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Story thus far: a young sage by the name of Araki finds herself tasked with a simple mission, to deal with a wild animal nuisance in the remote village of Northpoint. When she arrives, she discovers that there is much more at stake, as unnatural happenings lead to the discovery of wolves, long thought to be extinct. Her encounter with one such wolf, an omega named Doko, becomes much more than the husky would ever have expected, leading to her induction as a member of the Three Peaks wolfpack. Only the gods know what will become of her now, as trouble will be quick to follow in her wake.

Following Her Steps

Written By: Spudz

The freshly fallen snow was thick, piled high in immense drifts. The powerful storm of the past several days had left its mark, doing its best to make the road all but impassable.

The lone traveler found the going tough on his own two legs. His horse had been lost to the elements, and most of his supplies were gone. Were it not for the spellweave that kept his paws from sinking into the snow, he would've been in dire straits.

Koov paused a moment to pull the cloak tighter around his body, grimacing as he did so. The malinois wasn't exactly cut out for this extreme cold. The biting wind was strong enough to work its way through his short tan fur in just the wrong way, giving him that uncomfortable chill. This was no place to be, out on the fringe of the known world, especially a man of his position. But there was no choice in the matter, and the cold was something he could learn to ignore. This was the only safe place he had left.

A few more steps carried Koov to the crest of a small hill. At the top, he came across a small wooden sign, its face covered by a fresh layer of snow. With a gloved hand he brushed the fluff away to find what he had long sought; finally he had arrived at his destination.

The humble village of Northpoint stretched out before the malinois's view, blanketed in deep snow as it sat nestled between towering mountain ridges in the mid-afternoon sun. A dull roar of activity could be heard from the settlement's confines; something of great activity was taking place.

Before setting off down the hill, he took a moment to adjust the linen wrapped longbow and quiver on his back, as well as the concealed wakizashi blade on his hip, a small curved weapon similar to a katana. Another check was made to ensure his leather armor was hidden beneath his cloak. Such items carried with them a notoriety that he could not afford to divulge. It was a risk he needed to avoid, especially now.

He even made sure to dissolve the weave supporting his weight atop the snow, causing the dog's paws to sink into the knee high fluff. Now he was nothing more than a simple traveler, perhaps a lowly hunter even. His appearance would not attract too much attention... he hoped.

The town was alive with activity as Koov trudged his way down onto the roughly plowed streets. And he could quickly see why, as the tavern came into view, or what was left of it.

The outer shell of the building was mostly intact. However, it was clear as he drew closer that the interior was completely gutted, consumed by flame. There was nothing left but charred black wood, an ugly scar that told of a violent and unmerciful fire.

The townsfolk were busy tearing down what remained of the tavern, working with grim determination to remove what structure the fire had left behind. Across the street, a makeshift lumber mill had been constructed as well with still more laboring to cut and form freshly felled trees for what Koov assumed would be the new building's foundation. It looked like the whole village was involved in the undertaking.

_So much for a warm bed and hot meal._There didn't appear to be any more lodging available, leaving the malinois standing in the street unsure of what to do.

His presence was quick to draw the attention of a curious local. The malamute that approached was built like a brick wall, with all the chiseled features that bespoke a profession of working in the mines. It wasn't often that he found himself daunted by the imposing presence of another. "Ya a traveler mate? Haven't seen ya round here before."

Koov dipped his head in polite greeting. "As a matter of fact I am. Just made my way into your town as it were."

The hulking malamute propped himself on the shovel he had been using to excavate dirt, giving the road an inquisitive glance. "With that nasty storm we had these past few days? How'd you manage that without a steed?"

Koov found himself at a moment's loss. "Ah, my mount was done in by the weather a day's travel back. Wasn't easy going making it the rest of the way on my paws."

This reply didn't seem to sit well with the local at first. But after taking in the sight of his longbow, he uttered a snort, seemingly accepting Koov's appearance as that of a skilled huntsman. "Damned shame to lose your steed out there in the wilderness. We don't have much for horse stock round here. You might find luck hitching a ride with a caravan if Northpoint ain't your destination."

"As a matter of fact it is."

His malamute friend was suddenly interested. "What business brings you here Mr...?"

"Koov... and I actually need to take up my business with the village head, I'm afraid." Since there was no lodging to be had, he might as well get down to business. Maybe he could find accommodations with said leader if he was lucky.

Another snort. "Well, if that's what you require, he can be found just up the way there. The corner two story house with the fancy concave roof. Can't miss it."

Koov followed his outstretched hand to the house in question. "Thanks, I appreciate the help." He paused a moment, and then decided to venture the question that had been bothering him. "If I may ask, what happened to your tavern?"

"Nasty fire. Started out of nowhere. I was in the common room when things went to pot. Before we knew it, the whole place was consumed, even with the blizzard raging." The shovel changed hands. "Damned shame really. Poor Shishu lost everything."

"Any idea what caused it?"

"No one knows for sure, but it's a safe bet that..."

The malamute's words cut off, for at that very moment a particularly strong gust of wind pulled at Koov's cloak, blowing the fabric away from his person. It was too late for him to react. The damage was done as his ebony leather armor became visible. The distinct golden star, with the embellished red lettered oath of the order, left no illusion as to his office.

Recognition played across the local's features; first surprise, and then anger. "You're a sage?"

All of the bustling work within earshot came to an abrupt stop upon hearing the malamute's surprise. All eyes were suddenly on Koov. So much for secrecy. He took a breath. "Yes, I am Sage Koov of the Rajo Order."

The anger of the malamute seemed to spread to all the villagers around him. They were drawn toward him like moth to a flame. What was all this about now?

"Another one of ya? Haven't ya done enough damage?" The malamute was clearly agitated, the shovel falling from his hand to hit the snowy ground as he stared Koov down. "Why are ya here?"

All of the sage's senses went on high alert. This was suddenly dangerous. He had not expected this response. "Sir, please..." His words cut off as a mob gathered around him ominously.

"Is that a sage?" "What's going on here?" "It is, he's a bloody sage!" "What the gods' wrath is he doing here?" "Not another one." "Bloody hellfires, as if we didn't have enough trouble with them lot already!"

Koov was taken aback by the crowd's ire, which was quick to grow more prevalent as they gathered accusingly around him. It wasn't often he was caught by surprise. There was no way they could've learned of what had happened already. Word could not have spread that quickly.

The malinois put his hands up in an attempt to disarm the tension. "I'm not here on any judiciary function. Please calm yourself. There is no need to get upset."

"We don't need your kind round here!" a voice cried out. "Get out of our village!" The anger of the crowd appeared to feed off itself.

Still Koov attempted to keep things calm. "Please, can I ask what happened?"

"Your damned colleague burned down our tavern, what the fuck happened!" the malamute spat. He was squaring off with Koov now, the surrounding crowd bolstering his anger. That was the last straw.

Koov's hand went to the hilt of his wakizashi and drew the short curved blade in one fluid motion.

He kept the weapon at his side, making sure to turn the hilt in his hand so that the blunt edge faced outward. The black metal of the blade gleamed menacingly in the afternoon sun, the magical blood seal prevalent for all to see.

"You will cease and desist!" he boomed, his voice amplified by the mana threads he had woven in a pinch. The mob went silent, everyone visibly recoiling away from the sage. "I should not need to remind that I represent the High Council's authority, and will be treated with the respect that office commands." His words rang hollow in his ears as he spoke them, for they were no longer the truth. But he dared not let this crowd know that.

They all stared at him dumbfounded, as if only now realizing who they had been threatening. But the fury was still there.

"This crowd will disperse," he continued, holding himself with the authority he commanded. "Else I will be forced to take action."

The throng of villagers around him pulled back, not as much as he wanted, but enough to open up a clear path. He took it, fluidly sliding his blade back into its sheath as he set out for the safety of the village head's residence, keeping to his stoic poise, not even meeting any of the accusing glares directed at him.

The eyes of so many... it was beyond disconcerting. In all his years he had faced down foreign armies, fought all manner of strange creatures, and stood his ground against the most unyielding authorities with unflinching resolve. But the collective ire of these villagers was somehow unbearable. It took every bit of his willpower to maintain his composure as he removed himself from the dangerous situation.

The door he aimed himself at opened just as he mounted the front stairs of the house, and without pause he made his way through the threshold.

Inside the din of the angry crowd fell away. The malinois closed the door and leaned against the finely polished wood. A relieved sigh escaped his muzzle. That was not the welcome he had expected.

Two others regarded him in the pale light of the foyer. The first was a cheetah, a species he had never expected to find this far north. She was every bit the slender and lithe cat, with a long lanky tail and short fur unbecoming of the local climate. He was never a good judge of feline appearances, but to his eye she was probably no older than him.

The cheetah's unease was not shared by the other, an older arctic fox. He stood with his weight supported by a cane, his expression carefully guarded. "I suppose this explains the commotion I heard outside."

Koov moved to the nearby window, chancing a glance through the snow-crusted glass. Most of the villagers had returned to their duties. A few still stood about talking amongst themselves, occasionally giving angry looks in his direction. There was no illusion that they would simply forget about him now.

"I apologize," the sage spoke, turning back to his rescuers. "I never expected such a nasty welcome from the locals."

The cheetah folded her arms, a sympathetic smile gracing her feline muzzle. "Well, when your only source of mead suddenly burns to the ground, you do tend to get a bit cross, especially out here in the wilderness. It's nothing against you, just bad timing really."

"Don't be so dismissive Shishu," the fox chided, tapping his cane on the floor. "There is more to the village's anger than simply losing the tavern. You know there's been a growing distrust since that husky showed up days ago."

"Can I please ask what's going on?" Koov's question drew both their gazes back to him. When they exchanged looks, he sighed. "My name is Koov. Just Koov. I'm not here on any judicial or political business. Consider me nothing more than an ordinary traveler for the time being. I just want to know what happened."

Another exchanged look, and then Shishu stepped up to the window to peer outside. "I suppose it's been a long time coming. This whole mess started brewing when the guild increased the tax on iron exports. Your sage colleague came into town and quickly became the target of the town's anger toward the High Council for their inaction on the matter."

"You mean Araki?"

"Yes, she travels here to offer her assistance, and the villagers repay her efforts with nothing but a cold shoulder and isolation. Sometimes I can't stand these people for the lunkheads that they are."

"They can be a difficult sort at times," the fox agreed.

Koov removed his longbow and quiver, followed by his cloak, bringing his ebony armor into full view. Neither of them was fazed by its appearance, much to his relief. He turned his attention to the elder. "I take it you must be the village head?"

The arctic fox dipped his muzzle. "My name is Asico. And if you plan to stay the night, you're best cared for under my roof, lad. Without a tavern there isn't any place else in Northpoint."

"I appreciate the hospitality. I don't plan on staying long. Now that I know I'm not welcome, I'll find Araki and be on my way with her in company at the earliest convenience."

Shishu's tail lashed about, illustrating her concern at his words. "That's not going to be so easy, I fear. We haven't seen her in days."

"What?" He propped his longbow up against the wall. "Why? Did she complete her mission and begin her return to the capital?" Gods, he hoped that he had not missed her on the road somehow.

The cat hesitated. It was clear to him that she wasn't sure what to say. "The last I saw of her, it was right as the fire broke out. I ran to her room to warn her... and."

Koov canted his head, ears perked. "And?"

"Well... she just up and disappeared in a blinding flash of light. And there was something... erm, never mind that."

"And she hasn't been seen since?"

"Fraid not."

It sounded like a teleportation weave, an affinity that Araki was not proficient in. The logical course of action would've been to go to the site and investigate, something that Koov, himself, wasn't good at. However, he couldn't even do that with the locals milling about. Something about this wasn't right.

"Are you sure that's all you saw? She just disappeared?"

The cheetah pursed her lips. "Well, no. There might've been something... else. A creature perhaps. I don't know. It all happened in a flash. With the fire raging, I could've just been seeing things."

"Which brings me back to the villagers' concerns," Asico added, giving Shishu a strange look. The cane shifted in his hands. "The rumor has spread that your colleague started that fire. She was the only patron of the tavern that wasn't accounted for afterward."

Koov covered his face in his hands; the fatigue of a long trek was not helping. "Ok, I'm having trouble understanding all this. Can you start over?"

"Maybe we should talk over some drink?" Shishu offered.

Asico made his way toward the door, displaying more mobility than his cane had first suggested. "That might be best. Not like you've already taken over my kitchen as it were anyway." The cheetah rolled her eyes at his words. "I'll see if I can smooth some ruffled fur. I haven't seen the village so worked up in quite some time. I'll leave him in your care Shishu."

Koov watched him go. It was clear the vulpine wasn't one for words. But even so, he seemed to be on the sage's side, and that was more than could be said for the rest of the village. At least someone doesn't want to rip my throat out.

"You look pretty done in," Shishu spoke when the door closed behind the elder fox, bringing his attention back to her. She was sizing him up shrewdly. "Must've been a rough couple of days."

"You could say that."

He followed her into another room, where a fire crackled welcomingly in the fireplace, and two plush chairs sat angled toward the inviting heat. The accommodations came as a surprise.

"We all aren't so primitive out here," Shishu quipped, giving him a sly grin upon catching his expression. "Have a seat and warm yourself. I'll go prepare a nice hot drink to soothe your tired bones."

Koov was more than happy to take up her invitation. When the cheetah returned with a tray and steaming kettle, he had already removed his black armor and stacked it neatly in a pile alongside his chair. The malinois, himself, was sprawled across the plush cushions of the seat like the beaten dog that he was. No earthly force could've moved him from its comforting embrace.

"I see you've already made yourself at home," she remarked, upon setting the tray down onto a nearby table. He took the cup of steaming amber liquid that she offered with a weary nod of thanks. "You'll enjoy Asico's hospitality. He may be a bit ill-tempered at times, but his heart's always in the right place. Was nice enough to take me in after the tavern burned down."

"It must've been tough to lose your livelihood like that. I'm very sorry."

The cat waved a hand dismissively. "It's not so terrible." She procured a drink for herself. "The village has really come together to get the place rebuilt. It shouldn't take too long to get back on my paws."

"It looked like the whole town was involved out there," Koov noted as he studied the cup in his hand.

"That's because it practically is," she replied bluntly, shaking her head. "They wouldn't have it any other way. All the mining operations have ceased. Nothing else is going to get done until the tavern is rebuilt, come hell or high water."

"Why is that?"

"When you're the only supply of mead in the village, the locals will move mountains when they must to make sure you stay in business. I wasn't even allowed to pay for the effort, or offer my own assistance with the endeavor." Another shake of her head. "Some of my patrons may be boorish louts when they're drunk, but when they must, they come through for me. I can really appreciate that. This village takes care of its own."

"A cheetah who lives on the northern fringe of the world, and owns the only tavern in a small mining village of burly dogs. Not only that, but she even has managed to command respect and earn her place in the local community. I never would've imagined I'd come across someone like you up here."

She smirked. "Funny that, huh? It's where fate has taken me, so I just make the most of it."

Koov was finding himself enjoying the cat's company. She was the first person he had let his guard down around in quite some time. She didn't try to watch her words, or force formality in his presence, something that always exasperated the malinois. "You folks have a nice way of life up here. I don't think I've ever appreciated a nice hot fire and comfy chair more than now."

"Beats roughing it out there in the wilderness."

Koov scoffed at her words as he cradled the warm cup in his hands. "Anything is better than that. I'm not much for it, honest man's words."

"Really? I would've thought, with that bow you carry, that you were the sort."

"I grew up on the western frontier, and learned how to shoot when I was only a pup. So you could say that." He paused to hazard a sip of his drink. He would've preferred a nice stout beer over this herbal tea, but having something hot for the palate was enough.

"I didn't think sages used primitive weapons like that?"

"Primitive? I suppose that's true, what with those new repeating designs the militias have started using." He jerked his muzzle toward the linen-wrapped weapon in question leaning against the wall. "I prefer not to use it whenever possible. I'm actually a healer."

The cheetah sat up a little straighter in her chair. "Oh, a healer huh?

"It's not a profession I ever imagined myself undertaking. But like you, it's where fate has taken me. My lot is to save lives, not take them away. I try to adhere to that maxim as best I can." He felt his ears pin a little as his thoughts drifted back to the past, and to the blood that stained his hands. "The gods are not so forgiving though."

"I can't imagine what you must've gone through with the war," Shishu managed, the cup in her hands momentarily forgotten. "You share that same haunted look that Araki had when I first met her. Is it so bad out there on the front?"

"We've all been pushed to the ragged edge, torn apart, put back together not so whole again. The order has been on the verge of collapse ever since the war broke out. And now..." He left the last part unsaid. Why was he telling her this? He'd only just met the cat; he was better disciplined than that. Koov changed the subject. "That's not important now. I need to find Araki as quickly as I can. I cannot stay here too long."

"How do you know she's still alive? We haven't seen her in days, and she literally vanished right before my eyes. I've seen some crazy things in my years..."

"She's alive. There's no doubt about that. I can still feel her presence in the link that all sages share." What he didn't say was how he'd sensed her aura suddenly distort a few days ago, almost rendering it unrecognizable to his mind's perception, which was alarming. Something had gone horribly wrong.

Shishu put her cup down onto the table. "That is good to know. I wasn't sure what had happened back during the fire." She seemed like she wanted to say more, but then thought better of it. Instead the cat got up. "After the fire, we managed to recover some of Araki's belongings. I guess it would be right if I gave them to you."

The cheetah disappeared into another room and emerged a minute later carrying a full set of black leather armor and a sheathed katana. She took a moment to carefully place the items onto the table, before reclaiming her seat. "We found these in the charred rubble. I don't know how they survived unscathed."

Koov leaned forward to give the items a closer look, placing his drink aside. "Sage armor and weapons are protected by a spellweave. The pattern is self-sustained with the armor and weapon, and is linked to the sage that owns them." He touched the sheath of the katana with a finger and felt the protective weave react to his presence. "I'm glad you didn't try to unsheathe the weapon or don the armor. Had you, the results would've been dreadful."

Shishu cringed, her tail going rigid. "I had no idea."

"It's to prevent our armor and weapons from falling into the wrong hands. My bow has a similar spell woven into its construction. If I were to be killed, the spell would unravel, and my weapon and armor would essentially disintegrate. The same holds true for Araki."

All the cheetah could say was, "oh."

He tapped the katana hilt once more, disarming the protective weave. He did the same for all the pieces of leather armor, effectively making the items his own temporarily. He hoped they could be reunited with their true owner in due course.

"Do you know where Araki might be now?" Shishu asked, still a little shaken.

Koov sat back, letting the plush cushions absorb his tired weight once more. "I'm not certain. She's somewhere north of here, although I can't pinpoint how far away. Lucky for me that general sense of direction was enough to find Northpoint."

"Oh... I see." Shishu was clearly preoccupied by something, and after the malinois tilted his head as a matter of inquiry, she decided to speak her mind. "When she disappeared in front me back then, there was something else. Another... creature."

"A creature? You had hinted at that before."

"I didn't get a good look. There was a blinding light. But she was not alone."

"When did this happen exactly? The fire?"

"Three nights ago."

Koov thought back; that was about the time he felt Araki's aura distort. "She can't perform teleportation weaves. Not many spellweavers can. Are you sure of what you saw?"

"No, but there was definitely someone or _something_else in the room the moment she disappeared. Given the strange things that have happened, I feared the worst."

Shishu went on to explain about the mysterious happenings of the past few months, how haunting cries routinely pierced the night and terrified the villagers. Koov listened intently, memorizing everything she said. The unexplained scar in the landscape, the supposed otherworldly animals roaming the streets at night, and then Araki's mission; he filed it all away in his mind, knowing what she spoke was important. There was indeed something unnatural going on, and he didn't like this one bit.

When she finished, he chewed on his lip, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "You think one of these strange creatures made its way into the tavern? Attacked Araki?"

"I do. But I have no evidence."

Koov rubbed his muzzle. "There's a very real possibility this creature also started the fire, probably when it attacked her. You haven't told anyone about this?"

"No, not even Asico. If I had, the village would be in a panic. I know Araki didn't start it, and I tried to come to her defense. But the villagers were hearing none of it. I apologize; I had to keep the village's well-being in mind."

He took the katana into his hands, gripping the sheath tight. "It can't be helped. I hope she's alright. Her aura is muddled, unfamiliar to me. I don't know what that means, but something has happened to her."

"Are you going to search for her?"

The malinois stopped short in his reply as the door opened behind him. When he turned, he caught sight of another cheetah, this one far younger than Shishu. He was clutching his arm, and Koov noticed that blood was dripping onto the floor.

The young cat had a nasty laceration on his forearm that looked quite serious. He was trying to keep a strong face, but he was clearly in pain.

Shishu was out of her chair in an instant. "Rehato, what happened?"

The boy bit his lip. "Saw... I was helping Yut with the saw." He was on the verge of tears.

She made a shushing sound as she examined his arm carefully. "It's ok...it's ok, we'll get this fixed right up. Keep calm."

"Let me take a look," Koov spoke as he quickly got up out of his chair. The young cheetah eyed him warily as he approached. "Don't worry, lad. I'm a trained healer. You're in the best hands." The boy still wasn't entirely sure as the malinois knelt beside him. "This will be completely painless."

Koov placed a hand just below the cheetah's shoulder, calling up a spellweave as he did so. The effect was immediate, as the pain vanished from the boy's expression, his arm going completely numb.

"That should be better," the sage soothed, tying off the pattern to maintain the numbing weave so that he could turn his attention to the wound. "Now then..." This would've been easier if he had managed to bring his focusing tools. No sense worrying about that now though.

Rehato watched with rapt interest as Koov brought two fingers together, a soft glow of light materializing at his fingertips as he wove a new pattern. The work before him was clear, the threads and weaves that represented the damaged nerve endings, muscle and tissue clearly defined as he closed his eyes and let his mind's perception take it all in.

The living body was a tangled mess of patterns that, to most spellweavers, appeared as nothing more than a jumbled ball of vibrant chaos. But there was a subtle structure to it all that allowed for a weaver of the healing affinity to decode and understand the seemingly abstract mess. Once you could comprehend what the threads told you, the rest was left to careful manipulation and weaving to perform the healing process.

A slow pass of Koov's hand across the laceration began the healing, clotting the blood to stop the bleeding. He made another pass, honing his focus on rebuilding the damaged tissue, coaxing the cheetah's body to mend itself right before the boy's stunned eyes.

It was like putting the pieces of a puzzle back together almost, making sure all the muscle, tissue, and blood vessels reformed properly, ensuring no disfiguring scar was left behind. He took his time, knowing a practiced focus was key to leaving no trace of the wound. There was a certain art to the process, and Koov was the best there was.

When the malinois's work was done, he took a moment to stimulate fur regrowth as a final aesthetic touch, before opening his eyes once more. "There we are." He touched a finger to the cheetah's shoulder, unraveling the numbing weave. "You'll feel some pins and needles as the feeling returns, but everything should be good as new."

The young cat eyed his newly healed arm with nothing short of amazement, muzzle agape. Having the pain and any trace of his injury all but disappear in a matter of moments must've been quite a shock. Seeing such expressions of wonder and disbelief was the best complement Koov could get for his work.

Shishu, too, was taken aback. "Hellfires, I've never seen anything quite like that."

"The healing affinity is a fairly rare trait. I'm not surprised you haven't seen this before. Since the cut wasn't too severe, I didn't have to draw on too much of his body's reserves to perform the healing. He will probably be quite hungry tonight though. Most patients I treat experience a heightened appetite afterward so the body can replenish the stores that I depleted."

Shishu took a moment to check her son over, and then gave him a nudge. "Lucky we had Koov here to lend a hand. No more working the saw with Yut. Damn dog doesn't have a good head on his shoulders, letting my son use such dangerous things."

The cheetah ducked his head. "Yes, mama."

"You're lucky it wasn't more serious." She patted him on the head. "As a way of saying thanks, we should let Koov have your bed for the night. You can move your sleep roll into my room for the time being. I believe he would appreciate that."

Rehato, to his credit, nodded without any protest. "Yes, mama." He gave Koov a boyish smile. "That was amazing. Thank you, sir." And with that he disappeared up the nearby flight of stairs, presumably to carry out what his mother had asked.

The sage opened his muzzle to protest, but was silenced by a particular glare from her. "Don't you go and say anything now. I won't hear any of it. Now then, Asico has given me free reign of his kitchen, and I well intend to take advantage of that to whip up something good for you. The least I can do."

"No, that's quite..." She was already gone into the next room with a flourish of her long feline tail. "...alright." He found himself left alone scratching his head.

The rest of the day and subsequent evening passed with little fanfare. The dinner Shishu eventually prepared turned out to be quite a feast, and even after the long hours of evening had stretched into the darkness of night, Koov still found himself wonderfully stuffed. It was a welcomed punctuation to conclude the long hours spent on the road. But he could not forget what had brought him here. There were still ominous evils that loomed in the distance, and they were no doubt growing ever closer.

In the seclusion of his own room, the malinois sighed a terrible weary sigh. He needed to find Araki, so that he could escape this place to a safer haven. But he had no idea where to start looking, or what to expect out in that wilderness beyond Northpoint. Something was out there, there was little doubt of that, something that had managed to overpower the husky and steal her away to parts unknown. What he was fixing to go up against was, simply put, an awful mystery. And that scared the dog more than he cared to admit.

Shishu had said that no one wandered the village at night, for fear of this creature that supposedly roamed the streets after dusk. And she was right, in that nothing had so much as moved to disturb the mana patterns throughout the streets since the sun had set. There was nothing, not even the supposed entity that haunted the town.

A ward stood guard around the malinois's room just in case. Were anyone to traverse anywhere near its boundary, he would know immediately. It was a common defense spellweave that all sages were taught. Araki would've employed the same measure at the tavern; little good it did her. In light of that, his wakizashi remained at his side as added insurance.

Araki's own weapon and armor sat neatly stacked in the corner of the room. He had to wonder what she was going through right now. Was she a captive of some unknown person? Was it even a person that held her? Had she managed, perhaps, to escape?

A moment's concentration was enough to verify that her aura had not changed from before. It was still distorted, and somewhere far to the north in a land that was considered uninhabitable by even the hardy people of this village.

Sages were by no means immortal. Araki was also relatively young too, a fact that didn't help her survivability in adverse conditions. Koov was one to know; he had, after all, been the one to save her from the brink of death that one fateful day. Gods willing, he hoped it would not come to that again.

She had to know he was here. When he had disarmed the protective spells of her armor and weapon, it would've sent out a signal through the items' bonds. There was no mistaking that sensation when you felt someone take over possession of your belongings. Yes, if she was still aware of her surroundings, she would know that he was out here looking for her. That was at least comforting to know.

The bed was quite comfy when he eventually found his way to it, and he barely had the energy left to extinguish his illumination weave before he felt sleep begin to overtake him. When it was all said and done, there was nothing more to be gained tonight.

Tomorrow he would begin his search.

***************

Koov's eyes flew open, the darkened room greeting his night vision. Something was wrong.

It was still dark out, the middle of the night.

The ward, something had disturbed his ward.

He forced himself to sit up, chasing the drowsiness of sleep from his mind. Yes, he could feel an echo in the ward's pattern. Something had disturbed it.

The malinois went for the wakizashi at his bedside. The short curved blade slid smoothly from its sheath into his grasp, just waiting for a target.

Gather your surroundings. Assess the situation.

The disturbance had originated outside the confines of his room. Another ripple pierced the ward's pattern; right outside the window.

He turned his focus to the darkness outside the glass, where movement was quick to draw his attention.

His grip on his weapon grew tighter as the window was slowly pulled open from outside. Whatever was out there had somehow managed to climb up the side of the home to the second story. This was not good.

"Koov? Koov, are you there?"

He recognized that voice. He dropped his weapon onto the floor. "Araki?"

The shadowy figure outside the window pulled itself ungracefully through the open hatch to fall onto the floor in a heap. When he called up an illumination weave, the disheveled look of a white husky greeted him, none other than Araki herself.

"Araki!" Her nakedness came as a surprise, and he quickly looked away from where she sat on the floor. "What, ah, happened to you?"

She took a moment to compose herself, and then stood to close the open window. "I'm so glad to see you Koov. So much has happened."

"I could say the same to you." He let his gaze wander back. There was no mistaking her appearance, with that distinctive ghost white fur and telltale scar marking her abdomen. His nose even caught her familiar scent; there was something else mixed in with it. "What happened to your clothes?"

His question seemed to make her self-aware of her appearance. She didn't make an attempt to hide her nakedness. "I... lost them in the fire. There was no time."

Her bare fur was not helping. "Well, here, we need to get you something to wear first." He quickly procured a pair of clothes that Shishu had given him earlier. They would be far too large for her slender frame, but it would be a marked improvement over the current awkward situation.

"Oh, thanks. I haven't had anything since the fire."

He watched as she hastily donned the offered attire. "Do you need food? Water? Are you injured?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

"I'm glad you're alright." He was relieved that he would not need to go out searching for her after all. Never would he have thought she'd come barreling through his window like this. "I was preparing to go find you tomorrow. I didn't know what I was going to come across."

They lapsed into uncomfortable silence. He could see that she wanted to speak, that there was a wealth of things she wanted to say. She was clearly hesitant though. Something had definitely happened to her; she was different, somehow. He couldn't yet figure out how.

Koov was the first to break the silence. "You had me worried when I learned what had happened."

She pursed her lips, clearly unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry. Things got out of my control."

"Were you captured? Is there something hostile out there? Shishu said she saw..."

The husky put her hands up to forestall him. "No, no, nothing like that." She moved to the edge of the bed and gingerly sat, clearly searching for the best words. "I... I don't know how to say this."

Koov waited for her to gather herself. It was the middle of the night; they both were out of sorts. She looked just as exhausted as he felt.

Finally Araki looked to him, her countenance taking on a serious tone. "You know of the ancient texts?"

"Of course," the malinois replied as he took a seat on the bed alongside her. He didn't know what she was getting at. "We covered the old world scriptures extensively in the academy. It's been a number of years since then though."

"I never took them as pure factual literature. We don't know much about the first world, beyond these writings. But I always assumed there was at least some truth to them. I never had any reason to doubt their legitimacy until now."

He thought back to what he had read all those years ago. The scriptures were apocalyptic works that depicted great evils and otherworldly events of the first world; not exactly light reading, and certainly the stuff of nightmares. "What happened to you out there? What did you see?"

"There's far more going on out there in those woods than these villagers will ever realize." She sighed, as if to steady herself. "There are creatures out there, and they've been behind the strange events. They've been protecting their land against the incursion of the village, nothing more."

"What sort of creatures are we talking about?"

She looked him dead in the eye. "Wolves."

Koov about fell off the side of the bed. "Wolves? You can't be bloody serious? They've been long extinct."

"That's what we've always thought, and we were wrong. They're out there, thriving as a species. I've seen things these past few days that have astounded me."

"How? How is that possible? They went extinct during the reclamation."

"I wondered the same thing, and the wolves provided me the answer. These creatures are not just animals. They're intelligent, Koov, smarter than you and me even. I could not believe it myself."

He searched her eyes, not sure what he was hearing. "How can wolves be more intelligent than us?"

"They're capable of mindspeak in ways I've never seen. They have a whole society built around spellweaving. They can all work manathreads... all of them."

"You can't be serious. Tell me this is some cruel joke you're playing on me?"

"I'm deadly serious, Koov. There is a pack of them watching over this very town as I speak. They have no ill will toward us. The scriptures were wrong in their depictions."

He got up and started pacing, not sure what to make of all this. "You're telling me that wolves are not extinct, and are living up in those very mountains to the north of here. They can also spellweave, and mindspeak, and possess intellect greater than our own. How have they not been discovered for so long?"

"I asked them that very same question. It's strictly forbidden for them to interact with anthros in any way. It's what they call us." She took a breath, dropping her gaze to her lap. "They've strived to isolate themselves away from our society, avoiding any and all contact. This is why we've never known of their existence until now."

"I don't know if I can believe this," Koov finally managed. "This seems incredibly farfetched."

He took a moment to close his eyes and focus his perception toward where the husky sat. Her aura soon became clearly visible, a familiar tangle of patterns and weaves that continuously shifted and changed. There was no apparent manipulation of her consciousness from an outside source, or any evidence that her mind had been tampered with. However, he could see that something wasn't quite right. There was an unfamiliarity to her patterns that bespoke something else, something that was beyond his realm of knowledge.

"You can search me all you want," Araki scowled. "I'm not under the influence of anything. This is what I saw and what I've learned."

He opened his eyes. "I'm sorry, but I have to take everything into consideration. There's no need to get upset."

She deflated. "No, I shouldn't get cross. You have every right to be suspicious. I did just crawl through your window after all."

"I know I can trust you. Still though, I can't believe what I'm hearing."

"I can understand. Trust me though when I say that we aren't in any danger. These wolves are not hostile. They will not attack Northpoint or harm any of the villagers, I've made sure of that."

"I suppose that's a good start. I believe you. I've seen some crazy things in my time... are you the only one who knows of this?"

Araki stood. "Yes, as far as I know. The wolves assure me that I am the first anthro to be allowed into their society since the advent of the second world."

Koov shook his head. "So now what do we do? What can we do? The only information I have on these creatures comes from those ancient scriptures that you claim are false."

"I... don't know. If word gets out of this, there could be trouble. This issue won't go away. The villagers are getting too close to lupine territory. Their mining operations will only worsen this problem as time goes on."

"I can see why you've stayed away."

"Yes. I couldn't bring myself to return, not without potentially making the situation worse than it already is." The husky set her expression. "It's probably best, before we continue, that you see for yourself what I'm talking about."

Koov canted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You should meet a wolf for yourself." When she caught his sudden unease, she brought a hand to her chest. "He's not going to harm you. Trust me. I won't let anything happen."

"There's one here? Now? Outside this house?"

"Yes, he's waiting for me. He's the one who wove the teleportation weave to get me here."

There was a wolf outside; the thought gave him a chill. He could sense it, the subtle eddy in his ward that had previously gone unnoticed. It was outside the window down below, just close enough to barely disturb his weave. What could he do? Did he really have any choice in this? He was placing a lot of trust in Araki...

After a long pause, he gave a leery nod. "I hope you know what you're doing. I don't like this one bit."

"Trust me, now, please. You always have."

This was all happening too fast, and it was still the middle of the gods-damned night. His instincts wanted to seize the mana threads around him, to prepare a weave of some sort. He knew that would only make this worse if the creature could supposedly weave too. What he needed was time to think, to gather himself... but there was no such time to be had.

When he didn't say anything more, Araki opened the window. <You can come up now.>

Koov barely had time to register the mindspeak in his head, before something punched its way through his ward. To his astonished eye, a black blur of motion came careening through the open window, clearing it perfectly, and came to land right beside Araki with fluid grace.

It was huge, too damned large to be a dog.

The creature's thick fur was of a striking black, his pointed ears perked and alert. He eyed Koov with distinct golden eyes that conveyed intelligence, keen on sizing up the malinois.

The sight of the animal, which had just effortlessly jumped through a second story window like it was nothing, made his heart skip. This... was a wolf...

Gods be damned.