"T-That's what I thought," Tatum whimpered back, feeling a chill. There was nothing normal about that wolf, it definitely wasn't some run of the mill wolf just hanging out in the forest. It had been out for blood, but it didn't seem rabid. Almost calculated, like it was.. messing with her. But that couldn't be. Or she at least didn't want to think that it was.

She was slightly rigid against the arm around her, but she did feel a bit reassured. Taking a nervous glance behind them, as if she expected to see that they were being followed, she turned back around and looked away before she answered him. "Uhm," she murmured slowly. "J-Just smoking, I.. I always go back there. L-Like every day, I never-- that n-never happened before," she tried to explain, trailing off. Getting it all out wasn't easy. This was, really, the most that she had ever talked to Leland one-on-one. She felt stupid explaining anyway, since she knew she should have known better. School wasn't safe anymore, that was why they had the watch groups she was so upset about after all.

"S-She probably would blubber," Tatum sighed finally, trying to crack a smile but not quite getting there. She sniffled a little. More than anything, she just wanted to see the older girl. "Don't t-tell her I said so though."

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"Mighta been something wrong with it," he said looking forward. "Did it bite you? Scratch you?" he asked gently. "Fuck, I never seen one that big before," he shook his head. He just hoped there wasn't more of them out in the woods. That would be a nightmare.

"Well next time come out with someone, aight?" he asked trying to keep his voice cool like he didn't give a damn. "Just 'bout anyone round here would be willing to smoke with you if you just asked. No need to put yourself at risk..." That's when he looked up at the sky and noticed the moon. "Fuck..." It had to be full or close to it.

Leland cracked a little grin. "I wont' even tell her you were stupid enough to go out in the woods by yourself," he said putting his finger to his lips.

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"Yeah.. m-maybe it was sick," Tatum offered back weakly, hoping it was true though she generally never wished any harm on any woodland critters. It being sick was better than it just being.. awful. If it was sick, it wasn't really the wolf's fault. Or so she reasoned.

"Uhm, n-not really.. I'm k-kinda sore, but I don't think it like.. actually got me," she explained. She felt like a train had hit her, her clothes were sort of ruined, and there were twigs and junk tangled in her hair, but there didn't seem to be any mass amounts of blood or anything. Just a few cuts on her face from high-tailing it through the underbrush in the forest.

"W-Who's gonna smoke with me? I-- well, I guess.. other nerds," she trailed off again, following Leland's eyes up to the moon and feeling a shiver traveling down her spine. It was still totally full, illuminating the grounds in a light glow. "C-Crazy moon," she commented softly, "You d-don't think it was a.. well, y'know, l-like a werewolf. R-Right? That's silly.."

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"You're fuckin' lucky kid," he said gruffly, giving her a once over to make sure there was no blood she wasn't seeing. He was pleased with his findings. "Yeah, yer prolly gonna be feelin' like hell in the mornin'. That damn thing pinned you good. You hit your head when you fell?" he asked, consciously trying to keep the gruff tone in his voice. "We can prolly clean you up no problem once we get to Mack."

"Fuck kid, I'll smoke with you so long as I don't have to deal with a weepy as Mack if your ass gets killed," he smiled over at her teasingly.

Her comment about the moon had him tensing up a bit. It had been exactly what he had been thinking but he couldn't admit it. "Don't be silly girl," he said darkly. "Aint no weres here," though he wasn't sure if he believed it or not. "Just... you gotta watch out for yourself a little better."

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