It was after dusk, and Nya was already in bed. The hunter was anxiously running a comb through his hair, fussing over his reflection in the mirror. Had his scar always been that prominent before? Why did it look so mangled all of a sudden? In a desperate attempt to distract from the mark on his brow and cheek, Kai rummaged through the drawers on his vanity until he found a small box. He recognized the ornate trimmings immediately, and quickly opened it. It was his mother's rouge, which he had kept after she passed away.

Throughout her life, Nya had always despised wearing makeup. However, she seemed to love applying it to her older brother, especially when she was little. From memory, he took the puff and applied the blush to his cheekbones, making sure not to put too much on. When he was satisfied with his rosy image, he replaced the box with delicate reverence. He stared at himself, happy with how the pale scarlet color highlighted his most flattering features and diverted attention from his scar. Kai stood and smoothed the wrinkles in his sweater. He had no idea why he was dolling himself up, but it felt somewhat pleasant to know that he looked good. The hunter pulled on his jacket with a soft grin.

With cautious steps, he made his way over to the window and undid the latch. The front door was a little noisy, so he thought it was best to just exit out through the side of the house. He hopped over the ledge and landed a few feet below. The huntsman adjusted his coat, then started to walk off towards the woods.

As he trotted down the streets of the village, he reflected on the previous day. Lloyd had been dancing around him with an impish grin. He was constantly pestering him about Zane, and Kai eventually had to have a stern talk with him about how uncomfortable that topic made him. The young sage backed off, but never lost that somewhat invasive smile. Even Nya noticed it, as distant from the world as she was. Between the party after his return and now, he had only narrowly avoided all the pressure he was receiving from his peers and family. He was grateful that the falcon was meeting him in the forest. Perhaps there, outside the boundaries of the town, he could find some solace in the presence of his bonded partner.

He turned around a corner and saw the tree-lined entrance to the woods. Kai increased his pace, walking at a healthy clip towards the rendezvous location. His breath came up in steamy clouds as his boots crunched in the snow. The only sounds he could hear were the noises of his footfall.

"Kai." The huntsman halted and looked upwards, facing the direction of the dulcet voice. Zane waved shyly from a tree branch, then hopped down in front of him. "You look lovely. I hope you are not too cold. You appear to be frigid." The yokai raised his hand and brushed his thumb over the side of Kai's face.

"Oh, it's not the cold, I just... " he whispered, a real flush spreading over his face. "I put blush on." The partial bird sighed with a dreamy smile and continued to stroke his cheek.

"You did not have to do that," Zane muttered. "You're already perfect just as you are." It was sickly sweet, but it still made his face heat up even more. He never ran out of embarrassing things to say, did he?

"It does look rather fetching on you, however," the falcon continued, tipping Kai's chin so that their eyes met. "I'm glad you asked me to meet with you."

"Same here," the hunter grinned sheepishly, turning his head so that he was no longer in his mate's tender hold. "We should sit down on that log." He gestured towards a fallen tree, which they slowly walked over to. As they took their seats, Kai could feel himself becoming immune to the freezing temperatures. Even the mere presence of his soul partner helped warm him up.

"So, how have you been these past three days?" the yokai began.

"Lonely." For some odd reason, the word just slipped out. It was not a lie, he had felt like the only person that understood his plight while the bird was gone, but something about the word irked him. Zane tilted his head as if to urge him to explain, so Kai took a deep breath. "Nya's been treating me like a little kid, and Lloyd clearly knows something I don't. Nobody's acting like I'm a normal person anymore. I thought it'd be nice to go home, but now that I'm here it's basically a prison. I don't sound paranoid, do I?"

"Not at all," Zane assured him, shaking his head. The hybrid sighed and stared out into the horizon. "It has been far too quiet around the house without you there." They sat in the serenity of the forest, listening to a far off wolf howl at the moon. Out of the corner of his eye, Kai could see the falcon's arm slowly outstretching, but then it retracted when he looked at it.

"Y'know, you can just… hold me, if you want to. Just because we aren't living together right now doesn't mean we're not bonded," the huntsman told him, much to the bird's shock.

"Ah- right- yes- of course- it's just… after being gone for three days, I was not sure if you would approve of any physicality," mumbled the yokai. With hesitant movements, Zane wrapped his arm around Kai's shoulders and scooted closer until their sides were flush against each other. It was obvious that the beast had been starving for some contact.

They tipped their faces towards the sky and stared at the stars through the barren woodland canopy. Kai could not help but feel a sense of unfulfillment, however. He never knew how dreary the scenery around his home was until he visited Kyoboku. Even the stars seemed to be dimmer here compared to that fantastical forest.

"I wish this was okay," sighed Kai.

"What about this is not okay?" asked the bird. The hunter adjusted his posture and furrowed his brow.

"The fact that this is all a huge secret. I feel awful about leaving you alone in the first place, but now I can't even see you every day. Isn't that just as bad? I've been feeling that dumb tug to be closer to you. You've gotta be feeling it too."

"Indeed I am," Zane stared bluntly. "Now that I am here with you again I can quell my soul link for a few days more, but it will become increasingly harder to ignore my instincts."

"Great. Just peachy."

"Cheer up, I'm sure everything will work itself out."

"Are you just saying that because we're finally spending some time together? 'Cuz I sure as hell don't see a way for this to work out anytime soon," grumbled the human. Zane took a deep breath, then lightly squeezed his mate's arm.

"Perhaps I am. I am unsure, myself," the falcon muttered. Something high-pitched sounded in the distance. "Should we schedule more meetings like this-"

"Hold on," Kai interrupted, holding a finger up to signal his bonded partner to keep quiet for a moment. Another distant, raucous noise erupted in the direction of his village, then another and another. Soon a chorus of chaos reached their ears. "What the hell?"

"That sounds like…" Zane trailed off. The sound of a crash echoed in the night.

"Something happened," the hunter nervously declared. "C'mon."

"What if I am seen?"

"If something's already wrong, you'll be the least of everyone's problems," replied Kai. "Let's go!" They leapt from their seats and sprinted in the direction of Jamonikai. Snow sprayed beneath their feet as they ran, and the noises grew louder and more distinct as they drew near. Screams and shouts of aggression and fear resounded in the crisp winter air. They reached the edge, and skidded to a halt. An odd, pale, lime green mist was covering the village. Curious, Kai held out his hand to it. Before he could make contact, however, his soulmate yanked him backwards.

"Don't touch that," Zane said, a concerned waver in his voice. "There is something wrong with that fog. Here." The yokai scooped up his partner and spread his wings, quickly taking off with a little struggle. Supposedly, it was much easier to carry him if he jumped off of a structure that was already in the sky. Flying straight up from the ground must have been difficult.

They ascended to a point above Jamonikai, and they both gasped at the sight below them. Everything was chaos. People were wrestling or arguing in the streets and committing various crimes such as vandalism and theft.

"Oh my god. Even Garmadon and Misako are fighting… They're one of the most loving couples in the village," Kai noticed, gulping down his fear.

"Just as I thought. This is no mere fog, but a miasma that removes happiness from whoever inhaled the vapor, by the looks of it," the hybrid explained. "This is the stuff of legend. Pixal and I archived a jar of this stuff a few weeks back, and it was exceedingly important that we did not release any of it. It is called Jiandapo Kiri, or Bondless Fog."

"Wait…" The huntsman gasped and cling to his mate even tighter. "Nya was sleeping when I left! Fly us down there." He pointed towards a certain area at the edge of the mist.

"Hopefully I'll be close enough to call out to her," he continued. Zane seemed to be worried, but he complied, slowly landing where he had been directed.

"Alright, but exercise caution," the half-beast worried. As soon as they touched down, Kai sprang away and cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Nya!" he cried. "Nya! Can you hear me? Sis!" A murky silhouette appeared through the mist, and as it moved forward the shape of the huntress formed. In one hand, she held his bow, and his quiver was on her back.

"Nya! You have to get out of there!" Kai shouted. He gained no verbal reply, rather the young woman pulled an arrow from the quiver and drew the string of the weapon. She inched forward a few more feet, and the brunet flinched when he saw her eyes. The whites and pupils were replaced with a wash of that same eerie, faint chartreuse color as the mist. She mumbled something unintelligible and aimed the bow somewhere past him. He knew exactly what she was pointing at, despite not being able to see the target.

"Nya? Stop! Don't do it! Nya no!" her brother called out desperately.

"Get away from my brother!" Nya screeched as she exited the fog. Kai sprinted forward to stop her, but she let the arrow fly. It landed with a meaty thud. The falcon's sharp, pained shout pierced his ears.

"Nya!" the hunter snapped. He whipped around to face Zane. The arrowhead had lodged itself in his left wing's carpal joint, and the point of impact was already dripping scarlet onto the snow. Before he could run to his partner, he heard the sound of another arrow being drawn. Nya was aiming once again at the yokai, and from the snarl on her face Kai could infer that she was planning on killing the bird this time. Without many options, Kai thought on his feet and rushed forward before she could line up a good shot. He wound up his fist and punched his sibling in the jaw, knocking her unconscious immediately. He took the bow and quiver before scrambling back to Zane, who was now crying because of his injury.

"Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god! Zane, are you alright?" he fretted.

"I-gah! It hurts!" the hybrid whimpered, clinging onto Kai's jacket. "Kai, please! H-Help me!" The huntsman had only seen a wound like this once before. Thankfully, he knew how to start treating it. The bad news was, it was going to be painful on the fly like this.

"Okay, hold still," he instructed as he leaned down closer to his husband. "The arrow's in deep." The half-beast's eyes widened in panic, and his tears flowed anew.

"Kai! K-Kai! Wait! Agh! You can't just pull it out!" Zane pleaded with terror.

"Hold onto my arm and squeeze it tight. Do it!" Kai urged. The falcon did as he was told, hissing through his teeth. "On three. One, two-!" He yanked the object before he said the third number, knowing that the bird might scramble away if he anticipated the pain. The blond howled and doubled over. The human allowed his soulmate to hug him and sob into his shoulder, then looked him dead in the eye.

"Can you fly?" he asked. His husband could not answer, for he was trying to even out his breathing. "Zane… Can. You. Fly?"

"No. No I c-cannot," the partial bird stumbled over his words. Kai nodded, looking around for something to assist his injured companion. He spotted Zane's communication crystal, and pulled it over his mate's head. It only took a moment to find Jay's soul link, and he immediately made a connection once he found it. The rabbit's voice lit up in the stone.

"Zane, I can't really talk right now. Cole and I are uh… in the middle of something," the bunny said.

"Jay you need to stop whatever it is you're doing and get down to Jamonikai right now! Zane's hurt and I need your help!" Kai shouted.

"What do you mean, hurt?" Jay gasped.

"Nya shot him with an arrow! You need to come help me bring him to your house, that's the only nearby place that's safe for him! Can you do that for me?" The hunter waited, and heard some shuffling in the background. The voices of the bonded pair on the other end shifted and warped as the distance from their pendant shifted.

"-I know you just took them off! Just throw them back on, Cole! And get a jacket! Grab the emergency kit from the shed and meet me out front!" Jay's voice finally went from muffled to clear. "We're on our way, Kai. Just hold on a little while longer."

"Thank you," Kai said before severing the connection. "Zane, I'm going to press your wing into the snow." The huntsman gingerly let go and maneuvered his partner's wing so that the wound was dipped in the cold powder. It would help stop the bleeding, hopefully. The falcon clutched onto him and sucked in air through his teeth, fighting through the pain. They simply held each other in place for a few minutes, waiting until they heard the approaching duo.

Kai was immediately terrified by the sight of the bear as he swiftly maneuvered through the trees. The rabbit on his back jumped off a few yards before he stopped, and the small creature transformed into Jay's yokai form. Cole shifted a moment later, panting from running at full speed to their location.

"Okay, I've got the rope right here. We're gonna have to secure Zane to Cole's back while he's in his fauna form," the rabbit announced, rushing over to his friend's side. The hunter had no idea what in the wide world a 'fauna form' was, but he had at least heard the phrase once before so he did not question it. Cole tossed him the first aid kit that he had mentioned, and Jay got to work applying pressure to the wound while he wrapped gauze around it. "Kai, I'm gonna need you to carry me."

"What?" the human gawked, gesturing wildly to Jay's size. "How am I supposed to lug you all the way back to your house?"

"Not like this!" Jay groaned. "I'm gonna turn into a rabbit, and you're gonna have to carry me. I'll bless you with a little spell that we bunnies use to get around faster." Cole suddenly appeared at Jay's side, glaring daggers at Kai as he pulled the prey yokai closer to him.

"Don't you dare drop my mate. I want him in cuddling condition, you hear?" the bear snarled.

"Whatever!" the huntsman shouted. "Let's go!" The black-haired boy shifted into the animal that he had seen before, which was presumably what that fauna form phrase was referring to. Jay assisted him in hoisting the falcon onto the ursa's back. They made sure that the rope was wrapped around Zane tightly enough that he would be safe during the bumpy ride.

"Alright, catch me!" Jay suddenly instructed, leaving Kai hardly a millisecond to process that a rabbit was suddenly plopping into his arms. The white creature squeaked, and Cole took off. The hunter felt a sudden invigorating sensation fill his veins. As he ran, he felt himself cover much more ground than he was normally able to. He kept up with the ursa as they hurtled through the forest, dodging low-hanging branches and rocks that blocked their path. He simply followed Cole, who was just as fast, if not faster, than a horse while he was a bear. Snow kicked up around their feet. Wind whipped in Kai's ears as they sped through the woodlands.

He stole a glance at Zane, whose eyes were shut tight in agony. The hunter looked away immediately, knowing that if he continued to stare his heart would surely break. The poor guy had only wanted to share his affections and see him again after their separation.

What have I done? Kai asked himself, fighting back the urge to shed a tear. I've ruined his life.

The cottage appeared within mere moments, and the hunter had to truly focus on stopping himself. They skidded to a halt, then Jay leapt from his grip, nearly kicking him in the ribs in the process. The freckled bunny quickly untied Zane, and Kai rushed over to help him hoist the falcon to his feet, allowing him to drape over their shoulders. Cole turned back into his humanoid form, and was doubled over from his shortness of breath.

"Cole, are you alright?" Jay asked his mate. The bear nodded and straightened his spine before replacing his partner at Zane's side.

"Jay, call Dr. Skales," he rasped as he tried to even out his respiration. The half-rabbit hopped over to his soulmate and took the ursa's face in his hands. He stood on his tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Cole's lips.

"When you get Zane on the couch, I want you to sit down, okay?" Jay instructed, concern glittering in his eyes. "You've used up all your energy." The black-haired yokai nodded, and they all moved indoors. Thankfully, the fireplace was already burning bright, so the bird would be plenty warm. While the prey yokai scampered off to make a call with the doctor, Kai and Cole set down the injured beast.

"Stay with him," the bear commanded. Kai moved to protest, but the ursa simply shot him down with an acidic leer. "You're his mate. Stay by his side, got it?"

"Yeah," the huntsman nodded. The bear stepped away, and Zane's eyes opened just a tad. He started to turn over, but then he seized up with a grunt. The human felt a pang of sympathy as he immediately kneeled down to comfort him. "Shh, it's gonna be okay, Zane. Just relax."

"I'm so sorry," the winged boy hiccuped between his slow-flowing tears.

"No no, Zane. You have nothing to be sorry for. It's alright," Kai replied, hushing him as he ran a soothing hand through the blond's hair.

"If I h-had just been a little more careful-" Once more, the hunter shushed him. Zane held up his hand, wincing as he shifted the wrong way. Kai immediately took it with rushed worry. The falcon looked up at him as if the human was made of the finest diamonds. He squeezed his hand with the saddest smile that the brunet had ever seen.

"I love you," Zane croaked. The falcon had never said that before, and it truly made Kai take a step back and examine the image before him. The yokai had suffered through so much just for his sake. He remembered the first steps they took towards getting to know each other. Zane had been so open and accepting, always ready to help with kind words and a tender heart. Now, he was hurt because of him and all of the stupid mistakes he had made. Kai felt tears welling up, and this time he did not care if they fell or not. He slowly reached out with his other hand and clasped it around the one he was holding, pulling Zane's hand close to his heart.

"I know," the hunter muttered. Someone apparently knocked on the door and entered, but Kai was too focused on keeping his partner company. The doctor was a Serpentine, and he kept trying to usher the huntsman away. Eventually, the brunet snapped out of his daze and backed off, allowing the snake to do his work. Jay and Cole stood off to the side, and the rabbit was practically burrowing in the ursa's embrace. Everyone watched as the Hypnobrai stitched up the gash, hoping and praying that Zane was not in too much pain. When that was done, the falcon was given an elixir to drink.

"Thisss will help reform hisss wing ligamentsss and bonesss over a few daysss," said the doctor. "Keep him in bed, and make sssure he doesss not ressst on hisss injury."

"Thank you, Dr. Skales," Jay piped up, walking with him towards the front entrance. The serpent exchanged a few words with the prey yokai, then exited the cottage. "Alright, he said that Zane's gonna fall asleep soon with that medicine in his system. Can you stand, buddy?"

"I believe so," the winged boy responded, slowly sitting up before getting to his feet. He began to sway, so Kai dove forward and propped him up on his arm. "Thank you, darling." Ignoring the nickname, the human helped him get to the guest room. He lit a lantern for Zane, and assisted him as he got under the covers.

"Call for me if you need anything," Kai said, patting his shoulder. Before he could turn, the falcon held him by the forearm and met his gaze with a pleading stare. "What is it?" With his free hand, the avian yokai gestured for him to lean down. The hunter did as he was told, and in reply the hybrid leaned forward to place a lengthy kiss on his cheek.

"I just wanted to say thank you again," whispered Zane. "I could not imagine a world without you."

"Zane, I…" As much as Kai wanted to, he could not think of anything else to say. There had been so much insanity within the last hour or so that he could hardly keep up. Everything had been such a blur that his mind could hardly describe everything that had happened. Behind him, someone lightly tapped on the open door. The huntsman turned and saw Cole, who looked over the scene like a man staring at a casket.

"Until Zane is patched up, you guys are more than welcome to stay here," he told them. Kai stood and let his hold on Zane slowly loosen.

"Thanks," the human nodded, walking out with Cole. "Get some sleep, Zane." The falcon smiled and nestled himself a little further under the blankets as he closed the door behind him. The bear stepped into the living room, sitting on the sofa next to Jay and wrapping an arm around him.

"I already called the police, but I also told Dr. Skales to talk to them, just so that they don't think we're trying to start a territory feud or something," the freckled boy announced. "Now, about what happened..."

"Nya went crazy and shot Zane, right?" Cole asked. Jay threw his brows up, as if he had not been expecting his husband's question to be so blunt.

"She didn't mean it," Kai assured them. "Everyone in town is under the influence of this weird magical fog. It makes everyone hate each other, apparently. I even saw happy married couples fighting like savage yokai, er…" He backtracked when he saw the discomforted expressions on the bonded pair's faces.

"It was really bad," he finally sighed, unable to soften the statement.

"We'll be sure to steer clear of it," Jay said nervously. The bunny took his sweetheart by the hand and gave him a peck, although both actions were slow and shaky. "Those people… even though they loved each other… I don't want any of that to happen to us."

"It won't, Jay," the predator yokai whispered to him. "Don't worry." Kai watched as the partial bunny began to slightly fidget.

"But you're a part of the investigation team. They're definitely gonna send you to check this whole situation out," Jay fretted. Cole ran his palm over his partner's arm, calming his soulmate as best he could. "I'm just saying… please be careful."

"You're really that shaken up about this?" inquired the bear. Kai followed Jay's eyes as they darted towards the guest room. The rabbit buried himself even closer to his partner, pressing his cheek and nose to Cole's chest as he hugged him tight.

"Don't breathe that mist in. Please," the bunny pleaded softly. "Please don't get too close to it. A-And don't get near anyone who's been affected by it. I don't want you to die."

"Woah, Jay…" Cole scrambled to embrace him back. "I'm not gonna die."

"Stay safe. Don't get hurt. D-Don't… don't die. Don't die, don't die, don't die." Jay was clinging to his mate's shirt, bunching up the fabric in his fists. It was obvious that he was trying not to burst into sobs, as he was hyperventilating and squeezing his eyes shut every so often. "And don't forget about me. Remember me and everything we've done together. I love you, Cole."

"I love you too, Jay. Just breathe," mumbled the ursa. Kai was absolutely stunned that the partial bunny was so scared. Even more so, he was surprised how well Cole was handling the little anxiety attack that Jay was having. Despite the claws, teeth, and overall standoffish attitude, the bear was comforting his partner with hushed words, little kisses, and an embrace that rocked them both slowly back and forth. After a moment or two, the predator yokai looked up at the hunter with empathizing sorrow in his expression.

"I think it's time for bed," Cole said to him.

"Yeah," Kai agreed. "G'night." The brunet slipped out of the living room, and as he reached for the handle of his temporary bedroom, he turned around to steal one last glance at his newfound companions. Cole was muttering something to Jay while he tenderly cupped his face with his hands. The freckled yokai nodded at his words, then slowly met his lips in a kiss. The human regarded them with an emotion that he could not describe. However, another pang of the feeling passed over him and he recognized what it was. His familiar soul connection was tugging him to ignite something similar with his own partner. With a sigh, he ignored the little voice and entered the room.

The lantern lit up the falcon's sleeping form with many hues of gold. Kai finally removed his coat, and attempted to rub away the rouge on his cheeks at a mirror, which hung over a dresser. It was then that he noticed that his dominant hand had a little bit of blood on it. He used his nails to scratch off the dried scarlet, a dull feeling of terror residing in his chest. He never wanted to see Zane bleed again.

He moved over to his mate's side and observed his injury. The doctor had bandaged it again when he arrived, and thankfully it looked like the bleeding was slowed because of his stitches. His eyes trailed down his wing, over his shoulder, and up to his face. He appeared to be sleeping peacefully, which eased the huntsman's mind. Kai studied his features, drinking in his raw beauty. Something about him was just too perfect. Maybe it was his jawline, or his blushing lips, but he could not place a finger on it. His mind suddenly raced with a million memories at once. The first time he had stared into his cyan eyes, his soft, immaculately styled locks and how they felt between his fingertips, how his wings had always been extremely soft, the adorable way he looked when he blushed, his nervous habits, his gorgeous voice, his soft hands, his graceful dancing, his kind heart, his assuring hugs, his kisses-

He reeled back a few steps, stopping himself. His heart was beating rapidly, his face was warm, and the little link in the back of his mind was lighting up like fireworks. The hunter looked at Zane again, and felt all those emotions flooding back. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong and he did not understand what it was. He clutched at his chest, trying to force the blood from pumping so quickly. If he did not calm down soon, he would break out into a sweat.

He tried to ignore it and walked around to his own side of the bed. As he got comfortable, however, he could not help but notice his close proximity to the partial beast. The yokai was practically radiating heat, and it only made the hunter even more anxious. Why was he so flustered all of a sudden?

It's just because we went through a tragic event, Kai convinced himself. They usually bring people together. Well, er… not like in that way but… Maybe that's what it is? I dunno. He bit back a groan and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to slowly fall asleep. After many rough nights while hunting, he had taught himself how to suppress discomfort in favor of getting some shut-eye. He focused his energy on the quiet of the room, the darkness behind his eyelids, and his breathing. His pulse slowed, and he started to drift off.

The world turned into a void and sleep overtook him. As usual, his dreams were abstract. Colors passed in odd blurs, mostly blues and scarlets this time, and something dripped on his hand. It felt like rain, but warmer. There was a familiar metallic scent that he could not name. He was always able to remember dreams like this, but they usually never had any correlation with anything real. So, like normal, he dismissed each bizarre thought as they passed and did not let them linger for much longer than he felt necessary. In a way, the hunter was comforted by the fact that he could choose when his subconscious would reveal something new, since most of his decision-making had been ripped from his clutches recently.

He felt a little bit of respite, for once, and relished in his slumber.