Kevin wakes up to Eddward sleeping and Daniel walking around outside the cave sniffing around. He gently detaches himself from Eddward and moves to the cave entrance, watching Daniel play around.
Eddward wakes up and is happy for all of five seconds before reality kicks in. The crippling hollow feeling crashes down on him from Marie's death and the realization that it's all his fault.
Kevin's ears perk up and he turns around when he feels sorrow and sadness wash over him in waves. He trots over to Eddward and lies down next to him resting his head on his stomach. "Let's go eat!"
Eddward nods silently knowing he needed to find human blood soon. Gently pushing the red wolf off of him with a pat and kiss on the head before standing up and walking out of the cave to wait for him.
"Next time, I'm having Danny sit on your chest. Let's go hunt some hunters." Kevin smiled and walked off in front, Daniel under tow, happy to be finally hunting again and with his brother and Eddward.
Eddward smiles a little and follows after them, his senses on high alert. After everything that has happened, he wasn't letting his guard down again.
Kevin heard soft talking and lifted his head in the direction of the voices. He looked to Daniel and he had stopped and had heard it too, he was proud of his little brother that he caught it. Kevin knew Edd heard it also he stood by Daniel and laid down. "Down Danny and watch Eddward hunt."
"Stupid bitch deserved to be turned to ashes" Eddward heard one of the hunters say.
"Too bad we didn't get the other three though, there was no sign of them..." another said. The Raven hearing this feels the hollowness give way to white hot rage. Having enough mind to make sure Kevin and Daniel were safe, Eddward darts forward.
Ignoring his burns, grabbing one of them by the face and slamming his head into the ground, crushing his skull, then darting backwards to disarm the other. Ripping one of his arms off and bringing the one that made the comment about Marie in close. "She was my friend and you will pay dearly for mocking her death" he hisses. Baring his neck with a very harsh tug of his hair and sinking his teeth in violently, drinking his life essence in slowly to prolong the hunter's pain and death.
Kevin sat up, making sure Eddward won't need help. He's pretty sure he's got it under control but he will step in if he was needed. Daniel dashed under Kevin, he was scared but he was also entranced. Kevin noticed and chuckles. "Calm down, Daniel, just watch."
Eddward lets the body drop as he stalks away. How savagely he ripped into the hunter's throat; he had blood dripping down his face and chest and his shirt was burned beyond recognition. No doubt the red head had just ripped it off of him during his slumber to treat his wounds.
"Ya good?" Kevin smirked. Eddward just nods, he is still too upset to speak.
Kevin just smiles understandingly. "Its okay, Edd. Did you wanna come with us or did you wanna go back to the cave?"
"Are you just going hunting?" Eddward questions.
"Yeah, may stop by the wreckage and try to salvage some stuff... But nothing else." Kevin watched as Daniel sniffed around, tracking a smaller animal. Following the trail into the brush, a squeak was heard followed by a growl then everything went silent. A second later, Daniel emerged with a chipmunk in his mouth. Kevin laughed "Good job, Danny. Those are quick but gamey. Let's go hunt some bigger prey, k?"
Eddward can't help but smile at the little wolf. His anger making way for pride and fondness for the young pup. "I think perhaps I will go with you" he says decisively.
"Yay!" Daniel cheered and ran the best he could in front of Kevin.
"Mon Petit, your leg… Be careful."
"I'm fine, Eddward. I can keep up with Kevin when he's walking. I just keep it up and not use it" Daniel grins wide.
Eddward sighs "Just please be cautious, Little Wolf" Eddward says walking after him.
Kevin finds a trail and knows immediately what it is. "Stay here... I'll run it towards you and you kill it like last time."
"Okay!" Daniel stopped and waited as Kevin walked off. Within a few minutes, a small buck burst through the brush, towards Daniel. He jumped up and latched onto the neck, squeezing and puncturing vital arteries before the buck collapsed and died. "Good job... I didn't even hobble that one. You're getting better." Kevin admonished. Daniel didn't care, he just ate and Kevin joined him.
Eddward smiles with pride at the little wolf and his mate "You would make a good father, Mon Cher" he notes out loud.
"Yeah, I always been good with kids." Kevin smiled and stretched, having eaten his fill. Daniel rushed over to Eddward "Kevin said that I'm gonna be as good as him soon!"
"That you will be, my little one. Things will be easier as soon as that leg of yours heals, as well" Eddward says, picking him up.
Kevin smiles "I think we would both make pretty good parents... Aside from the whole 'Everyone wants to kill us' thing. That's kind of a downer" Kevin smiles. "Let's go salvage what we can from the wreck. We may be able to gather supplies to keep us afloat" he turns and walks toward the skeletal remains of the safe house. Kevin is worried about Edd... He doesn't want to bring up any more memories. "Why don't you take Danny tracking a bit more? He still needs practice..."
"No, we should stick together and I wish to gather some of Marie's ashes."
The red head smiles and chuckles "Alright, you win." Coming up on the remains of the house, while the living room and kitchen were demolished and the house as a whole was uninhabitable the bedrooms faired a bit better. Eddward put Daniel down and Kevin instructed him to find his pack in the rubble, while Kevin did the same.
Eddward stands at the door way into the living room staring at where he last saw his friend and the little semblance of happiness he had regained drained from him in a manner of seconds. Slowly he walks forward and pulls a metal flask out of this pocket when he finally got to his friend's ashes he falls to his knees and continues to look down sadly at what was once his friend. It isn't until he hears Kevin call his name that he gathered some of them and stands silently saying goodbye.
Daniel scurries off as Kevin heads for what used to be their bedroom. He finds his pack easily enough. It's singed but nothing too bad. He looked around and almost missed the dresser drawer with some file folders sticking out with a note attached. 'You dropped these. They are important! I've added what I have as well. You may have killed your brother, but there are many more laying in waiting. Be careful' Kevin called out Eddward's name before grabbing the folders in his mouth and walking out to find him. Just as he about got to Eddward, a crash was heard and a black and red blur came rushing out and hid between Kevin and Eddward, trembling slightly.
Eddward is throw off guard as the little wolf dashes forward "Mon Petit, what did you do?"
Kevin cracks up, looking at Daniel "You are so filthy! What is this black and red ball of fur?!"
Daniel sneezes "I didn't mean to! I found my pack and pulled it out and a bunch of stuff fell on me. Now I'm itchy..."
"I would imagine, Little Wolf. Are you hurt?" Eddward says fussing over him checking his body for injuries.
"No, just dirty" he grins up at Eddward before he is picked up by the scruff of the neck by Kevin and carted outside, his pack at Eddward's feet. Kevin carries Daniel to a small creek bed close by and tosses him in the water. "Wash off, brat. You'll feel much better after all that ash and soot is off you"
Eddward grabs the pack and follows them, witnessing his mate drop the pup in the water. "Mon amour! It is well below freezing out here!" he scolds.
"He likes the cold... He's weird." Kevin sassed. Daniel appears in front of him with an innocent look then grins.
"No! Get away!" Kevin yells and moves away quickly but the smaller red head follows.
"Brother, I'm so cold. Come here and help me keep warm."
"No! You're going to get me all wet, you little shit!"
"B-but I'm s-so c-cold!" Daniel fake shivers.
Eddward laughs as he gets an idea he dives into the water. Cleaning the blood, soot, and ashes off, comes out glad he can't normally feel cold or hot. "Yes, Mon Cher, we are cold! Come warm us up" he says chasing after the larger wolf with the smaller one.
"No thanks. Both of you are assholes!" Kevin runs away. He can easily evade Daniel but not Eddward. Even if he did hide, Edd would just find him because of their bond. "Get away from me! If I get sick, you two will have to take care of me!"
Eddward snickers and pounced on the large wolf feeling a second little body pounce a second later as they were rolling.
"Nooo! Get off me! You two are COLD!" Kevin squirms but eventually gives up and lies still. "I'm dead, when I get sick, I'm coughing on both of you!"
"But Brother! You're so warm!" Daniel gets under Kevin and gets his underside wet and cold, grinning the whole time.
Eddward just snickers from the wolf's back "Yes, Darling, we are cold and vampires don't get sick."
"I dislike the both of you" Kevin gives up and lies there, slightly crushing Daniel. "Gah! Brother! You're heavy! Get up! UP!" Daniel laughs, squirming out from under Kevin.
"You can dislike me all you want, Mon Cher. You are stuck with me now, you had your chance to get rid of me" Eddward snickers rolling on his back taking the big wolf with him making him get off the smaller pup.
Daniel sits down with his bad leg out to the side. He watches as Eddward and Kevin wrestle on the ground. He laughed loudly "Get him Eddward!"
Kevin stopped and looked up shocked "You little shit..." and took off after the smaller wolf causing him to squeal and ran as fast as he could away.
"No Brother! No!" He laughed. Catching the smaller redhead, Kevin grinned and grabbed his tail, pulling Daniel back and laying on him again. "Traitor! The Barr men don't allow mutiny in our ranks!"
Eddward tackles the larger wolf chuckling and knocking him off the smaller wolf "It is not his fault he knows who the winner is."
"Fine, fine! I give!" Kevin laughs and lies limp again. Eddward kisses the wolf's ear and then bites it gently.
"You are gonna get in trouble, sir... The little one is present." Kevin grinned and tried to pull out of Eddward's arms. "If you don't let me go, I'm going to lick your face."
"And get dog drool all over me?! How rude." Eddward snickers letting go.
Kevin stood up and moved away before shaking off and looking at Daniel, who is now muddy. He sighs. "Kid, your impossible."
"At least I'm not sooty anymore!" Daniel smiles.
"Mud itches too, dork. Let's get back to our hideout. I'll leave you for him to clean." Kevin cocked his head towards Eddward. Daniel looked up at him with big green eyes.
Eddward smiles and takes a playful fighting stance "What say you, Mon Petit. Can you beat me?" he asks.
"I don't think so, but I'll try..." Daniel stood up, shook off, and took a stance, just like Kevin showed him... He would make his big brother proud. Kevin felt pride burst in his chest and smiled. Eddward gestures for the little wolf to have at him.
Daniel raced forward, his bad leg was tired but wasn't in pain so he used it. He lunged at Eddward's arms. 'Try to take out one of their arms first. That most people's first line of attack and defense but watch for the legs too' he remembers from Kevin's training.
Eddward smirks and catches the little wolf in midair allowing him to bite Eddward's forearm.
Surprised he caught Eddward at all, releases him. Kevin grimaced, that was going to cost him.
Eddward snatches the little wolf by the scruff of the neck and throws him into the small stream. Not enough to hurt, just enough to make a big splash.
Kevin chuckles loudly "Come on, Danny! Kick his ass!" Daniel got his feet under him and shot forward again, but this time at Eddward's legs. He stopped right in front of him and jumped upward into Edd's stomach, earning Daniel a solid hit.
"Ooophf" Eddward grunts and falls down pretending to be hurt.
Daniel jumps on his chest and sits triumphantly, bad leg tilted out to the side and everything. "Big Brother! Look! I bet Eddward!"
"I saw, Little Brother! I'm very proud of you!" Kevin gets up and nuzzles Daniel, causing him to giggle loudly.
Eddward chuckles "You did well, Young One" he praises from his prone position.
Daniel let loose a big yawn and his eyes are half lidded. "Tired, Danny?" Kevin expected him to be. He's had a long night, but it was fun and he learned some things.
"Yeah... Wanna go home. Do we have to go to the cave? I wanna go and sleep in a bed."
"For right now, we have to... You'll get a bed soon though!" Kevin assures him. Eddward looks at him in a way that said they should talk.
"Come on, let's go back." Noticing Edd's look and nodding slightly. He lies down and Danny crawls onto Kevin's back. Standing slowly with Danny rested between his shoulder blades, snuggled into his fur, tail limply hanging to the side. He was asleep in seconds.
"Mon Cher, we could go to one of my safe houses. I haven't been there in over sixty years… Marie did not even know about it" Eddward says just below a whisper, knowing that the red head would hear him just fine.
"Are you sure it's safe? I'm really not looking forward to digging my brother out of a fiery inferno again."
"Yes, they must have planted the explosives while we were out hunting that night. We would have been able to smell it otherwise" Eddward nods.
Kevin was hesitant... He trusted Eddward, but he needed to keep all three of them safe. "Alright, but the house is getting looked at from top to bottom. I don't want any of us in danger."
Eddward nods in understanding as guilt and sadness washes over him again as he thinks of Marie. If they had been this cautious in the first place, she would still be alive.
"Stop it, we had no idea they would attack the safe houses. They're called 'safe houses' for a reason, Edd. Marie doesn't blame you, if you look deep inside yourself, you'll see that." Kevin walked closer to the vampire and bumped against him. "Remember, all three of us love you. We wouldn't blame you for anything that truly isn't your fault. Now stop being all mopey. You made Danny really happy today! Good job, 'big brother'!" Kevin smiled, genuinely happy. He was hoping it wound transfer over to the sulky vampire.
Eddward sighs feeling the happiness radiate off of the large wolf. He had to admit, it was rather infectious. "Yes, I suppose you are correct... Remind me, when did you become the logical one, Mon Cher?"
"I'll say it as many times as you need me to. I become logical when you turned illogical! Kevin for the Win!"
"Mon Dieu, but you are ridiculous" Eddward chuckles.
"If it keeps you smiling I'll continue to be! So where is this safe house? Dawn is coming soon."
Eddward instead of answering gently picks up the small wolf without waking him then flits forward in the direction, knowing the wolf would follow.
"That's kidnapping, you know!" Kevin runs after Eddward, with a playful smile. Finally he was acting like himself a little bit.
"Wouldn't it technically be puppy-napping?" Eddward snickers, continuing forward.
"You're STEALING nonetheless! Thief!" he laughs.
"I fail to see that, seeing how he likes my baths better anyway" Eddward chuckles.
"Fine, take his muddy butt. See if I care!" Kevin nipped at Edd's legs and feet playfully.
Eddward jumps up into the trees "Biting is rude, sir. You have no manners" he snickers.
"So I've been told!"
Eddward chuckles as he purposely lands on branches that will fall. Kevin heard a snap and looks up in time to see a branch fall right in his path. He leaps over it, almost catching himself before staring up at Edd and barking a quick "Are you trying to kill me?!"
"Kill you? No. But that's what you get for biting at my heels and that tree branch wasn't even big enough to do anything but give you a bump on the head."
"I'll give you a bump on the head once we have our own bedroom!"
"It that a threat or a promise for a good time?" Eddward snickers.
Kevin smirked before huffing. "Where is this safe house?!"
"Just a little further it is deeper in the woods than the rest of them"
The redhead wanted to get somewhere and soon. He was excessively nervous and agitated. He didn't want a repeat of two nights ago. He couldn't lose Eddward or Danny. He wouldn't survive that kind of loss again.