The Mark of Love & War [HOLD]

Chapter 12 - The Fall

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"Can you get down from there please," Cam repeated up to me.

I shrugged. "I'm scoping."

"No, you're not. You said that yesterday and the day before but I know you're just resting."

"Well, we've been travelling for almost three days we might as well rest."

"She's right," Kimberly said as she stopped beside him. Wow, she's siding with me. Odd how the world turns around when everyone has to work together, "It's been three days since we've been in this forest and one and a half of those days were getting down that damned cliff." 

"We need to rest a bit. I'm tired and hungry." Jack said as he sat beside a tired Bonnie wolf.

Bonnie hadn't really said much through her mind in the past day because she was exhausted. Changing back and forth from her dog form is a tiring transition so she hadn't even bothered yesterday. I was getting worried about her.

Cam was the one making us carry on even though we were all completely fatigued. I hadn't slept since I'd had my dream. I'd explained everything to Bonnie the night before and she told me not to tell anyone. 

I was afraid to sleep. I didn't want to see Gabriel like that again, he looked too... weak.

"Cameron look," I pointed ahead. "The lake is over there; we can have a fresh water supply as well as make a fire to rest."

He frowned.

"Come on." My jaw clenched. 

Okay, so Cam and I have been talking but now and again it's been a bit snappy because we were both exhausted. 

"Fine a few hours."

"It's going to be dark in a few hours and we've learnt from mistakes not to travel in the dark." It'd only been dark a few minutes and we were attacked by a flock of crazy birds.

"Alright, alright." He grumbled. "Let's go."

Bonnie was already moving before all of us even tried. I jumped from the tree to catch up with her. "Bon," She kept trotting along, not even a thought about saying hello. "Bonnie, what's wrong?"

'Nothing, I'm just...' The wolf shook its head and swayed a little.

I glared toward Cameron before picking Bonnie up and cradling the wolf in my arms.

"Asshole," I muttered to him as I passed. Bonnie had already passed out. I didn't realise she was this tired. 

We made it to the edge of the lake and I asked Kimberly to help me. I didn't have time to ponder on how beautiful the lake looked; I wanted Bonnie back to her human form.

"Jack, can you lie the blanket down for when we get back?"

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Changing Bonnie back." I brushed past Cameron rather forcefully back into the woods and said, "Bonnie's clothes are in her bag. I'll help her." I carefully shrugged off the bag. "She's too tired to change so I'm going to have to try and..."

Kim eyes widened. "Try and what?"

"Help." I frowned and I scratched behind her ear. "Sweetie?"

Her eyes opened for a second but closed. "Bonnie, this might hurt a little."

"No one has ever helped me change," Kim mumbled. "Be careful because it does sting for us to change."

I nodded and carefully sat down with her still cradled in my lap. I shut my eyes and went right into her mind. I tried to make it as painless as possible. To push her humanity to the surface. There was a small grunt and her fur slowly turned into skin.