“Ugh, Sage! You’re messing up my hair!”
We said a quick goodbye and headed out. Remington had the path memorized, so I followed his lead. I’d never been to the human town. In fact, I’d never been somewhere where the population was majority human at all. The pack my brothers and I grew up in was all wolf shifters, and the only human I knew, Dr. Pine, lived alone in a nearby canyon. Needless to say, I was overflowing with curiosity.
“What’s it like, Remmy? Are there big buildings? Are there stores and stuff? Ooh, do they have—what’s it called—candy? Is it really sweeter than any fruits or berries? Does it—”
“Oh my gods, do you ever stop talking?” Remington snapped.
I wasn’t put-off by his comment. He was always a little snippy. “I’m just wondering! I’ve never been to a human place. I hope it’s not scary.”
“It’s not scary if you don’t act like an idiot.”
“What d’you mean by that?”
Remmy stopped and turned to me, his eyes flashing. “You can’t be seen as a wolf. You know that, right?”
“Oh,” I said. “Why?”
“Humans are afraid of wolves.”
I frowned. “That’s weird.”
“But if youneedto be in your wolf form, then stay hidden. Don’t let them see you.”
I was awed by Remington’s insider knowledge. I nodded and we headed on our way again. It was only a moment later that questions burst forth from me again. “What happens if they see me?” I gasped, my ears flicking back in fear. “Do they all have guns, like Red found in that old hunting cabin?”
“They might,” Remington said seriously.
That freaked me out. I took his advice to heart. But I didn’t let it get my mood down. “What about that candy stuff? If I’m in human form, can I get some? Do I just pick it off trees?”
Remington stared at me like I was an idiot. “Are you serious?”
“Huh?”
“How can Dax and Hugo know these things and you don’t? Seriously, Sage, I can’t tell if you’re joking or acting stupid or if you’re actually this naïve.”
I closed my mouth, not knowing how to respond.
“Maybe you should wait outside the town,” he suggested. “I can carry the books myself.”
My tail drooped before I picked it back up. “No, I can help. I promise I won’t be a hassle.”
Remington let out a sharp sigh. “Fine.”
We walked in silence for a while. Thus, the boringness. It felt like he didn’t want to talk to me anymore. I was used to him being a little grumpy, but his words weren’t usually this cutting. I wondered if it had anything to do with the slight sweet scent wafting off him.
“Hey,” I said.
“What?” he asked without looking at me. His eyes were focused on the downward slope of the hill.
“Did you go into heat recently?”
Remington nearly tripped on his paws. He whirled around. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“I was just curious. You have this smell.”
His eyes narrowed into slits. “Yes. Did you not notice I was gone for the past few days?”
“Er, kind of? I thought you got lost or were hunting or something. Nobody really talked about it so I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
