Princess of the Wolves

5.

When Bailey saw me, she swore under her breath and motioned for me to follow her down the other part of the hallway. She went to the very last door opening up to a small room painted a pinkish color that made me shudder. The inside was nothing like Genna's, but the color reminded me. There were posters of movies I'd never seen and bands I never listened to. It had a huge pile of "stuff" in the center; however, peculiarly, half of it was folded and neat and the other messy. She stopped down and picked up a medium sized bundle that included things like a tooth brush, athletic shoes, hair ties, among other important things. She moved it across the room to rest by the wall. She announced, "This is your stuff; you can keep it in here. Now get dressed. It's time to train." She was so enthused all the time, immediately wishing I could be like that. Maybe at one time, but after years of social grace lessons, I knew it wasn't proper to act that way all the time.

She exited without a word and shut the door behind her. I sifted through the clothes and settled for black athletic pants and a dark blue long sleeved shirt. It was weird to pick out my own outfits, because for the past year, my choices were not my own. It felt liberating almost, and although I longed to put on some of the makeup, I left it in the pile.

I opened the door and was scared by Bailey standing there. I jumped back abut. "Good!" she exclaimed, "Let's go!" She lead me outside and into the surrounding woods. "What's bothering you, Princess?"

"Don't call me that," I told her, rolling my eyes, "And I'm just worried is all." I lied; I was thinking about how disappointed Jonah would be with my inability to do well in athletics.

"Don't be," then she took off running and yelled behind her, "C'mon!" Then she shifted and tore into the wilderness, so I couldn't follow her in my human form. I had to concentrate, because I knew this was a test. I knew that I'd have be able to shift fast to catch up with her. I had to focus. I breathed in the crisp air deeply and felt the tingle of the wind on my skin. It took me a lot longer than had hoped to, but eventually I shifted and ran after her. I had to weave between the trees, and I knew this was yet another part of this secretive test they were putting me through. It was a simulation of a hunt that werewolves used to get food or so I remembered when Anne told me about her old pack. Back then, there was no need for me to know any of these skills, but now, my new duties might require this I realized. I couldn't fail.

It took nearly two hours for me to find her miles away, resting in a glen. I had to track her using scent and print, but these were often carefully placed diversions.

"It took you long enough," she stated in matter of fact attitude, "But not bad!"

"Thanks," I panted.

"Let's go."

"No," I replied, "I need a rest."

"Time waits for no man," she retorted.

"Fine, whatever," I responded. She didn't shift, but she began to walk in her mortal form. I walked behind her, breathing deeply. This was not the first time I had been lead through the woods by Bailey. Surprisingly, the two of talked like friends as we hiked the rough terrain. It was much more taxing in mortal form, so we got back in about an hour or two. I was freezing and hungry. I felt so much relief whenever I saw the cabin. I almost dropped to the crown and kissed the snow. I nearly cried as I found out the day wasn't even close to being over.

"Now, you get to learn archery," Bailey clapped her hands. Then she sighed in disgust, "I hate archery. I have go teach the little brother some stuff like arithmetic and literature. Peace."

I shifted and bounced on the balls my feet waiting. My shoes squished into the soggy ground each time. I could see my breath in the cold air around me.

"Are you frozen or something?" a voice asked me. I saw Jonah bump down the porch steps carrying two reverb bows and a quiver full of bows.

"Just a little," I confessed.

"Here take this," he said as he handed me one of them while he shrugged off his winter coat. The he handed the coat over to be. "You need this more than I do."

"No," I replied, "You're going to get hypothermia."

"I'll be fine," he told me. He added, "It'd make me feel better." I then put on his jacket, which was still warm from being indoors  and his body heat. It smelled woodsy, just like his pillow.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it," he said with a smile, "Are you ready to shoot?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

He wrapped his arms around me a little to help me pull it back. My quivered and shook not only from the tension but from being so close to him. He was amazing; I stood in awe of his ability.
"You're amazing!" I couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

"Not really," he said modestly.

"Yes, you are!"

"You're not too bad yourself.

"Liar! I'm terrible!"

"No, no," he interjected like a patient teacher, "You're really getting the hang of it!"

I looked back at him in a grateful awe. He was just amazing in every sense of the word.

Things became still and quiet after that. The wind seemed to stop blowing, and the cold melted away as I found myself kissing Jonah in the frozen forest.