Page 21 of Danny's Dance

“Where can we go?” Aspen asked, making us all look around. Behind us was the village that we almost got ruined just by being here. Left was a large wasteland and right we’d follow the roads to the next town. Another town that would burn if we gotthere.

Regan pointed straight ahead. “Only oneoption.”

“The Woods of Erald? You sure that’s a good idea?” Ash said, glancing hesitantly at the dark tree line in front of us. I jogged towards Regan and pressed my wet snout against his leg to catch his attention. I really didn’t feel like going back to those woods, not after what happened inthere.

“Got no choice, love,” he whispered, running his hand through my pelt. I looked at the other directions and reluctantly agreed. He was right. Into the forest was our only chance of throwing them off ourtrail.

Ash loaded our packs on the horses and with a click, pulled them along as we disappeared into the dark forest once again. I crossed my imaginary fingers, hoping we wouldn’t awaken the evil spirits in the Woods ofErald.

Chapter Thirteen - Sausages

Iran along the group,my paws hitting the dead leaves and damp earth. It was almost pleasant if it didn’t smell so strange in here. You could tell this wasn’t a regularforest.

“Let’s camp here,” Regan spoke as we found ourselves in a small clearing. The ground was relatively even and we were surrounded by walls of thick shrubbery and trees. We were definitely deep enough into the forest that someone from outside wouldn’t be able to see ourfire.

The group nodded simultaneously, all looking exhausted. I couldn’t blame them. I was exhausted. It had been one fucking longday.

Ash let herself fall down on a rotten stump as Aspen unloaded the horses. Curiously, he searched the saddlebags and whooped loudly. “Look!” he cheered, conjuring a long dried sausage from the bag. “There are one, two, three more ofthem!”

“N-Nice,” JP muttered, hissing in pain as Darren nipped him with a small needle and thread. I jogged over to the pair and inspected our newest arrival’s handiwork. His fingers were strong but slender and his nails clean. His stitches were fast and even. Not bad. Not bad at all. Appreciatively, I nodded my head and softly licked JP’s wound. He grimaced and gave me a gentle pat between my ears. A warm feeling bubbled up from my stomach as my wolf curled her tail around his legs. Moments like this revealed how much she did care for JP, even if she pretended not to like him most of thetime.

“Look! Bread!” Aspen exclaimed enthusiastically, waving two big loaves of bread in the air. The thought of sausages and bread alone made me drool. It had been a while since we ate some meat. And Aspen couldn’t mess thisup.

“There, done. All stitched up,” Darren smiled, inspecting hisstitches.

“T-Thanks,man.”

“No problem,dude.”

I eyed JP and Darren, not believing myself that I found them kind of cute together. How would it be to have them both... No, Danny, don’t even think it! You know JP isn’t into that kind of thing and don’t even dare think about Darren like that. You already have enough drama and adventure in your life, you do not need to add a third lover. Oops, thought it afterall.

No! Bad wolf. No moremen.

“Oh man, there is even more dried meat in here!” Aspen called out in glee, waving a small satchel around. The savoury smell of meat hit my nose and I licked my lips. More meat? Don’t mind if I do! Those mercenaries were living a better life than wewere.

“Shall we pitch tents?” Ash proposed, pushing herself up from the ground as she tiredly rubbed hereyes.

“Good call. And we need firewood,” Regan nodded looking at the rest of the group. I silently groaned, annoyed that we left all the firewood behind in the barn. We had worked so hard to gather it thismorning.

JP sighed and I could tell that he was thinking the same thing. Gathering firewood was always an annoyingtask.

“I’ll go. I don’t mind,” Darren quipped in, surprising us all. For a guy who insisted on liking to be independent and doing his own thing, he sure blended inwell.

“Y-Yousure?”

“Yup. I’m bad at putting uptents.”

“Good,” Regan agreed, digging through his pack for the rags we usually used for camping. Ash started marking off squares and Aspen and JP uncoiled the long ropes from his satchel. I dug into the ground with my paws, feeling annoyed and useless in my wolf form. I couldn’t exactly help with anything and it wasn’t fair that my friends had to do all the workthemselves.

I glanced at Darren and before I knew it, I was skipping towards him. I gently nudge him against his legs, making himchuckle.

“Are you joining me, Danny?” he smiled, scratching the top of my head. I turned to Regan and JP, checking if they didn’t mind. Regan nodded and JP waved at us, before they both went back to pitching the tent. Looked like they didn’t mindthen.

I nipped at Darren’s ankle and ran into the woods, grinning as he chased me. I liked his energy. It wasfun.

I darted from one tree to the next, howling softly as I found a dryish looking branch. Of course, I couldn’t actually help him, but if someone attacked him or he got lost, at least he wasn’t alone. For some reason that I couldn’t explain, I felt like it was fate that we met. It just had tobe.

I watched the young man stroll through the forest, picking up branches and sticks like he was picking flowers. He had that same boyish and carefree look as a smile played around his lips. Why was he so damn cute? Couldn’t he just stop smiling so I couldn’t see his dimples? And what was with thatsmirk?

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