The forest is quite as the moon filters through the trees. He can feel his blood pumping through his veins as he runs quietly along the forest floor, the moon turning his coat silver. Behind him he can hear her keeping up with his pace. The night air is fresh as he inhales giving his body the oxygen it needs to push his body faster. Soon the trees break along a ridge and he slows to take in the sight. Magnolia, it is beautiful cast in the light of the moon.

She comes and sits next to him looking out at the town, "Natsu, we should head down now I don't smell any patrols in the area. We need to make use of this chance while we can."

He looks down the path breathing deep through his nose. She is right he doesn't smell any patrols either. He stands shaking himself before taking off down the mountain with her hot on his heels.

%%%%%

In town a young woman stands on the porch of a grand house her blonde hair glowing in the moonlight. The house behind her is bustling with her father's guests. She would much rather sit out on the porch and enjoy the full moon then be at her father's side being seen but not heard. Just a pretty little prize for him to show off.

She hears the door open behind her, "Princess?" her maid calls out into the night. "I'm here Virgo." She replies. The pink haired woman walks up beside her charge. "Your father wants you to come meet the heirs to the Shepherd clans."

The young woman sighs "I will be right there." She turns toward the house taking one last look at the large forest with longing. She heads inside her face becoming a mask with a fake sweet smile for all the Shifters inside.

Shifters; beings or creatures with the ability to change their physical form or shape. Little did the humans know but there were many different kinds of shifters living all across Fiore. Magnolia just happened to be the base for the Retriever clan a branch of the canine shifters. All the clan heads had come for a meeting of leaders to discuss issues among them.

As she walks back into the dining hall she spots her father talking with a couple of the other clan leaders.

"Come here Lucy." He says as he beckons her over. Her father is a tall man with graying sandy hair and a well-groomed mustache. He became clan leader after her mother died when she was young.

Her mother had been the true leader of the clan and her death was a huge loss for them all. Lucy was expected to step into the role when she finally found a mate worthy of ruling by her side and thus why her father was introducing her to all the available alphas with potential.

She noticed the four men standing next to her father. "Hello Lucy my name is Siegrain", said a tall man with dark blue hair as he held his hand out for her to shake. He then introduced his son Jellal who was a young replica of his father except for the flashy red tattoo that adorned his face around his right eye.

Next was she was introduced to a man with dark hair and intimidating scar running down his forehead from his hairline. Silver was his name and he introduced his son Gray who looked board out of his mind.

Within the canine shifters there were different clans Retriever, Shepherd, Collie, Terrier and so forth and in those clans were different branches of families.

"Siegrain is the head of the German Shepherd family," Lucy's father Jude added, "and Silver heads the Australian Shepherd family." Lucy nodded respectfully to each man.

"Well we should let these youngsters get to know one another." Silver said as he clapped his son on the back. "You don't need a bunch of old dogs like us getting in your way."

"Indeed, I need to meet with a few people I haven't seen in a while before the meeting starts." Siegrain told them while looking around the room.

"Lucy, show these young men to the refreshment table." Jude told his daughter. "Yes sir." Lucy replied as he turned back to the other leaders. "This way please." And she turned the two heirs following after her.

It was obvious to her that their fathers were hoping that the youths would hit it off in more ways than one. As future clan leaders they would be working together to insure the peace of the canine shifters in their clans. Having leaders from different clans marry only helped solidify bonds and expand territories. It wasn't unheard of for marriage to be arranged just for that purpose.

When they reached the drink table Lucy offered to pour them a drink. "Thank you Lucy but I think we can manage." Jellal told her.

"Ya those old farts aren't here breathing down our necks right now so you don't have to be so formal with us." Gray said as he reached for a glass.

Lucy smiled glad that the boys seemed to realize what their fathers were up too and felt the same as she did about it. She looked at her new companions thanking that her dad at least had her interests in mind enough to not stick her with the runts of the litter.

Gray was a head taller than herself with a medium build. His hair was dark and Lucy suspected that in the sunlight it might even have a blue tint to it. His dark blue eyes shown with intelligence that betrayed his uninterested attitude and she could tell he was sizing her up just as she was him. Over all he was stunningly handsome and Lucy could see girls falling at his feet if he would only smile. She would bet that his canine form would be some kind of blue merle but it was impolite to ask.

Jellal was taller but maybe more slight in his build. His dark blue hair contrasted well with his dark green eyes. He had a kind smile and was very polite. Lucy would bet that he was one that if you backed him into a corner you would have your hands full. He was very handsome as well but easier to approach than the other. However being a German Shephard his canine form was probably less friendly looking and more intimidating.

Lucy sat and talked to her guest as they waited for the meeting to start. As it turned out they both had a good sense of humor and smarter than they let on. Their clans both bordered the Retriever territory so they didn't have far to travel. Gray was 21 years old just a year older than Lucy herself and Jellal was 23.

Then Jude walked into the dining hall announcing that the meeting would be starting and all should take their seats. All of the leaders and their heirs that were old enough filed into the conference room. Lucy took her seat next to her father and was pleased to find both Jellal and Gray not far to her right.

Jude cleared his throat starting the meeting. The leaders took turns informing the others of how things were going in their territory. After all the leaders had their say Lucy's dad stood up and addressed the room.

"Now it is time to discuss the biggest problem our clans are facing. Yes I'm talking about the Lycans."

%%%%%

Natsu slowed as they neared the edge of town. It was late but many of the businesses were still open. It was risky but the pack needed medicine and Magnolia was the closest town that had it. Magnolia was on the edge of their territory but the majority of it was within the Shifter territory and they weren't what you would call wolf friendly.

Checking to see if the coast was clear he nodded to the she-wolf a few feet to his left. Seeing his signal they both started to phase. Natsu felt his skin tingle and his bones twist and reform as he took his human form stepping out of the trees. He turned again and nodded to his companion as they set off in different directions. Divide and conquer was their plan, to get in and get out as fast as they could before a patrol could pick up on their scent.

The feud between the Shifters and Lycans had been going on for centuries. Arguments over boarders and territory were the majority of the problem and the fact that the two races seemed to hate one another. Shifters were originally humans that gained the power to change into animals and Lycans were wolves that transformed into humans. Lycans tended to rely more on instinct and their behavior more like the wolves they phased into. Unfortunately the real cause of the feud was lost in history.

Natsu walked into the corner store finding the items on his list as quick as he could. They only had a half an hour before the regular patrols made their rounds. He paid for his purchases and stowed them in his bag.

Heading into shifter territory was even worse for Natsu because he was a half breed, half Lycan and half shifter, an outcast in both worlds. Shifters killed both of his parents and almost killed him and his sister. Only sheer luck had spared them. However one of the Alpha leaders of the Lycans found them and decided to adopt them into the pack. Most lycans stilled looked down on them but as long as they could contribute to the pack they were allowed to stay. That's why he found himself on a mission into shifter territory. Not that he minded it too much. It was exciting and he was always up for a challenge.

As he headed to the meeting spot he checked his watch, it was five minutes till next patrol. The one on this mission with him was in fact his sister and she was always early. Natsu couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Quietly he melted into the shadows headed to the store where his sister went to pick up the medicine.

As the store came in sight the scent hit him. Shifters, three of them and it smelled like they were in the very store his sister had to get the medicine from. Creeping up to the window he peeked in. Sure enough there were three retrievers in the store and from the look of it they were off duty. Natsu could see his sister at the back of the store looking over the shelves. Shifters didn't have a sharp sense of smell like the Lycans did. Natsu figured that that coupled with the smells in the shop and his sister's mixed blood was what kept them from noticing her.

The three retrievers stood at the checkout desk talking to the clerk. This kept his sister from being able to pay for the medicine and leave. After another five minutes the three left. He watched her make her way over to check out. Unfortunately one of the shifters came back having left his wallet lying on the counter. As soon as he stepped through the door he froze. At that distance there was no way he would miss the scent of a half breed.

His sister grabbed the medicine throwing money down on the counter before bolting past the shifter. Once outside he called out to her. "Fuyumi! Over here!"

Seeing him she quickly took off in his direction sprinting for the meeting place at the edge of the trees. As they turned around the next block they ran straight into the patrol they had been trying to avoid.

"Shit, this way." Fuyumi told Natsu as they turned away from the shifters. Even though it was late the streets were still busy and they couldn't phase into their wolf form without causing a panic. Not to mention they would have to ditch the supplies they just worked so hard to procure. Even with the extra weight the two half breeds were fast and keeping ahead of the shifters.

To the humans it looked like the cops were chasing to young robbers. So naturally some of the bystanders tried to slow the pair down. They siblings dodged and jumped over people and obstacles trying to get to the forest but just finding it out of reach. They ran out of the shopping district and into the residential areas with the shifters still hot on their heels.

%%%%%

"These lycans are a menace!" one of the leaders shouted, "We should just end them once and for all!"

"Their land would be a big increase for our own territory." Another added to the discussion.

"Now all of you please listen." Siegrain interjected, "War with the lycans would be catastrophic to our numbers. I don't believe it is worth the risk of losing more shifters."

Arguments broke out among the table both for and against war with the lycans. Lucy sat quietly at her father's side wondering why they have to be at war at all. If there was only someway they could live in peace with the lycans that would be beneficial to all. She then noticed Virgo slipping into the room and hurrying to her father's side. She whispered something about lycans and Jude stood up.

"Well here is our chance to do something now. Two lycans have been spotted in town and are headed into the residential districts. Everyone is to fan out and search for the two intruders." After that all the leaders started to organize dividing up the blocks between the shifters present. Jude turned to his daughter.

"Lucy I want you to stay here in the house and don't come out." He ordered.

"Why dad I want to help search too!" Lucy argued back.

"No I won't have you putting yourself in danger out there. You will stay in this house and not come out until the issue is resolved." Jude ended the argument.

Lucy huffed as Jude and the other leaders walked out of the room. Gray stopped putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry Lucy. Jellal and I are headed out to help with the search.

We have plenty of shifters. We will catch them." Jellal nodded in agreement.

Lucy followed the boys outside to see them off. She then headed up to her room to change out of the stuffy dress her dad made her wear for the meeting. Not pleased at all about having to stay home.

%%%%%

Natsu ducked behind a hedge as he smelled another patrol of shifters headed his way. He and Fuyumi had gotten separated from each other a few blocks back and now he was completely lost. He took off running through yards and leaping over fences hoping to throw off his pursuers.

He couldn't help but notice that the houses were getting bigger and the yards more extravagant as he ran. Turning a corner he was assaulted with the smell of many shifters headed down both sides of the street towards him.

Standing in front of a tall privacy fence he did the only thing he could think of and jumped it. He wasn't prepared for the rose bushes on the other side and yelped as the thorns tore at his skin on the way down. Holding his breath he listened to see if he had attracted any unwanted attention. He could hear them coming down the street towards his hiding place when a shout sounded out drawing the shifters away from him.

Natsu let out a sigh of relief and looked around him. The yard was huge and the house that it belonged to looked like someone important lived there. It also reeked of shifters.

"Great," he mumbled, "I had to go a jump into a shifters yard." As he continued to look around he could see the forest on the other side of the back fence. "I have to find Fuyumi." He definitely couldn't risk going out to find her while carrying around his heavy bag. Looking around the yard once more he noticed a small garden shed along the back fence with its door already open. He decided to hide his bag in there so he could go find his sister.

He opened the door stowing his bag in a corner where no one would notice it. With that done he decided to phase. He dropped to all fours as his hands and feet turned into paws. Fur blossomed over his skin and his bones stretched as he took his wolf form. Shaking himself he padded out of the shed.

As he emerged from the small building he breathed deep scenting for anyone near. The smell of honey and vanilla came to him and he couldn't help but breath even deeper. It was a comforting smell and he felt himself relax despite his situation. Until he heard someone gasp from the direction of the house.