Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own Van Helsing or any of the people in that world, much to my dismay. But I'm working on it. A lifetime supply of chocolate will be given to anyone who can get me Velkan. Come on…A lifetime supply of chocolate should convince anyone to give him up.

Chapter 4:

Mara arrived at the village as the sun fell and crept in behind the shepherds who were driving their flocks desperately through the town gates. Around her, as she walked through the streets, she saw people hurrying into buildings and heard shutters being closed and barred.

Looks like no one here wants to get caught outside after dark. Wonder why. She ducked out of the ever dwindling crowd into a back alley and sniffed at the air. Immediately her face crinkled up as she was assaulted by the foul scent of unwashed streets laden with horse droppings and human refuse piled up behind the houses. Humans! She thought disgusted. How can they live like this?

She shook her head to clear her nose and darted to the back of the alley. Some empty wooden boxes lay upended against the building and she used them to catapult herself up as she jumped and grabbed the low hanging roof. She pulled herself up with a grunt of effort and looked down at the abandoned streets. I don't know why they hate being out at night, she thought to herself as she darted quickly over the small building to a larger one. But I'm not stupid enough to stay out and exposed any longer than I have to.

She jumped down in between the two buildings, landing hard on her feet and cocked her head, listening for the sounds of life. She heard them. In the building whose broad side was currently sheltering her she heard the sound of many peoples' voices raised in discussion. Looking around she found a small window at the base of the building leading into what was probably a cellar. But how to get it open?

The world suddenly grew colder, and Mara became acutely aware of her own breath carried away on the wind in small puffs of fog. Slowly her head turned and she saw a Shadow land at the mouth of the alley. It was tall, and man shaped and was staring right at her. Her ears roared with the remembered sounds of fire and screams. Panic froze her. Behind the first large Shadow landed three others and The Shadow turned to them, releasing her, in part, from her fear. She ducked behind a garbage pile and held her nose.

After a moment of conferring the shadows broke apart and moved on. Mara knelt behind the refuse pile for another hour after they left, unable to convince herself to move. When the shadow had looked at her, she had known she had seen the face of death.

Kai lay his head down on his forepaws and watched the human man pace through the trees with amused detachment. He noticed that it was smart enough not to wander off to far on it's own. If the previous night was any judge that would be the fastest way to end up in the hands of his nemesis. The great cat yawned and stretched. His pard sister should be back shortly and he could sleep. Really he it was beyond him why she would take it on herself to care so for a human. Still, it was her choice. It mattered not to him where they went so long as they were together.

Abruptly the human stopped pacing and turned to stare at him. Dark eyes searching his own for signs of intelligence.

"What are you?" The human asked softy. So softly had Kai not had his tawny, fur tufted ears he would not have heard it. He stood and stalked slowly toward the man creature. To it's credit, it did not cower or back up, but stood it's ground, as secure in it's territory as no other man creature he had seen. This was one who knew where he belonged. Kai respected that.

He stood nose to nose with the human now. Large enough to look him in the eye. Kai pulled his lips back, barring his teeth. Velkan did not even flinch, but stood there facing him down as if prepared to take him with his own weak human hands. Kai had expected nothing less. It was the action of a brave warrior. A foolish one, but brave. He snorted, blowing back the dark hair of the man's face.

You want to know what I am? He asked in the language all things knew deep in their hearts where they were still connected to the wheel of life and death. I am one of the Great Ones. Descended from the first of all cats, and the last thing you will see on this earth is my jaws biting off your face if you annoy me or hurt my sister.

The man did nothing, only stared at him. Kai snorted and turned away. I should have known. He thought to himself. He is as deaf as all others of his kind. Mara…. His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp pain blossoming behind his shoulders. He yowled in pain and whirled around to see the man crouched on the ground, fingers around another rock, prepared to throw again. If he could have laughed he would have. So he is not as deaf as I thought. This should be interesting. He sat back on the ground and began washing his side leisurely, as if he had not just threatened a proud warrior and been hit with a rock in answer. Very interesting.

Velkan crouched on the ground and eyed the cat warily, more than a little shaken by what had just happened. He had asked the thing a question, trying to puzzle out an answer to the question of their presence and not expecting a response. Then the cat had walked over to him, and barred it's teeth as if to eat him. He had an uncomfortable moment where he had flashed back to the cliff when the werewolf had leapt at him and wished desperately for his gun. Then he had heard a voice. It was too soft for him to make out the words, spoken as if from the back of the large, echoing dining room back home. But he had defiantly heard it, and he had no doubt it had come from the cat.

That same cat now sat, washing his side and pretending that it had not just threatened him. He wasn't stupid and the way the creature had stalked up and put it's fouls smelling face right in his had been a blatant attempt to intimidate him. He would be prepared if it happened again. How could the girl live with that thing. But the answer was obvious. They were two of a kind, for all that they wore different skins. I wonder if she turns into a cat during the full moon as well.

The forest suddenly darkened and man and cat turned their heads to the sky to see four ominous shapes sailing across the starlit void. Velkan saw the cat stand quickly and run off in the direction the girl had left in and without hesitation he followed. He still had twenty seven days to go before the next full moon, and for every day of it he would still fight as he had for all of his life.