Runt In The Wild

Chapter Fourteen

"Last one in is a pile of bones!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, laughing my heart out.

"You always say that!" My friends yelled after me in unison.

I jumped into the boiling water to feel the familiar rush of the water on my sides. It was the end of the day after our jobs were done, and it was time to relax. Everyday, I did my duty with Leo by my side as we hunted as a pair and as a group with other Alphas.

I came to lay on my side in the cool grass as I stared up to watch the clouds drift across the now setting sky. Wisps of pink, orange, and red painted the blue sky.

I heard a thud as Leo plopped down on the grass next to me. Half of his dark fur was dry and fluffy while the other half was wet and plastered to his skin. His deep blue eyes searched the sky just as I had moments ago.

I realized that I had sighed, making him turn his eyes to me. I looked deeper into his mesmerizing eyes to see sparks and shadows that showed wonder and mystery.

A yelp and a burst of laughter made us sit up to see Brian on top of Molly nipping her sides, tickling the life out of her. Molly laughed again and tried to throw him off, but she was dying with laughter.

Leo, Lucy, Leonardo, and I all started to laugh at the pair. They worked well together, just like Lucy and Leonardo and just like...

"Molly, we have to go." Lucy called, breaking me from my thoughts. Brian jumped off of Molly, and she bounded over to Lucy, yelling bye to Brian. Lucy turned to me and I thought I saw just a glint of excitement in her eyes. What were they planning?

"We have some stuff to do at our dens, so we have to leave early tonight. Sorry, Kate." Lucy knew I hated it when Molly and Lucy left before sunset. They did it every so often, and it drove me crazy. But today I realized that when the girls left, so did Leonardo and Brian which seemed pretty strange to me.

I sat back down next to Leo and sighed again. "It always seems like they are starting to drift away from me. We used to hang out everyday together. But now it seems like we barely see each other. I almost wish we had never become Alphas."

I turned to look at Leo but realized that he was looking at his paws and pawing the ground with his front right paw. He looked so nervous. "Um...Kate, I was just wondering...um...maybe you would like...uh..."

"Leo spit it out!" I said.

Leo looked up and stood tall, more confident than before. "Kate, would you like to go to a howling with me?"

I stood there with my mouth hanging slightly open. "Um, Leo, I don't know what a howling is?"

This time Leo's jaw seemed to drop to the ground in surprise. "You don't know what a howling is?" I shook my head. "A howling is when you go and howl with someone at the full moon. A lot of the pack go, even the Lead Alpha. Well, he has to go. It's tradition."

I looked at Leo with my head slightly tilted to the side. "So, you want me to howl with you?"

Leo nodded with the beginnings of a smile.

"Yes," I replied simply with a small smile.

Leo jumped into the air screaming, "Woohoo."