"C'mon.." a deep voice spoke, ringing through the air now, a heel of a leather, black boot lightly digging into the side of a buckskin horse, its hooves moving faster in the dirt, accompanied by other sounds of hooves on the trail.

"Stop going so quick!" a different voice sounded, one with more emotion. "Too tired to trot.."

"There is no time to waste right now…" the other said in a scolding manner, having turned in his saddle around to face the other younger man. This person was not so old, appearing to be older than a teenage boy but younger than a real adult. Silvery strands fell into his face, lightly glowing in the light of the moon that was full up in the sky through bare branches of the forest where they would walk on their horses.

"But, Maverick…" the other whined again, being a younger child, perhaps in his middle teenage years with short yet beautiful, blonde hair that ran down the sides of his face. The strands were short but full nonetheless. His mount was a black horse, trotting slow but bouncy, the child within the saddle moving with the horrible strides in a tired manner.

"Not now, Gabriel! Stop!"

Maverick was frustrated. It was late. Their horses were tired. He was tired. The man was only trying to find a place to stay for the night, having found nothing in sight for either them or their horses.

Gabriel spoke no more, his tired hands managing to pull back on the leather reins he was holding to slow his horse down from that irritating, bouncy trot. The horse would toss its head, the mane of black being thrown into the air only to flutter down on its neck once again. The teeth would chew at the bit within its mouth, annoyed at having such a thing inside at this time of night.

"Alright.." Maverick finally said, lightly taking his reins back to slow his own mount to a stop, the buckskin's ears fluttering back and forth, its eyes looking around alert, as if something was watching..

Slipping his leather boot from the saddle, Maverick swung his leg over, dropping himself to the ground and taking his other foot from the stirrup. "Let's walk a bit, give the horses a break. They've had us on them all day.."

"So tired..and hungry as well.." Gabriel complained as he was assisted down by Maverick, barely managing to touch the ground without losing his balance for a moment.

"We'll find something..at least I hope so.." Maverick assured his brother, looking around the rather scary forest.

The buckskin had dropped its head now, sniffing the ground until a twig on the ground broke somewhere in the trees. The horse's head snapped up, as well as the other black one, muscles tight and ready to run.

Both boys were quiet, looking around frantically themselves for what had made such a noise.

"I-it's…scary here.." Gabriel whispered to Maverick, his blue eyes still looking around for the creature that may have been watching them.

"C'mon," Maverick spoke, shaking his head of silver to shrug such a thing off, "we need to keep moving now.."

Leaving his brother with the black gelding, Maverick took the reins of his buckskin, the horse nickering with the hindquarters moving aside quick, as if Maverick had been the predator about to jump its prey.

The two boys guided their mounts along the trail, Maverick leading the way along the path, seeming unafraid while Gabriel was glancing around nervously for signs of danger, as was his horse that walked hesitantly beside him.

Silence filled the air. Neither of the boys made a sound, and their horses didn't either, as if trying to strain their hearing for a noise that may tell them that something was near. That something may jump from the bushes and the bare trees to catch and harm them.

"Maverick.." the blonde haired boy finally whispered, as if unsure that he should be speaking at all.

"Hush now. Look there.." Gabriel's older brother pointed up through the leaf-less trees, a rather large castle of dark grey looming ahead of them now. The black sky filled with ominous clouds did not make it look inviting at all. Its gates were closed to them, the tops of the rusted metal pointed and sharp for anyone that may try to climb them instead of getting through. The courtyard inside through the gates and wall was filled with bushes and grass, but the plants were not green. They were dying, the bushes losing their leaves and twigs, the grass brown and dry.

"Maverick," Gabriel spoke in a whining manner as the two were stopped in front of the gates of this dangerous looking castle, "you don't expect to go in there, now…do you?"

"Of course, I do. We have nowhere else to go for the night. The horses need rest."
Gabriel gulped. His horse beside him nickered, the back legs shifted and its tail swished.

Maverick stepped forward, his horse behind him trying to stop put, but the older brother would tug forward on the reins, forcing the buckskin to follow. His hand would reach forward, hesitant to touch the rusted metal but soon resting a few of his cold fingers against the even colder metal. Maverick moved himself forward, his hand pushing into the closed gate. It moved forward with his weight, but it did not open.

"It's closed.." Gabriel spoke, his fingers to his mouth.

"No, it's not. I didn't even try to open it.."

But as Maverick tried then to push on it again, harder this time, something moved behind them all, something moving at a quick pace behind them.

The horses startled, the black gelding whinnying as its head was thrown up in the air. Gabriel struggled to hold the reins, frantically trying to reach out with his other hand and touch the horse, as if that alone would comfort and calm it. But the black gelding would only worsen, rearing back for only a moment on its leap, its tail swishing, head tossing.

Maverick had managed to keep hold of the buckskin, calming the horse before it would get so out of control.

And the black gelding soon calmed itself, Gabriel in a kind of panic then as his blue eyes turned to his brother. "What..was that?!"

"I don't know…maybe a stick fell off of the trees?"

Both boys were looking around again, their horses' ears moving quickly back and forth, trying to track whatever had moved. Everyone was on high alert. Silence would fill the air again. It seemed like an eternity, but it was only a few moments.

A gentle breeze blew through the air. Dead leaves were blown up in the wind. The gates screeched back and forth with the wind. But both the boys and their horses did not move.

Something jumped form the trees. Maverick and Gabriel both let out a scream, their horses spooked and moving back against the stones walls.

A nervous squirrel snaked about their feet, dashing through the metal of the gates and down into the courtyard, moving out of sight.

Maverick let out a sigh. "You see, Gabriel? Nothing to be afraid of. Just a squirrel."

"Me? Afraid? You were frightened, too, brother!" Gabriel accused, poking Maverick in his shoulder hard and angrily.

"Hey! But you started it!" Maverick argued back, taking his brother's hand and forcing it down.

And suddenly jumping from the trees, something else came, growling and howling as twigs broken and fell to the dead and dry ground, leaves crunching under its feet. This creature wasn't something small.

Moving fast toward the boys, Maverick and Gabriel let out another scream, their horses frightened, the black gelding shaking loose from the little brother's grip and taking off at a dead gallop down the trail, back the way they came.

Maverick shoved himself fast hard into the rusty gates of the old castle, busting them open. "Gabriel!"
The little brother, who had fallen into an almost petrified state because of the shock and fear, came to his senses at his brother's call, running as fast as he could inside the courtyard. Maverick's buckskin horse ran inside as well, not away with the other black gelding.

Maverick reached for his brother's hand. And he had just grabbed it hard when something pulled at both boys.

The creature had taken a hold on Gabriel's feet and then his waist with its powerful jaws and sharp teeth. Maverick gasped in fear as he saw the creature's face.

The monster's face resembled that of a wolf, but much more ferocious and terrifying. It stood four powerfully built legs, much bigger than a normal wolf. The teeth were bared, those eyes of ominous yellow focused on Maverick as it growled and roared. This was a creature not to be messed with. This was a werewolf.

"Maverick! Get it away from me!"
Blood dripped down to the dry ground. The werewolf's claws had cut small slashes on Gabriel's chest, the younger brother wincing in pain as tears came to his eyes. "Help me!"
Maverick held on with all he could, gripping his brother's sweaty hands. But they were slipping. "Hang on!"
The werewolf snarled, pulling harder, sinking his claws deeper into Gabriel's skin.

Gabriel screamed. Maverick held on with everything he had. But it wasn't enough. Gabriel's sweaty fingers slipped through Maverick's cold hands.

The werewolf pulled Gabriel away, back to the outside of the gates.

"Maverick!" Gabriel cried out, trying to reach for his brother as he was dragged along the ground. Maverick chased after him, trying to reach him. But the werewolf moved much faster than him, reaching the trees and carrying his brother away. Maverick still gave chase.

"NO, GABRIEL!"

Something took the back of Maverick's shirt. It pulled him back out of the trees, the dead and naked branches cutting at his bare skin of his cheeks and his arms. Out onto the trail and inside the gates again he was pulled. And before he knew it, he was inside the courtyard once again, those metal rusty gates closed as they had been before.

Maverick was silent one moment, trying to take in what had just happened, blood bleeding down his face from the little cuts from the trees. But he was soon on his feet, rushing to the metal barrier that held him now inside the castle walls. "Gabriel!"
"Silence now!"

Maverick jumped out of being startled. Someone had yelled at him.

Swallowing, the older brother would slowly turn around. Behind him stood a tall figure dressed in heavy clothes, all black. There was a cape that was so long, part of it was on the dirty ground. A black blouse was worn underneath it with pants to match as well as shoes. This figure was a man, long, dark hair cascading down his back, tightened behind him now with a rather pretty, red ribbon in a bow. This person's eyes were a sharp blue color, deep and certainly not friendly.

Maverick swallowed at the sight of this rather frightening looking but strangely beautiful person behind him as his hands were clinging to the freezing cold metal bars, his head turned back. Nothing seemed to move in those small moments, not even a small squirrel or a rabbit in the dry forest trees and leaves. Not even a breeze seemed to blow, as if afraid to disturb this scary person.

But his voice would be found at last, for the silence was so suspenseful and nerve-wracking. "…Uhmm.."
"What? If you would have gone after that werewolf, you would be gone as well, like that boy. Be thankful I got you out of there."

The stranger's voice was rough and harsh, as if he was scolding a child for doing something wrong. Maverick just about flinched when it reached his ears. And he would fall speechless again, a soft wind blowing through his silvery mane.

The man took a step to Maverick, blue, fierce eyes fixed upon the other. Maverick seemed to huddle against the fence, as if the metal would ward off the other approaching. This man was definitely not a human being. That was one thing the older brother knew. And he would fall frozen when the man's hand would reach out.

"Such a beautiful face..and hair, you have.."

Maverick's eyes fell shut tightly, as if preparing for a rather hard slap on his cheek. But instead, something cold would touch him.

Maverick's eyes opened then, looking to see that the man's hand had cupped itself around the older brother's cheek, a few strands of silver fluttering about it. He didn't dare move. Not when this other was touching him.

"Hiromaru.."

"What?"

"My name..Hiromaru..Hiro for short."

Maverick blinked, and yet he didn't move. This person was giving him his name? What kind of person was he?

Hiro seemed to chuckle a bit. It was difficult to hear. "You're thoughts are funny."

And this time, Maverick would reach up and pull Hiro's cold and pale hand away from his face, turning away and trying to push the gates open. But Hiro held the neck of his shirt, lightly tugging him away.

"Now, now…you didn't think you could leave here, did you?"

"My brother!" Maverick shouted, his sudden sense of urgency back, erasing the wonder and awe of Hiro's entrancing beauty.

Letting go of the older brother, the man would give a sigh, his eyes looking away, as if thinking what to do. "The werewolves have your brother. He could be dead or worse..and if you left this place, they would come after you next. It would be wise to stay here."

Tears had begun to form about Maverick's eyes, sadness from the realization that his brother may actually be gone filling him up inside.

Hiro was quiet, knowing he couldn't help the teen in front of him. His dark hair was carried forward onto his shoulders with the chilling breeze.

And with that breeze, Maverick shivered, his arms slowly reaching to hold and grip his shoulders as his legs would give out, the older brother sinking to the cold and dry ground below him.

"Come now. Inside should be warmer for you," Hiro offered, stretching out his hand to have Maverick grab it and get to his feet.

Maverick hesitated, choking back tears. His eyes of deep grey and blue would look at Hiro's hand, but he would not reach to take it.

"Please," the man urged Maverick, stretching his hand out to him even further, just about in front of the other's face.

Maverick still didn't take it for a moment, staring at it as if it would reach out and bite him or hurt him. But soon enough, one of his hands would come off of his shoulder, taking the other's hand that pulled him up to his feet.

Hiro smiled then, seeing the other on his feet. He stood taller than Maverick, but that didn't matter. "Come now.." he spoke with gentle words, leading the way down the path in the courtyard.

Maverick did not move right away. He would look back to the gates. Outside of them was his brother possibly being eaten for dinner or being dragged into becoming the very monster that had taken him away. Blinking away one last tear, Maverick would follow Hiro to the entrance of the castle.