Just as the human pulled down the hood of his coat, the call went up in a series of piercing howls.

"INTRUDER!"

"TRESPASSER!"

"HUMAN!"

The man – or boy, rather, judging from his rounded, youthful face - jolted at the sudden noise, his blue eyes going comically wide as he took in the entirety of the cave. How he had missed the large gathering of wolves right in front of him, Axel couldn't even begin to guess, but the red wolf felt his instinctive anger cooling slightly with curiosity, and what almost felt like pity.

The little human was covered with snow, his clothes soaking wet and clinging to him. Though it was hard to tell, Axel supposed that his hair was blonde beneath all that powder. It was messy and spiky, and despite its dampness, it seemed to crown his head, like large, permanently raised hackles.

"N-No!" The boy backed up as the two guard wolves advanced on him, snarling. The rest of the pack was in a frenzy; adults jumping to their feet, securing their children safely behind them, by force if necessary. Human forms were shed in favor of large, long lupine bodies, equipped with sharp claws and teeth, presenting an imposing picture to the foolish human who dared to try and harm them and their families.

Axel had yet to rise to his feet, sensing a genuine fear and helplessness radiating from the boy, but he looked up and saw the alpha standing, his priest and councilors quickly coming to his side.

"Bring him to me!" Terra ordered, and when Axel looked back, he saw the boy's eyes widening further.

"You can talk?" he asked disbelievingly, raising his hands in some pathetic attempt at defense. "P-Please, werewolves or whatever you are, please don't hurt me! I meant no harm!"

"Liar!" the nearest guard, Luxord growled, circling behind to cut off his escape and snapping at the boy's legs.

"I-I'm not lying!" he cried, stumbling forward and falling to his knees hard, wincing. He then found himself face to face with Xigbar, a grey wolf with a scarred muzzle and one missing eye. The guard gave him a wolfish smirk, barring his teeth. "No! Don't!"

"On your feet, little prey," he mocked, biting the boy's left arm and yanking him off of the floor. The blonde cried out raggedly, and Axel suddenly smelled blood in the air. He had rarely smelled human blood before, and he didn't remember it ever being quite this good.

"Xigbar, that's enough!" Terra said warningly. "I told you to 'bring him,' not 'maim him.'"

With a careless shrug, the grey wolf let go and stepped back, licking his lips. The boy fell back to his knees and clutched his arm close, covering the bloody holes that had torn right through his jacket. He was shaking terribly, and looked to be fighting the urge to cry out loud.

"Axel!" The redhead snapped his head up at the call, only to find the entire congregation looking at him. The alpha gestured with his head. "See if he has any weapons."

"I don't! I promise!"

"Silence!" Luxord barked, making the young human flinch and curl inward.

"Huh?" Axel blinked, and then frowned. "Why me?"

Terra started to speak again, but was cut off by the thin, light grey wolf on his right. Xemnas.

"Do not question the Alpha, you impudent brat! He has given you a command!"

"I'm not refusing," Axel shouted back. "I'm just wondering why. Get those knots out of your fur, old man."

The room filled up with muttering, echoing all around him. That was another thing that separated Axel from the other wolves in the pack; he regularly liked to question authority. It had never been maliciously done, even as an adult. The redhead simply didn't enjoy blindly following orders, no matter who they came from, and though they came fewer and farther in between now, he still resisted from time to time. Blame it on his stubborn human heritage maybe, but whatever the cause, it was who he was.

Usually, surprisingly, Terra seemed to almost appreciate that. Axel was never quite sure why, but he didn't question it much. It annoyed Xemnas and the others, and that was all that really mattered…

The large brown wolf waved his priest back, causing the other to scoff and bluster at him briefly.

"Do not argue with me today, Axel. Just make yourself useful for once and search him." His tone could have been harsh or commanding, but instead, it was a tolerant sigh. Yet another reminder that Terra was good and kind, a true leader, and he himself was…every bit the selfish, lazy mooch that he claimed Demyx to be. Even with many to protect from threats just like this one, there was already a look of compassion in Terra's eyes as he regarded the human whimpering softly on the cavern floor. Axel could see it, and despite his own misgivings, he was sure he knew the alpha's thoughts plainly enough.

There was probably no sense in biting first, and asking questions later. This human wasn't even a man grown.

"Search him, disarm him if necessary, and bring him before the council."

The red wolf nodded stiffly, shifting into his human form.

"Fine."

Terra nodded, and then turned to Xigbar and Luxord. "You two, secure the entryway. See that no one else comes in, or gets out."

The rest of the pack was watching warily as Axel walked over to the boy and sat down in front of him. In a flash, teary blue eyes popped open, and the human leaned backwards, as far away as he could manage before Luxord made his presence known again.

For a moment, they just looked at each other, and Axel felt as if his very soul were being searched. Those eyes were the bluest he had ever seen, and they looked like the sea itself; deep enough to drown in. The boy's face was pale with fright and cold, but somehow, he never flinched from that thoughtful staring, his gaze boring into the redhead's.

Then, the blonde looked down, and whatever spell he had been working was broken.

"You're naked!" he yelped, lifting his good arm quickly and slapping the hand over his eyes. Under that, his cheeks colored slightly, flushing a faint, pastel red.

Axel snorted. "And? My wolf form keeps me warm at all times. Why would I need those silly clothes you humans wear?"

"I-It's more for modesty," he mumbled, still hiding his face in his hand. "Can't you, uh…c-cover up or something?"

The wolf looked at him sideways, unsure if he should laugh or shake him for this nonsense. Did he suddenly forget the danger he was in?

"No. Now, get on your feet and spread your arms."

With a shaky nod, the human did as he was told, averting his eyes as the taller man drew closer. Axel reached into his pockets and slid his hands under the wet, puffy coat, ignoring the blonde as he squirmed slightly, and winced when his arm was moved. His skin was stone cold to the touch, leaving the redhead to wonder how he hadn't fallen over dead long ago.

"Why did you come here?" Axel asked, unaware that a tiny drop of curiosity had bled into his tone. It made him sound less cold and detached than he was aiming for.

"I-I was lost in the storm. I just needed a place to wait it out, I swear."

The redhead hummed noncommittally, still searching him. "Didn't you see the torchlight?"

The boy shook his head, eyes stubbornly averted. "No, I couldn't see anything. If I had, I would have still come in though…Sorry."

Axel nodded, then shrugged slightly. For all he knew, it could have just been some hikers or foresters who would have shared their shelter with him…Perhaps that was something to address the next time Terra wanted to discuss security issues.

He began to wonder how long and far the boy had traveled. His boots looked worn, like they would fall apart at any moment, and the rest of his attire was...patchy, as if parts of it had been stitched back together numerous times and then finally been given up on. Axel's pack did not typically wear clothes – they spent most of their time in wolf form, and clothes never survived the transition – but he knew little enough about them to be fairly sure of that.

"Y-You're not going to make me strip, are you?"

Axel snorted again. "Don't flatter yourself. If it were a necessity, I would, but I'm confident enough with this." The worst that his kind feared were guns, but even the smallest ones could only be so well concealed.

"O-Okay…Please don't let them kill me."

The wolf-man blinked again, looking up to find the boy beginning to cry again, teary eyes fixed on his face.

"I didn't come here to hurt anyone. I didn't even know you were real until just now!" Trembling again, the little human pulled his bitten arm close and clutched it tightly. "I don't want to die…so p-please. Can you help me? I'll do anything you ask."

Axel just looked at him, taken aback. He felt…confused. Not the way he should be feeling.

The boy's plea sounded so sincere, so trusting; directed at someone who he had not only just met, but his kind's natural enemy for centuries!

He was terrified, but was still trying to put his life in Axel's paws, begging for mercy.

Mercy from a wolf! The very idea was so laughable that it was nearly painful! Did he forget what Axel was, simply because he had changed forms?

Maybe, but maybe not. Still…'How odd,' he thought. Some humans faced death with bravery, like a wolf, and yet this young one was not so contemptible as the many other humans who begged and pleaded and tricked to survive. Axel could not understand why, and that lack of understanding frustrated him, but he felt compelled to answer the timid hope shimmering faintly in those deep blue eyes.

He could see no lie there, and he trusted eyes above nearly all else.

Despite his turbulent emotions, he found himself quietly promising the boy that he would try.