Chapter Three: Finding Jana

"I think we're nearly there," said Rhydian, stopping in his tracks. He turned to the rest of them, looking round at them all. Tom was in his brown body-warmer and woollen jumper; Shannon's hair was back in a ponytail, and she wore an orange skater skirt with a pink and beige jumper, her camera in her hands; and Maddy, looking the same as ever, her brown hair windswept. Rhydian noticed how her hair was longer now, and it looked more mature, like the eighteen-year-old she was. He pulled his gaze from her face and continued.

"Tom, Shannon, wild camps are dangerous for humans. You should wait for us in the car."

Maddy could see her two best friends almost opening their mouths, just about to object, but she stopped them. "We'll give you a call if we need backup," she suggested.

Tom seemed satisfied at this, and Shannon nodded her head. She seemed reluctant, but with Maddy's suggestion, followed Tom back to the car.

"Good thinking, Mads," said Rhydian in relief. "I didn't think they'd agree to it otherwise."

"Tom and Shannon like to be involved," Maddy replied. "If you tell them you might need them, they'll feel like they're doing something to help."

"That's some pretty deep theology there," said Rhydian with a smile.

Maddy shrugged with a grin. "Come on," she said. "Let's see if we can see the camp." She grabbed the branch of a nearby tree and tried to hoist herself up. Unfortunately, despite her Wolfblood abilities, tree-climbing wasn't one of Maddy's particular strong points, and she slid back down to the ground.

Rhydian gave a friendly laugh, and sprung up first into the tree. He guided Maddy's feet on the branches, and helped her up. Soon, they were both looking above the leaves, over at Jana's pack's camp. In spite of their incredible sense of sight, they couldn't see Jana anywhere, and made their way back down the tree. Rhydian jumped out near the bottom and held his arms out to catch Maddy.

"Don't, Rhydian," she said. "I don't need catching." But then her foot slipped on the bark, and she slid out of the tree, right into Rhydian's arms.

"You were saying?" he grinned. He stood there for a moment, a smile on his face, before putting her down.

"What now?" Maddy asked.

"Eolas," said Rhydian as he crouched to the ground, and looked up. And then he could see her - Jana. She was running, limping, through the forest, her red hair flying about her as she looked back, almost as if she was worried of a pursuer. Rhydian got up again. "She's that way, some distance from the camp."

"Is she alright?" Maddy asked, not bothered with using Eolas herself.

"She's still got a limp," said Rhydian, "but she's moving as fast as she can. We need to hurry if we want to catch her."

"She's got a limp, Rhydian," said Maddy. "I think we can catch her."

"Race you?" Rhydian raised his eyebrows. Maddy grinned, and they set off, racing through the trees, and the autumn leaves on the forest floor.

Jana felt the pain of her injury stab through her as she ran, looking about her for other wild Wolfbloods. She knew she shouldn't be afraid of her own pack, but they didn't accept wounded Alphas. But she knew she had to find Aran.

She caught his scent in the air and smiled for the first time that day, renewed with energy and hope of finding him. Tom, and Shannon wouldn't worry about her; she often went for a run along the moors. She felt so close when her foot caught on a branch on the ground, and she went flying, landing at someone's feet. A rough hand reached down to help her up, and a husky voice said, "Jana?"

Jana got to her feet and launched herself into his arms, clutching him tightly. "Aran," she whispered, "I've missed you."

As Aran hugged her back, a dozen thoughts ran through his head at once. Is she returning to the pack? No, her injury can't yet have healed. So why is she here? She's always been impossibly stubborn. She needs to go back…

"Jana, your injury is not healed," he said sternly, holding her out in front of him.

"I know," said Jana, searching for an explanation.

"So why are you here?" Aran asked.

Jana looked up at him, looking into his light blue eyes. "I just wanted to see you again, Aran," she said, confused at his reaction. "Is that wrong? Is it wrong to try and find you?"

"Yes!" said Aran. "I want you to return to the pack as much as you do. But we both know that you can't until you are healed." He was angry at her, knowing this little trip could delay her recovery.

"Are you angry at me, Aran?" Jana asked her voice suddenly cold as she stepped away from him.

"Jana…"

"Did you not miss me, not at all?"

Aran looked at her, lost for words. In his hesitation, he took both of her hands in his. "More than anything," he told her.

Maddy raced into the clearing, and then she stopped, the words, Beat you again, Rhydian, dying on her lips. What? She took in the sight in front of her, Jana's hands in Aran's. Well this is new…

"Maddy!" Rhydian burst out of the trees, coming to her side. Then he frowned. "Jana."

Jana and Aran turned to face them. "Come to scold me, Rhy…" She looked at Maddy and Rhydian, confused at what she was seeing. "You're here?"

"You and Aran?" Maddy asked, equally bemused.

"Let's get a few things straight," said Rhydian to the two girls. "Jana, Maddy returned to Stoneybridge yesterday with me. Maddy, Jana and Aran are sort of a thing."

Aran looked confused. "What is 'a thing'?"

"It's when you and someone are together," Maddy supplied, "You know, like boyfriend and girlfriend." Aran still looked blank. Maddy sighed. "Like mates."

Aran's eyes widened. "We're not-"

"It doesn't matter," Rhydian interrupted. "Anyway, Jana, you're coming back to the house, Aran, you can do whatever you like, and we're going back with Jana."

"And since when do I want to return?" said Jana, putting her hands on her hips.

"Because the sooner you do, the sooner you can return as Alpha to the wild pack," said Rhydian. Jana sighed. "Look," Rhydian continued, "I was supposed to be spending these past days with Maddy, having a reunion. Instead, I was looking for you. Now, can we please go?"

"We have a party to plan at the Kafe," Maddy added.

Jana looked back at Aran. "Will you come with me?"

"What will this 'party' be like?" Aran asked suspiciously.

"It's really fun," said Maddy.

"Yeah," Jana agreed. "It's what humans do when they get together and enjoy themselves."

"Then, I may come," said Aran, "for the purpose of the wild Wolfbloods gaining knowledge of humankind."

"I suppose we should go then," said Jana.

"I will leave after you," said Aran. "I need to sort out a few things but then I will follow back to Stoneybridge."

"We'll see you later then," said Rhydian. "Let's go."

Jana turned back to Aran and hugged him once more before following the other two back to the car. Maddy smiled; glad that once she got back she could have fun with her friends, once again reunited. She slipped her hand into Rhydian's, and the two walked along with Jana at their side, until they reached Tom's car.

"You didn't need backup then?" Tom asked, rolling down the window.

"We didn't have to go into the camp after all," said Rhydian, opening the back door. The three Wolfbloods piled in the back, and Tom stepped on the accelerator, taking off down the forest road.

There was a few minutes of silence as everyone sat in the car, until Shannon said, "So, is this party still on?"

"Sure is, Shan," Maddy replied with a grin. "I hope we get hold of everyone."

"Unless they've got new numbers, I've got everyone from back at school," Tom supplied. He took one hand off the wheel and fished in his pocket for his phone. He handed it to Shannon. "Can you text everyone, Shan?" he asked.

"Sure," said Shannon, her fingers ready on the keys. "What shall I say?"

Tom paused before dictating, "Reunion party on tonight at the Kafe. Be there for seven thirty. Everyone from school invited."

So Shannon typed in:

Reunion party 2night Kafe. B there 4 7:30. Evrybdy frm school invited.

"Done," she said. "I sent it to everyone from our class." She handed it back to Tom and he glanced down at the text.

"Did you have to do it in text talk?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Text talk makes you sound lazy," Tom complained.

"No it doesn't," Shannon objected. "It makes you seem like you don't spend hours sending one text."

"Whatever," Tom grumbled.

The three Wolfbloods in the back suddenly felt a sharp pang of pain as they doubled over. Rhydian clutched his hand to his chest. What was that? A small moan escaped Jana's lips, and Maddy shut her eyes tight.

"What's happened to them?" Shannon asked, turning round in her seat. "How could they all get a heart attack at the same time?"

"Are you sure it's a heart attack, Shan?" Tom asked, still driving. "Do Wolfbloods even get heart attacks?"

Shannon glanced out of the window as a bright, ominous light caught her eye. It was emanating from a series of caves on her left, and she watched as they left the caves behind them. Once that strange light was out of sight, the Wolfbloods sat up again, blinking as the pain left them.

"What was that?" Maddy asked worriedly.

"I don't know, Mads," said Rhydian, squeezing her hand, "Any ideas, Jana?"

"Nope, none," Jana replied.

They might have discussed it more, but they were entering Stoneybridge soon after as Tom sped down the road. Stoneybridge looked the same as ever, bleak but somehow inviting, and the incident was forgotten. Tom drove through the cobbled streets and they soon reached the Smith's old house and pulled up in the driveway. They all got out of the car and made their way to the front door. Maddy looked up at her old house, still holding Rhydian's hand.

"Good to be back?" Rhydian asked hopefully, squeezing her hand again.

"Yes," said Maddy, nodding her head, as a small smile grew on her face.

Ceri must have heard the car pull up because she opened the door, smiling as she saw her son had returned safely. Rhydian let go of Maddy's hand as he rushed up and hugged his mother. "I brought her back, mum," he said.

"Maddy," said Ceri, and Maddy hugged her too.

Then Ceri turned to Jana, and a strict expression formed on her face. "Jana, you shouldn't have left."

"I know, Ceri," said Jana. "I know that now."

"Well, come inside," said Ceri. "We'll talk about this later."

Maddy wandered into her old house, looking up at the beams which held the ceiling up. She cast her eyes over everything, and almost everything was as she remembered it. She ran a hand along the worktop in the kitchen, smiling as she remembered all the meals her parents had made, and the first time she had had Rhydian over for dinner. Jana went upstairs, Tom and Shannon went in the living room, and Ceri followed Jana to give her a stern talking-to.

Rhydian came over to Maddy. "You know," he said, "every time I look at you, I almost can't believe you're really here."

Maddy laughed. "That's a sweet thing to say," she said. "OK, my turn. Every time I open my eyes, I can't believe I'm really back."

"I think mine wins," said Rhydian. He paused. "We should probably ring up the Kafe to make a booking."

Maddy nodded. "Yeah, you do that."

Rhydian rang them up. "Hi? Yeah, I'd like to make a booking for tonight, if that's OK. It is? Alright, they'll be about thirty people max, and it'll be a party. Yes, this is Rhydian Morris. No, I don't want to speak to Katrina. Can I just make that booking? OK, bye."

Maddy grinned. "No, I don't want to speak to Katrina," she mimicked. "Does Katrina still like you?"

"No idea," Rhydian replied, "but it seems her mum still thinks so. But I still like you."

"Us?" Maddy asked in mock surprise. "You'd really like us? I would never have guessed."

Rhydian laughed. "Tom! Shannon!" he called. The two of them joined them in the kitchen. "We need to put together the money for this party," Rhydian continued. "Tell you what; let's split it - thirty-three percent each."

"Thirty-three point three recurring percent," Shannon corrected absently. "OK, let's split it. How much does it cost?"

"Three hundred pounds," said Rhydian.

"I think we can scrape up the money," said Tom. "It is going to a worthy cause."

"Hey, Maddy," said Shannon, "Want to come round mine? We can get ready together like we always used to."

"That'd be great," Maddy said with a smile. "It'll be just like old times."

A/N: Yay! I reached over 2000 words with this chapter! Thanks for all the reviews and hope it's enough to keep you waiting for chapter four :) Please R&R and enjoy!