Once A Wolf Ch. 04

“Well, I would have to make certain my…mate was ‘up for it’, so to speak. I will need a few things to get him in the right mood….”

*****

If Geoffwasn’t delusional, he was something akin to it. In his dreams, his mind kept replaying a white flash – afurry white flash. His mind could make out no other detail, save one. It had not been lunging athim; at least,not that time. What had it been?Yeti? No; they weren’t white. A polar bear? Ice Monsters of Hoth?Get serious, Geoff. Perhaps itwas a Golganthan nightmare after all. He had visions of a shadowy white monster that was theother Golganthan terror. Would it vanish, like the ant and Leatherface? Or did that only happenafter you faced, and vanquished it? In his tormented dreams, he feared the beast was still out there,waiting, ready to pounce again.

The sun was streaming through the mouth of the cave when he opened his eyes. Giselle was opposite him. He couldn’t believe his eyes. She was sitting with her back to the cave wall, legs outstretched, with a notebook computer seated on her lap! As he stirred, she observed him to be awake, saved and shut down her computer, then rose smoothly to her feet and came to him. Her smile warmed him like the rays of the sun which streamed in from outside.

“Hey, Tiger. Nice to see you awake. You took quite a snooze.”

“The Arcturans gave you a notebook computer?” Geoff asked.

“They let me havemine,” Giselle replied. “I had to catch up on myDear Diary entries.”

“They must be pretty important to you.”

“Indispensable. How are you feeling?”

“Slightly better. I have a bit of a headache, but I think the patient will live.”

“I’m glad to hear that. It really wouldn’t be the same around here without you.”

“Yes, it would be better foryou. I wouldn’t be holding you back.”

Her smile vanished. She sat down next to him. Her eyes softened as she beheld him.

“Don’t eventhink that. It would be a damn sight worse. I meant what I said earlier. You savedmy life while I slept. Don’t think for a moment I take that lightly – oryou for granted.”

“We don’t know the Night Stalkers would have found us in the cave, or even known we were there,” Geoff responded.

“We don’t know theywouldn’t have,” Giselle retorted. “The thought of being ripped to shreds while I slept is terrifying. But that didn’t happen, thanks to you.”

“They almost killed me in the process. I have nowhere near your capability.”

“You have nowhere near myexperience,” she corrected. “You haveevery bit my capability, if not more so. You have proven that; first with the Golganthan, then with the Night Stalker. Geoffrey, in combat, veteran soldiers rarely make an effort to get to know replacements because the ‘newbies’ usually get killed before anyonehas a chance to get to know them. Anyone else in your position would probably already be dead.You have a bump on the head, plus two battles and one confirmed kill under your belt – and all of that happened onyour second day. The experience will come, and the skill with it. I amhonored to have you on my team. I feel I have someone I can trust to watch my back. You haveno idea what a relief that is.”

He didn’t see how he was anywhere near capable to “watch her back”, but he felt better than he had in the last three days. Still, he felt he had to further earn her respect. He attempted to rise.

“It’s late,” he intoned. “You shouldn’t have let me sleep so long. The Golganthans…”

She stayed him with a gentle palm to his chest.

“…willwait. They won’t be going anywhere today – and neither will you. You have a concussion, Geoffrey. Let’s give it a chance to mend.”

“But the Arcturans will be expecting…”

“…nothing. I’ve already had a little tete á tete with the Praetor. The Arcturans were thrilled with your ‘performance’ last night. They feel they are watching a warrior in the making. Apparently, that is a cherished rite-of-passage in Arcturan society. The Praetor indicated they were really excited at the prospect of watching you ‘bloom’. He indicated they would not object to you taking the day to ‘lick your wounds’. You may even have earned a weapon of your own, rather than a hand-me-down. Oh, and I was able to clear up our little misunderstanding concerning the ‘care package’ we gave the Golganthans as well.”

“How did you managethat?”

“I merely pointed out to him it would be boring at best and a letdown at worst if we allowed the Golganthans to expire from their injuries so soon, and away from combat at that. My impression was the Arcturans have had experience with that scenario in the past. I told him, by aiding our opponents in their recovery, we would be prolonging the Tournament - and the Arcturans’ enjoyment. He actually called it ‘sporting’ of us.”

“You sly dog.”

Giselle smiled and winked.

“Guilty as charged. Now, rest. I’ll be right here if you need me.”

Although Geoff lay down, he felt he was floating on air. For the first time since his arrival, he truly feltpart of the team.