“The last time I came to check on you you were out cold, so by my estimation this is a pretty big improvement.” She rocks her head sideways. “Though of course, I’m not a scientist. Feeling up for a walk?”
“Actually,” I say, “some fresh air would be great.”
I pull on some jeans and a hoodie, and with Aisha’s arm linking through mine for support and also just to be cozy, we head out into the campgrounds.
Elite Pack wolves are still tidying up the battleground, sweeping up smashed glass, scrubbing blood off the walls of the cabins, but we make our way to the lake doing our best to avoid the muddiest spots.
We wander down the pebble-lined shore where, during that summer two years ago, we swam out to the platform and had our first heart-to-heart.
“It’s hard to believe it’s all over,” she says, stopping to look out across the water.
“Yeah, wild.”
“At least you can head off to college knowing the pack is safe.”
“I suppose.”
She eyes me curiously then turns back to the lake vista.
“That is still the plan, right?”
My hands are shoved deeply into my pockets and my shoulders rise to my ears as I take a big, long breath.
“It’s not?” Aisha says.
“I don’t know, I guess we’ve just been through so much, and after what happened during the battle, what I did ... I guess I’m just wondering if there isn’t something more I’m supposed to do.”
She leans against me gently. “You’ve done plenty.”
“I know but while I was out I spoke to the blood wolves of the past, they told me I had a responsibility to use my powers, my ... gifts for something worthwhile.”
“You’ve gotta be happy too though.”
“I know,” I say, swaying a little toward her. “But thanks for saying it.”
A gentle breeze picks up and I wander down the shoreline closer to the water, crouching at its edge and dipping my fingers into the coolness.
“You thought any more about whether you’ll stay in New York?” I ask, looking back.
Aisha wanders down to join me but stays standing with her hands on her hips.
“It’s funny I’ve been so torn about the whole thing, about feeling like I don’t belong here anymore, but then I was thinking, well, where else would I feel more of a sense of community, and you know what I decided?”
“What?”
“Community is just the people who care about you and they’re all in New York, so why leave?”
I shake the water off my fingers, sending out little ripples as the drops splatter across the still surface, then stand.
“That’s really cool.”
“I wouldn’t have figured that out if it weren’t for you though.”
“Huh?” I turn to her in shock. “Why do you say that?”
She turns to face me as well, her expression more serious than before.
“Do you know what happened?” she asks. “How you won the war?”
