Sabo didn't see the werewolf for a while after that. Not that he was looking! But knowing what was actually in the forest— at least what was stalking him— was a huge weight off his back. Every time he entered the forest was easier than the last. Edible mushrooms, fruits, roots— he wasn't about to try hunting down any of the animals he could hear stalking about, not until he knew he was strong enough, but the bolster to his diet was a notable improvement. Out in the terminal, he didn't have a mirror, but he was sure he looked just as healthy as he now felt.

Healthy enough, eventually, to try some stalking of his own.

He hadn't seen the wolf kid since that first conversation— but Sabo wasn't stupid enough to think that he was alone. Occasional flashes of black fur in the foliage, grey eyes, dark paws in the leaves... the werewolf had been following Sabo around every time he entered the forest.

Which was… surprisingly less worrying than he thought. Even knowing that the other boy could very likely rip his apart, Sabo wasn't honestly too concerned about having to fend him off. After all, nothing had happened yet. In the single direct encounter they had, the werewolf was much more disposed to not wanting to interact with him at all– Sabo doubted he would attack him rather than just edge around him like he already was. It was almost like having a friend, if your friend was a little furry and stand-offish and was mostly following you around because of boredom and hunger.

Sabo sighed, sitting down on an exposed tree root for a break. He felt rather exposed without his hat on, but not having any bags or other ways to carry much left him with his hat as his best impromptu bucket. At least it left him smelling nice, when he returned to the Terminal. (Nice enough that he had noticed some of the more emancipated residents trailing him, sometimes. Nice enough that he couldn't sleep without his pipe in his hands.) He would never risk resting for too long– not here in the forest– but this was an area he had come to enough times to not be on edge with every whistle and rustle. The worst things, on the edges of the mountains like this, were some smaller animals and insects, and some poisonous plants. It was never quiet and yet managed to feel safer and calmer than most parts of Grey Terminal.

His hat made an audible thud when he set it down. Curling up against the base of the tree, Sabo pulled his knees in close. Just for a moment, he decided. His pipe was familiarly cool against his cheek. I've never been attacked here before– I'll wake up if I am. I just want a moment, before I need to go back to the Terminal.

—

There was a distinct snap and shuffle of twigs and leaves, and Sabo was instantly wide awake.

On his feet before he could even adjust to being awake, his pipe was already firm in his hands when he decisively swung– and nearly dropped his pipe regardless, when it collided with something so strongly the vibration felt like his arm was being torn from the socket. Sabo blinked frantically. He had been asleep longer than he thought– the forest canopy was too dark to see the tips of the trees anymore. There was barely enough light to make out the glint of grey in front of him.

Sabo paused.

"...Wolf kid? Is that you?"

The darkness seemed to swirl in front of him. An answering snarl of "Wolf kid?" trembled up through his pipe and Sabo breathed in deeply. "Okay, that's definitely you." He tugged but there was no budge. "Can you let go of my pipe? I won't attack you again." It took a long and awkward couple of seconds, but when Sabo next pulled his pipe came away freely for him. His eyes had finally adjusted just enough to make out the shape of the wolf's silhouette, but barely. "Are you okay? Sorry about that…" He wasn't; not really. Anyone would have reacted the same, wouldn't they? He doubted he'd still have his hand if the tables were turned.

Either way, he plucked the first fruit he could feel when he blindly groped for his hat, and held it out in apology. He could hear a series of nauseating cracks and pops was his only warning before the fruit was snatched out of his hand. "I'm not taking this because we're friends," the boy hissed.

Sabo just shrugged, taking his wins where he could. He's right. We're not friends, not yet. He wasn't even sure he wanted to befriend some wild child in the woods either— but it was certainly less boring, hanging out with a werewolf over all the older people left in Grey Terminal. "Sure, we aren't friends. But we aren't enemies— otherwise I'd know your name. So you're just the wolf kid."

He got a growl for that. It was kind of muffled around a mouthful of fruit, but Sabo stepped back all the same. "Th' names Ace," the werewolf snapped. His growl went quiet, mellow and distant. "I'm not just some kid. My name is Ace, dammit." Mood seemingly lost, 'Ace' about-faced and ran back into the forest.

Sabo was left blinking, too shocked to even flinch at the loud thump of the half-eaten fruit against the dirt. "...I can't believe that worked," he finally said, bewildered. For a long moment, he just stood there, staring at where Ace had vanished until he couldn't see it anymore. The quiet sound of paws and fur brushing the undergrowth had vanished, leaving the usual chitter of bugs and wind— and the low growl of whatever predators woke up at night.

"...Shit, goddammit," Sabo cursed a violent streak, spilling fruit over the forest floor in his abrupt frenzied haste. "It's so dark!" He had no idea what came out at night— and with how dark it was, he was only going to find out once it ate him.

He only tripped a couple times, getting out... and maybe sprained an ankle. But Ace wasn't there to see it, for once, so as far as anyone could be concerned it didn't happen.

—

"Hey!"

Ace startled, nearly clipping his snout on the ragged edges of the dead tree he had stuck it into. The voice was loud— and too close. Ace broke into a run.

"Wait! Ace!" Sabo was hot on his heels even in wolf form— kicking off roots and rocks as if he had lived in the forest all his life. He was just close enough that Ace could make out the dents in his pipe from his teeth. "Oh come on, I just wanna say hi!"

Nope, no. I'm not dealing with a damn human right now.He just wanted to find those weird mushrooms the blond had been picking before...! He crashed through the undergrowth, nearly poking out an eye barreling into a bush. "Go away!" He snarled without turning. "Go back to the trash place– I don't want to talk to you!" He didn't. He swore he didn't– even if Sabo made days less boring than they would be just running through the forest alone. Even if Sabo knew what fruits were good, and what plants wouldn't kill him no matter how they smelled. Even if Sabo was the only person around that didn't know what kind of monster he was, fur or not–

"I don't want a friend," Ace whispered, and threw himself into the treeline.

—

The next day wasn't any easier, not any more successful.

Wolves are so fast, what the hell! Sabo slowed to a stop, chest heaving and collar drenched in sweat. It took a long moment for him to catch his breath before he could straighten up again. I'm further in, again.

He hadn't managed to catch Ace yet, but every chase led him deeper and deeper into the mountains. It seemed like there was no end to the forest– every new area he followed the werewolf into he found new plants he could take back with him. Natural herbs, spices– a couple he recognized would sell well if he could dry them properly (It seemed the overpowering aromas of High Town was good for something, with how ingrained the smell of the herbs was in his memory).

Heaving a sigh, Sabo brushed the stray leaves stuck on him off before trotting over to where he could smell the plants. "If I dry them," He muttered aloud, "I could get enough to pay for medicine, and bandages…" Or more books. Or a compass. Grey Terminal never had books– and navigational equipment was always broken, if he was lucky enough to even find any.

Even outside of the city he was still shackled to Goa's kingdom.

Sabo shook off his thoughts and focused on just harvesting a much of the plants as he could carry without crippling it. It'd be better if I hang it, he realized, squinting at the bushel in his hands. "Where could I…? Hang this though?" He wondered. He doubted anyone in the terminal would recognize what the plants were to steal them– but that often didn't stop them. The slightest inkling of an object's value meant anything he left in the open was fair game— and everyone in the terminal knewhe foraged in the forest.

Just to his left, the leaves shifted tellingly.

Sabo didn't even twitch. Raising his voice the slightest few decibels, he continued speaking: "when dried, these plants are liked for the spicy aroma they give. Some people will pay lots for a good amount of it, if you know who to go to." Ace didn't move, intently watching him. Sabo carefully pinched a handful of leafy stems to take with him, loading them into his hat as he spoke. "Just this amount will be enough to buy some new first aid stuff."

He turned to leave and caught a flash of dark fur and grey eyes just hovering a few feet away. Watching him as he left the forest.

He's terrible at acting, Sabo thought, like he isn't interested in what I'm doing.

—

The next day had Sabo backpedaling even before he lost Ace— eyes pinned to a familiar thick leafed plant sprouting just along the roots of a tree.

Immediately, he could distantly hear Ace's rampaging bolt freeze.

"Nice...!" He hissed quietly, eyes wide, "is that—?!" Moving quickly, he snapped a stemming leaf and watched in awe as the liquid inside trickled into his palm. "It is!"

Claws scraped as Ace oh-so quietly returned to the edge of the clearing. Watching like he always was, when Sabo found something new—

"Oh no you don't," Sabo snapped. He almost startled himself with his own vehemence as he spun to face where he could hear Ace still crouched. "This one is too important to me for you to just skulk around! If you want to know what it is, you can hear about it out here where I can see you."

The forest was quiet. Heart beating in his throat, Sabo finally managed to shut his mouth. I'm going to be mauled, he thought, and was taken aback by how much more frustrated than scared he still felt. He's going to either rip my head off or never come back and then I'll be alone again— except this time, whatever animals having a werewolf around wards off will come and try to maul me too.

Black paws hesitantly lowered out of the foliage.

Sabo refused to admit his jaw dropped. Ace's long snout barely poked out of the leaves, already shifting as he moved until he was more human than wolf again. "Fine," he growled, "I'm here. Now tell me what the hell that is, Bastard."

Dumbstruck, Sabo just turned back to the plant and started speaking.

—

Forest excursions were quickly becoming less exhausting, when Ace started to just walk right up to him the moment Sabo recognized something useful.

—

"This one's really good for infection," Sabo explained readily. The berries in his hands were a bright and toxic purple. Ace practically cringed every time they were waved under his nose. "You just can't eat them— the oil produced through its outer skin, and the seeds inside, will kill an adult human in minutes." Black ears flattened back and Sabo laughed, continuing to stuff said extremely-toxic berries into his pockets while Ace looked on in mild distress. "If you squeeze out the juice though... and maybe water it down, it's great for infection!"

Which was why he was taking as many as physically possible. Hell, he'd fill his boots if he had to.

"Infection is really, really bad back in the terminal," he said quietly to the unspoken question, when Ace looked ready to shake him out of frustration. Grey eyes stared and Sabo couldn't help but keep his own pinned to the berries in his hands. "Everything is so dirty, and rusted, and abandoned— the smallest cut could become infected, and then... well, it's not as if we have doctors."

Ace was silent, body language still and attentive, and Sabo could only laugh. "I'm just trying to stay alive," he murmured. Shaking his head, he plucked a last handful of berries and carefully spilled them into his hat. "We all are."

Whatever look Ace had on his face was utterly unreadable to Sabo. Alienable and strange, on a wolf's snout.

That's probably on purpose, then, he considered dismissively, and began the trek back towards the terminal without managing another word.

—

I shouldn't go to the forest today.

Sabo frowned, critically inspecting his haul. I have enough to sell right now to get some decent supplies— but... the last time he had gone alone to sell, his disguise had fallen apart too easily. Flimsy stilts, a ratty cloak— no one would buy from a child. Especially not one who's appearance stood out so much from the typical other Terminal citizens, with his blond hair and noble-based appearance. It was risky, to keep sneaking in as he was undercover.

Not that that changed a thing.

Slumping in defeat, Sabo carefully pulled his hat to his chest and flipped the old cloak over his head. Maybe they'll just think I'm super short, or old, he tried to convince himself uselessly. I'd rather sleep in the forest for a week...

At least it was a good distraction, wondering what Ace was doing instead.

Skirting around the terminal, Sabo focused on just getting into the city. The usual checkpoint recognized his cloak by now and didn't usually give him any fuss. Maybe if he was lucky the inner city guards wouldn't recognize it either— maybe he could sneak a meal in the lower districts while—

"—assume he's with you?" The guard was asking, and Sabo snapped to attention.

"Wh—" a hand pressed against his arm just he could do more than ask. Sabo froze as the familiar pinpricks of claws poked through his clothes, instinctively slapping a closed smile on his face. "Of course," he replied politely. "He's assisting me today. May I pass?" The guards thankfully stepped aside, and Sabo strode through the gate with that same plastic grin.

—and spun on Ace the moment they were out of sight. "What are you doing here?!" He hissed frantically. "You– you're not— the forest—"

Ace scowled defensively, pushing the hood of his makeshift cloak off his head to free his ears. "I wanted to see the city," he growled. "You're the one who's always talking about coming here to sell stuff! So what if I got curious?!"

Sabo could not believe this.

"You're a werewolf !" Ace raised an eyebrow and Sabo wanted so, so badly to smack him more than ever. "You idiot— aren't you supposed to like, hate humans or something?! How long were you even—" how long were you standing there, Sabo wanted to scream, how long were you just walking behind me like you belonged there, how long were you right there and I didn't notice because I was thinking about where you were— "–we both could have been caught because you were curious?!"

"So what?! You telling me you can't handle a guard or two on your own?!"

Sabo reared back, blatantly offended. This reckless idiot— " Of course I can, " he snapped, scandalized, "but then how would I get back in and manage to do anythingwithout being chased back out?! If they caught me I wouldn't be able to come and trade anymore, and then the next time I got hurt, or sick...!" The thought of being so unprepared, in the Grey Terminal, made his stomach turn. Flashes of oozing sores and blackened wounds churned in his head violently. The threat of not finding enough food, or clean water, or medicine or bandages— "you didn't even try to disguise yourself! Is that a blanket?!"

His shout was enough to draw the attention of people passing by. Sabo hurriedly shoved Ace behind him, ignoring the warning growl in his rush to stuff the excuse for a hood back over his less-than-human features. Tucked out of sight as they were, it was easy for the citizens to brush them off and move on— but Sabo's heart still pounded rapidly in his chest.

"You," he said lowly, more threateningly than he had ever tried to be with the werewolf, "If you are going to come with me, then you're going to listen to me before you get both of us caught and worse." Ace glared at him, but Sabo took it as a good sign that he didn't try to speak. He could barely feel the claws digging into his wrist from where Ace had tried to stop him from touching him. "Do you understand?"

"I get it, you're the boss." It was sneered, the words harshly bitten out, but it'd do .

"Good." He let up, content to let Ace shove him off. "Now let's go find you a hat, before you alert every noble in the district that you're not human."