Deeper Shadows

[Tsukikage]

"That's very interesting..." Neo responded. Kage had just finished recounting his strange symptoms... as well as that voice. "But why not ask Mane for help? She's the healer, not me."

"Because you know magic, and my body isn't real, so I figured magic would be the way to go here." Kage replied. "I need to know what's happening to me... and... I think..."
"Yeah..." Tsuki interrupted. "It's happening to me, too."
Tsuki joined the group as they sat by the waterfall.
"A voice, strange pains --" Tsuki echoed Kage's symptoms.
"And..." Kage interrupted, "it was like I was getting hit by every -- !"
He gasped, and the brothers' eyes met. "Like when you get out of range..." Tsuki nodded. "Dad, is there a third?"
Mar blinked. "Third? Of you?!? N-no, not as far as I know."

"But there is, isn't there?" Neo stared into the sky. "You can hear him, and he's not either of you, and he causes you both a great deal of pain, and weakens the power of Tsuki's heart, and Kage's mind. It's not a demon... but... when do these things happen?"

"Well, it happened to me when Rasputin attacked." Tsuki said.
"But what was happening inside you?" Neo persisted, "I need emotions, thoughts, something like that."
"I was... I was scared. More than I'd ever been in my whole life." Tsuki admitted. "Katashi looked like maybe... she felt like she wanted that guy. I thought I might lose Hitoban."

Neo nodded. "I'm going t take you back there; I have to see it for myself. Are you ready?"
Tsuki nodded. Neo licked Tsuki's forehead, and scratched a large circle on the ground. He then brought a leaf, stuck it to Tsuki's head, and pressed his own forehead against it. The circle lit up, and a second later, they were all inside Tsuki's memory...

The scene replayed just as it had happened...
Neo released Tsuki, and the group returned to the present. "Now you, Kage. I need to see it."

After repeating the steps, and viewing Kage's memory, only one word came to mind: "Parasite."
"What?!?" Tsuki gasped.
"A parasite." Neo repeated. "It's not connected to you as Kage is, so it can only hit one of you at a time. Plus, it seems to feed off of whatever emotion you're experiencing, which amplifies it greatly. That's why you got so much more powerful than normal, and why it completely paralyzed you." He looked over Kage for a moment. "Honestly, my guess is that this is Kage's form of your family's curse. Kage lives and dies with Tsuki, thus making him a symbiote by nature. A parasite is similar, but it only takes away from the host, instead of a give-and-take."
Kage glanced away...
"The curse seems to awaken under times of heightened stress -- probably from Kage's anxiousness about being a father. As for why it seems to have a consciousness of its own, I don't know. Perhaps Kage is developing a split personality, and this is it. In which case, there is nothing that can be done. If it is just the curse, then there are ways to deal with it."

Mar nodded. "How are we supposed to know?"
"Starve it." Neo replied. "If it is a parasite, then it most definitely feeds off of strong emotions. You two have to leave this place. Leave Hitoban and Dawn. Get as far away from each other as you can stand. Become completely isolated. Even that won't be enough, because you'll think of them. We have to make you sleep... for a long time."
Tsuki blinked in surprise, while Kage's fur stood on end.
"Let me get this straight," Kage replied, trying not to bare his fangs, "You want to put us into some trance? There's no time for that! Dawn could die! Or the pups! I have to-- agh!"
The others gasped in unison, and Kage hit the ground like he'd been hit in the face. "Hold up, there!" Mar interrupted, "What's this about Dawn and the pups dying?"

Kage picked himself up and recounted the story of the strange flower...

"I've got to see this flower..." Neo said at the end. "Anyway, you leave everything to us -- if you want to be there for her, you need to be whole. You have to go to sleep, Kage."

Mar nodded. "The sooner, the better, from the sounds of it. Parasites tend to make things worse the longer they're inside the host. I'll take care of explaining things to Dawn and Little Miss Hitoban."

Tsuki and Kage nodded, and the group entered the den behind the waterfall...

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn and Little Miss Hitoban

Dawn woke with a start, almost smashing the flower with her paw. Kage, Mar, Neo, and Tsuki were entering the den. She gave the flower a quick inspection, and then looked up at the boys. They didn't look too happy, and Kage looked worse. She became worried. She didn't say anything because she figured that they would speak first. Something was going on, and she still didn't know what it was. She laid her head on her paws, looking at the flower sideways.

[Tsukikage]

Mar blinked and stared knowingly at Dawn, and stood between her and the others while Neo made his preparations. All she could see were several sets of paws, one was scratching out some lines on the floor... and then, she saw a few tears fall from one of the faces behind Mar's huge body.

"Um..." Mar began, uneasily. There was no easy way to say this, and he hadn't prepared himself for it yet -- but there was nothing else for it, now. He spoke softly, but firmly, and looked straight into her eyes.
"We... have to put the boys to sleep for a while." He shifted uncomfortably, but did not look away. "Something's not quite right, and Neo has to figure out what it is, so... I guess there's nothing else to say."

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn sat up when Mar moved in front of the others, and She tilted her head to try and see behind him. She saw paws, and she saw Neo drawing lines in the rock. Then she saw tears. What's...? She looked at Mar in confusion, and listened with pricked ears to what he had to say. Her brow furrowed, and when he mentioned "putting them to sleep for a while," she stood in surprise. A small gasp escaped her, and her eyes darted all around, trying to see past Mar.

Sleep? What do you mean? No, they can't...Kage... She felt tears start to roll down her cheeks, and she took a few steps forward. She turned back around to look at the flower, and then turned back to Mar.

How long will...they be gone? Can't I at least say...goodbye? She cringed at the word. How could this be? She was going to have pups in a while, and she didn't want Kage away from her, even for a day or two.

[Tsukikage]

Mar shook his head. "Regrettably, I don't think it's best if you speak to him right now. They may have a parasite that feeds off of strong emo-"
"I don't give a damn about it." Kage interrupt. He turned and walked right through Mar, and nuzzled Dawn closely. He paused and looked into her eyes.
"Baby," He said, "You listen to me, okay? That flower you're carrying may be important, so you have Neo here have a look at that, and you. I'm not going to explain, but just promise me you'll be here when I get back, okay? I'll only be gone for a little while, I promise."
"Kage..." Mar called to him.
Kage turned his eye to his father and snarled. "Just give me a second!" This could be the last time I see her, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna give it up.
He rested his head on top of hers, and held her against his chest. "I gotta ditch this thing before our pups arrive, right? Oh, Dawn... I bet they'll be as beautiful as you." He began to tear up, and he could start to feel the pain in the back of his skull. "So you hang in there, okay? Dad and Neo... they're gonna fix us up, you'll see."
"Kage." Mar pleaded.
Kage sighed and withdrew. "I won't tell you not to cry, but I wanna see a smile on that pretty face of yours when I wake up, deal?"

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn was about to protest when Kage did for her. He walked through Mar and embraced her, and she could feel the torrent of tears pick up speed. She knew she couldn't say anything-for more reason than one-so she just listened. She listened to Kage, his comforting voice and his promises and requests, and when she was done listening, all she could do was nod. She nodded and she tried to smile for him. She thought about when he would wake up. She would be so happy that he was back. She channeled that emotion, and managed a small, sad smile. As she looked at him, her eyes were a deep, inky blue. Be safe, love.

[Tsukikage]

Kage's green eye looked back into hers. He always felt like he was missing something when he couldn't see into both of her eyes at once, but this time, the feeling between them was clear. "Hehe." Kage grinned, tears streaming down his face. "Neo's pretty good at this magic stuff. I'm in good care."
With one finally nuzzle, he withdrew, walked around Mar, and stepped back into the circle.

What about you, Tsuki? You wanna see Hitoban first? He nodded to Tsuki.
No time for that. He replied, Besides, she needed time to think about things, and --
Cut the crap, little bro. You know you want to.
No time, Kage. Just drop it.
Fine.

"Am I gonna have to ditch my physical form, Neo?" Kage asked.
Neo shook his head. "It shouldn't make a difference. And actually, if it really is a parasite, then separate bodies will make it harder to switch between you two, so stay as you are, if you can."
Kage nodded.
"You guys ready."
Tsuki stared at the water for a moment. He was scared, and Kage knew it, but he was putting on the tough guy act. Why didn't he want to see Hitoban about it first?
"Do it." He said curtly.
Neo took a deep breath, chanted a few strange words, and completed the pattern in the circle. The floor lit up beneath them, and the two males were lifted from the ground, and fell asleep.

Mar looked at his sons, hovering inches above the ground, then at Neo, then at Dawn. Once again, we're in a fine mess...
"Okay, Dawn. Time to deal with you." He said. "We need a look at that flower, if you please."

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn looked from the boys to the flower, then to Mar. She sighed and took it gently in her mouth. She placed it softly on the floor in front of Mar. Just be careful with it, okay?

[Tsukikage]

"Of course." Mar replied. "Neo."
Neo turned and examined the flower for a moment. "It certainly is unusual. I can't be sure if it's connected without running a few tests on it first, with your permission, of course."

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn watched Neo with anxious eyes as he examined her flower. He didn't appear to know anything from just looking at it, and so he wanted to run some tests. What kind of tests? As long as it doesn't hurt it, I don't mind.

[Tsukikage]

Neo looked intently at the flower. "I don't think it'll damage it. Although, I've never done it before. Let me..." He looked around for a moment, looking for something. "Ah! Yes, let me run back to the garden, and run the tests on a rose there, just to be on the safe side. Be back in a little bit."

Without waiting for a response, he dashed out of the cave.

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn watched him go, and once he was gone, she turned to Mar. He must have known the whole story, and Dawn was tired of being in the dark. She wanted to know what was going on.

Mar please...will you tell me what's wrong? Kage has been acting strangely since we were in the forest.

[Tsukikage]

Mar flinched. He knew this would happen eventually. But why do I have to explain everything?!?
He took a deep breath to clear his head before he began. "There's no easy way to say this..." He always hated prefacing things like that... "there's a good chance that either you, or one, or perhaps all of your pups may die. From what Kage told me, you've been feeling tired lately, and... there was a wolf in the forest who said as much. Neo and I are going to do everything in our power to keep that omen from happening. Do you understand?"

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn knew it wasn't going to be good, but she had no idea that is would be this bad. Dying...one of her pups...maybe all of them? She was in shock. As her mind processed Mar's words, she tried to think of how it could happen. A wolf in the forest? How would this wolf know anything about her or her pups? As the realization of what had happened hit her, tears began to stream down her face. She barely felt them. He said they would do everything in their power to keep... "that omen from happening." Did she understand? Of course she did. She understood that there was no chance of her or her pups dying because they would be taken excellent care of. She didn't say this of course because she was busy crying all of her fluid supply out. So, she just nodded.

[Tsukikage]

Mar stepped close to Dawn. "Dawn, I -- I can't tell you everything's going to be alright. There's too much we don't know right now. I don't even know if Kage's mystery-wolf exists, let alone if it actually knows anything. All we have to go on right now is that flower... and..." I saw my son's eyes... he was scared. bad.
"So for all we know, this may be over nothing. But I'm not taking that chance."
He took a deep breath and lowered his big head to her eye level. "You with me? I need you to try and say something, okay? It helps with the shock. Um... ah, have you thought of any names for those pups of yours, tell me that."
He gasped for a moment. "Oh, wow... I'm gonna be a granddaddy. I'd never thought about that before." He chuckled warmly.

It felt strange... caring so much for someone like this. He'd sacrificed everything for his sons future, but even then, he'd never considered himself to be a very kind or loving wolf. Yet here he was, with his eldest son's mate -- practically his daughter. He genuinely wanted to -- no, he had to save her. He felt something in his heart that drove him to help her. Love? Maybe... it was a different kind of love than he -- yes, he really did love his sons, too. He'd never given that any thought, really. He'd always thought it was guilt for being so horrible that made him try and be nice to everybody, but maybe somewhere along the way, he'd started to love them -- just a little. Either way, he knew deep within his heart that he could not let Dawn or her pups die.
I have to protect... my... my family!