"When did we stop wanting to play and started becoming those kids standing on the sidelines?" 

After three hours of running, Kyle got close to his favorite place, a tiny spot in a cave behind a cascade. His body was aching, and not in a good way, and his lungs were on fire. He had run too fast, too far and for far too long. Worst, the physical pain hadn't managed to clear his head.

I will just relax a bit in the water, he decided, and heard his wolf let out a sigh of relief somewhere in his head. It will help ease the pain in my muscles.

 However, as he immerged himself in the water, he felt something, or rather, someone, and for half a second he thought about going back to the camp. 

Not now. None came here for years and today, when he really needed to be left alone, there was an intruder in his secret place. Now, friend of fiend? It did not matter, though. There were only one kind of wolves in his eyes: fiends.

As he carefully went under the cascade, he heard little whimpers, which eased his heart a bit: surely, no big bad dominant alpha wolf would cry like that? The cave was a bit dark but he still could make out the tiny figure, crouched on the ground. 

The stranger was a girl and a very young one at that, she probably hadn't even learned to shift yet. She looked lost. He sighed, unsure about what to do, and started going back toward the water, when the girl started crying louder, calling out hysterically for her mother.

"Mummy, mummy mummy, mummy".

Kyle frowned, slightly taken aback. It was pretty obvious that her mother was nowhere to be seen. Did this whining pup really think sitting there and crying for her mother would help her to find her pack sooner?

"Your mum's probably not far from here, pup." he said to her in a rough tone. "Where are you from?"

"The Downhill pack, sir".

Crap. Of course, it had to be the pack they were currently at war with.

"Okay, nevermind. I will walk you to the river. Will you be able to find your home from that point?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. What pack are you in, sir?

"Midtown". He lied. "And stop with the 'Sir' already. I am not ancient".

She nodded, looking unconcerned and he guessed she was too young to feel hate for the enemies of her pack. She had stopped crying at that point and gave him a bright smile, which contrasted deeply with her previous attitude. 

No survival instinct in this pup. Good thing I found her. Who knows what could have happen to her if I hadn't.

"Ok, let's go, warrior girl." he declared. I'm sure your pack is worried sick."

" What about you?" retorted the little girl with a candid expression. "I am sure your mum and dad are worried about you, too"

He let out a humorless laugh. "First, you call me sir, then, you worry about my parents. How old do you think I am?"

"At first, I thought you must be very old, like twenty, but now I think you are still young. Maybe..." she frowned, as she tried to concentrate. "maybe eleven."

This time, he laughed for real. "Almost, detective...."

"My name is Milena."

"Almost, detective Milena. Now, let's go."

They walked through the forest. The girl would not stop her incessant babbling and even though walking this close to the enemies' lines made Kyle nervous, he could not bring himself to tell her to be quiet. From time to time, he even found himself answering her questions. She wanted to know about his favorite flower, what made him laugh and where would he go if he could teleport in any place.

She was asking important questions, something children are very good at. They lose this capacity when they become adult, focusing on irrelevant things such as money or social status.

"In what animal do you want to be recarnated, sir?"

"You mean reincarnated?"

"That's what I said, renicarnated" she pouted.

"Mmmh... maybe in a ladybird."

If she thought it was a weird choice for such a big wolf, she didn't show it, but rather gave him another one of her soft, lively smile that seem to have the power to ease his worries. 

"I like ladybirds."

"Me too. It feels like a blessing when this bright little creature lands on you out of nowhere."

It was easy talking to her. He didn't consider himself as a talkative person - not anymore, at least, but now, he found himself almost unable to stop chatting. 

They eventually arrived at the river. Guessing she was not a good swimmer yet, he put her on his shoulders and she started laughing and nuzzling his ears with delight. 

"Can you come with me, sir? I want you to meet mum and dad"

"What did you call me?  And no,  I don't think that's a fantastic idea"

"Sorry for calling you 'sir', sir, but I don't know your name". she said with a sheepish expression.

"Alright. My name is Casper".

She burst into laughter "You're lying". She wiped the tears off her eyes then looked at him with a more serious expression: "That's alright, you don't have to tell me. I will call you Marshmallow". 

"What the f... sorry, what?"

"Yes, because you look dangerous but I know you are a big softie. That's just because you don't want people to know how sad you are. My mum told me the same thing about dad". 

"Listen, Milena-"

"Or maybe I'll call you ladybird. That's a good name for you, too."

Kyle looked at her for a while, then said with a slightly quivering voice:

"My name is Kyle".

"Nice to meet you, Kyle." she said, bowing slightly. "Did you know Casper is a ghost from a cartoon for children?"

"Oh, really? "

"Don't lie to me, Kyle", she ordered, all confident and bossy now. 

"Okay, you're right, I knew it".

She nodded gravely, then gave him a quick hug and said with her singing voice:

"Don't worry. Someone will see you soon. Everything is gonna be different. That's what mummy keeps telling me when I don't want to go to school, because nobody likes me there. 

"I am sure it is not true. You're way too nice and smart not to be liked by everyone".

She shrugged her shoulders but looked a bit flustered by the compliment.

"What about you, Kyle?" the relentless child inquired. "Do you have friends at your school?"

"Well, I don't go to school anymore"

"Wow, you've finished school?" she whistled. "I guess you are old, then. Could it be that you are older than fifteen?"

She looked at him with wide eyes and Kyle didn't know if he should find it funny or tremble at the prospect that, according to her, he already had a foot in the grave.

 "...but no, I don't have any friends" he concluded, remembering her original question. 

I used to, though, he added to himself. 

She nodded sadly but then gave him a bright smile and said happily "But today, you and I made a new friend. I will always be your friend, marshmallow!"

With that, she started running through the woods and towards her pack. Suddenly, he realized he did not ask her how comes she had ended up all alone in a small cave, so far from her home. 

Okay, he thought. It was a nice escape from reality. Good luck, Milena. I hope you can give a hard time to the little fuckers in your school.

Now, time to go back for training with the others. Oh, joy.