Preparations

"Well, may I still say that that trip was a waste of time, my Lord?" asked Sierra. The teleportation portal just closed behind them, and now the vampire party stood in the magnificent entrance hall of one of Valentine's mansion.

Valentine laughed. "No. I found it was quite...educating."

"Really?"

"Yes." answered Valentine. "Come on, let's get something to eat." Sierra nodded and followed Valentine to the left door leading to the huge dining room. The two guards pushed open the doors for them to reveal a huge, white, wooden grand table. Twenty chairs stood on each side, with the head having taller wings and backrest.

A maid was standing inside and she bowed when the Valentine entered. "May I serve dinner, my Lord?" she asked, still bowed.

"Yes. Please." said Valentine. "What are we having for dinner though?"

"The kitchen has prepared Golden Goat cheese salad with fresh lettuce and cherries and truffle mushrooms for starters." answered the maid. "For the main course, we have dragon meat steak and crystallized fish from the Werber mountains. And desert is white cake with gold leaf and parfait made from the Duset strawberries."

"Hmm, okay." said Valentine thoughtfully.

"I...is there something not to your liking, my Lord?" asked the maid frantically straightening up. "Just give the word and I'll immed-"

"Add some Sherry champagne to the menu, Mafi." said Valentine with a smile.

"Huh? Er...yes. Yes, of course. At once, my Lord." Mafi the maid quickly rushed out to the wine cellar and Valentine went to sit at the head of the table. Sierra chose the seat to his right and and sat down too, longingly looking at the Vampire-Lord.

"What's wrong, Sierra?" asked Valentine suddenly. He'd been staring at the grand chandelier hung from the roof and Sierra hadn't realized Valentine had noticed her staring.

Sierra went red. "Er...noth...nothing...my...my Lord." she stammered.

"You're clearly flustered." said Valentine. He looked down and locked her with his black eyes. "You're bothered about what I said at the village, aren't you?"

Sierra shamefully looked down.

Valentine snapped his fingers and waved his hand at the guards standing inside. They bowed and left the room, leaving Sierra and Valentine alone.

"You think I don't trust you." said Valentine softly.

"No! No...it's...it's not." stammered Sierra still not making eye contact.

Valentine suddenly reached out, pulled Sierra towards him and kissed her. She almost squealed in shock, then felt him on her lips and melted into ecstasy, her eyes shut.

After a few seconds, Valentine let go and pulled out of the embrace. Sierra, now even redder and flushed than before, looked down, too embarrassed to look at Valentine's face so close to her's.

"I do trust you, Sierra." said Valentine quietly. "I don't think that you'll lose control like you did then. I know you've worked hard to get your emotions in control...I know you'll listen to me."

Sierra looked up. "Then why didn't you let me go to the village alone?" she asked pleadingly.

Valentine grinned. "I wasn't lying to you, Sierra. I went to the village because I wanted to see those werewolves for myself...I wanted to see the pack. More importantly, I wanted to see that Arch Silverback."

"But..."

"If I wanted them dead, I would've sent you for that task and with complete confidence. I didn't go the village with you to keep you in check just in case you lost control, I went with you to show you that I trusted you to protect me and be perfectly in control even when there were so many buzzing insects around."

Sierra looked up again. "R...really? Was that really why you came along?"

"Well, I also wanted to spend time with you. It'd been too long since we'd gone out, and I thought this was another good excuse." said Valentine. "But," he turned a bit somber. "it seems my message was taken the wrong way. I...apologize for that, Lady Voidfire."

"No, no, no!" said Sierra, jumping off her chair and getting down on her knees beside Valentine's. She took his hand. "You going with me was the most joyous times of my life. It's me who should be apologizing for misreading your intentions, my Lord. I...I failed you once, and I thought...I thought you still worried if I would do it again. Forgive me...please."

Valentine smiled and kissed her hand. "I trust you with my life, Sierra. What happened in the past is the past. I won't let it define your future. I know you've changed...and I know why you've worked so hard for it. I...truly feel happy that you are by my side, Sierra. I couldn't have asked for a better aide."

Sierra smiled and it lit up the entire room. "I've missed you, Val...." she said, reaching for his lips with hers.

* * *

Red eyes. That's all he kept seeing. His life was a nightmare. A forest with black trees, a red sky looming above...and those red ruby eyes staring at him from behind every leaf. Theraff ran through the woods, just sick and tired of those eyes x-raying his soul...threatening him. He burst through bushes, crashed through branches, tripped over a rock and fell into a pond.

Theraff shook his head and looked at the water...it'd turned into...blood? It was red. He lifted his hands and watched the red drops trickle down. Who...who's blood is this? He looked back into the pond and saw the those same two red eyes looking back at him from inside...just staring.

"What do you want!?" he screamed as he punched the bloody pond. In new terror he got up and started running again, seeing the same pair of red eyes staring at him from every nook and cranny.

His mind was in tatters...he just wanted to end it...just end the nightmare! Wait! I...I can! I just have to wake up! As soon as those thoughts formed in his mind, the red eyes suddenly appeared a few feet in front of him. For a millisecond Theraff just stared at them, and then they suddenly started rushing towards him. Feeling terror like he'd never felt before, Theraff opened his eyes wide and shot up in his bed with a scream.

Gasping and dripping in sweat, he looked around. He saw that he was in his bedroom...at the werewolf village. The room was in semi-darkness as the thick curtains were drawn, but a little sliver of sunshine still shone through. His breathing started slowing down as the the realization that that was all a dream sunk in. He looked down and saw that he was shirtless, his massive chest still expanding and contracting. With a relieved sigh, he pushed off the white sheet from over him swung his legs to the floor.

Just then the door opened and a beautiful woman walked in. She almost fainted in relief when she saw Theraff sitting up and looking at her.

"You're awake!" she said in a hushed, thankful voice.

Despite himself, Theraff grinned. "Looks like it."

She closed the door and came over and sat down beside him. "I was...I was so worried! So worried!" A tear rolled down her eyes and she grabbed Theraff's massive hand. "Don't do that ever again...please!" she sobbed.

Theraff suddenly felt a pang in his heart...one of pure pain. He pushed her hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek. "I won't ever abandon you." he whispered.

She turned to look at him, her eyes still gleaming with tears and grabbed the hand on her cheek. The two just stared into each other's eyes for a second, and somehow, they found themselves getting closer...their faces...their lips. She closed her eyes as she felt his breath and suddenly the door burst open.

"Mommy!" someone screamed loudly.

Theraff and the woman jumped apart like cats and spun around to see a small, cheery boy jumping on his feet in joy.

"Dad!" screamed the kid. "Dad, you were right! You were right! Uncle's up!"

Sheraff walked in through the open door and spotted Theraff awake. He grinned at his brother. "So, you finally decide to come back to the land of the living, eh?"

"Not that I had much choice." grinned back Theraff getting up. "Couldn't leave my nephew alone like that, could I?" He picked the kid up in his arms and started tossing him in the air. The kid howled in laughter.

"I figured you'd be here, Wennrietta." said Sheraff, turning to the woman.

She got up a little awkwardly. "I...I heard him scream." she said.

Sheraff laughed. "Yeah, I think the entire village did."

The woman shifted uncomfortably while Theraff's eyes darted to his brother's face. Sheraff turned to his son. "Come on, get down. You don't want uncle Theraff to lose all his energy, do you?" he asked.

Theraff put the boy down and ruffled his hair. "Run along, kid. Uncle'll regain his strength and then we'll play." The boy gave a cheeky grin and bolted out of the door.

"I...I'll go make us something to eat." said Wennrietta, following her child.

Sheraff watched her go as Theraff threw open his curtains. "How long was I out?" he asked.

"A day." answered Sheraff, putting a hand on his older brother's shoulder. "You sure you okay?"

Theraff laughed. "I just let my guard down like some cub, that's all."

"Yeah, I'm just glad you're alright, brother." said Sheraff, pulling Theraff closer. "I wouldn't be able to deal with losing you." Theraff joined in the smile but his eyes looked pained beyond words.

* * *

"What now, my Lord?" asked Sierra.

Valentine and Voidfire were sitting in the mansion's study. It was night now and the stars twinkled cheerfully down on Decimandria. Valentine, staring into the dark blue velvet sky through the open window was enjoying every moment of the peace. This is what Decimandria is all about...when the sun out of the sky falls, and from the moon the dark mistress calls.

"Being poetic, huh?" asked Sierra, slowly leaning on his shoulder.

"Heh, you know me, S." Valentine breathed in deeply, inhaling the almost liquid air of Decimandria. "Come on, let's go." he said, turning to the female vampire.

"Huh? Where?"

"The Summit of Led Orien." said Valentine, closing the window with a snap of his fingers.

"I doubt there'd be much left up there, my lord." said Sierra a bit doubtfully. "I sent a team and they didn't report anything out of the ordinary."

"A good investigator listens to what others say, but a real investigator verifies it for himself." said Valentine. "Plus, it'll be a good rendezvous for us, won't it?" he added with grin taking her hand. Sierra blushed a little and nodded.

* * *

"So, what's our plan?" asked Ranfred. He along with Sheraff, Levet, and Theraff were standing on the parapet above the wooden village gate staring into the night horizon. The village behind them was cheerfully lit up with torches and the sound of children laughing and chasing each other could be heard above the cheer of the men laughing in the tavern.

Sheraff closed his eyes and savored the moment. The gentle breeze playing on his face, the soothing night sky above, the sound of a happy pack behind him. Heh, this makes it all worth it.

Theraff was shot a glance at his brother and grinned; he knew exactly how he was feeling. He turned to Ranfred. "To be honest, I have literally no idea. How do we go about finding the ones responsible for the massacre."

The last word of Theraff's sentence brought Sheraff back from his peaceful siesta. He seriously turned around to face the group."We have to find out who benefits the most from this situation. Our peace talks with the vampires went out the window...they lost people, we lost people...who came out on top?"

"I have been thinking on the same lines..." murmured Ranfred. "And I can't think of anyone..."

"I want to believe it was the vampires...but their kind was killed too...it doesn't make sense." said Levet.

"Not that I give a flying rat's ass about their kind being killed." said Theraff with poison in his voice.

The tone made Sheraff flashback to a scene of a massacre over four decades ago. Fire everywhere, people screaming, vampires reveling in blood...and his father being torn apart by seven vampires. He was just a kid then...he remembered Theraff grabbing his hand and dragging him through the forest to escape. I'll make them pay! his brother had said as he ran...in the same tone he had taken now.

"I don't particularly either." said Levet. "But the fact remains that our kind was killed too. Killing vampires? That's just another day in the month for us. But our own pack being killed? That warrants revenge...making them suffer so much they beg us for death."

"Yeah...that's one thing I can never forgive." said Theraff, his voice low, even more terrifying than the spiteful one he'd taken a few moments ago.

Sheraff sighed. "But we are back to square one. What next?" he wondered out loud.

Levet stood deep in thought, his hand over his chin. After a few minutes he looked up at Sheraff. "I might have a lead."

* * *

The teleportation portal burst open with a loud noise in the mansion's study and Valentine and Sierra walked through.

Valek yawned. "Seems like I've been doing even more travelling than usual these past few days." he remarked.

Sierra raised her eyebrows. "You're serious about going to Barfoss?"

"Yep." nodded Valek.

"Why?"

"I have no idea. I...just have this desire to see it again. However, I have some other visitations to other cities to attend to first. I'll get to Barfoss eventually, in a week or two."

Sierra dropped her gaze. Why would Master leave like this? Everything he does, he does for a reason. I'm probably not seeing the bigger picture...as usual. I really am useless. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Valek standing in front of her.

"You still doubt your capabilities." said Valek. "And you think I do too."

"I...I..." stammered Sierra.

"It wasn't a question." said Valek, his eyes steely.

Sierra lowered her head. "Yes."

Valek smiled. "Then to prove to you that I trust in you, I'm putting you in charge of this Woodland Walkers matter."

"M...me?" Sierra looked up worriedly. "Why?"

"I told you, didn't I? I have to divert my attention to take care of some other things in different cities throughout Barfoss. I'll be a bit busy. Only natural the Elder vampire takes over the tasks that I can't attend to personally, right?" Only way you're ever gonna get truly confident is when I remove my presence...when the child has to fend for itself, it grows.

"But I can't possibly-"

Valek cupped her face. "Believe in yourself as much as I believe in you." he whispered.

Sierra stared into those black eyes...their mystery, their aura engulfing her. It felt like they were just releasing knowledge straight to her head, yet also scanning her entire soul. She averted her gaze, unable to bear anymore.

"I...I don't even know where to begin." she said in a small voice. "Without you, my Lord...I...I'm nothing. Without you, I'm back to that same girl in the alley that-" she stopped.

"You might have been her one day," said Valek. "But you are Sierra Voidfire now, the Killer of the Unkillable, the Souls Reaper."

Sierra looked up into those eyes again. For a second their overwhelming aura hit her, but then she sensed the kindness. The shine she had never seen Valek show to any outsider. She slowly nodded. Valek grinned and stepped away. "As for where to begin," he said. "You should start with the silverback; Theraff Longfang."

"Silverback?"

"Remember what he said back at the hut? That he heard our terms for peace at the summit? But his brother said he was supposed to be the reserve party waiting at the foot of the mountain. How did he learn about anything then? If he wasn't there himself, then from some other werewolf who might've survived? Aren't all werewolves from the summit supposed to be dead?"

Sierra blinked.

"Theraff certainly knows something." said Valek. "Find out what."

Sierra was stunned. Now that Valentine mentioned it, she did remember the werewolf saying that. But that information had flown right under her radar and she was sure she'd never have caught on to it if she'd sat down to think for a decade. "You're...scary." she muttered.

"Hm?"

"You're like a black panther; at any given moment you may know everything. Your...your ability to pick up on information...it's scary."

Valek flashed his handsome grin at her. "You don't have to worry about that though."

Sierra smiled. "I know...my Lord."

* * *

"What do you mean?" asked Sheraff.

Levet took a deep breath. "Who benefits the most from this peace between The Order and our pack falling out?" Sheraff raised his eyebrows. Levet grabbed Sheraff's shoulder. "Someone outside of either of them."

"What?"

"We've been blaming the vampires all along, but it is true that they have no reason to set up all this elaborate charade just to declare war on our pack."

"So...?"

"So, we have to consider the possibility that some third party didn't want us to come to terms."

"Er...yeah, that's kinda what I've been saying all this time." said Sheraff.

"But you couldn't guess who?" said Levet with a shine in his eyes. "I think I do though."

"Who?" asked Ranfred from behind the both of them.

"The wendigos."

"Wendigos?" repeated Ranfred.

Sheraff stared at Levet. "You mean that group that moved in a few leagues out west?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Levet. "Think about it. They're the only strangers here."

"Yeah, but what reason would they have to ruin our joining up with The Order?" asked Ranfred, taking a puff from his pipe.

"Maybe they wanted to be the ones who partner up with those bats." said Theraff slowly. "Valentine doesn't form useless allies...we know that much. If he'd had us as his lackeys, he'd have no reason to partner up with the other supernaturals in this area. Maybe they wanted to be the ones who grovel in front of him to get a few humans to chow down."

Ranfred took a long puff from his pipe and released the smoke into the dark night sky, the smoke making the stars twinkle even more for a second or two before it disappeared. "Well, it is true that joining up with Valentine does have it's benefits. He looks after his allies. I'm sure he'd ensure that the wendigos got a more than sufficient supply of humans and crowns if they joined forces with him."

"And we do know that those savages have a problem securing food right now after they wiped out that human village." said Theraff.

"And if we were the ones who Valentine was allying with, that blew out their chance." muttered Sheraff.

"See!?" exclaimed Levet.

"This all still hypothetical." said Sheraff. "We can't possibly go to war with them over such a far fetched guess."

"It's not far fetched." said Theraff. "And we don't have to go to war."

"What do you mean?" asked Sheraff.

"Well..." said Theraff. "How about just us four go the wendigos' village...snoop around a bit and see what they're up to? If we see them trying to cozy up to the vampires, we'll know for damn sure they were involved." Sheraff didn't reply and sunk deep in thought. For a few minutes there was just silence as the other three waited for the alpha's decision.

Finally, he looked up. He looked at Levet's eager face, Theraff's encouraging expression, and then turned to Ranfred. "What do you think, old man?" he asked.

"Well...it is the best shot we have. We have to try something. I don't think there's any harm in seeing if those wendigos were involved." said Ranfred.

"Yes, that's what I was thinking...except if they find us sniffing around their village, they'll get pissed and that'd ensure a bloody battle between us and them." said Sheraff.

"What's that matter?" asked Theraff. "The Woodland Walkers would rip apart those rats with minimum loss on our side!"

Sheraff shook his head. "It doesn't matter if we lose even one werewolf, we'd still have lost a member of our pack. Someone who had a wife, kids, family. People who were waiting on him. Don't you get it? He'd still have been someone who lost his life because we were reckless."

"What're you talking about, pup?" spat Levet, disgusted. "We're werewolves. Werewolves, for crying out loud! We live and die hunting and killing. When did you become such a bitch? There was a time when you were one of the bravest and most daring werewolves in our pack. Now you've just become a small, timid pup!"

The white sclera of Sheraff's eyes lit up green as his pupils shifted to black. The eyes of an alpha. He walked right up to Levet's face. "Call me a pup again. I dare you." he growled in a low voice.

Levet stared defiantly into those dangerous black orbs floating in a green sea. The undying determination, the level of command Sheraff was giving off, and the confident oozing from him that he could tear apart Levet, made him drop his gaze.

"I...apologize. I didn't mean to insult you, Alpha." said Levet.

At the word 'alpha', Sheraff's eyes shifted back to normal in an instant. He stared at Levet's bowed head in front of him and suddenly burst out laughing. Levet looked up, saw the alpha laughing and burst into a laugh himself. Theraff and Ranfred joined in against themselves, and the four werewolves just howled in the night as they stood on the village gates.

Sheraff stopped and turned to Levet. "Bitch, huh?" he asked with grin. "Maybe you're right...maybe I have turned a little soft over the years..."

"I didn't mea-"

"Fine, I've decided." interrupted Sheraff waving his hand. "We're going to the wendigo village. Get whatever you have to get ready. We leave at the first light of dawn."

Levet looked at Sheraff almost gleefully, then nodded enthusiastically. "As you wish, Alpha." he said. "Ranfred, come with me, I need to consult you about a few things we might need."

The two old men turned and jumped down from the tall gate ledge, apparently unperturbed by the height or the fall and walked away into the village.

Sheraff sighed as he stood beside his brother.

"Don't let Levet's words rile you up, little brother." said Theraff in a low voice. "He's...hot blooded and clinging to the past. Back when he was in his prime and us two were the little kids being guided by him...he can't really let go of those glory days."

"Truth is, " said Sheraff. "I was a 'brave and daring' werewolf back in those days because I was always trying to keep up with you. But...after getting married to Wennrietta and having a kid...I slowed down...started thinking life was precious."

Theraff looked sideways at his brother. Sheraff was staring into the millions of stars that twinkled above, lost in thought.

"Am I a 'bitch' for it?" he asked. "Am I too soft for an alpha?"

Theraff didn't reply for a second, then he gave a bark of laughter. "Are you really still this stupid?" he asked. Sheraff turned to him in surprise. "Yes, you've slowed down, little brother... because you grew up. You matured and started using that massive brain of yours more. Your maturity, your ability to think of the pack so much, your selflessness is what made me not take up the alpha's position and give it to you instead. You're strong, wild, ravenous...like any werewolf...but you've got something that's as rare as gold crowns in a werewolf pack: the ability to slow down and assess the situation, think about the future, the pack...that's what makes you an alpha."

Sheraff stared at his older brother in silence. Then he smiled. "Thank you, brother. You're still just the same pillar of support that you've always been to me." He sighed and looked up at the stars again. "Dad...dad would've been proud of the man you've become."

Theraff grinned, grabbed his brother's shoulder and shook it. "Dad would've been prouder of you, little brother." Sheraff laughed.

"Anyways," said Theraff. "I gotta go prepare for this journey." Sheraff nodded and Theraff jumped down. "Don't stay up there staring at the stars for too long, brother." called Theraff as he walked away.

Sheraff grinned and turned around. Always did know me well, brother. All those encouraging words...always. Even now. Sheraff's smile faded. But you didn't say 'slowing down' hadn't made me weaker...