Chapter 17
“I’m glad you could come with me this morning,” Amanda said as she got out of the car and led the way toward the trailhead.
“How could I turn down the chance to see one of your favorite places?” he asked. It wouldn’t have mattered to him where they were going. The clock was counting down so swiftly that he could hear every tick of the hands in his mind.
“But it is Christmas morning,” she replied.
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean the same thing for me.
Christmas morning is a time to relax and enjoy the holiday, since we’ve already opened gifts.
In fact, there are times when my family has spent the day just like this.
” A new blanket of snow had fallen overnight, cloaking everything in fresh white.
A few flakes were still falling from the sky, their crystalline patterns standing out on dark surfaces and accumulating on his gloves.
Trees surrounded them as they stepped onto the trail, a mix of evergreens and deciduous that made for bright swaths of green amongst the barren winter branches.
“As much as I enjoy time at home with family, with the warmth of a fireplace and lots of good food on the table, there’s something about coming out into the wilderness that makes me just feel completely at peace.
” She tipped her head back, closing her eyes and letting a few snowflakes land on her cheeks.
Amanda trusted her feet on the level path in front of her.
“I like seeing you that way,” he admitted softly.
She opened her eyes and glanced at him, and then she turned her attention back to the trail.
“There are a lot of nice parks around Salem, but I started coming to Lynn Woods when I was in college. I needed a place to get away, where I could be in either form and feel comfortable. I came here with some friends, and then I started coming back by myself.”
“What do you like about this place specifically?” It sounded like small talk, but Lars wanted to know everything that motivated her. He wanted to understand her on a deeper level.
“It gives me this feeling in my stomach.” She gestured with her fingertips. “It’s almost like what I feel with magic, but it’s different. It’s a combination of excitement and a sense of coming home. Do you ever feel anything like that?”
“Yes. With places, but with people, too.” He felt like that every time he looked at her or even thought about her. It was hard not to relate every part of their conversation to their situation.
“I think it’s also because of the way it’s set up,” she went on.
“There are all of these wonderful wide paths that guide you in. That’s where you’re going to find the people.
But then there are vast spaces in between to explore all by yourself, where you can be yourself.
I’ve shifted out here so many times, and I’ve never had an issue. ”
“There are fewer and fewer wild places left for people like us.” The path was wide enough for them to walk side by side, and Lars took her hand. Even through their gloves, he could feel the connection between them, that ball of excitement in his stomach that she’d talked about.
She stretched her fingers out as they interlaced with his so that when she curled them again, they were as interlocked as possible. “It must be a little easier where you’re from.”
“Yes,” he admitted. “There are places where you can stand in one spot and be surrounded by nothing but snowy mountaintops, blue sky, and a view of the fjord. It’s beautiful down by the water, too, especially when the clouds come in all low and foggy.
My brother and I used to spend lots of time on the beach when we were kids, pretending that we were seeing ghost ships sailing in and out of the fog. ”
“That sounds incredible,” she breathed. “You’re probably used to it, though.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think you really ever get used to things like that. Maybe I’m used to having access to it, but the views are stunning, no matter what. They’ll be even more spectacular when I get to see them with you.”
“I’m looking forward to it. Let’s head this way.” Amanda left the trail, cutting through the woods as easily as though there was a path still in front of them. “When should I come see you?”
His heart leaped at the idea. Lars could easily envision picking her up at the airport and bringing her back to his home.
He knew without any doubt that his family would love her almost as much as he did.
“Anytime you’re ready. I will warn you that the flight is very long, but I like to think the end result will be worth it. ”
Amanda paused next to a thick pine tree. Its fluffy branches extended out over their heads, blocking the early morning sun. “I think we’re safe here.” She inhaled and let go of her human, setting her gorgeous bear free.
Lars admired her thick, dark coat and intelligent eyes as he made the change himself. He was used to shifting regularly back home, so the transition was always easy for him, but he swore it came on even faster now.
He shook out his coat and glanced around. I can just imagine the headlines if someone spots us. No one will believe that a polar bear was seen here.
Someone will just claim you’re a rare albino, Amanda joked.
Her voice felt good inside his mind. It was yet another layer of their link that he cherished. That will work, as long as they don’t take the size comparison into account.
Amanda moved around a little so that they stood shoulder to shoulder.
They’d stood together like this when they’d fought against Mary Riddle, but things were different now.
She pressed her shoulder against his and studied their bodies.
His back rose a few inches higher than hers, and his neck and legs were much longer.
They moved out of the shelter of the pine tree and further into the woods. They couldn’t walk next to each other there most of the time as they slalomed in between the trees, but their bear forms allowed them to be close enough that Lars didn’t mind.
Do you really mean it? About coming to visit? It was no small commitment, and as his own flight approached, he was reminded of just why Amanda had been intimidated by the distance between their homes.
Yes. Her mind-voice rang with certainty. I don’t know exactly when. I’ll need to change some things around and make some arrangements, but it’ll probably be good for me to take a break. I don’t let myself do that very much. That’s something I hope to get better at soon.
I’ll be there whenever you’re ready, he promised. He felt waves of warm pleasure that radiated from her mind to his.
I admit I’ve looked up a few things about Longyearbyen. It sounds like there are some really great restaurants. She paused as a squirrel went dashing through the leaf litter, its regular hops mimicking the sound of a person.
There are. Lars wanted to bring her home, to lie in bed with her on a snowy morning, exploring each other’s bodies and enjoying the peace that came with being together.
He also, however, thoroughly enjoyed the idea of parading her around town, taking her to all the best establishments.
There’s a great one in an old mining community.
Technically, you can walk there, but they advise everyone to take a taxi.
The servers will even call one for you when you’re done with your meal.
She turned to peer at him from under a twiggy branch. Deep red leaves still clung to it, curling at their edges and bringing out the highlights in her fur. Why?
His smile wasn’t the same in this form, but he felt the tug at the corners of his mouth anyway. Because otherwise, you need a gun to protect you from polar bears.
A dangerous neighborhood, for sure!
They ambled on for a while, leaving deep tracks in the fluffy snow, and then Amanda looked to her left. She lifted her front paws and dodged that direction, hurrying over to a small hillside studded with large stones. There’s another reason I like coming here.
What’s that?
I’ll show you. Amanda splayed out her front paws, dropping down so that her chest was on the ground and her backside in the air.
She shoved herself forward with her back feet, sliding down the snow-covered hillside on her belly.
At the bottom, she skidded to a stop just before she hit a tree. You want to try?
Lars didn’t need any encouragement. He sped down the hill on his belly, reveling in the cold snow against his fur and the wind in his ears.
At the bottom, though, he continued to slide even once the ground had leveled out.
He slammed into the tree, sending a cascade of snow down on his head and back.
Oh no!
But Lars was laughing. It’s only a little snow. I think I can handle it. To demonstrate, he nudged his nose through the air. Most of the white stuff that’d fallen on him whirled into the air, sparkling in the sun as it spun up and then fell down again into a neat little pile next to him.
Amanda stared at it for a long moment and then turned to him with a grunt. What the hell was that?
You like to have your fun in the snow, and I like to have mine. Maybe it was a good thing he couldn’t truly smile right now, or she’d see the mischievous grin on his face as he wiggled his claws. A clump of snow from an overhead branch plopped straight down onto the top of her head.
Hey! She shook it off, making her whole body quiver. Really, what is this? I know you work with energy, but I didn’t know you had magic!
I don’t, not really. He got up from the base of the tree and walked over to her, pausing to lick a few remaining flecks of snow from her nose.
It’s more of an attunement to the ice and snow, a harmony with it that’s slowly built up over the generations in my family. More of a magic trick than real magic.
I still think it’s pretty special to have a connection to the earth like that.