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The news soon spread throughout the pack and the new couple were met with various congratulations. It was a thing he never experienced before so it made Steele feel rather awkward but with Mince by his side he was able to endure it. Everyone seemed so happy, but Rodger secretly felt distraught. Sure he was happy for his friend, but the elkhound was worried that Steele spending so much time with Mince would leave no time for him... That very night he refrained from climbing in the malamute's bed, Mince had already taken up that space. Rather, Rodger made himself comfortable near Halftail and Tiny, enduring their hushed arguments until he fell into an uneasy sleep.

It was a quiet night until a bout of screaming nearly scared everyone out of their pelts. Rodger was tossing and turning, his breathing was heavy when cries of horror didn't erupt from his whimpering form.

"Oh gods...he's doing it again," Halftail groaned, rising to his paws and taking heavy breaths. He and Tiny looked at the whimpering elkhound with a mix of concern and light annoyance. "This is what? The seventh time?" Why was Rodger tormented so?

"What's going on?" Steele asked, jumping to his paws. "What's wrong with Rodger?"

"He is having one of his nightmares" Mince elaborated "We need to get Connor and fast."

Steele turned to the husky "You go, I will stay with him." Mince didn't argue and took off.

The malamute got closer to Rodger, "That won't help...we tried." Halftail said, but Steele was following his instincts and this felt right. He stopped the elkhound from tossing, then laid down with him and hugged himself close, if he could make Rodger feel his presence...perhaps it would at least help a little. To Tiny and the bear-dog's surprise Rodger's breathing slowly became less labored, his cries ebbed into small whines and by the time Connor had arrived they had utterly stopped.

"It's alright..?" Tiny asked purplexed. "Just like that? It was never that easy before, truly Steele must be someone of extraordinary calibur. Truly he is fit to be our leader."

"Thanks," Steele grinned, starting to see a subtle charm in the theatrical akita's wordage. "But I didn't do much." The malamute hadn't thought his action would be this effective, nor at all.

"On the surface it may look that way," Connor said, stepping into the room and leaning down to look Rodger over. "I told you, you are much more talented than you think. You've managed to do something that even I sometimes have trouble handling." It very much reminded him of a particular friend he once had.

Slowly, Connor scooped Rodger up and held him close to his own body. "I'll watch over him. The rest of you should get some sleep." however the elkhound unconsciously whined out for something that suddenly went missing.

Connor sighed "Steele...I might have to ask you to come with me. He seems to need your presence to calm down." The malamute didn't mind that, if he could ease whatever troubled Rodger he would do it.

"Okay" Steele agreed and turned to Mince "You keep those two in line while I am away."

Tiny perked up. "H-hey!" he said, offended.

Mince sighed, he understood the need, but he dreaded taking up the leader role after hardly a day since he put it down, even if only temporarily, but thankfully it would only be for a night. "Alright, see you tomorrow...make sure he is okay." He turned to the bear-dog and akita. "You heard Connor, nothing more to see. Let's just go back to sleep..." Thankfully they were too tired to argue.

Steele kept close to Connor as they ventured to his room. Small sounds came from Rodger, some calm and others a bit panicked. "Poor, Rodger. I can feel that he's been through much...but there is no telling of the exact details... "

Steele said nothing as the 'human' continued. "This is why I cannot abide by the humans. It takes a special kind of cruelty to cause this to such one so innocent as Rodger."

They reached the door to the werewolf's bedroom. He opened it and allowed Steele to step inside first. Once on the other side of the door, Steele watched as Connor stepped in and placed the whimpering canine on his bed. Carefully, Connor stroked the elkhound's pelt, making small, gentle motions, enough to calm Rodger but not to wake him. Waking him from one of his nightmares was...he would never do it again, not after that night. He had to shift into his true form to subdue Rodger, one of the most shameful things he had ever done, mercifully Rodger didn't remember what happened. Clearly, the elkhound was no normal canine. There was something...more to him, but not like Steele. He couldn't quite explain it. There was something within the elkhound, he could faintly feel it. But whatever it was, the force was malicious, as if fighting against the body it was within. How he wished the shaman of their kind was around right now, he would know what to do.

Next to him, Steele looked to the sleeping hound with as much concern. The malamute could feel something within Rodger as well. But he wasn't sure what it was in the least. But as his friend winced, Steele could feel something stir within the elkhound.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Steele asked, looking at Connor.

"I could only guess, I lack the power on my own to scry it. There were those who could see into the heart of our kind, but I lack such an ability," Connor admitted.

"Is there any way I can help?" Steele asked, making Connor gasp. He looked to the canine and Steele met his gaze.

"I know there's something you're not telling me...again. You keep saying that I'm special and I remind you of days past... I'm starting to think you mean that literally," Steele admitted.

Connor sighed and nodded. "Indeed. I didn't want to say anything until I could confirm it. But I am certain to carry the latent blood of my kind, Steele. Haven't you ever noticed that you accomplish what others struggle to do with ease?"

Steele took a moment to even comprehend what Connor had just told him. Wait...was that the reason? He had always just thought it was his intense training and discipline that he was put through from the moment he was able to walk. A dog that was a cut above the rest, the shining example...

Steele shook his head and huffed, now was not the time to think about such things. "If that's true then that means, there might be a chance to help Rodger if we work together right? You said you lack the power on your own. What if I somehow help you?"

Once again Connor was shocked, but also proud of his canine comrade. Willing to do so much just for the sake of his friends. Time and time again, Steele reminded him of his good clan-mates. "Alright, but you must focus. As neither of us are proper shamans, scrying into the hearts of others will not be easy for us. It will take a toll on you but you must brave through. For Rodger's sake."

Steele let Connor lead, the human shed his base form, growing and becoming covered in hair. In his haste, Connor tore through another set of clothes. But as they had more important matters, Connor ignored that. Steele watched as the werewolf closed his eyes, put his hand gently on Rodger's head and spoke in a language that was neither canine nor human but somehow sounded like a mix of both. He wondered where he would come in and then Connor placed his other hand on his head. In an instant Steele felt as if he was being drained, the room around him was spinning and his legs threatened to give out. But the words of Connor came back to him, he had to be strong and endure it for Rodger.

"I-I...I can't pierce his veil...he is resisting me...Steele, I need to send you alone into his mind...search for the disturbance, I know you can feel it. I will hold the 'gate' open as long as I can," Connor explained.

Suddenly the room bled away, replaced by a strange dark world. Strange instruments lined tables with restraints built into them. Somewhere in the distance Steele heard screams of agony. This...this was what Rodger dreamed of?

If Connor's words were true then he needed haste, he ran toward the feeling and it felt more and more acute and began to feel as if it burned against his face as he got closer. Braving onwards through the pain radiating through the very air, Steele was soon in a room. Bright lights were overhead and many men were gathered around a table. Some were holding something down while others were holding objects; syringes, pliers, and needles already prepared with stitching wire. But it was the substance inside of the syringe the commanded Steele's attention. There was something...familiar about it.

"Soon, men... Man's best friend will soon become their greatest achievement," a distorted voice came from a man cloaked in a while lab coat. "Incredible strength, speed, and durability... All in such a tiny body..."

Steele did not like what he was seeing, but when he turned the door he had entered was gone. Was this a memory? Or just another nightmare vision?

"Think of all of the potential...hidden...in this..." The man's voice became increasingly distorted. "Blood" was the last word the malamute heard before the room began distorting as well. Steele booked it out of there though an opening he suddenly noticed.

Gone was the strange place, it seemed he was in some sort of a cave, a long tunnel and what he sought lied at the end of it.

Whatever Steele had expected to find, what lay at the end of the tunnel was definitely not a pond of...boiling blood?! What sort of madness was this? It had an aura like Connor did, but it was lashing out at him instead of enveloping him. Gritting his teeth Steele pushed back with his iron will.

"Calm down!" he commanded and slowly the bubbling, sizzling blood buckled under the pressure he put on it. Panting heavily, Steele sought to make sense of where he was and why this would lie in Rodger's mind. There was something important that he needed to understand more...blood...it somehow centered around...blood of all things.

Wait! Blood! In an instant Steele was reminded of the strange substance within the cloaked man's syringe. It called out to him, as if he knew what it was, on the tip of his tongue. Was the boiling red before him the same substance that had been loaded into the needle's chamber?

Blood that had an aura like Connor's... Could it be? But the werewolf had said they were all gone... It shouldn't be possible...but little else made sense. Perhaps he could...soothe it?

Steele suddenly felt a force begin to tug at him, gently at first but slowly more intense, trying to draw him out. He didn't have much time. Concentrating he tried to do as Connor had with him, trying to envelop this...entity...with his presence. It certainly wasn't easy, the aura was pulsing, as if it was alive and extremely angry.

Seeing as it was not working Steele snapped, "I get it! They took you, placed you here! But all your rage is hurting my friend! So..." Steele snarled "STOP IT!" There was a stir around the canine, a 'wind' that picked up and swirled. It came together and forced a blurry shape of a werewolf. It's shape was similar to Connor but with distinct differences.

"The humans have disturbed my rest... Using my blood that they stole long ago to harm the innocent. My fury will burn eternal, like my stolen blood!"

Oh for heaven's sake...a mad spirit!? Clinging to his friend? That explained the elkhound's sudden mood swings at least...

"I understand you are angry. But you're making my friend suffer, just like those humans you hate did," Steele explained, trying his best to keep his patience.

"Oh...you must be one of their little pets then...come to suppress-"

"Don't you fucking dare accuse me of being in league with the monsters who hurt Rodger!" Steele cut him off. The spirit didn't say anything for a while, seemingly taken aback.

"Rodger is free now. You are free now. If you just let go of your anger you can rest like you want to. Rodger doesn't want revenge, he just wants to live in peace with his friends," Steele snarled.

"Hmm...and what if I refuse...?" The spirit's voice was strangely flat.

Steele blotted his teeth, "Then you better be ready for a fight!" The spirit's response was unusual, a small amused huff.

"You remind me a lot of a friend I had..." Now Steele was confused "So strongly protective of his friends...hmm...very well moonblood, I shall do as you bid." Before Steele could ask what a "moonblood" was, the spirit was gone. The blood pond stilled, lifting from the cave floor in a vapor cloud that wooshed from the cave, leaving the malamute all alone.

'Have you done it, Steele?' a voice in his head called to him.

"It...It's done!" Steele nodded. At least he hoped he had. No sooner had he said that did the pull on him suddenly yank him off his feet with a surprised yelp and drag him into the tunnel.

Groggily Steele opened his eyes and found himself back in Connor's room. He didn't want to do that ever again if he didn't have to, not only was it exhausting but who knew trifling with angry spirits could be so...annoying. But Connor gave his head a series of gentle pats.

"You did it," Connor smiled. "But what was it?"

"Believe it or not," Steele huffed. "Some humans found werewolf blood and used it on Rodger. Somehow the blood awakened the spirit of the werewolf it belonged to and he certainly wasn't happy about it."

"Hmm..." Connor mused. "The spirit follows the body... Humans, never a low they won't stoop to..." The werewolf stood tall, trying to hide his true anger. One of his own, used for experimentation on a fellow canine...to awaken a spirit from rest they had to have done something utterly monstrous.

While Connor was seething Steele checked on Rodger, he finally seemed to be sleeping soundly. "Hmm...Steele...please..." the elkhound muttered in his sleep. "Please don't go...I...I need you." Steele could feel the hints of a blush creep into his face. He placed a paw on the elkhound's chest and Rodger grew a small smile.

"At least Rodger won't be tormented by the spirit anymore," Steele mused. "Although, the blood will likely forever be part of him." Those words alone were enough to make Connor want to punch the wall. Dammit...why...he hated being this powerless. With a sigh Connor got onto the bed, it had been a very draining evening. Steele joined him on the other side of Rodger. Like he had many times before, the elkhound pressed close to the malamute.

"I..I just.." Rodger muttered in his sleep "Wanna be with you..." he sighed longingly and fell silent.

Connor chuckled, "He really seems into you, you know?" 'Darn it,' Steele thought, he would never hear the end of this, but...he wouldn't deny that he felt some sort of...connection to Rodger beyond the were-blood inside him. And it was obvious that the elkhound was rather fond of him, he saved his life after all... But what about Mince? The two of them were already a pair... All this thinking finally took its toll on the tired malamute. Before he even knew it he had drifted off to sleep.