Hounds of Night

Kai lightly pushed open the door to the old cottage, the door squeaking on it's hinges as he trotted through and into the hall. The insulation made a notable difference, sinking through the wolf's thick coat to welcomely warm the skin beneath. It was such a cold day out on the plains.

He tightened his jaw slightly as he followed his senses, leading him onwards into the dust-filled living room, reaching the doorway in barely two strides. As he wandered in, his gaze traveled over the roaring fire before rising to rest on his Master. The old man was slouched in his worn out armchair with his eye lids fallen. If the wolf couldn't still hear his heart beating forcefully in his chest, he could have easily panicked at the sight.

Kai let a quiet whimper grow in his throat as he took smaller steps through the room, his claws scratching on the floorboards as he did so. The slight disturbance led to the old man opening his tired eyes, turning to look over his most prized possession. Kai had to look away from the blissful smile that lit up his Masters face.

"Oh, thank you, Kai," he spoke roughly yet earnestly, very gradually leaning forward on his chair and extending his hand towards the dog. His movements were becoming more painful as the cold days went on, his joints already starting to stiffen beyond repair. "Where would I be without you, eh, boy?"

Kai bowed his head as the man's wrinkled hand set firmly on his skull. He didn't particularly care for physical contact, but he accepted it graciously from his Master. It was more for the aged man's benefit than the dog's.

Turning towards the weathered wooden table in the center of the room, Kai carefully let the limp body of the rabbit fall from his jaws, still perfectly intact and looking very much as it had when it was alive. He had been lucky to find a burrow today, and had already eaten his own fill, while saving the largest that he had found (and managed to kill cleanly) for his endearing owner. The aged man needed all the strength he could get at such a time of his life. He was so very frail this week; it worried the wolf.

The old man sat back in his chair, as Kai moved beside his fur-skin clad feet. He circled himself round as he found a spot he liked, before setting down his body, back pressed against the woven wood of the chair and lightly resting on his Master's toes. He started licking absently at his paws in front of him, blood lightly staining the dull gray hairs.

"Oh come on, Kai. I know my aim's not that bad."

The wolf closed his eyes lightly as he set his jaw across his front legs, ignoring the voice that had been attempting to reach him since he had re entered the house. He was hoping if he ignored it, then the dog would suppose he wasn't getting through. He would come back later. He wouldn't come back at all.

Kai had been torn, these past couple of weeks. He wasn't sure whether the past was a road he wanted to go down, after such a long time. He had even contemplated leaving this world when his Master did, though he wasn't sure if he was capable of doing so. He had never heard of a canikae killing themselves before. He wondered whether it was possible.

"Hey, Wolfie! For gods sake, get out here!"

Kai drew back his top lip in a silent snarl, his expression tightening as the voice got louder. Yas knew he had caught Kai's airwaves, it was obvious from how much clearer the voice was. The wolf was always one to resist, though, and knew if anyone could avoid the husky's persistence, it would be him. He could just ignore him a little longer; ignore the annoying, arrogant tone of his colleague and contemplate life a little more. Maybe even death.

"I don't care if you're playing puppy-dog, I'm gonna come in there and get you myself if I have to."

Kai sighed inwardly, raising his head from his paws and glancing back up at his Master sitting beside him. His tired eyes were closed again, the deep set wrinkles that claimed his face almost smoother in their relaxed state. His breathing was regular and deep. He had fallen back to sleep, or at least was almost there.

"Five, four, three..."

"You know, it's a damn shame you didn't get executed," Kai grumbled as he pulled himself to his feet reluctantly. He could almost feel the surge of happiness from his friend through the wooden walls separating them, making the wolf roll his eyes predictably. He yawned widely after a moment, his chest lowering to the ground as he stretched his powerful front legs out in front of him, before returning to his full height. Instead of leaving, however, he simply sat back on his haunches. It took a few minutes before the message got through to the wolf's comrade.

"Uh, Kai?"

The wolf chuckled lightly. "What, not coming to get me?" He mused, slowly standing back up on his paws and starting to walk from the room. "You disappoint me, Yas."

Kai caught the snarl being sent his way, making him shake his head lightly to himself as he trotted back through the cottage. He had already started to plan his excuses for whatever it was that Yas had come here for. After not seeing his face in over thirty years, he wasn't too thrilled with seeing him twice in one month.

The wolf exited the cottage and took a right across the porch that surrounded the small house. He could sense Yas waiting out back and it only took a moment for him to reach the rear of the building himself. Standing along the edge of the shadows, Kai peered across to the dark-haired man who was pretending to ignore the wolf, as he continued sitting on the edge of the worn porch with sheets of paper in hand, which he was flicking through absently. Kai turned the corner of the cottage completely, padding across the wooden boards and setting himself down behind his colleague.

Yas glanced over his shoulder at the animal that was laying behind him, the dark eyes looking blankly back at him. "Hey, glad you could join me, Wolfie."

Kai snorted, turning away from the husky and setting his head down on his paws, eyes closed. "What do you want," he sighed, his lack of interest all too clear in his tone.

Yas maneuvered around so one of his legs was resting on top the wooden deck, sliding the papers across the surface towards the wolf's head. Kai opened one eye, looking distastefully over the husky before glancing down at the white sheets that showed an all too familiar format to them. It was a hunting contract.

"So what?" He growled lightly, closing his eyes again and crossing his jaw over his front legs, facing away from the dog.

The husky sighed, rolling his eyes as he snapped the papers back up from the boards. "The deadline's three days. It's over in a village called Levis; apparently they've been creating quite a stir lately," Yas rolled off, slightly agitated, turning to face the wolf completely and folding his legs beneath him. "The Unions have pretty much picked it all out for us."

"That's nice, have fun," Kai replied nonchalantly.

Yas scowled down at the large dog in front of him. "Kai," he stated in a warning tone.

Kai rose his head and turned to look back at the husky. "What? I'm not going, Yas," he stated as though it should have already been clear to the dog.

"It's your hunt as much as mine," Yas enforced, roughly flicking the papers in hand, that had Kai's name printed across them.

"Levis, did you say?" Kai interrupted sharply, ignoring the fact Yas was talking at all. "So it's named after light itself. Doesn't seem like the most maleficent of places, now, does it, dog? I'm sure you'll survive."

"And you know that's not the point," Yas added hotly, now pointing and glaring at his accomplice. "Stop being such an idiot."

"I said I'm not doing it," Kai enforced, his top lip beginning to draw away from his teeth. "You going to challenge that?"

Yas instantly pulled up a blank expression and held up his hands in front of him defensively. He always knew when he had to back down, and he always did so without hesitation."Hey, hey, cool it Wolfie. No ones challenging anything," he said smoothly, before rolling up the papers still in hand and shoving them carelessly into the pocket of his blue jacket. "I'm just stating the obvious, you know? It's either that, or..." He trailed off, running a finger horizontally across his throat to make his point.

A deep growl grew in Kai's chest as he pulled himself to his feet, storming off across the porch again. "Yeah, that would really happen," he threw back sarcastically, as Yas scrambled to his feet to follow the animal.

"Happened to Lee! He was one of the best, Kai," he pointed out, rounding the corner after Kai who was almost back at the front of the house.

"Lee was the idiot," Kai corrected as he paused and looked back at the flustered husky. "He tried to make it on his own. He tried to combat the system single handedly. That's just suicide," he stated as he stared down the dark-haired man before him, teeth bared and fur slightly raised. The thought suddenly seemed obvious to him, too. Canikaes couldn't commit suicide, but they could sure as hell find ways for genocide to seem like a possible solution.

Yas ran his fingers through his hair stressfully, the awkward silence between the man and wolf not sitting well with him. He folded his arms across his chest and sighed, unsure of Kai's current thought pattern. His snarl had dropped and he was now lifelessly standing a few feet away, staring down his companion. It was unnerving to not be able to read him.

After a few moments, Yas let his body fall to the wooden planks beneath him, folding his legs beneath him. "So... Are you done being Mr Rebel so we can talk about this in a civilized way?" He asked slowly and carefully, watching the wolf who now stood taller than the seated man.

Kai stared down his accomplice blankly. "I can't leave for three days, Yas."

Yas huffed and folded his arms across his chest once more. "Kai, he's not going to just collapse in three God damn days! And will you please talk to me normally all ready? I'm sick of hearing your voice in my head!" He stressed, starting to lose his usually well maintained patience.

The wolf glared back at Yas, as he let his body rest back down on the ground. "Maybe I'm sick of seeing your face," he countered calmly. "And of course he can collapse in three days, Yas. He is a human, if you hadn't noticed."

"So that's it then? 'I can't leave because he could hit the deck at any moment.' Kai, I thought you were a better dog than that, you either know he's going to die in the next three days, or you don't."

"He will if I'm not here," Kai returned more hotly this time, aggravation starting to show. "How do you think he gets food? And just the shock of me disappearing will probably send him into a nervous wreck. He's depended on me for so long, you think he could take that?"

"Okay, okay," Yas started, holding up an index finger. "So we sort out the food, that's one problem. Then we tell him your going to be away, that's the second problem sorted. Right?"

Kai looked over his accomplice with his brow furrowed in his stubbornness and in thought. The husky had made it all seem so simple, but he wasn't sure if that would be enough. He wasn't sure if he wanted to surrender that easily, either.

"Kai..." Yas pushed sternly, glaring over at the large dog.

A growl grew in his throat in response. "Fine."

Yas grinned widely, resting his hands on his knees. "Wha-hey, nice one, Wolfie! Anyone would think you've gone soft in your old age," he teased, as Kai pulled himself back up onto his paws and stretched out.

"Whatever, dog. Let's go hunting," Kai grumbled turning on his heels and walking to the edge of the porch.

Yas' smile grew as he hastily pulled himself up to his feet, following after the wolf and cracking out the bones in his back as he did so. "Alright! It's party time," he cheered, letting his body change while he jogged across the porch towards the wolf. Kai rolled his eyes at the husky's enthusiasm, before jumping cleanly off of the edge of the wooden platform alongside his fur covered partner. The moment their paws landed on the parched earth, they broke into a sprint across the wasteland, Yas barking excitedly as they went.

_

"Man, this human knows how to eat," Yas grumbled as he dragged the leg of a deer along with him through the house. Kai scowled at him as he trotted out of the small pantry, leaving behind a pile of carcasses in the dry cupboard.

"No, you just got over excited," Kai corrected as he wandered past the the dog in the hallway, staring him down as he wandered back out to the front. He tilted his head as he looked over the last piece of meat that the two animals had managed to collect from their scavenging. It had been a good hunt, although they had to head out further than they intended, considering most prey in the nearby area had already wised up to Kai's hunting routines. It wasn't like life on the plains was something to cling to, so they had happily moved on.

Those who migrated to the woodland, which was a fair few miles away and along the outskirts of the plains, hadn't been so lucky today. Yas had decided to take the control into his own hands, which ultimately had led to the decimation of a small herd of deer. Kai had often seen them wandering around in his territory on nice days.

Picking up the last joint of meat, which had in fact been torn to shreds considering Yas had got a little too much taste of the wild in him for one day, Kai wandered back into the house and placed it with all the others. As he exited the small, box like 'kitchen,' which only consisted of an open-fire stove and a few worktops, his eyes warily set on the husky dog sitting idly in the hall. He was peering through the doorway of the living room.

Kai padded up to his colleague, curiosity leading him too to glance into the room as he sat down beside Yas. The two of them had been gone a good few hours, yet his Master still slept soundly in his place. The wolf couldn't blame him; he needed to conserve what small amounts of strength he had left, and there was little else to do at such a frail time of your life than sleep.

"He's really not looking good, is he?" Yas said somewhat sorrowfully, tilting his head while his emotionless eyes still rested on the still figure.

Kai let a low growl build up in his throat in response. "Thanks for the support," he replied bitterly as he tore his eyes away from his Master and pulled himself back up, heading down the hall towards the outside door.

Yas instantly jumped to his feet and followed after him, slipping through the open door just before it could snap back to it's frame on his tail. "So, we on for plan B?" he asked his friend, who was currently scanning the barren lands beyond the porch.

"Suppose," Kai replied, ever stubbornly, as he closed his eyes and let the darkness take him along with the pain. He grit his teeth as he felt the familiar change of fur melting from his body, spine re-aligning itself and limbs migrating. It seemed to get more difficult every time, once he was out of practice. No doubt, with his Pledge nearing it's end, he'd be getting used to it again pretty soon. That was, of course, if he allowed them to take him. He hadn't quite decided yet. Death was still written on his own cards.

"Glad to hear it," Yas said brightly as he sat himself heavily down beside his crouched friend, hanging his legs off the edge of the porch. "So, I'll go hide out back, and you wake up the old guy, yeah?" he said, pointing a thumb over his shoulder as her spoke.

Kai's head snapped to the side. "Wait, why do I have to do it?" he shot, straightening out his back that had been hunched over, before cleanly pulling himself to his feet.

Yas looked up at his friend, raising an eyebrow. "Well, that would be because he's your problem," he stated as though it was obvious, tugging up one knee and resting his arm on it while the other swung beneath him. "And you might want to take off that collar before you do, he might notice," he added, now pointing an accusing finger up at the wolf while his eyes stayed looking outwards.

"And what the hell am I suppose to say?" Kai pushed, folding his arms across his chest. Yas scoffed in amusement, which led to a retaliation attack of a kick in the back and a push off of the porch.

Yas straightened himself out, after landing crouched on the parched earth, scowling up at his accomplice. "Since when did the almighty Kai become a child?" he thought out loud, gaining a scowl from the wolf as he dusted himself down. "And I don't know. Make something up. That's your job, isn't it, to improvise?"

"No, that's your job. I hit things," Kai muttered, as his hands moved up to his neck, fingers tugging at the thick leather band hanging loosely around his throat.

Yas looked thoughtful for a moment as he watched his friend. "Eh, touche," he replied lightly with a shrug, before burying his hands in his jacket pockets and strolling around the perimeter of the house. "I'll leave you to it then, Wolfie."

Kai warily followed the husky with his eyes, as the he turned the corner of the house and out of sight. The frown that was etched into his forehead couldn't be lifted, as though carved in stone, while he unclasped the collar from around his neck and looked down at it thoughtfully. Even now, in human form, he felt somehow lost without it. It was a part of him, as much as his somewhat dull coat and enlarged canine teeth were. Yet it wasn't. In truth, it was something just as fake as the 'human' form he found himself in now. It wasn't really real at all.

Sighing heavily, and pushing the circular band into his back pocket of his jeans, he looked up at the door. If he knocked, would his Master be able to hear him? He couldn't even be sure how he would react to seeing another person, let alone the news of the only thing worth anything in his life leaving. He had to make an excuse, and he had to make it believable. He had to be gentle about the whole thing. He had to make it count.

Steadying himself, Kai strode back across the small porch and up to the worn, faded wooden door, that was barely hanging onto it's hinges. The smudged and dust-covered glass pane that filled the frame sent back a sorrowful reflection of the dog. An arm was quickly raised to rub at his cheek, wiping away the remains of a blood stain that had been on his jaws. Once satisfied he didn't look like a murderer, he watched himself warily through the reflective surface for a moment. Would his Master recognize him? Would those eyes give it all away?

He rose his fist and rapped on the frame of door three times, before lowering it back to his side. His composure was rigid and tight, as his eyes searched the boards beneath his feet, desperately looking for the words. The wait now was killing him, yet at the same time he was concerned that the shock of this all would kill the one who he held so dearly. It would be on his conscience if it did.

Kai closed his eyes softly and breathed deeply, picking out details of everything on a level range with him. He could detect Yas wandering around behind the house, and all to clearly the scent of blood still hanging in the air from the deer. He could sense his Masters confusion, as he remained in the room a few walls beyond. He had heard, but he hadn't understood.

The wolf knocked again, softer yet with more urgency. There was movement, this time, and it was strained. He could feel it even more, building up in the old man. He was searching for Kai. Searching for his only protection. For his life.

His head rose back up as he saw the troubled man staring back at him through the foggy pane of glass. They watched each other blankly for a moment, before Kai pushed what he hoped was a comforting smile onto his lips. He responded positively; the racing heart slowing just slightly as he shuffled towards the door, pushing it open slowly so it didn't hit his visitor on it's way open. The single flaw of his hand-built home; the door opened outwards, not in.

Kai took a step back, allowing the door to open, before he turned his attention fully to the old, weathered man.

"Y-yes?" He asked cautiously. The tone clawed at Kai's heart. Never had he heard his Master sound so vunerable or taken back, he had always been so strong.

"Good afternoon," Kai started softly, keeping that smile on his lips. He mused over his choice of phrase for a moment. His Master knew nothing of time. "Sorry to bother you, Sir, but I thought you might be able to... help me."

The creases in his brow deepened as he frowned, tilting his head slightly as he gripped the open door frame for a little support. "Help? Help you?" he asked carefully, as if he had heard wrong.

"Yes Sir," Kai responded curtly, with the charm of one of those who worked in The Union. It almost sickened him to think of it. "You see, I found this dog out not far from my farm, a few miles out... He, well he was pretty big. Grey coat. I'd never seen him before..."

In that moment Kai's eyes connected directly with his Master's, and his heart lept into his throat. A flash of recognition flickered in that dark blue gaze, along with the panic. It stilled the lie on the wolf's lips, but it didn't matter. The silence was quickly filled by the man before him.

"K-Kai? You found my Kai? Is he okay?" he started desperately, eyes pleading with the stranger before him.

Kai smiled sympathetically, inclining his head. "He's perfectly fine, Sir," he started carefully. "I just decided to bring him in, for his safety, of course. I didn't know anyone who lived around here, so I thought I'd go for a... drive, out on the plains. How long have you lived here?" He asked as an after thought, trying his hardest to make natural conversation. They had a class in it, back before he started the hunt. Small talk was essential to make a convincing human, or so he had been taught.

"Since... Well, it's been a very long time, now," his Master replied distantly. "But Kai, can you bring him back, then?"

The wolf paused as he looked over that desperation in his eyes. He almost couldn't bare to make excuses. "Sure, Sir. I'm actually on my way out, though. " An extension of the truth was all it took. "I need to head into a village for a couple of days... I could return him to you as soon as I get back? Won't be more than three days."

His Master stayed silently for a moment as he eyed the silver-haired man with suspicion. "Well then, I suppose that will have to be okay. I shouldn't keep you from your business."

Kai smiled a little wider, for comforts sake, and inclined his head again. "I'm sorry it couldn't be sooner," he apologized. It was the first word he has spoken earnestly. "I should be on my way now, but I'll be seeing you again soon, Sir."

The man nodded slowly as his gaze fell to the ground. It was lost and riddled with confusion. He had always been a smart man, and at that moment in time, something wasn't clicking. Something wasn't right.

"Yes... Goodbye."

The wolf gradually took a few steps backwards before he turned away completely. Once his expression was no longer in sight, the smile fell and he let out a silent sigh. It was possibly the most surreal experience of his life, as it would be for any dogs life. Never did you expect to communicate with your family. It just wasn't done, like an unwritten condition of the Pledge.

Kai walked at a steady pace down the steps of the porch, before taking a left to rejoin his associate out back. He didn't need to look to realise that he was still being watched by his Master, although it was now from behind that pane of glass. Questions filled his mind, not fully convinced himself that he had bought it. Perhaps he should have made more of an explanation, but the longer he stayed by his Masters side, the longer Kai feared for his own safety. He couldn't say anything he could regret.

As he reached the back of the small building, Kai rose his gaze back up from the cracked earth and almost stopped in his tracks at what he saw. A wide-toothy grin on Yas' face as their eyes met didn't make the image anymore comforting.

"Yas, what the hell is that?" Kai called over bluntly, his eyebrows tightly knitting together as he folded his arms across his chest and stood still. Yas stood up from leaning against the questionable sight, as though it was an innocent action on his part. His grin never faltered as he glanced over his shoulder, before turning back to Kai and sauntering over.

"You don't think I walked all the way here from Tama, do you?" he asked, hands deep in his pockets as he continued in his cocky stride.

"Yas..." Kai started warningly, his eyes settling beyond his friend and onto the metal construction that shone beneath the high sun.

Yas stood beside his accomplice and turned, eyes following the direction of Kai's as he swung an arm across the wolf's shoulder. "This is my baby," he sighed wishfully. "Hei developed her for me, she's amazing isn't she? Silent as a ghost and undetectable by your little nose!" he teased, nudging Kai with his elbow before walking back across the earth.

"A bike. Hei made you a motorbike?" The wolf asked slowly. "Is he stupid? How many people have you killed with that thing?"

A stubborn expression crossed Yas' face as he pursed his lips. "I'll have you know I'm a great driver," he called over indignantly, mounting the black-framed bike. There was no mistaking the handy work of the most technologically advanced dog Kai had ever known; it's arrangement looked beyond complex.

Kai shook his head slowly as he stretched out, allowing the bones in his back to crack. Yas watched on curiously, raising an eyebrow as he started the engine. The act was only apparent from the husky's movement, as the only sound to reach the wolfs ears had been the slight click of metal on metal. True to his word, the bike appeared to be as silent as air itself. Of course, he wouldn't have expected anything less from Hei.

"What are you doing, Wolfie? Hurry up and get on," Yas called over to his friend, who simply scoffed in return.

"I'm not getting on that thing, Yas," he replied in a hollow tone, as he rolled his neck and shoulders.

"And why not? Is it this stupid bad driver thing? Cause I'm telling you Kai--"

"Because I have legs," Kai interrupted in a low tone, sending a last glare over at his friend before giving in completely to the change.

Yas sighed and leaned forward on the body of the motorbike, placing his chin in his palm. "You don't know what you're dealing with, Wolfie. You won't be able to keep up with this thing," he warned as he watched his friends transformation. He winced a little as he heard his neck snap.

"Watch me," Kai growled once he caught his bearings, before sprinting off across the plains.

Yas leaned back a little on his seat, watching after the wolf a moment longer before sighing. "Well, someone's pissed..." he grumbled to himself, before leaning forward over the body of his bike and revving the engine. In one smooth movement he spun the bike around, creating a thick dust cloud around him while the wheels spun dangerously against the hard ground. A split-second later the friction broke, sending the husky hurtling after the wolf at an almost blinding speed.

Kai wouldn't be able to hold out for long.