(I wrote this just before going to bed. Hijacked your char for 2 lines just for this cute scene I had to It was just too beautiful not to you can smack me for it later)

John walked into Riley's room, breathing in all the memories from when they where young, and more. There it was, his old scent, for a moment he was washed completely in it and he could smell it all, the rich hormones, the stress, the anger, the lust surely if there was any place Riley had to unbox everything he felt it was in here, in the privacy of his old room. Of course in any teenager's room it would be the same but this was Riley's room, Riley's little scent history. John had been in this room every day when he was younger but he could never recognized the scents nor could he have known what they where directed to. They held a different meaning to John now as he went back in time, knowing it was he who was the center of a good portion of it, good and bad. If Riley wasn't right there John was sure he'd coat himself good in these sweet old memories and let them take him back. He twitched his nose as Riley held out the sweatshirt to him, his old sweatshirt the one Riley'd borrowed ages ago. He smiled softly, coming forward to wipe the tears from Riley's cheeks, "You should keep it, I don't think it'll fit me anymore. Might still fit you though." He said, he then slid his arms low around his waist and took Riley into his arms. "I missed this Riley.....all of this. So....so much.....but you know what...here close your eyes. Close them."

He smiled and chuckled as Riley closed his eyes, unsure what to expect. John closed his eyes as well "Just imagine. You and I in a house so far from here that our tyrant chief here has never even heard it. Imagine a nice cabin house at the edge of a field at the bottom of a beautiful mountain full of deer and rabbit and fox and maybe even moose-"

Riley smirked and chuckled, "-So canada"

"Not Canada....maybe Canada, or Scandanavia you never know they might have moose in Scandanavia." John chuckled as well.

"I don't speak Scandanavian..."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it" John butted in to Riley's laughter. "My point is, we're going to find a territory that we will love and we will own far away from here. No more worries No more sadness..." He looked into Riley's eyes gently, a very human gesture were felines rarely did it except either to intimidate or show complete trust and love. Riley did have the most beautiful eyes a crisp icy blue that was also deep as if someone took the bluest ocean water they could find and trapped it in an ice crystal. John kissed him softly, lovingly once and again before resting his forehead against Riley's. "I feel like I grew up the biggest idiot Riley. The biggest fucking idiot to be missing out on the greatest thing I could ever have."

John lifted his head and gently swept back a strand of Riley's hair. "Say, how about we chill here for the night, you can play me a few times in mario cart like we used to and we can sleep here and go after the hunter in the morning."

"I feel like I grew up the biggest idiot Riley. The biggest fucking idiot to be missing out on the greatest thing I could ever have."

“I didn’t exactly make it easy for you. It’s not like I came up to you and said ‘hey let’s go out’. We could go on for days about what we coulda or shoulda done, but it won’t change the way things are now. We both could have done a lot of things differently but we wouldn’t be the same people we are today. So I had to wait forever to get to be with you, but NOW I’m yours and you’re mine and it was worth the wait.”

John lifted his head and brushed a few loose strands out of his face. Riley loved this, the boyfriend things that seemed to come so naturally to John despite having no experience in any of that.

"Say, how about we chill here for the night, you can play me a few times in Mario kart like we used to and we can sleep here and go after the hunter in the morning?" Riley was a little worried about the enforcers coming after them, but when John had looked in his eyes earlier he felt nothing but safety and comfort looking into those pale green eyes of his. He knew that John would never allow anyone to hurt him and Riley felt the same. If there was anything certain about weres that Riley had learned, it was that you never come between some one who’s imprinted and the one they imprinted on, and you never try to hurt a mate that a lion has claimed. If the enforcers were going to take either of them out, they’d need an army.

“That sounds great. Let me just tell my mom what’s going on.” He said as John started kissing his neck. “Dude, stop that tickles.” Riley chuckled. He went out to the living room and saw his mom sitting and watching tv. “Hey Mom, John and I were thinking about spending the night, you know take one last walk down memory lane. You don’t mind do you?”

“Of course you boys can stay the night.”

“Thanks, we’ll be in my room probably for the rest of the night, so if you need us for anything just knock.”

He went back to his old room and shut the door behind him. He saw John sprawled out across Riley’s bed. A sly grin formed across Riley’s face. Plots forming in his mind. For the first time in his life he had Johnny right where he wanted him. He wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. So many fantasies he had had about seducing Johnny in this very room and now here he was just lying there on his bed.

“What are you smiling at?” John asked looking a bit confused by his grin.

“What do you say we make this interesting? We do a little racing and for every race you win I have to take off an article of clothing, and for every race I win you have to take off an article of clothing. Sound fun?" The pure lust practically glowing in his eyes.

Sable eyes edged over the surface of the water as the full moon illuminated them. While Zola glided effortlessly and silently across the moon shimmering lake, the thrashing ruckus and roars of the bears could continue to be heard. "Note to self Bear Territory is not friendly. I swear I have never been so waterlogged in all my life!"

Zola spent the last three days playing hide and seek with the bears. Her only saving grace, in this territory, was the network of waterways, the perfect places to lose her scent. By the second day, Zola could smell other scents in the forest that were not foreign to her, but were so faint that she could not entirely make them out. Not only were there these disturbing scents but also a 7 ft. tall brown bear, with fearsome and wild eyes that kept tracking her. "I thought that these damn bears would all be hibernating by now, " Zola said with an overwhelming exasperation.

Muscles tensed up as her swim went from an effortless glide to a strained paddle. "Shadows of the shoreline seem a ways," as her head bobbed up and down in the water. To trick her aching body into keep going Zola forced her mind to concentrate on the clues of the last few weeks. These clues are what lead her here, and hopefully to the hunter that killed her family.

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(several weeks earlier)

It was late at night or early in the morning, depending on how you wish to define it, nevertheless it was a sleepless event for Zola. She had reached a dead-end on her missions and her mind was spinning with what she should do next. Zola was discouraged and thought a few beers would take the edge off her disappointment. She slipped on her black fleece jacket and left her Bed and Breakfast quietly as not to disturb the innkeeper.

Down the street was a small convenient store, that Zola frequent often, tonight she could hear the sickly puttering and grinding of a some vehicle trying to stop. " I bet that is some redneck's pickup." She said, quickening her pace to find out if she was right. As she rounded the corner she saw a scruffy backwoods guy and a woman collide, obviously they were not friends.

"Hey! Lady I was just making sure you're ok!" The redneck blurted.

"You get away from me!" She snapped and ran to her car.

The redneck walked slowly into the store. As Zola walked by his truck she noticed a tuft of wiry brown fur on the tailgate. She looked both ways and picked the tuft off the beat up old truck and sniffed deeply. " Oh, a Therian, bear perhaps? " Interesting.

Jingling the keys in her hand Zola open the door to the bar. The room was still laden with smoke from the barflies and the lights were on in the back office. The bar had become a haven for Zola since she first came to towne. The owner, Jerry was a kind older man, with this handlebar mustache that made her giggle. One late night while they were chatting he mentioned that he was having trouble balancing his books. Zola volunteered to look at them since numbers were easy for her. From that point on, she has been his bookkeeper. Jerry knew that Zola was not going to stay around long, but he enjoyed her company and she reminded him of his own daughter.

“Hey Jerry, are you back there?" As she made her way to the back office she picked up a tipped over chair and took a wet towel off the bar. “I don't know why he puts up with the assholes that come in here,” stepping around some broken glass.

“Why are you here pretty lady?” Jerry wearily replied.

“I couldn't sleep and have one page left on the ledger to finish and a dark beer that is calling my name. Do you want to join me? ”

“No, darling I am going to clean for a bit.” sweeping the broken glass.

Reaching behind the bar Zola grabbed a dark beer. “Are you flirting with me Jerry?” smiling and winking at him.

“What if I am?” Jerry looked up sheepishly

“Then I would be flattered. I will be in the back office if you want me." Nodding towards the backroom.

Not long, after Zola got settled with her ledger and beer then she heard a knock on the bar door. Wondering who could be here so late she got up to investigate and as she was making her way down the dark hall ran into Jerry.

“Kind of late for some company, don't you think? ” Zola said

“Oh, that is my friend Riley, you know the guy I told you I wanted to set you up with. Anyways his brother is here visiting and they are catching up.” Jerry tiredly remarked. “I am going home, my bed is calling my name. Don't you dare clean the bar while I'm gone! You know honey you should go home to, the guys will lock up the place." With that Jerry left out the backdoor. Zola followed him and bolted the door after he left.

Zola went back to the rear office, with the intent on working some more, but her curiosity got the best of her. “I wonder what that Riley guy looks like.” It has been a long time since....let's simply say it has been a long time.

Tiptoeing down the dim hallway Zola felt like a silly teenager, but she just couldn’t help herself. When she got to the end of the hall, she made sure to stay in the shadows. “Aw he is cute, I love his voice.” Zola started stepping backwards when her ears perked up.

The bigger guy said. “There's been a hunter outside our territory just......circling, and he's a damned good one. I can't get a fix on him, even our best tracker can't get a fix on him. It's pulling our tribe apart....and it's...." He paused a moment, looking away. "It's killed your dad."

Gasping, Zola had to put her hand over her mouth. She slid back into the wall then continued to back towards the back office, it seemed like the right thing to do, since Zola could tell it was a lot for Riley to take in. Turning the lights off she left out the backdoor silently. Her head was spinning. “There is a hunter nearby...finally a hunter! ”

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Zola's breath was labored, her limbs cramping with each stroke, she was unable to concentrate on the clues anymore.....survival mode had taken over her senses. She had no recollection of how she got underwater, but there she was, fighting to reach the surface, heart pounding, chest on fire. Zola screamed realizing, all too late, that she breathed in water, the mortal part of her wanted to panic while her cat instincts told her to stay calm. She fought the urge to struggle and allowed herself to sink. She felt weightless, and there came this euphoric inner peace that wrapped around her. Her chest felt like it was about to burst. "I am going to die tonight..."
Just then, her front paws caught some solid footing. She waited, what seemed a lifetime, to sink down to the rocky bottom and then pushed up with all her strength launching herself towards the surface. Her feet were now firmly planted on solid ground. Zola dragged herself to the shore, coughing and spewing water in between gasp of air. Exhausted from her fight with the lake, she knew she could not drag herself to the safety of the trees, so she belly crawled to some underbrush. Slowly the fog of sleep engulfed her senses. There she remembered. " I know who those scents belong to....I know who those......I know who.....I know" she was out like a light.

Roland

Roland trudged through the snow on all fours, his massive snout practically buried in the cold. He was huge now his bulky form swollen with fat and thick brown fur. I should be asleep by now. One more sweep. Something had kept him from tucking in for hibernation a faint gust of wind from the direction of the river that carried the traces...no a trace of a trace of a foreign scent. He needed to make sure. So there he was patrolling his territory once again marking it every once in a while with a stream of hot yellow piss against an oak or on a fallen log. He kept loosing her. He'd learned it was a female he was tracking some sort of feline he didn't see very often in the area. It had that distinct sharp bitterness to it. Felines. He'd had it with them all, marching through his territory as if it where some kind of thoroughfare. He was going to kill this one and keep its corpse in the cave with him. It's blood will serve as a warning to the rest. No more trespassing. He'd never had feline before, other than the dumb mountain lions that wandered in from higher up the mountain. Roland stopped at the edge of the tree line, inches from the bank of the river at the edge of his territory. He raised his snout to the night sky and huffed, expelling a large puff of hot breath vapor. Nothing. Roland then decided to walk along the bank, meandering sleepily as his body willed himself to rest for the winter. Then he spotted it, a dark blot at the very edge of the foliage, he'd almost stepped on it before he saw it, a spotted tail partially curled along a sodden body. He prodded the figure with his massive paw. She looked dead. He nipped at the skin at the nape of her neck and gathered enough in his jaws to pull her out where he could see. This was the one the scent was familiar, she was a were-feline of some sort. The feline he'd been tracking. He lowered his head and grunted then let out a baleful moan, nudging her with the bridge of his dark nose. No motion. His kindness overruled his logic, clearly she'd exhausted herself somehow and he couldn't just let her die here. He lifted her with surprising ease, carrying her like a cub by clamping his jaws around the loose flesh of her neck. He placed her at the edge of the river careful to keep her head out of it and rinsed off the mud, checking her for wounds. It seemed she was merely exhausted and hypothermic. He carried her back up the mountain, this time gathering her in his forepaws, allowing her to warm up in his thick fur and ample fat. It was an odd sight to behold. A massive brown bear carrying a marozi up a mountain but he did it anyways. Getting back into his cave was tricky, as the cave he chose was just large enough for him to fit in at his full winter size, curled up. The size was meant to help keep the cold out. Regardless He managed to pull Zola in by curling up around her cold wet body, his back pressed against the stone back of the cave. She would be safe there for now, no beast dares to pester a bear in hibernation save for a hunter, however...getting out would be another small challenge for her as he was likely to sleep all winter from then on.

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John

John slept fitfully that night comfortable and content despite the light sheen of sweat and other bodily fluids that dried and cooled over their bodies. The exhaustion that came after that night's activities was simply so complete that he didn't remember what it was he dreamt about the next morning. The next morning he lay there for a moment with Riley in his arms, his mind mulling over the things they'd done, the fun they'd had, replaying the bit where Riley'd pushed him back into the bed. His breathing became slightly more heavy and suddenly John couldn't lay there anymore. He needed a shower.....he needed a few minutes to himself. He slipped out of bed, trying not to wake Riley and grabbed a towel he could use to cover himself and later use to dry himself with. The bathroom was down the hall, John poked his head out, and hearing Mrs. Morgan hum down stairs, went off to the bathroom. He turned on the water to scalding heat and waited for the temperature to rise. He stared at himself in the mirror. His chin stubble had grown and spread up his jawline and begun on his upper lip. The unkempt beginings of a beard made the scowl he'd made stronger. He hadn't realized he'd been frowning and upon noticing it willed himself to change partway, his brow furrowing over sharp pale green eyes, the bridge of his nose widening, his wild sandy hair lengthening and thickening. He growled at himself, then chuckled, unsure what his deal was that morning. He cast aside the towel and stepped under the hot shower. He closed his eyes, his ears turned back against his partway-mane as water cascaded down his head and over his shoulders. Again his mind drifted to last night and he grasped himself in the memory of it, momentarily allowing himself to embrace the pleasures he'd felt.

He stopped as quick as he'd started and just stood there for a moment, breathing heavily before swiftly turning the temperature on the water as cold as it would go. He growled and punched the tile beneath the spigot causing the water to stop on him for a second and a bit of the tile to chip off. He yelped and held his hand. "Ow....dammit....." He shifted a few times to heal the minor fracture and flexed his hand. He clenched his teeth and willed himself to calm down. He scrubbed himself down, fur and skin, washing gingerly his ass which was still sore, but not in such a way he couldn't manage. "What next, Riley you going to mark me too?" He sighed. Then tried not to think of how he might actually like that. This wasn't how he'd imagined things going.

Riley woke to the sound of running water in the shower down the hall. He rolled over in the bed and found that John wasn’t there. A tiny frown formed on his face as he tried to get his thoughts together. “That’s weird, he usually just bathes in lion form. Must have been too sticky.” He thought. He shifted into his full tiger form and began to clean himself. His ears perked up when he heard a thump against the wall followed by a muffled “ Ow… Damnit…” Riley was concerned. Still in his tiger form, he walked out of his room and saw the light flowing from under the gap between the bathroom door and the floor. He walked slowly to the door to listen to see if John was okay. “What’s next, Riley? You gonna mark me too?” He heard John sigh. Riley froze for a second, then returned to his room. He shifted back to his human form and began to get dressed. Tears started filling his eyes as he realized what he had done. He had emasculated his best friend, his lover, his mate. How could he have not seen this coming, he said he had never done that before, but he seemed to enjoy it so much. He called him Ri, he only ever did that when he was really happy. But could he really expect Riley to be the one to do that every time? After getting dressed he lied down on the bed and put his face into his pillow and let out his frustration. Muffling his crying so John wouldn’t hear. He hurt him, maybe not physically, but emotionally, and that hurt Riley even more than he thought it could. The whole imprinting thing did not help with emotional fuck-ups like this. It intensified everything Riley was feeling and made it seem far worse than it actually was, but still, to hurt the one he had loved almost his entire life, it tore him up. “Fuck, you’re an idiot Riley! You fucking PROMISED him that you wouldn’t hurt him.” He scolded himself in a harsh whisper.

He was ready to apologize, to leave John if that’s what he wanted, it’d certainly make John’s life easier, to do what ever he had to do to make this right. Then he heard what sounded like a crowd at a rock concert moving closer to the house. He glanced out of a gap in the curtains and saw a mob coming to the house. There was a pounding on the door and Riley’s mom answered the door.

“Oh my, what’s going on? Why are all you people mobbing my house, what’s wrong?” She asked. Riley loved how clever his mom was.

“Where are they? We know they’re here!” Came a voice from the leader of the mob, it sounded like Dave.

“Who are you talking about, Dave? I’ve been living alone for months now.”

“We’re looking for John Keeler and your son, Riley. They’ve returned to the tribe and disrespected the chief. They weren‘t at John‘s house, we have reason to believe they would have come here.”

Mrs. Morgan took a step out onto the porch and grabbed Dave by the collar of his shirt and lifted until he was standing on his toes.

“Now, you listen to me, you punk-ass little shit. I don’t know what kind of sick joke you people think you’re pulling, but it ain’t funny. I haven’t seen John since Hank’s funeral, you know, when he stormed off calling all the enforcers useless. And I haven’t seen my son in over nine years. And don’t think I don’t know what you did to him, I’ve heard you bragging to your enforcer friends about how you nearly killed him. If they are back in the territory I hope they rip you limb from limb you sick little fuck.” She growled at him and threw him off the porch. “Now get the fuck off my property before I do it myself.” She then slammed the door.

Though Riley didn’t see the altercation, he heard everything. “Go Mom!” he thought. He started grabbing what few things he wanted to take with him, mainly the hoody. He grabbed John’s clothes as well. He opened the door and saw John’s head sticking out of the bathroom door. He gave him his clothes. “C’mon” he said as he wiped away a tear that he felt on the side of his cheek. “We need to get out of here while they’re distracted. I think they headed to the woods to look for us.” He said dryly trying not to sound like he had been crying.

John caught his clothing, having just managed to clean the rest of his body before drama seemed to cascade over the house. A frown breached his expression as he caught a glimpse of the tear on Riley's cheek. He quickly wiped himself down and pulled on his boxers and jeans, the most important articles of clothing, he shuffled on his boots as he went down the hall throwing his shirt and coat over his shoulder. "I- I need to stop at my house my car's still there and so is my stuff. Don't need to re-pack everything it's in bags in my room" He said to Riley's back as he followed him through the house hurriedly, yanking his shirt on over his head.

The two slipped out the back, John shifting to his were form for the use of his padded paws in the swirling leaves, he tossed his keys to Riley to open his car with and ran inside the small house. He was going to seriously miss that place. His TV, his movies, his music. He picked up his bag of weapons, unzipping it briefly for a 9mm pistol. He checked that it was loaded and the safety was on before he tucked it into the belt of his pants. He gathered a few old CDs and hesitated, glancing at the edge of the old box sitting in his closet buried among cast aside clothing. He raised a eyebrow. There where all sorts of things he'd like to bring from that but he shook his head. It wasn't necessary. He did however stop at the fridge and scooped all the beer into his clothes bag and stuffed a pack of fresh cigarettes into his pocket before rushing out the door. Riley popped the trunk open for him with the keys and he stuffed everything in before taking his seat at the helm.

They where off, quickly, kicking up dirt as the tires skidded. They raced past the mob down the road, John rolling down the window just to flip them all off as they passed. He chuckled and blasted CD burned copies of all the old classic rock songs John used to obsess himself over as a kid. He grinned over at Riley in the passenger seat. He seemed to have already forgotten the incident in the shower, that or he really wanted to avoid bringing it up. He pounded on the steering wheel, singing all points to Run for the Hills by Iron maiden at the top of his lungs, guitar solos included.

Riley was glad that John seemed to be in a better mood, but he knew how John’s mind worked, it would come up again later, probably in some sort of passive aggressive outburst. Riley’s emotional state was written all over his face though and he could do little to hold them back. He was pissed at himself for what he did to John, he was mad at John for assuming that he was supposed to be the only alpha. He was depressed beyond belief that he was leaving his home for the second time because the tribe couldn’t handle who he was even though he was their best hope to survive. He was already missing his mom and wasn’t sure he would ever see her again. He was thrilled to be with John and still holding onto the hope that he would still want to be with him after what happened. He was angry and ready to kill this hunter. He was confused as to why he hadn’t picked up on the hunter’s scent.

He stared out the window and remained silent while he endured John’s singing. It wasn’t terrible, but he wasn’t able to hit any high notes and his voice screeched every time he tried. Occasionally a tear would dribble down his cheek, but he hoped that John would just assume that it was because he was leaving his home.

They seemed to have been on the road for a few hours before the they stopped at a rest stop. They got out and John went to the restroom while Riley got himself a cup of coffee. There was a picnic area near a ridge. Riley walked over to the ridge and sipped the bitter coffee as he watched the sun just starting to rise. It was beautiful to watch and for a minute or two he was able to forget all about the issues he was facing and just be taken by the brilliance of it all.

A few minutes later he felt an arm around his shoulder. John’s of course.
“I know it seems bad right now, but things will get better, I promise.”

“Hopefully your promises hold up better than mine.” he muttered to himself and leaned in close to cuddle with him.

John had picked up on the way Riley had been acting since they left, his withdrawn quietness, the tears. At first he really did think Riley was just torn up about the mess they had landed themselves in. He'd been twice banned now and this time he's without a father. He put an arm around him as he sat down close. “I know it seems bad right now, but things will get better, I promise.”

It was what Riley muttered afterwards that caused John concern. "What do you mean by that?" He asked.

A low gutteral chuckle came from directly behind them. John whipped his head around to spot Ko-jin and Lapin seated at the table behind them. Ko-jin slurping some kind of iced drink from a cup. "Look at what we have here old man, an unlikely couple. A little boy lion and his tiger girlfriend, isn't that sweet." He cackled wickedly and John abruptly got to his feet a snarl on his face. The man was a pot bellied gruff wild looking man with tanned skin and golden eyes. Something about the structure of his face seemed familiar yet wildly strange at the same time. He harbored thick wild unkempt hair that seemed wiry and curly in patches. It came in a multitude of colors, a familiar sandy blond towards the roots fettered with a dull gray with a dark black-ish brown everywhere else. He also bore a fuzzy and unkempt goatee that went halfway to his chest a salt and pepper gray tipped with black. He wore a leather jacket and a pair of jeans just as John did but the shirt he wore with it was stained and grimy. All it took was a few minutes of breathing in his scent to know he was related very closely to john.

John had half turned into his were-form already, much to the old man's amusement. "Who the hell are you?!"

"Who do you think? You should mind your blood pressure, boy, there are humans here." He chuckled then turned to look Riley over, distaste evident from his face to the way he crumpled his cup when he was done with it. "You. Whatever it is you got going on with my son ends now, you hear? I'm not letting no fag run my pride, never seen no fag give you grandsons and great great grandsons."

John lost it. He shoved the old man hard enough to send him skidding over the table, rolling head over heels onto the dirt on the other side. John leapt up onto the picnic table, then down, on top of the old lion and drew his gun, thumbing off the safety and cocking it, aiming it between the old man's eyes. His hand was trembling badly and there was a real fury in his eyes "You'd best start explaining what the hell is going on here and now before I blow your fucking head to bits and eat it."

Ko-jin chuckled throatily, "like father like son, eh Lapin? I've been looking all over the ends of the earth for you. Alot of pain and sweat, yet you treat your own father this way."

Lapin watched the boys at the table, he chucked a bit noticing all the couple like things they were doing.
"Look at what we have here old man, an unlikely couple. A little boy lion and his tiger girlfriend, isn't that sweet." Ko-jin said.
Lapin said nothing not really caring whom bedded who but he caught the remark as a joke and smirked accordingly.
The boy turned and was seemingly about to shift there on the spot. "Who the hell are you?!" He asked pointedly.

'Lord do they not have manners anymore?' Lapin thought smelling an altercation about to happen.

"Who do you think? You should mind your blood pressure, boy, there are humans here." Ko-jin answered. Lapin raised an eyebrow.
Maybe the hunters were not the only ones who were loosing of part of them selves from the passage of time.... This made lapin reflect a little on the little conversation they had shared finding the boy. Ko-jin crumbled the cup, Lapin moved away from the two before anything could happen, a hand resting on one of his thin blades, holding a casual pose as to not draw attention.

His eyes surveyed the other boy in question, Riley. Lapin's heart raced down to the bottom of his shoes the moment he actual looked at the lad. It was the tiger's son sure as sunshine. He gave no outward sign of panic or regret but on the inside the two of the gnawed at one another in his chest. What were the fucking odds that the tiger chiefs son would be the lover of the lion cub.
These two didn't know it but Lapin had shaped parts of their lives deeper than most could say...

"You. Whatever it is you got going on with my son ends now, you hear? I'm not letting no fag run my pride, never seen no fag give you grandsons and great great grandsons."

Lapin watched as john leaped over the table and fumbled with a gun and point it Ko-jins eyes. Lapin had his critiques on the boy's methods but the madness in his eyes. Lapin shifted a little to intervene if the boy actual shot the man, he would disarm the child and shoot them both and leave. 'Worse ways to end a day I suppose' He thought.
"You'd best start explaining what the hell is going on here and now before I blow your fucking head to bits and eat it."
That's when Lapin spoke.
"Now is that anyway to treat your father, boy?" He asked in his normal pleasant voice, as if un-phased by the events transpiring before him.

“Enough!” The command came out as a roar. It held the tone of an Alpha with far more influence than he actually had, but it was enough to get the three of them to freeze in their tracks.

“There are children playing right over there.” He growled in a slightly less intimidating voice and pointed at the playground next to the picnic area.

“The last thing any of us wants to do is hurt or, worse, kill one those kids. So, John, put down the gun, that’s your father.” He was maintaining his composure far better than the other two weres were and as he started in his voice cracked ever so slightly

“You shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss him. He’s offering you something I can never give you, he can give you a pride, a family other lions and even cubs. Isn’t that what you wanted, to be with your own kind, with someone that won’t hurt you? You should at least listen to what he has to say.” He didn’t give him a chance to respond before he turned to the hunter.

“And you” He scowled “Take your hand off the sword, you’re not a samurai. Did you think I wouldn’t figure out who you were? Don’t get me wrong, you made it difficult, but you’re means of hiding is exactly what has given you away, hunter. Why that loin is working with you is beyond me, but right now, I don’t give a fuck.” He paced around a bit and then stopped right in front of him looking him in the eye so he knew how serious he was. His eyes noticeably changed from the icy sapphire blue to a dark navy almost black color. “You have quite the reputation in my tribe, hell throughout all the therian tribes in the area. They call you the ‘scentless one’. Of course you aren’t the original, you’d be over two hundred years old if that were the case, but you are one of the many hunters to bare this moniker. You were trained well, you hide your scent by becoming one with your surroundings, no colognes, fancy soaps or perfumes that make you humans so … pungent. But now that you’re out in the open with all these humans and you have no scent, your identity is clear. The hunter that has been stalking my tribe couldn’t be tracked by scent. But I also know you’re the last of a dying breed, you hunt with honor, you’d never just kill one of us right here, unless your life or one of the humans’ was in danger, there’d be no sport in it. I also know what you’ve done. You’re the man that killed my father. Tell me was it an honorable death? Did he know you were stalking him? Where you stalking him because he was the Sheseru? Did you want to learn the laws of my tribe so you could exploit them? It really doesn’t matter, the fact is that in the action of killing my father you have dishonored me twice. First, you killed my father, the man who raised me from a cub. The man who taught me the law. The Sheseru of the tribe, or as you would equate it a police chief. He was a man of honor, of pride. He trained and taught every one of the enforcers of my tribe and you took him from me. And second, you killed my father, the man who cracked my skull with a monkey wrench and knocked me out. The man who chained me to a car and dragged me for three hours across enemy territory to dump me in a neutral zone. The man who had his gang of enforcers beat the shit out of me until they thought I was dead. The man who decided to banish me from my home when he heard me moan and realized I was alive. The man whose dedication to his work and to his old ways, enabled him to throw away every memory, every positive thought and every accomplishment over two simple words. That man was to die at my hands, not yours. Tell me, what is the punishment you give another hunter who poaches your kill? I doubt you let him survive. You owe me blood, hunter, twice over and you will pay that debt, but not here, not now. I too have honor and this is not the time nor place, but before we start the game please answer me this: why? Why do you hate the therians? What have they done to hurt you? My tribe hunts only animals and has never hurt a human apart from self defense. Is it really just a simple blind hate? Perhaps you are on the wrong side of this fight. It’s not a full on war right now, but it’s really just a matter of time. The humans in charge of your government, they know about us. They’re sending their own ’hunters’ whose only code of honor is how much money they get for the kill. But they aren't here just to kill, they’re coming to trap us too. They want clone us or splice our DNA with humans or some other bullshit like that, but in the end they won’t kill us, they want to control us. They’ll breed an army of super soldiers with therian DNA. Eventually they will turn on the government and the humans in general, do you really want to see this turn into a war or would you rather make a compromise? I propose you only hunt those who hunt humans, there are still plenty of therians that do, especially those damn wolves, you spread fear throughout the therians, but for the honorable reasons. Be the hunter to let them know that we are to live alongside humans and not treat them as a food source. Hunt the other hunters too, let them know that the title of hunter is one of honor not one that can be given to any idiot who can pull a trigger. Do me this honor and I will call your debt filled, or we can pick this up on less pleasant terms.”

He extended a hand to shake. He hoped his words had appealed to the hunter’s sense of honor. If any of the legends of the scentless hunter were true, he had a code that he lived by and was a man of his word. He only hoped that he hated the therians enough to not want to see an all out war. Riley believed he would make a far better ally than an enemy.

The silence was broken by Ko-jin's cackle. "At least someone here has an ounce of common sense." He said, leering up at his son. "Come on, John. You're not a tiger, you're a lion. It's time you learned what that really means."

John removed the gun from his father's face. "I've done perfectly fine learning what it means on my own." He growled darkly. "My father's been dead 22 years. Even if he weren't dead I wouldn't let him march up here making my decisions for me. Not now, not after all this time. He let my mother die, let my half brothers and sisters die and let me get taken away. 22 years ago he let me get taken by none other than THIS jackass!" He pointed accusingly at Lapin. "And YOU have some serious nerve coming here with MY father after the two of us after all you've done! Riley might not kill you for the shit you've done but i'm sure as hell considering it!"

John's voice gradually rose in volume as he spoke until he shouted the last sentence at Lapin. He fought to keep from transforming into his full were form, glancing over at the playground. "I bet it's easy for you traipsing around the territories gun at your side killing thierians like you're doing some kind of vermin sweep. It must be grand not having to look back at the damage you've done to the ones you leave behind. The ones who have to grow up wondering what the hell happened to their parents the ones who will never get to be with their own kind. Honor my ass. You're more coward than any hunter I've seen yet."

John stepped back from the tables. "The two of you can just.....go back where ever the hell you came from. I only want one thing and one thing only, to find a safe place away from the hunters away from fathers who don't know shit but the cut throat expectations of their clans. I don't want a Pride, I don't want three or four wives and ten cubs. I don't even KNOW you. All I want is to be with Riley. I want our hot, confused, messy relationship, I want to work things out and learn new shit about myself and to learn new shit about him."

Ko-jin stood up, jaw tightening. The glare he was giving was enough to silence even John. Ko-jin was on another level of alpha, whether it was in his scent or in the way he carried himself now it made it impossible for any of them to meet eyes with him. He put a hand on John's shoulder. "I got to give it to you, kid, that was cute but I've heard enough. This....star crossed lover bullshit. I've seen it before, in humans. But you know what? You're not a human. You mate to create more of your species a strong bloodline to pass your genes. You're the only son I've got left. My last....chance. He put an arm around John and looked into his pale green eyes, his expression softening. "You look a lot like your mother. She was just as stubborn....as star crossed as they come. This isn't healthy for you son. I can already see how you're hurtin' from it. You're a lion, not somebody's bitch."

John looked down. "No....I..." He blinked away tears that formed as it finally sunk in that it was his father that was right there. His father, flesh and blood. "I can't....he means...too much to me I can't just fucking leave him." John pushed him away again. He looked over at Riley, pleadingly. "You can't seriously be asking me to go with him after all we've been through. I've been at your back for 22 fucking years. I spent the ENTIRE time you where gone trying to find you and you think I can just forget about it for what...for cubs and wives? Did you ever stop to think that by now I could have left the tribe. I could have left and found lions on my own instead of spending that time to find you."

The crackle of the blazing fire formed shadows of dancing naked ladies across the walls. Zola was bundled in a plush fur blanket that slowly slipped off her shoulders, revealing her ample cleavage. Dotting red lip balm on her pouty lower lip, Zola impatiently awaited his return. She deeply breathed in his lingering scent, a mixture of cedar, musk and evergreen. She yearned for his lips, caressing hers, teasing her, taunting her, till her body ache with anticipation. “Sighing deeply. He is so damn sexy. I love his muscular body and the way he winks at me. Damn him, can't he hurry up?” As Zola repositions herself again, the fur lightly brushes her nipples slowly arousing them. Zola arches her back and lets herself enjoy the sensations. Closing her eyes, her body warming with erotic and sexual arousal, she lays across the blankets....waiting.

Confused, Zola raised her head in the pitched-dark cave, ”where am I?” and collapses, snuggling back into the strong warm body of the bear.

Seeing John’s pleading, painful expression tore through into Riley’s very soul. He walked closer to him and looked into the pale green eyes he’d fallen in love with.

“REALLY?! What the fuck?” he growled with his eyes now back to their icy blue and filled with tears. “Are you seriously throwing this back on me? Did ya not get the memo that I imprinted? The mere thought of being without you causes me pain on levels even I don’t fully understand. Of course I’m not asking you to just give up the best 22 years of our lives. I love you in a way I can’t even begin to put into words and I really don’t want you to go with him. I just wanted you to consider all your options before you did something stupid like shoot your father in the head. What kinda friend would I be if I didn’t give you every possible option for happiness? All I want is for you to be happy, if it meant giving you up to do so I would do it. I would do anything for you John. “ He lifted the hair at the back of his neck and with his other hand grabbed John’s free hand and place it on his mark. “No matter what you decide, I’m yours. This is permanent. You were never my bitch,” he glared right into the eyes of Ko-jin in spite of his alpha vibe he was giving off “but you will always be my mate.”

He saw a look of rage building in the eyes of Ko-jin. His son had marked and mated with a male tiger. Riley wrapped his arms around John and held him close. “Please don’t go.” He whispered.

Lapin looked at the young man. Pleasantly surprised that he noticed that he had not scent.
He listened to the boys rant and accusations, seeing the boys logic before it unfolded he knew what the lad was getting at.

"I died trying to save you." He answered rather plainly. " I didn't stalk your tribe and learn their ways, your father opted out of that and chose to fight me alone rather than put you and yours in danger. Had the thought occurred to you that your father pushed you away for a reason? Or are you so blind by your hate that you cannot see the long term effects of his death? He gave you a chance and you've squandered it. He let him self be captured to give you a few more hours to get away.... He endured things that would make your skin crawl.... " He said the last bit with a bit of disgust as he watched the kids on the playground thinking. Children don't see father than them selves... and all the old men were dying off. This was as much his failing as theirs being the older generation of human or human like creature. He'd think on that more later.

"As for this government interaction you're talking about I have no duty to protect you. In fact only by this man and your fathers grace are you still standing. My personal reasons for hunting your kind is the same as why you defend yours even tho you've been disowned by them. For the most part we tend to only hunt those that hunt humans as you've suggested , however the old hunters like my self also were required to keep your numbers lean. These modern hunters wipe your kind out. I've done you more favors than you know." His expression went from calm to pained as he spoke. " Can you say that you've slain your brothern to protect your enemy? The very fact that this one still is alive was due to hunter's blood on my hands" He spoke quietly as to not draw to many onlookers , there were already enough of them.

" We can speak of this another time however.... Might I suggest we leave this place so the local authorities don't find men with guns by a playground." He looked at john.

" And you, you need more respect for that weapon, drawing your weapon in anger only assures it will fail you in your time of need, As for my honor. I believe the phrase is 'Go fuck your self' in your youthy vernacular. I'm the only reason you're alive boy." He answered with a bit of anger fraying the edges of his otherwise pleasant tone.

"Ko-jin, ease your anger at your boy, Let him love as he will, he has a duty to pass on your family seed and knows it. That should be enough for even a hothead to understand and know what needs to be done. " he urged quietly supporting the boys knowing how their situation was.

John tucked his gun away. "You're also the reason my mother is dead." He said coldly raising his eyes to Lapin again. "And Riley's father. Who keeps your numbers lean, Lapin? Who keeps humans from sprawling across the earth like a virus? No one! Not even we could thin your numbers if every one of us turned rogue. Why do we protect our kind even when they've disowned us, and hurt us? To survive, Lapin! We aren't deer, to be watched and counted and hunted down, we aren't wolves to shoot when we grow rogue, we are more than that! More than human even!" John stood straighter now, looking directly into Lapin's eyes." I may not have killed my own family to protect humans but that's because I scarcely have family left to protect. How many times have I seen a rogue were put down though, how many times have I seen a tail ripped off or claws clipped do to harm done to humans? And that's not just because they where children....or because they where the last of their pride or whatever. That's just because they where human. 'Never harm a human.' That's the first thing we're taught in hunting but no one ever has a good reason as to why not. Vile, hypocritical, self absorbed creatures with no respect for the world they live in, using guns and smoke to fight their wars when all they need is the skin on their backs and the teeth in their scull." He drew the gun he had and threw it into the dirt at Lapin's feet. "Get out of here hunter. Whatever your reason for coming here, it better not be to find the tigers. They're already out for blood today if they catch wind of yours, you'll only make their day." John backed away from the picnic area, taking Riley's hand in his. "You can keep my father. If anything his old bones can be forged into a shield against their claws." he said bitterly.

John heard Ko-jin growl, furiously at their backs but he didn't seem to make any effort to follow them as they went back to his car and climbed in. John willed himself not to look back at the look on his father's face as he put the vehicle in drive and they hit the road again.

"Dumb kid..." Ko-jin gumbled, thoroughly pissed off. "I'm sure you'll be able to track the tigers from here if that's what you're still after, hunter. I need to go after my son..."

Riley was an emotional mess as John dragged him to the car. He had know idea where they were headed or what was going to happen to them, but one thing he was certain of was that he had his Johnny and, in spite of all that had happened the last few days, they loved each other and nothing could tear them apart. Instead of heading back West John had started driving North right through panther territory. “What the hell are you doing John?”

“If those bastards are going to follow us, they’ll have to go through a lot of enemy territory to get to us, and we have the advantage of a sweet ride.”

“But where are we going?”

“Alaska. The region has a lot of neutral territory, and well… moose.”

Riley smiled at him and leaned his head on his shoulder. He was keeping his promise, going somewhere far away from the tribes and the laws and the vile chiefs. Riley had heard of the large expanse of neutral land up in Alaska, but had always just figured it was due to it being too cold to be hospitable even for weres. He settled into his seat, it was going to be a long drive, John might even ask him to drive for a few legs of the trip. That scared him even more than John’s father, the thought of accidentally scratching or hurting John’s baby. Who needs cubs when he has a Cammero, the Cammero always purred and never whined for anything. “We’re gonna need snow tires.” Riley idly thought to himself. He turned on the radio and ejected John’s CD and pulled out one of the ones he’d grabbed back at his old room. He popped it in the CD player and a blast of an old rock ballad came blaring from the speakers.

“Uggh! What the hell is this crap?” John yelled over the music. “It’s so damn sappy!”

Riley faked looking hurt by the remark. “I made this while I was crushing on you, ya big goof. It’s a bunch of songs that I thought described how I felt about you.”

John looked a little sheepish and closed his mouth long enough to listen to the lyrics of the many songs on the CD. The songs were all about unrequited love, unbreakable love and the occasional song held the message of true love. When the CD had finished Riley ejected it and John leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. “You had to know it was gonna work out, but how?”

“I didn’t. I just hoped for the best, I had no idea it was gonna work out, but I knew you’d be my friend no matter what and somewhere inside I thought that was enough.” He smiled at John. “ So what are we going to do about finding a place to stay? Don’t tell me you have friends up there too.”

Ko-jin glared after the Camaro as it raced off, burning marks into the asphalt of the parking space it was in. He grumbled and walked over to a nearby car cluttered. The dashboard was cluttered with junk food wrappers and beer cans but the car itself was an impressive looking off road truck. Ko-jin tugged at the handle then picked up a slab of something on the ground and used it to jimmy the lock. He opened the door and swept a bunch of the garbage out of the seat. "Get in Lapin. I want to keep close eyes on those two. Not letting my son get away from me a second time.....and....well....you look like you could use a break from hunting old man."

He looked up at Ko-jin and smiled a gruff and slightly tired smile, it never reached his eyes. Once the trash was removed he slipped under the dashboard and hot-wired the truck, getting it to start. Ko-jin took his time. He had no plans to chase after them with his neck at their heels. He would find them. "There where only a few places that a lost pair of weres could go without trodding on someone else's territory."

---

---

John chuckled. "Not in Alaska. I know a few in New York but...that's... another story..." John muttered glancing over at Riley. He thought about what he said. Perhaps at one time just being friends would have been enough, then he thought about the night that he figured out Riley was well and truly in love with him. No....he would have managed....but it would never have been enough, not really. What if John had found someone else, a woman and had made cubs. He had a hard time picturing Riley by his side through that. Not that John wanted cubs. What if all this still wasn't enough though? His brow furrowed slightly as he pictured the night before. Perhaps Riley wanted something else of John. To be alpha to claim him. John couldn't put his head around the sudden change. He wanted to understand though. He glanced over at Riley quietly when he was preoccupied getting himself comfortable. He's not a woman, John. He thought quietly. His gaze roved low over him his minds eye ignoring the clothes draped over him. God, he's not a woman He agreed, a small smile budding at the corner of his lips. He savored the image he'd harvested in his mind and improved on it giving him a soft couch to lounge on instead of a car seat, his icy blue gaze beckoning. You ought to treat him with a proper man's respect, John. Let him play as you do. This isn't just some black and white relationship it doesn't work how you have it in your head. You'll chase him off if you keep it that way.

John shifted in his seat, made uncomfortable by both the long hours driving and now the slight stiffness in the crotch of his jeans. He was going to make sure it worked out between them for sure.

Then his mind shifted to his father and he spoke up, finally. "Why'd he have to show up now?" John asked quietly. "After all this time..."

Anger started to flood through him again. He punched the steering wheel. "He DIED! He'd been dead for 22 years now he just shows up and thinks he can tell me what I ought to be doing? Who I ought to be with? I don't even know him...I never knew him, even as a cub. I scarcely remember him by more than a pair of glaring eyes, but I remember my half sisters and my half brothers and my mother."

He had to stop himself talking after that as tears threatened to return to his eyes. He glared down the road and blinked them away.

Lapin took the verbal assault rather calmly, not because what the young man said didn't jar him but rather the opposite.
Lapin had thought the same things and even debated if what he was doing was worth any of the trouble.
His eyes followed as the weapon hit the dirt. He just stood there for a moment as the boys left in a hurry, ko-jin started to do something but Lapin wasn't paying attention. The torrent of raw anger and misery swelling with in the man threatened to eat him alive at this very moment. He gazed at the answer that lay in the dust between his boots.

"This is why I stay in the woods..." He mumbled, shrugging off the nagging whispers of sweet salvation that haunted him as he reached down for the firearm. He emptied the gun and caught the bullet that was in the chamber tucking the now harmless pistol away in his jacket. He toyed with the single bullet that was left out, turning it end over end in his hand as he walked.

Ko-jin said something else to Lapin this time, he only smiled and got into the car not really caring what the old lion had to say at this point.
"We've not found your boy yet anyways." he said picking up bits of trash that were in the car and pushing them into a fast food bag.
" We found his body but your son's heart and mind is lost as ever." He said watching the lion.

Riley Began to wonder what had taken John to New York, had he gone there looking for him? Had his father kept what he did to Riley so much of a secret that John thought he had been shipped to New York? Riley didn’t even know if there were any tiger tribes in New York. He let his mind drift to thoughts of going to New York with John, seeing the sites, enjoying the food, picnicking in central park and just taking time to be human for a little while. Actually the thought of any sort of vacation with John sounded like heaven after the last few days of hell they’d gone through.

Riley’s thoughts of getting away from it all were soon interrupted by John’s unexpected outburst. Riley saw the tears in John’s eyes as he glared at the road trying to blink them away. He was a typical guy in that respect, but Riley understood the need to hide any signs of vulnerability, it was instinct and he himself did it as well. It was an ingrained reflex, not just a guy thing. Riley placed a hand on John’s thigh in a comforting way.

“That’s not all is it? It’s not just about him being back and ordering you around.” Riley asked in a soft voice. “It’s only natural, Johnny. You’re upset because there’s a small part of you that feels compelled to do what he want’s you to do, just because he’s your father. I get it, really I do. It’s ingrained into us to do as our parents say, whether it makes sense or not. Don’t beat yourself up just because there’s a part of you that want’s to make your dad happy. I’d be concerned if you didn’t have that feeling.” He turned and looked at his big green eyes. He seemed to be cheering up just the slightest bit. “But you followed your heart, and that’s always the right choice. If your father want’s to be a part of your life he’s gonna have to realize it’s gonna be on your terms, not his. Maybe some day he’ll realize that everything doesn’t revolve around old traditions and primal instincts. We’re part human too and we need to nurture that part of our lives as well.” John let out a yawn that looked like a proper roar. “You’re looking kinda tired, I know you usually won’t do this, but you want me to drive for a little while?” Riley asked not really expecting him to let him drive, but just to give him the option to get some rest.

John hesitated a moment then nodded. "Yeah...I need some time to rest.... Just don't hurt her."
He pulled over to the next rest stop and took the time to fill her up with gas and toss Riley the keys. The pair took a few minutes to stretch their legs and John went into the shop to buy some jerky snacks. He'd grown to really like them despite the fact that they only vaguely tasted like proper meat. Something about the smoky, salty flavor and the tough chewy nature of it that he liked. He bought a fist full of them and a few water bottles for the ride and then took a piss in the woods at the edge of the property. It was better than stepping foot into the human sewage they called a rest room. He could smell it with his keen nose all the way by the door.

He walked back to the car, munching on piece of beef jerky. He climbed into the car on the passenger's seat, feeling very out of place on that side of the car. He looked over at Riley who looked back at him. John kissed him then offered a piece of jerky before making himself comfortable. He leaned his head on the window as Riley pulled out and started them back on the road. Astonishingly John fell asleep within minutes, his mouth agape slightly, a lion's canines slightly in view. John had been traveling seemingly nonstop for over a week. Going down to the city to find Riley, driving him back up only to be forced to run again. Not only that his father had popped up which added to his emotional exhaustion.

He didn't sleep for long, about an hour before he started awake to another nightmare about the slaughter of the lions. This time the faceless hunter wielding the shotgun had Lapin's weathered face, his bespectacled eyes shielded by a glare. He startled Riley with his reawakening, crying out for his father in his sleep before gazing darkly out the window. Riley attempted to initiate conversation to cheer him up and failed. “Let’s sleep out in the woods tonight." John finally said after he'd given up. "I'm sick of gross motel beds that smell of other people's sex and piss. I want to sleep under the stars."

---

---

The following is a collab between me and Jack :D

Meanwhile Ko-jin and Lapin trucked along, not far behind Ko-jin was incredibly quiet for most the ride, not having much desire to speak to the hunter. It was about three hours in before he finally said something to him. "So.... why my wives, hunter?" He asked in a gruff voice, looking over to Lapin. "Surely you must have heard of the deal I had made with the other hunters. Every pride was theirs but mine and I would end the human slaughter."

Lapin sighed a bit before he answered, " Does it really matter my reasons why, not that they were 'my' reasons..."
He watched the road pass by. His mind crept back to that night when the hunters raided the old lions pride.
" I could use the old Nazi excuse ‘I was just following orders’ but you wouldn't buy it." He added as an after thought.

Ko-jin's expression became stony but he said nothing more. There where no answers to be pulled from this man he could tell that. Not ones he would deem acceptable anyways. He wondered for a moment why he didn't just kick the man out of the moving truck as it where let him become a feast for the coyotes. The man would probably figure a way to shoot him anyways or thrust a knife up through his throat.

" I was told there were not going to be women and children there... I was over watch for the initial attack... We had some fresh blood among us and they attacked with out being ordered to... By the time the older order figured out what was going on they had swept through most of the pride... " He said reliving having to watch children being drug out of their homes and executed. " Our higher ups had been told that your group had been warned.... like we warned the other clans." He went on. " The old order has rules about killing kids... It might not be much but those that killed your wives are still alive...against their own will mind you, but still alive. I've got ties to the old order still if you wish to pay them a visit, none would stop you." He offered passively.

Anger still lit the old lion's yellow eyes but he let out a slow sigh. "No. If my son is ever going to return to me it will be with that slaughter at our backs. I don't trust your order for anything...except punishment." He glanced over at the old man. "Those men will suffer more at their hands than mine. A lion kills his enemies or devours his prey. We don’t relish in prolonged torture."

Ko-jin squinted down the road as he noted his son's camaro pulling off into a rest stop. He pulled off as well parking a good ways away on the other side of a parked trailer to stretch his legs and wait for the pair to set off again.

Lapin huffed a bit and pulled a pair of binos from a cargo pocket and watched the boys.
" Why are you so harsh on the boy?" Lapin asked watching John stretch.

"He has a duty to serve as part of a lion's pride. We come from a long line of good lions, least he could do is contribute." Ko-jin grumbled. "I refuse to allow so many generations of good hard work to go to waste due to this...unnaturalness."

"He can do his part to keep his line going, doesn't mean you have to push him like that. The heart wants what the heart wants after all. What's the real reason you're harsh on him?" He said parrying the old lion’s response.

"tch...." Ko-jin looked over at Lapin. "Because he's all I got left. He's all I got left and I haven't even gotten a chance to show him how to be a proper lion. Bleeding tigers raised him. That's no way for a lion boy. He has fire in his blood and he knows it."

"You're a stranger, you might as well have been me when you spoke to him." He gave the lion a look, "you know I’m right. I could have let the hunters raise the boy..." he added as he watched some other passers by with the binos.

Ko-jin glared daggers at the hunter, but of course he was preoccupied with his binoculars so Ko-jin merely sat back in his seat and crossed his arms. "He is my son." He said stoutly having no better argument than that. "What would you have me do, let him run off with some tiger boy and pretend I don't exist?"

" No, I would suggest learning about your pre---- I mean son before you engage him. You've not the first clue of who your son is, watch the boy, you can learn much from afar." Lapin answered turning his silvery eyes to the lion.

"So far all I've learned from this is he favors boys and fake meat strips." Ko-jin grumbled grumpily, but inwardly he agreed. He would watch for now and bide his time to better win his son over the proper way. He had to admit to one thing his son's taste in clothing and cars was impressive. Ko-jin approved. He straightened his own leather jacket. The thing was weathered and worn compared to Johns and the shade of dark chocolate.

" You didn't learn anything about how the lad thinks? How rash the boy is? About his loyalty and how far he's willing to go to protect the other kid?" Lapin looked at Ko-jin wondering what was going on in the man’s head. " How did you track me down again?" He smirked

Ko-jin shifted in his seat and huffed, "I admit it took me this long! What did you think I was doing these past 22 years, sipping martinis in the Bahamas?" Granted, he'd been nearly mortally wounded at the start and by the time he'd recovered the man had been long gone. He was right of course. John was absolutely infatuated with this boy willing to discard his own father to keep him. Ko-jin's bushy gray eyebrows furrowed.

" We can use this to our advantage." He said not taking his eyes off the lad.

"I guess you're right" Ko-jin grumbled. He straightened up as John got back into the camaro and they pulled off. Ko-jin slipped back into the drivers seat and waited until Lapin was set before they pulled off as well.

Her eyes fluttered and strained to open as she traced her parched lips with her dry tongue. Struggling to wake, she had flashbacks of the full moon shimmering on the lake, her exhaustion, water enveloping her body, and how she pulled herself on the shore. Trying to focus....,"Damn it, what is next, what is next!" She closed her eyes again to attempt to think. " I was shivering and more tired than I have ever been in my life. I could not climb to safety of the trees, so I hid myself under some bushes. I could tell my body was starting to shut down, when firm warm arms lifted me up and cradled me against their warmth.

Zola had focused so much on what happened to her that she neglected to focus on what was happening to her now. The eerie darkness that possessed an "old, wet hound dog that rolled around in a pig pen” stench....the bristly fur arm over her middle.....the shallow breathing that was slightly moving her hair. She should have panicked, but realized that whatever was wrapped around her, saved her from dying.

Zola didn't realize the danger that she was in, nor did she give a shit, because her instincts had kicked in and she was famished and had to micturate so badly she thought she would burst.

Slowly she lifted the heavy, muscular arm from across her middle, and with a quick roll (that took all of her energy) she was free. The enormous animal shifted and snorted, but finally settled back to their slumber. As she began to back away, she couldn't help but take a closer glimpse of this animal that saved her. With her stealthy walk, she approached and squinted. “ OH CRAP, IT IS A BEAR” she screamed in her head. She backed away quickly and tripped over the bear's legs and then bumped her head on the cave ceiling and knocked herself out.

Riley had to agree with John, the last few nights had been rough when it came to getting sleep. He opened the window to get an idea of who’s territory they were in and it smelled like it was neutral right at the moment. He figured they had to be about half way to Alaska by now and much of the land was not claimed by any tribe. He saw a dirt road and turned off to find a spot for the two of them to sleep for the evening. He parked the car far enough off the road that no one would see it unless they were looking for it. The two grabbed some of the jerky and wandered off into the woods to find a place to sleep. After a few minutes of hiking, they came across a clearing in the woods. Riley looked up and it was as though you could see every star in the sky. He smiled at John, this looks good. It was still rather cold, even for their animal forms, and Riley went to go get some fire wood. He caught the scent of many creatures that had been in the woods before them, including other therians. It was neutral turf so he wasn’t worried. He got back to the clearing and started a fire after digging a pit for it. He wrapped his arms around John and cuddled with him to keep the two of them warm. It was a clear night which meant it was only going to get colder as the evening went on.

The two didn’t talk much that evening, John seemed to be preoccupied. Riley laid back on the grass and looked at the stars. “ I love you, Johnny. Sorry I made things weird earlier. You want me to make it up to you?” He asked with a sly grin and got on all fours with his tail up in the air taunting John.

John wandered the edge of the clearing his nose low to the ground his massive paws making very little sound on the cold stiff dirt. He stopped at one point and disappeared momentarily into the trees He smiled a low scuffling sound as he dug his claws and toes into the soil to break it apart.

“ I love you, Johnny. Sorry I made things weird earlier. You want me to make it up to you?”

John turned and for a moment all you could see in the darkness where his sharp pale eyes reflected by the moon and John watched him silently on all fours his hind wiggling as his tail swished back and forth. Riley glowed with the light of the moon on his pale skin and white fur that trailed slightly up his spine from where his tail sprouted, spilling over his pants, pushing them low on his hips. John stepped out of the dark his own tail sweeping low in the grass, steady but for the soft flick of the dark tuft on the end. Riley's breath escaped him as John stared evenly at him eye to eye as he dropped his leather jacket and pulled away his shirt. He pulled Riley to his feet a smile breaching his unpredictable expression. "Do it...again." He growled into Riley's ear. His voice trembled somewhat like a kitten that had been taught the order of rule for the first time being batted around like a toy by his alpha or tribe leader, laced thickly with the husky tone of desire. "And again." He said, pulling Riley back into the shadow of the trees and brush. "Only....show me the strength and ferocity of your fathers...like a proper tiger and I will do....the same to you when the sun comes out." He whispered in the darkness.

---

---

Ko-jin's whiskers bristled, his goatee swept stiffly beneath his chin, brushing his chest slightly as a tremble swept through his skin. "The Sun isn't happy about any of this." He muttered almost intelligibly. The need for sleep had leadened his eyelids but he fought it back with a stubbornness that befitted his nature. Some would say his animal was supposed to have been a mule. "When you feel cold in a perfectly heated car it's a sure sign the god of Sun is not happy." He muttered to Lapin. "Its the unnaturalness I know it, it's going to get us all killed."

It wasn't often he took to the old gods of the tribe, even when the tribe still existed he had never been an avid follower of the Sun God, the great gold lion of the skies. Master of the warmth and heat of the world, master of fire that fueled battles as well as heated the groin for love. He was Passion and strength to the Tribe with the moon goddess being that of death, sorrow, and danger. It was the time in which the sun god was closest to the earth at dawn and dusk that the tribe took to hunting and celebrating. Cubs born at this time where to be strong and wise while those born in the dark of night where to be untrustworthy and strange, touched by the goddess of the dark and those born at day to be weak, drinking too much of the milk of the sun to know of the dangers in the night. John had been a midday cub. Pale as a sand ghost, the smallest of his litter. Ko-jin hadn't had much hope for him and had at first wished death on him quick and painless, but he grew and caught up eventually. Now it seemed John had exceeded all of his expectations. He was strong and passionate and wild like himself. The Sun god had infused him with such strength. Ko-jin was proud of it he wanted to spar with the boy good and proper to really gauge him, to teach him of the gods of his tribe and of the rites and laws of his people. He wanted to really shape him like he never had a chance to. Make a good strong lion out of him.

Sadness crept across Ko-jin's yellowed eyes, darkened by the light-less truck. He snapped out of his thoughts however just as he spotted the camaro pulling off onto a side road. Ko-jin slammed on the brakes somewhat as he weaved through sleepy drivers to make the exit. He forced himself a nervous but booming laugh as he just made it nearly grazing a car in his blind spot. He could feel Lapin's judgmental eyes on him. "Just biting your tail to see that you didn't die on me over there." He grinned at the old man and laughed at the expression he made.

He slowed the car and followed the camaro until it pulled off again into a wood trail further on. Ko-jin passed the turn off deliberately as not to draw the suspicion of the two boys and pulled onto the side of the road a little ways down. "We walk from here and track the proper way." He proposed. "they're about to set camp I'm assuming. Fire is easy to find in a forest."

Riley was overwhelmed with confusion. He really hadn’t expected this response, he had expected John to take him right there. But here he was telling Riley to do it again, even though he was sure John didn’t like it. And he wasn’t just asking him to do it he was … demanding it, begging to be dominated. Where was all this coming from? Then it made sense.

“… and I will do....the same to you when the sun comes out."

It was coming together now. The two of them were like night and day, two opposites being ever more drawn to one another. Riley smiled at the demand and answered it with a question.

“Did anyone ever tell you the story of the first tigers?”

“No” John replied. His sharp green eyes giving a glare of confusion, not sure of what it had to do with what was going on.

“I have a point, just let me tell you the story first, then I’ll be as fiercer than you can handle.” He said with all the promises of lust in his voice and he ran a claw down his chest leaving a shallow scratch and a little blood trickled down to his abs. He bent over and licked it up before continuing.

“Back in the days when man was still young, the gods got angry that they weren’t being worshiped and respected properly by the mortals. The Sun god got the idea to create a creature to force the mortals into believing again. He created a large cat creature that was pure orange with green eyes in the light of day, but by night his fur became white as snow and his eyes as blue as sapphires” Riley could help but notice the smile on John’s face as he looked into Riley’s own blues eyes. “This creature had the ability to turn human at will and was very effective at cultivating belief in the mortals, however the belief was not respect and the sun god soon realized it was fear. Large amounts of fear could actually poison the gods and make them die off as quickly as a lack of belief. The moon goddess saw this and she created a similar creature, jet black with yellow eyes. This creature had the ability to turn human as well and she went around healing the damage that the first creature had done, bring balance to the belief system cultivating respect for the gods to balance out the fear. The two creatures eventually met, and though they were complete opposites, they fell in love with one another and mated for life. The female became pregnant and gave birth to a litter of cubs. It was a long birthing process and the cubs born in the day were born orange with black stripes, the ones born at night were white with black stripes. These were the first tigers and were the ancestors of all tigers. Some of them retained the ability to turn human and others lacked the ability. As a reward to the creatures for bringing faith back to the gods, the sun god and moon goddess decided to bless the cubs and all their future offspring. It was said that those born in the day would be given the blessing of the sun god. The primal source of power, life, energy, strength and desire. However those born at night would receive the blessing of the moon goddess. The source of wisdom, cunning, stealth and passion. Those with the sun god’s blessing are said to grow to be powerful warriors, champions, fighters and enforcers for their tribes. Those with the moon goddess’s blessing are said to be great hunters, stealthy fighters, scholars, and keepers of the legends.” He kissed John’s soft lips as he was starting to understand where he was heading with this. “I know things are different with lions, but I’d be willing to bet my next three kills that you were born in the day time. And I know I was born in the middle of the night. We’re opposites, yet so much the same. I get what’s going on; in the day time I’m all yours just like the first time, but in the night time you’re all mine like the last time.” The sly grin returned to his face as he lightly ran his claws down his chest again, lighter this time so as not to draw blood. He then suddenly grabbed John’s shirt and pulled him close to him and kissed him passionately and forcefully sticking his tongue half way down John’s throat. He pushed John to the ground, pinning him under the strength that John seemed surprised to see. He knew Riley had been holding back, but had no idea just how much he was holding back. Riley seemed to have an unnatural force driving him and it was turning John on.


Continued in PM

A collab between me and Jack <3

Lapin shook his head with the near miss at the car and was a little more than thankful that he was out of the car.
" How close do you want to get to them?" He asked the lion taking a moment to stretch his legs.

"Close enough to watch them but far enough not to be seen." Ko-jin said gruffly. "Like you said we ought to learn what we're dealing with here. Can't do that half a mile away." He climbed out of the car and adjusted his jacket. Snow was on the wind he could smell it; it was going to be a cold night. Not ideal to be spending out in the open…at least, not with ‘ol skin and bones with him. He looked over at Lapin wondering if the old man would get to build a shelter like he had before.

Lapin nodded not going to argue the half-mile thing, personally he enjoyed that more than stalking so close to his target but this was Ko-jin's baby, no pun intended.
" Well, how are we going mask your scent? The wind shifts for a moment and we'd be had" He asked digging through his bag, he pulled out a pair of night vision goggles, he took the lens caps off of them and checked to see if they worked still, a little fuzzy from being jumped on the other day but they still worked well enough. Lapin looked at the car, his rifle was in the back.

" Mind If I take it along? " He asked Ko-jin.

Ko-jin pursed his lips. "Fine. Though what you could possibly need it for I'd like to know." He chuckled at the scent remark. "Come now Lapin two star-crossed lovers alone in the woods last thing they'll be worried about is our scents. You said it yourself, my boy is reckless and in love. Trust me..." He grumbled on more saying something about young lions and blood of fire but he had already begun walking into the woods by then. "Besides this place isn't flat land. Should we perch ourselves on the hind of a hill it should block our sent should the wind shift. We've been trekking through woods for god knows how long, Oh scentless one...I don't think we have much to worry about."

Lapin couldn't help but laugh a little as he grabbed his rifle. " True true, and I'd just rather not have a cop or something find a stole car with my rifle in it, as a show of good faith i'll let you have the ammo if it would ease your mind." Lapin suggested slinging the rifle over his shoulder. He kept an eye on which way the boys were heading off to. " Who's to say they will stay still longer than 30 though. They could 'run' all night. " He said not exactly enjoying the idea of a late night stalking through the woods, maybe he was getting to old for this kind of stuff.
A knot worked at his stomach as he mulled over his age for a moment.

" Either way, if you want I can lead or you can, makes not difference to me. " He said smiling a bit.

"Hmh...You can keep your ammo. I don't feel like carrying all your gear around when I can just tear out your throat should you turn on me." Ko-jin grumbled impatiently. He chose to ignore the comment about 'running' preferring not to think of the unnatural behaviors his son was taking apart of. He instead decided to take it to mean running from them. Ko-jin huffed. "Go on and lead." He muttered as they began making their way along the fresh tracks from the camaro.

Lapin nodded moving along the clear path of the two boys, watching them shift or rather watching their trail shift from human to were. For an old man he started at quite the pace,
He moved like he had when he was younger, quietly with ease, almost an air of grace if you would. Lapin had started to forget that he was leading Ko-jin and was simply hunting again.

The trail started to wind along, Lapin's mind raced forward to figure out what they lads had been up to, he honestly didn't want to run into them and ruin their night, lapin didn't admit it out loud be he actually respected the boys for their love and hoped they managed to give the old men the slip. But he knew that was just wishful thinking, He knew these two had long forgotten that they were being tracked and were probably curled up somewhere.

As if to answer his wishful thinking with a crashing dose of reality he saw the faintest glow of a campfire, it wasn't more than a slightly lighter patch of darkness really.
Lapin motioned to Ko-jin, pointing at his eyes then to the glow in the distance; a question was on his face.

Ko-jin had been tracking as well, although by scent. Lapin led for sure but Ko-jin kept tabs on the scent. He watched as Lapin worked, curiously. It was a wonder it took him so long to track the old man he moved like a shadow. Ko-jin was impressed; of course he wasn't likely to voice it at all. He knew they where getting close and started to collect sticks and branches for a small fire at least to keep the old man from freezing out there. He looked up just as Lapin motioned and shifted the branches under his arm carefully and silently he moved up to where Lapin stood. Ko-jin's nocturnal eyes caught the light with ease but he squinted trying to make out the details. He gestured for lapin's binocular device. "Give it here old man." He grumbled.

Lapin shrugged and offered his night vision to the lion, " If you press the button on the side it will show you heat contrast, weres run hotter than people so they would turn up black against the grey back ground" He said. " Just don't leave it on long it's about dead after 3 years of use." He sighed a bit. Animal night vision or not, the Thermal monocular used by the military both of them to shame." Looks unattended but odd's are it's them. " Lapin said taking a seat under a tree as Ko-jin watched. He looked and raised an eyebrow at the bundle of branches. Was Ko-jin building a shelter? That was odd, Lapin figured the lion would simply curl up.

"Hmmh" Ko-jin grunted and took the device. It looked alien to him; cumbersome and awkward. He glanced down at the bundle of sticks and held them out to Lapin. "Here. Make use of um. I guess...it would be unfortunate if you turned into an icicle over night. Snow's on the wind." It was pretty much Ko-jin's first act of kindness towards the hunter, aside from letting him live this long. He then turned to peer through the trees with the thermal vision. "Ah...this is...strange." He muttered. "How does it..." He trailed off as he spotted the two JUST as they disappeared into the foliage. He knew that look. Ko-jin growled, greatly disheartened by the confirmation he had now. There was no convincing John of going with him now. He gritted his teeth and turned the thermal off handing it to Lapin. "It's them alright."

"Cheating," Lapin added with a smirk. "basically it's like a radio , you can tune it to see different things... " He explained watching the lion.

"Humans are weird. Tuning sight like radio." Ko-jin sat down and crossed his arms.

"Humans are indeed very weird. Ehh, radio might not have been the best way to explain it, everything cast off warmth kind of like a light bulb does light, the sight can see it is all if it's tuned properly. " He corrected him self. He placed the bundle of sticks aside and took a thermal blanket from his bag and proceeded to build a small mound of brush to set it on before tossing more on top of the blanket. " Thank you." Lapin said adding the sticks to the pile more as a show of thanks than actually needing it. He watched Ko-jin as he gazed down at his son, knowing all to well how clearly he'd be able to see their shapes amongst the trees..

" I don't enjoy being the" bad guy".... but… It has its uses... " He said, he cast a glance to his rifle.

Ko-jin followed his glance to the rifle, and then looked to Lapin. "I hope you aren't suggesting...I have no qualms with the tiger boy save for the fact that he's with my son. You don't squash an ant with a bullet."

"But you don't use bullets, and if one was used, then it wasn't you now is it?" He pointed out.

"And what honor is there in that?" Ko-jin seemed to puff up with outrage at the mere suggestion of it. "Great honorable scentless one following the old rules. What do you take me for? A lion fights his battles with claws and teeth-..." Ko-jin cut off as an idea struck him hard as iron. "I'll fight the boy myself. He wants to take the pride of my family he'll have to do it as lions do."

Lapin sighed a little shaking his head, his point missed by the lion. "As you wish, tho... if I may the lad seems to be thinking more with his "weird" side than his lion side." He shrugged. " But this is a family matter what am I to it. " He rolled his shoulder watching the lion. The lion's mind set bothered Lapin , he wanted his son back yet it only seemed that he wanted his son back as he had pictured him when he was a cub, not as he was now...
Maybe that's why lapin had a soft spot for the pair.... He snorted once dismissing the idea.

" I'm also a good enough shot I could spook, wound , or out right kill the Tiger if it was needed... Bullets are good for more than just killing folk tho. " He inhaled resting his eyes, but keeping his wits about himself.

"No, I will challenge the tiger boy. Thereby teaching them both what it means to be in a pride together." Ko-jin muttered, his mind set. Ko-jin shivered and his hair seemed to grow thicker and wilder about him his face distorting as his lion's features formed and dull tan fur sprouted over his body. "If I loose...then clearly the Gods want them to be as they are." He finished, his voice not much more than a garbled growl as he finished his transformation. The bones in his spine popped and grinded and Ko-jin let out a tired groan as his old bones ached. Transforming did get a little harder every year. He shook his shaggy dark mane and began to paw at the ground, stirring up the soil and creating a bit of a bowl shaped place to lay. Snow was coming and it would be easier if he could allow it to form an insulating blanket over him rather than leaving him open to the wind. He curled up with his back facing down the hill and chuffed tossing his head in lapin's direction. A sort of good night.

Lapin had been watching the lion with one eye hearing him stir about, the meaning was clear and Lapin raised a hand in answer. Tho Lapin wouldn't fall asleep for a while longer.
He watched the boys for a while, envious of their freedom at the moment. The freedom of youth and being wild so to speak... Lapin was caged by birth and Ko-jin by nature.

A smile crept across his lips, his mind settling on something.
He'd help the boys.... It could be the last decent thing he ever did...
He turned off his night vision and curled up in his sleeping bag made of snow, branches and the blanket he had, sealing the end off with his back pack as he had before to drift off into an uneasy, yet restful sleep.

---

---

Much later John awoke to a fresh coat of snow blanketing both he and Riley in their were forms. John had his arms around Riley and their combined body heat created a blanket of insulating warmth shared between the two of them. John chuffed and sat up, snow cascading from his mane. He transformed into his full lion form and shook himself from nose to tail. Their fire had completely gone out and John felt quite cold. He stretched, lowering his front half into the snow, before flopping into it and patting at it with a giant paw. John enjoyed the snow. He hated cold but snow was amazing to him. He got to his feet and sniffed at a set of fresh rabbit tracks.


Ko-jin frowned, displeased as he peered down at the camp, snow sprinkling his wild mane making it look even more ashen and gray. He'd snatched Lapin's binos again in order to magnify what was going on down there. Way early in the morning before the sun rose the sound of roaring had broke the silence of the night. The sounds that had been coming from down there had awoken Ko-jin hours before sending him into another grumpy mood. The roaring and yelling of a lion's passion only portrayed by an unnatural white tiger. Ko-jin scoffed at the notion. He'd left the camp to go hunting for the rest of the night, the evidence was in the string of dead rabbits draped over a tree branch nearby, at least seven. He glanced over at Lapin. "Up you get old man, it seems our charges are waking." Ko-jin grumbled.

---

---

Many miles off a hunter braved those same forests, testing his bow on the wildlife in the midst of a rather long hunting trip. He was dressed in the color of the woods smelling of deer piss and mud and grass. It had been almost a week since he set fire, he'd been avoiding the strong stench of burning logs for fear of loosing the buck he'd been tracking. He had already grown used to the cold of the mountains. His fingers no longer ached so long as he flexed the frost from his bones every once in a while. His body was protected with weather resistant hunting clothes. A light wind breaker over an assortment of insulating canadian winter wear of several layers in the most quiet fabrics he could find along with a cap, pulled down over ear warmers. His boots made no sound as he moved like an assault team on a mission to surprise their enemy with a sudden attack. Twigs seemed to hush as he approached the air of danger falling heavy around him like a shroud. He carried an intricate looking compound bow in one hand as well as a crossbow on his back and an assortment of hunting knives and other tools at his waist on a belt he kept snug on his waist. He carried no firearms. Nothing with bullets or gun powder every weapon he had made no noise but the soft twang of a string and the swish of an arrow. much of the hunter's face was covered by collar and scarf but for his eyes, sharp and focused but quite relaxed. They where a soft gray and difficult to gauge an expression from. He drew an arrow and nocked it as he approached the buck down wind. He attached the release and pulled the string tight until his hand rested against the corner of his jaw, his nose lightly touching the wire. He took aim, a finger resting lightly on the trigger to the release that wrapped around his wrist. His back and shoulders where taught with strength, then quick as lightning the arrow was sent flying at outrageous speeds with a quick and smooth release. The buck let out a cry and jerked as all its muscles prepared to bolt but instead it dropped with an arrow sticking out from it's scull right beneath it's ear. It was dead before the dirt claimed it