Shouri-chan: Here it is, Trowa's Interlude. Er... I don't know how good it is, I always have such a hard time with Trowa! I hope you guys like it at least a little...

Interlude: Betrayal by Fire

'Run little were... we hunt you now... you cannot escape...' his terrified gasps echo through the woods as he flees, flees from a place he had believed to be safe, ran from the fire and the monsters in human guise. Behind him, the screams echoed louder, and he can hear his father's feline scream of rage and pain. But even the hissing, malevolent voice in his head doesn't freeze him in terror as it should... his mother is there, radiating pain and a deadly lassitude as she shields his mind from the hunters.

Slowly the flame-scarred woods fall behind... the smell of smoke and blood fades in his nose... the cries fall silent. Then, and only then, does he collapse against the nearest tree, sobbing. His mother is gone, dead with all certainty. He had felt her spirit flee as the last of her power bled out to save him. His father preceded her, and his sister. He had felt her desperate grief as she threw everything she had into protecting him. And his father would never have let them touch her if he still lived.

"Betrayed..." His voice is soft and hoarse as his green eyes glitter in the dark like a cat's. He bares his teeth and yowls his grief; screaming and screaming until there is no more air to breath, no more voice to scream with... no more pain to scream for...

Emptied of all emotion, dull and echoing inside, the little were curls into the base of the tree, eyes shining dully out into the dark.

When they find him hours later, he doesn't even respond, just watches them come towards him warily.

"He's alone..." One shadow in the dark growls.

"Too young... his pack must be nearby." The second, larger figure comes closer.

"Cat-type, see? I told you that was a cat-call." Green eyes narrow to slits, and the little child blinks.

The men aren't his hunters. They smell of the woods and dirt, and unquestionably of wolf, not snakes... they are weres, but not the weres that stalked him.

"Hey kid, what's your name? Where's your pack?" Three-year-old eyes look up at him without response, far too old to be trapped in such a young face. He doesn't speak, all his voice screamed away. The huge werewolf blinks.

"Yo kid, don't you have a name?" There is still no response.

"Well, how'd he get out here?" The second man calls.

"I have no clue, Ralph... he woulda had to come through the territory controlled by Dekim to make it here... he sure as hell didn't come through our range!" Both men suddenly turn as a hoarse snarl bleeds through their conversation. The child is staring back the way he came, fangs gleaming and eyes glowing, dark fur sprouting across his exposed skin. Both weres blink.

"You don't think..." Ralph starts, aghast. The bigger were nods.

"His pack tried to travel through Dekim's territory... damn... alright Kid, you're coming with us...yo, No-name, are you listening?" No-name turns, his fur melting away as he looks at them. Then, without a noise, he nods. Both weres stare down at this tiny serious child, then start off at a slow trot in the opposite direction from whence the newcomer came.

Nanashi doesn't even look back.

Shouri-Chan: How was that? I know it's short but... any longer and I would have had a Trowa melt-down... how come its always the quiet, introspective types that are the hardest to write credibly? Anywho, I hope you liked! Review Please! Tankiwa! Ja!