A Luna's Flame

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Two more," I counted as I leaned against the bed with my arms folded.

Diona's arms trembled as she did her last reps of push-ups, her heart racing. The last half hour was spent doing modified cardio and light strength training. Sweat streamed down her face as she fell to the ground in a huff. I reached behind me to retrieve a thick ribbon of cloth I had torn from an old shirt.

"On your feet," I ordered as I walked over to her.

She wobbled like a newborn doe, unsure of the world around her. Enyo found it amusing as she lay on her side, enjoying the entertainment. Diona eyed the cloth as I neared her, curious about her next task.

"Training is not intended only for the body but for the mind," I said as I covered her eyes with the cloth.

"There will be more times like that incident in the forest, where your wolf will be unavailable. I will not always be around. You will have to rely solely on your mind and senses. Now, tell me the things you did wrong when you launched into danger to save your pack member?" I asked as I circled her, careful to make my footsteps audible.

"I didn't get the patrols to help her. I didn't know how to defend myself or Ms. Sophia. And, I ran away when I was cornered," she rattled off.

"Your patrols are useless. You'd be better off asking the local rabbits to help," I muttered.

"No. What did you hear that made you rush in to help?" I redirected.

"I heard her screams," she quickly answered as she instinctively turned towards the sound of my movements.

"Was there anything else?"

She thought for a moment, her eyebrows creasing under the blindfold.

"I don't think so. I only remember hearing how terrified she was. That's what made me run to her. I wanted to help her," she responded.

"Did you smell anything?"

She shook her head immediately.

"There wasn't anything out of the ordinary."

"You should've smelled the Rogue well before you encountered it. Its pungent odor was scattered everywhere in the trees. I could smell the wolf miles before I saw it," I explained.

"As you got closer, you should've heard it. Rogues are not known to be quiet. They typically act too erratic to care about discretion. They run unevenly, growl randomly, and breath loudly, often opting for loud pants," I added.

She nodded as she absorbed my words.

"Wolves, no matter if they have shifted or not, are born with sharpened senses. Your nose and ears are a gift from the Goddess herself. It would be a shame to waste them," I elaborated.

"Your wolf will only be as strong as its human. The perfect Yin and Yang. You should never rely on her strengths to always balance out your weaknesses. Silver in any dose will dull her senses, leaving you vulnerable. What will you do if you are once again rendered wolfless with a knife to your throat? A split-second decision will determine not only your fate but hers. I am here to make sure you make the right choice," I finished as I stood in front of her with my arms folded.

"Enyo," I called out.

Small samples of my scent penetrated the air around us like a soft breeze in a stale sky. She breathed deeply as her nose twitched, committing my scent to memory. I made nosy steps as I circled her, stopping a few feet behind her.

"Find me, Diona," I whispered in the silence.

She turned to my voice and made confident strides toward me. I nosily walked out of the way, moving to her left. She picked up on my movements quickly and adjusted. Over the next few minutes, I repeated the process. I would make nosy steps, shifting from left to right just out of her reach. It was easy and predictable. She was able to find me in ten minutes flat.

"We will have to sharpen that," Enyo noted.

"Again," I ordered as I guided her to the middle of the room.

I moved in silence this time, blending into the air around us. Enyo let a faint scent trail waft around us like a warm memory. Diona's nose twitched as she registered the smell and followed it. I walked around her noiselessly, letting her nose be her guide. It took her twenty minutes this round.

Enyo got to her feet and shook out her fur as I guided Diona to the center of the room once more.

"Again," I commanded before the room descended into silence again, ignoring Nox's monitor

I stood to her right in silence, my scent masked. I folded my arms as I watched her eyebrows crease in confusion. She sniffed the air in frustration as her ears filled with the very low beeping of the monitor. I stepped closer to her, still outside of her arm's reach. Instinctively, she felt my presence but not the exact location. To my disappointment, she reached out in front of her and tried to feel around her. I quickly walked behind her and touched her neck before backing away. She spun around in shock and determination. She reached out to grab me, but I was already gone. Enyo let a small amount of our scent seep into the air before masking, egging her. She turned immediately and walked confidently toward me, but once again, I was already behind her. I gently touched her side as I passed her. She stopped in her tracks and looked to her right in confusion. This went on for thirty minutes, her frustration peaking.

"Thirty-four times. I was able to touch you thirty-four times. That's thirty-four cuts. Thirty-four claw marks. Thirty-four bites. Thirty-four lives," I sternly said as I continued to evade her.

"Use your mind. Your nose. Your ears. I am right here, Diona," I commanded.

I moved around her outstretched arms and touched her side before stopping behind her. She growled in agitation as she looked to her right.

"This is impossible! How am I to find you when I cannot hear you or smell you for more than five seconds," she whined as she threw her hands up in frustration.

Before I could answer, the door to the room was thrust open. The Delta hastily walked in. I rolled my eyes as I leaned against the wall, watching as he accessed the room. Diona removed the cloth from her eyes and looked around, finding me to her left. She rubbed her face as the Delta closed the door.

"What the fuck are you two doing?" he asked as he walked towards Diona.

"Listening to your orders and staying in the room," she answered.

"Why were her eyes covered?" he asked as he looked her over for injuries.

"We were playing hide and seek. You ruined it," I replied nonchalantly as I cleaned underneath my fingernails.

"Is she telling the truth?" the Delta asked as he cupped Diona's face.

She nodded.

"I was seeking. Apparently, I'm not good at it," she muttered as she looked down.

"You will be," I assured.

She looked over at me and nodded; uncertainty danced in her eyes. My nose twitched as the faint smell of jasmine, sage, and apricot tickled my senses and mind, dancing from the clothes of the Delta.

"You are not the only one that's bad at seeking," I said with a smirk.