Chapter 531 Chapter 531
After emptying and repacking his bag with blankets and supplies they’d set out into the storm. The wind was strong and made visibility impossible. He hoped once they got down off the ridge, it would be easier to navigate. Their animals’ coats and big paws were built for weather like this, so at least they weren’t cold.
The worried-out-of-his-mind mate and father had given them a quick rundown of the land, and the general direction his females usually went. He had headed out and tried to find them, but in the blowing snow had lost his bearings and barely made it back. He was lucky he did, Tripp was struggling to get through it. He’d never seen one of this clan after shifting, but they weren’t exceptionally tall on two legs, he’d noticed. That wasn’t always a sure way of telling their animal size though. Any smaller than his animal’s size and it would be really hard to navigate. His cat was large, probably weighed in around two-twenty.
He looked at the tail end of his mate that he was having to work hard keeping up with her right now as she zig-zag down into the valley. He hoped it was the valley and not the ravine they were warned about. Carrying the bag on his back was throwing off his balance and his speed, but at least his cat was working with him. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the lost women out there in trouble, or from his mate barreling through the snowstorm ahead of him without an ounce of caution.
She came to a skidding stop and then glanced back at him. He knew she wasn’t just standing there waiting for him. He caught up and stopped as quickly as she did. The ground dropped off in front of them. With the swirling snow, he couldn’t make out how far down it went or the terrain—if there was any.
She looked at him again and even with her eyes in the form of her cat, he could see she was debating on going down the quick way. Tripp crouched down and moved toward the edge slowly, so the pack wouldn’t tip him over it. He couldn’t make out more than flashes of rock the snow hadn’t covered yet. Backing away, he turned to her, with his shoulder he nudged her back from the edge and then looked toward the trees he could see the outline of. It would take longer to get down, but at least the ground didn’t drop off into the unknown.
She made a low meow noise, which was the equivalent of no. He bumped against her again, hoping she was just messing with him. His cat was less than impressed that she was even considering it. If he wasn’t wearing the heavy bag, it wouldn’t be so bad, but he was, so it was out of the question. Her safety was more important than anything.
Amari turned and looked at the trees and then back at him, for the briefest second ever he thought she was going to go to the trees and head down that way, but then she bumped his shoulder in a playful way and leaped over the edge. Tripp’s heart seized in his chest, he dropped down and tried to see her, the wind chose then to pick up and he couldn’t see a damn thing.
He could take off the pack and follow her, but then when they did find the others, they would have no supplies—or clothes. With a loud shriek, he hoped reached her despite the wind, he let her know how unhappy he was with her move. He took off toward the trees. If one hair on her body was damaged in any way, he was going to be beyond pissed, and then he was going to—do something stupid he shouldn’t—but had no idea what at this point.
Tripp skirted around a tree and jumped down off the ridge as he surveyed the area to try to determine the fastest way down without dying. His animal prevailed with more calm than he felt and poured on some reserved speed. Tripp wasn’t sure if it was better to let his animal lead right now, but he couldn’t shake the image of her lying on the ground injured. He was going to bite her when he found her, that much he knew.
His cat took a sharp turn, and the pack slid a bit to the side. Cursing in his head, he focused to help the animal keep balanced. His cat was stone-cold determined at this moment and wasn’t taking any shit from him, their mate was down there somewhere, and three lost females.
His cat suddenly crouched, and they were sliding down an incline. Tripp was trying to figure out how he was managing it when he realized it was because it was the first snowstorm of the season and the grass and growth underneath weren’t frozen, making it slick enough that his cat was basically skiing down into the valley.
The visibility was better as they reached the bottom. Now he was on board with his animal’s plan and asserted himself, so he was back in charge. Tripp took off toward the area the father had told him they liked to walk. Scenting the air with each breath he inhaled, he hoped he could find his mate. It was faint and hard to pick up her trail, but his cat confirmed they were heading in the right direction. There was no scent of blood in the air, so he hoped that meant she wasn’t hurt. He should have felt relief, and he may have on some deep level if he could think beyond the anger that fueled him. Normally Tripp had it under control, but he couldn’t get beyond it this time. As soon as they got those women back to their clan, he was going to have to have a serious discussion with his mate about her reckless behavior. It stopped now; no excuses would be accepted.