Selina looked around at the camp, noting how tense the guy was and that he still seemed to be looking over her at something. her mind told her that she should probably get back to Sun, but she ignored it, still curious. There was a rustle in the bushes back behind her quite a ways and she could hear her name being called. "Selina? Are you still alive?" She heard the familiar growl of Sun call and she hoped the human couldn't make out the words.
"Quiet Sun, I'm busy," She growled back, her head turning back to see where the other werewolf was before she focused back on the human.
”I hope that’s not your mate.” Frankie murmured softly, his lips twitching slightly, as he heard the two growling at each other. He had heard about how smart they were, they practically had their own language for crying out loud. Honestly, wolves were one of his favorite animals ever since he read The Jungle Book.
Her ears swiveled around when the human talked again and she caught his words, growling and trying to hide a laugh. Sun was definitely not her mate, they had already determined that. Her eyes flashed with amusement from the statement though and she went back to watching the human, hoping her patrol partner got the message and left.
"Let's get going Selina, just scare the human off and be done with it," Sun growled, pacing around a tree a ways away and looking for anything to catch just to keep himself busy.
Frankie couldn't help himself and turned his head quickly to look at the slivery wolf in amazement. ”Do you understand me?” He was almost certain that that last growl sounded like a laugh, something he thought wolves couldn't do.
Selina froze when he asked his question, growling a string of curse words at what she had just revealed, "He's onto us Sun, just go and I'll take care of this." All she heard in response was another growl and something slowly padding away, much to her relief. Now she just had to get the human to leave, or at least move their camp back to the main trail.
Frankie was now completely staring directly at the wolf. The way it reacted to his question… He had been expecting a curious head tilt or just flat out leaving. ”You can, can't you?” he inquired gently. Listening closer to the growling he could almost make out what sounded like words.
"Leave human, go back to the main trails," She said in response, her words still disguised by a noise between a growl and a snarl. Selina stood from the low crouch she was in, still mostly disguised by the bush but it was clear she was both taller than the average wolf and could understand everything he was saying and had said.
”Holy… ” Frankie's jaw dropped at the display, understanding the intent but not the words just yet. ”Ok, look. I'm sorry if I'm trespassing or something here but I don't get along with other campers.” he explained putting his hands up in surrender. ”I just… They don't respect where they are. And I guess you could say I'm a bit of a lone wolf, personally.” his lips twitched again at his poor joke.
She listened to what he was saying with interest, though she knew he couldn't stay just because he didn't get along with the other campers. "No humans respect where they are, they never have." She growled lowly, though it wasn't as threatening as the others were, it sounded like she agreed with him, "If you're a lone wolf as you say you are, then you're here for one of two reasons. To pick a fight and cause trouble for out pack, or to be accepted into it. Because you're human though, you would die either way."
”No, I’m not here to pick a fight with anyone. I didn't even know there was a pack in this area.” Frankie protested slightly panicked but still keeping his voice down. ”I try to respect places like this. I know I'm not perfect at it but I love being this close to nature. It's honestly where I feel the most at home.”
Selina realized he was now able to understand what she was saying and in her mind she panicked slightly, though didn't show it. Once again, she listened to him before replying, "Now you know, there is a pack here, and they're not as forgiving as I am." She knew that now that he knew more and more that she had to make sure he wouldn't tell anyone about this interaction. "Leave and find a spot over by the other campers to feel at home at. You can't tell anyone about this interaction as well, got it?"
”I won't tell anyone about this. Cross my heart.” Frankie agreed, quickly drawing an X over his chest with his finger. ”People would think I was nuts anyway. But there are two problems with your last statement. One, I can't see in the dark to move my site. And two, if I did move where you said then I wouldn't be at home.” he wasn't trying to argue but she needed to see his point. ”Would you be comfortable sleeping near them?”
She snarled and watched him carefully, "I would be, but only because then I could get some revenge for what they do to my kind every year." Slowly, she stepped out of the bush and closer to where he was, pacing in a circle as she tried to figure out where the human could stay. "I know a cave you could stay in that's off our pack land and secluded," She eventually growled, "The only problem is I wouldn't be able to show you where it is tonight. I have to get back to the pack and it's too dark for your human eyes to follow me."
He was surprised by the mention of revenge but didn't push for an answer. It was obvious this was no ordinary wolf, so he knew there were reasons for hating humans and no doubt some of them were justified. ”I would happily camp there; a cave would be a new experience.” Frankie smiled. ”If I could be allowed to stay here for one night I would follow you in the morning, if you came back to show me. I’m an early riser.”
Selina quietly thought about the compromise, growling something inaudibly about the Alpha and the human getting killed. "Fine, one night. Be up at dawn and have your things together," She replied, eyes following him as she paced around, "If you get caught here and killed before I bring you to the cave though, don't blame me. I follow Alpha's directions and even if i don't bring this up, Sun might."
”I’ll be ready and I won't blame you.” Frankie agreed, assuming ”Sun” was most likely the packmate that he heard earlier. Honestly, dawn was a bit early for him but he wasn't going to fight the terms of someone who had a natural claim to the land.
She looked towards the human and gave a small nod of her head, "Then it's settled. Goodbye human." Selina shook out her fur and looked up at the night sky, listening for any howling from the Alpha. When she didn't hear anything, she looked over at the human one more time and bounded off into the woods, silver fur almost shining in the moonlight.
”Goodbye… ” Frankie trailed off as the wolf left, realizing he didn't know what to call it. ’Wolf’ or any form of a nickname based on that seemed a bit rude, ’Silver’ didn't seem bad but… It didn't matter at this point, as the silver coat disappeared. He slumped heavily, taking a shaky breath. I just talked to a wolf! And it talked back!! What the heck!!! He shook his head to try and calm down, climbing into the tent and practically collapsing on his sleeping bag.
Selina was silent as she made her way back to the pack, trotting along and thinking over the encounter and what she had just done. Too soon she reached the pack den though and looked around for Alpha Emerson. She spotted him outside of the den, which was really just a cave they had modified and changed into a suitable home for both their human and wolf forms. "Alpha," She said, bowing her head in respect as she passed by him to go change into her human form again. Emerson was a massive brown and black wolf when in that form, but in human form-like he was at the moment- He was a powerful and very defined young man, with almost hauntingly blue eyes and hair that was coal black.
Frankie had pretty much passed out after the shocking encounter. Some small part of him wasn't completely convinced that it really happened, more like it was just a dream.
The rest of the night went by quickly, changing into human form and pulling on a pair of clothes before reporting to Emerson and then heading to bed. Selina had a room to herself in the cave, just like Alpha and Luna did. It was off down a small and natural hallway from the large area they used as their main common space, a place that was quiet and all her own until she could find her mate. She quite literally fell asleep as soon as she laid down on the thin sleeping bag she used as a mattress, exhausted from the day and the encounter with mystery human.
Frankie was still pretty tired as he woke up, wanting to rest just a bit longer. But remembering the events of last night, he forced himself to sit up. Fortunately, the only things he had really unpacked when he set up camp was the tent and sleeping bag. He climbed outside and let the crisp early morning air help wake him up more before he started cleaning up his belongings.
Dawn came quickly and with that, Selina woke up, her natural internal clock making sure of it. She sighed and yawned, standing up and shifting into her wolf form right in her room before walking out to go help the human. Technically, she was supposed to be on patrol again, but Sun could handle the area by himself as she slipped out of the cage and into the woods. It felt amazing to run through the forest and she was almost disappointed when she had to stop at the human's camp again, taking up her spot hidden in the bush again.
Frankie was moving a little slower than because of the very early hour but he still managed to pack up his tent. ”Even if the wolf doesn't show up I can still find another place to camp further in. I’ll probably get fined but better than getting killed.” he mumbled tying his sleeping bag to his hiking pack.
"The wolf is here," She growled quietly, standing up from her spot in the bush at his words. Selina shook out her fur and padded out of the bush, stopping a few feet away from his camp. All she had to do was get him to the cave, then he was dealt with and she could get back to the rest of her life. That was the the plan.
Frankie jumped about a foot in the air when he heard that. ”OH GEEZ!! You scared me.” he had a hand over his racing heart. ”Sorry, I wasn't trying to be rude. I just wasn't sure if last night was a dream.” After a moment to calm down he gathered his few bags ready to follow.
Selina shook her head, watching the human carefully, "Last night was not a dream. I am real. You are trespassing on pack lands. I'm saving your life by getting you off pack lands." Her tail swished back and forth as she waited, sitting back on her hind legs, "Are you finished packing human?"
Frankie nodded. ”Yeah, you being here again kinda cements the reality. I am sorry for trespassing. I honestly had no idea, but thank you for your help.” He said gratefully, tapping his backpack, duffel, and food cooler making sure he had everything. ”I'm ready.”
