Chapter 21

A/N: I had a chance to read some good fanfiction yesterday and it got me feeling quite motivated. So just in case I don't get back to update again right away, here's another chapter to move us along. I sometimes feel a bit intimidated when I realize just how epic I've set this up to be, but the reviews I've gotten give me the confidence I need to keep going. Thank you all.

Tam glanced about nervously. He hated being on watch, it felt like signing up to be the first slaughtered should anything come his way. He had never been a warrior like Jervis, before the judgment he had in fact been nothing more than a simple potter.

With a soft sigh he glanced down at his hands, which were now useless wolf paws. He could handle the fact that he could no longer change between forms. He'd never been much of a hunter anyway, but to never be able to create with his hands any longer was what truly made the last decade feel like hell.

Tam was pulled out of his silent musings by the sight of something red flashing across the horizon. He nearly lost his footing on the guard post at the sight of the ookami barreling towards the Tribe village.

"Haven't they done enough harm for a few days," he whimpered falling back towards the ladder, "and red too, God please don't let it be Brogan."

Dropping quickly to his hind legs, which were thankfully still human in appearance, Tam took off at full speed to the village his white tunic flapping in the wind. It was his duty to warn the others and get the women and children to safety, as for what would become of him after, well that was something he really couldn't think about at the moment.

"Ookami! Incoming, take your posts," Tam yelled at the first sight of one of his Tribe brothers. The other wolf dropped his farming tools and ran to alert others. The women, with the exception of those who had been trained to battle, and all children under the age of twelve were rounded up and hidden in the huts. All able bodied men were called to the center of the village to meet the intruder. Tam continued running until he collapsed inside of his leaders tent.

"Jervis, they're returning, I saw red," Tam panted quickly, his breath coming in short gasps from the run and fear.

"Did you see who it was?" Jervis asked, rising slowly from his bed, his head bandaged over his wound, he winced slightly at the effort.

"No," Tam admitted, feeling suddenly ashamed, because of course he should have stayed to find out.

Jervis only nodded and brushed past the still shaking man to take his place in the village square. Tam growled in frustration and followed.

It was several tense moments before they finally heard the first sign of approaching paws. Tam tensed, but was ignored by the others as the brown wolf came lunging into view. He was running full speed, but seemed to pull to the left as he did, the result of his injury.

Jervis breathed deeply, "It's only Malcolm."

There was a collective sigh of relief from the group and Tam's face turned beet red. Malcolm skidded to a halt several feet away and cocked his head questioningly at the fully assembled Tribe before him. He was not used to being greeted this way and was unsure if his arrival was somehow unwelcome.

"Peace Mal, Tam didn't realize it was you," Jervis barked. Mal's wolf form chuckled slightly at this as he began to change back to human. The red tunic fit to his body perfectly in both forms so there was never a need to carry clothing around.

"I was starting to wonder what I'd done to be on the hit list," Malcolm said with an easy smile. The other Tribe wolves chuckled as well, and berated Tam for being so easily frightened by anything in a red tunic. Tam took his criticism well, considering, after all, this meant he might be able to live through another day after all.

"Jervis, forgive me I was only just informed, have you treated it yet?" Malcolm asked stepping toward his old friend quickly. The rest of the village dispersed to return to their work. Usually they would have stayed to visit with Malcolm and seek treatment for any aliments they had, but their work had been postponed too long the previous day by the arrival of the other ookami and they didn't want to fall behind in their harvest.

"Elle wrapped it for me, but she lacks the skill with potions to do more," Jervis replied, beckoning Malcolm to follow him inside his hut.

"She's old enough, I could begin training her if you'd like," Malcolm replied, pausing to pull out his medical kit from where he kept it stored under Jervis's bed.

"You're kindness makes you blind my friend," Jervis said sadly, "Elle couldn't do what you can with her hands as they are, it would be a waste to instruct her."

"Just because someone shouldn't be able to do something doesn't mean they can't, after all I do walk," Malcolm replied with a slight smile as he undid the wrapping around the wound.

"That you do," Jervis replied wistfully.

Kurama cringed as the hand caressed his cheek. He was ashamed of his bodies involuntary reaction. After all, this was not the first time he had been subjected to some level of torture, still Brogan's method of attempting to mix pleasure with pain was horrifyingly effective.

"Now then, have you told anyone? Malcolm maybe? It would be better if you admitted to it now you know, better for you and him," Brogan whispered his hand sliding down to the battered flesh of the kitsune's chest.

"I've told you I don't know what you mean, I came here to find out what happened," Kurama replied, his voice growing shaky at the end despite his wishes as Brogan's hand crept lower.

"If you don't remember they why did you come back?" The dark haired wolf asked, his finger running along the top of Kurama's boxers teasingly.

Kurama hesitated, he didn't want to bring Kahli into this, as far as he was concerned she'd had nothing to do with him coming here and the last thing he wanted was to be responsible for unleashing an army of wolf demons onto the human world by sending them to look for her. Not to mention that Malcolm had told him not to tell the others.

"Yoko told me I had unfinished business here," Kurama lied at last. Brogan was silent a moment, he had noticed the hesitation, but was unsure if it had been a pause to think of a lie or to decide to give in.

"And what business do you have here?" Brogan asked letting the knife blade rest against the soft skin of the kitsune's stomach.

"I wanted to apologize for what I did," Kurama guessed, closing his eyes tightly behind the blindfold. His instincts had been correct and the fist connected squarely with his stomach. At least it hadn't been the knife.

"Stop lying Yoko, haven't you figured out that it only makes me angry when you do?" the wolf's voice rose as he shouted in the redheads ear.

"I'm no longer the Yoko you once knew, I seek atonement for what I've done," Kurama insisted.

"Bullshit," Brogan spat, "you fully meant to ruin my plans, and you nearly did, now you've come back to try again."

"Please," Kurama began, then paused to collect himself so that he didn't sound so pleading, "Brogan, I don't know what you're talking about, I truly don't remember."

There was a sharp growl then Kurama cried out as the fangs pierced his skin.

Kali paused again, she could sense that they were close now, she could smell the other wolves, though something was wrong. They were too far away from the village, yet she could clearly hear the sounds of a settlement. It didn't make sense.

Hiei misunderstood her halt and dropped his hand from her back to the hilt of his sword. Kali glanced up at him and frowned, wondering if it was safe to lead him any further. The yokai stared back at her questioningly waiting for her to explain herself. Of course she couldn't, not as she was, but she didn't want to change back yet, she was unsure how she would be received by the other ookami after her long absence. Also she had noticed, not for the first time, that the demon seemed to be more trusting of her in her ookami form, if things went badly, she would need that trust.

Gesturing with her head she signaled the direction they had been traveling, Hiei nodded. Not being a big talker himself he didn't mind the lack of dialogue, besides his instincts told him what Kali could not, they were close. This meant Kurama was close, the tenseness that had been holding his chest since the fox went missing lessened somewhat for the first time in days.

Tam had finally settled his nerves and was once again stationed in the guard tower. He only needed one more hour to pass before his shift would end and he was relatively certain that there would be no further excitement for the day. Brogan and his cronies only avoided the village when Malcolm was present, though the reason was anyone's guess. Malcolm certainly wasn't strong enough to directly oppose the Ookami alpha, but Tam supposed that being lieutenant had benefits he was not aware of.

Once again chills ran down the wolf's spine as he noticed someone entering his line of sight. Only intruders and ookami would come this way, all Tribe wolves knew about the back entrance. Tam cowered lower, and peeked out the window carefully. He knew he had to try to find out more before he put the village on alert for a second time.

"There you are," Malcolm said putting the finishing touches on the new bandages, "how's it feel?"

"Still a bit sore, but I think I'll manage," Jervis replied reaching up to tenderly brush where his ear had been.

"You should rest up a few days, lots of fluids and such, no need to make it worse," Malcolm smiled. Jervis's answer was cut short by a terrified yowl from the courtyard.

"Intruders!" Tam cried out.

"Dammit, what this time, a family of squirrels?" Jervis growled.

"Surely he would know the difference," Malcolm said, Jervis turned and gave an 'are you sure' look, which made the shorter wolf chuckle.

The children protested being pulled from their activities again so soon, but were quickly rounded up once more and once more the men and warriors took their position at the center of the village. Malcolm stood by Jervis's side. He was not a strong fighter, even before his injury, but his status would be enough to frighten away anyone not wishing to enrage the force of the Ookami.

"What's coming Tam?" someone called out.

"I dunno, the wolf was unmarked, I didn't recognize them, but they travel with a demon, I could smell the blood on him from the tower," Tam panted, his breath again lost to the run.

"Steady all, no reason to panic yet," Jervis said, his voice strong and sure. It was this confidence that had once earned him his captain's title and now allowed him to lead the Tribe wolves undisputed.

Kali's fur bristled as she entered the village, Hiei now walked beside her unaided his hand firmly gripping the hilt of his katana ready for trouble. When he saw the line of wolves before him, he was certain he'd found it.

Jervis stepped forward, leaving Malcolm where he stood at the back of the line, and addressed the intruders.

"You have entered our land, might I ask the reason for your intrusion?"

Hiei glanced at Kali for a moment before realizing that she was unlikely to start talking now and instead he stepped forward.

"We're seeking a fox, we've followed his trail here, you would do well to hand him over," the yokai replied.

"The fox is no longer here young one, he left last night, please continue your search elsewhere," Jervis called back.

"I'm afraid that's not good enough, you see, we've come all this way," Hiei reached up and removed his mantle preparing for a fight.

"Wait!" Malcolm called out, pushing his way to the front of the ranks. Jervis growled nervously, he was not willing to risk such a high ranking member of the ookami over this matter. If any harm came to the lieutenant Brogan would have them all slaughtered.

Jervis tried to step in front of the brunette, but Malcolm pushed aside him easily.

"Why do you seek the fox?"

"Because he belongs to me," Hiei answered, momentarily surprised by how easily the words came to his lips in front of all these strangers.A slight blush crept across his cheeks. Kali's ear twitched and for a moment he thought she might be laughing at him, but her focus rested entirely on the brown haired wolf who had stepped forward. Unlike the others he had no wolfish deformities, although his left leg drug slightly behind him as he walked.

"Malcolm?" Kali barked moving in front of Hiei her tail wagging hopefully. Hiei eyed her nervously, the bark hadn't sounded angry, but he was still unsure if she were preparing to charge.

Malcolm's eyes narrowed on the wolf, confused at how she knew his name. She was not from the Ookami village, of that he was sure, yet somehow... his breath caught in his throat. Jervis reached to grab the man's shoulder to steady him.

"Mal? What is it?" He growled, turning to glare at the deep brown wolf that still stood several yards from them.

"Kali? Is it really you?" Malcolm choked, his eyes filling with tears. The tribe wolves all wore looks of shock as Malcolm twisted away from Jervis and ran forward clumsily falling to his knees in front of the wolf. Hiei took a step back, unsure what to do.

"Malcolm, I have missed you so much," Kali whined softy, pressing herself into his waiting arms. Malcolm hugged her tightly, his tears falling into her soft fur. Kali didn't mind, she was certain that had she been in human form, she'd be in the same state.

"My dear sister," Malcolm whispered, running his hands through her fur lovingly, "what kept you?"

(A/N: I just wanted to quickly mention, in case you missed that point, that wolves can understand each other regardless of what form they are in. I kind of hinted at it last chapter when Mal was talking to Varden, but just in case I put Kali's wolf speak in italics to make it more clear. This might be important later when the others can understand her, but Hiei and Kurama cannot.)

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