Chapter 21

Darren slugged along in the underbrush, panting slightly in exertion. A few yards away was Harry and Ginny, moving along beside him as Hermione, Ron and Draco floated above them in the skies. It had been interesting when Draco and Ginny had returned to find Darren sitting by the campfire, unbound, and had almost recreated the chaos of before before the story could be explained. Even now Darren could feel the redheaded female's sharp eyes watching him through the a sigh, Darren pushed though a large thorn bush and looked up to the horizon. If his memory was correct, they should be reaching the moutain within the next few days. That is... if they didn't have any more troubles along the way.

The sound of running water came to Darrens ears and he paused, holding up his hand in the signal to stop. There were no shelters nearby so their best bet would to be to set up tent near a stream for easy access to water.

Harry walked up, "Spot anything?" His clothing was ripped and torn from all the sharp branches with several small scratches on his arms and Darren felt a sharp pain in his stomach, reminding him that his last meal was inadequate for hiking through mountains.

Darren swallowed heavily to suppress the drool that had gathered in his mouth, "No danger. But there is a good spot to stop for the night over that way." he said, nodding his head in the direction of the river.

"Good idea. Its getting dark anyways." Harry said and Darren blinked, looking into the sky. He hadn't noticed it being dark with his night vision kicking in. The humans were fairly stumbling about now that he watched the three in the sky land sloppily a yard away from them.

As the others set up camp, Harry was helping Darren catch supper for the night. Their provisions had run out a few days ago and Darren had offered his vampire abilities to hunt for them. He always brought back a decent amount for everyone, but Harry was glad he had come along this time as the other boy seemed to be losing strength once more.

'It must be that he needs human blood to stay healthy.' Harry realized, reaching down to pick up another dead rabbit by the hind legs and swinging it over his shoulder. Darren stumbled off again and Harry shook his head with a sigh at the vampires obvious self punishment.

"Darren!" he called out and the boy's head popped out of the bushes he had disappeared into. "I think we have enough now."

Darren nodded, "You go back to camp without me. I'll be back later."

Darren watched as the wizard turned and walked back to the camp with a wave.

'Finally, some time alone.' he thought as he turned around to relocate that rabbit he had been hunting. 'No wonder the other vampires had such a problem with me, humans never shut up!' he groused, inching towards the rabbit and pouncing with lightening quickness and killing it instantly. They were always making noise. Either their mouths, their looks, or their bodies were always talking to him in some way and it was irritating.

As he was finishing the carcass he heard a rustle in the bushes across the clearing from him and whipped into a defensive crouch. Scenting the air he couldn't find the smell of his humans anywhere, but found another familiar scent instead.

A delighted yip burst from the excited wolf as he bounded out of the bushes and tackled Darren.

"Rudy!" Darren exclaimed happily and laughed as he was lavished with a large wet tongue. They tussled in the grass, pretending to bite and claw while throwing each other around. Darren collapsed in the grass panting for breath with Rudy on his belly beside him, a big wolfy grin on his face.

"Shut up, I've been out of shape lately." he said with a smile and lifted his head when he heard more wolves approaching. They emerged from the shadows, most of them at ease with Darren's presence from the last time he visited, and arranged themselves around the two. Rudy yipped again when a rusty female came trotting over and the two wolves greeted each other.

"Got yourself a girl, do you?" Darren muttered to himself, so used to using words after his time with the humans, as he reached out to offer her his scent. Her delicate nose sniffed it hesitantly and she gave it a small lick to show she accepted him.

He felt a tug on his sleeve and looked over at Rudy who was pulling on his sleeve insistantly. Darren stood and followed Rudy out of the clearing, breaking into a run to follow the wolf. Breathing in a deep breath of the fresh mountain air, he sighed happily. He was running with his brother, free of worries, all that mattered was the ground beneath him and the way ahead. Picking up the pace, he raced Rudy around the forest, dodging trees and leaping over brooks with ease. He grinned in exhilaration. Now [i]this[/i] is what he was meant for!

On their third lap around some of the other wolves from the pack joined them like they would on a hunt. But they were only here for the run and followed Rudy and Darren up the mountain. They stopped on a large overhang halfway up to take a drink from the freshwater stream. Darren sat down on the ledge, swing ing his legs thoughtfully as he looked out at the open space and many stars above them. The moon was high in the sky, close to being full, casting an iridecent glow over the land and lighting up the mountain face beautifully.

How he wished he could stay here forever. Run with the wolves with only food and shelter to worry about day to day. The basic necessities of life, the simple life.

'Maybe I can come back here after Steve is gone. I know I had plans on seeing...' Darren glared at the space before him. Why could he not even think of that name without feeling like he would split in two from the agony? Straightening in determination, he opened his mouth and formed the name slowly.

"L...ar.... t.... en." he bit lip in pain but kept at it. He needed to be strong to defeat his enemies and if a name could hurt him, then he would never succeed.

"Lar....t.... en. Lar... ten. Lart....en. Larten. Larten!" Letting out a laugh of relief as the pain slowly faded. "Laten! LARTEN!" he howled out as loud as he could, the ending coming out in a half sob. He buried his face in his hands as cold wet tears fell from his eyes.

Behind him he heard a howl from one of the wolves that echoed his. The first was joined by another, then another, until the group on the top of the mountain was howling together. The song created echoed through the valley, being picked up by other wandering wolf packs.

Darren lifted his head and squinted blearily as he felt a nudge on his shoulder. Rudy licked his face clean of the tears then sat beside him and Darren was greatful for his silent support.

'They aren't affected like other beings when it comes to death." Darren remembered, recalling the old she wolf who had lead him into the mountain to stop Kurda. She had accepted death with grace. And the other wolves hadn't been sad as far as he could tell, more like they had realized that she was no longer meant for this world and understood her decision.

'But her decision had been logical... meaningful. Larten,' he swallowed heavily, ' had died without reason.'

[i]But he died thinking he was.[/i] a traitorous voice in the back of his head said. It was true that the man had thought he was killing the true Vampaneze leader, but that didn't make it any more right. He had left everything behind for that chance that was slim at best.

'He was stupid.' Darren thought angrily, fisting his hands in his lap. 'He just up and decided that he was going to die. Just throwing his life away without a care or thought for what he would leave behind.' Startled by his own thoughts, Darren felt shame. He had had the same idea, the same selfish desire for relief. 'But Larten had done it for the better of everyone. Im just... stupid.'

He sighed, thoughts suddenly clear. He had been thinking only of himself as of late. Looking over his shoulder, he watched as two wolves cleaned each other of dirt that the other couldn't reach. Another group was drinking from the cold mountain stream, quiet in companionable silence.

'I need to think like a pack.' he patted Rudy on the head and the wolf gave him a doggy smile, 'Think of those I still have left.'

Looking out at the landscape, he spotted the dim glow of a fire where the five wizards were sure to be staying for the night. He needed to make sure they were safe.

'And maybe just convince the other three that Im not trying to kill them in their sleep.' he thought with a grin. Rudy saw the grin and yipped, happy his friend wasn't as sad.

Darren laughed and stood. He looked down at Rudy and over to the pack with a smile. They all jumped up from where they had been, eager to start the run again. Giving a little skip, he followed after Rudy as they bolted down the mountain and Darren suddenly felt free. Like he had left all that pain on that mountain. Some still lingered, of course, he had a feeling it always will. But he could deal with that.

Suddenly, the wolves slid to a stop, growling angrily. Darren stopped as well, scenting the air and held back a snarl of anger. A vampaneze!

'I'd recognize that foul stench anywhere.'

Sure enough, moments later a vampaneze slunk out from around a boulder holding his bloodied abdomen tenderly. The man froze when he spotted Darren and the wolves, eyes wide in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Darren and the man flinched.

He stuttered, "Uh-uh....uh...." then whirled about and dashed away into the night. Darren growled and gave chase, following the blood trail into the forest until it disappeared off a cliff. He peered over the edge.

'He's was as good as dead anyways with that wound.' He turned about and stalked back to where the wolves were waiting in the bushes. 'But I need to get Harry and the others to saftey tonight if there are vampaneze lurking in the shadows.'

He looked up at the distant mountain. They could make it just at sunrise filtered into the valley. Pushing forwards he ran through the forest, the wolves following along beside him.

As he neared the camp, the wolves silently bled away into the night but this didn't bother Darren. He hadn't expected them to follow him the whole way. The last to leave, Rudy gave him a parting bark that he returned before following his pack.

'Thank you, my friend.'

His swift enterance shifted the wind, startling the wizards into leaping for their wands. Darren ignored them and beelined it for Hermione's bag.

"Hey!" she protested. "What are you doing?"

Darren's fingers grasped cool glass and he pulled out two of the vials of human blood with a triumphant smile. Standing, he popped off the corks and downed them quickly, trying not to think about it. He sighed when he felt the energy flow through his limbs, alighting like electricity in his tired muscles. He felt great!

"Darren?"

Quickly flipping Hermione's bag closed again, he tossed it to her. "Come on. We're going."

"Where!?" Ron protested. "Its the middle of the night!"

"And we need rest!" complained Draco from where he lounged on the pile of bags.

"Go ahead and sleep if you want. If you want your throat ripped out, that is." The girls gasped and Ron gripped his wand, looking ready to throw accusations at Darren who simply held up a hand. "I saw a vampaneze not a minute ago. And like rats, where there's one, there's sure to be more." He pointed up at the mountain, "We aren't too far. If we pushed through the night we'd be sure to be safe by dawn."

Harry had been surprised when Darren had returned so full of energy. The usually melancholy vampire who could barely keep up with the rest of them was now packing peoples belongings with amazing speeds and grinning from ear to ear.

Harry laughed when Darren hoisted Draco up by the collar when he didn't rise to his feet swiftly enough. The ruffled pureblood had bags stuffed into his hands so fast he didn't noticed he was acting un-dignified by gaping like a fish.

"And how are we supposed to get there when only one person here can see in the dark?" Ginny asked, hands on her hips with a pissed off expression on her face.

Darren smiled, "You'll just have to trust me." He cut her off as he looked to the sky, a soft tone coming to his voice, "Besides, its almost a full moon. And there's nothing like these forests at night."

"But there's wolves! We just heard them not a half an hour ago! I'm not going to let you get us eaten!" Ginny protested, walking up to him and attempting to snatch a bag out of his hands but his firm grip made her pause.

His previously relaxed muscles were tense and his eyes were shaded. When he spoke, it was in a soft whisper. "Do you really think I would allow that?" He looked down at her, hurt in his dark eyes. "I'm not a monster, Ginny."

"You haven't exactly proved to us otherwise." she hissed, though was frozen to the spot by his gaze.

Harry opened his mouth to object, remembering the way he had protected them from the Vampaneze during their escape from the castle, but Darren cut him off.

"I... I know." he admitted, sagging under an invisible weight, "I've been selfish lately. But you must know, right here, right now," he gently clasped her hands with his own, "I will never let any of you fall to harm while you are in my care, that I vow. I will never let another one of my friends die while I still remain on this Earth."

Ginny was shocked. He had lost someone? She gave a mental head shake. Of course he has! Everyone has nowadays! She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by a strange sound echoing through the mountains.

'It sounds like... singing?'

Darren seemed to perk as the noise filled the valley, a distant smile teasing at the sides of his mouth as his eyes brightened once more. He looked at them all, pure excitement etched in every one of his features, shocking them all into silence.

"Come on." he whispered, his voice promising the unknown, "Follow me."

The fire flickered over them, silence stretching. Harry and Hermione shared a look, both wanting to follow their friend but understanding that the others would never consider it. Harry felt torn between his friends, feeling as though he was being forced to choose between them, something he would never do.

The sudden extinguishing of the fire made everyone jump and turn to face Draco who was casually tucking his wand back into his sleeve. He raised an eyebrow at the stares, "And I thought I was the prejudiced one?" Ron opened his mouth to reply angrily but other wizard had already mounted his broom, hovering a few feet above their heads. "Well? I'm waiting! Im NOT sleeping on the ground for another night!" he shouted down to them, already starting to drift away in teh direction of the mountain. Harry rolled his eyes and elbowed Ron in the side as the redhead aimed a rock at the blondes head.

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Sorry it took so long to get this one out. I would have had it out earlier if I hadn't burst into tears every time I looked at it. Had to get a whole bunch of angst out of the way to make room for funner stuff like sarcastic humor and action! Also, if Darren's a bit agressive at the end of this chapter its not completely my fault! I've been writing an Inuyasha fanfiction on the side and it might have leaked in a bit ^-^'. Plus I had the goal of getting to the mountain scene before posting. This was the scene that MADE this story, so it had to be done right.

You guys really need to tell me if this one came out okay! I needed to get Darrens skinny butt over the angst and quick, but hopefully it was believeable? This chapter actually doesn't feel quite right to me, but you guys have suffered long enough.

And by the way, the interest everyone has suddenly taken in this story is baffling me. Thank you very much.