A/N: This chapter is about twice as long as the last one, I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Wolfblood.
Rhydian followed Ceri and Bryn over fields and through woods, occasionally looking over his shoulder back towards Stoneybridge. He was sad to leave Maddy behind, but he had to leave. Shannon and Tom knew their secret, and it was his fault. Her parents didn't want her to have anything to do with him, and although that had happened in the past and he'd ignored them, he thought that this time they had a legitimate reason. He'd messed up her life. He'd got her in trouble so many times, and now he'd given away the secret of her whole family. The least he could do was convince Shannon and Tom not to post the photos, and then quietly walk out of her life.
Of course there was his family too. Little Bryn who kept scurrying between him and his mum, wittering incessantly about nothing in particular, just happy to have his brother so that his mum was happy. And Ceri who was striding on strongly ahead, setting the pace of the small group, looking over her shoulder to check that her sons were still behind her. So Rhydian was happy to be finally with his family, where he belonged, it was just that he couldn't forget the look on Maddy's face as she left in the back of that jeep with her parents, one hand on the back window, staring back at him. Rhydian shook his head, in a vain attempt to rid it of all thoughts of Maddy. He couldn't go back. Not after what he'd done to her.
When they got to the camp of Ceri and Bryn: a small, sheltered hollow with a concealed entrance to a cave (which Bryn showed him proudly), Ceri ordered the boys to go and collect wood for a fire, and went into the cave. Rhydian and Bryn walked out of the hollow and off into the surrounding forest in search of dry sticks that would catch light easily. On the way, Bryn asked him about what it was like in the human world, and Rhydian was happy to fill him in.
"So somebody else's parents teach you things?" Bryn asked, dropping his sticks in his excitement.
"Not quite." Rhydian laughed. "An adult who knows a lot teaches you the things you need to know. They don't have to be parents." Bryn's eyes were wide.
"And they call these places where the adults teach you things spools?"
"Schools" Rhydian corrected.
"Cool." Bryn replied, picking up his pile of sticks again. "What kind of things do you learn?"
"Lots of stuff. Maths, English…" He wrinkled his nose. "Science."
"What's science?"
"It's like, the way the world works" Rhydian tried to explain.
"Wow." They walked on in silence for a bit until Bryn said: "Rhydian?"
"Mmmm?"
"Will you teach me science?"
"What?" Rhydian stopped walking and looked at his brother. "I don't know Bryn. I was never any good at it."
"Oh come on Rhydian. Please?" Bryn looked at him hopefully.
"Alright."
"YAY!" Bryn shouted, dropping his sticks again and giving Rhydian a hug. Rhydian laughed and shook him off.
"Just don't tell your mum"
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Over the next few weeks Rhydian got used to the routine of his new life. It was mostly the same every day. They would all wake up when the sun rose, and the light penetrated into their cave, and then Ceri would send him and Bryn out to find some small animals to eat. After breakfast, they would drink from a small spring nearby and splash water on their faces to freshen themselves up a bit. During the day they would always hunt together, and then Ceri would go back to the cave and sleep for a bit while Rhydian and Bryn would go and collect wood for the fire that they would make to keep themselves warm that evening. During this time, Rhydian would do his best to teach Bryn science, and Bryn was fascinated by all that Rhydian told him. Ceri's howling would force them reluctantly to return to the hollow, when they would hunt again. Before dark, Ceri would send the boys out every day to check the boundaries of their territory and to report straight to her if they found anything amiss.
Rhydian found himself living for the times when he would teach Bryn science. The boy was so keen and eager to learn that he was a pleasure to teach, even for Rhydian, who was terrible at science.
The time he spent with Ceri however, was… strained to say the least. She seemed a little distant, and she spent a fair portion of the day sleeping. Rhydian would wish himself back in Maddy's pack, if it weren't for having to be in foster care, not having Bryn, and lying to his friends.
Although he wouldn't have to now, he reminded himself. Shannon and Tom knew that they were wolfbloods. He wondered what life was like for Maddy with Shannon and Tom there to support her. He felt a little twist in his stomach at the thought of someone else taking care of Maddy.
No! He had to stop thinking about her. It was all his fault that the whole school had nearly found out about her secret. He had to stay away, and besides he had Bryn to look after. Even if he did go back…
Stop it! He told himself firmly. You can't go back because you messed up Maddy's life, she'll never want you back, and you have Bryn to look after. This was what he told himself every time he started to doubt his decision to leave Stoneybridge.
One day, something happened which interrupted their usual routine. They had been hunting for the final time that day, when Ceri told them that they wouldn't be going out to check the borders.
"Why not?" Asked Bryn. "What's happening mum?"
"I think it's time for Rhydian to meet our neighbouring pack" Ceri told them. "They helped me out a few times when you weren't here, Rhydian. We're going to meet them at the northern border of our territory. Come on." She put down the remains of the animal she was eating and got up, expecting the others to follow, which they did. Rhydian sighed and threw away the rest of his own meal. He didn't really want to go and meet another pack, much less thank them. But he did as he was told, because he didn't want any trouble. They ran north, Bryn easily keeping up with Rhydian and Ceri. His wolf powers had been growing, and Ceri and Rhydian suspected that his first transformation was approaching. They reached the northern border, and as they got there, a man stepped out from behind a tree. He was tall, with wild black hair and a beard. His eyes were a deep blue, and he spoke with a booming voice.
"Ceri."
"Stefan. It's good to see you. This is Rhydian", Ceri said, taking Rhydian by the arm and pulling him forwards to face Stefan. Rhydian looked up at Stefan, while Stefan peered down at him. It was Stefan who spoke first.
"Rhydian. You seem a strapping young lad. Why didn't you return when your mother first asked you?" he boomed.
"I… er…"
"He was in the hands of a tame!" Ceri spat from behind him.
"A tame?" Stefan roared. "Boy, is this true?" Rhydian noticed that he had stopped calling him by his name. He winced.
"She's my friend!" He protested, finally finding his voice.
"No." Stefan said calmly, but his voice rang with authority. "Wild wolfbloods do not associate themselves with tames. They are a disgrace to our species and you will not shame your mother by having anything else to do with them. She struggled after you left. Bryn wasn't old enough to do all the things she needed doing. So you will be a good son to her. Is that clear?" Rhydian opened his mouth to defend himself, but another look at Stefan convinced him otherwise.
"Yes sir." He said meekly.
"Good. Now then. This is my wife Gwen." He gestured to a pretty woman now appearing from behind a tree. "And my children." He gestured to a boy who looked about Bryn's age, and a girl with blonde hair who was hiding behind her mother. Rhydian nodded politely to them. Gwen smiled in return, and then spoke to Stefan.
"Stefan we must be getting back. It's getting late."
"Yes, of course." Stefan turned to face Ceri, Bryn and Rhydian. "Until the next time then, Ceri's pack."
"Until the next time." Ceri repeated, and with that, the two packs parted. Rhydian privately thought that he had no intention of seeing Stefan's pack ever again, but right now he had more important matters on his mind, and when they got back to their den he rounded on Ceri.
"What were you doing?" he shouted.
"I don't know what you mean." Ceri said, pretending to look shocked.
"Oh you know perfectly well what I mean!" Rhydian snarled, his eyes already with flecks of gold in them. "You were only introducing me to them so you could try and make me feel guilty for not coming with you in the first place!" Ceri's face was contorted with anger.
"How dare you! You refuse to come with me when I beg you to come home. I leave my son to come all the way to a human settlement to try and find you, only to discover that you would leave your own mother for a tame…"
"You were the one who dumped me on the humans in the first place, and for the last time Do. Not. Call. Maddy. TAME!" The last word came out as a growl as Rhydian turned into a fully-fledged wolf and leapt at Ceri, knocking her to the ground. He growled in her face and bared his teeth.
"Rhydian! No!" Bryn, who had been watching the whole encounter ran over to Rhydian and tried to pull the wolf off his mother, to no avail. "Please Rhydian!" He cried. Rhydian heard him, and realising what he was doing, got off Ceri and turned back into human form. Ceri got up, furious.
"I don't know what you think you're doing Rhydian, but I am your mother, whether you like it or not, and I will not be treated in this way. You can hunt for animals tomorrow morning for all of us by yourself and you will not come into the cave for a week. You can sleep outside, and I don't care if it rains." With that, she walked into the cave, taking Bryn with her, leaving Rhydian outside to his thoughts.
There was a clap of thunder, and it began to rain. Rhydian didn't mind the rain as such, he just wasn't looking forward to spending the night in it. He sighed and lay back, trying to find a comfortable space on the forest floor. He thought of the comfortable beds of the human world. Right now, his decision to leave was looking feeble. He missed Maddy. She was always there for him. She'd always understood him when no one else did. She'd comforted him when nobody else had been bothered. Even when her parents banned her from seeing him, that hadn't stopped her. Rhydian smiled sadly at the thought of her first transformation. He'd fallen off the top of a shed, and pretended to hurt his ankle so he could stay on the island for the full moon. Maddy had refused to leave him, even though it meant sacrificing her first transformation with her parents. She'd really cared for him, and he'd gone and mucked it up. Rhydian rolled onto his side and curled up into a ball, feeling vulnerable. He felt something small and soft wriggle into his arms. He looked down, surprised. He saw a pair of small brown eyes looking back at him. Bryn. Rhydian smiled and ruffled Bryn's hair softly. Then he lay on his back and drifted slowly off to sleep.
In the morning, Bryn was punished for sneaking out. Ceri yelled at him, slapped him on the cheek and sent him to get wood by himself. Rhydian watched from behind a tree and clenched his jaw, wondering how she could do that to her own son. Rhydian didn't speak to her until a week later, when his punishment was lifted. It was also full moon day.
Ceri called him into the cave.
"Well Rhydian, you are allowed into the cave now. I hope you have learned your lesson. Have you?" Rhydian, who had had a hard night and a sore back, turned to her and said
"I miss Maddy." He immediately clapped a hand over his mouth. He couldn't believe he'd just said that. He could not have said anything worse.
"I beg your pardon?" Ceri said, and Rhydian breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't heard him!
"I said yes mum, I have."
"No you didn't." Oh no… she did hear him! "You said that you missed the tame!"
"I didn't mean to say it!" Rhydian said, desperately trying to defend himself. He didn't want to spend another night outside. Ceri surveyed him with narrow eyes.
"Go and collect wood, and think about what you've said. We'll talk again when you get back." She turned away from him, the conversation apparently over. Rhydian walked out of the cave and up out of the little hollow, his hands balled into fists. Oh yes they would talk later.
When he got back from collecting wood, Ceri was standing in the middle of the hollow with Bryn.
"What's going on?" Rhydian asked, putting his pile of sticks down in a neat pile and hurrying towards them.
"I think it's going to be Bryn's first transformation!" Ceri said. "We're not going hunting today. We shall wait until the moon rises, when we can hunt properly." She announced. Then she walked over to Rhydian and said in a low voice "Our talk can wait until later. I don't want you messing up Bryn's first transformation." And she walked away without waiting for an answer. Rhydian thought of how he'd messed up Maddy's first transformation, and decided not to argue with Ceri. He wanted Bryn to enjoy tonight.
That night, as the moon rose, Rhydian was not thinking of how his brother was transforming into a wolf for the first time right next to him; all he could think of was Maddy. He missed her so much it hurt. Whilst Bryn and Ceri were running about at top speed, all he wanted to do was sleep. So he lay down, put his head on his paws and slept.
When Rhydian woke in the morning, he saw that Bryn and Ceri were not far away, and that Bryn was awake, whilst Ceri was not. Bryn came over and sat down next to him.
"Last night was great!" He said "Being a wolfblood is going to be so amazing." Rhydian swallowed a lump in his throat as he remembered the words Maddy had said to him after her first transformation. "You weren't very lively though. What's wrong?" Bryn continued, looking at his brother with concern. Rhydian turned to look at him. "It's your tame friend isn't it?" Bryn said.
"She's not tame!" Rhydian said.
"Sorry." Bryn replied. "You miss her, don't you?" Rhydian nodded, not trusting himself to speak. "You can tell me." Bryn told him. "I won't tell mum." Rhydian decided to be honest.
"I miss her so much. It's like… something I can't describe. I miss her smile, and the way she would look at me to think up an excuse for why we disappeared together. I miss the way she flicks her hair out of her eyes, and the way she chews on the end of her pen when she's thinking. That first transformation I had with her was amazing, and now I just feel that I can't enjoy myself without her."
"Sounds like you love her." Bryn said.
"No!" Rhydian stood up. Bryn looked at him sceptically. "Yes? I don't know! I just know that I need her back."
"So go then!" Bryn replied. "What are you waiting for?" Rhydian kicked up some leaves.
"I can't go back."
"Why not?"
"Because I messed up her life! I almost got her secret revealed to everybody! She almost had to move!" He ran his hands through his hair and sat down next to Bryn again.
"Almost? So you didn't actually get her secret revealed?"
"No, I managed to stop her friends revealing it."
"Well then!" Bryn said
"Well what?" Bryn rolled his eyes and said exasperatedly
"Her friends would probably have found out anyway, and you saved her secret. If she feels about you the same way you feel about her, she'll have forgiven you." Rhydian looked down at him.
"But what if I did leave? What about you?" Rhydian asked.
"I'll be fine. I've managed without you before, haven't I?" Bryn replied.
"I don't want to leave you, though." Rhydian said. Bryn rolled his eyes again.
"You have to make a decision Rhydian! You can't have both. Life's not always perfect."
A/N: I hope you liked it! What do you think Rhydian's going to decide? Please review and tell me what you think! :)
