Chapter 18

Jack held back his temper best he could when he saw the two partners together, hands firm in an embrace. Since the moment he saw Wolf he knew that the large canine had a crush on Red, and vice versa, even if the pair didn't know it. Wolf only turning into a human seemed to build their feelings, and Jack trying to woo Red only making it stronger. Then they go on this little morning 'scout' and come back holding hands.

Great. Just great.

Jack wanted Red. He knew that, Wolf knew that. Worse though was that Red knew and refused him anyway.

What's the point of them falling for each other anyway? Wolf will turn back to his original form when this all ends. Jack paused as he finished squishing his sleeping bag in the backpack. I mean, he will, wont he?

Jack looked down sadly at his backpack, mind whirring with ways to get Red to fall for him. He loved her, but how could he get her to love him? She was so beautiful, so smart, so filled with compassion and grace. He'd never met any girl like her. Why did she have to be taken by that dog?

"It's sick and against nature," he muttered. "How could she even be friends with that mutt?" he growled. Living in a human-only village, Jack grew up believing animals were animals, whether they claimed to be smarter or not. Hardly ever did a human or animal-man come to live together, so Red living in the forest with a bunch of animals felt odd.

Even weirder with her falling in love with Wolf, even if they wouldn't confess their feelings to each other.

Jack risked another glance at them. The pair seemed to have grown closer from this little walk they had in the morning. Red chattered on brightly with her companion as she readied the supplies, while Wolf, who would grow misty eyed as he watched, hardly heard a word she said.

Swallowing, Jack zipped up his backpack, walking up to Red, interrupting their moment. "Hey guys. So when are we going?"

"Pretty soon," Red replied. "How much farther is the river?"

"Not far at all. Only about five miles," Wolf informed, eyes distant as he focused his senses on the raging water.

Red looked to him, blinking. "You hear it from here?"

Wolf scoffed at her, laughing, "Of course. I smelled it yesterday when we got into the forest."

Jack blinked at him, "You can smell that good?"

The human looked at the blonde one strangely, "Of course."

Jack fidgeted quietly, frowning as he turned back to Red, "How long do you think it'll take for us to reach the falls?"

Red glanced at Wolf before shrugging, "Eh, about two hours."

Jack nodded, looking back to the couple as they slung their backpacks over their shoulders, adjusting the strap over their chests. Red looked back to Jack. "You ready Jack?"

He shifted, "Well, I suppose so."

"Then lets go. Come on Wolf."

He jumped loyally to her side. Jack observed in annoyance that if the mutt had a tail it would have began wagging.

Jack decided to take the back of the group, sulking quietly as he watched the two up ahead chat together brightly, smiling to reach other, giving the other gentle glances. Here and there would be a smirk, a blush, a shifted gaze.

Jack frowned. Oh. They so had it.

Cursing quietly, he quickened the pace so he walked close to Red. "So Red, how far are we now?"

"Not very far," she answered patiently, eyes scouring over the area before them.

"You can't hear the river?" Wolf asked, looking to him with blank wonder. How could you not hear that?

Jack growled out bitterly, "No, I don't hear it. We're not all transformed animals with super sensitive hearing."

"Okay okay. No need to get bitey," Wolf muttered, looking to him strangely before turning back to the forest.

After a few more minutes of walking, Red asked Jack, "So does anything look familiar?"

"No," he answered back irritably, "It was night when I got away, remember? I don't recognize anything."

"Well, we're getting close to the falls so we should be able to find where she was keeping you and Jill pretty soon. It won't be that hard-"

"Hold up."

Everyone stopped. Granny turned to look at Wolf, who had his nose lifted in the air. Jack felt his arms prickle up apprehensively as Wolf glared towards the east. "I-I think I'm getting something."

The group blinked. "Lead the way Wolfie," Granny said, handing the leadership role to the once-wolf. He instantly began to set out the way his nose led, Twitchy helping him out as he darted through the close knit trees.

Red brushed aside some low branches, ducking from them with Jack following her closely. "So, Red, after this whole mission thing is over with I probably won't see you again."

"Probably not." Where the heck was he going with this?

"So do you want to hang out sometime?" Wolf's ears pricked back at this question. He tensed for Red's answer, which came out more hesitantly.

"Well, maybe. I don't know. I'm busy a lot working for the HEA."

Great, Jack thought in annoyance, more time for her to spend with Wolf.

"Yeah, I get it. Still, they do give you days off right?"

"Not really," she answered nonchalantly. "Evil never takes a vacation."

Jack grimaced to himself, not really listening as Red laughed, "We got the call in to come help you the day after a mission to the sea."

The blonde nodded, not wanting to hear about whatever adventure she had with Wolf.

In the pit of his stomach, Jack couldn't help but feel jealous of the pair.

"Sick. Just sick," he muttered, heaving his backpack closer to his person. He walked a little faster, trying to keep up with her.

The sound of the raging river became more apparent the closer to it they walked. Wolf began to run faster, jumping through the tall ferns into the open.

The pack caught up to him, staring in awe at the drop. The large crevice below stretched out before them, the large expanse of a river rushing past them, white capped waves roaring past. Large blows of water hit a huge rock in the center of the river, sending spray up to the small group of humans plus the squirrel.

Red felt herself perk up when the spray hit her right as Granny informed, "The water has healing powers as well. It can revive you in your weakest state.

Wolf felt hope rise in his chest at the sight of the water. Soon he could be like he used to, fur, snout and tail.

Hesitation flickered in him though when he looked over to Red. His chest tightened when he saw her. Again he felt the urge to reach over, pull her to him and kiss her, pour all these new feelings into this young woman he now could admit he loved.

His moment broke when Red felt his gaze, looking blankly into his stare. A blush crept over his face as he looked away, ears pointing back.

A little confused, Red merely moved her eyes back to the river. "Well where are the falls?"

"That way," Wolf moved his head north. He could taste Jack's scent from where they stood. The scent felt faint though, about a week old, which is how much time passed since Jack ran from the witch.

The way they went started to incline uphill as they began to hike. Wolf growled in irritation, wishing he could go on all fours; it would be so much easier that way, however sometimes you can't have everything you want.

"There it is," Red said as they go to the base of the falls. The water came down in a gushing stream of white foam, curling down, landing hard in the river below.

Wishing Falls.

"Where did you jump off, Jack?" Red asked, turning to him.

He pointed up, "From up there. I think I jumped down from there."

The rest of the team looked up to where Jack pointed, blinking at the huge hillside, as if now questioning their intelligence for wanting to scale such a huge height.

"Well let's get going," Red said. The others nodded with approval.

They began to climb up the steep incline. Luckily for them it lay littered with large boulders they could climb up.

"Careful," Wolf cautioned Red behind him as he reached a hand out to Red, who took it as he hoisted her to the next rock. She gave him an encouraging smile before going on ahead of him. Wolf helped Granny and Jack up next, letting Twitchy jump up, darting from one arm to the next as he bolted to the next rock.

It took around ten minutes for them to reach the top. Wolf's nose flared when they did, catching the stronger scent Jack left behind from his escape. He pressed his nose into the dirt, receiving an annoyed call from Jack, "Do you really need to do that? It's embarrassing."

"Do you really want me to find your sister?" Wolf retorted hotly, inhaling the ground, clawed hands scratching over the muddy ground.

"It's not like there's anyone around here Jack. Just let Wolf do his thing," Red defended her partner, coldly addressing Jack.

"Okay, okay, sorry," he muttered, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Sorry I asked."

Red rolled her eyes at him before turning back to Wolf. "What you got Wolf?"

The human stood in a higher position before carefully making his way forward to the forest. The pack followed, Red walking close as he stopped here, went forward a little more there, all the while searching for a scent of Jack.

There, he thought with success as he caught the scent of a female merged with Jack's. It felt rosy, sickly sweet. This must have been where Jill got captured by the witch again.

"I got Jill's scent." Strange though, she doesn't smell scared, but Jack's scent obviously is. She must be really mellow compared to him.

"Really?" Jack rushed forward, looking brighter in that moment than he ever had.

"We must be getting close. How long was it until she disappeared from you?"

"I-I don't know."

Of course. "It doesn't matter; we'll find it either way."

Still taking the lead, Wolf guided the team through the shrubbery and tall vegetation. Wolf felt his eyes narrow as he caught the strong smell of the witch. He got close to the ground, eyes scouring through the leaves. He gestured for the others to get down as they neared the house.

Not even a house. A normal looking cabin. It looked rather old too, with logs for walls and flowery curtains lining the windows. The welcome on the mat read Home Sweet Home with a garden teeming with life. Butterflies fluttered around with colorful flowers in full bloom providing nectar.

This is the home of an evil witch? Five minds thought together blankly.

"This is it Wolf? Are you sure?" Red asked quietly.

He practically glared at her, but chose to nod firmly, "I'm positive. It stinks of black magic. But there's something else too." He narrowed his eyes hard, nose wrinkling, "It's the smell of anger. Pure, unimaginable fury."

Red blinked to him, "Who's do you think it is?"

"I don't know, but I don't think its the witch's."

"Well who else would it be?" Red whispered.

"Quiet kids. Someone's coming out," Granny hushed them.

They fell into silence as the door opened. Red looked over to Jack as he gasped softly, staring in awe at the young woman who stretched in the sunlight.

Long blonde hair fell in a braid to her waist, swishing around her head. The long white dress she wore gently curled in the whispering wind, a beautiful sigh exiting her lips. Her lips were plush, her curves filled out the beautiful dress she wore.

Red felt jealousy color her face. She was so beautiful. She looked like a real woman while Red still could be passed for a thirteen year old.

I really don't see the fairness in that, she thought bitterly to herself.

"She's really beautiful," Red admit, voice almost a groan of disappointment.

"Eh, not really my type," Wolf shrugged, risking a quick glance to Red, who didn't notice.

"Jill?" Jack whispered.

"That's your sister, Jackie?" Gran asked, looking to the blonde.

The others looked back, blinking as they processed this.

It should have been obvious. The face structure, the corn yellow hair. They even seemed to have freckles in the same place.

"Duh," Wolf said, breaking the silence.

"Jill," Jack trailed. Urged on his impulse of emotions, he jumped forward, bolting straight at the house. "Jill! Jill!"

"That idiot!" Wolf roared, instantly jumping over the bush, streaking towards Jack.

"Wolf!" Red called, standing up. A cackle sounded from the cabin. Frightened for her partner's safety, Red ran after him, crimson cloak flapping behind her.

Jill snapped her head to her brother, eyes widening. "Jack!" she gasped.

The blonde boy jumped over the rail of the porch to his sister, tears in his eyes. "Jill!" he grabbed her in a hug. "Oh Jill I thought I would never see you again!"

Jill hugged him back, "Oh brother!"

Red stopped next to Wolf, who stood staring at them, his form deflating slightly.

I guess my instincts were wrong, he thought quietly, still feeling unsure about this.

"Jack, Jill, we need to get you guys out of here," Red transferred to her assertive side, ocean eyes hard with determination. "The witch will notice your absence soon. Come on!"

"Oh. I don't think you're going anywhere."

Wolf threw himself in front of Red as a flash of electricity sparked in front of them, encasing the world in darkness.

Lol are you ready for the list of excuses?

So the day before yesterday we almost got moved out of our house because there was a fire nearby. So I was a little stressed out there and then yesterday I was busy since I got contacts for the first time and i'm still getting used to them (and totally loving them) sooooo and now we're leaving for camp in an hour and I didn't have much time to edit this so I sorta skimmed through it so there's probably some mistakes in there xD

dont know if i'll have wifi while at camp so if I don't update until the 8 or the 9 of june, you'll know why

HAPPY FOURTH!1 :D