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Venom: Beautiful Killers. Part 43

"...the red ones!"

_ _

Darkness is homing in on Griffith Park thanks to an ominous group of clouds rolling in from the distance. The environment has become unsettled. Without warning, a multitude of people suddenly head to their cars. Minutes later, every vehicle parked on the lots and on the side streets is making a quick getaway. As the clouds eventually envelop the sky, only a few stragglers remain. Two of them are taking their last jogging steps on the bicycle trail. One of them is overly enthusiastic to the point of being hyper. The other looks bored.

Paraná is a couple of feet ahead of Tivoli. He is jogging slowly while she is catching up to him. Every time she does close in on him, she slows herself down only to catch up again. The menacing sky does not seem to be bothering her; she keeps an cheerful, well-fed grin on her face. Her partner does not look so confident. A noise from above, probably thunder, takes his attention away from the trail. Paraná looks up at the sky and promptly trips over his own feet. He stumbles and falls on the pavement.

Tivoli gasps and runs to him. The jaguar presses his palms on the ground and starts to lift himself, only to strain and fall back on the ground. The ocelot approaches him and crouches next to his head. "Are you all right?" She winces as if she is the one who fell. "Why are you out of breath? It wasn't like you were running too hard."

"Remember, this jogging thing was your idea." Paraná presses his hands on the ground again. It looks like he is doing a push up, but he is no closer to standing. "Just leave me here. Give me a minute."

"It'll be raining on you in a minute." She caresses his right arm. There is a scar on his bicep where a stab wound had been. It is one of many scars that he has had to deal with for the last couple of weeks. She caresses the spot gently until a flash of lightning momentarily blinks her eyes shut. "Ok, come on. Upsy-daisy."

Paraná looks needlessly uncooperative considering it is about to rain. He lets himself get dragged to his feet. She does not notice how unhappy he is and instead holds his hand tightly as they rush to the nearest parking lot. The rain begins in earnest as they enter her blue Jetta. Tivoli's tracksuit is on the backseats, but she decides to simply drive instead of putting them on. As the car starts, Paraná increases the volume on the radio.

"It started without warning and ended just as quickly. Before it was over, about three thousand people had gathered at Griffith Park to see one of the gubernatorial candidates. Former district attorney and entrepreneur, Thomas Maynard, challenger for the Governor's seat, was having a picnic with his family when he was approached by a couple of bystanders. A few minutes later, surrounded by supporters and well-wishers, he gave an impromptu speech right there in the picnic grounds...."

"Ugh. Let's turn this off, shall we?" Tivoli changes stations as she pulls away from the lot. "We don't need to know about that stuff."

"You don't follow the election coverage?"

"Are you kidding? You know that guy's not gonna win. Cartwright's too popular."

"Not for our kind."

"Yeah, well...St. Croix's told me that there aren't enough of us who will show up to even vote. Cartwright's gonna win."

"And you don't think your vote will make a difference?"

Tivoli laughs. "Honey, I'm not voting."

"You're not? Isn't that...well...wrong?"

"First of all, I'm not from here. You know that. Secondly, we have the kind of job that won't be affected by whoever becomes the Governor. We're not miners or government workers. We're killers. What we do will always be in season."

Paraná adjusts the passenger seat so that it reclines. He lies back and clasps his hands on his chest. "You may be a rookie, but you sound like one of us."

"And I have you to thank for that."

They are silent for the next twenty minutes. Tivoli drives while continuously looking over at the jaguar. She smiles at him every time. Paraná closes his eyes and eventually dozes peacefully. The music playing on the radio is classical, with lots of violins and a booming brass section. Even though it is loud, it aids in knocking him out. The jaguar's slow demeanor is a microcosm of the overall sluggishness that has afflicted him since he was stabbed. The exuberance and confidence that was a part of him as he taught his apprentice is all but gone. What is left behind looks like someone completely different.

Twenty minutes later, the Jetta arrives at its destination. The rain begins in earnest as Tivoli wakes her partner up. "We're here. You got the garage door opener?"

He yawns. "I think I left it in the garage."

She chuckles. "We're gonna get soaked."

He grunts and opens his door. He hardly panics as the rain hits him. It looks like he hardly notices the water as he slowly walks to the front door. Tivoli, on the other hand, cannot run away from the car fast enough. Once she catches up to the jaguar, he has opened the front door to his house. "Don't bother making dinner," he says. "I'm think I will just go to bed."

As they step inside, she grabs his right arm. "What's wrong with you today? The weather's been great most of the day and we've been enjoying it up until now. We got you out of the house and back into society. We visited two parks and a winery. We ate good food and you drank alcohol for the first time in weeks. I thought we were having fun, but you've been dour all day long. You're still not hanging on to the stabbing, are you? I thought you'd be over it by now."

"What's happened to my living room?"

Tivoli stops her short rant to realize that Paraná had not really been listening to her. Instead, he was focusing on his living room. She looks at the room and notices that most of it had been rearranged. The big couch, coffee table, and the television are still in their original places. However, most of the easily moveable items are not where they used to be. Two beanbag chairs that had originally been behind the couch are now on either side of it. Some cards and figurines that had been on the windowsill are now on the fireplace mantle. A poster had had been on the farthest wall has been taken down and replaced by a calendar.

As Paraná moves forward, his face squints in surprise. "Who changed everything?"

Tivoli closes the door behind them and looks around. "It's nice. Everything's been dusted."

"But who did it? I didn't...." He stops talking when he hears footsteps in front of him. Whoever made the changes in the living room is still in the house. He steps slowly to the middle of the room, still lost and confused as he looks around.

"Oh yeah. Winter's here." Tivoli smiles and passes the jaguar. She sits on the couch and turns on the television. "She was kind of being weighed down by missing Shiloh and all, so I told her she could crash here whenever she needed to forget that he's gone. I guess she kept herself busy."

"In my house?"

"What's the matter?'

"Well, shouldn't I be asked if it is okay to move my things around?"

"Well, some of them are my things. I don't think it's that big a deal."

"And who said you could give her permission to stay here while we were gone?"

Tivoli is surprised that he is getting mad. "I told her to because she's my friend and I live here too. Don't get all bent out of shape. Look around you. Nothing's wrong. A couple of things were moved, the curtains are clean, the carpet's been vacuumed--"

"I did not ask for any of this...."

Winter suddenly appears from the doorway in front of them. She is wiping her hands on a small towel. "Welcome back," she says. "I thought I heard voices. I wiped the counters and the table...and I just got finished doing the dishes. Everything's set if you guys want to make dinner."

Tivoli chuckles and stands to properly meet her. "Oh, and I've invited Winter to eat with us tonight."

The white wolf is wearing blue jeans and a UCLA sweatshirt; she is dressed about as casually as a homeowner can be. She is wearing flip-flops instead of her usual, fashionable footwear. On her head is one of Shiloh's baseball caps. Her ears are not visible. She hangs the towel on her left shoulder and shows a big smile. "Welcome back, you two. You'll notice that I made a few alterations in the living room and I moved some things around in the kitchen. They're unimportant changes really...and you both can change them back if you don't like them. But if you ask me, the living room looks warmer and less like a dorm room. Also, the condiments and plates are easier to reach." She bows her head, trying to hide an even bigger smile.

Tivoli smiles at her friend, but Paraná looks at the wolf angrily, as if offended by her deeds. He lowers his head and walks through the living room to the doorway furthest from them. The ocelot stands to watch him disappear. She then turns to the wolf. "Sorry about all that. He's been down since morning."

"He didn't look too happy to see me again."

"He's all right. In fact, he's making progress. He's cracked a couple of smiles."

"I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. He hates Shiloh, just like everyone else in the office, so I'm pretty much used to it by now. I swear, I've never been hated by so many people at once in all my life."

"It's nothing you should worry about." Tivoli turns off the television. "They can't do anything about it anyway. Shiloh would probably burn down the building if they tried." She chuckles and passes Winter on the way to the kitchen.

"I wonder where he is."

"You haven't been worrying all day, have you? You came here to take your mind off of it for a while. Is it working?"

"I'm not sure." Winter reenters the kitchen and drapes the towel over the drying dishes on the dish rack. "Like I said, I kept myself busy with the furniture. I was at peace for a while. Anyway, if nothing else, I really think I made some improvements. Open the cabinets and see for yourself."

Tivoli does as she is told, opening the cabinets below the sink. "Have you picked up any new marks?"

"Huh? Oh, of course. I got a new one. I didn't really attend the meeting though. I just picked up a mark that was left over for me. Not worth much either; just three thousand. And, as usual, St. Croix was the only one who would talk to me. What about you?"

"Could you open the cabinet up there and grab that red pot for me?'' Tivoli waits as the much taller wolf grabs a pot from the cabinet above the sink. "I won't lie to you, Winter. I'm still too scared to get in there. I've been too busy helping Paraná recuperate. It's the perfect excuse to avoid going to the office and taking my first mark."

"You want me to go with you tomorrow?"

"It's more than that, Winter." The ocelot places the pot on the stove and turns on the burner. "When Paraná was my tutor, he was going to teach me the right and wrong way to get a mark. He was gonna teach me to haggle and make good trades. But that part stalled when he got stabbed. Mr. Crevecoeur took over as handler, but he didn't teach me what Paraná was going to teach me. So...I don't know how to handle it. When I get to the office, I'd probably do what you did--get the one left over."

"You make it sound like I didn't try."

"No offense, pal. I don't just wanna hunt. I wanna be one of the best. That means learning from the best. Mrs. Cross made me believe that Paraná was one of the best. I just--"

"Shiloh didn't believe in that. He wanted me to learn at his pace. It was slow and deliberate. I've taken to it well."

"Has he taught you how to haggle?"

"He was...." She clears her throat, unsure of how to answer. "He was going to. I guess it slipped his mind." Winter turns away and shakes his head.

"Don't worry about it. You like mac and cheese?"

Winter nods. "That's sounds good."

"Excellent. The macaroni's in the pantry. Could you boil it for me? I gotta check on my tutor."

"Is he gonna be a bother?"

"After I'm done with him, the three of us will be eating together. You watch." With that, Tivoli leaves the wolf to start cooking while she walks out of the kitchen and through the living room. She has not yet changed from her jogging shorts and sports bra; she really is not that interested in getting herself cleaned up right now. Once out of the living room, she enters the hallway and hunts for a nearby light switch. When she finds one, she quickly enters the room right in front of her.

"Paraná? Are you awake?" The room is cool and dark. The ocelot clears her throat uncomfortably and places her hand on the wall at her left, looking to turn this light on. She accidentally bumps into something which causes Paraná to gasp. Tivoli hears heavy breathing and the bedsprings creaking in front of her. Her eyes get used to the dark enough that she is able to walk to the bed and ignite a nearby lamp.

The jaguar is under the floral covers, up to his neck and completely rigid. His angry face opens its eyes slowly and looks at Tivoli as if she were unwelcome. He nods at her and asks, "Is she gone?"

She does not respond in kind, but only folds her arms. "She's eating with us." She moves in closer until her shadow covers his face. "And we're eating with her."

"She's not welcome."

"Now where did that come from?! I introduced you to her just a couple of days ago. You seemed to like it. How did it go bad this fast?"

"I was just being polite. Your efforts are admirable, but I'm afraid we're never going to be friends."

"Why? Because she's Shiloh's mate? He's gone, you know. He's out on a hunt. He'll be back some other day. Today, it's just her. She's innocent of whatever you're accusing Shiloh of." Her voice softens and she sits next to him on the bed. "So...just drop it, okay?"

"Shiloh takes our marks without giving others a chance to look at them. Who's to say she won't do the same thing? If she's chooses to copy him, then there's no hope for the rest of us. You're asking me to eat with a future rival, someone who could take money away from me. Now you've invited her to eat my food."

"You don't know if she'd do any of that. Besides, aren't the guys you hang out with also your rivals?"

"We would never do what Shiloh does. I would never take marks away from anyone before the meeting even starts. We look at them together, we trade with each other, and we make deals for later marks. That's the way it's supposed to be!" He raises his head and flares his nostrils. "I really don't know how the executives are able to even allow it to happen."

"Well then your beef is with them. Just leave Winter out of it. Don't bring it up during dinner. Don't even talk about work. Just eat and listen. Can you do that for me?" Tivoli smiles like she believes she is getting through.

Paraná's head hits the pillow again. "Just don't ask me to like her like you do...or actually talk to her or anything like that. If I did say anything, I'd tell her just how much of a burden I think her boyfriend is."

"No, don't do that, okay? Just--"

"Why not? If it's for the future of our group, if she is to be working with us, someone has to tell her sooner or later. Shiloh is never here long enough to let him know all that."

"Just don't, okay?" Tivoli's voice is getting louder and more anxious. She looks at her potential boyfriend getting angrier the more he talks and decides to gently pull the covers off of him. The jaguar is bare-chested and wearing only black boxer briefs.

"Where is he anyway? I don't really care, but I haven't seen him in weeks."

Suddenly, the ocelot straddles him, sitting on his mid-section. "I know you want to lay into Winter, but please don't, okay? I'm begging you. She's having a hard enough time without you making her feel worse. Shiloh's away on a really dangerous mission and she hasn't heard from him in days. Just don't--"

"Big deal. They're all dangerous."

Tivoli leans forward and places her hands on his chest. "She misses him badly, so now's not the time to bring up any negatives about him. Please, don't say anything, okay?" She smiles and leans some more to kiss his forehead. "Let's try to make dinner pleasant."

Paraná shakes his head and moves his hands under his head. He still shows anger while looking at her even though he likes the kiss. "What about you? You've been an official hunter for almost a week. When are you finally going to get a mark?"

"I'm more interested in your recovery. I feel responsible and I want to help you get better."

"That's not what a good hunter does. That's not what a good hunter looks like."

Tivoli closes her eyes as if stung by those words, but then she nods. "No, that's what love looks like." She leans in again to kiss his nose. "Look, enough about me. Let's focus on this night. We'll be eating in an hour. You're my friend. Winter's my friend. My friends don't fight one another."

He sighs in frustration. Even though he now looks resigned to his fate, the kisses do not seem to be working. "Look, I can't promise anything. Even if we eat together, nothing's going to change."

"Could you at least listen to her? And make her feel like an honored guest?" When he turns his head away in response, she only chuckles. "Look at the bright side. The woman you think you hate is cooking for you right now. She's cooking our dinner. Maybe that can make up for Shiloh's wrongdoings."

"Even if she volunteered to clean my house, I'd never forgive her boyfriend for what he does." He turns back to the ocelot. "Look, I'm tired. I need my pain pills and some sleep."

Tivoli sighs and nods. She gets off of the bed and reaches to extinguish the light next to him. As she does, she looks at him and gently shakes her head. "I'm falling in love with you. You know that?"

"I don't need your pity."

She makes her way out of the room. "I promise you that's not what it is. Sleep tight."

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

"What time is it?"

A nearby watch beeps. "It's now five o'clock."

Shiloh grunts. "That means it's now Sunday." The timber wolf is lying down on the floor of the tent. He tries to stretch, but has trouble moving his arms. He then realizes that the coyote is on top of him. "Ugh."

"Good morning, big man." Aurora quickly gives him a kiss and places her hands on his cheeks. "Are you as nervous as I am?"

"You don't look nervous. You're smiling as if I've already done the job."

"But you are going to do the job. The tyranny ends today."

Shiloh shrugs. "It's just a job...like all the others. I mean, I've done so many, that it's...." He quickly places his hands on her shoulders, fighting off another attempt to kiss him. "Come on now. That's enough."

"Aww. You're no fun. Can't I kiss the lips of my savior?"

He sighs heavily and places his hands on her back. "You know, you look so much like her."

"Winter."

"You remember her name."

"I'm a good listener. That's pretty much all you do around here. Watch and listen. Can't do much else. Anyway, I'm flattered that you've let me act as her proxy." She playfully runs her left index finger around his mouth. "Couldn't you do it for a little longer?"

"Look, I feel weird enough that I have another woman on top of me right now...and we have this hunt coming up against a guy who's apparently the strongest man I've ever faced, and I've faced some pretty strong ones."

"All the more reason to accept these moments when they happen. Is my sleeping on you really that bad for your morale?" She rubs her nose on his and laughs quietly.

"Nah. What really helps me is that I saw the mark last night. He doesn't look all that impressive."

Aurora smirks. "He's hoping you'll think that. Underestimating him is a good way to get yourself killed."

Shiloh caresses her face with one hand while the other holds her on top of him. "I should be thanking you. Everything you've told me about him will help me get this kill. When do we begin?"

She lays her head on his bare chest. "Around 5:30, sometime before 6:00 anyway, Aleph will leave the tent for his morning constitutional. I'll approach him and we'll talk. When I talked to him last night, he was feeling a bit down. He couldn't get over the news I gave him and he didn't want to talk to you when I offered. He should be easy to mold today. I'll tell him that I'm his for the day if he wants me. Obviously, he'll say yes and I'll take him to the hiding place."

"I'll be watching from a distance and I'll follow you two when you start on your way. I'll keep as far away as possible."

She kisses his nose. "You see, this is where the advantage of us smelling like each other comes into play. With your scent all over me, he won't be able to tell that you're following him. When you're done, we'll dispose of the body and you can collect your winnings in my hotel room."

"Shouldn't you be preparing now?"

"Easy, boy. I'm already prepared. I'll just sweet-talk Aleph the way I'm sweet-talking you. You're prepared too. You've got your guns and everything." Aurora reaches behind her to remove her brassiere. "But there isn't anything wrong about what's about to happen."

After tossing her bra aside, she leans into him and pretty much clamps her muzzle into his. She slides her hands under his head and tangles her feet with his. She moans softly while pressing on him. He keeps his hands on her shoulders, but does not push away this time. Aurora raises her head and laughs at Shiloh's reaction, then she takes her right hand from behind his head and runs it down his chest. "Do you believe in quickies?" she asks.

"We're being watched," he says.

"Shut up. No, we're not." She leans in to kiss him again, but when she hears a shuffling sound coming from her left side, she turns her head in that direction.

Clio is on her belly, resting her chin on her hands and looking at the couple. The big smile on her face looks wicked and ill-intentioned. "Hi," she says.

Aurora sighs and nervously clears her throat. "You're awake?"

"Only because of you. You laugh too much." The young coywolf sits up straight and rubs her temples with her fingers. "What time is it? Is the dead man awake yet?"

The coyote climbs off of Shiloh and looks for her bra. "No, not yet. I don't expect him awake for the next half hour. We'll just wait for that moment. In the meantime, where will you be? You remember?"

Clio sighs and rolls her eyes. "We've gone over this again and again last night. I stay in this tent no matter what. We don't have to keep--"

"Yes we do." Aurora quickly puts her brassiere on and kneels in front of the young woman. "There's nobody in this camp that wants him dead more than you. You've gone after him before and were almost caught. Now you need to stay put. No matter who comes in or who goes out, you stay in here. You understand?" She does not wait for Clio to answer. She instead moves next to Shiloh to pick up the rest of her clothes. "I won't be back until tomorrow at the earliest. After we kill Aleph and arrange the body to fit our story, I will escort Shiloh back to the resort before coming back here. Livinia will come here and feed you when it's time for breakfast. Amanda will read you your favorite stories." She suddenly turns to Shiloh and says, "She can't read."

Clio folds her arms and pouts. "Yes, I can!"

"Not very well." Holding a big ball of clothes in her arms, Aurora turns back to the young coywolf angrily. "Do as you're told and you won't be in trouble. You understand?" Her face becomes angrier as she sees the coywolf snicker. "What are you laughing at?"

"You're standing on your underpants." She covers her mouth to hide a loud laugh.

The coyote picks up her panties and heads out of the tent. "You frustrate me sometimes. You know that? Keep Shiloh company. I'm gonna change outside and make sure everyone's asleep." She opens the tent, shining the early, emerging sunlight inside for a couple of seconds.

When the tent flap closes, Clio wastes no time. Before Shiloh can boost himself up, she runs to him and lands on his still supine body. Just like Aurora already tried to do, Clio lies on him and forces her nose on his. "Hi," she says.

Shiloh laughs at her innocent smile. "Hey there."

"So...after this, you're gone, huh?"

"Yeah. I'm only here to kill the man. I'm not here for the commune or its politics. Aurora seems to have a good plan moving forward after Aleph dies, so I trust she'll be fine. Besides, I miss home."

"Aww." Clio rises up and straddles the wolf, grabbing the fur on his chest with both hands. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"Can I kiss the lips of my savior?" She giggles and lowers her head to look at his chest.

"You heard all that?"

"Aurora gets loud when she's excited. She was excited all week long; from the time she found your group to the moment when we put our money together, she could hardly sleep. She had been looking forward to this really badly."

Shiloh raises his head and nods. "Was it her idea to kill Aleph?"

"No, it was mine. When I suggested it, it was so shocking that it was frowned upon. I quickly dropped it. But when Aurora found you guys, everything was back on." She stops grabbing his chest fur and simply lays her palms on his chest. "So can I?"

"Why not? I've already cheated on my girlfriend. I might as well...."

Clio takes it as permission and quickly kisses his mouth. She clamps her hands on both his cheeks to keep him still. Shiloh is smiling the entire time and even allows her tongue to go through his teeth. The kiss looks messy, but is soft and quick. She licks his mouth as she backs off. "I've never seen fangs like yours before."

"I used to kill with those."

"I wish you were my boyfriend. No one would touch me then. Your girlfriend's really lucky."

Before Shiloh can answer, Aurora returns, dressed in a brown miniskirt and white blouse. "Never too early to look your best," she says. "He'll try to feel me up, which is something he likes to do to the other girls, but...." She sees Clio on top of the hitman and sighs in annoyance. "Get off him, would you please?"

"Get your own." Clio sneaks in another kiss.

"It's all right," Shiloh says. "I dare say she's waited for something like this for a long time."

"That's right. Besides, you're really cute."

Aurora looks at the two impatiently, but she tries to calm herself down; she has important work to do in a few minutes. "Look, I've been a real busybody lately. If I've rushed you, if I've rushed anyone, then I'm sorry. I just need this to work. You understand, right Clio?"

The coywolf stops smiling and rises until she is straddling the wolf. She now looks like she has had something important taken away from her. She looks at Shiloh throughout Aurora's speech as her face quickly loses its smile. "Could I kiss him one more time?" she asks. "One more wouldn't hurt."

The coyote finds a nearby lantern and turns it on. "I guess so. But then we have to get serious."

The wolf rises until he sits. The coywolf's knees are on either side of him and her denim dress is flayed all over his lap. With Shiloh's naked legs sticking out, it looks like they could be copulating. While Clio keeps looking sadly at the wolf's chest, he strokes her chin and says, "I'll give you one more. Make it a good one."

Another smile slowly returns to Clio's face as she leans into him once again. This kiss is softer and less hurried. Shiloh first places his hands on her shoulders, then lets them slide down her back. He stops his hands at her torso and gently grabs her. Clio jumps a little at the unexpected feeling, but does not stop and even wraps her arms around him too.

Aurora sits down to put on her flip-flops, then closes her eyes and takes a couple of shaky breaths. Her heart is starting to pound; the mission is beginning to weigh heavily on her. She clasps her hands on her lap and looks around, first at the kissing couple, then at the tent opening. She shakes her head. "God, I'm afraid," she whispers.

An outside noise forcefully interrupts Clio and Shiloh. They turn their heads to the tent opening. Something is moving outside. "What was that?" she asks.

Aurora apparently heard it too and stands up quickly. "It sounds like showtime. Get off him, Clio."

The young coywolf obeys; she scampers from Shiloh's lap to the tent opening. She parts the door flaps cautiously and looks around until her sharp eyes catch a moving figure in the distance. "Someone's awake. I can't tell if it's Aleph."

"All right. Just get away from the opening." Aurora adjusts her blouse and pulls her skirt a little lower. She take s a couple of deep breaths. "Here we go."

"You look a little nervous," Shiloh says.

"More than a little." Clio stands and approaches the coyote. "Are you gonna be all right?"

Aurora smiles and embraces her, catching her by surprise. "When this is all over in a couple of days, I'll make sure you finally get the respect you have earned. You're not just the runt of the litter. You're my best friend. What happened to you is my fault. We're gonna do something about it right now."

"It's not your fault. It's the community's fault." She returns the embrace and takes a deep breath of her own.

Meanwhile, Shiloh is half-dressed; he has put on his tan slacks and is now looking for his shirt under the pillows. "When do I come out?"

"We're gonna pass this tent, then you wait a couple of minutes before following us." She releases Clio and lowers her voice. "You don't have to wait until we get to the hiding place, but make sure you're far enough away from the compound before you start shooting." She walks through the entrance and looks back inside. "I'll be fine. Tomorrow, we all will be better than fine."

Aurora quickly disappears. Clio goes after her; she looks through the tent opening but stops to watch her run into the distance. She steps just outside of the tent and kneels to hide herself from the tents behind her. Her breathing intensifies as the sees the last vestiges of the coyote run away from her.

"Come back inside," Shiloh warns. "If there's anyone the mark should be looking at, it's me."

Clio does as she is told, but still peeks through the tent to see the outdoors. The sun has risen high above the horizon. She rubs her eyes and gives off a scared chuckle. "I suppose I should go back to bed."

"Do you feel like sleeping knowing what's about to happen?"

"No. I'm terrified. I should be happy. We're about to get rid of our common enemy...but I'm scared to be happy. Aleph's death will make a lot of people angry. Some will blame me. Besides, what if this doesn't work?"

Shiloh shakes his head and sits next to her. "Hey, when Aurora hired me, she hired the best. You don't have to worry about anything. We'll just wait for her to pass by the tent and then wait five minutes."

Clio's breathing shakes and stutters. "I think I'm gonna throw up."

Shiloh smiles and shakes his head as he starts to arm himself. He holsters one of his Berettas, sliding it halfway down the front of his trousers.

"Is that thing loaded?"

"Yes. Don't worry. I'm extremely careful with my merchandise." He holsters his second one behind him.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. It should take two of those to stop him." Clio nods and closes her mouth, trying to control her breathing.

"You all right?"

"I'm fine. I'm just really edgy. Why can't you just go over to his tent and kill him now?" She watches Shiloh laugh in response and says, "Yeah, I know. Stupid question. Aleph's brother and bodyguards...pretty much all the males would come after you. You'd have to kill them all or be killed yourself."

"It would just make my job harder. With this plan, only me and Aurora would see him die." Shiloh stands and takes a deep breath. He is now as is usually is--with a couple of firearms concealed and ready to go. He clears his throat and stands watch over Clio. "Keep an eye out for me. Tell me when they pass the tent, okay?" He watches the girl nod and takes a couple of steps back. "Good. Now where are my shoes?"

"Behind you."

"Can I ask a question? Aurora said you tried to kill Aleph once before and got caught? How did you manage that? What were you trying to do?"

"I tried to poison him. I put bleach in the evening dinner. It was soup, so they wouldn't have noticed. I was so desperate, I didn't care who was gonna eat it as long as Aleph got some. Livinia caught me."

Shiloh nods and puts on his loafers. "If I may say so, you've got potential. Ever thought of becoming a hitman?"

Clio nods, knowing that Shiloh was joking. She continues to stare through the opening at the outside, hoping something positive happens. "Maybe after today," she says.

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

For a while, she ran, but after tripping and falling thanks to her slippers, Aurora walks the rest of the way to Aleph's tent. Breathing heavily, she waits about a minute until she can control herself. Then she carefully peeks through the opening of the tent. There is one coywolf in there sleeping, but it is not the mark. She heaves a relieved sigh and moves on.

A few feet to the right of Aleph's tent, between that tent and the mess tent, are the remnants of the fire that cooked last night's dinner. The logs that had been there are all shriveled and blackened, with a couple of them tinged red. Aurora pokes at the remains with a stick she finds nearby. Small sparks fly from one of the red logs. She inhales deeply and breaths out loudly through her mouth. She most likely takes in the scent of the meat that had once been there.

She smiles and continues poking at the embers, little resembling someone who is on an important mission. She even squats in front of the small fire to amuse herself further. Right beside the fire are a couple of markings drawn on the ground. It looks like someone was writing or drawing something by the fire last night, most likely with the stick Aurora currently holds. She spots it and stops poking the burnt logs to look at it. She gets down on all fours in an attempt to tell what it could possibly say.

Behind her, a stray sound is made. It sounded like the shuffling of feet. The coyote's ears perk up but she does not turn around. She simply holds herself very still and waits, still crouched above the unintelligible markings on the ground. After about a minute, the shuffling behind her turns into footsteps. Aurora stands but still does not turn. Then she hears the sound of an exhaled breath followed by a soft cough. It sounds like a male.

Ever so cautiously, she turns a hundred and eighty degrees. Aleph is standing just a few feet behind her. His hands are hanging down by his sides. The fur on his head and arms are dirty and ruffled. His dry, worn-down cotton shirt and Bermuda shorts barely looked any better. It looks like he has been sleeping on the ground and has not had a bath in several days. He certainly does not look too formidable. He is a tad smaller than Shiloh and barely larger than Aurora. She smirks upon looking at him but still keeps her distance. They look at each other for about a minute before she opens her mouth. Instead of talking, she just clears her throat. The environment is awkward for her.

"Bonan matenon." Aleph puts his hands behind his back and steps forward.

"Good morning to you too." She looks at her feet and kicks the pocking stick behind her. When Aleph opens his mouth to say a couple of foreign words, she holds out her palms in front of him. "You can stop it with the Esperanto, okay? Shiloh's not here."

The head coywolf bristles and exhales uncomfortably. "It has a name."

"Stop it. I introduced him to you last night. He's my boyfriend. I know you hate that, but there's nothing I can do."

"Did you take into consideration all that I said last night?"

Aurora sighs and takes a step forward, trying hard not to shy away from the angry face in front of her. "I heard everything you told me last night, sir. I know everything you've done for this community and I appreciate it, as does everyone in your charge. I also...." She swallows with great difficulty. "I also appreciate your attempts to make me feel at home. I've followed your survival tips and all your advice, and whether you believe it or not, I wouldn't trade your friendship for anything in the world. But...." She sighs and turns her head away.

"But?" Aleph quickly closes the distance with more steps forward.

"But I am a one-man woman...and I expect that one man to be a one-woman man. You know what I mean?"

The coywolf takes a couple of more steps until he is right in front of her. He is close enough to touch her, but he keeps his hands down. "So, in no uncertain terms, you reject our ways? Just like that?"

"You can put it anyway you want. You can say I'm being unreasonable. You can call me a traitor to our species...whatever. I just can't...do what you do. I rejected your advances, not out of spite, but out of morality. You understand? I know you wanted me, but I don't share like the other girls around here do. You're already taken...by several women. A couple of them belonged to other guys. I...couldn't."

"May I touch you?" Aleph raises his left hand and gently places it on her right shoulder.

"Did you hear anything I said?" Aurora does not fight him even though she is clearly uncomfortable.

"I hear all. Sometimes, I just choose not to partake. That doesn't mean I don't understand your feelings."

"Understand this. Shiloh's not only a catch, but he's pure. It was easy for me to fall for him." Aurora starts to smile. "I fell in love with him the way normal people fall in love with other people. I met him, got used to him, and eventually wanted to be with him. That's how it's done in the real world. I know the commune works differently, but...I guess I still have too much of the city in me. I'm not a wild animal."

"Is that what you think of me?" He puts his other hand on her other shoulder.

"Sorry. I don't mean to offend. But you already have your pick of the women in here, even though there's no one woman who is clearly yours."

"I wanted that to be you."

"Well...that can never be now. After what you did to Clio? It's gonna be hard thinking of you as a love interest."

He sighs heavily at the accusation and lowers his head while caressing her shoulders. For the moment, it looks like he feels bad. "Listen to me." His voice is guttural enough that it almost sounds like a growl. "This is not Carson City or Las Vegas. This is Death Valley. Here, more than in any city you can name, survival of our species is paramount and not meant to be taken for granted. You can afford to do that in the human world...I don't know how they take care of themselves...but not here. Having multiple mates helps to spread legacies and further generations. There is nothing I can do about that. Being a 'one-woman man' over here is simply not feasible. This is true of all coywolves, wolves, and coyotes who call these parts home. You understand that, right?'

Aurora's hands start to shake. "I know. The coywolf cannot possibly live anywhere else. Be that as it may, you didn't have to--"

"I know what you're going to say next, and...you're right. Clio was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. I gave in to my baser urges and...." He releases her. "In deference to her feelings, and her civil rights, I suppose some recompense is in order, yes?"

The coyote sighs and looks back at him. Surprisingly, she gets off a small smile. "Your authority is the law around here, and I have to observe that as well. At the same time though, I want to protect the weakest of us. On that note, I'm prepared to make a sacrifice."

Aleph raises his brow, confused and interested. "Sacrifice?"

"Clio is rightfully scared of you and I don't want to see her hurt any further. So, starting today, I am yours. I am...yours to do what you want with. You name it, I'll do it. If it means Clio remains untouched, then I'll be happy with whatever you want me to do."

"Just like that?"

"Well, over the last week, I have realized that the rules in regular, human-run cities are what keep people independent and free. Those rules therefore keep the people happy in those places. Around here, without police or some form of law enforcement, the leader eventually gets too big to rule. So if things don't go the leader's way, he changes things without feedback from anybody...and people eventually get hurt."

"You could have left at any time. You could have just stayed with your boyfriend in Carson City."

"I could have, but I like this place too much. I've also made friends here who depend on me. Clio is just one such friend. If it could spare her any more grief, I will let you take me. You're clearly fond of me...and I will gladly be yours if nobody else gets hurt." She walks towards him and embraces him.

"You really mean this?" Aleph chuckles quietly.

"I really do." She carefully leans her face towards his and plants a soft kiss on his anticipating mouth. She kisses him a couple of times, but they are short kisses and not what Aleph is hoping for. He reaches and grabs her, planting his hands on the small of her back and stroking the base of her tail. "Not here," she says.

"Where then?" Aleph now grabs the base of her tail and starts playfully swinging it around. "You know I'm up for it almost any time, and I'm not doing anything at the moment, so...."

Aurora grunts quietly as he continues playing with her tail. It is clearly uncomfortable and is probably getting painful. "If you're willing to walk, I know the perfect place. It's secluded and it has shade, so it's a better place to mess around than in a long abandoned house."

Aleph releases the coyote and straightens his shirt. "Lead the way," he says eagerly. "And you'll have my word; the next man she ever sleeps with will be one of her choosing." He nods and puts his right hand to his chest. "Cross my heart."

There is a twinge of mistrust on the coyote's face, but she manages to fake-smile it away. "Hold my hand," she says. With that, she leads him away from the fire. A couple of steps later, she looks behind her to see Aleph's tent drifting far away. Now she knows that there is no turning back. As if to hammer home the point, Aleph releases her hand, wraps her left arm around her waist, and gives her a soft kiss on the cheek. He laughs smoothly and picks up the pace.

A couple of minutes later, they are passing the tent occupied by Shiloh and Clio. Aurora is in between the tent and Aleph, so he does not see Clio looking through. Aurora sees her and at first gasps, but then carefully holds up her left hand and spreads her fingers apart. She mouths "five minutes" at Clio, who simply looks back with a scared face. Whether the young coywolf got the message or not is uncertain and there is no time to see what she does next; Aleph has quickened the pace even more and soon they are far away from Clio and the hitman.

The girl is breathing heavily. She crawls halfway out of the tent to watch the couple walk further away. She wants to shout something at her, or maybe at him, and opens her mouth wide. Nothing comes out and she simply whimpers her displeasure.

"What's up?" Shiloh asks. He is reading one of the stray books now scattered all over the tent.

"They just...." She swallows and reenters the tent. "They just passed us. She's leading her to the hiding place."

"Excellent. Now let's--"

"Go after them!" Her breathing turns to panting as she kneels in front of him.

Shiloh puts the book down and observes her carefully. She is panicking and clearly needs calming down. He chuckles at her and bends to grab her hands. Standing her up, he says, "You know what I used to do when Winter acted like that?"

"No. What?"

"I sit her on my lap and have her count to sixty. That's one minute. You wanna try that?"

Clio closes her eyes and nods. Shiloh sits on the side of the tent furthest from the entrance. He sits on one of the pillows and Clio sits on his lap almost immediately. She puts a hand to his chest and looks into his dark eyes. Her breathing starts to mellow.

"Now count to sixty. Do it normally. Then do it a second time. Once you're done, a couple of minutes will have gone by, and I can follow them."

She nods, rests her head on his chest, and starts counting.

"Don't get to comfy though. I still got a job to do."

As the young girl counts, Aleph and Aurora have progressed feet away from the tent. At Aleph's urging, they have slowed down to half their original pace. It now looks like they are taking a simple stroll through the desert. With the sun not yet at full power, the weather feels agreeable. They coyote closes her eyes and enjoys the warm wind gently hitting her face.

Aleph still has his left arm around her waist, but is now easing off a bit. He is now looking around at an area that is not so familiar to him. Aurora has been here many times and continues to lead him to the mine shaft. She looks ahead with a blank stare, both anticipating and dreading what is to come. On the other hand, the leader of the commune is smiling from ear to ear. "Amazing," he says. "I always send you and the other travelers through this side, while me and my brothers travel the other side of the tent. That's where all the good hunting is."

"I know. This whole area is filled with cruddy, run-down houses and the skeletons of other formerly important buildings. It's like that for the next five miles or so. This is a ghost town that used to be a city called Leadville."

"Is this where you wanted to take me?"

"No. I want to show you this place I've found. It's a mine shaft and it's perfect for our needs. In it, we can fornicate without prying eyes."

"I see we have to walk quite a way."

"If you want me, it's the only way. I won't have sex with you in front of other people. Anyway, we're only half a mile away." Her trepidation turns into a smile when he finally lets her go. "Listen, I'm glad you're digging my idea. It's a good one and it's what's best for Clio at this stage. You can have me now before I go back to Shiloh. Tomorrow, he'll be on his way back to...." Aurora looks to her right. Aleph is not there anymore.

The coyote stops and her breath quickens again. She turns her head left, then right, then quickly pirouettes. The head coywolf has disappeared. Aurora swallows and yells out Aleph's name. No answer. She then runs back a few steps and yells it a second time. This time, she is loud enough that her voice cracks.

"Aleph! Where'd you go?!" She looks down for signs and finds the prints of the coywolf's bare feet on the ground. The prints are faint and do not conclusively tell anything about where he went. She follows a few of them, but ends up going back from where she came. After a minute of searching, she calls out for him one more time then runs back to where she lost him.

She takes an exhausted breath and looks around again. "Godammit, Aleph," she whispers. About twenty feet to her left is a big, abandoned building. It is too big to be just a house and probably used to be a hotel or a salon. In a ghost town like the one she is in, it could have been anything. The outside is just too dilapidated to know for sure. The coyote sniffs the air and carefully enters the open doors.

The room she enters has only as much light as the windows allow, meaning not much. There is only one large window in the main room. The light streaming from the outside only lights up half the spacious lobby. The lighted section only makes the unlighted section darker and creepier. Aurora whispers out his name.

"I'm in here!" is the response. It came from a different room just a few feet ahead of her, into the darkness.

"Where are you?"

"No...stay where you are. I'm urinating. I'll be out in a moment."

Aurora stands where she is, chuckling at that last statement. "Didn't know you were so shy."

"A man's business is still a man's business. Even if he is far away from his home tent, the urge is just the same. You don't need to see me do it. Speaking of doing it, can I ask you a question?"

The coyote turns away from the door hiding Aleph and walks toward the open window to bask in the sunshine. "Anything you want."

"You're pretty strong, aren't you? I mean from a physical standpoint. You've got some muscle, don't ya?"

"Well...." She turns away from the sun and shrugs. "I work out every day. Out here it's hard to tell if I'm getting any stronger. Without a scale or something, I don't know if I'm winning or losing."

"But would you say you're strong? I've always thought you as a bodyguard type, you know? Bigger than a police officer but not too big like one of those human bodybuilders."

"What are you getting at?" Aurora smiles and walks closer to the doorway. "I'm still the same old me. I've got no weights to lift or anything like that. That's not a bad thing, mind you; I jog and I do push-ups and sit-ups. My workouts keep me fit. They don't necessarily make me stronger."

"Oh, okay. That's good to hear."

Aurora hears Aleph zip his trousers and laughs. "Why's that?"

"Because I want to know what bullets are doing on my compound."

The coyote, who was walking toward the open doorway to see Aleph, stops in her tracks and raises her brow inquisitively. "Bullets?"

His voice lowers. "There were bullets in your tent. When we returned from hunting last night, I sent Bonan to your tent to check on you. So while I was busy with the hunting party cutting up the meat, he was with Clio waiting for you. That's when he saw the stray bullets and smelled the presence of...someone else." There is a long pause; Aleph waits for an answer but remains hidden.

The silence is tense for Aurora who suddenly runs toward Aleph's voice and stops when she gets through the doorway. Unlike the lobby of the house, this room is totally dark. Her breathing picks up as she looks around. Until her eyes get adjusted to the surroundings, she has no idea where he is. He could be intentionally hiding in shadows. "Aleph?"

"You know that guns aren't allowed in the commune, Aurora. Those weapons of the human world are an affront to the peace and harmony we're all trying to establish. Either you brought them with you or your boyfriend did. And since you're not that stupid, what's he doing with a gun in the compound, Aurora?"

Aleph is asking questions at a really fast clip; Aurora shouts, "Slow down!" and puts her hands on her hips. Her shaky breathing makes it look like she has been caught doing something wrong. "First of all, where are you? I can't see you."

"If you saw me, would you answer the questions faster?"

"Look...he's got to protect himself, doesn't he? He's no threat to you! I mean...." Aurora chuckles mirthlessly. "Aleph. Come out of the shadows. You're acting like a kid." Aurora's eyes are now getting used to the darkness and shapes in the dark room are coming into focus. This room is filled with rubble made out of the collapsed top floor. Also in here is what looks like a counter; this room probably used to be the bar. She looks at it and smiles; now that she can see a little, she can move around with confidence. She turns herself ninety degrees.

Aleph's open palm finds her right cheek. He smacks her with a hard, swift blow. It snaps her neck and staggers her. The surprised coyote screams and falls to one knee to prevent falling all the way down. She bows her head and whimpers, rubbing the affected area. The pain starts to build, turning her from the affable women she always was into an angry, confused soul. She starts to stand when she notices the faint shadow of Aleph standing in front of her. Her face is directly in front of his crotch.

He growls softly. "Your presence is offending my senses. You don't look like the woman I fell in love with. You smell like your boyfriend does. Worst of all, however...." He walks even closer, almost stepping on her right hand. "You sound corrupted." He spits. "Corrupted by him...and you still have the gumption to come here. You needn't have bothered. You may have lived here a while, but you're practically a stranger to me now."

"Why'd you hit me?!"

"Because you're lying to me!" Aleph's voice sounds deeper when he yells. "I've studied human behavior for fifteen years! I know what lying sounds like! I never thought I'd ever hear you try!"

"That really hurt! You know that?!"

"So will the next one if you don't level with me!" He backs up and folds his arms. It looks like he is giving her room to stand. "Why did he bring a gun here? Did you not tell him they are forbidden?"

Aurora is now on both knees, still stinging from the slap. "I've already told you. He wears them for protection. He has every right to defend himself."

"Is he a cop?"

The insinuation sounds unbelievable to her. She scoffs loudly. "Are you serious?!"

"Is he a forest ranger?! Is he undercover?!"

"He's none of those things!"

"So he doesn't know I'm a wanted man? And you didn't tell him?"

Aurora grunts. Her anger is now getting in the way of her pain. "Trust me, loser. If I had told him you were wanted for murder, he would have called the police! You wouldn't be here now. You'd either be dead or in jail."

Aleph growls again and grabs the collar of her blouse. Before she can put up a fight, he throws her into the half lit lobby. She lands on her back and slides a couple of feet across the dry floor. The back of her head suffered in the crash, because she rubs it as she tries to stand. She does not get the chance; the angry coywolf leaps on her and screams in anger. She knees him in the abdomen and tries to slide away from him.

A right cross lands on the left side of her face. She screams in pain as he hits her again. She wails so loudly that the sound pierces his ears. He clamps her mouth with his right hand and grabs her hair with his left. "That's quite enough!"

She tries to speak but only mumbles through his strong grip. Her hands are free and she tries to use them, slapping his face several times. When he has had enough of that, he straddles her to elude her reach. Then he slams the back of her head on the floor. Her arms stop flailing and she relaxes. To make her more immobile, he pins his right foot on her left elbow, making the arm useless. Her other arm remains free, but there is not much it can do to release her.

"It seems the only way I can get the truth is to talk to him myself. And if I talk to him alone, I think I'll get the straight story. So that's what I'm gonna do. But first, I'm gonna take what's mine." He is still holding her mouth closed and is laughing at her whimpers. "There's no use crying about it. Desert life demands we all take what's ours. You really are a beautiful girl; I should not have been so cordial to you once you became part of our family." He slams her head on the floor once more, then frees her mouth to unzip his pants. "Sorry, lover, but you've got a pussy! And I'm going to use it!"

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

After saying numerous goodbyes to Clio, Shiloh is finally on the trail of his quarry. He first stands outside the tent for a couple of minutes, sniffing the air. His first steps are plodding and cautious; he moves like the mark is right in front of him. Soon, he runs forward, eagerly sniffing his way through the outskirts of the commune. The run is not a brisk one; it is more of a halfhearted jog. After a minute, he stops and turns around. Clio and the tent she is in are a long way away.

He sighs with slight hesitation and maybe a little longing, but seconds later, he is back on the trail. He looks straight ahead mostly, but sometimes he looks down when he thinks he sees something interesting. There are slight impressions of footprints on the tan, sandy ground. Most of them have faded because of the sometimes high winds, but the prints made by Aurora's flip flops are easily recognizable. Even if they totally disappeared, Shiloh knows where the mine shaft is; it is not that far away.

The sun is over the horizon and is starting to beam down the heat. Shiloh knows what happened to him the last time he walked here, back when the heat was at its most powerful. He runs faster, looking straight ahead and now ignoring the ground. He is about to reach the ghost town of Leadville. On either side of him are a couple of empty, ramshackle houses and stray planks of lumber that used to be homes.

At this point, the wolf suddenly stops running. He has not heard or seen anything out of the ordinary and the trail is not cold. He simply stops running once the environment around him changes. The scattered remains of houses dot the land. The atmosphere feels eerily different, as if the incoming heat is not the main problem right now. Shiloh quickly turns his head from side to side, looking for something but finding nothing. He lets escape an unsure breath.

Besides the warped remnants of the ghost town, there is nothing ahead of him but flat land and blue sky. On his first trip to the commune, he was disoriented by the heat and the monotony of the view. Now it looks like the unexpected surroundings are stopping his progress. He steps forward gingerly with his right hand inching ever closer to his waist. Even though there is nobody around or even in view, the guns are at the ready.

A good five minutes pass and he is still walking slowly, scrutinizing everything around him. He has passed a couple of old houses and is now about to walk past something larger on his left. He saw it from a distance a little while ago, but now he is getting a good look at it. It is the large building that used to be a saloon; the one that was quite recently visited by a couple of wanderers. Shiloh stops when he is in front of the broken front door. He is about twenty feet away from it. There is nothing special about the building. It is old and still falling apart. The front is withering away while the back is just about gone.

Suddenly, Shiloh acts. He must have heard something because he suddenly turns to look behind him. It is a quick, urgent motion. While he moves, he lifts up his shirt, exposing a Berretta, one of the two he owns. His eyebrows lower in anger as he takes a minute to observe the vast emptiness behind him. When he is satisfied that there is nothing to see, he turns around to face his destination. It looks a long way away, but the mine shaft is somewhat visible in the distance.

Shiloh's ears perk up and he stops again. He has just barely passed the saloon. This time, he is sure he hears something because his right hand is on his gun. There still seems to be nothing out of the ordinary. It looks like he is only wasting his time on this hunt. He exhales loudly through his nose and steps forward, not toward his destination, but toward the saloon. There is obviously something inside that has piqued his interest. He quickly tiptoes to the front door but does not open it. He can see inside by peering above the door. The room he is looking into is half illuminated by the sun. Besides the bare floor, there is nothing else of interest. He nods and releases the gun. He is about to go on his way.

Suddenly, there is a noise. This time there is no doubt about it; something has obviously fallen down just on the other side of the door. The wolf does not give it much thought; he simply turns his head and looks at the building one more time. He is about to turn away when another noise is made--a sneeze.

Shiloh busts into the front room, completely breaking down the door; it flies across the room and crashes on the wall across from him. He looks around and pulls out his gun. The motion is deceptively fast; he pulls the gun from its concealed place and places his hand on the trigger in one motion. He moves further into the room, into the darkness where he thought he heard the noise. Then he hears a slight cough behind him. When he turns, he can see a pair of bare feet just in front of him.

Aurora is leaning against the wall by the corner next to the doorway. She is half-covered in the shadows; only her lower half is illuminated. Without thinking, and in complete shock, he reaches in and pulls her out into the light. His cautious expression on his face has now turned into pained anxiety. He gently grabs her from under her arms and, not knowing how badly she has been hurt, tries to stand her up. Aurora drapes her arms around him causing him to stumble backwards. She is in pretty bad shape.

Shiloh slips and falls; the coyote lands on top of him. He grabs her shoulders and holds her up. There is blood streaming from a cut on her forehead. There is blood coming from her nose. Her blouse has been unraveled, both unbuttoned and torn. Her brassiere is half fixed on her chest. There are bloodstains on her shoulders and her bare left breast. There are streaks of red on her belly. Her brown skirt is also torn, but still on her. It looks intact and mostly untouched, but there are streams of blood on her legs.

He looks at her legs, then inches his eyes up to her beaten, bruised face. Her face looks raw, she is smiling weakly. She coughs a couple of times, coughing blood on the wolf's shirt. "It's not my blood," she says. "I swear." She then emits a gurgling sound, but it is hard to tell if she is laughing or crying.

"I'm taking you back to the tent. It's not far from here."

"You can't. He's...still here. He's just licking his wounds." She turns her head and coughs a couple of more times. "He's gonna...come back!" She slips from Shiloh's grasp and falls on him; her head limply bounces on his chest.

"Winter!" he shouts. His breathing stutters as he tries to hold her head up. He struggles to lift himself while holding on to her frail body. Eventually, he gets up on his knees with her in his arms. He moves to the nearest corner and sits down. The coyote is draped all over him; her arms lifelessly hang over his shoulders as she cries into his chest. "I'm sorry."

She sniffs. "Not...your fault."

He tenderly lifts her head until their eyes meet. She lets out a chuckle as he strokes her chin. "Where is he?"

"I don't know. Aleph...he hit me several times. Then he ripped my shirt off. Then he spread my legs." She closes her eyes and clutches his collar with both hands. "I...don't remember much after that."

"Shh. That's okay."

"I bit him in the neck, but I...." She inhales heavily. "I think I missed the artery...."

"Don't talk anymore." He embraces her and rubs her back.

"Why so sad? Don't worry about me. I fought back."

Shiloh starts to seethe. The more he looks at her, the angrier he gets. He closes his mouth and tries not to growl.

"Before he could finish, I bit his neck. Then he went outside to stop the bleeding."

"And he's coming back. I'll wait here then. I'll wait with you."

"No...don't do that. You won't surprise him that way...." She coughs as the surrounding dust enters her mouth. "You have to get the drop on him."

"Well, at least let me...." He holds her face in both his hands and quickly inspects her. "You got a cut here." He pulls the right sleeve of his shirt over his hand and presses it against her forehead. The gash is fresh and still seeping blood, but not freely enough to knock her unconscious. "You're gonna be okay."

She has stopped crying. "You called me Winter."

He chuckles, briefly casting off his anger at Aleph. "Sorry. I lost my head there. When I saw that you were hurt, that's the first thing that popped into my head."

"A beautiful mistake." She slides off of Shiloh's lap and leans her back against the nearest wall. "Forget about me. Save yourself. Kill him and forget about me."

"I'm gonna kill him...but then I'm gonna take you back to the mine shaft."

"My eyes...I can't see too well...." She closes them and covers her face in her hands.

Shiloh's gun is on the ground just in front of him. He holsters it back in place and leans down to kiss Aurora's forehead. "You're gonna be okay. I'll be right back."

The wolf runs out of the saloon looking like he has been in a fight. His shirt has blood on it; his brown trousers and black shoes have dust on them; the top of his head is frazzled. He looks down at his shirt, curses softly, and gently places the gun on the ground. Now practically ruined, the formerly new shirt would only make him hotter and less comfortable. He takes it off and throws it behind him, exposing a black undershirt. There is nobody around. The surroundings are just as empty as they have always been. No sign of a coywolf or anything else on two legs. He picks up his Beretta and quietly turns to the saloon's west side.

Shiloh traipses around the establishment. All he sees is more of the same--dry land with a few rocks, shrubs, and insects. The wind that had been blowing earlier in the day has disappeared, making the environment look drier than naturally possible. The sun is getting hotter. The wolf heaves a disgruntled breath and turns back around. Right in front of him, maybe a hundred yards away, is another broken down house. It is more intact than the saloon and probably has more shade. (Where better for Aleph to hide?)

He can hear Aurora coughing weakly behind him and it helps to spur him on. Without further hesitation, he makes the hundred-yard dash to the house across from him. The run takes no time at all. Just like with the saloon, he breaks open the front door to the stale, old house. The door gives no resistance and falls from its hinges.

An empty shell of a living room stares back at the intruder. There is nothing inside except wood and windows. There is what looks to be a fireplace hearth in front of him. On the right side of the room are half a flight of stairs. On the floor, between Shiloh and the fireplace, are a couple of green sleeping bags. They must have been left there by a coywolf couple who decided to spend the night here one day; nobody is in them now.

Shiloh stands there for a few seconds. He does not proceed any further inside; the scent is obviously not in here. Disgruntled, he holsters his gun and heads back to the saloon. Nothing seems out of the ordinary except for Aurora being hurt. He starts off at a slow pace, thinking things through. Suddenly, he stops, wrinkles his nose, and growls. He smells something funny in the air and immediately starts running. Once again, the gun comes out from inside his trousers.

The wolf bursts into the saloon once more; Aurora is gone. There are a couple of small streaks of blood where she used to be; they lead to the next room. She has been dragged away. He follows the blood trail then hears a sharp scream in the next room feet away from him. The scream was loud, violent, and male. He runs to the doorway in front of him when he hears another scream. This one is Aurora's.

Whatever this room used to be, it is not as dark as the lobby. In here, Shiloh does not need to squint to see what is going on. Aleph is on top of Aurora. She is kicking and screaming, trying to push him away. Aleph has his mouth clamped on her right breast, causing her excruciating pain. He is rooted to her and will not move.

Shiloh points the gun at them but lowers it immediately. The couple is just too close together, so he thinks he has no shot. He just tosses the Beretta and runs into the fray. Again, without thinking, he lands on top of Aleph, thereby landing on top of the hurting coyote. He grabs the coywolf's ears, making him shout in pain and releasing Aurora's breast. As the wolf pulls him up, Aleph turns and slugs him with a left. Once Shiloh staggers backwards, he gets right back on top of Aurora. He gets kicked in the face, but it only takes seconds to mount her again.

The coyote scratches and claws him to no avail. Aleph grabs her by the neck and holds her down with his whole body. Shiloh snorts and collects himself before getting back into the fight. He notices Aleph's back--the strain of the coywolf's fight with the coyote shows that he has muscles on top of muscles. He looks unbelievably strong for someone so medium-sized. Shiloh could pick him up, but it would require some effort.

The wolf nods and runs to the couple. He grabs Aleph's tail and pulls on it trying to pull him away. It does not seem to work. Holding on to the tail, he pulls it up and runs around until he and the coywolf are face to face. Aleph stops licking Aurora's face when he realizes that his tail is being held. He looks up at Shiloh and growls. Saying nothing, the wolf plants his right foot on Aleph's back and yanks the tail as hard as he can. The coywolf raises his head and screams; it is ferocious and blood-curdling. Shiloh continues to hold on and pull hard. Aleph is in so much pain that he drools on Aurora. She punches him in the neck and he rolls off. The coyote scampers away and leaves the two combatants.

Shiloh holds on to the tail long enough that it now has a couple of twists in it. The coywolf watches his conquest crawl away and tries to go after her. Shiloh simply pulls him back by the tail and brings him in for the upcoming beatdown. The wolf grabs him and tosses him to the nearest wall; the furthest away from Aurora, the better.

Shiloh watches the coyote leave the room and away from the action. She may be suffering, but she is relatively safe. The wolf now stands between her and Aleph. He has just thrown Aleph into the wall which is right where he wants him. It is time to finish the job. With the first gun lost somewhere on the floor, he pulls out his second Beretta from his left hip. The coywolf responds quickly and rushes at him.

Shiloh gets hit before he can shoot. Like a linebacker, Aleph shoulder-charges the wolf and brings him down to the floor; he lands on top with his arms wrapped around the hitman's waist. The gun goes flying and Shiloh cannot get it back. Aleph's strength has been well-advertised because he is able to hold down the much taller wolf and even gets in a few shots. He punches Shiloh in the ribs a couple of times before looking at his face. He forces his hands around the wolf's throat and stares right into his eyes. They are snout to snout, growling at each other.

Aleph gets leverage by climbing on one knee, driving it into the wolf's abdomen and adding pressure to the chokehold. Shiloh is in a little bit of trouble, but he has the size advantage. Growling harder, he lifts his legs up and kicks the coywolf in the chest. It takes a couple of kicks to force Aleph off his throat and a punch in the nose to knock him off altogether. They both try to stand; Aleph gets on his feet first and kicks the still prone wolf in the chest. The kick propels Shiloh a few feet.

The kick was surprisingly strong and Shiloh felt every bit of it. He feels his left side and grunts while he rubs it. He could be massaging a couple of ribs. Aleph gets himself completely upright and looks about to kick the wolf again. But then he sees a glint in his eye; a quick shine of light from the sun's reflection. He looks to his right, a couple of feet in front of the wolf's head, and sees the dropped Beretta. The coywolf thinks about it for a couple of seconds when he picks it up, but just tosses it through a window behind him. Actually shooting the wolf apparently never crosses his mind. He hops over the fallen wolf and runs to the lobby. Aurora is gone.

Aleph's head darts left and right quickly. No sign of her at all. He runs to the bar and looks behind it. She is not there either. He runs to the farthest wall, then runs to the broken staircase, then looks out of every window in the lobby. She is nowhere to be seen. He returns to the bar to look behind there again, just in case. Seeing nothing, he yells out gruffly and slams a fist on the bar. "I own this land!" he yells. "I own this land and its women! You cannot escape me!"

He takes a minute to breathe, but does not calm down. Deep in thought, he scratches the top of the bar, peeling the wood. (According to Aurora herself, Aleph's sense of smell is very powerful, but since she now smells more like Shiloh, this will not help him find her.) He turns around to leave the saloon.

Suddenly, Shiloh is in front of him; he had quietly crept up behind him and was standing there for a few seconds. Aleph cannot react before the wolf smashes his nose with a left hook. He staggers, but Shiloh does not let up; he punches him three more times, trying to bring him down. Aleph backs up further with each punch until he is standing against the window to the left of the door. The coywolf is cornered and is losing the fight.

Quickly losing ground, Aleph screams and tries to rush him, but Shiloh picks him up by his underarms and tosses him through the window. He goes through the border and the cracked panes of glass. He lands on the ground a few feet away from the saloon, on his back, writhing in pain. The wolf looks at him, satisfied at the sight. The mark is right where he needs him to be. He runs back inside the saloon where the fight first took place. He looks around, but sees nothing. There is no sign of the Berettas. He dropped the first one to help Aurora and lost the second during the fight. There is very little time to look for them.

He quickly runs back outside to see Aleph crawling to his feet. The coywolf is clearly stronger than his size; it is clear to see why Aurora's friends thought Shiloh stood little chance. But the wolf has shown his own strength and seems to be winning. He quickly runs to the mark and kicks him in the chest. Aleph sinks back down while Shiloh says, "I can kick too."

Without his guns, Shiloh gets the idea to use his upper body strength. Aleph is on all fours, shaking his head vigorously and coughing up dust. As he tries to make sense of his whereabouts, the wolf strikes. He lands on the mark's back and wraps his long arms around his neck. The mark's tongue lolls out as Shiloh stands him up. His legs flail as he is lifted off the ground. Shiloh stumbles back but still hangs on. "Too easy," he says.

Desperate, Aleph digs his nails into the wolf's arms. When that fails, he reaches his arms up as high as they can go; he tries to claw the wolf's face. He does grab his head, but the grip tightens even more. Shiloh pulls the struggling coywolf to the saloon. He leans against the outside wall and starts choking out Aleph. The mark's feet kick and scratch against the ground in vain rebellion. His day looks done.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a streak of white speeds into the fighting couple. It smashes in to the combatants, releasing Shiloh's grip on Aleph. The wolf is on his back. Before he can stand, someone lands on him. He recognizes the interloper; Bonan has arrived. He slugs Shiloh in the jaw and pulls out a knife from a holster on his left hip. He plunges it into the wolf's left shoulder and presses it deep. Shiloh shouts out and tries to reach him. Bonan pulls the knife back and plunges it again, into his chest near the affected shoulder. The wolf shouts louder and pushes the coywolf off.

Bonan lands on his back, still holding on to the newly bloodied knife. He rights himself and looks behind him to see Aleph on his feet. "You okay, brother?" he asks.

"Sure took you long enough."

"I overslept, but I knew something was up when I saw you weren't in bed. Where did you go?"

"Aurora goaded me into going somewhere with her. She wanted to exchange her sexuality for Clio's dignity. On the way, I asked her about the bullets you told me about and who her boyfriend really is."

"Did she tell you?"

"I didn't believe her." Aleph coughs again and tries to regain the life in his voice. "So what do you think? Is he a cop? A ranger? What?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask him?" Bonan walks over to his brother and pats him on the back. "I know one thing for sure. He's more than just Aurora's boyfriend. I saw the bullets, then he came in the tent. I thought I was in trouble there for a moment."

"I've seen the gun. It's definitely police issue."

"Well if that's the case, he's a long way from his jurisdiction."

Aleph gasps and frowns. "You're right. He can't be police. Stand him up. I wanna talk to him."

"Um...brother? When I asked you 'Why don't you ask him?', I was being rhetorical."

"I wanna know who he is. It's bothering me enough that I want to know."

"You don't need to know who he is. Look, we both know you want Aurora. So just kill him and take her. Then forbid her from ever leaving the commune again, so she won't bring in any more boyfriends. If you want, I'll help you. Let's give her the lesson we gave Clio; she is not allowed to refuse your advances."

Aleph opens his mouth to respond, but says nothing. The coywolves look at Shiloh slowly getting to his feet. He is surprised he got stabbed and tries to inspect his wounds. He lifts up his undershirt to reveal a couple of significantly big gashes. Now he is more shocked than angry.

Seeing Shiloh look at himself reminds Bonan to check on Aleph. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you too bad?"

Aleph spits. "He's no match for me."

"Then what are those scratches on your face?"

"Aurora did that. She's stronger than I ever realized."

"Look, why don't you just go find her? Leave him to me."

"No. I want to know who he is."

Bonan shakes his head. "Then take my knife. He attacked you, so it's only right you finish him off. I'll hold him up, you stab."

Shiloh's stab wounds are close enough that he could cover them with one hand. He tries to do just that, but soon finds that he has a more pressing problem. He stops inspecting himself just in time to see the two coywolves coming his way. His mark is now armed with the blood-layered knife. There is very little time to think. He uncovers his wounds and clenches his fists. While they simply walk to him,he decides to run at them.

Aleph switches the knife from his left hand to his right. He has a better grip on it and is fully ready for the wolf. When Shiloh is only a couple of feet away, he starts running too. With Bonan looking on, the opponents crash into each other. Shiloh's chest drives the mark backwards. Aleph responds by swinging the knife, slashing the air just inches from the wolf's nose. He swings his knife a couple of more times, backing up the wolf. The coywolf growls as they square off. He is holding the knife above his head, trying to intimidate his enemy.

Bonan stands back and watches Aleph back Shiloh against the saloon wall. The wolf gives him a couple of glances, but practically ignores him to focus on the mark. Aleph suddenly charges, but Shiloh raises his left leg and kicks him in the chest again, knocking him down. The wolf is pretty fast for his size and the kick took the brothers by surprise. Bonan looks behind him and sniffs, then turns until his back is to the fight. "Something's wrong," he whispers.

Aleph charges again. This time, the wolf sidesteps him and knocks the exposed knife off his right hand. Fully distracted, the coywolf is totally unprepared when Shiloh punches him down and wraps his hands around his neck. He snarls loudly as he prepares to finish his work. Aleph hisses in agony and reaches his hands up to Shiloh's face again. He grabs his ears, but the wolf's grip is so strong that cannot raise his head to see what he is doing.

Bonan hears the pained, choking noises that Aleph makes and ignores whatever was making him suspicious. He runs to the fighters and leaps on Shiloh, hooking his arms. He puts the wolf in a full nelson, immobilizing his strong upper body.

Shiloh tries hard to get out of the hold; he runs backwards, taking Bonan with him. He runs to the saloon, slamming Bonan's back against the outside wall, but he cannot escape the full nelson. They coywolves have him trapped. Aleph gets up coughing up a storm. He sees Shiloh being held in place and smiles. Upon seeing the mark eye to eye, the wolf stops struggling and just stands there, his arms helplessly fixed in place. His legs are still free, but he does not kick at Aleph when he gets close.

While walking towards the immobilized wolf, the head of the commune steps on the knife that Bonan brought to the fight. He picks it up and rushes to Shiloh. He sniffs with disapproval. "Sadly, you smell like my girlfriend. She was quite chaste until you touched her." Shiloh does not answer, not that Aleph cares. He is too busy licking the blood off the knife as he talks. "I don't know if she told you this, so I will tell you before you die--we eat our enemies. The arid environment demands it. You taste agreeable; some fat, not too much iron." He smiles at the wolf. "Rest assured, while the indignity of being killed and eaten will bother you, you should still be proud of two things. One, no part of you will be wasted. You will be given the honor of having all your parts completely digested. A couple of my brothers love raw entrails."

Bonan chuckles mildly while Shiloh looks on with an unchanged, angry expression on his face.

Aleph tongues the knife clean. "Second, you put up a good fight. Of all the people I have conquered since I gave up the gun, you're certainly the strongest. I admit that you had me on the ropes, but I don't remember the last time I've had so much fun." He clears his throat and closes in. "I have to ask though. Who are you?"

Shiloh looks at the knife in Aleph's left hand, then back at his mark's face. He is still struggling to get out of the hold, but not as fiercely as before. He keeps his mouth shut for the entire time he is given to answer the question.

"How long have you known Aurora? I mean...she told me she met you three months ago. Why would a man, who's only been her boyfriend for such a short time, drop everything to come all the way here with her? Even if you were only staying for a day, the trip here would be too much for any man. So why make the trip at all?"

The wolf remains quiet. His upper lip curls up to expose his sharp teeth. Behind him, Bonan keeps the hold, but is showing signs of tiring.

"Did your...girlfriend...not tell you the rules of the commune? That guns are not allowed in here?" He grows impatient at the wolf's silence. "Who are you?! Are you police? FBI? What?!"

"Brother, give it a rest. The weather's getting hotter. Kill him already." Bonan knees Shiloh in the back to keep him still. "He's clearly not going to level with you."

"I hate uncertainty, even among my own pack. Why would she do that?"

"You talking to me or him?"

"Why would Aurora do something so stupid? What logic is there in bringing a stranger to the desert? Would she not spare her boyfriend, someone she says she loves, the hours of walking? The pain and suffering? Something just doesn't add up."

Bonan is now struggling to hold the wolf. "She's a woman. Like all women, she's beyond comprehension. Let's just kill him so you can get back to her."

"But I can't even find her now! Her scent is masked! It's not the same!" Aleph walks to Shiloh until they are nose to nose. "And it's all your fault."

Shiloh spits at him, backing up the adversary. Aleph responds right away; he runs forward and runs the knife through. He watches with angry glee as Shiloh makes a shocked and wounded face. The wolf's open mouth lets out a slow, loud grunt. The knife is through his undershirt, into his abdomen, just below his sternum.

Shiloh spits again, right on the coywolf's forehead. He responds by extracting the knife and running it through the wolf once again. This time, further below on his belly where his appendix would be. He rammed it in so hard, the wolf's blood is on his hands. As strong as he is, Shiloh is clearly suffering at the hands of the tribal leaders. He closes his eyes and clenches his teeth, seething in agony. His legs are starting to slack.

"You're big enough to feed us for a couple of days," Aleph says, pressing the knife harder. "By the time we're through with you, nobody will tell your carcass from a--"

A shot rings out, stopping everything. Aleph jerks backwards and drops the knife; Bonan releases the full nelson. The noise startles everyone but Shiloh, who slinks to the ground. The coywolves are looking at one another, suddenly breathing with imperative fear.

"What the hell just happened?" Aleph asks.

"Brother, your arm!"

Bonan points at Aleph's left shoulder. There is a big red dot on it about the size of a silver dollar. He has just been shot. It seemingly takes ages, but Aleph suddenly feels the pain. "Shit! What just...." He spots a glance of something and turns to the left. Bonan turns right to see what his brother sees.

Aurora is standing about fifty yards away. She must have been hiding behind the saloon. Now she is looking at the coywolves with fire in her eyes and determined, yet shaky hands. Both hands hold the Beretta and now she is lifting it up to aim at Aleph's head.

The gun is heavy for the coyote, but the coywolves hardly notice. They are frozen in fear, clearly scared of the firearm and what she may do with it. The pain starts to get to Aleph and he doubles over, clenching his teeth and covering the wound. Bonan looks at his brother, then at the gun. "Aurora, you stupid fool! What are you doing?! Don't you remember who this is?! He is your leader! He is your god!"

Aurora looks like she is in great pain. She is out of breath, her fur is tattered in several places, her hair and clothes are dirty, and there is blood all over her face and legs. Still pointing the gun at them, she yells, "Nobody does that to me!"

"Brother, look out!"

Aurora screams and fires again. The loud and powerful shot kicks the gun back and knocks the coyote down. She flies a few feet and lands hard on her back. She gasps and wails in more pain as she massages the finger that pulled the trigger. The gun lands inches from her head.

The shot missed. Bonan and Aleph stand there with no damage done to either of them. The leader looks at the woman, devastated at what she tried to do. His brother is mad and marches to the wounded victim with malice on his mind.

Aleph shakes with pain and maybe even fear. "Bonan! Take her back to the commune!"

"I'll do more than that!" He runs the rest of the way to her and picks her up by the collar of her shirt.

Aurora replies by biting. Her mouth clamps down on Bonan's right wrist. She plants her hands on his chest to push him away. They both scream as she damages him. The coywolf punches her in the face with his free hand, knocking her down.

Meanwhile, Aleph has the knife in his hand again. He turns away from the coyote to focus on killing Shiloh. The wolf is on all fours below him, struggling to breathe. The leader looks down at the back of his head; he walks closer to the wolf and steps on his right hand. "I don't know how you managed it, but it's over! Aurora's my girl! Always has been! Now get up so I can get to your throat." He grabs Shiloh by the hair and gets him to look up.

As Aleph readies the knife, Shiloh throws sand in his face. The coywolf screams and backs up; Shiloh rams his head into his crotch, bringing him down and freeing the knife. There are a couple of deep, bloody gashes on his stomach, but the wolf's adrenaline gives him a boost. He lands on the coywolf and presses his knee against his groin. When Aleph's mouth opens, Shiloh grabs his upper and lower jaws and pries them open as far apart as he can. The coywolf grabs Shiloh's hair, but that is all he can do and it does nothing. The wolf is about to tear his face. He is weakening, but still strong enough to do it.

Bonan is still struggling with Aurora when he hears his brother's pain echo. He drags the weakened coyote with him until they reach the saloon. He throws her through the front doors and yells, "Stay in there!" He has managed to take the gun from her, but like his brother, thinks nothing of using it. He heaves the firearm as far as he can throw it. It lands many yards away, becoming nothing more than a glint in the sunshine. The then runs to his brother's aid.

Shiloh does not have the upper hand for long. He never hears Bonan coming for him through Aleph's screams. One second, the wolf is killing his mark. The next second, he is rolling on the ground. Bonan's momentum knocks him down and saves his brother. He checks to see if Aleph is still breathing and picks up the knife before heading over to the injured wolf.

Shiloh may not know it, but he is currently rolling away from the saloon where his client is. It hardly matters now anyway. His chest and abdomen have been perforated and are badly bleeding. There is no telling how much blood he has lost; there are streaks of it all over the ground where he has been fighting. He looked ferocious before, but now he looks helpless. Even worse, Bonan is standing above him.

Shiloh is on all fours, panting loudly. Bonan pounces on him, plunging the knife in his back, between his shoulder blades. The wolf screams in agony and claws the ground. He pushes himself off the ground with his arms, knocking the coywolf off, and rolls on his back. Bonan pounces again and tries to drive the knife into him. Shiloh holds out his hands and grabs the coywolf's wrist. His blocking attempt works only for a few seconds. Then his strength gives out. Bonan drives the knife into him and slashes. The slash goes from one collarbone to the next.

Shiloh punches his nose and reaches up to gouge his eyes. His hands are shaking but his thumbs find their mark. Bonan shouts in pain and reaches to force the wolf's hands from his face. He drops the knife and climbs off, vigorously rubbing his eyes. Shiloh rolls away from him; he is basically retreating from the fight. He has been severely weakened if not irreparably damaged.

Bonan spends the next couple of minutes shouting curses and rubbing his eyes. When he is satisfied that he has scraped away the last of the grains of sand, he opens up to see Aleph staring at him. He is pressing on his left shoulder and shaking his head in disapproval and disappointment. "You idiot."

Bonan shakes his head. "What? He's happens to be very strong. I haven't had a fight this long since--"

"I saw all that! You slash like a girl! How could you miss the carotid? How could you miss the neck entirely?!"

Bonan scoffs away the reproach. "Well I did more than you at least." He slowly climbs off his knees. "Sure, he's not dying fast enough, but he will die. I mean, he's completely hopeless. The only person here to help him is Aurora, and I left her in that structure over there. Everything is all right."

"Where's the knife? I'm going to finish him off."

As Aleph passes him, Bonan grabs his left arm, the same arm that was shot. Aleph shouts and doubles over in excruciating pain. Bonan scoffs again. "No you won't, brother. The enemy is bleeding to death, but so are you. We need to take you home."

"He's still alive!"

Bonan grabs Aleph and holds him in a forceful embrace. He traps his brother's arms, forcing their eyes to meet. "If you care about him dying so much, let's just go home and summon the red ones! Send them after the intruder. But our fight is over. Take your shirt off."

Aleph reluctantly obeys. Bonan takes it and rips it into two strips. He tries his best to tie off his brother's shoulder and stop the bleeding. He shakes his head and strains under the effort. "Damn. I don't know how to deal with bullet wounds. Maybe if the colony knew more about firearms, we'd be more prepared."

Aleph growls. "Are you blaming me for something?"

"Oh, nothing. I just thought you'd see the folly in the 'no guns' rule by now." He ties as tight a knot on his brother's shoulder as he can, then starts to lead him to the saloon. "I found his gun earlier. I now regret tossing it."

Aleph growls louder. "I regret nothing. Our ways are impeccable and they save lives."

"Yeah, yeah." He puts a hand on Aleph's right shoulder and they walk together away from the incapacitated wolf. It takes a couple of minutes longer than it should have with the coywolves nursing the injury, but they eventually make it to the saloon where Bonan last left Aurora. They get to the open front doorway to see the coyote lying peacefully on the floor, withered and knocked out.

"Serves her right," Aleph says.

"You can walk on your own, right? I'll carry her back with us." Bonan enters the saloon and takes her in his arms. "I mean, I was gonna leave her here, but you love her too much."

"For better or worse, she's part of our family. Besides, I'll tame her soon enough."

It takes about ten minutes, Aleph wincing the whole way, before they see the first tent. Upon seeing the commune, they pick up the pace. Aurora shifts in Bonan's arms and even moans a little, but she does not open her eyes. They pass the tent that Clio is in and a couple of others before they see Aleph's tent. Before they get there though, they pass one more tent. Bonan manages to look through it and tsks at the sight.

Aleph stops to see what his brother is looking at. Inside the tent is the mature female, Xanthippe, lying on her back. She is sleeping in between the red coywolves, Benin and Enugu. They are all naked, their legs are tangled, and their hands are on her privates. They are sleeping so close together that it looks like the female is laboring to breathe. Everything inside just looks so cozy.

Aleph is not pleased. He sticks his face inside the tent and yells, "Wake up!" He seethes in pain and fury as he watches the lovers scramble. Xanthippe gasps and pulls up the blanket at her feet until her breasts are covered. She remains seated while the red coywolves each stand and nervously look at their leader. Bonan sighs and closes his eyes.

"What the hell is this? Are you an elite fighting duo or just a couple of drunkards on vacation?!" He walks forward until he is barely in the tent. He folds his arms as he looks at his naked bodyguards. "It's damn near seven o'clock. You two should be awake sooner than this. Now, listen to me. There is a stranger near our camp. My brother and I have dealt with him, but I've been injured, so we've had to return. I need you two to go after him and finish him off. He may already be dead. In any case, bring back the body so we can prepare it." He clears his throat and calms down as he backs himself out of the tent. "He went up North. Just walk a few minutes, then follow the blood trail."

Aleph walks away, leaving an angry Bonan looking at the trio. He and Xanthippe trade angry glances. "Stupid whore!" he yells.

He follows Aleph to his tent. Still carrying Aurora, he gingerly steps inside. Unlike the other coywolves, Aleph and Bonan sleep on cots; there are two of them in this tent. Aleph sits on the left one, soothing his shoulder, while his brother places the coyote on the other one. "There. My arms are free."

"That stupid woman is turning my fighting force into a couple of mice." Aleph winces as he stretches himself on the cot. "It's a wonder I'm not dead now."

"Actually, you chose to leave with Aurora. If you had awakened them, this wouldn't be happening."

"I wanted us to be alone."

"Well, now you've got your wish. I'm going to make breakfast."