Exposed

Return to the Den

Teeth and claws pierced the water trying to grab her until one succeeded. Ki was forced from the river and thrown to the dry ground. She coughed, her back bleeding from the wolf's teeth. She stood and backed towards the water.

"Don't try anything. Just give up and come with us."

"Stay away from me!" Ki warned, her eyes darting across the many wolves.

"Ki!" Helena yelled from across the river.

All eyes turned to see a small collection of kitsune. More than any wolf of this time has seen all together. Ki saw their facial expressions change as they realized that she wasn't the only fox they'd need to get rid of.  Helena jumped over the river, the rest of the kitsune following her. Ki yelped as the wolf that pulled her from the water grabbed her once again. The wolves were running from the foxes. The stories of the deception and powers of kitsune had them worried about what could happen with so many of them. Though wolves are faster, the kitsune were more strategic. The running slowed as they saw small orange figures in the distance. Over a dozen foxes surrounded  six wolves. 

"Give her back," Helena spoke firmly, stepping towards the wolf in possession of Ki, "She's all we want and you can go on your way."

With a smirk, the wolf threw Ki into the air, another wolf catching her. Another yelp sprang from Ki's throat as she was pierced by teeth yet again. This wolf flung his head, casting Ki off into the side of a tree. The kitsune immediately moved to her, the wolves fleeing to report the newly discovered number of kitsune. She made no sound and didn't move. Together, the kitsune carried Ki back to the den the best they could.

They rushed into the den, Dorian already arranging medical assistance for Ki. 

"Has anyone checked her pulse?"

"No!"

"How do you know she's even alive then?"

"Because she has to be! She's not so weak to be killed by teeth and gravity!"

"She's alive. Everyone out!"

...

"How is she?"

"She's awake. You can see her now."

Helena nodded a thank you and walked into the room. Ki was sat up in a bed with a puzzled look on her face. Quietly walking in, Helena pulled up a chair next to Ki's bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine, I'm just a little sore. I'm mostly just bored."

"Well, maybe I can help with some stimulating conversation," Helena smiled.

"I'd rather read if I'm to be honest. You're great Helena and I love your company, but I have questions that need to be answered."

"I understand. What would you like to read?"

"Look through my journals and see if there's anything about the first alpha of the Silver River Pack. Bring me all that you can find."

"I'll get started."

"Thank you, Helena."

"Of course, now please get some rest."

Ki smiled and watched Helena leave the room. Once she was alone she let out a sigh and let herself sink further into the bedding. Not only is nature against Ki and Jae's pack, but now random wolves are on a mission to exterminate kitsune. She groaned. Ki stared up at the ceiling trying to connect the dots. What is making the dominos fall. The Gods and spirits wanting to avenge the wrongful deaths of her family? The first alpha of the silver river pack? Or is this just all just coincidence? 

The image of yellow eyes flashed through Ki''s mind, causing her to jump. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart started racing. She frantically looked around the room as if that would tell her what was happening to her. A ringing in Ki's ears grew louder and louder until she was whimpering quietly. Everything stopped. She felt still. She stared straight ahead at an injured wolf. She bared her teeth causing the wolf to cower in fear. 

Joey

Ki blinked trying to focus her eyes. She was once again in the recovery room, but she figured she'd never left. Was she looking through Joey's eyes? Why did that happen? How did that happen? The questions were pilling up and there were no answers. The anger she felt in him was only comparable to a force of nature, unstoppable. Ki didn't know why he was so angry, but she did know he would feel no remorse for anything until his anger subsided. 

Curling back up, Ki made herself as comfortable as possible. The places the wolves' teeth pierced radiated heat and every part of her was sore. Again, she stared blankly but at the floor this time. 

"Ki, I brought you some water." Helena said quietly.

"Thank you."

"I haven't found much yet, but I do have some intel from another kitsune. Apparently, the Silver River pack thinks you're dead."

"What?" Ki said, immediately standing up.

"They have a wolf in their custody that told them you were dead."

"How do you know this?"

"We are professional information gatherers. Getting such information isn't a challenge," Helena chuckled.

"Okay, but that means you can communicate with them."

"We could, but we don't do that."

"Well, make an exception this one time. Let them know I'm okay. Or bring one here. Or I'll go back with the next fox who goes to them for information."

"Ki, that's not a good idea. We don't know how they'll react and we can't let wolves into this place. They're hunting us down."

"I need to speak to Joey."

"Joey has lost it. Judging by what I've been told, he's the one you need to be careful of."

"He'd never hurt me, we're mates."

Helena's brow furrowed. She starred at Ki trying to find the right words.

"Kitsune don't have mates."

"I know, but-"

"Ki, you're not mates. You can't be. That doesn't really even make any sense. The others and I have entertained the idea that maybe he is actually mated to you, but it just doesn't seem plausible."

"Why not?" Ki said, defensively. When did she become so protective of what she and Joey had together?

"We have our suspicions on... everything. If we're correct, which usually we are, Joey being mated to you is a cruel joke."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, you need to get rest. You have a lot of reading to do tomorrow when I give you what I find."

"You can't just say things like that and then end the conversation!" Ki barked.

"It's a theory. That's all. The facts are that kitsune prefer being on their own. His fate being mated to you is cruel because you can never match how he feels about you. You will end up running away from him because it's your nature and he will be left mateless."

Ki was silent. Would she end up running away from him one day? She found Joey to be rather comforting. He was her best friend in this world she'd been thrown into. But then again, she didn't really know Joey all that well. They never spent much time together before things began to crumble around her. Then again, time spent together might not mean anything. Jae was doing some pretty shady things and she'd been with him her entire life.

"Helena?"

"Yes?"

"Where's my mother buried?"

"Uh, under a tree. There are tunnels leading to it... Why?"

"If there's one person I can trust, it's my mother."