Dark flight - Lore of the angelic book 1

training and conflict

I take a few deep huffs of air before I grab up my long wooden pole again.
"you're too soft on him, come on, you can hit him proper, it's good for him."
I'm facing down a huge white wolf, Naz, who is in a fighting stance but not snarling.
"I like dogs too much..."

I get ready for his next lunge in my direction, while I know he won't hurt me, watching a huge white wolf jump towards my neck is still nerve wracking. he flies towards me, jaws far apart, I block the attack easily, I have been practicing this for the past four hours with only small amounts of progress.
"he's not a pomeranian Al, you won't break him with a good jab to the ribs!"

I bring my staff down on his side but he dodges the blow easily, I go back into my stance and grit my teeth as he flies toward me again. finally I bring the staff up with force and knock him onto the underside of his jaw, I wince a little at the sound of teeth snapping shut.
"now bring him around"

I approach him and try to hit his shoulder or slam the staff into his ribs but he dodges me easily on nimble feet.
"Naz, don't bully her, she's only just started."
the wolf backs away, but I see an opening there, if I back him into a corner...
"Good, good, good, keep on track!"

Shannon's cheers are really motivating me to do better. Naz doesn't know what I'm doing until his hind legs hit the wood of the shed and the wooden staff comes down on his forehead. I back away to let hom get out of the corner. he shakes his head a few times. before he turns back. it's not a pretty process, but that awkward spot between wolf and human only lasts a few seconds.

"whoa, you really bonked me there"
He has the same ice blue eyes he has in his wolf form, almond shaped in his angular face, his hair is the same shade of white as his pelt but his skin is tanned deeply.
"At least I managed to hit you this time"
I reach out my hand to help him up but he pulls me down to him instead, takes me into a headlock and ruffles my hair.
"Heey!"
I complain before he lets me go, laughing.
"maybe you should send her to play with the pups a bit, it'll harden her a little..."

shannon is standing above him, she grabs the staff without even crouching and bonks him on the head again.
"you're a cocky ass Nazim."
he rolls to the side and stands up in the same motion.
"and you're mothering her too much."

I rub my behind after I get up myself, much less gracefully.
"we'll continue your training tomorrow, I think that Deliah girl wants to have a sitting with you."
I smile at them both.
"thanks for helping me practice... and thanks for letting me hit you with a pole..."
Naz salutes.
"no problem, anytime."
he grins at me and winks. this earns him an elbow in the side.

when I step inside Deliah, John and some werewolf girl of about fifteen or sixteen are playing uno.
"hey, how did your training go?"
I make eye contact with the girl, who has the same tan skin as Naz, but her hair is black.
"sorry about my brother. he can be a cocky asshole sometimes."

I'm not sure she should be using terms like that but I'm not about to correct her. not my job.
"He was alright, and he did let me hit him with a pole"
John scoffs.
"you have a weird taste in men if that's what you look for. but I'm sure if you asked John nicely he would let you hit him with a pole too."

I must have made a particularly stupid face because both Deliah and the girl burst out in laughter. John gives me an unreadable look.
"stop bullying me you flock of hens!"'
I laugh along with them as I sit down at the table.
"besides, Deliah, you wanted to work on my blockade?"

she nods and waves me along but we are interrupted by the howling of wolves nearby.
"Are they going out to hunt?"
the girl jumps up and hurries to the window.
"No, that was a war cry! we are under attack!"

Michael's bike slides to a stop in the slackish snow at the side of the road. He takes off his helmet and hops off before approaching the starbucks, the third restaurant he has asked about poor alice in. the doorbell jingles as he walks up to the counter.
"hello sir, what can I get you?"

"uhm, I'm actually here to ask if you might have seen some people I am looking for."
He leans on the counter.
"A girl with brown hair and a blonde man, they're probably wearing weather inappropriate clothing..."
the barista shakes her head but in the back of the room someone says

"He's tall, she's kinda short, they have a dark haired friend?"
He walks back to sit with the man.
"have you seen them?"
the old man nods.
"they rode my bus up to Greybark, girl looked half frozen solid. were whispering the whole ride up there."

Michael furrows his brows and checks his phone.
"Greybark... where is that?"
the man gesticulates towards a vague direction out the window.
"small town bout an hour or so that direction, nothin much there, figured they were local kids gettin drunk in the woods, was a dumb kid many years back too..."

The angel gets up and hands the man a five dollar bill before he can continue his rambling.
"thank you for your help, but I can't lose time."
He nods and pockets the bill.
"yeah yeah..."

the door jingled again as he leaves, power walking back to his bike and getting on. he needs to hurry. he types the town's name into a navigation app on his smartphone. 
"great"
he mumbles.
"werewolf territory..."

-<>-

A/N
I don't usually do author's notes but I think I have gotten deep enough into the story to ask this question I have had burning in my mind for a while, I would like to know who your favourite character is so far! thanks for reading my story and check out my other works... or rather work... too, there is definetely more to come in the future.

thanks for your answers!!
-kitty