Authors note: I sincerely apologize for the long wait but I somehow managed to sprain both my wrist while playing drums, so I wasn't able to even start writing for a about a week. On the bright side that was the most awesome drum roll EVER!

Chapter 9

"Clean shirt? Check. Scarf? Check. Good jacket? Check. Tan-to, Smoke bomb and poison? Check, check and check." I mentally recite to myself as I walk through the snow. Boris insisted that I stay off the roofs on my way to the Rozenweigs, because apparently showing up at their front door out of breath and sweaty, is not the way to make a good first impression. So for now at least, I'm stuck on the ground. Because of this, it's taking me a lot longer to get across town, as the moon is just beginning its slow rise into the night sky I stop a moment to stare.

I've always been fascinated by the moon, I think all wolves are to some degree. Sometimes when they don't know I'm nearby I catch Steele and members of his pack staring in wonder at the moon.

There's an old Eskimo legend that says once a piece of the moon fell to earth and landed in the wilderness. The Great Spirit looked upon and found great beauty in it. But the Great Spirit was troubled for he knew that man would soon find it, and as was their way would tear apart this marvelous thing for nothing more than a few tools. He pondered what to do for many days and nights, he wished to preserve the beauty of the stone but could not think of how. He did not wish to hide it, for he wanted others to appreciate its wonder, but he could not think of something else to do. Then finally the Great Spirit had an idea, from that piece of the moon he created the first wolf, a creature as beautiful as they stone they were made from. And just as the moon is beat back every dawn by the rising sun, but returns every night, unconquerable the wolf would never be destroyed by man. For wolves will endure no matter what and so for all eternity the Great Spirit could gaze upon the beauty of the wolf, and know joy.

Suddenly I hear the sound of someone else shuffling through the snow ahead of me. Its Mrs. Javanti bundled up against the cold and on her way home. Her husband is on the town council so she seems to think that everyone in towns business is her business as well, in short the biggest gossip in Nome. She's got a bundle of something in her hands looks like… flowers?

"Well she does run a floral shop." I think to myself, "I wonder…" I come up behind her and say "Excuse me." She turns and nearly jumps out of her skin when she realizes who it is.

"WH-What do you want?" she says clearly afraid, can't say I blame her really; I mean the only color in my wardrobe is black. The black shoes, pants, shirt and hair and the black scarf I always wear pulled over my nose combined with the yellow eyes, mean's I probably look like most people imagine when they picture the angel of death.

"Look I just want to buy those flowers off of you." I say pointing the multi-colored bundle in her hands. Her eyes narrow suspiciously as she says,

"Why would you need flowers?

"When that becomes any of your business I'll be sure to let you know. But that doesn't matter, what does matter is that I'm willing to pay double for them."

She considers this for a moment then says, "That's twelve dollars, mutt."

"Deal." I say giving her the money and taking the flowers. She hurries off without saying another word, as I turn and head for the Rozenweig household.

The flowers really are beautiful, all sorts of colors and types, I'm so busy examining them that I almost walk by my destination. Nervously, I walk up to the front door, take a deep breath and knock. Then immediately review my plan "Okay, in the case of a trap I throw a smoke-bomb and immediately make my way to the nearest exit, slashing anything that gets in my way." Then I have the single most horrible thought of my entire life, "What if it's not a trap?" I immediately start to panic, "What do I do? What do I say?" Then I look down at the flowers in my hand, "Oh, shit! What if she's allergic to flowers!"

Then the door opens, my jaw drops, and I only have one thought in my head, "WOW."