Blood, Fire and Vampire Slayers: Jasper Hale love story Book #2

5: The Shadow in the Woods

Astrid slept fitfully on Tuesday night and got up early on Wednesday morning. It was September thirteenth, Bella's eighteenth birthday. But she'd asked not to be wished and she didn't want a party or presents either. Astrid wasn't sure why.

Alice wanted to plan a surprise party for Bella that Friday after school anyway and Astrid was prepared to go along with it. She wrote a note for Elizabeth and left the house to go for a run. Kohana sat up in his kennel and came out to trot alongside her as she jogged past the stables and down the path between the paddocks. The warm spell from the weekend had long passed and it was chilly. She ran along the boundary fence, thinking about what she could get Bella. She circled the property once before making the decision to go through the gate that led to the forest. Astrid was at a loss regarding a birthday gift and her thoughts turned instead to the heat in her muscles and the slight burning in her chest from the cold air. She pushed herself all the way to the riverbank where she stopped and bent over with her hands on her knees. Kohana nuzzled her for attention and Astrid gave him a brief scratch behind the ears before he ran off. She stood and listened to the birds singing and the sound of the water. Astrid would have preferred to stay in the forest a bit longer, but if she did she would be running late for school. She turned to go and did a doubletake when she saw something move. She peered into the shrubbery, past the wide tree trunks. A chill went up her spine and she looked up when she noticed that the birds had stopped singing. Astrid took a few steps away from the riverbank, keeping her eyes on the spot where she was sure she had seen something.

"Kohana!" she shouted. "Kodie, come!" Astrid was treading backwards, reaching behind her to feel her way. She felt damp plants against the backs of her ankles, wetting her exercise pants as she moved off the path, but instinct told her not to look away. "Kohana!"
The wolf suddenly came running and barking, from the other direction. An angry wolf bark is unmistakable and Astrid tried to move faster, only to trip over a small stone and fall backwards into the greenery. Kohana's silver-grey form streaked past as he jumped over her and continued to bound towards the unseen threat. Astrid got up and ran towards home with Kohana's barking and snarling fading behind her. It must have been a cougar. Astrid only stopped when she was at the boundary fence. She couldn't believe how quickly she got there. She called for Kohana and waited, but he didn't come, so she went sprinting for the house.

"Elizabeth!" she shouted when she burst through the back door. "Elizabeth!" Her grandmother came into the kitchen. "I think a cougar got Kohana!" Astrid was frantic as she explained what had happened, but Elizabeth shook her head and said that he was probably fine. He'd been out alone in the woods before. And he was a wolf after all.

"He must have run across cougars, possibly bears, before. He'll be back soon."

"But he would have followed me if he could," Astrid insisted. Elizabeth yielded and said she would send a stable hand to look for him once the morning feeds and grooming were done. Astrid knew that meant no one would be out looking for at least two hours, but she had to accept it. She had school. After calming herself down Astrid reasoned that her grandmother was probably right. Kohana was fit and confident and she'd never seen a cougar there anyway. It could have been a deer. She could have misjudged the tone of his barking.

"Did you email Jonty Coetzee?" Elizabeth asked on the way to the school. Jonty Coetzee was the current head game ranger at Thembelihle where Astrid grew up.

"I did. I asked if he could send me documents about my dad's death and the fire."

"He called me," said Elizabeth. "He wanted my permission before he shared anything, which I'm glad about." Astrid frowned. "I have to warn you that these won't be easy things to look at, and the anniversary of your mother and brother's deaths is approaching quickly."