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The red fox dropped to one knee and leaned forward, bringing his nose almost to the ground. The high mountain wind tugged at his hood, pulling it back and exposing his ears to the black jaguar crouched behind him. Shadow smiled as Korwyn sniffed the trail, the jaguar's long tail flicking behind him as he watched the fox.

"Someone's been this way," the ranger said as he stood and adjusted the longbow and quiver on his back. "Several people. Scents are weak though."

"More bandits, Kor?" the assassin asked, keeping his paws stayed away from his twin swords. They had encountered a group working the mountain passes that morning, but no group would waste time working a trail that led to a solitary lodge--even if Shadow considered it the most important one in the Empire.

He and Korwyn were heading to the place the jaguar considered home. For the first time in the three months since they had met, the jaguar had decided that the Nightguard could survive a few weeks without its Master Assassin and newest member. The Grandmaster and the Emperor agreed, with the Emperor going so far as to suggest an Imperial wedding between a count and a neighboring princess as an opportunity to get way. With the Imperial City in full celebration, the Emperor was content to allow his favorite shadow agents to rest. Those who had taken advantage of the lull in the Nightguard's activates would be dealt with after. And so, here they were, despite Shadow's reluctance to come to back to the lodge. For the first time since...

Since scattering Raj'arr's ashes from the roof.

"Bandits don't clear snow," Korwyn replied, breaking the jaguar out of his thoughts. The ranger stood again and pointed. "That's just drifts."

Shadow didn't reply to that. His own gaze was down the trail, which ran for about a hundred yards before disappearing around a bend. Once they rounded that turn, the lodge would be in view, and the jaguar wasn't sure he was ready for that sight. Lost in his thoughts, it was some time before he realized that Korwyn was studying him. The fox's ears were down and there was a worried look in his eyes.

"We don't have to do this," he said as he closed the distance between them. "If you're not ready, we can be back to town by nightfall."

Shadow met Korwyn's gaze. The red fox's tail and ears were still, but his whiskers twitched in the sign of deep thought in foxes. Kor was so excited to get out of the Imperial City--his tail a blur, his ears up and his nose twitching as they wandered through the woods and mountains. This wasn't the first time he'd suggested to Shadow they could go elsewhere.

Shadow shook his head. "No. We do need to do this. If we're a couple, then I owe it to you to share what I shared with him."

As he started moving again, his mind cast back ten years, to the when he'd last brought someone up here for the first time.

#

"Com'on!" Shadow called back over his shoulder as he paused at the turn in the trail.

Behind him, the caracal laughed, hurrying to catch up. "I don't see why your family couldn't have built this place on a trail that didn't run by a bandit lair."

"Can you think of a better way to keep it safe?" Shadow asked, deadpan.

Raj'arr sighed and adjusted his cloak. The caracal shook his head as he studied the younger jaguar. "I just want to see what's got you all excited. Last time you were this worked up..."

He trailed off, but the smile on his muzzle made it clear what he was referring to. Recognizing the memory--of the first time they'd said "I love you"-- Shadow's tail became a blur as he smiled as well. They would have plenty of time to make more of those memories--if they ever got to the house. And with Raj'arr stopping every half hour to sketch, that was very much an "if" to the jaguar.

"I've been waiting for you to finish so I can show you."

"Alright, alright," the caracal said with an exaggerated sigh and flick of his tail. "It was a nice countryside is all."

"You haven't seen anything yet," Shadow grinned and, with a slight hesitation, took hold of Raj'arr's paw. The twinge of fear that his lover was mad at him returned.

The caracal laughed as the slender jaguar dragged him down the trail. Shadow's tail flicked against his lover's legs as they moved, almost in time with his hammering heart. He was sure Raj'arr would like the place, but would he like it as much as Shadow thought he would? He knew when Raj'arr cleared the last turn by the gasp that escaped the caracal.

Shadow grinned as he looked back to see the expression on Raj'arr's face. He found his lover's muzzle hanging open, ears forward, tail whipping in excitement. And his paw reaching into his pack for his sketchbook.

"There'll be time later!" Shadow said, laughing as he pounced on the smaller cat. Taking hold of Raj'arr's wrist, he started dragging his lover up the trail. "You haven't even seen the best part yet!"

#

An elbow in his side brought Shadow back to the present. Korwyn was staring at him as they approached the door. The jaguar shook away the visions and took a deep breath. Silently, he cursed himself for missing the fox's reaction to seeing the house for the first time.

The lodge was set on a cliff, the three story building forming a block against the sky framed by pine trees. The house itself had a stone first story, with natural logs for the upper floors, giving the impression that it was partially carved out of the mountain. Golden light spilled out of several windows, showing that the servants on loan from the Imperial yacht had arrived safely to warm the house.

Kor's green eyes took on a hint of worry under his natural inquisitiveness. "I asked how long you've had this place."

"Been in the family a long time," Shadow replied. "A few generations, at least. The first member of my family to be the Master Assassin of the Nightguard built it for when he needed to get away from everything. He found this place chasing some damn fool who'd murdered a duke. Decided he liked it."

"Can't get much further away from everything than this," the fox agreed with a swish of his tail. "But, if you're not up to it, we can go somewhere else. I know some places."

"We're here," Shadow said as he stepped up on to the flagstones.

"That's not the same and you know it," Kor snapped. "You're nervous about coming up here, and for you to be nervous about something says a lot."

Shadow's whiskers twitched as he pondered a response to that. He shook his head and stared up at the house. He felt a paw on his chest, pressing his locket--his most prized possession--into his fur.

"I can guess what this is about," the fox said, his tone softened to a comforting level. "If you're not ready, we don't have to do this now."

Shadow hesitated for a moment before reaching up to touch Korwyn's wrist. He guided the paw away from the pendent, pulling the fox in closer to nuzzle his ear. "We're here."

Kor's muzzle twitched, and a defiant gleam appeared in his eyes before vanishing as quickly. His ears drooped and he shook his head as he stepped back from Shadow. "We are. And remember that it is _we,_you're not facing memories alone."

"I will," the jaguar assured him as he opened the door.

The otters from the Emperor's yacht greeted them, but the couple thanked them and sent most of them back to town. Only the cook, who'd known Shadow for years, and a pair of cabin boys stayed to keep the house in order. They said they'd stay out of the couple's way, even with how Kor was racing to explore the place in typical Kor fashion.

The fox made his way from room to room, his tail a blur behind him, looking at every painting, piece of furniture, and trophy in the lodge. Shadow trailed behind him after passing their packs and equipment to the otters. While his partner's obvious excitement made him smile, everything he looked at reminded him of Raj'arr. Even over a year later, the pain of the caracal's death continued to leave a hole in the jaguar's chest.

He stopped in front of a panting that showed the view from the top of the house. On a clear day, the cliff afforded a panorama of almost the entire Imperial Province. Raj'arr had spent a fortnight on the roof sketching and choosing colors for the piece during a summer stay. Shadow felt the numbness in his heart spread throughout him, leaving him cold. The jaguar's eyes fell to the ground, and he padded to catch up with Kor.

"I'm sorry it's not furnished and drafty. It's been empty since my parents died."

"It's alright," Raj'arr replied with a laugh. "Just means we can make it our own. I would have asked for a transport mage if I'd known we'd be shopping."

"Yeah," Shadow agreed. "I didn't think about it."

"Don't worry," the caracal said as he pulled the taller cat into a hug. "All it will take is time. But for now, let's get to sleep--it's getting cold already."

The slender young jaguar didn't have the heart to tell him that even with the chill of worry he felt, the house already felt warm to him.

"I can't believe you didn't bring me here sooner!"

Shadow snapped back to the present, and his eyes came up to meet those of a smiling fox. A momentary frown crossed his muzzle but vanished as he took the jaguar's paw. Shadow laughed as Kor began dragging him deeper into the house. The questions came fast and thick as the ranger pointed to various objects: where did that chair that looked like a carved tree come from? Was that a real landscape? Did you pose for that painting of the gladiators in the arena? He wanted to know the history of everything, but was content that he was exploring with his lover. Finally, he wrapped Shadow in a hug that almost drove the chill away from the jaguar.

"I like this place," Kor said, resting his head against Shadow's chest. "Thank you for bringing me."

"Of course, Swishes," Shadow replied before licking the point of the ear that tickled his muzzle. "Now it's getting cold, so why don't I show you the bedroom?"

"It's not that cold," the fox snorted. "And I'm more hungry than tired."

"Well, let's get out of our armor at least," the jaguar said. "Though with how hard you're swishing against me, I may still need mine."

Kor laughed, the sound echoing down the corridor. He squeezed Shadow even tighter before breaking the embrace and standing on the tips of his claws to lick the taller jaguar's cheek. "Com'on. Show me the bedroom. We can change and then see what the otters set up to eat. Hope they brought poultry. It's been a while since I had good chicken. I wonder if there are pheasants up here we can hunt?"