(( I replied to this twice dammit. sorry about that))

Feeling a strange zing I truned tail the other way and slid down the embankment off of the highway and into the woods. Sprinting now I lunged forward over a massive stone that lie dormant in my path. Each bone and muscle popped and re-shaped as my form grew larger until I landed my paws on the ground as a wolf.  Charging forward I caught the scent of her and followed for a ways until I came to a decently paced walk before stopping behind a bush in the dark looking to Stella as she attempted to re-compose herself. Giving a small glint of a smile as I smelled the shifter in her slowly playing around I rose my head above the bushes and slowly stepped out. Stopping suddenly as I saw Max jump at me barking in defense of his territory I stared down at the dog and barely moved my paw before he ducked and bolted a few feet away.

Watching Max as he finally sat down next to Stella I looked to the drawing and then to the burger. " what a talented artist you are" I say regarding her art to me before nodding in thanks. I had the burger in my mouth just about to wolf it down when I saw Max lick his lips his ears perked. Biting three fourths of the burger off and gulping it down I set the other piece in front of me nearly a foot front my front paws. One step. Two steps, and slowly I could begin to make out Max's shoulders. " If you want it, come get it" I coax non chalantly watching the nervous and anxious animal as he sniffed at the waiting wonder.

' I am not going to hurt you. I am as you are, just different mental plateaus as well as physical forms. If I wanted to kill you I would have done it by now don't you think?'

The dog's ears perked before he jumped back then trotted in a wide half C stopping a ways from me, staring.

" Vanite" My voice was a low, gentle coax to the animal and with a sudden ease his eyes found mine and slowly he traipsed upon my direction before stopping just a few inches and looking to me. With a sullen nod he lowered his head and gently padded up to my feet grabbing the piece of food and gulping it down before trotting back to Stella.

Dominik looked to Stella about to speak when he heard the faint whispering of curious growls seeping from behind a fir standing a few feet behind them. Looking to the set of amber orbs peering upon us in wonder. Looking back to Stella I crossed my right front paw over my left and began cleaning it I spoke, " There is a reason for everything" a silence hung for once second. two, until, " Pertaining to your question"

Looking to the surrounding formed mists I stood slowly and turned watching them closely but in a relaxed position I look to each one, ' Who are you?' my mind echoed out amongst the trees in a silent morse like code traveling on the wind. All at once they looked to me, and from the furthest spiritually harbored tree a black misted wolf stepped forward ever so slightly before stopping. It's wide, neon green eyes glew in the dark, disappearing only when it blinked and as it did so turned its head and looked to Stella with a largely peaked curiosity and wonder.

Watching it a bit closer I tried to determine what it was when it looked back to me shifting it's front feet it's tail swaying slowly as it opened it's mouth. The sound produced can only be compared to a blue and humpback whale's song combined yet filled with deep emotion. Multiple bars of falsetto and tenner were echoed out until it ended with a few playful notes that seemed to dance between the trees. It was then a cloud that had previously been blocking out the moon had finally made it's way across and began to dissipate, moonlight ever so slightly creeping through the trees as it bathed everything in its path with a glorious, luminescent glow.

Running from tree to tree the moonlight struck the entities right front paw and with a gentle tide, bathed it in moonlight. The black mist that seemed to be all there was that made up the entity was now a star dusted effect that seeped and rolled off of a brilliant white coated wolf, intricately manifested black celtic designs decorated the face, spine and legs of the spirit. Atop it's head stood a magnificent pair of beautifully twisted antlers that rose from the top of it's head above it's brow and gradually bent backwards stretching a little ways back before rising to the sky.

" He's a Forest Spirit" looking tot he others who, even in the moonlight, remained in shadow form,

" and these are loyal followers, spirit guides and beasts of the forest"

" They only present themselves in times of need to those who they know have a true spirit of the forest and beasts that dwell within it." Watching the ones in front of me I turned to look at Stella when I saw the curious misty spirit come from the bushes and sit a few feet from her. About to interject I stopped and decided to see what the spirit might make of it's new ever curiouser friend. It's ears stayed fully perked towards her it's massive round pupil-less eyes looking to her in wonder. pushing it's nose at her it's ear laying back before they popped back up as it waited before trying again in a higher tone. This time around it stretched it's neck out a bit and once again laid it's ears down as a wonderfully, curious, cluster of vocal noises similar to the whales danced from it's lips and over to Stella.

Smiling I turned and sat then lowered into a laying position as I watched with fulfilled wonder.