Wolf Camp (Bear Naked 2)

Chapter 2, Part 2

The camp for the kin teens was three miles into the woods, and it took them about forty-five minutes to reach it at a leisurely walk. It was a surprisingly large set of structures, considering how deep in the woods it had been built. There were more than a dozen cabins, a huge hall, and an arts-and-crafts building.

Robbie gave Tricia and Jonathan both a hug, and then Amanda as well, even though they had just met. There was a small group of adults and older teens waiting for newcomers, and an older woman led Tricia away.

Amanda knew that everyone at the teen camp was kin. Not all of the kin had the ability to shift into wolf form. A few kin knew about werewolves, but most did not. She thought she remembered Connor telling her that only some of the camp staff knew about shifters, but she wasn't sure.

The rest of them continued down another trail, deeper into the woods. This hike was longer. The wolf camp was a good five miles deeper. The woods were thick and the land hilly. Before the hike was half over, Brianna was muttering curses to herself. "Why did I bring so much crap?" she said. "I knew how far it was." She had a backpack over her back and a bag in each hand. Erica, who had only her backpack, darted forward and took one of the bags.

It had been just after noon when they had reached the trailhead, and it was nearly supper before they reached the wolf camp. The camp was set in an opening in the woods. The trail opened up, and Amanda saw two long, low buildings of rough-hewn wood in front of her.

They walked in between the two buildings and came out into the wolf camp. To her right was a tall lodge. Far to the left was a small group of bungalow-style cabins grouped in a circle around a stone bathhouse. Between the bungalows and the lodge was a wide-open lawn. Far in front of them, making a rectangle of the camp, was an obstacle course of exercise gear.

"The 2012 pack," a man's voice called out. "Connor Leidulf, any trouble getting here?" The speaker was a large man with shoulder-length, dark hair and a heavy beard. His brown eyes were bright, and he smiled at them.

"No, sir, Marshall, sir," Connor replied. Amanda wasn't sure if Marshall was his name or his title. He radiated an aura of authority that left little doubt he was the leader here.

"Good," he replied, "you are in the same cabin again. Think you can remember the way?"

"Yes, sir," Connor replied with a smile.

"Good. Supper is in an hour. Big feast for your first night."

As they walked past him toward the cabins, Amanda stared at what appeared to be stacks of metal grates, like the metal shelving units you could pick up at a hardware store. The stack stood about waist high. It was one of several that lined the path on three sides of the open meadow. Amanda scrunched up her brow, trying to figure out what purpose they served.

"Hey look," a voice called out as they approached the bungalows, "Barky and his crew of misfits are back." The speaker was a stocky young man with brown hair and an insolent look.

"Oh shut up!" Jonathan snapped.

"Darky," the boy chided, "what's with the attitude? Don't tell me you and Barky are still fighting over who's alpha?"

"Ignore him," Connor told his friends. "He's just trying to get a rise out of us. Don't give him the satisfaction."

"Hey, Collie," the young man said as they passed by him, "if you get bored and want a real man, you know where to find me."

"As if," Brianna muttered.

Their cabin was on the outside of the ring. It had a small porch that faced inward toward the bathhouse. The cabin itself was a simple, rectangular, one-room affair with a half dozen beds and a few dressers for storage. It had electric lights and a couple of outlets but little else in the way of amenities. The rear window looked out on woods that sloped gently toward a creek far below.

As Amanda turned her gaze back into the cabin, she found Connor watching her cautiously. "It's pretty rough," he said.

"I've camped rougher," she said. "Heck, we have running water and flushing toilets in the bathhouse, right? Meals served up at the lodge?"

He nodded.

"Then this isn't rough," she assured him with a smile.