The Twelfth Moon || ✔️

55. Young Moon pt. 1

"We'll spend two nights here before we arrive in Strong Moon," Jerr explained as we kept walking. We had just reached a small forest again, and we had opted to walk through it, to give us more cover from potential foes.

My legs were sore from walking and training all day, but we wanted to reach Hidden Moon's pack as soon as possible, so we tried to cover as much ground as we could each day.

"I'm already longing for a soft bed," I sighed, feeling my knees tremble under constant pressure.

"We're nearing the first town," Jerr comforted me. "Won't be long now."

"How long do you think until we arrive in Hidden Moon?" Although I had started to truly enjoy Jerr's company, I longed to see some other friendly faces, too.

He shrugged his shoulders as he said, "I don't know. I'm guessing we'll arrive in Strong Moon in about three days. If we can keep up this tempo, maybe we could reach Young Moon in a week or so."

"Have you ever traveled there before?" He had to, I realized since he seemed to know exactly where we were going at all times.

"A few times, yes," he confirmed. "But always alone, or with Aven every now and then, and always in my wolven form. The journey never took me more than three days."

"Could we travel back in our wolven forms? I'm assuming I will be training as a wolf, too."

"Maybe," he said, sending me a small smile.

I had noticed that his wicked grin seemed to give room for this softer companion more often over the past few days. But whatever kind of smile he was giving me, it made my heart flutter all the same.

"I hope so," I said, dreamingly. I could already imagine myself, shifting again, feeling the soft underground under my four paws, without any shoes holding me back. Feeling the wind ruffle through my fur as I would run, and run, and run. Run all the way back home, where Lotta would be waiting.

I realized, I longed to run with Jerr, too. On my first run, I had been so absorbed with the otherworldly feeling of finally being free, but now I longed to run with Jerr's wolf, too. To run side by side, or even hunt down prey together. Perhaps, if it was the two of us, we'd be able to take on a deer, instead of smaller rodents.

Jerr kept staring ahead as I was daydreaming, walking in silence. His face stayed soft, and he showed no sign of following in my mind.

It was becoming more natural for me to keep my thoughts to myself, I realized proudly.

"Pride is an intense emotion, too. Don't get caught up in it." His warm voice snapped me out of my introspection.

"Of course," I grumbled, more to myself than to him.

"Although I did not hear whatever it was you were thinking about just before. But I'm very curious now since you seem to be so happy that I didn't."

And there that wicked grin was again, a mischievous look in his eyes.

My eyebrows twirled up. "I will leave that up to your imagination."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Jerr's gaze intensified on me, the black of his eyes dilating a little as they locked on mine. How he managed not to stumble while keeping his eyes on me, was a mystery to me. "My imagination can be very... vivid."

"That is not even remotely surprising."

"Ha," he chuckled. "The trick not to stumble, by the way, is experience. And balance, if I ever risk tripping over a fallen branch or whatever."

"How are you so experienced, then, if you usually travel as a wolf?" I also kept my stare on him, following his movement as he seemed to float over trippy bushes, and successfully evaded them myself.