Wind Runner

Chapter Eleven; Dodging Alphas

I ducked into a house, then stopped dead as a young man cleared his throat. I looked over at him. He seemed amused. I cleared my throat.

"Uh, well hi, okay, if the alpha asks where I am, please don't tell him where I am, please."

He chuckled, then nodded, I found a back door, masked my scent as Epi had taught me to yesterday, and snuck off into the woods. I shifted then took off, my hooves drumming a tempo. Once I was far enough away, I slowed, turned down a narrow cliff space and stepped carefully along. I entered my hideout, a large mountain valley not unlike Epi's. I sighed in content. Alpha Luke had been particularly ah, flirty today. I stood it as long as I could, then when I had a chance, I booked it.

I laid down in a soft patch of mosses, and began to munch on them, legs tucked carefully underneath me.

I needed to leave town soon, see more of the world. Staying here for as long as I have has made me restless. But here was calming. A slow river chuckled lazily by, large oak trees with huge amounts of moss hanging from their branches whispered to each other, and the mosses underneath me tickled my belly. I loved here. But I needed to leave today. I stood to head to Epi's to say goodbye.

I loped up the mountain path to Epi's valley, looking around. God, I still could not get over being able to see now. I was always swinging my head around to see things. But my favorite was the wind. All the different scents made it a colorful breeze swirling through the air. Breathtaking.
"Epi! I need to say bye!"
The old grey trotted out of the woods and I faced him. He shifted mid stride and strode to me, I shifted too.
"I was expecting you to come about, that alpha after you again?"
He waggled his brows at me and I chuckled.
"Yeah, but I'm getting restless, I need to go and see more."
He nodded, then looked at me, and I stilled, I knew that look. It's was the 'you won't like what I have to say but you will do it' look.
"Ryder, you ran away from home, your family is probably worried sick, and you've gone what, three weeks? You need to call them."
I huffed and looked at the ground, knowing he was right.
"Six weeks."
I mumbled under my breath.
"Well I have a phone, untraceable of course, so go call your family, now before you leave."
I nodded, and we shifted and loped to his home, he showed me the phone, then left the room. I was grateful.
I sucked in a breath, and with shaking hands picked up the phone, rehearsing my words in my head.
Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.
"Hello?"
I bite my lip, but speak.
"Hey da."
Silence.
"Ryder? Oh Ry! We- we thought you were gone! You just vanished and we haven't seen you or heard from you since. Wait."
Damn. I had A LOT to explain.
"I'm putting you on speaker, you're mother and all your siblings are here. Now start explaining."
Damn. Okay, here goes. I took a breath.
"Ok, I left because I was tired of being bullied, babied, and just tired of it all. So I left. I'm exploring the world now, I've met friends, and I'm safe.... And I don't want to come home. At least not yet."
Silence once more. Then all hell breaks loose.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU ARE OUT THERE AND NOT COMING HOME?!"
I flinch.
"You heard me. I'm finally living. Doing something. Being something."
"Ryder. You will tell us where you are, then I am sending herd members to get you. Now where are you?"
I flushed with anger. For heck sake, what am I? Five? I am not going home.
"No. I am leaving the town I'm at later today, I will not be going home, and I will be going wherever the wind takes me. I'll call occasionally, update you guys on how I'm doing, and that's it. I'll come home when I please. I am in charge of my life now. Not you guys."
I could hear my mum murmur something to my da about wind or something, then da curses, murmuring something back to here. My brothers are eerily silent.
"Ryder, I know you think you can take care of yourself and all. But you can't. You're blind, and helpless. Now tell us where you are, and we'll come get you."
I see red, and realize I'm seconds from snapping the phone in half. I put it done after putting it on speaker, then grip the counter, breathing deeply. When I speak, my voice is low, trembling with anger.
"Listen here. I know what's best for me now. Not you. Not anymore. I'm hanging up. Know that re calling this number is useless. The person who owns it won't answer because I will tell him not to. And don't try tracing the call. You can't. Good bye."
I hang up. Then breathe. I cannot believe they did that. I realize I'm very close to shifting, and I do not want to ruin Epi's kitchen, so I go outside, hug Epi goodbye. Then shift and take off, reveling in the strength I feel, the power I am. I buck, kicking out at my frustrations. I slide to a stop at the cliffs and rear rebelliously at the sky. The wind whips my mane and tail into a fury, and I bugle out. Challenging the world to try and take away my freedom. The only answer I get is the distant cry of an eagle.
.
.
.
Back in the wolf town, I am hugging Ed goodbye, a little teary-eyed. He hugs me tightly, telling me to take care of myself. I say my goodbyes to the rest of the pack, then shift and take off, not looking back because I know that if I do I will break down in tears.

I lope through the night, stopping occasionally to rest and star gaze. I am entranced by the stars. The pictures they make and everything about them.
Early that morning I find a safe place to camp and rest. I set shift to human, eat and then repack my bag, shift back to horse form, then fall asleep standing up. Safer that way if something comes. I can just grab my bag in my teeth and run. The next week or so will be like this. Better get used to it.

A/N: Yay! I updated, so I know, not very interesting, but it is a chapter.

I'll try to update soon my lovlies.

Peace!

~ Silver_Storyteller