46 Ch 46 Hunting the Sky

The sun was high according to the time on our phones by the time we made it to the split.

"This is where we set up camp," I told Derrick.

"Camp?"

"Ever read Tom Sawyer? The part where he uses string in the caves? The way out was somewhere ahead. I don't know where. John's old trail goes everywhere. Hopefully there's another way out. We can explore. We can mark the areas that don't work out. No sense in carrying everything with us until we find a way out. We know there isn't any exit behind us."

"Mark how? We don't have the guy's spray can."

I picked up the bottle containing the pee. "I'll smell it. We just have to work together. Keep in mind my other dimensions. Wolf can squeeze through areas a man can't. Ready?"

It took some work, figuring out a good method to explore. We verified area after area. We both sent text messages out from the area with small openings, telling of our situation and the danger from John, hoping one made it. Even if help came, I couldn't tell them exactly where we were.

There was one area we found that had a drop that I wasn't sure I could make back up on my own. I would need Derrick's help getting out of there. He wouldn't be able to pull me up and I wouldn't be able to pull him back up with his broken arm if he went down to boost me up. There hadn't been any rope, just the zip ties-and they wouldn't be enough.

I marked the area well, making a line out from it so I could find it easy later. It was a last alternative.

By the time the sun was going down, I was regretting giving Derrick my little bit of tea, feeling the need for it. The mix of herbs helped relax my muscles mildly, just enough to take the edge off. I had done a lot of shifting to squeeze into areas to check them out. Changing between my wolf form and my man form didn't come without a cost, and I had tapped into my reserves.

Derrick took my advice and wore both pair of pants. They were a tight fit for him, but would help keep him warm. He was exhausted and his arm was throbbing with pain. I had tried to convince him to take breaks when his smell had changed, but he kept pushing himself. He did take another small dip into the drugs.

Neither of us said much. It had been a long, stressful, fruitless day. Without thought, I got up and moved back toward where we had explored.

"Where you going?"

I just blinked at him as a wolf, already missing our secure den. I headed toward one of the higher tiny openings. Standing beneath it, I threw back my head and howled. I stood there, ears cocked, while the echoes died down. I waited.

After awhile I howled again. I waited. I listened. Howled. Waited. Listened.

"Rick?"

I growled, a low quiet growl, half-shifting back to human in order to speak. "Go to sleep, Derrick."

"You need some sleep too," he said, holding his phone so the light shone up and not directly on me.

I dropped back to four legs, pacing toward him, my head low, the growl increasing as I got closer. I had to give it to him, he didn't back up. I applied steady pressure against his leg, pushing with my forehead until he had gone back about ten paces. I left him and returned to where I was.

I howled, long and clear. I listened. I howled. I listened. Derrick finally left. I hoped he got some rest. I howled.

I woke when Derrick stirred. I was curled along his back again. I don't know how long I had howled into the night. I didn't remember coming back to Derrick.

Lost in the wolf was beginning to take on a new meaning for me. I remembered when I had gone after Dad and he had thought the month was only a few weeks. Even as a wolf there are memories! I didn't understand the time loss.

I took a deep breath and shifted back to man, even if it was cold without fur. I counted, did random math; I even did my abc's. I went through family connections. I stopped at Grandfather, backtracked to Running Elk and Mahina. I focused on my breathing, deep steady breaths.

"You ok?" asked Derrick as he stretched. He winced when his stretch pulled against his arm.

"Yeah, just focusing. I went pretty deep into the wolf last night."

"Gee, you think? You howled half the night!"

"How you handling things?"

"You mean you being a werewolf or my broken arm? You're a stubborn wolf and my arm is throbbing. Other shoulder feels a bit better. You ready for breakfast? We got some granola bars, a few energy bars, jerky and chips."

"Give me an energy bar and some water. I'm thinking of going back toward the other entrance to see how well the explosion sealed it."

We discussed our options as I opened the energy bar.

"Eww," I complained, trying not to spit the bite out. We had too little food to waste any of it. "People eat this on purpose? You can have all the energy bars! You can have the rest of this one," I said, breaking off where I had bitten. "This is not real food!"

Derrick laughed at me. It felt good to talk out loud and not have to whisper. I had to grin at him. I was glad he could find some humor in our situation; it was a good sign.

I stayed human as much as I could, getting my pants back from Derrick and slipping on my shoes. We found a few lines that went pretty far. We found an underground creek, if you could call it that, with water just seeping through. It took some trial and error to carefully refilled the water bottles that were empty. It took the two of us working together to strain the water through a strip of my shirt from one bottle to another.

I had a granola bar and some of the jerky for lunch. Derrick was content with the energy bars. It felt good to tease each other over our meal choices.

When I was pretty sure we covered everything behind us except for the low spot and the few long areas, I mentioned moving our camp up.

"I think we should keep camp where it is. I could feel the difference in temperature this morning. It was actually warmer further back."

"It will just take us longer to move up again," I countered. I feared he was coming down with a fever if he was feeling chilled. I took in his exhaustion. "Yeah, we can stay put," I conceded . "I'm debating whether we should split up.

"Go on, check out some of those long areas. I'll eliminate the simple areas. I promise I won't go down anywhere too far."

"Good," I told him, " because I don't know what I'd use to rescue you. If I find a way out, do you want me to keep going or come back for you?"

"If it's an easy way out, come back. But you've had to crawl through just about everywhere. My arm won't get me out that way, so go on and bring back help if you can."

I took off my shoes and pants, shifting enough to have fur.

"Seriously, never going to get used to that. Seeing you as all wolf isn't bad, but the half-way thing is weird."

"This isn't anything," I laughed, "you should see when I'm practicing. Besides, you need my pants for the warmth. What food do we have left?"

We looked through it. I ate a granola bar and a bit of jerky, leaving him the rest.

"You sure? What about some water?"

"I'm a wolf without pockets, remember? I'll fill up my belly at that poor excuse for a creek before I head out. As for food, well, dealing with hunger is something my dad taught me."

"Damn, I didn't even think of it! He's a werewolf too, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is. You really have been distracted by pain," I chuckled. "Try not to overdue it, and don't get yourself lost."

He reassured me, lying through his teeth. I knew he was still tired and dealing with the pain in his arm. I grabbed the flashlight, leaving my phone with him.

"Keep trying to call or text. Keep an eye on the battery levels. My phone is already down to half power."

"I will. Good luck, Rick."

The line I finally chose ended up going downhill on occasion, and had long stretches I crawled through as a wolf. I went through, holding the flashlight in my mouth. There were areas I needed to crawl, jump, or climb. I knew I had gone at least a few miles with no end in sight.

I finally stopped at another junction. I had no logical path down here. What I did have was instinct- instinct to hunt, run and howl with the sun and moon above me. My mom had often spoken of how instincts allowed animals to do amazing things.

'Spirit Wolf,' I prayed, 'guide my steps, lead me to the grasses that hide my prey, the wind that speaks to me. Help me to find the sky that I might paint my song across it!'

I shifted, both physically and mentally, becoming all wolf. I did my best to plant a mnemonic to keep marking my path. There were cut offs leading in all directions. When I moved, I was a wolf on the hunt and my prey was the sky above me. I didn't think, I just moved, the flashlight forgotten.

When the faint light from the flashlight was only a dim memory, I took a moment to rest. I listened, straining both ears and nose for anything other than rock in the inky darkness. I missed Derrick. Part of me wanted to go back to him; the rest of me knew, without fail, that the best way to get to him was before me.

Forcing myself to get up, I continued my hunt.