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.

the clearing again I

“What are you

back to where I was when I found her.

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 pointed in the other direction.

the direction of our convoy then back

timing in the world, but if I don’t give this a chance—.” I didn’t dare finish the

“I know,” he said.

on quickly,” I said. “I just need to know if this

Sam nodded. “There is still time until nightfall,” he said looking at the sky.

was time,

this quiet. Just in case it

“Wait…” he said. “You’re going on your own?” It just dawned on him as

“Keep things tight here,” I told him.

“No one moves alone. That’s your own rule.”

in the direction

if it’s a trap?” he asked.

know, but I think I need

don’t make sense.”

in frustration.

was

“I said go,” I insisted.

like he wanted to defy me

and waved it at him behind me. “We keep

I gained pace as I followed the track. After a while, the smell got a little stronger and my heart did a

I kept running at the highest pace I could maintain in the wood. I covered a lot of ground and I was

her smell and my pace, she was probably walking, which explained why

the mountain, it was hard to believe someone would travel here. A little further, there were

word of Sam resonated in my head.

What if this is

me away from civilization, from my men, from any resources

didn’t seem to connect

water to erase her tracks? The stream had been small, easy to cross, so why risk getting her feet wet far in the woods, otherwise? Then was

was not visible anymore, the orange glow slowly turning to midnight

out of

my wolf eyes, my vision was getting limited in the thick forest.

I was close, I

suddenly stopped.

like an elephant to

to the river, the forest cleared, the wind pick up speed, and I smelled

the autumn ground as a child, of the feeling of strawberry juices running on your

at the edge of my vision, but I knew