Sorry for taking so long to update. I hope you all can forgive me. I was in a real slump with this story but one of my friends that is reading it asked me if I had any new chapters so you all can thank her for kicking my butt in gear. Please read and review! It helps motivate me to write.
Lucy was starting to get annoyed. It had been five days since she gave Natsu her number and she still hadn't heard from him. She didn't know why she was getting so worked up anyway. He was just a friend. Sighing to herself she decided to call Levy.
"Hey Lu!" the little bluenette answered the phone.
"Hey Levy what are you up to?" Lucy asked her friend.
"Not much I've been reading more in this book on Lycans. The whole thing is fascinating. They are much more in tune with their animal side and nature then shifters are." Levy said enthusiastically.
"Oh ya?" Lucy replied.
"They really are more like wolves. Their hierarchy, relationships and interactions are all basically like a wolf. They live in packs, have an Alpha, they mate for life and the whole pack works together to raise the young." Levy continued excitedly.
"Just how much of that book have you read?" Lucy asked.
"I'm only half way through it. The pages are delicate so I have to be careful while I'm handling it." Levy replied.
"Maybe I should read it?" Lucy said thoughtfully.
"Wanting to find out more about Natsu?" Levy teased.
"As if." Lucy grumbled.
"He still hasn't called you yet?" Levy asked.
"No and it has been five days! I'm starting to think there is something wrong with me." Lucy replied.
"There is nothing wrong with you. Natsu strikes me as the type of guy that takes a while to call." Levy offered. "Just give him some more time."
"Oh alright. I will talk to you later Lev I'm going to go clear my head." Lucy said.
"Ok Lulu tell your mom hi for me." Levy said.
"Will do." Lucy said before she hung up. Stretching her arms above her head she looked out her bedroom window. It was almost noon and the sun was shining bright. "I better go talk to mom." She said to herself.
Grabbing her shoes she pulled them on before heading out the back door. The grounds around the house were massive. Lucy skipped down one path she walked a lot over the years. When her mom had died her dad had a memorial built for her right on the property. It gave Lucy a chance to talk to her mom and feel closer to her.
Getting to the gravesite Lucy knelt down, "Hi mom." She started. Lucy began to tell her mother all about everything that had happened in the last few days. She told her about chasing lycans around town and going to the bar and about all the new friends she had made. Lucy said her goodbyes before deciding to walk around the grounds.
A yip greeted her as she walked along. "Hello Plue there you are good boy." Lucy said picking up the small white dog. He licked her face his snub tail wagging frantically.
Setting the dog back down Lucy laughed as she followed it around the grounds. As they came to the back fence the small canine put his nose to the ground finding a scent that interested him. Sighing Lucy looked at the fence seeing the tops of the trees swaying.
Suddenly Plue started barking at the fence. "What is it boy?" Lucy asked. Reaching out for the tiny animal Lucy was surprised when a large figure jumped the fence. Startled Lucy pressed herself to the fence. Her heart was pounding out of her chest as the large wolf turned to face her.
"Natsu?" she said recognizing the cherry colored fur.
"Hey Lucy!" he answered with a big wolfy grin.
Plue stood between them. His fur standing on end he growled his fiercest at the large lycan.
Crouching down Natsu sniffed at the small creature. "What is this?" Natsu asked.
"What do you mean what is it? It is my dog Plue." Lucy said still pressed up against the fence.
"Doesn't smell like any dog I've ever seen." Natsu said stepping closer. Plue growled and lunged nipping at Natsu's muzzle. Natsu growled back and the little dog retreated back to his master.
"Hey be nice you're scaring him." Lucy said picking up the small animal.
"I'm scaring him?" Natsu cocked his head to the side, "He is the one who tried to bite me."
"You scared me too. What are you doing here?" Lucy asked.
"I was bored and wanted to see you." Natsu said sitting down on his haunches.
Lucy could feel the blush rising on her cheeks, "I told you to call if you ever needed to come over. I don't think my dad is going to be very happy seeing a lycan sitting in our yard."
"Sorry you're right." Natsu said stood back up.
Lucy watched as his form rippled and he transformed back into a human. Standing on two legs he walked over to where Lucy stood. With a big smile on his face he held a hand out for Plue to sniff.
The little dog leaned out cautiously before giving Natsu's hand a lick. Plue's snub tail started wagging back and forth as he scrambled in Lucy's arms. Natsu laughed as he took the struggling animal from Lucy's arms.
"You wanted to see me?" Lucy asked.
"Yeah you seem so nice I figured you would be fun to hang out with." Natsu said as he scratched Plue behind the ears.
"I still don't know how I'm going to explain to my dad why you are here." Lucy said a little panicked, "I haven't even started talking to him about the idea of letting you in our territory yet."
"Well we could hang out in the forest if you want?" Natsu said.
"The forest?" Lucy said looking up at the top of the fence, "I won't get you into trouble?"
"No way, you will be with me so what's the problem?" Natsu said setting Plue back on the ground.
"But it is so big what if I get lost?" Lucy worried.
"Don't worry I won't let you get lost." Natsu said walking over to the fence. Jumping up he grabbed the top of the fence and pulled himself over. Turning back he held a hand out to Lucy. "So are you coming?" he grinned.
Lucy hesitated as she looked at his hand. Looking up at his smiling face she couldn't help but smile back. Putting her hand in his she let him lift her up and over the fence.
"You're heavy." Natsu grunted as he lowered her on the other side.
"Shut up stupid!" Lucy exclaimed puffing out her cheeks. On the other side of the fence Plue whined wanting to follow his master. "Don't worry Plue I will be back soon." Lucy assured her pet.
"Ready? Let's go!" Natsu said grabbing Lucy's hand and pulling her into the trees.
Lucy followed him through the trees reveling in the feeling of freedom she had being outside the fence of her yard. The whole forest smelled as lively as the young man that held tightly to her hand.
Lucy laughed as she ran with Natsu through the trees. After a little while they came to a stop near a small creek. Lucy was panting hard trying to catch her breath. She was amazed how Natsu appeared as though he hadn't even broken a sweat.
"Where are we?" Lucy asked standing up straight.
"Not far away. I thought we could explore close to your house for now." Natsu replied.
"You probably know this forest like the back of your hand." Lucy said.
"Ya, but there is always something new to find." Natsu said.
Lucy watched as he phased back into his wolf form. Sticking his nose to the ground he sniffed around before turning and leaping the creek in one bound. Turning back to her he asked, "Are you coming?"
Shaking her head Lucy shifted into her canine form before jumping less gracefully across the creek. Natsu took off into the trees the moment Lucy landed.
"Hey not so fast!" She called after him.
Lucy ran through the trees always making out the flash of pink fur just ahead of her. Bounding through a bush she almost ran right into Natsu who was sniffing the air.
"Geeze let me know if you are going to stop all of the sudden." She said getting up and shaking herself.
"Do you smell that?" Natsu asked sniffing the air.
Raising her nose to the air Lucy gave a deep sniff trying to find what Natsu was talking about. "I don't smell anything." She replied.
"Smells like hunters have been trapping." Natsu said sniffing again.
"Do we need to get out of here?" Lucy said moving closer to the lycan.
"No we should be fine the trails don't smell fresh." Natsu replied. Suddenly he froze his ears pointing forward. "Did you hear that?" he asked her.
Lucy lifted her ears listening to the sounds around them.
"Help" a small voice cried far off.
"Someone is in trouble." Lucy said looking at Natsu.
Natsu speed of with Lucy right on his heels in the direction of the voice. After about 10 minutes of running Natsu slowed down, crouching low and creeping forward through the brush. Lucy did her best to follow him without making any noise. Peering through the bushes they could see a small blue feline hanging by a paw from a trap.
"Help!" he cried in a small voice.
Moving out of the bushes Natsu and Lucy walked up to the struggling feline. Seeing the two the little cat began to panic.
"NO! Please nice wolf please don't eat me!" he cried.
"Why would I eat you?" Natsu asked, "You're so small you wouldn't be enough to fill me up anyway."
"Natsu!" Lucy barked. "Be nice to the poor thing he is obviously hurt."
"Yeah, Yeah" Natsu said turning back into a human.
"A Lycan!" the little feline yelled.
"Quiet now and we will help you." Lucy said turning back into her human form.
"And a shifter?" the little blue cat looked confused.
Natsu reached up gently lifting the little cat up so he could unhook the cat's paw from the trap.
"Thank you so much!" the little cat cried burying its face into Natsu's chest.
"Are you ok?" Lucy asked.
"My paw hurts but I don't think I broke anything." The cat sniffed.
"I'm Lucy and this is Natsu. Do you have a name?" she asked him.
"Aye they call me Happy!" the little cat puffed out his chest.
"If you don't mind me asking, what are you?" Lucy inquired.
"I'm a werecat." Happy said proudly.
"I didn't think werecats lived around here." Natsu said lifting Happy up and giving him a sniff.
"Hey put me down!" Happy mewled.
"Natsu be nice." Lucy scolded.
Natsu tucked the little cat into the crook of his arm gently looking at his paw that was caught in the trap.
"We live higher in the mountains." Happy continued, "But I fell into the river and got washed away. Now I don't know where I am."
"Well I can take care of you until we find out where you came from." Natsu said smiling at the little werecat.
"Really?" Happy asked looking up at Natsu with teary eyes.
"Sure thing little buddy." Natsu's grin got wider. "I better get him back home and let our healer check him out." Natsu said turning to Lucy, "I will take you home first."
"Ok" Lucy replied as she followed Natsu back the way they came.
It didn't take long and they were back at Lucy's back fence. Sitting the little cat down Natsu helped Lucy over the fence.
"I will see you later!" Natsu said as he disappeared back over the fence.
"Call me!" Lucy yelled after him.
Smiling Lucy made her way back to the house excited to tell Levy what had happened.