A week came and went, his birthday, now five days past, went by unremarked by either him or anyone else, Jun not feeling in the mood for either celebrating the day, or informing any of the others about the significance of the day, and so there was not much change in the day to day business in the inn, except for the fact that Ai seemed to grow ever more excited as new year's day approached, pestering her mother unendingly to be allowed to put up ever more decorations, the walls already bedecked by a huge amount of ornaments for the coming day.

It had not been long after the defeat of the bandits before some of the traffic in the area resumed, a few customers finding their way to the warmth and shelter of the establishment as they travelled the land, most of them heading for Jinhae, or even further north, and Jun, his ears pricked for any hint of information regarding the whereabouts of the wolves, listened intently to any piece of news or gossip he could pick up, but unfortunately it seemed that no one had either seen or heard anything other than the regular rumors and scaremongering that seemed to litter the land, and shroud the movement of his quarry in confusion.

"you're not paying attention to the game Jun."

He gave a slight, startled jerk as he was suddenly brought back to the present, and he recalled what he had been doing. He had been so absorbed in the hushed conversation between the two pigs at the bar that he had quite forgotten that he was supposed to be learning how to play mahjong, Bai's husband, Kuo, having offered to teach him as he saw the kid sitting alone one day, apparently bored out of his mind as his eyes stared vacantly through the open window.

Jun, having little else to do to occupy his time, had accepted the offer, and now had spent quite a few hours trying to learn the complicated game.

He returned his attention to the table, the tiles littering its surface in an array of colors, and he tried to wrap his head around it once again, but found that still, after all his attempts, he remained a most unskilled player.

Picking up a piece slowly, he was about to move it when Kuo, his deep, somewhat course voice, sounded warningly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Replacing the tile, he tried to find a different strategy, but it was difficult to compete with the man, his skills honed through years of playing, and if he had to be truly honest, he had quite lost the appetite for mastering the game, and was now only doing it so that he didn't look as suspect when he listened in on other people's private conversation.

It wasn't long before Kuo had trounced him once again, the cat sighing heavily as he witnessed the futility of having attempted to teach Jun the secrets of the tiles, his valuable teachings falling on deaf ears.

"You know, for such a smart kid, you're maybe the worst mahjong player I've ever met."

Shrugging apologetically, Jun gave a slight smile.

"Well, I can't be equally good at everything now can I?"

Kuo shook his head, as if almost annoyed, but a twitch at the edge of his lip gave him away, and with some amusement, he retorted.

"Just be glad we weren't playing for money or you wouldn't have had a Yuan to your name by now."

Shaking his head at that, Jun helped the man clean up, not really feeling the need to go for a fourth game with him today.

Unwittingly, his mind travelled to his room where, nestled at the bottom of his pack, hidden under his sparse possessions, a slightly bulging bag of coins now rested, his earnings from the day in the woods with Guo, coupled with what he had taken from the wolves in the first ambush, which had now been further added to by a sizeable donation from the villagers, the groups from the meeting having elected to leave some valuables behind, as a token of their appreciation of his actions.

When he had come down to see the 'reward' they had left him, he had been of a mind to rush after them to return it, but Bai had convinced him otherwise, mostly through the logic of what a waste of time it would be travelling to each of the villages to return their share to them, but also because they had truly felt he deserved something for his effort.

After seeing the wealth they had left him, he had demanded to be allowed to reimburse Nuan for the damages he had caused, to which she had at first refused, but he had not relented and in the end, she had been forced to agree to receive at least some coin to pay for the repairs.

This, however, had still left Jun with quite a good deal left over, and now, not knowing what to do with it, finding the whole thing somewhat ridiculous, he had buried it in the bottom of his pack along with the rest of it, where it would remain until he had some use for it.

He had contemplated sending it to Gonjang, thinking that he could make an anonymous donation to the survivors of his village. But for the moment, he had had to put such a plan on hold, neither knowing any messenger with which he could trust the money, nor being certain if they would actually reach them through the dangers of the weather or the roads.

Hearing the door open, he turned slightly to see a trio of miserable looking, cold geese, their coats covered in a fresh powdering of snow, their beaks clattering from the cold outside as they entered the inn, all of them giving a loud, audible sigh of relief as the heat from the hearth and the numerous candles enveloped them.

They looked around appreciably, taking in the decorations that had begun plastering the walls and pillars of the interior, Nuan and Ai insisting on bringing in the spirit of the new year by bedecking every available surface with a smattering of ornaments, the wooden panels and columns now covered with red and gold, giving the main room a much more ostentatious look, while at the same time still remaining warm and welcoming.

As soon as they were seated, Nuan rushing over to make sure they had everything they needed, and they began conversing amongst themselves, but as their conversation immediately turned to the poor weather, revolving mainly around these last few day's unrelenting snow, he quickly lost all interest in them, as they clearly had no news which he might find interesting.

Kuo, returning to his part time job of trying to repair some of the damage done in the fight, his skills as a boatman and part time carpenter coming in quite handy, Jun was left to himself once again, as they had quickly established that he could do little to assist the man, and therefore was more a hindrance than an help with the work.

Sighing as he resumed his usual position on a worn chair near the fire, he closed his eyes and let the warmth of the hearth heat his fur, the warm rays of the burning wood feeling marvelous against his skin.

His wound, though still visible against his skin, was now almost fully healed, leaving a large, noticeable scar that was still red and sore, but Bai had still marveled at the speed with which he seemed to have recovered, and he could now move fully on his own again. And in truth, being completely honest with himself, he felt that he should have been out there by now, continuing his search for the remaining wolves, but he found that he could not leave.

Not just because of the weather, which had gotten meaner and meaner these last few days, the howling wind only slightly short of a full-blown storm, the wood of the inn creaking ominously as it was assaulted by the cold blasts and the river, lapping and churning violently as the waters were disturbed, could dissuade almost anyone from venturing outside into the cold dark.

But he found that, while he did not particularly relish the prospect of having to venture out, it was not the weather that held him back.

The people here, Nuan, Ai, Bai and Kuo, had been kind to him, they had helped him, and he felt as though he could not simply leave them now when he was all better, simply to continue on his task as if nothing had happened.

He had resolved to at least stay until after the new year. He could spend the holidays with them, then, once the weather calmed, and after he had said his proper goodbyes, he could go on to Jinhae and continue his search. Kuo had already offered to sail him there, saying that it would only take a few hours by boat, the river carrying them swiftly and surely downstream, and he intended to take him up on that offer eventually, but for now, he could wait.

He owed them that much at least he thought, even if it was a weak reward for the help and support they had given him.

As he sat there, relaxing, sinking into his own thoughts, the comfortable warmth making him doze slightly, he was dimly aware of the front door opening once again, the distant sound of the raging wind outside growing louder as the entrance opened, and the temperature dropping a few degrees as the cold winter air rushed to fill the void within, but as the door closed rapidly again, he paid it no mind, at least he didn't, until everyone suddenly went quiet.

The sudden silence jerked him out of his semi-conscious state as surely as any boom of thunder or rough shake would have, and he turned to see what had disturbed the patrons so, their conversations and the clattering of dinnerware having stopped quite suddenly. Before he had even established the source of the disturbance, his paw was reaching out to grab his sword, resting unobtrusively against the back of the wooden pillar, that also worked to shield him from prying eyes.

He saw that everyone in the room, the pigs at the bar, the geese at their table, and the two sheep sitting in the corner and Nuan, about to bring the new guests their order, were standing completely motionless. Their eyes were fixed on the new arrival, who was holding a long, straight staff that he seemed to be using as a cane, his cloak, covering much of his body, were coated in snow and ice, along with his shaggy fur which seemed equally to have suffered under the howling wind.

His long snout, protruding from under his hood, protected by a scarf that had clearly seen better days, along with his gray shaggy fur left no one in doubt of what he was, and when he pulled down the hood of his faded gray cloak, revealing even more of his canine features, the entire room took a collected intake of breath.

The wolf, seeing the effect he had on the patrons, gave a weird apologetic smile, and opened his mouth to say something when he caught sight of Jun out of the corner of his eye, and an odd expression flickered across his face. Was that… Relief?

Jun did not give himself time to think. Instead, only seeing a wolf, and in his mind, a bandit or another threat, he immediately reacted to the new presence, doing nothing to hide the sneer that split his face, showing his impressive fangs, and in one quick motion, he had picked up his sword and unsheathed the blade, already having taken a couple of quick steps towards his adversary, closing the distance fast, his arm bringing the sword up, ready to strike, before he stopped in his tracks, suddenly recognizing the wolf standing before him.

The wolf, meanwhile, seeing the young tiger's reaction to him had barely had time to react himself, and the obvious aggression had apparently shocked him as he flinched and jumped back, pushing his back against the door through which he had just entered, and he threw up his hands in front of him, letting his staff fall to the floor with a clatter.

"JUN IT'S ME, IT'S JING-SHENG!"

Jun stood for a moment and his sword arm only began dropping slowly as he found that it was indeed the wolf he remembered from weeks ago. After a moment, the surprise at seeing him again, having been certain that he would never lay his eyes on the wolf ever again, along with the confusion as he felt as he now stood before him anyway, were replaced by anger, the sneer that revealed his large white fangs, having dropped slightly, returned in full force, and he could not keep a note of cold contempt from his voice.

"What are you doing here?"

The wolf, now almost sitting on the floor as he flinched under Jun's glare, still held his paws up before him, as if to protect himself from an approaching assault, and he swallowed, calming himself, his voice growing louder and steadier as he talked.

"I can explain, really I can, just give me a chance."

Remaining where he was for just a moment longer, Jun nevertheless took a couple of steps back to give him some room, suddenly realized how this must all have looked to the other occupants of the inn, he turned slightly and saw that, as he had thought, everyone was staring right at them, shifting their gaze from Jing, to Jun.

The commotion brought Bai and Kuo rushing into the room, and they too stopped, looking surprised as they saw the scene before them.

"Jun, you know this wolf?"

Nuan was looking at the shaggy canine, pointing one, small finger at Jing accusingly as she turned her eyes to Jun, who was now standing between her and the new arrival, her gaze filled with a mixture of doubt and confusion.

Nodding hesitantly, he looked around the room, sending glares at the nosy patrons who, seeing the displeasure of the armed tiger, had the sense to at least pretend to lose all interest in their interaction, though none of them resumed their chatter, and the atmosphere in the room remained somewhat subdued.

"Well, I sort of know him."

Shrugging slightly as he replied, he returned his full attention to Jing who was now standing again, and had slowly removed his cloak, revealing his plain clothes underneath, but no weapons as far as Jun could tell, which made him relax slightly.

Now, looking the wolf up and down, seeing that he was still wearing the same clothes that he had seen him in last, though now obviously much the worse for wear, he wondered what he was doing here, where he had gone, and what had happened to him.

Judging by the looks of it, the old dirt covering the wolf, his wound, seemingly still paining him, but not restricting his movement as much anymore, had apparently gone mostly untreated, or he would have been much better by now, or at least, so he would have assumed.

Moderating his voice slightly, trying to hide at least some of the distrust he felt, he asked again.

"Jing, what are you doing here?"

The wolf, again, for some inexplicable reason, looking relieved at seeing him, coughed loudly, shook his head slightly and, looking around conspiringly, leaned towards him slightly.

"I actually came looking for you. I have urgent news and… and I had heard you died."

His voice, barely a whisper, would have been inaudible for any of the others, save perhaps Nuan, but Jun heard it fine enough however.

Jun was actually quite surprised by Jing's revelation, and drew back slightly, at first wondering how he had come to that conclusion, confused as to who could or would have told him that, as he could not think of any who had seen him these last two weeks who could attest to him being either alive or dead.

But before he could ask, Jing continued.

"I was in Jinhae, and I overheard Djaka talking to Qiang about you. He said that…"

At the mention of Qiang, Jun's mind immediately snapped into a whole different kind of focus, his pulse quickening slightly, his nose picking up the faint scent of iron for some reason.

"Qiang! As in THE Qiang! The leader of your raid? He's in Jinhae?"

Jing, momentarily confused by being interrupted, took a second before grasping what Jun had asked and nodded vigorously.

"That's what I've come to talk to you about you see…"

Jun moved closer, almost pressing his nose right into Jing's snout, grasping the front of the wolf's shirt.

"How many wolves does he have with him? Where are they hiding? How soon before they leave?"

He was no longer trying to keep his voice down, and Jing, startled by the sudden proximity of the tiger, could do little else but grab hold of the paw grasping his shirt, trying to prevent the slightly larger kid form lifting him from his feat.

"I'm trying to tell you! Jinhae is in trouble, and so is master Croc!"

For the second time that evening, silence descended upon the common-room of the inn as everyone turned their attention to the two.

Again, it took a moment for Jun to realize what he was talking about, his mind, having been fully occupied with thoughts of catching Qiang, were slow to untangle themselves from the web it had spun around the bandit leader, and slower to connect the dots that Jing were laying out.

Jinhae was in trouble? And Master Croc? Wait, wasn't master Croc in Gongmen? And why was he in danger?

"What's this about? What do you know?"

Jun, hearing the voice from behind him, and still holding on to the wolf by the front of his shirt, turned his head slightly to see Bai standing behind Nuan, next to her husband, all three of them looking quite concerned now. As he cast his gaze around the room, he saw equal confusion and concern lining the faces of the others, and now realized that perhaps this was not the best place to be having this conversation.

Slowly releasing his grip on the wolf, he turned fully to look at his three friends.

"Nuan, do you have somewhere… Private I can talk to Jing?"

Looking between them, she nodded slowly, gesturing with her hand towards the kitchen.

Nodding his thanks, placing a rough paw on the back of the wolf, he half led, half hauled Jing before him, pushing him through the door to the backroom, where Nuan had her kitchen and pantry.

He was about to close the door behind him when, placing a paw on the wood, Bai stopped him from doing so, she and her husband pushing through, taking up positions against the table, running along the wall, the surface of it covered in vegetables, pots, pans, cutting boards and knives.

His eyebrow angling up slightly, Jun wanted to protest, but found no reason why they could not be present, and then, making sure others weren't trying to push though, seeing Nuan send him a concerned look from her place at the bar, he gave her an calming smile, before he quickly closed the door, and turned to regard Jing.

The wolf, sitting down heavily on a stool that was obviously too small for him, slid it a little closer to the stove, sighing gratefully as the warmth from it began heating his frozen body. Casting a furtive glance at the stacks of food piled high within the room, his stomach gave an audible grumble, and his gaze almost glazed over as he beheld the wondrous meals being prepared around him.

Jun, now looking at the wolf carefully for the first time, thought that he did look slightly gaunter than he had before, noticeably thinner, and leaner, at least, it seemed as if his clothes were sagging slightly from his frame, though, he could not be sure, but he seemed… Sick. Or perhaps he had been starved.

"So Jun, you say you know this… person?"

Kuo asked his question innocently enough, gesturing with his left paw towards Jing before returning it to its previous position, crossed across his chest as he looked at the wolf, not trying to hide his mistrust in the least. Given their experience with his kind, Jun didn't blame them, and he too found that he likewise harbored a great deal of mistrust for the wolf.

"Well, I wouldn't say I know him as such, more that I've run into him once before."

The two cats both turned their attention from the wolf to look at him quizzically. He swallowed, not quite sure how to broach the subject, but was spared from doing so when Jing, speaking through a mouthful of a carrot that he had quickly nabbed, interjected.

"He ambushed my group a couple of weeks ago, took out everyone… Well, everyone except for me and the pack leader who ran off."

It only took a moment before they caught on, both their mouths suddenly opening in shock as they realized what he was saying. Bai was the first to recover, her voice taking on an alarmed and somewhat angry tone.

"HE'S A BANDIT!"

She looked, first from Jun, then to Jing, then back again, her eyes filled with disbelief and outrage.

"You let a bandit waltz right in here and you didn't warn us!"

Holding up his paws, as if to ward off her accusation, he quickly interjected, managing to sound not the least bit convincing.

"He was wounded and he surrendered! What was I to do, just kill him in cold blood?"

He sounded very much like a cub receiving a severe scolding for doing something he wasn't supposed to do, but it seemed to help. She was about to say something, one finger accusingly pointing at him, before she caught herself, withdrawing her hand slightly as she suddenly looked thoughtful. Seeing that it was working, he pressed on.

"Besides, I made him swear never to take up his old life again, or I would come after him."

Suddenly realizing something, he turned his attention back to the wolf, who returned his stern look with one of his own, puffing out his chest slightly. Jun's brow furrowed, and he impaled Jing with a mean look that made the wolf still, and made some of the air go out of him.

"You have been keeping your promise, Right?"

His voice took on a menacing tone all by itself, and he saw with some satisfaction that it did indeed have an effect on the wolf. Putting away the carrot he had been stuffing his face with, he got up from his seat, standing straighter, seemingly recovering some of his pride, his voice growing serious, almost solemn.

"I have kept my promise, and I intend to keep it still. I have not taken anything that did not belong to me, nor have I threatened or harmed anyone."

He gestured to himself, running his hand up and down as if to indicate his wasted frame.

"It has not been easy, but I've kept alive."

Jun's eyes narrowed further, but for all his attempts, he could find no hint of a lie in either his voice or his face, and so, softening slightly, he nodded approvingly, glad to see that what little trust he had placed in the former bandit had been well earned.

"Then why had you been to Jinhae, and why have you spoken with this… Qiang. And what is this about an attack on Master Croc?"

The questions were asked by Kuo, who still seemed less than convinced concerning Jing's redemption, his eyes still full of mistrust, and even a measure of disgust as he looked at the wolf.

Spreading his paws out to each side, as if trying to separate the two individuals, Jun looked first at Kuo, then at Jing.

"I would like to know that as well, but let's start at the beginning. Tell me everything that happened, right up till you walking through the door."

Nodding slowly, the wolf sat down once again, taking in a deep breath, placing his paws in front of him, interlacing his fingers.

"Okay, I guess I understand why, it's kind of a long story, so, if you don't mind, I'd like it if I could tell it without being interrupted, and you could ask the questions afterwards."

After a short hesitation, Jun nodded, and, taking their que from him, so did Bai and Kuo.

Seeing that they agreed to his terms, he took another, deep, bracing breath before starting.

"Alright, so here it goes. When we parted, I intended to find the main road, and just head for Gongmen, lot more people there, easier to find a job, try and make a life, and it would be nice to get out of the cold. The first place I came to was a small village, about a day and a half from where we parted."

He paused for just a second before going on.

"I wanted to get some supplies there, and ask for directions. I didn't have much, but I thought that maybe I could make some sort of deal with someone, after all, I only needed rations for a few days, just to keep me going till I got there."

Breathing deeply, he looked down, as if either ashamed or sad at the memory.

"They ran me out of town. Well, 'ran' is maybe a strong term for what I could muster, but it amounted to the same thing. I was chased out, and I had to keep moving."

Shrugging, as if letting the unpleasant memory glide of his shoulders, he went on.

"The same happened at the next village, and the village after that, so, I stopped trying to talk to people, simply pushing through. I ran out of supplies quick enough, and sleeping rough was freezing most nights, but I managed to get myself northwards, slowly."

Jun couldn't help but feel a twinge of compassion for the wolf, even if he understood why people had done it, but still, he could hardly see how one, wounded wolf could have posed much of a threat to anyone, even if he had had bad intentions.

"At one point, I was so cold, and so famished that I was sure that I was going to die. I saw smoke on the horizon, and came to a small farm. I was desperate enough to try and rely on other people's kindness one last time and, what do you know, it worked."

A small smile found its way to his muzzle as he recounted the events.

"A farmer and his family took pity on me, and they allowed me to stay for a couple of days, why I could not tell you, I guess I must have looked truly miserable. They even gave me some food for the road before I went on with my journey. The next few days weren't as bad, and I eventually found my way to Jinhae, thinking I might actually convince someone to let me sail with them upstream."

He turned his head up now, looking each of them in the eyes one at a time, his concern quite visible now.

"The place was swarming with wolves. They've completely taken over the town. From what I gathered, they have locked up the town guard in the local jail, and many of the townsfolk are kept in the village hall. I was able to sneak in, and I recognized some of the others as Qiang's boys."

Again, the mention of the name made a weird chill run down Jun's spine, but he kept his mouth shut, remembering that he had promised not to interrupt.

"I wanted to get out of there as quick as I could, so I went down to the waterside to see if I could find a boat and sail on, but Qiang was there, talking to Djaka and his men."

He turned his full attention to Jun, suddenly, new emotions began warring in his eyes, a mixture of fear, respect and concern, all of them fighting for dominance as he looked at the young tiger standing only a few paces from him.

"Qiang was furious that Djaka was late, and what more, he had managed to lose almost his entire pack. Djaka told him about the inn, about… About some kid who had attacked him. Who had killed almost all but three of his subordinates. He said that he had been forced to flee, and had holed up in some abandoned house a day or two, making sure that it was safe to come into Jinhae and that was why he had been late."

Again he paused, taking a breath, turning his gaze away as it seemed he was contemplating something. Jun, assuming that this Djaka had been the leader of the pack whom he had fought in the inn, felt a small twinge of pain at the thought of the large wolf plunging the stake into his side again, and he barely suppressed a wince as the memory of the excruciating pain briefly flared up.

Jing looked up at Jun hesitantly before continuing, he voice, slightly halting.

"I… I assumed that the one who had attacked him had been you. I had hoped you would have reconsidered but… Well, when asked, he said he had dealt with the attacker, that he had run him through, that he wouldn't be a problem anymore."

His concern wasn't faked, which Jun found quite odd. After all, he had attacked Jing before, he had almost killed him too, along with his entire pack. Why the wolf should have any other emotion for him but contempt and hatred was quite beyond him.

"You know, I'm actually quite relieved that you weren't, I mean, that you aren't dead. I must admit… I felt guilty… If I hadn't told you about this place, then…"

As the silence stretched uncomfortably, Jun was suddenly very aware of the questioning looks he received from the couple next to him, and so, to try and keep the story going, he coughed loudly.

"Well, uhm… Then what happened next? You said something about master Croc?"

Jerking slightly, brought out of his reverie, Jing shook his head.

"Oh, right, yeah. Well, Qiang was still furious, especially since… Uhm… My group hadn't showed up either."

Looking apologetically at the two cats, he went on in a slightly more stumbling fashion.

"I… I couldn't leave the town after that. I had nowhere to go, so I just, well I stuck around for a bit, a few days actually. Until last night that is, when I overheard two of Qiang's guys talking."

He now looked fully alert again, his earlier urgency returning with force.

"Apparently, master Croc is leading a group of city guards to Gonjang, to investigate the raid on…"

He paused, swallowing slightly and Jun, closing his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath, steadied himself, but otherwise showed no outward emotion to the mention. Seeing that he would not react, Jing finished his story, getting up from his seat.

"Well, he's being led into an ambush! They know he's coming, they've planned for it, and they are going to kill him before he even leaves the town!"

Spreading his paws out he looked at Jun pleadingly.

"We have to warn him! I rushed here as soon as I heard, hoping I might find someone, anyone really, who could carry a warning to him. And we have to hurry, we don't have long. If what I heard is true, he'll reach the town before noon tomorrow! If we don't do anything, he and all the guards with him will surely be killed!"

His tale finished, he watched them with anticipation as he waited for them to answers his plea for aid, clearly expecting a reaction, but in truth, Jun didn't know what to make of it all. Silence filled the room as none spoke, the quite only being broken when Kuo, his voice, filled with no small amount of distain, took a step forward, his eyes narrowing as he regarded the wolf.

"How do we know this isn't some ploy of yours? That you aren't trying to lure Jun and us into some kind of trap?"

It was a valid question, but for some reason, Jun, despite himself, found that he actually believed Jing. Though Jun could not claim to be a master of reading people, he had not found anything in the wolf's story that didn't make sense, nor did he find any trace of a lie when reading him.

Jing looked taken aback by the accusation, turning to look at Kuo, he looked incredulous.

"What! Why would I do that? What could I possibly have to gain?"

Kuo shrugged, not taking his eyes from Jing.

"I don't know, maybe you want revenge? Maybe you want to lure us somewhere so you and your pals can ambush us? Everyone knows wolves stick together. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if you were here to lead us to our death."

Jing put a paw on his forehead, shaking his head slightly, seemingly in great annoyance. A low, angry growl sounded from him, and his voice suddenly took on a threatening tone as he directed a venomous look at Kuo.

"Cat, if I wanted you dead, and if I had a pack of wolves outside, what do you think would make most sense, luring you into an ambush out in the woods where you might escape? Or simply burn this place down, and shoot you if you try to cross the bridge?"

Jun felt the hairs on his back rise in anger at the threat, but he could not deny that he saw the sense in it. It did seem foolish to attempt to lure them outside when they had a perfect opportunity to attack them here, where they had no routes of escape, unless they would try crossing the bridge, or try their luck crossing the cold rushing river, both choices seemed to be equally fatal.

Kuo however seemed to take great offence at his words, and was immediately on his feet, baring his small fangs, and Jun, not wanting things to escalate further, found himself rushing to stand between them, spreading his arms out to keep them separate.

"Please, let's try to keep calm here, there's no reason to start fighting."

Kuo turned his attention from the wolf to look at Jun, an incredulous expression on his face.

"You're not saying you actually believe him are you?"

He sounded as if it was quite possibly the most ludicrous proposition he had ever heard, but Jun found that, despite what he might otherwise have thought, his gut told him that Jing was indeed telling the truth.

Nodding , he let his arms fall to his side, turning so that he was facing Kuo.

"Actually I do."

He spoke with utter conviction, casting a quick glance back at Jing who looked stunned at first, then relief washed over his features, and he seemed to deflate slightly. That the wolf was lying was still a distinct possibility, and Jun had to admit, he actually didn't know him at all, and for all he knew, he could be the most skilled actor to have ever graced China, but he did not think that was the case. He seemed too… Honest. He wore his emotions on his sleeves, and Jun had not seen him try to hide it in the least, even when he had nothing to gain from being either open, or truthful.

Kuo, his mouth hanging slightly open, looked between them, disbelief still writ large upon his face, but then, letting out a deep, weary sigh, he seemed to pull back, leaning against the table once again.

Looking concerned, Bai leaned in a little closer, saying to Jun in a hushed voice.

"Are you sure about this? I mean, if your wrong then…"

She let the last go unsaid, but Jun knew what she meant. Looking back at the wolf again, who he was sure had heard her, he nodded.

"I'm sure, and besides, if we decide not to trust him, and we are wrong then, think what will happen."

They seemed to consider that, their brows furrowing in thought. Jun had to admit, he did not know much of the fabled Master Croc, besides the fact that he was a member of the master's council, and that he was one of the main protectors of Gongmen, and the surrounding lands. That the wolves wanted him dead could only be a sign that something bad was coming, or they had simply decided that they now had a good opportunity to get rid of one of the two remaining masters who guarded the innocent people of this land.

Either way, he could not let it happen.

"How many wolves did you say he had assembled?"

Jing looked thoughtful for a moment, counting on his fingers as he seemed to cross people off a mental list.

"… There were two in the bar… three on the eastern wall… and one, no two at the… I would say a little less than forty, give or take a couple."

Jun felt his breath leave him.

Forty wolves! How the hell am I going to take on forty wolves?

The others likewise seemed to take the revelation badly, Kuo hissing as was in actual physical pain, Bai, leaning heavily against the table.

Jinhae was only a small town, as far as he knew, with maybe five or six hundred residents. He was unconvinced that he could sneak in through the town gates without being spotted, and he could certainly not hope to take up the fight all on his own.

He cast a quick glance at the others.

Jing would be next to useless in a fight. His wound still slowed him, and to be honest, Jun wasn't sure that he liked the idea of him running around the town, supposedly having his back. Even if he was convinced that he was being truthful, he would still prefer it if his life didn't rest in the paws of the wolf.

Kuo likewise was not much of a warrior. Though he was strong, he was not trained, nor had he ever seen combat before, that much he knew.

Bai was a nurse, and a skilled one at that, but he was quite certain that she was neither willing or able to take a life, and he had no wish to put her in harms way either.

Then, as he grew ever more frustrated, an idea finally struck him.

"You said they had imprisoned the local guards? How many are there, and in what condition are they?"

Jing shrugged, scratching his head with a single claw.

"I'm not sure, I just heard some of the others talk, but it sounded like they had mostly surrendered as Qiang had the element of surprise and superior numbers. But I would say around twenty guardsmen, maybe."

Nodding to himself, Jun looked around for something to draw on, but finding nothing, he improvised, picking up a jar of flour and spreading it on the surface of the table near the window, in between the others.

"Can you draw me a map of the town?"

Looking puzzled, Jing nonetheless stepped closer and, with one claw, began scratching markings in the flour.

Jun was surprised to see that, despite the crude materials available, Jing proved to be quite a proficient artist and, despite taking a good deal longer than Jun would have liked, he was able to make a very good map of the small town, so detailed that he had even put in each individual alley and street, drawing a neat half-ring around the entire town at the end.

"Run me through it. What's the best way in? Where does Qiang reside? Where are the guards and townsfolk being held? Are there any patrols or such? How about stockpiles?"

Jing nodded, understanding, and began pointing to the different areas.

"Well, there are the two 'gates' in the palisade, but they are guarded. It's not tall however, maybe five meters so, you could jump it maybe, but, there's only open field around so, they'll most likely see you before then."

He gestured towards the quayside, having drawn it with a handful of piers where the small boats would usually put in.

"They have a few guards near the river, but it is actually quite difficult to see anything down there. Most of the houses go right out into the water, and I bet that, if you were careful, you could sneak in through there."

He pointed at a large building near the northern edge of the town.

"Qiang has set up there. It's a large tavern, and everyone who isn't on guard or patrol duty are there with him, sleeping downstairs or in one of the rooms."

Jun nodded. Even if he was itching to go after him, he understood that, right now, there was something bigger at stake. Revenge would have to wait.

He caught himself. When had he decided that he was going to do this? When had he decided that he was going to rush in like this?

After a second or so, he realized with some amusement, and a little dismay, that he had never actually considered NOT going in. It wasn't just the prospect of catching the main architect behind the demise of his family, but their plan to kill master Croc and his group of soldiers, no doubt to sow further disarray in the region, could not be allowed to succeed, nor could their attack on Jinhae go unpunished.

Jing, not noticing Jun having zoned out for a second, had continued without pausing.

"…I don't know how many are on guard, but maybe as many as four. Anyway, they are all held here, in the local jail. It's not large, and they are crammed in there like sardines, but they should all still be there."

He circled another house, closer to the western side of the palisade, where, evidently, the local guards were being held.

"And what about the people? You said they were being held prisoner as well?"

Jing nodded, pointing to a large building at the center of the town.

"They are holding some forty villagers here, mostly those who might cause trouble, but also to make sure that they have hostages in case they need to escape, or if any of the townsfolk get any bright ideas."

Jun looked at the map, digesting this new information, a plan beginning to form in his mind, and the sinking feeling he had felt was beginning to be replaced by one of quite optimism, and a wicked, almost evil smile began forming.

The change did not go unnoticed, and Kuo looked at him, his face a mask of utter disbelief.

"You are not actually considering this, are you? Attacking that town would be madness, you won't make it."

Jun shook his head, showing his disagreement.

"I think I might have a plan. Your right, there's no way that we can take on that many wolves, not without help."

He looked up at Kuo and Bai, and noticed their look of shock, the two sharing a quick, incredulous glance between them, Bai clearing her throat before saying, her voice level, and calm, almost soothing.

"Jun, you know we would do anything in our power to help but… We're not warriors. None of us can fight, and I…"

Jun shook his head violently, holding up his hands, interrupting her.

"No, no, no that wasn't what I meant."

He indicated the piers, then drew a line in the flour, circling the prison and the meeting hall.

"I could sneak in from here, from the river, shielded by this building, and move unnoticed through here, down to where they hold the guards. If I could free them, we could rush and free the rest of the townsfolk. Then, with the numbers on our side, coupled with the element of surprise, we could overwhelm them."

He looked at each of them in turn, noticing how they seemed to consider it, each of them making a different face as they seemed to arrive at a different conclusion.

"Uhm… Hate to break it to you Jun, I mean your good, spirits know I've seen what you can do, but honestly… You're not THAT good."

Jun scowled at the wolf, but then, felling someone place a soft paw on his shoulder, he turned to see Bai, her eyes filled with worry, look at the map despairingly.

"Honestly Jun… It's not a very good plan. There's too many things that could go wrong. I mean, if they discover you, there's no way you can get out."

Her husband nodded.

"Yeah kid, I like your spirit, but why don't we try something else. I could sail you further up river and we could try and find Master Croc and warn him before he reaches the town."

Considering it for a moment, he shook his head gently.

"We can't be sure we can find him in time, and besides, even if we do, then what about the people still held hostage in the town? No, as long as they don't expect it, we have a valuable advantage that we have to use."

It did not seem like he had much success convincing them, the three of them looking awkwardly around, trying to avoid his gaze. Beginning to lose his patience, he spread his paws, sneering slightly.

"We don't exactly have a lot of time here. If anyone has a better plan, now would be the time to share it. But I'm not just going to let them succeed without at least trying. Like it or not, I'm going to stop them, with or without your help."

He had sounded angrier than he had intended, and as soon as the words had left his mouth, he regretted them, but he meant it nonetheless.

Sighing heavily, Bai, looking at her husband shortly, turned her gaze back to Jun before, her voice careful and gentle, she tenderly asked him.

"We aren't trying to stop you Jun, we are trying to help you. We don't want this to happen either, but we don't want you to throw your life away. We have to come up with a plan, and a good one at that."

Turning her attention back to the table, after a few long minutes, Kuo mumbling something to himself, and Jiang casting furtive glances between them, she sighed again, this time in defeat.

"I hate to say it, but I can't come up with a better course of action. Seems like we'll have to go with your plan then."

After a short while, Kuo, and then Jiang agreed as well.

Jun, taking a deep breath, leaned in a little closer.

"Alright, now the first thing we need to do…"

AN:

Sorry about the long wait for this chapter, but I've just NOT had any time at all to sit down and write. Really, I've been swamped with homework and all kinds of things that just kept interfering, so, sorry about that.

So, this became a somewhat short chapter this time around, hopefully, the next one will be of average length compared to the normal chapter size I've made thus far.

Hope you won't have to wait too long to find out how the liberation of Jinhae goes