Butterflies in Winter

::Chapter 24:: No One

Part of him sparked, when he saw the dark eyes of the wolf pack peering back at him. Watching him, judging him, searching for signs of weakness.

A slight flash of fang showed below his lip line as he straightened. In spite of his pain, desperate to show that he wasn't as vulnerable as he was. Grimacing as he did so, he stood upright and puffed out his chest. Holding his head high, the young wolf approached.

For a long time, Kit had believed himself and his friends to be unique. That his mannerisms and way of thinking were his own, a burden brought with his gift. It had never crossed his mind that outside the explosion, other magic could have existed.

It would take some getting used to, knowing that he wasn't the only one.

Now he had a lot more to prove.

He didn't do the strangers the privilege of acknowledging them first. Instead, as though nothing had changed, he looked to Max, Vic and the others. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he explained, ducking his head apologetically. Not making eye contact with the other wolves, even if he had all their gazes solidly fixed on his own form.

While he may not have been raised in a pack, he didn't know the intricacies of the wolf that they probably did. He knew how he would have felt should the same be directed at him. Kit hoped the desired effect would be delivered.

He belonged to no one, and he wanted to make such apparent.

Max watched Kit, his eyes narrowed a fraction. Kit pretended he didn't notice the flash of amusement in his eyes, even the eagle seemed able to guess the conflict going through the mind of the wolf.

For a moment, Kit wondered if the younger eagle would bring him up on the topic. Yet the eagle didn't mention it, "We are waiting for the centaurs and the vampires. Otherwise, we're pretty much all here."

"You had fair reason to be late anyway," came the now too familiar voice of Romany from nearby. Kit didn't turn his head, but flickered his gaze across her. Holding back the grin which fought to split his face when he caught her scent. "I believe few would have complained were you to decide not to turn up at all."

Now she pointedly turned her dark gaze to the wolf pack, they didn't flinch beneath her hostile glare. Only returning in kind.

"Like I'd miss it," Kit responded with a shrug of his shoulders. Turning so that he stood shoulder to shoulder with the others.

This was his family, and he wanted everyone to be able to see it.

For the first time since the beginning of this little performance, Kit made eye contact with the stranger, Jackson. His eyes narrowing a shade as he watched. A blind man would have been able to understand the gesture.

His answer was no.

Kit's staring contest broke when a voice sounded to his left. The gentle sound of hooves as the centaurs approached. Kit narrowed his eyes, searching the newcomers for signs of injury, but amongst the great number. He was unable to see any sign of it.

Vic answered his unasked question. "They were nowhere near us," the bear said. Guessing the words on Kit's lips before he was able to form them. "They took to the meadows to sleep. The same for the vampires, they hunt best at night."

Like a shadow on the wind, the vampires arrived almost immediately after. Careful to stick to the shade of the treeline, Kit watched them in silence. With a level of awe he hadn't expect to have.

It was the stranger who stepped forward to speak first. Kit narrowed his eyes, opposed to the mere idea of taking orders from the awful creature.

However, before he could say anything. The lead centaur, Reggie stepped forward before the stranger had the chance. He glared down at the smaller wolf, obviously as annoyed with him as Kit had been.

Clearly pained by having to step back, especially in front of a crowd of people. The stranger looked like he was going to say something for a moment, only to think twice about it and stepped back.

"Thank you, Jackson." The centaur said pointedly.

Drawing his gaze across the clearing full of creatures, most of whom Kit would never have guessed existed. Reggie thought for a moment. "It would appear we are all here, you may wish to get comfortable. We may be here a while."

Kit settled down amongst his friends, kneeling carefully in the grass. His eyes on the lead centaur alone.

"Unfortunately, yesterday. It became apparent as to how much damage the creatures now in the mainland are capable of doing."

"We shouldn't have had to learn it the hard way," a number of calls let out, or said something to that affect. The pain of the events still very clear and fresh in the words of the men and women around him.

"No we shouldn't," the centaur agreed firmly. His eyes lit with anger at the very indication that he had believed any of the destruction was necessary. "But we cant change the past, what we can do is try to stop it from happening again."

"How do you intend to do that?" Max spoke this time, one of the calmer voices in the crowd of anger.

Every pair of eyes were on the eagle, accusing and fearsome. Yet Max didn't flinch beneath the sudden and very angry gaze. In fact he seemed to flourish under the gaze, he stood up straighter beneath their glares. He watched them for a second, then Reggie answered.

"Our main problem is that we don't know where they will have gone," obviously. But Kit was kind enough to say this out loud. "There are seven likely points of entry, in four different countries."

"Depending on how many monsters were on the island, and how many were intelligent enough to realise the ability to leave it. If we don't act soon, there will be thousands, if not millions of lives at stake." Matthew was the one to take the metaphorical microphone and speak this time. His words were solemn, and they took the men and women before them by surprise.

For the first time, these words left the audience in a stunned silence.

In the space of a fortnight, the stakes Kit had been fighting for had quadrupled. The idea made him shift uncomfortably, fearfully. It was more to fight for, and Kit was ready to accept the challenge. It was the outcome which was entirely uncertain.

"What I propose," those words were uncomfortably familiar to what had been said to Kit earlier that morning. "Is that we split the armies, and send them into the furthest borders of each territories. And work our way back to this point, forcing the beasts back to this point and back across the sea."

"And when we do that? What do you expect us to do?"

"Here we will have our last stand."