Into the woods

Scott fell the last few feet of the cliff and landed with a bump on the ground. "You okay Scott?" asked Alex as he jumped the last few feet to his brothers aid.

"I'm fine" said Scott as he climbed to his feet and steadied himself with his stick he was using as a cane, he hated to rely on his brother when it used to be his brother relying on him.

"You did good for your first time" said Alex as he placed his hand on Scott's shoulder "I told you we should have went down the trail and around the forest."

"Were on a quest from the gods this is the quickest way, I said I'm fine" said Scott as he began to move away from Alex and tripped on a tree route, Alex moved to help his brother "get back, I can do it."

Scott seethed with anger till he had had enough, he pulled his blindfold and blasted his optic beam through the forest cleaning a path with destroyed trees. "Scott!" yelled Alex "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry…I just lost my temper" said Scott as he pulled his blindfold back over his eyes and began to walks along the path he created.

…

"I was thinking how can we be sure that Xavier is who we should be working for?" asked Alex as he walked beside his brother.

"We have no choice Alex, you must accept a gods quest" said Scott as he walked his path but still checked a head of himself with his cane through habit.

"But he said he was not a god" remembered Alex as he ran his hand through his hair and looked up at the thick canopy of trees above them.

"That was a test of faith, I know it everything we believe in cant be a lie, I refuse to believe that" said Scott as he listened intently to the gently breeze in the trees and felt it against his face.

"But" said Alex before he was interrupted by Scott again.

"Alex were being followed" said Scott calmly.

"What?" asked Alex as he turned sharply to Scott.

"Who or whatever it is is staying hidden but I can hear it" said Scott as he walked calmly "I think it's an animal it may be best to start a fire and camp here till it's gone."

Alex quickly made a circle of stones and found some firewood nearby as Scott continued to listen for the creature following them, night fell fast as Alex tried to get the fire started but couldn't.

"Would you give up with the sticks you'll never be the woodsman dad was, just use your gift" said Scott with a smile as he took a bite of an apple which he had found nearby when he was feeling for a place to sit. Alex growled playfully at Scott and fired a little blast at the firewood which immediately crackled into a roaring fire illuminating the area. Scott smiled as he felt the heat on his face and both he and Alex warmed themselves at the fire.

"It seems our friend is still here" said Scott "and here it is" said Scott as he turned to a bush which had just rustled as something stepped through it. "What is it?" asked Scott to Alex curiously.

"It's a wolf but it doesn't seem vicious or afraid of the fire" said Alex curiously as the dog approached him and licked his face before curling up in front of the fire.

…

"Where did the wolf go?" asked Alex in the morning when he woke up to find it no longer where it had slept.

"It went that way just after you fell asleep" said Scott with a smile she didn't seem to want to hang around long after you stopped giving her so much attention.

"I couldn't help it she seemed so human, if you could see her eyes they were like peoples eyes not like any wolf I have ever seen" said Alex with a smile as he thought about the eyes which he had dreamt about.

…

Alex and Scott walked mostly in silence, Alex walked in silence because he couldn't stop thinking about the special wolf while Scott remained silent as it helped him navigate and to track the animal that was following them again.

"She's still there you know" said Scott with a smile as he heard a small twig snap not far behind them showing the creature was getting closer, Alex turned sharply hoping to get a glimpse of the wolf, a brown streak dashed through the bushes and leapt towards them pinning Alex to the ground with a growl.

"Alex what's happening?" asked Scott as he steadied himself on a tree and felt around in the air. The animal who looked like he was half man sat on the chest of Alex growling and bearing his teeth while his long brown hair fell over his eyes.

"Stand down Sabertooth" came a loud booming voice that seemed to ring throughout the forest.

"We must kill them" growled Sabertooth with a sick smile as he sniffed Alex.

"I am leader of this pack and I say release them" said the voice again as a giant blue furry creature leapt from a tree and landed feet away from Sabertooth.

"They are men, they already made one fire, we must kill them" said Sabertooth again as he raised his claws ready to strike Alex.

"Have you forgotten we were once men until the god decided to make us protectors of the forest and it's creatures" said the blue animal "Now leave them."

Sabertooth growled at the blue creature before he slowly slinked away into the forest. The wolf from the previous night suddenly appeared at the side of the blue creature and began to slowly change into the form of a red headed girl dressed in loin cloths.

"I am sorry about him" said the blue creature as he helped Alex to his feet "I am Beast but you may call me Henry if you wish."

"Thank you" said Scott, he could not see but he knew this creature had just saved his life, Alex just stood his eyes fixed on the wolf girl.

"This is Rahne" said Beast "we have much to discuss."

…

"You must be Scott" said Beast as he climbed a short incline with the blind teen on his back.

"How do you know that" asked Scott with a smile at the animal which was smarter then any man he had ever met.

"This is not the first time we have met, you fell into my forest once when you were a child, I did the best I could to tend your injuries and took you home, I see by your current state I did not do so well although your eyes seemed fine at the time" said Beast with a sigh.

"This is not your fault, it is however a long and complicated story" said Scott as he began to recount the tale of his optic blasts and the quest of the gods.

"You were the wolf" said Alex to Rahne, there was a slight tone of anger in his voice.

"Yes" said Rahne as she blushed slightly "Why do you sound angry?" she asked thinking she had done something wrong, she had lived in the woods and forests of the lands for most of her life so did not know if something she had done was the wrong thing to do in the human world.

"It's nothing you've done…I just thought for a while I was attracted to a dog" laughed Alex as he walked on. "Who was that man…thing that attacked me?"

"He was a man once but then he went through transformations like us but he did not hold on to anything of humanity or maybe he held to much because he does not have the peaceful side of an animal he just has a rage constantly, he is viscious and I fear him but Beast protects me" said Rahne with a smile.

"Is he your lover?" asked Alex trying to hide his interest in Rahne's answer.

"No don't be silly he is like a father to me" laughed Rahne "Why?"

"No reason" said Alex with a blush.

…

That night the three sat in Beasts nest in a large tree, Rahne was out in her wolf form scouring the woods and talking to the other animals.

"I told her just to watch and not approach you but she is still just a girl who lets her emotions get in the way of everything" laughed Beast as he cast a glance at Alex and smiled. "Perhaps we should get some rest I am sure you will be going on you quest again tomorrow, I can show you to the end of my forest if you like but no further."

"I was thinking about that" said Scott with a smile as he lay down "Perhaps you and Rahne could join us on our quest I think you are exactly the sort of people Xavier told us about."

"I'm sorry" said Beast as he placed his hand on Scott's shoulder "I can not speak for Rahne but my place is here, I have taken it as my quest to protect the animals from man and to keep the balance of the woods, I chose this path but Rahne had it thrust upon her as she had no where else to go she may be keen to go with you for other reasons as well" said Beast which caused him and Scott to laugh and Alex to look at them confused that he had not got the joke.

…

"I am going to leave with them even if it is jus for a short while, I said goodbye to my wolf Brethren and I have asked them to check in on you from time to time but I think that this is what I must do" said Rahne as she hugged Beast in the morning.

"I thought you would say that" said Beast as he hugged the girl "I wish you well."

"Not so fast" yelled a voice from above them from the tree, Sabertooth jumped down and came face to face with Rahne, "you may not go anywhere without the pack leaders permission…and I am challenging for the position of the pack leader…when I win you will remain in this forest as my mate."

Beast surged forward roaring but Sabertooth swung his arm and dug his claws into the mans chest, Alex charged his hands ready to blast Sabertooth till Rahne grabbed his arms to stop him "They must fight, we must not get involved it is the way of all packs".

Beast retaliated by kicking Sabertooth into the trunk of a tree, he leapt off without a moments hesitation and tackled Beast, the two wrestled on the floor exchanging blows in a flurry of animal growls and snarls. Beast kicked Sabertooth into the air and hurled himself into the air with his arms and slammed Sabertooth hard into the ground from the great height of the tree branches. "You have been defeated" growled Beats "stand down."

Sabertooth turned his head in shame and slid out from Beast's grasp, he took a few steps before turning quickly and plunging a concealed knife into Beasts shoulder. "Weapons are against the rules" screamed Rahne as she changed into a wolf and dived at Sabertooth who simply hurled her into a tree.

"Alex I think that's our cue" said Scott as he lowered his bandage and faced towards the source of the deep throaty growls as Alex charged his hands "Now!" yelled Scott as both released their blasts which connected with Sabertooth which blasted him high into the air and away over a row of trees.

…

"I'll be fine" said Beast as he stood at the edge of the forest not even showing the pain in his shoulder "I'm already almost healed." "Good luck on your quest and keep Rahen safe" said Beast as he hugged his adopted daughter again "I know you will do me proud." Rahne smiled, kissed Beast on the cheek before she transformed into a wolf and followed the two boys down the road.

Next Time- The mutants enter Baville and who is this beautiful red head?