Running with Shifters (completed)

Chapter 8 Meg-Elaine

Chapter 8

Meg-Elaine

Sometimes Iz can really be a freak. Like a few minutes ago; I've never seen someone twirl a dagger with that much grace and speed... and she wasn't even paying attention! It'd only been two minutes since I'd left her to help Romulus and Lin carry some of the prepared steaks over to the fire, her drilling thrusts and cuts, and now THIS!

The venison's aroma wafts over to us from the fire and my stomach growls in anticipation. I haven't had fresh venison since I left my village and I'm just now realizing how much I've truly missed it these almost three years. It's funny, as I watch Iz's face for some signal of where she's going to move next, I find she has the exact opposite effect than I did, a look of pure revulsion on her face as her nostrils flare at the smell.

"What is it?" I ask as I parry her thrust at my ribs, her blade glancing off mine in the nick of time. I know she's trying to go easy on me (a fact that I begrudgingly appreciate, nearly certain I wouldn't be able to take her full force, even without the Craze).

She uses the blade's momentum to swoop down and try a jab from under my defenses, talking over her actions so as to possibly confuse me and, sadly, it works. "I have a new found hatred of venison. Plus, I filled up on its blood earlier and I really don't want to eat any more of it." She turns kind of green at the memory and that, plus her words, distract me just long enough for her to actually pull off the attack. Her arm stops right as the blade's tip would have touched the skin of my stomach, holding in that position for a second so I register I died, before returning to her starting position.

"Dead," she does a little happy dance at my admission and I continue, "five minute break." She nods and goes back to juggling her dagger, catching the one I throw at her perfectly and juggling that one also without even breaking rhythm.

I watch her a moment before turning back to the fire and see Kate add some twigs to it from the dwindling pile next to her. After telling her that I'm going to go get some more wood, to which she just nods, I head out towards the tree line. Only a second after I start gathering I hear a twig snap behind me. I panic for a second, realizing I'm completely unarmed, before a purr breaks the air.

Turning, I see Eli step towards me through the trees and I wait until he's next to me before scratching the spot behind his ear that drives him crazy. He purrs even louder and licks the side of my face. His tongue, as with all big cats, is covered in millions of tiny barbs perfect for lacerating meat from bones. But he's as gentle as always, just barely touching my skin- just enough to get the whole side of my face completely slobbery.

He turns his head human so he can smirk at me and I give him a quick kiss before wiping as much slobber off as possible and wiping it back onto him. "Why do you do that?!"

He chuckles, "I'm sorry but you're just too cute when you're annoyed."

I growl at him and resume gathering wood, watching out of the corner of my eye as he Turns his head back and rests it on his front paws as he watches me. My arms overflowing with wood, I think of a way to pay him back for licking me just to see my reaction. Walking up to him I smile at him and he smiles back, opening his mouth just enough for me to stick a few twigs into it.

Instead of spitting them out like I was expecting, he just stands up and gestures for me to get on his back. Once I do he starts trotting out of the woods towards the others.