The Other Side of the Lie (EDITING, ON HOLD)

Eleven-Mist

Hunter's weight on her back felt odd, and it slowed her down some, but Mist got mostly used to it after the first few minutes. The extra energy, power, and speed, Swift's blood had given her wasn't gone, although it was not as strong as the day before.

After having given Bella his blood to combat the hemlock, he'd been hungry. Mist had found him several rabbits but he hadn't been satisfied. She'd tracked a deer to a stream where she lost the scent.

She remembered how in frustration she'd reverted to her human form to kick frustratedly at a fallen tree. She remembered how awkward and reluctant Swift had been when he asked hesitantly if he might drink from her. She had let him, not knowing the consequences. Swift had taken too much, and then had to give her some of his own blood else she would be too weak to stand. After that she'd had to hunt him even more rabbits, so the entire blood exchange had been futile.

Eventually they returned to the others, stopping on the way to scrub the dirt from the rabbit's graves out from under their nails in a stream they crossed. Mist could remember clearly how Swift had taken a few running steps before leaping across the wide stream in a single bound. She had done the same of course, but she was much larger than him as a wolf, and had much more muscle power. She found it amusing that such a small person–at least compared with her wolf form which had at least ninety pounds on him–could do the same things as her. Of course, his strength was supernatural, gifted by his vampire blood. Hers though came from pure muscle.

Those muscles worked now, stretching and contracting as she raced through the forest with Hunter clinging to her back. Her ears picked up on the small scurrying sounds of rodents and other small forest creatures getting out of her way, the nearly silent thumps of her and Swift's footfalls, and the beat of Hawk's wings overhead.

She could smell it all too, the squirrels in the trees and mice on the ground and the sickly sweet smell of rot and decomposition from a nearby dead tree fallen to the forest floor. The smell of witch magic was Bella, and she would smell it on Hunter too, a little. Despite having called it a stink, the smell of magic was a sort of cinnamon and roasted chestnut mix and very nice. Swift smelled like blood, but also like the fresh forest air. Hawk made her think of a spritz of expensive perfume he must have put on a few days ago. He also needed to take a bath. They all did, actually. But the stink didn't bother Mist much, and it would be another while before anyone else, save Swift, would even begin to notice.

"Where exactly are we going?" Hunter said into her ear.

Mist snorted, reminding him that in her current state, she could not talk, much less give him a detailed oral map.

"Or, right. Sorry, I forgot, you can't talk."

Hunter settled back and the only sounds were those of the forest and their little group moving toward Cloudspire. Then someone came crashing through the trees. Mist skidded to a stop and whirled around. Swift cursed, shoved Bella into her brother's arms, and leapt into the canopy. He caught Hawk and they tumbled to the ground, where they landed with identical grunts.

"What the heck were you thinking?" Swift demanded, or tried to, but as Hawk slapped a hand over his mouth, most of it came out muffled.

"Patrol," Hawk hissed. "Quiet!"

Hunter slid from her back and Mist shifted. She padded silently to the nearest tree, removed her boots. Swift was at her side the next second. "What are you doing?" he whispered. His breath tickled her ear, but she ignored him. Instead she quickly and skilfully scaled the tree. Swift followed her and stopped on a branch just beneath the one she was perched on. From her vantage point, she could see the patrol of five Sky fey soldiers flying in formation. She and Swift watched them as they flew past, returning to the others only once the patrol was completely out of sight.