A devil in fur?


Ivan looked down at the wolf as it sat next to Alfred. The wolf glared at Ivan with piercingly cold lilac colored eyes. Throughout most of Ivan's history, wolves were seen as nothing more than vermin, detestable opportunistic creatures not worthy of mercy or kindness. Its eye color was not lost on Ivan either; clearly this was not a real wolf, which made it even more dangerous.

Ivan ran a hand through his hair in exasperation, "Alfred, in this country we have lots of stories we tell to our children of what happens when people follow wolves into the woods... and none of them end well!"

Alfred just rolled his eyes, "Ivan, It's not just a wolf."

"Yes Alfred I know, I just heard you call it dad!"

Alfred just waived Ivan off, "That was my mistake, he's not dad. I have no idea why or how he's here, but he wants to help us. I can feel it." Alfred said as the wolf pulled his ears back and glared even harder at Ivan.

Ivan debated whether Alfred needed to feel the pipe on the back of his head as well.

Alfred noticed the wolf and Ivan glaring daggers at each other and realized that this was going to be a long night. "Look Ivan, you can't feel your land, which means that you can't find your way around, can you?" Alfred caught the look that crossed Ivan's face, confirming his suspicion.

Ivan didn't want to admit it but Alfred was right. The numbness left him completely lost in his own land. There was no way of knowing were they could find help or shelter. Without somebody to guide them, they could walk for days and not come across a single village.

"Come on Ivan, look at him." Alfred impatiently gestured to the wolf who was still glaring at Ivan, "What do you see, what do you really see. Look closely."

Ivan gave the wolf a mirthless smile, "I see a devil with fur."

Alfred face-palmed with a audible smack as the wolf began to growl, "Ivan dude, listen we need help. The weather's getting bad and it's freakin' cold and we need to find shelter. Gilbert is going to get an infection if we don't find him somewhere better to heal up. Now this wolf spirit is here to help, so we need to let him help us!"

"If it is a North American spirit what is it doing in the flesh here in Russia?"

"I told you already, I don't know. I have no idea what's going on with these spirits most of the time. Matty's Kuma did the same thing that, at least made sense, but my animal is cougar. That's why I thought he might be dad somehow, but this wolf isn't my dad and it's not my spirit animal either."

"Maybe your cougar took a hike, now you get Russian wolf because you are Russian too now." Ivan curtly muttered under his breath. Ivan didn't mean anything by it. He was just stating an observation that made perfect sense to him, but he knew the mistake he made when he saw the look on Alfred's face.

"I haven't lost, Ivan." Alfred warned.

The day and lack of Vodka had started to make Ivan feel... prickly so he pushed Alfred a little more just to see where it would go. "Alfred, I admire your spirit and all. It's very cute, but Andrey is not done yet. I think we established already that he cares not for his people nor anyone else's for that matter. If he starts to feel as if he is going to lose, he will use any means necessary without care of the consequences."

"I'm winning Ivan, partly due to some of your own people, I might add. What's he gonna' do? It's not like he can launch a nuclear attack with all of his own troops on the ground."

"Yes, that is precisely what he will do. Once Andrey senses he's going to lose, I wouldn't put it past him to launch a nuclear attack just to, as you would say, be a dick." Ivan saw the look of shock cross Alfred's eyes, he realized he may have gone too far but it was the truth after all.

Alfred hadn't thought of that. There was no way Andrey would be that crazy. Would he? With all of his own countrymen on the ground it would be an unthinkable act, but still we were talking one of Ivan's bosses after all. Alfred tried to gain of control the fear he was starting to feel, but he felt unstable, like the ground had just turned to quicksand under him. He could feel that Ivan being sincere about what he was saying but that didn't mean he was right or wrong, just that he believed what he was saying, "Your people are fighting here in Russia too. Gilbert told us about the revolution. Even I can feel it, Ivan, the people are coming together. As soon as enough of your people here have had enough they will rise up and take out that asshole."

Ivan gave a slick smile, "Maybe what you feel is just your new allegiance to me."

Alfred grabbed the front of Ivan's coat, his eyes blazing dangerously. He was ready to punch him in his big stupid nose, but Ivan didn't make a move to fight back. It was a reaction he didn't expect to get out of Ivan. His anger roiled within him but he couldn't bring himself to punch somebody who had no intention of fighting back. It only made Alfred even angrier. "Fight me!" He said through gritted teeth.

Ivan looked at Alfred as calmly as he could, "Nyet."

Alfred roared not letting go of Ivan's coat, "You are such an asshole! Do you really think by being nice to me I will just roll over and die for you? Do you really think that you can break me by being gentle?" Alfred laughed and pushed Ivan who fell back a few steps from the force. "Arthur tried that too you know, he started out all 'big brother will take care of you', then he stared added more and more rules thinking I wouldn't notice. He thought he could keep me by his side like a good puppy and look how well it turned out for him!"

Ivan didn't want this. He mentally cursed himself for letting his crankiness get to him. He wanted to work with Alfred not against him, "I am sorry Alfred, I know how you feel, but..."

Still spitting mad, Alfred cut him off, "No Ivan! I really don't believe you know how anything feels! Maybe it's you who's turning to me. You pretend to have all the answers figured out, like you're still in control, but you're lost in your own land! Cut off from everything that makes you what you are!" but the fire in his heart cooled rapidly at the sight of the look in Ivan's eyes, "How did you get disconnected? What happened Ivan? Tell me the truth."

Ivan looked sick, he was already starting to breathe unsteadily, "I told you already, I can't..."

"Can't what Ivan? When did it start? I mean I know you said after Stalin but when exactly?"

Ivan paled to a nearly greenish hue, "Trust me Alfred; you do not want me to get into this."

"Why?" Alfred demanded as the hairs on wolf's back began to rise.

Ivan started to shake a little as his breathing became more ragged, "You just don't... I can't... I..." The wolf started to whine loudly as it moved between Alfred and Ivan staring up at Ivan. "I don't even remember how many times they killed me before I felt it. How many deaths I suffered, the nightmare was real. The pain, the screaming, it was horrible! I could feel the anchors between me and the land grow thinner and thinner, I felt less and less each time they killed me until the tread was so small it snapped. I feel like I've been living as a shadow ever since! Nothing more a ghost haunting my own land!"

Alfred could feel Ivan's emotions; he was frozen to the spot with horror from the intense feelings Ivan was going through from just remembering what happened. Alfred realized his new connection with Ivan was a double edged sword. The wolf continued to whine even louder as it stepped closer to Ivan, as Ivan continued his rant looking for all the world like he was staring in the face of his own death, "You get to die with each one of them, you get to hear their loved ones scream, and you feel them gasp for their last breath in the dirt as their world goes dark, hundreds of thousands of times with each killing. You can feel them die you can feel their hands dragging you down frantically grasping in their desperation to be saved, but you know none of them will be spared!"

Ivan stopped talking, He just stood there shaking, his eyes wide and unfocused. Alfred felt relief that the emotions Ivan was feeling seemed to have stopped. He stepped over to try to comfort Ivan, but the wolf stood in his way. Alfred tried to push the wolf as it started to snarl at Ivan, "What's the matter?"

But it was already too late. Alfred didn't even notice Ivan had moved, he just felt Ivan's iron like hands clap around this throat. The wolf grabbed hold of Ivan's scarf and started to pull hard as Alfred struggled against Ivan. Ivan's face was blank but his eyes were wide in terror. Alfred tried to choke out his name as he fought to wrench Ivan's hands from his neck but it was no use. Ivan was like a pitbull once he got a hold of you. Alfred tried to pull away and fell onto his back with Ivan still clinging to him, never letting up. Alfred could feel the edges of his vision going black. He was starting to panic, needed go get away somehow. That's when the light was blocked out by a black furry body. The wolf slid up and stood over Alfred and pushed his forehead to Ivan's. Alfred didn't understand the exchange, but he swore he saw a spark of light flash between them.

In Ivan's dark world the screeching and clawing madness stopped as a tiny spark of light exploded, destroying the darkness that held him. To his relief, Ivan found himself back in the real world, looking down on Alfred who was gasping for breath in his hands. He scrambled off of Alfred muttering a brief apology and tried to help him up.

Alfred took a few deep breaths, "First you try to kill me then you try to help me, I really wish you'd make up your mind already."

"I warned you that I didn't want to get into it, I tried to tell you what happens but you didn't want to hear it. No you had to hear everything." He knelt down next to Alfred and gently tried to get a look at the damage done, "Are you okay?"

Alfred could feel Ivan's concern. He looked at Ivan curiously, did he care that much? Alfred guessed it was probably that when they were close like this he could feel the less intense emotions as well, "Ivan, I think it's because you're not grounded that causes you to turn like that. Good thing wolf was here to pull you out of it."

"What did that devil do to me?" Ivan said as he stood and helped Alfred up off the ground.

"I don't know, but whatever it was it stopped you, so you should thank him." Alfred tried to brush some of the dirt and grass off of himself. "Have you ever asked anybody for help with this?

"Who would I ask?" Ivan tried to steady Alfred who seemed a little shaky on his feet.

"I don't know Yao, my dad, or even India, she's really good with this kind of stuff. Maybe one of them has seen this kind of thing before?"

"Okay, maybe for you, when we cross the border I will ask Yao." Ivan said knowing full well that Yao would probably want nothing to do with him, never mind help him.

"I can tell you're lying Ivan~" Alfred sang as he pulled away from Ivan and started to walk back to Gilbert. "Now, I say we follow wolf since I'm pretty sure you don't have a better idea."

Ivan didn't say anything he just grumbled under his breath and watched the wolf with utter disdain as it trotted after Alfred. He knew it was evil, he just needed to prove it to Alfred. Somehow.

Gilbert opened his eyes as Alfred knelt down next him, "Hey Gilbert, how are you feeling?"

"I'm still Awesome." He said giving a weak thumbs up.

Alfred laughed, "Let me check", he said as took off his glove and put his hand on Gilbert's forehead. "Yea you're still a freak." but he shot Ivan a concerned look.
Ivan knew what it meant. Gilbert was starting to run a fever. They needed to get him somewhere safe before he got sicker.

"That's awesome freak to you, asshole." Gilbert said as he pushed Alfred's hand away.

"Yea yea Gilbert, we have to move, so I'm going to carry you okay?"

"I get to ride you like a pony?" he said with a mischievous grin.

"Freak."

"Awesome freak." Gilbert corrected.

Ivan carried the gear and Alfred carried Gilbert on his back. The familiar weight on his back felt good, it reminded him of those many nights when he had to carry Arthur home the same way after England, had a tad too much to drink. Only this time, there was a lot less vomiting involved, which Alfred was thankful for. Still, it made Alfred miss Arthur's drunken ramblings, well sort of anyway. Even the weather reminded him of England. It was a drizzly dismal mix very light rain sleet snow. As they trudged through the mess, Alfred felt Gilbert's warm weight on his back getting worryingly warmer. He also noticed that Gilbert wasn't talking much anymore and he wasn't moving much either.

Ivan really hoped they would get where the wolf was taking them soon. The world around them was unnervingly silent accept for their steady footsteps and the hiss of the sleet hitting the freezing ground. He did not like being in the forest at night. The wolf trotted on ahead at an easy pace checking looking back every once in a while to make sure the others were still following him. They came to a small dirt path going uphill bordered with dense forest on either side. It was late now but thanks to the light snow on the ground it was still fairly easy to see. They followed the wolf as it loped easily up the slushy, muddy mess. But weighed down and tired as they were the gentle sloping hill became a treacherous climb. Alfred lost his footing and almost went face down, he only barely managed to catch himself enough to not squash Gilbert's limbs under him. Gilbert slid and nearly went over Alfred's head.

"I'm okay."

Ivan started to carefully pick his way over to Alfred to give him a hand, "Forgive me but I'm a little more concerned about Gilbert right now"

"He's okay too, I didn't drop him."

"Maybe we should switch."

"Vanya?" Came a voice from the top of the hill. Ivan froze. That voice. It couldn't be. Nobody has seen her for over 200 years.


Oh good, you're till here. Thanks for sticking with this I really hope it hasn't been a waste of your time.

A special thanks to all my reviewers it really means a lot to me. If you ask questions in reviews I always answer them. If you see any issues with this or any other chapter, you would be my friend by pointing it out.