The Moon Wolf

Chapter 22 (1st Draft)

Penn woke unexpectedly from a deep, restful sleep and spent a moment staring into the darkness above her head. Her senses were on high alert. Something had woken her but she couldn't pin point just what. She sniffed the air and strained to hear anything unusual or suspicious. It was the dead of night though and everything appeared perfectly normal.

Not satisfied, she sat up and looked around the unlit Common Room. She could see nothing out of the ordinary. But then, she heard it - the soft sound of sniffling. Someone was crying.

Penn rose to her feet and breathed in deeply through her sensitive nostrils. The fresh scent of apples was in the air. It was a familiar fragrance. It was Aria's scent.

Aria was one of two ten year old pups in the group. She was quiet, obedient and practically invisible. Penn wasn't sure if the girl had always been this way or if the trauma of losing her parents and her pack had altered her personality. It was something Penn might have asked Cassidy about if she were sticking around long-term but, since it wasn't likely, well, she let it slide. The lack of personality didn't stop Penn from having tender feelings for the girl and wanting to protect her.

Penn called out quietly, "Aria?" into the darkened hallway where the bedrooms were. She heard a little whimper and followed the sound. The girl was sitting, alone, in the dark hallway, crying softly into her pillow. Penn crouched down and brushed her tight dark brown curls from her damp cheeks. The little thing looked up at her and seemed unsure about what to do.

Penn smiled at her while reaching for her saying, "Come here sweet-pea."

Sweet-pea was the name her mother use to call her when she was Aria's age. It rolled right off Penn's tongue without her even thinking about it. Penn remembered that she use to love being called that particular nickname by her mother. It was something special. And, in this moment, when Aria was clearly distraught, Penn mimicked her mother's tone and behaviour, trusting that what had comforted her as a ten year old would also do the same for Aria.

In an instant Aria had discarded the pillow for Penn's open arms and wrapped her little limbs around Penn's neck hugging her with all her might. Penn stood, bringing Aria up with her, and walked back into the Common Room where Aria cried hard but quietly on Penn's shoulder for the better part of twenty minutes.

Penn never asked Aria what the matter was. She just held the girl and petted her back softly as the young one cried her little heart out. Penn was at a loss as to what else to do and was relieved to see Cassidy walk into the still dark Common Room with a cold, damp cloth in her hand. Cassidy wasted no time pressing the cool cloth to Aria's hot, damp cheeks when the girl's sobbing finally subsided. Penn gave the teenager a grateful smile as the two of them fussed over Aria.

"Sorry we woke you," Penn apologized to Cassidy as Aria began to drift off to sleep there on the couch with Penn's lap for a pillow.

"No, no, you hadn't," Cassidy assured her in a whisper.

It was true. Cassidy had awoken by chance and on seeing Aria's bunk empty had gone in search for the younger girl. She was alarmed to find her crying but relieved to see Penn was rocking her back and forth gently and rubbing her back in a comforting motion. She looked down at Aria now, who was nearly asleep, and frowned.