Phoenix, Lucas, Alexis and Alina run into the treeline. The group of four move well together. Lucas and Phoenix have been doing most of their training together. Phoenix is the most unsociable paired with the most sociable and somehow it actually works well. Lucas fills in any gaps in conversation and actually brings Phoenix out of his shell to some extent. He hasn’t really got along too well with many males in his life. He had little respect for his father, Alina’s brother, the man he grew up with and thought was going to be his beta. While they never got along too well, the betrayal was still hard to stomach. Other males just want to fawn over him for his position, so it is hard to build a true connection, so spending time with these boys is actually a relief.
But the fact that he likes it so much makes him curse himself even more for not going to alpha academy.
What's done is done, there is no point dwelling in the past. Maybe it is better to appreciate the friendships that can be made now. Anyway, these three other boys might be the cream of the crop. Maybe if he was shoved in a school with a bunch of other alpha blood he might have been in fights every thirty seconds.
Alexis and Alina, run to the front. Alexis sets the pace, she is quick, but as she has the smallest wolf and the shortest legs, obviously she has to work a lot harder. Even still, they set a cracking pace heading toward blood moon.
As it was a complete rush to head off they didn’t really make many plans. Alexis is just running in the general direction, even though they were quick off the mark, half the day had passed before they got the phone call, so it is not likely that they will reach before nightfall even running at full speed.
They hadn’t even eaten lunch and had trained all morning. Alexis looks around at the others, then puts her nose in the air, sniffing without slowing her pace in the slightest, her head flicks to the right, she turns ninety degrees fast and increases her speed, her pads landing soundlessly on the ground. Lucas stops and sits, just watching the direction that she left.
‘Hunting?’
Lucas’ big blonde head moves up and down in a nod. Alexis would never conform to any values that a werewolf grows up with. Men do the hunting? Yeah right!
Alina looks on in appreciation, how is the girl that grew up as a human a more wolfy wolf than she is? She still hasn’t decided who is more of her role model, Jade or Alexis. They both bring different things to the table and they are both amazing in their own rights. Ava while she is younger, her connection with her wolf is enviable. Alina has never felt more like she belongs, yet more outcast. Alexis’ link comes through quickly.
‘Done’
Lucas chases down Alexis and the other two follow, Lucas can just follow her mate scent with zero effort. They burst onto the scene and see the small dark gray wolf sitting upon a large buck, her chest puffed out in pride. It looks comical, but for once, Lucas doesn’t actually pick on her, but he is sure that spending too much time with him is a bad thing, she is showing way too much of his trademark arrogance.
Alexis leaps off the buck with a light and nimble movement before she starts feasting on the flesh. The others join her soon after. Her animal nature amazes Alina even more. Lucas’ blonde wolf presses hard to the side of Alexis. She tries to knock him away but she has no hope.
‘My princess providing for the family again’
‘Someone has to be good in the relationship, since you are good for nothing, I just have to step up’
Lucas knocks her with his large body, pushing her away from the meal.
‘You should look after me. You know that I need a lot of feeding’
‘Yeah your big fat head needs a lot of feeding’
‘I love you too princess’
Alexis knocks into him once more, nipping him on the neck.
‘Who loves you?’
Alina and Phoenix feast on the meat. They are rarely so primitive, they have been so busy building the pack to bigger and better heights that sometimes it is easy to lose track of their roots.
They all finish off the animal quickly, they pause for a moment to digest. Alexis links the group.
‘You know I really feel like we are the lucky ones here, we get to run and we don’t have to attempt to comfort a grieving child’
‘I couldn’t agree more strongly’
Any chance Alina and Phoenix get to run in natural form they are all for it, so going this way instead of being squeezed on a plane, it couldn’t be any better.
No one had the guts to deal with Brodie like Ava did, so she was absolutely the best choice for that task and no one would try and take that harsh job from her. Ava is the sweet touch in of the group, so it was a relief when she took over.
Alexis licks a big spot of blood off Lucas’ muzzle before taking off again. They have already delayed too long, the chances of finding anything in the dark is going to be minimal, and the longer they leave it, the more the scents will have washed away.
They need to find something, no one wants any more deaths on their hands, no one wants another phone call like that.
The four start the wild race against time, all of them with their senses open, they are way too obvious together, Lucas and Phoenix and ridiculously large, and no matter how much dirt Lucas rolls in his blonde coat is still bright.
The sun starts lowering in the sky showing signs of disappearing, kilometre after kilometre they cover, increasing their pace as the time dwindles.
Lucas has taken over the lead from Alexis as he can guide the direction better.
‘We are not going to make it before nightfall. Do we want to find somewhere to rest now, or see what we can do in the dark?’
Alexis ponders.
‘Rest now, and move in the night. We will be able to move quicker in the dark, there is no risk of being seen’
The big blonde head nods.
‘Keep an eye out for shelter. We don’t want to be too exposed’
They run for a while longer before Phoenix links.
‘There’
Phoenix knows the signs to look for and is good at seeking shelter. When he was younger and first got his wolf, it was so strong and he didn’t have the means to keep it in check. He used to spend way too many nights out running so can easily find shelter.
They settle into the small cave that is only just big enough to house the four large bodies. The sun has thrown out its last bit of light as darkness descends on the land. Jade links.
‘Can you hear me?’
Alexis lifts her head off her paws.
‘We can hear you’
‘How are you guys travelling’
‘We have stopped to rest. We still have approximately four hours of running still to do’
‘We aren’t faring much better. We have only just landed and the night has beaten us’
Alexis breathes a slight sigh of relief, at least they aren’t holding up anything, but the fact that none of them are able to investigate in a timely manner is not the slightest bit ideal. Jade continues.
‘Rest up, I am not sure what we are going to be able to do tonight, but I trust you guys to work out your own strategy’
‘Good luck’
Jade turns and looks at Ava, ever so thankful that she is with her to help with the Brodie situation.
‘Thanks, we are going to need it’
Alexis lays her head back down on her paws and a big blonde head moves over and rests over her neck in a protective gesture.
Phoenix’s large wolf is curled around Alina’s smaller one, providing warmth and protection. It is surprisingly harmonious in the small space.