{"id":1289,"date":"2012-07-04T00:00:54","date_gmt":"2012-07-04T04:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1289"},"modified":"2012-07-03T19:21:25","modified_gmt":"2012-07-03T23:21:25","slug":"winter-chapter-15-07","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1289","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 15 – 07"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>My brother and Paul vanished in seconds, rushing off to round up our shotguns.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom kissed me and murmured something about swords and staves, then disappeared in their wake.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>A moment later, I stood by the fire with Kellin, Jacqueline, and Greg, all four of us staring at Phelan.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He stood with eyes wide and staring at the fire, forehead pressed against the staff that abruptly seemed like it was the only thing keeping him on his feet.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His eyes slid shut a moment later and his lips began to move, forming silent words I couldn\u2019t understand.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline swallowed and looked sidelong at me. \u201cHe\u2019s praying, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I nodded, unable to tear my eyes away from him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>All the steel that had been in his spine a few minutes before was good now\u2014he seemed as young and frightened as the rest of us.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We can\u2019t keep doing this to him.<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJac,\u201d I said slowly, \u201cI need you to do something for me.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She shoved her hands into the pocket of her hoodie.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTell me.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGet Tala and Angie and go down into the steam tunnel in front of Robinson.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Have Tala bring one of the shotguns.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Stay down there until we give you the all-clear.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut you\u2019re–\u201c<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOne shotgun isn\u2019t going to make the difference between us living and dying up here,\u201d I snapped, speaking a little more harshly than I intended.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut it <\/span>could<\/span><\/em> make the difference for the three of you.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Go.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She looked at me, then glanced at Greg and Kellin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kel sighed softly and jerked her head toward the tunnel.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe\u2019s right.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Go.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019ll need you in one piece when this is over and that tunnel\u2019s our best way to ensure that.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat about Jay?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I snorted.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid you see him with that sword? We need him up here.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Go.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She glanced at Greg, making a last silent appeal, but he shook his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline sighed out a breath and darted off, shouting for Angie and Tala.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I looked at Greg and Kellin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat do you think?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201c\u2018There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy,\u2019\u201d Greg said, shaking his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThis is yards above anything I\u2019ve researched and I missed the day in shaman school where they talked about any type of werewolf that wasn\u2019t a roleplaying game or Native American.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGreat,\u201d I muttered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cKel?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe same.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m tapped out,\u201d she said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe wards might hold them back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They might not.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Depends on the level of malevolence we\u2019re dealing with.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>If it\u2019s just some kind of natural instinct to hunt, we could be completely screwed.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat sounds reassuring,\u201d Thom said as he appeared at my elbow and pressed my staff into my hands.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe wards can sense the difference between something that\u2019s going to kill us for food and something that\u2019s going to kill us because it wants to?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomething like that.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kellin caught her lower lip between her teeth.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThey\u2019re not going to stop something natural.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They won\u2019t stop something that doesn\u2019t mean us any harm.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>But they\u2019re untested when it comes to stopping something preternatural that\u2019s just got the instinct to hunt and kill.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThey might hold them and buy us time to respond,\u201d Phelan said in a mumble.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He opened his eyes and straightened as he drew a deep breath.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut it\u2019s going to depend on how old and how strong they are.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The only section of the wards that\u2019s gotten attention since the battle is the part that went down during it, aye?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>That\u2019s the strong point.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Are we going to gamble that they\u2019ll hit us along the strongest part of our defenses?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFuck no,\u201d Thom said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo one\u2019s that dumb, but we\u2019re not stupid either.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ve got the others setting up a ring with the fire as the center point.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Rory and Paul are up on the roofs.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019ll at least see them coming, when they come.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou know, I haven\u2019t heard any howling,\u201d Kellin said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot since we scattered.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat\u2019s because they\u2019re hunting,\u201d Greg said quietly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWolves aren\u2019t stupid to begin with.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They\u2019re apex predators.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>That means good instincts.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Couple that with human intelligence\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd you get killing machines,\u201d Phelan said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe\u2019s right.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They\u2019re getting ready to hit us.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s a question of where.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Rory\u2019s voice echoed off rubble and trees.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWest southwest!<\/span>\u00a0 West southwest<\/em><\/span>!\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They\u2019re here.<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I spun and plunged toward that section of our loose defensive circle.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>West southwest was Little Mac and the ravine.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Greg ducked after me, flanked by Thom as we ran.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We didn\u2019t need to go far\u2014a dozen yards and we were there, slipping between Drew and my brother to get a better look.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>There were five wolves\u2014gray wolves if I was any judge, though their pelts ran the gamut from gray to black to brown and red.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They paused for a moment at the ward lines, as if sensing the power there.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They milled around just shy of them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>One gave a soft whine.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Their ears were up, eyes of amber and blue open, bodies taut but two of them let their tongues loll out.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thiers were the only visible teeth.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Greg put a hand on my arm.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomething\u2019s not right.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The display\u2019s too mixed.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I started to snap something at him, but Phelan interrupted.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo, he\u2019s right.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There\u2019s something strange about all this.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It doesn\u2019t feel right.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I couldn\u2019t tell whether or not the situation felt right, but I <\/span>could<\/span><\/em> feel the pulse of power coming off of Phelan as he took up position at my shoulder, peering between Thom and I at the small pack beyond the wards.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 At least one of us is ready for a fight.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>I knew I wasn\u2019t, not really.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Dread still coiled in my belly, uncertainty holding me captive.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What am I going to do if they come at us?<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Then one of them, a brindled gray wolf, big and sleek with huge blue eyes, crossed the ward line.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>And reared up on its hide legs and <\/span>changed<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Someone yelled in surprise.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Drew made a choked sound.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI know him,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>A slender, dark-haired man smiled at us, stark naked with the rest of the wolf pack starting to mill around him.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHullo, Andrew,\u201d the man said, his Welsh accent as thick as overcooked oatmeal, \u201cmight I trouble you for a pair of pants?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My brother and Paul vanished in seconds, rushing off to round up our shotguns.\u00a0 Thom kissed me and murmured something about swords and staves, then disappeared in their wake.\u00a0 A moment later, I stood by the fire with Kellin, … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,54,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-15","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-kN","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1289"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1289\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1291,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1289\/revisions\/1291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}