Chapter 701 Chapter 701
It had taken Hadleigh and Cassius’s guy almost a day to find the location the others were using as their base of operations. They were smart about it and had a white tent, Hadleigh had said. It didn’t make Deva too excited that these people hunting her own were smart enough to think of something like that.
They had separated a few hours ago. Kenzo and Wynter had split up to circle around and double back on the ones looking for them. Cassius’ guy and Hadleigh were taking overwatch and keeping an eye on their location and progress. They only had him for today. He’d been out too long, and Kenzo was sending him home to rest.
Once they’d studied the map and found a good location to move to, Deva had helped Taggart get into the straps to pull their gear. She wanted to make sure it was secure so that they wouldn’t have to stop, shift, and repack if it wasn’t.
After she’d made him pull it around through trees and turn with it for a few minutes, she’d gone and shifted to follow behind him. He wasn’t going to be able to outmaneuver any animals or people they came across, so she split her time between running ahead and checking the path they were cutting through the heavily treed area and then doubling back and checking on Taggart’s progress. He made it look easy to pull, but she was sure it wouldn’t. The extra height and weight he had on her probably helped, but it was still something their animal bodies weren’t meant to do. They were lynx, not sled dogs.
When they cleared the thick growth area, the incline was much steeper, and she stopped and looked up it. Glancing behind her, she checked to see how far Taggart was. She didn’t think he was going to be able to pull it up on his own. Shifting and unpacking it to take up on two legs was going to mean more than one trip. They were going to have to shift and check the map and see if there was an easier place to go up.
Turning around, she ran back to get him. He was just clearing the trees when she reached him. She barked and then looked in the direction she had just come from. When he reached her, he stopped and looked straight ahead. Crouching down, he backed up so there was no tension on the harness, and he was able to step out of it.
He took off running to go see what she was concerned about. Deva watched him go and then looked at their gear. She lifted her head and inhaled slowly. She didn’t want to leave it unattended if there was anyone in the area. Even a wild animal would be bad. It smelled like all sorts of human smells and might maul it looking to see if something was tasty. She decided to stay with it and wait for him.
It was only a few minutes later he came running back. He chuffed quietly and then barked and looked at the trees they’d just come out of.
Deva ran over and shifted back. Pulling off her run pack, she got her clothes out and dressed quickly. Her bootlaces were stuck together on the hook on her pack’s strap. She cursed in her head while her feet froze, getting the laces undone. Finally getting them untangled, she pulled them on and ran out of the trees to see Taggart standing there holding the map. He was only wearing his jeans, and she shivered just seeing him like that.
He looked at her. “Is okay. I shift back to cat in seconds.” He nodded and looked at the map again.
“There’s no way you can pull it up that incline.”
“No is no way.”
She went over to the canvas and opened one side so she could find the bag she’d put their protein bars in. She was hungry, so he had to be more so after doing all the work.
“Is spot I can go up with rope.” He came over and squatted down with the map. “You tied the pack to rope and come up, and we pull it.”
She looked at where he pointed on the map. She was glad he understood the topographical indicators better than she did. The basics she got. The rest was just colors and lines with no meaning for her. One more reason why she was on the coordination team. No map skills are required beyond finding a road. “Do we have enough rope?” When they’d packed it, she had wondered why they’d need rope, and now she was glad they had it.
“Is much rope.” He stood up and looked at the canvas. “Is blue bag rope is in.”
Deva nodded. “I’ll find it. Get your boots on and have a snack.” She held up the bag with the bars and drinks in it. “Should we call and see how the others are doing?”
He went over to the harness he’d stepped out of and untied his boots. “We call after we at the top.”
“Okay.” She opened the canvas more and found the blue bag. “How was it? Pulling this.”
He put on his boots and then looked at her. “Is challenge. I feel bad for snow dog now.” He grinned. “But they body is made for pulling more than my, I think.”
Deva got the bag out of the rest and stood up. “Put your jacket on, and we’ll pull this together until we’re at the spot to go up. Rest your cat’s legs a bit.”
“Is no my legs that think it hard.” He patted the side of his hip. “Is there needed to pull.”
Deva grinned. She wasn’t sure exactly what part of that area he was referring to, but thought maybe he was saying his buttocks needed more strength. “So you’re saying to stay fit, we should pull things around.”
He took a bite of a bar and chewed it while watching her. Swallowing, he shook his head. “I no think you need to do no thing to stay fit, Deva. You perfect as you is.”
She felt her cheeks heat. “Thank you.”
“No thank you is needed. I tell you all the days all the times if you need me to. Is no lie.” Her cat moved through her, and Deva put her head down to focus on getting the bag undone. Her animal was starting to like Taggart’s compliments, and she wasn’t sure if that was going to make it harder to keep her convinced to let Deva handle their mate.
“Come eat. We make good time. No hurry for minute.” He held out the bag with the snacks. “Will need cat to go up to top for us to pull pack up.”
She set the bag of rope down. “You don’t think we can climb it without shifting?”
Taggart shrugged. “Oh sure, we climb it but is faster as cat.”
Taking out a protein bar and bottle of water, she looked toward the area they needed to be. “Just as long as we’re in place when they need us to be.”
“Is time. They no can do it when is dark.” He looked up. “Little dark is okay. No moon this day, so is much dark.”
She had never had to think about whether the moon was full or not. “If those people searching don’t go back to their base at night, how are we going to get all of them at once.”
He paused with the bar in front of his mouth and looked at her. “Is good question. We talk to Kenzo and Wynter about this when we at the top.
Deva closed up the bag and went over to pack it back up and tie the canvas again. She pulled out his jacket and tossed it at him before getting her own out.
Taggart caught it and grinned at her. “My Deva worry for Taggart for always.”
She smiled even though she tried not to. “Deva worries Taggart will freeze, and she’ll have to pull this on her own.”
Taggart laughed and put the jacket on. “Little lie is okay I know you pulls legs on me.” He flashed her a big grin.
Shaking her head, she zipped up her jacket, leaned down, and grabbed one side of the strap. “More work, less talk.” She mimicked his accent.
Taggart put his jacket on and came toward her. “You—is word, sassy?”
Deva smiled and then shrugged. “It could be.”
Taggart leaned down and took hold of the other side of the strap. “You perfect for Taggart.”
She was about to say more, and then it hit her. She was going to be alone with him for however long it took for them to get the men looking for the factory. Her cat moved closer to the surface as she thought it. No input is required. You go to sleep and stay that way until we’re back with other people around.