for a moment. He was kind of handsome when he wasn’t crouching in his gnaw wolf position. I giggled and blushed a bit after her comment. Then I remembered why I was mad at him.

“I would never be with someone who says I’m helpless!” I snapped back at her.

“Oh come on! Fox-dung to that!” she yowled laughing, “He isn’t as bad as you think he is. Really, you’re the only one that is causing pain.” She muttered. I sighed and looked away. Maybe I did love him but it was more like a brotherly love than a mate love.

We ended the conversation and I went to the campsite in the afternoon. Kolen was in the Alpha’s cabin talking with him. I growled under my throat. Then I saw Emerella and Kolle nuzzle each other with so much compassion and love. It made me feel jealous that I couldn’t have the love they had.

Then I saw the gnaw wolves in their little area. There was a brown wolf with one ear and another with one eye. Then I almost lost my lunch when I saw a wolf with three legs. I felt bad for them and then I saw Chinook gnawing a bone. He looked like he wasn’t enjoying it. I made my way over to them and them Chinook didn’t notice me until I was over him. He looked up with his eyes filled with sadness.

“Hi.” I sighed. He perked his ears up and dropped his bone.

“Hi.” He said, “I thought you weren’t talking to me anymore?”

I sighed and said, “I need to talk you.” He looked at me and said

“Fine, but make it quick.” He said coldly he got up and we walked into a clearing with a creak in the middle of it.

I looked at him and I started, “Chinook? You don’t know how I’m sorry for the way I was. I actually shouldn’t have been eavesdropping.” He looked at me and smiled.

“No it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have said those things about you.” He hugged me friendly and I smiled. We were friends again and for moment, I wanted to be more than friends.

He looked at me and then he leaned into my nose and sniffed it. He has been so sweat to me; I couldn’t have done anything to repay him.  He then whispered something I wasn’t expecting, something that changed our lives forever, “I love you.”

I smiled and licked his cheek, “I love you more.”

***

I woke up back in the cave the following morning. Chinook lay next to me and he had his arm around me. I smiled and then I remembered that we loved each other. He woke and smiled. He had joy in his eyes. He licked my ear and said, “I have the day off. Do you?”

I nodded. It was freeday for the apprentices. We then planned a date with each other. He said to meet him near the meadow in the apprentice grounds I agreed I would and then I walked to the campsite as he went to this special place he had in mind.

Emerella was staring into a lake and grooming her beautiful fur which was radiant under the sun light. She looked at me and waved with her tail. I walked up to her and sat next to her.

“So? How did it go? I saw you go with to a meadow with Chinook but you never came back.” She asked.

“We talked.” I said then I went on with everything else, “then hugged, then kissed, then said we loved each other”

“You WHAT?!” she exclaimed, “Yesterday you were furious with him, now you want to be mates with him?”

I nodded and blushed about him being my mate.

“So where is he?” she asked

“Getting our date ready; he has something special in mind.” I said. She winked at me then said.

“Well them let me groom you as well, when was the last time you bathed yourself?” she asked looking at my fur.

“Er, never.” I said. She smiled and rolled her eyes and then started to groom me.

Her tongue was warm and wet ad it felt good to get all of this debris off me. When she was done grooming me, I was almost a radiant as she was. Then I had a meltdown, “What am I going to say, how do I talk to him?”

She laughed, “Like you usually do, strike the getting mad at him attitude though.” I rolled my eyes. She took me inside the hunter’s den, which was empty, and then we started talking about Kolle and Chinook like regular girls do. She was telling me how her and Kolle met and all that junk.

***

Chinook poked his head into the den and asked, “Er, Riley?”

I blushed and walked toward him he smiled at my fur and I said good-bye t Emerella who was giggling her fur off. I leaned on his shoulder and he grinned. We started walking out of the campsite and he lead to this special place he had in mind.

We started talking to each other after a few minutes.

“Er, I hope you like it, I know I do.” He said awkwardly. He was frightened and his legs were trembling.

“I pretty sure I will.” I said softly. He was getting very scared and then I said, “Hey, I’m new at this too.” He smiled and said

“It’s not that.” He paused, “It’s just the thought of losing you again. That’s what scares me the most.” I nuzzled his cheek fur and he sighed. He seemed kind of antsy about this and then I said

“We could do this another time if you want?”

“No, I want to be with you and I just don’t want to ruin that,” he paused, “again.”

I sighed and then my feet got tired and frustrated. I knew it was going to be worth it in the end.

***

Chinook told me to close my eyes and to fallow his fur. I did as he told and I felt a slight breeze.

“Ok. Open them.” He said. When I did, we’re coming up to two trees that were opposite each other and their branches were tangled around each other and it looked we were walking under a Golden arch. Then a breeze flew through and made the branches and they made the sound of wind chimes. We walked under the archway and then thousands of blossoms danced through the wind and were landing on a meadow and a silver pool. There was steam coming from the pool as it looked like it boiled in the sun light, “Chinook. It’s beautiful!” I said.

He sighed in relief and nuzzled my head. I walked to the pool and looked at my reflection. The scar I had across my eye was almost unnoticeable with all the grooming I’ve been through. Chinook came up and stood by me and smiled at my reflection.

Then I laughed and pushed him into the pool. He laughed and then pulled my foot in. I feel in next to him. The pool was warm and shallow. There were no fish in it or kelp. It was clear water. He started swimming and I fallowed him. I splashed at him and he went under water. I looked around for him, but he wasn’t there. Then all of a sudden I was grabbed from behind. He and I laughed and got out of the pool. He shook off the water as I did after him. We lay on the grass and then looked at the sky. The sun was going down and the stars shown through the night and it was the perfect romantic scene as the mist still roamed around the pool.

He smiled and looked at me and I did the same. His bright blue eyes were looking at me and passed me as other people usually did. He smiled and licked my ear. He whispered in it, “I love you, Riley.”

I smiled and returned what he said, “I love you too, Chinook.” Then he sniffed my nose and then he got too close to me…

***

That night, I had never loved anyone more than any one. He and I were now one. He sighed as the night ended and we fell asleep on the ground with no worries…