Hear Their Thoughts, Be Their Terror [COMPLETED][UNEDITED]

Chapter 3

Ember was fifteen. She had coppery hair, and was a grade above me in school. Jake was fourteen, like me, and he was the only friend I had in my school that was my age. The other teenagers were either thirteen or older than fifteen. Sarah was going to be twenty in a month, and would be considered an adult then. Technically, she was already legally an adult, but her age still had the word 'teen' in it, so my dad considered her a teenager, not an adult.

Ember, Jake, and I were running through the forest, in blur mode (where we went so fast we looked like blurs, but to us, everything else was in slow motion). Our backpacks were clamped loosely between our teeth, so that we didn't create bite marks. It was a Friday- my favorite day of the week. After school, I would most likely stay in wolf form until Sunday afternoon.

We have to phase. Some stupid tenth graders are messing around a bit ahead of us, I told the others. Ember veered to the right, and then phased. Jake and I did the same, careful not to let the tenth graders see us. How would we explain that we ran through the forest to get to school every morning?

Emily. Sam. Hilary. Thomas, Ember's thoughts were quick as she recited the names of the tenth graders ahead of us. What are they doing? I sensed her disappointment at not being invited to mess with them. Go over there. Wouldn't mind.

Wonder who those are? Ember know them? She want to hang with them? Like them more than us?

Go ahead, I told Ember. She smiled at me. To Jake, I thought Those are Emily, Sam, Hilary, and Thomas. Yes, she knows them. She's going to go over there. Let's keep going.

I felt Jake sense of betrayal of Ember, but brushed it aside. Let's go.

We got into the school and went to our different homeroom classes just before the bell. The day passed in a blur, and I was vaguely aware of my surroundings. My dad's words about the scientists worried me, and gnawed at my thoughts. they were getting closer to finding out about us. Once, a man had seen one of our women phase- right in front of him. He had called the police and it had stirred up the town for over a month, but everything had settled down. People were on the alert for shape shifting women now, though.

I stopped thinking about the incident when a particular set of thoughts interrupted me. Dance is in a week. Can't chicken out now. Maybe I shouldn't. . . No! I have to. Maybe she'll say no? Around the corner turned Zach himself. He spotted me and ducked around people, his smile wide. Dread spread through me.

I turned away like I hadn't seen him. I had never planned on going to the dance, and my mom told me not to. "Nixie!" Zach called. I tightened my grip on my books and pretended I hadn't heard him. He grabbed my forearm and tore me around, though, and I had to look at him.

"Hi, Zach," I said innocently.

He rubbed a hand behind his head. "Um, hi. I was wondering, well, maybe. . . If you'd want to, I don't know, maybe. . . Go to the dance with me? Um. . ." He looked expectantly at me.

I forced my face to fall, as if I was disappointed. He gulped. "Oh, um, the dance. I'm busy that Friday." I smiled sheepishly at him. "Maybe if my plans get cancelled, I will. Okay?"

Zach frowned, but at my last statement, he smiled and nodded. Success! his thoughts screamed. At least she didn't plain say no. But she'll be out of town. . . Hmm. He nodded again. "Yeah, okay. Sounds good. Possibly see you at the dance then!" He turned around and walked away.

I finished packing my things, making sure to only keep the important stuff, like homework, and shouldered my pack. Outside, Jake, Ember and I leaned on a picnic table. We waited until all of the other kids had gone, and then ran into the forest and phased.

I picked up my backpack between my teeth and trotted forward, eager to drop it off and then run free for the weekend.

What was Zach talking with Nixie? The thought was so faint and quick, I almost thought it had been my imagination. But Jake's large brown wolf eyes were sheepishly looking at me.

I growled and turned my head forward. He asked me to the dance, I thought back curtly. I sensed Jake's shock, but didn't hear what he had to say, because I was already in blur mode. I saw Ember veer off to join the two sixteen year olds in our pack, who were her best friends. Her deep gray fur disappeared behind a tree and she was gone.

I ran all the way to my house and trotted to the side, where my window was open. I stood on my hind legs a dropped my backpack through the window, and then dropped back to all fours. Jake did the same, and then we ran off.

Be back by Sunday afternoon! my mom called to me as we ran. I ran a little slower and let out a howl/whine mixed together. That was my okay. Picking up speed, Jake and I ran until we came to a small clearing. We stopped there, our breathing still normal.

Want to go to Canada? Jake asked. He laid down next to me, and we set our heads on our paws as we thought.

We lived in Alaska, on the very edge- right on the freezing ocean. I whined and tilted my head, and then lifted my shoulders and let them fall in a shrug. What do you want to do? I countered.

Honestly, Washington.

I barked a laugh. That one was new. He had always wanted to simply explore throughout Canada. I shrugged again. Obviously, we could make it there and back in two days. But we would barely have time to enjoy it. We would go there and have to come back immediately.

Then let's go back and ask your mom if we can have an extra day.

I huffed, but stood and started running. My mom was out hunting, and we caught her mid-way. In a few brief sentences, we explained everything. It took some convincing, but we managed to make her let us go for three days.

Be careful, she said as we sprinted off. I responded likewise, and then readied myself. Whenever we went on long trips, I had to focus on limited things. Those things were breathing and running in general. I listened in to my paw steps, counting how many times they touched the ground a second. I also listened to my breathing, which wasn't any faster than normal.

It was in this manner that I could make the trip seem shorter, and not as boring. It would take the remainder of the night- assuming we didn't stop for sleep- and a few hours in the morning to reach Washington. That was a lot of time, that would be boring unless I focused on breathing and paw steps.

Jake did the same as me, and we talked little. Along the way, we caught a young doe and ate it, only stopping for a forty-five minute nap to let the food digest. After that, we poured on the speed. The Welcome to Washington sign came in view at eight in the morning on Saturday. We slowed to a lope and went across, ducking further into the forest. I scented out a stream, and we drank. We each killed a few squirrels and ate them, and then delved further into Washington state.

We made camp deep in the forest, and curled up in our wolf forms. Unless we visited a town, we would stay in wolf form and explore the woods. I fell asleep content and, despite the cold temperature, warm. A low grumble- like a sort of purr, sounded from Jake and I's throats as we slept.