Moving Forward

Wolves (8)

There was no way Max was going to let River just waltz into a wolf-infested area of the forest without him. As capable as River probably was, Max was a jaguar shifter. Even in human form he was stronger than any average human. So Max followed. He kept out of sight, stayed in the trees mostly, keeping track of River with ease.

River stopped in a clearing about half a mile away from Max's house. The same one Max and the wolf had played in. Where the wolf had left him.

Returning his thoughts to the present, Max became increasingly confused as he watched River remove his shirt first, and then his trousers. The weirdo took of his shoes last, before crouching down. And then there was a low groan. It sounded painful.

Realisation hit Max like a tonne of bricks. River was a... shifter. But he didn't smell like a shifter and even as Max watched, he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. River on all fours. River growing fur. River's bone shifting underneath the skin. The snapping and breaking of said bones was loud, cracking through the still air with each move, each time eliciting a moan or grunt from River.

Max own skin itched to join him, to change into his jaguar form, to show River he wasn't alone. But Max wouldn't do that. Shifting was a private thing - for Max at least. It left a person in a vulnerable position. No way to defend if someone happened upon them because the bones and muscles weren't properly melded together until the shift was complete.

It was impossible to move while shifting, so it just had to run its course.

River stood, shook out his thick fur, stretched. The wolf. River was the wolf. The one with the gold and yellow flecked brown eyes. With the grey black and white mottled fur - white dominating the chest. But it didn't smell like River.

No, it did smell like River. Under the dominating scent of wolf, the lightest tone of River's sandalwood and pine forest scent swirled.

Max didn't know what he was supposed to do now. Sure, it made sense for River to tell Max to stay back, but Max still had the feeling he was... needed. Not like River needed him, but more as if... he needed to be here. It didn't make sense.

His decision was taken from him. River's wolf eyes met his own and... electricity. Max had never felt electric before. Not like this. He'd had sparks, at the beginning, with Luke. But this sudden shockwave- nothing like this.

And then River was moving. Max could follow him. Shift into a jaguar and pick up the trail. Get back into the trees and see if he could find River again.

It was as if his body had made the decision for him, launching off the tree to get to the ground where shifting would be a lot less precarious than trying it in the branches. Five minutes passed and almost immediately, Max was back up, taking off after the wolf - after River. The scent was still fresh, but how fast was River moving? Even after a further five minutes of tracking at as fast a speed as Max's nose would allow, there was no sight of the grey-tipped tail.

Deciding ground tracking wasn't quite working, Max bounded back up a tree, the thick branches barely even giving a shiver, despite his size. Max's claws left deep gouges in the wood as he leapt from tree to tree in search of his - in search of River.

There. River's mottled fur was just barely visible below the leaves. Max didn't leave the trees, instead giving a low rumble that River was sure to hear. Those golden eyes pierced Max, made him miss a step. He seemed confused as he ran - didn't he know that Max was the jaguar? If he did, he wouldn't appear so surprised. Still, he kept running, and Max spotted the exact moment he decided to focus on whatever the task at hand was, howling a call for reinforcement.

It wasn't long before it was clear what the issue was. Approaching from downwind, River ploughed forward, four wolves joined the charge to flank him. Max dropped back. More wolves waited for them ahead, but they didn't exactly appear to be waiting for some happy reunion. Instead, every single wolf in the fray had their hackles risen and teeth bared, growls and snaps filling the air.