Disclaimer: Status unchanged- I still don't own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Warnings: language, violence, character death, animal crueltySmall Note: Well, events are finally falling into place.

I want to give a BIG thank you to those who reviewed! (And those who read and enjoyed the story) And 8^O, there's almost 100 reviews! You are all so amazing!

DieChan- I didn't forget but it was close. Sorry, about the long hiatus! I hope to continue to the end this time! Only about two more chapters after this one.

ChaosGarden- *accepts box of candles humbly and hands out tissues* I don't want to say too much about where Cloud's and Leon's relationship goes about they do have big scenes planned in the remaining chapters. =) Thank you for your kind words!

Kage Kitsune no yami- I hope that this chapter is the right pace for you! Lol!

Yuki- Thank you very much! Werewolves were always my favorite monsters so naturally I had to mix that somehow with my favorite fandom.

Chapter Sixteen: Living Ghosts

At first, he had thought that the worse part of the prison had been the shocking lack of light and the sound of the occasional drip of water from a place unseen. Yet, neither the prison's darkness nor madness had an inch on his cellmate.

"Ah, you poor puppy."

Axel had come to hate that voice despite the overlaying velvety seductive tone that it possessed. There was something mad there, something not quite right. He couldn't quite figure out either why or how, but he knew the owner of that voice would as easily snap his neck as he would blink his eerie eyes. Looking at those eyes had become one of the biggest regrets that Axel carried. If such a place was possible then whatever was behind the last gate of werewolf hell was confined in the depth of those eyes.

This man was like Naminè only the exact opposite of who she was. Instead of hell there was a promise of glorious light in her eyes. Where Naminè was the serene breeze on a peaceful day, this man was a ripping tornado. Axel missed her miserably, but more than that he was deeply worried about her. Hell, he was worried about everything. He didn't want to think about the worst case scenario, so he held on to the hope that she would bump into someone who would take care of her. Maybe, just maybe, she might find Roxas, and when Axel escaped from this wretched place he would meet up with them and then they would all live happily ever after.

"Hope is usually the last to go, but it will diminish and be extinguished like the rest. Personally, I never had much to do with hope. I prefer not to waste my time."

There is was again, that damned voice. Axel did his best to ignore it just like he was doing with its owner. It was hard though, especially since that voice seemed to form as smooth as silk in his mind. Using his memories as a shield, Axel conjured up Roxas's laughing face. Such innocence was held there. It almost felt wrong to think of Roxas while he was trapped here and keeping current company. Said company had an aura that Axel couldn't describe as a stench, but was defiantly consuming and had been one hell of a welcome when he had woken up in this prison. Axel found that he would rather smell the disease and piss that would normally inhabit this place rather than this aura of …death. Yes, that's what it was. His cellmate was the purest form of death.

"Who do you think of to keep you company? Hmm, the last person that was here often thought of his family until they became just another burden on his mind and chain around his heart."

Shut up, SHUT UP! Axel thought. He had almost howled the last word out loud, but the sound of treading feet echoed down the corridor. Someone was coming, the smell of death was too heavy in the air for him to pick up any other scent, but he was betting that it was the bastard who had knocked him out and brought him here. Axel growled, lifting his upper lip to reveal his teeth. The footsteps paused for a brief moment but then continued their stride. Rich dark laughter drowned out his growl as well as the hooded man's progress. Axel didn't dare turn his head towards the laughter knowing full well whose eyes he would meet over there.

"Not the usual guard," Axel's cellmate commented without any infliction in his tone. "Those hooded one's never speak to the lowly likes of you and I. They are under the belief that they are somehow superior."

The hooded man appeared, his imaged rippled with that of the bars. He was shorter than Axel had originally pictured. The easier to rip his neck off, Axel thought.

Held in the man's gloved hands was a ring of silver keys. With no sun to reflect their light they looked dull and yet held not only the key to freedom but also the promise of pain. The man hung them out of reach for a paw but within the reach of a hand.

Axel narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth. The bastard wanted him to change from his wolf body into his human form. Probably to get him to spill information on the whereabouts of other werewolves, Axel realized. While Axel didn't even know any living werewolves, let alone where they resided, he sure as hell refused to transform into his more vulnerable skin.

Come on, and stick your hand through the bars, Axel thought. Only a coward would hide his face when his enemies were already locked up. It irritated Axel that such a wet pansy had set such a huge detour in his search for Roxas.

The cloaked man waited for a few minutes to see if Axel would react, but then withdrew taking the keys with him.

Silence descended with the human's departure, but Axel would have groaned if he knew it wouldn't give the other werewolf any satisfaction when the other spoke.

"Most regret not taking the chance to snatch that key when they must endure the torture that follows."

Whatever they have planned can't be worse than listening to him. Funny, that the werewolf hunter's greatest weapon against a werewolf was simply another werewolf, Axel thought bitterly.

"You are wise not to speak to me, little puppy. I shall only bring you despair."

-xxx-

Aerith and the children had packed for a journey. The children were too young to change without the guidance of the moon and so each held a pack that contained an extra pair of clothes as well as food and a water skin. They had looked rather forlorn as they said their goodbyes and best wishes to the older werewolves.

Riku realized that not even the children held much faith for their victory. If Riku was a werewolf he would have found the whole sending off rather disheartening. As Riku was not a werewolf, he found the whole scene rather pathetic. They didn't only lack faith with their Alpha but lacked faith within themselves as well. When Cloud became Alpha it would probably be the best thing that ever happened to the pack. That was an iffy 'when' though. Maybe it was more like an 'if'.

Riku didn't want to think of losing Cloud to the pack. It sounded selfish, but he wanted Cloud to just forget the werewolves. It could be just the three of them, Riku, Cloud, and Sora. He did not like to admit to these feelings. In a way it felt wrong. It was almost like he wanted things to be like they were before, but with Sora in Roxas' place. No, he didn't want that. Sora filled a different place in his heart than Roxas. Riku wanted Sora to be more than just a friend.

He could almost accept that Cloud was slipping into a new role. The change had slowly started to take place over time and while Riku had not been blind to it, he had chosen to over look it. Cloud belonged to the pack, and Riku knew that Cloud would strengthen it. As for his own part in this…if Cloud became Alpha then the bond that tied Riku to this pack would be broken. Riku had thought about leaving for so long and yet he hadn't even considered what he would do once he left.

Why would I leave? Riku asked himself. All the people that I love are here. Sora and Cloud. I may not belong to the pack but I belong to these people. This is why I'm fighting.

"You seem to be in good spirits," Sora observed.

Riku felt his mouth form a hesitant smile, and quickly concealed it. He had been afraid that Sora might be upset with him from their last conversation.

"I guess you could say that I'm eager for the fight," Riku said.

"Ah, I'm glad."

"Why is that?"

"Well, I'm glad that you're on our side!"Sora smiled as he said this and Riku felt himself smiling in return all reservations forgotten.

"Afraid that my power and skill would overwhelm the pack?"Riku laughed. Secretly he was very flattered that Sora had that much faith in his abilities.

"Something like that," Sora hummed. "Though I was thinking more of your actual passion."

"My drive has nothing on yours." Riku said this light heartedly, but he meant it in all seriousness as well.

Sora must have caught on to that, because he shared a warm smile. His smile disappeared but a small blush swam onto his cheeks when he said, "I want to apologize for running away. I don't want to lose what we have together just because we don't see eye to eye regarding my brother."

Riku barely heard anything after 'what we have together'. Sora hadn't said friendship so did that mean… "What do we have together?"

Sora's blush worsened, and he tugged at his shirt collar with his fingers. The blush on his tanned skin really made him glow, and although he would deny it, Riku found himself blushing as well.

"Err… we have a special friendship," Sora murmured. "A friendship that is unique."

"Oh, really," Riku said and teasingly lifted his eyebrows in amusement.

"At least that is the way that I feel." Sora's blush was gone and in its place was a look that was something more private. Riku thought that his heart was going to beat right out of his chest if he did not do something crazy like pull Sora's face closer and give him a kiss.

"Riku! Sora! We're leaving!"

Sora jumped at Cloud's shout and Riku grumbled. A few paces away Cloud beckoned for them to follow. Behind Cloud the other werewolves were already moving to their positions. Time was of the essence and the pack had to utilize it to their best advantage.

Before Sora turned to follow Cloud, Riku reached out and gently touched his wrist. He had so much to say, but the moment was gone and in its place was the rising tide of determination and concentration needed to win this war.

"I have something I need to tell you," Riku said.

Sora looked taken aback and there was something in his eyes that Riku didn't understand. When Sora spoke his voice sounded chipper but that look in his eyes spoke of something that was far from it. "Tell me after the battle is over. I-I need to tell you something as well."

Riku nodded his consent and said, "Then let's go."

-xxx-

The first sounds that Naminè was alerted to were the trampling of hooves and the clank of metal. The clatter brought to mind a gang of bandits, and when she discovered the source she found that her conclusion was not off the mark.

Naminè slipped closer to the noise to catch a glimpse of those who were making it. What she encountered was a small army and she was glad that she had chosen to stay hidden. There were a few men on horses, but most traveled using their own two feet. Many of the men carried swords, but there were a few with axes and bows. They did not speak or joke like comradely men at arms instead they were jarringly silent. Their eyes were shadowed and their jaws were slack. They looked like marching toy soldiers without any wills of their own.

The men riding the black horses were just as mysterious. They wore full body cloaks with hoods down so low that she could not catch a glimpse of their faces. Naminè knew that they were the obvious leaders, but they seemed just as dull and lifeless as their soldiers.

Human instinct told her to flee as far from this band as she could, but her natural instinct told her that she must follow them. It was the same instinct she had felt when meeting Setzer, Ollete, and Axel. It was a calling and something that she could not ignore. She felt for the first time a glimmer of hope and knew that if she were to ever reunite with Axel again it would be by tailing this army. Naminè ghosted along beside the band of men taking care not to be heard or seen. She would follow them and complete the next part of her destiny.

-xxx-

It was evening with the promise of a cloudless night. The members of the pack who were strong enough to transform without the need of the moon were all in position and awaiting their Alpha's signal. They formed a hidden semi-circle that would snap together like the jaws of a wolf when called to attack.

Riku was beside him with a small carving dagger clutched in his right hand. Cid had given it to Riku along with a few words that Cloud did not quite catch. Cloud felt a little better knowing that Riku wouldn't be going into battle totally weaponless. He wanted to tell Riku to stay close so that he could keep an eye on him, but knew that doing so would be pointless. Riku did not take kindly to being coddled especially in the midst of a fight as he enjoyed the conflict.

It was a lingering sentiment from the abuse he had suffered from his father. When they had first taken off and hired themselves out as mercenaries, Cloud had been surprised at how much enjoyment Riku had gotten from taking down roadside bandits. He had asked Riku why and his friend had explained that when he was fighting he was able to release all of his conflicting emotions towards his father. It was a mix of Riku proving his own strength to his father and of finally being able to own himself.

"What do you think Roxas would think of us now?" Riku asked quietly.

Cloud was surprised that Riku had asked such a question, but then knew that he shouldn't be. Riku was finally growing to be the person he should have been without his father's or Ansem's influence. It was about time, Cloud thought smiling. He turned to Riku and said, "I like to think that he would be proud of us, and that if he were here now that he would be fighting right alongside us to protect this pack."

"To protect the pack…"Riku repeated thoughtfully.

"Out of all of us he was the most controlled by his passion and loyalty. He might not of been the sharpest, but his heart was definitely the biggest," Cloud finished.

"Yeah, he was pretty thickheaded and stubborn to boot," Riku agreed and despite his words his tone was almost kindly as if remembering a fond memory.

It was then that Cloud could feel Ansem approaching. It was like a forgotten shadow tightening the grip on his heart. The impression that Ansem had left inside him may have faded, but would never be completely terminated until Ansem's will was gone. He knew that Riku had to be experiencing a similar reaction to Ansem's approach when he saw his friend's eyes tighten. For Cloud, this was just another reason why he would personally see to Ansem's death.

He could see them now. Hear the uneasy neighing of the black horses.

Cloud called his wolf to the surface and felt it overwhelm his senses until it ruptured forth into a clear sensation of freedom. Cloud would have been more amused at Riku's reaction to his transformation if Ansem's stench had not been so close.

A rippling howl punctured the hold on Cloud's abating restraint. It was Leon's signal. Leon. His time for confrontation would come but there would be more time to think on that later.

For now it was Ansem. Cloud narrowed his eyes on his target and with a growl he dove out of cover and charged straight towards Ansem.

-xxx-

At first, Sora had been worried that he would not be able to push his thoughts away in order to concentrate on the fight. He was worried for his brother for multiple reasons as always, and the fact that the pack was starting to really question his brother's rule didn't come as so much as a surprise as it concerned him. There had been unrest in the pack before news of Ansem's advancement had reached them, but it seemed as if Ansem's threat and his brother's reaction to it had jarred the pack one too many times. What if somebody challenged Leon's rights to Alpha?

It wasn't just his brother that Sora was worried about. He had tried to get a glimpse of Riku after everyone had fell into their assigned place, but was unable to catch sight of him. Sora hoped that Riku would stay close to Cloud, and that his advantage of being human would make the coming army hesitate when confronting him.

Ah, Riku, Sora thought. I know what you want to say to me but I can't let you. Not until I tell you the truth. The truth was something that Sora hated to think about, and even though he had mentioned and even intended to tell Riku about it did not make it any easier to stomach. Speaking of his parents was difficult, and he felt that speaking to Riku about his parents was impossible. He was so afraid that Riku would look at him the same way Leon did. It terrified him to picture what Riku's face would look like directed towards him when contorted with disgust at learning what Sora had done.

The sharp stench of silver bless fully cleared his head. Sora peered through the brush and felt his hands tingling at the sight of the army of werewolf killers and their cloaked leaders atop black steeds. The horses seemed to be on edge, but otherwise acted strangely obedient. Usually the smell of werewolves spooked horses much worse than this. Sora was surprised that they had not thrown their riders.

Dark magic, Sora thought grimly. Knowing that Leon would soon be pressed to give the signal, Sora summoned his wolf. It was painful, but Sora had been expecting that. His wolf was filled with rage at being denied the change during the full moon and tore out of its deep reserve to consume his body. Sora let out a gasp as the wolf's heat engulfed him and burst apart his body into that of his other form.

The first thing he felt was sweet liberation and stopped the shaking that had taken hold of his body. Sora was glad that it was not the full moon when he allowed this release because he knew that the transformation would have been twice as painful. He was glad though that he was able to transform into a wolf so that he would be able to fight. The feeling may not have been as fulfilling as changing from the full moon but at least he was able to set his wolf free.

The all too familiar howl of his brother broke through the anticipation. He saw Leon blast out of cover to his right. The large brown wolf dove towards the startled, first casualty of the battle and snapped his jaws around the werewolf hunter's neck.

Sora pounded out between his own cover and charged at a scared man who was reaching to pull his sword from its scabbard. They collided and Sora leaped to take down the man who had stood beside the first.

The battle was utter chaos and Sora barked almost hungrily as he skipped away from a flying sword. The smell of blood and flesh tried to call more of his wolfish instincts out to play, and Sora did his best to surpass them in order to keep control on his mind and an eye out for those companions who might be in danger.

Sora caught sight of Riku swinging a stolen silver axe into the guts of his attacker before being occupied in his own battle once more. He did not fell this killer as quick as he had the rest and had to dance back a few steps in order to keep his head.

He heard his brother howl again, and turned towards the noise. Leon was engaged in his own battle between three men. He grabbed one man's hand in his jaws and pulled him towards the ground which successfully tripped the second attacker's assault.

Sora bounded over to help Leon who was already moving on to another target, but Sora was almost trampled by a horse. He jerked back and growled at the rider, but the cloaked man only had eyes for his brother. The werewolf hunter dug his heels into the horse and charged towards Leon.

Sora belted after him and nipped at the joints of the horse's back legs until he could get a good enough reach to clamp his teeth firmly on the leg. The horse screamed and staggered before it collided heavily onto the ground. Its cloaked rider used the momentum of the fall to push off and avoid his own crash landing. Sora ducked to the side to avoid the horse crushing him then he dove towards the rider who had hit the earth hard on his knees. Sora went for the neck thinking to end the cloaked rider swiftly, but the hunter shifted suddenly. The cloaked man swept his silver sword low, aiming to take off one of Sora's legs. Sora sharply twisted away, but he still felt the sword connect.

As Sora backed away he could not suppress a little whimper when he put his weight on his left front leg. It was deep, but Sora was thankful that the blade had not taken his whole leg off.

"Your evil will be destroyed here," the man whispered fiercely.

Sora couldn't see the hunter's face but he could feel the heat from the man's glare. He snarled and made sure that his opponent got a good glimpse of his teeth. The cloaked man hesitated and that was all Sora needed to spring in for another attack.

His leap was awkward and sent a spike of pain running up his leg. The cloaked man dodged Sora's rather clumsy attack and parried with a slash of his own. Sora darted away but in doing so put so much pressure on his leg that it collapsed.

I have to get up, Sora thought desperately, but before he could lift himself up he heard the singing of the sword as it cut down towards his throat.

-xxx-

The shadow clutching at his heart led him straight to Ansem. Cloud had no doubt that the cloaked man who he was rapidly closing in on was Ansem. Feeling someone approaching on his right, Cloud peeked out of the corner of his eyes and spotted Leon. When the other werewolf caught up to him, Cloud felt an unnamable emotion run down his spine. This was the closest distance that he and Leon had been in ever since the trial. It unnerved him but oddly having Leon by his side made him feel safe.

The pair of them raced towards Ansem who drove his sword across the belly of a dark brown wolf. Tifa. The name came to him as he watched her fall. Beside him, Leon let out a growl. This caught Ansem's attention, and he turned his midnight colored horse so that he faced them head on.

"You've been a very bad little mutt," Ansem said. He used a tone that one would use to praise their child or congratulate their friend. It was so out of place that Cloud was reminded of how insane Ansem could be and he wondered why he had never noticed before.

Leon sped up and jumped for Ansem's neck. Laughing, Ansem kicked him back to the ground and then tried to trample him beneath his horse's hooves. Luckily, Leon had landed on his paws and was able to vault away.

With Ansem's attention on Leon, Cloud made his own attempt to bring the werewolf hunter down. He leaped and felt like he was flying. Below him almost as if they were in another world, Leon and Ansem fought out their deadly dance. Cloud's trance was broken the second that had him colliding with Ansem. The force slammed the bastard to the ground with Cloud on top of him and pinning him down. Cloud's muscles seized at being used to such an extent. Any normal human would have had the wind knocked out of them, but Ansem appeared unfazed by the fall and tried to take a stab at Cloud's underside. Cloud bounded off of Ansem narrowly being gutted.

Ansem used the distraction to jump to his feet and nab a hidden dagger somewhere on his person. His hood had fallen, revealing gold eyes consumed in malice.

"I know you," Ansem said. Cloud merely growled in return, and joined Leon who had started to circle the evil man. "You've changed quite a lot since I last saw you."

Cloud ignored these words even though the darkness that this man had pricked his heart with demanded that he do otherwise. He continued to pace looking for an opening.

"I would almost call you unrecognizable. You have been contorted into such a vile creature." Ansem's voice was unnaturally calm and it unnerved Cloud to listen to it. While Cloud had stayed silent, Leon snarled. "Has your silver haired friend been tainted as well? I'll make sure that he will also fall to my power!"

Ansem struck out at Cloud as he punctuated his last word. Cloud dipped low and rolled beneath the silver blade which was close enough to him that it tickled the ends of his fur. Cloud's muscles protested but he knew that slowing down would mean death.

Leon rushed at Ansem, and the man spun using his sword to drive the alpha wolf back. Leon charged Ansem again as if to rip off his arm. The gold-eyed man drove his dagger down in an attempt to sever Leon's head from his body. The brown wolf abruptly changed his course and rolled out of the dagger's reach.

Cloud dove at Ansem's chest leaving his vulnerable belly exposed, but trusting that Leon would keep Ansem's attention.

The Mother moon must have been smiling down on Cloud for he reached his target, and tore open Ansem's chest with his claws. He then buried his head in the fleshy cavity to wrench out Ansem's heart.

Ansem's eyes widened in disbelief, and he uttered a grabbled word through the blood seeping from his mouth, "Seph..i…roth."

Ansem had tricked them and by falling for his lies they had been poisoned by him. In his last dying breath, Ansem took with him the final traces of his decaying power. Cloud felt like the poison was being sucked out of him and he could almost hear a sigh in the air as Ansem's power completely departed the others who it had touched.

This was Cloud's last gift to Roxas. His friend's spirit could now finally rest in peace. He did not smile, but he felt a brief moment of content.

Farewell Roxas, Cloud whispered to the setting sun.

-xxx-

Riku blocked an incoming sword with the head of his axe and then sharply kneed his opponent in the stomach. He brought down his axe in a diagonal cut that sent his attacker stumbling.

Riku had tried tailing Cloud, but his wolf friend had been able to dip and weave between the soldiers in a way that Riku could not.

There was an all too familiar and unwelcome shadow that had slowly risen to choke Riku's heart. He had thought this darkness had disappeared but it had hid only to reveal itself when he was once more in Ansem's presence.

He searched for Ansem desiring nothing more than to hack that creepy man's head off his fucking neck, but he saw something that made him pause and sucked his desire right out of him.

A small brown wolf was sprawled on the ground with one of its front legs bloody and laying crookedly under him. The werewolf struggled to get to his feet and only stumbled for his efforts. The man who had done this raised his silver sword above his head and was about to deliver the final blow.

"Sora!" Riku screamed and was thankful that his body moved faster than his mind. He did not remember moving but one instant he had been frozen still and in the next he crashed his shoulder into the bastards back. The cloaked man gave a pained grunt and barely evaded the crushing blow of Riku's axe.

That was when Riku felt it. The clawed fingers that had seized his heart let go. Ansem's shadow had been sucked out of him. Riku's breath hitched as his heart felt somewhat emptier.. no it was lighter.

Riku was not the only one to feel the sudden disorientation. All of Ansem's soldiers seemed to pause as if they too felt something disappearing. Sora's attacker staggered and Riku used the unexpected distraction to his advantage. Riku lurched tackling the cloaked man to the ground. Riku's grip on the handle of his axe tightened and he raised it ready to strike.

The throw had knocked back the werewolf hunter's hood exposing the man's youthful face and spiky blond hair. Eyes wide, Riku froze the killing blow mid-motion.

"Roxas?"

/

Author's Notes:

Wow, I can't believe I'm going to say this: there are only two more chapters left as a minimum and three as a max! Yeah! I'm so excited! Thank you for reading! Please review!

Next chapter is Chapter Seventeen: What Lies between Brothers! See you then!