Chapter 4
The weekend went by faster than Melony would have liked and she was still trying to talk Kage into going to school, though most definitely not as hard. Shara spent Sunday night with them since she and her brother needed to go to her school the next day. Melony tried to weasel her way into the trip to meet the other chaperones and the class going on the next trip, but Kage told her she could go along next time and she needed to get her missed work from her own school.
During the week it was pretty boring for the grey furred husky since she only had her school work to keep her mind busy when she came back from her classes because Kage spent most of his time at the school. Kage didn’t own any of the usual entertainment electronics except for a small TV that was in Shara’s room and that didn’t have cable. The black wolf explained that the higher pitched noises that came in the background bugged his ears and that the one in Shara’s room was begged for, for almost two weeks straight before their mother gave in and bought it.
‘I guess I really should have expected this kind of thing from someone so attached to living in the peace and quiet of the woods,’ The golden eyed husky thought as she sat on the couch on Wednesday after completing all her missed school work and any new tasks the week had brought.
She’d gone through the stack of thank you notes from the students of Mrs. Melik’s class a few times, the ones for her and the ones Kage received. The students all used the word ‘awesome’ in their descriptions of the black furred wolf with three silver streaks in his hair. Several of the girls had complimented Melony on always finding a way to look pretty even in the woods which made her chuckle every time she read one of those notes. Eventually she just laid back on the couch and stared out of the large sliding glass door that led to the deck and started watching the clouds.
Her phone rang on the table causing her to jump slightly from the sudden break in the quiet, she answered quickly after seeing the school’s number on the screen. She listened for a few moments before agreeing to take a teacher’s assistant’s place for what was left of the day. When she arrived at the school, she quickly signed in and found out where she needed to go, all too happy to get out of the almost tomb like quiet of Kage’s house.
Kage was standing in the corner of Mrs. Melik’s classroom listening to all the little conversations going on before a knock at the door broke them all off. Melony stepped into the classroom not noticing that the black wolf was there at all.
“Ahh Ms. Melony so they called you in to take my assistant’s place for the afternoon, right now we’re reading silently, but later we’ll need a few things for a math lesson,” the graying leopard woman said with a kind hushed tone, “And I hear you and young Mr. Kage have started seeing each other.”
This comment not only made the female students that could hear her giggle wildly, but Melony turned a few shades of red out of embarrassment. Kage managed to stifle a chuckle of his own and remained unnoticed by the golden eyed husky.
“Well I’m staying at his home, wanted to get out from under my parents for a while, I don’t really know what the relationship between us is,” Melony replied in the same hushed tone.
“His sister is calling you his girlfriend, after only a week in the woods together that seems a little fast,” Mrs. Melik whispered since the young husky was close enough.
The young husky didn’t notice that the older woman was looking past her and to the corner where Kage still sat, but she did notice that Shara seemed more intent to listen to their conversation rather than paying attention to her reading.
“Right now we’re no more than friends helping each other out, or at least that’s how he looks at it,” the golden eyed husky whispered back.
“Are you certain of that? He seemed a little lighter on his feet today when he was here eating lunch with his sister.”
Melony looked to the young wolf on the floor who simply nodded also ignoring her older brother in the corner.
“Was he wearing his shoes?” the golden eyed husky asked with a quirked brow.
The door opening and closing again caught everyone’s attention but only Melony caught sight Kage’s thick black tail just before the door closed completely. The grey furred husky was quiet much of the rest of the school day, mostly admonishing herself for not noticing Kage in the room. Melony agreed to take Shara home after clearing it with her mother after the school day was out and finding Kage’s truck gone from the staff parking area. When the two grey furred females arrived at his house the truck was hooked to the trailer and Kage had just dropped an arm load of wood into the bed.
“Hey Shara, wasn’t expecting you here, gonna have to make new plans for dinner tonight,” the black wolf said with a smile as his sister jumped into the truck bed and hugged him, “What’s got you so excitable?”
“Oh, just happy to see you didn’t run off again,” the young brown haired wolf said with a giggle.
“Now why would I do something like that when I have a class trip in a few days?” Kage asked with a curious and slightly worried tone, “Which by the way I was able to talk the teacher into a fifth chaperone so Melony, you’re on the list; I’ve got a tent packed in the trailer for you and a sleeping bag.”
“Well at least I won’t be sleeping in a truck bed,” the golden eyed husky said with a smile from ear to ear across her muzzle.
“No, even I won’t be in the truck this time, we’re not going to the same part of King’s Mountain.”
“You’re not going to the rustic sites again big brother?” Shara asked tilting her head slightly.
“No, we’re going a little closer to home this time,” Kage answered his golden eyes shining brightly even in the day light, “To the more primitive campsites.”
“Are these students older than Shara’s class?” Melony asked noticing how much he was looking forward to the trip, “And just where are you going to be if not in the truck?”
“No to the first, but most of them are cub scouts or girl scouts looking to make a few of their achievements and the park frowns on me shooting off arrows through the main camp grounds,” the black wolf chuckled nervously at the last part, “I’ll only have the truck on the grounds for the first day and then I’ll move it back out to the parking area as soon as everything is unloaded, so I’ll either be in a tent or hanging in a hammock under star light, I have yet to decide so I packed both.”
The rest of the week moved much faster for Melony, she was looking forward to seeing Kage in something very close to his old life and she was really looking forward to being in the woods again to see what animals Kage might lure out this time. The golden eyed husky had her professors give her a list of the assignments for the week so she could do the work and have an easier time catching up when she returned.
The morning they were getting ready to leave Kage stood on the back porch with his eyes closed while he waited for Melony to wake up. He was so deep into his own world he only heard the husky when she padded softly onto the deck next to him.
“Are we eating breakfast in route or before we go?” the golden eyed husky asked quietly.
“We’ll grab a quick bite on the way out,” the black wolf answered without opening his eyes, “I hope you know it will be harder to cope this week, I’ve got a solar shower packed but I don’t aim to get it out if you don’t intend to use it.”
“Why are you so intent on me using it?”
“I’ll just say I warned the teacher on this one but he wouldn’t listen, so if you use it he’ll see that he goofed by ignoring my warnings.”
“Okay, I’m in, I always did enjoy watching someone squirm,” Melony said with a wide smile, “We better get going if we’re going to get a decent breakfast.”
The golden eyed husky began to walk back into the house before she felt Kage’s hand on her arm. He pulled her back in front of him. Seeing his eyes filled with the reds and yellows of the sunrise reflected over the natural gold of his eyes, she was absolutely mesmerized by them and didn’t realize he was getting slowly closer until his lips were pressed against hers. As she slowly came back to reality, she melted into the kiss and leaned against his firm chest.
“Been wanting to try that,” Kage said with a smirk as he held the husky woman close to him.
“So you do like me like that huh?” Melony asked with a mischievous tone.
“Never said I didn’t, you only assumed that I felt we were two friends helping each other,” the black wolf said with a grin causing the platinum blonde husky to blush, “Let’s go, we can stop at that restaurant with the store in it and have a grand breakfast before the students arrive. I’ve already spoken to the rangers and they’ll be leading them all the way to the grounds from the entrance and they’ll have someone at the grounds nearly constantly in case of emergency, they’ll also be leaving me a radio in case something happens over night.”
The two left immediately and headed towards the campgrounds. On their way they stopped and ate a really big breakfast to make sure they’d have the strength to make it through the morning. When they arrived at the campgrounds they met face to face with Jack, the grey wolf with black patches on his arms and Kage’s father.
“What are you doing here Jack? You were supposed to be on the farm this week,” Kage said with a low growl.
“I am son, I figured that I’d come by and see what kind of idiot would bring a group of kids to this side of the camp grounds,” the grey wolf replied getting off his work truck, “You did try to talk them out of it though right?”
“Of course he did, now I want words with you sir,” Melony said jumping out of the truck before Kage could say anything, “Kage, you go on to the site, Jack will lead me there later.”
Kage only shrugged and drove into the sites after Jack unlocked the post and lifted it out of it’s the hole it was locked into so he could.
“Well young lady, what is it you wanted to say to me?” the grey furred wolf said with a small smile as he put the post back in the ground.
“I want to know why you left him in the woods all those years, there is no sane reason I can come up with for it,” the golden eyed husky said with a small growl in her throat.
“That is business of my own young lady, I will let it be known when the time is right,” Jack answered with a solemn tone, “But for now I think its best I don’t tell him for the sake of my own life.”
“You self centered jerk! You’d rather let him squirm about your reasons than tell him why you did it because you’re scared of him?”
“I am afraid that is the truth, I fear my what my son’s reaction would be, would he attack and try to kill me, or just club me once or twice, or the better end I walk scot free and never see him again, which I don’t actually want to happen.”
“You don’t even know your own son well enough to know he probably couldn’t hurt you even if he tried.”
“On the contrary young lady, his strength goes far beyond my own because of his being in the wild for so long, yes I’m built like a wall, but I’m a wall he could see every weakness in,” Jack said with a serious tone, “When I first had him brought out of the wild it took four of the rangers to hold him, all like me were built like walls; he dropped all four of them in a heartbeat when he saw me.”
Melony’s eyes got wide as saucers at hearing this trying to think of Kage as a murder was impossible to her.
“He didn’t kill them young lady, he just hit them in their weak spots, the biggest fell like a stone when he was hit in the left knee, an injury exploited, the other three I don’t know where he hit them but they too fell,” the grey furred wolf said in a calm tone when he saw the husky had stopped breathing for a moment, “Before he lunged at me I managed to put a tranquilizer dart in his leg, but he still put me on my ass before he went down.”
“It’s a talent I intend to use again if you don’t get out of here Jack, I’m in no mood to explain things like this with students coming,” Kage’s angered voice came from behind the larger wolf.
“I should have remembered that you’d hear me, even at that distance with as quiet as it is out here,” Jack said without turning around to face the black wolf, “You have your grandfather’s ears after all.”
With no further word Jack handed the key to the post lock to Melony and left. Kage left the lock off the post so it would be easier to take anything the chaperones brought as far as coolers and such down to the site. Melony was looking him over as they walked down the path towards the campsite they would be using, still unable to figure just how the black wolf could drop four men.
“Okay, explain it, I know you said you didn’t want to but I can’t see it,” Melony said about ten minutes of sitting on the tail gate later, Kage had just finished taking his shoes off.
Kage simply stood up and pulled her with him having her hold her arms up at shoulder height. He stared at her for a moment before stepping closer.
“Okay just looking you over I can see several places anyone could hit and you’d drop like a stone, the first and probably the best place being your right knee, you favor it slightly,” the black wolf said coolly, “The next I saw in the shower house, you have a scar just under your right breast, surgical by the look meaning two ribs broken or more at some point, a good solid hit there would knock the wind out of you.”
“Alright I get it, but how did you know I broke my ribs just by a scar? Hell how did you see the scar under my fur?” the golden eyed husky asked confusedly.
“It’s like Jack said, time in the wild teaches you skills you don’t unlearn easily,” Kage said running a hand through the left most streak of his hair leaving the other questions unanswered, “Though if you’d like to tell me how you broke your ribs I’ll try and teach you the skill or at least the basics of it.”
“I was riding in a bike marathon a few years ago, there was a crack in the pavement I didn’t see, I landed half on the side walk half in the road and the curb broke my ribs.”
“Well that sucks, which came back first, pain or breathing?”
“Pain for sure, the doctors told me one of them had nearly punctured my lung because of the impact, hence the surgery rather than just letting it heal on its own.”
“Makes sense I guess, wanted to be sure the injury didn’t get worse before it got better. Now, look me over as best you can, see if you can spot anything out of the ordinary.”
Melony did as instructed walking around him several times as he stood the way she had before though he was standing on the balls of his feet with no shoes. She couldn’t see anything different about him that could be used as a weakness. She walked around again looking a little closer, noticing that his left hand was slightly unsteady, but didn’t see that as a weakness.
“Okay I’m not seeing anything at all except for the slight shake in your left hand,” Melony said after another go around him.
Kage simply held out his left hand to her and nodded at it, when she moved to hold it like a girl wanting to be led; he pulled it back slightly and shook his head. Melony finally understood what he as telling her to do; she felt the ridges that were the bones in the hand feeling every unnatural bump from where the bones healed.
“You shattered your left hand?” the golden eyed husky asked quietly.
“About 15 years ago, you’ll never see me punch someone with a closed fist using that hand because the pain is still there when the impact is sharp enough,” the black wolf answered in a low tone.
“What happened?”
“I don’t really know, it was either during a scuffle with a bear or a deer stomped on it,” Kage said with a nonchalance that shocked the husky, “Either way it was broken and I got extraordinarily lucky and managed to set it and brace it well enough so I have full mobility and no loss of dexterity.”
“Okay so how is that a weakness I could use?”
“Easy enough, twist it back at towards me at the wrist.”
She did so rather slowly until she felt resistance against the movement and Kage flinched slightly.
“That is a broken wrist, a tree branch came down on it, lost a bit of movement in that, I can’t bend it further than you have and even less the other way. Keep going.”
Kage dropped to a knee when she started moving his hand back again but showed no pain in is face. He bent at the elbow slightly before he moved against her. Grabbing around Melony’s left leg with his right arm before pulling her across his shoulders by the hand she was holding and simply standing up causing the grey furred husky to scream in surprise just as a few adults of the class came into view of the scene. He could hear several of them rushing to help the damsel in distress so he quickly turned to face them keeping her on his shoulders.
“Welcome to the primitive campsites, I’m Mr. Kage, this lovely husky across my shoulders is Ms. Melony and we’ll be two of your chaperones this week,” The black wolf said with a kind tone seeing the students behind the adults, Melony simply waved from her place, “You’ll need to unload the trailer and the truck bed first so I can take it out to the parking area and return the keys for the lock post to the rangers when they come by, do stay out of the cab though.”
“Mr. Kage is there some reason you have her up there like that?” a young fox boy asked as he and one of the adults started unloading the wood from the truck’s bed.
“He was just teaching me something young man,” Melony answered from her place across the black wolf’s shoulders before turning her attention to the rest of the students, “Everyone set your gear down over there by the water spigot and start unloading the trailer.”
Kage let her down shortly after and started talking to the students who were setting the kitchen canopy up. Melony took over the unloading process telling the students where things needed to go and pointing out where the tents for the students would be set up. Neither of them noticed a familiar Bengal tiger walking down the path with a cooler in his hands until he helped Kage and several others lift the canopy to get the legs under its roof.
“Mr. Samson, so good to see you here, are you staying this week?” Kage asked from across the canopy.
“I’m not allowed this time, my cub Terra is going to be here,” The tiger said with a chuckle using his tail to point out the young tiger girl about nine years old holding one of the legs to the canopy.
Once the legs were under the canopy Melony went about telling the students how to set up the kitchen while Kage, Samson and a few other adults went about setting up the tents with what was left of the students.
“Mr. Kage, your truck’s bed is empty, there were two tents left over too, we left them in the trailer,” a very young bunny boy said with a kind tone as the other parents started to leave.
“Thank you young man, now find two strong boys to help you or ask Mr. Samson, the big tiger over there, to take the post out of the ground so I can get my truck out,” the black wolf replied with a kind smile.
The boy immediately took off to Mr. Samson who nodded and walked out of the camp after saying his goodbyes to his daughter. Kage went to his truck and moved it out of the camping area with little trouble before carrying one of the left over tents down to the sight and setting it up a little ways away from the one big ‘girls only’ tent and on the opposite side of the camp from the other chaperones and the boy’s tents.
Melony noticed this and thought she saw a satisfied look on the black wolf’s face when the other two male chaperones looked a little disappointed, but she definitely saw a sharp toothed grin on her boyfriend’s face when he put his gear in the tent with hers and the two men looked as though they would cry.
“Kage dear, must you really torture those two?” the golden eyed husky asked as he came through the kitchen.
“After the way they were looking at you they deserved it, but I already know their weak spots so if they do try something they’ll go down fast,” the black wolf replied with a smirk before kissing her on the lips.
It was just a peck because there were kids around but he heard the two other males groan, one a near completely black furred German shepherd with tan fur as eyebrows and blonde hair who seemed to know a thing or two about setting up tents, the other a beagle who seemed only interested in looking at things he shouldn’t.
Kage walked to the two men and clearly saw them straighten their backs and trying to make themselves look bigger. Height wise they were the same five feet and nine inches as the wolf, but they out weighed him slightly.
“I have two questions for both you gentlemen, but first a warning, the same one I give everyone I work with,” Kage said with a firm tone gaining their attention fully, “These cubs and any female within this campsite are under my protection, Ms. Melony especially because she’s my girlfriend and the young tiger because she’s the cub of a friend and I gave my word to look after her, I hear anything of inappropriate behavior of either of you from anyone and you’ll be led off this mountain in hand cuffs,” he said particularly to the beagle.
“Okay, now what about the two questions?” the beagle asked sounding slightly impatient.
“What are your names? I like to know the people I’m working with, and any history you might have in camping,” the black wolf replied calmly.
“My name is Titan, don’t ask why, my parents had a since of humor I guess, just call me Ty,” the black furred German shepherd replied with a slight chuckle, “I’m the den leader of a few of the boys here, they asked that I come along and lend a hand where needed as well as to sign off on any scouting related achievements.”
“I’m David and I’m only here on my brother’s orders, he’s the teacher of this class,” the beagle said with a rather annoyed tone, “I don’t camp much but he asked for a hand and our folks wouldn’t let me refuse.”
“How old are you David?” Kage asked seeming a little more confused.
“I’m 19 and on winter vacation from college,” the beagle answered.
“Well, I think you’ll have fun this week, cause I need a couple of assistants in getting your brother to see he goofed bringing those kids on this side of the camp grounds,” the black wolf said with a smirk noticing that the other two had small grins on their faces as well, “We’ll worry on that later, David seriously though watch your eyes, kids are easy to freak out if they think you’re staring.”
“I-I’ll do my damndest, but being around kids gives me the friggin' creeps, keep thinking they’re going to go all nutty and start hugging me or something,” the beagle replied quietly, “Part of the reason I didn’t want to come at all.”
“Okay so I’ve got a dry nose pup and a den leader to work with, I’ve had worse. Where is the other woman?” Kage asked looking around the campgrounds spotting the woman in the kitchen, “Oh great, a feline, they all seem to hate me at first.”
Kage walked over and explained the situation and learned that the calico’s name was Alisa and she was ready to just about kill the oldest beagle of the bunch herself. When it came to lunch time they gathered the students and figured out who needed to be where, it was during this time that Kage built his mental attendance of the class, memorizing every scent, breed and species of the students to keep track of everyone. He also went over the fact that the classroom rules applied out here and that his own rules would be enforced to the fullest extent of the teachers allowance.
“Mr. Kage I believe your Ranger is here,” David said pointing towards a tan furred German shepherd in a Ranger’s uniform.
Kage met the Ranger and pulled him back towards the parking area before he got to the site.
“Sites set Tank, but I want to know if any of the rustic sites are open for the week, we may be packing out sooner than I thought, everyone but the teacher thinks this is a bad move,” the black wolf said in a low calm tone so he knew only the Ranger would hear.
“I left your usual three sites open, we’re in a low so I’ll just shift the money to those sites when you move and then refund whatever’s left,” Tanker replied with a soft chuckle at Kage’s shocked face, “I’ve been through this before, you should know though your buck’s been showing up in the rustics looking for you.”
“How do you know it’s my buck?” the black wolf asked leaning back against the post.
“He comes into the sites sees me standing there, I shake my head and say you’re not there, he nods and then runs back off towards the stream, only your buck comes to the sites at all to make it easier. I’m a little shocked he’s come around without you there, something must be wrong or he’s got a fawn he wants to show off.”
“Alright I’ll drive down there in your truck if you don’t mind and see if I can figure out what’s up,” Kage said digging his keys out of his pocket and handing them to the big German shepherd, “Tell Melony I’ll be back before dinner for sure, go ahead and move my truck to the next site over.”
“What’s plan B Kage?”
“There isn’t one Tank, its plan A or stay here,” Kage replied taking Tanker’s keys from him, getting into the dark green pickup sitting close by and taking off before he could respond.
When the black wolf got down to the rustic sites a few minutes later he turned the truck nearly sideways on the gravel before jumping out and running into the campsites. His buck was standing at the bottom edge of the third campsite calm as ice.
“Hey there buddy, what brought you up here without me?” Kage said calmly as he walked calmly towards the buck.
The buck turned and walked slow enough for the black wolf to follow but never let him come along side him as before. When they reached the creek the deer proceeded to jump over to the rock face and waited patiently while Kage crossed by another path before continuing to lead his friend through the woods.
“I have places to be my friend, where are we going?” Kage asked after they’d walked almost an hour.
The buck pointed down the hill he was standing on top of with his head, finally allowing Kage to come along side him. What the black wolf saw was a beautiful feral doe and a fawn speckled with white spots in its brown fur.
“Yours?” the black wolf asked with a wide smile, “This why you didn’t want to come see my students a couple weeks ago?”
The buck only nodded twice, the doe on the lower part of the hill caught Kage’s scent but didn’t flee with the fawn because it recognized the scent of the buck with him as her mate. Kage and the buck walked side by side slowly down the hill together showing her that there was no need for fear. The doe walked up to the two and licked Kage on the nose which startled both the black wolf and the buck, before Kage nuzzled her back as she pressed her long muzzle into his.
