The portal opens onto a winding country road, surrounded by rolling hills. “Where we going from here?” Jack asks.

  “There’s a river up the road aways,” Red replies. “I don’t want to risk being here for long periods of time, so I’m going to go check on something. Just give me some time but don’t go beyond the river. I’ll be back shortly.”

  “We just got here,” Wolf calls as she opens a new portal.

  “I’ll be right back. I just have to check on something with my friend, Patches.”

  Jack looks towards Wolf, a bag on one shoulder and his axe resting on the other. The portal closes behind Red as Jack beckons Wolf with a head gesture. “Let’s get there before she gets done with whatever she’s doing. Don’t need her waiting around in this world, waiting on us.”

  “Who’s Patches?” Wolf trots alongside Jack, looking hopeful. “Is it the chicken guy?”

  “No. I don’t know this Patches. She’s never spoken of him before.”

  “Geez, how many people is she in contact with?”

  “He probably has something to do with training. She’s always trying to fit more of it in. She’s had me go do several sessions, but she does her fair share as well, even though she’s unquestionably stronger than both of us. So, basically, we have to train as well, otherwise, there will come a point where we’re holding her back.”

  “You keep saying training like it’s no big deal, but my skin crawls every time you do. Just give me the chicken guy if you have to, but other than that, I don’t need domesticating.”

  Jack stops in the middle of the road, letting the bag fall from his shoulder while the strap remains in his hand. Wolf keeps trotting along but stops to look back.

  “Do you expect her to go easier on you while continuing to antagonize her?”

  “It’s got nothing to do with her. Who says she’s in charge of what I want to do? If she gets too strong for me to keep up, so be it. Let her run off and leave me behind. I’ll probably be better for it.”

  “So, you still think this is just about her? That’s incredibly short sighted of you. You training and getting stronger isn’t just about supporting her, it’s about keeping you safe. You may not see it right now, but I know you’re important to her. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be with us.”

  “The only training I need is from the chicken guy. If I get that, I’ll be set for whatever comes our way.”

  “Do you remember how I used to hunt and pursue you in our own world? You were quick, always managing to elude my capture.” Wolf nods with a smirk. “I bet it was easy for you back then, but you’re overlooking an incredibly relevant change.”

  The hair on Wolf’s back stands and his shoulders tense as his wolf-sense starts to tingle. He scrutinizes Jack, not knowing what had just changed.

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  Jack releases the bag strap and rushes Wolf, grabbing his throat before Wolf’s muscles can fire and propel him away. Jack lifts him off the ground while his axe remains rested on his shoulder. Wolf coughs and paws at Jack’s arms, chest and face as his eyes twitch. “Hear me, Wolf, and hear me well. It’s Red, then me, then you in strength. You don’t stand a chance against us as you are, let alone her grandmother.”

  Wolf tries to gasp as black spots creep across his vision. The force of his pawing begins to wane, and Jack tosses him away. He lands on his feet, then collapses to his side as he coughs and wheezes.

  “What just happened was only possible because Red gave me the ability to grow stronger, to train.” Wolf scowls at Jack. “I know you don’t see it yet, but we’re trying to help you. We’re already operating below our potential and that’s only so you can keep up, but don’t expect that to go on much longer. Be worth our time or go be someplace else.”

  Jack doubles back for the bag, then continues towards the river, never looking back. He finally arrives and proceeds to a nearby hill that overlooks the area. The grass is tall enough to move in the wind and does so in waves. He lays his load aside, then takes a seat, resting his elbows on his knees as he sits against the slope. Before long, Wolf walks up and sits next to him. They sit in silence for several minutes, simply watching as the water moves by. It is Jack that breaks the silence, but it does nothing for the tension. “Her getting us stronger is just her way of trying to protect us. If we become more capable, we become safer. If we’re safe, she won’t end up wasting energy on us and can fight to her potential, so us training is more for our benefit than it is hers.”

  “I understand.”

  The silence stretches out again, leading up to a portal opening nearby. Red steps through with something in her hands as a group of people gather behind her.

  “Line up, ladies,” calls a voice from the portal and soon the group of people become busy with activity.

  Wolf’s ear twitches and he looks past Red, into the portal. She continues walking over to them but stops abruptly. “What’s going on? Did something happen?”

  Jack shakes his head. “No. Everything’s fine.”

  “Fine, right.” She shakes her head and takes a knee. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve got something lined up for Wolf.” She looks at him, waiting for the inevitable argument, but it doesn’t come. The lack of a rebuttal confuses her, causing her to look back and forth between each of his eyes, waiting for any sort of response.

  Wolf’s ear twitches again as Red continues to wait for a fight that doesn’t seem to be coming. “It’s some kind of agility training?” Wolf asks.

  “What the fuck happened while I was gone?”

  “He said it was nothing, so just tell us what you’ve got. You can’t stay out here long, right?”

  Red shakes her head again as she sets her jaw. “Yes, Wolf. It’s agility. You’re naturally fast already, so I want to work on that first. It will be the easiest for you to improve.” She starts to raise her hands, then hesitates. “You’ll just have to wear something while you train.” She opens her hands to display a muzzle. Wolf sees it and leans forward so that she can put it on. Red glares at Jack as her gritting teeth start to make her lip quiver. She proceeds to slide the muzzle into place, then starts to work on the buckle. “This was the crew’s requirement, not Patches. That crazy geezer actually thought the threat of a mauling would be good for training.”

  She smiles and shakes her head as she finishes the buckle.

  A wrench whirls out of the portal, tumbling across the grass before stopping to rest nearby. Wolf finally shows a reaction as his eyes look from the wrench, back to Red. She just smiles and shrugs, as more portals begin opening around them. All three of them stand, readying for a fight. Wolf leans in, nuzzling the wire shielding against Red’s thigh and she quickly turns back to him. “No, just get through your portal. I left some food. I’ll come back for you soon. Just focus on getting faster. Now, go!” Wolf moves away from her shout, then turns to run for his portal. He crosses into a gymnasium, then looks back, meeting her eyes as she breaks the connection between their worlds.