Casmas Clan: Josiah and Clara
Chapter Six

~ Josiah Waiting sucked, royally. Josiah sat upon the couch desperately trying not to pass out, while still awaiting Zach's return. He didn't know how the Alpha was capable of doing it, but Dermet still stood in the same spot, even though it had been four hours since Josiah returned to the den with his accusation. Maybe it was a cat thing.

Just as Josiah's fingers started to tap against the top of the couch, Harvey returned...alone. Josiah leaned forward on his seat, while Dermet's gaze grew stormy. "Where is Zach?"

"We have a problem. I think you should come with me, Alpha."

Dermet quickly glanced at Josiah, before approaching Harvey. "Report."

"It would be better if you saw for yourself. Might want to bring the boy as well. We could use his nose."

Dermet didn't bother to look in his direction as he stated; 'let's go, pup'. Annoyed, but knowing there wasn't anything he could do about it, as well as the fact Dermet meant no offense by it either, Josiah rose and followed behind Dermet and Harvey.

Over an hour later, the three came to a stop when they reached six other Clan members. They were surrounding something upon the ground. Dermet took a step forward and suddenly a path was created for him to reach whatever it was. Harvey made sure to wrap his arm around Josiah's shoulders and lead him forward so the Clan wouldn't close back up and leave him in the dark over it.

Reaching the center of the circle, Josiah's eyes widened. 'Well this certainly isn't good'. He thought as he stared down at the body lying cold and stiff upon the ground. 'What does this mean for my accusations against him being a traitor? Are they going to blame me for his death?'

Dermet knelt beside Zach's body and took a deep breath inches from the claw marks upon his chest. He made sure not to touch the body or the blood surrounding it. After a couple more deep sniffs, Dermet rose once more and glanced back at Josiah.

"The boy is innocent in Zach's death; his scent is nowhere around or on the body. Yet the fatal wounds were created by a wolf. Josiah, come, smell the body. See if you recognize the scent." "It would be better if I shifted."

"Do it, but hurry. The body has been here for hours and the scents are fading."

Removing his shirt, Josiah passed it and his boots off the Dermet who held his hands out for them. Josiah then took a deep breath, before he allowed the change to overtake him. His bones and muscles reshaping still felt odd to him after all these years, but the pain from it no longer existed. Less than a minute later, Josiah stood panting in wolf form.

"Hurry, Josiah. We don't want the trail to go cold."

Lifting his head, Josiah gave a quick nod of acknowledgment to Dermet, before slowly approaching the body. Three scents assaulted him; Dermet's was the strongest, then Zach's, and underneath that was a different scent. It was weak, but definitely wolf. He didn't recognize the scent, so whoever it was didn't belong to his ex-pack which was the closest to them.

Taking several passes around the body with his nose pressed to the ground, Josiah finally found the trail leading away. The felines quickly moved out of his way, as he kept his nose to the ground, following the slight smell. It led away from town and ocean, heading more toward the swamplands on the other side. Could it be from the Clan in the next city over? Josiah didn't know any of the other packs or Clans, just this one and his old one, so it was possible.

He lost the scent. Josiah barely held back the snarl in his throat as he glared at the swamplands. Whoever killed Zach escaped through the swamps to get away from them. Did the person realize there was a wolf now within the feline's Clan? Or was he just heading home?

Josiah shifted back to human form to confront Dermet with his findings. Turning around, he raised his eyes to Dermet's gold ones.

"I've lost the scent here when they went into the swamp. It was definitely male and wolf, though I do not recognize him. So, he wasn't from my old pack. A human female was recently in this area as well. Perhaps she saw something?" "Perhaps. Since you know her scent, Josiah, find her and interrogate her. The rest of you, return home. Harvey, send Cole to Toin. Have him find what he can, then report back to me. Clear out."

Josiah was glad Dermet had chosen him to find the girl's scent surrounding this area of the swamplands. He didn't trust the Clan, not fully, to not attack and kill the human as his old pack would have. And this human he scented was his. ~ Clara Clara made certain to drop by the baker before heading to the swamp today, buying several breads and treats for Pipsqueak. Hopefully Pipsqueak would return again, otherwise there was no way she could finish all of what she just bought. She didn't care now how disappointed she was over the unchallenged game she normally had with the newcomer in town. Well not as much now, she only wanted to spend more time with her newest little friend. She hoped that by feeding it every day, Pipsqueak would grow larger and stronger.

'There he is!' Clara practically squealed when she spotted the little creature, she didn't even notice that she was not alone today as she ran over to the rock it was sitting upon and picked it up with a twirl. "What are you doing?!"

Echoed out of the quietness, causing Clara to quickly stop and turn in the direction it came from. The boy she always teased was running towards her, causing her to tighten her hold on Pipsqueak. He came to a sudden stop. "No, stop. Don't do that to the Crama."

She relaxed her grip slightly on Pipsqueak. "What?"

"That creature you're holding is a Crama. You know, the 'Protectors of the Swamp'. Even with being a young one as that one is, it could still kill you in an instant if it feels threatened."

Clara opened her hands more as she stared down at Pipsqueak, who was watching her. After a moment, he gave her his version of a toothy grin. She shook her head at the boy across from her. "No, Pipsqueak won't hurt me. We're friends."

~ Josiah "Pipsqueak, huh?" Josiah rubbed the bridge of his nose with the back of his pointer finger. "I guess you'll be ok, as long as you're gentle with it. 'Pipsqueak', doesn't seem to want to hurt you." Josiah took a couple of steps closer to her and the Crama. "Why are you here in the swamplands?"

She shrugged at him as she placed the small creature upon a tree trunk and pulled out a couple of brown packages from her backpack. "I decided to come here and feed him to make him big and strong. Why are you here? Are you following me or something?"

"I don't think it needs help to become 'big and strong', as you put it. As to why I am here? No, I'm not following you like some deranged stalker. I actually have some questions for you."

Josiah knelt beside the log she was now sharing with the Crama, so as not to appear threatening. She still eyed him suspiciously, while she opened a package and began breaking down its contents. "What type of questions?"

"Let's start off with your name."

~ Clara Clara glared at him, so that was his game? Well, she wasn't going to help him cheat. "That is not how you're going to win..."

"This is not a game!"

He practically snarled, causing her to leap away from him in fright. Little Pipsqueak puffed up as he put himself between the two of them, but the boy didn't notice. He was quite agitated and pacing before her.

"A man was killed several hours ago and his killer passed through this very spot, shortly after you left the last time. The Casmás Clan members are upset since it was one of their own. What is your name? Why were you here? Was it because of Pipsqueak?"

"Yes. In a way. Why are you here interrogating me instead of a member of the Clan? What are you to them?"

"They saved my life, so I owe them. What do you mean by 'in a way'? And don't forget your name, lady. If the killer came through here while you were still around, you could be in danger. You might need the Clan's protection until he is found." Clara sighed deeply, as she slowly reached out and attempted to calm Pipsqueak. If he was as dangerous as the boy stated, she didn't want him to be harmed.

"Fine. My name is Clara. What exactly do you need to know, Mr..?"

"It's Josiah. Anything you can think of should help. I'll try to leave the Crama out of it. The Clan may not understand."