Charles recovered from the initial shock of having a werewolf jump out of the forest at him. “Not a ghost, just a young werewolf jump from the top of a pile of rocks. It took me a second to realize who you were. I could have ripped you to shreds the way you left yourself open flying through the air like that.”
William nodded. “Where is Achelois?”
“She's behind me,” Charles said throwing his head back where he had just come from. “We decided to patrol in a staggered circuit with me in the lead. We wouldn’t cover as much ground that way but if something were to happen to either of us the other would be in a position to help.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
Charles looked around behind William. “Where is Nicolas?”
William shrugged his shoulders. “He’s coming. He wasn’t too happy to be woken in the middle of the night and he decided to walk here. You will probably pass him on the way back to the den.”
As he was speaking Achelois walked up besides the two. “Did I miss anything?”
“No,” William replied. “Look, I’m here now so why don’t you guys go back and get some sleep.”
“Where is Nicolas?” Achelois asked.
“He’s right behind me.”
“I don’t think we should leave you out here all by yourself,” Achelois said. “We’ll wait at least till Nicolas gets here.”
“You guys don’t have to but if you want to, I appreciate it.”
“How can anybody appreciate anything being woken up in the middle of the night to guard a worthless prop?” Nicolas said as he pushed past some high bushes to join the small group.
“You guys can take off now, I’m sure we can handle it from here.” William said with a sigh.
Charles nodded. “Good luck.” He left the way that he and Nicolas had just come from. Achelois smiled and followed Charles. As she made her way back, she put a comforting hand on Nicolas’ shoulder. Nicolas shrugged it off but not before he turned his head and nodded.
This gesture was completely out of character with what he knew of Nicolas and William found that he had cocked his head sideways in a questioning gesture.
“What are you looking at?” Nicolas snapped at William’s expression.
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“I just thought I saw a glimmer of a gentleman hidden somewhere but it must have been my imagination.”
“Whatever, you go that way and I’ll go this way. I don’t want to be around a momma’s boy like you that follows everything that bitch says like a good little dog.”
William felt his anger and hatred surge through him. His lips peeled away from his teeth and a low growl escaped him before he could silence himself. William relaxed his tensed muscles. “I would watch what I say if I were you.” William started to move in the direction that Charles and Achelois had just come from. “I’ve kicked your ass before, and I will do it again if I have to.”
“Cause’ it makes you feel so tough picking on a smaller guy, right?”
“I guess it’s true what they say, ‘Dogs with the loudest bark have the smallest bite’” William threw back over his shoulder as he crouched low and entered the thick forest around him.
William found the subtle tracks of Charles and Achelois. Charles’ tracks were easy to follow. He was inexperienced in these things. He would get better with time and a little bit of effort. Achelois’ tracks on the other hand were almost invisible and he wasn’t even sure if what he thought were tracks were really her tracks. His mind might be fabricating them because he knew that she had walked this way. There scent was still there though. The still air did nothing to dissipate the odors of the two that had walked here before. That was good. After a day or two of constant patrolling this area his pack’s scent would be stronger here than it would be around their actual den. It was a perfect diversion to anything that might come and hunt them. He wasn’t sure whose idea it was to make and protect a false den, but tactically it was genius. It turned all of the weaknesses that the underground cavern presented into strengths.
William found the end of Charles’ track and turned around. He realized that he had let his mind wander somewhat and he turned his attention back to the surrounding forest. He caught the glimpse of some kind of rodent disappearing into a tree trunk. The forest was still and there were no sounds or smells that alerted him to anything. The tension in his shoulder blades was still present. The tightness of his muscles was a welcome diversion. It was better to concentrate on something that was real than to strain and chase at shadows. He continued with his patrol, his tail held stiffly out behind him, alert and ready.
The next three hours went by quickly. He saw Nicolas a number of times throughout the night, but they didn’t come close to each other and they didn’t say anything more to each other. Before he had really gotten into a set rhythm of walking, looking, turning around, confirming that Nicolas hadn’t fallen asleep somewhere, and doing it all over again, he was met by Aceso and Katherine.
By now the unique smell of Aceso was as familiar to him as her black fur with the white patch on her chest. Katherine on the other hand, her smell was familiar but on first detection he was sent into an almost unconscious readiness stance. It took a moment for his mind to register the scents of the two female werewolves and he relaxed.
The two were walking on all fours, side by side. William stood up on his hind legs, his tail swinging low between them. “Good morning, nice of you guys to drop by,” he quoted. Recognition didn’t register on either of their faces. William shook the comment away.
Aceso raised herself on her hind legs with her tail arched up and away from her body. “Anything happen?”
William looked back around his surroundings. “Aside from Nicolas being a bit of a butt hole, no, nothing of any importance.”