Chapter 5 – Leech training

I woke up the next morning with the sun shining in my eyes. I tried to get away from it but couldn't, slowly I opened them. Where was I? The ground beneath me was so hard, I rolled over and got poked hard by a sick. What the hell.

My head was hurting like a maniac, why? It rushed back to me, the barbeque, the bonfire on the beach. Scary stories. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Bonfire and booze.

I sat up straight, hitting my head hard against a low branch and falling back down. LEAH.

I groaned, putting my head in my hands. Oh god, Leah. Leah and me. Everything came rushing back to me, I had sex with Leah Clearwater, more than once.

I looked around suddenly realising that she wasn't here. Damnit, she must have woken up earlier and split. Shit she must have been scared or embarrassed or God knows what and just left.

I got up and grabbed my shorts, putting them on as I jogged back home. I tried not to relive what happened last night, but the more I tried not to think about, the more it came rushing back. I could see it all again, Leah biting her lip, Leah throwing her head back in ecstasy, Leah running her nails over my chest.

I tried the shake the images out of my head as I walked into the house, sneaking through the backdoor and tip toeing to the stairs. Thinking I'll climb into bed and head back down when mom got up, pretending I was here all night.

'Good morning Embry'

I yelled and fell back down the stairs, landing hard on my back, hitting my already throbbing head.

I rubbed my head as I got back up and walked into the kitchen. Damn didn't need that. She caught me this time.

'Morning Mom'

She was smiling, wow didn't expect that. I expected another lecture and some yelling.

'Morning sweetie, some coffee?'

I nodded and she got a second cup, poured and handed the coffee to me as I hopped up on the breakfast counter.

'Did you have fun last night?'

I nodded as I sipped the burning hot coffee.

'Yeah we had a campfire and ghost stories, it was all good'

She smiled and put her cup down. Uh oh I thought, here it comes.

'Embry, I need your help today to clean out the guest bedroom'

Okay, not at all what I expected. Although that could be considered punishment, the guest bedroom was filled with old art pieces from mom, boxes and all kinds of junk.

'Uhm, sure why?'

'Your cousin Serena is coming to stay with us for a while'

'Serena? Aunt Merel and Uncle Jack's Serena from New Mexico?'

Mom nodded.

'She's still has on her summer holiday so her parents thought a change of scenery might be nice.'

'So, she comes to La Push.' I laughed at the thought of this being a nice change of scenery.

Mom ruffled my hair, 'I'm sure you will help her have fun here, help her meet people.'

She set her cup down and grabbed her purse, 'now, I have to go to the store but only for a couple of hours. I'm sure you will have half of the bedroom cleared out by that time'

She laughed when she left for work, I grabbed my coffee and sat down at the coffee table. My head! I rested my head on the table. Just a couple minutes, just close my eyes for a couple of minutes.

My phone rang and I lifted my head from the table, rubbing the cheek I was laying on. Ugh, where was the stupid ringing coming from? Getting up I walked to the living room and found my phone in between the cushions.

'Leech training in three hours – Jake'

I grinning my headache forgotten, it was a lot of fun to see those leeches fight each other, even if it was just training. Especially that big one, Emmett. He got pissed off easily and really got into it.

Shit! Three hours, I looked at the clock. Shit! Two PM already! Mom would be home soon. I ran to the spare bedroom and randomly started grabbing boxes, running to the garage and piling them up. I did the same with half of the paintings there. I thanked my wolf speed when mom walked in and saw me carrying them.

'Embry!' She sounded surprised, her eyes grew wider when she saw the pile of boxes in the garage and the artwork next to it. 'Oh I'm so happy! You've already done so much'

I shrugged and made it seem like it was no big deal. She put her purse down and pulled her hair up and for the next few hours we worked together. We actually had a good time, it was the first time in a while it was just me and my mom. We talked about the party, gossiped about the people on the rez and we laughed at lot at all the stuff we found. When we finally put the last of the boxes in the garage we stood in the empty guest room.

'That went fast, I can't believe it'

'When is she coming exactly?'

'Next week, so all we need to do is a bit of cleaning and we shall be fine. Now what shall we have for dinner?' She turned to me with a big smile.

'Oh mom! Jake asked me to come over! I would love to have dinner with you but he said it was important.' I put on a pleading face; I needed to go to the training session.

She kissed my cheek. 'Sure, go to your friends, I'm happy we had such a fun afternoon together.'

'It was fun!'

I smiled and hugged her, before yelling a 'see you tonight' and running out the door. I reached the first tree line and took off my shorts, binding them around my ankle as I phased. I shook my head and stretched my paws. I loved my wolf form, the freedom is amazing. I quickly ran and rendezvous with the pack.

'Sorry guys'

'Don't worry' Sam said 'Quil and Collin are still on their way as well'

I sat down with the rest of them as we waited, as soon as everybody was there we went to the clearing in the forest where we would meet the Cullens. This was the first training, the Cullens said we'd probably have a couple more.

'Guys, be careful. Just to be safe'

We nodded and slowed to a walk as we entered the clearing. The Cullens where there already, lined up facing us. They exchanged looks and we could here them mutter.

'Did you ever see anything like it?'

A chuckle went through the pack mind, not even Bella who had been to the bonfire knew the full extent of the pack.

'Fascinating'

The mind-reading leech of course, he was looking into the pack mind.

I'm glad were amusing him; somebody thought before Sam gave an order to stop. He didn't have to because as soon as he spoke up the head leech, the doctor, took a step forward. He did it slowly like we were to tightly wound springs that could snap at any moment.

'Welcome'

Sam nodded and focussed on Edward; Tell him thank you.

Sam spoke to the leech again; We will watch and listen, but no more. That is the most we can ask of our self-control

Hell yeah!

They stink bad!

Can't we practice on them?

Guys… Sam warned us to shut up and just listen

'That is more than enough.' The doctor leech answered. 'My son Jasper has experience in this area. He will teach us how they fight, how they are to be defeated. I'm sure you can apply this to your own hunting style.'

They are different from you?

'They are different from you?'

It was weird to hear the question move through the pack mind and come out of Edward's mouth at the same time. Brady shook his head in confusion, he phased just two days before and everything was still confusing. We felt bad for the guy.

'They are all very new – only months old into this life. Children, in a way. They will have no skill or strategy, only brute strength. Tonight their numbers stand at twenty. Ten for us, ten for you - it shouldn't be difficult. The numbers may go down. The new ones fight amongst themselves.'

We laughed, stupid leeches, we thought.

We are willing to take more than our share, if necessary

'We are willing to take more then our share, if necessary'

Even the leech sounded a little amused now.

'We'll see how it plays out.'

The doctor leech stepped back and we sat down, ready to watch the leeches train.

The 'son' stepped forward, he wasn't tall but looked determined.

'Carlisle is right.' He only spoke to the rest of the leeches, he ignored us.

'They'll fight like children. The two most important things you'll need to remember are, first, don't let them get their arms around you and, second, don't go for the obvious kill. That's all they'll be prepared for. As long as you come at them from the side and keep moving, they'll be to confused too respond effectively. Emmett?'

The biggest one, Emmett apparently, stepped out of the line. He was smiling like he was about to enjoy this as much as we were. He was anticipating the fight like us. We approved.

When he and the blond one started to fight, a rumble went through the pack mind and we watched intently. As the blond one avoided the big one and when he won, the big one cussed and called out; 'Again.'

A soft laughter escaped the pack, we could approve of him wanting a rematch. The little pixie girl stepped up next.

Somebody grumbled when she just evaded all the moves made by the blond one, Edward looking smug as he heard the surprise in some of our thoughts.

She can't see us, so she can't anticipate our moves

The pack rumbled in agreement and satisfaction remembering that fact.

The night moved on and we watched the leeches going up against one an other for a long while. We analysed their strength, their speed.

The Newborns are going to be stronger

We need to remember that

The pack was strategising, we had been phased for hours now, individual thoughts were there but they were more like white noise. If one thought something about the upcoming battle the others repeated that statement, we were one.

We saw Edward watch us intently, like he was enjoying this opportunity to look into the pack mind. Like he found it fascinating. We didn't like it, having an outsider in our head.

Finally the blond leech turned to us, he didn't look comfortable and we smiled at that. He shouldn't be comfortable near us.

'We'll be doing this tomorrow. Please feel welcome to observe again'

Yes, we'll be here

'Yes, we'll be here'

Edward translated again and Sam nodded to the leeches.

'The pack thinks it would be helpful to be familiar with each of our scents – so they don't make mistakes later. If we could hold very still, it will make it easier for them'

'Certainly,' Doc. Leech answered, 'Whatever you need'

Stay here, we can see through my eyes, we can smell through my nose

The pack stood up and Sam stepped forward, we didn't stay. We didn't move with him either but we couldn't stand all the way back. Sam approached the head leech and we all cringed when he smelled him. He walked past all the leeches and we took in the scents.

Sam nodded at the Cullens when we got all the scents, we couldn't wait to get out of there. Our noses hurt.

When we ran back to La Push, Sam decided it was useful but that tomorrow night not everybody would have to go. Jake immediately offered and Quil and I would go to back him up.