The night had taken over the world; both Heaven and Earth, and he sat by candle light finishing up on the paperwork that had made it's way to his desk with the newest trainees from Choosing Day, there had been more then the last time and it brought him the necessity of working late into the night.

A light scratching at his door caused him to pause in his writing, flipping through the sheets of medical documentation that his younger brother had been so kind as to leave on his desk, he was just the most thoughtful of people. But he quickly turned away from it, returning to his work, not turning to look as the lock clicked lightly as it was unlatched and the soft sound of paws crossing into his room echoed in his ears.

"Hello Erathaol."

There was no reply from the hound, though he did hear the soft sound of him jumping up to lay on his bed, and he continued the duty of completing his paperwork before he lay himself down to sleep for the night. Silence settled over them both like a thick blanket, the only noise in the room being the singing crackle of the lit candles.

A small scuffle on his bed caused him to pause again, and when it stopped, he returned to what he was doing, under the assumption that the angel hound was scratching an itch.

More silence, and another scuffle, "Do you have a bit of an itch, Erathaol?" he chuckled in fond amusement as he finally turned to look at the dearest angel hound. The quill in his hand fell to the pages he'd been noting as he jumped quickly from his seat, curling his fingers around the hounds paw, and he frowned at the slick warmth of the fur that he touched.

"What in Heaven are you doing?"

The hound whined pitifully, ducking deep into the blankets, smearing red gently on the archangel's blankets. Large silver eyes looking up to him in terror, as though he was witnessing something the elder wasn't privy to, and concern lit within him like a flame.

"What's the matter, Era?"

Michael softened his tone, kneeling in front of him, stroking his free hand over his soft furry head. The hound whined again, rubbing his other paw over his snout too, over his eyes. He made a saddened sound, a soft saddened hum, and rubbed down his neck. He knew immediately by that gesture what the problem was, it was something similar to the incident that had been had with Hasmal just a month previous, another one of the Returned having similar troubles.

Era gave a soft huff.

"Did the darkness creep up on you, again?"

The hound nudged his hand and he sighed sorrowfully, "Oh, little Era."

He rubbed a hand down around the side of the hounds face. "Is that why you came here?"

A warm tongue licked at his fingers lightly and it was all the answer he needed.

"Come, little Era," he stood and pat his head for him to follow, "Let's get your snout looked over and then we can rest together."

The angel hound stood slowly, jumping down from his bed, and walked at his side as they crossed to the door. They turned to the door next to his and knocked, waiting for the soft call of them to enter, the faint glow of candles coming from the crack under the door gave away to the notion that the occupant was still awake. A soft call bid them entrance, and he turned the handle of the door open, slowly pushing the door inwards.

Raphael looked up at them from the book he had been reading, leaning back against the pillows on his bed, frowning at the sight of the angel hound walking silently at his older brother's side.

"What's happened?"

He set his book to the side, pulling the blankets aside as he turned in his bed, setting his feet on the floor below him. The angel hound came to a stop in the doorway, refusing to move any closer, whining pitifully as he ducked down to lay on his belly. The two archangels watched him for a silent moment, turning to speak to each other softly, their eyes straying to the hound every so often as if to ensure he was still there.

"What's happened?"

The Healer turned to his older brother for answers, knowing that the hound would be less likely to respond, and seeing as Michael hadn't come with him in his other form, it was clear that the youth was unlikely to change back for him as well.

Michael sighed heavily, turning to look at the pitiful hound, "I'm not sure myself, he came into my room while I was going through the files that you had left me," he turned a particular look to his younger brother, the Healer smiled smugly in return. "And he jumped to lay on my bed. I thought it was nothing more then an itch and I turned over to tease him, he's rubbed the skin of his snout completely raw."

"He's rubbed it raw?"

Raphael looked over to the hound as well, as though to try and see the damage that had been down and frowned when he couldn't make any sign of it.

"Why on Earth would he do that?"

"Well, I couldn't quite get a response from him," Michael gestured to the hound, "He can't speak to us when he's in hound form."

"I know that you dunce." The Healer snapped. "Did he give any indication as to what caused this self-mutilation?"

"I could only think of one thing."

Bright blue eyes turned quickly towards him. "You think this be the same situation as there was with Hasmal?"

"I had asked him if the darkness had crept up on him, the indication he had given me was inclined to the affirmation, I can't understand what is bringing these sudden episodes on."

Raphael shook his head in the same indication that the reasons remained a secret to him as well, kneeling to sit on his knees, holding a hand out to the hound. Erathaol whined in fright and backed up slowly, covering his snout with his paws, frightened silver eyes watching him cautiously.

The Healer knew how to handle the touchy patients, the ones that needed a bit more gentle reassurance, and he flexed his fingers lightly.

"Come here, puppy."

He nodded in assurance when the hound lifted it's head at the pet name called out to him, and the Healer nodded, flexing his fingers again in a welcoming gesture.

"That's right, come here, you're alright puppy."

Erathaol slowly lifted himself from the floor, he had made mention at one point in the past that the renditions of their shadows in the nightmares of the darkness did not call him by any other name but his own, for how would Aunt know any other name but the one he was given. He walked cautiously over the floor of the Healer's room. A warm hand rubbed into the fur of his neck and he shook his head out, nuzzling into the hand that rubbed at his neck comfortingly.

"That's it, puppy, it's alright."

The hound leaned into him heavily, whining pitifully in his ear, and he wrapped his arms around the hounds neck in the form of a hug that could be managed with him in hound form.

"Let me see your snout, pup."

The angel hound leaned back slightly, looking downwards, letting the Healer's warm hands touch lightly at his sensitive snout. He turned it this way and that, looking it over carefully, and then lifted it lightly to kiss his nose.

"You are so brave, puppy." He whined softly, nudging his hand with his snout, and the large warm hand smoothed his ears back as they rubbed over his head. "Yes, you most certainly are." He kissed his nose again. "Let me get you something to drink."

Michael watched as he stood, the hound sitting where he had been left, watching as the Healer rummaged around the cluttered desk against the window. He gathered up a bowl, poured some cool water into it, a bright purple liquid, and a soft green liquid. Michael raised his eyebrows in recognition, it was the same concoction that had been given to Nisroc before he had taken Hasmal back with him, watching as his younger brother turned and knelt to set the bowl on the floor before the angel hound.

He pointed a finger down to him. "Not a single drop left." Erathaol huffed and bent, leaning forward on his two front paws as he lapped up the cool sweet drink, lapping it up until there wasn't a drop left, just as he'd been told. Raphael nodded in approval as he bent to take the bowl back, petting his head as he did, and Erathaol slowly lowered himself to his belly once more as drowsiness took hold of him.

Raphael nodded in approval. "It'll make you quite sleepy." He got a sleepy huff in reply and it brought a small smile to his face, as he turned to look at his older brother once more.

"I want to make the others aware of this happening. Something is causing the Returned to break down again and I want to know what it is. First it was Hasmal, now it is Erathaol, who next?"

Michael nodded in silent contemplation, arms crossed over his chest loosely, wanting to know the same thing as his younger brother.

"I wish I had the answer. I don't think that Aunt would be coming after them once more, Her and Father have since settled any grievances between them, but it is strange for these occurrences to be happening so suddenly."

The younger archangel nodded in kind, humming to himself. "I want them all watched closely for any sign of distress. Especially Cael, and as it seems, Erathaol." He looked down to the hound lightly dozing at their feet. "I don't want him left alone, not for a moment, if this is what he intends to do when the episodes take place."

"What of his snout?"

He waved it away with a quick wave of his fingers. "There is little I can do with it. It is not too bad. Just some rather deep scratches." He crossed his own arms in thought. "But all the same, they be only scratches now, I don't want to take any chances that he may decide that it's not enough anymore."

"You gave him the same mixture you gave to Hasmal?" Michael looked down to the slumbering hound. "Is it that serious?"

"I gave it to him to ensure he sleeps the night completely through."

He huffed in mock irritation. "You couldn't have done that in my own room."

"You're a strong archangel." His younger brother pat him on the back. "You can carry him back."

…

"Isn't he a bit big to be carrying around like that?"

Michael looked up at the sound of his captain's voice, peering at him from over the angel hounds thick wavy locks, the angel in question had taken to his humanoid form and hung limply from the archangels hip, sleeping peacefully unaware of anything going on around him.

"Perhaps." He rubbed at the younger angels bare back soothingly when he murmured against his shoulder. "But I can't find it in myself to put him down."

Nisroc raised an eyebrow and lifted one of the angel hounds limp arms, looking from the bandaged wrist, to his commander.

"What happened?"

"He started biting himself."

That startled the captain, his eyes wide as he gently let the arm down again, brushing his fingers over the scabs on the youth's face.

"And his face?"

"He'd been scratching his snout raw."

He crossed his arms lightly, the captain and hound had fought side by side in countless battles since he had been returned to their home, and to see him in such a state was alarming.

"All of this while in hound form?"

Michael nodded, "Indeed." And adjusted his hold on the slumbering angel hanging from his hip, limp against his shoulder. "Raphael has given him something to keep him from changing forms. Which is why he is sleeping so soundly. It dampens the power used to change between his forms." He turned to look at his captain. "How is Hasmal?"

The Power nodded, understanding the change in conversation, these arising episodes was enough to startle anyone. "He takes his tonic regularly and sleeps through most of the day or walks with me through the ranks when he has his good days, as you can see," he gestured to his side, "today was not one of those days."

"Who's staying with him?"

"Haniel is with him at the moment."

He nodded, rubbing soothingly at the angel hounds back as he turned to survey the sparing partners, Nisroc chuckled and scratched a few fingers at the hounds shoulder, smiling when Erathaol hummed and settled closer against the archangel.

Michael turned to look at him for a moment before turning back to surveying the partners before them.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." He pulled his hand back and chuckled again when the angel hound gave a soft whine despite being in his humanoid form. "I forgot he only wore trousers."

It was true, Erathaol wore nothing but loose-fitting trousers, no tunic and no shoes of any kind. He claimed it made it easier to change between forms, and the only one who would know was him, and possibly Anubis who gave the same explanation, but they all thought it was more so for his detest on wearing anything else.

He spent most of his time in his hound form, it often caused most to forget what he looked like outside of it, the only similarity between both forms being his silver eyes.

Erathaol mumbled and shifted, "M'cha?"

"Yes, pup?"

"J'st check'n."

The archangel hefted him higher on his hip and rubbed at his back softly, "Go back to sleep, little puppy." He fell silent for a moment. "Nisroc?"

"Sir?"

He turned to look at his captain. "Keep a close eye on them all. One is a coincidence. Two is not." He adjusted his hold on the sleeping angel and swayed slightly when he felt him shift against him. "We want to know what is causing them to have these reactions."

"You think something may be amiss?"

"I do not know what to think." Michael hummed slightly. "But we have one who self-combusts at the slightest of movements and an angel hound that has taken to mutilating himself, both claiming to being surrounded by the consuming darkness again. We are not taking any chances. Hasmal, Erathaol, and Cael are not permitted to be alone not matter what circumstances may be."

"You don't think Aunt would do that again, do you?"

The was a note of alarm in the Power's voice and he was quick in quieting him, shaking his head in denial. "We do not suspect Her of anything. It is just an odd occurrence that two of the Returned would have these episodes after so long."

There was a long pause of silence.

"Cael?"

Michael turned to look at him. "Yes?"

"Why can't he be left on his own?"

The archangel sighed, it was not something they talked about often, the only ones who knew were the four of them and Father Himself.

"He took to marking himself to keep track of time, we don't know what the marks mean in duration of time passing, and for the longest time he had stopped."

Nisroc waited for the continuation of the silent 'but' that had come at the end of that statement.

"He came to see Lucifer the other day and had torn himself up badly. It was rather deep. Raphael kept him in the Infirmary for the night to keep an eye on him and only released him when Lucifer said he would keep him at his side at all times." He shook his head in anguish. "He is not allowed to be on his own. No blades, no arrows, just a simple tunic and some trousers." He nodded his head to the angel sleeping on his shoulder. "Just as Erathaol is not permitted to shift forms for the time being. He only does those actions when in hound form. It was how he spent most of his time trapped within Aunt's prison of darkness."

"I will tell the others to keep an eye and ear out for anything."

Michael nodded in appreciation, "We thank you for your helping. It has us on edge, something is causing these violent reactions, and we have not a clue as to what it could be."