Zena Wynn, Romance Author

It's January and you know what that means...HOCKEY SEASON -- Refuge style. 

Every winter the community's Olympic sized pool converts into an ice rink. This year is no exception. The Howler is pleased to present to you this season's team line up: 

The Flatfoots -- all human 

The Howl -- all wolf shifters 

The Roar -- all feline shifters 

The Misfits -- an intriguing mix of shifters including a bear shifter and two bird shifters 

**The Wi-See -- all psychic  

The Catdog -- wolf & feline shifter group 

**Last winter's returning champions despite complaints that the team's ability to predict what their opponent did before it happened gave them an unfair advantage. The judges ruled that the team's clairvoyant abilities were no different than a wolf's speed or a feline's agility. Since the psychics were on two legs and the shifters on four, they were allowed to use whatever talents they had at their disposal. It's rumored that this year a telekinetic has joined the team.

Each team consists of a minimum of 12 players. For those of you unfamiliar with the sport, here's a brief overview: 

• All shifters must play in their animal form 
• Humans wear metal cleats instead of ice skate and are allowed to use plastic hockey sticks 
• Tackling is allowed and even encouraged 
• Biting and holding still penalized 

As with any sport, the goal is to score by getting the puck into the opponent?s goal or net. Each team will play the other twice, before playoff eliminations began. Season winner gets bragging rights and possession of the trophy for a year. 

New this season: 

• In addition to the red and blue lines, a fly zone instituted (fly zone added for the bird shifters) 
• Smaller holes in the net (in an attempt to keep the feline shifters from getting tangled inside) 
• Nikolai Taranosky, resident vampire, will referee. 
• The Mayor will be the Official Scorer 

Still needed:

• Linesmen 
• Goal judges

   

Parents be aware, after the unfortunate incident last year, spectators will no longer be allowed to sit along the rim of the pool, especially behind the goals.

Note: Randy's doing much better and his wife reports that his vision is finally clearing. If you'll remember, Randy was hit in the forehead with the puck last season, fell into the rink, got tangled up into the net and had to be cut out. The knot on his forehead remains.