Blizzard: Josie's path

15)

"Dammit," I growled. Where the hell was she!

"Well," I sighed as I tried to throw the boy over my shoulders. "I guess I still have some strength." Nearly losing my balance, I headed where the assassin was dragging Thomas. All I could see was darkness, my eyes flashed orange once again as I attempted to make my way through the building. I heard a scream and a whimper, "Thomas," I whispered in panic. Running as fast as I could with a teenage boy hanging over my shoulders, I rounded a few corners before I came to another open room. Another scream petrified my ears and I saw Charlie on her knees attempting to drag Thomas away from the assassin. The scream was from Charlie, and it nearly made me def. I set the teenage boy next to her, roared and threw myself at the assassin, knocking him out as he hit his head on the door. I ran back to Charlie, "let's get the hell out of here!" she said. "I'll take Thomas," charlie half picked him up and pulled him through the door way. I drug the teen age boy with me.

Within a few minutes we were out of the building and into the woods.

We stoped to rest near an old willow tree. "Mind explaining that back there." I demanded, pointing to where we had come from

"Which part." Charlie replied and looked away.

"Let's start from where you left after I saved your life." I said in an angry sarcastic tone

With a sigh, Charlie began her story, "when you went to check on him, I left to find Thomas, figuring you could follow my trail. I found Thomas, but that assassin was about to kill us both, I screamed, you ran in. that's it"

I glared at her, "you couldn't just tell me that? and why the hell was your scream so bloodcurdling?"

"Because it was a waste of time to tell you my plan, and because I'm a bansee."

I sat up and stared at Charlie, "Hold on a second, if you screamed, who died?"

"That's the thing... I'm not exactly the best banshee. All I know I that a banshee screams, that's it."

"A banshee's scream predicts death, you wouldn't have screamed for no reason."

The sudden cracking sound of a stick startled me. It was only a few yards away, "something's coming." I told Charlie.

A scent that i recognized washed over me as Scott charged out of the trees. He glanced at the teenage boy then me. I nodded toward the boy, showing him that I was fine.

"Um..." Charlie sat up and looked toward me, "why is he here?"

"He probably heared you scream. Scott's an alpha, Charlie is a banshee. there that covers it." I said as a stood up.

Scott looked at Thomas, "who's that?"

I glared back at Scott, "My friend. Since you left, I've had to make some new ones."

He shook his head and looked at the boy, "I told you I was sorry." Scott then threw him over his shoulders.

"Sorry doesn't really cut it when you cheat!"

"Look Jo,"

I cut him off, "Joanna. only my friends can call me Jo."

"Joanna, I never cheated, Kira and I weren't even dating then."

"But you are now, that's nice. Now can we get these two back to the clinic?"

"Jo- Joanna, it was nothing then, I swear."

"But it is now, Scott, that means it was something back then."

"That was two years ago." he said irritatedly

"I almost died, Scott, so did Charlie, Thomas, and him. Two years wouldn't have mattered." I then half picked up a nearly dead Thomas, and started walking southwest.

<><><><><><><>

After walking for at least three hours, I began to trip over my own feet. realizing that it was nightfall, we all decided to stop and rest. I drug Thomas over to a downed-tree and propped him up against it to sit. I then leaned foreword and kissed his for head, he flinched at the touch. "you are going to be okay, alright? Everything is going to be fine"

"YAWWWWN" The abrupt sound came from Charlie, who was curled up against an oak tree.

Scott stood up and walked toward a clearing, "I'll take first watch."

"No," I interrupted "I will"

"You need rest, just let me-"

"No Scott, I don't need a babysitter, so stop acting like one" I snapped. Scott then sighed and walked away to a bush. "So," I began again. "Charlie, you said that you knew Scott, how?"

Charlie sat up and looked toward me, "it's sort of awkward, actually..."

My eyes flashed orange as a released a breath of growl.

"I, um... had a dream about him. I've never actually met him until now". she replied

I heard a whimper to my right and transformed into my wolf-self. Dammit, it hurt. I hadn't shifted in a long time. I bit the shoulder of Thomas' t-shirt and laid him on a leaf pile. I then curled up next to him, to warm him. I opened my eyes to see a hurt look in Scott's. His expression quickly faded to curiosity as he looked at my eyes

"Joanna? Why are your eyes orange?" Scott asked.

A bared my teeth for a Half of a second, then closed my eyes and looked away.

<><>~>

I awoke early the next morning, Charlie had drifted off on her turn to watch, so I sat up in silence. A dense fog rolled in around the trees, I yawned and let out a small squeak, remembering that I was in my wolf-form. I then stood up, and walked away from Thomas's side, grabbed my pile of clothes, and walked into the woods. I began to shift back as I heard a slight whistle, almost unnoticeable. I finished shifting and threw on my clothes, scanning the area.

A red laser lined up with the zipper on my jacket, "Scott!" I screamed, and began running. he and Charlie burst out of the trees.
"Go, go, GO!" Scott yelled at the two of us. he roared as he shifted. I hurtled the fallen trees with Charlie close behind me.
I heard a person screech where we had left Scott. Then another roar where Thomas and the other boy remained.
I ran faster.
A gunshot filled the air, and I froze. No, no, no.. Please God, no.
As I approached the clearing I saw a man lying on the ground, a gun in his hand, with a small trail of smoke raising out of it. And Thomas standing over him, bleeding.
"Thomas," I caught him in time before he collapsed to the woodland floor.
Cradling him, I sat with my hand on his side, holding the wound. Thomas had his head resting on my arm, looking up at me. "Jo?"

"Thomas, listen to me you're going to be fine, okay? It's just a gunshot, it'll heal."

I heard the panic in my own voice when I saw that the bullet had cleared diagonally through his spine, then through his ribs.
I heard Charlie behind me, "That was a wolvesbane bullet, Joanna. It won't heal.
The veins in my arms darkened as I embraced his pain for him. His face softened, as he fell heavier into my arms.
"No, Thomas. Not like this, please"