Disclaimer: Not mine, just playin' with 'em. Suing me would be completely pointless as I have no money but many ferrets………..

: Telepathic communication. I'm sure you would guess that, but hey…….

Feedback: Oh, God, yes. Pretty, pretty please. Pretty please with naked Wolvies on top?! Either on here or to andreaslaymaker@hotmail.com. But please be nice – this is my VERY FIRST fic and I have no beta!! (Any and all offers gladly and gratefully received…..!)

Big, whiskery werewolf kisses for those who have reviewed so far. Thanks, guys!

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Chap 5

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Out Of The Darkness

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Logan was, once again, tired, frustrated and angry. I wonder, he thought irritably, if the Lone Ranger ever felt like this? He had also decided that the next time he was asked to do a solo rescue mission the professor could either shove it, or have it shoved for him. Whatever.

"We're going down there," he said between clenched teeth, "now. Whether you like it or not."

Smoke's answer was to cower still further into the snowy undergrowth, making small whimpering noises.

Please, no…not there…I'll die!

Make nice, Logan. Nice nice nice. Kicking her ass again this close to civilisation would only attract attention, and probably earn them both a butt full of shot. Not to mention the fact that whilst the bastard locals down there would probably be able to hack Smoke's head off (eventually) - a thought which had also occurred to him over the last hour - they wouldn't be able to get through his spine. Not a nice thought. Being conscious and aware when someone is hacking at your neck with an axe? Brrr.

So. Think of something else.

"Ok, what about this. You see down there where the road curves?"

She glanced in that direction, yes.

"How about I deal with the people down there, drive off, stop at that bend, then you get in?"

Not in the daylight

"Oh, for fuck's sake. Alright. Not more than an hour till full dark. I go for a beer, you wait down there, then I pick you up. Better?"

No

Ok, enough already. He was tired, he was cold, and it was going to take him six days to get back to the mansion. Six days of this…this…nonsense. Nope. No way. Uh - uh.

Logan's hands flashed out and grabbed Smoke by the ruff, popping his claws so they lay either side of her head, grazing her ears. He gave her a fierce shake, and shoved his face against the end of her muzzle, staring straight into her eyes. She tried to pull back, avert her stare - but he didn't let her. Pack leader to pack follower. Reinforcing the power structure. Making his mastery complete.

"Do. As. You. Are. Fucking. Told. " he grated out giving her head a sharp shake with each word. He dropped her head, and stared her down to the ground.

Well, bub, it'll either work or she'll be off into those hills so fast and far God himself couldn't find her with a radio telescope. And screw Xavier if he wanted him to get her back….

OK

He let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. It had worked.

"Go down there - " he pointed - "and wait. When you see me, I'll open the door and you hop in. Got it?" To emphasise his point, he popped his claws and waved them in the direction he meant. He held his stance - and his glare - until she had turned and slunk off in the correct direction.

Jeez. Women. At least, while this one wore a coat of thick fur, he didn't feel quite so bad about being such a dominant ass…grinning, he slid down the last slope, towards the bar.

*

"Hey! Wild man! You're back!"

Logan slid onto a bar stool, lit a cigar, and winked at her.

"Yeah, an' I'm damn thirsty! Gimme a beer."

The same blonde as had made a pass at him when he left and greeted him so loudly on his returned shimmied up to him, and plonked a beer down on the sticky bar. Oh hell, he thought, I'd forgotten what she smells like. And now she thinks I like her. I think I hate my life right now.

"Well? Didja find it?"

He took a long swallow of his beer, and cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Find what, darlin'?"

"You know…" she drawled, in a manner she no doubt thought was seductive, "The mutie - dire - wolf - thing. You said you were hunting it"

"Nah. You said I was hunting it. I said I was just going up there for a bit. Gimme another beer." He puffed cigar smoke into her face, and grinned when she stormed off, grabbed his beer and slammed it down in front of him.

"Asshole"

"Yep."

Still chuckling, he got up and tossed some money on the bar, turning to go. Jesus, he needed to get home. No analysing, no whys and wherefores, just home. Back to complicated, beautiful, women who not only smelled great, but who desired him in spite of the fact he was an asshole. Like Marie. Oh, Marie.

He glanced up at the sky as he climbed into the truck. Almost dark, but not quite full. Still, the hell with it. If Smoke wouldn't come out of the trees, she could stay up here forever for all he cared. He climbed up, and started the engine with a roar - but let it fall back to silence a moment later.

"Hell."

He turned and picked up his duffel from the rear seat, sorting out a set of sweats he'd brought with him and laying them on the seat next to him. After all, his conscience muttered guiltily, it wouldn't be fair to have her travel the whole way stark naked, would it? Yeah, muttered the animal part of his brain treacherously, but it would make damn sure you didn't fall asleep while driving, eh?

Laughing softly to himself, he started the truck and set off towards the bend in the road through a curtain of softly falling snow.

*

To his surprise, when he slowed down and shoved the door open it was a short human figure which raced alongside the truck for a few paces and flung herself into the cab of the truck beside him. She yanked the door shut, flashed him a quick grin and began to examine the sweats he had provided for her.

"Do you have to sniff them like that? They're clean, you know."

She proceeded to examine the entire inside of the truck, sniffing it carefully, occasionally glancing at him with those icy grey eyes, checking that she hadn't made him cross with her. The only time he did tell her to quit sniffin' around was when she was investigating something she'd found in the passenger footwell - but left her rear end on the seat - her naked, round, soft -

"Hey!"

She curled back up on the seat and sat still. Until the radio caught her attention. Before he could stop her, she had leaned forward again and was pushing buttons randomly. As he had expected, the radio eventually let out a huge belch of random sound - making her squeal and leap clean over the back of her seat to hide behind it, howling mournfully.

Between gusts of almost hysterical laughter, Logan managed to slap the off switch.

"Now will you please just sit still! Go to sleep or somethin'."

Before long, he heard the familiar gristly sounds of transformation; but when he glanced behind him to the back seat some minutes later, he was greeted by the sight of an enormous almost - wolf snoring gently to herself, curled up and comfortable.