A/N: I decided to upload these to FF. They're part of Cloudy Wolf and revolve around Zeph, because I thought he needed more character development to make him less a shadow. I guess this first chapter will be a bit duller than the next ones, which shows how he began to bond with everyone in the household a lot better. If you enjoy slice of life, this is full of it.


He hadn't left the corner of his cell for the longest time, a day or three, or maybe it had been longer. Maybe it hadn't been that long at all, but it felt that way to him regardless. There wasn't any point in standing up and fretting about that monster that often came down to this dungeon to torment them. Fiore was gone. He couldn't get it out of his head, her last moments replaying in his head continuously as he sat in that dark and filthy cell. It wouldn't leave him.

Valdt had come, agitated and growling. He had rattled their cages and played a twisted game, picking which cell's contents would suit his needs. Zeph hadn't been here that long, perhaps a week, by his guess but it felt like forever. In that time he very quickly became acquinted with Valdt and his love of terror and torture. That shapeshifting abomination loved their reactions to the things he did, and it was all Zeph could do to shield his sister from the brunt of it.

Until that day.

The werewolf had pointed one gnarled finger at Zeph's cell, his face warping into a twisted smile in the flood lights set up in the room. He had walked over and eyed both children, settling on Fiore. The girl was clinging to her big brother, but she wasn't out of reach of that monster as he unlocked the door. Zeph held her as tight as he could, but Valdt twisted her filthy shirt in his hands and pulled her away, then shoved Zeph back with his boot.

As soon as the cell was locked again the feeding began.

Zeph could still hear the sneering growls and the screams. He hadn't killed her quickly, Fiore reaching with her unmaimed hand towards her brother as she screamed his name. They were both crying, screaming; some of the other children joined in the chorus as other noises became louder.

It was over all too slowly. The wet chomping sounds, bones crunching, Fiore's final scream as it was cut off from a sudden bite to the neck. The horrible smells that would not leave Zeph's nose. Eventually Valdt finished, rising and tossing what little remained in a can somewhere out of sight. His large shadow moved across the wall. Then, he was gone again, the creature leaving the surviving children in shock and horror. Even if they closed their eyes the other senses wouldn't let it go.

"I'm so sorry, Zeph..."

It was that girl that sometimes talked to them. She had been sobbing, just like he was. Valdt was either going to eat them or send them off to other monsters to be eaten. That was just how it was going to be, he knew it now.

Until today, it seemed.

He didn't look up from his knees, but he heard Valdt talking to some new captive. Then he heard him speaking to other people. There were growls and snarls, gunshots and metallic noises. Someone slammed into wall near his cell. A few moments later and there was a howl of pain.

"Cloud!" It was a woman's voice. A flurry of growls and other noises continued past his prison. It didn't matter if he was being rescued. Zeph couldn't keep his sister safe in time for it.

"Teef..." The voice sounded strange, almost a growl. It must have been the person who was smashed into the wall.

He didn't hear the rest over the sound of his sniffles. After what felt like an eternity he heard a rusty squeaking noise and he instinctively tensed up; the last time that noise was so close Fiore was torn from him. Zeph recoiled at the touch of a hand on his shoulder, but his wild green eyes fell onto red ones that studied him in the twilight gloom of the sewer dungeon.

Zeph relaxed, then began shuddering sobs as the woman scooped him up and rubbed his back. She was soothing. She said everything would be alright, that a man named Cloud would take care of that monster that ate his sister. He hadn't felt so safe in what felt like forever. Safe, but his sister wasn't there to enjoy it with him. He had been too young and weak to fend off Valdt.

Eventually the woman's voice and rubs soothed him into sleep. There were no dreams, just blissful darkness.