Okay, yes, I will admit it, this was supposed to be a Christmas fic. I know, I know-it's almost two weeks late. Well, if Doctor Who can do a Christmas Special after Christmas, then so can I! (And on that note, The Return of Doctor Mysterio was quite excellent...)

Plus, well, December 25th was also the deadline for another little project, and I had to get that done first. And I thought that this would take way less time to write, but you know how plots tend to evolve on you, and this was no exception. It also ended up a bit darker than I had planned, so I guess in the long run it being a bit late is better.

Anyway, enjoy, and for the record I do hope to get back to Shifters soon. I know it's been a while since the last update, but the chapter's actually pretty far along. I've just had the muses nagging me a lot lately about other stories I can write.

Kitt looked up from the tray of cookies she'd pulled from the oven at the rattle of the door, and setting them down, made it to the entryway just as Caleb came through the door, bringing with him a gust of winter air and a swirl of snow. "How did it go?"

Stamping his feet to knock the snow from his boots, her husband began unwinding his snow-encrusted scarf. "About as well as I would have hoped. After all, this isn't exactly a normal case, and they've been living on the streets for a long time. But we're making progress—I think, next time, they might be ready to meet someone else."

Kitt paused, unconsciously bringing one hand up. "Were you thinking of me, or Emma?"

Caleb shrugged. "I hadn't decided yet. They'd likely be more accepting of you because they'd be able to identify you as my mate, but Emma knows more about their kind of lifestyle and would be better able to empathize with them. Long-term, my hope is to get those two off the street and with a person they can trust, but I have no idea how two half-feral Kinborn partial-Shifters would react to either scenario. And with the way this winter's going, I'm worried…"

"It'll work out, Caleb, I'm sure of it." Taking Caleb's scarf, Kitt draped it over a hanger to dry. "You've made a lot of progress with the twins, and you can only make more."

The Hybrid man sighed. "I know. But I can't help but wish…"

"Daddy!"

Caleb reacted just fast enough to scoop up the fast-moving five-year-old before she ran into the door. "Skylar! What have I told you about running in the house?"

His daughter's wide crystal-blue eyes gazed up at him as a small Natu fluttered frantically into the hall and landed on his shoulder, chirping worriedly. She reached out with one hand and lightly patted the little bird's head. "That I shouldn't."

"That's right. And you especially shouldn't run when Jade can't show you where you're going."

Skylar pouted. "I know where I'm going, Daddy! I don't always need Jade or Paan'u to help me."

"Maybe not in this house, and not when you're walking, but you almost ran face-first into the door, little one. Where is Paan'u-La?"

As if summoned by his name, the young Absol ran into the entry. "Sky'la!" He froze. "Uh…Cal'le-Sa…"

"You're not in trouble, Paan'u-La," Caleb reassured the younger of Frost's sons. "I was only wondering where you were."

"Helping Mother. She thinks that the Egg is going to hatch soon and she wanted me to fetch something soft…"

Caleb closed his eyes for a moment. It sounded like there would be towels and bedding to be washed and refolded after this. "Would you mind taking Sky'la with you? She'll be able to help you carry what you need."

"Yes, Cal'le-Sa! C'mon, Sky'la, Mother really wants those towels…" The young Absol waited until Caleb set his daughter down and she had lightly taken ahold of his mane, and then the two of them headed back into the main part of the house. Caleb watched the pair go with a shake of his head. He loved his youngest to death, but sometimes she was just so stubborn. Inheriting a tailed Hybrid form from her father and psychic talent from her mother, Sky was determined not to let anything stop her—not even her own blindness.

Kitt brought him out of his musings with a gentle touch. "I've been baking Christmas cookies, and I just pulled some out of the oven. Would you like one?"

He nodded, smiling. "That sounds great. After the morning I've had, I could use a snack. I'm sorry that work had to pull me away, though—After all, it is Christmas Eve."

Kitt shook her head. "It's not a problem, Caleb. After all, my research usually keeps me busy, too, and I've had to work holidays in the past."

"And we're still planning for tomorrow…?"

Kitt ginned. "We are. I can't wait to see how they'll react!"

Walking back into the kitchen, her expression became more serious again. "Anthony! Kira! Those are hot!"

Both children jumped and spun around as their mother approached, Anthony quickly clasping his hands behind his back as he tried to hide the fingertips he'd burned on the edge of the pan. Kitt, however, easily read her adopted son's actions. "Go run cold water over your fingers, Anthony. It'll help take the pain away."

Her eldest nodded, then went over to the sink and turned on the faucet. After a few moments, Kitt went over and took her nine-year-old's hand, examining his fingers. "Keep them under the water for a few minutes just to be safe, but they'll be fine. Next time, wait until the cookies are on the cooling rack—Caleb! You're not helping!"

Caleb dropped the cookie he'd plucked from the pan.

Shaking her head, Kitt checked her eldest daughter's hand. "It doesn't look like you brushed the pan with your fingers. Did you burn yourself?"

"No, Mom."

"Then go back to wrapping those presents, okay? I'll bring you a snack once I'm done in here."

The young Shifter nodded, then darted out of the kitchen and back upstairs, another young Absol quickly following: Pan's older brother, Thorn. After a moment, Duskrunner padded out of the living room, fur mussed as if he'd been sleeping, glanced around, and with a lazy flick of his tail turned around, presumably to return to the messy nest his mate had made in the corner she'd claimed.

Blowing a wisp of hair away from her face, Kitt turned back to her husband—and once again caught him in the act of trying to sneak a hot cookie off the pan. "Caleb!"

"What?" His ears flicked in amusement. "I'm just moving them to the cooling rack."

Kitt lightly bopped him in the arm. "First of all, use a spatula. You're giving the kids ideas, and Sky's the only one who's inherited your resistances. Second, wash your hands first! We're going to be eating those!"

"All right. But I touched this one, so now I have to take it."

His wife shook her head. "You're impossible, you know that?"

Caleb lightly kissed her cheek, his bronze eyes warm. "But you wouldn't change a thing, would you?"

Kitt shook her head, a small smile on her face. "No, I wouldn't."

"Ugh, kissy stuff. Gross."

Both adults burst out laughing, having forgotten that their son was still present—and while he hadn't spoken, the look on his face showed that he wholeheartedly agreed with Pan, who had apparently walked back in only a few seconds ago. Skyler peeked around the door, her ears twitching curiously. "What kissy stuff?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," Caleb replied, trying to stifle his laughter. Shooing Anthony out ahead of him—and sneaking the boy a cookie when Kitt wasn't looking—he once again picked up Skylar and set her against his hip. "C'mon, let's go watch a movie or something and let your mother finish up in the kitchen. After all, Santa's only going to come tonight if you're really good…"

As Kitt and Caleb had discovered—and as all parents do—Christmas morning came early and with the excited shouts of their offspring as they discovered the parcels that had magically appeared under the tree. Naturally, a tradition had been established—First, even if they awoke early, Anthony, Kira, and Skylar were to be quiet and in their rooms until seven, allowing their parents to catch an extra few moments of sleep. Second, they weren't allowed to begin unwrapping gifts until everyone was in the living room and everything had been passed out, at which point they would take turns opening each card and gift. Third, after everything was unwrapped and the debris cleaned up (after all, if Frost's Egg was going to hatch, they didn't want the new cub chewing on or swallowing anything that might hurt it because it was too young to know better), the kids had to eat breakfast and get ready for the day before they could play with any of their new toys.

Normally, this tradition was to maintain some semblance of order and to help teach Anthony, Kira, and Sky the virtue of patience—as well as giving Kitt and Caleb time to check that any pine needles were picked up, ornaments that had fallen were put back on the tree, and no present had been mistakenly been pushed aside or thrown out—but today it served another purpose: Buying time for one last discussion about the final gift.

Having come to their decision, the couple returned to the kitchen, where their children were finishing breakfast: Anthony ignoring his now-empty plate in favor of the Sunday comics, Kira spooning up the last of her cereal, and Sky alternating between sneaking Pan and Jade bits of toast and eating it herself, one of her special picture books open in front of her plate—after all, she wasn't always able to sight-share with Jade due to the strain it eventually put on them both, so learning Braille was just as important as learning how to read and write English. All three looked in their parents' direction when Kitt and Caleb entered the room, and as soon as he knew he had their undivided attention, Caleb asked, "How would you like to go for a sleigh ride?"

The reaction was instantaneous. Sky let out a squeal of glee, while Anthony excitedly asked, "Are you serious?" at the same time Kira practically shrieked, "Of course we'd like to go! Why wouldn't we?"

Their father laughed. "I was just checking. To be honest, your mother and I have had this planned for a while. Merry Christmas, guys."

"When do we leave?"

Kitt smiled. "As soon as you three are ready to go."

It didn't take long for the three children to get ready, and soon Kitt was helping Sky with her parka while Caleb checked to make sure Pan was wearing the yellow jacket that announced he was a trained service Pokémon. Anthony and Kira quickly donned their own winter gear, and then the five of them—seven counting Pan and Jade—headed out, though Caleb briefly ducked back in check on Frost and the Egg and was good-naturedly told off by his Pokémon for holding his family up.

A light snow was already falling as the family walked to the nearest bus stop, and Kitt and Caleb watched in fond amusement as their children darted about trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues. Even Pan was joining in, showing his more playful side, and poor Jade was frantically trying to keep up with Sky, having fallen from her perch on the little Hybrid's shoulder. The little bell tied to her yellow leg-bang jingled with each hop, alerting Sky to where her companion was so she didn't accidentally step on the tiny Pokémon.

It was about five minutes until a bus arrived, though no one seemed to mind, since the children were too busy playing to notice the cold and Kitt and Caleb shared the warmth of a summoned flame as they kept an eye on their kids.

When the bus finally pulled up, Kitt led her family to one of the seats midway down the aisle, Caleb bringing up the rear and stopping briefly to pay the bus fee. The driver gave him an odd look but said nothing—Caleb was, after all, quite well-known—and merely turned away and shifted the bus into drive.

The park was only a few miles away, so the drive was short—a fact that was greatly appreciated since Anthony, Kira, and especially little Skylar were all practically vibrating with excitement. The three could hardly wait to disembark, and then wait for their parents to follow. This time, Kitt was the last in line, and she noticed the aloof behavior of the driver as she stopped to wish him a merry Christmas. She hid her dismayed sigh as she stepped to the ground—after all, it would take a long time for minds to change regarding their kinds. Caleb noticed, of course, but said nothing aloud, relying on the link he shared with his wife. It was Christmas Day; a day that, for their children, should go unspoiled by the turmoil of the adult world.

There was a small stable in the park, offering trail rides in the summer and sleigh rides in the winter. Kitt had stopped by earlier in the month to enquire about the sleigh rides, and had cut a deal with the owner of the stable for a ride for her family in exchange for a small favor. Now she knocked on the stable door, calling, "Mr. Burnett?"

A young man with straw caught in his tousled hair answered the door. "Oh! Mrs. Greene. Grandad's out with another sleigh right now, but he said that you'd be here—and that if you arrived before he did, that I'd be your driver. Everything's all set; I've just gotta get the Rapidash hitched up."

From behind him, in the warmth of the stable, came a loud, familiar whinny. The young man grinned. "Want to come back?"

"Of course, Will." With Will holding the door, Kitt entered the stable, followed by her children. In the back, two glows provided enough light to give the stable a comforting atmosphere—the light from the flames of a pair of Rapidash, a mare and a stallion. Upon seeing Kitt, the mare gave another loud whinny, stamping one hoof as Kitt approached. Kitt held out a hand, and the Pokémon nuzzled it fondly. "Hey, Abbi. Have you been behaving for Will and his grandfather?"

"She's been great." Will said, slipping a bridle over the stallion's nose. "Granddad can't thank you enough for lending her to us. Firecracker was so listless after his surgery—seeing a new face in the stable perked him right up. Not only that, but they make a great pair in harness."

"I see…" Kitt replied, running her hand down Abbi's neck as far as she could reach. "And I take it that they get along well out of harness as well?"

A faint blush crept across Will's cheeks. "I…don't know if they get along quite that well, Ma'am. I mean, if they did, and it wasn't too much hassle for you, I doubt Granddad would oppose to Abbi staying here a little longer…"

Kitt laughed, as did Caleb, though their children, admiring Firecracker, didn't seem to pick up on the conversation. "You'd have to put up with Amanda, too, but I don't mind. As long as it's what best for her, and it's what she wants, then she can stay here as long as you are able to care for her."

As the aforementioned Floatzel wormed her way out of a crate full of warm cloth scraps and straw that had been set up for her in a corner of Abbi's roomy stall, Kitt leaned over to whisper in Will's ear, "Just make sure you keep the vinegar—of any kind—out of Amanda's paws. She gets quite drunk off of it."

"Noted. Would you mind bringing Abbi out of her stall?"

"Of course not. Would you like help harnessing her?"

Leading Firecracker out of his stall, Will stopped and looked back in surprise. "I couldn't ask you to do that! If it wasn't for you, well, we might've lost Fire. Besides, it's Christmas."

Taking down another bridle from a peg on the wall, Kitt waited until Abbi lowered her head to accept it before beginning to slip it on. "Really, it's no trouble at all. And if it would make you feel better, consider it a teaching moment—it seems my youngest is quite smitten."

It was true—ever since discovering how to sight-share with Jade, one of Skylar's favorite things, as it was with many girls her age, was anything to do with equine Pokémon. Kitt had considered signing her up for riding lessons when she was a bit older, but even now Sky could begin to learn some of the basics. Looking at the expression on the little Hybrid's face as she petted Firecracker—much to the gentle stallion's amusement—Will came to the same realization. "Oh, all right. At least the work'll go a little faster with you helping. C'mon—the sleigh's in the shed out back."

In actuality, it took a little longer than it would have had Will hitched both Rapidash to the sleigh himself, but this was because Caleb turned out to be absolutely hopeless with anything more complex than the light harness Pan preferred in the summer. Will, who had been explaining the different parts of the harness and what they were for to Sky, Kira, and Anthony, offered to help untangle the knotted straps, and Caleb gratefully accepted, his hands caught up somewhere in the mess. Knowing what Caleb was capable of with a length of rope, Kitt found the situation amusing, though Caleb pointed out through the link that a complex Rapidash harness was quite a bit different than the traps he'd learned to set in his youth for self-defense.

Finally, the harness was untangled, Abbi and Firecracker hitched to the sleigh, and Kitt and the kids settled inside it with Amanda and Pan draped across their feet. Caleb helped Will with the shed door, and as soon as the sleigh was out in the cold winter air, he climbed in as well, sitting down close to his wife and pulling her close. Once he knew everyone was ready, Will lightly flicked the reigns, and with the jingling of the belled harnesses, the two Rapidash broke into an easy trot, smoothly pulling the sleigh behind them.

As Kitt had hoped, it was a perfect day for a sleigh ride, and almost as if reading her mind—which she wouldn't have put past him—Caleb began humming "Sleigh Ride", smiling that soft, amused smile she loved so much. She shook her head, a smile of her own crossing her lips, but didn't say anything. She didn't have to.

The swish of the gleaming runners on the snow, the dark, glossy wood of the sleigh, the warm blankets that decorated the seats—it was just as she had wished it to be. Snowflakes glittered in the light cast by the flames of the two Rapidash, who stepped perfectly in sync and who were unbothered by either the snow or the weight of the sleigh. And just as the breeze carried the tiny crystals past and over the sleigh's occupants, so did it carry the chime of silver bells. The pines shimmered with the snow that coated their branches, and those trees that had shed their leaves gleamed with the thin layer of ice that had been left behind by the storm that had passed through only a couple days before. Here and there, golden shafts of sunlight broke through the clouds, and whatever they touched shone like diamonds.

Kira and Sky were absolutely enchanted, their eyes wide with the delight that only a child could feel. Being the most serious and down-to-earth of the three—especially considering he was nearing his tenth birthday and could soon set out on his own if he wished—Anthony was not quite as caught up in the wonder as his younger siblings, but he was in no way immune. Kitt and Caleb both noticed, of course, and for a moment the ride became bittersweet—a moment where, as all parents did, they realized that their child was growing up.

But today was Christmas day, and so, with some effort, the realization was set aside. Such a matter could be dwelled upon later; today was for spending time with one's family and basking in the magic that the holiday season brought with it.

Had the wind been just right, as Will guided Abbi and Firecracker into a gentle curve that brought the sleigh closer to a strip of woodland, Caleb and Sky might have caught the scent of someone standing there, watching the sleigh pass but unwilling to come any closer.

A general sense of contentment had fallen over the occupants of the sleigh. While most of the initial wonder had worn off, Anthony, Skylar, and Kira were still happily watching as the scenery swished by, asking questions that their parents and Will were happy to answer, or excitedly commenting on something they passed. Will was quite knowledgeable about the park and its history, and often would interject little bits of trivia into the conversation, something that Anthony in particular was finding quite fascinating. Abbi and Firecracker seemed to be enjoying the outing as much as anyone else, conversing between eachother as they pulled the sleigh along, and after working out a minor spat over who got to sit on whose feet, Pan and Amanda had dozed off in the bottom of the sleigh, curled up around eachother for added warmth.

Then Pan suddenly sat bolt upright, all traces of sleep gone from his face, and before anyone could grab him he leapt from the sleigh and skidded to a halt in front of the two Rapidash. "Wait! Stop!"

Not wanting to trample the young Absol, Abbi and Firecracker did so as fast as they could, both rearing up on their hind legs as they tried to avoid bringing their front hooves down on top of him. Pan held his ground, trembling, only flinching when each Rapidash managed to plant their hooves to either side of him. The sleigh slid forward even after the Pokémon pulling it had halted; it finally came to a complete stop after running into the two Rapidash, though not hard enough to injure them—both jumped forward as soon as they felt its touch, though Abbi spooked and reared up again. Pan, finally losing his nerve, bolted past her and under the sleigh with a yelp just as her hooves came down where he had been.

"Paan'u!" Sky shrieked, having seen her friend bolt from the sleigh and heard his yell. Not realizing he was unhurt, she tried to climb out of the sleigh herself, only to be caught by her older siblings before she could do so. "Lemme go!"

"Stay here," Kitt commanded, as she climbed out of the sleigh. Caleb had vaulted out before it had even come to a complete stop. "Kira, Anthony, try to calm Sky down. I don't think Pan's hurt, but someone might be if we don't find out what happened, and the safest place for you right now is here."

"Yes, Mom!" Both of the older children chorused, scared themselves but trying their best to hide their fear. Confident that they would have everything under control, Kitt ran towards the front of the sleigh. "Amanda! Get over here!"

Will had already managed to soothe Firecracker, but Caleb was having more trouble getting Abbi to calm down, the suddenly skittish Rapidash snorting nervously as she pranced in place, unable to keep still. Brushing past her husband, Kitt gently took the mare's head in her hands, Abbi quieting at the touch. As Kitt lightly stroked the Rapidash's nose and murmured soothingly to her, Amanda wove between Abbi's front legs, chattering up to her in her own proven calming method. Meanwhile, Caleb coaxed Pan out from under the sleigh, confirmed he was okay, and then carried him back to Sky, who finally calmed down when she was able to bury her hands in his fur.

Will, checking both Rapidash for possible injury, looked over to Kitt. "I'm not going to ask about why your daughter's Absol can speak English, but what possessed him to leap out in front of us like that? We could've gotten into an accident!"

"He must've sensed something was about to go wrong," Kitt said, worry creeping into her voice. "But what—"

A loud, panicked whinny rang out, along with a terrified yell and the sound of thundering hoofbeats. Another sleigh, larger and drawn by a trio of Ponyta, barreled down the slope, the white-faced driver trying desperately to bring the team under control. Will, suddenly pale, yanked a Pokéball from his belt. "Sakura, Sweet Scent, as strong as you can make it!"

As the Meganium materialized, a cloud of pollen erupted from her flower petals, rapidly spreading into the oncoming sleigh's path as it continued to expand. As soon as the Ponyta hit the cloud, they began to slow, the soothing scent of the pollen working to calm them down. Gradually, the runaway sleigh came to a halt.

Will was already running over to the other sleigh, its driver shakily climbing down to the ground. He managed to catch her as she stumbled. "Bess! What happened?"

"I…I don't know." Bess wrung her gloved hands nervously. "I was returning from dropping my passengers off, and suddenly Flicker, Candle, and Firefly spooked. I couldn't get them to stop or even slow down! If it wasn't for your Meganium…I don't even want to think about what might have happened!"

Looking back to his sleigh, Will swallowed. "Yeah… We were lucky. I've got an Absol in the back. If he hadn't leapt out in front of the Rapidash… We would have been right in your path."

Noticing how badly Bess was shaking, Kitt closed her eyes and sent a message through the link, and Caleb grabbed two of the blankets his kids weren't using and brought them over, draping one over Bess's shoulders. He spread the other out on the snow just before her legs folded underneath her. Will caught her and lowered her onto the blanket, sitting down next to her and pulling her into a hug.

As the situation played out, a third sleigh pulled up, smaller and pulled by a single, older Mudsdale mare. A silver-haired man that Kitt recognized as Mr. Burnett practically jumped off the sleigh as he tried to rush over. "Will! What happened? Are you all right?"

"Granddad!" Will called with relief. "We're fine. But I think we're going to need help getting everyone back…"

As he explained the situation again, Kitt checked on the three Ponyta. The young mare looked away apologetically, but the two stallions just shook their heads before snuffling around in the snow. All three seemed unharmed. So what had spooked them?

"…And that's what happened. Bess has no idea what spooked them, but I don't think she's going to be able to drive back. If you took her team, do you think Lady'd be all right with following behind you?"

Mr. Burnett looked back to the Mudsdale, who dipped her head in a nod. "Looks like she's just fine with it. Might as well get moving."

Will helped Bess back to her feet and helped her into the back of her sleigh. Caleb picked up the snow-covered blanket, then froze, a low rumble building in his throat. Something wasn't right.

A large brown blur shot out of the trees, leapt into the sleigh where his children were still huddled, and leapt out again, Sky dangling from its jaws by the back of her parka. Before anyone could react, it was gone, leaving behind only a line of pawprints.

"Skylar!" Kitt yelled, running towards where the Pokémon had stood in the split second before it had run off. "Caleb, it's got Skylar!"

He grabbed her, pulled her close. Anthony and Kira peered wide-eyed over the top of the sleigh, too shocked to react. Pan was close to tears, not knowing what to do, and Jade, equally lost, fluttered around his head. Neither had been trained for this sort of situation. "I know. I know. I'm gonna get her back. But Kitt…I think that was one of the twins."

Kitt gasped. "One of the twins? But you said…Why would they take Sky?"

He shook his head, eyes starting to pale as he fought to control his emotions. Releasing Kitt, he took a moment to study the tracks, to catch a lingering hint of the scents of his daughter and her abductor. "I don't know. Something must be wrong. This might be their way of trying to get help. Look, I don't know for sure, but I need you to stay here and look after everyone. I'll be back with Sky as soon as I can!"

Skylar's first reaction to her sudden abduction was that of surprise, then a thrill of fear as she heard her mother's cries. As soon as the teeth of her captor had closed on the back of her coat, Jade had been knocked from her shoulder, their sight-sharing cut off as the little bird's concentration was broken.

Even though she had been plunged back into the familiar darkness, Sky's next reaction was to fight back. She began flailing around, and in response her captor slowed their pace and lightly shook her, growling quietly. "Do not struggle."

With a quiet whine, Sky went limp.

As her captor sped up again, Sky squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus on what her other senses were telling her. Touch wasn't much help at the moment, but her ears noted a shift in the sound of the pawsteps of her captor—the crunching of the snow was softer, and there was a harder sound underneath, like pavement. Smell was also proving to be more useful; she could pick up the spice of a Fire-scent, but also a tinge of something that reminded her of her mother's Luxray. She wasn't as good yet at identification as her father, but she was learning…

After a few more minutes, her captor slowed again, then stopped, and Sky found herself gently dropped to the ground. Immediately, she tried to run, but before she got very far she felt someone catch ahold of her and pick her up. "Wait."

"Lemme go!" Sky yelled, struggling against the person holding her. It was a futile effort, since the girl's—she could tell by the voice and scent—wiry arms were strong. Without thinking, Sky tried to summon a flame like her father could and was lightly bopped on the head. "None of that."

Once again, Sky was set down, and again, she tried to run. This time, the other girl grabbed her arm tightly, and Sky felt a light prick on her wrist—a claw. The other girl was a Hybrid. "I told you, do not run."

"What do you want?" Sky asked. She was starting to get upset. "I want to go back to Mommy and Daddy!"

The older Hybrid began pulling her along. "My brother is hurt. You can help him."

"No I can't! Take me back!"

"You can." The other Hybrid led her around a corner, and Sky caught the scent of another individual—another Hybrid, a boy. She could hear the pain in his breathing, and there was also another scent, the scent of blood.

The older girl pulled her over to the injured boy, and guided her hand to touch the boy's side. Sky could feel blood soaking into her mitten as the older Hybrid drew her hand over the wound. "My brother was hurt by a human with a knife," she said, practically spitting the last few words. "But you can heal him."

Now Sky was confused. "But how? I'm five."

She could almost feel the older Hybrid's gaze intensify. "Your father was touched by Ho-Oh. It is in his scent. Her gift is bound to his bloodline now. Your mother is tied to another Legend, a strong one—I can smell her scent on you. You have inherited from both of them—but at the price of your sight."

Skylar shivered. "I don't understand…"

"You heal my brother, and I will take you back."

"But I don't know how!"

"You do!" The girl snapped. "You have the healing flame. Find it and use it!"

Sky sniffed, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. The older Hybrid's harsh tone scared her. And yet… The girl was afraid, too. Afraid for her brother. That was something Sky could understand—if her brother was in danger, she would want to help him in any way possible. But could she do anything for the other girl's brother?

Well…She could try…

Closing her eyes, Sky turned her focus inward, the way her father had been teaching her to do. She could feel her flame, and teased a little bit of it forth, a small bit of it coalescing in her palm. The older girl hissed. "Not that flame! The other one—the healing flame!"

"Healing flame?"

"Ho-Oh's gold flame—it can heal any wound, and revive those on the brink of death. You have it, I can sense it! Your father, he was saved by it, and he passed it to you! Please, I know you can find it if you try!"

"Okay…" Skylar looked again, but couldn't find a trace of anything different. "I can't find it!"

"You must! Please, little one… I do not know how much longer my brother might have…"

Sky heard the fear in the way the older Hybrid's voice trembled, and suddenly something occurred to her. "Daddy's been trying to help a pair of twins who don't have a home, and who don't like people. Are you them?"

The girl made a noise like a nervous growl. "…We are."

"And you took me because you can't take him to a doctor?"

"We do not trust anyone other than eachother and your father. It is how we survive."

"My uncle is a doctor, and he's really nice. What if he looked at your brother?"

Another low, scared growl. "I do not know if my brother has the time. Please…"

Sky drew a nervous breath. "I'll…I'll try again." She closed her eyes, searching deeper. If I have a healing flame…a gift from Ho-Oh…I want to use it. I want to help…

Her blind eyes couldn't see it, but Skylar thought she could feel the warmth of the flame shift as it changed to a pale, but warm, golden hue.

"That is it! Ho-Oh's healing flame!" The older Hybrid yelped. "Quick, my brother's wound!"

Lightly taking Sky's wrist, the girl placed it at one end of her brother's wound, then pulled it down over the rest of the slash before placing it over the deepest part of the injury. As Skylar's mitten traced over the wound it began to heal itself, first scabs, then scar tissue, though it was clear that Sky wasn't strong enough yet to completely heal it. Soon, the little Hybrid had to stop, her golden flame fading back into her Elemental Core. But what she had been able to do was enough. She could hear the boy's breathing ease as the pain of his wound faded, hear his sister's relieved cry.

And she heard something else: The sound of her father's voice. "Skylar!"

"Skylar!"

Caleb watched as his daughter turned at the sound of his voice. "Daddy!"

Filled with relief, he started forwards, into the alley he'd tracked the pawprints to. "Are you okay? You're not—" A snarl cut him off. He immediately slowed, put his hands into plain view. "Willow, it's okay. I just came to get Skylar."

In response the teen growled again, her electric-blue eyes narrowed as she stepped in front of Sky. Caleb froze, reading her body language. In the past few weeks, he'd come to know Willow and her twin brother, Blaze, well enough to come to a vital realization. Willow wasn't being aggressive—she was being defensive. Something had happened.

"Willow? What's wrong?"

Willow tensed. "Blaze was attacked, badly hurt. A knife. He needed help. Your cub—Skylar—inherited Ho-Oh's gift."

In spite of himself, Caleb took another step forward, instantly worried. "Blaze was attacked by a knife? Who did it to him? Exactly how badly was he hurt?"

A shadow slumped against the back of the alley stirred, revealing itself to be another teen, one who shared the same blue eyes and wild red hair as his sister. His bare chest was marred by a large, semi-healed slash mark that continued down under his arm. "Greene… I…I am all right."

"Blaze!" Willow half-hissed, running back to her brother. "You are not all right! You are not healed yet… Rest." She turned back to Caleb. "A human did this. A boy, not much older than us. The wound was bad. Much longer, and he would fall to the bleeding or to the wound turning sour."

"He was looking for a fight." Blaze added, one hand coming up to his wound. "I did not want to fight, even when he began to say things about Willow and I—especially Willow…It would not have been fair, since he is human and I am not. He would not listen…We fought hand-to-hand, and then he drew his blade."

"He stank of the tainting leaves," Willow spat. "He would not have sought us otherwise."

Privately, Caleb wasn't sure that drugs alone had caused the other teenager's aggression. He could remember too many incidents from his own teen years, let alone later in life, that proved otherwise. He knew that arguing, however, would only aggravate the situation further, so he changed the topic, taking another step forward as he did so. "You said that Skylar had inherited Ho-Oh's gift from me. What gift?"

"The healing flame. It allows any wound to be healed, including ones that would kill. It saved you, not that long ago. It keeps you alive."

Memories flashed across Caleb's mind's eye: Gunshots, blood on his claws, a fall into darkness. Waking up in the hospital to the tearstained face he thought he would never see again. His brother opening his locket to show the gray feather inside, once so bright with the flame it contained.

And something else, something strange: Himself, pale and bloodstained, being rushed into surgery, a white-faced David holding an oxygen mask to his face. And his locket, still lying on his chest among the reddened gauze, wreathed in a pale gold light, burning with warmth.

Unsettled, Caleb shook his head, trying to rid himself of the disturbing memory that he hadn't known he'd had. At least he knew now for sure what Willow was referring to, though how she had known about it—and that it marked him as one of Ho-Oh's Chosen—remained a mystery. Perhaps it was something she could sense. The fact that she could sense a similar mark on his five-year-old daughter, however, was worrying.

Willow seemed to read his mind. "The gift is tied to your bloodline, Greene, as it is for all who have been Chosen. However, it does not manifest in every descendant. Skylar, at a cost, received both. She will be quite powerful when she comes into her full strength."

Caleb felt the fur on the back of his neck and along his shoulders rise. He knew, of course, that the Chosen often were granted some ability by their Guardians, but he hadn't realized that those gifts could be passed on—nor that the flame that had saved his life had been one such gift. And, if Willow spoke the truth, it wasn't all that his youngest had received. "She inherited a gift from her mother?"

Willow nodded. "It sleeps within her still, but it is there."

"And at a cost...Her blindness…" Caleb breathed. "To prevent her from becoming too powerful…"

What mark is she destined to leave on this world?

Snapping out of his thoughts, Caleb narrowed his eyes at the younger Hybrid. "You still shouldn't have taken her. I would have come and helped you regardless!"

"You do not have the ability to heal!" Willow hissed, tensing again.

"Skylar is five, blind, and has barely begun learning how to harness her Elemental abilities! Had she gotten away from you, she could have gotten seriously hurt!"

"I needed her help! Without the healing flame, Blaze would not have lived much longer!"

"You had her use that ability? Without her knowing how, or what her limits are?" Caleb had to bite back the snarl that was building in his throat. He had spent weeks trying to get the twins to trust him; he didn't want to sabotage that trust. But oh, how he wanted Willow to understand what she might have done! "You risked my daughter to save your brother?"

"He is all I have left!" Willow snapped. "Do not tell me you would not do the same!"

"Willow—"

"Stay out of this, Blaze!"

The male twin narrowed his eyes. "No. Greene makes a fair point. I understand why you did this, but you should not have put his cub at risk. Had I not been unconscious, I would have protested your actions."

"And if it had been me, badly wounded by that knife?"

Blaze hesitated. "I do not know."

"Besides," Willow said, meeting Caleb's gaze, "I could not force Skylar to use her gift. The healing flame must be given freely. The final choice was hers."

"Is this true?"

Though those three words were all that Caleb said, their meaning was clear to all present—as was who they were addressed to. Little Skylar nodded. "I wanted to help, Daddy. Blaze was really hurt, and Willow was scared for him. And I couldn't find that flame until I wanted to."

"Skylar…" Caleb stepped forward again, and this time Willow moved aside so he could reach his daughter. He pulled her into a hug. "I'm proud of you, little one. But you were also very foolish. You're still young—your Core is not very strong yet. And you cannot trust blindly. There will be people who will try and hurt you for your gifts."

"Yes, Daddy," Sky said, her voice muffled as she pressed her face into his shoulder. "But I'm okay. I'm just tired."

This time, Caleb thought privately. He glanced over to the twins. "Willow, Blaze, I want you to come with me. Until that wound heals, I'd like you to stay with my family."

They shared a nervous look before Willow spoke up. "You are taking us off the streets and into your home? After what we did?"

"Are you sure it is wise?" Blaze added. "You know how we are."

Caleb nodded. "Neither of you likes being confined and you're wary around people. I understand that—I remember being the same way, once. But you'll be much safer off the streets, and you'll have plenty of food and a warm place to sleep. I can also have someone look at that wound—someone you will be able to trust. And once Blaze heals, you will be free to leave at any time. What do you think?"

The twins glanced at eachother again, this time holding the look for much longer. No doubt they were communicating through whatever special bond they had—be it a link, or something else. Caleb could see the subtle changes in their expressions; the tiny movements of their eyes, a slight tilt of the head, the twitch of a lip over a fang. Then, a slight nod. Blaze looked up. "We will go with you."

"All right." Straightening up, Caleb pulled off his coat. Walking over to Blaze, he carefully draped it over the younger Hybrid's shoulders. "Pull this on, Blaze. You're not at full strength, and you'll need to hide that wound until we get home. Can you stand on your own?"

Blaze nodded, then carefully put his arms through the sleeves of Caleb's long coat. It was slightly too large for the younger Hybrid, but it easily hid his wound. With some assistance, he was able to get to his feet, a long, thin tail flicking behind him for balance—a tail that was several inches too short. Even though he knew it was an injury that had been inflicted long before he had met the twins, Caleb couldn't help but wince every time he saw it. It was possible it could have resulted from an accident, but he had the sneaking suspicion it hadn't.

With Willow hovering anxiously by her brother's side and Sky in his arms, Caleb led the twins out of the alley, keeping a lookout for trouble. Thankfully, the trip back to the park was uneventful, and Caleb reunited with his family at the stable. With a soft, relieved cry, Kitt took her daughter from her husband. "Oh, thank goodness she's all right!"

"Yeah…" Caleb regarded Skylar lovingly. "She just tired herself out." He brushed a lock of hair from his sleeping daughter's face, a slight frown flicking across his features. She inherited both gifts… A healing flame gifted to me from Ho-Oh…But what did she get from Kitt?

"Caleb?"

He started. "It's nothing."

Her expression told him she didn't believe that for a minute, but they were interrupted by Kira. "Mom, Dad, who're they?"

She pointed back towards the stable door, where Willow and Blaze were lurking, ready to bolt if they had to. Anthony, standing inside Abbi's stall, was watching them just as warily as they were him.

"Those are the twins I've been visiting, Willow and Blaze. They'll be staying with us for a little while."

"Why?"

"Blaze was hurt in an accident, Kira. It'll be better for him to be somewhere warm until he's fully recovered."

Kira looked back at the twins, then up at her father. "Okay. But does this mean that Anthony has to share me and Sky's room?"

"We'll see. I don't know yet how this will work."

Kira nodded and went back to playing with Amanda, Pan, and Jade, but Caleb could almost sense the questions she hadn't asked—the questions she was afraid to. He sighed. One day, he would have to answer those questions.

"Here." Kitt said, passing Skylar back to him. She leaned in closer as the little girl made the transition from her mother's arms to her father's. "What really happened, Caleb?"

He poured the details of the encounter into the link, felt Kitt's emotions shift as she took it all in. Shock, anger, worry, pride, but above it all, love. Love for her youngest child, and the love that she would offer to the two wayward Hybrids who seemed to need it more than anything else.

Slowly pulling away from Caleb and Sky, Kitt turned back to the two Hybrids who stood anxiously by the door. She'd heard so much about them…but this wasn't how she thought she'd meet them. Hopefully, this wouldn't end poorly.

She was slow in her approach, giving them plenty of time to judge her intent, even as it gave her some time to study them. Both Willow and Blaze appeared to be fourteen, maybe fifteen—though whether or not that was there true age, even Caleb didn't know. They had been born into a Pyroar's pride and somehow had gained another form, though they weren't like most other Shifters. Granted, the lines that had once seemed so clear were blurring now as new variants of the ability came to light—excluding, of course, the oddity that was Jake—but what were now becoming known as Half- or Partial-Shifters were still much more unusual than their fully Shifting kin.

Willow and Blaze were also unique because, as far as Kitt could tell, their Hybrid forms were nearly fully human. Were it not for their slitted pupils, claws and fangs—and in Blaze's case, his tail—they could have easily slipped into human society, especially in those places where nonhumans were more likely to be accepted for what they were. And yet somehow the two of them had ended up living on the streets as scavengers…

Kitt stopped when she felt that she was to the point where going any further would be unwise, leaving several feet of space between herself and the twins—and honestly shocked that they would let her this close. She gave them a moment to adjust to her presence, then asked softly, "You're Willow and Blaze, right?"

They nodded, still unsure. Then Willow asked, "And you are Greene's mate, and the mother of his cubs?"

Kitt smiled. "I've never heard it put quite like that before, but I am.

To her surprise, the twins backed up a half step, Willow in particular looking nervous. "And you are willing to let us into your home after what we did to Skylar?"

Kitt nodded, her expression becoming more serious. "I'm not happy about that, but I am willing to forgive you, Willow. Blaze, if it's okay, can I look at your injury? Caleb usually keeps a roll of bandages in one of his pockets, so I can tend to it if you want."

Again, the twins hesitated, exchanging a look, before Blaze bowed his head. "If we are to stay with you, you will see it sooner or later. I do not believe it needs bandages, though."

"Even if it's half-healed, they'll help reduce the risk of infection," Kitt pointed out. "But if you don't want them, then that's up to you. Just make sure to take it easy so you don't tear the scabs."

Blaze nodded, and it was then that Kitt caught the faint tremor that ran through his thin frame. Fire-Type Hybrid or not, it was too cold for him to be outside after sustaining such an injury, particularly considering the threadbare and ragged clothes he and his sister both wore. Kitt pulled off her coat and offered it to Willow, who put it on after a moment's hesitation. That action, in and of itself, spoke volumes, and Kitt turned back to her husband, who had been watching the encounter quietly. "Let's head home."

Mr. Burnett offered to take everyone back to the Greene residence via sleigh, and Kitt and Caleb gratefully accepted—though considering that the older man was insisting he make up for the near-collision and subsequent events somehow, it was quite likely that they would have eventually said yes anyway. Skylar woke up near the end of the trip, and happily enjoyed the rest of it in spite of her recent misadventure.

After bidding Mr. Burnett farewell, Caleb unlocked the front door and pushed it open, allowing the twins to go through first and examine their surroundings. Wide-eyed, Blaze asked, "This is where you live? It is so nice!"

Caleb couldn't help but smile. "Well, we share it with a number of Pokémon, many of whom come and go as they please, but yes, this is our home. It's not the fanciest, but it's comfortable, and it's ours, and that's all that matters. And it's yours, too, for as long as it needs to be."

A tentative smile worked its way onto the teen's face. "Thank you, Greene. Is it…Is it okay if I find somewhere to rest?"

Caleb nodded. "Sure. There's a couch in the living room you can have until we figure out more permanent arrangements. Now hang on—" He added, as Blaze started to turn, "There's an Absol in a nest in one of the corners of that room, and she's got an Egg. Let me go first, so she knows you're there."

Blaze stepped back, letting Caleb through the entry, which was starting to become a bit crowded as the rest of the Greene family came inside. After a few moments, there was a startled exclamation, and then Caleb called, "Everyone, come and see this!"

They found him kneeling at the edge of Frost's blanket nest, a wide grin on his face. For there, lying curled up by the blue Absol's side, was a small, dirty-gray bundle. "The Egg must've hatched while we were out. Isn't he wonderful?"

"She," Frost corrected, nuzzling the cub, who squeaked, stretched, and then curled up again. On her other side, Duskrunner's tail thumbed a steady beat, the Houndoom every inch the proud father. Thorn sat by his sire's side, shooting curious glances at his newest sibling, while Pan stared wide-eyed at his baby sister. "I told you that this one would be female."

"Why is she all gray?" Pan asked. "Where's her horn?"

Frost smiled at the younger of her two sons. "Your brother asked the same questions when you hatched, Paan'u-La. Her fur will change color soon—this is just her hatching-pelt. And her horn will begin to bud out in a few moons. She does look a little strange without it, no? But it will give her time to learn about her world now, and not what might be, and it will give her time to do it safely. After all, you were a bit of a klutz when you were her age. Don't you think it would have been harder with a horn?"

After a moment's thought, Pan nodded, looking sheepish. Frost's smile turned impish. "And Paan'u-La, don't feel bad. I had to explain this to Cal'le-Sa when Tho'riin hatched, even though he was at the hatching! He thought something had gone wrong. But then," she added, looking up at her Companion, "When we first met, I was two seasons old and my horn was already budding. The only difference was that my pelt had yet to take on its final blue tint."

"You may have had to explain it, but there was still much about you that I didn't know," Caleb replied mock-accusingly. "I was still learning a lot about your kind and your customs."

"And you still are!" Frost replied, childishly sticking out her tongue at him. Even Willow found this amusing. "Do they always argue like this?" She asked Kitt.

"They do. Caleb and Frost have always been good friends, and this is just part of their unique relationship." Kitt replied, then looked over to Frost. "Have you picked out a name yet?"

The blue Absol shook her head. "Not yet. Not until her eyes open and her fur begins to pale. By then I will know what name is right for her." She gazed fondly down at the little one, who was gumming on one of her own front paws, the tiny baby claws dull to prevent self-injury. "She hatched on an auspicious day, did she not? Both our families have grown."

Caleb blinked. "What do you mean?"

Frost chose not to answer, and just smiled her enigmatic smile.