The Animals Have Come to Play (Completed) (unedited)

The Rockies

(Chapter 25: The Rockies)

"That's another section done!" I called out from behind the tree I was hiding behind.

"That is the bottom half of the area Nora was speaking about," Cynric called out from behind another tree. I hummed in response, marking another X through a squared off territory.

"We might not find him," Leander spoke out the thought we were all thinking.

"We will find him," I reassured him strongly, ignoring the stirring in my stomach. "We have to..." I mumbled to myself. I sighed, folding up the map and sticking it into the sling I had created with my clothes tied around my neck. I leaned against the tree, the bark biting painfully into my back. I breathed out a heavy breath before mentally cheering myself on.

I shifted back into my wolf form, feeling my bones snap, reform and snap back into place. Fur split my skin, giving off a sickly wet noise. I shook my fur out, trotting out from behind my tree. I chuffed, telling the boys I had shifted, and it was time they did as well. I was soon joined by Leander, his blue-ish tinted dark fur shining in the sun. Cynric strolled up to my side moments later. Leander growled lowly at Cynric who snarled back in response. I internally sighed, stepping between them and giving them warning looks.

Every time we have shifted back into our wolf forms, one or the other challenges the opposite. The first time it happened, my heart had almost leaped out of my chest in fear. Now after at least ten times of this, it was getting old and ridiculous. Every time we'd start out searching another area, there were shoulder checks and snapping at body parts. I eventually learned those things stopped once I ran in between them to keep them in line. I finally understood to the full effect why two dominate, male wolves didn't travel together.

So, we started off once again, with me keeping mediator as we traveled. I had to admit that the Rockies were gorgeous. The mountainous outline of the horizon seemed to go everywhere we did. Snow caps glistened even from far away, and lakes and rivers literally and metaphorically reflected the beauty of their surroundings. Pine trees sprawled out, following the dips and curves of the land. We were constantly passing wildlife, some of which we tried to stay clear of.

We continued searching through the area, before moving onto the next. After a few more, we were forced to stop and change back once again to mark off sectioned territories off on the map. Then we were back at it, searching once again for some mythical man.

We could hear it before we saw it, and definitely smelled it before even then. We were approaching a waterfall. I picked up my pace little by little, excited to see an actual waterfall. I had seen little trickling ones, but none as big as this one sounded.

We broke into the clearing, the trees giving away into a grassy area. A small pond pooled at the bottom of the tumbling, roaring waterfall. It broke free, running a rather large creek off to the side. But, of course, that wasn't what caught our attention. Oh no, it was the old man, meditating shirtless. His hair was pushed up into a bun. The three of us stopped at the sight of him.

We all shared a look, and I couldn't help the urge to creep forward and around to see his face. Leander growled at me quietly as a warning to not get closer, but I snapped my teeth at him in defiance. I stalked slowly around on silent feet, trying to catch a glance at the mystery guy. Could this be the guy we've been looking for? I mean, I highly doubt there are other old men meditating in the middle of the Rockies...

As I rounded around, I saw he had a long, frizzy white beard that held various beads and braids. Wrinkles covered his face. A silver chain containing a pendant with intricate weavings hung from his neck, and only what appeared to be an animal hide loincloth covered his privates. My nose wrinkles in disgust. His eyes popped open, staring straight ahead. The intensity of his bright golden-yellow eyes caused me to start. He turned away from me, looking the opposite way as Cynric walked out of the woods fully clothed.

"About damn time you kids got here!" he yelled in a cranky voice. He stood up slowly, his right hand on his lower back. "You'd think being a wolf would keep you in good shape," he grumbled to himself. He then jumped and clicked his heels together, letting out a hoot of laughter.

"Just kidding!" He then scratched his chin and turned his gaze between the three of us with narrowed eyes. "Say... Why ain't you youngins all in human form?" Leander and I shared looks before slowly backing away to change behind a tree in the woods. What is up with this guy?