Another stormy day slowed Misty down. Her efforts to fight the wind and rain were feeble. She needed to find shelter, but the trees and forest have been long gone. Not a place to shelter. So, she ducked her head and squinted through the rain.

Soaked from head to tail, she tried not to succumb to laying down and waiting the storm out. She would die if she stopped now.

Lightning flickered across the dark gray sky, causing the hills and valleys to light up in the gloom.

Misty tried to shake away the water in her eyes. But it was pointless. With the whipping rain and howling wind, she was amidst one of the worst weather tantrums she's ever seen.

Fur plastered to her sides, she sat back on her haunches, closed eyes, head toward the sky. The rain came down, cascading along with the features of her face. She spat out the water that made its way into her mouth.

All of a sudden, Misty thought of a warm summer day, and couldn't stop herself from laying down, closing her tired eyes.

~~~

When she opened her eyes, Misty was met with a pair of gray paws. She realized she wasn't laying out in the middle of a vast nothing, but in a warm, cozy den.

Jumping up, she flattened her ears defensively and curled her lip, ready to take on a fight.

The strange wolf turned, a blank look on his face. "You're awake. Good to know, I thought you were dead."

"Where am I?" Misty demanded.

The gray wolf peered outside, observing the drenched land. "That was a wild storm."

"Where am I?" She repeated through gritted teeth.

Once her eyes focused, she could clearly see the stranger in front of her. He was a few inches taller than her, with silky gray fur and mysterious dark brown eyes. He looked about her age. Scars crossed his body, and a torn ear told a story of its own.

"I brought you back to my place." He was void of emotion. "I found you in the Barren Valley. There are no trees or shelter there. So I decided to help you out, dry you off, and make sure you were comfortable."

Misty didn't let her guard down. "And who exactly are you?"

"Cayden," He muttered. His ears twitched back in her direction. The only sign he acknowledged her presence. "What is a she-wolf like you doing out here all alone?"

"None of your business." She spat.

"How nice. I ask a simple question, yet you can't answer the wolf that just saved your life."

"I've been through worse."

Much worse.

Cayden snorted. "Sure, I'm certain that's why you're such a salty wolf."

Misty growled, pacing the confined space. "That's only a taste of my personality. You're the one to talk. You haven't shown an ounce of emotion."

Cayden tensed up. Anger was beginning to boil. Misty could feel it.

The gray wolf didn't say anything after that.

Misty hissed to herself before getting up and marching right past Cayden into the new unknown forest.

A beautiful place. Droplets of rain shimmered in the pale evening light, sliding off the green leaves and falling to the muddy ground. Birds tweeted, squirrels chattered. This forest was even calmer than the one at home.

She was so entranced by the new scenery that she yelped when Cayden hooked his claws into her tail and drug her back. He whirled her around so she could face him, inches apart.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you."

Misty jerked away from him and stomped in the direction she was supposed to be traveling.

Cayden caught up to her and planted himself in front of her. Misty tried walking around him, but he moved with her, blocking her path.

"What exactly do you want with me?" She snapped.

"A simple thank you."

"Thank you?"

"You're welcome," Cayden replied smartly.

Misty hooked his legs out from under him with a swift motion. Once he was off-balance, she tackled him to the floor and pinned him so he couldn't move. Although he put up quite a good fight, his struggles couldn't get through Misty's iron grip.

"Are you done?" Misty kept her hold on him.

Cayden groaned a little too dramatically. "Let me up."

"Only if you leave me alone."

"I saved you!"

"Did I ask for your help?"

"No..."

"Then don't give it to me." Misty stepped back, allowing the gray stranger to get up. "I don't want to be bothered."

"I could have left you out there to catch a cold." Cayden sniffed.

"Maybe you should have." Misty spun on her heel and began her journey once more.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Cayden called.

Misty sighed, shut her eyes, and prayed to the wolves above that she would be able to control her building irritation. "I'm on a mission."

"Mission? Did your alpha send you?" Cayden approached her cautiously.

"No." She twitched an ear casually. He didn't need to understand the importance of it.

"Then who sent you?"

"I did," Misty replied.

Cayden's brown eyes traveled up and down her body. "It seems like you can handle being by yourself."

"Actually I'm quite capable." Misty shot back.

"Obviously." Cayden murmured. "Are you lonely?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Company would just distract me from my goal."

"And what exactly is your goal?"

Misty looked Cayden dead in the eyes. "Kill someone."

Cayden's face grew curious at those words. "Do you need help?"

Misty laughed bitterly. "Didn't we just have this talk?"

"What if I help you?" He tipped his head. "Okay, let's make a deal."

"What kind of deal?"

"You let me help you on your mission, and you'll never have to see my face again."

Misty started walking away. "Not a chance. I want to do this alone."

Cayden stopped her in her tracks. "You're pretty miserable about something. I don't need to know that part, but I haven't done anything interesting in years."

Misty listened with an unsympathetic frown on her face.

"Anyway, I would be helpful. I know how to hunt, fight, I could keep watch for you while you sleep. It's boring around here. There are hardly any wolves. Just nasty coyotes and rodents. Not much of a life for a predator, huh?"

When Misty didn't respond, he took it as a sign to go on.

"I wouldn't be any trouble, really. Besides, I know my way around here. You could really use my sense of direction."

Misty searched his face for lies, betrayal, deceit. He seemed like he was honest. But it was strange that he wanted to tag along in a murder mission. She could tell how bored he was.

Cayden watched her with too much hope brimming in his eyes.

Luckily for him, she was feeling just a tiny bit generous today.

"Fine." Misty sighed. "You can come."

Cayden's face lit up, he nodded eagerly.

Misty turned and started off for the third time since she had woken up. Hearing Cayden's steps behind her made her uneasy for strange reasons. It was weird having a travel companion.

She hoped she didn't make the wrong decision in bringing him with her.