A/N: Thank you all so much for complying with my demand. I think I received fifteen reviews, which is a new personal best. I know that there are a lot more people out there reading this than that. So let's see how many we can get for this one!
RPOV:
I sprint headlong into the trees. I can hear Jacob's paws as they push against the ground behind me. As we run farther apart the sound fades until the only noises around me are the sounds of nature. I stop – glad that I can no longer hear Jacob's footfalls that are so much faster than mine – and breathe in the taste of the air.
I can taste the brisk air of the autumn breeze and the woodsy scents of scurrying rodents. Closing my eyes I focus solely on the sounds now. The gentle rustling of leaves and the soft flow of a babbling brook hold no interest to me. I expand my range and concentrate harder to pick out the familiar, rhythmic pounding of heavy hearts. Crouching down I place my fingertips against the dry, dusty earth and feel for the vibrations as the animals move about.
The largest animal I would possibly be able to get would be a bear. That might be difficult, though with hibernation, and what fun is it to scour caves when I could track down a feisty lion. A mountain lion, that would also be something to consider, but they aren't as populous either. No, the easiest thing would be to hunt down an overgrown buck. Though they aren't much fun, if I get lucky I could find one up near the two-hundred pound range.
Deer it is then. I stand up and let my ears listen to the nearby streams now figuring that that would be the best place to find them. The closest body of running water is to the North, but there only seems to be three or four small does and a couple fawns. I have no interest in wasting my precious time there so I head southwest, instead, to a larger river.
As I run I open my senses hoping to catch the scent of some large carnivore that will make my trip to the river unnecessary. Getting closer to the river I figure that I'd be hard press to find a lion now, so I let my senses zone in on the sounds and smells surrounding the deer. There are seven, three of which sound fairly large by the stomping of their heavy hooves and their thick pulses.
Once I am about ten yards away I halt and peer through the bushes. Three does sit attentively under the shade of the surrounding trees, their branches meshing to form a seemingly solid canopy above the animals. A fourth female is mingling with the slighter of the three bucks on the edge of the shade. I was right, seven deer.
The largest buck, by far, stands at the bank of the river eyeing his herd protectively. This one is obviously the alpha. I skulk silently forward wondering how close I could get before any of them sensed the threat. I won't even let it get that far, though; instead I rock back on my heels and launch my attack on the buck. The others instinctively scatter – not understanding the futility of their efforts had I been interested in any of them – as they leave their leader to be slaughtered.
I am merciful though. As I jump on my prey's back I quickly lean over and snap its neck with my teeth jumping off before the lifeless body falls limp to the ground.
The slight taste of blood on my tongue it appetizing. I know this is only because I didn't get enough to actually taste the distinctive flavor, but I still can't help leaning over the neck and letting the scent fill my nose. At that moment the wind blows and a stronger, more appealing scent catches my attention.
My head snaps up reflexively and I realize that I wasn't the only one out deer hunting. A plump mountain lion sits poised on a nearby branch eyeing me like death for ruining its hunt. It wants a hunt now does it? That could be easily arranged.
I turn on my heels and lunge at the tree with the scent of the deer all but forgotten. The lion bares its teeth and spits a threatening hiss. The force of my body contacting with the lion's shoulders results in bone crunching crack as we tumble from the canopy. I flip back on my toes and let the lion get to its feet, which takes awhile with its left shoulder being broken.
Finally it finds a steady hold on the uneven ground. Wincing in pain it prowls around me in a circle preparing for the fight of its life. At first I just wrestle around with it lightly, letting it think it has a chance or else it might become hopeless and languid, and where's the fun in that?
"My time must be wearing thin, I'd better finish up," I mumble to myself waiting for the lion to lunge at me one last time. I dig my fingers into its neck as it tries, in vain, to snap at my face. I quickly snap its neck – always the quickest and most humane way according to Dad– and sling the body over my shoulders before picking up my scent back to the clearing. It is easy enough to distinguish from the more natural smells of the earth which is a relief; since my memory isn't as good as Dad's I'd probably get lost trying to get back.
As I run I can smell the blood trickle down the lion's neck from where my fingers broke the skin. It's like walking into the kitchen at dinner time. I wrap the body closer around my neck like a fur coat and feel the slowly cooling body heat.
I reach the clearing too soon and quickly throw the carcass to the ground so as to better clear the scent from my head.
"Congrats Nessie, there are still seven minutes left," Alice notes approvingly. Wow I thought I had taken longer than eighteen minutes.
"Yeah Jacob hasn't even returned yet." Dad is a little smug about this fact. "How about we weigh yours in now?" I can hear the excitement peak in his voice.
I shrug and sit on a fallen log behind Alice looking down at my legs as I do so to try and hide the excitement and apprehension that must be clear on my face while they debate over the weight of my catch. I notice smudges of mud and a light layer of dust coating my skin and I wrinkle my nose.
"What would you say, about one-eighty- three?" Dad tosses the limp body towards Alice who catches it as if it were no more than a plush toy. I tune out their discussion and concentrate more intently on wiping the dirt from my skin.
When finish my legs I hold out my arm and examine from my shoulder to my fingertips, that's when I see it. Around and underneath my fingernails is a thin layer of blood; it's been so long since I've had any blood I can't resist the urge for a little sample.
Bringing my pointer finger to my lips I part them slightly until I can rub my fingertip along the edge of my tongue. Mmm I've definitely grown to appreciate the taste of animal blood. Before I know it my skin is clean and I move on to my middle finger, then the ring finger, pinky and thumb, savoring each before moving to the next. I finish with both hands, but am no where near satisfied; I'm just left craving more.
"Hey Ness, good job, we've settled on one-eighty-four." Dad is beaming with pride as he seems oblivious to my distraction. "There's no way Jake's going to beat you." He tosses the lion at my feet and laughs to himself.
With the memory of the taste fresh in my mind I can't help but to bring my lips down and press them against the soft fur of the lion's exposed neck. The scent is so enticing and I don't feel the desire enough to stop myself.
Once the first few tastes of the blood slide down my throat I start to drink faster. I remember the pitiful flavor of the eggs from this morning; it pales in comparison to the blood.
"Nessie, what are you doing!" Alice's voice pierces the thin air. I shrink away from the body and let the toe of my boot scuff against the dirt like a little kid getting caught for coloring on the wall.
"Drinking," I respond weakly although I'm pretty sure that's not what she wanted.
"Ugh, I got that, but think about what you are doing. You are draining away the mass." Oh I hadn't thought about that. I slap the palm of my hand against my forehead then pinch the bridge of my nose.
"Hey Nessie why so down, afraid that I'll beat you?" Jake appears from between the trees and throws a large deer next to the drained body of my lion.
My eyes tighten and I force my face into a stiff smile as I shake my head so as not to let him hear the tension that would be thick in my voice.
"Well let's get this going then," Jacob's overconfident tone makes me want to stick my tongue out and turn my back like a child. "Ok Ness I'll go first if you're too nervous."
Dad bends over and picks up Jake's catch and weighs it in his hands. "Hmm I'd have to say about one-eighty- . . . one," Dad announces with out a doubt. Yes! La Push here we come.
"Ok Renesmee let's check yours." He raises an eyebrow and gives me a don't-celebrate-too-early look. Leaning over he picks up my lion and weighs it like he did Jake's. My body stiffens in response to the tension. To make matters worse Alice's eyes flash blank for a brief second then she folds her arms across her chest in a pout. What's that supposed to mean?
"Well, Jake, we already weighed Nessie's before you came and it was one-eighty-four." He pauses and looks at Jake whose face lit up knowingly as he catches Dad's word choice.
"'Was' you say? Then what is it now," Jake's smile widens as he eyes me slyly.
Dad sighs, "Well Nessie I hope you're full; it looks like you'll be spending tomorrow night in Forks. You drained it to one-seventy-nine." Dammit!
"Ha, I win Nessie." Jacob is beside himself with joy. "Go figure that the hybrid vamp would sabotage her own success because she was thirsty." Jacob is by all rights tickled pink over the cruel irony of it all.
"But Jake I won," I say pitifully. Batting my eyelashes pleadingly and I stick out my lip for more effect. Jake's eyes rake over my body slowly avoiding my face on purpose. I hope he's getting the full effect of my outfit like I had originally intended on this morning.
"Sorry kid, the final score's in my favor." He turns his back on me and faces what I assume to be the way home. "Edward you ready to get out of here?"
Dad nods and throws a quick glance in my direction analyzing my stubborn expression. He knows just as well as I do that this fight is not over yet and that somehow seems funny to him. I hiss at him out of irritation and that makes him laugh harder.
Jake is the first to leave, followed by Chuckles – I can hear Dad growl in the distance at his new nickname. Stubbornly I push my body forward and Alice follows close behind. The majority of the trip is filled with Jake's excited ramblings about nothing in particular – he talks a lot when he's excited – and Dad's occasional laughter at either Jacob's superfluous joy over winning or at my internal plotting.
As I conspire my facial expressions change and twitch slightly from concentration. Every time this happens Alice looks up at me in curious frustration.
"What are you thinking," She finally blurts out in exasperation, "I keep getting these weird snippets of the future that make no sense whatsoever because I can't see either of you." Everyone stays silent for the rest of the trip.
The rest of the evening goes by slowly. As we mingle about downstairs I pay as much attention to Jake as if he were only the family pet. Although I don't think he notices too much. Since the sudden camaraderie between Dad and Jacob that formed overnight, they spend much of the day harassing each other playfully about one thing of another. Dad would you please stop flirting with my boyfriend, no matter how many times I think this he always just laughs and goes about his business. I think it might have more effect, though, if my insides would stop twisting over the word "boyfriend".
Despite the earlier trip, Alice goes out hunting with Carlisle, Esme, and Jasper again. She'll do just about anything to get away from her "blind spots" when she gets moody like this. If Alice weren't so nosey this wouldn't even be a problem. Luckily she's usually over her mood swig by the time she returns home.
Mom is over at Grandpa's trying to sort out the issue of Renee's plans to visit for the holidays. Grandpa thinks that Renee will be fine to stick with his need to know basis, but Mom disagrees saying that if she told Renee then she'd have to tell Phil also. "We can't just let Jake walk around as a wolf just because it would be convenient. He is bound to secrecy too, even if it's not as strict," Mom explained. By now Grandpa understands that we aren't wolf people like Jake, but that we are required by harsher "laws" to keep our existence a secret – although, thankfully, he has yet to figure out what that secret is.
Aunt Rose and Uncle Em disperse their time between their bedroom and the living room. Every time they come down Aunt Rose glares at Jake – she hates it whenever Jake wins at anything – and hints at some form of seduction to get what I want. A quick innuendo and assurance that seduction is always an effective, foolproof way to go from Uncle Em always follows. Then, depending on how far away Aunt Rose and Uncle Em are, Dad either glowers menacingly or smacks one of them, usually Uncle Em, upside the head.
This routine continues until about half past eleven when I decide to turn in for the night. Everyone wishes me a good night – with Aunt Rose reminding me one last time to "think about my options" – and I walk around to kiss each one of them on the cheek.
"Night Jake." I save the best for last. I hold out my arms for my departing hug when Jake leans over and lifts me off my feet, but instead of hugging me and then putting me on my feet again he shifts my weight until I'm cradled against his chest.
"What are you doing? Are you suicidal," I hiss as he runs me to my bedroom. I don't listen for his answer, but focus my concentration on the voices downstairs and wait to hear the furious reprimand I know is coming.
"Don't worry as long as I'm out of your room and downstairs by around midnight I should be fine, according to Edward's curfew anyways," he says reassuringly.
"When did all this happen," I ask surprised as he sets me on my bed.
"Just this afternoon when I was talking to Edward, I think you were too busy ignoring me then to hear."
Oh, so he had noticed. Although that was my intention my shoulders still hunched over in embarrassment.
"Yeah, so why so pouty earlier? I won the match and we had an agreement."
"I wouldn't be so mad if you'd won fairly. I had you beat by a good three pounds."
"Hey in the end I won, that means I get to choose where we go."
I turn that thought over in my mind while Jacob waits for my response impatiently. Hmm "choose where we go", that doesn't specifically mean Forks. I see a loophole.
A/N: Oh dang another cliffy. Sorry I really had intended on finishing out the hunt and location issue in this chapter, but (silver lining here) now you get more chapters. So let's keep up the reviews you all are doing so well. Tell me what you liked or didn't like and what you think Nessie should do with her newly discovered loophole. =]
I just wanted to warn you all that my midterms start next week so it may be awhile until I am able to update again. Sorry.