Fastest of the Woods

XX

Kian's POV

The rain had thoroughly drenched my coat by the time I made it out of the Jade Forest. I couldn't stop there though, my family would find me too quickly and drag me right back. I won't go back with out Holly.

Damn right you won't. It's your own fault she's gone.

Okay, I'm trying to make up for my actions. Can't you give me a break?

I could, but there's no way in hell I will.

I huffed at him and ran further, trying to pick up on anything remotely her. Any scent, any print, any marking. Any thing.

But there was nothing, I could feel that my wolf wanted to both scream at the top of his lungs and howl to the moon above. I couldn't, however, tell which one was in anger and which in pain.

Or was it sadness?

Despair?

Misery?

Despondency?

Tribulation?

Maybe I should stop reading Holly's books. I'm learning too many new words.

I was so upset- disheartened, if we're sticking with the big words theme- that I couldn't find it in me to keep going for the night. I just laid myself down in the soft mud, thinking about a time when I'd be careful around dirt and mud because Hannah cares so much about cleanliness.

Holly never gave a damn. She rolled around in the mud and played in the flowers and grass. She got grass in her blond locks and dirt on her cheeks and she never looked more beautiful. Her smile was never bigger. Her eyes never brighter.

I fell asleep thinking of those eyes. God, those eyes...

_____

Call me crazy, but when I woke up I felt like something was there. Like something was keeping me from feeling so alone out here. Why is that?

My wolf felt happier too, for some reason he wouldn't talk to me though. I think he was doing something else. What could he be doing though?

Then. That's the moment. 

I had just stood up from resting and I was on all fours, shaking out my coat when I noticed it. 

My connection to Holly, it was back! Holly's in my head and I can reach hers!

Holly, Holly can you hear me?

Kian?

Oh, my god! Please, please tell me where you are? Where are you?

I-I don't know. Why do you care?

Why do I care? Oh, god- Holly, you're my mate! Of course I care. Please, just look around and tell me what you see.

There's a mountian- I'm in a cave in it, actually- and there's trees spread out, a lake. I don't know, we're going to keep moving north. Hopefully we'll find the Yukon.

Hopefully you'll find the Yukon? That's a terrible plan. Stay where you are, I'll come to you.

It's the only plan we have, if we stay here much longer they'll find us.

We? They? What are you talking about?

I could feel her frustration through our bond before she replied to me again, just go towards the Yukon. There are people depending on me to get them out of here. I'm tired of waiting for my King Arthur.

King Arthur, who-

She cut me off and I started to run towards the Yukon. If I can find that damned river I'll find my mate. 

Dad? Are you there?

Yes, I'm here. Have you found Holly?

No, I know where she's heading. Send wolves towards the Yukon and start down the river, search every damned part of it. She's heading there.

Do you have anything more specific?

She said something about trees and a mountain with caves, nothing specific. It's not much, but it's all I have.

Just keep going where you're going, Kian. There will be a dozen or so of our best warriors along with any and all of the wolves in the surrounding areas checking their parts of the river. We'll find them.

What's this them? Holly mentioned them and we, is she with someone?

She's traveling with a hybrid wolf-witch and 2 of the oracles. Your guess was correct, they thought she was Nova and took her.

I fucking knew it.

_____

You have no idea how many times I thanked the huntress that the pack house is on the other side of the Brooks and that I didn't have to worry about that.

There are many mountain ranges in Alaska- Brooks, Romanzof, Philip Smith, Endicott, Bendeleben, Ray and Kiguaik are all north of the Yukon while Kuskokwim, White, Alaska, Talketnas, Wrangells, Chugach, Aleutian and Kenia are south. I can probably rule out the prior but the latter are the ones to worry about. 

If I don't know which mountain range they come from then how can I know what part of the river to look for? How can I know where she is? Our mating process isn't finished. She's just in my head, I can't track her. I can't sense her unless she's close. She's haunting me. 

Her and those damned blue eyes. 

I need to see those blue eyes.

I tried to reach out to her through the bond while sitting back and letting my wolf take full control of our body. I trust him more than myself as of the moment, the whole animal instinct thing has me sold for his dominance right now. 

I get it back when we find her though.

Now way. Mine.

It's my mate! I screwed this up and I have to fix it.

You can do that just fine while in the back seat, bucko.

How about this; if her human is in control I get her, wolf you.

He grumbled a bit but accepted the deal. I wasn't too happy about it either and had no real intention of going by this if I could help it. I want Holly to myself, even if it's just for a few seconds before she realizes she hates me for getting her into this mess.

2 updates in honor of Labor Day here in the states. If your country doesn't have it then it's a holiday to celebrate the working class and the contributions they have made to our beautiful country. Also, 2 updates because the Huskers beat Arkansas on Saturday.

I'm the writer, I can be biased.