I was running through the woods with Nadia by my side. Our heartbeats were beating over the average rate but it didn't seem to slow us down any. The only noise you could near was the clanking of the chains, pounding of running feet, and the howls of wolves on the hunt.
You may wonder why we hear chains. Even why are we being chased by wolves? Well, this is Holy Hell.
Let me start from telling you how you play Holy Hell. You have five pairs of people.
Team Blue - Nadia and myself
Team Green - Dylan and Jackson
Team Yellow- Garret and Nigel
Team Pink- Jordan and Tessie
Team Orange- Travis and Jose
One pair gets to stay out of the handcuffs and gets in the form they feel most comfortable in, or in this case, it's Team Orange. Travis and Jose both decided to play in their wolf forms. They also get to hold the keys to all of our handcuffs. There are eight copies of each key and they are on a lanyard so they can fit around our necks in wolf form. The objective of the game is to steal the handcuffs. You have to beat the couple in a fight and if you manage to get them to forfeit, they take the handcuffs off and they join the original hunting pair's team. It keeps going until there is only one handcuffed pair left and they are named the winners. Sounds fun, right? Well here's the twist, if a handcuffed pair beats up a wolf, they can steal their keys. That wolf will have to go find another wolf and get their keys if they want to finish the game. Or they can go help out another wolf. Whichever they want.
Well, that's what you think until you're actually out there running away from wolves that are twice the size of your human form. Nadia is shaking so badly that I swear I can feel it through the handcuffs.
Me: Nadia, you have to relax. They'll be able to hear us if you keep shaking.
Nadia: Do you not realize that we are running away from wolves?
Me: Fine. I'll do something to make you feel better.
I look around for a tree that has somewhat low branches. I found one about 10 feet to the right of us. I run over it and kneel down on one knee.
Me: Come on, I'll hoist you up into the tree.
Nadia: Are you crazy? How is this going to help?
Me: I'll explain once we're up there. Just trust me, we'll win this thing.
I hear her mumble something about it being just a game as she puts her foot in my cupped hand. I just shake my head at her and help her into the tree.
I don't think she realizes that if I don't win this game, then the pack most likely won't accept me.
I put that thought aside as she gets into the tree. I climb up after her and pause for a moment to listen to where everyone is. I hear a wolf coming this way at a fast pace, we have about 30 seconds until he/she is here.
Nadia must have heard it too because she squealed and started climbing faster. I hurry after her and she stops once she thinks we are out of sight. The wolf is about 15 seconds from getting here but it seems like it slowed down some.
I decided to throw it off a bit. I walked to the edge of the branch, which is close to another tree trunk. Nadia follows behind me with an extremely worried look on her face. I chuckle lightly and then pull her close to me by her waist. She lets out a gasp at the sparks that fly between us. I barely notice because my attention is on the big brown wolf that's right under us. It could either be Travis or Jose, but from the scent of it, it's Travis.
I open my mind link to only her.
Me: Nadia, when I say jump, we jump on top of the wolf and try to pin it down. We steal it's keys and run. Sound good?
Nadia just nods her head. I think she's still too freaked out to talk much.
Me: It will be okay, I promise to keep you unharmed.
She glanced my way with an unknown expression, but before I had the chance to realize what the exact emotion was, Travis was right below us.
Me: JUMP!
She whipped her head toward our target and we both jumped out of the tree. We hit our target a little harder than I thought. He growled at me as I held him down and Nadia slipped the keys over his head. She had a bright smile on her face as she slide the keys around her own neck.
Nadia: Ready.
I let go of Travis and we both took off running once again.
______________________________________________________
It was about two hours later and we have three sets of keys hanging around our necks. All the wolves whose keys we've stolen decided to team up with another wolf.
So far, there are only two handcuffed teams left. There's Nadia and myself, then Garret and Nigel. Leave it to the muscle and brains to be our competition. I don't think that Garret would've survived without the strategic brain of Nigel. I have to admit, we watched them take down two wolves at the same time and the way they did it, was just brilliant.
Right now, Nadia and I are running through the forest with two wolves hot on our tails. If you're wondering who is chasing us, take a guess. It's two little girls. I rather not take my sister on while she's in wolf form.
She may be small, but she likes to bite ankles. It's a very dirty way to fight. So I decided to do the thing that would annoy them the most.
Me: Hey Tessie, are you sure you wanna go up against me? I'm sure I could punt you across the forest without a problem!
I hear her growl in response. I really hope that Garret and Nigel lose their cuffs soon because I won't be able to keep this up forever.
Nadia: Why are you taunting her?!
Me: I'm stalling. Can you think of anything better to do until the other wolves gain up on Garret and Nigel?
She shakes her head, too short of breath to speak. I see some weird fort thing up ahead of us. I just got an idea on how to lose Tessie and Jordan. I mind link with Nadia again.
Me: Here's the plan, we run around that pile of junk and climb up a tree. They shouldn't be able to get up. I hope.
Nadia: Sure, what other choice do we have?
Me: None.
We race up to the pile of junk and hurry around it. We spot a tree that would be easy to scale and right near an opening. We climbed up the tree just in time for Tessie and Jordan to figure out what happened to us, but also too late for them to do anything about it.
We were now safe and it was only a matter of time until Garret and Nigel get busted. I hear a bunch of growling and turn to look at Nadia. She's looking out into the opening that is just beyond the tree we're in.
I stare out into the opening to see all the other wolves surrounding Nigel and Garret. I smile thinking that it's getting close to the end of the game. After almost three hours of this game, everybody looks close to being exhausted anyways.
I decide to listen to what's going on.
Garret: What's the plan Nigel?
Nigel: I don't see a way out.
Garret: Fight and see if we can come out of it still handcuffed?
Nigel: Sounds...
Before he could finish his sentence, they noticed Tessie and Jordan jogging out to the open field to help surround them. Garret lets out a low sigh.
Garret: What are the possibilities of us winning this?
Nigel: 5%
Garret: What does that 5% consist of?
Nigel: That's if Tegan and Nadia decide to help us.
I felt the need to prove everybody that I have their backs no matter what. Therefore, I do the most stupid thing I could in this situation. I turn to Nadia with an apologetic look on my face and start my way down the tree. She follows me with a proud expression on her face. We reach the bottom of the tree and smile at Nadia. She smiles at me in understanding.
Me: Sorry, but if I'm going to be you guys' trainer, I want you to understand that I have your back.
Nadia: I'm sorry Tegan, but we lose. I stand no chance against those wolves and I'll only hold you back. Plus, I'm completely exhausted. But I will gladly let you be my trainer.
She winks at me right before she unlocks the handcuffs. She smiles at me and starts to climb back up the tree. I look at my bare wrist and then figure it's time to go help out Garret and Nigel.
Running out into the field, I'm instantly noticed by everybody and the wolves on this side of Nigel and Garret come running towards me. It's Travis, Jose, and Dylan against me in human form. I'm pumped.
I take one last opportunity to look at Garret. He's smiling and shaking his head. He takes a key from one of his lanyards and unhooks Nigel.
Garret: Everybody for themselves.
Me: You're on.
_______________________________________________________
Here I am, sitting in the middle of a circle surrounded by werewolves. Why do you ask? I couldn't take out five wolves. It turns out that Nigel was already half passed out so when Garret unhooked their handcuffs, he fell over unconscious. Then it was Garret against six wolves.
Well, Tessie being the dirty little fighter she is, decided to bite one of Garret's ankles and Jordan went for the other one. Jackson then clothes lined Garret and laid on his chest and arms so he was restricted.
Then there is the fact that I'm trained, but not to the point where I could beat five wolves when I'm in my human form. Doesn't mean I didn't try though. That brings us to the present.
Garret and I are sitting on the ground next to a sleeping Nigel with six wolves surrounding us. I look at Garret and he's sitting there smiling like an idiot.
Me: I shouldn't of helped you.
Garret: Why? Because you fell for Nigel's trap?
Me: Exactly! How was I supposed to know that he knew I would help you guys out?
Garret: His logic was that you would want to show the rest of us that you had our backs.
Me: Well, next time, I'm not going to help you. I'll let the wolves eat you.
I slowly raise my hands up in surrender followed by Garret.
Me: You guys can go change back to humans. There are crates around here that you can find clothes in. I set them out the other day.
The wolves take off running and come back in their human forms not even two minutes later. They all sit on the ground next to us with proud grins on their faces.
Travis: So who won?
This is where I smile.
Me: Nadia and I did.
Garret looks at me in shock along with the rest of the people in the opening.
Garret: How so?
Me: The objective of this game was for the wolves to get the handcuffs of everybody else. They have your and Nigel's handcuffs. So where do you think mine are?
Everybody looks around.
Tessie: Where is Nadia?
I look over to the tree that I left her in and waved at her to come down. Everybody was just staring at her with dumbfound expressions on their faces.
Garret: That's so cheating.
Me: It is not. I never said what you could and couldn't do with the keys once you stole them.
Nadia came jogging up to me with a big smile on her face.
Nadia: Plus, Tegan and I are still conscious.
Everyone started laughing at Nigel who looks like he's just waking up.
Nigel: Did we win?
Garret: No. Tegan and Nadia played us.
Everybody was silent for a moment until Travis started laughing. He was laughing so hard that he had to hold onto Jose's shoulder to keep himself from falling over on the ground.
Don't ask me what's going on, I don't get it either.
Travis stops laughing so hard but still has the biggest smile on his face.
Travis: Tegan, I accept you as our new trainer. You managed to outsmart Nigel even though you didn't mean to. That takes a lot and I would be happy to learn from you. Plus, you climb through the trees like a monkey. You have to teach me how to do that.
I smile at this. If he approves of me, then everyone else should too. Main word, should.
Me: Thanks Travis.
We do the bro hug and then let go.
Jose nods at me which means he approves as long as Travis does.
Me: So is there anyone who doesn't approve of me being your new trainer.
There were no objections and a couple of people were even shaking their heads.
Me: Okay then here's going to be the schedule for training. Monday's we will go on Endurance runs around the perimeter. Tuesday's we will all hit the gym. Wednesday's we will play a random sport like dodgeball or basketball. Thursday's we play Holy Hell. Friday's you have off because those are usually game days and parties. I won't be stupid and schedule things that you won't show up to.
There were a bunch of chuckles on the guy's faces and Tessie and Jordan just looked confused.
Me: Saturday mornings will be Mission Impossible. It's a game that will, as Travis called it "teach you how to scale trees like monkeys," and then Sunday's you will have off. The only time you will be able to get another day off is if you come to me and talk to me about it before training that day or the night before. Just don't try to get out of it to go on a date. Trust me, save those for your days off because I'm sure your dates will enjoy you more if you train your body.
Nadia's face turned a tomato color and the guys who saw her face started laughing. That was until she shot them all death glares.
Me: Anyone have a problem with that?
Nobody said anything.
Me: Then let's call it a night and get back to the pack house before it gets any darker out.