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.

56. Marik

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh

Update schedule: Every other day

Chapter Warnings: COPIOUS Amounts of Blood, Wolves Fighting, Mentions of Experimentation and Torture, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Forced Breeding, Mentions of Near-Death, Mentions of Madness/Insanity

So, something I read about wolves doing at one point was that when they are threatened and need to make themselves faster they will throw up their food in order to lose weight and be able to flee as quickly as possible. I haven't honestly been able to find it since I initially read it, BUT I have heard of other animals doing it as well. From what I remember, vultures are notorious for doing that in a pinch.

Chapter LVI: Marik

Work Log Entry LI: July, 2005 (Part I)

July 3

Atem has done something rather surprising today.

In the midst of what seemed to be another seizure, he managed to apologize to me for the gash that he inflicted on my face. At first I assumed he meant that it existed in general but then he looked at me in a manner that made it clear that he understood that he had done it.

I do not know when he came to recover the memory of such a thing.

July 6

My wolf look-alike has had his first run-in with Atem.

At first I had assumed it to be okay. They did not show any signs of aggression towards one another. The wolf who looks so much like me even seemed to acknowledge that Atem was the more powerful of the two of them.

So it was not expected that they might fight.

But I looked away to measure out the proper doses of medication necessary to subdue them both for their physical exams. And when I turned back, the two of them were clawing and biting at each other ruthlessly.

In his delirious state Atem nearly managed to kill him. Had it not been for a seizure that came over him in the midst of the attack I do not think that the other wolf might have survived. It is a miracle, surely, that the other wolf made it out of the encounter alive.

But Atem cannot heal himself properly and the other wolf is covered in lacerations.

Extensive testing is to begin on my look-alike in order to ensure that somehow Atem has not somehow managed to poison him in any manner.

From what I understand, only the hellhounds can poison a lycanthrope and vice versa.

I wonder if the boss is fearful that his creation has turned into something else entirely.

The pressure was so immense it made him shake. Yugi was immobilized by the force of it. He couldn't think straight long enough to move. Running was an option required far too much effort to be put into practice. He had struggled to his feet but he could not find the strength to trot away. And so he was dizzy as he remained there, the pressure building. His muscles felt shaken and cold, as if there were ice spearing through his skin.

His lungs were tight and constricted again. And he struggled to think straight for a moment. But he thought he could potentially try to use the ice and snow as camouflage. He thought perhaps he could lay there and wait for the source of this influx of power to simply leave.

But he highly doubted such a thing was truly possible. He did not think that such an entity could be tricked so easily. And, as the seconds passed, it only became more apparent than ever. He shook harder than before. He could not breathe properly as his body began to quake so heavily.

And then he felt it.

It was harsh but familiar.

It was like ice upon his skin for a long amount of time.

It was like fire brandished against his nerves.

It was the blanket of nighttime and the influx of winter.

He thought of pale moonlight.

He thought of hot sunlight.

Yugi blinked and his head turned slowly. He couldn't quite sense the direction it came from. But a part of him was determined. A part of him said that it would come from the trees he faced. It said it would come from there. It said it would be there, a shape of some kind. One he would recognize and understand. And his heart was racing. He was shaking harder, but now he wondered if perhaps it was anticipation now. He did not know what would run through those trees. He did not know if it might kill him.

But some part of him was desperate to see.

It was desperate to understand.

It was desperate to embrace whatever this entity might be.

He flicked his ears, pricking them forward. And his eyes searched the forest in blind determination. He watched the ice, where the snow was blinding in shade. The shadows were so narrow he did not think he truly even saw them…

Yugi strained his eyes for movement.

And then he spotted it.

The wolf that came running forward was skinnier than he'd ever seen. Every bone was visible in its body. Its cheeks were hollowed. Its eyes were sunken. Its muzzle looked too large for its face. And its fur was ragged and unkempt. The black was in clumps, like a shedding dog. Sheets of fur, clumped and hanging from the edges of its overcoat, seemed to sway in the cold air.

And Yugi found himself nearly stumbling.

The wolf was limping but running so quickly it hardly seemed to matter. The black canine was not slowed by the snow in the slightest. And it seemed to gain speed as the seconds passed.

Yugi nearly fell over, heart leaping to his throat. Yami, he sobbed loudly, shaking harder than ever. He felt his breath come in a shuddering gasp. The relief knocked his paws out from under him. He collapsed, entire body shaking. He couldn't remove his eyes from the other wolf.

And, as the black canine came moving closer, he felt his heart lurch. Panic gripped him. A harsh, sweltering wave of power and hatred came through him. He was dizzy as he blinked wide eyes. And he felt sick to his stomach as the other approached.

There was a feral quality to his eyes. There was something wild and dangerous and hateful. The red of his gaze seemed to glow with it all. Set against his sunken face, they seemed to have an eerie and terrible luminescence to them.

Yugi moved to stand again. Fear made him tremble as he rose on weak, panic-stricken limbs. He bristled faintly. And then he quaked as he backed up a step. The black wolf's eyes were on Marik at first. He seemed almost hungry rather than angry. And for a moment the wolf seemed to forget Yugi's presence there altogether.

But then his eyes flickered. And abruptly Yugi realized he was staring at him. He had not turned his head. Nor had he shown any sign of watching. His eyes were not even focused upon him. Instead he was still looking at the carcass on the ice.

But he could feel it. Yugi backed up a step, immediately lowering his head and tucking his tail. He trembled, a thought crossing his mind. If Yami did not recognize him, if he was willing to eat Marik's dead body, could he read and know a submissive stance at all?

The seconds passed. Yugi quivered. He backed up another step. Yami watched him from the corner of his eye. His muzzle was lowered to the snow. His nose was twitching. He looked as he had in his dreams. But the health was not there. There was nothing healthy about the wolf in front of him.

Not even his shedding was natural.

And he realized in horror that he could smell ash and smoke on his fur as well.

And Yugi nearly sobbed. His legs nearly buckled beneath him. Reality hit him so hard he almost collapsed entirely.

Yami had been there.

He had been in the greenhouse.

He had been the one to kill Fuwa.

Yugi was dizzy as he looked at him. His heart was breaking. His breathing was coming in weak puffs. He shook and shivered. And then he backed up on shaky legs.

The movement made Yami blink. And, as the wolf lowered his muzzle further, his jaws parted and opened wide. And, without a millisecond of thought, he lunged.

Yugi screamed. Teeth caught his cheek. Yami snarled and tossed his head. Immediately Yugi felt his legs buckle. The pressure and his own shakiness made it hard to keep his footing. Yugi hit the ice on his side again. And his tail touched the water. He nearly panicked. But Yami breathed heavily against his fur. And he felt the heat it produced so fiercely it made him tremble.

Yami, he tried, panic knotting his stomach. The black wolf didn't respond. His red eyes where Yugi could see them were incredibly glazed. And he looked as if he were dreaming rather than facing him. The shadows across his gaze were too thick. And his pupils were so dilated Yugi thought he was staring into an ink well. His reflection was there, fearful and despaired, but he felt he was staring into a bottomless pit of blackness. Please, Yami…

He didn't know what he was begging for.

He didn't know if it was so Yami would release him.

He didn't know if it was because he was scared of death.

He didn't know if it was so Yami would recognize him.

He felt dizzy again. He couldn't bring himself to fight back. Yami was so incredibly lost and tired. He could see it in him. He could tell. He could read it in every line of his body. And he shivered as he looked at him.

Yami was starved. He was angry. He was vicious. And he was likely to kill him. But Yugi could not bring himself to tear out of his grip. Nor could he find the incentive to bite back.

So he moved his legs to catch his weight. He was exhausted. And when Yami breathed against his cheek again, Yugi shivered. His eyes were focused on Yugi's. He gave no visible sign of recognition. But he appeared to be watching him regardless.

A heartbeat passed.

Yugi wondered if he was waiting for him. He wondered if he meant to see if he'd fight back. Maybe he was just waiting to see if he would be easy to kill. But then he shuddered. Yami was twitching. His cheek was shivering as Yugi looked at it. And he remembered, heart roaring in his ears, that the alpha was given phantom pains when they attacked their beta.

His heart lurched again. Yami—aibou, let go. You have to— He screamed.

Yami was tossing his head. Blood was flecking the snow. And when he released, Yugi collapsed again. The other wolf was too exhausted and weak to throw him. But, had he been able to, Yugi would have gone underwater once more.

He shifted for his feet. His paws felt weak, his legs trembling. Yugi struggled to stand. And Yami lunged for his throat this time. His teeth cut through his skin easily. Yugi screamed again. The blood soaked his fur and splattered on the ice. He clutched at the ice with his claws. He couldn't go back underwater. If he went, he'd drag Yami.

And he didn't think for a second that Yami would survive such a thing.

He yelped when the other clenched his jaws again. The blood came in waves. Yugi felt dizzy but held himself firm. And he tried again, back legs feeling weak as if they might buckle.

Yami, please. Please don't… He couldn't force air from his lungs. His throat felt too tight to breathe. His eyes felt as if they might pop from his skull. He could feel his paws wavering. Please, oh gods—Yami, stop!

The more he spoke, the angrier Yami seemed to become. His teeth clamped. And he tried to toss his head. But the pain was enough to make him twitch. And he shuddered as Yugi had before. He breathed heavily, but he didn't seem to be drawing in enough air.

Abruptly he pulled away.

Blood dripped from his jaws. He panted and whined. And his paw rose to rub at his cheek. Yugi could feel a faint burn in his own, just beneath his eye. He shuddered.

Yami, he whispered, daring to move a paw forward. The black wolf stopped instantly. His lips drew back to reveal each of his teeth in an exaggerated leer. His eyes flashed and caught upon his face. His mouth wrinkled hideously, pushing upon the bottom of his eyes. He shifted his weight.

Then he lunged.

Yugi squared his shoulders, shifting his balance. The black wolf caught the bone in his teeth. He shuddered, snarling. Then he tossed his head. Yugi shifted forward but did not fall.

Aibou, please, he whispered again. Please stop.

The black wolf nearly lost his balance. He bore down harder on the bone. There was a loud popping and grinding noise. Yugi yelped and braced his back legs. He scrabbled on the ice, but his claws held.

Yami, please! he snapped. You'll kill yourself!

Emaciated or not, the other wolf was still stronger than Yugi had ever anticipated. Something about the declaration made his eyes seem to dilate further. He could not see a strip of red in his irises. But he could see the whites of his eyes now. And the black wolf seemed to abruptly focus on his face. Their eyes were caught, he realized, despite himself.

And then Yami moved.

He backed up on bunched haunches. And he pulled Yugi with him. The action made the white wolf lose his footing. In an instant his legs were out from under him. He landed with a cry, eyes horrified. The darker wolf pressed closer to him, looming. And then his jaws opened, aimed for his throat once more.

But he never made contact.

Yugi had rolled onto his side, paws raised and tail tucked. And for a moment he hoped this was what had caused Yami to falter. But then he saw it.

A blur of dark gray had slammed into the black wolf. The emaciated male had braced every bone in his body. And when the other hit, Yami twisted his body to mirror their momentum. The action left his attacker's throat open. And Yami seized upon such opportunity immediately.

Yugi gaped, horrified. He scrambled for his feet, slipped on his own blood, and nearly crashed to the ground. But then he found his balance and trembled, quaking as a leaf might in gusting winds.

Yami! he cried in a panic. But the black wolf ignored him. His teeth clamped. They cut through thick fur and into soft flesh. Blood came in a rush to color the lighter fur. And Yugi shook his head rapidly. Stop it, Yami! You have to stop!

He's feral, the other wolf snapped. He doesn't recognize you. He doesn't know me. He does not have reason to stop.

Yugi quivered. Was that why Yami had not responded to his name even once? Was that why he showed no sign of recognition? Was that why he never even blinked as Yugi begged?

D-don't hurt him! the white wolf begged, panic clenching upon his insides. Please, Obelisk, don't hurt him.

I'd like to point out who's the one bleeding right now, the god spat. He braced his muscles, bunched his haunches, and reared up onto his back legs. Yami clung, rising as well. The gray wolf tossed his weight. Both of them fell.

Yami snarled and gasped for air. Yugi quickly scrambled to his side. Obelisk rolled to his feet. He shook himself out and blood splattered the snow. Yami breathed in rapidly. Then he spotted Yugi and his jaws opened wide. He snapped his teeth a millimeter from the white wolf's muzzle. Yugi trembled, thankful that he'd moved in time.

Aibou…

Obelisk hovered a few steps away. Yami struggled for a moment to roll to his feet. Yugi thought briefly of a turtle on its back. The black wolf was much like one. He was almost shaken and disgusted by the idea. But then he shivered. And, in that millisecond of action, Yami lunged.

He and Obelisk tangled in a knot of dark fur. Both had risen to their back legs. And Obelisk was posed by the hole in the ice. The gray wolf's paw was braced by Marik's broken body as well. He could see their teeth snapping and clenching on fur. But Obelisk was not truly fighting him. And Yami seemed more angry than calculated. He would snap and snarl and miss. And then he'd repeat the action.

Yugi bristled and looked at the two of them. Yami was so thin he could see every inch of his bones. His spine was a hideous ridge of mountains beneath his fur.

What should I do?

Obelisk managed to push Yami back a couple of steps. The black wolf snarled and backed up further. When he shook himself, clumps of his fur fell away. Yugi had not noticed before that the ice had small strands of his dark fur amongst its surface. He trembled.

Stop wasting space and help me pin him.

But Yugi fell still. He could not think to move. The very idea of even turning his teeth on Yami was terrifying. He failed to take a step. His stomach knotted. Yami had taken another step back. His red eyes were burning. His fur had lifted into a bristle along his shoulders and back. But it was clumped in areas and smothered due to the large bunches of fur there.

The black wolf backed up once more. And then he lunged. Obelisk moved to dodge. He leaped aside and moved to bite at the other wolf. But Yami was faster than either of them had anticipated. The wolf was swift in turning. And his jaws were wide open.

Yugi thought briefly of Fenrir. He remembered the myth of such large teeth and jaws that could swallow the sun. He shivered. And then nearly yelped. Blood splattered across his cheek and muzzle. His heart raced in his chest.

Obelisk snarled and tried to dislodge him. But Yami kept his grip on the gray wolf's face. Yami had bitten just above his eye. And the angle had cut halfway across his forehead diagonally to his brow. And so the blood was spilling into the deity's eye. And he was frozen under his grip.

Moving could make Yami's teeth dig into his eye. Yugi recognized this well enough. And to do that could potentially ruin Obelisk altogether. If his eye was destroyed Yugi was not sure he could heal it.

He did not know where the limits existed as far as the reality of regeneration for the wolves. He could not guess. And he doubted Obelisk was willing to suffer such an injury for the sake of his curiosity.

You can help him now or I will kill him.

Yugi was frozen for a moment. He trembled. Yami continued to huff loudly, breathing heavily against his fur. His ears were pricked forward and his tail still raised high. He could not think long enough to respond. And he did not know whether he should lunge into the fight or try otherwise. He did not know whether to heed Obelisk or refuse to turn his teeth on him as he had before.

The very concept of hurting Yami made him want to scream. But the white wolf realized immediately that should Yami kill Obelisk and the god came back, the damage to come about due to this would be far worse than he could ever inflict on the darker canine. So he waited a moment, searching for an opening.

Yami kept his grip tight, but he could see the strain in his limbs. He was exhausted. He was weak. And he could hold Obelisk with his teeth. But if Obelisk tried to knock him off his feet, he'd succeed with little difficulty.

And so he made his choice.

Yugi aimed for his back leg nearest. An apology was sent to the black wolf but he did not react. The white lupine lunged forward. The impact knocked Yami to the side. But Obelisk was roaring with pain, snapping his jaws repeatedly with growing hatred.

But Yugi could not pay attention to the racket he loosed. His eyes were on Yami. The black wolf was steadily gathering his paws beneath him. His claws clicked and slid. His mouth quivered with the instinct to lash out. But he did not move for a long moment. His bones popped and ground against each other.

Yugi trembled at the sight.

And then he readied himself again.

Yami pulled himself up after a moment. His eyes were unfocused. But blood dribbled from his mouth. And Yugi could see the heavy salivation. His mouth was drenched in it along his lips. And when his jaws parted his teeth had heavy strings of saliva.

Yugi pricked his ears forward. His stomach churned. And then he waited another moment. Yami shook himself out. A clump of fur fell with the movement. His red eyes flashed. He looked at Yugi slowly. And then he lunged.

Unlike with Marik, Yami was uncoordinated. And he did not bother to attempt to shield himself. His leap was wobbly and disoriented. And he missed as Yugi had expected. And, as Yugi knew, he could not recover well enough to shield himself.

Yugi caught him around the neck the moment Yami landed. Obelisk was still snarling furiously. He was glaring furiously and his eyes were glowing hatefully. But he did not intervene and Yami yelped. He struggled, shaking his head and trembling. He thrashed; his throes were much like those of a seizure.

The black wolf yelped and snarled. He thrashed again. And then he whimpered. The noise was so pitiful Yugi almost released him. He sounded as if he were both dying and panicking at once. And Yugi wanted to collapse into a fit of sobs. But then he screamed. Yami screamed. His fit grew erratic. His tantrum made him fall beneath his own weight. He screamed again, pathetically calling out as if for a god he was desperate to know but had always been forsaken by.

And Yugi wanted to sob more than ever.

Obelisk was watching them with darkened eyes. But he no longer looked as furious. He looked mildly surprised and more than slightly alarmed. But Yami was still thrashing. And Yugi was despaired to know that he was so capable of holding him like this. The black wolf could not shake him in the slightest. And the more he struggled, the more blood he lost. And the more he hurt himself.

Yugi was shaking again.

But Yami was screaming even louder.

And Obelisk merely blinked at the two of them. He straightened to his full height. The blood was congealed around his eye. And he looked as if he'd been splashed with Halloween makeup on the left side of his face. He blinked again. And then he pricked his ears forward and watched Yami with a somewhat startled expression.

Was he saying something?

Yugi could not tell.

But Yami was growing too exhausted to continue his movements. And so he was growing weaker, slower. His paws slid and scrabbled. His jaws opened and snapped shut. His eyes glazed as Obelisk stared. And then his legs began to buckle. Yugi still did not let go.

And, as the dark-furred canine lost his footing, the blood came in rivers of red. He collapsed, limp and all but lifeless. His breathing was erratic and shallow. He could not move beyond this. And when he peered up at Obelisk, the gray wolf watched him almost dismissively. Yugi released him only when his mouth grew strained beneath the dead weight.

He backed up a step, shaking. Had he been human he knew he would have sobbed. Yami shifted just enough to look at him. His red eyes were darker than ever, shadows passing over them. The hollow gleam to them made his pupils look like flat black stones. And Yugi shook harder than ever at the sight of them.

Oh Yami…

Obelisk bore his teeth. Prepare yourself. He may be emaciated and sluggish now but he may damn well still heal quickly. The statement made Yugi look over with a shocked expression.

I-I can't hurt him again! he protested. I-I—You can't ask me to do that!

I can and I will. You shall do it or I will. Obelisk looked at him with burning, hateful eyes. His face twisted in a sneer of disdain. And I will not be as kind as you with my attack. If you wish to save him some agony, you will do this for him now.

Yami continued to breathe heavily, shaking. The blood continued to pool beneath him. But he did not appear to be trying to move. And the dull light in his eyes remained. He was unfocused and the pain remained enough to make him whine briefly. But he did not make a move to stand. Nor did he seem to do more than shudder when the wind pressed on him.

He… He'll be okay, r-right?

That depends more on what you do from here on with him. You punctured his jugular. How he's still alive is beyond me.

Yugi pricked his ears towards Yami. He wanted to lower his muzzle and lick his forehead. He wanted to tell him he would be okay. But the idea made him shiver, because he knew Yami would lunge. And if he attempted to attack him he might kill himself. And Yugi was not willing to be the reason such a thing happened.

I need to hide him.

The declaration was met with an eerie silence. Obelisk blinked at him slowly, raising his head and considering him more pointedly. Where would you hide him? How would you do something like that?

Yugi shivered. There's a cave…near the base of one of the mountains. It's a couple of miles from here. And I can… There's a rock inside of it that doesn't have an exact shape and looking at it every now and then changes the shape of it in your head. It's ambiguous…but…I can use it to hide him. It's almost more like a den than a little cave. And I can hide him there. I can… I can purchase a chain tie out and I can… I can tie him to the rock to keep him there. He felt dizzy as he considered it, head spinning and thoughts lost beneath the weight of the heavy sluggishness which possessed Yami in front of him. His shuddering breaths made his heart hurt and his chest almost collapse with pain. I'll feed him what I can catch and drug him until he falls asleep and it'll metabolize slower.

And then what? What of the time you cannot be near him?

I'll skip a week of school. I'll… Honda or Anzu can be my cover. And I'll spend my time with him. He hesitated. I need to… I'll find a way to cover his scent. I don't want any other wolves or predators or hunting dogs to find…I can use mud… I can use paint. I can… No… I can use mud and berry juice. It'll make him smell more natural. It'll…

Fox dung would do just as well.

Yugi turned his head to stare at him blankly. Then he shook his head slowly and bristled faintly. Fox dung… I could… But it won't last. None of it will last…

Then continue to wash him mud every morning. Mud or the blood of whatever animal you catch for him. Obelisk watched him for a moment. Perhaps bear blood. If you can find a bear still awake in this winter.

Yugi shook his head and looked to Yami. He ignored the thought of the bear carcass which had been left in the woods that night. He had not found it since then… No… I think I have a better idea. There's an entire area of abandoned factories and warehouses near the pier. The area is technically set off limits and the place is closed to the public. The pack doesn't know it exists. And I… Yugi watched Yami blink and draw in a steady breath, the first of a handful to follow. I can chain him there, in one of them. The smell there is mostly fishy or full of diesel.

But if some stupid group of kids went through that area…he didn't know if they'd hurt Yami. Or if Yami would kill them in turn for entering his territory. With his feral state Yugi did not think for a second they Yami might try to hide away.

He wondered if this was why Yami said that the rabies was the closest relative to lycanthropy. Because the wolf lost its sense of prohibitions and turned vicious enough to simply kill. Because the wolf lost its natural instinct to flee in battles that they knew otherwise they would lose.

Or if it was simply the temperament with which Yami displayed his unhealthy state now.

He shivered. Yami was breathing regularly. And his eyes were not as glazed. And he looked livid. Yugi trembled at the sight.

Yami…

The black wolf growled softly. Obelisk pricked his ears forward. Yugi trembled harder. The black wolf did not move from his position splayed upon his belly and limp legs broken beneath his slight weight. Yugi wanted to puke as he looked at him, his entire frame wracked with a sense of burning indignation on the other wolf's behalf. So the gods had returned him to his side, but he was wounded. He was incredibly wounded, half-dead, exhausted and collapsed before him. Yugi shivered and shook his head. He wished, for the smallest of moments, that he could simply lie beside him, lick him clean of the blood that still lay upon his fur.

But the reality of it was simply painful. The sight of the other wolf, once so strong and healthy and beautiful in coat, made him feel sick. Yugi was exhausted beneath the weight of the idea. But he also realized, abruptly, that the red-eyed male did not truly recognize him and so that pain in his heart lessened, if only mildly.

As long as Yami did not truly know him, he could perhaps do the same. He could pretend to not recognize him. And then he could pretend as well that Yami had not forgotten him in some way. Because, he felt, if he continued to look into those dark red eyes and saw himself amongst his pupils but saw nothing of recognition, Yugi thought he might suffer his heart breaking into pieces. He could not stand to see Yami stare at him in such a way, blinded with agony and watching him with discontentment and hateful disdain.

Obelisk's calm stare was just enough to help Yugi keep from collapsing as well. He was watching the black wolf with such easy recognition and mild annoyance that Yugi felt that he was looking at him almost as simply as he would have the white wolf during their training. The gray wolf flicked an ear easily and shook himself out, the smallest spot of blood falling upon Yugi's nose at the movement. The white wolf reached a paw up to rub it away, staring at Yami for a moment before drawing in a deep and uncomfortable, shaky breath.

I am going to have to purchase a tie out. The pet store near Valon's mom's café has a couple of metal ones. And I can get a chain collar for him to keep him from escaping too easily. He was staring blankly, heart shaking in his chest at the very idea. He would never have considered before that Yami might need to be chained in any manner. The very thought hurt him to truly put into words. His breath came out in a terrible shudder in which he trembled briefly. It'll keep him from getting loose when I'm not there at the cave.

Slifer can watch him in the time that you are not there to do so.

Yugi blinked and turned his head to look at him now. Yami growled a little louder, twitching in the corner of Yugi's eye and making the smaller wolf incredibly nervous. Was it possible that the other might be encouraged to attempt to lunge forward just enough to bite through his flesh? He shivered and looked at his beta pointedly, the deity lazy in the way he regarded him in turn.

Slifer could watch him in the time that Yugi was not there to do so?

He felt sick. Why would he allow the goddess of death to do that?

Was Obelisk crazy?

What if somehow being exposed to her was enough to kill Yami in some way? He breathed out shakily, turned his head as Yami flexed his paws and tried to sink his claws into the ice, and watched the black wolf. But Yami made no more moves to stand once more. Instead he simply looked up at Yugi with those burning red eyes, the gleam within his gaze intent and frustrated. He seemed more like a teenager who had been caught at the wrong party and was hateful of a scornful parent.

Yugi felt his heart racing at the thought.

Would Yami have been as wild and unkempt as so many of his classmates were had he been strictly human rather than a lycanthrope? Was that possible? Or was he simply being hopeful of such a thing? He wondered briefly if he and Yami would have ever crossed paths had this been the case. He could see himself and Jonouchi doing stupid things like sneaking out—especially considering he had already done so at one point with the blond—but drugs were not something he himself ever would have done. And Jonouchi had been living with his father for so long that he highly doubted that he would ever come to desire to so much as drink. He knew that Jonouchi hated even the idea of not having control of everything happening with or around himself so he could not see drugs helping him achieve such a task in any manner.

The paler-furred wolf shivered again, then looked back at Obelisk. But his peripheral was locked on his alpha and he could see that Yami understood this. The red-eyed wolf refused to move now, growling softly at times but ignoring the urge to do more. His ears flicked briefly back and forth, but he did nothing more. He did not flex his toes as if to sink his claws into the ice. He did not do more than blink briefly. And the low snarl was so quiet that it was almost like the background hum of a car.

Why would Slifer want to watch him?

She has her reasons for helping you and him alike, Obelisk said dismissively. He flicked an ear and lowered his eyes to Yami once more, expression sharp as his lips pulled back mildly in disgust. Besides, why should she not wish to do so? Is there a reason why she should not watch him? Do you truly have a reason beyond simply her domain?

Yugi shivered. Had he read his mind? Or had he himself projected the question too loudly within his own skull? Perhaps Obelisk had overheard it even as it had disappeared from his thoughts. He shivered and felt slightly sick, then shook his head slowly as if with frustration.

You can't tell me that I shouldn't be a little suspicious of such an offer. He faltered after a moment, shivering, and looked back down at his alpha with a sick feeling in his gut. He shook his head after a long moment, lungs constricting painfully. He couldn't simply hide away from his house altogether. Doing so would have been a bad idea. And he did need help. And he did not think he could ask Obelisk, as he knew now that he had more reason than ever to send him back to the camp. He would have him run the camp in the time that he was gone. But he was not sure beyond then how it was that he was meant to deal with Yami's presence there. Even if he tied him up in the cavern, it did not completely solve all of his problems. What would happen if Yami got sick? Or he got too hungry to do more than whimper and plea in the time that Yugi was gone?

He glanced at Obelisk sideways. I need you to return to the camp when I've gotten Yami settled. But I don't have any ideas beyond that. He hesitated, then raised his head and turned to the gray wolf with a more determined expression. I'm going to go back to the pet store as quickly as I can. And I'll get the tie out and collar and then I'll make a decision about everything else.

The deity watched him silently for a long minute. Then he looked at Yami and flicked an ear. Very well. Remember haste.

---

Yugi had gathered the chain collar—correction collar, as the woman had insistently stressed upon his asking for one—and tie-out in a matter of twenty minutes. The blue-violet-eyed teen had bothered only at the edge of the trees to look around himself and make a mad dash into the woods. The snow slowed him down considerably and he felt breathless by the time he got to Obelisk and Yami again. Marik's body lay broken and frozen beside the black wolf and Yami was still snarling with dilated eyes that showed much of the whites. Obelisk was simply seated there, watching him pointedly as if the other might not move to attack or do anything further if he had eyes on him. The idea startled Yugi who realized, abruptly, that perhaps his alpha was not the least bit as exhausted as he pretended to be at that moment.

Was he simply biding his time? If he meant to leap at them when their guard was down, it would be devastating with the state he was in, Yugi was sure. The black wolf would hardly think twice about drawing blood and ripping through sinew and muscle. The small teen swallowed heavily as he drew in a deep breath and came over the top of the slope and towards them uneasily. Yami did not look towards him and Obelisk moved his head only enough to keep them both in his peripheral.

"Is he okay?" he demanded immediately, feeling flushed as he scrambled through the snow and nearly tripped over himself. He drew in another long, deep breath, and sighed loudly with a shake of his head. He frowned and looked towards Yami with shaking hands, the bag hanging off his wrist painfully. The weight of the stake for the tie out was considerable and he felt dizzy for a moment as he looked at the black wolf. Would Yami hate him for doing this to him later?

Does he look as if he has been harmed further? Obelisk drawled in a condescending tone. Because I have not laid a fang on him just yet. We haven't fought yet.

Yugi resisted the urge to glare at him. Instead he stared at Yami more pointedly, fearful that perhaps he was hallucinating. It would not be the first time he might have come across a longer, more detailed proceeding of image that he had interacted with. But then most of those had been silent and more akin the vision of one of his friends sneering or mouthing something that he read in a way that made his head spin. Once or twice he'd hallucinated Jonouchi mouthing at him that he was more annoying than he was worth, Anzu that she was disgusted by his affections for her, and Honda that he was a freak due to his illnesses. He'd even hallucinated his mother telling him that he was not her son once, though this one had occurred oddly as she had been speaking, his mind translating her mouth's movements but his ears hearing something else entirely. And he had been sick for hours after that, shaken by the idea that she had perhaps come to finally be too frustrated with him to care any longer and tempted to simply disown him instead.

He drew in a shaky breath, hands trembling once more. He had forgotten about it until that moment. Or, rather, he had suppressed the memory of this for as long as he was capable of. And, as he looked toward the two dark-furred canines, he felt dizzy and sickened. His stomach knotted. His heart skipped a beat. His mouth grew dry and his lungs tightened.

Yugi, calm yourself, the gray wolf snapped at him, though his head turned towards Yami when he saw movement in the corner of his eye. The red gaze glinted, the glaze long gone and replaced with something he could not quite read but knew to be immersed in cunning. A feral wolf might have been violent, but they were not stupid in the slightest. Reckless by far, but never stupid. We have to get this done. You and I will transport him to the cavern.

Yugi shivered. "How?" he demanded after a moment, feeling shakier than ever. "I don't think he's going to let me carry him."

No, he will not. Obelisk flicked an ear dismissively. I shall subdue him again. And then you shall have to carry him.

The small teen blinked at the gray wolf slowly, eyes sharpening briefly. "You plan to bite him until he loses consciousness and then I'll be responsible for carrying him?" he snapped in annoyance, shaking his head slowly. "You can't be serious. He's already so sluggish and I don't want him hurt anymore than he already has been."

That's a terrible inconvenience. And I suppose it will shock you when I say I do not care. The gray wolf sniffed loudly and turned to Yami with darkened amber-flecked eyes. It comes down to the fact of necessity and his comfort is not one when it comes to traveling. He is going to need to be carried. I am not going to drag him for miles through the forest for the sake of his comfort and a warm fuzzy feeling in your belly. It is never going to be something I shall find myself caring for, understand?

"But he's already hurt—"

And later in life he shall be hurt again. Tell me something that truly matters, Yugi. You forget that he is a wolf, just as you are. He will survive if he is given the proper means to do so. You ignore this reality for the sake of saving your own conscience, but it is something that you need to realize. Obelisk watched Yugi with a spiteful expression from the corner of his eye. His ears pricked forward and his head tilted only slightly to the side as if in mocking sympathy for the small teen. Remember yourself, Yugi. We have brought him back to you. It is within our power to remove him once more.

"You're disgusting," he snapped bitterly. Then his eyes snapped to Yami again, shaky as he saw the black wolf breathe roughly out of his mouth. His red eyes were darker than ever and his ears were pricked further forward. Along his neck and shoulders his fur began to rise into a minute bristle, as if he were trying to keep his anger contained. The small teen licked his lips unhappily, a melancholic twinge biting upon his insides. Then he swallowed hard and shook his head slowly. "Okay, okay, then that's what we'll do. We'll… Just don't hurt him too much. I…"

You are not my master, foolish boy, Obelisk stated dismissively. I am a god, one which can do as he pleases however he might come to wish. You forget that I might help you but I do not give you permission to act as my alpha when it is beyond the pack. I do not care if you are concerned that I will harm him. I highly doubt that he will be harmed by me as it is.

Yugi blinked, confused by the statement. The words made no sense to him for a long moment. And then he glanced at Yami slowly and his stomach knotted. The black wolf was facing Obelisk completely now, sensing his movement. He was studying the muscles in his body, tracking them in that brilliant mind of his, as feral as it was. And, when Obelisk rose to his paws, Yami used his own to push himself forward. In an instant he'd managed to raise himself on shaky legs, lunging in a rush.

The deity sidestepped. Yami stumbled. Then he turned on him. Their mouths opened in unison. Teeth glinted brightly in the sunlight. And both of them clashed with a snarl. Yami was so enraged that he kept himself upright against the attack. They had both risen onto their back legs, balancing precariously. And Yami had taken to snapping and tearing at any part of Obelisk's face he could find. Fur was flying, but there had not been any blood drawn as of that moment.

Yugi shivered. Obelisk tilted his body into half an arch. He was snarling, shaking. Tufts of fur had been stripped from his left cheek. His eyes were glowing with anger. Yami was snapping at dead air. His back legs quivered. Their upper bodies bent again. Yami was forced to drop from his attack. He landed heavily on all fours. Obelisk did the same, backing up quickly. They stared at one another. Yugi swallowed hard. Then he trembled as they moved again.

Yami rushed forward with such speed it startled both Yugi and Obelisk. The black wolf was almost a blur in the movement. He hit Obelisk hard enough to throw him off his feet. The gray wolf yelped, paws in the air. And then Yugi saw the blood. It soaked the ice in a puddle. And it sprayed the shattered shards beyond it. But Yami had turned away from it. And he was facing Obelisk again. The gray wolf braced his legs. Yami sprang forward.

The black wolf squared bony shoulders. His tail remained lowered. And he did not bristle. But his lips were drawn entirely back. And his teeth were showing completely. His ears were pricked forward. His eyes were glowing. And his mouth opened into a gaping cavern of white and red. His head lowered and his teeth snapped brilliantly. Obelisk yelped again, trying to push with his paws. But the emaciated wolf held his ground somehow. His eyes were furious. His neck was wavering beneath the strain. His paws were shaky. But he kept his weight there. And he remained looming over the other.

When he released, it was not without jerking and shaking his head rapidly. Fur and blood flew now. Obelisk snarled and snapped his jaws. His teeth aimed for Yami's throat. The black wolf ducked his head, turned his jaws. Their teeth clicked together. The black wolf was breathing raggedly. But he was so furious that he did not feel the pain. And Yugi could see the vacant expression within his gaze. He did not feel pain. He did not feel exhaustion. He was livid. The adrenaline had kicked in. And his bite force was a thousand times stronger than usual.

Yugi shook his head, trembling. Yami pressed forward again. He leaned. Obelisk's head was pressed back into the ice. The black wolf tossed his head violently. The gray canine snarled, yelped, and kicked frantically. The small teen felt bile rising in his throat. His alpha jerked his head harder. The pain made the deity yelp again. His amber-flecked eyes were glowing now. And he looked furious. But he had not gotten an adrenaline rush yet. And Yugi was thankful for that brief moment.

Then he dropped the bag and moved forward. In an instant Yami ceased his movements. His eyes slid to focus on Yugi. The small teen froze. Obelisk kicked at the black wolf again. The darker canine eyed the small teen. The three of them were frozen for a moment. And then Yami slowly lowered his head further. He watched Yugi closely. His eyes tracked every movement. For a split second Yugi did not think he would move again.

And then the black wolf shook his head again.

A bone popped.

Both wolves froze for a moment. And then Yugi saw it.

Obelisk had grown slack in his grip. His mouth was still open. His face was still marred with his anger. But his eyes were glazed and lifeless, peering up. And Yami was merely holding still for the moment. Because he was trying to find the best way to ambush Yugi. He would end it. Yugi could see it in his eyes. He would rip his throat out just as he had Tomoya's so long ago. And the red eyes peered at him darkly. Then he slowly untangled himself from Obelisk. He blinked slowly, lowered his head, and began to move forward.

Yugi backed up a step. The black wolf quickened his pace. There was a sloppy, sideways stumble to his movements. He opened his mouth and flashed his teeth. His eyes glinted furiously. And then he sprang. The small teen waited a heartbeat, then spun. The black wolf shot past him. He landed so heavily on his forelimbs that he stumbled. In an instant he collapsed. Then he tried for his feet again. His legs buckled under his weight. He gasped for air. Blood dribbled from his teeth.

Yugi was horrified when Yami opened his mouth. A harsh choking noise came forward. In an instant the black wolf lurched. His mouth opened wider. His teeth flashed. His tongue rolled in his mouth. Blood splattered forward. Bile stinking of rot entered his nose. Yugi quivered. Yami must have been starving. But the black wolf did not pause. He puked up more bile and blood. And then, slowly, he stumbled to his paws. Yugi was abruptly confronted with a new thought.

Yami was not puking from sickness.

He was lightening the burden of his weight.

He was expelling what he felt he did not need.

And he was making himself lighter.

So that he could move faster.

So that he could kill him without as much trouble.

Yugi gasped for air at the realization.

And Yami shook himself out. When he turned to Yugi now, he stumbled. But the look in his eyes was of absolution. He was going to kill him. And he would not think twice. He would not pause. He would not hesitate. His eyes were glowing again. His lips were flecked with foam. When he ran his tongue over his nose, it was in a pretense of amusement more than hunger. Yugi could see it.

And he felt himself shaking at the realization of it.

Because now he realized that this must have been what people had always feared.

This must have been the monster from the horror films that stalked about people's nightmares.

This was the icon of horror that Hollywood so worshipped.

Because, in his feral state, Yami was as wild and vicious as a well-produced hurricane. He could kill without pause if he were to run across a creature ill-prepared for his attack. He could kill an ordinary human before they blinked. He could not do the same to Yugi because the small teen was aware of his illness. He, being infected as he was, could still match him step for step.

But it was his mental state which made him so dangerous.

Yami knew no sense of allegiance in this state.

He knew no sense of loyalty or emotion like this.

He would kill without care. He would slaughter and eat whatever he found worthy of filling his belly. He might even feast on Marik if he got through Yugi first.

The black wolf tilted his head slightly. His mouth opened slightly. The blood was smeared across his teeth. His lips were slick with black. And his eyes were laughing. He stepped forward, stalking. Yugi backed up again rapidly. And then he stumbled. His sneaker seemed to go through the air for a moment. And then he felt the cold chill of the water. He cried out, startled and horrified. He felt as if his flesh were burning. He turned immediately, horrified. Reality crashed into him, his spine growing tense. Every hair on his body rose into a bristle. His throat closed up. His eyes widened in horror. And his body grew rigid.

His head snapped around. Yami's teeth flashed inches from his face.

Something slammed into his side. Yugi felt his mouth fall open, then snap shut. Multiple times he tried to regain his senses. But his brain did not seem to be working. In front of him Yami had landed a few feet away. He was on his side, breathing hard. His eyes were shut tightly. His legs were shaking. His entire body was writhing slightly. He was breathing too heavily to see his face properly, the white puffs like smoke from a campfire. Yugi trembled, then turned his head slowly.

Obelisk shook himself out, glaring at him furiously. The bastard seriously just killed me? he spat hatefully. He snapped my fucking neck! And you just watch him while he prepares to make you his next victim? You stupid, stupid boy!

Yugi could not think straight for a moment. His mouth opened and shut again. When his teeth chomped, they chattered again moments later. He blinked in shock. Then he opened and closed his mouth again, lungs constricting painfully. "H-how did he…? Obelisk, I…" He looked frantically towards the black wolf now. But Yami was not getting up for the moment. "H-he—"

He is feral, you stupid boy! He'll kill anything that moves. You are a fool to think that he can understand or even remotely remember you in any fashion. You should have beaten him with a stick or knocked him unconscious by now. Yet you simply stand there and watch me with that godforsaken expression of fear on your face. You stupid, stupid bastard. Obelisk was foaming at the mouth, shaking with his anger. His eyes were on Yami, however, and he was quivering more forcefully with each second to pass. I should have simply ripped his throat out. Obviously you do not like your gift—

"Don't touch him!" Yugi screeched before he could stop himself. Yami sputtered. His breath came in a whistle. His body shuddered. His legs twitched. He shifted to draw his legs up. And then his claws scraped. His paw closest his muzzle moved to grip at the ice. He was staring at it, red eyes wide open again. And then he snarled, exhausted but fighting for a new stance. His efforts were weak at best, his muscles jerking and trembling beneath his coat. He blinked, then shifted. His bones ground together loudly. Yugi opened and closed his mouth, frozen in place as he watched. The black canine was so emaciated and small. And yet somehow it was dangerous and heavy and—

"What do I do?"

You? What would I have you do? Obelisk sneered spitefully. You have shown your worth in doing nothing.

"I—I wasn't—Obelisk, fuck, what do I do?" he panted, shaking and gaping at the wolf. Yami was on his belly now. His eyes were livid again. But they were focused on Obelisk once more. It was as if the fact that the god moved on four legs infuriated him. And so Yami struggled for his footing. He rose on stiff, half-fractured bones. He stumbled upon grinding forelimbs. And then he staggered a step. Yugi could hear every bone within his body clicking against each other. And his lips curled back briefly. His eyes flashed bitterly. His teeth were bared. Yugi could hear his organs shifting and stretching, flexing and sliding and—

"What do I do?"

He was screaming, he realized. He was frantic and could not breathe properly. He was shaking harder than a leaf in heavy winds. And he could not think straight. His eyes were glazed fearfully. His head was turned towards Yami. And he could not remove his eyes from the black canine.

Was this what a hellhound looked like?

Was this what it looked like when death stalked forth from the shadows?

Yugi felt dizzy and disgusted. His legs shook beneath him. His eyes threatened to blur with tears. The cold air nipped at his skin. The water pressed on his ankle. He shook harder. Then he collapsed. The impact made Yami startle. His head snapped towards him. His red eyes widened, the whites glittering like snow. His ears pricked. His head angled slightly towards the ice. Then he very dismissively turned to Obelisk once more. His steps were uneven, imprecise. He moved slowly, ragged in his determination. But still, somehow…

Get to your feet, the gray wolf spat. I can hold him long enough for you to grab him. From there I suggest you strangle the insolence out of him.

"You—w-what? S-strangle him?" Yugi sputtered, horrified by the very idea. He looked at that black wolf, heart yearning and full of such a hideous ache that he felt shaky even seeing him in such a state. He'd been so desperate to have him back. He'd wanted nothing more than to have him there with him again. He'd wanted so much to apologize to him. But now he… How was he supposed to hurt him like this? How was he meant to willingly harm him in such a manner? He couldn't think straight long enough to even consider.

Then I will simply rip his head from his body. Obelisk stalked forward. Yami shook himself out. But his body was so weak, his bones weak, that he stumbled violently to the side. Then he staggered to stand. His entire body seemed to sag beneath the weight of movement. He could not raise his head from where it hung beneath his shoulders. His eyes were cold, nearly lifeless. It will not take much.

"N-no, don't—don't hurt him." Yugi opened and shut his mouth pathetically. His heart was racing in his throat. His hands were shaking. His right leg was freezing. But some part of him was desperate. The better half of his brain was frantic. He needed to move. He needed to stop Obelisk from doing as he'd threatened. He needed to slow Yami down. He needed to—

He moved enough weight onto his left leg to pull his right out of the water. The limb was so heavy it nearly sent him toppling. But he knew well enough he was simply exhausted. And his mind was too frantic to realize his uneven balance for a split second. He was staring at Yami too hard to even think straight again. And, as Obelisk stepped forward, tail raised, ears pricked, shoulders squared, head raised, Yugi felt he might sob. He stumbled forward a step. Yami flicked an ear. His eyes shot to him. The strike Obelisk could have aimed then would have been perfect. But the deity did not move.

His eyes were still on Yami. But Yami was watching Yugi. And, for the briefest of seconds, the god thought he saw within his eyes a form of recognition. It was a split second glimmer, the smallest strip of vibrant red against dulled brick, but it was there. He would have sworn his immortality upon it. And he swore he thought Yugi saw it as well, because the small teen blinked wide eyes and froze in place, head raised slightly in shock.

Then Yami blinked. His eyes dulled further. His claws clicked unsteadily on the ice. His attention fell upon Obelisk once more. And the black wolf rushed him. The gray canine snarled and sprang at him. The two lupines slammed into each other. The attack should have thrown Yami onto his back. Yet, somehow, by a miracle Obelisk could not name, the black wolf braced himself. He seemed to absorb the hit. His eyes flashed violently. His body tensed perfectly. He staggered with the hit. But he did not move further than an inch or two. Then his jaws opened wide.

The gray wolf dodged back. The teeth clicked shut a millimeter from his nose.

Abruptly images sprang to his mind. There was blood everywhere. Sharp gleaming teeth were bared against him. Short, stubbly fur showed before his face. Beady dark brown eyes stared back at him. There were cries of a high-pitched magnitude. Screams were echoing about him. His mind felt dull. His eyes felt tired. His lungs were tight. His body was sluggish. Thoughts were jumbles. He knew not what he was facing. But he knew there were tons. And his body was tensed with preparation. It was routine. It was a painful, fortifying routine. He knew it. He could survive it.

He'd survived it before.

He could do it now…

The teeth caught his skull, forcing it down. Obelisk snarled and shook his head. Immediately Yami released, too weak to retain his grip without being thrown. The darker wolf backed up a step. Obelisk backed up as well, stunned. What had the other just shared with him? It was not war that the other had been through. Or, perhaps it was not a war in his mind. Was it possible that, because Yami did not define it as more than survival, he himself had never known of what he'd gone through? The time he had been missing had been a mystery to him. He had been unable to see him in any sense. He could not sense him. He could not summon his image in dreams.

It had been Slifer to warn him to run to Yugi. She had been frantic, alarmed, her golden eyes horrified. She had not understood anymore than he had, he realized. Somehow even her sight upon him had vanished during that time. When she'd told Yugi similarly, her portent had been proper. But then she'd gotten a flash. It had been abrupt and intense, so vibrant that she'd been stunned. He'd watched her entire body ripple with a bristle, mouth opening wide for a split second as her eyes flashed.

And then she'd been urging him to find Yugi. She'd been frantically telling him to run. She'd been hysterically snarling that Yugi's life was in danger. And then she'd said she needed to find Echo and the others. She'd told him she'd keep them away, as they might respond to the events to come. And then she had fled entirely. Obelisk had barely had even a moment to think to understand before rushing off in turn. And, in that split second it took him to run, he'd sensed something incredible and disorienting.

Now he knew it to be Yami.

His state, feral as he was, was enough to make his insides quiver. He had been quick in defending Yugi, but the thought of fighting him much longer was exhausting. Yami had snapped his neck despite his weakened state. He was acting as a primordial force rather than Obelisk, as if touched by gods beyond them. The fact that he had been able to inflict so much pain was a sign that something was wrong with this wolf in front of him. Something was hardwired within him that had not been accounted for before.

Obelisk could sense it but he had no words for it.

Yami had adapted, he realized. He had evolved. Whatever he had suffered in that time he could not be sensed by himself or Slifer had done something to alter him entirely. It had changed him in a way that shook the gray wolf. Because Yami was not meant to be able to do such a thing. It had been something that none of them had been prepared for, and their lack of planning had left them blind to this.

Just as it had initially left him blind to the decisions that had carved Yugi's way into Yami's life and vice versa. Code Name Atem was not meant to find a partnership so solid in Yami and Yami was not meant to be the focal point of survival for much of Yugi's existence as a werewolf like this. None of them had taken the time to factor this into a possibility. It was stunning to realize that they were so incredibly blind to such possibilities. But gods were not all knowing. Any of them could have stated this, though he supposed many would never have believed such a thing.

Obelisk bristled and backed up a step as Yami shook himself again. He stumbled. Then he stepped forward again. The step was sloppy and uneven. Yami pulled his lips back completely, showing each of his immense teeth. They flashed white against red gums. They were bleeding, he noticed. And his tongue was pale white. The muscles along his jaws must have been swollen with pooled blood, for his cheeks were puffed outwardly. He bristled and bore his teeth in response, shaking.

Yugi—

The small teen was moving closer, limping on his cold foot. But he was watching Yami with clear eyes. Something inside of them was brilliant with determination. And another part of him was shaky as he wandered forward a few more steps. But Obelisk could see it in him. Whatever he'd witnessed in Yami was enough to make him want to do this. He would help Obelisk to subdue him and then he would have to carry him to the cavern. The gray wolf bristled as Yami stalked forward again.

"If you let him catch you, I can get him from there."

The statement made Obelisk stiffen. His eyes flickered to Yugi abruptly. Allow him to grab me? When the last time he managed to do so, he broke my neck? I will not. Find another way.

"I can't. I'm going to need to have his teeth away from me. I need easy access to his nose."

His nose?

"Just trust me, okay? I promise that I can get this figured out. I just need him to grab you. I need him his teeth out of the way. I can do the rest." Yugi looked at Obelisk uncertainly. "I mean, I can try to have him bite me, but I don't know if I can do it with one hand."

Obelisk looked at him angrily. You will only have one hand if you do not work quickly, he sneered. Yugi hurried forward as Yami lunged. Obelisk moved just enough to shield his neck. Teeth sank into his shoulder, all the way to his bone. He expected the other to try to shake his head again or perhaps try to tug him off his feet. But, instead, the wolf simply stumbled. He was too exhausted, Obelisk realized. His red eyes were glazed and he was breathing too heavily to bother with much more. So he simply stood there when he caught his balance once more. He breathed raggedly into his fur, eyes wrinkled from his immense bite.

"Okay, okay," Yugi muttered, coming over to the side that Yami stood, He crouched on the ice next to them. Yami blinked, snarling, and looked towards him. But he was too exhausted to pull his teeth from Obelisk's shoulder. And, when Yugi leaned forward, hands cupping his nose, he wheezed and whistled against his fingers. The black wolf tried to shift away from him. His body was too tired, ragged, and he blinked dull but furious eyes back at him. Yugi clenched his fingers upon the sides of his nose, then the front. Yami wheezed and whistled again, then tried to pull from Obelisk altogether. He was frantic in his movements now, shaking, and his eyes were more whites than pupils or irises. He looked sickly and desperate.

And, as the seconds passed, Yami trembled and his eyes rolled up in the back of his head. It took a few more minutes for his body to go slack. He collapsed to the ice again, body limp but teeth still in the gray wolf's flesh. It was surprising how heavy a body of mere bone and grizzle and organs was. He had fallen and nearly tugged him off his feet entirely. Obelisk looked to Yugi with a surprised expression. The small teen was working his fingers beneath Yami's muzzle, into his top jaw, and was slowly easing it upwards. Then he did the same with the bottom. And, finally, a moment later, he pulled the bloodied teeth away entirely.

"Jesus," the small teen cursed. He drew Yami's head closer to his lap, the jaw still wide open, and felt along his gums for a moment. Then he sighed and shook his head with tightly closed eyes, looking sickened. He raised shaky fingers to his hair, running through the soft strands, and then turned his attention back to Yami uncertainly. His eyes slowly flickered to Obelisk in turn. "Let's get going then."

---

Yugi struggled to slide Yami back into the cavern with him. He was exhausted after carrying him for so long. And Obelisk was not the least bit amused by the fact that Yugi had been forced to shift his grip on the canine's body so many times. It had taken what had seemed like hours to get there, even if it had to have only been one at the most. He swallowed hard and shook his head slowly. Then he pulled the dark-furred canine into the makeshift den with him, the stone in the center hopefully enough to potentially block Yami from the sight of anyone curious enough to try to lean forward and look inside. He hoped to the gods that Yami was as quiet now as he had been when they were in his room so often.

"Fuck," he muttered, reaching into the bag he'd kept around his wrist during the time he'd carried him. He pulled the choke collar out, shivering at the sight of it. It seemed to gleam as if mocking him as he looked at it for a moment. And then he swallowed hard, lowered his eyes, and turned to Yami as the wolf remained still but for long, even breaths. He had been unconscious for over an hour now. Yugi wanted to worry about it, but some part of him prohibited it. He was a wolf. He would survive whether Yugi was scared for him or not. So the small teen swallowed hard, shook his head, and moved to slide the collar over Yami's neck.

Raising his head made his breathing come out in a whistle, a weak wheezing noise to accompany it. Yugi shivered and shook his head again, smoothing Yami's fur out around it. Fur clung to his fingers, then slid through the guard hairs along the top of his outer coat and fell away at his touch. Yugi breathed in hard, because the fur was disgusting, unnaturally slick as if with oil, and he felt sick and dizzy for a moment. He shook his head, swallowed hard, and then turned to Obelisk after a long handful of seconds.

"I need some help digging a spot for the tie out," he commented after a moment. He swallowed hard again when the gray wolf shot him an incredulous look, but then faltered when his ears flicked and he tilted his head in surprise. The small teen gave him an annoyed glance, voice coming out a little harsher. "Obelisk, I'm serious. I need help."

And so someone has come to help you.

"Someone has…?" Yugi trailed off, then turned his head as well. He could hear footsteps. They were soft and rapid in the snow. He felt dizzy. "Obelisk…"

It is okay. She will help you.

The small teen looked over at him, unsure of what more to do or say. He felt small and weak, slightly disoriented now as he glanced at Yami and then the gray wolf again. The black wolf was still unconscious, his body all but flat against the dirt and stone surrounding him. Yugi felt sick as he turned back to the other lycanthrope with slight disgust in his belly. As the seconds passed, the gray wolf seemed to become more amused than anything, and the small teen tried his hardest to force himself to relax and calm himself further.

He could hear the footsteps more pointedly now. He could hear the soft thumping of a wet heart. But he could not recognize it whatsoever, a strange and foreign noise which burned at his thoughts as he shook his head slightly. He frowned and tipped his head towards the entrance once more, listening intently for the arrival of this other person. He heard a noise like the snow being pressed more forcefully downward and his stomach sank for a brief moment. He swallowed hard, grimacing.

Then a voice, soft and not unlike windchimes and leaves in the wind, came to his ears. Obelisk, was I right? it demanded in an urgent tone. Am I correct in my assumption that Yami returned? I saw him coming. I saw him killing Yugi—

Much to the disappointment of your brother, no, he is not dead. Obelisk sniffed loudly, full of disdain and dismissal. I am sure you saw his carcass laying on the surface of the lake, yes?

There was a moment of silence, and then, as Ishizu spoke again, Yugi felt his stomach toss. Yes, I saw him, she stated in a tone that was neither sad nor mournful. Oddly, in a way that horrified Yugi rather outright, the she-wolf spoke in a calm manner that mirrored Slifer almost completely. She sounded as if she had accepted this thing to happen long before and so did not care now that it had come to pass in the first place. I knew he would come to try to proclaim himself Atem to him at some point. I could feel it coming soon, just not as abruptly as it did. I was thinking that perhaps it would be a few more days, perhaps weeks—maybe even a couple of months. But then I foresaw Yami coming as well, and I knew now would be the time that it would happen. He was already pushing at the edges of his own sanity. He was already showing his disrespect and disdain towards him. I was the first to notice, but the others were soon to follow.

Yugi bristled. She had known that something of this magnitude would happen and she had never thought to say anything about it? He supposed it did not matter in the slightest, in all reality. The truth of it was that even if she had thought to speak of something, it would not have determined a change of events in even the slightest. Hell, Yugi might have charged him out of self-preservation or panic had he known ahead of time. He might have even gotten himself killed.

Sure, he might have come back, but the idea of it made him want to tremble. He had no desire to die in the slightest, despite the stress in which he had formerly proclaimed otherwise. Yugi shook his head slightly as he thought of the brief thoughts which had fallen in the opposite end of the spectrum. He felt small, tired, slightly sickened, and he suppressed the irritation that bit at his insides.

His eyes flickered back to Yami. The black canine still had not moved. His head was still angled slightly upward where Yugi had dragged it in order to slip the collar around his neck. His eyes were still shut. His breathing was still long and slow. He looked almost as if he were merely sleeping, peaceful and lazy in this state. He shivered as he looked at him. His fur was so greasy and dull…

Yugi is still very much alive, as is Yami. Obelisk sounded far more annoyed now than anything else. Yugi could see his paws at the entrance of the cavern, his eyes trained on his glinting claws. He could just faintly see a pair of white-tipped toes towards the center, the two outer ones dark as slate. Ishizu was standing so close… Both of them are fine, recovering but fine.

Yami is in a rather…chaotic state, Ishizu commented in a low tone, her paws shifting anxiously up and down for a moment. Or so Yugi supposed it had to be anxiety to cause her to do so. He was tired as he stared at the dark fur and sharp black claws. He's lost somewhere in the back of his memories and thoughts. I can feel it. He'll…survive and recover well enough. But I am not sure he'll be able to shake the fears and terrors he is hiding behind now.

Fears and terrors? Yugi considered this, glancing at the black wolf again. His face was so sullen, so shrunken from the lack of food he'd been able to obtain for himself. The small teen wondered at the idea of whether he was capable of healing from the psychological wounds he so clearly possessed. He was so damaged, though not to the point of being unable to function in any manner. He swallowed hard. He had the impulse to reach out to touch his fur, to stroke at strands that had once been shiny and warm but now seemed dull and cold. He looked at the tufts of fur which clung to his pelt, knotted within the long guard hairs and held there by further tangles.

He thought briefly of his thrashing upon the bed that night, the way he'd cut open his wrists to the very bone. He thought of the way he'd trembled and shook. He remembered the flash of his eyes as they'd rolled up in the back of his head. He remembered the blood on his breath, the way his teeth had fallen from his gums. He thought of the way the other lycanthrope had shaken and trembled and fell beneath his panic.

It does not matter that Yami is in such a state, Obelisk said dismissively. It comes to the fact that Yugi is going to recover, as Atem is meant to. It is necessary of him. It is a necessity that requires much of his attention. Now, as for your presence here, why do you not explain to him? I am sure he would rather hear from you about such a gift than from me.

Ishizu was quiet for a long time. Then Yugi saw her nose as it was lowered to the snow and then to the dip of the entrance. He stiffened for the briefest of seconds as the she-wolf moved to duck her head into the small opening. Then she blinked, flicked her ears, and came forward a few small steps. Her eyes were darkened, sharper than before, and she seemed tired as she came towards him. When she stopped a handful of inches away, Yugi felt as if they were being suffocated. The cavern was too small, too claustrophobic. The wolf behind him, still unconscious as he was, seemed to make the air heavier. Yugi felt the instinct come to him to force Ishizu back before she could possibly spot him to begin with.

Is it all right for me to stand here? she asked, as if she sensed the warring thoughts in his mind. He had the impulse to both push her away and to perhaps back up to shield Yami entirely. But as the words left her, he stiffened in surprise at the idea. Then he shook it off and nodded briefly at the she-wolf. She gave him the courtesy of not lowering her eyes towards the other wolf in the den. Instead she moved to take a seat and look towards him with a darkened icy blue gaze. Or I suppose I might have asked to seat myself before you rather. It does not matter, I am sure, but I wished to tell you a story.

Yugi blinked, his head tilted, and narrowed his eyes. "A story?" he demanded softly. His eyes narrowed further, his expression darkening briefly as he bit at the inside of his cheek nervously. "Why do I want to hear a story from you?"

The she-wolf was quiet for a long moment. Then she sighed softly and flicked her ears. I wish to explain why it is that Marik did what he did, she said quietly, stressing her statement when Yugi slowly raised a brow in mild annoyance. She wondered briefly if he assumed that it could wait, as if she might be wasting his time more than anything at the moment. Then she shook it off to continue, blue eyes flashing. Marik and I were bred within the labs, born to a she-wolf who was meant to be your mother. But she was too weak and she did not take to the process of her genes degenerating as they had tried to force on her.

Yugi blinked. If she had taken to the degenerative process, would she have somehow wound up being his mother instead? Was it possible that she would have then still birthed Ishizu and Marik before him? Would they have been siblings, half-siblings perhaps? It made him feel dizzy and sick for a moment to even consider it all. He could not think straight as he wondered at the idea.

We were separated from her soon after our birth. She was sick and died soon after giving birth. And I was taken from Marik after I seemed to catch whatever sickness she had before she had passed. Ryou was given the task of feeding me by hand every few hours and he would take only ten-minute naps for weeks straight in order to help keep track of my health and prevent my relapse into further illness.

Yugi tilted his head, a small pang entering his heart. Ryou had helped her, just as he had him. He'd saved her as he had Yami in the woods and he himself that same night. The white-haired boy had often haunted his thoughts late at night, though only for brief flickers. He had been horrified at the thought of what it might mean to have killed the vet of the underground facility which had begun to breed and experiment more pointedly now. He had often felt sick and small each time he'd come across the realization of how much he truly owed the other boy in all reality. The concept burned him at times.

And then, how much had he done to save Yami in turn before then? How much had he done to help Yami before he'd crossed paths with him again? How much had he done to perhaps even help him to escape? Surely he may have loved Atem as he might a household dog, but the way he had reacted to Yami had implied perhaps a little more than what he'd initially feared to assume.

Marik thrived, however. Whatever sickness I suffered, he did not in the slightest. He was healthier than any pup to be born there. And he only seemed to grow further and further powerful as the days passed. He was capable of wandering about earlier than most pups. And he was not rendered blind as many were. He was not deaf as some were from experiments. She paused, her ears flicking for a moment with such nervous tension that Yugi wondered if perhaps she considered this a betrayal of some kind to tell him such a thing as it was. When he became six months old, they separated him from the other pups and put me in his place. He was tested on ruthlessly. They drowned him. They cut him. They measured the force behind his bites. They measured the time between his heartbeats when he was strangled to a deathly state. They fed him copious amounts, then forced him to vomit them and tested the stomach acidity of what was on the meat. They…they did a great many things to him.

"None of this explains why he became so delusional. I don't understand how this is relevant."

The she-wolf shook her head slowly, her eyes falling to the stone beneath her paws. It is relevant because this is how he began to think of himself as Atem. It was because he survived these things, as others had so often passed away beneath the weight of these experiments. He heard a guard mention Atem and he was so exhausted and half-dead after a series of new tests. He did not understand what they meant. But he said that they had been watching him when it had happened. He said that they had been speaking and pointing at him in that time. And, it did not help that not one of the wolves understood and truly knew the face of Atem as it was. None of them had been exposed to him. And Marik was separated from the others just as much as Atem himself was.

Yugi blinked. His head tilted. His stomach knotted. A nervous tension worked at his insides. His fingers twitched and his eyes narrowed briefly. "Your brother was an idiot to think that being Atem was a good thing to begin with."

She nodded slightly. He was. He was a very foolish and prideful wolf. And not once should he have ever spoken such words to begin with. Ishizu raised her eyes to him now, her ears pricked forward as they bore into his more pointedly. He assumed that because the humans recognized him as such and the rumors within the underground was that Atem was only allowed to be seen and approached by select figures and among only the strongest of wolves that he had to be the wolf in the legend. He heard the legend the first time when he was only about seven months old. And the wolves had said it in front of his cage. He was sure that this was a sign.

Yugi nodded once more, urging her to continue even as anxiety made him want to silence her.

Other wolves seemed to take more a notice to him around this time. They seemed to give him more room, yet gravitate towards him as well. Marik was overcome with the belief. And, when he was introduced to a group of wolves, he was quick to assert his place amongst them, trying to make himself the myth that he believed himself to be. He attacked them ruthlessly, to the point that Ryou had to sedate him on several occasions. She hesitated. I was forced to do the same at times.

The small teen nodded again, but now his mind was racing as he considered her. "Slifer said something about you being the secondary veterinarian there in the labs," he commented quietly. "She said you were injected with lycanthropy or something like that?"

Ishizu shook her head slightly. I was a wolf born to a mother who lost herself days later. But I changed prematurely. And, because of this, I was seen as unfit to be among the other wolves. But Ryou did not want to kill me without a reason, and he saw use in me. He convinced them to let him take me as an apprentice of sorts. She hesitated. It was only after Ryou began to seem too attached to you to one of the guards that I changed back. I killed them in order to save him from being murdered or put in with a starved wolf. They would have eaten him in a second if they were to do it. And, when I changed, the guard had done enough damage to give me many issues. I could not change back and so I was useless as a vet. I went through various tortures to trigger the change once more. Yet I simply could not do so and the damage done to me by that guard was a permanent issue. I am not sure which triggered the seizures, nor the visions. But, one day, I woke from a dream of seeing Ra, of witnessing her speaking to me. And she told me you were going to be born. She told me that Atem would come to the labs in a year's time.

Yugi was frozen, stunned by the statement. "H-how old are you?"

Ishizu tilted her head. A soft sorrow colored her eyes. I am twenty-one. She considered him for a long time. As was Marik. I was five years old in my human form when I killed the man. And I was five when I received my first vision. After the message from Ra, I would see things. It would be constant some times, mere flashes others. I suffered immense painful headaches and migraines violent enough to send me into a comatose state. I was rendered all but powerless and small before them and they almost euthanized me on multiple occasions. Ryou convinced them otherwise and I believe it is simply because he realized I had protected him prior. I was separated from them again. And I was given the purpose of breeding with endless males in order to perhaps procure pups.

He stiffened, feeling sick. "You…? They tried to…?"

Of course. If there was no other purpose for me in the world, then it would be to give birth to pups.

"Did you?"

No. I was born barren. The experiments had caused far too much stress in my body to allow me to reproduce. It did not stop them from attempting to do so. It did not stop them from experimenting on my eggs to see if they could find a cure to the barren state that so many of the females suffered. She was silent for a long minute. Then her eyes flickered, a shadow passing over them for the smallest of moments. In an instant she blinked and focused more prominently on the other. I was still the heart of these experiments when you were born. Marik was becoming more and more violent. He was ruthless and hateful. He was killing without remorse. He was slaughtering any wolf they put within the cage with him.

Yugi shuddered. "He killed others because he was a spoiled brat?" he snapped.

Ishizu offered him a bitter smile, a drawn formation of her lupine lips. Her ears flicked. Her paws shifted slightly in her position. She moved her tail to seemingly wrap around her paws. Yes, because he was convinced he was a legend which the humans were still so desperately chasing.

"That's disgusting."

It got worse when he found that I could have visions. When he realized that I could see the future, he got more and more brutal than ever before. He killed relentlessly. He bit at the humans whenever they came close to him. He grew more and more infuriated as the time passed. I never told him that he was not Atem, for fear that he might kill me. I was too afraid to say that you had been born, a small splotch of gray fur on weak legs and too small to be healthy. Ra spoke to me again, saying that the runt would be the one to gain the permanence of life. She claimed it was a blessing, that your small size would make you humbler, perhaps more demure.

Yugi blinked. He wondered at the idea.

But it was only after you sucked the life from your very siblings.

He startled. "Excuse me?"

Ra did not know which of you she would allow to survive. And so, once she decided, she began to channel their life force into you. It was her way of ensuring Atem's survival. You were basically, in her words, a fragmented soul with six pieces scattered between six bodies. Due to this, she had to rectify the situation by means of killing your siblings and returning your fragments to their core. She shook her head slowly. I have never fully understood her meaning. And she did not answer me when I questioned her. She was not the most patient with me, not when you were born. She became rather careless in her need to save you. She did not care to save the others, but she made it clear that I was to protect you from that moment on.

"Protect me?"

It was not impossible. She fell quiet for a long time. Then she slowly rose to her paws. Her eyes burned into his, endeavoring him desperately that he understand what she was saying to him. I told Marik that he was Atem. Because I could not bear to see the day that he found you in that lab and tore you to pieces. I saw it so many nights whenever I closed my eyes. And I was so scared of that fate reaching you. I…I lied to him. I told him what he wished to hear. I lied to him as many times as it took for him to believe the rumors that you had been born to mean something else entirely.

Yugi stared at her, stomach in knots. He could do no more than blink, stunned by her words. Her face was tired, such exhaustion tugging at her expression that it made his heart hurt. He blinked, stunned, and shook his head slowly.

It took whispers and long nights. It took long conversations with him through the walls of our cages. It took endless pleas for him to believe lies I created in a desperate means of saving you. I told him that when they said you had been born, they meant that his true purpose had come to him. I told him that he was meant to be a war god, the one to kill and defeat any threat that came to him. I told him that he was the one with the power to protect those meant to be close to him and punish those who might betray him. I told him that the world was meant to bow before him. And I nursed his hatred. I nursed his delusions. I made him into a monster.

He could not think straight. She had done this…to save him? She had truly…?

And, when the time came, I told him that the wolves sought to free him from the underground prison because he was needed above ground. I told him that they were all loyal to him. I told him that you were a decoy to ensure that he made it out alive. I told him that the other wolves to escape would be slaves to him. I told him… She shook her head. I did not tell him that the visions were of a scrawny boy with black eyes and pale skin. I did not tell him that the boy was going to be broken in a matter of seconds upon being freed. I did not tell him even once that he would one day be killed by this boy.

Yugi blinked, staring at her in shock. "You knew…even back then…?"

She dipped her head, ears flattening against her skull. I loved my brother. I loved him so much. But I could not turn my back on the reality of which I faced. If he were ever to find you, he would destroy you. And I would have to bear witness to this, watching as you were killed and all but eaten alive whenever you might come back from the touch of death. I struggled for years before I came to see you with my own eyes for the first time. She blinked, her blue eyes flickering with several shadows and light currents of which the pain swam brilliantly before him. She drew in a deep breath, exhaled loudly, and then shook her head. Ishizu drew her chin up, curled her lips back, and spat at him. You were so fucking helpless! You were a gift forsaken by the gods. You were damaged and tired. And your cage mate was so desperate to see you survive. You were mangled, bloodied and unconscious and all but dead. And you were facing me. I saw your eyes when you opened them, wide and dark and full of all of the pain within the lycanthropes but so easily molded away from such misery as well.

He stiffened at the statement, heart racing in his chest.

And then I understood. I understood something I should never have been forced to. I came to know the reality of what lay within you, a wolf that would be marred by experience but never broken. I came to know that you could bring yourself from your most shattered point and rise to your paws and try again. I saw the determination. I understood your purpose. I realized what it was that Ra meant to tell us by allowing you to be born. She was shaking, her entire body trembling. I understood love and hate at that moment. I understood pain and affection. I understood a mother's devotion to her pups and the bitterness of being barren. I understood the grief of not knowing my own purpose but knowing another's. I understood and I hated you so much for it.

Yugi shook his head slowly.

But I also loved you for teaching me something so terribly profound. She faltered. Her eyes darkened and dulled for a moment, dropping away. And so I sacrificed everything in pursuit of ensuring your safety. I killed my brother, I broke him into pieces and scattered him to the wind for the sake of rescuing you. And I realized then, seeing you there, watching as your cage mate watched me and grew defensive, that I was not the first nor would I be the last you would show this.

"Ishizu…" He opened and closed his mouth, stunned and too shaken to respond properly. He drew in a deep breath, tried again to find the words, and then faltered once more. "I don't know what you want me to tell you."

But he didn't feel like that person. He did not think that he had anything he was meant to show the wolves. He did not think he had a profound purpose in the world. He did not think for even a moment that he himself could cause such an impact upon another in any sense.

Ishizu shook her head. And her mouth opened wide. Her teeth were glittering. Her eyes flashed and darkened. Yugi barely had time to blink. The she-wolf launched herself forward. He moved to shift away from her. But then he realized a split second later.

She had not aimed for him.

She moved past his right shoulder.

And he immediately turned, horrified but prepared to catch her somehow before she made contact with the other wolf. But, as he turned, his eyes widened drastically. And his heart skipped beats. His mouth dried out. His stomach twisted painfully.

Yami had gotten up. And the two of them were locked in a twisting, writhing mass of limbs and dark fur. Ishizu was pinned in an instant. Her paws kicked. Her teeth bit at Yami's eye, forcing him back. The male opened his jaws wide, snapping them shut again. The she-wolf pushed at his chest. Then she bit at his muzzle. Yami snarled and opened his jaws again. He jerked out of her grip in an instant. Blood sprayed across the cavern wall. Ishizu moved to scramble for her paws.

But Yami was on her in an instant again. His teeth glinted. His eyes flashed.

And his aim was true.

He nearly caught her neck.

It was only her paw, thrust out at the last second, that barred him from her jugular.

Yami crunched through muscle and bone in an instant. The she-wolf snarled and bit at his leg. The male faltered a step. He trembled, the limb nearly quaking. Then he bit down harder on her paw. Yugi looked towards the entrance of the den. Obelisk had come at the sound of their fight. His gray fur was set in a bristle. He was staring at Yami in alarm. And the black wolf was slathering, a mixture of blood, foam and drool falling from his jaws. The gray male bristled once more, launching himself forward.

The attack sent Yami into the wall. He yelped but did not release. Ishizu screamed. In an instant Yugi heard snapping. He could hear the harsh tug of sinew snapping. He could hear the grind of bones breaking and popping out of place. He shuddered. Obelisk snarled. Yami bit down forcefully once more. Then he looked at Obelisk again. There was some vague sense of recognition behind all of the hatred. It was not as if he knew who the other wolf was, but rather that he had seen him before.

Abruptly he released Ishizu's paw. He turned on Obelisk but the deity was prepared. In an instant the two of them were locked in battle again. Yugi shook his head, trembling briefly. His stomach ached. His hands were shaking as he looked the two of them over. He could see the chain, drooping and heavy, hanging from his neck. And he hated himself for the thought that came to his mind.

But he needed to stop them. Ishizu would be crushed if they kept fighting as they were. There was barely any room for her. They would bump into her, shoving against her. She would yelp and try for her paws. Then she would collapse under her own weight. She panted and struggled. But then she dropped once more, eyes wide. Yami and Obelisk were locked in combat, shaking and snapping and snarling viciously. They would occasionally knock each other backwards. Then they would hit the ground and roll. They never released each other, however.

"Get him closer to me," Yugi said, nearly shouting to hear himself beyond the noise. It was intense and drowning and his head spun as he listened. Their cries echoed furiously back and forth across the den. Yami would snarl and it came as a roar. Obelisk would snap his jaws and it sounded like a gunshot. They both rolled and scrabbled. Claws tore at fur. Teeth ripped at skin. Blood speckled the dirt and walls. Obelisk gave no indication he might have heard. And so Yugi moved forward a step.

Ishizu was on her feet, her paw mangled and crushed. She held it high off the ground, her eyes wide and horrified. The two males continued to roll. Then, abruptly, it seemed to cease. Yami was pinned, though his teeth were caught in the deity's throat. The thick fur cushioned the blow, however. And Yugi could see the thinnest droplets of blood amongst the long strands. The small teen was shaking, but moved forward. In an instant he reached forward. His fingers slipped through the outer loop of his chain collar. The sensation of his skin brushing against his fur made Yami turn his gaze on him. His eyes were blazing and hateful. And he released Obelisk just as he pulled the chain taut.

The gray wolf was thrown by the thrashing that immediately ensued. Yami was kicking and writhing, eyes dilated. He was gargling, snarling but unable to fully create such a noise. He snapped at him desperately. The whites of his eyes turned reddish in tint. He bit at him again. Then he clawed at his arm, paw shaking. His claws cut his skin lightly, but it did not tear through muscle and vein. Yugi shivered. Yami strained his forelimb against his arm, paw shaking. His mouth opened and his tongue lolled, white before his eyes.

But, as he thought to slacken his grip, fear crawling through him, Yami shifted. It was an abrupt and unpredictable movement. His head snapped towards him. His gaping jaws aimed for his arm. And his teeth just slightly shut. They closed upon his skin hard. Yugi could feel the puncture marks. But he did not experience the prickle of pain from split flesh.

Yami was frantic. But he was also weak.

And the lack of air in his lungs winded him all the more.

His grip was slack. His tongue was slimy and twitching pitifully against his skin. And, as Yami glared at him furiously, Yugi saw his eyes begin to redden further. His body grew weaker. His eyes seemed to roll up into the back of his head. He shuddered once, then twice. A third one swept through him in quick succession. Finally, as his heartbeat slowed in Yugi's ears, his teeth fell from his skin entirely. His head collapsed back into the dirt. His paws fell to fold against his bony body. He collapsed entirely. And only then did Yugi let go.

Yami fell in a limp heap of fur and bone and organ. He lay there. He did nothing more than slowly inhale. His lungs stuttered and shook. And then he twitched once before growing still. But his heart did not stop as Yugi feared it might. Instead, in his ears, to his shock, it began to beat a little faster. And his lungs drew in large gulps through his nose. But the wolf was not conscious, he realized. His entire body was reacting, restarting itself as if with electric currents.

Slowly Yugi reached out to stretch the collar to its fullest. He glanced at Obelisk and Ishizu, then ran his hands through his hair. "Goddamn it," he muttered miserably. He felt dizzy and small for a moment. Then he looked to Ishizu uncomfortably. "I don't… Your paw looks terrible. I don't know if you can truly ever use that paw again, Ishizu. That's not…"

She shook her head. Sacrifices are made when it is necessary.

Obelisk flicked an ear. He lowered his nose to sniff at the fur along Yami's cheek. Then he looked towards Yugi slowly and pricked his ears forward. I will help you to dig the hole for this stake you need in order to keep him tied within this den, he said slowly. He looked disdainful of the task before shaking his head with a loud sigh and flattening his ears against his head unhappily. There was a brief moment in which he eyed Yami with an almost bewildered expression, something that Yugi could not quite predict.

It took over an hour for the task to finally end. Yugi had changed and helped him to dig the hole necessary. Then he had changed back, exhausted but elated upon seeing Yami was still there, and planted the metal spiraling stake into the dirt. He pressed his weight into it a bit more, twisting it to screw it a little further into the ground. Then he pressed down upon the extra spears of metal surrounding it and dug them into the dirt as well. The spiraling stake held firm as he pressed against it. There was little wiggle room whatsoever. And so he relaxed slightly, shivering at the realization.

He settled back against the wall, ignoring the blood behind his shoulder, and began to work on the metal chain he'd purchased. It was not very long, a mere two feet at the most. It was enough to make him feel sick to even think that this would be a necessary solution. He hated himself for the fact that it was the only solution he could properly come up with. A part of him felt broken at the realization and he was tired as he swallowed hard and shook his head at the dismay that clawed at his belly.

He attached the chain link to the stake, then reached out and clicked the metal hook to Yami's chain as well. The wolf did not stir but for a slight shudder. He did not know if that was perhaps residual tension or something further. Instead he sighed softly, shook his head again, and got to his feet. He dusted himself off as Ishizu and Obelisk looked up at him from where they'd taken a spot a few feet away. There was not much room altogether for the four of them to exist in such a tiny space. Yugi felt incredibly smothered and smaller than ever, a sensation of disdain creeping through him for a brief second or two. Then he drew in a long breath, shook his head, and turned to Obelisk pointedly.

"You said that Slifer would remain here when I cannot?"

The gray deity blinked at him, then moved to sit up. His back popped, stiff from the pain of being thrown about the ice and stone around them as well as the time he'd spent lying beside Ishizu. He flicked an ear, lowered his eyes to Yami, and turned back once more with a small shake of his coat. She is certainly capable of doing so, yes. And I do not believe for a moment that she would bother to harm him, considering we have returned him to you.

If you would permit it, I could do so instead. I do not see reason for you to bother her again. And I did assist Ryou in his medical rounds, Ishizu said slowly. She did not look at Yami nor Yugi and even ignored Obelisk as she lowered her head to lick her paw. After a moment or so she lowered her chin to her paws and closed her eyes tightly. It is a suggestion, but not a necessity.

Yugi was silent for a long time, considering the words. "I don't care who watches him," he answered slowly, carefully, his voice becoming a knot of frustration. "It comes down to this. It's a simple necessity, do you understand? I do not care who watches him—you, Slifer, Obelisk. At the end of the day, all of you will keep your fucking mouths shut about anything to do with what you've seen here, understood?"

Usually Obelisk would have made a smart remark towards him. Instead, now, he flicked an ear, nodding, as Ishizu did the same and looked at him sideways with a nervous expression. The she-wolf anxiously licked at her muzzle and shivered, muttering, I give my word, Code Name Atem.

He was exhausted as the words entered his head. He thought briefly of the week to follow. The nurse had given him an excuse to miss a couple of days. But he was well aware that this did not justify the time that he would follow up the excused absences with. But he would take the week off. He would find a way to make this work out. He needed to map the next handful of days out, however. If he did not plan this properly, his mother might very well suspect something was going on. And he would not have that any further aggravated than it already was. He was not in the mood to fight with her like he knew it would escalate to.

And he would not waste the time that would take when he needed to take care of Yami. There was no question as to this. He would sooner run away entirely than have his time cut from mending the other wolf.

He had the excuse for two days. He was not stupid. He could easily weasel his way through feigning sickness. He would do that in a heartbeat for Yami if it were necessary. But the realization made him feel sick as he considered again the implications that might be involved. He could feign sickness so that his mom might call him out of school. But then he realized immediately that such a thing would make her suspicious once more. And he was not willing to deal with such a thing.

That was what he needed to avoid, he reminded himself.

He had to avoid the situation altogether.

Making her suspicious was a regret that he could not afford to have.

And so he shook his head and looked at Ishizu for a long moment. "You know what, that might work," he said slowly. "You can spend the night here. Obelisk will return to the camp to role play as the alpha for me in the meantime. Then I will come tomorrow after my mom leaves for work. Slifer can watch the den tomorrow."

He paused after a long moment, drawing in a deep breath as Obelisk flicked his ears and shook his coat out. You would have me pretend to be the alpha for a few days? Are you certain of such a decision? he asked slowly, his voice somewhat condescending. I can do such a thing, but you must realize that you will not be the most well-received after such a thing.

Yugi nodded slightly. "Yeah, I'm well aware. Thanks." But the realization made him pause and turn back to Ishizu slowly. "And how do you think the wolves will respond to you when they find Marik's body in the woods?"

They will offer me sympathy. And then they will speak about Marik for a few minutes or so in an effort to help me with my grieving. Then we shall all act as if nothing ever happened to begin with. She shook her head and flattened her ears against her skull as she looked at him with shadowed blue eyes. It will then depend on whether you tell them that Marik was a traitor. They may very well turn their teeth on me after such a thing.

Obelisk flicked an ear. You see the future. Why do you not try to look for such a thing?

I cannot see myself. She blinked at Yugi. I can hardly see you either. And I am blind to Yami altogether now.

Perhaps Yami was too lost to be seen any longer. Yugi forced the thought back and drew in another long breath, glancing over his shoulder at the wolf in question. But the black canine was still beyond his slow and even breathing. The frail frame twitched only slightly at times.

"I didn't plan to tell them. Let them mourn him as they remember him. It doesn't matter if I tell them anything to begin with."

---

Obelisk left later, when the sun was far gone beneath the horizon. Yugi had taken the time to text his mom and say that he would be home late. He told her that he was helping Jonouchi with his dad, the subject dropped immediately after. Then he watched Ishizu as she took a seat in the farthest corner of the cavern, lying down again only when she was sure that Yami would not react to her again. The black wolf was wide awake, red eyes hateful and dark in the shadows. Yugi was seated a few inches out of his range. The canine had since given up reaching him, snarling and biting at the air angrily, frothing at the mouth from the pain more than once. Then he'd settled and watched him, glaring and hateful.

"You're going to be okay," Yugi said slowly, smiling at the black wolf. The canine flicked an ear as his voice echoed slightly about the small chamber. The stone that rested in front of him, a few inches forward from his face, seemed almost to cow beneath the noise. His ears pricked forward and his lips curled faintly as if in defiance of the statement. Yugi smiled a little more. He remembered Yami's expression when he'd snapped at him in the woods when Yami had played charades with him. "Don't worry about that, okay?"

Ishizu was silent as she listened to the soft promises that spilled from her alpha's mouth. He was so quiet and gentle, as if he were speaking to a lover rather than his beta. The thought made her shiver. Briefly she remembered the various males, their teeth when they'd snapped at her face as she'd tried to move away. She thought of the weight on her back, the way their claws grasped upon her flanks. She remembered the way the room had seemed too small and claustrophobic.

She remembered the way Ryou had watched with a horrified expression. The others in the shadows had laughed and spoken in derogatory manners. But she remembered the way Ryou had shifted his weight, uncomfortable and uneasy and far from happy with the treatment towards her. He would shiver, looking sickly, deathly pale with disgust and horror.

And she remembered the vague sense of sympathy in his brown eyes.

She shook herself out, shuddering. The movement made Yugi glance at her sideways, surprised by the reality of it. Then she lowered her chin to her paws and closed her eyes again. Do not mind me, she whispered in a broken tone. I am simply tired.

"You could always go back to the camp," Yugi said after a long moment. "If you can find Slifer, she can come here and I'll go home afterwards."

The she-wolf shook her head once more. No, no, it is fine. I promise you. But then she blinked her eyes open and her gaze fell upon Yami as those dark red eyes burned brilliantly into hers. She could not tell the expression there, whether it be hate or loathing or rage or some kind of intense desire. Something in his eyes made him unreadable, dark and hideous beneath her gaze. And she shivered as they looked at one another more fully.