A/N this is my first fanfiction story. I began writing it for my teenage daughter and myself, so it is pretty much follows canon. It is also a gen adventure and therefore 'shipper free-don't let that stop you from reading between whatever lines you wish. Currently Unbeta'd.
Disclaimer: I own no part of the world of Sanctuary or the characters therein. I write mainly to entertain myself.
oOo
The stillness of the forest was broken by the sound of running feet and of laughter. A young man—hardly more than a boy—dressed in leather breeches and a ragged shirt, dogged around several tree trunks. He leaped over a large tree root and entered the quiet clearing.
In the moonlight he appeared greyhound thin and the light's silver glow painted his features, giving his already narrow chin and pointed nose a pinched and foxish cast. His eyes were bottle green and seemed to glow from within.
Giggling as he panted for breath, he stopped and stared for a moment to get his bearings by the moon and stars. He he twisted in place to peer into the forest at his back tilted his head. The boy grinned, and reached around in his shirt. He pulled out a small silver flask and uncorked it.
"To revenge, some fun, and a job well done," he said solemnly in a light brogue, and brought the flask to his lips.
The grin quickly faded into a scowl. He held the flask out, turned it over and shook. Stared for a moment and then hurled it away "Be-damned werewolf. Bloody shrink!" The scowl flowed into a pout,"Poor me, without a drop ta' drink."
He crossed the clearing and felt around in the underbrush, retrieved the flask,"Chase me up hill and back down. Buggering far away from town," he muttered.
He began pacing off looping circles in the high grass. "Nae drop ta drink but wounded pride." He raised his index finger and gave it a lick, removing a layer of grime as he did, and held it up to test the breeze. "Time to bugger off and hide."
Nodding to himself, the creature took off again, muttering as he ran. His bare feet hardly left a mark as he dashed through the grasses, leaping the occasional clump of gorse. He crossed the clearing and disappeared once more between tall stands of oak and beech.
oOo
Meanwhile, several miles away, two men charged into another, smaller clearing, one after the other.
Will entered the clearing first, jogged to a stop several steps in. He was dressed in tee shirt, hoodie and jeans, and held an iron ring attached to a short length of chain in one hand, a flashlight in the other. He leaned on his knees, breathing heavily and looked around. Trails of crushed grass led off in all directions. Just as he started to straighten up, Henry barreled out of the forest and collided with him.
They both went down in a tangle of limbs, equipment flying in all directions.
"Dammit, Henry!" Will said, keeping his voice down, "What the hell?"
"Sorry, man. Sorry," Henry untangled himself and stood. He stopped to sneeze violently into his left hand, and then offered it to Will.
Will looked up at Henry, and then back at the shorter man's outstretched hand. "Gesundheit."
"Um, yeah," Henry switched to his right, grabbed Will by the forearm and helped the taller man up, absently rubbing his left palm on the leg of his cargo pants. He sneezed again twice in quick succession, reflexively covering his mouth and nose. "Oh man, gross," he said as he pulled his hand away. Back to the pants leg it went.
Will shook his head and snorted, "You're not exactly one with the wilderness, are you?" He bent down to snag Henry's flashlight and his own, both of which had gone flying when the two of them had taken their tumble.
"Hey," Henry said, more than a little defensive, "I'm strictly city wolf, Okay?" He shrugged his backpack back onto his shoulders, and then just shrugged. "Can't plug a coffee maker into a tree, Will."
"Well, you'll probably have to play country wolf, if you're up to it." he handed Henry's flashlight to him then indicated the clearing with his own. "It looks like a marching band ran through here. Possible chased by a swarm of bees. We're going to need your sense of smell functional if we're going to catch the little creep tonight. Here, I'll take the backpack. You grab the ring."
Henry slid the backpack off his shoulders and passed it and the radio to Will. He then proceeded to remove his army surplus jacket and a t-shirt that boldly proclaimed that Han shot first. He shrugged off his shoes and socks and pulled down his pants, stuffing each item of clothing into the backpack as he went. Soon he was standing naked but for an over-sized pair of red swim trunks.
Will arched and eye brow.
"What?," Henry exclaimed,
Will shrugged, "Nothing." then he grinning. "Interesting fashion stateme..."
"I'm just getting a little tired of the naked, 'kay?" Henry cut him off, defensive.
"No problem," Will said, still grinning
Henry nodded, and took few steps deeper into the clearing. He winced and lifted his foot pulling several prickles from his heel. "Ow, dammit. Stupid nature! That's it, no more mister nice HAP."
His eyes glowed yellow, shifted to jade, as his transformation began.
Will put a hand on Henry's shoulder and held up the ring and chain. "Your gonna need this, remember."
Henry grunted and nodded, slid the chain over his shoulders and knotted it awkwardly through the ring. He started running for the woods on the far side of the clearing, and scented the air and surged forward, finished his transformation as he ran. He snuffled back and forth around the edges of the open space, nose low to the ground, then took off at a gallop when he caught the scent. Henry paused and looked back at Will. He whined a question, and saw Will nod in response.
"Yeah, just go," Will sighed, "I'm right behind you."