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Wasn't he some kind of APE-WOLF?

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I STOOD THERE, jaw slightly open, staring at him like a fish as his eyes studied me. I couldn't believe I was caught in the same position twice. First with Harvest, and now here with Lucas Bowne.

When was I ever going to learn my sneaking around skills were useless on an island of converts? The faster I did, the faster I would learn to stop finding myself in these awkward positions.

I clasped my hands in front of me squeezing them tightly my eyes trailing down to his shoes remaining speechless. I could feel his eyes on me but when I quickly glanced up at him, his gaze momentarily trailed around the gardens behind me as if confirming I was alone, before folding his arms.

"I don't appreciate eavesdropping," he stated bluntly.

He seemed mad. I could not blame him. I could explain I was lost and I just happened to stumble on them, and I did not want to interrupt their conversation, but I was too embarrassed. It was easier to apologize.

I did just that, signing an apology, my eyes dashing away.

He nodded, looking up again, "So, is this one of your hides and seek games or are you genuinely lost?" he asked, peering down at me with a huff. I spotted a smirk growing against his lips.

Oh good, he wasn't mad.

My shoulders fell in relief at this, taking a deep breath in and exhaling, nodding softly afterward, keeping my eyes on the green grass.

He grunted at my answer, turning slightly, eyes trailing over the space he and Daya had just occupied.

"You probably heard everything them," he plainly stated, a soft look then falling on me.

I bit my bottom lip for a second contemplating how I would answer the question but I couldn't lie after being caught red-handed and so I nodded, eyes shifting from him to hedge failing to keep eye contact. I tried to look anywhere but at him feeling bad for eavesdropping on what definitely was a private conversation.

He shook his head sighing, his gaze seemed unstable as it stared pointlessly at the hedges behind me for a few seconds before looking down at me with what seemed like a forced smile.

"C'mon. I'll lead you back to the others," he began turning a certain direction.

I glanced at the direction for a moment before shaking my head. When his attention was finally drawn to me, I signed to him that I was actually heading back to the dorms.

He looked down at me curiously raising an eyebrow, "You want to spend your first Friday at Kingsland stuck in a dorm?" he asked, humor dancing in his eyes.

I didn't want to tell him I had lost my key and all that business. It just seemed like it wasn't something that I should make a big deal of, and I didn't feel like explaining stuff like that so I stole David's excuse.

'It's just not my scene.' I signed with a careless shrug.

I felt exposed as his eyes studied me before he let out an amused chuckle, "all alright," he grunted, before taking a step closer, "I get that. Honestly, I just came here for Daya..." he trailed off as I watched his expression change before returning when he shook his head free, "hmm-My senses are way too sensitive for the smoke," he confessed.

I tried not to make it appear that every bit of his features looked different and sadder than I ever thought was possible for someone who had such a great smile.

I also understood what he meant by his senses, wasn't he some kind of APE-WOLF?

And Lira said something about his wolf being extra special. I managed a short smile, rocking back on my heels.

"You should come with me," he suddenly suggested. I looked at him confused about what he meant exactly. My gaze narrowed on him curiously signing a one-word question-

'Where?'

A smile spread on his features as he moved closer until he directly towering over me, "it's a special place I like, it's MY scene," he replied with a chuckle at the end before adding, "I wouldn't mind a little company, seems like you need it as much as I do," he added, clenching his jaw, his hands in his pockets, leaning in slightly.

I stood there for a second dumfounded at the offer.

Lucas Bowne was inviting me to his special spot, me, the last person on earth who should have ever gotten such an offer.

I didn't know what to say about this, staring up at him wide-eyed. Perhaps it was the fluttering in my heart that bid me say yes. Either way-

'Sure' I signed way out of it and he grinned,

"Good, this way," he said falling in beside me whilst showing me the way.

I looked back at him and we both chuckled as we treaded through the maze. I kept my eyes low and yet I couldn't stop the smile that was on my face unable to look up, knowing he was already looking down at me as we paced.

"How did you get lost in the maze when you found the bonfire just fine?" he asked breaking the silence as we walked together. I was about to answer when the thought crossed me.

I looked at him signing a question, 'how do you know I made it to the bonfire?"

Had he seen me?

Quite unlikely, I was sure if Lucas Bowne had been around the fire all eyes would have been on him and he was much too tall and broad-shouldered to just not be seen. But if he had somehow been at the Bonfire the only other explanation was that he had been there long before Lira, Claire, and I had gotten there in the first place-

"You smell like marshmallows," he chuckled.

My mouth took an O shape, looking up at him on my right and he chuckled seemingly amused by the expression on my face, "and you're holding a stick with some leftover marshmallow bits," he added, clasping his hands behind him as we walked.

I glanced down at the stick that was still in my hands, sighing softly and I shook my head pushing a strand of my hair behind my ear.

I looked up at him explaining how it was I found myself lost in this maze. I mean I did everything right. I followed the flowers and everything and yet I ended up eavesdropping and getting caught whilst doing it.

"Ah- the flowers," he replied, his eyes narrowed at nothing particular as he looked straight ahead, "I forgot you see it that way."

My eyebrows arched at this, looking at his lost expression. He caught himself glancing back at me spitting the confused expression on his face which led him to chuckle.

"I mean most people follow the flowers, I just follow the distinct scent," he replied.

I looked at him cluelessly before covering it up with a nod.

"This way-" he pointed out, and we swerved down a left, the hedges seemed to be darker and the stars above were way clearer away from the smoke.

"Following the flowers works to some extent," he continued, whilst I studied the side of his chiseled face as we walked, "but there are a number of intersections where there are four different unique scents or flowers in your case," he added glancing down at me.

I nodded, trying not to think about how tiny I must look, walking beside him. Lucas Bowne was so tall. Harvest was tall too but I had a feeling it was because of those boots he always wore.

"So, you'll have to be careful," he added, eyes searching then pointing at a direction so we cornered, putting his hands into his pockets," if you're following the flowers, you should follow the biggest ones. Their scent is the strongest and they line up the normal way people get through," he explained.

'Normal way?' I signed wondering how many exists where in this maze.

He grinned at my questions, "there are a few hidden paths with some exits..." he trailed off coming to a standstill and I too, following his lead as he sighed, his shoulders falling, "like this one," he finished, eyes trailing down at me.

We held eye contact for a second before I slowly turned to face the front, dark shadows looming in front of me as the trees swayed in the breeze.

Fare-born Forest.

My eyes widened as I took in the beauty as well as the intimidation of the dark trees of the forest. I had never really been into the forest directly, though I know the restricted area was a part of it, though its trees looked a little friendlier and less tall than these.

"Come on," Lucas invited, walking toward the forest.

I stood planted to the ground, still in a state of panic as I stared at his retreating Frame. He paused turning around to my frozen self.

"Crazy locks," he called, his hands in his brown furry jacket pocket.

I looked up at him, drawing myself from the shadows that seemed to be dancing in between those scary-looking trees, shaking my head and folding my shaky arms.

He rolled his eyes at me, a smile on his face, "are you scared?" he asked.

That was one thing I very much was and one thing I didn't want to admit openly, even though I knew he could probably smell the fear off of me. But this was the fareborn forest. If this had been a movie, teenagers would probably go get murdered there.

And I was black. Black people don't do stuff like this.

'We aren't allowed to go to the forest' I signed reminding him of the rules.

"You aren't allowed to go into Fare born Forest without supervision," he paraphrased a smirk on his face, "I'm here to supervise," he added.

Oh shoot, he was an original five and a guide, I'm sure he was allowed into these parts.

Just my messed-up luck.

I should have been in my room right now guarding my things and here I was about to enter the Fare-born Forest. I looked back at him, still very much unconvinced and he sighed walking back to me until he was towering over me, his jaw slightly clenched as our eyes met,

"I'll take good care of you, I'm good with tiny things," he added, lowering himself down to my space.

I frowned at this and he chuckled, eye shining in the moonlight before suddenly turning around.

"Get on, I'll take you," he said glancing over his shoulder to me.

I looked at his back quizzically before staring down at my own two feet.

I could very well walk, there was no reason for touching that broad back of his which may or may not have nicely toned muscles. It was built like a machine. After a few seconds he turned around, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a free ride," he added.

I looked down at my feet again, then back to him signing slowly, 'it's okay, I can walk." I replied.

He slightly tilted his head to the right seeming to study me before walking back to me, "It will take a non-shifter 3 hours to get there by foot," he stated, "trust me, it's faster with a free ride," he added, mischief in his eyes.

My eyebrows drew even farther together seeming to be in a dilemma of my own. How deep in that dark scary forest would we have to go in a three-hour walk?

I pursed my lips for a moment, still unconvinced but when our eyes met once again, I ended up nodding, my shoulders falling in defeat,

"Okay," he replied with a wide smile on his face.

He turned around for me but I stared cluelessly at his back for a second before clearing my throat. He grunted something about short people, before kneeling so I could easily climb him.

He was way too tall for me to board him just by slightly leaning down. I couldn't believe my feet were moving to climb Lucas Bowne. Honestly, I felt out of my body as I clumsily got on to his back, arms wrapping around his shoulders as best as I could.

When I was finally secured, he easily got up to his feet as I weighed nothing, slightly turning as he talked.

"See it isn't so bad, is it?" he asked, as I watched his side view, "now you can tell all your friends you got a piggyback ride on Lucas Bowne. I'm going to deny it but it's a fun memory, right?" he added and I chuckled at his joke, feeling his body quake beneath me as he chuckled along too.

"Alright," he began, his tone softer as he adjusted my position on his back, "I need you to tuck your head on my shoulder and hold on tightly," he warned, his voice soft and lush and I followed his instruction obediently, "don't ever let go," he added, his tone more sincere, "and don't look up."

I nodded at this watching him intently.

"I'll carry that for you," he added, taking my notebook and my stick. One that didn't even know why I was still carrying.

"I need you to take a deep breath in before your signal to go. I'll count us in, alright?"

I nodded, tightening my arms around his neck, tucking in my head, and shutting my eyes really tightly.

Lucas took in a deep breath in, and I could feel his heartbeat suddenly slow, his tone mimicking it softly, "Ready... Set-"

Long Deep breath in, my mind a blank piece as I listened to his heart that kept slowing down, my hand released, signing one word as my lungs filled with air

'Go.'

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Adventure time :)
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