*Yeah Baby! We are back on the rollercoaster! Buckle up with your favorite characters and prepare for the twisting journey they take.*

While Lulu raced away into the dying hours of the night to search for game, another entity approached the cave systems from the opposite direction. As a cold drizzle began to fall from the moonless sky a slender form dressed in black slipped between the shadows of the trees and cursed quietly. They hated the cold damp, how it bit cruelly causing joints and bones to ache.

“That cave system is here somewhere.” Goggle protected eyes searched along the hilly ground for the shaft opening that dropped down into the desired cavern. A cross-body bag fitted tightly to a thin chest, repelling gear hung from a belt spanning narrow hips, dark leather gloves and a ski mask covered the rest of the person’s visage. Oblivious to the proximity of predatory wolfbloods, the being stopped at the aven they were searching for. Sniffing, they noticed the smell of wood smoke. Dammit, I hope campers haven’t damaged any formations. Even though they harvested small amounts from the caves, they were careful how they did it and where they took components from.

Setting up an anchor point the slight form adjusted their harness and began repelling into the shaft. The descent was quick due to an absence of choke points. Halfway down the shaft they slowed, listening to the burbling of water. Hmmmm… That water is running faster than normal. Best hurry in case this area floods. Swinging onto a ledge they ducked into a small alcove where a cache of cave pearls grew.

“Perfect.” They said while scooping up three of the fragile calcium formations. No one else had despoiled this area. The small harvest would supply their needs for months leaving the rest of the pearls to their slow growth. Snugging the pearls into protective packing, they heard a soft moan coming from lower in the cave system. Cocking their head, they listened intently. The pained sound came again. Could there be an injured hiker, amateur spelunker deeper in the system? With a heavy sigh they traversed the narrow ledge back to the repelling line. I really don’t want to go further in. Especially with the water flow increasing. The moaning sound came a little louder. This cave system is extensive.  If they are lost they will never get out in time. If they drown it will be my fault.

Noticing the water flow along the walls of the cave increasing, the dark form moved faster. Securing more cams into the rock face as they moved down into the shaft. A slight flicker of fire light danced along the lower rock face. Soft flexible boots landed on the cavern floor. A form lay prone near a small fire. As they approached it became obvious this was a large man.  “Hey there.” They whispered at the man, hoping he was mobile. “You need to get up. These caves flood quickly.” His massive form was much too large to move without assistance.

The man moaned again and rolled over. His eyes cracked open. “Hello, is someone there?” His question, though spoken at a soft level, seemed to boom in the otherwise quiet cavern.

Sighing again the slender person made their way over to the prone man and knelt. “Where are you injured? Can you walk? I don’t think we have much time before the cave starts to flood.”

Brice startled at the soft words spoken close to his face. He could just make out a shadowy silhouette above him. Struggling to sit up, a pair of gloved hands scrambled across his shoulders to assist. “Flood?” He asked groggily. “Who are you?” Brice’s head was clearing. The pain in his body abating. Oddly he couldn’t feel Krish or Lulu.

“My name is Winter.” The barely audible voice replied. There was a painful rasping quality to their words. As if they had difficulty speaking or didn’t speak often. “No time. We need to get out of here. The water is rising.” Brice realized the water was indeed no longer contained to the small pools in the cavern. It was at least ½ an inch high throughout the area. The fire was starting to gutter. Brice rose up. The darkly clad form took a step back and inclined their head up at him. With the dying fire it was difficult for Brice to perceive much, even with his wolfblood sight. He started moving to where he originally came into the caves when the stranger gently grasped his wrist.

“No, it is too dangerous to go that way.” That raspy whisper explained. “Can you climb?”

“Yeah, I think I can.” Brice said, regarding this would be savoir. Unable to help himself. “What are you?”

The darkly clothed person stilled. Then started to move to the back of the cave. “No time for discussions. The water is rising fast.” Brice followed. Looking down, indeed the water was now at 2 inches, rising quickly in less than a minute. The flow was picking up as well, running rapidly along the cave floor. At the back of the cavern, along a smooth rock face dangled some rope. “I’d say go before me, but I don’t think I could catch you if you fell.”, Winter explained. “In about 20 feet it narrows enough to brace against the shaft sides and chimney up the rest of the way. Keep hold of the rope in case you slip. Call out if you need me.”

Winter caught the rope and began to scrabble up it. Brice followed at a slower pace. The pain may have abated, but Brice was exhausted from the ordeal.

As Winter traversed rapidly up the rope, away from Brice, the burning sensation in Brice’s body returned. Almost causing him to fall. Holding on with a death grip he shouted up the pitch-black shaft. “Hold up. Wait.” The movement on the line above him ceased. If there was a return call Brice couldn’t hear it over the echo of water burbling into the cave system. Stealing himself he began arm over arm pulling up until the fiery pain subsided and he could take a deep breath.

“Listen, Winter. I don’t know what is happening. I am in a lot of pain and for some reason when you are near it recedes.” Climbing a little further Brice bumped into Winter’s calves.

“Okay, you can brace on the walls now. The sides are close. We need to move fast.” Winter’s voice came barely audible above the increased noise of rushing water. How the stranger could see in the pitch black without any light source boggled Brice’s mind. The sides of the shaft were becoming slick with small snaking streams following cracks in the rock face. Rain drizzled from above in a cold mist. 20 minutes later they emerged on the top of a rocky hillside. Brice lay gasping on the ground staring up at the silhouettes of trees just visible against the sky and the now pounding rain. A situation that would render humans blind but allowed just enough light for a wolfblood to see.

Winter glanced about then pointed down the rocky incline. “My car is that way. I need to get back before the sun comes up. I can drop you at a hospital on the way.”, there was an edge of panic in the soft voice.  Winter took off at a clipped paced towards the vehicle location. A lone mournful wolf cry sounded behind them. Brice sprang up, hustling to catch up with the strange person as he feared the painful burning sensation of the waring bonds might bloom to life again. Brice absolutely didn’t want to give Lulu a chance to track him.

Winter moved down the hill faster than was normal for a human. Slipping along the loose gravel trail and leaping across washed-out sections with balletic grace. Brice kept up with some effort. At the bottom of the hill a narrow paved road came into view. A dark brown Volvo station wagon sat on the edge of the road. The back of the wagon was loaded with a plethora of odd items. Spans of driftwood and odd wooden crates were the most noticeable. As Winter slid into the driver’s side, firing up the diesel engine and putting the car into gear, Brice barely managed to plant his rear into the leather passenger seat. As soon as Brice’s door closed the car lurched forward and started a bone rattling, trauma inducing journey down an ill kept, twisting switchback riddled country road. Between the items in the back rattling around and the sensation the car might plumet off into oblivion at any moment, Brice was thankful he hadn’t eaten in a while. None too soon they turned onto a well-kept road and then a state road. As the roads smoothed out, the rattling in the back of the vehicle ceased. Brice took a moment to study his companion. Winter wasn’t short by human standards. Possibly 5’9”. Lean build, though with the mud and unisex clothing it was impossible to determine their gender. They were oddly covered head to toe. Not a scrap of skin showing. Though chilly outside, this level of coverage seemed excessive. The dark goggles and full-face coverage was truly perplexing.

“What were you doing in the cave?” Brice asked.

Attention locked on the road as the car sped along well above the speed limit, Winter answered. “Collecting supplies for my work.” Before Brice could ask anything else. “Apologies, it appears I miscalculated the time. Can you stay at my place today? I’ll take you into town tonight.”

“Uh, sure… may I ask why?” Brice replied.

Winter’s gloved hands tighten on the steering wheel for a moment then relaxed. “I’m sensitive to sunlight.”

Inches from snapping up a tasty rabbit, Lulu staggered sideways as a flash of emptiness scored her soul. The connection to Brice severed abruptly and she ran into a tree. The rabbit darted off to live another day. Drawing in a painful breath she turned and ran back towards the cave system. On the way back the connection stuttered to life then severed again. The abruptness of it caused her to collapse on the forest floor panting with labored breaths. Once recovered she resumed her trek back. Coming upon the cave entrance. The once small trickle of water in the entrance was a raging torrent of water, washing out into a ravine below. A flash of memory hit her. The twigs and leaves stuck high up in the ledges of the cavern. Water had washed them up there. That entire cavern was likely washed out. An incapacitated Brice would never have survived. Gods, he was dead. She’d killed him. She was a murderer. A long sorrowful howl erupted from her throat. Brice was gone, along with any chance of happiness or reconciliation with her pack.