Kiku was exhausted.

It was the right word, but it was not nearly strong enough. The dark circles, shaking hands, and half-lidded expression were all ill-effects of the trying winter past and the clan's uncertain future.

It had not always been like this. Life as a trainee was peaceful and intense all at once. The days were filled with lessons and ritual practice with the elder shaman while the nights were easy going and spent surrounded by his clan mates. Each day, he learned his duties to the people and each night, he learned their names, their dreams, and each little quirk that set one apart from the rest. Life was beautiful.

But as the winter came, everything changed. People started getting sick. It was just a few at first and the elder shaman stepped Kiku through the rituals and let him perform a few on the healthier ones. But for each one healed, three more took his or her place. Their health deteriorated fast and they all but scrambled to keep up. Then there were the blizzards. The Chenitza were no strangers to cold, but it catalyzed the disease's potency and it ran rampant through the clan. They did everything they could, used every herb and medicine they had, utilized all the traditions that had been passed down by countless shaman before them…

…but it wasn't enough.

The young beta watched as the brothers and sisters he grew up with began to die. It was a part of life; every shaman knew this. But they were all people Kiku knew, friends and fellows who he saw each night by the fire, each with their own dreams and unique spirits…and they died within a few days and all at once. The elder helped him with every death, but it slowly built up and took a hard toll on the tired trainee. Thankfully, as the winter ended and spring began, the sickness died out and there was peace again.

However, a few nights later, something stirred in the young beta's visions. Another tragedy that loomed in the future, but something beneath said it could be prevented. It was faint, like the glow from a single star, but it was there and neither Kiku nor the elder could get a clear answer from their readings. It kept him distracted from Arthur's and Francis's dreams. Initially, they had set Kiku on edge, but nothing ever came of them and they quickly fell forgotten in the back of his mind.

…at least, up until two days ago.

First Francis is drained of all his energy and now Arthur is enchanted into silence and nearly killed. Something dark stirred in the lowlands and aimed to carry the two alphas away. At least Francis had recovered quickly. His wound was in no way severe, but Kiku had to practically tie Francis to the bed to stop him from running back out into the lowlands. But that he could handle. Seeing Arthur unmoving and bleeding heavily on Kiche's back was an entirely different story.

He consulted the tanned wrap for Arthur's wounds just as he had with Francis, but the reading was the same. The dream spirit was calling to him. It was trying to steal Arthur away, but Kiku would not let him be taken in the night. He would not let any more of his people die under his care. And just as he did for Francis, Kiku, for the second time, did not sleep.

Now it was morning. He left to prepare an herbal drink and when he returned, Arthur had finally woken up.

"Good morning, Arthur. How are you feeling?"

Arthur propped himself up, leaning against the bed frame and accepting the drink. "Ugh, my head is pounding and my chest hurts."

Kiku smiled, relieved that the alpha was finally talking again. "You are lucky your injuries were not serious. I saw the size of your kill. An attack from a dire bear usually does not end this well."

Arthur looked back, surprised. "What? But…how…?"

'He does not remember?' Kiku sat down beside the bed and took a sip. "Francis brought back your prize last night. And Katun, too. He has not left your side since his return."

He motioned to the foot of the bed and Arthur smiled as he watched the auburn fur rise and fall. But then his face fell to a frown and he turned his stare into the warm drink in his hands. A silence lingered uninterrupted as they sipped their drinks.

Arthur looked up. "What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me."

Arthur's gaze turned back to the cup and focused. "I remember the hunt. The bear had struck Katun and I fell to the ground while trying to protect him. It moved to crush me…but then…something happened. I don't…when I woke, it was night. Katun and I were patched up and…I don't…remember…"

Kiku listened patiently. He waited while Arthur glanced around trying to piece the memories together. "Francis said you spoke about 'finding him'."

Green eyes shifted and then shot open. "I remember! A stranger had pierced the bear's throat with his spear. He was the one who healed me and Katun and then…"

Arthur turned his face away, but Kiku saw the light blush. 'Like Francis, his desire lingers.' Kiku knew the answer, but he needed to hear it from Arthur to be sure. He moved to pour another cup. "Have you seen this stranger before?"

Arthur accepted the drink. "Yes and no. The man had the same sky blue eyes as the one in my dreams, but I have never seen him while awake before, or anyone like him."

"What do you mean?"

"He was dressed very light, with only a fur around his neck and loose leggings. It was strange. And his skin was dark as if it was covered by something. From far away, he smelled of death, but up close…I…I couldn't turn away. I remember hearing Francis coming for us and he fled, but nothing else after that."

Kiku breathed a worried sigh. An outsider had trespassed onto their lands. He needed to tell the elder shaman.

Arthur moved to fully sit up, but he grabbed at his chest and grunted in pain. Kiku guided him back down. "Be still, Arthur. Your wounds need time to heal. I will tell the elders what you have told me. We will likely send out patrols to strengthen our borders and find this man."

Arthur glared at Kiku. "No. He is mine to hunt. I will be the one to catch him and bring him here."

"Arthur, you too injured to hunt, let alone fight. He may have saved you once before, but he attacked Francis and left him completely drained. What will stop him from attacking you the next time you meet?"

"Then wait until I recover. This is my hunt. He is MINE!"

Kiku had to hold him down. "Arthur, stop. Do you hear yourself? You are enchanted. He will lure you into a trap." Arthur struggled, but soon his face scrunched in renewed pain. He panted while Kiku lowered him back down. "He could be a scout sent to test our borders. We need to stop this before it goes too far."

Arthur growled again, but the shaman cut him off with a calm smile. "Do not worry, Arthur. You have proven yourself with the dire bear kill. It is more than enough. And when the outriders find this man, they will bring him back alive. You will see him again."

He scoffed, clearly unhappy with the exchange, but he didn't have a choice. As Kiku got up and let Francis into the hut, his face dropped from content to concern. He didn't even need the tanned wrap to know that the stranger was involved in the tragedy of his visions somehow and he needed to stop this before it was too late. The clan was still recovering from the past winter and they were ill-prepared for an invasion. More lives would be lost if they did not act fast.

He meant what he said. He did not want to kill the outsider without first learning why he had wandered into their lands, if not for Arthur's sake. But if it meant choosing between the clan's safety and one alpha's desire, then Kiku may not have a choice.


"Alfred, really? It's been two days, and we've been caught twice already?"

It was not quite the response Alfred was expecting the next morning. He brings back half of a fresh kill, a very large hide, powerful weapons, and a few treasures and this is the thanks he gets?

Alfred rolled his eyes. "Ok, first, the river thing was not my fault. And second, what was I supposed to do? I wasn't gonna let the guy get eaten."

Matthew glared at his brother and threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! Great! Whatever! Be a damn hero, but why did you STICK AROUND AND TALK TO HIM?! In case you forgot, we're supposed to be hiding!"

Alfred pouted and spoke in a small voice. "…I was still harvesting-"

"BULLSHIT!"

He flinched. Wow, Matthew was really scary before his heat.

Matthew continued boring holes into his idiot brother until he finally let out a sigh and took a deep breath. "Well, if the highlanders didn't know we're here, they do now. If they are anything like the Haudenois bands, they'll send out scouts to look for us."

Alfred sighed, but he knew it was true. By letting the alpha see him up close, he had personally sounded the alarm at their presence and put the nest in danger.

He feigned a smile and tried to remain positive. "Well, at least they won't kill us right away. They owe me for saving his life."

Matthew rolled his eyes. "Alfred, he's an alpha. He'll be more angry than grateful that you stepped into the fight."

"At least he'll live long enough to yell at me for it."

He rubbed his temples. "Ugh, I'm not here to argue. I'm just telling it like it is. Plus, we attacked the other guy from last night. Now we can't be sure what they'll do if they find us."

Alfred groaned and fell flat on his back in his nest. He was tired of hearing bad news born from his heroic deed. He really felt like he had done the right thing, but so far all he heard was how he'd screwed everything up. It was annoying.

Sensing his brother's attitude, Mathew ruffled his own hair and sighed. "If the scouts don't find any trace of us, they may think we retreated for good and stop looking. So how about this, eh? Hows aboot we not get caught again. You think you can do that, Al?"

He waved his hands dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. I won't go anywhere."

Matthew stared at Alfred's body on the ground, his expression showing that he didn't believe him in the slightest. "I swear, Al, if you even think about leaving the haven on your own, I'll stick my spear up your ass and stake you into the ground."

Alfred stared at Matthew with a puzzled expression. Violet eyes cast an agitated look. "What?"

He bit his lip and looked back innocently. "…which end?"

He erupted in laughter as Matthew playfully tackled him to the ground. Satisfied, Matthew retreated back to his own nest and began rearranging a few of the stones and feathers.

Alfred watched his brother fuss around with the colorful bobbles. "So, what do you think?"

He didn't look up from his work, but violet eyes softened and a smile escaped his lips. "They're lovely."

Alfred's face lit up. "Are they awesome?"

Matthew laughed. "Yeah. Yeah, they're awesome."

"Am I awesome?"

"Don't push it."

Alfred just rolled his eyes with a satisfied smirk. Matthew looked back inquisitively. "So, are you going to use the bow? I will probably just make my own now that we have the things I need. It'll give me something to work on."

Alfred lips turned up. "Yeah, it's a fine weapon. I figured you'd wanna make your own."

Matthew watched him trace the intricate patterns delicately under sparkling blues. He didn't need words to know that Alfred was head over heels for this alpha. The whole ordeal made him very nervous. So many things could go wrong and all of them would end badly for the two of them. But at the same time, he saw a glimmer of hope in those sky blues that he had not seen since before the day they ran. He sighed longingly. It was amazing, really. Even while on the run, Alfred had somehow found a way to be happy. It made him a bit jealous and Matthew secretly wished that he could be as lucky and carefree. Even so, he won't ruin his brother's fortune out of spite. They will still have to be careful, but if this is what Alfred really wants, then Matthew will support him.

Well, not without making life difficult for him first.

'Head over heels, eh?' He turned away with a knowing look on his face. "Did that bow belong to him?"

Alfred pictured the alpha vividly in his mind and felt his body get warm. "Yeah. I took it after I grabbed some of the kill."

Matthew smiled mischievously. "He must be big to use such a large bow."

He laughed. "Nah, he's short, shorter than me. Thin, too. But he's strong...and…not bad looking, I guess…" 'Taut, controlled body… fierce in battle …the feel of his hands holding him…taking him… '

Alfred began to fidget in his nest, his hands moving in his lap and his gaze focused downward. Matthew snickered. "Tree's over there, Alfred."

He got up. "You're an asshole."


A/N: This chapter ended up being shorter than usual as I had difficulty finding a good divide between this and the next one. That being said, the next two chapters will likely be longer in length as worlds finally collide. Again, thank you very much for your kind words and reviews. I hope you look forward to the next installment.