Shifting Times

Layton could feel the tension between Ranger and Chevy. She swallowed hard and began to twirl the ice in her drink with her straw, her eyes not once looking up. Hey, Layton! What's all this stuff? An image of her parent's belongings in a box filled her mind.

Do not touch it. She warned, only to have Naji laugh at her.

I won't, I won't. Hey! I found your cellphone! Looks... tasty. Naji laughed.

If you eat that I will personally strangle you with your own deer meat. Layton glared at the big cat mentally.

"-you from?" She managed to catch Ranger say.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. What did you say?" She asked politely, her eyes still on her ice water.

Ranger snorted in what seemed to be disgust, "I said, where are you from?"

"Oh, sorry. Manhattan, New York," Layton smiled kindly, trying to not let his obvious dislike of her affect her.

"A city girl huh?" Ranger scoffed then glared at Chevy.

"Um... sort of. I lived in a small town near Montgomery, Alabama until I was sixteen then moved to New York when I was seventeen due to my father's lawyer buisness, then moved here when I turned eighteen." She twirled her straw once again, trying to avoid the number of eyes on her.

Chevy smiled at her. "That's awesome." He smiled. "And here is our order, I'll see you later Ranger." He said pointedly. Ranger frowned at him then turned and walked away. "Sorry about that."

"What, do y'all not get very many poeople that are new around here?" She asked.

"Oh, we get plenty of visitors. It's just Ranger doesn't want us, me in perticular, not to 'date' outside our race." He said bitterly. "Not that we're on a date, just they take things wrong."

Layton nodded absentmindedly, prodding her food slightly and flipping it over every now and then. Hehehe. Layton likes someone. Can't wait to tell Hana about this! She'll tell your brother and then they'll tell your parents and then they'll be expecting you for Christmas saying that you're getting married. Layton felt her face heat up ever so slightly.

Shut up you stupid cat. What do you know about humans? Layton snapped angrily.

Don't forget that I feel everything and see everything you do kiddo. Not to mention that I was like you once. Naji smiled proudly.

Yeah, in the seventeen hundreds. Things have changed Naji. Layton sighed and finally took a bite of her lunch, surprised at the taste. It almost had a... home-made feel to it, unlike the normal diners and cafes that pump grease into the food. "Yeah, I know how you feel. My parents are kind of like that. You bring one guy to the house and they jump right to the question, 'When's the baby due?' or 'When's the wedding?!'. Frankly, it gets annoying." Chevy laughed lightly and nodded in agreement. "So," she began to change the subject, "What's there to do around this town?"

"On the reservation there isn't much to do." He said. Unless you can shift, then you wish you couldn't.. "Now, in Aldro there is plenty to do. There is the small mall, then there are the ranches that let you ride." He shrugged.

"That's it?" She asked.

"Sure enough." He laughed.

Layton yawned widely, her actual exhaustion from the twelve hour trip finally hitting her. She needed a good run or even a swim or fly to help stretch her limbs out a bit. She pretended to glance at her watch with an 'Oh crap'. "What is is?" Chevy asked sweetly. Layton smiled sadly at him and stood up, laying a fifty on the table.

"I've got to get home and finish unpacking all my stuff." She smiled and grabbed a napkin, taking a pen out of her pocket and scribbling her phone number onto it. "Call me whenever you're bored. Okay? Thanks for the meal and it was nice seeing you again," with that she walked out of the cafe and jumped into her truck, yanking onto the rode and speeding towards the nearest secluded area.

Once she got to a place right outside town she parked her truck and shed all her clothes, shifting into mountain lion and running through the forest at a blinding pace.

Chevy glared at the people in the cafe, paid the bill and picked up her money.

Mirry, take this to her house. He said handing her the fifty dollars. She took off at a full speed and he growled as Ranger walked out.

"You are not to hang out with any girls until you imprint!" Ranger hissed.

"You mean you don't want the possibilty of me imprinting on someone that isn't from our people. What if i'm meant to imprint on someone that can't even shift?"

"No such thing exists!" He growled.

"I don't care, there is a first for everything." He hissed back turning and taking off at a full run in mountian lion form.


**He could run into her and they could just play around as animals, never changing. **

**Okie dokie. I'm going to really fast do Naji**

Naji sat on the floor in front of the television, watching Wizards of Waverly place. He let out a laugh at Disney Channel's stupidity. Everyone knew that witch or wizard had to have their eye closed while casting! No to mention the dragon amulet the must carry. A bird suddenly flew into the room, resting on the television set and dropping a fifty dollar bill. Naji let out a threatening growl, but was soon pecked on the forehead while the bird turned and flew back out.

Layton let out a purr of happiness as the wind rippled through her short pelt, making her feel alive. It felt so good to be out here. The bushes suddenly shook next to her, opening up to reveal a large mountain lion. She spun towards him, growling lowly.

Chevy looked at the other lion and walked around it looking at it. Was it another one of the people in his tribe, no, he didn't reconize her animal scent. He sat back watching her his head crooked. She did the same and he smiled then jumped up and took off running. She followed and they ran quickly through the woods racing. They came to the creek and crossed it and he jumped on her back. They wrestled for a while.


*Tears, short*

Layton~

Layton jumped away, her tail wavering slightly as she breathed heavily with a wide, cat-like smile on her face. Naji never once wanted to joke around with her in lion form and when he did she'd shift into a bear and dangle him over a high place. Layton rubbed her head against the other lion's jaw as if to say 'see you later.' and ran off towards her truck, shifting back and pulling her clothes back on. Even though she was in human form she let out a purr of joy and began, once again, to speed towards her home.

Once there she unlocked the door and stepped in, a smile that soon faded, on her face. "Naji! What happened?" She knelt infront of the bleeding mountail lion whom had a large hole on his head.

A damned bird happened! Came in here, dropped a fifty, and took off after pecking me like I was a peice of seed! It stings Layton. He hissed in pain as Layton treated it and stuck the meat from the butcher in the freezer.

"You wanna go take a nap ya big baby?" She smiled lightly and picked him up with all her strength, tucking him into her king sized bed which she'd made him carry the mattress to when she had brought it home. "Sleep tight my kitty," she purred and kissed him on the ear before plopping herself on the livingroom couch and turning Animal Planet on.

Mirry flew back as Chevy shifted and landed on his shoulder. He couldn't believe had had acctually had fun with another animal.

I know why she got all that meat, she has a huge mountian lion at her hosue! Mirry said in his head showing him the picture.

Why did you peck it? It's not uncommon, this is one of the only states that you can own animals like that as pets. He repleid getting up and getting dressed then walking otwards the reservation.

Still, she has a lion! Mirry hissed.

Relax, she probably knows what she is doing. He shrugged.

What has gotten into you! Mirry hissed. He shrugged and jumped in the air flying off as a hawk as he shot towards home.

Layton didn't realize it, but she'd drifted off to sleep and into a dream after the segment on wolves had ended.

"Layton! Layton wait for me!" A small boy with a smooth, tan complextion ran after the three year old Layton, breathing heavily. The young Layton slapped him on the back with a smile once he was close enough and began to run once again. "Layton!" The boy whined and took in a breath, running again.

"Awh, are you tired already?" The little Layton teased, giggling kidishly.

"No!" The little boy shouted, soon at Layton's side as a dog.

"A puppy! Is that you Chev?" The puppy just barked happily and wagged its tail.

Layton sat up quickly, her body soaked in sweat. "Oh god. What was that?" She closed her eyes for a moment then stood up to grab a towel and some pajamas. Yes, it was only four in the afternoon but she loved her wool panda bear pajamas and with a black tank top they looked fine!

After her shower she crawled into bed next to Naji and took out her dream sketchbook, sketching her entire dream out.

Chevy landed in his room and got dressed afted he changed into his human form. He walked into teh kitchen and frowned when he saw his parents standing there arms crossed.

"Ranger been here?" He asked grabbing somethign to eat. Mirry landed on his shoulder.

Food. She said. He grabbed a strip of meat for her handing it to her.

"Yes, and we'd like to know what you are doing with a girl that isn't Navjo, you know you aren't supposed to until you imprint." His father demanded.

"What if it isn't just Navajo's that can shift, what if she can? What if I imprint on someone that cant'!" He demanded.

"I really think y'all should lossen up on him." A sweet feminian voice said from behind him. He spun around and smiled as Leal walked in. She was his best friend, she'd been gone for ages. She wasn't a Navajo, she was full white, just she had been adopted into the Navajo. She hugged his waist and then smiled at his parents. "I don't think him dating someone will affect him when he really imprints."

"No, but it might break her heart." His mother said. "We're worried abotu her."

"Bull sh**!" He hissed. "You just don't want me takin off before I can imprint, you all know you can't keep me here. I'm not like my brothers, Mirry can go with me wherever I want her to!"

**I'm on a block... hehe**

It was odd. This dream at least. After going through every one of her dream sketchbooks she'd kept since she was three years old she noticed that this wasn't the first time she'd had this dream. In fact, she'd had it four times every year, and three times this past year. One per season. "Hey... Naji," she shoved the lion gently. "Naji... what does it mean when you can't get rid of a dream?"

Why? What's the dream about? Naji yawned. Layton showed him each of her journals and he purred in amusement. I don't know.

"I don't know, my butt! Tell me or I'll kill you!"

You'll just have to catch me, won't you? Naji smirked and lept out of the room window, landing perfectly. Layton growled and jumped out after him, the chase starting.

*sobs*

Chevy grabbed Leal's hand tired of his parnets annoying bantering of him. He jumped into a horse form ripping his clothes. She climbed on his back knowing he wanted to get away after she tied an extra pair of clothes to the back of his leg so they were barely visible. He took off at a fast run as she clung ot his neck. They ran to the edge of the reservation and he lept the short fence with no trouble and then headed towards the cliffs. He needed to blow off some steam, and blow it off fast.


*Short, ugh*

Layton flung herself at Naji, sending them rolling down a hill and into a river. Layton growled angrily as she climbed out, still in human form, and shook her head left and right. "Stupid cat!" She shouted while Naji was clawing at the riverbank. Layton sighed and pulled him out... by the ears.

Owch Layton... That hurt! Naji whined pitifully.

"You are so lucky it's not winter." Layton snarled, ringing her hair out even more and then setting it into a low ponytail.

Hmm... true. So very true. Naji cocked his head sideway and smirked. Without a second thought Layton grabbed on his ears and began to yank anrily, only to be pawed off and sat on.

"Naji! Get off!" She shouted angrily.