We made a careful sweep of the grounds surrounding the Moon Dorms. It was easy enough considering the three of us had enhanced night vision anyway. It was almost surprising that nothing was out of place. Kaname wasn't here.

Kiyo looked at me and I nodded, slinking an arm around her waist before grabbing Takuma as well. With an easy grace I jumped the three of us over the wall leading to the pathways knowing the guard wouldn't open the gate for us at this time.

Once we landed on the other side I released them and began to stalk down the path, pointing Kiyo to the forestation on my left and Takuma to that on my right. I scoured the ground for any indication he had crossed this path recently, my nose twitching to find a fresh scent trail knowing Kiyo was doing the same.

The most recent trail I found was the one from him taking me away that morning so I went to my right to scour for the scent through Takuma's area. Again I found nothing.

"Damnit," I growled, kicking the dirt.

"It's alright Kie-chan, we'll find him," Takuma assured me, hugging me to his chest.

I allowed myself a moment to relax against him before pulling away with a sigh, "come on, let's go see if Kiyo found anything."

He nodded, following me closely but not silently.

"How come you're not calling her Ki-chan now?"

"Because she is not Ki-chan. She is Kiyo now. We are on a hunt that will lead to war. This is all serious business. It may not make too much sense but it's almost like she is two different people. There is Kiyo, the fighter, and Ki-chan, the playful little wolf demon."

I saw Takuma nod out of the corner of my eye.

"It makes a lot of sense Kie-chan, just like you are not quite the same when you are hunting towards war as you are now."

I stopped dead in my tracks and looked back at him.

"You're right… I am sorry Ta-kun. I should not have introduced you to this. Would you like to return to the dorms? I could take you there and rejoin Kiyo in no time at all," I frowned slightly.

"No! That's not what I meant! Kie-chan," he stepped forward and cupped my cheek, smiling down at me, "Kie-chan, I love you. All of you. This is just another part of you and I'm ok with that. I just hope I don't have to see this side too much. And not because I don't like it but only because I worry. I don't want you in danger."

My eyes widened considerably as I just gazed up at him.

"You… you love me? I mean I thought… but I wasn't…" I was cut off by his lips pressing tenderly to mine.

"Yes, I love you. Now we need to rejoin Kiyo and see if she has found anything as we have not found anything of consequence." He took my hand and began to lead me back to the pathway.

"Where do you think she'll be?"

"At the end of the path, probably leaning against the gate to the school, with a smug little smirk on her face. She hasn't found anything. She would have alerted me if she had." I laughed slightly and threw him up onto my back and ran full out towards where I knew my best friend would be.

And she was there, just as I had predicted. Leaning against the gate with that infuriatingly smug smirk on her face.

"Happy now Kie? He admitted he loves you. Not that I didn't already know and I'm sure you already figured. I taught you well enough to read people." Her voice echoed in my head and, judging from the blush staining Takuma's cheeks, she had broadcast it to him as well.

I let out a frustrated growl and shook my head a bit.

"You're cruel Kiyo, or should I say Kay?"

With a snarl she lunged at me, which I sidestepped easily causing her to fall on her face. She recovered easily and straightened.

"Point taken Kieko. I'll let it go until one of our girly talks. Expect an interrogation then," with that she smiled widely and came to stand at my side.

Rolling my eyes I threw my arms around them again and lifted us onto the wall. Kiyo took up the lead and we walked, crouching low to avoid being seen, across the wall to search around the Sun Dorms.

Once we were there I dropped to the ground, not bothering to help them down, and winced.

He had been here. Recently.

Suddenly I was surrounded by growls. Dropping to a defensive crouch I scanned the area only to find Takuma and Kiyo snarling at my sides. Shaking my head I stood again and drew my short sword. It pulled free without so much as a sound as I dropped into another crouch and made my way to the right side woods. Kiyo took the left woods, leaving Takuma the path.

There was a method to this. His scent went right, and I wanted to kill him. Kiyo knew well enough he would stick to the woods and could have taken to the left side. The center pathway was the safest and we left that to Takuma. No sense in getting his hands any dirtier than they already were. But he didn't need to know this.

As I followed his scent I found Kiyo was right, suddenly he veered left. Following the scent I found him squaring off with Takuma.

"Son of a bitch," I growled, keeping myself hidden as I watched carefully.

"Kiyo, he's still here. We were right but he came across Ta-kun on his way to the left side. I'm watching the two now… hurry."

I tried to pay attention to the words they were exchanging but only found myself waiting. Kaname had the look of someone preparing to strike and I would not allow that to happen.

Just as I heard Kiyo announce she was on the other side, waiting as well, I saw Kaname begin his attack. With a feral roar I tore from the trees, raising my sword as I went.