Micah:

I shut both the screen door and metal door of the quarters after ushering Rosy inside. She had disappeared outside as I ate dinner with our sons, I had thought she was asleep but some uneasy feeling had sent me to my feet to check on her only to catch a glimpse of her through the small window in the kitchen. I had hurried outside calling after her and when I caught up with her she had seemed almost to be in a trance as she had pointed towards Mount Warning, towards the area that had once been her home.

"Dwayne! Turn the perimeter camera onto constantly viewing and set an alarm for motion detection!" I command as I stalk into the lounge room. Rosy is close on my heels, the hand I have holding her by the upper arm unnecessary as she stays close.

"Onto it," Dwayne says with a glance at Rosy. I had alerted several of the warriors before taking off after my errant wife.

"I heard dingos howling," Rosy says in a trembling voice and I glance at her hearing the fear in her voice.

"What?" Malcolm demands as he gets to his feet quickly. He glances from Rosy to me and I give a curt nod before guiding Rosy to the lounge and pressing gently on her shoulders to get her to sit.

"I'll get you your meal," I say gently as I glance at Malcolm and Donny then motion towards the kitchen with a jerk of my chin.

"What's going on?" Malcolm asks seriously as he follows me into the kitchen where I start dishing up a plate of food for Rosy. "Did she say why she went outside by herself?"

"If she hadn't been awake I would have sworn she was sleep walking," I say tightly. "We heard dingos howling and she seems convinced it's one of the rogues that Dorrington was running with. She's convinced he has been hunting her,"

"You think there's anything to what she says?" Donny asks doubtfully. I frown and pause as I am about to put roast lamb on the plate, my immediate response would be no, weredingos would not come onto werecat territory. Then I remember the look on Rosy's face, the smell of terror that had suddenly come from her.

"Rosy believes it and that's good enough for me," I state firmly as I pile meat onto the plate.

"There's five kitts here at the moment," Doc says from the doorway and I turn to face him.

"I think you will find if one of them survived he has followed her because she is carrying a kitt. Competition, kill the young before they can become competition. Add that to the fact the dingo has to know she would be vulnerable when she gave birth," Doc says and lets his voice trail off.

"I should have checked to see if the dingos had been killed along with Dorrington!" I snarl tightly. I take a deep breath and bring my emotions under control before heading out to where Rosy has curled up on the lounge and is staring out the big window.

"Rosy I got food for you," I say gently. There is no reaction from her and I move so I have a better view of her face. Her eyes are fixed on something out the window, they almost close as she inhales deeply.

"Rosy!" Malcolm says sharply beside me. I hear the concern in his voice and he brushes against me pushing me to the side as he reaches forward to place a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes have the same dazed look as she turns her head slowly towards us.

"So close ..." The words come from Rosy on a breathy sigh before she gives a sudden start and glances around. "Where's Drew?"

I shove the plate of food into Malcolm's hands as I turn and take several steps away, just the sound of his name on her lips is enough to send pain tearing through me.

"Drew's dead remember," Doc says as he moves around in front of her. I can't help turning towards her at the little gasp she gives.

"Sometimes I forget," Rosy says in a small voice.

"Do you forget a lot of things?" Doc asks gently.

"Drew had to keep reminding me to help me remember sometimes," Rosy says and gives a sigh.

"It's hard for you to remember things?" Doc asks.

"No, I just don't remember everything straight away," Rosy says sounding slightly defensive.

"Rosy?" Doc queries softly as he squats so he is on eye level with her. Rosy looks at him enquiringly.

"What's so close Rosy? What were you thinking about?" Doc asks softly and Rosy immediately looks past him and out the window once again. Her face is a mask of concentration and a line forms between her eyebrows as she frowns.

"I can't remember," Rosy mumbles and looks down at her hands. "It's always the same, I need to be somewhere but I can't remember where." Her breath comes out on a sad sigh and she sends a last longing look out the window.

"Here Rosy," Malcolm says putting the plate of food into her hands. "You need to eat up,"

I reach for my phone as I turn away, Dwayne is just walking back into the lounge room and I glance at him as he heads my way.

"Motion sensors triggered a camera to record about two hours ago but nothing since," Dwayne says quietly with a glance towards Rosy.

"Keep a check on the feed and any alters." I order before glancing back at Rosy. I look at her just as she grimaces and rubs the side of her stomach, immediately Doc's warning about the complications of the pregnancy come to mind. My chest tightens as my heart skips a beat before resuming at a rapid pace, I couldn't bear to loose Rosy again.

Outside I take several deep breaths to calm my racing heart before I set my phone to making the call I have mixed feelings about.

"Hallo Micah," Edwin says.

"You were with your partner when he and his brother took care of the problem of their brother?" I ask quietly.

"Yeah," Edwin grunts quietly.

"Were the dingos taken care of as well?" I ask levelly. I hear the heavy sigh that comes from my brother and frown. Edwin has changed since he left our birth clan, not only are his work ethics well respected but he is starting to earn himself back some respect from the werecat community.

"At least one of them was hit but we never found a body," Edwin says and I hear his partner talking to him. "There hasn't been any stock attacks since then that could be attributed to them and they had been leaving an obvious trail before that."

I glance back towards the Quarters, the uneasy feeling starting to build further. Rosy believed the one called Hank had been hunting her. Was the other one also alive and hunting her? I take a deep breath, there is no best way to tell another Warrior they had left an important job incomplete.

"There's reason to believe one if not both of the dingos survived," I say tightly.

"Damn! I knew we should have kept searching for them!" Edwin hisses.

"You, your partner, his brother and partner had better come here." I say tightly. "I have some information on the werecat that didn't join in on the hunt that day."

"We're packed ready," Edwin says with a restrained note to his voice. "Mal told us we would be wanting to be heading your way soon. Care to fill me in?"

I hesitate for a moment. How do I put it? Exactly what do I say?

"It would be easier to explain in person," I settle on.

"Is this about my brother?" Jacob Dorrington asks tightly. I can only guess either Edwin handed him the phone or he took it from Edwin. I hesitate for a moment, I don't know what to say. Everything is very complicated and would be easier to explain once they get here. At present all my attention needs to be focused on keeping Rosy safe from the dingo she believes is hunting her and keeping her out of the hands of her Uncle. It suddenly hits me that the Dorrington brothers would be just as eager to keep the mother of their brother's unborn kitt safe.

"He left behind a pregnant girlfriend," I say bluntly.

"Damn it! I knew he wasn't being smart!" Jacob swears on the other end. "We will be there as soon as we can. I want to meet her," He ends the call without another word and I close my phone as I think for a few moments.

"You going to call Baxter?" Steven asks as he walks towards me from the main house. "He might be able to give you advise on how to handle Kurt Black."

"I was just about to come over to speak to everyone at the house," I say as I head his way.

"Oh?" Steven murmurs as he falls into step beside me.

"I'll tell you inside with everyone else," I say. It will be easier answering everyone's questions at once.

Rosy:

I force myself to eat as I listen to everyone talking in the lounge room. I pause with my fork between the plate and my mouth as I glance around looking for my kitts, I frown when I can't see them.

"Where are my sons?" I ask the tom sitting beside me. He grins, his bright intensely blue eyes sparkling as he looks at me.

"I would say we ran the troublesome critters off but then you would get upset," he says with a chuckle and I find myself returning his smile. "They are at the main house so they didn't disturb you while you slept."

"I wouldn't mind if they woke me up," I say before taking another mouthful of food.

"You need to get plenty to eat and lots of rest," Doc says as he comes around the lounge to sit on the other side of me. He puts a blood pressure cuff on my upper arm without preventing me getting more food on my fork. I watch half curiously as he takes my blood pressure and as he takes the cuff off I catch his eye and raise an eyebrow.

"Well? How is it?" I ask.

"Good, no trouble there," Doc says with a grin.

"Why are you taking my blood pressure all the time?" I ask suddenly. He looks at me with slight surprise in his eyes for a moment before he looks away.

"Just keeping an eye on your blood pressure since you are pregnant and have been sick," Doc explains as he places the neatly folded cuff and stethoscope on the arm of the lounge beside him.

I sense the slight undercurrent in his tone, as if he is hiding something or maybe just not telling me everything. I swallow and put more food into my mouth. The meat is tender, juicy and almost melts in my mouth as I chew. As delicious as the food is I find myself craving red meat, still warm and bloody, freshly killed. I close my eyes in the remembered bliss of eating from a fresh kill. My unborn kitt stretches in my womb and I wince as a rib receives a sharp kick from inside my body.

"Everything okay?" Doc asks and I open my eyes to glance his way. He is watching me with concern and I give a slight nod.

"Just Little Bit giving my rib a kick," I say as I rub the affected area.

"Little Bit?" Blue eyes asks. I remember his name is Malcolm as I glance his way and take in the intense blueness of his eyes. I turn my attention back to my food. How do I explain this kitt I carry was one of the things I never had doubts about, that it has been my little bit of contentment.

"I want to go hunting for breakfast in the morning," I say evenly. Drew had always preferred to hunt for food if we could as it reduced the strain on his monetary resources.

"As long as you don't do anything strenuous and let the toms make the kill there is no reason why you can't dine on a fresh kill," Doc agrees readily. I flash him a happy smile before returning to my food with a renewed appetite.

"With plenty of rest and all you can eat you are recovering from your illness nicely," Doc says.

I continue eating, the low-key stirring within me making me glance out the large window every few minutes. The hum of voices in the room surrounds me but my mind seems to be more centred on that faint yearning, the sensation that is almost a pull somewhere deep within. I place the knife and fork on the place and sigh as I lean back straightening up when the last of my food is gone. I am comfortably full and the familiar laziness is fast creeping over me. All I seem to do since arriving here is eat and then sleep while I digest my meal.

My empty plate is taken from my knees and a large glass of strawberry flavoured milk handed to me. I drink thirstily making short work of the milk and hand the glass to Malcolm as I lick the flavoured milk from my top lip.

"Knock, knock," A feminine voice says and I turn my head to see a pretty young woman with light honey brown hair and bright clear medium coloured violet eyes watching me eagerly. I feel a slight pressure start to build in my head and something tells me I should know this familiar looking girl who smiles at me as she walks into the room.

"I've come to see my sister," She says firmly.

I glance between her and the good-looking tom beside her. He is broad shouldered and slim hipped, his t-shirt is moulded to his upper body showing well sculpted muscles as well as the well defined muscles in his bare arms.

"I am Sasha your little sister," She smiles at me. "I am so happy to have you back here with family where you should be!"

"Sasha," I say letting the name run through my mind and wait for whatever it is hovering just out of sight in the darkness. Nothing comes to me and I glance out the window again.

"You can feel her calling to," Sasha says firmly and I frown as I look at her. I open my mouth to ask how did she know I could feel something tugging at me.

"The mountain, Mount Warning," she says answering my unspoken question. "Not long after I first left The Homestead in Sunshine Valley I felt really weird and restless. You explained I was probably feeling the land where I was born calling to me and you were right. Every time I leave my home I can feel the pull of the land deep in my soul."

I feel the smile that slowly comes to life on my face at her words. Suddenly what I am feeling makes perfect sense. Not only am I a part of the land, the bush, but it is also a part of me.

"My mountain," The words leave my lips in an almost reverent whisper and I turn my head to look out the window in the general direction I feel the urge to travel. I pull my feet up under me as my sister sits beside me. I turn my head to look at her and smile at the eagerness on her face.

"I'm so glad you're back," Sasha says as she reaches out to grasp one of my hands. "I've missed you so much."

Early morning the following day

The gentle touch of a hand on my shoulder and a voice talking softly awakes me. I rub my eyes sleepily as I yawn before stretching and rolling onto my back as I look around.

"Hey," Sam says quietly in little more than a whisper. I glance at Sasha who is curled up in the bed asleep. Memories of us talking as I got to know her once again come back without effort and I smile at my sister before easing myself up to sit on the side of the bed.

"You had better come out to the lounge room," Sam says in a whisper. I give a slight nod as I get to my feet, I pause a moment at the doorway before reaching for the oversize jacket Drew had got me. I pull the hood up into place, a combination of habit while wearing the jacket and a concession to the chill in the early morning air.

"I need to go to the toilet," I say softly just outside the door of the bedroom before heading for the toilet at the end of the building. I take care of the necessities quickly and return to where my brother waits. I overlap the front sides of the jacket as I wrap it around me and hold it in place. For some reason this jacket with its soft fake fur lining always makes me feel secure when I wrap it tightly around myself.

"I'm sorry about waking you ..." I tune out the sound of Sam's voice as something makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I feel my scalp tighten and the sensation of goose bumps breaking out on my arms. I tilt my head first to one side, then to the other side as I listen intently to the murmur of voices in the lounge room. I realise I am holding my breath and let it out with a rush as my heart starts pounding almost painfully in my chest. That voice! It couldn't be! I saw him shot!

I am dimly aware of Sam calling urgently to me as I rush to the doorway and into the lounge room, my breath coming in little gasps as I look around wildly.

"Drew? I thought I heard Drew!" I say in a rush as I glance around the room. There are several unfamiliar figures in with the toms that were here when I retired to my room for the night. My eyes are glued to a tall dark haired guy that has a strong resemblance to Drew, there is movement at his side and a tall dark brown haired guy moves to stand beside him as they both stare at me. Their eyes flick down to where I have the coat held tightly around the swell of my stomach before they both look up to look me in the face.

Memories of Drew telling me over and over again that he couldn't go back to his family hit me, memories of the torment I had seen in his eyes and on his face. I feel my breathing begin to deepen and speed up as my top lip curls up away from my teeth. I let go of the front of my jacket and reach up to push the hood back off my head. All the fear and worry I had endured oabout my pregnancy, the urge I had felt to have a permanent home instead of wandering aimlessly with Drew floods my mind.

"Where were you when your brother needed you?" I demand angrily as I advance a step. " Where were you when he had to look after me instead of working to earn money so we could live? If his family had helped him then maybe he wouldn't have taken up with those stinking dogs! Maybe he'd still be alive!"

"Calm down Rosy," Micah says soothingly as he steps between me and the two toms that have shocked expressions on their faces.

"Rosy? Is that really you? We heard you were dead ..." Another stranger says taking a step towards me. I glance his way, a prickle of unease works its way up my spine and I growl low in my throat. His eyes are flitting over my face, over my head, and I find myself brushing my long fringe behind my ear. His eyes follow the movement of my hand and I narrow my eyes as his gaze quickly flits to the broad scar that runs from the corner of my left eye, over my temple and back into my hair. It doesn't stop at the hairline and I know that if I felt my head I would be able to trace the scar around to the right side of the crown of my head.

"You're carrying Drew's kitt?" One of his two brothers asks, awe in his tone.

"Mine!" I snap. "It is my kitt!" I fold shaking arms over the swell of my stomach as the darker of Drew's two brothers takes a step towards me.

"You're right, we should have tried harder to get Drew to go home to his mother's Clan." He says as he glances at his brother before looking back at me. He gives me a weak smile and I deliberately turn my face away from him.

" Your brothers and Micah were telling us you've lost your memory," A fourth strange voice says and I glance at the stranger who had spoken. "Is that why you were with their brother?" He asks with a jerk of his head towards the two watching me longingly, their gazes hardly leaving the evidence of my growing kitt.

My head hurts as I struggle to make sense of his words. I know now that Drew had told me a heap of lies but there had been some truth in some of what he had said. Suddenly I am not sure of the how or why I had been with Drew and my inner cat roars in delight. I blink and glance at Micah, I see the hurt on his face he is trying to hide and my stomach does a sickening roll before feeling like the ground has dropped out from beneath my feet.

Micah

I watch as things start to rapidly get out of control, Rosy is looking around frantically. She meets my eyes for a moment, her face tortured. A shake of her head as if it is bothering her and she raises both hands to grasp at her head, or is it cover her ears?

Protect her! My cat demands and I step towards her. Rosy is still fast on her feet as she spins and dashes for the hallway. Sam tries to block her exit through the doorway and I feel the snarl that rips up through my chest.

"Let her go!" I command. Sam looks as if he wants to argue with me but steps aside letting his sister leave the room in a rush. I push past him as I follow at a slower pace. I know she needs the time to calm down and I hope she will realise I have no intention of stopping her or forcing her to come back before she is ready to.

Outside I find her facing the east, her eyes closed and face turned up as she struggles to steady her ragged breathing. Slowly she turns her head towards me as she opens her eyes. I see the confusion in her eyes and I slowly walk to stand near her before turning and facing east. The gentle breeze brings the scent of the surrounding bushland to me as I take a deep breath.

"I can smell Night Jasmine flowers," I say on a soft breath. I hear the irritated growl Rosy gives but she turns her face away from me and I close my eyes as I take another deep breath. How many times had we stood like this just outside The Homestead searching the early morning air currents before hunting?

"Someone cut hay yesterday," I tell her softly.

"It'll storm later today," Rosy says quietly and I take a deep breath searching for the smell of a coming storm. "They're watching us you know,"

Her words are uttered softly and I almost miss them in the soft whisper of the breeze. I open my eyes and turn my head towards the Quarters. I can see silhouettes in the kitchen doorway and the window above the sink but it is Sasha exiting the main door that makes me smile.

"If you're going hunting I'm coming too!" Sasha calls as she approaches us with Clint close behind her. "A few of the others want to come as well."

"There's kangaroo out there," Rosy says and watches me hopefully.

"We have yearling cattle we buy specially and put in a large paddock for the sole purpose of hunting them for food.

"I prefer kangaroo, wallaby or feral pig," Rosy says tightly.

"Okay, kangaroo it is today," I agree easily. She continues to watch me without another word and I realise she is waiting for me to lead her out on the hunt. I glance back at the Quarters, give a shrill whistle and swing an arm over my head motioning the others to come outside. As they come outside I pull my shirt off over my head, I stand in the cool air for a few moments as I feel my flesh contract beneath its cold touch.

"We're going hunting!" I yell and reach for the fastening of my jeans. I feel Rosy's gaze on me as I strip down to change into my cat form. I am glad of my large powerful physic as I turn my head to catch her looking at me with undisguised interest. I can't help myself and smile cockily at her as she catches me watching her. An eyebrow goes up and she turns her face away with assumed indifference. I can't help the smile that forms on my lips the moment before I drop to my hands and knees as my change begins. My bones crunch and transform as my hips and shoulders form new angles. I feel the pull of my tail sprouting from my haunches as claws slip from their sheaths and dig into the ground beneath me. My lower jaw falls open slightly as my muzzle emerges from my face, my jaws ache as my teeth grow out to their full length. I feel my skin ripple as fur emerges and the cold air looses its bite. I yawn and stretch before turning to my mate who is just finishing her transformation.

Gone is the once sleek coat that had a warm coppery sheen in the sun or moonlight, in its place is a long slightly shaggy thick coat that is caused by spending a lot of time in cat form. The coppery sheen is in clear evidence against the inky black contrast of the rosettes of her coat. There is a lacework of silvery grey hairs on one side of her face and head, it takes me a moment before I realise with horror it is the imprint of a bull-bar from a 4WD. Her jaws don't meet quite right and one top canine is exposed to view, a long white tooth that gleams almost giving her a feral look.

I approach her slowly, she is watching me intently and before I reach her she leaps forward to catch me around the front shoulders with her front legs. Excited yowls are coming from her as she nips and rubs at my head and shoulders. I can feel her trembling as she moves to stand beside me, her front shoulders pressing against mine as she bites playfully at one of my front legs.

"You, you, you, you," Rosy is chanting as she rubs herself against my side. I begin to groom her front shoulders slowly working towards her head as she calms down. I pause to lift my head and look at the approaching cats as I reach her ears. Rosy lifts her head and glances towards them. Instantly she begins giving the weird little chirruping sound she had made while pregnant with Wynn. I answer with a soft low call and Sam answers as well adding a deep soothing call. She presses close against me as the others approach, keeping me between her and the Dorrington brothers. Sam moves to stand on her other side giving her some reassuring murmurs as he noses her shoulder. I turn and lead the way towards the tree line at a slow walk, Rosy falls into step level with my hips and I glance back at her. Rosy had always trotted at my side while hunting and for her to let me take the lead was totally out of character for her. Maybe she needed this time in cat form much more than I had realised.

Rosy

I tear a hunk of still warm flesh from the haunch of the wallaby and chew it quickly, I swivel my ears as I keep track of where all the other cats are. Micah is stretched out in the shade near me, Sam is lapping water from a small stream close by and I can hear the faint sounds of the others in the distance. I glance at Micah from the corner of my eye but he seems to have no interest in reclaiming his kill. A thighbone gives a satisfying crack as I break it with my jaws to reach the rich marrow. The meat is tender, the animal only young. I watch the sunlight creeping across the grass as I eat my fill, the shadows are loosing their darkness to the morning light.

I lift my head and look down into the valley below us, behind me there is a large stand of trees. It had been below on the short sweet grass where Micah had made the kill for me. I flick my ears back and forth as I strain to hear what had disturbed me. Nothing unusual reaches me but the uneasy feeling remains. The rising sun is lighting up the slopes across the valley and I take in the rocky ground at a glance. The wind comes in a little gust running it's cool fingers up my spine from the base of my tail right up to my ears, brushing them as it flows over me. I snort and shudder, my coat standing on end. I turn back to the carcase before me and find myself suddenly without appetite. I move away as I yawn, lick my lips then begin to clean my face.

Micah moves to stand beside me, he cleans one side of my muzzle and slowly works his way down my neck to my front shoulders. I turn to face towards my mountain, the burning need to travel almost dormant in me at the moment. I close my eyes as I raise my head and sniff the wind. Now I know what it is that drives me I can almost hear the wind whispering my name, almost hear a soft seductive voice in the rustle of the leaves.

The wind is slowly growing stronger, it ruffles my coat making my fur stand on end. I open my eyes and turn my head slowly as I look towards the valley once more. Micah murrs softly beside me, the temptation is too much and I raise my head letting out a long low coughing call to my mountain. Beside me Micah lifts his head, his call is deeper than mine and I call again in answer to him. The bush around us is suddenly silent and I stand listening until the soft sounds of the creatures of the bush slowly begin their usual activities.

"Come," Micah murmurs softly and I fall into step behind him. He stops for a moment, touching his nose to mine before starting off again. I follow and once again he stops to touch my nose with his.

"Beside me," Micah murmurs in a low purr. "With me,"

Hesitantly I fall into step beside me, his shoulder brushes mine and a low purr of satisfaction comes from him. Strangely it feels right to travel beside him. While hunting with Drew or running in cat form he had always insisted on leading the way but I travel with Micah not behind him. I sigh softly and increase my pace lengthening my stride without breaking out of a walk.

Micah

"Micah can I speak to you a moment?" Dwayne asks from where he stands in the hall doorway. I glance at him a moment before looking back at Rosy where she is standing in the kitchen with Sasha so she doesn't have to be near Jacob or Ken Dorrington. She seems to harbour a lot of hostility towards them and I wonder how much of it is from left over frustrations with Drew Dorrington when she ran with him.

I hesitate a moment, I don't want to leave Rosy but I know she will soon be wanting to nap after this morning's hunt and kill. I glance at Malcolm, Sam and Clint who are in the kitchen and reassured Rosy is well looked after I head to Dwayne and follow him to the small room where the security system monitors are.

"You need to see this." Dwayne says. I can smell the tension coming from him as he presses several keys. Lines of data come up on the screen and I frown as I read it before glancing at him.

"Have you been aware of this activity?" I ask tightly.

"There was only one incident yesterday. A clear view of a couple of rabbits skittering about," Dwayne says evenly. "But in the last two hours something has triggered motion sensors in the north-western corner of the boundary near yesterdays alert. Then continued for close to seven kilometres moving in our direction."

"Have you set the cameras to come on when the motion detectors are triggered?" I ask. As if in answer there is a bing from the computer signifying a notification and a small box pops up saying 'click to view image', there is a second bing and I reach for the mouse to click to view the image the security camera has captured.

"What the hell," Dwayne mutters beside me as a picture of three men comes up on screen. I click on the next photo and grit my teeth at the sight of five men and four yellowish coloured dogs.

"Rosy wasn't imagining things was she?" Sam asks from the doorway.

"No," I growl as I reach for my mobile phone. "Make sure the boys, Rosy and Sasha stay inside and get Mitchell over here,"