Alison Yates Glimpses

[Alison Yates]

The day was a relatively quiet one and she had just got off work at the climbing school expecting the next few days off. Alison wasn’t exactly sure what she was going to do with herself for the next few days and the thought of just sitting around irritated her to no end. Too much free time gave her time to think, and that’s something she has avoided for a while now. However, it was catching up to her much to her dismay. The blonde rahu didn’t need to or want to think about anything, at least that’s what she told herself. Instead she insisted on keeping herself busy with life, with duty, with anything it really didn’t matter what.

Despite herself, her mind began to wonder to her pack. To her they felt like a group of strangers and she instantly realized that it was her fault for keeping secluded from the others. It was easier that way to avoid pain and abandonment. Emotions that Alison refused to admit that she felt, she was a warrior and beyond those feelings, yet the truth that she was slowly realizing that refusing to acknowledge it and hiding from yourself didn’t make it better.

The bond that Emily and Matt shared bothered her. Not because she thought they were doing things they shouldn’t be, but because they had such a tight friendship, which was something that she had never been able to develop in a lasting manner with anyone. Furthermore, the fact that Emily was so easily able to be honest with herself about her feelings and was able to find a steady companion and lover irritated her further. Alison knew it wasn’t fair to hate the girl for her friendships and her love life, but it was hard not to be envious of what her and the others shared.

Growling softly to herself at her growing frustration at her inability to clear her thoughts, Alison took off in a sprint. If she had time to think, she had time to train, she told herself. Besides she wasn’t ready to let go of her anger and her frustration, she needed it. She needed its strength and protection because the alternative was far to frightening to her, despair, vulnerability, and weakness.

She ran as fast and as hard as she could until she collapsed and wretched up the contents of her stomach; then she got up and ran some more. If she couldn’t control her thoughts and her feelings she’d train and sweat them out, exhaust herself until she wasn’t able to feel anything at all but pain.

[Alison Yates]

The pregnant moon hung like a beacon in the night sky warding off the darkness while locked in some eternal struggle for dominance with the nearby stars. Mother Luna’s light shown down on the Rockies illuminating all under her gaze, including a lone red wolf trotting along the foot hills. Behind the wolf and off in the distance shown the sprawling lights of the city of Denver a lone island in the inky darkness. Thanks to the light of the moon it was practically as bright as the noonday sun to the wolf so she had no difficulty finding her way to the path that lead to her goal. Then when it was located she paused for a brief moment and gazed up to the moon that stood silently, and like she felt, almost mocking her.

Damned stuck-up self-righteous bitch, Alison snarled mentally to herself. Go bother someone else you useless old hag.

The moon continued to shine down happily on the wolf unaware of its existence let alone the ire of such an insignificant being. Like an ant raging at the sea, she was nothing and beneath its notice.

To Alison, Luna was a crutch that too many of her kind looked to for answers, to solve their problems, to comfort them, or to save them. Luna encouraged weakness, the people became strong by relying on themselves and working together to solve their problems and not turning to some all powerful spirit that refuses to even speak directly to or directly help any of her children. What kind of mother was that anyway? Alison was all too familiar with that kind of mother, a mother that at best couldn’t care less about her children and at worst actively despised them. No she was all too familiar with that kind of mother figure.

Alison wasn’t foolish enough to hate Luna she didn’t have any sympathy with the cause of the pure wolves, but Alison had never needed to rely on some invisible god creature and had always relied on her own strength and will to see her by. Where was luna when she was younger and needed protection, where was luna when her friends and pack mates died or disappeared around her in Sacramento. No fuck that bitch. As far as Alison was concerned if Luna didn’t have any intention of helping her then the least she could do was stay out of her way so Alison could work to solve her own damned problems.

After running silently for close to an hour through the foothills she finally came to a ridge with an overlook just a ways beyond it. She made sure to approach the overlook from the upwind side in an effort to be polite and broadcast her approach to the person she had least wanted to see since arriving in Denver, her father.

She considered letting out a howl, but decided against it. If that man hadn’t smelled her or seen her yet he had gotten far softer than she remembered. Instead she continued up the path until she saw a horse tied to a large bolder and a man in a cowboy hat silhouetted against the moon. The horse whinnied and shuffled its hooves in an effort to pull away from the predator while the man sat with his back to her. She came to a stop about 40 feet behind him and slowly shifted back into Hisu. She wore her usual red and black riding leathers and boots having left her bike and helmet along a side road outside the city.

Approaching the seated man, Alison heard the horse calm down with the disappearance of the wolf, but still carefully watched the strange woman. The man seemed oblivious to her, but Alison knew better. She sat down next to him and looked up at the moon.

“Hey old man,” she said in a bored and neutral greeting without looking at him.

The grizzled older ranch hand sat silently without acknowledging her existence for several minutes before finally grunting at her in response. They both sat in an awkward silence that seemed to stretch on forever with only the sound of the wind and the horse behind them.

The stillness was eventually broken when the man reached into the pocket of his duster and pulled out a can of chew. He stuffed a wad in his lower lip and then held out the can to Alison. She glanced over and then took a large wad herself and stuck it in her mouth. Another period of silence followed with only the occasional sound of spitting being the new addition. Then the stillness was again broken, this time by Alison. She reached into her pack and pulled out a large bottle of Jack Daniels. She took a large gulp and held it out to the old cowboy who was quick to take it.

“Nice night,” Alison said almost to herself.

“Yeah,” the man finally said. Then after several minutes he continued, “Quiet.”

Several more minutes passed with the bottle being passed back and forth between the two of them and the liquid inside began a rapid disappearing act. The cowboy spoke up, but this time saying more than a singular one syllable word. This time it was eight instead.

“So, what did you want to say kid?”

[Alison Yates]

The peals of gunfire rang out across the field as the bright California sun beat down on the blonde haired woman. She raised her pistol and narrowed her eyes as she focused in on her target with killing intent. Her weapon blazed to life adding its voice to the chorus around her. After several careful shots her slide locked back and she ejected the magazine and quickly reached for a fresh one. Fast as she could she slammed home the magazine and released the slide before taking a knee and opening fire once more.

Then suddenly it was quiet once more as the wind danced across the field and rustled the woman’s hair. She holstered her weapon and assessed the field. Then the all clear signal sounded and Alison made her down range to her target along with the other shooters. She frowned slightly as she looked at the shot groupings.

It had been some time since she had seriously went to the range and was a little rusty. She hit her target, but the groupings were nowhere near what she wanted or what she thought she was capable of. She sighed as she walked back to the line.

“So Greg how’d you do?” she inquired to the man on her left. She didn’t even want to ask because he had a big grin on his face.

“Read it and weep,” the man said slapping the target down on the table under the covered staging area behind the firing ling.

“You bastard!” Alison said with disgust as she tossed hers down on the table. “Looks like that new sight is working out for you?”

Greg stood there laughing as she cursed at him. He was obviously somewhat familiar with her mannerisms.

“It’s working great,” he said while looking down at her groupings. “Hey these aren’t bad that bad.”

“Na. I need to work on my trigger pull. See?” she asked pointed to several pulled shots. “I’m pulling. If I’m more careful I should be able to tighten this up.”

“Yeah, but you look pretty tight enough already,” he said with a smile.

“Shut up,” Alison said slugging him in the arm with a grin on her face. “Like you’d fuckin’ know. You’re lucky Jill isn’t here or she’d kick your ass.”

“Oh I know she would,” Greg said with a big laugh.

“So you get your license yet?” She asked with interest.

“Oh you didn’t hear?” Greg inquired with surprise. “I got it last week, I’ll be opening up shop here pretty soon so if you need any work done or if you’re looking for something special I can see what I can do, I may know some people.”

“Sweet! Congrats and shit,” she said clapping him on the back “Thanks! I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Shit, it’s the least I could do after you helping me and Jill patch things up.” He said with a smile before looking down at his watch and cursing. “I should get going. I got to pick up the kid from practice. It was nice seein’ you again Alison,” he said hauling his stuff back to his car.

“Yeah, nice seein’ you to Greg. I’ll stop by when you get set up,” she said with a wave. “Say hi to Jill for me!”