Chapter 14:

Shinji apologized to Momo for taking off the way that he did when he heard the howl, assuring her that everything was fine. She was worried that there was an issue and was debating whether or not to follow him, ultimately deciding to stay with the rest of the Squad while feeling torn about her decision. After hearing that there was no issue and that he didn't want to be followed, she felt a lot better about it.

To calm himself, Shinji tried massaging his temples in the office before tackling what little paperwork he had on his desk. It didn't help much, so he tried to recall some of his favorite jazz music and play them in his head which he discovered he couldn't do them justice. Hearing it would have been much better. Thankfully he had brought back several records when he reinstated as Captain and considered playing them later.

He hung his head, trying to figure out how to keep himself from feeling stressed. He loosened his cravat around his neck, hoping it would relax him. He felt the fabric between his fingers and rubbed it under his chin. He absentmindedly started to brush it across his cheek and then over his mouth when he then started biting it. The fabric felt good on his teeth so he kept at it, chewing it.

He smiled happily at the sensation and removed his cravat altogether to turn it into a chew toy. He pulled it tight in his hands and bit down on the middle. He held it loosely and chewed on it. He waded it up and knotted it and started to gnaw on it before throwing it across the room and promptly chased after it.

He amused himself by chasing the makeshift ball around the office where he rolled over it, bounced it off his face and batted it around with his hands.

"Yo, Shinji."

He stopped and sprang to his feet, holding the cravat behind his back. "Y- yes?"

Kensei stared at him with a frown. "What were you doing just now?"

"Uh… What do you mean?"

"Didn't I see you on all fours a second ago?"

"Oh. Yeah." Shinji held up the cravat. "Just dropped this and had to find it. All good."

"Uh-huh…" Kensei didn't look convinced but he didn't care either. "Anyway, have you seen Hisagi? He was supposed to be helping with the filing but Kira told me he took off."

"I saw him doing something with another Captain. Looked important. Bet he was doing that," Shinji covered, knowing what had happened.

"Whatever. Just tell him I'm looking for him if you see him."

"Yeah, yeah."

That evening, Shinji told Hisagi and Hitsugaya about the incident but only one of them was fazed.

"I pissed him off, didn't I?" Hisagi whined like a dog. "I didn't mean to and I went right back to work as soon as I got back. Kira wasn't there, so…"

Hitsugaya didn't find this to be a problem and was pleased to see that both of them were acting normal. Clearly, he was worried over nothing and his actions hadn't changed them, just as Akon told him.

They continued their wolf training, which ran longer than usual though no one complained. Hisagi found a rodent scurrying among the trees and chased after it, a strong desire to hunt taking over. He chased it into a hole and tried to dig it out but Hitsugaya called him over for something important.

"There's going to be a full moon this week and I'm not sure how it's going to affect us."

"Do you suggested we lock ourselves in our rooms to avoid issue?" asked Shinji.

Hitsugaya remembered that in his dream, that was the intention, but it didn't work out that way. In his moon-addled state, he couldn't understand why he was trying to keep himself hidden from the world and went out anyway.

"It'd be pointless," he told them. "We probably won't be thinking straight. All I know is that during a full moon, we have no choice but to change and we won't be able to change back until morning."

"Then we should leave the office early to prepare," said Shinji. "If it happens when the moon rises into the sky or as early as sunset, we need to be away from people. Not just to keep the secret but to prevent anything we might do in that state. If it's anything like the movies, we won't be able to control ourselves."

"But in the movies, we only change during the full moon," pointed out Hisagi. "We can change anytime we want or when we feel stressed or excited."

"Yeah, there's that difference to consider," said Shinji. "Huh. Seems to me like we got no idea what we're in for. Isn't that exciting?"

"I can't tell if you're serious or not."

Shinji looked at Hitsugaya. "I think we should meet here on the night of the full moon. This far out, we aren't likely to be spotted and if we do go wild, we're unlikely to hurt anybody. We might even choose to stay in the forest because it feels more natural to us. What do you think?"

"I think it's a good idea," said Hitsugaya. "We have a couple of days to prepare but at least we have a plan just in case we aren't able to come up with something else. Coming here seems like the best option."

"Then it's settled." Shinji looked at the sky. "It's late. You guys feeling like turning in or what?"

"We probably should," said Hitsugaya. "It's later than expected. Let's head back."

"Fine by me."

Everyone turned in for the night after burning off some stress, but more stress awaited them the next day.

"Again? What happened?"

The Soul Reapers discovered the shattered remains of the lock and chains and the broken Kido they had placed around the blood supply. When they questioned the guard, he claimed he hadn't seen anything and when pressed confessed noncommittally that he may have fallen asleep during the night.

Isane was very worried, thinking they were dealing with a powerful enemy while Soi Fon blamed the incompetence of her Squad member and had him immediately replaced.

They tried to keep the incident quiet so no one would panic, but Hitsugaya heard about what happened with his keen hearing. He decided not to do anything since no one had gotten hurt and Byakuya had taken transfusion bags instead of making a new slave. The blood was vital to help those who desperately needed it and it was impossible to predict a medical emergency, so they needed as much blood as they could get their hands on.

To replace the blood that had been stolen, Unohana suggested a blood drive and donors started to replenish the supply that day. Only six people showed up but it was better than nothing and Unohana hoped for more donors in the following days.

"You're late," said Kensei when Hisagi came to the office. He was always strict when it came to time, whether the person was five minutes late or an hour.

"Sorry, sir," said Hisagi with a bow. "I'll try to be better."

After last night's frolic, he had accidently overslept and had to run all the way to the office. Thanks to his speed, the usual twenty-minute walk took only five minutes. Still, his Captain stringency and short-temper made showing up late very stressful.

"Where were you yesterday, anyway?" Kensei asked. "Shinji told me you were helping another Captain."

"I… Yes, I was." Hisagi decided to play along, knowing Shinji had covered for him.

"Ok." Kensei left it at that and handed him a file. "These are ready to be put away."

"Yes, sir." As he took the file, his stomach growled loudly and Kensei stared at him. "Sorry. Missed breakfast."

"Well, too bad. You're already late. No running off to snack. Do that at lunch."

"Yes, sir." Hisagi had a feeling Kensei would tell him this. It was just like at the academy. If you showed up late, you had to wait. At least, that was how Kensei chose to run things. Rangiku snacked all the time, much to her Captain's annoyance.

Hisagi tried to do as he was told but found it very difficult to focus, his stomach demanding attention. At one point, he had to muffle the sound with his hand to keep other Squad members from noticing. With hours before lunch, he wasn't sure if he could do this.

Running from one building to another to deliver papers, he spotted a squirrel in a tree and thought it looked juicy. Suddenly, he wanted to hunt.

Hisagi shook his head in refusal. "No way. I'm not doing that. I can make it 'til lunch."

Easier said than done, as he discovered. He could smell food coming from different directions and his mouth watered uncontrollably. When he saw a couple of Soul Reapers run by, late for something, he had the overwhelming urge to chase them down. He shook his head again, knowing it was a wolf response to motion. Dogs loved to chase things and wolves were no different. He had to resist.

Finally, he smelled his favorite food and couldn't fight it anymore. Lured by the scent of sausage, he went over to a grill where someone was frying the juicy, plump meat over charcoal. Drool ran down his chin and he felt weak-kneed. Dropping to all fours, he walked over to the grill and inhaled the aroma.

He could taste it in the air. That crunchy outer skin, the succulent, tender meat latent with spices. He could see and smell the char on the casing and he wanted to sample it before it got too dark.

The grill hissed as grease dripped down the mesh and Hisagi couldn't take it anymore. He took the sausage off the grill with his teeth and carried it away to eat in private while it cooled. He took a bite, releasing steam into his face. The crunch of the skin was perfect. That snap against his teeth never felt so good. The flavor seeped through and he devoured the meat quickly, not caring how hot it was.

It was so good. He needed more. He needed more!

He ran back to the grill and grabbed all the meat that he could and wolfed it down. When he couldn't find any more, he took off to find other food, a Soul Reaper's faint cry at his back upon discovering the empty grill.

Hunger had taken over and he couldn't control himself. He needed food and he wasn't about to wait for it. Any unattended box or tray was his for the taking. He told himself to stop but his body wouldn't listen. He wasn't going to stop until his hunger subsided. Thankfully, he had his limits and did not take anything from a person's hands or dig it out of the garbage. Before concluding his hunt, he snatched up a container from Shunsui's outdoor picnic blanket and brought it with him inside before the Captain could return.

He walked and ate from the container with his bare hands, not caring how he looked.

"What the hell did I tell you?"

Hisagi turned and saw Kensei glaring at him. Hisagi, swallowed and stared back without a word. He started to go back for more food when Kensei snatched it away.

"I said no food until lunch, idiot," he said angrily, holding the container away from him.

Hisagi made a grab for it and Kensei whacked him over the head with it. That triggered something else in Hisagi and responded in a way he never thought he would. He lunged at Kensei with a loud bark.

"Shuddap!" Kensei said, holding the container over his head and holding Hisagi at bay with his other hand. He didn't realize the danger he was putting himself in.

Barking, Hisagi snapped at Kensei's arm with his teeth. Kensei shoved him away and Hisagi growled menacingly.

"What the hell's your problem?" Kensei snapped. "Don't think I'll hold back on you just because you're my Lieutenant. If anything, that'll make me kick your ass harder!"

Hisagi lowered his head, still growling. He wasn't backing down.

"Alright, you-"

"Uh, Hisagi, there you are!" Shinji suddenly appeared and stood between them. "So glad I found you for that important thing."

"We're in the middle of something, Shinji," Kensei told him, eyes locked with Hisagi's.

Shinji pushed Hisagi back by both shoulders, giving Kensei a dismissive smile. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'll take care of it."

"This is between us," he insisted, angered by both Hisagi's disobedience and his challenge. Shinji showing up only made him angrier because he was denying him a chance to teach Hisagi a lesson. He wouldn't stand for Shinji undermining him.

Hisagi pushed against Shinji's hands, wanting to reach Kensei.

"Hisagi, calm down," Shinji whispered to him. "You gotta control yourself. I know you're pissed but he is your Captain. You can't fight him. Think."

The anger started to subside but Hisagi's body was still pulsing with energy he needed to use and fighting Kensei seemed like a good way to use it.

"Calm down," Shinji whispered to him, bringing his head close to Hisagi's ear. "Calm down." He licked Hisagi's cheek and nuzzled him.

The anger suddenly disappeared and Hisagi looked at Shinji in surprise. It was a bizarre thing to do and yet it made complete sense. Shinji was comforting him and he understood that. He nuzzled Shinji back then abruptly remembered they were in public and that Kensei was staring at them.

"Uh, so sorry, Captain!" Hisagi pulled away from Shinji and bowed deeply in front of Kensei. "My apologizes. I don't know what I was thinking, sir. I'm truly sorry!"

Kensei watched him, letting his own anger drain away. He scoffed and looked away. "Whatever. Just get out of here."

"Sure thing, Captain. See you!" Hisagi and Shinji ran down the hall to escape before anything else happened.

Kensei didn't go after them. Partly because he couldn't be bothered and partly due to the fact that he had just witnessed something strange. "Did Shinji just lick him?" he questioned aloud, grimacing in disgust.

Around the corner, Shinji and Hisagi planted themselves along the wall to discuss what took place out of earshot. Hisagi was beside himself, at last, realizing what he had done or at least tried to do.

"I can't believe I just did that…" He held the sides of his head with both hands. "I just tried to attack my Captain… Oh, what was I thinking?"

"What happened?" Shinji asked, trying to help him sort things out. "Did he make you angry?"

"He told me since I showed up late that I would have to go without food until lunch, but I got so hungry, and everything smelled so good, I couldn't help myself. He caught me eating and took it from me and when I tried to get it back, he smacked me and that's when I… I… Well, you saw."

Shinji nodded. "As I suspected. Typical response for an animal."

"But I'm not a…"

"Doesn't matter," said Shinji. "It triggered that side of you. You never take food away from a hungry animal. And when he smacked you, you perceived him as a threat and reacted. It's completely understandable."

"But I should know better than that," argued Hisagi. "I would never attack a Captain. I don't see a point in needless fighting. Going after him for something as minor as that is downright stupid and petty."

"But to a wolf…" Shinji began.

Hisagi whined again. "What's wrong with me? I could've bitten him or worse. Responding the wolf way is just going to create trouble…"

"But you can't stop working to avoid the slim chance of you screwing up. People are depending on you and it's something you have to do, as well, for yourself." Shinji nuzzled Hisagi's face with his head to comfort him. "You got no reason to freak out, you big baby."

Hisagi nuzzled him back, comforted. Then he paused, eyes darting around the hall. "Uh… Shinji? I'm pretty sure this is another wolf behavior and we should probably stop before people get the wrong idea."

Shinji separated from Hisagi. "Right, right." He leaned against the wall behind him.

Hisagi sat back as well and sighed. "This is a pain in the ass."

"We just gotta learn to control our behavior, that's all."

"Easy for you to say," said Hisagi. "My Captain's noticed my strange behavior and I thought I was keeping a lid on it. Problem is, it's an automatic response. Like having an itch on your body. You go to scratch it without thinking about it."

"Or stubbing your toe and your instinct is to pull it back and grab it to soothe the pain. I get it." Shinji sighed heavily. "I sensed I was going to do something wolfy and did my best to avoid the situation that would trigger it. Problem is, it's a part of my job so I can't avoid it forever. I have to give a training demonstration later and there's no way I can get out of it."

Hisagi lowered his head, worried. "I can't avoid my duties either. But what if there's a Hollow attack and we need to fight? How are we supposed to do that? Will we fight as wolves or as Soul Reapers?"

Shinji shrugged and looked straight ahead at the opposite wall. "We'll just have to train ourselves not to do the wolf stuff when other people are around."

"But you can't train the wolf out of a wolf. It's a part of them. There are certain behaviors that we're going to display and no amount of training will get rid of it."

"You can train a dog to do just about anything."

"We're not dogs, though."

"Wolf, dog. It's the same thing, overall." Shinji wouldn't look at Hisagi while he spoke. "If I can learn to control my inner Hollow, I can train myself to control my wolf half."

Hisagi had his doubts. "I don't think that's a fair comparison."

"That's what I got to go on." Shinji looked at him. "Hitsugaya's got the right idea to unleash our desires at certain times so we don't get overwhelmed, but if something triggers our wolf instincts, we need to know how to handle it. More importantly, what will set us off."

Hisagi thought about what Shinji was saying and shared his own thoughts. "So you're thinking we should do our own training before we do our Soul Reaper stuff so we know what we can and can't handle?"

Shinji smiled. "Yeah, that does sound good. We'll do our own training in private as Soul Reapers and when we start to act like wolves, we'll not only know what brings out that side of us, but we might also be able to learn to control it. At the very least, curb the desires."

Hisagi liked the sound of that. "Ok. We'll practice before we have to do our thing so we can better handle it."

"Great. I'll meet you in my Squad's training area in an hour." Shinji stood up and walked away.

Hisagi sputtered and started after him. "W- wait a minute! I never..!"

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