Exposed

The Cave

"Uh, Jae! Jae-" Ki whisper yelled while rushing after him, "What does that mean? Start over how?"

Jae whipped around, causing Ki to stumble backwards, "I don't know! Just shut up and let me think!"

Ki's jaw clenched as she tried to refrain herself from saying anything rude.

"I'm sorry," Jae sighed, pulling Ki into a hug, "Things aren't getting any better and I have no solutions."

"Just focus on one thing at a time, Jae. Right now we need a new home," Ki decided, pulling away from the hug.

"I know."

"Where-"

"I don't know, Ki!"

"The cave-"

"Is too small. And we'd all have to stay in wolf form to stay warm."

"There's nothing wrong with staying in your wolf forms. It's kind of necessary right now."

"Ki, you don't understand. Living out in the open in wolf form is too risky. Prolonged exposure like that will get us all killed."

"That's a bit dramatic," Ki said frustrated, watching Jae walk away from her.

"The bad things happening aren't coincidental, remember? If we make ourselves vulnerable, trust me, someone or something will take that opportunity to hurt us. I will not let that happen."

"We're already vulnerable."

"I need to get us out of the open. We'll make temporary camp at the cave," Jae announced before walking past Ki to the crowd of scared werewolves.

Ki stood from afar, watching everyone turn their attention to Jae. After a few minutes, everyone began walking into the trees. They shifted with the partial shield from the tree line and made their way to Ki and Jae's childhood home. Pulling out her phone, Ki scrolled through her contacts. She tapped on Macy's name and held the phone up to her ear as she started walking towards the forest. 

We will be staying here temporarily. The eldest and youngest will stay in the cave. Everyone else spread out around the entrance and be alert. Jae stated, moving away from the cave.

He walked back into the trees; Mason following him. They both shifted back into their human forms.

"What's the next step?" Mason asked, glancing at the pack.

"I need to make some calls. Find a new place for a stay. Maybe with another pack."

"I doubt another pack has the space and resources to house us. We're abnormally large."

"I know. But it's worth a shot. I need you to call someone to start rebuilding the house. The sooner we can get it back the safer we'll all be."

"Jae," Ki called out as she approached their make shift camp.

"What?"

"I have an idea. Take this," she handed him her phone before shifting. She ran through the trees and jumped into the river.

She felt the water trying to invade her fur. She whirled around, enjoying the feeling of the water over her body. Holding her paws in front of her, she began waving her tail up and down. She glided through the water, using the natural flow of the river to get her to Suijin faster. She fell down the side of the cliff, landing in the splash pool. Suijin was already there waiting for her.

Ki, are you alright?

For now. I need your help. I have this feeling that you can help me. Help my pack. Please, is there somewhere we can stay? Somewhere safe?