By The Light Of The Moon

Chapter 9

The wind whipped the tops of the trees, and the rumbling of thunder had me digging through my saddlebags for my storm cloak. I wrapped it around my shoulders while Milly plodded along the trail. My eyes strained against the darkness as I tried to see the trail and duck beneath any low branches.

Pine needles and small twigs rained down around us as the wind grew worse. The dense foliage creaked as they swayed back and forth. They blocked the worst of the wind, for which I was grateful.

Soon enough, raindrops began dripping through the branches. I pulled my hood up, and as I did so, my fingers brushed against the necklace, which was still slightly warmer than my skin. I glanced down, but the chain was too short to let me see the pendant under my chin.

I chewed on another piece of watercress as a dim flash of light lit up the clouds, followed by booming thunder. Right on its heels, the rain poured down, softened by the forest canopy above.

My storm cloak was designed to withstand the coastal storms, so it kept me warm and dry. Milly probably needed a shower to rinse away the sweat from her earlier run, and while the air was cool, it wasn't cold. Most mules didn't get to lounge in a stable during every bit of rain, and she wasn't about to get that luxury today.

Thunder continued rolling above as the rain came down heavier. Water ran in small rivulets near my feet, and I hoped we were far enough up the mountain slope that we didn't have to worry about mudslides or flash floods.

Something moved on the trail ahead, and I stopped, swinging my spear in front of me.

"It's just me."

I sighed in relief and pointed the sharp stick away from the werewolf. "Your fur blends in with the shadows remarkably well."

There were a few seconds of silence before he replied, "Thanks, I think."

I chuckled. "Perhaps give a bit more warning and be glad I don't have a crossbow or some other ranged weapon."

"Duly noted, and I'm quite relieved you're not the kind of person to scream in a high-pitched voice every time you're startled."

"That'd be my cousin. But since you're here, I'm assuming something is up?"

"I've set up a camp ahead."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "It's not close to dawn yet, is it?"

"No, but this storm is going to get worse before it lets up."

All I could see of him was a dark shadow, but I heard him shake out his fur, and even from here, I heard how much water struck nearby plants. The heavy rain had probably soaked through his fur. As much as the delay frustrated me, there was no point in risking our health in a downpour like this.

"Alright, which way am I going? I can barely even see you."

"This way." He moved off the trail, deliberately snapping twigs so I could follow the sounds.

We pushed our way through soaked shrubs until we reached a tiny campsite built into the side of a ridge. A small campfire flickered against the rocky base.

"It's not the best, but the overhang will keep us dry."

"I'm surprised anything out here is dry," I replied as I dismounted and led Milly to one side of the sheltering ridge. I tied her leadline to a tree so she could decide if she wanted to stay dry or wander around in the rain.

The saddle was slippery in the rain, but I carried it and the two saddlebags closer to the fire. As I spread the saddle across a larger rock to dry, a shimmer of orange light made me glance over to see Shane standing near the fire.

His leather clothing was an excellent defense against thorns and scratches when pushing through the underbrush, but the short sleeves weren't ideal for staying dry or warm. I carried my packs closer and set them against the base of the ridge before digging out a light blanket.

I held it out. "Here. It'll help keep the cold at bay."

He gazed at me for a while before reaching out to take it. "Thanks."

As he wrapped it around his shoulders, I examined the ground, looking for the spots that would stay the driest if the wind shifted. This part of the ridge leaned out, which gave me more options, although there were only about ten steps between the base of the cliff and the rain. As I examined the loose rock rubble, I noticed scratch marks in one area, like a werewolf had clawed the debris out of the most sheltered spot. I set my bedroll to the side of it, letting him have the driest spot.

"Can you boil some water if I go find a rabbit or something?" Shane asked.

"Sure." I dug my pot out of my saddlebag, and by the time I turned around, the neatly folded blanket on a rock was the only evidence Shane had been behind me.

I shook my head at his disappearing act and put the pot by the fire, dumping water from my water skin into it. A quick search of my saddlebags yielded a foldable leather funnel to collect rainwater and the matching leather bucket that Milly usually drank from. After unfolding the bucket and funnel, I set them out in the rain. There was no sense asking Shane to bring water when bucketfuls were already falling out of the sky.

After checking on Milly, who was grazing along the side of the cliff, I wandered over to the trees to gather branches. I piled the wet wood beside the fire to dry while waiting for Shane to return.

He eventually emerged from the forest, walking on his hind legs as a werewolf. As he approached the fire, I could see his fur was, indeed, soaked. I carried another armful of branches back as he shook himself off. His necklace dangled from his hand, and he put it around his neck.

Dark orange light with flickers of green shimmered over his fur as he regained his human form. When he turned his head to face me, I made sure I wasn't staring. Nor was I foolish enough to pretend I hadn't been looking – anyone would have been. Instead, I let a bit of curiosity linger in my expression as I set my armful of wood down.

I put a few branches on the fire and said, "I think this should be enough for a while. Do you need any help with that rabbit?" Even though curiosity burned within me, I left my real questions unvoiced.

He blinked slowly at me, then shook his head. "I'm just going to roast some of it and make stew with the rest, but if you want to peel the bark off some branches for skewers, that'd help."

I nodded and began sifting through the branches for ones suitable for roasting.