Speed tore through the stedding like his pants were on fire.

 

He was late for his weapons lesson with Owen, and he was trying to make up for lost time. He paid no attention to the reactions his fellows had as he ran through the village, ignoring the cheers, the laughter, and even the howling of the wolves. He had only one thing on his mind: getting to the archery range before Owen got mad as a wet hen.

 

It wasn’t his fault that he’d lost track of time working in the stables this morning. He had been minding his own business until that girl showed up. He hadn’t meant to kiss her, and then kiss her some more until he forgot everything but the taste of her lips and the feel of her pressing against him. He had merely been trying to muck out Red’s stall.

 

Well, on second thought, maybe being late was partially his fault. Maybe.

 

Regardless, he wasted no time arguing with his conscience. His legs proved testament to his nickname as he flew across the open area in the center of the village. As he made the turn around the corner of the last building separating him from the forest edge, he thought he was going to make it.

 

WHAM!

 

He ran headlong into something and fell down in a tangled pile of curses, bruised body parts, and scattered arrows.

 

Climbing to his feet and rubbing a sore spot on his shoulder, he glanced at the cause of his crash, then looked again. She was pretty in an angry sort of way, sitting there in the dirt with her full quiver on her back, although her bow was a good ten paces away. He was about to say “I’m sorry,” when she gave him a disdainful glare and a loud “Hmph!”

 

Quickly looking away, Speed began gathering up his scattered arrows and made a hurried apology.

 

“I’m sorry I ran into you. Are you okay? I hope I didn’t hurt you too bad. Can you yell at me later? I’m late for a meeting with Owen. Okay then. Bye”

 

He made a mad dash into the trees and down the trail toward his practice session. Hopefully, Owen wouldn’t be too mad. He wasn’t that late. As his feet sped along the path, he reconsidered the angry woman he had bumped into. She looked mad enough to chew nails! Laughing to himself, he couldn’t figure out why. She hadn’t even dropped a single arrow!

Lorelai didn't move at first. She was sitting on the ground, blinking. She was so absent minded when she walked around the corner, that she didn't even manage to capture the face of the person that bumped into her. All she could recall was a mention of a meeting with Owen and the scattered arrows on the ground, before the man disappeared. But she had his scent and figured that the man was probably on his way to meet Owen at the archery range, like Lorelai have done so many times.

 

Getting up, she dusted her breeches, and headed towards the archery range with a determined look on her face. Half mad at the clumsy wolfkin that literally swept her off her feet and half mad at herself for not sensing him coming. She had to stop being too involved in her own thoughts and be alert to her surroundings. When she became a Ranger she vowed to protect her people and being brought down by a mere pup was disappointing at best.

 

Spotting Owen first, Lorelai approached closer and noticed another man next to him, shooting the bow. Owen was standing to the far right giving him some advices every few shots. Lorelai positioned herself next to Owen and whispered something in his ear. The young man shooting the bow was not aware of her presence and continued with the training.

 

Owen smiled and nodded. "As I said, drinks on me", said Lorelai and smiled as she watched Owen leaving the premises. Turning around to eye the young wolfkin, Lorelai leaned back on a tree stump and waited for him to realize Owen was gone and that he got a brand new instructor.

 

When he finally turned, his eyes widened in recognition. He knew all to well who she was. Good, less explaining from my part. "Owen?...", was the only word that escaped his mouth. "..is gone. He had decided that there is a more important lesson to be taught so the priority has shifted from archery lessons to one of my lessons. I'm afraid mine aren't as pleasant as Owen's, however I find them to be very satisfying. On my part, naturally."

 

Grabbing a staff, Lorelai threw one at the young man and grabbed one for herself. Making the staff touch the ground, she leaned on it in a very casual manner. "In life, for every action there is consequence. Every deed changes everything. Even if we find it to be so very insignificant. It's the natural way of things. We err. And we pay."

 

Lorelai's eyes glittered as she set them on the other wolfkin. Smiling, she spoke. "Attack me." The young wolfkin hesitated, seemingly unsure how to proceed. Lorelai's smile deepened. "Let me rephrase that. Attack, or I will."

 

 

 

Lorelai

Ranger

Speed was pleased with how the morning was turning out. Owen hadn’t yelled at him at all, and he was noticeably getting better with the bow. All in all, it was a decent start to the day, despite his being late to arrive.

 

When he emptied his quiver into the targets, he turned to see what Owen had to say, but the tall albino Ranger was nowhere in sight. Instead, the only other person there was the girl he had bumped into this morning. What is going on?

 

“Owen…” he was cut off before he got another word out. As the unhappy stranger continued speaking, Speed figured it was best if he kept his mouth shut. When she threw a quarterstaff at his feet, he grew even more confused than he already had been. I’ve never fought with one before, he thought worriedly. As she continued her speech, he began to get nervous. She sounds mad as a jockey riding a mule in a horse race. He just stared at her stupidly. What was he supposed to do?

 

"Let me rephrase that. Attack, or I will," she concluded menacingly.

 

This isn’t going to end well, Speed thought with conviction as he bent to retrieve his staff. When he straightened and turned to face her, all he saw was the blur of a large piece of wood coming at his face. Then everything went black.

 

When he finally woke up, he was on his back looking up at the sky. Weird. What happened to the girl? As if by the Power she appeared above him. Only she looked like a giant, and she had three identical sisters, too. They were spinning in a circle around him, and it made his head hurt.

 

This isn’t going to end well, at all.

Lorelai waited until the wolfkin came to. She didn't mean to knock him out. She just wanted to deliver a message. But at the same time she knew the blow didn't cause any permanent damage. While he was out, Lorelai examined his face as best as her little knowledge allowed her. His nose was not broken, there was no swelling on his head, just a now blue mark on his forehead. Nothing to fret about. But she decided to keep an eye on him just in case.

 

When the young wolfkin finally managed to sit up, Lorelai crouched besides him. "You okay?". The wolfkin nodded slowly. Lorelai looked at him for a moment and then got up. "Good, get up." The wolfkin seemed dazed as he looked up at her. Lorelai raised an eyebrow and the wolfkin started to get up clumsily.

 

"Obviously you didn't see it coming. The staff, that is. Otherwise you wouldn't have passed out. And by god, my grandmother would have come to quicker then you. You should work on that." Pacing to the side and then back, Lorelai planted her feet on the ground and locked her eyes on the other wolfkin.

 

"Maybe next time you come across me, you won't cast me aside so easily. Then again, I doubt you want to cross me again. Now, go to the infirmary to get yourself checked. Meet me here tomorrow at the crack of dawn." The wolfkin blinked at her. "Oh, you thought this was over?" Lorelai laughed. "I haven't even begun."

 

 

Lorelai

Wolfkin

If Speed’s eyes got any bigger they would pop out of his head.

 

She must have hit his head harder than he thought, because none of what she was saying made any sense. Her grandmother was fast? Come across her again and cast her aside? Cross her again? What is she bloody talking about?!?

 

With each bizarre statement, he grew more and more confused. His head hurt, and if he moved it too fast the world started spinning again. What day was it again?

 

The last bit of her angry sermon was all that stuck in his head. His surprise had to be written clearly on his face. I have to put up with this again? Blood and bloody ashes!

 

When she wheeled around and strode off like a queen with her royal panties in a bunch, leaving Speed to suffer in solitude, he couldn’t believe his misfortune. And now I’m standing here all by myself, like a dumb calf who’s lost its mother. Mother’s milk in a cup!

 

The young archer stomped off toward the infirmary, not too fast because he was still a bit dizzy, but his anger was displayed vigorously. He kicked every tall patch of weeds he passed, sullen with displeasure. Before he had walked very far, he began voicing his anger to the sky, because no one else was around to listen.

 

“This stinks! I didn’t do nothing! It’s not my fault she didn’t watch where she was going. Well, maybe it was partially my fault, but I apologized. Did she?!? Oh, no! Not miss hits-people-with-a-stick. Not her. She’s the one who is suffering. Yeah, right! I’m the one with a knot on his head the size of chicken egg. Kiss your sister!” he ended with a curse.

 

Finally he made it to the infirmary, and told the healer where it hurt, as if the huge black and blue, egg-sized lump wasn’t apparent at a glance.

 

“It hurts here,” he said gesturing. “Not so much here or here,” he added humorously if unnecessarily, moving his hand alongside his un-injured facial region. “Just here. I think my brain might be leaking out, and I didn’t have much to spare to start with.”

 

Laughing hurt, so he just sat there glaring. I’m going to hit her in the head with a rock or something.