Savy and Lizzy had come down because they thought I was going to the Lycan Study Group briefing with them.
"Opps. I totally forgot about it." I confessed. I looked at Ben who shrugged, "Don't look at me. I'll go wherever you go."
But over the mindlink he said, {The detainees are stuck in red tape right now. The Lorents won't give permission for the Minor Alpha's entry. Your Dad's probably going to be held up at the delta meeting for at least the next two hours, so we've got time to kill.}
"Okay, let's go for the briefing then." I decided. It's not like I had anything else to do (unless you counted studying ancient Lycan scripts or dealing with Alpha admin.)
"Isn't it kind of late though?" I realized as we made our way back to the packhouse. It was just Savy, Lizzy, Ben, and me again.
"Oh, didn't Ben tell you?" Lizzy asked, "They postponed it to 4.30pm cos most of us had like family things or Youth Club things to do straight after the picnic."
Lizzy turned to Ben and scolded, "Aren't you her beta? Your job is to tell her these things right?"
Ben shrugged, "Like Sam needs a beta to know about dumb details like that. I have real work here, okay?"
"Yeah right." Lizzy obviously didn't buy it, "I guess you were up all night doing "real work" too huh?"
Ben had the decency to look embarrassed, "That was because I promised Jonah to help him clear the level."
"Funny how Jonah said he was up all night helping you!" Lizzy pointed at her twin accusingly.
"We were helping each other!" Ben argued.
Lizzy crossed her arms and shook her head, "I dunno how you put up with him Sam."
I laughed. Lizzy had to the be the only wolf in the world who could get away with bashing Ben's rep like that.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it off." Ben shrugged.
I shook my head, "I'm not laughing at you Ben..."
I couldn't resist not adding, "I'm laughing WITH you. I'm laughing because I think you're so cute."
It was a line Lizzy and Savy often used to explain their laughter to Sabre.
Ben was unmoved in his deadpan, "Just don't let your Luna hear that. I don't want to die from coughing my lungs out."
"Bell's going too far." I felt upset on behalf of my wolves all over again.
"THAT was Luna Bell?" Lizzy gasped, "But how?"
"If you have the power to heal, I guess you'd also have the power to harm?" I hazarded an explanation.
Lizzy turned to Savy, "Really? Can you?"
Savy smiled like an angel, "I don't know, I've never tried."
"Please don't try it, not on me anyway." Lizzy decided.
"Don't worry," Savy grinned at me now, "I'm not someone who'll experiment her powers on her own sister."
Oh, opps. Hahaha.
"How can you laugh?" Savy pretended to scold me.
Lizzy laughed too, because they were BFF and Savy told her EVERYTHING.
Ben was nonplussed, but this was usual when he was with us girls. He shrugged it off as another weird girl thing.
We got onto the porch and the door immediately swung open for us.
"Good afternoon, Princess, beta... Oh." Dave realized we were just us. He made an extra flouncy hand flourish and finished with a bow, "Welcome back to the Royal Packhouse."
Lizzy and Savy laughed.
"I heard there was an incident in the Alpha's backyard." Dave casually said as he did up our coats, "Everything okay?"
Ben shrugged, "It's blackout, Dave, but everything's okay."
"Ah, good...that's good. Good that everything's okay." Dave sounded a little disappointed at the lack of details. But he was talking to Ben, what did he expect?
"I hope you ladies were a safe distance from whatever happened." Dave tried his luck with the girls.
"It wasn't anything dangerous, Dave." Lizzy laughed. (Except I was sure you'd have to be blind not to notice that there were several bodybags piled up by the side of the Alpha House and a hole the size of a crater at the end of the Alpha's lawn.)
I grinned, "Don't worry Dave. It's not as bad as it looks."
"Aye, if you say so, Princess." Dave agreed immediately.
"Yeah, don't poke your nose any deeper." Ben said, "It's blackout."
"Don't worry Beta." Dave promised, "My lips are sealed."
Dave meant it too - at least I didn't sense he was lying, but none of us believed him. Already, the entire pack had heard the crazy story of Ben's big candied car prank.
Some pups tried their hand at it too, and parents had complained about finding breakfast cereal plastered on parts of their car with maple syrup. Hahaha. Dumb pups. To do what I did, you'd need the packhouse supply size of stuff. A regular box of Lucky Charms and a bottle of maple syrup or chocolate sauce would only cover so much.
We got to the upper floors where our Lycan Study Group was meeting. Since we were a combined group, we used the larger room again. Dawn, Flynn, Teacher Cal, Link and the older youths were all there to debrief us on our first orienteering exercise as guides.
Someone had already set up the projector to show the map we had used earlier. It was like the answer key and all four checkpoints had been marked out and numbered, including the Bonus Checkpoint at the park, which was #4.
No one was paying any attention to what was shown on the screen. Most of my friends were seated around on chairs which looked like they had been lined up in rows but because of its inhabitants, have been shifted about to chat with the guys behind you.
It was a very regular Lycan Group Study scene, except that the moment we stepped in, Ben announced, "Sam is here."
And suddenly, everyone stood up and bowed, "Yo Princess."
I flared and jumped back as if they had shouted, "Surprise!"
My friends dared laugh! Who's stupid idea was that?
"Don't do that!" I scolded, but I was laughing too. Wth.
"That was weird." Shannon admitted.
"Oh my goddess, Sam! Your hair!" Lizzy complained from behind me.
Opps. I turned apologetically at Lizzy and Savy who had been hair whipped.
Ben took the brunt of it, but I didn't feel sorry about that. Especially since he just had to remind everyone, "On the bright side it wasn't her blade form."
That was unnecessary.
"That's why you lot have to practice." Flynn took the opportunity to lecture all of us, "Especially you guys! You won't be pups much longer. Don't embaress Night Leaf when you become warriors."
Flynn didn't usually lecture us. He was a cool instructor that way, but today it was like he had quite a bit to get off his chest, "Have you seen the competition, guys?"
What competition?
"This year, the Morning Light Wolves will be taking part in the rankings." Flynn started, "Next year, there are plans to open it up to the Princess Town warriors."
"Have you seen those guys?" Flynn asked, "By the time it's your turn to compete, how many Night Leaf warriors do you think would make top 30?"
"Like against the Underground Army warriors?" Jonah asked. He shook his head, "My dad says those guys eat Gyaaras for breakfast."
From anyone else, I would assume that was just an expression, but since Gamma Harry said it, I wasn't sure how literally to take it.
"Some of you guys are going to take part in the ranking matches this year." Flynn looked to Link and the other older youths, "The Morning Light Young Beta will be taking part too."
"Harvey is?" Someone asked worriedly.
"Yeah, that's what I heard." Link nodded.
"But Sir, our warriors will be in it too!" Tim pointed out, "Even if we can't beat Harvey. Hank would!"
Yeah, cos Hank had been placing first every year for a while now.
"This year, we are fighting for Night Leaf to remain in the top spot. Next year... We might be fighting just to stay in the top 30." Flynn warned us.
"Even Hank is feeling the heat, huh?" I overheard Teacher Cal remark to Dawn. She nodded seriously, "Morning Light is serious competition."
Link and the older youths were all wearing serious expressions now.
"The Morning Light guys are one thing..." Kev nodded.
"Even if they have Harv, and big Kev, and Jack..." Link agreed.
"The Underground will be worse." Flynn promised darkly, "I don't even know if I can keep my place in the Elite Ranks when that happens."
Even Flynn was personally feeling the pressure? I thought he was just worrying for us.
"But when that happens, won't the number of places for Elite Warriors increase too, Sir?" Tim asked.
I was quite surprised. I didn't think Tim would have thought that far into his future to care.
"Yes, but will Night Leaf warriors be a mainstay in the Elite Ranks, or would we be barely scrapping through the ranks?" Flynn said.
Tim's brows furrowed, "I need to get a place. My mum would kill me if I don't."
"Yeah?" Shannon asked, "Then why don't you stop skivving and start training."
Link slapped Ben on the back of his shoulders, "Okay, Beta Ben. We're counting on you to get the top spot back for Night Leaf."
Wait, they're giving up already?
"Yeah. We'll let Harv take it for a year, then the Underground Army can fight for it, and then take it back with Ben!" Kev decided.
What about me? Did the guys forget that I could just as well place first too?
And then I realized that we'd be running against the likes of the guys in my special team.
Wait, not just my special team, wouldn't the Underground include guys like Stephan and Theo too? And that scary disciplined top performing unit that got to meet Dad at the picnic?
Eventually, every warrior in Moon Bell would be competing for a place in the Elite Ranks. I wouldn't worry all that much about the Lorents, and I would regard Morning Light as fair competition, but the Underground Army... Wow.
Nevermind placing first, I'd be lucky to even be placed.
Oh. THAT was what Flynn was going on about.
"With the new wolves joining us, we are growing stronger as a pack." Flynn said, "But if you guys want to be the elite warriors of tomorrow. If Night Leaf warriors want to run upfront with their Alpha, then you guys need to work your butt off for the right. Because I've trained with those new wolves, and let me tell you, they're crazy strong, and they're dead serious when they train."
Flynn sighed a little, "You pups take your place in this pack for granted. But for those guys, this is their second chance to run with their Alpha, and they are going to leave us in the dust if we don't buck up."
Uh oh. I recognized the glint the Flynn's eyes, "You pups are the future hope of Night Leaf."
"This holiday, I'm organising a boot camp for Night Leaf and Morning Light youths 13 to 18." Flynn announced, "I've invited special guest trainers from the Underground too. If you pups want a chance in the Elite Ranks, I suggest you sign up."
I knew it. Flynn was going to torture us. Oh wait, I looked at Ben, "I have something on this holiday, right?"
"Sam, I think boot camp is for us guys." Shannon told me.
"Yeah, us weak guys." Jonah chuffed, "You and Ben don't have to come. Give the rest of us a chance to catch up "
"Wait, Ben gets to skip out?" Tim asked.
"Do you want to be elite warrior or not?" Shannon huffed.
"I'm just asking." Tim said.
"Sam and I have official duties." Ben shrugged, "You guys have fun."
I couldn't decide if I should be relieved or sad about missing boot camp. On one hand, it's boot camp. Flynn was organizing it, and Flynn believed in no pain, no gain.
On the other hand, I wanted to be strong too. I wanted to train hard so I can have a shot at the ranking competition too!
"Okay! Sign up for boot camp with me after the debrief." Flynn decided it was time to start, "I'll hand the time over to Link and company now."