Chasing the Moon

by YamiYugiPuzzleshipper

"I would be lost without you. All the stars in the sky could not light the path I wish to travel. I will always travel the path of the moon. No matter your choice, I will always follow. I chase the moon, not the sun." Fairytale/myth two-shot.

2. Part II

Okay, so I was going for a lighter, more fairytale-like story, but I also used the basis of Native American mythology for the spirits' symbolism.

In mythology, the wolf was considered wise and a very successful hunter and fighter. Many stories featured them teaching hunters the best ways to catch their food as well as solve problems.

The coyote was a trickster either greedy and ambitious with little to no boundaries or more righteous and set to help others. His stories varied and often portrayed him in entirely different lights.

The rabbit was considered a very successful trickster who was faster and wiser than a lot of the other animals but also equated with fertility and alcohol and (I believe) infidelity. The rabbit was mostly featured in stories that involved mimicry, cunning, and helping people to solve problems.

The raven and the fox were both tricksters and extremely cunning and were able to escape almost every consequence that would have come their way. The fox was considered to be the one to bring people fire in some cultures and was able to avoid any negative effects from his decisions. The raven was featured in stories that either praised him as a hero or used him as a representation of sin and negative emotions (gluttony, greed, impatience, etc.).

Since these are the main five animals, I'm only listing them.

Anyways, tell me how I did with the descriptions? I'm still working on finding my footing with the techniques. I have three (possibly four) multi-chapter stories that are going to require a better balance for me to write them without doing them extreme injustices.

Warnings: Mentions of attempted non-con, slight blood, minor death, mentions of death

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Yugioh or sculpture "Question that Devours" in picture done by Beth Cavener.

I ONLY JUST REALIZED, TOO, THAT I FORGOT TO THANK ECHO FOR THE PROOFREAD AND EDITS AND BETAING! JESUS! I'M A TERRIBLE PERSON! I'M SORRY! So, anyways, Echo definitely saved me again by being my first reader, giving me feedback, proofreading, and editing for me! So sorry I forgot to say thank you before. *covers face in shame*

Chasing the Moon

Part II

The wolf breathed in the soft, lingering scent of water and closed his eyes briefly. He was surprised that he had gotten to the cave without issue, as he had expected Akefia to follow him and harass him more than that mild spat he had wished to engage him in. He had thought he would have to focus harder to ignore his taunts, to get away unscathed from it all. One moment of doubt was always enough for the coyote to twist another's reality. And he had expected it to be harder to avoid slipping, as the creature sought so hard to get beneath his pelt. He still remembered working with the coyote, when he had been brought forth as one of the original spirits, the two of them placed together because of their familial ties. But the coyote had been all about show and humiliation, so eager to get beneath his skin and terribly desperate for something that Atemu had refused to offer him.

He shuddered at the very thought, glancing upon the walls for a single moment. His coat spread glittering stars across the sleek stone and the water splashing down before him made it all the more beautiful. Ribbons of color danced before his eyes, and the dull roar of the waterfall made them sound almost alive with shimmering finesse. A puddle met his paw as he stepped forward, dulling the gentle sound of his weight with a soft trickle that seemed amplified harshly within his ears. A small mist drifted from the cold air touching the stone, the constant pressure of the rushing water causing the vapor to cling to his fur. He felt heavier, almost to the point of weariness, and he closed his eyes for a brief moment. Passing into the realm below had always seemed like a burden rather than a choice, but now he supposed he had more reason than to squelch a ravenous ache in his hollow stomach. He had to bring Yugi back—or at least find out why he had left him like this. If Akefia was right—

He flinched and glanced over his shoulder for a moment. His pelt twitched and burned as if on fire beneath a blazing sun. He did not believe the coyote for a second, not after all the mental torment he had tried to inflict upon him when they had worked together. But he had to wonder, what it was that had made his mate run from him like this. And the coyote's voice echoed in his head, threading together the words that only he could ever love him. The thought was sickening and he felt as if he might collapse to his belly in shame at the very idea, horrified and disgusted.

He had never gotten along with Akefia. The coyote had wanted to dominate him—physically and mentally—and he breathed poison in his ears like a cobra. He had followed him to his den more than once, trying to make himself at home there. Atemu had chased him off each time, disgusted and furious, and had moved himself away several times in pure panic at the very thought. He had been so much younger back then, so easily scared of even his own shadow or making a misstep in his attempt to keep the world beneath balanced.

Atemu had only been the size of a yearling, and though he had fought Akefia off several times, it had gotten tiresome. He had grown terrified on more than one occasion, knowing that the coyote was doing exactly as he had set out to do, humiliating him and getting beneath his skin with such intensity that he felt his mind might break. But he had also grown from it, and a bitterness had begun to form in his heart, to the point that it seemed to turn it black. By the time Akefia thought he might have broken his will, Atemu had found himself at the point of no return in his desire to make the other suffer the same fear and hatred he felt he was always swallowing.

The night Akefia had followed him back, planning to take him once and for all, claim him as something Atemu had no desire to be, the wolf had mutilated him. He had ripped his face open in jagged lines and clawed his belly until the skin had split. He'd cast his entrails across the floor of his den and tossed him across the cave angrily. He'd scarred his face for what had felt an eternity and when the other had managed to get up despite it all, he had broken his entire right shoulder.

He had felt as if an ice had taken residence inside him. He had been sure that his heart was too black to feel anything more than that solid chunk of cold hatred that seemed to rest there. He had never questioned it after that, furious with everything that had ever been offered him, and his run-ins with Akefia were always bloody. More than once he had tried to tear his throat out, blinded by rage that he had not been able to suppress, trembling with the force of it and only stopping himself when others got involved.

His fur bristled with fear at the memories, and he craned his neck back to run his tongue over his shoulder in an attempt to soothe some of the frayed tension that was growing beneath his skin. He had not thought of such things in so long, because his life had become focused so completely on Yugi that he had had no need. As long as the moon spirit had been by his side, he had been happy, and he'd felt safe. Meeting him at first, assuming his trickster nature to be similar to Akefia's, he had thought to hate him too. And he had—for all of five minutes until he found the other spirit was too terrified to remain within his presence as a rabbit instead of a human.

Atemu flattened his ears against his skull, drawing in a deep breath, and then hurried forward. The splash sent him somersaulting for a single second, the force nearly crushing him. The wind was knocked from his lungs but he landed on the other side of the water. His paws balanced precisely after years of practice, the narrow strip of stone before him. The mouth of the cavern stood mere inches from his nose, plummeting all fifty feet to the river beneath. He had no plans of dying beneath the crashing water. Instead the wolf shook himself out, testing his balance as he always did, and then picked his way carefully along some of the shallow stones that made up the ledge he had climbed in the spirit realm as well.

The entrances mirrored each other in every way except for the fact that the spirit realm had glowed with his passage and this place did not. Beneath his paws, the stars should have stretched and the ground should have become the glittering abyss of night. Now it was only wet and dull stone and the stars in his pelt that shone brightly. His magic strummed in his veins and left him eager to find the other spirit so that they could return.

He had never liked this world. Things beneath the heavens were just so different and dangerous and everything was darker than the spirit realm. He glanced upwards. He would still be able to influence the sky's changes from below the heavens but it would never last.

He shuddered at the thought of the other spirits chasing him down to return him. He refused to pass back through without the moon spirit at his side. He would sooner die than bear the pain of separation from him.

Yugi had noticed the change in the sky as time progressed into nighttime. The moon no longer hung there to cast light, nonexistent within the darkness. But small specks of color, blue and purple like the coming darkness, were spread in the depths of the blackness the night sky contained. The colors were splotchy and unusual, like blood splattered across the ground or shattered clouds torn to ribbons. But they still wove something beautiful and strange in the sky, brilliant in design despite their obvious displacement. He wondered somewhere in the back of his mind what exactly that tale might be but he had nothing to go by. The wolf obviously had not come to find him if the sky still retained its depths like this. Perhaps the splotches of color meant he was truly happy.

Yugi at least hoped he might be despite his own crestfallen weariness. The hours seemed so much harder to bear when the wolf was not there to keep him company. He missed him dreadfully, but he would not go back.

He and Akefia had most likely grown close again, because now there was nothing to stand between them and their love anymore.

The rabbit curled up tightly and stared at the water several feet beneath his ledge in the cliff face. It was a still pool, and his reflection was beautiful in the darkness, though he looked pitiful himself, mourning his loss. There was a bright curl of light in the form of a large circle that lingered behind his pelt like sunbeams and it almost hurt his eyes to look upon for more than a few seconds. He could not find a light source to cast such a glow when he looked for it, and he realized that it must have been his magic reflected there in the water.

He could not find the white rabbit's scent anywhere, despite the way he drew in the deepest of breaths and exhaled his hardest to make any hair fibers draw upwards with the smell he needed to track. The most he had gotten for his efforts were split paw pads, an angry rumble in his hollowed belly, and thorns caught in his nose when he had gotten too close to a thicket. He had been snarled at by a badger, swooped at by a cardinal, and run away from by a small raccoon. A weasel had dove into the water out of fear when he passed by, and a mother bear had growled a warning when he got too close to her cubs.

Atemu was hungry, tired, and growing more and more fearful as the seconds passed. If he could not find Yugi, then did that mean he was dead? Or was he just so sure of his decision to run that he did not care to let the wolf find him? Surely Yugi had not truly fallen out of love with him…

He whined under his breath, pacing forward, and then took off into a brisk trot again. Maybe if he could find some clover fields, he would discover Yugi as well. It was his favorite meal, after all, and whenever they had come about foraging, it was the first thing he always went for.

Yugi's belly was growling, struggling for his attention, but the white rabbit was reluctant to move from his perch. The grass atop his ledge was hardly anything he would want to eat, but it was the only thing within reach. When he took a mouthful, it felt as if he were choking on something disgusting and rancid. He thought of the fox dung again and risked a small glance at his pelt.

At least he had cleaned it when he had treaded the pool as a human in order to get to his little ledge. It was the only safe haven he had found so far, but it was hardly a home. He planned to leave it only when he was sure that no one was going to come searching for him, let alone find him and drag him back.

The third day seemed to stretch the longest as he panted tiredly and turned his nose towards the riverbank. There were many openings between the two worlds and none of them were similar when it came to access. Smaller animals had more luck finding them than larger, and Atemu had only come across the cave for himself but stuck his nose in about ten of the others so far.

Anxiously, he felt his fur bristle and shift as if his skin were rolling beneath it. He was exhausted and his mouth was growing dry as he panted. The sun weighted his pelt as if it were the heavy bark of a tree. He had not drunk water in so long that he felt he could not remember the taste of it. His stomach felt as if it were going to dissipate within him, and the thought of eating made him want to cry out in anguish just as the idea of Yugi having truly left him did.

Akefia had to be wrong. There was no chance that Yugi had left him like that. Why would he have? He had been so happy with him only two days before, while they were lying around in the garden and the fallen stars were playing around him happily. How had they gotten so terribly off track in such a short amount of time?

He didn't understand. And he didn't want to admit that the coyote might have been right. But why would Yugi suddenly forsake him like this? Why would he run away without telling him why or how he had upset him? Atemu whined loudly, heart feeling as if it might turn to fine dust like the sand beneath his paws, and then froze in place.

Either his heart hurt so much that he was mistaking a scent for Yugi's or…

He lowered his nose into the roots of the tree, drawing in a deep breath. He could smell the rabbit, a gentle and almost nonexistent scent that was quickly fading. He could also catch the arid tone of magic that announced yet another entrance for a prey animal. He was not mistaken then, Yugi was truly here…

He took off running, sure of himself and where the other might have gone. He recognized this place, something that had slipped from his mind long ago. The heartache was nothing he could outrun, but it seemed to alleviate as he continued moving. Yugi had to be close by, waiting for him or trying to hide away from others so that he could learn to become a mindless piece of prey once more on his own.

He was panting and the sun was setting as he looked up, a hollow dread seeping into his bones once more.

The circle of light around him had grown impossibly strained as he looked at his reflection once more. He was unsure of whether it was his second form that made him this way or if it was Akefia resuming his role as the moon in the heavens. He could not find the white sphere in the sky, however, no matter how hard he looked. There were no clouds to cast over it, and its absence seemed eerie and horrifying as he continued to search for it. It was made even more startling by the lack of blackness to make up the sky. The night had become a strange, terrible green-gray shade that bordered on the edges of something sick and unearthly. The stars were broken and fractured, crushed and nonexistent in several places. He could not find a single constellation, as if they had all slipped from existence with his absence.

He remained watching the sky, frowning in puzzlement, and tilted his head as he stared up at it. A movement caught his attention but if it was a natural born animal it would not come any closer. They seemed to fear the pool of water now that he resided there, most likely due to the magic that they did not understand.

"You have fallen out of the sky, my heart," a voice growled softly behind him.

The baritone pitch sent his heart hammering in his chest. "Atemu," the boy whispered, spinning around with wide eyes.

The wolf raised its head and its red eyes flashed towards the water. For a moment it hesitated and then it sprang forward as if it were a newborn deer. The splash was enough to soak it head to tail, but its paws touched the bottom with such resounding balance that it looked startled by the fact. Yugi was amused by his idea that it would be too deep for him to wade, and watched as he began to trot swiftly towards him. The canine cast a shadow dark enough that the stars in his fur beneath the liquid were very near invisible. "Tell me what has made you leave me like this," he demanded coldly, expression furious for only a moment. A tired relief spread through his dulling crimson eyes a moment later, however, and the smaller boy smiled softly without realizing. "So much time I have spent searching for you."

"You shouldn't have come here—"

"But where else should I go?" the wolf asked softly, the stars shining in its beautiful black pelt, shimmering among the thick hairs. Deep shades of royal blue and red-violet littered his pelt in patches and it was clear that it was not by choice. The discoloration looked both beautiful and hideous all at once, lifeless and strained as the sky above their heads yet somehow vibrant and pulsating. Yugi feared that had the wolf not been so determined to find him that the very depth of them would have dissipated completely and he would have lay somewhere to rest and never wake again. "Where else would I go but to chase the moon, Yugi?"

"The others will be angry with you…"

"Let them be," he snorted dismissively, wading closer and pausing beside the ring of light his pale skin gave off. The water rippled softly beneath them as the wolf lifted his head and looked at the stars that glimmered in the off-gray, almost green sky. They glittered weakly but held just enough strength to be noticeable against the color of a coming storm. "I care not."

Yugi stayed quiet for a moment and then ducked his head, reaching his fingers out for the water. It was cold now that the other spirit had joined him. But he welcomed the chill as he always had, warmed by the red-eyed spirit's presence beside him. "You know you can never go back if you remain for too long…"

"Then so be it. If you will not come back with me, then I care not for my duties," Atemu stated softly, stretching his muzzle out to press his nose into the skin of his hip. He looked exhausted and wearier than he had ever witnessed him, and his nose was so cold that for a moment he almost flinched. "They will find another to replace me. We are and always have been expendable."

"You are being foolish, Atemu. Go back."

"You may not wish to return and I shall not leave without you."

"Why does it matter so much to you?"

"Because we are inseparable, you and I," he murmured gently, a small smile crossing his lips and pulling them back to show his teeth in an uneven curve. His cheeks bunched up on both sides and his tongue looked bright even with the lack of light to see it with. The former spirit raised a brow, taking in the way that the black lips stretched so fully into a grin akin those of his more human-bound cousins. "I will not return without you."

The canine lifted his head towards the heavens again. The hideous color of it was growing darker, as if shadows were passing through it in splotches, and the stars were dying as if they had never before existed. His fur bristled then fell, a brief tremble racking his pelt. His time was running out, yet, should Yugi choose it, he would never harbor the desire to go back. "I believe that the spirit realm can hold itself in one piece without me to influence it. There is always Seth to keep the peace in my absence," he stated, head turning and eyes growing warm as they regarded the other. "I do not doubt he can do just as well as I ever could."

Yugi ignored the small twist in his gut which screamed at him to tell Atemu to turn back. A small trickle of discomfort trailed down his spine as he remembered his own selfishness. "But you surely could never be happy here, in this place," he murmured gently, frowning as the wolf tilted his head in puzzlement at the statement. He looked so innocent as to remind Yugi of their former children and of puppies who gazed upon their mothers as if they were the center of their universe. "The few times you came here, you have hated it, Atemu. You have said many times that you would never wish to be here for longer than absolutely necessary—"

"I raced through my time here in order to return to your side as quickly as I might find myself able. I have taken this form of flesh and blood simply so that I might see you again. I have spent three whole days searching for you without rest. Do you doubt that I could not find some solace in simply having you beside me?" he asked softly, stepping closer and entering the small ring of light he emitted. "If you must spend your existence in this realm, then so shall I."

"You still have time—"

"Until that halo of light around you wanes, you have time as well," Atemu growled, bristling as he perked his ears and raised his head. The fur shuddered along his body again and his lips curled faintly in displeasure. "Do you wish to return or remain here? I do not know what Akefia told you to doubt me so, but surely you know that I need nothing more than you by my side. Choose where you should wish to go and I will follow."

"I can't let you do this."

"You're right. You cannot, because you have no control over me, little moon. I am not yours to control. But you may dictate this one thing. Where will we be? In the realm of the spirits or reality?"

"…You shouldn't do this."

"Do not tell me what I should and should not do. Shall we rest here or remain? We only have minutes to decide. The stars are too weak from my descent. And there is no moon to light the darkness…" He shook his head slowly and pressed his forehead against his hip, leaning into the soft flesh. "I would be lost without you. All the stars in the sky could not light the path I wish to travel. I will always travel the path of the moon."

"Atemu…"

"Whatever Akefia has spoken to you was a lie. I would never betray you." He pulled back to look at him again, taking in the wide blue-violet eyes, the shade of sapphire and dusk. His tail flickered under the water, wagging, and the gentle sway of the pool made Yugi blink as he stared at him. "No matter your choice, I will always follow. I chase the moon, not the sun. Don't forsake me, little moon."

"Oh, dear Atemu, you know I could never forsake you…"

"Then choose. Choose as I have chosen you," Atemu pleaded, staring into his eyes and flattening his ears against his skull. The star in the center of his forehead shone brightly but the intermingled paths of blue and galaxies unnamed formerly painted white had lost a touch of their gleam. His fur looked ragged, his smooth cheeks unruly and the bases of his ears in clear disarray. "Tell me, little rabbit. Tell me where we shall stay."

Yugi tipped his head up to take in the discolored heavens and finally the black wolf before him again. The spirit looked up at him with pupils centered with bright white and stars in his pelt, with red eyes so fathomlessly deep and vivid with affection that it made his heart hammer in his chest. He still watched him with such warmth that it could have melted snow in the midst of winter, telling him without words the many things that he needed to hear. The spirit in front of him had never done anything to hurt him and the truth was more painful than the lies he had been fed.

"I'm so sorry for doubting you, Atemu…"

He shook his head firmly. "Apologize later, my dear heart. I want to have my answer before the sun and this realm awaken," he stated gently.

"It's too late to go back," the boy whispered, shaking his head and casting a distressed glance at his shadow in the water. Atemu looked down at the rabbit silhouette which drifted atop the rippling water in the center of the small ring of white the smaller spirit spread over the pool. The off-white silver-gray shadow was stretched in a running motion trapped in place and the sight was nearly enough to make him wag his tail again, thinking of their games together formerly. "I can't return there."

"Until the light of the stars is shed from my fur and the water before you turns dark, we may go back. But remember that the moment you choose, there is no changing our minds."

Our minds, Yugi thought with a small smile. The former moon spirit bit his lip, staring at the canine and feeling his heart skip and dance in his chest. Atemu glanced between him and the sky for a moment, looking exhausted but happy. He lowered his eyes back to the other spirit and wagged his tail once softly in a slow movement. The water rippled gently and he opened his jaws slightly to show the very edges of his bottom incisors in a soft smile.

"I missed you," he mumbled instead, swallowing hard as he looked him over. "And I know that you would be happier up in the spirit realm—"

"Disregard what would make me happy," he argued, flattening his ears against his skull and growling softly. The star on his forehead blinked weakly, showing a pitiful power that made his heart wrench for a moment. "I want you happy, not me. I will be happy as long as you are. Now choose. I can feel Anzu and Kris approaching my domain. Their magic is going to mix with mine in only minutes…"

"I…I want to go back. I miss the heavens—I just…I don't know if I…I don't think I'm strong enough to go back, Atemu," he muttered, gesturing towards the thin ring of light he emitted. "I think it's too late—"

"Then I shall give you my strength," the wolf stated simply, wagging his tail again as his jaws opened wider. He looked elated now, as if he had feared for a moment that their argument might last longer or he might simply push him away. "I will give you the strength to return but only if you really wish to go back, little moon."

"I do, I…" Yugi nodded slightly and glanced up at the terrible color of gray which bordered so disgustingly towards green, where the stars were nothing but white specks and possessed no more luster than sand at sunset. "I miss it so much. I…I've been there for hundreds of years and I scarcely know how to exist down here again."

"We would figure it out," Atemu assured him, gazing up at him with those same warm eyes he had always possessed. "If it is your desire, then that will be what we do. But make sure you know which world you want to dwell in."

Yugi spent a moment looking between him, the heavens, and the water. The rabbit stretched out in the image of a sprint at his feet looked almost as if it were quivering. "Atemu, what about Akefia?"

"Do not fear Akefia, little moon," Atemu growled softly, searching his face. "If it is your wish to return, I will make him pay and I assure you he will never disturb us again."

Yugi's eyes stretched wide, horrified as he whispered, "You…plan to kill him?"

"No," the wolf stated, shaking his head in a simple jerk of his muzzle. "But banishment from the heavens would be just the same, am I correct? He will die of the humiliation to follow such a decision."

The smaller spirit shook his had but reached his hand out to touch the star in the center of the wolf's broad forehead. It throbbed against his fingers, emitting weak magic and open pain, and when he pulled his hand away, it shone a harsh red as if it were oozing blood. Yugi cringed at the idea of inflicting such mindless pain, but it was impossible to change it and he just hoped that his partner truly knew how to forgive. He was not oblivious to the star-speckled canine's ability to hold and nurture vicious grudges. It was actually a joke amongst some of the other older spirits that when he had been brought to the heavens his fur was white but his heart had darkened his pelt. Yugi had never witnessed his rage before save for his brief interactions with Akefia. The two of them had torn each other open more than once upon crossing paths. He supposed now he truly understood the reason.

"Can you carry me?" he requested quietly, frowning and tilting his head as he nibbled his bottom lip.

"Not in that form," the wolf growled, flattening his ears again and giving him a distressed look. "But if you might change into your true form, I may carry you then."

Yugi frowned slightly and swallowed hard. "I don't think I can, Atemu," he admitted miserably, staring at his confused and stricken expression. "I'm too tired. And I…I cannot swim."

"I would never allow you to drown." The wolf turned his eyes on the water for a moment where they glowed with each ripple that distorted them. He seemed almost as if he might dip his muzzle into the water for a brief moment before he swung his attention back to him. "Trust me, little moon. I will get us back to the heavens if you will only change for me now."

He hesitated for a moment but something in the back of his mind was already falling. It was effortless, as easy as breathing, and his body seemed to grow small, exhaustion tugging at his senses immediately. The moon spirit hit the water with a splash and a high-pitched scream of horror burst from his throat. The terror swamped his senses and he attempted to paddle his legs. And then he felt them. His partner's jaws wrapped around his midsection firmly but softly, gripping him so familiarly that Yugi felt safe again despite his skin still touching the water. The canine's long tongue ran over his stomach and side, comforting but strained as he tried to grip him a bit more firmly. The rabbit waited until he was completely situated, allowing his partner several times to shift his grip without dropping him. Then he flicked his tail and ears to shed some of the water on his pelt.

When Atemu tipped his head towards the sky momentarily, Yugi felt compelled to glance up as well. And then, swiftly, the large wolf spun and turned towards the bank of the shallow pool. He could feel small splashes of water hitting his white paws but kept himself from twitching as the canine stepped out of the pool and started running. The rabbit tried not to focus on the touch of his immense teeth where they seemed to scrape against the tender flesh of his tummy, far too noticeable but far from unbearable. Yugi kept himself relaxed and lightly wiggled his ears to tickle his partner's mouth, the whiskers twitching in response to his light touch.

The wolf gave him an amused growl that made him kick his legs with the gentle touch of his tongue shifting beneath his fur. Then he held completely still for him, fighting back a squeal at the sensation of their movements. His paws hitting the ground were swift and harsh, almost thudding with the force that he placed them. He thought it was more his tiredness than anything else, as he could not ever remember his movements so heavy, but did not question it. Regardless, he had to admire the speed with which Atemu moved with, appearing to race as if his paws were not even touching the ground.

If not for the heaviness with each step, he would have thought they were riding the wind instead. The trees rushed past them in blurs of vibrant green and brown at speeds that made him feel somewhat dizzy. His head was spinning with soft trickles of color and light that made him want to bury his face in his chest or Atemu's dark fur.

The sky was reaching a disgusting, solid brown color now as the wolf moved from a trot to a full, relentless sprint. The new pace made Yugi cringe violently with each step, twitching in pain with the harsher force of the canine's fierce movements, but his partner refused to release him. He glanced upwards, finding the sky taking on a soft, lighter hue at the very edges; Kris and Anzu would be here in only moments.

He felt, for a brief, horrible moment, that they would not make it, and then he noticed the sudden change in terrain. Atemu was using what little bit of magic he still possessed to speed up their travel but where he would have been able to leap through the waterfall from where they stood on the outskirts, now he was forced to scale the ledges.

The rocks were hard and his nails made harsh clicking noises. Yugi cringed with each step, flattening his ears against his head. He wanted to thump his back legs as instinct dictated, fearful and unsure of himself or even Atemu, and his heart hammered pathetically within his chest. He wanted to burrow into the wolf's side and ignore everything around him as he would have were they about to rest within their den. But, rather, he was forced to endure the clicking and the sound of the sand shifting beneath the wolf's paws.

When he lowered his head, it looked as if the earth had become pale and the color washed away. The stone was a pale yellow and orange, with small patches of green that barely seemed worth consideration. Small pebbles lined the paths, and the ledges looked sharp and unforgiving. A tumble would have sent him falling face first and straight into a set of jagged rocks beneath. And he was sure his body would have broken upon the surface like a rabbit caught within a human's snare.

He squirmed and then screamed in pain. The wolf tripped violently with his movement. They both tumbled and hit the ground hard enough to make his vision burst behind his eyes. Yugi gasped and breathed in hard, staring at what seemed like endless green from the trees below them. Atemu was struggling to pull himself up again, growling softly against his white pelt. When he turned his head, the wolf had his eyes screwed shut, his shoulders pulled tightly beneath his skin. His tail was quivering and his pelt seemed to twitch and ripple with pain. His legs were shaky for only a moment, and then he pushed himself completely to his paws. They shook beneath him, limbs abruptly weak and small beneath him as they struggled to support his weight. He panted, huffing with open exhaustion, and Yugi wished he had strength to offer him, for now he was aware of just how raggedly sharp and frail his bones appeared beneath his thick pelt.

"Oh, Atemu, I'm so sorry," he whispered weakly, and he turned his head just enough to press his small nose into his muzzle. "Are you okay?"

"I am," he murmured against his fur, his breath making Yugi's skin tingle with warmth and a small bit of pleasure. The teeth around him held a little too tightly as he started to brace himself. Yugi heard his thick nails scraping against the dirt harshly, as if sinking into the earth as a cat's would. He shivered slightly, struggling to contain it, and squeezed his eyes shut. The wolves from this realm had blunter nails from traveling so far and often, but Atemu had always been in the heavens and his nails were sharp and thick and strong like his teeth.

Yugi shivered slightly. Was he already starting to grow more like the mortal prey animals resting in the forests and lands around them? He hated the thought but he did have reason to worry such a thing.

Atemu struggled to fully move forward. He softened his grip slightly on his middle. He started forward again. The lunar spirit twitched slightly against his tongue as the wolf navigated his way along the thinner ledges with careful precision. His movements were slower, sloppier, and his limbs were weak and shaky as he continued to move.

Maybe Yugi should have tried to convince him to go on his own, that he would join him later. The thought, knowing that it was likely impossible in the first place, made his heart hurt. He would not have been able to convince him in the first place but if he had somehow managed it regardless, Yugi knew he would not have been strong enough to do that. It was probable he wouldn't have made it even as far as the base of the waterfall. He was growing more and more tired as time passed, but the position in Atemu's mouth scared him more than his exhaustion could ever match.

They passed under the water and Yugi let out a screech. Atemu faltered, stumbling violently. His nails ground and scraped against the water-slicked stones behind the water. Foam splashed outwards and pounded against the wolf's back. His back legs dug into the earth beneath them. He panted, nearly dropping the rabbit, and swallowed harsh whimpers at the sensation. The water continued to bore down on him, beating against his hindquarters, and the wolf shivered once. He grasped at the stones with his nails. And then he jerked himself violently forward. It was as if he had sprung from a smaller ledge, throwing himself.

Yugi hit the ground hard. He squeaked in pain. Atemu panted and growled against his pelt. His nose twitched, working to scent the air. Then he drew his paws beneath him weakly, movements pathetic and shaky. Yugi's legs felt like windswept leaves when the wolf sloppily pulled himself up to his full height again.

He limped forward, and the movement jostled them both. He nearly fell sideways, almost careening into the wall, but found himself at the last second. His nose began working again, a furious task as he checked for danger. Yugi watched him for a moment and then sniffed as well, trying his hardest to draw in every bit of aroma the air had to offer. But Atemu's nose was far superior to his and he could smell nothing but the damp stone and rushing water behind them. He smelled his partner's soaked pelt, an aroma he was so used to that he nearly sank into the sensation without hesitation. But something had obviously upset the wolf and now his stomach twisted and burned as he blinked in the cave and looked towards him.

"Atemu…"

The canine ignored him, instead trotting forward in uneven tosses of his limbs, stumbling and limping horrifically as they passed through the back of the cave. Yugi could immediately feel a small pulse of energy blooming and swelling upwards, brushing first against his paws and then his belly. It pushed at his fur and then into his skin, making his body tingle, and he closed his eyes as the liquid honey of the magic began to bring life to his exhausted form. But it was not enough to get rid of the sting where he knew the other had punctured his skin in his attempt to keep him from falling. And it did nothing to heal the limping wolf who stumbled so violently he nearly dropped him. They had barely passed through the stone entrance when he finally ceased to hold him any longer, nearly collapsing beside him in a heap.

The lunar spirit spun around immediately to check on him, his name on the tip of his tongue. But his partner was shuddering so pathetically, his head lowered and his jaws agape as he gulped in air, that he fell silent in horror. Oh gods, he had caused this…

Abruptly Atemu was on his feet again, the fur along his spine rising and his eyes flickering back and forth rapidly. He was still panting but the immense gulps were shortened to harsh breaths and then deep and sharp inhales that said he was scenting the air. Immediately he moved to take the place between him and whatever unseen threat was lurking about them, ears flicking every direction and his body shuddering as he continued to take in jerky breaths.

Yugi sniffed the air again, struggling to catch what his mate did, and then it finally came to him. The wolf did not smell anything. He was working on his most primal instinct now, the one that made him stand completely over him and lower his head as his tail rose and a low, long guttural snarl left his chest. Yugi could hear his nose working harder now, trying his hardest to catch a scent, and he pictured his ears flicking every direction as he tried to pinpoint something—anything.

"Atemu…"

"Hush," he snapped fiercely, moving a paw to nudge his side in apology before looking around rapidly as his snarl grew angrier. Yugi settled back on his haunches, looking about them as well, but he could not detect a single thing, and so he lowered himself back to his four paws and faced forward. He realized only belatedly that whatever it was that formed such a barrier before them was meant to keep them in place until Kris and Anzu's magic began to overlap with theirs. If that were to happen, they would both be in trouble. And with the discovery of their long absences, some of the other spirits in the council would banish them on account of their apparent negligence.

His stomach twisted.

"Akefia," he muttered under his breath.

Atemu nudged him again, silently saying he already knew that, but Yugi had a sudden feeling there was more to it than just the coyote at work here. The black wolf was sniffing rapidly once more when he suddenly snatched him from behind. The lunar spirit sputtered, his skull dangling from the other's immense jaws as they began to race forward again. His grip was unnecessarily tight, though he knew the other was too fearful to notice, and he squeezed his eyes shut to fight away the tremors that threatened to overtake his small form. The canine continued forward at a rapid pace despite his limp, which was swiftly righting itself with the magic that was beginning to flood his limbs again. But then he froze abruptly and the rabbit hit the ground with a yelp of pain.

"So you brought him back," the coyote spat, coming from the side and making them both stiffen in place. They had both been facing the wrong way, the wolf realized in shock. The thought made his stomach twist painfully as his heart began to hammer in his chest. Beneath him he could hear Yugi shifting to take cover beneath his belly, watching him, no doubt, with a horrified expression. His heart was a rapid tempo in his ears, like crackles of thunder booming repeatedly after each other, the edges blurring together and making his head pound. The sound did not stop him from wondering, terrified, who else it might be helping him. He was not that powerful, even as a trickster, and there had to be another force to help him with such a task. "How cute. But you still won't make it before dawn comes. Kris and Anzu are only a few minutes away."

"Move out of my way, Akefia," he spat, holding his tail straighter and curling his lips all the way back to show off each of his teeth. Each large, sharp tooth glistened where his saliva foamed as he snarled angrily, unable to stop himself. His ears pricked forward and his muzzle wrinkled further in ferocity, his eyes glowing and scrunching in the corners. He chomped his teeth angrily, the air rattling with the force of it. His shoulders rose beneath his pelt again, each hair becoming a jagged spike of jet black. "I will not hesitate to rip you to pieces."

Yugi shivered and instinctively flattened himself against the ground. If Atemu was kept busy with Akefia, what was the rest of the plan? What did he have in store for him? He had come knowing that this would be the sight to greet him; that they would be together once more. There was not a chance in either world that he had failed to plan something for him as well. He knew there were others around, awaiting their leader's signal, and he could almost hear their hearts beating in his ears, two faint little thumps which made him flinch with the way they danced within his thoughts.

"Give me the moon brat," the coyote snorted, wagging his tail and flattening his ears. He pulled his lips back into a wide grin of jagged teeth as he peered under Atemu's legs at the small prey animal. His lips pulled back into a wide smirk of gleaming white teeth and Yugi stared at him as he sank his own nails into the earth and bunched his muscles. "That's all it takes."

"All that it takes is my teeth in your throat," the wolf snarled angrily, bristling further. Yugi was startled when his back paw moved to nudge him, a gentle touch that made his eyes widen drastically in shock. He wanted him to run. The rabbit trembled at the very idea, unsure of whether he could actually do such a thing. He felt almost frozen in place; a part of him determined not to act so cowardly and try to help his mate, while the other trembled with a pure panic. Even if he might run, there was no certainty that he would perhaps be able to get away. He was still so tired.

"He is not going to be able to run for it," Akefia laughed haughtily, wagging his tail rapidly in pure sadistic amusement. His attention shot back to the wolf and he straightened to stand at his full height, smiling at him with that disgusting sneer across his face. The larger canine bristled further and his lips pulled back further until his eyes were mere specks of red with the force of it, the snarl building in his chest until he was vibrating with it. "He is too weak. You both are. Do you really think you can fight me and win?"

"I will win should you force me to fight with you." He pressed his paw into his haunches gently, nails sifting through his snowy pelt just enough to make him flatten himself further. He was sure Atemu could feel his tremors and the idea made him feel smaller and weaker, remembering momentarily when he had first met the wolf. How small and pitiful he had felt back then, too weak to fend for himself but for his second form. He had pressed himself against the ground until he felt he would melt into it, and then fled the moment the wolf had gotten within several meters of him. He had embarrassed himself more than once with his paralyzing fear and even caused many other spirits to laugh at him. Now, he wished he could disappear into the earth just as he had that very first moment in the heavens. "Back off, Akefia. Accept your defeat with some form of honor and leave it be."

"You are too weak to fight me in the first place, dear little Atemu."

"You overestimate yourself."

"If you will not hand him over by your own will, then I suppose it is by force of my hand that I shall take him from you." He sounded faintly frustrated, but mostly amused, and his tail wagged as he moved a step before pacing back and forth before him. His legs were long, emphasizing his leaner build and unusually large and firmer build. He stood at almost the same height as Atemu, though with a smaller body and thinner bones, his limbs almost like long twigs.

As he moved in front of him, the wolf felt his stomach sink but his voice came out sharp and scornful as he responded with a harsh, "Will it be you? Or shall you have Mai or Imori do it for you?"

The second canine waited only a moment. His eyes flashed and then he shot forward. Atemu snarled loudly. Yugi braced himself, tired and sore, to flee. The two of them collided over his head. Atemu reared up on his hind legs. His nails scraped against the ground loudly. His teeth drove into Akefia's face. Yugi forced himself to remain frozen in place for a moment. He waited, narrowing his eyes and pressing his paws firmly into the earth. And then, as he had suspected, the coyote managed to push him. Atemu snarled and his weight shifted above him. He wavered, legs nearly buckling.

The white rabbit shot across the small bits of grass. He zigzagged as Mai burst out of the cover of some longer blades of yellow-red stalks. The she-fox clamped her teeth shut on air. Yugi ignored the warning that she had only missed him by a brief hair length.

Atemu and Akefia snarled loudly. Their voices blended and burned in his ears. His heart pounded. With the way their cries claimed his thoughts, Mai's threat seemed so small that there was a moment that he almost turned around to face the source of his fears. He could already imagine their teeth tearing through clumps of fur, blood flying and jaws ripping through flesh.

Atemu may have had the advantage of size and weight, but Akefia had aggression built from years of his desire to claim the wolf as his own. That aggression would help him more than the other two spirits. And Atemu's weakened stature would not do him well, only causing him to lag horribly. If he himself was so tired, then Atemu had to be so much worse with the long treks and his obvious lack of eating or even drinking water to replenish his strength during his search for him. His self-neglect could easily be the end of him.

He shot forward again. He weaved around a clump of grass. The blades seemed disturbingly long in his eyes. He narrowly escaped the vixen once more. She landed behind him hard on her dark legs. Yugi danced away from her. Blood pounded in his ears. He listened for her around it. She slammed into the earth again a mere hair away once more.

Imori shot at him. Yugi braced himself even as he sprang. The raven crashed into his side. His claws slashed through his fur but he could not grasp him. His skin stung beneath his coat but it was not open. Mai crashed towards him and he twisted. He spun around and bolted for her legs as she landed. The vixen snarled low in her throat. She pressed lower to the ground. A vicious yip left her mouth. His ears seemed to vibrate for a split second.

He flattened himself, waiting. He thanked every bit of nature that he had played this game so often with Atemu. The fact that they had done so frequently was really the sole reason he did not panic and bolt again. Imori was nothing more than a source of loud screeches and mounting irritation, an intimidation tactic that he did not care for.

Yugi sank his nails into the earth. He pressed his belly against the dirt. He breathed in deeply, muscles pulled taut. He rolled his shoulders under his pelt, preparing himself. The heavenly air surrounding him was soothing his exhaustion. It gave him a gentle but firm strength, pushing away the ache beneath his fur.

Perhaps if he and Atemu could stall long enough, they might be able to make it out of there without too much of a struggle.

Or maybe he should go for help.

Kris and Anzu would be there soon enough, after all…

A scream of pain ripped through the air. Mai burst into laughter above him. Her body twisted and Yugi mimicked immediately. His eyes widened drastically as they fell upon the sight the vixen seemed to enjoy so much. Atemu was seething, forced firmly into the earth. His back legs were pressed hard against Akefia's stomach. His front legs were strained, shaking, where they were pushed against his chest. He was snarling, enraged, but could not dislodge him. Akefia's teeth had found purchase in his cheek beneath his eye, nearly tearing it from its socket.

He kicked harder. He strained his trembling limbs further. He panted. He twisted his neck. He screamed again. He did not have the strength to push him away. Yugi trembled miserably from his hiding spot.

A small twist of his body, accompanied by a scream, made him flinch. A patch of bright white and dark red made his head spin. Atemu's shoulder was split to the bone. Clumps of dirt hung to his fur, matted by blood. The night spirit was gaining strength but he was losing it far faster. The wound would not heal. The rabbit shook harder. Atemu was struggling too hard. He was too tired and scared. He wouldn't be able to heal…

"What was that about winning, Atemu?" Mai barked. Her tail waved briefly in the air, a tip of white like flame in the darkness. Imori let out a loud caw of laughter. The black wolf snarled loudly in response. His eyes flashed. He attempted to turn his head. And then he screamed again. He thrashed, spitting and foaming in distress. His lips were bright white, his tongue pale. He struggled faintly and then stilled, breathing roughly. Yugi watched him, still pressed against the ground. He could not understand whether to run for help or try to help.

Atemu scraped at his stomach again. A patch of fur shredded and drifted lazily through the air. Akefia laughed against his skin. He tossed his head, throwing the wolf. He screamed, whimpering a second later. His breath ghosted over his eye. He struggled again, kicking harder.

Damn Akefia. Damn him for all of this.

The wolf was frozen but for his weak kicking and helpless panting for breath. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly. Yugi would be killed because of him. Akefia would tear his head from his body. Atemu nearly cried in distress at the very idea. He was failing him…

A thought came to his mind. Perhaps if he gave Akefia what he had so desperately craved for so long, he might let Yugi go. If he let Yugi go, then he could suffer through whatever it was he had planned for him. He could…

The coyote screamed suddenly. His body jerked and went through a spasm. Atemu's eyes snapped open. Teeth tugged along his skin. The other canine snarled and cried out again. His trembling movement, a harsh toss of his head, sent Atemu reeling. His head felt heavy and light all at once. His eyes burned and ached. His body nearly pulled straight forward. Teeth released his face abruptly. He fell back and his sides burned. His shoulder bled and stained the ground. His heart hammered. He panted, licking his lips. A drop of foam fell from his cheek and he struggled to see straight.

Mai and Imori let out a simultaneous cry of shock. The coyote was twisting and spinning. He tossed himself into the air. He ran in a circle. He spun and snarled. He reared up and then tossed his head. He leaped and bared his teeth. He chomped his jaws. He raised a paw and tried to claw at it.

Atemu sprang to his feet, realization sinking in. He lunged forward, snarling. Akefia froze, startled, and then spat furiously in response. His fur rose in a furious bristle. They both looked at each other. For a moment, Atemu was frozen, and then he growled louder. A small fear gripped him briefly but he was relieved all the same.

Yugi had his teeth clamped tightly. The coyote's throat was bleeding. His movements had caused the wound to further open. Atemu recognized the baldness as his own work. He had attempted to grip him there and Akefia had pulled away like water, leaving only his thick fur. He swung and tossed his head again but Yugi held. He clawed but missed, eyes on the wolf the whole time.

The movement shook the small white rabbit like leaves in the wind but still the lunar spirit held tight. Atemu blinked slowly, watching with shock. His mind struggled to process it. Yugi had never been violent, not ever. But he recognized his meaning behind the action. He had seen him suffering and had come to stop it.

Mai sprang forward and he spun on her. His teeth chomped in the air. His eyes blazed wildly. The vixen immediately sprang backwards as a cat would. Her gaze grew wide, horrified. She blinked and then backed up again. Imori cawed and circled. When he dove, Atemu slammed into the fox's side. And then he sprang for the raven. The bird, headed straight for Yugi's tiny frame, screeched just as his jaws clamped around his wing and crushed the bone.

Yugi recognized his partner's weight as he moved about. The other two were screaming now. But he wished for a moment that he had no such sense. It was hard for him to keep his grip with Akefia's violent tosses. His teeth were not made for such a brutal purpose. The blunt but sharp incisors he had clamped within the canine's flesh were slipping, feeling weak and pathetic. He did not possess those terrible teeth that Atemu or Jonouchi or Anzu did, predatory and so fierce that they could snap bones like twigs.

The coyote snarled and threw himself into a roll. Yugi hit the ground, gasping. His paws kicked and flailed at his skin. He struggled for breath. Akefia was on his feet again immediately. His teeth glittered, bloodied, and he spun on him. The rabbit rolled onto his feet again. He drew in deep breaths, watching him closely. The two of them stared and then a paw slashed out at him. He sprang back, watching him. He lunged forward, jaws open wide. Yugi waited, tense and ready, and then scrambled. He dodged to the side, threw himself onto his flank, and skid. Akefia's jaws slammed shut. The noise sounded like rocks falling.

Yugi ignored it, spun around again. The coyote went to face him again. The rabbit shot forward. He hid himself beneath his belly. His body was tensed and ready again. He waited. Akefia sprang and spun around to face him. Yugi followed him as faithfully as he had Atemu. The little white runt was hidden beneath his paws in seconds. His heartbeat was the only sign that he existed, moving too quickly for his eyes. He snarled and lowered his jaws, thinking quickly.

A yowl hit the air, all of them freezing for a split second.

"Anzu!" Yugi cried in pure joy. His tail twitched happily, a foot thumping against the ground in excitement. The cheetah came as swiftly as the wind. She knocked Mai aside with a nimble paw. The vixen snarled and rolled with the impact. She twisted and lay on her stomach. A warm, golden-colored half-grown lioness came running after her. She stopped a few feet away from Akefia and Yugi still playing shadow.

Atemu's tail rose abruptly in warning. A low, hideous snarl began to bubble forth. The air grew thicker for a moment. His fur rose in a bristle. The lioness was frozen, staring at Yugi in shock. Then her head turned to the wolf. She backed up a step, surprised by his aggression. But she still lowered her head to gape in shock at the sight of Yugi beneath the coyote's paws.

"I was wondering what had happened to you two," Anzu hissed, tail lashing before she turned to Yugi and then Atemu. Her bright blue eyes flickered back and forth between them and her amazement was not lost to either of them as she took in the small rabbit. "You have not been around as dawn has been rising for the last three days. And the reason is the one that should have been the most obvious to the rest of us."

The black wolf ignored her statement. He merely watched as she batted Mai again with her claws. The vixen remained on her belly, sneering at her. He watched her eyes burn with fear. Then he turned around to address his shoulder wound instead. Yugi was perfectly fine where he was hiding. Akefia was no match for his partner. He could never hope to possess such cunning.

"You have our most sincere apologies," he addressed her quietly. His wound burned as his tongue passed over it. The grains of sand made his skin ache and feel alight. He passed his tongue over it once more. The blood coated his senses and made him want to cry out in pain. He wagged his tail once, however, and then turned away again. He lowered his head, chin near the ground, and peered at his mate curiously. His eyes were on the small rabbit immediately. The lunar spirit was watching him already. He had poked his head out from under the coyote's belly. Atemu nodded once to make the rabbit spring forward. He moved as swiftly as a shooting star might, and huddled at his tail, pressing into his flank gently. "We were…held up."

Akefia bared his teeth at the smaller spirit but Yugi was no longer paying him any attention. He was hoping more than ever that there was a pool nearby. He wanted the blood from his mouth. He wanted that as soon as possible. Atemu twisted around to look him over, at first for harm, and then with amusement. His tongue came out with pure affection, running over his nose and his head before gliding over his back. The rabbit melted at the sensation, leaning upwards to meet his touch more fully, shivering with obvious pleasure. The canine continued to groom him, sorting some of the dirt from his fluffy white coat as he wrapped a paw around his torso to pull him closer still. Yugi pressed an ear against the center bone of his chest, listening to his heart which pounded a little harder at his touch.

"I'm sure the council will love to hear about this." The cheetah paused after a moment, flicking her tail thoughtfully as she looked at them. "But first you two should probably at least establish your territory, yes?"

Yugi did not even have a moment to blink. Teeth caught his scruff so suddenly that he swayed with the movement. He dangled from his jaws easily, blinking at the world as it passed around them swiftly. His trot was easy, his limp forgotten, but the pain in his shoulder made him slightly unsteady. He thought to say that he could go on his own. But the thought of being separated from him, even from this uncomfortable sensation, made him swallow such words. He did not want to be away from him, even if it was only to run at his side, and he knew the other well enough that he understood he was simply trying to keep him as close as possible.

They stepped forward through the trees into a place where the grass was but mere strands of bright green. They crunched under his paws softly and swayed as if their exhales were the very influence of its domain. He wrinkled his nose, watching as the pools of water came forward in his vision. They were mere ripples of magic, the thinnest of barriers that held the worlds apart, where the birds were said to be able to touch the spirit realm should they only drift close enough. When the wolf landed on the surface of it, power surged forward, the magic he possessed coming in gentle waves. They spread outwards, growing dark with his presence, and glittering shards of bright white blinked to life as the stars began to form once more. Splashes of blue and brushstrokes of vibrant, lavish violet began to spread amongst the darkness, and a mass of bright silver and white began to form beneath his paws in a spiral as if his power were centered in each of the immense stars. Beneath him, the moon began to grow from a sliver into the immense sphere of light it had always been formerly, sparkling and giving off such a glow as to make the rest of the sky almost dull.

"This is the biggest reflection I've ever seen…"

Atemu chuckled against his fur. "You always say that," he reminded him teasingly, not pausing in his brisk pace. Yugi watched as more of the pool grew dark, shimmering with the beautiful glitter that was the stars, unnamed galaxies bursting with vibrant purples and blues so mesmerizing he wished he could stare into them forever. The moon shone in a lively but pale silver and white, golden around the edges as if reflecting his happiness, but shadowed deeply with the wolf's grip on him. His own form was a large pocket of gray in the middle of the large sphere, stretched out and dark in the way it rested there.

The red-eyed canine leaped nimbly, his limp nearly nonexistent, onto a small ledge of grass that grew in the midst of the sky barrier. He was placed down immediately and the wolf cast one cautious, suspicious glance around before lying down heavily. Yugi snuggled into him without hesitation, scrambling to his side to press firmly against his fur. The long guard hairs tickled his nose but he resisted the urge to sneeze, instead breathing in firmly the scent of water and ice and starlight that was offered him with the close proximity. He listened again to his heart as it beat in that familiar, gentle rhythm that always managed to put him to sleep and calm his worries. Atemu moved only enough to drape his tail over his own nose, covering the small rabbit as he shifted to press further into his fur until he was sure he could not get any closer without having to completely merge with him. For a moment he was still, and then the wolf shifted, drawing his long legs into himself, his paws tucked as his head turned towards him. His tongue passed over his shoulder, trailing along his neck, a pointed gesture for him to turn his head, and he did so in puzzlement.

For a moment he could not tell what was happening. A hot breath passed over his skin, his partner's nose wet and cold but with underlying warmth that made him tremble with approval. And then his forehead burned, tingling. His skin let out a soft sizzle like meat when the humans placed their meals in fire. A burst of pain and pleasure surged through him all at once and for a moment he was confused about which to focus on, whether he could even do so.

Atemu pulled his nose away after a moment, watching him closely. Yugi blinked wide eyes, startled as the sensation ebbed away, a dull ache burning on his forehead before it too was gone. The spirit of the night sky continued watching silently, awaiting a statement as the smaller reached up to touch his forehead with a small paw. He could feel it in that familiar shape, but it was more believable when he saw it in the other's eyes. Those red orbs were staring so intensely that he could see his own reflection in his pupils, where they glittered with small speckles of light like his pelt and the sky beneath them. He was a small white smudge, painted silver and gray rather than glowing like his returning magic, but he was still there. And he recognized the shape more firmly. It was a star, engraved in red, in the center of his forehead.

"Atemu…"

"A mark to show a lesson well learned," the wolf said softly, gently.

Yugi wanted to apologize for a moment, but then nodded in return. His partner would not care to hear him say he was sorry. He had already said it in the realm below and they were no longer there. Atemu had forgiven him, he realized, somehow, despite his common display of holding aggressive grudges towards others. The small rabbit leaned forward, pressing his nose to the canine's, and then nodded again. He snuggled firmly into his side once more, feeling as if maybe he had somehow strayed from it, and closed his eyes. He was half-asleep even as the wolf began to bathe him with long, soft strokes of his gentle tongue.

Yugi fell asleep to his heartbeat, firm and gentle, in his ears, and melted pleasurably with the sensation of the soft touch of Atemu's affection. He woke later, however, to the black wolf's nose burrowing into his shoulder fur, breath hot against his skin as he exhaled. "Come on, little moon," he murmured softly, his words making his fur shift and the hot air brush firmly against him once more. "We have to go."

He yawned and fluffed his fur up as Atemu pulled away just enough to allow him to stretch and shake himself out. Tiredly he reached up to rub his paws over his face, leaning back on his haunches and squeezing his eyes firmly shut. "Where are we going, Atemu?" he mumbled, for a moment wishing for nothing more than to burrow into his side again and sleep until the days and seasons passed.

"We have to find out what will happen to Akefia, Imori and Mai," the wolf yawned loudly, turning his face away with the movement. Yugi opened his eyes, pulling his paws away, and remained sitting upright as he admired his long teeth. His entire muzzle was open, each of his teeth showing, and his tongue curled along his fleshy gums, which were no longer as white as his fur but beautiful pink again. He relaxed at the sight, relieved by the change, and watched as Atemu flexed his toes and then sank his nails into the dirt with a lazy movement. His legs quivered with his weight for a brief moment, not wobbly but stiff from his position. The change in his stance was keenly apparent and the rabbit wanted to dance around him happily at the sight. He quivered gently in place instead, however, and watched him as he shook his pelt out sloppily before turning to him with a lazy toss of his head.

His jaws opened, snagging him from the side gently, and Yugi settled comfortably in his grip. His breathing was slow and even enough to pull at his senses, lulling him towards a half-asleep awareness. He stretched only enough to go limp, and Atemu tightened his grip slightly, keeping him in place as he carried him towards the council's meeting room.

Akefia, Imori and Mai were kept by the hearth, all three of them appearing ruffled and unhappy. As they entered the room, several heads turned, but some ignored them in lieu of watching the three perpetrators before them. Atemu placed Yugi gently into the seat beside him and then leaped into his own position, watching with keen eyes. His tail wrapped around his paws as he raised his head, turning his attention only towards the owl whom he nodded at to begin. Immediately bickering broke out, loud and raucous enough that Yugi felt himself growing uneasy even being exposed to. He found his form changing before he considered it, but no one seemed to notice it, though Atemu tipped his head only a small degree towards him.

The meeting's argument grew to the sound of snarls that rivaled the volume of thunder. Even his partner was surprised, eyes widening only minutely as they continued spitting at one another furiously. Seth and Jonouchi were fighting once more about positions on whether it was or was not Atemu and Yugi's fault that it happened. Kris and Anzu were arguing avidly on their behalf, Jonouchi trying to remain neutral but failing miserably for the most part. He had always been one of Yugi's closer friends and had been one of the first to actually speak to him aside from Atemu and Seth who had hated him instantly. Honda was trying to calm their fighting somewhat, Isis was working to play devil's advocate, and Atemu was silent beside him.

It was law that none of the accused or involved were to speak. Yugi watched Atemu with a cautious expression, unsure of what more to do with himself. The wolf, however, merely tilted his head and flicked his ears lazily. He did not care to truly pay more attention than necessary, watching and listening. The lunar spirit momentarily considered changing to his own true form but then turned away immediately. Atemu was a wolf, with a build that was intimidating and beautiful, and no one would challenge him as they would his tiny white stature.

"Well…that went just as expected," Atemu mumbled later as they treaded forward to catch up with Anzu and Kris to return to their duties of their rotations. Yugi was hopping along beside him, lazy with happiness and warmth, and the black wolf had a leisurely stride for him to keep pace with. He was completely recovered, and the fluidity that his movements brought to his glistening pelt made Yugi feel ready to burst with pure ecstasy.

"Yeah," he agreed enthusiastically, though he paused to yawn and cast a lazy glance over at him , Imori and Mai had been dismissed from the heavens altogether, and when the coyote had dared to argue, the allowance of one to hunt him down and kill him was declared. He had been shocked by that statement, more so when they were not punished either despite the knowledge that it had been Atemu's choice to go after him.

The argument that had ensued due to the coyote's snarl of indignation had caused an uproar. Anzu had immediately leaped to his defense. She'd said that of course he went after him, the moon depended on the night and the creatures below the heavens needed the moon for light in the darkness. Seth had sprung forward with the fact that it was merely lust for Yugi's body that had brought Atemu to follow him. He said that the balance between the night and moon had nothing to do with his reasoning. Honda had spoken that perhaps it was a partial reason for him but that his devotion to Yugi had caused him to follow. Most of the others thought that it showed far more on their behalf if that was one of the reasons. Others said that it was blatant stupidity as most of them refused to take partners as they had.

Seth's argument had been the most predictable. It had always been clear that he had hated their union for whatever reason. The bear spirit had called them weak on several occasions. But he had never been antagonistic until it was time to cast vote of what should be done with them.

Atemu pressed his nose into his shoulder briefly and then licked his ear before leading the way forward once more. His tail moved in a brief wag, eyes bright, and his attention flickered to Yugi momentarily as the smaller spirit continued happily bounding at his side. His lazy pace made the wolf want to plop down with him between his paws and rest all over again.

It occurred to him that he could see why Mai might have wanted so desperately to leave the heavens for the sake of having kits. He himself would have done anything to have his children back, or to be able to actually grant Atemu that privilege of offspring. And she was not as miniscule as the others who were so easily replaced when they gave in to their own whims as desired. She had been the spirit of autumn and her absence would have been particularly worse than that of the lightning spirit or even his and his partner's own.

And the fact that she had been so easily overlooked after using such magic to bring Imori back had upset her much further than her usual anger would have allowed. She'd grown bitter, frustrated that because of her rank no one had questioned her use of power. But she had been there even as long as Atemu and it had been clear that she was detrimental to the realm below, so no one had thought to bring up her wrongdoings.

He frowned but hurried to the wolf's side before he might notice that he was not there. They were still settling back into their patterns of following Anzu and Kris, both of them keeping time with each other so that the moon and night were never missed again. And on those walks, he kept constant vigilance with Atemu, both of them watching for the three of them. He was sure his reasoning was different than his mate's, seeing as he was simply curious as to whether Mai might have gotten what she wanted. He knew, however, that no such desire had ever crossed Atemu's mind.

Rather, he was always ecstatic to point out just how their punishments were treating them.

"Akefia must always look over his shoulder!" he said joyfully at his side as they passed over the barrier and watched their magic begin to blend and surge forward. "He's so fearful that he is actually going to be hunted down! And now most of his own species have been doing the same. They flee away from others and then look over their shoulders as if they are food!"

Yugi could not fault him for his exuberance in announcing such a thing. He himself still smiled and snickered whenever he was given the delight of seeing him there in the world below. He always looked over his shoulders. But he was thinner now, and his silver and white pelt was hardly beautiful. It was ragged, his cheeks sunken at the worst of times and unusually rough at the best.

"And Imori continues to take refuge in the trees to shield himself from everyone else. He tries so hard to fly farther and for so much longer, as if he still has his magic!"

He smiled and shook his head in amusement. He still did not know what had caused him to be banned from the heavens in the first place. But he knew for a fact that he did not have to worry that it would stay hidden forever. At some point his partner would tell him.

"And Mai is always wandering and never stays in one place."

Yugi frowned at this, thinking to open his mouth and ask him why there was such enjoyment to be found in that. All she wanted was a family, and no one could fault her for that, could they? But the question did not come forth as a voice cut in.

"I see that you are watching them."

Both of them stopped short. Atemu's head snapped around. His tail bristled faintly. Yugi blinked stupidly at the sight that greeted him. Seth was massive in his bear form, almost three times the size of the black wolf, with the whitest of fur he had ever seen. The winter spirit had a wide and fierce looking jaw, one that could put even the canine's to shame. And his paws were massive; around the size of Yugi's body altogether. He moved through the undergrowth almost silently, and his icy blue eyes were glittering fiercely.

"But, in reality, you should be watching yourselves. Do not make that same mistake again. The next time one of you ventures into the realm of reality and forsakes their duties, it will be the last. I will see to it that you both are put under the same status of exile as they are."

The wolf's long, straight tail came straight up in warning. His lips pulled fiercely backwards, baring his teeth and chomping them furiously. His fur lifted in an angry bristle. His shoulders grew rigid, squared, infuriated. "Watch your step, Seth. You are accusing unjustly. The punishment is equal to that of attempting to kill a fellow spirit," he spat, pricking his ears and angling his body enough to shield his partner.

Yugi pressed his pink nose into the canine's leg. His eyes were wide, horrified, and he fought away the urge to cower before the massive form of the bulking bear. Atemu growled softly in acknowledgment of his touch, of his fear, but did not surrender his aggressive stance. His tail lowered only slightly, his expression clearly furious. "There is nothing to worry about, Seth. I swear that it will never happen again," he muttered softly.

"It had better not." His eyes lowered sharply down to the small rabbit. At first they were scornful, arrogant, and then his gaze grew stunned. The soft red mark of the star in the center of his forehead was a pulsating red in his blue gaze. "See to it that you keep your word."

Yugi nodded. Atemu snarled angrily. Seth narrowed his eyes. The wolf bared his teeth, growling louder, and then abruptly shook himself. All signs of aggression drifted aside from him. A simple flick of his ears was the only indication that he noticed the other spirit's departure. "Ready to go, little moon?" he asked softly, lowering his head to nudge his cheek and then lick his forehead playfully.

"Of course!"

"How about we play a game of shadow on the way there?"

Yugi wrinkled his nose for a moment and then bounded to take his place under his stomach. "Okay."

Atemu started forward and spun around to face him, the movement too fast for him to even react to before his eyes widened. He wasn't just talking about a fun game. His nose twitched playfully; he wanted to play at dominance tonight.

The rabbit shot forward and past him, the wolf bounding after him.

All Yugi could think about was just how funny it was that the night really was chasing the moon.

---

I read somewhere that it was believed that the surface of the moon looked like a rabbit sitting up on its haunches from the shadows of craters. Anyways, so some people believed it to be a rabbit spirit or that it was good luck if you could see the rabbit on the full moon.

Also, imagine Akefia as about two feet in height and around four and a half feet long. Wolves average at two and a half feet tall and five to six feet long. Coyotes are much smaller, at one and a half feet tall and only four feet long. Since Akefia is much larger than the average coyote, his dimensions are as such. That puts him at a considerable challenge for Atemu.

In Native American legends, most all of the animals were able to turn human in order to teach them things that they needed to learn before they could prosper. So each of them could come about the humans in their own form and give them the guidance they needed at that time.

As for an explanation for their magics, Atemu's is actually much less than even Yugi's. His is more geared towards teaching and fighting, while Yugi's is cunning, trickery, speed, wisdom, and things of that nature. Akefia's is a combination of both, though his is also more cruel or righteous depending on the story he is featured in.

I don't really remember all of the legends I read. Honestly, Chasing the Moon has been sitting around on my hard drive for a PRETTY LONG TIME now, so I figured, hey, why not go ahead and post it? I figured better late than never. So, anyways, one of the most prominent I read was that a raven spirit was stolen from (?) and went back to retrieve it from the human who took its treasure. But the human refused to give it and I believe they swallowed it in order to make sure that the raven never got it back (?). So the raven used his magic to become the tea leaves at the bottom of the woman's cup. When she swallowed the tea and the tea leaves, he used his magic to impregnate her and she gave birth to him in which he stole his treasure back. It was really influential to the story but it also kind of freaked me out so I kind of read it once and was so grossed out that I never went back to read it again.

Anyways, I figured that between the three trickster spirits (coyote, raven, fox), it would be easy for them to influence Yugi's discovery of the garden and the scents that he would smell while there. Between them, I figured they would have enough power to confidently trick Yugi into thinking Atemu to do those things they accused him of, because the number one sense for most animals is their ability to smell. And if Yugi had not constantly already been exposed to taunts and rumors about Akefia and Atemu being together formerly, he would have failed to have a reason to flee as he did.

Also, in case it was more just in my head that the dialogue made sense, when Yugi says he could never forsake Atemu after basically doing just that when he fled, when he looks into his eyes and he tells him how much he's gone through in order to find him, he realizes it and feels terrible. Then he also realizes that he would never abandon Atemu again, regardless of if he returned to the heavens and Yugi remained below if his magic left him. He'd TRY to at least remain there for Atemu and accept him, even though the influence of the world below would have eventually changed him completely into the regular rabbit.

So, that would basically be the explanation for anything I didn't think to mention before. I probably forgot something, but unless you write me the question, I probably won't have the answer for you. *shrugs* So, yeah, that's the end of Chasing the Moon. Thanks to anyone who took the time to read it, regardless of whether you reviewed or faved or followed.

An update for anyone interested: I'm not sure what other stories I might be posting at the moment. I have three different one-shots I am going to be looking at soon enough, two of them humor and one of them more season 0 craziness. Then I am finished with Behind You's sequel, but I'm still waiting on feedback with it before I do anything with it. I'm also about twenty-nine percent through with the werewolf multi-chapter story. I'm going to be starting on like three other stories, hoping to update Umbral Oath and The Distraction at some point, and I am GOING TO start posting the stories back on Archive of our Own because I totally forgot that I had an account there somehow and recently remembered when someone commented on Simple and I went "Oh...my...gods...OOPS!". I also started tackling Simple's sequel again, but it's slow going because it's seriously biting me in the butt.