The Forgotten Child

Chapter 14

Alyson popped open the truck of her car sighing for the nth time. Man, these guys were already draining her.

"Okay first, thing first we set up camp. We need to find a place that's not too far into the forest but not too far then that's eat up our time here. We've only got three days to do this. Let's head in and remember we are observing the Skinwalkers, we aren't put here to fight them out right," Alyson said as everyone grabbed their stuff. Alyson looked over the four boys they all looked determined, even Mason his usual goofy grin gone replaced with a determined look in his eye.

"And the only reason we attack would be if they attack first, which is likely," Dustin added on coming to stand next to her.

"And when we engage in battle, listen to Dustin, he knows how to fight these guys better than I do. I'll follow along with his orders unless I think they are too dangerous. But you all need to listen to him. I don't really know how were fighting works," Alyson orders and can feel the shock coming off Dustin.

"Really?" Mason asks.

"Yes, really. If we were going to fight them as people, then I'd be your battle strategist. But Since you all fight in wolf form, I can't really do anything. I mean I understand how normal wolves fight, but you all are different. I have no idea how you all fight or what you can really do. I haven't really been around you enough to fully know."

"Dustin on the other hand is a Were and understands how it works. Plus, I'll have Kit and Koda to order around if I feel like I need to order someone around," Alyson jokes looking over the wolf and fox that lay nearby.

"Okay, you heard her, let's get going," Dustin said after recovering from his shock. Alyson readjusts the bag on her shoulder. Sometimes this thing was really heavy.

Alyson lead the group into the woods.

"Oh, and one more thing no shifting until it's nighttime," Dustin ordered.

"What if we come across a Skinwalker?" Kaden asks.

"Hopefully, we won't, they're supposedly nocturnal. But I've seen a good amount out during the day. If we do see them, we go to the trees and hunt them from above, no shifting. We don't want to risk non-Weres finding out that you all are Weres. Understood?" Alyson asks.

"I dunno if I can climb up a tree," Collin says.

"Don't worry I'll help you up if need be," Alyson said. But Collin did not look very reassured.

"That or you'll learn real quick. We absolutely cannot take these things on straight on if we aren't in wolf form. We'll have to be sneaky about it," Dustin said surprising Alyson. He must've learned that when he tried to fight one back in Maine. Maybe Dustin wasn't as thick skulled as Alyson thought he was.

The group walked through the forest with Alyson going first, then Collin behind her then Kaden, then mason, and Dustin in the back. Kit and Koda followed Alyson on either side.

The group hiked through the trail keeping an eye out just in case of any Skinwalkers.

About a mile in Kit and Koda stopped and Alyson could feel their discomfort.

"Kit and Koda are picking up on something, tread carefully," Alyson ordered softening her footsteps and quieting her breathing. Her hand reached for the hunting knife in her bag and pulled it out with ease. Alyson now following Kit and Koda crouched down.

Alyson looked back to make sure everyone was following her lead. They were crouched and their eyes focused on their surroundings. She looks back forward and felt Kit and Koda's low growls of warning to a predator.