Looking To Belong (A Runt's Story)

Chapter 20

A normal wolf had nothing to fear from them, and Will's eyes darkened as he realized the danger that such predators posed for me. His eyes lost their focus for a short time.

He brought up a hand to gently brush his fingers across my cheeks as the familiar sparks followed in their wake. "I have mindlinked all of the fighters, and they now know to keep an eye out for such predators. Please promise me that you will stay nearby and mindlink me regularly so that I know you are okay."

His worry and concern were endearing, but I knew the mate bond would make him paranoid with little incentive or reason. I replied, "That is easy enough to promise. I really can't travel long distances, and it would take me most of the day to simply get to the border under my own power. Giving you updates will be an easy way of you knowing where I am in case I get lost."

Truth be told, chances of me getting lost or disoriented were non-existent. I had been a rogue for too long for that to happen. I was surprised that he was letting wander me around the forest by myself with so little fuss, but I could sense the conflicted emotions flickering on the edge of my awareness. He was having a hard time, but he was trying to let me do what I wanted.

~

       I mindlinked Will for probably the twentieth time today, "How is training going?"

I felt his humor and relief at my contact over the pack link. "Same as last time. Where are you now?"

"Taking a break for a few minutes." I was sitting in a hole in the side of a tree in the forest canopy, looking down at the forest floor that was dappled in light. The view was nice with the yellow beams of light poking through the thick canopy. I took a mental image and shared it with Will.

His voice was slow with disbelief. "Why are you so far above the ground?"

"I am pretending to be an owl." I leaned out of the hollow and looked straight down before sending that image to him. "I am not that far above the ground. I am just more relaxed off of the ground when resting if no one else is around. It's an old habit though, I think the biggest critter I have seen is a rabbit. I haven't scented anything bigger either, other than a few deer."

I felt his shock roll through our private mindlink. "I can see your paws in that last image. You are in wolf form. How did you get up so high?" His voice grew more worried, "Tell me where you are, and I will help you get down. A fall from that height could kill you."

Most people couldn't shift in trees without falling out of the tree in question, and Will wouldn't realize that this hazard didn't really apply to a practiced runt. I decided to nip this paranoid mate moment in the bud and quickly climbed out of the hollow. I carefully shifted on the branch before shifting and swiftly climbing down while replying, "Don't worry. I have done this more times than I can count. I am small enough that I can shift in a tree without problem; I climbed up in my human shape."

Will's worried voice didn't seem reassured. "Just tell me where you are so I can come and help you down. Please don't shift in the tree."

I sent my amusement through the link at the same time I sent an image of my shoes standing in the leaf litter. "Too late."

I could feel his wordless frustration through the link. In response, I sent an image of him from yesterday from the tree line. I felt his shock and momentary distraction as he likely inspected the treeline around the arena. He quickly realized that it was a memory image and said, "That isn't from today. I am training different fighters."

"I know. That was from yesterday."

His surprise was evident in his reply. "When were you watching me?"

"About an hour before I stuck the leaves in Tiffany's hair."

He was silent for a moment. "How long were you watching for?"

I grinned at that memory, my amusement evident in the mindlink. "Long enough that Tiffany got bored and dragged me away."

I started walking through the forest watching for more mushrooms. I had collected quite a few in a big shoulder sling bag that I was carrying. Our conversation had ceased as we slowly dropped the mindlink.

~

       I sat down on a log on the top of the hill that overlooked the training area. My bag couldn't possibly hold another mushroom. I was right on the edge of the forest, so I could easily watch the fighting training below. I didn't remember how they had trained in my original pack, and I had never seen the fighting training during my stay with the Black River pack, but I had spoken to several rogues who had been happy to give me some self-defense lessons and tips.

I had a couple of good friends among the rogues, one of which had been a fighting trainer, but he had a serious issue with the power that Alphas could wield and had gone rogue. He had told me many stories as we sat around the campfire at night.

Both Enforcers were currently training, and they used slightly different techniques. I compared what I had been told to what I was watching. I hadn't realized that training could be so different between various packs. My eyes seemed to have a mind of their own as they kept tracking back to Will.

It was late afternoon now, and he had been training nonstop. He had a light sheen of sweat that reflected the sunlight off of his skin. His muscles rippled with ease as he sparred with another fighter. Mesmerizing. Simply mesmerizing.