A Blood-Like Rain

— Kaden —

I began to panic.

We were heading to battle, but I smelled my mate. I smelled my mate!

I tried to track the direction the smell came from but it was so faint I could hardly notice it. I moved in circles half in a daze. I found a line, a line she must have been traveling, but I couldn’t tell which way she came from and which way she was going. And I tried to sniff both ways to see which seemed the strongest, the freshest.

Sam noticed my change in behaviour and got closer. When I noticed him, I raised my hand to make him stop. I was afraid his sheer presence would make me lose her scent.

It wasn’t completely irrational either as my own scent on her tracks was enough to nearly destroy what little clue I had.

I went in further.

I followed one side of the track all the way to a small stream, then I lost her. I checked all over, on the other side, everywhere. The track ended here. My best guess was she walked in the stream for a while, the water masking her scent.

I didn’t realize I had bolted in that direction, until I heard Sam running to catch up.

We were far now. The noise of my men, faint in the distance.

“What is it?” asked Sam worried.

“I found her,” I said in desperation. “I lost her.”

“Who?” he asked confused.

“My bloody mate.”

“Fuck! Now?”

“Yeah.”

“This is not a good time for this.”

“I know,” I growled in frustration.

I walked for a while, following the stream. I still couldn’t pick up her scent, so I stop.

“What now?” asked Sam.

“I go the other way,” I said.

I went back on my track. It was easier to go by the scent I just left than try and pick hers again. I went at a dead run, Sam could barely keep up.

reached the clearing

are you doing?”

I was

“This is her track. I don’t know what direction she went from but I know this side leads nowhere.” I pointed at where we went. “Which means this is my only chance.” I

of our convoy then back at me,

“It’s the worst timing in the world, but if I don’t give this

he

just need to know if this leads

“There is still time until nightfall,” he said looking

I looked too. There was time, but

this quiet. Just

on your own?” It just dawned on him as I turned to leave.

tight here,”

moves alone. That’s

the direction I

“What if it’s a trap?”

hesitated. I shook my head. “I don’t know, but I think I need to do this on my

don’t make

I said in frustration. “Go,” I

looked like he was about to argue.

go,” I

to defy me on this.

at

a little stronger and my heart did

pace I could maintain in the wood. I covered a lot of ground and I

she was probably walking, which explained why I was catching on, the track being a few hours

in the woods and the mountain, it was hard to believe someone would travel here. A little further, there were some paths that would be

resonated in my head.

What if this is a

away from civilization, from my men,

but my feet didn’t seem to

so why risk getting her feet wet far in the woods, otherwise? Then was she doing the same thing

visible anymore, the orange

out of time.

Even with my wolf eyes, my vision was getting limited in

close, I

suddenly stopped.

I would have sounded like

to the river, the forest cleared, the wind pick up speed, and I smelled her just before I could see

dead colourful maple leaf on the autumn ground as a child, of the feeling of strawberry juices running on your tongue, of a stormy night

the edge of my vision, but I knew it was