Chapter 2

Ryan touched the pawprints on the hardened earth, his sense of smell peaked and he looked up at the shredded branches. Cackling and replacing his gun while Jace sniffed for clues of where the village was.

He stood up and sighed ruffling his hair. "They couldn't be_oof!" He fell forward and Ryan flipped his gun forward aiming at the beast stepping on him.

It growled and his eyes focused on it and then he put on the safe flipping it back behind him at the wolf, he went down on one knee raising his hands and it snarled and barked snapping its teeth.

"Everything will be okay," He said and he hand-packed the sand and he squeezed it releasing a scent that caused it to mellow down.

It stepped down from Jace and leapt on him. Ryan wrestled the white wolf for a minute and rubbed its fur.

It rolled over and its tongue fell out, rubbing its fur against the herb to get it on him. "Good boy. Jace, you remember my boy, Elias"

Jace groaned getting up and picking up his gun, Elias growled threatened.

"Go on, get!" He pointed.

Elias ran off to the woods and paused on top of a boulder circling it then whimpered.

They exchanged looks and Ryan pulled down his hat. "I think we're safe"

Elaine held her arms, waiting with Bobby hanging in between them, babbling and reaching down, his foot pushed against her face while Darla looked around shielding her eyes from the sun, it was getting hot and hotter still in the car.

"Hold still" She groaned.

Why did they have to wait till they got back?

She sat up when a grey wolf emerged and pulled up Bobby and he cried.

"Whoa, mom, look out!" She pointed and Darla pulled up the ends of her scarf.

Elaine didn't know what she was planning on doing but the other two emerged and the wolf's head bobbed up and down in a slight nod.

She quirked an eyebrow at that and Jace dropped his hat waving the rest up.

Two men arrived, one's name was Skarlowe and the other named Travis helped them with their kit.

She stood back away from the wolf as it stood at the centre watching them unpack.

"We're ready to go" Ryan smiled.

"Here" She passed Bobby on to Darla.

She noticed Darla's expression and then carried her bags, she began to wonder how far they would go and how long they would be here.

They reached a large expanse of trees with cabins and people working outside, cutting wood and replacing them with seedlings.

Her eyes rose to the hefty log of wood getting lowered by the end of a nylon fabric rope and the man under pulled it down.

She strapped on her bag.

"This is our home," Ryan said looking around.

"At least we have a home," She said and Jace introduced her to Travis to help her take her luggage to their home.

They passed an archway tunnel with the light from the end to guide them, she traced her hand on the walls till they got to the cabin.

"Uh, thanks" She brushed her hair back and Travis nodded leaving.

She unpacked again.

The house was bigger than she expected and the murals were mesmerising. Above her head, there was a window view with trees and down below, a small clear stream flowing.

She leaned on the windowpane, this place could use some getting used to. She thought and went downhill to get water, her pail dropped at how large the house was.

"Elaine!"

She looked up, shielded her eyes from the sun and made out her dad's voice.

He helped her the rest of the way up the stairs.

She leaned on the pillar. Her eyes focused on nothing. "I thought I could trust her"

"We don't have time to think about what happened," He said frankly and held her shoulder. She faced him.

"We don't have time for anything" She blurted, she only just got a piece of high school, a year and a half in Kansas and she's gone.

"We're here now," He assured.

"We're here because of me! It's all my fault"

He was quiet for a moment.

"I don't expect you to like it at first glance."

She softened giving the place a second look. A whole community. She frowned.

"Elaine, it's important that you listen"