Evolution of Derek Hale [A Teen Wolf Fic]

Chapter Four

We arrive near sunrise. I know that Uncle Peter must be exhausted, but I still give him grief when he tries to wake me up and get me out of the car. "Get up. We're here." He barks at me.

"Five mo minutes." He shakes my arm and I hit it off of me. "Leave me alone." I grumble to him.

"You can sleep in the tent." He shakes me harder that time. I push myself off of the door for the passenger side. I stumble out while I rub the grit out of my eyes.

"Mkay, let's get it out then." I shuffle over to the trunk, all the while leaning on the car. However, when Uncle Peter opens it up, I'm surprised enough to wake up.

"Hey! Where's our stuff?" All that's in the back is water.

Uncle Peter gives me a half forced smirk. "Well, that's the fun part about today."

"What do you mean? I want to sleep!" I stamp my foot like the child I am.

"You can sleep...once you locate the tent." He leans down slightly as he shrugs.

"What?" I practically shriek in my seven year old voice.

"We're going to play a game. I left clues to where the actual camping site is. Everything's there and ready for you to sleep. But I'm not going to help you find it. I'll be there. Waiting for you.

"See you when you get there." He shoves a water bottle at me and then jogs off. The line of trees is close and I trip and trot over to where he disappears.

"Uncle Peter!" I call out as I walk into the first line of trees. He's already gone - like smoke. I should have realized it was because he had wolf speed.

I see a note attached to a tree. 'Follow the crunched up leaves.'

That's all it says. I should have realized he was teaching me how to track. But I still follow the note, and half stoop my way through the forest. I'm looking at the ground attempting to distinguish between broken leave and just dying leaves.

"This is stupid." I mumble. "Who leaves a seven year old alone? I could die. This is stupid."

I keep going, my back developing a middle aged ache in it. Finally, the trees begin to thin. When the leaves stop, I pop up so quick my spine cracks. Yes! Finally the stupid thing is done and I--

There's a clearing, all right, but it's just for a shallow stream that's kinda wide. How am I supposed to follow if there are no leaves to follow?

I stomp my way to near the stream and sit down on a rock; it's a little small for me but it doesn't bother me too bad. The only thing that bothers me is I can't get to the freaking clearing and Uncle Peter brought me out here to make fun of me. I stare out to the stream, angry tears welling on the sides of my eyes.

I glance down and see a small sheet of paper sticking out from underneath the stone. What...? It's a note!

I scramble off of the rock and onto my knees to push it over. It's heavier than originally thought. Once I get the paper, it also only has one sentence.

'Why don't you try investigating overturned rocks some more?'

I rip the note up. I'm so angry! I can't believe he wants to be mean to me now.

I sit up on my shackles, and stare at the stream. Of course! There's pebbles in the stream. I make my way over to it and look in the water to discover... All the pebbles look the same. This game isn't fair!

However, as I sit there fuming, I notice that the pebbles on the other side of the stream look darker than the ones on my side... Almost like the side touching dirt was flipped over. I go over to the other side, wading through ankle deep water. I know realize that that would have thrown off Peter's scent.

There's a line of pebbles waiting for me on the other side. Yes, an easy part! I can do this!

I start sprinting through the woods again, watching the pebbles dark side catch in the sunlight. I sincerely hope that this is the last thing and there isn't another note.

Well, I get to the campsite. "Yeah!" I jump up and punch the air. I turn to face Uncle Peter and realize that he isn't there and the tent isn't up. I slowly pull my hand back down from the air. I walk over to the tent.

There's a note sitting on the tent.

'Good job. Now find the poles.'

"UNCLE PETER!"