Filler Chapter. I know it sucks. And I know I haven't posted in forever, which is why I'm putting up a bunch really soon.

Chapter Nine

Max was giving us directions. I figured Nudge would listen, so I just kind of relaxed. After all, I had a map in my...new bag. Normal humans may be useless, but they sure know how to build a good mall.

"Ok, so...Fang, you take these two. Nudge, you guys take these. Angel and I will check out these, and Gazzy, you get those." Everyone nodded.

"I'll miss you guys." Max said, hugging Nudge and Gazzy. She nodded at me and looked at Fang. I saw the look and nearly cracked up. Yes, they may have been older, and had escaped sooner than me, but come on! They couldn't even figure out that they liked each other.

Nudge shot me a glare and I couldn't help it. I waved and jumped up into the air, laughing. She shook her head and followed. "Bye!" she called, getting answering good-byes in response.

She caught up with me and opened her mouth. "Wo-"

"No. Just enjoy the silence." She was hungry. I refused to look at her. If she gave me Bambi eyes...well, let's just say I haven't built up a resistance yet. Crap. I looked. Sighing, I reached into my bag and pulled out a burrito, tossing it to her. I had two left, and we were going to need them if there were any Erasers around.

Fighting takes a lot out of a guy.

I yawned. Again. I think it was the eighth time in the past five minutes. I was too tired to count properly, and besides, do you even care how many times I've yawned? Didn't think so.

Flying –get this- quietly, Nudge yawned too, trying to keep her eyes open. "Tired?" I asked. Show no weakness...Show no...My eyes closed. Then I opened them again.

"Yep." Shortest sentence ever uttered by Nudge. This should be documented.

"Good." I yawned again. "I need to sleep."

"Same here." Second shortest sentence ever uttered by Nudge. I scanned the ground below me. There. A town.

"Motel or tree?"

"Whatever."

"Cool. Land." I said shortly, angling downwards. I was not sleeping in a tree. It took me a minute to realize that Nudge wasn't next to me anymore. Uneasiness rose near the bottom of my stomach. Looking up, I sighed. She just wasn't paying attention. "Um, Nudge? The ground's that-a-way." I pointed after I had gotten her attention. With another gigantic yawn, she swerved downwards, mostly gliding. I shook my head and followed her, making sure she didn't pull an Angel and fall asleep halfway down. She didn't.

We made it. Alive. Well, mostly. I snapped my fingers to get the clerk's attention. "We'd like a room. Two beds." I helped that I was about a foot taller than him and looked older than I was. He nodded, startled and started typing rapidly. I tapped my leg, trying not to fall asleep standing up.

"H-here!" he stuttered, tossing me the keys. I grinned, a grin scary enough to rival Ari's. He was probably new. Poor guy. It was about three in the morning and he got stuck waiting for people to show up.

"Thanks." He paled and turned away. I stifled a laugh and glanced at the number written on the tag. 27. Whatever. I threw open the door and stepped inside. It wasn't big, but it was good enough. I still had the cash from Max, so we'd probably stay the night, scout one of the two institutes that we were in charge of, then sleep, then leave. "I call window."

"Fine." Nudge sighed and collapsed into the other bed, falling asleep instantly. I, on the other hand, could never sleep right away. I sat down on my bed, next to the window. I leaned against the frame, letting the breeze play over my face. I closed my eyes for a moment, breathing in the relative calm. This was better than a tree any day. Except maybe a day with Erasers. Erasers...My thoughts wandered over to a more painful subject. I couldn't ever escape it. It was a part of me.

It's a horrible feeling. Knowing that you're your own worst enemy. The flock wouldn't understand. I couldn't tell anyone. I felt truly alone for the first time since I had met them.

My eyes opened automatically at daybreak. Force of habit.

Without making a sound, I crept past Nudge to get my bag. Grabbing clothes that weren't ripped up or that smelled, I headed towards the bathroom. I needed a shower. Badly. After a while of just standing in the path of the warm jet of water, I stepped out, slipping into my clothes. That was it.

I looked at the steamed up mirror. If I hadn't met Fang, I probably would have forgotten what I looked like by now. I shook my wet hair, feeling cold drops land all over me. Every time I saw myself, I remembered what I was, and it was hard to restrain myself from smashing the mirror. I don't think the owners of the motel would appreciate that.

Walking back in the room, I tip-toed up to Nudge's bed, where she was still sound asleep. Coming up right next to her ear, I stopped.

"Yo."

She screamed. I swear, it was the funniest thing ever! She jumped up and flung a sneaker at my head. I laughed and ducked, hiding behind the other bed. The next projectile was aimed and found its mark. "Ow!" I howled as a remote thunked me in the head. I heard her let out a scoff and turn around. Grabbing the remote, I shot it so that it went flying an inch from her nose. Nudge stopped dead and narrowed her eyes. Crap. She faced my direction and took a step forward. I slid under the bed, my wings brushing the underside. As she walked around it, I crawled out and came around.

Before I could get ready, she turned and twisted my arm behind me, laughing. "I could feel you going under the bed, stupid!" Oh yeah. She could feel stuff from inanimate objects or whatever. Smirking, I turned and redid the same move on her. "I still win." She growled and shook me off, heading towards the bathroom. I stifled another laugh and waited. A moment later, I heard Nudge's yell.

"Wolf!" The water turned off. "I'm going to kill you!" With another smirk I stepped out to the balcony and climbed down the fire escape. There wasn't a single drop of hot water left, and Nudge was seriously going to murder me. I jogged down to the nearest store, feeling my stomach growl.

I went on the hunt for food, following my nose. I had an amazing sense of smell – like, really amazing. Maybe being part wolf wasn't so bad, I thought absently as the scent of cookies wafted towards me.

No. There was no way I could think that. No way.

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-Dreamer