Authors note: holy crap im still going 8') these chapters keep getting longer and longer and i cant tell if thats good or bad lol but anyways im really REALLY excited for this one, as i finally get to introduce an oc i've been working on! you can see some concept art of her on my art blog (bibbleart on tumblr), any more content I make for this fic i'll be sure to mention, thank you for reading, hope you enjoy!

Trigger warnings for this chapter: none!

POV: Zak (will probably switch back to Doyle next chapter!)

I adjust my coat hood for what feels like the 50th time. Whenever I walk through town, I have to make sure my hair isn't showing. These people don't seem to know my face, but traits like white bangs and glowing orange eyes have quickly become a Kur calling card. I carefully scan the buildings as I pass them, looking for anything that says "doctor" or "medical". I don't have any money. . . or an insurance card. . . or insurance now, I think. . . But I know I have to try something.

Every glance sent my way makes me paranoid. People have a million reasons to stare, I'm a foreign 11 year old who drove a snowmobile here and is now walking the streets of Alaska by myself, but the thought that they know what I am is all that can run through my mind. It makes my heart pound. I can't imagine what would happen if someone spotted me. The last time I was surrounded by people that knew my secret. . .

My mind goes back to that night my entire world changed. I had no way of knowing at the time that it wouldn't just be my world that'd fall apart. Argost had been building up Kur for a long time, gaining a following of what seemed like religious fanatics convinced that Kur would bring the end of the humanity. I guess in a way, I did.

He had the entire world in the palm of his hand, using children's media as a way to share information, acting as a prophet and brainwashing people. It's like if Sesame Street was suddenly run by a cult. You'd think people would look at themselves and wonder, but here we are, months later, and his word is still god.

When he felt it was finally time to point the finger at us, we saw it coming. We were on the run for weeks, dodging attacks from scared civilians left and right. We were just stopping for supplies, nobody expected a crowd to form that fast. People were talking back and forth so quickly, both parties trying to rationalize, but it wasn't enough. Fear is stronger than logic. Everyone that night felt they had somebody they had to protect, I try not to blame them. After all, there's nothing in the prophecy of Kur that says, 'Hey, Don't worry, he's actually not that bad of a guy. He's super chill.'

Most were terrified of us. When things got violent, I couldn't figure out where the anger was coming from. It wasn't till recently that I started to understand that deep down, it was fear as well, blanketed by survival instinct. It's such a strange situation, watching a crowd rip a child from it's mother, and then cower from the child.

The scariest part of it all was getting separated. I held a grudge against Doyle for as long as I could for actually listening when my parents told us to take the Griffin and run, that they'd take the airship and create a diversion, meet up with the secret scientists and ask them for help, but apparently 'as long as I can' is just over a week before loneliness finally got to me. Not to mention guilt. I think I actually tried to hit him while we were flying away. I can't really remember, I was crying and could hardly think. Come to think of it, he might have been too.

"Hey! You lost little guy?"

I must have jumped 2 feet in the air.

"N-No. . . Oh, I mean, Yes? Uh, I'm looking for a doctor. A. . . free one, preferably."

The man before me chuckled before patting me on the head. I immediately gripped my hood. 90% of the world fears my very name, and the 10% that don't know me still patronizes me like I'm 5. Incredible.

"No money eh? Try Ila, she's one of the best and has been known to take other forms of payment from people like that. It doesn't mean she's cheap, though."

"You realize Nanouk, That if you'd just stop telling people they don't have to pay me, I might not have to ask for so much."

A female voice spoke up behind me. I turned and met her hardened brown eyes. Her dark hair was pulled back into a wavy ponytail, some curled pieces sticking out at the front, obviously not on purpose, but the way that they fell across her temples looked like they were meant to be there. She had 3 dark blue lines going down her chin, a tattoo trend I had seen around here before. I'm sure it means something, but I'm guessing now isn't the best time to ask the locals about their culture.

"I need your help!"

"Allright, what'd you break."

"No, not me, my uncle. He was hunting and he fell into the basin. He's breathing, but it's been hours and he won't wake up."

She furrowed her eyebrows mischievously and looked past me, towards the man with the condescending tone, but hopefully good advice.

"Mhm. Yeah, yknow, I've actually seen a lot of cases like that this year."

The man scoffed.

"Okay, first of all, I didn't fall in, I jumped. It was a dare, and I made 50 bucks that night!"

She rolled her eyes, but promptly placed her hands on my shoulders and leaned in.

"50 bucks that went to me when I had to treat him for frostbite."

We began walking before the man could aggravate the conversation anymore. I smiled at their antics, but it was mostly because I was being treated as an equal by an adult for the first time in a very long time.

"So, where's your uncle now?"

"About 30 miles southeast."

"Yikes. How'd you get here?"

"Snowmobile."

"Oh, great, if we drive fast we can get this over with quickly."

Huh, sounds like someone I know.

"Okay, should I go get it and pick you up-"

She clicked her tongue at me.

"Nooo way. If I'm doing a house call, I'm driving."

We arrived faster than expected. She was a much better driver than me, so that probably helped. As soon as we dismount and enter the house, I hear a familiar concerned trill. Oh craaap.

"What's that?"

"Uh. . . Just our pet bird. . . Don't worry, she's in the bedroom, she won't bother you."

"A pet bird in Alaska? No wonder she sounds so unhappy."

Hah, you have no idea.

I watch her circle the couch and look down at Doyle intently. He hasn't moved an inch. Knowing all I can do at this point is let her work, I start paying attention to my surroundings. Is there anything else I need to hide besides Zon? Are there any Kur clues I'm missing? What will I do if she finds out?

"So, is he a heavy sleeper?" I watch as she lifts his arm up and lets it drop, kind of comically. All he does is let out a quiet groan.

"Oh, yeah, I used to prank him in his sleep all the time, but he usually wakes up if I yell or shake him."

She pulled out a blood pressure machine. Mom has one of those. She rummaged for a second before pulling out a stethoscope. Mom has one of those too. I wouldn't be surprised if she had every single item this woman has packed in her medical bag.

Uuugh, not again, I think to myself. Stop using family as a distraction, everyone's in the same boat. You're just gonna give yourself anxiety. Deep breaths, maybe later you can meditate, how mom taught you- Ugh, stop it!

Thankfully, Ila starts talking again, shaking me from my thoughts.

"I'm pretty sure he's just got cold water shock."

"You mean like hypothermia?"

"No, that would require a much longer time of exposure. This is a stage or two before that, not as dangerous."

Just as soon as she got everything out, she puts her equipment away. All that and she diagnosed him in 5 minutes?

"His blood pressure is low and his breathing sounds off, like he might have inhaled some water. He should be all right, we just have to watch him. He needs to sleep it off. He probably feels like sh-. . . probably feels bad."

I look at her, confused.

"? Oh, don't worry, my uncle cusses all the time."

"Ah. I see."

"Just the other day, he said-"

"Don't move."

"Doyle?!"

I look over to see him propped weakly on his left arm, blankets on the floor beside him, and his hunting harpoon aimed at her back. His eyes are glassy and sunken, he still looks as if a strong gust of wind could knock him over.

"Why would you bring a stranger here? You know better Zak, You Know not to trust-"

"No, it's fine, she's here to help!"

"I kinda agree with him. You should really be more careful with who you talk to, some people here know more about Kur than they happen to let on."

Ignoring the deafening quiet that followed those words, she casually turned around and lowered Doyle's harpoon.

"Please don't. I didn't bring the right equipment for stab wounds."

Doyle and I sat in stunned silence, unsure of how to proceed.

"How. . . . . . . How did you know?"

"Hair."

". . . When did you see my-"

"You had on an unbuttoned hood on a snowmobile going over 50 miles per hour."

I grimaced. The only person I've ever ridden the snowmobile with was Doyle, I must not have realized. . .

"So you're not. . . scared?"

"No, not particularly." She scooped up a blanket off the floor and began swaddling it around Doyle. "But I'm ready to diagnose harpoon boy with a case of Chronic Dumbass if he doesn't start bundling up."

He stared at her wide eyed, flustered enough to drop his weapon, but wore an intense expression as he was still trying to process the situation.

"Look. . ." She straightened herself and turned to face both of us. "I'm not gonna sit here and pretend the people around here are saints who wouldn't freak out if they knew Kur was in their hometown, but people were definitely more scared when nobody knew who you were. When you find out this apocalyptic prophecy monster is a child with a family, it makes it a lot harder for good people to see it that way. Besides, fear's never done me any good, so don't worry so much about it, my lips are sealed."

What I was hearing made perfect sense, but I still couldn't believe it. All this time, I kept hoping if we looked hard enough we might be able to find allies who could see that I'm not a threat, and that hope had just been starting to fade in me. I tried to smile at Doyle, who didn't see it as he was still assessing her, probably trying to see if she had any weapons.

"But if you don't mind. . . I have a question. . . Are you truly a 'ruler of the cryptids'? Do they. . . listen to you?"

I shot another glance at Doyle, who was actually looking my way this time. I could tell by his face that he'd kill me if I gave her any information right now. Too bad he's got Almost Hypothermia and can't even get out of bed.

". . . Most of the time."

". . . Do you think, instead of payment, you could do a job for me?"

"What kind of job." Doyle sighed out flatly while rubbing his forehead. Just as I thought, too tired to actually get mad. For now at least.

"There's a local cryptid that- well, frankly it's not supposed to be local, it's supposed to be on the other side of Alaska. It's called the Kushtaka, and it's creating a lot of problems for hunters."

Doyle let out a dry laugh.

"Uh, does it look like a giant otter?"

Her eyes widened.

"That's why you fell in the basin? Jesus, I didn't realize it was already that close. We have to try and stop it before it reaches Teller."

"Oh, that won't be a problem. If there's one thing I got from our fight, it's that the Kushtaka wasn't planning on leaving the basin. It's probably my fault, ever since Kur became common knowledge cryptids have been going crazy seeking me out, from miles, even continents away. The Imuruk basin is less than 5 miles from here."

"Huh. . . So, I guess you really are their leader?"

I nodded hesitantly.

"Then, let's see if you're a good one."