"Wow," I had to gape aloud, staring up at the 50 foot tall tree that stood before me, the smell of moss tickled my nose slightly.
It's huge.
It is.
I walk forward, touching the rough bark and felt it tickle my finger tips. It was like I could feel the history leaking through the rings and into my hands.
This tree has seen many deaths and many lives. It was beautiful, and now I am part of that history.
So after this hike where do you want to go next?
I shrug, physically shrug like some weirdo talking to a voice in her head. I think I want to enjoy this moment right here, right now.
That sounds like an excellent plan.
Thanks, came up with it myself.
Taking my hand off the tree I awkwardly wiped it on my hoodie and began walking down the path, there were a few other tourists that wandered around, a lot of couples kissing and posing in front of a tree.
Some people were hugging the trees to measure how big they are with themselves.
But the couples seemed so happy together, holding hands and smiling at each other.
For a split moment I could almost see myself and Axel in one of the couples, smiling and walking around the forest together.
***
Axel's POV (I know I never do these POV changes in chapter, but I needed to add this)
Opening the envelope, I felt my heart warm as I pulled out a photo of Mabel standing on a slight cliff that overlooked a vast amount of trees that were so tall they covered the sky. She was smiling at the camera, and holding up a pine cone up that was much larger than her face.
Tucking the picture with her other ones I pulled out the latest post card she has sent.
Hello Axel,
Her hand writing was so delicate, and slightly crooked like she was writing this on a moving vehicle.
California has been so amazing and fun, I even met an alpha of a local pack that lives here in the redwood forest. They are so different to the packs over there but so similar too, though a lot of the teens keep filming themselves dance and others and posting it on some random app.
They tried to get me to dance with them. It was so confusing and complicated for me.
Anyways, I sent some souvenirs in a package that should be arriving soon and I hope you don't mind a few pine cones that I cannot stop picking up.
I'm not going to tell you where I'm heading next, seeing how I'm not sure where I'm going either, but I don't need you sending me money at all. Please stop.
But I'm fine, and I'll write soon,
Mable.
It was such a short yet Mable-like message. Brennon and Rachel each get a different post card with their own personalized message. But in those messages is Mable always telling us to stop sending her things.
She wants to travel on her own through her own mind and means, and it's been hard not to want to care for her.
She even sends one to Clint that Rachel makes sure to put right on his grave every morning with a fresh bouquet.
But I have a plan, and I have done a lot of digging.
The council, while horrible in every single way did one thing right for me.
They kept track of all black wolf births, if a werewolf baby showed signs of being a black wolf their birth and all their details were written in an old journal that has recorded every black wolf since the 1800's.
I went to pick up a sheet that I copied while the alphas sorted through the millions of books and documents the council had.
We tried to make them online and accessible to all the packs.
But here was the one page I wanted.
Mable Vennett
Born July 1st, 20**
Brown Eyes, Black Hair.
4.5 ounces
Special notes: Hardly cried after birth.
Special Status: To be determined.
Born July 1st, just in a few weeks and I need to figure out her location to send to the biggest birthday present I could find.
Would she like a new phone? Or maybe a cash present. Maybe a small thing like a pendant or maybe some necklace or bracelet.
So many choices.
But either way I know she might not want a present.
I just hope she is having an amazing time exploring the world.