17 Bullets: becoming the Werewolf Queen

Chapter 12: Beginning the Journey

45 BULLETS

Thann was not a good traveling companion. He was someone to talk to sure, but it was like going on a walk with my dog. I could talk to him all I wanted, but there really wasn't any conversation. He could speak back at me, but he only knew a few simple words.

Hmm... maybe I should teach him sit and stay and all those commands. My own little trained pet alien.

A lot of the time I just felt like I was talking to myself. After a while I started telling him the story of Harry Potter just so there wasn't silence. It was actually kind of fun to reread my favorite book, so to speak.

Late into the afternoon we hit a stream with clear crystal waters. I put the wheelbarrow down and secretly patted myself on the back. It was working out pretty well. Sure Thann had to carry the wheelbarrow up the steep mountainsides for me whenever we hit one, but on all the flat areas, I rocked it.

I pointed to the water. "Water? Good? Yes-No?"

He looked cautiously in the water and surrounding bank and then stepped to me.

"Is it okay then?"

His hands came down on my shoulders and pushed down.

"Whoa Dothraki? What do you want?" I asked confused.

He kept pushing until I crumpled under the weight and he kept going until I was sitting in the grass.

"Okay, I'm sitting! Are you done yet?"

Thann then pointed at me and strode off into a thick patch of trees.

I didn't know where he was going, but figured I'd thoroughly enjoy the time off my feet. I laid back in the grass and grimaced, realizing all the walking was catching up with me and that time of the month. My back was aching with cramps. I held my arm out and picked at the inside of my bicep where the birth control rod was implanted just under the skin. I flicked it indignantly. "Start working you. You're supposed to keep cramps away."

Standing up I dug through the wheelbarrow until I found my purse and the small bottle of ibuprofen. I inwardly cursed that I took out my better meds a few weeks ago. They would work so much better for me right now, but ibuprofen was better than nothing.

I felt like that's all I've been saying the whole time on this darn planet. Better than nothing.

I downed the pill with some water and Thann came back through the same patch he left. "Water yes."

"Water yes? Water good?" I reiterated and sat at the bank with the water bottle in my hand. I studied his reaction as I put it down in the stream, but he just nodded.

The stream felt so good after the long hike. Cool water running over my fingers was heavenly. Thann filled all the extra containers we had, I had my own fill from my filter straw, and then placed bare feet down in.

"Toes water," he laughed.

I flipped my feet around. "Yes, toes water!" Then I flicked some water playfully up at him. "Now water Thann."

"El," he cautioned a teasing gleam in his eye.

"Wasn't me!" I turned to look behind and then shrugged. A slight grin formed on my lips.

He crouched down and splashed a handful up me.

My hands shot out to guard myself and I laughed at the cold now dotting my clothes. "Darnit Thor!" I laughed and went to kick some more water, but he caught my ankle and held it in place.

"Ngikufaka emanzini?" He smirked and then tugged on my ankle making me move forward a few inches toward the bank.

"Thann!" I shrieked, steadying myself. "Don't you dare!" I laughed and tried to dig my hands into the soil.