Chapter 106

Shawna POV

This was my first time running in a full moon run, and I wasn't in unfamiliar territory. To be sure I wasn't going to get lost, I asked Ashlynn to take me into the woods during the day, so I could get a feel for the land. The last thing I wanted was to be alone in these woods and lost. Perspiration dripped down my brown at the anxiety that peaked with the thought of it. Natalie was coming along too, since she had never been here before. She did go for a run in the woods the other day, supposedly with Carl. I don't know where they went but they hadn't been gone very long. It had been for training purposes only. Or so she said. I knew she liked him, and it appeared he liked her too, so the Goddess only knew what they had been up to. I was too polite and maybe prude even, to ask.

"Are you two ready?" Ashlynn asked as she descended the steps from her apartment to our waiting figures. We both nodded and she smiled while waving for us to follow. "I just need to swing by the corral and let Dawson know where we are headed," she said as she quickly made her way across the stables and out into the sun. "He's breaking a horse for some rancher two towns over."

I watched as she drew up short at the fence to the corral, standing with one foot propped on the bottom rung and her arms folded over the top rung. She didn't make any noise, giving Dawson a chance to notice her so as not to startle the horse. From the looks of it, that was the last thing that would be good for Dawson. That horse was snorting and stomping and backing around the arena. Dawson had a long lead rope attached to a nylon halter, just letting the horse burn off steam. I was fascinated by horses, though I'd never actually ridden one. I thought they were beautiful and intelligent creatures. Most of my friends rode horses when we were kids, but they made me uncomfortable, since they were so big and they typically were antsy around werewolves. Ashlynn told me you have to earn their trust and I'd watched her get entirely too close in my opinion, just to check their abdomens. She said she was checking to see where the foals were in relation to their birth preparations, but I found it scary that a fifteen hundred pound animal could suddenly decide they don't like you. One kick to the face and you could die, should the kick land just right. No thank you.

Dawson stood in the center of the round corral with his back to us. He slowly turned in a circle, the horse at the end of the lead, jumping and bucking as it went around the outer edge. As soon as he was facing us, his face broke out into a grin. He mumbled something and clicked his tongue and then dropped the lead lower so it was at his waist level. "Hey darlin', just a second," he said to Ashlynn. I think my heart swooned at how sweet he was with her. We watched as he tugged the horse gently to the far side of the corral and ground tethered it. That is where you just drop the lead in front of the horse on the ground. If the horse steps on it, it obviously prevents it from moving far. Most horses who were ground tethered were just well enough trained that they wouldn't wander off. It was pretty brave of him to ground tether that crazy horse.

"Is that wise?" I hollered, motioning towards the horse. Dawson looked back over his shoulder and shrugged.

"Where is he going to go?" he asked. "Besides, he has to earn my trust and I have to earn his. It starts with that," he gestured towards the horse who was sniffing at the ground where the lead lay, but not moving.

"I don't know anything about horses," I offered. "I think I'd like to learn, but they frighten me. Ashlynn isn't scared of anything, I wish I was like that," I admitted.

"She is pretty amazing, ins't she?" Dawson said as he walked up and kissed Ashlynn on the lips. "What's up babe?"

"I'm taking Nat and Shawna into the woods so they know the proper landmarks before the run tonight. I wanted you to know. We won't go past the waterfall," she told him.

"Waterfall?" I asked. "That sounds amazing," I stated. "Is there also a swimming hole?"

"Among other things," Ashlynn said with a sly smile. "Alright, if we aren't back in forty minutes, come looking." I was wondering why she wanted him to look for us. She was strong and Natalie was a strong warrior.

"Are you worried about something?" I asked. "Why would Dawson need to come looking for us?"

"I'm not worried exactly, it's just that there was this she-wolf from Godsend Pack that snuck up on me a couple of times and her attacks were usually in the woods. She snuck up on Dawson too. I like to be safe. But we will be fine," she assured us.

"Don't forget," she tossed back at Dawson as we wandered towards the trail that led to the woods from the stables.

"Never," he assured us as we continued down the path.

"You're lucky Ashlynn, you have a good man there." Natalie spoke up.

"Yes, well, it sounds like Shawna does too," Ashlynn replied. "Now what's this I hear about you and Carl?" With that question, it opened a whole new line of conversation. I couldn't hold my tongue about what I'd heard earlier from the three women who were walking towards the training grounds.