The Ranger: Ch. 12

Welcome Back! Everyone depicted in this alternate universe, thousands of years in the futuristic past, are of age and has 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, Alexandra, Triss, Abby, Jenna, Amelia

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

Merchant Ship: Saedin, Agitha, Cassandra

Merchant Ship2: Severan, Penelope, kids, Emma

Other: Nikolas, Sandy, Tia, Ninhersag, Grayson, Cinthia

Readers: Soviet, Boulder

With nothing to do after the meal, and wanting to work it off a little I started with a walk and then started jogging after a bit, doing a circuit around the forest, something I should be doing almost daily until I can have others pitch in and help, I can reach out further in both plant and animal sense all the way to the farmhouses north of us when I'm standing near the town Hall, but I can't, see anything. The entire point of this endeavor is to enjoy the sights and sounds, stop and smell the flowers, fix a few broken items, Clean up the undergrowth if this place actually had any, and the usual care and feeding of the woods.

Speed is steady on the way down and around Saiden's farm and then a right turn towards the west, and then practicing some of the new spells I've noticed, upping the pace as I got more comfortable, Feeling out all the new abilities when it came to both woodland life and travel, gliding through the channels, down the valley and then up the other side where the cats were resting without the slightest pause or effort to get up the hill, cresting the top I flew through the woods and even as clean as it was I was retching on the ground after slamming into a tree, the pace going from a jog, concentrating on the last movement spell I'd received went from a run to much faster than any sprint I've ever attempted, that was much too fast for what I thought was either possible or prudent. Twisting trying to get out of the way and brushing past the edge, shit, if I'd have hit that tree straight on I could have been killed.

The pains in my hip and face were a reminder to take it a bit slower, laying there trying to figure out what exactly has changed, and anything new, which, was almost everything, why was I suddenly trying so hard?

Fiona saying I had all this power and nothing to use it on, kept nagging at me, in the woods I could stay hidden, move about with an arsenal of spells readily and able to handle myself against anyone. In the ruins, I'll be a sad weak healer that could summon food and water, and wield a bow I probably won't use often without fear of hitting Soviet in the tight corridors, the same as when my old team would delve underground. Healers are crucial to a good team when things go sideways, and they always make sure to stroke your wimpy ego, but once you've kicked ass, going back is difficult.

'You need to pick a Circle.' Cinthia says as I lay there for a moment.

'That I know about, obviously I'm going with the forest or moon over the arctic or coastal or, I forget the others.' I think back to all of this being covered as not all of us were Rangers. Those that had belief went the way of the druid, The circles were the area of focus a druid would choose to shape their abilities.

'Can we go through them, I believe I have an idea, but there are so many.' I say and start ticking off the different circles available from Minerva's teachings.

'Circle of the Stars, I understand as it had an archer in it, but it would be redundant.

'Circle of Dreams, sounds creepy, but it does have the dream teleport thingy.'

'Circle of Spores is kinda gross and has that animate dead that would get me into the same trouble that other guy and his ruins Soviet and I are going to clear out, no thanks.'

'Circle of Wildfire has a picture of you next to it,' I say as Cynthia was prone to fire whenever possible, and something when not so prudent, 'plus a ton more on top of it, and I'm not a fire type.

'Circle of the Land is what? I know the forest is in there, along with coast and arctic?' I ask as this one and the Moon were the two we were taught the most of, but the circle of the land was rather large.

'Desert, Grassland, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark, it would make you a spellcaster.' Cinthia answers and waits, I know she is expecting me to ask about the dozens of spells, but I can come back to this if the Moon isn't what I remember.

'Okay, Circle of the Moon, THIS is the one where I could use Wildshape not only during the day, but as combat and have so many options, wolves, bears, oh, jaguars, or basically any animal I have known. This is the one that feels right.'

'Sure, how about you try your first wild shape, this one only needs a short rest to do it again for you, and you are going to take me up as an eagle at some point and go hunting, I've been thinking about that for weeks now.'

'Weeks? How, nope, never mind, how do I cast wild shape?' I figure she'd just tell me that if she was allowed to tell me, she would have.

'Concentration, focus your will, but you can't cast your other spells while in that form, yet, you can cast entangle and then go wolf or become a bear and crush, an owl or eagle for flight. You can also cast your concentration spells, transform into a cave bear and maintain the concentration.

Bear sounds cool, might try that later but...

'Wolf huh?' I think of Allo, to actually BE a wolf, I knew druids could do this back home, but I didn't have the belief needed to take the Druid path, and the archer part of the ranger abilities are still relevant, 'That does sound amazing.' I sit for a moment and then stop, 'what about my clothes?' Don't want to end up walking home naked.

'They'll be fine, just do it.' I can hear her exasperation, such a small amount of patience.

'Hey, that seemed like a very valid question, I can't just slip into you when I'm naked.' After a pause, we both laugh and then laugh again for laughing together at the same time. 'You know what I meant.'

'Sorry, your clothes will return when you transform back to this form, I'm just a little stressed over tomorrow, which is why wild shape could help if you need the strength and health of a bear.'

The first thing I see is my paws, they are white, with grey legs and turning I have a pretty large grey body, and my fluffy tail has a white tip. Normally they're black until you get older.

'You're an Alpha already, so the size of your body matches your being, and the average wolf only makes it to fourteen or so years in age, you are old. You have access to a larger Dire Wolf, but Mistress prefers you stay more natural to these lands.'

It takes a moment to get used to four legs and then, wow, the speed, feeling of the air on my fur, and there's so much of it, enhanced hearing and smells are mind-boggling, able to hear the people in town from here and extremely increased smell to the point I could smell that a berry next to me was not fit to eat while running past. Most of this I knew from my time with my best friend, all of my Ranger spells on animal and plant sense, were easily outdone in wolf form.

Noticing the pack taking an angle to cut me off as I turn to the north, they were a good distance away but it wouldn't take long, my current speed was fast and controlled.

The pack comes up from my left so I stop and wait. He moves up front and I can feel him puff up and snuff at me. Now I can differentiate them by smell but, I don't want to approach his pack too close without permission.

'Calm your tail, it's unbecoming of an Alpha.'

'Oh,' I try and get it to stop, but it's not listening to me. "Can't, I've never felt so, good.' I say after a moment of trying to force it, though embarrassed at the situation, it feels too good right now, and he laughs in his chest.

'Yes, you look and smell better.' He sits for a moment and his mates are still as statues, quick glances at each of them without staring, they are definitely staring but he doesn't seem to care.

'Your mate, she is well? We could hear her last night.'

'Avoiding her, for now, to let her adjust to a sudden change.' I reply and it sounds dumb when you say it out loud, well when you send it to another.

'Alpha's don't avoid, they confront, comfort, lead.' He says automatically. I sit and realize I sat and almost laugh as I've said that to Allo so many times.

'Go, tomorrow we hunt.' He says and they turn and take off to the south.

'Turning I get to Mertil's in just a few moments, four legs are so much better. Mertil, Katelyn, and Beau are sitting on the front porch with Desa. They are startled when I burst out of the woods at full speed so I slow to a stop and change back shocking them even more. Thankfully Desa didn't pull her bow until I was already changed back to look like me.

"I know right, that was new," I say chuckling at the look of shock on their faces.

Mertil walks to the steps, "We're you in a fight, what happened to your face?"

"What? Oh, I was trying something new and ran into a tree." I say and feel the scratches on my face and heal them. "Never go faster than you can see what's in front of you," I say to Beau, who just raises an eyebrow and leans forward.

"I'll be able to do that?" Beau's face lights up, "that is.."

"is crap, I want that," Katelyn huffs, and Mertil laughs.

"Though I agree with Kate, let's not be too greedy, Mertil turns and whispers to me, "Luna though right?" I laugh at their antics.

"Your bitches are being bitches," Beau leans back in her seat.

"Wow, I'm used to you lot speaking to each other like this in private, but to see it in front of Kae, things have changed quite a bit." Desa says to Beau.

Katelyn turns from Beau to me, "Is this going to help tomorrow?"

"Doesn't hurt," I reply, a regular druid takes wild form a couple times per day and that's that, a Moon druid can take a form that fits the situation of the moment, turn and take action all in one movement, most moon druids disappear over time, obviously preferring the night and taking on forms permanently.

"And when you get your form, we are going to try some things," I say to Beau in code with Desa sitting next to her, she understood immediately, blushing and nodding.

Mertil, hands me a pomegranate drink and some honey bread.

"Thank you," she probably would have caught a storm of crap if she did this with Tremont here, she doesn't seem too bad right now, but her eyes are puffy.

"What do you think, is he doing okay?" I ask hoping I don't say this wrong as Katelyn's eyes widen, shaking her head no.

"Puh, it was his dream to get this town to rival them, so he probably hasn't slept since."

"Good for him, now we just have to get you to accept being as happy as he is, here?"

"It's coming along," she smirks at me.

"Now it's up to us to get this place self-sufficient, can you get the farms up and running again, plant what we need in the southern end of this field also, keep the food going.."

"Cinthia and I talked about that last night,' Beau interjects, "hopefully Severan will go out when Saiden gets back if his wife agrees."

"I wonder if he'll go back to Rivers if the threat is gone, get his old job back." Kaitlyn gets up and walks into the house.

"I'm not bringing it up if he doesn't, just going to assume he is retired and let it be, otherwise we'll have to hire another," I answer and look over at Desa.

"How are you doing Desa? It's been so busy lately that I haven't seen you." I ask as she is just staring at me.

"Okaaay, you know I'm the next healer, Beau's apprentice?"

It didn't take long to figure out what and why she was saying as she looked between us, I haven't had a chance to tease her yet so why not, "Hmm, you want to join the circle?" I stare at her a little harder and she breathes in and leans back in her chair.

"What!?, no, I meant the healing."

"Hmmm,' placing my hand on her knee, she goes rigid. I glance at Beau and can't take it anymore and sit back with a big smile.

Beau snorts and nudges her, "He's kidding." Desa looks at Beau and then back to me and I have a hint of a smile.

"Funny, stop changing the subject."

"Wouldn't that be something, a town full of druids." I laugh and they didn't. "Can you imagine how much trouble that would cause?"

"Can you imagine how much it would help? Being able to do what you do with plants and animals from Sreeport to the Mountains, that is a huge territory of nothing but trees." Mertil pauses, "they did well in learning how to use your bows, they could be good stewards of the area. Your mentor trained you and others?"

"True," it would be nice to know they could help each other, and I have gotten to know most of them, the blowback could be significant from the council and their mages are deadly classes like Cinthia.

"I'm not totally against it, let it rest until I get back, first I wanted to clear my mind and then come see you," turning towards Mertil, "and make sure you had yours cleared also."

Her lips thin and her brow rose, "Those checking up on me are constant, at least you didn't ask me how I was doing."

"Do you remember last night?" I ask to figure out how much we'll need to go over.

"Of course." Mertil answers.

"It's my job to worry about you," I say to Mertil, and then nod to the other three, "not coddling you," I say when she stiffens, "just making sure, you know I'm here." She nods and then smiles, it is good to see that smile.

"Sit," she replies and I smile again at the reference I pull up a chair around to face them.

"Not matter how interesting you find that place to be, come back each evening," Mertil holds up a hand when I attempt to answer. "It's been there for as long as we've been alive, it can wait a few extra days if needed, and having 'infected' wolves, means there could be other things in there, it's no place to sleep."

"Can you trust him?" Desa asks.

"Yes, Soviet is onboard with all of this." I answer with conviction.

"Let's say you find magical items in his study or lair or whatever, does he take them back or?"

"Nobody can have access to his spell book if it's there." I reply, "It will be destroyed."

"See, that's why I worry about him, what if they ordered him to take that, causing you two to be against each other?" Desa says and I'm a little shocked she's put this much thought into this and the concern in her voice considering the brief times we've been together.

"That, made my day, thank you Desa, he will be fine, and comes with great recommendations, but, I'll make every effort to get back each evening, and he seems to enjoy being here, so some extra time wouldn't hurt his view on our little community."

"Sure, working with Beau is so much better now that you're around." She winks at me and smiles and shrugs at Beau, seems like she can take it and dish it out a little, picking on her mentor.

"Fine, let's see if this works, hold hands," I put mine out to Desa on one side and Mertil on the other. Pouring mana into the both of them, it seems plenty to go around, I watch their faces and can see it is affecting the two I'm holding hands with, Katelyn and Beau look like they are waiting. "Nothing? I ask Beau as I release it.

"Nothing." she answers so I take their hands.

"Whew, if you do this to everyone in town, they are going to kill you with sexy time." Desa says looking rather flushed.

Filling up Katelyn and Beau using the same process isn't difficult as I'm not using the mana to do anything, not even delving into them, just pushing it out and getting some back as I stop the effort.

"Thank you Kae," Desa says sliding her hand across my shoulder as she walks behind me to the steps, "I need to get out of here before, anyway, I'll be with Jenna if you need me," she says to Beau and has a brisk walk away.

"She's not wrong about doing this to everyone, some already look at you like a meal, this is going to set them off." Beau is rubbing her thighs. "Can we see your wolf form again inside?"

"Beau." Mertil gives her a matron look.

"I just want to pet him." Beau smiles and then laughs, the rest of us are still staring at her. "Not like that, he looked wonderfully soft and furry."

"And scary and huge," Kaitlyn replies, "if he didn't change, I'd have probably had heart failure."

"Come on, we're going to be like," she pauses, "our Alpha here, so I'd like to get to know his new ability, how do you transform?"

"Concentration. Do you really want me to do this?"

"Yes." Beau answers, the other two are just watching.

"Fine, let's get this out of the way, I'm not your pet pup."

"Yes! Come on," Beau pulls me out of the chair and takes me into the living room, it only takes a moment to change with Beau being able to hug my head as I'm even with her chest.

"Ohh, exactly as soft I thought you'd be," she looks over at the other two standing behind me. "Seriously, you gotta try this."

"Feeling hands all over me did feel pretty damn good, Katelyn wouldn't stop scratching my scratching spot and laughing when my leg would move on its own. I could just imagine the scorn from my wolf friend if he saw me like this.

"Oh, I think I'll definitely wait until I can be a wolf before trying that thing."

"Beau! What the fuck?" Katelyn looks under. "Whoa, yeah, that is a seriously long, ugly dick."

"What!? How did you do that Beau?" Mertil is looking past me and when I turn to look back to Beau, I can already smell her, she is a pretty blonde wolf of medium build.

I growl before I can take her all in and she rolls over and submits. 'What is going on? This is too soon isn't it?' I ask internally.

"Mistress has been sitting with us and laughing for a while now, she is moving things along to see what happens?' Cinthia replies and chuckles.

Beau yips and I see her still on her back.

"What the actual fuck is going on?" Katelyn backs up and sits on the couch when her legs make contact.

Rubbing myself across her to give her my scent and snuffling her sex to get her scent she yips again and squirms.

'Oh Kae!' Comes through loud and clear.

'Beau, your mine now.' I reply and she flips around and presents herself

'That's nothing new and I'm literally aching for you to take me, please Alpha.'

Mounting her got Mertil to walk over and bar the door, "Holy shit, I can't believe this is happening."

I'm pushing and out of her when it got difficult with the bulge in the base of my dick. Forcing it in without thought as it had to be there, caused quite a few whines and yips and growls.

"Oh, it's happening, never thought I'd see something like this, Beau is named aptly as she is beautiful with her coloring. I bet she was thinking about this from the moment Kae said it."

"If anyone knocks, don't say a word!" Mertil hasn't looked away from the hunching going on in front of them.

"The fuck am I gonna say?" Katelyn laughs, "this is nuts." Katelyn can't look away, "probably not so bad when you are a wolf though." She is both embarrassed thinking about what it would be like and from the noises Beau makes, she seems more than okay with this situation.

The sex does feel different, the smell of her sex and the whines and my hips hunching on their own, going fast and furious but tiny little strokes and not for very long, pushing deeper to get everything inside of her. Trying to pull away and couldn't, pulling harder while backing up caused Beau to come with me with a whine. 'I'm stuck.'

'What!?' Beau looks back with a growl, then whimpers again as she looks up at me. 'when you're unstuck we should go for a run?'

'What is going on,' I'm moving Beau back and forth. I hear Cinthia giggle for the first time in forever, 'you have to wait for it to go down,' she laughs again, 'you could also focus on ending your wolf form and it should go away.'