That brought more laughter. He still didn’t know why this was amusing, but Meg and Merri Lee, with Sam between them, were first to choose food, so he didn’t snarl at anyone. Nathan returned, gave him a nod to indicate that Kowalski—and the food—had escaped Skippy’s notice, and joined the line.

Green bean casserole, broccoli and cheese casserole, potato salad, macaroni salad, and spinach salad; muffins, rolls, and zucchini bread; mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, and gravy; corn on the cob and melted butter. He gave up trying to identify the rest of the food the female pack had made for this meal.

Meg didn’t take more than a spoonful of anything, but neither did the rest of the females. They still had full plates of food. The pups weren’t given as many different foods, but the quantity was still sufficient, even for Sam. As they took their seats at the table, Kowalski returned, and something about the pity in the man’s dark eyes made fur spring up on Simon’s shoulders and back.

“You need to come outside,” Kowalski said quietly when he reached Simon.

Montgomery set his plate on the table. “Is there a problem?”

Kowalski nodded, but he kept his eyes on Simon. “You need to come outside.”

<Simon?> Blair set aside his food. So did Nathan and Henry.

<Wait,> Simon said. <Guard Meg.>

He heard the whimpering before he reached the door. Wolf but not Wolf. When he stepped outside, he understood the pity in Kowalski’s eyes, knew why Montgomery sucked in a breath.

Not human. Not Wolf. Not even that terrible but harmonious blend most of them took when they were stressed or needed aspects of both forms. This was the worst kind of between.

He didn’t want to be left out.

Before he could decide what to do with Skippy, Miss Twyla stepped outside and looked at the whimpering juvenile.

“I’m not having a naked boy sitting at the table, so you’d best get him some clothes,” she said.

“Miss Twyla . . . ,” Simon began at the same time Montgomery said, “Mama.”

She ignored them and pointed at Kowalski. “You run over to the store and get this boy a T-shirt and a pair of those elastic-waist exercise pants you all wear when you’re lifting weights and doing whatever else you do to make those muscles. Should be easy enough to take out a few stitches in the back seam to make room for his tail. Don’t bother with shoes right now.”

Shoes? They didn’t have anything that could accommodate Skippy’s feet. One looked mostly human but furred. The other was a Wolf’s paw with human toes.

“Shirt and pants will be enough,” Miss Twyla continued. “Run along, now. The food is getting cold.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Kowalski ran to the clothing store in the Market Square.

“Crispin, you go on in and make sure everyone gets started.”

Montgomery’s hesitation lasted only a moment. “Yes, Mama.”

“Miss Twyla . . . ,”Simon tried again.

“No.”

The word was said quietly and courteously—and made it clear that there would be no arguing and no discussing.

Miss Twyla gave Simon a long look. “You think I don’t understand what happened here, and why? Trying takes courage. How many of you got it right the first time?”

Most of the terra indigene who tried the form never managed to shift all the way, so they couldn’t pass for human. But they also didn’t try to sit at a table with humans and eat.

“Anyone who has a problem with this is welcome to fix a plate and eat elsewhere,” Miss Twyla said. “And that includes you.”

Stung, he snarled at her—and felt vaguely ashamed for doing it when she folded her skinny arms and just looked at him.

Kowalski returned. “I guessed at sizes. Figured the T-shirt would be okay if it was a little big. It’s hot and the rest of the kids are wearing shorts, so I brought these.”

He’d seen Kowalski and Debany wear shorts like those when they worked out at Run & Thump, the Courtyard’s fitness place.

“Those will work fine,” Miss Twyla said. “Now I need—”

Eve and Nadine poked their heads out the door.

“Twyla, what’s going . . . ?” Eve began.

Simon saw the shock and horror on the two females’ faces. Then those feelings disappeared, in the way a Wolf would disappear behind the mask of looking human. The feelings weren’t gone, just hidden.

Had they hidden feelings that way the first time they’d seen Meg’s scars?

“Need a seam ripper or a small pair of scissors,” Miss Twyla said.

“I have scissors in the mini sewing kit I keep in my purse,” Eve said. “I’ll get them.”

“You boys help him stand up and get dressed.”

He wasn’t sure who the boys were until Kowalski moved to stand on one side of Skippy and gave Simon an expectant look. After they hauled Skippy upright, the juvenile needed a minute to find his balance—not an easy thing when standing on two differently shaped feet. Nadine helped them get the T-shirt on while Miss Twyla held the shorts to Skippy’s waist and decided where to rip the seam to provide an opening for the tail.

When Eve returned with her sewing kit, she not only opened the seam but also added a couple of stitches to keep the seam from opening further.

Then they took Skippy inside.

Blair, Nathan, and Henry had guessed what had happened. The humans . . .

<Eve told them so they would be prepared,> Henry said.