Author's Note: So, reviewer ctrienne has called me out on the fact that I got 'bola' and 'flail' mixed up (if you're seeing this later this will make no sense). I've gone back and fixed it all up, because that's what it is...The Flail of the Northern Winds :D Anyways, this chapter will mark the end of my 50k journey, so updates are going to slow down dramatically as I have to focus back in on my schoolwork. It will be finished though, don't worry. I'm still 100% loving writing this. Hope you enjoy the last [frequently updated] chapter of From Boar to Brother, and tune in over the winter for when I wrap it up!

Another night, another battlefield. I spun my flail around overhead and sent several foes flying away from me. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Bristle and swiftly rushed over to him, trying to gain as much of an edge as I could. It would only be a matter of time before Lissandra would appear, but I didn't want to be in pain from submitting to the battle before the torture had already begun.

The two of us began repelling foe after foe, as tusk and flail gored and crushed any foe that dared to draw near us. We kept this up for what felt like an hour, and slowly, it seemed as if the battlefield was beginning to clear up...perhaps we were destined to escape this time after all?

Another two enemies ran up to me and I repelled one of them, which allowed the other to draw extremely close. "Bristle, some assistance would be appreciated!" I ducked to avoid a swipe from the enemy's sword and countered with a swipe of my free hand, knocking his sword free. Then, seemingly from nowhere, I ran front-first into the enemy, and he fell to the ground.

I looked down...to find a tusk protruding from my midsection. All of a sudden, the pain raced through my system, and as Bristle dropped me to the ground, he rolled me over, and I clutched at the wound as the blood began flowing to the ground.

"You will suffer for disobeying the orders of Queen Lissandra." Bristle brought up his new weapon, but stopped as a familiar voice called out from the emptiness.

"You have done well, my faithful servant. Go, now, and let me deal with this insolent creature." I stared into Bristle's eyes, both of us exchanging glances laced with malice, before the hatred was interrupted by an icicle cleaving his head in two, slaying him instantly. I could feel Lissandra's cold shadow from behind me and I craned my head back, spotting her.

"So what will it be, Sejuani? Will you learn from your pet, or will you manage to be more pig-headed than he is?" The witch walked around to my side, a glistening smile across her face, no doubt fueled by dark intentions. "I have something exceptionally entertaining for you should you say no."

"I...will not...obey." I barely managed to get the words out through the pain, as the blood rolling from my stomach continued to paint the icy ground beneath me. We were so close now...I couldn't give her the satisfaction of my submit now.

On cue, Lissandra conjured a myriad of icicles onto her fingertips, turning her already clawed hands into downright talons. As she began walking closer to me, Lissandra began shrinking, turning from the size of a goliath to someone barely over my height. "I suppose I haven't been personally involved up to this point, allow me to change that."

The witch took a final few steps and took a seat on my hips, causing my stomach to spout another gush of blood as a cry of pain fled my lips. Still adorned with her usual smirk, she brought her hands to my arms, gripping a bicep with an impressive amount of strength. I tried to hold out as she pushed my arm up and over my head but there was nothing that I could do against her, not with the wound already inflicted upon me...by Bristle.

Once my arm was outstretched she took one of her hands up and pointed the deadly talons directly toward me, as they seemingly lengthened and straightened, become infinitely pointed. I shut my eyes as the talons dove straight for my arm, but that didn't stop the pain at all. I let out a cry of agony, and tried to move my arm...but couldn't. I looked over to my arm, seeing thin beads of blood begin pooling from the point of contact. I couldn't move my arm, no matter how hard I tried.

I didn't even put up a resistance this time as she took my other arm, doing the same thing, as another howl of pain escaped me. With both arms paralyzed and away from my midsection, the tide of blood continued to flow freely, except that now there was nothing I could do to stop it. Unfortunately, the wound had been tusk-made, not ice, which clearly had been part of Lissandra's intention the whole time.

The witch stood up before taking another seat at my feet, poised to do the same operations on my thighs. This time, however, she stared me directly in the eyes as she brought her hand down, far slower before, and I could feel the pinpricks' touch as her icy needles bored into me, eight in total. "Do you enjoy this feeling, Sejuani? This is what disobedience feels like, and there is an easy way for you to cure it."

"You...will never...have my obedience - gah!" Her talons had slid all the way through my legs, and by the time she withdrew them, I couldn't feel them either. As far as Lissandra was concerned, I couldn't move, and I knew better than do doubt that she would let that opportunity pass her by.

"Very well then. I will make this as painful as I can possibly imagine…" Lissandra took her seat again on my hips, hands poised...over my chest. I began shaking my head furiously and I shut my eyes tight...this was too far. I could feel her dark smile boring down on me as the singular pinprick wracked my skin once more, and I could feel the throbbing of my heart press against the point of contact.

Ever so slowly, I could feel it boring through my midsection, penetrating my ribcage as another cry fled my lips. Within another second, the needle was poised over my heart and I wished I had my hands so I could cover my eyes with them.

A shrill cry fled my lips as her talon pierced my very heart, and unending pain began wracking my entire body, as I felt the blood began flowing all throughout my insides. This was far, far worse than anything that had happened up to this point...I was starting to think that further resistance would begin haunting me during the day.

Her finger continued to slip further and further into my heart, and I finally caved in, the pain too much for me to possibly bear. "I submit, I obey, I do not care, just kill me to end me of this pain!"

Immediately, the talon withdrew from my chest and I opened my eyes for just a split second, seeing Lissandra's dark smile still bearing down into me. "You have finally found true subservience, Sejuani. That deserves a reward."

As easily as ever, she conjured a dagger of ice from thin air, and within the blink of an eye, brought the tip of it down upon my head.


I bolted from my bed in a panic...everything still felt so real. I tried my arms, and much to my relief found that I could move them just as easily as ever, and the same with my legs. Still, it felt as if the wounds she had wrought on me were as real as ever, and I swore that I could feel the shadows of the pain she had inflicted upon me.

I got out of my bedroll and strapped on my armor, knowing that Bristle would be awake when I took one step outside my tent. I peeled back the flap to find...nothing. I looked over towards his tent, right beside mine, but the flap remained completely secured. Perhaps his dream wasn't over yet? I couldn't imagine anyone being able to last longer than that, but then again, this was Bristle. If anyone in the army had the willpower to persevere through torture like that, it would be him.

I walked over towards his tent, sitting silently. Perhaps the best idea would be to wake him up? Yes, he needed that. If he was still asleep and dreaming, then the torture he was going through was nearly unimaginable at this point...I didn't know what more Lissandra could have had in store for me should I have held out. I peeled open the flap on his tent and took a step inside.

On the cramped inside of the tent, Bristle was rolled over on his back, hands splayed out to his sides. I ran up to him and began shaking his head from side to side, hoping that it would be enough. Nearly immediately he lunged forward from his rest, eyes opening in a panic.

I wrapped my arms around him, feeling the cold sweat still pouring from his body. "You're okay...you're awake, and you're free. Just calm down now…" I whispered the words into nothingness, as his heartbeat began slowing. Like me, I could feel him flex his arms and legs, ensuring that they worked. Once he was finally calmed down, I turned toward him, staring into his blowing, blue eyes.

"That was new, even for her. I...I don't know how much more of this I'm able to take, Bristle. It all feels...real."

He nodded, rubbing his forehead. "Indeed. I am glad that you arrived when you did, for I did not think that my skull would be able to take much more. Her methods are getting far more personal."

I looked down at the floor, a dot of shame sweeping through me. He had lasted far longer than I had, and it was time to come clean. "I...I did not make it that far, Bristle. As soon as those hellish hands pierced my heart, I submitted. I wish that I could have held out for as long as you could."

An arm wrapped around me, bringing me close. "I do not hold contempt, Sejuani. Any normal man would have forsaken themselves far prior, and the fact that we both have held out this long is a testament to our resilience. Do not forget that."

Wrapped in his warm embrace, the pains of the night almost seemed to float away, and I accepted him, wrapping my arms back around him. "Thank you for your tolerance, Bristle. If I am to submit to her tomorrow, Bristle, I will tell you. There is no sense in holding out if the other one of us has already given in."

I could feel him nod above me, and we mutually ended the hug, of sorts. With nothing left to say, the two of us exited the tent, standing out amidst the night sky. "If what Udyr says is true, then today we will encounter the Cryophoenix if luck is not with us. I am prepared to defend these people at all costs, even if that means that I must sacrifice myself."

"And I am prepared to sacrifice myself to save you. That much has not changed within this bond, Sejuani, and you would be wise not to test that. However, I have no fear that you will be able to reason with Anivia, and I have full hope that we will escape the encounter with minimal casualties."

I turned to him, nodding. "I do too, Bristle. However, our path today is quite treacherous, and by midday, we will be out in the open ice fields again with no true defensible positions. If the Frostguard or the Avarosan find us, then we will not have nearly the steeled defense that we had the last time. Such an encounter will be disastrous for our numbers, and yet there is nothing we can do to stop them. However, let those worries wait until morning. Get some rest, and I will see you again in a few hours." I walked back towards my tent and climbed back inside, not even bothering to slip into my bedroll.


By the time morning came, I was well rested, and I began packing up the inside of my tent, preparing for the day that was to come. Once everything inside was prepared I stepped outside, finding a splattering of early-risers doing the same as I was, including Bristle. On the far side of his tent from me stood Udyr, helping Bristle tear down his tent. Once everything was torn down, I grabbed the fox that I had slew prior and began starting up a fire, eager to fill my stomach with food.

Bristle came over and joined me along with Udyr, the three of us warming our hands on the fire. By the time the fox was cooked and meals were had, the last of our men had woken up and begun packing up their things, and we were finally ready to go. As usual, I gathered everyone around, letting them know about the trials of the day.

"Brothers and sisters of Winter's Claw, let us prepare for the journey ahead. Today, with all likelihood, we will encounter the Cryophoenix Anivia, but do not fear her. Udyr, Olaf, Volibear and I will reason with her, in hopes that we will be granted passage. If you appear hostile towards her, this will only hurt our chances of survival, so please, do not. She is the Heart of the Freljord, and Avarosan or no, she deserves our respect." I rallied them behind me and we began our journey.

The first several hours of our travels were rather much the same, filled with endless trees overhead, along with the Ironspike Mountains to our left. Now that the Frostguard had fled, the wildlife had returned to its prior state, and we passed the time hunting whatever was foolish enough to cross paths with us, providing those that had been unfortunate yesterday with enough sustenance to get by.

After an hour, we had come to a slight pinch in the trail, as a lone mountain to our right drew near to the ridge along our left, forcing us to only be able to travel two-wide. Thankfully, the rocky footing was not quite as treacherous as it had been during our descent from the northern lands, and we managed to make it through entirely with little more than a few scrapes, and thankfully no casualties. On the other side of the pass was more of the forest lands, though I could see on the horizon another pass, which we would be crossing in the distance.

Udyr came up to my side. "That right mountain is Anivia's roost. We must be careful from here on out, if you intend to attempt to sneak by.

Taking his news, I rounded up the army once we were across the pass, and I pointed to our destination. "From here on out, we will split up, and reconvene there. We are in Anivia's territory now, and if we move as a unit, then we have no hope of escaping her. Travel in groups of four or five, and we will depart in two-hours' time. Travel carefully, and if you come into contact with her, just remain calm, and tell her that we will discuss at the pass. Now, go."

Heads started turning all over the place as small groups began forming, and I grabbed Udyr, Bristle, and Olaf, gathering them aside. "We will be traveling straight for her nest, as there is no hope of us escaping this, no matter what we do. If we are the ones to encounter her, then there may be a chance that we can bargain with her before no excess harm come to our people."

Olaf appeared restless, tossing and catching his axe multiple times. "I wish to sink this into her...but you are right. Taking a fight with the Freljord itself will surely end in my own death, and a foolish one at that. I will follow you, Chief."

Bristle as well nodded, as did Udyr. "Your plan is smart, Sejuani. I will follow your lead from here on out."

The four of us departed, until I could hear the familiar rumbling of Volibear coming up behind us. "I overheard your plan, Sejuani, and I wish to join you. Perhaps my knowledge of Ursine culture will prove useful in this situation." I admitted him in, and the five of us began our journey towards her, guided by Udyr.

Perhaps no more than halfway through the forest, I began to hear a slight rumbling all around us, but I could not locate the noise. I turned to Bristle, hoping that his superior hearing might be able to provide more information. "I...I can sense it from overhead, but that is all I know about. It does not sound like Anivia, however, and thus I do not think we have need to worry."

I nodded and continued the trek, the faint rumbling still happening to and fro, though I still was unable to locate the source of the noise. A thought occurred to me, one that I did not truly want to consider. "Bristle, could this perhaps be another frost wyrm? I have no knowledge of their homeland or movement patterns, but it does appear the same, if I recall it correctly."

Bristle thought for a moment, before eventually nodding his head. "Yes, it does seem to be similar, now that you bring the point up. Due to the clutter of the trees, I am unable to precisely find its location. What are your orders, should we come across it?"

"If it is avoidable, we avoid it. Perhaps Anivia will come to slay it, in which case we attempt to get to the pass without her noticing us. However, if we have no choice but to fight it, then that is what we must do." I made sure that everyone understood their orders before we continued moving, as the rumbling drew ever closer.

After no more than five minutes, it was nearly unbearable, causing me to lose my balance several times. However, it did not appear to be targeting us in particular, though the forest was at this point so filled with prey, that perhaps it didn't need to.

I was proven wrong, however, when I felt the eruption come forth from the earth, and I turned towards the location, far off to our right. Without saying a word, the five of us continued moving, knowing that the wyrm was plenty distracted with potential targets. Even if this thing were to claim fifty lives but Anivia none, our chances of survival would still be greater than if we risked a direct contact with the Cryophoenix.

Not even a minute after the wyrm had dared appear, I heard a 'caw' ring out from overhead, and the air immediately chilled for a split second as a shadow passed overhead. It was clearly Anivia, going to slay the frost wyrm and bring peace to these lands.

I looked back to the four behind me and pointed forward, picking up the pace, as did the other four. I watched as Anivia came down on the frost wyrm, as sharp, icy talons began raking against its thick hide, sending blue ichor jetting forth. The wyrm looked toward the ground and lunged at one of my men, devouring the poor soul on the spot. Anivia eyed the situation precariously, until she eventually pieced together what was happening.

"Sejuani! Show yourself!"

I froze in place as her chilling voice penetrated the very fiber of my being, and it seemed as if the entire forest itself reacted in kind.

"I'm here." The words were meek and hushed, but the forest itself was so quiet, I knew that she would hear me. A giant flapping of wings signaled her arrival, and she flew down right in front of me, her impressive size nearly towering above the trees. Once again, the air chilled around me to even more frigid temperatures.

"Sejuani, what business do you have in the Avarosan lands? I would assume you would not bring an army through here without good reason, but perhaps I am overestimating your intelligence. Speak wrongly, and I will wipe out every being within this glade." Her voice was shrill and seemed to reverberate, making her sound as if she was speaking from everywhere at once. I decided to push past her insult, knowing that unnecessary confrontation would not bode well.

"You are correct, Cryophoenix, we have no business with the Avarosan people. We are traveling to the Frostguard Citadel, and nothing more. Please, Anivia, for the sake of my people, do not bring harm upon them."

Anivia eyed me skeptically, before turning back to look at the frost wyrm that lay dead on the snow. "You brought that creature here, whether intentionally or not. I have not seen such monsters like that for many cycles, and yet there it was, in the flesh. I will forgive you of such trespasses, if you tell me why you are taking such a group to the Frostguard Citadel."

I was walking on thin ice at this point, and the two of us knew it. To tell her my true intentions could very well be the answer she didn't want, and thus, the end to our travels. However, no lie that I could construe could possibly be convincing enough, not to Anivia, who has survived for millennia.

"Lissandra has been using a form of...mental warfare on me, as well as Bristle," I responded as I placed a timid hand on his shoulder. "She has plagued us with torture for the past several moons. We are travelling there to understand the meanings of these attacks, and, should she prove hostile, I have brought the Winter's Claw as necessary."

Anivia seemed content with my answer, and I let out a sigh of relief. However, she took a look around the forest for a second or two, before turning back to me, frozen eyes boring into my mind. "This is far more than the Winter's Claw, Sejuani, this is the size of several, perhaps a majority, of the northern tribes. Why go to such extreme measures, when you could in turn be the one to appear hostile?" Her question seemed far more curious rather than inquisitorial, and yet, I still had the feeling that a wrong answer could prove devastating.

"She has sent the Frostguard at us, time and time again. I'm positive you noticed the hundreds of them that had to come rushing through this forest last moon, for they attacked our camp at dusk. I do not know why she has gone to such lengths to attack us, but if I were to travel alone, I would be swallowed up by her forces." Inside, I was practically begging, pleading that she would hear the truth in my statement, but on the outside, I had to make it sound as if this was a simple explanation, and nothing more.

All of a sudden, a shrill cry rang out from across the forest, and then another. Six heads turned towards the direction of the sound, until I looked back at Anivia. "I will explain our presence later, but I must tend to the needs of my people, if they are being threatened." The Cryophoenix nodded and began flying towards the location of the noise.

Upon my arrival, Frostguard had already begun flooding through the forest. From up above, I could hear Anivia calling out. "I will hold them off at the pass, and I will leave you responsible for removing those that already made it into these lands." The chilled air finally shook from me as Anivia flew off, returning not even a minute later as she began conjuring a glacial storm into existence, seemingly freezing any and all Frostguard that intended to make it through.

However, I did not have time to deal with that as of right now. Though only a few hundred Frostguard had made it through so far, my forces were completely unorganized, and they would be able to pick us off one by one.

"Rally to me!" I shouted at the top of my lungs all around me, hoping that whatever groups that managed to hear my call would heed it, and perhaps we could form enough of an army to defend ourselves. I continued the call time and time again, sending my flail down on any Frostguard that dared to get close enough to the tip of my weapon.

After perhaps five minutes, maybe less, about two hundred soldiers had heeded the call, and we formed an ever-growing ring, granting us protection from all sides, as well as for our neighbors. More people continued to pile into those that were weak enough to fall, constantly bolstering our forces.

Soon, the fighting continued to die down, and the bodies piled up at the edge of the ring were numerous, each and every Frostguard finally slain.

"For Queen Lissandra!"

I looked around for the sound of the noise, until, from all around the ring, the call rang out, nearly deafening me, and I continued to stand around, confused. From both my sides, swords came swinging towards me and I reflexively ducked down, avoiding both of them. As I looked back up, the man to my right wore a vicious sneer, and took another swing at me again, which I blocked with my forearm.

"For Queen Sejuani!" The call rang out around the ring as well, and a second, new battle began raging, in which friend and foe could only be discerned by whose sword was swinging at you. I brought my flail up on the man's jaw, watching with glee as his entire face collapsed, and he fell to the ground. I did a 180 and brought it next into the woman on my right, the flail landing solidly on her midsection, sending her crumpling to the ground.

I didn't dare swing at anyone else, for fear of taking down someone that was still loyal to me. Occasionally, a defector would be foolish enough to come charging at me, and I would put them down on the spot. However, as I looked around the loose ring that still managed to form, I had no clue what the outcome of the battle could be.

I rushed over to Volibear, who had become nearly surrounded, and began clearing him space. Though I wasn't perfectly confident, I was willing to assume that Volibear, Udyr, Olaf, and Bristle were all still loyal, and that defending them was defending the correct side. If that proved false, then Lissandra's reach had run deeper than I could have possibly imagined.

"Volibear, can I trust the Ursine?" A short nod was all I needed as the two of us split up and began running towards the Ursine, knowing that they were the key to our success thus far. To my dismay, however, a large portion of the Ursine had been felled already, but I still ran to the few that had managed to hold out, and saved them from these new assailants.

I followed up by running towards Udyr, after seeing that Olaf and Bristle had managed to take care of themselves extremely well. Unfortunately, the monk was far less fortunate, and though enemy after enemy came flying away from him, even more continued piling around him. I brought out one of my bolas from my side, launching it towards the massive group. Upon detonation, half the group was completely consumed by ice, and one quick swing of my flail broke all of them in half. I drew closer to Udyr and continued my assault, until eventually he was free to run support as well.


By the time the fight had ended, the results weren't good. Only a handful of Ursine remained standing, and only a small fraction of the Winter's Claw forces remained. Those that survived were barely holding onto their life.

Anivia came flying back towards me, my body now coated in blood from the battle, taking a look at the devastation that had happened. "Sejuani, what is the meaning of this bloodshed?"

"Lissandra, it seems, managed to spread her web of darkness deep within my own forces. As soon as I thought the battle was over, it begun once again, except that friend and foe looked identical. Please, Anivia...spare us."

Thankfully, she nodded to me. "I believe your tale now, after seeing the Frostguard come pouring through the pass. Go, and defeat Lissandra, no matter the cost. I would assist you myself, but I must be with Ashe, should she require me. Now, go, and do what must be done." With a gust of icy wind, Anivia flew back off into the distance, returning to her cave.

I gathered around what remained of my forces, knowing that a pep talk would have to happen.

"Warriors, what happened today is unacceptable by all accounts, and I will not mourn the passing of those that allied themselves with Queen Lissandra. This attack was deceitful and treacherous, and those that died fighting them will be greatly lost. However, we must move on. We are nearly a day's journey away from the Citadel, and Lissandra's forces will be nearly depleted. Press on, Winter's Claw, and we will slay the witch responsible for the death of our brothers and sisters!" I did not expect any sort of roar, and I did not garner one...everyone was still worn down from the events that had just transpired, and there was no bringing back the ones that we lost in combat today. It weighed heavily on my heart too, as we began our endless journey.

I began walking over towards the pass, not remembering that Anivia had completely frozen hundreds of Frostguard not too much prior, resulting in the tight area being completely filled up by their bodies. I brought my flail up to tear them down, and one-by-one began breaking each frozen body, as Anivia's frost froze them even to the bone. Progress was slow and painful due to the sheer number of bodies crowding the pass, but eventually, we made it through.

On the other side, only a small smattering of trees remained, spread thin throughout the landscape, and the world was once again filled with endless white. I took a step out onto the snow and sunk down up to my knee, nearly two feet of snow swallowing me whole.

Progress was even more strained at this point, as our movement was significantly impaired by the landscape. The five of us stood side-by-side, clearing a path for those that stood behind us, but this was a problem that I had not expected to occur, and we were losing time drastically because of it. I had wanted to be at the edge of Lissandra's territory by nightfall, however, I would have to settle for setting up camp nestled between two mountains once again. Unlike last time, however, there was a valley plenty wide enough for a Frostguard attack to wreak havoc on us during the night.

I looked over towards Bristle once more, examining him closely. We would have to have a discussion tonight, because the changes to him were quite extreme by this point. Tusks angled upwards and out from his head, and his nose had almost completely reverted to a boar's nose, with nostrils angled up and flat against his face. Though his hair hadn't grown particularly much, it had thickened, progressing down his back and disappearing into his armor. Now at his hands, I could see that his thumb was starting to be drug forward, and all of his fingers were slightly shorter than I remembered them, accented by sharp claws. His entire frame itself seemed to be leaning forward slightly, giving him a sort of hunchbacked appearance. The rest of his changes, if there were any, were clouded by his armor, which was not heavily dented and scraped due to the recent strings of encounters we'd gone through.

I could feel the beginnings of tears beginning to well up in the corners of my eyes, and I quickly swatted them away before anyone could notice them. Bristle's changes...they weren't going to be permanent, and that quickly fell on me. The discussions we'd had, the training we'd done, the wars we'd fought back to back...it would all be gone, and fighting it was as worthwhile as freezing an ocean.

I tried remembering back to when he was nothing more than a boar. I felt so ruthless, so terrible, about how I had treated him while he was like that, as if he was nothing more than a tool to be used as I needed. The guilt welled up and boiled over, causing tiny rivulets of tears to begin splashing on the snow beneath me.

Only now did I truly see Bristle for what he is: my most loyal companion, and the best friend that I could possibly imagine, perhaps even more. Though the dreams we fought every night weren't real, there was no doubt that they had strengthened the intense bond that we shared, even though Lissandra had tried so hard to use them to force the two of us apart. Taking another look at Bristle now, a tiny pool of hope welled in me as I thought about those dreams. Perhaps he wouldn't fully revert. In the dreams, he was always in-between man and beast, not too far off from where he was now. I had always held a sort of fear towards him while he was like that; it seemed too foreign to me, and I wasn't ready to face that.

But now, I was willing to accept him like that, embrace it even. He had the best traits of both forms like that: the strength and durability of a boar, but the intelligence and maneuverability of a man. Plus, more than anything else, he could talk. That, above all else, was what I feared most about a full reversion. He had told me that he understood human speech, and had all his life. The thought that he could hear me, but not be able to respond, for the rest of his life...I couldn't handle it.

The tears began to flow much more freely now, splattering the ground beneath me as I failed to fight them. Hope alone wasn't going to carry me through this. Every time I looked at him, he seemed more and more bestial, more reminisce of how he was before we had ever visited the Vortex. No matter how hard I tried to make myself believe that he would stop changing halfway through, I couldn't shake the thought that I would be wrong, and set up for the most crushing defeat of my life. It would be best to resign all thoughts of hope entirely.

I took a few quick paces forward, spearheading our trail clearing, but also to hide my emotions from the others. Olaf, Volibear, Udyr...they wouldn't understand the emotional pain I was going through. They would see me how I had trained them to see me, as a weakling, unfit to be in this army, let alone lead it.

I remained at the head of the group for several minutes, feeling the pain beginning to well up in my legs from the effort, although it paled in comparison to the pain deep within my chest. Up ahead, I could see a small forest, where the snow would surely be less deep due to the tree cover. If we were to set up camp there for the night, it would be the best. Far more defensible, less draft from the wind, and hidden from the Frostguard should they come through the mountain pass accidentally sometime during the night. I put all my strength back into my legs and began rushing forward, moving footstep after footstep of snow out of the way. Overhead, the sun was beginning to drop on the horizon, and we were running out of hours to set up the camp.

By the time we got there, the sky was nearly completely dark, and I pulled out my tent, swiftly setting it up. I found a defensible position near the back of the forest, right next to the mountain, which would prove necessary should we get attacked. Unfortunately, due to the immense losses we suffered today, our numbers barely exceeded two hundred, nearly one-third of what we previously had. However, those that were left were the strong, hardy, and loyal, the best soldiers that we had set out with. This entire journey had been survival of the fittest to the fullest extent, and by now, we had found the fittest among us.

I pulled Bristle over to the side once he set his tent up, taking him behind the tent. "Yes, Sejuani, is there something you need?"

I pointed at his hand, which was now covered in an inch or two of fur, with a sharp claw from each of his shortened fingers. "Bristle, you're changing...don't try and argue it anymore. You can see it, I can see it...and I can't take it." I broke down again, wrapping my arms tightly around him and pressing my cheek against his chest, as if it would keep him with me any longer.

"Sejuani...yes, I am changing. How far, I do not know, but I am beginning to feel my mentality altering as well, as my primal instincts come back to me. However, I am still Briste, your Bristle, and I will not let anything change that. Please, Sejuani...do not shed any more tears for me."

I shook my head against him. "Bristle, you...you know that I cannot do that. What we have become, it is a bond stronger than steel, and it is a bond that I did not feel while you were a boar. Please, Bristle...fight it if you can. I do not wish to be without you as you are now."

He pushed me away gently and looked me in the eyes, the two blue orbs staring deep into my soul. "Sejuani, whether I tread on two legs or four, I will always be who I am now. I may not be able to communicate with you as I do now, but that does not prevent me from responding to you, correct? Remember what the Vortex told us when this happened?"

"What is one must become two, so that they can learn to become one once again." The words came far more easily than I expected, words that I didn't even think that I remembered.

"Yes. I believe that this is our challenge. 'We must learn to become one', Sejuani. Please, you must accept what I become."

I nodded, knowing that he was right. "You...you are correct, Bristle. I will try, but that is all that I can promise." I pulled away from him, and went back to my tent, curling up inside my bedroll.

The longing building up within me grew and grew, knowing just what was in store for me over the next dozen moons or so. Bristle's conversation had helped calm me during the moment, but now that we were apart once again...all the pain and fear returned, as my tears began pooling on my bedroll.

After several hours of restless sleep, I got out of my tent, and walked over towards the entrance to Bristle's. My hand clung to the flap, as the weight of the action I was about to undertake started burdening me. If anyone, Olaf included, were to see me in Bristle's tent...it could prove disastrous for troop morale. However, the longing, the emptiness that I felt...it took precedence right now.

I silently pulled open the flap and took a step inside. I knew that I was crossing a line here, but it was a line that I was willing to cross. Inside, Bristle was already asleep, and I pulled up alongside him, wrapping my arms around him. Rules be damned...right now, this was what I needed right now.

Word count: 50234 (6683 this chapter) (these updates will now stop happening :D)

Reviews:

Thanks for listening to my suggestion and I think that the multiple views is a good idea which can help flesh out the characters.I hope you keep up the good work and while I don't want you to be overwhelmed but I hope the other champions at least get a mention in the story but it is your story so feel free to say no.I believe in you can do it though and see you soon :-) - Guest

Glad you liked the 'Bristle-cam', I hoped that it would go over well. And don't worry about that last part, Gragas and Nunu might be the only two I leave out...mainly because I don't know how to incorporate them. As for Ashe, Braum, Trundle, and Tryndamere, you can expect to see them at some point or another.

Author's Note: While I hate to do this to you all, I've gotta take a break from writing now...schoolwork beckons me. Act 2 will be concluded next chapter, however, and I fully intend to make it worth your while to return here once it's written. Who knows, maybe I'll get a free 2 days sometime soon and I'll get it out sooner than expected...it's hard to tell as of now. Anyways, review, PM, you all know the drill at this point. I hope you liked my submission for NaNoWriMo :-)