Chapter Eight: Ransom

"Where's Cam and Hunter?" Dustin asked as he walked into the front room of Ops. Tori sighed, rubbing at her face with the palms of her hands. Shane just shrugged.

"Hunter walked out a few minutes ago and Cam was quick to follow…" the blue ranger muttered. Dustin raised an eyebrow.

"Like, walked out where?"

"Out the door," Shane replied. He glanced at the computer. "Shouldn't we be trying to find Blake?"

"Or something?" Tori asked. She groaned, standing and dropping into the chair in front of the large computer console. "Argh! I can't take this anymore! I have to do something!" She flipped on the computer and Dustin inwardly groaned. Cam probably wouldn't be happy with that…especially in his distressed state…

"What's going on Dustin!" Shane demanded suddenly, surprising the yellow wind ranger. "Who is Alchmed? Who's Aricudo? What the heck are the Ashnazi? What's with those wolves! And what do Cam and Hunter have to do with it!"

"Oh my gosh," Tori gasped, drawing their attention. She was staring at the screen that showed two wolves outside Ops fighting it out with claws and teeth. "They're going to kill each other," she whispered in horror.

"They're smarter than that…" Dustin muttered in reply. He grimaced as Hunter and Cam circled each other warily before going for each other's throats. "Or at least I thought they were…" With that, he ran out of the room. Shane and Tori both glanced at each other before jumping up and following him.

Dustin grabbed Hunter by the scruff of the neck, forcefully pulling him away from Cam. The other two winds emerged in front of the portal in time to see Dustin clamp both hands over the tan wolf's jaw, forcing his mouth shut and then turn his annoyed glare to the black wolf.

"Exactly how old are you again?" he asked in annoyance. "I can't believe that lately you've been making me be the mature one."

He promised he wouldn't leave me behind this time, Cam growled. Dustin rolled his eyes, tightening his grip on Hunter's neck.

"Change back." Black eyes looked at the yellow ranger viciously. The three of them hadn't even noticed the presence of Shane, Tori and now Sensei. "Now." The wolf's form changed into that of a human, and the other winds and the guinea pig all gasped.

The wild look hadn't left Cam's eyes and he looked as though he would still attack anyone who got in his way. And that included Dustin…who was most certainly in his way. Hunter was still struggling against Dustin as well, but the yellow ranger kept his grip firm.

"Now, would you two just settle down long enough that we can come up with a plausible plan to rescue Blake?" Dustin asked calmly. Cam growled and Hunter bared his teeth. "You know, I think I understand the whole 'sibling rivalry' thing now…"

"Being captured by Kaido is not the same thing as being captured by Lothor," Cam muttered, his eyes still on Hunter. And then they focused on Dustin. "We've been killed enough times to understand that now…"

"Would someone be kind enough to explain to me what is going on?" Sensei asked. Both Cam and Hunter growled at the guinea pig and Dustin raised an eyebrow.

"Great, two angry wolves plus a guinea pig equals…not good."

"I'm not going to eat my father, Dustin," Cam muttered, giving the ranger an irritated look.

Dustin just returned it with a sarcastic one. "Good, because a moment ago you were trying to kill your brother." Cam didn't answer and Dustin let go of Hunter.

Immediantly the bodies of two wolves collided as they went back to fighting each other. Dustin's foot connected with Hunter's chest, knocking the wind out of him and forcing him into the ground. Dustin then turned to Cam, glaring at him angrily. The wolf just growled, baring his teeth.

"I can understand Hunter, but not you Cam. You're smarter than this. Hunter's brother was kidnapped by this Kaido person…"

He's my brother too!

"I know that! All I'm asking is that you grow up! Killing each other will not make Kaido happy…"

No, he'd probably be overjoyed by it… Hunter whimpered, closing his eyes. I just want Blake back. I want him safe. And I want Alchmed safe as well…and he won't be if he comes with me…

"But if you go alone than you'll die…again," Dustin replied. Hunter didn't answer and Cam sighed, relaxing a little. Shane, Tori and Sensei had all given up on an explanation for the time being…reverting to silent observance. Never before had they seen Dustin so serious.

The yellow ranger sighed, rubbing at his face. "I heard you promise Cam that you wouldn't leave him behind, Hunter. A promise is a promise. I had to keep my promise to ya'll that I wouldn't tell the others. I didn't."

Well…they most certainly know now…Cam muttered as he slowly moved over to where Hunter was lying. The black wolf sat down behind his brother, resting his head on the tan body. Hunter just sighed.

"The more help the better," Dustin said with a shrug. Shane spun around suddenly, catching a dagger that was flying towards them. All eyes were focused on the red ranger, the two wolves coming to full attention.

Shane unraveled the note tied around the dagger and read it aloud, his voice faltering a little. "'Tomorrow morning, nine a.m. the trade of the navy ranger for Aricudo and Alchmed will take place. If you're not on time, the boy dies.'" Shane's hand dropped to his side as he looked at the small group in front of him.

"Who are Alchmed and Aricudo?" Tori asked softly. "What the heck is going on?"

"That's…a long story…" Dustin replied, looking at the two wolves, who were staring back at him.

Go ahead… Cam was tired, he was tired of lying, of concealing, of not having any help aside from his brother and the yellow ranger. He was, simply put, tired. And so was Hunter.

"Cam and Hunter are Alchmed and Aricudo. They are the two children of Ohkami, the Wolf Goddess. A while back…um…three hundred years ago? Something like that, Aricudo, Hunter, accidentally killed some guy's kid. Ever since then they've been fighting his followers, the Ashnazi, and him and it's always gone down in a way that Kaido—the bad dude—kills Aricudo and then Alchmed kills Kaido only to die himself. And if they can change it in a way that Kaido dies but they don't, then they won't have to be reborn again. There, that was the short version."

"I'm still confused," Shane muttered, rubbing his head.

Sensei sighed wearily, looking at his son, who was still leaning against Hunter. "Still, that explains a lot."

"Now, all we have to do is save Blake," Tori muttered quietly.

Cam and Hunter both closed their eyes with a collective sigh. Yes, Blake will be saved. And Kaido will die. Tomorrow.

End Chapter Eight

Okay, I'm soooooooooooo sorry that that took so long. I've been working on other things lately. My own original work, which can be seen on fictionpress under the same name! Hehe… Anywho, I'll update as soon as I figure out what the heck I'm supposed to be writing…

Signing off:

Hikaru Kosuzaku