A/N: Why hello there reader, welcome to yet another story by me and this time I decided to write a 'what if' kind of story. Enjoy!
Humphrey's POV
I woke to the constant sound of the train car creaking as it ran along the tracks below. I opened my eyes to see where we were but it was dark due to the doors of the train car were closed. 'Huh, I guess the train stopped somewhere while we were asleep' I thought to myself. There was still some light coming in from an open hatch above me that was opened to the outside. As I stretched out on the floor before I looked to the side of me and could faintly see Kate still sound asleep in the corner of the car. I instantly remembered the howl we shared the previous night, it was beautiful and almost felt like a dream, but it was all real. I knew I would have to tell my true feelings to her and I wanted to right after we howled but I choked up. I just couldn't do it, I'm scared that I'll be rejected which was seeming to be a most likely to happen scenario considering we're different ranks. But I can't just give up I've loved her ever since I got to know her, as a friend and romantically. We even howled, I mean come on she must has some feelings for me too right?
I was just in a war with myself trying to find what I should go with, my heart or the harsh fact that we could never be married in a pack. My thoughts were interrupted by the movement of Kate stretching beside me. Her eyes opened after this and looked at me "Good Morning" I said looking back. "Good morning Humphrey" She replied back before taking a look around the train car. I did the same, it was obviously daytime outside but I began to wonder how much further Jasper was. I wish Kate and I could spend more time together on this trip, at first we didn't get along too well but after we lost our ride at the gas station things turned much better between us. We talked more and even played games as we made our way to the train.
"Do you know where we are?" I heard Kate ask in a somewhat serious tone "No not exactly" I replied "For all I know Jasper could just be around the next corner." "That's what I'm worried about" She said getting up and proceeding to the open hatch on the roof.
'Why is she so anxious to get home?' I thought 'She's been like this most of the trip and I just don't get it.' I could understand that she maybe just misses being home but there must be something more. I suddenly heard the sound of something being dragged on the ground. I turned to see Kate trying to push some human made stack of box's under the hatch. "What are you doing?" I asked getting up on my paws "Trying to look and see what's outside, maybe I can see if we're near the park or not" She said before continuing her struggle to push the box's.
"Here let me help" I said walking up next to her and pushing as well, the box's then began to move until it was in the right spot. I watched as she jumped on top of the boxes and looked outside of the car "Well, see anything familiar?" I asked after watching her turn her head around surveying the landscape I couldn't see.
"It's safe to say we're nowhere near Jasper..." I heard her say plainly, I was confused. "What do you mean?" I asked, I was sure Marcel and Paddy would have woken us to give us a heads up for when to jump off. Maybe we just weren't there yet "Well for starters there shouldn't be snow on the ground in Jasper and it's much more mountainous out here." She said before coming back down the boxes and landing on the ground next to me "See for yourself"
I followed what she said and jumped up the boxes as well and looked out of the hatch. She was right, there was nothing but snow on the ground and it looked like we were going through a mountain pass. Nothing around really felt like home, I jumped down to the floor as well after having enough looking outside. "Maybe were just not to Jasper yet" I suggested, it seemed like the most logical explanation.
"Maybe, but didn't they tell us that we would get there in no time?" She said. She did have a point, they did tell us that but everyone has a different idea of time. "Well maybe they mean no time as in one day's travel on here" I said "True, I guess we can wait and see after all they can't be too far from where we are." She agreed. We both sat down and I looked around the room wondering what to do to pass the time. I couldn't think of anything to talk about with her which was odd since I could usually entertain her with a few jokes. A few minutes passed with just the sound of the trains movement and occasional wind gust blowing past.
Then to our sudden surprise an all too familiar voice filled up the room. "Ah there you two are" I heard Marcel say, we looked around to find that he was peering through the roof the car "Marcel there you are!" Kate exclaimed as I watched him fly into the room and landed in front of us followed by paddy. "We thought you forgot about us" She said
"Of course not" Marcel replied "But you can say we failed to notify you on when you had to depart off this train, it wasn't our fault though." "Are you saying we missed our stop in Jasper?" She asked sounding a little shocked. "Yes I'm afraid that's quite right, unfortunately the train stopped in a town during the middle of the night to unload." Paddy said
"Paddy please" Marcel said slightly annoyed "He's right and they ended up closing the doors on you two meaning we couldn't get to you." He finished. I found it amusing that Marcel would always get annoyed when Paddy took over the conversation from him. I was surprised at the fact that we did indeed miss Jasper, but oddly enough I was glad because I still had some more time with Kate. It might seem kind of selfish but maybe I could finally get the chance I needed to tell her my feelings. One thing was puzzling me about their story, they say they couldn't get to us but what about the open hatch they just came through?
"If you couldn't get to us then what about that hatch above you just came through?" I asked "Ah simple it wasn't open at the time, though I'm not sure what opened it." Marcel replied "Perhaps a human did" Paddy suggested.
I heard Kate let out a sigh of frustration next me and I turned to see her facing me "Well what do we do?" She asked. I was surprised normally she always had the control ever since we got to Idaho but now she was asking me for a decision. I did also say we were a team so I guess she agrees "Well obviously we still need to get back home, but that leaves a question. Where and how far is home?" I said.
"Yeah I agree, that's the goal of this trip anyway" She agreed "I can answer that question" Marcel said, we both looked to him "You're around 20 miles north of Jasper which would mean one to two days travel if you just walked." He finished.
"Great, I just hope we can make it back in time before anything bad happens." Kate said. Anything bad? What did she mean by that? I asked myself, I wanted to ask her why but it occurred to me that it must be something that isn't of my concern. "Yeah..." I said plainly acting like I knew what she was talking about.
"Now how do we get out of here?" She asked the two birds as I began to look around for a way out. I knew that going onto the roof would be too dangerous to jump down from. I turned my attention to the doors and could see some sort of handle on the side of it. "Well I'm not sure" I heard Paddy say as I walked over to one of the doors. "But apparently you're wolf friend does" He finished referring to me.
"What are you doing?" Kate asked me "I noticed this handle on the door, maybe it opens it." I replied before biting down on it and pulling, to my surprise it actually moved and suddenly the whole door slid opened in front of me. "See omegas are good for something" I joked looking back at them with a smile receiving a laugh from Kate. "Yes you are right" She said walking over to me at the edge of the car. I looked out and could still see lots of snow on the ground, we were still in the mountains. "If you just follow the tracks back south you should get back home within two days." Marcel said behind us "And remember we won't be too far away from you."
"Ready?" I asked looking at Kate who was already getting ready to jump out of the car, I took this as a yes. I watched her run and jump out of the car with me quickly following her. I could see her land perfectly but unfortunately for me I didn't, luckily the snow acted as a cushion when I landed on my side.
"You okay?" I heard her ask "Yes the snow is a nice thing to land on" I replied looking to see the end of the train disappear around a curve. "Well come on, maybe we can get some good distance down before it gets late." She said beginning to walk parallel to the tracks. "Coming" I said getting up and following alongside her. I could already feel the cold air through my fur and to be honest it made me want to get to Jasper where it was warmer.
Kate was keeping a quicker than walking pace as we passed by the many trees in the forest, and after about two hours of this I needed a rest. "Kate do you think we could take a break?" I asked keeping up. "Alright but a quick one" She replied looking back at me. 'Still in a rush I see' I thought to myself as we stopped under a large pine tree, one of the many around. I sat down as did she by the stump of it catching my breath, it made me think that I sure needed to build a stamina up.
"Well it sure is beautiful up here" I said making small talk "Yeah, but it is a bit too cold" She agreed "We are in the mountains after all" I said getting a nod from her. After a few more minutes past I felt rested enough to continue going, I just hoped she wouldn't want to do this all night. "Okay I'm good" I said getting up with her doing the same.
"Okay, I think we can go for another two hours before the sun starts to set." She said taking lead like she always did being alpha. "Sounds good to me" I agreed following as we continued south. I began to think how I should tell her my feelings because at this rate we would be back home before I even had a chance. 'It would have to be tonight...' I thought to myself meaning I needed to come up with a plan.