Author's Note; Hi huns- have the plot totally worked out on this now so things are gonna get a bit more confusing before they make sense, lol!! So please stick by and thanks so much for those who've been reviewing the story- it means the world to me huns!! Kas, :-) XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The uncanny timing had initiated about a week ago at this stage…the first time it had happened, it had been so fast that none of the four young males had noticed, or so she had hoped as the teenage girl hastily removed the pained cringe from her face as Kiba, Hige and Toboe rushed forward to check on Cheza; the seemingly thirteen-year-old having stumbled forward whilst idly skipping ahead of them a she normally did, her unseeing crimson eyes becoming her downfall…the child had fallen forward and just about managed to catch herself, though her right knee had served in taking the brunt of the fall and had sustained a nasty cut due to the undulating ground surface and a few badly-placed rocks…but at the exact same instant that Cheza's knee had collided with the ground, Karasuke had almost doubled over as she felt a sharp and rather unexpected pain shoot from her own right knee, the blood that then began to seep through the fabric of her light faded blue jeans only stood to testament that she had cut herself, but the seventeen-year-old hadn't stumbled in all their journey and if so, how come the pain had only arrived when the Flower Maiden had struck the ground like that?

"You're hurting again?"

It was more of a statement than a comment and she knew that gruff voice instantly, having become accustomed to it in the week or so since she had been inducted into this little makeshift pack…maybe she should have stayed with the humans after all- she was as much human as she was wolf, but that damned pride wouldn't allow such a thing.

"Leave me alone, Tsume…"

"Why, because I'm right? Y'know I saw it the first time…it happened about a week ago when she fell, and every time since-"

"Piss off; I never needed anyone looking out for me-"

"No; you never wanted anyone looking out for you, but that changed when you decided to come with us; you may have been a leader back in that city, but you're not one here, Karasuke, you're a member of a pack and packs look out for their members; deal with it, girl."

As the lanky man turned and walked to the other side of the small shack they were currently using as tonight's shelter, the teen folded her arms across her bust and heaved what even she knew as a childish huff, cheeks burning as she suddenly felt like a small girl again with Pops leaning down and telling her right from wrong, and then patting her head lightly as he flashed her a reassuring, paternal smile…and the now teenager panged for that smile once more, knowing she would most likely never see it again, not with him hunting th-

The noise of running high-heeled boots caused the group of five wolves and the pink-haired girl to glance up, automatically jumping to their guard and standing to the fore of Cheza as the running steps grew closer and closer, moving at a frantic pace…and then she rounded the corner and burst into their pilfered shelter, bringing with her a following group of three angry men, wielding pipes and chains.

Despite her Latino appearance and dark hair, the vivid blue eyes were ones that the newest addition to the pack immediately recognised as she found herself standing and staring at this new person in her thigh-high boots and tied trench coat.

"Ooooh, look another two girls…that could work to our advantage…"

"Karasuke, take Cheza and get out of here; we'll catch up."

Without even a second thought, the young woman did as Kiba instructed and caught Cheza round the wrist, pulling the child up onto her hip as though once used to doing such…almost as though on instinct she also grabbed a hold to arm of this new female and pulled her with them aswell.

"C'mon Blue!"

The three females managed to make it out the back of the dwelling whilst the boys did as males tended and dived into the fight headlong, testosterone having been on high for a while and a fight was just what they needed to vent some energy.

"Wasn't expecting to see you here…"

The older man raised his grizzled head at the sound of this and set his gaze upon the young blond with light green eyes, remembering him from that city of about three months ago when he had attempted to kill that white wolf. As Quent continued his gruff silence, Hubb merely took it as a poignant time to explain his reckoning as to why he hadn't been contemplating on the ex-Sheriff being in the pub.

"You're dog wasn't tied up outside…did she escape or something?"

"That mongrel never belonged to me."

The icy bite was more than obvious in his voice and thus caused the blond to order a drink and sit in the uneasy silence that had since been caused…it was better than being out in that driving snow for sure, but he wasn't sure which- outside or here- had the lowest temperature…

It was only as the once detective lowered his gaze to his jacket pocket in order to extract his wallet and pay for another round of drinks that he spotted the small item on the ground and kept staring at it as a familiar face smirked back at him, albeit only as a mere child whilst she stood with a smaller boy. After an uncounted number of seconds, Quent also flicked his gaze to follow Hubb's and noticed he'd dropped the locket. With a slight groan of effort from his weary body, the aging man bent low and picked up the golden trinket, eyes looking at the two pictured children as he sat back down and heaved a heavy…almost conscience heavy sigh…then spoke, though it was evident that the man had immediately sobered-up.

"Ruse was only seven when he died…it was Blue who found the girl. Went to look for that pup one day after she wandered off, nosing about the woods around Kyrios and when I found her, here was the most beautiful little girl you ever seen in your life…my and my wife couldn't have anymore kids and the little one couldn't remember anything except her name, so we adopted her as our own…and that's why I hunt, because all of my family were killed that night our village was burned down."

For a second or two, Hubb suddenly knew what it was like to be Quent Yaiden- imagine to be the only survivor of a massacred village and spend the rest of your days hunting a dying race for the over-rated prospect of twisted revenge.

"Did you find your wife, boy?"

The gruff tone was back as the older male knocked back a small shot and wiped his mouth, all sentimentality having passed by in an intermittent heartbeat and the gruff, bereaved and tragically lonely hunter was back in the place of the once gentle father.

"I…ehhh, yes, but we were split up again- I'm actually heading off now."

"I'll help you- I have nothing else worth doing…Karasuke always told me to help others…"

Hubb had smiled upon hearing the first part of that sentence, glad for the company on the road, as he and the older man had forged an unusual type of friendship over the last number of weeks…and yet as the now-solitary man mentioned the name of the girl whilst staring down at the pictures inside the locket with a lamenting smile, Hubb felt his feet freeze and refuse to move, mind racing as he received flashbacks from the last number of years of capturing that girl and attempting to hold her in custody…of all her robberies…that night in Jaguara's keep- Yaiden- that's why the name had seemed so familiar to him! Was Karasuke actually Quent's daughter?

A/n- Told you it'd get confusing huns, lol!! Anyways, please let me know what you think of this chapter hun!! Kas, :-) XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX