Robbin

PART FOUR: MALICION38. Night Eleven

Robbin insisted they stop from their walking a few hours later, nearly collapsing with fatigue. Terra still shook as he set her gently down and she realized that maybe Robbin did mean to keep her well and safe, as after all he wouldn't be able to operate the necklace himself. Just because he doesn't care for you romantically does not mean he won't care for you as an asset.

"How long has your pack traveled without sleep?"

"For myself it has been three days," Robbin answered.

"Very well. I cannot guarantee we will arrive at our destination before the moon has lowered tomorrow if we stop."

"As far as you can take us will do," Robbin answered.

Rowan nodded. "I and my companion will take watch, you will do well to rest, all three of you."

Robbin didn't argue and Jake mumbled resentfully, "I offer to keep watch and he can't sleep, but a couple of wolves do and Robbin's just fine with it."

Terra felt Jake shouldn't push their luck with the finicky creatures, as offended as he may be at Rowan's reproving. She lie and watched as they both transformed back into white masses and sat very close and very still. She thought she heard the tall wolf whimper to her and the female licked his cheek.

"If you had done that weeks ago, you would have certainly blacked out and gone ill with fatigue, but now the energy barely drains you. You are getting stronger, sister."

She woke from her dreams of the witches early, feeling newly rejuvenated as if she might conquer the world today. After all, it was because of her they were still alive, surely. She stared at the stars feeling as if she were the only one left in the world until the pale wolf with the ugly scar approached her. Her skin turned soft as she whispered, "you would do well not to ignore my advice again. I have traveled far and seen many things and the light haired one, Jake, does not have entirely pure intentions. He also knows much more than he lets on."

Terra scoffed, ignoring the advice once more and Rowan watched her from her spot beside the other mound of snow once returned.

When they resumed their walking, Robbin was very quiet and Jake seemed oblivious, pacing wearily beside the two untransformed beasts. The entire day was quiet all around, leaving Terra to ponder what she had done to lead them to this very point.

She realized awkwardly that Jake might very well have no idea who the wolf they now followed really was. After all, she had only told Robbin and not Jake about Rowan coming to her rescue. She was sure Robbin had at least guessed it was the same wolf she had discussed with him. There was no chance to explain it to Jake as well, though, with the wolves' listening ears so close. She feared upsetting her impatient wolf friend. Rowan seemed in such a hurry to get them where they needed, she couldn't be bothered with reintroducing herself, even to her tall lover. It was as if she and Terra shared a strange connection now which couldn't be shared with anyone else.

She thought how lucky it was that they had appeared before allies instead of foes and realized maybe it wasn't luck. Her necklace had never transported her anywhere where she wouldn't be aided by the help of one ally or another. She realized in dismay that she may have no control over her necklace at all, as if it just carted her wherever it saw fit, performing under the acts of its own will instead of hers. But then again, it was her energy it drained, and no one else's, wasn't it? Surely she could force it to act under her own will, or at least, influence it in the direction of what she needed? She never considered that it might be she, and not her necklace, who compelled others to help her, however.

She resolved to stare into the distance, discouraged as all the others with their oddly unfolding situation. She felt slightly sorry for Jake, who had less idea what was going on than anyone and who was berated constantly by Rowan for it. He seemed the most dismal of them all.

The rising mountain before them raised all their spirits, if not a little bit. Terra thought it reminded them of how much closer they were to their destination.

The glowing pine trees grew in abundance up ahead, and continued up the rising peak until finally subsiding at its bald head. They grew closer and closer together until the five of them wandered through pines never any more than twenty feet apart. It was not as dense as the nomad forest, but regardless, the wolf territory became a forest of its own at the foot of the approaching mountain.

With the abundance of trees came an abundance of wolves.

They paced and hulked before the trunks, their plain pelts turning green from the glowing pines. One wolf approached them, and Terra tried not to scream with fear. It transformed into a pale human's figure as if to prove it could be human as well, unafraid of Rowan or her mate. He hissed and growled at the stranger and other wolves looked curiously over.

"Why aren't you in wolf form?" it asked in an aggressive whisper.

"We're adjusting to our human forms in preparation for another nomad attack. After all, the nomads will care what our pack has to say as well." Jake feigned pride and puffed his chest, grown familiar with such questions over time.

The aggressive wolf appraised him, and Rowan's mate still growled menacingly, though Terra hoped he wouldn't escalate. A brawl in the midst of so many wolves would prove fatal. But the onlooker backed away, satisfied with Jake's answer.

Terra felt that Rowan and her partner's presence was what certainly kept the wolves from questioning further. They grew uneasy as the moon began to set.

Rowan slunk to a human pace and informed the three that she would find them somewhere safe to rest for the night before leaving. Then she returned to her gigantic self, padding lightly up the rising hill before them. Terra stumbled to catch up, clambering over rocks as gigantic as herself and threatening to fall back if it weren't for Robbin behind her. She was eager to get away from the unfamiliar wolves at the bottom.

They continued for an hour with nothing but the stars and sparse pines to light their way. Rowan finally stopped them at a tiny crevice between rocks behind which they might stay hidden for the night. They had covered an impressive distance.

Though they were hardly at the top of the mountain, they were high enough to see over the small forest at the valley.

Rowan returned to human form briefly to say: "we would take you directly to Winston but I'm afraid we wouldn't be welcomed there as I and my partner are both known outcasts and it will be months before we can regain our place as informed pack members. I am also sorry we cannot provide you with more information as to what you are getting yourselves into, as like I said, we are outcasts." Then she was a pale wolf again, sprinting back down the cliff with her partner, on all fours, and without so much as a goodbye.

"What was that all about?" Jake asked.

Terra looked to Robbin guiltily and then explained it.

"That was Rowan? I thought so," Robbin commented.

"She told you about this and not me?" Jake appeared hurt.

"It was a long time ago," Terra tried to convince him, but Jake just backed himself into the furthest reaches of the crevice they were camped under, and bundled into a ball to sleep.

After his breathing had slowed and become rhythmic, Terra confided to Robbin over the fire: "Rowan warned me not to trust Jake."

"We'll keep our eyes peeled," Robbin answered, as if unconcerned.

Terra stared at his sleeping figure worriedly.

a/n: They're almost to Winston! I'm so excited!

Let me know what you think about Jake's discouragement, and Rowan's mistrust... Is Rowan right to mistrust him?

Thanks so much for reading!