"Awesome, next you can try doing the move I taught you previously," Matt cheered the breathless Mireille. Not far away, Alex and Lloyd were duelling, going back and forth landing heavy blows each time they met. Mireille turned her head in their direction and could only see a blur of movements and after images.
'So excessive? Geez, are werewolves this brutal to themselves?' Mireille shuddered. Looking down at her trembling hands, her strength had been overdrawn by Matt earlier. 'Clearly he had said we would just practice a few moves-few moves my ass! My body feels like it's about toexplode.'
Zave walked up to her smiling, "Not bad, Mireille."
At some point Lloyd and Alex had finished their exchange and walked up to them.
"Done?" Lloyd asked, glancing at Mireille, whose face was flushed from the recent exercise.
"You should have seen her moves..." Matt began, launching into his characteristic, exaggerated storytelling, which caused Mireille's cheeks to flush an even deeper shade of red. The others, listened intently, their expressions softening into gentle understanding as they gazed at Mireille. Their shared affection and protective instincts for their youngest member evident in the tender looks on their faces.
"Alright, what's for dinner?" Matt asked mid-chatter.
His question made everyone turn to stare at Mireille, practically burning a hole through her with their burning gazes. It couldn't be helped, before Mireille arrived they could make do with anything, haphazardly combining ingredients. What mattered was that they were filled and never cared about the taste. However their lives took a turn for the better since Mireille came along, the first meal she made for them made them unable to stop eating till they were bursting. To say they weren't looking forward to every mealtime was like saying the the earth is flat.
Mireille cautiously took a step backward, her eyes fixed on the intense expressions of the brothers, who seemed on the verge of consuming her entirely with their hunger. With a small smile playing on her lips, she began to list her culinary ideas, her voice light and melodic, "Let's see, how about we start with a hearty roasted venison, infused with fragrant wild herbs, followed by a tender braised lamb dish, and for something savory, a classic beggar's duck? To round things out, we could whip up a rich wild mushroom stew served with rice, and for a sweet ending, how about homemade honey cakes for dessert?"
As Mireille delicately described each potential dish, the four began to drool uncontrollably. Matt, unable to contain his excitement, instinctively wiped away the drool gathering at the corners of his mouth with a quick glance at Mireille. Even Alex, who typically maintained a stoic demeanour, couldn't entirely mask the anticipation that glittered within his purple eyes.
Mireille observed the quartet with a subtle amusement, raising one eyebrow in a playful gesture. She thought to herself, 'This isn't the first time this has happened, but witnessing their complete abandonment of composure always manages to bring amaze me.' Turning her attention back to the group, she declared with a hint of playful urgency, "Let's get moving back home early so I can get started on the cooking, and we can finally feast before the cravings become unmanageable!"
The group made their way back to their mansion-like cabin, the air thick with anticipation of the delicious meal Mireille was about to create. As she busily prepared the rich and fragrant soup base for the braised lamb, a gentle warmth spread throughout the cabin, and she couldn't help but allow her thoughts to drift, pondering the fascinating and evolving dynamics of her relationship with the werewolves. It had only been a little over a month since their horrifying encounter with the vampire Lord, a confrontation that had undeniably forged a strong bond between them. Yet during that relatively short transformative period, Mireille had found herself experiencing a profound shift in her feelings toward the kind and protective brothers, a subtle but undeniable blossoming of emotions that she was now carefully contemplating.
She also found herself deeply contemplating how she was going to navigate the upcoming blood moon, a significant event that loomed just around the corner, causing a ripple of uncertainty within her. The question of whether she should consider a temporary departure, seeking refuge from the heightened emotions and potential dangers, or remain and face the challenges head-on, stirred within her, leaving her with a mix of apprehension and determination.
The tantalizing aroma of a multitude of freshly prepared dishes permeated the cozy cabin, mingling with the soft, warm light that filtered through the windows as the sun gradually began its descent, painting the sky with hues of vibrant orange and crimson. As the group finally settled down at the large, rustic dining table, eager to partake in the feast that awaited them, Zave, with a thoughtful expression, broke the comfortable silence, gently introducing a topic that hung heavy in the air, "About tomorrow..."
Matt, ever the jovial and somewhat oblivious one, tilted his head in confusion, his usual cheerful demeanour momentarily replaced by a hint of bewilderment. "What about it?" he inquired, his voice carrying a subtle note of uncertainty as he glanced around the room, seeking some kind of explanation from his companions. His eyes, scanning the faces of everyone present, encountered the groups guarded expressions and silent gazes that only deepened his confusion. A wave of bewilderment washed over him, and he couldn't help but wonder what secret knowledge they were holding onto. 'Huh? What's going on here that I'm completely in the dark about?' he thought to himself, his mind racing to decipher the enigmatic atmosphere that had suddenly enveloped the room.
Mireille had her head down pondering for a bit, "Should I take some time away? When the blood moon is over I can come back."
Matt then came to a realization, "Aha, so it's because of that!" His epiphany did nothing to quell the heavy atmosphere.
"No one is leaving." Lloyd's voice cut through just before Zave or Alex could express their opinions.
Alex was displeased with Lloyd's command but when he looked at Zave's solemn expression, one that seemed to know something, he remained quiet.
"There have been frequent pack activities lately, threatening to encroach on our territory." Lloyd made further attempts to explain, "Going away from us now would only be more dangerous to you, Mireille. Staying here, it's much safer to guard against danger when the time comes."
Lloyd's eyes scanned over the others, making no attempt to hide his recent findings. "This applies to all of you too, on the blood moon you must be prepared to guard against 'them'."
When he ended his statement the expressions on Zave, Alex and Matt's face turned sour. Naturally they knew who 'them' referred to. Mireille who didn't thought it was just another pack threatening to raid their lands. She also wore a solemn but resolute expression, determined to safeguard their territory come what may.
After dinner, the group tidied up and turned in for the night. Mireille lay in bed thinking about tomorrow night. Something about the brothers expressions unsettled her making her wonder if something happened to the in the past. 'Come to think of it I've never hard them make mention of other packs until today. Don't werewolves normally have one or two friendly relations with some other packs?' Unfortunately, no matter how much she pondered over it she could never get an answer. Sleep soon overwhelmed her, dragging her deep into its embrace, the soft bedding surrounding her with a comfortable warmth.
The next day, beams of sun cast an awakening spell on the forest forcing it to awake from its slumber. The sounds of songbirds echoing through the forest added a touch of serenity to the otherwise cold and distraught woods. The cabin came alive with a flurry of activities, it was a new day and even with the looming danger of the blood-moon hanging over them, they still had to do what they had to. Breakfast was prepared and served by Mireille. The group settled behind the table on which was a bowl of steaming eight-treasure porridge, steamed buns, egg-rolls, fried dough sticks and grilled chicken.
"Whoa-I swore I could smell something in my dreams, looks like it wasn't just me. This spread is wonderful." Matt chirped in his seat. The others couldn't help themselves, wolfing up the meal like they couldn't get enough no matter how much they stuffed themselves. In the end the plates and bowls were wiped cleaned leaving not even a crumb.
Breakfast ended in satisfaction with the group going about their own activities. Mireille took a trip to the waterfalls, on her way back she run into Paulo, "What are still doing out here, haven't I told you to stop showing yourself everywhere? Tch, so disobedient." Mireille glared at him, but he showed no signs of remorse. Paulo followed her all the way back to the cabin. When Matt saw them return he ran up to them ruffling Paulo's fur and cuddling him like he were some kind of toy. Well, the bear himself wasn't displeased with this, even taking the initiative to rub against him in return.
*
Soon enough the sun begun to sink in the sky. As dusk approached changes could seen occurring to the group. At first the wolves started to feel restless, growling and baring their fangs. Mireille stayed in her room listening to the changes happening around her, since she was half human she wasn't affected, as early as the wolves, by the blood moon though she still felt her blood heating up steadily.
The four had stepped out of the cabin, surrounding the place and guarding their lands as early as when they started to feel the presence of other wolves around their lands.
The moon rose steadily from the east-a full moon, first appearing yellowish, it didn't take long, after the dark cloud that blocked its light moved away, a glaring crimson moon slowly emerge. It's appearance like the eye of a blood thirsty beast locked on its prey.