Wolf-blood

Promises, Promises

After Mother left, and I finished meditating, I carefully moved Minimus off of my stomach and flipped off the light. I walked back to my bed and looked down at the black and gold blanket. I sighed, and crawled under the covers.

I laid on my side for what seemed an hour, and my mind was blank, but I couldn't fall asleep. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths to try and calm down so I could rest. In through the nose, out through the mouth. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

Nope. Not working. I flipped over onto my other side and repeated the process. No progress.

I sighed and flipped onto my back. This was never going to work.

This sucks.

Tell me about it. 

I'm so tired. 

I can't fall asleep, though.

Why not? 

I'm uncomfortable. Can't you feel it too?

Feel what? 

I don't know. I can't sleep here.

Me neither. Let's just go set up camp in the basement. 

Fine, let's go. 

I crawled out of my bed as slowly and quietly as humanly (well, wolf-bloodly) possible. The floor creaked, and I stopped, hoping not to wake anyone up. When I heard no movement, I proceeded to my door. 

There were no more creaking floor boards or loud noises until I reached the door. I pulled it open slowly, hoping to be quieter, but that just made it seem so much louder when the door creaked open. I bit my lip and looked back at Minimus, curled up in a little ball on my bed. I smiled when he didn't stir, and grabbed my bag from the floor. It was my traveling bag, the one that Lenus gave me. 

I exited the room and pulled the bag over my shoulder, sneaking to the stairs as quickly and quietly as possible. As I walked down the wooden stairs, flinching at every creak, I couldn't help but think about what I was going to do.

If I stayed, then I would be giving up my freedom for at least a month. I'd be giving up midnight runs and doing whatever I wanted. But I would gain my family, my friends, and a chance at a normal life. People would kill for my opportunity. Was I really willing to just give it all away?

If I left, I wouldn't be giving up my family exactly, but I wouldn't see them for long periods of time. I wouldn't get to go to school and get an education, I'd have to leave behind my friends, and I would be in servitude of the Earth Mother. But I could do whatever I wanted. I could hunt a deer whenever I wanted deer, or I could buy food at a fancy restaurant, if I was able to steal some cash. But, I couldn't do it with my friends.

I reached the bottom of the stairs and let out a sigh. Nobody was sleeping on the ground floor, so I had no reason to worry. A small smile crept its way onto my face as I made my way to the basement door. But then...

"What are you doing?"

Shit. 

VIR!! 

Sorry. 

I slowly turned towards the voice and saw Mikey squinting through the darkness at me. I sighed. "Couldn't sleep," I said.

"So you're going to the woods?" Mikey asked disbelievingly. 

I scratched the back of my head and said, "Uh, yeah, yeah, that's, uh, where I'm headed." I smiled.

"Would you like to tell me why?" Mikey asked, stepping closer.

"Uh, no, no not really. Kidding," I added when I saw his face fall. "I couldn't sleep, so I'm headed to the woods to. Sleep, I mean. I just can't get comfortable on the bed. I think maybe the woods will help me."

"Uh huh. Well, I guess that makes sense." Mikey smiled and I laughed. "Then, I guess, goodnight."

"Goodnight." 

I turned to go downstairs, but Mikey said, "Wait."

I turned to face him with a questioning look. "What?"

"You aren't-" Mikey cut off and sighed. "You're not-"

"Not what, Mikey?"

Mikey sighed. "Indie, you're not leaving again, are you?"

I stayed silent and looked down at the ground. "I don't know. Maybe."

"I just, well, I just wanted to know that, maybe, I don't know..."

"Maybe what?" I asked, my face a mask of confusion.

"I missed you, Indie. You're my best friend, and I didn't have you for more than a week, which is practically unheard of in our friendship. And I missed you. So, I guess that I just wanted you to promise me that you'll come back." Mikey gave me a sad and pleading look.

I couldn't handle it. I ran into his arms and wrapped him in a hug. "I promise," I mumbled into his shirt. "I'll always give you that promise. If I leave, or if I stay, you'll know that I'll always be with you. And if I leave, it's not even a question. Of course I'll come back. I'll always come back." For you, I thought, but didn't express out loud.

Mikey pulled away and I took a step back. "Well. Thank you. Goodnight."

I smiled. "Goodnight."

 I say love... It is a flower... 

Shut. Up.

And you... Its only seed...

I'm gonna stab myself. It's official, I will kill myself before any psychotic Alpha gets the chance because I was so annoyed by you two.

Just admit you like him! We won't hold it against you. Right Vir? 

Totally. Vox would never hold it against you that you like Mikey. 

Somehow, I'm not reassured at all.

We reached the basement, and I looked around at the midnight forest. 

Almost like old times, huh?

Almost. 

Yeah. 

Setting up the tent, I had a weird flashback, like a video tape skipping back. I remembered Orvar walking to his tent and me asking him how he had made us all start to pack. He had answered with one word. "Gray." I was completely confused and baffled at the time, but now I realized that he was just talking about his leadership wolf. 

I laughed out loud at having figured it out and continued on with setting up the tent. When it was done, I crawled in and laid out how I would with my family around me. I closed my eyes and pictured a night sky above me, three more tents around me, and Minimus outside my door. I sighed and slept instantly.