Chapter 22: Wood Walk
The morning sun had just begun to cast its warm golden light upon the woods, painting the trees and the forest floor in a soft, hazy glow. The air was cool and crisp, carrying with it the fresh scent of dew-drenched leaves and earth. The only sounds that could be heard were the gentle rustling of leaves and the soft chirping of birds.
The trees towered high above, their branches reaching towards the sky, creating a natural canopy that filtered the light and cast shadows upon the forest floor. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves, casting dancing patterns of light and shadow that seemed to move with the gentle breeze.
The ground was blanketed in a layer of thick, lush greenery, dotted with wildflowers and ferns. The forest floor was damp from the morning dew, and the soft earth released an earthy aroma of damp soil.
In the distance, a gentle stream flowed, its calming sound adding to the peaceful ambience of the woods. Small animals darted about, hopping over rocks and scurrying up trees. A family of deer grazed in a clearing, their graceful movements so quiet that it was as if they were gliding through the underbrush.
The morning light continued to bathe the woods in a serene, ethereal glow.
Scott slowly opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight boxes and cartons of all shapes. His head was throbbing and his body aching with fatigue and pain. Struggling to sit up, he felt disoriented and weak as he saw the sight of tall trees swaying gently in the morning breeze right outside the entrance of wherever the hell he was. The forest was quiet except for the rustling of leaves and the occasional chirping of birds. As he looked around, **Scott** realized he had no idea how he got there or how long he had been unconscious. He rubbed his eyes, hoping to clear his vision and figure out what had happened to him, as fear and confusion gripped his heart.
As he rubbed his eyes, memories from the previous day started flooding back to the moment when he transformed. Trying to bring back any fragment of memory he could from then on, a system notification destroyed his built-up progress.
<You are no longer under the full moon's influence>
<All stats are back to normal>
<Blood lust reduced>
<...>
He dismissed all notifications for the time being.
Despite the immense fatigue, **Scott** felt a strange sense of serenity settle over him. The quiet calm of the woods was soothing and he felt strangely connected to nature. The morning sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a warm glow on the forest floor. **Scott** took a deep breath of the fresh forest air, feeling grateful to be alive and surrounded by the beauty of the wilderness.
"You're awake." A cold, thick voice made him almost jump out of his skin.
"Aahhh!!" Getting up he turned to the source of the sound, making eye contact with a set of deep blue eyes that could compete with the sea on who was bluer.
Jumping down from one of the boxes, Derek Hale walked up to a half-naked **Scott** who was in only underpants. Noticing this, **Scott** put his hands over the visible bulge, looking around to see if there was anything he could use to cover himself for the time being. As if on cue, Derek threw a set of clothes at him.
"Let's go for a stroll, I'll explain a couple of things and you get to ask a few questions."
***
**Scott** and Derek walked side by side, their feet crunching on the forest floor as they made their way through the woods. The morning sun was still filtering through the trees, casting a warm golden glow on everything around them. The air was cool and crisp, carrying with it the scent of pine and fresh earth.
As they walked deeper into the woods, the trees grew taller and the canopy above them grew thicker. The sunlight filtering through the leaves created an enchanting dappled effect on the ground beneath their feet.
Derek explained the basics about a werewolf, all of which **Scott** already knew thanks to Stiles' guide.
"The full moon affects not only werewolves but normal animals of the Canis group. Dogs, wolves and cats all feel its effect except that it seems to be ten-folds when it comes to our kind. No one knows why."
"You were able to control yourself, how'd you do it?" **Scott** asked his eyes shining with eagerness as he asked the question.
"That's why I want to take you under my wing. You get to learn a lot, not that you could go elsewhere 'cause the internet only has so much info, some of which you don't know if they are accurate, but you get to learn it hands-on from me. What better way would there be than a practical explanation?"
"I'll get back to you on that," **Scott** said scratching his head.
They came across a small clearing filled with wildflowers of every colour as they walked further. The vibrant colours of the flowers stood out against the lush greenery of the forest, and the scent of their fragrance was intoxicating.
At least that what was Derek described the site to once be like, because the site was now unrecognizable, a once beautiful clearing in the heart of the forest, now lay in ruin. The trees that had once provided shade and shelter now lay splintered and broken, their branches torn off and scattered around the ground like matchsticks. The ground was scorched and littered with deep gouges as if a fierce battle had been fought here. And indeed, it had.
"The site had been the scene of a violent confrontation between both of us." He explained, making **Scott** widen his eyes in shock and bewilderment.
Their rage and power were evident in the destruction left behind. Trees were uprooted, rocks were shattered, and the earth had been torn apart as they fought.
"You were quite tough for a newly transformed werewolf." He continued.
"Huh?" Was all that **Scott** could mutter.
"You survived for a long time and remained in your transformed state even though the energy you had after the match wasn't much, it even put my first transformation as a pureblood to shame."
The evidence of their battle was all around, from the deep claw marks gouged into tree trunks, to the discarded fur and blood splatters that stained the ground. The remnants of their struggle seemed to echo the intensity of their rage, and it was as if the very essence of their power still lingered in the air.
But amidst the destruction, there was also a strange beauty. The sunlight filtered through the cracks in the canopy, casting a warm golden glow on the wreckage below. The twisted and broken branches created an eerie yet mesmerizing sight, like a surreal sculpture made of natural materials.
Despite the destruction, there was a sense of respect and awe for the raw power and fury they felt for each other. They continued further and now sat on a tree trunk that had fallen during their confrontation where Derek gave **Scott** the chance to ask three questions.
"What happened that night?" was **Scott's** first question.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone