Wolf Camp (Bear Naked 2)

Chapter 5, part 1

Over the next couple of days, training was stopped and they were sent each day to do chores up at the elder's lodge. The chores themselves were little more than an excuse. Other tribes were sending their envoys. The Fleischer envoy had arrived late the night before and other envoys were expected over the next couple of days.

The Fleischer's were not on nearly as friendly terms with the Leidulf's even though they were technically at peace. They had not brought any of their young along and the envoy certainly would not consent to rolling around in wolf form with the kids so they could get used to his scent.

"Consider this another aspect of your training," Marshall said. "If you have a chance, catch his scent. Be discreet. Don't approach him directly or be too obvious."

There was a pecking order in the group assignments as there was in almost everything else at wolf camp. Mitch and his pack were assigned to bringing firewood into the growing camp and stacking it. It gave them ample opportunity to discreetly check out the Fleischer's camp and pick up their scent while the envoy was away. The others had a bigger challenge ahead of them to get the scent.

The envoy had a female with him, the omega of his pack. She seemed to understand the necessity of young wolves getting to know other packs. She found numerous "chores" she needed to do that brought her into contact with the young.

Connor, Amanda, and their pack were set to cleaning up the old church and applying a new coat of stain the lower portions of it. It kept them away from the main camp. "It's not just some stupid camp trophy or memories," Connor complained. "This is about tribal politics. Mitch doesn't want us to know the scents of all these different tribes."

"Why? That seems kind of petty," Erica said.

"It's not. Five years from now, ten years, whenever, we will be the adults building these connections and making these treaties. Who will get chosen to be our envoys? The ones who are already familiar with other tribes, that is who." Connor explained. "Keeping us in the dark now will serve him and his pack later, mark my words."

Amanda had a hard time caring. She didn't share Connor's interest in tribe politics and she didn't really want to be secretly sniffing strangers. She didn't want to be in the main camp when one of her would be killers arrived, either. She shook her head and tried to concentrate on staining the church.

Her mind kept going back to last Valentine's day. Why that day, she couldn't fathom. Her heart started racing as she recalled the way Eric had looked at her. She had thought "the eyes of a killer" was just a saying and a rather cliche one at that. But she couldn't find any other words to describe his look.

She hadn't thought of that incident in months. The events in Wisconsin earlier this spring were more pertinent, more dramatic. Why did her mind suddenly want to dwell on this?

She nearly dropped her brush as it hit her. She turned and looked back at the camp, towards the path. A man was standing on the edge of the path smoking. He was scrawny with ropy muscles on his arms. He was dressed in ragged jeans and a jean jacket with the sleeves torn out.

"Damn," Amanda said.

"What?" Connor asked, following her gaze. "Who is that?"

"The Fleischer envoy," Amanda said.

"How do you know?" Connor asked.

"You were thinking about Eric, weren't you?" she asked.

"How did you, oh," he broke off and looked at the man. He broke into a grin suddenly. The others were sniffing the air.

"Yeah, like Erik," Brianna said. "That's the Fleischer scent."

"Score one for us, and screw them," Connor said. "Put us way over here. Combination of the breeze and already being half familiar, we win."