Over the next few months Rhydian settled into Stoneybridge rather well.
He'd gotten close with Maddy and her friends over the last few months and was deciding what to do for his Christmas holiday.
He could stay with Maddy and her family and spend Christmas with them, or he could go visit his family.
A part of him wanted to stay with Maddy though he wanted to see his mum and brother again after not seeing them for close to three months.
Shannon ran over to where Rhydian and Maddy were smiling. "Guys! Guys! You gotta see what I'm getting Tom for Christmas." She said as she pulled out her phone.
"If you shout like that it won't be a surprise." Maddy said rolling her eye as she looked at her friends phone.
"I know, I know. I'm just excited." She said as she showed the two of them what was on the phone.
"He's going to love it, Shan." Maddy said chuckling as she smiled at the jersey she was ordering.
"I hope he does." She said smiling as she put her phone away. "So, have you two thought about what you're doing for Christmas?"
"My parents and I are doing our normal thing and then I'll probably meet up with you and Tom later." Maddy responded as Rhydian hummed.
"I'm not sure what I'll do yet. I could go visit my family and the pack. Or I can stay here." He his hands in his pockets.
"I see." Shannon said smiling slightly. "You could invite your mum and brother here."
"I don't think that would go over well." Rhydian said chuckling. "Maybe in a few years. Bryn barely has any knowledge of us and mum's not great around humans." He said keeping his voice low.
"Ahh." She said nodding as she hummed before there was a commotion from across the street.
"Hey! Hey! Kid get back here! You have to pay for that!" Someone yelled running after a kid.
The kid ran through the streets ducking through people and around some obstacles.
Maddy scented the air and furrowed her brows as Rhydian looked at her. "Wolfblood?" She asked as he nodded.
"I think they're from my pack too." He said as they headed off in the direction of the kid.
Shannon looked at them as Tom hurried up next to her. "What's going on?" He asked putting a hand on her back.
"I don't know some kid stole something and Maddy and Rhydian went after him. They think it might be someone from his pack."
"Oh wow." He muttered as he looked after them.
Maddy and Rhydian were able to corner the kid as the shop keeper had stopped running a little ways back. "Kid, stop running." Maddy said as she looked around making sure no one else was around letting her eyes glow.
Rhydian looked at the kid and furrowed his brows. "Mads." He said holding up a hand to her. "I know him."
She looked at him and nodded as she backed off. Rhydian let out a breath as he ran a hand through his hair. "Bryn, what are you doing here?"
"Rhydian." He said unsure of his surroundings as he looked at his older brother.
"Yeah, come on." He said as he knelt in front of him holding his arms open.
Bryn rushed forward wrapping his arms around his neck. Maddy turned around as noticed the shopkeeper come up.
They talked letting the brother's have some time together as she found out what was happening. Bryn had apparently stolen some food, so Maddy offered to pay for it.
After a few minutes Rhydian and Bryn came over. Bryn looked up at the shopkeeper. "I'm sorry I stole the food. It won't happen again." He said softly.
He looked at him and nodded as he let out a breath. "Alright, the bills been taken care of. As long as it doesn't happen again, we're all good." He said before turning around and leaving.
Once they were out of ear shot Rhydian turned to Maddy who looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"
Rhydian chuckled and nodded as he put his hands on Bryn's shoulders. "Maddy, this is my little brother, Bryn. Bryn, this is Maddy."
Maddy looked at him and smiled. "It's nice to meet you Bryn." She said holding her hand out to him.
"It's nice to meet you too." He said shaking her hand as Tom and Shannon ran up.
"What happened?" Tom asked raising an eyebrow as they watched the scene.
"It was a misunderstanding." Rhydian said as he smiled at them and introduced Bryn to his friends.
Bryn was silent and stayed near Rhydian. "We should probably head back towards the house." Maddy said noticing how Bryn was acting.
"Yeah, we probably should. We can hang out in the woods for a bit before heading back." Rhydian said as he steered his brother in that direction.
The other's nodded and followed after them. "So, Bryn what brings you into town?" Shannon asked raising an eyebrow as they walked.
Bryn looked at her as he plastered himself further against Rhydian. "It's alright." He said softly as he hummed. "They're my friends but more importantly they're pack."
Bryn looked up at his brother before looking at the other's. "The elders sent me to get Rhydian."
Rhydian stopped at that and looked at him curiously. "What why?"
"Mum's sick so are some of the other's in our pack. We need to you come home." He said as tears were in his eyes.
"Hey, buddy. It's okay. I'm sure they're going to be alright." He said softly as he knelt in front of him. "I'll come back with you, okay? In the morning."
He looked at him as he wiped his eyes as he nodded and wrapped his arms around him.
Rhydian held him close and picked him up rubbing his back softly. "It's alright, we're going to be okay." He said as he kissed his head and continued to walk.
Shannon pulled Maddy closer to her as they hung back a little bit. "So, he's pretty good with kids." She said smirking softly.
Maddy groaned and rolled her eyes before making a face. "Shan, come on. We're only fifteen. That's a ways off. Besides we're not even dating." She said shaking her head.
Shannon chuckled as she nudged her. "You can't deny that you don't like him though. I see the way you look at him and how you talk about him."
"We shouldn't be talking about this right now. He could hear us." She said slapping her friends arm.
"He's more focused on his brother right now we're fine." She said as she continued to goad her friend.
Tom was walking with Rhydian and his brother talking about the way the woods looked in the spring.
It seemed to help calm down the young boy which also helped keep Rhydian calm.
Maddy shook her head as she looked at Shan. "Okay, okay. I admit he has a certain charm to him. But I'm focusing on school right now." She said pointedly.
"Oh, you're no fun!" She said nudging her slightly.
"You and I have different definitions of fun." She replied as Tom looked back at them.
"Hey! What are you two slow pokes doing back there?" He called a smile on his face as he waved at them. "Hurry up!"
Shannon chuckled as she smiled at Maddy. "Come on. We should catch up with them before Tom has to drag us back."
"You're the one who kept us back." She said as she took her hand and started running to catch up with them.
The little group hung out in the woods for a few hours before it started getting dark. "We should probably head home." Tom said as he looked to Shannon.
Shannon groaned as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "I don't want to go."
Maddy chuckled as she looked over at them. "We should probably head back too. We're going to have to explain a lot to my parents and it seems that Bryn has tired himself out."
Bryn had drifted off and curled up against Rhydian's side where the older boy was running a hand through his hair.
Shannon looked over at them and smiled. "He's adorable Rhydian." She said as she straightened up a little.
Rhydian smiled softly as he looked at his brother. "I just can't believe mum let him come here by himself."
"You should go see what's going on." Maddy said as she stood up. "Make sure they're okay."
Rhydian looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. "You're right. Though I'm not sure when I'll be able to come back. Or if I will be able too." He said as he stood up picking up his brother as well.
"One thing at a time man." Tom said as she stretched and yawned. "Right now, focus on your family and we'll figure out the rest of it later."
He looked at them and smiled softly. "I'm glad I met you three." He said as they smiled at him.
"We're glad to have met you too. We can handle being without you a few weeks." Shannon said humming. "Though I don't think we'd be opposed to getting a letter or two."
Maddy chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Come on, we'll walk you as far as we can before heading to my house." She said as they started walking towards her house.
They talked to each other on the way there talking about what it was like to live in the wild and survive. They'd talked about it a few times already.
They went their separate ways for the night with plans to meet up tomorrow to see the brothers off.