The Wolf and the Cat

14---fourteen---14

"I'm hungry," Andy frowns.

"How are you hungry?" Pete paces, often looking toward the camp. "I feel like I'm going to puke."

Andy rubs his stomach. "Because we've been sitting here since the sun went down. It's basically midnight and nothing has happened yet."

"We can't rush it," Pete plops back to the ground. "Joe has to take his time. This is fucking risky."

"Do you think there's some berries around here somewhere?" Andy stands.

Pete rolls his eyes, scooting closer to the bush that shields them. They're far enough away from the treeline where they won't be caught by the people guarding. That's unless Andy decides to keep up the little bitch fit he's got going on.

"Just go find something then," Pete hisses. 

"Want me to bring you back some?" Andy asks.

Pete ignores him, peeking over the bush. Andy marches off without a word, leaving Pete alone in silence. The only noises come from the movement of guards from the camp or from a bird snatching a worm from the mud.

That peacefulness ends when a shrieking emits from the camp. Pete can't make out a single word that's being said, but he can spot a group of beta guards racing toward the treeline opposite of his own.

And that's when Pete realizes that Joe's plan is in action. A smile forms on his face and he jumps to his feet, trying to get the best view of the curly haired man.

He can spot a grin on Joe's face and a wooden cage in his arms. Pete can even see a little orange furball stuck inside that cage.

All is seemingly well until Joe comes to a screeching halt. Pete narrows his eyes, watching Joe's face fall before he spins out of Pete's view completely. 

Pete struggles to quietly adjust his view; standing on rocks to see over trees or pressing his cheek to the ground to see under bushes. But Joe is out of Pete's line of sight, and unless Pete ditches the set meeting spot, it'll stay that way.

He'd get closer to the treeline, but there's too much to risk just for a better look. If the moonlight slipping through the branches doesn't expose him, the light from the campfires around town will. Not to mention that there are several people in the pack patrolling, which makes his job exceptionally harder.

Pete relies on his other senses to pick up where his eyesight left off. He can't hear a single thing besides the hum of crickets and the constant steps of those keeping watch. So he leans a little closer, shutting his eyes to keep his brain totally focused on the sounds he wants to hear.

"Give me the fucking cat!"

Pete's eyes snap open. That was Ryan's voice, distant but sharp and loud. Joe's caught, no doubt about that. The plan is completely trashed. Pete hopes Joe hands Patrick over. He needs to let Pete take the bruises to get the cat back.

"Get him!"

Pete could barely hear Brendon's demand over the sound of sudden movement. It doesn't take a fool to figure out that Joe did the opposite of what Pete told him to do. He didn't back down and now he's going to be in huge trouble, trouble that Pete should be in.

Brendon's yelling grows distant, and the movements of those chasing after Joe fade as well. Left in silence, Pete's mind floods with new plans and recovery missions.

This isn't just about saving Patrick's life, it's about saving Joe's life too.

"Got some berries," Andy appears from the darkness behind Pete, startling the older slightly.