I don't really have anything to say today...so let's just start with the chapter, ok?

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Chapter Nine

The Road to Safety

"How much longer?" Hilde asked for the tenth or possibly twelfth time.

"It's still a fair distance, I believe," Quatre replied, giving the girl a look of sympathy. Hilde wasn't used to traveling, and the current circumstances surrounding their journey didn't quite make it into the ideal introduction.

"You believe?" She echoed, giving him a confounded look. "You've been to Vael before, haven't you?"

"Yeah, but I've never traveled through Iljus before. Always taken the road."

"Oh. Well, I guess that makes sense."

Quatre nodded absently, trying not to shudder when a chilly wind swept by him. Winter was truly on its way.

"This garment itches," Fang could be heard complaining from ahead of them, tugging at the hem of Trowa's brown cloak that Hilde had forced the disgruntled Haran'kar to wear. Not that it made much of a difference, but at least it covered certain parts of his anatomy that should be left concealed.

"Then take it off," Trowa replied in a tone of exasperation.

"I would, if that woman would have allowed me to!" The way he emphasized 'woman', putting in as much scorn as could possibly fit in that one word, caused Hilde's eyes to narrow, her hands clenching into small balls.

"Don't," Quatre said quickly, laying his hand on her shoulder. "You won't change him that way."

"Kitty, I'm growing very tired of his 'woman this, woman that'! And, frankly speaking, I don't care if change him or not, as long as it makes me feel a little better!"

"Please, Hilde?" He pleaded, widening his eyes ever so slightly. Hilde melted instantly.

"Damn, I can't deny you anything, can I?" She sighed.

"Nope," he grinned. "But then, nobody really can."

"You little sneak," she wagged her finger at him. "Perhaps Kitty isn't that good a nickname for you."

"I'm crushed." He looked over his shoulder. "C'mon, Marie, keep up!"

"I am trying, Mister Quatre!" The girl snapped, glaring daggers at both him and Hilde. "And it would go so much easier if you only reduced your pace!"

"The faster we walk, the faster we'll reach Vael," Hilde replied cheerfully, seemingly forgetting about her own disdain towards their journey.

"And the sooner we'll get to sleep in real beds," Quatre added. At the words 'sleep' and 'beds', Mariemaia's face seemed to brighten, though her eyes didn't lose that dark look.

"Fine then, but I'll hold the two of you to that promise."

"That won't be necessary." The three of them jumped at the calm voice that spoke up behind them.

"Trowa!" Hilde huffed. "I swear, you do that more often than I do!"

"If you weren't so loud it wouldn't be so simple," he said, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Oh, shut up!" The carbon-haired girl muttered, glaring at Mariemaia when the redhead giggled behind her hand.

"What do you mean 'not necessary', Trowa?" Quatre asked, arching one eyebrow. "I can't see the Fortress denying us..."

"It's not that," Trowa interrupted.

"Then what is it?" The blond sounded a little miffed.

"We're not heading for Vael..."

"What?" Three voices exclaimed in unison.

"...directly," Trowa finished. "We're taking a somewhat roundabout route."

"Whatever for?" Hilde's brows furrowed.

"We'll stop by at another place first." The lanky brunet explained, face completely blank.

"Then may we, oh mighty lord, ask what kind of place it might be?"

"The Barton Estate."

If the physical laws of nature had allowed it, both Quatre's and Hilde's jaws would have simultaneously hit the ground.

"You seem surprised," Trowa stated, giving them a look of amusement.

"Could you repeat what you just said?" Hilde requested, blinking rapidly. "Slowly?"

"Why? You heard, didn't you?"

"Oh, for cryin' out loud!" Hilde grabbed Trowa's tunic, bringing them face to face. Not a small feat considering he was more than a head taller than her. "Why, Barton? Why are we going there? This isn't the time for a family visit, you know!"

"On the contrary, there might have never been a more fitting time," Trowa replied calmly.

"Say what?" Hilde blinked in confusion, but realization dawned on Quatre's features.

"You want to warn them," the blond said quietly.

"Yes, Quatre, I want to warn our family," Trowa gave him a look from the corner of his eye. "You don't have an issue with that, have you?"

"Trowa!" Quatre cried, his voice etched with hurt. "How can you even think that?"

"I just wanted to make sure," the brunet explained calmly. "Besides, there are other reasons for us to go there."

"Oh?" Hilde's eyebrows knitted. "Such as?"

"Leaving you and Mariemaia in the care of our sister."

Hilde's jaw went unhinged yet again.

"You'll have to stop doing that," Trowa admonished her gently. "Otherwise you'll end up catching a fly." A couple of silent seconds followed his statement, before;

"What in the seven hells do you mean by that?" The dark girl demanded, eyes ablaze in fury.

"Exactly what I said, I believe," the brunet responded casually. Quatre gawked at him, slightly wondering just when his Sword had lost all sense of self-preservation. Throwing a glance over Trowa's shoulder, he noticed Fang leaning against a tree, a smirk adorning his features. Feeling the blond's eyes on him he shifted his gaze to Quatre, his smirk slowly turning into a toothy grin when the boy scowled at him.

'This was your idea, right?' Quatre mouthed. Fang shook his head, mouthing back; 'No, but I wish it was.'

"Now you'll listen to me, Trowa Barton," Hilde said in a honeyed tone of voice. "I...will...not...be...left...behind!" She punctuated each word with a jerk of her hand, bringing their faces closer together. "This is not just your battle, you know! I lost people close to me in the attack as well!" Tears sprang up in her eyes, born out of anger and sorrow. "I have friends to avenge, too! Don't you dare leave me behind!"

Trowa took her outburst with calm, not even batting an eye when she practically screamed him in the face.

"Are you done yet?" He asked when she paused for breath. Gently untangling himself from her grip, he straightened his tunic, saying; "We'll be there by tomorrow," before turning around and leaving the still fuming Hilde behind.

"Oh, the nerve!" The girl spat, glaring daggers at the tall youth's back. "Who the hell does he think he is, telling me what to do?" She ranted on, switching between cursing Trowa, Trowa's ancestry, Fang and the world in general.

"Mister Quatre?" Mariemaia asked, giving Hilde an odd look. "What in the world is Miss Hilde doing?"

"I'm...not quite sure," Quatre admitted, wincing when a particularly profound curse rolled off Hilde's tongue. Quickly covering Mariemaia's ears and ignoring the girl's squawk of protest, he stumbled forward, still holding onto her in order to follow after his Sword and the Haran'kar. With a glance over his shoulder, he gave Hilde a reproachful look that told her in no uncertain terms; Not now! Wasting some seconds on blowing off some steam, Hilde complied, grumbling unhappily under her breath.

"That's Hana," Trowa pointed down the slope at the small village lying sheltered by the surrounding forest. "It's one of the few villages that are actually inside Iljus. It's quite famous for its lumber, and the wood that comes from here is always..."

"That's enough, Barton!" Fang interrupted. "Gods, I just wanted to know why we're here, not a narration of the damned place's history!"

Trowa smiled faintly; during the last three days he had come to appreciate Fang and his tendencies, like the exotic looking youth's amusing temper and biting sense of humor.

"We're here to, among other things, attain some suitable clothing for you. I'm not going to have you wander into my father's estate in the nude." He explained. "And I want my cloak back."

"You can have it anytime you wish," came the sour reply, before they both turned around and headed back to the trio waiting for them among the trees.

"Well?" Hilde demanded at their return. "Why've we stopped?"

"There's a settlement up ahead," Fang answered briskly before Trowa had time to open his mouth. "Apparently, we'll stop there to acquire some suitable...attire for me, since it appears that this..." He gave the cloak a tug. "Isn't enough."

"That's it?" She stared. "Of all the..."

"That's not all," Trowa broke in. "We're also here to warn them of the horde and the...Haran'kar," he stumbled a bit at the foreign word. "There's a possibility they'll take this way to Vael."

"Aha..." Hilde bit her lip, staring into the distance. "You know...it's enough if one of us goes, right?"

"Huh?" Trowa looked at her in surprise. "Well, I suppose..."

"Good," she smiled broadly. "Then you wait here."

"Hilde?" Quatre sounded worried. "Don't do anything rash..."

"Don't worry!" She replied cheerfully before he could finish. "I'll be back in a jiffy!" Before any of them could voice their objections, she was gone.

"I certainly hope she knows what she's doing," Trowa muttered, arms folded across his chest.

'Finally!' Hilde suppressed the urge to laugh out loud. 'Finally I'm at a safe distance from Kitty!' Flicking her wrist, she smiled when Mervay appeared, languorously coiling itself around her outstretched arm.

"Hi there," she cooed softly. "Missed me?" The violet spiral pulsed once, making her giggle.

"Shall I interpret that as a yes?" She asked fondly, though she knew that Mervay was incapable of understanding her words. They could pick up strong emotions, but that was it. Hilde could only hope that she radiated as much relief as she felt at the moment. Too much time had passed since she'd had the chance to call upon her spiral. All too much time had passed since she was last able to use it.

"Up for a little work, Mervay?" Focusing her will, she sent a quick command to the lavender-colored spiral. Mervay complied immediately, wrapping itself securely around Hilde's chest. The girl smiled smugly; now, she was completely hidden from curious eyes. Even a spiral worker, like Kitty, would have difficulties with piercing her shield, and she seriously doubted that she would stumble upon one in a rundown village like this one anyway.

'Let's go then.'

It didn't take her long to reach the outskirts of the village, and it didn't take her long to realize that something was amiss. It was too quiet, too peaceful. Too deserted. Hilde nervously looked around. Not a sound penetrated the still silence, not a soul strolled among the houses. No, peaceful wasn't a fitting word. Unnerving suited it much better.

'Oooookay...now I'm freaked out.' Deciding against letting go of Mervay, there could be someone still there, she ventured further into the village. The people previously living here seemed to have been in quite a hurry to leave it behind. Doors were left wide open, as was the occasional window, and she nearly had a heart attack when a rooster unexpectedly crowed not ten meters to her left, before haughtily sauntering back to his waiting admirers, proud as any king.

'So it's not completely deserted, then.' She thought. Suddenly she came across a house somewhat larger than the rest. Judging by its exterior and size it could only belong to some sort of mayor, village elder or something of the sort. If she were to find some finery for Fang, her best choice would probably be to search the house. Quickly making up her mind, she walked into the house. Not to her surprise, it was empty, and larger than she had first estimated. Resisting the sudden urge to roll up her sleeves, she began looking.

'Let's see now...where would I keep my best clothes? Dumb question.' She broke into a smile. She found the bedroom soon enough, but what she found disappointed her. Whoever lived in the house seemed to be a bit on the...wide side. Doubtfully, she held up the tunic in front of her, trying to picture Fang wearing it. She was unable to suppress a small giggle at the thought; the poor boy would drown in it. She stopped short, frowning. When had she begun thinking of Fang as a 'boy' and not a 'wing-beast'? She couldn't remember; the change had come so gradually that she hadn't noticed it until now. Well, as gradually as anything could happen in three days. Whatever, she wasn't here to ponder on her relationship with Fang. Drawing an exasperated breath, she left the room with every intention to return to the others, courtesy be hanged. That bloody cloak was well enough to...she blinked. Had she just seen...? She gave her head a shake; of course she could've seen it. It could've just been a stray dog that was left behind when the villagers fled, or whatever they did. No need to work herself up over a shadow. She exhaled calmly and laughed a bit at herself, getting scared by puppies. Duo would have a field day if he knew. The laughter died in her throat. There was it again. Something rushed by the window, something with fur.

'Calm down, Hilde. It's probably just a dog...or a wolf.' She forced herself to relax. She could handle it, be it a dog or wolf. She had no reason to be frightened. They couldn't even see her, for goddess sake! Right, time to collect herself and get back to the others.

She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched as she climbed the slope. That itself should have been impossible; she hadn't let go of Mervay yet, and so was invisible to the rest of the world. That reminded her; it wouldn't do her any good if Kitty found out about her spiral. She was reluctant about letting Mervay go; who knew when she could call upon it again? Angrily, she forced the feeling down. Then, painfully slowly, she focused her will, letting Mervay know what she wished. The violet spiral unwrapped itself from her chest immediately, before dissolving into thin air. She felt naked, suddenly, and so very alone. She had long suspected that the use of spirals was addictive, but she had never been without it long enough to prove it before.

'Oh well.' She sighed. 'At least, now, I got my theory proved.'

And those...those bloody eyes still hadn't gone away! She whipped her head around, staring down the slope. Nothing.

'I must be going nuts.' She thought tiredly.

The others were just where she'd left them. Trowa leaned against the massive tree trunk of an oak, with Fang sitting cross-legged on the ground a couple of meters away, his eyes closed. Quatre sat on a boulder, Mariemaia in his lap, singing softly to the redheaded girl. Hilde paused a moment to listen, genuinely surprised of what she was hearing. She never knew the blond boy had a singing voice.

"You're back," Trowa calmly stated, frowning. "Without the clothing, apparently."

"If you want clothing, dear lord," Hilde replied amiably. "You'll have to move your behind down there and get it yourself."

"Hn. What about the warning? Did you forget that, as well?"

"Actually, there wasn't much need of a warning."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Quatre had stopped singing, looking up at her from under his blond bangs.

"Well, you see, the thing is that someone's beaten us here. The village is already emptied." Hilde wrinkled her nose. "Is it just me, or does something smell a bit fishy here?"

"Emptied?" Trowa inquired, ignoring the rest of what she'd said.

"Deserted, abandoned, whatever you wish to call it. The point is, there's no one there anymore. And they seemed to have been in an awful hurry to leave."

"Strange," Quatre mused. "Maybe the news of the horde reached them before we did."

They sat in silence, before Mariemaia suddenly spoke up; "What is that awful smell?"

Hilde's eyes narrowed as she sniffed. The smell, or rather, stench, was closer that before.

"Yuck!" She made a grimace. "It smells like...like..."

"Death," Quatre whispered. Trowa nodded, adding; "And decay."

"But what could...?" Hilde began when, suddenly, Fang sprang to his feet, surprising all of them.

"Everybody, run!" He hissed urgently. "Quickly, before..."

The silence was literary torn apart as howls erupted all around them. Shadows appeared among the trees. Hilde gulped; they had fur. They looked like wolves, large wolves, completely black with the exception of a few red streaks around their jaws. Shining, red eyes peered at them, and lips drew back in snarls, showing of hideous fangs.

"Thalaeth protect us," Fang breathed, paling. "Bloodhounds."

They were completely surrounded.

TBC....