<strong><em><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;">Shima</span></em></strong>~ Approaching the Lake<br/><br/>Shima pranced through the trees, reveling on her four legs.  She could hear voices in the distance and she gave pause, her pointed snout sniffing the air.<em>So many.</em>The scents assailed her nostrils and they flared as she let a sneeze.  She laughed her wolfish laughter and moved closer, the shimmering line of her wolf's frame, bending and moving until once more she was a lovely, vision of moonlit silver.<br/><br/>Creeping as silent as any predator, she parted some bushes and had herself a look.  As she had surmised, there were many gathered at the lake's edge.  Something teased at her memories but even as they surfaced, they fell away.  She had a moments confusion but slipped back into her joy of discovery.  She wanted to join in the festivities, too.  Unnoticed, or so she hoped, she moved through the people, partially listening, more interested in the interesting array.  She started to play a guessing game in her head.<em>Cat...Bear...wolf...mermaid.</em>It delighted her.  Somehow it seemed so right.  Just why, she couldn't decide.