Kierra

When I finally open my eyes again, Bastion and I are by ourselves in the basement nest. Can tell he's awake by the way his hands are moving on my side. My eyes well up again, but I push it back with much difficulty.

"He's gone...isn't he."

Not really a question when I already know the answer. His head nods against my ribs, my whole right side damp from his tears.

"We knew this was coming. It was his choice."

"Why couldn't he choose to stay here? He was happy here."

"I think that's a big part of why he left. You remember him telling us about his wife, don't you? He was still searching for the one who had her killed when he stopped to help us."

His silent weeping isn't helping mine at all. It’s even hard to keep the voice in my head from being wobbly.

"I don't understand. If he was happy, why did he leave? I know she died, but that was so long ago."

"When all you have is time, it takes on new meaning. I would imagine he was starting to feel like he was betraying her by not looking for that leech. I think the only one who really understands his motives is Asher himself."

Least I hope he does. I wanted to run after him so bad but knew I couldn't do that to him. He's been searching for at least twenty-five years, that's not something you can just stop doing. I will not deny him his right. Wish I had thought to help him in some way while he was here; have Ben do some hacking, my searching for anyone who would know anything, some magic to undo his curse, something.

"It's not fair."

"No, it's not, but it is something he needs to do. We'll always keep our door open for him, just as he'll always be welcome."

I will be contacting Alarico though, and see if he can keep an ear out. If Asher needs any help, he will get it.

"He wanted me to tell you he's proud of you. The way that you and your sister are trying to bridge Vampire and animal relations. Proud of your decisions to help so many others and not be selfish like the council. He...he said if he could, he would have stayed to help, but he can't."

I can't keep the hot tears from falling. If it weren't for Asher, no one in this house would be here right now. I'd be dead, my sister lost, Bastion gone. Xavier never would have come, nor Shade and Zypher. Faline wouldn't have been around to help those at the bordello, to bring Maii to me. The newest, Kani, would still be out in the cold and probably would have died soon.

"I'm proud of him, too."

The Imp nods, wiping his nose as he agrees.

"We better get upstairs before all the guys destroy it... Bastion? Are you sure about the fox?"

He nods again, hands buried in my scruff like he used to do before everyone started showing up.

"When Maii and I were helping him, I didn't feel anything bad from him. He's lost, much like the rest of us here."

I sit up and look at him. Bastion is becoming quite astute for someone so young, but I'd expect no less. Dipping my head closer, I touch my nose to his. Licking his cheeks before putting my head on his shoulder, his arms wrap around tight.

He and I may be on unknown ground when I'm an upright human, but when covered in fur, he has no problem holding firm. Pulling away after a few minutes, we both stand and make our way upstairs, him grabbing some clothes on the way. Have to shake out my coat when I stand, right side all soggy.

With a long tail hanging low behind me, we trudge into the kitchen. The Arctic brothers are once more out front working on their vehicles, they must have had a toolbox in the truck because I own none of the stuff they're using. Maii and Kani are at the kitchen table eating while Xavier paces the hallway. That's new, never seen him pace before. He turns to face us as we come around the counter and table.

Bastion heads for the bathroom while sad amber eyes roam over me. I look back with no expression showing before going to the front door.

"Kie, I'm sorry. I didn't know till late and he wished me to say nothing. You knew he was going to be leaving."

Ignoring him, I scratch at the door. He sighs but opens it. I walk through it calmly enough, brothers looking up as I make my way out. They get ignored too as I go off towards a clearing not far away.

Walk to it more by instinct than anything else, my head hanging down. Getting there and sitting in the spot I'd been in when I first met a midnight wolf, it’s hard to believe it was only twenty-one days ago. Exactly three weeks and feeling like this...how pathetic is that? May not be very long in the grand scheme of things, but a lot can happen within that time. I'd grown very close to Asher, he'd become my rock through all this. Yes, I knew he would be leaving at some point, but I had hoped he wouldn't. Have to cut the strings at some point though, right? Only three weeks, but it feels like a lot longer.

Tilting my head back, I cry my pain of loss to the blind and deaf skies. From the amount of snow that had fallen, it seems so dead silent. My howl seems abrupt among the mute trees, not even any birds to sing with me.

I know everyone within range will hear, I know it will echo for miles, and I know they'll feel the heart wrench of someone loved leaving to go their own way. Doubt he's still within range to hear it, but I sing to him; letting him know that my door will always be open if he decides to return, that he will always have friends here waiting for him. I sing to him my thanks for all his selflessly given help.

I've read somewhere that a howl can be heard up to six miles away, and ten on open snowscapes, with another saying that on certain conditions, up to fifty square miles away. I push mine to reach further than ten, to reach the ears of the one I sing for. Emotions tie in with the musical notes, letting all who hear share my pain of his loss, but also the gratitude and fondness, the hope that he finds what he's searching for.

A few minutes after the last notes die away, I have company. Long-legged company that somehow managed to worm his way into both mine and Bastion’s hearts. And to think, he initially came into our lives with the intent to kill me. He said the reason he hadn't was because he’d realized who and what I was, but it goes deeper than that. Not talking about his obvious fondness, either. He didn't kill me because what he'd been searching for, for years, was finally within his grasp, and he wanted it bad enough to put his own life in danger.

The obnoxious, fun-loving playboy has a core of cruelty and a willingness to kill more than my own. Having been trained to kill then sent out into the world to off the other person before they get a bullet or knife into him first, he’s ruthless and efficient, yet run by his own code of standards.

Walking up to me slowly, unsure of his welcome, brings a smile to my mind. Even with as hard and ruthless as he was made to be, he still retains a part of himself that many others lose. For being around ninety years old, he seems over seventy years younger. I send welcoming warmth to him even as I keep my focus on the sky. Light gray clouds are threatening to darken at a moment's notice. He settles his rump next to mine, his much darker reddish-brown fur against my own clashing in contrast.

"How long were you back there?"

He really shouldn't be surprised that I knew. I wouldn't have caught him before, but he bears my mark now. Just in case he wasn't aware of it, I share the knowledge with him.

"Since moments after you left the house. Should have seen how red your fox had turned when I dropped my pants."

"Are you going to flash everyone that comes into my home?"

Laughing, I can just imagine the face that was made.

"I haven't...err...no. Wow, guess I have sort of up to this point, haven't I?"

Can hear the smile in his voice. The only one he hadn't intended to show off to, at least at that point, was Faline. She got the full moon experience when he decided to bend over in my doorway while nude. His attempts at teasing me backfired quite nicely. Sadly, it hasn't taught him anything.

"You've probably given the kid wet dream imagery to last at least a week."

"Just a week? That's all? That doesn't sound right."

Chuckling, my head lowers to a more comfortable angle. Can see him out of the corner of my eye, keeping watch on the area around us. Forever the good soldier.

"I'm sure by the end of that week you'll have refreshed the image for him."

Can feel his gaping at me, so I look over at him, yellow eyes dancing in merriment. His coming to cheer me has worked the way he wanted. Even with both of us sitting, he's still taller than I, but when already being a foot taller, that shouldn't be shocking. Standing and turning to headbutt his shoulder, my happiness mellows out again.

"I want to give Alarico a call, see if he'll keep an ear out if there's any word on him. I know he can take care of himself, but I can't just let him go without doing something. You're right, I knew it was coming, that doesn't stop it from hurting."

Turning enough to do so, his muzzle dips down and buries in my scruff. Offering comfort as well as taking it. Asher wasn't just mine and Bastion's, Xavier had been a friend too. Well, more like an annoying little brother, only he's older.

I smile. They had a weird relationship, no matter how it's put. Maned wolf was always finding new things to annoy the black wolf with or about. Little did I know that one of the things they quarreled over, was me.