Aceso, sensing that this was in fact a Shape shifter, stepped forward immediately and lowered herself down on her knee and offered her hand. She looked up at Thom. "Does he know what he is?"

Thom scratched at his hair and the back of his neck, "By that I assume you mean does he know how to shift? Not that I can tell."

"Where did he come from?" Ansuya asked.

"That's a funny story to be honest, he was in the truck that scared you all away when you left Cel's house a few nights back." Thom answered.

"This doesn't exactly answer the question of why you're here," Charles stated.

Thom shrugged his shoulders and sighed, "I thought it would be obvious actually. He can't stay here. I have big enough problems as it is. I can't take care of him here. Hell, I can barely take care of myself." He leaned heavily against his truck. "I have been kicked out of my tribe. I am being hunted. They want my head on a stake and they're doing everything they can to make that a reality. I tried to make my rounds, to warn the other Shape shifters that I know about, but each one of them turned me away. They all said that they were safe, but being seen talking with me, or having any contact with me at all, made them a target and they were just trying to survive. They weren't interested in anything I had to say, not even a way out for them." He shook his head sadly, "most people are more willing to keep their scraps than risk anything to maybe get a seat at the table."

"Yeah, you guys are a real bunch of all American heroes, aren't you?" Nic scoffed.

"Watch your mouth, boy!" Thom spat. "Don't judge other people when you have no fucking idea what the hell you're talking about!"

"Must've hit a nerve, so sorry about that. Do you need an icepack?" Nicolas asked.

Thom made a step in Nicolas' direction before he was stopped by the almost seven-foot-tall frame of Aceso, standing arrow straight, as she blocked his path.

"Look, you guys said you were here to help, not give me the tenth degree over why I'm here. Maybe I should just go then?" Thom turned back to his truck.

Aceso grabbed his arm, "We offered help and that offer still stands." She turned back to the grey wolf and lowered herself back to his level. She shifted into her wolf form and in the pure language of the wolves, she spoke with the newcomer.

William, had the most experience with wolves than anyone in his pack, sans Aceso, and the intricate conversation of pheromones, body languages and audio was always something that fascinated him.

After several long moments Aceso shifted again and the grey wolf followed her. The newcomer stood a few inches taller than Aceso, his silver-grey fur ran along his body, his face was covered in darker grey and he had a splash of black fur along his shoulders.

William shifted as well and the rest of the pack followed. They greeted the newcomer by inhaling each other's scent.

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"What's your name?" Amanda asked.

The grey werewolf regarded the young female before answering, "I was called 'companion' in my first pack, long ago. I was captured and brought to a place of cold stone and metal. A place with no moon light or sunlight, though light did shine there. It was at that place of stone and metal that I was given another name. The man there called me 'Dutch'. He fed me and cleaned my territory; I saw him as a friend." Dutch's face twisted as the thought of the man in that place brought to mind the memory of pain and abandonment.

"Did this man hurt you?" William asked, seeing the expression on Dutch's face.

Dutch nodded, "Yes, though I don't understand how or why, a loud noise and searing pain then nothing. Later, I was wake outside under the moonlight. I was hunted and found refuge with two young children who saw to my wounds and took me a place that healed me. They called me 'Max,' even though I tried to tell them my name was Dutch, they couldn't understand me."

"Dutch is a better name than just, Companion," Ansuya said. "We shall call you Dutch."

Dutch nodded, "I have come to appreciate and even like that name, a name given by a friend, and one that suits me fairly well I think."

"Is everything alright?" Thom asked from the side, "I know you guys probably forgot about me in all the excitement."

Aceso turned towards the former councilman, "Are you asking to come with us? Even though your fight is here?"

Thom shook his head, "I lost my fight a long time ago, I just didn't know it. Maybe one day, if you are successful in your endeavor I can come back here and help rebuild. Once the vampire's influence is gone from these lands, maybe then we can start to heal, but it won't be before then. So, me coming with you is the best way for me to help my people."

Aceso looked at both of them, "We travel back to India tonight."

"You can't mean on a plane, right?" Thom asked.

"No, we travel through the Whyte Plain. Are you prepared to face true Skin Walkers?"

Thom's face paled considerably, "What do you mean? Those creatures haven't been seen around here for a long time."

"The Shadows of the Whyte Plain can be described as Skin Walkers. They are every bit as real and deadly as your worst imaginings. Where we are going, they will hound our very steps. We may travel the whole distance to India avoiding them if we can. Then again, they may pounce on us as soon as we cross over to the Plain. Be ready, be swift, and be silent." Ansuya spoke the last as a warning, but to William her tone warned at other things besides just the Shadows.

Thom shifted into his werewolf form. Katherine got a nod from Aceso and, using her Sage abilities, pushed against the membrane that separated the Whyte Plain from our reality. The group was pushed onto the cool, white, misty expanse of the Whyte Plain.

Dutch growled low in his throat, but it was Aceso who put a calming claw on his shoulder. The two wolves shared some silent communication between the two of them. Dutch did seem to calm down, though he didn't relax his body at all.

Thom on the other hand stood in his werewolf form, standing over seven feet tall, covered in mostly brown fur, with streaks of sliver running along his sides. His eyes were accented by white fur that outlined them like mascara. His half black, half brown tail stood half raised behind him in readiness.

"This is the Whyte Plain?" he asked.

Aceso nodded, "yes, and it will take us many hours to travel the distance we need to. The Whyte Plain has aided our people throughout time to travel great distances quickly. Now, it still serves that purpose, but is far more dangerous to risk, except in extreme times of need."

"Where do the Shadows come from?" Amanda asked.

"There's no time for that now, ask me when we are safely at our destination," Aceso whispered.

The group nodded and Aceso took off at a run. The pack, the two newcomers, and the Mountain Elder followed close behind her. The pace wasn't an all-out sprint, nor was it a quiet easy jog. They were running at speed. William knew he and Charles and Katherine wouldn't have a problem keeping this pace, thanks to the pack bond. It was everyone else in the group he feared for.

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