Chapter 9- Dreams

[CW- This chapter includes a scene of distorted/unreality. Please look after yourself while reading.]

Tha-thump tha-thump tha-thump tha-thump.

The sound of sturdy paws pushing into earth filled the air. Her presence disturbed the leaves falling from the Maple and Ginkgo trees, making them move as if disturbed by a breeze.

Tha-thump tha-thump tha-thump tha-thump.

The pure white wolf ran down the path she had trodden out over many runs down the path.

Field mice and small mammals scatter at her presence.

Tha-thump tha-thump tha-thump tha-

She stops running and looks right at the dreamer.

“.uoy rof gnimoc era srats ehT”

Peggy gasped awake.

She was still in the tent that Mikael and Eli had made last night. Standing over the top of her was a large red wolf with dark grey signatus patterning. He sniffs her, and she lies frozen. Once the wolf was done, it snorted and stepped off of her. Peggy slowly shimmies away from the wolf, her eyes locked onto it. Its eyes were locked onto her.

“Nieve, stop scaring poor Peggy,” Mikael said at the entrance, making Peggy scream in surprise. Nieve barks, and it almost sounds like a laugh. The large wolf then curls up across everyone’s blankets and seems to fall asleep.

“That’s Archer’s wolf,” Mikael said, reaching out a hand to help Peggy stand. “Archer was probably out running all night.”

“I see,” Peggy said, taking Mikael’s hand.

For a moment, there’s a feeling on his skin, like something fizzing. She looks down at their hands, curious. Opening her mouth, she looks up at him, about to ask what the hell that was. Instead, she’s met with Mikael’s wide brown eyes looking at her in shock.

“I-I… Uh…” he stuttered. Peggy tilted her head slightly. “You, um…”

“Are you ok?” Peggy asked. Mikael just nodded.

“Who wants eggs?!” Eli cried out from the fire pit where they were tending to a pan. Peggy and Mikael were pushed apart as Nieve’s large head suddenly appeared, sniffing the air.

“Here doggy doggy!” Eli teasingly called out to Nieve, holding up a plate. Nieve shuffles out of the tent and pads over to Eli.

“We… We should get food,” Mikael said, walking away from Peggy. She watched him go before following him to the fire. Nieve had already inhaled three fried eggs whole, and Eli was giving Mikael a plate of baked eggs.

“Give me a mo to fix yours, Peggy, Nieve is making cooking tricky,” Eli said, trying to push Nieve’s head out of the pan.

“He likes eggs, huh?” Peggy said with a chuckle.

“Oh, yeah,” Eli laughed.

“Is that a Nieve thing or a wolf thing?” she asked.

“Six of one, half a dozen of the other,” Eli said, having to push Nieve’s head away again.

Peggy reached over and scooped one of the fried eggs from the pan onto a plate. She immediately had Nieve’s attention.

“Want the egg?” Peggy asked with a grin. Nieve sat down suddenly.

“Go fetch,” she said, holding tight to the plate as she made a throwing motion. The plate stayed in her hand, the egg whizzed away into the treeline. Nieve broke off into a sprint to go get it.

“That’s one way of doing it,” Eli snorted.

Peggy nodded and sat down again. As she did, Mikael quietly split his portion and put the second bowl of it in her lap. She looked down and blinked at it.

“I’m not that hungry,” Mikael said.

“Liar,” Eli teased. “You just don’t want the pretty lady to go hungry.”

“Hey!” Mikael barked. Eli laughed.

“I’m almost done cooking anyway,” Eli said, watching the pot.

Peggy rolled her eyes but ate the food Mikael had given her. She just couldn't put her finger on why Mikael seemed different today...

A couple of hours later, the group had packed up the campsite and were starting to walk again. Mikael was up front, scouting ahead. Eli was walking with Peggy. Nieve was at the back.

“So do wolves just have a different tank of energy than their humans?” Peggy asked.

“Kinda?” Eli said. “It’s more like they have better muscle definition, so they can use the energy they have better.”

“That makes sense,” Peggy said, glancing over her shoulder. “Asking because apparently Archer might have been up all night, but Nieve seems fine?”

“Oh, he’s cursing Archer out,” Eli chuckled.

“How can you tell?” Peggy asked.

“Psychic link. Most packs have them, but they are strongest with close friends, family, and of course, mates,” Eli explained.

“So you all are having secret conversations I can’t hear?” Peggy asked, half laughing.

“Not about anything important,” Mikael called back from ahead of them.

“Sure,” Peggy said, rolling her eyes. Eli grinned and glanced toward Mikael, who turned away and seemed to be speedwalking.

“Wh- hey! Some of us aren’t that quick!” Peggy yelled after him.

“Give him a minute,” Eli chuckled. “He’s a good tracker and ranger, so he’s probably seen or smelled something.”

“I guess…” Peggy said, pouting slightly.

There are a few steps where the group was just silent, at least to Peggy’s ears. She glances around. Some of the hardwood trees were starting to be interspersed with conifers. While the forest seemed to be mostly oak or maple, there would be the occasional pine or juniper tree. They hadn’t been walking far, and yet to Peggy’s mind they were already entering the North.

“So,” Eli started suddenly. “You’ve asked a fair few questions about us; it’s only fair we get to ask some about you?”

“I guess,” she shrugged.

“You don’t seem enthusiastic…” Eli said.

“I mean, I’m royalty. I’m used to keeping my cards close to my chest,” she deflected.

“Oh sure,” Eli said. “But, like, I can ask if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend or a betrothed or something, right?”

Peggy laughed.

“I’m not betrothed,” she said.

“Sooo, no marriages of convenience or arranged marriages in your future?” Eli asked.

“Not that I know of,” Peggy said.

“Good,” Eli said with a shit-eating grin before turning toward where Mikael had run off to. “YOU HEAR THA-”

Eli was suddenly hit in the head with a pinecone.

“SHH!” Mikael whispered harshly from somewhere Peggy couldn’t see.

“Oh come on M-”

A low growl came from the trees, and Eli grabbed Peggy’s arm. She looked confused, and he held a finger to his mouth to tell her to be quiet. She nodded and glanced out to where Mikael had disappeared.