I really should be sleeping now… x.x

Very many thanks to Elle-Fate2x1-2, Yami-lover0B1 and KaibasSweetie for reviewing. Sorry, I'm too tired to write review responses right now… next time. At least you have the chapter here…

Yes… and thanks to Sarasusamiga for her great betaing. Dunno what I'd do without my betas… ::sweat drop::

Chapter 8

The early morning breeze carried the smell of baked bread from some nearby bakery. The smell made Jou realize that he hadn't eaten anything since before the Hunt… but then again, he didn't really feel hungry. The thought made him smile a little, and he thought that his sister most definitely wouldn't have let that pass without a few teasing comments. Not hungry!? Are you sure you aren't sick, big brother?

He sighed, and the smile disappeared from his face. No sis, I'm not sure, he thought, as he walked lazily onwards, not paying any attention to where he was going. Feron trotted beside him, a big copper brown dog with a few black patches. When he had woken up early in the morning, half buried among his dogs and with Seto snoring lightly by his side, he had decided that it'd be best for him to take a little walk to get his thoughts back in order. At his command the dogs had given him room and stayed quiet as he had gathered himself up from the floor, somehow managing to do it without waking Seto up. He had told the dogs to stay with Seto, but Feron had disobeyed him and followed him out. First it had irritated him, but now he was glad of the dog's company.

The streets were quiet; only a few people were awake this early. Jou was glad of this too, the last thing he needed was a big, noisy crowd.

It felt strange, that three of his dogs were dead. Earlier he had not noticed it, but now he realized that even when he was away from his dogs he could feel them somewhere in the back of his mind. There was always this subconscious bond between them, even when he wasn't thinking about it. Now the bond had been shattered, shattered thrice, and it left him feeling much more vulnerable than he liked.

Feron glanced at him, and he could feel the dog's worry. It was reassuring. It reminded him that he had not lost everything. The majority of his dogs were still alive – and Seto as well.

Seto.

He had come closer than he even dared to think to losing his huntbrother too. The thought made him shiver. If Seto had died… no, he didn't even want to think about it.

But I guess I have to think about it… I can't just ignore it.

He couldn't just ignore the fact that his huntbrother had almost gotten himself killed while saving his life… saving his life although he had been behaving like a complete jackass lately. Anyway, Seto had done everything he was supposed to do and it certainly wasn't his fault if he was worried over that boy and couldn't forget him. Being jealous didn't give Jou any right to behave as he had… jealous.

He sighed. Maybe he had been jealous, then… It had just felt so strange that someone else could have become so important to Seto, and so quickly. It didn't feel right, Seto was his huntbrother after all.

Now it seemed merely childish. And he couldn't help wondering if their quarrels had been the reason why the Hunter's Death had chosen him as its quarry. He shivered again as he remembered the great beast and the look in its eyes. Eyes that had not seemed to belong to any sentient being… I wonder if that thing was able to choose anything, or if it just… hunted.

It had hunted, and killed his dogs. Absentmindedly he reached out and patted Feron's head. The dead dogs had been brought out of the forest; when they arrived in Shironouchi they would give them a fitting burial. Brave dogs. With a tight feeling in his throat he wondered if he would ever be able to find dogs that would be anywhere near as good. He did know that nothing would ever replace Corral…

The door of an inn on the other side of the street opened and someone stepped out of it. Jou wouldn't have paid any attention, but Feron had stopped and was staring intensely at the stranger.

"What is it, boy?" he asked, taking a look at the cloaked figure that was walking swiftly away from them. "C'mon, let's go."

Feron ignored him, and Jou frowned a little. 'You know, sometimes I think you're a little too stubborn' he said to the dog, but it didn't even flinch. Instead, it barked once. The figure turned to look behind and in the dim morning light Jou could see white bangs under its hood.

White bangs?

The figure noticed Jou with a start and turned abruptly around, continuing on his way even faster than before.

Jou blinked. That looked almost like… "Hey, wait!" he shouted, but was again ignored. "Ryou?"

The cloaked figure began to run.

'Let's get him!' He ran after the escaping boy, and with a little grunt Feron followed him.

It was only a matter of minutes. They had been too close to the white-haired boy for him to have any chance to escape into the empty streets of a foreign city. Feron ran to his side baring his teeth and growling quietly, and getting the message Ryou stopped hastily.

Jou caught up with them soon. Seeing that Feron would have no problems in catching the boy, he hadn't even bothered to call the trance.

Ryou stood still, eyes lowered to the ground. His hood had fallen back when he was running and revealed his white hair, confirming to Jou that this really was their mysterious guest.

"So," he said, walking calmly to the boy who stubbornly kept on staring at the ground. "I have to say that you left quite hastily. I wonder if you have any idea of the troubles you've caused…"

He slit his eyes as he watched the white-haired boy who finally raised his gaze in surprise. "Troubles…? I… didn't mean to…"

Jou snorted. "Of course not." Suddenly he grabbed the boy's arm. "But now I think that you're coming with me. You owe us an explanation."

Ryou shifted nervously. "I… I'm sorry, I really don't have time…"

Jou ignored him and started to drag him towards the castle – or towards the general direction where he thought the castle was. He really hadn't paid any attention to where he had walked. First Ryou tried to pull his arm free from the blond boy's grip, but when Feron flashed his teeth at him again he gulped once and followed without further resistance.

Jou walked on feeling curiously angry. He knew that none of this was really Ryou's fault, but still some part of him blamed the other boy for everything that had happened. Well, he'd take the boy to Seto, and those two could sort out everything that was between them… maybe things would return to normal then. Now, if he could only manage to find the castle…

'Feron… find the Castle.'

He could have sworn that the dog was smirking as it began to lead their way.

-

After waking up alone on the kennel floor in the middle of the dogs, Seto had first considered trying to find Jou, but had then decided that it might do the blond boy good to be alone for a while. So, he had returned to their rooms in the castle to oversee the packing. They were, after all, going to leave for home this evening. Right now he was feeling quite frustrated about the slight chaos that had taken over in their lodgings. Honestly, it was unbelievable how much stuff two boys needed for staying a couple of weeks in the court.

He was feeling quite stiff after sleeping the whole night on the floor, and it really didn't improve his mood at all. Last time I'm going to do something like that. He glanced at the clock on the wall. He's been gone quite long… hope he's going to return soon, there are things he should… Just then he heard Jou's voice in the corridor.

"…then take him to the kennel! I don't have time for that, I have to see my huntbrother."

Seto sighed as he walked to the door. "Have you brought one of your dogs in again? Haven't I told you…" In the corridor a servant was taking Feron away, glancing disapprovingly towards Jou, who was… Seto almost bit his tongue as he saw whom his hunter was dragging towards him.

"Look who followed me home," Jou grinned, as he pushed the white-haired boy in front of his huntbrother. Ryou smiled hesitantly, not knowing what to say. Seto stared at him, blinking slowly.

"C'mon now," Jou exclaimed finally when neither of them said anything. "I thought you'd like to see him. And I'd really like to know why he ran away like that… or if he really is the thief that…"

"Jou!" Seto hissed. "Be quiet." He glanced suspiciously at the servants who appeared to be just minding their own business, but… he knew better. No one gossiped like servants. "Get in there." He pushed the other boys into an empty, little room on the other side of the corridor and closed the door behind them.

"So…" he said as he turned to look at Ryou, who was suddenly feeling very hot. "Jou is right, for once. You do owe us some explanations."

Ryou licked his lips nervously. "I guess so," he muttered. "Umm… I assume that a man with tri-colored hair came to visit you…?"

"Indeed he did. How did you know he was coming?" Seto asked. "I mean… from the way you left so suddenly it seems that you did know."

Ryou nodded. "Yes. I… I saw him coming with my crystal. I'm a seer, you see," he added as he saw Jou's baffled expression.

"Really?" Jou asked doubtfully. "So why didn't your crystal show you me catching you?"

"It doesn't work at my command. It shows me things when it does… and, well, it didn't show me you."

Seto waved his hand impatiently. "That doesn't matter. What matters is that… did you steal that item?"

"No."

Jou snorted. "Of course not. But the face Yami showed us quite clearly belonged to you. Or do you have an evil twin?"

"Well…" Ryou took a hesitant look around. He really didn't want to tell them anything, but he didn't know what else he could do. "I didn't steal it," he muttered quietly.

Seto looked at him gravely. "Still, it is clear that you are fleeing from Yami… and Jou is right, it was your face he showed to us. So maybe it would be best if we just took you to him. At least it would be easy, since he's right now residing in this castle."

Ryou's already pale face paled even more. "No! You… you can't take me to him, I… I have to…" he fell silent.

"Have to what?" Seto asked quietly, but the other remained silent. He sighed. "Look, Ryou… just tell us the truth."

Ryou sighed as well. Damn it all, why did he have to find me? "The truth is…" he began hesitantly. Then he glanced at Jou. "He was right, kind of… about that twin…"

"What? You expect us to believe that?" Jou exclaimed in surprise.

"But it is the truth. I… have a twin brother who stole that relic. I… I've been trying to find him, because…" he fell silent for a moment, trying to figure out how much to tell, and how to tell it. "I have to find him before he makes a bad mistake, "he continued finally. "I'm not sure what he wants to do with that relic, but I know that he's heading toward a certain place where he's going to… well, I'm not sure what… it seems to be some kind of a ritual or something… Anyway, I know that it will not work. Instead of… whatever he's trying to accomplish with it, it'll end with him being kind of… sucked into that relic, and I don't know if there's any way to ever free him from there."

He stopped talking, and the three boys stood for a moment in perfect silence. "Sucked into it!?" Jou exclaimed finally. "What line you're trying to feed us? That sounds more like some fairytale than something that could really happen."

Ryou looked at him in desperation. "I swear it's true! I saw… I saw it with my crystal…" he finished meekly.

Jou snorted, shaking his head. "You and your crystal," he muttered.

"Where is this place your brother is going to?" Seto asked.

"I'm not sure," Ryou whispered. "I have a vague feeling of the general direction of it, and I know that there are some mountains nearby, but… I really don't know."

Seto was silent for a while, deep in thought. "I assume that this relic is one that belongs to… Yami's mother?"

Ryou nodded sadly.

"And this mother… is the Lady, right?"

The second nod was even more miserable.

"What?" Jou stared at them with wide eyes. "The Lady? How…" he fell silent. "Shit," he whispered then.

"Indeed." Ryou's voice was quite dry. "That's why I have to find him before Yami does."

"It is not going to be easy… especially since you have to try to avoid Yami in the process. I wonder if we could be of any help in…"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Jou turned to stare at his huntbrother. "Do you mean that you believe him?"

Seto bit his lip, thinking hard as he stared into Ryou's eyes, which were begging him to believe. Do I believe him? Or… maybe the question should be… do I believe him just because I want to?

The brown eyes were sad and tired, and he couldn't find any deceit in them. Slowly, he nodded. "Yes… I think that I do."

Jou shook his head. "You're nuts, you know."

A/N: ZZZzzzZZZ…

The Random Muse pops up from nowhere, glances at the snoring authoress…
"Just be a good little reader and give her a review… that'll make her happy when she wakes up."
…and disappears again.

G'night.