Kaval hobbled down the cold dirt path with blood oozing from the wound he took to his chest. No matter how many times Ari tried to stop him and bandage it, Kaval shrugged him away and said he would be fine. Ari did not think so. The rod went in so deep Ari thought it went right through him. Kaval should not be walking in the condition he was in, especially at the pace he was going at. What was so important to risk his own well-being for? Ari did not care for it. He did not care to know if Kaval was going to behave this way-- with no care for self.

"Kaval, stop. It does not matter if we get there a little later than expected. You must--"

"We mustn't."

"Why?"

Kaval pursed his lips.

"I thought you were dead. I was so angry and hurt... I may have even cut what little piece of thread that tethered Auovin and me together because I was so angry. I know I hurt him deeply. But you see what you mean to me. Do not belittle it."

"I want to stop. I do, but, Ari, he will not stay down for long. And I am weak. So are you."

"I am not."

"You are, and the answer to why is in here." Kaval tapped Ari's head. "And there." He pointed toward the mountain looming closer now like a dark specter.

Ari chewed on his lip before he helped Kaval from the rock he was leaning against.

"Inge... Is he not dead?"

"Like us, they are very hard to kill. And even when killed they are not really." Ari furrowed his brows. "They just sleep."

"And the Greats? What do they do?"

"Ari, you ask so many questions, which I adore, but do not ask questions you are not willing to carry the burden of what the answer might be. Not yet. Not as you are right now." Kaval took Ari's hand in his. He turned it over until Ari's palms were facing up.

"But when I show you what needs to be shown, I will answer all of your questions then. I promise."

Ari should have been comforted then but it only made his stomach swirl. The way he was looking at him unnerved him. "Why do you look at me with such eyes?"

"Because you are a Great as I am."

"No, it is a much different kind of gaze. It is as if seeing me after a long while. I did not realize it in the beginning, when we first met, but Kaval... it is as if you had known me long before that time."

Kaval licked his lips and smiled.

"Perhaps, you were not lying at all back then... and that thought scares me. But I-- I want to become stronger and if going there helps me then I will. I cannot be afraid anymore."

"It is not such a bad thing to admit to being afraid, Ari. You were so sure of your strength because you were around humans and lessers all of your life. Now that you are around your own kind, you weigh your strength against their's and find yourself at a terrible loss. That blood demon could have killed you. You were right to fear him."

Ari nodded and continued on ahead despite his reluctance. He tried to cover his nose and create a little distance from Kaval as the scent of his blood became more and more apparent. Although he fed on Cyrus recently, the smell of Kaval's blood made his mouth water. It did not sit well with Ari at all.

"It is tantalizing, is it not...? My blood?"

Kaval caught up and pressed his lips to Ari's ear, causing Ari to squeeze his eyes shut.

"You may fool around with the lesser of us, but ours is the blood you crave the most because it is what you are. What you need." Ari turned and looked at him then. "What you need to become stronger."

Kaval's breath blew onto his lips which made Ari lick his lips and turn away.

"Did you not say there was little to any left?"

"Left awake." Ari felt Kaval's gaze on him, lingering. "I am sure you met one already. We may be shapeshifters, but the one thing we cannot truly hide is the gray of our eyes. No matter how much we try to conceal them, little specks of gray in our irises can give us away."

"Sai," Ari breathed.

"Sai." Kaval smiled wildly. "So he is awake."

"But he wanted nothing to do with any of this. And he shared a past with Auovin. How can he be a--"

"As I said before, Ari, we had mixed and mingled once upon a time. Sharing a past with Oliya hardly says much at all. I am sure many others could attest to that as well."

Ari bristled, but Kaval quickly kissed his cheek causing Ari to redden.

"You are quite easy to anger when it comes to that demon. I find it cute."

Ari rubbed his cheek and frowned. "Why will you not call him by his true name?"

"He has not given me his name just as I have not given him mine."

"And what happens if you say it without them giving you it?"

"To humans, it would enslave them. To us, it would empower the other. Names have meaning and strength, but also weakness and bondage." Kaval touched his neck and carried on.

Snow fell from the sky in a steady rhythm. The chill of the air seeped into Ari's flesh. He hugged himself tight and looked back at Kaval. Besides the wound he covered protectively with his hand, he seemed fine and unphased by the weather.

"They may come from the sands, but we come from the snow; where the land is cold and unforgiving. You will grow used to it soon enough."

Soon the snow picked up. Ari could barely see through it, it became so thick. He had to rely on Kaval to lead the way and, even then, he held on to a piece of him to make sure he did not get lost. Kaval trudged through the snow mounting by the second, undisturbed. As if he had it a thousand times. Although Kaval was in a weakened state, Ari could tell even he was stronger than him.

Kaval grabbed Ari's wrist and tugged him forward.

"This way."

Ari followed obediently. They entered an enclosure near the mountain which Ari was grateful for. His clothes were soaked and he was cold. Not being able to see, only made it worse. Ari looked around in the darkness. Icicles hung from the ceilings and ice covered to walls and a bit of the ground floor they were on. Over in a corner, he saw steam coming from a pool of water and a stairwell that lead up somewhere. His eyes flicked back to Kaval who laid slumped against the cave wall, exhausted. There was a twinkle in eyes, however. As if he had the sweet taste of victory on his tongue.

When he touched a part of the wall, the cave shook and rumbled. Ari held onto the wall and closed his eyes. Something slammed shut behind him causing him to jump and back away from the entrance. It was much like the dark place only colder and not filled with vines but with ice instead.

"We are safe... for now." Kaval's voice echoed through the emptiness, catching Ari's attention.

Ari nodded, but he still did not feel much comfort from his words. He needed to treat Kaval's wound, but he did not know how. Ari thought to give him his blood once before, but Ari was wary of the idea the more Ari was coming to know more about the Greats and Kaval himself. Despite his hesitation, Ari walked closer to Kaval. He removed Kaval's hand from where the rod went through. It was already healing which should not have surprised Ari, but it did.

"Tell me, Kaval, truthfully..." Ari looked at his own wrist before he punctured it with his teeth. He watched the blood pool until it dripped down into the palm of his hand. It caught Kaval's attention quickly. "What am I? Who am I? Why did you bring me here against Auovin's reluctance? Why does Inge hate me so much?"

Kaval reached for Ari's arm, but Ari moved it away.

"Answer one of those, and I will give you this."

That made Kaval grin. "You are learning."

"Tell me."

"It is because he does not want you to remember, but you have to. You must. To set things right as it should have been before."

Ari's eyes widened.

"What do you mean by those words?"

Kaval took Ari's hand and licked it up to where the blood flowed freely from his arm.

"I told you then, I would show you your worth, did I not?"

Before Ari could answer him, Kaval sank his fangs into his wrist causing an insurmountable amount of pain to course through him. Tears pricked at his eyes, but he did not bother to pull away. Kaval needed his blood, but Ari did not think it would hurt that badly. It did not hurt the first time. Ari made it through the pain, but he did not know what to do with the feeling that came next. His body became hot and his breath labored. Kaval broke away then, leaving Ari with confusing emotions.

Ari put his hand against his chest feeling it beat out his chest. He looked at Kaval with furrowed brows, but Kaval continued to wipe his mouth with his arm, unfazed.

"Is your body hot and your heart beating fast? Is the want for me coursing through your body so foreign to you? I am sure you felt this before." Kaval grabbed his chin in hand and grinned. "What you feel with Oliya is not so special anymore, now is it?"

Ari turned his face away and sighed. "It is different."

"How so?"

"Without even touching... he can make me want him so badly like this. Whether it's my eyes that meet his or one of his smiles or laughs... it can make my body burn even more than this," Ari breathed. Just the thought of it made Ari fill with need. With the way things were, Ari did not ever think they could possibly be as intimate as he wanted them to be.

Kaval nodded and changed the subject.

"Are you not curious?" He stared at the stairwell and looked backed to Ari. "To where those lead? To where we are?"

Ari held his wrist and looked around the darkness. He could hear nothing but the wind blowing from where those stairs were.

"This place..."

"We are merely at the foot of the mountain, but the entire mountain is where our home is. This is only a section, a piece, of a much greater whole, Ari."

Ari swallowed, but Kaval grabbed his hand and placed a gentle kiss there.

"There is nothing for you to fear here. Nothing. And if there so happen that there was something here to do you harm, I would not let a thing happen to you as you know this."

"I know but... "

"Have no reservations."

Ari could not help but gaze into Kaval's silver eyes, wanting to believe him. However, there was something nagging in the back of his head telling him no. He pulled Ari closer until he had his arm wrapped around Ari's waist and a finger cradling Ari's chin.

"Or shall I show you with a kiss?"

"Kaval."

"A single kiss will push all your worries aside."

"A kiss is a show of affection, not trust," Ari murmured.

"Is it? Then tell me how should I show my trust ?"

Ari thought about when Ra kissed him. There was no affection in it. Just the feeling of intimacy. It had brought them somewhat closer. Perhaps, it would be the same in this situation.

"I have given you a hug and now you want a kiss. You were right when you said not to spoil you."

Kaval laughed and in the next moment, Ari felt his lips on his cheek causing him to blush.

"See, a simple kiss, when, in truth, I want to devour you whole."

Ari tucked in his bottom lip and smiled weakly. He did not know whether he meant that figuratively or not, and that was what made Ari a little unnerved.

"This way. The inside of the mountain is vast and we have much distance to cover."

When Kaval reached the first step, he sniffed and narrowed his eyes. "It seems someone else has already beaten us here, however. Shall we go and greet them?"