The familiar smell of incense in Mags’ cabin filled his senses, soothing him. It was the smell of something he knew very well, and he allowed it to relax him. His nerves were still on high alert from the night before, and he needed anything that could comfort him. If he could only focus on the smell of the incense rather than Aidan’s scent from the night before, then with no hesitation, he would gladly focus just on that.

Mags herself had been quiet, which was unusual for someone who enjoyed talking a great deal. She had set him the task of grinding various herbs she’d collected and dried, leaving him to it so she could pace about the cabin. She hadn’t been completely quiet, since most of the time she spent pacing, she’d been talking to herself. It was just a little odd that she hadn’t tried to ramble on at him like she usually did. She usually had some pearl of wisdom to throw his way, or she would quiz him about some fact about the herbs he was using or even about the spirit world itself.

He would have welcomed a bit of conversation from her, but he wasn’t willing to force it. As much as he griped and complained about having to deal with her, he was privately quite fond of her. The woman was half-crazy, but she was wiser than most people thought, and she had always been good to him. She took his attitude without batting an eye, continuing on with what she was doing as if he hadn’t replied grumpily or with irritation. Lily had a way of lifting his spirits and calling him on his shit, but Mags had a way of responding to him as if she could see behind his words to what he actually meant to say. It was this fact alone that endeared her to him, and encouraged him to try to be more patient with her than he normally was with people.

He measured the last of the crushed herbs into their jars, and got up to begin washing the mortar and pestle. “All done here. What else you got for me?”

“The spirits are chatty today,” she said in reply.

He grinned at her, but said nothing as she stopped in her tracks and started to sway back and forth. Part of her perceived madness came from the fact that she was constantly hearing voices from beyond the veil that separated the physical world from the spiritual one. Kyle knew there were plenty of people who thought she was nothing more than a wise old woman who’d gone crazy living alone out in the middle of the woods, but he knew otherwise. He’d never spoken to a spirit himself, or even heard a spirit’s voice, but he had seen Mags pull facts seemingly out of thin air. She had a way of knowing things she should have no way of knowing, but she had simply said it was the spirits who told her. Apparently the spirits did more than just tend to the elements; they were apparently pretty big gossips, too.

“A quiz for you pup,” she said, her bright hazel eyes fixed on him with sudden intensity.

He ran a dry towel over the washed tools and grunted. “What this time?”

“Describe the Joining to me in its entirety,” she said.

The small respite of relaxation and peace he’d got from being in her cabin, and from the rhythm of doing manual tasks he knew by rote disappeared in an instant. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he felt his wolf within him begin to stir. Just as he knew exactly what it was thinking and wanting, it was also always aware of what he was thinking about. It knew he was thinking of the night before, and it was rousing itself.

He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore his inner anxiety. “Any reason why?”

“Last I checked, you were the apprentice, and apprentices do what their master wants. And the master is telling the apprentice to speak the information that he should know,” she told him easily.

Sighing, he began to recite what he knew. “The Joining is a moment that occurs between two werewolves who have at least reached their first change. When two werewolves who are chosen by Gaia herself to be a bonded pair meet, the Joining happens. Each Joining is unique to that bonded pair, and no one werewolf experiences the Joining in the same way as another. It is deeply tied not only to Gaia, but to the nature of the werewolf, and much like a werewolf knows their inner wolf like second nature, so they know the Joining when it occurs. Not every werewolf will experience a Joining in their life, but those that do are said to be graced by Gaia’s presence, since it was her hand that molded the bond that forms between the bonded pair.”

Mags nodded. “And what does it mean to be in a bonded pair?”

Annoyance slipped into his tone as he continued. “A bonded pair are two werewolves who have experienced the Joining with each other. From that point forward, they are expected to form a partnership. Most bonded pairs are exclusive in their relationship, though it can differ depending on the circumstances. A bonded pair are closer to one another than any other type of bond between werewolves, in every sense of the word. Even their inner wolves, the spirit that makes them what they are, are bound to one another from the moment of the Joining. As the bond grows, the pair can share sensations, both physical and emotional, and will become two halves of one whole, said to honor Gaia in their mutual strength and love.”

“Because the Joining is a sign of Gaia’s expressed will, to obey her will invites prosperity and happiness for those that follow her. Those that fight it, however, are doomed to suffer for their arrogance in denying the Mother’s gifts,” Mags finished, with a little flourish of her hands.

Kyle crossed his arms over his chest. “Right, and is there a point to this little lesson?”

Mags blinked at him. “Is there supposed to be one?”

He hesitated, sensing the trap that lay all around him. There was little doubt in his mind that she hadn’t brought this up for nothing. Considering the apparently spiritual nature of the Joining, it was very possible that the spirits she communed with had known what happened, and told her. Yet, she hadn’t come right out and said it, which meant that if he confronted her, he might end up revealing information she could very well not know. It would be just like her to make him trip himself into a confession. She was a believer in the truth, and she believed a person should speak their own truth rather than her do it for them.

Kyle snorted. “We both know you don’t do anything without a purpose in mind. You might act like you’re completely crazy, but we both know you’re only halfway there. Isn’t the phrase, ‘a method to your madness’ appropriate here?”

Mags smiled at him. “I believe that was a compliment, and from you of all people? Tell me, did you think about waters and currents since we last spoke?”

“Not really,” he told her honestly.

She sighed. “I don’t tell you these things just so you can ignore them. If you do not ponder the water, you will miss the current that will carry you onward. Don’t forget that even the strongest of swimmers can be pulled under and drown.”

“Yeah, see, this is where I wonder why people come to you for wisdom. Do you always tell people to not go out and drown, or am I just lucky?” he asked.

“Most who come here already wish to follow their current; they simply need an extra push to paddle along with it. They are not the ones who risk drowning in the water; that is for the stubborn and willful,” she said, eyeing him knowingly.

“I am not stubborn,” he replied stubbornly.

“My dear boy, if you were any more hardheaded, you would sink to the bottom like a stone,” she said with a shake of her head.

He thought about that for a moment before sighing. “So, are you telling me to stop fighting the current? Or are you telling me to…swim harder? You’ve lost me.”

She chuckled. “When you think more about it on your own, you’ll find the answer. You already know what the answer is, like all who come to me. You have been swimming in the dark for so long, and now the moon has cast its light upon the surface. You need only accept its aid, rather than insist you are just fine in the dark.”

Thinking of the moonlight spilling over Aidan’s features, Kyle snorted. “Maybe the moon can go back behind the clouds, because it’s too bright for my taste.”

“Some days, I cannot tell if your way will be the death of you, or the only thing that will save you in the end. I can see much, but the waters can often be murky, even for one who sees through them,” she said quietly, thoughtful.

“Try looking elsewhere, and maybe that’ll help clear things up,” he said flippantly.

She brightened at that. “That is an excellent suggestion, yes. Sometimes it is best to leave the water’s business to the water, as she is not always pleased to be watched at all times. She will do what she will, and I will simply have to wait.”

“Uh,” he began, stopping when he realized he didn’t have anything to follow up with.

She frowned at him. “What are you still doing here? Don’t you have business elsewhere to attend to?”

He looked around. “I’m supposed to help you up until the evening. That was kind of the deal I made with you…years ago.”

She flapped her hands at him. “Nonsense. You have other things to do beyond this moldy old shack. Important things.”

Kyle backed up as she advanced on him. “I don’t have anything important to do. You’re literally the only job I have around here. I help you and make sure you don’t wander off too far, occasionally picking up some useful tidbits that I can use when you eventually croak.”

She patted his face. “Sweet of you dear, but you have appointments to keep, and places to be. Your friend is here, even.”

He froze at that, thinking she meant, in her strange and vague way, that Aidan had come out to the cabin. It was one reason he wanted to stay at her cabin for as long as he could manage. Hardly anyone came out here unless they were desperate to get something from Mags in privacy. Usually she went to the village and tended to people there.

“F-friend?” he stammered.

“Hey! Shaman Magdiel, may I enter?” Lily’s voice came from behind the front door.

Mags shoved him toward the entrance. “On with you! Come back tomorrow, or maybe the day after. Hard to tell, but we’ll see.”

Blinking he opened the door to reveal Lily’s surprised face. “You’ve got great timing.”

Lily lowered her hand, which she had raised to knock. “Why? Oh, are you going out to pick some herbs? Can I come?”

He stepped outside, closing the door behind him. “Turns out I’m getting out early. Apparently she thinks, I have other things to do besides hang around here all day.”

Lily peered at him curiously. “Like what?”

He shrugged. “I have no idea. She’s doing her crazy thing again, so I’m just going to go with it.”

That wasn’t totally true, since while she had flipped topics in an instant, he was sure she knew exactly what had happened between him and Aidan. If there was one thing he’d learned from working under her for years, there really was a method behind her madness. If she talked directly to someone, she spoke with an intent in mind. He’d also learned that there was no such thing as coincidence when it came to Mags. If she was asking about the Joining seemingly out of the blue, and then babbling on about him needing to leave to deal with important matters, it meant that she knew. Why she hadn’t tried to coax the truth out of him before sending him off though, he didn’t know.

Lily shoved her hands into her jean pockets as she walked with him. “Anything fun this time? Or just the normal spirits thing?”

“She was in her own little world today, which is weird since I normally have to tune her out when I’m with her. Then she gave me a short quiz, babbled for a bit, and sent me on my way just before you showed up,” he told her.

“What’d she quiz you on?” Lily asked.

He was glad he was in front of her so she couldn’t see his face twist. “The Joining.”

“Really? That’s weird, isn’t it? I mean, it’s supposed to be a spiritual thing, and she’s had to help people deal with a Joining in the past, so I guess it’s not that weird. Plus, the Showing was yesterday, so I guess the idea of the Joining was probably sitting in her head, waiting to be picked up on,” Lily pondered.

He hadn’t considered that the idea would be at the forefront of her mind from the Showing. “Wait. She’s helped people with a Joining in the past?”

Lily hurried up so she could peer at him. “You didn’t know?”

“I’m not with her all the time, you know. When she’s helping people, she leaves me out of it, especially if they come to the cabin. It’s so they can have their privacy,” he explained.

“Huh, I thought she pretty much included you in everything. But yeah, rumor has it she’s done it a few times. She always seems to know when a Joining happens, and apparently she’s butted in on a few of them since she took over as the sept’s shaman. I don’t know what she can help with, since it’s the Joining. After all, what could anyone need help with when it comes to that?” she asked, sounding confused.

“Maybe it was just two people who didn’t like each other very much,” he offered, immediately thinking of just how much he loathed Aidan.

“Wouldn’t the Joining change that, though? It’s supposed to be this magical bond between two people, so don’t you think you’d stop disliking someone once the Joining kicked in?” she asked.

Kyle couldn’t help his derisive snort. “The Joining just bonds two werewolves together, on an emotional and spiritual level that is both love and deeper than that…eventually anyway. It doesn’t alter a person’s personality, so if there’s a personality clash before the Joining, it doesn’t suddenly make it go away. Both werewolves are the same people they were before. They’re just…bonded, I guess. I don’t know. I’m not really an expert on this sort of thing.”

Lily nodded. “That makes sense, I guess. I just thought that once the Joining happened, both werewolves would find a way to get over it. I mean, it’s a gift from the Mother herself. Since when has Gaia ever been wrong?”

Kyle shrugged. “If she ever was, it wouldn’t be something people talk about, now would it?”

She frowned at him. “You’re such a spoilsport, and you better hope no one else hears you talk like that.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s not like I explicitly said she’s ever been wrong, just that we would never know if she ever had been. That’s not blasphemy; that’s just logic.”

“It’s also about as romantic sounding as a moonlit walk through a bog,” her tone dry.

Kyle laughed. “Oh you know me, ever the romantic. Glad to be of service.”

“Oh come on, are you telling me that the idea of the Joining isn’t romantic to you? This magical gift from Gaia, that doesn’t come to everyone, her way of touching you and saying ‘this is the person you will spend the rest of your existence with.’ That doesn’t sound the least bit romantic to you? You don’t want to know what that feels like?” she asked, almost demanding an answer from him.

He thought about the faint green of Aidan’s eyes that he had just about been able to make out in the moonlight. How the dazed expression on the alpha’s face had softened his features, making him look vulnerable for the first time Kyle had ever seen. He could still feel the grip of the man’s hand on him, how his fingers had slowly loosened their hold in the sudden wash of sensation. The tingling hadn’t totally left him, it was almost like he’d had too much coffee and his nerves were finally starting to come down from the caffeine high.

Kyle knew exactly what the Joining would feel like, since he and Aidan had both felt it in that moment of anger and battling wills. It had swept through Kyle completely, almost taking him over and making him do something he would have regretted for the rest of his life. The Joining had been the most powerful moment of his life, and he could remember every sensation as if it were happening right now. It had been wonderful. Yet it filled him with a deep horror and revulsion that he couldn’t quash.

“I have absolutely zero interest in the Joining and whatever comes with it,” he told her honestly.