Wolf Camp (Bear Naked 2)

Chapter 20

Amanda was woken by a knock at the door to their cabin. Despite her injuries and exhaustion she had been up late, talking to Aaron and his pack. Both sides had much news to discuss.

She was so stiff she wasn't sure she could even move. She opened her eyes and found Tanner opening the door. It was Mitch Oleson. His pack was gathered on the patio. They followed Mitch inside.

"This is it," he said. "The last council and you know what that means."

"The trials," Tanner said. "And the declaration of the winners of this years Wolf Camp."

"And as memory serves your pack is," he struck a thoughtful pose, "dead last."

A couple of wolves from the other packs stuck their heads in the door. It was apparent Mitch and his pack had been making the rounds, reminding everyone of their relative status.

Marshall arrived and he too stepped inside.

"And now, what is this?" Mitch gestured at Connor, who like Amanda, was still lying in bed. "You are down a wolf. And you were almost in reach of not being dead last."

It was true. Between ditching the last tournament and their poor performance early in the summer, they were so far behind they could only hope to place somewhere in the pack, even with a perfect performance at the trials. With their best fighter out of commission, that seemed unlikely.

"You know," Marshall commented, "considering they've worked all summer with an alpha that couldn't transform and they are the youngest pack, I think they've done extraordinarily well."

Connor pushed himself erect with an effort. He came nose to nose with Mitch. "You know what I think?" he said. "Here's what I think. My pack has faced real, adult challenges, again and again. We all defended Amanda from the Sons of Garm last spring. She, in turn, saved our hides when we were left in the woods with no supplies, thanks to you, I might add. Jonathan ran fourteen miles in one night to save my parents."

"And our alphas faced the toughest pack in the tribe," Brianna added.

"So you know what I say about the trials?" Connor finished. "Fuck the trials." Amanda gave a guilty look at Marshall but he was standing impassive and didn't seem angry. "We aren't going."

"Not going to the council?" a voice on the patio said.

"No, we are going to the council," Connor said. "We are going to sit beside the elders, as ambassadors for the tribe. Fuck your little competition Mitch, my pack and I have adult responsibilities."

Marshall shrugged. "It is your prerogative."

Mitch just stared at him, his jaws slacked. "But, Sir?"

"What?" Marshall groused, "Connor's right. They've faced more adult dangers than most of you will in a lifetime."

The council passed in a daze for Amanda. She spent most of it sore, tired and constantly hungry. Uncle Darren told her over the phone that it was the healing gift at work. As soon as he said it, she could remember dozen's of times over the years when he would come home from a long camping trip, eaten a giant meal and then crash for twelve straight hours.

Marshall had apparently put his foot down with Mitch. Connor's pack was mentioned at the main council but they were left off the tallies entirely.

Over the next couple of days Amanda's healing gift became more apparent. By the next Tuesday the long claw marks were scabbed over and she could move around without more than the occasional twinge. Connor was healing as fast.

Amanda rolled her clothes and shoved them in her bag. She would wash them when she got home. She looked around the cabin. Already it was looking less like the home it had become over the summer. Brianna had her bed stripped and the blankets where Jay and Courtney had made their nest was gone. It looked like an empty cavern to Amanda.

"You know what?" Brianna said, catching Amanda's wistful look. "I am going to actually miss this place."

There was a chorus of agreement.

"Yes, but," Tanner said. "Pizza delivery?"

Jonathan laughed. "We didn't have that at Dad's ranch either. If there is one reason for living close to humans, it's pizza delivery."

"And Netflix," Brianna said.

"The Internet," Erica said.

This went on for some time. Amanda laughed. "See, now this is like my life," Amanda said. "I love going on the Ren faire circuit in the summer. As much as I miss it, I love the comforts of home, too. What I always end up missing the most is processed food."

"Pizza," Tanner agreed.

Once they were packed, they went outside. All of the packs were gathering there. Marshall gave them a short congratulatory speech about making it through the summer. He made specific mention of Mitch and pack, who had graduated as of this year. Given the dark looks shot in their direction Amanda could guess that they hadn't been the only ones to be subject to Mitch's teasing and bullying. She thought most of the others would not be sorry to see them go either.

Marshall also mentioned that Connor's pack had faced numerous exceptional challenges. He didn't elaborate but enough people knew what they had gone through.

Finally, he let them go. They marched together out of the camp and to the trailhead. A large group of vans waited for them there. Tricia rushed up to Amanda and hugged her. She was heading to Marcus's parent's farm, just outside Duluth.

Mitch was waiting for them. "All ready?" he asked.

"Yeah but I am driving," Tanner told him. "Don't want gimp hands at the wheel." Mitch scowled. Tanner snatched the keys out of his hands.

"Why I never," Mitch growled. "If you weren't half my age and my gimp hand didn't hurt so damn bad, I'd teach you to respect your elders."

They all climbed in the van. Tanner took the driver's seat and Mitch climbed in opposite him. Around them several of the vans were pulling out. Tanner fumbled with the keys and then adjusted his seat. "Some time today?" Mitch groused.

"I know how to drive," Tanner snapped back. He continued fussing until all the other vans were gone. They pulled out and started driving slowly down the gravel.

"Umm, you know this van can go faster," Mitch grumbled.

"I know how to drive," Tanner repeated.

"There, pull over!" Brianna said from her seat. Tanner skidded to a halt along the gravel. Brianna slid her door open.

Mitch looked back. Two small forms darted out of the woods. They climbed into the van and crawled up on the seat next to Brianna.

"What are those?" Mitch asked, alarmed.

"Friends," Tanner said as Jay and Courtney's heads appeared.

####

Amanda made her way up the front steps of Hempstead High. It felt weird to be back here, after everything she had been through over the summer. Everything felt weird these last few days, being home in Dubuque, living with Uncle Darren and her brother Hunter. She loved them both but it felt odd. She had spent the summer with Connor and his pack. They felt like family, too, now and she felt the separation as she lay in her room by herself the last few nights.

"Hey, Amanda," Hannah called to her, "looks like you lost weight over the summer."

Amanda looked down at her form. She had not even thought of her weight all summer. Maybe she had lost weight.

"Yeah, maybe," Rebecca threw in as she walked passed, "a few pounds. Lose another twenty or thirty, do something about that B.O. And buy some more fashionable clothes..."

In her mind's eye, Amanda saw Darlene Sage in wolf form, lunging at her. She could smell the fetid breath on her face, the jaws inches from her. She began to laugh.

Rebecca's eyes narrowed. "Why are you laughing?" she snapped.

"You," Amanda said between chuckles, "you actually think you are intimidating."

Rebecca glared at her.

"Gods, you are so junior high," Amanda said. "Really, just grow up."