Chapter 3 - Fun and Games

Aiden stalked across the forest floor as stealthily as he was able, amber irises sharp in their mission for which they were highly skilled and thoroughly trained. On the lookout with his honed visual prowess, he allowed another sense to join in his intense surveillance of the surrounding woods. His pointed ears twitched as he listened for his stalker, flickering in each direction as he waited for a sign.

He rounded the bark of a frost-covered oak tree and made his way deeper into the condensed woodland, hackles on his back and neck raised in anticipation. Aiden knew he was being followed and it set him on edge as he made his way through the darkness that was his home, but the lack of light did not bother him in the slightest.

With his special abilities came night vision which made him a skilled hunter, which is what made what was stalking him a skilled hunter too, and it sent a tingle of thrill down his spine. His heart beating wildly against his thoracic cage like a drummer on a pair of bongo drums. It was so loud it almost deafened his ears to the snapping of a twig behind him but lucky for him and his advanced hearing he heard it. He had many, many years to perfect his hunting but his opponent had centuries on him, and that made him more experienced and more dangerous.

His heart skipped a beat, and he knew they were closing in, with a gulp of air he took off sprinting in between the trees dogging roots and low-hanging branches as he sped off. His keen hearing picked up the sound of paws racing behind him, and he knew his stalker had taken off after him. They raced like this for a while before he made a sharp turn and seemed to lose his stalker.

Feeling cocky about his evasive manoeuvres he slowed to a halt next to a small river that ran through his land until it joined up with the larger river in his territory. He bent his neck as if he were about to take a drink, holding his breath he listened until he heard the wind change. He bounded to the left in his escape and heard s great big splash as he danced out of harm’s way.

heart still thundering in his chest he glanced back at his attacker and couldn’t help the laughter that rippled through him at the sight. For there where he had stood not moments before stood a drenched giant wolf who was glaring in his direction. His laughter came out more as huffs than actual laughter through his snout, but it rang loud and clear through their bond.

This seemed to make the soaked wolf even angrier as his russet-colored pelt turned a darker shade of red mixed with brown and hung down his face like a drowned cat. Aiden chuckled even louder in his head, which naturally escaped as chuffs in his current form, if he had been human, he would have thrown his head back and bellowed out his enjoyment.

The dripping wolf found this as an insult and lept out of the river racing toward the ash-colored wolf who was too dry in his opinion. Aiden felt the echoes of his laughter ring through his mind as he took off away from the dripping werewolf racing across the forest floor. Padded feet pounded and crunched on the white powder that was snow. Puffs of air escaped from in between sharp canines as he huffed in his excitement sucking in the air he lost greedily.

He could hear his friend bounding after him, could hear his anger and his shouts through their pack bond and his heart felt such joy at that moment. He was so distracted by the wet werewolf behind him that he paid no attention to his surroundings and was surprised when the air he so hungrily consumed was knocked out of him.

It took him a second to realize that he was lying on his side a root painfully digging into his ashen fur and a small weight sat triumphantly atop his fallen body. He heard her victory shouts chirping in his head as she celebrated her moment of glory. Amber eyes peered up at the tiny but beautiful snowy frame.

He felt pride bloom in his chest even as he heard the deep chuckle resound from the pack bond, a baritone that he knew belonged to his best friend Griffon.

“I got you, big brother!” The airy voice that belonged to his younger sister Jessabelle who was only eleven years old made him smile, or he would have had he been in his human form. She had been an unforeseen blessing in his family as he had already lived nearly a century before his mother had unexpectedly fallen pregnant with the girl.

“You certainly did Jessie, great job,” he praised.

“Man, you should have seen that tackle it was epic,” Griffon thought through the pack bond in his baritone voice rumbling smoothly as it normally did.

“Like you’re one to talk Griff, I recall you didn’t have a picture-perfect landing either,” Aiden teased the still wet, but not as wet, russet-pelted wolf. The wolf in question huffed in annoyance, the emotion ringing loud and clear through their shared bond. Then as if underneath the annoyance, a flush of mischievousness came through.

Aiden had no chance to bolt out of the way or to warn his little sister before the damp werewolf started vigorously shaking his fur in a very dog-like manner. Jessabelle laughed as she was hit with the droplets from the older werewolf’s fur completely unbothered by the tiny rain even in the snow. Aiden grumbled as he was hit with the tiny droplets not enough to dampen his own thick ashen fur.

With a shake of his head, the werewolf pulled himself up, bringing himself next to the much smaller white wolf. At this age, she looked like any normal werewolf with the exception of her beautiful amber eyes. He rubbed his snout and his head against her own, nuzzling her in affection and praise for her glorious victory.

“You did well Jessie, using the snow to blend in with your fur. You’ll make a strong and unstoppable huntress one day,” he glanced down lovingly at his wonderfully airy sister. She gave a tinkling laugh, and it was as if little bells rang through their shared bond. It was days like these that Aiden cherished most, laughing without a care in the world.

Soon Aiden would not be able to be so carefree as the real world would call him back into reality. And it would happen sooner than he would like causing his world would be turned upside down and right side up by the mere appearance of another person. Part of him would be terrified but another would finally be complete.