Hounds of Night

The air was thick and heavy; a rare occurrence in itself and far from what the wolf was used to. It was now, for the first time in almost six months, that this district of Morterra would see the Heavens open for it. It would be only temporary, as it always was. These plains would become another desert-like wasteland in a matter of days beneath the unforgiving sun.

Kai sniffed distastefully while he rubbed at his bare arms, eyes turned to the darkening sky where heavy grey clouds smothered the usual clear blue. For the two men on the plains, it was hard to miss the taste of water or the chill of ice in the atmosphere. There wasn't just a shower on the way, but a storm. It would no doubt have hit the city of Levis by nightfall.

His eyes fell again, settling on the husky who was inspecting his motorbike and setting a thin, grey cover over it. It wouldn't do much to keep out the weather if it got too severe, but the dog was resting his hopes on the towering cliff top beside it to give a little more protection, at least.

"Are you going to be all day?" Kai muttered, dusting himself down absently, while his gaze wandered out across endless ground. There wasn't another village for miles. There never was.

Yas straightened up and scowled over at his friend. "Well sorry," he started in a sarcastic tone. "It's not my fault someones human form isn't prepared for all weather conditions, or is too stubborn to get on a bike... Oh and on that note, Kai, you really need to get some new threads."

Kai sighed and ran a hand through his hair that was also still littered with dust from the earth, ignoring his friends latter comment. "I told you, it's completely pointless to--"

"Oh yeah, because now you're in a top notch condition, aren't you? You're going to have to sleep for ages just to get your strength back up," he argued defiantly, earning a silence from the wolf. It was true; Kai was almost running on empty after such a long journey. Of course he'd never admit it, he had his pride at stake.

The husky continued to tug the cover across the thick frame of the bike, a little more aggressively than he had originally intended. His partner had got under his skin, no mistake. It was his stubborn nature that always made them at ends with each other, but he wasn't about to let that get him down. He had a job to do, after all, and despite it all Kai was still an old friend.

"Well, let's get going then," Yas sighed lightly, finally leaving his prized possession and wandering over to the wolf's side. "And for the record? I wasn't going top speed," he added with a cocky grin as he passed his friend, tucking his hands into his pockets while sauntering along the base of the cliff.

The wolf sighed inwardly as he started after his companion, folding his arms into his body tightly to try and maintain some warmth. "So have they given us a place to stay?" He called after him, making Yas' steps slow as gave time for Kai to catch up.

"Not really. Apparently there's only one inn though," he replied distractedly, fishing the contract back out of his pocket and flicking through the papers. "No set target. Probably why we've got a deadline instead of a straight order."

"So we've got to interrogate and find whoever's becoming a problem in three days?" Kai clarified, not at all satisfied with their prospects. This type of mission usually took a week at least, even in the smallest of villages where information was easy to come by. He was already familiar with the stature of Levis, and it was almost twice the size of the village the two dogs had been in a few weeks earlier.

"And is it your type of job or mine?" Kai asked finally, now back in step with his colleague and throwing him a sidewards glance.

Yas pushed the papers back into his pockets, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "If the information we've got is right, then it's yours, Wolfie," he replied simply, not turning to his friend. "A little seek and destroy mission. You really should have read the contract yourself, you know."

The wolf watched the man beside him for a moment longer, before his gaze to the ground. It made much more sense, now. Yas wasn't just so desperate for Kai to be on the hunt because it was contracted, but because it wasn't in his own interests. He would more than happily turn a blind eye to it all when a trail of blood was left behind. He had never been a fighter.

The two continued in a firm silence as they walked, the deteriorating weather present in both their minds while the harsh wind produced goosebumps across the wolf's fragile skin. There was barely an hour until the sun would set and the rains would fall down with a vengeance. There was little doubt that the inn would give them a room for the passing days, but the time constraints were plaguing Kai's mind as he wandered about in the cold.

"You might want to change," he thought out loud, the sudden comment making the husky turn to him puzzled.

"Change?"

Kai inclined his head sharply, eyes travelling over a not so distant point ahead. "We'll be there soon."

Yas' gaze followed that of the wolf's, and found that the broken village walls were indeed within sight. He also found that he could just about catch the scent of human life beyond if he focused hard enough, but that wasn't what bothered him.

"Wait, you want me to get all furry?" Yas asked flatly as the thought processed in his head, throwing a questioning look at his partner.

"Yes," Kai replied lightly, rubbing his arms from the chill in the air. "It would look weird for two humans to be travelling without a guardian, don't you think?" He asked as if it was obvious.

"But why do I have to be the dog?" Yas pressed stubbornly, huffing as a light pout formed on his lips.

"Because you are a dog, Yas, if you hadn't noticed."

"Well that's a stupid argument, so are you!" Yas barked back, pointing accusingly at his friend.

Kai scoffed indifferently, "No, I'm a wolf. There's a difference," he corrected.

"But you like being a wolf," Yas whined, his voice taking a higher pitch, folding his arms across his chest stubbornly. "And it's not like a human ever notices you're slightly different to us anyway; as far as they're concerned you're just a little on the pudgy side!"

The wolf threw a glare over at his partner, but it rolled off of him unnoticed. "I also like staying alive, Yas, and as far as I'm concerned my name is on that contract as the pack leader for this mission," he snapped suddenly, gaining a dark look from his companion as he continued. "So guess what - that means your under my orders. Am I wrong? Would you like to correct me on that, huh, dog?" He added sharply, his voice maintaining an oddly calm tone though spiked with venom.

Yas stayed silent for a moment as he scowled to himself, glaring at the ground while he shoved his hands back into his pockets. "No need to go all Devil hound on me. And it's not like you even read the damn thing," he grumbled to himself, making Kai laugh mockingly.

"I didn't need to, Yas. Your reactions are give away enough," he snorted. It was after his final comment that Yas stopped walking suddenly, making his colleague pause and turn back to look at the him. The husky stood with flailing fists of aggression; stomping out his built up frustration under the dark sky. After a minute he brought his hands up to run through his hair and down his face, before pointing sternly at the wolf.

"You! I really don't like you sometimes!" Yas shouted, his voice stressed and cracking slightly as he tried to hit a pitch he couldn't quite reach. "D'you know that? You do my fucking head in," he finished loudly, a snarl erupting from his throat soon after as his voice box rewired itself, leaving words useless to the husky. The moment fur had sprouted on his body, Yas had started rapidly pacing a few feet backwards and forwards, working out his anger, before turning back to the city and sitting backing on his haunches.

Kai looked almost curiously down at the animal, whose snout was turned purposely away from him. He wasn't sure whether to laugh at the sight, or feel sorry for the husky. There was a snag of guilt in his chest, but it was almost too tiny to register. Yas would get over it eventually, he figured.

The wolf let out a forced cough. "Well, we should get there before the rain starts up," he sighed casually, stretching his arms into the air and resting the back of his head in his hands as he started walking again.

"Oh, you think, Genius?" Yas snapped, grudgingly following after his new found master with a sulk in his posture.

_

The two strangers finally approached the broken city walls, curious eyes of children sitting along the desire lines in the earth falling onto them. The children, in turn, were under the watchful eye of a rather large Alsatian sitting beside the open gateway to Levis. Kai attempted to avoid eye contact as he kept his gaze towards his destination, though the odd forced smile was directed to the child who managed to fall in his sights. Yas' own cold eyes stayed fixed to the ground, his head still bowed low as he stalked across the ground.

"That contract of yours have any ground plans of the town?" Kai asked, eyes falling away from the dog watching them pass. His gaze moved instead onto the homes lining the road, as the two of them walked through the unmarked entrance between the high stone walls. He noted with some curiosity that the buildings here were made of both wood and stone. He wondered if they were upgrading, or simply working with what they had.

Kai turned down to his partner at the lack of reply. "Yas," he hissed in a scolding tone. "Don't tell me you've become just as much of a grouchy bastard as me," he mused, as the dog turned his snout up to his master.

"No, I just don't feel like talking to you," he replied, unamused, before glancing forward blankly. "Should have read it yourself, shouldn't you. And it's under my coat now, so you're just going to have to get lucky."

The wolf glared down at his friend, folding his arms across his chest as he kept on walking. "We're not going to last a night, are we?"

"That depends if you remember how to be civil or not, though it never was your strong point," Yas responded effortlessly. "And also if you feel like letting go what happened last moon."

Kai paused for a moment in thought, about to counter argue when something stopped him. He realised that the husky's words were true. He was, to say the least, a little bitter towards his colleague after the incident earlier that month. In an operation that was built on trust, to be failed even once never sat well with a dog.

"60 years alone can do that to a person," Kai muttered, turning to the ground as that small amount of guilt grew and mixed in with self-pity.

His downcast eyes rested on the husky, who sighed slowly. "You know, I noticed," he replied in an almost sorrowful tone, before quickening his step so he was in front of the wolf. Kai didn't even question as he found himself lead on by the husky along the dusty streets. The two dogs who had once thought as one and been more each other than themselves, were now far from what they were. They had been broken from the ever relentless sands of time, and the almost alien worlds that separated them now.

"I'm sorry," Kai mumbled, clearing his throat as a civilian passed beside him, eyes just as suspicious as the last. Strangers were almost as unwelcome here as much as how often they visited.

"Yeah, me too," Yas sighed, glancing around before turning to the side and pulling himself up onto a porch of a large, wooden building, apparently deciding this one was right. It stood out clearly amongst the stone built structures around it.

As the dog sat down on the wooden porch and looked back at his master with his glassy eyes, Kai understood more than a human should. He hopped up onto the porch, hands dug deep into his pockets as he went, and sauntered down to the heavy looking door at the opposite end of the building. His eyes turned up to the elaborate design carved into the boards above the doorway, before he pushed open the door, Yas by his side by default.

"Oh, welcome," an elderly woman spoke clearly before Kai had even had a chance to look at his surroundings. He turned his eyes across the small room, settling on the owner of the voice sitting beside a broad counter. He smiled warmly and made his way over, as she bowed her head low.

"Hello, do you have any rooms?" he asked, voice taking a chipper tone. He almost grimaced as the voice left his throat, wondering how he would be able to keep up with such a bright note. He should have chosen a darker tone, perhaps even with a gravel effect. Much less effort.

"Of course," the bright-eyed woman smiled. "We don't get many travellers through here these days. How many nights are you staying?"

"Oh, just two or three. I'm only on my way through," he explained, toning down his voice just slightly. At his feet, Yas had settled down on the ground, head resting across his paws as he closed his eyes, uninterested.

The woman nodded and started turning the pages of a large book that looked older than herself. "Just a single room? They're our cheapest. Or you could get a double, for-"

"A single, please," Kai interjected, his brain setting into auto-pilot at the thought of money. Though on a second thought his heart appealed to the woman for a moment, as he caught the scent of four others in the house that matched her own blood. "Actually, double would be nice," he corrected. The Unions would be paying for the hospitality, so Kai supposed he might as well make it worth the families trouble for letting him stay.

"That's lovely, Mister...?"

Kai froze for a second, swallowing back his sudden nerves while his eyes snapped to meet with the woman's. "Green," he stated, the word falling from his tongue before the response had become far too delayed. "John Green," he affirmed, throwing a smile in for good measure. Below him he saw Yas' ears prick up, suddenly finding the meaningless drivel of interest.

"Thank you, Mr Green," she replied a little slower, examining this stranger with her experienced eyes. "Will you be paying now, or later?"

"Later," Kai responded. "I haven't anything on me, but a friend is collecting me later in the week. He's bringing my things," he explained as it had been rehearsed, gaining a warm, understanding smile from the inn keeper. In truth, the two dogs would disappear into the night as soon as the mission was over. The Unions would send a Traveller dog along in a few days to leave the payment, and to ensure that the contract had been met. Kai truly hated the Travellers. Out of all dogs in the Union, he believed they lacked the most backbone of all. They had lead many a hunter to his death.

The elderly woman turned away to a small table behind her, pulling out a drawer that was full of rattling keys. Kai glanced down to Yas at his feet at the opportunity, who he could hear snickering in his mind at the whole conversation happening above him. Kai gave the husky a light kick in the side in protest, making the dog jump to his feet to surprise and snarl silently up at the human.

"Here we go," the woman announced, pushing some grey, curled hair from her face as she stood back at her full height, though it was quite a bit shorter than Kai. He smiled as she shuffled back over to him, hand outstretched with a gold key dangling from her fingers. "Room number five. Just go up the stairs, and it's near the middle of the hall."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Kai replied graciously, inclining his head before turning away to the stairs barely a few feet to his right. He paused as he felt the sudden change in the elderly ladies composure; an air of nervousness.

"Uhm, excuse me sir?" she asked, making Kai smile to himself before he turned back, pleased that his senses were still as sharp as ever. "We offer catering, if you would like it. The price will be added to your bill when you leave. We offer breakfast, lunch and supper. Would you like to book any for tonight?"

Kai tried to hide his smile as he saw Yas' tail start to wag while his tongue fell from his jaws happily, attention fixed on the woman. "Yes, say yes," he shot into his friends thoughts. "C'mon, Kai. Just one little word..."

"No, I'll be fine, but thank you," he returned lightly. "I just need to rest this evening. I've had a long journey."

"Of course, sir. I'll ensure you are not disturbed."

Kai smiled and nodded in thanks before turning back to the stairs, making his way up towards the first floor. He stopped halfway and glanced back, to see Yas standing stubbornly in the middle of the reception room.

"Yas, boy. Let's go," he said in a sickly sweet tone, adding a whistle for good measure. The husky turned his nose towards his master, emotionless eyes still managing to translate his anger through his tight expression. A low, quiet growl forming in his throat, Yas trotted across to the stairs and lept up them after the wolf.

"I hate you," the dog hissed as they walked down the narrow upstairs hall together, eyes fixed in the boards beneath his claws.

Kai snorted in amusement, reading each door number until he saw a rusted metal '5' on the left hand side. "I know you do," he chimed, stepping across to the door and pushing it open.

"You know, I really don't think you do," Yas countered as he trotted past Kai and into the darkness beyond the door. Kai rolled his eyes and ignored his colleague's comment as he followed after and closed the door behind him, both locking it and drawing the bolt across for security sake. When Kai turned back, his eyes scanned over their new home, of sorts.

It was a simple room, a low bed placed against the back wall and a small wooden table to one side. Another door hinted at a small bathroom beyond, but other than the faded and fraying rug in the center of the floor, there was little in the way of detail. Kai closed his eyes and breathed in deeply a moment later, searching their floor for any other visitors at the inn. He could scent a lone woman and her hound a couple of walls to his left, though nothing more. He was surprised even to find her there.

A guttural and steady growl met Kai's ears, and he glanced to the floor to see Yas snarling up at him, bright teeth bared menacingly up at him in the low light. Kai scowled down at him, and folded his arms across his chest, feeling slightly insulted that Yas believed he could be intimidated.

"Grow up," Kai snapped, crossing the room towards the wide window, where there was a candle flickering on the shelf before it. Before he had reached it, however, he stumbled slightly as Yas snapped at his ankles when he passed. The wolf spun around to glare down at the dog in disbelief , anger bubbling through him. "Yas what the hell are you doing?" he scolded, his voice raising in volume slightly.

The dogs body lowered closer to the ground, his coat bristling as his eyes stayed fixed on the man in front of him. He started barking sharply at Kai, snapping the air in front of his snout again as Kai took a step back out of his immediate range. The wolf watched the dog incredulously, his keen eyes easily seeing the muscles in the animals legs tightening, while his ears flattened down against his skull. It was shock that kept the wolf from acting, somewhat frozen to the spot, before the burst of emotion from the dog hit him with a start. He was about to attack.

Kai quickly stepped to the side as Yas launched himself forward, claws skidding across the floorboards as he landed unsuccessfully, almost sending him colliding into the wall opposite. He hastily scrambled back to face Kai, snarling manically and baring his teeth once more towards Kai. Furious at his co-workers act, Kai allowed a low growl to grow in his throat, before he broke his body down into a structure much more suited for facing one of his own, not about to stand for Yas' one sided battle.

The moment the large wolf stood tall once more in small room, a snarl erupted from his throat as pain filled every cell in his form. His body tightened as he tried to fight against the pressure filling his head at an alarming rate, but instead the dog violently started to shake his head to try and shut it out. The sound of rain breaking free of the clouds and lashing down onto the thin walls of the building around him almost deafened him, his senses heightening beyond all control as he lost himself in the vice like grip.

He felt his body fly across the floor as the husky collided with him, a crazed form of fur and claws snarling and biting at the wolf. Kai forced himself up onto his feet with every ounce of strength he had, growling loudly and throwing himself back at the slightly smaller dog. The two animals started a furious battle of wills, goaded on by the pressure in their skulls almost blinding them to anything but the pain. Large tufts of fur were ripped from each, as both dogs furiously snapped and clawed at the other amongst the thick, suffocating air, the strong smell of rainwater surrounding them.

They broke apart for just a second, Kai springing mindlessly out of the tussel and banging head first into the small table, sending it crashing to the ground. As he turned, Yas was already back on his tail, jaws wide as his eyes set firmly on the wolf's throat. Dodging instinctively away from the fatal attack, Kai swung back around on the dog, his teeth connecting with the husky's flank and sinking deep into the vunerable skin. Yas whined in pain, drawing his hind leg back to directly land on the wolf's skull, making him withdraw immediatly before the deadly dance continued.

In a flash of light, the pressure consuming the two dog's minds shattered instantly, both animals immediately dropping back to their unstable feet as their sight cleared, the wild fever breaking. With both of their bodies still fighting for breath, they simultaneously raised their snouts, almighty howls ripping through their throats and filling the air, as a loud rumble of thunder rolled through the sky above.

Throughout the town, the two animals voices were joined by dozens of others, every dog howling into the storm that had started to unleash it's terror amongst barren lands. The small house that the wolf and husky occupied began to shake to it's foundations as the other guardians within raised their voices, their owners desperately trying to calm their pets who had suddenly taken on a much more sinister form. The extraordinary sight lasted only a short minute, before each animal's gaze faded to black and their exhausted bodies fell down to the ground, dangerously close to appearing lifeless if it wasn't for their heaving chests.

The brilliant silence that followed the calls of the hounds was a haunting one, and carried an eerie air of death with it to each human who looked over their guardian in shock. Every dog slept soundly as the rain continued to pour, bright flashes of lightening illuminating their still forms, while each and every one of their minds drifted away into the night.