Chapter 19 - Redgate

511 A.R. November 2, Train, Morning

"Attention, this is the last stop before Redgate," The computerized voice announced.

I looked out of the window and caught a glance of another train pulling into the station. It was big but had a sleek cylindrical look to it and was decorated with colorful feral types of animals in sprint. The train slowed to a stop and hovered over the tracks as gripping arms reached out and grabbed hold of it.

"Next destination, Redgate, departure in three minutes," The computer announced.

"Just sit over there dear..." A soft female voice said.

Something shuffled into the seat next to me and I turned my head to look back into the cabin. I couldn't see anything at first but then glanced down as I caught sight of a small human girl that looked up at me with a stunned expression.

I tried not to bare any teeth as I spoke up and made a friendly smile, "Hey there."

"Hi..." The small child whispered.

I glanced up to the other side of the cabin and saw the mother, a female hybrid cat who was busy placing an even smaller child in one of the seats.

The mother glanced back and met my eyes as she made a slight smile, "Good morning."

I nodded, "Good morning."

The mother motioned to the small girl, "That's Annie, she hasn't met many wolves."

I looked down again and extended my hand to her, "Nice to meet you Annie, I'm Vilkas."

Annie gulped and then reached out as she grabbed two fingers on my hand and shook them, "Hi."

"Ever been on a train like this?" I asked in a soft voice.

Annie nodded, "Yeah, every week."

"Oh, really?" I answered.

Annie made an excited smile as if proud, "Yeah, dad works at Redgate so we visit every week."

"Attention, the train is departing, doors closing," The computer announced.

"Uh huh," I answered as there was light lurch as the couplings holding the train released, moments later the train began to accelerate.

Annie looked up high and met my eyes, "You're really big."

I couldn't help but smile at the comment, "Yeah, but I'm a big softie on the inside."

"Are you going to Redgate to work on the wall?" Annie asked.

"Just visiting a friend," I answered.

"Acceleration phase, stay in your seats," The computer announced.

The train entered a tunnel and the interior lighting of the train brightened while the tunnel shifted to a dull orange hue, I felt the acceleration increase as I was pushed back against the seat.

"What do you work with? Are you a police wolf?" Annie asked.

"Not yet at least, I'm studying at university."

Annie fetched a small digital pad from her pocket and held it up as she motioned to the background, "I want to be an engineer like dad and a wolf like Norma."

I cocked my head and focused on the pad, it depicted a comic scene featuring a female wolf hybrid exiting a wrecked spaceship on an alien world, she had a gloving visor covering one eye and wore a light suit of armor.

By the bottom of the image was a title, 'Norma Starchaser - Beyond the veil'

"How exciting, is it a good comic?" I asked as I realized something.

The manipulation of the social fabric in Sophos was subtle in a way, yet it stared everyone in the face.

We formed stereotypes, role models, and part of that worldview was based on the heroes of our age, explorers, scientists, builders, valiant defenders. They were good role models yet the bias was clear as humans were an unwanted anomaly to society.

What worried me was what would happen when the adult human population became more than a nuisance, would they be wiped out in a secret purge with the population none the wiser? Or would they be pushed so far to the sidelines that they would fade and die to become nothing more than a footnote in history?

Annie looked tense all of a sudden and stared me straight in the eyes.

"Something wrong?" I asked in surprise as my ears folded back.

Annie seemed to hesitate for a moment and then pointed at the window, "I want to look out the window..."

"Oh, uh, all right," I said as I leaned back in my seat.

To my surprise Annie stood up on her seat and leaned over, I supported her with one hand as she stepped onto my legs and leaned against the window.

I turned my head to the window in wonder but saw little more than the rock-face of the tunnel. Then, without warning, the train entered a huge cavern filled with activity.

It looked like a major depot and there were large tracks and heavy machinery that were busy prepping trains. What caught my attention though was the cargo itself.

There were huge railguns that were as big as the train itself while far longer as well as rows upon rows of large drones being prepped for transport.

I found myself plastered by the window side by side with Annie as she looked deep into the cavern with interest. Few living creatures could be seen other than a few moving figures inside what looked like a control center built into the cliff-face.

It made me wonder what kind of platform that could house such large weapons and number of drones. The walls? A mobile fortress? A spaceship of some kind?

Whatever the case they weren't secretive about it.

511 A.R. November 2, Redgate, Midday

I felt rather lost as I descended deeper and deeper into the maze of a city that had truly blended the underground and technology.

Displays along the walls showed information, news, the status of the wall and security notifications while a complex rail system ran underneath my paws as it delivered goods and machinery.

Redgate was a bustle of activity as human children and hybrids of all sorts marched to their destinations while the steady announcements of the expert system coordinated and relayed information.

It was far from what I was used to, no open sky, trees, wind, fresh air, and no way to untangle oneself from the shackles of society by leaping out the nearest window. My heart began to thump a little as the corridor felt cramped with the noise, scents, and confusing architecture that lacked landmarks to navigate by.

It frayed on my nerves as i moved away from the crowd and sought solace by an isolated corner near one of the digital displays. I exhaled and my focus fell on the display for a moment, it showed a dome-like cave converted into a bath-house.

'Apollo's Hot-Spring Bath-House | Private baths available from 100 credits an hour'

My anxiety settled but to my surprise I felt a presence cut through everything else. A signal, an entity, something that was neither sound, sight, or smell.

It reminded me of the mindscape but it felt different from the presence at the hotel, this was a beacon of some kind and it called to me.

I glanced around in an attempt to pinpoint the location, it worked and I could feel the signal shift in my head as my attention was drawn to the escalators that would bring me deeper into the city.

My curiosity led me on as I started walking and headed down another floor in search of the beacon.

The corridor grew wider and then opened up to reveal one of the main sections of the city. It was a sprawling cave with strong lights in the roof that illuminated what looked like a city center.

It was dominated by fruit trees, open green swaths of grass as well as a large black obelisk that hummed with the presence that had beckoned me to come here.

A residential area had been built into the rock wall like layers of a cake and seemed to total 500 hundred homes.

I marched through the green flats and fruit trees until I found myself standing in front of the big obelisk. It hummed with a pounding presence in the background as I reached out and touched the obsidian surface.

A spark hit my arm as I felt my mind pulled into the underlying fabric of Sophos. The scale of it was immense and it ranged all the way from the trains, to the city, and it didn't end until the very edges of what constituted the wall.

My arm grew numb and I could feel the flow of information as the maze of the city began to make sense. Manufacturing, power, life support, agricultural, residential area, restricted areas, vast databases and archives.

Volkov seemed to be brimming with excitement and I could feel him pulling at the datalink like having found a treasure trove. I found myself more cautious but couldn't resist as Volkov pulled us deeper and deeper into the link until we stumbled upon something that made Volkov stop with a screeching halt.

We were inside the systems of the wall itself and it felt like a giant overshadowing the horizon, it noticed us, it saw us, and it turned its attention toward us.

The presence of the system approached and I could hear something akin to pistons and a stampede as my eyes went wide with worry.

_Pull back... pull back! PULL BACK! _

I tore my arm from the obelisk and stumbled back with enough force to send me crashing to the ground with a pained yelp as my tail was squished.

"Are you okay?" A male voice asked.

I got on my knees and rubbed my aching tail as I glanced back and caught eyes with a male Belgian Malinois dressed in a blue police uniform. He was big for his size but smaller than a wolf like me.

"Yeah, just a bit overwhelmed by the obelisk," I answered as I got on two legs.

The officer glanced up at the obelisk with a curious expression, "Huh?"

"I'm not used to the mindscape, that's all," I said.

The officer, "Oh, right. I've never been able to use this one."

"Why not?" I asked in curiosity.

"New protocol stack, I'm too old to use it even with support hardware."

"Oh, sorry about that," I answered as I face him.

The officer made a bemused expression, "Don't worry about it, we've all had our time to shine, need some help?"

I touched my head and gave myself a moment to gather my thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm here to visit my friend, he's supposed to live at-" My voice trailed off as I realized that I now knew where the place was.

Section C1, central square, Floor 3, Apartment 76...

I glanced up at the residential layers built into the bedrock and wondered if it was Volkov who helped me or if that brief encounter with the obelisk had downloaded a map into my head.

"Uh?" The officer asked in confusion.

"Nothing, I just realized I knew where the place was on my own."

"You sure you're all right?" The officer asked.

"I'm fine, the mindscape just rattled me for a moment."

"All right, take care..."

"I will, thank you," I answered as the officer waltzed off once more.

I took a breather and then set off once more. Five minutes later I was standing in front apartment 76 and was reading the list of who lived within.

'Hector Caplin'

'Ericha Caplin'

'Nathan Caplin'

'Peter Caplin'

'Carla Caplin'

My ears perked in surprise at the realization that there was a fifth name, Peter had mentioned a sister, but never a brother. I sniffed the air and caught the distinct scent of three wolves, a bear, and a human, it clung to the door handle and it wafted from a small gap in the door along with the smell of cooked food.

I pushed the doorbell and waited, a male voice spoke up followed by another that overruled the first.

Moments later the door opened as Peter glanced out, "You were supposed to call when you got here..."

"Oh, I guess I forgot, the obelisk in the plaza really helped out so I found my own way here."

"The obelisk?" Peter asked in surprise.

I raised my brow and motioned to the tall obelisk in the background, "You never noticed the big obelisk in the center of everything?"

Peter didn't have time to answer as a bigger wolf loomed over him and almost forced him through the door. The foreign wolf was gray for the most part but had had a pattern of black and brown hues across his face, "I know your scent! You're Peter's alp-"

Peter growled and gave the wolf a harsh shove in the chest, "Back off Nathan!"

Nathan made a bemused grin and returned the shove with enough force to push Peter into my arms. I caught him and stumbled back while Nathan chuckled and returned to the apartment.

"Are you all right?" I asked as Peter glared at Nathan's back as he disappeared from sight.

"Just fine," Peter answered as he stood up once more.

I leaned in by his ear and lowered my voice, "You never told me you had a brother."

Peter's ears flattened a little as he glanced back at me, "Yeah, guess why."

A new set of footsteps approached and I glanced ahead as i saw a large bear come around the corner.

She was almost as tall as a full-grown wolf and looked a bit bulky as she approached with open arms and sniffed the air, "You're Vilkas aren't you? Come on inside."

Peter looked a bit sour as he stepped inside and motioned to the bear, "This is my mom Ericha."

Ericha walked up to me and offered her hand, "Nice to meet you Vilkas."

"Nice to meet you Ericha," I said as I caught her hand.

"We're making dinner, would you consider joining us?"

I glanced over at Peter who made a slight nod moments later.

"I'd be glad to," I answered with a smile.

"Wonderful," Ericha said with a pleased if rather intimidating smile as she turned around and headed back to the kitchen.

I leaned in by Peter once more, "You didn't tell them I was coming?"

Peter made a light sigh and whispered, "I had something else planned for us."

"Oh..."

"Never mind, you're here now and I'm sure my dad wants to meet you."

Peter started walking and I followed into what looked like the living room. The place had a large screen on the wall, a big curved sofa, memorabilia and a huge table near a window that housed what looked like a miniature city.

Standing by the big table was a wolf that equaled father in size, he had some gear on his head and what looked like a Waldo glove on his hand. A miniature robot was climbing one of the towers in the miniature city and seemed to be making adjustments with several small but flexible tool-arms.

The big wolf glanced up with one eye and noticed my presence, his ears perked in surprise as he removed the gear and put it aside before approaching the two of us.

Peter motioned to the wolf as he approached, "This is my dad, Hector."

Hector's nose flared as he sniffed the air and stepped up to me, "You're Vilkas I take it?"

"Yeah, nice to meet you Hector," I said as I raised my muzzle to exchange scents while offering my hand for a shake.

To my surprise Hector seemed anything but pleased as he reached out and grabbed my hand.

His grip started to tighten... and tighten until the squeeze turned to pain, I squeezed back in an attempt to keep up the pressure but it did little to help as he was far stronger.

A pained whimper escaped my muzzle before he finally stopped and let go while I glared at him in wonder of what the hell was wrong with him.

Hector made a slight grin, "Just messing with you pup."

"Yeah, real funny," I said in a dry tone as I pulled my hand back and massaged it.

"You're not a wuss at least, that's a good sign," Hector said with a huff as he walked past me as he left the room.

"Did I do something?" I asked in wonder as I looked over at Peter.

Peter's ears clamped to his head while his tail grew slack as he met my eyes, "No, I think it's some kind of rivalry between our dads."

The miniature city caught my eye as I stepped closer. It didn't look like anything that belonged in Sophos as the architecture had far too much flair to it, not to mention that most of the buildings were skyscrapers with wildly different designs.

"Don't touch it or dad will be furious," Peter said.

"I wont. Is it based on a real city?" I asked.

Peter nodded, "Yeah, some human city I can't remember the name of."

There was a great amount of detail to the city, especially on the top floors that even seemed to contain furniture and fake plants in the big offices.

I glanced back at Peter, "So what's the deal with your brother?"

Peter glanced away, "I'd rather not talk about, not here at least."

I brushed shoulders with Peter and nodded, "All right, just asking Peter."

Peter made a slight if forced smile, "You seem to be taking this rather well."

"Just trying to figure out what's going on here."

"Mm. Dinner's ready," Peter mumbled as he motioned to the kitchen.

I followed Peter's tail to the kitchen that housed a large rectangular table with 8 seats.

The human child Carla was already seated but seemed preoccupied with a digital pad in her hands. Nathan and Hector joined her moments later while Ericha set a large pot roast in the center.

The strange atmosphere only grew worse as Ericha joined the rest of the family on one side of the table while leaving the other empty for me and Peter.

Peter and I sat down on the empty side of the table while I began to wonder if the strange behavior was somehow rooted in my status as alpha of the pack.

Still, why didn't they even have the common courtesy to exchange scents?

The family began to pile their plates with food while I decided to wait my turn as Hector glanced up.

"So you heard the call of the obelisk?" Hector asked.

How did you know?

"Yeah. Why?" I asked.

"Just curious," Hector said.

I took a moment to focus on the scents of the room, Carla's scent was simple and human while Ericha's was neutral and difficult to decipher for some reason.

Hector carried the marker of a beta and was rich with the scent of a mature wolf. As usual though there were a whole load of markers and subtle tinges in the scent that eluded me.

Ericha motioned to her mate with a slight smile, "Hector is an expert with solid state lasers, that's why we've been living here at Redgate for the last few years. I'm a turbine specialist myself."

I glanced over at Ericha and nodded, "I see."

"Tell us a little about yourself?" Ericha asked.

"I study back home, a program called HTS, History, Technology, Society."

"Apart from that?" Ericha asked.

"School activities, this and that, making sure everything is ready when we leave for the Defense Force."

Hector wiped his muzzle with a napkin, "Yes, I heard that you had a team going,"

"Yeah, we're teaming up with a local Frostwolf pack."

"Frostwolf huh, I also heard that their pack took the alpha position for the team?" Hector said.

"That's right."

"Why?" Hector asked.

"... They had experience I lack and I trust the alpha of their pack to be a neutral leader for the team."

"And you're not?" Hector asked.

I frowned but struggled to hold my emotions in check as my hackles itched, "I consider myself fair and balanced but sheer experience pushed things in his favor."

Hector kept his eyes focused on me, "I see, and the beta positions?"

"I took one of the beta spots for the team," I answered.

"And the other one?" Hector asked.

"We haven't decided yet."

"I take it you'll do your best to appoint Peter?"

What the hell is your problem?

"That depends of course..." I answered.

Hector's eyes narrowed, "Does it?"

"I trust Kato to be a neutral leader for the team, but both packs need representation."

"... Uh huh. Have you made contact with many other clans, relations are important you know?"

"Not yet."

Hector chewed his food in silence and swallowed while maintaining eye contact with me.

"Why not? As alpha its your responsibility to-"

I interrupted Hector, "I'm sorry, but did I do something to offend you?"

Hector's ears perked, "No, why do you say that?"

"Just a feeling," I answered as my neck tensed.

Ericha sighed, "My idiot of a mate is testing you, he wants to make sure that our son has a solid alpha."

Hector looked over at Ericha in an instant and frowned.

I focused on Ericha as well and spoke up, "Well I'm doing my best and Peter's my trusted beta, we make a solid team and I'm proud to have them all as packmates."

Ericha made a warm smile and seemed to ignore her mate, "Good. Give Hector a chance, he's usually very charming, he's just decided to act like a complete ass for some reason."

"Ericha," Hector said with an irritated tone of voice.

Ericha looked over at Hector, "I know dear, but as you said, relations are important and right now you're souring your relationship with another pack alpha, our son's alpha, so stop."

Peter stood up all of a sudden and began to march out.

"Peter!" Hector exclaimed as he turned to look.

"Excuse me," I said as I got up and followed Peter.

Peter was fuming by the time I caught up to him, his ears were folded back, his hackles had risen and his tail lashed in anger.

"Peter?" I asked as I followed.

"I'm leaving, you coming?" Peter asked with a sour voice.

"Of course," I answered as Peter threw the front door open and marched out.

I followed his tail down the stairs and into the central park before Peter finally stopped by a few fruit trees and made a loud snarl of anger. Moments later he calmed and drew a deep breath as he glanced back at me.

"Sorry... my family can be real jackasses at times," Peter said with a tired sigh.

"A bit of rivalry between our fathers, an urge to protect you, a bit of resentment that I took the position as alpha, I can understand it even if I don't agree with it."

Peter rustled his body as his hackles and fur relaxed and fell into place again, "Yeah..."

"You okay?" I asked.

"Just frustrated... and angry."

"Do you have somewhere we can go?" I asked.

Peter glanced over, "What did you have in mind?"

I made a slight shrug, "How about some wrestling and a lot of growling?"

Peter seemed confused for a moment but then made a pleased smile, "I'm up for that... and I think I know a place."

511 A.R. November 2, Redgate, Evening

We were both gasping for breath as we stopped for a moment. My heart pounded, my muscles ached, and the snow had given way to the point where we were surrounded by black dirt.

I was on top at the moment but the position didn't matter much as our focus lay on the mangled fruit in our hands. It was strange how fun this kind of thing was, and how powerful it was as a relief valve for the troubles that had soured our mood.

"Shall we call it even?" I asked between gasps.

Peter made a mischievous smile for a few moments but then nodded, "Yeah."

I let go of the mangled fruit and Peter did the same moments later, it rolled of the hill, picked up pace, and then came to stop half buried in the snow.

Peter reached out and touched my chest as his eyes kept looking at mine, I knew what he wanted and the inviting edge to his scent confirmed it.

"Is this place safe?" I asked.

Peter glanced up at the sky, "We need to be underground in twenty seconds if the alarm goes off."

It wasn't worth the risk and I leaned back as I put my urges aside. Peter joined me shoulder by shoulder moments later as we faced the world around us.

I looked up and focused on the sky, it was cloudy, gray, almost foggy and there was a strange foul scent in the air, "What's wrong with the sky?"

"Smog," Peter answered.

"Smog?" I asked.

"Great clouds of pollution from the human cities, that's why we grow everything underground around here."

"Is it dangerous?" I asked.

"To children, they're not supposed to be up here and breath this air, it won't do anything to us though... other than cling to our fur and make us stink like this."

"And the humans, they live in this shit?"

"Yup," Peter answered with a nod.

I raised my head once more and focused on the gigantic tower that loomed over us. Lights along the surface faded in and out with a steady glow, while large orange letters formed the words 'Sentinel 378'.

The enormous tower reached even higher than the wall and drone platforms could be seen jutting from the back of the tower while the front had a barrage of turrets, laser domes, and foreign hardware that I couldn't identify.

A constant whisper could be heard in the air and I got the feeling that a mindscape field permeated the area.

"Can you hear that?" I asked.

"Hear what?" Peter asked.

"The tower, it's emitting a mindscape field," I asked.

"You mean that high pitched whine?"

"Maybe, I think so."

"Does it sound different to you?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, it's like a link to the mindscape but I can't connect to it for some reason."

"You seem to know a lot about it," Peter said.

I leaned against Peter and observed the cloudy sky as flakes of snow began to fall, "Not really, but that obelisk was like a gigantic data-link. I even think some of it got stuck in my head."

"How so?" Peter asked.

"I know the districts of this place and I think I could find my way around despite never having been here before."

"You downloaded the city maps into your head?"

"Something like that, we could try sharing it."

"How?" Peter asked.

I reached for his hand, "Take my hand."

His padded hand touched mine and I initiated a link, in an instant I felt the presence of his mind next to mine.

'Can you hear me?' I thought.

'Loud and clear.'

I thought of the city, the floor plans, the obelisk, and the vast sensation as I had connected with the obelisk. It felt instinctual on some level as I felt a buzz flow through my arm.

Peter's eyes grew wide as his muzzle opened in surprise.

'Too much?' I thought.

"What?" Peter asked out loud.

"What do you see, feel?" I asked.

"I can see images and stuff... from the city."

My arm began to ache and I figured that was enough as I cut the connection and flexed my arm.

"That was strange," Peter whispered.

"Yeah, did you learn something new?" I asked.

Peter nodded, "It's strange and diffuse and I knew this complex was big... but I didn't realize the sheer scale of it. I can almost imagine it like a map in my mind..."

"I don't have any fine control of it yet but... we can share data like files on a computer."

"Yeah, creepy, but amazing."

"Imagine what this does for soldiers, you arrive at a place you've never been to before, moments later you know the place like your back-pocket, you could transfer codes, layouts, updates, everything."

"Yeah," Peter whispered as he stared into the distance.

The hill we were sitting on evened out the closer it came to the wall while the dirt and snow turned into solid construction and large hangar doors by the look of it. Any snow that touched the concrete seemed to melt at once and drained away which left a clean slate.

The wall itself was a tall gray monster formed like a castle wall with towers. Large tracks were affixed to the towers and spanned the wall while a stripe of color and ID marks identified the individual segments.

"What are the tracks for?" I asked while pointing at the wall.

"They have this huge shield that moves along the back of the wall, it folds over to cover the front and provides a safe area for drones and hybrids to work on the wall."

"I see, and all the hangar doors?"

"Turrets, drone bays, missile launchers... if someone were to break through then they can collapse an entire block and leave a gaping hole behind."

"Has that ever happened?" I asked.

"Not that I know of," Peter answered.

"What does it look like on the other side of the wall?"

"Well... I've just seen the archive footage, but there's basically a neutral zone that stretches for a couple of kilometers. Beyond that the human cities start."

"That close to the wall?"

"They've gotten used to us not firing any further than the neutral zone so they build right up to the very edge of it."

"But why? That sounds insane."

Peter shrugged, "Maybe they don't have the space? Maybe they decided to use civilians as a meat shield?"

"They're that cold blooded?" I asked.

Peter raised his brow, "I've heard stories that they send trucks full of people sometimes, we blow them up as they pass the neutral soon which in turn creates headlines that paint us as monsters."

"So why do we fire on them?"

"We need to maintain the border, besides, we've made it pretty clear over the last few centuries that anything entering the zone without authorization gets blown sky high. Besides, what are we supposed to do? Let them drive up to the wall? Settle? Try to capture them?"

"So it's just a twisted PR stunt from the humans?"

"Yeah, from what I've understood the Dyssian's use us as a threat to control their own population."

"I see."

Peter leaned onto me as we both watched the dark skies move above the huge wall. The scene was bleak and depressing but impressive in its own way as the snowflakes soared against the towers.

I glanced over and noticed that Peter was staring at the ground deep in thought.

"So why the long face?" I asked.

Peter was about to answer when a shiver of unease trailed down my back, a mere blink of an eye later the large sentinel began to blare with an alarm as the wall came alive with a thunderous roar.

The guns of the sentinels opened up and the turrets began to move while Peter bolted off the ground in an instant and dragged me with him. A horrible shriek combined with thunder could be heard as the ground lit up with a flash of light as the towers fired at something beyond the wall.

We sprinted to the nearby bulkhead, ran inside, and began to descend as I heard a loud explosion in the background.

The bulkhead shut behind us while lines along the wall glowed red as a warning. By the time we reached the first subterranean level the red warning lights faded, turned to yellow and then switched to green.

Peter was still holding my arm in an iron grip as he slowed down and glanced back at me.

"You've got reflexes like a cat," I said with a smirk.

Peter gulped and made a slight smile as he let go of my arm, "I'll take that as a compliment."

"What do you think that was?" I asked.

"A tank? Some old heap of junk they sent into the neutral zone, you never know but you can't risk staying topside."

"Yeah. So what do we do now?" I asked.

Peter pondered it for a moment, "We... oh..."

"What?" I asked.

Peter made a mischievous smile and motioned for me to follow, "Come on, I'll show you something."

Minutes passed as we descended deeper and passed both bulkheads and gangways until we were surrounded by the deep hum of machinery while the temperature kept dropping for every level we passed.

"Are you sure we're going the right way Peter?" I asked as we descended another set of stairs.

Peter glimpsed back and made a toothy smile, "It's a shortcut."

"Where?"

Peter marched along and entered another gangway as he answered, "You'll see."

"Uh huh," I murmured as I searched my mind for an answer.

It felt like Volkov handed me the answer on a plate as a detailed map unfolded in my mind's eye.

"We're heading to one of the hangars, aren't we?" I asked.

Peter glanced back once more, "You figured that out from your handy map, didn't you?"

I picked up pace and joined his side as best I could, "Yeah, I did. What does it feel like to you?"

"The map's fuzzy but I've lived here for over a year so it was easy as pie to piece together."

CLANG!

Metal struck metal and the sound reverberated and echoed through the corridor, Peter froze and I bumped into him as our ears perked and searched for the source.

The gangway was suspended in what looked like a large maintenance shaft. It differed from the usual kind though as the walls themselves consisted of tightly packed machinery and piping.

Small screens and indicator lights bathed the area in a gentle glow of colors like a prism splitting light.

The light only reached so far though and created stark contrasts as darkness covered the depths of the underground metropolis.

"Do things usually fall apart around here?" I whispered.

"... No, then again, I've never been in this section before," Peter answered.

We resumed walking along the twisting corridors until we reached a bulkhead that had an ID reader as well as a title in bright orange, 'Inner Core Section 378'

"What's the policy when it comes to these places?" I asked.

Peter made a slight shrug, "If its restricted then we wont get inside."

I stepped up to the reader and extended my hand to it, the tingle of a localized mindscape field danced over my hand before the bulkhead unsealed and opened up.

The area beyond the bulkhead seemed far more open compared to the cramped maintenance tunnel and I could far enough into the distance that it seemed to fade into blue fog.

"This place is huge," I whispered as I stepped inside.

Peter joined my side, "Can you feel the vibrations, magma harvesters."

I glanced over at Peter, "I guess that's one way to gather all kinds of materials."

"Yeah," Peter answered with a slight smile as his breath turned to fog.

"How do they keep it so cold if they're harvesting magma down below?"

"I'd bet my mom kno-" Peter's voice was cut short as his eyes went wide "There's someone over there."

I looked ahead and my eyes caught on another segment with a gangway of its own, standing in the background almost cloaked by darkness was a humanoid outline.

The being seemed to stare at us and it reminded me of Ares avatar.

"A robot?" I asked.

"Probably, someone has to maintain this place," Peter answered.

Without warning the being bolted off to the side and ran across the gangway, a chill ran down my spine as I watched the being move with a gait that seemed far too fluid to be a machine.

"That's not a robot..." I whispered as the being sprinted down a corridor and disappeared from sight.

"What do we do?" Peter asked.

"We call someone, do you have your phone?" I asked.

Peter fetched his phone and was about to speak up when his ears perked, "That's strange."

"What?"

"No connection... that's not supposed to be possible down here," Peter murmured.

The presence of a weak mindscape field permeated the area and I reached out to connect with it. To my surprise the connection felt like a brick-wall that actively refused my connection.

"I can't do anything with this mindscape field, we should get out of this section and inform someone."

Peter nodded and the two of us turned around to head back, we had merely taken a step when the lights near the bulkhead cut out and cloaked it in darkness.

"Oh shit..." Peter whispered.

I rushed up to the bulkhead and held my hand near the ID reader, to my dismay the indicator was dead and the localized mindscape field was long gone.

"We're trapped in here," I said as I glanced back at Peter.

Peter glanced back toward the gangway where we had seen the intruder, "Wh... what now?"

"Do you have any idea what the 'inner core' is Peter?"

Peter shook his head, "No."

"Why haven't you ever been here before?"

Peter scratched his ear with a nervous smile, "It's not on any maps..."

I sighed and stepped up to Peter, "If we're lucky this is just some kind of prank to teach us a lesson."

"And what if it isn't?" Peter asked.

"Something is obviously leading us along... so I'd prefer not to consider the alternative."

"Yeah."

I took the front and started walking, "Only one way forward."

The shaft we were walking through descended once more and brought us into some kind of giant transformer station bathed in a blue glow.

Large arrays of current transformers were lined and packed inside shielded modules of some kind of transparent glass. The modules were connected to the walls and a gigantic manipulator arm had been built into the roof. Bubbles rose from the transformers and made me realize that the modules were filled with liquid.

The hum of the machinery was like a deep bass inside my chest and the air seemed to grow well below freezing the deeper we wandered. The outline of a warped shadow moved in the distance and made us freeze in place as we watched it disappear from sight once more.

"Vilkas..." Peter whispered.

I took a deep breath, "If it turns out to be stronger than any of us... run, try to get help."

"This isn't how I imagined this... we were going to visit the hangar, go for dinner in town, rent a hotel room, enjoy ourselves..."

I glanced back and couldn't help but smile a little, "Oh?"

"I didn't mean to hide my brother from you and I didn't tell my parents you were coming because... for once I wanted your attention for myself."

"Any other confessions?" I asked with a sheepish smile.

"No... well... maybe... but let's save that for another time?" Peter asked with a slight smile.

I looked in front once more and drew a deep breath, "Yeah, besides, there has to be a far more efficient way to kill us rather than toy with us like this."

"How comforting," Peter answered.

"Do you remember the signs Kato taught us?"

"Of course," Peter answered with a nod.

I made a sign for Peter to follow and then started walking once more.

The layout changed once more and opened up to reveal a large area shaped like a checkerboard. The room was filled with large identical machines that looked like oversized spark-plugs.

There were four corridors leading out of the place and Volkov was quick to serve me another nugget of information as I realized that the right path would lead us out of this section while the one straight ahead would take us to the hangar Peter had aimed for.

I made another sign indicating that we were going right as I crouched and eased my claws off the floor to make myself as silent as possible. Like hunting a deer we skulked along the humming machinery with our eyes and ears perked for the slightest sound or movement.

My heart thumped but skipped a beat as another shadow danced across the room. The numerous lights emitted from the machinery made it difficult to pinpoint the source so decided to rely on my ears and nose instead.

To my confusion and slight horror I could neither hear or smell anything apart from the metal and incessant hum and electronic noise in the room.

I did not appreciate being prey, it put us at a distinct disadvantage and it felt like someone stroking my fur the wrong way.

It's better to run with my tail between my legs rather than end up dead...

The mere thought changed things in an instant as I was reminded of another kind of duty.

Whatever our opponent was it became clear that it was both silent and scentless. It made me cling to the machinery for cover as I moved in stealth along the pillars toward the exit.

Peter stalked my tail in silence while I peeked around the corners and observed the walls to catch a glimpse of our opponent.

There!

The outline of a shadow differed from the others and I watched the lights to figure out the source of the misaligned shadow. Our enemy was a mere three pillars away but didn't seem to block our exit.

I glanced back at the wall for a moment to check on my own shadow, to my relief the crouched stance hid my outline well in the shadow.

Did it know where we were? Was it waiting? Could there be more of them?

I sidestepped and moved over to another pillar as the shadow moved once more. My hand made a sign for Peter to stay while I crouched in an instant as I followed the movement of the shadow.

It approached and I felt myself tense up as my body with warmth, I felt trapped, but it also made me desperate, dangerous, and I wouldn't hesitate to bite and claw to my last breath if need be.

The shadow seemed to glance around in search of us and then started moving back once more.

I raised my head and caught sight of it. It seemed to be wearing a high-tech suit in charcoal black and the shape of its body and armored face-mask made it clear that it was human rather than a hybrid.

The suit itself was formed like scales and I could see them shift and move without the slightest noise as it turned its back to us and searched the room.

Some sort of backpack was built into the suit and it seemed to be the source of several tendrils that flowed into its legs, arms, and neck. In its arms was a rifle and attached to the hip was what looked like a sheathed saber with some sort of cable that connected to the backpack.

I made a sign for Peter to move while I kept an eye on the suited human. Peter moved past in silence and stopped by the next pillar as the suited human disappeared beyond a pillar.

My eyes focused on the shadow still cast on the wall as I readied myself and made a sign to Peter.

Peter began to move toward the exit while I rose to follow suit as the shadow snapped around started moving in our direction.

I motioned for Peter to stop but it was already too late as the suited human caught sight of him and stepped into plain sight as it raised the rifle and aimed at him.

My body reacted without thinking as I leaped forward and used both arms and legs to help me pick up speed.

"RUN!" I yelled out as I launched myself at the suited human.

The soldier turned and faced me while trying to bring its rifle to bear as I caught a good look at its face-mask. It was layered in metal, sensors, and it was engraved with a strange weave of patterns that seemed to have a fondness for crystalline structures.

I reached out with my arms and aimed to grab hold of its rifle while I opened my maw to bite down at whatever proved viable. To my utter surprise the soldier seemed to become like nothing but air as I flew right through and crashed to the floor with a pained grunt.

Hologram!

I bounced up in an instant, leaped to cover and then glanced out across the room. The hologram was nowhere to be seen but it was possible it had been nothing but a decoy.

"It's... not real?" I heard Peter whisper.

I looked to the side and saw Peter crouching by a nearby pillar as he scanned the room with eyes like saucers.

"Careful, it could be a decoy for the real one," I whispered.

Without warning three exits shut tight and left only the path we had entered through.

A trap?

Whoever was playing with us hadn't had enough as the lights in the room brightened to the point where all the shadows were banished while the noise of a loud battle filled the air.

Several loud thumps like that of exploding bombs made me cringe but the earth itself didn't seem to shaking which indicated that it too was fake.

Rushed footsteps approached the room and moments later the suited human came running into the room as if fleeing. I was ready to strike in an instant but remained in place as the human ran up to the left bulkhead and started searching for something.

"What the hell is going on?" Peter exclaimed.

I ignored Peter for the moment as a second set of footsteps approached the room. A huge wolf clad in green and padded defense force armor moved into the room with a rifle at the ready.

The armor of the wolf was torn by the shoulder and there were several bloody gunshot wounds along the chest.

"FREEZE!" The huge wolf yelled out as he took aim at the back of the suited human.

My ears perked in surprise as the voice sounded familiar, it made me focus on the head of the wolf and the armored helmet that covered both face, muzzle and most of the ears.

The visor was transparent and bright yellow eyes and the fur pattern of a gray feral wolf could be seen.

"TURN AROUND!" The wolf yelled.

The suited human turned around and raised its arms while holding the rifle to the side.

"Throw your weapon to the ground!" The wolf demanded.

Loud bangs from above and a constant rumble told of an active battle above ground as the human threw its rifle to the side.

"You're sealed in, more are on their way, the rest of your squad has been captured, you can't win, surrender!" The wolf said with a sharp snap.

The suited human remained frozen like a statue and didn't say a word.

"Why are you here? Why now? The Empire has had plenty of opportunity to strike before," The wolf asked.

"..." The suited human didn't react.

The wolf made a frustrated but ragged growl as he took another step closer, "Must be pretty embarrassing, elite soldiers of the Empire, chased down and cornered like filthy rats."

Once more the human soldier didn't move or even seemed to breathe.

"Can't speak?" The wolf teased.

The wolf stared at the opaque visor of the suited human, "Fine, have it your way. Get on the ground!"

The suited human moved a little and the wolf jumped in surprise before steadying his grip on the rifle.

What is he so scared of?

The suited human knelt and was about to lay down as a pop was heard. Something had opened in the backpack and a small projectile of some kind flew up. Blinding light filled the room and I could hear the suited human bolt forward while the wolf fired.

A pained grunt followed by a loud snarl could be heard as the two clashed while the light faded and I squinted to see what was going on. The suited human was in the process of a leaping strike and now wielded what looked like a black sword with a green edge that burned like a plasma torch.

The sword hit the rifle and cut through it like butter before slamming into the wolf's arm and helmet. It cut through flesh with a loud hiss and a flare of fire but met solid resistance as it struck bone.

It seemed to catch the suited human by surprise while the wolf made a solid fist and struck the head of his opponent with the force of a sledgehammer.

A loud crack was heard while the suited human was thrown back like a rag-doll and slammed into one of the pillars before tumbling to the ground in a heap.

Crimson blood dripped from the wolf's arm while a seared burn had cracked and blackened the front as well as visor of the helmet. The wolf made a pained groan and then tore the helmet off while my eyes widened in surprise as I recognized the patterned layers of fur.

Father?

The suited human rose once more and turned to face father, the large face-plate had cracked and pieces of it fell to the ground while a steady flicker of blue light emanated from the cracks.

"You'll pay for that!" Father growled as he glared daggers at the suited human.

A click was heard as the face-plate released its locking mechanism while the human reached up and removed it.

Sharp features, bright pale skin, stark blue eyes, and long flat hair that seemed pure black yet reflected a deep purple. Most striking was an intricate tattoo that weaved its way along the forehead like a crown.

The elf-like human had an unearthly and cold stare as he lifted the blade and reignited the sharp green glow of plasma.

Father sniffed the air while his stare turned from anger to wonder.

"What the hell are you?" Father asked.

In an instant the suited human launched forward and swung the blade, father leaped to the side and took cover by one of the pillars as the blade struck. Sparks danced and the air crackled as the blade left glowing scars in the pillar.

Father stumbled back over and over as the burning edge came closer and closer as the human swung the blade with both finesse and speed.

I rose in fear as I watched father being herded toward the corner of the room while the elf moved in for the final strike.

Father was alive and well but my senses made me want to cry out as the elf grabbed his blade with both hands and readied a piercing stab.

Father hit the wall and the blade followed as it pierced him straight through the heart. The blade made a searing sound and fire flashed from the wound as father made a short but pained cry.

The cold and distant expression on the elf began to change into a smirk as father's face distorted with pain and horror.

I was stunned and then confused as something changed with father. The pain faded from his expression and his dark lips curled up and turned into a pleased and malicious smile.

The expression of the elf changed into something akin to surprise as father wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into what looked like an embrace.

GROWL!

Father opened his maw, angled his head, and then snapped his jaws shut around the throat of the elf.

The eyes of the elf shot wide as the jaws clamped around the armored turtle-neck, he strained and flailed but it did little to help as father bit down. The armor seemed to creak and whine for a moment before giving way as the elf made a pained wheeze and sputtered.

CRACK! POP! CRUNCH!

Bone crumbled and flesh tore as blood flowed and dribbled onto the floor while the elf twitched and gurgled. It flowed along the suit of armor and began to pool by the legs of the elf as it caught my attention.

The hue of the blood was a dark purple rather than crimson red.

Moments later the elf stopped moving and its head bobbed to the side at an impossible angle as father let go.

The elf fell to the floor in a pool of its own blood as father stumbled forward and clutched his own chest as he pulled the sword out.

A resounding clatter could be heard as the sword was dropped to the ground while father sank onto his knees and made a deep sigh. Rushed footsteps could be heard in the distance as the grand illusion ended and everything was restored to normal.

Moments later the bulkhead leading out of the zone opened.

511 A.R. November 2, Redgate, Night

We had just stepped through the door as I heard Peter's stomach growl and whine, it was as infectious as a yawn and I felt my own gut protest with hunger as it repeated the noise.

Peter glanced back and made a slight smirk, "Hungry?"

"Yeah, scared to death one moment, hungry the next," I answered with a slight chuckle.

Peter motioned to the kitchen and I followed suit, to our surprise there was a large plate with meat from the pot roast waiting for us on the table. It was wrapped in plastic and there was a note on top.

'Eat up pups.'

"Your mom?" I asked as I got seated by the table.

Peter patted his abdomen, "Yeah, mom likes food and we look like twigs to her."

I glanced down at myself as I answered, "Not what I'd call a twig exactly."

"Well you're not round either, bears are like bodybuilders, hefty, strong, a bit round on the gut and they're able to survive for years by hibernating if need be."

"While we're the powerhouse that needs to cool down once in a while," I said as I sat down while Peter began to unwrap the plastic.

"Exactly," Peter said as he began to eat from the plate with his bare hands.

It felt a bit naughty but joined in as I began to stuff myself on the tasty roast.

"Was that... your dad?" Peter asked between mouthfuls.

"Yeah," I whispered.

"What do you think that was?"

"Is Ares known for pulling this kind of stunt?"

Peter shrugged, "I have no idea, he's supposed to control the wall but I've never interacted with him."

"Mm," I murmured.

"So what do you think of Redgate?"

"I don't mean to bash the place but... it doesn't fit my taste."

Peter glanced up and swallowed, "I agree, this place is a work area, not a place to raise kids. People work here because the pay is far above average and the stores are subsidized."

"I saw a bunch of children on the way here," I remarked.

Peter nodded, "Yeah, but most of them are only here to visit. Me and Carla are exceptions."

"So how's your little sister dealing with it?"

"She manages and spends most of her life through the web, sometimes she's away for weeks in order to be with her friends."

"Still looking to be a feline detective?"

Peter nodded and made a warm smile, "Her whole room is full with various versions of what she wants to look like."

"I guess it must feel pretty good to be that sure of something."

"Yeah," Peter answered.

The sound of claws clicking on the floor made us both look as Nathan walked up to kitchen entrance and looked at us. The wolf was about Kato's height but didn't look as massive.

"What?" Peter asked with an irritated voice.

Nathan focused on Peter as he frowned, "Running out like a butt-hurt whelp, real nice Peter."

Peter stared at his brother with something akin to hatred but refrained from saying anything.

"Behaving like a prick, real nice Nathan," I answered on Peter's behalf.

Nathan's ears perked as he glanced over at me, "Don't butt in stranger."

"Fair point, but you guys could use a lesson in manners," I answered.

Nathan seemed stunned for a moment until his ears folded back while he bared his teeth, "The hell are you saying?"

"Not even bothering to share scents, interrogating guests, pestering your little brother, I'd expect better from someone who claims to be a wolf."

Nathan's lips twitched, "Watch it, you self-righteous little shit."

Peter gripped the table and growled while his eyes burned with hatred, "Fuck off Nathan."

To my surprise Nathan seemed to hesitate and then moved back a little, "Calm down will you... I didn't come here to fight."

"So what do you want?" Peter asked.

Nathan opened his muzzle but then seemed to change his mind as he made a dismissive wave with his hand and walked out without a single word.

511 A.R. November 3, Redgate, Morning

Peter shifted in bed and turned around as he faced me.

"Morning," I whispered.

"Get any sleep?" Peter asked.

"Some, the food helped knock me out."

Peter nodded, "Yeah, same here."

I sniffed the air to catch his scent but was reminded of the rather distinct scent of metal, machinery, and oil that still clung to us like a parasite. It was an annoying and rather filthy smell that made me long for a bath.

"So what's this thing with your brother?" I asked.

Peter made a slight sigh, "I hate him."

"Hate?" I asked.

"Fine, I don't hate him... I just resent him for something he said once."

"Wanna talk about it?" I asked.

Peter looked me in the eyes, "Not really, but I guess an explanation is in order after what you saw yesterday."

"I'm all ears Peter."

"My brother and I have always been rivals of some sort, we get on each others nerves but it was manageable. He got his symbiont, he changed, and I got my test scores from Athena, they were in the gutter... that's when my brother's cruel side decided to show itself."

"What happened?"

Peter gulped and looked as if he was struggling, "... He told me... that I shouldn't be a wolf, that I wasn't cut out for it, that I'd be better off as a grass-muncher in a cubicle somewhere. It hurt something awful and I could tell that my parents were starting to agree with him."

Peter sighed and continued, "They all came with me to SYNE and we looked at all kinds of hybrid types that were known to be easy on the psyche. I was so angry..."

"So what happened?" I asked.

"As I told you before... Athena came to my rescue. It's strange how a machine was capable of understanding something my own family couldn't."

"I don't think they did it to hurt you," I said.

"I know, but they did hurt me. It cuts deep being told that you're faulty, that you're not cut out for something. I watched my brother get everything I wanted... while I was being denied it... hatred like that is like a poison, it'll rot you from the inside out."

"Yeah," I whispered.

"Pathetic... isn't it?" Peter whispered.

I leaned and wrapped my arm around his waist, "Would you stop that. We have problems, we deal with them, we learn from them, and we move on. Thanks for telling me Peter."

Peter made a slight smile, "Yeah."

"I don't know your family, but could I give you some advice?"

Peter nodded, "I'm listening."

"Your brother may have taken the wrong approach yesterday but I think he's trying to make up in some way. He's changed just like us and his instincts must have gotten a lot stronger over the year. Try to reconcile your differences and give it an honest try, get up close, exchange scents, invite him to play."

Peter frowned, "You have no idea how much pain he caused me."

"Tell him that when you've made up, make him realize how much he hurt you. But someone needs to take the first step, and that could be you Peter."

Peter relaxed and made a slight sigh, "I'll... do that. It'd be nice to bury the hatchet."

I made a warm smile nuzzle his cheek, "I saw an ad for Apollo's bath-house earlier. What do you say we celebrate your birthday there? My treat."

To my surprise Peter leaned in and planted his lips against mine, my eyes went wide as I felt the gentle kiss followed by a slight lick of his tongue against my nose.

"I'd like that," Peter answered with a bright smile while his tail thumped against the bed.

A strange sensation filled my chest as I held onto him, we were pack-mates, friends, we had sex on a regular basis, but this... something more... it made my gut tingle while part of me wanted to flee.

I sat up in bed and looked to the door, "Shall we go?"

"Too much?" Peter whispered.

"Huh?" I asked as I glanced over.

Peter joined my side on the bed and reached out to fetch his shorts, "Nothing."

The two of us got clothed, and then made our way out of the room when Peter veered off, "Just need to visit the bathroom."

"All right," I answered as Peter entered the bathroom and shut the door.

Mere moments had passed when I heard the click of claws and glanced down the hallway, to my surprise Hector was approaching and his eyes were focused on me.

"Morning Vilkas, do you have time?" Hector asked as he stepped up to me.

"Hi Hector, sure. What's on your mind?" I said.

Hector motioned for me to follow as he kept walking and entered the living room. I followed and joined his side as he walked up to the miniature city on the large table.

"Your city is very impressive," I said.

"Thank you. It depicts Tel-Adra one of the UCS trade cities," Hector said.

"They sure go for a lot of flair," I said as I looked at the patterned decor, large monuments, statues, and grotesques that decorated the buildings.

"Yes, the humans expend a surprising amount of resources on these things. Quite silly when you consider their short lifespans."

"Maybe it's their way of leaving a mark on the world?" I said.

Hector chuckled, "Maybe, but one would expect it to last longer if that was the case."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been working on this one for about a year, it's already out of date and it keeps changing at a pace that I can't keep up."

"I see."

Hector glanced over and met my eyes, "Things got out of hand earlier and I didn't mean to be so abrasive."

"Is it the rivalry between you and my father, or do you just believe that I can't take care of my pack?"

Hector smiled as he looked back at the city, "Interesting choice of words, 'my' pack."

"It is 'my' pack, I took the position as alpha and the others back me up, until that changes it's my pack."

Hector frowned as he glanced back at me, "You're just like your father."

"I consider that a compliment," I answered.

"Has Peter told you?" Hector asked.

"Yes, his troubles at school, his test scores, Athena's guidance leading up to this point."

"He must have a lot of faith in you."

"Faith is a strange word to use in this instance. Peter is not blind, we fought, I explained, he made a rational decision, he evaluated me and now supports my leadership. Trust has formed between us and It has nothing to do with faith."

"It's also obvious that Athena has had an influence on you," Hector said.

"Maybe."

Hector walked over to the edge of the table and fetched a rectangular package wrapped in brown paper, he then stepped up to me and held it out.

"What's that?" I asked.

"It was delivered here this morning, addressed to you, rather strange considering you've just been here for a day."

"Oh," I whispered as I reached out and took the package.

Like Hector had said the packing slip was addressed to me and had the apartment as destination.

Hector looked a little suspicious and cocked his head as if expecting me to open it.

"Do you have any idea what it is?" I asked.

"No, but I am rather certain it has to do what you and Peter were up to last night."

"Uh huh."

"Well?" Hector asked.

I glanced up and met his eyes, "I'd prefer to keep that to myself at the moment, but I'll leave it at Peter's discretion to tell you if he wants."

Hector drew a deep breath, "Very well."

"Sorry, I know it must seem insulting to be lectured by someone as young young and inexperienced as I but I take my job as alpha seriously and I need to know what I'm dealing with before talking to others."

"In other words, you don't trust me?"

"Should I? We haven't even exchanged scents and you almost crushed my hand earlier."

Hector's ears folded back and he seemed to grow stunned by my words as he leaned back in silence.

"Peter is a good and capable person who I trust dearly, you should be proud of him and I'm glad to call him pack-mate. We may have gotten off on the wrong paw but I hope we can fix that?" I said as I extended my hand to him.

Hector glanced down and then nodded as he took my hand, "So do I. I'm sorry about my behavior earlier. You're a good wolf Vilkas, just like your father... and I am proud of Peter."

I inched a bit closer and leaned up with my muzzle and waited.

"Oh, right," Hector said with a slight smile as he caught the hint and leaned in.

Our muzzles touched by the side as we caught each others scent, something settled into place and I felt myself relax as I brushed my nose into his fur and caught the raw scent.

We let go and leaned back moments later while Peter walked into the room, "What's going on?"

I looked over at Peter, "Just making peace, shall we go?"