Lilly and the wolves

4:Prey

Ian leaned against the tree as he studied the Map again. It had already been three weeks and they hadn't made any process of finding Lilly and them.

The company had run into a few camps of hybrids that hadn't been expecting them at all. they had tried being civil to them but all they wanted us to do was fight. So they had locked them up. the company had finally found the ones who had taken them but they had said they escaped the night they had kidnapped them. After that, they didn't tell us anything else.

Ian sighed hoping that they were ok out there. He stood straight as Darius.

"We have good news. They had found signs of a fire but it was weeks old. " Darius said looking like hell. He had taken it harder since he still couldn't reach out to Chester through their still-forming bond.

"we will find them and bring them home. " Ian said reassuring him.

"I know but this has been the longest I have been without him." Darius's voice broke as Ian saw tears in his eyes. Ian pulled him into a hug.

" We'll find them," Ian said pulling away. It was time to go search again.

"Wipe your face, it's time to move out. " Ian added heading from their makeshift camp. There were about 30 tents for the vampires and the wolves had tents but slept outside to keep watch.

"Alright let's search around the area where you found the campsite. Spread out and search about a ten-mile radius and meet back at camp." Ian said before shifting into his werewolf form. His wolf senses were stronger in his true form. Ian could smell Lilly's faint scent but it was going cold due to the oncoming rain.

Ian followed Darius to the sight trying to find anything they had left. Ian found only the shelter they had built and torn down. Ian saw a pair of footprints in the slushy moss. It was Chesters. Ian followed it as far as he could until they had landed at a small stream. Ian saw wolf prints by the water edge with more shoe prints.

"We might be right behind them."

"Let's keep following. " Darius said running over to the water. Ian listens to the surroundings trying to hear anything. Ian only heard the birds and deer running. He sighed as he went after Darius up the steep slope. Ian could see where their feet had sunk into the dirt to climb up the steep slope. the company followed it up to see a cave with another fire pit. Darius examined it as Ian looked around the camp. Ian could smell Lilly's scent stronger this time. He followed it through the forest to the edge of another stream. Ian had a feeling he was being watched. Ian looked around finding no one though. he kept his guard up.

"Ian I don't think we are alone. " Darius said coming towards him. Ian nodded before crossing the stream to the other side. Ian heard a twig snap before a log swung out with spikes in it. they dodge it just barely. they ran up the small hill only to find another trap waiting. Vine ropes were now around both Ian's and Darius's feet.

"It must be them. " Darius said excitedly before cutting himself down than Ian. Ian shifted back into his human form.

"Least we know they are alive. " Ian said brushing the leaves out of his hair. Darius smiled as they walked further into the woods. they heard a few wolves howl around them but never came close to them. Ian had howled back once, only to get silence in return. It was starting to get dark knowing soon the rest of their companions would stop searching. If their mates were close they would find them.

We set up camp using the vines to make a makeshift tent with wood that they had found. Darius and Ian had hunted down a deer to eat. darius drained it of its blood and Ian ate its flesh in wolf form. Ian hadn't hunted for a while and it felt good to hunt and eat in his wolf form.

"I'm glad to know they are alive. I was giving up hope that they were still alive." Darius said as they sat beside the fire.

"Me to Lilly was getting used to not being afraid of me. I can only imagine she is terrified right now." Ian chuckled.

"I think you probably should worry about being afraid of her now." He joked half-heartily.

"Never know Chester might be more scary than she is. "

"He is a sweet blossom. He wouldn't hurt me even if he was mad."

"Man blossom have thorns too. " Ian said laughing. Darius pushed him rolling his eyes.

"Get some sleep I'll take the first shift. " Ian said taking a drink from his water canteen.

"Wake me if you see or smell anything. " Darius said before pulling his baseball cap down over his eyes. Ian sat scanning the area but nothing was close to them. Ian still couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them though.

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Lilly awoke from the nightmare of the hybrids catching them. She sighs moving her hair from her face. she had lost track of how long they had been out there and it worried her. her head wound had already healed, it still pained her once in a while.

"You ok?" Chester asked looking worried.

"Yeah just a bad dream, we should head out soon. " Lilly said already seeing the sun trying to peek through the thick snow-covered canopy. They had managed to keep from hybrids so far but Lilly felt their luck would run out sooner or later. She woke up Rose from her sleep. Lilly was so proud of her sister for being brave. She knew it was hard on Rose. Rose rubbed her eyes but got up without complaining ready to move on. It made Lilly happy smile, hugging her sister before letting her go.

"Can you walk for a little bit today?" Lilly asked putting Rose's blonde hair back in her ponytail and fixing her sweater back onto Rose's shoulder.

"Yes, I can. " Rose said tired.

"Ok, my brave little warrior. " Lilly said proudly.

Lilly took down their shelter making it look like a pile of sticks. while Chester had put snow over them to make them look like they had been there a while. Then removed the rocks from the pit and kicked the snow over the pile before heading further.

"Keep your eyes peeled there are still animals that lurk in the wilds. " Chester warned as they reached the top of the hill. They ascended the climb down the ridge cautious and alert. As they walked in a darker area of the forest. There was no sound of birds or life in the forest. Lilly tensed feeling eyes on them everywhere. Chester pulled them close and shielded them as they kept walking.

Lilly handed chester one of her hairpins. They kept Rose in the middle of them as they walked. they had gotten a mile into the darker area before finding a stream. Lilly bent down rubbing the back of her neck. The ice-cold water helped her head. Rose cupped her hands getting a drink on the other side of her. Chester had moved her damp hair from the healed wound to see how bad it was.

"They hit you hard enough to make a good-sized gash. I'm Surprised it healed on its own. " he informed.

"I'm glad they hadn't just broken my neck from them pulling my hair as hard as they could when they took me. " Lilly murmured before getting a drink herself.

" Some would call that intense BDSM." Chester joked. Lilly smacked him. Rose looked at them confused.

"There is a child present. That's abuse " Lilly scolded him. Chester gave her an apologetic look but kept smiling.

"adult talk. " Chester said to Rose. who just giggled at them. It had lightened the mood a little but they still felt eyes on them.

they moved half a mile before they began making camp for the night in a rock overhang. It kept the cold wind off them. Lilly sat up the bedding while Chester hunted for food and Rose found sticks for a small fire.

"I found a few squirrels we could roast and eat, this forest is cursed or something. " Chester said wiping away blood from his mouth.

"yes, it does have an air of its own. " Lilly said looking at him taking the squirrels to skin and cooking on the small fire. She couldn't help the feeling of eyes on them still. She had finished their dinner for the night and had begun making a makeshift spear for Rose. It was small enough for her to use. Lilly has even broken a few pieces of flint She found and tied them on the end with a piece of squirrel skin.

"Mine turn to stay up. " Rose said excited but quiet.

"I'll stay up with you," Lilly said smiling at my sister as they finished eating dinner. Chester had even made little carrying sacks from the rabbit's skin from yesterday for food they couldn't eat.

Lilly kept watch of the forest still feeling like they were been watched very closely. After eating they let the fire burn down letting the coal illuminate the night around them.

Rose had fallen asleep beside Lilly as she kept watch. She could hear animals walking all around them but they kept their distance. She sat watching and listening until dawn broke. Lilly was tired but at least they were safe for another day. they covered their tracks before moving on. Lilly still could hear animals moving around in the forest around them as they kept on their path.

Lilly was alert and kept her weapon ready. The terrain was flatter here than the rest of the forest had been. Most of the ground was snow-covered dirt other than a few boulders and dead grass here and there. Time had seemed to not exist in the wilds. As they went further they found what used to be old buildings of a forgotten city that snow had covered and reclaimed.

they had made three more miles into the ruins before making camp in one of the more rock-solid buildings. Chester had found some old blankets in a wooden dresser. They scavenged through the pile finding the ones without moth holes in them and covering themselves for an ounce of warmth. they had fought off frostbite but barely thanks to their shelters.

they settled in for the night eating the meat they hadn't eaten yesterday as they listened around them. Chester sat by the window as Lilly settled in on the bed with Rose falling into deep sleep beside Lilly.