Page 96 of Wolf Bound

Fisher shifted. “Swimming down the river would take us closer to the safehouse, rather than us running through the woods but we would be more exposed while swimming.”

Parker shifted. “I was thinking the same thing. Should we go around that way? More northeast? And circle around?”

“Yeah, if we go directly southeast, the most direct route to the safehouse, I’m afraid they’ll have shifters watching for us. We will still need to cross the river or take one of either of the two bridges that cross it and I’m certain they would be watching for us there.”

“Yeah, I agree.”

They both shifted and Fisher was glad that Parker was thinking along the same lines. He would make a great agent someday. He was sure that was why Parker was the teen chosen to participate in this exercise.

They waited, watching, making sure no one was nearby. The river’s current was swift, and they would have a difficult time crossing it. He wanted them to go one at a time, better not to be seen, but if the boy got into trouble in the water, Fisher wanted to be there for him.

He nudged Parker to go, and the jaguar moved cautiously onto the bank of the river. Fisher quickly joined him. They both went into the water and began to swim across the river to the other side. Despite both being excellent swimmers, they struggled against the strong current.

Fisher suspected they didn’t have anyone out here waiting to grab Parker and “eliminate” Fisher as part of the simulated exercise, more concerned that they got across and didn’t have a medical emergency.

When they were halfway to the other bank, Parker was struggling to get to shore. Fisher swam up beside him, acting as a barrier against the current until their feet finally touched the rocky bottom and they both managed to climb out of the water. Exhausted, they quickly moved into the trees where Fisher shook off the excess water from his fur. Parker shook off his paws first, then his whole body, and finally, he licked his fur. In the meantime, they took a moment to catch their breaths.

Parker shifted. “Should we head maybe straight east now?”

Fisher shifted. “Northeast, like we first said. They shouldn’t expect us to head in that direction. Hopefully.”

“Okay.”

Fisher led the way through the tangled brush at the base of the oaks and pines. Then he had an idea. With Parker on his side and running as a jaguar, he could leap into trees and see if he could spy anyone off in the distance. He might be able to see the other houses, roads, landmarks, and eventually, the safehouse. He paused and shifted and told Parker the plan.

Parker beamed, nodding. Parker’s mission would be even more important during the operation to get them safely “home.”

First, they headed northeast for half an hour. The trees were thinning out and they could see hills of rocks with a few scattered trees and shrubs. They would be exposed out there. Now Fisher wondered if they would have had more cover if they had gone straight east like Parker had mentioned earlier.

Fisher shifted. “Can you climb the live oak tree without being seen?”

Parker nodded. With his magnificently muscled jaguar legs, he jumped onto a tree branch, then another, higher and higher, until he could see what he needed to.

Man, what Fisher would give to be able to see the terrain features for himself and plan their next move.

For a long while, Parker observed their surroundings. To Fisher’s surprise, Parker shifted in the tree while sitting on a branch high above. “A farm with a white farmhouse and a red barn is to the northeast of us. Trees surround the farm, and the field is filled with crops. A grove of pecan trees borders the north side of the farmhouse. Cattle are in a pasture next to the red barn and lots of haystacks are sitting in huge rolls farther out. Due west are the elevated rock hills and shrubs. Tall flowery meadows lead up to the farmland. To the southeast is a creek and a gravel road. We could possibly go low through the—” Parker stopped whispering and waited.

Fisher was dying to know what he was seeing.

“A farmer is feeding his cows.”

Fisher shifted. “Will he be able to see us if we head directly east or southeast?”

“There’s a jaguar, oh, it’s Demetria Anderson. She’s patrolling the rocky hill to the east. If we watch for her, maybe when she goes back to the other side of the hill, we can make a dash for either the pecan grove north of her or go south and keep low among the meadow grasses and the rocky terrain.”

“What’s the distance to the rocky terrain southeast of us?”

“Maybe sixty yards. The distance to the pecan grove is about a hundred yards.”

Fisher so wished he could see the terrain.

“She has gone back to the other side of the rocks.”

“Let me leave the woods and have a look. You tell me if you see her returning.”

“Alright.”

Fisher moved out of the woods cautiously. He looked at the terrain features from a different perspective. The rocky hills were taller than he expected. They would have to move from one rock to another to keep out of sight. Though they would be exposed in some of the areas. Still, he felt there would be more patrols going southeast that way.

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