I'm On My Way

Chapter 25

"One thing I don't get."

"And what's that?" Rhydian looked down at her, smiling. Hand in hand, they had fallen behind the others, jumping over the roots and logs as they walked back to the Smiths'.

"Hurry up you two!" Shannon called over her shoulder, face melting into a smile at the couple. It returned to fretting. "It's nearly moon rise!"

"Relax Shan, I mean, we still have a few minutes, right?" Tom looked back at Maddy, who nodded. He looked back at Shannon, who still didn't look convinced. Sighing, Rhydian shouted ahead.

"Be there in a sec!"

"Alright, mate. Don't take too long kissing though, yeah?" Grinning, Tom teased them; he earned a pleased laugh from Jana and Shannon, and a roll of Maddy's brown eyes.

The group continent forward steadily, and Rhydian hung back, taking Maddy with him willingly.

"You were saying?" He asked, grinning.

"Well," Maddy began tentatively; she wanted to avoid conflict. And now, as Rhydian's powerful eyes were focused on her, she could feel her mind start to twitch.

"Why did we seperate in the forest? I mean, I didn't think anything about it at the time. But then, I've remembered that you live next to me. You didn't need to split from me at all..." Maddy's voice had plummeted to a whisper as she watched Rhydian's face frown.

"I...I was gonna try and..."

"You were going to go and find them, weren't you?" Maddy finished for him, cuttingly. He nodded.

"You made me worry so much, and panic, because you wanted to find them on your own? I can look after myself Rhydian!" She had begun to yell again, despite her desperates attempts to remain calm.

"Mads, I..." he reached out to hold her, but she yanked herself away.

"I am FED UP of being comforted, so maybe you should just leave!"

Hurt and scared, and slightly angry, Rhydian let his arm fall to his side, a light scowl in his face. He began to walk away, and her eyes widened in terror.

"Damn, no, Rhydian, I didn't mean it!"

"Oh, you meant it Maddy. And you're right, you can look after yourself."

"No, I was wrong. That wasn't even me! I was just annoyed at myself for not realising sooner, and I was worried about you, and I tried so hard not to say that!" Tears began to fall and Maddy realised, with disgust, how delicate she had become.

"I am SO sorry." She pleaded, staring at him, most hope lost. He stopped in his tracks, and sighed.

"So am I." He looked back at her, and hugged tightly. Maddy laid her head in the comfortable crook of his shoulder. Most of her tears wiped on his jacket.

"Eww!" Rhydian complained, a smile tingling in his eyes and on his lips.

"Oh stop it you." Maddy's voice wavered slightly between stifled sobs, but the smile on her face was legit. Rhydian stroked her back a few times, gently, before reaching down and wrapping his fingers round hers. He could feel the cold seeping through into his skin.

"You're so cold!" He said sympathetically, taking her hand between both of his and rubbing them to warm her up. Giggling, she shook away a final tear.

In the distance, Tom, Jana and an impatient Shannon had nearly faded behind the exposed trees. Around them, the ink had started to seep up the sky, and Rhydian knew they had to hurry. The wind had started to wrap around them, blowing clouds over the sky.

"Come on then." He encouraged, kissing her one last time before turning to face the way they needed to go. The others had completely disappeared, but he could faintly hear them. A wicked grin ignited in his eyes as he raised his eyebrows. He suddenly stopped, staring at her for a second before the grin returned suddenly.

"Race ya!" Mischievously, he coaxed a grin from Maddy, running ahead quickly. He whooped as he leapt over the logs, and dodged around the trees; Maddy couldn't help but laugh at his childish enthusiasm.

"Rhydian!" She yelled, chuckling, but he was already away, bouncing over everything and anything in his path. The moon was clearly pounding through his veins. Maddy rolled her eyes, but secretly she was pleased for the chase. She wouldn't admit that as she rushed after him, however.

They soon caught up with the others, and Jana joined them; the three of them sprinted through the maze of leaves, with Tom and Shannon panting frantically behind them, laughing at the cubs.

They said goodbye at the door, with the crawling veins accompanying them as they tore through the house, Maddy grinning wildly despite nearly smashing into the table. Rhydian reached for her hand as they laughed their way down to the cellar; they sprinted like a cannon through the door, onto a startled Mr and Mrs Smith. Their faces just made them laugh more, and Maddy wondered how she could suddenly be this happy. She stared lovingly at Rhydian, and then realised. This would be her first full moon with Rhydian, the first time to be herself with him after two years.

The thought leapt in her chest as the sweet feeling grew, and as she started to change and the work started to escape, she held onto his had until the last possible moment.

They could see the moon through the roof. The wolf was in awe of its absolute silver brilliance; an orb of soft light in the drowning sky. A power source that sang to the wilderness within each wolfblood. It sounded stupid, and poetic, but it really was awe inspiring, something that no wolf could take its yellow eyes away from. After each full moon, the true feeling of being set free by the moon was lost; all Wolfbloods could know was that it was something to look forward to.

Paws soft on the mud dusted over the basement, the wolves bounded round each other. Maddy and Rhydian started tumbling and playing, and Jana joined soon after. The Smiths were slightly more reserved, their tails swishing like brooms as they scurried around.

And Maddy feels so happy. She hadn't felt that emotion in ages, and as it dances through her veins, through her brain, she feels this unfamiliar rush as she played.

Never had she felt so glad to hear her claws click on the flag stone; never had she been so comforted by the howls and yaps that fill her ears. And now the moon, which used to reflect all that had gone, like a shattered mirror, just reminded her of the future and the present - the most important thing, she reminded herself.

Meanwhile, Tom and Shannon trudged away from the Smith's, feet dragging through the pools of moonlight. They were both wrapped up warm - Tom's scarf was itching but he didn't care - and they walked close, they held hands, to keep each other warm. But both knew it was not just for that.

Reaching through the dark in front of them was the ghostly howl. Maddy's house was behind them.

"Is it just me, or was that more than two wolves?" Tom asked, confused.

"And they certainly weren't our pack..." Shannon's voice was a dozing whisper as she gazed, stunned. She couldn't see anything, but the howl came from the moors a few miles away. "No, don't be stupid, it's just our imagination." They had both heard that before.

"Sure..."

"Brrrr it's freezing. We'd better get going." And with that she he convinced them both to stop being stupid, and they walked out of the dark into the comfort of their homes. They never spoke about it on the journey, but the worry was still nagging in their heads. Even so, they shut their doors, leaving two different packs in the cold winter moonlight.