Part of the Pack (Book 1 in the 'part of' series)

Chapter 9 finding answers and friends

Chapter 9 finding answers and friends

I couldn't move away from the base of the tree. Ralph was still in front of me and he watched me with slight worry. "Are you alright?" He chuckled softly, I could still see the nervousness in his eyes. It didn't suit him,being nervous. He seemed like he wasn't used to it at all.

"I-I think I am." I muttered quietly as I looked at him, I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact Ralph had the same eyes as the wolf, that wasn't the most shocking thing that I was experiencing at the moment. I had just seen a small pup turn into a little girl.

"I'm sorry to say this, but you don't look it." Ralph chuckled nervously once again and started to fiddle with two blades of glass which were at his fingertips. It caused me to chuckle as well, I was sure that he was right. I didn't really take enough care to brush my hair this morning and I was sure that there were a few rips in my clothes. "This, I'm sorry this is new to me."

He gestured between the two of us, I didn't quite get what he meant by this. I didn't know if he meant that socialising was strange to him or explaining things. He could also mean that he wasn't used to dealing with people on the verge of passing out due to shock. "I'm not so used to seeing wolves turn into people." I joked weakly, the admittance didn't help me cope.

He sent me a dazzling smile , showing me also his very white and very sharp teeth. "I see that every day at least once. I grew up with it so i'm not really experienced with the shock of it all." There was another few moments of silence between the two of us. it wasn't too awkward, which was a little unusual for me when I met new people. "What are you doing so far into the woods anyway?"

I could tell that he was trying to distract me, at least until he knew I wouldn't pass out as soon as I stood up."I'm doing this thing for university." It was difficult to explain to someone who I didn't really know, I didn't know how much he knew. He nodded along with my words, confusion in his eyes. "Should I be asking you the same?"

He shrugged slightly in response to my question. "Ask me whatever you want to." He shifted so that he was sitting more comfortably and placed his hands together. "I live here. I'm not sure if that's what you were expecting but i'm not going to lie to you." I let out air from my nose as I shook my head.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that." It seemed to be more and more awkward the more we spoke to each other. "Though, I don't think anything that i've seen today has stayed within my expectations." My voice was quieter. I whispered my words, as though if I were too loud it would cause more magical things to happen. It would cause more strange and unexpected things to happen.

"I suppose this is very unusual." Ralph said shortly and nodded his head. I could teel that he was looking around, he was checking for something to talk about. He tapped his index fingers together in thought. Something seemed to come to his mind as he asked me. "What type of university work means that you have to come out to the forest all alone?"

I gave out a rather big grin, "The kind which I put off until last minute." I chuckled slightly and he joined in with me, that surprised me. Once again I didn't exactly know what he knew about the world, he did live in the forest after all. "Could you, perhaps, explain to me what I saw? Maybe I would be able to wrap my head around it easier."

He sighed and muttered something under his breath. I was going to take the question back but he looked me dead in the eyes and he nodded. "As I said earlier, I'm not going to lie to you. Whatever you want to know." I wasn't sure if I wasn't putting enough weight onto his words, it felt to me like he was trying to have a deep conversation. I wasn't quite sure if I copied the same aura around me. "How about...You tell me what you need to know about the forest and I'll tell you about me and my family."

I nodded along to his words, it seemed like a good deal. I would get to complain about university and he would be able to give me answers about what was happening within these mysterious trees. "I just have to look into a habitat and see why it's suited for the different animals." I didn't know what I said but I received a strange look.

"So you picked the middle of a forest? When you have no idea what kind of animals live here?" When he said this, I was realizing how stupid I was. It made me look down slightly in some sort of shame. "You were attacked by a bear." He kept the same tone as he did previously, it was making me feel bad for coming out here, yet there was still a sort of softness to it. It seemed like he was glad about something.

"I didn't see any bears two years ago." I said as though that was enough reason for my madness. I was aware of the fact that it didn't. Somehow he was able to tell that I couldn't come up with a proper excuse. He shook his head and gave a slight sigh.

"No, there was just a pack of wolves." He was teasing me now, I was sure of it. He had a slight smile on his face as he looked down at the forest floor. "So, all you have to do is look at the habitat? That's it?" He had moved so that he was kneeling down, with his hands in his lap.

"Pretty much yeah." I furrowed my eyebrows and I looked to the man who was now sitting rather awkwardly. "I just have to write a bit about it." As I finished he stood up. I was once again amazed at his height, he looked much taller since I was sat on the floor. He held out a hand to me, I could see faint scars on his hands and arms. Nothing too major but they looked like small scars from a cat. "What are you doing?"

"Come on." He urged as he gestured for me to stand up with the hand which was still outstretched to help me. "I'll tell you about werewolves and you can look at the forest. It'll be safer."