Unfamiliar Territory - Chapter 23 (Early Access) (Patreon)

“Now you make sure you keep your ears clean,” Tove’s mother prattled as she began unpacking and repacking one of their satchels for the fifth time.

Tove and Chloe had just about reached the wall hatch they had arrived through - it would point them in a straight line back to the cottage in which they had met. The journey to this point had taken half the morning as they were hounded by well-wishers who refused to allow them a swift farewell.

It was sweet, but Tove couldn’t help but find it funny that after weeks spent in wonderfully unexciting normalcy, suddenly the whole pack was behaving as though the pair of them were integral to their every-day happiness. Tove loved them all, too, and would miss them, but there was really no need for such a fuss. She laughed off cheek pinches and attempts from elders to sneak sweet treats into her palm or pockets. Chloe dithered, unable to brush them off as easily. She still feared their opinion of her, strangely.

Tove’s parents were stood between them and their exit, faffing with their things as though they could find a more optimal way to arrange their supplies with just five… more minutes…

She dropped into a crouch beside her mother and grinned despite no eyes upon her. “Why my ears instead of the rest of me?”

“You need your ears to listen to everything Chloe tells you,” her mother murmured into bundled blankets. “She will keep you safe and well.”

Tove sputtered. She hated to break the illusion of ‘Chloe, hero of the pack,’ but if anyone was keeping them safe on their journey, it was the half of their mating pair that held claws hidden in her paws.

“Your mother is right,” her father chimed in. “You must do as your mate says outside of these walls.”

Her mother added, “Best to do what she says inside as well.”

Chloe was hovering nearby, pretending not to hear the responsibilities being laid upon her. A laugh huffed out of Tove’s chest before she could halt it and she caught a stern look off both parents; she smiled apologetically and pretended to nod her agreement to complete obedience to her saviour. This behaviour mortified Chloe. Overnight, she had become the main attraction of the pack, someone that strangers wanted to shake the hand of, and it was not to her taste to say the least. Tove enjoyed the attention - nothing better than everyone knowing how amazing your mate is! But the more flushed and nervous Chloe became under the intense gratitude, the more Tove began to act as a barricade. Playing the possessive mate was rather fun, too.

She stretched her arms upwards as far as they would go and let out a little groan. They had a long way ahead of them, and it was Tove’s intention to earn them a new personal best record for the time it took. The more the pack delayed and clung to them, the less time they would have to make progress today.

It wasn’t that she wouldn’t miss her family and friends, she had simply been untethered and wished to enjoy it. There was no longer a need to stay close for the sake of her loved ones watching her pass - she had a whole life to come and go as she pleased! And she would be the first to see something no other had dreamed of - a city of witches. Why delay? She would come back eventually! But she had things to do and places to see and a lovely mate to carry with her.

And soon enough it would be midday if they let her uncles talk Chloe in circles around their conspiracies. Tove may have had a hand in setting that off - she told them about the werebird conversation. She hadn’t realised quite how long her little joke could go on for…

“We really must be going now,” Tove called to anyone willing to listen. She was ignored for the most part, in favour of fussing over Chloe.

“Tove is right,” Chloe said, her voice weak. She didn’t like to hurt anyone’s feelings. “We have a long journey ahead - best to get it over with.” The hangers-on cleared, finally, and she hurried to Tove’s side.

Tove smiled at her mate, and Chloe turned pink again. It reminded her of another reason for wanting to move swiftly - her mate did not have a complexion that darkened in the sun… it simply burned. They would need to hide under shade during the sun’s brightest hours.

They made it to the opposite side of the wall, plus their luggage, after a few more rounds of cuddles. Plus very showy face kisses planted on Chloe’s cheeks by Kajsa. Everyone had teased Tove for growling under her breath, “You are not in competition for your mate! Especially not with your cousin!” But it was not that Tove imagined for a moment that Chloe might decide she preferred another werewolf, it was the act of embarrassing Chloe in public with overfamiliarity that agitated her. It was impossible to explain that without causing more unwanted attention to her red-faced and fumbling mate, so she shoulder-barged her cousin as they passed, keeping Chloe on her other side, and ignored the fox-like smile that followed them.

She stripped and shifted once they were back in the woods and not revealing an entrance to the city. Alpha and the elders talked of eyes in the woods, hopeful scroungers looking for an opportunity to take their city from them. While Tove didn’t feel herself to be in any danger, it probably wasn’t wise to make the hatches too obvious to anyone who was watching… She hoped for the Fae, that would be interesting.

On four paws, she dropped her belly to allow Chloe to strap their bags across her back. They had brought (been forced to accept) more than could be carried on two sets of two feet. And what was a dainty little witch to add to the load? Carrying her mate was an honour. And, they had overstayed with the pack on the agreement that Tove would bound them back to Chloe’s cottage at top speed to half their travel time. Therefore, the reality was fifty-percent love-tinged honour and fifty-percent avoidance of Chloe’s ambling gait.

The weight of the packs was thankfully evenly spread over each of her sides, the straps bristling against her fur lightly. Once Chloe had mounted, her thighs clamped them down - no lost dinner on her watch! Tove felt the slightly unbalanced wobble that brought Chloe’s chest down to her scruff as they lifted up from the floor. She gave her a few test strides to find a comfortable and safe position, pretending to be adjusting herself to the added weight. It was nothing more than a satchel in her human form, they could have easily packed more jams…

Once her mate was settled at her back, small fingers curled into the fur folds of her shoulder blades, Tove took off. The yelp from just behind her left ear tickled something in Tove’s belly and she pushed faster - let her mate feel her strength and speed and the wind that came with it.

Nothing fell off - not even Chloe - and despite their moons spent with the pack, their scents still lingered along the trail they had taken to bring Tove home.

The midway point was the lake; that was Tove’s goal by nightfall. Then, at her pace, they could reach the cottage by the following night. The day after that… the human would be arriving. A man with a cart to drag all of Chloe’s belongings back to her city.

The leaf types and bark shades gradually changed around them as they travelled deeper into the forest. They were making great progress by the time the bright hours had passed.

Chloe was slumping against her back, either rocked to sleep by Tove’s running or collapsing from exhaustion was difficult to tell… She pounded dirt for a little longer, debating. There was another little trick she had learned with their imaginary rope: sometimes, when she gave it a quick and forceful tug, it… leaked. And what it leaked was a brief sharing of Chloe’s state. Sometimes it was physical, sometimes emotional, but Tove could almost… press herself into Chloe’s body or mind for a moment and check her.

It had happened a few times by accident, once on purpose - just to test! And she had vowed not to again unless it was an emergency. It was not right to take stock of someone without their permission… and they still had yet to discuss the familiar ‘gifts’ in full. All Tove knew was that they would be training under a harsh teacher at the magic school to bind Tove’s wolf abilities and Chloe’s magic closer together. Chloe, as with most bond-related sensations, was oblivious. As the first familiar to be capable of speech, Tove wondered if this was normal, and that no other animal had been able to say so.

She decided to confess at dinner. Sorry, my darling mate, I have been checking your health and feelings when I worry about you - can I please do it more?

She snuffled and huffed through her snout, partly laughing at herself and partly at their situation. The noise roused Chloe, bringing some sturdiness back to her body with a groan. Just napping then.

Tove kept her pace until she could hear the gurgles of water in the distance… and the gurgles of her mate’s stomach. Then, she sprinted. Chloe let out a scream, clinging to her fur painfully, but she couldn’t hear and smell what Tove could - water was near! Which meant dinner was near!

And it was barely dusk.