Challenged - Skinwalker Book 2

Chapter 43

It turned out that Anthony was right - despite the unknown's strong and unmistakable smell, they couldn't track him. Somehow his scent just kept disappearing in the middle of nowhere. So instead they opted to stick to the original plan. Karina found a piece of the professor's pillow, his scent still firmly embedded in it, and used it to start backtracking his path. She complained frequently that the scent was very weak, but Devon helped her out now and then by catching the same smell on a leaf or a branch that the archaeologist had touched. The pair worked tirelessly together, leading them further and further from the city. Eventually they found themselves on an old footpath, at which point progress became a little easier. The path led them deep into the forest, skirting along mountainsides and diving into valleys only to rise steeply again on the other side. Now and then they'd find themselves at a junction, at which point Karina and Devon would work together again for a few hours until they found some faint trace of a scent to point them in the right direction again.

They trekked on tirelessly for three days, feeding on protein bars and filling up their water bottles in the pure mountain streams that often trickled alongside the paths they took. They crossed creaky old swing bridges, complete with slippery moss and rustic old wooden archways on either side, climbed stairs that had been carved into the sides of mountains eons ago, and even passed through the remains of a monastery that was built precariously on the side of a steep mountain. Eventually the path got thicker and harder to negotiate, signalling that they had reached an area that was lesser known to the locals. Kal suggested they pull up for lunch and no one was in the mood to argue with his suggestion.

After another tasteless meal - Sierra was really going to have to talk to Adam about flavouring those darn protein bars - the skin walker edged down a small embankment and made her way along to the river to fill up her water bottle.

"How's the hand healing?"

She glanced over to see Kal lounging against a fallen tree trunk a short distance behind her. He must have headed over just minutes before she had. She'd been too tired from trudging all morning to notice.

"It'll heal," she replied casually with a shrug.

It was already feeling considerably better even though it was both blue and purple and looked like it belonged to a completely different person. She kept it wrapped up and tried to pretend not to notice most of the time.

"I can't believe he didn't feel that punch," Kal remarked as he rolled his jaw in remembrance, rubbing the spot on his chest where her hand had connected with it. "You've got a hell of a hook when you put your mind to it."

She scowled and closed the lid of her water bottle.

"What is that supposed to mean? You think I wanted him to pin me to a wall and squeeze the daylights out of me?"

A look of frustration danced over Kalko's face.

"I was trying to give you a compliment, but now that you mention it - you do have a tendency to hold back," he remarked as he started to pick himself up.

He walked over to her casually.

"I knew you were holding back in your combat classes - I just never guessed how much!

It was pretty awesome to finally see you cut loose. Where did you learn that kick thing from?"

"I don't know how I did that," Sierra admitted, "I knew I needed to get my head and chest out the way and that the only opening would be a follow through behind whatever you were going to throw at me. It just sorta happened."

Kalko looked impressed.

"You've got great self-control - but sometimes you let it stop you from reaching your potential. Don't! Sometimes following your gut is more productive than listening to your head," he counselled.