OMG!! I'm sorry!! Once again. I kind of feel I'm letting people down because I'm not updating as quickly as I used to. Though, I guess that's what real life does to you when it kicks you in the ass. :D I hope, I HOPE this makes up for it. Besides, I think there might only be one, or two chapters left. Enjoy, and Review!! (I'm a whore for reviews, lol.)

P.S. I was wondering if anyone was interested in a short story about some of the stories from last chapter. Any requests?

Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis were each standing at the edge of the table, glaring at each other. Everyone else was sitting on the floor, hiding their grins as best as they could. The three men didn't care though.

"We need to enter from here, since it's the shortest route to Hojo," Genesis said angrily, his finger pointing again at a spot on the map. Angeal and Sephiroth both growled.

"No, we need to go in here," Angeal said, pointing to another spot on the northeast curve of the Crater. "Like I said before, if we go in there, we'll be closer to the cavern where the creations are."

"You're both wrong," Sephiroth snarled, sitting on the edge of the table, and tracing a finger around the curve of the Crater, closest to the water. "There are caverns in the water that will lead us directly, and undetected to Hojo's lab, and the other caverns where everything is kept."

"How do you know this?" Angeal demanded, his eyes annoyed and questioning. The typical cool, arrogant mask fell over Sephiroth's face, as he stared defiantly at him.

"Because I know it," Cloud said calmly, standing from his sitting position against the wall, and walking over to them. He took up a pen, ignoring the startled stares from everyone, and began to quickly sketch outlines of tunnels, caves, and small passageways. "These are only the surface ones. There are hundreds of caves that he's not using, that he probably doesn't even know about. They go about a mile below the impact point in the middle of the Crater. As far as I can tell, he is only using about 20 separate caves, all clustered around the center." Everyone watched in awed fear as a green light seemed to pulse in his eyes, and they became unfocused. He slowly put both palms on the table, and leaned on them, staring blindly down at the map. His pen was picked up, and it moved along with his words.

"The Weapon is here, in the center, and biggest cave. The ceiling is very thin there, so it will have no problem breaking out when the time comes. Directly to the right, in the second smallest, is the lab that Genesis and Denzel have told us about. Going down from there, pass through three small caves, only for storage, and there is another cave, where all the Creations are asleep. That one is a series of two caves, connected with tubes, wires, and such. About half of them are awake now. Off the first small storage cave, is a passage that leads to a hidden entrance. It was the one I was trying to get to when Sephiroth knocked me out and brought me back. Unfortunately, that way is no longer good for us, since it is too small to get the animals through. That leaves the entrances by the sea. They are big enough for the animals, and Hojo knows nothing about them. We would have some tight squeezes, but from what I can see, it shouldn't be any problem. It also leads us directly to Hojo."

As the green faded from his eyes, and Cloud came back home inside them, everyone released the breath they held during his words. He had spoken with a much deeper voice then anyone had heard before, except his fellow Generals. Cloud blinked, coming back completely to himself, and looked up, still calm. He grinned slightly at the shocked looks he was getting from most everyone.

"How do you know all that?" Kadaj asked quietly, his green cat eyes wide. He shrugged.

"The Planet is trying to help us anyway they can. They basically downloaded a map of the caves into my brain," he said, as though merely stating a fact.

Tifa felt tears enter her eyes, as she watched the blond General. She kept seeing him as the little boy she had grown up with, constantly bullied, always with an angry glint in his eyes. Then she saw him briefly in Nibelheim, walking confidently next to Zach and Sephiroth, having grown into the awkward grace he had shown as a child. The cold, arrogant Cloud when he had come to Midgar, after having spent those years with Hojo. Now, as a General, the leader of an entire army, his eyes shining with the knowledge of exactly who, and what he is. He knew what was expected of him, and he took the pressures of being General with grace, and humility. He had come so far from the angry boy she had known. Now he was connected with the Planet in a way that most people would never comprehend. In a way, she corrected herself mentally, that most people wouldn't want to comprehend. Yazoo sitting forward caught her attention, and everybody else's.

"Who is going to stay behind to protect Icicle and Bone?" he asked quietly, and Cloud sighed, closing his eyes briefly before opening them, and looking at the two brothers.

"Reno, Rude, Alia, and Tifa will be here, in Icicle. Yuffie and Rufus, along with Elena and Tseng will be in Bone. Cid has the continents well covered, so there is no need to worry about a water invasion. I was going to request that you Yazoo, stay here, and Kadaj, you would go to Bone," he spoke quietly, his eyes never leaving theirs. "I do not doubt the others abilities to protect the villages, but I would feel more secure knowing that the two of you are there." Something flashed in Yazoo's eyes that made Cloud narrow his, but it was gone before he could get a proper look. With their nods, he put it out of his mind, and turned back to the map, and the original 1st Class SOLDIER's.

"This is what my plan is," he began, oblivious to the sly look that Yazoo and Kadaj shared. Tifa didn't miss it though, and she sat back through the entire meeting, eyes narrowed as she contemplated what is was the two brothers were planning.

----------

"I don't think it's a good idea to leave Kadaj and Yazoo behind," Tifa said to Zach, who blinked then narrowed his violet eyes at her. It was roughly an hour after the meeting had been dismissed, with Sephiroth and Angeal wandering off to confer with the animals again, Cloud and Lupus disappearing off on their own, and the other couples vanishing to do whatever before the mission began in a few days. She had watched the two brothers sign something with the Captain of the Guard, leaving the village without their wolves, to vanish into the sparse woods. She had known following them there would have resulted in her death or theirs, and neither was an option she wanted to choose. She had tried finding either Sephiroth or Cloud, and had come across a flustered Angeal.

"You don't want to disturb them right now," the big man had said, before excusing himself to enter the tavern. She had smirked slightly, shaking her head, but then she realized that she really only had one other person she could tell about her suspicions. Despite her anger at the man, she didn't let her personal feelings get in the way of something she considered her duty to report. That was why she found herself confronting Zach, his beautiful twilight eyes darkened with anger. Oh how she missed those eyes, those lips, but she couldn't let the fact that he had cheated on her go. Despite it had been with Sephiroth, and Cloud she had found out later, two men who he had admitted he had loved since he got into SOLDIER, she couldn't do it.

"So you finally decide to talk to me," he said softly, his voice laced with scorn. Tifa blushed, her eyes glinting with anger as she propped her hands on her hips.

"You were the one who cheated on me," she growled out, then shook her head. "This isn't about me, or you, or us. I think Kadaj and Yazoo are planning something when you guys leave."

"You're jumping at shadows, Tifa," Zach scoffed, turning back to Aquila, and readjusting the harness around the bird's chest. He growled warningly when she grabbed his hands. He hadn't been in a good mood since the night before, when he had been bluntly told there was no way to save Cloud. Well, no way to save him without substituting a sacrifice. Because that was exactly what Cloud was, a sacrifice. His death would insure the grass would grow, that peace would reign over the Planet. The enhanced mako in his system was the true catalyst. Once it was released, with his life energy, back into the Lifestream, death became rebirth. Cloud wasn't the only one with the enhanced mako, though. Both he and Sephiroth held the same mako, and the same amount. He was determined to save Cloud, no matter what the cost.

"Let go of me, Tifa," he said with deadly quietness, staring coldly into her angry eyes until she blinked, and released him.

"What is your problem? Aren't you hearing anything I'm saying?" she demanded, and he sighed in annoyance when tears shone in her eyes. He had loved this woman, but there were people in his life that he had loved more deeply, and for much longer then her.

"I heard you Tifa, loud and clear. You think Kadaj and Yazoo are planning something when we all leave, am I right?" He waited until she nodded her head, before continuing with a condescending laugh. "Do you really think that Reno, Rude, or you, are going to let a punk ass like Yazoo do something? Are you underestimating Rufus and Yuffie too? We may call those two allies, Tifa, but were not stupid. We all remember what they did during the Geostigma incident." With a sigh and smirk, he climbed into the saddle, and Aquila took off even as he was strapping himself down. He closed his eyes into the cold wind, his hands tightening unconsciously around the edge of the leather. He had many things to think about, and figure out before the Final Battle.

She stared after the white eagle, clenching her hands together above her heart. The tears finally fell down her cheeks, and she sighed, closing her eyes.

"What happened to you, Zach?" she said to herself quietly. That was not the man she had fallen in love with.

----------

Cloud watched with narrowed eyes as an angry Zach took off on Aquila, and an equally angry Tifa watched them go. He had often wondered, in the couple weeks since the three had been together, what would happen if he told Tifa that he had been the one to seduce Zach. He didn't think it would have mattered much, since he knew of the anger she still carried about being cheated on. Surprisingly, she wasn't angry with either him, or his lover. Smirking slightly, he watched his dark haired friend walk away from the field, entering the barn where Marlene and Vincent were tending some minor wounds on the animals. Frowning again, he turned his eyes back up to the small speck of white that was Aquila, his eyes tracking the graceful form, as he thought back to the night before.

Being together with Zach had been everything he thought it was going to be. Wonderful, amazing, powerful. However, it was also sad, and desperate. He knew his friend was taking his impending death very hard, and Cloud didn't know what he could say to lessen the anger, because Zach was very angry. Angry at Cloud and Sephiroth for accepting it, angry with his inability to change what was going to happen. He was angry with this whole, stupid war, but he wasn't the only one. His thoughts were interrupted as Lupus walked out of the barn, the gash on his front right paw now cleanly healed. The wolf walked over to him and lay down at his side, crossing his paws in front of him.

When do we leave? He asked, and Cloud sighed, finishing off the cold coffee in his hand. He glanced at the wolf, before sighing and raising his eyes once again to the sky.

What do you think Kadaj and Yazoo are planning? He asked mentally, so there would be no chance of this conversation being overheard. Cloud had been noticing certain things about the brothers the past couple weeks, since the end of the war had officially come into sight. Lupus sighed in a great gust, sending powdery snow flying away from him. As the wolf responded, he walked quickly into the attached room off the barn, and poured himself more coffee.

I don't know, but something has changed. Glaci and her wolves are still on our side, as far as I can tell. Kadaj seems to believe so too, because he had told her nothing. All she knows is that Yazoo and him have been doing a lot of patrols on their own, without their animals. Cloud nodded at that. He had realized the same thing, when he had gone over the monthly report from the captain in charge of the regular patrols. He walked back out of the barn, taking a long sniff of the vanilla flavored coffee. He took his first sip as he leaned on Lupus, both of them now looking to the converted hotel, where the two brothers stayed.

I do not doubt Glaci and her pack, so don't think that. I am worried though, about what will happen when the strongest warriors leave. Maybe we should take Kadaj and Yazoo with us, so we'll be able to keep an eye on them. Lupus sighed again, his ears pricking forward at the sound of an agitated chocobo.

If you do, they will know we suspect something. As long as Glaci and the rest stay with them, I don't foresee anything being a problem they can't handle. Besides, the Turks and the rest will be there as well, plus the troops. So if they do end up doing something, there are more then enough people to stop them, hopefully. We need to concentrate on entering the crater and eliminating as many creations as we can.It was Cloud's turn to sigh, as he finished off his swiftly cooling coffee. Letting the cup dangle from his fingers, he reached up his other hand and rubbed his forehead.

"I hate being in charge," he muttered, and Lupus laughed.

----------

Another hour later, the day drifting into night, Sephiroth listened silently as Cloud told him of his thoughts on the brothers, saying nothing. He still said nothing when Cloud wandered off, deep in a conversation with Angeal. He wandered until he reached the northwest corner of the barricade, and in one leap, he was crouched on the roof of the sheltered room underneath. He stayed there, his eyes trained on the looming mass of the Crater, but not really seeing it.

He thinks its Kadaj who is planning something, he thought, his brows drawing together in a slight frown. It's not Kadaj though. He doesn't have the cunning or patience to keep something major hidden for a year, if they have been planning something for the entire year. If it is Yazoo who is behind whatever they are planning, then we have much more to worry about then the two deserting. Yazoo reminds me to much of how I used to be. He smiled slightly, despite knowing that it wasn't exactly a compliment, watching the stars as they began to creep over the world. He would watch them closely, he decided, until it was time to leave.

----------

A roar of pure anger and rage shattered their sleep, and everyone in the village snapped awake, panicking with what they thought was an attack. In fact, it was the opposite. It was a desertion.

The three Generals were all awake and battle ready when they were snapped out of their sleep by Glaci roaring, racing out of the barn to the tavern where she stayed with Kadaj, their hearts hammering in their chests, their weapons bared and ready. They slid to a stop in front of her, eyes narrowed with horror at the scene in front of them.

"Poison," Glaci whispered, barely staying on her feet. Yazoo's wolf, Pavic, was sitting next to her, his nose almost touching the ground. Cloud immediately went to her, and cast the antidote, as Sephiroth did the same to the other. Zach was already walking behind them, checking the vital signs of the other three wolves lying on the ground. Luckily, Alia's wolf, Silk, was with her on the wall, since they had drawn the short straw and got night duty. Cloud watched him closely even as he concentrated, numb rage overtaking him as Zach shook his head at each one. He turned his attention back to Glaci, already noticing the glazed look in her eyes disappearing. Her eyes were burning with the same, betrayed rage that he was feeling. He was pissed at himself though, because he should have seen this coming. Well, he had seen them leaving, or trying something when they were gone, but he never imagined that the two would try and kill their own partners. He looked over to Sephiroth, and the rage only built as the silver haired General reverently laid the wolf down into the snow, shaking his head in regret. They had only gotten there fast enough to save Glaci.

"They went over to Hojo, didn't they?" he asked quietly, and she nodded.

"Hojo promised them eternity, as Generals of his creations. I have known for awhile now, that Kadaj and Yazoo have been jealous of the power and respect that the three of you wield, but I never suspected that it would consume them to the point that they would turn traitor," she said quietly, and Cloud nodded wearily. Jealousy can do strange things to people. Make them do things that they didn't want to, just to obtain what they wanted. His eyes narrowed, as he slid the materia back into his sword, then letting the tip rest gently against the ground. Being jealous wasn't an excuse for murdering four wolves, and attempting to murder the leader of the pack. He turned slightly as a soldier ran up to him, his fast breath puffing in the cold air. The man made a small salute as Sephiroth and Zach walked up to his side.

"Generals, one of the dragons, and two of the eagles were found dead not five minutes ago. They seem like they were poisoned," he breathlessly said, his eyes widening with terror as the three began to burn, and Glaci growled very low in her throat.

"Thank you. Your dismissed," Sephiroth said coldly, and the man turned tail and ran, not bothering to salute. His eyes turned almost admiring, as he turned to Glaci. Lupus walked up, and without saying a word, he planted his feet next to Glaci, and she leaned on him gratefully, sitting down. Cloud didn't even have to look at his wolf to see the anger that was there in the burning blue eyes. He knew the feeling all to well.

"Who was it that poisoned you, Kadaj or Yazoo?" Sephiroth asked, even as she glanced sideways at him.

"It was Yazoo," she whispered, and he nodded sharply, mouth firm in a small smile.

"He is more like me then I thought," he said thoughtfully, causing both Zach and Cloud to round on him, faces identical cold masks of anger.

"What do you mean?" Zach asked quietly.

"This could have been a plan by Sephiroth himself," Genesis said, walking up to them with Angeal at his side. He leveled considering eyes at the silver haired man, a small smile on his lips as well.

"Where's Vincent, Marlene, and Denzel?" Cloud asked quietly, afraid if he raised his voice, he would wordlessly scream his rage.

"Denzel is helping Vincent and Marlene examine the bodies, trying to determine what kind of poison was used to kill them. It had to be supplied by Hojo, to kill the animals so quickly," Angeal said, eyes distant as he looked towards the southwest corner, where the dragons and eagles had formed their own small camp.

"How can you be so calm about this?!" Zach said heatedly. "He could have killed Aquila and the others!" He bit back on the angry words that wanted to spill out, when Angeal gave him a sharp look.

"He could have, but he also knew it would have been suicide," he said, making Zach blink, and then blush slightly in anger at the patronizing tone.

"They wanted to live, so they are using the time we stand here to escape," Sephiroth said absently, having turned to face the Crater. "Yazoo knew how a good portion of our strength would be depleted with the death of most the animals. Since he couldn't attack us directly, or even indirectly through our animals, he did the next best thing. Take out the most powerful allies."

"Why didn't he try and kill Denzel, Marlene, or even Vincent?" Cloud asked, voice slightly confused, since in his mind, they would be the logical choices. It was Genesis who shook his head, scoffing slightly.

"They may have killed them, but they would have surely died in the process. The name of this game is survival, and that was why they left," he said, looking around at the assembled group with a smirk. "That says something about our chances, doesn't it? That they would desert to Hojo, because they don't think we'll win. Despite having all of us on this side, they still went over." He shook his head, tsking softly to himself.

"That's not all of it," Zach said quietly, his violet eyes distant as the anger gave way to thoughtfulness. "They have always wanted what the three of us have. Not only the three of us, but also our group of people. As much as I hate to admit it, we never really included them in that group." His eyes focused with a sadness and understanding that made Cloud instinctually take his hand, lacing their fingers together. Zach smiled slightly at the blond, then sighed. "I can't believe I never saw it before now. I always assumed because they didn't try to talk to anyone, they didn't want to be talked to." He sent a wry look towards Sephiroth, who raised a questioning eyebrow.

"After getting you out of your shell, I should have known the signs of an emotionally crippled person," he admitted, before staggering forward as Glaci nosed him in the back. He whirled with a loud Hey!, then stopped. She was swaying where she sat, despite the steadying presence of Lupus, her eyes glowing yellow with anger, hatred, and betrayal, her lips lifted up in a silent snarl.

"Yazoo killed my pack, my brethren, while Kadaj stood at his side, both of them smiling," she growled out, her words sounding like an avalanche of rocks, it was so deep. "I don't care why they did it, only that they made the decision, them and only them, to kill us, and desert us. I plan on returning the favor." They all stared at her for only a moment, until Angeal shivered, breaking his gaze from her tormented ones.

"Glaci," he said quietly, staring up at the sky a moment before he looked back to her. "It makes me very glad we didn't have someone like you during the Wutai War." Her eyes turned confused, and her lips lowered as she cocked her head to the side.

"Why would you say that?" she asked, and he shook his head, smiling. He then glanced to Sephiroth, Genesis, then finally back to her.

"If you had been there, along with Sephiroth and Genesis, I don't think there would have been a country left," he said, making her blink, still confused.

"He means your just as ruthless as we are," Sephiroth said, smirking when the light of understanding appeared in her eyes. She bowed her head slightly to Angeal, baring her teeth as she laughed softly.

"I take that as a compliment," she said. Zach let out a short bark of laughter, but there was real humor shining in his eyes as he looked at the wolf, grinning cockily.

"I am so not surprised at that."

----------

Maya and Opal had been flying patrols, so they had survived the poisoning, much to the relief of the male dragon and eagle. The next day, they moved the dead animals to the woods south of Icicle, taking the entire day to cut down the trees, and build pyres for them. The leaders of each group wanted them burned, so Hojo wouldn't be able to get to their bodies, and cells. That, and they didn't want the bodies ravaged by scavengers, either. As night fell, they moved them into position, and Cloud stepped forward, turning to face the assembled group of humans and animals, his back to the wooden constructs. He looked over the people, noting the sorrow that was on each face. Despite the fear and awe that the animals entrance had inspired, in the couple of weeks that they had all been together, the humans had come to see the animals as friends, and intelligent allies.

"We lost great allies last night. This is not a time to mourn them though. They believed they were doing the right thing, and were willing to fight, and die for their belief, just like us. While the circumstance of their death is regrettable, I hope they return to the Planet with the knowledge that their deaths only fuel the fire to rid this place of Hojo and his Creations," he said in a quiet voice, though it carried. His eyes began to burn, and he was soon coated with his blue-black flame. He could see the same lust for revenge that burned through him with his fire, reflected in each set of eyes that was turned towards him. He raised a hand, and as he clenched it into a fist, he activated the fire materia in his sword, and the pyres burst into flame behind him. Lowering his hand, he turned his head slightly to look at the burning bodies behind him, growling softly. He turned back to the silent group, growling loud enough that they all heard.

Draco and Maya let out a loud roar, Lupus and Glaci howled, and Aquila and Opal screeched, their voices mixing in an unearthly harmony of sorrow, loss, and rage. The humans closed their eyes, listening to the mixture with much the same feelings. The sound died down, and the three Generals found themselves opening their eyes, their souls having mixed with that of their animals, at the overwhelming emotions they were feeling. Cloud smiled slightly, and locked eyes with Lupus, both pairs burning.

"We will do everything in our power to avenge them, my brothers," he said quietly, his words earning him much quieter noises of agreement. He looked back to the humans, some of whom were still watching the animals with sympathy and awe.

"My fellow Generals, a select few others, and I will be going into the Crater directly to deal with Hojo. I ask you, stay and protect your homes, your loved ones. I ask you to stay, and live," Cloud said in a gently pleading voice. His eyes turned into sharp cut sapphires, hard and merciless as he looked over the assembled group, who had started mumbling with unease. He refused to allow any more people die under his command, if he could help it. With their powers and strengths, he damn well could keep them from dying useless deaths.

"If you still try to come with us, I will command you to stay. If you still insist, you will be cut down. There is no arguing on this. You don't have to worry, because there will still be the soldiers, and others here to protect you," he said in a hard, commanding voice he had cultivated being a General. He walked away from the burning bodies, and over to the assembled group of his warriors. Sephiroth and Zach gave him a brief nod as he walked up, communicating silently their approval. A knot of stress he didn't know he had eased in his chest, and he realized that he had been worried that one, or more of them would insist on bringing soldiers with them. He turned as he got close to his lover, Sephiroth enfolding him in his arms as they watched the bodies in silence, the rest of the group following suit. For now, they would honor the dead. Tomorrow…he smirked, watching the orange flames lick the heavens as his eyes shone in anticipation of finally ending this madness. Tomorrow would bring the beginning of the end for their enemies.