It was finally morning. Kitsune had woken up and immediately bombarded Okami with questions. The two stayed in the house for a long time. Meanwhile, Alepou stirred, her vision blurry as she blinked awake. She barely had time to process her surroundings before she noticed Lykos, head bobbing, barely clinging to consciousness.
Lykos: Huh? Oh... you're awake. Are you okay?
Alepou: Umm... yeah? Why wouldn't I be?
Lykos: You... don't remember anything?
Alepou furrowed her brows, sifting through her hazy memories.
Alepou: Last thing I remember was...
Her mind flickered back to yesterday. Holding Lykos' arm. The cold air. Then—nothing.
Alepou: Uhh... what happened yesterday?
Lykos: Oh... let Sky explain it to you... I'm gonna... sleep a bit...
The second he said that, his body slumped forward onto her. Out cold.
Alepou blinked, bewildered, then sighed and placed a gentle hand on his head. She looked around and spotted Skylos standing awkwardly in a corner.
Alepou: Sup.
Skylos: Sup.
Alepou: What's up with him? And why are you standing there like some creepy statue?
Skylos: Ly told me to give you space and made me stand here. Meanwhile, he sat next to you all night... holding your hand.
Alepou glanced down at Lykos, eyes widening.
Alepou: He what?
Skylos: Yeah. Whole night. Didn't let go once.
Alepou: What even happened for him to do that?
Skylos: Thor hit you with lightning yesterday. You've been unconscious ever since.
Alepou's jaw dropped. What.
Alepou: WHAT THE FUCK?! We're not just gonna gloss over that like it's normal, right?!
Skylos: I mean... sounds crazy, yeah, but... it happened.
Alepou: Why would a god just—
Skylos: Okami pissed him off. So Thor fought us, then bailed, and sent a Valkyrie after us instead.
Alepou: All that happened yesterday?! Wait... did Ly fight Thor and the Valkyrie?
Skylos: No.
Alepou: Oh, thank go—
Skylos: Argos did.
Alepou: OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE! WHY?!
Skylos: We were gonna die. Actually...
Alepou: WHAT?!
Skylos: Yeah... Inu got impaled. Didn't make it.
Alepou: How can you say that so casually?!
Skylos: Because if I don't, I'll actually have to deal with it.
He looked down, voice quieter now.
Skylos: It's not working too well, though... that's also why I'm in a corner.
Alepou's frustration softened.
Alepou: Sky... it wasn't your fault.
Skylos: Yeah, but I could've helped. Instead, I just stayed next to you...
Alepou: Knowing Lykos? I guarantee he told you to watch over me. You did what he asked. That's enough.
Skylos: Wow... you really do read him like a book.
Alepou: We have been friends since we were five, you know.
Skylos: True... but still, damn.
Alepou: How's everyone else?
Skylos: Well, Kit lost an arm trying to save Inu. Okami... somehow got a Telum outta nowhere.
Alepou: Volk, Aster, and Sobaka?
Skylos: Volk and Sobaka are fine. They spent last night helping Okami with Kitsune. Aster made food for everyone and apologized, like, fifty times because he feels like he could've done more.
Alepou: ...Could he have?
Skylos: No. Dude fought a dragon. That's already enough.
Alepou: A what now?!
Skylos: Oh yeah... the Valkyrie resurrected a dragon and made us fight it.
Alepou: What the actual fuck is happening?!
Skylos: I have no idea anymore. Anyway, you hungry? Should I make some food?
Alepou: Uhh... sure.
Skylos: Cool. Be right back.
Skylos left the room. Alepou looked down at Lykos, still fast asleep. She smiled. He looked so calm like this—so at peace. Without thinking, she leaned down and wrapped her arms around him in a gentle hug.
A sudden flash of light enveloped them. A translucent bubble formed around them both.
Alepou: What the...?
She pulled back, startled. The bubble vanished. She hesitated, then focused again on protecting Lykos. The bubble reappeared.
Alepou: Is this... a power? Since when?!
Suddenly, Skylos peeked his head back in.
Skylos: Hey, do you want— what the hell is that?!
The bubble vanished as Alepou snapped her head toward him.
Alepou: I... I don't know. I think I just got a power...
Skylos: Whoa. You should ask Oka about it. He's the power expert here.
Alepou: Alright then. I'll check in with him later.
__________
Meanwhile, in another house, Volk and Sobaka were deep in discussion.
Volk: Should we check out ground zero? Maybe we can find clues about who—or what—wants us dead.
Sobaka: I mean... it sounds stupid. But it's also the only lead we've got. Aster said Hel might've been the one who froze over Russia. Maybe she's the one sending people after us.
Volk: Yeah. Thor and the Valkyrie did mention serving a lady. Maybe that lady is Hel.
Sobaka: That's possible... but are we strong enough to go there?
Volk: If we find more orbs, we might get stronger.
Sobaka: This isn't a game, Volk. And I know you live by the whole 'Immortal till proven otherwise' mindset, but what about us?! You saw what happened to Inu.
Volk: I know! But... what if leaving Russia doesn't stop them? What if they just follow us into civilization? We'd be putting innocent people at risk.
Sobaka: Right. Lykos did say they wiped out his city. So yeah... they definitely won't hesitate to kill more.
Aster walked in.
Aster: You two okay?
Sobaka: Yeah, just planning our next move.
Aster: You leaving soon?
Sobaka: We—
Volk: Yeah. You staying? We could use the extra hands.
Aster: Oh... umm... I'm not much of a fighter. Yesterday was... an exception. But I can help you travel.
Volk: What do you mean?
Aster: I can open portals to places I've been. I can't take you out of Russia, but I can move you far.
Volk and Sobaka exchanged glances.
Volk: Since when?!
Aster: Since I was fourteen.
Volk smirked. Interesting.
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