Shadows That Bleed

by YamiYugiPuzzleshipper

Pure-Bloods are said to be myths, not even well-known within stories. "A specialized genetic coding of the moon and the dire," their spoken lore proclaims. They are creatures beyond the power of mortality, gifted by the gods themselves. Known as the Eternal Ones, their existence once extinguished, resurrection foretells a powerful omen.

54. Memories

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh

Update schedule: Every other day

Chapter Warnings: Mentions of Death, Character Deaths, Panic Attacks, Mental Breakdowns, Hallucinations, Bloodshed

I might have missed some potential warnings to be listed up here. I'm sorry. I try to update them as I edit but I sometimes forget around looking for errors and then I don't remember by the time I finish the chapter and move to the next. SO if there's a warning you think should be added, please tell me.

Okay, so a little note real fast.

The end of the chapter may be a little confusing. You'll understand at a later point in the story why it happens as it does. It's a pretty big scene in the long scheme of things. There are a lot of things that are going to be revealed later in the story, more towards the end than anything.

And I don't think I'm going to be able to answer any questions about it at all really without the risk of ruining something later on in the story.

Chapter LIV: Memories

Work Log Entry L: June, 2005 (Part I)

June 1

A.T.E.M. has retained the temperament of the much more violent and aggressive hellhound. His nature has changed rather drastically from his usual quiet and easy temperament formerly.

It is bewildering to see the mentality that he has taken now.

June 8

With his rapid spiral into dementia, A.T.E.M. has forgotten many of the feeding schedules.

I am almost convinced that he may have somehow caught some ancient strain of something akin to rabies that can afflict a werewolf of his magnitude. He is meant to be immortal and yet I cannot understand how he has grown so sick so often as this.

He has begun to foam at the mouth whenever I go to feed him now.

No one else will go near him.

June 12

A.T.E.M. has yet to attempt to bite me. But he has lashed out and clawed me in the face. He nearly took my eye out in a frenzy only hours ago. But it is impossible to look at him and blame him for the disaster when he is in the body of a nine year old child. And I cannot hold him responsible when his mind has begun to deteriorate so rapidly.

I have not told the boss that it was him to do such a thing, however. It would lead to A.T.E.M. being drugged and perhaps even euthanized.

If such a thing is capable of happening to a Pure-Blood.

June 14

Another wolf was brought in today. He…actually looks a lot like me.

Yugi watched the bloodied gray wolf with saddened eyes. Marik looked pathetic, his sides still slicked almost as if they'd been gnawed open. The white wolf flicked his ears and sighed softly as he limped a step closer. Where did you run off to? he asked quietly, ignoring the way that the other wolf studied him with a miserable expression.

I just…ran. I wasn't headed anywhere. I just…couldn't be here any longer. It was…horrifying. I was too scared to stay…

The white wolf nodded and his legs were exhausted as he took a second step forward. I'll get you back to the camp. You can rest after that. And then I need to hear your story tomorrow when I come back. He shook himself out and glanced up as the first flake began to fall from the sky. It was thick and pregnant, heavy in its drifting form. And he glanced at the bodies with a sensation of sickness coming through him. What was he meant to do about the bodies?

I'll lead them here tomorrow. I'm sure Echo and Serena will be the most interested in retrieving them, Marik answered in a voice that was rather disdainful. Yugi glanced at him in surprise at his tone but did not answer him. But I think you're right. It would be a good idea to rest, wouldn't it?

The white wolf did not bother to respond beyond nodding slightly and turning away. He led the other towards the camp, though he still cast rather nervous glances towards the bodies. Marik seemed to ignore them altogether, however, and remained at his side almost as persistently as a thorn caught within his fur.

The two of them made it to the camp with little difficulty. Yugi led the way, limping, as they entered the clearing. Several of them looked up immediately, but it was Slifer who watched him with cold eyes and a slightly surprised expression. Obelisk was nowhere to be found. And when Yugi thought to speak to the she-wolf, it was another who approached him.

The white wolf barely had any time to look up. The dark-furred she-wolf rushed at him. Yugi blinked, then bristled and bore his teeth. She tackled him, throwing him sideways as his legs collapsed beneath him. The white wolf snapped his teeth and tried to push her away. His front and back legs kicked. Her teeth bit into his cheek. He snarled and kicked harder. His teeth snapped at her cheek in response. The she-wolf tossed her head. He yelped and kicked again. His claws tore her fur away. Then he arched his hindquarters upwards, pressing on her throat with his back legs.

She sputtered, snarling. And then she yelped as he bit harder at her face. The next kick dislodged her completely. He rolled onto his feet again, but his limbs felt too weak to hold him. Marik growled angrily at the she-wolf, vicious as he spat, How dare you! You do not attack Atem like that!

And he shouldn't let my pack die like this!

Yugi faltered, breathing hard. He glanced towards the wolves that had begun to gather around them. Marik was stepping closer to her, teeth bared. Echo was glaring at him with her tail raised.

It wasn't—

I don't want to hear excuses! None of them deserved that!

Yugi saw Yusei there, at the fringes of this gathering pack, with wide royal blue eyes and flattened dark gray ears. And he watched him for a moment before he slowly turned back to the angry former alpha. He stepped forward, shouldering Marik back forcefully with the action. He pushed his way between them, leveling her with a cold stare.

I did not ever ask you to come here, he answered coldly. His ears pricked forward and his eyes bore into hers furiously. And I certainly did not request that you bring your wolves here. I never asked you to uproot them and force them here. And I would have denied you the opportunity altogether had I known how young they truly are.

Yusei whined low in his throat. Serena paced restlessly. Slifer pricked her ears and got to her feet, coming to Yugi;s side. Aki watched with burning eyes. Marik watched Yugi for the signal to spring. Dextra flicked her ears.

He noticed all of these things. Yet he did not care enough to address any of it. Instead he bore down further on Echo, eyes furious as he curled his lips back. You are the one who brought them here, not me. And I'm pissed that you would ever even consider for a moment that I would wish this kind of thing. This is meaningless death and bloodshed and you are the one responsible for their ruin. It is on you as their alpha, not on me.

Yusei whined again. He ducked his head and raised a paw to wipe at his eye. He seemed more to be mourning than distressed but Yugi could not truly tell in all actuality. The realization made the white wolf bristle and shiver. And then he looked quickly back to Echo.

Her eyes were glinting as they bore into his hatefully. You are Atem, are you not? she spat, but there was a jeer in her voice and the mockery made Yugi nearly flinch. Or are you just playing games?

He is Atem! Marik spat, turning on her once more. His teeth snapped shut furiously. Echo turned on him, eyes blazing. Behind her, Serena had begun to bristle, her pacing coming to a stop. Yusei stopped whining and looked up with wide eyes. Aki began to step forward with a clear snarl on her face.

For the first time, Ishizu, usually a she-wolf to hide and linger within the background, came forward at the tension that threatened to escalate. Yugi had never seen her even remotely interested in the prospect of a fight before. And now she came forward with flicking black ears and wide glittering silver-blue eyes.

I'll kill you if you open your mouth against him again—

You don't threaten her like that! Serena spat, coming up on her side.

Round two then? Aki sneered, coming to Marik's side.

Yusei bristled and came forward now as well, tail raised and teeth bared. With pleasure, he snapped.

Must we fight? Ishizu commented in a low, melodious voice which seemed to cut through all of their violent thoughts. Immediately the wolves froze for a moment, then looked over with confused expressions. Yugi realized only then that perhaps he was not the only one to have never heard her voice before. There was bloodshed before. Is that not the reason you're all so upset? Why spill more?

Yugi glanced sideways at Slifer. Ishizu spoke in the same manner. But she did not seem to be related to her in the slightest. Ishizu was black and silver with some russet and a brown and tawny undercoat. Only her face was truly black and her underside was silver, with ringlets of dark gray which came only a couple of inches forward to her chest. Even her legs were white and silver and gray rather than black in any manner. Her belly was perfectly white like the snow and her back legs were black at the top but silver and gray towards the bottoms. And along her back were the russet and tawny undercoats, disappearing at the base of her tail where the bottom was perfectly white and the rest seemed silver more than gray or black but for the dark tip.

No, the two of them looked nothing alike. He remembered Slifer saying that Ishizu had been the veterinarian alongside Ryou. She'd been infected and thus forced to breed and had various experiments run on her due to it. But Yugi had never known her to recognize him as Atem before, so perhaps she had never been around him when he was still within the labs…

Yusei flicked his ears and moved a little away from his former alpha and beta. The realization came to him that they should not have been fighting like this. When they'd come to join this pack, he'd realized there would be issues, but he had not expected so much to interfere with potential bonds or so many problems in such frequency.

Aki and the others were somewhat more merciful with their picking on him. But he had the feeling it was only because of the fact that he had been born in Japan but had moved to the states. Because of this, they'd shown him far more favor than someone like Serena or Echo. Echo was tormented relentlessly at times. And Serena would run interference only to be drawn into the petty wars alongside her former alpha.

Yusei had tried his hardest to stay out of them. But occasionally Marik would find his way to him. And he'd refuse to back down. He would not relent. For hours the gray and tan wolf would pester and try to get a rise out of him. And the dark gray wolf would grow frustrated, almost to the point of lashing out.

But it'd become obvious to him very early into these little games that this was exactly what Marik wanted from him. Because then he could attack him under the guise of protecting himself. And Yusei was not sure that it would stop with his surrender. Marik seemed to absolutely hate his pack.

And he especially seemed to dislike Yusei himself. He had the feeling that it had to do with Atem. Because Marik liked to be around Atem more than the rest of them. And Atem seemed to like Yusei from what he could understand. Atem was not hard to like, or to get along with. And the white wolf seemed to enjoy spending time with him for at least a few minutes every time he came to the camp.

He might just ask how he was, nod and then wander off. But he did come to see him. And sometimes Yusei thought he saw Marik's face contort with hatred upon seeing their interactions.

And, oftentimes, that was when the worst of his verbal abuse came out…

But the gray wolf had no understanding of why it was that Atem even bothered to pay him attention in the first place. It made no sense to begin with. The white wolf had no reason to, unless it was his younger age which made him so keen to approach him and check up on him.

But Yusei had never seen this she-wolf before. It was most likely due to his own hiding away with his pack, his contentment towards self-isolation, but he still could not ever recall her. Did she not often come to spend time with the pack? Perhaps she herself enjoyed self-imposed isolation as well?

Ishizu, Marik commented, his voice low and biting. His ears pricked towards her. They've disrespected Atem—

So you'll kill them for it? she asked in a more pointed tone, cutting him off entirely. There was something strange and almost ethereal about her as Yusei blinked and stared at her curiously. His ears flicked again. Atem can handle his own spats. And you would not pose much of a threat in such a state.

Marik snapped his jaws. I'm wounded, not dead—

We can reverse that at any time, Echo sneered.

Yugi had begun to pace now. His limbs were stiff, attempting to heal in their still state, and the tingling had steadily turned into a burn. There is no need for death threats or a fight to begin with, Echo—

No, because my pack is just a pawn for you, isn't it? she snapped. Her eyes glittered with ice as she faced him now. You don't care nearly as much as you did when that little runt died.

He snapped his teeth. Her name was Mikiyo, he spat. And I do not care that you turn your rage on me. But you will not threaten another within this pack.

And yet he is allowed to threaten Serena? she demanded hotly. He is allowed to harass Yusei? Or try to bite Rin? Or bait me?

Yugi bristled. No, he's not allowed to do that either. But I am not here all of the time and if he does these things, they can be resolved without bloodshed. Yet now his blue-violet eyes had grown furious and he was turning to Marik with a fierce expression. And, should it continue, then I will be the one to take action against it.

Oh, so now you care, when some of my wolves are already dead—

The white wolf snapped his teeth at her. I would have tried to prevent it had I been there—

You were there!

Yusei flicked an ear and glanced sideways at his former alpha. An image was projected to her, of the patrol that had left hours ago. It had not included Atem at all, something that she had clearly overlooked. Echo startled, surprised by the sudden correction. Then her head snapped towards him in confusion, ears flicking.

Yugi looked towards the gray wolf and tilted his head. Who said I had been there? I was with Jonouchi— He fell silent when the image was projected to him as well. The group of six had gone alone. The white wolf blinked and a realization struck him but he could not focus on it now. He turned back to the blue-eyed male and nodded slightly. I wasn't there.

Yusei nodded at him in response. But his eyes were on the cuts and lacerations lining Yugi's legs now. His ears flicked and his head tilted but he did not ask and so the white wolf relaxed slightly as he turned back to Echo.

I'm sorry for your loss. And I would have tried to save them if I had been there. No one deserves to die like that. He fell quiet as it occurred to him that she was neither apologetic towards her anger regarding him nor did she truly seem to care for his condolences. So he turned instead to Slifer. I must speak with you before I go home.

The goddess was still watching Ishizu for the moment, something cold and distant in her gaze. But she nodded slowly and did not bother to look towards him again.

Very well, she commented in a low voice. Then she flicked her ears, sniffed loudly, and turned to him with a dismissive expression. Let us speak then.

Yugi watched her for a moment, glanced sideways towards Ishizu, and then followed her. The she-wolf walked past him without a second look. She led him towards the edge of the trees and near the alpha's den where she sniffed curiously at the entrance but turned back again almost immediately. Yugi wondered if she missed her daughter.

What is it that you wish to speak to me about?

Yugi blinked and flicked an ear once more. What happened with the wolves in the woods? Something isn't adding up.

I am not the one you should be asking. You have your suspicions, do you not? Why not confront them head-on?

I would probably get my ass handed to me, that's why, he snapped. Then he fell quiet again as the Pure-Blood sniffed softly and ignored his statement. She flicked her ears, considered him for only a moment, and then turned away again. Slifer…

It is not my responsibility to tell you such things, Yugi Motou, Code Name Atem. It is for you to find out for yourself. You have the burden of learning and providing yourself with the information you are so desperate for. It is necessary that you gather answers on your own. You cannot be fed such answers and expect to gain much.

I don't want answers to every question I have, Slifer. What I want to know is whether it is how I suspect it to be.

The she-wolf gave him a smile not unlike a shark, her eyes glittering fiercely. And that is something I am not at liberty to tell you.

And once again he was left to scrabble in the dark. Yugi sighed loudly, nodding. His eyes darkened as he murmured, All right.

---

"The point is, just be careful if I'm not there with you," Yugi snapped, rolling his eyes. He tossed his textbook aside and dropped away his notebook. He tossed his pencil down next to it and shook his head. "Marik is being a bitch and Echo is livid. The American wolves are so pissed right now it's not even funny."

Jonouchi sighed loudly. "Well, yeah, but didn't you see that coming already? Marik was pretty upset when he found out that you were constantly guarding me when I was recovering. He was pretty, uh…pissed," he finished lamely when those blue-violet eyes narrowed and shot to his. "Especially when Slifer or Obelisk would tell him to leave."

Yugi curled his lip in annoyance. "Yeah, I figured he might be. He's…the jealous kind."

"Ew, Yug, tell me you didn't bone him."

The squeal of disgust made the smaller teen blink in surprise. His head snapped towards him and it took a moment for the words to process in his head. Yugi grabbed his pencil and threw it at him, the blond laughing.

"That's disgusting."

Jonouchi gave him a lopsided grin. "Well, after the way you and Anzu went at each other's throats—"

"It's not my fault she's acting like a brat," Yugi cut in with a shake of his head. He fell quiet again a moment later. "I mean, I get that she's hurt. But she really doesn't need to act like someone killed her puppy. I didn't act like this when she was constantly trying to get Valon to notice her. And she's being ridiculous. It's not like Yami and I decided to bone instead of worry about Espa's body where it was in the woods. She's acting like a brat."

The blond grimaced. "Dude, this is why girls are so hard to deal with." He raised a brow, grinning, and tilted his head. "I might just end up turning gay too."

The small teen barked out a laugh, then covered his mouth and rolled his eyes with mock annoyance. "You're such a dick, Jonouchi," he laughed, shaking his head and watching his face for a moment. He almost wanted to throw his notebook at him again, but instead leaned forward to drop his textbook and notebooks over the side of the bed. They landed haphazardly on top of each other and somehow the disarray made him feel better. "Well, I think you could get Otogi in your corner if you wanted to play that way."

He snorted. "No thanks." He paused and looked Yugi over for a moment. "Do you think that Marik has a thing for you or is he just…?"

"Honestly? I think that he's got a thing for power. And I think he's insecure and feels threatened whenever I show anyone else attention. He's always up my ass and brown-nosing so…" Yugi paused and then looked over with wide eyes. "I never did explain everything to you, did I? You were so tired after you changed and I didn't tell everything to Honda or Anzu…"

Jonouchi blinked. "Yeah, I figured you would…basically get around to it at some point." He shrugged slightly. "You don't have to tell me now if you don't want to—"

"No, it's best that I go ahead and try to get this out of the way," he answered, shrugging. "It's a pretty big mess, and really convoluted so just…sit back and relax and wait until the end to ask questions."

Jonouchi raised a brow and smirked in amusement. "Okay."

The small teen shook his head and reached up to run his hands through his hair. "All right, so let's start with the basics then!" he announced. "Since about the time my mom has been like thirteen or fourteen she's been hearing rumors about people being kidnapped. People have been saying that there were experiments being run on people and animals. I don't know all of the details but usually a dog was there when the kidnappings happened."

The blond nodded. "My mom used to make sure I got home from school okay every day until middle school when she ran off with Shizuka."

Yugi nodded. "Apparently it's been happening for a long time now. I didn't even really realize it until recently that it had been going on for so long. Anyways, they were taken underground, into the—the tunnel system in the mountains," he continued, catching himself before he said the sewers. He did not want Jonouchi to be hot-headed and lash out and try to get to the labs. It wouldn't fix anything considering his sister was dead but he could see him trying regardless. "From there, they were experimented on and forced to change into wolves by injecting the lycanthropy into their blood. From what I know of it, the females were forced to stay in their wolf form until they were able to breed. And the males were drugged and they were attempt artificial insemination after that."

"Wait, isn't that when they like…milk the guys?"

Yugi curled his lip and nearly gagged. "Uh, yeah, you can look at it like that," he grumbled in disgust. "Anyways, they were trying to make this species of wolf called the Pure-Blood. The Pure-Blood is supposed to be immortal. It comes back from any death. It heals instantaneously. It has the ability to kill more efficiently than other bloodlines. It's faster, it's stronger, it's nastier. And so the people in the lab decided to try to breed it."

"Breed it? The fuck?"

"What was that about asking questions at the end?"

"Bullshit. It was bullshit."

Yugi burst out laughing and rolled his eyes. "Anyways, so, they finally managed to do it. And he was named after his project title, Atem." He held up a hand when Jonouchi's eyes nearly popped out of his head and his mouth fell open in shock. "Atem was the only one of six to survive. And he was raised underground until about six months ago when all of the wolves managed to escape. That's why Shizuka reappeared so suddenly like that. That's why Marik and Ishizu are in that pack and why the American wolves have come to the camp."

"Holy shit…"

"Atem was part of the escape six months ago. He's been on the surface since. And he's been hiding from the organization that made him. They've hired hunters to catch and kill him. They've turned on their own to ensure he gets captured. And they're willing to kill anyone and everyone around him in order to do it." Yugi was quiet for a moment. "But the wolves have this…prophecy is the wrong word, but it's the most fitting anyways. They have this prophecy regarding Atem. Atem is meant to lead them to victory in a war, either against hellhounds or the humans that are running the experiments. I don't know and no one will really explain it. I think it's gotten so muddled at this point that they are all confused and can't even tell me for certain why they believe in it."

Jonouchi shook his head slowly. His honey brown eyes were still boring into his. A million shadows had crossed them, and the emotions on his face were not hard to read. He was confused and shocked and could not think straight…

"They claim that all of the wolves will come to his aid. That's why Echo brought her pack to Japan. That's why the wolves are so closed off and bloodthirsty at times." He paused. "And the gods are supposed to come out of their slumbers to help as well."

"That's Slifer and Obelisk…right?"

He nodded and looked at his nails for a moment. They were so dark that he would be amazed if they were any different from Yami's in his human form. And he would be amazed if his teeth were not almost perfectly straight and his jaw more or less straightened from it…

"Because the origin story of the werewolf is the Lunar Ascension. It goes that Lupa and Fenrir are the gods of creation for the wolves in general, not just werewolves. And during the Ice Age they had gone into slumber. The humans had turned on the wolves and started killing them when prey got scarce. The wolves were being almost killed off entirely because of the humans and their dogs."

The blond shivered and shook his head.

"Their near extinction caused Fenrir to awaken. Fenrir came down to help the wolves. He gave the wolves the ability to fight back by making them capable of poisoning and spreading the disease, others the ability to change shape, another could turn into a ghostly form, and the others could draw energy from blood during battle. The wolves would change into dogs and kill from the inside. The others would then use their abilities as well."

"You do realize how insane that sounds right?"

"Yeah, and here's where it gets crazier, Jonouchi." He shook his head with a small grin and turned away. "So, the humans and dogs were all but extinct but then Lupa woke up as well. She was enraged to see how the wolves had been picked off formerly. And she was angry so she came down to help the wolves completely kill off the humans and dogs."

"Seriously? This is seriously insane, Yugi."

"Mmhmm," he dismissed. "But Lupa found a human woman helping a wolf pup that had been orphaned. And she decided that if one person could show such mercy then the rest could do it as well. So she decided to spare them. And, in order to do that, she made the Pure-Bloods to fight the hellhounds. She made them able to heal from any kill wound and come back to life. After that the Pure-Bloods and the hellhounds began to fight and kill each other. To battle them off, Fenrir made some hellhounds that could use all three abilities."

Jonouchi was shaking his head slowly now.

"And then the war ended. Because the sun came out." He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "And from what I understand, Lupa and Fenrir then chose three of each of the species that they made immortal, to rule over a few domains as gods. The rest either became human or wolf and lived their lives out to death. From there, the bloodlines became diluted and that's how you've got different wolves, like me and Mai and then Otogi…"

"That sounds insane. You realize that, right?"

Yugi shrugged and looked at him with darkened eyes, his expression somewhere between exasperated and frustrated. "You've met Slifer and Obelisk," he said quietly. And he watched Jonouchi for a long moment. "Slifer, Obelisk and one more wolf named Ra make up the three gods of the lycanthropes. Slifer resides over death, Obelisk over war and Ra over life. And the hellhounds have the three gods Morrigan, Haiti and Skoll."

"There's no way that—"

"Atem was born July twenty-sixth." Yugi picked at his nails and smirked faintly in wry amusement as Jonouchi all but gaped at him. "And from what I know, he's been tampered with mentally, drugged to the state of incoherence, and experimented on relentlessly. Considering no one knows what he looks like now, growing up, or how he does as a wolf, no one quite knows who he is."

Jonouchi shook his head, stunned. "So that means it's you? That you're Atem?"

"You look pretty skeptical, but here's how I'm going to explain it to you." Yugi cast him an almost exhausted smile. "I've suffered from night terrors and hallucinations all of my life. The night terrors are normally things like drowning or being cut open. Occasionally there are snarls and screaming. Sometimes I even hear my name being called as Atem and considering our birthdays are the same, I'm pretty sure there's no one else who can be Atem."

"But… How…? I've known you since before…"

"Right, we've been friends since middle school, haven't we?" Yugi watched him for a long moment. "I'm going to tell you a little secret about wolves, something that you'll figure out on your own. But they're willing to do anything possible to survive."

Jonouchi tilted his head. "Okay, but that doesn't make any sense…"

"It does when I tell you this too. They'll suppress memories of things, just like people who have PTSD. They'll neglect things like that. They'll manufacture memories to fix the problem. And they'll make themselves believe in things that didn't happen—"

"Okay, I get that. But what's your point? Yugi, those work for manipulating one person, but not several." Jonouchi shook his head. "So how do you plan to explain how we all knew you before Atem supposedly escaped?"

"There's no supposedly about it. I did escape. That's why Fuwa and Espa and Panik and others have come after us." He shook his head slowly, watching him with frosted eyes. "But I don't think Fuwa actually knew I was Atem. I think he just had a vendetta against wolves altogether and realized I was one so he wanted to kill me."

"Yugi, this still isn't making any sense."

The wolf was quiet for a long time. "Morrigan, the goddess of death for the hellhounds, has a son who's in our school with us every day." He watched as Jonouchi furrowed his brows and studied him with a bemused expression. "And the hellhounds have to eat human flesh at one point or another in order to absorb nutrients necessary to turn incorporeal. If you take that into account, I think we would have seen him slip up at some point, don't you? I think, truthfully, that he would have slipped up by now if he wasn't being helped with divine intervention, don't you?"

"I think that's a lot of coincidence and faith placed in that idea, Yugi." He fell quiet, then shook his head slowly in frustration. "I don't know what you think I should say about that though? I mean, even if it's true, what then?"

The small teen grinned. "Then that means I'm immortal and you're one really strong mutt."

The blond blinked. Then he slugged him in the knee with a glare. "You're such a little shit."

Yugi smirked and winked at him, though he turned away again after a moment. Then his eyes flickered towards the carpet and then the small TV in the corner. "The point, though, Jonouchi, is I'm Atem. I know I am. Whether you choose to believe in it or not or if you think that divine intervention on behalf of Slifer or Obelisk or Ra is too farfetched, it's still the truth all the same."

Jonouchi stared at him as if he were a creature too estranged to fully come to name him. He looked at him as if he were beyond anything the blond had ever known before. And the small teen felt cold as they looked at one another slowly.

"So then…"

Yugi tilted his head curiously. "Hmm?"

"That means all of our friendship is…basically a fabrication then?"

The small teen watched him for a long moment, then narrowed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "No, I think some of our memories are fabricated. But I think we're still…" He shook his head again, then tilted his chin up and watched him with slightly indifferent eyes. "Look, Jonouchi, I'm still the same kid you remember. You know that. You know I'm still Yugi Motou, the same one that hates violence and would do anything for his friends."

"But that still means you're not…"

"Not?"

"The same…? I don't think you're the same if you're…"

"Jonouchi, I'm still the same. I just…might have done and seen a few more things than we had originally thought was possible…" He shook his head after a moment and lowered his eyes. "What it comes down to is the fact that I'm still Yugi. I'm Atem but I'm still Yugi too. And, as far as I'm concerned, I'm more Yugi than I'll ever be Atem."

He remembered asking Yami to remind him of the fact that he was Yugi if he were to ever forget. And he remembered the way that Yami had told him he would last forever. His heart ached as his stomach clenched and his mouth grew dry. He wondered if it was a possibility, if he really was going to lose himself.

He'd been so scared to so much as learn to change on his own. Then he'd refused to eat as a wolf for a rather long time. And then he had come to do it with so little difficulty that he almost questioned why it was that he had ever feared such a thing. And then he'd tasted the rabbit and it had sated some incurable hunger in him…

Yugi wondered now if Jonouchi truly didn't know who he was anymore. Was that possible? It wouldn't have surprised him in the least to realize such a thing, he found. He had changed so much he felt almost as if he did not always recognize his own reflection within the mirror.

"It's a lot to swallow," the blond finally answered. He tipped his head to the side and then flashed him a grin. "That's what she said!"

Yugi blinked, then snorted loudly. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. But he didn't have a response and so they fell into a slightly uneasy silence. As the seconds passed, the smaller teen noticed the way Jonouchi would turn his head just slightly and then watch him from the corner of his eye. The sight was frustrating to Yugi, who allowed it for a few minutes more before finally reaching out to snatch up the remote from his desk and turn on the TV.

Jonouchi shivered slightly, startled by the pointed nature of Yugi's stare at the screen. The blond was all but in shock, mind reeling, as the smaller teen turned the volume up slightly and settled against his pillow. He had originally offered to let Jonouchi sleep in the bed while he took the mat on the floor but the blond had refused and so Yugi had simply shrugged it off. But now Jonouchi almost wished he was on the bed now, because it might not have been the softest mattress, but it was probably more comfortable at the moment. The sleep mat was incredibly new, just as the mattress had to have been. And so it was incredibly hard and unyielding beneath them.

It was an hour or so later, watching a couple of history documentaries—Yugi was almost amazed that Jonouchi could sit through them—that the blond finally turned around to grab the remote and change the channel. He flicked through them lazily, Yugi half-asleep with the fleece draped over himself and lightly tucked along his shoulders. But then both of them startled softly as a news reporter said, "His neck was snapped in half!"

Yugi sat up. Jonouchi stiffened.

"The body of Professor Kanekura, a sponsor of the museum in front of us and a man who tried his best to help troubled children, was found today within his office just as his colleague Professor Yoshimori's was weeks before. Professor Yoshimori's throat had been cut open, the cameras disabled and no evidence left to be found. Now, similarly, Kanekura has been discovered. His head was bent to the side until his throat snapped. And it seems the killer also knew to delete the footage from the camera. The police are working diligently to somehow recover it—"

"Wait…weren't those two friends with your grandpa?"

"Yeah…" He fell silent and refused to look at the blond when he turned around to face him with a searching expression. He looked at the picture of the man on the screen and wondered at the sight of his big grin behind that large gray mustache. Then he slowly blinked and looked away. "They were…"

Jonouchi watched him for a moment. "Did you know he was back in town?"

Yugi shook his head slowly. If he had known, he would have been more worried then as well that Kanekura was going to try to hint him as well. Clearly Yami had killed Yoshimori for a reason and his grandfather's friend had wanted to take him to the same trap Fuwa had. It would only make sense that Kanekura would come after him, right?

Yoshimori was his best friend.

They had basically grown up together.

So there was absolutely no chance that Yoshimori had been the only one to hunt wolves. He might have been the first, but Yugi was sure that Kanekura had been dragged into it as well.

"I had no idea he was back… I thought he was still in the states…" Yugi fell silent again for a few minutes longer. Then he slowly turned back to Jonouchi rather than the screen. The reporter was not saying much more than commentary on how shocking the discovery had been. "I wonder who did it…"

The blond was quiet for a long minute or two. "You don't think it was Yami, do you?" he asked quietly, biting his lip as Yugi blinked in surprise and turned his head to look at him again. "I mean, we don't really know where he is…"

The small teen shook his head in near annoyance. "No. It's not him. I would know if it was him." Yugi turned away again, lips curling back with slight frustration. "He does it in a very specific way when he kills."

Jonouchi shivered. "He has an actual pattern?"

"He does." It wasn't an exact lie. As, when Yami was human, he'd killed both Yoshimori and Espa in extremely similar ways. He'd slit their throats with his nails, after all… "It's very definitive."

"Is it gruesome?"

Yugi blinked. "What? No! Not at all." He paused and turned to him with a tilt of his head. "No, it's not like that. I just… He kills in a certain way and it's not by snapping their necks like that."

"So what does he do? Completely decapitate instead? I mean, we did watch him kill Aileen…." Jonouchi nearly hurled when he remembered the way he'd crawled out of the tigress's shoulder blades. He'd been soaked in blood, grizzle hanging from his fur. When he'd shaken himself out the blood and muscle had been tossed about. And then he'd dropped that shifter's heart on the ground and—

"Not when he's human." Yugi turned away and picked at his nails. Eventually the beds would be all but completely blood red soon enough. Where Jonouchi's, like every other normal person's, was pale and peach in shade, his own were darker than ever. But he did not think they were as deeply colored as Yami's or Valon's. He'd have to check at some point, he supposed.

Maybe he would do it tomorrow when he was at school. Maybe he would ask Valon to hold his hand out and he'd see the differences between their nails and he'd convince himself he was still more Yugi than Atem.

He nearly laughed at the idea.

Then he shook it off.

"I'm going to go brush my teeth and then I'm calling it a night. We'll turn the volume down and then I'm going to sleep."

Jonouchi nodded, slightly unnerved by his new demeanor. Yugi seemed incredibly tired now, almost exhausted. But he also seemed crestfallen or perhaps frustrated. And it made him appear somehow withdrawn and small. But when the teen got to his feet and pulled the blanket off his shoulders, he seemed to simply shrug the weight of it off. He didn't have a slouch to his spine and his chin wasn't slightly lowered.

He didn't look like the boy who was prone to dwelling on things for hours. He didn't look like the boy who so often got swept up in his anxieties at times. He didn't even seem like the same boy who always appeared to have a steady mind when he was in school. He did not look remotely like the teen whom was so careful and awkward when problems arose.

Yugi looked entirely unlike himself at the moment. He appeared almost to be someone Jonouchi had never seen before. The reality of it was astonishing and bewildering. He'd never assumed Yugi to be weak, but the sudden change in him almost made him appear so formerly. He almost looked as if he had adopted a greater touch of self-confidence and had come to stand straighter and with a more fulfilled purpose in life.

It made the way he had held himself formerly seem as if he were a skittish animal of some kind. Or a lost and defeated child with no bearing of any kind. Jonouchi felt almost sick as he considered the thought and the way the small teen seemed so endlessly to change before his eyes even now.

When Yugi returned, he was running his tongue over his teeth and picking at his nails again. It occurred to Jonouchi that maybe the smaller teen had never fully noticed how much his physical features were changing before then.

Now he'd come to realize how much whiter his teeth were, how much sharper his canines had become. He must have even seen the darkened shade of his gums. But his nails were more curious to the tall teen as he looked at them. His nails were almond-shaped, darker than ever before, and the white keratin tips were sharper, and thicker.

His fingers were no longer than they had been before. His hands were no bigger than they had been either. But his nails were definitely longer. And his skin was a little bit richer in its pale peach tone. But it was pulled a little tightly along his knuckles and Jonouchi could see that he was somewhat, if only slightly, emaciated in this sense.

Obviously he had not recovered entirely from his initial state of depression in which he'd skipped meals and ignored his hunger. And the veins were a little more apparent where Jonouchi could see the underside of his wrist when he picked more persistently at his nails.

It was frankly a mixture between shocking and curious in reality. Jonouchi was both startled and mildly amused. But what was it that caused that? And would the same happen to him? He didn't think he would mind it too much in all reality. It would be kind of great to have such perfect nails, even as dangerous as they looked and as unnatural as well.

He couldn't wait for perfect teeth, however. That would be amazing. He'd love that. His molars were too crowded as it was. His tongue wouldn't feel constantly closed in on due to their awkward placement anymore…

Yugi finished picking his nails almost an hour or so later. Then he stretched his arms out in front of him and took his seat on the bed again. Jonouchi watched him a moment longer and then turned to the TV to lower the volume as he'd said before. The small teen yawned and got under the covers.

"Good night."

Jonouchi hesitated for a moment, startled by the words. Then he settled onto his mat again. "Good night." The blond listened to Yugi's breathing when it evened out a few minutes later. But Jonouchi was somehow sure that the small teen was not asleep. He might have slowed his breathing but he was not asleep at all. He could sense it. There was just something about the way he lay there and breathed so slowly that seemed forced…

But he realized too that the only reason Yugi might have done so was in order to ignore the potential conversation they could have been having. So perhaps the topic involving Yami had done well to destroy any possibility of conversation. And, in the dark, hours before they would have to get ready for school, perhaps it was the best idea they could have come up with in the first place.

But he did notice as well, when it was that Yugi truly fell asleep. In the dark his breathing grew slightly easier, deeper, and he relaxed whatever tension he'd possessed beforehand. The small teen had fallen into something of a dream that lingered between easy and uneasy.

The trees were spaced about, the shadows of them long and dark and deep about the snow. The air was frigid and lashed against his skin where it blistered through his fur. The moonlight came in a harsh drizzle through the tree branches, the sky cloudy in patches of white beyond the moon overhead. He could see none of the stars. And the air seemed too cold to breathe properly, his lungs aching from each touch.

He licked his lips and breathed in deeply around snarling under his breath. The puffs which outlined his exhales in front of his face were bleached against the shadows. There was blood along his tongue, but it did not seem fresh. And his whiskers felt caked along the edges, the wind cutting upon them and forcing the pores to quiver. His nose twitched and stung with pain as he breathed each time.

His paws moved slowly, painfully. The pads were broken and aching but the ice did well to numb the pain. The wolf flicked his ears as the snow crunched beneath his weight. Something moved within the darkness, against the shadows, and his head snapped towards it. Immediately his lips pulled back and his teeth shimmered with heavy strands of saliva.

The canine pressed forward quickly now. Pain lanced through him. And his shoulders ached and pulsed painfully. He could hear the bones grinding together hideously. The sound of them grating against each other almost made him think of rocks crunching beneath a car tire. The action was harsh and heavy. He was limping.

But it did not stop him gaining speed. The animal in the trees turned a second too late. The breath came in a wheeze. The wolf gathered speed Yugi had only experienced once. And then the canine slammed into its side. Teeth tore through the coat and blood swam through his jaws. The animal screamed. The wolf pulled back, snapping and lunging. Fur was tugged off. Blood sprayed through the air. The animal screamed again. The ribs broke when he bit again. Hind legs kicked and missed. The stomach fell outwards beneath the broken underbelly. And the wolf took a gulping mouthful—

The alarm screeched.

Yugi yelped and fell over the side of the bed. Jonouchi grumbled when the small teen landed on his arm. But the blue-violet-eyed boy forced himself to roll onto his hands and knees. He grunted when Jonouchi hissed in pain as Yugi's knee clipped his hip. The small teen cast him an awkward glance and climbed to his feet.

"Sorry."

"Turn it off."

Yugi rolled his eyes. "I'm trying," he grumbled, shaking himself out. Then he reached over to touch the power button and turn the alarm off. He reached up and ran his hands through his hair, but there was a lingering pain in his wrists and so he lowered them quickly. His tongue was caked and his mouth was layered in the disgusting after taste of blood. His teeth ached as if he had bitten through metal. And his fingers felt cold and somewhat numb now.

"I feel like I haven't slept at all."

Jonouchi grunted and rolled over. "Well you were kind of thrashing so…" He hesitated, tipping his head up, and looked at Yugi curiously. "Was it a night terror?"

The small teen startled at the question. His eyes widened and his head turned towards him. He had not considered that the blond might worry about that of all things. And then, for the smallest moment, he could not figure out how Jonouchi knew about it. That passed, however, and he sighed softly with a small shake of his head.

"No, it's fine. I just…was having a weird dream. It wasn't a night terror, though." He fell quiet for a moment. Then he ran his hands through his hair again and ruffled his bangs lazily. But they were soaked in sweat and he was oddly aware of how tangled his hair seemed to be. His usual coping mechanism towards such a thing must have kicked in at some point. He must not have made noise but still moved in his sleep, inaudible where he might have initially screamed or snarled furiously.

"Okay, good." Jonouchi rolled over again and faced the bed rather than the wall Yugi was standing in front of. The blond yawned and stretched unhappily. "I almost want to stay home again."

"I'm going to. You can stay here if you want. But if you do, call your dad at the very least. I'm not interested in having to talk to him again. I mean, if you want me there when you do it, I can be, but I don't want to skip anymore school than necessary. I still have some plans for after high school."

Jonouchi snorted. "Why get a job when all you have to do is run away into the woods and hunt for your food and all that? You can literally live off the land and ignore anything to do with being responsible as a person…"

Yugi looked at him curiously. "Is that something you'd think about doing?" he asked quietly.

"I don't think I have any reason not to at this rate."

The small teen remained silent for a long moment. Then he looked away and glanced out the window where the sky was cloudy and just the smallest patches of blue showed between the white. Yugi blinked and then turned back with narrowed and darkened eyes.

"I don't think Shizuka would have wanted that for you, Katsuya."

The blond was quiet for a long moment. "Probably not," he admitted, but the edges of his words were bitter and resentful. "But what would I know? I barely saw her again before she got murdered."

He bristled faintly. "Yami and I had nothing to do with that."

"You sure? Because if you're really Atem and all those people were kidnapped for the sake of you being bred…"

Yugi watched him, anger making his blood heat furiously for a moment. And then he curled his lip, ran his tongue along his teeth, and then narrowed his eyes. For a long time he did not respond. Then, slowly, he looked away from the blond.

"If that's what it takes for you to heal, then fine. Blame me for it." He shrugged. He could understand the feeling. He knew well enough what it was that Jonouchi felt. He had wanted someone to blame for Yami's disappearance. And, though he had not found anyone, he had been desperate to do so regardless. "I know that, in retrospect, is how someone could boil it down. She was kidnapped and experimented on and the only reason the people began to kidnap like that was because of the goal of breeding me."

The blond was silent. He blinked, staring at the leg of the bed frame with wide eyes. "I wasn't really trying to blame it on you…"

Yugi shook his head. "It doesn't matter. You can if you need to. It doesn't upset me."

Jonouchi could hear the stiffness in his tone and questioned his declaration with narrowed eyes. That had to hurt the smaller teen. There was no way he didn't feel a sting at the idea that his best friend blamed him for his sister's death. There was absolutely no way. Yugi may have been the closest thing to a saint, but even he had his limits.

"Yugi…"

The small teen didn't respond for a moment. "It's okay. But I do need to get ready for school. I'm going to take my shower and then I'll get breakfast started. You can decide if you want to stay here for the day or not. I don't mind either way."

That statement came out far more truthful than the words formerly. Jonouchi swallowed hard and shook his head slightly. He'd truly upset him. And he had no doubt he would have knocked Honda's teeth in had he said something so stupid.

But Yugi was gone before he could think to answer. He had grabbed his uniform from his desk and had headed into the bathroom. And Jonouchi was left to lay there and feel guilty for his lack of verbal restraint.

---

"You look…really exhausted…"

Yugi tried not to stare at her as if she had grown a second head. In his tired state, he'd found himself all but forgetting the existence of the others around him. On the walk to school, Jonouchi had been trying to talk to him and Yugi had been unable to focus even then.

Something about the small teen had changed in the time he'd taken his shower and gotten out. Something had completely become undone in his mind or perhaps his emotions were so intense he was trying to shut it out. Jonouchi didn't know. He couldn't tell.

"I didn't sleep well," he commented dismissively, trying his hardest not to sound uncaring. He tried to smile but it felt painful and he could not find much more strength to try to assert it as friendly. So he fell quiet again, looking down and then towards his locker as they approached it.

"You look kind of sick though…"

He nearly snorted. She was trying too hard now to make him pay more attention. Yugi let out a small sigh and turned the lock to put in his combination and open the door. "Just insomnia, as always," he said lazily, shrugging and pulling out a couple of notebooks and a binder. He closed it again and listened to the lock click before turning back. "It doesn't matter. It's not that bad. I'm fine."

He remembered hunting again for only a brief moment. But he did not recall what it was that he had caught in that dream. The taste of blood was still there upon his tongue but he did not know further how it was that he could identify the prey from this alone. The small teen wondered curiously more than ever now, but shrugged it off after a few moments.

"Are you sure?"

Yugi hummed, nodding almost imperceptibly. Then he offered her a small grin. "I'm sure," he answered easily. He felt a little dizzy as they wandered towards the classroom. But his feet were still moving and he felt if he remained in motion he would not have any further problems.

"So, um… What happened to Yami anyways?"

The name made him pause. At first he heard his own in its place. And then he felt sick as realization came over him. The blood seemed to leave his head in a rush, his stomach tossing as he heard the name ringing in his ears. He blinked stupidly, then felt a pressure in the core of his throat as the pain enveloped him more than ever.

He nearly dropped his books. His eyes widened drastically. An overwhelming sense of dread crept through him. It tore at his insides and hollowed out his bones. He froze, throat seeming to close for a moment. And then his breath came in a deep rasping wheeze. He snorted through his nose a second later, blinking rapidly.

His heart had picked up speed, lurching into his throat. The pounding made his head ache. His vision grew tighter, more focused yet somehow fuzzy around the edges. He blinked, trying to breathe in steadily and feeling choked with the pressure. His skin was flashing with heat. The dizziness had grown more immense. And, when he tried to swallow, his tongue felt glued to the roof of his mouth.

He was amazed he was still holding his books any longer. Pinpricks of pressure had begun to cut through his skin. He was shaking, he knew, but it was not as rapidly as it might have otherwise been.

"Yugi?" Anzu cried out in alarm. The word made him flinch. His shaking hands dropped his books. A hand reached up to tug violently on his choker. His fingers clawed at it. But his eyes were focused blankly on the wall in front of him.

"Shit," Jonouchi spat, trying to move towards his side. Yugi spun on him with a snarl, the noise sputtering harshly. The reaction made the three of them freeze. Yugi gasped and wheezed again rather pathetically. Then he turned, instinct telling him to run. He fled without a backwards glance.

Honda grabbed Jonouchi by the arm to keep him from following. Anzu stared, stunned, as Yugi slipped around the corner of the hall. The lycanthrope fled outside to the quad. His teeth clattered, the fever leaving his skin. He drew in a deep breath, reaching up to steeple his fingers behind his head. He clenched his eyes shut, arms folded forward.

He rocked back and forth now, gasping as his heart remained too fast in its palpitations. He shook his head rapidly, scraping his nails over the back of his scalp. He was hyperventilating faster, the darkness behind his eyes growing splotched. Ragged formations if dark red and then bright orange began to form there.

It was exhausting, dizzying. He wanted to rub at his chest but his nails were hot and sticky. He'd torn skin. The realization was enough to make him whimper. But the sound was swallowed away rapidly. There were gurgling noises. There were hisses. He could hear the whispers.

He could hear…

Atem…

Yugi shook his head.

The colors behind his eyes grew more intense. Sharp jagged lines had begun to form. Shapes were given definition. Black trunks rose from a red ground. Gray branches hung against the harsh orange of the sky.

He moaned softly, unable to think straight. There were roaring noises. The hissing and snarling was growing. Voices were drowning beneath each other. The wind which touched his skin was vicious. It cut in long, jagged slashes. His skin ached where the uniform cut forward.

Atem…

He tossed his head. "No…"

Atem.

"Leave me alone."

Leave you alone? a voice asked, nearly rasping as the air seemed to shift and twist about in the vision behind his lids. He struggled, breathing still caught in his lungs and his heart aching painfully. The small teen reached up to tug at his choker again. It pressed hard on the nape of his neck. His head spun and the place behind his eyes seemed to burn and writhe.

"Yes, leave me the fuck alone."

You are Atem.

"No."

No? the voice sneered. Truly?

Yugi was shaking again. His legs were wobbling as he tugged harder on his choker. The fabric seemed to split beneath his fingers, he swore. And yet somehow it still held itself despite his pulling. He shook harder, clenching his fingers around the choker. "Leave me alone, Ra."

Leave you alone? the she-wolf inquired softly, no longer sneering. The golden canine had come forward. Her dark blue eyes were glowing. And the air seemed to steam, writhing around her. She came closer on longer, thinner legs. You are Atem.

"No—"

I do not care for even a moment if you assume to respond only to Yugi. You are Atem. Whether you try to ignore this now is your own prerogative. But I will not call you by a false name.

"Atem isn't a name." He bore his teeth, his legs giving out under him. He landed on his knees, his free hand tearing at his hair. "Atem is a fucking project."

Atem is an acronym of which your reality hinges. You are the one so foolish as to announce yourself this way. It is no fault of mine or my siblings' to cause such problems. You may struggle, but you will not fall.

Yugi shook his head. His lungs felt too tight.

Atem… He could not pick out one voice amidst the rest. But he swore he saw Bakura and the green-eyed wolf more prominently than the rest.

Yugi squeezed his eyes shut tighter than before. He wanted to sob. The green-eyed had helped Yami in the labs. He'd shown him affection and had helped to keep him sane. He'd done a million times better than Yugi had ever even considered. He'd helped Yami beyond anything Yugi himself was capable of.

"I'm sorry…"

The green-eyed wolf tilted his head. His tail wagged slightly. Yugi could not focus upon him entirely, his vision dancing. He supposed it was a hallucination, though his eyes were closed and he was still panicked. He groaned between his teeth.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry—"

Yami will be okay.

The simplicity of the statement made his body lock in place.

Do not apologize for something that could not be avoided. The green-eyed wolf wagged his tail once more. His gaze was soft and warm and his expression was far gentler than Yugi had ever seen on a canine's face before. It was necessary such a thing happen. And Yami is nothing if not a survivor. You will find it impossible to truly destroy him.

Yugi shook his head. His fingers had loosened their grip slightly. "But he… I couldn't help him…" He choked on a breath and tried to swallow but could not breathe enough to draw in the air necessary. Tears were pricking the edges of his eyes. "I… He…"

There are more wolves than simply him suffering, Ra snarled, cutting off whatever response Yami's cage mate might have given him. The green-eyed wolf flicked an ear, turned his head away slightly, and curled his lip briefly. But Yugi seemed abruptly to develop tunnel vision. The darkness seemed to close down upon his peripheral and he found himself horrified as the golden she-wolf became the core of his sight. There are many shadows bleeding that you neglect in order to protect him—

"Because I have to." Yugi's heart had slowed during her chastising, and the blood in his veins was hotter than he'd ever felt. He was shaking, but it was not with panic now. His nails curled into his choker hard and he bore his teeth furiously. "I have to protect him above all others."

Is that what you believe?

"That's what I know." He snarled softly. "You're blind to it, aren't you? You're completely blind to it."

I am not blind. I know well what you are referring to.

"Yami is more important to me than any of the other wolves I've come across," he admitted quietly. "But that has nothing to do with favoritism and you know that damn well, Ra. I am not strong enough to do this on my own. Perhaps Bakura might be. Or maybe even Yami's cage mate. But I am not."

You are weaker than even the second—

"If I'm so much weaker, then get the second to do it. Make them play Atem." He bore his teeth, all but slathering with anger. "You can't, can you? Because your backup isn't reliable, is it? Things have changed too much from how you'd assumed it would be and now you cannot call upon them."

Ra bore her teeth, snarling as her ears flattened against her skull. How is it that my descendant is so whiny? she snapped. Annie and her children could accept their destinies with little to no problem. I do not even think they questioned themselves or their place.

Yugi barked out a laugh. "A pack of wolves lost within the mountains—that's what you're going to compare me to? Do you not understand that isolation for a pack is more like moving to a certain community rather than being alone? You're an idiot, Ra."

You—

You have done well where it matters. Yugi stopped short of snarling at Ra to glance over in surprise. Ra's head snapped around, her teeth bore more furiously. Bakura ignored her, sniffing disdainfully as he came closer. The green-eyed wolf watched from a few feet back, flanking him in a manner, as he glanced towards Ra uncomfortably. You do not do as they envisioned, however, and so Ra is upset with you. But you have done as is necessary. You and Yami have both done well.

"Bakura…"

Hold your tongue, Ra snapped. This conversation has nothing to do with you whatsoever.

No? My name was mentioned, Bakura snarled, turning on her. His dark gray fur rose and his shoulders squared as he faced her completely. His tail wagged once in warning, his ears pricked forward and his lip curling faintly. That makes me a part of this conversation. It is not my fault that you do not understand that. Be as upset as you want, but at the end of the night Yugi has still done a far better job than what was expected. Hell, had he not done what was necessary to save Yami, I do not know what would have happened.

Yugi stared, stunned. He'd killed this gray wolf in front of him. He'd torn his head off in the woods months before. How was it that he stood in front of him now, defending him?

The green-eyed wolf flicked an ear. Bakura valued Yami and Yugi over his own life in the woods that night. And I allowed Yami to escape the labs at the cost of many lives, Ra. The two of us gave many things to get them both to where they are now. His eyes fell on Yugi, warm and soft with friendliness. I see no such thing as failure before me now.

Ra bristled, snarling at them both. He is Atem. Atem is meant to be able to stand on his own paws and defend himself. You are neglectful of this—

You say that like you didn't give Atem a friend, Bakura snorted loudly, dismissive in the way he turned to Yugi now. Gods have high expectations. A lot of them can't be met. Take it with the biggest grain of salt you can and ignore half the shit she says. It's not worth it.

Yugi couldn't help the laugh that escaped him, startled. Bakura wagged his tail, and for the first time the small teen realized his eyes were incredibly different. They were no longer dark coffee brown. They had become a vibrant purple, brilliant in shade and perhaps almost amethyst in color.

He's not wrong, the green-eyed lupine said with a small wag of his tail as well. He turned to Ra with brightened eyes. And it is not Yugi's fault. He has tried. He has worked with all that he has been given and you do not have much you can say to him that does not reflect upon your abundant neglect.

Abundant neglect? the she-wolf snarled, turning on him with flashing eyes. Bakura turned towards her with a somewhat surprised expression. The green-eyed canine seemed only now to bristle, his lips quivering as they threatened to curl back. I am not here to guide his every move and decision. You are a fool to believe otherwise.

Slifer, Obelisk and Morrigan have all stepped in to help him at one point or another. You have drawn him here multiple times to rub in his face how much he has and has not done.

My siblings do not care for the order of things. Had they, this would never have happened—

I do not recall you ever stepping up in order to rectify things. In both the case of Yami and Yugi, you have not bothered to do more than bring him here. Yugi looked up, stunned, as the black she-wolf stopped in front of them. Her beautiful, strangely-colored eyes glinted as she stared at the Pure-Blood goddess. Slifer has guided him at times and answered questions. She has even played the role of his beta within the pack for those few days. Obelisk has taught him to fight and embrace certain aspects of his lycanthropy. He has even helped him to understand the way to control it. And I have saved him from hunters in the woods. And what is it that you have done?

I am not willing to mess with the natural order of things in order to save one wolf, regardless of my kinship to him.

But it is not only about Yugi. Nor did it all deserved to be borne on Yami's shoulders. It is all of us. You forget that Atem is prophesized. He is meant to save the entire species of werewolves, lycanthropes and hellhounds alike. Whether he self-destructs at first might not hold bearing on the end result. But it is not okay to place this burden on Yugi like this and expect him to understand entirely why and what it is that has caused such things. He questions things like this all of the time. Why you fail to answer the simplest of his questions or understand that he needs guidance is beyond me.

He should be self-reliant—

It is not a trait born within a day! You do not pay enough attention. He was not born a wolf. He is used to having support from his friends and family. He has always had these memories to help him. And they have been fabricated due to you. It is not the fault of anyone else that he is dependent upon things like this. It was you to decide to do this. None of us were given a voice to speak with against you.

Ra bristled and raised her tail, eyes glittering with hatred. Morrigan, you have stuffed your two children within a human environment as well, have you not? she spat. I am not sure Hati was given the opportunity to put a word in either. Is that not true?

Yugi froze in place, eyes widening. Hati? Valon was…

"Two kids?"

Both goddesses blinked and turned to him with confused eyes. Then Morrigan smirked and wagged a tail that curled slightly to the right. Ra merely stared, curling her lip back and flattening her ears with disgust.

Valon and Kris, yes. She paused and glanced at Ra for a moment. But the third one is not mine.

They experimented on her within the labs, Ra snapped bitterly. It was no choice of mine that such things would happen. The humans are foolish in their desires to conquer and possess and learn.

Morrigan ignored her now. It is the Full-Blood they experimented on amidst creating Atem that I am more concerned about. The Harbinger is stunted. She will not have the third gift. They've experimented too terribly on her. The genes which could have been triggered are long dead.

Yugi shivered. Bakura sat, ears flicking and eyes on the she-wolves. The green-eyed wolf was clearly more distraught, pacing a few steps and then turning back with a crestfallen expression.

"What Full-Blood?" he demanded. His eyes shot to Morrigan as she blinked and glanced at him. "There's a third Atem?"

No, there is not a third Atem, Ra snapped. There are two. And the third was a failed attempt by the humans. He is powerful. And he is deadly should he turn on you. But he is not Atem. He will be harder to kill but not impossible. He will not recover from his death.

Yugi stared at her, thinking briefly of the way that he'd seen Yami recover from the shock he'd been delivered within the greenhouse. He thought of the way Yami had mentioned the Pure-Blood to be the only truly immortal creature. And he shivered as he remembered the way he'd spoken so ill of it as well…

But if this wolf had been experimented on to the point of almost being impossible to kill, then what was the Harbinger they'd created missing as well? The Full-Blood would not recover. But the Harbingers had three different strengths—blood drinking to recover in battle, shape-shifting and poisonous saliva. So what was it that he was meant to prepare for?

Yugi. His head turned immediately. Yami's cage mate had moved closer. But none of the other wolves were paying them any mind any longer. Ra and Morrigan had begun to bicker. And Bakura was watching with bright, laughing eyes. The gray and tawny wolf came closer, ears pricked forward and gaze directly on his. I wish to tell you that I do not place blame on you for what has happened to Yami. I do not blame you for having fallen in love with him either. I want to see him safe and happy at the end of this. And I know that you can do it. But I do not wish for you to offer yourself just to ensure his safety.

Yugi shook his head, trembling now.

Please, Yugi, promise me at the least that while you value him you will not sacrifice yourself in the ways you have formerly. He peered at him for a moment longer. You cannot do it again.

"But I—"

There is no exception. You cannot do it. He hesitated. I do not want to see happen to you what has happened to many of us.

Yugi swallowed hard. "If I die, I'll come back…"

The wolf bore his teeth. You know what I am telling you. Do not feign otherwise.

When he went to speak again, the wolf simply pressed his nose to his forehead. The cold muscle startled him. He jerked, then fell backwards. The snow cushioned his head as he drew in a deep breath and blinked wide eyes. The sky overhead was white rather than orange. There were no trees to stretch like skeletal fingers overhead.

The green-eyed wolf must have pushed him out into the real world once more. His hallucination had ended with the abrupt touch. And he wondered if Ra and Morrigan had even noticed yet.

"Yugi…"

He turned around with wide eyes, startled. The door he'd come out of was partially open. And Anzu stood uncomfortably in the gap there, clearly uncomfortable.

"Class is about to start…"

The small teen blinked and wondered how long it was that he might need to grab all of his things off the floor… He moved to stand up again, flustered and tired as he shook his head and reached up to run his fingers through his hair. The lycanthrope shuffled uncomfortably towards the door, wiping the snow off his back and knees. He'd forgotten he'd collapsed before.

His hands were bright red as the blood hurried back to them. Yugi sighed softly and shook his head again. Maybe it would be easier to just go home instead. But he'd missed so many days already and he needed to just stay…

"We picked up your stuff, by the way…"

Yugi blinked. "Hmm? Oh, thank you." He checked himself for more snow, then ruffled his hair until it fell away. "Do I have any more snow on me?"

Anzu blinked, watching him as he turned to let her get a better look at him. "No, I think you got it all," she said after a long moment. Yugi nodded and shivered as he hurried to come back inside. "Are you…?"

He slowed. "Hmm?"

"Uh, never mind."

Yugi looked at her for a long moment, realizing only a few moments later that she meant to ask if he was okay. But she hadn't wanted to possibly trigger another reaction from him and so she was quiet now. He frowned, tilting his head. "It didn't have anything to do with you," he said quietly. "It would have happened with or without you asking about Yami."

Anzu nodded slightly and ignored the way he watched her for a moment. The brunette refused to glance at him again as she led the way into the classroom. Yugi sighed softly, ignoring this, and moved past her to take his usual seat. A few small glances were cast towards him. Valon considered him for only a moment, then turned away again entirely. The small teen ignored this as well.

But he could abruptly feel the tension.

His classmates seemed incredibly unhappy and frustrated at the moment. And his teacher seemed incredibly flustered as he glanced at Yugi and away again quickly.

The small teen ignored this pointedly.

No doubt all of them were flustered and annoyed at the thought of having anything to do with him. No doubt they had come to know the situation from the hallway. He had not tried to hide. He had not scurried away. He was sure most—if not all—of them had seen him run off like that.

And he didn't doubt they were waiting for him to do it again in the middle of class.

---

Yugi halted in his trek, frozen in place as he heard the snap of a branch behind him. It was low to the ground rather than overhead, as the squirrels were most likely long gone by now. But then he turned his head to look over his shoulder with a horrified expression. If it was the Full-Blood that Ra and Morrigan had mentioned…

But, several feet back, standing amidst the tree trunks, was a very familiar face he was relieved to see. The russet she-wolf wagged her tail, considering him with a tilted head and gleaming incisors. You are a very cute little human, she said softly. But you should shed that skin and join me for a hunt.

He tilted his head. "A hunt? Really, Slifer?"

Of course. Why not? You will find it rather therapeutic at a time like this.

"Does it look like I need therapy?"

Morrigan claimed you were rather upset.

Yugi felt his tongue glued to the top of his mouth as he tried to think of something to say. Then, with a frown, the small teen scratched at the inside of his wrist. "Your sister is a bitch."

Slifer laughed softly, wagging her tail happily. I have often thought the same. She and I tend to butt heads more often than not. She tilted his head. But what she has said to you is not what she means. Ra is not the easiest to understand. As Bakura told you, you must take each statement she makes with a grain of sand.

He ignored the urge to correct her and say the expression was a grain of salt. Instead he shook his head and looked at her rather pointedly. "Or she could learn to speak to people properly."

She is older than you imagine. And she only reacts with the living through dreams and prophecy. Obelisk and I have changed. She has not. Her self-isolation has stunted her ability to communicate effectively. She does not always know what effect her words will have. Slifer chuckled. But it is beyond my care to tell you such things. You have already been told this at one point regardless. Now, as I said, perhaps you should join me as a wolf so that we might hunt together.

Yugi frowned. "Will it be just us?"

I do not claim to know whether others are in the woods, though I am sure they are, but I have no plans to run with others.

He nodded slightly, sighing loudly. "Okay."

It was twenty minutes before he joined her, clothes buried in the roots of a tree, snow shoveled out in order to keep them somewhat dry. Slifer waited without even the slightest hint of impatience, golden eyes warm with amusement.

You are doing rather well to learn how to change faster than you did prior. This seemed to barely take much time for you.

Yugi flicked an ear. Obelisk taught me.

Ah. She didn't bother to do more than get to her feet again. Come along.

The white wolf sighed softly, coming closer and moving to her flank. I'm not hungry. But I'll help you catch whatever it is you want.

The red she-wolf laughed softly, turning to him with glowing eyes. Ah, sweet little Yugi. I do not need help from any wolf to acquire prey, my dear. I am much more lethal than you might assume. Do not let my smaller stature allude to anything otherwise.

Yugi shook his head. Physical stature hardly counts for anything, he commented dryly. If it had, the wolves wouldn't have been so powerful to begin with. Yami wouldn't have been able to beat that tigress. He wouldn't have been able to leap and properly bite Ushio so hard as to cause his skull to cave in. He himself would never have been able to decapitate Bakura…

It depends often on more than one factor. But size does not truly count in our world. She padded past him without a second look. How about a deer? They tend to be more fun. They run faster than the serows, I've found.

Yugi flicked an ear. Sure, if that's what you want to do.

The she-wolf did not look at him. You are rather agreeable right now. It's a nice change from our usual arguments.

The white wolf growled softly. I tend to be when someone isn't telling me how much of a disappointment I am to them. He paused in his trek, sighing and flattening his ears. And, I think I'm done talking about this now.

The goddess let out a soft humming noise before turning to bank towards the right. Yugi blinked, following dutifully behind her. The speed she began to take was rapid and beyond what Yugi knew to pace. Between the two of them the white canine wondered how quickly she could go if she broke into a sprint. Could he even keep up?

I do not plan to leave you, if you are worried about such a thing, the goddess commented quietly. He gave her a startled look, one which she regarded only from the corner of her eye. Your expression looked rather…unhappy, I suppose you could say.

Yugi flattened his ears against his head. I was just wondering who was faster between the two of us, he said softly, ignoring the way the goddess glanced at him sideways. The she-wolf considered him for only a moment longer, then turned away again. I mean, considering that you're a god, I'd assume it would be you, right?

You might be surprised. I believe Yami might be faster than Obelisk and Obelisk is not as quick as me. But I would believe if you could truly learn to use the speeds you can reach, you would surpass me at some point.

Yugi looked at her small frame, her incredibly slim and lean body. And he wondered at the possibility of how he himself might become faster. And he could not believe it in the slightest. In truth, now that he considered it all, she looked the perfect cross between the Arabian wolf and the maned wolf as well.

She had the longer, slenderer legs. She had the muzzle which tapered off rather sharply at her nose. The slope of her skull was clearly that of a gray wolf, however, a narrow almost undetectable one. And her muzzle was immense enough to be very akin that of the dire wolf he'd seen varying drawings of. He saw the leaner curve of her ribcage, a mixture of sloping and tucked.

But she had the cinnamon-red coat of the red wolf and the coywolf crossbreeds. She was, however, much more Arabian in appearance in her sharper features. And, had she had long black legs or had Yugi not known that the maned wolf was not truly a wolf, he might have considered her to be a cross between maned and gray rather than dire and gray.

Is Yami really faster than Obelisk?

I would believe he could be. Perhaps he already is. Slifer's golden eyes glittered for a moment. Abruptly she lost her momentum, her speed lessened as she paused and turned her head with pricked ears. You have visitors.

Visitors? he echoed in an unsure tone. He slowed a few steps, bristling slightly with a small sense of fear. Then he slowly began to move forward and toward where Slifer was facing. For a moment he thought at the probability of Fuwa still being alive. And he imagined the redhead coming forward to hunt him down entirely, but as his head snapped towards the red she-wolf, Yugi found himself relaxing.

She was not concerned in the slightest.

And he did not think that she would have allowed Fuwa to stumble across them both so lazily.

It seemed more likely that she would fight alongside him.

Or that she would do as Obelisk had formerly.

Obelisk had simply incapacitated the man in the mask, saving Yugi but turning on him to drag him away as well.

And both gods so far had been rather aligned on his side, hadn't they?

Obelisk had saved him in the lab.

Slifer had saved him in the woods.

He shivered.

Mai and Otogi, he acknowledged, relieved. He wagged his tail as he turned away from the goddess again. The she-wolf watched him for a moment, head tilted, and then nodded as she turned away once more. The white canine watched as both aforementioned wolves came over the slope of snow nearest them. Mai nearly tripped over a frozen log under the snow, yelping but somehow catching herself. Otogi wagged his tail happily, panting as he grinned at her sloppily.

Slifer watched them with softened eyes. Hello, Mai, Otogi, she commented in a gentle tone. Both wolves looked at her and wagged their tails, but Yugi could see a sense of stiffness in both of their movements. Clearly the she-wolf unnerved them in some manner. Were you hunting?

Patrolling, Mai answered in her usual easy way. She flicked an ear, wagged her tail once more, and turned to Yugi after swiftly dipping her head to the goddess. We were visited by another pack. They wish to speak to you.

Yugi blinked, startled by the comment. He flicked an ear, glancing at Slifer. Visitors… He watched her for a moment or two. Will you come with me to see them?

The goddess did not blink, peering at him with brilliant golden eyes. No, she answered softly. There is no reason for me to join you. Obelisk will be there. He is waiting. I will see you next when you and I cross paths once more.

The white wolf stared at her, startled. You're leaving? Just like that?

It will not be for long, I am sure.

Yugi flattened his ears against his skull for a moment. Okay, he finally relented, though a part of him was winded by this thought. She was truly going to leave him for a while then? Um… Good luck, I guess?

Slifer peered at him curiously for a moment. Then she seemed to smile as she shook her head. May Lupa guide your paws. With that statement she turned her back on him, trotting away with a speed that almost put Yugi himself to shame. The white wolf watched her disappear and bristled faintly before turning back to the other two canines.

That's the standard farewell for wolves, Mai commented simply. And for hellhounds it is "May Fenrir guide your paws" instead. Anyways, the pack is from further in Japan? The alpha says that they lived within Sapporo?

Yugi blinked at her, surprised. Sapporo? Really? he demanded quietly. He bristled faintly, tension rippling through his skin. He had not expected a pack to exist so close—especially upon remembering the way Yoshimori had been so adamant about getting them to the city. He'd been planning to kill Yugi at the same restaurant that Fuwa had attempted such a task…

Yes. That's what they claim.

He flicked an ear. Did she have a reason to doubt them or was she simply naturally skeptical? Perhaps because it had to do with Atem she was more wary of the situation…

Very well. He nodded slightly, ignoring the way she looked at him curiously with a tilt of her head. His ears flicked again. Okay, let's go ahead and see what they want.

Otogi snorted loudly, making Yugi wag his tail. Both subordinates followed him quickly as he began to trot past them in the direction of the camp. Upon breaching the top of the hill, he found himself looking at Aki, Marik and Eurea. All three of them dipped their heads slightly, though Aki was begrudging and Marik looked more bored. Only Eurea seemed even remotely okay doing so.

Patrol? he asked Mai, surprised at the sight of them. He flicked an ear. The she-wolf wagged her tail and trotted past him with a comment about racing. Otogi took off immediately and Aki snarled in annoyance. All of them took off running when Yugi did, the white wolf sprinting to catch up with them.

Last one there has to clean the dens for the next month, Mai laughed at Otogi.

Ew! I did that last time!

That's because you're too slow!

I think you might both be too slow, Yugi snorted, dashing past them with a spray of snow and laughing when they both growled in frustration and tried to catch up. Yugi didn't pause to prepare himself for the jump through the waterfall, instead using the momentum to send him straight through. He landed sloppily, but climbed to his feet again quickly, shaking himself out and licking his lips as he moved towards the ledge.

That's not even fair! Mai complained, landing and shaking herself out as well. She flattened her ears against her head and glared at him. You totally distracted me! And Otogi beat me here!

Yugi wagged his tail. Don't be a sore loser.

That's a very stupid saying and I despise you for directing it towards me.

I feel so terrible now, he said dryly, turning away and pulling himself up onto the ledge. Aki and Marik came a moment later and then Eurea followed, dripping wet and unhappy as she flattened her ears against her head and growled low in her throat. I do not know how I will ever alleviate the guilt.

Guilt? Marik inquired, glancing at Mai and Otogi curiously. There was something else within his eyes that made Mai bristle faintly but Otogi merely wagged his tail. Yugi did not bother for an answer, pulling himself up and out of the hole in the roof.

Why is he so excited to meet these wolves? Aki grumbled. She bore her teeth when she glanced at Eurea. He would not even properly meet us until long after his worthless beta went missing. Yet he was happy to do it when he met your pack too.

Eurea didn't justify the comment with more than a flick of her ear. He has strange priorities. It is nothing to do with us.

Don't be mean, Mai pleaded unhappily. You know he has a lot going on.

And we don't? she snapped, spinning on her angrily. We were the ones raised to go into battle with him and he still has not bothered to do more than trot among us and bark orders at times. What, at the most, has he truly done for any of us?

You're speaking of a wolf that has the gods on his side, Eurea stated simply. She moved past them all to get to the ledge as well. I would back away from this tantrum you are about to throw. It is not worth it.

Aki bore her teeth, all but lunging at her for a moment. But something brushed against her side and she spun on it, snarling. Marik didn't blink at her, instead staring with his light purple eyes, and then brushed past her again.

Mai and Otogi were already moving past them to follow Eurea, not the least bit concerned with them now. They both watched them slip out of the small exit, then Marik quickly began to follow and Aki took the rear.

When they got to the top, Yugi was standing a few feet away from Echo, Yusei, Serena and Rin. All five of them seemed to be conversing about something or other, but Aki did not believe the white wolf capable of speaking to them and looking elsewhere. He had that disgusting human habit of looking at someone when he spoke.

And you are…? the white wolf was saying. He had come a step closer and his tail rose as he approached. The other alpha came forward in a similar manner, though his tail was only raised to the same height as his spine.

Sakaki Yusho, he stated. His tail wagged slowly and Yugi peered at him curiously for a moment or two. Then he turned towards the she-wolf that had stepped forward beside him. He bristled faintly when she went to sniff him and then stepped back with a growl. Yusho snorted a laugh, wagging his tail again, and Yugi bristled further. This is my mate, Yoko.

He snapped his teeth when she got too close again. Immediately Aki stepped forward, teeth bared. Obelisk moved past her, head turned to face her and teeth bared to keep her in place. The low rumbling snarl that left him was enough to make her legs feel weak.

The sound alarmed Yoko who stepped back with her tail up. She snarled in surprise and Yugi flicked an ear as Obelisk began to move to his side. Yusho tilted his head, at first with bewilderment and then growing shock as his eyes grew several sizes larger. But when Obelisk came closer, so did a small yearling. The canine came forward with a growl, all but launching himself at the dark gray wolf.

Yugi blinked. Obelisk snapped his teeth. The white wolf shouldered him to prevent him hitting the pup. And the two of them glared at one another for a moment. The god bore his teeth and Yugi stared at him, unblinking.

You can't just bite a kid, the white wolf snapped at him. He kept staring and Obelisk huffed loudly, eyes sharp with annoyance. That's not okay.

He lunged at me first.

He's barely even a teenager, you asshole.

A yelp made them both look over. The yearling was on his back, paws and tail tucked. The alpha male was growling quietly but he hardly looked pissed, more stern than anything. The yearling whined and flattened his ears against his skull, but the sound did not come with verbal protests. After a moment the male allowed the yearling to get to his feet again, where he slunk a few feet away behind the female and took a seat with his head down.

Excuse my son.

Yugi blinked. Obelisk raised his head and looked over. Son? both inquired simultaneously. Their heads tilted and their eyes flickered immediately to the yearling.

Yuya, the she-wolf answered with a small glare that told Yugi not to step too close to him. The white wolf shot her an unimpressed look, however, staring into her eyes until she was forced to look away. Now he looked to the yearling again, surprised to find him staring back with keen curiosity and a slight touch of shame.

Yuya, huh? he commented quietly. He flicked an ear and the yearling blinked wide eyes. You need to watch who you show your teeth. Obelisk can eat you pretty easily.

He's too small and his meat would be stringy.

Yugi laughed, turning to him with a wagging tail. You're an absolute asshole, Obelisk, he teased.

He's very protective of us.

The white wolf blinked, turning to the two wolves once more. Oh, he muttered, realizing immediately the implications of the statement. I see.

Yuya glanced at him again with wide eyes. Yusho and Yoko both watched Yugi with somewhat uneasy expressions. The wolves looked away again after a few moments. Yugi turned to Obelisk and then Mai and Otogi.

The three of you can help them to become accumulated to the camp, yes? he announced loudly, turning to them with a somewhat bored expression. Please do so. I have something else to do right now.

He turned and trotted off before any of them could speak. Obelisk, Mai and Otogi looked at one another, then moved about to encircle the small pack. Ears flicked, fur bristled for the smallest of seconds, and then they all began to relax once more.

Our savior is leaving?

Yugi faltered a step. His eyes flickered as he turned his head slowly towards them. The wolves of the Sapporo pack had all bowed their heads. And Obelisk seemed dismissive of this, though many of the other wolves within the original pack were watching Yugi closely.

When shall you return? Yusho asked softly, curiously. His ears flicked but he did not raise his head further than they were already lowered. The white wolf considered him for a long minute. Then he turned away again.

It will most likely only be a handful of days. Maybe even less. He paused, bristling as he noticed the disgusted expression Aki wore. I'll meet with you when I come back.

He trotted off before any of them could respond again. Rather than use the waterfall or the cavern as his exit way, Yugi went the direction he knew led further into the trees. His stomach had begun to twist rather violently, abrupt and painful, as he'd seen that yearling trying to fight Obelisk.

He was not sure what had caused it. But he'd begun to suffer a pulsing throb in his temple as well. His eyes had begun to burn and his mouth had seemed to dry out as he'd looked at them.

But the throbbing in his head had not ceased.

It was growing even stronger.

And it drove him to slow his pace.

He was limping now.

His eyes were weakened.

His paws stung.

Every part of his body took to a low, violent humming of tension and pain.

He wondered at the sensation.

There was a faint gurgling in his ears.

The river was close by, he realized.

But his head was spinning now.

His brain was pulsing with more pain than ever.

His limping grew heavier.

His vision lilted.

Yugi stumbled.

He landed with his chin swallowed by the snow.

The white seemed to stretch for miles.

And then it began to darken and turn gray or perhaps yellowish in tint.

The ice became smoothed down, slicker than he'd ever seen it.

And there was a gaping, yawning formation of a tunnel in front of him.

The darkness from within the arching shape was shattered with dull, dirty streams of yellow and white light.

And the shadows looked all the more endless for it.

Before him a rattling noise burst forth in his ears.

There were clicking noises immediately after.

Claws slid on the slick formation. The shadows stretched for miles. There was a heavy stench which burned his nose. His eyes watered, weakened briefly before regaining strength. His body shook and shivered.

The smell was sweet and sticky and harsh. There were copper edges and dense knots of fire. His head spun again. His mouth was glued together with paste. His skull felt too heavy.

The noises grew louder. There were millions of claws. There were deep rumbling cries. There were harsh purring snarls. There were screams. There were roars.

The heavier steps of human feet were thunderous. His ears rang with each fall and rise of shoes. There were sharp zapping noises. There were bursts of sound.

His eyes seemed to shake in their sockets. He sputtered for a breath. Mold and decay met his lungs. He sputtered and choked again. His ears rang. His body shook. He opened and closed his mouth. Then he shook violently once more.

There were terrible throbs of pain in his temple as before. He opened and closed his mouth. Then he shook harder than ever before. For a moment he choked on the stench again. There was mold and the smell of flesh being gnawed away at by rot.

But his vision began to slowly clear. His heart was aching and his mouth was far too dry. He could not process what was happening before him. But, the darkness had cleared away somehow. And the snow had returned in Yugi's eyes.

Yet, before him, there was also a line of rusted metal. It was stretched from high above his head, as if borne by the sky. But in front of him the metal broke into several branches. It was several feet above his head that the branches showed, a horizontal line there and the rest vertical in mirror of the core he'd been staring at.

He stumbled for his feet. A logical part of his head said, rather groggily, that it was a cage door. It was a metal cage door, holding him there as a hostage. But the snow beyond him seemed to be drenched in red whenever he blinked.

He stumbled a step, sure that the cage was not real. When he passed through it instinct said to flee. It said to go back and hide within the cage once more. But his mind struggled and Yugi could not understand why it was that he had wandered forward like this. Nor why he wished to hide back inside of it again.

You have to run. Yugi turned his head. He'd moved further than he'd initially thought. He had stumbled forward several steps, body rebelling his actions with acute surges of pain. He was dizzy for a moment. But it did not stop him. He blinked and his eyes widened slightly.

Dark, murky gray-blue eyes peered up at him. There were splices of green amongst the pools of them, almost like dirty water touched with algae. Yugi felt winded as he looked at them. The wolf was almost as big as he himself was. He stood larger than many of what Yugi had seen in the labs before.

The air was denser than ever. But the wolf in front of him was kind despite the impatience he showed. In the terrible lighting—for there were flashes of yellow and white and unnatural moon and sun—the wolf was oddly stunning. His eyes were glinting and the brown mixed within his muzzle made the dark gray strands along his forehead much more apparent. Each hair was individually tussled within his handsome face and the golden undercoat was wild beneath it all.

Run.

He couldn't move. But there was so much noise beyond them that his head felt as if it were being beaten in. Yugi let out a shallow breath. The wolf in front of him watched with saddened eyes. Then he turned and leaped.

In front of them figures seemed to be taking form. Wolves, unidentified and shaded lifelessly with gray or silver or off-white, had begun to dash about. Their teeth were bared, their fur up in bristles. They tore off in any and every direction, it seemed.

Yugi was dizzy.

The wolf had vanished.

Screaming began to pound through his ears.

He flinched and turned.

Then he stepped forward.

He stumbled and fell.

He landed hard in the snow, teeth clicking against his tongue.

A seizure came through him.

He gasped for air and struggled for his feet.

Move it, kid.

Yugi blinked unsteadily. His eyes rose to peer from beneath his lashes. Above him, scowling down at him, was a familiar face. His insides coiled with pain and hate all at once, however. And his lips pulled back into a snarl.

Don't even growl at me. You don't have the strength or the time. The gray wolf's dark shadowy eyes glinted at him. But you can run.

Yugi shook his head. A gargling noise left him. Vomit threatened to spill from his jaws.

I am not risking my hide for a pup that cannot even speak. The wolf swung his head down. His muzzle struck Yugi's temple. He struggled for his feet again, panting from the effort. The wolf bore glittering white teeth. Now do as your friend told you and run. Do not look back.

He tried to. He tried his hardest, in fact. Yugi took off in a limp, struggling forward and crashing in the snow. But water slapped into his face, so cold he gasped. Sputtering, more awake now than he cared to be, his senses alert with growing tension, Yugi fought for his feet again.

But there was a body lying in front of him. The wolf was disemboweled, lying on its side. And the human was decapitated beside it. They were both still locked in battle even as their corpses remained lying beside each other.

Yugi felt dizzy, winded.

His head was spinning as he looked at them. Then he heard a vicious snarl once more. He spun around again. His eyes were wide, horrified.

Behind him the blue-gray-eyed wolf was standing feet away. His teeth were bared and hateful. And, a few steps away, was the gray-eyed wolf that had just spoken to him.

Bakura, he reminded himself, struggling to remember the name altogether. His head spun for a moment. He inched forward a step, eyes still wide and horrified.

Do you not know how to use your limbs? Bakura spat at him.

"Atem," a voice sang, so familiar it made him shake. He raised his head, stomach knotting hideously. On a flight of stairs high over his head, was the man he'd seen in the labs. The mask was on his face as it had been then, but the leather appearance of his lips was not so apparent.

Run, the wolf from before snapped angrily. You have to run.

"Come up here. I want to spend time with you again." His fingers had wrapped around the banister. The digits were disgustingly thin and horrifying long. Yugi stared at them, loathsome and sickened as he looked at the man overhead. "You wouldn't leave me, would you Atem?"

He was dizzy.

Please, please, you have to leave! the gray and tawny wolf cried. Yugi blinked and looked at him with wide eyes. The wolf had moved closer to him, tossing him aside when he slammed into his flank. Bakura yelped when he got shocked. The collar vibrated around his throat and sent him through a violent seizure.

Go!

Yugi opened and closed his mouth. His eyes shot to the human leaning over the railing. Then he turned back.

He does not care for you! You know it as well as I! Please, little one, you have to run. The wolf pushed at his stomach with his head. His eyes were desperate and dilated with exhaustion and loathing and such deep affection that it shook Yugi to his core. The wolf flattened his ears against his head, panting. I love you. You have to remember that. That's why I'm freeing you. Now go.

Yugi was shoved back a step. And he turned to run again. But his footing was weak and he skidded as his sneakers lost their traction. The blood was too warm and deep in the puddle he tripped over. He yelped, falling violently from the action.

And, just as he scrambled for his footing again, his stomach knotted. The man on the staircase was moving towards the end of the steps. And the man in front of him was holding the taser aimed straight at him.

Yugi tensed himself. Then he wondered at the aspect of turning his teeth on them. If they survived…

And then the wolf from behind him launched himself. The gray and tawny and red wolf slammed forcefully into the man. Yugi watched as the human's throat was torn out and the meat and grizzle slung across the room.

Yugi scrambled to run.

He got yards away. His eyes were caught on the immediate path in front of him. His skin crawled. His body felt sick. He skidded, nearly reaching the drop of the water over the step of the stone that led to the river tunnels. He panted and looked over his shoulder.

And wished immediately that he never had.

The gray wolf had been caught by the scruff. The human in the mask had caught him as he'd killed the next man. He was yanked from his feet, bloodied muzzle and teeth glinting. He scrambled, kicking his front and back legs frantically. But the human kept his grip.

And, in a split second, Yugi saw it.

His eyes glinted and his breath came in a tired rasp.

His focus had fallen on Yugi as well.

And he could see it there now.

There was abundant acceptance.

And tired acknowledgment.

There was a wealth of affection.

But mostly Yugi saw the blood.

The knife glinted for only a moment.

And the light hit the blade in a continuous stream of yellow.

He screamed.

The wolf went through a hideous spasm.

His body rocked back and forth.

His flanks heaved.

The blood fell in rivulets.

And then the—

Yugi was gasping and choking.

But the hallucination had ended.

Somehow, even as he reeled from the sight of it, the visual had left him. As had the audio. He was no longer screaming in a human voice too broken to function properly. And there was no longer the blood falling from the wolf's shaking and writhing body.

They'd…

He puked and stumbled, limping forward. And then he collapsed.