Chapter Nine

The camp of the Wolf Pack was coming to life with activity. That day, there was to be a great feast held in honor of Luna and Seff and their new statuses among the pack as adults. Canus was already beginning preparations for the food that was to be served, and had wrangled Reynard into assisting him. Had Lupe's husband Lobo, the elders, and the cubs who comprised the rest of the pack been present, then the feast would have been a slightly more elaborate and boisterous affair, with double the revelers and double the food. Still though, the Wolf Pack was determined to make the most of the situation and give their newest warriors the best celebration ever.

Placed in charge of bringing back a kill by Lupe, Leeta and Lyco were preparing for their upcoming hunt. Presently, they could be found together outside their tipis, making sure that their weapons were in top-notch condition. Leeta was examining the blade of a large hunting knife for any nicks or other imperfections. In addition to the lance, she also favored knives, a number of which she usually carried around on her person in the off-chance that she would either need to fight or hunt.

"Do you think Antoine's keeping an eye on those cubs?" She asked Lyco, who was busy sharpening one of her own hunting knives.

Lyco gave a none-too-ladylike snort in response. "They're probably the ones having to keep an eye on him."

Leeta nodded. "He's crazy. There's no doubt about it now." She matter-of-factly said.

"Well, the way Edward explained it, Antoine ran off with them because he wants other Mobians to start taking him more seriously, and thought the Spirit Quest would give him that opportunity. Truthfully, I feel sorry for the guy. Poor thing can't fight and jumps at shadows. Can you imagine what that must be like, having to live like that day in and day out?" Lyco gave a shake of her braided head at the very idea. Had Antoine been born a wolf, then he probably would have been even more of an outcast then he already was. Lupine culture extolled strength and daring, after all.

When they were satisfied with the condition of their weaponry, the sisters took their leave of camp, continuing to discuss the Antoine situation all the while.

"He just needs to find some sort of role where he doesn't have to do any fighting at all." Lyco was saying.

"I feel bad Antoine lives like that too, but he needs to learn that he can't just take off whenever the mood strikes him," Leeta said. "If I had done something that reckless when I was his age, Lupe and our parents would've had my tail."

Lyco couldn't disagree with that. "Well, when he drags his tail back here, he's going to learn that lesson real quick." They both were well-aware of the fact that Lupe was quite upset over this incident, as was Edward. Leeta and Lyco didn't have any idea of what might happen to Antoine when he returned with Luna and Seff, but figured that it wasn't going to be pretty.

They hadn't gotten far when the sound of wing beats and alarmed chirps coming from somewhere ahead of them caught their attention. Something or someone had just startled a flock of aervwingers. Immediately, the twins stopped moving and fell silent, trying to discern what was behind the disturbance. Lyco, whose keen eyesight was renowned among the Wolf Pack, tried to see what it was, and was the first to notice them.

"Look!" Grabbing Leeta by the arm, Lyco pointed to something further down the trail from them. Straining to see for herself, Leeta managed to pick out the forms of Luna, Seff, and Antoine walking towards them.

When Luna spotted the older wolves, she let out a happy squeal and ran forward to embrace each of them, a gesture Leeta and Lyco happily returned. Antoine and Seff maintained their original paces, neither wanting to appear as emotional as Luna. When they finally did catch up with the three females, Seff still put on a show of trying to remain cool and stoic as Leeta and Lyco went on to shower him with attention, but it was apparent to anyone who was watching that he was basking in their affection and was as happy to be reunited with them as Luna was.

Leeta looked between Seff and Luna, beaming brightly as she did. "You two did it! We're so proud of you!" From the time that Luna and Seff had joined the Wolf Pack, she and Lyco had grown exceptionally fond of the cubs, and both were glad they had finally been able to experience such an important milestone in their lives. The twins were well-aware of the fact that Luna and Seff desired to take more active roles among the pack.

Antoine was unable to resist smiling at the scene. It felt good to see his friends happy. While he wasn't as fearful of the Wolf Pack as he once was, he didn't try to involve himself in the four's reunion. He wasn't a member of their pack, and therefore felt like he would have been interrupting the moment if he had tried to join in. He was taken off-guard when Lyco came over and gave him a hug of all things.

"We're glad you're alright too." She told him, breaking off the embrace.

Antoine could feel his face heating up. He really wanted to thank Lyco for actually being concerned about him, but it seemed as though his brain had stalled on him like a malfunctioning airplane engine. The only thing he was able to do was chuckle nervously and rake his fingers through his headfur, looking anywhere but where Lyco was standing.

Without warning, Lyco's warm expression shifted into a livid scowl, and she punched Antoine right in the forearm, snapping him out of his sudden bout of awkward shyness.

"Ouch!" Antoine yelped, rubbing the spot on his arm where he had been hit. It hadn't really hurt (too much), but like the hug, he hadn't been expecting it either.

"What in the name of Fenrir did you think you were doing, running off like that?" Lyco shouted at him.

Leeta looked about as incensed as her sister did. "He wasn't thinking! Just like a male!"

"Did you ever stop to think about how worried we were about you?" Lyco continued heatedly. "Not to mention the fact that you broke Pack Law!"

Antoine quickly backed away just in case either of the girls wanted to take another swing at him, putting his hands out in front of himself as if to say "Calm down!" Suddenly he found himself thinking that an irate Leeta and Lyco were scarier than a dozen Diablos. "Mademoiselles, please! I-I was not meaning any harm!"

By this time, the commotion had drawn the attention of Canus, Reynard, and Diablo. They hurried over to the scene just in time to see Luna place herself between Antoine and the upset twins, standing protectively in front of the coydog. "Wait! Don't be mad at him!"

"Yeah!" Seff chimed in, although he allowed Luna to stand slightly ahead of him – he had seen Leeta and Lyco upset before and didn't really want to be near either of them when they were in such a state. "He saved us from the Skinwalker!"

Those six words caused Leeta and Lyco's anger to melt away and be replaced by astonishment. The pair, as well as Canus, Reynard, and Diablo, who were similarly flabbergasted, simultaneously turned their eyes towards Antoine.

"You saved them?" Diablo incredulously asked.

Antoine stepped around Luna and Seff, looking around at the assembled wolves. Raising a closed hand to his mouth, he cleared his throat and prepared to address them. For the briefest of moments, the temptation to launch into some vainglorious yarn to wow the older Mobians tugged strongly at him (after all, impressing them had been one of his intentions earlier when he had snuck away on the Spirit Quest), but he swiftly excised the idea from his thoughts. His experience in the Cave of Shadows had driven home the point that Stormblaze was trying to make earlier before they had joined forces - no one liked a braggart. He would never make the mistake of trying to make himself sound better then what he really was ever again. So he simply replied, "Well, yes."

The twins hadn't taken their eyes off Antoine since Luna and Seff's announcement. Neither could comprehend how this blustering, jittery little canine had succeeded in slaying a dreaded sorcerer who had bedeviled both the wolves and the locals here for ages. Both spoke in the same instant. "How'd you do it?" Lyco demanded as Leeta questioned, "What happened?"

"Huh?" Antoine looked between the pair. Lyco and Leeta addressing him at the same time threw him off a bit.

"They asked how did you kill the Skinwalker." Canus clarified.

"Oh! Um, well, it was not being easy. I was lucky to be cutting his arm with mon sabre when he first attacked moi – er, me. But then he threw me around the cave, and there were several times when I was thinking I was being doomed. Luna and Seff were coming into the chamber just then, and the Skinwalker saw them. He was going to attack them, but went for me first. I was stopping him by stabbing him in the stomach."

The five wolves marveled at his story, exchanging glances among themselves. Indeed, it did appear as though Antoine had been in a fight.

Reynard was the first to speak. "Well done, Antoine! We didn't think you had it in you!" He exclaimed, clapping Antoine on the shoulder and nearly toppling him in his enthusiasm. Acting fast, Reynard quickly grabbed Antoine before he fell. "Oops! Sorry about that."

As Antoine rubbed his shoulder, musing that he had been fortunate to survive a battle against the Skinwalker only to return and be manhandled by the Wolf Pack, Lyco and Leeta approached him.

"You need to have those injuries of your's tended to, you know." Lyco pointed out.

"Do not be fretting about moi, ladies." Antoine insisted, drawing himself up and putting on an air of nonchalance. However, a squeak of pain escaped him when Leeta laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, stop being so stubborn," Leeta lightly scolded. "You're acting about as silly as Diablo does whenever he gets a little cut or something. You don't want to get an infection now, do you?" She and Lyco smiled sweetly at him.

"An infection?" Antoine echoed. Somehow that frightening possibility had slipped his mind. Gingerly, he felt his forehead. "Now that I am thinking about it, I am feeling the smallest bit feverish…"

Bemused by the sudden change in Antoine's demeanor, the twin sisters looked quizzically at one another before Lyco rolled her eyes at Antoine's melodramatics. 'I guess some things never change.' She thought, she and Leeta attempting to bite back their laughter.

Seff couldn't resist snickering at the scene either, but for a different reason. He found it humorous that only minutes ago Lyco and Leeta were acting like they had wanted to kill Antoine, but were now offering to patch him up. 'Females are strange creatures.' he thought.

Everyone gathered failed to notice that someone else was coming to see what was going on. Only Seff happened to take notice. His amused grin immediately disappeared, and he stepped away from Antoine, tucking his tail between his legs and pinning his ears back.

Seeing that something had disturbed Seff, Luna followed his gaze to discover what the cause was. Upon seeing it for herself, she became similarly subdued. The rest of the pack quickly fell silent, and all eyes avoided Antoine. Wondering what the problem was, Antoine got his answer when he turned around to look for himself.

Lupe was standing behind him, her arms crossed as she stared down at him. Antoine practically wilted under her flinty gaze.

"Antoine, come with me. Now." She growled before stalking off, not bothering to see if he was following. With a nervous gulp, Antoine tried not to look at the other wolves as he slunk off after her.

As they walked together in silence, Lupe led Antoine over to where the tipis were and to one in particular that was positioned in the center of the bunch. He surmised that it must have belonged to Lupe. He watched the she-wolf push aside the flaps covering the tipi's entrance and duck inside. Hurriedly he followed suit and sat down on the floor, next to the entrance. Lupe was seated across from him Indian-style, scowling angrily and refusing to look his way.

Although Antoine knew he was in serious trouble, he couldn't resist taking a quick look around, having never been inside a tipi before. The interior, though not especially large, was surprisingly cozy, with the floor being covered by skins and soft furs. A sliver of sky could be glimpsed through a small opening that was situated at the crown of the tipi.

Finally, Antoine managed to work up a tiny shred of courage to address Lupe, although he found that his voice trembled as he did. "Um, mademoiselle? May I just firstly say this was being my idea and mine's alone? So there is being no need to punish Luna and Seff."

Lupe didn't respond, only continuing to stare furiously ahead instead. Antoine fidgeted uneasily. The oppressive silence in here was terrible. He had feared getting an angry lecture, but this was turning out to be far worse. How long was this going to last?

At last, after what had seemed like an agonizingly long time to Antoine, though in actuality only eight minutes had gone by, Lupe spoke. In contrast to the sharp tone of voice she had used to order him to come with her, she didn't sound angry, surprisingly enough. But there was no mistaking the disappointment that saturated her tone. "If you were my son, you would be peeling prairie turnips and washing the entire pack's clothing for eight months straight for your disobedience." After a pause, she demanded, "Were you just lying when you said that you understood my orders not to go?"

The possibility that his stunt might have very well caused Lupe to lose trust in him after she had helped him so much hadn't crossed Antoine's mind until now, and he felt extremely remorseful. "No. I… I was trying to go to sleep when you told me to. I really was. I guess mes going on the Spirit Quest was being a final minute decision. I am very sorry for not doing the listening to you, mademoiselle. I have no excuse." Ears drooping, he lowered his head, the very picture of misery.

"I understand how much you desire for others to view you in a different light Antoine, but if you wish to become a better warrior, you cannot be so impulsive," Lupe chided, adjusting her position so that she was directly facing him. "Impulsiveness is what gets good Mobians killed. You must realize that your actions always have consequences. If you don't learn how to exercise better self-control, then you may end up making a mistake that cannot be easily repaired."

Antoine kept his eyes on the floor. "Is there anything I can be doing to earn your trust again?"

Lupe's expression softened slightly. "I have made far more foolish mistakes in my own youth, so I do not hold any ill will against you. Though I will say that I am disappointed you chose not to listen to me."

Lupe grew quiet as she scrutinized him more closely. Antoine averted his gaze from her own, wondering just how atrocious he must have looked right then and if she was disapproving of his dirty, scruffy appearance, but instead she suddenly said, "There's something different about you."

Forgetting all about species etiquette for the moment, Antoine stared at Lupe. "There is? What?"

"I think it's something about your eyes."

His eyes? Had they been somehow altered when the Thunderbird had granted him his powers, he wondered? But Lupe didn't go into the subject any further. "There have not been many outsiders who have ventured into the Cave of Shadows before and come out alive. What did you see while you were there?"

"I was… the Skinwalker, he…" Antoine attempted to say, but the memories coming back to him made his throat feel as though it were constricting, and tears began stinging at his eyes. The nightmare he had witnessed back in the cave had illuminated some vital truths to him, and he was thankful for that, but that didn't make the truth any less hurtful.

Seeing how distressed Antoine was becoming, Lupe decided not to press the matter. "There now, it's alright," She soothed, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You must be hungry, and I imagine you wish to clean yourself up. But go see Lyco first. I believe she was about to attend to your injuries before I summoned you here."

Antoine took a deep breath before answering her, trying to get his emotions under control. "Merci, mademoiselle. Again, I am being very sorry." Standing, he respectfully saluted the chieftain and departed the tipi.

Antoine wasn't sure if he would do everything all over again if he was given an opportunity to do so. While on one hand he was overjoyed at both realizing that he could be just as brave as his heroes, like his father, Sir Aleron, and Sir Connery, as well as actually being rewarded with powers of his very own, he hated the fact that he had disappointed Lupe. But if he hadn't gone with them, then would Seff and Luna still have come through their Spirit Quest unscathed and alive? Plus, if he had stayed behind, then he would have still been ignorant to the ugly truth about his relationship with the other Knothole Freedom Fighters. He knew that he was wrong to ignore Lupe's orders, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt he had done the right thing by accompanying Luna and Seff.

These thoughts weighed heavily on Antoine's mind as he made his way to a stream that was close by the campsite which supplied the wolves with their fresh water. So preoccupied was he that he failed to notice Stormblaze waiting near Lupe's tent until he hailed Antoine. Stopping to wait for Stormblaze, Antoine wondered how long he had been there.

"Were you evening dropping?" The coydog asked a trifle suspiciously as Stormblaze trotted up to him.

Although Antoine had bungled the word, Stormblaze knew what he really meant to say, and was rather offended by the allegation. "Eavesdropping, you mean. And most certainly not! I was waiting for you to come out, actually. The Wolf Pack informed me that you had finally returned."

"Oh. Sorry." Antoine muttered, despondence returning to his voice. The last thing he wanted was to have Stormblaze upset with him. "Are you going to be scolding moi too?"

"No…" Stormblaze shook his head, then brusquely went onto say, "Lupe has already done that I believe, so I will not waste breath in telling you how thoughtless you were in defying her orders. Or how your impromptu side-journey has devoured precious time that could have been spent traveling to Sierra Verde, or that you could have been seriously hurt or even killed out there."

Antoine cringed at what he thought was the start of another round of chastisement, but Stormblaze suddenly rested a hand on his shoulder. His expression was softer then it had been a second ago as he looked down at Antoine. "Besides, I heard that you have been through much."

"Do not worry about moi. I am being fine." Antoine lightly replied, waving Stormblaze's concern off. But he didn't think his words sounded very convincing, and knew that Stormblaze could tell he wasn't fine at all. Thankfully however, Stormblaze choose not to question him about it. Antoine liked how Stormblaze wouldn't pressure him into sharing his thoughts when he didn't feel like it. It was one of several reasons why he enjoyed spending time in Stormblaze's company.

Antoine glanced up at him again. "Um, Stormblaze? I would like to be thanking you."

The unicorn's ears swiveled forward questioningly. "Thank me? Whatever for?"

"Just… Just for caring about moi. Since we have begun traveling together, I have been learning so much from you, and you… well, you are actually listening to moi, and treating me like a real person with real feelings. I am not afraid when you are around."

Stormblaze was plainly embarrassed by Antoine's heartfelt admission. Coughing, he awkwardly shuffled his hooves around in the dirt. Being males, neither was especially used to putting their emotions out there so openly. It was something that their respective societies tended to strongly discourage, especially among the warrior class. It was something more accepted from the fairer sex.

Finally, Stormblaze replied in a strained, odd-sounding voice that made Antoine wonder if he was actually on the verge of crying, "Come now, you're getting sentimental on me, you little duffer." Affectionately cuffing Antoine, he smiled warmly and said in a more normal but slightly quieter tone, "But you need not thank me. I have been traveling by myself for three long years now, so I have likewise enjoyed your company on this venture."

"You have? Even though I have been causing all of this trouble? I am knowing that most Mobians like Sally and Bunnie let me think I was being their mon ami just to be nice to moi. I am used to it by now."

"Maybe other Mobians pretend to tolerate one another, but an honorable unicorn would never engage in such a dishonest act. If we say someone is our friend, then we truly mean it." Stormblaze resolutely said.

The mismatched pair watched in companionable silence as the sun continued to rise, appreciating the view as well as each other's company. While Stormblaze did like the Wolf Pack (well, with the exception of Diablo) for their down-to-earth personalities, not having his fellow misfit around for the entirety of the previous day had just felt off to him. Antoine of course had found himself missing Stormblaze, even though Luna and Seff were generally fun to be around. His experience in the Cave of Shadows made him recognize just how important Stormblaze's camaraderie and support really was to him. He was truly grateful that there was finally another Mobian around who he knew he could call his friend and know that to be the truth.

"Well, I suppose I will be going to clean myself up…" Antoine finally said, turning to leave.

Stormblaze nodded. "Of course, of course… oh, before you run off, I could, um..." He indicated the scratch on Antoine's nose with a wave of his hand.

Antoine's eyes crossed in a rather comedic fashion as he tried to see just what was wrong with his nose before realizing that Stormblaze was offering to heal his wounds. Antoine had almost forgotten about how battered he was. The Thunderbird's magic had effectively deadened the pain before, but Stormblaze's reminder seemed to bring it rushing back with a vengeance. Perhaps there was a limit on the length of time the Thunderbird's magic acted like an anesthetic. Antoine knew he would be sore all over tomorrow.

Trying not to pay any attention to the pain he was in, Antoine made himself offhandedly reply, "Oh, that is being alright. I was actually on mon way to see mademoiselle Lyco about it."

Stormblaze quirked an eyebrow, and a devilish grin spread across his muzzle. "Miss Lyco, eh? Would this be because she's a skilled healer, or because of the fact she wears clothing that shows off quite a bit of leg?"

If Antoine was capable of blushing, then his face would have turned a bright shade of red at that comment. "R-really, you are being i-i-imporridge – incorrigible!" He exclaimed, embarrassment causing his notorious stammer to return.

Stormblaze laughed. "It's what my instructors said I do best." He pretended to think, stroking his chin and turning his eyes skywards. "Perhaps I should start prancing about in such garb…"

"I was not needing that picture," Antoine grimaced, but wound up having to laugh himself at the bizarre mental image of Stormblaze in a leotard. "Please be keeping your tunic on."

The next day, once he had awakened and dressed himself, Antoine borrowed a hand-held mirror from Leeta. Now he sat out of view behind one of the tipis, the mirror in hand as he studied himself in it. Lupe's comment from yesterday concerning his eyes still echoed through his mind. He didn't exactly know what he had been expecting to see, but nothing about him looked any different from before, including his eyes. Outwardly, he was still just the same old Antoine. Maybe Lupe's statement had some deeper meaning behind it or something, he mused.

Today, he and Stormblaze were preparing to leave the Wolf Pack's camp to continue their quest. Stormblaze was up, and by now, probably ready to leave. Antoine was somewhat surprised that the unicorn hadn't slept in later, considering how much he had eaten and drunk during last night's celebration that had not only been held in honor of Seff and Luna, but also for Antoine's defeat of the Skinwalker. Luna had been correct about the other Wolf Pack members generally being willing to forgive him for tagging along on the Spirit Quest, since he had twice succeeded in saving their lives. Even Diablo, who Antoine thought would have been crying the loudest for him to be punished for breaking Pack Law, hadn't complained much. The wellbeing of their youngest pack members was far more important to the wolves then tradition.

Everyone had had a fun time at the festivities, and the jubilant mood that was in the air had even affected Antoine, who was feeling better since having his wounds tended to. In fact, he had even been bold enough to join in on the pack's dancing after observing them and figuring out how the steps went, surprising his-then dance partner Lyco as well as everyone else with his moves. Luna had been quick to steal him away from Lyco, he recalled with an amused chuckle, but he had been happy to oblige his young friend with a couple of dances. She probably would have danced with him all night if Reynard hadn't broken in and requested a dance with Luna. Truth be told, Antoine was glad for the reprieve. He could feel himself starting to tire, and wanted an opportunity to dance with Leeta (and hopefully Lyco again). Stormblaze had no interest in dancing, preferring to sit back, watch, and eat instead.

Later, sometime after the dance, Seff and Luna related the story of their Spirit Quest, with Antoine pitching in occasionally. He was thankful that they omitted certain parts, namely his descent into terrified hysterics after the Sand King attack. He didn't mention a word about what the Skinwalker had shown him, and neither did Luna and Seff, but that was only because they knew nothing about what he had seen. On their way back to camp, Luna and Seff had questioned him about why he had left in the first place. Antoine's response had been that he had heard strange noises and wanted to investigate to make sure everything was alright. It was a partial truth. He didn't want to go into further detail. He knew that he would have been asked what had transpired when he had arrived in the central chamber and found "Sally" waiting there for him. The coydog repressed a shudder at the memory.

With all the chaos and busyness of the past twenty-four hours, Antoine hadn't had time to dwell much on his battle with the Skinwalker. He recalled how infuriated he had become when the Skinwalker revealed his manipulations to him. He could not think of another instance when he had ever been as enraged as he was in that moment. His mind then went back to a conversation between Luna, Seff, and himself on the journey back to camp.

"What was it like, killing the Skinwalker?" Seff was asking. Luna, while not especially interested in hearing any of the gorier details, was curious as to what Antoine had to say as well.

"What was it like?" Antoine echoed, not really knowing how he should answer that question. "I do not know… it was not something I was enjoying." He honestly replied.

Seff was both confused and not exactly impressed by that response, as was indicated by his expression. "So… you're saying that you feel bad for killing him then?"

Antoine frowned. "I would not be going that far. He was going to kill you and Luna – after he was finishing killed moi. I was not about to let him do that."

Indeed, while having to snuff out the life of another creature felt strange and unsettling to him, Antoine wasn't going to be shedding any tears for the Skinwalker anytime soon. From what the Wolf Pack had told him, the sorcerer's presence had long been a blight on the Greenbacks. They viewed his death as a blessing and had said as much.

Getting his knapsack, Antoine began making his way to the westernmost edge of the camp, carrying the mirror in his hand for safekeeping until he could return it to its owner. Since Antoine had returned, Reynard hadn't once harried him with any questions regarding what he saw in the cave, surprisingly enough. Antoine wondered if that was because Lupe had told Reynard not to bother him, or if Reynard realized that he had had a hard night and decided to give him his space.

Last night's merrymaking had helped to take Antoine's mind off darker thoughts, though they were never far from the surface. But thankfully his sleep had been deep and dreamless. When he had awakened earlier, he was quite pleased to find that the collar of his uniform, which had been torn by the Skinwalker's long claws, had been sewn up, most likely by one of the wolves (as he didn't think Stormblaze could sew). Antoine really appreciated the kind gesture. He would miss the Wolf Pack, even though he knew he would likely see them again sometime in the near future. He was thankful for the time he had spent in their company, even if it hadn't been for very long. He didn't think he would have gotten the same opportunity to become more familiar with the wolves and understand them better if the other Freedom Fighters had been there with him.

"Hey, Antoine!" An upbeat voice suddenly called out from further behind Antoine, causing his ears to perk up. He didn't need to look to know that Seff and Luna were bounding after him, and he stopped to allow them to catch up. Once they had, he resumed walking, the cubs felling into step beside him. His eyes went to the single gold circlets that now adorned Seff and Luna's respective wrists: her right and his left. Last night, Lupe had gifted the proud young wolves with the bands in front of everybody.

"Bonjour, mon amies," Antoine jovially greeted them. He would have to introduce these two to Tails, he thought. He bet Luna and Seff would take a liking to the fox, and Tails would really enjoy being able to play with cubs who were closer to him in age for a change. Antoine had become aware of the fact that Tails sometimes felt left out around Knothole Village due to being the youngest Mobian there. But then Antoine bitterly reminded himself that he would probably never see Tails again, since he believed that returning to Knothole would not be in his best interests.

Luna's questioning voice snapped Antoine out of his resentful thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"Never better." Antoine smiled again at the lupine duo, who was watching him with some concern, to reassure them. He decided to quickly change the subject. "Were the two of you seeing anything in the cave last night?"

Luna and Seff shared a glance before Seff replied, "Well, before we came looking for you, we're pretty sure we did in our dreams."

Antoine immediately felt guilty for not only having awakened the siblings, but for possibly interrupting an important event that would help to determine their futures. "Mon apology for interrupting your dreams."

"Aw, don't feel bad." Luna gently reassured him. "You have no idea how happy I am that we decided to get up to go look for you. What would've happened if we hadn't?"

She made a good point. If the pair hadn't barged into the chamber when they had, Antoine wondered would he still have been able to summon the strength to slay the Skinwalker.

"And it's not like the dreams made a whole lot of sense anyway." Seff said, the irritation coming through in his voice.

"What were they being about?"

"We wish we could tell you, but you're only supposed to tell the chief wolf and the pack shaman what you dreamed about." Luna explained, an apologetic expression on her face.

Antoine nodded in understanding. "Well, if there is anyone who can be helping you learn more about these dreams, then it is mademoiselle Lupe. She is being one of the wisest Mobians I am knowing of."

"We're supposed to talk with her in private sometime later today and tell her what we saw in our dreams." Seff said. "Our shaman isn't here with us, but tia's just as good as having one around, I think."

When the trio finally made it to the rendezvous spot, they saw that the rest of the pack as well as Stormblaze were already there. Presently, Stormblaze was being besieged by Lyco and Leeta, both of whom had their arms wrapped around him in a friendly hug.

"You must come see us again. I enjoyed beating you so easily in our archery contest!" Lyco joked.

"I would insist on another contest, bow-maiden. I maintain that the sun was in my eyes and ruined my shots." Stormblaze replied, prompting laughter from Lyco and the others.

"Here is your mirror, mademoiselle." Antoine politely said, handing the item back to Leeta when she had broken off her embrace with Stormblaze. "Thank you for allowing me to use it."

"No problem." The perky pink wolf flashed him a bright smile as she took her mirror back. "You know, not only are you not such a bad guy after all, but you're also a pretty good dancer. Just keep letting Edward here show you how to loosen up." Winking at him, she jerked a thumb over at Stormblaze.

Antoine had heard others saying that he needed to loosen up before, and by this point actually understood what that particular bit of slang meant. Rather than take offense however, he was just pleased to actually be receiving a compliment from one of the Wolf Pack, as was evident in his own smile. "Merci. I will be remembering that."

"Next time, do you think you could show us some dances from Mercia and the Acorn Kingdom?" Lyco asked him. "I've always wanted to know about the types of dances they do there."

"I would be more than happy to, mademoiselle." As frightening as she and her sister could be when their ire was roused, one would have to be blind not to notice how pretty Lyco and Leeta were. Antoine may have carried on like a lovesick puppy over Sally's classic kind of beauty, but he had never truly been oblivious to the attractiveness of other females. That was especially true now that he was no longer interested in winning Sally's affections. Antoine may have been stuffy and uptight, but he wasn't made of stone. Still though, he certainly didn't possess the audacity to approach Leeta or Lyco like that (for one thing, he wasn't even sure if the wolves were allowed to court those outside their own kind), and figured he would just have to content himself with dances with them and admiring their loveliness from afar.

Antoine bowed low to the entire pack. "Merci beau coup for everything that all of you have been doing for Edward and myself."

"Anytime, little guy." Canus chuckled, coming forward to grab Antoine and ruffle his headfur, much to the surprise and dismay of the coydog and the amusement of the others. Antoine might have changed in some ways, but he remained very much the same in certain others. In this case, he was still particular about his headfur, preferring to always keep it in its neat style. Still though, he decided it would be better to tolerate the affectionate gesture – after all, he was supposed to be making an effort to not be so stiff all the time – settling for putting up a mild protest instead. "Monsieur Canus, please…"

Grinning like a mischievous cub, Canus playfully tousled Antoine's hair one last time before releasing his hold on him. Now that he was free, Antoine shot Canus a look that was equal parts annoyance and good humor as he attempted to carefully smooth his hair back into place. The next time he and the Wolf Pack crossed paths, Antoine had decided that he would spend more time with Canus, as they both shared a common interest in cooking, and he liked Canus' kindhearted and undemanding demeanor.

Seff and Luna were next. Luna was the first to reach Antoine, her hands clasped together and a shy smile on her muzzle. She was acting unusually bashful, much like she had been when she and Antoine had stood together outside the Cave of Shadows looking at the moon.

"Um, so… do you think you could teach me some of those fancy dance moves too?" She asked.

"Of course." Antoine smiled at Luna in an attempt to alleviate her timidity, but found himself wondering what had happened to the more outspoken young lady he had been conversing with earlier.

It seemed like she wanted to say something else, but Seff, tired of waiting for his sister to finish saying what she had to say, literally barged in between the pair at that moment, forcing Luna to take a step back to avoid getting knocked aside. Unaware that Luna was radiating pure irritation at having her time with Antoine interrupted, Seff flung one gangly arm around Antoine's shoulders in a chummy manner.

"So Antoine old buddy, remember what I was telling you about calling on us whenever you're in trouble? Well, if you and the other Freedom Fighters have some giant battle or something coming up, don't hesitate to send for me, okay?" He looked hopefully at Antoine, who in turn was unable to keep from grinning at Seff's eager attitude. Now that he could actually participate in battle, Seff just might see his wish come true.

"I will be keeping that in mind, mes amie." He simply told the wolf.

Diablo was still his old standoffish self, watching in impassive silence as Antoine and Stormblaze gave their goodbyes to his packmates. But then without hesitation, Antoine approached him and held out his hand. "Monsieur."

Initially Diablo could do nothing but stare, taken off-guard by Antoine's action before finally accepting his offered hand and shaking it a little awkwardly. "Antoine." He gruffly replied, nodding to the coydog.

'It's a start', Antoine thought. When he got to Lupe, Antoine was prepared to formally bow to her, but to his surprise, found his wrist being firmly clasped by her hand. He had witnessed her using the same gesture before when she was either greeting or saying goodbye to Sally and Sonic. He had come to discover that it was how the wolves, and more specifically, those ones who were warriors, acknowledged one another. Each individual had to grip the other's wrist, he remembered, so he reciprocated the gesture.

Pleasantly surprised that Antoine knew what he was doing, Lupe released her hold on his arm, and placing her hands on his shoulders, leaned in to speak to him in a low tone of voice. "Your encounter with the Thunderbird was no mere coincidence. Trust in yourself, and learn how to understand and wield the power given to you." Returning her voice to a normal level, she added, "It was a pleasure to share both your and Edward's company."

"Don't be strangers!" Reynard said, enthusiastically shaking Stormblaze's hand before going over to Antoine and doing the same. "In fact Antoine, the next time we see you, maybe we'll show you some of the tricks that we use in battle."

"Really?" Antoine couldn't believe what he was hearing. He remembered accidentally overhearing Sally and a few other Freedom Fighters talking about sending Tails to go train with the Wolf Pack when he came of age. Antoine had happened to be strolling past Sally's hut and hadn't intended to listen in on her conversation with Bunnie and Tatiana, a tiger who was visiting Knothole at the time, but Sally's window had been left ajar. He was about to continue on to his own hut when he heard his own name suddenly bought up, but not in a flattering manner. Bunnie had asked the other two girls if any of the male Freedom Fighters would make good mentors for Tails. It was Tatiana who had mentioned his name, following it up with a nasty snicker. Antoine definitely knew an insult when he heard it, even a backhanded one like that, and, flushed with embarrassment, had quickly gotten as far away from Sally's hut as he could so he wouldn't hear anymore. Sally hadn't even tried to defend him or anything, which in retrospect wasn't terribly surprising. And Bunnie hadn't spoken up on his behalf either.

"I don't see why not," Lupe broke in. "If you are to become a warrior, then familiarizing yourself with different combat techniques and weaponry would serve to make you a well-rounded fighter. Not only would that benefit you, but it would be something of use to your fellow Freedom Fighters as well."

At the mention of the rest of the Knothole Freedom Fighters, Antoine's exultant demeanor wavered for a split second, but being so genuinely delighted and touched by the Wolf Pack's offer, he was quick to recover. "Oui. It would be a very great honor to train with all of you!" He answered brightly. The fact that the Wolf Pack had actually extended the offer to help train him without having to be asked first wasn't lost on him. It made him wish that Sally, Sonic, and all the others could be there at that very moment just so he could have seen the looks on their faces.

"Until then, I'm sure you'll be in good hands." Lupe's comment sounded casual enough, but as she said it, she shot Stormblaze a significant glance. Last night, Lupe had taken him aside and told him she wished to have Antoine stay on with them so that he could be trained by herself and the rest of the pack in how to use his new abilities. Stormnblaze explained that they could not remain in the Greenbacks any longer, choosing to reveal the truth behind his and Antoine's quest as well as his own real identity to her. He had come to decide that Lupe could be trusted with his secret. Thankfully, Lupe understood the urgency of their mission. Stormblaze had also informed her that he was already in the process of training Antoine, and would broaden the sessions and make them even more rigorous.

For his part, Stormblaze nodded in turn to the chieftain, acknowledging her unspoken thoughts. "But of course, milady," He said, bowing low in her direction. "Your gracious hospitality has been much appreciated. I am most pleased to have made your acquaintance and the acquaintances of your fellows."

Lupe exchanged the warrior's salutation with the disguised unicorn, smiling all the while. "Think nothing of it, friend."

"You seem to be quite popular with the ladies of the Wolf Pack, particularly the youngest one. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I would daresay she's taken a fancy to you." Stormblaze told Antoine, a palpable note of an amusement in his voice.

They were walking side by side down a trail that would lead them out of the Greenbacks. By then, the Wolf Pack's camp was well behind them in the distance, obscured from sight by the forest. Antoine's features contorted into a thoughtful frown. "Luna did start acting very strangely around moi during the Spirit Quest. I was not understanding why, but now that you are mentioning it…" Eyes rounding in his sudden realization, he buried his face in his hands with a slight groan. "Great." He liked Luna, but strictly as a friend.

"I wouldn't fret too much," Stormblaze said. "I believe we weren't the only ones to pick up on Luna's behavior. I suspect Lupe will be having a talk with her sooner or later. But at any rate, look at it this way: you've got yourself an admirer. Give the lass a couple of years. That one will be a looker when she comes of age, I think."

Antoine rolled his eyes. "That is easy for you to say. You will likely still be looking the same way you are today years from now. But for moi, a 'couple of years' is being too long to wait for a girl."

"Relax. Romance is not a race, even though everybody acts as though it is. It may take you a while to find the right lady, or it might happen as soon as tomorrow. Besides, would you rather rush into things and find yourself in a bad relationship?" Stormblaze could understand Antoine's impatience. For all of his seeming indifference towards romance, secretly he wouldn't have objected a bit if a desirable female happened to come along and displayed an interest in him. As soon as that thought entered Stormblaze's mind, he scolded himself for turning the situation onto himself and desiring something that would probably never happen to him.

Antoine nodded, although the expression on his face wasn't a happy one. "I am seeing what you mean. I do not like it, but I understand."