After an entire night of sprinting back to his castle, Klaus made it there just as the sun hit it's highest point. He transformed back into his human self before anyone was the wiser.

Upon entering, he was met with a herd of maids, giving him their full attention and asking where he had been the night before. He wasn't about to tell them how busy it turned out to be.

"Sir, what would you like for lunch?" One of his maids was scurrying along beside him in an attempt to keep up with his stride. The others were hustling behind them.

"There is a blonde haired woman in the prison downstairs. Bring her to me," he ordered. His maids ran off, leaving him alone once more.

Klaus had a destination in mind. While he was gone, he couldn't have anyone asking questions about his whereabouts. He couldn't trust anyone in his castle, but he did need someone to keep his secret while he was gone. For that, he had to go to the top of the food chain.

At the far end of the hallway, he opened the double doors without bothering to knock, watching his Captain of the guards look up from his desk in annoyance. Tyler might have worked for him, but they were not friends by any stretch of the imagination.

He was the best werewolf under Klaus' employment though, and the boy's family needed the security after his father had died fighting for the South in one of the battles between the North, and their alliance with a rogue werewolf pack. With Klaus' help, Tyler was capable of keeping his mother safe. It wasn't quite the loyalty he would have preferred, but the fear of losing her kept Tyler under tight control.

"What do you want?" Tyler glared at Klaus, putting his quill down.

"You should show me some respect, young wolf," Klaus smirked, striding with purpose toward Tyler, leaning against his desk. "I know where you sleep."

Tyler seemed to bite back a retort, readjusting his whole demeanor before answering, a fire still in his eyes. "To what do I owe the pleasure, your majesty?"

"I need to take a little trip away from the castle. I have a lead to what I've been looking for."

"What's that?"

"None of your business," he smiled. "All you need to know is that it will help us win this war, once and for all."

"Won't you need assistance? For you to go into any of the three territories alone is a suicide mission." Tyler stood up, looking over the papers and maps in front of him. "I insist you take reinforcements."

"They will not be necessary. No one has been able to defeat me, and no one ever shall." Klaus stood up, walking closer to Tyler. He met the other man's gaze and began his compulsion. Klaus couldn't risk Tyler letting this slip to someone else. "Tell no one I'm gone. I will be back as quickly as is possible. Lock the doors to my room, and if anyone asks of my whereabouts, tell them I refuse to come out until I have my next attack formulated."

Klaus moved away, not missing how Tyler's glare resurfaced. "I got it. Don't say a word."

"Good," Klaus smiled.

Now that his business was concluded, he walked back outside, running into his Head Maid when she arrived with the blonde he requested. Klaus shooed the maid off, and compelled the girl to stay completely still and silent. He wanted a quick getaway, and that couldn't be done if his lunch made a screaming ordeal. His teeth sunk into her neck without a qualm, filling his body with nourishment for the long journey ahead. She collapsed to the floor when he was finished, her body completely drained. Someone would take care of her remains. Now, he had to get back to his way in.

Klaus marched outside and made sure no one else was around before changing back to a wolf. It was going to be a long sprint back to wherever she was. He had to get moving.


Caroline awoke with a heavy heart when she saw that Caine was nowhere in sight. After rubbing her eyes to wipe away the bleary vision, she checked the area to see if he had simply wandered elsewhere. Much to her dismay, he hadn't. Caine was gone.

"Matt," she whispered, shaking her friend awake when the sun had risen entirely. "Matt!"

He jolted upright, breathing heavily as he glared at her. "What was that for?"

"It's morning! We have to go soon," she explained, handing him some bread from the knapsack. The morning mist had yet to dissipate and the sky was still a warm orange, but they would have to get moving as soon as possible. There was no time to lose.

"Where's the wolf?" He asked through a mouth full of food.

"I guess he went back to where he came from," she shrugged, trying not to let Matt see how sad she was about his departure. Caroline thought there had been a connection. She must have been wrong. "There goes the one, lethal weapon we had."

"So? We have knives."

"He had razor sharp teeth," she retorted, taking a bite of her food.

"Fair enough." Matt finished his breakfast; wiping his hands clean before standing up and walking toward the lake. "Whenever we find a town, I suggest we stay there, even if it's not nightfall yet. I don't know if I can sleep on the ground like that for a second night."

"You'll have to if we don't run into one."

"My back disagrees," he smiled, splashing his face with water.

Caroline grinned. "I could use a bed, and some new clothes. I lost all mine in the fire."

"I did, too," Matt said solemnly.

"How much money do we have?"

"Not much. Your mom didn't put many coins in my pack. It's enough for food and maybe a night's stay somewhere, but no more. It will have to be a cheap inn."

Caroline bit her lower lip. That wasn't good. They had a long journey ahead, and there would be more than one town to stay in. More than one night they had to eat dinner. "We still need a map. Maybe the markets will be cheap."

"If we're lucky." Matt didn't sound very optimistic. "Times are hard. Prices will have gone up since the war started. Everyone has something to rebuild."

"How do you know it'll be so bad?"

"I overheard your dad talking about the cost of resources one time. I assume it's only gotten worse since then."

Caroline huffed, falling onto her back and staring up at the sky. This was torture. "This war is stupid."

"I've never heard of a war that wasn't," Matt said, starting to pack his belongings. "Come on. We need to move."

She nodded, doing the same as him until they were both back on the dirt path, heading to who knew where. It wasn't until now that she realized they didn't even have a compass. How were they supposed to continue without a compass?! What if they got disoriented? They were on the right path for now, something that could easily change later.

They continued on their way for the majority of the morning, finding nothing but trees and fields as they went. She knew that her village had been small, but who could have known it was out in the middle of nowhere. They lived so blissfully away from everyone and every problem. It was easy to guess why Liz and William had never encouraged her to venture out. Not that she liked it any more than she did before, but at least she could understand it.

For some time, the two tried passing the time by playing games. Tag didn't last very long, as they eventually got tired. Trying to recall different plant life didn't help either. Eventually, Caroline felt discouraged and wondered if they would come across anything. Even a small, dilapidated town that only bartered slugs with each other would be something. Any sign to show that they weren't completely alone. Then again, she should be careful what she wished for. In these hard times, she couldn't be certain the company they found was any company she wanted.

It wasn't until they were trudging up a hill, tired and discouraged, when Caroline heard lively music drifting toward her. She turned to Matt and saw that his steps had slowed as he tried listening to something, his nose scrunched up. He heard it, too.

"Do you think it's a town?" She asked, trying not to let hope overtake her and failing miserably at it.

"I don't know what else it would be. Only one way to find out."

She laughed, running giddily toward music. Matt laughed as well while he ran beside her, both racing to get to the top of the hill first. The weight of her pack was long forgotten with the newfound hope that they might have a warm bed to sleep on and food in their bellies that didn't consist of cold bread alone.

At the top, her hopes weren't destroyed.

They both stood still, taking in the sight before them. It was huge. Compared to her little village, she didn't truly know the size of some towns or cities, but this place was definitely more than adequate. Smoke rose from rooftops, people entered and exited on horseback or on foot. The entirety of the town formed a circle, walls in place to protect its people.

As they stumbled down the hill, the music got louder, as did the bustling of the people and the sound of chatter. She grinned at Matt, leading him toward the town entrance. Horses led carts in while they walked, taking in everything around them. Vendors stood out on the street, selling dazzling bits of jewelry, fruits that filled the square with a sweet aroma, and fresh flowers that brightened the dirt roads. Houses built with stone, taverns, inns…it was all there. It was a metropolis of activity.

"Wow," Matt deadpanned.

"Wow? That's all you have to say?" Caroline hit him playfully on the shoulder, staring with wide eyes at the city before her. "We are in…where are we in?"

Matt and Caroline looked around for any indication as to what the name of the city was. First priority: get a map.

"Look," Matt said, pointing to a cart full of vegetables. "Solaris' finest vegetables."

Caroline grinned. "Well, at least that's one night we don't sleep on the ground."

"Let's look around first and see how much it will cost to stay at an inn for the night. We might have to choose between food or a room."

While the streets were crowded, Caroline found herself positively elated that she was around people again. It had only been about a day since they left home, but the weight of their journey was starting to hit her. They could be on the road for days much more grueling than what they had already experienced, and never see one person. Not to mention the creatures they could run into! It was a warzone they were trying to sneak past. They had been lucky not to run into any guards so far. That could always change.

But that was neither here nor there. They needed to pick an inn to stay at.

Their choices were plentiful, with inns lining the streets. Almost every other building was somewhere they could rest. None of them looked terribly hideous, but that didn't make their choice any easier. The first two they walked into were clean. People mingled and drank on the lower floor, resting by an unlit fireplace. The third was rather cozy and had a more lived-in feel to it. The prices all varied, but the cheapest seemed to be the sixth or seventh inn they visited. A little rough around the edges, but overall a place they felt welcomed at.

Once they were sure it was where they wanted to stay, they left in search of food and possible supplies. Colorful stands stood everywhere, people working the crowd as they attempted to sell their goods. Caroline didn't know where to start. All she needed was a damn map, but everything looked so…fun! There was nothing like this in her village. She wondered if this was why some of the travelers mentioned having a gambling problem. Of course they would need money when shops like these existed.

"Stay close. I don't want us to get separated," Matt whispered, placing a hand on the small of her back.

"Agreed." Her eyes searched the crowd, trying to narrow her search down.

How had she ever expected to bring Caine here? There wasn't an animal in sight, despite domestic dogs, and some birds here and there. There were too many people for a large wolf to meander through.

"There." Matt pointed to a wooden building wedged between a tavern and a bakery. "I see a book store. They should have maps."

The two went inside, listening to a small bell chime as they entered. Shelves upon shelves filled with new books, old books, large books, and even pocket-sized books met their sight. A musty sort of scent filled her nostrils and it was one of the most encouraging smells. What else could smell so musty? Maps!

Low and behold, her eyes spotted a basket near the front door, full of traveling paraphernalia. Amongst those items were compasses tied to a small chain. That's one thing to cross off her list. She picked up a silver, detailed piece, deeming it workable and just fine for her tastes.

"Over here," Matt grinned, practically skipping toward some baskets in the back. Inside were rolled up pieces of yellowed—and in some cases orange—papers. Caroline grinned at all the maps. All they needed was one, but it was such a wonderful picture.

"This is great! Is there anything else we need while we're here?" Caroline asked, picking out a map she liked.

"Don't get too excited. Our funds are still a bit limited," Matt reminded her.

"Right," she sighed, knowing they still had some stuff in their packs.

They paid the shop owner five coins for their purchases, and left soon after. Caroline's stomach was growling which was the only reason she didn't linger in the store much longer. She hadn't touched a morsel of anything since breakfast and she was ready to see what this city had to offer.

"This one doesn't seem to be too crowded. We should try it," Caroline mused, looking at a place called The Broken Tiger. The sign outside hung above the door, a growling tiger's head over the fancy lettering.

"It's worth a try," Matt shrugged, walking close to her as they made it to the door.

Inside, the place was rather cozy. Stone floors with wooden stairs, tables, and chairs adorning the room. Up a couple steps, placed right by the bar, was a second floor for more guests. There were plenty of windows to bring in natural light, as well as different paintings on the wall for a better appearance. It didn't look too downtrodden. The people were all smiles and laughter, clinking mugs and eating hearty amounts of food. It made Caroline feel good about tonight. A safe place with people who wouldn't try to rob her blind or take her to mean lords.

"There's a table over by the window," Caroline pointed out, scurrying along to take it before someone else did. Matt laughed, sitting across from her just as the barmaid made her way to them.

"What can I get ya two?" She asked, hands on hips.

"What's good?" Caroline wasn't sure of what they served at places like this. She was more accustomed to whatever her village grew. There was a menu by the bar for her to get the gist of prices, and while she was sure she would like practically anything, a second opinion couldn't hurt.

"Pork chop with a side of peas is the special for today. Only ten coins." Not what she had been wanting, but it was something.

"I'll have a glass of ale with a slab of griffin beef. Some spice bread and custard if you have any, too," Matt smiled, looking happier than he had this whole trip.

"For the lady?"

Caroline started to fret. What if they didn't have enough coins for the room after this? But she was so hungry, and who knew what or when they would eat after tonight. "Rabbit stew with cheese and a mince pie on the side. And a glass of water will be fine."

The barmaid walked off without so much as a goodbye, shouting orders to the cooks. Caroline turned to Matt, using her best angry face.

"How can we be feasting with these funds? You're the one who's been telling me to be careful!"

"It's going to be fine," Matt assured her. "We need our strength. Besides, we're in a new town for the first time since we were born. Shouldn't we enjoy it?"

"Don't forget why we're here in the first place," Caroline whispered.

Matt frowned. "You think I haven't? It's all I can think about, Caroline. Can we just take it one step at a time?"

Caroline sighed, nodding after a few moments. "Fine. I'm sorry for scolding you."

"You didn't scold me."

"Yes I did. You were scared," Caroline said matter-of-factly.

"No, I wasn't."

"Yes, you were."

They smiled at each other, breaking out into laughter at the same time. The good times were only interrupted by a roar of cheering at the other end of the tavern, a group of men surrounding a table where four other men sat. While some cheered, others looked more disgruntled. Caroline's brows furrowed, wondering what could be going on.

"Must be gambling," Matt said, watching them intently. "That's just how it sounds when old man Garrow hosts parties. I know he's been shy a coin or two when mom sold him bread."

"Do you think we'd be any good?" Caroline pondered what games were played and how much, exactly, was won.

"Caroline—" Matt began, his voice low and warning.

"We'll have to make money somehow," she reasoned. "Unless you want to start doing dishes."

"That's not a bad alternative," Matt said, confusion clear on his face as to how Caroline thought it was a worse idea than gambling. "Playing would mean there's a chance we could lose the money we have."

"We could also make more," she grinned, nodding her head enthusiastically.

Matt threw his hands into the air. "This isn't up for discussion."

"Oh, it isn't?" She asked, sarcasm thick in her tone. Luckily, the barmaid came back with their food then, or Caroline would have given Matt a piece of her mind. This was their money. She wanted to at least try whatever game they were playing.

Her stew was excellent, as she expected. Carrots and potatoes got old after a while. She was sure she would have liked anything that was different from her normal dinner.

"We should start planning our trip for tomorrow," she stated, starting to reach for their newly acquired map.

"Caroline, relax. We can do that at the inn. Just eat."

She sighed, leaving the map and reaching for her spoon again. Caroline needed to plan out exactly what route they would be taking to get to Kol's castle the fastest. Her fingers itched to mark their map up like worldly travelers.

Another roar of cheering came from the crowded table. This time, a young man with short hair and a crow atop his shoulder was smiling, shooting up from his seat in excitement. He must have been the latest winner.

"I want to see what's going on," Caroline frowned, giving Matt her cutest face.

He sighed. "I'll keep eating. Go over there. If you're not back soon though, I'm eating your pie."

"Okay," she grinned, scooting her chair back and shuffling over toward the crowded table.

Mostly men surrounded the space, with a couple women leaning against some of their shoulders. Everyone watched as a few selected guys rolled three dice. Caroline thought she recalled when the boys in her village played this game. It was often outside and in the dirt, but the rules looked like the same. She turned to one of the women watching—the one that didn't look like she could kill Caroline with a finger. "What game is this? How is it played?"

"It's a game of Serpent, dear," she grinned, showing how many yellow teeth she had missing. "Gotta get a four to win it."

Just like Caroline had thought. "That seems hard," she commented, attempting conversation.

"It's nothing like that card game they were playin' earlier," she gossiped. "The young boy over there kept cleanin' the others dry." She pointed to the boy with the crow on his shoulder, though he looked a little older than Caroline, to be honest. He was her age at the very minimum. What did Caroline look like to this woman?

"What do you mean?"

"He always had an original family. Three kings and a queen. Trumped every other set. It was impressive, it was," she admired.

"That's an actual set?"

"Oh yea, has been for years. Got in a lot of trouble in the old days when the set had to have two kings, a queen, and a joker. They stopped making joker cards all together when Lord Kol's guards found out it represented their master. Now, you need three kings to complete the set."

"I never knew Lord Kol cared about his image so much," she deadpanned.

"I doubt he did, dear. Was likely his admirers who had the issue."

Caroline was about to poke the subject of Lord Kol further—and how the woman seemed to have such faith in her knowledge of him—when a bulky man suddenly jumped up from his chair, the boy Caroline had seen earlier jumping up along with him. Both faces were set in a stern expression, the crow atop the younger boy's shoulder spreading it's wings in a menacing manner as it's feet danced along the boy's shoulder to position itself.

"You're cheatin', you filthy rat!" The bulky man shouted, wagging a finger.

"That's a pretty serious accusation," the boy said, his hands up in surrender.

"You've taken us all for fools, but not anymore! You give us back our money!"

"Now, Vincent, you're makin' a scene!" The woman Caroline had been talking to reprimanded. "The boy did no such thing."

"I don't care, Luce! He's took our money from us!"

"You're wrong. I haven't cheated. I can't cheat. It's dice," he reasoned, shrugging his shoulders while he stuck out a rather sarcastic looking lower lip. The sarcasm didn't go unnoticed by Vincent.

"Why you little—" Vincent began, charging for the boy.

Caroline reacted out of instinct and ran up to the younger boy, sticking her body between him and Vincent. Her face scrunched up in anticipation for some sort of contact, but there wasn't any. She opened one eye, looking up at an infuriated Vincent.

"Get outta the way, girl," he said, his voice low.

"Please, spare him," Caroline asked, using her sweetest voice. She even batted an eyelash.

"Why should I spare his sorry ass?" Vincent's fists clenched, and for a moment, Caroline feared what he might do to her, too.

She froze, trying to think of an answer that would move him enough to back off. Caroline swallowed hard when it finally came to her. Matt was going to kill her for intervening in this. "Because I'm in love with him, sir."

Vincent was definitely not expecting that answer. Lucy was practically squealing from where she stood. "You didn' tell me you knew him, dear," she cooed.

"I don't like to brag," she answered, proud of finding a reasonable response to that.

"You two are in love?" Vincent asked, obviously not buying her answer like Lucy. "Why weren't you over here with him, then?"

"She's shy, Vincent," the boy piped up from behind Caroline. "She didn't want to come out of the inn until she was ready to see the city, so I told her I would be here when she was adjusted. I didn't want to push."

Caroline felt the man's hands squeeze her shoulders gently, and she nodded, bowing her head. "Yes, it's just such a big city," she played along.

For the first time since the ordeal started, Vincent seemed to back off. "Fine. But you're done playin' with us."

"Alright," the boy said, reaching for Caroline's hand, "Come on, my love. I've overstayed our welcome at this table."

"It was nice meeting you all," Caroline grinned, giving a final wave to Lucy before letting her newest friend take them away from the table. Caroline guided him toward Matt, who was watching her with wide eyes, empty plates all around him.

When she approached him, letting go of the man's hand, Matt visibly restrained himself from standing up, clutching the chair's edges. "Caroline…what's going on?" Matt asked. "Why did that man look like he was going to beat you up?"

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't let him beat…him up," Caroline explained quickly, looking to her fake boyfriend, who still had the crow perched on his shoulder.

"Thank you," the boy said, taking Caroline's hand and giving a kiss to her knuckles. "I don't know why you did that, but thank you. I'm Stefan," he introduced, putting a hand to his chest before gesturing toward the crow. "This is my older brother, Damon."

"The crow is your brother?" Matt asked, raising an eyebrow as he eyed the crow.

"Shifter," Stefan whispered.

"Oh," Caroline breathed. She had never come across a shifter before. It explained the protective stand earlier, at least. "I'm Caroline. This is my friend, Matt."

"Pleased to meet you both. What brings you to the city?"

"Travels," Caroline answered. "We're going west."

"Why? People are saying it's worse in some parts there than here in the south," Stefan furrowed his furry brows, hands placed on hips.

"Well, don't look at me like that," she snapped, putting her hands on her hips as well, "We just have business there."

"Really," he deadpanned, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he looked between them. "What kind of business?"

"Why do you care?" Matt spoke up.

"My brother and I are traveling, too," he replied. The answer seemed surprisingly genuine.

"Why?" Caroline asked.

"It's what we do. We travel, we survive."

"You don't have a home?" Caroline found that too sad to be true. Then again, a lot of people were without homes lately.

"We used to live in the south until our town was destroyed six years ago by a pack of werewolves. Killed both our parents, so it's just us now. We've been wandering together ever since."

"That's horrible." She didn't know what she would have done if she had lost her parents in the fire. Caroline could hear Matt fidgeting in his seat.

"Is that why you two are traveling?" Stefan asked.

Before Caroline could answer, Matt interrupted her. "We should go somewhere more private if you want to talk."

"Oh, uh…sure. Are you guys staying anywhere?" Stefan asked, looking between the two of them.

"We found an inn, but we didn't buy the room yet," Matt said.

"Consider it our treat," Stefan smiled. "We haven't paid for one tonight, so we'll pay for yours, too."

"Really?" That was awfully generous to do for someone they had just met.

Matt hesitated. "We don't know anything about you or your brother. I don't plan on having any debts either."

"Consider this a no strings attached deal. It's the least I can do as a thank you for saving my life. Damon would have never let me hear the end of it if that guy had touched my 'pretty' face," he grinned. For the first time since she had been around him, Damon cawed, tilting his head from side to side.

Matt put the appropriate amount of coins down for their dinner, and the three of them left immediately. Caroline and Matt lead Stefan to the inn, and Stefan bought one room for them, and one room for him and Damon. The rooms were right across from each other, and Caroline could only assume Stefan was using the coins from his recent winnings.

Upstairs in their room, Caroline's mouth dropped open in awe. It wasn't that special, but it was nicer than the ground. Two beds that were definitely not dirt, a desk between the two beds, a chair, and a small window to look out of when sitting at the desk. The wooden floors barely creaked as Caroline walked across the room, placing her pack beside the bed she had chosen. The room wasn't very spacious, but it was definitely perfect for what they needed.

"This is nice," Matt said, nodding as he looked around the room.

"Now, what's so private about your journey?" Stefan asked.

When Caroline turned around to face him, she jumped a little at the sight of two bodies, instead of one. A man wearing all black clothes with ruffled, black locks and sky blue eyes stood by the now closed door, arms crossed over his chest. He gave a tiny little wave and smirked when he saw Caroline looking.

"Hello," Damon greeted.

"Hi," she returned, sitting on her bed.

Once everyone was situated into a comfortable place, Matt was the one to begin. "We're going west to save our friend Bonnie."

"What happened to her?" Stefan asked.

"She was taken by Lord Kol's men," Caroline answered.

"There's only one way to get taken alive by Kol's men," Damon noted, leaning against the door. His eyebrows bounced up and down. "You've got a witchy friend."

"She had just found out when she came to us," Caroline explained. "The guards were on patrol and found us just as she was showing her magic. We ran, but they still caught her."

"How long has it been since she was taken?" Stefan leaned back against the chair, listening intently to their story.

"Yesterday. We left immediately in hopes of getting to her as soon as possible. We have no idea where she could be right now."

There was a long pause of silence as everyone let the information settle. Caroline and Matt didn't exactly have a plan, but this made Caroline feel busy and like they were plotting to take over the world or something. This felt productive.

"Let us go with you," Stefan offered, breaking the silence.

Caroline did not expect that answer. Her eyes widened slightly. "What?"

"I know it's sudden, but you did something for me tonight that no one has ever done. Well, besides Damon. Maybe while we look for a new home, we can help you get your friend back."

"How do we know we can trust you?" Matt asked, crossing his arms.

"You don't," Damon grinned.

"We're not murderers," Stefan replied, glaring at Damon. "We can help each other out."

"How?" Caroline asked.

"We're good at getting money," Stefan explained. "I wasn't lying when I said I didn't cheat at dice. But the card game…well…"

"What do you want in return?" Matt still seemed unsure, while Caroline was about ready to hug them as a thank you. They didn't seem so bad. She wasn't getting any weird vibes. If they wanted to off them, the brothers would have done it already.

"We could always use a little blonde distraction from time to time," Damon answered.

"There is no way—" Matt hissed.

"Easy. I didn't mean like that, farmer boy," Damon assured him. "I mean for the gambling. It'll be twice as easy to get the money if we have some female help. Like tonight."

"We want a home, and you want your friend. I think we can each get what we're looking for by sticking together," Stefan tried to reason.

"Why us?" Matt asked. "We just met you."

"I'm with Muscles," Damon piped up. "We've been fine on our own, Stefan. We don't need more lives to look after."

"No one's asking you to watch us," Caroline scolded. She turned to Matt. "Anything to help find Bonnie, right?"

"I don't know, Caroline." Matt shook his head.

"We can part ways at any time," Stefan added. "And Damon's shifting has come in handy more than once."

Caroline caught Damon's glare, and tried to repress her giggles. Matt sighed, and Caroline felt a pang of hope well in her chest.

"Fine. But if either one of you try to do something to us while we sleep, I know how to wield a sword," Matt threatened.

"Oh, scary," Damon deadpanned.

"Great," Caroline clapped, standing up before someone could say something bad. "It's settled. Tomorrow, we go together."

"Great. I look forward to our travels," Stefan grinned, standing up as well. "We'll let you guys rest. Should we leave at first light?"

"That's fine," Caroline smiled, watching as the two brothers left. "See you in the morning!"

Once the door was closed, she turned to face a frowning Matt. She sat down on her bed, waiting for him to say something. He was silent for a while, but eventually, he spoke up.

"I don't know about this," he admitted. "You just met them tonight. Why do they need to travel with us? How are we supposed to trust them, much less sleep near them?"

"Stefan seems like a nice guy, and I'm sure Damon's not that bad. We could really use their help, and I'm sure they're just lonely. Times are hard right now, and it's just been the two of them for a long time. Everyone could use a friendly new face once in a while."

"Maybe, but I'm still suspicious," he said, leaning back on his mattress.

"It's going to be fine. They're going to help us get Bonnie back."

She shared a knowing look with Matt before watching him turn over, his back now facing her.

"Hey, Matt?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for coming with me. I couldn't do this without you."

A moment of silence passed. "You two are my best friends. I wouldn't leave either of you behind."

Caroline smiled, getting settled under the sheets. Tomorrow morning, they would devise a route to follow and be on their way. She would be wary of Stefan and Damon, but she had a good feeling about this. They would get Bonnie out of her prison yet.


"Leva in aere, tolle animam, cursus vitae, usque dum non amplius," Bonnie chanted, checking the spellbook Jeremy had swiped for her. He warned her it wouldn't do any good, but she had insisted in hopes of proving him wrong.

Kol and Jeremy were right, though. Nothing was working. She even tried to make a flower grow in the courtyard, but nothing happened. Her powers were gone as quick as they had come.

She sighed, falling back against the stone bench. This was hopeless. Caroline and Matt could be anywhere, and she wasn't even able to light a candle. How could she expect them to save her when she couldn't save herself?

"I told you it wouldn't work," Jeremy said, making Bonnie whip her head around to face him.

She sighed, picking a nearby flower out of boredom. "It was worth a try. I can't sit here all day and do nothing."

"You could learn a new craft?" He suggested. He sat on the bench she leaned against, looking down at her. "I hear the girls talk about sewing all the time. They say it's a lot of fun."

"I don't want to make a scarf though. I want to be free. It's only been a day and already I'm itching to see what's outside these walls."

It was silent for a moment. Bonnie could feel Jeremy's eyes on her, but she never stopped looking at the blue flower in her hand. "What's it like?" He asked.

"What is what like?"

"Outside. Out there."

Bonnie's brows furrowed as she finally looked at him. "You've never been outside the castle?"

Jeremy shook his head. "Not for a long time. My family was killed during a raid when I was young. A woman named Jenna took me in and took care of me, but I wanted to do something. I wanted Klaus to pay because it was southern soldiers who were behind the raid."

"So you joined Kol's army?"

He nodded. "I flew through the ranks and became his right hand man. Jenna eventually had to leave, though. She met a man from the North, and the land is more prosperous there, if only by a little. She asked me to come with her, but I couldn't do it. I have a duty to the West and I can't leave Kol to rule alone. He's too indifferent to be a good leader. So, I've been here a long time. It was bad when I first came here, but I don't know what it's like now."

Bonnie frowned. What had this man's life been like? Cooped up inside the castle walls with only a man like Kol for company. She turned her body to face him. "I don't know what to tell you. It's war out there. The land gets worse every year from what I hear. From the little I saw."

"Is it all like that? Has nothing gotten better."

"I don't think so. My village was untouched until last night. I've never really been outside its confines. The fields by our home were beautiful though."

"So you've only seen your village and this castle?" Jeremy asked.

"Yeah. I'm such a traveler, huh?"

"We're two of a kind," he smiled. "Except you were meant to leave."

"Not now I'm not. I'll have to wait a little longer before that can happen."

"Or you could start your escape plan."

Bonnie was taken aback by his suggestion. She got off the ground only to join him on the stone bench. "What do you mean?"

"I won't leave Kol's side, but that doesn't mean you have to stay here. You can do more for Kael outside than by being cooped up here, waiting to be used for one side or the other."

"Jeremy…"

"No one has to know I helped. There are witches in this castle that you could seek out. I'm sure they would help."

"They work for Lord Kol, we don't know that," Bonnie whispered. "One wrong question and they'll run to tell him about me."

"Then we won't ask the wrong question," he answered, standing up.

"You seem awfully sure about a plan that could go horribly wrong."

Jeremy began to pace. "What you need is time, and a distraction."

"And how do we get that?"

"I think we already have it," Jeremy grinned. "Kol is hosting a ball in a week."

"A week? I haven't heard anything about it."

"He plans on announcing it tomorrow. It's to let his people know that everything is okay, and that the West will win this. Soon."

In other words, he had a Bennett witch. The war was won. "Who would come? No one has the money for appropriate clothes."

"You haven't seen the city. Roeth is doing just fine, trust me. If I know him well enough, he'll want you to go so he can keep an eye on you."

"Then how do I escape?" If she was right under his nose, she didn't see how this was going to work. When would she find the time to slip away?

"We've got a week to figure it out. The network of witches throughout the castle is actually pretty staggering. He respects them, but we have to risk that they'll help one of their own before helping him."

Bonnie nodded, standing up as well. "Then we better starting working."

Jeremy offered her his hand. "And you better start packing. Hide that spellbook in your things. Collect what you need for when you escape. We're going to do this right."

She took his hand, smiling up at him. She wasn't sure what she had done to deserve such a good friend in such a short amount of time, but Bonnie was thankful Jeremy was a kind soul. There was hope yet that nothing was as bad as it seemed. If she got out, she owed it to Jeremy to try and stop this war. She owed it to everyone to make an attempt that no one had thus far.

Bonnie swore that she and her friends would make sure no more families were killed. That no more villages were burned. Caroline and Matt would help. She had faith in them.

She had hope.


"Alright, rise and shine!" Damon called from the other side of the door, knocking incessantly.

Caroline and Matt groaned in unison, looking at each other before seeing a soft glow through the window. They must have slept all evening and night. Figures, considering how tired she was.

"Go away," Caroline whined, sitting up slowly.

"We bring food," Damon told them smugly. He was unnaturally chipper for the morning.

Matt mumbled something groggily before getting up and trudging to the door. He opened it long enough to take the food and walk back to his bed. Damon and Stefan let themselves in, both wide-eyed and downright depressing to Caroline. No one should be that happy in the morning.

"Do you two have a route mapped out or did you use the map for a blanket?" Damon asked, leaning against the wall.

"I marked a path before I went to sleep," Caroline said, sticking her tongue out as she grabbed an orange off Matt's plate.

Stefan picked up the map that was lying on the desk, taking a look at Caroline's handiwork. He nodded, looking pleased. "This could work. We should get to Alverton in two days time. We'll restock there. It looks like the halfway point to Roeth, so it's a good destination."

"Have you ever been there?" Caroline asked. She took some toast off the collection of food that Matt was quickly going through.

"This is the farthest west we've been. Alverton will be a whole new place," Damon answered.

"I guess we should get going, then." Caroline got up, taking a strawberry off the breakfast plate before putting her things together.

When Matt finished the food and had packed his stuff, the four set off without delaying any further. Stefan and Damon had bought some extra food for them that morning. If rationed properly, it would get them to Alverton without much suffering. They would be on the ground again, but at least they could look forward to a bed in the near future. As long as they kept at a brisk pace, they could make it within the time frame Stefan spoke of.

Before they left town, the brothers led them all to a stable where horses were sold. They had enough for two. They bought a sandy brown horse, as well as a black and white haired one. The owner told them the breeds, but Caroline didn't have a clue to what each could do for them.

Matt and Caroline took to the sandy brown one—she named her Aurora—and the brothers took to the other. Once they were out of Solaris, she tried to rattle off names for their horse, but they didn't like anything she mentioned. After a while, she got fed up and gave it a rest.

"It wouldn't kill you to name him," she grumbled, leaning back against Matt's chest in frustration.

"He doesn't need a name," Damon retorted, gripping the reigns tightly. "We don't even know how long we'll have the horses for."

"Way to be optimistic," she shot back. Caroline was starting to rethink the company she had chosen, horses or no horses.

"I'm being realistic. They'll get spooked or stolen, I can almost guarantee it."

"Why do you care? You can be a crow anytime you want. You don't actually need a horse," Caroline reminded him.

"It's not always fun being a bird."

"You don't seem to mind the bird feed I give you," Stefan smirked. Caroline let a giggle escape.

"Shut up," Damon groaned.

"Why aren't you a bird more often?" Caroline asked, being serious this time. "You can get into any place you want without someone knowing."

"How do you think we paid for last night's room?" Damon grinned. He shrugged, going back to her original question. "I was born a human, you know. It's not like I want to be the animal all the time. Just when it's convenient."

"I guess I get that." She turned to Stefan. "No powers for you?"

"Nope. Human to the core."

"Oh. And have you always been a shifter?" Caroline asked Damon. "Is that something you're born with?"

"If I was born with it, it didn't happen until I was a thirteen," Damon shrugged. "I wasn't flying out of my crib."

"That would have been a sight," Stefan deadpanned.

Damon rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't have even been born yet."

"So what happened? To your town, I mean," Matt asked. "You said something about a pack of werewolves?"

The brothers looked at each other before Stefan answered. "It was a powerful pack. Have you heard stories about the Nightstriders?"

"A few wanderers passing through the village mentioned them once or twice," Matt told him.

"They used to be more known then they are now," Stefan continued. "They've gone into hiding since our town's attack, but I still remember them. This land forgets that it's not just the siblings we have to fear. There are other species, other clans that we have to worry about. Apparently someone in our town owed the leader of the pack a debt. It was a full moon when they came to collect. There was no controlling them. They came for one, but they got more than that."

"I'm so sorry," Caroline breathed, not sure how to respond.

"We only got out because Damon blinded one with his beak. We made a stealthy escape, and haven't looked back since."

"Those bastards deserve to die," Damon seethed. "They shouldn't be alive."

"There's nothing we can do," Stefan told him gently.

"Not all wolves are bad," Caroline piped up. "One saved my life in the forest."

"Was it a werewolf?" Stefan asked.

"I don't know. It seems to understand what I say, but it's only a wolf. No full moon necessary."

"Could be a shifter," Stefan mused. "Maybe it lost itself to the beast."

"Can that happen?" Maybe there was a downfall to changing into an animal.

"Damon's got a bird brain," Stefan shrugged, earning an elbow to the chest from Damon.

Caroline giggled. "I don't think that's the case with Caine."

"What's with you and naming things?" Damon asked.

"He saved my life! The least I could do is give him a name."

Damon grumbled, continuing on their path. It was silent after that, the group enjoying the scenery around them. It was mostly plains, with hills here and there to overcome. The map said they would have to go through a forest. Caroline wasn't entirely excited about that since her encounter with Kol's guards. They could handle themselves though. It wouldn't be like last time.

The sun was close to the horizon before the group rested for food, and let the horses relax. The lake that surrounded them was large enough to let the horses frolic in it to cool off. They were back on the path shortly, however, and Caroline wondered if they would indeed be resting in the forest. It would provide them a decent amount of coverage, while simultaneously offering new possibilities for danger. She thought she might be safe from the guards, as she wasn't magical, but if they ran into any of the ones that got away from their incident…then who knew what could happen. She didn't want to risk it.

When the sun had finally disappeared, leaving the sky to be a purple and pink color, they entered the forest's edge, trotting along at a good place. They slowed when they had to trek through fallen trunks and foliage. It wasn't quite like the one Caroline had seen by her village. It was spacious and gave lots of room for their horses. Thankfully, they had lanterns to light the way when they could no longer see. Something else the previous city provided for them.

Once they found a clearing, Damon declared it would be their campsite for the night. It was enough room to start a fire and set up the tents they had bought. Caroline needed to remember all the stuff the brothers had bought. She would have to do the same in the next town.

"Who's getting water?" Matt asked, tying up Aurora and beginning to collect wood.

"I'll do it," Caroline volunteered.

"Damon, go with her," Stefan instructed, getting their overnight materials out of his pack.

Damon didn't say a word, just rolled his eyes and changed right in front of them. Caroline's eyes widened. Everything about him morphed into a crow, and now he was flapping his wings, flying toward her. He landed on her shoulder, making her jump. She heard Stefan chuckle.

"It might take some getting used to," he told her. "He's easier to deal with that way, though."

Caroline side-eyed the crow. He cawed in response. If he pecked her on the head, she swore the bird would never see the light of day again.

"Take these," Stefan said, tossing her two glass bottles.

She nodded, immediately picking a direction and searching for some sort of pond. "Come on," she whispered to Damon.

The trek was a bit mundane. She was sure she passed the same fallen tree trunks at least twice before seeing a different shrub that hadn't been there before. Once she was in new territory, it didn't take long for her to start hearing sounds of a stream nearby. She smiled, adding a hop to her step as she moved toward the sound. Caroline moved through the trees, keeping the bottles close so she didn't drop them.

Just as she thought, a sparkling stream stood before her, moss-covered rocks and green leaves scattered throughout the forest floor. Moonlight poured through the canopy, lighting the lily pad filled water in all the right places to make it glitter. She bent down, opening the bottle tops so she could begin filling them.

The only reason she paused was to figure out why Damon started cawing. Caroline looked around, wondering why in the hell he would warn any nearby creatures of their presence.

"Would you be quiet?" She hissed, still looking around.

Then she heard the growling.

Caroline almost dropped the bottles in fright. She stood up slowly, still searching for any creature that could be circling them. Damon stopped cawing, but she knew whatever he saw wasn't gone. Of course she couldn't go get water without something seeing them.

She was about to make a run for it when she saw a pair of yellow eyes. That was when a wolf emerged from the shadows, revealing it's powerful stride to her. She knew that wolf. She knew those eyes.

"Caine?" She smiled, surprised to see him back. Damon was still in a defensive stance on her shoulder, cawing loudly at the wolf.

Caine stopped growling, his head lifting up when she said his name. It really was him.

"Damon, go back to the camp. Tell them I'm with Caine. Matt will understand."

He looked at her for a few moments. If he could, he would most likely be rolling his eyes. At least he listened to her, hopping off her shoulder before giving one last caw, and then flying back in the direction they came from.

It was just the two of them now.

"Caine, it's me, Caroline," she said, crouching down so that she was closer to his eye level, "your friend?"

Caine began walking to Caroline, his body never once faltering from that take-charge stride she knew so well. The walk that said he was the alpha, and that no one should forget it. He stopped in front of her, his eyes searching hers. Caroline wondered if what Stefan said earlier was true. If there was a man locked inside a wolf's body. Why she hadn't thought of a shifter before was beyond her. If after all this time he still wouldn't turn into a human, however, did that mean he simply couldn't? That he wasn't a shifter like Damon?

"You are a mysterious little wolf," she murmured, slowly putting her hand out until she was touching his soft fur. "Would you tell me if there was a person inside you? Would you tell me if you were human?"

Caine only looked at her. Right. Wolf.

Maybe it was just wishful thinking. Why though? Why did she care? Was it because he saved her? She had thanked him, and he had strangely seemed to acknowledge it. Wolves were living, breathing creatures. They weren't stupid. Stranger things had happened, honestly. It shouldn't be a surprise to her that he can accept a thank you. She lived in a world of vampires and werewolves for crying out loud.

"Can I tell you a secret?" She asked, scratching his head. "I missed you."

Caine looked up at her, his golden eyes boring into hers. He was something to behold all right. She needed to stop searching for some other answer. She needed to accept that he was just a wolf, and he seemed friendly enough with her for some reason. That was it.

"We should go back to camp. They're going to want water, and we need rest. There's a long journey ahead of us."

Caroline stood up, filling her bottles with water and waiting until Caine was beside of her before continuing into the forest. She began to hum a melody her mom used to sing to her before bed. It was a lullaby that relaxed her and made her feel like everything was going to be okay. Like the world was safe and there were no monsters waiting behind every tree. Maybe when she had all of her friends back, it would feel more like a better place.

Only one friend to go now.


A/N: I realized it had been two months since my last update, so I thought I would get another chapter out to hold everyone over. It seems the Salvatore brothers have now joined the journey, and Caroline is once again reunited with Klaus-oops, I mean Caine. You guys have no idea how excited I am for this story.

See you next chapter.