Chapter 34

Kuma P.O.V.

Gajeel stops circling and I crouch ready to pounce should he get distracted, though with it being him and not Natsu that isn't the case. I leap anyway and he wraps his arms around my chest spinning around so that I land at the base of one of the trees in our campsite.

"Come on, Bear, you should know better by now."

I growl. Getting up my ears swivel away from him in irritation and I walk over by the fire, settling myself in between the Exceeds. I lay my head on my paws and I hear Lily chuckle. "What's the matter, Kuma, Gajeel being too much?"

I huff and when he pats my head I raise it to glare at him. He meets my gaze, waving a kiwi at me as he speaks. "You know he's just trying to help you get stronger. Even if his training methods are a bit harsh, they're still to help you get back to your strongest."

Huffing again I move to lay my head back down when a branch breaks on the edge of camp and we look over to see Wendy and Lightning Rod stepping into the clearing. Wendy carries a bag of stuff and Laxus is frowning as he sits on the other side of the fire.

"Kuma, catch!"

Looking over I see Wendy pull something out of the bag and throw it over the fire, so I jump up and catch it, landing in the fire pit as I do.

"Kuma, how many times do I have to tell you not to jump into the fire pit?!"

My gaze goes to Laxus and I see him putting out a flame that ignited in his clothing when sparks from the fire landed on them.

"So what did you and Squirt learn?" Gajeel settles down on the other side of Lily as he asks this but I ignore him as I settle back down in between the two exceeds to work on my jerky, though my ears stay tuned to the conversation.

"We still have about six or seven towns to pass through before we reach the glacial pass, then we have to pay a toll to enter the glaciers. Apparently the king is putting his foot down and wanting people to pay to cross the borders so either we find another way pass the tolls or we have to be sparing with our money until we get there "

I crack down on the jerky stick drawing their attention and I drop it as I shift into a flier form and screech. Wendy gets the idea and I hear her gasp.

"Kuma, you're a genius!"

Rolling my eyes I shift back to my panther and resume chewing on the jerky as she explains to the others.

"We can just fly over the tolls. Kuma knows how high we can go before it becomes too dangerous, so we'll be able to fly just high enough to look like birds from a distance."

They're quiet until Gajeel shrugs. "I guess it could work, I mean Lily will carry me, Happy has Salamander, Carla will have Squirt, and you can travel by lightning."

Laxus looks into the fire and I can tell he's thinking it over completely. "Alright, then that's what we'll do when we get there, but for now though we'll have to be weary of rune knights."

This time I raise my head and stare him down. "Apparently the Leilani woman that was at the guild has 'proof' that you're a dangerous shifter and are attacking people. Somehow she's convinced the magic council and now they're on the lookout for you and are too bring you in dead or alive. From now on when we..."

I growl interrupting his statement and he runs a hand over his face. "I know, Kuma, I know, but as I was saying when we pass through towns you're gonna have to be either a dog or cat and stay on one of our heels until we get back to the forest. If push comes to shove, shift into a mouse and hide in one of our bags, but," and he stares me down in return. "Whatever you do, do not shift in front of anyone when we're passing through towns."

My gaze never waivers from his, my pride refusing to allow me to listen to his advice until Natsu calls out, "We got the fish!"

We look up when Natsu and Happy walk into the clearing to see Natsu carrying three large fish over his shoulder while Happy has one with a bow on it.

Happy flies over to Carla and holds it out. "I caught this for you, Carla."

She looks indecisive so I do the smart thing and push her with my snout. Her gaze snaps from Happy to me and I tilt my head toward the blue exceed. She gives in and holds out a hand for the fish.

"Thank you, Happy, I love it."

Happy smiles so wide that it could stretch to the howler's moon and back as he hands it to her.

To be honest it's about time she accepted it. Even before we left on this journey a month ago she was stubborn and denied it, but lately I've been seeing her hesitate when she goes to turn him down.

I start laughing, a sound similar to boulders grinding together as I take in the sight of the love struck exceed.

Happy flies over to Natsu. "Natsu, did you see that? Carla accepted my fish!"

He chuckles and scratches the exceed's head. "Yeah, I did, buddy, good job, but you know what?"

The Exceed looks at the fire breather in confusion and Natsu leans forward to whisper something in his ear, causing the blue Exceed to give an 'Aye, Sir!' And go flying off somewhere.

"What'd you say to him, Natsu?"

We look over at Wendy where she's inventorying our food supplies to see her watching the place in the woods where Happy disappeared.

"Just that girls like bright red roses, and that since Carla accepted a fish that maybe she might like a rose to go with it."

I stare at him in surprise as he guts the fish and he frowns. "What? I have a girlfriend, remember?"

"I think what Bear wants to know is how you can be so romantic, Salamander, you're never like that at the guildhall."

Natsu scowls at the metal piercer but returns to his task. "Just because I don't show it at the guild doesn't mean I'm not romantic. Seven hells, I was planning on taking Luce on a date to go stargazing during the new moon, when we left."

Shame and regret fills me at his words and getting up, I walk into the woods in the opposite direction from where Happy disappeared to.

Normal P.O.V.

When Kuma gets up and walks away with her tail hanging low Gajeel walks up behind Natsu and slaps him in the back of the head.

"Damn, Salamander, we know you're clueless but you don't have to keep reminding her."

He rubs the back of his head, the fish forgotten, as he eyes where the shifter disappeared.

"I'll go find her."

They look at Wendy as she packs the supplies back in the bag and Carla walks over to her.

"She won't go far, so it shouldn't take long."

Wendy nods and Carla flies around, picking her up by the back of her shirt before flying off in the direction of where their friend and sister disappeared to.

A few minutes later they find their grizzly clawing at and knocking down trees in a clearing. They stay in the air and watch as she attacks the trees over and over again, but when one refuses to fall she backs up and roars at it before falling to her stomach, her paws covering her snout.

Carla, not needing to be told, descends and gently sets Wendy down in front of the shifter, where she kneels and waits. Then after ten minutes, Kuma's paws lower until Wendy can see her eyes.

"Kuma, it's not your fault. You did what Master asked you to do, you protected the guild." Her voice is a whisper as she speaks, calming Kuma down enough for her to raise her head and watch the slayer. "If anything we should be blaming ourselves because we weren't there to help you, but that's why we're not letting you go through this alone. Besides when you were actually able to talk, weren't you always telling Carla and I about how lovely your home was?"

Kuma nods and looks past Wendy to see Carla walking up. Carla smiles and Kuma bares her teeth in a friendly way in response.

"You know, Bear," Kuma tilts her head in acknowledgement of Carla's words and she states evilly, "You should give Natsu a bear hug when we get back."


Grizzly out for the night.