Ray Smith knelt on his knees and squinted through the wall of vines. His concentrated gaze penetrated the shelter of leaves, putting Kai in a relentless fit of unease. He bundled himself closer to Cole, being careful as to not reveal any part of himself through the gaps. Sure, it wouldn't have been a problem if it were someone else. He could easily defend himself and pretend what he was doing wasn't wrong.

And it wasn't.

Probably.

Alright, maybe it was.

But his father in particular was… a kind man. Though, to be entirely truthful, there had been times when Kai shivered at Ray's stern scolding and 'disastrous' rage. He would grow utterly furious, and he could've sworn he'd seen fire burn alight in his eyes. Thankfully, it rarely spiraled out of control.

But aside from those experiences, he would feel sorry for his father when said man would give him specific instructions, only to find his son in troublesome situations that would surely end him up in chains. Fortunately, he had only been a child, but Kai didn't want to disappoint him. He never did.

So, in this position, making sure he wasn't caught seemed like the most logical choice.

He was honestly surprised his father hadn't caught him yet.

All the better for now, he concluded quickly, attempting to force his guilt down.

Cole squirmed beneath his hold, but Kai held him firmly in place. His chances of getting bitten again were seemingly high, but he wasn't willing to receive verbal pain from his father. Again.

He shook the raven-haired alpha and forced him into silence with his insistent gaze. After a short battle of shut your mouth or you'll regret it, Cole rolled his eyes and begrudgingly slumped to the ground.

As though in slow motion, Ray reached straight for them, his fingers grazing the plants. Soft, low pants and hot breathing tickled the back of Kai's neck. He swiftly reached for a wolf's maw and clamped it shut, the silence suddenly growing unbearably heavy.

His father continued to stare, pulling the vines aside. Kai's heart raced momentarily, but he was surprised to see him pull a small clump of black fur from the tangled wall. Soon enough, he stood on his feet and turned away to exit the glade.

Chest tight and burning, Kai released his contained breath, gasping for fresh air.

"Oh, thank the First Spinjitzu Master for that," he exhaled, heaving forward on his hands. Cole sputtered once his mouth was free, thoroughly shaking himself within the condensed space.

"What are you so scared of?" he demanded crossly. "We have a pack of wolves with us, y'know!"

"I'm not afraid!" Kai fired back, his face beginning to burn. "I just didn't want to get caught by him in particular."

"Yeah, alright." Cole sighed and used his mysterious abilities to control the tangle of vines, forming an opening in the wall with just enough space to see Ray trek on the dirt path.

Suddenly biting back a startled yelp, he stumbled forward with Kai following close behind. The wolves whined and pushed against their backs, grinning widely when the warm waves of the sun reached their pelts. Ember cooed along, stretching her wings and spine with please.

"Ugh, I told you guys! You can't come out in the daytime!" said Cole, sending each and every one of his pack members a stern glare. "Do you have any idea what Mom's gonna say when she finds out?"

They instantly flattened their ears from his truthful words, whining and pawing the ground as they pleaded their alpha to let them stay outside for a little while longer.

"No, get back to bed!" he demanded. His pack members reluctantly obliged and headed back for the den. A muffled groan rumbled beneath Cole, causing him to roll aside and allow Kai to properly inhale.

"UGH!" the brunette gasped, his chest inflating with fresh air. "That's enough! I've had it! No more! No more falling and suffocating! I swear this has been the millionth time today!"

Cole fell on his back and laughed as hard as he could, having a blast at enjoying Kai's arising temper. He liked his hot-headed flare, his limitless energy. And he, admittedly, loved how he wasn't afraid of him. That was his goal, but Kai was actually a nice change of pace.

"Oh, so you think that's funny, huh?" Kai muttered through clenched teeth. He propped himself on his elbows, but Cole threw himself on top of the brunette.

"Um, yes?" he answered, though it came out more like a query. He grinned as he felt Kai struggle under his weight, grumbling as though he were a pup. "You're hilarious when you're mad!"

"Ha-ha. Don't make me laugh," he snarled, finally shoving the raven off of him. He leapt to his feet and recombed his horrendous hair, wincing at the lingering pain of the tangled threads, knowing quite well that they were beyond repair. "And never mess with the hair. That's top priority."

That only made Cole pull him in and give him a fierce noogie. "Well, then I'd better make sure messing your fur is my top priority," he said simply.

"It's hair," Kai snapped, waving him off. "Anyway… back to what I said earlier. Was that your mother back in the cave?"

He knew he must've targeted a very sensitive topic, because Cole immediately stiffened at his words. Tilting his head, he patiently waited for an answer. Seconds of tense silence had gone by, but Kai partially understood his situation. He decided to reach out.

"You know, it's fine if you don't want to say anything," he said. "Sometimes I don't want to talk about my mom, either." He returned a lopsided smile when Cole raised his head to look at him straight in the eyes.

"Um… thanks, then," he replied awkwardly. "But yeah… she's my mother."

And that's all you need to say, thought Kai. I won't pressure you.

"Speaking of which, are any of the other wolves people, too?" he asked. That question in particular nagged at his mind ever since Ed had shared his tale with him and Nya, and his curiosity strengthened when he met Cole for the first time.

Nerves finally calm, Cole barked out a laugh. "No way! How big d'you think my family is?" Kai only shrugged. That seemed to explain why everyone believed Wolfwalkers were a myth, a tale to frighten misbehaved children. There weren't many of his kind left.

"I guess that makes sense," he said, slowing his voice down. "Were they in your pack? Before you were born?"

"Oh, definitely," Cole replied, grabbing an arrow from his sack and chewing on it. "They've been pups, grown into adults, had their own pups, look after us all, and the cycle repeats. Except, now that I'm nearly an adult, I'm the alpha. I look after them."

That left another question to settle in Kai's mind. "So… are you my age?" he asked. "Seventeen?"

"Wha-? No, of course not! I'm slightly above a year old!" Kai nearly choked, struggling to contain his disbelief and utter hilarity at Cole's response.

"A YEAR OLD?!" he yelled, ignoring the alpha wince at the volume of his voice. "ARE YOU CRAZY?"

"Why am I crazy?" Cole demanded. "That's my actual age!"

"There's no way you're literally a year old!" Kai insisted, laughing beneath his breath. "That's scientifically impossible! It probably has something to do with Wolfwalker ages…. Anyway, I'd better get a move on and head home—"

Suddenly grabbing his arm and tearing his sleeve clean, Cole tied it around his head like a blindfold, holding him tight as he thrashed for freedom. "What are you doing? Hey!"

"Nothing, really. Just don't want you coming back to my den on your own. It's secret," he said calmly. "It's why I brought you along while you were unconscious."

"I was actually half-conscious," Kai proclaimed. "I managed to wake up while we were on our way there. So I technically found it."

"Oh, just shut up and walk!" growled Cole, pushing him towards the exit to which Ray had previously vanished through. "I'll guide you to the town."

"Wait, hang on. Before you do that, I'll need my crossbow first," he said, aimlessly wandering the area. Cole was there to catch him if he ever tripped over something in his way.

"Um, what do you need that for? Shooting your dragon again?" Now it was Kai's turn to stiffen with unease, and he could hear Ember chirp sadly nearby. His chest thrummed uncomfortably.

"N-no! I use it to shoot…." He immediately paused. Taking a deep breath, he tried to get his emotions under control. "Ah… never mind. Let's go." A forceful shove sent him stumbling forward, and he muttered something rude beneath his breath. The guy could be gentler, for the First Spinjitzu Master's sake.

Kai had no clue as to where or what he was headed towards, needless to say that Cole's grip on his shoulders was increasingly annoying and a little harsh, but behind his blindfold, he could tell they were actually moving somewhere. He could only trust him to guide his way back to the town.

Though, he technically met him less than an hour ago. Why should he trust him?

He did make it out alive so far with Cole's help. So maybe his intentions weren't too dangerous.

The fabric of the cloth brushed his skin, and Kai wrinkled his nose to rid himself of the itch. He blinked through the faint red hue of the fabric, growing tense with every sensation on his body. He wasn't used to not seeing anything, but the lack of vision did help him focus. His thought train processed many possibilities and risks of his current situation, but he wondered about Nya most of all.

He was furious at himself for telling her run off into unknown danger—if there were any, that is. From what he could tell, everything seemed fine for now, but he wasn't taking that many chances. For all he knew, there could be more Wolfwalkers out there. Cole clearly implied that he was one of the last ones, but maybe, just maybe, there were more.

Then struck a sudden idea.

"Hang on a sec!" Kai said, pulling the blindfold off and stunning Cole. The raven huffed and glared from behind.

"What is it now?" he demanded. "I'm not giving any extra tours just to satisfy your desires of staring at every detail." However, he gave off a small smile and quietly added, "Even though it's nice of you to admire my home like that."

"What was that last bit?" asked the brunette, turning his head.

"Nothing!" Sputtering, Cole continued. "Anyway, what did you want to say?"

"To put it short, I've also got a sister. She's a few years younger than me, she has short, black hair right to the shoulders, red kimono," Kai explained. "She was with me when that other wolf was trying… trying to help me." Cole grunted approvingly when he corrected himself. "I told her to get away, in case there was any danger present, but I had no idea…"

"So, you're basically asking me if I can help you find her?" Cole said promptly. "Sure. I don't really have much else to do other than get you out of here, but I guess that can wait."

Kai nodded, making sure he displayed his appreciation well. "She's one of the most important people in my life. I need to know she's safe," he said, his voice grave. "it'll kill me to know if something's happened to her."

Cole moved his hand to his back and patted him a few times. "That, I can understand. I've devoted my life to protecting anyone who's a part of my pack. And the most important person is my mother," he explained. "If it's your sister you're searching for, count me in."

"So… you're actually going to help? Thanks, Cole. I really do appreciate this." They shared a wide grin and headed for the foliage, nestled comfortably beside the base of numerous tree stumps.

Ember latched onto Kai's shoulders and curled around his neck, remaining as still as possible while Cole grabbed his torn sleeve and memorized the scent.

"She smells like you, right?" he asked calmly. "Awful stench…"

Kai's face erupted in heat. "No! Alright, first, I probably don't even smell that bad—"

"You kind of do, though," the raven replied. "It's torture to my nose, but I'm just ignoring it for now." He smirked when he saw the other cower with humiliation.

"Anyway," Kai gritted through his teeth, "she most likely smells nicer, since she works at the scullery so often."

"Scullery? What's that?" asked Cole, quirking his brows. He had never heard of that word before. It sounded very bizarre to him.

"Oh, it's kind of… it's sort of like working in a huge kitchen. Y'know, like washing dishes, cooking large dinners, assorting laundry, that sort of stuff," Kai explained. However, he sighed when Cole continued to stare with a perplexed look.

"Think of it as spending the entire day near the lake and washing a bunch of stuff," he said. "Sound better?"

"Ah, yeah, I guess that makes sense!" Cole sniffed the cloth once again, concentrating on finding another scent masked beneath Kai's. He could faintly trace a strong, bubbly smell, and it felt pleasant. He couldn't quite name it, but it definitely reminded him of lavender patches.

Soon enough, he was able to trace a scent trail and follow it into a thick grove. Kai and Ember followed suite, shoveling a clear path for themselves and making an effort to dodge thorns. The route was the same for the most part, and his feet began to ache. He grimaced when the forest darkened, and he wanted to ask Cole if he actually knew where he was going.

Of course he knows. He's got the best sense of smell out of everyone, he thought easily.

"Um… so, are we there yet?" he asked. Ember chirped to echo his question. However, she huffed when Kai said, "Hey, you've been on my shoulders the whole time! You don't get to complain."

"Yeah, I can tell she's been here before," Cole explained. "Her smell is a lot stronger, but I know she's been around hours ago. She's gone somewhere else." His eyes narrowed as his muscles began to hunch. "And there are others, too."

"Other people?" Kai demanded. "How? Rarely anyone comes around. Mostly my Dad, but—"

"No." Cole's voice rumbled, startling him for a few moments.

"What do you mean?"

"There are others… they smell like wolves." He snarled angrily, and his fingers curled menacingly. Thinking fast, Kai tried to reason with him.

"They aren't from your pack?" He thought for a moment. "There could be a lot more, y'know! This is a pretty big forest."

"The only other beings in my home are the Nature Dragons. Other kinds come by, but no wolves other than my family," he mumbled. "Wolfwalkers… I won't believe it. I'm one of the last ones."

"You don't really know that, though, do you?" Kai pressed. "What if there are more? More like you?"

"If there were, I would have known," Cole said. "So would Mother."

"Maybe you can check again. Later, though? Remember, we've got to look for Nya. She's close, right?" he asked hopefully. The anticipation was very high, he could almost catch her scent as well.

"Ah, yeah! Let me see…"

Within minutes, Cole could sense her presence with his sharp nose, tracing every detail all the way to the outskirts of the woods. It eventually led them to the over-populated town. Knowing this, Kai smiled broadly.

"You're sure she's there?" he insisted, his voice optimistic.

The raven only wrinkled his nose with revulsion. "I mean, it's sort of hard to confirm with all the other disgusting smells, but her scent trail led here."

"Thanks, Cole! Seriously, I won't forget this," Kai acknowledged happily, and Ember beat her wings with gratitude.

"Don't mention it, it's no biggie—wait, what are you doing?"

Kai extended his arm and clenched his fist, holding it in front of the alpha male. Cole stood motionless, eyeing his hand uncertainly.

"Uh…? What's this?" he asked slowly.

"This is a fist bump," the brunette replied. "You just do the same thing and hit my fist!"

Unsure whether whatever he was doing would work, Cole did as was told and lightly tapped his fist with his own. Once he had done so, however, Kai grinned.

"Well… I guess I'd better get home now," he said.

"Hm, yeah. If you even call that a home," Cole joked. "The forest is so much better."

"Maybe I can come back, then?" Kai suggested. "I know I was suspicious at first—"

"Don't lie. You were a full-on crybaby."

"Shut it! Was not!" he fumed. "Anyway, the town does stink. And I don't want to work as a blacksmith against my will, so I'm using this as an opportunity to escape."

"Blacksmith…?" These new words puzzled Cole. He was glad he lived somewhere less… complicated.

"Basically, a very hot and restricted place," Kai briefed. "You wouldn't like it."

In the distance, they could hear soldiers' voices calling citizens to group in an orderly fashion. They roughly shoved them around and snapped insulting remarks. Ember hissed angrily, Kai nodding alongside her.

"If only we could somehow do something about that," he murmured. "Those guys deserve the worst. But I really do have to get going now. I'll definitely have myself restrained if they catch me outside. And thanks again for tracking Nya."

Bidding their last goodbyes, they parted ways and headed in opposite directions. Kai and Ember raced down the sandy path to the enclosed houses. Cole, however, stopped in his tracks and turned. He stared after them, mostly at Kai. He admittedly felt a bit fidgety, as though he was expecting something strong. It was certainly difficult to pinpoint the problem, but when the thought of Kai returning to visit crossed his mind, only warmth and delight filled his chest.

Pushing his shaggy hair aside, he vanished into the trees, already awaiting the day he would see Kai again.