Riverside Rogues

Chapter 3

Riverside Rogues

Chapter 3

Following on from yesterday, my wolf tried to stop me from getting up. Locking out my protesting joints, which refused to let me stand. My head hurt, I'm not sure if it was tears trying to force themselves out or it was me being so depressed that my wolf just wanted to pretend she'd imagined it. To be honest, she was on the borderline of convincing us both. 

Maluke was staring at me because we were the only two now in the barn since everyone else had gone after I was unable to move. His tail was swaying as he paced by me, always swiping my head. Eventually, I could move, not because I wanted to, because I was annoyed at my brother.

My paws scraped the floor, making the pads and fur dusty and uncomfortable. Licking them didn't make my tongue very happy, or clean. It felt like I'd swallowed dust bunnies, I kept my tongue in my mouth, then followed my path, which somehow managed to keep inching left. I only knew this because Maluke was constantly barking to keep me in check.

' Are you going to tell me ? Or am I going to constantly worry about you ? ' He growled, this is why I tell him nearly everything. He tends to scare it out of me. Or annoy me to the point or yelling it out of the relief of him shutting up. 

My lips were going to stay sealed. 

' Luke, I just, thought I recognised one of those wolves okay? I just want to check. My subconscious is, uh, dragging me ... ' Hmm, I can even hesitate in my head. New to me.

' Oh cut the crap, you know that you recognise someone. Who was it ? '  

Pulling me to a stop by biting the scruff of my neck. I huffed when I turned to face my brother, I had to say the first thing that popped into my head. ' Those wolves who attacked us ages ago ... '  He'd ask me to be more specific, so I lifted up my paw and slapped his muzzled aside. ' The ones who we had Oscar and Asher help us with, all that time ago. ' 

' Fine, don't tell me the truth. ' I stared at him blankly, unable to comprehend how he could tell so quickly. ' if it's not a problem, could we please walk in a straight line. We have to catch up with the others. Unless you've decided that you want to chase after this weird wolf you wont tell me about.'

' Maluke, can we do both ?' That was a hopeful plea, I really do want to do both. One for the matter of security and sanity. The other, for the same benefits. 

' What do you mean? It's impossible, if we do one we can't do the other.'

' Why not?' I can't find a problem with this ! Why can''t we? I mean really? Why not? If anything, we can do a quick check and then run off before the pack notices us. We're excellent at this stuff, we could be in and out so quickly and I can just search through the scents and then. We can run off. 

' Because, they're already four hours ahead of us, this detour would cost us another three at least, then, we're seven hours behind and completely lost. We'd have to just split from the group. Then we'd have to try and not confuse anyone by our sudden disappearance. Misty and the guys would be upset you know? ' His frown was sort of funny in wolf form, so I tried to stay as straight faced as possible as I stood there. Trying compose myself but also to think about a reply that wouldn't make me snort with laughter. I breathed in and said the first plan that would piss him off.

' Well, we have our link because we're related right? If I go along, a few hundred metres from the pack house, a safe distance, I can just check the scents and see, because, you know, I remember scents. If anything goes wrong? I can tell you, then you can tell me where you guys are right? Right? '