The Age Of Arma Gedeon

Chapter 39, Darkness

They enjoy the pack barbeque and the growing affection of the wolves.

When Lamica receives his steak, he orders the butchering of the two to go.

He eats a bite and feeds a bite to Kapjoe all the way through the steak.

When even the lettuce is gone, Lamica orders to smoke the leftovers to jerky.
Then he orders clean up and for them to trade out the blankets and supplies beyond their needs.

He takes the wool lined thermal blanket from his pack, lays it over Kapjoe's back, kisses the wolf between the eyes and whispers, "Stay warm."

Erray pats Kapjoe's head, "We'll see you soon."

Lamica frowns at him, "You don't know that."

Erray mentality shuffles his deck of over a hundred cards already as he happily sasses, "Bet me."

Lamica fusses, "No, thank you. Do you have a plan for shifting?"

Erray accepts the warm lettuce wrapped steaks and adds them to his stuffed pack, with tied on skin bundles, "Not gonna work down here. I've a plan, but you might not like me anymore after it."

Lamica hides his worry well, "I doubt that."

Erray puts the pack on and buckles the high and low clips, "I'm going to partially shift and your going to hold onto me while I climb us up to high enough for a full dragon shift."

Lamica worries, "We're not that deep in the forest, but it's still near a mile up. We only have about half an hour to get her the hearts before they spoil."

Erray nods and finds everytime he nods, he auto shuffles.

"Only gonna take me a few minutes to get to the highest branches that can hold us. I might be overheating bad.

"If I am, you'll have to take my pack and coat before I can shift."

Lamica offers, "I could take your pack now."

Erray shakes his head and his mental deck fans out offering Lamica a card.

Erray nods quickly to get them retracted.

Lamica laughs, "Can't you make up your mind?"

Erray fusses, "My cards are in my brain. They work like breathing. I can control them, but they have involuntary urges."

Lamica informs him, "I think I felt them, but only for a second."

Erray rubs his neck, "Being a newbie always has challenges. I'm fine.

"You need my pack on me to hold on to. I'll be moving too much for you to keep a grip on me. Ready?"

Lamica buckles his travel pack and tells his wolf pack, "Know in every deed you are my pack. Other packs are my people, you are my pack, the Alpha Pack.

"Expect me when I want you. Keep Pack Ways strong."

Lamica pets Kapjoe's head once more, then tells Erray. "Ready."

Erray controls his shift for strength and speed, but as he figured he must take reptilian skin on.

Lamica gives him a wide-eyed look as Erray turns his hands back and forth to view. "Damn, Old Chap was right about lizard people, too."

Lamica teases, "Not your best look, but I still like you."

Erray huffs, "Let's go."

Lamica moves behind Erray and loops his arms in the pack strapes and gets a grip. "Go."

Erray squats and jumps up hard. He leaves ruts in the ground and leaps up fifty feet.
He scurries up the branches and in few minutes is laying out on a high out-reaching branch.