A/N: Oh when, oh when will the happy times return? Oh where, oh where can they be? Are they near the Castle or in the woods? How high must I climb? How low must I drop? Oh where, oh where is the fluff?

"Go and update something else, will ya?"

…I do waht I want!

Canon Name = Nickname: Corrin = Lupus. Velouria = Vella. Keaton = Keaty. Setsuna = Seta. Hinoka = Hina. Sakura = Saku. Subaki = Superman. Ryoma = Red. Selkie = Silky. Kaden = Ka-da. Orochi = Viper. Takumi = Tako. Lastly, only Selkie/Silky refers to Corrin/Lupus as Lu-pu.

Consort: Yep, and Leo would be a resourceful one, he'd poke and prod in a number of ways just to get some information. Though, I personally wouldn't want Odin to be the part of that process. I mean, unless Leo tells him to cut the drama. I'm pretty sure that talking about specters of darkness and the void will make someone seem like the 'bad' cop who is also maybe a little mental and should have an evaluation.

Yet, at the same time, approaching her after such a clash would also be bad. From that conversation it's clear that this is a sensitive topic. As you said before, this is a process that is more like weaning a baby off of mother's milk and the way the topic was brought up in the first place was anything but gentle. Perhaps if Lupus had been the one to start the conversation then she would have been able to weave her way into the topic instead of bringing it up in such an… aggressive manner.

Lastly, and this is not directed towards you, but rather FF's e-mail notifications. Why, why is 'chink' considered profanity? I can understand the ones like 'fuck' or 'cunt', but 'chink'... and off of another review from another fic 'incest'? I can't even...

J-Dawg (Guest): *Shrug* I dunno. I was just really ready to hit this section of the fic. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy all of the goofy things Lupus would get into and I enjoy the light-hearted atmosphere… but, I have to admit. I thrive more in the serious and angsty bits. I'm not saying I like putting the characters in peril, but… I dunno. I just like it.

Heh, a number of characters had either a small or no appearance at all. But, considering she's one of Mikoto's retainers, and that Mikoto remains in the castle…

If you make one, you make one. I'm just saying it'll decrease the amount of time between responses.

Physical? Yes. Mentally? Yes. Sexually? Absolutely not. There are very few circumstances where I will even reference it, non-consensual sexual actions is a topic I am highly against. There are plenty of other ways to break someone's will or innocence. You just gotta be creative.

Guest (Ch. 32, 6/17 4:01 PM): And don't get me wrong, I highly appreciate that you are taking the time to give me ideas. I take it as faith that you believe I will handle the ideas well in a fic, right? The content provided for us in Fates is bad because it lacks substance… and Corrin gets way too much screen time. I don't have a problem with Corrin getting a fair amount of dialogue, but it's the way the other characters get pushed to the side that bothers me. The easiest way to see this problem is simply looking at the retainers. They get introduced in their mission, and unless they're a male for a child's paralogue, that's all they really get for non-Support related dialogue.

Wait, '...you could actually create something much more unique'. With all due respect, is Corrin being stolen away from King Garon, being raised by Wolfskin, then following a custom path not unique enough? I can't pin this down as a 'Birthright'-ish route since Lupus returned to the pack. I can't say 'Conquest'-ish because Hina and Superman have been with the pack for a while now. It's mainly a variation of 'Revelations', but I'm gonna be honest. Only a few Nohrian units is going to survive.

I took Anankos out of 'Confined' and that specific version of Garon is being kept alive by Iago. Same thing with 'Thirst for Blood' Garon, Keaton states that Garon 'smells dead'. Eh, the point is that there's more ways to keep a person alive without a character like Anankos.

I personally think that the curse should be reworked. The curse could be a legitimate threat without being lethal… or heck. Remember Nyx's and Niles's support conversation? It could just be made where you literally can't say it at all. So, if you're outside of Valla it could go like, "Ryoma! Listen. there are soldiers from _ over there!" Bam, sure it's a weak 'fix', but it's better than killing someone on the spot.

I truly think if Nintendo/Intelligent Systems took out all things Valla-related and just worked on Nohr and Hoshido, then that extra time could've made Fates turn out so much better.

I'll keep that Arete/Mikoto plotting in mind.

Corrin struggling with draconic instincts? My good sir, I'd like to refer you to 'Thirst for Blood'.

It doesn't help that 'weapon durability' isn't a thing in Fates. I agree that the Dragonstone should not be 'infinite'. Am I supposed to believe that each and every weapon in Fates is enchanted with eternal sharpness?

All in all, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I can't promise I'll make any fics out of it, but I can promise I'll take them into serious consideration.

ZygardeFusion: Sakura won't be much of a bargaining chip or a source of information if she's dead, right? Leo might order to keep her alive, but that doesn't mean she's going to be well off, either. It's entirely possible she will have lost all progress on any of the training she had with Takumi, and maybe even some magical potential. She is going to look much worse than she did going in… which honestly, really isn't saying much. She was at death's door when she was caught, after all.

I dunno, and I doubt Leo will let any of that information loose. Even if Sakura had a 0% chance of escaping, he isn't going to tell.

Methinks Camilla is too dead set on accessorizing her family with Lupus's dragon remains. Maybe she'll even take up some needlework with the pack's fur? Or, who knows, maybe Camilla will find Sakura completely adorable, and then proceed to, uh… 'adopt' her into the family.

Guest (Ch. 32, 6/18 4:09 AM): Yes, I'm not gonna deny it. The Nohrians, or at least the royalty and their retainers because there hasn't been a peep from the common soldier or someone like Benny, are shown in an almost outlandishly evil light… right? Except that, aside from the pack's encounters with Camilla, Leo, and their respective retainers, the only other real interaction we've had is Leo and Sakura.

Sakura's treatment has been… fair, methinks. She's getting the nutrients she needs, she's alive and having her wounds tended to. Yes, Leo is also trying to get information out of her and will probably try to use her as a bargaining chip, but that's just war. Sakura is a Princess, a high-value target. Until Leo decides to resort to a more torturing-style approach, I'd say her treatment is rather reasonable.

On the Wolfskin side of things, well… at least the Royals and their retainers granted the Wolfskin killed a quick death and left their furs and Beaststones with them. At the same time, the Wolfskin that King Garon wanted revenge on are dead, and now he's also wanting their offspring's deaths. Keaty sure didn't do anything in that caravan raid, nor Vella or Dadaan… the only thing the rest can be 'accused' of is helping raise and live with Corrin.

So yeah, I'm aware that Nohr is simply supposed to be depicted with needing resources and Hoshido has them a-plenty. Or… the Nohrians could just cull their own numbers, then they could just 'get by', like the Wolfskin. Of course, I'm also not giving the pack here the best outlook here either. Don't forget that Corrin saw, firsthand, human remains during one of those winters… or the things that will end up happening.

Ah yes, Elise. The one ray of sunshine in Nohr. Let's hope she doesn't get caught in the cross-fire or jumps in front of swords this time, because I'm not assuring the other Royals' survival.

Warmth is slowly starting to return to Sakura's being, though she can feel the effects of the distinct lack of sun and proper nutrients. In addition to her already relatively frail body, the fact that she nearly died, and the cramped nature of the cell, her body is thinning more than is probably should. Any training she had with Takumi on the bow has been already nullified. Some bread and water can only do her so much good.

Nourishment…

True to Prince Leo's orders, Sakura never knows when the food will actually arrive, leaving her in a state where her eyes are frequently darting over to the bars, hoping that the tray of bread and water have made their way into her cell. If… if this is how she's being treated, a Princess, then she fears what a 'common criminal' would get.

She's thankful the Nohrians aren't torturing her, but… the treatment she's getting is almost at that level and…

"Part way." She stiffens as she recognizes his voice. "Open." Prince Leo has returned. His visits are as sporadic as the food and water she gets. A constant reminder of how trapped she is. Where is she? The Nohrian castle's dungeons? She was never told how long she was unconscious. "Sit." Sakura quickly does so, and he holds his hand out.

She feels a magic wave pulse onto her, "Prince Leo, may I ask a question?"

"Yes?"

"Wh-where am I, exactly?" He remains silent, "O-okay, then… where a-are your r-retainers?" More silence. "What will you answer?"

"I never said I would answer any of your questions, Princess." He sneers. "Are you finished with your wailing?" A pause, "Good, now. You're going to answer a few questions."

She looks at him with suspicion, "A-about?"

"Let's start simple, alright?" He pulls out a small notepad and a pen, "What's your preferred scent?"

"U-u-um… huh?" Sakura is caught off guard by the strange question.

"Or perfume, however you wish to think about it."

Surely it wouldn't hurt to let such a detail go to him, right? She quickly thinks over what he could potentially use with that, this isn't something potentially useful like knowing her handwriting… "M-my namesake, sakura petals."

He writes her response on the paper. "Favorite color."

What is he planning?! "Light pink." She looks at his form, and he seems relaxed. His presence doesn't have that same foreboding feeling as last time.

"How about favorite animal?"

Slowly, answers start to become easier to come out, "Well, I always love brushing my big s-sister's Pegasus…"

She, unfortunately, missed his smirk. "Food?"

"I l-like the sw-sweeter fruits, but I do have an occasional want for a green apple."

"Clothing."

"Hm… I know I-I'm royalty and that leads to always getting the expensive higher-quality things, but I've always wanted more… simple clothing. I don't exactly like having a lot of extra things if someone else needs something." A short pause, "Oh! Um… kimonos."

"Drink?"

"It depends on what is being served with it, but generally speaking… green tea with a few drops of honey and some mint."

"Are you a fan of coffee?"

"N-Not really, but Subaki knows how to mix it just right for me, so… only if he makes it."

"Subaki?"

"He's one of my retainers, one of the rarer male Sky Knights with darker red hair and a streak of perfection. He's really nice and he likes to help."

"Hm, how about pillows? Feather-based or cloth-based?"

"Cloth, it unnerves me if my pillows have animal feathers in them."

"I see." He tucks the notepad away, "Thank you for your time, Princess Sakura."

"A-am I getting a-a-accommodations?" She hopes, why else would he ask for preferences, right?

He chuckles, "You are correct again, Lady Sakura." The smile fades to a more straight lined mouth. "As we both know, you are royalty." He nods, more to himself, "I can't say I'll be able to secure all of them, but do expect a fair amount of such amenities within the next few days." He turns to leave, "You'll be getting a visit from your new healer soon… much to her insistence. Take care, Lady Sakura."

"You too, Prince Leo." Well, that was a rather… strange set of questions. She was expecting things more along the lines of 'what is the recently most used… armor' or something.

It's a shame that from the overall tone of the conversation and with Leo ending on a positive question, that it slips Sakura's mind she openly talked about her retainer. Sure, this wasn't something he could use to break open a gap in the army, but that wasn't the point.

The point is that Sakura opened up to him.

"W-wait? New healer?" She echoes far after he has already left. While she wasn't particularly fond of Flora, she also hopes that nothing bad happened to her.

"'Scuse me… comin' through!" A cheerful voice rings out, "Super-awesome healer is here to save the day!" Higher pitched and definitely full of life, and the form that comes within Sakura's sight? "Heya! You muuuust be… Princess Sakura?" A relatively young-looking woman asks her. She has a bright smile on her face, and a long pair of pigtails. The guards part to let this ball of joy in. "It's so good to see you! My name is Elise!"

"Hello… E-E-Elise." Though, her brightness is a tad bit overwhelming.

"Hey~! Don't be shy. I'm here for ya. So, how's it goin'?" She pulls out a bag… a vivid pink, decorated with flower designs, sunshine, and rainbows. Such a stark contrast to Nohr. "You don't have any big bad hurting spots, do you?"

"Well, I am sort of sore, but that's from the sleeping arrangements." She admits.

"Huh, yeah… I'm afraid a Staff can't do much for that. Anything else?"

"Staves don't have a numbing effect?" Sakura asks instead.

"Nah. Staves can be, like, super picky on what they will and won't heal, buuuut~! They can also heal wounds like nobody's business!" She winks. "So, anything else?"

…

Sakura likes her.

Hana has taken to walking for today's march. She's simply not up for another day of horseback riding, lest she loses all feeling in her legs… not including the saddle sore factor. Thankfully, they've traveled enough to where the Bottomless Canyon's mountains are starting to become easier to see. According to Lady Hinoka's hasty explanation, the 'pack' has been routed North-bound, further into Hoshidan territory. Which means that Lady Sakura is in that direction…

Their destination is not near that general area. No, they have to establish a base of operations as Setsuna is escorted by a few others to try and get Corrin's attention for a proper meeting with the alpha. She understands why, but it doesn't grate on her patience any less. Why can't she be aside Setsuna for a guard? No, she takes a breath to calm herself, something she's been doing more of lately.

She can't even focus on training without knowing that Sakura is within at least her earshot.

"Hana?" And out of literally nowhere, Kagero pops into existence, "Would you care for some tea later?"

Yet she shakes her head, "Thank you for the offer, Kagero, but I don't think tea is going to do much for me. This… agitation won't really leave me until I can see for myself that Lady Sakura is well." A short pause, "How would you feel? If Lord Ryoma was out here instead?"

She closes her eyes for a moment, "I understand your point of view. I too, would be at constant unease. However, if we are fully following the current situation, then I'd trust that Saizo would be giving his all to make sure Lord Ryoma is safe. I'm certain that he would even give up sleep if the situation demanded it."

"Hmph, and you would be correct." Saizo appears on Hana's other side. "Trust Subaki, he is no slouch. Royals have two retainers for a reason. Such tasks need more than one person." And just like that, he vanishes once more, probably to Lord Ryoma's side.

"That's something that needs to get pressed into Lady Hinoka's retainers, not me." She huffs. "Kagero? What's your opinion on those wolves?"

"As unorthodox as the situation was, I believe in the sincerity of their actions. We can't deny the fact that while yes, Lady Corrin exhibited behavior that can be… bizarre, she also showed as much love and care as the rest of the Royal Family. I believe we need to put more faith into the Wolfskin, they are far more intelligent than what most people assume."

"So… the rumors, then?"

"Are just that, rumors. Not everyone has seen Lady Corrin's caring nature, only her… 'wild' side. Besides, Lady Corrin hasn't made the… best first impression." Kagero looks bothered.

"Whaddya mean?"

Kagero sighs, "I've traced reports of thievery back to one of the smaller towns in Hoshido, and it seems to lead that Lady Corrin was the one responsible. 'A white-hair woman with red eyes who possessed an unnatural amount of stamina, flexibility, strength… almost everything on a physical level'."

"Oh right. I heard about a skilled thief…"

The female Ninja lets out a small chuckle, "Skilled only in her movements, I'm afraid Lady Corrin is not subtle by any means." She shakes her head, "Regardless, she was able to heavily outperform any Ninja that attempted to give chase. She could dent metal and tear through leather-based armor without much issue. We are very thankful that Lady Hinoka was able to locate her, I fear what would have happened if Lady Corrin continued her actions."

"Yea, I can get why. Not even a Princess can get away with multiple accounts of thievery…"

"And murders." She smoothly states.

Hana stumbles shortly after. "Uh-what?"

"There was apparently someone who stole her bag from her in a crowded market. She caught up to him and slammed his face into the concrete hard enough to crack his skull. The second was one of the guards giving chase. She used his head as a platform to jump, snapping his neck."

"Gods… I didn't hear about that."

"...We kept it under wraps." Kagero admits. "It would have been very difficult for Lady Corrin to maintain a peaceful presence if she was known to be the killer."

"So… you lied to everyone?"

"I didn't lie to anyone. The ones tasked with information control withheld the fact." A pause, "Hana, I understand your honor as a Samurai, and with it the honesty it includes… but there are some things that need to be handled discreetly."

"I get it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it." She huffs. "How much longer?"

"We'll reach our destination within an hour. Setsuna will be sent out soon after." High Prince Ryoma supplies.

"Alright, one more hour…"

Lupus pokes her head around the corner and into Vella's den. She's calmed down, so she's going to try and approach the topic more gently this time. "Hey…" Lupus just barely whispers. "How's it going, sister?" She enters.

Vella looks up, her eyes betray a slight hurt. "I'm sorry." She starts off with, "I know. I get it. I can see it with how Hina acts." A short pause, "Your real sister."

"Your are as much as my sister as Hina is." A few more steps forward as Vella just sits there. "Who cares if you aren't by blood."

"...I also understand that you don't always need me around." She continues, "But I find myself simply unable to leave your side. You have this… lure that demands my attention more than any male could match."

Lupus has a… lure? "...Are you at least willing to try? I'm not saying going completely through with it, just… make it less serious."

"I don't like the sound of that, sister." Stubbornness rears its head. "But I also want you to be happy and if that's what I have to do… then yes. I'm willing to try."

"Thank you, sister." Lupus hugs her.

"...As you want." Vella quietly whispers.

"I promise to make it as easy on you as…" She stops as her ears twitch.

"Humans…" Vella growls.

"Already?!" The two sisters break the hug and dash out.

Keaty is standing in front of the rest, Hina and Superman are slightly off to the side. "The Nohrian army is picking up their pace, sister." Hina states. "Keaty said he didn't smell many, so we're fighting this time."

"Three." The alpha calls out.

"Royals?" If… if they send even more of those absurdly strong people, then…

"Lupus!" Said half-dragon immediately relaxes. "I dunno how to howl!"

"Sister?" Vella asks.

"Is that… Setsuna?!" Hina exclaims.

"Seta!" Lupus quickly moves up and…

"Why?" Keaty growls, "Why are there more?" He rounds on Hina.

"I said that I could only bring…" Hina's voice cracks. "Sakura."

"Then they followed you here." Oh, that's not good. "I knew it. I knew it. I should've saw this coming. I let a few humans in, and now more are coming." He clenches his fists, "Where do you stand, Hina? Are you going to turn your weapon on us?"

"Setsuna is my retainer, if…"

"The pack. Or them?" He pushes.

Hina glances at Lupus, "I can convin…"

"Drop it." His Beaststone glows, "Your weapon, drop it. You as well, Superman." A second's hesitation… "Lupus, deal with 'Seta'."

…

'Deal'. Lupus only nods as she quickly walks towards the archer she…

The woman she loves. "Now, down on the ground. You two, watch them." She hears Keaty order.

She shakes her head and keeps moving. "Lupus!" Seta smiles the second she makes eye contact, "I…" She stops, frowns. "I wish I could've called you from further away."

Lupus wants to hug her, to hold her, to sniff her… but that's not what Keaty ordered. "Seta, you need to leave." She feels her heart slow down as Seta takes that in.

"Lady Corrin, please." Kagero? "We understand that the situation is incredibly delicate, but words need to be spoken."

"K… the alpha told me to 'deal' with you, please… just leave. Don't make me fight you."

Seta's face grimaces. "I understand."

"Setsuna! We…"

"No, don't push her, Kagero." Seta interrupts. "The pack comes first." She takes a breath, "Just… one question, okay?"

"Make it quick." Lupus hates treating her like this.

"Lady Sakura's well-being, how is she?"

…

"Lady Corrin?"

…

The bush behind them parts, and out comes Hana. "Hana?! Red ordered…"

Hana glares at Seta, before rounding her gaze at Lupus, "Setsuna asked you a question. How is Lady Sakura?"

"..." Lupus turns away, unable to say what happened. "Leave."

"I swear to the gods, if she even suffered a single scratch, then I'm going…!" Hana squeals, draws her katana, and hops back as Lupus's arm shifts into a lance, skewering the spot where her leg just was.

"Leave. Or I will have to force you to leave."

"Lady Corrin." Hana flatly states, unbudging.

"We're leaving." Seta announces.

"Pardon our intrusion, Lady Corrin." Kagero follows Seta.

"I'm not until I at least know my liege is safe! Why can't you tell me?"

"Just. Leave." Lupus growls.

"No way! It's just one question. You could've answered it over twenty times by now!"

"Lupus." She stiffens as Keaty walks up. "Two left, one stays."

Hana remains stone-cold, "Is it really against your tradition to not answer questions?"

"Hana, please…" Lupus starts, only for Keaty to have that aura of dominance about him.

"She won't listen." Keaty states, "Typical human. How many more of you are out there?" He shifts into his Wolfsegger form, "So I know how many pieces to send you back in."

"Kea…!" Lupus tries.

"I'm not letting this one go." One step shakes the surrounding area.

Hana, almost foolishly, stands in place, her stance readied. "I have an oath to Lady Sakura to protect her with my life. I refuse to stand aside, ignorant of my liege's condition. If you won't tell me, then I'll force it out!" She charges, raises her katana and…

Keaty snatches her by the sword. His Wolfsegger form providing more than enough defense to keep the katana from barely even scratching him. Maybe if her katana was made of steel? A shattering sound follows as he snaps the katana with his hand alone.

Given Hana's expression, that was probably one of the last outcomes she was expecting. She scrambles back as he stomps the ground she was just at, though the force alone was enough to bounce her up a few inches, and she lands on several rocks. His second action didn't miss, though his massive foot is only on her enough to keep her from moving.

It wouldn't take much to flatten her.

"You'd strike me when I'm down? When I've no means to defend myself?" Honor… one of the highest things a Samurai holds to themselves.

"You intrude on my grounds and expect me to follow your rules?"

"It's a standard of honor, not…" Keaty shifts back, his foot on her chest still.

"Honor." He repeats, "The same thing that poachers have for us? Traps lying on the ground? A toxin made specifically for Wolfskin? Have you ever seen a Wolfskin without their fur? Maybe a human without their skin? How about I show you a pile of human bones?"

"That's…"

"Wrong? Cruel? How do you think we feel? Hunted down, year after year! Fur being skinned off, with some of them still alive when it happens. Have you ever happened across poachers boiling up a stew of Wolfskin meat?" Hana's armor cracks, "Is that what your honor is?"

"No! Poachers can't gra...ah!" Shards of her armor start piercing into her chest as the pressure increases. "L-Lady Corrin! G-Get..."

"She won't help you." He growls. Another, much slower cracking sound follows… her ribs? Even Lupus is starting to feel ill from the sound. "Lupus would have given you a much cleaner death than this, human."

"Hana!" No, why more? Isn't the situation bad enough? Seta knows better than to bring more, even Kagero seems to have understood.

"St…" Lupus starts, but a simple growl from Keaty silenced her.

"Alpha." The rest of the pack is here and… she can even smell Hina's and Superman's relative amount of fear.

"Was this part of your plan, human?" Keaty growls as Lupus's blood-family starts appearing. "Hina and Superman conveniently arrived as the forest around my pack burned. Saku happened to be the only one who could cure Velouria's disease. Hina's training just so happened to be effective against Lupus's curse. And now here you all are… I let two enter, then comes a situation where three are in. The next thing that happens? All of the family is here."

"L-Lord…" Hana gasps, her arms doing nothing against Keaty's force.

"Please, let her go, alpha." Red stands tall, "She went against her orders."

"Shows how much respect you command, human."

Hana starts choking up blood.

"What can I do to convince you otherwise?" Red presses. "I understand I can't undo…" Keaty's eyes twinkle with a savage light.

"We would much pre…" Monkundo started, but Seta literally slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Shush." She uncharacteristically hisses.

"Lupus already showed your kind mercy several times over. Seta and Kagero left of their own will. Yet, Hana stayed. And the rest of you arrive." The mentioned Samurai has fallen unconscious… anymore pressure and he'll stomp right through her… in his 'human' form.

"Then I'll fight for her safety." Red resolves.

"Typical…"

"As a High Prince to an alpha, I challenge you to single combat." Red continues.

"You wish to take my pack from me?!"

"No. I wish to see my family and their retainers left unharmed. I wish for us to see eye to eye… and if I have to attain this 'alpha' status to do so, then I will." He takes a breath, "The question is, do you accept?"

Keaty raises his foot off of Hana… then kicks her towards Lupus's family. Her body rolls without any input from Hana. "..." Keaty stares him down as Monkundo immediately begins tending to Hana. "Unarmed combat." He finally replies.

"In your 'human' form, I guess?"

"In my human form."

"Big brother! You…" Hina is silenced with a growl from Keaty.

"I accept your terms, alpha of this Wolfskin pack. May the best fighter win."

"Hmph." Keaty scoffs as he turns towards the den. "Come."

"Lord Ryoma! Allow…" Saizo starts.

"No, I alone will duel him. If the only way to converse is through Wolfskin tradition, then that is what I will do." Red replies as he follows Keaty. "Are they allowed to watch, at the least?"

"Only if their weapons are out of their reach." Lupus slowly follows, Dadaan next to her.

"Setsuna?" She hears Kagero just barely whisper. "What do you think the odds are?"

A pause, "Lupus?" Seta asks, "Does challenging an alpha go to the death?"

"Depends." She responds, "It will go on until one yields."

"And that doesn't usually happen unless the one that gives in is permanently crippled." Dadaan adds. "Fighting for the status as the alpha is no small matter. So yes, death is to be expected."

"Be thankful brother isn't using his Wolfsegger form." Vella sniffs. "For what good that will do, anyway. Might as well dig a grave for him." She soon mutters 'damn humans' afterward.

Both the pack and Lupus's family arrives back at the den. "Weapons." Keaty orders.

"Lord R…" Saizo starts.

"Do as he says." Red interrupts. "All of you."

"That includes you, human."

"I know." Red nods as he takes the sheath of his Divine Weapon off of his waist. "Ever since the day the Rajinto chose me, I never thought I would ever fight without it, but…" The sacred weapon is tossed aside, more like an unwanted toy, "Don't underestimate me! I fight for my family! My friends! My country! My people! For the glory of Hoshido!"

A/N: It seems like Leo is, in fact, playing the 'good cop, bad cop' routine on his own. He managed to slip through by asking Sakura questions she thought had no real way of being used against Hoshido. I hope Sakura didn't come out as… dull? Leo is supposed to be the smarter one here, right?

Alright, I just wanna skip to the, what is probably the most glaring portion. Lupus's refusal to admit what happened to Sakura. Perhaps if Hina or Superman was sent, then it would have been mentioned, but I think Lupus would be still too wracked with guilt to admit what happened. Okay, so that's somewhat reasonable, but…

Then why did Kagero not pick up on it? Well, this is a very small tidbit and was directly mentioned one in Chapter 1, but also expressed, I think, around the time Lupus met Hina. Lupus is terrible at telling lies, but is strangely skilled in faking her expressions. She can fake tears, she has a fair amount of skill over her body, if she should choose… she just can't verbally tell a lie. Which is why she remained silent. She knew that if she started talking, then that she would end up telling the truth.

Now, the situation with Hana. So… yeah. For those of you who read 'A 'Human' Holiday', this is the variation of the event that Hana brought up. Keep in mind, 'A 'Human' Holiday' is a time-skip for 'Struggles of Raising Hybrids' and that 'Struggles of Raising Hybrids' is an AU for 'Corrin, of the Wolfskin'.

I do, in fact, believe that if it came to Sakura, that Hana would ultimately choose her role as guardian over actual orders. A choice that almost got her killed… being crushed. With her only saving grace is that Ryoma chose to challenge Keaty's position as alpha.

So, what does that leave for the near future? What is Leo planning? What could be the difference with Elise tending to Sakura? Aaaand, Ryoma versus Keaton.