Weston
We walkedfor a while until the ground beneath us slowly began to slope upwards. Uncharacteristically, I hadn't been paying too much attention to my surroundings while I was hunting Nishiki. My frustration with Alexei and alphas in general had reached a tipping point where I just wanted to turn my brain off for a while.
I was regretting it now. In order to help Nishiki, I needed more knowledge.
I turned to him now. The last few times I looked in his direction, there was always a tinge of pink on his cheeks—presumably from our lecture session, which I found quite endearing—but he seemed to be over it now.
"I need a better lay of the land," I told him. "Would you mind if I shifted and returned in a few minutes?"
"Sure," Nishiki said.
I hesitated for just a split second. There was an unusual flicker of an urge I felt to not leave his side, but the need to help him was stronger. The ancient magic spilled over me as my form shrank, becoming lighter and streamlined. Warm feathers coated my body, and my outstretched arms became wings. Nishiki watched with awe from below as I flitted past the canopy of trees and took to the sky.
That's better, I thought as I surveyed our surroundings. I wasn't uncomfortable in my human form, but the sensation of being in flight was in a league of its own. Nothing would ever compare to it.
So why do I still have this nagging feeling I should be down there with Nishiki?
I tried not to let my thoughts distract me. I focused on the landscape.
The forest was lush and green. It covered the land like a blanket, following the sinuous curve of the slope ahead. I followed it to discover a low mountain. I narrowed my eyes and angled my wings to capture an air thermal that pushed me higher up.
I turned my head to see in every direction. I may have had a terrible sense of smell, but my eyesight was more keen than any mammal shifter. I saw the glint of silver that must've been the fence surrounding the wildlife reserve Nishiki mentioned, as well as the rivers and streams sneaking through it. If I squinted, I could see a larger body of water where they must have culminated.
Still no sign of the canyon. I turned again, searching for it.
There, way in the distance, was the tawny coloured scar of the canyon that Nishiki must have been talking about.
I grimaced, feeling a pang of guilt. I'd unintentionally taken him so far away from his home. But there was also a small part of me that was pleased with our situation. The further we were from our destination, the more time I would have to spend with him.
Selfish,I thought, scolding myself.Worry about Nishiki first.
With the mystery solved, I folded my wings and dove back through the trees. I banked at the last moment, creating a wall with my wings to stop myself before shifting and landing on my feet.
"Wow," Nishiki said, his eyes wide. "That was so cool."
I smiled, pleased that he thought so. "I'm quite sure I saw your canyon in the distance. The fastest way to get there is unfortunately over a low mountain."
Nishiki pouted. I had the feeling he wasn't used to difficult hikes, and he all but confirmed this when he let out a sigh. "I'm gonna get huge calves…"
"Even if you did, you would still be handsome," I said. "But if you prefer, we can always go around. It will just take longer."
Nishiki shot me a shy smile. "I don't mind that. I'm not really in any rush to get back." He put a finger to his temple. "Er, except maybe the fact that Nero is probably wondering where I am."
I didn't want to upset his brother, but spending time alone with Nishiki was the option I admittedly preferred.
"It's okay," Nishiki said, waving a hand. "If he's that worried, he can always enlist the help of his mate or the rest of his pack. After all, how hard could it be to sniff out a single koi fish out in the wilderness?"
I smirked. "Depends on the species of shifter. I certainly wouldn't be able to, but I suppose a pack of wolves could."
He hesitated like he wanted to ask me something. "Did you see anything else?"
"Like what?"
He gazed off into the distance, as if he wasn't quite sure what he was asking. "Um. Like a really big lake or something?"
"I did, actually. Why?"
He perked up at this. "Well, it's just that… I think that's where my father lives."
