Outsiders. Chpt 3.
The Outsiders
Chapter 3
By Roofles
The Orchard behind Jayden's family house was an extensive stretch of land that looped and curved with pathways of trees that all spiraled into itself before exploding outward again. The orchard wasn't dense even with the overgrown trees twisted and entwining with one another high up above serving as a natural umbrella from the soft drizzle still trickling down from above. Each one had a decent space between them and they were still in rows rather than bunched together allowing for, mostly, easy access through it.
The ground was wet and it was a slow steady pace Jayden took as he walked down the central path of grass that served as a makeshift road. Twigs and leaves had fallen on the path and it was only thanks to Logan who served as navigator that Jayden was able to keep his footing half the time. The wolf would motion or just tell him where to step or more importantly where not too. There were ditches hidden from view that sunk deep into the ground like sink holes. Most were abandoned burrows that sunk in or collapsed over the years and during the rainy fall.
Climbing over a rather large tree that had succumb to rot over the years, the man finally spoke up breaking the silence the two had been walking in for some time.
"So you're a, what? Type of werewolf?" Jayden asked taking a moment to catch his breath. He looked back down the path they had taken. They had deviated from the one they started on and no matter which way he turned he wouldn't know where to start to head back. He could see through the opening of the trees but everything just blended in together, all looking the same as before. It was a wonder Logan knew where to go.
Logan popped back up from the side having been weaving between the trees, just enjoying the feel of the wet grass and dirt beneath his bare paws. "That would imply I was once human." The autumn fur wolf spoke and his voice echoed around them in the stillness of the orchard forest. The birds above were silent and only the sound of dripping leaves could be heard. It was just the two of them out here now and no one was the wiser. The thought made Jayden a bit uneasy.
"Oh." Jayden stopped at that, scrunching up his brow a bit and thinking it all over and trying not to focus on the fact that if Logan suddenly got hungry there was little he could do to stop him. "That would make you..."
"A wolf." Logan just stated looking at him with those amber eyes. The autumn fur burned brightly as a few rays of sunlight shined through and he stood up on the side of a dying tree.
"A were...human?" Jayden offered with a chuckle and continued down the path. It made as much sense as anything else in the past day and a half. That would actually explain a lot, Jayden concluded with a nod. Just a reverse werewolf practically. "How much farther?" He asked as Logan stared at him, watching him move by.
"Not much." Was the only reply he got.
Jayden adjusted the sketchbook under his arm and tried to keep the umbrella up above his head but ended up just folded it back up, holding onto the curve wooden handle and using the pointed end as a walking stick. It was a bit of work to get through the tangled overgrowth but the canopy above kept most of the rain at bay. Logan made it look easy as Jayden trudged along.
For a creature his size, Logan moved with a strength about him that flowed into every step he took. He weaved through the low hanging branches and over the roots sticking up like grasping hands. Logan's large paws worked their way into every perfect foot hold and step that Jayden did his best to follow trying to match in the wolf's wake, standing within those paw prints left behind.
"So I can't go talking about any of this, huh?" Jayden asked taking another moment to try and find a better way to get to the other side. It was an unkempt orchard in the beginning and the further they went in the more tangled and gnarled it became as if being claimed back by the wilds. Jayden only asked to try and break the silence that fell on them.
Logan looked at him, at his struggle just to make it through the ever thickening woods. Logan shook his head before disappearing off to the side behind a few trees and around, reappearing closer to Jayden. Logan kept a good arms length away, wearily watching the man before Jayden reached out. Logan hesitated, taking a moment to look at him before moving forward and allowing his head to be used as a support to help Jayden move over between the trees and onto the side path once more.
Jayden stumbled and found that head move to help catch him. He held it for a support, before letting it go. "Thanks." The human said scratching the back of the wolf's head with a flush to his face. Logan stood still at the scratches. He stopped, pulling back a bit. "Sorry, if you don't like that." Jayden said as the wolf looked away, ears twitching and nearly folding back for a half second before proudly standing back up.
"It's fine." Logan just said turning his head looking around them. "It's only a little further." And he turned, his tail hitting Jayden on the hip as he took a step forward. Logan stopped, waiting for the man to walk at his side before continuing.
"I'm not the one who set this up." Logan just went on. "I'm barely part of the town as it is." He took a few steps forward, Jayden placed a hand on his back and followed at his side slowly. "I don't make the rules," and as he spoke there was a growl to his voice. Jayden let go of his back and Logan stopped, turning to look at him. "If you need the support, feel free too." He said and Jayden laid his hand back down. "Theirs a veil placed over the whole town that blinds any human that comes in to the truth of it all. All I did, for you," he looked over at him. "Was lift it up off your eyes. Even my guise is still active. That veil still there, ready to fall back down the second you leave."
"What if you were to just pull it back up once it falls down?" Jayden asked trying to keep it light and not think about it too much. Maybe that's why he could put up with all of this so well.
Logan stopped at that and looked at him once more. "You want me to just keep slurping your face every time it falls down?" The wolf asked with a frown. Then shrugged one of his heavy shoulders. "Not that I'd mind much."
Jayden chuckled, shaking his head not sure what to say. "Thanks?" He offered but kept up. He looked up at the branches over head, able to make out slivers of gray clouds high above. Rain continued to fall.
Logan stopped just in time for Jayden to not step into the creek passing through. The man took a second to look at it.
"I...remember this." Jayden said slowly letting go of the wolf's side and bending down to touch the water with his fingers. It was cold to the touch as if coming down from the northern glaciers. "When I was kids, me and my sister used to come here often."
Logan didn't say anything just looked over at the man, watching him. Logan looked at his hand in the water and slowly moved his paw down to touch the surface just as Jayden was.
"We got lost though." Jayden said softly still crouched down. "It was early in the morning when we left and it was almost night time as we tried to get back. We only ended up coming back to this creek."
Logan just bowed his head not replying.
"Then the oddest thing happened." Jayden said softly. "There was this tuft of red fur left on a branch. Then another. And another. And as we followed it we were led all the way back to our backyard." Jayden said just looking down into the water.
"Children shouldn't be left alone." Logan just said. He lowered his head and took a few laps at the water.
Jayden reached out, took a second, and placed his hand on that shoulder. He could feel the muscle underneath. "Thanks..." He said softly looking down at the water and his reflection. He could make out Logan's as well. "Just how long have you been in these woods?"
"A long time." Logan said getting back up and taking a step directly into the creek and then over it. Jayden watched as he strode forward. "It's just up ahead." Logan said once more continuing forward.
"Yeah." Jayden smiled softly watching him go before jumping over the creek and catching up. "You stay out here by yourself?"
"Not many people are dumb enough to follow a wolf back to its den." Logan chuckled stopping at the opening of a clearing and turning his whole body to face him.
The trees twisted around and curled amongst one another but none would set root within the open space. It was only as wide as a football field. A large stone jutted up from the very earth itself. There was a dark opening underneath, fresh earth spilled out creating a door mat for the den.
Unlike the rest of the forest this grove was cleaned up. Twigs and branches that had fallen had been moved out and cleared. Even before he entered the place Jayden could see large markings on the stone. Like massive paws that had been muddied and dragged down the sides.
"It's marked in more ways than one." Logan chuckled moving and bounding forward, spinning around. "Well? Don't make me drag you in here." Logan chuckled, opening his muzzle and beginning to pant warmly into the air. His breath wasn't visible as it had been before, not fogging up in front of his face.
Jayden chuckled at that as Logan looked around the place before back at him. It was like a child showing off a picture he drew, seeking praise for it. The man made sure to keep such thoughts to himself as he took a step in.
He shuddered at the first step. It was warm here. Unlike the rest of the forest which was cool like a Fall morning should be. The air was almost humid as if someone had forgotten to turn the heater off. The rain had stopped falling, only in this place, and above within the gray clouds it looked like a single ray of sunlight was shining down on them.
"Talking wolves. Magic groves? Seems legit." Jayden just went along with it taking a few steps further inside. He shrugged out of his jacket even before he began to sweat and tossed it over one arm, walking over to join the wolf waiting for him.
"You hungry? Thirsty?" Logan asked padding his way over. He sniffed at his hand, looking up at him, he didn't need to look far. Logan nearly came up to the man's chest. Jayden scratched the back of his head, running his hand down his back as the wolf moved past.
It was evident how much more alive Logan was now, out here in the wild rather than being cooped up indoors. Animals in captivity always looked like they were on their last leg, or so Jayden thought. Able to move freely and yet still bound within iron bars and chains, behind locked doors. Logan, out here with the earth beneath his feet and the wind in his fur, seemed free.
"You have a fridge in there or something?" Jayden chuckled looking at the den. Even looking inside he could see it was rather spacious, wondering just how far it went below the earth surface. There might be a fridge down there, hell there might be a small house for all Jayden knew.
"I can catch you something." Logan strutted past, tossing his head back and snorting. It was clear he wanted to show off.
"And drink?" Jayden dared to ask. He found himself smiling despite himself. The energy Logan was giving off in this place was infectious and if Jayden could he would run around on all fours with him. This place in itself was like a fairy tale, like the big bad wolf trotting his way down the path to grandma's house. Jayden almost forgot his concerns back home.
Logan set down something inside his jaws a few seconds later, showing a small piece of wood that was crudely cut into a bowl. Jayden wasn't too surprised to see the make shift dish, Logan had to practice how to drink somehow.
"I'm good, thank you." Jayden said honestly but chuckled looking down at the dish. It had teeth marks all over it and though it had some rain water already in it, there was more than enough drool to wash it away. "This place is really something though." He did say moving over to the large stone. It looked almost natural as if the stone itself had just risen out of the very ground, like a tree of the forest, it's roots still sunk into the ground.
Logan just looked over at him, and for the first time, his tail wagged.
Jayden had found a spot up on the stone itself, in the nook between the entrance, stone wall and ceiling. It allowed that ray of sunlight to hit him, while also providing shade so it wasn't in his eyes. He had laid his coat out over the stone to serve as a barrier between it and his pants. The umbrella he brought with him was up and open, wedged next to him in the cracks and providing an additional shade and cover.
His sketch pad was open over his lap and the small box of charcoal he brought was out, set up and balanced on one knee. One piece was pinched between two fingers and was already moving, outlining the sketch he had in mind; the whole reason he had brought it along in the first place. The whole reason he had wanted to come here.
Logan had laid out in the grass several yards away. Close enough and yet far enough away to keep an eye on the whole grove he called home. His ears were up, head turning in opposite to them as he surveyed the scene just laying on his belly. And as he was Jayden continued to draw him.
Quick rough sketches at first. Just his head or legs, a distant scope of the whole body until Logan finally settled down and Jayden could take the time to add detail and fine lines to the sketches.
Pages turned and he kept flipping back through them the whole time to readjust, touch up or change something as Logan moved giving him a different view of him. The body served as a perfect model. The fur was thick but curved and formed to his body perfectly, allowing for those powerful muscles to be clearly seen as they moved. Even laying down, just his chest rising and falling with those heavy breaths Jayden could sculpt perfectly if he was working with clay rather than charcoal.
"Do you live here alone?" Jayden ask as he kept sketching, wanting to see how that muzzle moved and worked, how those words managed to form and be able to create such fluent imitation of speech.
"Not many are dumb enough to come home with the big bad wolf." Logan repeated looking back over at him. One ear flickered and he watched the man sketch. A new page was turned and Jayden quickly outlined and filled in what he could of the front view of the massive wolf. Each page was dedicated to a different view of Logan.
"And family?" Jayden dared to ask looking down to the sketch once more before up. He stopped mid line as the wolf looked at him. Those eyes were soft, sad and Logan just looked away without another word.
Jayden mentally kicked himself. He went back to the sketch but couldn't draw another line until he made some amends. "You know, back when we were kids... I always wanted to find you, to thank you for what you did." He looked up at the wolf. One of those ears twitched but Logan didn't look over. "You basically saved our lives that night. An me and my sister used to joke and tease of our guardian angel that had guided us home."
"I wouldn't have let anything happen to you within my territory." Logan just replied still not even looking over at him.
"We thought of him like family, you know." Jayden said softly. Logan didn't flinch or move but his body had frozen, if only for a fraction of a second. Then he continued to look around not replying to what he had said. Jayden continued to outline of the sketches.
"It would've been nice to stumble on a place like this." Jayden mused but chuckled lightly. "Then again it might've been like finding a gingerbread house in the woods," he thought of the old child fable substitute the witch for a wolf and it would've been spot on. It was lost on Logan and Jayden had no desire to explain. "Thank you." He said earnestly. "For saving us back then."
"There was nothing to save." Logan just pointed out turning to face him. "You were in no danger. As I said..." He began again.
"I know, I know." Jayden laid his sketchbook down, placed the charcoal on it and hopped down. Logan perked up a bit at his movements, watching him carefully as the man walked over tucking his slightly blackened fingers into his pockets. "Thank you." He said once more crouching down and smiling at the wolf.
Logan stared back with those amber eyes. Then snorted in his face. "I have no need for such sentiments." The large wolf said looking away. "I did it because I felt like it. Not to be thanked."
"Of course." Jayden nodded, understanding the pride the wolf held. Still it needed to be said.
The man soon found himself resting back against the wolf side, one knee up and his leg out as he crossed his arms behind his head and let the lushness of that fur serve as a cushion. The muscular body was stiff but Logan soon relaxed. Jayden just rested in the crook behind his front leg. Logan had stretched out his back leg next to him, resting more on his side but keeping his head up and alert.
Jayden closed his eyes, soaking in the feel of the rays of sun above and the fur behind. The smell of the earth and soil, the rain and that musky fur behind him. It was all a good distraction from it all.