Outcast's Song

Chapter 1Amélie Orne’s nine A.M. flight from New York had her touching down in London at seven P.M., but thanks to delays at the gate and a lengthy queue for customs, it was well after eight before she was able to collect her luggage and make her way to a bathroom in Heathrow’s Terminal 2. Looking at herself in the mirror, she gave a soft tsch of annoyance at her reflection. The bags under her golden eyes spoke of her exhaustion, as did the pallor of her skin. Despite her tailored blouse and slacks arranged to be just so, her shoulders slumped, and she had to make an effort to straighten her posture despite the relatively tolerable business class seating on her flight. Sighing at the state of herself, Amélie could feel the beginnings of a headache forming between her eyes. She couldn’t even muster the energy to run a brush through her hair. As much as part of her yearned to see her clandestine partners, perhaps she ought to just stay the night at one of the hotels around the airport before trying to hire a car to take her back to their cabin. It would be a bit more costly, but Mr. Tonatelli had paid her quite well for her efforts. She could get a good night’s rest, and then she would be home and able to unpack. She was still debating the matter when a voice swept all her thoughts away. “Lady!” Turning toward the woman who had called to her, Amélie had just enough time to reposition the bag full of her more fragile instruments out of the way before Amy Oakley collided with her in a tight hug. “Welcome home!” “Amy?!” Amélie had stiffened as she braced herself for the impact, then relaxed into her lover’s arms and brought her free hand up to return the hug. “What are you doing here?” Amy smiled. “I got your message, of course. You didn’t really think we’d let you get a cab, did you?” “My message?” Amélie had thought about letting them know when her flight would be getting in, but she knew Leah would have been working most of the day, and that Saturday was one of the nights Amy closed up at the pub. She didn’t want to disrupt their routines any more than she already had. So how…? Fantasma. It had to have been Fantasma—her ‘broker’ trying to do her a ‘favor’ without considering what that would mean for Amy or Leah. How typical of the little busybody! Still…having someone here, waiting for her—someone who was glad to see her—that had been very nice. To feel welcomed. Amy’s brows knight with concern. “Amélie? Is something wrong?” Amélie quickly shook her head as she reached over to grab the handle of her rolling luggage. “No, no, nothing’s wrong. Forgive me, it’s been a very tiring day. I must have forgotten I’d sent you the message. I’m sorry I made you leave your work, Amy.” Amy rolled her eyes. “It was no trouble. Besides, what’s the point of owning the place if I can’t leave early? Now—let’s get you a bite to tide you over for the drive, and Leah will have dinner ready for us when we get back to the cabin.” “D’accord.” Amy had been kind enough to let her nap for most of the drive, and though she was still tired, Amélie at least felt functional as she stepped out of the car, taking a deep breath of the scents of the forest and the country air. Amy smiled. “Good to be home, isn’t it?” Amélie smiled back, glad it was dark enough that Amy would not be able to see her blush. “Very.” Amy nodded, then went to the back of the car to retrieve her suitcase. “I’ll get your bags, Lady. Go on in!” Giving Amy a grateful smile she walked to the cabin door, the smells of some kind of stew meeting her nose as she took a step inside. “Leah? I’m—” Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the scrabble of claws against the cabin floor, and a moment later Leah came charging out of the kitchen in her wolf, a bright orange collar around her neck. The brown furred wolf leaped up into her arms, enthusiastically licking at her face in greeting as Amélie fell back to the floor, laughing in surprise as she started to stroke and scratch at Leah’s ears. “I missed you too, ma chiot.” Running a finger along the collar, she raised an eyebrow. “This is new…” Amy chuckled as she closed the cabin door behind her, setting the suitcase and Amélie’s carryon to the side. “She’s had it for a while, actually. She wanted to get more used to wearing it now that she’s done with the trial, so I can take her around for walkies now and then…among other things.” “Ahh.” Amélie smiled as she read the inscription on the tag, then leaned in to lightly press her forehead against Leah’s, taking a deep breath of her scent. “I see…but as much as I enjoy this, Leah, I have been traveling for most of the day. Would you please let me up so I may take a shower?” Leah gave one last lick to her chin, then slipped back off of her, waking over to Amy to receive a good scruffing behind the ears with a happy little whine as Amélie got to her feet. “Why don’t you use the shower upstairs,” Amy suggested, “and we’ll finish getting dinner ready.” After a quick shower to help wash away the worst of the stiffness and sweat from sitting about on a plane surrounded by strangers for hours at a time (and perhaps a bit of slobber too) Amélie returned to the living room, wearing a loose shirt and a comfortable pair of shorts, smiling at the sight of Amy and Leah sitting on either end of the couch with a bowl of stew, and the third bowl sitting invitingly between them. Settling in between them, Amélie finally felt comfortable enough to let out her ears and tail with a long sigh of relief that caught both Amy and Leah’s attention. “Been a bit since you could let your ears out then?” Amy asked sympathetically. “Oui,” Amélie confirmed, “There are too many windows in New York—and even with the curtains drawn I have heard many stories of hidden cameras in hotel rooms. It is better to assume I am always being watched when I am away for a job.” Amy gave an understanding hmm as she set her stew aside. “They must be terribly stiff. Would you like me to give them a rub?” “Oooh,” Leah chimed in, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. “That’s a great idea! May I take one and Amy the other, Lady?” Amélie’s mouth suddenly felt a bit dry as she realized Leah had left her collar on when taking her human form again, and reached for a glass of water. Among other things, Amy had said? “I feel spoiled.” Amy shrugged. “You had a long day, we’ve missed you, and this is a way we can help you relax.” Any thought of further objections vanished as Amy began gently stroking and rubbing at her ear, and when Leah joined in Amélie let herself sag back into the couch, letting out a soft groan as her eyes drooped closed, the tip of her tail tapping against the side of her leg. She’d nearly been lulled into sleep when she felt Amy’s fingers slide down her neck and card through her hair before drawing away. “Better?” “Very much.” Amélie opened her eyes as Leah sat back, and reached for her food again. “This is delicious, Leah, thank you.” “Glad you like it!” Leah grinned. “I figured you’d need something nice and comforting after all that airline food.” “It is better than it used to be,” Amélie admitted, “but still not necessarily good.” She concentrated on finishing her stew, then insisted on helping to wash the bowls, at least, before she returned to the couch. “So—I heard that you passed, obviously, but I would enjoy hearing a few more details.” Amy gave a mischievous grin. “Oh, as it happens, we ran into one more thing after I called you, but Leah knew just what to do.” “Oh?” Amélie looked over to Leah, who had started to blush furiously. “I would have thought the hunt was the end of your trial.” Leah coughed. “Well…it should have been, but there was a bit of mucking about by some of the council members. But I figured you’d want to hear about the hunt, first.” * * * * As the call to hunt rang in her ears, Leah ran with the impromptu pack, keeping an eye on Lewis so she could follow the elder alpha’s lead. She’d settled into the middle of the pack as they ran, taking long strides at a pace she knew she could keep up all day if she had to. Lewis led the wolves in a long arcing path, seeking signs of prey, but they had little luck for quite some time. He began to gesture with his muzzle to send members of the pack off to widen the search, finally sending Leah off as they reached a small stream that ran across their path. Leah started to follow the course of the river, remembering the lessons she’d had with Ashley, and it wasn’t long before she began to notice a new scent along the water. Deer. Got to be! Picking up from a trot to a run once again, she gave a quick barking yip to get the attention of the others, then set herself on the trail. She could hear the calls of the other wolves as they began to head her way, but Leah put her focus on the deer’s scent, passing a few weaker trails and focusing on the strongest musk until she caught sight of a wide pair of antlers, almost passing them over as part of the brush. Giving a triumphant howl, she leaped over a deadfall, flushing the buck from his hiding place so she could give chase, but her excitement was tempered by an icy feeling of surprise. She’d expected a smaller fallow or roe buck—this was a red deer stag, and he was massive. He’s a hundred fifty kilos at least. No chance I can bring him down alone! She heard more calls in response as Lewis brought the rest of the pack toward her, and the stag gave a roaring cry as it tried to turn away. Leah gave a warning growl as she came around. She knew what she needed to do as the stag began to dash away from her—and toward the rest of the pack. She let the stag run, keeping him close enough, and when she heard the pack howl again, she waited for the stag to turn before just letting herself leap forward into its path, her fangs sinking into the muscles of its leg as she bit down hard, tearing at the hamstring until she felt it snap. The stag bellowed in pain as it stumbled, trying to buck her off, Leah held firm, digging her claws into the ground as it fell to the ground, the impact almost jarring her loose. Putting herself firmly across the deer’s haunches, she pinned it down just as Lewis burst through a bush, the lighter furred wolf going straight for the stag’s throat and tearing it cleanly. Leah waited for the stag to still, then released her grip and backed away, bowing her head down and waiting as Lewis tore a healthy portion of meat away, taking several bites before swallowing and stepping away, allowing a few of the others to come in to take their fill while he slowly walked a circle around Leah, finally coming to a halt in front of her before taking his human form again, his tail slowly swishing behind him as he looked at her with an expression she couldn’t read. “Stand up, Corbyn.” Leah took her human form and came to a rough sort of attention, not even letting her ears and tail out. “Yes, sir!” Lewis gave her a curt nod. “You didn’t go for the throat. You took the leg—explain.” Leah licked her lips, trying to clear her dry mouth. “When I came across the stag, I thought he was a smaller, younger buck until I got closer. Once I realized how big and powerful he was, I knew I didn’t have good odds of being able to take the throat or make a clean kill by myself—it would have been too easy for him to get me with an antler or even get away. I made the decision that the best way to bring it down was to get him to turn toward the rest of the pack, and once you were close enough, going for his hamstring and pinning him down meant you could finish it easily and safely.” Lewis kept silent as she explained herself, crossing his arms over his chest and tilting his head slightly until she finished.