Born To Burn

Ch.8: Reunited

***Eidon***

The moon sat high in the sky as I passed across the street and thinned myself against the side of the Dunn house. Almost there. I slide down the side until I met the corner that would lead me into the backyard.

I didn't see their car in the drive when I crossed the street so they aren't back yet. I dip around the corner and pause. I breathe in deep, allowing Ion, my wolf, to come out and attempt to find Ember's scent.

My vision tunnels and I take a mental step back, handing the reins over to him. He sniffs the air, the sliding glass door, then drops down into a crouch as he sniffed around the patio.

"Got it!" He howls in our mind.

He quickly leads us to the edge of their yard, pausing at the treeline. These woods feel different, eerie. Like something isn't right. He sniffs harder.

There is definitely a scent we don't recognize present. But it's so minute, so faint, the wind makes it impossible to track. We hear a car pull up, followed by lights coming on in the house shortly after.

We crouch low to conceal ourselves as we hear Mrs. Dunn's wails and her pain is suffocating. Panic inducing. Ion takes more control, I feel my face bending and elongating, my hands give birth to claws and my feet shred my shoes. We cross into the woods and after a few sniffs, Ions' got her scent and we are off hot on her trail.

We've run for several hours before her scent starts to get stronger. The sun is preparing to rise but we're getting closer!

Another hour or so and we burst into a small clearing with the remnants of a small fire scattered. Her scent swirls here. She was here not too long ago! She's still close. We inhale deeper, finally pinpointing a direction.

Other scents are present too. Unfamiliar scents. So we can rule out any foul play from the pack....but who the fuck has Ember?

Ion takes all control from me, black fur peppers my skin as I slam into full wolf form. We have her scent, we know where to go. We're coming Ember.

***Ember***

"Those sorry pieces of no good- uggghhhhh" I wake to Frey cursing.

I sit up and turn to see him huffing and kicking at empty cages, some still hanging, others littering the ground. EMPTY. I gulp.

"What's got your panties in a wad already this morning?" Faline asks as she emerges from her tent, drawing our attention.

"The imps! The little bastards escaped last night. Every one of them!" Frey spits, kicking the closest cage for emphasis.

Faline actually laughs. "Good! They were useless anyways! Let em be gone I say. Less work and more wine for us!" She giggled.

Frey shot her a look that told her he was much less amused. Faline walks over and studies the cages.

"What the?" She asks as she plucks a tiny hairy object from one of the cage doors.

Frey grabbed it from her hands holding it close to his face to study it.

"Hair? Where did the little bastards get hair?" He asks, scratching his head.

I visibly shrink as Faline faces me...

"Wellll.....about that- that might've been my fault" I confess.

They both look at me, confused.

"After we all laid down last night, just before I got to sleep, one of them begged me for a lock of my hair. It wanted to braid it. I didn't think it would hurt anything and I wanted it to be quiet so I gave it some." I finished sheepishly, trying to avoid eye contact.