For sunhawk16's request. *grin*
Wolfen One Drabble
Duo tugged his cloak closer around himself. The crisp fall air chilled his bones. Even after all of his time in the North he had never gotten used to the cold. He scanned the clearing looking for some trace of the bear he'd been hired to hunt that wasn't days old.
He reached up and touched his shoulder. It had healed from his encounter with a winter-maddened bear last year, except for an ache when the weather was due to change.
He hated bear hunts.
A rustling in the brush made him jump. A large wolf pushed it's head out through the brush, tongue lolling, looking amused.
"Yeah, yeah, very funny. You weren't the one on the bear hunt last year."
The wolf joined him in the clearing, leaning against Duo's leg, looking almost apologetic.
"Sorry," Duo tugged one of the wolf's ears. "Just jumpy. Something just feels off... I mean, we should've found the damn bear by now and there's no sign of him." He looked up at the sky, checked the angle of the sun and sighed. "Might as well go back to camp. It's getting dark and I'm freezing."
The wolf bowed his head in agreement and followed Duo out of the clearing.
~*~
Once inside the tent, Duo snuggled down in his blankets, trying to get warm. The wolf curled around his back, but Duo pushed at his shoulder. "I know you're warmer that way, but I'm tired of talking to myself."
The wolf looked amused, and his shape blurred. A moment later and a dark haired young man had slid into the blankets beside Duo.
"Heero! Clothes! You'll freeze."
"Hardly." His lover pulled Duo close. "You forget- my body temperature is higher than yours. I'm quite comfortable."
"Unfair," Duo muttered, leaning into Heero's warmth.
"At least you don't turn furry."
"I'd be warmer."
Heero laughed. "You know I'm always happy to keep you warm." He tilted Duo's head back and nipped at the exposed skin of his throat.
"Mmm." Duo purred happily. "I'm already warmer."
"Good," Heero kissed Duo's temple. "Once we find the bear we can head South. It should be warmer by the border and they are always in need of Hunters."
"Sounds good to me," Duo frowned. "Speaking of the bear- does this hunt seem as odd to you as it does to me? We've been here two days and I'm beginning to think there either isn't a bear or the damn thing is already sleeping."
"I know." Heero bit his lip. "It doesn't... smell right either."
"Sick?" Duo asked and Heero shrugged.
"No... well, maybe... I don't know. It's hard to describe. The scent is hard to track- it just vanishes in some places..."
Duo sighed. "And no sign of a den either. At least not around here... I was sure he'd hole up next to the food supply."
"We'll have to widen the search- maybe he couldn't find a good den close enough."
"I've seen lots of possibilities... but then again, I'm not a bear."
Heero chuckled. "If you were, you'd be warmer."
"You'd like that. I wouldn't be stealing all your body heat."
"Mmm," Heero's lips touched Duo's neck again. "Speaking of that...."
Duo chuckled and pulled Heero down onto the bedroll.
~*~
Duo sighed, glancing up at the sky. Another day nearly over and still no sign of the bear. He was ready to call the whole thing off and head South. He wondered if Heero had found anything- they had split up early in the morning so that they could cover more ground.
Duo leaned on a nearby tree and shivered. Damn cold pointless hunt.
The tree shook under his shoulder.
Oh shit.
He scrambled backwards as a large brown shape pulled itself out of the trunk and turned towards him.
The bear growled as Duo grabbed for his knife, having no time or space for the bow.
Of all the bad luck! Duo cursed to himself as the bear moved closer, swiping the air with its paws. Duo dodged and made a swipe of his own.
The bear jerked backwards, still growling.
A white shape hurtled out of the trees and landed between Duo and the bear, snarling. The bear moved backwards again, putting his back against the tree, and Duo barely had time to realize that the movement was somehow off when Heero stopped snarling.
The wolf froze, his nose in the air, sniffing furiously.
The bear also froze, his nose twitching.
Duo wondered what the hell was going on, and then cursed as Heero shifted.
"Heero!" He snapped, yanking off his cloak and tossing it over his lover. "What the hell?"
"Just making a point," Heero smiled at the bear. "You see?"
The bear nodded, and a moment later, a brown haired young man stood there blinking at them.
"That's why he was so damn hard to track!" Duo felt much better. At least his skills weren't at fault.
"And now that you have?" The young man blinked at them through his bangs. "Are you going to try and kill me?"
Heero, much to Duo's surprise, looked at Duo rather than answering.
"No of course not." Duo shook his head. "Why would we? Just try to stay away from the village goats, okay? Or they'll send someone else."
The young man nodded. "I don't usually like to take from the villages, but my mate was sick."
"Does she need help?" Duo asked. "Heero has been trained in healing."
The young man shook his head, smiling. "No, he does better now, thank you for the offer."
A hand reached out of the tree and pushed at the young man's shoulder. "I'm glad you admit that. Now let me out."
Another young man stepped out of the tree- light-haired and clothed, much to Duo's relief. "Thank you for sparing my mate. I'm sorry you won't be getting anything out of this hunt..."
Duo smiled. "It's okay. I just want out of this damn cold weather." He shivered and looked at the sky. "Speaking of which, I'd like to get back to camp before night falls."
Heero looked at him. "I'll meet you back there." He looked at the two bears. "I'd... like to talk to you for a bit. May I?"
The blond nodded. "Of course."
Duo bit his lip, but then nodded. "I'll meet you back at camp then."
Feeling a bit out-of-place, he turned and headed back for camp.
~*~
He snuggled down into his blankets, still feeling chilled, his eyes on the closed tent flaps. Heero had been gone quite a while.
Would he be coming back?
At first Duo had told himself that of course Heero would want to stay and talk to the bears. They were the first shifters other than himself that he had met. There had to be quite a few things to talk about...
But now as Duo lay alone in the dark, his thoughts took a darker turn. Those two were like him. Had he decided to stay with them rather than return to his human lover?
He closed his eyes and sighed. If Heero wasn't back in the morning, what would he do? Go again to the den and ask for him? Or... should he leave...?
It was a long time before he fell asleep.
~*~
The tent was flooded with sunlight when he awoke, feeling warm and safe. A warm breath tickled his ear, a leg pinned him in place. He squirmed, turning enough to meet his lover's bright blue eyes.
"You're here."
"Where else would I be?" Heero smiled at him.
"I thought... well... they are like you..."
Heero smile widened. "Bears are not related to wolves."
Duo shoved at his shoulder. "You know what I mean."
"I do," Heero tugged him close. "I did want to ask them a few things... but I didn't want to stay with them. Why would I? My place is with you." He kissed Duo gently. "So... want to pack up and head South?"
Duo grinned and rolled over, pinning Heero to the blankets. "Maybe in an hour or two..."
OWARI
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