Quicksilver

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy! If I did I would be rich! Buahaha! I do own the story line though, so no stealing! I will hunt you down! I mean it!

Warnings: yaoi, cursing, violence, death…

Spoilers: The main characters are from KH2 and FF Crisis Core. If you haven't played those games then that might be considered a spoiler. Nothing major.

Pairings: ?

Plot: Roxas is a young wolf running from his past, setting off to find a new life far to the west. The wolves he meets on his journey will change his life forever, and bring into question everything he's ever known to be true; his past, his present, and his future…


Chapter One: Encounter

Roxas twisted towards the sound of howling nearby, ears twitching atop his head as they swiveled to face the eerie call. His long, bushy tail waved back and forth behind him restlessly, the moon turning his tawny gold pelt silver in the dark light. Blue eyes surveyed the woods behind him nervously, his long, sensitive nose sniffing the night air, sensing for danger. It was all around him, but at a good distance for now. The clans of the area were in the middle of an intense battle Roxas had unluckily wandered into. He had no choice but to hide in the shadows and try to make his way through the woods to a safer haven. He couldn't stay here, not now.

Eyes flitting upwards to the stars he turned westward, running on strong, sleek legs, paws pounding the earth as he put the approaching wolves far behind him. He wasn't from either of the clans, the black wolves of the mountains or the red wolves of the woods; he came from far to the east where his golden pelt matched the pristine sands of the ocean, and the cool breezes brought the sounds of the sea to his ears and a salty tang to his nose. It was nothing like here, where the trees creaked and the animals hid in their holes, fearful of the powerful sentries who patrolled the land. The earth was hard and cold beneath his feet, the air a harsh cold as winter settled in. Still, he headed west; away from the sands he loved, away from the villages he knew so well, away from everything he had once held so dear. He ran, away to a new future somewhere in the west. But first he had to escape the battle he found himself so mistakenly drawn into. He had been lucky so far, remaining unnoticed along the outskirts of the battlefield. Then again, his luck never lasted very long.

Panting, Roxas reached the top of the hill he'd been running towards, looking down into the woods behind him to make sure he wasn't being followed. Suddenly a wolf snarled and barked behind him, Roxas twisting around to see a large red wolf and a massive black wolf circling one another, the smaller red wolf growling and snapping its jaws. The black wolf was intimidating, standing tall on large muscled haunches, the ruff on the back of his neck standing tall; a menacing, deep growl rumbling behind closed fangs.

The red wolf made the first move, leaping forward and snapping his fangs across the black wolf's chest, the bigger wolf moving to the side and sinking his jaws into the shoulder of the smaller wolf before the red wolf managed to break away. Growling, blood slowly spilling from the wound in his shoulder down his front leg, the red wolf growled, "You have no place here, this is our land."

"Tell that to your hunters," the black wolf snarled, "They've been caught trespassing twice since the last full moon. We are tired of your excuses. This ends now."

"They are young and foolish; they do not understand the boundaries of our clans." The red wolf barked back, "When your pups wander to the river we make no move to attack them. They are naïve and should not be punished for rules they are too young to follow."

Violet eyes flashed, the black wolf taking a step closer. "Our pups have never attacked your hunters on your own land! My sister was mauled by your guard, my hunters harassed by your hunters. You are too young to control such a large pack, Axel! They do not listen to you!" He bared his fangs. "They will listen to me."

Roxas backed away from the wolves slowly; intent on escaping before they began fighting again, but his movement seemed to draw their attention, for both of the larger wolves looked over at him at the same time. The tawny wolf froze, heart pounding in his chest, blue eyes darting between violet and green, waiting to see what was about to happen. A confrontation of alphas wasn't something that usually held an audience, and Roxas was trespassing…which was exactly what the two packs were warring over in the first place. Not to mention when he left the woods he would have to pass through the mountains, an invasion of both the red wolves' and the black wolves' territories. He lowered his ears slightly, looking between the two watching him, until finally the red wolf, Axel, moved forward. They were still in the woods after all, which meant of the two alphas present Roxas would have to answer to the red wolf.

"Who are you, what are you doing here." Green eyes pierced through him as the larger wolf advanced, his muzzle revealed his fangs as he snarled.

"I-I'm sorry." Roxas replied, taking a step back. "I was just passing through."

"Are you scouting?" Axel asked, an edge in his voice. A scout was a wolf from another pack who would trespass into territory they knew to be occupied, to see how large the inhabiting clan was and how easily it could be defeated. Being accused of scouting was not something to be taken lightly.

"No! No, I'm not. Honestly, I was just passing through." Blue eyes searched green. "I have no intention of causing problems for your clan, and I apologize for crossing your territory." His eyes flitted to the black wolf watching them, and he added, "I didn't mean to get involved…"

Axel stepped forward, Roxas lowering his ears a bit more but making no move to retreat. The red wolf was larger, which undoubtedly meant he would be faster; it was pointless for the younger wolf to run. The red alpha sniffed his neck and ears, Roxas half-expecting the older wolf to bite him, but Axel sniffed him again then pulled back. "You're not marked by an alpha, which affirms your claims of not being a scout." His green eyes hardened. "You're young, too young to be a rogue. Why are you by yourself?"

Roxas' heart clenched longingly at the other wolf's words. It was still so new to him, the thought of being alone, of no longer being marked by an alpha... The golden wolf hesitated, not sure of what to say. "I…"

A sharp howl broke the tension in the air, the large black wolf watching them turning towards the sound anxiously. "Tifa…" He lifted his chest, pointed his muzzle towards the sky and howled; a deep, echoing sound that soared through the woods and pierced the night air. Moments later black wolves were running out of the forest to the alpha's side, some bleeding or limping from their bouts with the red wolves but all ready and at attention near their leader's massive paws. The wolf stepped forward, violet eyes locked on Axel. "My sister needs me, so I will withdraw for the night. Know that this is not over."

The black wolves slowly turned to leave as their leader made his way through the dark trees, following after him, their eyes gleaming at the smaller alpha angrily. Axel stood his ground, growling when one wolf snorted at him, but soon the red wolf and the tawny wolf were the only wolves left standing atop the hill. Axel watched the woods long after they had disappeared, their howls sill audible far off in the distance. Only when silent moments had passed did the red wolf turn back to Roxas, looking the younger wolf over thoughtfully. "Pass through quickly and silently. The less you are noticed the safer it will be for you."

Roxas lifted his ears slightly. "I will, thank you."

Axel watched him for a moment longer then turned and sauntered off through the woods, limping slightly from the wound on his shoulder, leaving a trail of blood droplets as he went. Roxas stayed where he was, listening to the shuffling of brush fade into silence, then let out a long breath he'd been holding in for far too long. He swayed, falling back on his haunches, and felt his form shifting. That had been one of the most intense things he'd witnessed since leaving his lands. It seemed his land wasn't the only one under the siege of war. Moonlight peeked through the needled bows of the pine trees above him, casting rays of light down on his pale skin and shaggy, tawny spikes. Holding his wolf form took a lot of concentration and energy, and after a long while it could be quite draining. The boy was exhausted, and in need of a good hearty meal and a warm place to sleep. Sadly that wasn't likely to happen, given the state of things in the woods and the nearby mountains. He wasn't about to go seeking hospitality from either of the clans. He sat there naked under the moonbeams for several long minutes, thinking about what he should do, before he lifted himself back up and exhaled slowly, shifting back into wolf form. Sitting around wasn't going to accomplish anything, and if he was going to be on his own for what could possibly be the remainder of his life he needed to start taking care of himself, the sooner the better.

This was something wolves did when they went out on their own; they found their own food, made their own shelter, avoided confrontation and lived solitary lives. He wasn't the first and he was sure he wouldn't be the last. He might be the youngest to attempt what he was doing, but he had nothing left to lose. Going west seemed like the quickest way to get as far from his past as possible. So, west he went. He walked through the tall trees at first, the scent of fresh blood caught in his nose as the wind blew through the trees over and over. His pace quickened to a run, trying to escape that eerie, coppery smell. It seemed to stay with him long after he was out of the battle area, his nimble paws carrying him up an incline towards the forest closest to the mountains. The pine needles and leaves were thicker here, the ground littered with pinecones and nuts of various sorts. Movement caught his eye through the thick trunks of two nearby trees; a squirrel, gathering acorns for the coming winter. He had pounced before the small animal had noticed he was there, killing it with one quick bite and curling up near the base of a tree to devour the tiny meal.

He licked his chops, savoring the feeling of his energy returning almost instantaneously, but the young wolf knew that it would run out quickly with a meal that small. He needed to find about half-a-dozen more squirrels if he was even going to even think about getting a good night's sleep. Trying to rest on an empty stomach led to long, sleepless nights. He knew this already from the past few weeks he'd been on his journey. He still wasn't the best at catching birds, and when he'd crossed the plains before reaching the woods there hadn't been much of anything else to hunt. He was best with small, non-flying animals, or sea creatures. Growing up so close to the ocean he'd learned early how to catch fish and crabs, and how to climb the cliffs to grab unprotected eggs from their nests. With the two clans already fighting over territory and hunting on each other's grounds Roxas wasn't sure if he would be able to find another squirrel at all, let alone be able to hunt in peace. He could smell other wolves nearby, his ears perked and listening intently for the sound of shuffling or running. Another confrontation was the last thing he needed, and since Axel was already long gone it would be pure chance if he managed to be lucky enough to escape unscathed again. The other clan might not be as forgiving as the red alpha, and the whiplash a rogue wolf could receive from a clan for trespassing could be severe. Even deadly if the offense was deemed unforgiveable.

He rose to his feet and began padding softly through the underbrush, ears straining to hear any upcoming danger. A lone wolf could never be too careful, especially one of his size. He was too young to truly fight; he knew how to, and he was good at it, but when it came down to sheer size he lacked the girth and muscle the older wolves had. The most he could do without risking serious injury to himself or his opponent was to just defend himself until he could make a break for it. The tawny wolf grit his fangs when he heard howling, increasing his gait to a run. From the sound of it the mountain clan wasn't happy, and he did not want to be caught by one of them this close to their border. He skirted the edge of the forest, sniffing the air and making out the invisible line that was the territory marker between the two clans. It was rank with several different scents, Roxas wrinkling his nose and sneezing. He lifted his paw and rubbed his muzzle, trying to clear his senses, when suddenly aggressive growling pierced his ears. Roxas jolted, backing up a few paces and meeting eyes with a large, red-eyed wolf. Another wolf ran up to the male's flank, the younger wolf instantly picking out that it was a female wolf. Her shoulders weren't as broad, and she was slightly less bulky. The two wolves continued to watch him, the male wolf growling and clawing at the ground.

Roxas was still technically in the red clan's territory, but that didn't mean these two wolves wouldn't cross the border to get to him. He cocked his ears back, careful not to turn his back to the other male and leave himself vulnerable to attack but slowly walking away from them along the borderline between the two territories. The male wolf's growling grew more threatening, midnight black fur bristling as he followed Roxas' movements with an angry glare. He took a step forward but stopped as his pack-mate spoke.

"He doesn't look like he's one of them." She said softly, her eyes flashing ruby as she looked over at the tawny wolf.

"His intentions are clear," the male wolf replied, "he'll cross into our territory the moment he thinks we've gone."

Roxas perked up his ears, looking up at the mountains. No matter how he looked at it he would indeed need to cross the mountains to continue westward, otherwise he'd have to circle the range, and there was no telling how long that would take. He hesitated a moment, then said so the other two wolves could hear, "I'm just trying to head west. Is there any other way besides crossing into your territory? I don't want any trouble."

The bulky male stopped growling when hearing Roxas' voice; it was something that tended to happen once the youth in his tone was recognized. It meant to most other wolves that since he was young he wasn't a threat. The female wolf picked up on it as well, taking a few steps forward and skirting the border, coming to a halt a few feet from the younger wolf. "You're just a traveler? Lightning didn't send you?"

"I don't know who you're talking about," Roxas replied cautiously, "but no one sent me."

The female wolf perked her ears and looked back at her companion. The male snorted and shook out his fur, his ears flicking as if irritated. "Well then," the large black wolf replied, "If you really are intent on heading west you will need to take the pass through the crags. Otherwise you'll be treading snow for a week, and you'll starve long before then." He turned, his tail swishing behind him. "Come with me, I'll show you the way."

"You're sure?" the female wolf asked her pack-mate, her ears standing up in surprise.

The male didn't reply, just continued steadily up the incline, walking towards the base of the mountain. She watched him go for a moment, then turned to look back at Roxas. "Come on then." The younger wolf hesitated for a moment then crossed the border, following after her with wary movements. She looked over her shoulder at him, her ruby eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "You're right to be cautious, but since Vincent has invited you into our territory you don't have to worry about being attacked. At least, not right away."

Roxas titled his left ear, making a mental note of her words while looking ahead to see that the large black wolf was waiting for them near a paw-worn path cut through the evergreens. "Paine, I need you to go ahead and tell them we're coming. I'd rather not have to fight my own once they catch his scent and come running."

The female wolf nodded, her feet swiftly carrying her up the path and out of sight, leaving Roxas alone with the dark, intimidating wolf. He looked Roxas over in an evaluative manner, sniffing the air for a moment before cocking his ears to the north. A howl echoed in the distance, long and clear, piercing the silence of the forest. Roxas shifted his weight back and forth on his haunches nervously as he heard several wolves echo the first cry. He knew that his presence was quickly becoming known to the entire mountainside, yips and snarls accompanying the closest howls. Vincent looked over at Roxas, grinning and revealing his large fangs. He tilted his head, motioning towards the path, then turned and began trotting across the treaded earth. Roxas followed behind him, senses on high alert, ears fully erect. There were nearly a dozen scents bombarding him all at once as they broke the crest of the embankment, eyes watching him curiously as he followed after Vincent towards their meeting grounds. It was a large, open space that Roxas knew must not be far from the dens. It took the other members of the clan no time at all to gather together to see their unexpected visitor's approach. Vincent stopped for a moment, looking back at the younger wolf, Roxas lowering his ears slightly and halting his steps. The larger wolf continued down the path for a moment, forking north and out of sight. Paine was there a moment later, walking up to the tawny wolf and cocking her ears at him. Roxas tilted his head towards her, raising his ears a bit. She stood with him, the other wolves watching silently, the air still as they waited for something.

That something, Roxas discovered, was their alpha. As Vincent returned another black wolf was with him, his presence instantly causing the other wolves to bow their heads in respect. Roxas lowered his ears and met eyes with the alpha who had confronted Axel earlier that night. His violet eyes met the younger wolf's blue, Vincent standing back as the alpha continued forward towards Roxas. "So Axel really did let you go," he said nonchalantly, "I was beginning to wonder if truth was still capable of coming out of his throat." A few nearby wolves snickered quietly, the alpha's ears twitching. The noise instantly turned to dead silence, nothing but the wind audible as it swept through the trees. "Vincent tells me you're still intent on traveling west, as you said the first time we met. What I have yet to find out is why."

Roxas tensed as the alpha stepped closer, lowering his ears a bit more. "I've never been to the west, but I was told that there might be a place for me there."

The alpha wolf watched him, his violet eyes boring into Roxas like fire against his golden fur. "So you're looking for another pack? What was wrong with your own?"

"There was nothing wrong with my pack…" He looked away slightly, his words soft. "A large human city was expanding into our territory. It caused…complications of an unresolvable nature." The younger wolf shifted uneasily. "Now I have no ties to any pack, and I'm not necessarily looking for one either." He looked up at the other wolf. "I simply want a place where I can live my life in some semblance of happiness…"

The black wolf came to a stop near his shoulder, leaning forward and sniffing him tentatively. "I hear nothing but truth in your words, and I have an uncanny way of picking out lies when they present themselves." He turned from Roxas and looked around at his pack. "I believe this wolf to be what he says he is. A young rogue heading west, nothing more. He poses no threat to us." He looked to Paine for a moment, then turned and walked back up the path to Vincent. As he passed the other wolf, he added, "Treat him as you would any other traveler. We do not need any more bloodshed tonight."

As the alpha passed Vincent bowed his head respectfully and then padded over to Roxas. "You're free to hunt, but keep in mind we have mouths to feed. Take only what is needed. There are outer caves if you need a place to sleep." He motioned for Paine, who came to his side. "My sister and I are head guards of the clan, seek us out if you deem it necessary."

Taken back by their sudden transition from hostile to hospitable, Roxas could only stammer, "T-thank you. I'm very grateful."

"Don't thank us," Paine said, rubbing her shoulder against her older brother's, "Thank Zack for giving you a chance. There have been times when he's told us to shred trespassers apart."

Roxas swallowed nervously, watching the two wolves as they walked off together towards the north, several other wolves following them. One smaller wolf stayed behind, taking a few steps towards the tawny newcomer and wagging their tail. "I'm Yuffie," The petite female wolf greeted, "I can show you where the rogues tend to make shelter if you like."

Roxas pivoted his ears towards her, her warm brown eyes watching him with a sense of awe. "Sure, that would be nice." He replied, the smaller wolf wagging her tail again and turning towards the way the other wolves had gone.

"This way! I'll take you to the edge of the dens." Yuffie led Roxas over another ridge, a large rock wall coming into view as they reached the base of the nearest mountain. Smoke darkened the sky from a large fire near the middle of the main den, the smell of smoked meat rich in the air. Yuffie padded around the outside of the largest section of the den, walking up the rock shelf a bit until there was another ledge cut into the rock. "Here we are, the outer caves." Roxas walked up to her side, eyes searching over the dark holes in the side of the mountain. "There are old hovels there, deep in the rock where hunters used to make fires." Yuffie said, motioning towards one of the larger entrances. "No one except the passing rogues use them now."

"Thank you," the tawny wolf said, relief in his voice, looking over at the other wolf when he felt her eyes on him again. "What is it?" he asked, the petite wolf shaking out her fur and opening her mouth in a wolf's grin.

"Your color, I've never seen it before. It's golden like the wheat from the plains to the east." She tilted her head, "Is that where you come from?"

Roxas flicked his tail absently, thinking for a moment before answering. "I'm not from the plains, I'm from a place much further east where the sands near the ocean reflect my color."

"You're a sea wolf? But the ocean is so far away…" Yuffie watched him for a moment, noticing the tenseness in his shoulders, then said, "Well anyway, there's lots of rabbit nearby, and if you're really up for a challenge you can try to catch a goat."

Roxas looked over at her again, "Goat?"

The black wolf nodded, "Mountain goats, there's a herd of them that circle the range now and then. Lucky for us they happened to decide to pass our den right when we needed the extra meat." She walked up the rise a bit, Roxas watching her. "If you follow this shelf a bit further north you'll have to climb part of the mountain, but the woolies like it up there. If you can manage catch one, feel free. They're tricky animals to hunt."

Yuffie turned and trotted back down to the main den, leaving Roxas alone on the ledge. He did need to eat if he was going to sleep well, but if they were as hard to catch as the other wolf had made it seem, he might waste all of his energy and have nothing to show for it and the end of the night. He'd never hunted for mountain goat before, there weren't any mountains anywhere near where he lived. There were cliffs and caves cut into the rocks by the ocean, but there were only wary birds guarding nests and small crustaceans hidden in the alcoves, trapped in tide pools. Roxas sighed and pushed himself forward, stalking along the shelf towards where Yuffie had suggested there might be mountain goats. Better to try to catch something he'd never caught before than to not try and admit defeat before he'd never started.

The base of the mountain was cold beneath his paws, the air cooler than he had thought it would be. The higher altitude heightened his senses, his breath casting a small fog as he exhaled against the frigid air. He could smell something, a musk of some sort he couldn't quite place. It was like a horses' musk, but different, thicker. He followed the scent up and over the next incline, careful not to step on lose rocks as he climbed a steep and narrow path to a large flat overhanging rock. He flattened his belly against the smooth stone and crawled forward until he could look over it and see a small gathering of animals, their white and grey fleeces shining in the moonlight. Some of the smaller goats were playing together on a series of rocks, jumping back and forth and bleating at one another. They were hardly big enough to call a proper meal. If he was going to do this he was going to have to go big or go back to the caves hungry.

Movement caught his eye, Roxas turning to see two male goats butting heads nearby, their curling horns intertwined together as they fought. They were distracted, and they were a good distance away from the rest of the herd. Keeping himself low to the ground the tawny wolf made his way over to them, picking out the slightly larger male as his target. If the other goat tried to attack Roxas he could manage to fend him off but if the larger goat managed to gouge him with his horns he would be in trouble. As the two animals continued to spar the wolf settled on his haunches, crouching down low and waiting for the right moment. It came when the smaller goat managed to throw the other goat off his balance, Roxas racing forward with a growl and jumping over the smaller male, sinking his teeth into his prey's throat. The other goat cried out in terror, the rest of the herd instantly at its feet, looking around frantically for the sign of other wolves. As the smaller goat ran back to its heard the echo of dozens of hooves racing up and over the closest boulders sounded through the mountain side, the herd of goats quickly fleeing higher than any wolf would care to follow. Roxas clenched his jaw as the goat kicked at him, holding him down with his front legs and shaking his head back and forth until something snapped and the beast lay still. It seemed hunting goat was much like hunting fish. Find one away from the rest, wait until the right opportunity, then bite deep and shake until it stopped moving. Roxas released the goat's throat, looking down at his prize. Maybe his eyes had bit off more than he could chew, he wasn't sure if he would be able to drag the goat back now that it was dead weight. It was a good size, nearly fully grown, and was big enough to share. Perhaps he should ask one of his hosts if they would like the rest, after all Vincent had told him not to waste anything he didn't need.

As he stood there debating what he should do next his ears honed in on approaching steps, looking down the mountainside and towards the woods. There was someone running, Roxas could make out their frenzied pace and ragged breathing as the wind swept up the face of the mountain. The wind also carried with it the scent of blood. The tawny wolf's legs were moving before he had made a coherent thought, racing towards the smell. Something was wrong, he could sense it. Had another fight broken out?

Blue eyes searched across the tree-line as he ran towards the evergreens in the direction of the border, his keen eyes picking out a bright red pelt whisking through the trunks towards the mountains, Roxas catching sight of the wolf breaking through the trees. Indigo eyes looked over at him fearfully, the small red wolf panting, barely standing on her shaking legs. She turned and looked to the south, towards the mountain wolves' den, her ears standing tall and her eyes wide. Another wolf cried out, a terrified yelp that was followed by angry growls and barks, a howl thundering through the darkness. "Serah…" she said pitifully, a shudder visibly passing down her spine.

"What are you doing here?" Roxas asked her, the wolf looking over at him fearfully and taking a step back.

"We were hungry…"

Roxas tilted his head, his tail swaying, "Why are you here? Why not hunt on your own territory?"

The wolf shook her head, her eyes pleading, "You don't understand, there is nothing left to hunt but squirrels and rabbits. The deer, they've moved on. There aren't any moose left either. The human hunters, they've killed them all…"

Roxas shifted his weight back and forth, taking a step towards the other wolf. She was perhaps a few seasons younger than him, fresh bite marks on her side and shoulder. "They're chasing you?"

"They caught Vanille, and now I think Serah…we got separated in the woods." The red wolf panted, "It's different on this side, easy to get lost…"

Suddenly a wolf broke through the low-boughs of a nearby tree, pale amber colored coat stained with blood, "Kairi! We have to get out of here, now!"

"Vanille!" the red wolf cried, running over to her companion, "I thought they stopped you, did you find Serah?"

The older female's eyes revealed her fear, "I heard her scream, I don't know where they took her."

"They came this way, quick!" a voice growled from the forest, the two red wolves taking off in a frantic run towards the mountain. Roxas stood his ground, blue eyes searching through the woods for their pursuers. He knew he shouldn't get involved, but something about the way Kairi had looked at him had his heart twisting. They were only trespassing to search for food, food that had been stolen from them by humans hunting their lands. The two small wolves weren't there to start another fight; they were just trying to survive.

Paine burst through the trees a moment later, followed by two other wolves from her clan. "You again," she said, her eyes hardened rubies, "They were here, weren't they. Which way?"

Roxas hesitated, unsure of what he should do. He didn't need to make any enemies, but he couldn't have them hunt down the red wolves in cold blood. They were young, desperate, and hungry. They needed protection, not aggression. "They headed back towards the border, they were looking for someone."

"We have their little friend, they won't just leave her here." Paine looked over her shoulder, "Quickly, find them!" The other black wolves nodded to her and ran off, leaving Paine and Roxas alone in silence. The black wolf watched him for a long moment, then ran off towards the border as well. Roxas sensed she knew there was something he wasn't saying, but for whatever reason she chose not to act on her suspicions. Perhaps she sympathized with the red wolves' plight as well, or perhaps she just wasn't the type of guard to kill unless specifically ordered to do so. Either way, he was grateful that the black wolf chose not to question his words. He waited until he was sure they were gone, then began making his way back to where the herd of goats had been, searching for any sign of the red wolves.

He found them huddled together near the body of the goat he had fell, ripping apart the beast and feeding themselves as quickly as they could. Vanille raised her head when she heard another wolf approaching, growling low in her throat. "I see you're enjoying my goat." Roxas said, sitting down with a sigh and watching the red wolves eat. "I would suggest taking what you can and making a run for it. The guards won't be searching the border in vain for long."

At his words the amber wolf stopped growling, swallowing deftly and rising to her feet, taking a step towards him. "You told them we'd gone for the border?"

Roxas nodded, his blue eyes meeting her green. "They know you won't leave your clan mate behind, they're waiting for you to show yourselves when you try to get her back."

The smaller red wolf swallowed her mouthful and perked up her ears. "Serah, they said she's still alive?"

"They wouldn't dare kill one of Axel's own," Vanille said, looking over at the other girl. "They know better than to harm one of the alpha's sisters."

"Do you think that's why they let me run?" Kairi asked, a shudder passing through her.

Vanille nodded. "That, and they know the others will be coming. Everyone in the forest heard Serah scream."

Roxas turned and looked back towards the caves, "That means they'll bring the fight here…" He took a few steps forward and sunk his teeth into the goat, taking several large bites and listening to the howling on the wind. The red wolves were indeed coming, the black wolves echoing their battle cries. He had to do something, he had to figure out how to stop this… The female wolves watched him warily, sharing the meal, their ears twitching as they followed the progress of their kinsmen through the forest, the pack stopping at the border and howling furiously. Knowing there was no more time, Roxas ripped another mouthful from the goat and chewed it as he ran, Kairi and Vanille howling as they followed behind him.

"What are you planning on doing?" Vanille called to him, catching up to him quicker than Kairi.

"Your alpha, Axel, has he ever told the mountain wolves alpha you're running out of hunting grounds?" The tawny wolf glanced over at the amber wolf, her green eyes wide.

"How do you know…"

"Your friend told me," Roxas replied, Vanille glancing over her shoulder at Kairi before returning to the golden wolf.

"No, the other clan doesn't know." The older red wolf replied, "It would make us look weak, vulnerable to attack. Axel has made it clear that the other pack is not to know."

"Well the other pack needs to know," Roxas said, darting through the woods, Vanille following him, "They view you being here as a threat, they don't know that you're suffering. If they did, they might actually help you!"

"Help us? Why would they help us!" the other wolf barked out a harsh laugh, "We're their rival clan, the blackies would never help us…"

Roxas grit his fangs. "Someone has to try to talk to them, to explain things. This whole ordeal could be avoided if your clan and theirs would just come to an understanding, if you would ban together against the humans and reclaim your land…" He didn't know if he would be able to talk sense into the alphas of the two clans, but he knew he had to try.


Caught between the two warring clans, will Roxas flee to the west or stay and fight? And if he will fight, with who's side will he chose to align?

What happened to his family? His pack? His alpha?

What happened between the clan of sea wolves and the humans?

What past is Roxas so desperately trying to escape?

Thank you for all your support! Keep reading!

More Quicksilver to come! :x:Myou:x: