(again, a long time since my last post no excuse)

Khoya woke up in the early morning. The sun wasn't visible but the clouds were streaked orange. He arose from his spot in the corner. Looking up at Alpha in the bed, then towards the door. He grabbed his backpack and snuck out of the room, past the snoozing dragon, making it outside without a sound.

He sat on a stump that was one of many around a fire pit and rummaged through his sack. He sighed to himself as his paw hit what he was searching for. He pulled out a tattered box of cigarettes, lifted what was left of the lid and found he had three left. He lifted the pack to his lips and took a cigarette out, replacing the rest back near the bottom of his bag. He pulled a Zippo out of his front pocket and lit it, holding it to the exposed end of his smoke. He snapped it shut and admired the still sharp imprint of the design; a red Celtic cross with a flying ribbon around it. He then placed it back in his pocket.

Taking a long drag, he peered up, seeing the top of the trees be overtaken by light. He held his breath for a moment and when he exhaled, he watched the curling smoke drift up, becoming white as it was illuminated by the sun. The light hit his fur and he closed his eyes from the brightness. He perked his ears as he heard the door to the cabin open and close, followed by the soft sound of pads on the dry twigs and needles. Alpha came up next to him and sat next to him.

"Do you want to leave before the wake?" she said, looking at him puff smoke from his nostrils.

"in the world we live in, we can't leave people behind, we need to stick together regardless of what happens. I made that mistake leaving Enyo behind and i made it again leaving to go back. There;s nothing more out there than what we have now."

She sat in silence next to him, hearing the tobacco from his cigarette crackle with each puff. "We should be back in Seattle tonight..." she said.

"I know." he said, his voice soft.

"Luck seems to follow you, Khoya. You have a passion in this venture of yours. I'll be here beside you the whole way, but you'll find him. I know you will."

The two wolves heard the door to the cabin open and close, followed by two sets of steps approaching them. The dragon and wolf came around and stood in front of the two, speechless.

"I'm ready to go." Khoya said, flicking the last bit of his cigarette into the pit. "I'm not hungry now but i know a house in Lacy where we can eat. It'll be a three hour trek, two if we move with haste..."

Alpha stood next to Khoya and pulled her pack over he shoulder. "let's go then," she said. Marcus and Dirty both nodded and grunted in agreement

A slight smile on Khoya's muzzle, he stood with his pack and slung it on. He walked inside and came back out with his rifle over his back. "Let's go then, and we'll reach the big city by dinner."

Side by side, all four of the furs traveled out to the main road, keeping a solid pace to the north.