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  *Ok, you got me there, I'm not used to distances*

  "You'll get used to it, but you need stamina and endurance not just speed." He said. I had to admit, he probably knew what he was talking about. Devon might not shift, but he grew up among the Kindred. He really did still know more about what I am than I did.

  I heard a car coming up the mountain behind us and I sent to Devon *Car, I'll hide. You keep going, I'll catch up,* and I darted into the forest surrounding us. I found a hollow to lay in where I couldn't be seen and I waited until I heard the car pass. I waited a few moments longer, until I was sure it was the only one before I got up and headed back toward the road, angling up the road some as I made the trip so that I would come out of the forest further uphill than I had gone in, and hopefully closer to where Devon had made it by now.

  It wasn't until I reached the road that it occurred to me, how would I know if Devon had been here or not? Was he in front of me or behind me? I stood for a minute or two, looking one direction and then the other, trying to decide what to do before it dawned on me. I could just look for his scent; that should tell me if he had been through here yet. I tentatively bent and sniffed the pavement, not really sure it would work, but I was going to try it anyway, especially since there was no one here to see me and how ridiculous I looked if it failed.

  I put my nose to the pavement and took a deep breath, thinking to pick up as much scent as possible. I overwhelmed my nose. I picked up the scent of tar and rubber so strong it burned the inside of my nose and I spent several more minutes snorting, trying to blow the strong odors from my nose before I could try again. The second time I tried to pick up Devon's scent I was more careful, I held my nose above the pavement and took short careful sniffs, trying to peel back the layers of scent. I could smell the rubber from all the tires that regularly drove over the pavement, and the scent of warm oil and coolant from the car that had just passed by, but under that, I caught Devon's smoky personal scent, the faint scent of pack that he still carried and the stronger scent of the sweat he was working up.

  Now that I knew he had been by here and I turned and headed up the mountain. I was soon running to catch up with him; I found that I loved the feel of the wind in my face, blowing my ears back as I ran. I ran up mountain, maybe a quarter of a mile, my confusion and scenting error had given him time gain some distance on me. I rounded the next curve, at a dead run and found that he was just up ahead, maybe 200 yards. I slowed as I approached him and fell into the steady jogging pace he was keeping.

  *So, how far have you made it?* I asked.

  "You haven't been keeping track?" he replied with a question of his own.

  *Nah, I cut across off road, more ups and downs, more fun, less boring.* I responded.

  "It's not boring, It just gives you time to think about other things."

  *Boring...* I intoned with a mental laugh.

  "It's been about a mile and a half, you still have a while to go..." He laughed in response.

  *I can make it more entertaining...*

  "Oh really? How?"

  *You keep your same pace and I'll run circles around you.*

  "Well, duh, we know you're faster than me. You could beat me easily."