Checkmate

First-move advantage

"You wanted to talk." 

We'd left Jax to tend to the meal and taken a walk through the trees with me in lead. In the gathering dusk, the forest around us was transitioning from light to dark, the sounds and smells shifting. Everything was much more intense, from the buzz of the wakening cicadas to the thick perfume of night flowers opening as the light dimmed. The forest seemed alive, aware - just as I was.

I would have preferred Jax to be in my place right now, but he'd pointed out that, firstly, I was the lead on this mission and secondly, the male had asked to speak to me. Jax had then adroitly side-stepped my not-so-subtle hints and generously - and most uncharacteristically - offered to take care of the meal while we talked, giving me no choice.

Which is how we'd ended up walking among the trees in the shadows and the silver of moonlight all around us. 

"Yes, I did." He said from slightly behind me, his voice low and pleasant. "I think it's time we cleared up a few things."

"Such as?" I asked, stepping over a fallen branch, hearing the crunch of leaves.

"Why we're here, for starters." 

"Tracking Rogues, obviously."

"I meant beyond the obvious."

"You're asking me to reveal details of an Intelligence mission to OutClan agents." I stated, shaking my head as I continued to walk between the trees. 

"I would not ask you to go against your Clan. But we must know if we're dealing with something bigger here." He said, his voice clear. 

"How would it help?" I said, looking down at the layer of leaves on the forest floor as I walked. 

My breath caught as I felt a cool, firm hand on my bare arm.

I turned to look at him. His ocean eyes were luminescent, glowing in the moonlight and the shiver that had begun when he'd touched me rippled right through me. 

"You know this is bigger than your Clan or mine." He said, his eyes intent on mine. "If we share information, we might be able to get to the bottom of what's going on." 

I stared at him for a moment and then gently pushed his fingers off my arm and stepped back, frowning.

"You were the one willing to ask Krevin for help back there." He persisted. "You're the one who insisted on notifying the Krevin Border Guard. Why?" He took a step forward towards me. 

"Protocol." I said, but he shook his head.

"We both know it wasn't protocol. You could have left and no-one would have been the wiser."

I stayed silent.

"You could have left us back there. You didn't need to help us. So why did you?" He continued, watching me intently.

I glanced down. Those beautiful eyes saw too much, I thought wryly.

"You could still leave." He said, quietly, "We could both go back to our Clans. And then what would happen? We continue with independent investigations that waste time and energy while whoever's behind this continues to get away with it."

His eyes met mine.

"It's time for cooperation. Don't you think?" He said quietly. 

For a long moment, I stared at him. 

"That's a good spiel." I said, equally quietly. "It even makes sense."

He inclined his head slightly.