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(Luxikam's view)

"*sigh* Are we at least close by now, Syreth?"

"We're almost there Luxikam, just be patient..."

"Be patient he says..." I mutter out of my muzzle. At least he doesn't have to carry a fawn carcass for 2 hours. It's almost Lunis and we still aren't there yet! I mean sure he could've been lost when I found him and wandered this far from home, but if I didn't know any better I'd say he's purposely trying to take a long time....

Well, at least thanks to my Seal of Strength, this is like endurance training for me with my heavy cargo. I should get quite a bit stronger after this.

"Hey Syreth, are you purposely trying to take a long time to get home? You seem to be walking slow..." I uttered noticing that he had significantly slowed down from his almost jogging pace a hour ago.

"No, we do live quite far away, but *sigh* yeah, I guess I am in no rush to see my parents." Syreth lamented back, his own demeanor seeming to sink with that statement.

"Oh, come on Syreth, you should be happy! I am carrying this heavy dead meat just for you, and you even get to take credit for it! Your parents will be happy for you!" I stated happily until my ears rise up, noticing the grass ruffling.

"I know, I kn-"

"Shhh! Quiet!"

Syreth, suddenly looking fearful ran towards me... A foolish mistake as a rather large buck, came charging out of the forest, no doubt angry that I am carrying one of its fawn. I leap into action, dropping the carcass and pushing Syreth back, but not without cost. My leg collided with the heavy buck's legs, successfully tripping him.

Syreth fell back unharmed gratefully, but I got my leg hit pretty hard by him. I don't think anything is broken, but it has swollen up a bit. I try to stand back up but quickly fall back down. "Darn it..."

Well, on the bright side of things thanks to my quick reflexes, I've significantly shortened this battle. The buck landed with a large thud, his entire body weight painfully on his legs, which were bending very unnaturally.

"Well Syreth, why don't you do the honors? He can't get up, and my leg is killing me." I said, wincing at the pain. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to walk straight.

*sigh* The things I do for these cute humans. Wait, did I just call him cute again?

(Syreth's view)

"Luxikam just knows how to boost a guy's confidence." I said to myself.

Those intense silver eyes he has, looking so encouragingly at me, are just so beautiful and yet powerful at the same time, almost as if telling me, "I know you're strong, you just need to realize that too."

I grabbed the knife in my pants and made my way over to the buck. There was anger in its eyes, but it wasn't focused on me, it was focused behind me, at Luxikam. The shame of losing one of its young to a wolf, then putting himself out of commission thanks to his own body, must be painful in itself, let alone the actual physical pain from the ordeal.

For the first time ever, I'm about to complete a successful hunt, even though the food came to us this time. I doubt that my parents could complain, if I bought this home to them. I feel sorry for this buck, who no doubt was just trying to find out who killed its young, but at the same time it almost killed me, and apparently injured Luxikam. The very fact that Luxikam got hurt because of me, only makes my debt to him larger. But I know how to repay him now, and I'm going to show it soon.

I have never seen the crimson liquid of life on this blade, and I wasn't sure if I was prepared mentally to put someone to death. But then, almost as if he heard my thoughts Luxikam said to me:

"Listen Syreth, If you don't kill him, then he will just lay out here, and slowly die in pain.. Is that what you want? He may not realize it, but you're in effect, doing him a proper death, not a disgraceful one."

In saying that, he helped me to realize something. Just because I kill someone, it doesn't label me as a cold-blooded killer, but rather my survival or his. He was either going to kill us or we were going to kill him, it was as simple as that. Luxikam killed those fawn earlier because of our need for food, our need for survival.

And now, I'm killing this buck for his own good, putting him out of his misery so that he shouldn't have to suffer anymore. Even now, it seems as if the buck is no longer angry, but in pain, wincing at me, trying to tell me to end its life.

So I lift my knife up high, catching the moonlight's ray, and then thrust it into the creature. The buck didn't even make a sound, but simply closed it eyes, almost as if saying, "thank you". Luxikam was still looking at me, having crawled to a log to lean his back against it, smiling proudly at my accomplishment.

When I pulled the knife out, there it was, blood, the precious liquid that enables life, dripping off the tip, as a cold silence that seemed to embrace me. My deed was done, now let me focus on Luxikam.

Suprisingly, only his ankle was swollen and, ignoring Luxikam's protesting, I tried to feel through the fur. He held in his scream pretty well, although a tear fell from his eye. I couldn't feel any bone out of place, but it seemed as if the rest of his foot was intact although it was throbbing. Werewolf skeletons must be far more resilient than human's scrawny bones. One step from that buck, and I think my knee would be shattered. Still this needs at least some form of treatment.

Thanks to my original mother, I knew quite a bit of remedies. She was a healer, so I watched her help her patients. Still I wish I had paid more attention, then I would know some of her healing spells.

"Here, I brought some things just for situations like these, just hold still." I said to Luxikam.

Already I was feeling quite a bit more self-confident with Luxikam around. To have him at least somewhat dependent on me for pain relief, I felt stable, as if his emotional strength had an aura that just rubbed off of me, even though I doubt he could tell how I was feeling.

"Just be careful, I need my leg to carry that buck home." Luxikam chuckled, pushing himself up on a spot on the log free of moss.

Grabbing some of the supplies I had brought along with me, I lifted his leg up onto my lap, hearing a slight grunt of pain from Luxikam. I then applied a deep direct pressure to his ligaments and tendons, and blushed quite a bit when he uttered a soft howl and wagged his tail. I only looked up to him once, and then almost immediately, looked down. His silver eyes seem to shine, accompanied by that genuinely gentle smile, conveying the simple but yet so important feeling to me. "I trust you."

I couldn't stop blushing. I know it's not right but.....

I think I have a crush on him.

"Hey Luxikam, just a little bit more and then you'll be ready alright?" I told him trying not to show my emotions.

"Well, I certainly don't plan to sit here all night, so get on with it." Luxikam replied, seeming to still enjoy my little massage. I couldn't help but blush more when I rubbed in a bit of aloe oil, and how he responded, "Mmmmm, that feels goood....."

Once the swelling went down, he seemed to be fine, and had no problem walking. "I'm going to carry the buck... and hope that your house is not too far.." He said, rubbing his head, then pulling up the buck by its antlers and dragging it along.

I was honestly just leading him around in circles, my house is only 10 minutes away. Thanks to my carelessness, it cost Luxikam some pain, but I'll make up for it, it's my responsibility.

(Luxikam's view)

I can't believe how distracted I was. When Syreth told me we were simply going around in circles because he didn't want to go home right away, I wasn't really sure how to respond at first. I was quite embarrassed that I wasn't watching the repeating surroundings. I guess it's mainly because I can't keep my eyes off of him.

That slim body, those brown earthen eyes, his trustworthy smile. How could I be mad at him? It's like his body language is simply saying, "Follow me." It's almost as if he's trying to seduce me... but I guess I'm letting him. Maybe this is what Aexis was talking about when he said, "Humans can be even more attractive than your fellow wolves."

I guess I'm interested in him now, but what does he think about me...?

"Hmm.... guess I need to extend my welcome..." I muttered under my breath.

"Did you say something Luxikam?" Syreth asked.

"Oh nothing, nothing." I replied.

"Alright then, well we're here."

His house is pretty nice, of course not as big as my castle, but still very nice and cozy. It's made out of wood, and painted a nice soft white. Each window is adorned with an oil lantern, seeming to give it a slight glow. Since there were no curtains, I could see directly into each room, but I didn't see his parents anywhere.

"Just wait here," Syreth said with a grunt as he lifted the buck carcass off of me, "I'll be back for you."

"Alright."

Such a weak man physically, but emotionally strong. It reminds me of, well myself when I was younger.

I'm going to make him stronger, because just like I need love, so does he and I....

"Hey Luxikam!" Syreth yelled.

"Yes?" I replied with a smile regaining my composure.

"Come up here, I'm going to pull you up into my room." Syreth said smiling back at me.

"Alright." *sigh* This is going to be the start of a real interesting friendship.

Syreth's mother was on her way to his room. Just something about him bringing back such a large buck home for them, didn't seem right. Her husband had told her she's just being paranoid, but that didn't help the strange anxiety that seemed to surround her...

Silently, she went along the corridor leading to her son's room. She was sure she could hear a strange, heavy, but hushed noise. She was sure it came from something huge, powerful, moving ever so slowly, as if taunting her to go further.

It was as if she already knew what it was, yet she couldn't place it...

Softly, with anxiety and fear, she turned the doorknob.

(This is the final Revision)