The Bind

Unforeseen Circumstances

CLAIRE POV

Objectively I am aware that time passes at a steady metric. Subjectively...It was without a doubt the longest afternoon of my life.

The Blood Moon Pack volunteered a truck of field medics and associated supplies to get the wolves through the dangerous parts of withdrawal. While waiting for the troops to corral themselves I wandered around and took stock of the town. Followed by a cohort of mangy creatures attempting to menace me. Outwardly, to no discernible effect. Inwardly, my organs had turned to jelly and were rapidly melting into an adrenaline laced sludge. I gripped onto the thick line of minds connected to mind and forced a presentation of unwavering strength, not allowing one iota of my true feelings to broadcast along the pack linking system.

The three grey wolves, the triplets, made a point of lunging for me any time I let my guard down, testing my nerves and my defences until I was painfully aware of their movements at all times.

To my untrained eye, it looked as though the town could have been entirely self sufficient, or at least well on it's way to be. Wind turbines spun listlessly in advantageous places to catch the wind and harness its power, and solar panels shone from most of the roofs of wooden cottages. They were a bit busted, but I tracked down the engineers in the pack, who sulkily had them back up and running fast enough. Those and the water filtration system.

It was like pulling teeth. Without Becky's technical know-how pertaining to renewable energy sources and basic electrical engineering the pack would have been stuck in the dark.

I would be powerless without you Becky. I linked, meaning a few things at once.

Claire! Becky sighed with exasperation, dragging the two syllables of my name into a generous three. Are your jokes always that bad?

I can either laugh or cry right now. I replied seriously.

You laugh, I'll cry. She retorted, proclaiming herself to be a liar by laughing out loud. Sharing my moment, whilst physically on the other side of the city, attending to her own pack. She herself had a sharp eye tracking some juvenile delinquents who were off to break some boundaries. Becky had left a particularly rough brand of cheap whisky in an auspicious place to be found and sequestered away. Which it had.

The rag tag group were currently slinking through the afternoon with their ill gotten goods, under the impression that they had escaped notice. They hadn't, but a little rebellion is good for the spirit, so Becky just kept tabs on them so she could intercede if absolutely necessary.

If memory served, the teenagers were in for the worst hangover of their lives imminently.

Back in my neck of the woods; I had seconded a wrap around robe and was observing fields of crops - and an orchard - that had been carved out of forested land along the river. They were riddled with weeds. Opportunistic plants that were doing their best to strangle the crops. Invading the tilled ground for resources. Asserting dominance over the previously manicured selection of food-stuffs. Winning.

That was a job for tomorrow person.

On one edge of the town ran a wide river with crystal clear water. Close enough for everyday use, but far enough for seasonal flooding not to be an issue. I followed it back from the orchard into town, enjoying the cool breeze that rose from the water to swirl around the bare skin of aching legs. One of the triplets nearly succeeded in pushing me over the bank and down into the water, but I sidestepped at the last second and allowed him to carreen off the edge instead. His frustrated howl cut off with a comical splash and I was hard pressed not to laugh.

Set slightly away from the other tired houses bordering the dust bowl I had landed in was a small wooden cottage with large wide doors. Five steps brought me up to a veranda that circled the little abode. Inside a sturdy mahogany door wide enough for two grown wolves abreast was a short hall. Three doors cut into either side and the end of the hall. They led to a large study, a small bedroom (with another little door leading outside) and a bathroom. It was all quite literally scratched up, but would be a gorgeous space once tidied up. It must have been Sandra's cottage.