The Ranger Ch 17

Welcome Back! Everyone depicted in this alternate universe, thousands of years in the futuristic past, are of age and have agreed to the their story being presented today. If your story is added, you will also have to agree.

Team1: Heran, Evaine, Niviena, Ewlene, Yesime, Anders, Isabella

Team2: Sabina, Annalise, Desa, Abigale, Amber, Treya, Ivana, Joan

Team3: Katelyn, Beau, Erika, Alexandra, Triss, Abby, Jenna, Amelia

Team4: Jacob, Dustin, Jamison, Anton, Petra, Erika, Regina

Merchant Ship: Saedin, Agitha, Cassandra

Merchant Ship2: Severan, Penelope, kids, Emma

Myread: Soviet, Saynha, Fiona

Readers pulled into the story: Soviet/BoulderDash

I spent the next week working more with those who hadn't gained the spark of magic than those who did, Beau was taking teams to work in the various plant locations, helping grow the mint and lavender to replace the current batch that will soon be moving on to its final drying phase, we are going to need to get those oils ordered, might end up having a good bit of dried leaves while we wait more oil and containers now, not that we will need as much money for food with days worth of range we have to run through, as long as we take care of it, we could survive a lifetime on nothing but wild game and Beau's ale ingredients.

I've been spending all my time at Mertil's house, mostly on the porch sitting in a comfortable chair with a cushion that can just sit here all year long without worrying about weather or freezing, it is just crazy that the weather is like this year-round. I've been all over my world and there were hot places, but they had deserts, this entire world so far is an oasis that just keeps on going.

All good things must come to an end though, Mertil went rogue when Abby made a comment to me about how easy for me to step in, she didn't seem malicious in the comment but Mertil started getting distant again, figured I'd give her a little time to process it, that stupid wolf's stupid face telling me I don't give space I fix it, reminds me that I'm stalling.

'You are stalling,' Grayson sends.

'I know, shit, I don't want to push her with everything she just went through.' I reply and it sounds weak.

'It is weak.' Grayson sighs, "and it's worse that you know it."

'Man it sucks you are that deep in there.' I say as he reads my thoughts, there's no hiding anything.

'She really likes you being confident and pushing her in the right directions, she's just embarrassed, but as Luna, it's all going to be out there the moment anyone changes.' Cynthia adds.

'Thank you! You are brilliant.' I send and look over, Mertil is two chairs away, an off-white sundress against her skin is stunning, I again think I'm probably the ugliest person in town, sun-kissed skin all around with silky black hair while I have to heal my sunburns when I'm outside for most of the day, along with the wolf man face, itchy face of hair that they refuse to shave.

'It's fine, she was with Tremont before, so you should be okay.' Grayson sends and I think of every curse word back at him.

Having finished pushing mana into said troublemaker Abby reminds me as I sit on Katelyn's teams blanket, Jenna to my left and Katelyn hovering nearby. "That remark you made the other day." I don't whisper it as I'm not hiding anything.

"I'm so sorry, I thought it was perfect, but didn't realize." Abby replies, her face was flushed from the mana making her red a little more noticeable.

"You explained that to Mertil?" I ask and she nods. "Good, I thought it was both topical and timed, if I wasn't in trouble we still be laughing about that, just need to remember the audience right?"

Abby gives a worried glance and then smiles over at me nodding, these ladies are brutal on each other, Desa, Analise, and Alexandra, are clueless on joking around, Anders is a bit slow, but the rest of us are fair game.

'Sabina also, and Evaine just rolls her eyes,' Grayson adds, 'the hotter you are the less funny in womantopia.'

'Gray is hilarious,' Cinthia says and then laughs really loudly when she realizes it also meant he wasn't hot, anyway, she made herself laugh, which made me laugh when she figured it out, I'm sure people watching me think I'm nuts.

"Mertil?" I say and when I glance up at the porch, she is staring at me already.

"Let's chat inside, cle.." interrupted by a feeling over the bond, it's Sandy? The link is strong and I can hear her barking and yipping. "Sandy's changed?" I say and get everyone's attention, looking south we hear the yipping and barking getting closer until a little black wolf with green patches bursts out of the woods in a tiny ball of excitement.

"Awwww, Oh my!" and lots of other screaming spread through everyone, Sandy jumped on Sabina and started licking her face as Sabina was laughing.

Walking down the stairs I changed, Sandy noticed instantly running over and jumping all over me, so much for the submission and showing their belly as she was supposed to do. Standing like stone, it was another few moments of waiting for her to calm down.

'Sandy.' I push out and she stops.

'Do you swear to protect your friends, the town and the forests around us?'

'Yes!' Sandy says and rolls over two paws in my neck and two paws against my chest. 'I swear Alpha, oooh, that's just as good as Master!' She says it a few more times.

'Don't make this weird,' I send and she laughs.

'Yes, Alpha!' And giggles, making it weird.

'You can stay like this for how long?' I ask in a teacher's manner.

'An hour.' Sandy says and straightens her legs poking my neck with her little feet, I'm going to lay down and smush her, I laugh when I feel Gray and Cinthia laugh. I change back and she licks my face and jumps in my arms wiggling around.

"Congratulations to Sandy's wolf joining the pack," I say smiling down at her and setting her down to run back to the ladies swarming her.

"How does she change back?" I ask loudly and Abby replies.

"Concentrate, or 1hour per half her level, or she gets too hurt as a wolf." Abby says since she's the only one not looking for Sandy hidden somewhere in there getting smothered with pets..

"Where were we?" I look over at Mertil, "inside."

She went from a mirthful smile to narrowed eyes as she follows me inside.

I sit on the couch and then stand up and walk into their, the? kitchen, so yeah I can understand how she feels.

"I know," Mertil says and I raise my hand.

"I get it, they embarrass me several times an hour, I ignore them, and other than Triss they aren't mean about anything." I say trying to explain without it being a 'just get over it, that will surely go over poorly.

"I know," Mertil says again and stops.

"We both felt Sandy change before she got here," I pause for a second but she doesn't say anything, "Because you are the Luna and I'm the Alpha and every single one of them is going to know it the moment they join us." Mertil takes a step back and sits down looking at me as she figures it out.

"Oh, I should be pushing harder, I should already have my wolf." She replies and of course she doesn't understand what I'm getting at.

"What? I mean sure, but," I'm confused to how we got here instead of me leading to say we were a couple now.

"No buts, thanks Kae," Mertil gets up and kisses me and then walks out.

'I barely understood where you were going with that, and we already discussed it.' Grayson laughs. 'You could have said, they are going to know we are a couple the moment they change, seriously, didn't you just talk to Abby about wording?"

"Shit, it just came out that way," I say out loud to an empty room.

Following her out, Mertil calls out, "Sandy? Can you show me where they are at?" Sandy yips and starts running, many times faster than Mertil so she runs back and forth as they jog off into the woods.

"What was that?" Ivana asks watching them head out.

"Practice. Who wants to go again? I'm full after that change, might have to remember that." We went through everyone there again, you could see the want in their faces after seeing Sandy. And then the bliss on their faces when the mana infuses their core, I haven't felt a spark today, but one more time tonight, twice if I can change and change back to get full.

"Two more times tonight If I can keep it full." I yell after Amber and Ivana leaving and get all kinds of rude sexual comments and a ton of laughing from the chuckleheads still around us. Red faced, I definitely don't feel like an outsider with comments like this.

Sitting and watching everyone, if Mistress doesn't get involved everyone will learn at different rates, but the first few levels are a breeze, just repeat the spell for a few days and they should be able to take on the next levels spells, it's later on when you are trying to control higher level spells that it takes a while. This is going to happen rather quickly now that it's just a matter of doing.

That night the Inn was packed when people heard three more people got their wolves and ran to the Inn, causing everyone else to show up, the ladies running back home to bring food and drink and make it a party that lasted all night. Cinthia knocked me out after the second one to get a short rest and start over again to welcome them as they came, tomorrow we might want to set a time and do them all at once.

Last thing I remember was welcoming Katelyn and Sabina, they were almost identical light brown with darker tips, Katelyn's being a lighter shade, It took everything I had to stop my wolf from taking them both right there in the common room, both showing they'd take it in front of everyone.

Waking the next morning in Katelyn's room with no recollection as to how or what happened, the bed is just a mattress with the sheets and everything on the floor.

'We were talking and she asked if we could go at it, didn't want to wake you up as you were beyond drained." Cinthia replies and I'm not sure how to take that, as long as Katelyn was good with it I don't mind, she can sex me up in my sleep as often as she wants, but.

'Yes! Thanks man!" Grayson says as I felt like it wasn't fair that Cinthia got to have fun with me and with them, and I was never doing anything with him, so..."

'Set rules!' Cinthia replies immediately, 'he'll have you going from house to house.'

'I won't,' Grayson says but he would have if she didn't call him out.

'It sounds weird the more I think about it, so don't go crazy, I have to deal with the ramifications the next day.' I say and feel him laugh. 'Let's never talk about this again.'

Everything was being interrupted, practice at the range and at the docks, the ladies were spending every waking moment concentrating on their wolf, by that afternoon everyone was sparked.

I laughed as I heard the same thing you always heard in Minerva's glade, "What are the exact spells and in what order should I do them, to get to the next level, the fastest." The answer is such a letdown, "It depends on what you want to do," nobody wants to hear that. Nature and Support spells are different than offensive spells same with enchantments or healing and blessings. Just like with everything else in life, the areas you enjoy will come fast and all other things will suffer delays.

Tia returned and was huffing smoke when I met her, she went home and found everything in the main chamber was looted along with two side chambers, she had the bare essentials but would need to go back to find a few relics she said were priceless.

"I had a bracelet that lets me look elvish, they made it for me several thousand years ago, a bag of holding with Inferie inside, and my mate's first gift." I didn't have anything to say so we sat for a moment.

"I'll need to go back at some point when we have the time." She states it, but there was a question in there also.

"How long does it take for you to get there?" I was wondering how long to plan.

"A few days there, faster back with the winds." Her enormous head moves quite the distance to look me in the face, her breath was warm and almost made me step back."

"I need another week or two to keep the training going, after that we can head there and at least start digging for leads. How many can you carry?"

"Three safely." Tia huffs again, "what are you on about, you wish to take time to help me?"

"What else are we going to do? I could ask if Fiona can get someone to give us an instant ride there."

"It wouldn't work on me, but if you want others to go by translocation or ship we can catch up." She leans back and we sit.

"Oh, are you a wyvern or a dragon?" I ask and she snorts.

"Dragon, wings separate from the front legs is what you were taught, was also called a wyrm for quite a while before dragon was used, and now it's Wyvern as there is no distinction between the three."

"They died out from where I'm from and here?" I ask and she snorts again, her version of a laugh.

"Apparently," she looks over at Mertil's house, which reminds me to ask her.

"You have a place to live while here?"

"Yes, there are a few places inside her," Tia turns her head toward the mountain, and we sit for a while not saying anything.

Triss, Erika, and Amber walk over slowly making noise to get our attention. "You may approach, I won't bite," Tia answers them.

"Jacob changed and locked himself in the guard house." Triss says, "He is worried he'll challenge you, his wolf wants him to." I feel my wolf perk up and accept the challenge, he is just about a big as me, he'll be a great beta, but his wolf needs to be sure.

"Ask him and the others to come here, we are supposed to do this."

"What! Don't hurt him," Amber says shocked.

"Both of us are going to get hurt, but we have plenty of healers now and his wolf won't feel right until it knows for sure."

"He is your second?" Tia asks. I nod and wave Triss and the others away, "Go on, like I'd hurt my drinking buddy." I say and they head back to town.

Turning to Tia, "Jacob is second to protect the town, Evaine is in charge of outside excursions."

I started stretching as I'm guessing Jacobs wolf is going to be big.

'He is, test him to his limit so you both know the right choice was made.' Grayson says in a serious tone he hardly ever uses.

'I do, when things are serious.' He replies.

Jacob slow walks down the path, most of the town walks straight through the woods between the town and Mertil's property.

"I'm not trying to start anything but he won't listen," Jacob says as soon as he's halfway. I hold up a hand to give us a little space.

"It's expected, It's going to look and sound brutal, you," I say making eye contact with everyone, "will not interfere, and someone grab a couple of ales for after Beau heals us."

"Okay so, how does this work?" Jacob asks.

"Let your wolf out and trust his instincts, don't hold him back," I answer, and he nods without answering looking around the clearing.

"Alright," I change and wait.

Jacob watches, "shit!" Was his last word before changing and his wolf sprung at me, he is a big grey, brown highlights beast. Taking off at a sprint looking to use size and speed to knock me off balance, I'd given control to my wolf and become an observer only. Things slowed down, the feigned jump, but then all of the weight dropping to the ground gave away he was going low, Jacob went for the left front paw and had all four legs coming in for some raking. Turning with him, he missed and kept going while I continued the turn, his legs churning to get back up and this time he came right at me.

I'm surprised at how my wolf is evaluating Jacobs's efficiency in effort and tactics, as the inferior animal he has to take chances, but shouldn't do so foolishly. The feigned move was offensive and defensive, which was good, but should have been closer. Coming right at us as he is now, is too soon, and a mistake, we move to match impact speed and it's just a turn of the head, our jaw tilting under his and wedging up gets him a chunk of my shoulder and me a chunk of his neck. He freezes and I hear my wolf growl deep, and then I realize it was at me.

'Oh! Do you swear to protect what's ours inside the town's limits and assist Evaine externally!'

'Always!' Jacobs replies. I form the bond and feel everyone already bonded welcoming Jacobs wolf.

"So the only fight is by the two besties?" Triss smirks as I heal myself and Beau heals Jacob.

"Jacobs wolf was too strong to accept Beta without making sure," I answer and take a drink of the ale, walk up Mertils steps, and sit in a chair.

"Tia, do you require anything that we can get from the different cities?" I ask and she looks around.

"Is there someone that can take notes for me, I brought back enough gold to manage." Tia nods to Yesime whose hand shot up.

"I am Yesime, and I don't know what to call you?" Yesime introduces herself as we watch her beat red face, but she was the bravest one to push forward.

"Tia is fine, can you help me write a list for the next delivery?" Yesime nods and walks over next to me.

"Yesime, can you help Tia with the soaps and oils plus a third of what the mages send me, that should pay for anything," Turning towards Yesime, do you want to go with Tia and I when we look for Tia's missing items?

"What! Yes, of course." Yesime replies immediately, she looks between Tia and Me, a big goofy smile on her face between awe and shock.

"Silks, Linen's and Velvet's in bundles, maybe some wools on the next trip?" Tia asks Yesime.

"Niviena? You are good at this, what should we be looking for?" Yesime asks and I wander away as they got to talking about what to get and from where, that we were kinda isolated from the far eastern cities that had it all.

"Sreport is okay but if we can get further east, it gets much better, though it might take a month to get it." Niviena says as I feel a tail wrap around my middle, looking down, and then back, Tia had turned her body to reach out with her tail.

"Yes?" I ask looking down and then up at her, she looks at me and smiles.

"Sorry, we got distracted, Do you have to go?" Tia asked.

"No, I have time," walking back over and sitting by her again, you can't get too close or you'll be looking straight up, and she could smush you by shifting.

"What are my restrictions?" She is watching Sandy run down the road with a crazy goblin gait hop running.

"Don't kill anyone that will make us go to war with someone." I answer and she snorts out some smoke that stops everyone's conversations.

"War with anyone or just someone specific?" She asks her lip curling up over her very long sharp teeth.

"Anyone for now, let me know if someone specific comes to mind."

"After decades of boredom, you are funny." Tia says and I shake my head and she chuckles again and pulls her head back as Sandy ducks under my arm and sits in my lap.

"When Kae gets done teaching everyone we are going on an adventure, would you like to come?" Tia asks Sandy.

"Yes, I go where he goes, to keep him safe." Sandy answers Tia who nods in agreement."

"Okay, they aren't anti-goblin are they?" I ask as my arms are being pulled around Sandy.

"Everyone is anti-goblin Kae, there are just different levels of slavery or death, Bageraut is okay as long as she isn't alone, and they've probably never met a goblin that could wield magic," Tia looks down at Sandy. "You will have to hide your magic unless an emergency."

"Yesime is coming also," I add, "stay with her if we are off and about."

"Kae!?" Heran call's me from the practice lines. Tia looks at me and then Sandy.

"Go on, I'll tell Sandy where we are going," Tia lowers her neck to the ground for Sandy to climb on. "I went home to get some of my things and they were gone."

"We'd like to go wolf and run as a team," Heran asks.

"You are their lead, do what you feel is best, check with Evaine so we know which teams are out, where and when just in case.