barefoot?"

  "I… uh… my brother… Jayce. He dared me to find him."

  Art's face twisted. "Blindfolded?"

  I winced. "Yeah?"

  His unibrow arched. "Okaaay." I expected him to say something else, but instead he turned and disappeared into Rory's Bar.

  I groaned and rubbed my neck. "Dude thinks I'm a freak."

  I blew out a breath, shook off the discomfort and refocused, pulling the blindfold back over my eyes. I raised my nose into the air and sniffed. Every trace of Jayce's scent had vanished. What was I going to do now? I steadied my breath and concentrated on the vibrations.

  Footfalls. Steady and even. High frequency vibrations. Too much noise from inside Rory's. I needed to move away from that. I walked down the sidewalk passing the Sheriff's office and stood at the corner of River and Main just outside Kim's General Store. Here it was much more peaceful. I felt the tumult of the Kookumchuk river flowing behind the row of Main Street buildings. The occasional car whooshed past on the highway across the river.

  But there was a vibration that stuck out. A shuffle, stop, shuffle movement. It didn't fit the other vibrations I'd felt. What would cause a vibration like that? The only thing I could think of was Jayce.

  I concentrated. I could feel the vibration in my right foot slightly before my left. So I turned. Now I felt them at the same time.

  "Radar feet. Cool," I whispered.

  I crossed River Street and walked toward the town's small park.

  Suddenly, shooting pain erupted in my right foot. "Gah!" I danced sideways. Must have stepped on a rock or something. I brushed the bottom of my foot off, feeling for any punctures. Not finding any, I walked carefully to the curb.

  Rockport's park was small: only a gazebo bordered by a white picket fence and some grass. I stepped over the curb and felt the plush grass of the park beneath my feet. It was quiet except for a rustling behind the gazebo. I stepped forward, pressing my feet firmly to the ground. The rustling stilled.

  "Jayce?" I called, breathing deep once again. The wind blew from behind me, which didn't help me detect anything in the park. But it did confirm he wasn't on Main street; I'd have smelled something.

  "You're there, aren't you?"

  A shuffle in the bushes.

  "Just say it's you."

  A familiar chuckle came from straight ahead. Then the sound of sneakers peeling out on grass. I'd found him. And he was running. He wanted to get back to the house before I tagged him!

  Every footfall sent shockwaves through my senses. I knew exactly where he was. I turned and ran, following my radar feet directly after him. His scent fred in my nostrils, strong and close. Left, right, straight. I was directly behind him now.

  My ears took over. I heard his feet on the dirt, then gravel, then grass. He was running up the embankment toward the tracks, then the trail. My feet ate up the distance between us, sensing every knot, pebble, vibration. Closer and closer.

  I stretched out my arm and felt fabric brush my fingertips. Then something caught my foot. I lost my bance and tumbled forward, skidding to a stop.

  "Alex!" Hands were on me instantly, pulling the blindfold off and turning me over. "Are you okay?"

  I rubbed my face.

  "Jayce. Did I win?"

  "Yeah, dude. I'll give you the win," he said.

  "What—" In the faint light, I could see a red wet stain covering the hand that had touched my face.

  "That looks painful," Jayce said. "We need to patch you up. Can you walk?"

  I rolled onto my back and tried standing. Shooting pain radiated through my ankle. "Nope. Mm-mm."

  "Need me to carry you?"

  "No!" I snapped. Then I sighed. "I can hobble. Give me a little dignity, dude."

  "Fair." Jayce helped me up, then looped my arm over his neck and we started home.

  "You were right. That was a dumb idea," Jayce murmured.

  "Are you kidding me? That was great! I felt everything. With my feet. It was like I was transformed. I smelled you, then sensed your movements. It was amazing! Great idea! Thank you."

  A wide smile crossed Jayce's face and he nodded once. "No sweat," he said.

  We bounced over a knot in the trail. I gasped. "Totally… worth it."

  We limped home slowly. When we got inside, Jayce helped me to the couch.

  John was still in his recliner. He lowered his phone. "Good grief, what happened?"

  "I found him," I said, rubbing my ankle.

  "Wait here," Jayce said, heading to the kitchen.

  John smiled. "I knew you'd find him. What happened to you?"

  "He kissed the ground chasing me," Jayce shouted from the kitchen.

  "And twisted my ankle." I raised my voice toward the kitchen. "I think I won without you giving it to me."

  "No argument," Jayce said, returning with an ice pack and a clean cloth. He handed me the cloth for my face and pressed the ice pack against my ankle.

  A bone-deep pain gripped my ankle. John must have handled pain like this as a shifter. Must have.

  "Have you ever shifted while hurt?" I asked.

  He frowned. "Not really."

  I stared at him for a moment. "Well, do you know what would happen?" I asked. "Would the pain follow me into lion-mode?"

  "I don't know," he said with a shrug.

  "Really?" I asked. I at least had the question in my mind. In his entire life, he'd never tried? "Do you guys mind if I…" I said, gncing between them.

  "Go ahead," Jayce said.

  "I don't mind," John added.

  I grabbed my shifter decency bnket from the couch and wrapped myself in it like a human burrito. Then I rexed and let the liquid honey flow beneath my skin. It moved differently this time, going straight to my face and ankle. Warmth pooled and the pain dulled. Muscles shifted, bones lengthened. The usual change rolled through me, except the pain vanished. Minutes ter, I was fully transformed.

  "How you feel?" Jayce asked, kneeling beside me.

  I stretched my leg, rotating my paw. "No pain at all."

  John leaned forward, looking closely. "Not a scratch on your face, either." He leaned back and shook his head. "You look so much like your father."

  I paused. He'd never told me the honest truth about my parents. I was sure of it. Now that the door was open, I wasn't about to let him get away without an answer this time.

  "John, tell me about my dad. I'm assuming he was a shifter, because…" I pointed to my still-shifting body.

  John smiled and looked down. "Yeah. I guess it's time you knew. If you can't tell, I'm not good with this… stuff."

  I nodded. Jayce leaned closer.

  John sighed. "Aldair. Yeah he was a shifter. Also my best friend. Met him at a cannery in Aska. Desote work, but they paid cash and didn't ask where you were from. Plus, I got limitless raw fish. Not a bad gig. Your dad teased me all the time saying I was slow. I could tell he was joking, but I decided to chuck a fish at him when he wasn't looking. Turned into a snowball fight with fish. Both of us got written up and suspended for a day. We didn't care. Ended up hanging out together. I could tell something was different about him. He was lonely. Slightly wild. I don't know why, but I told him, very awkwardly, that I was a shifter."

  "You told him?" I asked. "Wasn't that kind of risky?"

  "Yeah. But it had been years since I'd… had a friend. Or really anybody I could trust. What did I have to lose? He was a wild thing like me. Who'd listen to him? After I told him, he hugged me and cried. It's not like we were huggers or anything, so it was really awkward, but then he grabbed me by the shoulders and said 'Me too.' I freaked out. He freaked out. We had a solid mutual freak-out. Can you bme us? We weren't alone anymore. The next few months were the best of my life. We were young, stupid and had way too much free time. May or may not have set a barge on fire."

  "A barge?" I shouted.

  John fshed a mischievous grin, then he looked away. "Eventually, we both fell in love. Your dad with Grace. Me with Michelle. Both stunningly beautiful shifters. You have your mom's hair—you know, when you're human. Don't know if I ever told you."

  "No, never," I said.

  "I'll spare you the embarrassing story of how we all met, but it involved public shifting and a police chase."

  Jayce groaned. "Dad! You're honestly not going to tell us that?"

  John ughed. "Maybe when you're older. One day we were just hanging out together. You two were tackling each other on the floor. A few other shifter friends were over." John sighed. "Somehow, they found out."

  "Who?" I asked.

  "The same people who took my family. Bck suits. They busted down the door. Same bck box test. Same filing away. That was the st time I saw any of them. The three of us were being handled as a unit. The guard in charge of me was young—maybe early twenties and shaking with fear. I saw my opportunity. I turned and punched him—right through his riot helmet. He crumpled. I shifted, grabbed you and Jayce by the backs of your footy pajamas, and ran. Didn't stop running until we ended up here in Rockport. I couldn't exactly care for two infant-shifters in the woods. The mill needed day bor. Paid cash. No cards. No ID. Just hands. I knew hands. And they offered temporary housing. Turned out to be not-so-temporary. So, we stayed." Then John cleared his throat and pressed his hand against his chest. "It's getting te. I'm tired. You two should get some sleep. Big day tomorrow."

  "Yeah, right," I said.

  John nodded, then stood and walked down the hallway. He stumbled slightly, touching the wall before recovering. I knew reliving old memories was hard for him, but I had no clue it was this hard. He looked sick. His door clicked shut behind him.

  Jayce had taken a spot on the couch, legs crossed and arms folded. We sat there in the living room. Thinking.

  My parents were shifters. They'd been captured. Taken. And I had mom's hair. A long, narrow mirror was fixed to the wall near the kitchen. I padded towards it and stared at myself. The lion stared back.

  "I look just like him," I whispered. A sad warmth twisted in my throat.

  I sighed then padded to my room. I circled my mattress once, then settled with my chin on my paw.

  Jayce came in shortly after and flopped onto his bed. His breathing was ragged and he covered his eyes with his arm.

  "You okay, bro?" I asked.

  "Yeah."

  "No, you're not."

  He huffed. "Your kitty-senses tingling?"

  "I know you. You're trying to be okay, but you're not. And you don't want to talk about it."

  He sighed. "Right on all accounts. Good night."

  I was comfortable. I didn't want to move. But Jayce needed to talk. Or maybe I needed him to. So I stood, stepped over to his bed, and rested the full weight of my head on his stomach.

  "I'm not moving until you talk," I mumbled, my head bobbing against him.

  "You big, furry—" He protested. "You think just because you're a lion you can boss me around?"

  "Yes," I said.

  He sighed, then chuckled. "I don't know. I imagined life starting differently. We were gonna get out of Rockport." His gaze drifted across the room. "Now we're going to work at the mill. With Dad. His little clones."

  I nudged my head higher on his stomach. "At least we're in it together."

  He looked down at me, then smiled. "That does make it suck less. Now get your freaking head off me and go to sleep."

  My work here was done. I grinned at him, then returned to my bed, circled once, and settled. My tail tucked itself away beside me. I liked having a tail.

  I closed my eyes and drifted off listening to the creaking of the house, feeling every vibration, noise, and sensation from the house and the woods beyond.