Hounds of Night

"Sure you've got this one covered?" Kai asked evenly, his eyes searching everything within his sights. His body language was surprisingly casual considering how on edge and alert his senses were. In the past ten yards, they had officially stepped into enemy territory, as it were. This was one of the small villages that still remained as it had been for centuries. The only difference these days was that everything it worked for was exploited. The cities used villages like these.

Yas scoffed as he folded his arms across his chest hotly. "You're the one who's out of practice, dog," he responded lightly. "So don't go thinking you're Mr High-and-Mighty."

Kai grinned to himself. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said softly, eyes never once pausing or turning to his companion. The darkness now was little comfort to the wolf, so he had to stay on his guard, whether or not the husky dog was doing the same. This night didn't just make the two of them inconspicuous, but anyone else who might be watching from the shadows. The whole operation had to be covertly done, as it always was. No one other than those necessary should know they even set foot in this village. That was how it was supposed to go.

"Smell that?" Yas muttered suddenly, his eyes fixed on a house quite far off down the wide, dusty street. It was just within the husky's range.

"Of course," Kai responded bluntly, having previously been wandering how long it would take his friend to notice. "You going?" He inquired shortly, throwing a subtle backwards glance before continuing his steady, slow pace forwards. He caught the swift nod of his partner beside him, noting he too was suddenly tense. He had finally came to his senses.

"I'll give them our conditions and get the deal over with quickly," Yas muttered as his steps quickened slightly. Kai shook his head and let a small grin edge it's way onto his lips at the naivety of the husky.

"That's the kind of thing you should keep quiet about, Yas," Kai mused to his friend, gaining a glare. "I'll scope this place out a little, pass the time," he added out loud, his gaze wandering the empty dirt track once more.

"Fine, later," Yas mumbled just before sprinting silently into the long shadows of the night. Kai simultaneously turned a corner, making their parting as casual and unnoticeable as possible. Despite the fact Kai was very aware that no one in this town was yet aware of their presence, he had long learnt that to get into a habit of sorts never hurt. Especially one that could potentially save your life, or at least give you time to run.

The wolf's eager eyes traveled over the new dirt path, just as wide as the last with small wooden cottages lining each side. Each one looked battered by rough weather, no doubt from the sandstorms that were common in this area, which had caused them to fall apart in places. It looked much like any other village these days. No one other than the occupants particularly cared for them, and the cities didn't interfere as long as they got their supplies every month. In some ways the people who lived here were content with that, because they saw themselves as free to live their own lives, despite being in a state of absolute control. They just weren't aware of it. Kai couldn't help but think fondly of his Master, who had escaped this world so long ago. The once powerful young man had lost everything in the process, but the wolf was pleased to be pledged to a human like him.

An old couple were wandering towards Kai from far down the street. They weren't in sight yet, but he had caught their scent. The wolf was slightly proud of himself for that, considering this whole towns air was masking far too much for his liking. It was difficult to focus on everything in the direct area, unless it was screaming to be found, much like the two dog's target.

Kai sighed inwardly to himself, tucking his hands further into his pockets as his pace remained slow and precise. He lowered his head slightly as he could feel them approaching, his silver hair tumbling into his eyes. He hated any type of confrontation while on a job. It made everything all the more troublesome to cover tracks if there was a problem. He had to think quickly whether or not to hide or continue on like he's innocent. Before he could decide, the scent of the couple changed just slightly, showing their confusion. He'd already been spotted.

Raising his head again he placed a vacant expression on his face, trying to ignore the prying eyes exploring him. He wasn't exactly in a position to camouflage in with the town, his clothes were much to closely associated with the types seen in the city. They weren't made for a day of real work, and they were all too clearly synthetic materials. His hair colour wasn't even considered in how much he stood out in the human world. That just went without saying.

The wolf's eyes traveled over the couple briefly, who were shuffling along the path and wrapped up in layers of furs, though only to commit them to memory. As their gaze met, the couple seemed startled, bowing their heads as their steps quickened while they moved past. No matter how Kai appeared, he knew he would never be questioned. The powerful energy he radiated was all too obvious, keeping others at bay. It wasn't shown to make him confident, or arrogant, but something close to threatening. Even the senseless humans could detect it, and knew when to keep their distance. They knew this man wasn't to be interfered with.

Kai continued his wandering through the quiet streets relatively unbothered, as he created a complete mental image of the village. He had passed a house with their dog chained outside, but she had smartly chosen to overlook the wolf's presence. Every canine knew their place.

The wolf stopped suddenly, tilting his head as an overpoweringly tempting scent captured his attention, causing any other thoughts in mind to flee as his eyes fluttered closed. He was intoxicated with it. A wide and somewhat dopey grin spread across his lips as he followed the scent, effortlessly locating the large fenced pen at the far end of the pathway. The village's livestock beyond sat oblivously within the dog's sights.

Kai smiled profoundly to himself as he approached a wooden post and leaned on it lightly, placing his chin in his palm while his eyes hungrily traveled over the cattle resting under the night sky. He sighed to himself, automatically fixing his gaze on the smallest yet plumpest of the calves, half wishing circumstances were different. He hadn't had a decent meal in months, and he could almost taste the flesh laid out before him.

The wild dog watched the cattle wishfully for a few minutes, running through possibilities in his head. He could drag one off into the night, and forget all about the job. He could come back tomorrow for lunch. Kai chuckled to himself at the thought, the idea of creating havoc in this village amusing at this late hour of night. Yas would hate him for that.

Eventually deciding that he had been standing idle for far too long and that it was probably time to find his friend, Kai took one last deep breath, settling on the fact that that was all he could do to fill his growling stomach. He regretfully forced himself away from the animals before starting on a round trip back to the entrance, half toying with the idea of traveling by rooftop in light of his elated mood. His human body may have been weaker than his wolf form, but it was still much better than average.

Cracking his neck into place as he went, hands still resting in his pockets while the cold air whipped at his bare arms, Kai strode over to the house where he could all too quickly detect an agitated Yas. He wasn't too great at his job; he wasn't good at keeping his cool. Of course, on the outside he would appear relaxed, but against another dog he never stood a chance. You could always taste his frustration all too clearly in the air.

Kai silently leapt up onto the wooden porch outside the cottage and lent against the wall by the door. He rested his head back against the thin wood, his eyes closing as he listened out for any sign of Yas in the room beyond. Apparently he wasn't on the ground floor, because he escaped the wolf's level range. Without being able to hear the conversation happening in the base house beyond, Kai settled for just waiting out the return of his friend. It wouldn't be exciting, but it was his job none the less.

After a good ten minutes and curious glances from the local people later, Kai heard movement beyond the door. He had dropped into a relaxed state of mind, but quickly honed his senses back enough to recognize his accomplice close by.

Kai side glanced as the door opened heavily, Yas striding confidently out into the darkness from the brightly lit room behind him. His eyes curiously fell to his friend before closing the door without a second look back.

"Done?" Kai asked lightly, pushing himself away from the wall and turning to face his friend directly. From a spectators point of view, it would have been an interesting sight. The two men were almost the mirror opposite of each other in appearance.

"Sure," Yas said easily, a smile playing on his lips. "Just 'cause they sent me out with you, doesn't mean I need you, Kai," he said lightly, winking at his friend. He was surprised when Kai didn't send him a snarl or witty comment in return, simply shrugging off his words.

"Guess so," the wolf mused, turning away from his companion.

Yas tilted his head as he watched after Kai curiously. "Hey, what are you so happy about?" He asked suspiciously after a moment, the placid look on Kai's face all too obvious, whether or not it was accompanied by his reflective mood.

He shrugged again in response, sauntering away from his friend to the edge of the porch. "Cattle," the wolf sighed dreamily, eyes wandering the star filled sky.

Yas rolled his eyes as he tugged down the sleeves of his hooded jacket, wandering out behind Kai. "God damn wild dogs," he said with a chuckle, the wolf also smiling back at his friend. "So, Wolfie, how about we-" he started, though his words faltered the second he saw movement. Kai's hand had suddenly moved under the back of his shirt, the muscles visibly tightened beneath the thin, black cotton.

"... Kai?" Yas asked cautiously, frowning at the back of his friends head.

"Down," Kai growled sternly, turning on his heels and outstretching his arm. Yas' eyes grew wide as he found the muzzle of the hand gun pressed against his forehead, the cold steel sending a shiver through his body. The look in the wolf's eyes glaring into his was nothing short of frightening.

A click in the small weapon bought the husky back to his senses, making him quickly drop to the floor and cover his head before the first shot was fired, sending wood splintering over him. He glanced timidly over his shoulder to the closed door as it was followed by another, now with a clean bullet hole through the thick wood. Beyond it he could hear the sound of someone clearly groaning in pain.

Yas let out his own strangled cry as Kai abruptly grabbed him by the chain around his neck, dragging him back to his feet. The wolf swiftly took a few steps forward before jumping effortlessly onto the roof over the porch, still hauling the confused dog with him as he landed silently on the solid roofing.

"What the hell was that?" Yas choked as soon as he caught his bearings, holding his throat while he came to terms with the new found height. Kai sent a glare in his companion's direction, instantly making him go silent. Moments later the slats the two animals were perched on shook as the door below was harshly thrown open, three men storming out onto the dusty path below.

"I thought you had this under control, Yas," Kai hissed angrily, not at all pleased with how this night was turning out. "Now I've got to break some fucking necks," he added distastefully, gaining a guilty look from Yas. They both knew from the start this was why they had been paired up. It had always been the same ever since they started together. Yas was the negotiator, Kai was the executioner.

"I honestly didn't think there would be a problem," Yas tried as Kai rolled his eyes, shuffling towards the guttering to look down on the well built men below. The wolf's free left hand traveled under his shirt towards his own personal weapon of choice, quickly threading his fingers into it's moulded handle. The short knuckle blade was always strapped to his body. He much preferred blades when stuck in human form.

"They agreed. I can't kill on those grounds, Kai!" Yas enforced desperately, as he watched helplessly after his friend. His bright blue eyes were expressing apologies that Kai didn't bother to see.

"I noticed," Kai growled, throwing one last glare back at Yas before dropping off of the roof and landing heavily on the porch. The three men turned quickly, startled by the man in their midst, before rushing at him. Kai exhaled heavily in distaste, before turning and running through the open door of the cottage and into the large lounge room. Fighting on the streets wouldn't help the situation.

Kai sidestepped around the man fallen in the center of the room, groaning in pain from the gunshot wound in his shoulder and clutching desperately for a knife on the ground beside him. The wolf kicked the blade from reach as he passed, rolling his eyes at the frightened look in the man's eyes, as he backed himself into the wall opposite the door, waiting for the cavalry outside to start their attack. Kai inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a split second as he picked out the layout of the house, and all those in it. There was a significant number of humans on the floor above his head, but whether they were going to be a threat he couldn't decide. Their dog was also with them.

"Get him!" One of the men shouted gruffly as they stormed the room, absently stepping over the older man fallen to the ground. Kai sighed inwardly as he prepared himself, muscles flexing throughout his body as he watched the first man drawing ever closer.

Kai timed his move precisely, ducking under the man's large arm being thrown his way before rounding on him and pressing the gun against his back. He felt the man inhale sharply within their close range, panicked eyes turning to look at who he thought would be his killer. The wolf grinned fakely in response, before thoughtlessly pulling the trigger and sending a bullet through the man's torso, skillfully dodging any vital organs in the process. He may have disliked guns, but that didn't mean he was bad with them.

As the first fell forward into the wall, Kai become aware that the other two men had taken up their stations behind his back. The wolf paused, another quick breath allowing him to see the room perfectly. One was behind and to the left, the other directly right. Mentally scolding Yas for getting him into this position, Kai spun around and fired two shots towards the furthest man, sending him crashing to the ground as both his feet were targeted. The wolf's eyes widened suddenly as a strangled squeal came from beside him.

Kai turned his head slowly to stare at the young man struggling to breathe as the knife set deep within stomach, his hands flailing while they tried to grasp the wolf's hand locked tightly in the handle. The first rush to hit the wolf was panic. He wasn't supposed to kill tonight. He wasn't supposed to kill humans unless under direct order, yet he could all too easily see the light of life flickering in this young man's eyes. He could hear his heart beginning to fade. There was no chance he was going to live, whether he was suposed to, or not.

Without realising it, the wolf's eyes had found themselves fixed on the rich crimson already heavily saturating the man's thin shirt and streaming across Kai's own pale skin, his hand still tightly gripping the knuckle blade. It was almost hypnotizing to him, the pungent scent of blood filling his nostrils and quickly clouding his mind. His vision was starting to tint that same shade of deadly crimson. He hadn't been allowed to kill in such a long time, and he was still so very hungry.

"K-Kai?" Yas called timidly out into the still and quiet room from the open doorway, trying to catch his friends attention without luck. He could see shock of the situation turning into lust in his companion. He was losing himself to his powerful natural instincts. Yas had seen first hand what the results usually were.

"Who the hell are you people?!" The man in the center of the room cried out suddenly, his bewildered eyes looking between the two dogs before settling on Kai. A low, guttural growl quietly formed in Kai's throat as the voice met his ears, his buried hate for the human race stirring up with his blood lust.

It was humans like these that made Kai ashamed to be part of them, no matter how little. It was these that made him furious at his status in the world despite his utmost mental and physical superiority. In his mind, he didn't deserve to be treated the way he was.

"We are the ones who decide when your time is up," Kai growled harshly as his eyes met with those of the man still gasping for his life beside him, full of fear. "The Reapers of your so called New World," he snarled, quickly turning the blade in the man's torso without a second thought. The sound of both ripping cotton and flesh tore through the air, the shrill cry of agony following. Kai pushed the man away from him in a fluid movement, smoothly withdrawing his knife from the body as it fell lifelessly to the floor.

The wolf grinned widely at his kill, his misted gaze instantly snapping onto that of the terrified old man in the center of the room. He craved more of his sleeping addiction. He needed the thrill of fighting and the finality of death. The wolf reveled in the fear that every man exposes when he knows his time is up; their last fight to survive as they pray for forgiveness. Hopelessness was beautiful to the the wild soul.

As Kai made his advance towards the man, he suddenly felt another force hurtle into his own body. He tried to catch the breath that had been forced from his chest and left him choking, as he hit the ground beside the dead, his hand setting back into a pool of blood. He looked at it almost surprised for a moment, turning his stained palm to face him, before he felt two strong arms hook under his and forcefully pull him up from the tainted floor.

"C'mon. Out," Yas sternly commanded, as he started tugging his friend through the room, keeping him as restrained as possible. A threatening growl built up in Kai's throat as he realised he was in his friends grip, starting to pull forward with all his strength. Yas was all too obviously struggling to fight with Kai's strength, but gradually succeeding in pulling the wolf backwards towards the doorway. Kai growled in frustration as he found himself completely bound, helplessness fueling his anger as he kicked wildly, trying to get a good enough grip on the flooring to launch himself at his prey. Only a second would do it. Just one second for his throat to be slit and the light to fade.

After a few blurred seconds, the wolf felt cold air whip around him as the world plunged into darkness, his feet still stumbling across the rotten porch of the house. Yas maneuvered the two of them around, before forcefully releasing and throwing Kai onto the parched and dusty earth beyond the households property. The wolf fell roughly to the ground, landing heavily on his arm before quickly pulling himself to his feet, his speed making his feet unsteady and his body stumble.

"What the fuck are you thinking, Kai?! Calm down!" Yas roared down at his accomplice, eyes watching him with empty threats. He was more afraid than anything else, but he couldn't let the weakness show.

The wolf took no hesitations in snarling menacingly up at the familiar face in front of him, before turning on his heels and letting his body change into a more comfortable form. Yas glared down as bones cracked into place within a few seconds, the wild dog running off into the night the moment his four powerful paws set on the earth

The husky watched after his friend in completely astonishment of what had just happened, not completely certain of what to do. It was something he couldn't quite believe he would ever witness tonight.

His keen eyes quickly scanned the shadowed street, desperately searching for any spectators. He inhaled deeply as he did so, trying to catch the scent of anyone near by, though the musky scent of blood was making it hard to tell. His nose wrinkled slightly as it caught the strong metallic smell. He wasn't fond of human blood.

Yas glanced over his shoulder as he saw the still stunned man glancing around the room in complete confusion and panic. He shook his head to himself slowly before turning and leaping from the high porch in one light movement.

"God damn wolf," Yas hissed before he allowed his gaze to fade to black, dark blue fur quickly covering his hairless body and camouflaging him in the night. He was almost certain there was no one around who could have witnessed either of them changing. If they had, Yas knew it would be his neck on the line.

The newly transformed husky dog sprinted off into the night, throwing a backwards glance for one last look at the blood stained porch of the base house. He shook his head, before setting his attention firmly forward. He had to get out of this town unnoticed, and he had to catch up with Kai before he done something stupid.

_

"The Union's going to have my head for this."

"How many times do I have to apologise?!" Kai snarled at his friend, tiring of Yas' complaining since they had left the small village far behind. He understood all too clearly that he had made a mistake before it had even been said. The husky couldn't leave it be, though.

"You do realise you could have got us killed," Yas added pointedly, throwing a slight glare at the large dog beside him. He knew it would be lost on the wolf, but he still couldn't hide his frustration.

Kai scoffed as he continued padding lightly across the barren lands he knew best, without a second thought over it. He was going home. He didn't care about much more at the moment.

"If I hadn't been there, you would have been killed."

Yas' next step hesitated slightly before he fell into a notable silence from his friends comment. It was true, he couldn't argue. If Kai's senses hadn't been quite so sharp, the husky may have had a knife embedded into his back.

"I suppose I shouldn't have let you go in the first place. I should have noticed you were too hungry to resist."

If the wolf was in his human form, he knew for a fact he would be laughing so much Yas would scold him. Thankfully he managed to keep it contained and to himself. The statement was so obviously true, but it was also obvious Kai himself should have known better than to attack. He too often acted on instinct and got himself into trouble, though it was of course in his blood to do so.

"Well yes, as the brains of this outfit you should of," Kai confirmed, grinning devilishly at his friend. "But I do love cattle."

"And this is why I think wild dogs are weird," Yas replied distastefully, his snout scrunching up in loathing. "And why you are the biggest schizophrenic I have ever met."

Kai smiled inwardly at his friends comment. "But am I wild or tame? You need to make up your mind," he teased, his mood still quite light considering what had happened this evening. The thrill of the fight had calmed him mentally, making him much less harsh towards others than he was usually. The wolf had a cold heart and a strong mind, but he let down his defenses every once in a while. Only when it suited him, though.

Yas' gaze turned to the stars that were slowly fading from the night sky, along with the dark blue into orange. "Oh you'll always be a Puppy Dog, Kai," he said smugly, his muzzle falling back to face his companion. "Talking of which, how's the old guy doing?"

Kai's thoughts broke off the moment the words entered his mind. Within those seconds the wolf became unaware of the dog beside him as his eyes rose almost automatically to trace the slowly rising sun, wonder filling him up. All the sun meant for him was some kind of sorrow mixed with apprehension. Kai had been watching the sun rise and fall every day for months now. He was counting down the days.

"... How long?" Yas asked as casually as he could, realisation sinking in with the wolf's silence.

"Couple of weeks, maybe a month," Kai responded lightly, his steps just slightly increasing in speed as he became aware of how close dawn was to approaching. He had to get home to his Master. In some ways, both human and dog depended on that.

"You coming back to us?" Yas half-asked cautiously. In some ways he knew the answer, in others he didn't. He had never understood the wolf completely.

"I'll be damned either way," Kai sighed, not giving his friend the answer he was looking for. "Try not to get executed on your way back," he added lightly, signaling the end of the two dogs journey together. If he was going to make it back in time, he needed to run. There was no time for conversing with a co-worker, even if he was also an old friend.

Yas smiled to himself and inclined his head, his steps slowly coming to a stop. The wolf padded on a little more, before pausing himself and turning back onto his companion. They shared an empty gaze, both the hazel eyes of the wolf and the crystal blue of the husky's emotionless. Dogs couldn't speak through their eyes like a human could.

"They want you back, Kai."

The wolf felt his body tense as the words unexpectedly flowed through his thoughts. For a moment he thought he had heard wrong. For a moment he wished he had, though he knew much better than that. He had never been as free as he had once imagined. The Unions had never let him out of their radar; they simply over looked him for a couple of decades. They had been waiting until the time was right.

"I'll be seeing you soon, Lone Wolf," Yas finished before turning on his heels and sprinting back across the barren plain Kai had come to call home.

The wolf bowed his head as he soon found himself alone on the dead and cracked earth, the name he hadn't heard in quite some time ringing clear in his head and leaving him cold. He somehow preferred being called a dog to that alias he had been branded with so long ago. It had a deadly stigma attached to it he'd much rather be forgotten in time.