Kam: I would apologise.

Vamp: You really could

Choc: You really should, you mean.

Kam: But there was an apology chapter that I used this one to replace so if you've read that then I have already apologised and am off the hook :D

Vamp: Going too easy on you if you ask me

Kam: Oh? Well no one did Vamp.

Vamp: Grrr…

Kam: (nervously edging away to safety) Weelll, now that I'm back, hopefully for a while, here's the dramatic and chilling new instalment of Threat!

Choc: Can't… hold her… back.

Kam: Enjoy! And laters! (runs away)

Vamp: I'll get you! (chases)

Choc: Phew! Look at Kam run. If she ran that fast in PE we'd… get the same marks we always do… -_-

Le Disclaimer: I own many things that aren't Yu-Gi-Oh, like a certificate for second place in a poetry competition :D

Last Time

"Hmm? A habit… of my father's."

"Your dad?" Joey repeated.

"And my grandfather, his father before him and onwards."

"Well why do you say it?"

"It's said for various reasons; I have yet to find mine."

"What does it mean?"

"It's being thankful for the light of day; there was a time when that did not exist. Recently it's become a thank you for anything good in one's life. Mostly for a love."

It didn't look like he was going to continue so Joey just watched him watch the sunset. A thank you. Usually for a love. Then why would Kaiba be saying it? He couldn't possibly have a girlfriend. I mean, the bastard isn't capable of love.

…Is he?

Chap 7

"Mokuba."

His conclusion but not his voice. He turned to face the dark haired boy who wasn't nearly as entranced by the sunset as his brother. He couldn't believe it took him five minutes of staring him in the face.

He was capable of love.

The boy enchanted with the brother enchanted with the setting sun and he, enchanted with the scene.

Mokuba.

It had always been and always would be Mokuba.

The halfway state was fine.

Pleasant, even.

The change was a little uncomfortable but he had no complaints.

In fact, it was a nice walk in the park on a mild day with a light breeze and golden glow over bright green grass compared to the full transformation.

Now he knew why his father had dragged him to the middle of a forest (who knew Domino was anywhere near one?) on the outskirts of town. So his screams and howls could rebound off trees instead of thin walls where neighbours would wonder if the events one week prior were recurring.

Bad memories.

For both blondes as Joey yelled and cried his pain to the starry sky. Tears formed in dulled honey eyes. He felt an uncomfortable pull and pressure near his fingertips; his ears melted into his head and his centre of hearing changed. He felt something perk up on top of his head. A squeeze from every pore on his body and he felt a blanket of warmth settle all over his skin. He fell to his knees from the pain and he tasted blood in his mouth and then an ache as his jaw lengthened to accommodate his new teeth.

Dull honey eyes opened wide and brightened until they sparkled gold. The only pleasant part was a comfortable warmth and sweet tingle that made him want to laugh.

When it was done he lay on the grass and panted from exhaustion. At least the pain didn't linger. He lay there and inhaled the world for a few minutes.

A presence to his right woke him from his daze.

"The full moon helped at least." His father muttered.

"Ya mean… it can feel… worse?" He panted incredulously.

"Not much, but definitely worse." He didn't reply to his father's matter of fact statement as the man's indifferent attitude was pissing him off, and reminding him of a certain nuisance of a CEO, or prince… or whatever!

"Magnificent." Joey cocked his head inquisitively as he glanced up at his father from where the boy lounged on the ground, a blonde ear twitching.

"You're built like you've been guarding for years, it's more than just from hereditary traits," his father elaborated. "That… gang helped with that, I guess."

His father's eyes narrowed and the young wolf tentatively stood up, his head was hung low. A sigh reached the young one's slightly drooped ears.

"I'm not mad at you anymore Jo. It was my fault. Yet, despite the purely negative entity they were, they did some good. They gave you training I should have taken care of and for that I am grateful."

Joey examined his father out of the corner of his eye. Sincere words but what exactly did they mean? Nothing had been explained to him and he was still out of the loop on the rules and customs of his kind.

"Now, if you're steady, let's test your speed."

That was an abrupt change of topic.

Joey stretched and lifted his paws experimentally as his father transformed. He tried a quick flick of his tail and became intrigued by it. He tried to turn to it to inspect it properly but it was just out of his reach. He became frustrated with this and began to chase it fervently.

"I know this is new to you, son but try not to get distracted Jo."

Joey abruptly froze, realising how ridiculous he looked, and sat down as his father chuckled.

"Quite done?"

"Uh yeah." They exchanged in that strange way that wolves communicate.

"Then from here to that lake, boy."

It took him a while to locate the body of water with his senses before he nodded to the bigger wolf, a distinctly human gesture.

He found that quickly.

Jonathon Wheeler stored that information; it would help with assessment, and took a ready stance. Joey did the same.

"Go."

Two yellow blurs dashed out of the clearing, one trailing silver and the other gold. The younger's senses stretched.

Tree. Left or right? A slight turn of his paw and he swerved smoothly to the left. His body flowed like liquid gold as it weaved through the trees. Instinct took over and he sensed the smooth rub of his fur against a trunk, against leaves. The heat of his father's presence not far to his right wavered on the edge of his senses as the older wolf slinked just as gracefully as his son.

He smelled the leaves and took in every scent the flowers offered as he slipped by them, breathed the woody aroma of the trees he dodged.

The taste of the wind touched his tongue occasionally, he could hear the pound of his and his father's feet and the sound of every crash through the undergrowth.

They skidded to a halt at the edge of the lake and Joey bent his head to experimentally lap at the water. It was cool and clear but he wasn't thirsty or tired so after a few licks he lifted his gaze to his silent father.

"Too late."

"Wha-?"

"I'm too late. Far, far too late."

"Whaddaya mean pops?"

The guilt wouldn't let up, it was crushing him. Jonathon Wheeler felt himself on the verge of tears. He did it again. He screwed up.

The test from the week before proved the strength and skill section, despite the risk of reprimand from concerned neighbours, they'd always been on his case to improve his… habits. This night proved stamina and speed and all of it was far too aggressive for someone who had never Changed before. He thought he said he could handle it! He thought he said he would handle it.

But that was his problem wasn't it?

He always said he would.

You know it's bad when you feel betrayed by yourself. I could never have handled this. If I'd ever bothered to try I probably would have handed him over to a trainer as soon as possible. I wouldn't have even tried to finish the customary first year.

"I really am too late, aren't I?"

Joey had been getting worried. And when he got worried he had a habit if converting that worry to anger, much easier to vent. Something strange happened this time though; he began to scan the area for something safe to punch when he heard these last few words from his father.

… What?

What on earth was he too late for?

What wasn't he telling his only son, again?

In the dark.

His faint frustration and impatience heated.

I'm in the dark again.

I'm in the fucking dark again!

He saw red and then his father's eyes. They weren't wide with the surprise of being attacked though, they were cold and detached. The eyes of a man capable of killing another. These eyes now on a wolf's naturally wary face.

The boy was frenzied. He opened with a loud, uncontrolled, tackling run before suddenly pouncing. The older quickly dropped to the ground and rolled as his son landed unsteadily on the spot his head would have been if the attack were successful.

He looked up as his boy turned to him with a feral snarl yet fully aware and frightened eyes. The sight heaped more shame on him as he realised it wasn't only fear of his loss of control but fear of his own father. He closed his eyes and relaxed his face; there was no need to revert to old habits.

He lunged suddenly and pinned the smaller wolf to the ground.

In the dark!

Anguish assaulted his mind and his guilt flared in response. The younger wolf stilled.

"If this was done normally. Traditionally. You would have had a trainer four years ago."

The smaller animal froze as it realised it was getting the answers it had been craving.

"I would have started your training at twelve and this year would have been your final year. The trainer that helped you cultivate your skills would be your temporary master and you would have had five more years to find your first true master. All that time spent is important. I should have done this, years ago and now it's too late."

Joey watched his father with now fully in control eyes. The elder Wheeler took a few deep breaths and stepped back; Joey flopped into a more comfortable position and looked at his father out of the edge of his wide brown eyes.

"I mentioned that you would be assigned a temporary master."

Joey didn't need to nod but still moved his head, his face rubbing against the grass.

"It's to guard against instinct."

A blonde ear perked curiously.

"The assignment, the trainer, the six year prep course. All of it. To stop the instinct, the monster you could become."

His large eyes widened.

"Lapdogs, Jo? It may seem so now, but the members of CSect have never been a submissive race. There was a time when we roamed untethered… that was the worst part of our history. We are much like dragons; we use the same sort of magic to shift. You'll remember when I said that dragons were as well known for their elegance as their capability for destruction. We were only known for the destruction we caused."

The older wolf spoke with a customary, hereditary shame and hint of passed down pride.

"In fact, the dragons both saved and chained us. We were causing… problems and they ruled that the source of our violent nature was a lack of restraint and so they devised a way to restrain us."

His tone had turned admiring and grateful yet chagrined and resentful, how he sounded whenever he talked of dragons.

"Dragons were our first masters."

There was a silence as Joey digested the new information. He semi-expected it but that didn't mean he had accepted it. Kaiba… Kaiba was a dragon…

"They were the first to tame the beast we call instinct and their method is one we need to use or…"

His father trailed off.

"Your instincts will hit you soon, stronger than anything you'll ever take on. No instructor, parent or friend can help now. It's far too late to delay, I'm afraid my poor timing has left you with no choice… but to get a master."

Joey lifted his head. A what? Already?

"That's not all. It has to be done soon, you only have a few days till it hits…"

Joey stared in disbelief at the silvery blonde wolf before him with sad, hopeless eyes. He had already given up. Jonathon Wheeler stopped fighting the urge to cry. Tears slipped through his fur as he hung his head and tried desperately not to think too hard of the consequences of his negligence. He didn't keep his voice steady as he choked out his next sentence.

"You must find a master by the end of the week, midnight on Saturday at the latest. Before you turn wild… and have to be put down."

He whimpered.

"You'll feel it. You'll be hit with an emotion, any emotion; it's different for each wolf, all in response to your Master. It will be strong and stronger every day until your instincts hit, and then it's unbearable. This means that it'll get easier to find them over time but when your instincts hit it'll be too late. The moment the beast takes over you'll know exactly where your Master is. It's said that if you'd already met them without realising it you replay those memories as it happens."

"As what happens?"

"… Your natural resistance against being controlled will kick in and you'll kill your Master."

Kill?

Joey Wheeler had never killed. On a bad day he'd sent plenty to the hospital, sure, but he'd never killed.

"Joey?"

"Are you okay? You're not eating, bud."

Worried. Seems everyone he knew was worried about him.

Tristan came into focus, tapping the food that he had yet to even look at. Yugi had his hand on Joey's arm and Ryou looked fairly concerned on Yugi's right.

"Huh?" he muttered.

"Oh yeah." He started gobbling down food and that made him feel slightly better, no use worrying on an empty stomach. The relief radiated off his friends.

They sat back and stared concernedly at him behind their own untouched food. They took his sudden enthusiasm in consuming his plate as their cue to eat.

"You've been doing that a lot." Tristan pointed out with food in his mouth.

"Doin' what?" Joey questioned with his mouth full as well.

"Zoning out." Ryou swallowed before answering.

Joey just chewed his food.

"Everyone's worried about Duke and Téa, Joey." Yugi guessed at what might be on his friend's mind. For once the shorter boy couldn't be right. Joey temporarily paused in eating to take in the other boy's concerned and usually so perceptive gaze.

"I know." He said eventually and resumed stuffing his face with what was left on his plate.

"Are you worried about them?"

The question was unexpected and Joey jerked his head up.

"Yes." He insisted to both himself and the doubtful brunette before him.

He cared dammit. Didn't he vow that he would get them back? For all of them. Especially for Yugi and Tristan. So he was a member of a secret organisation of supernatural creatures. So he was part of the most feared and dangerous Sect of the society. He was days away from either killing his owner or dying for political reasons. None of that meant that he could just forget that silent promise.

"Then why haven't you been helping us?"

Joey had almost forgotten what they'd been talking about in his fervent persuading of himself.

"What do ya mean?"

"We've been thinking of ways to find them. Tristan wants to search every day but we've still got school and we can't let anyone know about this, they'll suspect something if our grades drop suddenly." Yugi explained. Ryou piped up next.

"And yet, it's getting harder and harder to believe that this is something we can handle on our own. We're going to have to find a plan soon."

Joey's eyes stayed on Tristan and he watched those greenish-brown eyes struggle with a desperate, uncertain fury.

"So where have you been?" Tristan's voice was laced with pain and rage. Joey took a moment to answer.

"I know it may not seem like it, but I am helping."

"You were only ever there the first night Joey." Tristan had stopped eating and Joey swallowed his last mouthful, the two smaller boys at their table remained silent and forced small bits of food into their mouths.

Joey lowered his eyes to his lap and thought back to that night and a strangely hysterical Tristan. He'd calmed his out of character friend down before urging him to call the others. He met them at the mall Duke and Téa said they were going shopping and they'd spread out from there. For the longest time they had yet to find anything before Joey came across a scattering of broken glass and two still sticky spots of what looked like blood.

They'd stared horrified at the spots before Yugi and Ryou had bent down. Ryou bent to confirm their thoughts of blood; he turned with a relieved smile. Yugi on the other hand turned with tears in his eyes and Téa's favourite bracelet in his hands, a gift he'd gotten her ages ago.

That was the first night.

Every other night he'd been busy. Sunday was a workday; he still had to bring something home. Monday was bombshell night, he couldn't concentrate on reality long enough to be effective. Last night…

"… you'll kill your master."

"Nothing."

Joey closed his eyes.

"You're not going to say anything. I thought you said you cared Joey!"

Keep quiet. Hold your tongue.

"If you care so much Joey why aren't you helping us?" Tristan was shouting now, heads were turning to him.

"I am helpin'! It's bec-"

It was on the tip of his tongue.

What the Sects were, that he was part of them, Kaiba too, how he'd approached the arrogant bastard for information. That they'd come to what was vaguely a mutual partnership and everything afterward. All of it.

But then Joey did something he rarely considered before acting. He thought.

The consequences for such a reckless action could be devastating. He couldn't risk his friends' safety.

"… I can't tell ya." He finished lamely, his hair hung in his eyes as he shamefully lowered his head. Tristan stood up stiffly. Everything he'd feared was true; Joey didn't really care.

"Thought so." He stalked off and silence descended on the table, broken rudely and gracelessly by the bell for class.

"C'mon Joey." Yugi coaxed the dark-looking boy.

Joey stood up slowly to follow his friends. The smaller boys walked beside each other and didn't look back. So they thought he didn't care either, huh? He clenched his fists and didn't realise he'd stopped walking. His hands shook as he watched the backs of his friends drift away from him. He was suddenly assaulted by a heated rage. It was painful and his limbs immediately stiffened as he refrained from punching the ground and breaking through it with the incredible unnatural strength he suddenly felt.

His sight was slipping and Yugi and Ryou's brightly coloured hair was fading. Their forms were getting distant, leaving him. Like his old identity, like his friend's trust and faith and, with every gut punch of power and rage driving him to his knees, like his own life.

Vamp: There it is

Choc: Hope You enjoyed :D

Kam: No time!

All: Please review!