Looking To Belong (A Runt's Story)

Chapter 33

I stared at her in shock. "I am not sure I heard you right. You want to go mushroom hunting?"

Ruby wasn't fazed. "Yes."

I couldn't comprehend it. She had come to me to ask if we could go mushroom hunting. I knew that she had not enjoyed it at all last time. In fact, she had gone along with it grudgingly, like an unpleasant guard assignment. Will had asked her last time, calling in an old and large favor to get her to agree. I knew Will wasn't involved in it this time.

Ruby seemed to feel the need to press her case. "The cooks haven't had mushrooms for some time now, and I know that Will doesn't want you to go deeper into the forest without a fighter nearby."

She was watching me as if what she was suggesting was an easy everyday task that she didn't mind helping in. But I could sense her underlying intense focus, some excitement, and determination. For once, she didn't have the obvious look of intense focus of a hunter, although I could clearly sense it underneath. I had never seen her try to hide her focus before. She wasn't doing very well at it, either.

I finished folding the tablecloth as I looked a bit beneath the surface of her mind. She was obviously after something, but there was no treachery or anything like that. Perhaps she wanted more lessons on scent detection, but I kind of doubted it.

"Sure, we can go," I replied, placing the tablecloth in a basket. "When do you want to leave?"

Her answer was immediate. "I am free now."

I chuckled in spite of myself. "Well, help me fold up this monstrosity of a tablecloth before we grab the collection bags, and then we can go."

She briskly helped me fold up the last table cloth that belonged to the table that could seat eighteen people. She already had the collection bags so we headed out.

   

       I trotted under a bramble bush to fetch several mushrooms. My back was to Ruby, but I could feel her human form watching me like a hawk. There was no threat in it though; it was like she was trying to discover something. I mindlinked her with a bit of amusement, "Was there something in particular you wanted to discuss or learn this time?"

I could sense her surprise with my senses, but her voice didn't show it. "Not really. I wouldn't mind learning how to scent a truffle out, but I am mostly out here to help the cooks."

I snorted my amusement. "Liar." I kept my tone light and amused.

She stiffened at the slight insult and at getting caught. Her voice was cool. "What makes you think that I am lying?"

I looked back over my shoulder at her with a curious expression as I replied, "When someone has been a rogue for a long time, a lie is as obvious as a masked scent trail. That isn't taking into consideration the fact that you have been staring at me with the intensity of a coursing hound waiting for the restraints to be removed so it can be loosed on the hunt."

She blinked in surprise. I grabbed the mushroom and came back. She bent down to take it from me. I had a sneaking suspicion that she truly wanted to learn some rogue tricks, but refused to come right out and admit it. I decided to give her something to think about.

I looked up at her with a serious expression. "I have met those who favor the obvious body language that announces that they are fighters to be reckoned with. Yours is extremely obvious, and you must have trained yourself to do it. It has its own uses, but it also nearly eliminates the ability to succeed in a surprise attack since an opponent would have already marked you as trouble."

She looked at me with slight surprise, although I could sense that her mind was whirling as she re-examined several past theories and assumptions about her body language and stance. The idealist image of a strong and proud fighter was probably her inspiration, but such fighters were rarely underestimated by opponents. I could tell that she didn't quite believe me, although she was trying to figure out what had prompted such a comment completely out of the blue.

I glanced around; we actually weren't that far from where I had first played catch-me-if-you-can with Will. There were quite a few bramble bushes, rose bushes, and other sprawling plants in the area. Perhaps a demonstration would help her understand what I meant.

I sat and tilted my head at her. "Can you please shift?"

She instantly shifted and looked down at me while testing the air, assuming I wanted to touch on more tracking training. I dropped every hint of puppy behavior or body language that I normally used. I had learned over the years that others had an easier time with my runt size if I included some puppy-like nuances, and I rarely dropped them all, even if no one was around.

Her eyes widened as her head reared back slightly at the sudden change. Instead of facing a runt that reminded her of an innocent, defenseless puppy, she now clearly saw a cautious, experienced rogue in miniature.

My voice was quiet, but serious. "Any wolf out there can outrun me." I put a bit of humor into my voice. "But, let's see you catch me."

With zero warning, I bolted under the bramble bush and took off at full speed. Ruby was stunned, and it took her a few seconds to get over her shock to start to follow.