Our first stop is a bakery near the edge of town. With a few coins, we get a few fresh buns along with some savoury treats. The breakfast buns have the lightest, fluffiest texture I have ever had - the savoury treats more like a ham and cheese bun. By the time I've finished the last bun, we're at the edge of Veil. By taking the north road, down the mountain, we will reach Rockdale. Normally, on four legs, it would be a day at most, but with this heavy pack on two legs, it will be several days.

  We could hitch a ride on a cart, when one passed us by, but Nila said they get more scrutiny on the roads than a pair of girls. On top of that, we would be a captive audience for his ramblings. No thank you.

  The morning sky is beautiful, with a dusting of clouds above us, and the tree cover a few kilometres away welcoming us towards it. Thinking back to how I found Nila on the mountain, and how the group really seemed to have their ears to te collective heartbeat of the town, it was strange that they could have been caught short by the raving lunatic's arrival. They were lucky he only wanted to be taken up the mountain, and not something more sinister. Shaking off those doomed thoughts. I take a deep breath, savouring the crisp air. I can't wait till we're back under some tree cover. This walking on roads is boring as hell.

  Even being a part of Nila's little group for one night and one morning was enough to highlight how easy it would have been to make community with my family. Even talking to the neighbours would have been better than stewing in our own problems for decades. Being stuck is the same house as 5 other people who didn't seem to have the least bit of empathy made it feel even worse. My older brother did a kind of 'you need it more than me' kind of thing, but its was a kind of proto-eugenics ideology he was basing it on. Not something he should have been using to help out his younger brother. There were so many other angles he could have taken to help me out.

  Nila walking beside me with the heavy pack on her shoulders is the closest I've come to happiness in a long while. Apart from discovering who I really am, that is. She sees every movement around us, eyes flicking to the birds overhead and the rustling in the bushes as we pass. With the canopy above us, each noise is heightened.

  I want to ask her so many questions, but it doesn't feel like the right time or space. I'm having such a good time just existing without the sound of cars, or the need to hurry to work, that we've been travelling for some time before I realise we haven't spoken a word since we left Veil.

  One question pushes to the front of my mind as I look over at her clad in shirt and pants, carrying that heavy backpack.

  “Nila, how did you end up in Veil with a house full of outcasts?”

  “It’s a long story.” She replies with the ghost of a smile on her lips.

  “It would have to be, wouldn't it?" I chuckle softly. "You don’t sound like you grew up on the streets before starting a youth outreach centre.”

  “A what?”

  “A place for people to go when they have nowhere else." I murmur. Of course she doesn't know what that is. Back home its for people who fall through the cracks, caught by the only ones who know to look for them.

  I hear her whisper the words a few times, testing out their shape. "I like it. 'Youth Outreach' sounds more important than 'hideout', although the kids will definitely prefer the latter." Her throaty chuckle sends butterflies flapping in my belly.

  That sounded like a deflection. Don't push her.

  “I was never into getting married because my parents said so.” she says suddenly. I look over at her, her eyes are unfocussed as she stares off into the distance.

  One benefit of being in an isolationist cult, I suppose. No arranged marriages.

  “They got even more excited when I showed signs of shifting.” Her mouth tightens against the unpleasant memories. I want to pull her close and wrap her in a hug. Unfortunately, I've found that spontaneous hugs rarely have the desired effect. When she continues, her voice cracks a little. “White fur is rare in my family. An even bigger prize for their chosen suitor."

  What do I say to that? What can I say to that? My heart sinks for her. “I’m so sorry Nila.” It comes out as a whisper, my desire to hold her in my arms, to give her some kind of relief from the memories dragging her down, a physical force. I move closer to her, until our shoulders are almost touching.

  What do i do? Can I help her with anything while we're travelling?

  “Can I carry the bag for you?” I ask hesitantly.

  Nila lifts her hands to the straps. She blinks, coming back to the moment. I can see how the straps are cutting into her shoulders through her shirt. I carried all my schoolbooks in a backpack for years - if only my backpack had been equipped with a waist band I would have had a better time wearing it. At least I can take this off her hands for the moment. If anyone needs to be free to deal with something unexpected, its her.

  She gives me a measuring look. "It's heavy," she warns me.

  "I can tell," I reply sheepishly. “I’m pretty strong.” I echo Tia's cheerful comments from breakfast.

  "Okay then. If you're sure." She unslings the pack from her shoulders, handing it to me. It dips slightly as I take the weight. Huh. A lot less than half a dozen excercise books and several text books. Easier than I expected.

  At least now I can contribute something to this journey.

  Walking with something on my back feels better. Safer, maybe. Content to walk in silence, I can already see the extra bounce in her step as she travels unburdened. Maybe some of that is her telling me a little about herself, but taking the weight off her must have helped a little too.

  My mind wanders, movement always helps me think. Nothing around here resembles the dry sclerophyll and temperate rainforests I'm used to on the east coast. The tall leafy gums, and the native flowering plants are absent. Pine needles cushion the floor, and the She-oak's are absent too. I don't recognise any of the birdcalls, or the shapes flitting through the air. I miss the bellbirds, and the magpie sounds. Although I'm glad I can't hear any of those horrible shrieking sounds from the mynahs.

  I remember sitting in my backyard, where my dad's bottlebrush and the little native garden full of grevillia and other flowering natives attracted honeyeaters. I suppose I'll never see any of those again. The branches moving as they hop around eating the nectar always brought a thrill. Especially because they felt safe enough to hang out with me watching them. Oh, and my brother had a little dirt bike that we rode around too. Not to mention building bike ramps and going to the bike track to fly through the air.

  "Hey Nila," I glance over at her, finding her looking at me already. I swallow nervously, surprised to find her paying me any attention at all.

  "Yes Lucy?"

  Heat rises in my cheeks. I look forwards again, shivering under her gaze. Why does her voice do that to me? How can I fit so many butterflies in my belly?

  "Lucy? Are you okay?"

  Shit, what was I saying?

  "Uhh, I was just wondering what you do for, uh, fun around here?" My voice is higher than normal, even though I was trying to sound casual.

  "Fun?" she echoes. I can feel her eyes on me while I pretend to be really interested in the next bend in the road, willing the heat out of my cheeks.

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  "Uh, yeah. Fun." I can hear the smile in her voice. I sneak a quick glance at her - she's looking at me with her arms crossed, eyebrow cocked.

  "Does swimming count?" When i don't respond, she continues. "There is a waterhole around here. If you don't mind getting wet." Her other eyebrow joins the first in her hairline.

  A nervous tremor spreads down my spine. She's calling my bluff. Lifting my chin, I cross my arms over my chest and meet her gaze. "I'm game if you are."

  Her smile widens into a full blown grin. She rakes my body with her gaze. "You are, are you?"

  Uh oh, why do I feel like she just played me like a fiddle? A flock of butterflies dances in my belly as she moves up the slope into the trees.

  "Come on then." Why did I say yes? it's going to be freezing cold up here.

  Climbing a hill is hard work - especially when I'm hauling a backpack. One side effect of huffing and puffing on the way up is that I'm ready to dive into ice cold water to cool down. It takes everything I've got to focus on my breathing and stay upright while Nila disappears into the greenery ahead of me. By the time I make it to the flatter part of the hill, I feel like I've hit every dry stick and exposed root there was. My feet hurt, and my legs ache.

  Leaning against a tree to catch my breath, I take in the scenery. Behind me is a pretty steep slope, the bottom obscured by the trees meeting overhead. Ahead, moist air swirls over the shrubs bracing the flat area. This must be where we were headed. Thank god.

  Stumbling through the barrier of greenery, I gasp at the scene in front of me. A wall of stone looms on the far side of a deep, wide pool. Water cascades down the centre of the expanse, pounding onto the stone below, splashing onto the water's surface.. A ring of darkness crouches along the left side of the rock wall, where I can see the mouth of the cave. e

  It must go all the way up to the waterfall.

  Before I take the pack off, I look around for any sign of Nila.

  She wouldn't be in the cave would she?

  "Uh, Nila? Are you okay?" Maybe she hurt herself and got stuck somewhere. As unlikely as that might be.

  "Fine, I'm coming in." I step carefully over the rocks towards the mossy area near the cave mouth. Some light from the pool makes its way through the gap in the stone to my right, light dancing on the wall. It makes it hard to see very far into the gloom.

  The sound of the waterfall is already loud, and the further I move into the hollow area, the louder it gets until it's overwhelming. It even drowns out my heartbeat. It's mostly dry, making it easier to walk through once I'm past the greener rocks on the floor. Most of the moisture is gathered around the lip next to the pool, where rivulets of condensation move down the slope towards an exit.

  Arriving at the spot where the water tumbles down, I step further into the cave, finding it much darker. I can barely see with my human eyes. The thrum of the water against stone keeps my thoughts at bay.

  “Gotcha!” I shriek at the sudden pressure of hands on my shoulders, the sound lost in the spray before me. If I wasn't sitting down, I would definitely have fallen and hurt myself.

  "Gotcha," she gloats, almost shouting in my ear to be heard. When she steps into the light, I realise she's already half shifted. Grinning madly, she throws a look over her shoulder before stepping up to the opening in the rock wall and leaping out into the water beside the waterfall. It's impossible to look away from her graceful dive, her body arcing into the water with her tail whipping through the air behind her.

  Where was she hiding? I could barely see anything, and she got undressed too? where are her clothes?

  I need to shift too.

  Taking a deep breath, I focus on the fur that wait for me just under my skin. The teeth that are made to crunch bone and tear muscle. Without an imminent threat, I can't do it. The ferocious cat-girl inside me is content to purr along with the mighty sound around me.

  Fine, but if I freeze to death its your fault.

  Now that I've been sitting for a while, despite the sudden shock from a moment ago, my pulse has steadied. Now the cool kiss of spray coats my sweaty body.

  Better take my clothes off before they get any wetter. I need to wash out some of this sweat before I put them back on, too.

  With a sigh, I feel around the darker part of the cave until I feel fabric under my fingers. Heading back to the mouth of the cave, I steal a few glances through the opening where Nila is swimming through the water, her white fur plastered to her face and neck. Once I'm outside again, I find a warm, flat rock to put my wet clothes on. Taking my clothes off is easy because I've never really paid much attention to my body before. It's just a way to get myself around. The hot sun on my pale skin feels wonderful. With my clothes on a wide flat rock, the sun's heat is already making them steam. Nila's clothes are still somehow dry. I put the pack down next to her neatly folded clothes, and pick my way towards the water's edge.

  My balance is slightly off from the new weight distribution, but I manage it without making too much noise.

  "There you are!" Nila breaststrokes over to me, her grin still in full force. One round ear flicks water off it as she approaches, her tail bobbing near the surface.

  "Are you coming in?"

  I dip a toe into the water, finding it cool and crisp. About a metre out from where I'm standing it gets much deeper. In the sunlight, I can see several metres into the water. I've been to a few different rockpools in my time, and none of them were this clear. They were usually mud brown, and required exploration with a long stick, to ensure you didn't break something on a hidden rock.

  Nila watches me, treading water. Before i can feel self conscious about hanging back, I take a deep breath and leap into the deepest part I can see.

  Surfacing quickly, the shock of the icy cold depths elicits a loud gasp.

  "Oh my god, its fucking freezing! AHHHH!"

  Nila bursts out laughing, flopping onto her back.

  "It's not funny, I don't have any fur." I protest, splashing water over her.

  I swim away indignantly, to the sounds of her laughter echoing off the stone around us. I can't keep my smile contained, though i manage to keep it hidden from her as I make my way towards the waterfall.

  The water feels incredible on my sore muscles, brushing against my breasts and legs. Without the weight of the pack on my shoulders I feel completely free. I'm glad she showed me this place. I could swim here forever.

  "Hey, up here!" I look up at the sound of Nila's voice, finding her standing to the right of where the curtain of water cascades into the air. Treading water, I wave back at her as she takes a step back and then throws herself out over the water. My jaw drops as she contorts herself to explode a jet of water up into the air. The splash reaches higher than her launch platform!

  After several moments, she surfaces, ears flicking off water and a wide grin on her face. "Will you have a try?" she asks cheekily.

  "Absolutely not!" I gape at the height. I've never been bad at heights, but falling is another matter entirely. about a metre or too into nothingness and my stomach drops out, my brain screaming too fast too fast. The last thing I jumped off was the two metre shed at home This is at least twice that high. And slippery rock on top of that. No way, Jose!

  "Okay." she chirps, stroking powerfully towards the cliff again. I float onto my back, finding it much easier than I remember it being in swim class. My legs don't try to sink to the bottom at least. Somehow, Nila swarms up the cliff face, hands and feet finding holds in what looks like a sheer slab. In a matter of moments, she has reappeared in the spot she leapt off earlier.

  This time she doesn't make the huge splash, but tumbles through the air, breaking the surface feet first.

  Okay, that looks really fun. I just don't want to hurt myself. Maybe next time. Or somewhere a lot lower.

  Curious about sitting under falling water, I breaststroke over to where the spray dimples the surface. Climbing out of the water, I move closer, the main part of the waterfall feels like drumming on my shoulders and scalp. It feels great! My legs sting from where the spray cuts sideways off the rocks.

  Before long I have to move away. Well, now I know. Water is heavy and it hits like a tonne of bricks.

  "Pretty fun huh?" Nila is swimming towards me, her chest on display through the clear water. Averting my eyes, I carefully approach the water again, taking my time to get back in.

  "It's perfect." I gush.

  When I start to shiver from the icy touch of the meltwater, I crawl up onto the closest large flat surface and lie on my back. The sun doesn't waste time warming me up and in a few moments, the heat of the stone below me is too much.

  At least I'm warmer now. I should check if my clothes are dry.

  By the time Nila gets out of the water and shakes herself off, shifting back to her furless human form, the clothes I rinsed out in the water are already dry. If I could mid shift like that at will I could hane swum for longer. Dammit.

  "Ready to go?" I ask her, doing my best to not look at her generous figure standing naked above me.

  She loom over me, gaze fixed on mine.

  "What?" I ask perplexed.

  "Hmm? Oh, nothing." she busies herself getting dressed, and pulls the pack onto her shoulder with ease.

  "Let's go."

  Okay? What was that about?

  On our way down towards the road again, taking a diagonal path to keep the descent flatter, Nila passes me a wax wrapped rectangle.

  "Here, you'll need to have something to eat after that."

  I open it, finding something resembling an oat bar. Nila explains that the wax paper is spelled for freshness, allowing small pieces of food to be transported long distances. The bigger the item, the shorter the spell lasts. But something this small it basically lasts forever. It's nice to have something to munch on. And I didn't realise how hungry I was until I smelt this.

  With Nila striding down the hill ahead of me, I find myself looking at her hips swaying in front of me. The movement is hypnotic. Heat swirls unexpectedly in my core the longer it continues, until I have to look away.

  That's just how she walks. Keep your mind out of the gutter, Lucy. Giving myself a shake, I focus on the path she's taking instead, trying my best to make less noise with every step.

  She's not interested. She's taking you with her because the Soapwoods are after a snow leopard shifter, and you could be mistaken for her. Pull yourself together and focus on not breaking your neck tripping over something.

  I breathe a sigh of relief when we finally reach the road and I can walk alongside her again.