01. Lius
The Forest Through the Trees01 Liusby Assilsasta(¯·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨·~-.,-(Foment)-,.-~´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)Donovan twitched awake from the shadowy dream slightly disoriented. He felt a strange warm weight against his left side, pinning his arm down. He slowly opened his eyes to see what it might be. As he did the vision of the young doe hybrid came into view. Her long, brown flower-tangled hair rested on his chest, while her nude body was pressed tightly against his. His shirt and pants were the only barrier between them. He felt her soft, budding breasts mold into his side as she shifted in her sleep. Unconsciously he lifted the free portion of his left arm and pulled her closer to him. She looked so helpless and innocent in his arms, so pristine and beautiful. He watched her sleep as his eyes drifted aimlessly over what he could see of her. He felt himself slipping from his sheath as she draped an arm over him and hugged him in her slumber. He had the sudden urge to pull away, but he didn't want to wake her because he couldn't control his own body. He started running through thoughts to get his mind off the young, nude girl pressed up against him. As he poured through the catalogue of images he often used to clear his mind of the filth back at school he found himself constantly drawn back to the images of her singing and prancing through the woods. He found himself trapped on thoughts of her no matter how hard he tried to think of anything else. He inhaled deeply as he felt her move in his arms. He started to chant softly, "She is only fourteen. She is only fourteen," as he tried to tell his mind it was wrong to think of her that way.His mantra was interrupted by the sweet, melodic voice of Sonet as she said, "And you're only seventeen. Why is that important?"Donovan swallowed hard as he tilted his head down to look at the doe, as he thought about how to explain, "Um... you see, Sonet... Um... you're really pretty and it makes me think of bad things when I look at you.""What kind of bad things?" she asked as she sat up. Unsure of just how much the young girl might know about sex and the attraction he felt for her, he contemplated how to approach the subject. As he thought she crawled over to look him in the eyes, her paws planted firmly on his chest, her breasts fully exposed. Her golden brown orbs looked deep into his ice blue eyes as she asked, "Lust? Arousal? Attraction? Or just the confusion you feel for these things? Which one of them is bad?""You... You're fourteen, and I am seventeen. It's not right for me to think things like that about someone so much younger than I am," he tried to explain as he realized she knew more than he gave her credit for. "Why?" she asked as she tilted her head to one side, "You're a boy, and I'm a girl. It's only natural to be attracted to each other." Donovan shivered as she straddled his waist, pressing his semi-stiff erection into his belly, "You hide so much under these clothes," she said as she ran her paws over his shirt and pressed the fabric into his toned physique. "You're strong, kind, and gentle all at the same time," she spoke while her eyes moved across his clothed body, "any girl would be lucky to have you as a mate..."As the young doe spoke the final forbidden four letter word, Donovan sprang to his feet, tossing her to the ground unintentionally. "I... I'm so.. sorry." he stammered as he looked down at her, "I.. I gotta take a leak." With that he turned and ran a ways into the woods before he slumped his shoulder into a tree. He gasped for breath as he thought about what had just happened. 'Was she trying to seduce me? She's only fourteen, not even in high school yet.' he thought to himself as he gasped for breath. 'She was coming onto me.' The thoughts boiled in his head as his heart pounded against his chest. 'No, she's just a kid. She doesn't know what she's doing. Get ahold of yourself Donovan, she's fourteen for christ's sake. Just walk out here a bit and rub one out so you can think straight. You don't want to get her to town only to be arrested for statutory rap. She's hot, but she's not worth that.'The young lynx looked over his shoulder as he leaned against the tree. It did not look like the girl had followed him so he set about his dual task of relieving himself while he relieved himself. He
licked his paws to before he took hold of his member and closed his eyes. He spun the mental rolodex of porn images he saved for just such occasions as he started to slowly stroke his rock hard shaft. He struggled to maintain his own concentration as the image of her spinning and dancing down the path kept creeping in. He grunted as he tried to force the image out of his mind, making it almost impossible to work his way through his frustrations. Finally he gave in to the urge and lust he felt for the young girl and whispered her name as he felt the suddenly welcome buildup of pressure within him. He picked up his pace as he imagined her sitting on his waist again, the warmth of her nethers pressed against his. His hips bucked against his paw and his knees quivered as he shot his load onto the forest floor. Donovan let himself slide to his knees as he held onto the thin tree. His body physically relieved of pressure that had been building from the time he first saw her, yet sickened by the thought of being so sexualy aroused by such a young girl. Sure he had graduated early, but that did not excuse the fact that she was only a kid. 'I'm going to be one of those sick fucks that stalks little girls and ends up getting ass raped in jail,' he thought to himself as all the stories of what happens to pedophiles ran through his mind.(¯·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨·~-.,-(Recollection)-,.-~´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)Sonet watched as he ran off into the woods aimlessly, the deep lustful red swirling and fighting the lemon yellow of his aura as he struggled to control himself. She sat almost amused at the boy's struggle against his own natural urges, yet very relieved that he did not act on them. She felt drawn to him in the same way she saw in his aura, she wanted him, but feared what would come if they acted on those feelings. Her mind drifted back to what her grandfather had told her of her mother, Sabrina. He had told her of how a hunter had found their camp when they had gone to town one year before the frost. They had been caught in the pass by a sudden snow on their way back. He had decided to scout a new path while she stayed with the supplies. He was away when it happened, and she knew he blamed himself for it. When he returned Sabrina was in the small tent, bleeding and torn from what the hunter had done to her. He had rushed her back to the town, leaving all their supplies behind. He had told her that there was a lot of damage done, but she had been conceived that night. Her mother had not been able to fully recover from
the attack before Sonet was born and he was unable to save her. He had begged her to go with him to town to seek help, but she had refused time and time again, until it was too late.She hugged her knees to her chest as she thought about the story of her mother's last trip into town. For years her grandfather had taken her with him when he went to get supplies, never letting her out of his sight. She had never been to the town, only to a druid grove where her grandfather traded with others of like mind. People would come there to trade and do rituals. They always brought her little treats and candies. That was until she wanted to see where they came from, where they lived. When she asked her grandfather he told her the story of her mother, and of the world beyond the trees. The story had scared her, terrorized her dreams for months after. He had tried his best to console her and tell her it was only a word of warning, that not everyone outside the forest was like that. Sonet had sworn she would never go to the place that had killed her mother, a place that has so little value for life, the thought of it angered her to tears as she hugged her knees to her chest. That was when she stopped leaving their own grove. But now she was forced to. She knew she could not make it through the winter without supplies. She looked up from her knees as she heard Donovan walk back into their small shared camp. She smiled at him and his now turquoise glow. She felt the fear and anger that gripped her ease as he approached. She knew he was from that world, but he was kind and good. She knew he would keep her safe.(¯·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨·~-.,-(Bemusement)-,.-~´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)As Donovan walked back into the small clearing they had camped in he saw the young doe sitting with her knees pulled to her chest. Guilt shot through him as he saw the tears in her brown eyes. His heart broke as she looked up at him with a smile. He swiftly snached up the fur cloak as he sprinted to her side and draped it over her. With both paws on her shoulders he said, "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" He looked her over only to realize he had covered her entierly with the coak and would not be able to see any cuts or bruises.She smiled as she wiped some tears from her eyes, "I'm okay, I was just thinking about my mother." He sat down
beside her and wrapped his arm over her shoulder. He scolded himself for not thinking about the girl's mother or father. "Where is your mother?"He cringed as she gave him the answer. "She passed... when I was born," she said, "I didn't know her, but Grandfather always told me stories. She was beautiful, and had a voice that would enchant the forest." She leaned her head on his shoulder as she added, "now Grandfather has passed to the other side with her, and can listen to her sing again."After a moment she stood up, looked down at the lynx boy and said, "We should get moving. Can your... GPS thing tell us where to go?""It can," he said with a smile, "but we don't want to use up the batteries or we'll have to do it the old fashioned way.""Batteries?" she asked. He suddenly remembered just how much she may not know as he tried to answer the question as simply as possible, "Batteries are like... um... food, they give things the energy they need to work, and when the batteries run out of energy they stop working, just like if you don't eat." He looked over at her as he said, "We were making pretty good time when you were leading the way."Sonet smiled at him as he complemented her. "Thank you," she said as she spun in little circles on her toes, "Grandfather said I was always good at finding my way. He said the Fairies guide me. They whisper their secret paths in my ear and I know the way." She spoke with a giddy giggle sound in her voice as she fell to the ground like a small child. After he hefted the heavy pack onto his back he trotted over to where she had fallen and asked, "Are you okay Sonet?" She looked up at him with a smile. "You're too loud, Donovan," she said. "You're going to scare off the Fairies, then we'll be lost forever." He reached his paw down to the smiling doe. "Now you calling me Donovan is a little weird," he said as he helped her to her feet, "My Mom and dad only call me that when I am in trouble. Everyone else just
calls me Don."Sonet's mouth dropped open as she looked into his ice blue eyes. "Dawn, like the rising of the sun, new beginnings, new relationships, a fresh start," she smiled as her comments caught him by surprise, "the dawn brings new life and energy to the earth as she peeks over the horizon..."The lynx cut her off as he tried to correct her, "Don, not dawn." As the words rolled off his tongue he stopped and laughed at himself, "okay, that doesn't help does it?"She smiled at him again, the sight of her brought a smile to his own face as she said, "You're silly. You just said the same thing. But, I like that. Dawn," she looked over to the rising sun as she continued, "it sounds so warm and inviting." She reached out and took ahold of his paw and started to pull him back to the path. "Come on Dawn, we'll never get there if we just stand here all day." She smiled as the twinge of fear in her heart was overshadowed by the warmth of his paw in hers.(¯·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨·~-.,-(Unexplored)-,.-~´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)The two walked through the day, energized by Sonet's songs and her complicated explanations of the qualities and meanings of each plant and tree. Donovan marveled at her knowledge of every living thing they passed. Her presence, beauty, and joy all but driving out the memory that she wore nothing but the fur cloak. Each spin flashed him a glance of her treasure, only enough to rekindle the embers of his memory of holding her so close that morning. Repeatedly he shook his head when she was looking the other way while he tried to drive the images out. Every moment scolding himself for thinking the impure thoughts. The time alone with her only fueled his infatuation with the doe hybrid. She was everything he had thought he wanted in a girlfriend, but had never found. She was smart, energetic and joyful. She was beautiful, her fur and hair captivated him in their natural glory. There was no secret to her looks, no makeup, no trips to a salon. Only untouched beauty.They both froze as he was pulled back into the moment by the sound of a twig snapping. He watched as Sonet stood perfectly still, only the swivel of her ears gave any indication of life. The sound of the second snapped twig sent the young doe off in a sudden sprint in the opposite direction.
Without thinking he shouted her name and ran after her as fast as the heavy pack would allow him. He struggled to keep her in his sight as she moved through the forest unhindered. He continued to shout after her to stop until he made one false step. His ankle turned over under the weight of him and his pack as he crashed to the ground. Pain shot through his side as he landed hard on the rocky ground. He winced as he unbuckled the straps on his pack to let it fall free from his back as he rolled onto his stomach. He watched helplessly as the fur cloak fell from Sonet's shoulders and she darted gracefully out of sight.As the two teens ran into the small clearing they saw a strange sight, a young lynx laying face down on the ground, a large backpack next to him. As they approached the Bernese boy spoke."I told you I heard voices Ariel," as he continued he turned his attention back to the young male on the ground as he drew nearer, "we'll get to what you're doing on my property later, first are you injured?"The lynx rolled over and sat up as he started to dig through his pack and said, "Look, we didn't know... it's only twisted... and I need to find Sonet," as he pulled a collapsible walking stick out of his pack and tried to stand up."Hold up there sparky," the collie girl said as she walked up behind the other boy, placing a paw on the lynx's should to stop him. "Twisted or worse, you need to keep your weight off that ankle for now..." her eyes suddenly went wide as the young male's words sank in. "Sonet? Did you just say Sonet?" she asked her eyes narrowing and a toothy snear coming across her muzzle.Turning his attention to the lynx's face Mark said, "Doe/husky, girl, early teens that Sonet?" His expression mirroring the collie's as he added, "answer quickly and carefully and explain why the girl is with you."Donovan took a deep breath as he saw the look in the two teen's faces, then answered, "um... yeah, that's her... I was um... helping her find her way to town to get supplies. Then she got spooked and ran." As he spoke he scooted closer to his pack and put an arm over it. "Why? is there something wrong?""Mark, why would she be heading to town? Her grandfather
always..." the collie girl began, her words stopping as she looked suddenly to the young man on the ground before her. "You didn't..." she began before the Bernese boy cut her off.Pointing a finger accusingly at the lynx Mark said, "if you hurt either of them... Where is her grandfather? Was he with her when you found her?"Donovan looked up at the other boy as he said, "She said he passed to the other side a few months ago." His eyes shot open as the meaning of her words and their situation struck him hard. "But, that's not important. She's out here alone, and if you know her, think about that for a second."Looking the boy in the eyes, his own expression softening greatly Mark replied, "while it saddens me greatly to hear of her elder's passing, you underestimate her and her abilities. Yes Sonet is known to the Seekers of the Watchtowers, as well as the Circle of the Earthen Mother, we have watched over her in a way for much of her life and left her and her grandfather in peace.""That's part of the problem," Donovan said as he tried to stand again, "What if she runs into something she's not ready for? I don't think she's seen anything like what we might be near now, and I don't want to leave her alone to deal with that."Leaning back on his haunches the Bernese boy pressed a paw into the lynx's chest to stay his struggling. "Sit, it is best to keep from aggravating your ankle just yet. What is it you think you are near? The nearest town is Winter Creek, that is yet more than ten miles from where you are now. No, the nearest thing that she might see is our home which is still almost three miles away. Your concern for her safety is admirable, I will take it that she came willing with you?""She asked me to help her," the lynx said as he sat down a little more relaxed but still obviously tense, "She said she hadn't been to town and asked if I could show her the way."Looking out to the trees around them the collie girl spoke softly as she said, "she hasn't been near Winter Creek nearly as far back as I can remember.""Quite right, her grandfather goes a few
times a year to gather supplies, this time of year he would be preparing for winter. Which he can not and Sonet is trying to do..." he paused looking to the lynx before him, "with the aid of this young man it would appear. I understand your concern for her, but it is obvious you know nothing of the ways of druids. Sonet is as much at home in the forest as you are in your own home Mr?""Um.. Donovan Hunter, sir," the lynx said as he looked up at the bernese boy, "I... I don't know a lot about her, but being in the forest wasn't what I was worried about. I've been following her more than anything and I'm not sure where we are right now. I haven't checked my GPS since last night.""Please call me Mark, sir is too... old for me, this is my wife Ariel. Where you are is on the western side of my home and as I said three miles from my cabin. She was most likely following the path her grandfather kept marked that leads there. When he was less inclined to venture into town for supplies he would stop and visit with me. I would have members of the coven take care of his barters so he could rest and be tended to if he had need. The past few years the trip had become more difficult for him, but he would never accept assistance from anyone. His only concern has been to properly raise his granddaughter to the best of his abilities and teach her the ways of his predecessors. Do not worry yourself needlessly for her, she didn't go far and is most likely watching us now, to see what our intents are towards you Donovan. I doubt that she remembers either of us any more than we would be likely to recognize her."As Mark finished talking Donovan looked down at the ground and mumbled softly, "Like anyone would miss her in a crowd even after fifty years."A soft voice came from behind a maple tree. "Mark?" she asked as the young doe leaned out to look at the group, "You... you've changed.""Sonet?" the Bernese boy said as his gaze fell upon the doe's face as she looked out from her hiding place at him. "The Goddess has surely blessed me this day, you are well and unhurt?" Mark asked, stealing a glance at the lynx boy on the ground.Nearly oblivious to Mark's glance at the lynx boy, Sonet walked out from behind the tree, clad in only what nature had given her. She raised her paw toward him as she spoke,
"You're scared, hurt," she said as a tear formed in her eye, "but you're healing." The young, nude doe blinked as she walked closer. "They will be missed, but you have someone new." She glanced over at the collie girl with a smile as she said, "you're beautiful, all pink and green like emeralds."Ariel's smile broadened as the doe girl spoke, turning to Mark she said, "her grandfather was right, the girl is indeed gifted with sight." As the collie returned her attention to the young doe she replied, "thank you Sonet. Merry meet and well met, you are safe and among friends, as is Donavan."She glanced down at the lynx boy with a sudden change of expression as she strode over to him. "Dawn, you're hurt," she said as she knelt beside his large pack and untied the odd cloth bag, "I think I have some valerian root, it should help with the pain."A slight concerned look came over the lynx's face as he said, "No, it's okay, I think I only twisted it. It's already starting to feel better. You need that stuff to trade don't you, besides I have some aspirin in my first aid kit."Sonet looked at him confused as she asked, "Aspirin?"Uncertain how to explain the concept of the pills as he started to reach for his pack, Donovan glanced over at the other two teens. "It's medicine that helps with pain," he said hoping that would suffice."He is right Sonet, it is a medicine for pain," the collie said as she turned her attention to the lynx again. "But you should let her heal you Donovan. You may not believe in her ways, but she does nothing more than her ancestors have done for generations. Healing of the body with what the mother earth brings forth. From the look in your eyes I will tell you that Mark and I are more... modern in our practices as wiccans, but there are many things upon this earth that have healed our kind long before modern medicine came along. Do not brush it aside out of... a lack of understanding."Donovan looked between the two girls as he pulled the small bottle out of his pack and started the say something before Sonet slapped the still closed container out of his paw and looked him in the eyes as she said, "that is lifeless and smells of poison." She
pushed him to the side as she reached into the bag and pulled out a mason jar of powder, opened it and smelled of its contents. "Give me your cup and water. This will do you well. It is still three days fresh."Confused and slightly frightened by her actions, the lynx handed her his small tin cup and canteen. He watched as she used her fingers to brush the powder out of the jar and into the small cup before adding water and mixing. She handed it back to him as she asked, "does everyone feed their body poison and call it healing?" She turned to the collie and smiled as she said, "I remember you, from the handfasting, when I went to the grove with Grandfather. That was... eight summers ago, or seven? Time slips by so fast back at our grove.""Nine summers," Mark said as his gaze fell on the doe again. "You have changed also in that time Sonet, you're much more beautiful than you were then, as is your voice. When the wind is just right I can at times hear you singing to the birds and flowers, it lifts my spirit every time your song finds my ear." Pausing a few moments the Bernese mountain dog sat on the ground cross legged as he said, "Donovan says he is helping you to get to town for supplies, are you certain you are prepared for such a trip Sonet? The memories of the past is not the only reason your grandfather has not brought you hence in recent times."The young doe husky hybrid glanced at the ground for a moment before she answered, "whether I go now or a year from now I will see the same thing. Grandfather told me about how the way they live is different, but I will have to go. I don't have enough supplies to make it through the winter, and I will need to keep up the trade with the others." She looked up at Mark as she added, "Grandfather tried to get me to come for the past few trips, but I foolishly didn't. We saw this coming, even if I did ignore the signs." She sat on the ground by the lynx boy as he sipped at the herbal mixture. "The Mother brought me Dawn to help. He knows about what things are like, and he's kind."Nearly choking on a mouth full of cold valerian tea, Donovan looked over at the girl as he said, "I... um... I can help you get to town, but I'm not sure how long I will stay, or if I can help you get back." He sat the cup down as he continued, "besides, you're only fourteen. You can't be living alone out in the woods. We should get Family Services involved so they can help you out, maybe put you with a good foster family or something."Sonet looked at the lynx boy with a renewed confusion as she asked, "Family services? What is that?""They are a government organization that makes sure that kids are taken care of right, and with families that can do that," he tried to explain as he watched the expression on the bernese boy's face shift."I have tried to keep this on Sonet's level of understanding of 'our world' for her benefit Donovan," Mark began as he rose to his paws, "but it appears your think everyone on this mountain is a backwoods, ignorant fool that needs to have things explained in a way that will ease your conscience over a decision that is not yours to make. Sonet does not need to be rescued from her way of life any more than you... well in fact, far less than you do. You look at her and see only a nude child running through the forest. You should be ashamed of yourself for being so utterly narrow minded. This 'child'," he said as he lay a paw gently on her head, "is far more capable of caring for herself and anyone within her reach for that matter than you are. She does not need someone telling her how to think and feel and live her life, she has done quite well with her grandfather's teachings. Does she look unfed? Unwashed? Does she seem to be sickened or lacking in intelligence?"Donovan looked up at the other boy as he tried to defend his views. "She's only fourteen, whether she is capable of taking care of her self or not, she still needs an adult. And sure, she's smart, but she's so sheltered that... that she doesn't even know the simplest things about common society or how things really work. She yelled at me for wanting to get some wood for a fire..."Before the boy could continue Sonet sprang to her hooves and shouted, "Gather wood? You wanted to chop the limbs off our brethren to warm yourself on a warm day. I want nothing to do with a world that is so thoughtless as to hurt those that live only to give life.""Dear Goddess tell me you did not hack upon a living tree?" the pretty young collie said as her expression changed to one of anger and disgust."No... I didn't... and it's not like it would have hurt anything, they're only trees," the lynx said as he realized that the group around him grew
angry with each word he spoke. He tried to shift the subject to maintain his point, "besides, she needs to learn to read and write, and what things are worth if she's going to be trading with people for supplies. She should be in school or something, at least homeschooled better than she has been. She doesn't even know what batteries are. Her grandfather crippled her by keeping her hidden. She can't function in the real world the way she is. For christ's sake she doesn't even have any clothes.""ENOUGH!" the bernese boy screamed at the top of his lungs. "I've heard more than enough of your christian raised, holier than thou, self centered, arrogant, pig headed, judgemental ramblings, MR. HUNTER!" As he moved to place himself between the lynx and the doe his friends and family had sworn to protect as her grandfather had wished he continued, "You trespass on MY property, you offer to help a young girl... Why, because you think you can lure her into town and dump her off in the paws of an organization that will do nothing more than place her into one home after another. With people that have no idea how to deal with her upbringing and family history, until no one wants to deal with her. Just to ship her off to some facility to keep her locked up until she reaches legal age so they can throw her to the street and be done with her..."Sonet watched as the Bernese dog boy's aura shifted to a muddied red with his anger and the lynx's to a muddied blue of fear. She placed a paw on Mark's back as he stood between them and said, "he... He's right. I don't know what things are like outside the forest, and I will need help to understand things, just like he needs help to understand our ways. He was brought to me for a reason, and I don't think this is it."Her head snapping around suddenly at the younger girl's words Ariel asked, "brought to you how?"Sonet turned to look at the collie girl as she said, "how else would he wander into my grove just when I need him? My supplies were almost gone and I needed to make this trip. When I ran after first seeing him, he still found me. His heart and spirit are good and honest, he really does care, even if misguided." She looked down at the lynx on the ground. "I know as much about you and how you think things work as you do for me. You are lost, looking for something, and even though I don't know where I am going or what to expect, I know where I am." The doe stepped around Mark as she knelt by Donovan. "Let me help you find what you're looking for, and I will let you
help me learn what I need."The lynx boy looked into her brown eyes as he thought through what she had just said. He had set out to find himself, and what he had found was Sonet. From the first moment he laid eyes on her he was drawn, enchanted. She was younger than him, but more grounded in her life than he had ever been. He thought about what he had said about not knowing how long he would stay and realized there was no reason to leave. She wanted his help and he wanted to help her. Locked in her gaze he swallowed hard as he nodded his head.Sonet smiled as she spun on her hooves and dropped to the ground, her back against his side. "Good, now we need to find shelter before it starts to rain." She looked up at Mark and asked, "are we close to the grove? This place smells familiar.""Hmmmm," the Bernese boy hummed as he looked back the way they had come when they heard the boy shouting, "close but not very. It's about two hours walk that way," he said pointing to a tiny trail that led through the trees to their left. "How long before the rain will be heavy Sonet?"The doe looked up at the sky for a moment before she said, "about two hours, but it will take longer with his ankle. Is there something closer? A nice cave or...""Cave?" Donovan blurted out before catching himself, "um.. Mark, didn't you say something about a cabin?""Yes I did, and it is the closest thing we can take shelter in. There aren't any caves around here big enough for one person, let alone two or four for several miles. The cabin is the best option we have, straight that way," the boy said as he pointed back down the thin trail of slightly bent grass that marked where the couple had come from when they heard the shouting. "If we can make decent time with your ankle like it is we can be there within an hour. How much weight you have in that backpack?"The lynx looked at the pack for a moment before he said, "I think it is down to forty-five pounds or so, I was planning on restocking in Winter Creek.""Ariel, do you and Sonet think you can make it to the cabin with the pack if you divide
the weight up a little?" Mark asked as he turned to look his wife in the eyes."We should be able to, why?" the collie asked as she lifted the pack to her back before saying, "then again it doesn't seem so heavy I think I can carry...""Good, then let's see if we can beat the rain. Sonet, you should be able to get us there, just follow mine and Ariel's track, try to keep up and if we get separated keep Ariel on the right track, she's still learning the mountains."The young doe looked up at the boy as she said, "a blind wolf could follow those tracks. You're clumsy and loud just like him." She pointed at the lynx. "I need to get grandfather's furs," she said as she hopped to her hooves and trotted a little ways in the opposite direction.As the young doe went to retrieve the cloak Mark looked down at the lynx, offering the boy a paw to help him to his foot-paws as he said, "if she wants in out of the rain, it's probably going to get rough and I for one don't care much for getting caught in a downpour." As the lynx stood up shakily, shifting his weight from the injured ankle the Bernese boy added, "you're not going to like this, but we need to make speed not friends right now," as he grabbed the slightly smaller boy by the waistband of his jeans and pulled him across his shoulder. "Just hang on, and try not to pull my pants up to my eyeballs," he said as he turned towards the path, the young doe returning as he was about to set out.Sonet smiled at the expression on the lynx's face as she took Ariel by the paw and started to walk down the roughly forged path left by the mountain dog and his unwitting load.