The Pack

Chapter 6

Catherine pov
The girls and I stayed in the springs while I continued to cradle Tim's sleeping form.
Catherine: "He's so damn cute."
I say softly as to not wake him.
Vicky: "He really is the cutest thing in the world... can I have a turn at holding him?"
I nodded.
Catherine: "Carefully, don't wanna wake him."
Vicky came over to me as I slowly and carefully hand Tim over to Vicky.
Vicky: "Wow, Haley, you weren't kidding when you said he was light."
Jackie: "Poor thing... well he's gonna eat well tonight!"
Tim giggled in his sleep and unconsciously hugged and cuddled Vicky.
Vicky sat back in her spot with Tim still cuddling her, she stared down at his sleeping form as she caressed his cheek.
Catherine: "I don't know what kind of monsters would abuse and neglect this little guy."
Jackie: "Seriously."
Haley: "Agreed."
5 minutes later, Tim stirred awake. He examined his surroundings and saw that I wasn't holding him anymore. He looked to see who was. He saw Vicky cradling him, he smiled adorably at her and wrapped his arms around her neck and nuzzled his head under Vicky's chin. Vicky returned the gesture.
It was good to know that Tim trusted all four of us. The fact became incredibly obvious because he said it himself when we were about to treat his eye socket.
Tim and Vicky separated.
Jackie: "Tim, we're going to go get some food, are you ready?"
Jackie asked with a kind smile.
Tim smiled back and nodded his head.
We all got out, dried off and re-clothed. We were helping Tim with his new clothes to make sure they fit.
Catherine: "How do they feel?"
Tim looked up at us and smiled.
Tim: "They feel great!... I... I. never had this kind of clothing before..."
We saw a stray tear roll down Tim's cheek.
Seeing that, broke our hearts and our wolf ears folded down in sadness. I kneeled down and hugged him in attempts to comfort him. He immediately returned the hug as the rest of the girls joined the hug.
Haley: "Don't worry, little one, your life will be smooth sailing from here on out."
Jackie: "we'll treat you right."
Vicky: "We're your family now."
Catherine: "You're safe with us."
We stayed in the group hug a moment longer until we broke away. Tim looked up at Vicky and extended his arms towards her in a gesture for her to hold him. Vicky happily obliged and held Tim like a baby. We could tell he really liked being held like that and we were happy to hold him however he liked.
Vicky couldn't stop staring and smiling at Tim's happy expression. His smile melted our hearts, it was a smile we wanted to protect and never see go away.
Jackie: "Let's get going, I'm hungry!"
We started walking to one of the dinning chambers of the cave complex. We have multiple cave chambers and multiple that serve the same purpose such as the hot spring chambers for bathing and relaxing, the dinning chambers for eating and socializing, the ice chambers for food storage, etc. This cave system is basically a city.
Tim: "Will the others let me in?"
Tim asked with a slight frown on his face as he looked to Vicky for an answer.
Vicky looked at him with a serious yet kind face.
Vicky: "You are coming in with us wether they like it or not."
Vicky said with a firm tone but not too firm, as she feared if she sounded too firm it would scare Tim, which it most likely would.
Tim smiled and hugged Vicky tighter in a gesture of thanks. We arrived at the chamber and immediately were welcomed with stares. This unsettled Tim and he whimpered slightly and caved into Vicky a little more.
Catherine: "Vicky, I'll take him now."
Vicky handed Tim back over to me, he immediately latched onto me as if his life depended on it.
I looked down at him.
Catherine: "Tim. Look at me..."
Tim slowly looked up at me with fear in his eye.
Catherine: "You have nothing to worry about... we will stay with you the entire time. We won't leave you. Ok?"
I ended with a reassuring smile.
Tim nodded but still had a high level of fear. Everyone could sense it.
We made our way over to an empty table as far from everyone else as possible so that Tim could feel just a little more at ease. Jackie pulled out a chair for me and I placed Tim in it. We all took our seats and Tim quickly scooted his chair closer to me.
I smiled as I stroked his hair tenderly.
Jackie: "We're going to go get the food, we'll be right back."
I decided to stay with Tim while the others got the food.
Suddenly our friend Skye showed up and took a seat next to Tim.
Skye: "Hey Catherine! And who's this?"
Skye asked as she looked down at Tim. With a smile. Tim got scared and hugged my arm tightly and buried his face in it.
I looked down at him as I stroked his hair with my free arm.
Catherine: "Its ok, little one. Skye, here is another friend of ours. She won't hurt you, I promise."
Tim slowly eased his tenseness and glanced at Skye. Skye gave him a friendly smile.
Skye: "Hi there. My name is Skye. What's yours?"
Skye spoke softly so she didn't scare him.
Tim: "M-my name i-is Tim..."
Tim replied quietly.
Skye: "That's a nice name..."
Tim was still very tense.
Skye: "Its ok, I won't hurt you, I promise."
Skye held her hand out towards Tim.
Tim looked at her hand for a moment and slowly and shakily reached his hand out to touch Skye's. Tim's hand made contact with Skye's.
Skye: "See? I'm not gonna hurt ya."
Tim still had a slightly scared face and retracted his hand and continued to hug my arm.
Skye looked back up at me.
Skye: "Mind if I join you guys?"
Catherine: "Not at all."
I said with a smile.
I looked down at Tim and used my hand to guide his head to look up at me.
Catherine: "Is it ok if Skye joins us?"
I asked with a kind smile.
Tim: "I... I g-guess, I don't mind..."
Tim replied quietly.
Skye: "Here, I'll sit over here, ok?"
Skye said as she got up and went to the far end of the table.
The girls came back with plates full of hot food.
Jackie: "Hey Skye, what's up?"
Jackie asked with a smile as she and the others placed Tim and I's food in front of us.
Skye: "I'm doing good, I just met this little cutie... what's his story? Like, what is he doing here? And what's up with all the bandaging?"
We all exchanged glances and we heard Tim Sniffle. The girls and I's wolf ears folded down in sadness.
Catherine: "He has a very sad story..."
I said with a frown as I looked down at Tim.