Why The Rivers Run Red

The Alpha's Mark

Clem made her way towards the lookout tower. She could see AJ already up there, keeping a watch out for the raiders. She gripped the wooden ladder and started to climb up. Thoughts of what happened mere minutes ago flowed through her mind. She had bit, Violet. She was going to be a werewolf and finally feel the mate bond, just like Clem. She smiled at the thought. But it went away suddenly as new thoughts came through. Was this really the time for this? With the raiders due any time, could Clem keep her promise to Violet? What if they attacked when Violet was going through her first transformation? How could Clem juggle her new relationship with Violet and defend the school at the same time?

Clem sighed, but a voice brought her back to reality. "You coming up?"

AJ looked down at her from his spot on the platform. Clem had frozen halfway up the ladder, her thoughts dragging her down.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Yeah...yeah. I'm coming." And Clementine hoisted herself up the ladder and into the lookout tower. She gazed out into the woods. "How we looking?" She asked AJ and held her hand out.

AJ handed her a pair of binoculars and Clem peered through them. Her already heightened eyesight, now able to see twice as far. She stared around the darkened forest. Her ears perked for any suspicious noise. She could see a couple of walkers roaming about the woods and hear the wind in the trees but nothing was sending up red flags. The fact that the raiders hadn't attacked yet made her feel uneasy. There had been no sign of them. Or was it simply the fact that her relationship with Violet had changed from friends to lovers that made her uneasy?

"Clem? What's wrong? Is it raiders?"

A little voice from beside her brought her back to reality. She put the binoculars down and looked at AJ. "What? No...no raiders." Clem stuttered.

"Then what's wrong?" The little boy asked.

"Nothing." Clem tried to brush it off. She handed the binoculars back to AJ. "Alright, now what do you smell?"

She watched AJ close his eyes and take a deep breath before he started to name off the different scents. "Walkers, pine trees, dead leaves, a squirrel, um...some sort of flower."

Clem took in a deep breath as well and could pick out each individual scent as well. "Good. Nothing out of the ordinary."

AJ opened his eyes again. "So why are you sad?"

"I...I'm not sad, buddy."

"But I can sense it," AJ said closing his eyes again. "Something is bothering you."

Clem gave him a halfhearted smile. "Looks like I trained you too well. Your right, buddy. Something is bothering me." She sat down on the edge of the platform with her legs hanging off the edge.

"Is it the raiders?" AJ asked, sitting next to her.

Clem nodded. "That's part of it. But I'm also worried about Violet."

"Is this a "mate" thing?" AJ wondered.

"It is." Clem nodded.

"Can you not tell her?" AJ asked.

"Well...funny thing is...I already told her." Clem explained.

AJ's eyes widened in curiosity. "You did?!"

Clem nodded again. "I did. And Violet seems to like me back."

"Then why are you sad?" He asked confused. "If you both like each other shouldn't you be happy."

"I am happy, goofball. But...I...I..." Clem hesitated, not sure how to explain. "I...marked...Violet."

AJ furrowed his brow in confusion. "You...marked her?"