Ocean Blue

Chapter 41

Quintisha leapt at wolf-Shiro with a yowl, but Shiro ducked and slammed his side into the big cat, sending him flying into the wall. Allura held a hand out.

"Shiro, it's okay. Calm down. Transform back."

Shiro snarled, and his eyes were crazy, wild, trapped. He bounded out of the room and onto the deck, howling furiously. Everyone gave chase, closing the door to Keith's room even as he protested weakly.

Shiro was pacing the deck, growling at anyone who dared to get close. He stalked towards Hunk, leaping and knocking him backwards. Quintisha raced on deck, and the two leapt at each other, each trying to tear the other's throat out. Romelle pleaded for Quintisha to come back, that this wasn't a Galra that he needed to kill, but the big cat refused to listen.

The cat and the wolf separated, circling each other warily, both bleeding from wounds. Romelle called again, and Quintisha gave her a glance, but ignored her, continuing to size up Shiro. Coran tried desperately to separate them, but they fought through his winds and continued to rip and tear at each other.

Shiro broke away from Quintisha and ran at Romelle with a snarl, as if killing her would stop the attacks of the big cat. Romelle screamed, ducking to the floor, but it wasn't her dodge that made Shiro stop.

"Sh-Shiro."

Wolf Shiro stopped, glancing hesitantly at Keith, who was leaning against the wall, panting heavily, his breath hitching in his chest. He stalked slowly towards Keith, growling ever so slightly.

"Shiro," Keith said again, "Please. I know- I know you're not like this. Please- please, come back to us. Please—" Pidge was surprised to see tears in Keith's eyes.

Shiro jumped on him with a growl, and the others leapt forward to stop him, but Keith waved them off.

"I know you're in there, Shiro," he whispered, "Please, come back to us. Please..." his eyes slid shut as the strain overcame him. "Please..."

Shiro's snarled snout relaxed, smoothed, and turned to an expression of horror. He got off of Keith, pushing at his hand with his snout, whining. A gentle paw stroked Keith's hair, and Shiro backed away, transforming back into a human.

"Stars... what have I done to Keith..."

"It's okay," Pidge assured him in a low voice as Coran hustled Keith away back to his room, "It- It wasn't all you- idiot shouldn't have been wandering around, but you know how Keith is. Stubborn. Headstrong." She wiped at her eyes. "He'll be okay. He's tough."

"Coran didn't even think he'd make it," Hunk supplied, "But look at him! Wandering about, facing down wolves- he'll be okay. It'll take more than Zarkonto make Keith go down."

"I'm a monster..."

"No, you're not," Pidge said firmly, "We are what we do, not what's in our blood. You're not a monster."

"Really?! I've been an Illimu for a few days, and what have I done? I've attacked Keith, attempted to hurt you—"

Pidge waved a hand. "You weren't yourself. You were hurting. Confused. You'll be okay, as long as you don't lose sight of yourself."

Shiro sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I should just leave. You can't risk me staying here."

"We can risk anything we damn well want to," Allura snapped, "I'm essentially a walking time-bomb: I think we can handle having a wolf on board."

"Besides," Romelle added, "You're the key to the amulet. We're not going to make you leave just because you screwed up once."

Shiro raised an eyebrow. "We?"