Chapter 3:

The Contract with Hircine

A/N: I had planned to upload this a few days ago, I but took on extra hours at work – yay money! But here is Chapter 3, hoop everyone enjoys!

Disclaimer: I still don't own jack-crap…

~ oOo ~

4 Years Later, age 10

Ever since, Serah was attacked by a pack of wild wolves several years earlier, the elder Companions always kept a close eye on her, especially the twins. Eventually, they grew accustomed to her taking private strolls throughout the city, but whenever she wanted to go and walk around the outskirts of the city, either Vilkas or Farkas, sometimes both, traveled with her, despites her protests. They were very protective of her and at some points in her life, it truly annoyed Serah, but knowing that there were people surrounding her that would put their life on the line to save her forced her heart to skip a beat. She was very resentful that they didn't trust her abilities to defend herself, but eventually, her thoughts of resentment turned to thanks of gratefulness.

She remembered the exact day she received the letter stating her father had been murdered and although it had taken some time to understand that she was never going to see him again, she gradually came to accept this answer. And as usual, both Vilkas and Farkas were by her side if she needed anyone to talk to or cry on.

But as the years passed, she grew stronger, both as a warrior and within her heart. The other Companion members had become her family, with Kodlak becoming a father-figure she could look up to if she needed any fatherly advice. As for the twins, they were her best friends; being the youngest female within the Companions, she didn't have any friends outside the halls of Jorrvaskr. The other children of the village ignored her since she would rather go hunting then mind a shop or help their parents; even though Serah explained that she had no parents to help. They didn't understand, but as she grew, she realized over time that all she needed was the comfort within Jorrvaskr and her new family.

Serah was now the age of ten summers, her favorite twins had just reached their fifteenth summer and as she watched them train under the protective watch of Skyforge, she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like when she was finally their age. At night, she dreamed that the three of them were all the same summer and they would fly off into the Skyrim night and enjoy each other's company. But that was the dream of a little girl, even though she was ten summers old. Aela and Skjor nearly reminder her every day that she was just a pup and hadn't fully experienced life yet. Usually the comment about not having a chance to experience life sent her over the edge, because in all reality, there was nothing she could do about that since Kodlak was still strict with when and how many times she would leave Whiterun. What really bothered her was when the two of them called her 'pup'.

"Why the hell would they call me pup, anyway? I am not a freaking pup!"

But from the training grounds, Vilkas heard her words, but as he crossed swords with his brother, stated, "Serah, don't use words like that."

She buffed her chest. "I'm old enough to use such language!" she countered.

"And would Kodlak appreciate to here you say such things?"

She released her chest. "Probably not…"

"Than what do you say?" But for some reason, Serah was not in the mood, so she stuck her tongue out at Vilkas and crossed her arms and huffed, turning her head away from their twin sparring. She could hear the ceasing of metal, and soon, the sound of boots clanging against the floor caught her attention. And before she knew it, one of the twins was kneeling before her chair, turning her head to look at them. It was Farkas.

"Hey now, is that any way a Companion should act?"

"I'm not a Companion yet!"

He raised an eyebrow. "And who has said that to you?"

Lowering her eyes, Serah's cheeks began to burn. She never liked to tell on people, but this was something that had been on her chest for a while. "Aela and Skjor," she replied in a small voice.

Farkas released a deep, hearty laugh, but ceased when he saw the hurtful look across her face. "Did they really say that to you?"

She nodded. "They said I'm only a pup and that I'm not worthy enough to be called a Companion."

But Farkas did chuckle softly at her words. At this point, Vilkas joined the two and listened in on their conversation. "Oh just forget about those old grouches, Serah."

"But…" she tapped the edge of her nose, a characteristic Farkas noticed she had acquired when she was thinking. "How can Aela be an old grouch? Isn't she the same age as you, Vilkas? Farkas?"

This made the twins laugh in unison. "One would think, little Serah," Farkas stated.

"However," Vilkas continued on with his brother's statement. "Aela actually is almost ten summers older than both of us."

"No way!" Serah leaned forward in her seat.

"Yes way, it's true."

"Whoa," she said, flabbergasted.

"Like we said, they're just old grouches, but we know you have true potential, Serah. The only difference between you and them is age. But if you continue with your training, you'll be there in no time. Alright?" It took a while for Serah to finally believe their words, but in the end, they had never lied to her in the past, why would they now? So she nodded in understanding. "Good girl. Now, because you stuck your tongue out at Vilkas, I think you should say you're sorry."

"Aww, why should I, Farkas?"

"Because you were mean, that's why."

"But you're sometimes mean to him."

"And he's my brother."

"But you guys are my family too."

Farkas shuddered and realized where this was going. Damn girl is smart for her age. "Yes, w-well…it was rude to stick your tongue out at him."

Crossing her arms, Serah growled. "Alright, fine! But I am not saying I'm sorry." Vilkas laughed as he drank some honeyed mead; watching the two bicker could be quite humorous at times.

"Alright then, how about we make a challenge? You fight Vilkas, and if you can knock him to the ground, you don't have to apologize. But if he knocks you down, you say you're sorry. Deal?" Serah glared at him, not liking the plan but knowing that Farkas was not going to leave her alone unless she agreed to his bidding. "Deal?" He repeated again. Sighing, Serah nodded her head, knowing there was no other choice. "Great! Vilkas! You have a challenger!"

"Ah, that is good to hear, brother, I was starting to become bored from my current training partner." Vilkas winked in Serah's direction whose scowled face turned into a fit of giggles, her laughter echoing across the rooftops of the training grounds. Farkas sighed and tried to scowl at his brother, but Serah's giggles were too contagious so he smiled in her direction. Vilkas changed the subject. "So what weapons will you use, Serah?"

"Well…probably my shield and sword." She stood from her spot, placing her tiny iron shield into her arm and pulled the just as tiny sword from across her back. Although she just was ten, Eorlund had given Serah her first set of armor. It was light armor, made of simple leather, but it was enough to protect her still tiny body from the onslaught of her Companion training. "As you've stated before, I'm still too small to learn the ways of the great sword."

"But you're making excellent progress with a one-handed weapon. Why are you so insistent on using two-handed weapons?" Vilkas asked, his question being one of curiosity he had been wanting to know for quite some time.

Serah stole a quick view at Farkas who sat at the edge of the eating table, so he could have an up close view of Vilkas' challenge with her. I want to have strength just like him one day. But that was something she would never revel out loud. She sighed and finally answered, "I just think two-handed weapons are stronger. A basic sword like this," she swung hers in front of her body in demonstration. "Has its advantages, but I like the idea of using a great sword to completely knock an enemy off the ground; whether it's with an attack or to block with the double-wide hilt." Vilkas raised an eyebrow, he was surprised by her answer. Turning around in his seat, Farkas crossed glances with his twin, his eyebrows raised in shock as well; neither brother expecting such an answer such as that from a young girl who had only lived for ten summers. Even after all the time they had spent with her, the twins were still surprised to discover depths of Serah such as this; she was an interesting creature to understand.

Grabbing his sword from the side of the table, Vilkas turned towards Serah and asked, "Well, are you ready little one?"

But she buffed out her chest again. "I am not little!"
Farkas jumped in. "Yes you are, little one."

"Am not!"

"Are too. Your shoulders barely reach my elbows."

"Tsk, it's not my fault I'm so small. I am younger than everyone else here." She crossed her arms.

Hearing the slight disdain in her voice, Farkas turned to look at her. "It really bothers you what they said, huh?"

"Yes it does."

Chuckling, Farkas pulled his great sword from across his back and, grabbing a rag off the table, began to clean the tinted blade. "Like I said, don't worry about it. In no time, you'll be much older, much stronger, and much prettier than Aela or Skjor. Especialy Skjor," he added with a snicker. "And with our training," Farkas glanced at his twin. "You'll easily be able to defeat them in the future."

Did…did Farkas just really say…that I'll be prettier when I'm older?

"Alright, enough talking. Come here, Serah," Vilkas walked towards the training area. "I think it's time I hear that…apology, of yours."

Snickering, Serah followed Vilkas, tightly grasping both her shield and sword. "Like I said to Farkas, I will not say I'm sorry."

In the background, Farkas chuckled and Vilkas grinned. "Then prove it, little one."

Lunging a direct attack in her way, Serah instantly met his attack with a block, pushing back his inertia with all her might, He took a step backwards, impressed, then side-stepped around her; but Serah didn't move. Out of the corner of her eye, she kept a close watch on Vilkas' movements. For the last six years, she had been training nearly every day with the twins; she knew Vilkas' moves, she knew his attacks. When he was directly behind her, Vilkas lunged at Serah again, but she jumped out of the way in the nick of time. As his weight for forward with his swing, Serah twirled her body around and swung her sword across Vilkas' back. He gasped, more out of shock than in pain, that she was the one to land the first strike.

From the sidelines, Farkas watched the whole ordeal and he was just as impressed. He knew she took her training seriously, but outside of training, he had never seen her truly fight. Her eyes gleamed with a passion, not one to kill, but one to prove that she had the strength, the determination, the heart to take down any who stood in her way. Deep within himself, Farkas knew that Serah was stuck; she was tired of being the youngest member and he knew that she wanted to go outside the city and train with the other Companions when they left Whiterun. And seeing her with the same passion in her eyes that Farkas felt, he knew that after this, he should persuade Kodlak to leave the city. She was a growing lass and needed the experience of the outside world.

But thinking back to the day she arrived, he was reminded of his promise to her father, Fenrir. He still intended on keeping his promise, but Farkas' only wish was that Serah be given the chance to prove herself. In a way, Farkas, too, was caught between a rock and a hard place; he wanted to protect Serah, but he also wanted her to experience life. And seeing her fight Vilkas the way she was, he knew she would remain safe in the years to come.

A clash of metal brought his attention back to spar directly in front of him. Serah had successfully landed another attack on Vilkas. When he turned, she turned; when he dodged, she dodged. She's not just fighting him…she's teaching herself what he does. Farkas had no clue who would win, for some reason, Serah was able to keep up with his brother, but as the minutes continued to pass, he could tell she was getting tired – and fast. It took her slightly longer to dodge an attack, to swing her sword. At last, when Vilkas swung at her shield, she blocked, using her guard to deflect his swing and tilt his sword to the ground. Raising her sword up into the air, she was about to swing down while Vilkas slid his feet in the dirt and catching the back of her ankles, brought her down. With the weight of her shield, Serah lost her balance and fell directly onto her back, her eyes widening in disbelief in knowing she had the chance to beat Vilkas but lost. From the sidelines, Farkas smiled at Serah's brave attempt to try, but he knew she was saddened that she lost; but she agreed to this challenge.

Rising from his chair, he walked over to the girl laying on the ground; he stood on one side while Vilkas stood on the other. Both reached out their hands and she grasped both, leaving her sword on the ground. Standing, she dusted off the dirt from her armor and glanced between the two brothers before finally landing on Vilkas. Usually, he would've plastered a smug grin on his face, to indicate that he had won, but when it came to Serah, he didn't necessarily care. He did however, smile down at her when he said, "You tried your best, little one."

The one characteristic Serah held that the twins admired above anything else was her humbleness. She never truly boasted about winning a game and she never tried to show that she was better than those around her. Serah always apologized when she was in the wrong, and smiled when she knew she had done something worthwhile. Looking up at the man who had defeated her honestly, she gave him a small smile and, true to her Nord word, said, "Vilkas…I apologize for sticking my tongue out at you earlier."

Smiling at her words, he rubbed the top of her helmet-less head, her midnight black hair growing long enough that it reached behind her shoulders. "That's alright little one. More importantly, you did really well out there."

Her eyes widened a fraction. "Really? You think so?"

"I was watching the whole thing, Serah. You kept up with my brother fairly well," Farkas smiled which, in turn, made her smile. But practically anything he said to her made her smile. Looking at the sky above her, Serah finally noticed the sun setting just as Tilma opened the doors to Jorrvaskr and beckoned for them to come inside for dinner. They obliged, but when Tilma turned to head back inside, Skjor walked out and was headed straight towards them.

"Vilkas, Farkas, I need to speak with you." He glanced down at Serah and added, "Privately." Rolling her eyes, Serah was more concerned about dinner at that given moment so she told the twins she would see them inside and ran off towards the doors. Watching her back as she left, Skjor did not face the twins until she was gone from his sight. Once again, he turned back towards them.

"What is it you need, Skjor?" Farkas questioned.

"Kodlak requests a visit from both of you."

"Alright, we'll head down to his study before we eat." Vilkas stated as he and his brother turned to leave, but Skjor stopped them.

"No, that is not the plan. Tonight, when the moon is high in the sky, you are to meet me underneath the Skyforge; from there, I'll direct where you need to go."

Farkas raised an eyebrow. "Why can't you just tell us now?"

"Just listen for once, Farkas." Turning away, the elder Circle member walked off towards the market district. "Don't forget," he called over his shoulder. "Tonight, Skyforge – be there," he emphasized. And then he walked out of the twin's sight. Starring at his back, the brothers looked at one another but Farkas simply shrugged his shoulders and stated that he was hungry for whatever Tilma had cooked, so he walked into Jorrvaskr, leaving Vilkas alone to question the motives of both Skjor and Kodlak. Shaking his head in dismay, Vilkas followed his brother inside. I guess we'll find out later what all this secrecy is about.

~ oOo ~

After dinner, Serah changed out of her light armor, but left on her tunic, trousers and boots. Walking out from her bedroom within the living quarters, situated along the wall between the twin's private rooms, she headed upstairs where said twins were waiting for her; both also had discarded their armor. Almost every night, the three of them, sometimes only two, would walk around Whiterun and simply take in the chillness of the evening and look up towards the Northern Lights. It had been a daily tradition for the three of them the moment Serah became comfortable with her new home and its inhabitants.

Walking up the stairs, Serah called out to the twins and they stood from their places at the table; Aela rolling her eyes knowing where they were going whereas Skjor reminded the brothers of where they needed to be later. They scoffed off his reminder and walked out of Jorrvaskr and into the open night. As they walked away from the Companion hold, Serah questioned what Skjor was talking about, the twins only reply being that Kodlak wished to speak to them later; but about what, event they didn't know. Though she knew they were telling the truth, Serah felt uneasy that Skjor told them Kodlak needed to speak with them. Usually Kodlak went up to them by himself, but this time he sent Skjor. Something's going on, and I'm not sure that I like it.

The three Companions, even though Serah technically wasn't yet a Companion by title, walked around the city for nearly half an hour before deciding to sit on the bridge behind the Battle-Born residence. They sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the rustle of the water move beneath the bridge, one of the fresh sources throughout the city. As the seconds ticked, Serah was growing uncomfortable; their usually was silence between the three of them, but nothing like it was that night. Turning her gaze between the two of them, she finally muttered, "I don't want you to go tonight."

Looking at his brother, Farkas asked, "Why not?"

Pulling her knees to her chest, Serah closed her eyes. "I'm not sure. I've had this…strange feeling in my tummy and it doesn't seem right for you both to go."

Vilkas placed a firm grip on her shoulder. "Don't worry, little one, nothing terrifying will come out of this meeting tonight. There's no need to be afraid."

Looking up, she could see his sincerity, but Skjor was there to confirm the same notion. "Are you sure?"

"Whatever happens tonight, Vilkas and I will still be here in the morning to train and look after you." Farkas nudged Serah's shoulder with his elbow. He had to admit, there was something about this meeting that upset his nerves as well, but he had to meet with the Harbinger; he had a feeling it was a high honor to do so. "Sound good?" She looked directly into his silvery eyes and finally nodded, a smile creeping upon her face. "Alright, it's time to head back," Farkas pointed out as he stood from the bridge.

"Aw, just a few more minutes?" Serah whined. Behind her small frame, Vilkas shook his head and Farkas sighed.

"Not tonight, Serah. You've had a tiring day and need to get some sleep." He could hear her growl, but as she stood from her sitting position, she muttered "Ok," and they walked back to Jorrvaskr.

As they walked towards the gates, Serah had to admit that her eyes were beginning to droop and secretly thanked the twins for wanting her to get some sleep. Outside the double doors, Serah hugged each twin individually and said goodnight before heading inside. The twins waited a few seconds before walking towards the spot Skjor directed them earlier to meet, and as they rounded the corner, the elder Circle member was standing firmly against the stone wall, his stare held directly against the ground. As they approached, he didn't bother to look up, only stating, "You both are too attached to that girl."

Farkas immediately growled, a deep, resonating sound echoing from his throat. "You don't understand a thing, Skjor."

The man laughed and he pushed himself away from the cliff. "I know enough, Farkas. That girl will bring danger in the future, just you wait."

"That's quite enough, Skjor." Three heads turned to see their Harbinger walking straight towards them, his hands grasped firmly behind his back. "I will not hear you talk about my goddaughter that way again, do I make myself clear?"

Skjor took a step back in disbelief, the tone of Kodlak was sharp and piercing; he had never heard his Harbinger speak in such a manner, "Yes, Harbinger, my sincerest apologies."

Kodlak turned towards the twins and motioned with his head to look at the cliff directly under the sacred Skyforge. "It is time, my boys. Follow me."

"But where are we going?" Vilkas asked.

Skjor laughed as he pushed at a jagged stone along the wall; withdrawing within the wall, a small section of stone cracked and began to move. The twins couldn't believe what they were seeing – a door suddenly appeared within the stone wall. Motioning with his hands for the twins to enter, they obliged, with the other two men following in their footsteps. As they stepped inside, they were surprised to see Aela standing there, waiting around a stone pillar with a large, empty bowl on top. Behind them, the door closed, causing the room to shutter as bits and pieces of rock tumbled down. Kodlak and Skjor walked towards Aela and stood on either side of her, facing the twins. Kodlak was the first to speak, of course. "You boys are probably wondering why you are here tonight."

"The thought did cross our minds, yes," Vilkas answered.

"Well, it has come to our attention that it might be time for you boys too step higher in the ranks of the Companions. We have seen the feats you two have completed either together or individually. Farkas, your strength rivals no other and Vilkas, your mind is sharper than most I have seen. That is why, here tonight, we would like to grant you access in the Circle."

Vilkas and Farkas stood in skepticism. Did Kodlak really just say that he wanted us to join the Circle? THE Circle? Fuck, this was definitely unexpected, Farkas thought to himself. But as he stood there in wonder, Vilkas had other words running through his mind.

I think Serah was right, something's not quite right. I believe there's a catch that we aren't aware of yet.

"However, there is something you must do first," Skjor stated. I knew it, Vilkas acknowledged. Turning towards, Aela, Skjor nodded and the huntress took a few steps back. The twins had no idea what was going on, but in that instance, they noticed that their fellow Companion hunched over, as if she was in pain. She howled towards the ceiling as the crunching reverberations of her bones echoed across the stone, straight through the twin's ears. Her body morphed into a creature they had never seen before; her natural stance became crouched, thick tuffs of fur began to sprout from every inch of her body, and her face formed a nuzzle with sharp, jagged teeth sprouting beneath her lips.

Farkas and Vilkas backed away, not sure what to make of the situation, they reached for their swords out of instinct, ready to pounce to save Kodlak, if needed. Before they could no anything, however, their Harbinger held his hand, wordlessly asking them to retract their warrior stances. Farkas was about to speak when Kodlak, again, held up his hand in silence.

"This is the true nature of the Circle members. The beast-blood has remained within the members of the Circle for several hundred years; it is a gift, one that must be bestowed upon you."

But the twins remained silent, both staring at the "wolf" Aela, unsure of what to feel or what to think. If they accepted their position, they would become a creature such as this. But…was it worth, in the end? What was the point of having such an ability? To turn into a menacing creature for the rest of their lives?

Of the two, Farkas was the first to question this insanity. "Harbinger…would we remain like this forever…?"

Kodlak could hear the uncertainty in the boy's voice. "In spirit, yes. To become one with the beast-blood means accepting the blood of the werewolf and the spirit of Hircine. Once a day, you have the ability to turn into such a creature. But the beast-blood is a symbol of being a member within the Circle, however, it must remain a secret. No one outside these walls knows about the fact that we have the beast-blood. If you accept this offer, you mustn't tell a soul."

"But what are we to do with it, Harbinger? What's the point?" Vilkas questioned; his brain confused with the onslaught of disturbing information.

It was Skjor who spoke up to answer his question, a smug look plastered on his face. "If you had the blessing of the werewolf, which would grant you invincible strength, can't you think of something that it might be useful for?" The brothers looked at each other.

Serah.

Logically speaking, if something were to happen, the brothers could call upon their beast-blood and protect Serah in any dire situation where the outcome looked bleak. Farkas sighed and Vilkas scratched his head. Though it didn't seem the best idea, they agreed to taking on the beast-blood and accepting the "blessing" from Hircine. They had wanted to become members of the Circle for as long as they could remember, it had been a dream of theirs since they were little. But now with Serah in their lives, if it meant her protection, they would take the chances and risk it.

All three of them nodded their heads in approval. Walking towards Aela, Skjor took a small blade and sliced her arm over the ceramic bowl, the dark, thick blood dripped down until the bowl was completely filled. Satisfied, Skjor dropped her arm and indicated for them to drink it, but before they would do so, Kodlak stepped in.

"Now hold on here. Never before have he had two individuals take on the beast-blood at once. We should have one take the spirit tonight and have the other tomorrow."

"If that is what our Harbinger wants. So who should have it first?" Skjor looked between Kodlak and the twins, but the Harbinger decided on the perfect answer.

"The eldest twin will go first, which would be you, Vilkas. Meaning Farkas, you'll take it tomorrow." Both twins nodded in agreement as Vilkas walked forward. Farkas took a step back, unsure of what his brother was about to succumb too while his unconsciousness was telling him that they were making a grave mistake.

Skjor handed the eldest twin an ebony goblet. Taking it within his hand, Vilkas slowly filled the goblet with Aela's beast-blood until it nearly overflowed. Once full, Vilkas pulled the goblet towards his face and, breathing in a few times, gulped down the contents, nearly choking in the process. The thick, sickly gore trailed down Vilkas' throat as he gagged several times, but never regurgitating the nauseating contents. Farkas watched in stunned silence, unsure of what to feel as he witnessed his brother ultimately cursing himself, drinking sacrilegious blood; blood in which he would struggle to down come the next evening.

But Vilkas was able to down every last drop. Throwing the goblet on the ground, his hands covered his face, his vision suddenly grew cloudy as a searing pounding resonated throughout his head. An immediate fire burst through his veins, surging throughout his body, as if to ignite the new beast within him. When Vilkas though he could handle the burning sensation, his body was racked with a new pain. His bones began to crack and churn, bending at abnormal angles, elongating themselves until his limbs were strangely longer than before. Kneeling against the stone flooring, Vilkas threw his hands against the ground, hissing in detrimental agony. Hair began to suddenly grow from everywhere on his body; thick tuffs of dark brown fur grew until he was completely covered. The Companion could feel his clothes being torn from his body as the initial transformation reared its final stage. Lastly, his face stretched to accommodate the snout of a monstrous beast. His normal, human teeth grew and sharpened, thick saliva dribbled down as his mentality sudden thought of the beast-blood.

As the transformation neared completion, Farkas looked upon his brother in dismay, not understand what they had decided to do, but if his brother now belonged to Hircine, he too, would ultimately join the Deadric Prince's pack of slaves. Looking within the eyes of the now werewolf, Farkas could see the tension in the creature that used to be his twin. Vilkas was salivating, his body turning left and right, as if trying to adjust to the altered body and height. But the younger twin had heard the tales and legends describing the werewolves of old, how they immediately craved too feed once they were turned. And if anyone else had looked upon Vilkas that night, they could immediately read the thoughts coursing through his thick head.

~ oOo ~

As the sun rose the next morning, a certain midnight haired young girl awoke in her private room within the Jorrvaskr living quarters. At first, her eyes slowly began to open after being gently closed for several hours. Then her body would gradually awaken, wanting to move from being in the same, curled position. And finally, her mouth fluttered opened as she yawned, indicating that she was still tired, but couldn't go back to sleep. The poor child had had a restless night, a plague of disturbing dreams haunted her usual, placid thoughts. Though she could not remember the exact details, all young Serah could recall was the faint smell of blood and the distinct sound of howling. Not knowing what to make of it, Serah tiredly strode out of bed and threw off her oversized night shirt, and dressed in something more comfortable – and for a young girl living within the hall of the Companions, that meant leather trousers and a basic tunic, preferably black, if she had a clean one. And on this day, she did.

As she stepped out of her bedroom, Serah instantly knew that something was off. Vilkas' room, the door always open before she arose for the day, was closed, while Farkas' was wide open. Curious, she wanted to knock on the eldest twin's door to see if everything was alright, but something told her to stay away. And for some reason, she trotted away and headed upstairs. Once in the dining area, the only person within the room, sitting in the corner drinking a tankard of mead, was Farkas, and as she walked up to him, he glanced up at her. "Mornin', sleepyhead."

"Morning Farkas." Glancing around the room, Serah brushed a section of hair behind her ear. "Where is everybody…?"

If she had enhanced hearing, Serah would've been able to hear Farkas gulp. The Companion had expected Serah to acknowledge that something was off, but he never thought she'd pick it up relatively quickly. Taking a deep breath, he tried to think of a lie strong enough to pass Serah. Even though he hated lying to Serah, sadly, he felt he had too. "Early this morning, Aela asked if Vilkas and I wanted to go out hunting with her but I decided to stay behind."

She raised an eyebrow. That doesn't sound like Farkas to turn down a hunting trip. "And Vilkas?"

Taking a hardy drink, Farkas replied, "Vilkas agreed to go."

"Farkas, there's something you're not telling me," Serah instantly replied.

Of all the Divines, I swear, how the hell did she grow to be this smart? "I just didn't feel like hunting, little Serah."

Growling, she crossed her arms and took the seat across the table from Farkas. If Farkas didn't want to tell her, that was fine, but there was still one question she had to ask – and she better get an answer. "I have one more question."

"Ask away, little one."

"What happened in the meeting with Kodlak last night?"

"Ah, I was waiting for you to ask." And now I need to think of an answer for this question. Serah, you're killing me. "You really want to know?"

"Yes."

"I mean; you really want to know?" Picking up the stick used in his chestnut treat, Serah tossed it at Farkas' head and his laughter roared across the great hall. "I'll take that as a yes."

"You think?" Serah laughed.

Without waiting, Farkas replied to her question, a small smile across his face despite the pain he felt deep within his heart. "Kodlak initiated us into the Circle."

Immediately, her eyes widened and the mouthful of water she just began drinking spilled from her mouth as she sprayed it from her lips. "WHAT?!"

Chuckling, Farkas wiped his arm that was sprayed with her used drinking water. Remembering last night, he, too, was excited that he and his brother could finally join the Circle, a league of individuals who proved that they were worthy of being Companions. But he was still uncomfortable with his decision to accept the beast-blood in order to join. Deep within, Farkas felt ashamed; ashamed that he would need lie to Serah about who he would become later tonight. But more importantly, he thought back to last night when Vilkas took the beast-blood first, his transformation and what happened afterwards. His brother's body altered and as soon as he was completely a werewolf, Vilkas left, in the middle of the night, with Skjor and Aela following his trail; which was where they were this morning. They followed him to ensure that he didn't commit any serious crimes or kill…too many people.

"It's true, little one. Both Vilkas and I are now officially members of the Circle." Well Vilkas anyways, I still have to succumb to the blood of Hircine.

Her eyes were so wide with excitement, Farkas believed they would pop straight from her head. "Oh my, Farkas…Congratulations!" Jumping from her seat, she latched her arms around his neck and squeezed. She was truly happy for her shield-brother, her mentor, her best friend…her…her… "I am so happy for you and Vilkas! Wait, Vilkas…oh I get it!"

Farkas raised an eyebrow as she pulled away and sat back down in her seat. "You get what?"

"Why Vilkas went hunting this morning! Aela wanted to treat him because he made it into the Circle. But…so did you. Wait… Farkas? Why didn't you really go?"

He looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Vilkas and I…we promised to be here in the morning to train with you. But since Aela wanted to take us hunting for being initiated into the Circle, I told Vilkas to go so I could stay here behind with you."

"No, Farkas, you didn't have to so that."

He laughed. "Nah, don't worry 'bout it, little one. Besides, why go out and hunt elk when I can stay here and laugh at you when you fall on your rear today?" He snickered and added, "Again."

"Not fair, Farkas! It's just because you're so much taller than me!"

Taking a swig of mead, he sighed. "And in a few years you'll be older and stronger too. We already told you this, little one."

It was her turn to sigh as she pulled her legs forward onto the chair and rest her chin on her knees. "Sometimes I wish time would move faster."

"Just live, little one. Don't wish for things like that because you'll come to regret it."

Serah pondered for a moment at his words before saying, "Farkas? Has anyone ever told you that you're really smart?"

He scoffed at her statement, easily brushing it off. "Nah, you've heard people around here, especially the way Aela talks to me. I have the strength of Ysgramor, Vilkas has the brains."

She looked him straight in the eye, never flinching even when he equally stared back. "Sometimes it's the opposite. You're very smart Farkas. And I wished you'd think better of yourself than assuming what everyone else says about you is the truth."

At first the Companion began to chuckle at the girl's statement, but the more he thought of what she said, the more he questioned the truth. He didn't reply back, because he knew Serah would fight him on this; she was a stubborn child of ten summers. Taking another swig of mead, the doors into Jorrvaskr burst open, and the other three Circle members waltzed right on in. Skjor walked in first and headed straight for the living quarters, probably in search of Kodlak whereas Aela and Vilkas walked in and stood by the wooden doors, speaking in low, muffled whispers. Farkas noticed his brother was only wearing trousers, his torso slightly smeared in blood and he could only guess what it was from. Moving in her seat, Serah smiled and loudly called out to her friends. "Aela! Vilkas! How was the hunting trip?"

Turning their heads in Serah's direction, Aela raised in eyebrow while Vilkas walked towards the two of them. Farkas nodded in Serah's direction and shook his head, indicating not to question Serah's statement; but she shrugged her shoulder's and followed Skjor downstairs. Pulling an empty chair next to his brother, Vilkas grabbed the tankard from Farkas' hand and chugged the rest down then slammed the metal contraption onto the table. As he looked towards Serah, he saw her eyes wide in curiosity. "Something wrong?" his voice was hoarse and he could see her flinch slightly.

"Vilkas…why're you covered in blood? Are you hurt?"

Looking down at his bare chest, Vilkas had barely noticed that he was, indeed, smeared in blood – from the several people he had devoured the previous evening. Looking to his brother for answers, Farkas met his gaze. "Did an elk attack you and Aela while you were hunting?"

"Huh? Vilkas raised an eyebrow.

Farkas grabbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. Leaning on his elbow, he stared at his brother. "How was your hunt with Aela last night? Did you two manage to catch anything?" Farkas raised an eyebrow, hoping his brother truly had the brains of Ysgramor to understand his meaning. A few seconds passed and Vilkas finally nodded, finally understanding what was going on. He glanced at Serah before saying, "At first we did…" Trailing off, Vilkas had no idea what to say. At this point he was lying to Serah, but as he looked at the young child, eagerly leaning on the table to hear his story, he then realized the point Farkas was trying to make. "We brought down an elk, and as we were about to tie its limbs together to bring back here, a sabre cat attacked us, wanting the dead elk more than it wanted us. So we let the animal take it then headed back here."

Serah pouted and blew a puff of air out of her mouth. "That's it? Then what's with all the blood?"

Chuckling, Vilkas scratched the back of his head. "A dead, bleeding elk is a messy thing, Serah." Blinking, her mouth formed an "o" as her child's mind took in all the information, trying to understand it for herself. She nodded in agreement but then reached across the table and slapped his hand.

"Next time, don't be so careless to lose another elk! What will the people think of you, Vilkas, if you can't even manage to steal an elk from a sabre cat?" Both twins blinked in surprise before she winked and giggled. Jumping from her chair, she told Farkas she'd meet him outside for her lesson. Once she was out of hearing range, Farkas turned towards his brother, desperately seeking answers. "Well…?" he probed.

Sighing heavily, Vilkas ran both hands through his filthy, sweat and grime covered hair. "It's…there are no words, Farkas. This is something you'll have to experience tonight on your own."

Farkas could see the toll it was taking on his brother. Clasping a hand on his brother's shoulder, Farkas said, "Is this something we should not have agreed to?"

Sighing again, Vilkas had no answer at first. He could see the reluctance on Farkas' face about joining the Circle; becoming forever intertwined with the Deadric Prince Hircine was probably not the smartest move the twins had ever done. But now, they had no choice, they had to stand tall at the decisions they had made and remembered why they made them. "All we can do now, brother, is accept what we have done and hone in on our new gift."

"I guess your right brother." Standing, Farkas maneuvered his way towards the doors, when his brother called out to him.

"She doesn't know…does she?"

He shook his head. "Not a clue, and I hope it stays that way. But you better go clean up, Vilkas. I made not have the nose of a werewolf just yet, but even I can tell that you reek."

~ oOo ~

Just as the night before, Serah trained all day on certain techniques with Farkas on how to perfect her stance when fighting, how to block efficiently and how to maneuver her blocks with attacks. Vilkas did not join them until the sun had begun to drop from the sky; he had bathed himself clean of the bloody-mess he returned in. Until dinner had been prepared, Serah spared with both brothers, several instances while at the same time. By the end of their session, the young girl was soaked with sweat but held a genuine smile on her face; she truly enjoyed living within Jorrvaskr and prayed to the Divines that nothing would happen between her and the twins.

With the amount she trained earlier, Serah fell asleep at the table while eating her venison, her small head gently falling forward with every passing minute before finally collapsing on the wood. Everyone at the table laughed, but understood her fatigue; they acknowledged that she energetically worked every day and deserved to sleep when needed. From his spot at the table, Skjor steered his head towards the living quarters and Farkas knew what he implied. Gently carrying her in his arms, Farkas made his way down towards Serah's room where he placed her on the bed. After removing only her armor, Farkas covered her in furs and closed the door behind him, softly mumbling "I'm sorry" before heading back upstairs.

Towards my ultimate disappointment, the Companion thought.

But as the door shut, little Serah peeped one eye open as she glanced around the room. Satisfied that she was alone, she jumped out of bed and headed straight for her chest at the end of the furniture. Throwing the lid open, she quickly dug through its contents of materials she had accumulated over the past few years, mainly odds and ends Farkas and Vilkas had given her from their missions outside of Whiterun. Scouring through the wooden box, she squealed as her hands wrapped around the colored glass bottle she had stored for a few months now. Looking back at the door to see if anyone was there, she pulled the tightly embodied cork out with a POP and drank several gulps. Almost immediately she could feel its affects course through her body, and once it was in complete affect, Serah opened the door and walked out, determined to discover what has her two best friends on edge; even if it meant spying on their privacy.

Knowing where to go, Vilkas walked with his brother towards the underforge, pressing the secret button to open the hidden door. Once inside, the twins, once again, were met by the other Circle members who already stood around the stone pillar with the sacred bowl. Knowing what he had to do, Farkas stepped forward, waiting to take on the beast-blood that would forever change the course of his life. But it was a choice he and his brother had agreed on together, so they would ultimately suffer together.

Kodlak looked at the youngest twin, an ache in his heart he had experienced yesterday when Vilkas took to the blood. It was an unsettling feeling because he knew of the path he was sending the twins onto. Sighing, he glanced at Aela who quickly transformed into her beast. Farkas took a step back and shook his head, his nerves shot at the aspect of what he was about to go through.

Following the same notion as the previous night, Skjor sliced Aela's arm and drew enough blood within the bowl, and gave Farkas the same goblet his brother had used. Dragging the goblet through the thickness of Aela's beast-blood, Farkas drew it to his lips and haltered for a few moments before guzzling down the decrepit liquid. The thick blood oozed down his throat until every last drop had been drained. Looking between the cup and those around him, Farkas cold feel a sickly, warm sensation spread throughout his body. Starting at the base of his neck, Farkas felt the numbness of fire coil around his muscles and course down his limps and into each individual digit on his hands and feet. At first, the experience was interesting, but once each bone began to melt and break, Farkas fears enveloped his mind and he instantly regretted his decision. Kneeling on one knee, his breathing radically increased as his heart hammered within his chest, almost at the point of exploding. The burning, the stretching, the aching…all the pain was all too much. Slamming a hardened fist into the ground, Farkas roared into the secretive cave, desperately wanting all the pain to dissipate. His eyes bulged as his limbs grew and extended to the point of something non-human.

But that's what I'm becoming…non-human.

And all at once, the agony erupted into something much greater, something Farkas had never experienced in his entire life. His face contorted and changed, tuffs of fur burst forth over every inch of skin, and his senses became something he had never imagined before. Glancing upwards at the cave ceiling, Farkas let out a scream, but with his transformation nearly completely, his scream contorted into an animalistic howl. With his now heightened hearing, he could hear the whispers of those around them as if they were speaking clearly in his ear; their words, their breathing, even the hearts rapidly beating within their chest, he could hear it all. But there was a sound within the underforge he had no idea was there. Turning his head towards a large boulder near the entrance, Farkas the werewolf couldn't see anything, but he could hear the hammering of short, breathy gasps, something that hadn't been there earlier.

But the beast within him was taking over and his human side was losing control. The moral side of Farkas was losing a battle with the new beast and he was eventually overruled. The beast howled again, this time, standing on his elongated, fur coated legs. His teeth snapped at the individuals in front of him that he could no longer recognize. Words such as "Farkas" or "brother" meant nothing to this monstrous creature. Swaying his head from side to side, the beast was looking for an escape and with his new vision, the beast found an exit out of the cave. Taking his first leap as werewolf, Farkas ran past everyone as he made his way through the narrow passage. It took him several minutes before he was met with a blast of wind. He was close to being outside, and once his muscular legs led him out of the passage, he was met with the night sky behind Dragonsreach. But he cared nothing for the city; as a newly transformed monster, there was only one thing on his mind.

Blood.

Blood…

Human blood…

Hungry.

~ oOo ~

And there you have I, folks! Any comments would be gratefully appreciated.

See ya'll in the next chapter!

Chocobocolina :3