Day 2 was hiking day and Dani grimaced at the ceiling. She wasn't very fit and the hike was rumoured to be twenty kilometers. Her wolf form could fair better but she wasn't sure if they would be allowed to shift on it. Catherine shared the grimace. Kayla was indifferent. She reluctantly went to breakfast. Today was flapjacks. She liked flapjacks, sure, but the thought of the hike dampened her enthusiasm. The hike was her most hated parts of these utterly useless retreats. Sure, the retreats were 'nice' because they got to be away from school, but she still didn't like them. She and Ryker had this in common. He didn't much like them either. "Morning Dani," Ryker murmured. "Hiking day...."

"I know.... no one likes hiking!"

"Some might, but we don't."

"Hello Ryker and Danielle," a voice said. Dani looked up.

"Oh Morgan, hi."

"Can Ezekiel and I  be apart of your hiking group?" He asked. Ezekiel walked up behind him. Dani remembered a memory from Gr 8.

"Yes. You can, anything for my childhood friend."

"Okay cool!"

"You and Morgan know eachother?" Ryker asked, curious.

"Yes. We grew up together. I was a small part in their story."

"Hm?"

"Basically gave Morgan advice." Ryker smiled.

"So you helped their relationship along?"

"I guess, if you want to see it that way."

"You're quite a matchmaker, that's why we need to get those four to end up together." Dani smiled.

"Working on it." Ryker smiled.

"And I'm trying on my side." Dani gazed at her boyfriend.

"Would you like to join my hiking group."

"I am your boyfriend aren't I?"

"Right. So I take that as a yes?"

"Yes." Dani smiled.

"At least we won't suffer through this alone."

"No, not when we're together," he agreed. Ryker glanced over at the other tables. Morgan and Ezekiel had settled next to Quiomi. Dani's gaze travelled around the room. Now that she was aware of it, she noticed Catherine and Kayla were nowhere in sight. Where could they possibly be? She'd seen them this morning but where did they get to? Probably hiding from the looming hike. They couldn't hide forever, so it seemed pretty worthless.

~~~

Two hours later, the weather did not help. It was still scorching outside but they had to hike now. "Why," Dani moaned, beads of sweat starting to fall. "I'm gonna die of freaking heatstroke if this keeps up."

"I know," Ryker moaned as well. Ezekiel and Morgan just glanced at them.

"We don't like the heat much either," said Ezekiel and Morgan nodded. "We'd much rather be playing Cry of Duty right now than this." Dani looked up at them. Although Beartooth was a boarding school, Ezekiel and Morgan still went home at the end of every day. She, Ryker, Catherine, Kayla and most of the others just boarded there. It seemed the most appropriate way. She didn't judge her childhood friend and his boyfriend's housing choices, though. She knew them. She begrudgingly stood up and followed them out. Ryker trudged after them.

"Well.... could we even say good luck?" Dani muttered as she walked. She could hear Teacher 3's booming, annoying voice from here.

"It's now time, Class of 2018-" He was interrupted by a voice.

"We're not in Grade 12 yet, " Someone groaned.

"Class of...2019... then..." Dani rolled her eyes. She even sometimes wondered if Teacher 3, who was a teacher mind you, had matured at all. "Well, anyway, us, the teachers, have decided to let you shift, but only to get out of trouble." Makes sense, Dani agreed in her mind. Teacher 3 looked around. "I see you already have groups." Dani smirked.

~~~~
An unknown time later, they were hiking. They'd only been hiking for about twenty minutes, but Dani's legs already felt tired. You'd think Dani'd feel a bit self conscious being the only girl in her group, but she wasn't. She knew the boys personally. Ezekiel and Morgan maybe a bit more than Ryker. She gave her boyfriend a quick glance. Ryker's expression told her everything, he was also tiring. "Want some water?"

"That'd be nice."
~~~~
Not soon enough did the hike end. Instead of jumping in the pool, Dani collapsed on the bed and fell asleep.