Alyson didn't even bother trying to see who went where that'd be impossible they all move too fast.
Alyson let out a sigh and looked over at Kai who was grooming himself at ease.
"Kai, You ready?" Alyson asks him. He huffs.
"What? You're not gonna help me?" Alyson asks. He yawns and lays down.
"Fine! You little Ass. At least watch the area while I'm gone," Alyson says. Kai curls up and ignores her.
"Jerk," Alyson mutters. She then scans the trees above her covered in ice. No high ground for her. She sighs dramatically.
"What on earth have I gotten myself into," Alyson asks aloud. No one answers her. She sits down and waits for James to queue her to go. If she gets desperate enough she'll get help from the animals of the forest.
"Alright Alyson, we are all hidden. It's your time to shine," James mocks. The once kind and quiet Alpha was now mocking and even rude. Was he like this all the time when in hunting pacts or was this another test? Alyson didn't know but she sure as hell wasn't about to back down.
She decided west was the best option since there were the least amount of paw prints there. She followed the clearest tracks but the snow was coming down heavy. Tracks were already starting to get covered.
She followed the tracks and saw there were a few blonde hairs attached to one of the trees. It was either Luca, Sofia, or Mason. Though Mason's wolf was white, and Luca wouldn't be stupid enough to brush against a tree like that. Sofia is most likely trying to lead her into a trap.
"Nice try Sofia, I know that trick," Alyson said aloud her tone teasing. Alyson heard a low growl.
"look here half-blood!" Alyson heard Sofia shriek in her mind.
"God your voice is just as annoying in my head as it is coming through my ears," Alyson shot back at her. Then from her left, she heard branches snap but she wouldn't be tricked by that. Sofia was a manipulative girl there is no way Sofia would attack Alyson herself. She'd have one of her brothers do it. Most likely, Jackson, he seemed like he couldn't care less about anything. He probably only gets his thrill from fighting. Alyson works out these things in her mind from what she felt when making bridges with them.
"Sofia! Come out and fight me. I'll make you my first catch," Alyson played as though she didn't know Sofia's plan.
"Like you could take me half-blood," Sofia says her voice thin with laughter.
"It's odd how much you underestimate me," Alyson answers back as another crunch happens behind her she can feel wolves creeping up on her.
"Well, you're just a half-blood freak so, yes I am more powerful than you'll ever be," Sofia says smugly. Alyson pushed past the brush and sees a flash of steel grey. She was right, Sofia and Jackson are working together.
"Do you think teaming up on me will work out well for you?" Alyson asks connecting to both Jackson and Sofia.
"What do you mean?" Sofia asks innocently.
"Do you take me for a fool?" Alyson asks aloud laughing slightly as she pulls out the knife attached to her leg. Alyson makes sure to crunch a few twigs on her way to approach Jackson and Sofia. But as she got closer she made her steps softer and avoided all of the sticks.
"You think you all know the forest better than me just because you grew up around it? You'd be mistaken," Alyson projects to all the Weres as she jumps Jackson and Sofia.
"Where'd...How'd you...?" Sofia asked as Alyson pinned Sofia instantly. Jackson let out a low dangerous growl.
"Tsk tsk tsk, Alyson, you picked the wrong Were to tackle," Sofia mocks.
"No, I don't think I did," Alyson said.
"Oh but you did, Daddy told us to hunt to kill," Sofia said dangerously. Alyson swallowed nervously surely she was lying.
Alyson knocked her out with the hilt of her knife. Just then Jackson leapt at her fangs bared. Alyson narrowed dodged him.
"Whow there, Jackson. No need to actually go full out," Alyson said trying to calm him. That only made him growl more intensely.
"Okay, then if a fight is what you want a fight is what you'll get," Alyson said dancing her knife between her hands.
Jackson leaps towards her, she rolled under him.
"Shit! He's really trying to kill me!" Alyson whispered to herself. As she stood across from him he charged her with his quick wolf speed and pinned her to the ground. He gowled spit dripping onto Alyson's face. Alyson looked around for a way to escape. How did she get Mason off her when he's pinned her like this? That was when her eyes changed. She's launched him across the field. But she definitely didn't have that strength right now. She struggled against Jackson's paws on her shoulder.
Alyson pulled her legs up and pushed him off her with her legs. He was surprised by that as he got pushed off her. She stood quickly and raced away from him. She looped around trees and mixed up her footprints so she was hard to follow.
She hides behind a tree and waited for him to come this way. Once she heard him she dashed away again there was no way she'd ever outrun him but she could trick him into walking into the clearing on his own. Then he had to stop trying to kill her no?
Just a few feet outside the clearing Jackson pounced on her from behind her knife flying from her hand. Her face was buried in the snow. If she wasn't freezing before now she was. The snow...Of course! If she struggled hard enough she could make him slip on the snow. It was a long shot but it was worth it. She pushed and wormed. It wasn't working. He was too strong.
He steps from off her shoulder to grab her hair and yank her head to expose her bare neck. He was going to rip out her throat. But he'd release one of her arms. Her knife was much too far out of her grip. She decided to pull a very dangerous move and grabbed a hunk of fur with her free hand just as she felt Jackson's teeth about to rip her throat out.
He let out a surprised yelp and thrashed trying to get out of her grasp. He let off her other shoulder and she grabbed the other side of his neck. She dug her nails into his fur and yanked as hard as she could. He yelped as he was pulled away from her. She quickly got to her feet and picked up her knife on the way. She made a beeline for the clearing.
But Jackson was having none of that as and he grabbed her jacket. He started to drag her away from the clearing. He dragged her with the speed of his wolf from before Alyson could do anything about it. She had no idea where she was going as everything blurred together. When they stopped Jackson tossed her into a tree. Her vision blurred but she held steady into her knife.
As Jackson's teeth came to attack her again she swung her knife. He'd heal a hell of a lot faster than she would. Her knife cut him across the face. He jumped back and growled loudly at her. She was done with offence, it's his turn to be scared.
She approached him and slashed at him. He tried to move away but she cut his side. He howled in anger. How on earth will she win? The clearing is out of the question he dragged her away and now she had no idea where she was.
She scanned the area as she somehow managed to block Jackson's claws with her knife. All that was around were trees. Maybe she could make him smack into a tree and get him to knock himself out.
She attacked him with her knife. As he moved out of the way she spun around and kicked him. He was sent staggering to the side. He let out a mighty roar of anger. Alyson guessed he didn't lose very often.
He went to charge at her and she backed close to a tree. When he was a few centimetres away from her she moved, he ran straight into the tree next to her. He fell over and was out like a light.
Alyson fell on her ass as rage filled her.
"James!" She yelled through all of the mind links she had.
"I'm assuming you just found out my extra surprise?" He asks.
"What is he talking about?" Dustin asks.
"That Bastard! Gave the kill order!" Alyson yelled her anger making her mind feel like it was on fire.
"He did what!" Hayden answered back his own anger filling him.
"Of course, I gave the kill order or else this would've been much too easy. She's already knocked out of us. She'll be fine," James answered clearly at ease.
"Dad, that's not cool! Who'd you give orders to?" Dylan said his anger clear.
"Quiet boy, you know nothing of how this works!" James snaps at him.
"Alyson go back to the clearing, I'll be there soon," Hayden says.
"I can't I dunno where I am. I was fighting Jackson and he dragged me through the forest!"
"Stay where you are I'll find you," Hayden said his words flustered and barely contained his anger.
"Don't you dare help her like that! This is a challenge of her Ability! That's an order as an Alpha!"
"Yes, Alpha," Hayden says reluctantly. Alyson now decided she didn't like James as an Alpha because if this is all a test and this is a fake attitude he is sticking to it much too hard.
Alyson kicks a tree in anger, now the sun has started to set and she only has two of seventeen wolves. A pile of snow falls on her head. She groans loudly.
"I'm sorry father has decided to do this to you," A voice says. Alyson looks around and sees Justin and Julia.
"There's nothing me or either of you can do about it, but I appreciate the thought," Alyson says Brushing the snow off of herself.
"Alyson dear, will you be quick with us? I don't wish to fight you," Julia says her tone soft and wise.
"Yes, how about I... ugh knock you all out? That way it looks like we fought? I really didn't want to have to fight my boyfriends family... I just wanted to find a place to belong. This is too much for me," Alyson said plopping down in the snow. Julia and Justin looked at each other and nodded.
"Alyson, You are clearly a fighter. You know this it's clear, you belong to the forest as much as it belongs to you," Justin says sitting across from Alyson.
"You think so?" Alyson asks looking up at the fading sky.
"I know so, I can feel the forest's pull to you and all the animals see you out. If you look there are animals trailing you everywhere you go. Watching over you." Julia says sitting next to her husband and looking over at the trees next to them. There a fox sat laying lazy behind as if waiting for Alyson to move on.
"You Alyson have a great connection to all living things. You are a natural leader. Everyone can see it. James does all of this because he fears you'll try to take over his pack." Julia says.
"How do you know this?" Alyson asks.
"You and I are similar. You can connect to spirits in the past I connect to the spirits in this time. I can feel people's energies," Julia says her eyes scanning the area.
"So you can see ghosts?" Alyson blabbered.
"In a sense yes," Julia says laughing lightly at Alyson's excitement.
"That's so cool!" Alyson said looking at Julia in awe. Alyson always knew she liked Julia now, Alyson knew why she liked her!
"It is very cool sometimes but it's scary when you don't know what's going on. Once you master it however it only becomes a slight annoyance." Julia said looking around and frowning at some unseen force.
"Yeah, I understand that. The weird thing is, however, my spiritual powers didn't appear until I met Hayden and his brothers. I think I always had a connection to animals though." Alyson said leaning heavier into the tree.
"That's because being around them awakened your abilities. You grew up surrounded by humans there was no were energy to help awaken the power. Haven't you noticed how much stronger your powers have gotten since your pack has grown? That's why you always went looking for friends somewhere to belong. Your instincts knew you needed a pack to awaken your powers." Julia explained.
"Now that you mention it I have grown since I met Hayden, then more when I met Dylan and his brothers. Do you think I'll get even stronger with you all? I dunno if I want more power than I have right now." Alyson asks nervously.
"It depends on how many people in the pack truly accept you," Julia said her scarlet fur blowing lightly in the wind.
"Julia they're coming," Justin says his tone at ease.
"Yes, I know. Alyson. Now maybe the best time to knock us out. We'll talk more after your trial," Julia said.
"Must I knock you out?" Alyson asks.
"Yes, it's the best way to make it look like we were fighting you," Justin says.
"Try doing it with your mind," Julia challenged. Alyson blinked at her confused.
"Just try," Julia laughed lightly.
Alyson pulled into her own mind and walked over to the bridge that held an image of Justin's wolf form above it. She looked around and saw how many bridges were on her little island.
She crossed the bridge as she got to his mindscape it kind of reminded her of a cosy little cabin. She wandered around looking for a memory of him falling asleep or passing out. Alyson had no idea how to make another person's memory replay.
She closed her eyes and focused on the idea of falling asleep. Then one of the smokier images came through in the beautiful fire image like the memory of Kadean's transformation did. She reached for the image and felt it's power. This memory induced calm and serenity as Justin lay next to his pregnant wife. The air filled with love and content. His heartbeat slowed and the image turned to ash.
Alyson smiled and picked up the ashes and blew them hoping for a relaxing and refreshing sleeping. She herself felt the pull of slumber she quickly retreated from Justin's sleeping mind.
Once she came back to her own Cavern she sighed contently and walked to Julia's mind bridge.
"Alyson?" Julia's mind echoed.
"Yes, it's me. How did you know I was here? Most people don't feel it as far as I know," Alyson says nervously.
"It's because I can read energies and minds so I can feel you in my mind," Julia's calm voice echos through. Her cavern had a high ceiling and related class and elegance.
"You know your mind cavern is the one that looks the most well taken care of," Alyson said as she instantly saw a memory of slumber. This place was clean and well organized.
"Thank you I try. I wish I could see it myself. I'll take your word for it," Julia said. Alyson fond memory of her no longer pregnant and but the soft snores of Justin and the calm coos of her baby were clear. Alyson had a feeling of wholeness like everything was perfect the way it was. The lack of sleep most new parents had wasn't present but complete calm and serenity.
"That was the first night Liza slept through the whole night. It was a perfect night sleep," Julia said her voice holding a clear smile.
"Then It shall be perfect to help you sleep," Alyson said grabbing a handful of ashes and blew them thinking of perfect relaxing sleep.
She felt Julia's cavern warm and things got foggy. Alyson then crossed back over to her own cavern and instantly was pulled back to her body.
She looked at the two sleeping wolves before her and smiled softly. She felt immensely drained already and she still had a bunch of weres to find.
She wished for that strength she had when she found her eyes had changed colours. She wished for that bundle of immense power to keep her going. But it seemed to choose when it came out she had no say in the matter.
As she thought that she heard James' mocking voice in her mind.
"How cute you put into a soft slumber, not what I'd expect you to do but impressive none the less," James said his tone made him sound as if the thought amused him greatly.
"You won't get such treatment when I find you," Alyson answered back. She heard his laughter fill her head. She tuned him out as she started searching for more weres to capture. thirteen to be exact. Shit...
She tried to track them from the forest but couldn't since there were no marks around and by now the snow has covered Julia and Justin's prints.
Alyson now wished she was a were then she's be able to smell their scents and find them. But alas she was merely human.
"But you can track them better than by smell," The ancient language of Iina laced through her mind.
"What? How! Iina! Why do you always do this to me!" Alyson huffed slightly annoyed. She could swear she heard Iina laugh lightly.
"You must do this on your own, child. You know this," Iina said her tone serene.
"Yeah but can't you give more clear hints," Alyson said crossing her arms lightly and plopping down in the freezing snow. As she breathed she felt the ground beneath her really felt it other than sitting on it she felt it breathe. Felt it's the ability to live the animals that played in the snow. The wolves that trotted around look for deer and other games. The Foxes that scavenged for berries, even the squirrel that looked for its hidden tree nuts.
The animals knew this place better than she could even dream of. As she did this she felt the warm breath of a fox huffing next to her. She needed his cleverness to hunt down these Weres.
His clever eyes gleamed at her as if asking what she needed.
"I need help tracking the giant wolves, the ones that turn to humans. I'm a bit out of my element here," Alyson said and laughing lightly.
The fox yipped lightly and sniffed her face one again.
"You'll help me? I really appreciate that." Alyson said standing. The two walked together.
"Are you the fox from earlier?" Alyson asked. The fox's tail swished calmly.
"I see thank you for watching after me," Alyson answered back. The fox yipped quietly.
"I understand, you are quite clever indeed. You knew I'd need your help," Alyson laughed. The fox trotted then stopped and crouched.
"Here?" She asked very softly. The fox sneezed.
"Thank you, friend," Alyson said making her way closer. Upon getting closer she saw a cave. She cursed and reluctantly went into it. She heard trotting behind her. She looked behind and saw the fox was following her. She smiled softly at the fox.
She approached the cave with caution. As she entered she heard a low growl of warning. Whoever was in here wasn't happy to see Alyson there.