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.

89. Madness

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh

Update schedule: Hopefully biweekly

Chapter Warnings: Mentions of Death, Misuse of Medication/Self-Medication, Werewolf Mentality, Character Death, Hint of Cult Mentality, Violence, Mild Bloodshed, Pack Politics, Mentions of (False) Child Abuse

Sorry for the late posting. Things got crazy as per usual and I was trying to focus on something lighter for a little while (i.e. Of a Land and Sky) so that's what happened. Sorry guys! I'm also reworking the ending of the story because my original idea no longer matches the course of the plot. So I'm going to continue working on that, which is slowing down updates as well.

I may end up having to rework some of the remaining chapters as well to accommodate the ending. So I don't have an idea of when I'll update again.

Duloxetine is a medication used for depression and anxiety and nerve pain. It's also used for arthritis treatment and for pain it usually takes about two weeks to have any effect. With a werewolf metabolism, it would help for all of an hour at the very most. But it's the one medication Yugi has that he was prescribed as a child for his hallucinations/night terrors and panic attacks.

Chapter LXXXIX: Madness

Work Log Entry LXXVIII: August, 2009 (Part II)

August 12

The female is turning out to be a monster that's harder to contain than previously thought. She mutilated a guard and charged at one of the wolves when they were taken too close to her cage.

The boss is determined to break her.

August 16

The boss has decided to utilize her in terms of Atem's genetics.

He has decided that we will inject some of her blood into his veins and see what comes of it. Orders are to let it progress to its own conclusion without intervention to heal him should things get any worse.

Atem is to be taken in several hours from now to be given a blood transfusion.

August 17

Atem does not display any ill effects from the transfusion, though no one is sure as to why. The boss wishes to see if the same can be said for the female tomorrow.

In the meantime, monitoring will continue for Atem to ensure that things do not take a turn for the worst during the night.

August 18

The female has proven a challenge to restrain long enough to perform the transfusion. The others have abandoned her to me because of the intensity of her struggles.

The sedatives have finally taken effect about forty-five minutes after administration. Injections of phenobarbital and ketamine have slowed her down enough to perform the transfusion.

We have given her exactly 8 liters of Atem's blood.

Yami felt as if his body were on fire. He shifted his weight, breathing out roughly. The second bed squeaked beneath his weight. His bones crunched as he shifted again. His rib cracked, his spine popped. His stomach lurched. His liver—if Yugi was right and that was what she'd managed to hit; he still vaguely thought it was a kidney—strained and pulled beneath his skin. He drew in a deep breath, swallowing hard. His mouth felt swollen. His tongue was glued to his palate from sleeping with his mouth partially open. His jaw was tight, sore, as if it had been clenched all night.

"You okay?"

He tried not to flinch. "Yeah," he managed to breathe. His shoulders rose further, his knees folding into his belly as he clenched his eyes shut tighter. Small bursts of color behind his eyelids made his head spin. "I'm okay."

He didn't want to admit otherwise.

Yugi had carried him all the way from the parking deck to the hotel the day before when he'd stumbled slightly. When Yami had insisted he let him go, Yugi had only held him that much tighter. The only time he'd released him to walk—holding his hand in such a vice grip he was amazed his fingers still worked—had been when they'd entered the hotel. And he'd only gotten him to the stairs before he'd tried again.

Yami had bitten him so hard in the shoulder Yugi had yelped and dropped him by accident. From there Yami had forced himself to his feet, snarling at him when he got too close, and stormed over to the door to wait for Yugi to use the card key. He'd dug through his own pockets, but had been unable to procure his copy.

He'd lost it somewhere at the deck, he supposed. Yugi had gone looking for it when Yami had told him such. But he'd come back immediately after a single sweep of the area. He had a feeling Yugi had gotten panicked and had a small breakdown during his examination. He'd smelled of vomit and sweat when he'd returned, as if he'd changed, but Yami knew that wasn't the case.

He had the sneaking suspicion that Yubel had gotten her hands on it during the fight. It would not have been too hard for her to do so.

He shivered, head swimming with pain. His heart skyrocketed. His lungs felt increasingly tight with tension. He swallowed hard and tried to will the pain away.

"I definitely believe that," Yugi snorted, voice skeptical. Yami ignored the feeling of the smaller boy's eyes boring into him. "I absolutely believe it. Why wouldn't I?"

"I am stellar," he grunted. He didn't answer Yugi's scoff. Instead he kept his eyes shut, refusing to open them and focusing on suppressing some of the pain in his system. He didn't want to talk. His head was pounding and even lying down as he was made the room spin around him. He was almost too dizzy to form words. His stomach threatened to heave, but it passed as it had those few times in the middle of the night.

"Do you want some pain meds?"

Yami swallowed hard. Bile streaked the back of his throat painfully. He ignored the bodily shudder that overtook him and ground his teeth together. He didn't know if he could ever bother himself to take pain medication again. Kasumi had given him some for his shoulder when he'd complained. He'd fallen asleep soon after, and now she and Sugoroku were both dead, leaving Yami and Yugi stuck struggling to pick up the pieces between the two of them.

Yami didn't know how to fix things and Yugi did not have the strength left to offer such a thing, he knew. And so they were lost and spiraling and—

He opened his eyes into slits, staring at the wall to focus himself.

Did he want some pain medicine?

Could he bother himself to take one? Yami didn't even know he could stomach the task. But if it made the world stop spinning and he could actually manage to focus on something for more than a split second—

"I have duloxetine," Yugi said quietly. He was silent for a few long minutes now. Yami closed his eyes tightly once more. He tried to shake his head but his muscles ached too keenly to do so. Yugi was quiet for a long moment before continuing. "It's for anxiety, but it helps with pain, too. I mean, it's mostly for bone pain and neuropathy, but…it should help. I mean…"

Yami couldn't help but hesitate. He still had no idea if he could possibly take a pill for the pain. Any medication made him nervous now. But he did ache everywhere. And he was grateful that not once did Yugi take notice of it during the night. He'd stifled whimpers and grunts and screams with his pillow folded over his face. He'd panted and shaken and trembled so hard he could barely breathe. Now he simply stared at the pale wall of the hotel room and wished the floor might open and swallow him whole.

"Yami?" Yugi coaxed in a gentle tone. Yami swallowed back another wave of bile surging up the back of his throat. "You don't have to…obviously. I'm asking…you know, this time, since the last time I gave you anything…I didn't ask your permission first."

He flinched. His head reeled. He was just glad he was not facing Yugi at the moment or he might truly hurl on him. He couldn't stand to see the guilt written across his face or the way he flinched at the reminder.

And who knew how long his consent might last? Who knew how long it would be before Yugi grew tired of waiting for it? Yami slowly tipped his head up and opened his eyes partially. He pressed his lips into a thin line, mumbling, "I need something" even as every alarm in his body screamed no.

Yugi was across the room, rummaging through the things before Yami got the final word out. Some part of him begged to ask the strength, to make sure it would not knock him out. And then he wondered if Yugi had simply grabbed the first thing he'd been able to when they'd left the house. He remembered Yugi telling him at one point or another that he'd given a list of things he was taking from the house to the police. Mazaki had been suspicious about the drug when Yugi had listed it; it had taken about an hour for Yugi to explain to him why it had been prescribed to him to begin with and why he needed it even now.

And Yami had only meant to ask him what the name of the drug was when Yugi had explained as he had. He frowned a moment later, opening his eyes into slits, and listened to the pills shake inside the bottle Yugi had found. It took only a moment for Yugi to come back to him with them. He stopped in front of him, hesitant, and looked at the bottle a few seconds, slowly shaking one into his hand.

Yami waited. But Yugi didn't do anything else. The smaller teen watched him, studying his face, as he mumbled, "And you do actually want this, right? Do you actually want the pill? I'm not going to force you to take this. You understand that, right?"

Had he been anyone else, Yami would have assumed he was asking out of spite. He would have been livid that they'd dare dangle a potential cure in front of him with what felt like disregard. But Yugi was asking now, because he hadn't before. Yami didn't know if Yugi had sensed his trauma upon learning of the truth, but he'd done something or other that had set him back to this point. Yugi had never drugged him without his consent before, though Yami also did not count his time in the cave chained to that stake, either. That had truly been for his own good, and Yugi had done the best he could with Yami's feral state. And Yugi hadn't killed him then.

He'd done that with the phenobarbital, not whatever it was he'd given him before then.

Yami hesitated. And then he shifted, struggling to sit up. He was so off balance that Yugi grabbed his arm in a vice grip, using the other to hold his side, and helped him get comfortable. When Yami could see straight, he almost flinched away.

Yugi was so close to him that they were almost sharing each other's breath. Yugi was so close that should he lean forward only a millimeter closer they'd be kissing. Yami trembled, staring at him with wide eyes, as Yugi simply pulled away and held his hand out.

"If you want it, I'll get you a bottle of water from the fridge. If you don't, then I'll just…put it back."

Yami stared at his palm. It was shaking finely, the fear in his stance visible. He looked exhausted as well, and it was only when Yami focused on his face that he realized Yugi had most likely spent the better part of the night watching him sleep. He'd likely been concerned something might happen, that he'd suffer a night terror or hurt himself somehow amongst his constant twisting and turning. Yami's heart was heavy, a rock beating in his chest. He tilted his head, closing his eyes, and glancing away.

He still didn't know if he truly wanted the pill or not. Despite himself, he could not find a way to answer. But making Yugi wait while he sorted through his various jumbled thoughts was not quite fair, either. He opened his eyes again, searching his face, and finally reached for it.

"Here, I'll get you some water."

Yami watched him as he went. Some small part of him wanted nothing more than to curl up and refuse to move. He felt sick leaning on him for help again. He'd been too useless to save his family and yet Yugi was still willing to help him. And what if he could not protect him or properly train him to face her? What if Yubel got the advantage over them again and—?

"How much do you think you can eat in a day?"

His thoughts stumbled to a halt. He turned his head, furrowing his brows and considering the smaller teen. "What?"

"If you were just going to eat and sleep all day, do you think you could recover faster?"

I'd heal better if I never had to wake up, he thought spitefully. He shook his head, looking away and opening his mouth, but Yugi cut him off.

"No? No, as in you don't think so, or no, as in you don't want to do that?"

Yami hesitated, considering his answer. He turned back, feeling uncertain and small. "We can do that," he finally mumbled. He pressed his lips into a thin line and tried not to snarl when Yugi raised a brow. "Or, I can do that and you can…train with Jonouchi and Honda today. That's…that's what you said you wanted to do last night…right?"

Yugi stared at him as if he had three heads. "We would have to move you back to the camp. Fresh food would do you better, right? And you can sleep in the alpha's den until I come back or whatever. They can take turns bringing you food or you could let me hunt something for you and you could sleep and eat as much as you want throughout the day."

Yami hated each of those options.

He looked away again. "We can order food from the restaurant downstairs, yes? We can do that and I can sleep and pick off of that instead." He didn't want to admit he was too exhausted to change. Changing would kill him, he was sure. And he didn't want to experience the backlash as he had before. The thought of lying in the snow next to a carcass made his skin crawl, his fingers twitching with growing anxiety; other animals, hunters, or the hellhounds could so easily find him. "It would be…safest."

Yugi hummed from his spot in front of him and his voice came out quiet but slightly flustered. "Okay, yeah, we'll do that. I'll leave the pills on the nightstand next to you and you can take some more if you need it. You can order as much as you want from the restaurant. I have enough on my card that I'm really not all that concerned about it." He paused, though Yami could hear the fridge open and close again; he must have been grabbing another water bottle for him. "I'll ask them to restock the fridge with water later. You'll be out of it pretty soon."

Yami nodded slightly. "Okay."

He could see it when Yugi pressed his lips into a thin line. He reached out slowly, as if worried Yami might flinch away, with a bottle in his hand. Yami took it delicately, enjoying the coolness against his palms as he rubbed his hands over it. The other was put atop the nightstand.

Both had been opened, as if Yugi were afraid he could not do so for himself. Any other time the effort would have irritated him; now, however, Yami found he was extremely grateful. He didn't think he could have done it, considering how terribly his head pounded and how hard his fingers were shaking at the moment. He smiled faintly at him and Yami nodded briefly again, looking away and swallowing hard.

Yugi rummaged through one of his pockets for a moment, then handed him his debit card. "Since this is a tourist hotel, they'll take card payments. Normally you'd have to go all the way to a gas station and get cash instead, but I think they'll be fine doing it this way." He fell quiet, reaching up to scratch at his neck. "I'll go ahead and order some things. I need to find the highest fat content for the food again, but it shouldn't be too hard to do. And then you can just…eat and sleep and…recover."

He was smiling too hard.

Yami almost flinched. "You sound like you're trying to convince yourself nothing bad will happen to me."

"I fucking am," Yugi snarled, voice so sharp it made him recoil and look at him from the corner of his eye. The smaller teen had wrapped his arms around himself at some point when Yami had not been paying attention. He looked tired, infinitely small, like someone had torn him to pieces and hollowed him out somehow.

Yami swallowed hard, staring at him. Yugi looked abruptly away and shifted his weight, shuffling his feet for a brief moment. When Yami opened his mouth, the smaller boy dropped his head, voice meek.

"She was going to kill you. You made her chase you and then you got your ass handed to you because you didn't want her to get to me. She was going to kill you for it. You didn't even… You knew that would happen. You went into this fight knowing that you couldn't make it out of there in one piece. So why didn't you try to do something else? I almost lost you, too."

"It…wouldn't have been forever."

"It wouldn't have been forever," Yugi echoed slowly, softly. His voice was acid and he'd begun to tremble finely. "You think that makes it okay, Yami? Jesus fucking Christ!"

Yami flinched, his head throbbing in retaliation. He swallowed hard, trying not to whimper at the sharp pain. "No," he finally whispered, "but it makes it easier."

"Easier?" Yugi spat. "You think that coming back to life makes it easier when you die?! You think that fact means I'd rather have it happen to you than someone else?"

"I'd rather it was me than someone else. It is not…permanent if it is me. And I don't…"

The reasoning seemed so incredibly foolish now. Yugi would never agree that he was expendable. His main deciding factor was not an excuse for Yugi. It didn't matter that he'd wanted to protect him. It mattered to the smaller boy that he'd almost died yet again. The reasoning of his own sacrificial nature and his desire to protect Yugi would mean nothing to the smaller boy.

But he was not wrong.

It was a reassurance of sorts.

He was the best sacrifice for Yubel to tear into.

His death meant nothing.

Yugi's would mean so much more.

The pack would turn in on itself. Valon's tentative friendship with him would go up in flames. Jonouchi would blame him for it. Honda would likely follow him. The pack would turn its teeth on him. They'd try to pick Yami to pieces in retribution. They'd be captured. He'd be used as the means of endless tortures and experiments.

The werewolves would be exposed. Mass hysteria would ensue.

Death would come to wolves and humans alike soon after.

Yami closed his eyes tightly. "It doesn't matter," he snapped. He waved his hand dismissively as he opened his eyes again. Defiantly, he locked eyes with Yugi and ignored the fury he found there. "I make stupid decisions. That's the most you need to know of it."

Yugi stiffened in front of him. He could feel the air growing frigid as Yugi processed the words once more. No doubt he was tossing the statement about in his head repeatedly now, too infuriated to think straight. And then he smacked the debit card on the nightstand, snarling, "Order whatever the fuck you want. I have to get out of here."

---

Yami tripped over the body.

When Yugi had called them both frantically asking that they come to Honda's house, Jonouchi had not known what to expect of it. And he certainly had not expected Yami to be in such bad shape that he couldn't see or sense it before he caught his foot and went down almost immediately. He had gotten up, hissing with discomfort, covered across his right cheek from his eye down to his jaw in bright red. His hands were soaked, his clothes drenched where it had absorbed portions of the puddle. There was a clear imprint on the floor where he'd landed.

Yami turned away, refusing to face them again, even as Yugi burst into a maniacal laugh that sounded almost like horrified squawking and a choked barking. And then he covered his mouth, eyes turning a tumultuous glassy shade, and looked away just as quickly. Jonouchi did not know what he was supposed to say to ease the tension that pressed upon them all. All he knew was that Yami looked exhausted, Yugi seemed close to a full blown panic attack, and he was only able to look between them helplessly.

A minute or two passed. A clock on the wall ticked loudly, the only noise between the three of them. And then Yugi turned and walked out of the house. Jonouchi could not tell if it was for the sake of hiding his anxiety or something else entirely. Yami, however, turned to him after a long moment.

"You were right," he said abruptly, voice sounding dead and hollow. "You were right. He's dead. And this is my fault."

The blond stared at him, too stunned to respond. He had said that several times before. He knew that. He hadn't even tried to be kind about it. He still blamed him for Anzu, though he blamed Yugi for that just as much if not more.

It should have been him. He should have killed her if it were truly inevitable. She'd been his best friend. Yugi should have had the guts to do it. He owed her that. And yet he'd set Yami to do it.

But now Jonouchi could only open and close his mouth. He couldn't find the rage to answer him properly. He didn't know what he was supposed to say to make him feel better. And there was no emotion harbored that he could draw upon to speak with.

Jonouchi looked away from him, feeling his skin crawl for a long moment. He stared down at Honda's mangled corpse, wondering what it was he should do now.

"I need to…" Yugi started, trailing off immediately after. He looked away and back, then turned to Jonouchi. His hands shook, his mouth swollen from what seemed to have been a rough rubbing action formerly. It didn't take him long to realize Yugi had vomited outside somewhere. "I need your help. Because I don't…"

"Don't what?" Jonouchi mumbled, blurting the words out. "Help with what?"

"The ground…where Yami fell…" Yugi carefully avoided looking in Yami's direction. Jonouchi glanced sideways towards him, nearly flinching. Yami looked too shaken to comprehend what Yugi had just said. "We need to…"

The blond stared at him, then looked down. "Well, we can't clean it."

Yugi flinched. Yami started scratching at his wrist. The smaller teen crossed the room, grabbed his wrists, and held his arms apart so that he could not continue. "No, but we need to…move him or something. We need to…stage it."

"Stage it?" the blond echoed. He looked at Yami for a moment, but the red-eyed teen was struggling to remove his hands from Yugi's. The smaller teen ignored him pointedly. Jonouchi wondered now why Yami didn't just bite him. He certainly would have had he been in his situation. Yugi would never even know what was happening until he'd let go of him. He shook his head, scattering the thought, and stared at him in bewilderment. "You mean, like…moving his body? Making it look like we were trying to help him when it happened or…what?"

Yugi nodded slightly. "We need to move him, maybe roll him over. If we do that, we can cover where Yami tripped. But we can also just… One of us can pretend to give him CPR or…or something and we can just…" He trailed off. Yami had stopped struggling, staring at the body with a horrified expression. "I mean… Fuck, we just need to cover what happened."

Jonouchi turned to Yami. "All this because you're illegal."

Yami stared at Honda's body for what seemed a lifetime. Then his eyes slowly flickered to Jonouchi, as if he had somehow forgotten he was there. He snatched his hands away forcefully now and Yugi spun on him in surprise. Jonouchi watched as Yami wrapped his arms around himself tightly, pulling on the edges of his jacket so hard that he almost heard the threads split. "Yes," he murmured. He sounded almost broken. "All this because I do not truly exist."

The blond turned away, swallowing hard. "So, we roll him over onto his back and one of us pretends to give him CPR and gets blood all over themselves and everything?" he clarified slowly, tilting his head as he looked at Yugi sideways. "Is that what you're suggesting?"

Yugi had come running over at some point while he was talking. Jonouchi studied him, narrowing his eyes and pressing his lips into a thin line. Was he going to insist on doing it himself? He would kill him if he did. Yugi furrowed his brows slightly, hovering a few inches away. When he moved to crouch down, Jonouchi shoved him aside and took his spot.

If things blew up—and he was relatively sure they were bound to—it would be far easier for him to disappear than Yugi. They still hadn't even cleared him to move back into the house yet. They hadn't told him anything as of the moment. So, as far as Jonouchi was concerned, he was still under suspicion. They couldn't afford to have more attention drawn to him, not when they had not even cleared him of the arson suspicion, either.

Yugi eyed him for a long handful of seconds, as if he might argue with him. Then he crouched but didn't move any closer. Jonouchi was thankful that at least this wouldn't turn into a fight between them. In truth, he probably would have done the same to protect Yugi had he been in the situation Yami was.

He glanced at the red-eyed teen over Yugi's shoulder. Yami had moved away, huddled a few feet back, one hand raised for his teeth to dig into his nails. He was not facing their direction, but Jonouchi could see the guilt in his eyes and the way his head was tipped slightly downward.

He could not tell if he was mourning Honda in silence or if the guilt was too strong for him to look again. The latter struck him as disgusting and, in truth, the former made far more sense.

What was it that Yami could possibly say about him? He'd known him actively for only a week at the most, if even that. So what was there really for Yami to say in acknowledgment of the loss of a friend only Yugi and Jonouchi had known?

What was Yugi's excuse, though? He acted as if covering the fact that Yami was there was the single most important thing at the moment. Jonouchi supposed he could understand that if he were to try. In truth, had it been Mai in his place, he would do everything necessary to protect her as well.

But Yugi had never been as simple-minded about things as he was now. It was almost as if Yami was the one thing in the world that he valued any longer. Jonouchi would have been livid formerly. Now he just wanted to lie down and sleep for the next ten years. He didn't want to relive any of the last few weeks or think about the circumstances that had caused his best friend's death.

"Sartorius," Yami mumbled, voice drenched with disdain. "Yubel sent him after we all split up. He likely staked out the house and waited until she gave the command when it was confirmed to be Honda's. She would not have done it until after she'd fled the parking deck."

Even Yugi seemed confused when he turned to look at him. Jonouchi frowned, tilting his head as he looked between them both uncomfortably. Yami did not further elaborate, however. He straightened from his slumped position, turning on his heel abruptly, and left without a second glance. Yugi watched him go, looked for a single second as if he might jump up to follow him, but decided at the last moment to turn to Jonouchi again.

"It would be easier if you let me help you do this."

"Not happening."

Yugi nodded. Then he gestured briefly toward what had once been Honda. Jonouchi was not sure what exactly Sartorius had done to him, but his face was almost unrecognizable and one arm was missing. He couldn't bring himself to look for it and he didn't want to look at the body any longer than necessary. He was just happy Yugi wasn't trying to do those things, either.

"We need to move him onto his back. But his right arm is going to have to stay where it is. Leave it and then I'll tell you how to position yourself."

Jonouchi nodded, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from gagging. He reached forward hesitantly, finding his hands were shaking, and slowly tugged until Honda flipped over. There was a disgusting squelching noise to make them both flinch. And then Yugi got up, gagging, and fled for the door again. The blond watched him go, looking at where the blood soaked his hands, and sighed quietly through his nose.

This wasn't something he'd ever wanted to get involved with.

Even when he'd been in a gang, he'd resolved himself never to get into harder crime. Murder and tampering with evidence was high up on his list of harder crime. When he'd thought he'd follow in his father's footsteps and become a cop, he'd taken notes of the various things that you should never do when you were going to be incriminated for a crime—murder or not—and it almost made him tremble to think of that.

Yugi came back a minute later. His mouth was rubbed raw again. His eyes were shiny, his hand slicked with a small blob of yellow-green foam. He stared at the body again, closed his eyes, and mumbled, "Yami is gone."

"Are you going to go after him?"

"No," Yugi replied, opening his eyes and staring at him. He looked more frustrated than sickened for the moment, as if he were offended Jonouchi had even suggested it. "He can handle himself. If he's gone anywhere, it's going to be back to the camp or the hotel. More likely the hotel, but I don't know which for sure. Right now, I don't even care. It doesn't matter. You're not going to like this, but I'm going to have to do this with you. They're going to see prints of my shoes all over the tile anyways. It doesn't matter what we do and cleaning isn't an option. We'd look like we're trying to cover some kind of personal involvement with the murders."

The blond pressed his lips into a thin line. "And then what?" he finally coaxed when Yugi failed to speak again. He huffed a breath out, ignoring the way Yugi stared at him in open bewilderment at the noise. "What's your role then? You discover the bodies upstairs or something?"

Yugi considered it a moment, tilting his head and chewing his lip. "Yeah," he mumbled. "I discover them after you discovered Honda. You can call in his death first and then I'll call in his parents'. We'll stage it to look like we came here to see if Honda was home, found his body, and then I went looking for his parents."

They stayed quiet for a while. Jonouchi looked down at what remained of his best friend and exhaled slowly, reaching up to scrub his face.

"I can't protect everyone," Yugi whispered suddenly; Jonouchi opened his eyes and turned his head to stare at him in surprise. The other boy was staring at Honda now as well, eyes faraway and expression crestfallen. "But I've got to try."

Yugi didn't look at him before going up the stairs.

---

Jonouchi threw the first punch. He hit Yami square in the face, knocking him back a few steps. The red-eyed teen blinked, shook it off, wiped the blood from his lip, and stared at him. Jonouchi couldn't read what his expression was, but he knew he was more or less unfazed by the assault.

"Damn that felt good."

Yami eyed him for a long moment. Then he smirked, his lips twisted sideways with malice. "Don't do it again," he warned. His voice didn't rise and he never shifted his position from its lazy posture against the doorframe. Jonouchi wondered what it looked like when he really lost it. Was that the feral expression he'd worn when he'd snapped and attacked Yusei during training? How much would it take to send him back to that state of mind?

"Are you here for Yugi?"

"Yugi?" he scoffed. "No, I'm here to talk to you."

Yami blinked, surprised, and stared at him as if for a long minute he didn't understand what he had just said. He studied him, then considered him with a tilt of his head. "Me?" he asked uncertainly, narrowing his eyes. "You wish to speak to me? For what reason?"

"You left us to fix your mistake."

"I acknowledged my responsibility for his death. That did not warrant that I remain there." Yami tilted his head, watching him with eyes that reminded him of glass shards in a pool of fresh blood. "He was your friend, not mine."

Jonouchi couldn't stop himself. He punched him again.

Yami's head snapped back from the force. He wrinkled his nose. Then he licked some blood from his lip. His eyes never moved from him. For a moment Jonouchi almost thought he wouldn't respond.

And then he felt a kick to his side. He yelped, thrown violently into the wall twenty feet away. He grunted, shocked, and blinked stupidly. It took a moment to catch his breath enough to even consider sitting up.

How the fuck had he managed to do that when he had barely even been able to stand straight just hours earlier? He had barely been able to function when he'd been at the house. He'd tripped over Honda's body because he'd somehow been too oblivious to realize it was right in front of him.

"It is truly amazing what your body can do when you let it rest and supply fat to burn for energy," Yami sneered. Jonouchi blinked, surprised to find that he was still standing across the hall. He looked relaxed, as if the thought to follow him had not even crossed his mind. He moved to sit up and Yami snarled low in his throat. In the blink of an eye the other boy was in front of him. His hand closed around his throat, pinning him to the ground forcefully. His right knee slammed into his stomach and he could see his other hand straining in the fibers of the carpet. "Do not get up. I might rip your throat out if you do."

Jonouchi spoke through his teeth, trying not to make any sudden movements. "Wow. Glad to hear that. I'm so happy to know you plan to kill me like that."

"You try carrying my burdens and tell me you do not snap beneath the pressure," Yami spat, voice wavering with something like despair. Jonouchi risked a sideways glance at him but Yami was staring at his throat with a ferocity that made his heart race. "My state of being is not healthy. You should know that an unhealthy wolf is not prone to greatness. I would advise you stop before things get any worse. Do you understand me? I would rather not leave another corpse for Yugi to stumble upon."

"You'd have to deal with Yugi afterwards."

Yami remained silent for a long minute. Then he snorted, mumbling, "I could do that. It wouldn't be hard. I could force him into submission. He does not…fight me." He sounded faraway, voice trailing off as if he were unaware he was still speaking. It was almost like he was trying to force his voice through a body of water, gargled and distorted and almost breathless. His eyes were glazed over when Jonouchi risked a glance into them once more.

"What the fuck are you guys doing?"

The blond tried to turn his head to spot him. Yami's knee slammed into his side. His mouth was inches from his throat now. He snarled like a rabid dog. His eyes were still glazed. His teeth were bared. He stared at him with unfocused ferocity.

Jonouchi wondered for a moment if he was even aware of the fact that he was doing it or if he was simply following instinct.

"Yami," Yugi murmured, voice sharp with tension. "Yami."

For a moment or two Yami didn't respond. Then he stopped snarling and turned his head slightly. Jonouchi didn't miss the relief on Yugi's face when he saw the movement. The smaller teen relaxed slightly, voice quiet as he requested, "Let him go."

Yami glanced at Jonouchi again, visibly distraught with the impulse to keep him there. Then, abruptly, he released him. He straightened, backing up and moving back towards the doorjamb of the room. Yugi watched him keenly, looking grateful and concerned as he studied him.

Jonouchi hurried to his feet, dusting himself off. Yami refused to look at either of them now. His arms were crossed, head lowered and eyes locked on the floor. His breathing was slightly uneven, perhaps strained with tension.

"What did I just walk in on?"

Yami refused to move, much less speak. Jonouchi grimaced, scrubbing at his face with his hands and sighing. "I punched him," he admitted finally. "He was just defending himself."

"You…punched him?" Yugi stared at the blond for a long moment. Then his eyes shot to Yami once more. He looked him over, seeming to finally notice the busted lip he was sporting and the slight drizzle of blood from his nose. He spun on Jonouchi now, clearly flustered. "Why?"

"I provoked him," Yami proclaimed quietly. He'd raised his head, staring at Yugi pointedly now with sharp, cold eyes. "He came here to check on you and I said something I should not have. He punched me. We got into a scuffle. It's not a big deal."

Yugi stared at him as if he were speaking a different language. His expression was full of disbelief and quiet frustration. Then he turned to Jonouchi, voice harsh. "Okay, so, now he's lying for you. I'm guessing this isn't something he wants to talk about." He tilted his head, eyeing him curiously as his voice took on a less aggressive tone. "I'll leave it for now. I had planned to call you after I told Yami the news."

"News?"

"We're heading to the camp in an hour."

Yami looked almost pained by the announcement. His eyes squeezed tightly shut and his voice came out strained. "And I cannot decline to go?"

"No. You're coming with me. I have an announcement to make, including what happened today." Yugi locked eyes with Jonouchi now, leaving no room for argument as he continued. "I've decided that Yami and I will move into the camp in the next week and a half—if the hotel even bothers to stay open that long. It might not. For all I know, they could close tomorrow. We're the only two here anymore. Everyone else has already packed up and moved along to Honshu for safety. The power grid is getting more and more messed up. The trains are unable to run, half of Hokkaido to the north of here is powerless; no electricity and no heat means they're all be running as fast as they can to get out of here. Domino is expected to be closed off entirely in a matter of days, if not hours. Sapporo is almost completely done for now as well. There are a few people that refuse to leave, who have generators to keep their homes warm. But it won't last much longer. We all know that. And once this place shuts down, it's going to be do or die. Either the hellhounds will come to us or we'll go to them."

"The labs underground run on waste," Yami said quietly. He refused to look at them when they both turned to peer at him in surprise. He had begun picking at his sleeves, tugging at them in a nervous tic. "They tapped into the power grid for backup energy, but the majority of it is from recycling waste. They make electricity from it. When the city fails, they will use it to attack."

"Which means it's going to be a week or two and that's it."

Jonouchi stared at them, shaking his head and exhaling roughly. "And then what? What are we supposed to do? Cause, I hate to break it to the two of you, but none of us are exactly…prepared for this? You do know that, right?"

"That's why we're going to train until we can't anymore." Yugi turned to Yami, narrowing his eyes. "We're going to have to train as much as possible. That means me, you, and the rest of the pack. I don't care how much everyone complains about it. It all rests on us preparing and training them and getting this done. We can't afford a repeat of the casualties we've already had."

"And if Yubel or Sartorius were to attack again? You think we would be able to train them to handle that? I could not. She handed me my ass twice. And I cannot afford to rest and eat and sleep like this for much longer. It will drive me crazy. " Yami shook his head slowly, still refusing to raise his eyes. "I cannot afford such a thing, Yugi. It cannot continue to happen. And she is far too fast for them if she is for me. And you have not trained sufficiently. I do not know that we can turn the tables so easily as you are saying."

"No one said it would be easy. But we have to at least try."

Jonouchi fought back a flinch. There was a bleak, obvious helplessness shining in Yami's eyes when he raised his head. He blinked it away a moment later, huffing. Then he straightened, dropping his hands to his sides from where he'd been picking at his sleeves. "Very well," he said in something of a grim tone. "We can try."

---

Yami was visibly on edge as they entered the camp. Jonouchi sensed it more than he could anything else. Yugi bristled slightly whenever Yami moved too fast. Sometimes the black wolf bore his teeth. His ears pricked forward. His steps became stiff. He trotted ahead when they got to the cavern, claws clicking against the stone. Then he was up and through the brambles before Jonouchi could even blink. The blond followed Yugi when he began to give chase.

And, just as he had earlier, when Yugi got too close, Yami spun on him with his mouth half open. He looked as if he might lunge for his face but it was over in an instant. He huffed, turning around again, and hurried a few inches ahead of them. Jonouchi followed steadily after them both, ignoring the urge to split from them entirely. He'd left the moment Yugi had texted him to meet with them to go.

He'd left his dad asleep on the couch, drunk from his overabundance of "emergency" beer, and come immediately after. Had he cared for him any longer, Jonouchi probably would have told him goodbye even if he'd only left him a note. He hadn't even glanced at him to see that he was still breathing before he'd left.

The blond picked his way around Yugi, moving to get past him. Mai and Chazz and Zane were chatting a few yards away, all three seemingly engrossed in their conversation. He was sure whatever topic they were discussing would be easier to stomach than the emotions he was struggling with at the moment.

Mai wagged her tail upon seeing him, but turned away again to speak to Zane as the alpha called her to attention again. Jonouchi turned toward her, about to trot forward.

A snarl sounded in his ear. He spun around. Teeth winked at him. Jonouchi flinched back, throwing himself into the snow. Yami's canines shut a millimeter from his nose. The black wolf stood rigid. His eyes were burning. His tail had risen. His shoulders were squared. His body was tense. Drool dripped from his fangs.

Jonouchi struggled for a moment to understand. What had caused him to snap this time? What had turned him his way, however? He almost asked, then stopped short. He'd brushed against him, he realized. He'd accidentally brushed against him. And Yami had spun on him for it.

Yugi was staring at his beta with a horrified expression. Jonouchi flattened his ears and struggled to remember body language. Was he supposed to roll over and expose his belly? Or should he just lay there and try to lick his chin? He couldn't remember, staring at a wolf so furious he was almost shaking.

Aibou, Yugi said quietly, pleading and gentle. He shook his head, stunned and bewildered. Yami spun on him now, snarling once more. But he stopped short a second later. His tail dropped. He trotted forward a step, not looking back. Yugi turned back to him with a flustered expression. Sorry. I…I don't think he's ready for all of this to be happening at once like this. He just fought Yubel two days ago, he's still exhausted, and I'm telling him this news after weeks of debate without his input. I sprung this on him and he's just…not okay. I don't think he would have hurt you, though.

Jonouchi almost barked a laugh. Yami had been aiming for his throat. But it occurred to him he didn't know if Yami had meant to actually attack or just to pin him. If he'd thrown him down by his throat, he'd have pinned him instantly. He hadn't rushed forward as if he'd meant to do serious harm. He'd seen him try to decapitate Yubel; this had not been with that anger or speed.

He nodded at him. Yugi turned and hurried after Yami, gone over the top of a snow dune and disappearing from sight before Jonouchi could even respond. He listened to him as he trotted through the snow for only a moment, then turned back.

Chazz and Zane had taken off at some point, heading almost the direction Yugi and Yami had gone. Mai had gotten to her paws, wandering towards him with her head tilted. Her ears flicked back and forth several times as she shook herself out.

He certainly doesn't seem happy today.

None of us are, Jonouchi mumbled. He had to force the image of Honda's broken body away. And he was relieved when Mai did not push for an explanation. She had come closer, rubbing against his side with her muzzle. Then she led him further into the camp, her trot swift and easy. We got some really bad news today. And Yami is… He had a run-in with Yubel and got hurt pretty badly.

Mai was quiet for a few seconds. Then she slowed down to let him get to her side, turning to him and considering. Was Yugi not there to help him?

Yami met us at the school. I don't know how he knew she was there. But he told us to split up when we got outside. So, he and Yugi ran for the parking deck at the train station. We headed back to Honda's but then he got anxious when they were gone for more than a few minutes and hadn't come back. So we went back to find them. When we got there, Yugi had killed off three of the hellhounds and Valon was helping him with the fourth. Jonouchi shivered. Yugi's entire arm had been covered in blood. He'd cut one of the dog's throats open completely with just his nails. Another he'd punched so hard it had collapsed its trachea from the force. Whatever of the blood that had gotten on his face had been wiped away prior to their arrival, though his neck had been slightly splattered. After that, we went up a few more levels and found Yami and Yubel at the top. She managed to make a run for it before we even got close. But Yami was in such bad shape he was…barely moving. He got his ass handed to him.

He remembered Yami on his hands and knees there, breathing in short bursts. He'd been soaked. His leg had been twisted the wrong direction. And the bone clearly showed through the tattered jeans he'd been wearing.

Mai blinked, not quite surprised but certainly shaken by the words. She grimaced noticeably and turned away, pricking her ears forward and looking around briefly. Her expression was one of sharp distress that gnawed at his heart. He wished he could have said he could protect her if things got worse, but he wasn't stupid. Odds were he'd get killed for even trying.

She's the one who killed Yugi's family, right? She's the one who teased him while she did it? Mai mumbled. She glanced at him sideways now, unnerved. She's only eight years old. And she's more ferocious and bloodthirsty than Atem is.

Yugi was never bloodthirsty.

No, but in legend Atem was meant to be bloodthirsty when it came to war. He was supposed to be ready for anything and everything and lead us through it without hesitation. He was supposed to be some kind of amazing warrior that would basically lead us to a new era or…something of that nature. She tilted her head, considering him more pointedly. Then she sighed softly and closed her eyes. You know, my mother Annie used to tell us all the story of the Lunar Ascension and she used to tell us a lot more details about it. Slifer used to tell her everything about their lives while the war was happening and how dangerous everything had been back then. It was a huge contrast to the fairytale many of the other wolves know.

Jonouchi blinked in surprise, staring at her in bewilderment. Yugi told me that story.

Mai paused visibly, then began to walk again. Jonouchi hurried after her, unsure of what he'd said that had upset her. But she ignored him, refusing to explain for a long minute. Annie was very explicit about the things she included whenever the story was told. Slifer had given her so many details that it became pretty clear early on what was expected of us. It was really easy to figure out that she expected us to sacrifice ourselves when the time came. We were never supposed to even question it. She was quiet for a moment again, then considered him. Did Yugi ever tell you what happened to her?

He hesitated, searching desperately through his memories. The only time he had ever heard the name, as he recalled it now, was when Aki and Yami had been speaking in the cavern before. When he'd relayed the events of that day he'd escaped the pack; he didn't think Yugi had ever spoken the name Annie before…

No, he finally said. What, uh…what happened to her?

Mai stopped walking to look at him. She sacrificed herself to give over power and rank to Atem, she said softly, with the slightest hint of scorn in her tone. In other words, Jonouchi, she had someone kill her in order to hand over the pack to Yugi.

He faltered. He never told me that. Why would she…?

She turned away, huffing. She wanted the pack to follow him and never choose her over him. She began to walk slower now, seemingly uncertain as she continued. So she had her "purest" daughter rip her throat out in a rite of passage.

Jonouchi bristled. Purest daughter? he echoed in disbelief, shaking his head. Disgust bled into his tone before he could stop it. What the fuck does that even mean?

Aki has a mark on her shoulder that looks like an arrow. You can't see it now as clearly as you could when she was younger, but Annie thought it was a sign that she would betray Atem when he came to the pack. She had planned to execute her in front of all of us, but Slifer and Morrigan intervened and prevented it. Mai's eyes had taken on a faraway expression now, as if she were lost in her memories. I'm only a year younger than Aki, and my mother used to think my coat the most beautiful, unblemished shade of gold and silver she had ever seen. In contrast to Aki's being so dark, she considered mine pure and perfect. So, I was always her favorite daughter. She adored me. And it was problematic. But it happened.

He shivered. Mai…

I know you know where this is going.

I really wish I didn't.

Mai shot him a sarcastic smirk, but her eyes were remorseful. She told me it had to be me, because I was the pure one. So I did it and then she lay there dying, thanking me, because I was setting her free. She said she knew I would help Atem when he took over the pack.

Jonouchi bristled, shaking his head sharply. Mai—

I don't know if that changes anything between us. I'd like to think it wouldn't, she cut him off, voice quiet and tired, but if you decide it does, I'll understand.

He hesitated, then hurried to her side. She'd killed her own mother because of some crazy religion she'd raised them to believe. Her mother had chosen her to do it for the sake of some measure of purity only she understood. And Mai had simply done so for the sake of making her happy and empowering Atem.

It wasn't as if Jonouchi had never thought of how much easier his life would be if his father were dead. The only difference was that he didn't believe in some power that demanded that of him. And doing it was different from thinking about it. She'd done it recently, but Jonouchi had been having those thoughts since he was eight, when the abuse had gotten so much worse.

Do you ever miss her?

Mai slowed, glancing over her shoulder at him. As much as you might argue with me on the matter, Atem leading the pack now is a blessing compared to her. She turned away, refusing to look back, and Jonouchi bristled as he hurried to her side.

You didn't really answer me.

And I have no plans to.

---

I would like to ask Valon to join our pack.

He said it without preamble, seated a few feet away from him with his body lowered halfway to lie down. The pain was visible in his stance, his right leg shaking from the new position. His shoulders quivered with tension and his ears pricked forward, eyes closed halfway as his lips curled back. He looked as if he did not know that he could complete the action.

Yugi considered him, wondering at the way his body quivered so finely. His claws scraped against the stone where Yugi had dug out much of the snow that had blown in formerly. The noise was hideous and loud and he knew Yami hated it but could not bring himself to move enough to make it cease.

You want Valon…to join our pack?

Yami finally managed to lower himself completely. One paw was folded toward his chest. The other was straight out. His back leg kicked with an isolated convulsion. His tail wrapped awkwardly around it as he panted for air.

Yes.

Why? Yugi asked, unable to keep his voice from coming out in an incredulous bark. Why the hell would he want to do that? Why would you even consider…?

Yami lowered his chin to his paws, unfolding the other with a tremble. His breathing was more labored than before now, ears flat against his skull. For a long minute he simply breathed. And then his eyes opened halfway and his ears pricked forward. He was statuesque in that position another long handful of seconds. Then he shuddered. His back popped when he leaned forward to stretch his neck out. An annoyed snarl left him and Yugi shivered, wishing he knew how to help him.

He stopped Yubel, he said simply. Yugi could not tell if the spasm that came through him now was painful or merely annoying. Yami snarled but the noise could have represented either; Yugi couldn't tell with his current state. Valon is the reason she ran off that day.

Yugi found himself unable to process the words for a moment. He blinked, bewildered, and shook his head slowly in confusion. He looked out the entrance he'd cleared those few minutes before and wondered if maybe he should have simply ignored him when he'd spoken.

Valon was here that day?

I did not chase her off on my own, Yami snarled.

Yugi turned back, realizing he'd hurt him in his clear denial. Yami was shaking harder now, though that could have been with anger as well. The white wolf hesitated a moment, then moved to lie beside him. He put his chin on his shoulder and Yami spun on him, clipping his leg with his teeth in an aggravated gesture. He did not draw blood, however, glaring at him before whimpering. He shivered, trying to curl up more, and failed to get comfortable. The fur along his scruff stood on end beneath Yugi's throat.

I don't know where he came from. I don't know why he did it. But he stopped her. He got between us and she ran for her life. Yami trembled, back leg jerking and scratching as it went through another involuntary convulsion. Yugi watched it shudder, the muscles twitching and jerking and thrashing beneath his skin. She's afraid of him. She's truly afraid of him. He's too strong for her to fight and she knows it.

Yugi wished he could have said he was strong enough to protect him. He wished he could have said that he could handle her. He wished that he could have said Yubel was afraid of him. Every part of him recoiled at the idea of the she-wolf mocking them and their every effort to stop her. And he wondered why it was Valon struck fear through her heart.

Was it the power she didn't possess? Was she afraid of him for that?

She could poison and shape-shift. Valon could poison, shape-shift, and gain strength through consuming blood.

From what he understood, Sartorius had the same ability. He had the latter, able to drawn strength from the blood of his victims. What else he might be capable of doing was a mystery to him, however.

Valon could do all three, however. He'd said so himself. And Yugi couldn't imagine the fury Yubel must have felt upon realizing that. She was left in the dark, unable to master that ability. It would not be hard to hate someone for being more capable.

He knew that well enough. He still sometimes resented that in Yami, if only when he was left alone and lost in his thoughts, because he knew with certainty that Yami would come back where he himself could not.

Things would have been so much easier had he never known.

And he would never let Yami know just how cold and guilt-ridden he felt to think this way. He also refused to tell Yami that he wished more than ever that immortality was fleeting. If Yami could not come back, then there was no proof that the Pure-Blood existed. Without proof, it was all a game of delusions of greed and—

How do you know it was Valon?

Yami was silent for a moment. He was so still Yugi almost feared he'd passed away and might come back, tired and cold and panting. I recognized his tail. It is…broken somehow. It's kinked, permanently shifted to the right. Yugi almost sighed with relief. Yami flicked an ear, bunching his muscles as if he were trying to pull himself into a tight ball. Yugi wondered which wound inflicted the most pain. Before I began to have seizures, I remember seeing his tail.

Yugi shifted his weight, moving in an effort to get up. He could wrap himself more securely around him and relieve some of the ache in his leg if he could apply the proper amount of pressure. He gathered his legs beneath him, debating how he was meant to answer.

He didn't know that he truly believed it. He didn't doubt Yami, but he wondered at how lucid he had been in those moments. He'd been poisoned. Could he have truly recognized something like that?

But then he remembered the various times he'd been poisoned. He had not hallucinated but for…

He blinked and turned his head. He'd been somewhere between living and Paradise those few times. He'd seen the forest that the gods walked and he'd suffered for it for those few minutes before he'd regained himself enough to go after Bakura that first time. Was it possible that Yami had just seen the image in his head and thought…?

But, as he looked down at him, he could see Yami's determined stare. He knew what he was thinking. He knew that he was worried about something that didn't quite add up for Yami. The red-eyed wolf had always been…aware of himself and everything around him when he'd passed and come back. He doubted that would have suddenly changed just because of Yubel's poison. He'd survived the onslaught in the forest and he might have gone feral, but he'd recognized Yugi those few times he'd been lucid before he'd injected him with phenobarbital.

I never saw anything.

Yugi spun around with a snarl. Yusei stood in the entrance, lowered to the ground submissively. He refused to look up as Yugi bore his teeth. The white wolf risked a glance at Yami, but his beta had refused to turn his head. He'd even closed his eyes and buried his muzzle under his tail as if to banish the idea of speaking.

I…I was there when the fight ended. I saw them when Yami began to have seizures. There wasn't anyone else there. It was just Yubel and Yami. And then she took off running. Yusei risked a glanced at Yami now, as if trying to understand what more he was supposed to say. When there was no response or reprimand, he continued quietly. But Chazz and Zane did take off after something. S-so maybe I just didn't see what it was from my position. Maybe they saw him and gave chase when he fled?

Yugi turned his head. Yami had opened his eyes. He had not turned his head enough to regard Yusei, but he was watching him. He was waiting, expectant and tired, and Yugi nuzzled his cheek for a moment. He circled around him, considering the position to take, and slowly lowered himself. He shifted carefully to press just enough weight into his leg to feel the twitching as it began to speed up for a single second, then slow beneath his additional mass. Yugi moved to stretch his neck out and place his chin on his shoulders again.

I was not so far gone, Yami mumbled after a moment, as to hallucinate such a thing. She ran away from him. I recognized him.

Yugi pulled back when Yami tried to raise his head. The black wolf was staring at him, as if imploring him to believe what he was saying. Yugi tilted his head, studying him, and wondered for a moment.

I didn't see him if he was there, Yusei said reluctantly. Yugi glanced over to find his tail between his legs and his posture much unchanged. But I don't know that he wasn't. I thought Chazz and Zane were chasing Yubel when she fled. Maybe they were chasing him.

Yugi didn't doubt that logic. But when he turned to Yami again, he realized he didn't doubt him either. If Yami truly believed he saw Valon there defending him, then he'd seen him. It was as simple as that.

And it was not as if the hellhound questioned things when he was told to do something. He didn't answer expectations, either. He cared for nothing more than his own impulses more often than not. His survival and his sister meant everything to him. He cared for nothing else. His impulses were wild and led him every which way.

He had no loyalty to anything or anyone but himself and Kris. He'd smite his own parents for his sister. That was the forefront of his strength.

He, like Yami, would do anything and everything to ensure he survived to see another day. Had Valon interfered, it mean much more than just trying to keep Yami safe from her. He'd been driven to do so by something far stronger than his fickle loyalties. He'd come to save him for a specific reason.

If Yami believes he was there, I'm inclined to believe it as well, he finally said, searching Yami's face for the moment. The relief that bloomed in his red eyes made his heart tighten in his chest. He nuzzled his cheek, licking his ear, and glanced at Yusei. We need to find out what he was here for. He may know something that might help us.

Yusei stayed quiet for a moment. Ishizu told me before she died that Yubel was coming. She said it was going to happen soon. She said she didn't know the exact moment because it depended on Yami more than you. Yubel was there to play with him instead of you, even though she was threatening to go after you the entire time. Ishizu said…that she would kill Yami and send him into a feral state again if we didn't try to slow her down. He shook his head slightly. Chazz and Zane and Jonouchi and Honda and Shay and Moon Shadow found her way before I even had the chance to try. And then Yami showed up…

Yugi turned his head. Yami had lowered his head again, but his eyes were only half-closed, still focused entirely on him. Ishizu told me something similar, but she told me to stay in the den with her while she was dying. She said there was something she needed to show me. He tilted his head and watched Yami's eyes open wider with interest. Valon being here means he knows something. And I need to know what it is that brought him here. He's not a super close friend. And his being here means there was something he was trying to avoid happening.

By the time he'd finished speaking, Yami's eyes had closed. A soft snoring noise filled the den a second later and Yugi smiled, unable to keep from snorting with laughter. Yusei had stiffened, clearly shocked by the suddenness of his nap. Yugi hesitated a moment, then pressed his nose into Yami's cheek, exhaling gently against his skin. Yami snored a little louder as if in acknowledgment, his breathing steady and even. Yugi slowly forced himself to stand up, studying him to make sure he did not disturb him, and picked his way carefully around him to the entrance to lead Yusei a few feet away. He went to speak for a single moment, then thought better of it and continued past him. He threw his head back as he entered the center of the camp, letting out a single sharp and loud burst of a howl.

The wolves responded immediately. Each of them turned their heads, sitting up or growling, and hurried forward to meet him there. Yugi waited until he could personally identify each of them hovering there and then took a seat.

You all have likely noticed Yami is hurt again, he announced. Some of the wolves glanced at each other, surprised, while others merely flattened their ears and gave him concerned looks. Yugi wanted to be able to reassure them, but continued in another direction. If you have figured that out, then you probably already know why, too. No one else has managed to hurt him as badly as Yubel. She's the only threat to him at this point. He could kill anyone else but her. Knowing that, I'll cut to the chase. You might have noticed as well that Honda is not with us. Yubel got to him. She sent her beta to kill him. We found the body this morning and notified the police. Now, whether or not the that will turn into an investigation of me and Jonouchi will have to be seen. But, I will say that most of Domino City will be shutting down soon. All of Hokkaido is beginning to close down. Power outages are effecting everywhere and soon enough the power grid will only be accessible to the underground labs. We need to get to them before that happens.

His words were met with startled looks. The wolves swapped glances. A couple of them looked excited now. Aki herself seemed to be struggling to remain still. Zane was staring at him with an unreadable expression. Chazz looked excited, quivering. Yusei looked stunned, perhaps fearful as well.

He noticed then that Jonouchi and Mai were not there.

He tilted his head, doing another head count, but they were gone. Briefly he wondered if they'd wandered off on their own for alone time. Maybe Jonouchi had decided at the last second that he no longer wanted to listen and so had asked her to go with him. Regardless, he didn't think it mattered all too much.

When Domino closes, Yami and I will be coming here. And from here we'll lead you to those labs when the time comes. A few of the wolves swapped looks again. It was abundantly noticeable to them now that Yami was not there. A whisper came from a couple of them, questioning where he was and if he was okay. Yugi held his tail up to silence them. Yami is asleep right now. He's alive. Don't worry about him.

The relief was visible in all of them. The bristle that had crept over many of their shoulders fell completely. Yugi saw Jim relax visibly, noticed Aki lose her rigid stance. Chazz stopped looking around as frantically as he had been moments before. Jack blinked listlessly from his spot a few feet away, eyes narrowed.

We have a lot of training to go through before then. You need to be able to fight no matter what the situation. Yami and I will teach you, Yugi continued, dropping his tail now as everyone looked at him in surprise. Aki, Zane, Nistro and Shay can teach you in our place for the time being, until Yami recovers enough. But we will win this war. I don't plan on mass extinction for the wolves or the humans. We can fix this. We can change it.

And if we're attacked before Yami is recovered? Mana asked. She refused to look over when some of the other wolves turned on her with snarls. He's the only one who can hold his own against her. So, what happens then?

Yugi almost sneered at them that they best pray for survival. Then he huffed, forcing away the angry impulse. We'll teach you to deal with her. But Yami and I have something we need to do before that. He paused, faltering when he was met with confused and startled expressions. And I don't know if he can make it to the camp again afterwards. So, if we don't come back tonight, we'll be here tomorrow.

Some of the wolves blinked again, swapping looks, and nodded. Yugi relaxed, turning away to make his way towards the den. Yami had woken at some point, and Yugi wondered with a trickle of guilt in his gut whether it had been from his howl, as short-lived as it had been. But he didn't look as if he'd been awake for long. His red eyes were glazed over, his head tipped to the side as if to roll his chin over his paws. His ears flicked about, and then he abruptly grunted. When he rose, his back leg trembled but did not buckle. It cracked loudly a moment later when he straightened entirely, and Yugi swore for a brief second that he thought it had bent unnaturally.

Yami shook himself out, stumbling a step. Let's go, he said abruptly, the fur along the back of his neck puffed up in a clear display of pain. I wish to speak with Valon before the day is over.

Yugi nodded slightly. Would it be easier for you to stay in your wolf form or do you think you should be human, too?

Human, Yami said without hesitation. I will go as a human. It will attract far less attention.

Yugi wasn't entirely sure about that, but nodded all the same. Okay, aibou.

---

Valon looked up from his spot behind the counter when the bell chimed. A few people were scattered around at the tables. Some of them were preparing to leave with their newest cups of coffee. Some had stayed longer in order to see if they could wait out the worst of the newest onslaught of snow. The blizzard did not appear as if it would let up at any point soon. But he didn't plan to tell them he knew for a fact that it would not. The weather would remain steady for the next handful of hours, lightening only deep into the night. The snow would end at the early morning hours, then come back threefold. The forecast was meant to be heavy and devastating.

Kris sat up from where she was drinking her hot chocolate, nearly dashing off to greet them at the door. Valon grabbed her wrist so hard it popped when she got ahead of him. She hit the edge of the counter, bounced back, and frowned up at him in startled, open confusion. He ignored her, considering Yugi as the smaller boy dusted some snow from his head and Yami glanced cautiously around the little café. The hellhound gestured Kris behind him a few feet and leaned against the counter as if to make himself more imposing.

Yami stank of blood and sweat. But he did not reek of rot. There was no true stench of death coming from him. He didn't look as if he might collapse, either. Whatever wounds he harbored now were internal rather than external. He could almost smell the bruising on his lungs and liver and the fracture that persisted in his right leg. He wondered if Yami knew he smelled of weakness like this. He wondered if Yugi had never noticed it or if Yami was always so hurt all the time that it was usual for him.

"Oh! Motou Yugi!"

Valon shot his adoptive mother a long sideways glance. He'd almost forgotten she was there to begin with. She had not said more than a few words to him all day since breakfast. Seiko had been relatively quiet and troubled, lost in thought more than anything.

If anyone truly suspected Yugi of any foul play, none of them responded. A few glances were cast their way in surprise. But none of them spoke a word or whispered little rumors about the fact that Yugi was suspected of his friends' deaths or anything of the matter. No one even whispered about the arson that Mazaki had been trying to pin on him.

"Oh, hello," the smaller lycanthrope said softly, smiling at her. His blue-violet eyes seemed slightly strained, clearly tired but full of determination towards whatever task had brought him there. "How are you today?"

Valon glanced at Yami, found him looking pointedly past him toward Kris, and turned to his sister just as fast. "Listen," he hissed softly, squeezing her wrist gently to make her look over at him again, "you don't approach them. You don't go anywhere near them unless I give you permission. Until I say you can move, you stay here. They just want to talk, but you can't go running up to them like that, understand?"

She frowned but nodded. "Okay."

Valon almost groaned. Now she was staring at Yami. He turned back around, releasing her wrist, and stepped back to the counter. He gestured with a hand for Yami to come closer, but the red-eyed teen had turned away. His eyes were locked on Yugi, his interest glued to the interaction. Seiko was talking to him, giving him her condolences and telling him if there was anything he needed she would try to help. Valon wondered when exactly they had gotten so close. And then he nearly laughed out loud.

She thought they were friends. She was offering because she thought Yugi was his friend. She had seen him multiple times in the shop with him and she had decided they were friends because of it. Valon supposed it was not untrue. Yugi was perhaps the closest thing to a friend that he had.

Yami's head snapped in his direction once more. His eyes flickered, taking in his form for a single second. Valon tipped his head to the side, greeting but also somewhat standoffish in a manner. The red-eyed teen came to the counter after a split second of hesitation. He was not limping as noticeably as he should have been. Instead he had forced himself to brace his weight in its entirety in an almost perfect balancing act. It was only when he lifted his leg that one could see how much pressure he'd tried to alleviate from the impact each time.

"Coffee?"

Yami looked past him to Kris for a single second, then nodded and leaned against the counter. "I wanted to talk to you about something," he mumbled, so low in volume if Valon had not been a wolf he would never have caught it. The hellhound glanced at him mildly around setting some grounds into the machine. Yami, however, had turned away again entirely to face Yugi.

Seiko had hugged him. Yugi looked as if he were stricken for a second. Then he hugged her back, glancing at Valon in surprise. He snorted, raised a brow, and shook his head as he turned away again. Yami had turned back when he looked up once more.

He looked tired, but he was more aware than Valon thought he'd ever seen him before. His eyes were dark, cold and glittering. His mouth opened partially, lips parted slightly, and Valon wondered if he was trying to taste the air that way. He'd be able to trace everything almost impeccably if he were doing so, from how long the coffee had been open to how many times it had been scooped out to what blood he was using and how long he'd had it. If Yami truly wanted to track every movement in the café, all he had to do was breathe in through his mouth and hold for a few seconds.

Valon tilted his head. Yami blinked, glancing at the coffee pot. "I think I need to focus on serow as my next meal," he mumbled. He rearranged his limbs on the counter, crossing his arms and looking him over. He pulled them towards himself, resting against the counter even as he took his seat on to the stool and didn't move beyond that but to watch the coffee drip. "It smells delicious."

The hellhound frowned slightly. "It's fresher than the last one."

Yami nodded. He glanced over at Yugi again as Seiko began to retreat. The blue-violet-eyed boy waited a few moments, watching her leave before turning around to join them both.

"Coffee?" Yugi mumbled. His eyes shot to Kris in surprise for a single second before he grinned and waved at her. He turned to Yami after a moment, smiled slightly, and then looked at Valon with a puzzled expression. Whatever he had been searching for, Valon didn't know, but he stared at him curiously for a few seconds. "Serow blood?"

"I got it yesterday," Valon mumbled. Kris was at his side, but had not gotten any closer to them. It was clear she wanted to, however. He glanced at her sideways, pressing his lips into a firm line, and nearly sighed in frustration. She really knew how to press on his patience. He turned to them and huffed. "Yami said you wanted to chat?"

"We don't have to right this second," Yugi dismissed quietly. He glanced around as if he were nervous, grimacing, and settled into the seat next to Yami. The tension in his eyes was cold and confused. "We definitely want to talk to you, but I don't think it has to happen right this second. Besides, Yami needs a few minutes to rest before we get involved with that."

Valon glanced at Yami. The red-eyed teen shot Yugi a furious look but remained silent. He turned to Valon a heartbeat later, shaking his head slightly. Valon wondered if he was out of breath after all of that time he'd forced himself to walk so evenly on his injured leg. That could not have been easy in any manner. He knew that much. The hellhound snorted, smirking, and leaned against the counter again. "Must be a stressful subject if it's going to have any effect on him," he snickered. "Conversations don't usually require a recovery time."

Yugi's face twisted into a snarl instantly. "You saw him yesterday," he snapped. "Don't start."

Yami shot him an irritable look. "Stop being neurotic. I'm not upset."

Valon snickered, putting his elbow on the counter and his chin in his hand. He hadn't planned to witness the two of them arguing, but he found it amusing all the same. He didn't think he cared all too much that there was tension between them. Their argument would be amusing regardless. "You guys are arguing in front of me now? How the mighty have fallen," he teased. He waved it off when Kris asked what that meant. The coffeemaker gurgled and he pulled away. Yugi was flushed from what he could see in his peripheral, but Yami merely smirked. "If you were a hellhound I'd tell you you'd be better off just drinking blood to heal those wounds. But lycanthropes are different beasts entirely. You need to eat and sleep and live in that cycle for a couple of days. If you do that, you should be perfectly fine again after."

Yugi seemed to perk up. "A couple of days?"

Valon looked up briefly around pouring some creamer into the cups. "Most lycanthropes can recover from a fatal wound in a day if they sleep and eat in a cycle of a set amount of hours. I remember Morrigan told me once that Slifer recovered during the war by waking every hour on the hour to eat for ten minutes then rest again. She healed her disembowelment, her skull fracture, broken ribs, stab wound through the shoulder, and shattered limbs that way."

Yugi stiffened. "During the war?" He fell quiet for a long moment, then looked at Yami with a frown. It was clear he was scrambling for answers now. "What, uh…what was she eating?"

Yami glanced at him with a small tilt of his head. "Humans," he answered quietly. His red eyes flickered faintly with frustration. "She was eating the carcasses of the humans she had killed."

Valon watched Yugi grow pale before shaking it off with a loud exhale. He smirked, looking at Yami as he turned his eyes steadily to the counter top. "I didn't know you didn't know that story," he laughed, smirk widening. "I thought everyone knew it."

"I did not tell him that story. He…values human lives too much."

"Gross."

Yami chuckled, the sound raspy and slightly wet. He narrowed his eyes, looking way. "That's what I said, too." When he smiled at Yugi, his eyes were bright with humor. "Humans are super gross."

Yugi snickered, looking away. "That's true."

Yami turned away again, picking at his nails. Valon watched him with a curious expression. He didn't seem to be in too much pain, but there was a shadow of guilt in his eyes as the hellhound studied him. Yami looked tired and small, as if the life had been drawn out of him sometime during their small conversation. He frowned, glancing at Kris behind him; she was staring at Yami again, just as she had before when they'd first encountered each other as humans. He nearly grimaced, turning back and watching the two lycanthropes.

Yugi did not look up. Yami had begun drumming his nails on the counter, eyes closed. He had no true rhythm to his tapping, simply producing noise in his impatience.

"Here." He pushed the cups forward, raising a brow when only Yugi seemed to notice and reach forward. Yami kept his eyes on his fingers, picking at his nails with his eyes half-closed. Finally he reached forward, movements seemingly reluctant, and pulled it into his hands. He didn't move to drink it, however, grasping the mug in his palms to warm his hands. "Okay, you came here for a reason. I'm tired of waiting. What are you doing here? What is there to talk about?"

Yugi looked at Yami, a pointed expression on his face. He wasn't going to answer for him, Valon realized with genuine surprise. He really didn't plan to help him? It seemed odd and almost out of character for him where Yami was involved. He knew how much Yugi cared about the other boy. It seemed impossible to consider Yugi would not support him now, if even for simple words. He was almost amazed by the idea, watching him with narrowed eyes.

Yami looked up, past him, towards Kris for a moment. "Has Hati spoken to you again?" he asked instead. His nails scratched against the mug in his hands when he moved his fingers to tighten his grip. He watched her intently, eyes sharp and burning into her face. "Has he said anything to you?"

Valon turned his head. His little sister wrinkled her nose, watching Yami curiously. "He said that you're lucky Valon listened to him when he sent him to save you from Yubel that day in the woods," she said. She looked at him and smiled. Her eyes sparkled. "He said that if Yami and Yubel fight, he's going to die."

Yugi stiffened in his seat, sitting ramrod straight with shock. Yami nodded as Valon turned back and considered them again. "Well then, that answers your question, Valon," the red-eyed teen said slowly. He was studying Kris for a long moment, eyes intense and burning. "It answers mine as well. I came to ask why you saved me from Yubel that day in the camp when she almost killed me."

He faltered. "Oh." He glanced at his sister and away again, grimacing as he considered what to say. It wasn't that he cared that they knew all the details or not. It was more whether he cared enough to give them. In the end he settled for somewhere between long and short in explanation. "Hati contacted me to tell me you needed help. He said if I did not, you would lose your mind entirely after she killed Yugi. And I can't afford to have people figure out we're real just because you lose your damn mind if Yugi dies. Hati told me to find Yubel and keep her from killing you and getting to Yugi."

"So," Yami said in a voice dripping with irritation, "Hati is awake now?"

Valon considered the question for a long time, narrowing his eyes and tapping his fingers atop the counter. Yugi sipped his coffee, watching him with an unsurprised expression. He drew in a breath, wondering at the caution in Yami's voice, and snorted. "Not physically. I've seen him in Paradise, but he's not awake in the sense that Slifer and Obelisk are. He mostly drifts in and out of my dreams."

"So he's like Skoll and Ra," Yugi mumbled.

"Yes, he's still dormant like they are, but he seems to be more aware than them." Valon watched Yami as the red-eyed teen finally took a small sip of his coffee. His gaze brightened for a single second before he swallowed, as if he were surprised by the taste. Valon studied him, for a moment wishing there was some way to help him if only to keep another inevitable victory from Yubel's grubby hands. He could have given him more blood, but it would have meant relinquishing the entirety of his last remaining vial. And that likely still would not do him enough good to warrant the loss. He was not a hellhound. He needed nourishment from flesh as well. He needed more nutrients than the blood offered. "He's a bit more involved with everything right now, it would seem."

Yami tapped a nail against his cup. "You wished to remain neutral in this fight, yes?"

He glanced briefly at Yugi, but the smaller teen was staring at Yami pointedly. Valon looked between them, studying as a bristle threatened to come over him. He forced himself to shrug it off, looking beyond them and towards the door at the snowfall. If they planned to do anything against him, they would fail. It was as simple as that. He would kick their asses and hand them to them on a silver platter if necessary.

"What's your point?"

Yami looked at Yugi, then straightened. "I came to ask you to join the pack."

Valon turned his head, blinking, and faced Yami again. He processed the words, then burst out laughing. "You what now?"

---

Yusei kept his nose to the ground. He trotted ahead, ears pricked, and wagged his tail lazily. Chazz had been playing hide and seek with him for the last thirty minutes, since Yugi and Yami had left. Yugi had told them all to remain in pairs—at the least—and larger groups of ten if they left the camp for any reason. He and Chazz had broken the rules in leaving in just a pair as they had, but it was not as if he suspected the hellhounds to be lurking around every corner. And they were still close to the camp. If things went wrong, they could sprint there in no time.

Yusei shivered as he looked around. Yami had been so irritable, snarling and baring his teeth when he'd left. His back leg had been bothering him again; that much had been clear. He'd lifted it awkwardly more than once, even licking at it to soothe the painful spasms. When nothing had seemed to work, he'd stormed off with Yugi behind him.

And Yusei wondered if he'd offended him formerly. Had he been upset before leaving because he'd said he hadn't seen Valon there? Had he upset him when he'd put doubt in Yugi's head? But Yugi had said he believed him over Yusei, so why would he have still been upset about it?

He yelped, thrown backwards. He scrambled for his paws. Chazz stood a foot away. His tail wagged rapidly and his tongue lolled. His teeth were shiny and brilliant against his gums. You weren't paying attention! he laughed. He came forward a couple of steps, smirking at him. I could have killed you three times by now with how distracted you are. You're lucky I'm not a hellhound. What the hell are you doing anyways? You're not hiding very well.

I was…thinking about things, Yusei huffed, feeling small despite the playful chastise. He shook his head and wagged his tail. And I'm obviously not hiding or else you wouldn't have found me!

Chazz ignored the jab, moving past him. Atem and Yami?

Yusei dropped his tail, eyes widening. Am I that predictable?

I pay attention, Chazz said dismissively. He turned his head, looking at him over his shoulder. His eyes had grown slightly troubled. I thought for a while when I first got here that you were screwing around with Atem, by the way. A lot of us did, actually. We really thought you guys were fooling around and all that.

Yusei shuddered, disgust rippling through him. Oh, no, gross! he blurted out, horrified. He shook his head violently, huffing out a breath. No way! I'm not interested in Atem like that at all. Besides, I mean…it's pretty clear that Yugi and Yami are mates. They might not have acted on it, but they're definitely intertwined like that.

Yeah, I realized after the first week. Zane and I were talking about it.

Atem is super nice. He's a good person. But I definitely don't think he would ever be my type, Yusei mumbled, flicking an ear. And Yami is way too aggressive when he gets mad. Can you imagine even arguing with him? He'd probably chew someone's face off if they got him angry enough.

Chazz was quiet for a moment. Then he grinned.

Yugi is a masochist!

Yusei burst out laughing. Definitely!

They snickered a little longer. Yusei moved past him in a lazy trot, heading towards the river. It was towards the final stretch of the water, where it cut through the upper level of the camp where the cliffs seemed to sever the air like sharp teeth and jagged claws. He looked at them, listening to the water where it just barely managed to trickle beneath all the ice. Soon it would freeze too. The waterfall would become stagnant, frozen like everything else around them, he assumed.

Is it okay if I go hunting?

Chazz slowed beside him, grimacing. Hunting? He mumbled the words, sighing softly and shaking his head. You want to go hunting right now? I mean, I guess we could, but I really don't want to.

You could wait at the river. I can just see if there's anything worth catching. We can set up a rendezvous point and I won't go further than twenty yards, if that works, Yusei offered. The other yearling considered him, ears flicking before he huffed a breath and shrugged dismissively. I'm just kind of hungry.

They replenished the kill pile earlier today, Chazz grumbled. He sounded uninterested and almost annoyed now, as if the interruption of their game was somehow burdensome to him. Yusei remembered how short an attention span he harbored, however, now that he was no longer playing a game or acting as second in command. Without something that required his attention, Chazz became increasingly restless and anxious. Oftentimes he got wrapped up in his own thoughts to the point of missing conversation or even foregoing meals. Yusei had brought him food more than once when the other yearling had gotten lost in his thoughts formerly.

He remembered Syrus saying that was his biggest problem as beta. He wanted to take action before he thought through the entirety of a situation. He didn't like to sit still. And he struggled at times to properly relax or maintain a calm demeanor. He was too used to action; staying idle like this drove him crazy.

I can wait by the river and you can go and find something.

Yusei considered him curiously, taking in the irritable twinge in his voice. But he knew he shouldn't have been surprised. If nothing else, Chazz had proven to be ornery when things did not pan out in a manner he agreed with. But he was agreeing with him for the moment; if he waited too long he might change his mind.

He trotted past him, leading the way further down the riverbank. Chazz mumbled a quiet, We'll rendezvous here. It's not too far from the camp and if you stay within twenty yards like you said I'll be able to get to you without any problems if anything happens.

Yusei nodded, wagging his tail. Thanks.

Don't make me regret this.

He wagged his tail harder, then hurried past him and further into the trees. It would likely be easiest to find rabbit, maybe a squirrel where it was hidden in its nest. But he wasn't the best of climbers and he hated the idea of having to do so. His claws always broke and split and bled for his efforts. He wasn't sure if he wasn't quite built for it or if he was just going about it in the wrong way, though he was uncertain how that could be. But, regardless, he always ended up nearly falling when he tried to get back down. And sometimes he froze in the middle when he was barely a few feet up.

It was a panic response those few times, because he didn't like heights.

Even considering having to climb sometimes made him quiver.

He'd hated them ever since he'd first gotten on an airplane. Something about the turbulence had made his stomach knot and twist and he'd been unable to shake the feeling later. So now he didn't care for climbing. He could jump as high as he wanted, but trees made him anxious. And occasionally cliffs made his legs shake when he scaled them in pursuit of prey with the rest of the pack.

Thankfully, however, no one had noticed.

Yusei picked his way down a small incline, sniffing the nearest tree for any signs of prey. A few branches overhead had been stripped of bark, indicating a deer but he didn't think he had the skill to take one down on his own. He wasn't as powerful as Yugi or Yami and he didn't have the impressive instincts that Chazz did when it came to taking down larger and harder prey.

He swallowed back the drool, shaking himself out before he kept going. When he got to the bottom of the hill, he flicked his ears and looked around. The woods were dense, with roots almost tangled beneath the snow. If he were a rabbit, he would pick a place like that to hide during winter. That meant the conifer needles and things of that nature would be under the ice. That meant they'd have food for a while. And, if that were the case, he should have been able to hear them whenever they moved.

How deep was the snow now anyways? He wasn't used to such heights or the constant influx of it. The states had not offered so much, unless he went further and further north. He knew Alaska to have such intense conditions. But here it seemed almost as if the world no longer circled the sun and the sun had abandoned them to ice. In the Lunar Ascension, the wolves had always said it was meant to be the year the world froze to nothingness. He wondered if maybe that was now.

Everything was so perfectly white, with only the occasional spot of gray or dark blue where someone had tread through it. He looked around slowly, blinking against a new onslaught of flakes that threatened to land in his eyes. He shook himself out, sniffing at the snow. It had to be more than a few feet deep. The accumulation had been intense since he'd arrived two months prior. But without access to the news reports he didn't know what height it had gotten to. He suspected, however, had they not had webbed toes and large paws like snowshoes, the wolves would have been buried beneath it all.

There was a light rustling somewhere under the snow. He could hear the movement, small and isolated, and he bristled with anticipation. He hadn't hunted on his own in a while now. Usually winter made everything harder for him as well, due to his coat. It gave away what little cover he had. Winters he spent mostly back at the cabin with the others that had darker fur, all of them waiting while the lighter-furred wolves got their chance to shine. It wasn't hard to hunt deer in a group, but usually winter meant deer had taken refuge in deer farms.

Yusei shook himself out again. He was right above the animal, he realized. He could hear it scurrying and digging, chewing on whatever it was it had stashed down there. He tilted his head, raising a paw, and readied himself to begin digging.

You found something?

He startled, spinning around with a bristle. He almost snarled, sputtering in surprise. Jack stood a few feet away, head tilted as he watched. His eyes were focused on his face, his stance lazy and slightly slumped. Yusei felt his fur drop, shaking himself out as he wagged his tail.

This was the first time in twenty-four hours that Jack had moved from the spot he'd laid beside Carly's body. Even when they'd taken her for burial, he had remained there, eyes dull and listless. He'd responded when spoken to, but his voice had been quiet and clearly forced and his eyes had been unfocused.

What are you doing over here, Jack? Where's Aki? Yusei wagged his tail, trying to make his voice sound friendlier. Jack had not so much as blinked at the alarmed tone that had left him moments before. He wondered if he had even noticed it at all. I thought you were supposed to be buddies right now?

Where's Chazz if you're so concerned about the buddy system? the pale wolf returned dismissively. He moved around the tree he'd been standing beside and made his way over to him. His eyes flickered briefly around, as if he expected one of their two buddies to appear from thin air. Besides, what does it matter? Atem is just freaking out because Yami got his ass handed to him again. Who cares? Just because he wants to live in a state of fear doesn't mean that I have to.

Yusei's tail dropped. He frowned, blinking and tilting his head. Yubel is a serious threat. You were there when we went to help out at the house, he mumbled. He didn't know truly why he was arguing, however. He knew that Jack didn't actually care about that to begin with. He had other things on his mind. He hadn't eaten in a full day and a half and he had barely moved in the last hour but to acknowledge Aki with a slight dip of his head when she'd come over to announce that she was his new buddy. He sighed softly, guilt washing through him violently. Sartorius is just as bad. He almost killed Aki and Atem once in the woods during patrol. I don't think you were there for that, though. Were you?

If I had been, the two of them wouldn't be alive.

Yusei grimaced. He didn't know which of the group he meant at this point. Yami and Yugi were hardly his favorite people. And Aki was not a friend, but Yusei knew they got along for the most part if only because of their similar attitudes.

Where did they go anyways? Did they run back to the little hotel they're holed up in this time?

He shook his head. No, I think they went to…talk to someone. He swallowed away the impulse to mention Valon's name. It felt wrong not to acknowledge such a powerful force, but he realized doing so might make Jack snap. He didn't know if he'd lash out. Valon was a hellhound, after all, and Carly had just passed from infection due to a hellhound ambush. And he knew Jack knew who Valon was. He couldn't imagine bringing him up would summon happy thoughts for him. I don't know who but I think that's what they were planning when they were talking.

Jack shook himself out, looking at the roots of the tree. Rabbits? How boring.

I wanted to hunt on my own. It helps get my mind off things. And rabbits are easy enough to hunt on my own without having to worry about injury or anything like that.

Jack snorted loudly, eyes sparkling with mockery. You can't take a deer down on your own?

He fought away his frustrated bristle, flicking an ear. I don't like needless risk. I could get hurt doing that and then what? It's not like we have instant healing like Yami or Atem do. He turned away, ears pricked. The rabbit was still somewhere beneath him, perhaps a few inches to the left of where he stood. He wondered again how deep it was, picturing the warren of them all buried beneath in a labyrinth of ice and blue and gray and silver shadows. I would rather not get myself hurt just because I overestimated and thought I could take on an animal I couldn't.

Jack fell silent. Overestimating an opponent is always a bad idea.

Yusei blinked, startled, and turned his head. Don't you mean underestimating? Wouldn't underestimating an opponent be the bad idea? If you overestimate, you can judge them as you go and figure out from there how easily you can kill them. He tilted his head, searching his face. Wait…what opponents are we talking about?

Jack mustered a lazy shrug in response, the movement looking as if it might cause him to topple over at any second. Yami isn't as all-powerful as everyone pretends and Obelisk can't hold his own against him. Yubel has a weakness too, but Yami probably isn't smart enough to figure it out yet. And Yugi is afraid of his own shadow half the time. So, neither of them are going to have the ability to figure it out when they need to.

Yusei shook his head. You didn't see it from Jonouchi and Honda when Yami and Yubel were fighting. It was insane, Jack. He narrowed his eyes, drawing his lips back into a nervous snarl. She was so much faster than him. It was crazy. But he held his own for the better part of it.

That's not the way I saw it. From what I saw, Yami got his ass handed to him when she bit him. Jack sniffed the air dismissively, looking away with a sneer. From what I saw of it, he was too weak to hold his own against her from the beginning. She tossed him around like he was a chew toy.

He managed to hold her off for a while. It was almost thirty minutes of them fighting. She managed to gut him and he still got up from it. Yusei fell quiet, looking down at where he could hear the rabbit moving about again. But she has the same ability that Valon does. She can poison with her saliva. And it's a lot worse than the infections we get from the usual hellhound spit.

You would think seeing as he's a Pure-Blood, he wouldn't have a problem with it at all.

Not really, the gray yearling argued. He turned back to him, shaking his head. I would expect him to have it worse than us, actually. The strand of lycanthropy in his bloodstream is a lot purer. If it reacts to lycanthrope blood of any degree in a negative way, then I'd think that would make his reactions that much worse.

Jack snorted. Maybe, he dismissed. He raised his head from where he'd been tracking the rabbit as well. But, do you ever wonder if someone besides Barbara helped Yubel get to the camp? Perhaps Valon?

It definitely wasn't Valon.

He hoped to the gods that it wasn't. If Yugi and Yami had gone to invite him back to the camp and he had aided him in some way to get to the camp, he didn't want to see the repercussions of it. His heart sank at the thought. How many more would die if Valon had chosen to aid her? He could only imagine the absolute bloodshed.

No, I think it was just Barbara. I think they met at some point when she was angry at Yami and Atem and she led her here to attack. She used to sneak out of the camp sometimes on her own, remember?

That doesn't guarantee she was the only one to help.

Yusei frowned, confused by his harsher tone. She's dead. Yubel tore her throat out when she was no longer useful to her, remember? He flattened his ears against his skull. Something had crossed Jack's eyes, heavy and shadowed, and his fur threatened to rise into a bristle. As far as I know she's the only one who hated them enough to do it. Aki is probably the only other one—

Wow, way to lay blame.

Yusei faltered, stunned. His fur rose into a shuddering bristle as he stared back at him uncertainly. I'm not blaming anyone. I just… I mean, well, I am blaming Barbara, but that's true. It's been proven. She's the one who did it. I'm just… I don't think Valon would want anything to do with Yubel. He's more dangerous than she is, and he had the chance to tear us to pieces before, remember?

He had to be, right? He had to be more dangerous and powerful than her. Yami had not been so foolish as to pick a fight with Valon before. But he'd gone head to head with Yubel more than once now. He might have gotten his ass handed to him for it, but he'd damaged her similarly.

And, if Valon's mere presence had scared Valon away as Yami had suggested, then he had to be stronger. But, if he were so much stronger than her, what was to keep him from lashing out and killing them all in turn? Yusei didn't like so many variables in the equation. He didn't know where Valon's loyalties lay, but he doubted it was with them. He'd killed Zuzu without batting an eye and threatened to do the same to Yami in the span of minutes…

You think so?

Now Jack sounded interested. He could see his attention was undivided now, purple eyes piercing as they bore into his. He watched him as if he were the Holy Grail, as if he knew the key to each and every victory the world had to offer. He watched him so intensely that Yusei stepped away, bristling faintly.

You think that Valon is stronger than Yubel?

He hesitated. They seemed more concerned by Valon than they did Yubel. I think it's safe to say that he's more dangerous than she is. But I…I don't know for sure. I mean, thinking about it and the way they reacted, I'd…think so.

Jack nodded slightly. How much worse do you think he is then?

Yusei didn't know the answer to that. But Yami had even hesitated in directly speaking to him. He remembered how carefully he'd picked his words. He remembered how fiercely he'd monitored the hellhound even when he'd tackled Aki in an effort to keep her away from him.

I don't know. But he moved so fast. And he nearly tore your head off when you got too close. What do you think?

He did not almost take my head off! Jack snarled indignantly, baring his teeth as the fur along his spine rose into a hideous bristle. Yusei backed up again, flattening his ears against his skull. He barely even touched me.

Yusei swallowed back his response. He didn't want to further upset him. Everything had to be so much harder for him at the moment. His temper was super close to the surface. If he provoked him by accident, he was sure he'd have hell to pay. He didn't want to fight him. Jack's temper on a regular day had been enough to ward him off. Now, with Carly dead and Jack's more aggressive stance, he almost wanted to turn and flee.

Maybe if he called out to Chazz the other boy would make it there in time to stop Jack from losing his control if he did accidentally provoke him further. He didn't want to deal with the attack. Jack struck hard and fast and drove his opponents to the ground in seconds. Even training with him struck hesitation in himself and a few others.

He didn't want to sport more bruises. He didn't want to be thrown on his back so hard that his shoulder wrenched. He'd had enough of that from his last training session.

Yami may not have hurt him, but he was still shaken. And it didn't help that Yami was almost three times his size, twice still when he was emaciated. He was taller, more powerful, and his fur alone was thick enough to make him seem far larger than he truly was.

Yusei shook the thought off. Yami had panicked. He knew that. He hadn't meant to lose his temper. He hadn't meant to snap at him like that. He'd proven that their last training session. He hadn't touched him even once with his mouth then. He'd kicked and pushed him away, but not once had his muzzle truly come in contact with him.

Well, you fought with him a second or two there. What did you think? Was he dangerous or not?

There was a small moment of silence. Jack stepped forward, purple eyes growing cold. He wasn't so dangerous that I wouldn't have fought him if I'd gotten an actual chance. But with the way Aki kept interrupting and Yami and Yugi were acting, you'd think he'd have been responsible for every murder on the planet. They acted like he was some kind of god or something. And Obelisk was the only one who didn't blow smoke further up his ass.

I don't think it was blowing smoke up his ass, Yusei mumbled. He turned back to the snow, listening once more. I think it was wariness. Yami wasn't in the best shape to pick a fight, and Yugi was friends with Valon before he changed. I'd assume he just didn't want to upset him into attacking them, you know?

We could have handled him. He couldn't take all of us.

I think he could have if he truly wanted to.

You honestly think he was that strong?

Yusei glanced at him sideways, unnerved by the stare he was given in turn. Yeah, he finally mumbled. I think he is.

Jack watched him, expressionless. You know what I find interesting about all of this?

Yusei bristled slightly. Something in the air had grown heavier, tense. He was almost winded as he drew in a breath. He didn't answer. Jack continued staring, peeling his lips back into a vicious smirk of perfectly white teeth.

Yugi and Yami know this hellhound. Barbara knew how to get in contact with Yubel. He tilted his head, stepping a little closer. He lowered his voice, sneering. And here you are, telling me that you think they're stronger than Atem. You are aware of just how that makes you sound, yes?

Yusei blinked, startled as his mind processed the indirect accusation. He shook his head, narrowing his eyes. You aren't seriously saying that, are you? he blurted out, incredulous and shocked. He blinked again as Jack tilted his head. Jack, that's stupid. Why would you even think that?

The pale wolf wrinkled his lips back. Why? Do you even remember how many wolves we lost in that attack, Yusei?

He flinched. W-why are you asking me that? Of course I remember!

Jack took a seat. He looked oddly pristine in his grief. When he scratched his ear, Yusei felt the small trill of tension crawl up his spine. Barbara led Yubel to the camp. She and Sartorius wreaked havoc from there. You were there for that. You saw Otogi's mangled corpse. You helped with some of the wounded wolves. You and Yami ran around to check the casualty count before he sent you to do the final body tally.

He was missing something. He could feel it now. Somehow, somewhere in this conversation, he had missed something. And Jack was prodding at him with it, gentle before he became scornful. He was going to bait at him until he understood what it was he was getting at.

Yusei almost snapped at him not to play mind games with him, that he wasn't in the mood for it. But angering him was dangerous. He forced himself to heed to that knowledge again. He forced himself to remember, his stomach rolling painfully.

Jack…I don't understand…

The pale wolf looked at him, eyes growing dark and burning. When he smiled again, his teeth looked like blades. Then allow me to explain, he said slowly. His voice dripped with venom. You were with her last.

Yusei stiffened. I didn't ask to be!

She chose to die with you, he continued, ignoring his outburst. She was rotting to death. Her organs began to lose function. She decayed from the inside out. And she chose to die. With. You.

Jack, it wasn't—

You know, every time someone says they're sorry about it, it just makes me want to rip their heads off.

W-what?

Jack tilted his head and gave him a sharp look, eyes beginning to sparkle with hatred. Mieru told me that she hadn't predicted that she'd die so soon. But, you know, unlike us, she's not powerless. She's psychic. You can feel it when she's close. She's got an aura powerful enough to bring you to your knees when you're close to her. He didn't move but to sniff the air. I wouldn't hurt her, however.

Jack…

It was so odd, you know? Jack continued, dismissive as he considered him. You were so often around Barbara. It's almost amazing that you didn't have any idea what she was planning to do.

Yusei blinked, opening and closing his mouth at the accusation. He stared at him, frozen in place for what felt a lifetime. Then he bristled faintly, blinking, and shook his head slowly. Jack, we all knew Carly was going to die. She said so herself more than once. There was never really any hope that she wouldn't. I didn't want her to die. Yami didn't want her to die. No one wanted her to die. He flinched when Jack narrowed his gaze and peered at him sharply. His pupils had dilated to pinpricks, his lips peeling back slightly at the reminder. I didn't know anything about Barbara and neither did any of the others. I never interacted with her unless it was necessary and even Aki wasn't friends with her. She hated me, Jack.

Then she had something in common with me.

Yusei flinched, flattening his ears. Look, I know you're hurting. I know you want someone to blame, but turning on me isn't going to fix anything.

Jack nodded slowly, peering at him sharply once more. No, it won't fix anything, he agreed callously. He got up, stepping closer, tail raised and teeth exposed. But I can at least have fun with it.

Yusei didn't have the chance to dodge. Jack sprang so quickly it was blinding.

Jack caught him by the neck. His teeth sank in forcefully. Yusei felt blood cut through his skin. His flesh burned. His veins throbbed. His heart raced. He tried frantically to pull away. He pulled Jack backwards a few steps. Jack bore down on him until Yusei swore his neck would snap. He snarled low in his throat.

Where were Aki or Chazz?

He'd left Chazz at the river not too far back. Why hadn't he come to check on him by now? Had he wandered off? And what of Aki? She should have been nearby as well. He doubted Jack would have been able to subdue her. He didn't think he could have outrun her. Had she turned a blind eye to him? Dismissal wasn't beyond her.

Jack's teeth sank in further. Yusei twisted backwards. He flipped onto his back. His hindquarters kicked frantically. His claws dug into his fur. He tore at his throat. His claws missed his eyes by an inch. He moved his front legs. He hooked his left foreleg on his cheek. His right paw pressed into his throat. He kicked again, straining. Jack gurgled. The series of hits made him stumble. He dislodged him a moment later.

Yusei scrambled for his paws. He hurriedly backed up. He pricked his ears forward. His lungs felt tight and painful. He backed up again, staring with wide eyes. I thought she was recovering! he blurted out, bristling. His eyes narrowed. He snarled softly, flustered and aching with guilt. Why hadn't he noticed? His heart squeezed in his chest. I didn't know she was so sick. I thought she was healing. I would have tried to help more if I had known!

Jack lunged forward. His mouth opened wide. Yusei lunged forward. They rose onto their back legs. Jack snapped his jaws shut. Teeth dug into his cheek. Yusei nearly yelped. He'd clamped down on the top half of it. The roof of his mouth stung. His jaws almost creaked from the force. His muzzle burned. The skin split, bleeding hideously.

Yusei yelped. Jack sprang forward, twisting. Yusei hit the ground on his back. His lungs ached. He snarled, struggling. He thrashed, kicking. Jack took a claw to the eye. He backed up rapidly. Yusei put a few inches between them. Jack shook himself out. Then he came forward a step.

He sprang again. Yusei studied his muscles. Then he folded his ears back. He dodged aside, spinning around. His teeth snapped into his scruff. He jerked forward. Jack landed in the snow. He rolled a couple of inches. Then he turned around. He sprang. Yusei feinted. He opened his jaws, snapping in turn. They reared up on their back feet. They twisted, snarling and snapping, missing by centimeters.

Jack curled his lips further back. He sprang again. Yusei expected him to aim for his face. He'd positioned himself to absorb the impact. Instead the pale wolf hit him in the back. His teeth sank into his hip. Yusei was thrown, snarling. He twisted, scrambling.

Jack sidestepped. Yusei missed the initial bite. He snarled louder. Then he snapped for his face again. Jack shook his head. Yusei struggled for his paws. He managed to get his front feet under him. Then he lunged forward, snapping his jaws. Blood shot into his mouth. Jack snarled and released, shaking him off in a quick surge of movement.

Yusei stumbled. His back leg was soaked. Jack had done more than simply puncture the flesh. He'd bitten into raw muscle. He snarled, hunching his back. If he could balance his weight more securely, he'd be able to hold his own. Yusei hadn't had to do this in a while. Usually opposing wolves went for the face. Some of them went for the stomach. Rarely did they go for the back leg or spine.

Or, at least, they didn't in his experience. He remembered Yubel doing so to Yami. He remembered her breaking his back. He remembered how easily Yami had shaken it off. But that was beyond his capabilities.

Balancing on three legs was easier than trying to control the throbbing pain. It was not impossible to do so. He could cover his side easily.

He could also make it appear worse than it was. He could trick Jack into thinking it much worse. If he could do that, he could gain the upper hand. It was not impossible to play on one's ignorance. It was not impossible to sink his teeth into such opportunity and lash out in turn. He did not have to abide by the pain he harbored. He could lead him into the attacks necessary to pin him. He was not so foolish as to believe it flawless. But he had done so with many different opponents.

And, in his state of mind, Yusei doubted Jack would be any different.

He raised his had, snarling as Jack came forward. He bore his teeth, raising his leg. His tail curled as if to shield it. He pretended to lower his foot to the snow. Then he lifted it again rapidly as if with a flinch. He bristled, hobbling forward a step.

Jack eyed him. Then he sprang. Yusei dodged back a step. Jack snapped his teeth, catching his front leg. Yusei wheeled backwards. He threw his weight, shoulders braced. He kicked his back legs. Then he rolled quickly out of his grip and to his paws. Jack stumbled, blinking in surprise. He was still recovering when Yusei sprang.

He caught his face. His teeth cut his muzzle. He almost crushed his eyes from the force. He bore down upon his skull. He dug his teeth in further. The position forced Jack's face towards the snow. Their shoulders were almost side to side. Their tails were raised. Both of them snarled, furious.

Yusei pressed forward. He slammed their shoulders. He smacked their hips. His teeth clamped harder. Jack snarled, pinned in place. He kept his shoulders braced. Jack was forced to an absolute standstill. Yusei used the advantage. He raised his front leg, pressing into his side. He leveraged himself to his back feet. And then he forced himself downward.

Jack was almost in a stretching position. Yusei kept his weight. He angled his head further. His grip loosened but he did not move too far. He kept his teeth in his skin. He kept Jack's muzzle crushed beneath his. He could not fight back if he kept him there. If he could keep him immobilized, Jack might give up on his own. He might grow tired of being unable to move like this. He might shake him off and run.

Yusei would count it as a blessing.

Jack backed up. Yusei's legs shook as he tugged. He slid a few inches. Jack's front paw rose, striking him. He narrowly missed his eyes. His claws cut into his cheek. Fur was torn from skin, blood drizzling. The second attempt to claw him made Yusei release him.

He backed up a step. He opened his jaws wide. Then he rose onto his back legs.

If he kept the advantage, Jack couldn't pin him.

And he was sure if Jack pinned him, he'd kill him.

Yusei lunged. He hit Jack hard enough to make them both stumble. He snapped his teeth into his flesh. Jack bucked up. Yusei was thrown partially off his feet. He snarled, paw landing on Jack's back. He twisted and pulled at his flesh. Jack spun as if to face him.

Yusei nearly lost his grip. He stumbled. Jack rose to his back legs. He twisted out of his grip. His teeth snapped inches from Yusei's face.

Jack slammed into his side. He clamped his teeth on his muzzle. Yusei snarled, struggling to shake him. He tossed his head. Jack released him, turning once more. His teeth snapped into his cheek, then released. He lunged as if to knock Yusei over. The blond wolf threw himself forward harder. He bit him viciously in the shoulder. Then he jerked Yusei off his feet with a shake of his head.

Yusei twisted, scrabbling desperately. Jack pinned him to the ground then. Yusei was breathless. He kicked in a panic. His back legs flailed. Jack bore down on him, teeth in his throat. He kicked and thrashed. He tried to shake his grip. Jack snarled, clamping down harder. He lunged, shaking him. They seemed almost to spin like a top in the snow. Yusei tried to scream, but he couldn't breathe. He kicked harder, gasping and gurgling.

Yusei squirmed, bucked, and rolled. By some miracle he managed to shake him. He twisted, writhing, and got to his paws. He pushed to his feet. Jack struggled to keep his grip on his cheek, teeth slipping. Yusei squirmed, kicking and standing straight. He pushed off the ground violently. Jack's grip tightened on his face. He tried to hold him in place. Yusei angled his head lower.

If he moved properly, he could push Jack's eye into the snow. The frigid touch might startle him enough to release. It might only last a second. But it would be useful regardless.

Yet, even as he thought this, Yusei was sure he would not be able to implement it. Instead he backed up rapidly, struggling to regain his footing. He tugged himself back. Jack slipped. Then he rushed forward, diving. The momentum disengaged his grip. Yusei turned rapidly. He was partially beneath him. His head was under his ribs. The other wolf snarled, spinning on him.

Yusei hit him hard in the hip. Jack stumbled a step. His teeth snapped. He caught the end of his tail in his mouth. It was only guard hairs, thankfully. Yusei was sure he would have screamed otherwise. He spun on him. Teeth snapped a millimeter from his eye. He'd missed by some miracle. Yusei rushed him. Jack stumbled from the blow. He went face-first into the ground, leg buckling beneath him. But he was quick to snap at his eye again.

Yusei ducked away. Jack sprang to his feet. They stared at each other. Yusei shivered. He'd never known Jack to be so easily fought. When he'd gone up against the hellhounds at Yugi's house, he'd taken down ten of them on his own. He'd managed to send several others running. He'd killed more than three of them in the span of a minute. He may not have eaten for a few days in his desire to take care of Carly, but even that should not have caused such a change in his physical prowess.

It took him a long moment to truly understand it.

And when he did, Yusei felt faint.

Jack was erratic and tired, because he was slowly but surely losing his stability. Like other wolves, he'd lost much of his willpower. He was so weak and disoriented because he did not truly care any longer. The outcome of the fight was hardly something Jack cared about. He'd stopped arguing with him because he no longer cared to speak or listen. He didn't care so much about arguing. He just wanted one of them to die.

And he wasn't truly fighting for his own life.

Nor was he trying to kill Yusei.

He knew that much; Yusei would have never been able to keep up with him.

He'd come to Yusei now because of familiarity. He knew him. He knew his face. He knew his fighting technique from training sessions together. He could hold his own against him if he suddenly changed his mind. And, had he allowed Aki to trail him, he'd be dead by now. She would have stepped in and put him out of his misery.

They were both aware of that fact.

The fight was more a test than anything. He was testing whether he had any true will left to survive. But he was also seeing if Yusei would be able to do it for him.

He likely knew better than to even suspect Yusei of knowing about Barbara in any manner. But he had said anything he could to get his attention. He wanted him to fight back. He wanted him to put an end to him.

And Yusei hated himself for it, but he almost agreed.

Wolves that lost their mates always became unstable. Younger wolves deteriorated far faster than older wolves, but more experienced wolves only kept their façade up for longer. It wasn't that they weren't losing their minds. It was just that they could pretend otherwise for longer. They all went crazy.

He'd only ever heard of it in stories. But he had seen Echo's father in her memories. He'd lost his mate and a month or so later he'd led humans back to their home in an effort to destroy himself and the rest of the pack. His mate had been killed days prior by hunters—the same ones he'd led to the rest of the pack.

It was like a self-contained thunderstorm. It built up until it longer could, bursting forcefully outward. From the moment it burst, it became more and more wrathful. If they did not turn on everyone and everything around them, they turned on themselves. Some of them would slowly but surely mutilate themselves, others would starve, and yet others simply picked fights they knew they could not win.

Sometimes it was a hellhound they knew to be too strong to take on by themselves. Other times it was another pack mate who could easily kill them.

Yusei shivered, staring at him. How long ago had Jack's eyes become so hollow and dead? He hadn't noticed it just hours prior. That was not to say that he couldn't have simply missed it. Aki had been nearby as well, speaking to them and, admittedly, he'd been paying more attention to her than him. She'd been talking about Yugi and Yami at the time, distracting them both from the loss after Carly's body had been taken away by Shay and Ute.

But Yusei prided himself on noticing things. It was one of the reasons he'd survived so long on his own before he'd met Echo and joined her pack.

Jack, he whispered, tired and stressing his name. The very task made his muscles burn. He didn't know that he could truly do this. Please don't make me do this.

The blond wolf shook himself out, stepping forward. Do what? he sneered, pricking his ears forward. You can't do anything. Look at you. You're quivering like a goddamn worm before me.

Yusei shook his head. I don't want to do this.

Do what? he repeated spitefully. He curled his lips back. What do you think you could do?

I'm sorry about Carly. I'm sorry about… He trailed off, shaking his head and flattening his ears. But I…I don't want to be the one to do this.

Did I ask you? Jack said slowly, raising his tail as his eyes burned into his. And if you will not do so voluntarily, then I will force you to.

Yusei backed up rapidly, forelimbs shaking at the prospect. Jack—

He snapped his teeth. Yusei yelped, backing away. His ear was torn to ribbons. He could feel blood soaking into his ear canal. He blinked, then backed up. His legs were still shaking. His tail tucked itself between his legs. He blinked again.

Jack stared back blankly. His lips drew back further. His teeth were bright, shiny. A small smear of blood covered his incisors.

He stepped closer. Yusei hesitated.

Jack lunged forward. His teeth sank into his scruff. He dug into his throat. Then he reared back, shaking him.

Yusei was reminded of Aki for a moment. She'd done the same to him at once. She'd been planning to kill him then. She hadn't just meant to fight him. She hadn't done it with the intention of letting him so much as lay a tooth on her. She'd meant to kill him outright that day. It'd been a miracle that Chazz had been spurred to intervene, as Yami had been too winded and Yugi too startled. Chazz had been the one to rescue him from her. He'd knocked her away, threatened to kill her for it. And—

Yusei snarled, trying to regain his footing. Snow flew through the air. Jack shook him harder. Yusei tried again to regain his footing. His front paws came off the ground. His back legs ached, shaking. Instinct made him turn around, snarling and snapping.

Jack had risen too high on his back legs. When Yusei twisted, he sank his teeth into his shoulder. He held him there. Jack released him. Then he stood, snarling. His teeth sank into the skin above his eye.

Yusei yelped. He released him by accident. Jack bore down on him. His teeth remained clamped there. Yusei snarled, struggling to pull away. But he'd end up having his ear and the left half of his forehead torn off. So, he stopped short. He panted. Jack let him do so for a moment, as if to give him the chance to rally himself.

And then he shook him so violently Yusei flailed out of his grip. Teeth dug into the back of his skull. He was no longer holding his ear. He could no longer crush his eye.

Yusei jerked, shaking himself. Jack stumbled. He turned, snarling and opening his mouth wide. Yusei threw his leg out. The kick to Jack's side sent him stumbling again. Yusei sank his claws in. He opened his mouth wider. He lunged forward enough to make him stumble again. Jack got a grip on his fur behind his ear. Yusei got his throat.

They were on their back feet now. Yusei could feel Jack quivering. He couldn't tell if it was excitement or fear. But the paler male panted in his ear. Then he snarled and dropped his forelimbs to the ground. Yusei twisted, head bent beneath Jack's jaws. His front paws couldn't touch the ground at this angle. His back legs strained, threatening to buckle. He frantically pushed a foreleg over Jack's shoulder. The other was almost useless, hanging in the air.

Neither released. Yusei panted against his throat. His back legs strained more heavily. Jack was statuesque for his part. But the position made his body ache. Yusei wondered if his knees would buckle. His tail was not helping his balance. He wasn't holding it upright. Keeping it down like this was difficult. But to lift it would project aggression.

And Yusei didn't want to hurt him.

He just wanted him to let go.

He wanted to retreat back to the camp.

He bucked, pulling Jack up with him. Jack snarled, spitting. They tossed about once, shaking. But it dislodged them both. They fell back onto their paws immediately. Yusei panted. Jack wagged his tail, baring his teeth. When he sprang, Yusei couldn't move. Teeth sank into the flesh of his leg. The blond wolf shook him. Yusei nearly landed face-first in the snow.

He twisted, snapping his teeth into Jack's shoulder. But he could not land anything more fatal. And Jack was not slowed in the least. He shook him so hard Yusei thought his eyes might pop out of their sockets. Jack released abruptly.

Yusei hit the ground on his side. He blinked, stunned. Then he hurried to face him again. He snarled, eyes widening as Jack leaped. His jaws were wide open, gaping. Yusei faltered a moment. Then he lunged in turn.

His teeth connected with his throat. Jack's breath turned strangled. Yusei threw himself backwards a step. Jack went forward, stumbling. Yusei kept his grip. Blood spurted in his mouth. Some distant part of him wondered if he'd gotten the jugular. But he doubted it as well.

He clung to him. Jack stayed statuesque for a moment or so. Then he began to thrash. He tried to shake him. And Yusei didn't know if he was trying to escape or worsen the blow. Yusei got to his feet. He hit Jack hard enough in the shoulder to wind him. And then he shook him violently.

A snapping noise shot through the air.

He couldn't tell if it was bone or sinew. But Jack was still moving. He was still trying to shake him. But the movements weren't urgent. He showed no desperation.

He wasn't trying to save himself.

It was reflex. Wolves never did well with teeth to their throat.

If Jack had wanted to throw him off, all he'd need to do was take a well-aimed bite at his foreleg. If he'd wanted to truly survive, he'd just need to take one of his legs out.

The thought was jarring. Yusei almost released. Jack was sluggish now. His movements had slowed by a few seconds' span of time. Each breath was ragged and hard. He gurgled every other inhale.

Yusei bristled, dropping him and backing away. His side stung, pulsating with pain. His back leg throbbed. His ear seemed to flap against his head when he flattened them. His face felt torn where Jack had clung to it formerly.

Yusei stared at him. Jack lay most motionless but for his heavier breathing. He blinked once, then twice. And, had he been healthy, this would have amounted to nothing more than a scuffle between them. But his state of misery and mild starvation had already put him in an advanced stage of decay. Yusei shuddered, backing up another step.

I'm sorry.

He wasn't sure which he was apologizing for at this point, however. Did he mean about Carly? Or did he mean about fighting back? Yusei didn't know what he was trying to say. His belly ached as he watched him.

Jack stared at him for a long moment. He tipped his head slightly and peered at him in confusion. Why? he mumbled. His voice sounded hoarse, tired. But Yusei swore he could hear the gratitude in it.

And he thought now of when Yami had spoken to Echo as she'd passed. She'd been so tired, but Yami had showed her kindness Yusei had never expected. He'd spoken to her gently, his voice laced with gratitude as he told her the story. Yusei had only been able to think of this even as Yami had threatened him upon seeing him there.

I didn't want to do this to you.

I wanted you to. Jack blinked once, long and slow. Yusei could see the effort it took him now to do something so mundane and easy before. His ears flicked. Is that Aki?

Yusei blinked, fur rising along his scruff. He shivered, head snapping around with his ears pricked to listen. He could hear the steps now as well. He tucked his tail, flattening his ears once more. He couldn't tell which direction she was coming.

Jack was quiet for a long moment. Then he grunted. She won't care. We butted heads constantly. She'll likely enjoy the irony. You're always so peaceful and I'm the nasty one. He let out a harsh chuckle. His voice was fading. He twitched and shifted his leg so that it straightened from its former bent position. His eyes flickered with shadows for a moment. Thanks.

Yusei shook his head, limping forward. I…I'm sorry, Jack.

He blinked again. Then he stretched his neck out. The snow was soaked. Yusei shuddered. Jack stared at him, blinked, grunted, shuddered, and finally went still.

Yusei shivered, looking around rapidly.

She was circling him.

She was circling the perimeter of their fight.

He pricked his ears, straining his hearing. And it took only a moment for her to come forward, in the opposite direction. He stiffened, spinning around. He bristled and cowered, eyes wide. She simply stepped forward, glanced at Jack, and then turned to him with a tilt of her head. Her eyes had grown dark with contempt, but somehow brighter as well.

So, he finally did it, huh? she commented by way of greeting. Her voice was dry as he shook herself out. She came closer, standing mere inches from the rapidly cooling corpse. Then she shook herself out and faced him. You realize this is not going to look good on your behalf, yes?

Yusei flinched. I didn't want to hurt him. He attacked me.

She snorted and wrinkled her nose. I know that. The words were harsh, snarled at him disdainfully. She studied him a moment. Then she glanced at the body and considered the pale wolf for a long handful of minutes. I was in the trees. He wasn't as smart as he thought. I knew where he was headed before he did. When he doubled back to shake me, I wanted to see what would happen.

Why didn't you try to stop him?

He was unstable. He was a liability. The moment a wolf becomes unstable, it needs to be put down like a dog, she said dismissively. She shook herself out. A small burst of snowflakes scattered down overhead. Yusei glanced at the endless white and then turned quickly back. He couldn't tell if she planned to strike out at him or not. He lowered himself to the snow and she eyed him in turn, her expression almost skeptical and cold. I was curious, as well, to see if you would manage it or not. I didn't think you had it in you.

And you would have let him kill me?

Her silence spoke volumes. He jumped to his paws, snarling and holding his tail up before he realized his stance. You would have let him kill me! he spat. Why the fuck would you just stand back and let that happen? I don't understand you!

Aki snorted, peeling her lips back into something of a cruel smirk. I had not planned to, no, she answered dismissively. But I would have only stopped it if he had overpowered you at any rate. But I thought you would have a backbone just long enough to save yourself if it came to it.

He shook his head, hateful. You don't honestly care about any of us, do you?

She tilted her head, studying him. Me? she mumbled. What does it matter if I care about any of you? Are you stupid? I hadn't taken you to be so damn mindless before. This is a war. Opinions about each other don't mean anything. What matters is we all make it to the fight and die there.

Yusei stiffened, eyes widening. Die there?

The she-wolf snorted loudly. What do you think this battle with the hellhounds is going to amount to for the rest of us? she sneered. Her ears pricked forward and her eyes cut him like teeth. We're all almost guaranteed to lay down our lives for his. Atem means destruction before he means anything else.

Yusei bristled, tail drooping. Fear crept through his bones, freezing them. You honestly believe that? he whispered, flattening his ears. You believe we're all going to die, too?

She tilted her head. If you came into this fight thinking it would have a fairytale ending, I'm sorry to burst your bubble. She peeled her lips back into a snarling smirk. But there is no happiness for the rest of us at the end of this little battle. You're in the wrong part of the world if you think that. In fact, you're the wrong species altogether if you thought that was a possibility.

He exhaled roughly, feeling small and sick. His face stung and guilt ate at his insides. He didn't want to look at the body but it was almost impossible not to at this point. He wondered how battered he looked, whether she was taking pity on him for it. I didn't think it would be a fairytale, but I didn't assume it would mean everyone had to die.

You're naïve then, Aki scoffed. She turned away from him with a sneer once more. The rest of us were raised knowing Atem would sacrifice us like lambs to the slaughter when it came to it.

Yusei flinched. I'm sorry.

She flicked an ear. You apologize for such stupid things. She turned back, ears pricked forward and eyes sharpening with interest. Her voice was laced with amusement now. Let's get his body to the camp. We can bury him later. First the pack can pass judgment on whether you live or die, though.

Why do you sound so happy about that?

Aki's eyes locked with his, sparkling with laughter. I miss having reason for a good slaughter. It's been too long, she snickered.

You really don't give a shit about any of us, do you? Yusei huffed, shaking his head at her. You're a fucking psycho.

As long as we are all prepared to support Atem, I do not have to care, Aki dismissed, staring at him more pointedly. Finally she shook herself out. Yusei watched the snowfall scatter from her coat. Pain lanced through him, his wounds stinging anew as he glanced down at Jack once more. Although, I have to say, things likely wouldn't be as interesting if you weren't around. I wouldn't have nearly as much fun trying to make someone else bristle.

He blinked. He supposed that was as close as he would ever get to a compliment from her. He sighed softly and shook his head, his heart squeezing painfully. This was going to be a mess to explain…

Aki carried the majority of Jack's weight. Yusei felt his neck strain every other minute, legs threatening to buckle at any moment. He needed to lie down and rest a while. He could sleep it off once he ate and—

Chazz noticed them only as they neared a few feet in distance from the rendezvous point. His muzzle was smeared with blood and he was wagging his tail as he trotted about with his half-eaten rabbit carcass. He was playing catch with it, tossing it in the air and jumping after it or darting around to catch it.

When he spotted them, he'd just caught it again, the rabbit half-hanging from his jaws as his teeth closed on it. His eyes stretched wide, ears pricking forward in bewilderment. He blinked a few times, dropped his catch, glanced at Yusei briefly, and then hurried over to them.

I'm guessing I missed something pretty big, he commented gruffly. He hesitated, spotting the body and freezing in place for a long handful of seconds. Then he blinked, raising his head, and peered at him in confusion. What the hell happened?

Aki scoffed, You're such a good partner for the buddy system. She dropped Jack and shook herself out. His corpse was stiff, frozen, and smelled only of ice at this point. There was no blood scent to be found any longer. Jack's blood vessels had frozen from the cold; dragging him through the snow like this had only further cemented this.

Chazz ignored her. Fuck, you're a scrapper! He laughed, almost roaring with enthusiasm. He wagged his tail wildly, looking at Yusei with glowing eyes. You and Jack faced off and you won! I couldn't even hold my own with him more than a few minutes. How the hell did you manage that?!

Yusei blinked, shivering. Chazz, it's not something I want to celebrate, he mumbled. He watched the gray wolf look the body over again. His tail didn't cease wagging. Clearly he hadn't heard him say it. He was too excited to care he'd even spoken, he was sure. I don't want to celebrate this. I didn't even want to do this. I didn't mean to…

Aki wrinkled her nose. No, of course not. You would rather have gotten yourself killed instead, right? she scoffed. Yusei glanced at him sideways. Is that what you martyr types think? That it would be better to suffer yourself rather than hurting someone else? That's pathetic.

Yusei grunted at her, wordless for a moment. Then he turned to Chazz again. The other yearling was still studying, tail wagging slightly as he murmured, Damn. You tore his jugular out!

He cringed. Chazz, that's not something—

You really managed to tear his throat out! Chazz turned his head and looked at Aki with bright eyes. Yusei flattened his ears, staring at him as Aki wrinkled her nose in turn. I wouldn't have expected it from you! You're always so much calmer and you never even pick fights. What the hell happened?

He shook his head slowly, bristling faintly as he looked away. I just need help moving him back to the camp, he grumbled. He shook himself out and the various cuts under his fur stung vividly. He looked at Aki. The she-wolf did not pay him any mind but to tilt her head and consider him with an unreadable expression. Aki was helping a second ago but I don't think I can keep dragging him like this.

Chazz eyed him now. I'd say it was her who killed him. I'd gladly pin it on you—He shot her a glare, baring his teeth, but she refused to look at him and considered Yusei—but you're clearly banged up and she doesn't have a hair out of place. So, as a beta, I'm pulling rank. What. Happened?

Yusei blinked, startled by the fierce tone. He remembered Chazz getting between them to save him from her. And now he was staring at Yusei with that same expression of pure anger and open aggression, willing to lash out if pushed.

Aki burst out laughing. You are pulling rank? Do you remember who you are standing in front of, pup? she growled. Her tail rose, wagging, and she eyed him with a sneer on her face. Do you honestly think you can boss me around as well?

No one was talking to you, Chazz snapped back. Yusei is the only one here who can answer the question. It's his responsibility to explain.

Really now? she drawled. His responsibility? But then one look at him says exactly what happened. They fought, Yusei won. What more is there to know?

Yusei shot her a startled look, surprised by the firm tone in her voice. Was she truly trying to help him? Or was she trying to cause more trouble? He couldn't tell at this point and his stomach lurched as he considered her. She was watching him as if she might eat him alive if he made the wrong move. Her tail wagged again and she pricked her ears forward. The fur along her scruff rose slightly, stance furious and terrible. Her teeth were bared as she stepped forward, eyes glittering.

Chazz eyed her for a long moment. But even Yusei knew he was aware she outclassed him in every sense. She was far more experienced and powerful than either of them. She'd been a wolf far longer. She'd been killing and maiming since before they'd been born, he was sure. The other yearling flicked his ears, turning away from her abruptly. Instead he looked at Yusei more pointedly, though without aggression. He watched him, impatient, and Yusei shifted his weight awkwardly.

Carly…was his mate. Yusei refused to look at either of them. She died recently. And he…spiraled out of control, I guess.

Chazz eyed him as if he didn't entirely understand nor believe him for a brief moment. But his ears flicked back and he considered him with an expression that made Yusei almost flinch. It passed a second later when he mumbled, I was hoping that Jack and Carly weren't bonded.

Aki snorted. You clearly weren't paying enough attention then. The moment he met her, it was clear to me that he'd bonded with her, she sneered at him. Her voice had grown scornful and cold and her eyes glittered harshly. You must have been blind not to realize.

Chazz bristled faintly, huffing. I don't spy on people like you seem to, Aki.

Spy? You're pathetic. Do you not realize that as beta of the pack formerly, it was my responsibility to know everything that happened in that camp? She wrinkled her lips back to show her teeth. Do you not understand that you are meant to be knowledgeable about almost every matter happening in the pack you help to lead? What the hell has Zane been teaching you?

Don't bring him into this, Chazz spat in turn, bristling and raising his tail slowly into something of a challenging wag. Every fur on his scruff had puffed up and his teeth were bared in turn. You have no right to accuse me of being a bad beta when you turned your teeth on your own pack for the sake of sating your own paranoia. Or do you not remember almost ripping Yusei to shreds that day in the woods?

The reminder seemed to rattle her for the briefest of seconds. She blinked, then looked towards Yusei with a slightly startled expression. For a single moment she eyed him, then scoffed, I do not know how you missed it, regardless, Chazz. He was almost up her ass enough to be her shadow. It was almost as gross as Yusei with his head up Atem's.

Yusei flinched as if he'd been struck, startled by the barb. He flattened his ears, forcing himself to shrug away his embarrassment and focus on her words again.

I just had hoped they hadn't bonded enough that her death would cause so many problems for him, the gray wolf huffed, dropping his tail and shooting Yusei a slightly flustered glance. But you're right. They were together constantly. They were mates, after all. But I hadn't expected them to bond enough for this to happen.

You know the legends. It comes on quickly.

Chazz hesitated a moment. I guess I was just hoping that circumstances would push them in opposing directions for a little while longer. If they'd maintained a little bit of distance, Jack wouldn't have gone after Yusei like this.

Maintained distance? Why would they have? They were mates! Yusei protested, sounding almost affronted by the thought. Once you find your mate, why would you ever ignore them like that?

Chazz tilted his head, studying his friend. Let's say Yugi and…someone like Yubel were mates. They wouldn't act on it. And there are obvious reasons for that, don't you think?

Yusei couldn't help but groan, disgusted by the thought. He'd rather have dug his own eyes out with his claws than picture that.

He won't even act on his relationship with Yami, Aki said scornfully enough to shake the image from his mind. Yusei almost thanked her for a split second, but stopped when he realized how foolish he would have sounded. But that's for a reason as well. The time isn't right for them to be together beyond alpha and beta. Why should they focus on fucking around when everything could go to shit for us all every other breath?

Yusei grimaced, unable to shake the thought of the last fight they'd gotten into. I… He huffed. Fine, then let me reiterate. I would move heaven or earth for my mate. I'd want to spend as time with them as possible, even if it was limited! And I'd try to make them feel as good as I could!

Chazz flicked an ear, disregarding him as he turned to Aki. You can't discount Yugi and Yami's relationship as nothing. Yami is… Fuck, I think he's barely hanging on by a thread, and Yugi is the only reason he has a grip on reality at the moment. Maybe I'm wrong, but there are moments where I've looked at him and could have sworn he's got all but one tiny screw loose. He tilted his head, pricking his ears forward and studying her. And Yugi is so often around him and worried that… I'm personally just glad that they aren't acting on their relationship. Do you realize that if they were, Yugi would be even worse off and come off as even blinder to the situation than he already is? Imagine if he was acting on his relationship when Yubel attacked Yami that first time. Do you realize how much of a bloodbath we could have had as opposed to what we did? Can you imagine what would have happened if he'd turned on her when he found out? He isn't trained well enough to hold his own against her. And in that state of pure rage he would have felt when he found out? He would have gotten himself and everyone else killed.

Yusei shook his head. I don't have some kind of amazing destiny like he or Yami. I'm just Yusei, the little Half-Blood that came with the American pack to Hokkaido, he said softly. I don't have some important role that impacts everything. I'm just…here to basically sacrifice myself for the sake of other wolves. And since I don't have that kind of burden on my shoulders, I don't have to watch myself like they do.

Chazz snorted. Good of you to make that distinction. I'm glad you know.

I'm serious! When I die, I'll stay dead. So, why shouldn't I do what I want where my mate is concerned?

Aki peered at him with something akin curiosity and disbelief, as if she were trying to figure out how to respond. Then she turned away, shaking herself out, and faced Chazz. Help me move the body. The weakling over here almost collapses every other step.

I don't nearly collapse! Yusei argued, cringing visibly. You just…pull too fast.

That helps your case so much, Chazz scoffed, laughing. Weakling.

Yusei bristled, scowling. He's stiff and heavy, he whined, flustered. His leg stung as he came forward another step. His stomach tossed as Chazz continued to stare at him curiously. He nearly broke my leg, okay? I can't walk as fast as she can.

Bullshit. That wound is so slight it might as well be a fucking paper cut, Aki sneered.

Chazz burst out laughing at the retort, throwing his head back and almost howling. Yusei shot her a look of betrayal, flattening his ears, and sighed softly. Both of them laughed louder at his response before Chazz grabbed the body by the scruff and Aki took it by the back leg. They had lifted Jack's corpse off the ground, and Yusei felt sick as he thought of humans parading bodies about.

---

"You're joking, right?"

Yami's brow rose but he didn't comment. Valon had only just stopped laughing, spending the last ten minutes cackling. The golden-eyed teen stiffened, looking between them, and the humor drained from his face. He blinked, pulled back from the counter slowly, and looked down with a smirk.

Yugi shot Yami a look that bordered between annoyance and sympathy, as if he felt guilty for his more or less correct assumption that Valon wouldn't take the situation seriously. Yami sighed through his nose, glancing around.

Most of the other patrons had left at some point but for a few stragglers. It had not concerned him formerly when Valon had initially begun laughing, but he'd since lost his own amusement with the reaction. Now the guffaws left him annoyed, irritable. He wanted nothing more than to smack him, if only to make the damn noise cease.

"Okay, so," Valon snickered, not lifting his head; he was fiddling with his cup of coffee in a vain attempt to keep from howling again, "you're really asking me to join your pack?"

"Yes," Yami pressed, struggling not to snap. It was almost impossible to unclench his jaw enough to speak. He almost expected Valon to snarl in response, but the other teen had begun snickering again. "We're really asking you."

Valon snorted long and slow through his nose. Then he glanced over his shoulder at his sibling. She'd taken to huddling in the corner with her cup of chocolate, eyes bright and cheeks slightly rosy from the steam. "Okay, well, that was unexpected and"—he burst out laughing again, ducking his head and leaning against the counter—"oh, shit, that's hilarious! What the hell?!"

Yami sighed deeply. Yugi snorted and looked away when Yami shot him a glare. The smaller teen offered him a smile immediately after, glancing at him from beneath his lashes. His face was apologetic but warm; he smiled a little more when Yami softened at the expression.

"Okay, okay, I'm going to try to take this more seriously." Valon nodded, biting his cheek noticeably. He nodded again. Then he doubled over laughing harder. "Oh, shit! I can't even say that with a straight face!"

Yugi snickered, still watching Yami. The red-eyed teen huffed, putting his elbow on the table with his chin in his palm. His beta grinned at him, nudging him gently with his elbow, and Yami swatted at him playfully. The gesture gained him a wider smile as Yugi leaned forward to whisper into his ear.

"It could be worse."

Yami snorted, unsure how to answer. He didn't truly think that was a possibility. His pride was scathing at his common sense, making it hard to keep from snarling. The only true calm he possessed was because Yugi was not mocking him as well.

His eyes flickered past Valon and towards Kris where she was drinking her chocolate.

Valon could have reacted violently, he realized as he studied her. He could have turned on them as he had at the camp. He could have turned his teeth on them or tried to poison their drinks or something. It was not impossible for him to lead them outside under false pretenses and lash out violently for even speaking such nonsense.

And it was nonsense, wasn't it?

Yami should have known better. He should have known so much better than to offer this allegiance toward a hellhound he had such a tentative relationship with as it was. He lowered his eyes and considered his cup. Yugi seemed to notice his crestfallen stance, for he scooted closer, their legs touching as the smaller boy tried discreetly to comfort him.

"Why would you even ask me that?"

Yami blinked, raising his eyes. The hellhound was leaned over the counter now, eyes flat and dull; he must have noticed Yami looking at his sister at some point. And he was not happy to see it. That cold ferocity in his eyes told Yami that easily.

"You chased Yubel out of the camp."

Yugi blinked beside him, turning his head to peer at Valon more pointedly. And the hellhound stiffened almost imperceptibly; had Yami not been staring at him so blatantly he would have missed it. His shoulders tightened, his eyes hardened, and his mouth twitched minutely. He stood statuesque for a moment, then straightened, drumming his fingers.

"You do realize she doesn't give a fuck about me, right?"

Yami barked a laugh. "She ran from you."

Valon pressed his lips into a thin line. "That doesn't mean she won't still attack when she gets the chance. Me being there won't save your pack."

"I don't need you to save it." Yami spun the handle of his mug back and forth a few times. "But if you join us, it can help us train them. It gives them the opportunity to interact with a hellhound in a situation that isn't life or death. If they can see you daily—even for a little while—it might be enough to help them understand the best ways to fight. And training them that way would make it easier than them watching me fight."

Valon winkled his nose. "Training a bunch of lycanthropes wasn't exactly anywhere in my plans for the future."

"No, but it would give us more of a chance. You want us to win," Yami answered, studying him as the hellhound narrowed his eyes faintly. "If we lose, this was all for shit. The world suffers for it, and you'll find yourself dead within a handful of years. The humans and the wolves will go extinct together."

Valon scoffed. "I'm not afraid of some little fairytale, Yami." But his eyes did flicker towards where Kris was standing, darkening briefly. "Seiko wants to evacuate to Honshu within the next two weeks; the sooner the better."

"Then we'll have a week to do this."

Valon eyed him for a moment, smirking, and shook his head. His golden eyes fell on the counter, fingers drumming again. Yami could see his shoulders tensing once more, reflexively forcing himself to relax seconds later. He was struggling, forcing himself to relax seconds later. He was impulsively stiffening and relaxing and trying to think through the possibilities of it all.

"You don't have to answer now," Yugi said quietly, as if trying to reassure them both. "But if you're willing, it would be a good opportunity to make sure everything goes well, right?"

Valon hummed once more. He watched him, then looked away again and narrowed his eyes briefly. He tilted his head slowly to the side, considering him more pointedly from his peripheral. He closed his eyes again. Yami glanced past him towards Kris. The younger hellhound was still drinking her hot chocolate with bright eyes. She was happy enough, her eyes half-closed and her lips quirked partially.

"And I'm expected to work on training the other wolves there at the camp then?" he said slowly. Yami peeled his eyes away again, turning to him. But Valon kept his eyes closed. Yami glanced quickly toward Kris, blinking, and studied her expression once more. She looked so young and easygoing and happy, as if she were simply a child of no consequence.

His stomach churned. She was so much alike Yubel in her mere physical form. There were differences in height in the range of a foot or less. But they held themselves in a similar manner, with innocence feigned. Kris was a hellhound and actively changing as well; she didn't know the innocence of a human child no matter what she projected to onlookers.

"It would he helpful, yes, but it is not required of you," Yami added when Yugi didn't speak again. He raked his eyes up and down Kris's form once. She was impeccably groomed, her brown hair glossy and almost halo-like beneath the lights. Her bangs were cut and windswept to the right. Her eyes were large, golden like molten sunlight just as her brother's were. Her lashes were long, her cheeks round and the bones beneath high on her soft face. Her neck was narrow, like that of a bird, her arms thin but somehow long. Her legs were longer than usual, though not enough to make up the height difference had Yubel been standing beside her. Yami could not look at her at the moment without picturing the other she-wolf there. He clenched his eyes shut, forcing himself to turn his attention back to the counter when he opened them again. "You can tell us no at any time you would like."

"Amazing of you to remind me I have a choice," Valon sneered. His lips twitched up as he looked up again finally. He snorted, eyes narrowing. "I don't honestly have a reason to say yes. You do realize that, right?"

"And there are a million reasons to say no then?"

The hellhound smirked wryly. "A million? Definitely not. Perhaps one or two, but not a million."

"And Kris is your main reason, yes?" Yami prodded. He glanced at her again; she was staring at him with her head tilted. Something about the way she peered at him set him on edge, but she wasn't a threat. Had she been, Valon wouldn't have been forced to save her when he and Obelisk had taken her back to the camp.

"She is a reason," the older hellhound snapped, baring his teeth. Yami turned back, watching the other wolf pointedly. He was the one Yugi had gone to for help so often when Yami had not been there. And it was almost striking to consider asking for his aid. "But she's not the main reason. Seiko adores her. She doesn't let her out of her sight when I'm not around the house."

Yugi was hesitant, asking, "Then how did Obelisk manage to grab her?"

"We were arguing about psychiatrists and making new, more frequent appointments." He fell silent for a moment, then grinned wolfishly. "I killed the last one I was seeing. I slit his throat a few days after my appointment with him."

Yugi bristled faintly beside him, but Yami searched his face; there was not even the slightest inkling of remorse in his eyes. And he seemed almost excited to have done it. It was tempered, however, not at all reckless as he might have expected of someone like Chazz or Jack.

Yami remained quiet for a heartbeat, then ventured, "So, am I to assume the psychiatrist was someone you considered a threat?" He narrowed his eyes, smirking as he leaned forward. "Yoshimori's partner?"

Yugi stiffened. Valon blinked, leaning away and staring.

"How the fuck…?"

"I remember seeing him in the labs. I'd forgotten his existence until recently." Yami pulled away, expression growing bored. His fingers tapped against the coffee cup in his hands. "I'd forgotten how he used to choose his victims by pretending to be a psychiatrist. He'd pretend they never made it to his office and call the parents asking where they were. It was easiest to do this when the patients already had a habit of skipping classes and ignoring appointments. Yoshimori used to praise him endlessly for it. They had separate ways of doing that. Yoshimori pretended to be mostly a museum worker but he had a hunting license valid in almost every part of the world. And he'd use his trips to go hunting and show the bodies as trophies."

Valon stared blankly. Yugi remained frozen at his side. Yami ignored them both, turning to Kris as stared intently at him. "Does Hati still think I'm the best thing since sliced bread?" he asked softly, narrowing his eyes. "I know he wants to meet me."

Kris tilted her head, as if she were considering or perhaps even listening to something. "He told me last night he wanted to. He said he would love to meet you. But he also said Skoll has plans for Yugi," she answered. Her head turned; Yugi jerked as if he'd been stung. Yami considered her, staring blankly. "He said they'll meet you both soon, though. But he didn't say when."

Soon could mean a day. It could mean two or several. It could mean a week or two.

Yami bristled; did they even have a week or two? Did they have even half that time? Yami didn't know. With Yubel as relentless as she was, he didn't know what he was meant to believe. Time almost seemed a foreign concept, an ideology. He couldn't imagine it would be long before things came to a head. And then what might he and Yugi do? Yami could barely think straight long enough to consider…

"You do know Yubel ran because she was afraid of staying and fighting, right? You'd almost killed her and she fled because she knew she couldn't handle another f—"

"Bullshit," Yami scoffed, turning to him again. "She's afraid of you. She knows you're stronger than her. She knows you have all three abilities. She knows you could kill her if you so much as tried. She knows you're stronger than her and could kill her easily. It had nothing to do with how wounded she was."

Valon blinked, golden eyes flaring with momentary hatred. Then he scoffed, shaking his head. "Whatever."

Yugi shifted his weight. "Can I ask you something?"

Valon shot him a vicious, annoyed glance. "What?"

Yugi sat up slightly straighter, eyes full of curiosity. "Why were you seeing a psychiatrist to begin with?"

Valon leaned forward. "Seiko and her husband weren't my first family. I was in the foster system before they adopted me." He tilted his head slightly to the right. "My original foster family was a man and a woman with three other older kids. The 'father' was under investigation when I was there, but he was caught molesting the other children. Since I was in that environment, I was put into mandatory psychiatric sessions and—wow, you both actually think I'm serious right now, don't you?"

The hellhound burst out laughing again. Yugi huffed, rolling his eyes. Yami fought a grin and smothered a snicker. Valon shook his head, smirking wider.

"She got me a therapist because she noticed how hostile I was towards other children when I was younger. Seiko and her husband adopted me when I was couple of years old. And they home-schooled me for the first couple of years. Then I went to public school, but my instability made me extremely nasty toward other students. And then it would explode from there. She finally decided on therapy sessions. Seiko thought for a long time that I'd been abused or molested. She didn't realize that I'm just an asshole."

Yugi grimaced. "Being a sociopath just sounds like so much fun."

"Considering we're naturally smart humans and I have the wolf intelligence as well, I think it's rather nice. The only thing I find tedious is when the wolf feels conflicting emotions to what I should experience as a normal human, and then I look skittish where I shouldn't even flinch." Valon shrugged, looking down again with a smirk. "She thinks the sessions have helped me improve. She doesn't realize that it was people-watching and mimicry."

"So, you went for a while. Why did you keep going?"

"It put Seiko at ease. And what else could I do? She might think I'm too dangerous to remain around. The psychiatrists said they didn't know what caused my behavior. None of them knew. And I've visited at least ten since I was six. We usually didn't stick with one because Seiko felt sure something was wrong and would ask for another opinion. Eventually Yoshimori's partner and I crossed paths." Valon's eyes turned oddly fond, but his expression was malicious. Yami assumed he was thinking of the murder he'd committed. "He took me on, said that he thought maybe I was just too smart and so I was bored and lashed out because of it. She fell for it when he sold her that. And since then, I've been going to see him."

Abruptly the hellhound snickered as Yugi opened his mouth.

"Or I was, considering I killed him."

The smaller teen shook his head. "Yami killed Yoshimori in the museum."

Valon raised his head, eyes wide with surprise. "Oh?"

"I cut his throat open."

"Ah." Valon fell quiet again, nodding and smirking. "Good job; I remember hearing it was a bloodbath."

Yami grunted. He wouldn't have put it that way. But there was absolutely no denying it. He'd made a mess in that room. Beating his teeth in with a phone had not been the most subtle or clean way to do things, either. He couldn't argue that he'd done it in a clean fashion by any means. But he also wouldn't have quite described it that way. A bloodbath to him was far messier and disturbing, the gore enough to make onlookers cringe or vomit or hide away. A bloodbath to him meant far more than just splattering upon the walls or red smeared on a phone receiver because it'd been used as a weapon.

But then, many people were not exposed to the things he had been as a child. Those damn labs had conditioned him to the point that death was almost all the same at any point. And it meant bloodshed was almost nothing to him if it did not come in waves and rivers.

"You didn't leave any prints or anything in that room?"

"They have no one to match them to," Yami corrected him. "You?"

"The office was covered in prints. And even if I was around when the incident happened, I've never truly been in trouble with the law before. They have no reason to investigate me besides asking me if I knew what happened or if I had seen anyone. And being a hellhound and sociopath like this makes it easy to control my heartbeat and my voice and everything they look for signs from."

Yami nodded. "Makes sense."

Valon was quiet for a handful of minutes. Yugi sipped his coffee in the corner of his eye and Yami turned to ask him if they could go home, when the hellhound murmured, "I've always been somewhat curious about lycanthropes in packs. Maybe joining for a little while and training with them would not be a bad idea."

Yami stiffened, sure he'd misheard. Yugi choked on his coffee, smacking his fist into his chest a few times to clear his throat. He shook his head, then turned back. "You're agreeing to come with us?" Yugi asked slowly. He coughed, rubbing his throat, and shook his head. "Holy shit, I'm dying."

"What a way to be taken out," Yami mumbled.

Yugi burst out laughing and Valon snickered. Abruptly the hellhound turned his head to face his sister. "Stay with Seiko. I'll be back in a little while, all right?" he said, then looked to them. "Let's go. I don't have all day. I have trouble to cause at home later."

Thirty minutes later Valon pulled himself through the thorn bush and snagged several off in his jacket. Yugi and Yami were watching him, Yami more curious and Yugi still somewhat stunned he'd agreed. He shrugged off his initial sneer that staring was impolite as Yami's head snapped around. His nose had begun to work rapidly and Yugi's brows were furrowed as he turned his head as well. He was breathing in deeper, holding and testing the scents he gathered. Valon himself simply turned his head and scented the air with his mouth partially opened.

The impact was instant.

He tasted blood; some of it was stiff, dried in the snow.

The rest was relatively fresh.

Valon narrowed his eyes again, frowning and tilting his head. Had there been a fight? But he could sense nothing more than mild discontent among the wolves there. If they had fought so terribly as to draw blood, shouldn't there have been more to it than simply that? He couldn't imagine that the wolves had turned on each other for no other reason than for fun.

He himself could have done it for that reason, but the lycanthropes weren't sociopaths.

Yami picked his way past Yugi without a second glace. He didn't even bother looking toward Valon to see if he was still following. He headed off, jogging through snow almost deep enough to swallow his legs entirely. Yugi blinked, then hurried after him, trailing directly in Yami's footsteps for easier travel.

Valon picked his way behind them as well, maintaining a couple of feet between them. When he glanced around, a few of the wolves looked up with wide eyes and snarls. Some leaped to their feet. Others began to pace, snarling. Valon looked at the other two humans as they picked their way through. Yami had given one of the wolves pacing about a sharp glance as they drifted closer; immediately they slunk back again, growling and glaring at Valon with a scornful expression.

"Huh."

Yugi went around to Yami's side when he stopped. Valon waited a moment, then mirrored him on the opposite side.

There was a small gray yearling curled up in the snow. He was bloodied and battered, both ears in ribbons. He had a small cut that had bled directly into his right eye. He was clearly exhausted and overwhelmed. And he blinked open a single royal blue eye to peer at them. He tried visibly to get up, but his bones were obviously stiff and his body seemed to rebel as he curled up tighter.

"Chazz, what the fuck?" Yugi snarled.

Valon nearly burst out laughing. The gray and white yearling sitting nearest the wounded male sprang to his feet. He had his tail raised in a bristle and his teeth bared as he blurted out, It wasn't me! You can ask Yusei or Aki! I had nothing to do with it!

"You're the one guarding him," Yami said simply. The two yearlings looked at him in surprise. Then the blue-eyed one wagged his tail with his head ducked, ears against his head. But then he noticed Valon, abruptly freezing in place and scrambling for his paws with a horrified expression. Some of the other wolves stiffened, bristling, eyes wide. A ripple of alarm crept through the pack, swift and powerful. Valon blinked and every single wolf focused on him.

"Okay, so, then it's not your fault but why are you guarding him?"

Valon noticed Yami's lip twitching as Chazz awkwardly looked back and forth. The two yearlings swapped looks, then turned back. Chazz turned back, huffing, and glared fiercely at Valon in turn. His lips peeled back, entire body rigid and fur rising into a snarl. Valon raised a brow and almost burst out laughing when the yearling lunged and snapped his teeth before rapidly backing away.

He, uh… I… W-what is he doing here?!

Yami snorted, turning away from Chazz, and focused on Yusei instead. "You're a scrapper, huh?" he snickered, teasing. When Yugi shot him a bewildered look, Yami nodded towards the stiff body lying nearby almost completely covered in snow. Valon nearly burst out laughing; he couldn't imagine this wolf killing someone else. He was too small and looked far too uncomfortable in the limelight like this. "Is that Jack? Holy shit; that's Jack!"

Valon wrinkled his nose. "Should that mean something to me?"

Yami blinked, turning his head. Chazz lunged again, snapping his teeth. Valon tilted his head and lowered his eyes to the corpse. He could just barely make out its face. It was a yearling, pale in color, although half of its face was covered in cuts and scratches. The neck was angled backwards almost as if he were howling. The eyes were glazed over and open only partially. He could see the faintest ringlet of dull amethyst. Yugi was staring at the gray yearling with an almost stunned expression.

He's the one who tried to attack you when you got to the camp. He, uh… You threw him like a toy, the blue-eyed wolf explained uncomfortably. He tilted his head, eyes fearful but not dilated to show panic. He bristled briefly, then shook it off as he stared at Valon studiously. He, uh, was extremely aggressive.

Valon smirked. "Got a stutter?" he purred.

He loved it when most of the wolves snarled, glaring at him. Some bristled and others simply stood rigid, studying him. He smirked wider, turning to Yami with bright eyes.

"Okay, yeah, I'm actually kind of excited about this now!"

Yugi gave him a small frown but Yami's eyes were sparkling with laughter when he snorted and turned away. "That's ridiculous," Yugi mumbled, trying his hardest to swallow away his amusement. He didn't entirely succeed but the effort was noticeable all the same. "Anyways, Yusei, what the hell happened?"

I'm personally much more curious as to why a hellhound is in our camp, a new voice interrupted. Valon turned his head. The wolf was a much darker gray, with a brown undercoat and eyes that looked almost black. He couldn't tell if his irises were dark brown or if his pupils were that blown; not that it mattered. The last I saw of him, he killed a pack mate and threatened several others.

"Valon is a guest," Yami dismissed him. Valon wondered if Yami would be the one answering most of the questions. But then he remembered it was Yami's idea to bring him here rather than Yugi's. They'd likely come to the conclusion that Yami would field the questions as it was his responsibility to provide answers because it was his idea. But Valon found it hard to believe Yugi would throw him to the pack; he'd never let them turn on Yami in any sense. He'd likely get his own throat torn out charging into a fight to save him should things get violent. Yami was to Yugi as Kris was to Valon; the world started and ended with him. Things could go up in flames as long as he was safe. "I've brought him here to help with training."

Training? Chazz snarled, glaring. Valon had the distinct urge to try to kick at him. But he doubted he'd get away with it. And he didn't think Chazz would take it without repercussion. He'd probably maul his leg for it. So he squashed the impulse, studying Yami instead. The red-eyed boy seemed incredibly unconcerned. What the hell can he help us train for? I've taken down thousands of hellhounds on my own! Why do we need one in the camp with us?

"It's better for hands-on experience. He's a Harbinger. He can drink blood and recover from wounds, poison us, and shape-shift. Honestly, Chazz, if I were you, I'd learn as much as possible and stop thinking that past kills matter any longer."

But he's a wolf, Yusei said quietly, flattening his ears when Yugi turned his head toward him. And we can all kill other wolves. We all know our own weak spots. So, what difference does it make if it's a hellhound we're practicing on? Why do we need him…here? Wouldn't it make more sense to…just train among ourselves?

"When you learn to turn incorporeal at will, we'll talk," Yami grumbled in response. Valon snorted hard enough that it made his head hurt. Several eyes locked on him now, curious and wary. Yami had turned his head a fraction, studying him with an unreadable light in his red eyes.

Valon couldn't tell if he was studying him or judging just how bad a situation they might truly be getting into. But he looked far more powerful and intimidating at the moment, predatory and well-maintained, and Valon felt the smallest urge to back away. It wasn't that he didn't think he could fight him and hold his own; it was the amount of energy it would cost him.

Had he not known Yami was recovering from his most recent run-in, he would have offered a truce to prevent conflict and tried to leave as quickly as possible.

"And I do not see any of you changing shape at any point," Yami continued abruptly, turning away. Valon noticed he'd moved one of his hands to tug on the sleeve of his jacket, nails digging into the fibers so hard he was amazed they didn't split immediately.

"That might come in handy for you, considering both Yubel and Sartorius can do it," Valon snorted before he could stop himself. It earned him a mildly flustered glance from Yugi but did not draw Yami's attention in the slightest.

Why does he know those names? the brown and gray wolf snarled. He was larger than Valon had originally noted him to be, shoulders broader and eyes slightly sharper. He narrowed his gaze as he considered him closely. How do we know he isn't from their pack?

"They don't have a pack," Valon scoffed, smirking. "Hellhounds don't run in packs unless they're in one with lycanthropes. Beyond that, it's just a few hounds looking to cause as much chaos as possible. We don't care for much else. Yubel has power over those hellhounds because she's more powerful. We run by a power structure in groups. The leader is the strongest, the beta is second and so on and so forth. That's a pretty big misconception for a wolf to make when he claims he knows about hellhounds."

Yami held up a hand when the gray male chomped his teeth. The aggressive stance remained only a moment longer, then eased away. He trotted back and forth twice, then finally took a seat. He was panting a second later and Yami turned to Valon abruptly.

"We refer to them as a pack because it's easier than calling them what they really are."

"An army, you mean?" he sneered. "You understand that's what they are, right?"

Yugi huffed, "Yes, we're all well aware of it. That's also why none of them care what happens after. All of them are willing to kill and maim or die for the hell of it." When he glanced over, his eyes were cold and glittering with ferocity. "They have no structure but for who gets sacrificed next. Yubel has killed wounded wolves in front of me. And she doesn't slow down after. They're an army and we're a pack. Zane misspoke."

Valon fought back his initial response, looking away again. "Whatever."

So, then we have no say in whether he joins us or not? Aki snapped. The red-furred female was glaring at him when Valon glanced at her sideways. You don't even live with us half the time and he's going to be here whenever and we're supposed to just accept that? Is that what you're telling us?

"Yes," Yugi said in a firm tone. Yami was silent, watching Aki as she began to pace. "I think that about sums it up nicely, actually. Good job, Aki."

Yami never took his eyes off the she-wolf. "Yugi," he mumbled, "don't patronize her. She has every right to be upset. We already knew she'd speak against it."

You're damn right I'm speaking against it! she snarled, turning on them with wild eyes and lips drawn back to show each tooth. He's a hellhound and you claim you don't associate with them. And, yet, here he is and you're saying he's going to be living here with us!

"Hardly living here," Valon scoffed. He waved her off dismissively when she turned on him with a snarl. "I actually still have a family at home who might worry if I just up and abandoned everything to live here. I'm going to be here when I can be bothered and at home when I can't. Don't make it so dramatic."

And that's supposed to make us feel better?

"Feel better? Frankly, I don't give a fuck if you feel better or not."

Yami rolled his eyes. "I just told Yugi not to patronize her and now I have to tell you as well?"

"You forget that Yugi cares. I don't."

This banter bullshit is so cute, Zane cut in acidly. All three humans turned their heads to look at him, startled. But why am I going to let him come and go here when the only good hellhound is a dead one?

"Oh, is that a threat?" Valon purred, grinning so widely he thought his face was going to split. He leaned forward slightly and the gray wolf's eyes locked, trained on him instinctively as if he were a piece of prey. Valon studied him a moment; he was bigger than him as a wolf but he knew he could easily overpower him if he tried. He'd taken on far bigger opponents. He'd fought and won against a bear before. Zane was nowhere near that size. "I like threats."

Yami opened his mouth, but Aki answered, snarling, If he's not, I am. Why don't you actually prove you've got what it takes to be here before I pretend I don't know those two are Atem and rip your throat out for the fun of it?

Uh, no, Aki, I don't think you want to do that, Jonouchi said slowly. He was at the very edge of the gathered wolves, eyes locked on Valon but stance entirely relaxed. He's stronger than Sartorius.

What the fuck does that have to do with anything?

Well, you struggled with—

Struggled? She spun around with a roar. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?

Mai tilted her head, snorting. I was there. He kicked your ass and Yugi's.

Yami snickered. Yugi cast him a sharp look that softened immediately after. "Aki, Jonouchi isn't wrong," Yami said quietly. "He's a lot stronger than he looks. I wouldn't press my luck if I were you. He's being nice in showing restraint and not attacking you just for being a bitch right now."

I don't need him to be nice. What did you not hear when I said he should fight so he can prove he's worth the time he's already wasted in being here? Are there bugs in your ears or are you just that stupid?

"I don't know if you realize, but your insubordination towards your beta could probably cost you your life if you aren't careful," Valon chuckled, locking eyes with her and grinning wider. "I mean, if I were Yami, I'd probably be out for blood by now. You're clearly asking for it, don't you think?"

Aki raised and wagged her tail. He's too much of a coward for that.

"Nah, that's level-headedness—which, honestly, I'm not all too familiar with. Keep talking and I might gut you."

Yami shot him a withering look. "Pinning her will suffice. I do not condone you killing any of the wolves."

Valon snorted, not bothering to look over. "Apparently I'm not allowed to kill you. But he didn't say a thing about maiming," he sang.

Yami turned to Yugi now, half-expecting him to interrupt. The smaller teen was watching them both with burning eyes, however. And he wasn't quite sure what he read in them, but it set him on edge all the same. He turned back just as Aki lunged.

Valon rushed forward as a human, landing as a wolf. It happened almost in the blink of an eye. And then the black wolf-dog and red she-wolf were ripping into each other.

Yami glanced back to Yugi. The smaller teen had his arms crossed, watching. Yami turned back. He expected to see blood and fur scattered about. But Valon had pinned her. In the single span of a second the she-wolf was completely blocked from regaining her feet.

The other wolves looked horrified, startled.

The hellhound released her abruptly, trotting a few feet away. His tail was raised, wagging. And then he hurried off to sniff around in the snow. He was gone a moment later, darting about and scenting the area. Yami watched him go.

"Yusei," Yugi mumbled. Yami turned his head. The yearling was sitting stiffly, every hair raised into a bristle. Aki had gotten up, shaking herself out, and was staring in the direction Valon had wandered off. Zane had gotten up to follow, bristling but not charging towards the hellhound. Yami looked at Yusei as well, studying him. "Are you all right?"

Did that… Did that just happen? Yusei whispered. His eyes were still wide, and his body was shaking from stiffness. His eyes shot to Yami, furious and terrified. What have you done? What the hell did you bring into this camp?

"We warned her," Yugi dismissed. He turned to Yami. "Now that that's all over, and Yusei appears to be fine, I suppose it's time for introductions. Everyone, form a line. No fighting. I'll kick your ass if you start fighting with him, got it?"

Not a single wolf objected now, though fearful glances were shot every other breath. Chazz and Yusei both looked as if their world were imploding around them. Yami found himself devoid of sympathy for any of them.

Valon could help them.

And they needed all the help they could get.