Chapter LXII: Debts

"You probably shouldn't have phrased it like that," Yugi commented as they trotted down the incline. Atem had decided suddenly he was hungry, as if the idea of traveling to the desert had spurred his appetite. Perhaps he was stalling, but Yugi couldn't imagine why. Maybe he suspected Seto was still around and so he'd wanted to wait and see to it that he didn't catch up with them. It didn't quite make sense but it was the only reason Yugi could think of. "Now he's going to run back to the Clan and say we have a war on our paws."

"If he does, he's dumber than I suspected." Atem looked around, sniffing the air and flicking his top tongue. Yugi remembered him saying his top mouth was more sensitive to smells and tastes than his bottom. It probably came from not using it as often. Atem hunted and spoke primarily with his bottom mouth. The top one was rarely used at all from what Yugi could tell, and he'd observed Atem doing a great many things just to see if he used it. "But that wouldn't surprise me."

Yugi watched him sniff a few more times before circling the tree and flicking his tongue again. Yugi tipped his head back and looked up but could find nothing worth noting.

"Atem?"

"I'm looking for moose. I'm hungry and they're usually filling, so I thought it'd be easiest to catch. But I don't know where one is at this time of year. I'm used to crossing paths with them during winter. They don't blend in well and they're so large they can't hide most often. I wonder if the wolves got to them first."

Yugi tilted his head. Wolves? Were those the big fluffy dogs that looked at them as if they were just there and not serious threats? He'd always admired how little they cared when they ran across dragons. They blinked, tilted their heads, occasionally sniffed, one had growled and wandered away, and went about their days. Their offspring were the tiniest balls of fluff he'd ever seen and the family dynamic they possessed always made him feel warm to think about.

"Oh well." Atem shook himself out and began trotting again. "Goat is a good substitute."

Yugi didn't think so, but he supposed it didn't matter. Moose wasn't as yummy as deer and goat was hardly a favorite. But Atem liked goat and moose when he was troubled by something. It was easier for him to eat red meat when he couldn't stop thinking, Yugi had found. It was his adult version of catching and releasing fish as he had when he was younger.

He followed him easily, humming. He wished Atem would have opened up enough to give him more of an idea why he was so anxious. He wished he would have offered even the tiniest explanation. It didn't make sense and he still didn't understand what there was Atem blamed himself for. What connection had he found and failed to share between himself, Sartorius, and Shadi?

"Yugi?"

He looked up. "Yes?"

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah," he said gently. "I am. I'm just tired."

Atem nodded slightly and began walking again. He led Yugi toward the cliffs again, tilting his head up to mark the path one of the goats overhead took. He blinked up at the stones to regard them, spotting one of the ungulates as it licked the rock face. It was so closely wedged to the wall that Yugi almost wondered how it was possible. But it didn't matter. He was able to climb sheer walls now that his claws had hardened and his paws were flatter and wider. The Gandora was a species known for digging through stone and making beds within it, so deep into the rock sometimes it was impossible for other dragons to follow. They were known for climbing sheer cliffs and rock faces at impossible angles.

"Is he the one you want?"

Atem blinked and looked over. "Hmm?"

Yugi pointed his beak toward the goat. "Is he the one you want?"

Atem studied him a moment, glancing up and back several times. And then he snorted. "Are you offering to climb the wall for me? I'll gladly watch but it's unnecessary."

Yugi nodded and looked it over a moment. All he needed to do was start. He was built for this. Gandoras were known for cliff climbing, grabbing prey otherwise unobtainable, and sticking landings. They were ambush predators that most dragons had no chance of beating in a fight.

He judged the distance a moment, then sprang for the wall. His claws sank into the stone easily, as if it were nothing but water. He flexed them, surprised, and then trembled with excitement. All those stories he'd heard were true!

He grinned at Atem who laughed softly and tilted his head. "This is great!"

"You're adorable." Atem smiled and turned away. "But you don't need to—"

Yugi turned away, rushing up the wall. The stone crumbled beneath his paws easily, giving way to his claws and granting him the hold he wouldn't have had just a year ago. He sprang like a cat up the wall, then rushed faster. The goat blinked, peering down at him, and then sprang for the ledge across it. It hurried along, but Yugi caught it by the back leg. They tumbled immediately downward, and Yugi twisted rapidly. His claws remained hooked on the goat's wool, and they landed with a heavy thump. The goat's head smashed into the ground, spraying blood, and Yugi blinked as he looked at Atem.

"Did that look as amazing as it felt?" he demanded.

Atem blinked once, then smiled, but the expression seemed tight and the look on his face appeared almost tired. Yugi froze and searched his face, and Atem looked down at the goat. "I just thought that's probably how we looked when we fell down the side of the mountain when we were trying to move dens." He exhaled softly. "It doesn't matter, though. That's not what happened here. I just… I wasn't expecting it to remind me of that."

Yugi flinched. He hadn't even considered that.

"Well, I… We didn't go splat," he tried to joke, hearts twisting in his chest. Atem glanced at him sideways. "I mean, I… Yami didn't let anything happen to us, remember?"

The God Dragon fell silent for a long moment. "How was he a Divine and capable of so much if he's dead now? Shouldn't he have been…stronger or something?" he blurted. Yugi blinked wide eyes. Atem didn't meet his gaze for a moment, then huffed and caught his eye. "Truly. If he was so powerful that his birth brought an eclipse, how did he die? How was it he died so soon?"

Yugi didn't know what to say. Atem just sounded exhausted. He knew he didn't mean anything by the words. He was angry but he wasn't blaming Yami. He was just… frustrated.

And Yugi was relatively sure he was disappointed in himself.

"I don't… It wasn't your fault or… It just… It happened, Atem."

"I would have thought if his birth could bring an eclipse, his death would as well," the Sky Dragon grumbled, turning away and staring at the goat. "It doesn't matter."

Yugi opened his mouth and faltered, searching his face. Atem didn't mean it. He knew that. He was just unhappy and exhausted and he wanted to get it off his chest, but he held himself back now as he always did. Atem had never been so open as to simply speak his mind when it came to complaints. He was only willing to participate just long enough to get the initial complaint out, which was why he seemed so tired and run ragged later when it all bubbled to the surface again.

"Atem." The God Dragon looked over obediently, blinking. Yugi opened and closed his mouth again, then leaned forward to lick his beak. "Hey, look, I get it. I'm crushed it happened, too. We both dealt with it differently and I'm sorry I couldn't give you closure. I…"

"Why don't you ever waver?" Atem asked abruptly, scowling. "You never grow angry with me, and you've never been disloyal or unfaithful despite your justification in doing so. I accused you of mating with Shizuka, and you laughed. I don't tell you everything and I end up angry and tired so often, and yet you never even consider leaving here. Why not?"

Yugi blinked, then shook his head. "Where would I go?" he asked, searching his face. "I'd be without my heart if I left you."

Atem narrowed his eyes as if he wanted to argue, but it died again. He blinked, frowning, and then looked away. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I know you don't mean anything by it."

When the silence stretched another few heartbeats Yugi found himself almost shaking with anxiety. He looked down and saw the goat, snapping his teeth and catching the wool in them. He tugged furiously, the goat almost coming to pieces beneath the pressure. Skin tore and blood splattered. Atem's head whipped around again and a droplet landed between his eyes. Yugi tore until the wool was stripped and he was almost winded. His hearts ached when he looked over again.

"Eat, Atem—please? You were hungry before. I don't want you to…" He searched his face. "Please eat."

Atem blinked and nodded. "Right."

Yugi watched him nibble at his prey for a long time, eyes glazed over with thoughts he didn't want to share just yet. He swallowed chunks of chewed meat after a while, though he only ate half the organs and left the rest for Yugi. The Gandora ate the rest only when Atem gave him a pointed stare, and the silence between them seemed thicker than ice.

Seto shook himself out and glanced at Kisara. She looked tired and crestfallen, though he thought that had more to do with the conversation she'd overheard of Jaden saying Yami was dead. She'd only seen and spoken to him the one time, yet he'd seemed to leave a lasting impression on her that Seto wasn't sure what to make of. He didn't know if she'd cared so much because he was a Divine Dragon or if it had been the weird bond she seemed to share with Atem. She liked the God Dragon despite how weak and irrational he always seemed. He still wondered occasionally if it was borne from pity that she found such affection for him.

As for Yugi, he still didn't know what drove her to like such a hideous little creature. He was nasty as they came in a fight and more than a little spiteful about everything and everyone. He didn't know if she liked him because he was so young or if it had to do with his devotion to Atem. That was the most—if not only—likeable trait Yugi possessed.

And Atem… He still didn't understand how Atem had been outsmarted by the little brat. Yugi was nowhere near as intelligent as Atem pretended and he knew there had to have been a trick involved to make him smart enough to best him. It wasn't that Atem was terribly smart—he wasn't if he didn't even think it necessary to share news of his son's death and allowed rumors to build of his potential war with Jaden—but he wasn't exactly the stupidest dragon alive, either. Atem was likely just smarter than an adolescent, but Yugi was as dumb as a hatchling.

How had they even raised Yami for as long as they had?

It was no wonder he was dead.

He blinked and narrowed his eyes. Why had he come across that line of thought? He'd meant to come in and speak to Kisara and ask her if she knew anything about the rumors. And yet he'd been driven down this path with spite and frustration.

Seto tilted his head and glanced around. Was Atem right? Had one of his sons influenced his thoughts? Was that why he so often forgot what he meant to do or say at times?

He peered around the den, but only Noah seemed to be awake. He had gotten to his paws, stretching and yawning. He clicked his teeth, chirped quietly, and turned to circle back around and settle beside Mokuba. The two of them were almost inseparable, as were Dimitri, Leon and Zigfried. The division between the five of them was apparent but they'd never taken to spite or anger against each other. They just liked the company they held rather than their other siblings'.

It was, thankfully, nothing like what he and his brothers had done to Atem.

And that begged the question as to why he should believe it was his nest which had caused the problems prior. It begged the question as to why he should believe Atem when he said it was his offspring to cause it. What if it had all been a ploy by Yami? He could have done it easily. He was powerful, wasn't he? Surely he'd done a few things to display that strength before.

Or maybe Atem had simply gotten envious. Maybe he'd become jealous and decided to blame it on his kin rather than his son. Seto wouldn't have been surprised by the cowardice if it meant it saved Atem's hide later. Yugi would have latched onto that explanation to support Atem if he thought it meant it protected them from the other God Dragons. He wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest to see something of that manner happen.

Yugi's unwavering faith in Atem was truly the most annoying thing to deal with when it came to the Gandora. He swore to Paradise and back that Atem was this powerful beast, that he'd be capable of the impossible. He was pathetic in his desire to justify pursuing Atem. Why couldn't he admit he'd done it for the sake of status as everyone else had? There had been no other reason to pursue Atem otherwise.

Yugi was full of dung when he made spiels about how much he loved him. Fairytales like that didn't exist. One got their claws bloodied and their lives threatened before they got their mates. He'd fought a hundred other males for Kisara when the time had come. And when he'd won, Akunadin had thought it odd and bewildering he'd even been capable. When Rafael had somehow gotten wind that Seto was Atem's brother, Akunadin had looked at him as if he were a piece of rotting flesh meant to be stripped and tossed away. He was not happy to hear news of a God Dragon's kin in his camp.

He was even more furious about it when Keith had come. Seto didn't know why he'd expected him to be able to defend the Clan like that. Rafael had gotten knocked around by Keith as well. He'd acted as if Seto was meant to be stronger than the hybrid, as if being directly related to a God Dragon and from the same clutch meant he was the key to defending the camp.

Seto still resented him for that. Akunadin still made remarks under his breath about his uselessness, as if Seto were meant to be a God Dragon himself, just because he was related to one. Rafael was stronger than him in that regard and far closer to being considered a God Dragon than Seto could have ever hoped to be. But somehow there had been no resentment toward him, and all of it had been saved for Seto.

"Seto?"

He blinked. "Hmm?"

"Do you plan to stand there all night glaring at the ground?" Kisara asked quietly. He glanced over at her and found the Blue-Eyes watching him with a tilted head. "I can't imagine the ground did anything to you to deserve that."

He chuckled and moved to her side, taking his usual spot. "And if I said it had?"

"I'm inclined to pretend to believe you, as a good mate should."

Seto snorted and shook his head. He was lucky to have her. He knew that much. He'd thanked the gods more than once to have such a sweet mate. He, unlike Malik or Bakura, had been blessed to have found his mate. But he thought the two of them were—or had been, in Bakura's case—too stubborn to accept one. They had always seemed loners by nature anyways.

"Did you go see Atem?"

"Yes," he grunted, good mood souring immediately. He looked over. "Atem was as unhelpful as always and Yugi proved as useless as dung. Both of them were mad I went to speak to them about Jaden and the mess Atem caused."

"Atem caused?" Kisara asked, tilting her head. "How was it his mess? He laid an egg and raised a hatchling. That's the biggest problem he caused in all of this. And Yami was sweet as they came. Don't vilify Atem just because you're scared of what might happen if Jaden returns."

"Atem won't intervene to save them. He's useless as usual where it counts." Seto huffed. "All he said was he believes Jaden is right and we've laid some kind of monster of a hatchling."

Kisara sighed softly. "I'm sure he didn't phrase it like that."

"No, but—"

"Seto, I know you know the pain of losing a clutch before. Keith ate them alive, remember? Atem doesn't even have the security of knowing who did this to Yami. He must feel like he's failed him and he has to be exhausted with everything else going on. If he and Jaden truly are minutes from war, the stress he's under has to be unimaginable."

"He said he has no plans for war with Jaden."

"Thank Paradise," Kisara whispered. "I can't imagine how bad a war between the two of them would turn out."

Seto almost huffed. "If war breaks out, we're not getting involved."

"How is that any different from him refusing to get involved if Jaden comes after us?"

"He's a God Dragon. He's meant to respond to a threat like that."

"If war breaks out, every region is meant to align with the God Dragons."

Seto scoffed. "I have better things to do than get involved in a war that doesn't affect me."

"He's your brother."

"That doesn't mean as much as you'd think. He almost wouldn't help me when Keith was here. What do I owe him for that?"

"You've been unbelievably hostile toward him for as long as he's been alive, Seto. I think his spite is well-deserved." Kisara sighed and shook her head. "Well, if it comes to war, I'll fight alongside Atem. Jaden isn't a God Dragon I wish to follow anywhere."

Seto huffed. "We won't be involved."

"Says you?"

"Your father won't want to be involved, either." Seto tilted his head. "He may not last forever, but if war breaks out soon he'll still be the leader of this Clan. And what then? He'll refuse allegiance with either of them. Do you propose disobedience? He'll kick us both out of the Clan."

"Maybe it's for the best then," Kisara said somewhat spitefully, "seeing as you so often like to hide behind him as if his word were law."

"Atem's word is not law, either." Seto scowled. "I don't care what you say about it, but he's not a leader and he's not worth shedding blood for. He's never been worth more than the scales he's shed."

Kisara curled her lips back to show the ridges of her teeth. "He shed blood for you once. He prevented Jaden going after the nests when the gathering was underway. Do you realize Jaden could have just killed them because of timing?" she snapped. "It was so soon after Keith, he would have had every reason to just…kill them regardless. Your brother stopped him. The one that's not worth more than his scales. You owe him that. Even if you don't want to admit it, you owe him a lot, Seto."

"I owe him for not declaring an edict on Keith's clutches?" he scoffed. "I don't owe him anything. I wanted them dead, remember?"

Kisara exhaled slowly, and Seto realized she had barely restrained herself from lashing out. Had the hatchlings not been present and watching them now, they most likely would have gone to blows.

"Atem didn't kill you when you entered his territory. He stopped Yugi killing you the second time. He decided to help even when he had no true reason to—"

"Keith was after him—"

"He could have fled. He could have left you for dead. He showed up late to that fight when he didn't have to show up at all. You overestimate your worth to him. Atem isn't the hatchling that rolled over and took beatings. He's an adult and he's a God Dragon. He's got the most violent rumors surrounding him and his name is considered too powerful to invoke in the north and western regions. Do you even understand that? Atem's name is considered sacred. Because he's the dragon Clan leaders fear to see visit their camps. His secluded nature formerly means his appearances now sets everyone on edge. The visits he performed two years ago to the Clans? It's considered nothing short of an omen. The rumors about him going to war with Jaden circulate because everyone is on edge upon seeing the Red Death personally. They fear his presence just like they fear his wrath."

Seto scowled. "You worship him because he's related to me. If it weren't for that—"

"I've known of him since I was born, Seto. My mother challenged him." Kisara shook her head, annoyed and disgusted. "She wanted a deity mate and he pinned her a heartbeat into their fight. She was humiliated and fled with her tail between her legs. She never spoke of it to Akunadin, but she told me and my sister once. She said the God Dragon of the East was the most vicious creature she'd ever laid eyes on and he practiced death as easily as breathing. There were piles of bodies when she'd gone to challenge him, and Atem wasn't slowing down. He pinned her with a paw to her throat and told her to get out. And when she looked back, he'd been watching her leave. She said she was sure if she'd even wavered he would have killed her."

He huffed. "Atem isn't…" He shook his head. "He's barely a God Dragon."

"Your brother happens to be a well-tempered dragon. The only reason he's never lashed out as hard as he should towards you is because he taught himself restraint. In his place, I'd have killed you and used your bones to sharpen my teeth." She got up, padded away to the other side of the den, and lay with her back to him.