Maze of Trees

Exploration

    "Slow down, do you honestly think whoever it was that you spotted is following us?" Clarke complained and I quickly released her wrist and felt sorry as I saw her rub the area where I had been gripping.

    I was still reeling from having seen Gabe. We had grown up together and he was an omega in my old pack, one of the few people that I had actually missed when I had left. He had never treated me different after my parents death, something I greatly appreciated to this day. 

    "This isn't good. Think he has already mind-linked the pack?" Mefitis asked. Mind-link was a way pack members could communicate with each other without using words. I had shut our pack out for a long time and when I had left the pack and denounced them as my home my mind link with them had been severed.  So I was unable to communicate with Gabe in that manner, and if I wanted to talk with him I would have to do it face to face. 

    Clarke's sharp eyes studied me, and I know she sensed something was off with how tense I had become. She had always this uncanny ability to read me like an open book, even with my best poker face on. A trait I both appreciated but loathed at the same time. Sometimes I wondered if the moon goddess not only helped bring mates together but also brought people into each others lives for a reason. Clarke was an amazing balance for me and at times like these I felt like her friendship was more than just a coincidence.

“If you need to make a quick exit, go. I’ll stay here for a few and then meet you back at the car” She whispered as quietly as she could to reduce any other wolves hearing her as we continued weaving our way in and out of the people milling about from store to store. I shook my head and instead walked towards the Yankee candle store. the smell from the candles, if Gabe had attempted to follow us, would make it impossible for him and it would take some time before he picked up our trail again.  A pang of sadness hit me that I had to avoid him, but I wanted no more of that life. My wolf, however, gloated with pride at the ease of which we had gotten away.

    “we still got it” she beamed. and I couldn’t help but smile.

    we made it back to the bus stop in one piece and without running into any other old pack members, or Gabe for that matter. We sat on the bench and talked about the car that Clarke dreamed of owning one day! She wanted a silver ford escape that she would fondly referred to as the BFG. A nod to her favorite story that her parents used to read her at night. I always found it funny that humans would name inanimate objects like cars. The boats I kind of understood, but cars i just didn't. people seemed to go through them so quickly anyways it seemed pointless.

    "Want to tell me what that was all about?” I met her quizzical gaze, caught off guard by the question that was a 180 from what we were talking about.

    “Gabe, he's a childhood friend and white mountain pack member” I responded, a touch of sadness in my voice. "I'm sorry but since we saw him, as well as multiple pack members with him we will have to be on the lookout if anyone or anything strange happens around us for a little while.” Clarke nodded in agreement. She had been instructed for things to look out for by Mefitis and took the job very seriously.

    Clarke, after explaining my situation to her as well as my dreams, had full understanding of the gravity of an old pack member finding me. I had told no one that I was leaving or where I was going. The news that I was alive and well, and not so far away from the pack territory would draw at least a few curious wolves and maybe even grab the attention of the higher ranked members. We both got onto the bus and pulled away from the stop.

     “Still want to go to the park? We can go to your favorite” she said in a slightly singsong voice.

    “You bet C” I said smiling over at her before turning to look out the window. Point Defiance park was my favorite place to go when I need to clear my head, but a little farther away. It had miles and miles of trails, a beautiful rose garden, a .Japanese-Asian themed garden complete with pond and a waterfront beach walk. But its best feature was a zoo-aquarium that made it a perfect place, no matter the weather, to visit.

    "If I were driving we would already be there by now!" Clarke grumbled and slouched in her seat, folding her arms across her chest. I laughed, if Clarke had been driving we probably would have caused about 5 accidents by now.

    We spent about 2 hours walking around the park, enjoying the breeze and enjoying the rose garden. Taking some selfies as well as propping up our phones on rocks or logs and using the timer to take ones from farther away! It was something needed. Everything that had happened so far really had my mind going in many different directions. My wolf was still just one-track mind about our mate, however, so I had to keep trying to tune her out. We ended up sitting on a bench in the Japanese-Asian garden by the pond when I glanced at the time on my phone.

    “Holy! It’s almost 7:30 Clarke! If we want to go out tomorrow, we need to get back and do some of our homework!” I grimaced, as did she, at what I had just said. Neither of us enjoyed homework unless it was about a subject that we enjoyed or that kept us interested. For me that was history, for Clarke, it seemed to change like the weather changes in a day.

    We returned to the dorm and spent that next few hours at our desks leaning over our books, pencils or pens in hand. I had chosen to do my history homework first which was fun, but it passed by quickly. Next was psychology and then math.

    "Who created math?” I grumbled “I would love to go back in time and tell them just to not even bother, and just NOT let it happen!”

    “I believe that would be the Greeks? But they may toss you into the lion pit, maybe pair you off with a gladiator, if you did that.” I heard Clarke say as she thumbed through her physics textbook. "Should have started with your least favorite subjects, make the hated ones go faster" she glanced over at me and pretended to push imaginary glasses that had slid down her nose back up. I think she was channeling her inner anime smarty pants with that move. I just crumpled up a scratch piece of paper and pinged her in the head with it.

    “But since you hate it so much, want to switch? Physics for math?” She asked and got a vigorous head shake in response. I was no better at physics than I was at math and although I hadn't yet taken physics, Clarkes complaints about it were enough to make me certain it would not be my favorite either.

    “Give me history, or photography, any day but nothing else please!” to which we both laughed. A degree couldn't be built on the backs of only two classes.

    At this point it was just before midnight and we turned off our lights and climbed into out beds. Before falling asleep we brainstormed our plan to go to Pikes Place Market and enjoy the sights and sounds of Seattle before coming back home to finish off the last of our weekend’s homework. Why teachers gave us homework was beyond me. They got to go home and enjoy the weekend, shouldn't we be able to do the same without worrying about homework?

    The next morning I woke up early, excited for the day’s adventures even with only a few hours of sleep. We wanted to wake up early so that we would be able to get there by bus at a decent time before the tourist crowds. I decided on wearing short shorts with the pockets peeking out from the bottom, a graphic tee for some pet store that promoted the yearly Dog-a-thon, and a Seahawks hat on top of freshly curled hair. None of it went together but I was comfy. and there was no one I was really looking to impress. Clarke on the other hand wore black high waisted shorts, a black and white Bullet for My Valentine shirt. and aviator sunglasses. Her hair pulled back into a high pony tail. She always made sure everything she wore went together and looked good, even if it was out for a day of walking everywhere. At least she was smart enough to wear shoes that wouldn't kill her feet after an hour of walking.

    The bus ride was horrendous. It reminded me of why I disliked the city: Traffic. It took us twice as long to get there than it would have had Clarke had her car. Something the she grumbled about more than a few times while we sat in slow motion at some points, and the other frustrated but horrible drivers and other bus passengers weren’t helping things. However, once we had arrived, disembarked, and my feet stepped onto the uneven brick styled road that went in front of the market, I forgot all about the reasons why I hated the city! This right here was magical.

    “No matter where you’re from this place has something about it that will make you fall in love with it!” Clarke declared as she took in the crowds of people, the voices of vendors and their customers as they tried to talk over the noise, the rumble of delivery trucks trying to wade their way through the masses.

    “I couldn’t agree more C!” I smiled as I eye balled the flower vendors that lined almost the entire front of the market. Huge bouquets of flowers in large white paint buckets and for cheap prices! One of my favorite places of the market to really take my time and take in the sights, sounds, and smells. They had every kind of flower you could ever wish for and multiple different variations of bouquets so that you knew you were getting one that was unique and personal. You could watch the florists make your bouquets right in front of your eyes!

    "I'll be here but I'll be in the back seat." Mefitis mumbled. She wasn't a fan of big crowds that were not only loud but chaotic. And when we did come to places like this she tended to retreat to the back of my head, only coming forward when she absolutely needed to.

    "You know we’re going to be going home with one of those right?” Clarke nodded her head in agreement and gave no argument. It  would brighten up the dorm room until we decided on getting more decorations that would suit the both of us. We didn't exactly have matching styles and instead of creating a room that had a clear line drawn through it we had agreed to consult each other on what décor we had, only putting up what we both agreed on. Anything else we would have to agree on together, making the room look like two best friends truly did live there together! 

    We walked slowly along the lines of white buckets taking in the smells and just enjoying the casual pace we were able to take. Moments like this I cherished. I lost myself in thoughts of places I would go, and the amazing sights I would get to see. What secrets did other cities hold, like this one, that I would get to discover. 

    I was so lost in my thoughts in fact that I didn't notice Mefitis stir and come forward. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice the danger that was so close that any half decent werewolf would have been to sense. And I didn't notice that Mefitis deliberately kept quiet but remained at the front lines of my mind. If I had noticed maybe I would have been able to avoid what happened next all together.