Author's Note: Hi again! Just want to say thanks to all my reviewers! . And keep sending ideas if you can, okay?

Yu-Gi-Oh: Wolf

Chapter 6

Seto got up very quickly.

He is going to make it. He is, he said stonily.

He turned and walked out of the cave. It had started snowing again. Their tracks had long since been covered by the flurries.

He began to walk through the trees when he saw it again; a flash of green fur as something dashed out of sight.

He growled. He would see who it was this time.

Seto trotted towards the clump of bushes where he had seen the anonymous stalker. He found wolf tracks and began following the trail.

But his adversary managed to stay just ahead of him. And as he went on the paw prints began to fade and the scent died away.

Seto finally stopped and shook the snow off his coat irritably. He had lost them again.

He turned to head back to the cave and realized it was nowhere in sight. He began quickly following his own paw prints but soon they too disappeared.

He glanced around, starting to panic. All the pine trees on either side of him looked exactly alike. Nothing seemed familiar.

He walked in a desperate circle trying to figure out which direction he had come from.

Hello? he called, hoping foe someone to hear. But no, they were too far.

Then Seto remembered how wolves called fellow pack members. He wasn't sure he could do it. He handed control over to his wolf side.

He sat down, looked upwards and howled. His howl echoed through the trees, long and mournful.

Receiving no answer he howled again, this time louder.

Then he heard a faint answering howl somewhere behind him.

He got up and quickly followed the sound with his keen ears.

When the wolf stopped howling, he paused and gave a replying howl, again answered by the wolf.

Going faster, he plowed through the rising snow towards the howl. Soon it got louder and louder and the cave and his helper came into view.

It was Yami.

((((()))))

Seto couldn't bring himself to thank his rival. He had simply walked passed him with a curt nod and gone into the cave.

He was again lying beside his brother for warmth next to the cave wall.

He was exhausted from his run through the woods. He felt himself drift off to sleep.

((((()))))

Seto woke up suddenly in the middle of the night to see a wolf standing over his brother. Immediately rising, he growled angrily at the wolf. The cave was dark, but the moonlight suddenly glinted off something golden in the wolf's mouth.

Malik was holding the unsheathed Millennium Rod in his teeth, the sharpened part facing Mokuba.

GET AWAY FROM HIM! roared Seto.

Malik looked up.

What is your problem?! he shouted back.

Seto growled and showed his teeth.

I'm trying to help, for Ra's sake! Malik yelled exasperatedly. I'm going to get the bullet out!

Seto stared at him. You're going to help him?

Yah. Now don't bother me, grumbled Malik, aiming the Millennium Rod at Mokuba again.

Seto lay down again but continued to watch Malik, just in case.

That better be all you're doing.

Malik began busily digging the bullet out of Mokuba's hind leg. Seto was glad he was still unconscious. It would have hurt otherwise.

There was a small 'clink' as the bullet fell out of the wound and hit the stone floor.

Done, said Malik, satisfied. He stretched out and began busily licking the Millennium Rod clean.

Seto hurried out to get some snow. He grabbed as much as he could carry and brought it inside.

He placed a pile on his brother's leg and the bleeding began to slowly lessen.

Malik used his front paw to sheath the Millennium Rod. That done, he turned to face Seto expectantly.

What?

Aren't you going to say anything?

Me? No.

Forget it.

Malik grumpily lay back down among the wolf pack and Seto made a mental note to pay back both Yami and Malik later in some indistinct way.

Big brother?

Mokuba was finally awake. Seto smiled and nuzzled him.

How do you feel?

My leg hurts.

Don't worry. It should be better soon, he reassured him.

Mokuba nodded, curled up and went back to sleep. Seto lay down next to him and also drifted off.

((((()))))

Seto woke and saw a ray of sun filtering into the cave. He stretched and went to the cave opening, stepping over sleeping wolves that were littered around the cave.

The sun was rising. A small strip of it could be seen above the trees. They would begin their journey today. He went back in to wake Mokuba.

He had to nudge him several times before he awoke.

Hmm? Whatimeisit? he asked sleepily.

I don't know, but we have to see if you're strong enough for the journey, Seto said gently.

He helped Mokuba up and watched him wobble slightly where he stood.

Does it hurt? Seto asked, concerned.

No, it's just a bit stiff.

The two of them walked around and around the cave. Mokuba only stumbled once over a gray wolf who was perfectly camouflaged against the stone floor.

Not 30 minutes later, the six of them were ready to leave.

Bye!

The wolves barked and yelped in farewell.

As they walked North, Seto made sure to stay next to Mokuba, in case he needed his help.

Our first obstacle is coming up, announced Yami after they had been walking for about 10 minutes. The wolves called it Ice Plain. I think it's some kind of frozen body of water. A lake or-

As he said this, the trees thinned out and a huge frozen clearing came into view. The iced up lake had heaps of snow here and there but the rest of it shone like glass.

Seto looked at it. It was very wide from end to end.

Let's go. But walk as lightly as you can. You wouldn't want it to break, warned Yami.

Unless you fancy an icy cold swim, muttered Joey under his breath.

They trekked across the ice. Their padded paws helped but didn't completely stop them from slipping.

At one point, Ryou stepped on a bit of thin ice, which had cracked. He had panicked, scrambled backwards, tripped and slid back about 20 feet.

He took a while coming back, too.

Seto waited impatiently for Ryou to come back. But after he had stopped halfway for about the 100th time, Seto turned and irritably went ahead.

Kaiba, don't be crazy, called Joey after him.

Seto, not wanting to wait anymore, ran forward. Forward onto a patch of thin ice.

It broke and with an involuntary yelp, he tumbled into the water.

It was freezing. Numbingly freezing. He couldn't believe he had thought the SNOW was cold. Under the ice, a current tumbled him head over tail. He couldn't tell up from down until he hit his head on the ice.

Kaiba! Where are you?!

Big brother!!

I…I'm…

The cold was numbing him. He was losing all feeling. His lungs were screaming for air.

It was so cold. So cold…