Young Writers Society

Trent:

"I know what you mean. I don't see how anyone could like it here. I get headaches all the time from the noise. I learned to zone out most of the noises, probably why I didn't hear that music." He smiled and the took a sip of his drink.

"So what else is in Tennessee?" She asked looking up at him after drinking more of her tea.

"Woods, fewer people, the Cherokee National Forest." He smiled. He couldn't tell her why he wanted to go to the National Forest, but it was a big part of why he wanted to go there.

"What the forest?" She asked looking at him confussed.

"I like bears, they dont' hunt them on the National Forest." He shrugged. "Figured it might be cool to see some bears up and close."

Heather-

It never ceases to amaze me how well I can hear after I shift. Two people crashed into each other on the corner and a firetruck blazed down the street. My wings started to tire and I hovered down into an alley where I then shifted back into human form. Luckily no one had seen me.

Coffee? That sounded nice since I had been out all night. A cup of coffee to keep me up for another hour so I could fly back to the church where I liked to sleep.

I walked into the coffee shop and ordered, barely affording it. Even though I was human now I could still hear well as I sub-consciously listened to a couple at the table.

“Why the forest?” the girl asked.

"I like bears, they don’t hunt them on the National Forest." He shrugged. "Figured it might be cool to see some bears up and close."

The forest sounded nice. What I would give for a nice cozy hollow and plenty of mice to eat. Wait! I was listening to another’s conversation! That’s eavesdropping! I shook myself back to reality and dropped my coffee.

“Crap!” I hissed.

can somebody bring my characters in please.

Carmen:

I stood at the counter of my minimum wage coffee shop job, looking overly bored. I only took it because there was a great view of the river. Sure it was too dirty to swim in, but it let me day dream. I dreamed I could change into my other form and swim far away from this place. I also took the job because I needed tho money and I liked teh smell of coffee.

A really large guy came in with a timid looking girl. They looked liek they were on a date or something. The girl couldn't find her wallet, so the guy paid for it. How charming, I thought snidely.

I handed them their orders, and waited for someone else to come in. But then I heard something that caught me attention.

"Woods, fewer people, the Cherokee National Forest."

I began to eavesdrop on their conversation. The way they talked was different. They didn't seem like they were from around here. I wondered who they were and where they came from.

When the guy mentioned bears, I began to get a little suspicious. I mean he sort of even looked like a bear... Maybe...

No, that's crazy. No one else would be like me. I mean what are the chances, right?

Just then another girl came in and ordered a coffee. She could just barely scrap out enough money, so I didn't mind that I didn't get a tip. But when she dropped it, I sympathized with her. I'd had days like that.

Trent:

Trent saw the cup fall from the corner of his eye. It was right next to him. He grabbed the cup quickly the coffee sloshing over to hsi hand. He hissed as it burned him and he handed it to the girl.

"Don't want to break the glass." he smiled grabbing some napkins and quickly wiping his hands off. It burned pretty bad. "Excuse me.' he said to teh girl in front of him walking to the counter.

"Can I help you?" The lady behind the counter asked.

"can I have a peice of ice?" He asked. She nodded and handed him one. "And the lady down there needs a refill of her coffee, her's got spilled. PUt it on my tab." He said the last part lower so no one else heard. The lady nodded and went to get the cofee.

*Tncowgirl is the girl me?*

*I think it was supposed to be Heather. Just put yourself in. Like be someone on the street that walks into the coffee shop or something. Or one of your characters could work there like mine does.*

Sarah turned into the coffee shop, deciding she wasn't up for rat today. Walking up to the counter, she waved slightly to get the girl's attention. She seemed preoccupied.
"Oh, sorry. What would you like?"
Rat on a stick? "Um, just a flat white please. No sugar."
"Sure."
Rachel pulled out her wallet, which she had 'found' on the street. Thumbing it open she pulled out a note and handed it over, discreetly removing the ID cards from the sleeves and palming them into her pockets for disposal later. Taking her coffee she sat at a table next to a large guy and a smaller girl. Staring straight ahead, with a carefully arranged face of unhearing contemplation, she listened in.

Fayne

I stared at Trent. He had moved so quickly to grab that drink; it wasn't human. Shrugging off the idea that he, too, was a shifter, I took another sip of my tea.

"So, where would you like to go other than here?" Trent asked, watching as the girl went back up to the counter to get ice and another coffee.

"Anywhere where snow leo-" I stopped myself from mentioning the leopards. Paranoid and slightly deranged, I had always believed that if you mentioned the animal you could change in to, people would automatically know. "Anywhere." Trent eyed me cautiously.

"Where are you from?" He asked in a cheery tone. I pondered the question. Did I truly know where I was from?

"I don't know."

"Your parents never told you?"

"Parents?" Trent looked at me, shocked. He had obviously not anticipated that answer. I mean, how could someone exist and not have parents? "I mean-" He shook his head.

"Were you an orphan?" Was it my answer or was I just that easy to read. Unwilling to discuss my past, I nodded slightly and took a slurp of my tea. Un-lady like, yes, but if it changed the topic, I'd be happy to oblige.

My face went read as I suddenly felt like I was being watched. I looked around; the guy behind the counter, the girl beside us, and the girl at the counter. All of them were listening to our conversation. Which was better: a crowded Manhattan street, or a coffee shop with people listening to your every word?

Sarah broke in. "You two, orphans too?"
The two people turned and stared at Sarah, unsure what to make of her. Sarah smiled slightly. "It's not easy, being an orphan. That's why I left."
The bigger guy frowned. "We weren't talking to you."
"No, but everyone was listening. I'm just the only one with the guts to speak up."
Sarah watched them carefully, wondering, slightly amused, what their reaction would be.

"Guess no one in New York has manners either.' He grumbled. "YEs, I'm an orphan."

"Ok, that's a tad odd, why would so many orphans be at the same place?" The guy behind the counter asked.

"You too?" That girl said looking at him. Trent ran a hand through his hair. Questions were going to start flying tha the didn't want to answer. What was he supposed to say, I was dropped off at a hospital? He never liked talking about it.

I pretended to not pay attention to the situation. Always act innocent. That was my motto. I had big eyes that always seemed to help when I put on an innocent face anyway.

I took a rag and began to wipe the counters, looking out the window. I kept my ears perked, though. There was someting fishy going on here. I became slightly paranoid, though. What if these people were from the lab? Did they know about me.

I felt my palms get sweaty as I continued to listen...

Sarah smiled slightly. "I've never been subtle. I won't beat around the bush, orphans aren't that common." She paused, picking a bit of fur out of her teeth. "There must be a reason that we are all here."
The bigger guy snorted. "Whatever."
"Anyway. I guess you two aren't exactly going to spill your life stories to a complete stranger. Let me explain. I was dumped at a hospital as a kid," Sarah smiled as the bigger guy's eyebrows shot up, "and then I went to a family. The family loved me, sure, until they found out about a...condition, I have. They were frightened. I got sick of it, and I've been on the streets ever since."
The girl broke in. "Condition?"
Sarah nodded slightly. "Don't worry, I'm perfectly sane, and safe... if you don't cross me." She winked one grass-green eye. "And I think we could help each other."

*One thing like I said Shade's animal is stronger then most so he even moves like a cat while he's human.*

Shade-

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and glanced behind him. The two guys were still following him, probably thinking he was an easy mark. Shade didn't have much of a build, he was lithe and graceful. He had muscles but they weren't very obvious, especially under a bulky jacket. Winter had come and gone in New York. But it was still cold by the standards of a jungle cat.

The cat snarled in Shade's head, claws pricking the inside of his body. It wanted out, wanted to fight, wanted to hunt. Shade had long since gotten used to the pain that came with a strong animal half. In his head he chanted to himself, blocking out the cat's hunger. "I am not a killer. I will not commit homicide. Occasional bunnycide, but not homicide."

Sighing Shade cut across the sidewalk and into a coffee shop, hopefully when he left the thieves would be gone, and chosen a target less likely to eat them. The moment he stepped into the cafe the cat went hunting quiet, as if it sensed something Shade didn't. Then it did the most amazing thing, it purred, like it was actually happy for some reason. Halfway to the counter, Shade froze in shock, the cat never purred, not like that.

Baffled Shade went to the counter and ordered a coffee and a sandwich. He took his lunch to a corner table and sat down carefully making sure to have a line of site to the door.

sylverdawn can you bring me in please