The Things We Hunger For

Chapter Three - Why Bear Traps Are Illegal *Annabeth* Part II

Three

-Why Bear Traps Are Illegal-

Part II

*Annabeth*

(Previously)

I decided not to risk any more bug things and bundled my stuff together in the thermal blanket and headed out. Dusk was falling fast even though I doubted it was much past four. Stupid winter nights.

Rushing back I was very thankful for the socks since my feet would have been both frozen and full of pine needles if I hadn't found them. I managed to get a little lost since my sense of smell isn't as great as a human as it is as a wolf, and the land looked different when I was looking at it through human eyes. When I finally got close enough that I could hear the muttering and clanking again, I stopped.

I didn't want to startle the guy too badly so I thought maybe I should make noise so he would hear me coming. On the other hand it might be better if I did get close and then announced myself, that way there was less chance he'd get panicked if he thought there was a human coming his way.

Maybe I should call out? No, I decided. He hadn't known I was a shifter when I was a wolf so he might be worried if I did that. Might think I was human. Maybe.

In the end I snuck up to a tree fairly close then stepped out from behind it on a bunch of leaves making a crunching sound. That, just like I'd figured, got his attention and he turned to stare at me. His eyes weren't yellow any more but neither were they brown. They were a dark, dark gray.

"Hi," I said awkwardly as the guy quickly got his hands out to cover himself. He looked panicked like his mind was scrambling to come up with an excuse to how he'd end up buck naked in the woods with his foot in a bear trap. His eyes changed from the odd gray to yellow again and he growled.

Swallowing but not backing away –backing away would be to show fear and predators like fear- I put the bundle I'd been carrying down and then stood back up, showing my hands and looked at the floor, acting none-threatening.

"I'm going to help you," I said calmly still not looking at him. "I was here before. Remember me? The stupid wolf that wasn't scared?"

"What?" he said, his voice hoarse and confused.

I glanced up at him. "I'm like you. Well not quite. I'm a shifter. I was the wolf that was here before. I can change whenever I want. Which I'm guessing you can't since you have got to be freezing your ass off without any clothes." Thinking about just how cold he must be I slowly sat down and moved the things off the thermal blanket. I stood back up and folded the blanket up a little before stepping closer to him.

He scooted away from me. "No. Stay there, I haven't eaten in what feels like forever. I don't want to hurt you."

I stayed where I was even though I wasn't really worried about him hurting me. Shifters may not be super strong but we are quick. And he had his foot stuck in a bear trap.

"How about I put it down here and move away? You can get it." I did just that, turning and going back to my pile of stuff. I picked up the water bottle. "You thirsty?" I asked, back still to him.

"Yeah," he said after a moment. As I heard the rustling sound the thermo blanket made I turned back around. He'd wrapped the thermo blanket around his hips, going for modesty rather than warmth.

I tossed him the water and he caught it, his right peck flexing as his arm went up. Nice. Now that his lower body was covered I didn't feel weird about ogling his very nicely muscled chest and abs.

"Who are you?" he asked after taking a sip of the water. His voice was a little smoother now but still had a little rough edge to it I kind of liked.