86. Kaya
Kaya
Jack has been annoyingly talking to me the last few days. Asking about myself. It is almost like he is trying to get to know me. I needed to ask Cade when he was leaving. His curiosity about me is starting to feel weird. Also, I have noticed him giving me these looks. I can't really place it, but it makes my teeth clench.
I was out on a hunt with Robert and my friends, but my head was thinking of this morning during training. It was a sparing day. I rotate with whom I spar, but Jack wanted to spar with me. He said it would be good to train with an Alpha. I had obliged, but it felt weird. He would take me down, so I landed on my back and held me for a while rather than let me up to go again. He was a good fighter, definitely equally matched to me.
I wondered if he was matched to my other friends. But Jack wanted to avoid testing them and seeing if they were equal to him. No, he had insisted I train with him. "Pay attention." Saka snapped at me over the link. I stood there looking at him. I was to be the one to carry the gear after we got an animal. I also was to scent out the animal. I sniffed and let them know there was a white-tailed deer a mile away. No heard, just a lone deer. They took off, and Robert and I began to trek toward it.
Robert signed, "What is on your mind, Kaya?" I signed back. "Jack, he weirded me out this morning." "Yeah, I picked up on that. Look, I don't want you to be alone with him." "Robert, you know I am never alone. You are always there unless I am alone with the alpha." "I know that, Kaya. I think Jack is here for some reason other than learning to fight from you and your friends. If that was the case, he wouldn't always be staring at you."
"So you saw that too." "Trust me, I saw it, and if I caught on, I am sure Alpha Cade saw it too." "Then why has he not brought it up. I thought I was the only one who thought Jack was acting weird." "I don't know why Cade has not brought it up, but I think he knows you can handle yourself. Not to mention, you have me." "Still, you would think he would at least tell me he is picking up on the weirdness." I signed.
"Well, let's just focus." I nodded. Even now, I felt like I was being watched, and we were deep in the woods. I sniffed but only smelt animals found in nature. Why would anyone be watching me out here? And if they were, I would be able to smell them. I told myself. I knew I was being paranoid. We finally caught up to the others. Kimi was sitting there holding the heart, eating it, while Len and Saka stood there looking at her as she continued eating it like a wolf.
I got down close to the animal. I opened up the carving kit and got to work. I showed Robert what to do and walked him through the steps. I liked Robert. He was always interested in learning something new. Not to mention, he was a fast learner. He was, at this point, fluent in sign language. He was reasonably fluent in my native tongue. Len had taken it upon himself to teach some of the warriors our native language. He had made friends with a lot of them. Saka was working with Cade and Mark on the language. Then, all of us were teaching signs to the pack.
I noticed many of them picked up most things relatively fast. It was not hard to learn, and it helped me a lot. I felt blessed by the goddess to have a pack so accommodating. It was like the one I was born into. More people have approached me now. From what Helen told me, the pack still thought I was stern but very down-to-earth. Which I guess was good.
They needed to see me as stern. Most of the kids here thought I was harsh, but rearing teenagers is not for the faint of heart, and this pack had a severe lack of discipline regarding the youth. I had been raised that the youth was the next generation, and they needed the most guidance. That is where I put most of my efforts into teaching them. I had already pulled some of the high schoolers out of class to learn to run in formations. Robert thought it was hilarious to see. I admitted it needed work.
Then there was the whole pack. They knew the winter solstice was coming up. Everyone seemed to be excited about it. I told them about the celebration and the act of giving gifts. It symbolizes the gift that the goddess gave us. Most compared the solstice to Christmas, which I needed to learn about. Cade laughed and laughed when I asked about it.
How was I supposed to know about southern holidays when we only celebrated a few in the north. We had winter solstice to honor the goddess, then the spring equinox, which marks when some go out looking for their mates. Then, the Summer Solstice which is a celebration of everything. But those are the only celebrations we have. But here, there is Christmas and a bunch of other stuff, which to me seems pointless. I mean what was the point of following human traditions we were not human.
Robert and I loaded up the sled we had brought. Kimi looked at me. "This thing is tiny." She said so I could read her lips. "Cade said this was the only sled they had." I mi,nd-linked her. "Well, maybe. This should make one; this one is bright blue, and what is it made of?" "Plastic." I mind-linked her. There was no way the meat would not fall off the small sled as I pulled it. Saka and Len shifted and were standing there naked.
I had seen them before. Everyone with a wolf was used to being naked in front of one another. I just adverted my eyes from their manhoods and focused on their faces. "Kaya, we will help carry the meat." I nodded. Kimi shifted as well, and Robert took some. Between the five of us and the minor child's sled, we got back to the pack. Stopping for my friends to get dressed. "I think you guys should go get warmed up." I signed to my friends. They nodded, and after everything was set up for more butchering, they headed inside to get ready for the rest of their days.
Robert looked at me and signed. "You will miss them, I take it." I nodded. I loved having them here. When they returned, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. I wish they could stay. But Len and Saka would have to return and hunt for a mate. Kimi would go back, and her mate would come find her. They had to return; they were supposed to be in the north. I had a nagging feeling that almost no one was out last year trying to find a mate. That feeling of unease settled in my stomach. I shoved it away and tried to not worry about it.
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