Wolf Camp (Bear Naked 2)

Chapter 3 Part 2

Amanda's heart raced as two wolves ran past her, barking madly. Today was better, they were focussing on fighting in wolf form, which meant Amanda could at least watch, even if she couldn't participate.

It would have been better, she thought wryly, if it was going better. At the end of the lawn, the bigger tawny wolf managed to knock the dark form of Erica off her feet and pin her to the ground. When he finally let her up, she gave a look in Amanda's direction and let out a sheepish whine. Amanda shrugged as if to say, 'no big deal'. After all she hadn't done any worse than the rest of the pack.

One on one they weren't so bad, considering they were the youngest pack in the group. At seventeen, Connor and his pack were adult sized but the boys, in particular, weren't as broad or muscular as the older boys. It was clear from seeing them on the field, they hadn't grown into their full wolf strength yet and they didn't know how to throw it around as expertly.

They couldn't be blamed for any of that, as Marshall had pointed out to Tanner a few minutes ago. Not that this would stop Mitch and his pack from pointing out their failings every chance they got.

But Connor and his pack weren't fairing well in the group matches, either. They lacked the cohesion of the older packs. They were too easily scattered and they didn't communicate well. Even Amanda, who had no idea what pack fighting should look like, could see it. There were hesitations. There were moments when Connor took off after a wolf and Jonathan or Brianna missed the signal and were too far behind.

"Cameron is bigger than you," Marshall lectured Erica. She sat on her haunches and listen. Amanda had to fight down a momentary giggle as the absurdity of it hit her, a grown man lecturing a wolf while it sat and listened. "But you are faster. Don't let him box you in and don't engage him too quickly or closely. Wait until you see an opportunity to rush in with your speed and knock him down."

Erica nodded and slunk off into her pack.

"Next," Marshall called out, "Olivia and Brianna."

Brianna took the field. She did look remarkably like an oversized Collie, Amanda had to admit. But so what? It didn't make her any less as a werewolf, did it?

Olivia barked playfully as she took the field, making a joke of Brianna's form again. Brianna bared her fangs and growled. Marshall called them to attention and then yelled "engage."

Brianna leaped forward. Olivia shied back and then sprung. She had meant to use Brianna's anger, get her to rush in. But Brianna's anger had been a ruse, too, and as Olivia jumped and tried to side sweep her, Brianna's front legs sank and Olivia went over Brianna's head. Brianna lunged into Olivia's side.

"Good maneuver!" Marshall called out.

From there, the fight went no better than the others had. Brianna's lunge staggered Olivia but she wasn't big enough to push the other woman over into submission. The two fought savagely and for a long time, but it was clearly tiring Brianna more than Olivia. In the end, Brianna staggered and Olivia got on top of her, forcing her down into submission.

The mood among the pack was bleak when Marshall finally let them off the field. Amanda tried to cheer them up, pointing out what small success they had had and reminding them they were younger than the others.

"At least tomorrow we get a break from training," Jonathan said.

Tomorrow was the first tribal council of the summer. It would be a couple more weeks before the big council were they would address the issue of the Sons of Garm. Amanda was curious what the council would look like and she was glad to see it in action before having to potentially face a sworn enemy there. Who would the Sons of Garm send as their envoy? Could she face Stanley? She thought of Shelly, the girl he had killed, and she wasn't sure.