The approach to Genesis, who stood waiting by the edge of the clearing, felt like an age. Squall's heart pounded in his ears, his hands were shaking and it was only the thought of Cloud being at risk that kept him placing one foot in front of the other.

A courageous effort. It was like something out of an unrealised nightmare. The empty night, alone with an enemy with only the night time wind in the trees disrupting their isolated confrontation. Even Edea nearby was not a comfort, Squall knew she would not be able to do a thing against Genesis, not alone and not in a contest of authority or strength. He was on his own.

Truly a nightmare.

Genesis was idly chewing a handful of poppy seeds, looking up at the canopy without seeing it while totally oblivious to Squall's nerves. Genesis, too, was far from relaxed and in control. His stressed expression flitting through a rainbow of emotions especially around his eyes. Squall picked up on a few; reluctance, uncertainty, frustration, fatigue … but none seemed to be aimed at Squall thus far. Genesis had never held back glaring at him in public before, surely he wouldn't adopt manners and masks now that they were alone …

Squall stopped just a foot away from being sociable. When the seconds dragged by, only the thudding of Squall's heart telling him it was passing at all, Squall tried to clear his throat to say something and cue the conversation to get it over with; but all the air in him had turned thick and heavy, not a sound passed his lips. Several more moments passed, making the air between them brittle and sharp.

Genesis had to break the silence. He rubbed at a temple with the heel of his hand.

"Where do you go in the woods at night?"

Squall glanced up, terror making him almost sick with how tight his throat was. He inhaled fast enough to choke and spent most of his alarmed reply coughing and stuttering, "I-I-I don't-"

"Shut up."

"Huh?" Squall blinked.

Genesis still wasn't looking at him. "I'm not interested in unconvincing lies. But, more importantly, you're not prepared," he ran a hand through his hair. Crossing his arms again he spat out what was left of the poppy seeds and wrinkled his nose at the taste. "I'll ask you again, try to use words this time; Where do you go in the woods at night?"

Squall looked down, forcing himself to breathe through a raw throat, "E-Edea's, or my hut. I don't g-go anywhere else-"

"Fascinating," Genesis muttered, "When I overheard Heartily's daughter and the Seifer boy discussing how long you went missing in the woods for several days, not even Edea knowing where you were." He lowered his hand. "Your gun is rusted, your hut abandoned. Hardly lived in. Edea has neither laboured land or wood in abundance, so you're not here often. Are you."

Squall paled. He's been watching me? Oh god, what does he know? "I-I got lost in the woods, I-"

"Lost?" Genesis growled, turning to Squall with a full on glare; "The wolf child? The boy who everyone knows can walk the cursed woods alone and unprotected and survive? The one who knows the woods better than the village?" he was looming over Squall and sneering down at him, "If you can't convince me, how are you going to convince anyone else who has questions? Not everyone is like your family, who'll trust you enough to accept your lies and silence- even they know you're lying through your teeth."

He jabbed Squall in the chest, advancing a step when the teen pulled away, "They're asking you because they're close to you and they see your strangeness first. Your lies are accepted because they trust you, they like you," Genesis held Squall by his arm to keep him from stepping away, "I don't. The rest of us in the village aren't as blind as you think. We see what you're doing too, so what are you going to say to convince me before I throw you out to face them?"

The young hunter was shaking in his boots, "I-I go to see my lover," he gasped out, it was the truth, just not all of it. He wasn't very good at lying on the spot, his answers were weak. It was obvious. But he couldn't face a crowd, and he couldn't run away.

Genesis peered into his face, "That's honesty, boy." He let Squall go and turned away, letting the younger hunter gain some space away from him. Genesis was thoughtful, "She lives in the woods? That's why you go there?"

"Th-they don't live in the woods," Squall admitted, looking at his shoes, "We just meet there."

Genesis was quiet for a long moment. "Leonhart … I want you to leave."

"What?"

The village leader sighed, throwing another mouthful of seeds into his maw and rubbing at the spot between his eyes, "You haven't convinced me, boy, those questions are what you'll face and fail if you stay. When you fail, you'll bring hell down upon yourself and all those close to you." His promise was ominous. "Personally, I don't want to know a damn thing about what you do or why, but some want answers, and asking them to tolerate you will not work for much longer. I am not going to put up with infighting here of all God forsaken places, at the dawn of winter. Am I clear?"

"You …" Squall was rocked to his core. Genesis was telling him to go for his own good? For a good he could no longer provide? "You've been … standing up for me?" he asked incredulously.

The older man cringed, caught.

The Leader glared over his shoulder; "Not for your sake, boy."

Squall realised after a moment. "Then is it for Edea, Seifer or Quistis?" The woman who cured his father and the village of sicknesses, the boy set to become his apprentice, or for Quistis the woman Genesis unrequitedly fancied. Predictably, all he got was a growl and a glare.

It was clear to Squall that he would probably never know the true reason.

Quickly, it dawned on Squall that he never realised he had had such a strong ally all these years, watching out for him, warding off rumours and public dislike. Whatever Genesis's reasons, Squall acknowledged with a handful of dread that he likely wouldn't be here if not for the actions of this man. I would have been run out or mobbed years ago. I could have been murdered or cast out to starve and wander. How much has he done for me?

He took a step closer and said: "Thank you-" Genesis tried to growl over his words, loathing to have done him any favours, but Squall raised his voice so he was heard: "I don't understand why you did it but you have my gratitude for my current safety, and for this warning," he looked down, "It is only fair to inform you of something too: I was planning on leaving anyway. After the snows and winter storms."

Genesis looked at him, "Really?" He didn't read Squall's face for nearly as long as before, his expression turned calculating. "You may not have that luxury, Leonhart. You should go as soon as you can-"

"I can't do that, travelling in the winter is a death sentence; there's no food, and little work, I wouldn't survive if I left now …" and my family would be devastated.

His leader seemed to realise that. "Yes … but if you stay, if you can't persuade others that you're entirely innocent …" Genesis looked tired, he held the air of a man facing something he'd been putting off for as long as he could. Someone both defeated and forward looking.

Squall tried again: "At the very least you'll need every hunter you can get with storage pushed back this far into the season and … Genesis, I swear, after this winter you'll never have to tolerate me again." Just like this village always wanted.

There was a heavy silence. Leaves rustled, wind ticked their hair, the sounds of nocturnal wildlife beginning to spring up in the background … Genesis let the quiet stay and stay, for so long Squall began to wonder if he had fallen asleep on his feet. Squall jumped when Genesis finally spoke again: "Either way, I supposed I won't."

He turned to the boy and looked grim, eyes hard as always but his tone not nearly as biting. "You're on your own, Leonhart. I've given you this one warning. Don't expect me to help you again. I'm done putting my neck out for you." He half turned away, "Good hunting and … practice what you're going to say to convince others … you'll need it."

I'll need it because he won't be shutting down those questions anymore. I'll have to fend them off myself, say things that can convince them without necessarily being true. Squall ducked his head, "I will … Thank you."

Genesis looked like he wanted to say something else, his mouth opened and his breath paused as if his mind was forging it into words, but then his lips closed and whatever he could have said died in his throat. He turned to leave without another word. Not even something to pass on to Edea. He must have been tired … or is he disappointed. Squall wondered. Disappointed that he couldn't convince me to leave, or for something else …

Squall sighed and slumped in place, shoulders loosening and his mind adrift with heavy thoughts. Genesis's warnings, his recent help – if it could be called 'help', what kinds of curiosities he could be facing …

I never realised that he was protecting me. Why? For Edea's sake, or Quistis's affections, for Seifer? He'd never prioritise them over the rest of the village, he doesn't do that for anyone- and for how long? I wish I knew his motives … it makes no sense. He's had it out for me for years but at the same time he's been shielding me?

Squall rubbed at his face. I'm never going to find out, am I … He breathed out. It would be many hours or even weeks before he'd come to terms with his ignorance.

"S-Squall?"

The young hunter turned around to see Matron standing just out of the shadows, the knife held low in her hands and her face pulled into a mournful expression, eyes shining.

Squall turned to her, having entirely forgotten that he had just had that enlightening and mysterious discussion in plain view of her house. "Edea?" She was crying. "What's wrong?" he asked, turning to her and moving to take the knife from her shaking hand, not wanting her to drop it on herself or lose it.

Her breathing hitched and she easily relinquished her possession of the weapon to clasp her hands together, her cheeks getting wet. "You're leaving?"

Squall felt his heart drop as he realised he had never gotten around to telling her that he was planning to leave. The decision had been so recent, and the afternoons so chaotic in recent times he'd never realised he'd neglected to inform his family. He felt his heart break a little as she clutched at him and sniffled into his shirt.

"I-I was scared that- that Genesis would th-throw you out. But y-you said you w-were planning on l-leaving already," she hiccupped.

Squall nodded, pressing his hands to her hair and her back, "I was going to tell you- I swear," he whispered. It just made her cry a little more. Squall whispered again: "I'm sorry Mother." He squeezed her, wishing he could hold her together this way instead of excusing his mistake with words; "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I never wanted you to find out like that, I'm sorry."

Edea held him tighter, a lifetime of working muscles binding him here as if to stop him from ever wandering again. "I'm never going to see you again, am I?" she sobbed, realising everything before Squall could even begin.

Once he left with Cloud he'd be gone, likely for good.

It broke Squall too when he realised that she was right. Over the mountains, far from any aggressive community of people, somewhere suited more for wolves than people. Somewhere secret. Edea couldn't follow him there, and he …

He shook his head, denying the truth; he'd know the way back, he'd remember somehow, retrace his steps and find here again, even just the once. "I … I'll come back, Mother. I'll see you again one day, I promise."

Edea shook her head, "Squall …"

"I will. I swear it. I'll come back," he didn't care if what he was saying was impossible or at the very least unlikely, "I will come back … I always find my way back out of the woods, don't I?"

She sniffed, a slightly hysterical laugh escaping her as she acknowledged his uncanny ability to walk through impossible paths, "I'll pray that it's true," Edea sighed, saying nothing more on it but the heavy air and brittle promise hovered between them. Her head rose partially, "My youngest son leaving the village … where will you go?"

Squall shrugged, a sort of smile on his face, "Wherever he goes, and far from anyone who'll hurt us."

Edea chuckled, crying her last tears moments later, "My husband said that he'd follow me too, all those years ago … Cloud's a lucky man …" She took deep breaths and smoothed out her pained expression with dabs of her sleeves against her eyes. "I'm sure you'll be very happy. Come, let's go inside. I … I think we both need a meal and … a good long rest," she sighed.

Squall agreed, "Yeah, okay … can I st-"

"If you think I'm letting you out of my sight tonight after what Genesis warned you about then I'm the Virgin Mary," she huffed, waving a finger at him sternly and pointing at her house without arguments.

Relieved, Squall kissed her cheek, "Edea, you're the best."

"Oh Squall," she chuckled. "I, well, before we drop this entirely," she began hesitantly, their slow walk getting slower and halting at the door, "I think I'll need some time to accept your, um, plan for the future … I'll need to think, and …"

When she couldn't find a good way to finish Squall took her hand and nodded, "I'll gladly talk about all I can with you when you're ready to hear it," he promised. Edea seemed pleased and they silently let the subject drop for the time being, and went into her hut. The step into the domestic environment gave them both feelings of comfort and their shoulders relaxed, their stomachs began to rumble, and the cold seemed to nip harder than before.

Never one to sit still, Edea began the process of heating up a broth and Squall had other recent things on his mind …

"Edea?"

"Yes?" she handed him a pillow and blanket and he placed them by the door for later, "What is it?"

Squall pulled the red cloak from a corner of Edea's shelves and put it around his shoulders, catching her fond smirk as he tugged it around his body just the way he liked it. Preparing himself for little to no real answers he asked: "Did you know Genesis was diverting some negative opinions about me?"

Edea hesitated, then ran a hand through her hair and pulled it out of her braid, "I … I suspected," she admitted. "I'm … not sure why. But, many times, people have demanded that he 'take action' against you, for the village luck," she frowned, angry that such things had been said. "And Genesis …" she shrugged, "He has done nothing."

"But why? Why take the risk of people throwing his reputation in with mine?" Squall asked, vexed.

Edea shrugged again, "I couldn't say, Squall. Though I'm grateful for it, life could have been very different if he'd chosen another path. God knows he's got mixed feelings about you, to put it generously," she took a seat beside him and they stared into the fire.

"That's nothing new," Squall muttered. He recalled Seifer telling him, mostly out of spite, that the village's opinion around his appearance had been split between taking him in or leaving him to die where he was found. His wolf-child status a worrying sign for many people, although Edea and a few others managed to sway village opinion enough to let him live a fairly normal childhood up until his amnesia. Who knows, maybe Genesis had been one of those voices giving him a chance. He, and the village, at one point had cared enough about him to embark on a full out search and rescue through demon woods in the middle of winter to find his seven-year-old self, although the following storm and Squall's unexplained memory loss set everyone back to being suspicious again.

Edea brushed her hand across his head, "He's a good man at heart, Squall, I'm sure. Often, it's a show of character when faced with a hard choice. Yet each time he's chosen to give you a chance." She raised his head with a hand under his chin, "Something about you keeps convincing him to give you chances, now be a good hunter and use the opportunity."