Mimic | Jacob Black

42. World of Wolves

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Thunder rumbled throughout the forest. River looked up at the dark gray sky. "I don't think the rain's gonna let up."

"Guess we have to wait."

River peeked around the large tree trunk he was holding onto. Bella was standing on the other side, watching the rain thoughtfully.

"It's nice though." River looked at their surroundings again. The dark green misty forest stretched on forever in all directions as per usual–actually, there was no mist. River let out a confused noise. He was sure there was meant to be mist, maybe not because of the rain? "I don't know."

"It happens," Bella said.

"Yeah." River could feel water droplets falling on his head. The tree's branches couldn't keep the rain away completely. "This reminds me of that one movie we saw."

Bella cocked her head. "We walk this way everyday, though."

River pointed in the direction ahead of them. "No, we usually go that way." The forest looked the same everywhere.

Bella snapped her fingers. "Wait, are you talking about that one sad movie with the dogs? The one we watched when we were younger?"

"Uhh... I don't remember," River admitted.

"Yeah, the kid with those two dogs that died, and he buried them in the forest while it was raining–like this. We cried so much, remember?"

River shook his head. "It's hard to remember anything, didn't I say?"

"It was during a sleepover at your house!"

River shrugged.

Bella crouched down, sitting against the tree's base. Roots sprawled out in all directions around it. That couldn't be comfortable, but she stayed there. "Well you brought it up," she mumbled.

River moved around the tree trunk and sat down beside her. He found a good spot in between the roots, almost like a chair. The rain seemed to pick up a bit, but the dirt below him was almost warm. "Yeah, I guess I did. But I still don't know what you're talking about. I don't know what I was bringing up."

"So stop talking about things you can't remember," Bella said.

River absentmindedly moved his fingers in the air as if he was pulling the strings on a guitar, he could imagine the sounds they made clearly, or maybe those sounds were real.

Bella listened. "What song is that?"

"I heard it recently, it's been stuck in my head."

Bella hummed. "It's nice."

River pulled his knees up, folding his arms over them and resting his chin there. "I'm missing something."

"What are you missing?" Bella asked.

"I don't know, but I think it's important."

"You'll remember, when you need it most. I know you will," Bella said with a smile.

"How can you be so sure?" River asked.

"Because the answer will be a lot simpler than you think it is." Bella thought for a moment, then shrugged. "That's what you told me, anyway."

"Well if you say so, then I must've," River said. He extended his index finger, letting rain drops catch on it. "I hope this doesn't take much longer, I need to get back. Jake will be sad if I disappear."

"We all will be." Bella leaned her head against his shoulder. "Did Jake come see you?"

"Yeah. He felt bad. I didn't blame him, though. I'm making it hard for him."