Seven

The next day, instead of training with Mourgent, Zazriel went with Orion to see his section of patrol, traveling with wheelchair. She memorized the landscape, the landmarks where the border was, and trails to take back to the main pack area. They met Zelda around noon and she was transferred over. She got to see three sections total that day and the last two the next day. She then went to find Mourgent, but was distracted when Nyx flew down to greet her. Laughing, Zazriel got out of her chair and shifted into her wolf, running after the falcon and playing with it. She let loose her worries and doubts, but got a lot of pent up energy out as the bird led her back to the pack. It squawked loudly, weaving through the trees.

Zazriel was just beyond the tree line when a scent caught her nose. She paused and turned, sniffing the ground. It was familiar, a scent she knew but hadn't smelled for years. For some reason, she couldn't put her paw on what or who it connected to. Nyx swooped down and perched on a boulder. Eyeing her intently. Zazriel shifted and found one of Mourgent's hidy-holes and grabbed a shirt. Then, scooting over to the falcon, she used a knuckle and stroked the beak. "Mourgent is alpha here. You know what an alpha looks like. Find him. Bring him to me, Nyx. I need him."

Mourgent was arguing with Carlotta about leaving Zazriel alone when he saw the large bird swoop down and land on her wheelchair. He stilled. The bird squawked, looking at him, then clapped into the air and away. It was Zazriel's bird.

Mourgent ran after it. The bird squawked, speeding up. In five minutes, Mourgent saw Zazriel huddled beside a bush, in wolf form, waiting patiently.

The bird squawked and landed in front of the wolf, unafraid. The wolf, Zazriel, licked the beak, then nuzzled it. Mourgent stepped closer, cautious not to spook her, but Zazriel saw him and began wagging her tail. The bird flew off and Zazriel got to her back legs and began to hop over to him. Mourgent knelt, then wrapped his arms around her. "What is wrong, Z?"

She whined, but hopped away and went behind a tree to shift. When she pulled herself into view again, she was looking around. "I meant to find you, but then began playing with Nyx. We were on our way back when I caught a scent."

Mourgent went to her and lifted her in his arms. "What kind of scent?"

She shook her head. "One I know from a long time ago."

He grunted and took her home. He didn't fail to notice she had one of his shirts on.

Once they were at his house, he set her in her chair and went to the kitchen to grab a water for her. When he returned to her, the bird was perched on her armrest, making affectionate noises. "Remind me of her name."

"Nyx." Zazriel took the water from him and drank.

"How did she know to find me?"

Zazriel smiled. "Nyx is clever. She knows the difference between a sub wolf and an alpha. I told her I wanted the alpha, wanted you, and she will commit your name to the alpha title from now on, commit your name to your face."

"She is clever," he murmured.

Zazriel nodded, then sighed. "I'm sorry Mourgent. I didn't mean to worry you."

"You're fine," he said, but he wasn't convincing.

Zazriel shook her head. "Next time, I will make sure to let you know somehow."

"You don't use the pack bond," he noted.

She opened her mouth, then shut it. Finally, she said, "My pack was always small enough that we didn't need one. So, it was never created."

"That doesn't make sense," he growled.

"I know, but that's what I was told."

"By who?"

"My father."

Mourgent grumbled to himself, then looked at the bird who was staring out the window. "Any way to make her give a signal you're with her?"

Zazriel was quiet, then gestured him to follow her outside. They went to the backyard and Zazriel hefted Nyx into the air. "Dominoes."

Nyx gave a rhythmic three clacks. Mourgent waited before he heard it again, from another bird. Then another. All around, birds repeated the call, echoing Nyx like she was in a tunnel.

"I call it dominoes because once she makes the sound, it spreads for some time in all directions," Zazriel said softly. "I haven't used it much because I don't usually go far from others."

Mourgent hummed. "I want you to start using it if you're going to be out so far or if you find something wrong." He paused. "She hasn't been around since I met you. Where does she go?"

"Not far." Zazriel watched Nyx fly out of sight, a smile on her lips. "I think she has babies close by and cares for them."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I saw her with another falcon not long ago."

Mourgent chuckled. "So, if she's not with you, how will I know where you are?"

Zazriel sighed and turned to face him. "I'm not scenting my trail, Mourgent."

He smiled. "I didn't ask for you to piss your tracks. I just want to know you are safe and unhurt."

"I'm not an invalid."

Mourgent frowned. "Zazriel, you know I don't think of you as weak."

"But you're treating me as if I were."

"I'm not. I don't have a way to contact you with the pack bond. Everyone else in my pack does. I need a way to find you if there is an emergency. I am doing the same with all the others from your pack. Each has their own way for me to find them."

"Can't you just shift and track me like that?"

"Why are you being stubborn about this?"

"Because no one has cared before!"

Mourgent paused, realization hitting him like a battering ram. He closed his eyes and found a chair, gesturing for her to follow him. He sat and waited for her to stop in front of him. She had tears in her eyes, but was trying to hide them by looking away. "Zazriel, I'm sorry. I am not someone who wants to hover over you. I also don't want to be trying to find you when there is danger. I need to know where every member of my pack is every moment of every day. It is my habit for being alpha."

She nodded. Sniffling, Zazriel wiped her eyes. But said nothing.

Mourgent said, "I don't know why no one thought to help you in need in your pack, but here, I want to help you. Let me have to privilege to be the first to help you in everything you need."

Zazriel swallowed a lump then reached into her pocket. "How often is someone a wolf?" she asked softly.

"There is always someone who is wolf. Always, all around the territory."

She nodded and pulled out a tiny device, holding it out to him. Mourgent took it and found it to be a whistle. "Blow it," she said.

He did, but nothing came out. No sound. He kept blowing, as hard as he could. A minute later, Grey bounded through the trees, alert and ready for anything. Mourgent raised his brow. "What is it, Grey?"

"You called," he said with the pack bond.

"No I didn't."

Grey looked around and saw the whistle. "You did. That whistle. It's a special kind for dogs."

Mourgent stared at the whistle then at Zazriel. "You may go, Grey." Grey left and Zazriel smiled. "Do you always have this?" he asked her.

"Always. I blow it and a dog comes, or wolf. They will come and inform you of my location."

Mourgent handed the whistle back and sat back. "Okay. We will have to alert patrol of this."

"That's something I wanted to talk to you about," she said, repositioning herself in her chair. "You do not have to like it, but it is a suggestion."

He narrowed his eyes on her. "What, Z?"

"I think the patrol should be done in pairs. One wolf, one human." She glanced up at him anxiously. "I would have told you the other day, but you wouldn't have understood. But now you do."

He nodded. "Make a list of whistle patterns. I want the patrols to know when you are injured, in danger, need assistance with something minor and anything like that. I also want-"

"Mourgent!" He looked at her to see a blush on her cheeks. "My pack already has whistle patterns that are familiar to them. I just never used it."

"You will use it here, Zazriel. I mean it, I want to know you're safe!" he growled.

She glanced down at the whistle. "On one condition."

"You have a condition?" She nods. "This is your life!" He knew he was overreacting, but he couldn't help himself. He needed her to let him in.

"I don't like using the whistle, Mourgent. But I will if you do something for me."

"What?"

She pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to him. He took it and looked at it. It was a new chair design. "Can you have this built? It can go over the rough terrain better and will be smoother for me."

He glanced at her. "This is it?"

"What we're you expecting?"

He shook his head and relaxed. "Give me time. It will take time for this to be built how you want."

She smiled, holding her whistle to her chest. "Thank you!"

He got another idea. "Let me see that, please?"

She handed it to him. After studying it, he went to a cabinet on the side of the house and pulled out a drill. He drilled a hole at the end, then found a cord and looped it through. Walking back to Zazriel, he put the cord around her neck and tied it.

"Now you can't lose it," he whispered.

"Thank you."

He nodded, now seeing joy in her eyes. "Zazriel, never be afraid to ask me for something. Especially if it is to help you."

She nodded.