Chapter 9

Disclaimer: There are many, many things I do not own. A personal laptop, curling iron, and DN Angel are amongst those many, many, many things.

…

When I awoke, Towa and Emiko were gone and Satoshi was sitting on the couch. I blinked in surprise; then sat up. "Erm…" I wasn't really sure how to address him, seeing as how he was a prince and all. His icy blue hair shone in the light of a sunbeam that seemed to be reserved just for him, and his eyes glittered like chips of ice, though not in an unfriendly way. His wings (folded loosely at his back) cast rainbows onto the walls, just as they had the day he had gotten them. It was hard to believe I had been turned into a wolf, lost my uncle and the only home I had ever known, and met him and Krad only the day before yesterday. It was just so perfect.

"Welcome to Algernon, Rue," he said. "I hope you're feeling better?" He didn't act any more like a prince than he had when I had met him. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and seemed completely comfortable in this house as he would anywhere else.

"Quite a bit better," I said, then paused. How was I supposed to continue? Satoshi? Prince? Prince Satoshi? Sato? "Thank you for asking… um… I was wondering how I should address you." The question slipped from my mouth before I could stop it. Satoshi smiled slightly.

"What have you always called me?" He asked gently, his eyes shining brighter.

"Satoshi," I said, "But surely you want me to call you something more respectful?" Now he laughed.

"Call me Satoshi. I don't know what Krad'll say, but you don't have to worry about being formal with me." He continued, and his voice became bitter. "I'll never be more than a prince, and I hate the title." I stood up shakily and shoved my nose against his hand. I don't really know what it was supposed to say, if it was 'don't say that' or 'I'm sorry' or 'I love you', but he traced his hand underneath my jaw and absentmindedly stroked my ears. "Speaking of my brother, that's why I'm here. He wants to see you. Can you walk?"

"Well enough, thanks to Emiko and Towa," I replied. "Where are they?"

"I requested that they give us a few moments alone," he said. "Krad is the paranoid one, after all." I pulled my lips back in a grin. "I'll give you a few moments to say thank you, but Krad'll be expecting us back soon…"

"Will I not be coming back?" I asked, troubled.

"You'll come to court," Satoshi answered, "I think you'll get to live here if you want, but our father might want you… somewhere else." I was pretty certain I didn't want to know where 'somewhere else' was. But I nodded all the same and stood up, testing my paws more fully. I crouched down low, and leapt up, landing hard. Nothing. No pain at all. I smiled to myself, and then at Satoshi. He grinned back at me, and then stood up.

"I'll be outside," he said. "Don't take long." I nodded, and he walked out. I studied his wings as he left. They folded against each other, forming an elongated heart of crystal feathers down his back. I wondered if those wings were as fragile as the crystal they resembled. I also briefly wondered how my uncle had given them to him; if it had been a mutation or grafting or something I had never heard of. But the thoughts slipped from my mind as I heard footsteps.

Towa was grinning at me. "Hey, Rue," she said. I grinned at her.

"Hey," I replied. I had an odd feeling about something here…

"Rue, I wish you the best of luck at court and I hope I see you tonight… Emiko wishes you the same, but she's trying to keep Harlem in the kitchen; he's about ready to tear your throat out."

"Who?" I asked, suddenly very over aware of my surroundings.

"Harlem," Towa said again. "Dark's warhound. He's a huge, black and silver thing, vicious when he needs to be." I shivered.

"Towa," I asked quietly, "I still don't think I understand what warhounds are." She gazed at me for a long moment.

"Fighting hounds Rue," she said softly. "Huge, vicious, fighting hounds." Her jade-green eyes glittered sadly as she stroked my head. "I'm sure you'll be fine." She hugged me and stood up. "You should go now. I'm sure I'll see you tonight." She gave me a grin and jogged back to the kitchen. I almost whimpered. Dark had said I would have made a good warhound. I didn't think I would. I doubted Dark had known what he was talking about. I doubted Dark had more than half a brain. I couldn't get Towa's happy grin out of my face.

I didn't want to leave. But the snarling that came from the kitchen convinced me otherwise. I called a quick 'goodbye' to Emiko and slipped out of the front door. I was shaking. When I stepped outside, the earthy smell assailed my nostrils and I almost cried. It hurt. It physically; mentally hurt. I was hit with a wave of homesickness so hard that I almost fell over. I whimpered again. "Rue?" Satoshi asked carefully.

"I'm scared," I replied. I felt that the explanation was unneeded, but it seemed to take Satoshi by surprise.

"You look furious," he said. "Just try to relax, okay?" I didn't think I would be able to, but I nodded. Satoshi ruffled the fur between my ears fondly and walked off. I followed.

"Satoshi!" I jumped, then crouched and snarled; my ears pinned against my head, tense at the voice that had caught me by surprise. But it was only Daisuke, jogging up the path that led to the door, a small bundle of white held in his arms. Satoshi smiled at him; a smile that was both friendly and tired. "Hey Rue! Look, I found Wiz!" I bared my teeth at the ball of white cradled in Daisuke's arms in a smile, and it 'kyuued' softly and blinked its ruby eyes. Daisuke ruffled its fur fondly.

"We must be going," Satoshi said quietly. "My brother will be expecting the two of us."

"Oh," Daisuke said, "Of course. I'll see you later then!" He looked a bit disappointed, but quickly jogged inside anyway, Wiz now 'kyuuing' on his shoulder. Satoshi and I walked off in the opposite direction, and I couldn't help but glance back at the redhead.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Satoshi said. "It's considered bad luck to look over your shoulder here." I blinked.

"I thought you didn't believe things like that?" I asked cautiously. Satoshi didn't look at me as he answered, though I continued to study his crystal-like wings.

"One of my uncles glanced back during a retreat," Satoshi said, "And an arrow went through his skull. I have never once looked behind me." I felt ill as I trod down the dusty path, wishing I could run through a creek or get some of this dust off of my fur before I had to go see his parents. A brown horse hitched to a cart trotted past us; its driver tipping his hat to Satoshi as he rambled by. Satoshi nodded briefly back at him, and then turned his attention to me. "I suppose I'm covered in dust?" He asked, and I nodded.

"I am too, I would think," I said honestly. He smiled.

"A couple of dusty old travelers, aren't we Rue?" He shook his head sadly and ruffled his wings. I was amazed that no one had given us a second glance, but looking around, I realized that the cart that had passed us earlier had been the only sign of life on the streets. It was almost noon, and the sun was high in the sky, where there were only thin wisps of clouds and birds.

"Where is everybody?" I asked. Satoshi didn't reply. "Satoshi?" Still, nothing. He didn't even look at me this time, and I felt something snap in me. "Fine then," I said quietly. "Never mind." And the rest of our walk was spent in silence.

…

I endured the horrible silence for the rest of the walk to the castle, and even beyond. But I couldn't help but gasp slightly as the first towers of the palace came into sight. Two flags, one of ice blue, the other of pale gold, practically glowed in the sunlight, and as we got closer, I could hear the sound of running water. "Satoshi…" I tried again, "Please say something."

"It's beautiful," he replied gently, "Isn't it?" We stepped through a large stone archway into what I guessed was a courtyard, and I saw the source of the running water. A fountain that appeared to be made of marble shot a tall jet of crystal clear water high into the sky, where it cascaded down in diamond-like droplets that caught the sun's dying light and cast rainbows on the stone walls that now surrounded us, just the way Satoshi's wings did, before splashing into a large basin that probably deeper than I was tall. I heard hoofbeats from a distance away, and pricked up my ears, too entranced by the falling water to look around.

"Hello Krad," Satoshi said quietly, snapping me out of my stupor. I glanced to my right and saw four grayish hooves, attached to four white legs, attached to the snowiest, whitest stallion I had ever seen. Its mouth dripped foam as it champed on its bit, and steam rolled out of its pinkish nose. It looked at me warily through a silver faceplate, stamping at the ground and snorting as its tail swished about like a cloud.

Krad sat astride the horse in a black leather saddle that was accented in silver, and held a pair of golden-colored reins loosely in one hand. "Hello Satoshi," he said, his eyes sparkling, "Hello Rue. I figured my parents would like to see us coming home in more than peasants rags, dearest brother," (here Satoshi flinched), "So I asked them for some time for them to organize the court."

"Well then, I'll be off," Satoshi said (rather harshly, I thought). "Tell them to get Quark saddled for me; I think I'll go riding as well." Krad nodded and wheeled his horse around.

"Of course," he said. "Come on Rue, I'll give you a tour." He dug his heels into the horse's flanks, and it leapt forward. Without a second thought, I ran after it, keeping pace almost easily.

I thought about Satoshi, but I didn't look back. My tongue lolled out of my mouth, and I could hear people gasping and pointing as Krad and I passed them, but I didn't look around. I didn't dare.

…

AN: Wow… this is so overdue it's painful. I hope it was worth the wait… Review?