Sometimes multiple cracks converge, and the converging point doesn't heal. That point becomes a source of magic in this world. Some people from this world can learn to manipulate this magic. Other people . . . well, exposure to convergence points helps expose certain innate abilities. These abilities can be very powerful and are highly specialized. We call them Talents. Well, when Arthur was using his healing magic on you, he discovered within you the potential for a Talent to manifest itself. So while we had initially been planning on just making you better and getting you back on your feet, we found that you might, if you choose, be a possible ally for us."

"Ally? I can't do anything!" Jane said.

"That I believe," Red muttered.

"Red, can it!" the big man said irritably. In response, Red stood up and stormed off, with the one known as Robbie in hot pursuit. Tarloh put his head in hand and paused.

“I'm sorry. She's . . . stressed.

Listen Jane, I know this is a lot to handle, and you probably still don't believe it all yet. It will probably still take you several days to heal, even with Arthur's help. If you have any questions, just ask."

As the meeting broke up, Jane was left in Talia's care. Talia was more than a bit concerned that her young charge wouldn't speak for quite a while. Talia wheeled Jane over to an area where she could see the entire goings on.

Finally, a thin whisper drifted up from the wheelchair.

“Are you all monsters?"

Talia leaned forward, trying to catch Jane's eye, but Jane just stared forward.

"That would depend on how you defined monster. But no, not everyone is a lycanthrope. About ten of us are."

"You come from another dimension?"

"No. I'm second generation. First generation lycanthropes . . . the ones from Terra . . . they morph into something which is kind of wolf-Like but not really. You may have heard that vampires and werewolves create more of their kind by biting them. That isn't true for vampires, but it can be true for werewolves, though the sire has to will the transformation as well as bite the victim. Lycanthropes created in this world tend to take on alternate forms of native species. That ‘dog’ you helped rescue . . . Robbie . . . well, that was a werewolf. Tarloh is a werebear. Michael, Mindy and Matthew are all actually Terran. They were out hunting one night and fell through a dimensional portal about twenty years ago. They age more slowly than humans, which is the reason they still look young. All lycanthropes get that bonus. Hell, I'm actually thirty-two," Talia said with a laugh, but her merriment wasn't returned.

“Red is werecat of the puma variety. How she and Robbie got bit by the same sire but wound up so different is kind of a mystery. But Red is actually thirty-five, and she looks like a twenty-year-old." Talia placed a hand on Jane's knee, but the girl almost jumped out of her chair, shivering all the while. So Talia pulled her hand away. She knew something else was going on with the girl.

"Red and Robbie are ACTUAL siblings by the way. I know she seemed mean, but she cares deeply about the pack and everyone in it."

"The pack?"

"Yeah, the pack. We actually call ourselves the Strays. Lycanthropes are pack creatures, and continued to keep that trait even as they evolved. Even the ones that wind up in this world tend to seek out social groups to belong to. It was actually lycanthropes that formed THIS Little commune. They brought in others to help out. Like Arthur... who happens to be a skilled practitioner of healing magic. He used to be a doctor who succumbed to his own painkillers. We have some hedge-wizards, druids, and a bunch of people with Talents. We've got one guy . . . Patrick . . . who can fly, whereas Anya can turn invisible."

"And... Arthur . . . thinks I have a Talent? I can't . . ." Jane stopped. She had planned on saying how she couldn't do anything again, but her mind shot back to Red's response from earlier.

“Arthur is rarely wrong. And you generally can't manifest your talent until you've been exposed to a powerful magic source. But no one is going to force you to do that. It will be your decision."

"Talia," Jane started after a pause, “why does Red hate me?"

Talia sighed.

"She doesn't hate you. She . . . she's had a lot on her mind. She was up in Los Angeles trying to get information on a tribe of hellspawn that have been causing us some problems as of late . . . those are the things you saw in the alley . . . when Robbie decided to go find them on his own. She feels very responsible for him, and he tends to do things that are rather rash.

And she's also mostly responsible for making sure that everyone is clothed, fed and relatively happy, and she wasn't expecting to have another mouth to feed."

Jane blushed and felt herself on the verge of tears again.