Keep your distance I bite....

[Annette Livingston]

Keep your distance I bite....

Annette sat in the lounge her book placed on her knee as she sat in a rather big plush chair. She as had not a good day and her back was now killing her. Heidi was busy with classes making her feel alone again so there she sat in the lounge all by her self even the book now seemed boring to her as she looked around the room she saw several others playing and talking, but nobody even bothering to look her way.
She now wondered why she shifted to a cougar why could not it have been a kitten or a puppy something every body liked. She gave a deep sigh and pulled her legs to her chest feeling like a small mouse nobody noticed, a mouse with brown hair and blue eyes. She turned the page aimlessly of the book not really reading it she had read the same line about ten times already what she really wanted was to talk to some one. To feel she had a friend in the cold, stonewalls of the academy, where all the other girls of hr door were talking about boys and boyfriends she was just sick of hearing it.

Some days she wondered just what was wrong with her that the boys chose to stay away from her. She brushed her hair back off her face and sighed, May be it was her animal side that scared them away she didn’t know , none stopped long enough to know her that well , she could be sociable if given a chance ,but she never got it. So there she was in the lounge, her legs pulled up to her chest and the book still open to the same page as life passed her by, ignoring her.

However, in away she thought it a good thing since she could watch every one and not be noticed she saw two people kissing in a corner, two more talking and one sat reading like she was but with a girl on his knee. She shook her head making her long brown hair dance around her shoulders. She just wished that maybe one of the boys in the whole of the academy would just like her she did not want to be the only girl who did not have a man come Valentines Day. Nevertheless, she knew this year like every year she would yet again alone.

Slipping off her shoes, she placed her book down and stood up. Walking over to the coffee machine she slipped in the correct change, yet nothing happened. “Great you stupid machine, I gave you the right change. “ She said and then with out thinking she kicked out at it. Suddenly a searing pain hit her from her foot and she bit her lip holding back a cry of pain as she cringed holding back tears, both from the pain and from forgetting she word no shoes making it such a stupid maneuver.

[Zuri Watson]

To say that Zuri was confused would be a slight understatment. People were not to be trusted at all that had been proven to her, hadn't it? And yet the way she reacted to the people here. She sighed as she walked into the lounge true there would be all kinds of kids there, but she just wanted to find a relativley quiet spot and maybe watch a flick or something. She wished she had computer, or a dirt bike or something to kill the time with, preferably a jet ski or dirt bike. But sadly she was still relativley broke so the lounge it was. Entering the room she dismissed most of the people there as not important. She scowled at the two kissing in the corner, couldnt they find a room of their own?

She was wearing a pair of tight jean shorts and tank top. Both were clean if a little well worn. She did notice the girl at the coffee machine. She dug into her pockets seeing if she had any change, yes just enough for a coke. She walked over to the machines and put the money into the vending machine, out of the corner of her eyes she studied the other girl, she seemed a little upset. "Problems with the machine?" She asked a rather bored bland expression on her face. She couldnt tell much about the girl. The girl did look older though but she couldnt tell much more than that.

"Zuri." She said as way of introducing herself not exactly the friendliest of greetings, but then she did not really care if she made friends, at least she didn't think she cared though she still rembered the way Serenity had touched her, and even stroking the other woman's hair which just confused her more. "I'm a hyena and relativley new here what about you?" She said just making small talk as she took a sip of her soda. Her eyes took in the girl still gauging her reaction, after all Hyena's were not accounted a cute or likable animal most of the time. Still there were worsed animals she could turn into, like a bug, or a poodle. Gah that would be bad at least it would be hard for someone to mistake her for a pet. She idly wondered what the other girls animal was. She just couldnt tell.

[Annette Livingston]

Annette heard some one specking she held onto a table. “You could say that, the dam thing took my money and didn’t give me what I wanted, a hot coffee.” She said “and I hurt my foot kicking it too” she stood up the best she could and sighed “Annette, Annette Livingstone” she said facing the girl who had spoke “been here a few months, though to look at me you wouldn’t guess with having no friends yet.” She sighed again she seem to be doing a lot of that, “cougar “was all she said as she sat down in her chair rubbing her foot and giving a deep sigh.

Finally sitting she looked at the other girl now and saw some one younger than she was. “Just arrived you say lucky you , I’ve been here several months and am still friendless , nobody wants to make friends with the big cat.” She said rolling her eyes she shifted on the chair. “Ow dogs and cats yes, even the odd bird of pray but not me, no.” She said and picked up her book again now some what annoyed 2anf that dam coffee machine like I said took my money” She took her book and threw it at it as hard as she could it made a thump as it hit the glass and fell to the floor in front of it . She folded her arms across her chest a small scar showing threw her chiffon blouse the only sigh she had been hurt with the tree several days earlier. She winced as she still felt the odd pain from one spot, looking up at her, she sighed deeply again.” Sorry you just caught me in bad mood coz I have had a worse day, well week all round. “She said and she gave a deep sigh. She lay with her head tipped back over the arm of the chair her eyes closed and her hand massaging her temples “the friendless wonder is what they should have called me” she looked up again and around the room every one just carrying on as normal. The couple still kissing several watching pool on the TV and others played cards and a small wooden table off to one side. “You can sit down “she said with a wave to the empty chair that sat next to her. Her red hair fell cross her face hiding the sad look she now had as her foot now throbbed incessantly as she sat rubbing it , one boy pushed passed her not even excusing himself to her and she quickly pulled her legs into the chair the leather groaning at her move. She did not know what else to say to the new girl, she was not a great conversationalist even at the best times. Therefore, she sat racking her brain for just what to say.
“So what music you into, do you play any?” she asked out of the blue knowing music was something she liked it reminded her of her guitar she had in her room , she though later she might play it and se if it would cheer her up a little. “I play guitar, piano and a little drums, still working on those , my mother doesn’t like it but she’s not here to complain.” She said chuckling as she thought that as one good thing about being alone she did not have any body to say she stunk at her music , looking at her she waited for her to say what she was in to hoping the would have something in common.

[Zuri Watson]

"Least you still have your parents." She said sipping the soda trying not to sneer. She was alone, well maybe she still hadn't sorted out her feelings for Serenity yet. But she didn't even have a family. "Be glad you still have a family that cares enough." She said with a bit of bite in her voice. She normally tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, but sometimes she thought life was really unfair.

"Sorry didnt mean to snap." She said with a grimace. "Just this whole shifter thing is still new to me. Hell I'd been adopted by normal people so yeah it was a shock." She said and that was as much of her past as she was willing to share, well at least with Annette she really had no idea why she was open with the people at this school none at all." She sighed and rubbed her head hoping it didnt come back to bite her in the ass like it always seemed to when she trusted anyone.

"So what are you doing to make friends? Seems to me that if you don't like being alone you should do something about it." She said not being mean just stating the truth.

"As for music I sing some haven't had many lessons but I kinda like it, especially karokee. Mostly I like to play poker, ride dirt bikes or when I can Motor cycles. With this being an island I really want a jet ski." Her eyes almost seemed to light up as she spoke about a jet ski. "I like to move rather quickly when I can. I will say the one good thing about being able to turn into a hyena is the ability to sprint much faster than I could as a human.

She did not add that some nights on the street being able to shift had meant she'd been able to stay much warmer than she otherwise would have and was even able to eat sometimes when she otherwise would not have.

"So listening I like metal, punk rock, anything with a fast beat even some techno is fun to dance to with the right people." She said with a somewhat feral grin. "What about you what do you listen to?" She asked leaning back in her seat. Her eyes continued to dart around the room, just making sure there was nothing threatening. It was a force of habbit for her something she almost always did.

[Annette Livingston]

Annette sat listening turning in the seat she looked at her and blew threw her red lips “only just, why do you think I’m here” she said “they didn’t want me around there normal kids so I was sent here” she said motioning to the room around her. She gave a sigh ad nodded “its ok, I like my cougar form but its lonely I seem to be the only one here.” She said so pretty hard to know how to talk to people when your entire inner animal wants is to attack them.” She said softly she gave a soft chuckle “I read in the library eat in the canteen talk to girls who want to talk to me” he said her greenish eyes looking at her as she sat looking at the dark haired girl.
She gave a sigh as she listened to her talk about what things she liked “Jet sky? Not done that before sounds interesting,” she said now listening more to her words “know that feeling in my cougar form I can move pretty fast I believe I have been told up to35-45 mph “ she said “how fast is your form?” she asked now turning to face her waiting for her answer .She lent back watching her as she continued telling her about the music she liked to listen to and smiled some of it she liked too “Ow, Rock is good and some Techno too , but as for dancing I’m a bit of a dance floor disaster . “She said and smirked a little. “I was told I have two right feet, one reason I took up playing rather than dancing” he ran her fingers threw her hair as she looked at her again “you know your really good to talk to” she said . Seeing the smile on her face, she could not help but smile herself.

“You know if you want I could show you my guitar some time. “ He could not help but chuckle “ok that sounded like a bad chat up line some guy would give.” She said pushing her hair back behind her ear as she too glanced around the room “I wish those two would get a room , its annoying for those who are frustrated. “ She said then covered her mouth. “Sorry did not mean to say that aloud “her cheek blushed as she looked at her



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[Zuri Watson]

She laughed a bit. She couldn't help it. The other woman wore her lonliness on her sleve. In truth Zuri was just as lonely just less likely to admit it. Most people she had found were not worth trusting at all. She relaxed a little bit an interested expression on her face. "Well I can go about 40 miles per hour full tilt for short distances or maintain 25 miles an hour for quite a distance." She said with a self satisfied smirk. "Well I don't know if there are any other hyenas here at all, but I bet you can easily find some other cat type shifters here rather easily." She said thinking with all the kinds of big cats that cat shifters were probably quite common.

She shook her head when the woman mentioned how bad she was on a dance floor. "You white girls really just need to learn to loosen up, let go and just go with the music. Dancing isn't something you try to do. Just let your body flow with the music." She said with a slightly teasing wink towards the other woman.

"What kind of guitar do you have anyway?" She asked mildly curious. She was always curious about others wanting to know what made them tick. On the streets she'd used that to con quite a few people to make money to survive. Here hell here it would at least let her figure out the lay of the land, and groups.

"So how does someone make money on this island?" She asked, she was getting rather despereate for cash, hell despereate didnt even begin to cover it. She had a grand total of ten dollars left after buying a couple of new outfits and clean shoes for school. She sighed and rubbed her head. Maybe cub and Serenity would be willing to lend her money if she needed it but she wasnt about to count on other people being nice, because that was generally stupid.

"Yeah Im bored right now lets check out your guitar." She said rather suddenly really wanting and needing a distraction rather badly. Besides someone as desperate for friends as this girl was could probably be played rather easily. All this ran through her head rather quickly. She didnt even feel bad about it either. Well not too bad anyway. Besides the girl was nice enough, at least she seemed nice enough and she really had nothing better to do.

[Annette Livingston]

Annette listened with an interest. “Wow, that’s fast. “She said as she chuckled a little. “Yeah other cat types, but not puma ones like me.” She said a little sad but she then smiled as she spoke again. “But for the moment I’m just happy to be me right now.” She looked up at her when she asked about her guitar. “Its a Luna Henna oasis, acoustic guitar, in spruce, I like it because of the crisp sound I get from it, that and the cool pattern on it.” She said chuckling again for some reason she could not help herself as she looked at the woman in front of her. “Its up in my room at the moment , some girls don’t like me to play up there , they say I make a racket yet there music is all this dancer techno stuff, don’t get me wrong some is good but the rest , na, you can keep it“ she said as she rubbed her foot . As the throbbing, slowly diapering so she could stand up much to her relief.

She looked around her at the machine again but shook her head “I was just thinking of taking the infernal coffee machine on again, but na, I have some cold sodas in my room , I’ll get one of them later” she said sliding her shoes that she had slid of to rub her ankle back on. Quickly she tied the laces and stood up to face her. “You want to go up to my room and see it?” She asked hoping she would it was rare she had anybody to talk to around the school most were too busy with there own friends to bother with a new one, yet there she was talking to Zuri about things she had never done before, he love of music and her guitar. “Ow do you play? If you want you could show me on mine, I don’t mind, I like hearing others play it gives me new ideas for my own songs.” She brushed her trousers straight as she watched her. “Ok I’m rambling again aren’t I “she said smiling. “I tend to do a lot of it around new people, guess that’s why they don’t talk to me much, sorry.” She stood watching her and twisting a strand of hair around her finger a habit she had when nervous and right now she was to whether Zuri would still talk to her .

(word count: 420)

[Zuri Watson]

She looked at the girl and grinned. "Sure though I admit everything you said about the guitar did this." And she made a hand motion over her head. "I like to dance to music and I like listening to guitars but I know absolutley nothing about brands or kinds or anything so I'll take your word for it that it is a really nice guitar." She said this as she stood up, she offered a hand to the other girl in case she needed help up with her injured foot. "Me my thing is motorcycles, card games and well really anything that moves fast and could be considered dangerous." She said this last with a slight chuckle, but her smile didnt quite touch her eyes as she continued to scope the place out and study everyone in the room.

"So know of any other hyenas in this place? Im sure its probably not a comon animal type but wouldnt mind having another one here. She also wasnt sure if she would like that either. But either way it would be good to know, that is if Anette knew anything. She seemed like the kinda shy type that might not know many people. Idly she wondered why that was but put it out of her mind everyone had issues. She wouldnt pry too much into the girls past or anything and she would expect the other young woman to do the same.

She kept her eyes peeled as they made their way to the stair case just in case of well anything. A little paranoia never killed anyone but being an idiot had hurt or killed plenty. Even on an island with nothing but shifters that was supposedly safe she wouldnt really completley relax, well except maybe around Cub. True Annette did not seem like a threat but the whole come see my guitar could be some kind of ploy she didnt think that the chances were likely but you never knew. She waited patiently by the door for Annette to open it before following her inside.