BTVS Tornado of Souls 4/8 - B/F W/T - PG13

[Dana Hunter <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tornado of Souls
Part 4

Author: Frau Hunter Ash
Copyright © 2002 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to
Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only
knows who else. The storyline, however, is the sole
property of the author. This story cannot be sold or
used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may
be made for private use only and must include all
disclaimers and copyright notices.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual
relationship between people of the same gender and may
even include 3 at the same time <G>. If this offends
or is illegal for you, then please leave. Come back
when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or
changed your laws.

Spoilers: Up to Season Three  to Faith, Hope and
Trick.

Summary: Willow is introduced to the realm of Hunters
and meets someone she instantly bonds with as the
Slayers and Scooby gang hunt for her to tell her the
truth about Buffy.

Rating: PG-13

Author's Note: pairings: B/A (past tense) X/An W/O,
W/T

* * *

Buffy sighed as she crawled onto her bed. She could
hear Giles, Oz and Angus continuing the conversation
about Garou, cursed werewolves, vampires and Hunters
and how Buffy fit into all of it as a Slayer Garou.

Xander and Cordelia had finally gone to the upstairs
guest room to crash on the bed, fully clothed, as
Joyce had checked, and Buffy had gone to her own room
to sleep for a few hours.

Faith paused, noticed Buffy's door slightly ajar and
frowned when she heard Buffy crying. The brunette
Slayer opened the door slightly and entered the room.
Buffy, hearing Faith, turned over, hugging a pillow
tightly.

"Go away, Faith," Buffy muttered.

Faith frowned. They had all been hit with a lot of
information and shocks in less than a two day period.


"You okay, B?" she asked softly, sitting on the edge
of the bed.

"No," Buffy admitted. "Everyone thinks I'm a freak
because I'm a Slayer, a cool freak but a freak. Not
quite human, you know? Now they REALLY think I'm a
freak."

"Yeah, I do know," Faith nodded slightly, holding back
from reaching out and touching Buffy's shoulder.

"Only you do, don't you?" Buffy asked softly, turning
over and sitting up against the headboard, still
hugging the pillow. "I'm missing Will."

"Me too," Faith agreed and laughed softly at Buffy's
surprised expression. "We kinda hit it off the last
couple of days, thanks to you, B."

"Thanks to me?" Buffy asked.

"We were trying to figure out why you were acting so
weird and we put our heads together," Faith explained.
"She's not so bad for a geek and she thinks I'm okay
for a slut."

"You aren't a slut," Buffy said absently.

"How would you know?" Faith teased.

"When you claim to have gotten horizontal with
someone, you never smell of sex," Buffy countered.

Faith looked stunned. "What?"

"I know it's an act," Buffy smiled gently.

"Tell me about this wolf thing, B," Faith encouraged,
wanting to change the subject.

"In some ways it's amazing, Faith," Buffy sighed
wistfully, her eyes becoming distant. "Giles and Angus
are talking about it right now. Angus is explaining
that my first change was long overdue and probably
delayed because Im a Slayer. It hit when I sent Angel
to Hell. I lost it. Really, really lost it."

"Well he had tormented you guys and killed people for
awhile," Faith nodded.

"No, not Angeleus," Buffy corrected. "Willow cast a
spell that restored Angel's soul. Angeleus had
started the spell to destroy the world, though. I had
to kill him to stop the spell. I sent Angel to Hell,
not Angeleus."

"Uncool," Faith agreed.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. "I lost it and went into my
first change. When I came out of it, I packed a bag
and left Sunnydale. I wasn't even really sure if I had
changed or had hallucinated it. When I hit LA, a Garou
was waiting at the bus station. They keep a Garou at
the station watching for runaway Lost Cubs."

"Smart," Faith grinned. "Kinda like pimps."

"Yes," Buffy laughed. "They knew me for Garou and took
me somewhere, locked me in a room and made me eat and
sleep until I was a little more coherent. Then they
took me to a Fianna pack and I began my training."

"What's that like?" Faith asked, suddenly envious of
Buffy's calm and joyful expression.

"Amazing," the blonde Slayer whispered. "It's hard to
talk about."

"Like Slayer training? How to handle being furry and
stuff?" Faith asked, genuinely curious.

"Some. How to handle the different shapes you can
take, how the pack interacts, history, modern politics
between the Tribes and always more and more about the
Wyrm," Buffy tried to explain.

"Worm? Evil worms?"

Buffy laughed and threw the pillow at Faith.

"W-Y-R-M," Buffy said. "The source of the power of
evil in the world."

"Whoa, cosmic, B," the dark Slayer muttered.

"There's all kinds of rituals and rites of passage
stuff to get through," Buffy continued. Thats how I
got the scars on my thigh, one of the passage things.

"How&what does it feel like?"

"What, changing?" Buffy asked softly and Faith nodded.
"It's&it really hurts the first few times. It's
harder to change all the way to full wolf form. I
can't talk about a lot of it."

"What do those weirdoes want with Red?" Faith asked
and watched Buffy's face crumble.

"Hunters," Buffy said with a frown. "Fanatics that
believe anything not human is evil, from Satan and
must be destroyed, no matter what the costs."

"Isn't that what we do as Slayers?"

"Sort of but there are a lot more Hunters than the two
of us," Buffy said, moving to lay back down on the
bed, Faith beside her as they looked up at the
ceiling. "They won't listen to reason. They don't
believe in a connection to the earth and can't believe
that we're part of nature."

"Why not?" the brunette Slayer asked softly.

"The Earth doesn't matter to most of them, something
about their religious beliefs about having domain over
the Earth," Buffy frowned. "Humans think they are the
top of the food chain and the evolution ladder.
Garou's can shape-change, we can walk in the spirit
world and we're connected to the Earth so that
threatens their superior views."

Faith frowned and raised up on an elbow to look down
at Buffy.

"This is getting disturbing, B," Faith complained.

"How so?" Buffy demanded.

"Calling everyone else 'humans', talking like you're
different," Faith complained.

"We're both different than most other humans," Buffy
pointed out, her eyes saddened. "Only a potential
Slayer can understand what we're like and we learned
to live with that. Now, I had to find out that I'm
different than other Slayers, other Garou and I'm not
really human anymore."

Faith continued to frown.

"Most of the time a young Garou, a Lost Cub, is taken
into a pack and the Tribe and live with at least the
pack," Buffy continued. "I'm unusual because I'm also
a Slayer and I'm needed here. I'll probably travel to
my pack several times a year to reconnect with them
and our sacred home."

"Where's that?" Faith asked, beginning to feel tired
herself.

"I can't say, it's kept secret, even from most of our
Kin," Buffy frowned. "Only those close to Mother
Earth, to Gaia, can go near our caern, our home."

"Weird, B, weird," Faith muttered.

"It's strange," Buffy admitted.

"What will they do to Red?" Faith repeated.

"The Hunters? Convince her I'm a killer, against
nature, against God, and that the wolf in me comes
from Satan," Buffy said, tears filling her eyes.
"They're on the way to convincing her I'm a killer."

"Not you, the wolf," Faith argued. "Willow thinks
there's a difference after dealing with Oz and his
furriness."

"And they have an agreement that he'll either kill
himself or she'll kill him if he ever gets out and
kills an innocent," Buffy countered. "Willow will
demand the same thing from me, especially as a
Slayer."

"So, she comes back to town, we grab her and talk some
sense into her," Faith grumbled.

"Does this make sense to you?" Buffy asked softly as
Faith laid back down next to her.

"Not yet but I figure we'll work on it," Faith
mumbled.

Buffy nodded and turned over, hoping to grab some
sleep before the next crisis.

* * *

The next day Giles called the Rosenberg house and
asked for Willow but was told that the honor student
was out of town on a family emergency and would be
gone for at least a month. Xander and Buffy were
greeted with harsh words and a slammed door when they
went to talk to Willow's parents that afternoon after
school.

"Damnit!" Buffy shouted as she slammed the door to the
Summers' home. Xander looked equally unhappy as
Faith's eyebrows rose in question.

"They wouldn't even talk to us and called Buffy a
'perverted' goya jifa  meaning a disgusting perverted
non-Jew," Xander growled, throwing his backpack on the
floor as Buffy clenched fists.

"Harsh!" Faith muttered.

"The Hunters got to them," Buffy complained.

"Damn!" Faith growled, hating to see the hurt and
anger in Buffy's eyes and the rage in Xander's.
"Giles called on the answering machine, says everyone
is coming over at 7pm for planning."

"When is Oz leaving with Angus?" Xander asked.

"End of the week," Buffy said absently.

"What about school?" Xander asked.

"No longer important to Oz," Buffy said slowly.

Xander and Faith frowned and Buffy blushed.

"He's starting a new life and might have little
contact with general society anymore," Buffy tried to
explain.

"What about the band and his music?" Faith asked.

Buffy smiled, a wistful look on her face.

"He'll learn some new music, Clan Fianna is known for
their music, parties and howls," she said softly.

"Howls?" Faith asked.

"Gatherings of the pack or packs, kinda a party with
rituals, bragging and reconnecting with Gaia. Then
party time."

"His family?" Xander asked.

"Angus will talk with them. Oz and his little cousin
will be taken to the pack and trained. They'll get to
see their families occasionally; the family will be
considered Kin because they know about Oz and Lisa's
Garou status. Kinda like you guys are now considered
Kin because of how close you are to me."

"Occasionally?" Xander frowned. "Taken from their
families?"

"It's for everyone's protection, Xan," Buffy tried to
explain. "Hunters aren't above taking Kin hostage to
get to the Garou."

"Now that Hunters know you're furry and here, will you
have to leave?" Xander demanded.

Buffy frowned and wouldn't meet their eyes. "I don't
know," she admitted. "The Elders may decide that me
staying here is too risky for me and for all of you."

"What about Slaying?" Faith demanded. "Evil stuff,
hellmouth."

"You're a Slayer, Faith, and there was never meant to
be more than one," Buffy pointed out.

"No, I don't&I don't want to do this without you
around, B," Faith said softly and immediately looked
embarrassed. "Look, I'll be back later."

"Where you going?" Xander questioned.

"I got something I gotta do," Faith snapped and
slammed out the door, leaving Buffy and Xander
confused.

* * *

Willow sat down on her cot, grateful to be left alone
for a moment for the first time since the Watchers had
picked her up. The next hours were confusing to the
young honor student; the Watchers revealing themselves
as Hunters, talking to her parents, packing a few
things and boarding a private plane within two hours
of leaving the cemetery.

Willow Rosenberg hadn't heard what the Hunters had
said to her parents but Sheila and Ira had been very
willing to let Willow go for "specialized training"
for the next month.

The intelligent student had kept her wits enough to
know that they were now somewhere in Arizona, near
Phoenix, at a private ranch. Willow had been taken to
a barracks like building and shown a small room with a
bunk bed, two desks and two dressers. It reminded her
of counselor rooms at summer camp.

Apparently she didn't have a roommate at the time and
wasn't given very long to settle in before being taken
to another large building for dinner, introductions to
everyone, and beginning indoctrination.

Willow felt like she had been kidnapped by a cult
after an hour of trying to eat, answer questions and
listen as several people talked at once. Each of the
men and women had an enthusiasm for "hunting," that
reminded Willow of religious converts.

After dinner, someone walked up to the stage and
introduced themselves as Raymond Johnson, head of the
Brotherhood of Hunters, Western Chapter. Willow bit
the inside of her lip to keep from laughing. It
sounded like something out of an Elk's Lodge but
everyone around her were deadly serious and nodded at
his introduction.

"As you know, this is the second active training camp
for those of us who have been blessed and cursed with
the truth about the supernatural," Johnson began. "I
want to thank the new recruits for coming. Your future
won't be easy and it might even be short."

Willow was instantly reminded of Giles' lectures to
Buffy about her Fate as a Slayer.

"Most of you have suffered already," Johnson
continued. "I commend you for your bravery,
especially the young ones with us. Now that you've
seen the monsters, we invite you to join with your
brothers and sisters and discover the strength of our
Brotherhood."

Willow looked around with a frown. She turned her
attention back to the stage when names were called and
pairs of people walked up to face the crowd. The
budding witch quickly caught on that these were the
new recruits and their "counselors". Each counselor
told the basic story of the recruit and the recruit
was welcomed with hugs and sometimes tears from the
"Elders" on the stage, including Johnson.

Willow jumped slightly when she realized Watcher Ryan
had moved next to her and was smiling down at her.
She tried to smile up into his hazel eyes but felt a
familiar fear gripping her. She knew they were going
to be called up on stage and she hated and feared
public appearances.

Tim Ryan gently grabbed her arm and steered Willow
through the crowd and helped her up the stairs, as if
expecting the student's reluctance.

"This is Brother Ryan and Willow," Johnson said into
the mike. "All the Brothers and Sisters of the
Western region know there are some solo fighters. It
is my sad duty to report that a fighter against the
darkness has fallen to that darkness. We've told you
of the fighter in California, called by the Divine to
fight evil. She has been infected by that evil."

Shouts and gasps of disbelief filled the cafeteria and
Willow's head dropped as tears filled her eyes.

Johnson, looking very much like a politician or
preacher, held up his hands for silence as the sounds
of tears began reaching Willow's ears.

"I know, I know," Johnson said loudly. "The worst of
it is that she didn't fall in battle, as would honor a
Hunter of her years and talent. The Hunter fell to a
werewolf's bite and has become a killer."

Willow felt Ryan's arm slide around her shoulder and
leaned against him, much as she would have if it had
been Giles.

More shouts of disbelief were the reaction and
Willow's tears began escaping from her eyes as well.

"This is her best friend, Willow," Johnson said,
pointing to Willow. "She has been fighting the
darkness and evil for years beside the Slayer and
stayed in the fight when they were recently joined by
the second Hunter."

Murmurs of approval swept towards the stage.

"Willow began her fight in her sophomore year,"
Johnson continued. "She and a group of divinely
imbued students stood with the Hunter and fought the
evil. Willow has even overseen the care of one of her
fellow students after it was discovered he was a
werewolf. Together, the Hunter and the small group
kept him from acting on his evil urges to kill and
ensured his safety as well."

Willow felt the tears flowing freely down her cheeks,
remembering everyone: especially Oz. It had only been
a day but it felt like she had been gone forever.

"Now the Hunter is infected and has tasted human
blood," Johnson continued. "We aren't sure when she
was infected or how many she has possibly killed. The
Hunter ran away from her duties a few months ago and
we lost track of her. When she returned to her home,
we were ready and observant. Our worst fears were
confirmed and she is tainted and lost. Our Brothers
approached Willow and she has agreed to come to us and
train. Brothers and Sisters, her training won't be
easy and I ask you to help her all you can. Willow is
training to kill her best friend and, even though it's
the right thing to do, we know it won't be easy. Too
many of know what it's like to have a family member
taken by a vampire and turned into one of those damned
creatures. Others have seen their families ripped to
pieces. Welcome Willow among us, my friends."

Willow was barely aware of the applause and shouted
greetings as Ryan led her from the stage and through
the crowd. Gentle hands reached out to touch her,
welcoming her as she began to sob against Ryan's
chest.

The red-head curled up around a pillow later, crying
herself to sleep but none of the three females who
helped her settle in seemed surprised.

* * *

Faith smiled and folded the knife and put it back into
its sheath behind her back. She raised the window to
Willow's room slowly. The brunette Slayer was
grateful it wasn't dark yet. It made it more
dangerous, especially since Ira and Sheila Rosenberg
were right downstairs but it also made it exciting.

Faith had an idea that the Hunters had been prepared
to talk to Willow's parents. They had been prepared
for everything else, including having doctored photos
of Buffy as a werewolf killing someone.

The dark Slayer had already been through the cell with
Buffy earlier and they hadn't found any sign of a
tunnel. Xander and Giles had searched outside the
tomb as well and together the small group tore apart
the crypt, finding three wireless cameras.

Buffy had growled and smashed them under her feet
before Xander could protest that the frequency could
be tapped into. Faith pointed out that the only one
who might even be able to do that was Willow. Buffy
growled again, reminded once again the red-head was
gone and she felt responsible.

Faith had an idea that there might be something in the
Rosenberg house that could lead the Scooby Gang to
Willow or give them a clue as to what they were facing
in trying to get the red-head back.

She was determined that they were going to do just
that. If not for Buffy's sanity, then her own. Faith
genuinely had come to like the geek.

The Slayer rummaged through Willow's desk quickly and
efficiently, not finding anything pertinent. Faith
frowned. That meant whatever she was looking for was
downstairs, probably in Mr. Rosenberg's study.

"Damn," Faith muttered and listened closely at
Willow's door. She wanted to be back before the
meeting with everyone, either with questions or an
innocent face. The last thing Faith wanted was to be
spotted or caught in the house.

The Slayer stayed close to the wall as she walked down
the stairs slowly, her ears picking up the sounds of
Ira shifting in his seat in the living room as he
watched some sort of ball game and Sheila in the
kitchen making dinner. Faith knew enough about
"breaking and entering" to know that older houses had
stairs that creaked, particularly in the middle. She
hugged the wall where there was the most support for
the stairs and kept her, hopefully, out of being
noticed in Ira's peripheral vision.

Faith breathed a small sigh of relief when she slipped
into the study and carefully shut the door behind her.
She quickly crossed to the desk and began rummaging
through the papers until she spotted a familiar
looking manila envelope, just like the ones the
Hunters had been pulling the file folders and pictures
out of.

The Slayer growled as she pulled out 8x10 photos. She
walked over to the window and held them up to the
light coming in from the shutters and bit her lip to
keep from yelling out in anger.

There were a lot of photos, most of them grainy and
slightly out of focus and they were all of Buffy. All
of Buffy naked or getting that way with someone. Two
someones, Faith noticed. Her and Oz. The pictures
were highly sexual and graphic and Faith frowned.

She knew for certain that she and Buffy hadn't tried
any of those moves, thank you! She also highly
doubted that Buffy had gotten horizontal with Oz
either. He was much too hooked on Willow and Buffy
was still grieving for Angel.

Besides, didn't Buffy say something about Garou not
mixing it up sexually with other Garou? That meant
these were fakes, just like the ones the Hunters had
shown Willow of a werewolf Buffy killing humans. No
wonder the Rosenbergs had slammed the door in Buffy's
face. They did think Buffy was a slut and a pervert!

Faith dug further in the envelope and found several
papers and a map. She quickly stuffed the folder into
her a waistband behind her back and opened the window
as quietly as she could. It was beginning to get
dark, just what she needed as she slipped out the
window and shut it behind her.

* * *

"Okay, no yelling at Faith for doing it!" Giles
finally snapped as the group debated the wisdom of
Faith's actions. "Enough! We're tired, stressed and I
personally think it was a good idea. Now, Faith, did
you find anything that might help us?"

Faith grinned and wiggled her eyebrows at Buffy and
the blonde Slayer grinned, a spark of hope racing over
everyone's faces.

"How about a map to the place where they've got Red?"
she asked, pulling out the envelope from behind her
back and digging through it. She finally handed over
a folded map to Giles. Faith grinned as he almost
ripped it unfolding it so quickly and spreading it out
on the dining table.

"Hmmm," Giles muttered as everyone crowded around the
table. "Arizona, near Phoenix. Isolated in the high
desert, probably a former summer camp."

"Okay, we go and get her back, simple," Buffy said
firmly.

"Not so simple, you're talking about walking into a
den of Hunters, young one," Angus growled. "They are
even more paranoid than Garou about their caerns."

"We are not just going to leave her to them!" Buffy
growled, her voice dropping an octave and everyone
jumped when Angus literally growled back.

"Back off, pup!" he snapped, his eyes changing to wolf
yellow.

"This is my ward, Angus!" Buffy growled back. "The
pack knows my commitment to the gang and mother."

"Diving into a Hunter's nest is akin to suicide and
will gather you nothing but death!" Angus growled.
"Find another way, warrior."

"What about the rest of us going in and getting her?"
Faith suggested.

"I think that might be the only way," Giles said
slowly. "I suggest that Buffy stays here while the
rest of us go to Phoenix and see if we have a chance
of getting Willow back."

"I'm not staying behind!" Buffy snapped.

"Yes, you are!" Giles snapped back. "Sunnydale still
needs a Slayer and it's very likely that the Hunters
left someone behind to keep an eye on you and all of
us. They'll be anticipating this action."

"Damn!" Buffy yelled.

"I suggest that Joyce, Oz and Angus keep an eye on you
and one out for Hunter's," Giles continued.

Angus nodded. "No matter what you find out, I need to
leave with Oz by the end of next week."

"Alright," Giles frowned. He hated knowing Oz was
going and that it would mean leaving his life in
Sunnydale behind. Leaving them and probably Willow or
would Willow go with him as his mate? Giles didn't
like the thought of losing two of his kids.

Buffy was frowning as well. Angus' sharp eyes noticed
Faith leaning into Buffy's shoulder and lightly
wrapping an arm around the blonde. He especially
noticed Buffy relaxing at the touch.

"We'll get her back, B," Faith said softly.

"It's my fault," Buffy whined. "If I had followed my
instincts and told you guys what was happening, they
never would have gotten to her!"

"You were following the traditions, small one," Angus
countered. "We made you promise not to tell your
friends."

"Why?" Giles asked. "As the Slayer, Buffy shouldn't
have any secrets from me."

"Giles, it was necessary," Buffy said wearily. "I had
to fight them tooth and claw to agree I could tell
Mom."

"Again, Buffy's unusual in that she returned to her
friends and family after joining the pack and Tribe,"
Angus said gently.

"Living at home was hard enough when I became the
Slayer, I needed someone to help me on the Ahroun
moons," Buffy explained. "The Elders thought that Mom
was the best choice to tell, she'd instinctively
protect me, even if she didn't understand the Garou
part of me."

"Well, I'll admit I was still having trouble adjusting
to the Slayer news," Joyce said with a frown. "Giles
and I argued about it the entire time you were gone
and I still don't like it. I like this even less,
especially since it probably means you'll have to
leave or die even younger. But, I'm here for you and
always will be."

"Thanks, Mom," Buffy said softly.

"Right," Giles said firmly. "It's getting late and
tomorrow is a school day. I suggest Cordelia and
Xander get notes from their parents that they'll be
out of town for the next four school days. Today's
Wednesday, if we haven't found a way to get Willow
back by Monday, then I don't think we will."

"Okay," Cordelia nodded. "My parents are going out of
town for the weekend. I'll tell them I'm staying at
Harmony's for the next couple of days and the
weekend."

"I need someone to forge an excuse for school," Xander
said slowly. "Will always does that when I'm sick."

"I'll write you and Faith a note, Xander," Joyce said
quickly as everyone frowned.

"Thanks, Mom," Buffy said softly.

"Everyone go home and to bed now, no slaying tonight!"
Joyce snapped. "No arguments, neither one of you are
in any shape to go out tonight."

Faith nodded but Buffy continued to frown.

"She's right, Buffy," Giles said calmly. "I'll drop
Oz off at home."

"I'm riding with Cordy," Xander chimed in.

"You two get some rest," Giles said softly to the
Slayers.

"Okay," Buffy finally nodded and let Faith pull on her
arm as everyone exchanged hugs and whispered words of
reassurances.

Buffy was surprised but pleased when Faith led the
blonde Slayer into her room and sat Buffy on the edge
of the bed.

"Stay!" Faith ordered. "I'm going to get some sweats
for you to sleep in. I don't think you need to be
alone tonight."

Buffy nodded, actually grateful for Faith's insight
and waited as the dark haired Slayer threw an
oversized t-shirt and pair of shorts at her. The
Slayer stood up and pulled her shirt off as Faith
turned her back to Buffy and pulled her own shirt off
and quickly pulled on her own sleep shirt.

The blonde Slayer relented and let some of her control
slip again as Faith, instead of turning her back to
Buffy in bed, wrapped her arms around Buffy and pulled
her close. Buffy began crying softly as Faith gently
stroked her hair and held her.

"It's okay, B," Faith whispered. "I'll get her back
for you."

Buffy fell asleep but it eluded Faith as she thought
about Willow and Buffy.

Why did the thought of their deep friendship bother
her, Faith demanded from herself. Was she ready to
face that answer?

* * *

Willow thought she was back at summer camp the next
morning when whistles woke everyone up and she joined
the lines of mostly young people for use of the
bathrooms and then breakfast. Everyone was friendly
and encouraging but not smothering and the recruit
felt herself relaxing as she began to wake up.

"I'm Tommy Hernandez," a young man across the table
introduced himself.

"Tawanda Jones," the girl on her right.

"And I'm your training partner, Tara Maclay," said the
girl on her left. "They thought that us magic types
should stick together."

Willow grinned. "I was beginning to worry I had
stumbled across a Christian summer camp."

Everyone laughed and some nodded. Willow's eyes kept
coming back to Tara's blue eyes and shy nature.

"They get a little heavy with the Divine Chosen
thing," Tommy agreed. "Don't let them worry you,
we've got Rabbis, Priests, preachers, and atheists
here to teach us."

"Rabbis?" Willow asked softly with a cough.

"Yeah, they celebrate the Sabbath with us on Friday
evenings," Tara explained.

"You said magic though?" Willow asked softly.

"Yes, I'm Wiccan and have a little bit of magic
talent," Tara admitted with a blush. "They said that
you do too."

"Yeah," Willow muttered, blushing herself and
wondering why. Willow was normally shy and wasn't
accustomed to large groups of people accepting her,
but what was it about Tara that made her nervous and
shy?

"I heard the Elders saying that they were going to
train you quick, a fast track thing or something,"
Tawanda said over her orange juice.

"Yeah, you've already fought the damned things," Tommy
nodded, his eyes growing hard and intense.

"Easy, Tommy," Tawanda suggested. "He lost his little
sister to some really low life, ugly vampires."

"I'm sorry," Willow said softly.

"It's okay, I'll get mine," Tommy swore.

"Wait until you see some of the stuff these guys have
come up with to fight these things!" Tara said
enthusiastically. "Stakes that have a silver core for
both werewolves and vampires&."

"Shotgun shells loaded with silver balls and wooden
pellets," Tommy grinned.

"Hollow points filled with silver," Tawanda joined in.

"Flares to confuse vampires and flamethrowers to take
them out," Tara said.

Willow frowned and looked down at her plate,
envisioning the results of what those weapons could do
to a werewolf. The red-head suddenly looked ill and
she felt Tara's hand on her arm.

"We understand," the young woman said softly, her
brown eyes gentle. "Tommy had to stake his sister.
Tawanda had to identify her mother's body, only the
head was recognizable."

"And&and you?" Willow asked, her eyes filled with
tears.

"I had to kill my brother," Tara said softly. "He
changed in front of all of us and killed my mother
immediately. His fur was black as night and his eyes
blazing an evil red. He threw my brother into the
wall, crushing his skull. He came for me next. It
was Thanksgiving and Mother had the good silver out on
the table. I grabbed a knife and stabbed him but that
only made him angry. I held up a tray to block his
blows and his claws sliced it in half. When he
attacked me, he fell on it, sliced through his neck. "

"I'm sorry," Willow said gently.

"We understand how hard it will be to kill your former
friend," Tommy nodded.

"Why do I have to do it?" Willow asked, her voice
cracking. "Why can't another Hunter do it?"

"We know, we asked the same thing," Tawanda nodded.
"They want us to pass through the worst thing a Hunter
can face, killing your own family or a friend. After
that, they know the Hunter can face anything without
hesitation."

"My friend deserves better than being killed by her
best friend," Willow protested.

"Who better?" Tara countered. "You love her. It's an
act of love, Willow. We're protecting humanity and
setting the creature's soul free."

"Somehow shooting my friend with silver buckshot
doesn't feel like an act of love," Willow snapped.
"She's given up so much for the world! Her friends
died, she got tossed out of school, she even died
once!"

"She deserves better than living with the knowledge of
killing innocents," Tawanda countered. "Your friend,
more than any other human, would want that if she was
thinking clearly."

"Didn't you have that type of agreement with your
other werewolf?" Tommy asked.

Willow nodded, dropping her eyes again, coughing.
"Yeah, if Oz ever got out and hurt someone, I was to
kill him or he'd kill himself."

"Wouldn't your friend want that too?" Tara asked
softly.

Willow stood up and stumbled out of the Food Hall,
running to the now empty bathrooms. The honor student
curled up in a back stall, hugging herself and crying.

* * *

Buffy frowned as Giles pulled away from the curb with
Cordelia, Xander, and Faith. Angus placed a hand on
her shoulder.

"Don't worry, you're friends are resourceful," he said
easily.

Buffy nodded but continued to frown. Once again her
friends were in danger and this time it really was
because of her.

"Can I come home after things settle down here?" she
asked. "For a visit, for a howl?"

"Of course, small one," Angus grinned. "Maybe bring
that dark beauty of yours?"

"Dark? Faith? I thought only Kin were allowed at
howls," Buffy asked with a confused expression.
"Like&sexual partner types."

"You two are getting very close and she understands
parts of you that others don't," he said calmly. "And
she wants you."

"Faith wants anything breathing," Buffy muttered.

"That's not true and you know it," Angus grinned.

"How would you know what I know?" Buffy complained.

"She desires you," Angus shrugged. "I can sense it
and see it."

"Straight here!" Buffy protested.

"You are attracted to her," Angus growled. "I know
you and I know your scent."

"Goddamn wolves," Buffy complained. "No, I'm tired,
stressed, worried and&and&very straight. Only sex with
guys."

"One male, if I remember your story," Angus countered.
"One male, one time."

"This conversation is getting really freaky here!
You're trying to talk me into being gay?" Buffy
snapped. "I thought we were supposed to mate with
humans and have more little Garous running around.
That requires a male on my part."

"Who says that can't happen?" Angus grinned. "I hear
Melissa Etheridge and Julie Cypher have two beautiful
kids. I'm just trying to get you to look at yourself,
your motivations, your desires and don't let labels
stand in your way."

Buffy frowned and looked up at her pack mate, mentor
and friend.

"Buffy, you know it's likely you won't live a long
life," Angus continued, his voice soft and gentle.
"Take love wherever you find, don't let gender blind
you."

Angus smiled and kissed the top of the Slayer's head
before moving inside the Summers' home.

Buffy frowned and trotted off into the night on Slayer
duty. Vampires and demons were going to pay for her
confusion tonight.

* * *

Willow tossed restlessly in her bunk and barely heard
the door to her room opening.

"Willow? Are you okay? You didn't show up for
afternoon class or dinner?" Tara's voice asked and the
red-head moaned.

Tara quickly crossed the room and sat down on the bed
next to Willow and held her hand to Willow's forehead.
The young trainer brushed her long hair out of her
eyes and frowned.

"You're burning up," Tara growled. "Stay here!"

Willow managed to have the coherent thought that she
really didn't feel like getting up. The red-haired
student fell back into a fevered sleep.

"Damn!" Ryan cursed as the doctor showed him the
temperature showing on the device, reading the numbers
of 103.5. "What brought this on?"

"I'd say stress and exhaustion, she probably hasn't
even noticed she's been coughing," the doctor
theorized. "Several days in bed, a good round of
antibiotics and she might avoid pneumonia."

"Oh hell!" Ryan complained. "There goes her training
for a week."

"At least," the doctor agreed as Tara placed a wet
cool cloth on Willow's forehead. "We need to
transport her to the Infirmary."

"I've got a couple of security guards standing by with
a stretcher," Ryan muttered. "Tara, will you stay
with her?"

"Of course, Brother," Tara nodded.

"Report any changes, either of you. Willow is a
special case and the Elders are very interested in
her," Ryan ordered.

"Yes, Brother," Both doctor and trainee nodded.



=====
The Viking Bard/Skald "Nothing is ever forgotten"
www.hunterash.com

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